On Earth As It Is in Heaven

   “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is heaven.” (Matt 6: 9 – 10)

   I don’t see a lot of examples of God’s will being done on earth.  Immorality, sinfulness, anger, bias, and hatred are all prevalent and, at times, seem overwhelming.  Abortion, euthanasia and an indifference to life continue to grow.  Very little love and mercy is exhibited.

   We don’t see others as children of God but as someone who is not like us.  They speak a different language or come from a different place.  They don’t look or act like us.  They are different and we don’t like different.

   The family has deteriorated and continues to fail to fulfill its’ purpose as the cornerstone of society.  Marriage rates continue to drop while cohabitation becomes the norm.  Single parent families continue to increase, not because of unavoidable events, but as a preference to or indifference to marriage.

   More and more people list “none” as their religious preference.  Those who claim Christianity fail to display it in their daily lives.  Many attend church but don’t know or understand or believe what is taught.  They pick and choose what to accept as if they know better than God what is right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable.  If their church doesn’t agree with their version of Christianity they will leave and search for one that does.

   Each time we recite the Lord’s prayer we are asking for an end to these evils in society.  But simply saying the prayer isn’t enough.  If we truly desire God’s will on earth as it is in heaven, we must live our lives in His will.  Perhaps we can’t change all of society, but our example may have an impact on just one person.  In that one person we have helped bring the will of God to earth.

Father we pray for Your will.

But we don’t always live it.

Strengthen our faith.

Help us bring Your will to earth.

Amen

Overcoming the World

   “And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.” (1 John 5: 4)

   Some versions of the Bible translate this scripture as “And this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.” (Douay-Rheims and King James Version).   I tend to think this translation is more applicable to my experience.  To conquer means to defeat and defeating Satan is beyond my power as a sinful man.

   To overcome means to prevail over rather than defeat.  I can, with the help of God, prevail over Satan and his temptations, but only Jesus can defeat him.  By His cross and resurrection, He has done so.  It is for me to resist and overcome his temptations with the help of our Lord.

   The world is a difficult place for those who want to follow God.  Satan seems to be very much in control of society, tempting me at every turn.  It’s important to realize that he can’t win unless I allow it.  He can tempt me, but he can’t force me to act.  He requires my participation.

   My battle with Satan will continue as long as I live.  If I could defeat him, he would no longer be a threat, but there will be times when I weaken and sin.  God will forgive my failures and strengthen me for the coming battles.  Through my faith and with His help I can overcome.

I am a sinful man.

Forgive me.

I am weak.

Strengthen me.

Amen

Renounce Self and Find Christ

   “My child, renounce yourself and you shall find Me.”  (Thomas á Kempis, “The Imitation of Christ”)

   Jesus taught, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9: 23).  The writings of theologians and saints tell me that I must renounce myself if I am to truly find Christ.

   I sincerely desire to know and follow Jesus so I must take these words to heart, but what does that mean in today’s world?  It means I must suppress my pride and recognize that without God I am nothing.  Without His love and concern I could not even exist.  The things the world considers essential are far less important than I might imagine.  In fact, they matter little, if at all.

   The world tries to tell what I need; more of this, better of that, and plenty of everything, but the desires of this world will always disappoint.  Contentment and happiness can only be found in God.  My wants and desires need to be focused not on earthly things but on God.  He sees me as His child and He loves me.  He wants me to be the best I can be and will help me in that effort.  He wants to bring me to Himself when this life is over.

   St. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;” (Gal 2: 19 – 20).  This is what it means to renounce self and find Christ.

Lord, I can be so vain.

My pride leads me astray.

May I take pride only in Your love for me.

You are all that truly matters.

Amen

The Journey of A Lifetime

   I am ashamed to admit that I was a pretty lukewarm Catholic for far too many years.  I was baptized as an adult convert at the Easter Vigil in 1971.  For years I attended Mass on Sunday’s and Holy Day’s but not much else.  It was not until several years later that I became enthusiastic in my faith.  I can’t point to any one event that lit the fire, but I thank God for doing so.

   The Christian journey is a life-long adventure with my Lord.  I am amazed each day that I have a God who loves me as He does.  The more I love Him, the more I realize how deeply He loves me.  He loved me even when my love for Him was not a strong as it should have been.  He loved me enough to give me the time to come to know Him and love Him more and more.

   My walk with God doesn’t mean I will never suffer or experience sorrow or pain.  Jesus experienced terrible sorrow, pain and death to pay the price for my sins.  I have no reason or justification to expect any less.  Yet, even in times of difficulty He is there to console me, strengthen me and, if necessary, carry me through the hard times.

