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Memorial of St. John of the Cross

Readings of the Day
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To fully grasp the message of Matthew's brief Gospel
reading, it might be beneficial to review the preceding scripture
passages.
Jesus has just led Peter, James and his brother John down from the
mountain top.
The apostles are still recovering from having witnessed the
Transfiguration of
Jesus. They have seen Moses and Elijah. If that isn't enough to
leave them
awestruck, they have heard the voice of God proclaim, "This is
my Son, the
Beloved, my chosen one; listen to him."  

The disciples query Jesus. He tells them that there
will be suffering. Matthew relates that the disciples understand that
Jesus is
speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Today we wait in anticipation of celebrating the
birth of Jesus. Dare we venture into thoughts of suffering in the
midst of a
joyous Advent? Knowing that this is the Feast of St. John of the
Cross, it
might be worthwhile to invite St. John to enter into our reflection.
We might
let our minds wander and visualize Salvador Dali's artistic
depiction of John's
image of Jesus suffering on the Tree of Life, hanging in the pain of
execution.
This is not an easy image to erase.

Perhaps the painful images today of brothers and
sisters across our desecrated Mother Earth, including here at home,
suffering
injustice, racism, hunger, migration and homelessness is reason
enough.

Jesus came to show us the Way by loving one another.
No exceptions! John of the Cross translates this for us: "Where
there is no
love, pour love in and you will draw love out. Contemplation is
nothing else but
a secret peaceful infusion of God which if admitted will set the soul
on fire
with the spirit of love."

May we joyously share our love with brothers and
sisters this Advent season.

 

Stan Fitzgerald is a parishioner
at St. Francis of Assisi Church, San Jose, CA and is involved in
social
ministry at his parish and deanery. A founding member of a Dayworker
Center, he
mentors the local Jesuit Volunteers and is active with Catholic
Charities and the
Catholic Worker House.




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