"Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." Romans 10:18
Each time I speak or write a word, a choice has been made. One word, one choice, one voice. Being Christian means lowering your gaze, lowering your voice, kneeling down. Being Christian is an inward journey, listening for sounds from God within prayers, announcements, conversations; listening for comments from God within the wilderness of neon lights; listening for the music of God within crowded bars filled pints of beer and floating television screens. Being Christian means searching and striving for goodness, kindness, holiness. Being Christian will often be difficult. Each word, each choice, each voice can be important for our individual salvation and for the salvation of our neighbors. Being Christian means following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and asking others to do it also. Within each Christian there is a voice haunting, a voice heavenly, a voice comforting. Within each of us is God's love and we are encouraged to share this news and to rejoice.
Each day presents many of us a battle of choices, ideas, actions. Do we make time for prayer? Do we take time to praise and thank God? Do we simply have another cup of coffee, another cigarette, another two minutes of office chitchat. Each prayer is worth a million jokes. Prayer illustrates our faith, our hope. Prayer illuminates our charity, our humility, our obedience when it is done honestly, lovingly, kindly with reverence. Prayer asks only for our truth, in emotion, in spirit. Prayer offers patience, kindness, wisdom. We can choose to live each day filled with prayer. Prayer is both harmony and melody. Prayer is passionate. Prayer is creative. Prayer offers tranquility. All's prayer that loves prayer.
As Christians each day that we are alive is a day for discernment, a day for giving thanks and praise to God. Our search for goodness, holiness, kindness never ends. Our journey to charity, humility, obedience never ends.
Each day we are given opportunities to improve our lives and the lives of our friends, families, neighbors. This is a wacky culture of conflicting moral messages. This is a time when goodness, kindness, holiness are often seen as the voice of dissent, the voice of the minority. Here is a world, pernicious and licentious, starving for attention, acceptance, love. Here is a world of pill-popping, make-believe, instant solutions with many dangerous side effects written in extra fine small print. Every day this world, our culture attacks us, tempts us, tries to seduce us, tries to lead us away from goodness, holiness, kindness. Every day our culture tries to lead us away from God for a second, an hour, a day.
Every day we must use each word, each choice, each voice to remain steadfast with charity, humility, and obedience within our hearts, minds, and souls.
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
On Splendor - November 29, 2010
On that day, The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel. Isaiah 4:2
Each day we are given an opportunity to exalt the goodness, the mercy, the presence of God in our lives. We can celebrate this fact each time we attend Mass, each time we participate in the Eucharist. During the Mass both the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist help us move closer to God. Prayers are said in remembrance of God. Each day we are given opportunities to live in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ by making choices that reflect charity, humility, and obedience to God.
This is an age when as individuals and as Christians, deference and reverence to God are not luxuries but necessities. This is an age when everything is shiny and bright, when everything is for sale, when everything is a commodity, when almost everything depreciates. God's love for us does not change. It remains just as beautiful, just as alluring, just as attractive. How we look at it changes because of our choices, our sins, our mistakes. God asks for our obedience. God asks us to love one another. Each individual, each Christian decides both whether and how they will respond to God's request.
There are moments during Mass of such exquisiteness when the entire world is splendid with God's love, with God's hope. The Eucharist is a moment wonderful and inspiring. Here is hope. Here is faith. Here is love. The individual ceases to exist for a moment, a transcendent moment, when time falls away, and each one of us is at the Last Supper with Jesus Christ, each one of us are searching within our hearts, minds, and souls for patience, deference, reverence. Each time I hear the prayers of the Eucharist, there is a magnificence in the words, in the cadence, which creates a yearning to be more good, more kind, more holy; a yearning to serve the Lord with my entire being. The mystery of the Eucharist is an unique promise, spectacular and wondrous, of love, humility, obedience for each Christian to discover and to live.
Each day we are given the opportunity live within the shimmering light of goodness, the shimmering light of God's love.
For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain. Isaiah 4:6
Each day we are given an opportunity to exalt the goodness, the mercy, the presence of God in our lives. We can celebrate this fact each time we attend Mass, each time we participate in the Eucharist. During the Mass both the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist help us move closer to God. Prayers are said in remembrance of God. Each day we are given opportunities to live in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ by making choices that reflect charity, humility, and obedience to God.
This is an age when as individuals and as Christians, deference and reverence to God are not luxuries but necessities. This is an age when everything is shiny and bright, when everything is for sale, when everything is a commodity, when almost everything depreciates. God's love for us does not change. It remains just as beautiful, just as alluring, just as attractive. How we look at it changes because of our choices, our sins, our mistakes. God asks for our obedience. God asks us to love one another. Each individual, each Christian decides both whether and how they will respond to God's request.
There are moments during Mass of such exquisiteness when the entire world is splendid with God's love, with God's hope. The Eucharist is a moment wonderful and inspiring. Here is hope. Here is faith. Here is love. The individual ceases to exist for a moment, a transcendent moment, when time falls away, and each one of us is at the Last Supper with Jesus Christ, each one of us are searching within our hearts, minds, and souls for patience, deference, reverence. Each time I hear the prayers of the Eucharist, there is a magnificence in the words, in the cadence, which creates a yearning to be more good, more kind, more holy; a yearning to serve the Lord with my entire being. The mystery of the Eucharist is an unique promise, spectacular and wondrous, of love, humility, obedience for each Christian to discover and to live.
Each day we are given the opportunity live within the shimmering light of goodness, the shimmering light of God's love.
For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain. Isaiah 4:6
Friday, November 19, 2010
Hanging on Words
"It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'" Luke 19:46
Many people have their own personal ideas about prayer. Many people have their own personal ideas about attending Mass. When we go Mass we understand that there is both a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Mass is a celebration. These things we know. But, what happens when we attend Mass?
Are we engaged and listening to each prayer and reading that we hear? When we recite the prayers and the creed, is our voice passionate, are we speaking with love and hope? When we receive the Eucharist, what is in our hearts, our minds, our souls?
