October 3: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: Genesis 2:18-24
Responsorial Psalm: 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Reading II: Hebrews 2:9-11
Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

A friend told me that when she heard of Haitians being deported, she recalled a young Haitian woman who was part of the community at Catholic Worker House coming to her Carols and Cookies party a couple of weeks before Christmas. She asked to sing a Haitian carol. It was a sad song, the lament of a child who asks, “Santa can’t I have a doll? Just a doll. Other children get toys for Christmas. Can’t I?” 

That story rips a hole in my heart. And to know the sad singing woman and her nation experienced catastrophic earthquakes widens the hole in my heart. Many of those who are hurt and housing-deprived, hungry, thirsty, orphaned and without adequate schools and health care, will seek that which they need wherever they can get it. Most of my Irish ancestors escaped what is euphemistically called the potato famine by coming here. Potatoes rotted in many countries but it was in Ireland where people were not permitted to eat the other food they grew. Oppressors shipped corn and other food out of the country and starved the Irish after centuries of denying them basic rights. My Ukrainian ancestors escaped pogroms. All escaped murderous attacks and or policies. We have a law in the USA that asylum seekers must be given refuge. And Sacred Scripture says “Welcome the stranger” as a reoccurring biblical imperative. “Let the children come to me” is something our parish has done these past many years. We sponsored a wonderful family from Myanmar and currently, we are sponsoring a terrific family from Eritrea. If you would like to be involved, email me at [email protected].  

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “Let the children come to me…”  Before the pandemic hit, Pope Francis encouraged every faith community to sponsor a refugee family. He believes that when we do sponsor families, we will avert the worst humanitarian crisis in history. The pandemic and crises in Afghanistan and Haiti have caused the number of refugees to nearly double. War-torn lands hemorrhage families; neighboring nations are overrun. We are not alone in trying to address this crisis. It is humanity’s problem, not just a United States problem. 82 million refugees need safety, sanitation, and hope. Last Sunday, September 26, was the 107th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. We pray for refugees and prayer moves us to act. 

Even while we cannot help being concerned over the trauma endured by refugee families, we do not lose sight of our own families. Today’s reading from Genesis speaks of marriage as a partnership so loving as to become one flesh. In today’s Gospel, some legalists try to trap Jesus on the issues of marriage and divorce. Jesus instead opens their eyes, their hearts, and their minds. Jesus does not only consider the law. He is always about the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. Jesus shows pastoral care; he has an understanding heart. Jesus is one with the Creator and sees marriage as God’s purpose in creation. Jesus gives us our most basic Church teaching about the dignity of the human person; that basic human dignity is in all people. And we are born to honor that reality. No one can be marginalized or abandoned and rejected. The faith community is gifted by God to care for and nurture those who’ve been hurt, divorced, exiled, or alienated. Jesus is with us; his Holy Spirit is present in every nanosecond of our lives pouring loving energy through us, bringing out the best in each one of us, and empowering each of us to bring out the best in one another. That we often fail at this great love marathon does not mean we do not stop loving nor does the Holy Spirit ever abandon us. No matter how badly we fail, we are born to love. No matter how unlovingly we have been treated, we are born to love. We turn to God in our need for love and for the answers as to how to cope when we feel unloved. And we go to God when we discover we’re unloving. We listen to God who helps us discern how to love, who to love, better ways to love, and who needs our love.

~Dr. Deni Mack, Pastoral Associate Emerita