22 May, Wednesday — Impermanence

May 22 – Memorial for St. Rita of Cascia, Religious

St. Rita (1386-1457) was the daughter of Antonio and Amata Lotti, a couple known as the Peacemakers of Jesus; they had Rita late in life. From her early youth, Rita visited the Augustinian nuns at Cascia, Italy, and showed interest in a religious life. However, when she was 12, her parents betrothed her to Paolo Mancini, an ill-tempered, abusive individual who worked as town watchman, and who was dragged into the political disputes of the Guelphs and Ghibellines. Disappointed but obedient, Rita married him when she was 18, and was the mother of twin sons. She put up with Paolo’s abuses for 18 years before he was ambushed and stabbed to death. Her sons swore vengeance on the killers of their father, but through the prayers and interventions of Rita, they forgave the offenders.

Upon the deaths of her sons, Rita again felt the call to religious life. However, some of the sisters at the Augustinian monastery were relatives of her husband’s murderers, and she was denied entry for fear of causing dissension. Asking for the intervention of St. John the Baptist, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Nicholas of Tolentino, she managed to bring the warring factions together, not completely, but sufficiently that there was peace, and she was admitted to the monastery of St. Mary Magdalen at age 36.

Rita lived 40 years in the convent, spending her time in prayer and charity, and working for peace in the region. She was devoted to the Passion, and in response to a prayer to suffer as Christ, she received a chronic head wound that appeared to have been caused by a crown of thorns, and which bled for 15 years.

She was confined to her bed the last four years of her life, eating little more than the Eucharist, teaching and directing the younger sisters. Near the end, she had a visitor from her home town who asked if she’d like anything. Rita’s only request was a rose from her family’s estate. The visitor went to the home, but it being January, knew there was no hope of finding a flower; there, sprouted on an otherwise bare bush, was a single rose blossom.

Among the other areas, Rita is well-known as a patron of desperate, seemingly impossible causes and situations. This is because she has been involved in so many stages of life – wife, mother, widow, and nun, she buried her family, helped bring peace to her city, saw her dreams denied and fulfilled – and never lost her faith in God, or her desire to be with Him.

• Patron Saint Index

Jas 4:13-17
Mk 9:38-40

You never know what will happen tomorrow; you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears

Last week, I read in the news about the tragic event of a falling tree in one of the busiest stretches of Kuala Lumpur, which caused considerable damage and claimed the life of one person. A tree falling over in a storm might seem like a normal thing, you might say. But for some reason, I took a very different view of this incident. To begin with, the victim was not very much older than me. My first thought was here was this man, probably driving to a meeting, wondering what was at home for dinner that night. Perhaps he had a family, children he would be picking up later that day from school. Perhaps he was planning to take them out over the weekend to surprise them. Normal thoughts as one is sat in the car, stuck in the jam and rain. Then suddenly… nothing. Life stops. And like James says in today’s reading, life was snuffed out like a puff of smoke.

As I grow older, I am more aware of my mortality. I feel like there is so much yet to be accomplished in such a short time, I wonder about a legacy for my children. I have had friends with young children who have passed away, friends who were seemingly healthy one moment and gone the next. It drove home the message that life is not permanent, our existence here on earth is not permanent. It made me stop to look at life and ask what my purpose is while I am here. What have I contributed, and what will I leave behind when I go? Will my existence be so irrelevant that I might as well not have existed?

But today’s reading is not about what I can do in this life that I have been given. No, today’s reading is about what God can do with this life He has given us. Life – it is such a gift that we sometimes take for granted, until we are about to lose it. The very breath that we take is not possible unless God commands it so. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but God establishes his steps”. He has made us fearfully wonderful to go forth and give glory to Him in all that we do in this one life that we have. It reminds me that I am merely a caretaker of my life; God determines its design.

So perhaps on reflection, I have been going about this the wrong way. I worry about the details too incessantly. God has already sorted that out. I should focus instead on the bigger picture — doing His will. Walking the path He has determined for me. No need to fear, for He has “plans for me, plans to prosper me and not harm me, plans to give me hope and a future”.

I am learning to let go of the things that cause me endless worry, trusting more in God to provide. I am learning to make the most of the time I have, imparting as much as I can to my children, creating memories for and with them. I am learning not to underestimate the power in the little things – a smile, a kind word, five minutes to listen. We will be remembered for these little things, and it is in these things that I know will be pleasing to God.

Our lives may be like puffs of smoke. But there is a difference between the acrid smell of smoke, or the pleasing fragrance of incense. In this one life, choose which you would rather be.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Annette Soo)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are the Giver of Life. You have formulated our path, seen our future. We cannot do anything apart from You. Help us to make the right decisions to get there. Help us Father, to do the right things by You, to walk this path and not fear, but trust, for You are with us.

Thanksgiving: Father, we thank you for this one life that we have. May we take good care of it and do it justice.