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Lectionary reading: The NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME - October 11, 2009 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." CURRENCY OF THE REALM by Larry Patten I believe Jesus spoke of at least two distinctive events when he talked of God’s realm. The first was after our death: eternal life. But the second event will be within the next moment and relationship. The “realm of God” is where what is said or done reveals the way, or steals from the way, God longs for us to be in community. When I was a hospice chaplain, I witnessed both understandings. The hope of life after death; the hope of life now. I think she knew money was valuable and I seemed like an okay guy and why not give me something worthwhile? She was young enough to know money had value and use, but not so old as to hoard or flaunt it. If it’s good, give it away! Remember how you felt when you were hurt by the words of another and they came to you and honestly apologized and asked for your forgiveness? In that moment, as you gave forgiveness, you helped fulfill the Holy’s desire. It is the selfish becoming the selfless, the stranger greeted as neighbor, hate transformed by acts of mercy, a peaceful person boldly becoming peacemaker. Living in and for the realm of God’s love is becoming child-like. This I learned again (for I am hard-headed) from one of my patients. She was, according to hospice medicalese, “alert and oriented.” Though her body was under assault from a failing heart and cancer, she happily shared her personal history and hoped-for future activities. And yet she remained realistic. She knew some of the future plans might not happen. But all of them involved people and there wasn’t any doubt anticipating a high school graduation or family reunion mattered. While the patient and I talked, her five-year old great-grandchild dashed from one room to another. Suddenly, with a blue, irregularly shaped object clutched in her hand, the child plopped at my feet and announced she must give me money. Well! As our adult-talk continued, I noticed the great-grandchild was carefully prying off the bottom of the blue possession. Now I saw what it was. After a few moments, out came money from her piggy bank. She handed coins to me. I thanked her and told her it would be better if she kept it. Solemnly, she agreed. Next she whispered, “How 'bout some quarters?” With the selected coins cradled in her palm, she reached toward me. I also took those, again thanked her, and returned them. I knew her tricks. I’ve used ‘em myself. This pint-sized person wanted my attention. But I believe there’s more. I think she knew money was valuable and I seemed like an okay guy and why not give me something worthwhile? She was young enough to know money had value and use, but not so old as to hoard or flaunt it. If it’s good, give it away! When we are around others, what else is there but to give ourselves away? To share our best gifts . . . not money as such, but the currency of the realm of God’s love. Of time, compassion, hope, and peace. Are those easy to share? No. Too many of us act like adults. We hoard. We withdraw. We evaluate. We compare. To use blatantly Biblical language, we claim to seek the “eye of the needle” and then complain it’s not quite large enough for us to get through. Or it’s too large . . . because we always have so much to prove. The great-grandchild scampered away, perhaps to give coins to someone else in the house. The patient said, as I prepared to leave, that she was so thankful for hospice, for all the people helping her. I held her hand, and we prayed, and I knew the currency of God’s love had been shared. Child-like, we knew what was valuable. Once strangers, we were neighbors. Will death come? Of course. But now, here, life. in Peace, Larry Patten
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