   I wish I could go back and begin this journey in earnest far sooner than I did but that’s not possible.  All I can do is to take each day as another step toward God and live each day for Him.

Father help me walk this path.

Show me the way to You.

Increase my faith.

Bring me always nearer to You.

Amen

Live Each Day for God

  “Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span?” (Luke 12: 25)

   My Dad worried about everything.  He wasn’t happy unless he was worrying about something.  It ruined his health and I’m certain it made life far more difficult that was necessary.

   What I learned from Dad’s worrying was to not worry.  If there is a solution, seek it out.  If there’s nothing I can do to resolve the issue, place it in God’s hands and move on.  That doesn’t mean I ignore things that need to be dealt with, just that I try to let go of those things I can’t change, trusting them to God.

   An “examination of conscience” is a spiritual exercise to help us see where we have succeeded and failed in our spiritual life each day.  Just before going to bed look back over the day, searching for the times when we have failed and for the blessings of the day.  In this way we acknowledge our failures and better recognize our blessings.

   This exercise it is just as beneficial for worldly cares and concerns.  Relook at those worries that steal our time.  Can you fix it?  If so, fix it.  If not, give it to God and quit worrying about it.  You may be amazed at how many times your worries are over things of little worth, distracting you from the important things in life.

   Needless worry draws us from what we need to focus on, living our lives in the will of God and seeking Him in all things.  We need to live each day as the gift that it is, giving all praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.  Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.  Live for this day.

Father, we worry too much.

Help us to always trust in You.

Give us peace of mind.

Amen

A Visit From the Lord

  “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” (Luke 19: 5)

   Zacchaeus must have been in total shock.  Here was Jesus, who was said to be the Messiah, inviting Himself to stay with him at his house.  He would dine with him, talk with him, and even answer questions Zacchaeus might have.

   Imagine if Jesus were to come back today, knock on your door and say, “I wish to stay with you this night.”  How would you react?  What would you do or say?  Would there be things you need to put out of sight before you let Him in?  Are you prepared to have Jesus visit your home and your heart?

   When I consider such a visit it forces me to look deep within myself and consider if I am prepared to welcome Jesus into my home.  Would I feel blessed or afraid of what He might find?

   Given this opportunity, what the conversation be like?  What questions might I want to ask?  Would I want the answers to deep theological questions or more down-to-earth advice on how to live my life?  Would I question why I had to remain when my wife had gone to Him or simply thank Him for the many years of love and companionship He had given us?

   So many things that I don’t understand and perhaps am not capable of understanding.  Even His apostles weren’t given all the answers but were expected to trust and have faith in God’s plan.

   In some ways this visit happens in prayer.  I can ask the questions even though I don’t always get the answers.  He calls on me to trust and have faith just as He did the apostles.  Maybe I don’t need the answers, maybe I just need to place myself in His hands and trust.

Lord, I don’t know the answers.

But I trust in You.

Your plan is a mystery to me.

But I place myself in Your hands.

Amen

Coronavirus as the Chastisement of God

   There have been several recent articles about whether this pandemic is a chastisement from God for the sins and immorality of the world.  Some have been reasoned in their attitude, suggesting the possibility, while others have been written with apparent certainty that God has sent this crisis to chastise the world.

   When I read or hear someone speaking as if they have certain knowledge of God’s mind and purpose it raises many questions.  On whose authority are they claiming knowledge of the mind of God?  Why is this event a chastisement from God when others are not?  What are the criteria for something being from God with the purpose of chastisement?

   If this is God’s chastisement, what about the Bubonic Plague or earthquakes or tidal waves or hurricanes?  Are those also from God?  If not, who decides which ones are and on what authority?  Knowing what is and what is not God’s chastisement is impossible.  To speculate and consider the possibility is one thing but to say with certainty is, in my opinion, prideful arrogance.

   St. Augustine said, “If you understood him, it would not be God.”  St. Thomas of Aquinas agreed that it is beyond human ability to understand God.  What has changed that gives one the ability to truly know and understand God?  Were Augustine and Thomas wrong in their teaching?

   Are there lessons to be learned from events such as this pandemic?  Of course.  I pray that these times will help us better realize two things: our mortality and our desperate need of God in our lives.  If we can learn these truths and act upon them perhaps we can begin to change our world for the better.

Father, You are beyond our understanding.

Your thoughts and plans can’t be known to us.

Help us focus on what we can do.

