Being Present for Others and Having the heart and mind of Christ in our world amidst violence, destruction and death

A great friend and fellow Knights of Columbus, “Sir Knight” Isaac, passed away recently from my home parish that I attend due to Covid-19 complications. I have a relative that is a Benedictine monk that resides at the Cistercian Abbey in Subiaco and thought to myself that a mass remembrance memorial seemed like the appropriate condolence card to send. After all, as Catholics, we not only view the Mass as a simple memorial feast, but the living bread come down from heaven that nourishes our very bodies and souls. It is said that choirs of angels and saints come down to earth to rejoice in such a memorial service and miraculous sacrament in the Eucharist (which means Thanksgiving).

What do you say to a grieving widow? What do you say to family members whom lost their loved ones in an act of evil motivated by mental illness, and the plight of the world and the hate and vengeance being driven by Satan in our world seems to be prevailing each and every day? What do you say to a family member whom was denied admission to a hospital due to healthcare governmental safety precautions and measures where they could not grieve and say goodbye?

We are reminded in Holy Scripture in John’s Gospel that Jesus wept when his dear friend Lazarus died before performing the miracle to raise him to new life. We must remember that Jesus was not only fully God, but also fully human. A devoted servant of Jesus Christ and priest in my Diocese, Fr. Jacob, reminded me via social media that it is always important to have the image of Jesus with a smile on his face. Holy scripture proclaims Jesus stating a fondness for the inner beauty and innocence of the little children coming to Him. Dallas Jenkins’s The Chosen series reveals a very human, yet divine Jesus. We too must model that innocence and remember to have the love, the heart and the mind of Jesus in all that we do and all that we proclaim.

The book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, verse 4 reminds us that there is “A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…

Let us always remember to weep and to find joy in the simple moments in life. We must always remember that life is precious. When I opened this card, I cried, and then I laughed when remembering Isaac’s legacy and mission as a strong faith filled follower of Jesus that he was. After all, the Hebrew transliteration for the etymology of Isaac is “He laughs.” Go in peace good and faithful servants, and until we meet again in the arms of our creator. Amen.