Wednesday, May 29, 2019

“Lead us from Grief to Joy” by Beth DeCristofaro


“Lead us from Grief to Joy” by Beth DeCristofaro


Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility.  From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6)

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy." (John 16:19-20)

Piety
Lord, we are so sorry
for what some of us did to your children:
treated them so cruelly,
especially in their hour of need.
We have left them with a lifelong suffering.
This was not your plan for them or us.
Please help us to help them.
Guide us, Lord, Amen.[i]

Study
John’s Gospel puts forward dualisms, thematically portraying that acceptance of Jesus meant rejecting something else.  It was a necessary step in conversion into eternal life. Dualities such as light contrasted to dark, or the world compared with Jesus’ community allowed John to explore what is mostly a mystery. To John, Jesus was knowable, and God knowable through Jesus, for example.  Jesus foresaw the difficulty that his followers, including Paul, would face in evangelization as they explained the essential need to give up people’s world view.  The rejection he experienced must have grieved Paul, but he “shook” off the world, leaving it and them behind to move forward in his acceptance of Jesus and his mission to share the Word.

Did Jesus foresee the grief his community is experiencing today?  The abuse and power scandal rocking his church must indeed be hurtful as it is for many faithful.  How difficult to hold on to truths unseen while the community in which we find our faith center has, in many ways, betrayed us.  We see Jesus’ ministry (actions) and words (study) to be helpful.

Jesus healed, again and again.  He healed those perhaps unsuitable – the Roman centurion’s servant, for example.  He healed the unbeliever – the Samaritan woman.  Jesus gave himself “for his friends,” John’s Gospel tells us.  Jesus forgave again and again.  When He appeared after the resurrection, Jesus bestowed peace upon his disciples rather than chastising them for abandoning him.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to them for guidance and courage.  And, importantly, Jesus sent them out to share the Word which would heal a hurting world.  We must, with the disciples, reject the world, which allows abuse and seek the community of God, reforming, and healing.  As Jesus calls us to experience and live joy, we also must help to assuage and answer grief. 

Action
What are we doing to evangelize Jesus’ Word to heal those hurt by the Church and ultimately heal our Church?  Holding on to the old ways has proven not only ineffective but hurtful in many ways.  Raise up in prayer (piety) the opposition of the institutional Church to healing.  Raise also any anger and frustration we feel into our prayer.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give us courage as advocates and healing that we can put our anger and frustration to good and holy use.  Reach out in your parish and diocese as leaders steeped in acceptance of Jesus, not the world to help lead and unite.


[i] prayer sent to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin by a person who suffered abuse so that it could be shared in parishes. This prayer was inscribed on the healing stone which was unveiled at the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 and now has its permanent home at Lough Derg, County Donegal. Donegal.    https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2018/02/05/day-of-prayer-for-survivors-and-victims-of-sexual-abuse/

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