Dear Friends in Christ:
Today is our parish bazaar. I hope everyone has a great day! As we enjoy this day, I am reminded of a simple little poem by the author, Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953).
The Catholic Sun
Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!
Obviously, this is not Shakespeare, Marlowe, Keats or Shelley. Yet, there is something very true and on point with these few little verses. Belloc was a refugee immigrant from France to England, where he became a renowned and prolific writer. As his notoriety grew, he entered politics. When running for a seat in parliament, he was advised to keep his Catholic faith hidden, as there was a great deal of prejudice against Catholics. Instead, at his very first political rally, Belloc stood up, pulled his rosary from his pocket and proclaimed how important daily Mass was to him! To the astonishment of many, Belloc was not only elected but was re-elected!
Belloc’s Catholic faith influenced not only his writing and political views but sustained him during times of deep personal struggle and loss. His family fled France when he was a young boy during the Franco-Prussian War. When the family returned to France after the war, they discovered their home and village were destroyed. This led them to return to England. Later in life, his wife died at a young age and then he lost one son in WWI and another in WWII. These were major wounds to his soul. Belloc could have lived his life in anger, bitterness and despair, but he did not. While he mourned the deaths of his wife and his children, he rightly saw that God gives us joy and calls us to live life in faith, trust and hope. Belloc rightly understood that our Catholic faith is not merely a set of rules, a list of do’s and don’ts. Our Catholic faith is far greater and far richer. It is a relationship that animates, sustains and guides us in the journey of life.
These little verses capture something special and unique of our Catholic faith. They expose in a simple but profound way, who we are and what we are called to be. As Catholics, we are the followers of Jesus, who calls us to live in the light and to be children of light. Life has its struggles and sorrows, and the world is filled with tragedies, but the light of God’s love shines even in the darkness. The beauty of Christ Crucified is the power and glory of his love, silently witnessed by the empty tomb. To be a Catholic is not to deny the reality of pain and suffering, but to rejoice in hope even amid pain and suffering! Our faith enables us to see through the darkness of this world. Our Catholic faith shows us that love and laughter are gifts that flow from our relationship with God and each other. Our Catholic faith enriches us to see the presence of God in one another and the love that we share. At the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples that he desires that ‘His joy may be ours and that our joy may be complete!’ (Jn 15:11) Christ is our joy!
Today, as we gather to celebrate our parish community in “the Catholic sun” with “laughter and good red wine” (margaritas, beer, soft drinks, fajitas, hot dogs, BBQ, funnel cakes and ice cream too!) may we never forget to bless the Lord for all the good he has done for us! Benedicamus Domino!
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy