2018-10-12-eEdition

OCTOBER 12, 2018 THE CATHOLIC WEEK PAGE 3 time of illness can be a most difficult moment.The illness may strike us and we must cope with the pain, the loss of independence, the monotony of being confined to bed, and even the indignities which often come with the care which we require. Or the illness may strike some- one we love. Often to watch someone we love suffer with an illness is more difficult than to suffer the illness ourselves.There are times when we can do noth- ing but be present to the person who is suffering. At those times we are like Mary at the cross who could not even give her dying son a drink of water when He cried out that He thirsted. We can look upon illness as a cross, if not a curse.When illness strikes us,when the medical tests come back from the lab and we are told we have cancer, or need a serious operation, or there is no hope, we may be inclined to pray: “God where are you?”Or it may be the times when the dev- astating news is about someone we love: our parent has a stroke, our child has leukemia, or our spouse must have an immediate operation. Again our prayer may be: “God where are you?” There is that deep temptation in such times to doubt the love of God.We ask ourselves if God knows what I’m going through, or even if God cares.We can feel alone and abandoned by God. This goes to the core of the mystery of suffering. If there is a loving God, why is there suffer- ing? Why doesn’t God do some- thing? I have no answer for this question. The greatest theolo- gians have grappled with this question without an answer.The Bible itself grapples with it with no answer. The Book of Job ad- dressed the question head-on. Job, a good man, suffered greatly. Finally he asked God that one- word question which I think every believer will inevitably ask of God: “Why?” God did not reply. Instead God asked Job if it was Job who made the earth, placed the stars in the heaven, or taught the hawk to soar. Job then bowed before God and said that he would ask no more questions. In other words, Job recognized that God’s mind far surpassed Job’s and that, even if God tried to explain it to him, Job could not understand. So Job bowed before God and trusted in God even though he did not understand. On the cross even Jesus asked His Father “Why?” “My God, my God, why have you aban- doned Me?” But with trust in the Father, Jesus then said: “Into your hands Father I commend my spirit.” In times of suffering it is for us to place ourselves into the lov- ing hands of God. St Paul wrote: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God who are called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28) St. Paul suffered much but he believed that all things work for good for those who love God. That is extremely difficult for us to ac- cept. Suffering is the crucial mo- ment of faith. It is when our faith is tested and when we decide whether we will trust God or not. I do not know why God al- lows illness to devastate us or our loved ones. Yet I know that God can bring good even out of the worst of moments. While I do not understand the mind of God, I am convinced that at times of illness God has the definite purpose of tearing peo- ple away from the world and of making them holy. St Paul wrote that “... when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:10) Sickness can remind us that we are not in charge.Sick- ness can remind us that we need God. Sickness can remind us of what is truly important and that so much of the other things we seek after in life is merely straw which passes away. Sickness can be a time when we turn our at- tention to God and allow God to work powerfully in our lives. It can be a time when we be- come more sensitive to the pains of others. It can be a time when we truly become strong because, Thu., Oct 11 10:00 a.m. NewOrleans, LA, BoardMeetings for St. Joseph Seminary College and Notre Dame Seminary 5:00 p.m. Supper with Mobile Seminarians Attending St. Joseph Seminary College, Covington, LA Sat., Oct 13 4:30 p.m. Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, White Mass for Members of the Medical Professions Sun., Oct 14 9:00 a.m. Shrine of the Holy Cross, Daphne, Mass and Celebration of the 70th Anniversary 2:00 p.m. Christ the King Parish, Daphne, Mass and Confirmation Mon. – Wed., Oct 15 – 17 Chicago, IL, Catholic ExtensionMeeting for Bishops of US Mission Dioceses Thu. – Fri., Oct 18 – 19 St. Paul, MN, St. John Vianney College Seminary, Visit Mobile Seminarians Sun., Oct 21 9:00 a.m. Holy Redeemer Parish, Eufaula, Mass and Confirmation 7:00 p.m. Holy Spirit Parish, Montgomery, “In Vino Veritas” Adult Faith Formation Mon. – Tue., Oct 22 – 23 Eufaula, ACCW Annual Convention Sun., Oct 28 11:00 a.m. Prince of Peace Parish, Mobile, Mass and Confirmation Archbishop’s Schedule October 11 — October 28 Sickness can remind us that we need God FROM THE ARCHBISHOP Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi A WJTC-Mobile/Pensacola/Ft. Walton/Wiregrass 11 am Sundays PROGRAM SCHEDULE www.catholicinamerica.com Check local listings October 14............................ Spiritual Component of Leadership / .................................................................. Military Chaplains in Combat October 21............. Pro-Life Leadership / Defending Human Life Children and Adolescent Protection Program training throughout the archdiocese is offered monthly for personnel and volunteers in the Mobile District and the Baldwin/Escambia and Montgomery Deaneries. Teacher/catechist certification curriculum will be taught at August and September sessions. Baldwin/Escambia Deanery St. Lawrence Parish—7 p.m. ( 2 nd Tuesday of most months) November 13, December 11, January 8, 2019 Mobile Deanery St. Dominic Parish—7 p.m. ( 4 th Wednesday of most months) October 24, November 28, December 12, January 23, 2019 Montgomery Deanery Montgomery Catholic High—6:30 p.m. ( 4 th Wednesday of most months) October 24, November 28, December ( no training ), January 23, 2019 Dothan Deanery Training sessions are conducted on an “as needed” basis. Contact your pastor in the Dothan area for more information. Each of these parishes will serve as the ongoing training location for its district/deanery. For information or to report suspected abuse contact the Office of Child Protection at 251-434-1559 or email childprotection@mobarch.org The Archdiocesan Child Protection Policy can be found in the “Supplemental Material” section of the Children and Adolescents Protection Program page of the mobarch.org website Education/Training Schedules CHILD PROTECTION OFFICE Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque October 16 DAILY READINGS OCTOBER 14 - OCTOBER 20 Sun., October 14 Wis 7:7-11 Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Heb 4:12-13 Mk 10:17-30 Mon., October 15 Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31—5:1 Ps 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5a and6-7 Lk 11:29-32 Tue., October 16 Gal 5:1-6 Ps 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48 Lk 11:37-41 Wed., October 17 Gal 5:18-25 Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4, and 6 Lk 11:42-46 Thurs., October 18 2 Tm 4:10-17b Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18 Lk 10:1-9 Fri., October 19 Eph1:11-14 Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13 Lk 12:1-7 Sat., October 20 Eph 1:15-23 Ps 8:2-3ab, 4-5, 6-7 Lk 12:8-12 Sun., October 21 Is 53:10-11 Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Heb 4:14-16 Mk 10:35-45 Mon. October 22 Eph 2:1-10 Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4ab, 4c-5 Lk 12:13-21 Tue., October 23 Eph 2:12-22 Ps 85:9ab-10, 11-12, 13-14 Lk 12:35-38 Wed., October 24 Eph 3:2-12 Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 Lk 12:39-48 Thurs., October 25 Eph 3:14-21 Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 Lk 12:49-53 Fri., October 26 Eph 4:1-6 Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 Lk 12:54-59 Sat., October 27 Eph 4:7-16 Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 Lk 13:1-9 OCTOBER 21 - OCTOBER 27 in our weakness, we allow the strength of God into our hearts. It can be a time when we ask God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. It can be a time when we allow God to be God. Let us pray for those who suffer illnesses. Let us pray for their caregivers. And, if we are the ones with illnesses, let us pray that we know that God is with us in all things and that all things work for good for those who love God.