Welcome Back, welcome
back Home; here at Mass where we get a glimpse of the Heavenly Banquet and
Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dads [here, throughout the world and in
heaven].
Way back near the
middle of the last century I was born.
In fact, it was on 9/6/1947. Why
is that important, well it certainly was important to me because without being
born I wouldn’t be here. In September
1947 the price of an ounce of gold was $34.71 & last Wednesday was
$1,733.00.
There is an old saying,
“You are worth your weight in gold.”
It means they are valuable;
they are important. If that is the
measure - my value went from $4,442.88 [1947] to $6,377,440 [last Wednesday],
getting old is valuable, and that is a beautiful thought!
Jesus teaches us that
we have value, not monetary value, BUT eternal value as His children. We are created to show God’s goodness in this
world & share with Him everlasting happiness in heaven. In the Gospel Jesus tells the apostles (& us):
1.
Fear
no one
2.
Do
not be afraid
3.
Do
not be afraid.
That message is
clear, but hard to live, especially during the pandemic and the protests.
June 16, 2020 was the
100th anniversary of John Howard Griffin’s birth. He wrote the classic book “Black Like Me”. John with the help of a medical doctor
darkened his skin, then in 1958 he went and lived in the segregated city of New
Orleans. His book tells that story and
it is still a powerful today.
During this COVID-19 time
we had to live in isolation to protect each other’s health – we were not to
keep separate for racial, gender or other discriminatory reasons. As we begin to move “back to normal” - may
that “normal” be without racial or gender discrimination or the materialism
that afflict our society. May our “new
normal” be lived on our Gospel commandment. Love God and Love your Neighbor as ourselves.
Sister Thea Bowman in
1989 was dying from cancer as she spoke to the American Catholic bishops about “Points
of convergence.” “I can introduce my
black friends to my Hispanic friends, to my Angelo friends, to my Asian
friends, to my Native friends. I can be
a bridge over troubled waters.”
[America
Magazine, 6/24/2020]
You and I are called
to do the same, be a bridge over the troubled waters of our times. Jesus, true God and true man walked this
earth to show us how to prepare for His Kingdom. Today’s readings have an “ominous quality” with
references to attacks, sin and death, BUT in reflecting on Jesus’ message, we
find HOPE - HOPE in God. That HOPE is
based on TRUST in God, TRUST in God the way the Blessed Mother TRUSTED.
In the 14th
century during the Black Plague the Hail Mary was expanded & “Holy Mary,
Mother of God, pray for us sinners NOW, and at the hour of our death” was
added. Then Catholics prayed to Mary for
her intercession, “NOW” and at their “hour of our death”.
Overcoming the
pandemic and the racism in our country, will not be easy, so please join me in
asking our Blessed Mother to intercede for us “NOW” for an end the COVID 19 Pandemic and for courage to do our part
in ending the racism that infects our nation. Let’s us pray together, slowly and mindfully,
“Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with you.
Blessed art you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners NOW,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Mary gave her FEARS to God and TRUSTED that God would
handle them; let’s follow her example.
May God Be Blessed!
Well I hope that Heaven is
not full when my journey here on earth ends. After
reflection the early Christians realized that the Cross and the
Resurrection are symbols that point to God’s love for us. Jesus died to free us from the fear
of death; His Cross reminds us of His love. Signs and symbols mark our world, our
country and our homes.