As Catholics we are asked to be active participants. It is not enough to simply recite our lines. We must remember the life of Jesus Christ. We must remember the death of Jesus Christ. This is essential. As Catholics we must open our minds, be ready to learn about goodness.
Attending Mass should be a time of renewal, a time of peace. We should look forward to attending Mass. When we attend Mass, we should always remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and remember to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Attending Mass should be a way to show and share your love.
We must allow ourselves to hang on every syllable, every word that we hear during the Mass. There is a purpose for each word. As Catholics we must teach ourselves how to listen and reflect on each Mass. As the believers we must always hang on to every word and be prepared to encourage others to do the same. Our actions should inspire others to follow us and to believe in God.
Prayer is very important to us as Christians. How many prayers do we hear during each Mass? Are the prayers important to you? Do the prayers move you, make you think, help you to understand and remember the passion of Jesus Christ.
Many people have their own personal ideas about prayer. Many people have their own personal ideas about attending Mass. When we go Mass we understand that there is both a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Mass is a celebration. These things we know. But, what happens when we attend Mass?
Are we engaged and listening to each prayer and reading that we hear? When we recite the prayers and the creed, is our voice passionate, are we speaking with love and hope? When we receive the Eucharist, what is in our hearts, our minds, our souls?
As Catholics we are asked to be active participants. It is not enough to simply recite our lines. We must remember the life of Jesus Christ. We must remember the death of Jesus Christ. This is essential. As Catholics we must open our minds, be ready to learn about goodness.
Attending Mass should be a time of renewal, a time of peace. We should look forward to attending Mass. When we attend Mass, we should always remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and remember to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Attending Mass should be a way to show and share your love.
We must allow ourselves to hang on every syllable, every word that we hear during the Mass. There is a purpose for each word. As Catholics we must teach ourselves how to listen and reflect on each Mass. As the believers we must always hang on to every word and be prepared to encourage others to do the same. Our actions should inspire others to follow us and to believe in God.
Prayer is very important to us as Christians. How many prayers do we hear during each Mass? Are the prayers important to you? Do the prayers move you, make you think, help you to understand and remember the passion of Jesus Christ.
Serve
Prepare yourself to serve the Lord. There is always work to be done. We must always be ready to volunteer. Make time to serve the God by working on a committee at your church. Find something which interests you. Find something which might help you learn something new about your faith. May you find a way to serve God. May you learn the beauty of humility, charity, compassion, and mercy. May your faith be strengthened by your effort.
Messages
I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Revelation 10:10
What a mysterious reading! What a beautiful reading! What a great mingling of good and bad! How wonderful it is to receive the good first, then deal with the bad. All Christians should be encouraged to learn this chapter and recite it every day. Depending on how you want to interpret this chapter, it describes our daily lives as Christians. We have God’s love; God’s love asks us to make sacrifices. Our choices help us on our journey to salvation and eternal life with God. As Christians our choices are not always easy.
When I first read this chapter, I imagined this as a pharmaceutical commercial on television extolling why this new drug should be taken before mentioning the countless side effects. How sweet the pills sound to us until we hear about the side effects!
I like the scene of the angel, the scroll, and John. I like the idea of the angel standing on sea and on land. I like the familiar voice instructing John. I like the angel’s message, the order of the words. John is first warned about his stomach’s reaction to the scroll. His stomach is going to turn sour. So, this message will upset his stomach. Then, the angel told him that the scroll would taste sweet in his mouth like honey. How pleasant that sounds! How good that sounds. What rich symbolism this chapter provides for us to reflect upon!
As Catholics we accept our Faith. Being Christian is difficult. Each day there is a choice of goodness, kindness, compassion, mercy, and love to be made. Being Christian is complicated. Our eyes must be open to looking at the world, through both our eyes and God’s eyes. Our reactions should be his reactions. His love should always be displayed in our every action. Our lives should present a view of happiness and peace built upon a foundation of obedience, hope, charity, and love.
As Catholics we must be listening for God’s personalized, individual messages to each of us. We do not know when or how the messages will be sent. We simply have to be prepared to receive and to obey God’s messages to us. We must be ready to be faithful and obedient. Remember that God had a message which was followed by a message from the angel. We must be prepared to hear God’s voice and to hear an angel’s voice.
What a mysterious reading! What a beautiful reading! What a great mingling of good and bad! How wonderful it is to receive the good first, then deal with the bad. All Christians should be encouraged to learn this chapter and recite it every day. Depending on how you want to interpret this chapter, it describes our daily lives as Christians. We have God’s love; God’s love asks us to make sacrifices. Our choices help us on our journey to salvation and eternal life with God. As Christians our choices are not always easy.
When I first read this chapter, I imagined this as a pharmaceutical commercial on television extolling why this new drug should be taken before mentioning the countless side effects. How sweet the pills sound to us until we hear about the side effects!
I like the scene of the angel, the scroll, and John. I like the idea of the angel standing on sea and on land. I like the familiar voice instructing John. I like the angel’s message, the order of the words. John is first warned about his stomach’s reaction to the scroll. His stomach is going to turn sour. So, this message will upset his stomach. Then, the angel told him that the scroll would taste sweet in his mouth like honey. How pleasant that sounds! How good that sounds. What rich symbolism this chapter provides for us to reflect upon!
As Catholics we accept our Faith. Being Christian is difficult. Each day there is a choice of goodness, kindness, compassion, mercy, and love to be made. Being Christian is complicated. Our eyes must be open to looking at the world, through both our eyes and God’s eyes. Our reactions should be his reactions. His love should always be displayed in our every action. Our lives should present a view of happiness and peace built upon a foundation of obedience, hope, charity, and love.
As Catholics we must be listening for God’s personalized, individual messages to each of us. We do not know when or how the messages will be sent. We simply have to be prepared to receive and to obey God’s messages to us. We must be ready to be faithful and obedient. Remember that God had a message which was followed by a message from the angel. We must be prepared to hear God’s voice and to hear an angel’s voice.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Doubt
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31
Our faith journey often resembles a quest. We search for patience, humility, charity, compassion, mercy both internally and externally. The search for goodness often resembles a dream of youth, when innocence, honor, kindness are valued seriously, objectively as part of the foundation for life’s vocation. We travel into foreign parts of our minds and souls when we allow ourselves to share kindness. We are able to glimpse God through our own acts of goodness and kindness.
As Christians we should expect that there will be moments of doubt in our lives. We will question are believes. We will question our actions, reactions, lack of action. We will question our prayers, when we pray, how we pray. This is natural. This should not hamper us. We must use our doubt as a tool which can help deepen our faith. Instead of allowing doubt to make you anxious or angst ridden, simply allow doubt to teach you about your faith. Doubt can restore Faith to our Faith with a combination of patience, prayer, reflection, and humility.
Always remember to be humble. Always look for goodness and kindness in yourself and others. The more you look for them the more you will find them.
Modern life used to use the metaphor rat race to describe the craziness, unpredictability, ruthlessness of our society as we, the people, worked to make a killing to afford big houses with two car garages with four cars, a golf cart, swimming pool, two ponies, six bicycles, a swing and two hammocks. Our material possessions became a short hand description, presentation of our lives and values. Our material lives provided a glimpse at our presumed live and values. Our private lives were hidden beneath the public expectations created by dressing this way, talking that way. Appearances became more important than reality. Knowledge is secondary to perception. The rat race does not want you to value anything. The rat race simply wants you to purchase this and that. The rat race wants you to meet the right people at the right places at the right time. The rat race wants you only to acknowledge those who can help you tomorrow not those who helped you yesterday. The rat race is built upon doubt, fear, denial. As Catholics we must always remember social justice. Both our prayers and our actions must reflect our understanding and love for all our neighbors, from anonymous, forgotten beggars bundled up with discarded, flattened cardboard boxes and sleeping bags to smiling, waving politicians in tuxedos and shiny leather shoes talking about global warming.
Doubt shall always be with us. Some days it will be stronger, others it will be weaker. Remember that doubt is natural, like sleep, hunger. The knowledge, that doubt exists within all humans should give you comfort. Do not fear doubt. Simply recall the image of Jesus on the water extending his hand to save Peter. Let that image raise your thoughts, your actions. We are all called to help our neighbors, to live lives that reflect, and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The enormous populations of the world need our prayers, the beggars, celebrities, politicians they all need our prayers. Let there be no doubt about that.
Our faith journey often resembles a quest. We search for patience, humility, charity, compassion, mercy both internally and externally. The search for goodness often resembles a dream of youth, when innocence, honor, kindness are valued seriously, objectively as part of the foundation for life’s vocation. We travel into foreign parts of our minds and souls when we allow ourselves to share kindness. We are able to glimpse God through our own acts of goodness and kindness.
As Christians we should expect that there will be moments of doubt in our lives. We will question are believes. We will question our actions, reactions, lack of action. We will question our prayers, when we pray, how we pray. This is natural. This should not hamper us. We must use our doubt as a tool which can help deepen our faith. Instead of allowing doubt to make you anxious or angst ridden, simply allow doubt to teach you about your faith. Doubt can restore Faith to our Faith with a combination of patience, prayer, reflection, and humility.
Always remember to be humble. Always look for goodness and kindness in yourself and others. The more you look for them the more you will find them.
Modern life used to use the metaphor rat race to describe the craziness, unpredictability, ruthlessness of our society as we, the people, worked to make a killing to afford big houses with two car garages with four cars, a golf cart, swimming pool, two ponies, six bicycles, a swing and two hammocks. Our material possessions became a short hand description, presentation of our lives and values. Our material lives provided a glimpse at our presumed live and values. Our private lives were hidden beneath the public expectations created by dressing this way, talking that way. Appearances became more important than reality. Knowledge is secondary to perception. The rat race does not want you to value anything. The rat race simply wants you to purchase this and that. The rat race wants you to meet the right people at the right places at the right time. The rat race wants you only to acknowledge those who can help you tomorrow not those who helped you yesterday. The rat race is built upon doubt, fear, denial. As Catholics we must always remember social justice. Both our prayers and our actions must reflect our understanding and love for all our neighbors, from anonymous, forgotten beggars bundled up with discarded, flattened cardboard boxes and sleeping bags to smiling, waving politicians in tuxedos and shiny leather shoes talking about global warming.
Doubt shall always be with us. Some days it will be stronger, others it will be weaker. Remember that doubt is natural, like sleep, hunger. The knowledge, that doubt exists within all humans should give you comfort. Do not fear doubt. Simply recall the image of Jesus on the water extending his hand to save Peter. Let that image raise your thoughts, your actions. We are all called to help our neighbors, to live lives that reflect, and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The enormous populations of the world need our prayers, the beggars, celebrities, politicians they all need our prayers. Let there be no doubt about that.
A Reflection on Luke 19
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10
Today’s Gospel reading is filled with great emotion. There is much sadness. There is a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. The temple is important in this passage. Jesus throws the money changers out of the temple. Jesus teaches in the temple. Also, in the temple the chief priests and other leaders of the people plot how to kill Jesus. How busy that temple was. The temple was the center of life.
As Jesus approached Jerusalem he cried. Peace was hidden from Jerusalem. The city was busy, consumed with its daily activities. Life was not stopping. People were living their lives, behaving as their culture allowed them. The Jewish people were busy with their daily routines. Some of the Jews knew that Jesus was in Jerusalem. Some went to hear him speak. Some went to have him save them. Some stayed away from him. Some of the Jewish leaders in the temple, quietly, secretly plotted Jesus’ death. The conspirators are anonymous in this Gospel as they watch Jesus teaching in the temple.
In this Gospel, Jesus wept, Jesus drove the money changers from the temple, Jesus taught in the temple. Jesus wanted the temple to be a house of prayer, a place of worship and ministry. He did not want it to be a den of thieves, a place of commerce. The temple was God’s house.
Although there is despair and melancholy in this passage there also is hope. Jesus is not passive in this Gospel. He is very active, very aware of his world. It was important for him to teach in the temple. It was important for him to rid the temple of the den of thieves. It was important for the temple to be a house of God, a house of prayer. He did not have to go the temple. He did not have to confront the money changers. He did not have to teach in the temple. Each one of these actions his simple decision. He was simply doing what he had to do. People were listening to Jesus. People were learning from Jesus. He was simply being obedient, doing his duty, showing his fidelity and love to God.
Within the temple some men were plotting his death as he preached about salvation, loving your neighbor. This knowledge did not deter him from his mission. He had a job to do. He came to save mankind. He reached out to all who would listen. He offered love, hope, eternal life to all he believed and obeyed God’s commandments and laws.
Today’s Gospel reading is filled with great emotion. There is much sadness. There is a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. The temple is important in this passage. Jesus throws the money changers out of the temple. Jesus teaches in the temple. Also, in the temple the chief priests and other leaders of the people plot how to kill Jesus. How busy that temple was. The temple was the center of life.
As Jesus approached Jerusalem he cried. Peace was hidden from Jerusalem. The city was busy, consumed with its daily activities. Life was not stopping. People were living their lives, behaving as their culture allowed them. The Jewish people were busy with their daily routines. Some of the Jews knew that Jesus was in Jerusalem. Some went to hear him speak. Some went to have him save them. Some stayed away from him. Some of the Jewish leaders in the temple, quietly, secretly plotted Jesus’ death. The conspirators are anonymous in this Gospel as they watch Jesus teaching in the temple.
In this Gospel, Jesus wept, Jesus drove the money changers from the temple, Jesus taught in the temple. Jesus wanted the temple to be a house of prayer, a place of worship and ministry. He did not want it to be a den of thieves, a place of commerce. The temple was God’s house.
Although there is despair and melancholy in this passage there also is hope. Jesus is not passive in this Gospel. He is very active, very aware of his world. It was important for him to teach in the temple. It was important for him to rid the temple of the den of thieves. It was important for the temple to be a house of God, a house of prayer. He did not have to go the temple. He did not have to confront the money changers. He did not have to teach in the temple. Each one of these actions his simple decision. He was simply doing what he had to do. People were listening to Jesus. People were learning from Jesus. He was simply being obedient, doing his duty, showing his fidelity and love to God.
Within the temple some men were plotting his death as he preached about salvation, loving your neighbor. This knowledge did not deter him from his mission. He had a job to do. He came to save mankind. He reached out to all who would listen. He offered love, hope, eternal life to all he believed and obeyed God’s commandments and laws.
Saints to Follow
Listed below are some of the Saints that the Church asks us to remember during the month of November:
Saint Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor
Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr
Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Gertrude, Virgin
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr
Saint Clement I, Pope, Martyr
Saint Columbanus, Abbot and Missionary
Saints Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions, Martyrs
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr
Saint Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor
Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr
Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Gertrude, Virgin
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr
Saint Clement I, Pope, Martyr
Saint Columbanus, Abbot and Missionary
Saints Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions, Martyrs
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr
Saints and Other Models
Once upon a time, in a school district far, far away, each morning half-asleep school children would place a hand over their heart and recite the “Pledge of Allegiance.”
“Neither Hollywood nor Broadway produces entertainment the way they used to. They just don’t create great movie dialogue the way they used to. As a culture we don’t say great prayers the way we used to. As a culture we don’t dream great dreams the way we used to. Now, everybody wants to be a pampered, photographed local celebrity.”
It is natural to seek goodness and kindness in others. Our lives are filled with the search for the perfect role model, someone with whom we can identify, someone with whom we can imitate. It is natural to want a hero. We need to have someone to believe in, to encourage us to dream, to inspire us to be better, to challenge us to be more, do more. From our childhood we seek companions, we seek heroes. We create a private mythology filled with damsels and demigods, wishes and wisecracks. The situation is lyrical, the implication is ethical, the circumstance is moral. We look to literature, cinema, everyday life for role models, for unofficial teachers to help us navigate the lows and highs of the human condition. As Catholics we have the lives of the Saints to provide a blueprint on how to live a good Christian life of chastity, humility, charity, and obedience.
The existence of their Faith provides them with an excellent courage and conviction to do God’s work, to help the poor. Each day I think of the veracity of good men. Each day I think that humankind is moving away from being wholesome and altruistic toward being selfish and vain. Being Christian allows me to view the world with hope and mercy. Being Christian allows me to see that the Holy Eucharist is beautiful and nutritious. Prayer, believing in God, attending Mass sweetens life, makes each moment more tolerable. Our belief in God can help us improve our lives and our society, when actually, or ideally, we manage to love our neighbors unconditionally without any strings or expectations. Remember we are children of God. We listen for his call. We obey his Commandments. We have the Bible and other good books to guide us toward God, with meditation, with prayer. Remember that love and hope create the language of God. Let our humility, charity, mercy and each circumstance of our days create anecdotes of tenderness.
The search and desire for goodness and kindness often is the dream of youth, and the most serious occupation of our mind. We travel into different neighborhoods, different churches to find evidence of God, to see a glimpse of him in the life and actions of others. We must always remember and cherish our faith. We are Christians; we are hospitable and hopeful; we are believers; our Faith is more valuable and precious than gold; our Holy Eucharist is more delicious, more nutritious for our souls; we gather for prayer; we gather to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our lives do not have to be comfortable but we must have humility and offer hospitality to all, especially those who are destitute, marginalized in any way and who need mercy, charity and compassion. Our lives do not have to be comfortable but we must create a time for prayer in each day, for prayer and reflection can make our Christian lives intrinsically rich with love, hope, and understanding. As Christians we must always be hospitable, humble people.
“Neither Hollywood nor Broadway produces entertainment the way they used to. They just don’t create great movie dialogue the way they used to. As a culture we don’t say great prayers the way we used to. As a culture we don’t dream great dreams the way we used to. Now, everybody wants to be a pampered, photographed local celebrity.”
