This has certainly been a week of highs and lows. While citizens of Texas sought to rebuild their lives after the devastating Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma caused catastrophic damage to several Caribbean Islands and the Florida Keys resulting in loss of life and home. In the wake of both storms, however, there has been a tremendous outpouring of charity, of which we have an opportunity to share in this weekend, with a collection at the doors of the church after Mass.
Here in Cleveland, we’ve seen a spectacular display of talent and sportsmanship in our local Major League Baseball Team, with a new American League Record of a 22-game consecutive streak breaking a record that has stood for a hundred years. Even a non-sports fan like me can appreciate that tremendous accomplishment.
Liturgically, this week celebrated two of my favorite feast days: the feast of the exaltation of the cross on Thursday, and Friday, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Here are two feast days in which we reflect upon how God’s goodness brings light to times of great darkness, how the cross, and the tears of the Blessed Mother can signal the defeat of evil. I’d like to repeat an invitation I make from time to time: if you have weekday mornings free, try to come to daily mass. There you get to celebrate with the Church these amazing mysteries of our faith.
Another, high point this week was on Tuesday evening. We had wonderful attendance for the first segment of Bishop Robert Barron’s video series on the Pivotal Players of Catholicism. We watched with wonder and awe a beautiful video on the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, and had a delightful discussion of the video afterwards.
Thursday, in addition to the liturgical celebration, was also the one-year anniversary of the passing of our beloved Father Wendelken. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always bitter sweet. Their absence is felt, life is different without them, but one also looks back upon very fond memories with gratitude for the blessing of being a part of their life.
And then, of course, beginning the week, was the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and yesterday, (Friday) another terrorist attack in London.
Highs and lows, grace and chaos, causes for happiness, causes for sadness, fear, and anger. What is the meaning of all of it? What do we do with all these experiences, feelings, and emotions? I believe our scripture readings give us some important insights.
Firstly, from our second reading. St. Paul reminds the Christian that our life is not our own. “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.” No matter what happens in life: a job promotion or months of unemployment, a bountiful harvest or sweeping famine, the death of a loved one or a new baby brought into the world. Whether there is chaos or harmony, peace or war, we belong to Christ and in all that we do, and through everything that is happening around us, we must persevere in the Christian life, we must follow the commandments of God, we must persist in prayer, and we must reach out to those in need.
In fact, one might say, that in times of joy and prosperity it is easy to bless God and thank God, but it is in times of adversity that our faith is truly put to the test. Catastrophic storms, terrorist attacks, family deaths, these things cause our faith to be tested. And during these times, and in times of temptation, we must recommit to our faith all the more: that we belong to God and our called to be saints.
Pope St. Gregory the Great spoke of why the saints are triumphant in the spiritual life through temptation and even the threat of physical death. He said, "The saints, therefore, do not live and do not die for themselves. They do not live for themselves, because in all that they do they strive for spiritual gain: by praying, preaching and persevering in good works, they seek the increase of the citizens of the heavenly fatherland. Nor do they die for themselves, because men see them glorifying God by their death, hastening to reach him through death". So in the good times and bad, we must call to mind frequently, that we belong to God and are called to be saints.
The second insight from the scriptures this week helps us to understand what we are to do with all these powerful emotions caused by life’s storms. When terrorism strikes, when innocents lose their lives, when people we love betray our trust, we experience anger. And if that anger is not dealt with properly it can fester and transform into resentment, bitterness, and hatred.
As Christians, how are we called to deal with anger? The readings repeat it over and over again, Jesus repeated it over and over again: forgiveness. For Jesus, forgiveness is one of, if not the defining characteristic of the Christian. Jesus Himself, pleads forgiveness from the cross: forgive them, for they know not what they do. Peter in today’s Gospel asks, how many times should I forgive my brother, as many as seven times? Jesus answers, I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times. Forgive without limits.
Forgiveness is hard. We all love to be forgiven. When we make a mistake, when we act out of anger, when we accumulate a debt, we love to be forgiven. But forgiving the mistake, forgiving another’s foolishness, forgiving a debt, is much more difficult.
But the urgency to forgive is evident in the Gospel today: he who does not forgive, shall not be forgiven by the higher authority.
In the beatitudes, Jesus proclaims Blessed are the merciful. Showing mercy, forgiving debts, letting go of anger through forgiveness, is the path to blessedness, it is the Christian way. And when we begin to practice absolute forgiveness, when we begin to take this stuff really serious, miraculous things occur: inner wounds begin to heal, we stop becoming irritated at minor setbacks and annoyances; an unshakeable peace begins to grow inside of us; we begin to turn less to earthly things to numb our feelings, and turn more to God in thanksgiving for sharing in the cross of Christ. Who wouldn’t willingly give up their resentments for those great gifts from God!
In this celebration of Holy Eucharist, amidst the storms of this earthly life, we are reminded that we belong to God and called to a life of mercy and blessedness in this life, so that we may share in the eternal blessedness of heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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