It isn’t clear why the two disciples were on their way to the little town of Emmaus. Were they afraid of a violent reprisal by Jerusalem’s citizens, if they stayed behind? Were they looking for a place to hide like the others did in the upper room, only seeking a safer distance from the city? Perhaps they had family or business to attend to in Emmaus. Whatever the reason, it seems clear Cleopas and his friend sought distraction from suffering the loss of their dreams of a New Jerusalem, feeling abandoned by the ‘one’ who held so much promise of freedom and justice. So they went to a place which provided an escape, where in their suffering and loss they might sort out and reconcile in their minds the horrific events which had taken place. Some of us, too, may be feeling afraid and abandoned, seeking distractions from our suffering as we sit in our homes, ruminating about what happened, as we hide from an invisible enemy. Not surprisingly, some old, often asked, but very valid questions nonetheless have come up: “Are we suffering because God is punishing us, or because he has simply abandoned us?” Some, particularly challenged in their Faith, might even wonder, if non-believers are correct who say, “There is NO God! Otherwise, why would a God let his people suffer like this?” Well, at least in part, these questions probably originate from more secular views which are founded on more scientific and common-sense approaches to life. Whatever is opposed to the healthy functioning of a human being is considered “destructive”, “bad” or “ill” as in “illness”. Therefore, “suffering is a ‘bad’ thing”. Some might even say, “It is the work of the devil!” But IS it the devil’s work? Is it a ‘bad’ thing to suffer? Most certainly, it can be a highly negative, grossly ‘unpleasant’ thing to experience. No one wants to suffer, nor see anyone or any other living thing suffer, … and definitely not needlessly! After all, who would choose to suffer? But is this a clue to another understanding? In God’s own wisdom, is there suffering which is necessary, suffering with meaning, perhaps for our development, our metaphysical, spiritual growth, which isn’t about an earthly, ‘healthy’ disposition, but a suffering which might be welcomed, even desired? Certainly, a strange thing for our modern sensibility, but not so many years ago it was called “Redemptive Suffering”. Suffering can seemingly take away all that is meaningful in life. But Redemptive Suffering reminds us we are here not simply to secure meaning from life for ourselves, but that life requires of us to bring meaning to the lives of others, offering our trials and challenges to better their lives, just as Christ suffered for us. I like to call it “Restorative Suffering”, because if we choose to accept joyfully and humbly our suffering for others as Christ did on the cross, we will restore and rebuild both ourselves and the world around us with a grace which heals and removes the suffering of the whole world. We have libraries full of debate and commentary on suffering. We find that many of the saints asked God to increase their suffering to join their’s with Christ’s in gratitude and to assist with his salvation of all humankind. But the stories which move and convince me most of the mystical value and spiritual importance of suffering, are those of children, children suffering quietly, even joyfully, as little witnesses to the glory of God. In his book, “Littlest Suffering Souls”, Austin Ruse tells stories of children in our own time who endured terrible suffering with a resolute acceptance, remarkable inner strength for their age, and an exuberant love for Jesus: Little Audrey of Paris, France, was born in 1983. She would suffer brutally from leukemia, yet was always cheerful, never mentioning the pain, instead advising all to love each other. A priest friend, Fr. McLean, remarked how as an infant she once said, “God is real and therefore everything we do has to have relationship with him.” She died at 8 yrs of age. Margaret of McLean, Virginia, born in 1992, needed titanium rods inserted in her back to keep her spine from bending further from ‘spina bifida’. She never made a sound even when they began to protrude from her neck and shoulders, her attention always on others’ well-being. Her father said she had a simple, yet profound connection to God. She died smiling at 15 yrs of age. Brendan of Great Falls, Washington D.C., born in 1997 with Down Syndrome, would suffer 3 painful periods of leukemia. But during his struggles, visiting Rome with his parents, he would meet Pope John Paul II, after running toward him through the crowd. After his First Confession, his father teased him for being in the confessional so long: “You must have been really bad to get such a long penance”. Brendan said that actually he was speaking to Jesus. His father said, “Yes, he’s in the tabernacle, right?” Brendan said, “No. He’s in the bright light above it.” But the church was completely dark! He dies in 2011 with Fr. Drummond, the celebrant at his funeral, saying, “He was an extraordinary boy and not because he had Down Syndrome nor leukemia, but because of his immense and intense faith. Brendan’s best friend was Jesus. To Brendan, Jesus was just as tangible and present as you and I.” Austin asks, “What we can learn from these little, holy ones who seemed to have a more direct connection to God, a more real experience of the supernatural?” Where did such grace and strength come from, rare even among the most spiritually advanced adults.” Truly, suffering is one of the greatest mysteries, recognized in many different ways by many different faith systems: Buddhism teaches how to use the Noble Eighfold Path to avioid it; Hinduism sees suffering as a kind of karmic punishment for bad behaviour – past, present, and future – while Islam says the faithful mostly endure suffering as a test of faith. Only Christianity, particularly Catholicism, sees suffering as redemptive, “as a way to share in the suffering of Christ on the Cross, to lessen his pain, and to help him complete his redemption of the world”, as John Paul II taught in his letter “Salvifici doloris” or Redemptive Suffering. Proverbs 3:11-13 tells us: “My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” But maybe the following analogy can put this discipline in another perspective: … Perhaps think of God, our Father, in terms of a Father who has given us, his child, a gift: the Gift of Life with all its attributes – temperaments, charisms, skills, and talents. Then, like any caring parent, he sends us to school – the school of life – to let the world teach and train us, so we learn that all the answers to life’s tests can be answered with one, single word: love. Meanwhile, the father does not abandon us, but often peers through the school window to follow our progress like any anxious parent. He does not scold or punish us in human terms, because he will not interfere with our Free Will. For example, if we play with fire, he does not punish us by putting our hands in the flames. Instead, he will let the fire itself teach us its lesson. Like a true Father, he disciplines us through experience itself, like letting the child, who is learning to ride a bike, fall off and on, learning to discipline and coordinate their own thoughts with their legs and arms. He let’s us develop, through experience, the necessary wisdom and strength we need to journey home from school. It is wisdom accumulated through our experience of many joys and sorrows, pleasure and pain, suffering and rejoicing, which is all founded on the love we have for him, our true Father, and for each other, which we bring home to Him once we graduate the great school of life. We will close with words of wisdom from Timothy Keller, noted writer and theologian on the subject of suffering as in his book, “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering”: One of the main teachings of the Bible is that almost no one grows into greatness or finds God without suffering, without pain coming into our lives like smelling salts to wake us up to all sorts of facts about life and our own hearts, to which we were blind. For reasons past our finding out, even Christ did not bring salvation and grace to us apart from infinite suffering on the cross. As he loved us enough to face the suffering with patience and courage, so we must learn to trust in him enough to do the same. As his … suffering led to resurrection power, so can ours.” So, let us never be afraid, never feel abandoned, nor feel we are being punished. Accept our suffering as lessons in the school of life, offer up our suffering as redemptive healing for the pain of others, and like St. Peter tells us today, let us set our faith and hope on God who raised Christ, our saviour, from the dead. Rev Fr Christopher Tracey Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario
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We may not think of this, especially those with children perhaps now making many demands of their time and attention, but Christ has come and stood among us in our rooms as well. He is most certainly with us today, right now as he was with his mother and friends in the upper room. This is central in his message to us.
And speaking of children, some may have seen the article in Buzzfeed about the challenges of being quarantined with little ones, some of them hilarious. One mother says: “We’ve been in quarantine for 18 days and my 9yo has been talking nonstop for 20 of them.” A father says: “My son just asked me if when I was little whether I had to stay inside for Covids 1 through 18.” Another says: “So, we don’t go to restaurants, kids aren’t signed up for anything, and we are just staying home during spring break? Hummm. Sounds like my childhood.” … And I would have to agree; that is what mine was like! I do come from a family of six children, so I have an idea how it might be, but from the perspective of a single person in isolation, you all deserve ‘kudos’ for your performances as challenged parents, trying to maintain a calm composure and positive attitude to dispel any fear your little ones might have hiding inside from the biological crisis outside their front door. Ironically, like us, the apostles and disciples were hiding indoors from the crisis outside their door, and their fear was really the same as ours: fear of the unknown. But like our fathers and mothers and caregivers of today, Mary, Christ’s Mother, was most certainly there in the room, demonstrating the same calm composure and positive attitude to dispel the apostles’ fears. But it would have been easier for her, because most certainly she knew what they did not, but which was soon to be revealed: that her son had risen from the dead, and with that, he was bringing the promise of new, continued life in spirit with God our Father after death. This is truly the most exciting event in the bible, if not in history. Today’s scripture is the sum total of what all scripture has been building toward: that Christ proved there is life after death, and that we must prepare for this wonderful transformation which he promised us by living the Great 2-Fold Commandment: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself. And to do so confidently knowing he is with us now. This is the complete, full, existential, and utterly glorious message Christ was called to share with us. It is what his mission was all about. Sometimes today’s miraculous event is clouded by the story of Thomas’ disbelief, but we must focus on what Christ says: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” That means us! He is speaking directly to you and me. Christ is a living presence, here and now, in our lives every moment of every day. He is with us and in us, ready to nurture and support us, if only we acknowledge his presence, and seek his intervention, especially in our fear and vulnerability. We’ve looked at how to truly harness this spiritual connection with God our Maker and it is by prayer as expressed through meditation. Benedictine priest, John Main, tells us contemplative or meditative prayer is of the highest form of prayer and of the greatest value to our humanity. Quality of life and personal integrity depend upon it, as does our salvation. Meditative “prayer is not essentially about talking to God or thinking about God, but being with God! Because we no longer think about ourselves in this form of prayer, this time of silence creates the inner space in us which allows the “prayer of Jesus” to envelope us. Taken beyond our self-conscious into the mind of Jesus, we become open to that transcendent mystery of God with an openness of heart in all its greatest spiritual intensity.” “Although this may sound abstract, Christian meditation shows itself to actually be of the highest and most immediate order of our reality. Meditative, contemplative prayer changes the world, because it first changes us.” John makes it clear, “if we try to use prayer to change the world to our own [designs] without being prepared to be changed ourselves, we will only be living … in retreat from our own fears and anxieties [without letting God take-over to adjust our circumstances.]” So, know that Jesus is there, waiting for us, to interact with us in our inner selves. He has the answers for our fears and dilemmas. Go within, before without. Perhaps, it would help if we faced our fear with the innocence of our children. Often more curious than afraid, they stare out the windows of their rooms, trying to see what is waiting for us outside their doors, trying to peer into the future, perhaps with more trust in God than mom or dad or their entire community may realize. Emily Bronte, the beloved author of Wuthering Heights, wrote a poem which invites responses from a child, called: Past, Present, Future Tell me, tell me, smiling child, What the past is like to thee? “An Autumn evening soft and mild With a wind that sighs mournfully.” Tell me, what is the present hour? “A green and flowery spray Where a young bird sits gathering its power To mount and fly away.” And what is the future, happy one? “A sea beneath a cloudless sun; A mighty, glorious, dazzling sea Stretching into infinity.” Take heart my friends. A mighty, glorious, dazzling sea awaits us, stretching into infinity, into heaven, as far away as the cloudless sun, but as close to us as Christ is in our inner hearts. Rev Fr Christopher Tracey Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario And, so, we find ourselves on this glorious day of Christ’s Resurrection, perhaps distracted and despondent, instead of joyful at our Saviour’s Rising from the Dead, expressing great gratitude for his ultimate sacrifice for our sinful condition, and celebrating it with family, friends and food.
