The Quality of Being: July 18th readings

I keep apologizing every time I do skip out on days, but I promise it's the last time I do so! I'm sure nobody minds! I also promise to keep up the blogging as much as I can. It's a great asset to me when I can immerse myself in any with with the readings of the day!
Re Thursday's Saint: As I often do when EWTN does not provide me with a photo of the Saints, I had to wrestle with the formatting today, but it seems to have more or less worked out for my entry on this Benedictine Bishop.

St. Bruno of Segni( 1049-1123)

BENEDICTINE BISHOP

Feast: July 18

Benedictine bishop, serving as Vatican librarian and cardinal legate. Born in 1049, Bruno became a Benedictine while still young, and in 1079, Pope St. Gregory VII (r. 1073 - 1085) appointed him bishop of Segni. He left that see to reenter the monastic-life, becoming the abbot of Monte Cassino. Burno served as librarian to the Holy Roman See and as cardinal legate. Bruno's theologial work on the Holy Eucharist set the standard for centuries. He was canonized in 1183.

Reflection on Readings
 Thursday's readings proved to be a great intellectual challenge that were a pleasure to pray with. Both the first reading and the Gospel left me with some questions and ideas that I prayed over and am to some extent, still wrestling with.
 Before I get into that however, I'll relate a story from this Spiritual Director's workshop we're doing that helped me clarify the meaning of one of these readings
 On Wednesday, we had a seminar session on addiction. In the afternoon, the presenter/teacher  made us a do a little personal exercise around our own life.  He asked us to fold a sheet in two:   on the left side  of the  sheet, we were to write the words 'I Am'. On the right side,  he asked us to come up with many words that could describe how we felt, or describe us as individuals. I was originally a little slow on this one. I had a few obvious ones ('I am Canadian, I am male, I am a Montrealer, I'm passionate, I am a follower of Jesus etc..') but the rest  weren't flowing very naturally. I had such a block that I didn't even think of writing 'I am Catholic', which is ironic considering how busy  my mind usually is with musings of what it means to be Catholic in the 21st century.  I eventually found my groove though, and went at it. It was around that point that the speaker asked us to stop.  I was pretty pleased with the introspective effort, and therefore a little distraught by his next instruction:  '  Cross out the words on the right side of the paper. What are you left with?"

 I am.

This was the core of his message: As hard as we labor to find words that describe how we feel or who we are, we mustn't be  defined by externals only. We get easily attached to descriptive words  Let our interior life play a role in how we express ourselves, how we talk about this unique individual that we are. This was quite beautiful to me...but what was even more striking was the parallel  between this exercise, and  the first reading from Exodus: 

 In our continuing read of  Moses' story, we see an ongoing resistance on Moses' part as God reveals the divine plan to him. After all, as we've already read this week, this is a pretty tall mission he's being assigned. However, in today's reading, Moses is  being a little more practical in his objections: (more paraphrasing) " Ok, you want me to go tell Pharoah to let an entire people go...to free thousands of slaves... I have my doubts that it will work, but fine I'll try. How do I talk to my own people about this? Who do  I say is liberating us, and sending us on this mission?" 

The answer he was given is so unusual, it's never used again in any scripture passage...but it's one of the most important moments in Biblical history: 

I AM WHO (I) AM

  The Green and the brackets  are mine, the Capital letters are the texts... Green, because I thought it'd be cool.. I put parentheses because most editions of the Bible in English translate this important passage as 'I am who I am.' My Catholic study Bible -the New American  Bible- drops the 2nd I. It sounds weird it English, and yet...it drives the point home.  I am who Am. The one who has been, who is, and will always be. That's what it means. As the Catechism says " It's a name that expresses one's essential Identity, and the full meaning of one's life....God is no longer an anonymous force. He has a name" (my younger brother, for whom this blog was originally started, recently reminded that I use to be a lot more reluctant to use 'He' when speaking of God. I still think it's theologically unsound to attribute a gender to God, who I know is way more complex than anything we can ever imagine. At the same time, I find it tiresome to always be worrying about what pronoun I use. I try to avoid using He, but I will resurface every once in a while.. and I won't change it when quoting texts! Sorry for the rant. Back to the topic at hand!) It is a name that will build intimacy between Yahweh and his children, one that will strengthen the bond between them. 
  As wonderful as this idea sounds, it's even more Awesome in Hebrew. This sentence (I AM WHO AM) is a translation of the Hebrew, "he Creates", or "causes to be". YHWH (no vowels in Hebrew!)  which when converted into English, becomes the name (drum roll)....

