These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks. (Hosea 11:4)
What a tender image of God who scoops us up in arms of love and covers us with kisses!
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 105) R. Seek always the face of the Lord. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! R. Seek always the face of the Lord. R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
To “seek always the face of the Lord” is the goal of Christian life. In fact, heaven is described as the Beatific Vision, literally to behold the Face of God for all eternity. The marvelous thing about Christianity is that we don’t have to wait until heaven in order to see God’s Face. As Jesus says in the Parable of the Last Judgment, “I was hungry and you fed me. A stranger and you welcomed me. Sick and in prison and you visited me . . . .” (Mt 25:31-46). “Seek always the face of the Lord” is really a call to practice justice.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Mt 9:36-38)
Some folks like to think that the current crisis in vocations is somehow to be blamed on the reforms, especially the liturgical reforms, of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). But, of course, that is pure nonsense. From the very beginning of the church, there has always been a crisis of vocations—there has never been enough workers for the harvest. As Pope Francis points out repeatedly, what is needed is not a great number of shepherds, but rather shepherds that smell of the sheep.
Thus says the LORD: I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD. (Hosea 2:21-22)
We are now in the Summer of the Prophets . . . today we begin the reading of the book of the Prophet Hosea. Hosea is probably the most erotic of all the prophets. The “prophetic actions” that God requires of the prophet are beyond anything that other prophets are asked to do.
When the LORD began to speak with Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea: Go, get for yourself a woman of prostitution and children of prostitution, for the land prostitutes itself, turning away from the LORD. (Hosea 1:2)
The prophet obeys and in the process allows his own heart to be broken. Of course, the lectionary-makers in Rome omit all the essential passages. I always recommend using your Bible to check out the verses that are omitted. Sometimes you can find some real surprises!
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:28-30)
Through the wonderful Colombian family that has adopted me, I have a very large extended family. One of my adopted nieces is Lina. She and her husband are both nurses. They live and work in Venice, Italy Northern Italy was the first major epicenter of the coronavirus outside of China. I remember a video message that she sent to the family in February. She had just finished her shift at work and was exhausted. Her ward had been converted to a Covid-19 ward. She just wanted to warn us, her family members, about the dangers of the virus. The stress and exhaustion were evident in her voice. That has been the experience of health care workers throughout the world. Maybe today’s gospel is for them, for they have labored and are burdened.
The photo today is the Great East Window of the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Asheville, NC.
