September 25, 2010
Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment. Ward off grief from your heart and put away trouble from your presence, though the dawn of youth is fleeting. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
"Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. Luke 9:44-45
Piety
Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Psalm 90:12
Study
Jesus had a very unusual burden to bear on his human heart. He knew that he would not die of old age. We, on the other hand, hope that is our fate.
Remember those whom you have watched succumb to old age, disease or death. Sometimes, their end came slowly. They endured pain, hardship and the slow loss of the gift of life as described in our first reading. Medical professionals even have stages for disease so that they can track the physical effects on their patients.
My mother Ruth (Rizzo) De Cristofaro has recently been classified as Stage Six Alzheimer’s. Almost like a camp fire dimming in the evening, each month quenches more and more of the light in her eyes, the brightness of her smile and the “get-up” in her step.
No more does she have the joy of trips to Atlantic City with her friends. No more does her contralto voice in the church choir cause the children in the pews to look up to the loft and seek out the source of that song. No more does her favorite season, Christmas, even get marked on her calendar with decorations, baking and wrapping of gifts. The radio no longer trumpets the smooth sounds of her favorite singer (Sinatra) and her Sundays are not spent watching her favorite golfer (Tiger) stroll the fairways head held high to victory at the 18th green. No more does the marvel of her embroidered handiwork win the blue ribbon at the women's club or the praise of mother’s who get the baby blankets and hats woven with the skill of her hands and eyes, her yarn and needles. No longer are the phone bill be stacked with calls to her three loving sisters.
Jesus, though, knew his end would not come naturally. He knew that a friend would hand him over for torture, execution and murder at the hands of the church and state.
Jesus implores us to pay attention to the miracles of the present moment of our youth while we can still love and make choices and love.
Action
To what are we handing our lives over each day? Do we attempt to drown out our problems with alcohol, drugs, gluttony and television? Do we hoard our money and not share with others?
Jesus wanted each one of us to have right relationships with each other and with Him and His Father. He and the prophets warned us what was ahead.
Why not call or visit someone today whom you know is in the waning days of life or illness. Stop by their home, hospital room, or whatever facility they call home in this stage of life and bring with you some photograph and memories of their youth and your shared joys.
“Hello, Mom.”
Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment. Ward off grief from your heart and put away trouble from your presence, though the dawn of youth is fleeting. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
"Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. Luke 9:44-45
Piety
Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Psalm 90:12
Study
Jesus had a very unusual burden to bear on his human heart. He knew that he would not die of old age. We, on the other hand, hope that is our fate.
Remember those whom you have watched succumb to old age, disease or death. Sometimes, their end came slowly. They endured pain, hardship and the slow loss of the gift of life as described in our first reading. Medical professionals even have stages for disease so that they can track the physical effects on their patients.
My mother Ruth (Rizzo) De Cristofaro has recently been classified as Stage Six Alzheimer’s. Almost like a camp fire dimming in the evening, each month quenches more and more of the light in her eyes, the brightness of her smile and the “get-up” in her step.
No more does she have the joy of trips to Atlantic City with her friends. No more does her contralto voice in the church choir cause the children in the pews to look up to the loft and seek out the source of that song. No more does her favorite season, Christmas, even get marked on her calendar with decorations, baking and wrapping of gifts. The radio no longer trumpets the smooth sounds of her favorite singer (Sinatra) and her Sundays are not spent watching her favorite golfer (Tiger) stroll the fairways head held high to victory at the 18th green. No more does the marvel of her embroidered handiwork win the blue ribbon at the women's club or the praise of mother’s who get the baby blankets and hats woven with the skill of her hands and eyes, her yarn and needles. No longer are the phone bill be stacked with calls to her three loving sisters.
Jesus, though, knew his end would not come naturally. He knew that a friend would hand him over for torture, execution and murder at the hands of the church and state.
Jesus implores us to pay attention to the miracles of the present moment of our youth while we can still love and make choices and love.
Action
To what are we handing our lives over each day? Do we attempt to drown out our problems with alcohol, drugs, gluttony and television? Do we hoard our money and not share with others?
Jesus wanted each one of us to have right relationships with each other and with Him and His Father. He and the prophets warned us what was ahead.
Why not call or visit someone today whom you know is in the waning days of life or illness. Stop by their home, hospital room, or whatever facility they call home in this stage of life and bring with you some photograph and memories of their youth and your shared joys.
“Hello, Mom.”
