“Peace in a troubled world,” by Brooke Atkins
Lord, I am so thankful for your words, your guidance, and everything you have given me…BUT the emotion I am getting out of every Mass I attend is exhausting me! I like to joke, but if you know me, you know I am a very emotional human being and lately parts of the Mass have cut right to my core. I cry listening to the scripture, I bawl like a baby during most hymns, and don’t even get me started on the feelings that wash over me during the consecration! My soul is on fire! These powerful God moments are moments I sometimes, just can’t keep to myself.
I was blessed to worship at special Sunday evening mass last weekend at Holy Family and the preface to the Eucharistic prayer was speaking directly to my heart;
“It is truly right and just that we should give you thanks and praise, O God, almighty Father, for all you do in this world through our Lord Jesus Christ. For though the human race is divided by dissension and discord , yet we know by testing us you change our hearts to prepare them for reconciliation. Even more, by your Spirit you move human hearts that enemies may speak to each other again, adversaries join hands, and people seek to meet together. By the working of your power it comes about, O Lord, that hatred is overcome by love, revenge gives way to forgiveness, and discord is changed to mutual respect.”
Human race divided by dissension and discord? Enemies may speak to each other again? Adversaries join hands? Hatred is overcome by love? Pivotal! Huge! Powerful words! But only if you’re living them. Can we accomplish this? I know we are being called to.
Throughout the day I had been hearing scripture, personal witnesses, and hymns all telling me the same thing, “peace not hate, love not war.” At one point, I was even brought to my knees; my chest felt as if it was about to burst, I was so overcome with God’s message to me. Someone spoke of my parish, my beloved St. Isidore, and a divide they heard we had struggled with over the years. The readings, the talks, the prayers all pointing to peace, love, and God first - that I had been tuned into all day were being called-out, right in front of me! Basic common principles taught to us as children, reiterated throughout the years: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” we now find easier said than done.
I work with children; I’m here to tell you it can be done! They are proof of this every day as they live out what they have been taught. Our younger selves would not be happy with our grownup versions, my friends. There is animosity among us. Some of you may even dislike me for what I’m about to say, or you may just give up on me (but that’s not what I want!)
I knew I was being called to serve our Parish when I started training as Director of Faith Formation and even before, but when God is speaking to my heart these days, the things I feel I am called to share are VERY different from what I thought they were going to be. Judgment, greed, envy, and more, often rear their ugly heads. As a community, God is asking us to give up our attachments to material things and personal sentiments. Our love for our treasured buildings, long standing traditions, hopes, future plans, He is calling us to abandon those infatuations and focus on Him!
Though I hear statements for what they are, these sins are not discriminatory; they are coming in from many angles. People are hurting, this is true, but how we handle this hurt is what defines us. We have lost things we viewed as important parts of our lives and, when they are gone, it feels like a little piece of our heart goes with them. We are just humans, so these instances draw out the worst in some of us, causing divides, bordering on hate. We reverted to “fight or flight” tendencies and had little thought towards each other. Others were left wondering what all the fuss was about, completely clueless and void of any empathy for one another.
Each of us is familiar with the story of Abraham and God’s call of him to offer up Isaac, his only beloved son. It is one of the most well-known Bible stories and we hear it for the first time at a very young age. The moral is simple, love God above all. Everything we have comes from Him and everything we have belongs to Him. If Abraham could follow God’s will so readily with such a heavy burden, why do we find our call so hard? Why are we struggling to put God above all else?
It is a challenge, no doubt, but what He wants from us is clear, to tear down and build back up with Him as our only focus. What a beautiful blessing, if we can only do so. Join hands with each other brothers and sisters, if there is any hate in our heart, let it be overcome by love. As the chosen who are being called, we are the only ones who can make this sacrifice. After all, He gave up His only Son for us, we should be willing to give up anything for Him!
