|
“Finding Ourselves” Once in a while we hear a bit of commotion in the department store, drug store or grocery store when a mother suddenly loses sight of her child. It’s usually a brief, rather anxious time of quickly searching for the little one, but no doubt a frightening and emotional time for the parent just the same, and often for the child as well.
I was one of those children you suddenly hear crying for their mother, because they’ve suddenly become separated and lost sight of them. In those days it was a Kresge dept store. I remember the stark panic and fear vividly, and yet it would have only been a few seconds of separation, despite the tears. Truly, it is only a few seconds of shock, although more understandable in today’s world, but it does emphasize the strong, deeply personal, vital connection we have with those we first know and love, our mothers, our parents, our caregivers. And so, today, we can only imagine the intensity of fear, concern and worry which Mary and Joseph must have felt losing sight of their young son, and not just for a few seconds, but for three days! In many ways, it is this incident which makes the Holy Family so real to us, so intimate in a way other families in the bible are not. Hannah’s relationship with her child, Samuel, is one of religious duty and idealism, her child more a possession, and her suggested sacrifice an honourable one. But this is foreign to us; the stuff more of myth than reality. By contrast, Mary’s relationship with her son, Jesus, is loving and motherly. And Joseph’s is that of a true father and protector, navigating his family through one dangerous situation to another, especially in their early years. Surely, he must have worried terribly that something grim might have happened to his son. It's quite natural Christ’s mother would never forget this event, nor the events to come. And so, with this event, also ends our few experiences of the young Jesus. But what might we learn from this gospel story? Clearly, the value of love and the critical importance of family in our lives. Christ’s divinity is expressed by Jesus himself for the first time. We now know Christ is the Son of God in his own words. But perhaps there is another perspective we might examine, something helpful in a personal way to each one of us. That is: what do we do when we lose ourselves? What do we do when life turns us upside down, and we cannot find ourselves, an all too common situation experienced at this time of year? Life is a miracle. It is wonderful. It is a supreme grace to be alive. But life can also be difficult. The love and joy of life is easy. But we can get lost, lose ourselves in the challenges and suffering which are also part of life. Many are seeking help to solve emotional and mental problems, some perhaps even rooted in an unhappy or unloving family life. Some are searching for their real selves lost in the stresses and difficulties of work and home life; while others have filled their lives with distractions of all kinds, some of them addictions or days and weeks booked up with such heavy schedules, they lose a sense of themselves or imprison their true selves deliberately in busyness, maybe afraid of finding their true selves, preferring to hide from the person lost within their subconscious mind. How do we find ourselves? Psychology is a modern blessing, a form of healing as vital and significant to our well-being as all other medical treatments. When we are truly and deeply lost, we should seek out those who can help us find ourselves. But there is someone who knows us better than ourselves, who is with us always, who never fails to search for us when we are lost, who will help us find ourselves, if we just sit in silence, tune out the distractions in our lives, and invite him to speak to us, guide us, heal us, be present with us, and that is Jesus Christ. During this coming holiday week, set aside time to listen in silence to your Creator. He will communicate with you in ways you cannot imagine. Then, the words of clergyman, John Newton’s, hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’, will be more relevant than ever before: “I once was lost, but now am found,” found by my Lord, Jesus Christ. – Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario
0 Comments
“What We Receive” Christmas has always been associated with ‘giving’. From the time we learned to walk and began to pull ornaments off the lower boughs of the Christmas tree, we discovered all kind of things were under there all wrapped up in paper: gifts!
