The Last Word (article)

[BarbaraTherese]

I am only posting a part of the article, not the whole article here………… access the link and read the whole article, it is not a long one and truly rewarding - worth it – it gives insight and understanding I think into Scripture (in this instance these last three Sundays very important Lenten Gospels) not as words from the long ago, but The Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, alive today. And to be alive means growth and change as a tiny seed does not change intrinsically what it is rather under the right cricumstances will change and grow into a mighty tree - its appearance no longer that of a tiny seed.
What came to mind reading this article is not only not to let anything or anyone define me with a final ‘full stop and end of story’…but also that I must not to define others with that same ‘full stop and end of story’. Sometimes for some reason I may need of some good necessity to break a relationship with someone, but that is only part of their story and they will go on with no ‘full stop end of story’ in their journey because of our broken relationship.

THE LAST WORD
05-Mar-2008

(“Province Express” - By Fr Robin Koning SJ )express.org.au/article.aspx?aeid=6138

http://www.express.org.au/images/Image/050308/050308Lazarusbydavezelenka.jpg

There can be many last words by which I define my life or allow myself to be defined: the abuse I’ve suffered, the marriage that ended, the disability with which I live, the abortion in my youth, the loss of a long-held job, the family that split apart, the struggle to find a wife, the failure of my dreams, the closure of a favourite ministry, the endless cycle of my addiction, the racism I face each day, the unforgiveness that fills me, the death of a loved one.

All can seem like last words-final, definitive, words carved in stone, set in concrete, unchangeable, unshifting, impervious, period, full stop.

…

At the heart of each story is an encounter of our last words with the new Word who is Jesus. The blind man’s real healing comes at the end, when Jesus reveals himself: ‘“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir?” Jesus said, “The one speaking with you is he”’ (Jn 9.35-38). Similarly with the woman, who says, ‘“I know that Messiah is coming.” Jesus said, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you” (Jn 4.25-26). In this Sunday’s Gospel, it is to Lazarus’ sister, lost in the last word of death, that Jesus reveals himself: ‘“Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”’ (Jn 11.23-26). …

To live and believe in Him means not allowing our last words to define us, not allowing the last words of others to deafen us to His word.

For we too can meet Jesus as a new Word. In Mass, we meet him as the Word proclaimed in the Gospel, the Word received in communion-the same Word who was the first Word, the Word who was with God in the beginning, the Word who is God, Who became flesh and dwelt amongst us. The living Word who will, at the Resurrection of the dead, call to us as he called to Lazarus, ‘Come forth!’

 

[InLight247]

Yes, there is always hope in Love,
there is always hope in the Lord,
like our Holy Father said, “Saved in Hope”.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Yes, there is always hope in Love,
there is always hope in the Lord,
like our Holy Father said, “Saved in Hope”.

…Amen - Deo Gratius…
I haven’t read Pope Benedict’s Encyclical yet on Hope …thank you for the reminder as I hear he is already working on his third encyclical which is on our social doctrine…

Link to enclyclical on Hope which I am going to print out for a read - about time…
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I have only read to Page 4 of Spe Salvi, the encyclical on Hope and these words leapt out at me. I can forget that the Faith we have and the Hope that lives in us…all the good that may live in us and pass on to others… simply would not be there unless we really had and have a real and living encounter with the Living God. I may not see, taste, hear or in any of my senses experience this encounter, but for the reasons stated above it is a Truth and Reality in my life. A stupendous awesome thought!!! Thank you very much InLight for mentioning this encyclical - truth is that it had gone completely from my mind…and with a third encyclical probably due any tick of the clock.

We who have always lived with the Christian concept of God, and have grown accustomed to it, have almost ceased to notice that we possess the hope that ensues from a real encounter with God.