This morning, before
9:00 Mass began at St. Joseph’s, a parishioner told me that he and his wife had
been wondering why I hadn’t preached at Mass in a long time. When I explained
that I would no longer be doing that he told me what a loss that was for him
and his wife.
That really got me
thinking. More accurately, it got my feeling. Recently, that “loss” has been
real for me, too, and I have felt unable to put my thoughts together to reflect
in any depth on Scripture or my own faith journey. My blog had gone dormant.
But in the space of an
hour, this parishioner shared those kind thoughts; I got a sweet “happy
half-birthday” text from my daughter Laura; I heard today’s readings again; I
spent time with three adults seeking the Sacraments of Initiation; and I heard
Fr. Jim’s Schwartz’ homily for a second time which brilliantly brings together
the many facets of the parable of the sower and the seed.
In the light of those
enriching events, one more line jumped out from the Scriptures that helped
bring it all together for me. That is the line in the letter to the Romans, “We
know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now…”
As a mother, I sometimes
feel I don’t have the right to wear the badge of honor that comes with having
been in labor. I had the easiest labor and deliveries ever. And we have been
blessed with wonderful children who made parenting near effortless.
Yet, like all of
creation, aren’t each of us individually still groaning in labor throughout our
lives to give birth to our most authentic selves as children of God? Are we not
always writhing with the pain of knowing we can do better? To mix metaphors, don’t
we always know that our soil can do with a bit more cultivation?
And so on this my
half-birthday (my sister Margaret began a tradition of celebrating half-birthdays
with my daughters when they were born 17 months apart at opposite times of the year
so they would have something to celebrate near the other one’s birthday) I
reflect on recommitting myself to the labor and pain of finding new ways to
share my reflections on the Gospel. I am deeply grateful for the kind nudge.
Blessings,
Cathy
