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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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Our Good Shepherd

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Today would have been my grandmother’s 85th birthday. She died 14 years ago when I was 10 but I still miss her fiercely every day.

The first reading comes from the closing verses of Hebrews and it reminded me a lot of her. The Hebrews and, in turn, we are told to “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind”. My grandmother was the most selfless person I know. She gave everything of herself: her time, her talent, her treasure. And all of that, even if it didn’t go directly in the collection at Mass, went to serving God and showing His love and compassion to all those she encountered. That is exactly what the first reading is calling us to do–please God with our everyday sacrifices of love and charity.

The first reading also encourages us to follow our leaders: our priests, our religious brothers, and sisters, our deacons, our bishops, our cardinals, our pope. Our leaders’ vocation is to lead the flock and to do so with joy. Our role is to actively seek out our leaders for guidance, for support, for counsel, and for instruction. By doing so, by putting our trust in our leaders to help guide us toward Heaven, we help them live out their own vocation.

The last two verses of the reading are a blessing to people in which the author refers to Christ as the Good Shepherd. Today’s Gospel is the precursor to the multiplication of loaves; Christ shows that He is the Good Shepherd by providing the people spiritual food thereby satisfying their spiritual hunger before He satisfies their physical hunger. He responds to the needs of His flock with compassion and by having compassion for those who were “like sheep without a shepherd”, Christ teaches us how to bring others into the faith and closer to him.

Let us go about this day, and all our days, serving Christ our King fearlessly for, “Even though I walk through the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.”

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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A Kingdom United

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Both the reading from Hebrews and today’s Gospel deal with God’s judgment and the salvation of souls. In the first reading, we hear of Christ’s new covenant with mankind, that we no longer need to make yearly sacrifices to ensure our salvation. God, in His love for us, became man and offered His own blood for the eternal salvation of souls. In Christ’s new covenant we are able to share in His death and resurrection.

“Christ offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.”

Christ’s death allowed for hope to reign and, as in the Gospel acclamation “Our Savior, Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel”.

The resurrection is the Good News and it is through God’s love for His creation that we are able to share in that Good News!

Since January 28th is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, I thought looking at his writings would help with today’s reflection.

Regarding blasphemy St. Thomas says in the Summa Theologiae: “Hence it seems that blasphemy pertains to unbelief” (II-II.13.1). He goes on to say that blasphemy is ultimately the denial of God’s goodness.

The scribes who see Christ casting out demons accuse Christ of being possessed by Satan thereby denying His goodness: “By the prince of demons he drives out demons”. Jesus’ rebuttal is pretty simple. He tells the Pharisees that it would not makes sense for Satan to drive out his own demons, all that would do is weaken Satan’s power for “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.”

That is applicable to not only Satan but to those who wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven as well. What happens when we, the Body of Christ, are divided? What happens when we lack charity when we fail to love our brothers and sisters in Christ? We, both as individuals and as a society, begin to lose our faith in the Truth, we lose sight of what it is we are ultimately seeking: union with God, Heaven! We fall into the sin of unbelief; exactly what Christ is warning against in the Gospel.

The prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas is fitting for today.

Grant me, O Lord my God,
A mind to know you,
A heart to seek you,
Wisdom to find you,
Conduct pleasing to you,
Faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
And a hope of finally embracing you.

Amen.

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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He must increase; I must decrease

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“The truly humble reject all praise for themselves and refer it all to God.” -St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

In today’s readings, we receive a lesson about humility. In 1 John we are told that we must have confidence in God and His grace. We should not fall into thinking that our sin is too great for God to forgive. Rather, we must submit ourselves to His love and to His power for “we are in the one that is true”. Although the “whole world is under the power of the Evil One”, we belong to God and God is within us, therefore we have the capacity to guard ourselves against the Evil One and live our lives humbly with Christ and His Church. Our confidence is rooted in Christ and His plan for our salvation.

In the Gospel, we once again encounter John the Baptist and he delivers perhaps his most famous line: “He must increase; I must decrease”. When one of John’s disciples approaches him asking about Jesus and his disciplines baptizing people, John’s response, without fear or hesitation, is to praise Jesus. He does so in three ways. First, he tells his disciple that “No one can receive anything unless it is from Heaven” thereby telling the disciple that Jesus’ gifts come from Heaven and are Good. Second, he reminds the disciple that he (John) is not the Christ but that his role is as the precursor to the Christ. Third, he calls Jesus the bridegroom communicating the relationship between Christ and His people with Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride. John the Baptist fulfills His role as the precursor to Christ in teaching us to turn all praise we are given toward the One who made us.

“He must increase; I must decrease” — one of the most important messages of the Gospel summed up in only 6 words. John humbles himself before Christ so that Christ may be exalted before all mankind. May we do the same in our every day lives.