Trust in You and serve You in all we do.

Amen

Love Your Neighbor

   “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt 22 - 39)

   Jesus was quite clear that we are to love others as we love self.  He did not offer any exemptions for the nosy neighbor who intrudes into everything or the rude co-worker who offends everyone.  In many ways this is one of the most difficult challenges of Christianity.

   I believe there is a clue to help us live this Christian virtue.  We are to love our neighbors “as ourselves”.  I find that there are many times when I find it hard to love, or even like, myself.  Perhaps I’ve been unkind to someone.  Maybe I’ve failed to keep a promise to someone or even to God.

   We also need to understand the difference between “love” and “like”.  Christian love is a love of others as children of God.  The greatest sinner remains a child of God; one that God loves and wants to save.  Our love is supposed to mirror, as best we can, that love.  Does that mean that we must like or associate with the sinful person or condone the sins being committing?  We are to love them and pray for their eternal soul, but must we like them?  I struggle with this difference.

   I suppose I may never resolve this problem in this life.  There are people I can’t imagine ever associating with or liking, but I am must love them as one of God's children.  Only with God can this be possible.

Loving others can be hard at times.

How am I to love one who is evil?

Help me to see everyone as Your child.

Help me love them as You love them.

Amen

The Day the Lord Has Made

   “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad (Psalm 118: 24)

   Many who never mention God are quick to blame Him for tragedies such as Coronavirus.  These are usually the same people who want to blame God for virtually anything negative that happens but never praise Him for the many good things that occur.  Why does He get the blame but never the praise?

   There will be evil in the world.  There will be persecutions, trials and difficulties.  In a sinful, unrepentant world we must expect evil.  The more we refuse to confront evil the greater it’s presence will become.  I believe evil flourishes, in large part, because of our acceptance of, or at least apathy toward, evil.  We ignore our duty to reject it.

   My life, like everyone’s, has had its’ ups and downs.  There have been times of great joy and happiness but there have also been times of heartbreak and sorrow.  That is life in a broken world.  No one is blessed with complete happiness and no one is condemned to complete sorrow.  We experience both and that is good.  Without experiencing some pain, sorrow and disappointment we would never understand how blessed we are in the good times.

   Each day is a gift from God.  If it is good give thanks to God; if difficult turn to Him for strength and mercy.  In either case, accept the day the Lord has made and be glad.

Lord, we blame You for the bad.

We don’t give You praise for the good.

Open our hearts to Your love and mercy.

May we give You thanks for every day.

Amen

Will There Be Faith?

   In this very unusual year most of Lent was spent without the ability to meet and worship as the people of Christ at our churches.  The great celebration of Easter was one of isolation and separation from those we love and from our church families.  Divine Mercy Sunday was even more appropriate this year as the world deals with the pandemic.

   I can’t help but wonder what impact this will have when we return to whatever normal may be.  Will we enthusiastically return to Mass, hungering for the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist?  Or will we decide internet or televised services are sufficient?  Will we rejoice to be able to join our Christian brothers and sisters in communal worship and praise of God or decide that stay at home services are so much more convenient?  Even more troubling, will many just give up and quit worshiping altogether?

   For quite some time now the “nones”, those with no religious preference, have been growing while church attendance has gone down.  In the Catholic Church it is estimated that close to seventy-five percent of self-proclaimed Catholics no longer attend Mass.  I suspect the same applies to those who claim Christianity of any form but no longer attend church.  Will these numbers grow while the number of the faithful continue to decrease?  Only time will tell.

   I believe we are at a water-shed moment in Christianity.  Will this pandemic remind us of our own mortality and help us understand our need for God and salvation or will it further reduce the number of faithful Christians?  Christ asked, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).  How will we answer?

Lord this has been a difficult time.

Help us turn to You and trust.

Strengthen our faith.

Give us greater hope in You.

Amen

Divine Mercy

   “But I trust in your mercy.  Grant my heart joy in your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13: 6)

   Tomorrow we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a day to focus on the mercy of our Lord and to give Him thanks and praise.  Catholics all over the world will rejoice in this beautiful celebration of Christ’s mercy.

   Jesus’ life was one of total mercy, love and compassion.  It was through His mercy that the blind saw, the deaf heard.  He mercifully cleansed the lepers and enabled the lame to walk.  Even as He hung on the cross He granted mercy to the thief who reached out to Him, assuring him that He would be with Him in paradise.  In His mercy He prayed saying, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34).

