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The Tempest of Envy

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“We fight one another, and envy arms us against one another…. If everyone strives to unsettle the Body of Christ, where shall we end up? We are engaged in making Christ’s Body a corpse. We declare ourselves members of one and the same organism, yet we devour one another like beasts.”
-St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in 2 Cor. 27:3-4

In this month that has the Feast of St. Valentine, a celebration of love, we start the month reflecting on what happens when we allow envy into our lives. St. John Chrysostom doesn’t pull any punches. The Catechism tells us that envy can lead to the worst crimes. (CCC 2538) “Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly.”

In the first reading, David, who was so beloved of God that David says to God, “Keep me as the apple of your eye,” (Ps 17:8), this same David has messed up. Big time. It isn’t just that he took Uriah’s wife. (Although that is bad enough.) The taking of Uriah’s wife is the symptom of a graver evil happening in David’s heart.

David, who started life as the youngest son in a family of boys, shepherd of the family’s sheep, is called by God to be the king of the Jewish people. He is to be a king in God’s own image, the apple of God’s eye.

The God, who created all the world out of love and to love in return, created David to rule His chosen people. But King David, who already had multiple wives, looks upon another man’s wife. He forgets about love. He neglects to see her as God created her. He neglects to see her as a woman joined to another man. David sees her as an object to be desired. He wants her physically, brazenly, brokenly. Because he is the king, David uses his God-given role to bring her to his side. He indulges his desires, and she gets pregnant. David attempts to cover it up by calling home Uriah, and when that plan fails, he has Uriah killed.

In today’s readings, Nathan calls David out. David may think he has manipulated the situation and gotten what he desired, but he has forgotten the earlier desires of his heart, to serve God and to do God’s will, to be God’s beloved.

David has committed the same sin as Adam and Eve. He has given in to envy and tried to follow his own plan. Adam and Eve and then David lost trust in God’s benevolence. They thought they knew better. Seeing what they didn’t have and couldn’t have, they desired it. They experienced envy. “Through the devil’s envy death entered the world.” (Wisdom 2:24) St. Augustine saw envy as “the diabolical sin”. (CCC 2539) “From envy are born hatred, detraction, calumny, joy caused by the misfortune of a neighbor, and displeasure caused by his prosperity.” When we allow envy to take root in our life, we give hatred and all its dark companions the opportunity to take root in our hearts.

How do we strive to end this envy? How do we end the fighting and dismembering of the Body of Christ?

We can find one answer in the Gospel reading. Jesus asks the disciples to cross the sea, and then he goes to sleep in the boat. In the meantime, a squall comes up, and the disciples begin to fear for their lives. Were they envious of Jesus peacefully sleeping in the midst of the storm? They wake him up and ask if he even cares they are perishing! Jesus calms the sea and asks them if they do not yet have faith.

“The time of the Christian is that of the risen Christ who is with us always, no matter what tempests may arise.” (CCC 2743) Sometimes the tempests are literal storms that wreak havoc on our homes and carefully ordered lives. Sometimes the tempests are troubles that come upon us unbidden such an injury or loss. Sometimes the tempests are our own unbridled passions, as when we allow envy to have control of our thoughts and our hearts.

So what do we do? We persevere in love and prayer. As we persevere in prayer, we move into a position of trust, and we open ourselves up so that God can work miracles in our lives. The genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew establishes Jesus as the Son of David, Son of Abraham. In a culture where family ties pass through the father, there are four women mentioned in Jesus’s family tree, and one of them is Uriah’s wife. When we have faith and trust that God is present even in the tempests, God can bring about great things. We can look at others and share in their joys and their sorrows without getting bogged down in comparisons.

Prayer and the Christian life are inseparable, for they concern the same love. Through prayer and living the Christian life, we cooperate with the Father’s plan of love and the Holy Spirit, who conforms us more and more to Jesus Christ until we have the same love for all men; the love with which Jesus loved us. (CCC 2745) So when you find envy creeping in, pray, pray, pray, and don’t stop.

Let’s end as we began, with St. John Chrysostom: “It is possible to offer fervent prayer even while walking in public or strolling along, or seated in your shop,… while buying and selling, …or even while cooking.”

Wherever you are today, here’s to prayer and trusting God’s presence in the tempest.

Amen.

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Sheryl delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.

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What Keeps You Up At Night?

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Three o’clock. That’s when they usually come, the gremlins that wake me from my sleep and dance around my bed, reminding me of all the things I don’t want to think about. Three o’clock in the morning, and the beautiful wide world has shrunk to this small room and all the voices from my past echoing off its walls.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a terrible person, not in the great scheme of things. I’ve never murdered or stolen or done any of the offenses that society judges as dire; but then again, I have a different judge, don’t I? And at three o’clock, the judgment is pretty grim.

I have on occasion not only hurt someone, but hurt them deliberately. I have failed to listen, to reach out, to be as compassionate as I’m called to be. I’ve missed opportunities to bring the Good News of Christ to someone when those opportunities have presented themselves. I’ve been selfish, vain, and short-sighted. Most of the time I balance all this with the times I have been kind, have gone out of my way to help others, have taken a stand. But not at three o’clock. Only the bad memories, the failures, the transgressions appear at three o’clock.

When I looked up today’s readings, I winced. Oh, no: the story of David and Bathsheba and Uriah. I don’t like this story. I want God’s chosen leader to be a good man, a man I can admire and respect, a man of principle and conscience, and instead I see someone willing to kill another human being just so he can essentially take that man’s wife. I’ll write about the Gospel instead, I decided; the parable of the mustard seed is far easier to get behind.

But as I thought about it, I realized God has so much to teach us through this story, and maybe if I’m a little less judgmental I might be able to listen to it—and hear something. The lesson starts in the first few lines: the spring has come, and it’s time to go to war. David’s whole past has been military, ever since as a teenager he killed a giant of a man and secured his fame; but this spring, instead of leading his troops, he sends them out without him. Maybe he was feeling lazy. Maybe it doesn’t matter what he was feeling. I’m the king; I can do whatever I like. But leading his men was his responsibility, and one of the first steps we take away from God is when we shrug off our responsibilities. It’s been said that 80% of life is just showing up, and this spring, David didn’t show up. My middle-of-the-night gremlins are quick to remind me of all the times I haven’t shown up, too. Made excuses; made rationalizations. I’m tired; I’m busy; I can do whatever I like. So far, this story is hitting very close to home.

Despite having been cautioned against it in Deuteronomy, David has also catered to his more carnal side. After a teenage marriage that failed, he started marrying—and also not marrying—quite a substantial number of women. So it’s little surprise that when he watches Bathsheba taking advantage of the coolness of the evening to bathe, he decides he wants her, too; and what the king wants, the king gets.

I’ve also indulged some of my whims. Money that could have gone to help people in dire need has been spent on things I wanted: books, clothing, gadgets, oh and did I mention books? I didn’t need any of it; but I catered to my desires anyway. Don’t be so quick to judge David, the gremlins whisper.

Bathsheba didn’t have much recourse. She’s often cast as a temptress, but it’s hard for me to see her at fault here. The king sends for you; you go. There were a number of possible solutions to this problem that wouldn’t have involved killing anyone, but David’s first thought is to send Uriah into battle—the battle he himself couldn’t be bothered to fight—and make sure he’s killed.

He went for the easiest, most immediate solution. He didn’t take time to think about it, pray about it, get advice. And it’s times like that when my impulses have gotten me into trouble, too. When I’ve panicked and looked for the quick and easy way out. When thoughtful consideration and prayer would have shown me a better solution.

Today’s reading ends with Uriah’s murder. But the untold part of the story, I think, is the most important: David finally got it. He realized the magnitude of what he’d been doing. He became estranged from God and depressed. He later wrote three psalms describing those months out of fellowship with God: Psalms 32, 38 and 51. Read them, and you’ll realize how deeply he got it. He, too, had gremlins haunting him at night.

That brings us to the happy certainty of forgiveness. David will finally acknowledge his sin. His spirit was broken; his heart was contrite. And as a result, he will hear the sweetest, most beautiful, most reassuring, most encouraging words known to humanity: “The Lord has removed your sin” (2 Sam. 12:13).

My gremlins are still there, because I’m a lot slower to forgive myself than God is. I remember once going to confession; at the end, the priest said, “You’re all set.” I loved that phrase and remind myself of it when memories and sadness and fear keep me up at night. You’re all set; the Lord has removed your sin.

 And I pray to be able to take God at his word. To tell the gremlins: You can go away now.

Like everything else in life, that’s a work in progress.

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Jeannette de Beauvoir is a writer and editor with the digital department of Pauline Books & Media, working on projects as disparate as newsletters, book clubs, ebooks, and retreats that support the apostolate of the Daughters of St. Paul at http://www.pauline.org.

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Let Your Little Light Shine

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Today’s Gospel Reading always reminds me of the song “This Little Light of Mine” that many of us learned as children. Jesus seems to be using a bit of sarcasm here. ‘Seriously, people, you have this amazing truth within you, and you’re just going to hide it away?’ (“Hide it under a bushel, NO!”) Place it on a lampstand! Proclaim it to the world! (“Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!”)

As I was praying the USCCB’s novena, “9 Days For Life” this past week, I came across this simple line: “Smile. Ask God today for the grace to be extra joyful and to share the light of Christ with those most in need of His love and mercy.” Such a simple concept but something as small as a smile can make a difference in someone’s day. When we bite our tongue instead of letting that negative comment slip, when we compliment instead of criticizing, we are making our world a better place, one “little light” at a time.

Jesus goes on to say, “Take care what you hear.”
“Whatever goes in must come out” does not only refer to our digestive system, but to our brains as well. The movies and shows we watch, the podcasts and music we listen to, and the news and blogs we read all impact our thoughts, words and actions. It is increasingly easy to become so overwhelmed by information, albeit, most of it negative, that we find ourselves becoming negative as well. The latest winter weather advisory fills us with worry. The latest conflict overseas fills us with anxiety. The latest tragedy fills us with sorrow. The latest injustice fills us with anger…

Where is the light in all of this? Where is our smile? It appears that the most logical solution is to do exactly what Jesus says: “Take care what you hear.” Do we really need to know Congress’s every move, or could we rather pay more focused attention to the needs of those around us each and every day? Do we really need to watch the newest war movie that is all the rage, or could we rather be more attentive to the war raging within our very being, inviting us to leave our unnecessary desires aside and deepen our relationship with our loving God instead?

Each and every time we make that effort to be more Christ-like, to go the extra mile to be kind, to not join in the gossip, to make a sacrifice for the good of another, we are promised ample reward. “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.” In other words, God will not be outdone in generosity. You give an inch and He gives you a mile.

So let’s keep that beautifully simple song running through minds and hearts today. May our little lights shine so as to brighten the lives of those around us.

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Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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Everything is Grace

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The Parable of the Sower has always seemed pretty straightforward. If you sow your seeds in the right place, you were in for a good harvest. Let them scatter to the roadway, or on rocks, or where thorns grow, and not so much.

Not being a farmer, I have been inclined to think the soil is at fault here. But reading the church fathers on the parable, they thought differently. The disposition of the soil, whether it’s rocky or on the roadway, is determined by grace. Our redemption is by God’s grace, and the seed even falling on one of the soils is the first act of grace in an individual’s heart.

In the first reading, Nathan has a word from the Lord for David, who can show us how God’s word–the sower’s seeds work in one man. Will David’s heart be the thoroughfare, the rocky soil, or the thorns?

David wants to build a temple, but God says no, it’s not his calling. Nathan recounts how God had worked in David’s life. He took him from the pasture, went with him through all of his battles, and now would give him rest. David did not need to build God a house, that house would be built by David’s heir, God’s true Son.

The fruit that God raises up in David didn’t spring up instantly–it was the product of years of following the God of Israel. In some of those times, his heart was fertile soil, as when he was Israel’s champion against the Philistines and killed the blasphemous Goliath. He would not usurp Saul, who was God’s anointed king. But his heart was not fertile soil for God’s grace when he took Bathsheba and had Uriah killed. Yet God still sends his grace, and David repents when confronted with his sin.

The workings of grace are a mystery. We can only know that God is gracious and loves us and is merciful toward us. Let’s ask him to keep us in his grace, so that we will bear fruit for him.

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Pamela joined Diocesan’s staff in 2006, after a number of years in the non-profit sector. Her experience is in non-profit administration including management, finance, and program development, along with database management and communications. She was a catechist in her parish RCIA program for over 15 years, as well as chairperson of their Liturgy Commision. Received into the Catholic Church as an adult, Pamela’s faith formation was influenced by her Mennonite extended family, her Baptist childhood, and her years as a Reformed Presbyterian (think Scott Hahn).

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Family? What Family?

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If your mother was seeking you, came looking for you, sent word that she was outside waiting for you, your response would be anything but, “Who is my mother?” as if you had never met her. Yet that is how Jesus responds when he receives word that his mother and relatives are waiting outside for him: “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

This is certainly not because Jesus doesn’t know his mother, or disrespects her in any way. On the contrary, he knows Mary better than anyone ever can, his relationship with her is closer than anyone else’s, and he loves her more deeply than anyone ever will!

But Jesus never misses an opportunity to teach what the Kingdom is about and what his Heart desires; so, when informed that his family is looking for him, he takes the opportunity to say something startling: Family? You are my family. We are ALL called to be known and loved by him, to live in close relationship with him, to be members of the very family of God. Jesus tells us that “whoever does the will of God” enters into this relationship of love and belongs to this family. We, whose sins are responsible for nailing Jesus to the Cross, are invited into intimate relationship with him. If we are committed to the will of God, sinful as we are, we are loved by Jesus as much as his own mother!

In a way, Jesus is pointing to the truth that Mary is beloved not just because she is his biological mother, but because she did the will of God in loving obedience; she is the first disciple, the one who believed, whose loving and obedient “yes” made the Incarnation possible. By looking to Mary, we can see the whole mystery of our redemption, from the Son’s conception in her womb to our own conception in the womb of Mother Church, “until Christ be fully formed in us” (Gal. 4:19).

Mary encountered the Word of God, accepted it, assented to it, and never wavered, all the way to the Cross and beyond. Her whole life is summed up in her words at the Annunciation: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  Later, Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy will be done” (Matt. 6:10).

When we keep God’s commandments, we are loving Him (2 John 1:6, 1 John 5:3), but love is more than outward obedience; love is encounter, relationship, and union. Jesus tells us that if we do the will of God and not our own, we will know him and walk with him as closely as Mary and his relatives did. We are made BY Love, made TO love, made FOR Love. In keeping the commandments of love, we find the One Who IS Love, and our hearts and wills are one with His. This is the profound communion Jesus desires for each of us, right here, right now!

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.

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Our Strength is in our Unity

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So often we have heard the phrase “A house divided cannot stand.” The exact words from today’s Gospel are, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” The key to understanding Jesus’ words is unity. There is strength in a united front and only weakness in a divided effort for anything.

Jesus is telling us that the scribes who accused him of being possessed by the devil were so stupid and so wrong. How can Jesus, if a devil himself, cast out devils and defeat the devil’s own purposes? He cannot. “And if Satan has risen against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.”

Today’s culture is divided on so many fronts, and it is a wonder we are still functioning. Well, we are barely functioning. So how do we remedy the situation? By standing firm in the principles of Jesus’ teaching in the face of any contradiction, and not give in just because it is easier to cope.

Jesus came to unite us to a common way of life. That way is love for one another and ourselves. We love and are joined with all people by affirming that all people are inherently good. Those of us who cannot recognize goodness and only see evil, are the instruments of the devil’s attempt to separate us from one another.

Ultimately, the followers of Jesus will gather together in the strength of their conviction to his teaching and form a solid front, a strong team that will dispel sin. But the followers of Satan will weaken and scatter, because evil, in any form, does not stand on firm ground. The foundation of Satan’s house will eventually succumb to the strength of those of us who refuse to weaken resolve to goodness. Following Satan leads to death: the eventual loss of the soul. Following Jesus leads to life: our ultimate unity with God in the everlasting, undivided kingdom of heaven.

“Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.”

God Bless.

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Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Unity vs. Division

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Today’s readings hit hard when it comes to our world today. I do Evangelization for a collaborative of parishes, and something I have noticed time and again through our courses and events is that a lot of people do not think deeply about religion.

There seems to be this idea in the world today that as long as Jesus is mentioned and you live a good life, then all religions are exactly the same. I want to challenge this position a little using the second reading from today. Here, Paul is clear that we are not supposed to be divided. For 1,500 years of church history, we had more unity than division. I think it is safe to say that we now have much more division than unity. With thousands of different denominations to choose from, the question should be, what is the Church that Jesus founded, and should it be one?

To me, religion is much more than finding a place that fits my spirituality, I am looking for the Church of Christ that he wanted to be united. I have to imagine that Luther had good intentions and would not have done what he did if he could have seen where we are at today. I don’t think his intention was to fragment the Church into thousands of different churches. I think his intention was to reform the One Church. But here we are today.

The reason I want to bring more and more people into the Catholic Church is that I believe that in spite of all her faults, this is the Church Jesus founded, and the gates of hell shall not prevail. If we believe in one united Church founded by Christ, then we should want to bring everyone into it. If we believe that all denominations are equal and it doesn’t really matter what you believe, then we will not want to bring anyone to the Church.

This is the question for today. Do we believe in the Church founded by Christ, and do we want unity as Paul so desperately wanted in today’s readings? The answer to this question will either inspire action or allow for complacency. Which is it for you? May God bless you today and always!

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Tommy Shultz is a Solutions Evangelist for Diocesan. In that role, he is committed to coaching parishes and dioceses on authentic and effective Catholic communication. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. Contact him at tshultz@diocesan.com.

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Thank You, God, For In-Between Spaces

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“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia… [I was] brought up… [I was] educated strictly in our ancestral law… I persecuted the Way to death…” Thus Paul tells his story.

We are who we are as adults because of who we were as kids. Our habits, attitudes, and beliefs are often rooted in what we learned before we were three, what we heard, what we experienced, the values of those who cared for us. Imperceptibly we were shaped and formed by those who loved us, certainly, but who also were struggling with their own inner issues. Their own demons. We bear each other’s burdens.

Today I sit at meals still struggling to engage, carrying forward attitudes and habits from long ago. And so did Paul. His persecution of the Way was a faithful carrying out of his strict education on the ancestral law.

On the way to Damascus, Paul was leaving Jerusalem behind. He was leaving his native territory. His friends. His memories. The network of relationships, expectations, and boundaries that had defined him. He walked outside what was certain and at the same time Jesus was coming toward Paul. Jesus had summoned Paul mysteriously through Paul’s own plans to persecute the members of the Way. And in the liminal space between Jerusalem and his planned appointment in Damascus, in the place of vulnerability, Paul and Jesus encountered one another. 

The strict adherent to ancestral law discovered that Jesus was, as his followers had claimed, alive. In some way, by hurting his followers he was hurting Jesus. 