 YAHWEH. 

(I'd love it someone could say 'No Way!!' at this stage. It would allow me to say 
" Ya Way!!") 
It's only one of the 7 Hebrew names for God, but it's one of the more common ones, and one that expresses perfectly, that GOD IS.  How God is, what God does etc...that remains a mystery.  For example, some may look at the story of the 10 plagues, and wonder 'why would God be so awful towards the Egyptians? Why are the whole people suffering for the foolishness of their leader?' There's no easy answer to this. We can get to know God, but never fully understand Why things are the way they are in History, in the present, or how they will be in  the future. The way I see it though, this story is used to illustrate once and for all how strong Yahweh truly is. 

 Still, the marvel of this scene has nothing to do with God's power: it's all about his intimacy. Just as I, must in my walk of faith, learn to define myself by who I am at my core, so God, presents himself not in the fullness of his power, or the Kingship of his glory, but in a simple, intimate phrase that would leave no doubt about the most most fundamental aspect of  Yahweh's character. The Being. This message is so complex in it's simplicity. Unfortunately, we've made it even more complicated.

 Over the years, the Israelites would prove that faithfulness to Yahweh would be very difficult, almost impossible at times.  In their efforts to increase their faithfulness...many rules were created to force people into holy behavior. As times went on, those rules forgot the point: It's not about external behavior, but internal simplicity, honesty, and faithfulness to the rules of God, not those of men. Thousands of years later, that was precisely Jesus's message to the people. The words from Thursday's Gospel passage reflects two message he was bringing to the people:
a) Following God is a challenge. We must labor for it. BUT IT SHOULD NEVER BE A BURDEN
b) The Religion of his homeland had become a burden to many, due to the hypocrisy of a few Synagogue leaders ( the famous Sadducees who in spite of all the problems, continued to interpret the Bible literally!). 

 With that in mind, he invites the people to come labor with him. His yoke still exists, because he continues to labor in his Father's vineyard...but it's an easy yoke. Not a heavy burden at all. In fact, Jesus invites all people to receive comfort, and rest in their labors for the Lord, not the burden of these ancient rules that were not from God. No wonder so many people were drawn to him if his message was 'you can remain close to God and not be burdened in your faith'. It's a message we still need to hear today I believe. Let us pray that Christians always stay close to this simplicity of heart and soul that God asks from us.

 Have a blessed weekend

Exodus 3: 13 - 20

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13Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, `What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO (I) AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.'"15God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, `The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.16Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, `The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt;17and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per'izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites, a land flowing with milk and honey."'18And they will hearken to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, we pray you, let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'19I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.20So I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt with all the wonders which I will do in it; after that he will let you go.

Psalms 105: 1, 5, 8 - 9, 24 - 27
1	O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples!
5	Remember the wonderful works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
8	He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9	the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
24	And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes.
25	He turned their (the foes') hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
26	He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen. Matthew 11: 28 - 30 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Confronting the Burning Bush: A long walk of faith (July 17th readings)

As I continue to labor through the formation program for Spiritual directors in Guelph, I'm also exploring old language around one's relationship to God, which is vocational language. This has inspired me to look at yesterday's readings from a ' faith/ vocation story' lense.  So it's quite perfect that yesterday, we celebrated these women whose vocation took a tragic turn.

The Blessed Martyrs of Compiegne

Feast: July 17

A scene from the opera "Dialogue des Carmelites" by Francis Poulenk. Information: Feast Day: July 17 Died: 17 July 1794 at the Place du Trône Renversé (modern Place de la Nation) in Paris, France Beatified: 27 May 1906 by Pope Pius X

It's not often talked about that the French revolution was a very difficult time for the Church. However, there is no doubt that the Church was much closer to the Monarchy than to the poor, and that this link would mark it as a collaborator with foreign nations. Furthermore, led by the thinking of the Enlightenment (  especially  Francois-- Marie Voltaire and J.J Rousseau ), the Revolutionists believed there was no place for God or the Church in France under this regime. There are all kinds of stories of how Monasteries were sacked, and religious who weren't executed on the spot were forced to -at gun point- give up their vows and join the new Republic. Of course, once the revolution would run its course, the Catholic faith would come back in full force -and even stronger than before- in France. However, in the meantime, many would suffer great persecution.  This group of Carmelite nuns were part of this group. They were guillotined at the Place du Trône Renversé (now called Place de la Nation). They are the first sufferers under the French Revolution on whom the Holy See has passed judgment, and were solemnly beatified 27 May, 1906. Before their execution they knelt and chanted the "Veni Creator", as at a profession, after which they all renewed aloud their baptismal and religious vows (the operatic version from the Poulenk work...not quite the same tune!) The novice was executed first and the prioress last. Absolute silence prevailed the whole time that the executions were proceeding. The heads and bodies of the martyrs were interred in a deep sand-pit about thirty feet square in a cemetery at Picpus. As this sand-pit was the receptacle of the bodies of 1298 victims of the Revolution, there seems to be no hope of their relics being recovered.

 The faith of these women is something that really struck a chord with me. It's one thing to receive one's destiny with the courage that they did, but to do so WHILE SINGING!? To do so with an Angry crowd jeering at you -the article says Silence was maintained during the executions. I find that hard to believe...- to do so when other options were probably opened to them...this makes their act that much more heroic. And yet, when one gets a religious vocation, there isn't much in this world that can take you away from it. Now I know that many people, especially in the West, simply do not understand this 'vocation'. They don't understand how, just like one gets married out of love for another ( and hopefully, not because there are societal pressures that people  get married!!), one also gets a strong desire to serve God and humanity out of that same strong love. And it will be my job to explain that kind of love to such people who don't get it!

It's that same love that's at work in the scriptures we read yesterday. We begin with Moses. Let's make one thing very clear about good ole Mo: He was not a particularly pious man like Abraham or Noah had been (don't forget, as we read this week, Moses killed a guy). He was not strongly devoted to God, nor is there really anything that indicates to us why God would have wanted to call him. And yet...he was called.  He was called into this great mystery, this desire that God had to intervene on behalf of Israel, to answer the cry of his people, and therefore change the course of history. He was called to be the mediator between God and the world in his own imperfect way. And unlike Abrahm -before he became Abraham- we get this notion that Moses really was Called...God calls his name twice -something we see with other 'callings' in scriptures, especially with Samuel (1st Samuel, 3:10). 
 Moses does not turn away from this call, but he has his doubts, of course. (Paraphrasing the text) "  You want me, to take on Pharoah? ME..Vs one of the Mightiest rulers of the world!? HAVE YOU SEEN ME!!? I can't do this!!". But you see, that's the whole point. God's not asking Moses to 'do it'. He's telling him, and he reminds him 'you will never be alone. So have trust'. 
 That to me,is the foundation of any vocation: This moment when we face our fears of doing this, and have God's assurance that we won't be alone, that we must trust that God will give us all the tools we need to do this. When those of us who are called finally understand this, we rejoice with the Psalms " Bless the lord, Oh, my soul, and every part of my body" . Know that God is alive in the world, and is actively seeking us out. He is not promising to keep us safe for the rest of our days -as so many believe. I once heard someone argue ' I have a cold and am sick today. How can there be a God if I am sick'. Brilliant!-. He promises to be present with us through the good times and the bad, and to give us courage to face everything that lies ahead. How can we do anything else but  praise to God with every ounce of our Body!

 Even Jesus' words from the Gospel seem to be along this line...for he celebrates that it is not the wise or the powerful to whom the mystery of God's presence in the world is revealed, but to children, to the small, to the meek, to the poor, to those who are genuinely seeking healing -not physical, but spiritual healing!-. Many others will seek to understand that mystery, but only a few will truly understand it. I find this hard to believe, but at the same time, I can see where it's coming from. It's not all people who are willing to give their lives for the service of others. Those who are, I believe, are a little closer to understanding that divine presence in our world, even if they themselves don't see it. God no longer lights bushes on fire to make us understand his divine presence among us, but the Lord still reaches us out to us daily.  


Exodus 3: 1 - 6, 9 - 12

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1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.3And Moses said, "I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."4When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here am I."5Then he said, "Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."6And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.9And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.10Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt."11But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?"12He said, "But I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain."

Psalms 103: 1 - 4, 6 - 7

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1Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,6The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

Matthew 11: 25 - 27
25	At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes;
26	yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
27	All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Mary among the poor: Our Lady of Mount Carmel: July 16th

This feast was instituted by the Carmelites between 1376 and 1386 to celebrate the victory of their order over its enemies on obtaining the approbation of its name and constitution from Honorius III on 30 Jan. (so it's not a celebration that has a very holy origin! This is a little disappointing!)  The feast was assigned to 16 July, because on that date in 1251, according to Carmelite traditions, the scapular was given by the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock; 

 St Simon Stock receiving the Scapular from our Lady

  Reflections:  Celebrating feast days like this one is not something that is usually of great importance to my own spiritual life. However, last summer, I was privileged enough to be in a small Venezuelan town called Guasdualito for the celebration of Our Lady. In this small town close to the Columbian border, Our Lady of  Mount Carmel was taken rather seriously. She was after all the Patron Saint of the town. The festivities for her celebration lasted about a week. -the 2nd biggest religious festivities in this part of the World next to Christmas!- For a week, one of the priests and I went around town with the Statue of our lady. Each night, a different family would keep the statue in their house, and would host all of their neighbors for a small feast. Then on the Sunday of the Feast Day, it was a whole other experience for me: Little girls dressed as Mary; boats carrying the statue, pilgrims, and priests across the River to the house of another family that was hosting everyone for a quick morning service; a procession across town, where Catholics and non Catholics alike were stopping to gaze at the statue and the people carrying it; and of course, the most colorful array of flowers, clothes and of food I had ever seen. It was an incredibly joyous week of festivities, and it made it so much harder for me to leave this little town.
 I realized, that although I still didn't fully understand the devotion that some people have to such feast days, I could only feel deep joy at the faith of this people, and the love that they clearly felt for Our Lady in that moment. I've always known that our Mother was especially close to the poor, but on this day, I felt how much closer they were to her, how much joy her presence among them brought to people of all ages.

 I sometimes wonder, how much closer the people of Israel would have been to God! How much more joy they would have felt knowing that the divine had chosen their little rag tag group of people as a chosen people, a holy people.  Indeed, the Patriarchs mentioned in Genesis each had a very special intimacy with the great divine, but that intimacy would take on a new level with Moses, and it is his story that we begin to follow this week.
 It was a rather mystical moment for me during Mass today, to follow that link between Joseph the Dreamer (whose dramatic story closes off the book of Genesis), and Moses.  How different their stories were, and yet, how similar their attitudes to God. How open they were to God's fidelity, how eager they were to share that faithfulness of the Divine with their people. How their own faith would be tested with time; how both were called to serve God's will for the people in their own unique way. Finally, how both would begin their journey in a rather difficult situation, and would be asked to put their trust in God's work in their lives. Like Abraham, they were chosen because of that faithfulness..not because of their 'good looks'!! And with time, they would get to prove to their people, and to the world, the richness that such a faith can bring.

 In a way, I think this is the link that the Patriarchs and Moses have with the people of Guasdualito and other people living in poverty...they experience a different kind of wealth that brings them more joy than all the riches of the world could provide: The wealth of Faith...the faith that God, who is faithful to his children always provides so much, even in times of grief and sorrow. This is why in the Psalms, we often get that dichotomy (as we did with Tuesday's Psalm) of the poet/Psalm writer weeping, mourning, suffering...and at the same time praising God for what he has given us. What gives them the courage to behave this way? Trust. Confidence that the Lord Does indeed hear the cry of the needy. That even if God doesn't give us what we WANT...but he provides us with the essentials...or inspired by  Dr House, I could quote the 'great Philosopher' Jagger: " You can't always get what you want...but if you try sometimes you might find, you get what you need "

 I have a feeling the reason why we get Gospel passages like the one we had on Tuesday,is because  Jesus was fed up with so many of his contemporaries who failed to learn this lesson. They not only failed to hear his own Gospel of truth brought to them with great love and devotion, but they simply failed to perceive how God worked in the world, all the gifts that God gave to the people. And out of frustration for their blindness...he threatens them with the Judgement of the Lord. Even our Beloved Jesus lost his patience once in a while! It makes for a challenging read nonetheless!

 Blessings on the rest of your week!

Exodus 2: 1 - 15
1	Now a man from the house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
2	The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
3	And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with bitumen and pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river's brink.
4	And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him.
5	Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and her maidens walked beside the river; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to fetch it.
6	When she opened it she saw the child; and lo, the babe was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
7	Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"
8	And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child's mother.
9	And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.
10	And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son; and she named him Moses, for she said, "Because I drew him out of the water."
11	One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.
12	He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
13	When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together; and he said to the man that did the wrong, "Why do you strike your fellow?"
14	He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known."
15	When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Mid'ian; and he sat down by a well.

Psalms 69: 3, 14, 30 - 31, 33 - 34
3	I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
14	rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
30	I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31	This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
33	For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
34	Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves therein. Matthew 11: 20 - 24 20 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

A Monday Morning with Sunday readings: Exploring the heart of the Samaritan

Sunday's readings helped  us explore a little more deeply one of the great Christian viritues:  Care for the sick. But as we were exploring that virtue, with the help of the Gospel account of the Good Samaritan,  we were looking at a quality Christians 'should have' that is not only a virtue, but should define our entire lives. To help us achieve all this, we have a wonderful 16th century Italian Saint who is considered to be the Patron of the sick, and those who care for them...


                                                           St. Camillus de Lellis

St Camelius, seeing Jesus in all the sick.
 

Like many of our Saints, Camelius had a very unholy beginning to life. He took service with his father, an Italian noble, against the Turks, and after four years’ hard campaigning found himself, through his violent temper, reckless habits, and inveterate passion for gambling, a discharged soldier. This eventually led him to do work on a Capuchin monastery being built at the time. Again, like many of our Saints, all it took was a few words from a Capuchin friar to bring about his conversion.   He of course thought he was ready for religious life. Unfortunately for him, war wounds got in the way of his formation, and he was forced to repeat his Novitiate 3 times. He repaired to Rome for medical treatment, and there took St. Philip as his confessor, and entered the hospital of St. Giacomo, of which he became in time the superintendent. The carelessness of the paid chaplains and nurses towards the suffering patients now inspired him with the thought of founding a congregation to minister to their wants. With this end he was ordained priest, and in 1586 his community of the Servants of the Sick was confirmed by the Pope. Its usefulness was soon felt, not only in hospitals, but in private houses. Summoned at every hour of the day and night, the devotion of Camillus never grew cold. With Christ like tenderness he attended to the needs of his patients. He wept with them, consoled them, and prayed with them. He knew miraculously the state of their souls;  One day a sick man said to the Saint, "Father, may I beg you to make up my bed? it is very hard." Camillus replied, "God forgive you, brother! You beg me! Don't you know yet that you are to command me, for I am your servant and slave."  In the year 1614 he died with the full use of his faculties, after two weeks' saintly preparation, as the priest was reciting the words of the ritual, "May Jesus Christ appear to thee with a mild and joyful countenance!"

Readings What is key for me in the life of today's saint is not what he became -a servant to the sick- but how he got to that stage- his conversion of the heart-:  He placed himself in this environment, recognized the lack of love for God's cherished children in this place, and rather than complaining about that lack of love as so many of us would have done, he gave his life to Being that love for those who needed it the most. I know so little about this saint, and yet I already consider him as a role model for my own vocation, which is a desire not to fix the problems of the world, but to provide a Christian response to these problems. A large part of that response is a profound compassion for others. This is something we find in St Camelius but also in the Gospel of today, the famous story of the Good Samaritan.   It's a story we know very well, that's ingrained in our culture, so much so that to this day, many languages use the expression 'A Good Samaritan' to speak of anyone who does good deeds. But it's important to observe that this story is not just about 'a good deed'.  There are two levels to this story that need to be highlighted. 1) Who is the person doing the action? 2) What is it that they're doing? 1) I'm not going to go into great detail about who 'the Samaritans' are, but will only state that they were a marginalized and hated people by the Ancient Israelite (and the hatred was apparently very mutual). They in fact, were also 'Jewish' -descendants of the sons of Joseph (the dreamer whose story we read this past week in Genesis) and therefore, descendants of Israel- but there had been a historical falling out between them and the other tribes of Israel. This is why when they are mentioned in the New Testament, they are mentioned  as a people that the Jews should have no interaction with. So to have Jesus tell a story where the one doing a good deed was a Samaritan, was rather shocking. Notice that even the lawyer who is engaging with Jesus can't get himself to say the name 'Samaritan'. When he's asked:  36 Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" the Lawyer replies, "  "The one who showed mercy on him." I hope no contemporary examples are needed to explain the dynamics of what's going on here, but if one is required...I could easily put it in a Canadian context: ' Imagine Jesus telling the same story to English Canadians who hate Quebekers ( or reverse it...to Quebecois who hate Anglos. Or adapt it to any other form of prejudice you know exists in our country.) Imagine the reaction of the audience when they hear that a representative of this people that they despise is the only good guy in the story. I guarantee you, even 2000 years later, this story would still have a strong (negative) effect on people. 2) Knowing how much he was hated by the Israelites, the Samaritan was almost taking a risk being in this part of the Middle East in the first place. It would have been advantageous for him to turn his back on the injured individual, especially if the robbers were still nearby. But he didn't. Out of great compassion for this stranger, he did what no one else would. He didn't just call for help, or bring him to a doctor, as many of us may have done: He personally carried him to a safe place; he then took care of him by himself during the night; and he ensured that others would care for him -with monetary incentive, something he didn't need- . This goes way beyond the call of 'doing a good deed'. It's a way of life that celebrates the dignity of every living being, and that values the sacredness of every person, regardless of their nationality or culture.  Now, you may be thinking " No one would do that today. No one is THAT generous to a complete stranger, especially towards someone they 'supposedly' hate".  Most people aren't, it's true. But some are. Most important for the context of our story...Jesus is. For as our 2nd reading states, Jesus is not only the origin of all creation, but he has come among us to reconcile all people and to offer peace to all of creation, which he offers to us as he himself suffers violence on the Cross. But The peace and reconciliation Jesus offers us isn't just a gift..it's a challenge:  he's calling us to  do live this spirit of peace, reconciliation in our own lives.  So no, not everyone can be like the Good Samaritan, but Jesus is merely saying 'if  you want to get closer to God, you must begin to imagine how your life can be a little more like that Samaritan, like Christ on the Cross, who gives without counting the cost, without expecting anything in return'. Deuteronomy 30: 10 - 14
10	if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
11	"For this commandment which I command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.
12	It is not in heaven, that you should say, `Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
13	Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, `Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
14	But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Psalms 19: 8 - 11 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Colossians 1: 15 - 20
15	He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;
16	for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him.
17	He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18	He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.
19	For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell,
20	and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross Luke 10: 25 - 37 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" 27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live." 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, 34 and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

In my last entry, I spoke of Sain. Benedict. Today, a Benedictine saint...

