24 July 2020
Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest
Today I’ll cut through the many images Jeremiah likes to shower about and try to center in on what seems to be his main point in today’s first reading. It is the end of time; when Christ will come to establish the heavenly Jerusalem. It will be when sin is conquered; when heavenly masks will not be de rigueur and social distancing will be dépassé. His message is an invitation for me to grow in hope; to reflect on how I can put into effect my present vocation, a missionary called to participate in Christ’s salvation for our passing world today.
It is a time too to thank God for the advantages of living in this country, despite the challenges the coronavirus epidemic has engendered. To assist me in this effort I shall have recourse to St. Sharbel Makhluk, whose feast we celebrate today.
St. Sharbel was a native of Lebanon, a reminder of how my Christian brothers and sisters in the Near East bear hardships today for their faith, much greater than those I’ll ever meet.
Through his intercession I shall ask the Lord to give them a special promise of what Jeremiah has seen will be the blessing of those who remain faithful to our Redeemer, who will come one day to establish the heavenly Jerusalem.