Time of Transition

With all of the craziness that accompanies the Triduum, in the midst of everything, life still goes on as normal outside the walls of the parish.  I was reminded of this in a special way within these last minutes.

We received a call from one of our local hospices that a man was in the process of dying, and his family had requested one of the priests to visit and pray.  They gave me the name of the man, and I was on my way.  When I arrived, one of the nurses met me and introduced me to the family.  One of the children of the dying man is a well-known member of the media in the area.  How gracious the children were to have a priest come and anoint and pray with their dying father in the midst of the chaos of Easter preparations.  

As I was making some small talk with the family prior to praying, we agreed that if this man - this father - was to die, there was not a better time to do it within the veil of the celebration of Easter, within the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.  Truly, it is the ultimate time of transition from this life to the next.

As I was driving back to the parish, it struck me that it is in the "ordinary-ness" of life that make us appreciate not only the whole understanding of how our relationship with God underlies all that we are and do (or at least it should), but also how much the presence of Christ is truly found in the smallest of moments - in the quiet of the chaos that surrounds us.  Our openness to the moments when God makes Himself known to us are profound opportunities in which we come to grasp - even if it's just for the briefest moment - a glimpse of the Divine.  And these small glimpses strengthen us for what is ahead.  Yet, these glimpses ought to lead us to a deeper relationship with God - especially the strengthening of our relationship with God through the celebration of the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation.

We are all constantly in some type of transition.  Yet there is not a better time to reflect upon the greatest of all the transitions - that from death to life - than at this time of Easter.  And I'm glad I had the opportunity to, if just briefly, see this transition happen at this time, within the veil of the celebration of Easter and the Paschal Mystery.

Lord, help us in all of our times of transition.  Allow us to see the glimpses of You to allow us to know of Your constant Presence with us.  May these glimpses, especially through the celebration of the Sacraments, enable us to be strengthened in the knowledge of Your love and new life.  Amen.



Enjoy the journey . . .