Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Open my heart's eyes that I may see the wondrous blessings of creation. Psalm 119

 

The 19th century American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,/ "The dearest events are summer rain."/ May we never waste God's gifts,/ but treasure them all,/ especially the gift of water./ We pray for those who live where there is drought/ or where water is unsafe to drink,/ or where war has destroyed the infrastructure that delivers water./ We pray to the Lord.

This July 4th weekend,/ we pray to understand freedom more fully and spiritually./ We ask to be freed from whatever keeps us from loving well:/ fear,/ judgments,/ superficial or false religion,/ entitlement,/ superiority,/ racism,/ unresolved resentments./ We pray to the Lord.

As fireworks light up the sky,/ may Christ light up minds,/ where we confuse freedom with the pursuit of rights which are useful only to ourselves or the mindset to which we ascribe./ We pray for Christians who are more familiar with their political agenda than they are with the sayings of Jesus./ We pray to the Lord.

In its assault against Ukraine,/ Russia is using thermobaric-vaporizing-vacuum bombs which melt metal at three thousand degrees/ and consume such massive amounts of oxygen,/ no living thing,/ even those hidden underground/ can survive./ In this invasion,/ civilians are dying by incineration,/ starvation,/ suffocation and execution./ We pray boldly for God to intervene by the voice and power of the Risen Christ./ We pray to the Lord.

In the summer time we pray for the earth to heal where there are dangerous storms or destructive fires./ For the safety of vacationers and travelers./ Protect those who rescue and help wherever there are disasters,/ injuries and loss of life./ We pray to the Lord.

Strengthen Pope Francis who struggles with incapacity and pain/ but who seems intent on going to Canada to apologize for the part the Church played in the abuse of indigenous children./ Heal the Church wherever its sins cause harm and pain./ Give the Church a truly humble and repentant heart./ We pray to the Lord.

Prayer Before the Madonna with the Vetch Flower

 

Here is a triptych (a three-paneled image) by an anonymous 15th century artist. The painting is titled, Madonna with the Vetch Flower. That's St. Catherine of Alexandria on the left and St. Barbara on the right. The image in the center is remarkable. Mary's folded arms hold securely the Infant who seems to be squirming out of his clothes. He holds his Mother by the chin and a rosary in his left hand. 

Mary delicately holds a vetch flower in her left hand. Vetch belongs to the pea family. Growing on a twine-ing vine it is perfectly symbolic of spirituality — the soul's searching. Psalm 105:4 says: "We search for you and your strength; we continue to seek your face."

Rosary of Mary, one —

  your presence comforts me.

Rosary of Mary, two —

  the thought of you makes me glad.

Rosary of Mary, three —

  the precious things of children, 

  flowers, forests and oceans.

Rosary of Mary, four —

  hold us securely in our planetary stress.

Rosary of Mary, five — 

  all gazing.

Rosary of Mary, six —

  in this moment's breath.

Rosary of Mary, seven —

  number of fullness.

  Amen.

Father Stephen Morris

  

  

  

The Korsun Mother of God and a Priest's Life

Father Michael Himes died recently, a Brooklyn priest who taught me in seminary in the 1970's. Much has been written about Father Himes of course, as he was a brilliant theologian who made every theological point immediately meaningful for our own time and lives. But as I wrote to a classmate- friend recently, I remember the precise moment (and even where I was sitting in class) when I realized more than anything that this priest loved us. He never spoke to us as if he thought we were stupid or that he was above us, or that we were a waste of his time. That was an important lesson for us who were preparing for priesthood. How grateful I am that our paths had crossed.

Steve Miller wrote a reflective essay about Father Himes. Here's the paragraph I think was most important.

Father Himes told the story of a young woman traveling to the New World with a female companion. The companion went above deck for some fresh air but the young woman stayed below attending to an expectant mother. A rogue wave surged over the deck washing the companion overboard and into the sea, where she perished. The young woman  whose life was spared was Michael Himes' great grandmother. He made the point that for the trillion upon trillion upon trillion circumstances, decisions and twists had to go just right for him to come into existence and how "very extraordinary love" had made his life and each of ours. 

 

And here is a 19th century icon of the Korsun Mother of God. We see the Mother of God and the Holy Child from the shoulder up. Faces and hands. the Mother of God wears a terra-cotta colored maphorian (mantle) — she is not a goddess, but of the earth, and as such she is one with us. Notice there are folds in her mantle that echo those found in nature: the ridges of a scallop shell, the pleats of a palm branch, the gills of a mushroom which springs up overnight. 

The icon is filled with intense emotion. The elongated fingers, the intertwined hands, the inclination of heads and faces pressed to each other, the tightness of lips, even the furrowed brows. The Christ Child seems to have been swept up by and into the Mother's love — perhaps an image of the soul's longing and aspiring to higher, spiritual things. Notice the Child has a good grip on Mary's mantle. We need to "hold on tight" these days of stress and sadness, lies, violent death and clay-minded power displays. Hold on tight!

The Christ holds the Gospel-Word in a little white scroll. But the scroll is yet to be unrolled. There is time for that. Right now he wants for us to know that we are blessed and held in the "very extraordinary love," that marvelously and wondrously secures each of us each day.