Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin
Have you ever been fascinated by the nature and function of a simple mirror? Archaeology finds evidence of mirrors going back over eight thousand years, and today mirrors range from the smallest tools to the largest of telescopes.
Mirrors can suggest a way to think about how we interact with God’s love and His message to us. From a physical point of view, we can marvel at how a simple mirror captures and then reflects the light it has caught. If the reflection of the Isaias reading today were captured on a mirror, it would have to be a mirror with a huge wide-angle perspective. It would encompass the full scope of the entire nation of Israel being called to a common act of trust and confidence in God’s love and protection.
It happens that today involves a small mirror. It is the feast of the first North American Indian martyr, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, called the Lily of the Mohawks. She died at the age of 24, having suffered persecution throughout her life because of her heroic Christian virtue, and was canonized in 2012. Her hidden life suggests a small mirror able to reflect the brilliance and power of God’s love in the midst of darkness. Today, when so many are searching for a path to wholesome balance and peace, we have work to do. Adjusting our mirror to capture God’s light and love and allowing it to shine forward may be the most powerful thing we can do.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections