A Litany of saints

Prayer for the Day

All you saints of God, intercede for us this day, that we might see and believe in the Good News of the Cross and Resurrection in our daily lives.

Prayer Intentions

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Pray for my brother Bob on his birthday.

Also, please remember in your prayers, the people of The Republic of South Sudan who have now become the world's newest nation.

Reflection

A saint can be described as a person who has become one with Christ. So how does a person become one with Christ?

While there have been volumes written about how one can become one with Christ, become closer to God, and even how the soul is perfected in human beings, Jesus tells us how most succinctly in His Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:1-12a) To become one with Christ, we need to become more like Him by following His example;

"Blessed are they who mourn."

Jesus mourned for Jerusalem and for His friend Lazarus.

Blessed are all who will mourn their losses due to terrorism and war, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are workers who have been "downsized," for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are those mothers and fathers who mourn the loss of their babies through abortion or neglect, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek."

Jesus Himself said He was meek and humble of heart.

Blessed are our dear, fragile elderly who want to show up at Mass whenever they can—but can’t, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are all single moms who do the best for their kids every day, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who are trapped in addictions, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who live with people trapped in addictions, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the scrupulous, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness."

Jesus sought righteousness wherever He went and in every person He met.

Blessed are folks that work three jobs and can't make ends meet, for they shall inherit the land.

Blessed are those who aren't beautiful or successful or rich, for they shall inherit the land.

Blessed are our immigrants who serve society in menial jobs, for they shall inherit the land.

"Blessed are the merciful."

Jesus showed mercy to everyone, even a condemned man next to Him on the cross.

Blessed are the generous people who offer friendly help to neighbors, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the aid workers in so many countries where famine and starvation run rampant, for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are the clean of heart."

Our Lord was without sin.

Blessed are those who frequent the Sacraments of Penance and Reconciliation, for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are the peacemakers."

He sought peace wherever He went and challenged others that if they were without sin, then they could cast the first stone.

Blessed are firefighters and cops who risk their lives for us each day, for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness."

Jesus was righteous above all others, but was persecuted to the point of being hung on the cross.

Blessed are the bishops, priests, deacons and religious who continue to evangelize, despite the persecution of a secular world, for they shall see God.

Blessed are all those who get overlooked in well-intentioned litanies like this, for they shall see God!

Who do I have to invite?

Lord, my arrogance and independence get in the way sometimes. Please, I beg of you, help me to pray for and embrace the humility that will open up deeper ways of communicating with you. Let me invite those people into my life that I might recoil from and let me love and respect them as you do. Help me to see you in each person I meet.



==================================================================

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Intentions

Today, I pray for my entire extended family; that those who are seeking the Truth find Him and that those who are far from Him draw closer.

I also pray, as usual, for peace on Earth to men of good will.

=====================================================================

Reflection

God is the source of all good and He will reward us for doing good and being of service to others, but He expects no reward for His goodness to us.  He gives us the heavenly reward that we earn during our lives here on the earth.  

Jesus gives us an example of what He means by service.  He speaks of the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (Luke 14:12-14) These are the people that Jesus sought out during His travels in Galilee and Judea.  He constantly sought to be of service to them and to teach them by His words and His example.  Even when Jesus spent time with leading citizens like the Pharisee on this occasion, He didn’t go to relax and enjoy Himself, but rather to teach them that they too should follow His example and find ways to serve others.

And that’s what Jesus is still asking of you and me today as we listen once again to the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of the Pharisee.  He asks that we look for people who could use our help.  He asks us to find ways to help them without seeking anything in return.  In other words He asks us to follow His example and to learn from Him.  And as Jesus tells us, the reward for our service will come not from those we serve and help, but from God who will repay us with that heavenly reward to which all of us aspire. 

Perhaps if we learn to serve others after the example of Jesus, we will also learn to better understand what Saint Paul means in his letter to the Romans when he writes of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, and of the inscrutability of His judgments and the unsearchableness of His ways. (Romans 11:29-36)

Necessary and Dangerous vocations

Prayer for the Day

O  God I pray that You may use me to be an image of Your love and grace for others; and that You may shine through me, not in my words, but in my deeds every day.  I ask You this in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Rosary Intentions

Holy Mary, mother of God, priests are God’s instruments for His Son’s Presence at Mass every day.  Please look after them and protect them from the constant attacks on their vocation.  Help them to become the examples our children look up to, not down upon.

St. Joseph, husband of Mary and foster-father of our Savior, fathers are the heads of their domestic church.  Help them recognize their responsibility to respect their wives and children and to set the example in leading their families to Christ.

Reflection

When people think of policemen, firemen, or mililary personnel, they rarely think of including priests in the same category.  But I submit that, like those other worthy pursuits, the priesthood is a necessary but dangerous vocation.

On this Sunday, now designated by some organizations as Priesthood Sunday, we find the readings filled with admonitions and warnings to the priests of the Old Covenant. God had made a covenant with Levi, and so the term "levitical" priesthood. Unlike the other tribes, they received their sustenance from the Temple offerings.

In the first reading from Malachi (Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10), written for the Israelites who had returned from Babylon, God complains that the temple priests had neglected to teach well the traditions and laws of former days, and had been lax in correcting foreign customs brought back to Jerusalem from their pagan masters. Because of this, God threatens to let His anger fall on them again.

 We have a similar message in the Gospel when Jesus scolds the Pharisees and the priests for their hypocrisy and their pride. Their lives lacked humility, honesty and service. Jesus did not question their authority to teach, and urges His followers to follow their teaching, but not to follow their example. (Matthew 23:1-12)

In the second reading, St. Paul presents the model for the priests of the New Testament. He reminds the Thessalonians that "we were as gentle among you as a nursing mother cares for her children."  (1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13)  It was because of St. Paul's love for them that he labored night and day among them, both preaching the word of God, and earning his own living so as not to burden them. Throughout the writings of the other Apostles and early Church Fathers, we find the ideal of priesthood put forward.

To whom much is given, much will be required. God has chosen weak human beings as His priests. Through those weak hands, God dispenses heavenly power and strength in the sacraments. As Jesus from the cross gave His own Body and Blood, for our salvation, so He gives it over and over through the Mass. And He does this through His priests. What greater privilege can be given to a man? In return, He demands that this instrument of His strive to be himself a living mirror of Jesus' love, forbearance, and mercy. At the same time, He will hold them accountable for any neglect of their sacred duties.

On this Priesthood Sunday, may all of us in the Church thank our priests for accepting this divine office. Through our prayers for them, may God forgive their sins and weaknesses. May they always strive to be shepherds after the heart of Christ, the High Priest.

On humility

Prayer for the Day

O Lord, Send your Spirit upon us to help us take the lowest place in body and in heart!

Rosary Intentions

Immaculate Heart of Mary
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

My rosary intention today is for atonement of sins of pride in the world.  Mother Mary, most humble virgin, plead for us to your Son, that he may see the humility in our hearts, not the arrogance of our actions.  Amen.

Reflection

We are all equals on this earth and in God’s eyes, and sometimes those who seem humble are actually very powerful. There are people who believe that they are exalted, and in most cases, the culture in which they live has given them this status. Are the ones we have made exalted really behaving as we might expect exalted folks to behave? Just as the Gospel reminds us that “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” (Luke 14:1, 7-11) so too, of those who are given much, much is expected. Whether celebrity or elected official, whether teacher or parent, whether religious leader or professional athlete, we give to those individuals and positions the exalted status they hold and exercise. And, yet, each is merely a human being in God’s eyes and perhaps more should be expected from each of them given the status we have given them.

From the teaching Jesus offers us, I grasp the instruction to be humble. I do not necessarily expect to be exalted someday, but I truly value being humble, and I know that I should be more humble than I am. I know that I should extend myself and my resources to more than I do. I know that I should be more attentive to those who serve me, and I know that I should be much more grateful for the gifts and benefits that have been given to me. Humble is an attitude that I must work on each day and for which I must ask God’s help in my daily prayers. In addition to my prayers, each day, I can best practice humility by asking how I have humbled myself in the face of those who believe they are lesser than me. Then, I need to actually be that humble person in their eyes.

Keep it simple

Prayer for the Day

Spirit of Love and Truth, guide Your Church to a newness of life, that she may be a source of light to a world pervaded by darkness and strife.  Amen.

Rosary Intentions

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

My prayers today are for those who have trouble praying—Mary, you always know just what to say.  Please take all prayers, no matter how small or incoherent they may be, and present them to our Lord Jesus Christ as though they were your own.  Help us to become better listeners, so that we may hear what your Son is telling us and be better Apostles for Him.

I want to offer a special prayer for my boss, who is taking a cruise next week to Mexico with his entire family.  I pray that he has a safe, pleasurable vacation—he’s earned it this year!  Part of the prayer is for me, too (is that selfish?).  I will be in charge of one of our locations (since my boss’s son-in-law in the GM and going with him) AND handling any of my boss’s immediate issues, as well.  Let’s pray that it’s a quiet week on the work front.

And lest I forget those who are on ‘forced vacations’—the unemployed; St. Joseph the Worker, pray for them, that they find satisfying work at a fair wage.

Reflection

I’ve been meditating today on the simplicity of Jesus’ preparation for one of His most important actions—the naming of His followers who were to preach the gospel, tell the Jesus story and provide the leadership of the nascent Christian community. Luke simply notes, “Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12-16) How instructive for us. What excellent advice: to take all of our decisions to God in prayer. Again, the actions of Jesus provide for us a model to be imitated.

How often we fret, get anxious or even fearful to make decisions. How often we forget to invite God to be a partner in our decision-making. In prayer God can play the devil’s advocate-giving perspective, teasing the complexities from the decision(s) facing us, and neutralizing the fears and minimizing the risks. And in our deliberations God can provide peace in the final decision.

We must remember always that prayer is a conversation, an exchange, a speaking and a listening with the most important Person in our lives - the only One who truly knows us and knows what we need. Prayer can be a great many things - a spontaneous outpouring of joy, sorrow, desperation, hope, love, or anger. But most of all prayer is conversation.

Conversation consists of two parts - speaking and listening, and a good conversationalist, as with a good prayer, knows that the better part is listening. (Luke 10:38-42)   We should allow our prayer time to have some loving, attentive silence in which we wait upon the Lord.  In other words, we should say our piece, and let the Lord say His piece. In this way, we will be blessed by hearing and listening. We will be strengthened by the One who loves us. We will not have the courage of our convictions, but rather, the courage of the Lord's Will - far more powerful and far more meaningful than anything we could summon alone. Even if the answer does not come immediately, it will come - through other people, through circumstances, through a changed heart and a transformed mind and will.

As we look at today's world, the truth of a line from St. Paul's letter to the Romans strikes us forcefully, for indeed all of creation is groaning in labor pains as it struggles to bring forth Christ's new life from the old one. This strife is caused by the fight we all must engage in as we try to overcome our selfishness and be freed from the corruption of sin, fully redeemed by Christ in both body and soul. Such is God's will for humanity.

We see in Christ's all-night prayer the importance of His choices as He gathered together those who would serve to make Him and God's message of reconciliation known to the world.  It was not necessary for Him to choose the most eloquent and scholarly, because the Holy Spirit revealed the truth to them and gave them the power to live it and verbalize it.  It continues today. Jesus chooses those who are humble, those most receptive to His word and who sincerely desire to love and serve God and learn to love and serve others as Christ Himself does, steadfastly and unconditionally. If the Church is to stand firm and continue to grow, it must have a solid foundation, Apostles who will function under the headship of Christ, the capstone.

Worldly forces are now exerting much pressure on the Church's foundation, our bishops, in hopes of toppling her who stands against the world's lax values.  A media given to reveling in smut and sensationalism enjoys loudly touting infidels within the Church, exerting pressure upon her, trying to bring about changes in her basic moral tenets by suggesting that the strictness of these and the celibacy of priests rather than the human preponderance toward sin and the failure of some individuals to remain completely faithful to Christ's teachings is the cause of all our problems.

Our most successful weapon is prayer and Apostleship.  God will help us. It IS that simple, if we will just believe.

On a mission

Prayer for the Day

O Lord, let me know clearly that nothing will separate me from Your love! And let me love You in return! Amen.

Rosary Intentions

For those who are lost in their faith; Mother Mary, show them the way to your Son.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For those who are unemployed; St. Joseph the Worker, help them find honest work at an honest wage.

For those who are suffering; Dear Jesus, unite their suffering with Your own suffering on the Cross for the poor souls in Purgatory.

Reflection

We live in uncertainty; economic, political and social conflicts leave us scrambling for some guarantee, or at least some lessened risk of disaster and failure.  But our faith gives us one thing we can count on, the one thing we absolutely need.  In good times and in bad, good health and sickness, celebration and grief, even when we are inattentive to God, careless about prayer, filled with self-love and indifferent to other people – we have always “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   Even when most inattentive, careless and indifferent, I trust St. Paul’s assurance that nothing “will be able to separate us” from God’s ever-present Love. (Romans 8:31b-39)

Jesus models exactly that faith, that trust in the Love of God ever-present to Him. (Luke 13:31-35)  Warned that King Herod wished Him to be killed, Jesus refused to be safe, to deny His mission.   “I must continue on my way,” He asserted – and headed towards death in Jerusalem – and His Resurrection, and our salvation.  Jerusalem, the actual city, is the religious, political and cultural capital for Jesus in the first century, and an argument could be made that the “unwilling” Jerusalem also represents our religious, political and cultural situations in the twenty-first century.  

While we are not living in a time or place where people may not want us physically dead (except, of course, unwanted or ‘inconvenient’ children) there is much adversity in our lives and cultures that makes being a Catholic difficult. I have met many challenges to my faith. People who question, people who judge, people who see scandals, or mistakes, or simply don’t understand the fundamental tenets of my faith have all posed challenges and have made me ask not only why I’m Catholic, but really what that means. And in my understanding, those questions are answered by that final line: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

I’ve sought to deepen my understanding of my faith, but even on a fundamental level I’ve sought to show people my faith through my actions. I may not need to explain teachings or dogma for people to understand what it means to be Catholic. The goal is to live the mission, for people to see Jesus and to see what it means to be Catholic through me; through all of us.

God Loves You!

OK, I'm going to be late for work, but I am so moved by what I just heard on EWTN that I feel "nudged" by the Holy Spirit to share it. 

I often leave my laptop on all night with the live stream telecast of EWTN playing.  When I woke up this morning, Mass was just ending, telling me it was time to get ready for work.  So up I jumped (as fast as my weight-challenged and sore body would let me this morning) and got in the shower.  When I came out, Father Pacwa's program, Threshold of Hope was finishing up.  He was taking questions of a general nature pertaining to faith from the people who were calling in to the program.  I didn't hear the question, but a part of his answer is what compels me to share it here.

Many people say, "God love you!" when greeting you or saying goodbye, but a good deal of the time it sounds so superficial and sentimental that you have to step back and question if the speaker means it or not.  The same is not true when someone like Mother Angelica or Mother Teresa or Pope John Paul II said it.  You can tell a difference when it is said by someone who has an obvious relationship with the Trinity, through Jesus Christ.   When people who are so close to holiness you can feel it in their presence, it is more than just sentiment; it becomes a statement of fact backed by authority and conviction.

It's the difference between this, which is sentimental,

and this, which to me, is more profound and convincing.

When Father Pacwa shared this answer, one of the first memories that popped into my head was of the TV programs that Archbishop Fulton J Sheen had in the 50's and 60's.  He always ended them with "God Love You!" and a "twinkle" in his eye that made you aware that it was not just sentiment, but fact--and an exhortation to return His love.

That's evangelization in a nutshell.  Try to tell someone with conviction today, "God Loves You!"

Suffering for the glory of God

Prayer for the Day

Dearest Lord, please give us Your grace that we may enter the narrow door. Forbid it, Lord, that I should ever hear You say, "I do not know you. Away from me you evildoers!"( Luke 13:22-30) May we, with the prophets and saints, one day rest in the safety and glory of Your kingdom which has no end.

Rosary intentions:

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For the homeless; St. Joseph, with the help of the Holy Spirit you provided for Mary and Jesus even on that very first night in Bethlehem when there was no room at the inns.  Please join me in prayer asking Jesus to have mercy and help those unfortunate souls who are also struggling to find room at the inn to find accommodations, especially as the weather gets colder.

For women who are considering abortion; Mother Mary, Mother of all of God’s children, show those women who are considering abortion the grace and blessings that are found only through motherhood, and help turn them away from the evil one and towards the saving mercy and love of your Son.

For all who are sick; Lord Jesus, You have shown us through Your Passion that the Father sometimes allows suffering to bring us closer to Him.  Help those who are sick and those who are caring for them bear their burdens purposefully for the sake of Your Sorrowful Passion.  Have mercy on us and on the whole world.  Amen.

Reflection 

In Paul’s Letter to the Romans (Romans 8:26-30), he writes: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God.” He seems to be saying that by loving God we are promised only good things in this life. If one gives oneself to God the Spirit will take over leading us step by step, from one good to another good, and eventually to eternal glory. That would be the case if Jesus had not added a final condition. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God who are called according to his purpose.”

God doesn’t do things according to whim but with purpose. And He has a definite purpose for each of us. By fulfilling His purpose we will experience “all things working for good.” Notice, in this process of loving God He doesn’t promise it will necessarily be for my personal good. It may well be for the greater good of all who love God, which would ultimately include me.

For example, loving God “according to his purpose” could occasionally include suffering. A man’s wife is diagnosed with cancer. That’s not good for his wife or him. Yet they have always willingly loved God according to His purpose. However, what if this tragedy might have such devastating effects upon their grown children that they are motivated to reject their evil lifestyles and return to the Lord. The ultimate salvation of their children might be the good purpose why the Lord allows the mother’s illness.

For many of us our God is too small. It’s too easy to forget His purpose for becoming man. It was not that we might be spared suffering but that we might share in eternal happiness. And so reluctantly God is willing to allow many things, even sinfulness and tragedy to be part of life, so that His purpose for coming will be fulfilled. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Hope is a difficut concept

Prayer for the Day

Glory and praise to You, Father, Son and Spirit, who so generously offer us new life. May we open ourselves fully to receive You and to fully share Your blessing with others. Amen!

Rosary Intentions

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For those who are experiencing a dryness of faith; Blessed Mother, remind them of the hope of a new life with your Son.

For the unemployed; St. Joseph, please help them find meaningful work at a fair wage.

For those struggling with hopelessness or grief; Blessed Pope John Paul II, please help them overcome their fears and sadness during this trying time.

Reflection

Hope is a difficult concept, as Paul mentions in Romans 8:24, “For who hopes for what one sees?” 

The idea of trusting something we cannot see is not a natural human characteristic.  As humans we are accustomed to only trust those things that we can see and touch.  This makes faith in Christ difficult because we can’t see him.  However, if we nurture our faith in Christ it is able to grow and produce incredible fruit.  The mustard seed is the smallest of seeds, but when it is planted and nurtured it can grow to become a large bush. 

So too it is also with our faith.  When we first gain our faith in Christ it often starts as a small inclination, a mustard seed.  However, we watch our faith grow to become a magnificent thing.  As “birds of the sky dwelt in [the mustard bush’s] branches” people will also flock to those who have a high level of faith.  This is something that can be found to be true when we have our faith severely.  We usually find the people in our lives that have strong faith and we run to them with our challenges.  These people help to show us the importance of faith and how it can be applied in our lives. 

As my own faith increases, I hope that I can be a similar rock for my peers.  When they are having challenges in their life, I pray that I can be the one that helps them through and allows them to recognize God’s role in their lives.  This is the calling of Luke 13:18-22 when Jesus talks about the birds flocking to the mustard bush.  We must be there for our peers to help them recognize God in every aspect of their lives, especially when they are in challenging times.

Be open to God's healing presence among us

Prayer for the Day

My prayer today is to be open to God’s healing presence in my life so that I might be that healing embrace to others.

Rosary Intentions

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

I pray today for all priests.  Without priests, there is no Eucharist. I pray for those priests who have fallen into grave sins…that they may find reconciliation with God through penance.  I pray for their victims…that they may find peace through God’s justice.  I pray that many holy young men discern a call to the priesthood who can be God’s instruments in healing the Church.  Amen.

Reflection

After reading Luke, Chapter 13, verses 10 to 17 tonight, I am tempted to wish, “If only we could have Jesus walking among us to bless and heal all those in misery and pain today...”

But then again, perhaps the Gospel story isn’t really about Jesus’ healing action at that moment in history as much as it is about how, by Jesus’ example, we might choose to respond to those who are suffering and in need in our world today.

We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 8:12-17), “God’s Spirit joins with our spirit to declare that we are God’s children…we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…sharing in Christ’s suffering and sharing in Christ’s glory.” If we are truly one with God’s Spirit through our Baptism, then we are called to be the presence of God in our world today.

So as God’s children and heirs we are sent forth as images of the God presence in today’s world; to be Christ in our midst.

I know that there are times when I feel at a loss as to how I might be of comfort to another; the suffering seems overpowering. It is then that I realize that I am not alone, and I do not need to ‘figure it out by myself’. In fact, a bit further into Paul’s letter, we are reminded: “The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don’t know how to pray…but the Spirit expresses our pleas…And God, who knows everything in our hearts, knows perfectly well what the Spirit is saying in us.”(Romans 8:26-27)

Perhaps if we allow God’s spirit into our quiet spaces, we can accept the call to be the healers of those in pain by our loving embrace; the ‘pray’-ers and ‘do’-ers who manifest hope by our caring presence in the midst of hopelessness; the listeners and comforters of those overwhelmed by their feelings of grief and sorrow.

True love transforms

Prayer for the Day

"Lord, your love surpasses all. Flood my heart with your love and increase my faith and hope in your promises. Help me to give myself in generous service to others as you have so generously given yourself to me."

