by Father John P. Cush
I REALLY CONSIDER myself blessed to have been assigned to Rome for post-graduate doctoral work this past semester. Instead of just reading about Church history, I had the opportunity to live it out in the events of February and March, 2013. The resignation of our beloved Benedict XVI and his final days as our Supreme Pontiff, the Papal conclave, the waiting in Piazza San Pietro, the election of Pope Francis and his first few weeks in office are moments I will never forget.
On the second Sunday of Easter, Pope Francis took possession of his Cathedral church, which, contrary to what most people think, is not Saint Peter’s Basilica but the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. As our Holy Father celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday, he exhorted us all to remember that we should never underestimate God’s mercy and patience. He said, in his own unique, simple, yet immensely profound way:
“How many times in my pastoral ministry have I heard it repeated: ‘Father, I have many sins;’ and the plea I have always made is: ‘Don’t be afraid. Go to him. He is waiting for you. He will take care of everything.’”
These words of Francis are applicable to our first reading today. Over the past few weeks, we have been able to follow the adventures of Abraham and his family. In the selection given to us today for our reflection, we see Abraham in strong discussion with his friend, his confidant, his hope, Almighty God.
In an almost comical fashion, Abraham and the Lord have a discussion about the fate of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. We experience Abraham almost talking God down from the number of good, moral people needed for the Lord to spare the city. Abraham must have been a very good negotiator, because, at the very end of it all, if the Patriarch can find 10 good people in this den of inequity, the Lord will spare it.
What can we learn from this interesting passage in the Book of Genesis? First, I think, is exactly what Pope Francis said on Divine Mercy Sunday: God is patient and kind. He wills our good and wants our salvation. Second, I think that we can see that we always use a good negotiator!
First, we have a God who is not a “gotcha” God, one that wants us to do bad and then have to punish us. No, we have a God who is troubled by our sins and calls us to recognize that there is an objective right thing to do and an objective wrong thing to do in every situation and that there is a difference. We have a God who doesn’t look the other way when we sin, nor does He approve of immorality but a God who acts in justice as any loving Father would for His erring children.
We have a God who is madly, truly, deeply in love with us and wants only one thing for us: our eternal salvation. We have a God of first chances, second chances, thousandth chances. He wants us not to die but to live in the love that He shows us every single moment of our lives, if only we have the ears to hear and the eyes to see it. God is really our biggest fan: He loves us. Let the words of Pope Francis be heard again: “Don’t be afraid. Go to Him. He is waiting for you. He will take care of everything.”
Second, at times we all need an advocate; we all need someone to help us along, even if it just means helping us bridge the gap that we ourselves have constructed. As the people of Sodom and Gomorrah had the Patriarch Abraham, we have the most powerful intercessor with our Lord: His Blessed Mother, Mary. She, who is the Immaculate Conception, wants to intercede for us before the throne of God Most High. Remember the words of the beautiful prayer, the Memorare:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
We need to remember our Blessed Lady under one of the titles that our Holy Father, Francis, has a special devotion to: Our Lady, Untier of Knots. In this German Marian devotion, we see an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a rope in her hands, and she is carefully untying knots which are in that rope. It is a beautiful image of hope – the rope is our lives, the knots are our problems and difficulties, and it is our Blessed Mother who is helping us untie the knotty areas of our lives and to help us go free.
God loves you and me and wants nothing but the best for us. In the midst of the sin and sorrow that can, at times, seem to overwhelm us, we know that it is this Lord of patience who is always there for us and that it is Our Lady of Mercy who is there to act as our advocate.
