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In 2009, when my husband Larry died at the age of 47, I felt like a piece of my heart was missing. We had been married for 22 years and had four children. I missed his smile, his voice, his touch, his laughter, his help, his hugs and kisses, his companionship, his care, his advice and his physical presence. Although he was no longer sitting physically next to me at Sunday Mass, it was there that I felt his presence most. During Mass, I experience God’s love expressed through Jesus’ death and resurrection and in the faith community, living and dead, gathered to worship and pray. I hear again and again God’s promise of eternal life and look forward to being reunited with my deceased family members and friends.
We all have special people that have gone before us, who have loved us into being. People who cared about us and wanted what was best for us - people who taught us how to love and be loved.
Throughout the month of November, the Catholic Church encourages us to remember, honor and pray for our deceased friends and family members. In Christ the King Chapel, we have displayed the names of St. Ambrose Alumni, who passed away this past year and invite the St Ambrose community to record the names of deceased loved ones on prayer cards and place them in the basket at the foot of the altar. By remembering and praying together as a St. Ambrose family, we celebrate not only the love we share but also find healing in the promise of eternal life.
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Do you ever wonder what God wants from you?
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus pulls the rug out from beneath those of us, who would like an orderly checklist of behaviors that secure our favor with Him. Instead of giving approval to the Pharaoh, who promotes a highlight reel of his own good tithing and fasting habits, He approves of the tax collector, who recognizes his own sinfulness and beseeches God for mercy.
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted," Jesus teaches.
So, does God want us to loathe ourselves and focus exclusively on our shortcomings?
No - God just wants a place in our hearts. And there is no room for Him when we are full of pride, perfectionism, judgment, and the cringeworthy sense of superiority that the Pharaoh exhibits in the parable.
God wants us to know his unconditional love, forgiveness, majesty and power so well that we see ourselves more clearly too (flaws and all) and trust Him enough to lay down the burden of our egos at his feet.
When we ask God for mercy, He can lavish us with it - and that's all He really wants to do.
Today, my prayer is that you can trust the Lord enough to let your guard down and receive Him into your heart - no matter how tangled and messy it is at the moment. I pray you can fully receive His great love for you and be empowered to share that love with others.
Have a question about a program or event going on in Campus Ministry? Got an idea for something you'd like to see happen? EMAIL US at ministry@sau.edu.
