Pastor’s Notes

A Divine Comma

A Catholic priest driving past a local Protestant church in his town noticed a red banner with nothing on it but a large white comma. He asked the pastor, “What’s up with the comma?” She explained that it’s part of the “God Is Still Speaking” campaign of the United Church of Christ. Inspired by a quote attributed to Gracie Allen, it says something about God’s ways. “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.”

Many times we act as if we got God figured out. We define ourselves by the traditions and groups that we adhere to and we want to be clear and sure about faith and morals before we take the leap and commit ourselves to them. That is a beautiful longing. But when it comes to the prophet’s voice in the first reading, we have to do our work. Active listening amidst the voices that compete for our attention is best not done alone. The responsorial psalm sings, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” We so need functioning hearts, compassionate silent centers where God dwells with us. It is the place of our conscience and so much more. One of the most ancient Christian prayer forms is a silent resting in one’s center to listen to the voice of the Holy One there. It is a beautiful and sometimes painful work to live from one’s center, it always ends with a comma and praise.

God is still speaking. It is often with a comma, not a period that emerges as God and his people walk together. Open minded and open hearted, we trust that God still speaks to us. The Scriptures and traditions of the church show us how to listen. It usually means we have to see ourselves truthfully, as we are before God. Even with all our Foibles, opinions and hypocrisies, God’s voice still finds its way to us. It guides us to the truth, slowly and painfully sometimes. When we arrive it is peaceful and serene there. We long to return.

In the second reading, St Paul says to the Corinthian Christians “I should like you to be free of anxieties…adherence to the Lord without distractions.” I think what he means is it takes a little practice to cling and think from the heart of self, of other disciples of Jesus and the earth. But we are not alone.

Even with limited hours and endless sanitizing, many people come daily to pray here: residents and visitors, old timers and new seekers, the desperate and grateful. We can be so proud that St. Mary’s has served as a prayer place for so many over the years. Adoration in front of the reserved sacrament is part of this silent tradition of the “callete” in Spanish. In English, “Shut up!” This week let’s take that advice and bring that silence to our conflicts and interactions with loved ones.

Lent comes soon in February. Rome has suggested changes in the “ashing” ritual of Ash Wednesday to protect from possible COVID exposure. Stay tuned, specific details will be posted before lent begins next month.

A gentle week.

Fr. Michael Weldon, OFM