SUNDAY REFLECTION
This reflection is written by Ron Selzer, long-time Amigo.
†
A.M.D.G.
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Sunday Reflection
†
A.M.D.G.
Today's reflection is written by long-time Amigo, Ron Selzer.
In our first reading, Moses tells us that we must hear the voice of the Lord which is not up in the clouds or across the sea. No, Moses says it is near to us, already in our mouth and heart, as the responsorial Psalm implores us to turn to the Lord in our need and we will live. And Paul, having such a way with words, tells us Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. So, in my way of thinking, God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. But I ask myself do I really believe that? Do I live my life as though I know that?
With that thought in mind we come to today's Gospel where a scholar of the law stands up and tests Jesus asking, “Teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus knowing His mind asks the scholar what is written in the law? He replies, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your being with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. Jesus tells him you have answered correctly. The scholar then asks who is my neighbor? Now if you are anything like me you know that words often come easy. It is one thing to say something, it is quite another to do something. Believing that Jesus may well have had that thought in mind, he replied with a parable. A man fell victim to robbers, stripped and beaten and left for dead. A priest and Levite passed him by. They apparently had something to attend to. A Samaritan stops and, having compassion for the man, helps to save his life.
Now it would be easy for me to think of myself as doing the same as the Samaritan, but would I? How often do we make excuses like the priest and Levite? Yes, I can always find a reason or excuse for not doing what I believe the Lord may be calling me to do. Although I have never encountered a beaten or bloodied man on the side of the road, I can easily replace that man with a neighbor in need, a friend suffering an illness or a struggle with one of his children, or the guy on the side of the road with a cardboard sign asking for money as he quietly screams for help. All too often I am the priest or Levite. I thought about my actions and reactions over the past two years and how I dealt with the pandemic. How did I react to those that were not part of my tribe? If you chose to get vaxed, what did you think of those that chose not to get vaxed? And vice versa. Enter that priest and Levite again. Same thing today with those wearing masks and those choosing not to. Did I ever once think of those not in my tribe, not believing as I do, to be my neighbor? Jesus is telling me that there are words and then there are actions. Who was it that once said, “evangelize every day and only when necessary, use words”?
And so, with all this in mind I would like to tell you several life altering experiences and how these struggles eventually brought transformation and resurrection into my life. I am 79 years of age living comfortably with my dog and friend Reggie. Please don't take this wrong but Reggie is a reflection of God to me. No matter what I do, give him a treat or yell at him, he just looks at me with those eyes and shows me unconditional love. Our oldest son Ronnie’s nickname was Reggie. 25 years ago, Ronnie was killed in a car crash at the age of 28. His brother Michael and sister Angela are married, and we have six grandchildren. My wife Marie passed suddenly five years ago just months before our 50th wedding anniversary. When Ronnie passed I not only experienced great suffering but also anger with God. Beliefs that I formerly held as gospel now came into question. I was once told that when we are listening to someone speak or tell a story, we forget almost instantly if the story does not involve us. That seems to have happened to me. I was consumed with questions and anger. What role did God play in Ronnie’s accident? If he can do anything, that means he could have prevented it. Does God answer prayers? When God answers my prayers, I have no problem. It is when he doesn't answer my prayers that I get concerned. Does prayer have the ability to change God's mind? What part of my life, if any, does God control? Is there really a heaven?
Now, before Ronnie's accident, none of these questions presented me with a problem. You see, I never had a reason to question or doubt them. But now it became personal. I found myself continuing to question God as I also was writing and reflecting on Ronnie’s life. Then one day a friend stopped by and asked me what I was doing. After telling him, he suggested I consider writing a book. That question became one of Gods many gifts to me knowing how I was suffering. For the next six years I wrote, and as I did, over those many hours and years, the Lord answered every question and every prayer. At the conclusion of the book, I thanked God and Ronnie knowing their love and compassion healed me. As the years unfolded, Marie and I began talking about starting a family foundation. Unfortunately, 10 months after we started our Family Foundation she suddenly passed. The sadness, as you know or can imagine, was profound but never a question, never a bit of anger towards God. He had truly healed me.
And yes the tears of longing were many. About eight months after Marie passed I was sitting quietly in our home one evening. Now I have never been able to explain a part of the following story, but I'll try my best. As I sat, I heard the Lord speak to me, not in words, although what came to me was very clear, “If you want her back I will give her to you.” I froze in fear not knowing what to do or think. For the next sleepless 24 hours I attempted to block it out of my mind with little success. The next evening as I sat in silence these words came out as if I was hearing them for the first time. I said “Father, in terms of eternity I know our life on earth is but a blink of an eye and I know you are holding my beloved Marie in your loving embrace. How could I be so selfish as to take her from you, knowing in that blink of an eye we will be together again?” As the days unfolded, I realized my tears of longing were transformed into tears of joyful Thanksgiving. I thanked the Lord for allowing me to have known Marie for 55 of her 72 years on earth.
The globally recognized teacher and Franciscan priest Richard Rohr has said that it is only through great suffering or great love that we are transformed. Yes, transformation profoundly changes the way one thinks, and the way one lives out their life. Since Marie’s passing our Family Foundation Broken Wing has flourished. And yes, my life has greatly changed. I sold my firm and now spend most of my days with family and facilitating men’s small faith groups. And I share a closeness with Marie that I never thought possible. When I fill out forms, I check the married box because I am still married. Another gift from God. As I reflect on transformation, I can only wonder what took place in the lives of the beaten and bloody man, the Samaritan, and the innkeeper after they all experienced the compassion that took place.
In closing my brothers and sisters, I don't believe our Lord is telling us to go out and “save the world” or “find a bloodied and beaten person on the side of the road.” In this regard Mother Teresa’s words come to mind when she said, “If you want to bring happiness to the world, go home and love your family.” So, I would like to ask each of you a favor. After you finish reading this please get up and give someone you love a longer than usual hug. For me it's just a blink of an eye when I will be able to do the same with my sweet Marie, and I don’t intend letting go for all eternity.
God bless you,
Ron.
Sacred Scripture
Lectionary: 105
Reading 1
Moses said to the people:
"If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God,
and keep his commandments and statutes
that are written in this book of the law,
when you return to the LORD, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul.
"For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.
It is not up in the sky, that you should say,
'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
Nor is it across the sea, that you should say,
'Who will cross the sea to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
No, it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out."
Responsorial Psalm
R. (cf. 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness:
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
Or
R.(9a) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Reading 2
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"
He said in reply,
"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
"And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied,
"A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
'Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.'
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."
Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