Jesus called Paul further into the in-between-space where transformation can be initiated. Paul lost his sight on the outskirts of Damascus, lay in bed for three days in a desert-dependence on the God who had reached out to grasp his heart and then had plunged him through the hands of Ananias into the baptismal dying and rising in which Paul left his very self behind. Not just his plans. Not just his agency and protagonism. But his self. His old self. In what he would describe in Ephesians as “the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self – life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions” (Eph. 4:22 TPT).

Jesus is already walking toward you. Be certain that when you are drawn into that liminal no man’s land where you lose your sure footing before the God who reveals himself to you in some way, that you are on the Pauline path of conversion. 

Be sure that you will, like Paul, lose the clarity and certainty of being able to see through the filters firmly in place through a lifetime of reinforced belief. You will lose your power and as you walk through a desert you will have no way forward except what God will give you. You will lose the illusions of your old self. Your values will be refashioned, your priorities will change, your plans will be torn up. Heart will replace the violence of forcing on the world around you the stories that have shaped you since childhood’s early experiences. Your inner being will be renewed.

I love the way St Paul put it in the letter to the Ephesians:

“If you have really experienced the Anointed One, and heard his truth, it will be seen in your life; for we know that the ultimate reality is embodied in Jesus!

And he has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self – life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions. Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him! For God has re-created you all over again in his perfect righteousness, and you now belong to him in the realm of true holiness” (Eph. 4:21-24 TPT).

Today is the only day in the liturgical year that we celebrate the feast of the conversion of a saint. That day, and Paul’s response, were pivotal to civilization and Christianity from that day to what one day will be the end of the world. That’s how powerful a conversion is! 

Jesus is walking towards you, calling you out from your net of attitudes, thought-patterns and security into his arms because Jesus wants to send you, as he did Paul, to proclaim that you have met him and been transfixed by the love of his heart.

In this space of the heart’s being discovered we find re-creation, new life in union with Jesus, and true holiness.

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Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, is the author of the newly released title: Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments, by Pauline Books and Media. An author and spiritual mentor, she offers spiritual accompaniment for the contemporary Christian’s journey towards spiritual growth and inner healing. She is the director of My Sisters, where people can find spiritual accompaniment from the Daughters of St. Paul on their journey.

Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com

Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/

For monthly spiritual journaling guides, weekly podcasts and over 50 conferences and retreat programs join my Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/srkathryn.

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Listen, Learn, Repent

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When I sit down to write a blog post, my first thought is, “What can we learn from these readings? What can we take to heart and to prayer?” Upon first glance, I thought today’s first reading was more of an entertaining story with little to no takeaway while the Gospel, the call of the 12 apostles, had all of the substance. I must admit that I was wrong.

There is a lot to unpack in the dialogue between David and Saul. First and foremost, we see David’s ability to discern the voice of the Lord and follow His commands. On the other hand, David’s servants thought they heard the Lord’s voice clearly when they encouraged David to kill Saul, his enemy, who was seeking his life. However, David knew that Saul was the Lord’s anointed one and that he had been forbidden by the Lord to lay a hand on his master. And so David clearly heard and understood the Lord’s voice, sparing Saul’s life.

How clearly do we hear the Lord’s voice in our own lives? Do we hear His voice, ignore it, and choose to listen to the noise of our culture and society instead? I believe struggling to hear the Lord’s voice is why so many of us struggle in times of prayer. We turn to God in prayer seeking answers, His input, His wisdom, His love, and so much more. When we don’t hear or see a response clear enough for our human eyes, we question whether our prayer was heard and whether God cares about us. The Lord’s voice is often heard in the silence, in peace, and in stillness. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the ways He works in the little spaces, the little corners of our lives.

We can also learn a lesson from Saul in the first reading too. When David confronts Saul, revealing that he had spared his life, Saul embraces the spirit of repentance and forgiveness. Saul realized that he had been in the wrong as he sought to kill David and recognized David’s generosity.

