Go Beyond Your Mind: Mark 1:14-20

"Go Beyond Your Mind"

Not long after dawn

Light breeze from the East

Water-waves turning

Old nets cast

Nets twisted

Another day

Hands torn from the night

A voice calls:

"Come!"

"Be with Me!" says He

New sounds

New lights

Glance off the dark waters

Farewell!

I say

I turn

The time has come

So sudden a time

Go beyond your mind

by Robert B. Ferguson

Gospel Mark 1:14-20
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him. 

Jesus, You Must Be Out Of Your Mind!

Gospel: Mark 3:20-21
Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 

I've recently had some, let's call them, "discussions" on Facebook with some very passionate folks about "Feminism" and, as I saw it, attempts to define the meaning of this word.

Initially, a question was raised that brought this conversation about and, frankly, the precise question raised by a good friend of mine is not important.  What I would like to explore is something that I think can have serious ramifications on our culture. (I say "our culture" because we are IN IT...though I keep trying more and more to not be "OF IT." if you know what I mean?)

Here is what I would like to raise for your consideration: What does a faithful Christian Feminist look like?

Here are some thoughts:

Immediately, when a man brings up the conversation on Feminism in a more, let's say, "liberal setting," there  comes a shout from the gallery, "How can a man dare to share his views on Feminism?"  Frankly, this "shout" is common and just as nutty as it is common.  This is like saying, "How can a White Abolitionist dare speak of the enslaving of people of African-descent?"  This is absurd.  Case closed on that one.

Women (and men) have been misled into thinking that being Feminist must also mean being Pro-Abortion.  FALSE!  Here is a quote from one of my favorite people, Janet Smith (look her up):

“A woman who sets her rights, the supposed right to privacy or right over her own body, above the life of another human being is saying that a woman’s rights are superior to human rights. She has put herself above the human race, she has made herself the executor over life and death. Is that a woman’s right?”

On this point I like to raise the notion that we often operate under a very skewed version of "freedom."  As another one of my favorite people (now a Saint) Saint John Paul II famously said:

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

This runs completely contrary to what I would label (and would like to coin forever as) an, "Insane view of freedom." that so many, so called, Feminists would celebrate.  Why do they celebrate the view that killing babies is akin to "freedom?"  Because they have lost their minds.  NOT because they are women but because they have placed their own self-centered views over and above the very lives of fellow human beings.  Don't agree with this?  Here's a statistic for you statistic minded people out there:  1 out of 3 babies conceived naturally in the womb (potential future WOMEN) have been executed since abortion was deemed, "legal."  Click here for more statistics.

The trouble with engaging anyone, these days, about these issues is that they honestly believe they can hold views like the above, not act on the views themselves, and conclude that, "since I am not the one performing the abortion...I can't take away the "right" for others to commit abortion."  Do you see the flawed logic here?  In other words, "I can know something is completely wrong...but since I am not, in fact, someone else...I can't make a determination about right and wrong for them."  To carry this logic into another setting renders this view completely ludicrous...consider: "Since I don't believe in murdering my neighbor's dog...and I am not my neighbor...I will not stop my other neighbors from killing my neighbor's dog."  I would suggest that to remove oneself from a decision in society based on the premise that, "I am not every other person in society...therefore I can't stop others from doing horrific things" will, necessarily, lead, eventually, to complete and total anarchy in a society...I would suggest that we are nearly there.

Let me suggest an alternate view.  What is good for one person is good for all...and fundamentally the first, "good" for a person is to be permitted to have a shot at life.  Is something confusing about this?  The good of any society hinges most immediately on how that society treats it's fellow members.  Does this seem off the tracks of common sense?  When I have engaged on this topic with some purporting to be, "Feminists" and they say they will vote for Hillary Clinton BECAUSE she is a woman...I turn inside out.  This is like saying, "I will vote for a man because he is a man."  Does this seem whacked out to anyone else?  Also, when pointing out flaws in logic and this very, "muddy morality" that they would like to cram down the throats of the world these "opponents of people in the womb" often claim, "You're just being so insensitive...I can't talk to you if you're going to be so insensitive."  Are you kidding me?  Insensitive?  Here's a definition of how these, "high-minded-hands-off-ers" obliterate true sensitivity: "I am sensitive to the fact that you want to kill a baby in your own womb...it's okay...there there...don't worry about it...who are we to judge you?  That's right, I will continue to protect your right to kill the person in your womb because, well, they're pretty inconvenient."  This is nothing less than the biggest lie ever presented apart from,

"You will not surely die." -Satan

What's to be done?

Pray, pray, pray, pray!!!

Continue to challenge your acquaintances/friends in a loving way...not by stepping around the issues and please. PLEASE call them on their hypocrisy. Please don't remain silent.  Of course there is a time and place for everything but don't take this to mean, "no time and no place."  It is on YOU to find the time and place.

Call them on their antics.  Let them know that YOU know that their attempts to hide the real matter at hand ARE NOT effective.  They know, we know...everyone knows that abortion is killing an innocent person.

Use reason and don't let emotion (which is typically feigned as a tactic on their part) get in the way either.  To love someone means, in part,  to tell them the truth in a respectful manner and not allow them to continue in their "emotion-bubble."  I say let them know you care...then pop the freaking bubble.  Do not be afraid!  Truth always prevails and we are servants of God...NOT servants of their emotional, "well-being."  They are forwarding an agenda that is complete and total evil.  You need to say something and stick to your "guns" of truth.

Never fail to invite people to think whether it be in person or online.  Continue raising the issues in different ways.  Don't think for a moment that sharing a post is meaningless.  Facebook, Twitter etc can be tools for our cause.  Our cause is to rescue innocent human life.  Never forget it and use all means necessary.  Stop tip-toeing around this issue...this is the reason WHY it has come to the point it has already.  Things get worse when truth is hidden...things get better when we shine a light on the problem.

Onward Pro-Life soldiers!  But one last point...don't lose your own soul (relationship with God) over any cause.  God must come first...all else should follow.  As you can see from the Gospel reading...people thought Jesus Christ was crazy (at least for a time) and for a time people may think you're crazy.  What do you care?  You are God's...God's first and foremost.  Be willing to be seen as crazy for the sake of the Gospel...for the sake of the truth.

Today's Gospel: St. John the Baptist- A Different Take

John the Baptist in Prison by Juan Fernandez de Navarrete

Today's Gospel MK 1:14-20: A different take...

I have read this Gospel reading countless times in my life. (Read? Yes.  Heeded? Not often enough) Just to show that Our Lord speaks through His living Word I'll tell you what I received from this reading THIS time...for me it is a gift.

Normally when I've read this passage I have focused on the fact that Jesus called His disciples and THEY left their nets. Good for them, right? Naturally, being fishermen, this speaks of the fact that they were willing to give up their livelihood (and their family expectations) to follow Our Lord.  The thing I have missed is the little snippet at the beginning about John the Baptist. After all St. John the Baptist had, "played his role" and "done his part" already. Now all he had to do was bow to the executioner and call it quits.  In previous readings St. John the Baptist had already said:

"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:29-30

 The Lord showed me that faithfulness to His call can often look VERY different for all of us at various times in life.

A question arose in my mind: wasn't John serving the Lord in prison?  Wasn't he about whom Jesus Christ had said:

"Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Matthew 11:11

Of course.  John the Baptist had his prayers answered.  He did decrease and Our Lord Jesus did INCREASE!  A, "what if" arose in my mind that some of St. John the Baptist's disciples became disciples of Jesus. Consider, had John not been been "decreasing" had he not, in fact, been arrested it would have been considerably more difficult for his disciples to become followers of Jesus Christ.  He did, in fact, "Prepare the way of the Lord..." and he did so in the ears and hearts of his own disciples. When John the Baptist said,

"As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be brought low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Luke 3:4-6

Is not John referring to the very hearts and minds of his own disciples who heard these words above? A way of looking at this is, we do not, in fact, expect to 1) Hear a voice in the wilderness 2) Every valley to be filled 3) Every mountain and hill to be brought low 4) Crooked to be made straight nor the 5) Rough ways made smooth!  In fact we would not be expecting much of what Jesus Christ had to say.  John's disciples were not likely expecting to follow Jesus at all! Imagine their distress at their master being taken away.

In the end, what I've taken from this episode is that St. John the Baptist by the Jordan AND in prison was fulfilling the will of God perfectly. I realize that I often consider that SOME people in the Church have a much less significant role and some have a much more significant role.  Yet, no "role" that you or I play in our lives is insignificant at all! If  each one of us is simply taking God's Word to us to heart we are PRECISELY where we are meant to be. Naturally, we must always be prepared to, "cast aside our nets" and, of course, take our crosses daily to follow Jesus.  But we MUST NOT consider, even for a moment, that we are not as essential to the mission of God simply because we think ourselves, "unknown" and perhaps even cast aside in the various, "prisons" of our lives. Much of the disciples experience of Jesus Christ was "flavored" by the passing role...the passing away...of St. John the Baptist.  In the end, it is truly our smallness that equates to our greatness in the eyes of God.  We are weak, frail, powerless and entirely unable to save ourselves. We must allow our Lord to "raise our valleys" and "topple our mountains" and grant us the unsurpassed gift of faith.

Consider the above as you read today's Gospel:

"After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him ." Mark 1:13-20

Baptism: Beloved Son With Whom I Am Well Pleased

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, (One (of the Feasts where I hope to get a splash of Holy Water in the face as our priest walks by blessing us)  This is a reminder for all of us to renew our baptismal vows, and to celebrate the revelation of the Most Holy Trinity. (Recall the Father speaks from Heaven and identifies the Son and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove)

This Feast always helps me recall my own baptism in Lake George (formerly known as "Lac du Saint Sacrement" (The Lake of the Holy Sacrament), New York State.  This Lake was “discovered” by St. Isaac Jogues on his missionary journeys through New York to the Native American Tribes of the area.  In fact we plan on naming our soon-to-be-born son, Isaac, after St. Isaac Jogues because I admire such a man that would give his life over under the throes of such brutality and harsh conditions that others might know the love of God and, themselves, to be children of God.

As I was praying this morning through the Gospel Reading assigned this year to the Feast I was struck by the phrase, “You are my beloved Son; with You I Am well pleased,” that the Father spoke over Jesus Christ.  It immediately made me remember my own father who we lost to dementia in June 2013.  He was such a loving, warm and holy soul and I always felt as if he was, “pleased” with me even when I was unruly.  In other words, the love he demonstrated never seemed to leave based on my behavior.  I liken this to my own relationship with my own son now who, though often unruly and ridiculous at age 5, I love him, “no matter what,” and, by God’s grace, always will.  Though I’m not always the best at demonstrating this love toward him due to my imperfections.

What I would like to communicate is simply this: You and I are beloved children of God.  We are loved and treasured by Him regardless of how we have “behaved” throughout our lives.  Through our own baptism we are, “born anew to a living hope” and are made part of the Church, the family of God.  Our parents are meant to be a reflection of God’s love toward us but, naturally, are unable to present the best picture of God.  We are all sinners in need of the mercy of God.  The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan should bring to mind our own need of God’s mercy~ He came to save sinners~ but even more than this it should remind us of His love. The Church Fathers speak of the Baptism of Jesus as an act to, “purify the waters” so that the Sacrament of Baptism would be efficacious for us.  

My prayer for all of you reading this is that you may, today, come one step closer to Our Lord.  That you would feel His light penetrate even the darkest recesses of your soul.  That you may be touch, warmed, healed and restored to your rightful place as a beloved child of God. His desire is to show you mercy and to grant you His peace and everlasting salvation. May the Holy Spirit move you to embrace all that Our Lord has given~ the gift is Himself~ May His life remain in you even until the end of the ages.  Amen.

Encountering Mary: Her Heart and Mine

When I first encountered this image it bothered me...

But why? Notice the sword piercing her heart.

I was living in the Old City of Jerusalem at the time and had many opportunities to visit The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Having been raised a Protestant/Evangelical Christian I had no category in my mind to know how to accept massive churches, statues, paintings etc...apart from this one:

What made this one acceptable and the others off-limits I'll probably never know.

At any rate, the reality was, images of God, in almost any form, were thought by idols.  When I saw the pilgrims bowing down to statues, lighting candles in front of them I thought I was witnessing pagan rituals and  straight-up idolatry.  I desperately wanted to inform these poor ignorant Catholics/Orthodox Christians that they were upsetting God.  The image of Mary, above, is placed adjacent to this image of Jesus on the Cross...

