JMJ
Sept.25,2018
Abraham Laliberte was found street unconscious and almost dead on the streets of Edmonton. He was taken home to Green Lake, Saskatchewan where his mother, Evelyn and his father , David looked after him. His father had two legs removed . For years Evelyn looked after Abraham and David, both of them in wheel chairs. Abraham had aids. We were invited to attend a Gospel Gathering where we met the family. John spent a lot of time helping Abraham with his computer. David died suddenly . Abraham wanted to have the sacraments of the Church in a Mass at home. Father Nestor Gregoire was the pastor at the time in Meadow Lake and area including Green Lake. We phoned him to ask him to give the Lalibertes a home Mass. He refused . Father Gregoire said that he was uncomfortable with the Caswells spirituality. Now our spirituality can be found in the Apostle’s Creed where all Christians can find the basics of their belief. Abraham was a home bound Christian who wanted to renew his Faith by participating in the Sacraments. This had nothing to do with the Caswells who live about 800 miles from Green Lake. Eventually Abraham had to go to a nursing home where he received good care but it was not a Catholic home and he he still could not receive the Sacraments. A few years ago he died. We could not attend the funeral but God sent us a Grey Jay who visited us to tell us Abraham was in his Heavenly Home.
Yesterday we received our copy of OBLATE SPIRIT. There is an article about how the many ways Edmonton Sacred Heart Church is serving the native people in Edmonton. The work is very commendable. There is a picture of the Church with a beautiful rainbow above the altar. We will assume that this is there to show their commitment to sexual diversity and not for their love of the story of God’s deliverance of the human race by saving eight people.
The Rainbow called in French the Ark of Noah or the Ark of Heaven is the end symbol of the story featuring God’s mercy. Noah preached for a hundred years to tell people that they must repent. He also kept building a boat on dry land. They laughed at him. They kept on sinning. They watched th animals miraculously flock to the ark. They watched Noah and his family store food for the journey. They kept on sinning. Then the rain came. God closed the door of the ark. The age of mercy was over. Judgement had begun. When the eight people came out of the ark God sent a Rainbow to tell them that there would never again be such a flood.
You will note there is nothing in the true history story that points to God changing his mind about what is sin and that there are no consequences to sin. There is Mercy, there is teaching, then there is Judgement. The wicked are punished. The righteous are saved. It is the basic outline of the Gospel .
Like many people, in particular natives on the streets of Edmonton or Saskatoon or La Ronge young people sell their bodies for drugs. They often die of AIDS, or of violence. This is not an experience of love and acceptance. It is brutal, vicious and degrading. So why do the Father Gregoires in our midst find it so degrading and repungnant to minister to the victims of this life style? Is it because they are offended by the reality of the lifestyle they endorse? The late Fr. Paul Marx constantly said Face Facts Fearlessly. Noah was ready when the rains came. Others perished . Abraham Laliberte turned to God amd God welcomed Him . That’s the true rainbow message. Gay