   When life is hard, and our trials are difficult He is there, giving mercy and comfort.  When our cross is heavy and we can no longer carry it, Jesus takes on the role of Simeon, helping us carry that cross.  In many cases He not only carries our cross for us, He carries us as well.  His mercy in unbounded for those who believe.

   Jesus urged St. Faustina to write of her experiences with Jesus and His mercy.  He told her to ask His mercy for those in need, even when they would not ask it for themselves.  Prayers, both of St. Faustina and our own, please the Lord.  He wants to give mercy, and if those who most need it won’t ask, He encourages us to ask for them.  He promises that our prayers for them will be heard.

   As we come to the end of the Octave of Easter there is no more appropriate way to celebrate than that of giving Him praise and thanksgiving for the mercy He bestows on us and on the world.  It is through His mercy that we are saved.

Lord, You are Mercy itself.

You desire all to come to You.

In Your mercy You welcome them.

May those in need always seek that mercy.

Amen

The Spiritual Journey

   “The Spiritual Journey does not require going anywhere because God is already with us and in us.” (Fr. Thomas Keating)

   The spiritual journey doesn’t mean we have to travel to religious places.  We don’t have to walk the streets of Jerusalem or pray at St. Peter’s Cathedral.  Great pilgrimages are wonderful, but not required.  Those things are good and can certainly bring great joy, but they are not necessary to find God.  If they were, how would those unable to do these things ever find Him?

   The spiritual journey is also not a pursuit to fully understand God or to know all there is to know about Him.  It is good to learn of Him and strive to understand His will for us, but to truly know Him isn’t possible in this world.  St. Augustine said that if we understand, it isn’t God; we simply cannot define or truly understand Him in this life.

   God is in the silence of our hearts; we find Him when we shut out the many distractions of our world and simply sit quietly and consider Him.  Long-winded prayers aren’t needed, an open heart is.  Expectations are to be forgotten, but a willingness to follow is required.  We can’t all accomplish great deeds in His name, but we can do all things with love.  When we open our hearts, minds and souls to Him we will be filled with Him.

   The spiritual journey isn’t really a journey at all, it is a life-long relationship.  It’s a giving of self to Him.

Father we look for You in all the wrong places.

You are always within us.

Help us turn within and commune with You.

Guide us in Your love and mercy.

Amen

The Clay and the Potter

   There once was a lump of clay.  There was nothing special about the clay, it had no great beauty; it was simply a lump of clay.

   One day the potter placed the clay on his wheel and began to shape it as he had planned.  Under his skilled hands a footed vase began to take shape.  In the careful forming and molding of the clay, the vision of the potter was emerging.  It was not to be large, nor was it to be ornately decorated, but it would be quite beautiful none the less.

   At last the vase was finished, fired, painted and glazed just as the potter had planned.  Though it might never be a highly valued possession it would give joy by its’ simplicity and understated beauty.  The potter was pleased.

   We are that lump of clay, shaped by God.  From the beginning, long before we came into being, He knew His plans for us, plans to make us into a uniquely beautiful person formed by His hands and His will for us.

   Unlike that lump of clay, however, we can resist the Potter’s work.  We can decide we don’t want to be what God has planned for us.  In short, the clay can say “no” to the Potter.  We can choose our own path, ignoring His plans for us.  By doing so we will never know the beauty and holiness that is our intended destiny.

   I sometimes feel that I repeat this too often but, once again, the choice is ours.  We can become the person God would have us be and share in His glory for all eternity or we can become a misshapen lump of clay serving self and Satan.  The choice is always ours.

Lord mold me as You wish.

Make me holy.

Amen

Trusting in His Love and Mercy

   Just over a year ago my wife of forty-eight years left this world and entered eternal life.  The love and support of family and friends has helped me tremendously during this period.  The love, mercy and support of my God has given me the strength to help carry this cross.  I don’t know how I would have survived without my Lord.

   Though the pain has lessened, there are still times of intense sorrow and pain at her loss.  Days when the wound seems to reopen, my heart breaking all over again.  Yesterday was one of those times.

   The Lord came again to comfort me.  Each day I read a chapter or two of “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas á Kempis.  It is written almost as a conversation between Christ and a believer, lessons on living the Christian life.  Last night the following assurances from Christ to the disciple were there before me:

   “For whatever happens, have confidence that My promise will be your strength and consolation.”

   “The hour will come sooner than you think when toil and trial shall be no more; for all that passes with time is short-lived and counts but little.”

   “Peace shall come at a time known only to the Lord.  And it will not last a day or a night as we calculate time; there will be light everlasting, infinite glory, unbroken peace and rest.”

