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2022-10-09 –28th Sunday ● ● 2 Kings 5:14-17 ● Psalm 98 ● 2 Timothy 2:8-13 ●● Luke 17:11-19 ● ●
[__01_] Have you heard this one, this joke: A man is driving his car around searching for a parking space in a crowded city, urban center, but he is finding nothing available.. As he drives around he begins to desperately pray to God. “Please God, if you find me a parking spot I will make --- [list of possible changes to his life in terms of prayer, activity, honesty, charity, etc. ]”
A moment later, he turns the corner and sees an available parking spot open up for his car. He gasps and heads toward it. Then remembers and calls out to God one more time, follow up on his earlier desperate petition, informing God: “Never mind! I found a space already!”
Do we give thanks for waiting, for the waiting process?
[__02__] This past Tuesday, October 4 was the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and Francis of Assisi (Italy) north of Rome, 1181 - 1226.
And Francis of Assisi experienced a profound change in his life due to an encounter with a sick person, specifically because of an encounter of a man with leprosy, a very sick person. It was a Trinity moment, but he Francis did not see it that way at first.
It was also an experience of delay – of waiting …
That is also the Gospel this Sunday. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem on his way to becoming the Paschal Victim on the Cross / Calvary. En route, Jesus encountered 10 men with leprosy in a public place. Jesus did not shy away. They were waiting for him. And, the “delay” and “disease” of leprosy brings them into contact with Christ.
1 of the 10 sees the blessing in this and returns to give thanks.
It was a very positive experience for and with the man with leprosy.
The very first of experience of
Francis of Assisi, with persons with leprosy was not so positive. Frances of Assisi wanted to withdraw, to escape. Francis wrote this about leprosy and his early perceptions of leprosy. Francis wrote this: [paraphrased] “when I was in sin – i.e., before my conversion - the sight of those with the disease of leprosy made me very ill, very sick beyond measure, but then God led me into their company and I had pity on them when I became acquainted with them, what had previously made me very sick mentally and physically became the source of spiritual and physical consolation for me.” Francis of Assisi reported later that he could see Christ Himself in the person with leprosy. There was community for Francis
At first, then, Francis of Assisi was unable to “deliver” on the “love” or “mercy” or “forgiveness” God was calling him to. I often fail – at times – in my attempts to deliver the message. I need the Holy Spirit, the Trinity to work …
“The process of becoming a Christian begins only when a person sloughs (pushes away) off any illusion of being autonomous and self sufficient.”
(Benedict XVI, Dogma and Preaching, “Ch. 25 Lent”, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011 p. 280)
Your Christian identity is affirmed when you realize you are dependent on others. This is the Trinity.
[__03__] In the Gospel, this Sunday, we read about Jesus traveling to Jerusalem. He encountered the 10 men with leprosy.
Jesus healed them, sent all of them off to the temple for their healing to be recognized, and for them to be reconciled to the community. According to Jewish tradition, and the Levitical priesthood, it was the task of the temple priests to certify the one previously known as a leper now to be clean and recognize reconciled with the community
Of the 10, one is the 2x double “outsider” because of both his leprosy and his “Samarian / non Jewish identity”. It is ironic that he is the one to return giving thanks.
[__04__] We don't come to God alone. We become Christians and disciples through the sacraments of the church.
In the sacrament of baptism, for example, you and I, were most likely brought us to the baptismal font by our parents and godparents.
The pouring of water is a visible form, but invisibly is the forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
Every sacrament has an outward visible form, and then an invisible reality, to remind us that we didn't become Christians alone, but in communion and in community.
[__05__] Many times during my ministry as a priest here at Our Lady of Lourdes, I have been reminded to praise God to give thanks and to recognize that I do not carry out this ministry of the priesthood alone.
[__06__] Many years ago, when I was a teenager in H.S., I was waiting in a hospital ER emergency room to receive stitches on the side of my head. It was nothing serious. That’s why I was in the queue; in line; it could wait. But, I also had a desire to be healed, to be made whole. Do you not also want to be seen and to be healed when you are not feeling well?
While I was waiting, I saw – across the corridor 1 of my H.S. classmates. He was not a patient, but a working as volunteer on the EMS / ambulance corps. I was surprised but also very relieved to see a friendly face.
We talked; he listened to me, asked how I was. He was totally not - to use a clinical term - freaked out, which helped to reduce any freak-out factor in me about being in the ER.
We talked about stuff and he gave me the opportunity to appear to be brave and courageous to one of my peers. That was a plus! It also passed the time !
Back at school, the next day, I enjoyed telling my friends at school later how I had endured a hospital ER visit, had stitches, and seen one of our classmates. That was positive as well.
It was a moment that would be influential in my understanding of the Christian life and my calling to be present to someone who is sick or in need. As I had received, I would be called to give. The moment was also influential in my calling and understanding of the priesthood. But we are called to visit the sick and to recognize Christ is the one we are visiting.
Also, the delay and “distress” of the E.R. was a moment of God and Trinity for me.
When you think of the word “Trinity” or “Holy Trinity”, what comes to mind for you? Naturally, logically, we may think the 3 persons – Father – Son and Holy Spirit – who form a very lofty “3 person” ideal of God.
It is a lofty – heavenly – ideal. But it also a practical reality for you – for me – whether at someone’s bedside, at the kitchen table, in the car.
Some of you come here to church to this XYZ-30 Mass, but you are part of the Church's larger body of Christ, and the body of Christ grows and reaches us fulfillment and needs you to become the church, your prayers, your petition, your conversion matter.
It is a trinity moment to visit a sick person to recognize that Christ/God is present between you and your family member or spouse or friend. You + the other + the love between you forms a trinity.
To put it another way, marriage of 2 people is not just about husband + wife = 2, but wife + husband + love (who is God) = 3.
The Trinity reminds us that we are not alone … in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. [END]
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