Watering the Dryness of our Hearts

Dear Friend,

Peace and all good be yours!

Last Friday at mid-day the Mission church was full and the spirit of prayer was palpable. The Act of Consecration was a focal point in the special Mass and it opened all of our hearts to the suffering in Ukraine, as we asked Mary the Mother of God “to water the dryness of our hearts” and “to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.”

The prayer was composed for the Mass celebrated the same day in the Basilica of Saint Peter, at which Pope Francis consecrated Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a long prayer, and parts of it seem to point directly to the events detailed in this Sunday’s Gospel text, as here: “Amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us to new life.” This is in fact what Jesus did as he looked out at the angry mob who were ready to stone to death the woman caught in adultery. Shunning the way of scapegoating, Jesus challenges the mob - which included religious leaders - to look into their own hearts. 

There was another crowd in the Gospel of John, the crowd that stood and watched Jesus at the grave of his friend, Lazarus. They witnessed the compassion of Jesus, the sacrificial love which is the only power that can un-tie us from the bonds that enslave us to division and death. We pray that world leaders be touched by this wisdom, as they make hard choices in crafting strategies that we pray will bring peace and justice. Indeed, as on Friday, these matters bring all disciples of Jesus to their knees in prayer.   

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan ofm