Giving credit where credit is due

I had a little private chuckle with “the Little Flower”, St. Therese of Lisieux today. I was in a shop that sells products to make one’s home more “serene”. They had items like Buddhas, bamboo lamp shades, and Asian style wall hangings and paintings. One of the items on sale was a packet of small rounded stones with sayings attributed to Confucius, Buddha, and other well-known Asian proverbs.

What made me laugh was the saying on one of the stones. “We can do no great things. Only small things with great love.” The attribution was given to “Anonymous”. Ironically, St. Therese must be tickled that she didn’t get credit for the words that she made up and that she used as a model of her behavior on her road to sainthood.

While I was doing some research on the 'net for tonight's blog, I came across a poster that someone more talented than I am drew up with some words from one of the prayers that St. Therese made up:

Here is the entire prayer:

May Today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possiblities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

One stop shopping

A really popular customer service tool in today's business world is "one-stop shopping".  It means finding almost everything you need in one place so you don't have to keep hopping from one place to another, then not having any time left to enjoy your purchases.

I discovered a "one-stop shopping" website that is great for Catholic resources such as news, teaching, blogs, and even some fun blogs!  I've posted the link in the column to the left.  Just click on the logo that you see here and you will be taken to a great site.  I spent a couple of hours getting a "fix" of Catholic teaching and news.  I didn't find anything that was contrary to the CCC.

Look for this logo.

Go ahead!  Take a chance!  You just might learn something you didn't know!

Living the faith

Whenever you read about the lives of the saints, one of the attributes they share is the suffering they had to endure. The other heroic virtue they exhibit is their ability to share that suffering with the suffering Christ endured for us without voicing regret—in fact, most have written about the joy it gives them to share in His suffering!



There are many, many different examples of this, but two of them really “stick out like sore thumbs”—Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux. The fact that both are Doctors of the Church also speaks volumes of their special brand of sanctity.


During a discussion with my mom today, another couple of “future saints” came to mind—my brother Bob and my sister-in-law Marilyn. They both bear a heavy burden with grace and gratitude to God. Both my brother and she have basically suffered side-by-side for many years and I’ve not heard any whining from either of them. They just seem to accept the cross that has been given to them and they keep plugging away, setting an example for the rest of us.


God Bless you both, Bob and Marilyn!

Staying ready is the best strategy

It is interesting that people who are in the process of dying usually appreciate the value of each moment of life. Family and friends often hang onto each moment with the person and those times are vivid in their memories for years to come. What if we could live each day like that throughout our lives?



We are reminded in the gospel reading from St. Matthew that we are to "stay awake, for we do not know when the Lord will come." (Matthew 24:44)


It is often stated that we can judge a person's character by how they act when no one is watching. We need to remember that God is always with us, and in fact He watches with us. I might ask myself the rhetorical questions, "How do I live my life? Am I looking back over my shoulder, as though afraid of when the Lord will come, or instead, with arms open to fully live and relish each moment I have received from God?" Life is precious! Ask the dying person.


In an episode of the Simpsons, Bart says he plans to live a debauched life and then go for a deathbed conversion. I guess that works if you know when you’re going to die, but since you don’t always know the day or the hour, that plan can backfire.

One of my co-workers recently experienced the loss of his father. When I was able to see him and offer my condolences, he told me that his father was born Catholic and, while he was a good man in many ways he never really practiced his faith, or wanted much to do with it for that matter, as happens with so many these days. But he was fortunate—he had several days notice that he was going to die, and made arrangements to have a priest come in to the hospital room and administer the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. It not only made for a peaceful death for my friend’s dad, but for my friend and his family as well. Praise God! My friend said he knew this story would elate me, because he knows the importance I place on God’s good graces. And even though I never met his father, my heart soared knowing that he died in a state of grace and is hopefully already in the presence of our Lord and Savior. I need all the friends in Heaven I can get!


Jesus says to be ready at any time. When the boss is away, the employees will goof off. But if the boss comes back early, the employees who are doing their work will be rewarded, and those who are partying will be let go. We need to be ready at any time. We don’t know when our time is up and we can’t always count on having time to make things right, like my friend’s father.

Under the fig tree, high on the Lord!

I seriously considered changing the name of my blog to “Under the Fig Tree” after reading, then listening to today’s Gospel. I was actually kind of amused that of all great words I could have chosen to meditate on, the first thing that “spoke to me” was the fig tree.

When I think of fig trees, the first words that come to mind are “shade” and “refreshing”. The leaves are large (big enough to cover our nakedness), the branches are thick, and the shade that it provides is cool and refreshing, especially on hot summer days. It’s pretty much the way I think of the Church. The leaves represent the teachings and promises of Christ through the Scriptures. The branches remind me of His promise that the Church will remain strong and even continue to grow under the Pope (Peter and his successors)—“Even the gates of hell will not prevail against it”. (Matthew 16) The shade provided by the fig tree is the comfort I get from the joyful hope that a belief in Christ brings to me. I know, I know. It’s a stretch for an analogy, but that’s what happens when I try to meditate in the heat!

Another thought on today’s gospel: Who wouldn’t want a friend like Philip? Someone who is so convicted in his faith that even a snide remark (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”) won’t turn him away from inviting you to see the Truth?  How many times have we backed off of our evangelistic efforts because of a snide remark?

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On these hot summer days and evenings, it’s hard to meditate. I mean really hard to meditate, especially after a 12-hour working day. I start to get a thought, then—POOF!—it’s gone. Thankfully, meditating on the rosary is not so difficult, because I say it in “Scriptural” format, using various printed Scripture verses between Hail Marys. But trying to maintain a meditation on the day’s readings when it’s soooo hot is really difficult.

I had an unexpected encounter in Modesto today with a guy who goes to St. Anne’s in Lodi. I see him quite often when I am able to go to daily mass there. He is a sacristan for the Saturday masses and he is a Eucharistic Minister who distributes the Precious Blood during the daily mass. We got into a conversation about Father Jairo, who is leaving in a week or so to his new assignment in Turlock. Jim said he had to speak to Fr. Jairo after mass recently. It seems Father likes to pour a bit more wine into the chalice than most of the other priests. Then the wine is turned into the Blood of Christ and given to those who want to receive Our Lord under both Species. When Communion is over, the minister consumes any of the Blood that is remaining, and the priest cleans the chalice. Jim said he had to tell Father to cut back a bit when pouring the wine, because if he ever got stopped on the way home and had to tell the police that he was “high on Our Lord Jesus Christ”, he would be put in jail for sure! And then he would have to call Father for bail money! It gave me a good laugh for the rest of the day.

A distinct brand--the mark of Baptism

In today’s competitive workplace, customers tell companies they need to have a distinct brand, character and quality, in a crowded marketplace to succeed. Advertisers call these traits a “distinct identity”. God's word, through St. Paul, describes the hallmarks of Christians. These come through the grace of Baptism, in the power of the Holy Spirit: a faith that flourishes, a love for one another that grows greater, endurance and faith despite persecutions and afflictions. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12)

St. Paul prays for the disciples "that our God may make you worthy of His calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in Him." This distinct identity is in Christ and it is God's work.

Monday is the feast day of St. Rose of Lima. Like the Thessalonians who made their progress in faith while in the world, St. Rose of Lima cultivated her virtuous life while living at home. Here is the entry on St. Rose of Lima from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Virgin, patroness of America, born at Lima, Peru 20 April, 1586; died there 30 August, 1617.


At her confirmation in 1597, she took the name of Rose, because, when an infant, her face had been seen transformed by a mystical rose. As a child she was remarkable for a great reverence, and pronounced love, for all things relating to God. This so took possession of her that thenceforth her life was given up to prayer and mortification. She had an intense devotion to the Infant Jesus and His Blessed Mother, before whose altar she spent hours. She was scrupulously obedient and of untiring industry, making rapid progress by earnest attention to her parents' instruction, to her studies, and to her domestic work, especially with her needle.


After reading of St. Catherine she determined to take that saint as her model. She began by fasting three times a week, adding secret severe penances, and when her vanity was assailed, cutting off her beautiful hair, wearing coarse clothing, and roughening her hands with toil. All this time she had to struggle against the objections of her friends, the ridicule of her family, and the censure of her parents. Many hours were spent before the Blessed Sacrament, which she received daily.


Finally she determined to take a vow of virginity, and inspired by supernatural love, adopted extraordinary means to fulfill it. At the outset she had to combat the opposition of her parents, who wished her to marry. For ten years the struggle continued before she won, by patience and prayer, their consent to continue her mission.


At the same time great temptations assailed her purity, faith, and constance, causing her excruciating agony of mind and desolation of spirit, urging her to more frequent mortifications; but daily, also, Our Lord manifested Himself, fortifying her with the knowledge of His presence and consoling her mind with evidence of His Divine love. Fasting daily was soon followed by perpetual abstinence from meat, and that, in turn, by use of only the coarsest food and just sufficient to support life.


Her days were filled with acts of charity and industry, her exquisite lace and embroidery helping to support her home, while her nights were devoted to prayer and penance. When her work permitted, she retired to a little grotto which she had built, with her brother's aid, in their small garden, and there passed her nights in solitude and prayer. Overcoming the opposition of her parents, and with the consent of her confessor, she was allowed later to become practically a recluse in this cell, save for her visits to the Blessed Sacrament.


In her twentieth year she received the habit of St. Dominic. Thereafter she redoubled the severity and variety of her penances to a heroic degree, wearing constantly a metal spiked crown, concealed by roses, and an iron chain about her waist. Days passed without food, save a draught of gall mixed with bitter herbs. When she could no longer stand, she sought repose on a bed constructed by herself, of broken glass, stone, potsherds, and thorns. She admitted that the thought of lying down on it made her tremble with dread. Fourteen years this martyrdom of her body continued without relaxation, but not without consolation. Our Lord revealed Himself to her frequently, flooding her soul with such inexpressible peace and joy as to leave her in ecstasy for hours. At these times she offered to Him all her mortifications and penances in expiation for offences against His Divine Majesty, for the idolatry of her country, for the conversion of sinners, and for the souls in Purgatory.


Many miracles followed her death. She was beatified by Clement IX, in 1667, and canonized in 1671 by Clement X, the first American to be so honoured. Her feast is celebrated 24 August. She is represented wearing a crown of roses.


Lord, with the example of St. Rose of Lima to guide me, help me live in company with you where I am, give up something of my will and pride today to be more distinctly a sign of You. Amen.

Some fun

There's a new post I put up on Lily's blog (left column, about half-way down) showing a video of Lily and me having some fun.  Check it out!  And turn up the sound!

Faith, first, and obedience will follow

For they preach but they do not practice. (Matthew 23:3)



How often have we found ourselves in the position of having to say, "Do as I say, not as I do." We may not say it aloud, but think how many times you've given advice that you wish you could follow!


When we make up elaborate dance-steps and call them faith, we are inviting people to fail. When we say that in order to have faith you must toe this doctrinal line or that traditional line - - what nonsense! It is faith that allows us to embrace the doctrines, not exclusively the other way around. (It is true that the truth of a doctrine can also open the eyes to faith--but that is not the necessary way.)

Jesus tells us that Mary has done the one thing necessary. That is, she sat at His feet and listened as He spoke. This is the doctrine, this is the teaching we should be sharing. Certainly, we share the sum of our faith, gently and as a person is capable of handling it. We correct errors in thought - - but to do so, we must understand both the error and the corrective measure. If we do not, we stand to make life miserable for those around us. When we insist on doctrine without truly understanding it, we are imposing a burden that can crush the spirit. Because the truth is, that once one has grasped faith and believes, doctrines all, in time, fall in place - - there is no reason to insist upon anything because its truth is made known by the faith that we practice.

So rather than preaching and not doing, let’s love and preach by example. Let us help the brother or sister who is struggling - - let’s be like Simon of Cyrene - - shouldering what portion of their own crosses God has made us capable of bearing for them. And so, lightening their burden, let us guide our struggling brothers and sisters home - - to the center of faith and belief, where all things can become known and make sense.

Nostalgic thoughts

I had a very nice visit with my brothers in LA, as short as it was. Since my entire childhood of memory was spent in “the Valley” of “Valley Girls” fame, I get nostalgic every time I go there.



The house I lived in when my father died is two blocks off of the street I had to take to get to the hospital to see Bob, so I swung by just to see if it was how I remembered it. I was struck by the size of the entire neighborhood! When I was a kid, I thought the block was a lot longer than what it actually is. The driveway where my brother Tom broke his wrist while skateboarding looks exactly the same, but a lot closer to our house than I remembered. The house next door to the South has been torn down and a 3-story industrial company building is now there. The whole block used to be all houses on both sides of the street. Now, only the house I lived in and the one to the North of it are the only houses on “our” side of the street. The rest were torn down to make way for apartment buildings. And they are dumps! “My” house and the one next to it however, look like they were just recently painted and cleaned up. They are exactly the same color, so I assume both (probably) have the same owner now.


Looking at the house, I was stirred by so many memories! We moved into that house when I was about 8 years old, and we moved after my father died when I was 16. These are the years when most of us learn who we are (or think we are) and what we can do. Most of the anecdotes I’ve written about my childhood in this blog were experiences I gained while living in Northridge. Boy Scouts, altar boy, paper route, first car, first date, and my first migraine headache—they all happened there. The most stirring memory I had while looking at the front porch though was sitting on that porch and reading “The Wizard of Oz” for the first time from cover to cover in one afternoon. I don’t remember much else of the experience except that I did read it all in one fell swoop, and the title of the book. I was sooo proud of myself! I was about 12 years old.


As I write this blog, I am having a flood of other memories, but I don’t have the time or the inclination to go into them now, but maybe I’ll start another blog similar to Mom’s, where I just write about simpler times without all the “gadgets” that are in the world today and that take so many minds off of Christ’s message.
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Anybody that really knows me knows that I can’t just leave it at that, so I’ll write a couple of “for instances”:


As I drove back onto Reseda Blvd and made my way to the hospital, I chuckled to myself as I drove through the stoplight just past the overpass at Parthenia Avenue, where I got my first traffic ticket. Then I laughed out loud when I passed the “Jolly Jug” liquor store, where I spent a lot of my paper route money on candy and sodas! Some things just never go away! And by that, I mean both the liquor store and my habit of drinking sodas and eating candy!


And later, on the way to Bill and Wendy’s house, I was startled to see the “high-class” restaurant (the White Horse Inn) where I took my prom date for dinner looking so run down and classless. I guess time does that to buildings (ahem).

As enjoyable as this “walk down memory lane” was for me yesterday, none of those memories compares to the new ones created every day with my wife Marilyn, my daughters, and of course Lily Bug. When I came into the house tonight, she ran to me with her arms outstretched and jabbering a mile a minute! When I picked her up, she gave me a bear hug and patted my back just as I was doing with her. And then gave me a run down of what’s been happening the last couple of days around the house in “baby-speak”. A real Hallmark moment that I wouldn’t trade for all of my childhood memories!

Witness to a miracle! And getting ready for what's to come

I took some time off today to make the 1 ½ hour drive to Los Angeles to visit my brother who has been in pretty bad condition for a couple of weeks. There was discussion of removing his leg, putting him on dialysis, and worse. I felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to make the drive and see for myself what the real situation was, and to be there for my brother and sister-in-law if the worst fears were true.


I expected, from the stories I was hearing, to see Bob emaciated and out of his mind with dementia. What I found when I got there was my brother sitting in a chair in his room, getting a shave from the nurse’s aid and Bob in high spirits! Praise God! In fact, he looks exactly as he did when I left him last, and that was around Christmastime!


But, the stories were true! Bob was, for the last 4 or 5 days in very serious condition from an infection worsened by his diabetes. All of the fears I had been hearing were discussed and even expected, but by the grace of God and the prayers of his family, he has come out of the difficulty and will be going home with as clean a bill of health as can be expected with his advanced diabetes.


Upon reflection today, I feel that the call I heard from the Holy Spirit to check on Bob was not to pay may last respects, but to witness the infinite power of prayer. I have been duly impressed.

And to top it all off, I am able to spend the rest of the evening with my brother Bill and his wife, Wendy at their house.  We had a great dinner that Afton cooked for his brother and sister-in-law for their first anniversary, and did some catching up.
The only drawback to today's events is that I am really sleepy, so I'll end with this short meditation on tomorrow's readings:

Jesus is such a great teacher. His parables are so memorable and because they are stories, they draw us in, have surprising elements and stunning punch lines. Jesus was well aware of Ezekiel's preaching during the Exile. It was full of promise. The remnant left behind in a destroyed Jerusalem needed hope. God promises that the covenant will be restored. God will purify the people from their impurities and give them new hearts. The gift will include writing God's statues in their hearts. They will again be God's people. God will again be their God.


But, here in Matthew, Chapter 22, it is obvious that the ultimate gift of God - the Reign of God, announced by Jesus - has been rejected by many of his own people. Jesus ends his previous parable, about the unjust tenant farmers - by concluding, "Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit." (Mt.21:43) There will be some believing Jews, Gentiles, and the new community of his followers who will be hearing this Gospel. So Jesus next tells his listeners today's sad but promising teaching story.


“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son." It is so consoling to think of the heaven as a wedding feast. Jesus must have loved wedding feasts and found them to be the closest analogy he could find to give us a peek into what God has prepared for us.


The drama builds when the people first invited simply don't respond. The king's reponse to them in the story replays the whole history of God's working with the Chosen People and Jesus' listeners knew it immediately. Now comes the really good news: "Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find." All along it was God's plan to offer salvation and the joys of the Kingdom of heaven, not only to a chosen few, but to everyone! The victory Jesus will win over sin and death is universal. It is for all people.


Then the story takes a surprising twist. One of the invited guests doesn't have a wedding garment. (It is clear from the story, the person is without a wedding garment out of ingratitude and lack of serious respect for the king. It is not that the guest couldn't afford one.) While the invitation is universal - that is, it is free and unmerited - there is also a universal call to holiness. We are called to receive the gifted invitation by living our lives as grateful guests. We are invited to be with Jesus by being like him. We are called to come to the banquet ready to celebrate because we have been ready and open to giving our lives in imitation of the one who invited us.


We can imagine Jesus telling this story today. How often does it seem that we who have been invited to be part of the kingdom of heaven, simply take it for granted, as if all this gifted relationship with Jesus is about is our salvation. We seem quite satisfied to know that we are saved. We can unconsciously act as though, "well, if I don't do anything seriously wrong, I'm in. What more do I need to worry about?"


In this gospel it is clear that our holiness has to "surpass that of the scribes and pharisees." (Mt. 5:20) Jesus wants us to know that it is "mercy that I desire, not sacrifice." (Mt. 9:13) And, one of his final parables will tell us that our judgement - the decision about whether we ultimately will enter the Kingdom of heaven - depends upon whether we care for the "least of my brothers and sisters" - feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and imprisioned. (Mt. 25)


Today, let's ask for the grace to receive the invitation worthily. Let us respond more and more fully to Jesus' invitation to love as we have been loved. Let us see, feel, act upon the invitation to eternal life by dying to ourselves a bit more today, particularly in each of our relationships. Let's forget about our own wounds and become healers of others' wounds. Let us open our hearts to hear the cries of all those who are poor and on the margins of our societies. Let us ask ourselves how we can respond, what role we can take, how we can make a difference. Today, let's put on a wedding garment, committing ourselves, and witnessing to everyone, that we are ready for the banquet of heaven.

An innocent faith--Or, Back to basics

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18: 1-3)

A thought crossed my mind this morning and it hasn't left me all day.  Is it possible that we can "overthink" our relationship with God?  Does He really expect more than a child-like "innocent faith"?  I don't know.  I'm just putting it out there.  But my meditation on this question reminded me of an experience I would like to share.



A few years ago, Sister Enza asked me to teach CCD to first graders. I still can’t figure out why she asked me, because both of my children were already older than that,but I reluctantly agreed. Actually, she wanted both Marilyn and me to teach as a team, but after discussing it a long while, we decided I would go through the challenge alone.


The CCD was pretty simple with first graders. It certainly wasn’t the Baltimore Catechism I was taught at that age. The lesson plan was mostly left up to me, as long as I taught the children the very basic things they should know about God—Who He is, why He created us, and about Jesus Christ in a very basic manner.


My first day was interesting, to say the least. There were, as I remember, 5 girls and 5 boys. The girls were very quiet and eager to learn, and the boys wanted only to play. It quickly became very apparent to me that I was going to have to get thinking on their level to get through to them and get them to listen to what I had to say.


So I asked them, “What have you learned from Mommy and Daddy about God?” I asked this for two other reasons than the one above: first, I wanted to know what kind of support I would get in my teaching from the parents. Second, I wanted to have a starting point from which to begin.


The only answer I got from one of the girls, and the others all agreed, was that, “God loves me.” Aha! Now I had a reference point with which to begin. I asked one of the boys “Why?” He said, “Why what?” I said, “Why does God love you?”


Before he could answer, I asked the rest of the class, “Why does God love all of you?” You could hear a pin drop. They wanted to know the answer. I told them I would give them the answer at the end of the semester if they hadn’t figured it out by then all by themselves.


It was all I needed to get their attention. I began to tell them what I wanted them to learn that first day, which was basically Genesis 1—the creation of the world. The language I used was something like, “God made the heavens and the earth and everything in it”. Big mistake! That set the boys off going around the room pointing to everything from the chairs they were sitting in to the chalkboard to the toys that were there, asking, “Did God make this? And this? And this?” I replied that He didn’t make them in the way they were thinking things were made. I made this question their homework for the week. I wanted them to ask their parents for the answer. I thanked God the hour was over. I assigned the children the prescribed homework assignment, from their CCD workbook as well (I think it was a picture of God “hovering over the waters” and separating them into the seas and the dry land) telling them that the best coloring jobs would receive a surprise the following week. I also told them that a treat would be given for the best behaved each week. That first day I chose one of the girls for the best behaved (she was a little “mother” trying to help me rein in the boys), and I gave her a lollipop with the understanding that she would ask her parents before she ate it.


When the children had gone, Sister Enza came to me and asked how it went. I told her about my attempts at my first teaching job and my frustrations that I felt I probably didn’t teach them the lesson they were supposed to learn. She said, “Don’t worry. They’ll surprise you, I guarantee it!”


The next week, I pointed to the chair I was sitting in and asked one of the boys, “Who made this chair?” He said, “God”. I said, “That’s right! Do you know how?” Another of the children piped in, “God made the tree that was made into the wood for the seat!” Another said, “And He made the man who made the chair!” Yet another kid said, “And he taught the man who made the chair how to put it together!” Still another said, “And Mommy said He made ME, too!” I was so amazed at the answers they gave, and the thought that they had put into the homework, that they all received a lollipop that second week!


The next morning, which was Sunday, as my family and I were leaving Mass, one of my students’ parents came up to me and thanked me! She said her son loved me and the “stories” I was telling. She said he could hardly wait for Saturdays so he could go to school with “Mr. Steve.” She said a couple of the other parents had also expressed similar sentiments to her. I started to feel better about this “teaching” thing.


The rest of the year was a breeze. I had fun, and I learned more from those children about the innocent faith that Christ asks of all of us than I could ever teach them. Which is, I think, what Sister Enza had in mind all along. And yes, by the end of the semester the children (and me, too) all learned why God made us, and more importantly, why He loves us.

Make the wise choice!

God is God and we are not! We are the created, not the Creator! It would do us well to take and act the part that is proper for us.


Tuesday’s readings call us almost irresistibly to look carefully at the relation between faith in God and worldly success. The Prophet Ezekiel holds up the fabulously rich and prosperous Island City of Tyre as an example of an arrogant community for whom wealth has become a god. It is idolatry personified! After reading this prophecy of the utter destruction of those who serve money rather than the living God, it should not surprise us to hear Jesus say that riches are an almost insurmountable obstacle to attaining eternal life. If we have it all here and now, there is nothing left for us hereafter. We become what we seek, what we serve, what we worship. So a bloody and disastrous end to all our futile efforts to make ourselves immune from human frailty and mortality by amassing treasures on this earth is inevitable. Is earthly security and prosperity and good fortune really worth the sacrifice of our true self?


So often, especially in these days when technological advances have afforded us such tremendous access to information and automation has provided us with great prowess in fields previously only dreamed about, we can easily lose sight of where all this knowledge and ability come from: the Wisdom of God! When we forget this, we become dumber than an ox that at least doesn't do anything but act and be an ox.


As it says in the oft-repeated verses of Psalm 36:  "He so flatters himself in his mind that all wisdom is gone."


What a pitiful state of affairs, to relinquish the Wisdom of God!


I think my prayer today should be a careful examination of my attitude toward and use of worldly goods. Am I serving God or money? (Or, rather, am I winning the battle to do this?) Am I in pursuit of heavenly treasures or earthly comforts? Am I willing to leave everything behind for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel? Am I willing to be last now in order to be first to enter eternal life? Do I fully trust the promises of God?


In Jesus all things are possible. Grace is stronger than sin. But we need to be much more than half-hearted. God's Kingdom of love is all or nothing. Let us pray with all our hearts that we may be drawn by God's love (the power of the Holy Spirit) to desire and seek "the things that are above," where our lives are hidden in God through Christ Jesus. For, in the clear and strong words of Jesus, "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of the eternal self?"

Aiming high

"Teacher, what must I do to gain eternal life?"



The young man in the Gospel reading of Matthew had led what he thought was a "good" life. Jesus' reply to him is that there is only "One who is good." God! If one wishes to enter into eternal life (heaven), one must keep the Commandments.


This he says he does. But Jesus, who sees what is in our hearts, knew that even though the young man kept the Commandments he was lacking, because the most important things in his life were his possessions, not God or His law. He left Jesus rather than follow "the way, the truth and the life."


Personally I’m not prepared to sell everything I own and give it away. This would present a large number of practical problems, such as feeding, clothing and educating my family. I doubt that Jesus would view it as morally desirable to put the life and well being of my family at risk.


So how to best look at this Gospel? There’s clearly an important distinction that Jesus is drawing. We all have “negative” and “positive” duties. The negative duties, such as not to kill or commit adultery, are the easiest to discern and allow for the drawing of clear lines. I think that Jesus was really speaking to the well-to-do of His time, many of whom were living in relative comfort and with the contentment that they’d managed to live their lives without killing or committing adultery. I can almost feel the smug superiority of them as they’d pass by the prostitutes and beggars thinking that they were surely headed to Heaven and the prostitutes and beggars were headed to Hell.


But Jesus’ message is that things are far from being that simple, because we have “positive” duties too; most especially to have compassion for those who weren’t born into circumstances as comfortable—or for those who have fallen on hard times. It’s not good enough to pass by the less fortunate without lending a helping hand and feeling compassion. In fact, it’s probably less forgivable than those who violate the negative duties. Who on Judgment Day will be viewed as worse? The beggars and prostitutes who were trying to feed their families the only way they knew how or the rich who walked by them and sneered in contempt and did nothing to help? We know the answer Jesus gave because of His words how He spent his earthly time. Let’s all learn from His example.


I have been getting pretty complacent lately in my “positive” duties as a Eucharistic Minister. This is not to say I regret doing it, just that I had let it almost get routine. I’m pretty sure that one of the patients at the hospital today was a “plant” by the Holy Spirit to get me back on track and to remind me why I felt the call to be in pastoral care in the first place.


When I walked in the room, the old man was asleep. His daughter was staring out the window. I asked her, “Do you think he’ll want to wake up to partake of Holy Communion?” She replied, “I don’t know. I’ve just tried for 15 minutes to wake him to see if he’ll eat the lunch that was brought in, but I can’t rouse him.” But she tried again. This time, his eyes opened and I could see him zero in the cross I wear when visiting the hospital. She asked him something in a language that sounded similar to Spanish if he wanted the Eucharist. He couldn’t raise his bed to a sitting position fast enough! And he showed the biggest smile I’ve seen yet on a patient in a hospital! He thrust out his hand for mine, so I shook it. He would not let go, but kept talking a mile a minute in what his daughter said is Portugese and he was smiling the whole time, giving me a look as though he knew me.

He was jabbering non-stop (still holding onto my hand), then he laughed, and said, “no compriende, eh?” This I could interpret for myself. I replied (I hope) in his own language that no, I didn’t understand what he was saying. This made him laugh even harder, but did it stop his talking? No way! He went on for another 5 minutes! The funny thing is, what he was saying was almost melodious—it was beautiful! His daughter said he composes poems of prayer to Our Lady and her Son as a pastime. I had just been treated to an extemporaneous creation of one. Even though I couldn’t understand the words, somehow I know Mary and Jesus were pleased. It reminded me of Our Lady in Sunday’s gospel reciting the Maginificat!


We began the “communion service” and he became somber and reverent. When we got to the Lord’s Prayer, he spoke clearly and confidently. Up until then, and after the service, it was more of a mumble.


When we concluded the service, his daughter told me that he loved talking for hours about God, Jesus and Mary to anyone who would listen. I told her I felt the same way, but it would be easier if we both spoke the same languages! I turned to leave the room, and the old man pointed at my cross and said something. I asked his daughter what he was saying. She said he wanted to look at the cross I have around my neck and kiss it, if I would allow it. He asked if Christ was on the cross. I explained that the image of Christ is not on this cross, because it was designed to identify me as a Eucharistic minister, not as a priest or deacon. I offered to let him kiss the crucifix that is on my rosary that I carry in my pocket at all times, but instead he pulled me close and kissed my EM cross while I was still wearing it! Then he gave me a blessing! His daughter was interpreting as best she could, but she said she does not speak the language very well herself—just enough to get by with her Dad. She said his message, however, was clear. He was thanking me for (his words) “visiting all the poor sick people in the hospital who need Christ to help them.” I almost cried. I told him that’s why I do what I do. I don’t only bring Christ in the Eucharist to comfort the sick, I am also looking for Christ in the people I meet. Today, I met Him. And I thank Him for reminding me what I must do to gain eternal life.

The Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary

From Wikipedia: Munificentissimus Deus (Latin for "The most bountiful God") is the name of an Apostolic constitution written by Pope Pius XII. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the second ex-cathedra infallible statement ever made by a Pope, the first since the official ruling on Papal Infallibility was made at the First Vatican Council (1869-1870). In 1854, Pope Pius IX made an infallible statement with Ineffabilis Deus on the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, which was a basis for this dogma. The decree was promulgated on November 1, 1950.

Every year on August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven.

Although the Church has always believed that Mary was probably taken up into heaven, it wasn't until the year 1950 that Pope Pius XII dogmatically and infallibly defined the Assumption as a dogma that we must believe. The decree reads: ". . . having completed the course of her earthly life, (Mary) was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory."

The first reading today is from the dream of St. John, the Book of Revelation, where the Church has identified the woman who crushes the head of the Dragon (Satan) as Mary, and the child to Whom she is about to give birth as Jesus Christ.


In the second reading from St. Paul to the Corinthians, the apostle tells us that the bodily resurrection of Christ is a proof that Christ has won the victory over Satan and death. Like Mary who is taken up body and soul into heaven, so too will all who believe in Christ and follow His teaching, experience a bodily resurrection.


The gospel shows why Mary is so important in the life of the church. In the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, we celebrate the joy of two women, one carrying Jesus in her womb, and the second carrying John the Baptist in hers. Mary's heart was beating right next to God's heart. Think of it! No wonder Mary sings out that wonderful hymn, the Magnificat - - My Soul Magnifies the Lord! As Mary's love nurses the body of Jesus, so God's love nourishes Mary's soul.


God's love inspires Mary and all of us to praise the justice of God toward the poor and the helpless. Today's feast also teaches us to be patient under suffering as Mary was.


Day after day, her closeness to Christ's yearning to free the world from sin prepared her heart to share in tragedy, that terrible Good Friday! When we sometimes question whether God is really present in our own trials and pain, may we turn to Mary, and find strength in her faith and trust.

Please pray with me for my brother Bob

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Eternal Father, You know Bob even better than I do. I am his brother—You are his Creator. You know his sickness and the burden he carries. You also know his heart. You know how close he has kept You to his heart. Lord, I ask You to be with Bob now, working in his life. Let Your will be done in his life. If there is a sin that needs to be confessed and forgiven, please help him to see his need and confess.



Lord Jesus, I have faith in Your ability to heal my brother, but I also trust in the plan You have for his life. Lord, I don't always understand Your ways, or why Bob has to suffer, but I trust You. I keep remembering what You said in last Sunday’s gospel: To those who are given much, much will be required. I can only assume from his current situation that he has been given much. I think he would agree. I ask that You look with mercy and grace toward Your ever-faithful servant Bob.


Holy Spirit, I ask you to nourish Bob’s spirit and soul in this time of suffering and comfort him with Your presence. Remind him that You are there with him through this difficulty.


Heavenly Father, I ask on Bob’s behalf that his suffering be used for Your greater glory.


And finally, Father, remember all those who, like Bob, are also suffering and who have asked me to pray for them.


I ask you this through Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace!  The Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen

A bedtime story for Lily

Once upon a time, a child was ready to be born.


One day she asked God, "You're sending me to earth tomorrow…how am I going to live there when I'm so small and helpless?"
God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and she will take care of you."

She said, "But here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile—that’s enough for me to be happy."
God replied, "Your angel will sing for you and will smile for you every day. You will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

The child responded, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language that people talk?”
God replied, "Your angel will teach you the most beautiful words with patience and care."

Then she asked, "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
God replied, "Your angel will place your hands together and teach you how to pray."

Being a child, she was still curious. "Who will protect me from the bad things on earth?"
God said, "Your angel will defend and protect you with its own life."

She told God, "I will be sad when I don't see you anymore."
God replied, "Your angel will talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me. In the meantime, I will always be right next to you."

When He said this, her heart was filled with confidence, peace and love. But voices from earth could be heard, and the child asked one last question softly, "God, if I'm about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
God replied, "You will call your angel ‘Mother’."

Timeless wisdom

I wasn't going to blog tonight.  I've spent the last couple of nights trying to find a new background image for my blog because I think the current one is too "busy".  But I can't seem to find what I want for free.  I'm not ready to buy a background.  It is one of those "low priority" items in the grand scheme of life.  I consider my blog a pretty good evangelistic tool, but it is just a hobby.  Maybe when (if) I retire, I'll turn it into something really fantastic.


Anyway, while I was surfing the 'net tonight, I came across a site that gave some CS Lewis quotes.  I picked a few that really hit the mark for me.  Please enjoy them.


"The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not."




"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'" I This speaks directly to the subject of last night's blog, Anne Rice.


"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."


"I gave in, and admitted that God was God."  Here's another one that could be directed to Ms. Rice.


"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." Yet another one for her! 

"A disturbance in the force!" (with apologies to George Lucas)

The Pharisees and Sadducees are alive and well and living in the USA. As you might recall, these groups were always twisting words and meanings of words (in vain) to get His followers to stop listening to Him. Of course they knew full well what they were doing! I prefer to give today’s version of these groups the benefit of the doubt, though, and hope that they are only misguided and uninformed about Christ’s teachings.


An opinion piece in the newspaper this morning proves my point. I’ll try to tackle each paragraph with my own humble thoughts.


Why Americans are keeping faith but losing religion
By Leonard Pitts Jr.
The Miami Herald


“Today, I quit being a Christian."


With those words last week on Facebook, Anne Rice delivered a wake-up call for organized religion. The question is whether it will be recognized as such.
*I would hope that most Christian Americans see Ms. Rice’s words for what they are and pray for her “re-re-conversion”.


"I remain committed to Christ as always," she wrote, "but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else."
*Being a Christian is not like being in a club or an organization. It’s being follower of Christ and His teachings (or as I like to call it—the Truth, as taught to us through Scripture and the Tradition handed down to us by the Apostles He commissioned for this purpose. We’ve all tried. We’ve all failed at some point or another. The real strength in being a Christian is perseverance and hope in His promise of eternal life with the Father. But to be “committed to Christ” is to be committed to the Truth.


You will recall that the author, famed for her vampire novels, (this might be part of the problem!) made a much-publicized return to the Catholicism of her youth after years of calling herself an atheist. Now, years later, she says she hasn't lost her faith, but she's had it up to here with organized religion.
*Christ set up the “organization” when He gave the keys of Heaven to Peter and told him twice (first in Matthew 16. then again in Matthew 18) that, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”! Why is it so hard to understand this?


"In the name of Christ," she wrote, "I refuse to be anti-gay.
*So do I! I must, out of love for my neighbor, point out the disorder of the “gay” life-style and pray for his repentance, but I love him nonetheless.

I refuse to be anti-feminist.
*So do I! I believe that all men and women are created in the image and likeness of God. They are equal in dignity, but different in body and physical abilities. I don’t buy into the “there is no difference between men and women” argument.

I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control.
*Does she really have all of the facts regarding the harm that artificial birth control methods do to the women who claim to be “feminist?”

I refuse to be anti-Democrat.
*I don’t know where she gets this. I know of no teachings that require Christians to register as Republican, Democrat, or Tea Party adherents.

I refuse to be anti-secular humanism.
*Usually, this means that one wants to be self-centered, instead of Christ-centered.

I refuse to be anti-science.
*Christianity, and Catholics in particular have always been the pioneers in scientific discovery. I would assume Ms. Rice refers here to embryonic stem-cell research, which has been woefully unproductive—which anyone who has an open mind can find out, with a little bit of on line research.

I refuse to be anti-life."
*Again, Ms. Rice is painfully ignorant if she can’t see that the Catholic Church has led the way for 2000 years in pro-life causes.


If that was not nearly enough for atheist observers, one of whom berated her online for refusing to give up her "superstitious delusions" completely, it was surely plenty for people of faith. But Rice is hardly the only one who feels as she does.


According to a 2008 study by Trinity College, religiosity is trending down sharply in this country. The American Religious Identification Survey, which polled more than 54,000 American adults, found that the percentage who call themselves Christian has fallen by 10 points since 1990 (from 86.2 percent to 76 percent) while the percentage of those who claim no religious affiliation has almost doubled (from 8.2 to 15 percent) in the same span.
*I take study results like this with a grain of salt. After all, statistics show that 100% of all statistics can be interpreted to say what they want to prove. Lol.


Small wonder atheist manifestos are doing brisk business at bookstores, and Bill Maher's skeptical "Religulous" finds an appreciative audience in theaters.
*Really? Bill Maher is skeptical of religion? I’m shocked! I stopped paying any attention to anything this hateful “comedian” says long ago. I now just pray for him.

Organized religion, Christianity in particular, is on the decline, and it has no one to blame but itself: It traded moral authority for political power.
*Christianity did not “trade” moral authority for political power. Christians simply realized that they would have to finally get involved in the political process to prevent the secular society from dictating immoral behavior. And now the secularists are angry that they are being reined in!


To put that another way: The Christian Bible contains numerous exhortations to serve those who are wretched and poor, to anger slowly and forgive promptly, to walk through this life in humility and faith. The word "Republican" does not appear in the book. Not once.
*Nor does“Democrat”. Or “Tea Party”. Or “Libertarian”. Or “Bible”.


Yet somehow in the past 30 years, people of faith were hustled and hoodwinked into regarding the GOP platform as a lost gospel.
*This is this writer’s opinion. I prefer to think that for the past 30 years, Christians have fought a valiant battle to stave off the “Babel”-type hubris and self-destructive behavior of the “me” generation.


Somehow, low taxes for the wealthy and deregulation of industry became the very message of Christ.
*I must have missed this chapter and verse in the Bible.

Somehow, hostility to science, gays, Muslims and immigrants became the very meaning of faith. And somehow Christianity became - or at least, came to seem - a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party.
*Isn’t it funny how disagreement with the Truth, even when the Truth is conveyed charitably, is translated to “hostility”?


Consider that, after the election of 2004, a church in North Carolina made news for kicking out nine congregants because they committed the un-Christian act of ... voting for Democrat John Kerry.
*The key words here are “made news”. It shouldn’t have. Poor judgment on the part of misguided zealots should not be newsworthy. It only made the news because the media wanted to further their own anti-Christian bias.


Who can blame people for saying: If that's faith, count me out. Has atheism ever had a better salesman than Jerry Falwell blaming the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the ACLU or Pat Robertson laying Haiti's earthquake off on an ancient curse?
*We agree on this—these men are idiots who don’t understand the unsurpassed love and mercy of our Creator.


But what of those who are not atheists? What of those who feel the blessed assurance that there is more to this existence than what we can see or empirically prove? What of those who seek a magnificent faith that commits and compels, and find churches offering only a shriveled faith that marginalizes and demeans?


Its response to those people, those "seekers," will determine the future of organized religion. And it might behoove keepers of the faith to keep in mind the distinction Anne Rice drew in her farewell:


Christ didn't fail her, she said. Christianity did.
*I disagree. It’s her own perception of what she feels Christianity should do for her, rather than what her faith promises her.


This is the greatest error (in my own opinion) that all of us make at some point in our lives—that we shouldn’t have pain and suffering and yes (gasp!) even disappointment in this world. What we don’t want to hear is the message that Christ gave us many times in the Gospel:

Matthew 10:38
Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.


Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.


Mark 8:34
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."


Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."


Luke 14:27
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.


As far as Ms. Rice is concerned, she should really re-familiarize herself with Hebrews: Chapter 11.

Be prepared!

Our readings this week are all about being prepared for the Lord's coming! The reading from Hebrews says it all: "Faith is the realization of what is hoped for - - and evidence of things not seen." If our faith is strong, we will endure anything rather than miss out on the day of the Lord's coming. To journey in faith and trust in God, always leads to life, not death.


The first reading from Wisdom recalls the night before the flight of the Hebrew people into the desert. Faith alone in what God had promised could give them courage to actually flee into the unknown. And, of course, God rewarded their courage, and dramatically helped them to escape. Many other models of faith are mentioned in the second reading.

To those who have faith, all things are possible. Faith helps us to rely on God's power, not on our own. As the gospel points out, we are to live in this world as strangers who are on their way home. People who move from one place to another get rid of all they can from their old house and focus on furnishing the new house. They joyfully give away what they once cherished. Jesus said: "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."  (Luke 12:34)

Two ways are set before us...I choose life

When I read this story on the internet this morning, it reminded me of an entry I made in my journal back in 2003, when the Scott Petersen case was going on. Here is what I wrote:

A letter-writer to the Stockton Record recently really got my hackles up. Some woman said she was anti- death penalty, but pro- abortion--sort of. She believes that taking a life as punishment for murder is wrong, as I do. But at the same time, she believes that taking a life for no other reason than unwanted pregnancy is somehow justified, because it is a "woman's right to choose."  What a hypocrite!

The author was saying that she believed that charging a man with double homicide was justified (although the punishment is not) because the woman wanted her baby, and was making plans for his arrival. This leads me to assume that she (the  letter writer) knows that the baby boy was living in the womb of the mother.

I'm confused. Is the baby only living in the wombs of women who want the child? What makes this baby any more alive than babies killed by abortionists? Was it because someone killed him other than his mother had she chosen to have an abortion? Is a life only determined as a matter of intent on the part of the parents? Is she saying that if the mother had been killed while on her way to have an abortion, the man should not be charged with the murder of the child? This is beyond my comprehension, I guess!

The pro-choice advocates know that a fetus is alive and shares the same rights and privileges endowed by God--that is, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But if it is an inconvenient pregnancy, the unborn baby is just another tumor to be removed, with no thoughts as to what the child may be able to contribute to the future of the world.

The real “choice” the Pro-“choice” crowd makes is to ignore the laws of nature (what else can a “fetus” be—if it is allowed to continue to grow in the mother’s womb—except a human being?) and of God.

The only comfort I take in contemplating abortion is that I believe the soul of the baby is formed at conception. And killing the baby before he or she enters the world sends the soul straight back to God in Heaven as a martyr for the faith, so he or she can join countless other saints praying for the end to this abomination of abortion.

I pray every day that God will somehow soften the hearts and minds of abortionists and those who seek abortions so we can become more pleasing to Him at the time of our death, which, no matter how much we fight it, will come. And we’ll have to answer to Him for the “choices” we made.

Lily has a new blog!

Lily's old blog is out.  Not completely.  If you want to see the pictures and posts, you can still go to www.lilybugjuarez.blogspot.com.  But I couldn't figure out how to get the header picture to change without screwing up the whole thing!  So I just started a new blog.  Just click on her picture at the left to see her new blog.

Do you hear what I hear?

"Speak Lord, your servant is listening!" (1Samuel 3:10)



“Be quick to listen and slow to speak." (James 1:19).


"You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed." (Luke 10:38-42).


"He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame." (Proverbs 18:13).


"This is my beloved Son; listen to him." (Mark 9:7)


"Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)


It's hard, if not impossible to communicate with someone who is not listening at all, or giving you only part of their attention. Christ must get frustrated with us! He loves us so much, and wants to become one with each of us, but it is hard if we are not being attentive to Him.  We must turn the "noise" of the world off to make it easier to listen. Peace and quiet are so important!

The Peter Principle--My version

Thursday’s scripture readings are an interesting contrast showing God’s love and power and how we often do not trust in God’s love and power. In Jeremiah, God promises a new covenant with Israel. No longer will they have a need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the Lord. “I will forgive their evil doing and remember their sin no more.” The psalmist proclaims a heart contrite and humbled, “O God, you will not spurn.” And in Matthew, Peter, in response to Jesus’ question of who do you say I am, proclaims Jesus as the Christ.


Peter is just so human. Peter boldly proclaims to Jesus, “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And then when Jesus says he is headed to Jerusalem to be killed, Peter takes him aside and boldly proclaims, that is a horrible plan, I can come up with a better plan than that. Imagine, telling God you have a better plan. Good thing I never do that.

I have family members and friends who have drifted from their faith in Jesus and His Church by the trappings and seductions of the secular world. Or maybe they never had it. I have tried logical arguments, and I’ve tried pulling their “guilt strings”. I try to set an example by my practice of my faith. But even if my example or guilt trips or arguments seem to show promise, I know that no one has ever been argued into a relationship with God. When someone establishes a walk with Christ, it isn’t my doing, it is the awesome power of God’s grace. I know that, too. So, why am I plotting out my arguments, guilt trips and ways to set an example? It may come down to control and trust. I want to be in control and I’m not sure I can trust God. Which is strange. I know that I am at my best as Christ’s ambassador when I simply pray and open myself up to the Holy Spirit. When I submit fully to God’s hand is when things seem to work out best. So, if that is my experience, why is control and trust such an issue? Why don’t I fully entrust myself into God’s hands? Why do I think I have to fix this or I have to do this on my own? I wish I knew. I’m an imperfect creation on a walk with my creator. And I don’t always seem to be able to follow the path He has laid out before me. Good thing we worship a loving, forgiving God.

My prayer today is for all of us who don’t seem to be able to relinquish control and simply trust the God who loves us.

Very interesting stuff!

On EWTN Live tonight, Father Pacwa had as his guest Father Richard Kunst, who collects "spiritual artifacts", with a special focus on items of papal history.  He started out as a kid collecting autographs of politicians and sports figures, but he sold those shortly after his ordination and began collecting his current items.  He says he has about 1500 items.  One of the most interesting to me is not an item of the papacy, but a letter from Mother Teresa.  Father Kunst wrote to her to ask her for her autograph, and in a kind but saintly way, she responded.  I come close to tears every time I read this letter because of its simple, yet theologically deep content.  Wow.  Just wow.  Click on this link to see the letter and browse Father Kunst's collection. 

The squeaky wheel gets the grease!

Today’s readings (Jeremiah 31:1-7, Jeremiah 31:10-13 and Matthew 15:21-28), promise us that God hears us. The first reading and the song from Jeremiah promise that “with age old love I have loved you… again I will restore (or 'build') you” and claim “The Lord will guard us.” Then we have the story from Matthew of the persistent foreign woman who wore our Lord down until he finally said, “O woman, great is your faith,” and healed her daughter.


We all pray our prayers of petition: “Cure this illness. Help me do this. Make my car start, the storm pass, the decision come my way.” We want favors, we want comfort, we want miracles. I’ve written before that as a kid we said the rosary as a family (except Dad, who was not Catholic), and we were exhorted to pray devoutly for “the conversion of Russia,” and sure enough, in the ‘80s the “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union collapsed. Yet the economic and social situations in Russia and other nations of the former USSR are surely not models of fully “converted” societies today–-I heard today that 60% of all pregnancies in Russia are aborted, and the life expectancy in that country has lowered from 67 to 57 years-- nor do we see perfection in any nation. We are always praying for “peace in the world.” We persist in asking for the miracle, the healing.

In fact, Jesus taught us to ask for miracles, teaching us to pray “Our Father … Thy Kingdom come…. Give us this day our daily bread … Deliver us from evil.” Look at the newspaper, turn on CNN: we haven’t exactly been delivered from evil, have we? Yet this Canaanite woman’s story encourages us to keep praying. After all, it’s only 20 centuries, a tiny bit of time in this planet’s history, since Jesus taught us to pray. We might as well persist a while longer!

Every day I get requests for specific prayers for such needs as cures of diseases, jobs for the unemployed, successful pregnancies, peaceful deaths for the dying, comfort for grieving families, support for our nation’s armed services. I believe that our prayers benefit the people we pray for. I know that praying for these people benefits me. I can’t give justice in words to how I feel after I’ve prayed on behalf of others’ needs. It’s like I don’t even think about my own needs anymore—I know they will be taken care of by someone else’s prayers!

Today is the feast day of St. John Vianney, the “Cure of Ars” (meaning the parish priest of the village of Ars in France), the patron saint of priests. He was famous for his faith, love, prayer and sacrifices, and huge numbers of people came from all over the world to have him hear their confessions. Remembering his example, let us pray today for the needs of our priests, and of all men and women who minister to their fellow Christians, teaching them to persist in prayer for the world’s healing as Jesus did, “Thy Kingdom Come.”

Editorial cartoons with a Catholic sensibility

http://www.catholiccartoonblog.blogspot.com/

Go ahead!  Read some of these.  They're hit and miss, but I enjoyed a lot of them.  I put a link on my favorites list.

The 4th Watch

Here I am up at midnight again typing away as the fourth watch of the night approaches. The “fourth watch of the night” is that time between 3:00 AM and dawn. In winter and in summer awakening in that darkest part of the night often after the moon sets and before the paleness of dawn, I awaken and feel fear of the storms (or possible storms) that seem to surround my life. Fear of not having done enough, fear for those I love (and for whom I can do nothing but pray in this situation), fear about my own future, fear that something important is due and not finished – you name it, my “4 O’clock demon” wants to diminish any peace and joy in being human, wants to bring me to despair, or simply wants to make me miserable. Even though I personify the feeling I don’t really think of it as another creature so much as that enemy of human flourishing that dwells in my own less-than-courageous self that would be chided by Jesus’ “you of little faith.” It’s not that I have no faith – to say so would be to dishonor the wondrous gift of faith that God has given me through the Holy Spirit in Baptism, but I certainly can be one of “little faith” – that is one who allows spiritual desolation to take hold. Sometimes I remain like the other disciples, and huddle in the boat wondering if the winds and the waves of challenge surrounding my life will completely swamp me, but once in awhile I have the small courage of Peter who says to Jesus “command me to come to you.”


These days in the Christian community we need lots of folks with the courage of Peter. His at this moment of this story is not a great courage, but it is a wise courage. That is, he trusts his limited insight and tests whether what he sees is Jesus by asking him to give him the command that he is familiar with – “Come.” Perhaps he hears the Lord say “get out of the boat and walk on that stormy water – I will give you my power to do so.” That certainly is what he is willing to do. How many of us instead of asking for the truth of the vision in front of us huddle in the boat of the familiar way of doing things – unwilling and too frightened to test the new possibilities suggested by this way of experiencing Christ. There are new challenges, new ways of hearing and following the Spirit of Christ leading us that seem not to be “solid” enough that we are not willing to even try to discern where the Lord is in the event or experience.

Christ’s coming to us will often be in demanding, stretching, challenging ways – calling us out of the false securities within which we huddle in fear – but it at least is a fear we know. But what will we miss? Jeremiah gives us the clue at the end of today’s reading after we have thought about our sin and unworthiness: “When I summon him [or her] that one will approach me; how else should one take the deadly risk of approaching me? Says the Lord.” It is a deadly risk to respond to Jesus’ terrifying call – but what will die is crippling fear, do-nothing obstructionism, failure to grow and flourish, righteous certainty in something from the past that gives me security – in other words the very wounds that the Lord refers to earlier in the reading that have kept us from him.

So my 3:00 or 4:00 AM demon is the voice within me that doesn’t want to take the time to discern whether it is Jesus who calls me to some new and challenging task – the task of loving more deeply, responding more enthusiastically, trying something new and dangerous – and life giving! It is the fear that doesn’t want me to risk even praying to find out what the Spirit calls me to. It is the silent dread that refuses the work of opening my heart and mind to the call to “Come.” God spare me from that voice – or at least give me Peter’s modest faith that tremulously asks, “If it is you, command me to come,” that would be enough for me.