"When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us...Make knowledge of the Scripture your love ... Live with them, meditate on them, make them the sole object of your knowledge and inquiries...Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." (St. Jerome) How important is it to read the Word of God on a regular basis! Likewise, how important is it to take in the Word of God that is proclaimed to us in Mass! As St. James tells us: It is not enough to hear the Word. We must act on it, if it is to bear the fruit that God desires in us. Before you read or hear the Word of God, always ask the Holy Spirit to give you the understanding of the Word He desires for you. St. Paul tells us: "All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful for teaching--for reproof, correction and training in holiness, so that the man of God may be fully competent and equipped for every good work." Bathe in its waters, soak in its light, feed on its food.
"When Jesus appears for the last time to his disciples, he sends them out into the world saying: 'Go, ... make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19).Jesus offers us baptism as the way to enter into communion with God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and to live our lives as God's beloved children. Through baptism we say no to the world. We declare that we no longer want to remain children of the darkness but want to become children of the light, God's children. We do not want to escape the world, but we want to live in it without belonging to it. That is what baptism enables us to do." (Henri Nouwen) How conscious are we of our baptism? Do we know and celebrate the date as our spiritual rebirth day? Are we truly seeking to live as children of the light in communion with God throughout our day? Do our actions and thoughts reflect this reality? The graces of baptism are available to us throughout our life, if we but ask for them, especially during the times darkness wants to overshadow us. We are sons and daughters of God. This is our truest identity. It is not based on anything we do or did. It is the permanent gift God endows us with at the time we were immersed in the death and resurrection of Jesus in the waters of baptism. All we have to do is live in that reality in the freedom of the Spirit.
MAKING A TOUGH DECISION
The economics of putting family first can be
scary
by William Gonzalez
It was time to make another dreaded phone call
telling my wife that problems had come up and I wouldn’t be coming home
the next day as scheduled. I was thousands of miles away, yet I could hear the
disappointment in her voice as she tried to be understanding. She was used to
this happening, but it didn’t make it any easier for me.
For four years I felt the strain that my
frequent and sometimes unpredictable absences would render upon my family. I
decided something had to change. I chose to take a position that meant a
significant reduction in pay but would require far less travel and allow much
more control over my schedule. Doing what was right for my family — and what I
believe was God’s will — brought serenity and relief.
My father-in-law served as an admirable role
model in this regard. A busy doctor with his own practice for years, he made
the sacrifice of taking a much less desirable position as a prison physician.
In doing so, he was able to work a more regular schedule and be present to his
eight children. Naturally, the work environment presented its share of
sufferings, but he was home every day when his kids were coming in the door
from school. Steve Woods, in his book, Christian Fatherhood, remarked, “For our
children, love is a four letter word spelled ‘T-I-M-E.’” This resonated deeply
with my wife, who still talks about her father’s heroism with heartfelt
gratitude.
While changing jobs is not a necessity or even
an option for most, all of us should take time to evaluate the importance we
place on our work and family. As we consider the task of “balancing work and
family,” the word “balance” seems to infer a kind of equality. However, as
husbands and fathers, our wives and children need to be a higher priority. No
matter how much you pour into your job, in the final analysis, the day will
come when you are no longer fulfilling that position; someone else will fill
your shoes, perhaps even doing it better. On the other hand, no one can step
into your role as father. Pope John Paul II observed that “the place and task
of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable
importance” (Familiaris Consortio, 25).
At the same time, work and family should not
be looked upon as opposing forces. Both duties are part of our vocation as
fathers and a means of our sanctification. The Catechism of the
Catholic Church teaches, “By enduring the hardship of work in union
with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man
collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work”
(2427).
RELATED ARTICLES
In the daily struggle to do well in our
careers and attend to the needs of our families, we can follow some helpful
tips:
1. Put God first. He will give
you the grace to properly order your life. Research daily Mass times in your
area and attend when you can. If you have a long commute, try using that time
to pray or listen to spiritual books on CD or tape. Cultivate a devotion to St.
Joseph, who is both the patron of workers and our exemplar of fatherhood. Finally,
as the spiritual head of your family, learn to lead your family in prayer at
home.
2. Be organized and use time
efficiently at work. When at work, work! Stay focused on your task and don’t
waste time with other distractions. Avoid the “water cooler syndrome,” where
more time than water gets swallowed up. This will aid in your ability to
accomplish your duty and leave work on time.
3. Live within your means. I have
been asked by my co-workers, “How can you afford to not work all the pay
periods available to you?” The answer is simple: We are content to live with
less. This removes the inevitability of working overtime to pay for items that
aren’t necessities.
Meeting the needs of both work and family is a
continual challenge, but with God’s grace and a willingness to follow his will,
it doesn’t have to be a tightrope act.
William Gonzalez lives with his wife and their
six children in Enfield, Conn. He is a pilot with the Air Force Reserves at
Westover Air Reserve Base and is a member of the K ofC's Father John B.
O’Connell Council 14600 in Enfield.
© Copyright 2016, Knights of Columbus,
All Rights Reserved
Our Lady of the Holy
Rosary Novena Prayer
(September 29-October 7)
Blessed Mother Mary, behold me, your
child, in prayer before you. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in
accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a sign of my tender love for you,
for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses
committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I
earnestly request in this Rosary Novena: (Mention
your request).
I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I
cannot be refused. I know, my loving Mother, that you want me to seek God’s
holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray
that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to me and to others.
I offer you this spiritual “Bouquet of Roses” because I love you. I put all my
confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the
greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and
intercede for me. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my help and my refuge. Amen.
(Recite five
decades of the Rosary)
Lord, in different ways and through different teachings you show us that a true disciple ultimately makes you the Lord of his/her life. The first step is repentance/conversion. I recognize that sin hampers me from becoming fully myself. Though the allurement is there, the attachment becomes less as I attach myself to you. The second step is to hear your call and follow you as Lord without looking back and yearning for the past fleshpots of my Egypt. The third step is to hear, believe and act on your word without fully understanding. The fourth step is to obediently do your will in all things, desiring what you desire, because it is your will, my Lord. In this I will be growing in holiness and love. The fifth step is to keep my eyes ever on you the "Author and completion of faith", so that one day I may be with you eternally.
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
Have you ever felt like asking Jesus this same thing?
Is it the faith to accept the mysteries revealed by God in the Scriptures?
Is it the faith to step out and act on the word of God? This is the faith Jesus responds to.The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
We increase our faith by exercising our faith. The more we exercise it, the more we are able to step out in a greater degree. It is not that we do not have faith but that our faith at times may be weak because we are not exercising it. The more we do so, the bolder we will be to exercise our faith in greater matters.
Are we afraid to step out in faith because we are concerned more about ourselves than being obedient to God? Are we concern that if nothing happens it would look bad for us?
The focus of our faith should be the Lord and his power and not on our human weaknesses.
The first thing we need is discernment to make sure that God is asking us to step out and act. Then we need courage to be obedient to God regardless of the consequences.
It was this faith that Peter and John exercised when they healed the crippled beggar at the Temple Gate.
It was this faith that Paul exercised when he raised the young boy back to life."Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take your place at table'? Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded,
say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"
God judges us on our obedience to what he has asked us to do not on the results that occurred or did not occur. As Mother Theresa said: "God wants fidelity more than success."
God is asking us to exercise our faith in him in obedience so that his glory may be revealed through us. What will you do as a result of your reflection on this teaching?
"Spiritual desolation is something that happens to all of us: it can be stronger or weaker...but that feeling of spiritual darkness, of hopelessness, mistrust, lacking the desire to live, without seeing the end of the tunnel, with so much agitation in one's heart and in one's ideas. Spiritual desolation makes us feel as though our souls are crushed, we can't succeed...and we don't want to live." (Pope Francis) Spiritual desolation and spiritual consolation are aspects of the spiritual journey. We enjoy the time of consolation but struggle with periods of desolation. The story of Job in the Bible is given to us as one example of this struggle. After experiencing many blessings, h is life is turned upside down, going from the mountain top to the darkest valley. Like all of us, he complained against God and demanded answers for this reversal. What God eventually reveals to Job is the need to embrace the grace of the present moment in silence and prayer before the Almighty and to wait upon the Lord to renew his consolations. The how long is the unknown by purifying agony.
Pride, ambition and jealousy can be positive or negative elements in our lives. Does that sound strange. Let's see. I can take pride in the works you, Lord, allow me to accomplish, giving you thanks. Or I can take pride because I accomplished them, without acknowledging you. I can be ambitious in accomplishing your works for your glory alone. Or I can be ambitious for self-gain. I can have righteous jealousy, desiring to please you in everything. Or I can act on my human jealousy as an expression of my sinful self-focus. What is the factor that changes each of these from a positive attitude to a sinful one? Is my focus on you primarily or on me? You took pride in doing the will of the Father. You had zeal for the house of your Father. You are a jealous lover, wanting the best for those you love. The difference between virtue and sin is in the object and in the motive of the action. If I am doing all for you with a pure intention of heart, then it is virtue. If I am acting from self-centered motives in ways not pleasing to you, God, then it is sin. In truth, why am I doing what I am doing? That is the separating and measuring line. You know my heart and judge me accordingly.
Corrections for the Men’s Monthly Masses for October, November, and December!
Due to the fact that I have schedule conflicts for the next three months on the First Saturday of the month, the Men’s Mass will be switched to other Saturdays.
Instead of October 1, 2016 it will be on October 22, 2016.
Instead of November 5, 2016, it will be on November 19, 2016.
Instead of December 3, 2016, it will be on December 17.
Ignore the next three regular monthly notices that will be coming to you with the original dates. Thanks. Bishop Jacobs
"The words of Jesus can keep us erect and confident in the midst of the turmoil of the end-time. They can support us, encourage us, and give us life even when everything around us speaks of death. Jesus' words are food for eternal life. They do much more than give us ideas and inspiration. They lead us into the eternal life while we are still being clothed in mortal flesh. When we keep close to the word of Jesus, reflecting on it, "chewing" on it, eating it as food for the soul, we will enter even more deeply into the everlasting love of God." (Henri Nouwen) The habit of reading a portion of the Scriptures each day is a good one. But not just reading, it involves reflecting on the Word that we read so that it can penetrate the fiber of our being. How often do we just hear the Word on Sunday and never really think further on what we heard. It is like going to a cafeteria and seeing all the food and walking away without tasting anything. If we did this, we would physically starve. When we do this in regards to the spiritual food offered us in the Word, then we spiritually starve. St. James tells us in his Letter that we must not just hear the word, but act on it for it to benefit us.
The
Father as a nurturer.
It is a well-known fact that any man can father a
child, but not every man with a child is truly a father. All we have to do is
check the statistics that show so many one parent families, with men abandoning
their paternal responsibilities. Then there are the testimonies of so many
scared young people whose father was physically present as a material provider,
but did not know or failed to be an emotional provider for their children. But
there are many conscientious and committed fathers who are doing their best in
these areas. So it goes to say that fathers are central
to the emotional well-being of their children.
According to Dr.
Gail Gross, “studies show that if a
child’s father is affectionate, supportive, and involved, he can contribute
greatly to the child’s cognitive, language, and social development, as well as
academic achievement as well as spiritual, a strong inner core resource, sense
of well-being, good self-esteem, and authenticity.” Wow! That’s a lot that
rests on the shoulder of a father.
The child’s primary relationship with his/her
father can affect all of the child’s relationships from birth to death,
including those with friends, lovers, and spouses. Those early patterns of
interaction with the father are the very patterns that will be projected
forward into all relationships...forever: not only the child’s intrinsic idea
of who he/she is as he/she relates to others, but also, the range of what the child
considers acceptable and loving. This is the nurturing aspect of fatherhood.
It is somewhat frightening how so much of the
child’s future behavior is based on the model of the father, as well as the
mother. There are some exceptions, but the norm is clear. Don’t we reflect this
when we say both positively or negatively: “You are just like your father.” Or
we say, “The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
So, if the father is one who treats his wife
abusively or with deep respect, what have the children learned in treating
their spouses? If the father is present to their children or absent by
intention, what does that say to the children about how important they are to
the father?
Dr. Gail goes on to affirm. “Children, who are well-bonded and loved by involved fathers, tend to have less behavioral problems, and are somewhat
inoculated against alcohol and drug abuse. Yet when fathers are less engaged,
children are more likely to drop out of school earlier, and to exhibit more
problems in behavior and substance abuse.”
Men must step up to the plate. Uninvolved
fathers need to become more involved in the lives of their children. Already
involved fathers need to continue and deepen the nurturing of their children.
It is a matter of emotionally bankrupt children or healthy, mature children who
will continue the pattern in their own families.
How much quality time do you invest in and
with your children? How often do you affirm them for who they are and not for
what they do? Is your love demonstrative and tangible?
Lord, how often your ministry of gaze made a difference in another's life. You first physically and intentionally gazed at Matthew as he was collecting taxes. It was the gaze of encounter, offering him the grace of mercy, leading to ultimate salvation. That gaze so penetrated his heart, devoted to selfish material gain, that it became the moment of lasting change in his life. He changed from a tax collector of means to a disciple with no where to lay his head. Every aspect of his life was impacted by that momentary graze of love for him as a person of worth. Matthew may have heard of you from others; he may have heard you preach; he hay have seen you at a distance. Maybe you were even aware of him at those times and gazed on him then. But he wasn't ready to respond. In this encounter as he collected taxes, your gaze was the connecting point of the future relationship between you and him. Lord, you have similarly gazed on me at various times in my life. Some, I, too, was oblivious of. But your gaze of mercy and love have made a difference in my life. I am grateful.
Jesus said to the Pharisees:" There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
Here is another parable reflecting Jesus’ teaching on the rich and the poor, an emphasis in Luke’s Gospel.
The rich man, in his luxury and comfort, is totally oblivious of the poor man. The rich man isn’t named, whereas the poor man is.
"When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Notice that the poor man doesn’t go to heaven but into the bosom of Abraham. This is an indication that this is the state of existence of those who were awaiting redemption and the coming of the Messiah. It is to these that Jesus descended to before his resurrection to preach the good news of salvation.
The underworld where there was torment is the hell that we understand.
"And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Now, the rich man, deprived of his isolated comfort, recognizes the poor man as
the beggar at his door. He did not provide for him on earth, but the rich man wants
Lazarus to provide for him.
Abraham reminds the rich man that he is where he is by his choice and Lazarus by his choice. "Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
Those awaiting redemption were in one state of existence and those who chose to be alienated from God were in another. A state of clear separation existed. "He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Why do you think Jesus ended the parable this way? Remember he was speaking to the religious leaders Jesus was predicting that even when he himself will rise from the dead and be seen by many to be alive, many of the religious leaders still would refuse to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
What is our attitude towards our possessions? How readily do we share with others in need?
Paul says that giving alms covers a multitude of sin. How do you understand this? What will change in your life as a result of your reflections on this parable?
"Many people live with the unconscious or conscious expectation that eventually things will get better; wars, hunger, poverty, oppression, and exploitation will vanish; and all people will live in harmony. Their lives and work are motivated by that expectation. When this does not happen in their lifetimes, they are often disillusioned and experience themselves as failures. But Jesus doesn't support such an optimistic outlook. He foresees not only the destruction of his beloved city Jerusalem but also a world full of cruelty, violence, and conflict. For Jesus there is no happy ending in this world. The challenge of Jesus is not to solve all the world's problems before the end of time but to remain faithful at any cost." (Henri Nouwen) We can do our best to bring about change in the world. But that is not the most important thing for us, if we are not making the necessary changes in our lives. Faithfulness to God in our commitment to him is what God will judge us on. Not that we did we change the world, but that the world did not change us in our thinking or actions. As St. Paul says: "
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." (Roms 12:2) This is the fidelity God is looking for in our lives. It is Jesus' fidelity to the will of the Father even to the death on the cross that brought about change in the lives of billions of people over the centuries. While the world may not have changed so much, the world of those who follow Jesus does change drastically.
How often in my human weakness and introverted nature, I don't encounter the other, but meet them. To meet another is to keep any interaction on the surface level. To encounter another touches deeply the lives of both parties, because each becomes vulnerable to the other. A true encounter impacts me. In a sense I cannot be the same afterwards. Lord, you didn't just meet people, you encountered them. At times, something happened to you. You were moved with pity and love; you reached out to teach or heal, to love or to forgive. Something takes place in the one encountered. Either they respond or they walk away. A mere meeting fails to interact. An encounter causes interaction. the former may lead to indifference, while the latter to something new and exciting. There is divine grace in an encounter.
“You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother.... God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body.... If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace” (St. Cyprian) Recently, the Holy Father talked about one of the tactics of the devil is to create division in families, in society and in the Church. Disagreement and division are two different things. People can disagree but still be in unity and peace. But when disagreement results in division, that is not of God. That is why St. Paul states: "Make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force."(Eph 4:3) Ours is the work of peace and unity not of division and animosity. In the first we are acting as children of our Father, and disciples of Jesus and cooperators with the Spirit.
Litany of the Seven Sorrows
For private use only.
Lord, have mercy on
us. R/ Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. R/ Christ,
hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us. R/ Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of
Heaven, R/ Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
R/ Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
R/ Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, R/ Have
mercy on us.
Holy Mary, R/ Pray for us. (Repeat this response after each)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother crucified,
Mother sorrowful,
Mother tearful,
Mother afflicted,
Mother forsaken,
Mother desolate,
Mother bereft of thy Child,
Mother transfixed with the sword,
Mother consumed with grief,
Mother filled with anguish,
Mother crucified in heart,
Mother most sad,
Fountain of tears,
Abyss of suffering,
Mirror of patience,
Rock of constancy,
Anchor of confidence,
Refuge of the forsaken,
Shield of the oppressed,
Subduer of the unbelieving,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Medicine of the sick,
Strength of the weak,
Harbor of the wrecked,
Allayer of tempests,
Resource of mourners,
Terror of the treacherous,
Treasure of the faithful,
Eye of the Prophets,
Staff of the Apostles,
Crown of Martyrs,
Light of confessors,
Pearl of virgins,
Consolation of widows,
Joy of all Saints,
Lamb of God, Who take
away the sins of the world,
R/ Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
R/ Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
R/ Have mercy on us.
Look down upon us,
deliver us, and save us from all trouble,
in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let Us Pray.
