Monday, October 7, 2019 Teaching Stories to Take God’s Hand

We met yesterday in our parish life center for a “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” Conference as part of Respect Life month.  We opened the conference with today’s first reading—the story of Jonah.

Jonah

We all know the story of Jonah.  Jonah was a prophet.  God called him to “preach against the city of Nineveh.”  For whatever reason, Jonah didn’t want to do that.  So, he set out in the opposite direction for Tarshish.  He got into a boat.  God sent a great storm.  The mariners thought the boat was going to be destroyed in the storm.  Being people of various faiths, but believers in God, they prayed, then, (as a result of their prayer?) cast lots to see whose sin was the cause of their predicament.

The cast lot process identified Jonah—who was sleeping through the storm.  He admitted he was running away from God.  With some trepidation, the mariners took Job’s advice and threw him overboard.  The sea calmed, the mariners worshipped, and Job was swallowed by a large fish. He was in the belly of the fish three days. 

From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed
to the LORD, his God.
Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.

That’s not the whole story of Jonah.  We will continue it for the next several days in the first readings. 

Teaching Stories

While there was a Hebrew prophet Jonah (II Kings 14: 25-27), the book of Jonah is not about him.  It is a teaching story, a piece of wisdom literature, probably written after the Babylonian exile in the 5th or 4th century BC. Jonah was developed in part to help the post-exilic Jews see God called them to witness for him to Gentiles, and that God was (and is) interested in all people.  Nineveh was a very old city on the banks of the Tigris River.  It was part of the Assyrian empire and had a reputation for sin.  Today it is a part of the city of Mosul, Iraq.  Tarshish as a city appears several times in the Hebrew scriptures.  It was across the Mediterranean somewhere, maybe as far away as modern Spain.  The main points about the city names is that God wanted Jonah to go East, but he headed West.

The Gospel today is another teaching story, Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus was also developing on the theme that God is interested in all peoples—and that all peoples can be used by God to help and teach.  Remember the question Jesus was asked that led to the story, “Who is my neighbor?”

Precious Lord Take My Hand

Were you teased a bit by the reference in the first paragraph of this reflection to a “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” Conference?  It was a day to “talk about walking with God into eternity.”  The day began with a review of the Kentucky bishops’ recent revisions in guidelines for an appropriate Catholic “living will.”  The second presenter talked about suffering—with suggestions of how to walk through one of the most difficult aspects of later life.  After lunch we learned about the emerging discipline of palliative medicine and finished the day with a presentation by our pastor on the Sacrament of the Sick, Last Rites, and wisdom in Catholic funerals.

It was a good day.  But what did it have to do with Jonah and teaching stories?

Issues for Older Folks, Their Families, and Their Parishes

Our culture does not like to think about suffering and death.  We do not like to think that Scripture ties Eternal Life to being saved by, believing in, and following Jesus Christ. Culture likes to put the elderly and the sick away—in retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.  We go visit grandma, but she is not an integral part of our daily lives.  We do not see or gain wisdom from the processes of aging with both its physical diminishment and its natural inclination to move toward God and eternity.  We run away from it—like Jonah ran away from Nineveh.

Our culture also has the capacity through medical care, health knowledge, and general safety to extend life for many people into their late 80s and 90s.  Most people in that age range need at least some help for daily living.  A fair number need a lot of help.

That combination creates some powerful storms for our elderly and their families.

As a Eucharistic minister for a dozen or so Carebound in our parish, I witness the needs and strengths of elderly “bound” by the care they need.  I believe that we are also “bound” to care for them by our faith.  It isn’t always easy.  Grandpa may need someone with him all the time, and there may be no one at home during the day to do that.  

Nonetheless, in the middle of all this, what I see is families suddenly encountering a great storm—as Jonah did—when a broken hip, pneumonia, cancer, heart disease, or an intense urinary track infection moves an elder into a place where death might be soon or the need for a more dependent living arrangement might require others’ lives be rearranged.

That storm rages—and lives can hang in the balance.  Moral wisdom is needed. Medical decisions can be made by hospitals.  Or they can be made by elders and their families.  Ideally, they can be made well in advance of when a crisis of fall, infection, or rampant disease suddenly comes. 