It is natural to seek goodness and kindness in others. Our lives are filled with the search for the perfect role model, someone with whom we can identify, someone with whom we can imitate. It is natural to want a hero. We need to have someone to believe in, to encourage us to dream, to inspire us to be better, to challenge us to be more, do more. From our childhood we seek companions, we seek heroes. We create a private mythology filled with damsels and demigods, wishes and wisecracks. The situation is lyrical, the implication is ethical, the circumstance is moral. We look to literature, cinema, everyday life for role models, for unofficial teachers to help us navigate the lows and highs of the human condition. As Catholics we have the lives of the Saints to provide a blueprint on how to live a good Christian life of chastity, humility, charity, and obedience.
The existence of their Faith provides them with an excellent courage and conviction to do God’s work, to help the poor. Each day I think of the veracity of good men. Each day I think that humankind is moving away from being wholesome and altruistic toward being selfish and vain. Being Christian allows me to view the world with hope and mercy. Being Christian allows me to see that the Holy Eucharist is beautiful and nutritious. Prayer, believing in God, attending Mass sweetens life, makes each moment more tolerable. Our belief in God can help us improve our lives and our society, when actually, or ideally, we manage to love our neighbors unconditionally without any strings or expectations. Remember we are children of God. We listen for his call. We obey his Commandments. We have the Bible and other good books to guide us toward God, with meditation, with prayer. Remember that love and hope create the language of God. Let our humility, charity, mercy and each circumstance of our days create anecdotes of tenderness.
The search and desire for goodness and kindness often is the dream of youth, and the most serious occupation of our mind. We travel into different neighborhoods, different churches to find evidence of God, to see a glimpse of him in the life and actions of others. We must always remember and cherish our faith. We are Christians; we are hospitable and hopeful; we are believers; our Faith is more valuable and precious than gold; our Holy Eucharist is more delicious, more nutritious for our souls; we gather for prayer; we gather to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our lives do not have to be comfortable but we must have humility and offer hospitality to all, especially those who are destitute, marginalized in any way and who need mercy, charity and compassion. Our lives do not have to be comfortable but we must create a time for prayer in each day, for prayer and reflection can make our Christian lives intrinsically rich with love, hope, and understanding. As Christians we must always be hospitable, humble people.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Spirituality
Simplicity. Spirituality. Sincerity. Solidarity.
May my Spirituality be filled with sincerity, guiding me to a greater understanding and love for all human beings.
May my Spirituality be filled with simplicity helping me to be humble, obedient, faithful.
May my Spirituality be filled with solidarity guiding me to seek social justice and fairness for all human beings.
May my Spirituality be filled with sincerity, guiding me to a greater understanding and love for all human beings.
May my Spirituality be filled with simplicity helping me to be humble, obedient, faithful.
May my Spirituality be filled with solidarity guiding me to seek social justice and fairness for all human beings.
A Quick Thought
Beloved: Please remember that as Christians we are part of the living, growing, hoping, loving visible Church; let this give peace; please remember that the foundation was made by Our Lord Jesus Christ with his supreme sacrifice; may this provide guidance and comfort. The death of Our Lord Jesus Christ gives each of us eternal life. We believe that we are members of the apostolic Church; allow this to give you hope. We believe the Sacraments connect us with God, are both opportunity and obligation for service to God; allow this to teach you how to love.
An Opportunity
Remember that each time you attend Mass, there is an opportunity to learn more about God and an opportunity to share your faith with others after you leave. This does not require a recitation of the Gospel or the homily. It can simply be how you treat your neighbors, with compassion and love. Each moment of our lives should have some movement upward, higher, heavenward. Our gaze should always be upward, toward God. Each moment of our lives we should strive to avoid the mediocrity of sin. Our aim should always be toward pleasing God. Our ambition should be for eternal life and salvation. The arena of life presents us with an opportunity for prayer, penance, and obedience.
We must strive to be pure and triumphant servants of God.
Be ambitious then, with sincere prayers, keep love in both your heart and your life; remember to pray for something great for yourself and for mankind. Each of us will have only one life in this world, prayer will help us to make the most of it. Take advantage of each opportunity to praise and thank God. Attend Mass and pray as often as you can. Let your life be filled with the Good News. Each day increase your knowledge and learning about your faith. Allow your prayers to carry you higher and higher, closer and closer to God.
Allow your prayers to guide you to legitimate pursuits of love, life, and peace. Allow your prayers to guide you in the path to serve God. Allow your prayers to teach you fidelity to duty. We each have the opportunity to bring glory to God, to sanctify ourselves, and to be a soldier for God.
We must strive to be pure and triumphant servants of God.
Be ambitious then, with sincere prayers, keep love in both your heart and your life; remember to pray for something great for yourself and for mankind. Each of us will have only one life in this world, prayer will help us to make the most of it. Take advantage of each opportunity to praise and thank God. Attend Mass and pray as often as you can. Let your life be filled with the Good News. Each day increase your knowledge and learning about your faith. Allow your prayers to carry you higher and higher, closer and closer to God.
Allow your prayers to guide you to legitimate pursuits of love, life, and peace. Allow your prayers to guide you in the path to serve God. Allow your prayers to teach you fidelity to duty. We each have the opportunity to bring glory to God, to sanctify ourselves, and to be a soldier for God.