As our economies grew, so did our expenditures on these gifts to the point of excess, not necessarily of goodwill, but of good business as Scrooge would call it. The well-intentioned gifts became all too often material things, in place of more spiritual sentiments. Christmas soon became a time of ‘gifting’, even ‘re-gifting’! But Christmas is really more about the blessings of ‘receiving’: receiving the phone-call from a distant friend; the ‘Merry Christmas’ wish from a check-out clerk; the close hugs from spouse, children, parents, friends; receiving compliments for work well done from our teacher at end of term; a ‘zoom’ call from those we cannot connect with during the pandemic; the sidewalk shovelled by a generous neighbour; cheerful songs from carollers; receiving good news from the Dr. We receive so many non-material gifts, but often we may not recognize them as gifts. This Advent, we examined four stages of life. What might they be receiving today? Children are probably receiving hugs and kisses from grandparents, a ride on the new toboggan in dad’s arms. Then these children will receive ‘Love’. Hopefully, our teenagers and young adults will receive good grades, good feedback at work, maybe even some intriguing chats with parents and grandparents about their youth, what we used to call our ‘salad’ days. Then they will receive ‘Joy’. What of the adults, what might they receive? A hug and kiss under the mistletoe, confidence in the safety and good health of their families and loved ones, even just gas in the car and food on the table. Then they will have received ‘Peace’. Our elderly have already received the most wonderful gift: life itself, experiences beyond all measure, and love encountered even in their suffering. They will have received ‘Hope’, hope in the blessed life to come thanks to their Saviour, Jesus. But the greatest gift of all comes from a humble child today: the keys to paradise! Perhaps we have forgotten in our busyness of shopping and meal preparation that we have received the ‘sacred’ secret code to life here on earth which promises us a life in the next which will be much more relevant than this material world, profoundly rich and abundant in love and heavenly graces beyond all telling. The truth is we have ‘received’ a most important gift from Jesus Christ which is so indescribable, so momentous, so heavy laden and expounding with love that we will never be able to fathom it, nor, frankly, be able to show our fullest gratitude for it. Yet, Christ welcomes us, wants us to receive him, just as we hold a fragile, little babe in our arms; but also receive him into our hearts without question or delay, to witness the power of his love in every aspect of our day to day existence, nourishing us spiritually, from today and until the glorious day we see him face to face. Peace, Joy, Hope and Love be with you all, this glorious Christmas Day. – Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario “The Elder Waits For God” A journalist by the name of Patricia Pearson, granddaughter of former Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson, wrote a heavily researched book about the death experience, particularly from the point of view of the elderly. From many interviews with those nearing their passing, it became clear there seems to be a middle place of existence between here and heaven, where the dying are slowly transitioning to before their actual death, a place where they still partially exist with us in the material world, but also are living in another state of ‘waiting’, perhaps where the veil between heaven and earth meet and, for them, begins to part.
The book, called, “Opening Heaven's Door: What the Dying May Be Trying to Tell Us About Where They're Going” was inspired by a baffling, but incredible experience Patricia had herself. One morning she received an anxious call from her mother who reported she had gone to wake her father up for breakfast, only to discover he was dead. Being too distraught, she asked Patricia to call and inform her older sister. This was quite a shock, since the family had been so focused for months on Patricia’s older sister who herself was dying from terminal cancer. Picking up the phone, Patricia’s sister said something like, “Before you say another thing, Pat, did you know dad woke me up early this morning! It was strange. He was just standing at the bedroom door. I don’t know why he came all this way, but he kept saying, ‘There’s nothing to worry about, honey! It’s all good. Everything will be fine. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Wait ‘til you see what’s waiting for us’, and then he just walked out.” Patricia then told her their father had just died. This extraordinary event was so disturbing and mystifying, Patricia put on her journalist’s cap, and began an equally extraordinary journey researching the event we often do not like to talk about: what happens to us when we die. Retirement homes and especially nursing homes are places where we are generally assured our beloved elderly are safe, secure, well-fed, and cared for in their old age. But they are also places of ‘waiting’, where those in their fourth, final stage of life reflect on their lives, rest and ‘wait for the Lord’, for the true ‘advent’ or arrival of God. Often, this is also when they seem to enter this special space or spiritual mode. The afternoon before the night my mother died, she told me her deceased brother, my uncle, Gilbert, had visited her. He would be helping her transition home. She was so happy! After a lot of suffering, this