Jesus Christ

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Feeling fine

I know I’m dating myself, but in my youth there was a song from the band R.E.M called It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine). As the liturgical year comes to a close, we are reminded about the end of times, and to make preparations for them instead of fearing them.

Honestly, the only thing I remember about the song is that refrain. It’s quite catchy and occasionally it will pop into my head and I’ll sing it over again a few times. But that line alone is powerful enough to reflect on, as it is in keeping with how we should approach the end of the world. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24 contains Jesus’ teaching on the end of days. “You will hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen, but it will not yet be the end. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place.” (Matt 24:6-7) From Jesus’ own words, it’s not just man-made calamities that will occur, but also those of the natural world. These tribulations will affect people at a survival level, and for those not directly affected, we are called to assist in whatever way we can. Those who are directly affected can say it is the end of their world as they know it. They will need to rebuild their lives, either in the same location, or travel elsewhere and seek to rebuild what they once had. It is not wrong to own property, furnishings, and clothes, we just need to have a detachment from them so that we are not crushed if we are affected by cataclysmic changes. When we are affected by disasters, we trust in God to lead us through and bless us as He sees fit to do so. That may be by generously giving us more than we need, or it may be giving us just enough to live without any luxuries, which may be less than what we’ve been accustomed to living.

Even without a declared war, violence can be experienced at any time or place. We cannot predict what another will do. We also cannot live in fear that something will happen, so we take proper precautions to be aware of our surroundings and be prepared for anything. Recalling back to my childhood, it seems the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me,” is no longer common sense. Saying the wrong word or addressing a person incorrectly may be the tipping point for some to use violence as a way to respond to the perceived injury. The current social climate is one of being wary about others, who may not see an act of kindness the same as you or I would.

Thinking about these items from my youth remind me that the world has changed much since the 1980s; some good changes, and some very troubling changes. As digital and technological advances make artificial intelligence (AI) commonplace, it is also leading our society into places we are not yet prepared to go. We do not know how this will affect us even five years into the future, let alone the future of children being born at this time. AI is neither good nor bad in and of itself, but rather the results of how AI is used will determine how much of a detriment there is on the human race. The more we become reliant on it and allow it to think for us, the further away from the truth we will find ourselves. AI will lead us to the end of the world as we know it and into a different world. It may be in our lifetime or it may be in the next generation, but things will definitely be different. No matter what the advancements are, the world will never be the same as it is in this moment, and we can never come back to this moment either.

Change can be scary. It can be overwhelming, especially when there is a lot of change all at once. It can make our heads dizzy trying to keep up with the new “normal.” God, however, does not change. He is eternal. His teachings are true no matter how advanced or rustic we are. He will always be there for us and seek to have a relationship with us, no matter what craziness the world showers upon us. As we conclude the year dedicated to the virtue of hope, we are reminded once again, that when we hope in God and trust in His Divine Providence, He will see us through our trials and tribulations. He doesn’t promise a world without suffering, but rather that the suffering will have purpose and meaning far deeper than we will ever be able to understand this side of heaven. Even when things seem so bleak and crushing us, through our tears we can say that we feel fine because we have faith in God. Our emotions do not dictate our belief, but are rather a barometer of how the world is affecting us. We can feel both scared at the changes in the world as well as courage to practice our faith. We can be angry at the unnecessary violence in our neighborhoods, towns, and cities, but we can also feel the peace of God and the need to share it with those we meet. 

When we are centered on Jesus Christ as our model, we can face the end of the world as we know it and feel not just fine, but joyful at the coming of the kingdom of God. He is our supreme good and all we need, both now and forever in eternity.   

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Catholic test drive

While meandering through the rabbit hole of YouTube, the algorithm served up two suggestions for me that were intriguing. Can faith, and the expression of it through a particular religion, be tried on or tested out?

Our world is very secular and every denomination claims to have open doors to those who are interested. The Catholic Church has a whole process around the entrance for converts: Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). However, in the two videos I watched, these individuals weren’t necessarily interested in converting. They were more interested in having a better understanding of Catholicism and what it means to be a Catholic. The first person I watched took a very studious approach to his experience, while the second person’s perspective was one of a challenge. It was the second one, in particular, that made me think that the approach to religion was being equated to testing-driving a car. I know God calls people in many ways, and perhaps even if neither person converts, could these 30-day challenge videos encourage others to “try” Catholicism? 

Protestant Goes to Mass for 30 Days Straight

YouTuber Nash Georgiev posted his video a few days prior to when I watched it. I was impressed that he read several books in preparation for attending Mass. His goal was to understand Catholicism better, and, potentially, to be able to argue against the teachings based on his experience. In his thirst for knowledge of the faith, he seemed to be getting tired of the trite and repetitive brush-offs Protestants use to dismiss anything Catholic. Through his Bulgarian heritage, he was familiar with Orthodox Churches, and took time to appreciate and explain the symbolic details of the architecture in the Catholic Church he attended. Even with all the preparation Nash did — including reading parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, he was still confused as to what was happening at Mass. While he noticed that the congregation participated and responded to the priest, he wasn’t quite sure how to follow it. He also mentioned, of course, the amount of movement required during a Mass; the standing, the sitting, and the kneeling. If he was taking this “adventure” on by himself, it made sense that he was confused. While every Mass is open to anyone to attend, having a basic understanding of the actual actions, or someone who can explain in real time, is needed in order to see the fruits of attending. 

There were three main impacts that Nash indicated in his video. First, he was surprised to hear that Catholics pray for unity for all Christians. He had never heard another denomination do that. I think he expressed it well when he said he felt as if “Mother Church [was] waiting for her rebellious children to come home.” He also expressed how the Bible came to life within the act of worship, since so many prayers are based on, or directly from, Scriptures. What seems to have touched his heart is the reverence he saw Catholics giving to the Eucharist. As he was summarizing his experience, he expressed hesitation in participating in the symbolic communion service at his Protestant Church because of the depth of belief Catholics have in The Real Presence.

I thought Nash did a wonderful and respectful review of his 30 days attending Mass. Not even all Catholics attend daily! Perhaps with his newly open and receptive heart, his faith journey may lead him home to becoming Catholic.  

I Lived Like A Catholic For 30 Days

YouTuber Jacob Giron started his video by giving the count of how many Christian denominations there are. He posted his video about a month ago, and while he claims to be Christian, he didn’t seem to have any particular way to practice his faith. He mentioned his Catholic friends being disciplined in their prayers and Mass attendance and was using this 30-day challenge to see if Catholicism was right for him. There were three things he felt makes someone a Catholic: Mass, prayer, and confession. He was very eager to try all three, including confession!

Jacob began by talking with a priest, which I thought was an appropriate way to start. However, I think he was a bit disappointed that he didn’t receive a checklist of what to do and in what order. The first few days were focused on prayer. He pulled out his Bible and looked up the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew’s Gospel, and while he explained that he knew it, he also admitted that he never used “recited prayers.” Rather than going to Mass every day, Jacob’s attendance was limited to Sundays. It was rather humorous to hear him try to explain the kneelers. While I admit I did cringe when I saw him chewing gum when he entered the Church, he was cognizant to feel he was underdressed for Mass. He did talk with one of the parishioners who helped give him a bit more understanding of the Mass. Jacob seemed impressed with the unity of the Catholic Mass, in that all the Catholic Churches use the same Scripture readings around the world for any given Sunday. 

I wasn’t surprised at Jacob’s reflection on confession. Since he isn’t a Catholic, he really wasn’t prepared for the sacrament. His expectation was to just talk with the priest and seemed to be surprised at the ritual of it. While priests often do give pastoral counsel during confession, it’s usually when a person is prepared to confess specific sins, because they have reflected on what they have, or have not done. Without this approach, as well as proper remorse for one’s sins, one can’t fully receive the graces from the sacrament. In his summary, Jacob indicated he was not ready to make a commitment to becoming Catholic and still had many more questions. 

While the approaches and the intentions seemed to be different for each man, I’m not convinced a 30-day challenge is a good idea for faith and religion. Faith is a journey and it’s also a relationship; both with God as well as each person we meet. Our chosen religion is how we express and practice what we believe. I don’t think you can try-on a denomination to see if it fits you. The Catholic faith and its practice is for you to be molded into the likeness of Jesus, imitating Him and having a relationship with Him. Faith changes us into the best version of ourselves. To look for faith and a religious expression to be anything else, is wanting to play at being God. 

Exalt life

This past Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Every year it is celebrated on September 14, and this year, because the 14th fell on a Sunday, the feast ranked higher than an ordinary Sunday. But why do Catholics celebrate an instrument of torture and death?

If you had asked a contemporary of Jesus what the cross meant to them, it was a form of occupation, punishment, torture, and death. It was reviled across all the Roman conquered lands since death on the cross was how the Romans punished those who revolted against them and the criminals within those regions. Roman citizens, however, were spared this gruesome method, and instead were beheaded — a faster and less painful form of capital punishment. The Romans perfected this form of execution and most lived in fear of it. 

The cross itself was rough, after all, it was a form of punishment, not something luxurious to be smoothed and sanded. It was crude and simple, but highly effective. And now we exalt it. Exalt has several definitions and two of them really speak to why we use that specific word. One definition is glorify and the other is elevate. When Jesus was raised up on the cross, His death was the final act of sacrifice for the debt of sin. He paid what we can never be able to with all the penances and sacrifices we take upon ourselves. The cross is seen as Christ’s throne. Jesus’ crowning achievement was redeeming us from certain, everlasting death. He restored the connection between humanity and the Divine. He has opened the doors, so to speak, for us to have a relationship with God, not only in this life, but for all eternity. 

The first few centuries were extremely difficult for Christians, yet more and more people converted to the faith, despite the potential of death. They could see that as hard as life was at that time, with daily living requiring laborious efforts, their hope was in eternal life with God. In the 4th century, Christianity became acceptable, thanks to the conversion of Emperor Constantine. His mother, St. Helena, is attributed to finding the True Cross on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The authenticity was determined by the result of miraculous healings for those that touched it. 

Today in many locations, there are relics, or pieces, of the True Cross available for veneration. One place is the Basilica of St. Andrew in Roanoke, Virginia, where I recently went on a pilgrimage. In a small room, dedicated just for the veneration of this most sacred object, one has the ability to kneel before it. For me, it was a moment of true humility. While it is only a tiny piece, I know that God does not need larger than life objects to make His presence felt. I can’t go back in time to provide comfort and support at the foot of the cross as Jesus died, but in that chapel, I was able to kneel before a piece of it and ask for forgiveness and the grace to forgive others. 

Whether it is a cross or a crucifix — that is a cross with the body of Jesus on it — we embrace Jesus and glorify God when we revere Christ’s sacrifice for us. We lift high in our homes crosses to remind us of what Jesus did for us. We wear a cross around our neck, wrist, or finger to remind us that we all have crosses in the many forms of challenges and trials of life to bear and we carry ours in solidarity with Jesus. In all our pain, sufferings, and sacrifices, we offer them up to God to transform them the way he did with the cross: turning from an object of death to a beacon of life. 

We elevate the cross for all to see, as Jesus on the cross was raised up to be a sacrifice for us all. We give thanks and glorify God for sending His Son to be our Savior. Truly, exalt is the most appropriate word to use since we fulfill both meanings of this one word. While it is officially celebrated on September 14th, let us not leave it to only that day to celebrate and thank God for all He has done for us through such a simple object.

Basilica St. Andrews, Roanoke, VA

Basilicas, cathedrals, and shrines, oh my!

My parish offered a pilgrimage for the Jubilee of Hope to the Basilica of Saint Andrew in Roanoke, Virginia. It was like a mini retreat and we had a wonderful trip there. We received a tour of the basilica and the guide asked if we knew the difference between a basilica and a cathedral and if a church could be both. While I was positive that a church could be both, it got me wondering about the first question.

Growing up in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I recall people using one of the following: the basilica, the cathedral, or the cathedral basilica. However, as I was thinking back to my time in Philly, I couldn’t recall the actual name of the church! There was a part of me that wanted to call it St. Peter’s, but I squashed that thought, as that would be the Vatican. I was partially correct. The name is the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. But what makes a church either one of these designations, or both?

The easy one to start out with is the cathedral. It gets its name from the Latin cathedra meaning throne or chair. This designation is for the church that serves as the parish for the bishop, archbishop, or cardinal of a diocese or archdiocese. There is a special chair reserved for the use by the bishop on the altar of the cathedral. One may consider it the chief or main church of that diocese. If the diocese is large enough, there may be more than one cathedral serving that diocese, although each would be in a different location. 

It was interesting to learn what makes a church a basilica. First, it is a church of historical and architectural value and the designation can only be granted by the Pope. A basilica is tied to the Holy Father and is his home base to celebrate Mass when he travels to that region. The seal of the basilica will contain the crossed keys to indicate the connection with the Pope. Other signs of a basilica are the ombrellino, an umbrella-like structure made of red and gold fabric that originally was used to shelter the Pope, and the tintinnabulum or little bell, that is used to lead the procession when the Pope is celebrating Mass. The expectation of a basilica is to celebrate liturgical feasts with enhanced solemnity. They also serve as a place of pilgrimage and can bestow an indulgence when the specific criteria is met. 

Basilica St. Andrews, Roanoke, VA

When I was chatting with folks outside of my parish about my trip to the basilica, most initially thought of the one in Washington DC. However, that church is not just a basilica, but also a shrine. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a place to foster devotion, in this case, to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception, since the United States is under her patronage via that title. A shrine is a sacred place and may contain a special relic, be on the site of a historical event, or the site of a spiritual event, like an apparition. When I hear the word shrine, especially as one who was raised in the Philadelphia area, I think of National Shrine of St. John Neumann and National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. These are places for pilgrims to travel and learn more about the faith, and participate in the Mass or other events hosted by the shrine. 

There are 70 national shrines in the United States, and over 90 basilicas. These sacred locations are a wonderful way to explore the spiritual riches in your own backyard, or to venture out somewhere new and seek God from a different perspective. 

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Household harmony

Each person is a unique creation by God. And while differences can bring richness to life, it can also be a point of strife.

This past Sunday’s Gospel from Luke (Lk 12:49-53) seems out of character for Jesus. First He mentions setting the earth on fire; isn’t that what hell is supposed to be? Why would He want the world to burn? Then he talks about causing division, not just among nations but even within a family. The Messiah was to bring unity, so that all the tribes of Israel would be one nation. How can the Messiah bring a nation together when individual families are pitted against each other? 

There are several mentions in the Old Testament that describe God as a refiner or the analogy to God purifying His people like a refiner uses fire to burn away impurities. For those of us who are unfamiliar with refining precious metals, the refiner would continue to burn away the impurities until his own reflection could be seen in the metal. It is this understanding that makes the analogy so meaningful; God wants us to be reflections of Himself. God is love and mercy and wants us to mirror His love and mercy to each other. Since Jesus and the Father are One, Jesus wants what God the Father wants. Images of His Sacred Heart are illustrated with the refining flames of His love for us. As He loves us and purifies us with His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, He wants us to reflect that same ardor to our neighbor. His fire, however, is similar to that of the burning bush that Moses encountered, where it was fully engulfed in flames, yet did not cause the destruction of the tree. When we fully embrace the love Jesus has for us and reflect it towards others, we are like that tree in that we are not consumed by the fire, but rather become the best version of ourselves.

Being a reflection of Jesus in a secular world that prizes physical comforts and ease over the basic needs of others is going to cause agitation. Each person has free will, and thus we cannot force anyone, nor does Jesus, to believe and practice Jesus’ example. While we may strive to bring love, mercy, and peace to all we encounter, those on the receiving end may not appreciate our efforts. For example, if we spend time volunteering at the parish, that is time spent away from our family. This can seem like we care more for others than our family members, who may feel hurt and rejected. Instead of rejoicing that we can help others and share our talents with others, family members may respond with negative comments about our work. There are countless stories about saints whose family members tried to prevent them from following God’s calling. Divisions between the various Christian religions is also a source of grief for many. Even today, there are individuals who suffer family ruptures when they convert to Catholicism, which is ironic, since we all believe in Jesus and what He taught. 

Our earthly journey may be plagued by strife within our relationships. Sometimes others will be angry with us, while we hold grudges against another. When we allow the fire of Jesus’ love to penetrate our hardness of heart, we open ourselves and our relationships up for Him to heal. Perhaps it will be while we walk the earth, but for some it may not be repaired until purgatory. One thing that is for certain, heaven will be one household of harmony, since we will all be perfect reflections of God. 

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Finding God’s presence

In a recent Bible study session, we reviewed Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Dr. Brad Pitre, and I found more than just the topic, I found a correlation with the Mass.

In part of Dr. Pitre’s presentation, he talks about the Bread of the Presence in the first tabernacle that the Israelites had in the Temple. As he outlined the importance of the Bread of the Presence, he also illustrated that God was present in the Tabernacle in three ways. First was the Ark of the Covenant, which was the Throne of the Invisible God. This is for God, the Father. Second was the Bread of the Presence, which was set on the Golden Table. This Presence is Jesus, the Bread of Life. Finally, there was the Golden Lampstand, or Menorah, that held seven tongues of fire, which is the Holy Spirit. While the scriptures may not call out that this is the Triune God by those exact words, one can find the Trinity in the Bible, if you are looking.

What struck me as we were learning about this Tabernacle is that it looks just like the Mass. When you think about what was in the Ark of the Covenant, it was the Word of God: the Ten Commandments. Then there is the Bread of Presence. We’ve already established that this represents Jesus, so this would be the Eucharist. And just like in ancient times, before any filled tabernacle in today’s Catholic Churches, there is the sanctuary lamp that burns, illustrating the presence of Divinity. Mass is the worship of God, through Jesus and in the unity of the Holy Spirit (Doxology). As all three were present in the old Jewish covenant, so too are all three present in the new covenant established by Jesus at the Last Supper. The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are the two parts that make up the Mass, and they were in physical form in the Temple in Jerusalem.

While our finite minds cannot expect to comprehend or understand the Infinite Creator God, in all things He left signs of who He is. What sounds like exacting commands, perhaps a bit bizarre in Exodus, Numbers, and Leviticus — which is where the Bread of the Presence and the placement of the holy items in the Tabernacle are defined — are really a glimpse of God made visible to us. God understands that our human nature needs physical items to correlate spiritual realities. Any physical analogy will always have its limitations, but it’s in these analogies that God chooses to reveal parts of Himself to us. As Jesus first spoke the words of consecration over the bread and wine, the simple objects became His Real Presence. It wouldn’t have seemed strange for the Apostles, since they were familiar with the Bread of the Presence. Had it not been for this reference, Jesus’ actions would have been more difficult to understand. When the two disciples who traveled to Emmaus after the resurrection recognized Jesus in the breading of the bread, perhaps some of those scripture references Jesus used in their discourse included the Bread of the Presence. 

As Catholics, we believe in the Real Presence, that is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity is in every consecrated host and drop in the chalice. This is an article of faith, something that science cannot prove, since it transcends the physical world and crosses into the spiritual. Numerous miracles studied by science show the host to be from a human heart, but again, science can only show the physical world, it cannot be used to discern a soul or divinity. It’s up to us to accept that belief in faith. Learning about how God prepared us through the Jewish people and their traditions strengthens our beliefs. Jesus lived and breathed as a Jew, celebrating all the rituals and customs. It is from this tradition that the Catholic Church was born.

Dr. Pitre’s presentation is an excellent resource for those who want to dive deeper into understanding the Eucharist and the richness the Jewish traditions contribute to our faith.

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Unused doesn’t help

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments that bring the grace of God into our lives and helps us to have a relationship to Him. However, if we don’t utilize the sacraments, they cannot help us in our earthly journey towards heaven.

Out of the seven sacraments, four are typically only received once. Each Catholic can only be baptized and confirmed once. These are part of the initiation into the Catholic family and impart the grace and spirit of God. The other two, marriage and holy orders, are typically received only once, but each may have circumstances that allow for the sacrament to be received again (i.e. after a spouse passes, or as a priest becomes a bishop). That leaves three sacraments that are to be used frequently to help us on our way to eternal life.

Does your refrigerator, freezer and pantry contain food for you to eat? Do you expect the food to give you nutrition and sustain your body while it’s still on its respective shelves? Silly questions, aren’t they? Yet when we neglect to receive the Eucharist, that’s exactly what we are doing with our spiritual life. While some foods can be eaten raw or without any preparation, the Holy Sacrament is made to be received within the context of Mass, as both the Liturgy of the Word and of the Eucharist can prepare us for a worthy reception of the sacrament. Each time we receive the Precious Body of Jesus, we are to 1) welcome Him, 2) be open to the grace He brings, and 3) utilize the intimate moment to convey the deepest sense of our souls to Him. The Mass allows us to orient ourselves to Jesus by hearing the Word of God and giving us the opportunity to reflect on how His Word is speaking in our lives today. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are present with Jesus as the priest offers the bread and wine. It is as if we, too, attended the Last Supper. We are called to remember that moment in time and give our assent to believing we are receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus under each of the species of the Holy Sacrament. Without regular reception of the Eucharist, we can spiritually starve our soul and our relationship with God.

Just like having food in the house does not give us the nutrition we need, having cleaning supplies does not mean our house is clean. Maybe you have a Roomba and don’t have to worry about vacuuming, but that device won’t dust and it won’t clean your countertops or your sinks. The spiritual version of cleaning supplies is confession. While frequent reception of Holy Communion will refresh your soul from venial sin, going to confession several times a year is great for spiritual deep cleaning. We are all sinners and are all works in progress. As we reflect on our thoughts, words, and actions and how they can be damaging to our relationship with God as well as those we interact with, the sacrament of Reconciliation gives us the opportunity to go deeper and ask God for help in specific areas that we find troublesome. It’s not enough to just tell the priest what you have done (or didn’t do), but you need to 1) be sorrowful for sins, 2) do the penance prescribed by the priest, and 3) intend never to commit the sins again. While the last one is hard, it’s the whole purpose of the sacrament. By being aware of what we are doing, we can catch ourselves before we get into a situation that is conducive to the sin we are trying to prevent. If gossiping is the sin we need to work on, then being mindful of what you say is important. It may take several trips to confession in order to get to the point where we can avoid the sin. We also need to be mindful that we can always slide back into that habit easily and that it may be something we spend our lifetime being sorry for, doing penance for, and trying our best to avoid situations where we slip back into that vice.

Lastly, just like food and cleaning supplies, medicine cannot help us with a fever or a headache if we don’t take it. The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not just for people who are about to die; it’s for anyone with an illness that is seeking the grace of God to help them through it. This could be for a surgery, it could be for an illness that needs treatment — like cancer, or it can be for a long-term disease like depression. There is no limit on the amount of times you can receive the sacrament. As Jesus healed many throughout the Gospels, showing that He is the Savior of the world, this sacrament calls for the healing of the individual, both in spirit and body. While a bodily healing may not reflect the healing we would want, a soul open to Jesus can receive peace and strength for the suffering they are enduring. Catholics are invited to join all their sufferings with the Passion of Christ, especially those for which we seek the sacrament of Anointing. The sacrament may not cure a person from the bodily effects of the illness, but it does give them the spiritual focus to support them through their suffering.

