Sunday Oct . 2 2016 / 27th Sunday (year
C)
[__v2-01__] What goes up must come down. What goes up
must come down.
This is a law of physics that tells us the
destination of every object – whether a baseball or the space shuttle or a
satellite. Even stars “shoot” or fly through outer space because they do not
last forever.
What goes up must come down.
[__v2-02__] In
these examples, we are also referring to material things that depend on our
strength, our force, to hurl them, to propel them into center field or the
atmosphere.
Their travel is CONDITIONAL. United
Airlines is also CONDITIONAL. They do not fly – nor do I fly on their aircraft
– unless I have paid my fare, presented my boarding pass, and shown photo I.D.
On the other hand, we might say, at times,
that we are praying for RAIN or SUN or SNOW. Yes, some people pray for snow.
But, the rainfall is not CONDITIONAL. That
is, it is not part of a contract or a condition. I cannot earn good weather.
Some situations are beyond our control.
[__v2-03__] I use
these examples, because this is the month of the Rosary, the month of October.
And, when we pray the Rosary, we are also sending up our petitions to God, we
are offering ourselves up to God.
In
Psalm 141 we read about the upward path, the trajectory of our petitions,
comparing this to the fire and flame and smoke of burning coals and incense,
“Let
me prayer arise before you like incense, the raising of my hands like an
evening oblation (sacrifice.)” (Psalm
141:__)
[__v2-04__] In this month of the Rosary and the month of
October, we are reminded of the importance of meditation on God’s will, God’s
mystery in the life of our Savior and our Blessed Mother.
And,
what we observe is their trust, their confidence in God’s will, God’s plan.
Their prayer and action without CONDITIONS, without regard for conditions.
This
trust and faith are celebrated when we pray the sorrowful mysteries of the
Rosary, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani. We meditate on his words, “Father
not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42)
This trust and faith are celebrated when we
pray the joyful mysteries of the Rosary, Mary with the angel Gabriel. We
meditate on her words, “Let it be done to me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38)
[* * * P A U S E * * *]
[__v2-05__] When you and I make a request, a petition, a
plea before God, we also pray that His will would be done in our lives.
A
prayer for peace – in our families – is not a prayer for my version of a peace
treaty or truce.
It
is a request that not only my prayers will be answered but that the prayers and
needs of others will be answered.
Just as we request God’s unconditional
mercy for ourselves, we are also called to do so for others.
[[[
[__01__] Will my prayers be answered?
Will my prayer for peace be answered?
Several years ago, I was working in New
York, before my seminary education started. At that time, I became aware of
ongoing trouble – animosity and bitterness – between a person in my department
and a person in another department.
Though these 2 individuals had 2 different
bosses, had 2 different objectives, and had 2 different bosses, they sat right
next to each other at adjacent desks.
At first they did not know each other, then
they were sociable…then they became adversaries.
In this situation, I was not really sure
who started the whole thing. Nor did I have any idea – at the time – who would
finish.
The experience was uncomfortable for the
two of them. I was also a bit uncomfortable.
Now, of course, this was a corporate –
commercial environment and I was not a Catholic priest at the time.
Isn’t it true that sometimes we are
involved in conflicts in which winners are not well defined, as they would be
at the World Series, the 2016 Rio Olympics, or the Scripps
National Spelling Bee.
[__02__] I was
in this case, witnessing two adults – two grown-ups – who had personal
differences, resentment between the two of them.
At the time, I was thinking about entering
the seminary. I spoke with my parish priest at the time and described the
opponents and so-called playing field.
What could I do ?
He / Father Joe agreed that there was
probably nothing I could do, to intervene, to solve, blow a whistle, call the
ball fair of fall, be a referee, or declare a winner.
I could not compel them to “make nice” or
“play nice.”
He simply asked me this question, “have you
said a prayer, have your prayed for each of them? Or, are you already praying
for them?”
I
had to admit that this thought had not crossed my mind. Why would I pray for
them? They are not doing anything to me directly. They have not committed any
personal fouls against me.
Nevertheless, my prayer for them was as important
as anything I could do or say.
Leemos en la carta de Pablo a los Filipenses: ¨No se
procupen por nada, al contrario, en toda oración y súplica, presentan a
Dios sus peticiones con acción de
gracias.¨ (Filipenses
4:6)
[__03_-new_] So, what I did over the next few days was
that I made an effort to for them regularly, that this would be resolved
peacefully.
Their debates continued. It was, however,
not an election year with a clear end in sight.
But, sometime later, a month or two, I was
blessed with an answer.
During this time, I did notice an immediate
change in the behavior of these 2 individuals. However, I also noticed that I
was less anxious about the situation. I also hoped that they would be.
When a resolution and a solution arrived, I
was surprised and aware that I had nothing to do with the outcome or result.
What happened ?
The person in my group came to me one day
and told me that the other person and the entire department were being
relocated out of the building, to another floor or building in the city.
This person would be leaving in a few days.
My colleague said to me as part of this…and
I quote…
“My prayers were answered.”
What goes up must come down.
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