In honor of the pope’s visit….written before he knew he was going….Our next guest blogger, Father Jack Lau, is a Catholic priest in Godfrey, IL. He is on his way to Washington DC to celebrate Mass with the Pope during the Pope’s historic visit to the United States chosen as one of the few. We have celebrated our holidays together, laughed together, cried together, worshipped together. For more than 25 years now. Once, when we were young, Jack would babysit Sarah for Kol Nidre. Now his ministry is preparing men to be priests. He lives in a novitiate and works 24×7. He is living community in a very profound, intentional, intense way. We were at the novitiate when the previous pope announced his retirement. We all have high hopes for this current pope as he continues to inspire tikkun olam, repair of the world, something Jack and I have worked together on for all of those 25+ years.
Community-“A sharing with all”, “Our Common Home”. Though we may not be aware of it, we are already ONE. We and all creation are one in our molecular make up, with carbon as our foundation coming from the great flaring forth some 13.8 billion years ago. We are One in the Holy One who calls us by name and calls us to till the earth and care for each other, and by the way, yes that means, we are our sister and brother’s keeper. (Gen 4:9)
This has been what the sages and saints have said; “The Lord of Love is hidden in the hearts of every creature, subtler than the subtlest, greater than the greatest. Through G-d’s grace one sheds all selfish desires and sorrow and become united with the Self. Shvetashvatara Upanishads 4:20).
Yet do we know this, sensing the divine in the core of our being, and if not, what are the blocks? Is it that we are too busy, is it our indifference, are we blind that our actions affect others in detrimental way. In a multi-national world have all become objects to use for my/our own aggrandizement rather than subjects to admire and be in relationship with? When we see all as One, we enter into an “integral ecology” where we enter into the heart of what it means to be human, and that means to be in a conscious and reflective relationship with all.
Papal Encyclical “Laudato Si”, 11 says: “If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs.” Is this the legacy we want to pass on to our children’s children or is there another way? (L.S. 12) “Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.”
Father Jack Lau, OMI