Joyful Trust

          On this, last day of the papacy of Benedict XVI, I can’t but be filled with his words from yesterday’s general audience.  I have truly loved the messages that he has given in his audiences and have learned much.  One of my favorite books by our Holy Father comes from his audiences.  Holy Men and Women from the Middle Ages and Beyond is a compilation of audience from 2010 and 2011.  It is beautifully written with care and love for these men and women who loved God above all else.

          Yesterday, in just over 250 words, this beloved Pope offered a beautiful farewell.  He stated that he is “personally grateful for (the Lord’s) unfailing love and guidance in the eight years since I accepted his call to serve as the Successor of Peter.”  He referenced that “we have all been called to review our joyful trust in the Lord’s presence in our lives and in the life of the church”.  These words are very private and reveal the depth of his love for and reliance on Christ.

          He makes the point that he is not leaving us in that he will be joined with us in his prayers for the church and he humbly asks us to pray for him, the new Pope and the church.  Note that he doesn’t ask only for prayers for him, but his successor and the entire church.

          His retirement is the “fruit of a serene trust in God’s will and a deep love of Christ’s Church”.  He said so much said in so few words.  It was prayer that led him to make this difficult decision serenely.  How often is serenity part of our world today?

          Today, at 2pm local time, the time that the Chair of Peter will become empty, I will be joining colleagues in prayer and then in a champagne toast to our Pope emeritus.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I shed a tear or two.

          If I have learned one thing from the past two papacy’s it is that God, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance will give us just who we need to lead the church.  Joyful trust – that is what I have in our Lord and in the man who is the Successor of Peter.  Thank you Papa Ratzinger! 

A 17th Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I celebrated our 17^th anniversary earlier this month.  That particular day, a Saturday, was extremely busy for our family.   We realized a week before the anniversary that we would have little time for just “us”. 

This type of “celebration” seems particularly appropriate for this time in our lives.  While our marriage is the foundation of all that we do, right now, little of our “doing” is for each other.  Our lives are more about taking care of our son and my husband’s mom than it is about the two of us. Four years from now, our son will be in college and we can do whatever we want on our anniversary.  (I’m thinking a European Cruise might be in the mix!) 

The morning of our anniversary, we attended our son’s first high school football game and brought my mother- in- law with us. We cleaned house and did some volunteer work, ending the day with a family dinner. 

It has always been my mindset that our wedding anniversary is a private celebration -something that only the two of us celebrate.  And this being the 17^th year, it was not an “important” anniversary (I don’t ever know if there is a suggested gift for seventeen).
That mindset changed this year.  We did receive an extraordinary number of anniversary greetings from family and friends.  With each greeting, I thought, “Our anniversary is only for us.” 

My thought changed as I was reading magazine covers in the grocery store.  Some make known the steps to plan a perfect wedding.  Others claim to know the inside workings of celebrity marriage.  Wearing the right clothes, having a picture perfect physique and a beautiful home are all keys to success, according to various tabloids.  Not one mentions our spiritual side, that giving is better than receiving or that God will meet all of our needs.

Perhaps, I thought, this anniversary does not just mark the 17^th celebration of the day we committed our lives to each other. Our marriage is not simply the celebration of our love for each other, but for the union of our lives, with Christ, in the sacrament of marriage.  

Our anniversary doesn’t just belong to us.  It is our public proclamation of our love for each other and our commitment to our union until death.  My husband and I can give thanks to God for bringing us together.  We can be an example of living marriage as a sacrament.  While being married for 17 years is not a record, it is something worth celebrating - publically!

Storms

An earthquake on Tuesday and a rain/wind weather event from Hurricane Irene on Saturday.  It has been an eventful weather week in the DC area.  During the past 24 hours, I don’t think I’ve had a conversation that hasn’t referenced the storm.  The news media has done nothing except play on our human fears, causing people to buy far more water, batteries and peanut butter than they will need in the coming year.  (I’m just thankful that they didn’t know the earthquake was coming.)

However, another event, with only a local impact, will most likely affect my life more than either of these events over the next months.  On Friday, I learned that a parish member, who has several young children, has ovarian cancer.  While we hear about all types of cancer in the news and are bombarded with requests to support cancer research, somehow when someone I know is diagnosed, cancer is spelled with a capital “C”.  Having lost my grandma, for whom I was named, and both parents to cancer, the news evokes all kinds of emotions. 

It makes me realize that it is time to get on my knees and pray for this family, as well as offer assistance with things like transportation, childcare and meals.  The forecasters of the outcome of this storm will not be meteorologists, but a variety of oncologists and their colleagues.   Family and friends at times will feel helpless, but those who trust in Christ and ask, “His will be done”, will not be hopeless.  Whatever the outcome of this storm, the suffering endured will create many blessings. 

When I think of the event of the past week, I realize that I must trust in Jesus.   No matter how unexpected or frightening the storm, I must believe that He knows what He is doing.  No matter how sorrowful or joyful the event, it is what I need at this moment.  Even when I would rather not hunker down, waiting for Irene to arrive or to hear of the illness of a friend, there is a reason for the event.

On this Monday morning, the weather forecast is for sunny, clear skies for the next few days.  The effects of the earthquake and Irene will soon be forgotten.  My fellow parish member and her family are adjusting to the unexpected news and assessing the next steps.  It is trust in our great and mighty Lord that will take us through this day and beyond.