(The first few posts are old reflections from when I was a Resident Minister at John Carroll University in Cleveland)
Readings for Wednesday September 23, 2009
First Reading: Ezra 9:5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Tobit 13:2
Gospel: Luke 9:1-6
On the night of my first Murphy Mass, after my class let out late at 9:25 pm, I ran from the AD Building to this sacred space with just enough time to hand Fr. H. Paul a business card with my friend’s son’s name scribbled on the back. Earlier that day, a childhood friend lost her three-day old son Jonathan from complications due to his premature birth. We celebrated mass that night for him and also for a second John, Korean Archbishop John Choi Young-Soo. You were most likely not aware of the loss Fr. H Paul and I shared that evening, but you, this sacred space, this mysterious and ancient celebration of life, death, and resurrection, and the holy Communion that we are as a people gathered were great consolation and comfort me, and I am sure for H. Paul as well.
The readings today are reminders of God’s healing power and mercy. I would like to share with you my reflections on the hope I have discovered in them throughout the past weeks.
Ezra, a priest who led 5000 Israelites from their exile in Babylon back to Jerusalem, recalls the mercy God had on his people by returning them from exile. Ezra says that ‘God brightened our eyes’ and relieved us from our servitude. Again there was hope of rebuilding the Holy Temple, the house of the living God. Ezra extols the Lord for the chance to rebuild the dwelling place of the most high so that Israel can again be united to and in communion with God. For Ezra, and for his community, the temple is where God resides and Israel’s link to the Lord. It is a sacred space where ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to His people.
Our psalm, from the wonderful story of Tobit, is a song to the exiled people of Israel, torn from their homes, their community, and their God to again praise their Lord. Often, our selected reading doesn’t tell the complete story. Reading on to the verse that follows the psalm, Tobit urges his exiled brothers and sisters:
“Praise the Lord for his goodness, and bless the King of the ages, so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.” (Tobit 13:10)
For Tobit, unlike Ezra, the tent or temple of God can be rebuilt in US! What a beautiful reminder! WE, you, me, Fr. Francis, Lauren …my friends, Linda and Jena, visiting from Kent State, WE are the temple of God. Our hearts are the tent and dwelling place of the Lord. We are a sacred people whose ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to others.
So, in this sacred place, this chapel, this residence hall, this university, in the books we read and the subjects we study, God is made present to us AND through us, through our community, our friendship, our prayer, God is present to others.
With this we can begin to live the gospel. We can join in the mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God because the kingdom is in us, flows through us, and is all around us. I cannot cure leprosy or cancer or HIV, but I can help heal those around me by inviting them into this holy communion, by inviting them to acknowledge that we are the dwelling place of the most high.
May God grant us the grace to allow God to rebuild his tent in us even when our hearts feel captive, to brighten our eyes when we feel as though all is darkness, and to help us invite exiles into the healing love of community.
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