The Individual
It might be good to begin with a belief in the innate goodness of the individual. Also, we must accept the idea that all individuals possess insecurities and vulnerabilities. At in minute an individual is capable of kindness and meanness. We live in a thoughtless age, a careless age. It is a time when it is acceptable, sometimes necessarily encouraged to immediately blame an external force instead of examining the internal force. It is easier to accept the secular world misconceptions about sin, than to accept God’s. The secular world creates an illusion of life brimming with unsatisfying pursuits and labels. The secular world presents every vice as a delicacy, to be tasted and enjoyed. The occupation of pleasure often conquers and imprisons common sense, humility, mercy, patience, prudence and love. All that is special and beautiful in life is glossed over, distorted. The secular world binds us to sin when do not take the time to contemplate our actions and reactions properly. Each day we must find new ways to avoid sin. The hazards of life lead us away from God, away from peaceful living, away from goodness, kindness, hope, and love. The secular world provides no distinctions between pleasure and sin. We are encouraged to enjoy all, forget everything other than the pursuit of fun. Saying no to pleasure is not always easy. Recognizing sin is more complicated when society accepts or pretends to tolerate all behavior. Many questions and private conundrums do appear. This is an age of carelessness, an age of thoughtlessness, an age of paradoxes. According to an individual’s disposition and character, ability and inclination, education and training, motivation and mobility, each individual is allowed to choose any course of action within their reach, opportunity, desire. This freedom of choice sometimes leads to mistakes, misconduct, melancholy. Despair sometimes is the handmaiden to bad choices and sin. Throughout our lives we must always remember prayer. Perhaps the greatest gift we can have is the ability to pray to God. Praying with the proper temperament and sincerity, praying with patience and sympathy, praising and thanking God, these can be a foundation which will help each one of us diagnose each sinner whether venial or mortal, tolerated or sanctioned by the secular world. Praying helps us understand the good and bad in life, in the world around us. We are surrounded by noise, surrounded by quacks. We must learn to pray, then to trust our prayers, and finally to trust ourselves. The more we pray the more we pray for things which may surprise as we open our hearts, minds, and souls to the plight of all mankind. Aspire only to be an obedient servant of God, seek goodness and kindness. Allow your prayers to guide you to a peaceful, independent, free life of humility, charity, and mercy.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Pursuit
Prayer allows each one individual to view our lives with dignity and worth. The benefits of prayer affords each of us an opportunity to become closer to God, an opportunity to lower the volume of the secular world and pop culture, an opportunity for silence and reflection on our day to day existence.
Our individual life pursuits should direct us beyond the flesh, beyond simple material gain. As Christians we should always be trying to move closer to God. Our actions should always reflect our love and respect for God. Our interactions with each other should be uplifting, filled with compassion and love. Our intentions should always be to help each other find peace, order, and happiness. This is a difficult task. It will take time and patience to aachieve. But the more we allow ourselves to be loyal and obedient servants of God, the easier it will become. As our reverence and respect for God and his teachings increases so shall our understanding of the true beauty and true dignity of being humble before both God and man. When God occupies our entire being and we are willing to share ourselves completely, this is the highest calling of conduct, an unconditional love and compassion for all mankind. We must remember that all men are equal in God’s eyes.
But not every individual approaches prayer the same way. The journey toward God takes many different circuitous routes. Our individual dispositions influences each pursuit toward goodness, kindness, compassion, mercy. Our individual dispositions provide us with both obstacles to surmount and strengths to employ as we move toward God. The more love we have in our hearts, the more hope we will have in our souls. Our faith will help us become better people, better Christians. The strength of our faith and the purity of our love will help us make the right decisions, follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We can create a life of humility, loyalty, and service to God if we desire and if we are willing to work hard in the name of God.
We should allow ourselves to excel in praising God. Our only ambition in life should be to love and to serve the Lord with our complete beings. We should be obedient to his teachings.
Our lives should commemorate all the goodness, kindness, love and other gifts bestowed upon us by God. As individuals we should take time to contemplate our place in the world and our actions. How we live, what we do, what we say can effect the lives of others. As Catholics we must remember to always be priestly in our interactions. Our humility, obedience, and love for God must always be present in our daily actions.
We should strive to evangelize our neighbors not by our rhetoric but by our tenderness and compassion.
Our individual life pursuits should direct us beyond the flesh, beyond simple material gain. As Christians we should always be trying to move closer to God. Our actions should always reflect our love and respect for God. Our interactions with each other should be uplifting, filled with compassion and love. Our intentions should always be to help each other find peace, order, and happiness. This is a difficult task. It will take time and patience to aachieve. But the more we allow ourselves to be loyal and obedient servants of God, the easier it will become. As our reverence and respect for God and his teachings increases so shall our understanding of the true beauty and true dignity of being humble before both God and man. When God occupies our entire being and we are willing to share ourselves completely, this is the highest calling of conduct, an unconditional love and compassion for all mankind. We must remember that all men are equal in God’s eyes.
But not every individual approaches prayer the same way. The journey toward God takes many different circuitous routes. Our individual dispositions influences each pursuit toward goodness, kindness, compassion, mercy. Our individual dispositions provide us with both obstacles to surmount and strengths to employ as we move toward God. The more love we have in our hearts, the more hope we will have in our souls. Our faith will help us become better people, better Christians. The strength of our faith and the purity of our love will help us make the right decisions, follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We can create a life of humility, loyalty, and service to God if we desire and if we are willing to work hard in the name of God.
We should allow ourselves to excel in praising God. Our only ambition in life should be to love and to serve the Lord with our complete beings. We should be obedient to his teachings.
Our lives should commemorate all the goodness, kindness, love and other gifts bestowed upon us by God. As individuals we should take time to contemplate our place in the world and our actions. How we live, what we do, what we say can effect the lives of others. As Catholics we must remember to always be priestly in our interactions. Our humility, obedience, and love for God must always be present in our daily actions.
We should strive to evangelize our neighbors not by our rhetoric but by our tenderness and compassion.
Youth
Youth is the time when we learn lessons about love, hope, mercy. Youth is the time when learn lessons about goodness, kindness, faith. Youth is the time when we learn about God. Youth is the time when prayers begin to shape each individual life. How we view the world through the prism of faith and love, tinting all with rainbow colors. Our prayers become a creation of its own, private and tender, where we ask for strength and patience to do good, to be kind; where we sometimes wish for an immediate response from some magic wand; prayer allows us to enter into its realm of the beautiful, the prudent and the magnificent; prayer teaches patience, acceptance, understanding. Within honest and sincere prayer resides heroic love for God, a desire to love all mankind, fairly and unconditionally not desiring anything in return. Over time prayer allows and helps each individual to improve both their thoughts and actions. Prayer does not label anything prosaic. Prayer does not banish anything from our minds. Prayer can be a place where we search for the peaceful, the nourishing, the compassionate. Within youthful prayers, faith encourages us to be brave, to honor God and his commandments, to be heroic for God by pledging our lives to doing his work. Prayer becomes a gateway to loving and serving God.
