Let the Dead Bury Their Dead

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Mark 8:18-22

Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

Why the hurry?  This passage from Mark brings me discomfort.  Why is Jesus in such a hurry for his disciples to follow him?  Why not give them a chance to say their final goodbyes, even bury their loved ones?  It appears as if Jesus doesn't care.  It's rush, rush, rush. Gather up the disciples quickly and efficiently....  

On the contrary, Jesus cares about his apostles very much.  He understands how difficult it is to drop all comforts and assume a ministry of poverty.  Why not separate the "former life" quickly without all the drama? It's important to get them to work asap.  Jesus only has a limited time on earth to spread his message of love and salvation.  

I think of when loved ones in the military are deployed to war-torn countries like Iraq or Afghanistan.  For months they've lived in comfort with a regular paying job and a loving family.  Suddenly, their circumstances change and the US military asks for their immediate service.  No time for sad goodbyes.  A soldier must be prepared for the strategic military mission just as Christ's disciple prepared for the holy mission.

Let the dead bury their dead  How can the dead bury their own dead?  This line from scripture puzzles me.  It's physically impossible for a dead person to bury another dead person.  Of course, we know Jesus is speaking symbolically.  

People who are spiritually "dead" do not know Christ.  They are like bottom feeders in the ocean or the vultures eating roadside kill.  They systematically clean up the filth and decay surrounding them.  However, they go through the motions not realizing there is life way before death.  This radiate life transpires through the Holy Spirit.  The spiritually dead will gravitate toward others who are also dead.  This cycle of lifelessness feeds upon sin and disbelief. When one follows Jesus Christ, he or she becomes an impregnable force that gives life to others.  There is an understanding that our life on earth is temporary.  We should live it to the fullest striving to better ourselves.  A beautiful after life awaits us in heaven.

Become spiritually alive in Christ!  Become like one of the disciples - drop everything and follow Jesus with resilience and determination.

-J. 

Saints Peter and Paul

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

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Gospel of Matthew 16:13-19


Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

Running out of communion!  For the past month or so, we've seen a spike in attendance at my parish's 7:30 am Mass.  I love this trend.  Our pastor calls the 7:30 am the "low mass" preferring not to preach at our Sunday liturgy.  I find this disappointing.  It appears as if he really doesn't care about us, but I'm sure he does.  He just has other duties to fulfill.  Considering the upward trend in attendance maybe our pastor should re-consider celebrating the "low mass" with us.  It can be just as beautiful, even more reverent, than any popular "high mass"! Thank God our wonderful parochial vicars have no problem leading our liturgical celebrations. One of our priests gave an outstanding homily today despite an unfortunate occurrence.......

During the distribution of the Eucharist, we ran out of communion hosts! The priest made a sincere apology from the pulpit.  I thought to myself, "This is absolutely unacceptable.  How can a Catholic church run out of communion - the most important part of the Mass?  What would Peter and Paul think of a shortage of the body and blood of Christ?"  Peter would have been apologetic and consoling, just like our priest.  However, I imagine Paul being a little more fiery about the occurrence, speaking on and on about the tragedy of the situation.  He'd assure everyone Jesus still loves them despite not being able to receive him. I see Paul offering everyone a blessing as they recite the "spiritual communion" prayer.  Paul would definitely be more zealous than reserved Peter!

Peter and Paul  Today we celebrate an incredible feast honoring Saint Peter and Paul.  Both apostles were very different yet they both worked together to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  No rivalry developed.  No butting of head or egos.  Both men understood their calling to promote Christ's teachings, accepting martyrdom as their fate.

 Peter was an uneducated, married fisherman who ministered right along side Jesus as one of his original disciples.  Jesus specifically handed over the keys of the kingdom to his authority.  Although Peter denied Christ three times during the passion, he still remained faithful in the end. By contrast, Paul was much more educated and understood the Jewish law backwards and forwards.  He remained single all of his life, actually promoting the benefits of a single in ministry.  His zealous nature made him an excellent candidate for missionary work.  He spread the good news to the Gentiles throughout the nations. To this day, we still read his letters as a solid testament of his tremendous faith and love in Christ. Both the ministries of Saint Peter and Saint Paul exemplify unity of the Church.  The keys to the Kingdom were not given to Peter for his own personal use but given to all of us as Christ's followers - the entire body of the Church.  

Unique gifts & talents  Just like God blessed Peter and Paul with unique gifts and talents, he did the same with us.  We should look into ways that we can evangelize the Word utilizing such talents.  I've discovered over the years I have a gift for writing and proclaiming scripture as a lector.  I purposely set up this blog as a way of sharing my insight about how God interacts in my every day life.  It took me a while to gain the courage to be so forthright and honest, but I think in the long run it is paying off.  Others may not enjoy writing but they have been blessed with a beautiful singing voice, solid business acumen, empathy for serving the poor, or a gift for teaching our youth.  

Saint Peter and Paul are wonderful examples of faith and mission.  Despite the hardships they faced, they persevered with determination.  They desired as many people as possible to believe in Jesus Christ.  If it wasn't for their work, the Catholic Church would not be the same.  Thanks to Saints Peter and Paul we are forever unified and glorified in Christ!

Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Pray for Us! 

-J.

Lost and Now Found

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

Friday morning my telephone rang at 5:45 am. My heart raced as I thought: "That's got to be mom calling about a medical emergency.  Maybe something happened to my sister or my grandparents? Oh no!"  I picked up the receiver.  An automated voice from the city police department announced a lost teenager missing since 3:30 am.  A complete description of her height, weight, and clothing followed.  I'm used to radio Amber alerts and freeway Silver alerts , but I'd never received a call from the city regarding a missing person.  It's comforting to know the suburb I live in offers such a service.  I prayed a quick "Hail Mary" and "Our Father" for the young teen. Thank the Lord only a few hours later another message left on my voicemail confirmed the girl was located.  Where had she been all night?  Hmmm.....I think most parents can make an educated guess or two.

What have you lost?   Have you recently lost something like your car keys, a piece of jewelry, or an important document?  We all lose things every once and a while. How we deal with these losses is the key.  Do we lose our marbles? Do we complain and beat ourselves over the head in disgust and anger?  Or, do we logically retrace our steps back to the point we lost the object?  Of course, we can say a prayer to Saint Anthony.  Along with prayer, simply calming down our anxious minds helps.  I find nine out of ten times when I stop freaking out about something lost I suddenly find it.  Worst case scenario:  I simply forget that I lost the object to begin with. No gain, no foul.   For example, I lost an extra set of house keys, figuring I dropped them on the sidewalk while walking my dachshund.  One year later I discovered the missing keys in a bag of old Halloween decorations stored in the closet. Amazing how things lost are found when we no longer make a fuss over them.

Finding Jesus in the temple  One of my favorite Mysteries of the Holy Rosary is this passage from scripture about Mary and Joseph finding Jesus in the temple. I understand the horror parents must feel when a child suddenly goes missing.  Mary and Joseph experienced the same situation.  Fear and confusion suddenly become overwhelming. What happened to Jesus?  Is he safe? Dear God, please bring him back to us!  After three days, they find Jesus in the temple engaging in dialog with the teachers.  That's when Mary and Joseph understood Jesus to be a blessed child like no other.  He possessed wisdom and knowledge advanced for his years.  He was simply astounding and amazing for a mere youth!

What can be found?  When we have lost our way in life, burdened by grief and hardship, we can find new meaning and hope in Jesus Christ.  All we have to do is open ourselves to him -- our entire mind, heart, body and soul.  Most importantly is the heart.  When our heart is conjoined with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we discover joy and contentment.  We suddenly find that some people we've lost may not be worth finding.  Perhaps God only intended us to associate with a girlfriend or boyfriend for a short period of our life.  Furthermore, we realize some things may be worth the find, especially if they brings us closer to Christ.  Maybe you've drifted away from the Church for a while.  Jesus and the Blessed Mother are pulling at your heart strings inviting you back to the Sacraments!  Make an effort to reconnect with Jesus again.  He is more than willing to receive you back with loving and open arms!

"Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor."
-Mother Theresa

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for Us!

-J.

The Sacred Heart to the Rescue

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Gospel of Matthew 11:25-30

"Come to me, all you who labor and are 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, and my burden light."

Over-burdened   Some weeks slip by without any real issues.  The traffic flows nicely.  Work load is at a moderate pace.  Overall people are in good moods and things seem to be calm.  But, then a "life storm" swarms through and everything hits the fan.  For example, this week started out rough when I receiving two bills relating to my alarm monitoring service that I forgot were due in June.  Then the next day good old Mr. Postman placed a jury duty summons in my mailbox scheduled for mid July. Later on in the week my dog, because of all the rain, decided to mess up the carpet and hardwood floor in chosen spots.  (Mess to clean!) Finally, when I turned on my dependable electric lawn mower to mow the grass I discovered it had no juice.  The connection housing is toast.  Yikes!  So I had to order another mower which will arrive Tuesday.  (Hurray for Amazon Prime 2 day free shipping!)  In the mean time, I'll weed whack the areas of the front lawn with the more unsightly "high" grass until my new equipment arrives. Talk about over-burdened. Yes, this seems quite minor compared to other circumstances people experience.  All the same, it's still one huge headache!  I can't stand when "life happens" in inconvenient and aggravating ways.  One good thing: This gives me an excellent excuse to turn to Jesus for comfort and a bit of spiritual guidance.

The Sacred Heart to the Rescue  Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Devotion to the Sacred Heart has been around for centuries.  There's something soothing and comforting about looking at the image of Jesus with his heart bursting out of his chest.  The unmistakable heart of Jesus on fire is an awesome sight!  When times are tough and I feel overburdened and anxious, I imagine my heart beating alongside Jesus' sacred heart.  I imagine my heart's rhythm in sync with Christ's.  My burden-induced high blood pressures subsides.  I feel an incredible peace and calm.  I pray to Our Lord, "I know you are with me, Dear Jesus!  I feel your outpouring of love and grace entering my arteries and veins.  Why do I feel like I need to runaway from you?  Why do I think I'm so unworthy of your compassion? Please ease my burdens however minor they may be.  Please open my heart so that I always praise you, not curse you.  Dear Sacred Heart, fill me with your most precious blood so that I am satisfied.  Help me to be humble of heart just like you.  I love you and adore you.  Thank you for dying for my salvation.  Amen."

-J. 

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

Sandpaper & Sand Castles

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 7:21-29

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Words like sandpaper  Has a person ever said something that caught you off guard -- revelations you didn't think he or she knew about?  Has anyone ever been brutally honest about your behavior, something that needs to change?  Such words feel like sandpaper scratching the surface of the skin. The words leave you feeling numb and raw.  You can't figure out why the "help" couldn't be delivered in a kinder manner. Recently, an acquaintance said to me: "You are always so negative. You're like a teeter totter.  One day things are good and the next bad...."  I was floored, shocked out of my pants, that someone I admire and respect could say something so abrasive. It was a wake up call, that's for sure.  A wake up call that I need to shape-up my outlook on life: Stop feeling sorry for myself, and stop comparing myself to others. Build my life based on solid rock, not the sands of self-pity.  

