Tuesday, May 20, 2008


Tuesday in the 7th Week of Ordinary Time (II)
He Will Carry You


Readings: James 4:1-10; Psalms 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23; Mark 9:30-37
Picture: CC teemu_fi

Imagine a young couple with twin children, perhaps 2 or 3 years old. Although born on the same date, the kids are as different as night and day. One of them is often crying and clinging to the parents. It is often stretching out its arms, begging to be carried. In contrast, the other is a cheerful child, always eager to run about by itself, even to the extent of refusing to be held. Which child do you think the parents will favor? Which one will you prefer? I suspect that many of us, myself included, will favor the more independent one. Nobody really likes a crybaby, right?

Which is why it’s important for us to pay attention to something in our readings today that is deeply surprising, even shocking and unsettling. Our readings present us with a contrast that they describe in various ways. In the first reading, the contrast is first referred to as a contrast in friendshipfriendship with God versus friendship with the world. The former is associated with humility, while the latter is associated with pride. Thus far, nothing out of the ordinary. But then the reading goes on to say that to be a friend of God is to be miserable instead of laughing, because of one’s wretched condition. So the surprise begins. But the message still seems a little too abstract. It’s still not very clear what these two friendships might look like. The gospel helps by further illustrating the contrast. And, in the process, it deepens our surprise.

The contrast in friendship referred to in the first reading is illustrated by the speech and conduct of Jesus and the disciples, respectively. Jesus walks humbly, obediently, to his Passion. He is entrusting his life into the hands of his Father. And he shares with his disciples what he expects will happen to him. He will be arrested, put to death, and raised to life on the third day. The disciples fail to understand. And neither do they bring their confusion to the Lord. Instead, they argue about which of them is the greatest. Jesus responds by placing a child in their midst. And the gospel is careful to tell us that he also puts his arms round the child. What is the lesson being taught?

Commentators tell us that it isn’t really the innocence of the child that is being highlighted. As those who have spent much time with them will probably testify, children can be devious too. What Jesus is drawing attention to is instead the powerlessness of the child. The child needs to be cared for. To welcome a child in the Lord’s name is to imitate him in entrusting one’s life to the Father, even to the extend of being willing to walk to Calvary, clinging to the hope of being raised on the third day. This is what being a friend of God is like. In contrast to the world’s incessant quest for self-sufficiency and independence, the friend of God is humble enough to acknowledge dependence. S/he is willing to beg to be carried. And the good news is, that God delights in putting his arms around us and lifting us up. Entrust your cares to the Lord and he will support you…

That this kind of friendship with God doesn’t come too easily to us is evident in the ministry of spiritual direction. Often people come and speak as though everything in their lives is under control. But as the conversation continues, the struggles begin to surface, very real struggles. Tears may begin to flow. And if the director asks how much of these struggles have been brought to God in prayer, there is sometimes a rather surprised look on the person’s face. It’s as though we think that we have first to get our act together, to learn to walk on our own, before we can approach God. Nobody likes a crybaby, right? But what if to be a friend of God is precisely to be willing to lay bare our struggles before him, to beg him to carry us in his arms? Indeed, what if, on his part, God is desperately waiting for the opportunity to lift us up? Entrust your cares to the Lord and he will support you…

How does our heavenly Father desire to put his arms around you today?

5 comments:

  1. The first impression is: Like father, like son. It shows a defining moment when both are immutable in a moment of Joy; looking into eternity, in union with God. The two entities are bonded together, the father in his love, the child in his dependence.
    We live in the reality of this world with all its imperfections, muddled with our own frailties, and we yet must hang on to that vision of who we really are. This demands that we behave as adults but retain the innocence of a child in our relationship to our Creator, to submit and be in awe, of our very existence.
    Can we function in this state of tension, being aware of our frailty and yet to be fully human, alive to all the possibilities around us? The challenge is to be woefully receptive of His presence, to be like the baby in the picture, being cared for in a serendipitous act of joyful abandon. Moments to treasure.

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  2. Mother Theresa called out to God so much yet, for the most part, He seemed to not be present.
    I am not putting myself on the same level as Mother Theresa but I cannot deny the fact that there are times when all I want is for Him to support me, and I ask Him to, but he seems to prefer to watch me as I try, and fail, to do this on my own.
    Perhaps I am not asking correctly, as the first reading suggests, but being told that is of no help.
    I know that there are no "guarantee formulae" to get the Lord's help, but, if I may ask, how does one carry on with His call when He seems to be absent?

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  3. Hello Anastasia,

    Thank you for your question. There are various possible reasons for the felt absence of God. And the appropriate response depends upon which of these reasons is likely to be operative. Perhaps a chat with a spiritual director might be helpful. Or you might like to refer to these posts from the archive.
    Hope this helps.

    Blessings,

    Fr. Chris

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  4. Was discussing with a friend the other day how many people see weeping or crying as a sign of weakness and/or lack of self-confidence. I think it takes a lot of self-confidence for one to cry in public.

    "Behold, their brave men cry in the streets, The ambassadors of peace weep bitterly." (Isaiah 33:7)

    Jesus had wept openly. He cried with loud cries and tears in prayer (Hebrews 5:7). He also wept over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37, Luke 19:41) and after seeing Mary cry and upon approaching Lazarus' tomb (John 11:35) He also said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

    Other famous people who have wept publicly include: MM Lee Kuan Yew (at Singapore's separation from Malaysia), China's premier Wen Jiabao (at the recent mining accident and the Sichuan earthquake).

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  5. Gosh! Just realized while surfing on Imeem that "He Will Carry You" is a song (video):

    There Is no problem too big God cannot solve it.
    There Is no mountain too tall He cannot move it.
    There Is no storm too dark God cannot calm it.
    There Is no sorrow too deep He cannot sooth it.

    Chorus:
    If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
    I know my brother that He will carry you.
    If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
    I know my sister that He will carry you.

    He said
    Come unto me, all who are weary
    And I will give you rest.

    There Is no problem too big God cannot solve it.
    There Is no mountain too tall He cannot move it.
    There Is no storm too dark God cannot calm it.
    There Is no sorrow too deep He cannot sooth it.

    [Chorus]

    [Chorus]

    He will carry you.
    He will carry you.

    ReplyDelete