Monday of the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th Lk. 9: 46-50 “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”
What a tragedy if this child had been aborted… Reflection by Bo Sanchez, lay evangelist and teacher from Manila, Philippines…
I hold her hand. And stroke her hair gently. And getting enough courage, I steal a kiss from her cheek. And when she finally smiles at me, I think I am one incredibly lucky guy.
Tracy is already a young woman. But her head is bent downward, and drool flows through one side of her mouth, and her face is bereft of any expression. She can’t speak. Or move by herself. Every once in a while, someone has to shift the position of her head, her arms, her legs – or else they become painfully sore. (Doctors regularly give her painkillers.)
And the hand I hold is small for her age and contorted. Her limbs are terribly thin, twisted, and abnormally short, and have to be strapped in a special wheelchair. She doesn’t eat as you and I do. She’s fed through a tube attached straight through her abdomen.
Some would call her a vegetable. I wouldn’t. Because her name is Tracy. And there’s one thing she does well, despite all these. Tracy smiles. And her smile takes your breath away. You see, she is able to smile when she likes something. It’s the only way she communicates. So I playfully rub the back of her neck, and whisper to her ear, Tracy, do you like this/ Smile if you do. She does, and it’s so sweet, you’d fall in love with her right there. I wipe her saliva with her bib, which is now soaking wet, and continue to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I go home with tears in my eyes.
The next morning, I visit her again. I can’t get away. Yes, I know the past days were the most unproductive days of my life: no articles written, no songs composed, no meetings held, no books read, no plans designed… All I did was hold her hand. And allowed myself to be loved by a smile. But the peace I felt! And I realize why: I was being deeply transformed by the power of this girl – the one who couldn’t even move a finger.
And she was training my soul to love well. She was training me to love one person, one face, one heart at a time. And she was training me to find love in the most unexpected places. Even her memory speaks to me, asking me to slow down if I really want to love. I picture her in my mind, and she smiles. She tells me that I always have a choice. I can make life beautiful.
Comments:
Today’s Gospel is about serving others. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20: 26-28) Remembering that Charity begins at home and fans out from there. Surprisingly, as with Tracy, those we serve, end up serving us, by teaching us how to love!
We are in difficult times. Fr. Ed directs us to Scripture and Service as two wings to fly from desolation and depression to Hope and Trust! Always with the help of our Mother Mary!
HOPE AND TRUST IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Ven. Fulton J. Sheen coined this unforgettable saying: “Without Good Friday there is no Easter Sunday!” Before the radiant rainbow, the tempestuous storm. The fragrant and beautiful rose was preceded by the sharp and penetrating thorns. The majestic and fluttering wings of the Monarch Butterfly went through metamorphosis as a caterpillar. The captivating and resplendent sunrise was preceded by the dark hours of the night. And then the well-known poetic couplet rings so true: Spring showers bring May flowers! Even sickness that comes as a result of Original Sin, once cured brings forth good health and rejoicing with renewed vigor in the human body. Finally, once again, Ven. Fulton Sheen expressed with a tinge of humor: “There are two contrasting philosophies of life: It is either the fast and then the feast; or it is the feast and then the head-ache!”
All of the above proverbs, mini-poems and maxims introduce us to the theme of our essay and it is the following: Hope and Trust in the midst of trials! We offer the following points for your reflection.
1. PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE… THE WORD OF GOD IS LIGHT, SUPPORT, PEACE, AND STRENGTH.
Plunged and immersed in the midst of trials, let us lift our minds, hearts, souls and every fiber of our being, and abandon ourselves to the Hands and Heart of our loving Father. He knows us through and through.
Jesus reminds us: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Mt. 10:29-31)
Jesus also says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (Jn. 10: 27-30)
We would like to offer just a few more words and ideas of encouragement with the firm hope that we will place our hope and trust in God who is a mysterious God, but beyond the shadow of the slightest doubt, He knows and loves each one of us much more than we know and love ourselves!
Allow the Word of God to enlighten your path and guide your steps. Allow the Word of God to support you, strengthen your feeble and weak members, and fill you with peace. A few for your meditation:
1) “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall wamt.” (Psalm 23:1)
2) “If God is with us, then who can be against us?” (St. Paul –Rom. 8:31)
3) “And behold, I am with you always even until the end of the world.” (Mt. 28:20)
4) “Do not worry! Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you beside.” (Mt 6: 31-33) From the Sermon on the Mount.
5) “There is no wine… Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:3-5) Wedding Feast at Cana – Mary’s last words in Scripture.
6) “In God’s will is our peace.” Dante – The Divine Comedy
Meditate slowly upon these words and almost through spiritual osmosis you will start to experience peace, joy and trust in your Heavenly Father and Jesus, your Savior and Best Friend.
2A. THE GOOD SAMARITAN. Right now, more than ever, is the time for the Good Samaritans to rise up and become who they are called to become! Bring to mind the masterpiece of a Parable, The Good Samaritan. (Lk. 10: 25-37) The beaten man lying on the side of the road was bypassed twice until finally a Samaritan passed his way. Moved by compassion, the Samaritan bent down, lifted the wounded man on his beast of burden, and transported the man to the nearest Inn. While there, this Good Samaritan made provision for all that the wounded man needed to be healed. The message is crystal clear: the wounded man is crying out for help and we are called to be the Good Samaritan on the highways, back-roads, and hedges of life.