A Happy Death

Like Jonah, we run from God’s directions which can enable us to tap into the wonderful wisdom of the Church for how to create a “happy death.”  As one of our speakers yesterday noted, traditionally, a happy death for a Catholic is one with sacraments, resolution of any difficulties with loved ones, surrounded by those we love, all within a state of grace and with a rite of Christian burial.  Then we take God’s hand, as the song, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” encourages us to do.

Family members and parishes do what the Good Samaritan did:  they provide for their elders from their means and encourage others to do so.

These issues are complex—as were the issues that faced Jonah—and Jesus.  But my time with elders and in hospitals tells me that if we don’t begin to face these things, euthanasia or “assisted suicide” will make us all citizens of Nineveh.  We may already be living there.

Today—for You, for Me.

You may or may not face issues of illness, suffering, and needs for care in your family or parish.  But the needs are there.  Twenty percent of the families in our parish are age 75 or older.  Of those families, one third have NO children living in our city.  Two-thirds have no CATHOLIC children living here.  Your parish may be like ours. How will our parishes handle this?  With careful, thorough carebound ministry?  With education of our elders and their children on the wisdom of our faith (which is beautiful and plentiful) for end of life?  Or by walking by on the other side of the road….or running into bad storms that throw us overboard into the bellies of crises from which only God can get us out?

Prayer:

As the song says, “Precious Lord, take my hand.  Lead me on, let me stand.  I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.  Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the Light.  Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me home”….and let us be lights to others, good Samaritans.

About the Author

Mary Ortwein lives in Frankfort, Kentucky in the US. A convert to Catholicism in 1969, Mary had a deeper conversion in 2010. She earned a theology degree from St. Meinrad School of Theology in 2015. Now an Oblate of St. Meinrad, Mary takes as her model Anna, who met the Holy Family in the temple at the Presentation. Like Anna, Mary spends time praying, working in church settings, and enjoying the people she meets. Though formally retired, Mary continues to work part-time as a marriage and family therapist and therapy supervisor. A grandmother and widow, she divides the rest of her time between facilitating small faith-sharing groups, writing, and being with family and friends. Earlier in her life, Mary worked avidly in the pro-life movement. In recent years that has taken the form of Eucharistic ministry to Carebound and educating about end-of-life matters. Now, as Respect for Human Life returns to center stage, she seeks to find ways to communicate God's love and Lordship for all--from the moment of conception through the moment we appear before Jesus when life ends.

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15 Comments

  1. Hi Mary! I love your reflection! Our parish also has lots of elders. It gladdens my heart to see them attend the mass more regularly than our youth. Although one can easily spot the loneliness from the faces of some of them, they would readily engage one in stories if given the opportunity. On my part, I try to find time listening to them or at times, give them a hug. By doing so, I also leave the church happy because i feel appreciated… I guess it is by giving that one receives.

  2. Thank you Mary. You created a teaching story for us in the modern day context. “What side of the road will you walk on?” is a great question…thy neighbor awaits and God will see.

  4. Hi, Here I am, 63 years old. I feel foolish, as I always thought the story of Jonah and all the stories in the bible were true and fact. Can you please tell me which stories are “teaching stories, wisdom literature”? It definitely makes more sense to me. Also, is there a book that explains the bible? I thought what you wrote about suffering and death was right on the mark. Thank you Mary

  5. Hey Anonymous,

    First, you have to remember what the Bible is not: it’s not a science book, it’s not a history book, it’s not a book about facts and figures. What it is is a collection (library) of sacred writings. The overall theme being a love story. Love between God and man.

    Being an average Catholic, I received very little formal teachings about the Bible. So, I also wanted to get a better understanding of the Book that we base our religion. More than the little snippets that we get at mass.

    What did I do? I asked a friend who just happened to be a theologian. He gave me the title of a book that I suggest you read. It’s a great book to start your studies.

    “You Can Understand the Bible” by Dr Peter Kreeft.

    If possible, try to read that part of the Bible with each section that is covered in the book. It’ll make “connecting the dots” of the major points being discussed ( in plain, easy to understand, English ) much easier.

    Just my suggestion,

    Mark

  6. Thank you for addressing the topic of care for the elderly. I am an 84 year old care giver for my wife who is 79, recovering from Brain and Lung cancer. All in remission thank God, but she no longer walks and has no short term memory. At times it is all I can do to get through the next hour. The hardest thing is to save my own soul and continue to care for my wife. My daily reading of a Catholic Moment are part of the routine that helps me cope. Without prayer and God’s help I could not keep going.

  7. Wisdom literature “stories” are Jonah and Job–though Jonah is in the prophets section of the Old Testament. Other wisdom literature includes Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Wisdom, and Sirach. A good study Bible will give you background information about such things–both in an introduction before the book and in notes at the bottom of the page. My pastor gave me a Didache Bible last year after the fire, which gives a lot of this kind of information. The Didache Bible is a RSV translation with references throughout that ties the Scriptures with the Catholic Catechism. Thanks for the question!
    Mary Ortwein

  8. Mark and Mary, Thank yout both. I have watched and listened to Dr Peter Kreeft on ewtn and the radio. I like him alot. I will get that book. Mary, I picked up a bible in my home that I haven’t read, and I went to Job, and plain as day it said it was not a transcript of historical events. So I will be reading that one along with my old, no notes bible.
    You are in my prayers Mr. John Totten. You must be so tired, I hope you have family or friends helping you.

  9. Mary, thank you for the reflection and the topic you brought up. It is a topic I like address to people, but they don’t want to hear or talk about it. I do understand (and have first hand knowledge) of the issues this culture has to deal with concerning the sick, disabled, and elderly. I personally think these issues have been thrusted upon this culture as a results of the “marvels of modern medicine” over the past 60 years or so ago. Medicines, and surgical procedures are the “new gods” of this age.
    When medicare was first in acted the average life span in the USA was 57 years old and now it’s about 75 years old. Starting sometime in the first part of this century, we now have a disproportionate population of people 50+ years old that out number the population of 50 years old and younger. To my best knowledge, it is the first time in history cultures have faced such an issues.
    I certainly agree with what you said and think it can’t be overly stressed.
    “That storm rages—and lives can hang in the balance. Moral wisdom is needed. Medical decisions can be made by hospitals. Or they can be made by elders and their families. Ideally, they can be made well in advance of when a crisis of fall, infection, or rampant disease suddenly comes.”
    I heard something recently that I thought was profound “Everybody wants to go to Heaven but no one wants to die to get there”.
    Mary, thank you so much for bringing this topic up and for all you have contributed to these reflections over the years. God bless you Mary.

  10. I thank the Good LORD for giving you this Great Reflection. No doubt, you have drawn much Inspiration from your Carebound work for the elderly. May the Good LORD inspire us to draw Lessons from the jobs we are doing as you have done, to enable us confront headlong the predicaments in our lives and in the lives of others.
    GOD Bless you, Mary

  11. Thank you Mary – another terrific reflection. Best of luck John. I hope you have shared your situation with your parish. I will pray for you and your wife.

  13. Mary, God is good and He really spoke to You about age and illness. I ask for prayers for my husband who is 90. He has prostate cancer, now in his bones. I am 88 and will be taking care of him when he gets home from the hospital tomorrow. We are blessed with 6 wonderful children and Grandchildren. I could go on and on, but want to tell John I will be praying for him and for all who need healing, in every way. Thanks be to God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and our Blessed Mother Mary. Oh Mary Ortwein, thank you for your words of wisdom. I really need this right now.

  14. Came across this and it sums up the actual story had in fact, occurred and confirmed through Jesus himself.
    “The historicity of the account of Jonah is confirmed by Jesus Christ. Jesus told the religious leaders of His day that the sign of Jonah was going to be the sign of his resurrection:

    An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:39,40).

    Jesus accepted, at face value, the account of Jonah surviving after being swallowed by the sea creature. In His mind the event did literally occur. He also believed the repentance of the people of Nineveh as something that occurred. If Jesus is the One whom He claimed to be, God in human flesh, then His Word settles the matter.”
    -Taken from the
    Blue letter bible.org
    by Don Stewart

  15. Jennifer — I would suggest proceeding with caution when reviewing information from non-Catholic sources, given that a lot of their beliefs are not consistent with Catholic beliefs.

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