(NEH 8:2-4A, 5-6, 8-10; PS 19:8, 9, 10, 15; 1 COR 12:12-30; LK 1:1-4; 4:14-21)
I’m sitting here in my home office, staring out the window as I reflect. It’s dark, but yet you can see the white sheen on the ground from the snow. It’s cold – yet at 26 degrees F, it’s one of the warmer days we’ve had this week.
In recent weeks, it is also a spiritual winter for me. It has been since before Christmas. Maybe it’s the weather, the dark, gloomy days, or just my season in life. Maybe I’ve let life get in the way a little bit. But no matter how hard I’ve tried; I’ve just had a hard time focusing on my spiritual life. I know God’s here with me, but I feel he’s at a distance.
It’s like learning to ride a bike – He’s let go of the seat, and I’m wobbling. Gaining speed. Oh, I better slow down, but how? I’ve got to stop, but I don’t want to crash. I know Dad’s close by, but his hand is off the seat. Is he going to keep me from falling? I’m starting to drift… How do I straighten my path again?
I’m trying to keep things balanced, but I feel alone. I don’t have the spiritual warmth and comfort I had in the past.
And so as I stare out the window, I think of a warmer time. Warmer weather, and warmer spirituality. In reflecting about the readings today, I’m thinking back to one of the most wonderful times I’ve experienced. It’s September 27th of last year, and I’m in Philadelphia. Pope Francis has just arrived, and Mass has begun. I’ve written about this before. The beauty of the Mass and all its pageantry with the music, all the priests, and bishops, and of course, Pope Francis.
But one thing I’ve not written about is the people. All week leading up to the Mass – people from so many different countries, speaking different languages. People carrying and waving their nations’ flag – singing traditional music. Enjoying life – and their faith. Our faith. As Mass went on, some of it was in English. Some of it was in Latin. The first reading in Spanish. The second reading in Vietnamese. Pope Francis’ homily in Spanish. Countless other languages heard throughout the week. So many people dressed in the vibrant, traditional clothing of their country.
So many people. So many backgrounds. One faith. One Mass. One body in Christ.
I look around, and it’s so beautiful. Everyone speaking in unison, attending the same Mass they do every week in their corner of the world. And so when I read the first reading today from Nehemiah, I thought of how the Word brought them all together – men, women, and those children old enough to understand. In other words, the Word of God brought everyone together from all walks of life, and they read from the book of the Law, it was explained, and they understood it.
Jesus revealed the fulfillment of this Word in the Gospel reading today. The Word brought them together in the synagogue, but then He took it one step further. The Word revealed the truth – and He is the truth. Jesus revealed the truth.
And so I think back to Philadelphia – the Word brought us together too. It brought us together as one body. Many parts, but one body. So many people, so many things going on in their heads and in their worlds back home, but we all came there for one purpose.
Jesus.
There was so much diversity, but there was unity. Unity in diversity, on such a grand scale. But yet, when we look at our individual parishes, it’s the same way. There may not be as much cultural diversity, but there is a vast diversity in terms of people’s jobs, experiences, talents, economics, families, and the list goes on and on.
Some people are on a spiritual peak, others are in a valley. Some may be struggling with sins or concerns or lugging around various burdens – but others are helping them through it. We are so diverse, but when we come to Mass – we are one. We come together as one parish, praising God, lending our gifts and talents, whatever those may be, and we work together as one well-oiled machine.
This website is no different. Half of you come to us from outside the United States, from countries like the Philippines, Kenya, India, Great Britain, Australia, and Nigeria just to name a few. And I think the major thing that makes this website so powerful is the diversity of all the writers. We each come from different backgrounds, different experiences, and different perspectives, each allowing God to use us as His instrument. This provides a diverse and unique message from day to day for the one reason we all come to this website – God’s Word.
His Word brings us together, a diverse group of people from around the world, coming together as one – one body in Christ. Not only on this website, but as one Catholic Church – 1 billion strong. We all see this everyday. I saw this in Philadelphia.
And so I look back out the window. It’s still cold, but I feel warmer inside. I know this is just a season, and the important thing is to keep gathering, and come together with others for Him and let the Word speak to me. Keep reading. keep praying. Even if God is letting me figure things out, I feel him here beside me. I feel Him as I write. I feel Him as I reflect upon His Word, and the days gone by, and how He was there in good times and bad, and I know and trust that He will be right there beside me moving forward. He’s not going to let me fall if I ask Him to catch me.
We all go through spiritual winters from time to time. Yet he’s always there, never leaving our side. It’s just about persistence through the struggle, and doing it together, as one body in Christ.
It’s just a cold gloomy winter, but sunny days and a new springtime are ahead – in this we can trust.
