Advent: A Time to Slow Down

https://www.saint-faustina.org/advent-is-approaching/

On November 30, the day before the first day of Advent, I was shocked to watch a local meteorologist shame the weekend news anchor because her Christmas Tree wasn't up. I wanted to yell, "No! Don't rush it!"

Be Prepared

This year I'm getting the message to slow down and not rush through Advent. I've heard multiple times through Catholic Radio and other Catholic sources to use the first 2 weeks for penance. Truly make it a "mini-Lent". I heard one man on a Catholic show suggest that if you put your tree up at the beginning of Advent, wait until Gaudete Sunday (the 3rd Sunday of Advent) to decorate it. What a great way to remind ourselves that to achieve our ultimate goal (to reach heaven), we first have to be stripped of our "garments" and made new in order to adorn the heavenly garb. We have to strip ourselves of our earthly possessions and our sins so we will be worthy to be properly clothed to meet our Lord and Savior. Just as in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14), we must have our souls prepared when we meet our Maker and adorn our "wedding robe". 

Going Against Society

During his homily for the first week of Advent, my parish priest explained it perfectly: We live in a world where immediate gratification is the norm. There is no such thing as waiting. There is no such thing as anticipation. Society wants things now, and that's when it is received. He continued telling the congregation that "Jesus dares us to wait patiently in prayer, to be attentive and alert, to make sure our hearts are paid attention to, and to believe in peace. The Church dares us to be patient and hope in God's promises to the world. " 

It's so tempting to give in to what society is telling us: Do it now, you don't have to wait for anything when you can have anything you want right now. Jesus waits for us in the Tabernacle. He is there, waiting for us to come to Him in prayer. He is waiting to have conversations with us. He is paying attention to our hearts, to what we need, and to what we are grateful for. He is there. He may not give us the immediate answer we're looking for, but I know that when I'm sitting in front of Him, looking at Him and having Him look at me (St. John Vianney), I am at peace. God hasn't given me everything I've asked for but I still find peace in being in the church and in front of the Tabernacle/Monstrance. If Jesus constantly waits for us, can't I wait for Him? Can I give him 4 weeks of praying and waiting? 

A Lack of Anticipation

Because of instant gratification, it seems that kids today always have Christmas. Even though my kids are grown, the last few years of their childhood had me scratching my head, wondering why they weren't excited about Christmas and their presents. Then I understood that it was because I "gifted" them with things throughout the year. There was no anticipation. They didn't have to wait for things they wanted because I gave it to them when they asked. (Well, not everything, but a lot of things.) If I could go back and do some things over, there would be some major changes. Here in the USA, we have some wonderful conveniences but what have we done to the next generation? And the one after that, and so on. 

That leads me back to why there is a lack of anticipation during Advent. Christmas is up in stores the day after (and in some cases, before) Halloween, jumping right over Thanksgiving. Trees are decorated in houses on Thanksgiving weekend and taken down on December 26th. Some people say they are tired of Christmas before the Christmas Season even arrives! I have noticed that more people are keeping Christmas Decorations up until at least Epiphany or even longer, and that makes me smile. I like to think that those people know what they're doing. 

Patience People

Most people understand that there are 2 comings of Christ: His birth, and the 2nd Coming. Fr. Mike Schmitz, in his First Sunday of Advent Homily, reminds us that there is a third: Jesus comes to us now. This is something we should always be preparing for. How are we going to receive Him? We should prepare to recognize how He comes to us daily. Open your eyes; pay attention to daily happenings. I think you'll be amazed at how many times you'll see Him in your life. As a Catholic, what a precious gift I'm given in that I can receive Him daily through the Eucharist at Mass. He not only comes to me daily through the Eucharist, but on the days I'm not able to attend Mass, I know He's still here with me. In that way, I am receiving immediate gratification by knowing He is always with me. The big arrival is yet to come: when I meet Jesus face to face either at the 2nd Coming or at the end of my earthly life. This is why we're called to have patience. He is coming. Don't give up hope. Continue to anticipate the celebration of His birth by praying and not rushing it. Slow down. Give your children time to anticipate Christmas and then let them revel in the Christmas Season.  

Memento Mori and The Beatitudes: How Each Reminds Us Of Our Ultimate Goal

Wow. That quote says it all, doesn't it? St. Paul told the Corinthians to not just look at today, but look ahead to eternal life; to PLAN for eternal life. I am amazed at how words written so long ago still speak to us today in the 21st century. As I listened to this scripture reading, I kept thinking "Memento Mori"..."Remember your death". We have no idea when our lives on this earth will end so we must prepare for it with every waking breath. St. Paul urged them to be ready and to not procrastinate...just as he's telling us today.

What will we be like in Heaven?

The Deacon gave the homily at the Mass when 1Corinthians 15:19 was the 2nd Reading. He mentioned St. Thomas Aquinas' Five Properties of a Glorified Body:
1. Identity. We will know each other when we are in Heaven. We'll be able to recognize family members and loved ones.
2. Quality. We will be at our highest powers.
(I think Catholic Answers combined these 2 into "Subtlety", meaning "we will have a spiritual nature as did our Lord..."  This reminded me of a book I read a few years ago: Angel on Board: Watch out for angels watching you! (EJ Thornton). Even though this book is fiction (although it's based on a true story), it will make you stop and think about things that have happened. Well worth a read!
3. Impassability. The glorified body will not diminish or change. It will not know sickness or any aches and pains.
4. Agility. This is the utter submission of the body to soul. We can go anywhere any time, all we have to do is think it and we will be there. Catholic Answers: We define agility as to be as our Resurrected Lord's ability to bilocate and travel great distances in an instant.
5. Clarity. We will be filled with beauty and light.

