Anything But Ordinary Time
I was sure a couple of months ago that by now we would be back to an “ordinary” flow of life in our homes, our jobs, and especially in our Church. We are back to celebrating weekend Masses, daily Masses, Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals, but we are still “socially distancing”, wearing masks, and the Bishop’s dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still in place. My heart aches for the time when we will see a full church again and will be shaking hands, hugging, and greeting each other in more ordinary ways. This virus has hit our culture, society, economy, schools, and travel like nothing else in history. Please pray to St. Michael the Archangel to bring this to an end. Our Patron Archangel is credited with stopping two pandemics in the past and I believe it can happen again.
Besides the pandemic, we are dealing with societal upheaval due to the issues surrounding racism. As I have prayed and reflected on the current situation, I know that I have NO idea what non-white people experience in their every day lives. I wrote in a weekly bulletin about my uncle who was an African-American man. (He passed away a few years ago). He was a wonderful, goodhearted, joy-filled Christian man, but it was in spite of very rough experiences growing up in East Baltimore, MD. He and his brother were never in trouble, but they were routinely stopped by police officers if they were out after dark and sometimes they were treated brutally. Even as an adult he would be stopped on his way home because the police didn’t think he belonged in the neighborhood. As a white man, I have NEVER been threatened or harassed for no good reason and I imagine that’s your experience also. The Good News of the Gospel is very clear that it is for all persons - God loves every human being the same way and we should too.
The key to getting through our current situations is to grow closer to God through prayer and Sacrament. I received this prayer, written by Henri Nouwen, recently in an email. I pass it on to you and hope you will pray it often.
O Lord, who else or what else can I desire but you? You are my Lord, Lord of my heart, mind, and soul. You know me through and through. In and through you everything that is finds its origin and goal. You embrace all that exists and care for it with divine love and compassion. Why, then, do I keep expecting happiness and satisfaction outside of you? Why do I keep relating to you as one of my many relationships, instead of my only relationship, in which all other ones are grounded? Why do I keep looking for popularity, respect from others, success, acclaim, and sensual pleasures? Why, Lord, is it so hard for me to make you the only one? Why do I keep hesitating to surrender myself totally to you?
Help me, O Lord, to let my old self die, to let me die to the thousand big and small ways in which I am still building up my false self and trying to cling to my false desires. Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, and thoughts can become a hymn of praise to you.
I need your loving grace to travel on this hard road that leads to the death of my old self to a new life in and for you. I know and trust that this is the road to freedom.
Lord, dispel my mistrust and help me become a trusting friend. Amen.
Remember - God loves you!
Deacon John