St. John Gualbert

BENEDICTINE ABBOT

Feast: July 12

Please don't ask me about the two headed Snake like creature...I have no clue... Information: Feast Day: July 12 Born: 985 at Florence, Italy Died: July 11, 1073 at Passignano near Florence, Italy Canonized: 1193 by Pope Celestine III Patron of: forest workers; foresters; park rangers; parks

ST. JOHN GUALBERT was born at Florence, A. D. 999. Following the profession of arms at that troubled period, he became involved in a blood-feud with a near relative. One Good Friday, as he was riding into Florence accompanied by armed men, he encountered his enemy  (who had murdered his brother)in a place where neither could avoid the other. John would have slain him; but his adversary, who was totally unprepared to fight, fell upon his knees with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross, and implored him, for the sake of Our Lord's holy Passion, to spare his life. St. John said to his enemy, "I cannot refuse what you ask in Christ's name. I grant you your life, and I give you my friendship. Pray that God may forgive me my sin." Grace triumphed. A humble and changed man, he entered the Church of St. Miniato, which was near; as he was praying ,the figure of our crucified Lord, before which he was kneeling, bowed its head toward him as if to ratify his pardon. Abandoning the world, he gave himself up to prayer and penance in the Benedictine Order. Later he was led to found the congregation called of Vallombrosa, from the shady valley a few miles from Florence, where he established his first monastery. Once the enemies of the Saint came to his convent of St. Salvi, plundered it, and set fire to it, and having treated the monks with ignominy, beat them and wounded them. St. John rejoiced. "Now," he said, "you are true monks. Would that I myself had had the honor of being with you when the soldiers came, that I might have had a share in the glory of your crowns! "  "At this period simony  (paying to receive a sacrament, especially that of Holy ordination, allowing one to enter the hierarchy of the Church. read more about it here)and clerical immorality were rife in Italy. By his firmness and preaching St. John Gualbert successfully opposed these grave disorders. He died in 1073, having paved the way for the Gregorian reform. ( Partly Taken from Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler)

Readings:
 In my last entry, I spoke of our faithfulness towards God as expressed by  the lives of Joseph (son of Israel, not Father of Jesus), and St Benedict.  For Friday's readings, in this entry, (sorry for the confusion... and get used to it! It will happen a lot. I may skip Saturday readings too..unless there's a major event!) we come to a formal close of the story of Israel and his sons with a dramatic account of the reunion of Joseph and Jacob/Israel. The theme in Friday's  becomes, not our faithfulness, but God's faithfulness. It's not an easy theme for us today. We see how God remains faithful to the tribes of Israel despite the numerous times in which they strayed from the path he set for them.  We see how God shows his devotion to the people by coming to their aid time and time again.

  Some may wonder today, how does God express his faithfulness to us, with all the wars, poverty, starvation, and other social problems that we face? A friend of mine once expressed his frustration around this by saying that it seems the God of the old Testament was constantly expressing his power -and he imitated somebody lifting heave weights to emphasize this- but that he doesn't do so much these days.  And it's a common sentiment to express. I guess for me, the faithfulness lies not supernatural acts, but in the small things that Therese de Lisieux speaks of. I believe it's in the quiet graces that fill our lives where we find God at his most vibrant. And despite what the world tells us, I still believe that God will not abandon those who do justice -as the Psalm tells us-. As I've said once or twice before on this blog, I believe this is the reason why the poorest of the poor have deep faith. In their poverty, they encounter God, which means they encounter protection, and a sense of joy at the smaller things that they receive in life. It's hard to teach someone from a wealthier country  to be grateful for the smaller things when all we ever talk about is the bigger things.

 Even Jesus recognized that having faith in God does not mean 'you will never suffer'. Not only does he tell his disciples that they will know persecution and oppression, he teaches them they'll find joy in that  (this should make St John Gualbert's response to his monks being attacked make more sense to you!). The joy is to suffer for one's conviction. To have to fight for them with all our lives. But of course, faith in Jesus is more than a conviction. It's a life altering experience that focuses our heart on hope, and really, no amount of suffering should ever cause one to lose any hope. 
 All of this to say that Faith leads to hope, which leads to incredible love, which transform everything about our lives. Maybe that's the main reason why I have my faith these days!!

Blessings on you all!!!

Genesis 46: 1 - 7, 28 - 30
1	So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2	And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here am I."
3	Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation.
4	I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes."
5	Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6	They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him,
7	his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
28	He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to appear before him in Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
29	Then Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
30	Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive." Psalms 37: 3 - 4, 18 - 19, 27 - 28, 39 - 40 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide for ever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; so shall you abide for ever. 28 For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. The righteous shall be preserved for ever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him Matthew 10: 16 - 23 16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes