Sept. 12, 2021: 24th Sunday B

Sept. 12, 2021: 24th Sunday B

Someone said, “Only time can heal your broken heart. Just as only time can heal your broken arms and legs." One would think that after twenty years memories and emotions from a loss would eventually fade and be forgotten. Yet, if we ask most people what they remember about September 11, 2001, they can tell you exactly where they were, whom they were with and what they were thinking. 20 years later, the 9/11 event is remembered by a permanent memorial of two large pools which contain waterfalls with the names of 2,983 persons who lost their lives that day. The memorial reminds us of the tears shed for the lives lost and the senselessness of violence. As one widow of a victim reflected, “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” While time may not be able to fully heal broken hearts, one can learn lessons of hope and rise from the ashes. 

For disciples of Jesus, the lens through which we understand the events of our lives is vastly different from the way in which those who do not believe in Christ. One of the most difficult times of our lives is losing a loved one. Anger and blame are common reactions to the grieving process.  A challenge for Christians is to discern the heart of God as we wrestle and journey through the process. We can only make sense of it when we have an understanding of what Christ endured through his suffering, death, and resurrection. With scripture as our vision and prayer as our guide, we come to know that with each loss or death there is resurrection. The Psalmist wrote, “ The cords of death encompassed me… I fell into distress and sorrow,  And I called upon the name of the LORD...For he has freed my soul from death,  my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 116)

When Jesus revealed to his disciples that he was the Messiah and that he will be rejected, suffer and die, but will rise again, Peter’s immediate reaction was to rebuke Jesus saying that no such suffering will happen to him. While Peter spoke with a good intention to protect Jesus, Jesus overturns Peter’s expectations. Jesus was not going to allow human’s natural aversion to suffering from fulfilling Father’s plan and will for him.  Peter’s rebuke of Jesus symbolized our own unwillingness to accept the suffering and death involved in following Jesus. 

Don’t we do something similar when someone shares their experience of great suffering or painful circumstances with us? Our natural and immediate reaction is to comfort and to be helpful. Many of us may remember those times when we spoke to a suffering friend with the intention to offer comfort. However, we walked away thinking, “I shouldn’t have said that.” Perhaps we tried to solve their problem even when they didn’t ask us to solve their problem. Perhaps we said something like, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” or “It must be God’s will. You just have to have faith.” While our intention was to offer to help answer the question “why”, we ended up speaking for God even when we do not know why God permits certain things to happen.

 

Prophet Isaiah lays out the path of a true disciple. A disciple needs to be open to God’s will and open to being tested by various trials. A disciple should ask for the grace not to try to escape, rebel against, or turn back on trials and sufferings. This is all easier said than done; this is the goal we strive for. We know that even apostles abandoned Jesus and turned away from their mission. Our hope is that as we continue to grow in our faith, that when we endure suffering, we will be confident that God is present with us and that God will strengthen us. 

Those of you who have recently visited or seen the areas heavily damaged by Hurricane Ida may have been dismayed by human suffering from the loss of homes and livelihood. We cannot imagine what the residents of these areas are feeling as they drive through streets filled with mangled power lines and destroyed businesses. A glimmer of hope shines as neighbors come together to help clean up each other’s debris, people from outside of the towns serve impromptu hot meals, and church services are held in a tent outside damaged worship spaces. While it may take some time for us to recognize it, there is the resurrection story in the suffering. It has been 20 years since the events of 9/11, and there were many resurrection stories shared by those who witnessed ordinary heroes who gave up their lives to save others. It has been 16 years since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and we ourselves have numerous resurrection stories. We believe as Christians that there are resurrection stories unfolding as we help with the recovery from Hurricane Ida.  God is calling us to put our faith in action. Genuine faith of a disciple must be practical and expressed in action, St. James wrote. If there are brothers and sisters who are in dire need, we are to assist them.

Mother Teresa who is a wonderful role model of a disciple said, “Suffering will never be completely absent from our lives. So don’t be afraid of suffering. Your suffering is a great means of love, if you make use of it, especially if you offer it for peace in the world. Remember that the passion of Christ ends always in the joy of the resurrection of Christ, so when you feel in your own heart the suffering of Christ, remember the resurrection has to come. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.”  -Fr. Yi