Today, the secular world presents a kaleidoscope of possibilities of life gradually hypnotizing or numbing the collective minds of our society. Human existence is reduced to commercial slogans seen on television, heard on the radio. The stern realities of life are hidden behind neon lights, crowded restaurants, movies with computer generated special effects. The secular world does not want us to mature. The secular world is afraid of religion. The secular world is afraid of Christians. As Catholics our eyes must remain open to the secular world and our hearts must remain open and filled with prayer. Human existence does have a purpose beyond purchase power, beyond pride. Human existence should encourage each one of to offer prayers to God, thanking him for the gift of life, the gift of faith, the gift of love. The thoughtful Christian realizes that to God we are always youthful and that our prayers will be always youthful. Each day questions will flash in our mind, “How can I serve God?” or “Am I able to do a little more?” or “Is this enough? How can I offer my life to God?” The various choices appear like gates at a busy international airport, announcing distant, foreign destinations in places unknown, unchartered.
Prayer presents different various views of ourselves and our lives. Prayer is a picture of an instance in time. Sometime the same instance is replayed again and again. The triumph of prayer occurs when we are able to see goodness, kindness, mercy, hope, love previously unseen or unfelt within ourselves or others. Prayer is the soldier, the statesman, the diplomat, the physician, and architect of the soul. Prayer leads us to God. Prayer can leads us to avocations and vocations. Prayer reminds us that as individuals each of our actions are important both to ourselves and to the human race. Prayer can help us to act with love and compassion, to provide examples of faithful service to God.
Prayer connects us all as votaries, contributing to comfort and peace for all mankind in our own individual ways as benefactors of God’s love and kindness. Each day we must offer prayers of praise and thanks to God!
Our ambitions should lead us to humility, to being servants of the Lord.
Today, the secular world presents a kaleidoscope of possibilities of life gradually hypnotizing or numbing the collective minds of our society. Human existence is reduced to commercial slogans seen on television, heard on the radio. The stern realities of life are hidden behind neon lights, crowded restaurants, movies with computer generated special effects. The secular world does not want us to mature. The secular world is afraid of religion. The secular world is afraid of Christians. As Catholics our eyes must remain open to the secular world and our hearts must remain open and filled with prayer. Human existence does have a purpose beyond purchase power, beyond pride. Human existence should encourage each one of to offer prayers to God, thanking him for the gift of life, the gift of faith, the gift of love. The thoughtful Christian realizes that to God we are always youthful and that our prayers will be always youthful. Each day questions will flash in our mind, “How can I serve God?” or “Am I able to do a little more?” or “Is this enough? How can I offer my life to God?” The various choices appear like gates at a busy international airport, announcing distant, foreign destinations in places unknown, unchartered.
Prayer presents different various views of ourselves and our lives. Prayer is a picture of an instance in time. Sometime the same instance is replayed again and again. The triumph of prayer occurs when we are able to see goodness, kindness, mercy, hope, love previously unseen or unfelt within ourselves or others. Prayer is the soldier, the statesman, the diplomat, the physician, and architect of the soul. Prayer leads us to God. Prayer can leads us to avocations and vocations. Prayer reminds us that as individuals each of our actions are important both to ourselves and to the human race. Prayer can help us to act with love and compassion, to provide examples of faithful service to God.
Prayer connects us all as votaries, contributing to comfort and peace for all mankind in our own individual ways as benefactors of God’s love and kindness. Each day we must offer prayers of praise and thanks to God!
Our ambitions should lead us to humility, to being servants of the Lord.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Eucharistic Adoration
As Christians we have an unique responsibility which asks each one of us to know, to love, and to serve God. All of the activities of our imagination, all of our movements should inspire each one of us to search for signs of divinity as individuals and collectively as a member of a community of faithful believers of God. We are Catholic. We must learn how to value that which is capable of enriching our hearts, souls, and minds. Our lives are meant to be dedicated to the love and service of God.
On Monday November 15, after the 5:30 p.m. Mass there will be an hour long Eucharistic Adoration at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle.
On Monday November 15, after the 5:30 p.m. Mass there will be an hour long Eucharistic Adoration at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle.
An Old Fashioned Paragraph
As one of those who believe that the spiritual life of an individual is important for nourishing the soul and inspiring the mind to search for ways to be pure and content among its people, I regard popular culture as a dangerous concoction of thoughts and desires presented without wisdom, prudence, or love. The secular world allows pop culture to exist as a supreme inexorable law, of cause and effect, of sequence and ascension. Pop culture attacks our individual spiritual character with all types of transient passions of the flesh. This is a material age, everything is a commodity to be bought and sold, to be used and discarded. This is an age of exhaustion. The secular world encourages our society to be selfish, wasteful. Decadence and extravagance attack our eyes from magazine covers, television screens, computer screens. We are encouraged to forget or downplay spiritual things. The secular world works to create and nurture writers who exist only to spread doubt about the viability of religion, doubt about the reality of God. The mood of our society is addled. The quest for happiness is dangerous. Happiness isn't really tangible, it isn't lasting. A diamond necklace or a Mercedes might be purchased but happiness often only encourages us to want more. The idea of happiness that the secular world mass produces a murky angst. Modern life often appears like a heathen life of excess, of extreme selfishness, of rudeness. Although filled with material items and all types of experiences, modern life can be very empty, a distempered culture of insecurity, self hatred, ignorance, bigotry. Love is casually mentioned, casually discarded in the secular world. Love is neither unconditional nor universal in the secular world. Love is a motivating factor, an argument used to rationalize and justify material purchases and all types of social behavior. Love in the secular world produces neither joy nor hope. In the secular world love is lost within the gridlock of weariness and anxiety. How anxious is modern life! How we fear dirty bombs, serial killers, aging, terrorists, having last year's gadgets. However as Catholics our faith allows each one of us to define our lives as Children of God, our faith allows us to refine our lives based upon humility, charity, and service to God. True goodness and kindness are rare. As Christians our duty is to find a way to share God's exquisite love with ourselves and our neighbors. As Christians our lives should be both a reflection and an expression of God's love. There is a vitality within hope and faith which can help us follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. There is a newness in life when we believe in God and when we share our faith. The golden fleece within our spirit needs to nurtured by prayer, refection, good deeds. The more we love God and share our love of God, the more precious our lives become. We must reject the fashionable wolfish lust, hiding within song lyrics and imported silk shirts. Our love for God must never be placed beneath anything. It must always be the focal point of each day. We must strive to love and serve God each day. We must strive to love our neighbors as we love ourselves each day. Allow your spirit to lead you from the corruption of the secular world. Allow your spirit to show you that the world is still beautiful. Allow your spirit to present the saintly things in modern life. Allow your spirit to show you how to believe in God. Allow your spirit to create your literature of hope, love, mercy, and service
Thought of the Day
Do not allow your mind to forget God (though that is really impossible) or to downgrade God because it is fashionable to do so. Remember that science is not exact. Science creates both its questions and its solutions. The solutions may change with age. Avoid complaining because God did not act in the way that you wanted God to act. Each moment of our lives we are receiving gifts from God. Always be grateful, always give praise to God.
