Another Year 

   As we come to the end of another year it is a good time to reflect on the year that is ending.  St. Ignatius recommends an examination of conscience at the end of each day.  A time to look back on the day and recognize the blessings we have received that day as well as the times we’ve failed in our efforts to live for God.

   I believe we should do the same at the end of the year.  Some quiet time spent looking back over the year can be an important part of spiritual growth.  We can recall the times God has blessed us; we can perhaps see that prayers we thought had gone unanswered were answered in some manner during the year.  Most important we can take stock of our successes and our failures as we have tried to follow the will of God in our lives.

   Tomorrow begins another year.  There will be resolutions made that will most likely be forgotten in a few weeks.  We will determine that we are going to do better in many ways this year, but that too fades from memory.  

   The only resolution or promise that truly matters is to serve our Lord as best we can each day of the coming year, aware that we will fail in that effort as well.  But our God is a loving and merciful God, full of forgiveness and our efforts please Him.

   Then next New Year’s Eve, God willing, we can again take time to review the year and see how well we’ve done. 

Time passes, but You are beyond time.

Our time on earth is short, eternity is forever.

May we be less concerned with time,

And more concerned with eternity. 

Amen

 The Easy Path 

   “There are no plains in the spiritual life.  We are either going uphill or coming down.”  (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen) 

   It’s so easy to become complacent; to get comfortable in our spiritual life and just kind of drift along.  But the Christian life isn’t intended to be easy, it takes strength and determination to walk the path God puts before us.

   There will be times of ease, and these times are a blessing.  But we shouldn’t expect that they will last.  The only lasting ease and peace will come in the next life.  In this life there will be times of sorrow, times of pain and suffering.

   Jesus very clearly told us that the life of a Christian will sometimes be difficult.  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9: 23).

   Our Blessed Mother gave us the example we are to follow.  She saw Jesus rejected, hated, abandoned by His closest friends, and finally scourged and hung on a cross to die.  Through it all, she persevered in love, faith, and hope, always trusting in the promises of Christ.  We are to do the same.

   Becoming satisfied with our spiritual life is a tool of Satan.  Comfort becomes expected and we quit striving for greater faith, hope, and love.  We cannot mount the heights by remaining in the valleys.  If we are not climbing spiritual hills and mountains, we are losing ground. 

The road is sometimes difficult.

But difficulty brings endurance.

Let me climb the holy mountain.

Let me reach the heights with You. 

Amen

 Trust In God 

   “We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does.” St. Philip Neri 

   Trust can sometimes be difficult, even trust in God.  Life brings many great joys, but also pain and sorrow.  It can be difficult to understand why things happen; sometimes even impossible.  How, we ask, can a loving, merciful God allow such tragedies in life?  If He loves us why must we suffer.  We seek answers, but sometimes we can’t find them.

   The answer, at least for me, was given on a hillside outside Jerusalem over two thousand years ago.  When I look at my Savior nailed to a cross, I see pure evil in those who caused such a thing.  Then I realize that I am, at least in part, the cause of His passion and death.  He died for my sins because I am unable to sufficiently atone for them.  A perfect sacrifice was needed, and Jesus chose to make that sacrifice.

   Even the apostles were unsure of what had occurred.  This was the Messiah, how could he be dead and in a tomb?  I’m sure they struggled with the “why” of all that had happened.  Then He arose, and they knew.  From the greatest evil came the greatest good, salvation for all who would accept it.

   I’ve quit trying to understand why some things happen.  I’ve come to realize that I will never know the reasons for all of God’s actions in this world.  Instead, I will trust in Him, recognizing that He does nothing that is not ultimately for the good.  Perhaps in the next life, when I am in His presence, I will know.  Until then, I will trust. 

Father, all You do is for the good.

From great evil, You bring great good.

Though I may not understand,

I will trust in You. 

Amen

 Slow Down 

   Over the years I’ve learned that most anything I do, I do better if I take my time and don’t rush things.  I’m safer in my car when I’m not speeding to get somewhere.  It’s much healthier for me to live at a slower pace.  Most of all, my prayer life is better when I take the time to truly be in His presence.  There is nothing in my life that doesn’t benefit from a more relaxed pace.

   Especially in my spiritual life a slower, more prayerful pace is important.  I can’t rush God and if I try I will only frustrate myself.  The path to heaven isn’t a race but a pilgrimage.  A journey on which I need to take the time to come to know Him and learn the lessons He wishes to teach me.

   It takes time to truly come to know God and His plan for us.  He will not be rushed; he will not hurry up to satisfy my needs.  I must learn to be with Him at the pace He sets, not the world’s frantic pace.