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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God’s Delay is not God’s Denial

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My mom has always told me “God’s delay is not God’s denial”. The readings today reminded me of her and I thought about how true that saying is in our daily lives but especially during Advent.

Today in the readings we hear of God’s promises to Monoah and his wife and to Zechariah and Elizabeth that, despite their old age, they will conceive and bear a son. He tells the future parents that their sons will be “consecrated to God from the womb” and “great in the sight of the Lord”. Samson will be the one to begin the deliverance of Israel; John the one who turns the minds and hearts of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  Both men pave the path for the birth of Christ and anticipate His coming to deliver us from our sins.

In the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth, children were a sign of God’s faithfulness. Because they did not have children, Zechariah and Elizabeth were thought to be out of favor with God. When the angel appeared to Zechariah to tell him that Elizabeth would bear a son, he did not believe the angel. Because of his disbelief, Zechariah was mute until immediately after the birth of John. Israel was waiting for the Messiah; Zechariah and Elizabeth for a son. God showed his faithfulness to them in His own timing with a son who would help prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah.

Zechariah’s consequence for his disbelief as well as his joyfulness at the birth of his son teaches us the joy that comes about when we allow God to do His Will in our lives. Advent is all about waiting, in prayerful hope, for the birth of Christ, his Resurrection, and our eventual unity with Him in Heaven. In the same way, Israel awaited their deliverance and John and Elizabeth awaited the birth of their son, in this beautiful season of hopeful anticipation may we put our faith in the Lord, trust His timing, and surrender to His Will. May our hearts be filled with joy and hope this Advent!

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.

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Remain Faithful

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“To suffer and to be despised — what bitterness, but what glory!”
-St. Therese of Lisieux

Being Catholic is not easy; following the way of Christ is not easy. But if we think about it, Jesus never said it would be, He only said that the reward would be great.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns about the end of time and the trials and persecutions that will come with it. He says, “You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death” (21:7) but we are not to lose hope because the wisdom of God will guide us. It is easy to despair and become discouraged when hearing this Gospel. After all, it does foretell a grim future. But the hope that comes with Christ’s promise is far greater and far stronger than any opposition we will face. He knows what that persecution will be like because He lived it in His Passion. But Christ also knows that by uniting our suffering to His will only bring us closer to His Eternal Kingdom. For that reason, He promises to give us “wisdom in speaking” (21:15) and that “by your perseverance, you will secure your lives” (21:19).

This Gospel is about the end times but can also be thought of in our own day and age. I often find myself at a loss for words and explanations when conversing with someone who opposes (whether it is vehement opposition or not) the Catholic Church and her teachings. When I reflect on those encounters I realize that often times I did not ask Christ for His guidance in the conversation. Rather, I was guided by my own emotions and, in the end, was unable to properly defend the faith. Today’s Gospel reminds us to put our entire being—thoughts, actions, emotions—into the hands of Christ in order to be guided by His infinite wisdom. When we do so, now and at the end of time, we have nothing to fear.

The Gospel acclamation sums up the Christian life: “Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life”. We have nothing to lose by following Christ; we have everything to gain.

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.

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Hope Of The Faithful Departed

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“May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”

It’s something my family has said at the end of every prayer before we eat since I was very young. I suppose I’d never really given it much thought until I was well into college. What a beautiful thing to do: remember and pray for those who have parted from this world at such a communal time. The ‘faithful departed’ are those who trusted in the mercy of God and hoped for life with Him. Saying that little prayer at the beginning (or end) of a meal is a wonderful way to pray for those souls in purgatory as well as remind ourselves that we are not made for this world, we are made for eternal life in Heaven with God our Father.

In the Gospel today we hear of Christ’s promise of redemption. A promise filled with love and with hope. We are reminded that, from the very beginning of creation, it has been God’s will that we spend eternity in communion with Him. He sent His Son so that we might inherit eternal life and He wants nothing more than to share the joy of His Kingdom with us. Christ Himself is saying this! It isn’t hearsay, we aren’t hearing it third-hand, it is Christ’s message of redemption directly to each individual person. As St. Paul tells the Romans, it is love that makes Christ’s passion and resurrection possible; the love that God has for each and every one of us despite our sinfulness. Through our baptism, we are united with Christ and His plan and are given “newness of life”. Those who live their lives with Christ have nothing to fear in death for they will only be truly united with the One for whom they were made. Death is hope, not despair. After death, we find the fulfillment of our earthly desire for unity with Christ and His infinite love.

So let us not distance ourselves from death and forget that Heaven and life with God is our ultimate goal. May we always keep the faithful departed in our prayers and look forward to eternal life with our Creator.

“Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of the Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, for those in my home and in my family. Amen” -St. Gertrude the Great-

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.