Notes to Inspire
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009For Sunday, November 1, 2009
Solemnity of All Saints
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12a
Fra Angelico -- The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs
We honor the saints because they inspire us to holiness. The more famous ones have slipped into popular culture, even if all the facts of their lives aren’t known, or if only a part of their story is remembered. Ask most people about Mary Magdalene, and they’ll recount their understanding of her as a woman of ill repute, something totally inconsistent with the portrayal of her in John’s Gospel. Often forgotten is Mary’s greatest act of witness. She was the first to proclaim the risen Lord, and so bears the title of Apostle to the apostles.
Many religious people think of St. Anthony as the saint to whom you pray to recover something that is lost. Less remembered is the fact of Anthony’s eloquent preaching which captivated and converted his listeners.
Francis of Assisi is popular with everyone. My elderly non-Catholic neighbor has a statue of him in her garden because she likes birds, and as she’ll tell me, “He liked birds, too.” But Francis also gave up everything to be married to Lady Poverty, unconcerned about what to eat or what to wear, because God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field. But the fullness of his story (so often forgotten) includes the stigmata, wearing on his own body the mark of Christ’s crucifixion.
Of poor Joseph, the spouse of Mary, we know almost nothing. There are more apocryphal tales than biblical witness about this man. And now, in the midst of the modern-day housing crisis, he suffers the indignity of having his image buried (sometimes upside down) in hopes of achieving a quick sale of a family home. Maybe being a saint isn’t such a great gig after all!
What seems to be a thread in every holy life is the ability to bring something good out of sinful human nature. It is this cooperation with God’s grace that in some way seems to be the hallmark of every saint. They take to heart the words of the John in his first letter when he writes, “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God” (3:1).
One child of God that continues to provide inspiration even though she is gone is Elena Desserich. At the age of 5 she was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer. As the cancer spread, first ending her ability to speak, then her eyesight, then her mobility, Elena started hiding notes all over the house, notes that said, “I love you Mom Dad Grace [Elena's younger sister].” Elena’s parents, Brooke and Keith, kept finding the notes after Elena died-a reminder of her presence and the inspiration she gave to the community of Cincinnati as she battled cancer. A five minute video from WCPO Channel 9 in Cincinnati tells the story of Elena’s incredible love (http://www.wcpo.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=25833@wcpo.dayport.com&navCatId=23).
The simple notes of six-year old Elena Desserich, and of her response to the trials of childhood cancer, motivated the creation of the foundation, The Cure Starts Now, which today helps children everywhere in their fight against cancer. The story of her final 135 days is told in the book, Notes Left Behind. This week, a hard-cover edition of the book with reproductions of Elena’s private messages that she secretly hid around her home will be released in bookstores and on Kindle (http://www.notesleftbehind.com/).
The saints inspire us. They give us hope. They remind us of “what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God” even when the trials may be incredibly burdensome. In some ways, the saints themselves are notes left behind to remind us of God’s incredible love, addressed not just to Mom, Dad, Grace, but to us all.
Paul Michaels
Prayer
God of holiness and love,
your goodness is mirrored in the saints
who inspire us by their lives.
Watch over and protect your people
through the intercession of the saints.
May we live according to your will
and come to enjoy the blessed vision of your glory.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Notices
THE CURE STARTS NOW
There are many groups that work to find a cure for cancer. One of them is The Cure Starts Now (http://www.thecurestartsnow.org/).
CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
For more than 75 years, CNEWA has provided education, health care, relief services, and pastoral support in the Near East. This papal agency works quietly, often behind the scenes, to assist in places where others may not be able to go. To learn more visit: http://www.cnewa.org.
CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
This collection will be taken up in many dioceses the weekend of November 21-22. For more information about CCHD visit: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/. Liturgical Publications Inc (LPi) has clip art and announcements from the USSCB for use in parish bulletins and newsletters. To learn how your parish can receive free access to these materials, click here.