He Was Free, but He Wasn’t Free   

Servant of God, Augustus Tolton, was the first recognizable black priest in the United States. (‘Recognizable’ means there were 2 earlier priests who passed for being ‘white’.)

Augustus was born in Missouri in 1854.  His family was owned by Catholics, who had their slaves baptized. “Slave” is noted on his baptismal record. His father died early in the Civil War. His courageous mom fled with her three children, crossing the Mississippi to the free state of Illinois, settling in Quincy.

To the chagrin of some church members, the Irish Pastor of St. Peter’s welcomed the Toltons.  In time, he saw that Augustus had a vocation.  But no seminary in the US would accept him.  Unfazed by that, the Pastor arranged Augustus’ acceptance in a seminary in Rome where he was ordained in 1886.  Afterwards Fr. Tolton returned to Quincy.

Fr. Tolton was a good priest, but other priests wouldn’t accept him.  So he was sent to Chicago. He ministered there until July 9^th, 1897, when he died of a heat stroke.  He is buried at St. Peter’s in Quincy.  I recently visited his grave. And I’m so touched by his story.

Although Augustus’ slavery was much different than ours, what enslaves you?  What/who helps you be free?  Who loves you when others won’t? How are you free but not free?

                                                                     Threatened

Colonial Park is a route for my morning exercise. It is heavily wooded with a river and some paths running through it.  Last Saturday a deer ambled out of the shrubbery near the water and stood on the path about 20 feet from me.  It cocked its head, looked at me, and then it walked away. 

Psalm 42 popped into my head.  Verse 1 says: “Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.” It reminded me of Ronald Rohlheiser’s book: The Holy Longing.  He says that we all yearn for God. I know the truth of that.   

But was that what God wanted me to think about?  Or did God hope I would notice the non-threatened response of that deer?  I think that was it. I wish I were more like that deer. When I am threatened, I can easily respond with words/actions that push people away or put them down. I can be very passive aggressive….a thing I don’t like in me.        

Who or what can threaten you?  How do you usually respond?  Can you think of a better way to deal with threats?  What did Jesus do?

                                                           Notice the Details

I was aiming for Hannibal Missouri. But four hours of traveling down the center of Illinois was totally boring.  Miles of flat, repetitious scenery!  I needed something to keep me awake. So I started looking for details that would interest me. 

Almost immediately I saw feathers flying out of a huge semi. I sped up and realized that most of the feathers were still connected to chickens! Probably more than 1,000 on board.  I thought of the crucial detail of transporting delicious chicken dinners.

Then I saw a billboard advertising an “Adult Store”. So I prayed for people who are addicted to self-destructive things. I saw a car full of people on a family trip. I prayed for them too. I saw details...until I got lost…which forced me to pay attention to other details!!     

Some people say: “The mass is boring”.  If that happens, try focusing on some details.  For example, I like praying for a release ‘from all anxiety’ after the Lord’s Prayer. And I love the words: “The Lord be with you.” And I like making the cross on my forehead, lips and heart when the gospel is read.  Those little details touch me.

Name some details of mass which help you stay engaged even if it’s a bit boring.

                                               Good Samaritans – We Need Them

The Good Samaritan showed extravagant love to the beaten guy left in a ditch. “He bandaged his wounds…he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn and cared for him.  The next day he gave two days wages to the innkeeper, and said ‘Take care of him and when I return I will repay you whatever more you spend.’” (Lk 10:34-35)  

The Good Samaritan’s overwhelming love is instructive.  It reminds us to be neighbors to others in exactly the same way. 

Good Samaritans come out of the woodwork after big disasters.  Thank God that happens. Flocks of people lined up around the blocks of blood banks the day after the Orlando shootings.  And police officers experienced outpourings of support from the public in light of the officers who were killed in Dallas.  Many good Samaritans.

We need them and we need to be them. 

When have you ‘been in a ditch’ in your life?  Who was a good Samaritan to you? What did he/she do?  Think of someone you really dislike.  Suppose he/she were beaten up and in a ditch.  Could you be a good Samaritan to him/her? Show that person extravagant love?    

                                                          What Is Your Mission in Life? 

Jesus sent 72 disciples on a mission. Here is the mission He gave them: “Cure the sick and say ‘the kingdom of God is at hand for you’”(Luke 10:9)  In other words their mission was: Heal people and tell them that God is with them.

Their mission is directly connected to Jesus’ command to love. But He wants them to specifically show love by dealing with people’s concrete issues and reminding them that God is always in their corner and on their side in life.   

Our overall mission is also to love.  But each of us has unique ways of doing that.   

I recently asked some people to describe their mission. One person said: “It’s to help people and share what I can.” A lady said: “It’s to be a good spouse and raise loving children.” A man told me: “It’s to leave this world better than I found it.” A young woman said: “It is to be joyful!” And here’s my mission: To try to see God in everyone and everything each day.

So here’s the question: In 10 words or less, what is your mission in life? When you have an answer, tell someone else what it is.  Saying it aloud makes it so much more real.

We Are Chosen

Unlike other rabbi’s of His day, Jesus didn’t wait for disciples to come to Him.  Instead, He invited specific people to follow Him.  Consequently, Jesus’ disciples were a very diverse group.  It’s really clear that He picked unlikely people to be His followers.  It’s also clear that He avoided holier-than-thou types.   

So Jesus’ disciples include tax collectors, fishermen and public sinners.  He welcomes people of ill repute and a few whom He’d healed of demonic possession. He even has a follower who was a Samaritan woman with 5 husbands. (John 4:17-18) (Incidentally, Jesus was also the only rabbi of that era who had women disciples.)  

Why did He choose these people? My guess is that Jesus simply loved down-to-earth folk whose lives were messy, but who also had good hearts.

Remember: In Baptism you were also chosen by Christ.    

Why do you think Jesus chooses you?  What does He see in your heart?  What makes you an unlikely follower of His?  

                                                                        Blessings

My father wasn’t the kind of dad who said “I love you.” And I followed suit.  So our conversations were normal everyday kinds of things.  But we didn’t say the things that I thought fathers and sons should say to each other.  And I regretted that.

He had heart trouble.  At one point he was in the hospital and he was scared. And he asked me to shave him…a thing I’d never imagined doing. There was something intimate in doing that for my dad.  So I seized the moment and blurted out the words that were stuck in my throat for many years. “I haven’t said this for a long time, but I love you dad.” 

Dad didn’t/couldn’t say anthing in return.  I was hoping he would.  

A week later I visited him at home. He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed it...a hug really. And that felt so good.  I knew it was his way of saying “I love you too.” A couple of weeks later he died.  I’m so glad we blessed each other before it was too late.

Blessings can be words or gestures.  Who blesses you and how?  Whom do you bless and in what ways?  Think of someone you’d like to bless this week.