Translucence

Dear Friend,

At our parish retreat gathering on Tuesday night, our leaders, Father Jude and Sister Patricia, had us look over some lines of poetry that included the following:

“They know of themselves nothing different from anyone else. This great unknowing is part of their holiness. They are always trying to share out joy as if it were cake or water, something ordinary, not rare at all.”

Around All Saints Day I always find myself thinking of (and writing about!) my aunt Carrie. A doctor’s wife, she told me over the years of her discomfort with everything that role implied. Carrie was austere and probably would have made a good Carmelite. She shunned pretense of any kind. At her memorial service four years ago, a friend said of her: “Carrie was as good as bread.” 

Pope Francis has described the saints as “people through whom God has passed.” He compares them to church windows, “welcoming the light of God in their hearts and passing it on to the world, each according to his or her own ‘hue’.” All of which points to translucence, which happens to be the title of the poem our retreat leaders had us reflect on.  

The Beatitudes describe those who are blessed: “the poor in spirit”, “those who mourn”, “the meek”, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”, “the merciful”, “the clean of heart”, “the peacemakers”, “those persecuted for the sake of Christ”.  What all these have in common is a quality of translucence – that is, light coming through, like the words I love you through the lips of a child. To become that ordinary – that “unknowing” – may take a lifetime of discipleship. Just so, it takes time to become a translucent community. To evangelize is to be translucent.

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan Lackie ofm, Pastor