Is that not amazing? Doesn't that make you want to see Jesus right now? Deacon was really hyped up about it!

It's all about hope and humility

How can we plan for eternal life? Besides the 10 commandments, the Beatitudes is another good place to turn. In Luke 6:20-23, Jesus tells us how we will be rewarded with heaven. He gives us hope.  But then in Luke 6:24-26, it's almost as if He gives us a warning. In my opinion, He is telling us to have faith, to not get too comfortable with our earthly lives. He's telling us to remember our reason for being on this earth and what our ultimate goal is. To me, He's telling us to remain humble.

💜Woe to you who are rich...(Luke 6:24)Even though we may be rich monetarily, don't get sucked into the materialistic way of thinking. Live modestly and within your means. Don't get tricked into thinking that material things will bring you happiness.
💜Woe to you who are filled now...(Luke 6:25) How can we be filled if God isn't the center of our lives? And, if He is the center of our lives, we remain hungry for more of Him.
💜Woe to you who laugh now...(Luke 6:25) I don't think we're being told to be unhappy and to be all solemn all the time. There is a time for jokes and there's a time for solemness. We have to know the right time for each.
💜Woe to you when all speak well of you...(Luke 6:26) I hear this one loud and clear. Talk about humility! We shouldn't live our lives for God to be noticed by other people. If we are, then we aren't truly living our lives for God. It's not about us.
"We bow our knees
We must decrease
You must increase
We lift you high"
(From the song Humble by Audrey Assad)

The Beatitudes are words of hope yet still remind us to be humble...to not get too full of ourselves. Paired with Memento Mori, it's a pretty good way of keeping our ultimate goal at the forefront of our mind and our daily lives.

Other Related Posts:
A Catholic Woman's Perspective of Death
Deliver Me

Breaking Out of a Dry Spell and Rediscovering God

Photo courtesy of Pexels

I had the most amazing experience during the Consecration at All Saints Day Mass: I felt the presence of God. Since I was in the choir area, I saw the back of the priest's vestments with the host & wine lifted high above his head. You may be thinking "What's so different this time? I feel His presence all the time". The difference is that I have been going through an incredibly dry period. This one seems so much longer and drier than past dry periods. Maybe it's because over the past few years I felt closer to God than I had in a long time, which made the dry period seem longer and drier.
I spoke with my Spiritual Director who urged me to keep doing my daily prayer routine. As I told her, I will not let Satan win. So many mornings I have felt like I've gotten nothing out of the Readings or prayer. No matter how hard I tried, I just didn't get it. How hard must it be for religious and saints to go through dry periods! Oh, but when you feel that presence of God again, what a joyous feeling!

Why the dry period?

Reflecting over the cause of the dry period gave me a couple of reasons why this was happening.
1) Our parish priest recently retired. I absolutely love this man! He is so tender, so understanding, so...HOLY, although he would be the first one to dispute that. He is one of the best (if not THE best) homilists I've ever heard. He can take a reading and in just a few minutes relate it to your life. His homilies were short, sweet, to the point, and relatable. His love for God came through during every single Mass. His enthusiasm for spreading The Word was evident every time he was on the altar. Once he retired, it was like the wind was taken out of my sail. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but it felt like the whole church atmosphere did a 180. I had trouble feeling God during the Mass. I rotely went through the Mass, not really understanding what was being said or being able to apply it to experiences in my life. I took notes during the Homily, but those notes over the past month were so scattered that they just didn't make sense. Having a priest on the altar who genuinely loves his calling (and not seeing it as a "job") makes all the difference in the world.
2) Change. I don't like it. It seems any time I get too comfortable, I have to deal with change. And this was a big one. When I first moved back "home", I was a church hopper. I couldn't find the parish where I felt comfortable and where I felt I belonged. Even in the parish where I grew up, I didn't feel welcome. Every time I thought I found a church home, the priest would leave or be reassigned. Now that I found a home in my childhood parish (the same one where I didn't feel welcome), I was comfortable, and my spiritual life was flourishing.
3) Busy-ness with other things. The beginning of the school year is always hectic but this year seems to be so much worse. On top of that, things out of our control have been happening to the RCIA team so a couple of us are having to take up the slack. And if that weren't enough, in the middle of all of that I presented with a couple of people and had a booth in the exhibit hall for our state speech/language convention.

How things are looking up

The new priest who is assigned to my parish (his title is "Parochial Vicar") came a few weeks ago. He's young (early 30's) and his love for God and the Mass is very evident. When he first opened his mouth to speak, I thought "uh-oh" because he has a monotone speaking voice while celebrating Mass. But his homily! While it's pretty obvious he's reading his homily (our previous parish priest never read his homily...it was heartfelt and never read), he has a good message. It's not too long, and it's definitely not all over the place. His first Sunday, he had to talk about stewardship. He managed to direct the theme to the Gospel as well as our every day lives, so he won my approval on the spot. He's also a fellow blogger; he posts his homilies so they can be revisited during the week. On All Saints Day, he had this on the altar:

I've seen this in our Adoration Chapel but had no idea what it was. It is a first-class relic from St. Maria Goretti. According to Mary Rezac in an article for the Catholic News Agency (11/01/2017, "Is it Weird that Catholics venerate relics? Here's why we do"): First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh.
So far, our new priest is piquing my interest and curiosity so that I want to learn more about my faith. I want to delve into the lives of the saints (specifically St. Maria Goretti) to learn more about her since she is a part of our parish. He also mentioned that he was born on the anniversary of the conclusion of the Fatima apparitions, and now he is at Our Lady of Fatima. Definitely a "God-incidence". I think I can learn a lot from him.
I met with my Spiritual Director a couple of weeks ago and she gave me some excellent ideas to keep plugging away. Several years ago, Jennifer Fulwiler wrote a blog post offering 9 Tips for Spiritual Dry Spells. Most of her suggestions follow what I was told to do.
Things are easing up with work so I can take the time to read and just be silent. I don't feel as if I'm being pulled in 100 different ways. I'm sticking to my routine and it's proving to be effective. Slowly but surely I can feel God creeping back into my heart and letting me know that He is still there.

What My Parish Priest Said That Changed My Mind About This Blog Post

I had no plans to talk about "the scandal" in another blog post. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about it. I'm not saying it should be swept under the rug and those involved shouldn't be prosecuted because they most definitely should. My priest's Homily made me change my mind about this blog post. What he said really hit home.

Never in my life have I seen the congregation clap after a Homily. My parish priest is a kind, gentle, very holy man. When I look at him I see the epitome of holiness and humility. I've listened to Father Mike Schmitz and Father Leo Patalinghug speak on the scandal. They both said (along with Father Don Calloway in his book Under the Mantle) that someone has verbally told them that they are a child molester. One morning, my priest's Homily hit home. He said he was in a grocery store; someone walked behind him and said, "There's one of those pedophiles." My heart sank when he said that. To see him so persecuted was like seeing Jesus being persecuted. This man, this sweet, gentle, kind, holy man had to endure those words without saying anything back. My first thought was that people are just ignorant, but Father said that the person who said it wasn't ignorant. It breaks my heart to think how deflated he must have felt.

The Readings over the past couple of weeks have been amazing. The Holy Spirit (heck the whole Trinity) is telling us to have faith; to not give up on our faith but to rely on HIM. I didn't realize this, but I heard on a podcast (I don't remember which one it was) that the news broke on the Feast of the Assumption. That has satan's signature all over it. We all know that he has NO power over Mary; that Mary is the one who he leaves alone because she's awesome that way. Of course, he would get someone to do his work on such a special day.

Here's a run-down of God telling us what's up:

• Ephesians 5:15   Brothers and Sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil.
• Ezekiel 24:21   Thus says the Lord God: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride, the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul. 
• Ezekiel 34:2    Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves!
• Ezekiel 34:10   Thus says the Lord God: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths.
• Ezekiel 36:25-26    I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.
• Joshua 24: 15    If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve...
• John 6:66-69    As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."  

I heard the Lord loud and clear the day we read Ezekiel 34. Who could have missed that message? During the Homily, the priest said he had received emails from parishioners who said they just couldn't come to Mass. These people need our prayers, for sure. In my opinion, those people either were looking for an excuse to stop attending, or they don't have a true grasp of what being a Catholic means...of why we go to Mass every Sunday. It hurts me to think of what they're doing to themselves. Are they hurting the Church? Not as much as they're hurting themselves. It's like when my boys wouldn't turn school work in or wouldn't study for a test because they didn't like their teacher. I would just look at them and say, "Well, you showed her, didn't you?" The difference is that Jesus does care. The teacher may or may not have really cared, but HE DOES.
This song is a reminder that we should continue to let others see Christ in us.

I love my faith. I love being Catholic. I love that I have the privilege of receiving His Precious Body and Blood at least every week. I have had the honor of knowing some very holy priests. It hurts that every single one of them has been affected by the terrible actions of some. It breaks my heart that my parish priest has had to endure some snide comments by someone who has no idea what a holy, gentle man he is. People can be mean. Priests have a heavy cross to bear right now. Please pray for them.

Down & Dirty

Picture courtesy of Dreamstime

In today's Homily, the Deacon said some things that confirmed something that I read: God gives us struggles so we will turn to him. We have to die in order to spiritually grow closer to God. He didn't say that exact thing, but that was what I took from it.

Getting "Down & Dirty"

He began by talking about having a perfect grain of wheat. Some people would polish it and put it in a glass case, hidden from view to protect it. I totally get that...it's the same way with faith. Yes, it should be polished, but put in a glass case hidden from view? No. Jesus calls us to take our faith, polish it, but then share it with others. We shouldn't take our faith and hide it. He calls us to evangelize and share.
Just like the grain of wheat has to fall to the ground and get dirty, so we have to take our faith and "get down and dirty" with it.  He suggests taking our Lenten practices and continuing it after Easter as a way to "get dirty". We have to die to ourselves so that we can grow into something new & different.

Called to Him Through Struggles

I have 3 adult sons with adult challenges. One of them is going through some especially difficult challenges; it seems like he just can't catch a break. Every time things seem to be turning for the better, something else happens.  As a mom, it's heartbreaking to know I have no control over it and I can't fix it for him.  I read somewhere (I can't find it now...it may have been in Matthew Kelly's book Perfectly Yourself) that God will call you through your struggles. Will it fix everything? No. But it will give you the patience and will give you joy as you're going through it. It will definitely take some of the sting out of things happening. It is through these struggles that God will create a clean heart in us.

A Wonderful Harvest in the Making

He is constantly calling us back to Him; I think He is practically begging. What will it take before some will hear His call and will return to His fold? I am constantly praying for the intercession of St. Anne & St. Monica, but I have to also remember to ask Jesus to allow me to truly trust in Him. Your will, not mine.  I have to ask to be able to accept His will, whatever it may be. I have taken that perfect grain of wheat off the shelf and out of the glass case and put in full view. It still needs a lot of polishing, but I'm working on sharing it. I'm getting down and dirty with it. I pray that it takes hold and produces a wonderful harvest!

Rejoicing with Grace in the Middle of Lent

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines grace as favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to be children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life. (CCC 1996) In RCIA this week, someone had a very good question: What is the difference between grace & blessing? The Catechism explains blessing as expressing the basic movement of Christian prayer; it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God's gift and man's acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other, the prayer of blessing is man's response to God's gifts: because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing. (CCC 2626) I interpret that to mean that through God's blessing, we receive grace. Please keep in mind that I am not a theologian and have never taken college courses on theology. This is just my simple mind trying to wrap my head around this week's Readings.

Rejoice in the middle of Lent?

The priests and deacons wear pink (or rose...the deacon is adamant that they are rose!) vestments this week. Lent is a time for confession, penance, and reconciliation. Here we are in the middle of Lent, and it's a day of rejoicing. (Enter record scratch here.) Wait...what? Yes, I said rejoicing. In the middle of Lent!  It's time to come out of the darkness to prepare for our risen Lord. To get to that, first, we have to relive his passion.  But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Today is the day to get a breather. Take a deep breath, look back on how you've been doing during Lent with your spiritual health, and get ready for the "heavy week". As I get older, Holy Week takes on more meaning. As I reflect on how my Lent has been going, I have work to do. Serious work. I slacked off this past week and haven't felt myself getting closer to God. I feel like I'm hiding in the darkness.

Coming Out of the Dark

When I was a child, I'm pretty sure if I did something I wasn't supposed to I would sneak and hide. (Getting sweets when I wasn't supposed to comes to mind!) We have a dog (who is actually my son's...she's our house guest until he graduates) who will run and hide under the bed when she's done something wrong. I think those are 2 pretty good examples of hiding in the darkness due to sin. (You might argue that dogs can't sin, but that's a topic for another day.) In the dog's case, once we cajole her and talk sweetly to her, she'll come out from under the bed. As people, once we're told it's okay and we're forgiven, don't we feel as if the darkness has dissipated? During his Homily, the priest said that Jesus came to bring light to the world. Lent is not about darkness so we shouldn't hide but instead come out into the light. As Catholics, we receive grace when we go to confession and are absolved of our sins. What an amazing blessing God has given us!

Just Go

Communal penitential services are a perfect time to prepare yourself to receive the grace given to us through the Sacrament of Penance. Or, go to confession at your parish's scheduled time. If that doesn't work for you, call the parish office and make an appointment for the priest to hear your confession. Just go to prepare yourself for Holy Week.

During the Homily, Father mentioned that as Christians, we continue to be drawn to God. I momentarily got distracted by Audrey Assad's song coming to mind:

It's All About Community

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I'm so busy dealing with my own salvation that I forget about my responsibility to others. Salvation isn't just about me...it's about everyone I meet. Not just those I meet on a daily basis, but even those who may enter my life for a fleeting second.
We are called to evangelize, to spread the news of God. In today's First Reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9), I applied it in my life as meaning that if we have the opportunity to evangelize but don't say anything, we are responsible for that person not being saved. But...if we say something and that person chooses to ignore, they are accountable.

I have a co-worker whom I have seen at Mass. I mentioned to her that I didn't realize she was Catholic, and she said she wasn't; the man she is seeing is so she has been coming to Mass. (The times I have seen her, she was coming back from communion but I didn't make it a point to watch to see if she was taking the Eucharist, or if she had her arms folded.) She said she enjoys coming to Mass but doesn't understand all of it. I invited her to look into RCIA, and gave her Sister's name to call at the church office if she was interested. We were around a group of people, so I didn't want to say anything about her taking communion. I decided I would wait until I see her alone and bring it up. It also gave me time to think of how to word what I needed to say. I'm going to start by telling her that I'm not judging, just informing. That was mainly because I didn't know if she was taking communion. Last week, however, I didn't play in the choir and was sitting in the congregation when I saw her go to communion and take the Body & Blood of Christ. Now, I feel that it is imperative that I speak with her, only I haven't had time. I need to make the time to talk to her. I can't be so busy that I can't find a couple of minutes to talk to her. Am I nervous about it? Absolutely. I'm more nervous that she will say something & I won't know the right words to say back to her, but this is a discussion that needs to happen...soon.

That takes us to the Second Reading (Romans 13:8-10) and the Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20). We should love our neighbors enough to care about their salvation. Even those people we don't particularly care for deserve to be saved. I don't know about you, but being a cradle Catholic, when a Protestant friend comes up to me and spouts off Bible verses and starts talking about Jesus, I get uncomfortable. To me,  your faith is personal and is unique to each person. We don't have to say anything to evangelize...actions speak louder than words. And, as St. Francis is attributed as saying: "Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary, use words." BINGO! That is exactly what I think the Readings are saying! Always be preaching. I'm so guilty of acting one way in the work place and another way at home. At work, I try to be all sunshine & roses, and by the time I get home I'm over it. My poor husband takes the brunt of it. It's not easy to preach all the time; in fact, it's quite exhausting. Jesus didn't say it would be easy, though.

