need to address you who are not part of them.
I now speak to all the rest of you, the parishioners of St. Mary’s
Cathedral Parish. You are the faithful and loyal disciples that the Lord Jesus
desires.”
How can I, as among “the few“, keep trying to understand the ways of Bishop Zurek and Father Tony—especially when a “No Mass” unexpectedly became a Mass, yet they obstinately only half-proclaimed my family’s intention for Daniel—remain open to God’s plan of interdependence among all creatures, as Pope Francis and the Synod invite us to discover, even while I incubate Dorking eggs at The Glenn and guard my heart against the leaven of those who seem not to share my joy in this miracle❓
Gospel
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread❓
Do you not yet understand or comprehend❓
Are your hearts hardened❓
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear❓
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up❓”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up❓”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand❓”
I try to understand why my heart clings so tightly to the details—why it matters so much that the intention for a miracle for Daniel through the intercession of the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen be fully spoken aloud. It feels like something sacred was left incomplete, as if a gift offered to God was only half-unwrapped. Yet, as I watch the quiet rhythm of life at The Glenn—our Dorking eggs resting in the incubator—I am reminded that much of God’s work happens unseen, beyond my immediate understanding, and in His perfect time.
It is difficult to understand the actions of Bishop Zurek and Father Tony. I thought that when a “No Mass” became a Mass, it was a sign—a miraculous opening for grace to flow freely. But instead of embracing that moment fully, they seemed to hold back, unwilling to name the intention in its fullness. I question why their hearts are not stirred as mine is. Yet, if the Gospel warns me to be aware of their leaven, perhaps it is also a reminder not to let frustration rise in me unchecked, clouding my ability to see the deeper movement of the Spirit.
step, we came to understand that at the heart of the Synod 2021-2024. For a Synodal Church:
Communion, Participation, Mission there is a call to joy and to the renewal of the Church in
following the Lord, in committing to service of His mission, and in searching for ways to be
faithful.”
I want to understand what God is teaching me through this tension. Pope Francis reminds us that no creature exists in isolation—everything is connected, and we depend on one another in ways we often fail to see. Perhaps my hunger for this miracle is also a call to trust that others, even those who seem indifferent, are somehow part of this larger story. Just as the eggs in the incubator rely on warmth they cannot control, maybe I must trust that God is nurturing something beyond my grasp, even when human actions fall short.
The Synod’s reflections speak of joy and renewal—a Church that listens, walks together, and seeks to be faithful. But how do I live this when I feel unheard by those entrusted with spiritual leadership❓ I don’t want my heart to grow hardened or cynical. As much as I long to be understood, I must also ask if I am willing to understand others, even when their actions confuse me. This journey isn’t just about my family’s miracle; it’s about being faithful in the tension between longing and trust, between human failure and divine providence.
Am I willing to let go of my need for everything to make sense right now❓ Can I trust that God’s grace is not bound by the limits of human understanding❓ As I hold these questions and watch the slow work of life unfolding in the incubator, I hear the Gospel’s quiet challenge echoing in my heart:
We understand better the importance and meaning of each creature if we contemplate it within the entirety of God’s plan. As the Catechism teaches: “God wills the interdependence of creatures. The sun and the moon, the cedar and the little flower, the eagle and the sparrow: the spectacle of their countless diversities and inequalities tells us that no creature is self-sufficient. Creatures exist only in dependence on each other, to complete each other, in the service of each other”.[63]
FROM PARAGRAPH 86 OF THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME