Humility

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” –(Matthew 23:30)

Seems impossible, doesn’t it?  I heard an explanation of this passage on the radio the other day that makes sense.  I don’t know if it is true, but it does help make more sense if you believe Jesus is not talking about wealth or poverty here—at least not worldly wealth or poverty.

In the time of Christ, the “eye of a needle” referred to small openings in city walls that were sometimes used after the main gate had closed.  They were so small, however, that in order for a camel to enter, it had to bend down on its knees and crawl through to the other side.  In this image, Christ is not talking about an impossible occurrence, albeit a difficult one.  Instead, He is preaching to us the importance of humility.

When we are asked to ponder the characteristics of a hero or heroine, we often come up with things like strength, courage, bravery, and honor.  Sometimes we may include love, trustworthiness, and faithfulness, but humility is not something we hold in high esteem.  Humility is for those who are not “man enough” to fight through a difficulty or trial.  Humility is for those who are weak.

And yet, humility is what separates Christians from all others.  It is the greatest weapon in our fight against the devil.  As St. Vincent de Paul tells us, “For as Satan does not know how to employ humility, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”  When we act out of true humility, the devil is powerless to oppose us.  We each must strive to become nothing in the eyes of the world, so that we might stoop to serve the lowest in our lives.  We should pray to be delivered from our fears of being ridiculed as well as from our desires of being honored and extolled.  In addition, we must also pray for the grace to desire that others become more esteemed and praised than our own selves.  The Litany of Humility is a beautiful way to do just this.

In all things, though, we must pray.  We must be willing to let God speak to us in the quiet of our hearts for, as Mother Teresa teaches us, “If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you.  Then you will know that you are nothing.  It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself.”  Just as a camel can only pass through the eye of a needle on its knees, so too a rich person can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven on his knees before his God and King.  Just as Indiana Jones discovers in The Last Crusade, “The penitent man will pass before God,” and he does so on his knees in prayer.

 

Blessed are the Poor of Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. –(Matthew 5:3)

Queen of Heaven

While browsing the Internet tonight, I found the following meditation on the Assumption.  I really have to share it:

Mary looked over at John writing at his table and smiled. He had always looked so young and the years had not aged him very much. She could understand why Jesus had such a special place in his heart for John, with his gentle ways and his easy love for people.

She gathered her cloak around her against the cold and closed her eyes as she thought about the many years of her life. So much of it was beyond understanding and yet she believed it and accepted it. She had been given a courage, faith and humility that could only be a gift from God. How else could she have overcome her fears and said "Yes" when Gabriel asked her to be the mother of the Savior? Her son, Jesus, had been a wonder in her life. She had not always understood all of what he did but she knew he had a special role on earth. Their hearts had been bound together in faith and an unbreakable love. She had watched him leave home, teach, heal and challenge the authorities. Her heart had been pierced with such sorrow when he was arrested and tortured and finally put to death. Her faith in the Father had carried her through those days, and the incredible joy-filled days that came after.

"Imma?" John, said using the most intimate form of "mother." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You are so quiet these days." She smiled at him with affection. "Dearest John, my life has been long and I have so much to be grateful for. These years together have been so full."

It was true. In the weeks after he had risen, Jesus had spoken to them of a new order, a new way of life. She had resisted the urge to cling to him and not let him go again. She had to trust. "I will be with you always," he had said. In her heart, she knew it was true and once again opened her life fully to God's will. She watched with joy as he was taken up into the clouds. In the years that had followed, his message and life had given hope and meaning to a growing number of followers. She had spoken to so many of the disciples and followers in those times.

Jesus was in her life, too, in a vivid and very real way. She felt his presence with her as she grew tired. She spoke to him from her heart constantly, just as she did when he was on earth. She felt a strong connection that was as unexplainable as it was real. She closed her eyes again in thought.

"Imma," came the familiar, loving voice. "Blessed are you among women." She knew it was different. She was not in John's house but with Jesus, standing in a place that filled her with a different kind of joy. "My son," she said softly as they embraced. She felt his cheek firmly against hers.

She did not know how or why. There were no questions and no answers for this. He had promised her she would be with him and the Father. She touched her body in wonder and knew she had been drawn to a different place by power not her own. It was her same body and yet different, more vibrant.

"You said 'Yes' to the Father's request, Imma," Jesus said to her. "Your life was prepared in a special way and you followed it with such faith. You made my work possible."

She knew that somehow she was experiencing the resurrection in a way others would have to wait for. As she had so many times before, she paused and opened her heart in prayer. "The Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his Name."

Moving mountains

The city has been redirecting some underground drainage pipes throughout town.  They informed (they didn’t ask—they “informed”) us that they would be accessing a small portion of our property for about a week as the pipes would be buried right next to our office building. 
Well, it’s been about two weeks and they are just finishing up.  But it’s been kind of cool, in a way.  The little boy in me has been fascinated by all the different machines they needed to dig the trenches, move the dirt around and then fill the holes back in.  My boss and co-workers (but for some reason only those of the male persuasion) have been as fascinated by the sheer power the “earth-movers” possess as I have been.  We were also awed by the skill it takes to operate those machines. Even with all that skill and power, though, it still took almost two weeks to move 100 feet of dirt.  I found myself day dreaming a couple of times wherein I was “moving mountains.” And I was moving them a lot quicker!  Then I realized I don’t need any cool mechanical help.  What I need is faith.

Christ tells us that with faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains.  A mustard seed is the smallest of seeds and yet, when fully grown, it becomes the greatest of plants. A mustard plant is a weed, and with one seed, an entire field can be ruined because a mustard plant will quickly spread and take over an entire field. So it is with our lives. If our faith was like a mustard seed, it would spread throughout our lives, finding its way into every corner of our lives. If we even crack open the door to our hearts, God will fill us with His love and transform every aspect of our lives.

 “Nothing will be impossible for you,” is all that Christ says. We will be able to move mountains.  Think about that!  There are two ways to move a mountain. First, we could move the entire formation all at once, but I don’t think that was what Christ is referring to. Instead, I think He is telling us that we will be given the graces to move mountains one rock at a time. We all have mountains in our lives that need to be moved because they stand between us and our ultimate destination, the Kingdom of Heaven. Having faith in Christ allows us to love Him more, so that we might begin to move those mountains between us one stone at a time. It may seem like an endless task, and Satan will tempt us to think that our work is entirely futile, worthless, and point us toward despair, but if we are sound, unwavering, and persevere through those difficult times, we will find ourselves at our glorious end, being welcomed into the new and eternal Jerusalem.

There is always a greater purpose!

Let’s face it, life is never a simple drive down to the grocery store; we often get lost in the unexpected detours of our lives, and we are so thrown out of our comfort zone that sometimes we forget that God has been watching us all along. It’s hard to know that despite all that has gone wrong in our lives, it all happened for a purpose: for the glory of God.

Peter must have felt that way when Jesus proclaimed him to be the Rock of the Church (Mt 16:13-23). We often ask ourselves, “Why me?” or “What makes me special?” when God presents us with an opportunity that we didn’t expect or we don’t think we deserve. But the truth of the matter is that we are special. We are loved. And most of all, there is a plan for each of our lives.

Through the Sacraments, God makes a covenant with us that He will never leave us, abandon us, or forsake us. He promises that He will always watch over us and will be there whenever we need him the most. This is a truth that we should remind ourselves of whenever life gets tough. We are each carefully chosen to walk a certain life, so don’t worry, because God is holding us when we feel like we are falling.  The best advice I can give anyone is to frequently go to confession and receive Jesus in the Eucharist.  He IS with us!  He wants us to be with Him.  If we feel He's not there, it may just be that we don't recognize Him.

God tries to reach unbelievers by the faithful around them. But, God will not force them to believe, and there are those who refuse to believe in God or His Redeemer-Son. For faith to take root, unbelievers must hear the word of God and see it in our daily Christian example.

Take a leap!

How many times in life have we felt overwhelmed and wondered if we could meet all the expectations we or others have placed on us? Sickness, financial issues, family dynamics: all are examples in life which might overwhelm us at some time or other.

Leave it to St. Peter to help us see how we deal with these surging waves of reality! The gospel describes St. Peter impetuously getting out of the boat and attempting to walk on the Sea of Galilee toward Christ. Love moves toward the Beloved. With his human tendencies, Peter became fearful and distrusting, and began to sink. His beautiful plea, a prayer we all can use, saved him. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, caught him and said to him, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31)

We might criticize St. Peter for doubting, but with his loving, guileless nature he had enough faith in Christ to at least step out of the boat. The other apostles had remained in the boat. At certain times a responsible Christian life requires us to step out of our usual comfort and security. When this happens, we should remember St. Peter, walk toward Christ with open arms and cry out, "Lord, save me!

A Holy COMMUNION

Here we are, at another first Friday of the month.  It’s time once more to focus on Jesus’ passion and death on the Cross for the sole purpose of our redemption.  Eternal Father, we offer You the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.  For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. 

In His home town place of worship, Jesus wasn’t able to work any mighty deeds because they thought they knew Him, and didn't have faith in Who He could be for them. He was just the carpenter's son. They knew His family. They thought they knew everything there is to know about Him. (Matthew 13:54-58)

If we are honest with ourselves, don't we too often get into a place where our sophisticated "knowledge" blocks our ability to be open to mystery, i.e., what we don't know, don't understand, can't yet imagine? “I've asked before, and I didn't get the answer I wanted.” “I know this priest. I know what he's going to say.” “I know the prayers by heart. The liturgy is the same each week.” And, when we aren't open, Jesus's hands are tied, His power is limited.

I sometimes think about how the Eucharist is received at Mass each week - a gift so familiar, almost something that has become "ordinary" to us. I think, in contrast, that whenever a famous person (in fact, even a few people I've never heard of) come to my area for a concert or a talk, an incredible number of people stand in line with great excitement and pay really steep prices for a ticket to sit in a crowd of thousands, just to catch a glimpse at the person, or to say "I was there." And, if we get to get close, or perhaps shake the celebrity's hand or get an autograph, that would be memorable for a long time.

Yet, each Sunday, for many of us (and for some of us, on a daily basis), we are able to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Himself. We receive what we call a "Holy Communion" with Him. Yet, sometimes we get up in a "communion line" as if we are bored, distracted, focusing on the clothes and behavior of others.

Wouldn't it be an incredible unleashing of Jesus' power, if we were to be really open, alert, and ready for this encounter with Him? What if, in preparation, we were to practice paying attention to the Eucharistic Prayer to the Father, giving thanks and asking for the Spirit to transform the gifts on the altar? What if our hearts were deeply involved in that request? "Father, please transform these gifts, so that they may become the Body of Blood of Jesus, for my salvation, today and forever!" What if we joined - inside of us, at a deeper and deeper level - in that request that "we might be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit" or begging that the Father "grant that, we who are nourished by the Body and Blood of Your Son, may be filled with His Holy Spirit and become one body, one spirit in Christ" (Eucharistic Prayer II)?  Imagine looking up in a new way, with a completely open heart, as the priest says, "Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb." Imagine really feeling, experiencing that this Jesus, here in front of me, has taken away my sins, and I am so blessed to be called to this supper. It would then be possible to say the next words at a deeper, more conscious place in our hearts (echoing the words of the Roman official who so impressed Jesus by his confidence in Jesus' healing power: "Yes, Lord, I know I'm not worthy. Just say Your word - just let it be done - and my soul will actually be healed." We can let the healing happen - the struggles in our families, the wounds that sometime handicap us, the bad habits we seem stuck in, the anger and judgments we hold on to. It can all be healed, just by our being open to it.

We could talk with Jesus on our way up to this communion with Him. "Lord, I am asking you to let me receive You more fully today. You know what struggles we had at home before we left to come here. You know how wrapped up I am in so much worry, fear and anger. Let me be open to Your love, as I receive You. Renew me by this communion with You and, please, fill me with Your peace. United with You more completely, more gratefully, I know I can be more loving and forgiving at home, more hopeful and courageous at work, more generous and active in my parish community. Remain in me today and every day this week and let Your Spirit connect me with Your Spirit in others whom You call me to love."

We know Jesus has power to save us and heal us. We just need to take the steps, beyond the ordinary and familiar, to let His power and His love work in us.

Clay in the hands of the potter

Looking over the  scripture readings for Thursday, they seem to be about God using mundane, everyday things to get a message across to us.  Jeremiah is sent to the potter’s house.  The Lord tells Jeremiah, “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.”  The psalmist proclaims, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.”  And in Matthew, Jesus tells a parable using fisherman.  As fisherman separate the good fish from the bad in their catch, at the end of the age, the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous.

God is all powerful.  God is the Creator.  God is huge.  God can rain down fire to consume sacrifices and altars.  We want God to dazzle us.  And yet, more often God chooses to be on an intimate level with us.  When Christ started His ministry, it wasn’t with something spectacular.  He changed water into wine at a wedding party.

Wanting to do something huge is normal enough.  We all want to make an impact.  However, it can wind up paralyzing us.  It can become an excuse, a way to avoid doing anything.

God doesn’t need us to sit in judgment of his call.  “This task is too small or mundane” or “this really won’t do much good.”  We just need to be obedient to His call. 

These readings have made me question and evaluate my obedience and openness to listen to His call.  Have I fallen into the trap of replacing God with things?  Have I fallen for the myth that things bring joy?  How can I improve my walk with Christ?  How can I be more open to His call?

My prayer today is for all of us to be open to God’s call, and to open ourselves up to be clay in the hands of the potter.