Pastor's Page: December 18, 2011
The Fourth Sunday of Advent--“Lead, Kindly Light”
“Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on; the night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead thou me on.” (Cardinal Newman)
As a child I was fascinated by comic books like Superman, Batman, The Flash, and Green Lantern. Every Sunday after Mass we stopped at the bakery for rolls and crumb cake, the candy store for the Sunday
paper, and for me the latest edition of Superman.
In the neighborhood we traded comic books and baseball cards – more superheroes, but real life ones!
How I longed to fly like an eagle, to jump tall buildings with a single bound, to vanquish the forces of evil
and restore the world to peace and justice – the American way and in my black and white Catholic child’s
view – God’s way.
In my developing Catholic religious imagination, Jesus, Mary, and the saints were even more
awesome. I dreamed I could follow Jesus closely too.
The movie industry has capitalized on the popularity of the comics and superheroes; a popularity due
to our unquenchable hunger for more than meets the eye. Even atheists and agnostic philosophers
acknowledge that human beings want to be God. The transcendent is built into us. We long to rise beyond
our human limitations. We want immortality and do all we can to resist facing our mortality. We want to be
the center of the universe and in control of people, places, and events.
Most people fall in love, marry, have children, go to work, and never or rarely meditate on the
purpose of their lives. We are the only creatures conscious of the fact that we will die. And we do our best to
avoid the reality. We are innately restless and we run from that restlessness, not recognizing it. Or if we do,
not daring to ask why we have it in the first place.
It was St. Augustine, in the fourth century, who wrote about that human unease, the emptiness within
each of us that only our Creator can fill one day with perfect love. Chasing after money or power or fame; or
even clinging to the blessing of family, friends, health, and youth, will not satisfy our longing for more. “You
have made us for yourself oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” (S. Augustine)
“Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on.” The Light, Jesus Christ, has
entered the world of darkness and illuminated it with the truth of life’s purpose. We are made for God.
Holiness and wholeness, the fulfillment of all our earthly desires, await us.
The Advent season of hopeful watching and waiting, is our opportunity to reflect deeply on our
purpose; to become saints. Although heaven has already begun on earth through Christ and the Spirit’s
power that fills our hearts and minds with Light, we live in expectation of future glory. The One who has
loved us and is with us still, asks us to follow in his footsteps as warriors against injustice. Cooperating with
one another and in the fire of the Spirit, we build heaven on earth until the Lord returns.
We eagerly anticipate the completion of our hopes and dreams. We know that even if we never see
the day of the Lord in our earthly journey we are destined for paradise and the victory of the resurrection.
“Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling doom, Lead thou me on; the night is dark, and I am far from
home, Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.”
Peace and love,
Father Bruce
|
