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Wisdom

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The book of Sirach is one of the wisdom books in the bible. By its definition, wisdom is:

1.
a) the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships [insight], b) good sense [judgment], c) generally accepted belief, d) accumulated philosophical or scientific learning [knowledge].

2.
a wise attitude, belief, or course of action

3.
the teachings of the ancient wise men. (Merriam-Webster)

 

My pastor has said (and written about this many times), Wisdom is the comprehension of God and all things divine insofar as is humanly possible, allowing us to love as God loves. “Loving Spirit, you created us out of love so that we might live in your love always. Help me to seek and find you.”

Prudence is the ability to see reality objectively. The virtue then allows us to judge correctly what is right and what is wrong in any given situation. (Psalm 25:4-5) Fr. Jim Chelich

As I was praying with the first reading I got caught and stopped many a time, each effort either misreading or not understanding what was there. I absolutely read something totally different than the printed words or was so distracted by the environment around me that nothing made sense and I was lost. I could not see where I was going.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about wisdom [prudence].

1806  Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; ‘the prudent man looks where he is going.” (Prov 14:15) “Keep sane and sober for your prayers.” (1 Pet 4:7) Prudence is “right reason in action,” writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh II, 47,2)… It is called the auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with his judgment. With the help of this virtue, we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.

I have to be mindful of and in my own doings and not be like the disciples  when they tried to stop someone else from doing good work because “he does not follow us.” Jesus is very direct. “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” Mk 9:39-40

Keeping my focus on the work the Lord has for me instead of what I think needs doing  (aka CONTROL), is what I need to surrender. A truth rang through me when I came across this quote from Sr. Ilia Delio. She said, “Our Greatest sin in the modern age is to forget what we are by nature and what we are capable of becoming by grace,” Ilia Delio

May this search for His grace be our quest today. “Loving Spirit, you created us out of love so that we might live in your love always. Help me to seek and find you.”

Beth is part of the customer service team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the team from her time spent in 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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Stress and Peace

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The older I get, the harder it is to put my trust in God. At the young age of 24, my life is just starting to become increasingly… real. Any young adult knows how I feel. There’s the never-ending student loans, the black hole of paying rent, and the exciting/terrifying purchase of your first home. Your work and romantic relationships become more important and friendships become harder to maintain due to differences in lifestyles. Not to mention that you actually have to consciously exercise and eat healthily.

Gone are the days of handing your parents your problems and here to stay are the years of soul-crushing reality.

Thankfully, the more reality sets in, the more rewarding it has become to put my trust in God. Yes, I have all of these new and overwhelming things entering my life, but I’ve also become better at relying on the strength that is not my own.

I have finally come to a point in my faith that I understand that as long as I trust in God, everything will be okay. I understand through consistent communication with God that His plan for me is so much greater than any plan I’ve had for myself. Yes, everything new and scary is still new and scary, but by putting my trust in God, I have the ability to have stress and peace at the same time.

Still, I am human, so having faith in God is not my initial reaction to my fears. I panic and a million works-ending scenarios run through my mind. The difference is that now when I feel myself worrying, I pray.

I no longer hand my parents my problems and walk away; I talk to them about my problems and listen to their advice. Similarly, I don’t just say, “You can take care of this one, God.” I talk to God about how to handle the situation. I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. I listen to Jesus’ willingness to give everything to God.

My fears are nothing compared to the strength of God. So why wouldn’t I put my trust in Him? Why wouldn’t I borrow the strength that He so willingly provides?  

Today’s first reading reminded me that I don’t have to shoulder the burdens of life alone. Jesus died for my sins, but he also died for my struggles. Our God does not only exist in the clouds… He has not forgotten about us. He is ever-present in each and every one of our lives.

Today, make it a point to have a conversation with God in which you voice your concerns. Tell him about your struggles. Be vulnerable. Borrow his strength. Ask for his advice.

Then, in silence, listen.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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The Bridge between God’s Gracious Giving and our Fearful Hoping

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Lavish generosity and awe-inspiring majesty. The first reading from the book of Sirach offers a view of eternal wisdom that is poured forth without restraint upon all the Lord’s works, “upon every living thing according to his bounty.” Gifts measured out according to the goodness of God’s heart.

Fear, failure, arguing, disbelief, scarcity, frustration… The second reading, instead, paints for us a picture of ourselves when we forget who God is and all that God in his providence lavishes on us. When we live according to the fear in our heart.

Jesus bridges the gap between God’s gracious giving and our fearful hoping against hope that God might be able to do something for us…or maybe he can’t…or won’t….

Take a moment. Touch the vulnerability of your own heart. Each of us has been hurt. Each of us in some way has been disappointed by others…even by others in the Church. Maybe we came to these others requesting help or healing or mercy or understanding. And they, like the Apostles in the Gospel, couldn’t respond to our need. They didn’t know what to do. They didn’t have within them the power of the Holy Spirit through a life of union with God. They weren’t schooled in prayer and fasting.

Jesus enters the human drama of each of our lives with majesty, with awe-inspiring authority and dominion, with lavishness and generosity. It is Jesus who assures us that death doesn’t have the last word. And neither does sin. Or betrayal. Or darkness. Or fear. Or any other of the vulnerabilities that plague human hearts and relationships. Jesus is the power of love who keeps us through every last detail of our lives. With Jesus, we need never fear our utter poverty and painful need of him.

All we need do is believe that “everything is possible to one who has faith.”

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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Love is (Ideally) Loving Everyone

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I apologize that this was not sent out yesterday. Here is the post for the readings for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. You will be receiving today’s reflection soon. God Bless!

I don’t know how you felt after hearing today’s Gospel. I was exhausted!

Listening to the words of Jesus made me tired. He is describing the ideal Christian life. He is describing exactly what he came to earth to teach us. And it is just too much!

Just too much? Ok, some of us may think so, and I know I have often thought of it as “too much.” How can anyone stand up to this way of living, of loving? Please, Lord, there must be some times when I can ignore the one who mistreats me; the one to strikes me on the cheek;  the one who takes my cloak; those who do not love me, let alone like me. And what of those who are always doing me harm? Those sinners! And those to whom I’ve lent money, only never to have it returned? And what’s this about sinners! They will also only love those who do them good or who love them.  Must I be lumped into that category?

Arrggh! It is just too much!

Now — calm down. Take a breath and, if you must, close your eyes and repeat:

Ohm….ohm…ohm.
Ok. The answer to all of this — YES! Unless you try, with all your heart, to live up to this ideal, you will be lumped into the same category you are denigrating. Because if Jesus came for nothing else, it was to show us – not just tell us – but to show us, how to live this ideal and to bring about true peace and personal happiness. It is the only way hope will be brought to the hearts of everyone who believe themselves unlovable, including you and me. It is the only way!

The next question, is, how do we accomplish this ideal way of living. First of all, we have to realize that we will never reach the ideal 100%. But we must, without fail, continue to try each day to live up to it. And to get up and continue when we fall short. It is the lack of trying that makes us a failure. It is in the continued trying that we will produce good fruit. So, how?

The final paragraph of the gospel tells us how: stop judging; stop condemning. Start forgiving and giving. Jesus promises us that our gifts will be overflowing. The graces given us to keep going will not dry up. Every day, you and I must do at least one small thing from this list to continue to grow in grace and love. Every act brings us closer to Our Lord and closer to our goal of being with him for eternity. Don’t despair at what you see going on around you. It is what you do within the chaos of this world that will begin to change the hearts of those around you, in your little part of the world.

Carry with you, besides the words of the Gospel, the words of G. K. Chesterton: “To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” 

You are the vessel that will bring love, forgiveness, faith and hope to everyone deserving – which is everyone!

God Bless.

Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager here at Diocesan, is currently a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. While at St. Thomas the Apostle, Grand Rapids, Jeanne was a Lector, Cantor, Coordinator of Special Liturgies, Coordinator of lectors and, at one time, chair of the Liturgy Commission. In a past life, secretary/bookkeeper at the Basilica of St. Adalbert where she ran the RCIA program for the Steepletown parishes. And she loves to write! When relaxing, she likes reading and word puzzles. You can contact her at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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A Light in the Darkness

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In today’s Gospel, we hear of the Transfiguration of Christ. In a homily on this same Gospel, St. John Paul II said:

“We, pilgrims on earth, are granted to rejoice in the company of the transfigured Lord when we immerse ourselves in the things of above through prayer and the celebration of the Divine mysteries. But, like the disciples, we too must descend from Tabor into daily life where human events challenge our faith. On the mountain we saw; on the paths of life we are asked tirelessly to proclaim the Gospel which illuminates the steps of believers.”

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain and reveals Himself, in His full glory, to them in order that they may keep the faith in the time to come. Christ knows that His Passion and Death are imminent and knows that it will be a time of great trial not only for Him but for His followers as well. By showing Peter, James, and John the Beauty that is to come, Christ allows the light of Himself and the hope of eternal salvation to enter their hearts, thereby preparing them to withstand the sorrow of Christ’s passion. In the first reading, we are given examples from the Old Testament of men who had faith and were rewarded with the prize of Heaven. They knew that their belief in God and their willingness to submit to His holy will is what would earn them everlasting life. They aligned their wills with that of the Father and are now examples of great faith for us.

St. John Paul II also says that “The Transfiguration shows the goal of our existence”. The goal of our existence is the fulfillment of what we are told in the first reading “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen”. We ourselves have not seen the Transfigured Christ yet, it is what we spend our lives pursuing. The attainment of Heaven, Beatific Vision, oneness with God–that is the goal of our existence, that is Faith. The Transfiguration is what allowed the disciples (and us) to maintain their hope for the Resurrection and as long as we keep that image in our hearts and minds, we cannot fall into the pit of despair.

As we prepare for Lent, may we take hope in the Transfiguration and allow it to illuminate the days leading up to the Passion of our Lord. May we not lose sight of what awaits us at the mountain top and always proclaim the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection as we walk with one another on the way up.

St. Polycarp, pray for us.

Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO is studying for her Master’s in Spanish, and loves her job as an elementary school librarian. She is engaged to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.

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The Lord is my Shepherd

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I once recited today’s Psalm (23) for a class assignment in high school. Not only is it one of the most well-known Psalms, thus making it easier to memorize, but it is also one of the most moving and poetic. It sums up who God is for me. He is my guide, my tranquility, my beauty, my banquet, and my ultimate goal. I want to dwell in his house!  May these words be balm to your soul:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

In those moments when I wonder how I am going to pay my mortgage, I remember “I shall not want.”

In those moments when I worry if I can take one more sleepless night, “he gives me repose.”

In those moments when I have no idea what to do next, “he leads me.”

In those moments when I don’t know if I can take one more toddler temper tantrum, “he refreshes my soul.”

In those moments when I am disturbed by a frightful thought he is “at my side.”

In those moments when the refrigerator is bare he “spread[s] the table before me.”

In those moments when I thirst for quiet “my cup overflows.”

In those moments when negativity abounds all around me “goodness and kindness follow me.”

And in those moments when I long for heaven I know I will soon “dwell in the house of the Lord.”

Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. Attending Catholic schools her whole life, she was an avid sportswoman, a (mostly) straight A student and a totally type A sister. She loves tackling home projects, keeping tabs on the family finances and finding unique ways to love. 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. Her favorite things to do are finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby, and grocery shopping with a latte in her hand. 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 the past 18 years.

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What’s in a Name?

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There was a lot of confusion in the New Testament about who exactly Jesus was. Yes, He was the son of Joseph, the carpenter, but there were a lot of other outside whispers that caused a lot of confusion. We see that clearly at the beginning of today’s Gospel reading.

Jesus poses a question to His disciples. “Who do people say that I am?” Aka, “What have you heard about me?” Many responses followed: John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet and possibly more. But the more important question is still to come.

Who do you say that I am? Here, Peter makes a BOLD confession of faith, quite the turnaround from the disciples’ blindness and hard-heartedness in the previous chapter. He proclaims Jesus to be the Messiah, the anointed one or, in Greek, literally “Christ.”

In Baptism, the priest takes chrism, makes the sign of the cross and anoints the new Catholic as priest, prophet, and king in imitation and in union with Christ. Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of all three Old Testament offices (priest, prophet, and king).

As the priest, Jesus is both the sacrifice and the one who makes the offering. As king, He sits on the throne of David and he is the King of Kings. And finally, as a prophet, Jesus is both the prophet and the message.

Then it got me thinking about the importance of a name. A title. An identity. What’s in a name? (And no, we aren’t talking about that famous scene from Romeo and Juliet.)

On a basic, human level, we have a first, middle and last name. At our Confirmation, we sometimes adopt another name, the name of a saint. Marriage also brings about a change of our last name.

I am Erin. I am also a daughter. A friend. A colleague. An assistant. A youth minister. You could have figured out these titles by reading my bio and, yet, I am so much more than this simple list of nouns. These words explain what I am but not who I am.

On a deeper level, I am loved and beloved. I am cherished. I am seen. I am wanted. I am a daughter of the One True King. I am Catholic. But I am also bruised. Broken. Weak. A sinner.

Identity is a lifelong struggle but my bruises and brokenness and weaknesses DON’T define me. It’s all a part of the Catholic life, how my Father looks upon His daughter with such tender love and affection.

But, Lord, who do I say that You are? I can proclaim that you are Savior, Messiah, and Redeemer as long as I have breath but if my actions don’t match my words, they may as well be useless.

May we be unafraid to answer Jesus’s question of “Who do you say that I am” every day of our lives. May we be truthful in our thoughts, words, and actions in proclaiming Christ’s true identity and our identity in Him.

Erin is a Parma Heights, Ohio, native and a 2016 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She uses her communication arts degree in a couple of different ways: first, as an Athletic Communications Assistant at Baldwin Wallace University and, secondly, as a youth minister at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Although both of her jobs are on complete opposite spectrums, she truly enjoys being able to span the realm of communications. You can follow her on multiple Twitter accounts – @erinmadden2016 (personal), @bwathletics (work) and @HFVision (youth ministry).

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Second Chances

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“We will know heartache, Prayers that don’t work, And times of bitter circumstances. But I still believe in second chances.” (Schwartz, CHILDREN OF EDEN)

After an unsuccessful first attempt of the dove to see if the earth was dry, Noah waited seven days to try again. When he sent the dove once more, an olive leaf lay in the bill of the dove signaling an end to the flood.

After Jesus first rubbed his saliva into the eyes of the blind man, the man’s vision remained imperfect. The faith of the man had not wavered, and Jesus saw to the full restoration of his sight.

“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us” (St. John Paul II). God does not use us in spite of our weaknesses; God uses us through his utilization of our weaknesses. It is through the man’s blindness that God reveals himself. God fills any lack that we have and implores us to bring him to others through that very deficiency.

Following the flood, we are promised that something like that will never happen again. We are not owed this promise, but God in his goodness does it. The symbol of his promise to Noah is a rainbow. The rainbow is beautiful and gives all hope. But even more so it is the visual of a bow (a weapon of war) turned upside down that is a grand symbol of peace.

Perhaps this is one of the more significant instances of God’s forgiveness and perpetual desire to give us yet another chance.

Noah and his family were given the great responsibility of humanity’s second chance. And despite not being able to see at first, the blind man’s faith gave him distinct and clear sight. Someday there will be no more flood, and we will see more clearly than ever before.

Benjamin serves as the Music Minister at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Branchville, NJ. He teaches Children’s Theatre at the Paper Mill Playhouse and is a Catholic songwriter that has given talks on Confirmation, How to Keep the Faith in College, and The Courage to Choose Life. He can be reached at benjamintyates@gmail.com.

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The Leaven of Language

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I love making artisan bread. It sounds fancy, tastes fantastic and yet is so simple to make. Every time, I wonder, “Why I don’t do this more often?” My basic recipe includes flour, warm water, honey, and yeast.

The yeast is a leaven. It literally permeates every molecule of the dough, consuming simple sugars and emitting carbon dioxide into the bubble gum-like gluten causing it to expand and rise, giving the bread texture and contributing to the flavor.

Leaven (or leavened) is mentioned 22 times in the Old Testament and 17 times in the New Testament. It is that property of something small entering into and changing the whole that is used as an analogy over and over, sometimes in a positive vein and sometimes in a negative connotation.

The easiest analogy to make is to compare leaven to sin. It is the small sins which we may discount which change our attitude and decrease our sensitivity to sin so that it becomes easier and easier to sin than to chose to act with virtue.

As the English language continues to evolve, we begin to use words in ways that no longer adhere to the original meaning. For instance, “adore” comes from the Latin, “ad” meaning to and “orare” meaning speak or pray, hence “adore” meaning to speak a prayer, or to worship. Adore is the veneration or worship due only to God. Yet, the synonyms for the word in common usage now include, “like, love, have a liking for, be fond of, be keen on, be partial to, have a taste for, have a weakness for, enjoy, delight in, revel in, take pleasure in, relish, savor, rate highly, regard highly.” A word which once directed us straight to God and our appropriate behavior to Him now is used to describe being “keen” on something. As we use words which once were reserved for God for created things, how does that language act as a leaven in our attitude towards God and our faith?

Today’s readings make a pretty convincing argument for a significant impact. In the Old Testament reading, the God who created us, knows us and loves us, looked at the whole of creation and saw how the leaven of evil had permeated the whole of humanity. The whole of humanity had been consumed with evil to the point where God “regretted he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.” Through Noah, God stops short of wiping men out completely. Through that one man, He saves creation and expands upon his covenant from promising salvation to one couple to salvation to a family. Finally, Jesus comes to fulfill God’s covenant and provide salvation to all men, however, even while He is here to save us, Jesus still warns the disciples to watch against the “leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The disciples are warned against sharing the destructive attitudes of the Pharisees and Herod toward Jesus.

How much of our attitude is influenced by our language? The word Pharisee means “separated out”. They set themselves apart to so that they could avoid contamination from those who weren’t “God’s chosen people”; most specifically the unclean Gentiles. Language is used to separate people in to “us” and “them” impacting human relationships. How does our relationship with God change when we speak of creatures in the same way we speak of our Creator? Ask God to send the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind today to the words you use. Start with something familiar, like the Creed and spend some time really understanding the words that were chosen and the insight they provide us into who God is and who we are in His presence. Watch and see, how little changes in the leaven of our language open up our hearts and minds to the wonders God has waiting for us.

Now that is some powerful leaven for good.

If you catch Sheryl sitting still, you are most likely to find her nose stuck in a book. It may be studying with her husband, Tom as he goes through Diaconate Formation, trying to stay one step ahead of her 5th and 6th-grade students at St Rose of Lima Catholic School or preparing for the teens she serves as Director of Youth Evangelization and Outreach in her parish collaborative. You can reach her through her through www.youthministrynacc.com.

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May Everything In Me Honor You

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In our readings today, we look in on different people who present themselves before the Lord: Cain and Abel in the First Reading from Genesis, and, in the Gospel, the Pharisees who come forward and begin to argue with Jesus.

Each day I am aware that I too come forward to present myself before the Lord. Like Cain, I could bring a collection of just some of the fruits of my life and labors, or like Abel, I could bring the finest aspects of my being, my talents, my prayers, my work, my life, and consecrate them to his service. The difference lies in the greater awareness and remembrance, deeper devotion and heart-filled honor that characterized the gifts of Abel to his Maker.

Like the Pharisees, I can demand that Jesus prove himself to me by performing for me signs to my satisfaction until I am convinced he is who he says he is, that he will do what he has promised to do. Or I can take Jesus at his word with utter trust and obedience.

Every one of us, every creature, stands before the Maker. How we stand there is what makes the difference. There is no expectation of perfection in these readings. Rather each person encounters God just as he is. Cain with whatever he has gathered in his heart up to that point. Abel with the deep devotion of one who is small but has given all he has to the Lord. The Pharisees whose hearts were slow to open to Jesus as the Messiah. All of them unfolding, changing and deepening, growing through the years. The rest of their stories, unknown to us, are lost to mystery. We too are people who grow beyond who we are at any given moment.

“May everything in me honor you, O Lord.” It is a prayer I have taken to saying quietly during the day. “May my eyes, my tongue, my memory, my imagination, my feet, my hands, and my heart, my thoughts, words, and desires, honor you, O Lord. All of me for you alone, Jesus. You alone.”

Today, when will you stand before the Lord? Will you encounter him in solitary moments of prayer? In struggle? In service to others? In relationships? Will he catch you by surprise as you read a book, watch a sunset, or listen to music? Will you find him on a bed of pain? In the midnight hours when you cannot sleep? Wherever it is this day that you find yourself consciously standing before your Maker, pray, “May everything in me honor you, O Lord.”

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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Who Should Eat?

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I work for a Catholic publishing company, and so now in early February, we’re already preparing for Lent. That means, naturally, that it’s on my mind, and so I’ve turned my own attention to the Lenten practices I plan to observe this year. The three “pillars” of the early Church— prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—are always at the center of Lenten observances, and they provide a logical current: prayer flows into fasting, and fasting flows into action.

Well, that was the early Church, wasn’t it? And as the Church grew and changed, fasting became a lost discipline. It may have been standard operating procedure for God’s people in both the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament (in Matthew 6:16, Jesus didn’t say “if you fast”—he said “when you fast”), but because fasting has fallen out of popularity, we don’t recognize it as applicable to our lives. Yet, just like prayer, it can be a powerful tool, comfort, and catalyst for change.

Today’s Gospel is about food: it’s the famous miracle of the loaves and fishes. The disciples were concerned that the crowd of people that had come to hear Jesus had nothing to eat. Were they afraid the crowd would disperse out of hunger? Riot? Or was it just human kindness and compassion that gave rise to their concern? We’re not told that. We’re only told they brought what they had to Jesus—seven loaves and a few small fishes—and Jesus multiplied the food so thousands of people were fed, with seven baskets left over.