was what she was waiting for: to see Jesus, her parents, and the child she and dad sadly lost a month after his birth. Two weeks later, I visited a lady in a nursing home I had been seeing for some time. At 96, she was frail and fragile, but still elegant and poised. I apologized for the long gap in visiting, but that my mother had just passed away. She said, “I know. She said you’d be coming. I’m so happy for her. It’s what we are all waiting for!” Then a nurse dropped in to ask if she’d like to join a craft class next morning. She said, “Oh, no! I’m going home tomorrow morning. My brother was in the dining room today. He’s coming to get me.” Her brother had died years ago. The next day staff called to inform me she had indeed passed away in the early morning. But often the difficult part of old age is the physical and mental suffering. Saint Bernadette knew the healing waters of the grotto were not meant for her, because her suffering had special meaning; Mother Mary had told her so: “I cannot promise happiness in this life, only in the next”. But not everyone has Bernadette’s strength. Still, our elderly can do something about their suffering: ‘two things’: 1) Offer up one’s suffering for others: one’s physical suffering (maybe lack of energy), mental suffering (maybe depression), or emotional suffering (maybe grief). 2) Ask for God’s ‘healing’, but in a special form of prayer called ‘Meditation’: In a quiet place, sit or lie down with eyes closed, and ask God for 3 loving petitions: 1. Heavenly Father, as I grow older, help me to accept both joy and sorrow in my life. *** Pause, … and then say, … 2. Dear Jesus, as I grow older, help me to be kind to myself and others. *** Pause, … and then say, … 3. Holy Spirit, as I grow older, help me to be happy and at peace in my life. Then sit for 5 mins or longer as you wish, and let God heal and comfort your soul. Jesus, this Advent, hear the call of your elderly, waiting for your arrival in their wilderness here on earth. Straighten their final roads, calm their weary minds, ease their suffering and struggles, and guide their frail feet on the path of peace. – Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario “Adults Wait For God” The crowds ask, “What should we do, John?” John replies, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who has none. Do the same with your food and provisions.”
Government tax collectors ask, “Teacher, what should we do?” John says, “Collect no more money than you have a right to ask for. Only request what is legal.” Members of the Armed Forces ask, “And what should we do?” John tells them, “Do not threaten, harass, abuse, or make false accusations to try to coerce or manipulate money from people. Be content with your wages, with what you receive.” John is certainly giving the people very charitable and, frankly, very practical advice, something we do not always see so plainly stated. If we, the adults who are essentially in charge of and contributing to our modern world could approach John with our urgent questions, what would we ask him? John, what should we do about the rising prices of food and gas? John, what should we do about the rapidly rising cost of real estate? John, what should we do about climate change? About the flooding and forest fires? John, what should we do about the multiple deaths from the opioid drug crisis? John, what should we do about Covid-19? How to cope with it? When, will it end? John, what should we do about our anger and depression over all of this? John, what should we do to keep our children safe? And then, what do we think John might say? Indeed, how might he respond? In a way, John has already answered all our questions: “One who is more powerful than I is coming. He will save you by baptizing you with the power of the Holy Spirit, spiritual fire – not water!” Because all our questions above are rooted in the material world, not the spiritual. Our focus is too influenced by our bodily needs. Col 3.1-4: “Seek the things which are above with Christ, not on the things of earth. When Christ who is in your life comes again, then you will also join him in glory. Matt 6.25-33: “Do not worry about what you will eat or drink or wear. Is not life more than food? Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? Your heavenly Father knows you need these things. But [you must first] strive for the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you.” Today we honour and reflect upon our Lady of Guadalupe who visited a very poor country, and bestowed upon them a powerful strength, determination and hope rooted in God which has helped them stand up to anything which confronts them. We should learn from these people how to face adversity with the same courage, resourcefulness, and hope in the Lord which frees them, no matter what comes. John said the true Messiah is coming. So, should we prepare questions for Christ, ask him how to fix our state of affairs, relieve our anger, depression and suffering? Gaudete! Rejoice! Because we already have answers for these problems! Indeed, adversity provides the answers. It is our teacher in life. Learn from it. Know that your inner-self, your God-self, is being educated and prepared for a breathtaking transformation in the next life when Christ comes again. “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11.29-30) Many who experienced the Spanish Flu said in about 3 years the pandemic ended. All returned to a ‘new’ normal, the crisis soon forgotten, no longer a welcome topic for discussion, and civilization moved on. We, too, will