Riccardo to Me

 

I just listened to Episode 151, Fr. John Riccardo’s Ash Wednesday podcast (Thoughts from the Trailer with Fr. John Riccardo).  He said Lent is a time for refining who we are, to grow to in the image of Jesus.  He spoke that he once heard that a goldsmith knows it is time to take the iron our of the fire when all he sees is gold, “all the dross is removed”.  “Ouch,” Fr. John said, “I know I have a lot of dross.”

 These last few days, I’ve been visiting my doctor, initially to help remove a wax buildup in my ears.  But after treatment, he noted that a spot of wax remained on my right eardrum.  So, he did the treatment again (Ouch that hurt).  He noted that a little bleeding began in my ear, and put a treatment on it and said all would be okay.  It was simple.

Only it wasn’t.  That last treatment didn’t stop the bleeding, and so the next day I went to him again, noting I could not hear in that ear.  A further treatment, and he assured me all was well, but my ear remained totally blocked (who knows why: wax or blood or treatment stuff or ---).

Did you know that suddenly hearing from only one ear confuses your brain?  My phone rang and, hearing it in my good left ear, I reached to answer it, but to my surprise it wasn’t there on my left.  I looked and saw it there to my right.  At mass this morning the music seemed way too loud, and yet I could hear the woman in front of me make a little sniffle.

Back to the doctor again. He saw some of the last “fix” had dried and was on the eardrum, so he removed that noting “well now there’s a tiny bit of blood, but we’ll fix that.”  And three hours later, I still don’t hear in that ear.  The doctor’s office just called and said that they’d sent a prescription for me to the local pharmacy.  When I was in the doctor’s office this last visit, I had told him and his admin that this was the last time this week, no matter what.  I’d let my ear heal for a few days --- and perhaps get used to hearing in only one ear.

A bible study friend of mine is totally blind, as is Andrea Bocelli.  My friend is seeking to start a ministry for the homeless, and Bocelli is probably the best tenor singer in the whole world.  I just listened to a Bocelli DVD last week.  He sang so beautifully and movingly, as Pope John Paul II’s life and death and burial filled the screen. The ending made me cry with its beauty.

That’s what Fr. Riccardo was also reminding us with his Lenten meditation.  Now is a time to focus on our dross, to make ourselves better, even if it is painful, and to live our lives as best we can, as are my blind friend and Bocelli --- and perhaps me with only one good ear.  And the reason for our accepting that imperfect reality?  Look ahead; the Resurrection, Easter and a new glorious life are coming our way.  Fr. Riccardo’s talk was a great reminder of why we accept and even welcome pain. And if we have been avoiding it, Lent is a good time to start the hard journey, whether it is accepting pain, or accepting the painful circumstances of our family, friends, church or the world.

As a priest said at mass, give up complaining, give up worry or gloom and discouragement.  Resolve this Lent to change our hearts, to focus on gratitude, blessings, and the beauty of creation all around us.  That’s accepting our pains, with a grateful eye to our coming Easter Resurrection, and joy forevermore.  

And outside my kitchen, I just heard thunder.  Rain is coming instead of the heavy snow and ice we’d been having.  Only I’m about to go out in that rain to deliver groceries.  Thank you God for all your creation, even the rain and cold, as I go out to serve You.