The art of living and dying

1 corinthians 15:12-20; Psalm 17 Lord when your glory appears my joy will be full; Lk 8:1-3

This is probably one of my most favorite gospels to meditate on. We have JEsus on the move, doing what JEsus comes to do, healing, preaching, proclaiming, from town to town he goes.

HE is not alone. He has companions for the journey,the twelce plus some women who had been cured of evil spirits and informities.

JEsus doesn't travel alone, he allows people to come along for the journey. The people that follow him have been touched by him,affected by his presence, renewed, rejuvenated, filled with hope for life.

This is often the case for many who proclaim the kingdom of God. There will be a contagious attrcation about them. Holiness attracts. Holiness is attractive not for its own sake but it reveals the power of the kingdom living within the osul who has surrendered to God. The kingdom of God is like a magnet, its force is immeasurable.

Secondly, this force doesn't just attract people of same circles. It is not a force that creates clicks or groups that are limiting in who they allow to partake of such a reality.

Look at the women for a change who accampany JEsus.
Could you think of any more diverse group of people?

You have Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons cast out from her. Imagine what kind of dark and distroted lived she lived before her encoutner with Christ. Imagine what she dabbled in that availed herself to possession by demons.

Then we have Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza. Here we encounter a lady of the court. She was the wife of HErod's financial officer, the one who was in charge of the money. She was probably well accustomed to the finer things in life. Everyone probably wanted to be her friend, get close to her. Knowing her and getting into her confidence availed them a little closer to the money man. When she walked into the room everyone paused and took notice. She was use to the lime light, to the riches, to the fame...lifestyle of the rich and famous was her lot.

Then we encounter Susanna. Not much is known about Susanna. She was more or less that lady that would get lost in the shuffle. No one paid any great attention to her. She was lost among the shadows. The fact thay we know her name suggest that she was generally well liked though no one held her in high esteem.

So who would imagine these three ladies would be seen togther. Only the drawing power of Christ breaks down barriers, stereotypes, divides and creates a space for all, regardless of their diversity and differences. Jesus comes to unite and to intill and the human heart that drive to look beyond the superficial.

The women allowed Christ to be Christ and were willing to focus their attention not on themselves but on Christ, making his message known and felt. They realized that what they had in common was far greater than what separted them, love that christ had for each was a bond that united them all as one in service of that love.

Today we also celebrate the feast of St. Robert Bellarmine
St. Robert Bellarmine was a bishop in the church around the 16th century. He was active during the time of the reformation and thus devoted his time to teaching the faith and helping people understand the beauty of the church.

One of his writings entitled, "The Art of Dying well" he gives a commentary on the life of the "Good Thief", the one who was crucified alongside JEsus. Of him he says,

"For burning with love for God, he openly defended Christ from the calumnies of the wicked; and burning equally with love for neighbor, he admonished and corrected his own blaspheming companion and tried to recall him to a better life as is seen in his words "do you not even fear God, seeing that you are under the same sentence? And we indeed justly, for we are recieving what our deeds deserve; but this man has done nothing wrong and then he cried, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

In the good thief we are to recognize clearly our task at hand, to love God above all and to love our neighbor as ourselves and thus we shall live and in living well, we shall die well.

EVen at the cross, In JEsus most intimate embrace of death, he not only created space for his mother, the other Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, the beloved disicple, but also the good thief.

Out of diversity comes a single heartedness dedicated to the love of God and neighbor.