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The Sacraments of Hospitality ˜ 233
Even in all this adversity, my friend’s spirit was in good health. He told me
that he rarely experiences joy, that he never prays for it. But he knows peace and
always asks God to give him a peaceful heart.
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Another verse of “O Sacred Head” goes like this:
What language shall I borrow
To thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end
Oh, make me thine forever,
And, should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
Outlive my love for thee.
I suspect that I would not be able to sing the third line of this verse either,
“Oh, make me thine forever.” I am fainting.
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Words fail me. I do not know what language to borrow. When will the violence
end If the sacred head was wounded two thousand years ago because of
our sins, why do we continue to see beaten heads, weighed down with grief and
shame
Have we outlived love Never. Never. Love never gives up. Why is a young,
strong man living on the streets without a home when we slip on the ice and
snow and the radio reports it is nine degrees Where is our love for our sisters
and brothers Where is our love for Jesus Why are people condemned to die
when we all know that Jesus has already died to atone for our sins Where is our
love for Jesus
During Lent we participate in a penitential season when we remember
Jesus’ suffering and death. As we remember the Passion story, we must remember
our own part in that bitter passion. When we have not given a home to a
homeless sister or brother, we have caused Jesus to be homeless. When we have
passed by an injured person, we have passed by Jesus. When we have not fed the
hungry, we have let Jesus go away hungry. When we have not visited the prisoner,
we have missed the opportunity to be with Jesus. When the state has executed
people in our names, we have executed Jesus. As we reflect during this
penitential season on our part in Jesus’ suffering and death, we must come to re-