2B. HOW TO BE THAT GOOD SAMARITAN. You might be wondering, if that is the case, then how can I be this Good Samaritan facing the pandemic of Coronavirus; am I not supposed to be in the protective-mode and watch over myself? Yes and no! Yes, use precautionary measures to protect yourself. However, we are never called to cave in on ourselves and to forget and be oblivious of our brothers and sisters in need, especially the weakest, the most vulnerable, the most worried or depressed —in a word, those who are really in need of a helping hand! These we are called to help in imitation of the Good Samaritan. Remember the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for the least of my brothers that you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40) The following then are ways that we can be the real-McCoy, the authentic Good Samaritan.
a) PRAYER, PRAYER, PRAYER!!! Augment your prayer life. Pray for the whole world, the Church, those infected with the virus, the health-workers, the elderly and sick. Indeed, fervent prayer is truly being an authentic Good Samaritan.
b) SMILE. Instead of transmitting sadness, gloom, and depression towards those with whom you are in contact, wear a constant smile on your face. The smile is a good form of contagion!
c) WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. Become a Barnabas, which translated means Son of Encouragement. That is to say: try to pick people up, especially your family members, by expressing words of encouragement. The reason why teams win when playing at home rather than away is for the simple reason of the cheering and encouragement of the home-fans. Be a cheerleader in your own family!
d) SERVE RATHER THAN SEEK TO BE SERVED. Jesus said of Himself: “The Son of man has not come to be served but to serve and give his life in ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28) Without doubt, at home with few or with many family members we can find opportunities to serve rather than snap our fingers and say: Hey, service for me!!!
e) BE CLEAN AND ORDERLY. Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises states the purpose of the Exercises: to order the disorder in our lives so that we can seek the will of God and carry it out. At home strive to be orderly—in your room, in the living-room, and in the kitchen. Saint Therese stated: “Pick up a pin for the love of God and you can save a soul.” Also strive to order the disorder in your moral life: renounce sin and sinful habits!
3. THREE SUGGESTIONS FROM BISHOP ROVERT BARRON—RELATED TO THE CORONA VIRUS. Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Santa Barbara Region of the Diocese of Los Angeles, offers three great ideas to winter through the Pandemic of the Coronavirus. First, he quoted Blaise Paschal saying that one of the biggest problems in the world is the inability of the human person to be silent, alone in his room with himself. Then the Bishop suggested three practices that many can carry out for the simple reason that we have more free time. It is no longer: “I do not have time” because we do have time.
a) READ THE BIBLE. Take advantage of this time-out, retreat-break, enclosed-monastic circumstance given by God’s love and generosity to plumb the depths of the knowledge of God and His love for us by reading, meditating on God’s love-letter to you. The eloquent Bishop suggests starting with the Gospels, preferably St. Matthew. As a method he suggests the classical use of the method Lectio Divina, which consists of Lectio—read carefully because God is speaking to you; Meditatio (ruminate) like the chewing of the cud seen by the animals, in other words strive to really understand God’s message; Oracio—talk to God from your heart; Contemplacio—bathe in the warmth of God’s love.
b) READ THE CLASSICS. The learned Bishop suggests three classics, but this of course is not exhaustive. Among his favorite three are: St Augustine and The Confessions; then from Saint Benedict (The Founder of the Benedictines)—The Rule of St Benedict; finally, the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara suggests the classic of Thomas Merton, The Seven-Story Mountain. In a word, this is a time to nourish our hearts, but also to cultivate our minds with the truth by reading and assimilating the classics!
c) NATURE WALK. God can speak to us in many ways: the Word of God, the Sacraments, the classics, the saints, circumstances, but also the beauty of nature reflects the beauty of the Creator. Get out and take a nature walk and leave your I-phone at home to rest!
4. OUR LADY: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE—UNDOER OF KNOTS. As the best of Mothers, Mary the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our own loving Mother is very close to all of us and each one of us individually in our trials. In the most difficult time in the life of her Son, Jesus the suffering Savior, as He hung on the cross with the drops of His Precious Blood dripping to the ground, Mary His loving and strong Mother valiantly stood next to Him at the foot of the cross. Indeed, in His most cruel, excruciating, and atrocious tortures and sufferings, His Mother Mary was one of his greatest consolations. Now more than ever, Mary so ardently desires to stand side by side with you and me, to walk with us, talk to us, listen to us, and console us. This beautiful prayer should resound powerfully in the depths of our hearts: “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided….” (The Memorare)
In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, in the midst of the trials, struggles, battles, and bitter contradictions of life, Jesus and Mary want to walk with us, listen to us, talk to us, accompany us, simply be with us, trusting with a firm hope that if God is with us who can be against us. “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want” (Ps 23:1). Then, from the consolations we have received, we are to bring consolation to others! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