In our human condition, we experience so much need for repentance and forgiveness. We sin, and we involve others in our sin. We need mercy and forgiveness, which is won for us by Christ on the cross, but we also need this mercy on a human level. A lot can be accomplished by the words, “I’m sorry for what I have done. Can you please forgive me?” Words that should be spoken to each other but especially to our Heavenly Father through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Although we just wrapped up the seasons of Advent and Easter, this sentiment is a wonderful Lenten attitude.

Stop. Listen for the Lord’s voice. Follow His commands. Ask for forgiveness when we don’t follow His commands. Repeat. Thank you, David and Saul, for these simple reminders.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still hopes to use her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

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The Quiet Voice of God

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The readings today bring up some situations that challenge us in ways that can make us uncomfortable when we take a deeper look.

The first reading has Saul contemplating murder because of his wounded pride and jealousy of the fame David gained by the defeat of Goliath. Jonathan questions the logic of his father, Saul, who would be guilty of shedding innocent blood without cause if he had David killed. Saul is guilty of two of the seven deadly sins: pride and envy. He was also ready to act in anger, another of the big seven sins. Saul listened to his son and did no harm to David.

In the gospel, Jesus had cured many people. As a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. Whenever unclean spirits saw him, they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” Jesus warned them sternly not to make him known. 

The spirits recognized the Son of God’s authority over them and were afraid.

The belief of the time was that the root of sickness and disease was sin and evilness of the individual, their family, or the community around them. Throughout all eras, there have been many who believed this to be true. Many were shunned or forced to remote areas to fend for themselves.

When Jonathan had heard his father Saul talking about killing David, he spoke up about the wrong that would be done. How many of us have hesitated when there is someone with more authority and power who considers doing something that is contrary to what we know is right and just? My mind is flooded with images of stockpiled relief supplies meant for disaster victims, of victims of hate crimes, forced labor, unjust imprisonment, the list goes on. 

We celebrate the feast day of St. Marianne Cope on this, her birthday, in 1838. Mother Marianne received a letter in 1883 from a priest in Hawaii asking for help serving in hospitals and schools. Over 50 religious orders had already turned down the request to assist the sick and poor of this island kingdom. But Mother Marianne and 6 of her sisters left for Hawaii to take up the task. 

It is sometimes in the quiet voice that God speaks: through David, Gandhi, through Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St. Marianne Cope. 

Pray today to hear God’s voice in the quiet. What is He calling you to notice, to change in your own way of life, or in a bigger situation? Remember, we are called to hear His voice, to be His hands and words in this world.

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Goliath Has Many Faces

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Have you faced any goliaths recently? Did you run in fear, or did you face the battle? Was the outcome good or bad? How did you meet your goliath: with grit and tenacity alone, or coupled with your faith that God will help you prevail? All good questions to ask and answer, and only you and I can answer them.

My cat, Sophie, was just diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer. She just started a regimen of prednisone and chemotherapy. Now, she doesn’t know how or why she’s feeling the way she is. But I do. And I am, honestly, terrified of losing my companion. She has been with me since the death of my mother, and she has truly established a relationship with me. She spends a lot of time on my lap and nestles in looking for comfort.

Now, I know that some will say to me: I’m sorry you and Sophie have to go through this. And others will say: Hey, it’s just a cat! True. I have friends and family that are also battling cancer, and they have family members and friends to comfort them and give them strength. Sophie only has me. At this moment, her cancer is my goliath.

Today’s first reading is one of the iconic stories of the Old Testament, the triumph of David over the giant Philistine, Goliath. As we know, David prevailed. I have to admit that one of my guilty pleasures is any story or movie in which the underdog betters the “giant,” the bully in the story, and I cheer at the end when the big guy is deflated. This storyline is used over and over again with different characters and slightly different circumstances. I love a good “David won” ending.

