Mama and Papa Canadian geese looking for junior's breakfast Yesterday was Earth Day, and the day before that was Easter, and today is Easter too. In fact, the entire Easter Octave is "one day." The Octave represents eight days in our time but gives us a foretaste of the Endless Day in the life of the world to come. Every day this week we say Haec dies quam fecit Dominus; exultemus et laetemur in ea!Haec dies quam fecit Dominus; exultemus et laetemur in ea: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it".
I usually spend a few days after Easter Sunday with a few close priest friends, in community. One or another of our many kind parishioners lets us camp out in a vacation home for a few days, and this morning I woke up to birdsong and ocean waves. After washing up I went downstairs to read over the day's Gospel, which on Tuesday of the Octave tells of Mary Magdalene weeping at Christ's tomb. "Woman, why are you weeping?" the angel asks. A minute later Jesus asks the same thing, and to both Mary replies "They have taken my Lord...."
I usually spend a few days after Easter Sunday with a few close priest friends, in community. One or another of our many kind parishioners lets us camp out in a vacation home for a few days, and this morning I woke up to birdsong and ocean waves. After washing up I went downstairs to read over the day's Gospel, which on Tuesday of the Octave tells of Mary Magdalene weeping at Christ's tomb. "Woman, why are you weeping?" the angel asks. A minute later Jesus asks the same thing, and to both Mary replies "They have taken my Lord...."
Junior Canadian goose Jesus speaks her name, "Mary," and she clings to him. He pushes her back with the famous words noli me tangere.... "Don't touch me.....yet." The Lord certainly does not forbid us to touch him--he has actually commanded us to eat his flesh and blood at least once a week. But to Mary Magdalene on Easter morning he says "stop holding me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." There is a time for embraces, and a time to pull back from embracing. God often keeps us at a distance. He hides from us much of the time. Why?
As I thought about this Gospel, I heard a ruckus outside the window. A male Canadian goose was pursuing a female, aiming his lowered head at her while she adroitly sidestepped his advances. But she did not fly away. She wanted what he was clumsily offering, but ... not yet. There was a courtship dance to be engaged before love could be consummated. Nearby two other Canadian geese with their fuzzy little chick looked indulgently at this ritual, which they no doubt had undergone a few weeks previous.
Love is delicate. Men are not naturally delicate, and women are not much better. God must teach us the delicate art of love. As a recent movie (The Dating Project) pointed out, the "hookup" culture has largely replaced the art of lovemaking. In a marketing-generated mentality of "owning it, now," we imagine we can control love, much as we imagine we can control human life (we call that "birth control"). But in fact love, and new life, is a gift to be received, not a product to be purchased.
Canadian geese know this. Jesus taught Mary Magdalene patience, to wait for love rather than grasping for it. Love taken by force is never very satisfying. The beloved must be pursued, yes, but never "taken." Love, and the life it naturally generates, are much better received as a gift than "owned."
As I thought about this Gospel, I heard a ruckus outside the window. A male Canadian goose was pursuing a female, aiming his lowered head at her while she adroitly sidestepped his advances. But she did not fly away. She wanted what he was clumsily offering, but ... not yet. There was a courtship dance to be engaged before love could be consummated. Nearby two other Canadian geese with their fuzzy little chick looked indulgently at this ritual, which they no doubt had undergone a few weeks previous.
Love is delicate. Men are not naturally delicate, and women are not much better. God must teach us the delicate art of love. As a recent movie (The Dating Project) pointed out, the "hookup" culture has largely replaced the art of lovemaking. In a marketing-generated mentality of "owning it, now," we imagine we can control love, much as we imagine we can control human life (we call that "birth control"). But in fact love, and new life, is a gift to be received, not a product to be purchased.
Canadian geese know this. Jesus taught Mary Magdalene patience, to wait for love rather than grasping for it. Love taken by force is never very satisfying. The beloved must be pursued, yes, but never "taken." Love, and the life it naturally generates, are much better received as a gift than "owned."
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