The Pope's Visit to Cuba

 

These last few weeks, I have been praying for Cubans and reflecting on the Pope Benedicts XVI’s pilgrimage to Mexico and Cuba. As a Cuban, I was particularly interested in his visit to Cuba. As a Catholic, I was hopeful on how his journey would impact those with no faith at all.

It was hard not to fantasize how the Pope would humiliate the Castro regime. I wanted him to go into the communist country and spit on Castro’s face, and then go meet directly with those courageous Catholic and non Catholic dissidents and human rights activists who were detained and not allowed to be present in any of the Pope’s activities. That and much more, I must confess, I imagined that he and his delegation would have done.

  As I prayerfully reflected on his visit to Havana, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus Christ’s attitude and behavior towards the sinners of his time. Who were the sinners of his time? They were the tax collectors and the pagans.

The pagans were people who denied any existence of God (much like communists today in Cuba). They were sinful, disreputable, and enemies of the Children of Israel.

However, worse than being a pagan was being a "tax collector". The tax collectors were Jews that collected tax for the Roman government. The Romans were an occupying oppressor and anyone working for them was not just a tax collector but they were also traitors and guilty of complicity with the Romans to steal or extort money from their countrymen. These tax collectors caused much suffering to their own people, often they would  use physical force to steal from their own family and countrymen. (Here I could equate the tax collector with some of those who represent the Catholic Church in Cuba, whom many accuse of being “sell-outs” to the Castro’s communist regime).

I think of how Jesus went out of his way to meet these people (the pagans and tax collectors). Scriptures tells us that he ate with them and went to their parties in their homes. Jesus invited them to his teaching events. Jesus even used a pagan as an example of great faith and on Good Friday, as he hung on a cross Jesus forgave a pagan's sins and sent him to paradise. I wondered how some of his followers reacted to this, when they would see Jesus literally being friendly towards the worst kind of sinner that there could be and forgiving them of their sins? 

  The challenge for me during this recent trip of the Pope to Cuba was  that I need to remind myself that the Church is not just to be “Christ” to those who believe and are fighting for justice, but ALSO to those who reject a living, merciful and loving God.

  The Pope may not have had the agenda that I would have wanted.  Now I hear many lament this same sentiment and some now try to tarnish his image; which is as a presence of Christian hope and mercy to all Cubans (and all people everywhere) and points to repentance and deliverance. But this is not new, I pick up my bible and I read how in Jesus’ time there were those who tried to destroy Jesus’ image because of the same thing they accuse the Catholic Church and the Pope.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  Matt 11: 16-19

So what do I make of the Pope’s trip to Cuba? I think that our great God being holy hates sin. I need to embrace Jesus as Savior of our sin, mine as well as yours and his and hers.....all sin. As I try to put it all in perspective I realize that it is an overwhelming amount of love God is pouring out on ALL of us even now. I believe in a merciful God who has changed my life and made ME a new creation then I must also accept that HIS mercy is to be demonstrated in all instances to all kinds of people. This is what my Pope and my Church taught me this week. He has challenged me to this kind of faith: to go and eat with the most sinful and show them God's love.  (Definitely, not what the world tells me is right) That is what I hold onto, even when it is hard to accept. Again I pick up my Bible and I am challenged by this scripture verse, which doesn’t make sense unless I truly strive to have this kind of faith.

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Lk 6: 31-36 

It bears repeating: Be merciful as God is merciful.  Not easy; its a crazy kind of love, one the world cannot understand if not seen through the eyes of Christ.

Happy Birthday Son!

Calibration: what a great word!  The dictionary says it means “the checking of a measuring instrument against an accurate standard to determine any deviation and correct for errors.”

Eleven years ago today, I re-calibrated my life. This was the day my 4^th child was born.  After waiting for what seemed to be such a long time, Zachary was born during a full moon phase and in a very full St. Joseph’s hospital.   At 5:30pm I was holding a beautiful, well developed little boy, who was very skinny, but otherwise got a clean bill of health from the doctors.  That changed overnight.  The next morning, my son would be in NICU as specialists tried to find out why he was dying.

This story is a happy one, because today I am celebrating his 11^th birthday.  I like to retell his birth story because really, it was a rebirthing of our family as well.  His ordeal brought us all together in ways unimaginable.  His congenital defect that required hours of intricate “touch and go” surgery, strengthened my faith.  I truly felt held together spiritually by the prayers of many, families, friends, even strangers.   Although, his first year of life had me anxious every time he seemed to breathe differently, I also learned to enjoy every moment.  Looking back, Zac’s life has allowed me to re-calibrate my life.  I am more aware of when I am off-track with my calling to be a mom to my kids. The standard against which I measure is the one I learned as a young girl and have struggled with all my adult life, which is to possess a beatific attitude.  In my son I see this ability, one that radiates peace and is generously happy with being alive...we are all born with this and yet, we can easily lose it. 

In Catholic teaching, we learn about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, also known as “the Beatitudes”. (Matt 5: 3-12)

Today I reflect on this special day and I think of what it means to be a child of God….here are the Beatitudes….

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Every day I thank God for my beautiful family and I realize that each of my children continues to challenge me to calibrate my life so that I can focused on what is most important.

And today I say “Thank you God for sending us Zachary”. Happy Birthday my amazing Son!

Allowing Myself to be Broken

Fasting is an important part of Lent...but if we fast from food without fasting from our selfish desires then we might as well not fast at all.  What God desires from us is to turn ourselves away from our own indulgences and focus on Him as well as on those our around us who are vulnerable and in need. 

We can start in our own families.  Do we have dinner together every night?  What can I do to make the dinner table be a place that welcomes and encourages my family to come together to share the blessings of food, our stories from the day, our dreams for tomorrow?  It's easier to find time to pray by myself than it may be to clear off the table from our weekly projects so that we can all sit down each night as a family to eat supper together.
Perhaps I need to organize my home so that when others enter, there is peace and sense of calm. My home is a refuge, it where my family ends and begins their day; have I created a place where we all feel safe, loved and well cared for; a place that is open and welcoming to old friends or soon to be new friends?  Or do I let my temptation to collect stuff accummulate to the point where I am distracted by the clutter of objects in my home instead of by the memories; of the times we have shared inspiration, hope, laughter, moments of healing?
How about the area around my home? Have I cleaned up the litter, helped my neighbor fix his fence, even if its not in my yard. Have I properly disposed of waste, or respected and learned to work within the ecology of my community, realizing that I have an obligation to take care of the earth and not contribute to it's exploitation through my need to consume out of convenience and greed. After all, the earth and its creation is a reflection of God too. We are called to care for all of God's creation.
Lent is a good time to look at our surrounding environment, whether it be our home or our community, and examine where I have let go of creating a sacred space for my family or for my neighbors because I got caught up in my own concerns. It's a time to look at my past habits and examine them.
Kelly McGovern, who teaches at Denver Catholic Biblical School wrote, "Find the wound that keeps you hungry and thirsting for God.  Take off the dressings of busyness and denial.  Touch it at its most tender spot. And here's the hardest part: acknowledge how it keeps you bound in a cycle of sin.  In your brokeness, call out to God for help."

Let our Lenten fast allow us to focus on God and hear his voice that says to us, "Here I am." God is in my family, in my home and in my communities....how do I reflect his truth? 

Today I am challenged by this biblical passage: "Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all." (Rom. 12:12-18) 

Yes, Lord I am listening!