November
22, 2018 U.S. Thanksgiving Day
Title:
Stop. Look. Surrender
[__01__] In this reflection on the Gospel, I’d
like to touch on the Lord’s call to us to [►STOP] + to [►SURRENDER]. [►STOPPING]
+ [►SURRENDERING]
[__02__] The man in the Gospel stops and he
surrenders. He stops in order to turn
around. And he surrenders. And, no one – no authority figure of any kind – is
forcing/compelling him to stop.
We are certainly aware of other kinds of enforced
stops.
Sometimes, I find it difficult to stop, to turn around and
to surrender.
Any one of us might find this difficult because we have our
own time line, our own clock and our own smartwatch or some device or agenda
that is telling us not only the hour but perhaps even counting how many steps
we have taken.
Even if you walked only ¼ mile to get here, you have
already taken over 500 steps today. You want to keep going, right? And, you’re keeping track…
[__03__] At times, a storm will call us to stop – and
also surrender – against our will – such as – clearly – of course – the winter
snowstorm of one week ago, November 15.
I was on my way back to Lourdes church and Lourdes parish
at around 2:45 pm.
I easily accepted the idea of driving more slowly, more
cautiously. I even accepted stopping – stopping at a Shell station for
gasoline, stopping at a store – Fairchild’s Market – in the Roseland. I was
on Eagle Rock Avenue – which is 4.2
miles – 11 minutes calculated drive time.
I accepted the need to stop driving because this would be –
I expected – about a 30 minute delay.
On November 15, if you were out and about and had a 30
minute delay, you considered yourself fortunately and you might even conceal
that information like a winning lottery ticket until you get home.
[__04__] So I stopped – twice. I stopped for gasoline, stopped for the
restaurant and some indoor climate control.
But, then, when the restaurant closed – EARLY ..by the way
– I decided I needed to turn back. And, for me – turning back – in this case …
was pretty I was very fortunate and called up the pastor at Blessed Sacrament
Church in Roseland and found there was – indeed – room at the inn.
[__05__] I was fortunate that I stopped.
A stop can call us to SURRENDER. In this case, to SURRENDER
to the climate reality.
And, we are called to conversion, to conversion to turning
around toward God’s ways – Paul calls this metanoia
(change of mind).
For example, at the Thanksgiving table, to listen to a
family member whom others do not want to hear.
Parents – mothers and fathers – stop and surrender to their
children, while continuing to guide them – they also surrender to them.
And, even when things go well – when we experience success,
flourishing, prosperity, we are called to STOP, SURRENDER to recognize that the
goodness and blessings of our life are not our own.
This is also the Gospel in Luke today.
[__06__] Luke tells us about this encounter with
Jesus, this encounter of the 10 traveling lepers who also want to get
someplace, to get by.
And, Jesus – kindly – heals them all … and they all begin
to get by …to get and go on their way.
Planes. Trains, Automobiles. No delays for them. No TSA
check. E-Z Pass.
But, then 1 ..just one of the 10 lepers returns. And, Luke is emphasizing that surrender is
necessary for all of us who would profit by the goodness of God. (Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture)
And, isn’t it true that every true relationship asks us to
surrender. Even in cases where one party to the relationship may be officially
have some authority over the other… each person is equal before God. In this
regard, parents – even – surrender their lives to their children while not
ceasing to direct and guide them.
Jesus – our Lord – surrenders and gives up his life for us.
[__07__] In fact, I was able to travel from Roseland
to West Orange in 30 minutes, after waiting it out for about 7 hours… I got my 30 minutes, eventually.
Prayer is also a way of surrendering,
stopping, pressing PAUSE …so that we can keep going, on God’s timeline and map.
[__fin__]
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