Cramming for Christmas

As Father Fred said today, "Our God is a God of surprises." Catholics can get pretty use to having four weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas, but this year God said "Surprise! You now have just 48 hours for which you must cram in a whole week of Advent." So now what?

Personally, I tend to hang on to the hope that "it'll all come together and work out" and I keep cramming in gift-wrapping, card-sending, events, work, cleaning, etc. etc. I prioritize everything which really means I prioritized nothing. It seems to all fit; everything gets done, right? But, what I often forget is that what I really should be cramming into this short week of a few hours is prayer, hope, love, joy, silence, listening, peace... If you feel like these are diametrically opposed, you are probably correct because I don't think they can possibly coexist together without us actively striving to incorporate them. It's just not going to happen. So do we (especially us Warriors of the Last-Minute Table) have to drop the Christmas preparations, cancel the online purchases, and admit our houses just don't look like a Taste of Home magazine cover all the time? Not quite, though maybe partially. Jason Evert says we should make our outer appearances match our inner spiritual appearances. 

Yes, in past years it feels like everything got done, the food is made, the house is clean, and so on, but often my inner self is a forgotten little dust bowl that is about as dry spiritually as a bone, and cluttered with thousands of unread and unheard messages from God that I never took the time or made the quiet moment to listen to. So this year I'm taking the practical advise of Fr. Augustine Donegan and applying it to Christmas and hopefully to infinity and beyond: "Pray 15 minutes every day. Lengthen it if you can, shorten it if you must, but never omit it."

My Way or the Highway--Saturday May 14th

Remember when you were 9 years old and you had that friend who had to have everything his/her way? “You have to listen to me; I’m the boss.” If you didn’t, you probably wanted to tell that kid “whatever loser” and walk away. Later in life, you probably met some people whose actions weren’t very Christian but when you called them out on it, they said “Jesus and I are tight. We’re friends and He understands me, so my lifestyle is ‘ok’ with Him.”

In the Gospel today, Jesus says, like the 9 year old, “You are My friends if you do what I command.” So why is it that His followers didn’t ask for a compromise or say “whatever loser” and walk away? Why does this sound so different than “We’re tight; He understands me and is ‘ok’ with everything I do”? I think Jesus’ statement should give us a perspective on our friendship with Him. It is like no other.

Because we are friends with Jesus doesn’t mean we take His words with a grain of salt and treat Him like we might our other friends: walk away so He gets the point that He’s asking for too much. Our friendship isn’t supposed to be based on a mutual understanding that one side of the friendship is a comfortably-confessed slacker either. Jesus didn’t come to say “I know you are sinners, I understand that so please know I love you and keep doing what you do best; I’ll take care of the rest.” He doesn’t leave room for slacking off; He said He came to show the way (and He laid down His life as example) and He said “You are My friends IF you do what I command.” When you were 9, you probably weren't convinced you wanted to give up your say in everything so that you could enjoy whatever plans your friend wanted to be boss of, so it was hard to surrender your will to his/her discretion. Jesus basically says it's my way or the highway if you want to participate in My plans, so I guess there is just one question: will you be His friend and agree to His commands?

Grasping Prayer (Sunday, April 10)

Prayer is often difficult to balance for me. How often we hear pray for this, that, and the other thing several times every day? By the end of the day I feel like I should have said about four Rosaries and two Masses to cover everything, so what is the balance? How much does God want us to pray and for what things? Today I heard a little analogy. (It didn't say anything about thankfulness, so I added my own thought on it.)

* It goes like this: start with your open hand. Think about what God has placed in it/given you or is trying to give you and thank Him for it—even if it’s not what you want or can understand, it is part of His plan for your happiness, so thank Him for all of it regardless.

* Next, look at your thumb, its closest to you so pray for those whom you are closest to in any way (loved ones and enemies).

* On your pointer/index finger, pray for those who instruct, teach, or heal (teachers, doctors, parents, religious—those who help/heal and point out the way for us in the world; they need strength and support in their call to minister to others).

* On your tallest/middle finger, pray for those who are high in leadership (the president, politicians, Pope; anyone in charge of anything important. They too need guidance and support to courageously lead and guide the rest of the world.)

* On your ring finger, which is also the weakest finger of your hand, pray for those who are weak, sick, in need, or trouble.

* Finally on your pinkie finger, the smallest and the last, pray for yourself. After you have prayed for everyone and everything else, you will have put your own requests into proper perspective and effectively put yourself as the least of all.  I hope this helps you simplify and improve your prayer life! 

May God Bless You Abundantly for You Efforts! =)

Is Seeing Believing? (Sunday April 3)

A verse from a song sung at Mass jumped out at me: “Give me ears to listen, give me eyes to see, give me words to speak and show Your face to me.”

Why would we pray this if we can look in the mirror and see we have ears, we have eyes, and if we open our mouths, we can speak?

In 1 Samuel 16:1-13, we hear about a man who is following God “blindly”—He willingly and obediently goes to do the Lord’s work yet he cannot trust his own senses. It is not what his human eyes or ears or perhaps even touch perceive in the sons of Jesse, but of what his internal ear heard: God telling him to listen to Him, look elsewhere; that God sees not at the appearance or stature, but the heart.

It is not what we can do that is important, but what we are asked to do.

God gave us eyes and ears and speech in varying degrees, so that we can see, hear, and speak. He gave us free will so that we can choose when we will or will not use these gifts. He also gives us a role to play in His plan, if we offer our free wills to it. This role goes beyond what we can perceive, in order to portray His plan in His time. A few weeks after David’s anointment, some may have forgotten Samuel even came to town that day. To someone passing through, there would be no cause for concern; maybe no cause even for interest. I imagine they might say in passing: “A king in a boy? God may be strong in him, but I don’t see a king.” Their senses, our senses, cannot perceive what God perceives: the big picture; His plan for all who know, love, and serve Him.

