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Belonging to God

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I have really been struggling with one person in particular lately. Some of the struggles have come about due to emails. Why does so and so have to be so direct, sarcastic, rude, etc.?

When speaking to a friend recently I found myself apologizing for an email that could have come across the very same way! She gave me a piece of advice that I found very helpful. She said that whenever she opens up an email to read it, she tries to think happy. So often the way we read a message depends on our mood at that moment, so if we try to read others’ messages with an upbeat spirit, it may help us to avoid many misunderstandings.

Ultimately, if I assume someone is writing a certain way without proof, I am judging them. Was I there when they were typing? No. Did I hear them speak the words out loud? No. Do I know what frame of mind they were in when they wrote the message? No. Since that is the case, I should always give them the benefit of the doubt and not assume the worst.

In today’s First Reading, Moses encourages the people to observe the statutes and decrees of God with all of our heart and soul. “And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God.”

What an incredible promise! To be God’s special people, to belong to Him as His own, to be raised up high as a people sacred to the Lord… But what is the caveat? That we follow His commands. If I judge people’s intentions, I am not following His commands. Boy, do I want to partake in that promise, so from now on I pledge to think happy thoughts!

Jesus takes it one step further in the Gospel saying: “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” Now the person I am referring to is far from my enemy, but I have to be careful. If I pile one offense upon another, they could easily become like one in my heart.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us continue to examine our hearts and purify our minds so that we too may rejoice in the words of the Psalmist: “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”

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Tami Urcia 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 projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at her parish, 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 over 20 years.

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Stay Close to Christ

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As with Lent itself, our readings today are sobering. We might not recognize it at first, focusing instead on the message of hope: “If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed … he shall surely live, he shall not die”; “For with the Lord there is kindness and with him plenteous redemption” (Ezek. 18:21; Ps. 130:7). That message is real, but to truly appreciate it we first need to understand the more difficult message.

Jesus says in the Gospel that our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, and that even saying so much as “You fool” merits the fires of Gehenna. Speaking through Ezekiel, God says that if the righteous man turns back to iniquity, he will surely die. We hear at one and the same time that God judges sin harshly, expecting perfection from us, and also that He is merciful and does not desire the death of the wicked.

Both are true, and this is the drama of Lent and the drama of the Christian life. God makes demands of us and issues commandments, and He expects us to live up to the call. The Ten Commandments are difficult for sinful man. Despite this, Jesus raises the standard in the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon is summarized by His stark injunction: “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). These are not idle words!

But who can live up to this? “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand” (Ps. 130:3)? No one, really. Through our sin, even through something so apparently small as yielding to wrath, we merit the fires of hell. We choose a finite good over the infinite, often knowing exactly what we do. But that is not the end of the discussion.

Christ comes to redeem, and His words are not idle when He speaks of this side of the drama. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Our Lord gives us humanly unattainable demands, but He provides us with divine grace, the life of God in our souls.

How can we access this grace? Generally, by remaining close to Jesus and by turning from sin. This is what we hear at the beginning of Lent: Repent! We are sinners, and we do not deserve heaven. Yet, life is open to us if we turn away from sin and keep the Lord’s statutes. We ought to seek forgiveness and follow the Commandments, Beatitudes, and the other teachings of God.

More specifically, we need to stay close to the seven sacraments and the sacramentals (holy water, blessed objects, etc.). Jesus Christ instituted the sacraments as the means of incorporation into Himself. This means that He intended us to receive Baptism, go to Confession frequently, and receive the Eucharist in order to be saved. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

It is through the sacraments and the Sacrifice of the Mass especially that we are so incorporated into Christ as to share in His claim to heaven. Through the sacraments we are cleansed of our sins, receive God’s life in us, and are equipped to avoid sinning and live a life of holiness in the future. Let us take advantage of these great graces during the season of Lent, and throughout the drama of our Christian lives.

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David Dashiell is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. His writing has been featured in Crisis Magazine and The Imaginative Conservative, and his editing is done for a variety of publishers, such as Sophia Institute and Scepter. He can be reached at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.

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I Have No Help But You

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“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you.” These words still feel as tangible and heartfelt as they must have seemed to anyone who could hear them echo through the halls of the palace where Esther was made queen. Here was a woman of such profound strength because she knew God would grant her what she needed when she needed it. It would have been easy for her to take full credit for her ability to come to the defense of those she loved, but instead she gave full credit to God and relied on him for everything. 

Today, I think one of the major heresies that we struggle with in our modern day is Pelagianism. Named for its author, Pelagius, this is essentially the idea that original sin does not exist and that we can actually live as good Christian people apart from the grace of God. The proverbial, “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality plagues our culture today as we become more technologically and scientifically advanced. The more money, power, and prestige that we possess, the easier it is to believe that we do not need our creator. And we have been warned what happens when we don’t believe we need a creator anymore. The book of Romans makes it clear that, “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” 

How many people do you know in your life who rely more on material possessions and their own ingenuity first and then if there is any room left maybe they throw up a quick prayer or ask for positive vibes? This is one of the reasons that Lent and specifically fasting and almsgiving are so important. When we start to deny ourselves certain things and give up our possessions we start to realize that nothing belongs to us. All is gift. All things have been given to us by God and we are called to be good stewards of the things we have and realize that without God we are nothing. This isn’t to put ourselves down or make it seem like we are no good, on the contrary, when we realize how we were created and who we are loved by, we are very good indeed. But this goodness is due to God, not ourselves. WE STILL NEED HIM. 

During these times of uncertainty, discussions of war have been on everyone’s mind. I don’t think it’s an accident that today’s readings and the state of the world come to us during Lent. It has led me to ask a very important daily question which I encourage all of you to ask during this season. If I were to wake up tomorrow and lose everything except the things I have actively thanked God for, what would be left? 

Are we thanking God for his constant gifts? Are we aware of how he is working in our lives or are we shutting him out with all the noise? Lent is the time to deny ourselves so that we can see our reliance on God and our call to give to others. Let’s try to live by Esther’s example of crying out, “Help me, who am alone and have no help but you.” From all of us here at Diocesan. God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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A Very Acceptable Time

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It is Monday and a very acceptable time to reflect, think and pray. The readings today help to narrow my thought process and provide many lenses to help my focus during Lent 2022. My reflection builds on the blog from two years ago with the same readings (not intentional).

The Leviticus reading goes farther than the Ten Commandments. The verses are especially poignant to me right now. Each phrase, each sentence declares:

“You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.

You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God.

I am the LORD.

You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.

You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,

but you shall fear your God.

I am the LORD.

You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.

Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,

but judge your fellow men justly.

You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;

nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake.

I am the LORD.

You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.

Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him.

Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

I am the LORD.” LV 19:11-18

I have to be on guard to make sure that when I read and pray with the above words, I direct them to me and me alone. I have to set aside the immediate images or situations that pop into my head which focus on others’ actions.

Now is a very acceptable time to order my thoughts and actions according to the Word of my Master, my Lord, my Savior, my God.

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Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and a practicing spiritual director. Beth shares smiles, prayers, laughter, a listening ear and her heart with all of creation. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Overcoming the Five P’s

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Jesus came to save us by entering into the fullness of the condition of fallen humanity and offering all to the Father. He was like us “in all things but sin” (Hebrews 4:15); he was also subject to temptation, but never succumbed in any way. These temptations in the desert were not the only time, nor the last time, that Jesus endured temptations (at the end of this scene, it is revealed that the devil “departed from him for a time”). But we see in these temptations the way Jesus turns the trajectory of fallen humanity away from its downward spiral and back toward the Father. He enters into our fallenness and lifts it up.

Adam in the Garden was well fed, had dominion over the rest of creation, and was not subject to death. The Fall changes all that; because of the Fall, we are separated from God, from each other, and from our true selves! So the New Adam enters into the situation of creation after the Fall. He is hungry, humble, and will offer himself to the Father in death to reconnect us with God, with each other, and with our true selves. And yet, our fallenness remains, so we easily desire pleasure and comfort, self-sufficiency and control, prestige and praise.

The temptations in the desert are addressed to reach into this fallen condition and prey on all that has been lost. Jesus refuses to engage on the enemy’s terms and transforms the battle. He counters each temptation with words from Moses in Deuteronomy, defeating the enemy who has led every heart from the beginning of time through the labyrinth of selfwardness and sin.

When the enemy dangles the possibility of bread to eliminate hunger, Jesus answers, “One does not live on bread alone” (Deut. 8:3), subordinating his physical needs to a higher ideal.

When the enemy shows him all the kingdoms of the world and promises power and glory to overcome Jesus’ humility, Jesus replies, “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve” (Deut. 6:16), humbly recognizing that only God is self-sufficient and we depend on Him.

When the enemy challenges Jesus to throw himself down and prove his immortality to counter death, Jesus says, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (Deut. 6:13), rejecting the instant fame that such a spectacle would have secured and rejecting the rejection of death.  

The enemy’s tactics haven’t changed much. Over and over again, in history and in our own lives, we see the temptation to what I call the “5 P’s”: pleasure, power, popularity, prestige, prosperity. All of these stem from the One Main P: Pride. We are not exempt from the battle, but Jesus has redeemed temptation and given us strength to fight for his Kingdom by exercising our love, humility, faithfulness, and obedience.

During Lent, let’s use the “weapons” of Confession and Communion, penance and prayer, to overcome the “P’s” in our own lives!

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

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Creation in Chaos

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We are living in a strange time where the order of creation seems to have reversed itself and those things which we once held dear have somehow become less in our hearts, while the things that are less we tend to hold more dear. If we go all the way back to Genesis we can see the progression that God intended, nature first, then animals, and human beings as the crown of creation. All throughout Genesis we hear that God created all things as good and then finally we hear that man is created as very good. 

But look around you today and how often do we treat our pets better than our fellow man? The order seems to have been plunged into chaos. As I ponder over this, I think perhaps the main reason is that animals don’t grapple with sin. When you watch an animal do something monumentally stupid, you aren’t as harsh with them because you know a lot of it was just instinctual. But when a human being does something stupid we tend to be much more judgmental because we can see the freedom and will that was involved in that action. They chose to do wrong on one level or another. 

Some might look at this freedom and see a flaw within the human race, but I prefer to look at it and see it as THE component that allows for us to love. God has created us apart from the rest of the world. We have the ability to choose and though it is that ability that can sometimes get us into trouble, it is also the ability that frees us to make choices of love. To me it makes sense then that this is what Satan wants to attack. One of the very things that sets us apart from the rest of creation and allows us to share in the life of God is terrifying to Satan, so he gets us to believe things like “all human beings are awful since the fall” or that “there is no hope that a free person could be a good person.” 

It’s this mentality that forces us to retreat into the idea that our pets are more safe or more trustworthy or more good, but remember back to Genesis when it was the human being who was declared as very good, apart from the rest of creation. And then we hear this beautiful line from today’s readings, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” God gives us freedom not to laugh at us when we fall and fail, but he gives us freedom so we can choose him and live with him forever. He wants our good. During this time of Lent let’s try to reflect on the fact that God has made us all as set apart and that our actions should reflect who we are, good children of God who are loved. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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When Life Gives You Lemons

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We have all heard the phrase “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” But what if life just keeps throwing you lemon after lemon after lemon, so that everything seems to turn sour? After getting through my young son’s illness, giving birth to our 5th child and recovering from the C-section, it seemed like life was finally getting “back to normal”, when we got hit with the dreaded virus. 

I fell ill right after saying goodbye to my grandmother and I couldn’t even go to her funeral. One by one, the kids all got sick and then finally my husband. While the kids and I all recovered within a few days, he did not fare so well. We ended up in the ER and he was diagnosed with pneumonia. 

So here I sit, taking care of five littles and a sick husband, while simultaneously homeschooling, breastfeeding and working from home. As a stay at home dad, he normally takes care of all the cooking, cleaning, dishes and laundry so we’ll just throw that in too as the icing on the cake. 

Yes, I feel a bit overwhelmed and stretched thin, yet as I did before when my son was sick, I call on my Lord and Savior to BE my strength. Not to give me strength, but to BE my strength. And I am not overcome. The kids pitch in to help out a little more, the baby sits in her high chair a little longer and somehow, life just keeps moving on. 

Now that we have entered into this beautiful season of Lent, I don’t even have to look around for sacrifices and penance. Jesus lovingly gives it to me of His own accord! All I have to do is accept it, embrace it and offer it up for others. 

Today’s First Reading reminds me to “Cry out full-throated and unsparingly, lift up [my] voice like a trumpet blast…seek [God] day after day and desire to know [His] ways.” It reminds me to abandon my cares to Him, forget myself and my woes and think rather of others. The oppressed, the hungry, the homeless, the naked, all those who have it much worse than I do.

I recall talking to a fellow parishioner. She has four boys, lives in a broken down trailer and her husband was deported. Yet she does not complain, but rather gives thanks to God that she has a roof over her head, (barely) enough to pay her bills and she and her children are healthy. She even goes so far as to say that others are worse off than she is. She embodies today’s Psalm “A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn”. 

So as we navigate through this first week of Lent, let us recognize our own lemons, i.e. crosses, offer them up to the Lord, and seek to alleviate the crosses of others. “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” 

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Tami Urcia 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 projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at her parish, 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 over 20 years.

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Our Crosses and How We Carry Them

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When I read today’s readings, I am drawn to the reality that how I understand what my cross is and how I carry it will define the lens of how I comprehend these readings. My hope is that Holy Spirit will refine your understanding as well as mine through this reflection.

I was joking with some friends that I am not ready for Lent since the past two years have felt like a perpetual Lent. In self-reflection, that joke is telling of how I often slip into viewing my approach to Lent and sacrifice. What I find myself focusing on is the sacrifice itself rather than the resurrection that comes to follow. I think that for me these past few years I have relied on a variety of sources of entertainment or pleasures to cope with the isolation and pain that we are feeling as a society. Admittedly, when I reflect on my joke, I realize that I am not ready for Lent due to the hardships of the past few years but rather because of my affection for the good things of this world. I have given them greater importance than what they deserve in my inability to cope well. Even though I do not worship my streaming services or food and drink, God wants freedom for me that cannot be gained when I am held back in an inverted affection for these things.

In the First Reading, Moses says, “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes, and decrees…” Moses continues to describe that life and goodness come from fidelity to God and pain and sorrow come from turning away to ‘adore and serve other gods.’ In our day and age, not too many of us are tempted to carve a statue and worship it. However, God still wants our affection and love and our use of the things in this world in the right order. He does not want us to be bound by the affection that creates a need for the things of this world. Admittedly, when I examine my thinking patterns, my ability to listen and be empathetic is usually limited when I have a nagging need or desire to be doing my own thing that ‘makes me happy.’ 

So as we move through Lent, I want to encourage myself and you to look at how we sacrifice and what we sacrifice, with hope in the Lord for a new life and new freedom. I want to leave you with the last bit of the Gospel to reflect on what your cross is and what you need to deny yourself of. Not for the sake of denying yourself but for the sake of new life in Jesus Christ. 

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself

and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

yet lose or forfeit himself?”

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Arthur Richardson is married to his wonderful wife, Gabby Richardson. They will be married for two years this January! Most of his work experience is in ministry. He was a retreat missionary in Wisconsin for two years and a youth minister for three years. He is now the Web Project Manager here at Diocesan, and loves it!

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The Sacrifice of Words

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In the Gospel, we are told by Jesus of the importance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as well as the proper way to participate in those sacrifices. When we pray, fast, and give alms, we should do so not to gain praise from those around us, but rather for the sake of praising God. The intention of our sacrifice should be to honor our Lord in Heaven so that “your Father who sees you in secret will repay you”. 

During this season of Lent we are called to enter into fasting, prayer, and almsgiving in a more profound way than during other seasons of the year. In the weeks leading up to the start of Lent, today, I saw a lot of reflections, journals, and calendars advertising “how to make your Lent more meaningful/sacrificial/powerful”. These resources are all encouraging people to go deeper than just abstaining from meat on Fridays and giving up coffee or chocolate or social media. In fact, this year I noticed a common theme: changing our language so it better reflects the love of Christ. That has really stuck with me; how can changes in the way we speak and what we say be sacrifices? We can abstain from gossip. We can give up the tendency to say the first thing that comes to mind and more intentionally think before we speak. We can fast from swearing. We can ask others to join us in prayer before meals. We can humbly ask others to pray for us. 

I think the most powerful thing we can do this Lent is be joyful through our sacrifice. That is at the heart of what Jesus tells His disciples. May we be joyful in our sacrifice and in our words so that others may see the mercy and love of Christ through us. May we spend this Lent with the words “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned” readily in our hearts and minds.

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Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married 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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