Sandcastles collapse  When I'm too focused on my own thoughts and feelings, I ignore the wise words of Christ.  I build a sandcastle composed of everything I wish I possessed - a husband, children, a better career, more retirement savings, or even a different temperament.  With the slightest wind of anxiety, flood of fear, or rain of tears my beautiful sandcastle collapses and is whisked away back into the ocean.  It's as if I erased a prized etch-a-sketch masterpiece: An imaginary piece of artwork that is more idealistic than realistic.  Just like the sands of time tick away in an hour glass so does my life.  When life is wasted worrying about things I wish I had instead of appreciating God's blessings I only feed unhappiness.  

Solid rock  When I begin to focus away from myself and become more "in tune" with God's words of encouragement, love, and self-sacrifice I build a life on solid rock.  I realize that God has given me special gifts that he wants me to use in a loving way.  He wants me to act in ways that are more Christian-like.  I'm a grown adult responsible for my own happiness.  I'm no longer a whiny, cry baby child who throws a temper tantrum because her little sand castle got blown away by the wind.  In fact, with the Lord as my guide, my rock castle will be built strong and sturdy. I don't have to worry about wind or rain washing it away.  The solid rock turns into a mighty fortress that provides me with the protection and strength to live a holy life.

Sandcastles are fun to make and pretty to look at but only short lasting.  By contrast, castles made from solid rock are permanent and long standing.  Not even the greatest tragedy or hurt will break them apart.  God provides us with the material on which to build our life.  Do we choose sand or solid rock? 

-J.

Are You Bearing Good Fruit?

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 7:15-20

Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.”

After reading this familiar gospel passage, I thought about the two old Bradford pear trees I cut down last year which grew in my home's front and back yards. One contracted a severe case of fire blight, brought along by drought conditions.  The other was a healthy tree but grew too big, too fast.  The weight of her branches and leaves couldn't support her trunk.  With one violent thunderstorm, she split in half.  I loved those trees for their beauty, but then I also loathed the trees because they required constant pruning.  Raking leaves in the Fall proved a terrible burden.  Even though I miss the shade, I don't miss the upkeep.  I did keep one small branch from each tree as a reminder of their immense beauty.

Rotting Fruit   Have you ever tasted a rotten apple or a mushy orange?  Nature's way of warning us that something is bad, even inedible, is a bad smell and foul taste.  If you see insects or worms feasting on a piece of fruit, another sign to throw it away.  Yet, every day we are surrounded by rotting fruit hanging from the tree of mortal sin.  It's easy to harvest the fruit since it simply falls to the ground.  We don't have to climb up the tree of mortal sin.  It's branches droop to the ground inviting us to continuously feed on selfishness, pride, sensuality, lust, etc.  The "rotting" fruit may have a sweet, intoxicating flavor on the first bite but ends up feeding our hearts with bitterness.  Simply put, rotting fruit "rots" our souls.  

Bearing Good Fruit  In order to bear good fruit, we must harvest from a healthy tree.  This tree may be huge in comparison to the rotting tree.  It's lush foliage and thick bark make it cumbersome to climb.  However, the fruit it produces is nourishing for our souls.  It's life giving and life affirming!  Eating good fruit encourages us to live a holy and moral life.  It's not an easy climb though. We may require assistance of  ladder, a large climbing rope, or even other Christians in order to harvest it's delectable fruit, but it's way worth the effort!

Which tree will you harvest from?  One that is rotting or one that is healthy?  It's your choice.  The easier choice may be to eat rotten fruit off the ground, but in the long run it will make you sick!  If it was up to me, I'd harvest delectable fruit from the healthy tree.  It's vitamins and minerals will only encourage the soul to grow in holiness.

-J.

See Clearer Through Christ's Lenses

Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus said to his disciples:“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?..."

Judging Others   Why are we so quick to judge others?  Why do we see someone and immediately jump to conclusions as to who they are and what they represent? 

I spoke with a friend at church on Sunday.  There is an older couple who sits near the front.  She remarked, "Boy, they look terrible!  What has happened to them?  The hair is just so bad."  I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.  I, too, wondered the same thing.  Did they suddenly become biker people?  What was up with them? The couple's appearance has changed quite drastically over the last few months. We didn't see them for nearly a year, so I figure something must have happened.  The fact that this couple, despite the way they looked, returned to our parish was indeed a blessing.  I shouldn't harbor much judgment against them since they attend Sunday Mass once again.  

I feel like I have a huge log protruding from my eye socket whenever I look at someone and immediately think ill of them.  I may see a heavy set woman waiting at the bus stop carrying a Big Gulp in one hand and a cigarette in the other.  I say to myself:  "My goodness.  Why can't that woman get on a diet?  Does she realize she's killing herself?  Maybe she could afford a car if she'd ditch the cigarette habit!"  Then I drive along the road behind Mr. Pokey Britches yacking on his Cell phone.  I zip around him thinking, "Good grief!  Get off your *@#$ phone and go the speed limit!  For goodness sakes, get a better looking set of wheels.  What a piece of garbage with a duck taped bumper and peeling paint!"  

Okay, as you can see these are pretty extreme examples of judgmental thinking.  Every time I think badly of someone I'm hurting my own soul in the process. I'm going against "thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself."  I'm pretty much saying to Our Lord:  "I don't really care about this other person.  He/she is just a piece of trash.  I'm so much better!" Deadly sins of Mr. Pride and  Mrs. Vanity take over leading me into a sea of hypocrisy.  I'm not being a very good Christian.  My lenses are cloudy with self-righteous cataracts.  I don't see the good in others.  All I see is ugliness of their appearance and annoying actions.

See Clearer through Christ's lenses  Time to pluck out that huge log sticking in my eye.  Follow-up by laser-removing the cataracts clouding my judgment! Then put on a pair of Christ's lenses which allow me to see clearly the goodness in other people.  I must realize that as long as I judge others I will be subjected to judgment, too.  People may think my blog stinks and I have no "right" to write about religious stuff.  (The priests are supposed to preach, not lay people!)  So, knowing how terrible it feels to be judged by others in a negative way, I shouldn't refrain from negative judgment, too.  It's a hard thing to do!  It's hard not to recoil at the sight of someone who looks and smells bad.  It's difficult not to think badly of someone who's annoying, rude, or just plain weird.  

As I grow closer to Christ, I begin to see through his eyes, his crystal clear lenses.  I realize I should love others as much as Our Lord loves.  Refrain from judgments without all of the information present.  Remember that all people should be given the benefit of the doubt.  

-J.

The Power of Holy Communion

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
(Corpus Christi)

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Gospel of John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

Today the Church celebrates Corpus Christi Sunday in honor of the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  Holy Communion is the essence of our Catholic Faith.  Every time we celebrate the Eucharist at Mass, we "solemnly bear it for procession, publicly proclaiming that the sacrifice of Christ is for the salvation of the whole world."  (Pope John Paul II) 

Real vs. Symbolic A couple of years ago I taught a 4th grade 1st communion class.  I remember when I spoke about the Eucharist being the REAL body and blood of Jesus Christ, one of my precocious students questioned me: "Miss Jennifer. Isn't it cannibalism for us to eat the body and blood of Jesus?  Ooh, Gross! I don't want to eat and drink it then!"  I thought it was interesting she'd think of it that way.  I explained Jesus Christ has already died and gone to heaven so it's not his physical body we eat but his spiritual body.

As a former Protestant, receiving holy communion was considered a symbolic gesture. (In fact, Methodists receive communion only monthly and Southern Baptists one a year.) It's not until I became Catholic, receiving first communion and adoring the Blessed Sacrament, that I truly understood the real presence! When I received communion, I could feel Christ touch my lips and enter inside my body.  I could feel his presence in the monstrance and in the tabernacle.  What an amazing sense of peace and closeness!  What's even more incredible is when I give the body and blood of Christ to others as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.  I share my intense love for the Eucharist with others.  Truly a wonderful ministry.

Power of Holy Communion Saint Catherine of Siena in her beautiful book "The Dialogue" writes a chapter titled "The Mystic Body of the Holy Church."  In the following excerpt, God explains the meaning of the bread of life:

Dearest daughter, contemplate the marvelous state of the soul who receives this bread of life, this food of angels, as she ought.  When she receives this sacrament she lives in me and I in her.  Just as the fish is in the sea and the sea in the fish, so am I in the soul and the soul in me, the sea of peace.  Grace lives in such a soul because, having received this bread of life in grace, she lives in grace.  When this appearance of bread has been consumed, I leave behind the imprint of my grace, just as a seal that is pressed into warm wax leaves its imprint when it is lifted off.  Thus does the power of this sacrament remain there in the soul; that is, the warmth of my divine charity, the mercy of the Holy Spirit, remains there.  The light of my only-begotten Son's wisdom remains there, enlightening the mind's eye.  [The Soul]is left strong, sharing in my strength and power, which make her strong and powerful against her selfish sensuality and against the devil and the world. (The Dialogue 112)

The frequent reception of Holy Communion helps us fight temptations, providing us the strength to turn away from sin.  The blood of Christ mixed with our own blood becomes a powerful spiritual antidote against pride, sensuality, and vanity.  I know weeks whenever I'm unable to attend a Sunday mass, and receive the body and blood of Christ, my week doesn't turn out so well.  My envy, resentment, jumping to conclusions, and overall impatience resurfaces.  Not good!

When my soul needs consolation, the body of Christ soothes....

When my soul needs hydration, the blood of Christ quenches....

When my soul needs therapy, the Eucharist is the remedy!

This week make an effort to attend a Daily Mass if at all possible.  Visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.  Always remember that Jesus is present with us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  Take the time to receive Him humbly, reverently, and frequently!

Each one of you brings your own candle, that is, the holy desire with which you receive and eat this sacrament.  You candle by itself is unlit, and it is lighted when you receive this sacrament.  I say it is unlit because by yourselves you are nothing at all.  It is I who have given you the candle with which you can receive this light and nourish it within you.  And your candle is love, because it is for love that I created you, so without love you cannot have life.  (God speaking to St. Catherine - The Dialogue 110)

-J.

Summer Solstice & The Lord's Timelessness

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

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Gospel of Matthew 6:24-34

“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...."

Happy Summer Solstice!  Today is the first day of Summer and the longest day of the year.  The extra day light gives us a chance to take care of many outdoor tasks.  We may need to mow and weed eat the lawn, trim back the shrubs, or cut back overgrowth on trees.... 

I have been worried about the state of my front lawn.  It's mainly a big patch of dead and weedy grass.  Since we're in drought conditions with limited watering, I can't do much about it.  Just keep it mowed and edged.  Worrying about the grass seems rather silly when so many people don't even have a home to live in!

Many people worry about the little trivialities in life.  Maybe they've put on some weight and can no longer fit in their skinny jeans.  Maybe they don't think they can afford that steak for the grill out. Maybe they worry they can't "out-do" their neighbor with the finely manicured lawn who is obviously disobeying water restrictions! 

When we worry about the little things in life, we miss out on the greatness of God's handiwork.  We fail to recognize the beauty surrounding us every day.  We become so immersed in our own "To Do" lists that we don't stop to smell the wild flowers or observe the birds flying in the sky.  If God takes care of the animal kingdom, what makes us think he won't take care of us, too?  Why all the senseless worrying?

Satan loves for us to worry!  He knows along with worry arrives fear and anxiety.  Then comes along impatience and anger because we don't see things going our way.  We may even begin to subconsciously look for other things to worry about.  It's a vicious cycle.  Jesus clearly doesn't want us to worry.  Hand over our worries to Him and shoo away pesky old Satan!

The Lord's Timelessness  Today marks the longest day of the year on the North American continent, but our Lord's schedule doesn't rotate on a 24 hour clock: It's timeless!  Because the Lord works under the scope of timelessness, we cannot expect him to answer our prayers immediately.  We can't expect the Lord to "fix" our problems as if he's an IT guy we call on to repair our computer that's just crashed.  We must trust in God and allow him to demonstrate his love and mercy for us on his own time schedule.  Worrying that our prayers are not being heard does us no good.  In fact, it only makes us worry more.  

God always gives us what we need.  We may not appreciate it at the time thinking, "Why would God give me this?  This isn't what I want!  This isn't helping me!"  Be patient. Over time it's amazing how God's plan works itself out.  

In my own life, I've often subjected myself to "useless worrying" becoming angry thinking, "What's the use in trusting God when all of this crap in my life won't go away?"  Then weeks go by and my worry turns into peace.  Then I recognize it: God's handiwork all along!   He was there guiding me, but I allowed all the worry to blind my eyes.  

Don't allow worry to overwhelm.  Life is way too short to be paralyzed by anxiety.  Enjoy the Summer and remember God is always near you. He will answer your prayers on his own time line. 

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Pray for Us! 

-J.

Earthly vs. Heavenly Treasures

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

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Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be...."

A few months ago, I heard about a woman who died inside her home.  As a recluse, nobody knew she had passed away until a week later.  She lived as a hoarder with vast amounts of possessions occupying the rooms of her small, run-down home.  Hired workers spent months cleaning out the house, taking inventory of bank statements, stamp and coin collections, art, and jewelry.  More items were discovered in local storage facilities. The woman's estate was worth millions; however, because she didn't have a will, or known relatives, her prized possessions were auctioned off and sold.   Sadly, this woman led a solitary life with no husband, children, or close family members. Her earthly collections consumed her whole existence. I wondered: "Why did she hoard instead of share? Did she have faith in Christ or did she worship a 'god' consisting of her most prized possessions?"

Earthly Treasures   According to a recent Verizon cellular commercial:  Everybody wants more!  By signing up for one the "more is better" plans, a customer can get more data, coverage, and texting.... more, more, more.  This commercial annoys me because it's a clear example of how marketing heavily influences over-consumption in our materialistic society. It's as if collecting a treasure chest full of electronic gadgets, fancy cars, big houses, luxury apparel, all bundled up with a large stock portfolio, is the ultimate goal in life.  The more money we spend on "stuff" we don't need to impress people we don't like in order to live up The Jones' appears shallow and pointless. 

What happened to the idea of living simply and within our means?  What happened to not allowing material possessions to become the chief focus of our lives?  The material possessions we accumulate on earth will not travel with us into the pearly gates of heaven.  In fact, our earthly treasures become worthless and meaningless in the end:  fine apparel eaten by moths, jewelry tarnished and broken, and all of the electronic gadgets outdated and rusting away in a junk yard.

Heavenly Treasures  By contrast, the treasures in heaven are made up of love and faith in Jesus Christ.  As our faith in Christ grows, we begin to see that maybe the latest greatest iPhone or the big fancy BMW isn't that big of a deal.  Instead of building up possessions we focus on building up rich spiritual lives. We treasure our spouse and children.  We treasure our neighbors and community.  We treasure the small little details in life that remind us of God's creation - the sunrise and sunset and the beauty of Mother Nature.  We know heavenly treasures are safe in the hands of Our Lord.

Where's your heart?  Blaise Pascal, the famous Philosopher and Mathematician, wrote:

There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the creator, made known through Jesus.

Where's your heart?  Does it lie within your material possessions?  Is your heart greedy and selfish?  Is it sucked dry by consumerism and materialism? Or, is your heart beating alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

The emptiness of life should not be filled with a bunch of needless "stuff" but fulfilled with Christ's love and grace.  Instead of being a Pirate of Possessions, become a Conquistador for Christ. Store up heavenly treasures instead of earthly ones.

-J.

Spiritual Snippet -- Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

This week I received a catalog in the mail from Hope Publications, an apostolate of the Lay Dominicans of Saint Martin de Porres and Catholics United for Life.  As a flipped through it, I noticed a page listing books about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.  I was not familiar with Pier Giorgio, so I decided to research a little more about him.  His handsome looks definitely sparked my interest!

Pier Giorgio was born on April 6, 1901 in Turin, Italy to a prominent middle-class family.  His father was a journalist and his mother a painter.  His father, founder of Turin's La Stampa daily newspaper (still in existence today), became a Senator in Italian parliament as well as an Italian Ambassador to Germany.  Pier Giorgio was very close to his younger sister, Luciana.  (Luciana passed away in 2007 at the age of 105!)  

From a young age, Pier Giorgio radiated charisma, faith, humor and leadership.  He was an avid mountain climber and skier.  He loved literature and art, penning hundreds of letters over the course of his short life.  Many times after spending a beautiful day mountain climbing, he'd make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.  

Pier Giorgio was deeply devoted to Christ and saw a need to help the poor.  He became a Catholic youth activist often bringing attention to the plights of factory workers during a time period of great suffering and social distress.  He lived during the era of World War I and the rise of communism and facism.

He became as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic (the equivalent of today's Lay Dominicans).  Along with his studies, he centered his life around prayer and the Eucharist. He always carried with him a small pocket book of scripture, including Saint Paul's letters.  Many times he'd give train tickets and articles of his own clothing to the poor in the streets.  His actions are very reminiscent of Saint Dominic himself!

Pier Giorgio could've decided to become an entepreneur like his father but decided to enter the Polytechnic University at Turin to study mining.  He saw the miners as a group suffering in oppressive working and living conditions.  He believed he could "serve Christ better among the miners" by becoming a miner himself.

At the age of 24, he contracted polio and died within 3 days of exposure.  Most likely he had contracted the virus from one of the poor he served regularly. Pier Giorgio's parents had no idea what an impact their son had on the people in Turin.  At his funeral, thousands of the poor came to pay their respects! These same poor people later helped start the process toward sainthood.

Pier Giorgio wrote in a letter to a friend:

"...every day I understand better what a Grace it is to be Catholics.  Poor unlucky those who don't have a Faith:  to live without a Faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for the Truth, is not living but is just getting along.  We must never just get along but live, because even through every disappointment we should remember that we are the only ones who possess the truth, we have a Faith to sustain, a Hope to attain:  our Homeland."

Pier Giorgio is remembered by the phrase "Verso l'alto" meaning "Toward the heights."  The patron of youth, his feast day is celebrated on the Dominican calender on July 4th.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Pray for Us!

-J.

Sun Rise & Rain Fall

Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust...."

Loving the enemy   One of the most difficult parts of being a Christian is the concept of loving the enemy.  It seems impossible considering so many bad people roam the earth.  Who can love a terrorist who bombs a bus full of school children?  Who can love a pedophile?  Who can love a thief who breaks into our home?  Who can love someone who murdered a family member in cold blood?

We can learn to unconditionally love an enemy even if we dislike or despise the behavior.  It takes prayer and a willingness to see them as created in the image and likeness of God.  Bad people were not necessarily born in the womb that way.  They learned the behavior.  They chose an often destructive path in life.  However, there's always a fighting chance that an enemy can become an ally.

 How nice if life on earth was a perfect utopia where the concept of an "enemy" didn't exist.  Everybody treated each other respectfully and kindly.  Nobody harbored anger, hatred, or a grudge. Human beings lived a peaceful co-existence. Heaven is the closest to a utopia we can ever imagine!

The sun rises and the rain falls on both good and bad people. We all live in one gigantic, chaotic world together. It's up to each one of us to choose to love one another despite the evil we are exposed to.  People can and do change. When we give them that unconditional love, we allow Christ's transforming grace to heal.  An enemy's venom and strife becomes less deadly.  

Pray for those who persecute you   When we pray for those who persecute us, we are asking God to give us the strength to love and forgive our enemy for the wrong they have caused us either directly or indirectly.  The tears of sadness raining down on the earth suddenly dry up and become bright rays of sunshine.  We realize there is hope!  Hope that God will protect us from an enemy's wrath, and hope that an enemy will no longer persecute us.


Love your enemies even if you despise their behaviors.  They are still human and in a great need of prayers!

-J.

Offer No Resistance

Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time


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Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil...."

In today's first reading, we are introduced to the influences of Jezebel, the bible's wicked witch of the Middle East.   An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was her motto.  She coerced, seduced, and murdered her victims all for power and revenge.  She is the pinnacle of unholiness and evil.  A protagonist of ill will, many books and songs have been composed in her name.

Jezebel represents a rotting soul filled with greed, jealousy, hate, and revenge.  By contrast, Jesus represents a blooming soul filled with love, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Our Lord desires for us to offer no resistance toward one who is evil. In fact, the fruits of the Holy Spirit can help us.  Saint Paul writes:

....The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24)

How can we handle the nastiness of the Jezebels in our lives?  How can we "keep calm and carry on" when so much evil lurks around us? 

Here are some examples of how to offer no resistance under the guidance of the fruits of the Holy Spirit:

Turn the other cheek   (Fruits: peace, self-control)  When a person strikes our right cheek with criticisms, insults, and negativity, the best thing for us to do is to remain self-controlled. Don't return the venom.  Turn the other cheek straight in their direction as if to say, "I know you're angry with me.  I've offended you even though I may not have meant to. You can say what you wish even if it's slanderous. I'm sorry for harm."  Many times people are ready for the brawl; however, simply acting in a passive manner throws them off guard.

Self-control allows peace to enter our hearts and minds in ways that are pleasing to the Lord.

Hand over your cloak  (Fruits: gentleness, faithfulness)  Many lawsuits, along with hefty legal fees, can be prevented if people settled their disagreements.  Faith and trust have been violated. One party feels as if they have been cheated by another.  When we acknowledge our guilt, and make amends for what we have done wrong, we demonstrate good character and judgment.  Symbolically, we hand over to the prosecutor our own cloak saying, "I wish to obey the law from now on.  Here is a token of my commitment."

When we have faith in one another, we become more gentle and caring.


Walk another two miles  (Fruits: patience, kindness)  When we volunteer to help others in need, sometimes we are asked to commit more time than planned.  Perhaps an elderly person wants to chat at the nursing home a while longer.  A child asks to be read a second or third story before going to sleep. The fruit of patience and patience encourages us to walk that extra mile.  Service to others is a rewarding experience that should never be taken for granted.

Patience allows us to love and appreciate others as children of God.

Give to one who asks  (Fruits: joy, generosity)  When driving down the street, we may notice a homeless person holding a sign requesting food or a job.  A co-worker may ask to borrow $20  to fill up the gas tank.  In each one of these cases, a person is asking for another's help.  We should never turn our back to others in need regardless of our dislikes or pre-conceived notions. When we wipe away our prejudices, and help others with kindness and compassion, we are filled with an inner joy.

The inner joy and kindness that comes about from generosity is truly liberating.

Life's Jezebels  Those who are evil (the Jezebels of life) will try every trick in the playbook to get us to lose our tempers, fight, argue, manipulate and hate.  Don't give into sinful temptations.  Allow God to handle difficult matters in his own way and on his own time frame.  The Jezebels in our lives can serve a meaningful purpose: to teach us a valuable lesson.  We can learn good behavior by observing the bad deeds in others, determined not to repeat them.   Best of all, we see God in action when justice is served.  The wicked will not stand a chance again the Almighty power of God.  

Always remember that the greatest fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love.  When we love one another, including our enemies, we put on the mind of Christ.  Offer no resistance and keep the Sacred Heart of Jesus nestled close to your own heart!

He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely. (Saint Catherine of Siena)

Yes Means Yes, No Means No!

Saturday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

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Gospel of Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow..... Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’Anything more is from the Evil One.”


Jesus is basically saying to his disciples to own up to their word.  If they say they will do something, do it.  If they say they will not do something, don't do it.  Seems clear and simple, right?

Honor your Vow or Promise When we vow to something, we make a commitment to it.  It's wrong for us to simply break a vow because we're tired of the burden or the strain it puts on us.  So many marriages dissolve under the common excuse "irreconcilable differences." Often, people go into marriage thinking if things "don't work out" than they can simply file for divorce.  A "Yes until death do us part" becomes a "Well, maybe until I get tired of my husband or wife."  Worse yet those beautiful words morph into "Heck no, not until my death.  In fact, I plan to cheat on my spouse if he or she does't satisfy MY needs."

Can you imagine a priest who makes a vow of chastity, poverty and obedience all of the sudden deciding to break his promise to God and the Church?  Out of his own pride and vainglory, he thinks it's his right to sleep with a girlfriend on the side, steal money from the Church collection, and drink a little too much of the sacramental wine.  His "Yes, I give my life to the Lord" suddenly turns into "No, my appetite for women and drink is stronger than my love for God.  It's time to break my vows and do what everybody else does but secretly behind the locked door of the rectory......"

In our every day lives, when we promise to help out a neighbor in need, show up at work on a daily basis, or even attend a child's sports event, honoring that promise builds up our credibility and integrity. We must establish trustworthiness in our interactions with others.  As one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, being trustworthy  takes dedication, observation, self-control, organization, and empathy.

I admit there are times when I have said "Yes" to a volunteer effort and decided not to show up.  I just didn't feel like doing whatever I said I'd do.  Excuses have ranged from oversleeping to not feeling well to "I am too busy."  I always feel terribly guilty for not honoring my word.  I'm sure others experience the same thing.  Laziness has a horrible way of creeping up when you're asked to do something but really don't want to do it!

Yes Means Yes, No Means No!  When I first read today's gospel reading,  sexual assault and rape came to mind.  There's always been an old saying that if a woman says "No" to sex than she really means "Yes."  This is particularly scary because many times women in compromising situations where drugs and alcohol are involved cannot think rationally and clearly.  Men will easily take advantage of women.

Being raped has always been my worst nightmare and fear!  This is why I'm very careful not to place myself in dangerous situations where I may be taken advantage of. Situations where my "No" is not forceful enough.  Situations where the answer is always "Yes" even if the question was never asked.

More and more women across the globe are being sold to the sex trade, routinely beaten and raped, sodomized, and sexually assaulted for just being a woman!  These women have no say and no rights.  It doesn't matter if they say Yes or No, heinous crimes will continue against them.

One of my daily prayers is for an increase in women's empowerment and a decrease in sexual assaults and rapes around the world.  My heart aches with sadness when I read or hear about a woman brutally assaulted for standing up for her freedom, her rights, and her opinions.

Yes always means yes!  No always means no!  Jesus teaches this to his disciples, reminding us that it is a part of following his Way, Truth, and Life.  When we don't honor our word, we show a lack of trustworthiness.  From now on, let us do the right thing.  Don't allow Satan to confuse us into thinking No means Yes.  No means No!

-J.

A Letter to The Lord

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your blessings.  I love you with all my mind, heart, and soul.  You are truly a wonderful presence in my life.  I hope you can help me work through thoughts that run through my head over and over:  I think I'm not good enough!  

I compare myself to others.  I see their successes and great accomplishments.  I think I'm a complete failure in your eyes and the eyes of everyone else I come into contact with whether in person or virtual.  I don't think I'm understood or related to.  Maybe I'm even a freak, a reject, a human defect.  Oh, Dear Jesus, this sound so awful, I know it does!  I just want you to know what I'm feeling!

As I go through the aging process, I reflect on my past.  I recount all of the mistakes I made.  I wish I had done things differently.  If I had join the Catholic Church at an earlier age, maybe I would have made wiser choices.  

Resentment still smothers my heart.  I've confessed this so many times to you, Dear Jesus, but it's still a constant struggle.  For instance, today I became resentful of the engineer I work with who always says "No" to anything I suggest.  He's the technical guru, and I'm not, so of course, anything I suggest is inferior. The engineer is a kind gentleman.  I don't think he means harm.  He's just doing his job.  

I desire to be assigned challenging job responsibilities.  I want people to acknowledge my intellect and not ignore me.  Most of the time I do repetitive work that any non-college educated person can do.  I so wish I could move up, but I know this position is stagnant.  This is where I need to be for now.  It's hard for me to accept this.  I feel like my brain power is rotting away.  Lord, I pray that you can help me find ways to stimulate my creativity.  Push away resentment in the workplace and find ways to think how I can positively impact the company even from a low ball position.

Envy is another deadly sin that has clenched my soul and doesn't let go.  Today I read a blog about a young college lady who is volunteering in Uganda.  I secretly desire her opportunity to serve.  I wish I could do some kind of missionary work; yet, I'm stuck here with work and home responsibilities.  I crave the kind of attention, love and admiration this beautiful young woman receives on a regularly basis.  (I know it's sinful to envy and covet what others have.) I see myself as cow dung while this young woman is  a priceless pearl.  She has a whole life awaiting her since she's in her 20's with a career, marriage, and children in the future.  In comparison,  I'm in my 40's with child bearing ending and gray hairs forming.  It's not like I've been blessed with marriage and motherhood.  Lord, why did this happen?  Why didn't you bless me with someone special who'd love me unconditionally and not just use me?  Did you really intend to create me as an unattractive, emotional woman no man would ever want to live with?  I've tried so hard to find someone without success.  At this time I've given up. It makes me terribly sad to think I will be alone the rest of my life.  However, on the positive side, I have more time to spend with you!  In fact, unconditional love from you is all that really matters.  Yes, I may be physically lonely, but I know you will always be there along side me, Dear Lord!

Okay, I need to end this letter for now. I don't want to write anymore negative thoughts. They are truly anxiety-inducing and headache-forming. But, it's good to get thoughts off my chest. I wish I could be a perpetually happy person.  Is there really such a person??

 Dear Lord,  please help me find ways that I can be of service to others.  Please wipe away the self-doubt, resentment, envy, and sadness that surrounds my heart. I don't think I'm a bad person.  I just struggle with  feelings I'm not good enough for you or others.  I do have so much to offer. Don't you think?

Thank-you for taking the time to read this letter, Jesus.  I love you very much.  I look forward to receiving you in the Eucharist soon.  Of course, I will need to make an official trip to the confessional so my sins are free and clear......

Love,

-J.

A Whisper from God

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

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Book of 1 Kings 19:9A, 11-16

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

I  love the bible stories involving the Prophet Elijah. In this classic passage from the First Book of Kings, Elijah is trying to "hear" the voice of God.  He thinks it will come in some a huge, spectacular, noticeable way:  through the wind, fire, or an earthquake.  However, God speaks to Elijah in only a faint whispering sound.  The subtle, intimate, quiet way of communication frightened Elijah into hiding his face in his cloak.

Looking for the Big  Many times in our lives we look for God to answer our prayers in some big way.   As a result, we ignore the subtle, quiet ways that God answers.  In fact, we may be looking in the wrong direction for that big revelation when  all along God is answering our prayers through the quiet words of a friend, an article we read on the Internet, or even unexpected money that we receive in the mailbox.  God's quiet whisper leads to pleasant surprises!

God isn't flamboyant and showy. We shouldn't expect him to knock us off our feet in a fiery display with dramatic music in the background.  We shouldn't expect God to grant us everything that we pray for the way we desire.  Perhaps we want the big house, the big car, the bigger bonus, and the big family.  Instead we are blessed with a modest home, enough money to pay the bills, and a small family.  

Big isn't necessary better when it comes to the way God works.  This is complete opposite of American culture today.  Recently, I've saw a Verizon commercial with the theme "More is Better."  If a customer signs up for Verizon cellular service, they can get more data, more call time, more, more, more.  This commercial really bothers me because it only encourages consumers to buy more stuff they don't need.  What happened to a simplified life?  What happened to only buying what you need? I remember growing up when we didn't even have a cell phone much less texting and web streaming.  

In my own life, I try to look for the small, subtle answers. I enjoy looking for the "clues" God passes along in my life journey.  Sometimes I don't quite understand why a certain prayer wasn't answered in what I believe was a suitable way.  But then years later I realize, "Ah!  That's why God didn't answer my prayer this way. He wanted me to do this!" 

Overall I prefer God's quiet way instead of society's loud boisterous way.  I always know he's there listening to me, protecting me from harm.  I know he understands my struggles and hardships.  He is always speaking to me in a whisper that may be hard to hear at times but will become loud and clear when I'm ready to accept his guidance.

Saint Anthony of Padua, Pray for Us!

-J.