Beloved Family:
Recently, I have begun a rediscovery of the works of the Christian fantasy author, George MacDonald. I first encountered him in a college seminary course taught by Fr. John Kraker, who had a brother who is also a priest in our diocese, Fr. Joe Kraker. For years, that Fr. Kraker taped the Mass of shut-ins every week. Professor Kraker died much too young, of cancer. I remember him as a man of big heart; more than once, he ended an extended quotation from Lewis or MacDonald in tears, so moved was he by their gift with words.
I will share with you an insight spoken by the protagonist in the work, Phantastes:
I found cheerfulness to be like life itself— not to be created by an argument. Afterwards I learned, that the best way to manage some kinds of painful thoughts, is to dare them to do their worst; to let them lie and gnaw at your heart till they are tired; and you find you still have a residue of life they cannot kill.
(MacDonald, Phantastes: chapter VII, Whitethorn, CA: Johannsen, 1994, p.92)
I apologize to MacDonald, himself a minister, for taking his words out of context. However, as I read them in tandem with words from Sacred Scripture, specifically a statement from Saint Paul in the Second reading for this Sunday, part of a passage from Colossians: “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth” (Col. 3:2), I make the following application.
Recently, I have had reason to recall relationships in my life which, although originally very good and apparently solid, for one reason or another subsequently experienced an abrupt break. Obviously, something occurred that caused the other person to cease communicating. In some cases, I was readily able to identify what that “something” is; on other occasions, I have been baffled. Truth be told, over the course of time I have cumulatively allowed myself to expend copious amounts of energy trying to figure it out and engineer a healing or resolution—without success.
Eventually, I commend it to the Lord in prayer. In this, I currently draw consolation from the hope that, while it may well be that there is no resumption or reconciliation within those relationships during our time on earth, we have the very real possibility of being restored in friendship in eternal life. So, with regard to the two quotes above, here is the anchor: let the Enemy think he has destroyed the last vestige of human bond with these persons; I choose to set my sights on things above— on a blessed reuniting of hearts to be accomplished in the Sacred Heart of Jesus when, we pray, we mutually see Him face to face.
Within any parish, one of the highly significant needs is the care of the sick and those in advanced age. As you know, just last weekend the Church honored grandparents and the elderly. While not all homebound persons are so because of age, often there is a correspondence. While ministry to this population has been taking place without interruption, still there has been an interim between the stepping away of Camille Horvath as a pastoral associate at Saint Mary and the naming of her successor. I am very pleased to share that beginning Monday, August 4, Chandler McLain will begin her service to Saint Mary in this capacity. We will soon “introduce” her more formally through the bulletin and other means of communication. Welcome, Chandler McLain.
Let His Peace be with you,
Fr. Stephen
