Love can unearth the rejected soul

By Mary Regina Morrell
©Catholic Online 2005

"Dear to us are those who love us... but dearer are those who reject us as unworthy, for they add another life; they build a heaven before us whereof we had not dreamed, and thereby supply to us new powers out of the recesses of the spirit, and urge us to new and un-attempted performances." Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I was young I developed a fascination for archeology.

I'm sure it had much to do with my father's library of books which included a large number of volumes on ancient ruins.

Nothing fascinated me more than the prospect of unearthing the buried treasure of a forgotten or unknown civilization!

But as life would have it, I moved in a different direction.

As a mother of six sons the most unusual thing I would unearth would be my cutlery in the flower boxes or Matchbox cars in a Jell-O mold.

However, my fascination with things old never left me and, so, some of my favorite jaunts are to antique stores -not the upscale kind, of course, but the ones that advertise "trash and treasure."

During one of my trips to just such a place in Pennsylvania, I discovered a very old and worn copy of a painting of the Holy Family. The baby Jesus is resting in a wicker basket, his arms outstretched to Mary who is leaning over him, gazing upon him lovingly.

Because we know Mary as the devoted mother she was, we know that this child who reaches out in trust will find a mother who responds in surrender to the need.

But what would have happened if Mary had rejected Christ when he extended his arms to her or flew to her with some need?

If she had at any time rejected him, would Jesus have had the powerful sense of self, sense of value, which enabled him to embrace his cross? Would he have possessed the strength to allow himself to be vulnerable or the courage to stay the course? Would he have loved with the fullness of Divine love? How would he have dealt with the powerful rejections in his adulthood, most especially the rejection of those he loved most, like Peter who denied even knowing him?

Mother Teresa, who saw the face of rejection daily, wrote poignantly of the power of rejection to wound the human heart and soul: "Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection."

Mother Teresa was not an archaeologist per se, but, like so many in ministry, she spent her time unearthing the greatest of all treasures - the human person. For her, the divine child was often buried in a body covered by abscesses or so malnourished that they appeared as a skeleton with a mere painting of skin.

For us who minister in a culture of abundance, we often find ourselves digging away at layers of emotional wounds and the poverty of spirit that comes with feeling rejected and subsequently believing oneself unlovable.

In a way, I suppose, God has made it possible for me to live my childhood dream because God has given me many opportunities to uncover the treasure that lies buried in so many human hearts.

It is a joy to uncover such an ancient and divine gift, but it carries with it a great responsibility and the need for one special tool - love.

How fortunate we are to have Mary, the great nurturer of Love, to show us how.

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562.1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

love, archaeologist, soul, treasure, rejection

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »