The past 2 weeks have been very enlightening as a Catholic and someone who holds views and opinions! (Much to the dismay of readers and people on the internet who seem to constantly remind me that faith and politics should not be mixed… well, maybe I just follow Pope Leo XIV!!!).
While we all live in democracies, being outspoken on any issues or putting forth my opinion even about the scripture can trigger a lot of reactions! A younger me would have sought peace and harmony and said, “Let me just ignore the elephant in the room.” It did make me introspect—why are we so easily triggered? Are we so easily hurt? Do we have to have a war of words and artillery and murder humans verbally or terminally to prove our ideology or thought is superior?
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
Today’s Gospel opens with these lines! It cleared my confusion—we are humans, and we want peace! No amount of war can save a nation! Often when we deal with tricky tumors in patients—how do we approach it? Sometimes it’s next to dangerous blood vessels and inaccessible locations — sometimes they don’t respond to chemotherapy or radiation—so we sit together as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and discuss the latest research and what is accessible to the patient within their budget and insurance coverage, what is the best course of action for the patient, and not just the tumor!!
We put forth the same to the patient and family and let them discuss what suits their understanding the best, and after much discussion and deliberation, we finally decide the further line of treatment! Often there is no agreement, and we lay out every option to the patient—sometimes even the patient is unwilling to go through it all and decides it’s their fate and refuses any form of treatment—we have to follow the autonomy of the patient! And that is how we deal with cancer on a daily basis!
Analogy for how we can deal with issues in our lives taking input from scripture , the holy mass, the blessed sacrament and meditating on the rosary leading to our confession and deciding on a daily basis if we should be nasty to someone or not! Also applies to geopolitical situations — just saying!
In a world where everyone seems to be affected by words, thoughts and deeds on and offline of everyone else — I turn to the Lord for solace! I look at Jesus and wonder how He managed those 33 years when He knew the outcome!
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard
He testifies! HE walks the walk and talks the talk! HE is the Son of God! and we are his children! As the Gospel of John puts it—
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
But the wrath of God remains upon him.
Simply let us believe in the risen Lord! Let us focus on testifying. His love through our spoken (and typed) words, thoughts, and deeds and refusal to let hate and anger occupy space in our hearts and minds!
AMEN
