Reflection for Aug. 2, 2020

Sister!

Thanks for sharing your lovely thoughts on these very special Readings.

I was particularly touched by your closing questions. They made me think!

Blessings! Father Bill

I'm sending out some "happy mail" this week to friends and family that I haven't been able to see because of Covid 19. That way they'll know that someone is thinking of them and they're loved & not alone.

Thank you for your reflection on the refreshing effect of water and Jesus' compassion on the people. May both lessons inspire our living.

Growing up on a farm with close family on both sides we were taught that watching out for our families, neighbors and friends was just something you did. Most neighbors would meet after evening chores, play cards, just visit and share food later in the night. This rotated from home to home. As kids we were taught to respect the neighbors as they would care for us if something happened. We all helped each other. We need to get back to many of those traits in order to make real and healthy progress in this world. Thanks for your wonderful service and questions.

I want to offer a view from the starting point of the opening line of the gospel, "When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew ... to a deserted place by himself." (Mt. 4:13) I 'hear' in this, JESUS' grief; JESUS' very real loss and sadness. His 'emptiness .....,' his feeling like, 'What now ....? What now, G O D, do you want from me ...... My strongest supporter, my most intimate confidante -- the one I learned from, the one I listened to -- the one I came to the Jordan to ..... hear .... to be baptized by .... so I could serve you, in fullness and completeness of heart, mind, and soul ... What now? ..... Show me the way ......" I can 'hear' JESUS, in all fullness of his Truest Humanity, feeling and praying this way .....

Then --- When 'the crowds hear of this,' they 'leave their homes, leave their towns to pursue JESUS.' They feel the loss, too. Their leader is gone. Their guiding light, their voice for truth and justice has been taken from them, killed by the forces that long suppressed and violated them. Their 'hero' is no more with them. What shall they do? Who will they turn to? They, too, are lost; feeling alone and abandoned.

And then --- there's JESUS ....... And JESUS not only feels his own loss and grief, but he is, likewise, filled with loss and grief for the leadership the people have lost.

Can you 'hear' this in the story, too? Can you 'feel' this great pain -- the lost-ness, and the great poverty and emptiness of the people?

When I start to hear and feel this story in this way, through the real experience of losing someone I so much looked up to, admired, respected, counted on, listened to ...... I start to 'hear' and 'feel' and 'see' [understand] this story of "the birth of a 'new' kind of leadership" in a whole 'new' way.

And in seeing, and feeling, and experiencing this, I grow hungry -- and thirsty -- for the 'beloved community' JESUS was now in-mission to form. And I want to 'be with' JESUS in this "new" way -- in his 'beloved community.' And I want to share the bread, share the food of everlasting life that I 'know' and experience in being with JESUS in this way ..... I want to share this drink of hope, this food of strength and courage and comfort ..... this new understanding of what it means 'to live.' I want to share this 'new life' with others.

Does this happen to you, too?

I watched the John Lewis Funeral on tv. There were many examples of kindness and love shared with 3 Presidents who each had different life experience with him...all were inspiring and made one think

How do I try to Listen and Respond to others. Called a few friends and was told how I helped them.

Sister,

Thank you for sharing- you truly are such a Blessing and an inspiration to so many!

Thanks for the reminders of how God has us in the palm of his hand!

God Speed!

John