“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is
stronger than human strength.”
1 Cor. 1:22-25
One of the highlights of my internship experience so far has been visiting our hospitalized or ill parishioners with Fr. Tony and with Deb Lundberg. Whether they are anointed or we simply 00pray with them, there is a palpable sense that the light of Christ is shining down on these difficult situations, often leading to a sense of peace, of consolation, in the family by the end of the visit. But what makes that peace possible? How can we, to borrow from St. Paul, “proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” even in the midst of the stumbling blocks of death, of sickness, of failure? It seems against belief that the message of the crucified God-man might shine light on us even thousands of years later.
Notwithstanding the inexorable and incredible grace of God, the answer is found in the enigmatic end of this Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus refuses to reveal Himself to the crowd, “for he himself knew what was in man.” Jesus knew our nature, our fickle hearts all too well. A simple revelation, a sudden flash of light would not reach the unprepared heart of man, but only blind it all the more. He knew that we needed preparation, that our hearts needed training to recognize the peace of Christ and not look on it as a burden. The crowds were not ready for Him. The disciples needed three years before they could begin to accept the mystery of the crucified Christ. In this time of Lent, we need to accept our own need to enter into the school of Christ. We must have the humility to put in the work to let our hearts be conformed to His heart. It is only through that preparation that we can receive the easy yoke and light burden that He has promised to us. It is through years of that preparation that the dying Christian can see the light of Christ even in the midst of their confrontation with finitude. What does this preparation look like? It varies for each of us. Maybe it means committing to more regular attendance at Masses. It could be praying every day, reading the Scriptures, or serving others in need at a soup kitchen or shelter.
We are now into the third week Lent and a good portion of it has passed us by. Have we been loyal to our sacrifices? What more is God calling us to? In these upcoming days, don’t lose courage or positivity, even in the midst of failure and doubt. We must fight the good fight, we must run the race, so as to win the crown of glory with our Lord Jesus Christ, the crown which quiets our doubting hearts and gives us the joy of Christ’s promise.
Peter Binder, Seminarian Intern
Blessed Sacrament Waterloo 