Possessed . . . By Joy

by Lucy Strohl OPA ~ February 4, 2008

Feast of St. Catherine de Ricci,OP

Mark 5:1-20

 

‘Listen to your life.  See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.  In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, and smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace.’

I was reminded of these words of Frederick Buechner's as I read from Mark's Gospel.  Jesus and the disciples reached an area where there were caves in limestone rock.  Many were used as tombs.  Out of the tombs came a demon- possessed man.  Evil spirits, so the people believed, dwelt in desolate spots among the tombs.  We can get caught up in the drama of the scene or we can look a little further. Can the man in the scriptures help us see what binds us? How do we listen to our lives?  What person or thoughts shackle us?  Sometimes I'm not even aware that I let the need to control a situation chain me down.  What do we allow to possess us or claim our attention a lot of the time?  Gratitude?  To-do lists?  Old shoulds and should not’s?  Or do we truly LIVE in the heart of THIS moment here?  We don't have to look far to see what shackles or frees our spirits.  Catching sight of Jesus, like the possessed man and the townspeople did, what do we seek from Jesus today?

We look to our Dominican sister, Catherine de Ricci, whose feast we celebrate, as we continue to ask.  Many times she was seen as unbalanced, a bit crazy-- due to her profound mystical experiences.  Often discouraged  and misunderstood, she was described as dull, faithless and disobedient.  Catherine's source of strength was Jesus and his passion.  She bore the stigmata and had almost constant pain, yet she accepted everything patiently.  Catherine may seem unapproachable; but that is far from the truth.  Jesus told her she would suffer much.  But he reassured her he would always be with her.  When her sisters wanted to send her away, Catherine stormed heaven with prayer.  Finally she was accepted.  As prioress of her community for 36 years, she was a gifted administrator.  Catherine had a rare knowledge of human nature.  For those wanting to do extreme fasting she would send a basket of food with a note saying... we must not try to die, but to LIVE and do good-- to give glory to God.  Catherine lived unfettered from within, free in spirit, truth and love--in the midst of daily misunderstanding and pain.  She came to be known as a down-to-earth, common sense woman.  She treated everyone with the same tenderness and mercy she learned from the outstretched hands of Jesus on the cross.  Intimacy with Jesus and his suffering gave Catherine energy.  She truly was possessed by an uncommon serenity for living joyfully --in the midst of pain and uncertainty. What do we seek from Jesus and our sister Catherine de Ricci? We give thanks for Sisters Mary Eleanor Penka and Henrietta Schneweis . We ask that they now touch  the hidden and holy heart of life eternal in God.  We seek healing for the times we've not listened  attentively within and recognized key moments of grace. We pray that the free and unchained spirit of Catherine de Ricci challenge us to really LIVE this day with JOY, giving glory to God!