The Just Man

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Father, feast day, fidelity, interiority, Jesus, just man, Luke, Matthew, obedience, silence, Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Joseph, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I was in my car and on the road at 6:17 this morning, traveling to participate in the 6:45 liturgical celebration of St. Joseph’s feast day with my friends, Florence and Anne. Rarely would I be up and out that early but it is Florence’s 60th anniversary in the Sisters of St. Joseph and she has been friend, sister and mentor to me for 47 years now, so the early call was certainly worth the trip. (The raspberry scones and coffee that followed were an added treat as well!)

When there is conversation about St. Joseph, the introductory sentence most often goes something like this: “We don’t know much about Joseph, except that he was a just man, the husband of Mary and (foster) father of Jesus.” I was thinking about this during the liturgy this morning as Father Charles elaborated a bit about Joseph’s character as a devoted husband and father.

The deep feeling of love and respect for Joseph, not only of Sisters of St. Joseph but people the world over, speaks to me of the power and value of communal reflection. Stories of Joseph, prayers said to him, and reports of “favors” granted because of faith in his intercession with God have been a part of Christian tradition since the beginning. What I have learned and loved most about this man from it all is the clear sense of his silence. Joseph spoke no word that is related in Scripture but the stories told about him – his fidelity to Mary and Jesus, his obedience to the messages that allowed him to keep them safe, and his trust in God permeate the early chapters of Matthew and Luke, convincing me of his deep listening and contemplation.

In this world of noise and hurry we would do well to pause and be grateful for such a model of interiority, respect and care. May today include that moment and a blessing for Sisters of St. Joseph everywhere!

 

 

 

 

 

Roses in December

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Blessed Mother, feast day, Gospel, Juan Diego, Mexico, Native Americans, Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It’s always fascinating to learn something new when I am reflecting on the named feasts of Christianity. Today, as I read the familiar story of the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I was surprised to learn that the main character was a convert to Christianity and was given the name Juan Diego at the time of his baptism. A poor native living in a small village near Mexico City, his Indian name was Cuauhtlatohuac (“Singing Eagle”). I suppose this isn’t an earth-shattering revelation and it certainly is easier to spell and pronounce a name that means “John James” rather than his Indian name, but for me it emphasizes what is written in the reflection for today from franciscanmedia.org. Fr. Don Miller says that Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego as one of his people is a powerful reminder that Mary and the God who sent her accept all people. In the context of the sometimes rude and cruel treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards, the apparition was a rebuke to the Spaniards and an event of vast significance for Native Americans.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is not only the named patron of Mexico by the Roman Catholic Church, but also of the entirety of the Americas – both North and South. As I consider the treatment of Native Americans in my own country even to this day, I think it an appropriate moment for all of us to contemplate the conclusion of Fr. Miller’s reflection. In these days, when we hear so much about God’s preferential option for the poor, Our Lady of Guadalupe cries out to us that God’s love for and identification with the poor is an age-old truth that stems from the Gospel itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Unlikely Pair

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bring your own gifts, coat of many colors, feast day, fidelity, Jesus, martyr, Paul, Peter, Pope Francis, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Word of God

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Today is the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, clearly the most well-known and important figures of the early days of Christianity. They prove the truth of the adage, “Variety is the spice of life” however. As we recall, Peter was chosen by Jesus as the leader of his motley band of followers. He was the only one that had an answer when Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Good answer: “You are the Christ, Son of God,” put him at the head of the class, but his missteps were many along the way. One commentary suggests that he could have used a public relations director. He said and did lots of things along the way that directly contradicted previous statements and actions, e.g. the opposite of the above-mentioned proclamation when he said “I do not know the man,” in fear during the trial of Jesus. But Jesus never lost faith in Peter; he chose and supported him because he loved him and was faithful to that love and in the end, Peter grew into his best self, giving everything including his life in the manner of Christ.

Paul was also transformed by the love of Christ. Unlike Peter, however, Paul never met Jesus in the flesh but came to know him “in a flash of light” and was forever changed. Also unlike Peter, once Paul had been converted to Christ, he never wavered; he was tireless in his preaching and traveled the known world as a missionary to the growing communities of those who were coming to believe in this new “Word of God.” Christ clearly loved Paul too, making a way for him in all trials during his ministry until Paul himself declared, “I have run the race; I have kept the faith…” and he too was martyred for the cause of Christ.

I read a quote this morning from a general audience of Pope Francis that speaks to me about these two great men. It said in part, “the Church is like a great orchestra in which there is great variety. We are not all the same, and we do not have to be all the same. We are all different, varied, and each of us brings our own special qualities. This is the beauty of the Church: everyone brings their own gifts which God has given for the sake of enriching others.”

All of this says to me that fidelity is like a coat of many colors fitting us how and when we are ready. God is totally in love with each of us and all of us and waits for us to grow into the person we already are in God’s eyes. Peter came to know that, Paul knew that, just as Pope Francis knows it and asks us to consider it as well. This is my prayer for today.

Guiding and Protecting

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angel, feast day, Gabriel, generous God, Guardian Angel, Michael, Raphael, spirit guide, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

My memories of very early childhood are rare so sometimes I’m not sure how I learned things that I already knew as I look back at life in kindergarten. I’m fairly certain that the first prayer I could recite was: Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide. I’m not sure I knew the meaning of all those words but I was surely aware that, in addition to my parents, God had assigned someone very special to take care of me.

Today the world is full of images, statues, literature and workshops that depict or teach about spirit guides, beings existing in realms other than ours, helping us along our spiritual path. The Judeo-Christian Scriptures and Tradition, where my early images came from, also speak of three Archangels (Michael, Gabriel and Raphael) who figure significantly in the stories of “salvation history.” Today we celebrate a feast in their honor on our Church calendar.

Whatever one intuits or believes about the spirit world, it is comforting to trust that we are protected as we negotiate the challenges and rejoice in the loveliness of the earth. It’s just one more way to celebrate the kindness and magnanimity of our generous God.