   He was speaking to me, giving me hope and comfort and reminding me of His promises of a better life to come.  His mercy is so incredible.  I am so humbled by His caring and His love.  Thank you Lord!

Lord, in my sorrow You come to me.

In my pain You offer comfort.

Help me to always look to You.

For You are always there for me.

Amen

In His Image

   “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness.’” (Gen 1: 26)

   We were made in His image, perfect in all respects.  There was no sin, no pain, no suffering or death.  Only the love and friendship of our Lord.  Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden in ease and peace.  Through their prideful sin paradise was lost and they were expelled from the Garden of Eden.

   Still we were created in God’s image.  If we are to recover a right relationship with God we must seek to restore His image within us.  Because of sin we are not capable of restoring the perfection in which we were created, but God can.  If we seek Him in humility and repentance He will bring us to our original perfection upon death to this world and rebirth in the next.  We will again walk with Him, knowing His perfect love.

   Until then, we must struggle.  We must reject Satan and his temptations.  On the cross, Christ won the war, but there are still battles to fight and crosses we must bear.

   If we are to regain His image within us we must “see with the eyes of love, feel with the heart of mercy, and think with the mind of compassion.” (Carl McColeman, “Befriending Silence”).  Pray that our Lord will make us Holy and restore His image within us.

Father we were made in Your image.

We have destroyed that image within us.

Our greatest desire is to restore it.

Give us Your love, mercy and compassion.

Amen

Turn to His Mercy

   “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 43)

   The thief on the cross admitted his sins, acknowledging that his punishment was deserved.  He asked the Lord to remember Him when He came into His kingdom.  In His mercy, Jesus assured him that he would be with Him in paradise.  This is the mercy of our Lord, who is mercy Himself.

   For forty days of Lent we focused on the sacrifice Christ made for us.  We considered the part our sins and failings played in the death He endured.  We sorrowed at His death and our sins which helped bring it about.  Just as the thief acknowledged his sins we must recognize ours, realizing that we deserve whatever punishment God would impose for the times we’ve failed Him, offending Him by our sins.  We too must seek His Mercy

   It was because of His love and mercy for us that chose to become man and suffer for our sake; to take our sins upon Himself paying the price we are unable to pay.  His passion, death and resurrection were acts of His infinite mercy.

   The Divine Mercy chaplet closes with:

“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon on us and increase your Mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is love and mercy itself.”

   His mercy is there; He wants to share it with us.  He wants to forgive.

Lord we turn to Your Mercy.

Forgive us our failings.

Lead us to paradise with You.

Amen

He Is Risen!

May the Lord bless you; may He hold you in the palm of His hand.  He has died for our sins; He has risen to give us eternal life!  Amen, Amen!

God’s blessings be with you today and always!  Let us seek the Lord in all we do.

Happy Easter!

Between the Cross and the Resurrection

Can you hear it?  The silence is almost deafening.

Can you feel it?  The quiet is overwhelming.

Even the angels are silent, mourning the death.

The universe is in shock at the loss.

Can you feel it?  The fear of the disciples.

Hiding behind locked doors, afraid for their lives.

Their faith in tatters, shaken to the core.

Their hopes, their dreams nailed to a cross.

Can you hear her?  His mother sobs in her sorrow.

Can you feel it?  The sword piercing her heart.

His heart had beat with hers for nine months.

He was bone of her bone, flesh of her flesh.

Can you feel it?  The joy of those Jesus saved.

In the tomb but not in the tomb.

He visited the faithful dead, fulfilling their hopes.

Giving them the path to eternal happiness.

Can you hear it?  The wails of Satan.

Defeated, destined to failure.

His best laid plans in ruins.

Condemned to darkness and eternal pain.

Can you feel it?  The anticipation.

The knowledge that all is well.

He will arise; He has won the war.

He has brought death to death.

Good Friday

   Why is today known as Good Friday?  On this day the most evil act ever committed occurred, the crucifixion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Today He was beaten unmercifully.  A crown of thorns pierced the flesh of His head and face.  Forced to carry His own cross through Jerusalem He was mocked and derided by the crowds.

   Today He was nailed, naked, to the cross.  He was raised up and put on display for all passersby to see, treated as just another criminal suffering the cruelty of Roman execution.  The Scribes, Pharisees and Priests, not satisfied that they had forced His execution, stood below yelling insults at Him, mocking His claim to be the King that He surely was.

