The twisting journey home

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the memorial of Saint John Vianney, invite a close look to see the unexpected stories of the relationship with the Divine. The biography of John Vianney is a story of unexpected events in his journey with God. Jeremiah encourages celebration of the gracious goodness of God as the people are restored to faith and trust in the Divine. This return to the Covenant follows a time of separation which required healing. Healing is the desire of the Canaanite woman who comes to Jesus in Matthew’s gospel. Initially, this healing is delayed. It seems as if there is a test of faith or a demonstration of the limitation of the “Law” which seems to prevent Jesus from acting on this request. The great chrism of John Vianney as spiritual director and confessor was realized after a path in which his ordination as priest must have seemed very distant at times. The actions of humanity may seem to block or divert the will of God. The free will of humanity to choose, even those paths which, in linear human time appear to be diversions, are perhaps the marvelous continuous redemption of our acts to move us to a restoration of our Covenant with the Divine.