The Dawn of Mystery

Welcome to part 2 of my reflection on the silent side of human relationship. You may find this inspiring and educative. Your inputs are highly welcome, comment. If you have not read the part 1, I strongly recommend that you go through it first.This will help you to appreciate this second part more. kindly copy the link below and paste in your url
https://nwachinwe.blogspot.com.ng/2016/06/silence-in-relationship.html#links

PART II

The Dawn of Mystery

By recognizing the recollection of the heart—silence—as a necessary ingredient for a healthy interpersonal relationship, we thereby acknowledge that human friendship is transcendental i.e. it is surrounded by a cloud of mystery. Though we determine our words and gestures, much of what transpires in silence often reveal itself. That is why it is sometimes said that love is a discovery. It simply happens. The condition for choosing our friends is both in us and outside of us. Silence, in a way, becomes the pathway through the unknown, the mystery to the known—to that determined by experience. In other words, those aspects of our relationships which seem to be outside our control are intermingled with our conscious expressions though silence. Hence, silence becomes a sort of platform in which our deliberate acts of love interact with that force of love, which breaks in by itself. Love often dawns on us. As the relationship unfolds, true love comes as a discovery! A relationship that is totally “calculative” cannot be life-giving and enjoyable but burdensome. 

That which is given in silence—which is not within our immediate conscious expression but “breaks in” to form the heart in love, represents the mystery of human relationship. Yes, there is a transcendental dimension to our human relations. That is why discussions about human relationship cannot be exhausted but it remains open-ended. 

Having identified the “mystery” dimension of human relationship as revealed by silence, we now examine how it affects the quality of our relationships. Of course, there is no doubt that only enduring qualities can form and sustain a healthy relationship. What is it that makes two people feel connected to each other? Can something less human have such a biding force over two people? Where such is the case, then someone has lost his freedom! This is something to think about to avoid the imminent relationship disaster. Silence tells us that we should look out for “mystery qualities” (virtues). These must exist as necessary ingredient or felt as biding force in the relationship. 

But since it is still a “human” affair to which the mystery is felt as a background force, these biding transcendental qualities must be served on the platter of human weakness. They must exist side by side a prominent human weakness, which tends to, but cannot overshadow them. The mystery breaks in, silence speaks and virtue strives in the midst of the pain of being human. The survival of the mystery quality remains the life-line of a healthy relationship. That which is merely human, which is “verbal”, is given meaning and durability by that which is transcendental and silent. There is always something unspoken which keeps us in touch with our friends! A good friend knows your strength and weakness.  While he feels the pinch of your weakness, your virtuous side carries him on and sustains the friendship. One who accepts only your good side is not a friend yet. And one who fuels your weakness is equally not there yet. So human relationship becomes a meeting point, where “mystery and nature”, “strength and weakness”, “silence and words”, are intermingled.  You cannot know everything about your friend. But you will always know enough to embrace the “unknown” about him as it unfolds. That is why it is sometimes said that to love is a risk. 

Life is dynamic. Human relationship can either grow or shrink. That which is given in silence—the transcendental—does not unfold at once. The acceptance of the virtuous qualities, as mixed with human weakness, goes through a process. Therefore, “time” is an essential quality in building a healthy relationship. Time works with silence to gradually make the connection that forms bidding relationship. But, how much time can one give? Enough time to allow the mystery qualities to sink and overpower the prominent weaknesses. 

Therefore, the sound of silence reveals that one has to develop the appropriate disposition or capability before entering into a relationship. Sometimes circumstances, such as breakups, etc, force this “training” on us. But it would be more appropriate if we were to acquire it in a more positive way. The building up of our inherent capacity for interpersonal relationship becomes necessary since there is a mystery dimension to it, which is given or revealed in silence. Above all, this capacity is enhanced when we constantly open up ourselves to that which is transcendental and to the silence within. Ability to relate to mystery in general and to our inner self is a sure foundation for building the edifice of a healthy and lasting relationship. First of all, this can be achieved through active faith, where the human person enters into relationship with the Ultimate Mystery, God Himself. This is where we receive the basic training and disposition for a healthy and lasting relationship. Secondly, the mind can be thus trained by inclining it to transcendence through study and reflection. Once the mind acquires such orientation, it can now embrace the mystery dimension of human relationship.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Memorial of St Gregory the Great

September 3, 2016

Benin City, Nigeria.