It’s an appealing story. An opportunity for Jesus to demonstrate to a crowd that he was more than just another itinerant preacher. A reminder to us that with God, anything is possible.

And yet… and yet.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 815 million of the 7.6 billion people in the world, or ten and a half percent, were suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2016. Almost all hungry people live in lower-middle-income countries, but there are eleven million people undernourished in developed countries—places like the United States.

The irony is this: the world produces enough food to feed everyone. The problem is that many people don’t have sufficient income to purchase—or land to grow—enough food, or to access nutritious food.

So the obvious questions become, why does God allow famine and hunger? Why do children in the wealthiest country on earth go to bed at night hungry? If Jesus could multiply loaves of bread and “a few fishes” to fed multitudes there to hear him speak, why isn’t he concerned about the 815 million undernourished people in the world today?

Perhaps we’re asking the wrong questions. Perhaps it’s not a lack of concern on his part, but on ours.

Jesus lives forever in heaven, but it was never part of the plan for him to live forever on earth. He passed his authority to Peter for one reason—so the Church could continue to do God’s work in the world. So that we, the community of faith, could be the presence, the voice, the love of God to all of humanity. It’s true that with God all things are possible, but God expects us to be the instruments of that possibility.

Which brings us back to fasting. Most of us think of it as a passive activity: we don’t eat something. But if we want change to happen, prayer and fasting are our first steps in the process, and if we’re serious about change, then the two are inseparable. Fasting is what enables prayer: it is an incessant reminder of the need for help and the need for action. Fasting is what sets the process in motion; it gives intentionality to our prayer. Growth and change never come from a place of comfort, and fasting keeps us uncomfortable, forcing us to think about consumption and privilege.

Fasting makes sense if it really chips away at our security and, as a consequence, benefits someone else. It is a sign of becoming aware of and taking responsibility for injustice and oppression, especially of the poor and the least, and is a sign of the trust we place in God and his providence. (Pope Francis)

We live in a culture of fast food, instant gratification, and self-centeredness. Fasting forces us to think intentionally about the foods we eat, the goods we consume, and the ways in which we are privileged. Fasting forces us to consider what it is like to go without. And, honestly, what better way to understand those who are hungry than by… going hungry?

Perhaps as you consider your own Lenten practice this year, you might include the three pillars of the early Church in it: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. Pray to discern what God is calling you to do. Fast—and if you can, make it a real fast, one that leaves you understanding what hunger is about. And then take the money you would have spent on that meal or those meals, and give to an organization fighting hunger.

Jesus didn’t leave the crowds hungry. Neither should we.

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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Groaning and Healing

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How difficult will your healing be? Will it cause Jesus to groan?

Today’s Gospel is best understood in light of the First Reading from Genesis, in which we hear how the serpent tempted the woman, Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and then hid from God in shame. What does this Original Sin have to do with Jesus healing the deaf man of the Decapolis to the astonishment of those who witnessed it?

The cure worked by Jesus impels the people to say, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and mute speak.” These words echo Isaiah’s prophecy of the blessings the Messiah would bring to the people (Is 35:4-6, Wis 10:21). It is clear that Jesus is announcing and enacting the long-awaited Good News, the Good News first announced to Adam and Eve after the Fall. Jesus IS the Savior who will set things right again and usher in a new creation.

This work of re-creation and salvation begins when Jesus is enfleshed in Mary’s womb, and his humanity participates in a personal way in the miracles he performs. He speaks to the crowds, but he heals people one-on-one: he talks to them, touches them, uses his own spittle to touch their tongues or their eyes… His attention to each one of us is very personal. In this particular instance, Jesus could have cured the man from a distance with a word, but he chose to illustrate the personal nature of his attention to each of us and his own personal nature by taking the man aside, touching the broken parts of his body, and praying aloud for his healing.

As he works this healing, Jesus groans. This is certainly not because this task was difficult for him! Perhaps it was to show us the difficulty of healing of those who are spiritually deaf and dumb due to the effects of sin. Sin closes us off spiritually from God, from each other, and from our true selves, in much the same way that dumbness and deafness (and blindness) make interacting difficult on a physical level. But Jesus comes to save us and longs to heal us so that we can live in true union with God and with each other, and become our best selves, the selves we are created to be.

What is the condition for this healing? We must surrender to it, give God permission and opportunity to work on us and in us at prayer and work with grace to conform our wills to His glorious will for us. When we do this, as Pope Benedict XVI said, “we losing nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great… (Jesus) takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.”

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Deacon 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 www.KathrynTherese.com.