The Unprofitable Servant: September 11th

Friday, September 11, 2009

September 11th

A week before the day that changed our lives forever, I was at a horse show in Chester County with my oldest. It was the end of the day when the classes were over and everyone was packing up to go home. The trainer, who still had to load some horses and take them back to the barn, pulled a large cooler from her truck and handed all the adults a Corona to toast the day's successes. It had been a picture-perfect day and watching the sun go down, I leaned back against the rail and in that bucolic setting, quietly reflected that life was good. "We" had won first-place in a large class and picked up some other ribbons as well. Shows were always fun but never so much as when we were winning. The gorgeous weather was icing on the cake.

The following Tuesday, we were treated to yet another glorious day, 12 hours of which I would be spending as a circulating nurse in a busy OR. As the circulator, I had the freedom to leave the room, which I did to interview our next patient. The television was always tuned to CNN in the morning so that the patients who were awaiting induction had something else to think about. I came through the automatic doors just as the second plane struck the WTC. One of the patients immediately demanded that someone get him a phone. His son worked in the building and should have been at work by then. With horror, we realized that these were passenger jets that had crashed and soon it was reported that both jets had departed from Logan Airport. As it turned out, my surgeon's mother was flying out of Logan that morning for Los Angeles. As soon as he finished his case, I told him what was happening and he too started making calls. Luckily my mother and my husband were both home and able to retrieve the kids from school. Shortly, it was decided that all elective surgeries would be cancelled for the rest of the day so as to preserve blood. As the day wore on, it became apparent that there would be no one in need of that blood, and we were sent home early. I walked home numb and like most of America, remained glued to the television.

Out of the diabolical evil that was perpetrated on 3,000 innocent people that day arose much goodness. Democrats embraced Republicans. People forgot their political differences and rallied around the president. And suddenly, it was not only OK to mention God but your patriotism could be called into question if you didn't. It was somewhat amusing to see the local rock station post a "God Bless America" billboard on the Schuylkyll but a welcome sight as well. My, how things have changed.

I was reflecting on some of these things yesterday after hearing the Gospel, where Jesus reminds us that we are called to love those who do not love us. The hardest thing in the world sometimes is to keep one's self from responding in kind to someone who does us wrong. Does it mean not defending ourselves when we're under attack? I don't think so, but I do think we are called to remain who we are even when those around us would destroy us if given the chance. And I'm not only thinking of terrorist attacks. I'm thinking of the kind of attack that always seems to follow a particulary holy time in our lives that can be undone by a cruel person with a few harsh words. It's a struggle sometimes not to throw the graces I've earned right out the window just for the sake of making a point. At times like that, I've learned that I can focus on Christ and stay afloat or, like St. Peter, take my eyes off Him and sink.

I'm not proud of everything this country did in response to September 11th. I believe that when we engage in torture, we lower ourselves to the level of the terrorists, who hold no regard for human life. When we speak ill of people who don't look like us or speak the same language, we are abdicating our call as Christians to love everyone, not just those we agree with or look like or talk like. Following Christ is a life-long journey. We don't always walk the path perfectly, but we are called to try, even in the darkest hours. Remember His words that if we love only those who love us, of what value is it?

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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Friday, September 11, 2009

September 11th

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Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross