Be Overwhelmed by the Unfathomable Work of God

Arvisu Entrance Day 2015

by Frank D.B. Savadera, SJ

Sometime ago, I was reading this book entitled “Jesuits in Prison” which speaks about … guess what … Jesuit priests and brothers surviving and learning more about the faith more so in very difficult times and circumstances.  During World War II, the Nazis of Germany thought of priests as “the BLACK DANGER”  - priests who were considered a threat because of their influence on other prisoners.  To address this problem, the priest/brother-prisoners were rounded up and isolated in separate quarters, restricting their contact with others. 

After the war, some priests writing about such an experience thought of the set-up as A SPECIAL GIFT OF GRACE.  One even noted:  “the very isolation of the priests in their own blocks … enabled them to pray together and live in a genuine Christian fellowship … that also protected them from being swallowed up by the surrounding influence of FRUSTRATION and DESPAIR. 

In one famous German prison camp, the Jesuits even elected their superior and spiritual fathers.  They were communicating quietly of course and were mindful of how their prison guards (who can make lives for them difficult) were also monitoring their activities.   The superior would address and exhort them all secretly.  There were philosophy and theology classes, retreats, recollections and even renovations of vows … all done quietly.  Can you just imagine this?  All these kept them alive and sane.   The difficult life in prison was thus counteracted by the apparent life-sustaining spiritual bonds of community life.

Why talk about PRISON LIFE today, on ENTRANCE DAY?  I hope you won’t think of Arvisu House as a prison but instead perhaps a relative isolation and detachment from your usual preoccupations that may also mean for you hopefully … as in the case of Jesuits in prison, a SPECIAL GIFT and EXPERIENCE of GRACE.     

In the first reading today, Paul is wearing his chains.  The reading speaks about soldiers guarding him.  He was under HOUSE ARREST.   Paul was also in prison.  Yet, he was also relatively free.  He was able to receive guests and friends and even had opportunities to preach to his visitors and EVEN COMPLAIN:  I am here not because of the Romans but because of our fellow Jews who objected to my being FREE.  Much like the case of the Jesuits in prison, this experience of Paul may as well had been A SPECIAL GIFT and AN EXPERIENCE OF GRACE.  How can such an experience even be possible?  Would you like to know?

There is something about our Psalm today that may well speak to us about that SPECIAL GIFT and EXPERIENCE of GRACE.  It says: the JUST will SEE and GAZE at the FACE OF THE LORD.  How did Paul and the Jesuits in prison survive life in isolation or even find life-sustaining bonds with fellow prisoners?  I would like to believe that they had kept their GAZE on the FACE of GOD. 

Peter in the Gospel today seemed to be a bit jealous of the other disciple whom Jesus loved.  Mind you JEALOUSLY and ENVY can also be a regular occurrence in communities as ours. And Jesus tells him:  What concern is it of yours?  The important thing is that YOU ARE FOLLOWING ME … the important thing is that WE ARE ALL GAZING ON THE FACE OF GOD and following Him!  I think, we will all be doing a LOT OF GAZING on the FACE of GOD during our stay here in Arvisu.  Believe me when I say that GAZING at GOD and allowing God to even GAZE at us can be quite a powerful and moving experience.  What is envy?  What is jealously?  What is anger?  How problematic can my personal history be? You can think of your worst possible problem while staying here in Arvisu?  If we continue to continue to gaze at the face of God … I really believe that God will not afford to turn His back on us.  Do you believe this?  Believe me if I say that gazing at the face of God and allowing God to gaze at us can be a LIFE-CHANGING experience especially for us discerning to follow him.

   

Lastly, something about the last part of our Gospel today:  “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.”  TEN MONTHS here is Arvisu is such a short stay.  Time will move very fast.  Our residents here last year can attest to this.  But even with such a short time, there will be a lot of things that we can learn about ourselves and the world around us.  When I say a lot … I mean, there will be a lot …. Why do I prefer this than that?  Why I feel closer to this person than the other one?  Why do I react differently to such a situation?  You will have to be very OPEN about the world and yourself … to allow yourself to discover MORE and A LOT LOT MORE … even about things that you do not even wish to know.  Anticipate,  God will touch your heart in a very life-changing way that the WORLD will not even be enough to contain the books that will be written to describe your experience.  Be OVERWHELMED by the unfathomable work of God.    

It is a SPECIAL GIFT to be here today.  I ask you to ANTICIPATE and EXPERIENCE OF GRACE born of our CONSTANT GAZING at the FACE of God.  Cherish the 10-months of your life here.  A lot are indeed in store for you.  God’s blessing is beyond words and explaining.    Be OVERWHELMED by the unfathomable work of God.

There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.