29 July 2018 / 17th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year B
•• 2
Kings 4:42-44 •• Ephesians 4:1-6 •• + John
6:1-15 •• Title: Connected. Created. (Soccer, Thailand,
Humanae Vitae)
[__01.01__] In this reflection on the miracle, I’d like
to touch on the:
·
Recent inspiring example of what happened
in Thailand, the rescue of the boys from the cave.
·
A challenging church teaching.
·
A return to Thailand to conclude.
[__01.02__] It was a miracle that there were both
loaves (bread) and fishes left over after the feeding of the 5,000 by Jesus.
This was not only a nice
[►CONNECTION] there was also new life & [►CREATIVITY]
.
The miracle –new life of the miracle
brings both a CONNECTION & & SATISFIED FOLLOWERS (who were previously
hungry) and CREATIVITY of new benefits, so much abundance.
We might see this abundance, God’s blessing to us.
This abundant CREATIVITY is also
signified in God’s mercy for us … that we can always turn to him for
forgiveness and that he lays down his life for our sins, no matter how guilty
or ashamed we might feel. This is God’s abundant blessing, what is always
remaining. This mercy connects and
creates and re-creates us.
[__01.03__] In Thailand – in southeast Asia – there was
a beautiful moment of CONNECTION + CREATIVITY,
for the boys who were trapped.
The 12 soccer players and their
coach rescued in mid-July of the boys, the soccer team in Thailand, who were
trapped 17 days underground (6 miles) in a cave. At first, it seemed they might
be there for much longer.
That any of the 12 of the young
players + their coach – 13 team members in all – were rescued would have been a good CONNECTION, given the conditions, that
they were all rescued alive and healthy is a sign of ingenuity and CREATIVITY, an
abundance of good fortune, of new life.
[__02__] I’d like to reflect on the
aspiration and hope we all have not only for CONNECTIONS in life but also for a CREATIVITY.
[__03__] This year, 2018, marks the the 50th
anniversary of an important church teaching of about family life, married life,
family planning and the importance of love and life.
This is Paul VI’s teaching published
as Humanae Vitae in 1968.
Pope Paul VI was teaching us,
reminding us of the Christian and Catholic tradition of natural family planning
over and against artificial birth control and pharmaceutical contraception.
This was a teaching to help us to connect,
to connect to each other and God’s creative power in all of us. Pope Paul VI does
not suggest that couples should have as many children as possible but that it
is by natural means that we CONNECT to our spouse and that we can create – and PROCREATE the life which God has planned.
Through this, we come to know the full
abundance of God’s plan for our lives. Love leads to new life.
[__04__] CREATIVITY. The Catholic/Christian
ethic/morality of the dignity of life reminds us that no human person possesses
or owns another – we don’t even really ‘create’ another person. God creates, we
participate and procreate and care for the gift of children and life which God
has already planned.
This calls all of us to CREATIVITY and
cooperation (teamwork !) . I hope and
pray that our LOURDES parish family will be a support to many families, that we
as mothers, as fathers, as grandparents and families can help each other to
PRAY together, STAY together, PLAY together, and if we STRAY … we can come back
together for the abundance of God’s mercy.
[__05__] In the Thailand rescue, the saving of the
boys from the cave, there were 2 aspects that helped them to survive, when it
seemed that all was lost. They are also 2 aspects that we need.
The boys demonstrated [►TRANQUILITY]
or peacefulness and the gift of [►TRANSLATION]
or cooperation, when all seemed to be lost, when they were lost.
We also need
TRANQUILITY
+ TRANSLATION.
TRANQUILITY
– What did we see as the first YouTube from the cave? They were video-taped
praying, meditating…. In the cave, in total darkness. (In Gospel today, we read that Jesus withdrew
– in tranquility – to be alone). It’s great that we are here on Sunday morning
to pray – a great Catholic tradition to pray early in the morning. To follow
the Gospel, we need quiet, stillness, TRANQUILITY, to CONNECT + CONNECT THE
DOTS.
Besides TRANQUILITY, there was
TRANSLATION.
TRANSLATION. Surely, the coach had to translate this
absolutely unfamiliar cave for the boys, to give them the truth but also give
them hope – to be – I am sure - a father, a mother, a leader, a psychologist,
and a nurse + physician, and a … translator.
But, they also needed an actual
bilingual translator and there was only 1 boy – 11 years old - who could speak
English and CONNECT w/ the British / English-speaking divers who found them.
We need others to guide us and lead us
and challenge us. We also need
“translation” at times. Translation of what we think is real to what is
actually real.
Do we not need our spouses – and our
children --- help us – even when they do not say a word – help us to know what
is real and important? We delight in
having the world seen and translated by a child. A child notices things we do not see;
declares thing we do not say. That’s a
successful translation and new life !
With this TRANQUILITY, there was
TRANSLATION, there could also be TEAMWORK … the
harmonious, international cooperation that led to the rescue.
I hope and pray the Jesus’
teaching and the Catholic teaching on your life and my life reminds us that we
are loved, that we are the GOAL of God’s love and called to make others the
GOAL of our love.
Connected. Created. [__fin__]
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