Imprint, O Lady, your wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and
love
------ sorrow to endure every sorrow for you,
love to despise every love for you. Amen.
Are you seeking holiness? Part four
In our previous reflections, we have looked at your
role as a spiritual leader both personally and in regards your wife. Today’s reflection will focus on your role as
a spiritual leader of your children or grandchildren.
St. Paul sets the bar when he states: "And you,
fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the
training and admonition of the Lord" (Eph.
6:4). In another place St. Paul says: “Fathers, do not
provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.” (Col 3:21)
Let us look at this from three different aspects: responsibility, accountability and possibility.
Responsibility: One of your roles is to
form your children through discipline. But meaningless rules that have no
purpose, which reflect more your anger and negative mood, only confuses your
children, rather than help them. These build up anger and resentment as well as
a sense of non-worth. One of the
beautiful signs I saw in my brother’s approach to the discipline of his
children was his availability and openness afterwards. At first, his children
were rebellious and angry at the time of being disciplined. When they settled
down, even though still crying, they wanted to know that he still loved them.
He would invite them to come into his arms, so that he could show them he loved
them, even though he had to correct them. They came to see discipline is a sign
of love.
The author of Hebrews teaches us: “At the time, all
discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the
peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” (Heb 12:11)
The author of Proverbs reminds
us: Folly is bound to the heart of a youth, but
the rod of discipline will drive it out.” (Prov 22:15)
How else can you provoked your children to anger? By
being an absentee father! Yes, you may be physically around, but are you
intentionally present to your children? Do they feel that you are too busy for
them and that they are not a priority but a bother? How often do you just
“waste” time with your children, doing things they enjoy, showing them that
they are important?
Another way, a father can provoke his children to
anger that leads to a sense of unworthiness is to be overbearing and demanding
more and more from them. This way of fathering brings about a sense that one
has to seek your approval in order to be loved.
There is very little daily affirmation that builds self-confidence and
self-worth. How often do you truly affirm them, even for little things done
well? How often do you love them for who they are and not for what they do?
Sometimes a father can provoke anger and resentment,
fear and rejection if the father is abusive: verbally, emotionally or worse,
physically. Far lasting scars remain for years as a result of any abuse, which
is different from healthy discipline. A mind-set of self-understanding sets in
which may be continued in themselves being abusive to others. How does the
Heavenly Father treat you? This is how you are to treat your children.
The second part of Paul’s admonition states: “bring
them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” This presumes that you are
seeking to be spiritual son under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, so that you can
be a true spiritual father under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Too often, fathers leave this training to their
wives to do. But it is the responsibility of both. It begins by teaching them
the importance of prayer in their daily lives. It helps them begin to read the
Word of God, in times and ways that are appropriate to their age level. It
progresses in teaching them what is right and what is wrong, by your words, but
more especially by your life-style. Whether they eventually appropriate these
instructions in their lives is not your responsibility. But if you do not give
them the adequate foundation, then they will flounder.
Ultimately you are helping them to come under the
Lordship of Jesus Christ and to grow in holiness of life.
Remember one of the questions God will ask you when
you go before him in eternity. “Where are your children in relationship to me
because of you? Are they closer to me or further away from me because of you?”
Of all the sorrows Mary, your Mother, endured, the greatest was probably seeing you suffering innocently on the cross and eventually dying for my sins. Her sorrow was magnified in intensity because her intense and intimate love for you. Even if she had the hope of your resurrection, this did not lessen the magnitude of her anguish. Simeon, the prophet, told her many years before that a sword shall pierce her heart. The moment of fulfillment came true as she faithfully stood at the foot of the cross that day and saw the soldier's spear pieced your side. Under the cross, when you cried out: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit", Mary released you to the Father from whom she received you. This did not lessen her sorrow but gave it value. She was one with you and the Father in the eternal plan of salvation. You were obedient to the will of the Father even in the death of the cross. She was obedient to the will of the Father through your death on the cross.
LITANY
OF THE HOLY CROSS
Lord,
have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have
mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have
mercy.
Christ, hear us. R/ Christ,
graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, R/ have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R/ have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, R/ have
mercy on us.
Holy Cross, whereon the Lamb of God was offered for the sins of
the world, R/Deliver and save us.
Hope of Christians, R/ Deliver us and
save us.
