In the first reading for mass today, the prophet Isaiah foretold how people would react to Jesus Christ when he came into the world:
“Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness, for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.”
But, is this really the way that you feel about Jesus Christ right now? That He is the light of your life? These words sound very beautiful and we know intellectually that they are true, but emotionally it can be a different story. Sometimes His light can seem to shine a little dim in our lives.
It is winter right now and in many parts of the world there isn’t very much sunshine. It is snowing, raining, or cloudy and overcast. Seasonal affective disorder is very prevalent this time of year. Many people struggle with depression in the winter if they live in places that have very little, or weak sunlight.
Anyone that has ever experienced a good case of depression in the winter can totally relate to the anguish, darkness, and gloom that the first reading for Mass today talks about. For those who are experiencing depression it can seem like all of the joy that they used to experience in life – just evaporated. A cloud of darkness, gloom and hopelessness hangs over their lives everyday. Depression is a heavy yoke and a burden on their shoulders, just like the first reading for Mass talks about. A dark, gloomy, negative outlook pervades their thoughts and emotions and it can feel like a taskmaster, directing their emotional state beyond their control.
Sometimes depression isn’t because of medical reasons or the environment though – it’s situational. The second reading for mass today can be taken as a warning about this type of depression. Paul told his listeners to not have divisions among themselves by claiming to be a follower of any particular man (Apollos, Cephas or Paul), but to be a follower of Jesus Christ instead.
I can’t help but think of our recent presidential election in the United States. So many people are sad, depressed, angry and upset over the outcome of the election right now. It has caused so much division, even to the point of physical violence and destruction in our country…
I went to a conference in another state on election weekend. My coworkers are usually very inclusive, peaceful and supportive of one another, but everyone started arguing and tempers flared over our meals and coffee breaks. I tried to remain neutral in the conversations, but my coworkers kept pressuring me to tell them who I voted for. I chose to leave the conversation rather than fight and argue about it.
The church itself is not a safe haven of peace and unity either. Politics also creep into our priests homilies that hint of their own political views. I went to Mass at a cathedral nearby hoping to find an oasis of peace and healing, only to experience even more divisive language in the priest’s homily. I got up and left the Mass. (And yes, I did go to confession over it and spent an hour at adoration to atone for my silent, but emotional outburst.)
Half of all Catholics voted for one presidential candidate in the US elections and the other half voted for the other one. It’s like an imaginary line is drawn down the middle of the center isle at church. The two sides are so opposite from one another. We look at one another in our parishes and are afraid to say who we voted for, because of the very explosive feelings everyone has. To say anything at all could erupt into an ugly scene, and so many of us simply avoid the elephant in the room.
Catholics who voted for the losing party in our presidential elections are very depressed right now. The future looks gloomy, depressing, oppressive, and hopeless to their way of thinking. They are having extreme difficulty accepting the other side’s point of view.
I would like to share a story with you that I also shared with a coworker after the presidential election. We voted for opposing candidates. Rather than get in an argument or fight over it, I shared with her an experience that I had during dinner one time with my husband’s uncle.
We sat down to dinner in a nice restaurant and my husband’s uncle asked if anyone would like to share a bottle of wine? I said, “sure,” I would like some wine, but no one else wanted any. My husband’s uncle asked me what kind of wine I liked. I told him that, “I like sweet red wine.” He reacted with a shocked look on his face because he likes dry white wine. We looked at each other with a repulsed expression because neither one of us wanted to drink the kind of wine that the other person liked.
My husband’s uncle (who is a Catholic by the way) taught me a lesson in that moment, about preserving unity and getting along with one another that I never forgot. He didn’t blink an eye. He ordered a bottle of rose`wine, which is a blush wine – a half red and half white, semi-sweet wine. We were both reasonably happy. He got a little dry, white wine and I got a little sweet, red wine. We both drank the same bottle of wine and had a wonderful dinner together.
The Gospel for Mass today said that:
“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
One of the definitions of “repent” means to change your mind. I think that my husband’s uncle shared a very wise example for all of us, on how to preserve Christian unity. Instead of insisting on “red wine” or “white wine” (or insisting on getting our way), we can choose to see one another in a different light. We can instead, choose to respect one another’s point of view and work together to find a common solution that everyone can benefit from. It’s difficult to change our “all or nothing” mindset, but the effort it takes to do so can go a long way to preserve unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in the communities that we live and work in.
Anger, sadness and depression can dissipate – and bring new hope for the future, by simply acknowledging one another’s differences and seeking a mutually beneficial solution.
Today’s readings for Mass reminds us that we are called to follow Jesus Christ, and not place our hope and trust entirely in any other leader.
Sunday Mass Readings:
Is 8: 23-9:3 / Ps 27: 1, 4, 13-14 / 1 Cor 1: 10-13, 17 / Mt 4: 12-23