Instead, are we sitting in our homes, pondering the strangeness of our isolation from each other, and dreading the weight of what is to come when the door opens? Like a child – who has been sent to their room to think about what they have done, to recognize the repercussions of their poor choices, and consider changing their ways for the good – we, too, wonder like the child, ‘Will we be forgiven and blessed? Will we be welcomed back to the dinner table? Or will we go to sleep hungry, saddened by separation from our family, our universal family? But we are Not children. 1 Corinthians 13:11 tells us: ‘When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; but when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.’ In many ways our ways have been childish. In his book The Democracy of Suffering: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, Philosophy in the Anthropocene (or our current geological age), Canadian philosopher, Todd Dufresne, presents 13 major features of our world’s condition: such as the rise in social inequality, existential angst, and a major shift in human consciousness. His call is even more urgent for new ways of understanding what we’re doing wrong, and to develop new ways to live in the future. We are the most noble of all creatures, made in the likeness of God. We are his beloved; a great and beautiful, intelligent and productive people, capable of endless good and positive development on this fragile planet. If we take the strength of Christ’s cross into our hearts, we can do anything. But it must be done with love. Today is about hope, hope for a future which awaits our skills, talents, ingenuity; hope which springs from the most miraculous event of all human history: the rising of a human being from the dead, the Resurrection of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. And let us not forget: today is also a very important reminder of our own ‘resurrection’. The master composer, Gustav Mahler, became Catholic, mainly to protect his music career in a world hostile to his Judaism. Yet, he would experience an unexpected, intense conversion to the Faith, so moving that he composed possibly the greatest and most celebrated of all his works, Symphony no. 2, “The Resurrection”. The first movement suggests a funeral cortege, but quickly becomes a collage of deeply emotive moods of life in all its progress toward death. A mezzo sings the folk poem, “O, little red rose. Man lies in greatest need. Man lies in greatest pain. I would rather be in heaven. … For, I am from God and will return to God. The dear Lord will light my way to eternal life.” He underscores the final, great resurrection of all humanity with a beloved poem by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, Auferstehn or “An Ode To The Resurrection”. The choir sings: You shall rise again, my dust, after a brief sleep. He who called you will grant you eternal life. You were sown to bloom again. The Lord of the harvest goes forth and gathers in the sheaves of us who died. [Yet] … O, believe, my soul – nothing is lost to you. What you longed for is all yours, what you loved, what you strove for is yours. O, believe, you were not born in vain. You have not lived and struggled for nothing. What has been created must pass away. What has passed away will rise again. Fear No More! … [But] Prepare [for your resurrection]! Prepare yourself to live! The soloists respond: I am freed from pain. All-conquering death – You are conquered! On wings I have won for myself, I shall soar aloft with burning love to the light which no eyes have seen. I shall die, so that I may live. My heart, you shall rise again in the twinkling of an eye, in an instant. What you have overcome will take you to God! When we take our brief, outdoor walks to escape the rooms we have been sent to, let us stop and smell the little roses, and remind ourselves we are from God and will return to God. Trust in the Lord. In his wisdom he cares for us, loves us. Rejoice, for he has risen, awaiting us in heaven after our own final, great resurrection. Rev Fr Christopher Tracey Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario Father Chris: A Message to My Parish Family for Holy Week, 2020.
Many of us may be anxious, frustrated, fearful, even angry at this time. However, Keith Ashford, the Kingston author of “Anger: A Message For Men” assures us what is important to emphasize at times like this is that all emotions are temporary. Lately, I visit the lake, sitting in my car, letting its vastness calm my own feelings of concern. Keith would say, “the turbulence of [emotions like] anger can be compared to the waves whipped up on the lake by a strong wind. [But] like all disturbances, the condition is [temporary]. It will blow for a while, then stop. Anger [and other unpleasant emotions are] strictly a surface phenomenon. A fathom below the surface, all is calm, quiet and still. … There are passing disturbances [in us], but deep down we are undisturbed by life’s ups and downs.” But what might be causing these waves right now, our negative emotions? Perhaps it’s about ‘certainty’; how can we be ‘certain’ in ‘uncertain’ times? Lately, we have heard a lot of advice and guidance from mental health experts. Psychologists claim work is a kind of ‘vaccine’ against mental illness. With 6.8 million people out of work, they say we are experiencing a ‘mental health assault’. In what some call a ‘loneliness epidemic’, the suicide rate is escalating. China is experiencing a 30% increase in separations and divorces following the release of couples together for weeks of solitary isolation. Lack of ‘certainty’ during the outbreak has been called the ‘key culprit’, contributing to loss of hope, and the wearing down of our mental wellness. But Ecclesiastes tells us, “For everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven.” Indeed, there is a time for everything: for loving, caring and sharing, for satisfying work and self-expression, as well as all the other necessities of life. And this should give us hope! … But why? Because time, by definition, tells us everything has a beginning and an end, which should give us confidence our current challenging time will come to an end. It is inevitable! All things pass, must pass, because the essence of life itself is change, moving forward into a new and different reality in this material world. But much more important, our Faith gives us the ultimate confidence that, like Julian of Norwich said during her time of plague: ‘All is well, all is well, and all manner of thing is well.’ Knowing God is truly the One in charge, should dispel and relieve ‘uncertainty’. In his will and wisdom, and in his own time, God knows what he is about. He knows what we need, ushering us somehow mysteriously into a place of profound ‘learning’ and of a ‘love’ much deeper than we can ever comprehend. But, ‘What is this ‘learning’? What kind of ‘love’ comes from suffering like this?’ We are learning many things! How important community is. How interdependent we are. And that we must support each other with love, honour and integrity. That like Simon, we must help each other carry our crosses. We need each other! I was pleased to hear from a parishioner they now had all the time in the world to take our Lenten challenge, to sit in silence 5 mins and wait for the Lord. They remembered they are never alone. Christ who bore our sins upon his cross is with us always, ready to meet us in our inner stillness, as we uncover relationship with him in a world which has suddenly stopped. And what is this deeper love? I heard it, from a distance, when a child in the park next door screamed with delight to his parents he’d never had so much fun. I saw it, from a distance, on television, when a father held his son close to him to keep him from harm, on their first allowed outing in the Italian sunshine. Yes, God has put the brakes on our hectic, manic world, and, in a mysterious way, is teaching us many things, especially to confront ourselves, our inner selves, to dispel the negativity there, and to love the beautiful person we find there; to learn a deeper love for others as well: our spouses, children, friends, our neighbours, co-workers, our world, and, especially, our God and Creator. We have a cross to bear right now. Take up this heavy cross and learn from it. Learn of the love living on that Cross – the Name above all names, Jesus Christ. And as you sit quietly, resting in the silence of your heart, waiting for the Lord, you can rest in the certainty of ‘two things’: that this difficult time will end, … and that the Lord, Our God, loves you. We are his beloved. Learn from his Cross to carry your own cross with love, and above all, be certain of his love, … because, “All is well. All is well. And all manner of things is well.” Although we are doing everything possible to keep costs at a minimum, ongoing operating costs, such as utilities, unfortunately do not stop, even when the building is empty. Thank you so much for your generosity. May God bless and keep you and yours safe. Peace in Christ, Fr. Chris Rev. Fr. Christopher Please note the following decisions which have been made by His Excellency Bishop Douglas Crosby, OMI, regarding scheduled events from April 2 until June 30, 2020:
Baptisms All scheduled celebrations for the Sacrament of Baptism are cancelled. Arrangements will be made at a later date to reschedule these celebrations. Confirmations All scheduled celebrations for the Sacrament of Confirmation are cancelled. Arrangements will be made at a later date to reschedule these celebrations. First Communions All scheduled First Communion celebrations after Easter are cancelled. Arrangements will be made at a later date to reschedule these celebrations. Marriages All public weddings scheduled before June 30 are to be rescheduled for some time in the fall. Private weddings (limited to the priest/deacon, bride and groom and two witnesses) are permitted. Funerals At this time, it is possible to celebrate only the Rite of Christian burial at the cemetery, provided that no more than ten people (including the priest/deacon) are present. It is important to observe this legal limitation lest the cemetery or funeral home be fined. Mass for New Catholics The annual Mass for New Catholics (scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2020 at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King) is cancelled. The Serra Club Servers Awards The Altar Servers Awards, organized by the Halton & Hamilton Serra Clubs (scheduled for May 13, 2020 at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King) is cancelled. www.hamiltondiocese.com (905) 528-7988 Diocesan Priests' Retreats The Diocesan Priests' Retreats (scheduled for May 18-22, and May 25-29, 2020) are cancelled. Ordinations to the Permanent Diaconate The Permanent Diaconate Ordinations (scheduled for June 6, 2020) have been rescheduled. Ordinations will take at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King on Friday, August 14, 2020 at 7 :00 p.m. Convocation for Priests -June 9-10, 2020 at Mount Mary The Convocation for Priests (scheduled for June 9-10, 2020 at Mount Mary Retreat Centre) is cancelled. Wedding Anniversary Mass The annual Wedding Anniversary Mass (scheduled for June 13, 2020 at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King) has been cancelled. Ordinations to the Priesthood The Ordinations to the Priesthood (scheduled for May 2, 2020) have been rescheduled. Priesthood ordinations will take place at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King on Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 11 :00 a.m. The Annual Diocesan Golf Tournament The annual Diocesan Golf Tournament (scheduled for June 24, 2020) is cancelled. Marriage Preparation Courses All Diocesan Marriage Preparations Courses are cancelled until June 30, 2020. Parishes will be notified when courses will become available after that date. Please adjust your calendars accordingly. Let us continue to pray for one another and especially for those who are sick, and those who have died. May all of us whose lives have been disrupted continue to place our trust in the Providence of God. Sincerely yours in Christ, Monsignor Murray J. Kroetsch, PH, VG Chancellor |
Father's Blog
Rev. Fr. Christopher Tracey
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