INTERJECTIONS ON THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

(Reflection for the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C. Amos 6:1, 4-7; Ps 146; 1Tim 6:11-16; Lk 16:19-31)

The prophet of social justice, Amos, ushered in the message of today. He announced the reversal of fortune for the self-indulgent, who are not grieved about the ruin of Jacob! This warning is further elaborated by Jesus in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. This parable has a lot of salient messages for us today as we try to live out Christian values amidst our desire for wealth.

There was a rich man...This is how Jesus began the story. The name of the name was not mentioned. He is identified and defined as “rich man”. His wealth has become his identity. His name, his real personality is subsumed in what he owns. Thus we can say that his possessed by his possession; he has lost himself in wealth. This seems to be the beginning of his journey to hell...

Who was clothed in purple and fine linen... Imagine the man looking gorgeous. He wore beautiful and expensive clothes, looking “glorious.” He clothe himself with the glory of earth, trying to establish his own heaven in this suffering world. He dressed like one who has arrived but sooner he would come to discover, lately though, that live here is a pilgrimage. We must dress up for action.

Who feasted sumptuously every day... The rich man ate without going hungry while his neighbour went hungry without eating! Man does not live by bread alone (cf. Lk 4:4). And whatever enters a man passes through the stomach and is discharged into the sewage (cf. Mt 15:17). Food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach for food, but God will destroy them both (cf. 1Cor 6:13). The man celebrated himself, and rewarded himself for his good fortune. “I said to myself in my good fortune:

‘Nothing will ever disturb me.’ Your favour has set me on a mountain fastness, then you hid your face and I was put to confusion” (Ps 30:6-7). Thus the man tried to create his own satisfaction by what he could consume. But real satisfaction lies in Jesus, and in what we can do for others. It is not what a man consumes that makes him create, but what he produces. Gluttony burdens the heart, and dulls our inner ear from hearing the voice of God and the cry of the poor.

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus... The rich man’s gate shielded him from any interference from Lazarus. He built his own security and locked the poor out. The man put a barrier between him and Lazarus. So he is the one who started building the impassable chasm from earth...How often do we put barriers, segregate, form cliques and lock others out such that we do not feel their pain!

But at the gate we meet Lazarus, a name which means God has helped!  The selfishness of the rich consigned him to the gate. He was treated as less human, and not deserving of the good things of life. Ironically, Jesus gives the poor man a name, a beautiful name! His name is written in the book of life. He has an identity and dignity with God, and only in God.

Full of sores, who desired to be fed with what feel from the rich man’s table... His body is decorated with wounds, long lasting wounds. These sores have become part of his body such that he is identified and defined by them. We can see through them the eternal wounds of Jesus that define our salvation!

Lazarus was also full of desire! He never stopped desiring to be fed. That was why he never left the gate. He was rich with desire. He kept his hope alive. In hope we were saved (Rm 8:24). Why would he keep hoping even when he never got what he desired? Knowing already that the rich man was stingy, Lazarus could not have placed his hope in him. His hunger stretched his desire to hope in God, an eternal longing. My help shall come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps 121:2). He lies a poor man, who desired for food but hoped in God...

 Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores...This statement portrays Lazarus as one caused. We remember the message of Elijah to Ahab, “In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood too” (1Kg 21:19). “A pack of dogs surrounds me, a gang of villains closing in on me as if to hack off my hands and my feet” (Ps 22:16). This is the height of degradation! The dogs renew and deepen his sores. He who came to feed from the rich man’s scraps has become food for the dogs. That makes Lazarus become a sign that is rejected, since what is thrown to the dogs is what is rejected (cf. Ex 22:30). He has become the scraps he came to eat… “While we thought of him as someone being punished and struck with affliction by God” (Is 53:4).

The poor man died…We are not surprised that Lazarus died since the earth seemed not be home for him. It is obvious he was not living in fear of death. There was no forma burial for him. But then we are amazed at his new state of life. Angels attended to him whom the rich man ignored. He was given a place at Abraham’s bosom. “And Mary said...He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty” (Lk 1:52-53)

The rich man also died and was buried...Death is the leveler.  But to the rich, it came as a destroyer. It appears there was ceremonial burial for him. It should be so since that marked the end of his reign.  Unknown to him death ushered the real beginning of life. Now there is reversal of fortune.

The fire of hell has exposed him. We never knew the rich man could beg for anything! Then, why did he neglect the beggar! And he kept on begging...even for something less that the scraps Lazarus begged for: a drop of water! The standard he set on earth has caught up with him. And the barrier he built against the cry of the poor has developed into a great chasm, impossible to cross. He has so many regrets, including his father’s house.

But Abraham said, they have Moses and the Prophets...The law and word is now fulfilled and poured into our hearts through Jesus, who narrates this touchy parable. Truly, if the Spirit of God dwelling in us cannot rouse us to action to discover God’s will, especially in the preferential option for the poor, nothing else will. We have no other way to God than that which He has given to us; Jesus.

Therefore, St Paul urges us in the second reading to aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love steadfastness, gentleness. If we direct our lives in this direction, we will hear the pain of suffering humanity, and take hold of eternal life to which you were called...

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Mother of Perpetual Shrine,

Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu.

25 September, 2016.

A DANCE OF SILENCE

Life arise from you like edifice

And collapse therein unspoken

Words burst from silence

That the message might not be broken

From you no secret is missed

For you are the revealer of wisdom

Saints befriend mystery in silence

You healer of heart so burden

But why dread my soul, Oh Silence

For like a judge in a courtroom

You sentence my heart to truth and patience

That no one escapes save the doomed

So I join the dance of silence

To roll my life from the noisy doom

For the heart of dance and the dance of heart is silence

Your dance is joy and wisdom

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine

Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.

September 20, 2016.

The Astute Believer

(Reflection for the 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. Amos 8:4-7; 1Tim 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13)

The prophet Amos warns against injustice to the poor. Those who place all their values only on wealth and profit cannot but be unjust to the poor. The good news is that God identifies with the poor and takes this injustice upon Himself, “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: ‘surely I will never forget any of their deeds’” (Amos 8:7). In other words, those who help the poor are actually making friends with God.

Jesus elaborates this need of winning friends for the Kingdom with the parable of the astute servant. The young man was wise enough to make friends for future security with the wealth placed in his charge. Though he was dishonest in his dealings, he was smart to get some sort of insurance for the future when he might be in need. Such prudence is required of children of light.

Hence Jesus tells us, “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal habitations” (Lk 16:9). Such friendship with God secures eternal future, and is a sign of wisdom. Unlike the servant, the children of light must be honest and faithful in their dealings. But following the smartness of the servant, we must use our rightful wealth to favour others, and help the poor. In this way we become friends with Heaven. Thus, acquiring wealth cannot be the end or simply to satisfy the pleasure of having. This would amount to love or devotion to money. It is God alone we serve!

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will he devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Lk 16:13). By being just and fair in our dealings, we show that we are trustworthy for eternal wealth. And by helping those in need with our wealth, heaven becomes our real personal treasure, kept secure even with multitude of friends praying for us.

Hence St Paul recommends prayer for all men, especially those who are highly placed. Prayer is the friendly gesture we offer to help all men to be saved. “That is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:3-4). In prayer our hearts rise above material wealth as we draw heavenly blessings. In this way, we equally acquire holy desire for others, and avoid being manipulative in our affairs. In fact, Paul presents prayer as a sort of wealth with which we can use to help all men in their need. “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands...” (1Tim 2:8).

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine,

Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.

September 18, 2016.