The north winds were extremely fierce today, belying the radiant sun’s offer of warmth. Fierce winds are part of life here in the northern west. The winds reminded me of when St. John Paul was in this city on his pastoral visit to Canada and, after giving the final blessing started to move from the altar, turned around, came back, his chasuble flapping in the wind, and said in his heavily accented English: “Canada! Is big country and rather windy!”
Went for my daily Holy Rosaries walk and the sound of the wind in the trees reminded me of: We know that all creation is groaning in labour pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For we were saved in this hope. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. Now He who searches hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will. [Rms. 8:22-27]
In a few days all the above will be, we will be, renewed again in Christ in His Holy Resurrection. He became Incarnate, was born precisely to suffer, die, rise, ascend and with the Father to send forth upon us anew at Pentecost the Most Holy Spirit who prays within us, for us.
In a sense through the liturgical seasons we dwell in kairos in a type of mobius strip of the never ending seasons of grace here on earth, grace which flows over and within us as sunlight cascades around and within all creation, within us.
These dark and stressful days when doubt or stress assails it is good to remember the beginning with the Infant Jesus: The smile of the Infant holds the secret of everlasting life……As the All-powerful became visibly vulnerable, He marked our inmost hearts with the truth that the “Most High” is most near. In becoming powerless, He embraced the powerlessness that lies at the heart of all pain. It seemed to hold no promise, to be absolutely nothing at all. Then He touched it with infant hands, with pierced hands, with dead hands, with risen hands, and that very nothing became the seed of unconquerable life. [1]
[1] CIRCLING THE SUN MEDITATIONS ON CHRIST IN LITURGY AND TIME, Robert D. Pelton, pp.25 & 27; The Pastoral Press, Washington D.C., 1986
© 2020 Fr. Arthur Joseph
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