Save us, O Holy Cross* R/
Deliver us and save us. (Use
this response for all)
Pledge of the resurrection from the dead,*
Shelter of persecuted innocence,*
Guide of the blind,*
Way of those who have gone astray,*
Staff of the lame,*
Consolation of the poor,*
Restraint of the powerful,*
Destruction of the proud,*
Refuge of sinners,*
Trophy of victory over hell,*
Terror of demons,*
Mistress of youth,*
Succor of the distressed,*
Hope of the hopeless,*
Star of the mariner,*
Harbor of the wrecked,*
Rampart of the besieged,*
Father of orphans,*
Defense of widows,*
Counsel of the just,*
Judge of the wicked,*
Rest of the afflicted,*
Safeguard of childhood,*
Strength of manhood,*
Last hope of the aged,*
Light of those who sit in darkness,*
Splendor of kings,*
Civilizer of the world,*
Buckler impenetrable,*
Wisdom of the foolish,*
Liberty of slaves,*
Knowledge of the ignorant,*
Sure rule of life,*
Heralded by prophets,*
Preached by apostles,*
Glory of martyrs,*
Study of anchorites,*
Chastity of virgins,*
Joy of priests,*
Foundation of the Church,*
Salvation of the world,*
Destruction of idolatry,*
Stumbling-block of the Jews,*
Condemnation of the ungodly,*
Support of the weak,*
Medicine of the sick,*
Health of the leprous,*
Strength of the paralytic,*
Bread of the hungry,*
Fountain of those that thirst,*
Clothing of the naked,*
Lamb of God, Who was offered on the cross for the sins of the
world, R/ Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who was offered on the cross for the sins of the world, R/Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who was offered on the cross for the sins of the world, R/Have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy. R/
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord have
mercy.
V. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R. Because through your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Let
us pray:
O
God, Who, for the redemption of the world, was pleased to be born in a stable,
and to die upon a cross; O Lord Jesus Christ, by your holy Sufferings, which
we, your unworthy servants, devoutly call to mind, by your holy Cross, and by
your Death, deliver us from the pains of hell, and choose to conduct us to that
place you conducted the thief who was crucified with you. Who lives and reigns
eternally in heaven. Amen.
Your cross, Lord, crushed our sins, so that our crosses may lift us up to the grace of salvation. You embraced your cross in love for the Father and in love of us. You invite us, no you command us, to embrace our crosses in love of you. Sin is the real pain of the cross. For the real anguish of every inflicted suffering you endured during your agony was the reality of our sins. When your human life was destroyed through the cross, the power of sin was destroyed. To embrace our cross is to put to death sin and its effects in our life. When we resist the cross in our life, we are not only afraid of the suffering we will experience, but the dying to sin which we will be choosing. In principle we don't want sin, but are we willing ready to suffer so that sin has no stronghold in us? While we have chosen sin, we do not know the extent of suffering we will experience in this cross. The grace is keep our eyes fixed on You, Lore. The struggle or temptation is to run away out of fear.
“Helping a person in need is good in itself. But the degree of goodness is hugely affected by the attitude with which it is done. If you show resentment because you are helping the person out of a reluctant sense of duty, then the person may recieve your help but may feel awkward and embarrassed. This is because he will feel beholden to you. If,on the other hand, you help the person in a spirit of joy, then the help will be received joyfully. The person will feel neither demeaned nor humiliated by your help, but rather will feel glad to have caused you pleasure by receiving your help. And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver.” (St. John Chrysostom) Yes, it is all about attitude! Why am I doing what I am doing? Begrudgingly or freely? Obligation or love? Looking for something in return or the sheer joy in doing it? Publicly to be seen or being unnoticed? One will be meaningless, the other fruitful. A bad tree bears bad fruit; a good tree bares good fruit. Choose your weapon.
Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’
The squandering seems to have been that he used his masters goods to enhance himself. If the person owed fifty bushels of wheat, he made the bill out for seventy-five. The extra twenty five was his personal profit. He was defrauding the purchaser for his own advantage.
Are we guilty of small dishonest practices in our lives?
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
This was equivalent to about 800 gallons. He really owed 400 gallons and the steward would profit from the other 400.
Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’
The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’
He reduced the amount owed to the original from 1000 bushels to 800 bushels.
He appeared to be generous but in effect he was not exacting his personal commission, which he had no right to. In doing so, he ingratiated himself to his master’s debtors.
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
Why are the children of the world more prudent than the children of the light?
What is the virtue of prudence? Prudence is the virtue "which disposes a person to discern the good and choose the correct means to accomplish it."
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
What do you think Jesus means by this saying?
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
How trustworthy are we in the things given to us by God? How prudent are we in caring for the things that are God’s
No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."
As we evaluate our lives, who are we serving? Do we find ourselves torn at times? What is God asking of us?