We can make these same storyline comparisons to our times of struggling with significant obstacles: illnesses, job issues, divorce, loss of a child or loved one, etc., so we can all relate. The big question is how we overcome these struggles. David trusted in God, the Lord of Israel, to be his backup and strength. David trusted, and, coupled with his knowledge of the sling, faced the giant and defeated him. I believe each of us has a few “slings” in our arsenals of defense when fighting our goliaths, but none stronger than trust in God and faith in the fact that God will shore us up when we are in need. Very simple to say, but more challenging to put into action. The alternative is to run in fear and be defeated. That is not an outcome any of us want. Facing those fears with faith can only serve to make us stronger than we were when we started the battle.

Do you pray daily, hourly, minute by minute when fighting your goliath? Do you pray for faith even in the good times and not just rely on God when feeling defeated? Sophie may only be a cat, but I still pray that I will have the strength to see her through the tough times and, perhaps, even have to lose her to keep her from suffering needlessly. Her cause is just as important to me at this time of my life than any of the other things I’ve faced. Nothing is too small or insignificant to warrant prayer and trust. Whatever you face will need your prayer and faith to overcome.

Today is the National Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Here is the goliath in the room of today’s culture, among other issues. The faithfulness and prayer of millions, working in the fields of medical science and political legislation, have helped in making great strides in limiting the destruction of these innocents, but there is much more work to do. Can it be done? I believe it can. Think of the great things our country, as well as the world, has overcome through prayer: the fall of Russia, the Berlin Wall, the great world wars, equality, to name just a few. These accomplishments are not only through military might but the might of prayer, especially the Rosary, to change people’s hearts. If we learn anything from all of this, it is to not give up, ever, in the face of injustice.

So, hang in there! In the end, God will always prevail. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

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Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Personal Romance

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Today we remember St. Agnes, a martyr for the faith back in the 300s. She devoted her life to Christ, set apart for him alone, and thus she refused men who pursued her for marriage. Due to outrage at her refusal, she was killed for being a Christian. God protected her throughout her life, including the trials she faced before her martyrdom. God loved her perfectly, and He loves each of us perfectly.

The other day our parish priest said that Catholics everywhere would fall in love with Jesus truly if they realized the perfect love He has for us, how He is always waiting in the tabernacle for us. If we truly pray and meditate upon the love of God and what that really means, we would never be able to miss Mass or put other agendas as a higher priority than our relationship with Christ. This made me reflect upon my relationship with Christ even further and how if I am to follow Him truly, then He must become Lord of my life beyond the words I say – I must show this in my daily actions.

Do I attend a weekly holy hour? John Paul II, during his pontificate, asked that the Faithful attend a weekly holy hour. He would visit Jesus multiple times daily. This statement alone is so hard for me to picture. While I know he was pope and had the ability to visit Jesus often, his schedule was very busy, beyond many of the days I think I am busy. He would visit towns, and if there was an adoration chapel, he would pause his entire schedule to go make time to sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer.

Do we have a devotion to Christ, like St. Agnes, a true romance? Do we faithfully find time to spend with Jesus in our local parish each week (or even once a month)? My challenge to you and me is to find a time to go sit with Jesus this week. Even if we just sit with Him for five minutes, we will be joining in the mission to satisfy His thirst for souls. He longs for you and me – this is personal and not just a fluffy story. His love is real; just like His true presence in the Eucharist is real. Let us increase our devotion to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament more than we ever have.

“When you approach the tabernacle, remember that He has been waiting for you for twenty centuries.”
-St. Josemaria Escriva

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Nathalie Shultz is a joyful convert to the Catholic faith and a competitive swimmer with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  She loves to share her passion for Catholicism with others, including her conversion story and how God continues to work miracles in her life through her OCD. She is the Director of Religious Education for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative of parishes. Nathalie is married to her best friend, Tommy Shultz. Her favorite saints include St. Peter the Apostle, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II.  She is also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have any questions for Nathalie, or just want her to pray for you, you can email her at rodzinkaministry@gmail.com.