Thursday After Ash Wednesday

March 10, 2011



For today's readings, click here www.usccb.org/nab/031011.shtml .



The last few sentences of the Gospel reading are what jump out at me today. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” It makes me think of two recent encounters with young people.

First, my 17-year-old son. I can't remember who we were talking about the other day -- it might have been a fictional character -- but my son suddenly said, "How could anyone that rich be unhappy?" It was one of those moments that brought me up short and reminded me that he might be beginning to look and sound like a man -- even act like a man a lot of the time -- but there is still a lot about life he doesn't know. So I told him my opinion, which is that the only things that drive happiness in life are our relationships with other humans and with God. So if someone is rich and uses those resources in ways that build healthy relationships, they will be happy, but if he or she uses those resources in ways that damage relatinships, they will be just as unhappy as a poor person with bad relationships.

The second encounter I know of only second hand. I have a friend, Renee, a former church choir colleague, whose 14-year-old daughter, Delaney, is in the final stages of brain cancer. The family had been told not to expect her to make it to Christmas and obviously she exceeded that expectation, but the ravages of the disease are closing in. Renee posted yesterday that new symptoms are showing up daily. Delaney's 15th birthday is coming up later this week and that has become her new goal -- to make it to celebrate that birthday. But Renee was sharing that while she is sure Delaney will make that goal out of sheer will, she can tell that Delaney is tired and ready to go. She has counseled her siblings on how it's OK, that she is going to a better place to wait for them. Renee said they had spoken the night before and she had told Delaney she understood, saying "If I can't take care of you any more, than who better than Jesus?" She said Delaney just smiled a peaceful smile and closed her eyes in sleep. Now there is a child who has learned the lesson that it doesn't matter to lose the whole world, even her life. Her short life has been full of loving people and a close relationship with God, and she knows with a certainty most of us can only hope for that she need not fear.

It's a lot harder to live that way without the catalyst of terminal disease, of course. But I believe it is what we are called to do. May we all be so blessed as to live our lives with the certainty of our relationship with God that has characterized Delaney's short life, and to form as many caring relationships.

Father, I thank you for blessing my life by knowing Delaney and her family. Please bless them through their final days together. Please pour out upon me and upon those who are walking this Lenten journey with me some of the spirit you have endowed upon her so richly -- the ability to love and be loved, and the certainty of your love. Help me and all who read this to be inspired to lift others as Delaney has lifted me and all who know her. Amen  ¶ 9:56 PM