"When we have been deeply hurt by another person, it is nearly impossible not to have hostile thoughts, feelings of anger or hatred, and even a desire to take revenge. All of this often happens spontaneously, without much inner control. We simply find ourselves brooding about what we are going to say or do to pay back the person who has hurt us. To choose blessings instead of curses in such a situation asks for an enormous leap of faith. It calls for a willingness to go beyond all our urges to get even and to choose a life-giving response. Sometimes this seems impossible. Still, whenever we move beyond our wounded selves and claim our God-given selves, we give life not just to ourselves but also to the ones who have offended us." (Henri Nouwen) The difference between the two approaches is seeing myself as a victim or as a beloved son/daughter of God. As a victim, I can brood and allow the other to continue to dictate my emotional responses. As a son/daughter of God, I know who I am in God's eyes, no matter what others think of me. I choose not to be a victim but a victor in Christ. Another way to say this: I choose to take the high road and not the low road.
"Man's salvation and perfection consists of doing the will of God which he must have in view in all things, and at every moment of his life....To do the will of God, man must despise his own; the more he dies to himself, the more he will live to God.” (St. Peter Claver) This was Jesus' way of life and one of his most important teachings. Sin involves choosing not to unite my will with God's will for me. Sin seeks me first, rather than God first. Sin puts me in control and at the center of my life. Yet, I am only a creature, not the Creator. He is the Sun and I am a speck of dirt on the earth which revolves around the Sun. In choosing to do God's will, I choose to unite my will to his, even when, on the human level, it does not make sense. Jesus' death on the cross did not make human sense. It wasn't death that Jesus desired, but to do the will of the Father even to the death of the cross for our salvation. When the will of God does not make human sense, it must be the right thing for me to do because it makes divine sense. Easy, No! Impossible, No! The right thing to do, if I desire eternal life with God, Yes!
Are You Seeking Holiness Part Three
As the spiritual leader in your family, you are called to exemplify holiness of life to your wife and to your children, to walk, as a shepherd, guiding them on their journey to holiness and providing opportunities for them to be spiritually nourished.
Your first duty is to your wife. In your marriage vows, you promised to honor, respect, love and cherish her. The way to honor her is the way Jesus honors his Church, through laying down his life for her, by accepting her as she is, with blemishes and shortcomings, by seeing her as the beloved, yet imperfect, daughter of God, as you are the beloved, yet imperfect, son of God. In this way, you will create the atmosphere for her to be able to grow in her relationship with God. And as you so treat your wife, you are teaching your children how to also honor and love their mother.
On the other hand, if she is not treated with dignity, respect and love, there will be evident tensions between you. These tensions will lead each to say and do things that are not loving and respectful to the other. The result of these negative moments in your relationship will not be conducive to a life of prayer and a journey towards holiness for either of you. Instead, resentment, anger, bitterness, non-love and unforgiveness will create a state of separation between you and between both of you and God.
Paul tells husbands that they should love their wives as they do their own body. It is natural for the husband to want his body and life to flourish. At the same time, you are to strive to enable your wife to experience the joy and peace as you desire for yourself. If you truly loved your wife prior to marriage, your love for her in marriage should be even more tender and unselfish. You sold her a bill of goods in the pre-marriage that you need to honor in the marriage. She fell in love with this person and needs to see this same person, treating her in the same loving ways, in marriage. Again, this is what you promised before marriage and in your vows to her before God. So, not only does she expect you to keep your promises, but so does God..
St. John Chrysostom, a Father of the Church, said: "Observe that Paul has exhorted husbands and wives to reciprocity to love…… If, then, each one contributes his/her own part, all will stand firm. From being loved, the wife too becomes loving; and from her being submissive, the husband learns to yield." Mystery that is truth!
As you seek to grow together in love before God, you should make it a priority to pray for her and with her on a regular, if not, daily basis. Your personal and marital relationship with God is your highest priority. For the most part, the wife looks to her husband to show spiritual leadership. Though your devotions may be different, the need to find a common ground in prayer is essential.
As part of prayer, when either of you hurt the other, both must forgive and ask forgiveness. This is a pre-requisite for effective prayer, as Jesus himself indicated. This mutual forgiveness is what you promise God each time you pray the Our Father. Without true and consistent forgiveness, prayer is empty before the Lord.
Seek to go to Mass more than just once a week. Encourage each other to do so, even if means at different times. When you do go to Mass together, at the offertory time, when the priest offers the bread and wine to God prior to the Consecration, hold hands and renew your marriage vows in the silence of your hearts to one another before God..
Try to make a retreat once a year and make it possible for your wife to do the same. Time with God has eternal dividends.
All this may sound unrealistic and too idealistic. If you do not have high goals for your marriage and your response to mutual holiness, then you will settle for lukewarmness and apathy in your marriage. Though you may never reach the ideal, hopefully through the years you will grow together in love, union, and holiness. The union God envisions for you is not just physical and sexual, but emotional and spiritual.
Remember that one of the questions God will ask of you is: "Where is your spouse in relationship to me because of you? Is your spouse closer to me or further away because of you.?"
