Going from Gospel to life & life to Gospel

 

We have a guest blogger today. Arlene B. Muller (Arlene Clare Muller, OFS) is a lector and EM at St. Pancras Church in Glendale, NY, a singer in the choir at St. Margaret's Church in Middle Village, NY, a professed Secular Franciscan & Formation Director at St. Adalbert's Secular Franciscan fraternity in Elmhurst, NY & an itinerant speech/language therapist who works with preschool children with delayed language development. In addition to her ministries & work she seeks to promote the GOSPEL & the GOSPEL OF LIFE, especially in writing & frequently on FACEBOOK.

I am dealing with an unexpected spiral of medical issues. A little white spot on my gum below one of my lower teeth detected in July by the dental hygienist & dentist during a routine semiannual dental exam turns out to be squamous cell carcinoma in situ, one step before cancer, that requires removing teeth, scraping my gums & some bone underneath, a skin graft, temporary dentures & recovery time of several weeks. 

Heart symptoms related to stress about a mix-up concerning medical clearance led to a CAT SCAN with contrasts of my heart that shows some coronary artery disease that needs to be investigated via an angiogram in order to determine if it is safe for me to have the surgery which requires general anesthesia. One little thing leading to another & then another and... that requires my consent to a situation out of my control, which is scary. 

Of course, I need to remember that although this feels like it's spiraling out of my control (and I like to be in control), GOD is still in control & present with me & working this out for my good & His glory & to be grateful that problems are being detected early, hopefully to keep me alive & fruitful for years to come!

I am reflecting on how saying YES to becoming the Mother of Our LORD led Our Lady (& also St. Joseph) to some unexpected situations spiraling out of their control: how Joseph would react to her pregnancy (which GOD took care of through the Angel Gabriel in Joseph's dream), having to travel miles/kilometers on the rough & bumpy roads to Bethlehem during the last stage of her pregnancy, finding no room to stay except a cave or stable surrounded by animals that needed to be cleaned up before she could give birth, fleeing to Egypt (probably in the middle of the night. 

Being without sin from the moment of her conception probably helped Our Lady to trust GOD more than anyone else would, but she was still a human being who probably had some anxious moments that she dealt with as she pondered all these things in her heart. 

So having to choose to trust GOD over & over again when sometimes it feels as if life is unraveling is something I have to do & I can look to the example of Our Lady & follow my motto as a Secular Franciscan as "going from Gospel to life & life to Gospel".

Pax et Bonum,

Arlene