   Today is Good Friday, not because of the evil that was done on this day, but because of the great good that would come from it.  There will be no Mass today, only the reading of His passion to remind us of His suffering.  We will venerate the cross in recognition that what was once seen only as a horrific means of execution, was redefined as the tree of life by the sacrifice our Lord offered upon it.

   So, let’s take this day to sorrow for our Lord, for His pain and suffering brought about by the sins of the world; brought about by the sins we continue to commit every day.

   Then, on Easter Sunday, let us rejoice in His resurrection, for the prophecies have been fulfilled.  He has made all things new.

“My servant, the just one, shall justify the many, their iniquity he shall bear.” (Isaiah 53: 11)

Holy Thursday – The Last Supper

   There are so many important theological truths to be gained from the events of this day.  I choose to focus on one.  It is what makes me a Catholic Christian.

   When Jesus speaks, reality is changed.  Water becomes wine, the winds and the sea obey.  The blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk.  Even the reality of death is changed at the word of Jesus.  “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11: 42) and the man who had been dead for four days came out.

   At the last supper Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the sharing in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  This miracle is what makes me Catholic.

   “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’  Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on the behalf of many for the forgiveness of sin.’” (Matt 26: 26 – 28).

   The Word of God changed reality.  The bread and the wine became the Body and Blood of our Lord.  It would seem impossible for such a thing to happen, but so is a virgin birth, or restoring life to the dead.  Miracles, by definition, can’t be explained.  They occur outside our ability to understand.  They are not subject to the physical laws, they just are.

   I am not Catholic just because of the Pope, Bishops or Priests.  It is not only the doctrine, Dogma and precepts of the Church that make me Catholic.  I am Catholic because of the miracle of the consecration; the real presence of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ within the bread and wine of the Eucharist.  I am Catholic because the Word of God changes reality.

   “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” (John 6: 53 – 56)

Betrayed, Abandoned and Denied

   Judas led the soldiers to Jesus.  For thirty pieces of silver he betrayed the Son of God.  But his betrayal was not the last insult our Lord would suffer from those who were His followers.

   When He was arrested Mark tells us, “And they all left him and fled.” (Mark 14: 50).  Those who had walked with Jesus, who had said they were willing to die for Him, ran away in fear, leaving Him to face His passion alone.  Only John followed Him throughout His ordeal.

   Peter, at first quietly came along, not to support but only to watch.  He had said, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.”  And yet, as foretold by Christ, he denied even knowing Him and ran away.

   Where were these followers of Christ during His passion and death?    Perhaps the question we really need to ask is where are we, followers of Jesus, when standing with Him is difficult or just embarrassing or inconvenient?

   How many times have we stood silently as others gossiped?  Have we chuckled at the off-color jokes and failed to turn away at the lewd pictures sometimes passed around?  Where is our faith when standing up for it might cause others to think us a little odd for believing?  Do we, like the apostles, run and hide?  Do we, to remain “one of the guys or gals”, deny even knowing Jesus by the way we live our lives?

   On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34).  Even while dying, He had mercy on those who had condemned Him and nailed Him to the cross.  His mercy and forgiveness is offered to you and me when we fail Him.  When we betray, abandon and deny Him, His love remains.  Let us try ever so hard to emulate John, following our Lord even when following Him is difficult.

Too often we deny you by our actions.

We betray you by our sins.

In Your mercy You forgive.

Give us strength to always stand with You.

Amen

Betraying the Son of God

   “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” (Matt 26: 15)

   With these words Judas betrayed the Son of God.  How could one who had been chosen by our Lord, one who had lived with Him, seen the miracles He performed and heard His teachings, betray Him to those who would kill him?

   In one respect his betrayal was necessary for prophecy had foretold it.  Was Judas destined to betray?  Certainly one of the twelve would be the betrayer but how did Judas become the one?  I suspect he never truly had faith in Christ; he had not accepted that He was the Messiah.  Jesus was not the Savior Judas was expecting and hoping for.  He taught love, mercy and forgiveness rather than vengeance against those who occupied Israel.

   He had regrets for his betrayal and even tried to return the money.  Yet he still did not accept Christ as the Messiah, only that He was innocent (see Matt 27: 3 – 4).  Had Judas sought the forgiveness of Jesus he would have been forgiven His sin, but he chose suicide rather than forgiveness and salvation, again not recognizing the truth of Christ, denying the promise of the Messiah.

   Judas never recognized his Savior, he never believed.  Accepting Christ means we must believe in the love, mercy and forgiveness of God.  Regardless of our sins and failings, He will forgive.

   “My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.” (Psalm 51: 19)