Praised be Jesus Christ! It’s been a long time since I read the book Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, but my quote book has plenty of evidence that it contains some great insights. The book is about the Civil War and the terrible lessons we seemingly have to learn over and over again when our rage turns to violence. As we remember the many men and women who have fought for freedom and truth, we best honor them by trying to live in peace. But peace is only possible when justice abounds, and we know this is not always the case. Injustice comes in many forms, and the hurt it leaves is not easily forgiven or forgotten. That’s because such things affect us deeply, even at the level of our souls. Contrast that with pain – it’s amazing how a person can go through Armageddon physically speaking, and then sometime later appear to be completely recovered and no longer hampered in any way. Frazier makes this point in Cold Mountain: “That’s just pain,” she said. “It goes eventually. And when it’s gone, there’s no lasting memory. Not the worst of it, anyway. It fades. Our minds aren’t made to hold on to the particulars of pain the way we do bliss. It’s a gift God gives us, a sign of His care for us,” (pg. 219). Thank God for the healing effects of time and medicine! One suspects that most of us would agree with Frazier’s conclusion: that while we remember pain, we can never quite reproduce the intensity that was the case when we were first hurt. And while it’s much more challenging, something similar is true of our spiritual life too. For example, many of us have heard a song or smelled a scent that instantaneously took us back to some event from our past. What’s amazing is how powerful our emotions can be as the memory comes back to us full force. I’ve mentioned how the somewhat musty and unique smell of the cry room at Saint John’s on a summer afternoon always reminds me of my very first days here. I was terribly homesick and felt really blue about leaving behind so many people and places that had made my life beautiful. But as time went on the intensity of that spiritual pain softened, thanks to God’s goodness and the kindness you showed me as you supported me with your love and prayers. Now the time comes to again experience the spiritual suffering that comes with separation from people we love. Such is the nature of our time in this world: we experience great joys that we wish we could sustain forever. On the flipside, the overwhelming nature of loss sometimes seems to never go away or get better. Why do the joys seem so fleeting while the sorrows stay with us so long? We’re fallen creatures, and probably the best explanation is that even our power of memory has been damaged: it’s a struggle for us to retain the good and forget the bad. That notwithstanding, some of God’s holy ones discovered a beautiful truth that leads to peace, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances. To wit, it was Father Augustine Tolton’s mom (Father Tolton’s cause for sainthood is presently advancing) who reminded Augustine just before leaving for seminary in Rome: “Never forget the goodness of the Lord.” This from a woman who was born into slavery and had known radical suffering practically her whole life! But she discovered the truth about gratitude: it unlocks our heart for joy. I’m reminded of the timeless words of Dostoevsky in his book, The Brothers Karamazov: “My dear children, there is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory... if a man carries many such memories with him into life, he is safe to the end of his days.” This weekend we remember – the men and women who offered their lives in service of the truth and freedom. We also remember the goodness of the Lord through it all. These memories are God’s gift to us, His way of healing us and showing us the way home.
May God grant peace to all who work for justice! Your friend in Christ,
Father Martin
May God grant peace to all who work for justice! Your friend in Christ,
Father Martin
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