Strengthened in unity and faithfulness during trauma

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today celebrate strength in unity and faithfulness even as members of the Body of Christ experience trauma from events that create distance from organized religion.

Capstone for community

The Letter to the Ephesians praises the Spirit of God that has drawn Jews and Gentiles into the One Body of Christ.

* [2:15] One new person: a corporate body, the Christian community, made up of Jews and Gentiles, replacing ancient divisions; cf. Rom 1:16.

In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus celebrates the faithful servant who remains vigilant while waiting for personal connection with the Master.

* [12:35–48] This collection of sayings relates to Luke’s understanding of the end time and the return of Jesus. Luke emphasizes for his readers the importance of being faithful to the instructions of Jesus in the period before the parousia.

Fred Hanna is inspired to pray for peace in the world, with each other, and most importantly, singularity with Christ.

I’m thankful for my parents, who raised me in a Christian household with the hope of Christ.  I have prayerfully raised my own children to have the same hope in their lives as they finish school and go out on their own and live in the world

Don Schwager quotes “The true meaning of 'loins girded and lamps burning'”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"The girding of our loins (Luke 12:25) signifies the readiness of the mind to work hard in every thing praiseworthy. Those who apply themselves to bodily labors and are engaged in strenuous toil have their loins girded. The lamp apparently represents the wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness. We say that the human mind is awake when it repels any tendency to slumber off into that carelessness that often is the means of bringing it into subjection to every kind of wickedness. When sunk in stupor, the heavenly light within the mind is liable to be endangered, or even already is in danger from a violent and impetuous blast of wind. Christ commands us to be awake. To this, his disciple also arouses us by saying, 'Be awake. Be watchful' (1 Peter 5:8). Further on, the very wise Paul also says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall give you light' (Ephesians 5:14)." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 92)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 12:35-38 asks “How will the Master surprise you today”?

Yes, do all you can to be ready to carry out your responsibilities today. Do everything possible to make sure you are obeying God’s commands and loving other people as he has loved you. But at the same time, be sure to hold your heart in readiness. God is full of surprises. He may give you an unexpected token of his love. He may fill you with the inspiration to do something you don’t usually do, like share your faith. He may call your attention to one of his children who needs your comfort, your correction, or your prayer.
Don’t limit what God can do for you, in you, and through you. Life with him is full of surprises!

A post by Fr. Don Miller, OFM relates part of the Saint John of Capistrano’s story during difficult times in the Church and in the world.

John’s preaching attracted great throngs at a time of religious apathy and confusion. He and 12 Franciscan brethren were received in the countries of central Europe as angels of God. They were instrumental in reviving a dying faith and devotion.
The Franciscan Order itself was in turmoil over the interpretation and observance of the Rule of St. Francis. Through John’s tireless efforts and his expertise in law, the heretical Fraticelli were suppressed and the “Spirituals” were freed from interference in their stricter observance.
John of Capistrano helped bring about a brief reunion with the Greek and Armenian Churches

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the unity described by the author of the Letter to the Ephesians exceeds the unity expressed by Paul. In the Spirit the community is a holy dwelling place. It is identified as a Temple of God. Friar Jude notes we wait for God who wants nothing more than we be served by Him.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, with the insight of clinical psychologist James Finley, explains that trauma is the experience of being powerless to establish a boundary between our self and that which is about to inflict, or is already inflicting, serious harm or even death. It is one of the most acute forms of suffering that a human being can know. It is the experience of imminent annihilation. And so, when your faith in God has been placed in the people who represent God’s presence in your life and those people betray you, you can feel that God has betrayed you. And it is in this dark night that we can learn from God how to find our way to a deeper experience and understanding of God’s sustaining presence, deeper than institutional structures and authority figures.

For John of the Cross, his suffering opened up onto something unexpected.  John discovered that although it was true that he could not find refuge from suffering when he was in his prison cell, he also discovered that the suffering he had to endure had no refuge from God’s love that could take the suffering away, but rather permeated the suffering through and through and through and through and through. Love protects us from nothing, even as it unexplainably sustains us in all things. Access to this love is not limited by our finite ideas of what it is or what it should be. Rather, this love overwhelms our abilities to comprehend it, as it so unexplainably sustains us and continues to draw us to itself in all that life might send our way.

The unity example of the community of Ephesus strengthens faith and when painful yet transformative processes play themselves out in our lives, we can, through our vigilant waiting, and will discover we are finding our way to the peace of God that surpasses understanding.

References


(n.d.). Ephesians chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/2
(n.d.). Luke chapter 12 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/12
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 23, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Saint John Paul II, Pope (Optional Memorial) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Saint John of Capistrano – Franciscan Media. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-john-of-capistrano/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/