2 April 2021, Good Friday TITLE: The Good News of Sorrow
[__01__] Many years ago, my friend was going out of a woman he was dating. They had met each other
at
NYC in college and stayed together afterwards but then… after college & they were moving on in
life and changes were happening, with their jobs, financially, etc.
Their relationship seemed to be going well
when – one day - she announces to him
that she is moving
to
so she is moving to California, in a rather nonchalant, informal way He says – OK
…and is also nonchalant and informal.
Apparently, they were not going to
“break up”
Then, however, there was real
division, an obstacle, a roadblock not only because of the “move” but also what
I would like to call the “mourning” or “sorrow” associated with the move to
California.
At first, neither of them
would
at first I acknowledge the sorrow.
[Spoiler
alert: later there, was a wedding, they are still together.]
But, my point is that – in this case –
there was an “elephant in the room” as
we say & it had everything to do use their attitude to the “sorrow” or
mourning.
[__02__] This type of experience is repeated were
over again in our lives – consider, e.g., the child who is about to go to
school for the first time
&
the parent (s) are anxious, the child is anxious.
They are both in distress and yet neither of
them is willing or able to admit their feelings about the change and they end
up either in fighting outwardly – or the silent treatment or alienating each
other.
[__03__] In the Beatitudes of the Gospel – and in the
Gospel of Good Friday - we are reminded: “Blessed are they who mourn”, for they
will be comforted.
[__04__] In a book called Transformation in Christ (Dietrich von Hildebrand), observes this
about the Beatitudes and the “blessings” and how we might react to them.
Some of the Beatitudes have a “self
evident” or “obvious” related blessing.
For example: “Blessed are the
merciful, for they will shown mercy”
So,
it seems like an equal transaction, I would want to show mercy so that mercy is
reciprocated back to me.
Do unto others…
But..what about and why “Blessed are
they who mourn [or are in sorrow]”
Could it be a blessing to be in
mourning or sorrow? (Dietrich von
Hildebrand, (Dietrich von Hildebrand, Transformation in Christ (in German, 1940) , San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1990, pp. 451-453)
[__05__] There is a lot of mourning or sorrow on Good
Friday and some of those who mourn or are in sorrow are trying to get out of
their sorrow ASAP.
They are – as the old song says –
looking for love (LF♥) /
LFL in all the wrong places.
Pontius
Pilate - (LF♥) in the the crowd, in the popularity of the
people.
However, the crowd does not really
love – never did / never will – love Pontius Pilate. His wife / spouse loves him enough to tell
him the truth – from her dream -- and to share with him not just good advice
but the GOOD NEWS that Jesus is a just man and not a criminal guilty of
sedition and crimes against the state.
Pilate could have at least listened to
his wife!
Pilate is an example of someone who
tries to please everyone but pleases no one.
Peter
the Apostle. (LF♥) He is LFL in a hidden/obscure place off the
grid with no cameras or microphones and no one able to communicate or find him.
[Should I re-state that Peter denied
Jesus 3x ?]
Don’t get me wrong – solitude, time
alone and “me time” are are important to a degree in our lives.
But,
Peter raises this to a new level whereby he runs away at the moment when his
friendship and connection could have consoled our Savior.
Later, Jesus will tell him that Peter
will not find peace / love / happiness by running away but by giving himself
away:
“Peter …when you were young…. Quoth ”
(John __:__ ?)
This reminds us that God’s plan is
greater than our plans.
[__06__] In the
book – “Transformation in Christ” – I
read this about the value of mourning and sorrow, a reminder I myself also
need.
Since, I too may run away from
“sorrow” when the sorrow may be an invitation for me to change and/or draw
closer to God.
And, all of us have been or are or
will be in sorrow. We are called to remember:
“Sorrow is precious in the eyes of
God, for it proves, on the one hand, that our vision is adjusted to the
perspective of truth and guided by supernatural light” (Tranformation Christ,
“Holy Sorrow”, p. 453)
In other words, when we consider what
is really troubling us, we are not satisfied with superficial “information” or
“entertainment.”
We want what is real. God’s love is
real.
[__07__] In the example of my friend who tried to be
“nonchalant” or “indifferent” when his girlfriend was about to move to
California. This got him into a bit of trouble.
Sometimes, our relationships are
tested in times of sorrow and adversity, but they can also be strengthened, but
along the way it’s not just GOOD
RELATIONSHIP ADVICE …that we need but also the GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL to
recall that sorrow and love and suffering can and do coexist.
“What, after all, should we think of a
lover who endures without grief or sorrow a separation from his beloved – no
matter how sure he is of her love?” (Dietrich
von Hildebrand, Transformation in Christ (in
German, 1940) , San Francisco:
Ignatius Press, 1990, p. 453)
We, the Church, are
Jesus
Christ’s beloved. He loves us. He is the lover par excellence in laying down his life.
He also wants us to move not just
“cross-country” or “coast to coast” with him but from this life to the next.
Good Friday is not just about a
commiseration or misery but about a meditation and our need for community, and
contact with God above all else.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they
will be comforted.
[__fin__]
[__08__]
[__09__]
No comments:
Post a Comment