MAUREEN Pratt, the speaker of the month this August of our parish’s centennial year, impressed many of us with her talk and example. Despite suffering from lupus erythematosus since age 9, Maureen has led a productive and fulfilled life.
One can only appreciate Maureen’s courage, determination and positive attitude if he or she understands what lupus erythematosus is about. It is a chronic, inflammatory, multi-system disorder of the immune system that affects many parts of the body, including joints, skin, kidney, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. A person with this disease would constantly experience extreme fatigue, painful or swollen joints (arthritis), unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems.
This disease did not prevent Maureen from going to school, pursuing a profession as prolific writer, and sharing her talents and wisdom with many communities. After finishing college from Georgetown University, she obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater Arts from the University of California and authored award-winning plays, columns, and books. Today, Maureen is also a patient advocate, a church choir conductor and cantor, and a sought-after guest speaker in health industry, radio, television, and church.
Maureen did not “grumble” against God about her fate and suffering as the Israelites did in the Old Testament Reading this Sunday in their experience of hunger. She did not wallow in misery as the Israelites complained to Moses and Aaron: “Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine.” Instead, Maureen got out of bed, started dreaming, and developed her creative spirit.
A positive outlook and a creative spirit are what we need to put on and develop during times of illness, crisis, or poverty. We’ll just have to look around for opportunities to create something out of nothing. It is during difficult times when we can be more creative with the little we have.
Take for example my recent experience as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. I did realize that our limited budget would tap the natural ability in me to cook for ourselves and, at times, for guests, including baking apple pies from the apples that fall from our tree in our rectory garden. This has been just a delightful and learning experience!
Our pain, whether it is illness or financial difficulty, can also be a source of blessings. We’ll have to be patient, courageous, and optimistic. Backyard apples can be organic apple pies. Ubiquitous lemons can become lemon meringue pies. And, yes, a person with lupus can be a model and an inspiration for people to lead more productive and fulfilling lives!
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Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