The thought occurred to me that this is NOT what the crucifixion looked like.  It wasn't pretty, glittery and fancy.  Why would they represent it this way?  Being idolaters, Catholics wouldn't know any better...in a sense their idolatry had made them completely ignorant.  This is why they thought they had to rely on fancy buildings, Bishops, Confession to a Priest...eeeek...the list went on and on.  But why did I need a representation of the Crucifixion to meet my own requirements?  Why was any "image" (other than an image in my own mind) of the Crucifixion a problem?  I didn't know, at the time, that my views fell into the category of Iconoclasm. But that's a discussion for another day...though this view is still held by many Christian denominations even up to now.

What I want to pass on is that the image of Mary, above, left a very lasting impression on me the entire time I was in Jerusalem and even up to now.  The fact that Mary suffered, little by little, allowed me to know and understand more fully the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  I had very misty, foggy and very "quaint" images in my mind regarding the life of Christ.  I was not very acquainted, at the time, with the very human nature of Jesus Christ (yes Jesus is also fully divine)...to me he was to be kept a very foggy, distant, image that wasn't close, cold, hungry, tired or killed in a bloody way. I wanted Mary in the background and a spotless Jesus.  This is why I believe I rejected these all-too-man-made images...they weren't "perfect" and therefore couldn't fit with my view of God.

What I have since discovered, as a Catholic Convert, many years later, that my time "facing" these images helped me come to an ever deepening understanding of the power and importance of the Incarnation (Nativity) of Jesus Christ and how very important was Mary's, "Yes" to His will.  When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary (a real event in real history) her response has changed everything...

And Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

Most importantly, in all of this, was my realization that God came to us, NOT in a noble way but in a very close, personal way.  Mary, for me, has helped make things more personal, more real, more close...she has shown me how God can act in a heart simply willing to say, "Yes."  What we call her "Fiat." Our own "fiat" is essential not as a once-in-a-lifetime event but as a daily disposition toward Our Father, Jesus Christ and the bidding of the Holy Spirit.  As we prepare for the coming of the Christ-child, once again, this Christmas. Let us continually ask ourselves, how is it I can further imitate the call of Christ in my life?  How can I imitate the true faith of Mary and say a greater YES to my Lord and my God?  As Christ was born of Mary, so let Mary help us to allow Christ to be born in our hearts.  Her heart was pierced, yes, but she who knew great suffering, even now, experiences the greatest and most eternal reality of JOY.  Let it be done to me, as to Mary, according to your word...my Lord and my God. Give me the heart of Mary.

 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,“Behold, this child is set for the fall[d] and rising of many in Israel,and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. Luke 2:33-35

You Call This Joy?

“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

You know that feeling when you’ve been told,

“I’m sorry sir, your flight has been delayed for at least three more hours…” (kids are already bonkers and you’ve used up all your bribery options. You’re appalled at yourself...wishing, if only, the overpriced airport nicknack shop sold duct-tape)

Or…

“Yes, your dog might need eye surgery because the cleaner your son sprayed in his eye might have caused significant damage…”

(who says kids can’t be responsible dog owners?)

Or…

“Hey, it’s Mike from the garage...yeah...so...we’re not really able to figure out what’s wrong with your van until we open up the transmission and…”

(All I need to hear is, “transmission” before losing consciousness)

I hope you’re suddenly thinking something like…”Spare us your First-World problems already!”

St. James was not likely referring to carburetors or corn-chips when he wrote about, “trials.”  It is more likely that he was speaking to Christians of the Early Church who stood a decent chance of being crucified, beheaded, or fed to some hungry lions.   

I have to confess, this has long been a gripe of mine with my fellow Christian brothers and sisters. Nauseating!  I’ve heard my brethren whine and complain about the most trivial things...and then I look at myself.  Ouch! My, my, how the mirror can injure my own false self-image!

I must confess, however, that I have come to the point, thanks to God’s grace, that I see (almost) every event in my life (and yours) is a sign from God...I now (sort of) KNOW this and this is a huge step for me!  Well, I might need to qualify that a tad bit…

But Our Lord does speak through every circumstance we encounter IF we ask Him for the grace to see our lives in such a way. In fact, Our Lord is always speaking to us even if we’re not listening.

Yes, if we’re honest, this is our typical orientation toward the “quiet whispers” of our God. But are we truly so faithless that we would not at very least desire to have Our Lord TRULY impact our lives...even IF it is often seemingly trying?

