Friday, March 21, 2008

but see, here's the deal

Today is Good Friday. It is a very solemn day for Catholics and other Christians throughout the world, unless you are someone who claims to be a Christian but is really a polytheist or thinks Jesus is St Michael the Archangel. At which point, I am not sure what this day would mean to you. I guess, have a happy Friday.

For me, who believes she has had several walks up her own private Via Deloroso, it is a day which reminds me that the world would and does go on without me, without my input and without knowing who I am. In fact, my first sponsor used to remind me that billions of people in China wake up every day and go to work without knowing my name. It reminds me that on the one hand I am not the most important person in the world.

On the other hand, it reminds me that I matter more than life itself to the one being that does matter - God.

The idea that, outside of time and space, the Creator of the Universe was willing to take on a Human Nature and endure indignities that God does not have to endure all so I can spend Eternity in Heaven with HIM??? No wonder people think Catholics are crazy - what a crazy way to think. God cannot possible care that much. There are too many contradictions in the world, too many problems...surely it must be because we have not acknowledged our higher selves?

Rather, I believe, it is because we have done nothing but acknowledge our own flipping importance. Then, in a further insult to The Creator, defined that importance in terms of our lower nature. We want want want and we need need need and we grab grab grab and then we all sit around and stare at each other and wonder why we have no connection, we could care less and we wish we were anywhere but here. We resist the pull towards God. We resist the pull towards becoming fully human as we were originally intended to be....and then, if someone disagrees with us, or hurts our ego we attack.

Last night I was reminded that in the year 304 49 men and women were arrested in a tiny area of the Roman Empire - Attina, I believe - located in Africa. They were arrested, along with their priest, for celebrating the Holy Eucharist. What they were doing was illegal. They were given the choice (for the Romans were always fair) of never celebrating Mass again or death. Willingly, and without hesitation, they chose death. One of the WOMEN spoke out - and her words (but not her name) was recorded for all history in the judicial records of the area - and said, "We would rather die, for to ask us to live without the Mass? Life is not worth living without Him".

Today that area is known as Dafur.

We Catholics stand on the shoulders of giants. We are the 21st Century daughters and sons of people who gave their lives to protect the Consecrated Host. We stand in Mass, wondering when it will be over and if Father will preach for too long, and we forget that today men are being killed and women raped and sold into slavery because they are willing to die rather than live without Him.

Today, of all days, I pray for my patron St. Cecilia to walk with me and give me the strength to endure my personal pain and problems. I ask that St Therese pray with me and for me for the protection of my friends and family and for all the intentions of those I love. I beg God to remember that though I am week, I love Him today as I have never loved Him.

And then, just for now, I ask the following:

God, I offer myself to Thee to build with me and do with me as You will. Relieve me of the bondage of myself that I may better do Thy Will. Take away my difficulties that victory over them may bear witness to those I shall help of Thy Power, Thy Love and Thy Way of Life. May I do Thy Will Always.

GO BEARS!!!!

2 comments:

DJ said...

Thank you so much for your faith and witness! You are truly inspiring!

God bless,
Dean

Esther said...

I love that you say we stand on the shoulders of giants.

I will never forget my "tour" of our parish church during my RCIA program. When we approached the altar, I was overcome with emotion because of the martyrs who shed their blood so we can have the Mass today. They have my undying gratitude.

May their rewards in Heaven be great!