12th Sunday Ordinary Time - Mark 4:35-41 - "Where is the Love of God"

The tragic events of this past week cannot be ignored or forgotten.  This selfish act of violence of one person against another has left children without a mother, separated from a father: with deep wounds and hurt that will never be forgotten; carried beyond this generation.

We mourn and pray for these children, their suffering family and all others deeply affected by this senseless evil.  Our hearts fill with the compassion of Christ for these innocents.  In God’s love, forgiveness and mercy, we are called to support and care for those affected by this wickedness with the understanding that what affects one, affects all and the sufferings inflicted upon one child of God is a suffering inflicted upon all His beloved children.

As our community comes together in our Christian response to this terrible evil, with so many joining as one in the Body in Christ: each part of the whole doing what they are able to make the love of God present, we ponder this tragic story; asking for God’s help to understand; giving us strength and guiding us in our faith.

In the many conversations I’ve had with parishioners, staff and others, one image has remained with me.  It had to do with that ‘moment-in- time’ for our sister Tami near the end of this tragic event.  All the anger, sadness, confusion, denial, horror, – all the human emotions racing through her mind and heart that can be summed up in one word – fear.  It is in this ‘moment-in-time’ where we may well ask, “Where is the love of God?”

At the point where fear, pain and suffering reached beyond endurance – that is the moment where God’s love reached out to Tami. 

Quicker than light fills a dark room with the flick of a switch – the Glory of God filled Tami with His mercy and love. 

At that moment, when she felt most alone and afraid, - Jesus was there - reaching out; enfolding her in His arms – taking into His wounds all her pains, sorrows and suffering. 

At that moment, Jesus raised her up in the Glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; bringing her home to her eternal dwelling place.

I ask you to take time to pray, read and contemplate on St. Paul’s 2^nd letter to the Corinthian chapter 5: verses 1-10, and read again Mark’s Gospel of the power, majesty and glory of God, especially meditating on Jesus’ questions to His disciples, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

1^a For we know that if our earthly dwelling,^* a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.
2^* For in this tent we groan, longing to be further clothed with our heavenly habitation^b3 if indeed, when we have taken it off,^* we shall not be found naked.
4 For while we are in this tent we groan and are weighed down, because we do not wish to be unclothed^* but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.^c5 Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God,^d who has given us the Spirit as a first installment.^*6^* So we are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.8 Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.^e9 Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away.10 For we must all appear^* before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil. 

Rest in Peace, Tamara Seidle

Deacon Don