theROCK

We Belong to One Another

I recently spent a week at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for some annual checkups I need. And while I had previously been led by the Holy Spirit to use my waiting time (which is a lot) for prayer for those I love, this time the Holy Spirit filled me with a deep urge to pray for the people around me—for all those who had sat or would sit in the chair I was sitting in, for all those who would use that MRI machine today, for all those who would visit that medical building or that gift shop, etc. In that act of praying for those I saw and those I didn’t see, I was filled with a deep sense of unity, of oneness, of participation in something beyond me that extends to the entire human community.

Today is Trinity Sunday, when we celebrate and commemorate our belief in the God who is One God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And while the theological implications of that are many and complicated, the simplest way to understand what it means to believe in the Trinity is to say: we belong to one another. We are not merely individuals existing in the world, but we exist in a system, a community of life and love. Just as I was one person at Mayo that week, I existed in a system of all patients. And as a participant in that system, God called me to share His light and love to those around me through prayer. To carry the burdens of others through prayer. To celebrate their joys through prayer. To walk with them and shelter them through prayer. Even without them knowing.

Just as Jesus is always in communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, so too we are always in communion with every other member of the human race. We belong to one another. We are not in this alone. May our celebration of the Trinity today lead us to greater unity with those around us.

Keeping Vigilant

The Gospel of Mark 13:24-32, begins the Adventen turn toward the End Times and the Second Coming of Christ. It is a passage that carries no warm and fuzzy messages, but rather messages of warning. We do not know the day nor the hour when this life will end and we will come face-to-face with our Maker. Are you ready to make an account for your life?

This passage reminds us to keep ourselves vigilant, ready at any moment to face judgment. It reminds us of our true priorities: all that belongs to this world will pass away. It is only Christ that remains. Do I live my life in a way that embodies the eternal nature of Christ, but the fleeting nature of worldly goods?

Furthermore, it is not just our salvation that we work for. As part of the Body of Christ, we are also called to work for the salvation of others. As we are reminded with the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we are not isolated beings pursuing holiness, we are part of a communion of saints. We belong to each other. How are you praying for those around you? How are you sacrificing so that they might come to know Christ or deepen their relationship with Him? Do you notice people missing at Mass? People who used to come? What are you, personally, doing to invite them back to Mass?

We do not know the day nor the hour when Christ will come again. Nor do we know the day nor the hour when our individual life on earth will end. But we do know eternal life awaits us. Let us live our lives in such a way that we get there, and bring as many people with us as possible!

Believe in Goodness

If you believe it, you will see it.

I am sure that you have heard this saying before. A person’s mindset does much to direct their words and actions. I happen to have a rosy disposition. I prefer to think optimistically and positively. I prefer to see the good. I have a trust in the goodness of humanity. As a result, I often believe in good so I see good. Unfortunately, this burns me from time to time. Each time I have been burned, I have grown wiser. In pondering where this Pollyanna view of life comes from, I believe it comes from growing up in the Catholic Church. There is so much richness in our faith tradition that guides us and directs us in how to “be”, all of which is very positive and loving, dare I say charitable. There is Jesus, His teachings like “The Beatitudes”. There is Mary, her fiat and modelling of devotion. There are the lives of the Saints.

Of late, I am growing more and more connected to Catholic Social Teachings due to the many issues testing our Catholic presence in the world during this post-Christian era in history. I wish to share them with you as a means to appreciating our role as the hands of Jesus in the world. They are so beautifully written. They are the basis of my leadership practices and the practices of our school.

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person – The Catholic Church proclaims that all human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation – Persons are sacred but also social. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened. 
• Rights and Responsibilities – Every person has a fundamental right to life and to those things required for human dignity. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families, and to society at large. 
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable – Catholic tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgement (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
• The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers – Work is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, the basic rights of workers must be respected.
• Solidarity – We are one human family, brothers and sisters created in the image of God, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences may be. The Gospel calls us to be people of love and peace.
• Care of God’s Creation – We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation in all forms.