The sacraments are gifts God has given us to use. When we participate in God’s will and seek a closer relationship with Him through the sacraments, we are given a taste of heaven on earth. Let us use these precious gifts with joy and gratitude to God who loves us so much that He bestowed them upon us.

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Don’t tell God

Prayer is conversing with God. How many times, however, do we make a request of God, not a petition, but more of a command when we pray? Telling God what He must do is not prayer but arrogance. It illustrates the grasp for control that humans wrestle with since the serpent told Eve and Adam that they would be like gods if they only ate the forbidden fruit.

In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to pray to God and to ask, seek, and knock for what we need. He tells us to be persistent, not to give up, but to continually petition God. (Lk 11:1-13) God the Father is the giver of all good gifts and we will be blessed in everything God gives to us. Yet in next Sunday’s Gospel, it appears to be almost the opposite. While the main theme is about greed, the passage starts with, “Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” (Lk 12:13) That reminds me of when Martha instructed Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help her. Telling, requesting, or instructing God as to how something should be done will not achieve the results you want. 

While prayer is a conversation with God and we should feel comfortable to describe how we are feeling and what we need, it’s also an opportunity for us to be open to what God wants from us. Asking, seeking, and knocking are all attitudes of being humble and understanding that we can’t do everything ourselves. We must also listen, accept, and be open to answers and the real need for God’s assistance. If we are telling God what to do, then we are in a moment of anger and frustration, and we are venting, not having a conversation. While those are valid feelings to bring to God, He doesn’t want us to stay there, but wants to help us work through the feelings. Using the example of the brother wanting his sibling to share the inheritance, perhaps the initial prayer is for helping his sibling to see his need. Maybe the reason for the sibling’s stubbornness is due to an argument between the brothers and the prayer should be about making peace between them. And maybe it’s the requestor himself who is the one holding the grudge and needs God’s help to forgive his sibling.

When we petition God for help, we’re asking Him to mold us into the best version of ourselves. We are called to be holy and become saints who will live in God’s presence for all eternity. Sainthood is not just for those called to religious life, but rather every individual God creates, especially those who are baptized members of the Church. But God will not make us a saint because we tell Him to do so. Rather, we become saints because we seek God first, ask for God’s assistance, and continually knock on the doors of opportunity God provides to us. We pray “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Not our will to be in heaven, but God’s will that we reflect His image and likeness so that we can enter into heaven after the completion of our time on earth.

God wants to give us so many blessings. But if we do not have the maturity to recognize, appreciate, and share the gifts He gives us because we are focused on ourselves, then giving us more will not be in our best interest. Telling God what He needs to do only underscores that we are unprepared to receive all the blessings He wants to give us. We need to be persistent in seeking His help to become more like Him and to become as holy and blessed as He desires us to be.  

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The struggle to change

Change happens every minute of every day. Sometimes it can be impactful, sometimes it can leave a mark, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. Change can happen to us in our circumstances, or it can be something we initiate. Any change, however, requires us to make choices of how we will adapt. With intentions of changing ourselves, we may have grand aspirations of what we can accomplish, but do we remember that we need to put in the hard work to achieve those expectations? Or is our initial reaction to the struggle a signal to change our minds or give up? Maybe we blame others when our expectations fall short. While the results of our choices may have been reasonable, the road to them may be very long and with lots of detours, so how can we give up when we’ve only gotten started?

The old adage, “you made your bed, now you need to lie in it” is all about accepting consequences for our actions. But when the results don’t measure up to what we expected, it is an uncomfortable experience. Life is not a simple mathematical calculation where you plug in two numbers and achieve a sum that can only be only one answer. When we respond to change, our choices can initiate the need for more change. It’s not the result we expect, but we need to be willing to be open to the opportunities when they present themselves. 

