“I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love” (Hosea 11:4) Trans RSV
On retreat last week, our Spiritual Director, Fr. Thomas shared the above quote with us and asked us to pray with it (and several others) as we moved forward in our time of silence and contemplation. When I opened my Bible to read the quote surrounded by the text I read, “I drew them with human cords, with bands of love.” (Hosea 11:4) Translation does make a difference. I would invite you to read the whole of Chapter 11 from the Prophet Hosea is a beautiful lament to love, especially for parents to their children.
When I read, “cords of compassion” and the second translation of “human cords” it reminded me of the call of mercy and love our God offers to us and how we are called to be compassion and love to one another in the human joy of relationship. All of these thoughts, prayers and memories of joy-filled love brought me back to my ordination day and the Bible quote from my holy card, “I am bound by the vows I have made, God, I will pay the debt of thanks, for you have saved my life from death.” (Ps 56:12) It sparked the grace of remembering, I am bound not by whipcords of anger and chains of frustration but by compassion and love, I am bound by a free choice to live gently within love as my bride, the Church, cares for me as I am called to care for her. It is something I too often forget in the “work” of ministry and the task of the day.
This small quote asked me to remember where the “cords of compassion” that bind me are and who are the “bands of love” filling my ministry with hope and mercy. I remember the cord of compassion offered by my first principal, Sr. Michelle, at Blessed Tekakwitha Academy in Thoreau New Mexico before my first day of teaching with the beautiful words, “Love them and you will do just fine.” This cord has led me to depths of joy I had never imagined and have bound me to serve others with care and devotion. A band is the memory of my brother priest, Fr. Caleb, standing next to me as I celebrated the funeral Mass for my younger brother Mitch. The simple prayerful presence, the courage offered bound me in graceful blessing and strengthened me to do what was unthinkable and impossible without this band of love. It is the cord and band of my fellow co-workers in the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Movement seeking to live out the compassion and love that truly bind us to our sacred vows in their marriages. It is the learning how my priesthood is united in their sacramental love and union and how in the great cord of compassion we are each enriched in our call to serve God as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. And I could go on with endless lists of these cords and bands that have enriched my priesthood and my life as a Catholic.
Ultimately it is choosing to see beyond the momentary hurts and into the lasting eternal passion of God’s gift of life and love offered with boundless blessing. It is seeking to allow the bonds of compassion and bands of love to heal the hurts and free us from the whipcords and chains of spiraling sin that offers only isolation and destruction. And this is why we all need to take time with God and with our beloved to remember how graced our lives are in unity with one another. (Please see the Marriage Encounter plug below) It is good to be silent, to reflect, to write and remember the blessings we share. I chose once more on my retreat this year to write a Litany of Thanksgiving modeled after Psalm 136 where each line ends with the words, “for His love endures forever.” This litany was filled with th vow I have made to God and to you and where cords of compassion and bands of love grow ever more gently in the service of grace.
God bless,
Fr. Mark
Lent is right around the corner and we are all called to prayer, fasting and alms-giving each year. Why not start a little early and fill each of these disciplines with the love of your spouse…Feb 9-11 are the dates….the blessings are many as the resolutions and promises of Lent will be filled with loving sacrifice and incredible grace filling you marriage with the greatness of God’s love.
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“The sanctity of married life is not something that takes place alongside of marriage, but by and through marriage. The vocation to marriage is a vocation to happiness, which comes through holiness and sanctity. Unity of two in one flesh is not something the God tolerates but something that He wills.” (Bishop Fulton Sheen)