“If we are surprised that God foil our plans and lead us down a different road than the one we imagined, let us recall that it was the same in the life of the Blessed Mother. Mary also thought of her sanctity, her road, her mission differently. The one who gave up motherhood was called to an exceptional and unique motherhood. This call foiled all her plans. By responding to the Annunciation with her, yes, Mary did not fully realize was she was agreeing to. However, that did not diminish the value of her consent, which she later confirmed with her continual yes throughout her life. God so loved Mary that He chose this very harsh way of treating her. We know that this is the way He treats His friends. This is the best method for allowing the shaping of a person in the image of the Son of God.”

 -Tadeusz Dajczer, The Gift of Faith, 3rd. ed. (Ft. Collins, CO: IAMF, 2012), 116

We know from other places in Holy Scripture our Lord seems to have it in, almost constantly, for His own people.  But can this be a sign of love?  Much like any good parent who administers the proverbial, “Yucky medicine!” Or the physician who lovingly administers that life-saving inoculation or surgical procedure. We need to see the acts of the Lord that we detest less as punishment and more for what they truly are, a sign of the faithfulness of Our Father to His beloved sons and daughters. This is how Our Lord opens our hearts to Him. We won't always like it.

If we learn to see differently, through eyes of faith, we will be truly joyful.  It is this joy that can carry us through even the most terrible of circumstances.  I pray for all of you who have read this...you also pray for me...that these truths may not simply continue to bounce off my thick skull and truly find their way to my/our hearts.  I need the Lord to change me...I can’t do this alone.

U2- Sometime You Can't Make It On Your Own

Joy and/or Suffering: How To Get It Right

The Big and Small of Suffering

A primary reason people struggle with placing faith in God is due to, “all of the meaningless suffering in the world.”  The question arises easily in our minds, “How can a God who is supposedly so loving and merciful allow such terrible evil, suffering and pain in the world?”  This is not a matter of doubt on their part, necessarily, because any honest believer has themselves (if they will admit it) struggled with this very question, perhaps daily, as they make their way through this life. One difficulty for those who hope to explain the “why” of suffering must first contend with many layers of very real, very deep, and very reasonable scars this world has left on the hearts of their listeners.  After all, why should they, “listen to you” because YOU have not likely suffered as they have nor have you shared the same experiences.  So, “who are you” to explain such things.  Many will end up concluding that God, “must not love” because he has allowed such things to happen and therefore is at very least absent or at worst a cruel master. What is it all for?

Though it would take volumes to explain the meaning of suffering to some souls, I would offer the possibility that it doesn't have to take volumes but, perhaps, only a few simple glimpses to “renew our view” of suffering, life and what it all might mean for us. Okay, down to it then.

One need not look far and recognize acts of senseless evil.  Our most recent examples would be the atrocities currently taking place in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, North Korea (the list goes on) to see that people, good people, many peace-loving Christian people being surrounded, gunned down, mutilated, dismembered, tortured, beheaded (this list could also go on). We could reason, quite easily in fact, that God must not really be concerned...doesn’t he seem to be standing aloof?  Holy Scripture in many places presents to us the notion that God will deliver us from our enemies:

“This was the oath that he swore to our father Abraham: so set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.” (from the Canticle of Zechariah, Gospel of St. Luke Ch. 1)

These words don’t seem true at first.  Did God make a promise or not?  Here is the first layer of our misunderstanding...

1. We don’t see the “Big Picture.” 
   Being human beings, tied to this earth and the things of this world our eyes aren’t always easily turned toward God’s view of things.  We believe that what we see on the surface of things is what must be happening in total. We trust our own view, understanding and apprehension of things to be quite reasonable and solid.  I would offer that this view of reality is, very much, an unstable view. We tend to place too much stock and value in our own way of seeing things.  This is understandable, of course, because we are only really granted one small view of the universe and all that it contains. We assume that our view is the right view because we lack all other views upon immediate glance...it takes a certain turning of our gaze to see even the smallest matters from the point-of-view of another person. Consider for a moment only taking your view for what it truly is...one view.  How could that change your view?

Our family recently passed through Tucson, Arizona and paid a visit to the Flandrau Planetarium on the University of Arizona campus.  Here’s a picture.

I had been wanting for our family to visit the San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson but due to time constraints we could not do both.  I have fond memories of visiting this place with my dad many years ago.  It is so beautiful and certainly is more my preference.  That said, since I’ve recently been re-reading a book called, “The Gift of Faith” by Tadeusz Dajczer (which I highly recommend: Click to view The Gift of Faith) it has encouraged me to, simply put, see the things that come my way as the whisperings of God.  To see circumstances and difficulties through the, “eyes of faith” which encouraged me to give up my preference to visit the Mission.  See below.

This was not an easy thing for me to surrender but I asked the Lord to help me. What he showed me at the planetarium was exactly what I had needed to hear. This is something to take with you, Our Lord speaks to us through all circumstances in life.

As we were taking in the presentation at the planetarium they were projecting images of space, constellations and planets etc we moved from a close up view of Saturn to a much wider view of the universe.  We were transported from our own solar system to a view that made our “gigantic” system look small.  We kept backing out away, away, away until we were looking at a view from outside our Milky Way galaxy.  Earth was shown as a speck of nothing from this view.  We backed out further until we were looking at our galaxy alongside other galaxies...ours looked like nothing.  Our widest view that we were able to see was a view of the “known universe” as they presenter so aptly put it.  Our galaxy was no longer visible among the many other galaxies of which ours is only the tiniest speck.  This is similar to the image shown.

I asked why there were blank areas of the image and the presenter explained that these were areas were are still unable to view because our own “arms” of the Milky Way block our ability to see beyond in certain directions.  It then struck me just how infinitesimally small we truly are and it also struck me that the God who created this whole universe is so very far above and beyond me that words cannot begin to express the half of it.  My mind immediately recalled a wonderful verse of Scripture:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.For as the heavens are higher than the earth,    so are my ways higher than your ways    and my thoughts than your thoughts.”Isaiah 55:8-9

I then recalled…

"The heavens are telling the glory of God;    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.Day to day pours forth speech,    and night to night declares knowledge.There is no speech, nor are there words;    their voice is not heard;yet their voice goes out through all the earth,    and their words to the end of the world."Psalm 19:1-4

This was a fantastic reminder for me as I have been struggling a bit with immense stresses at work and at home lately and I realized just how small my view of things must be as we can’t even see beyond the next horizon.  I am not able to even see tomorrow and I am barely able to get a clear glimpse of my own small view of yesterday!  I would offer the simple notion that in order to see the, “bigger picture” we must first realize just how truly small we are.

When, therefore, the question of our view of suffering is brought into focus in light of our relative, “smallness” in comparison to God’s, “bigness” (put in very simple and desperately lacking theological terminology) we can at very least begin to see ourselves as finite...as Christians we understand God to be infinite. It is reasonable to then understand that our view can’t possibly be adequate in light of the fact that there will always be more that we don’t understand (even about ourselves) than can be understood about precisely “why” things might be the way they are.  It is reasonable to believe that God has a plan that currently extends beyond our tiny reach.  This is one reason, for me personally, why I am able to understand God as “Father” and myself as his “very small child.”  This does not yet get at why God “would allow” anything but it does certainly clear the way for this understanding to be formed within us.

The Short and Long of Suffering

It is normal to avoid the unpleasant thoughts that can arise when we think about our own death. We know it’s going to happen, we don’t often have the chance to know when and we don’t always know how. The great spiritual writer Thomas à Kempis wrote: “Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out."  This might seem morbid to some because the thought of death is something so sad, tragic and perhaps even terrifying. Perhaps worse is fearing the manner of death we might encounter.  As a teenager I can recall occasionally discussing the question, “What do you think the worst way to die might be?” Teen boys can come up with the most horrific imaginings, normally as a sort of contest, to see who has the most imaginatively terrible death-method. Teens can more easily jest this way and we might say this is because, “they believe they are immortal,” and death, “can’t catch them.” I would suggest that, in part, they are very correct and this attitude, with adjustments should be our mindset throughout life...which brings us to our second misunderstanding.

2. We fear the wrong form of “death.”

Similar to misunderstanding 1 above we are deeply convinced that what we see is more important than what we do not see. Therefore we will go to great lengths to prolong our physical-life...our “temporal” existence. We avoid this food or that habit. Just as we attempt to adhere to this exercise regimen or get enough sleep. We live in what can be obviously recognized as a “health-obsessed” culture. This is in part due to the fact that we are first obsessed with our physical appearance~ different subject for a different day there. Of course, being healthy, we know is a good thing and taking care of your body is responsible...put down the Oreos...and step away from the Diet Coke...and recognize that your body will break down at some point no matter how healthy you try to be...it will surely fail. Our cultural tide pulls us along toward the goal of “wellness,” and this isn’t a bad thing entirely.  To put a very different spin on this way of thinking consider the words of Jesus Christ who clearly informs us of the type of death to fear.

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!”Luke 12:4-5

Jesus also said,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”Matthew 6:19-21

And Jesus says again later in the same chapter,

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus shows us the proper perspective to hold toward life and death.  There are many other examples of his teaching on these subjects, however, the essential thing for us to recognize, through eyes of faith, is that the Lord is primarily concerned with our souls and not our bodies.  He said these things, in part, to establish a clear hierarchy of understanding in our minds. Our, “heavenly Father knows that you need them all,” yes, and we can trust Our Father for such things.  Yet, we must conclude that our earthly lives are not, “what life is all about.”

People of faith are called to adjust their paradigm about life and death.  When we find ourselves asking, “Why did this happen to me?” we can recall that this life, as one of my favorite Saints puts it:

“The world's thy ship and not thy home.” St. Thérèse de Lisieux

We are called to develop the view that our physical life is temporary temporal and the life of our souls is eternal.  How then can this impact our view toward this life and toward suffering? This brings me to a third point.

3. This life is given for us to prepare for the next.  

This world is our ship and not the shore.  This life is a journey and not the destination.  This is something the Saints of old clearly understood.

From St. Paul the Apostle

“For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…”Philippians 1:19-25

We know this, from the depth of our souls, that we are made for, “something more.”  We know that we are not merely destined for a trying life with a dismal end.  In our hearts we have a longing for something, always above and beyond ourselves. It is very easy to become depressed if you were to wrongly think that this life is all there is to life.  How sad would that narrative be?  “First your born, then you age, you go to work, you get married, you have kids, you work more, you retire then you die.”  The joy experienced by a person of faith offers so much more as St. Paul informed us in his letter to the Roman Church.

“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.”Romans 8:18-21

We are called to sufferings that we might experience true glory.  We are called toward liberty and not decay! It becomes very clear that this life is given for the sake of the next life in Christ.  We are given this life precisely for the sake of the next. Our true meaning and purpose and their purpose of everything in all of creation is for the sake of us to recognize and learn to rely on Our Father who has called us what we truly are...children of God...called to his kingdom.

Consider further…

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28

And more, and what might be the crowning verses of all of St. Paul’s letters…

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,“For thy sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:31-39

This understanding of suffering and even death, that is has a clear purpose and a glorious end, truly brings a great deal of peace to the soul.  Also this understanding serves to set realistic expectations for all of life. We can know, as people of faith, that all the “bad” we encounter in life...all of the sufferings, sadness and pain are meant specifically to help us walk the path of Christ more closely. He came and experienced OUR suffering that he might lead us through our own suffering, that he might show us a more glorious resurrection.  When we are tempted to say, “Why God? Why have you done this to me?” We can know that is because he is working “all things for good…” He is not so much punishing us as he is seeking to help us to seek first his kingdom! We desperately need to encounter these sufferings, in short, that we would not be convinced that this world is our home.  He has called us to overcome and not just so we can prove our own toughness.  He has called us to overcome, by his grace (through faith), the present trials so that we might more greatly conform to Jesus Christ.  Is suffering meaningless? I pray that I may always answer, “of course it is.” Likewise that we may always be able to say, “My Lord and my God, my life is in your hands.”

With Mary we can say...

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”Luke 1:38

And with Jesus Christ we can say…

“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!"  

Luke 23:46

He came that we might have life...both here and in the hereafter. Jesus said,

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”John 10:10

It is one thing to write something like this and yet another thing altogether to truly, deeply, live this way.  I am simply not able to do this.  It is only by calling on the Lord himself, and by his mercy and by his grace that anyone could even begin to view (and live) life according to his glorious plan.

Lord, grant us the grace to live by faith.

So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.2 Corinthians 5:6-8