Longing for a Joy That Is Complete
“Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink.
Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be
complete.” (2 John 12)
The church has faced pandemics throughout the centuries. But we’ve never had the ability to move certain aspects of corporate worship online. Mater Dei is streaming Masses on TV, Facebook, YouTube, and its own website.
When I watch, it’s always bittersweet.
I THANK YOU, LORD
We can be grateful for the church's opportunity to use today’s technology. After all, why should the Enemy’s voice be the only one on TV or online? Pope St. John Paul II explained that technology can help us reach more people. It is being used by the Lord in ways that we are still only beginning to understand. Lives are being changed forever as a result of Christian blog posts. Many sheep are being delivered from the deceitfulness of our culture’s worldview and values. Millions more are being built up in their faith throughout the week, thanks to so many online resources accessible with a simple click.
By God’s grace, the Light of the World is still shining in the darkness, and his Gospel is shared and Masses are broadcast on television, computer, and smartphone screens.
BUT HOW LONG, O LORD?
We can be grateful for all this, but there’s a painful and tangible loss. Most obviously we can’t receive our Lord physically. But also some are saying that they are feeling a temptation to like it the way it is. There’s no packing the family into the car, no trek to church, and one can get a cup of coffee as soon as Mass is over—or even during.
Yet this is not our Lord’s normative design for His church. There’s something deeply lacking in it.
The Apostle John understood this. He was referring to the technology of his day when he wrote:
Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use papyrus
and ink. Instead I hope to visit you and to speak face to face, so that
our joy may be complete. (2 John 12)
St. John would much rather have gathered with these Christians in person, and shared the holy Mass with them together. At its best, the“ online church” is inferior. At its worst, it’s a contradiction in terms.
So I long for tomorrow.
I long, not simply for the day when our churches can safely reopen for all of us. But I especially long for the eternal day when our joy truly will be complete and we will hear God’s words from His own lips.
These days of “attending Mass” online are truly bittersweet. But there will come a day without end, in which we will dwell bodily, together with our Lord. Let us rejoice and be glad. Let us long for tomorrow, for the day when our joy truly will be complete, and we will hear Him speaking to us personally with love unimaginable.
Fred thank you for discussing this topic.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the ease of being home while praising the Lord but my heart aches to BE with the Lord and to receive Him at His and our true home, the Church.
The stay at home mandate is not the only thing that keeps me from the Church right now. I fear that I may contract the virus and potentially could spread it to my loved ones. But my heart aches to rejoin the fellowship and receive the gift of the Holy Eucharist, which we are so blessed to receive this sacrament.
I believe the Lord gives us what we need when we need it. Fortunately, we have the capability to have online masses as oppose to no connection with our churches, priest and other brothers and sisters in Christ. So for now I will make due with what we have and continue to learn through Scripture, prayer, worship and even blogs to help me contemplate my spiritual growth and path.
Once again thank you Fred.
"And do not forget that your life does not belong to you, but is a gift with which you must bring joy to others and lead them to Eternal Life" BVM