It is difficult, is it not?
We are being called to do the famous Ignatian 30 retreat, perhaps twice over, and the earth and air are being given a sabbatical, so we try to care for one another as Jesus cared for Mary and Martha and restored Lazarus to earthly life. The love expressed to all three was ultimately striving to assist them to prepare for the gift of Eternal Life.
I read a phrase recently, it goes like this:
We humans can get caught in the circle of doing what we have always been doing…so it’s time for football, it is time for the cruise, it is time to take the family to the river. Why? Well, we are accustomed to doing so. Being willing to open ourselves to a new experience is difficult. Some couples fear ‘having the baby’. Some fear ‘going to work’, some fear ‘lining up in a Centrelink queue’. Often, we are amazed by the wonder of the moment; the gift of the baby, the challenge of the workplace or, indeed, the thankfulness of receiving help.
So many in Israel could not get their heads around a Galilean doing good deeds and talking such beautiful words. “Nothing good came out of Nazareth”. Fixed positions and for good measure, go and read the scripture! That fixes it!
So, the little bug has caught us all on the hop. It is like all watching Jesus in action at the grave in Bethany.
How do we respond?
Maybe this week, we begin our response by taking the final command of Jesus as a meditation point for each of us, “Unbind him, let him go free.”
Mons Frank
