A friend of mine from Indiana recently came for a visit. He and I went to Gettysburg which was on his bucket list. We walked across the field where Pickett’s Charge occurred. At this part of the battle, over 12,000 Confederate soldiers attacked the Union lines marching across an open field. They were annihilated by the Union cannon and musket fire. Few made it to the Union line. We walked on sacred ground. I was struck by the peacefulness of the field that is there now, 150 years later. There are clumps of white and yellow flowers, wheat, and beans. Life has taken over where there was great death and destruction. Our faith is like this field. It is a salve for pain and suffering. It is a peace-filled place among chaos and strife. It is an offer of joy and love instead of war and hate. It carries us away from our human brokenness and shows us the image of a merciful God. It leaves the cross and becomes the resurrection.
We have encountered another field of destruction recently, that of a field in Las Vegas. This shooting leaving 58 dead only intensifies my need for God’s peace and love. My don’t we need peace in our lives! What have we become? Where is our society going? We are Catholics and have Christ as our leader who calls us to love one another. He offers us his peace as he enters the locked places of our lives. Let us look into our hearts and find a way to offer to the world the measure of our faith—love, respect, understanding, mercy, and peace. Our chaotic and dangerous world is spinning out of control. Let us hold it gently in the hands of faith and pray diligently that we who are followers of Christ will bring peace to it. As we say in morning and evening prayer, “God come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help us.”
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
“After thanking our guardian angel who has remained by our side during our sleep, we should ask him for his protection during the day.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars
