Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter and Blessed Damien Joseph
Readings for Wednesday the 4th Week of Easter
First Published: Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The high road
Since Fr. Damien is not yet canonized he does not have a full page in the Saints index. Below is a brief biological sketch:
Blessed Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka'i, priest
1840-1889) Born in Beligium, in 1860 he joined the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In 1873, at his request, he was sent to the leper colony at Moloka'i. He spent the rest of his life, including the four years from his own contracting of leprosy until his death, ministering to the lepers
Reflection:
It is appropriate that in the Dioceses of the United States we celebrate the outstanding example of Blessed Damien Joseph. The journey we have been on in the Acts of the Apostles is continued up to this very day and is most clearly seen in people like Blessed Damien and Mother Theresa in the modern age of the Church. The Acts reading shows how the Church continues to spread using the infrastructure of the Jewish faith as a conduit. The power of the Holy Spirit shows up again, more receive the imposition of hands and are sent off, entrusted with the Word of God in Christ.
Christ himself, in Johns Gospel continues his dialogue on one faith. It is as if the actions in Acts follow the cries of Jesus. That brings me to something worth pointing out. So often when we hear Jesus saying things like: "I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness..." we think of them as being said in a soft pastoral voice. Yet at the begining of today's Gospel we here "Jesus cried out..." That emotional inflection sounds to me like our Lord was desperate for us to hear this word. He clearly feels we are not hearing it. He fears that if we do not understand, he will have failed.
Just what is this, oh so important, message? It is that He and the Father are one God. He is both sent by the Father and one with Him. Is it any wonder he is worried about that concept not being accepted by those he loves and came to save? It is, when we couple the Holy Spirit, the gift Jesus left us, the great Trinitarian mystery the Lord has initiated. It is that message, that Jesus is the gate, the shepherd, the way and trying some other will not get us to our ultimate destination.
And what one thing should we take away from the scripture today? One very possible and practical idea is that Jesus came for the whole human race and that we, who believe in him, are responsible for spreading his name and news to all we meet. In other words, as the Apostles sent their own into the world to proclaim Christ and him crucified, so we are sent. We are sent not just on Sunday, but each day. We are not just to celebrate Christ in Church but in our lives and with all we meet.
I was on the University of Michigan Campus a few weeks ago and, as I walked down State St. toward Liberty, I noticed (could not help but notice) a group of men on a corner. They had put up a big sign and one of them was on a short step stool with a megaphone shouting out Jesus is the way! while others passed out literature to anyone who would take it. I do not criticize what they were doing, but I do wonder about its effectiveness. When I think about spreading the word of God, I am reminded of a Story.
Once upon a time and many years ago there was a monastery. This monastery taught young men how to live lives of humility and service to the Lord. In this monastery lived a Brother named Frances. With all his heart, Frances wanted to proclaim the wondrous news of Jesus. But, Brother Francis had a problem; he was not articulate and somewhat shy.
One day, after he had tried and failed once more to reach a group of people he had met coming to the abbey, he decided he would ask the Abbot of the monastery for guidance. Surely there was someone who could teach him how to proclaim Christ effectively. The Abbot was very moved when Brother Frances came to talk to him. He had watched Frances for years and knew his faith was stronger than anyone else within his order. He was at a loss and told Brother Frances to go back to his cell and pray and perhaps a solution would present itself. The Abbot for his part also started to pray for a solution.
Shortly after their meeting, the Abbot received a letter that decided him on a course of action. He called Frances in and told him there was a very holy priest who had a church in a far distant part of the country that could help Frances. It would take Frances weeks to reach him but the Abbot was sure the he could help Frances achieve what he was looking for.
He gave Frances meager food for the journey and even let him use a donkey they had at the monastery and then sent Frances off with a blessing. Frances had not gone very far, perhaps a day or two, when he came across a village where there were a number of people who had gotten very ill. He interrupted his trip and stayed for a week in that place caring for those who were ill, doing the most menial tasks. At the end they all thanked him and his only words were; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As he trudged away he thought to himself; If I had only had the eloquence to say what was in my heart, I could have done so much to bring those people to God. The event strengthened his resolve and he continued toward the priest who would help him find that skill. He had gone on perhaps another week or two and he came upon a man on the road. He was weak and Frances helped him and shared his food with him. The man told Frances that he had just come from one of the nobility of the land to beg for more time to get his crops in so he could pay the tax he owed. He told Frances the noble had refused and he did not know what he was going to do.
Frances helped the man get home and then interrupted his trip once more as he helped the man get his crops in. A neighbor of the man he helped also asked for Frances help and not only did Frances help him, but he left them the donkey so they could help others in their community. Again they thanked Frances profusely and again all Frances could say was; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As he walked away carrying his food in a sack on his back he thought, if only God would give me the words I could have made their hearts glow with the love of God. Again he quickened his pace. He had to find this priest who would help him.
It was a pretty sad sight a few weeks later when Frances walked into the village were the church was and the priest he was to meet. Frances had run into a man just released from debtors prison who was hungry and worried about his family who had nothing to eat. Frances had given him most of the food he had left. The man of course had thanked him and praised his generosity. Frances just got embarrassed and said; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As Frances approached the Church, he thanked God for giving him the strength to make this journey and apologized to God for having squandered the things the Abbot had given him. He was just a short distance away when he saw a young and handsome priest come out of the Church. The carismatic young priest laughed in delight and ran straight to Frances. Here at last Frances thought is one who can teach me how to reach the hearts and minds of people and teach them to love God as I do.
As the young priest approached he called out; "You must be Brother Frances! Thank God you have arrived safely. The Abbot had written me that he was sending you to me so you could teach me how to show the love of God to the people. I have only words, but I have heard rumor of your coming and of how all along your way you have left people praising God for his goodness. Come, teach me." Pax
Readings for Wednesday the 4th Week of Easter
First Published: Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The high road
Since Fr. Damien is not yet canonized he does not have a full page in the Saints index. Below is a brief biological sketch:
Blessed Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka'i, priest
1840-1889) Born in Beligium, in 1860 he joined the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In 1873, at his request, he was sent to the leper colony at Moloka'i. He spent the rest of his life, including the four years from his own contracting of leprosy until his death, ministering to the lepers
Reflection:
It is appropriate that in the Dioceses of the United States we celebrate the outstanding example of Blessed Damien Joseph. The journey we have been on in the Acts of the Apostles is continued up to this very day and is most clearly seen in people like Blessed Damien and Mother Theresa in the modern age of the Church. The Acts reading shows how the Church continues to spread using the infrastructure of the Jewish faith as a conduit. The power of the Holy Spirit shows up again, more receive the imposition of hands and are sent off, entrusted with the Word of God in Christ.
Christ himself, in Johns Gospel continues his dialogue on one faith. It is as if the actions in Acts follow the cries of Jesus. That brings me to something worth pointing out. So often when we hear Jesus saying things like: "I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness..." we think of them as being said in a soft pastoral voice. Yet at the begining of today's Gospel we here "Jesus cried out..." That emotional inflection sounds to me like our Lord was desperate for us to hear this word. He clearly feels we are not hearing it. He fears that if we do not understand, he will have failed.
Just what is this, oh so important, message? It is that He and the Father are one God. He is both sent by the Father and one with Him. Is it any wonder he is worried about that concept not being accepted by those he loves and came to save? It is, when we couple the Holy Spirit, the gift Jesus left us, the great Trinitarian mystery the Lord has initiated. It is that message, that Jesus is the gate, the shepherd, the way and trying some other will not get us to our ultimate destination.
And what one thing should we take away from the scripture today? One very possible and practical idea is that Jesus came for the whole human race and that we, who believe in him, are responsible for spreading his name and news to all we meet. In other words, as the Apostles sent their own into the world to proclaim Christ and him crucified, so we are sent. We are sent not just on Sunday, but each day. We are not just to celebrate Christ in Church but in our lives and with all we meet.
I was on the University of Michigan Campus a few weeks ago and, as I walked down State St. toward Liberty, I noticed (could not help but notice) a group of men on a corner. They had put up a big sign and one of them was on a short step stool with a megaphone shouting out Jesus is the way! while others passed out literature to anyone who would take it. I do not criticize what they were doing, but I do wonder about its effectiveness. When I think about spreading the word of God, I am reminded of a Story.
Once upon a time and many years ago there was a monastery. This monastery taught young men how to live lives of humility and service to the Lord. In this monastery lived a Brother named Frances. With all his heart, Frances wanted to proclaim the wondrous news of Jesus. But, Brother Francis had a problem; he was not articulate and somewhat shy.
One day, after he had tried and failed once more to reach a group of people he had met coming to the abbey, he decided he would ask the Abbot of the monastery for guidance. Surely there was someone who could teach him how to proclaim Christ effectively. The Abbot was very moved when Brother Frances came to talk to him. He had watched Frances for years and knew his faith was stronger than anyone else within his order. He was at a loss and told Brother Frances to go back to his cell and pray and perhaps a solution would present itself. The Abbot for his part also started to pray for a solution.
Shortly after their meeting, the Abbot received a letter that decided him on a course of action. He called Frances in and told him there was a very holy priest who had a church in a far distant part of the country that could help Frances. It would take Frances weeks to reach him but the Abbot was sure the he could help Frances achieve what he was looking for.
He gave Frances meager food for the journey and even let him use a donkey they had at the monastery and then sent Frances off with a blessing. Frances had not gone very far, perhaps a day or two, when he came across a village where there were a number of people who had gotten very ill. He interrupted his trip and stayed for a week in that place caring for those who were ill, doing the most menial tasks. At the end they all thanked him and his only words were; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As he trudged away he thought to himself; If I had only had the eloquence to say what was in my heart, I could have done so much to bring those people to God. The event strengthened his resolve and he continued toward the priest who would help him find that skill. He had gone on perhaps another week or two and he came upon a man on the road. He was weak and Frances helped him and shared his food with him. The man told Frances that he had just come from one of the nobility of the land to beg for more time to get his crops in so he could pay the tax he owed. He told Frances the noble had refused and he did not know what he was going to do.
Frances helped the man get home and then interrupted his trip once more as he helped the man get his crops in. A neighbor of the man he helped also asked for Frances help and not only did Frances help him, but he left them the donkey so they could help others in their community. Again they thanked Frances profusely and again all Frances could say was; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As he walked away carrying his food in a sack on his back he thought, if only God would give me the words I could have made their hearts glow with the love of God. Again he quickened his pace. He had to find this priest who would help him.
It was a pretty sad sight a few weeks later when Frances walked into the village were the church was and the priest he was to meet. Frances had run into a man just released from debtors prison who was hungry and worried about his family who had nothing to eat. Frances had given him most of the food he had left. The man of course had thanked him and praised his generosity. Frances just got embarrassed and said; "Thank Jesus for it is his servant I am."
As Frances approached the Church, he thanked God for giving him the strength to make this journey and apologized to God for having squandered the things the Abbot had given him. He was just a short distance away when he saw a young and handsome priest come out of the Church. The carismatic young priest laughed in delight and ran straight to Frances. Here at last Frances thought is one who can teach me how to reach the hearts and minds of people and teach them to love God as I do.
As the young priest approached he called out; "You must be Brother Frances! Thank God you have arrived safely. The Abbot had written me that he was sending you to me so you could teach me how to show the love of God to the people. I have only words, but I have heard rumor of your coming and of how all along your way you have left people praising God for his goodness. Come, teach me." Pax
posted by Deacon Jim | 3:46 AM
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