So many thoughts to reflect on this Sunday, some coming from personal time in prayer, some from Mass for the first time in nearly two months in community, and some from conversations with others. This time is short, the end for which we are created is everlasting it is eternal, we live here for such a short time, but our hope is eternal. It is what gives me hope, hope in the Risen Christ who has survived this earthly experience and He shows us the Way to do the same.
The one question that keeps coming back to me is what is the “Reason for your hope “? What is the reason for my Hope? That is the question posit to us at Mass by Peter today. My husband Deacon Richard heard the word of God as he proclaimed the Gospel and then broke open the homily today with this answer for hope: “God has our back.”
For some it may seem as if God did not have our back, because of job loss, isolation, church at home and not in community, public graduations cancelled, school at home and not with fellow students and friends, deaths experienced alone and those in hospitals dying alone, weddings cancelled or postpone. You may ask the question how did God have my back in all of that mess and still for some those things have not gotten any better.
Well, I would say God is always in the mess of things even when we don’t understand it , can’t hear him, and we ask what are we suppose to do about it. I sense He is forging a transformation, a new church revived and longing and desiring for Him, because we know now as we have never known before what it is like to be separated from Him and the body of Christ. He is showing us how to have the domestic church, to make Sunday a day of rest and Sabbath, to enjoy the beautiful weather.If you have not noticed except for one or two days of heavy rain we have had gorgeous skies , cool breezes and Sun. Families are gathering for dinners, praying together, riding bikes, taking walks , playing board games again, connecting in new ways. We have learned to evangelized using social media, live streaming masses, using zoom, FaceTime, twitter, instagram, google duo, and the internet in holy ways. Nothing can separate from the Love of God.
Of course we could go on complaining about what we don’t have as yet, but how much better it feels to be grateful for what we have been given. If we look back at these past 8 weeks we will see how the Spirit guided us and protected us. Maybe it was help from grandparents with homeschooling your children, maybe it was a meal sent for you an essential worker, maybe it was a generous donation from a neighbor. Maybe you received a card in the mail or a driveway greeting. He has had our backs, and will continue to have our backs .
The Holy Spirit has been with us since our baptisms and sealed in us at our confirmation, the spirit is alive and well in us. It is evident by all the different ways graduations are celebrated with drive by cars with balloons and signs, teachers finding ways to visit their students safely with gift packages, people are showing appreciation to the essential workers among us, parents are working from home in new and creative ways and learning patience as they teach their children, pastors have become creative in getting the word out to their communities and the world, colleges , schools and universities have not stopped teaching using the virtual world of the internet for good. I could go on to what has come from this, I am sure you have many examples as well. I give glory and praise to our Creator who always has our back and will never abandon us, He may be in disguise but He is among us.
Let us pray together for all those who do not believe as yet in the Power of God who is Risen and who gave us the Holy Spirit so we may know God always has our Back and that is The Reason for My hope, the Hope of Heaven the Risen Christ . Alleluia! Amen.
SPOKENHEART 