Ufać (Trust)

The size of your bucket determines how much water you can draw from the well. The following words were spoken by our Lord to St. Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament:

"The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is -- trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive." (Diary 1578)

As we trust, Jesus fills us with His mercy, even to overflowing. What can we do but pass it on to others.

"When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls." (Diary 1074)

Lenten Objective

What do you hope to accomplish during Lent? How will you do it? I heard this passage from Isaiah on Fat Tuesday while at evening prayer. Then it was the first reading last Friday. I found myself meditating on it and decided to share it with you.

"Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am." ~Isaiah 58:5-9

What is the purpose of fasting? Well, one is to humble ourselves. Some others include to loose the bonds of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, to let the captive go free, and to break every yoke.

What do we do? Usually bowing down your head and wearing sackcloth and ashes is a good start. But what pleases God? Through the Prophet Isaiah the Lord tells us what pleases Him more than punishing ourselves: share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into your house, clothe the naked.

Sure the sackcloth and ashes part results in humility, but what happens when we do it God's way? Our light breaks forth, healing springs up, righteousness proceeds us, and the glory of the Lord protects us. And best of all, when we cry out to the Lord He answers.

So I ask again: what do you want from Lent and how will you get it?

March 2009

Sanctus Ioseph, Ora Pro Nobis

March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and "Earth Dad" to our Lord Jesus Christ. His feast day is on March 19. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, Carpenters, Doubters, Travelers, House Hunters, and of a Happy Death.

GUARDIAN of virgins, and holy father Joseph, to whose faithful custody Christ Jesus, Innocence itself, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, were committed; I pray and beseech thee, by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, that, being preserved from all uncleanness, I may with spotless mind, pure heart, and chaste body, ever serve Jesus and Mary most chastely all the days of my life. Amen

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for March

* Dignity of Women. That all nations of our world may grow in appreciation of the dignity and value of women and their roles in society.

* Church Unity in China. That all the bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and laity of the Catholic Church in China may strive to be instruments of unity, communion, and peace, as enjoined by the letter sent to them by Pope Benedict XVI.

Feast Days

St. David of Wales (March 1)
St. Katherine Drexel (March 3)
40 Martyrs of Sebaste (March 9 Byzantine)
St. Benedict of Nursia (March 14 Byzantine)
St. Patrick of Ireland (March 17)
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (March 18)
Annunciation of the Theotokos (March 25)

*Lent continues throughout the month

Triumph

Well, here we are on the first Sunday of Lent. In the Byzantine tradition it commemorates the restoration of icons at the Seventh Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (AD 787). In 754 the "robber council" of Hieria banned icons. This led to "iconoclasm", the destruction of icons and the persecution and murder of those who adored them. During iconoclasm many icons from the East were taken to West (Our Lady of Grace, Perpetual Help to name two).

Icons are not simply a devotional preference, but an integral part of Byzantine Catholic faith and devotion. They remind us of the incarnation of the Logos, the Second Person of the Trinity, in Christ. They make present to the believer the person or event depicted on them.

To celebrate victory over heresy, St. Theodore of the Studium composed a canon which is sung during Matins. The following is from an interpretation of it by English hymn writer John Mason Neale.

Awake, O Church, and triumph
Exult, each realm and land!
And open let the houses,
The ascetic houses stand!
And let the holy virgins
With joy and song take in
Their relics and their Icons,
Who died this day to win!

Assemble ye together
So joyous and so bold,
The ascetic troops, and pen them
Once more within the fold!
If strength again he gather,
Again the foe shall fall:
If counsel he shall counsel,
Our GOD shall scatter all.

The LORD, the LORD hath triumphed:
Let all the world rejoice!
Hushed is the turmoil, silent
His servants’ tearful voice:
And the One Faith, the True Faith,
Goes forth from East to West,
Enfolding, in its beauty,
The earth as with a vest.

They rise, the sleepless watchmen
Upon the Church’s wall;
With yearning supplication
On GOD the LORD they call:
And He, though long time silent,
Bowed down a gracious ear,
His people’s earnest crying
And long complaint to hear.

Crystal Ball and Chain

"If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder which he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them', you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him, and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and cleave to him." (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

False prophets have always been a problem. Sure, their predictions might come true, or they might perform signs and wonders, but if their message contradicts the True Faith, then they should be rejected.

Fulfilled predictions or miracles do not validate doctrine. During my visit to Tennessee I met a young man who is converting to the Catholic Church from a "Oneness" Pentecostal church. He was a certified minister in a denomination that rejects the Trinity. They expressed the gifts of the Spirit just like charismatic Catholics, but their teachings were out of line with the historic Christianity. He gave up his ministry and his friends to be united to the Church founded by Jesus Christ on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.

But what about in the Catholic Church--are there false prophets there? Yes, there are people who claim private revelation from Jesus or the Blessed Virgin within the Church and gather followers around themselves. They might set themselves up as spiritual directors or "Secretaries of the Lord". People who are spiritually hungry, weak in their faith, or poorly catechized are easily influenced by such characters.

The result is bondage, especially when their messages lead to fear. It leads to distrust of the Church's teaching authority. It can turn into personality cults. When the hierarchy tries to correct such people, rather than submit to the apostolic authority of the Church, they consider themselves persecuted and above the Magisterium.

"...there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:7-9)

St. Paul wasn't just talking about those outside the Church. A message that produces panic and worry should be questioned. True prophets are used to convict and warn, but the fruit is repentance, not anxiety about the future.

Lenten Perseverance

You who fear the Lord, wait for His mercy;
and turn not aside, lest you fall.
You who fear the Lord, trust in Him,
and your reward will not fail;
you who fear the Lord, hope for good things,
for everlasting joy and mercy.
Consider the ancient generations and see:
who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame?
Or who ever persevered in the fear of the Lord and was forsaken?
Or who ever called upon Him and was overlooked?
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful;
He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.
~Sirach 2:7-11

Today's first reading from Sirach was exactly what I needed to catapult me into Lent. Yesterday I drove back to Michigan from my month stay in Tennessee. At 3pm I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet and spent the hour in mediation and contemplation. The presence of God was so strong and I knew everything would be alright.

I felt the Lord telling me to focus on mercy during Lent. Both receiving and giving.

Mercy is more than just forgiveness or clemency. Mercy reaches out to want, misery, or suffering. The Incarnation of Christ, every miracle he performed, and the crucifixion. are all expressions of Divine Mercy. The Psalms say His mercy endures forever.

"Miserere" is the Latin word for mercy. "Misericordia", means "heart of mercy" and is usually translated as compassion (For instance: Salve Regina, mater misericordiae). At every Mass we pray Kyrie Eleison (in Greek) or "Lord, have mercy". It is both something God does and something He IS. Through the Holy Spirit God's merciful love pours into our hearts the power to grow in faith, hope, and love, and to serve Him with joy.

What is human mercy? St. Thomas Aquinas defined mercy in general as "the compassion in our hearts for another person's misery, a compassion which drives us to do what we can to help him." Our sensitivity to others should result in action.

What does Sirach say? Wait for His mercy. And what should we do while waiting? Don't get distracted and turn away, trust in Him, hope for good things. Then Sirach reminds us of God's reputation for mercy: consider the ancient generations and see.

What conclusion can we draw? For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.

Who ever persevered in the fear of the Lord and was forsaken? This is an important reminder as we start the Lenten journey. It should be a time of heroic virtue and growth. A time to conquer passions and uproot habitual sins. Persevere on the Lenten path and your reward will not fail.

Forgiveness Sunday

The first time I set foot in an Orthodox church was on Cheesefare Sunday. I was overwhelmed by the incense, icons, chanting, and vestments. The standing up and sitting down, and the occasional foreign tongue was challenging to follow. The priest mentioned something about Lent starting and invited everyone to come to Forgiveness Vespers that evening.

Evening came and I decided to go. Vespers was interesting, but then came the Rite of Forgiveness. One by one people came forward, made a bow and said "forgive me" to which the other person replied "God forgives". I thought to myself, "If only more churches did this. Maybe there would be fewer factions and splits."

Of course, going through a forgiveness ritual and actually living a forgiveness lifestyle are two different things. Year after year our parish celebrated the Rite of Forgiveness. Year after year the community was plagued with factions, politics, and blatant un-forgiveness. Lips that once kissed each cheek in forgiveness, soon turned to gossip.

Tonight the Byzantine Catholic mission I attend is having Forgiveness Vespers. And we will have the Rite of Forgiveness. If you don't have the blessing of attending the service, at least start out the Lenten season by asking those around you for forgiveness--start with your family, then work your way out from there.

Kontakion for Cheesefare, Tone 6

The complete Forgiveness Vespers service book from the Metropolitan Cantor's Institute is available HERE

Jesus Encounters of the Gospel Kind

I've been studying the Gospel of Mark with some friends. In the first two chapters we met several people: John the Baptist, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, a man with an unclean spirit, Simon's mother-in-law, a leper, a paralytic with some dedicated friends, scribes, Pharisees, Levi the tax collector and a dinner party full of sinners.

