One of the TV series that I enjoyed watching was House MD. I think it is old enough of a show now that I can share more about its plot and characters. Initially, I was attracted to the series due to its medical and investigative drama category because it showcases a main character who is an unconventional and pessimistic medical genius and his team with unsolved and hard medical cases. However, I continued to watch because I was intrigued by the main character and his internal struggles to love, care, and trust others. Without a doubt, there were times when I was really frustrated and angry with his narcissistic and egocentric nature that hurt others, but it also shows a realistic side of humanity and how our past and imperfections can shape how we treat ourselves and others around us. Nonetheless, I was more intrigued about how the writers were able to give him a faithful friend who cared for him at times when he was undeserving of it in any way, shape, or form.
Dr. Gregory House is a brilliant diagnostician and magnificent medical genius, but a poor doctor and human being who is unable to relate and care for others. He has a deep-ingrained distrust of humanity, thinking that everyone lies to get what they want. On top of all of that, he has a hidden dependency on Vidocin and pain management medications. Even though he is a respected and outstanding medical genius, he is miserable deep from within, especially not wanting to live because of his constant pain. He blames his on-and-off girlfriend for making the medical decision to save his life, as well as many people from his past, for who he is today. Even though he is able to diagnose and save patients, he is incapable of having meaningful, heartfelt, and transparent relationships. Even though he is very capable in his job, he is incapable of trusting and willing the good of others. Over and over again, he puts himself first, hurts others, sabotages relationships, pushes those who are around him away, and isolates himself. In my opinion, writers were able to highlight the complexity of a flawed and broken human being who is called to heal and care as a doctor, but can only do so intellectually and professionally, but not on an emotional and personal level.
Amazingly, he has a good friend named Dr. James Wilson who has stuck with him for a very long time. Throughout the series, he does try to sabotage that very life-giving relationship, too! There are times when Wilson wants to walk away and end the relationship with House because he is too unbearable and narcissistic. In all honesty, even House admits that he has no real friend outside of Wilson who really cares for him and wills his good.
Ironically, even though Wilson is an oncologist. He will succumb to cancer itself. House tries to be a good doctor-friend in finding ways to stop his friend from dying. However, he begins to learn that Wilson has come to terms and is at peace with his own end and is simply looking for a genuine friend. In the last season of the series, one begins to see a change within House as he decides to make personal choices to simply support and be present with his only friend! One who struggles throughout his life to care for others finally realizes that he must learn to care for the only friend he has, who has been with him throughout the years. Dr. House, MD, dies at the end of the series, but Gregory lives for his friend, James Wilson.
In Sunday‘s Gospel reading from Matthew 13:24-43, the Lord tells us that He permitted the weeds to grow with the wheat until the end time. In His infinite goodness and providential love, He permits evil to happen in the world, as well as people who are challenging to love, to exist in our lives. If it is up to us, we would have liked to remove them from existence right away, but that would imprudently affect the harvest’s outcome. He allowed time for the seeds to take root and grow, wheat with weeds, and waited until the right time to collect the weeds and burn them. In the same way, we must learn to embrace the imperfections and things that do not go our way in this present age by focusing our hearts on God and taking root in His loving providence. While it is easy to focus on things that do not go right, we must heed His invitation to let the Kingdom of God take possession of us! The effort might look small and insignificant, but His reign has the unimaginable power to transform and give life beyond our feeble comprehension.
St. Paul reminds us in the second reading from his letter to the Romans (8:26-27) that we have the Holy Spirit, the very love of the Father and the Son, to come to the aid of our weakness. Even when we are lost and do not know how to pray as we ought, He has the power to intercede, search our hearts, thus purify, sanctify, and transform us to become more Christlike each day and know our belovedness as children of the Heavenly Father. Therefore, we must ask ourselves how we are relying on Him instead of our own selves, expectations, demands, and wants, so our hearts are conformed to Him instead of our human desires.
Furthermore, the first reading from the Book of Wisdom (12:13, 16-19) reminds us that God, who is the Creator and Master, has taught us that He judges us with clemency, and with much lenience He governs us. Even though He has the power to do anything and everything He wants, He taught His people through His very own words and deeds that those who are just must also be kind. This is the ground for our hope as He teaches us to be patient, considerate, and merciful with justice and truth in the meantime, so repentance and conversion are afforded to all.
All of the readings cut to the heart because they are hard to accept! To be honest with you, I have struggled and continue to struggle to embrace and pray for those who are hard to love. I had been hurt by them many times in the past, lost sleep, my health and wellbeing, parishioners, and friends because of them, too. There are days that I just want to give up and give in to what the world tells me is permissible in “returning the favor,” but God in His infinite wisdom and kindness kept me from losing my own self just because of what they had done. Even though I cannot change who they are or what they have done to me, I have the freedom and humility to trust in God instead of endangering my conscience, my values, and ultimately my soul. As a matter of fact, I am who I am today because He has treated me with patience, clemency, lenience, kindness, and mercy so I could seek repentance and conversion of heart when I strayed away, lost focus, became discouraged, or got distracted by everything that went on my way.
Indeed, what I remind myself what I wrote to you first! It is not easy. I still struggle with my faith journey to trust and to love. I try my best to pray for those who have wronged me. Out of prudence and wisdom, I had physically and emotionally distanced myself from them, but out of love and mercy, I have to personally choose to spiritually care for their souls by praying for them so God continues to work in their lives as He works in mine. Every day, I pray for them in my daily night prayer, praying for them by name that His loving grace changes them just as it changes me. Without a doubt, we can all be that good spiritual friend who will the good of others, never abandon them even though it seems so humanly and logically correct to do so at times. May the Lord change us deep from within to embrace the creative tensions and challenges that we have in life so we can use all things to purify, sanctify, and transform our hearts into His own heart for the greater good and salvation of all.
— (The picture of the characters “Gregory House” and “James Wilson” is taken from the House MD TV series on Fox Network) —