"I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane" and Spiritual Works of Mercy

I'm going back to France tonight but before I do I want to ask for your prayers for someone someone very dear to me.  My friend is very sick and suffers a lot from day to day and I really want her to feel God's love and His presence.  

I consider praying for others to be perhaps one of the highest acts of love which we can perform.  This is because in praying for someone we offer a spiritual "work of mercy" by interceding for them before God.  We seek to bring that person closer to God through our prayer.  We intend for the people we pray for to have precisely what they need which is, at the end of the day, God's Will to be accomplished in their lives.  When we love someone we want what is best for them and, through prayer, we ask God to give them His best graces, to bring about His will in their lives.  Sometimes His Will is to draw someone very close to Him  through suffering. It is a high paradox that the choicest graces in this life amount to and bring about great union with Christ on the Cross.  The Cross is the greatest gift which we can be given.

May the gift of the Holy Spirit's consolation also be given.

-MM

A Second Adam to the Fight, and to the Rescue Came

Mark 7:1-13 was the Gospel passage for today's Mass. I want to zero in on the last lines and share some thoughts and (later) a hymn by the guy pictured above: Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman.

The final verses of today's Gospel read, 

"You nullify the word of God

in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.

And you do many such things."

Perhaps you've heard before that the only thing we human beings can really claim as our own is our sin.  Everything else is given to us by the grace of God right down to our very lives but oh.. our sins are our own making.  

Our first parents, the first Adam and the first Eve, very quickly broke the chain of the beautiful Tradition (capital T) of God's Word.  God intended for His Word to be passed down  in the fullness of its integrity by passing it on from one generation to the next.  This is even how the Scriptural, written Word of God came into being.  The tradition of God's Word was, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, written down in various forms i.e. histories, poems, epics, proverbs, songs etc.  God wrote in human words after He spoke through human speech.  The written Word of God, Scripture, came out of and is dependent upon god's "spoken" Word through a Sacred Tradition.  We still participate in this transmission of God's "Family Tradition" in the Church which discerns what is or is not grounded in that "Family Tradition."

Now, the first Adam and Eve broke the Tradition of God's Word by introducing a unique element all their own called "sin."  Man's word" began to speak against God's Word.  Not good.

However, God did raise up "a second Adam to the fight and to the rescue came." (From one of my favorite hymns Praise to the Holiest written by Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman) However, this time instead of "Eve" taking flesh from "Adam," the "New Adam" (Jesus, the Son of God) took on flesh from the "New Eve," Mary.  As the first Adam and Eve were intended to be without sin (and were brought into being without sin) so Jesus and Mary were without sin.

God's Word, literally took on flesh, entered "Family Tradition" so to speak.  I say literally and not literarily because God's Word is not limited to "literature" in the written, Scriptural Word. In fact, even Scriture itself attests "The Word became flesh."  God's "Tradition" entered right into the human "tradition" or rather the human condition; sin. The deficiencies of man's "creation" (or rather "uncreation") and tradition was confronted with Divine Truth in the flesh; the Incarnate Word of God. God's Word came in the flesh to introduce an "ever ancient, ever new" Tradition to the scene of our human drama (or rather, "family drama.")

God comes in the New Adam through the New Eve to rescue what sin destroyed; God's creation.  We no longer have to be linked to the broken chain of sin which is the only real thing humanity can claim as it's singular "creation," its own, very special "tradition."

_______________

So what's your favorite "human tradition?" No, no I don't mean traditions like dinner with the family every Sunday or putting up the Christmas tree every year on a particular day.  I mean, what's your favorite sin which you won't let God purify you of? (and this is hypothetical, I don't want any comments with lists of sins you've recently committed! :) )

How do you tend to "nullify the Word of God" with your own words, your own sinful "human traditions"?  (remember, not all human traditions are sinful!)

Don't get me wrong and don't get Jesus wrong either! "human tradition" here means the kind which nullify the Word of God (celebrating Christmas, for example, is a great human tradition which must please God tremendously when we do so out of love for Him.)  What sins and sinful tendencies do you need God's Incarnate Word - Jesus - to confront?  What parts of your life need to be disconnected from the human tradition of sin so that they can be linked back up with God's love and truth?

  Our favorite sins....

Unfortunately, we "do many such things."  

Thankfully, God's mercy has the final Word.

That Word's name is Jesus.

God's Word took on flesh
Born of the Virgin Mary.
That enfleshed Word,
the real presence of Christ,
remains with us in the Eucharist
and He lovingly waits for you, for
your real presence.

-MM

Same Picture, Different Theme! ... On True Spirituality

Alright, so honestly part of the reason I'm using this picture again for this post is because I really like it! How often do you see two streets named Mary and Joseph at an intersection?

Rarely!

So here it is again though, this time, for the purpose of inspiring a related albeit different topic than yesterday.

I'd like to talk about true spirituality.

I spoke before of the "intersection" of two humble paths, two humble lives wherein the Way - Jesus Christ - was led through life unto adulthood.

I noted how Jesus entered our world in the context of a family.

True story.

If we "zoom in" a little bit with our meditation we see (still of course with a backdrop of family/communal life) one person in particular who models "true spirituality" not just for Christians but actually all of humanity.  That person is Mary.

Blessed Pope John Paul II speaks of a "feminine genius" located in the person of "woman." Woman is by her very nature the exemplar of humanity in relation to God. Why is that? Because it is of the nature of woman to receive the gift of self which man offers to her.  This receptivity, when it is authentic, is naturally fruitful and a child results.

Mary, as the perfect woman, the New Eve, is THE model to look to for what true and authentic human spirituality is all about because she is the one who perfectly received the gift which God offered to her, namely, His Word (i.e. the Son.)  Because of Mary's full yes to the full gift of God we have been fully redeemed.  In the fullness of time God took on a full human nature in the womb of a woman "full of grace."

The human heart (spiritually speaking) is analogous to woman's womb as it i is the "place" of receptivity and fruitfulness.  God is always giving, always offering Himself to us.  He knocks, so to speak, incessantly at the door of our hearts and desires (akin to a husband propositioning to his wife) that the person invite the gift of Himself which he offers.  This is why marriage and human sexuality (when it is authentic!) is the best "icon" we have (the Bible makes ample use of the marital image) of God Who is madly in love with the beautiful people He has made in His image (He Who Is perfect beauty itself sees Himself reflected in us, His image.)

Mary, who makes a full and constant yes to God becomes the perfect exemplar of what a human being ought to be: God's beloved.  She is the one who shows us "true spirituality" because she always receives what God offers, always says yes to His will (which is always in our best interest,) and is maximally fruitful based on her union with God.In other words, in Mary we see an authentic human being.  No wonder God chose her to be the one who would give humanity to His Son and raise Him to be the New and Perfect Adam (with the help of the just man Joseph of course.  Imagine how holy and manly Joseph must have been!  He was the man who taught the God-man how to be a man!  That's powerful!)

A question to ponder: If Mary had not said yes to God would Jesus have entered into our world?

Further, if you don't say yes to God then how many lives, how many "worlds" will Jesus not be able to enter through you? Through your love? Your prayers? Your positive influence?

"God created you without your consent 

but He will not save you without your consent." - St. Augustine

What would happen if you gave God your full consent? Your full, uncompromising, unlimited "yes?"  What happens if you say yes to God's Will?

I predict miracles.  At least, that's what happened when Mary said yes.  What could God do through you if you let Him has His way in you?

"Be it done unto to me according to your word...and the Word became flesh."

-Matt

At the Crossroads of Family Life

Christ Himself said "I am the Way..." 

I find it interesting that, at one point in history, God chose to intersect two humble lives living two humble paths so that, from this intersection, all mankind might find the Way.

Judging from the picture about you may be able to guess who I am referring to.

Why did God do that?  Why did God choose to come to us within the context of a family?  If you ask me I think, partly, because He had always intended to come to us wthin the context of a family - think Adam and Eve in perfect, loving harmony.  Humans were made in God's image as "male and female."  Both individually and together human beings reflect the image of God. It's that and word I want to highlight (or italicize rather...)

The family is an icon of our Trinitarian God because a family is a loving communion of persons just like God is.  "God is love" as 1 John 4:16 has it.  And how could God be love if He were not a unity of persons since love can only be where there is someone who loves AND is loved.  (The Father loves the Son Who returns that love - that love is itself the Holy Spirit.)

"Ok, stop, Matt, with your philosophizing and get to the point!"

Here's my point!  LOVE Himself entered our world at a particular POINT in history.  That POINT, that intersection in time and space was a family!  Through human hearts God makes His Way to other human hearts.

Is God allowed to be God (Love) in you?

Or is it more of a one way street right now?

How is God trying to make His Way to other people through your life right now? Concretely, what does that look like?

The reason many don't believe in God is because they don't see Him reflected through His living images.  The Saints really are the greatest "proof" of God because it becomes very difficult to deny His existence when you experience Him living  in and through another.

How's that saying go?  If being a Christian were against the law would there be enough evidence to convict you?

What evidence of God's existence does He want to produce in your life?

"If you are what you should be you would set the world on fire." - St. Catherine of Siena

A good place to start being who you really are? (i.e. God's image of love in the world.)

Your family.

-MM

A Little Pilgrimage to a Little Known Saint

"Beaverville?? Where's that?!"

They had never heard of it before.  ("They" refers to the hypothetical group of people I made up for the sake of this post..) That's because it's out in the middle of Illinois somewhere.  Not in the middle of "nowhere."  I was there so I know Beaverville is "somewhere."  It's just that most people have probably not heard of this somewhere.

But I have!  It's the place where the "Cathedral in the Country" is located which sports the cemetary where a little known mystic-Saint (yet to be canonized) is buried. (see above picture.)  

"Hey! That looks like a picture of a statue of Christ with a gargantuan Church in the background!" Right on, faithful blog reader right on.  This Church is literally the size of a Cathedral and it's in a tiny "blink and you'll miss it" town called Beaverville. "Why'd they name it 'Beaverville'?"  That I don't know...

But the Church is beautiful! Amazing stained glass windows with rich imagery, ornate baldachino with the latin phrase "Venite ad me" above the tabernacle in the sanctuary, a gigantic, deep blue starry night dome, a lovely life-like statue of Our Lady to kneel before (when you look up into her eyes it seems so real!) and most importantly...

An open door on a Sunday afternoon!  Look at what I saw below:

This was my favorite image in the Church.  It was such a realistic looking statue.  It made me feeling I was really looking up at Our Lady.

(In the backright of this glass case is a zachetto -white cap - which Pope Paul VI wore.  I felt a lot of peace asking for his prayers here.)

Co-Founder of the Sister Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary, the community which Sr. Mary Mediatrix - more on her later - belonged to.

Co-Foundress of the same community.  Mother Marie of the Blessed Sacrament.

After the visit inside the Church and spending time with Our Lord we (me and my friend) went to the cemetary to spend time with our little known Saint - Sr. Mary Mediatrix! (her tomb is the first picture at the top of this post.)

During the summer I read a short little book on this mystic and prophet called "Sister Mary Mediatrix" by Jeff Moniyhan.  Because of that I decided I had to go pay her tomb a visit.  She had a Priest-friend in her life for a period of time (Fr. Aloysius Ellacuria, a Claertian) who could read souls, was also prophetic, and had the gift of having the presence of the Blessed Sacrament always in him as it only digested when he would receive Holy Communion in him the next day.)

It was a beautiful visit to Sr. Mary Mediatrix.  Who knew? A Saint in my backyard in Beaverville!  She died in 1959.  I hope to post a little about her life some time in the future  The same author also wrote a short book on Fr. Aloysius.

Sr. Mary Mediatrix and Fr. Aloysius, pray for us!

-MM

True Peace Only Comes When We Live in Reality

As I said in the previous post (paraphrasing) don't worry about this next year or your future because the same God Who has been so faithful to you in the past will continue to be faithful in the future.

St. Francis de Sales put it this way:

"The same Everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day of your life. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings."

I mean how easy is it for us to forget how abundantly good God has been to us?  

Very easy.

When we forget Who God is though (an all-loving and all-wise Father Who has nothing but our best interests at heart) it becomes that much easier to lose our sense of peace.  Put another way, Who God really is and what God has to say - THAT'S reality. We are called and invited to abide in Him and listen to Him -to live in reality.  Outside of reality there is no true peace but if we live in the truth then we have peace.

As always I think Jesus says it best:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?o

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness,* and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

-Matthew 6:25-34

Faith gives the deepest part of our intellect - what the bible would call the "heart" - access to God, to the truth, to reality.  So let us not be of little faith but let us always remember Who God is.  Let us stay there.

"Abide with me." - John 15:4

Most of all let us hover often near Jesus in the Eucharist.  Let us draw near and keep company with the One Who is True, with Reality.  Then we will have peace because we will know Him Who is the truth and the truth will make us free.

-MM

It's Been a While... 365 Days Worth

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

It was 2013.

As the waves of time roll on we often forget about the graces of the past.  It's easy to get caught up in our thoughts and activities in the now.  It's also sometimes easier to see the difficulties of our past rather than the blessings.  It's also sometimes easier to worry about the future and how things will turn out rather than remembering that the same good God Who took care of us last year, and the year before, will continue to protect, guide, and bless us.

Yes, oftentimes we haven't deserved those blessings.  Perhaps you've had a tremendous change of perspective recently or a conversion of heart and you're able to look back more easily than most and see how God has blessed you often in spite of you!

Can we just be grateful to God? Can we at least be just towards Him and give Him what is due to Him, namely, our gratitude? Can we ask pardon for past mistakes and sins while asking Him to brig a greater good out of them? Can we replace last year's negligences and evil with greater love and adoration in this new year towards such a good Father? Can we be more resolute in praying for others instead of forgetting to, or, even worse, deciding not to?

I think a good new year's resolution would be just giving God what is due to Him.

That would be your entire life.

:)

And that's just the minimum requirement of justice! So we should never boast about being better than the next guy because, frankly, we all fall short.)

What would God's new year's resolution for you be?

Is there a sin He wants you to get rid of? A virtue you need to work on? Do you need to pray more? Go to Mass more? Make a weekly holy hour at he local adoration chapel? Who do you need to forgive? Who does God want you to love?  What has He been asking of you for so long and will you finally respond now?

-MM