Christ in A Christmas Carol

We would like to have written this ourselves, but another has been so inspired and has done well.

So, on this 7th Day of Christmas, we present you with this from the Magis Center.

A blessed Christmas Season to you. 

Christian Themes in Dickens' A Christmas Carol

It's Not About Marriage

 

Again and again it is mentioned that blessings of sodomites does not affect the Church’s teaching on marriage.  What is ignored that it changes the teaching on Sin, and not limited to sins against the sixth commandment.

The absolute foundation of God's revelation is that:

(1) Creation was good at its inception. 

(2) Creation, including man’s nature and urges were corrupted by the fall.

(3) Man (and creation) is healed by denying man’s will and taking on God’s will as your own. 

Yes, we suffer from a rebellious urge to break the Commandments.  For some it is the commandment against sexual sin, for others it is the commandment against theft. For all it is the commandment to put God first.  

 

Nobody breaks all the commandments. Most people have one or two favorite sins. In that sense there is some good in the thief, adulterer, murderer, etc.  That is the whole point. Redemption is the denial, specifically, of the urges against God, not in taking comfort that you haven’t broken all the commandments.  The Church is about healing your wound, not about celebrating that one leg or arm was not injured in the blast.  The Church does not require perfection. It requires sincere repentance and determination to “deny oneself and take up your cross.”  God’s grace will make up whatever our feeble wills are unable to accomplish.  

 

The blessing of any unrepentant sinner, however informally, removes the principal means of salvation and itself is a grave sin.

 

The Christmas Wood

 

It is night and my eyes are open wide 

Though the light be dim, they see as clear as day

My mind travels far though time

In thoughts of tomorrow and yesterday

I go back to a time of old

To a night so dark and deep 

To the Infant Child who was foretold

The Promise of the Father to keep.

The babe of the manger, the man on the Cross

Born of the wood to save man lost

Man of Israel, God of Earth

Heaven and earth joined by his Birth

Little Babe, answer to man’s imploring

So many hungry, empty hearts to fill

Shepherds, angels and kings adoring  

Love Will reign, Sin be gone, Emmanuel.

The Babe, the gift of life bestowed

As infant, wrapped in clothes so gently

He came to reap what man had sowed

As man, we nailed you to the tree

The babe of the manger, the man on the Cross

Born of the wood to save man lost

Man of Israel, God of Earth

Heaven and earth joined by his Birth

The time is then, the time is now

God of love, Man of sorrowing

At whose name every knee shall bow

Jesus Christ, Savior and King.

You know my tears, you see my need

Man of Israel, God of Earth

Baby Jesus, upon my knee

I ask you for new birth

On this Christmas morn, heed my heart’s call

I pray that you will answer my plea

Today as yesterday, no time at all

Raise us all to heaven’s glory.

The babe of the manger, the man on the Cross

Born of the wood to save man lost

Man of Israel, God of Earth

Heaven and earth joined by his Birth

Laura Yunque

Words from the pit

Satan is a liar, but he is no fool.  His lies always have to be believable.  He lies by using words in a way that they can be misunderstood.  When you use vague words, words with multiple meanings, you leave your listener open to the lies of Satan.  

One such confusion of meaning arises from the use of "tradition".  Of course, traditions change. The tradition of Monday being wash-day was carried for centuries, until the advent of the Washing Machine, making washing far less than a day's worth of work.  This vague, general term "tradition" can mean all types of traditions.  So, when we hear prelates speaking about tradition "changing", "developing", and "reflecting the modern world", our minds automatically give assent. We have been snared in the confusion which Satan seeks.  

But we are not carrying on the habits, customs or traditions 19th Century America or of any particular region or culture.  Those can certainly change.  We aren't even carrying on the traditions of Catholic people.  We are called to carry on the "Apostolic Tradition".  The Apostolic Tradition consists of the customs, principles and practices used by the 11 Apostles and St. Paul to live the instructions they were given by Christ.  The Apostolic Tradition was closed when the last Apostle died.  There can be no more development of or change to Apostolic Tradition. 

Substitute "Apostolic Tradition" in any of the pronouncements we have head recently and clarity will ensue.  Cardinal Wilton Gregory (may God have mercy on his soul) said recently, "Tradition dies slowly and a bloody death."  Needless to say, that was not the case with Monday as Wash-day.  That tradition changed fairly rapidly and involved perhaps a bit of sweat to earn enough to pay for the applicance but no blood.  Did he mean to say, "Apostolic Tradition dies slowly and bloody death?"  If so, he has missed the mark in two ways.  There are many who have indeed shed their blood rather than surrender the Apostolic Tradition and it is Apostolic Tradition which will outlast Cardinal Gregory and withstand even the gates of Hell.  

It is useful to apply that same practice to other vague words:

• "Faith.": There are many "faith traditions" but only one "Apostolic Faith" which stands above all others.    

• "Church": There are many churches.  There are Protestant churches. There is a Conciliar church, a church of the new Advent and even an emerging Synodal church, but there is only one "Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church" which includes none of these. 

• "Magisterium": "Magister" simply means "teacher" in Latin and "Magisterium" is the collection of things taught.  The magisterium of history adds something new with each passing year and archeology can even change what is taught about the past.  The Apostolic Magisterium, by contrast, is the collection of things which the Apostles taught.  That is what the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is responsible for preserving and passing on.  Any personal teaching of this pope or that may be amusing or annoying but if not Apostolic, it is of no importance.  

Each of us must listen carefully for those broad and ambiguous words.  It is the exactness in which truth lies.  That exactness can upend the conclusions based on broad and ambiguous words.  Never trust anyone who uses broad and ambiguous words.  If they lack the wit to speak clearly, you would be witless to listen to them.  If they chose to be vague and ambiguous, they are playing you for a fool.

The Practice of Advent

 

THE PRACTICE OF ADVENT

by Dom Gueranger, 1910

If our holy mother the Church spends the time of Advent in this solemn preparation for the threefold coming of Jesus Christ; if, after the example of the prudent virgins, she keeps her lamp lit ready for the coming of the Bridegroom; we, being her members and her children, ought to enter into her spirit, and apply to ourselves this warning of our Saviour: 'Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands, and ye yourselves be like unto men who wait for their Lord (St. Luke xii. 35, 36. )!' The Church and we have, in reality, the same hopes. Each one of us is, on the part of God, an object of mercy and care, as is the Church herself. If she is the temple of God, it is because she is built of living stones; if she is the bride, it is because she consists of all the souls which are invited to eternal union with God. If it is written that the Saviour hath purchased the Church with His own Blood (Acts xx. 28. ), may not each one of us say of himself those words of St. Paul, 'Christ hath loved me, and hath delivered Himself up for me (Gal. ii. 20.)'? Our destiny being the same, then, as that of the Church, we should endeavour during Advent, to enter into the spirit of preparation, which is, as we have seen, that of the Church herself.

And firstly, it is our duty to join with the saints of the old Law in asking for the Messias, and thus pay the debt which the whole human race owes to the divine mercy. In order to fulfil this duty with fervour, let us go back in thought to those four thousand years, represented by the four weeks of Advent, and reflect on the darkness and crime which filled the world before our Saviour's coming. Let our hearts be filled with lively gratitude towards Him who saved His creature man from death, and who came down from heaven that He might know our miseries by Himself experiencing them, yes, all of them excepting sin. Let us cry to Him with confidence from the depths of our misery; for, notwithstanding His having saved the work of His hands, He still wishes us to beseech Him to save us. Let therefore our desires and our confidence have their free utterance in the ardent supplications of the ancient prophets, which the Church puts on our lips during these days of expectation; let us give our closest attention to the sentiments which they express.

This first duty complied with, we must next turn our minds to the coming which our Saviour wishes to accomplish in our own hearts. It is, as we have seen, a coming full of sweetness and mystery, and a consequence of the first; for the good Shepherd comes not only to visit the flock in general, but He extends His solicitude to each one of the sheep, even to the hundredth which is lost. Now, in order to appreciate the whole of this ineffable mystery, we must remember that, since we can be pleasing to our heavenly Father only inasmuch as He sees within us His Son Jesus Christ, this amiable Saviour deigns to come into each one of us, and transform us, if we will but consent, into Himself, so that henceforth we may live, not we, but He in us. This is, in reality, the one grand aim of the Christian religion, to make man divine through Jesus Christ: it is the task which God has given to His Church to do, and she says to the faithful what St. Paul said to his Galatians: 'My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed within you (Gal. iv. 19.)!'

But as, on His entering into this world, our divine Saviour first showed Himself under the form of a weak Babe, before attaining the fulness of the age of manhood, and this to the end that nothing might be wanting to His sacrifice, so does He intend to do in us; there is to be a progress in His growth within us. Now, it is at the feast of Christmas that He delights to be born in our souls, and that He pours out over the whole Church a grace of being born, to which, however, not all are faithful.

For this glorious solemnity, as often as it comes round, finds three classes of men. The first, and the smallest number, are those who live, in all its plenitude, the life of Jesus who is within them, and aspire incessantly after the increase of this life. The second class of souls is more numerous; they are living, it is true, because Jesus is in them; but they are sick and weakly, because they care not to grow in this divine life; their charity has become cold (Apoc. ii. 4.)! The rest of men make up the third division, and are they that have no part of this life in them, and are dead; for Christ has said : 'I am the Life (St. John xiv. 6.).'

Now, during the season of Advent, our Lord knocks at the door of all men's hearts, at one time so forcibly that they must needs notice Him; at another, so softly that it requires attention to know that Jesus is asking admission. He comes to ask them if they have room for Him, for He wishes to be born in their house. The house indeed is His, for he built it and preserves it; yet He complains that His own refused to receive Him (Ibid. i. 11. ); at least the greater number did. 'But as many as received Him, He gave them power to be made the sons of God, born not of blood, nor of the flesh, but of God (Ibid. 12, 13.).'

He will be born, then, with more beauty and lustre and might than you have hitherto seen in Him, O ye faithful ones, who hold Him within you as your only treasure, and who have long lived no other life than His, shaping your thoughts and works on the model of His. You will feel the necessity of words to suit and express your love; such words as He delights to hear you speak to Him. You will find them in the holy liturgy.

You, who have had Him within you without knowing Him, and have possessed Him without relishing the sweetness of His presence, open your hearts to welcome Him, this time, with more care and love. He repeats His visit of this year with an untiring tenderness; He has forgotten your past slights; He would 'that all things be new (Apoc. xxi. 5. ).' Make room for the divine Infant, for He desires to grow within your soul. The time of His coming is close at hand : let your heart, then, be on the watch; and lest you should slumber when He arrives, watch and pray, yea, sing. The words of the liturgy are intended also for your use : they speak of darkness, which only God can enlighten; of wounds, which only His mercy can heal; of a faintness, which can be braced only by His divine energy.

And you, Christians, for whom the good tidings are as things that are not, because you are dead in sin, lo! He who is very life is coming among you. Yes, whether this death of sin has held you as its slave for long years, or has but freshly inflicted on you the wound which made you its victim, Jesus, your Life, is coming: 'why, then, will you die? He desireth not the death of the sinner, but rather that he be converted and live (Ezechiel xviii. 31, 32. ).' The grand feast of His birth will be a day of mercy for the whole world; at least, for all who will give Him admission into their hearts: they will rise to life again in Him, their past life will be destroyed, and where sin abounded, there grace will more abound (Rom. v. 20.).

But, if the tenderness and the attractiveness of this mysterious coming make no impression on you, because your heart is too weighed down to be able to rise to confidence, and because, having so long drunk sin like water, you know not what it is to long with love for the caresses of a Father whom you have slighted--then turn your thoughts to that other coming, which is full of terror, and is to follow the silent one of grace that is now offered. Think within yourselves, how this earth of ours will tremble at the approach of the dread Judge; how the heavens will flee from before His face, and fold up as a book (Apoc. vi. 14. ); how man will wince under His angry look; how the creature will wither away with fear, as the two-edged sword, which comes from the mouth of his Creator (Ibid. i. 16. ), pierces him; and how sinners will cry out, 'Ye mountains, fall on us! ye rocks, cover us (St. Luke xxiii. 30.)!' Those unhappy souls who would not know the time of their visitation (Ibid. xix. 44. ), shall then vainly wish to hide themselves from the face of Jesus. They shut their hearts against this Man-God, who, in His excessive love for them, wept over them: therefore, on the day of judgment they will descend alive into those everlasting fires, whose flame devoureth the earth with her increase, and burneth the foundations of the mountains (Deut. xxxii. 22. ). The worm that never dieth (St. Mark ix. 43.), the useless eternal repentance, will gnaw them for ever.

Let those, then, who are not touched by the tidings of the coming of the heavenly Physician and the good Shepherd who giveth His life for His sheep, meditate during Advent on the awful yet certain truth, that so many render the redemption unavailable to themselves by refusing to co-operate in their own salvation. They may treat the Child who is to be born with disdain (Is. ix. 6.); but He is also the mighty God, and do they think they can withstand Him on that day, when He is to come, not to save, as now, but to judge? Would that they knew more of this divine Judge, before whom the very saints tremble! Let these, also, use the liturgy of this season, and they will there learn how much He is to be feared by sinners.

We would not imply by this that only sinners need to fear; no, every Christian ought to fear. Fear, when there is no nobler sentiment with it, makes man a slave; when it accompanies love, it is a feeling which fills the heart of a child who has offended his father, yet seeks for pardon; when, at length, love casteth out fear (St. John iv. 18. ), even then this holy fear will sometimes come, and, like a flash of lightning, pervade the deepest recesses of the soul. It does the soul good. She wakes up afresh to a keener sense of her own misery and of the unmerited mercy of her Redeemer. Let no one, therefore, think that he may safely pass his Advent without taking any share in the holy fear which animates the Church. She, though so beloved by God, prays to Him to give her this fear; and every day, in her Office of Sext, she thus cries out to Him: 'Pierce my flesh with Thy fear.' It is, however, to those who are beginning a good life, that this part of the Advent liturgy will be peculiarly serviceable.

It is evident, from what we have said, that Advent is a season specially devoted to the exercises of what is called the purgative life, which is implied in that expression of St. John, so continually repeated by the Church during this holy time: Prepare ye the way of the Lord! Let all, therefore, strive earnestly to make straight the path by which Jesus will enter into their souls. Let the just, agreeably to the teaching of the apostle, forget the things that are behind (Phil. iii. 13.), and labour to acquire fresh merit. Let sinners begin at once and break the chains which now enslave them. Let them give up those bad habits which they have contracted. Let them weaken the flesh, and enter upon the hard work of subjecting it to the spirit. Let them, above all things, pray with the Church. And when our Lord comes, they may hope that He will not pass them by, but that He will enter and dwell within them; for He spoke of all when He said these words: 'Behold I stand at the gate and knock: if any man shall hear My voice and open to Me the door, I will come in unto him (Apoc. iii. 20).'

Hearing Love's Song

Hearing is one of the great joys of this life and while there are an infinitesimal number of sounds one can hear, none has quite the impact as the sound of a loved one's voice.

The sound of your newborn baby as she is born; hearing mom's voice calling to you when you were lost; the sound of your beloved's voice as he asks you to marry him.  

I'll never forget hearing the sound of my father's voice over the phone after not having heard it in 30 years.  I had put his voice out of my mind in trying to get beyond the hurt of losing him.  Yet, when I heard it again, it was both familiar and new, sending my heart soaring in bittersweet joy.  I'll never forget it and now that he has entered into Eternity (Eternal rest, grant to Him, O Lord and may perpetual Light shine upon him), I stop and "listen" again to remember, hope and look forward...

The human voice is the resonance of the soul as it passes over and through the linguistic terrain of the throat and mouth.  In this breath, the inner life of the person is expressed, revealing that which cannot be seen, nonetheless moving and shaping the world around us.  Its range, depth, subtleties, and tones move the soul as the moon moves the seas.  Most profoundly, it was The Word spoken by God through Whom all things came to be.  The Word echoed through nothingness and brought forth life.  Such sublime discourse!  

In all of Creation, there is no single voice like that of Our Lady.  She who was created Immaculate, never subject to sin or the snares of the devil, growing in virtue and holiness with each passing day, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, the Mother of God, the most beautiful and highest of all in the created world and The Queen of Heaven....how sweet, how precious, how tender and pure must be the sound of Her!  So much so, that John the Baptist leapt in his mother's womb upon hearing her greet Elizabeth!  The Heart created and kept pure from any hint of sin or human imperfection, united with the Sacred Heart of Her Son and Her God, what Its song must be!  So full of the Love of God and The Mother of God's love - reflecting the glory of God most perfectly.  One cannot imagine such beauty, surpassing that of the angels' heavenly song, particularly in Her Fiat - "I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Be it done to me according to Thy Word,"

Was there ever a more beautiful sound from all Creation than the sound of the Immaculate Heart of Mary echoing the Sacred Heart of Her Son, Jesus Christ in complete unity, purity and charity? 

No lark or sparrow could sing such a sweet song as She.  

Morning Bird

No Streisand or Callas could ever hit such a high note!

Callas High Notes

No other voice could ever convey the hope of all mankind as that of Our Mother.

It is Her Voice which I long to hear, now and at the hour of my death for I know if She is with me, I will see the face of God and live. 

Ave Maria (Bach)

Creatures of Habit

Most days, our lives are generally the same. Each day is woven together by a string of the routine and familiar. We set our alarm clocks to awaken at the same time, hit the snooze alarm the same number of times, get up out of bed on the same side, have the same breakfast each morning, catch the same train each morning, see the same faces who are following their same routines.

 

We are creatures of habit and it ain't pretty when things don't go the way they are "supposed" to go.  You know what life is like when your spouse gets up on the wrong side of the bed or when you just miss the 6:11 train or when the coffee cart isn’t there on the corner like it normally is!

 

There is something good about routines and habits. They help us make some sense of the chaotic, keep us moving in a good and orderly way, meet expectations and responsibilities and in our own little corners of the world way, give us a sense of control. Yet because we are fallen, even the good stuff can get, well, messed up. This can happen in extreme ways, such as obsessive-compulsive disorders in which the sufferer is compelled to wash her hands 20 times a day or must wear the color red at all times or someone must go to the gym every day and exercise for 3 hours, without fail. My own mother, out of fear of living alone with her small children, would patrol the house nightly to ensure that all of the windows and doors were locked and secured, not once, or twice, or even three times. She would do so all night long. The operative word here is “fear.”

  

Let’s face it: this isn’t a safe world. We need not read the terrible headlines screaming on the front pages to know that. Most accidents happen at home, which is considered by most to be the safest place on earth, a refuge from the cold, cruel world. Even Paradise wasn’t safe.  How could that be? After all, it was Paradise.  Yet, trouble walked in (or slithered in) and life hasn't been the same since.  Despite the most orderly 6-days of Creation, each element Creation coming into existence through the Word step by step, day by day, chaos and disaster were right around the corner and at the feet of Adam and Eve. No, this world has never been a safe place. And when our primordial parents made the choice to take that bite, we became all too familiar with fear.

 

Did you know that in The Bible. we are told don't not fear over 360+ times. That's quite a bit! In fact, we are given this direction even more than we are told to love!

   

How can this be? Are we not told that God is Love and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves? Isn't the life of the Christian one of sacrificial love? Well, of course. John tells us that: "In this is love: not that we have loved, but that God has loved us." We are also reminded by Jeremiah, "even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you." Yet, the Bible speaks more to us about relinquishing fear than of loving!

 

Let us consider the moment of the Anunciation, when the angel Gabriel comes to Mary: "Hail, full of grace...." She is then told to "have no fear" for the Lord had found favor with Her and he then spoke the words of what God had intended for Her: the conception and Virgin Birth of Emmanuel - God is With Us! In such a case, fear would be absolutely valid, indeed. Angels are beings from a higher spiritual plane and are brilliant and mighty.  Yet, it was not the angel or its presence, but the words spoken which troubled her.  We are told The Lord had His Eye on Her and He wanted Her to do something. I don't know about you, but I would have some anxiety about this. Yet, had She remained in that fear, would She have been able to say the most amazing words ever uttered by a creature, "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word?" Mary heard the message that the Lord was with Her and She believed, She trusted, She wholeheartedly gave Herself to the Will of God. She looked not to Herself, but to the Lord through the words of His messenger and as a result, She conceived the Word Incarnate; Her body was literally inhabited by Love Himself.   Profundity and fecundity sublime! 

 

Fear, particularly in the form of worry and anxiety, is fostered when we look to ourselves for the answers, when we think we are in control of our world. As in the case of Adam and Eve, fear arose in them after they had eaten the fruit for they had looked to themselves rather than God for the answers.  This emotion (and many other terrible things) entered into the world as a direct result of doing just that. And then what did they do? They hid from Love Itself and then started pointing fingers at each other. They could not love for they had not first turned to God Who is Love.

 

Our Lord experienced this fear on our behalf during His Passion for He took on our sins and all of its awful wages. Yet, He did not look to Himself, but rather the Father to Whom He was obedient, even unto death, trusting at the moment of His death that He would be received into the Father's Hands. Even though His life looked like a complete failure to the world, He knew that life in the Father's Hands would bear much fruit. In this case, the salvation of all those who accept Him. It is through this Trust that salvation was won.

   

In this world filled with wars, rumors of wars, stress, debt, betrayal, illness and all other kind of human suffering, the question we must ask ourselves is, Whose hands are we going to put ourselves into? Will we look to ourselves for the answers? Will we handle it on our own and make our own choices? We are doing an awful lot of that and yet nothing is getting any better.  Rather, we find ourselves following our first parents in our choices and habits, even though they are a recipe for sorrow. 

Instead, we must cast ourselves at the feet of Our Lord on the Cross and in the arms of Our Lady of Sorrows Who, through obedience, love and trust, brought about the salvation of all those who will follow. 

Such is a habit worth forming.   

 

Consider how you might place your life in God's Hands and weave reliance on the Father into the fabric of your everyday life.  For those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose, even if you miss the 6:11!

Surprised by Sin

Sin has a way of sneaking up on you when you aren't looking.   There you are, going along without any temptation in sight or in mind, and then all of us sudden, without realizing it is happening or being able to catch yourself, you have just broken God's Law:   sudden impatience with recalcitrant child, stunning rage at another driver cutting you off, wishing the ladies at the salon "Happy Holidays."   Each time such occurs, I am left dumbfounded and deeply saddened:  I did it again.

Such moments come up unexpectedly.   I do not plan these things to happen.  On the contrary, I pray and work so that they don't.  Yet, seemingly out of the blue, I do the very thing again and am flummoxed. 

These events often seem to follow immediately after a burst of emotion of some kind, either positive or negative.  I get a rush of fear when nearly cut off on the road. The next thing I know, I am yelling at the driver instead of thanking my guardian angel for his help;  I am tired and desire rest and snap at the ailing family member for wanting more tissue instead of attending to the request with resignation if not warmth; I am feeling energetic and happy and say something which obfuscates the Truth of Jesus, all in the name of "sharing the love," forgetting Love Himself.

When these unfortunate moments occur, they demonstrate that all is not well within.   I believe it was CS Lewis who said that you can tell the state of one's inner life by seeing how the person reacts when approached in surprise.   The sudden and unexpected reveal the truth of what is going on within because the person does not have the opportunity in the moment to reflect upon the matter and control the reaction.  What is being revealed is the unfiltered state of one's soul...unfiltered, unedited muck.

Frankly, I find these moments most difficult in the spiritual life and I must fight off becoming disheartened when they occur. for they rear their ugly heads without warning - or so it seems.    In spite of my best efforts - prayer, penance, acts of charity, these moments of weakness and sin occur even seemingly without full consent.   It all happens so.... naturally, almost as if it is the real me.  And, in a certain sense, it is.

Scripture and Tradition bear witness to it. 

St. Paul bemoans the war in our members:   "For that which I work, I understand not. For I do not that good which I will: but the evil which I hate, that I do.If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law, that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it: but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will is present with me: but to accomplish that which is good, I find not. For the good which I will, I do not: but the evil which I will not, that I do. Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it: but sin that dwelleth in me.   Romans 7:15-20

But weren't we made in the image and likeness of God?  Yes and we still are.  We and all of Creation were made for God Who is Truth. Nothing exists without Him.  All in Creation is to reflect this Truth for all was created by God for God.  Being created by God, all things are to work according to His Plan and having been made in His Image and Likeness, our intellect, memories and will are to reflect Him.  However, when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, they rejected Truth; they chose to be outside of God's Love and Providence, to be "free" to choose as they desired. Rejecting Him and choosing to live outside of Him, they rendered themselves, objectively and in justice, unlovable and undesirable to God for He cannot love that which is not of Him; They placed themselves outside of God, alone with themselves and fallen prey to Fallen One. This too was our fate as well; to work by the sweat of our brow, bring forth children in pain and desire to control one another.  

Yet, in His Goodness and Mercy, God leaves us not alone with our natural original sin-stained selves.  Knowing that it is not good for man to be alone (without Him), He sent His Son to atone for the sin of Adam and Eve (and all sin) and to give all those who will follow Him a new life through sanctifying grace which is given to us in the Sacraments of The Church.  In the Sacrament of Baptism, this sanctifying grace - His very Life - is infused into the soul and gives to the soul the gifts of the Holy Ghost; a stable and supernatural disposition which perfects the soul and enables the soul to live with God and act in His Love.  The stain of Original Sin is removed and the bond with Satan is broken. The soul now is a child of the One God, the Blessed Trinity. 

Yet, the "memory" of the original bond still remains; the affinity to sin is retained and our human nature is weakened.  Over the course of its lifespan, the child of God must consciously and actively reject Satan and choose God; to reject evil and choose Good, for though have been redeemed by the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, we need to engage in the battle of the "war within the members."   

This "war" is no less than following Jesus' admonition, And He said to all: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." - Luke 9:23  That is, to do what does not come naturally, but to follow the Via Dolorosa of Jesus Christ. To follow Jesus is to be in direct contradiction with that which my members, my emotions, my surprised self would choose to do.  Oh yes, a magic potion would be so much easier and quicker, but because we are to follow Jesus, the New Adam, re-creation of the soul and body involves work and pain, blood, sweat and tears "For the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent bear it away." - Matthew 11:12  Such is the only means to salvation. Eternal Life is only for those who not only assent with the lips, but with the heart, mind and soul.  Everything must be surrendered to Christ; all that I am in every instant.  It is Jesus to Whom I must give way; to do it His Way and not my own.  I must root out that which is not of Him and in doing so, give greater room for sanctifying grace, His very Life. To put to death all that is of Adam.  How?  Oh, it all seems impossible and yet  who can resist Our Lord: "Come to me all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: And you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light )Matthew 11:28-30) 

These are not mere words, but those spoken by Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity Who is The Word through Whom all has been created.   The Eternal Word holds everything in existence and comes to save His Creation from the slavery of sin and our sudden selves, our passions and proclivities, by becoming The Word Incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  God Himself joins to fallen mankind by taking on human flesh, knowing all that which we suffer and like us in all things save sin.  He came not to live, but to die to atone for us and open the Gates of Paradise which had been locked of thousands of years before.

The Word became Flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin - Emmanuel - and offered Himself to the Father to atone for our sins, but He didn't stop there.  No - it wasn't enough for Him.  In His most profound and gratuitous Love, He becomes Incarnate at every Catholic Mass, using bread and wine which He has given us, and through the Word, His Word, spoken by His priest, He once again Dwells among us in the Blessed Sacrament.  Each time we receive Holy Communion, we literally take Him into ourselves, into the very depths of our being, our inmost self, the self that we are not even aware of - the sudden self.  

The Lord of All, The Word Incarnate, comes to dwell, not only with us, but literally within us through Holy Communion. 2,000 years ago, The Savior was born in the silence of night in a cave, surrounded by lowly animals, unknown to the world with the exception of shepherds, and far-off magi.  At Holy Communion, He comes again to dwell, but this time, first within the hands of His priest and then within the deepest, darkest unknown regions of our beings, His lowly creatures Whom He has redeemed and desires to Save.  He descends from Heaven again and again to save us, making present to us His Sacrifice on Calvary and giving to us, in Holy Communion, His very life.  Deep within, we are united God Himself.  He gives to us His Very Self - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity and makes all things new for those who turn away from sin and trust in Him.  He gives us His Body and Blood to feast upon and infuses in our souls His very life - His Soul and Divinity. Fully and Truly Present in The Blessed Sacrament and within us.  In Holy Communion, Jesus goes to where no one else can go and that is to my very essence, to the sudden self by whom I am often caught off guard and leaves me discouraged.    He knew me in my mother's and in Holy Communion, heals, strengthens and transforms this hidden self into His Very Self.  He asks only that I trust and follow.    When I receive Holy Communion, I surrender everything to Jesus.  As He gives me everything, His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, I give to Him my very self, all that I am.    It is Jesus to Whom I give way; to do it His Way and not my own; giving Him free reign over my life in that moment of Holy Communion and always; He will root out that which is not of Him and in doing so, give greater room for sanctifying grace, His very Life so long as I cooperate with His grace and follow; to put to death all that is of Adam and become new creations in Jesus Christ, being readied for the Heavenly Kingdom.  

Knowing this, how can I be discouraged, even at my sudden self?  We have a Savior Who has provided everything we need through His Church to overcome all things in Him, most incredibly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Holy Communion.  

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

A blessed Thanksgiving to you.  

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, cleanse me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Separated from You never let me be.
From the malicious Enemy, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
and bid me to Your side,
That together with Your angels and saints I may praise You
For ever and ever. Amen.

Anima Christi

   

A Thorny Issue

It was a beautiful mid-July day, a bit less humid than usual and so I impulsively decided that it was a day to do the things that I had been putting off....power-washing the exterior of the house and cleaning the dreaded windows!

After that was accomplished, I felt energized and went on to do some weeding.  There were two 4-ft tall stalks growing along the side of the house and every morning as I look outside the kitchen window, I see them, taunting me.   If I let them be,  I am convinced that eventually a boy named Jack would appear and decide to climb them.  So, again impulsively, I  decide to hack at them, armed with the kitchen scissors.  The right tools make all the difference....anyway, I encountered another type of growth which I didn't expect nor realized was present: brambles replete with thorns.  

In typical fashion, I started to go after them unprepared - this time, without any gloves (those who take on projects impulsively rarely are armed appropriately) and those thorns did what they were made to do:  they stopped me in my tracks.   Ok, I wasn't giving up and now armed with protective gloves and the kitchen scissors, I began the pruning process.  Despite wearing thorn-fighting gear and renewed caution, I found myself completely caught up in the thorns and various parts of my body being impaled on the small yet ferocious probes.  I was trapped and in pain.....and as I breathed in deep breaths of shock, all I could think about, other than my stupidity, was our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Call me crazy, but thorns always lead me to think of Christ.

His Passion - from the sublime fear of the Garden Gethsemane to the brutal scourging to His Walk on the Via Dolorosa to the Crucifixion and Death - is indelibly etched in the Christian mind.  It is through His Passion and His Resurrection on the third day that Jesus Christ, the Son of the God, the Lamb of God, saved those who know and love Him from sin and death.   Protestants recount this upon Bible readings and at Sunday services.  Catholics, in particular, remember and re-present His Sacrifice through the Mass where we are spiritually yet very concretely brought back to Cavalry to stand at the foot of the Cross.    Yet, despite what is actually taking place there, we can very much lose touch or become desensitized to the gravity of what our Lord underwent to secure for us eternity with Him, His incredible charity and mercy.    "This is My Body and Blood given up for you" recall His Passion and bring the Mass goers back to Golgotha.  Yet, many fail to comprehend the gravity of those words - the incomprehensible Sacrifice offered by God Himself -  and so much is lost.   Yet, all is not lost forever if we only but remember.

As a thorn pushed its way into my thumb, the suddenness and intensity of the pain rendered me unable to breathe.   Then another into my thigh.   Man, I was in trouble.  Fortunately, I was able to remain calm and work my way out of the sticky situation.

Once freed and recovered, I stood back and looked at the barbed wire.  Thoughts came to me of the ram on Mount Moriah, caught in the brambles; the sacrifice which God had provided to Abraham in place of Isaac.  That ram and Isaac, forever bound as  prefigurements of the Son Who is the Lamb of Sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

The Lamb of Sacrifice, the Lamb of God - the Crown He wore was not one of gold or evergreens, but of thorns, pressed down into his skull, in mockery and cruelty.  Suffering beyond comprehension.  Yet, unlike me who cursed and swore and did all I could to get out of the pain, He endured silently like a sheep being led to the slaughter, He Who alone is the Holy One.  He Who could call upon a legion of angels to defend Him (and, if human beings wrote this story, you know they would and kick some butt, too!), did not - no.  He through Whom all things were made placed Himself in the hands of His creation, from His Conception and Birth to His Passion and Death.  Imagine, that the instruments of His Death were members of His Creation!  Yet, instead of cursing and condemning, He implored from the Cross, "Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do!"   Stories of ancient nomads - oh give me a break.

Evening arrived, all of the gardening was done and I felt the stings and pangs from my interlude with the thorns.  None of them were terribly deep and so would not likely scar and there is always cocoa butter just in case.  In a few days, these nicks would heal and be forgotten, no longer a part of me.  Yet, Jesus Glorified retains His Wounds.  So real and vibrant are they that Thomas could put his hand in Jesus' side and exclaim, "My Lord and my God!"   Have you ever considered that Jesus  - the Son of God - is the only one in Heaven who will retain His Wounds?  In His magnificent justice and mercy, He retains them so that we can know and recognize Him as the Truth; that He will eternally be the Union of Heaven and earth, of God and man.   And God doesn't love us?

     

St. Paul tells us that we can know God through His creation.  We look around and see its magnificence and words of the hymn come to mind, "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works Thy Hands have made.  I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed...How great Thou Art!"   Yet, there are more to St. Paul's words. Since it is through Christ that all of creation has come into being, we must see our individual life and its ups and downs in light of Him.  All of creation thereby takes on a new meaning, a renewed and eternal purpose.  By Jesus, the Son of God, becoming Man, He joins Heaven and Earth, God and man.   With His Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension (Glorified Jesus enters Heaven), we are now a new creation for He is the New Man that we are all called to be through Him.  I live this new life through worship and obedience to His Will for my life and by caring for all those whom I encounter. I see my life through His Life and even the seemingly most insignificant experiences are renewed.  Everything is an opportunity to encounter the Risen Christ.

Even getting caught up in thorns.

O Sacred Head Surrounded

How Wonderful is Your Life?

Thanksgiving is just two weeks ago and we stand on the precipice of what is commonly known as the holiday season, replete with all the cultural contributions and contrivances.   One of the better ones which emanated post WWII is the well-loved movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." To recap, it is the story of George Bailey, a man with dreams of travel and adventure who, step by step, puts his dreams on hold for the sake of others. Instead of “shaking the dust of this crummy old' town” (Bedford Falls), he marries Mary (“the kind who will help you find the answers”),settles down to raise a family and help keep the Building Saving and Loan afloat and out of the hands of wicked and ruthless Mr. Potter. He falls upon misfortune and he comes to the end of his rope, contemplates suicide and wishes he was never born. An angel-in-training is sent to help George understand just how vitally important his life was and how drastically different the lives around would have turned out without him. 

Yes, it is the stuff of great movie. Interestingly, the movie was not a box office success nor critically acclaimed. Director Frank Capra has stated that he made this movie for the downtrodden of life....for those who felt overlooked and worthless....the unseen, unwanted and forgotten.
 
George Bailey is given a blessing beyond blessings...to see what life would be like without him. Have you ever considered what life would be like without you?  I know I have had moments when I would just “die”.   At these moments, I really don’t want to die, I just don’t want to face whatever challenge or failure that is in front of me.   But what George asks for is something altogether different.  If you try to think about it, I think you will find that it isn't something we can really imagine for ourselves, at least not in its fullest sense. Like George, our vision is myopic. We see only from one perspective and whether we are in trouble or experiencing success, we really cannot fully know it unless we share it with others.  In fact, it is through the lives of others that George sees just why he was here and how all those choices he made impacted those around him and ultimately the future of Bedford Falls.
 
The interesting wish that George makes is that he wishes he was never born. Never born.  Here in the United States, over 60 million people have "never been born" since 1973. And the ending of these lives goes on largely unseen, done in clinics with the words "women's health" hung in the window. These 60 million+ are unwanted by their mothers or fathers. They have no names, no burial plots, no death certificates. How could they? They are the never born! They are therefore forgotten. Unseen, unwanted, unknown, forgotten, people. Hmmm, where have I heard these words before?
 
We cannot know with the great detail as was granted to George Bailey what impact these never born people would have had on society through their individual lives. Yet, we can know how their never-born status has had on the lives around them and at large. The voices of "Silent No More" will again be heard on the steps of outside of the Supreme Court this coming January, after the March for Life. These are the cries of women and men - mothers and fathers - who have suffered profoundly from abortion. The memory of their actions haunts them day after day. You cannot forget your abortion, the blood on your hands. Science tells us that after an abortion, fetal cells travel throughout the mother's bloodstream. (Lifesite.com).   

George Bailey’s dreams of travel to distant lands and making millions of dollars are never realized.   He chooses to remain, to assist, to give up, to attend, to work.   He sees his father’s battles with Potter from the time he was a boy and he carried it with him.  He saw the people of the town and felt the stories of their lives and wanted very much to help them realize their dreams, albeit much smaller than George’s!   In doing so, George lived and felt very deeply the humanity around him, and he lays down his life (sometimes begrudgingly) to provide hope.   George lets go of his fantasies and dreams of “more” and  he lives a life that is far more alive than he can imagine.  Painfully alive.   This is why it is such a wonderful life – not that it is all hearts and flowers and sunshine; not that there is wealth; heck, not even that we have friends; but that we human beings have the capacity and fullness of being through our Heavenly Father that we can both receive and give love; inasmuch as we do so, we become more and more like our Heavenly Father, we become more alive.  Painfully alive. 

So many people believe that having a baby will “ruin” their lives:  their dreams will be lost, their beautiful bodies marred, career goals put on hold, less money.  They believe that by not having another child, they will be happy, they will have….  Our culture tells us this constantly.   We must have, we must achieve our goals, must be successful.  We are constantly looking to go over the rainbow.  Yet, even Dorothy finds that her happiness is right in front of her and as the result of her wanderings and myopia, she nearly loses those around her and is herself nearly killed.   Stop and think about your life. What has made moments in it so memorable, worthwhile, heck even wonderful?   Guaranteed these moments involved someone you loved; moments in which you forgot about yourself and your dreams and demonstrated true love – compassion (to suffer with) – towards another.   These are the moments in which we are truly living, we are most alive, we are fully human.  Consider the words of our Savior, Jesus Christ, “He who seeks his life will lose it; he loses his life for my sake, will find it.”  “I came that they might have life and have it in abundance.”

The ultimate tragedy of abortion, I believe, is the lie it keeps on telling women, men, society at large.   The lie that if I “terminate this ball of tissue,” I will be happy.  I will find fulfillment.  I will be ok and no one will be hurt by it.   It perpetuates a state of disillusionment and detaches us from the reality of what it means to be a human being.   To be human is to love (for we are made by Love in Love to Love for Love) and to love, as our Lord Jesus Christ, shows us, is to lay down one’s life for others.   Anything else is contrary to love, contrary to what it means to be human.

And so our friend, George Bailey, sees what his life is all about – love of others – and he is saved and all because of a bumbling angel-in-training, Clarence, who cares enough to take a risk and dive in (literally).  He isn’t quite sure how or what he is going to do, but he listens to George, stays with him and step by step leads him to the Truth.  

We pray for all those who have suffered as a result of abortion, directly or indirectly.   In and through Jesus, there is forgiveness, hope and healing.      May there be more Clarences, who, though stumbling and bumbling, have the purity of heart to help shine light on the darkness that is “pro-choice.”    And for those little discarded ones, our Lord’s promise: “If even a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.”

PS:  Frank Capra got it wrong at the end of this most wonderful movie.  The message from Clarence should have read, "No man is a failure who lays down his life for the sake of others."

I've Got Song in My Heart....

In the Book of Psalms, there are 150 individual "songs of praise" of which the majority are attributed to King David whom Sacred Scripture refers to as the "sweet singer of Israel" (2 Kings 23:1).

The Book of Psalms is the most widely-read Book of the Bible and it is no wonder:  filled with intense cries to God, the Psalms express the vast horizon of human experience and emotions, from fear to joy, desolation to fulfillment, despair to hope, failure to success, wantonness to holiness, death to life. They were (and continue to be) used by The Church extensively in prayer and praise, as well as for instruction and understanding of The Lord.

Jesus Himself prayed the Psalms.  In fact, Scripture records that, of all of the Old Testament, it is the Psalms that Jesus quotes most often - 11 times (followed by Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Exodus, in that order); arguably, most notably and palpably from the Cross, He quotes (Douay Rheims) Psalm 21:1:  "My God, my God, why have Your forsaken me?"   It is the tradition of the Church that He cried out not only these words, but the entire Psalm as He endured His Most Sorrowful Passion. 

In those times, a rabbi was only as good as his teacher and as such, would refer to him when giving a lesson. It was never on his own authority that the teacher would speak.   However, when Jesus spoke the Word, He did so with such authority as had never been heard previously (see Luke 4:16-30 and Mark 1:21-28).  He referred to no other authority except His Father in Heaven. 

After all, Jesus is The Word Made Flesh. 

"In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through Him, all things came into being; not one thing came into being except through Him.

What has come into being in Him was life, life that was the light of men,

And light shines in the darkness and darkness could not overpower it."  - John 1:1-5

It would do us well to meditate on the power and majesty of The Word Made Flesh reading/praying The Word!  It is no wonder the demons would tremble at the sight of Him; that the raging seas would calm; that the deaf would hear, the blind would see, the lame would walk.   

Of all of the Psalms, there is likely none more beloved than Psalm 22 (Douay-Rheims):

"The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want!

He makes me lie down in green meadows;

He leads be besides restful waters, He refreshes my soul.

He leads me along the path of righteousness for His name sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil

For you are beside me.

Your rod and staff comfort me.

You set a table before me in the sight of my foes,

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life

And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever!"

It is no wonder why this Psalm is so beloved. Its rich and earthy imagery rises into a crescendo of faithful and trusting thanksgiving which both stirs and stills the soul...leading one to sing a song of praise!  Psalm 22 is often prayed in times of trouble for it reveals the saving Hand of God, The Good Shepherd who cares for His flock and will leave the 99 in search of the one lost sheep, the bounty of His love and intense interest and care for His little ones.

Though not recorded in Scripture, it is certain that our Lord prayed this Psalm.  Reflect for a moment on our Lord "singing" this Psalm during His Agony at Gethsemane...."You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows"  or as He bore the Cross unto Calvary..."Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.." or as He hung on the Cross..."You set a table before me in the sight of my foes..."   These very words written by Him and through Him as The Word, now prayed by Him as The Word Made Flesh, the God-man, both God and man....like us in every way, except sin and yet Divine, during His Passion.  Again, another point of contemplation and meditation.  

The reality of our Lord is beyond our comprehension and yet as the Baltimore Catechism tells us, we are given this wonderful gift of life "to "know, love and serve God."  To know Him is to love Him;  to love Him is to serve Him; to serve Him is to know and love Him.  In praying the prayers written by The Word, the songs of praise which He not only wrote but prayed and sang, we are given a most excellent way in coming to know Jesus Christ and when we pray, when we sing, we do so in unity as The Body of Christ, together in through and with Him and all who believe.  

Many inspired and lovely hymns have been written based upon the Psalms.  I include one selection here based on Psalm 22. 

The song of the lips is most lovely when it is first a song in the heart.  In praying the Psalms and hearing the Word of God, I pray that the music of your heart may be stirred, igniting the deep desire which has been placed within each of us for our Almighty and Eternal God. 

How awesome is it that the Creator of the human heart has also given us the words and means with which to stir and enflame it with love for Him, the Author of the human heart!

It just makes me want to sing!

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

I've Got My Head in the Clouds

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us, and persevere in the running the race that lies before us." - Hebrews 12:1

When the leaves change hue and the pumpkins abound, Catholics know that it will soon be November 1st, the day the Church celebrates all those tested and faithful men and women who have gone before us, the countless souls who "have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."   -  Revelation 7:9

These are the everyday people, those recognized officially by the Church as Saints and those countless people who have not been officially recognized but are known by God to have loved Him and served Him during their earthly lives. Coming from all walks of life, societal position, nationality and race, they lived lives of faith, hope and charity in spite of personal circumstances, sinfulness and human weakness.  

In our culture, we have extolled the accomplishments of those who succeed in the things of man. We have the business heroes such as Carnegie, Ford, Gates; the sports heroes like Thorpe, Ruth and Jordan; the heroes of music such as Mozart, Presley and Pavarotti; the heroes of the arts such as Michaelangelo, Picasso and Max; the heroes of innovation, such as Carver, Edison and Gates; the heroes of adventure such as Earhardt, Roosevelt (Teddy) and Branson; the heroes of liberty, such as Jefferson, Anthony and Parks.   The list goes on and on and it is right and good that we admire such accomplishment, for in doing so, we ultimately give praise to God for it is from Him that these abilities are granted.  We also recognize these men and women for using these gifts so effectively and in doing so have brought joy and inspired generations.

Yet, achievements in the things of this world and those who achieved them will, in time, be forgotten and fade away, for all things of this world are passing away.

The saints whom we honor on the great Feast of All Saints, though many have been successful in the things of this world, excelled in the lasting things, the things of God.   And what are those things of God? 

Here are some ideas given to us by Jesus Himself:

"Repent!  The Kingdom of God is at hand."

"Go and sin no more."

"Your faith has saved you!"

"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me." 

"Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, pick up his cross daily and come after me." 

"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and these things will be given to you." 

"I desire mercy not sacrifice." 

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters 6 & 7 detail the life of the disciple, the pathway of the saint.   As the Baltimore Catechism tells us, God made us to "know, love and serve Him in this life so that we can be happy with Him in Heaven."   That means that everyone of us has been created by God to become saints.  Not sure what you are doing here?  Let me say it again:   Our purpose, yours and mine,  in this life is to be saint.  A saintly woman of our times, Mother Angelica, advised us, "We are all called to be great saints.  Don't miss the opportunity!"

I know, I know...this all seems very highfalutin' and most difficult to attain...yet, if God made us to be so, well then it is something that must be possible for He is a loving God and wants our ultimate happiness and fullness of being.  As Jesus tells us, "Nothing is impossible for God."

I think many of us, both those who are in the Church and those who are not, are confused about being a disciple, a follower, a lover of Jesus Christ (aka a saint).  We think that we have to become someone else, that we have to walk around being miserable, not smiling, that we can't eat or smile or laugh.   I know when considering the Saints, I have often felt discouraged because I am not like them, at least the ones I have read about. However, I must remember that God Himself created me and is well-aware of everything I think and do, even before I am!  Don't believe me?  Read Psalm 138 (139 in non-Douay Rheims Bibles).   He knows the gifts and abilities He has given me.  He knows of the shortcomings and temptations that are mine, all mine.  He knows my temperament.  He even knows that I don't like lima beans and eggplant!  He KNOWS... and so He does not expect me to be Teresa or Francis or Anthony or Joan. He wants me to be me, but as He created me to be - free, living as a child of God!! As St. Irenaeus stated, "The glory of God is man full alive and the life of man is the vision of God."

I think we often look at the life of the faithful Christian in the wrong way.  It isn't about being bogged down and punished, all sad and miserable.  As St. Teresa of Avila prayed, "God save us from sour-faced saints!"  Rather, it is about being free - free from the weight of my own sinfulness, free from self-absorption, free from vain and empty desires that will not bring me lasting happiness, free from the opinions of fickle mankind, free from my own fears, free from the hurts others have caused, free from the desire to hurt others or seek revenge, free from believing that my worth as a human being is based upon how much money I have or how many letters I have after my name, free from all those things that trouble my mind and prevent me from living and loving as He created me to do!

The life of the saint, the path of discipleship, is about turning away from (repenting) the things that are heavy and burdensome (sin and disordered desires) and turning towards Life Itself: Jesus Christ, He Who came to set us free from our sins so that we may be like Him, to have fullness of life, to live in the Kingdom of God and to share in His Life!  No longer living "according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" which is the giver of life and peace, we are children of God, thereby heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we are willing to follow Him for love of Him. 

The life of the saint is not a walk in the park.  Jesus never promised us a rose garden. 

For, though we are redeemed by Christ, we are still living here in this broken world and suffer the effects of sin..."all of creation is groaning in labor pains even until now...and we await the redemption of our bodies." - Romans 8:22, 23.   There will still be labor, much labor, for the one who desires life with God. Yet, this labor will not be for things that will pass away, but rather, in cooperation with Jesus, for our own salvation and that of the world, so that we will be united with Him here in spirit and, after this life,  in Heaven eternally:  to see the Face of God and dwell with Him forever!  While Jesus is the Redeemer, in His incredible Love He desires that we share, take part  in His Plan for our salvation.  He doesn't need our help, but wants us to have a share in His joy.  A good way to help explain this is as follows:  Say a father has a heavy cart to push.  His child asks if he can help.  Now, Dad does not need his help...he is Dad, after all.  He's strong and he's got this, but he knows and loves his child; that in "helping" Dad push the cart, this will strengthen the child's character, sense of self-worth, give him a sense of accomplishment and self-sacrifice and nourish the bond of love between the two.   Well, if we who are wicked know how to give good things to those we love, how much more our Father in Heaven, who alone is good, will give to us!

People work long back-breaking hours to attain the goods of this earth.  Now, there is nothing wrong with using one's abilities and earning a good living.  This is admirable, but we must remember that trophies tarnish, monuments crumble, records are broken, memories fade and operating systems break down.  To place our life's worth and all of our time and energy into the attainment of life's pleasures will only bring temporary gratification for that is the way of this world.  Nothing lasts and we are doomed a life of frustration, constant striving and unrest and we say to ourselves, "is that all there is" if that is where our hearts lie.

The Saints we honor on All Saints Day knew this and they based their lives upon it.  They did not work to attain earthly accomplishments, but in their everyday lives, whether a housewife or a King, they "sought the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" for the love of God, for the good of others and for the hope of Heaven. They did not do this alone, but rather by placing their burdens upon the Lord as He so gently commanded: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, my burden light."- Matthew11:28-30.  In doing so, they faced challenges great and small, seen and unseen, overcoming themselves and the opposition of the "world and the flesh."  Many suffered terrible martyrdom, but most suffered the everyday disappointments and hurts that we can all relate to in our own lives.

We are each called according to the Plan God has for each one of our lives.  "For I know well the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not your woe, so that you may have a future of hope."  Jeremiah 29:11   The Saints, in trusting the Lord, knew that "all things work for the good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." -  Romans 8:28   

This good is ultimately to share in the Life of God, both in part while here on Earth and then, in its fullness in Heaven.  "At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face." - 1 Corinthians 13:12

As in Heaven as on Earth, the saint will receive recognition of his striving love.  Not a trophy or medal, but a new name inscribed in white stone chosen and known only by God  (see Revelation 2:17).

But even more so, he will receive the ultimate crown of victory:  eternal life with God in Heaven where "God Himself will always be with them (His people).  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order and passed away." - Revelation 21:3-4

All the Saints in Heaven, thank you for your witness and example. for you are the heroes of eternity. Pray for us that we may follow the path that our Lord has chosen for us to come to know, love and serve Him in this life so as to be happy with Him forever in the next.  Pray for the Exultation of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.  

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you.  Save souls. 

St. Laura, pray for us.

St. Ann, pray for us.

St. Teresa, pray for us.

St. Mary Magdelene, pray for us.

All you Saints in Heaven, pray for us.

Now, for your enjoyment, a little Louis Armstrong and his band.....

When The Saints Go Marching In