Wednesday, August 21, 2013

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time


            This isn’t exactly the Gospel I would have chosen the day after the beautiful wedding yesterday.
            At Mychal and Melissa’s wedding we perceived a taste in the cloud of witnesses that Hebrews describes.  Their family, friends and relatives were at Mass for the purpose of rejoicing with these two and giving glory to God.  Yet as we prayed for Mychal’s grandparents and Melissa’s grandfather I was reminded that there was another dimension of witnesses with us—the angels and saints in heaven.  We are called to live among these men and women both on earth and in heaven.
            We believe that the Church is one and this unity is forged in friendship.  We can infer such a friendship existed between Ebedmelech (what a great name for future children) and Jeremiah.  After Jeremiah was dropped into the muddy well, Ebedmelech approached the king—at the risk of his own safety and life—to ask for Jeremiah to be released.  When Ebedmelech was given permission to do so he even dropped cloths to Jeremiah to put under his arms to avoid getting a rope burn on the way up.  Ebedmelech showed bravery and tenderness for his friend.
            Finally, Christ reminds us that we will find division in this world.  Please, God, may we be in families who are not divided.  Mychal and Melissa give us hope for united families, especially in the faith.  Yet we know that families can be torn apart by the choices people make, especially when some choose not to have a relationship with God. 
We are called to be examples of unity as we strive to remain in the cloud of witnesses.  We must hold fast to our Christian friends and family to support each other in a world of division.

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