The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today touch on the theme of where we receive help when we are in trouble.
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| BP the retreat for Mom and Dad |
Faith in Providence and the experience of the efforts of loving parents aid in our contemplation of this spiritual question. Today, as the anniversary of Mom's death in 2008, makes this is a particularly appropriate mediation for me.
The reading from the Book of Esther shares her prayer for strength to save her people.
Then she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “My Lord, you alone are our King. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,1
In Psalm 138 thanksgiving and praise are due to God for Providential care.
* [Psalm 138] A thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist. Divine rescue was not the result of the psalmist’s virtues but of God’s loving fidelity (Ps 138:1–3). The act is not a private transaction but a public act that stirs the surrounding nations to praise God’s greatness and care for the people (Ps 138:4–6). The psalmist, having experienced salvation, trusts that God will always be there in moments of danger (Ps 138:7–8).2
In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus directs us to ask, search, and knock in our requests to the Father prior to reminding us of the Golden Rule.
* [7:12] See Lk 6:31. This saying, known since the eighteenth century as the “Golden Rule,” is found in both positive and negative form in pagan and Jewish sources, both earlier and later than the gospel. This is the law and the prophets is an addition probably due to the evangelist.3
Maureen McCann Waldron comments that when speaking of this gospel Pope Francis noted, “That’s an almost incredible guarantee that our prayers will always be heard.” But, Francis continued, “He doesn’t tell us ‘Ask and you’ll get whatever you ask for.’ He instructs us to seek but he doesn’t tell us exactly what we’ll find. He tells us to knock but he doesn’t say what will be waiting for us on the other side of the opened door. But he promises us that our prayers will be heard and God will respond.”
So, while we don’t know how our prayers will be answered, we do know they will be heard. Our faith tells us that God is really listening to us. And this might be the year to reframe the season of Lent, from one of “giving up something” to one of asking God what gift he wants to give us this Lent.
Instead of a focus on what I am doing for Lent, we can open our hearts to God and listen to what gift, what healing God offers us this Lent. Instead of giving up chocolate, maybe this Lent I can pray every morning for just a few minutes to be softer and kinder to my husband. I am, usually, but sometimes I hear a sharpness in my voice that I never want to have when I talk with him. My desire is to pray this Lent to take that edge out of my voice and to remember how much I have loved him over our many years of marriage.4
A presentation from the Alpha Course with founder Nicky Gumbel Identifies the deep nature of our relationship with Christ in faith and through the Spirit. (listen from 10:00 20:00).
Don Schwager quotes “The gift of being good,” by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"He who has given us the gift of being gives us also the gift of being good. He gives to those who have turned back to Him. He even sought them out before they were converted and when they were far from his ways!" (Commentary on Psalm 103, 2)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8 comments on what happens when we cry out to God? Well, we know God listens attentively to our pleas. “You have heard the words of my mouth,” the psalmist proclaims (138:1).
But other times God answers by empowering us to be agents of the change we are praying for. This was Queen Esther’s experience… Is there a problem you are begging God to solve? Consider that he may be asking you to take a step to make things better. Let’s say the environment in your office or parish is marred by gossip. Is there a small step you could take, like changing the subject or making a positive comment? Ask the Lord to build up strength within you as he did for Esther. Who knows? You might find new enthusiasm or the desire to get involved. You might even come up with the first steps of a plan and the courage to take them.7
Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out the extreme difficulty facing Mordacai and Queen Esther in the passage from the Hebrew Testament. God is much more loving than a loving parent and like a loving parent God will give us what we truly need. Friar Jude reminds us to depend on the Providence of God.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso who write about Enneagram Threes that have a need to succeed that many people may find to be both blessing and curse in their lives.
As children, Threes were not valued for themselves—as very few of us were. Instead, they were valued for being and doing certain things extremely well. They learned to get validation of their worth through achievement and performance. But it never really satisfied them because it was a validation not of them but of something they had done or something they tried to become. [2]
Threes draw their life energy from their successes. Threes are show-people, achievers, careerists, and status-seekers. They are more comfortable in their roles than they are with their True Self, which they scarcely know. They can slip into almost any mask and act the part to perfection because the roles they play protect and motivate them. For Threes, life is a competitive struggle and they want to be winners. Most Threes seem optimistic, youthful, intelligent, dynamic, and productive.8
The relationship we have with our parents may offer us, as in my case, the experience of love that is focused on what you need. Parental Love invites us to be open to that Love and transition to our True Self that has to power to perfect what our parents may have initiated as we journey to fullness of Life.
References
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