Readings: Sirach 27, 30-28, 7; Psalm 103, The Lord is Kind and Merciful, Slow to Anger, and Rich in Compassion (terrific line!); Romans 14, 7-9; Matthew 18, 21-35
Sirach: 3 observations
1. Time: about 200-175 B.C.
2, Author: a Jewish scribe, called “The Philosopher,” wrote in Hebrew.
3. Subject: with its injustices and sufferings, life is useless. He can’t understand the ways of God and says so. Thus, his work is negative and depressing. However, he advises people to work, and to enjoy the gifts of God as much and as long as possible.
Get ready: in connection with our commemoration today the selection is powerful.
In Memoriam, 9-11
At 7:30 that morning I was celebrating Mass in the Jesuit community chapel. Rosemary was there. Mary Ellen was there. Sheila Madigan was there. Plus a dozen others.
It was 8:00 when we finished and Fr. Jack Deeves who had been watching TV in the Jesuit community room across the hall before his first class, said a plane had hit one of the towers. Being from NY, Rosemary was immediately interested and she and Mary Ellen joined Jack and they saw the second plane.
Remember where you were at this same moment?
So how has your spirit handled this event over the past 10 years? What is a healthy response?
Sorry to tell you this, but it is in the readings today, forgive, forgive, & forgive 77 times.
3 Considerations: forgive big things, forgive little things, and the process.
First, I have not had a lot of big bad things happen in my life. Certainly, 9-11 is the biggest, and that did not touch me personally. Are these readings serious about forgiving these guys? Forgiving Osama bin Laden? Yes and yes.
The forgiveness is not for these guys. It is for myself, for my own health, for my own inner peace. Otherwise, I remain an angry person and I act out this anger like Mark Stroman who walked into the gas station on Buckner Blvd. Sept. 21.
He asked Rais Bhuiyan of Bangladesh where he came from. Then he pulled up his double barrel shot gun and shot him in the face. He also killed 2 other people.
Is this not a metaphor?
Secondly, little things. They happen every day to us. Road ragers, like the guy that Sunday morning in his Mercedes who got so impatient with my driving onto north bound Central that he floored it by us and waved sweet hand signals at us. Sunday morning on our way to Vines.
If I am carrying a load of anger, it will leak out. It will especially touch people closest to me. I will overreact. It has to be dealt with or I remain its victim.
Thirdly, the process. What do I do? You’ve heard me describe this before. Two things.
First, I talk about it with people whom I trust or with a therapist. I got to talk about it. Look for the feeling under the anger. Often it is hurt. Maybe hatred as in this event. I could also be hurt by my friend or my parents or coach. Forgiveness probably won't come here.
Secondly, I got to stop talking about the hurt and put it out of my mind. When I got kicked out of East Africa, I came home hurt. I talked about it for a good while until I realized that talking about it was getting me worked up & I was far from forgiving. I had to stop talking and put it out of my mind. A few years later I realized I could talk about it without the toxicity and the anger. I have forgiven and am at peace.
Today we remember and honor the people lost & hurt in 9-11. Rais Bhuiyan obviously came to a peaceful place with the man who shot him in the face and took his right eye.
We have his and many others' examples. Moreover, we are told that we have a God who is gracious & merciful, never gets angry and is abounding in love.
On a scale of 1 to 5 where is your anger and where is your peace of spirit with the events of 9-11?
Reference on Rais Bhuiyan: neighborsgo.com, 9-9-11, Dallas Morning News, special weekly on Richardson, North Dallas, & Lake Highlands, p. 16.
Picture 1: Mass Begins
Picture 2: Offertory with Christine & her daughter, Megan, Grandmom Diane, & Betty
Picture 3: Sienna & her sister,
Picture 4: Sienna & her sister,
Picture 5: Brooklyn with Brian & Payton & Erin
Picture 6: The Gang, Mike & John & Geri
Comments