Two
Approaches to Pain
February
7/8, 2004 Homily
Fr.
George Smiga
Luke
5:1-11
What
does a person with a toothache think about? The answer is
rather simple: he or she thinks about the toothache. Pain
has a way of centering our attention. When we find ourselves
in pain, it is difficult to think of anything else. In a way,
this is good because the pain causes us to address the cause
of the problem. We go out to the dentist and deal with our
defective tooth.
But
what do we do when pain becomes more complex, when we have
to face chronic illness, when an illness can threaten our
life, when the fear of what is to come overwhelms us? Facing
long-standing suffering or pain, we must rally our spirits,
lest that pain rule our lives. For pain wants our complete
attention. Pain wants to absorb all of our time and energy
so that there is nothing left for living.
In
short there are two ways of dealing with suffering: getting
rid of it or transcending it so that it does not rule us.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, that we are going
to celebrate at this liturgy, pulls in both of those directions.
On one hand, those who come forward to receive the anointing
will be asking us as a community to pray for them, that their
pain, their suffering will be eliminated. Often because of
the prayer of the church and the intervention of good medical
care sickness is indeed healed. At the same time, however,
the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick invites us to transcend
our suffering. For when we celebrate the sacrament, we realize
that God's love is greater than our pain, greater than our
cancer, deeper than our suffering. We recognize that the love
of family and friends and community continues to be life-giving
even as we cope with our sickness. If we can claim the love
of God and the love of others who are around us, we can transcend
our sickness and prevent it from dominating our lives.
So
in a few minutes I will be inviting those who wish to come
forward to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick,
to step forward in our midst and claim their need. At the
same time, they will be asked to embrace the love of God and
the love of the community around them. Coming forward is an
act of faith. Therefore, if you hear God calling you to come
to receive the sacrament, do not give in to excuses, especially
to those of despair or unworthiness. Those are the two excuses
that Peter adopts in today's Gospel. When Jesus says, “Go
out into the deep and catch some fish,” Peter first makes
the excuse of despair: “Master, we have fished all night long
and have caught nothing.” We've tried it, it doesn't work,
and it's of no use. But because Peter pushes through that
despair, he lowers his net and pulls in a great catch. Then
he excuses himself out of unworthiness: “Depart from me, Lord,
for I am a sinful person.” Of course, he's a sinful person,
all of us are, but God's call does not depend on our worthiness.
All that matters is God's free choice to save us. Neither
despair nor unworthiness is an adequate excuse for refusing
God's call.
So
in a few minutes, as you are invited to come forward to receive
this anointing, step forward in faith. This is not a time
for excuses. It is a time for hope, a time to put all unworthiness
aside and to allow the love of God and the love of the community
to heal you of sickness or to transcend your pain so you can
claim the life that God gives you.
|
