Readings: Revelation 14:14-19; Psalm 96; Luke 21:5-11
In my own experience, in these 8 months of pandemic, and in the experiences of many people I meet, I have noticed that a lot of people are feeling distant from God. Yes, some try to couch it in saying things like, “Well, I do watch the Mass on TV and online.” “I am still praying”, “I still have a spiritual life,” etc. But they are quick to add, “But it is not the same,” though often we cannot put our finger on it. Our faith is being tried. Why this feeling that something in us is missing? Because one of the most important ways we experience God is in relationships with others. And that is largely missing as we rightly strive to remain physically distant in order to keep each other safe from the virus. We need each other, we affect one another. So many of the holy places and holy relationships we used to have in our daily lives are not as accessible in the ways we were accustomed to. This significant is in need of some reflection.
In praying today with St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his martyred companions of Vietnam, I cannot help but find hope in their story. They were persecuted for their faith. Vietnam in the 17th - 19th centuries was not welcoming of the Catholic religion and hundreds of thousands died because of their faith. But hundreds of thousands of people also found ways to practice and share their faith, and grow in faithfulness despite being threatened and persecuted. Their faith was stronger than their fear. So the faith grew in successive generations. At St. Anne we are proud to have a Vietnamese faith community sharing our Church and the vey same faith that binds us all together.
In the Gospel today, Jesus warns us against deception and fear. There is much in this world that causes fear, and this is where Jesus meets us. He asks us not to be afraid, but to live in faith, certainly easier said than done. When we look at the lives of St. Andrew Dung-Lac and the martyrs of Vietnam, how can we not have hope that we, too, can live in faith rather than fear - in faith that God still meets us in our daily lives, even if, in these days, we have to look with fresh eyes and hearts for new ways in which to find him.