Morning Followed

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed–the fourth day. Genesis 1:16-19

As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed. Mark 6:54-56

Piety

Morning Has Broken

By Yusuf Islam (formerly known by his stage name Cat Stevens)

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Study

What would occur when Jesus got out of his boat?  Anxiety and mystery persist.  Yet Jesus brings order out of the chaos of the people scurrying around.  They wanted healing and Jesus said let it be so.  In a way, just like God brought order out of the unformed chaos of the universe.  God saw how good the healing is.

Our day breaks with the first Cursillo reference in the Hebrew Bible right there in Genesis 1.  The “lights” are hung in the sky to illuminate our way on the Fourth Day in a story that is repeated during the Easter Vigil Mass. 

When a team begins formation and then again when candidates arrive on site, there is much scurrying around.  Luggage.  Food.  Room assignments.  The weekend is without form and lifeless.  Anxiety and mystery persist.  The rector/rectora provides the light of a theme and a plan for the formation to light the way.  In the silence and darkness of the first night, we meditate upon where we have been and where we are going.

On the first day of the weekend experience, a series of talks, meditations, and celebration of the Mass begin to help us find a path forward.  By the second day, the lines between team and candidate begin to blur.  The dryland of our former spiritual journey is nourished by the lush vegetation of shared experiences -- Palanca, sacraments, mediations, meals and table discussions. In fact, our best work happens around the table – the Sacrificial Table of the Mass and the Fellowship Table of the Community. On the third day, the weekend really begins to bear fruit night and day as we rely upon the three-legged strength of the Tripod and the support of Table (Group) Reunion to let the Word grow in our hearts.

That weekend experience is about the candidates and the team and the supporting community all reaching out to touch the cloak of their new-found friend to be healed of whatever sins and sensations have troubled them in the past.  We scurry about bringing the candidates to Christ and Christ to the candidate.  In the end, we must choose to reach out and touch that cloak.  The cloak is there.  Our desire must mirror the people who would not leave Jesus alone. God sees how good Cursillo is.

Action

What does your morning hold for you today?  For me, it means starting a new job in public service to my colleagues and charities serving people who need help locally, nationally and internationally. 

With the light of dawn, let’s be committed to building a more perfect union.  We cannot do it alone.  Christ is counting on you.  Are you still counting on Christ? 

Some of our friends are into Team Formation to cultivate the genesis of the next Women’s and Men’s weekends.  Keep them in your prayer-filled support and offer sacrifices and service to help them along the way. Don’t forget to send Palanca to the angels. God sees how good the team formation is.