"ZO" MOURNING

“zo” mouRNING

 

“Now all this happened in order to make come true what the Lord had said through the prophet.” – Matthew 1:22

 

One of my favorite NBA players is Alonzo “Zo” Mourning. He plays center for the Miami Heat. He was averaging at least 20 points and four blocks per game at the peak of his career. His consistent performance also earned him numerous awards and made him part of the US Dream Team that competed in the Olympics.

But in the 2000-01 season, he was diagnosed with a kidney ailment. This forced him to skip a couple of NBA seasons for his transplant and recovery. Because of this he got more involved with cause-oriented activities like serving as spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation to spread awareness about the disease, founding programs to benefit kids and donating $100 per blocked shot to the Children’s Home Society and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and many others. I think the trial of his life eventually made him a better person. By the way, he returned to the NBA after a one-year break and got his first NBA championship ring in 2006.

Sometimes things don’t turn out as we want them to. God allows them to happen so that we may grow more as a person.Alvin Fabella

 

REFLECTION:

When trial comes, do you complain or proclaim God’s glory?

 

Lord, please help me recognize Your divine presence in the trials I face. May I use the trials as springboards to show others Your love and glory.

 

JOseph — A Just mAn

 

Unfaithfulness and unwanted pregnancies are unfortunately very common today and often lead to the most terrible crime: abortion. It was different in Joseph’s time. The unfaithful woman was punished either by shaming her publicly and stoning her to death or by sending her away quietly which also would dishonor her for the rest of her life. And Joseph could not help but think that his fiancée had been unfaithful, for he knew only too well that he had not been intimate with her. He was obviously in a dilemma – which of the two actions should he take?

“Being a just man…” Matthew writes. What is a “just” person? A just person is one who tries to imitate God’s justice. And God’s justice is always an act of mercy! When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God did not kill them. After Cain killed his brother, God did not condemn him to death. We have to do away with the image of a cruel God of justice. He is just but more than just he is merciful. Joseph learned this and so deals mercifully in his dilemma. He chose the solution most beneficial to his fiancée.

In a few days we will celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus our Savior. If He had exercised only cold justice, we would never have been saved. It was the mercy of God that sent Jesus into the world, not to punish but to save.

We are often tempted to condemn people who wrong us, who hurt us, who do us injustice. A natural reaction is to hit back. St. Joseph, following the example of God, shows us another way out of such a dilemma: practice mercy instead of harshness. With that, something beautiful can come out of the unpleasant situation, as Joseph’s action shows. We talk a lot, but do we pattern our actions after those of our loving God? “Actions speak louder than words,” we say. May the example of St. Joseph help us to practice this. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

Reflection Question:

Do I tend to judge other people and cry for cold justice and punishment? How can I develop a more merciful attitude, learned from God and from St. Joseph?

 

Lord, thank You for always showing mercy towards me, a sinner. Without Your mercy I would not be able to live. Help me to be also more merciful towards my fellowmen, especially when they hurt me and I think only of cold justice.

 

St. Gatian, Bishop, pray for us.