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FIRST YEAR OF PREPARATION for the Jubilee Year 2000 was
devoted to reflection on Jesus. Do you recall this theme
proposed by many cardinals and bishops: "Jesus Christ, the
one Savior of the world, yesterday, today and forever"?
Thank God for the Word made flesh in Jesus, our Saviour and
Lord forevermore.
 Jesus
fulfilled his mission of evangelization, and the Holy Spirit
calls and empowers us to continue the mission he began. We
walk in his footsteps accepting whatever circumstances we
find ourselves in as an opportunity to be his faithful
followers and witnesses. Jesus calls us to unite our
suffering and sickness to his cross in order to experience
his glorious resurrection and victory over all sin and
death.
During
this year of our Lord, I have experienced the hand of God
melting, moulding and fashioning me into the image of his
Son, Jesus. Believe me, I am not boasting. For to be
disciplined by God is an awesome experience. Throughout this
year I really came to appreciate just how dependent we are
on God to reveal his precious will to us in all the
circumstances of our lives.
One
of the situations which brought home to me the reality of
God's providence was my mother's death. In July of 1997 she
had a stroke which paralysed her left side. This began for
her a bed ridden five months where she experienced
tremendous pain physically, emotionally, and
spiritually.
Whenever
I visited her, I knew God was with her, and because she
lived a holy life, I was not concerned about her salvation.
But I could see her suffering. She wanted to get up and walk
but could not move. At times she could not experience God's
presence and felt alone. She could not believe what had
happened to her. How could someone so active be struck down
and taken so quickly? I wanted to blame her condition on
doctors and nurses who couldn't foresee the problem.
However, I finally came to the conclusion that God allowed
everything for his own good purpose.
Job
was a good man too, and God allowed Satan to cause him the
pain of poverty, illness, and mockery. Job remained
steadfast and was later rewarded. My mom stayed faithful
through all her sufferings. Many people visited her and were
touched by her desire to reach out to them. During his
visits with her, Fr. Philip Lee concluded that she gave more
to him than he gave to her. When he left her side, he would
ask her to pray for him. Sincerely she would reply, "I
always do." Her very suffering united to the cross of Christ
produced great grace for all those in her heart.
Her
death was beautiful with her children and grandchildren
surrounding her. Fr. Michael Dugan prayed over her and
anointed her. She died on November 11th, Remembrance Day, as
a soldier of Christ. Her life and death makes me think of
the passage from 2 Timothy 4:7-8:
- I have fought the good fight to
the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept
the faith; all there is to come is the crown of
righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, will give to me on the Day; and not only
to me but to all those who long for his
Appearing.
Before
her stroke, I was sure my mother was going to live to be a
hundred. I was wrong and realized that I didn't know. Only
Jesus knows.
Close
to the time of my mother's stroke, we experienced some
difficulties with one of our children. My husband and I
tried what we thought were all the methods of help and
resources available, to no avail. We had come to the end of
our rope; we tied a knot and hung on to Jesus because we
didn't know.
After
mom passed away I knelt by her bedside. She had this little
smile on her face that seemed to say, I know something you
don't. I asked her to talk to Jesus and request a miracle
for our family. Eight days later that miracle began! Our
child was given a place that could help. Thank you God!
Thanks mom and keep praying for us.
At
the close of the Year of our Lord, as his baptized, faithful
men and women, can each of us humbly admit our lack of
knowledge and wisdom? Does our faith keep us near to God
even though we don't know?
After
Jesus preached to his disciples that they must eat his flesh
and drink his blood in order to have eternal life, many of
them did not believe and left him. Jesus said to the twelve,
What about you, do you want to go away
too? The twelve did not understand the mystery of
Jesus' body and blood but in faith Peter answered him,
Lord, who shall be go to? You have the
message of eternal life, and we believe, we know that you
are the holy one of God. (Jn 6:67-69)
Having
lived out Christ's sufferings through our total abandonment
to Christ during the year of discipleship, we are prepared
to receive the gifts and insights that the Holy Spirit has
for us in the second year of preparation. Pope John Paul II
talks about this in his apostolic letter Tertio Millennio
Adveniente (As the Third Millennium Draws
Near).
The
primary tasks of the preparation for the Jubilee thus
include a renewed appreciation of the presence and activity
of the Spirit, who acts within the Church both in the
Sacraments, especially in Confirmation, and in the variety
of charisms, roles and ministries which he inspires for the
good of the Church.... (45)
Everyone
receives different gifts but all are from the same Holy
Spirit. Section 45 of Adveniente concludes that the
Holy Spirit gives the Church unity through himself and his
power. He also produces and stimulates love among the
believers working together in his body.
The
Holy Spirit acts powerfully in the sacraments. In Baptism we
receive the virtues of faith, hope, and love. Not only that,
God takes strong hold of our lives as his very own children.
In Confirmation we are anointed with the gifts of the Holy
Spirit which are knowledge, piety, wisdom, charity,
understanding, counsel, fear of the Lord, and fortitude.
The
teachings of the Church are also inspired by the Holy
Spirit. Among these are natural family planning and the
sanctity of life from conception until natural death. These
wise teachings guide us to live holy and righteous lives.
Although they go against the popular trend of the world they
are enduring and true.
The
way we as Christians live is vital. When we obediently live
out the teachings of the Church, even when we do not
understand them, we are a light in the darkness, a little
Christ for others to follow. Our reward? -- that we are on
God's winning team! Remember, the gates of hell will not
prevail over the Church and she cannot be separated from
her teachings.
We
can be signs of hope in our desperate society of today by
staying hopeful. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts to
remind us that Jesus will come again in glory to save us
eternally. As we wait joyfully for Jesus, let us work,
serve, and pray according to the Holy Spirit. John Paul
emphasizes in Adveniente:
The
basic attitude of hope on the one hand encourages
Christians not to lose sight of the final goal which
gives meaning and value to life, and on the other hand
offers solid and profound reasons for daily commitment to
transform reality in order to make it correspond to God's
plan.
I
enjoyed listening to a homily for the First Sunday of
Advent. The priest proclaimed the great value of the four
Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But he said there is
another gospel that is also very significant. It is the
gospel according to you. Then he asked if we reflected the
joyful hope of the coming of Christ in our lives. Did we
show his mercy and love? Did we respond with an open heart
to all the circumstances of our lives, willing to make the
best of it, knowing God saves?
If
you're like me, you're thinking you could use some help. The
Holy Spirit is the advocate, the counsellor, and the power.
He is present with every breath we take, always moving to
create a new heart. He inspires us with God's most glorious
plan of salvation for us as individuals and as one Church.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and
enkindle in us the fire of your love.
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