The bell towers of the church trembled
so hard the bells clanged together that hang within them, as we woke to a 7.5
earthquake this morning. Waking from our slumber and running down the long
hallway to the front door was a bit scary. As I was trying to open the door,
Gabriel yelled out God will Save us. Trying to dodge the fragments of adobe,
plaster and rocks falling from the walls and roofs above us it was a sight to
see.
Though the quake seems to have destroyed
many roads, homes, and churches, we must praise God there has been no reports
of any deaths. It could have been much worse because the earthquake hit in the early
morning with most of us preparing for the day to come.
With today the first Sunday of
Advent I find the Gospel very fitting for today. As we are reminded that
Christian’s must not fear the 2nd coming of the Lord but instead
rejoice and hold our heads high, to remain vigilant and prayerful. We should be in perpetual search
of His graces in which he offers us; that teaches us to look beyond this
passing world and instead remain faithful in His imminent coming.
Today’s Gospel and
perhaps the earthquake is an invitation for us all to “put aside thoughts of
Christmas for now and soberly reflect on our final days.” The
Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ will come again at the end of time to
preside over the Last Judgment. She also teaches that we must “await this
second coming, or Advent of our King, with vigilance and confidence in his
victory. If we live in love as God’s sons and daughters, we need not fear. We
will be able to “stand erect and raise our heads because our redemption is at
hand.”* This truth is what fills the liturgical season of Advent with joy.”
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: “There
will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be
in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die
of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of
the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a
cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand
erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand. Beware that your
hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of
daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will
assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are
imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.
But how can we be joyful
Christians in times of despair, sadness, trials, pandemics, separation, death or
when we are facing the unknown? Because as Christians we must believe, we must
have faith in the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ despite the murmurs of the
World around us. We are not alone in
this world. We know that this world is not perfect, and that we live in a
valley of tears. “The Church teaches that we are a pilgrim Church. But we do
not wait alone. Our Lord accompanies us. CCC 671 states that “Until everything
is subject to him, ‘until there be realized new heavens and a new earth in
which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions,
which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will
pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and
travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God.”* We need to remember the gifts of the Holy
Sacraments that often times we forget what they can do for our souls. We mustn’t
forget the mercy, graces, and nourishment the sacraments provide for us during
our mission here on earth. They are the fountain of life and where all Joy
comes from. They are the key that helps prepare our immortal souls for eternal
life with our Creator.
Here are a few pictures from one of the small
pueblos we serve.
Each Sunday we have been blessed to bring
communion to the faithful so as we do every Sunday, we made our way to the little
community grateful to be alive and joyful for the opportunity to bring Jesus to
those who would go without if it wasn’t for those of you who support the
mission here. All most all the homes are bamboo huts and the Church and maybe one
other home is made of adobe bricks and well they did not fare to well in the earthquake.
We had to do a bit of clean up before we could celebrate the Liturgy, but we
are so grateful and blessed to do so.
On our way home from the celebration, we
were able to pick up an older man, if I had to guess he was in his 80’s, and he
was walking in the heat. He was very
talkative and emotional about the morning’s events. He asked us if we could
take him to a nearby town because he needed to go to Church and that he had not
been in 15 years since his wife died. Of course, we said yes, so along the way
we made conversation. He kept saying to us to be careful that we all need to repent.
He said the end was near, that covid was a sign and now the earthquake. I asked
him what religion he was out of curiosity, and he said he belonged to the Pentecostal
Church. I did not feel the need to explain who I was to him; I simply cherished
the time we had with him and attempted to calm his worries and fears. As I
explained that there was really no need to worry, that if we believe in Christ
and we love him that he will have mercy on us. Before we dropped him off, we
prayed with him asking the Lord to give us each the strength to hold our heads high
and to remain Joyful in the good times and the bad.
I can’t make this stuff up, since following
Christ into the mission field we have had so many divine appointments. Designed
and planned by Christ himself, opportunities granted to us that allow us to
love another, to preach the truth and to share of His immense love he has for everyone.
Last night I prepared for this morning’s celebration
so unaware of the earthquake that would happen just hours before it was time to
celebrate the Liturgy. Many times, I find that I struggle to relate the Gospel
to those we serve but today there was no doubt that Jesus sent a clear meaning
of the Gospel message in a very real way.
We must hold are heads high
and with Joy Proclaiming His goodness at all times, and pray
“Come, Lord Jesus; do
not delay. Life without you is no life at all. We prepare our hearts for your
coming at Christmas and your coming at the end of time. Accept our prayer today
and send your Holy Spirit into our hearts to teach us to say “Maranatha!”
Come Lord Come do not delay!
Awaken us from our Slumber oh Lord!
Karen Del Castillo
Mission Post : Cajaruro-Utcubamba-Amazonas-Peru
* Deacon Erik Burckel, LC, Epriest.com
