Praying for all souls
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:40).
This is what we believe, this is our hope, that we who encounter Jesus and believe in him shall have eternal life. This is God’s will, this is what he created us for, to be in communion with him and one another in this life and the next. A word of assurance that I often lean on is from the book of Wisdom: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us utter destruction. But they are in peace” (Wisdom 3:1-3).
The miracle of Jesus raising the daughter of the official embodies these verses from Wisdom. As Jesus entered the home of the official many were “making a commotion” and Jesus dismissed them stating: “Go away! the girl is not dead but sleeping.” He was ridiculed by the crowd but paid them no heed, went to the girl, took her hand, “and the little girl arose” (cf. Mt 9:18-26).
Jesus’ assured his followers that the will of his Father was that all will be saved and experiences like the raising of the official’s daughter, the son of the widow from Nain, and Lazarus, were seeds of hope of not only his resurrection to come but a foretaste of the raising of humanity on the last day. They witnessed his actions and words, and not only kept these experiences in their hearts, but shared their stories. This is the gift of the Gospels. We are able to enter into and experience these same encounters with Jesus again each time we read the Bible. Each time we pray, each time we worship and serve one another, we also experience Jesus who in each of these moments of encounter shapes and conforms us into who we have been created and called by God to be.
Today, All Souls Day, let us remember this hope that “the souls of the just are in the hands of God”. Let us lift up this day those we hold close to our heart, those who have no one to pray for them, as well as those who have died tragic and violent deaths, especially most recently, those of the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburg, and the man and woman killed at the Kentucky Kroger store, as we pray with the Church: “Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever” (Prayer for All Souls, Liturgy of the Hours).
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Photo: Remembering my maternal grandparents today
Link for the Mass readings for Friday, November 2, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110218.cfm
When we are willing to mourn, we will be comforted.
“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mt 5:4).
Another word for blessed is happy. How are we to feel blessed, or happy? How do the families and friends of those who died feel blessed? We seem to hear of mass killings through violent acts on a weekly basis. Just this past Saturday at the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue eleven were slain and six wounded. From a theological point of reference, one response is that Jesus spoke from the perspective of the eschatological event, his second coming at the end of time, and that we can rely on the hope that Jesus died for us all and we will rise with him on the last day.
I also believe that Jesus was also speaking about our day to day experiences as well. Jesus said, as is recorded in Mark 1:15, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus, is the kingdom at hand, just an outstretched arm away. Those who mourn will be blessed, will be happy, when we enter into the grief and the suffering of the loss and not run away from the agony and pain that threatens to overwhelm us. It is in the very entering into our pain and suffering that we come to encounter Jesus with his arms wide open ready to embrace us in our agony, ache, and loss.
By experiencing the sorrow, allowing ourselves to mourn, we are in a better position to heal. If we ask God the why of such atrocities we may not receive a sufficient answer and I have not yet heard anyone offer one. I do believe that his Son, who suffered the agony, loss, pain, and hurt as we did, understands what we are feeling. He is present with us and will guide us through to healing. There have been many accounts recorded of those who have experienced consolation from a loved one’s after death encounter.
Today, we celebrate the gift of the Communion of Saints on this All Saints Day. The saints understood and lived the message and truth of the Gospel that Jesus has risen. They have lived their life to the full and have gone before us to the true land of promise, our heavenly home, and from there they cheer us on, encourage us, and intercede for us.
Jesus suffered and conquered death. We need not fear death because through our life in Jesus, death no longer has any power over us. Yes, we mourn the loss of those no longer with us in this reality, yet we also rejoice in their new life in Christ. St Paul of the Cross, taught: “The world lives unmindful of the sufferings of Jesus which are the miracle of miracles of the love of God. We must arouse the world from its slumber.” Let us then not run from but enter into our pain and mourn so that we may experience God’s comfort and peace.
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Source for quote from St Paul of the Cross: https://passionist.org/st-paul-of-the-cross-passionist-founder/
Photo: Crucifix at the front entrance of Our Lady of Florida Retreat Center
Link for the Mass Readings for Thursday, November 1, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110118.cfm
Risk entering the narrow gate of love
He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough” (Lk 13:24).
Jesus offered this answer to the person who asked him if only a few would be saved. We saw a parallel account from Jesus’ parable about it being easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven that was presented a few Sundays ago (cf Mt 19:24). The imagery of a narrow gate represents that what we say and do in our lives matter regarding our building or weakening our relationship with God and one another.
There are many distractions and temptations that pull us from faithfulness and if we give in to them, we will strain or break our relationships. Jesus said many will not be strong enough, and on our own he is right. St Paul also realized this, for he wrote, “I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil that I do not want” (Romans 7:19). How many of us could say the same?
Relationships are not easy in the best of circumstances, this is true for building our relationship with God and each other. St Teresa of Avila shared once after being thrown from a carriage into a mud puddle, “If you treat your friends so poorly, it is no wonder that you have so few!”
Authentic relationships demand a willingness to sacrifice for another, to be committed, to be understanding and forgiving, to be present, to risk being vulnerable, honest, and sharing who we truly are with another, free of any pretense or masks. On our own we are not strong enough, but with God all things are possible. Jesus invites us to take his hand this day and he will lead us through the narrow gate, so we can help others do the same. Who then will be saved? Those who are willing to enter the narrow gate of love.
Photo: by Johannes Plenio from Pexels
Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, October 31, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/103118.cfm
Plant a the mustard seed of a smile in someone’s life today.
In today’s Gospel from Luke 13:18-21, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast. Each of these elements are not only small, but they are tiny. With the proper environment, resources of sustenance, water, and sunlight, this seed will germinate, sprout, and grow into a large bush. Yeast, a single-cell organism, is the catalyst for assisting dough to rise, strengthen, and ferment, thus providing a more appealing and tasty bread.
Jesus offered these simple examples from everyday agrarian life that his listeners understood from experience. If we have planted seeds or made our own homemade bread, we could be in a better position to relate to these two small parables as well. Throughout the Gospel Jesus worked in small ways, person to person. Jesus’ interaction happened concretely, through the of breaking bread together, walking along the road together, sharing stories, teaching, healing and exorcising with his touch, and he still does so today. The smallest, genuine act of kindness or love can seem insignificant and may even go unnoticed, but it is important to the individual encounter and, can show dramatic results over time.
There is a story that expresses this point called, “A Simple Gesture” from the story collection, Chicken Soup for the Soul. The short tale describes how one day a boy named Mark was walking home from school and came upon another boy who had tripped and dropped all of his books, two sweaters, his bat, glove and tape recorder. Mark offered to help carry some of the load of the other boy, who, as they walked home, found out was named Bill. They talked about common interests and when they approached Bill’s home, Bill invited Mark in for a Coke and to watch some T.V. They spent the afternoon together, then interacted on occasion for the rest of their middle school and into their high school years.
Three weeks prior to their graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill shared that the reason he had been carrying all of that stuff home that day was because he didn’t want to leave a mess for anyone else to clean up. He had saved some of his mother’s sleeping pills and had planned to commit suicide. Bill shared that, after their original encounter and afternoon together, he realized if he had killed himself that day he would have missed more opportunities to talk and laugh. Bill finished the conversation by saying, “So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life” (Canfield and Hansen, 35-36).
Personal encounter was how Jesus helped others to realize that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Mark, in committing a random act of kindness for Bill, showed how this can still be true today. Like a modern day Good Samaritan parable, “A Simple Gesture”, helps us to see that when we are aware of opportunities to help and act upon them, no matter how small, with genuine care, we can have a dramatic affect on another’s life. The opposite is also true.
Many people have a lot on their plate, we may not be aware of even half of what others are going through. That is why we need to be attentive to the move of the Spirit in our lives. We need to make an effort to be aware to notice others and the move of the Spirit leading us out beyond ourselves. In doing so, we become like the mustard seed, or the yeast, in another’s life. Through a smile, a hello, a bent ear to listen, what may appear to be miniscule or mundane in the moment, may in fact be life changing and transforming.
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Photo: Planning prayer with my classmate and brother Pete at husband/wife retreat during formation at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center.
Canfield, Jack and Mark Victor Hansen. Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, 1993.
Link for the Mass Readings for Tuesday, October 30, 2018:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/103018.cfm
Awareness, invitation, and acceptance of invitation can bring healing.
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God (Lk 13:1013).
In reading this Gospel passage, we see again the compassion and mercy of Jesus. He was aware and saw the need of the crippled woman, called her to himself, she came, and through his words and laying on of hands the woman was healed. He did so without hesitation, knowing that since he was healing on the sabbath this would bring further scrutiny and criticism. Yet, Jesus did not think of himself, he thought of the woman in need and made himself present to her.
Jesus is a model of service and the very power as Son of God that invokes healing. Jesus was aware of her need. The first step in building a culture of life is to respect the dignity of each person we encounter and to be aware of their need. It is much easier to not be aware or to operate from a position of they brought the issue on themselves. We can react with impatience because we would rather not be bothered with another’s issues.
The next step is invitation. Once Jesus becomes aware of the woman, he invites her to come to him. Jesus did not impose his will, even to will the woman’s good and bring her healing. He instead invited her to come. We need to respect another’s option to say no to help and allow them to come on their own. Though there are times, such as those who are dealing with an addiction, when there may be a need for more direct intervention.
Let us resist being stumbling blocks to others in need of the healing presence of Jesus. We are all capable of accepting another where there are and as they are, we can will their good, and we can be a healing, understanding, and supportive presence to another in need. We can be a means of healing as were the four men who brought their crippled friend to Jesus and being undeterred from not having access by letting him down through a roof (see Mark 2:1-12 and Matthew 9:1-8). We can bring the love and mercy of Christ to others. When there is awareness, invitation, acceptance of invitation, and two or more gathered in the name of Jesus, there can be healing.
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Photo: from freebibleimages.org
Link for the Mass readings for Monday, October 28, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102918.cfm
A return of two wolves
In 2012, 28 were killed, twenty children from 6-7 years of age at Sandy Hook Elementary School. in 2015, 9 people were gunned down in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a prayer service. In 2016, 49 were murdered and 58 injured at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando. In 2017, 58 died and over 851 were wounded in the Las Vegas shooting. February 14, 2018, 17 students were shot to death at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS. This past week, 13 pipe bombs were sent through the mail and yesterday 11 died and 6 were wounded at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania.
These are the facts and figures that have made the headlines, but more importantly, these numbers represent real people, human beings, family members, friends, and colleagues. So many die violent deaths each day, including the unborn, in our country and throughout our world. How are we to respond? In the Gospel today Jesus sheds some light on the darkness that beleaguers not only our country but our world.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. (Mk 10:47-48).
Though Bartimaeus is blind, he seems to “see” better and know who Jesus is. He does not just call out the name of Jesus, but “Jesus, Son of David.” This is not merely a genetic marker, but a Messianic title. Bartimaeus may have physical blindness, but he is one of the few in the Gospel of Mark to recognize Jesus is the Messiah. The disciples and crowd walking with him, the many who “rebuked him” showed their spiritual blindness, in that they prevented the blind man from coming to Jesus.
When we take time to read and meditate on this scriptural account, who are we? Are we like those in the crowd who follow and identify with Jesus, yet rebuke others seeking to come to Jesus? Do we foster a posture of other, embrace tribalism, nationalism, and contribute to division and polarization? If we do, we then are suffering from the very spiritual blindness that Jesus has come to heal.
We need to make an assessment of ourselves. Each thought we ponder and action we take ripples out from us and touches everyone. In what way do we contribute to the violence? Do we gossip, spread false reports knowingly about others only to degrade and belittle? Do we pass dehumanizing images and memes on social media? Do we talk over or at people, do we impose our views not even willing to listen to another? The smallest act of indignity shown to another, whether it be a snide remark, a racial, ethnic, or sexist epithet, or any manner of disrespect contributes to the horrific reports I began this post with.
We need to allow Jesus to convict us in the depths of our soul. In so doing, we are better able to counter the impulse to build walls that promote division, hate, and violence, and instead build bridges of forgiveness, unity, and love. We are called to shine a light in our present darkness as Jesus did by embracing one another as human beings, brothers and sisters created in the image and likeness of God. We begin by being present to those within our realm of influence with understanding, compassion, and empathy. Darkness only wins if we embrace it and become the darkness, let us be light. Hate only wins if we feed the hate, let us feed the love.
An old grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice.
“Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy to die. I have struggled with these feelings many times.”
He continued, “It is as if I there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside of me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.”
The boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?”
The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”
Both wolves are trying to dominate the spirit of our country, which one do you feed?
Let us have the humility to recognize our own need for dependency, that we cannot get through this life on our own. We, like Bartimaeus, need to be healed and made new. We need the Son of David in our lives, we need a savior, a healer, and we need each other. When we acknowledge this reality, we may better be able to resist the temptation to be indifferent to or dehumanize others, but instead be more willing to notice, recognize, pray for and act to provide aide for others. Just as Jesus calls us, he has called others as well. Jesus calls us not to embrace fear, but to love, to will the good of each other as other.
