The Assisted Living Facility I work in is under a much-needed complete and total remodel. They started on the top floor, which is where our assisted living residents live, and then onto the bottom floor which is where all of the assisted living activities happen. They saved our Memory Care floor for last knowing that it would be the hardest disruption for those residents. Yesterday, their dining rooms were closed and we moved their meals to our activities room, which means that the activities team had to find alternate spaces for our stuff. Needless to say, changing familiar spaces and routines does not sit well for people with dementia and the entire staff was scrambling to put everyone at ease. The residents were upset that they couldn’t sit in their same seat at lunch like they always do and some of them vehemently rejected that the activities room was where they were to eat. It was where they do music and make puzzles and not where they have lunch. It was a struggle to serve everyone according to his or her needs. I had many one on one conversations with distraught residents that just couldn’t understand. There were even a few tears and some frustrated raising of voices. It was a scene and it broke my heart to know that my sweethearts were confused and upset.
We went on our daily walk and one of my most anxious ones, who was having the hardest time with the disruption, grabbed my hand and with each step started tightening her grip saying, “Don’t let go, please.” Walking was part of our daily routine and so she just wanted to hold onto the “familiar” with all her might. I took them for a longer walk than usual knowing that they needed the fresh air. Marilyn, with the vice grip on my hand, was an aeronautical engineer, and our building happens to be directly under the flight path to our airport. The planes fly so low that you can practically throw a water balloon and hit one. My bunched up Marilyn stopped mid-track as an airplane flew across our path and she exclaimed, “Oh isn’t it the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever seen! I love every single one of them!” And all her anxiety melted away as something normal, familiar, part of her, and that she loved sailed across her sky.
This to me covered the two descriptions of the kingdom in today’s gospel: a childlike faith and leaving the ninety-nine to find the one. Our childlike faith allows us to be wrapped up in the familiar, which is God’s ever-vigilant pursuit of our hearts through beauty, people, tender moments, and quality time. We crave these things, but grown ups tend to complicate them. Marilyn’s letting one single gorgeous airplane cross her sky and bring her peace shows the purity of her spirit. This is the kind of faith I want. I want my gorgeous airplane, my “familiar”, to be God’s whisper, God’s caress, God’s wrap around presence, and God’s dream for me. I want God’s majesty to cross my sky when I’m bunched up, anxious, worried, or overwhelmed. And when I know that “familiar” then I will be found. With each one on one conversation I had yesterday to meet my sweethearts in their upset world, the one was being pursued, and hopefully for one tender moment of eye contact, and nose-to-nose attentiveness, they felt found by love. Let the tenderness of God cross your sky today so you will be found by love. It is well with my soul.
Reading 1 DT 31:1-8
When Moses had finished speaking to all Israel, he said to them,
"I am now one hundred and twenty years old
and am no longer able to move about freely;
besides, the LORD has told me that I shall not cross this Jordan.
It is the LORD, your God, who will cross before you;
he will destroy these nations before you,
that you may supplant them.
It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the LORD promised.
The LORD will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og,
the kings of the Amorites whom he destroyed,
and with their country.
When, therefore, the LORD delivers them up to you,
you must deal with them exactly as I have ordered you.
Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them,
for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you;
he will never fail you or forsake you."
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel
said to him, "Be brave and steadfast,
for you must bring this people into the land
which the LORD swore to their fathers he would give them;
you must put them in possession of their heritage.
It is the LORD who marches before you;
he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you.
So do not fear or be dismayed."
"I am now one hundred and twenty years old
and am no longer able to move about freely;
besides, the LORD has told me that I shall not cross this Jordan.
It is the LORD, your God, who will cross before you;
he will destroy these nations before you,
that you may supplant them.
It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the LORD promised.
The LORD will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og,
the kings of the Amorites whom he destroyed,
and with their country.
When, therefore, the LORD delivers them up to you,
you must deal with them exactly as I have ordered you.
Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them,
for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you;
he will never fail you or forsake you."
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel
said to him, "Be brave and steadfast,
for you must bring this people into the land
which the LORD swore to their fathers he would give them;
you must put them in possession of their heritage.
It is the LORD who marches before you;
he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you.
So do not fear or be dismayed."
Responsorial Psalm DEUTERONOMY 32:3-4AB, 7, 8, 9 AND 12
R.(9a) The portion of the Lord is his people.
For I will sing the LORD's renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock–how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
Think back on the days of old,
reflect on the years of age upon age.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
ask your elders and they will tell you.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,
when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the sons of Israel.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
While the LORD's own portion was Jacob,
his hereditary share was Israel.
The LORD alone was their leader,
no strange god was with him.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
For I will sing the LORD's renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock–how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
Think back on the days of old,
reflect on the years of age upon age.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
ask your elders and they will tell you.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,
when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the sons of Israel.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
While the LORD's own portion was Jacob,
his hereditary share was Israel.
The LORD alone was their leader,
no strange god was with him.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
Alleluia MT 11:29AB
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost."
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