In the Gospel, we're given a plan. If someone wrongs us, we are to go directly to that person. If he can't be swayed, then we get a couple of people to go back with us and try again. If that doesn't work, we get the church involved. (That had me a little puzzled, until the Deacon mentioned in RCIA that "church" meant "community".) If that doesn't work, then we make them aware of the estrangement. To me, this means that at some point you have to let go for your own sanity. If you've gone through every step you can to reconcile, then it's time to back away and continue to pray for that person. I'm not a confrontational person; in fact, I avoid it at all costs.  In reading the meditation from Magnificat, Pope Francis says that "This approach is one of sensitivity, prudence, humility, attention towards the one who committed a fault, to avoid wounding or killing the brother with words." In his Homily, Father said that he is often the last to know that someone isn't happy with him, because that person rarely comes to him and tells him. He finds out 3rd or 4th hand. When you go to that person who wronged you, you do it out of love. When you go to someone else and that person goes to another person, and so on, you may be destroying that person. As Pope Francis said, "words can kill". I am guilt of gossiping (I don't know anyone who isn't), but I do have a responsibility to stop gossip. I heard someone say that if you tell 1 person you're venting, but if you tell more than 1 person, you're gossiping. Oh, but isn't it so easy to "vent" to a few people at a time? And, couldn't it be avoided if you just went to that person and discussed the problem? Hmmmm...seems like I read that in today's Readings!
As Father summed up the Second Reading: "There is no evil in love". I had the pleasure of listening to Father Leo Patalinghug last year at our Diocesan CCW Convention. His advice is to pray for the person we don't care for. How can you dislike someone you're praying for? Good, sound advice!

I don't think the Readings are telling us to have the weight of the world on our shoulders. It's not telling us to be anxious about trying to save everyone. It is telling us to act like a Christian, be humble, sensitive, prudent, and attentive. Or, as Matthew Kelly puts it: "Be the best version of ourselves". If we do that, others will take notice and will want to emulate us. It's our responsibility to show that love and to spread the Gospel. It doesn't have to be with words; actions will do.

Conflicts

Photo by Kris Schulze

I really didn't want to get up and go to Mass this morning. I initially planned to go last night, but got busy with a project and didn't go. I've got to focus on Him. I definitely feel like I've lost that focus that I had over the past few years.

I read the Readings while in Adoration on Thursday...that is, after almost falling asleep saying the Rosary. The First Reading (Jeremiah 20: 7-9) had me duped.  Why was Jeremiah saying those things? Why in the world is that the First Reading? After reading it a couple of times (to make sure I read it right the first time), I opened the Bible and read what came before and after, as well as the introduction to this book. It kind of made sense after that.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet, but it didn't always go well for him. My take on this reading is that he was just tired of being a prophet and sick of being unappreciated. The Catholic Study Bible (3rd Edition) indicates that he had more of an impact after his death. He voiced his frustration in what we read today, but then he turns it around and says that the Lord will prevail over those who are condemning him. But then...he goes back to wishing he hadn't been born. Such a conflicted soul!

The Second Reading (Romans 12:1-2) is a short one, but reminds us to stay true to God. Do what is right and don't succumb to peer pressure or what's going on right now. Our country is such a mess in terms of "if you don't agree with me, then you're (insert word here)." Instead of respecting others' opinions, the "other side" is criticized and ridiculed. St. Paul tells us in this very short passage to stick to your guns and don't succumb. You know what is right...keep doing it and believing it. Even when, like Jeremiah, you get discouraged and it seems that the whole world is against you, keep fighting the good fight.

The Gospel (Matthew 16:21-27) wraps everything up. If you stay true and conduct yourself as you should, you will receive your heavenly reward. Peter & Jeremiah both wanted to take matters into their own hands, forgetting God's will.  During RCIA last week when we discussed this week's Gospel, the question came up about knowing what your cross is that you have to bear. Maybe we don't really know what that cross is; we have to have faith that whatever it is, God will give us the grace to carry it as long as we don't turn our back on Him.

As I said in the beginning of this post: I really didn't want to go to Mass this morning. While I was in the shower, I thought about how the devil is trying to get me to not go, and he will not win. I refuse to let him win or have any power over me. So I finished getting ready & went. Imagine how surprised I was when Father said "When we least feel like being at Mass we need to be there most." That was definitely a "Jethro Slap" moment!  (If you watch NCIS, you know what I'm talking about.) No matter what you're going through or whether you're on fire, lukewarm, or kind of cool about God & your faith, keep working through it. He's there for you, and he's waiting with open arms. After all, even the saints went through cool periods in their lives.

Not Letting Fear Be the Motivator

Photo by Pexels

What is your first reaction when you meet someone who is "different" than you? I'd wager that 9 out of 10 times, it's fear. When I was growing up, any time I met a disabled person (whether it be physically or mentally disabled), I was scared. I didn't know what to say or do. I was also quite a bit anxious with some fear mixed in when, for 3rd grade, the school I attended went through integration. I was taken out of my white, middle class world and thrown in with a whole bunch of kids who were "different".
You're thinking, "yeah, well, that was when you were a kid", and that's true. As an adult, I know some people who are frightened when they see someone with a disability, and I can't say for sure whether or not I would be one of them. Since I work with disabled children, I don't have that fear any longer. I know people who, when they see a person of color, will automatically think the worst of him/her. I can definitely say that, when I meet a woman with a hijab (I hope I'm using the correct term!), my initial reaction is fear, but then I calm down and am interested. (I'm interested to the point where I really want to ask questions, but realize that it's probably not socially acceptable to walk up to a stranger and bombard her with questions about her beliefs & customs in the middle of WalMart.) Then I'm able to see Christ in that person.

Photo by Timothy Ah Koy on Unsplash

In today's Gospel (Matthew 14:22-33), Peter's fear makes him sink as he's walking on the water. He yells out "Lord, save me!", and Jesus reaches his hand out for Peter to grab. In the homily last night, Father focused on our fear of anything different than how we are.
When we feel fear and anxiety, we are refusing to see God in others' lives...in how they look and in what they wear. He urged us to not let fear be what motivates you; see Christ in everyone we meet. Fear is what takes us down. When we have those feelings, picture God's outstretched hand pulling us up and seeing Him.

Photo by Anton Darius | Sollers on Unsplash

I have friends who are protestant, or are agnostic, but I'm not afraid of them. Why then, does the fear creep in when I meet someone who is Muslim? If I met a Muslim who did not cover her head, I wouldn't know she is Muslim; therefore, I wouldn't have any fear or anxiety at all. It's the outside appearance that causes the fear and anxiety.
Our society is such that we have been programmed to look at the outside of the person first. What they're wearing or how they're acting causes our first impression. The media has a huge part in telling us how we should conceive those first impressions. What would society be like if the media reported on the inside of people, not the outside? How much nicer everyone would be to each other!

Photo by Sonja Guina on Unsplash

I wonder...do some non-Catholics feel anxious when they meet a priest for the first time who is wearing a collar?  I wear a miraculous medal necklace and a bracelet with a St. Benedict medal every single day. Still, I'm not easily identified by looking at me as Catholic because my miraculous medal is a very small part of the necklace (it's in a cross) and isn't easily detectable as such. But, if it were, I wonder how differently I would be treated.
The nuns (or "sisters" as we are now supposed to refer to religious who work in communities and aren't cloistered) who wore their habits...were people fearful of them? (I'm not talking about anyone who attended Parochial School!) What about the sisters who continue to wear their habits? Do they feel it? I have to say, I've never thought about that until just now. A cradle Catholic, being around it my whole life, there is not one ounce of fear or anxiety when I see them "out and about".
With the abuse scandals, do non-Catholics have that anxiety when they see a priest? Do they pull their children in closer to them out of fear? I think as Catholics, we may think it's silly, but think about it. How is that any different than many of our initial reactions to seeing a Muslim woman?

I challenge you to say a quick prayer "Lord, save me" the next time you come across someone who is "different" than you. Ask God to allow you to see Him in that person. If everyone did that, the world would be a much nicer place in which to live.

{SQT} 7 Materials to Help You Reflect

With the internet, there are so many options to use for reflecting on Daily & Sunday Readings. These are what I have found helpful. Some can be delivered right into your inbox.

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Catholicmom.com isn't only for moms. There's something for everyone on this site whether you're single or a dad. Their Daily Reflections are short and to the point. 

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Blessed is She is another reflection that can be delivered daily to your inbox. While some of them are geared more toward the younger crowd, they are usually well-written and connect the readings to every day life.

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ePriest's reflections begin with a prayer, petition, then 3 main points for the Gospel, followed by another prayer and ending with a resolution.

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The Catholic Company doesn't have reflections, but they do have morning offerings, daily meditations, links to Mass Readings (from USCCB) and Homilies, as well as the daily saint, devotions, and links to daily prayers. Just be aware that if you sign up, you'll also receive offers from them.

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The Word Among Us can't be sent to your inbox, so I sometimes forget about going to this site. (If you subscribe, you may be able to have the daily meditation sent; I don't subscribe, so I'm not sure.) It's actually very good; another short reflection that connects the readings to every day life.

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Catholic Study Bible. This is the one I have, but really, any of them would do. Read the readings, and read the footnotes. Read what comes before and after the Gospel for that day/week.

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A friend of mine just made a Mass Notes Journal (pdf format). Someone else made the comment that it will be great to take to Adoration. This can be used throughout the week. Included are Homily Notes, Scripture References and questions, goals, moments of grace, a place for art, a thankful page, help me page, prayer requests, and faith in action. It's a great way to reflect on the whole week using the weekly Readings.
If you have a Spiritual Director, this would be fantastic to take with you when you receive direction.

She has made it available to everyone, for free. There is a choice of 5 different covers. I put mine in a notebook, but you could bind yours. She thought of everything: She has 2 versions: Sermon Notes Journal and Mass Notes Journal.
If you would like to download it, click HERE. 

What do you have delivered to your inbox for reflections?

I'm linking up with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes.

{Third Sunday of Easter} Open My Eyes and Heart

Luke 24: 13-35

I just love this Gospel Reading. Here are 2 guys, walking back home, their heads down, trying to understand what happened. They are disciples of Jesus, the one who was to save the world. They stood by and watched him ridiculed, tortured, beaten, and crucified. They walked into the tomb after hearing the news that he was alive and saw it for themselves. Then, they meet a stranger who asks them what they were talking about. This stranger schools them on prophesies and explains them to the men. When they reach Emmaus, Jesus appears to be going farther, so the guys invite him to stay with them. He does, and, while breaking bread, the guys realize who this stranger is.  Once they realize who he is, Jesus vanishes. As they look back over the day's events, they realize that they felt something deep down while they were talking to him; they just didn't notice it at the time. 

