Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,
We can incorrectly suppose that Jesus was unsusceptible to normal human emotions, especially ones we consider negative emotions. The truth is that Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions, from joy and love to anger and grief. In this Sunday’s second reading, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes, “[Jesus] offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death.” In the the gospel, as Jesus was on the verge of entering into his Passion, he discloses to those with him, “I am troubled now.”
It is a common misperception about human nature that the more mature and perfect we become, the more immune we are from emotions. In this view, emotions are considered something to be overcome, ignored or quelled. The truth is that God created all parts of our humanity as good, including our emotional life. Our goal is not to stoically overcome our emotions, but to integrate them into human nature to aid our reason and will.
In these last weeks of Lent, I encourage you to meditate on the “trouble” that the Lord experienced as he confronted his Passion, the anxiety that led to him sweating blood in the garden, his tears and loud cries from the cross, the pain of his feeling of abandonment. This mediation, which takes seriously Christ’s humanity, fosters a deep loving connection with Jesus and opens up a space for him to be with us in our own living out of the Passion.
Many thanks to Fr. Emilio Biosca and the Capuchin Franciscans Friars from the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in D.C. for leading us in our parish mission this past week! The young friars’ zeal and joy were contagious and a great source of spiritual nourishment to our parish.
Lastly, thanks to your generosity on Giving Tuesday in November, the parish office has installed central air and replaced our old windows. A huge thank you to our talented and generous parishioners who have completed the work for us, especially Rivera’s Painting, LLC. We are officially ready for the summer!
In Christ,
Fr. Dave
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