While reading a book called "Abba's Child" by Brennan Manning I came across something that caused me to read their stories in a deeper way:

"Jesus discloses God's true feelings toward us. As we turn the pages of the gospels, we discover the people Jesus encounters there are you and me. The understanding and compassion He offers them, He also offers you and me."

I am each of those characters. He calls me to follow Him. He wants to deliver me from bondage, from sickness, from paralysis. He wants to be with me even if I am a social outcast. Am I the voice crying out in the desert, or the self-righteous Pharisee? I can think of times where I've been both.

We should let the Lord love us and heal us.

The Vocation of Being Yourself

Poet Wendell Berry wrote in his essay God and Country that using the term "full-time Christian service" turns the devoted life into a religious specialty or career. It removes the possibility of devotion from other callings. If the priest or preacher is a "full-time Christian servant", then the farmer can merely serve God in his spare time.

The work of Christ on earth is not just for the professionals. At several points in my life I was in full-time "career" ministry. Now that I am a "civilian" it's easy to discount what I am doing for the Kingdom. Would my service mean more if I wore a collar or a cassock? Of course not. My daily social contacts provide opportunities to minister to others. A parent, a good neighbor, a caring friend: all of these are vocations.

The fathers at Vatican II reminded the ordinary Christian of this. In Apostolicam Actuositatem they explained, "the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world." Here are some other declarations from this document:

"Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of the spirit of Christ."

"On all Christians therefore is laid the preeminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world."

"They should not cease to develop earnestly the qualities and talents bestowed on them in accord with these conditions of life, and they should make use of the gifts which they have received from the Holy Spirit."

When you wake up in the morning, ask the Lord to show you ways to bless those around you. Seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Church. Be the fragrance of Christ in a dying world.

The Eyes

The mysteries concealed in ordinary realities are often revealed most fully to the eye that observes rather than to the hand that seizes and holds.

Reality can be luminous and radiant with inner meaning for eyes that are content to observe with gentleness and respect.

~Charles Cummings, OCSO
The Mystery of the Ordinary

Ralph

I wondered why my allergies began to act up. Then I noticed that something finished off my bag of nuts. Then I saw the little droppings. Eek! A mouse!

So I bought some mouse traps and baited them with peanut butter. One behind the refrigerator and one under the stove.

I came back an hour later and Ralph managed to get the bait without activating the trap behind the fridge. Clever rascal. So I baited it again. An hour later, same story. I didn't bother to bait it again.

The next morning I woke up and found Ralph with his neck snapped in the trap under the stove.

Why would I bring up the murder of one of God's creatures? Because he made me think about temptation and compromise.

The first time you "take the bait" and seem to get away with it you feel lucky. The next time you're bolder in your action--no consequences again. But eventually, SNAP! You're trapped.

Lent is the perfect time to conquer your passions. To stop taking the bait from the traps in your life. The goodies are there, but you can resist them. That's what the prayer component of Lent is for.

The Physician

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." (Mark 2:17a)

"Those who are well" is one word in Greek: ἰσχύω (ē-skhü'-ō). It means those of sound health but is also used to mean strong or powerful. "Sick" is the Greek word κακῶς (kä-kō's), meaning ill or diseased, but also miserable. As with any language words have literal and figurative meaning.

Who did Jesus say this to? The scribes and Pharisees. They had power and considered themselves strong in the faith because they were strict observers of the Law. So did they need Jesus too? Of course they did.

I always looked at this verse to mean that broken people need Jesus the most of all. Well, that is true, but I also see another meaning here. They "have no need" for healing, not in the sense that they don't require it, but that they don't see any use for it.

The Pharisees considered their works enough, so a savior wasn't necessary. Pride blinded them to the sickness of sin within them. The addiction to control and order made change seem unnecessary, even threatening. The towers they built to protect themselves from the unclean became prisons that kept them from true healing.

How often do we reach a level of devotion and religiosity and feel like we've "arrived"? We are whole and can cruise through the rest of our lives saying the Rosary, going to Sunday Mass, and even popping by the Adoration chapel now and then. Wrong. Refusal to keep growing leads to decay, like a body that breaks down due to inaction.

It is vulnerability that brings liberation from this prison. Grace comes crashing through and our wounds are exposed. We realize that we are broken and in need of healing. Then our acts of devotion become part of our healing. Then the Sacraments become medicine to our souls. The Church becomes a spiritual hospital.

If we recognize our sinfulness, admit our frailty, and face our wounds then salvation makes sense. We will hear the Lord calling for us to follow Him. We will leave everything to sit at His table.

Originally posted to a private Bible Study group I am involved with.