   I’ve spent some time in Benedictine Monasteries and one of the things that has most impressed me is the pace at which they live.  The priority is always prayer and worship.  If it’s time for prayer, all other work stops and the Divine Office, the “Work of God” takes precedence.  Everything is secondary to the right worship of our Lord.

   As a Benedictine Oblate I try to live my life as close as I can to the life of the monks.  I have come to love the slower, more devoted pace of life; the realization that nothing is as important as my relationship with God.  Time is a gift, and I must use it well. 

Lord, slow me down.

Let me walk at Your pace.

Let me walk the path You put before me. 

Amen

The Story of Life 

   My life is a story; a story not written by me but by God.  It isn’t a new story, it was written before time began and is playing out as planned long, long, ago.  It has an ending although I do not know how or when it will end.

   Some tell their life story in a biography.  Some read those biographies hoping to learn how achieve the same level of success as the author.  But no one’s story is the same.  No matter how much I may try to emulate another, my story will never be their story.

   Others try to run away from their story.  They seek the things of this world and ignore the author of their story.  It won’t work.  We have an eternal soul, and our story is a spiritual one.  Without God in it, it becomes random and futile.  It becomes a story without a plot and no clear ending.

   I don’t pretend to know all the details to my story, I’ve been surprised many times by things I was not expecting.  I don’t know how my story will end or when that end will come.  What I do know is that if I have sought God and His plan in my life I will spend eternity in paradise with my Lord.  How do I know this?  Because I believe.  I believe in the promise of Christ who said, “In my father’s house there are many mansions.  If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be.” (John 14: 2 – 3).

   The story is written, the end is known.  My job is to live the story as it was written for me. 

Father, You wrote the story of my life.

You know everything about me.

Let me always seek Your will.

Let me live the story You wrote for me. 

Amen 

 Change 

   Change can be good, or change can be bad.  Sometimes it takes time to recognize whether the change in our life was for the good or the bad.  The one thing that we can always be sure of is that change is inevitable.  Without change we can become complacent, unwilling to grow.  Even worse, if we aren’t moving ahead we are quite possibly falling behind.

   As I look back over my life I readily see that some of the changes that I thought were for the good actually hampered my spiritual growth.  I suppose at the time of the change I was perhaps not as conscious of or as concerned with my spirituality as I ought to have been.  St. Augustine wrote, “Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new:  late have I loved you.”  To my shame there have been times in my life when I didn’t know and love the Lord as I needed to.

   There are also changes in my life that I found full of sorrow and pain that produced great growth in my relationship with God.  Sometimes we must be in the depths of despair before we fall to our knees and reach for the heights.  I believe God sometimes gives us mountains to climb to help us trust in Him; to make us understand that there is no mountain that can’t be overcome with His help.

   Change is a part of God’s plan for my life.  I must remember that with God all things are possible, even those I may believe to be impossible. 

Father, change is a part of life.

Help me recognize Your hand in the changes.

Let me understand Your purpose.

Change me, make me holy. 

Amen

 The Newborn King

 

“And the angel said to them:  Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people.  For, this day, is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in the City of David.”  (Luke 2: 10 – 11)

 

   May the love of the newborn King fill your heart with joy.

 

   May you welcome Him into your heart, mind, and soul.

 

   May He be your King and Savior, leading you to eternal life.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

A New Beginning 

   “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3: 16) 

   I know new years is still over a week away and most look at the new year as a new beginning.  I prefer to look at the birth of my Lord as the real new beginning.  New Year’s Day marks a new year, but the birth of Christ marks a new life for all.

   The world was lost in darkness with no hope of redemption; the doors to heaven had been closed.  There were not enough lambs to offer in sacrifice to reopen those doors.  The price of our sins was greater than we could repay.

   On Christmas morning a newness came into the world, a babe that would change everything.  Laid in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, in the city of Bethlehem, the City of Bread, He would be the Bread of Life through which humanity could be saved.

   The old covenant was overshadowed, though not abandoned, by the new.  The old commandments were defined by the new commandments of love of God, and love of neighbor.  The doors to the kingdom of heaven were opened by the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.  A new beginning, one with the hope of eternal life in the presence of God, became a reality.

   As we celebrate Christmas, and a few days later the new year, let’s keep in mind that the real “new beginning” has nothing to do with the first day of January, but with the birth of a savior on Christmas morn.

 

We welcome Your birth Lord.

You brought new life and new hope.

Fill us with love for You and neighbor.

Let us celebrate the blessing that is Christmas.

 

Amen 

Are You Ready? 

   Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  If they haven’t already, families will soon gather to celebrate Christmas.  Meals will be cooked, and shared, gifts will be exchanged.  All will be welcome and hopefully on their best behavior.  Are you ready?

