A
few years back, a little change was introduced on Good Friday. The Cross is
carried into church and everyone has the opportunity to reverence it. But
first, the priest must remove his shoes. Remove his shoes.
As
Moses approaches the burning bush, he hears a voice: Remove the sandals from
your feet, for the place where you stand is Holy Ground. God who would save them from slavery in
Egypt is revealed in a burning bush. Now,
God will save us from Sin and Death by the Mystery of the Cross. Holy Ground!
Twenty five years
ago I was given a crucifix by my Pastor, Msgr. Paul Andrews. It says: “Why
should you want anything else? I never did!”
“This is where you learn everything!”
I recently
finished a book by Kate Bowler – a professor at Duke University – “Everything Happens
For a Reason & Other Lies I’ve Loved”
She has spent much
time studying the “Prosperity Gospel.” Great
spokespeople include Joel Osteen & Oprah Winfrey.
God grants health
and wealth to those with the right kind of faith.
If you have
positive thoughts, you will have positive circumstances
If you have
negative thoughts, you will have negative circumstances
Prayer, then, is a
way to get God to say yes to you. Follow the rules and God will reward you. “I am Blessed.”
For many years –
Kate believed this. Then she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. What happened? She did not have enough faith? She did not believe? Did not pray the right
prayers? She did something wrong – well no – sometimes, bad things happen.
Maybe my dad – who
went to daily Mass – and was very sick at the end of his life – did not believe
enough. Or my sister - who is now in cancer
remission, and never misses Mass, somehow deserves what she is going through?
Nonsense, of
course -
Having faith does
not mean that bad things will not happen. Our bodies are delicate. Life is
fragile. Things do happen.
As Kate explains
it – a reminder that life is precious – a gift to be lived each moment!
I would say – it
is the mystery of the cross. We all share in the cross. And, at the core of the
mystery - where there is death, there
can also be life!
You see - We are
standing on Holy Ground – and by sharing in the Cross this Lent – by our
sacrifices of Prayer, Fasting and Charity - we can transform our lives and the
lives of others - Why should you want anything else, I never
did? This is where you learn everything!