It amazes me that Jesus was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. Just as Jesus is revealed to us during the Eucharist. And then, just as the host dissolves in our mouths, he is gone. But, Jesus remains with us in our heart and body. We partake of his body and blood; he becomes part of us each time we receive Communion. Every day, we go through our routines, through our day. We complain (or at least I do) about something that hasn't gone the way we wanted it to, or thought it would. But then, as Catholics, we are able to walk into Mass and have Jesus come into our hearts & body through the Eucharist. It's through the partaking that our eyes & hearts are opened.

In his homily, Father said that we are like the disciples headed to Emmaus. Jesus came to them just as he comes to us. He revealed himself slowly, and waited until just the right time. That's exactly what he does for us. There have been many times, many "AHA" moments, when I wonder, "Why didn't that ever occur to me before?" This gospel answers that question for me: It wasn't my time for him to reveal those things to me. One thing that hit me during the Triduum: On Holy Thursday the priest washed the feet of several parishioners, then he kissed their feet. The next day, on Good Friday, we kiss the feet of Jesus during the veneration of the cross. That is just 1 example of a revelation that has come to me in middle age that I've never thought of/noticed before.

Father went on to say that Emmaus was just the beginning of the journey. This was the beginning of the believers. How exciting it must have been; how convicted the disciples had to be that they were following the Son of God! We can share in the excitement and be that convicted every single day of our lives. We are Cleopas & his friend on the road to Emmaus. If we are patient, Jesus will reveal himself to us in good time.

Get Off This Mountain! {2nd Sunday of Lent}

The above quote is from my parish priest as he spoke on the Transfiguration. He was very passionate during his Homily last night. It's not quite as strong as the subject line in my email from Blessed is She (Get Your Butt Off the Mountain), but passionate just the same. While James, Peter, and John wanted to hang out with Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, God was telling them to move on and get busy. Prepare for what God has in store for us. 
I've mentioned this before: during RCIA, we take a few minutes at the beginning of the class to read and reflect on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel. The line that hit me was "Listen to him." So many times during the Gospels that same thing is said. Listen to him. So many people had to be told to listen to him. We have to be told to listen to him. Not to hear what he is saying, but, as Father Bill said during the homily, internalize what he is saying. Not to just say, "yeah, yeah...I'm listening", but really internalize what he is saying. Thank goodness it isn't to "understand" what's being said, because I have a tremendous way to go before I understand half of the gospels. 
Father reminded us of what happened just before the 3 went to the mountain with Jesus: the apostles were arguing about who would take over when Jesus wasn't with them any longer. Then, Jesus takes the 3 up onto the mountain, where they encounter Moses & Elijah, and see Jesus in a conversation with them. One of the ladies in RCIA asked about the significance of Moses & Elijah; the deacon explained that Moses is the law, and Elijah the prophet. So, Jesus fulfills the law and the prophesies. The 3 (I know it's not a coincidence that Jesus brought 3 apostles with him!) fall down  in fear, and Jesus tells them not to be afraid. Aren't we all called to do this? Be firm in our faith, and not be afraid to live out our faith. Some days, it's easier said than done. Yet, we are called to get up, be courageous, and be Christian. We all have our crosses to carry, and we've had tragedies during our lives. We have to pick up those crosses and move on.
In the end, Jesus tells the 3 not to tell anyone until he rises (another common theme throughout the Gospels). Jesus isn't all "hocus-pocus". He doesn't want people to believe because of events that have been relayed while he is still with them. He wants us to be a people of faith...of real faith. 
Father passionately said that we have a glimpse of His glory at every mass: During the transubstantiation, the host is transformed into the body of Christ. At the end, we are ordered to "now GO". It doesn't end with the Recessional. We are to take strength from the Mass...strength to get off this mountain and do what we have to do.
This week, I challenge you to get off this mountain and do what you have to do. All for the greater honor & glory of God! 

Look for Calls: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Look for calls within our daily lives. That stuck out as I read the reflection of the Gospel from ePriest. We aren't all called to do great things, but, as Saint Mother Teresa said, "...we can do small things with great love." We have to look for the call as we go about our daily life to be more charitable, patient, and generous. The apostles heard Jesus say "follow me", and they dropped everything to do that. Not all of us are called to do that, at least material-wise. I have to say I'm a bit relieved that I haven't been called to do that; I'm a bit selfish that way. 

Let me back up a bit. After reading today's Gospel, my thought was that when Jesus heard of John's imprisonment, He knew it was time to step it up. He knew that was His signal to start gathering apostles, who dropped everything to follow Him. Jesus calls us to do the same thing. Every. Day. The reflection from Catholic Mom posed the question: Why does He seem to call me at the most inconvenient, inopportune time? He's constantly reminding us to put Him first; that all things are done through HIM, not me. It's up to us to listen to Him calling as we go about our day. He's calling us to charity, generosity, and patience. We have to stop & listen.

As the priest said today in his Homily: God calls us where and as we are. We all have a purpose. In order to realize that purpose, we have to have a deep personal relationship with God. We can achieve this through prayer and worship. (Then he started talking about ministries to the parish and touched on the Bishop's Appeal, so I have to admit I got a little distracted at that point!)