   I’m not talking about great meals and presents, or the family stories that everyone has heard too many times.  Those things are wonderful and are an important part of the celebration, but not nearly as important as preparing to welcome the newborn King.  The gifts are nice, and speak of our love for each other, but the most important gift will not be under the tree.  He was placed in a manger in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.

   Just as some people put off preparations for Christmas, many put off preparations for the next life.  Last second conversions, confessions and salvations are incredible blessings, and it seems some have decided that they will wait until that very last opportunity to consider their immortal soul.  God lovingly accepts their last second conversion and rejoices at another soul saved, for He is a loving and merciful God.

   The difficulty comes in the fact that we have no idea whether or not we will have than opportunity.  A truck crashing into the side of our compact vehicle may end it all in an instant.  A massive heart attack may not allow even a few seconds to consider eternity.

   So, I ask again, are you ready?  Are you ready to stand before our Lord and be judged by the one who knows everything about you?  Have you prepared, are you ready? 

Only you know the hour of our death.

We act as if it will never come.

We need to prepare ourselves.

Eternal life is at stake. 

Amen 

 Spiritual Fire 

   “I have come to set the earth of fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!  There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great in my anguish until it is accomplished!” (Luke 12: 49 – 50) 

   Jesus knew that His message would cause division in the world.  Those who would accept His message would be rejected by those who would not, just as He had been rejected.  Hatred and persecution would ensue.

   He also knew that, by His life, death, and resurrection, He would light a spiritual fire within those who accepted His teachings and recognized Him as the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

   Within the Christian heart there is a fire burning with love for Jesus.  A desire to live for Him and join Him in eternal life.  The world in which we life is a sinful place, but it cannot extinguish the fire within.  In fact, the greater the evil of society, the harsher the persecutions, the hotter the flame becomes.  The martyrs are witnesses to this; they willingly underwent torture and suffered horrible deaths rather than abandon their faith.

   I don’t think the flame can ever be completely quenched.  I believe that even those who choose to turn from Christ still have a spark within them.  It may linger as nothing more than a small ember for years but it can still be fanned into a raging fire of faith and hope in the Lord.

   God is within each of us whether we wish to admit it or not.  To think otherwise is foolish and brings frustration and angst.  There is no other source of true peace in this world; without Him, peace is a passing wind, a temporary reprieve from the woes of this world.

   He has given us a path to heaven; He has lit the flame within us.  It’s up to us to feed that flame with love and devotion, keeping it burning bright. 

Lord, You lit a fire within me.

It fills me with desire for You alone.

Never let the intensity die down.

Let the flame burn brightly. 

Amen

 True Love 

   “And love, be it understood, is not the desire to have, to own, to possess – that is selfishness.  Love is the desire to be had, to be owned, to be possessed.” (Fulton J. Sheen, “Simple Truths: Thinking Life Through with Fulton J. Sheen”) 

   When we truly love someone we forfeit ourselves, our hopes, our wishes, and our desires in favor of those of the one we love.  It is a deliberate act of giving, not an emotional response to physical desires and needs.  In our fallen humanity we seem to be unable to separate the physical from the spiritual in loving one another.  We often place demands on others to earn our love.  If they don’t meet those demands our love may be withdrawn.

   Love, as God loves us, doesn’t work that way, it is never withdrawn.  Throughout history, we have repeatedly abandoned God’s ways and gone astray.  We see this clearly in the history of God’s chosen people, the Israelites.  However, it not just the Jewish people but all of us who refuse to follow God’s will.  Still, His love remains and will never depart from us.

   Jesus gives Himself to us completely.  He gives Himself to us in His eternal love, and in his endless mercy.  He even gives us His own Body and Blood in Holy Communion.  He wants us to possess Him, to have Him within us.  He wants to possess us and make us His own.  That's what it means to love; to be one with the other, to want nothing but good for them.

   There is no greater gift that we can give than that of our love.  When given completely, as it is supposed to be, it is the only thing that matters. 

Lord, You love us eternally.

You want us for Your own.

Teach us to love as You do.

To have You within us always. 

Amen

 Rejoice Always 

   “Rejoice always.  Pray without ceasing.  In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5: 16-18) 

   We are about to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a time of great joy and rejoicing.  But I can’t help but think how much happier we would be if we could take St. Paul’s words to heart and rejoice always.

   It seems to me there are essentially two attitudes among people at this time of year.  They are either rejoicing or frustrated and even angry.  I suspect those who are rejoicing are likely celebrating for the right reasons while those who are frustrated and angry are more concerned with the commercial aspects of Christmas.

   It’s a shame that such a blessed time of the year can be a time of annoyance for some.  If they would look to Bethlehem and the Babe in the manger perhaps they could find some peace within themselves.  As long as the pursuits and desires of this world are their focus they will most likely remain frustrated much of the time.

   I wish there were a way to get the stores and restaurants and other public places to go back to playing true Christmas carols rather than the junk we mostly hear.  If people could hear “Silent Night” while they were dining perhaps their mind could go to the manger and come to know our Lord.  If “O Come, O Come Emanual” were playing in the store maybe they would remember the greatest blessing that ever occurred, the birth of our Lord and Savior.

   St. Paul told the Thessalonians, and us, to rejoice, to pray always, and give thanks.  If we try our best to follow his advice we will be a much happier and joyful people. 

A Babe in a manger.

The Bread of Life.

God in human form.

The Savior of the World. 

   This is why we celebrate; this is where we will find peace and joy.

 The Humility of the Blessed Mother 

   I have always been struck by our Blessed Mother’s visitation with Elizabeth recounted in Luke’s gospel, the mother of God hurrying to help another.  What a beautiful example of the humility and caring we should have in our own lives.

   Elizabeth recognized this fact when she said, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my lord should come to me.”  (Luke 1: 43).  The visit was unexpected, and the Holy Spirit came upon both Elizabeth and the baby in her womb, John the Baptist.

   Mary displayed her humility when she replied, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.  For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness…” (Luke 46 – 47).  No evidence of pride or self-importance, just recognition of the great blessing God had bestowed upon her.

   I’ve read this gospel account many times, but today something new occurred to me.  When Elizabeth greeted Mary she said, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1: 45).  I recalled that when Zechariah was told that Elizabeth would become pregnant, he doubted and was made mute because of those doubts.  Our Blessed Mother never doubted, but replied, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38).

   Mary gave us many examples of how we should live our lives, giving our all to the Lord and His will.  We should strive to follow her example in all we do. 

Lord, help us to live as Mary.

To always seek Your will and never doubt. 

Amen

 The Great Lie 

   “The essence of God is existence, and He defines Himself as: ‘I am Who am.’  The essence of the devil is the lie, and he defines himself as: ‘I am who am not.’” (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, “The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen: 365 days of inspiration by Fulton Sheen”) 

   St. Peter warns us “Your opponent the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).  Those who deny Satan's existence have already been consumed.

   To say the devil doesn’t exist is tantamount to saying that God doesn’t exist.  Perhaps that’s the point.  Someone in denial of God’s existence can’t find God in their life; they don’t even look for Him.  What a useful lie Satan has concocted in convincing so many that he is a myth and not real.

   I think people refuse to acknowledge the existence of Satan because to do so they must also accept that God exists, and if God and Satan exist then good and evil exist.  If good and evil exist then we must recognize that evil should be punished and good praised and rewarded.

   The world is full of lies but this is the greatest.  Other lies can do great harm in this life but if we refuse to acknowledge Satan, and therefore evil, we are refusing the eternal happiness God has planned for each of us.

   Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  That is truth, that is hope, that is salvation. 

Never let us believe the lies of Satan.

You are the truth that saves.

Help us see Your truth always. 

Amen

One With God 

   “Dear Lord, when shall I be completely one with You and entirely forgetful of myself?  You in me and I in You; grant that we may be always so and remain as one forever.” (Thomas à Kempis, “Imitation of Christ”) 

   Life should be lived to obtain oneness with God.  Regardless of what I do in this life, nothing is as important as my relationship with the Lord.

   The only way I know of growing closer to God in my efforts to become one with Him is to love Him above all else.  If there is anything in life that becomes a higher priority than loving God, I have failed.

   At the last supper, as Jesus was preparing His apostles for the reality of His coming passion and death, He said, “In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.  On that day you will realize that I am in the Father and you are in me, and I in you.” (John 14: 19 – 20).  He would no longer be with them in physical form but would be always with them in their hearts.  He promises the same to you and me.

   The world seeks a God they cannot see because they do not look within themselves.  Our Lord did not leave us alone but promised to be with us forever.  All we need to do is believe and look within us and He will be there.

   My greatest desire is to become one with God, to become detached from this world and its’ false promises and hopes.  It is within my grasp to achieve this hope, but only if I trust in God and place myself completely in His hands.  May His will, not mine be done. 

You created me to love You.

Increase my love.

My wish is to be one with You.

Bring me always nearer to You. 

Amen

  

 He Came to Save the World 

   The birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of many promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.  It was, above all, an act of love.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3: 16)

   Like so many things in our spiritual life, we need to see Jesus’ birth through the eyes of a child.  Children don’t ask deep theological questions or doubt what is obvious, they simply accept it.  We adults always want to know the how and why.  The problem is the how and why are not always knowable.

   Why did Jesus come as a baby?  He could have come as a conquering king as the Israelites were hoping.  Instead, He chose to come as a helpless infant.  Why?  The king, the messiah that was expected was not to be the one who would come.  The true King, Jesus would not restore Israel to political and military power but would empower Israel to return to God and obtain forgiveness of their sins.

   He could have surrounded Himself with learned, highly respected religious leaders.  Instead, He chose simple fishermen and sinners as His apostles.  The learned and religious had already made up their mind as to who the Messiah was to be; nothing would change their mind.  The simple listened to Him and believed, even when belief was hard.

   Jesus did not have to suffer His passion, crucifixion, and death.  He could have returned to the Father in a cloud of thunder or a chariot of fire.  But He chose to die on the cross for our sins in order that we might have the opportunity for life eternal.

   As we prepare for His birth, let’s remember that all He did, He did because of His great love.  Let’s accept the reality of Jesus in a childlike manner, give Him all glory and praise, living in His presence in this life and the next. 

You came as a child.

You came to save the world.

Help us to share the truth.

You are the savior of the world. 

Amen

Obligation or Blessing 

   There are plenty of “shall nots” found throughout scripture and in life.  I’ve often wondered how it would be if we focused on the positive rather than the negative.

   “You shall not kill” should be a given.  We should respect life, all life, from conception to natural death.  Life is a gift of God, and it is not up to us to decide who is deserving of that gift.  We shouldn’t have to be told that.

   We shouldn’t need to be told not to commit adultery.  The marital vows we made at the altar were made before God and witnesses.  They do not have an end date but are “until death do us part”.  Our culture instead glorifies adultery and sex of any kind, with anyone.

   There are Holy Days of obligation, reminding us that we are to attend Mass every Sunday and on certain other days of importance in the Church.  Why must they be an obligation?  Shouldn’t we look forward to Mass?  If we are there only because it is an obligation we are there for the wrong reason.  Why do we not seek the Lord at every opportunity?  There should be no need for reminders or obligations.

   There are places in this world where people put their life at risk to attend Mass.  In some places Mass is held in secret out of fear of the persecutions.  We should recognize how blessed we are; we can attend Mass virtually at will.

   Our spiritual life should never be looked at as only an obligation, it should be our greatest desire.  Mass is a time of great joy and blessing.  God is among us; we can feel His presence.  It should be the high point of our life, not an obligation forced upon us. 

My desire is to serve You.

To praise You and give You glory.

Thank You for the joy of the Mass.

The joy of being with You. 

Amen 

 Solitude 

   “Solitude can be very rewarding and full of blessing because in the silence of the inner being one finds God.”  (Fulton J. Sheen) 

   Our Lord often sought solitude during His ministry.  There are several instances in the gospels that speak of Jesus going apart to pray and be with the Father.  After His baptism he went into the desert and remained for forty days.  He went up on the mountain alone for prayer and solitude before naming the twelve apostles.  Finally, He left His apostles to watch and went alone to pray in the Garden of Gethsame.

   Jesus encouraged His apostles to do the same, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Mark 6: 31).  We are encouraged to find solitude as well, “But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matt 6: 6).

   Silence and solitude are important in prayer and, I believe, in most other aspects of life.  How many times have we done something in haste that we later regretted?  Most of those times could have been avoided if we had just taken a few moments in quiet thought before acting.

   In my experience it is in silence that God most often speaks to me.  It is not verbal, but He speaks directly to my heart.  It is in solitude that I grow closer to Him, opening my mind, my heart, and my soul to Him.  My most perfect peace is found in the quiet times spent with my Lord.

   Especially now, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we need to take time, go to a quiet place, and be with the Lord.  To contemplate the sacrifice He made for us and to give Him thanks and glory for all He has done and continues to do. 

Teach us peace through solitude

Be with us in the silence of our hearts.

Come to us, refresh our souls. 

Amen

 What Are We to Do? 

   In the gospel reading at Mass today (Luke 3: 10 – 18), John the Baptist gave advice to those who were coming to him for baptism.  To the crowds he said that those who had two cloaks should give one to another who had none.  He warned the tax collectors to stop collecting more than what was required.  Soldiers were not to practice extortion, or make false accusations, and to be satisfied with their wages.

   What was written then remains relevant today.  We should ask what we are to do.  What changes should be evident in our lives if we are Christian?  There are almost as many answers as there are those who ask.

   God has blessed us, and we should joyfully share those blessings with others.  Whether it be money, time, or material goods, we need to help those in need.  In sharing we not only help others, but we also help ourselves become less attached to worldly goods.

