29th Sunday Ordinary Time Readings Reflections and the Rescue of The Chilean Miners

This Sunday's Mass Readings  are here

The main theme of the Gospel is to be persistent in prayer.
 As I write this post I am watching the live feeds of the rescue of the Chilean miners.


Their dramatic ordeal is a perfect case study in the art of persistence  and has become a magnet for a world intensely curious and eager for a successful and happy ending.
Watching the emotional scenes reminds me of our deep fundamental human need  for happy resolution of  seemingly hopeless and desolate situations.
 Psychologist James Thompson said that 

"The Chilean miners went through sheer hell for 17 days before they were found,

52 days of modified hell as they were rescued and must now feel they are in heaven.
There will be more difficulties in readjusting to normal life for those miners who held on to the notion that death would win rather than those who held on to hope during their ordeal."

Watching the scenes of their rescue is exceptional. Priceless and poignant scenes of families being reunited after 69 days of being apart are at times overwhelmingly moving.  

After all the waiting , and the extraordinary anguish and anxiety of all those involved, it is wonderful to watch the miners comes safely to the surface into the emotional hugs and embrace of their families.
It is a privilege to witness the relief of all those involved, the courage and resilience of those who have endured so much frustration and bleak times being transformed into the light of relief and  joy.

In their times below ground many of the miners must have experienced doubts and felt like giving up. 
Most of them are deeply religious and it is clear that they pin their hopes on God.

During the miner's time underground, one of the miners' wives gave  birth to a daughter named Esperanza , meaning Hope, summing up the belief  that life itself is priceless and inspire us all to keep faith, no matter how how bewildering or tough the challenges that will meet us in life.

One of the most moving moments for me was when the 9th and oldest miner to be rescued, 63 year old Mario Gomez fell to his knees in prayer when he reached the surface.


Yet, the illusions of an idealised life where people spend their day telling each other they love them will surely disappear !! 
After the euphoria and the glare of the world's media publicity has disappeared, when all the good resolutions to live a humbler and better life may fade may we will still have the conviction to persist in faith and pray , to persist  and endure when things are painful and seemingly hopeless.

Highlights that will stay with me today :

One of the most memorable quotes from the first  miner to be rescued :

Mario Sepulveda who said: "I was with God and the devil. They fought, God won."

Two of the many tweets that came through  as the events of the rescue unfolded:

From Allan B Beaton II from Cardiff, UK

"It makes everything that I could possibly complain about today irrelevant and actually selfish. Each rescued miner is a miracle and a blessing."

From Minero Tasmaniano, a Tasmanian mining engineer working in Mongolia:

"Today is a true testament to the human spirit and the ability to endure the hardest of situations and it should certainly make us step back and think about what really is important in life."

Also,  sifting through the numerous reports on the rescue I like these two:

The first from Get Religion made me smile as it opens with the phrase 

“Faith, hope, unity, blah, blah, blah. Quit talking and show more rescues !!"    
You can read the rest of the article here

and below is the 

Guardian Newspaper report of the rescue worth a read here as it describes today as a rare moment of global joy.