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Homily for the Mass of Anointing
13 September 2014
13 September 2014
Saint
Paul must have sounded a bit on the crazy side when the Colossians first heard
that he “[rejoiced] in [his] sufferings.”
They
probably thought he was nuts.
And,
in some ways, we might, as well.
We
gather here today to enter into the sufferings of Christ just the same way
Saint Paul did two thousand years ago. And we, too, rejoice because, just like
Saint Paul, our sufferings are filling up “what is lacking in the afflictions
of Christ.”
Yes,
Christ Jesus “took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” However, as we
join our sufferings to that of the Mystery of the Cross, which we celebrate
this weekend, we allow ourselves to rejoice, for we allow our sufferings to
bear witness to the Gospel – and that truly can be a great joy.
However,
as we gather here today, we rejoice for our sufferings open us up to experience
the depths of God’s healing presence through the reception of the Sacrament of
the Anointing of the Sick.
This
sacramental encounter with our God gives us the grace, strength, peace and
faith to turn over whatever may ail us to Him who holds us in His Compassionate
Heart. For it is from His Passion and Death that we come to understand and
appreciate the peace that only our God can give.
Three
quotes from our patron, Saint Teresa of Avila, come to mind today. The first
is: We
always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear
the greatest trials. We who gather here today have borne
and continue to bear great trials. Because of this fact, the second quote of
this great Doctor of the Church comes to mind: If this is the way You (Lord)
treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few of them!
Teresa probably takes the words right out of our mouths. For those of us who
have journeyed so close and faithfully to and with the Lord, we are asked to
bear the greatest of trials joyfully for the sake of the Cross and the
spreading of the Gospel. Truly, if this is how God treats His friends, no
wonder it is so few of us who choose to follow the Lord!
But
that brings us to the third quote: God alone suffices.
This concluding statement of her bookmark prayer helps us call to mind the
truth of why we’re here: God, alone, gives us all that we need to survive; the
Lord, alone, provides for us the hope of glory that we pray one day to attain.
Our
celebration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick this day manifests
our belief that “God alone suffices.” This encounter with Christ, then,
enfleshes for us the power of the healing presence of the Holy Spirit. It is
because we now fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ that we are
able to become friends of Christ. It is because we are now friends of Christ
that we are able to rejoice in our sufferings. And it is in this sacramental
moment that we take to heart the words of Saint Teresa of Avila:
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
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Enjoy the journey . . .
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