While I know I’ve made changes in the past that I’ve stuck with, there are probably more that fell to the wayside. Sometimes change is more than just altering a routine, it’s about adjusting our perspective and our response. A familiar routine is a comfort in times of change, but so is the attitude we use to approach our life. When we always think of things one way, it can be hard to get out of that mindset to think of other possibilities, even when we want to change ourselves! We can get caught in a stagnant loop in our mindset. Yet it is in these moments when, instead of digging deeper into ourselves, we need to seek God’s assistance. Perhaps we do need to make other changes that we may not recognize. Maybe the struggle is the opportunity to truly learn about ourselves. Our expectations are really our will. In praying to God, we need to trust in His guidance and accept the unexpected. We may eventually realize that what He desires for us is so much better than our initial expectations. 

Daily I pray, “Oh sweet Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.” Yet as much as I trust in Christ to see me through, times of struggle are just that: a struggle. I don’t expect life to be all sunshine and roses, as we need some rain to make the sun seem that much brighter and to water the plants to make them bloom. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he says, “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:10)

God gives us a lifetime to grow closer to Him. In our fallen world, that means that we need to change and become more like Him. The goal for our life is to build a solid relationship with God so that we can spend eternity with Him. We hope all the struggles, choices, and changes in this life will produce the fruit of heaven-ready souls. 

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Food for the journey

While the weekday masses are now firmly back in Ordinary Time, the Sundays after Pentecost continue to highlight major components of the faith. Last week was the Most Holy Trinity and this weekend the focus is on Corpus Christi, or the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

One way a parish can celebrate Corpus Christi is by processing with the consecrated Host in a monstrance. For some it may be a quaint way of keeping old traditions alive. However, there’s more than just tradition in this ancient practice. Look at the pieces of what goes into a procession: the Holy Presence of Jesus in the Host, the congregation walking behind, and songs of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration. This is like a miniature version of life. This is what we’re supposed to do on a daily basis: walk with God, allowing Him to lead us, and sing His praise in all that we do. In practicing on a small scale on this solemnity, we are exercising our faith muscles so that we can use them in our daily lives. 

The Eucharist is food for our life journey. While the Church asks us to attend Mass weekly, if we were able to attend daily, we could receive Holy Communion each time. However, regardless of how often we receive, we need to be on guard about it not becoming a habit. A habit, as described in Merriam-Webster is, “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.” Basically, when the Eucharist is received out of habit, then its effect on us is diminished. It’s similar to when Jesus visited His hometown, and because the people thought they knew Him and who He was, He was not able to perform many miracles amongst them. 

Attitude is the key for preventing such a precious gift from becoming a mere trinket. At each Mass, we prepare ourselves to receive Jesus in the Sacrament by being attentive and participating in the liturgical responses. We take the time of silence before receiving to open our hearts, to have an attitude of welcome for Jesus. Just before the Our Father is one of the most important prayers the priest says: the Eurcharistic Doxology: “Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.” In this prayer, we lift up the Mass, with all our intentions through Jesus, uniting them with the Holy Spirit in an offering to God the Father. When we receive Jesus, the opposite happens: we allow Jesus to work through us, with us, and in us, and in unity with the Holy Spirit. We don’t receive the Sacrament to stay the same person we are in our sin, but rather to be transformed out of our sinfulness into the best version of ourselves. We strive to become the Body of Christ on earth by allowing Christ to use our hands and feet to do His will. The Sacrament not only feeds us spiritually, but stirs up the Holy Spirit we received in Baptism and Confirmation to continue the guidance long after our bodies have absorbed the Host. 

Corpus Christi is the Latin phrase for the Body of Christ. As we celebrate this food for our journey, let us welcome the solemnity and the sacrament it celebrates, so that we can be blessed with all the graces God can bestow to our open hearts.