The Seventeenth Sunday in
Ordinary Time - Year C
First Reading: Genesis 18: 20-32
Response: Psalm 138
Second Reading: Col. 2:12-14
Gospel: Luke 11: 1-13
In the face if recent tragic events in our world and in our Nation, we often feel helpless. Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI, presents a remedy in his article The Power of prayer and Ritual Inside Our Helplessness. He refers to a movie based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, Sense and Sensibility. A young woman is lying close to death from pneumonia while a young man who loves her is pacing back and forth frustrated by the fact that he is helpless in the situation. He asks her mother what he can do to help the sick woman. Heart-broken he cannot accept the response that there is nothing they can do. He then cries out: “Give me some task to do, or I shall go mad!”
Many of us experience these feelings in events of our personal lives, as well as in the other times of crisis. There are two helpful ways of dealing with them: prayer and action. I remember the many times that I was called to Maristhill Nursing Home where my father was residing. I would be told that there was a possibility that he might be nearing death. Usually, one of the Sisters would drive me. Instinctively, I would reach for my rosary and finger it on the way. Then, when my mother died, I wanted to pass on the love and wisdom that my mother had given to me. Having no children of my own, I joined the Big Sister Association and mentored two young girls. That action helped not only the children, but also helped me to deal with the loss of my mother.
We often see good evolve from tragedy. Maybe that is why the Lord allows these difficult and heart-wrenching events. In times when people realize things are out of their control, they often turn to God. How many people after a divorce, a health crisis, the death of a loved one, a devastating weather catastrophe, or in the midst of the terrors of war, turn to their Creator in prayer? How many acts of kindness, tributes, memorials, support groups, fundraisers, scholarships and philanthropic foundations, result from the need to do something positive on the heels of a tragedy?
Many of us experience these feelings in events of our personal lives, as well as in the other times of crisis. There are two helpful ways of dealing with them: prayer and action. I remember the many times that I was called to Maristhill Nursing Home where my father was residing. I would be told that there was a possibility that he might be nearing death. Usually, one of the Sisters would drive me. Instinctively, I would reach for my rosary and finger it on the way. Then, when my mother died, I wanted to pass on the love and wisdom that my mother had given to me. Having no children of my own, I joined the Big Sister Association and mentored two young girls. That action helped not only the children, but also helped me to deal with the loss of my mother.
We often see good evolve from tragedy. Maybe that is why the Lord allows these difficult and heart-wrenching events. In times when people realize things are out of their control, they often turn to God. How many people after a divorce, a health crisis, the death of a loved one, a devastating weather catastrophe, or in the midst of the terrors of war, turn to their Creator in prayer? How many acts of kindness, tributes, memorials, support groups, fundraisers, scholarships and philanthropic foundations, result from the need to do something positive on the heels of a tragedy?
A current example of this is being initiated by the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) which is responding to the terrible epidemic of violence in our Nation and throughout the world in the following manner:
Baltimore, 13 July 2016: The National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) joins the nation in mourning over the tragedies in Baton Rouge, the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, and Dallas last week. As we commend to the Lord those who have died, we pray for the consolation of all who are grieving.
It is important for Black Catholics to contribute to the ongoing national conversation about the underlying issues which have existed for too long. These issues include racism, inequality, poverty, and violence. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we must be signs of God’s love which promotes justice. Justice promotes right relationships, which includes upholding the dignity of human life.
The NBCC invites Black Catholics and all people of good will to join in a time of prayer and action. We believe in the power of prayer. We also believe that we must cooperate with how God will answer our prayers. HENCE, THE NBCC ASKS YOU TO JOIN US IN OFFERING THIS PRAYER FROM MONDAY, JULY 18TH TO MONDAY, AUGUST 15TH:
O God, who gave one origin to all peoples and willed to gather from them one family for yourself, fill all hearts, we pray,
with the fire of your love and kindle in them a
desire for the just advancement of their
neighbor, that, through the good
things which you richly bestow upon all each human person may be brought to perfection, every division may be removed, and equity and justice may be established in human society. Through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
things which you richly bestow upon all each human person may be brought to perfection, every division may be removed, and equity and justice may be established in human society. Through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Collect - Votive Mass for the Progress of Peoples from the Roman Missal
In addition, Friday is a day of penance for Catholics throughout the year. During this same period, we invite Black Catholics [and others] to make a sacrifice of your choosing on Fridays to accompany our prayers for justice with acts of reparation. What positive action do you think the Lord may be asking of you?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping with all my being that we will see good evolve from the numerous tragedies we have seen in recent weeks in Baton Rouge, MSP, and Dallas. Our nation is in such deep pain. I was unaware of the activities of the National Black Catholic Congress, and I am hopeful that there will indeed be national conversations addressing racism, inequality, poverty, and violence. The prayer is beautiful and it reflects the Presence of Christ in the midst of turmoil and grief.
When I think about these issues I am reminded of Marshall Rosenberg, founder of the Center for Non-violent Communication. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is based on the principles of nonviolence—“the natural state of compassion when no violence is present in the heart.” The statement from its website is as follows: “NVC begins by assuming that we are all compassionate by nature and that violent strategies—whether verbal or physical—are learned behaviors taught and supported by the prevailing culture. NVC also assumes that we all share the same, basic human needs, and that each of our actions are a strategy to meet one or more of these needs.” Marshall taught these principles for decades with great success. When people can meet at the needs level true communication is possible and so is healing.
At the time I had my orientation to become an Associate of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, we used a booklet, “We are one body in Christ,” to become familiar with the history, charism and spirit of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. One of the lessons was on confronting racism and racial justice. Katharine Drexel founded the congregation to affirm the dignity and rights of the oppressed (Black and Indian peoples) providing opportunity for the development of their gifts and abilities to empower them towards freedom from oppression. It reads, “racism tears at the very fabric of our…lives. It mocks the Scriptures, divides the human family, blots out the image of God …and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father.” It denies love. We are a society filled with fear, distrust, judgments, projections, and anger. Somewhere along the way we forgot why we are here and who we are. We have lost sight of the value of life and of the precious love that went into creating us. Prayer can restore this imbalance along with the intentional decision to be the presence of love to all those we meet.
In response to your question about what positive action the Lord may ask of me, I will listen with an open heart and commit to saying the Loving Kindness Meditation each day for healing of the divisions which separate us from one another. That prayer is as follows:
May I be at peace.
May my heart remain open.
May I awaken to the light of my own true nature.
May I be healed.
May I be a source of healing for all beings.
Thank you, Sr. Annette, for your post.