see a new normal, but it will be good for us, like the telephone and car were to their generation. Think good thoughts, do good things, treat others with kindness and confidence in God, regardless of worldly situations. Avoid becoming bitter, selfish ‘chaff’ of life. Jesus, this Advent, hear the call of your men and women fraught with challenges, viral and circumstantial, from their wilderness here on earth: straighten their roads, calm their minds, ease their struggles, and guide their feet on the path of peace. – Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario “Youth Waits For God” In Christmases past, my mother often read to us younger ones in the family the story of “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen, apparently based on a real child he knew who sold matches in the streets of Copenhagen. A little girl, poor and starving, beaten by her father, her mother long dead, was driven out by him into a cold winter storm to sell matches for food and logs for fire. She was barefoot, her clothes threadbare, having no coat or hat to protect her. The crowd passes, paying no attention, despite her pleadings. After awhile, she is so cold, she takes shelter in an alley next to a shop, its window full of beautiful things. Then she decides to warm her hands, even if just for a moment, by lighting just one, single match. When she does, in the small light of the match, a vision appears of a pot-belly stove full of burning wood. But it disappears soon as the match goes out. She tries another, and then sees a vision of a plump, succulent goose on a sideboard. Her next match reveals a tall, sparkling, green Christmas tree. The visions are so brief she decides to light all the matches at once. Then, she has a vision of a most magnificient, beautiful lady, wearing a blue mantel and a white veil with light beaming and glowing all around her. The lady reaches down and takes the little match girl up into her arms and carries her away to heaven. In the morning, the body of the little match girl is found huddled in a corner of the alley having died from the bitter cold, but with a glorious smile of peace and joy on her face. I remember us thinking it was a pretty gloomy story, but our mother wanted us to know all is not joy and celebration for many at Christmas, especially for the poor. Yet, even though our mother meant well, we figured this was just an old-fashioned, Victorian fairy-tale. Things were not like this anymore in our sophisticated 20th C. But we were wrong! Unfortunately, there are too many little match girls and match boys still begging on the streets, their young lives hardly even begun in the world. The deaths from the opioid crisis in our country from coast to coast has rivalled the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, these lives have been lost to moments of escape from their troubles by using drugs which promise only brief visions of happiness like those in the flames of the little girl’s matches. But who is to blame? Parents? Their communities? The young people themselves? In a way we are all to blame, and it all boils down to some kind of lack of love, love maybe not given, nor received or recognized, or maybe the false love behind abuse. Still, the young must learn to shoulder most of this burden of the need for love, because it always starts with loving yourself first. Perhaps we can help them by pointing out life was never meant to be particularly easy, that the struggles and challenges, including lack of love in our lives, are meant to teach us the wisdom of Jesus who himself walked through the valley of darkness, who struggled through the wilderness of life in his early years. Jesus never turned away nor hid from difficulty, never sought an easy way out nor distraction through escapes to give him momentary pleasure or a heightened escape from reality. He faced all head-on. Our youth, indeed, all of us, must learn to accept the dark side of our lives along with the light. We must face, try to understand, and ultimately accept our ‘whole’ selves. Chuck De Groat in his book, The Toughest People To Love, says, “This is not merely a self-improvement project. The biblical pattern is clear: one must go through a wilderness to discover the promised land [deep within ourselves].” While we all want to be loved and accepted for who we are as unique creations in the same way God loves us, the way to living one’s life, the way to holiness is through becoming whole in one’s integrity as a fully realized human being. The way to healing is not around it, but ‘through’ it! To become whole we need to reassemble who we are, accept both the dark and the light side of life, because this is from where true healing comes. The divided person is unhappy, relying on a false self to navigate a challenging world. Yes, it often takes a lifetime, but facing our true selves and addressing our fears and roadblocks face-on, giving rather than expecting love, results in a wisdom and self-confidence which no pill can provide. Like the slow arrival of Jesus through Advent, our youth can slowly come to know themselves as the beautiful creations they are, confident that God loves them. Jesus, this Advent, hear the call of our youth in their wilderness, straighten the road for our teenagers, calm their struggles, and guide the feet of our young adults entering the world of work and study to find their way along the path of peace. – Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario |
Father's Blog
Rev. Fr. Christopher Tracey
St. Joseph Parish Pastor Archives
January 2022
|