The final phrase of the song is prophetic yet human: “and show your face to me.” How human that we want to see. We want to see because we want to know—for sure. We want to SEE—like God sees and yet in a way that we can understand. Who could understand why a shepherd, a youth, would be called to be king when there were other more likely candidates?

The prophetic part is that if we follow God, not with our senses but with His guidance, we will SEE. I am sure Samuel didn’t see where God was going with this unlikely anointment. But he didn’t argue or falter or try to reason with God’s ways. It may not be important to sit down and identify all the “Davids” in our lives. After all, how can we even see them to identify them? It is important, I think, to be like Samuel: always obeying even if it is counter-intuitive.  In reality, God just wants us to realize what we can do with our own senses is very limited: we can perceive a man and a boy. But, thinking back to the impact of Samuel’s obedience, what we can do in obedience to God, now that is truly unlimited.

Massah and Mer'ibah (March 27)

Paraphrasing the Israelite's plea: "Why did you make us leave?" would probably capture what many of us are thinking and feeling when we step off the "mountain" [see last Sunday's reflection about the Transfiguration].  When we are so close to God in the Mass, in Adoration, or some other quite place where we meet Him, it is easier to hear Him and want to follow His Will--even if it sounds hard. There in His presence, it sounds do-able and in that intimacy, we can feel Him empowering and strengthening us. It is when we leave the mountain that we find ourselves in our own little place(s) of Massah and Mer'ibah. We cry out "why did you make us leave?" We can't hear God speaking to us clearly and, like the Israelites, we wonder "is the Lord among us or not?" We want to do His will but how can we if we cannot go to the mountain to hear or see Him?

Not all of us can go to our "mountain" daily. The Mass, Adoration, and those long, quite spells with God may not be able to fit daily into our naturally busy lives of family, school, work--all essential parts of our lives--but God knows this, and like the Israelites, He is with us. We may not be able to go to the mountain like we want to, but we can still go to the smaller version of the mountain: the rock. Maybe your "rock" is quick prayers throughout the day, maybe it is a few minutes of quiet prayer before your day begins. Just remember, God gave us a "mountain" like He gave Peter, James, and John, but don't forget, to the Israelites, He gave a rock, and from it flowed life-giving water...and for that day, it was enough. 

Transfigured (March 20th)

From all of His followers, Jesus took only Peter, James, and John to a high mountain. There on this serene, beautiful mountain, Peter, James, and John could be with Christ; listen to Him, SEE Him without the distractions of the world. They knew they were favored and loved because from everyone, Jesus chose them. In other words, they were about as intimate with Jesus in that moment as anyone could be. It is here, in this place and time, that Peter says: "Lord, it is good we are here."

Struggling to follow God's plans and Will in my life, I often find myself retreating to my own "mountain" to be intimately with God for as long as time permits: at Mass, in Adoration Chapel, or in a solid block of quiet time with Him. I want to stay there in that intimacy with Christ and I wonder, "If I truly loved Him, how could I choose to leave Him and go out into the world? How could I choose to live a life as anyone but a contemplative nun who can spend everyday on the "mountain" in that intimacy with Christ?" I often wrestled with this wondering if I didn't love Christ enough to choose a life where I could stay on the "mountain" with Him. But I realize now, though "it is good we are here" with Jesus, Christ doesn't say to Peter, James, and John, "Let us build a camp here so you three can live here and enjoy Me for the rest of your lives." No, Jesus takes them down off the mountain and we see Him and them going out to the world to touch and heal it; to live and give life to it.

So where is God calling you? Is He calling you to live on the mountain; to pour your life and love into all who seek refuge there, or is He calling you to flow from the mountain like a spring, a conduit of His living water? Is He calling you to be His hands and feet to this broken world by leaving the mountain like the first 3 visitors? Only you and God can know for sure, so take some time, go the mountain: wherever you can hear God best, and ask...and you shall receive!

Feb 27, Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The familiar lyrics to one of my favorite church songs jumped out to me: "Do not be afraid...I will call your name...I love you and you are Mine." Later, in some quiet time with God, I tried to understand what God wanted me to hear through these words I have already heard so often:

Do not be afraid—I know your needs, and I will provide for them and you like the sparrows if you trust Me. If you do not trust Me, how can you trust that what I provide is good “food” indeed? How can you live in this way without worry if you do not know what I present to you is not poison?

I have called you by name—I know your name, your desires, your trials, and your heart. I am calling you. I am not speaking to the multitudes; what I am calling you to, what I am saying to you, is for you, Emily, to make you happy, to challenge you, to teach you about Me. I want to lead you to life ever after with Me. I am calling you to do something that, if you trust me through as I hope you will, will lead you to heaven with Me.

I love you—I have carved you in the palm of my hand. Even if a mother forgets her child I. Will. Not. Forget. You. You are unforgettable, Emily. You are exactly as I knew you would be. I made this way. I am love. I only make lovely, lovable things. You are lovely. You are lovable and I love you.

You are Mine—You cannot run from me. You cannot hide. I will find you, but you can hurt me. You can reject me, deny me, refuse to try to love me. But you are mine. Just like you cannot NOT be Caucasian, you cannot NOT be Mine. I made you for Myself. I have loved you before and after I made you. I gave you everything that makes you. I chose your eyes, hair, skin, smile. I made you from my own material which I made with love. You are mine in every way. The only things I cannot make or claim, unless you give your consent, are: your love for Me, your trust in Me, your faith in Me, and where you desire to send your soul at the end of time.