“Grandfather Tells” or “Two Wolves Within” Cherokee Legend, this and another version can be found at: http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TwoWolves-Cherokee.html
Photo: The two wolves are Wolfie and Rasta the Dancing Bear. Two wolves I had the fortune of caring for and helping to spread wolf education for the Sharon Audubon Center in the 1980’s.
Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, October 28, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102818.cfm
Healed by Jesus, let us bear fruit that will last!
In today’s Gospel, we read about two accounts of horrific deaths. The first is at the hands of Pontius Pilate, who has not only ordered the execution of Jesus’ fellow Galileans but had their blood mixed with “the blood of their sacrifices.” The second incident, Jesus himself brought up regarding the tragic accident in which eighteen people died “when the tower of Siloam fell on them.”
In both cases Jesus rejected the common notion of the time that these incidents were caused by God’s punishment and focused instead on the importance of repentance. Jesus stated quite emphatically, that, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did” (cf. Lk 13:1-5)!
Jesus was emphatic about helping his followers understand the purpose of his coming. Jesus is the way to the truth of eternal life and fulfillment and meaning in this life. Yet, to receive the gift of his invitation, people needed to repent from their focus on self, misunderstandings of God, and the false substitutions that the world offered and instead, repent, have a change of mind, and turn back to God, the source of our being.
We live in uncertain times as did those of the first century. We still live in a fallen world. We do not know the time or the hour our life will be taken. We often do not want to think about our death, yet, if we do ponder it from time to time, we just might live the one life we have been given a little bit better. Each day we wake up and each breath we take is a gift. The most recent pipe bombs being shuffled through the mail reminds us how fragile life can be.
Jesus is present with us in our trials, pain, and suffering. Let us repent and surrender to him, the divine gardener, for help and allow him to cultivate our ground and fertilize us in such a way that we are renewed by his care and love, so to be healed, so to bear fruit that will last. For the time we are given, in communion and as collaborators with Christ, may we may be more patient, more kind, more loving, more understanding, more forgiving, more present, and more joyful.
Photo: Photo by Luiz M. Santos from Pexels
Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, October 27, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102718.cfm
Jesus, help us to slow down so we can be more aware of your presence.
“You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time” (Lk 12:56).
Reading this verse brought two memories from my childhood. The first one is from when my friend Steve and I as kids were interested in reading the natural signs and weather patterns, and we enjoyed watching our local weatherman, Hilton Kaderli. each night forecasting the weather. Another memory was with my cousin Danny. We were at my Uncle Pierre and Aunt Claudette’s house one afternoon and we saw a storm rising. We headed to the road and started running as fast as we could in the opposite direction to see how far we could get before the storm caught us, and when it did we walked home, sucking in air, being pelted by the rain, and enjoyed a good soaking. Steve, Danny, and I read the signs of the earth and the sky, but we didn’t pay to much attention to things of the spirit.
By not only the teachings of Jesus, but by his public actions Jesus was revealing some powerful signs that God was in their midst. Jesus taught and preached on his own authority, he cast out demons, forgave sins, healed people, met and ate with sinners and women. These were amazing signs that the Messiah was in their midst, yet there were those who did not see, would not see, rationalized away that he could not be who he said he was. Though there were those who did see, did hear, and did believe.
Because they did so, some two thousand years later, Jesus speaks to us again. The stories and encounters of Jesus have been preserved, passed on generation after generation. Do we see his presence working in our lives? Do we see coincidences or God-incidents? Life is busy and fast passed, but we need to make some time each day to stop and reflect, take some deep breaths, and ask God to help us in reviewing the past twenty four hours to notice how he has been involved and engaged in our life.
Jesus, help us to be still for a moment so that we can acknowledge what we are grateful for and recall some God-incidents no matter how small. Jesus help us to be aware of how much you have been present to us in our daily experiences, and thank you for being with us, even when we have been distracted and indifferent.
For those times that we have refused or failed to recognize your closeness, especially in your presence in others seeking our help, forgive and assist us in being more aware and more intentional with following your will today and tomorrow. This moment with you truly is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Let us repent, believe in you, go in peace and proclaim the Gospel.
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Photo credit: Jack McKee – a moment of rest, enjoying family and God’s creation, Christmas 2010
Link for the Mass readings for Friday, October 26, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102618.cfm
