God’s Soft Spot!

Let me describe for you my first and only pastor, Msgr. Browne.  He is as tall as Fr. Brendan, maybe a little bigger than Fr. Brendan, and someone who owns a German Shepherd.  He’s perceived as intimidating by some of my brother priests. Just imagine that for a moment.   

 

A few months before my ordination, I was invited to meet with Bishop McGrath.   During our conversation, he told me to relax, and he would tell me where he had assigned me.  “After listening to the recommendation of the clergy personnel board and considering your gifts, I am assigning you to the Cathedral of St. Joseph” the good bishop said.  I looked at him and he could sense my discomfort and fear.  He assured me that despite how Msgr. Brown was perceived, he was a very kind and loving man.  “You will be fine, Ritche. And I am sure you will learn a lot from him,” the bishop said. 

 

I tell you I could not sleep that night.  I was thinking of my assignment.  But I trusted Bishop’s words and I obeyed.  Despite my hesitancy, as time went on, I got to know Msgr. Browne and Bishop McGrath was right! Monsignor is a kind, compassionate, and loving man.  I came to love working with him.  In fact, I found underneath that perceived intimidating demeanor, Msgr. Browne had a soft spot for the people he served and especially the less fortunate.  He once told me, if I wanted to encounter Christ, I needed to spend time at the social ministry window and mingle with the people.   

 

Soft spot!  Yes, Monsignor has one – a compassionate heart for the people he served.  

 

In today’s readings from Sirach and Matthew, we hear about the commandments, laws, rules. These commandments were and are given to us not to condemn or judge, but to help us grow in our relationship with God and one another.  Underneath these commandments, we see that God has a soft spot.  

 

When the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years.  There they were given the commandments.  But we know they were not always faithful.  They broke the covenant again and again.   Yet, God remained faithful.  God forgave them all the time because God had a soft spot for His people.  He loved them unconditionally. 

 

In today’s gospel, Jesus continues to deliver His Sermon on the Mount.  He speaks about the commandments and laws.  He says, “I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill.”  Jesus is the fulfillment of the law because in Him we experience love.  Love is truly the fulfillment of the law.  

 

Jesus goes on to say, “If your right eye is your undoing, tear it out and fling it away; it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for the whole of it to be thrown into hell.”  These very challenging words in the gospel are not meant to be taken literally.   Beneath these words we see that God has a soft spot for you and for me.   God wants to be close to us.  God wants to have that relationship with us. What Jesus is inviting us to do in the gospel is to reflect on our lives and ask, “What is inhibiting me from growing my relationship with God?” “What do I need to tear out, cut out or throw away so that I can be closer to God? Is it anger? Hardness of heart? Bad relationship?  Bad behaviors or habits?” Let go of them! 

 

Next week, we will enter the holy season of Lent.  We will be invited to enter into the desert.  Like the Israelites, we will wander and there we will encounter our God.  Lent is our yearly opportunity to come back and rediscover that God has a soft spot for us.  What a beautiful season! 

 

We are invited around the table of the Eucharist to hear Jesus say: “take and eat, this is my Body, take and drink this is the cup of my Blood.” He calls us, embraces us, feeds us, because He loves us.  

 

Does God have a soft spot?  Yes, indeed and that is for you and for me!