   Society is sick with immorality in so many ways.  We may not be able to change it overnight, but we can allow our faith to be evident in our life.  We can reject the depraved and praise the Godly in everyday life.  We can begin by rejecting the filth the entertainment industry produces, or the lies and deception of the new media.  We can put politicians on notice that we will not vote for those who promote immorality in our society.  Our actions and our way of life are the best means of evangelizing for the Lord. 

   There are many things we can and should do, but do we have the courage to do them?  We won’t be popular with others who seem to believe they are the arbiters of right and wrong.  Even our own families and friends may take offense.  But the true offense is the disrespect shown to our Lord if we refuse to speak up and live the truth. 

What are we to do Lord?

How should we change our life?

Teach us your ways.

Strengthen us to follow them. 

Amen

 A Moral Society 

   “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and very grave their sin!  I must go down and see whether they have done according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.”  (Gen 18: 20 -21) 

   From its’ beginning the United States was a society based on basic moral laws.  That isn’t to say that everyone was a faithful Christian, Jew, or of any other religious faith.  It simply means that most everyone recognized that some things were wrong.  More and more, those moral codes have been abandoned and our nation suffers from the loss.

   Adultery was considered a betrayal of the holy vows between a man and a woman, made before God; vows that were to last “as long as we both shall live.”   Pre-marital sex was hidden in the dark rather than on prime time TV.  Unplanned pregnancy usually resulted in marriage, not abortion.  Today sex is condoned with whomever, whenever and wherever one desires; consequences be damned.  If pregnancy results, just kill the child in the womb and throw them in the trash.

   Everyone knew it was wrong to steal another’s property and to do so resulted in punishment for the crime.  Liars were frowned upon and never to be trusted.  Those who spread rumors about others did so in whispered voices, maybe because they knew that gossip was wrong.

   People could be trusted.  If they made a promise, most kept it, and those who didn’t were avoided.  There was no need for page after page of legal language to ensure each party would perform as intended, people honored their commitments.

   Ronald Reagan once said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom loving people everywhere.”  I fear that beacon is burning very dimly and may be extinguished if we continue down the road to immorality. 

   “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.”  (Gen 19: 24 – 25)

 Rejecting Satan 

   “Prayer and contemplation shut out the temptations of the devil.” (St. Vincent Ferrer)

   Wherever I go, whatever I do, there is Satan.  Temptation is everywhere and growing more and more prevalent as our society continues to devolve into an immoral society.  When sin is the predominant activity in a culture, those who want to avoid sin find it more and more difficult.

   The surest way to thwart Satan and his temptations is to occupy myself with God and His ways, and the best way to do that is through prayer and contemplation.  I once wrote that Satan cringes when we pray, and I believe that to be true.  With my heart and my mind focused on the Lord there is no place left for Satan, he is effectively shut out.

   The problem becomes maintaining that level of involvement with God.  There are so many distractions, so many temptations in life, most originating from the evil one in his effort to draw our attention away from God.  A mind filled with concern about the day-to-day chaos of humanity makes focusing on God much more difficult.

   The devil never rests, so it is up to us to take whatever measures are most effective in our efforts to resist him.  I’ve found that prayer is the best defense when temptation strikes.  It doesn’t take much, a simple “Lord, help me”, or as my Pastor likes to encourage, “Jesus, I love You, possess me” works quite well.

   God wants to make us holy, but we must cooperate with Him.  Resisting temptation, offering all we do as a prayerful gift to God can lead us to the sainthood he desires for each of us.

Temptation is everywhere.

Satan never sleeps.

Give me strength Lord.

Protect me from evil. 

Amen

 A Christmas Walk 

   I try to walk a couple of miles each morning to get my day started.  This time of year, I see many houses with their Christmas decorations on display. 

   Many are quite extensive, yards filled to overflowing with lights and decorations.  There are multiple Santas, reindeer, snowmen, penguins, and other decorations, most of them the inflatable variety.  There will be contests and the “Best Decorated” will be acknowledged by a yard sign and a mention in the community newspaper.  All of this is fine and I’m sure it brings happiness to many.

   The inflatable decorations are usually uninflated and lying flat on the ground during the day, waiting for the air pump to bring them back to life once it gets dark.  I sometimes think this is the way some celebrate Christmas; their remembrance of Christ is deflated and awaiting the Holy Spirit to bring it back to life.

   What I rarely see on my walks are examples of why we really celebrate Christmas.  Nativity scenes are in very short supply and few angels are in evidence.  If music is playing, it’s secular Christmas songs, not the noels of Christmas.  We have essentially removed the reason for Christmas, the birth of our Lord, from the celebration.

   Christmas is to be time of happiness and joy; people can celebrate in whatever way they wish.  But I can’t help but think that many miss out on the true joy of Christmas, the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Let the blessings of Christmas fill us.

Let us rejoice at Your birth.

Send Your Spirit upon us.

Give us the true Spirit of Christmas. 

Amen

 A Simpler Time 

   It is just over two weeks until Christmas.  Decorations are up, kids are excited, and adults are perhaps somewhat exhausted from all the preparations.

   I sometimes wish we could go back to a simpler time, a time when everything wasn’t so rushed and hectic.  We are to celebrate the most important event in the history of the world, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It sometimes seems as if this fact gets lost in what we now call the Christmas season.

   I remember when shopping could not be done on Christmas Eve because the stores were closed.  If you had forgotten anything it would just have to wait until after Christmas.  Thankfully, no one expected the world for Christmas, just a few toys for the kids and something for Mom and Dad.  Now there are Christmas ads for his and her luxury cars with big red bows on top.  Christmas expectations have changed dramatically.

   We have lost simplicity in our lives, and I believe we suffer for that loss.  We no longer take the time to consider why we do things; we just do them because that’s what society says we should do.  But society is the source of most of our woes; society cares for nothing but self and selfish desires.  Christmas is supposed to be a time to set aside such things and remember that we are celebrating the birth of a newborn King. 

   “For, this day, is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you.  You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.” 

   And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: 

   “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.”  (Luke 2: 11 -14)

 In Love with God 

   “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.” (St. Augustine) 

   Anyone who is or has been in a truly sacramental marriage understands what love is meant to be.  Love is not an emotion, although it can be a very emotional experience.  Love is a decision, a choice to put the good of the one we love ahead of ourselves.  Love places no expectations on the one we love; it is not a bargaining tool for favors.  It is kind, it is forgiving, it is eternal.

   Falling in love with God is not difficult.  All that is necessary is to open our hearts and respond to the love He has for us.  However, just as love between a husband and wife can have hard times, so also our love for God.  We can’t know His plans, and sometimes those plans include pain and sorrow.  It can be difficult to accept that whatever happens, God has our best interest in mind.

   To seek God takes time and it takes prayer.  Not just a few minutes in church on Sunday, but every day.  We can never hope to find Him if we aren’t willing to search for Him.  We can find Him in scripture, spiritual reading, and most importantly, prayer.

   Finding God is the ultimate human experience.  He is within us, so if we want to find Him we must look within ourselves.  The small nagging voice we sometimes hear might be God warning us of dangers or urging us to step out of our comfort zone to know Him better.  Once we find Him, we will know the true meaning of love.

I seek You Lord.

I want to find You.

I want to love You.

As You love me.

Amen

 

 

 

 The Love of Christ 

   “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy” (Thomas Merton) 

   As I’ve grown older, as I’ve become more contemplative, as I’ve grown in prayer, I’ve become more and more convinced that the whole of Christianity is found in a simple four letter word – Love.  For love is the path to salvation.

   Love without conditions, love without expectations, love simply because that is what I am asked to do if I am to love God.  It makes no difference whether I may or may not like someone, I am still to love them.  Christ is within them, that is reason enough to love them, no other reason is necessary.    

   Jesus explained it very clearly, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least of my brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25: 40).  If I ignore those in need, I ignore Jesus, in caring of the needs of others, I care for Jesus.  It isn’t important who they are or even how sinful they may have been, I am still to love them.

   Our Lord took on humanity to show us how to live and how to serve our God.  His ministry was, and is, one of love.  Let us never forget that all He did, He did because of His love for you and for me.  He never asked of our worthiness; none of us are worthy of His love but He loves us anyway.  That is the love I am to have for all His children. 

Help me to love Lord.

To see You in all people.

Open my heart.

Fill it with Your love. 

Amen

Waiting for Christmas 

   “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 18: 3, Jerusalem Bible) 

   If we want to experience advent to the fullest we must look to the children.  They might not know what advent means but they know how to look forward to Christmas with great joy.

   We need to remember that joy, the joy we all experienced as little children.  We sat before the Christmas tree wondering what was in the brightly wrapped packages, hoping it was what we had wished for.  We might have sat on Santa’s lap telling of our hoped for gifts.

   We no longer believe in Santa Claus and Christmas has become far too commercialized and degraded by society.  But we can still look forward to it with the same joy and anticipation of a child.  Trusting that it will come offering the gifts of love, forgiveness, and mercy to a sinful world.

   The greatest gift was never placed under a Christmas tree but was laid in a manger.  He was the Son of God, come to give His life for our salvation.  It was appropriate that He be laid in a manger, a feeding trough for animals.  He was and remains the Bread of Life, giving His life for us on the cross, and giving Himself to us at every Mass in the Eucharist.

   There were no toys for Jesus at Christmas but there were gifts.  The gift of an angelic choir singing praise to the newborn King.  The gift of the shepherds as they came to give Him homage.  Kings brought Him gold, for the King of the world; frankincense, incense for the eternal High Priest; and myrrh, an embalming agent for His burial.

   Children know how to anticipate Christmas even if they don’t fully understand its true meaning.  Those of us who do understand can learn from them how to anticipate Christmas and celebrate the greatest gift ever given. 

We celebrate Your coming as our Savior.

We receive You in the Eucharist.

We anticipate Your coming in glory.

Come soon, Lord. 

Amen 

 Christmas Co-opted 

   Secular society has co-opted Christmas.  It’s no longer a holiday (Holy Day) celebrating the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but a means of commercial success and increased wealth for merchants.  Gone is “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays” has become the politically correct season greeting.

   A new holiday called “Black Friday” has been declared and now lasts at least two weeks and even more.  A new special day called “Cyber Monday” has come into being for on-line shoppers and even that has been extended to a weeklong event in many cases.  No one wants to miss the opportunity to dig even more deeply into the wallets of those who insist on finding the absolute perfect gift.

   I have news for all of them.  The perfect gift was the birth of an infant, born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a manger in Bethlehem; a savior for a fallen world.  The angels knew it, the shepherds knew it, and even three foreign kings came to honor the newborn King.

   However, the perfect gift was not without cost.  Jesus suffered rejection from those He came to save, he suffered betrayal, abandonment, and denial by those He had chosen as His inner circle, the twelve apostles.  Finally, He would suffer arrest, scourging, crucifixion, and death.  The gift came at a terrible price and yet the most evil act ever committed resulted in the most perfect gift ever given, salvation and eternal life to those who would believe. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3: 16) 

May we truly celebrate Christmas.

May we give thanks for the birth of our Savior.

May we joyfully proclaim His glory. 

Amen

 Answering God’s Call 

   “Grace will move you only when you want it to move you, and only when you let it move you.” (Bishop Fulton Sheen, “Simple Truths:  Thinking Life Through with Fulton J. Sheen”) 

   God is not an impersonal observer in my life, He is the one who gave me life and desires that I live it to the fullest.  He gives me the means to respond to His love, He gives me His grace.  It is this grace which can lead me to eternal life with Him.

   However, I must respond to the grace He offers.  I must decide to allow His grace to affect my life, to change those things that need changing and to keep those that are of God.  If I don’t cooperate, His grace cannot work the miracle of change within me, and I will never know Him as I should.

   St. Augustine famously said, “Lord, make me pure, but not yet.”  He was not ready to allow God’s grace to work within Him, he still wanted things his own way.  When He finally surrendered to God’s grace he became one of the greatest saints of the Church.  When God’s grace drives our life, miracles happen.

   Quite often God’s grace is a call to be different, to refuse to live as the world lives.  He calls us to truth, making us aware of the lies we may have come to accept in life; lies fostered by the father of lies, Satan.  Lies spread by the agents of Satan who live among us.

   The grace of God is what enables us to reject society and its false gods.  His grace will lead us to the truth and the truth will lead us home. 

You are a generous Father.

You give me grace beyond compare.

Your grace gives strength.

Your grace will lead me home. 

Amen

 Safe Harbor 

   “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11: 28) 

   In a world full of distractions safe harbor can be hard to find.  We are faced with the lures and enticements of the world every day of our life.  Neon signs tell us what we should buy, where we should go and what we should eat.  From the time we wake up in the morning until we close our eyes at night, there are demands made upon us.  Where can we find the rest we so desperately need?

   Jesus tells me very clearly that the rest I seek is in Him.  He will relieve me of my burdens and give me rest.  In a boat tossed about in the chaos of this world Jesus is the safe harbor in which I can let go of the external and rest in the presence of the Lord.

   My safe harbor is a quiet place, a place with no distractions and no demands.  It is within me when I close the doors, shut out the world, and simply be with God.

I’ve only recently come to know the peace and serenity of solitude and silence.  I’ve gone on silent retreats for many years, but a two or three day retreat simply tells me that I need more; more quiet time, more silence, more personal time with God.  Only there can I find rest.  Only there am I truly at home in this world.

In a world full of evil, full of distractions competing for my time, I need a place of safety.  A place where I can go to be reassured that life is not defined by this world but by the world to come.  A safe harbor where I can rest in peace with my Lord. 

In You there is peace.

A peace born of love.

A peace born of mercy.

Let me rest in that peace always. 

Amen