What do we learn from the celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary's birth? Her significance is not in herself, but in you, Lord Jesus, her Son. Just as her immaculate conception was in preparation for your conception years later, so her birth, in insignificance and humble surroundings to a poor family, was to reflect your future birth to a then unknown person in a poor village in lowly surroundings. Mary's greatness begins in and for you, Lord Jesus, while she saw herself only as the handmaid of God. A humble, human birth climaxes in the glorious birth into eternal life as Queen of heaven and earth at your right hand. Her birth is only one of the many special moments which we celebrate in the life of your holy Mother. Thank you, Jesus!
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Have you had people in your life who always found fault with what you did? This group was like a constant thorn in Jesus’ side. Notice how Jesus handles them. So to them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Reflect on God’s mercy for you each time you sinned and each time God forgave.
Humanly, would we leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one that wanted to stray or would we let the one go and concentrate on the ninety-nine. Why would God show such concern for the one that wanted to stray?
Reflect on your many confessions and on the fact that there was great rejoicing in heaven when you repented and returned to the Lord. Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them.
As you reflect on this parable look at it from the point of view of Jesus seeking to show us how much the Father loves us.
Humanly this father is "foolish" to dote over a son who would rather see him dead rather than deny himself of his own pleasures. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
Can we relate to our sinful actions over the years? At the moment, we were rolling high and then after all was said and done we had nothing to show for our sinful decisions except self-contempt, anger, a sense of unworthiness, failure, shame, guilt, a sense of hopelessness etc.
Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."’
What was the grace of the moment for him? Can we recall similar graces in our own lives given to us by God that allowed us to begin to return to him? So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants,‘ Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
Can you get in touch with the "foolishness" of the father? God is not interested in what we did but that we "returned to our senses" and returned to his waiting arms and become the son/daughter that we are in his eyes in spite of what we did.
In the parable this happened once. In real life how often have we experienced this unconditional love and mercy of the Father? Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
Have we at times been angry with God because he seems to treat others better than he treats us? He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’"
What is the focus of the elder son? Himself. What did he forget?
Can we see ourselves at times like the first son and then like the second son and then like the father?
What do we take from this parable and our reflection to apply to our life today?
On the Cross you, Lord, cried out from the depth of your being, "I thirst"! It was a cry of infinite love for me, a sinner. How can I begin to fathom the anguish you experienced on my behalf? You thirsted for my love for you in recognition of the price you paid for my salvation. In your passion and death you gave your life that I might have life eternal. Your cry of thirst was an invitation to me to choose to give my life totally to you in response. I cannot match your gift, only to respond as fully as possible in love. My true happiness lies in that actualized decision. For you said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." It is only with your daily grace that I can begin to truly thirst for you in love. You refuse the offer of vinegar from the soldier. You will not refuse my love.
Many people suffer from isolation and loneliness with their negative effects. To be lonely is not to have significant companionship at the moment. There is something missing in one's life. Loneliness can make one feel alone. Aloneness, on the other hand, could be a preparation for a different type of relationship, namely with God. We are called to separate ourselves from the many distractions of the world in order to be alone with God. In this way we will be better able to experience God in a new way. Jesus invites us to come aside from our busyness and be still and know that he is God.
| "In the spiritual life we have to make a distinction between two kinds of loneliness. In the first loneliness, we are out of touch with God and experience ourselves as anxiously looking for someone or something that can give us a sense of belonging, intimacy, and home. The second loneliness comes from an intimacy with God that is deeper and greater than our feelings and thoughts can capture. We might think of these two kinds of loneliness as two forms of blindness. The first blindness comes from the absence of light, the second from too much light. The first loneliness we must try to outgrow with faith and hope. The second we must be willing to embrace in love." (Henri Nouwen) More people probably experiences the first loneliness than the second. Actually, the first prepares us to enter into the second. In the second, we learn that our longing for a greater intimacy with God is best realized when we become more comfortable in being alone with God, not looking for him to satisfy anything. Just to be with the Beloved is enough. He knows the timing for me. Like the potential butterfly in the cocoon. Hastening the process will be damaging to the butterfly. There is a timing. So it is with the loneliness that leads to aloneness that leads to union. |
What is it you want of me, Lord? Everything I have comes from you. You need nothing that I have. What you want is me, the surrender of my total self to you in love and trust. Why is that hard for me to do? I long to be with you forever in glory, which is your desire for me. But I interiorly struggle with totally surrendering to you. What holds me back? What pleasure or satisfaction holds me back, like invisible chains? Is it a fear of what you may ask of me once I totally surrender to you? Is it the old self that refuses to die? Only you know, but you wait in love for me to acknowledge it and then to make the decision to let it go. I need your grace.