Rosary Intentions



Immaculate Heart of Mary
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

For all pregnant women; that they realize the importance of their gift from God and appreciate the blessings He has bestowed on them.

For all of the unemployed; May Saint Joseph help them find meaningful employment at a fair wage.

For all who are searching for Christ; that their eyes may be opened to the Truth through the gentle intercession of our Blessed Mother.

Reflection

Both Alicia and Sarah are running in a half-marathon race here in town tomorrow morning.  That’s 13.1 miles!  I’m pretty proud of both of them for the dedication it takes to train for—much less run in—a long distance race.  Because the race starts pretty early in the morning, Sarah came down to spend the night here with us.  After everyone else was in bed, Sarah and I talked for about 45 minutes about love, religions, faith in general, and this and that.  I quite enjoyed my time with her alone.  It’s been a long time.  A lot of our discussion centered around love of one another and love of neighbor and of God, so I was pleasantly surprised when I read the Gospel for tomorrow(Matthew 22:34-40), as it relates very well to the topics she and I were discussing.  I’m guessing Sarah’s insights and observations in the course of our conversation were the Holy Spirit’s way of preparing my thoughts for tonight’s entry.

When we begin to love, we look at the world very differently, we appreciate new things and we make sacrifices that seem small for the sake of the beloved.  Love transforms our lives.

When we discover the love of God, even more amazing things happen to us.  First of all, we experience an indescribable fulfillment.  Human beings have a God-sized hole in their hearts that cannot be filled with anything but the Lord Himself.  As St. Augustine said so beautifully, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee."

The love of God opens our eyes to the beauty of many things that we never appreciated before.  Things we used to value are no longer important.  Things we used to laugh at become surprisingly important.  The difficult teachings of Christ in the Gospels and the challenging moral truths proclaimed by his Church begin to make sense.  In fact, the love of Christ inspires us to embrace those truths and live them with passion.  The burden seems small when it is carried for the sake of the Beloved; the love of Christ so transforms Christians that they can’t imagine not sharing with their friends the joy of this new found love for God.

The saints teach us volumes about this kind of transforming love.  St. Columban, for example, prayed this way: "Loving Savior, be pleased to show yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing you we may love only you, love you alone, desire you alone, contemplate only you day and night, and always think of you.  Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for you to receive as God.  So may your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely, and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for you who are everlasting".

With God's love coursing through our veins, we are driven into the world to love our neighbor like St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and St. Maximilian Kolbe.  The love of God is indeed our fulfillment.

Bearing fruit takes a lot of hard work!

Prayer for the Day

Lord, give us an attitude of understanding, of generosity and of forgiveness towards all.  May your Spirit of Love direct our every thought, word and action today and always.  Bless us with your peace and protect us from all evil.  Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Rosary Intentions

For the Pope’s intentions; that they help further world peace.

For the unbaptized, that they may find their way to Christ.

For the unemployed; May Saint Joseph help them to find meaningful work at a fair wage.

For the people in the Middle East, that they find peaceful relief from their constant strife.

Reflection

“…I will hoe around it and manure it; then perhaps it will bear fruit.” (Luke 13:8-9)

If we want to bear fruit, we have to work at it.  We have to nurture our spirit, feed it with the study of God’s word and fertilize it with contemplation so we can grow in the experience of God’s presence within us.  So we can learn to love one another as He has loved us.  Without limits, He gave His life for us.  In humility and service, He washed the feet of His disciples.  Without distinction of people, He associated with scribes, tax collectors, and prostitutes.  He calls us His friends.  His prayer at the Last Supper (John 17) shows His concern for us and His passion for unity.

“The tendency of the flesh is toward death, but that of the Spirit toward life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

Paul tells us that those who live according to the Spirit will have life and peace.  It does not mean that we will be spared of all tragedy or pain.  Jesus tells us about two seemingly horrific tragedies that resulted in the loss of life for many.  He makes it clear that those people were not deserving of this type of death because they were sinners.  If we have life through His Spirit we will experience His peace.

“Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.”

(Psalms 24:6)

If we truly long to see God’s face then we should find it first in our neighbors, our colleagues, our relations, and, yes, even our enemies.  We all share the same human conditions, limitations and poverty of spirit.  We need to recognize that we ourselves are the first in need to be forgiven, freed, and saved.  We need to recognize that the Spirit of God dwells in each of us, in spite of our failings.  We need to look for the face of God in everyone we encounter, even if we do not like them, or we think they do not like us, or they are different from us.  If we reflect on these truths it can only improve our attitudes, change our priorities, and shape our actions.