 Every one of us sees some darkness in our lives; regardless of how perfect our lives are or how perfect someone else's life seems to be. There's sickness, death, hard times. That relationship is vital in seeing the big picture: Salvation. Life isn't perfect. Families aren't perfect. I know in my own life, there have been things that have happened that have made my stomach knot up and have made me physically ill. Turning to God in those moments and remembering that He has this definitely helps. If I didn't have a relationship with Him, I don't know how I would have gotten through those events. Daily prayers & reflecting on the Daily Readings have helped me achieve that deep personal relationship with God. Online communities such as Blessed is She and Heart of Mary Women's Fellowship keep me focused, as does SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel (especially Jennifer Fulwiler, Hallie Lord, Lino Rulli, and The Busted Halo---who all make being Catholic "cool"!). 

This week, I challenge you to "hear the call" throughout the day.

How do you stay focused so you can hear the call during your day?

{Fourth Sunday of Advent} UNBELIEVABLE!

Photo by Ben White

Have you ever stopped to think about how truly unbelievable the Birth of Christ is? Here is this innocent little baby who is our Savior! So many things had to come together before this happened. Mary had to say "yes". Joseph had to have enough faith to say "yes". One little "no" and history would have been different. 

What struck me while reading today's Readings, was how things that were foretold in the Old Testament came to fruition. In the First Reading (Isaiah 7:10-14), we're told that there will be a sign, a virgin birth whose name will be Emmanuel. Mary's and Joseph's yes fulfilled that sign.

The reflections that I read centered around signs. One that I read suggested that, at times, we are so caught up in looking for signs that we forget to give the control to God. I keep saying this in recent posts, but I'm really trying to live this in my daily life: God knows all. He knows what we're going to do, how we're going to mess up, and how we're going to fix it. So there's no reason to worry. We have to give it all to God. With one son traveling across the country and another one staying at university for break, reminding myself of this has kept me from getting down and from worrying. I'm strangely completely at peace with everything. 

ePriest put things in perspective for me. Joseph's plans were completely shattered by Mary's news. He more than likely had their life planned out: he would work in his carpentry shop, Mary would keep the house, and they would have lots of children in the years to come. What a blow this must have been to him. How terrible he must have felt! And then he has this dream. He must have said, "Wait. How are my plans changing? I'm going to do what? Mary is going to be the mother of whom? I'm going to raise whom?" Yet, he had the faith to say "yes" and do as God asked. 

The video reflection from USCCB by Father Greg Friedman told 2 pieces of trivia (as it were) about today's Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24): Luke told the story of Mary's Annunciation; Matthew tells us about Joseph's. None of Joseph's words are recorded, only his actions. This is a perfect example of actions speaking louder than words. 

The Deacon during the Homily asked us how many times during the day do we say "That's unbelievable"? I know that I say it quite often. Now think about how many times we say that same thing when talking about our Lord. Not very many, huh? But if we stop to really think about Jesus' birth, His life, and His death, it truly is unbelievable. 

The next time you say "That's unbelievable", think about our Lord. Think about how truly unbelievable He really is, and how much faith it requires to believe. And, as the Deacon said, if someone asks you how you can believe, give them this answer: "God said it, God did it, and that's enough for me."

{Second Sunday in Advent}: HE KNOWS

As I read the Readings for today, the above verse jumped out at me. How many times do I look at someone and immediately make a judgment? There's a lady in my parish who used to sit a couple of rows ahead of me during Mass. I would see her look around, watching people as they came in. In my head, I could hear her make comments about them. My reaction was to think that this woman was really nosy, and more interested in people than what was going on at the altar.  And then I met her and spent a little bit of time with her. I had the opportunity to see what an absolutely beautiful person she is. I saw her come into Mass Sat. evening, and I thought about my wrong first impression of her. This was before I read and heard the Readings. Even during the reading during Mass, I didn't catch it. Then, Sunday morning as I read the Readings at my kitchen table, this hit home:
Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide.  (Isaiah 11:3)
It's so very easy to be swayed by someone else's opinion, and I'm the world's worst at that. We are urged to think for ourselves and not be influenced by what others think. 

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another. (Romans 15: 5)
Jenna Hines wrote today's reflection for Blessed is She. The target of the reflection is to be in harmony with other people. Not to change their thoughts, just to work on yourself and let God worry about the big picture. Yesterday, during an Advent Reflection at a nearby convent, Sister mentioned that there is no need for us to worry about anything; God is in control. He knows all: He knows when we're going to mess up, and He knows how we're going to fix it. www.USCCB.org offers this explanation of that line: 
[15:5] Think in harmony: a Greco-Roman ideal. Not rigid uniformity of thought and expression but thoughtful consideration of other people’s views finds expression here.
Isn't that perfect for right now, considering what's happening post-election?

Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  ( Matthew 3:10)
We are called to live out our lives for God. We are called to evangelize and to go out into the world and proclaim God's word, if not by our words, then by our actions. It all goes back to the question: If we were on trial for being a Christian, would we be found guilty?

For the Gospel's reflections, both ePriest and my parish priest explained that when in the desert, the Israelites learned to depend on God. When they were in the desert, they had to give all control to God. Tying the Gospel in with the other Readings, all 3 have the component of letting go and putting everything in God's hands. Man, that's difficult! There are things that go on in my life, with my adult children, that I want to control. I end up getting all stressed out about it because I think I have to be in control, when I should lift it up to God. HE's the one in control. He knows how things are going to be "fixed". When I think I have to be in control, I get physically sick to my stomach. As I learn to hand the problems up to God, I can feel that sinking feeling and the anxiety being lifted.
ePriest mentioned that John's baptism helped get rid of old attitudes and old ways of thinking. This Advent, my goal is to let go of my old attitudes and old ways of thinking I'm in control, and to LET GOD.