Day 17, Friday, 5 March A Luta! The Struggle continues

 

RETREAT IN LENT 2021

Day 17, Friday, 5 March 

 A Luta! The Struggle continues

States, colleges, schools, bishops, religious orders and many more have ‘coats of arms.’ They are distinctive badges, sometimes with a motto. The origin goes back to the time when bands of soldiers adopted a standard or badge to distinguish themselves from the enemy in battle. Ignatius of Loyola used this practice to illustrate the enduring battle between good and evil. Satan had his standard and called people to follow him; Jesus had his and called people to follow him. There would be a battle, a battle which continues today.

The story of Joseph and his many-coloured coat (Genesis 37) is one such battle. Reuben makes an effort to restrain his brothers from killing Joseph who is sold into slavery instead. Joseph’s personal battle begins and his faith in God, learnt from his father Jacob, leads in time to a blessing for himself and all his brothers. It is a parable for Israel – did they understand it? I seems not.

Jesus takes up the theme in a parable of his own (Matthew 21:33-46). The vineyard is the people of God and those who are to care for this vineyard and help it bear fruit, the leaders, are more interested in enjoying the fruits than in offering them to the one who owns the vineyard. Messengers are sent to warn the leaders but they are ignored or killed. Finally, the owner sends his own son. ‘They will respect my son’, he says. They don’t. They kill him too and the whole weight of Good Friday breaks in on us on this preparatory Friday of Lent.

We are to notice this struggle within us every day. The battle continues within families, in work places, in leisure moments, in politics, in the Church – everywhere. ‘Peace be with you’, we say, but it is a deep peace which is the foundation, a hidden source of our strength to face the evil ever present. There is no peace except that peace.

We pray today for Pope Francis as he sets out for Iraq, the home of Abraham, the father of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Today it is a dangerous place with many rivalries and unresolved issues. Christians fled abroad in their thousands during the recent wars. Guns are everywhere and Covid is rampant there too. Yet Francis insists on going. He wants to bring a message of hope and consolation by his presence.