-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat and 8:00, 9:30, and 12:30 Sunday(yes, it's a lot😃)
Hold Hands
I heard a doctor of sorts or some expert give a talk on marriage many years ago and his recommendation to married people was the they "argue or fight holding hands". I realized then that the doctor was capitalizing upon the fundamental gesture of the Rite of Marriage which is "join your right hands and repeat after me". The joined hands of husband and wife are a beautiful image of the "two becoming one flesh" and the mutual exchange of consent.
When I think about the recommendation to "fight holding hands" I think I get the point-that while we might be disagreeing about many things we are still united in love for one another. It's the "holding hands" portion of the argument that really matters. Two spouses might be very far apart in their thoughts, words, and problems however if they are still holding hands they are communicating the security of their bond as one.
I must say that I have often seen couples doing various things while holding hands. Often a couple will be eating dinner in a restaurant and holding one hand across the table as they talk and eat. Obviously, people who are in love will hold hands while they're walking down the street, sitting in church, waiting in the doctors office, sitting in the hospital, attending the wake of a loved one, many different activities all carried out from the context of "the two becoming one flesh".
The Gospel parable of the dishonest judge and the persistent widow is set in the context of the "need to pray always without growing weary". The parable ends with Jesus asking the question "will the Son of Man find any faith on earth when he returns?" It seems to me that "praying" is to the life of faith lived in communion with God as "join your right hands" is to the marriage relationship.
Holding hands is not the solution to the problems of marriage, holding hands is the sign of the fundamental commitment of marriage in spite of the problems.
If you are a person of faith you must be praying. Too often we are concerned about the answer to our prayers. I seem to think that praying is the answer to faith's problems. We pray not to get something from God, but because we have something with God-a relationship of love and trust.
Could you use this image and understanding of faith and prayer in your explanation of why you are a believer to someone who has no understanding of our Christian faith? Let me know
2 comments:
When I pray I tend to fold my hands. This seems to go along with fighting or communication while our hands are joined with another. I have never tried "fighting" while holding hands, but I think it would definitely make me think about what I was saying so as not to be so hurtful. Remember when the congregation would join hands to pray the Our Father?
Love this imagery, love it! Love also your suggestion to use it to share with others, to explain the reason for our faith. Reminds me of 1 Peter 3:15.
When I was young I prayed prayers. When I matured I did not pray prayers, I did nothing as the words were simply that, words, and made no sense and had no meaning. Yet, when I sought the Lord, wanted to know His Presence, and waited expectently, the Lord answered and I realized THAT was praying. I realized the whole "ask & you shall receive, seek & you shall find, knock & the door will be opened." is ALL about relating to our Lord.
I've heard people pray & pray & pray & insist on something. That has never made sense to me. I think persistent prayer isn't about strongarming God as much as entrusting Him with all our fears, anxieties and burdens, giving him our heart and holding his hand . . . back to your imagery. Love it!
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