Words Will Lead
We live in a time when the secular world encourages us to have dilettante spirituality, limited to only those hours when we are physically within a church. The secular world does not like religion, tolerates religion only in small dozes, blames all of the worlds problems on religion instead of the men who practice and abuse their faith. It is easier for the secular world to accept the notion of Christians, as merely mystical and spiritual dabblers on Sundays before the football games.
Our challenge as Catholics is to integrate our lives, to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Our lives should encourage others to follow us. As Catholics, each choice we make should reflect our faith, our belief in God. We must find ways to fill our lives with humility, charity, mercy.
Our baptism gives us a direct obligation to God. Our lives have a purpose which we must discover and share. Goodness, kindness, and love can lead us to God. Our faith needs to be nurtured. We must limit our exposure to the secular world, we must learn more about our faith, more about the Saints.
How easy it is for the words to be written and read! How hard it is for the words to be put into practice! Being Catholic is often difficult. Following in Jesus Christ’s footsteps is difficult. There are times when we are going to want to stop. There are times when we are going to be upset by some church doctrine. There will be times when we will be too tired, too frustrated to continue.
But let nothing get in your way. Let nothing interfere with your relationship with God. Remember to pray as much as you can. Learn about your faith, share your ideas about your faith. Share your ideas about hope, love, mercy, compassion. Enjoy your life as a Catholic, always remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Allow that one act of love be your guide as you live your life each day.
Our challenge as Catholics is to integrate our lives, to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Our lives should encourage others to follow us. As Catholics, each choice we make should reflect our faith, our belief in God. We must find ways to fill our lives with humility, charity, mercy.
Our baptism gives us a direct obligation to God. Our lives have a purpose which we must discover and share. Goodness, kindness, and love can lead us to God. Our faith needs to be nurtured. We must limit our exposure to the secular world, we must learn more about our faith, more about the Saints.
How easy it is for the words to be written and read! How hard it is for the words to be put into practice! Being Catholic is often difficult. Following in Jesus Christ’s footsteps is difficult. There are times when we are going to want to stop. There are times when we are going to be upset by some church doctrine. There will be times when we will be too tired, too frustrated to continue.
But let nothing get in your way. Let nothing interfere with your relationship with God. Remember to pray as much as you can. Learn about your faith, share your ideas about your faith. Share your ideas about hope, love, mercy, compassion. Enjoy your life as a Catholic, always remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Allow that one act of love be your guide as you live your life each day.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Return
This November day I am happy to be alive. I am constantly seeking new things which will inspire me to act with goodness and kindness. I am learning the importance of humility. I am learning the importance of serving God. All things in our lives are connected. Serving God should be important to each Christian. Serving God extends beyond attending Mass. It is a way of life, a way of being. Our lives should be directed toward moving toward God. Our individual movements should inspire others to follow and move toward God. Kindness and goodness should not be treated as simple afterthoughts. Each day provides valuable lessons about compassion, mercy, and love. Our goal should be to grow in love of God each day. Each day we must allow time for prayer and reflection. Each day we make decisions about clothing, food, email, seeing friends. Each day we should remember to make a decision to offer a small bit of our lives to God, and then to slowly, increase this offering. Although each day we might repeat our actions, remember that each day is new and different. Each day is an opportunity to do good, to love our neighbor, to follow the path of Jesus Christ.
We live in a restless time of conflicting impulses. The secular world encourages each one of us to treat life as an open field or a gymnasium floor, running, jumping, careening around all types of temptation and sin; romping, playing, laughing while allowing the secular world influence our understanding of venial and mortal sin. We must acknowledge that we are sinners. Each one of us. We are sinners who hopefully are trying to avoid sin with each new decision, each new thought. Yes, there will be times when we might fail, when we will sin again. All we can do is acknowledge our failure, ask for God’s forgiveness, and try to avoid sinning. This war never ends.
We live in a restless time of secular confusion. Always remember God’s love. Always remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In November do you look back toward the summer days or are you looking for the December holidays? What governs your mind? What governs your heart? Where do you find God? How do you share God? Create a simple plan for goodness, kindness, humility, and charity each day.
Live a simple life of love and service to God.
As adults do not forget the lessons and ideals of childhood; being an adult means being open to growing in mind and spirit, being open to exploring the Mysteries of faith, being opening to sharing hope. We do not need to have every question answered. We need only to keep our lives and spirits balanced. We must place God at the center of our lives. We must strive to grow physically, mentally, spiritually each day and to encourage others to do so. Allow yourself time of reflection and prayer each day. Allow yourself to marvel at the living things, to marvel at the sky, the trees, the flowers, the animals. Allow yourself to enjoy the out of doors without rushing from point to point.
Remember that each decision provides us with an opportunity to move onward, to grow inward, to experience life outward, to hope and pray upward, to journey Godward.
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