Blog Archives
Entrances
I was recently watching reels of extravagant entrances to weddings, sweet sixteens and other parties. In one the groom arrived riding on an elephant, another had a bride arriving in a Cinderella style carriage with six white horses, and a sweet sixteener had her entourage carry her in on an elaborate golden chair. With all of it there was lots of pomp and circumstance including music to accompany the entrance. All the people who awaited their arrival were dressed beautifully and excitedly clapped at their arrival. Now that the entrance had happened the real fun could start. It was definitely something to behold. While I was watching all of it, I could not help but contrast the quietness of Christ’s arrival.
The king of all creation arrives and there is no big hoopla. Scripture lets us know a few details. It occurred in the quiet of the night, during a busy time (a census), in a small village. Mary and Joseph found no space at an inn and in the humble abode of a manger (a cave used for baby lambs or a barn) Jesus arrives. No kings, no dignitaries were present, no friends, no family. Just a young holy virgin and her righteous husband. But heaven doesn’t let this go by in full silence. Angels excited at the new arrival- go and sing- not to the king or the rich tucked away in comfy inns surrounded by their wealth. They go to the fields – to the shepherds – the ones sleeping under the stars. They are the ones who get to see the angles light up the sky, sing and proclaim “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests. (Luke 2 10-14)
Some biblical scholars think that the reason Satan didn’t know if Jesus was indeed the Christ is because of His humble entrance. Satan, who is the father of pride, would expect an entrance worthy of God. Not poverty, indifference and darkness. In a world full of noise where we strive to be seen and heard, how are we missing God’s daily coming into our lives?
Take the following interaction between Elijah and God
Then the LORD said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19 11-13)
Here in the silence is where Elijah can hear God speak to him.
We have come to believe that big entrances, opulence, and lots of noise equal important things. I remember a failing restaurant that put a bouncer and a stanchion outside and instantly became popular. Don’t get me wrong- I am not putting down the people described above and their entrances. What I did want to point out is that sometimes we miss God because He comes in simple ways. No grand entrances. And sometimes God misses us because we feel like we have to be something more before we can come to Him.
God is not calling for us to make big entrances, He is just asking us to be present. To allow ourselves to notice Him throughout the day and acknowledge Him in both His greatness and in the little things. Because He is indeed the creator of all good things – He will be found in all.
Why am I sharing this right before Lent and not during Advent? Because my dear friend, God wants to be found. As we approach the desert let us remember what He told Jeremiah “When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me” Jerimiah 12-14. So, this lent, come to God in your littleness. Walk into the desert as you are because “God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). And if your heart is just as messy as a manger- don’t worry He has been there before and knows how to make it a home.
Have a blessed Lent!
All Hollows
Every October I start to cringe. It seems our world starts to display its fascination with death. Goblins, ghouls, zombies, and spiders abound. The scary and ugly part of what the secular world displays is a far cry from the beauty of what our Catholic faith teaches us.
And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? 1 Cor 15:54-55
So, what is the beauty of death? Did you know that you are part of the universal church? When we proudly proclaim we are all one body- it is because the church divided into 3 parts that celebrate together. The Church Triumphant (those in heaven), the Church Suffering (those in purgatory) and the Church Militant (that’s us! Struggling everyday in this valley of tears) Our goal as Catholics is to recognize that we are part of this one body- and one day we will rejoice with the saints in heaven and enjoy the beatific vision.
When I look at the lives of the saints I am filled with hope. I see saints like Padre Pio, St Catherine of Sienna, and others who’s lives on earth were so exemplary that after death God does not show us a rotting corpse, but an incorruptible body, some who hundreds of years later still are intact and emit a beautiful scent. This is a small foreshadowing of what awaits us all, when Jesus comes again, our mortal bodies will once again be joined to our souls not in the thoughtless meanderings of a zombie but in grateful contemplation of the Divine.
Death is not an end- I once heard someone say one day when you read my obituary it will say I died, but don’t believe a word of it- I will be fully alive more alive than I have been in my physical life. I will be in heaven rejoicing. That is the goal to know that we will spend eternity with the one who loves us best. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. John 14 2-3. When my kids come home to visit, I spend so much time making things perfect for them- preparing a place for them that they will enjoy and feel loved in. If I in my human frailty can do this, can you imagine what God is preparing for you?
So let October come, let the world clothe itself in the scary and spooky. I will keep my eyes focused on heaven where my help comes from, and my hope is made real.
3 Strands
I was recently invited to speak at a marriage retreat with my husband. I was so excited. I mulled over a few ideas and thought I would speak about the most famous married couple of all, Mary and Joseph. When I prayed on it further, I kept receiving a cord of three strands as the theme. Let’s get this straight, I am not a paratrooper – I have no idea of cord strength, the value of a 2 strand cord vs a 3 strand cord or anything else like that, but I just kept feeling that the three stranded cord was to be my direction. When I googled it- I just started laughing- little did I know God had already long ago written about a 3 stranded cord in the bible.
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil. If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm? Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord* is not easily broken.
I pondered this for a while. Why would you emphasize the importance of two, the strength of two and the benefit of two, then at the end just add in-as a by the way- a 3 ply cord is not easily broken. That last bit made no sense, until of course it did.
I remembered an article Scott Hahn had posted about marriage in Croatia. When you announce your engagement, people congratulate you on finding your cross. No one says wow you found your perfect person. On the contrary! Instead, they say to them: “You have found your cross. It is a cross to love, to carry it with you, a cross that is not to throw away but to treasure.”
When the bride and groom enter the church on their wedding day, they carry a crucifix with them. The priest blesses the crucifix. When the time comes to exchange their vows, the bride puts her right hand on the crucifix and the groom puts his hand on hers, so that both hands are joined together on the crucifix.
The priest covers their hands with his stole as they exchange their vows, according to the rite of the Church, to be faithful to each other, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, till death do them part. Then, instead of kissing each other, the bride and groom kiss the crucifix. Those who witness the ceremony understand from it that if one of them leaves the other, he or she leaves Christ on the Cross.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds bring the crucifix to their home and put it in a place of honor. It will forever be the point of reference and the place of family prayer. In times of difficulty, the family do not go to the lawyer or the psychiatrist, but kneel down together before the crucifix in search of help from Jesus Christ. They kneel down and maybe even cry and open their hearts asking the Lord and each other for forgiveness. They go to sleep with peace in their hearts because they have received forgiveness from the only one who has the power to save.
Husband and wife will teach their children to kiss the crucifix every day and not to go to sleep like pagans, without first giving thanks to Jesus. They know that Jesus is holding them in His arms and there is nothing to fear.
PS Here is where you find the lowest divorce rate in all of Europe.
This is the cord of 3 strands. In every marriage two become one. The Priest says “what God has united let no man tear asunder.” Jesus is the third strand of this union. Marriages that have Jesus as its center strand are stronger because, you don’t only lean on each other you can lean on Christ. I’ve been married for over 30 years, Jose and I made a promise to each other to always keep Christ at the center of our marriage. Have there been times where we got distracted, allowed other things or obligations to come between us? Yes of course, but we always come back to Jesus. We have found that our strength doesn’t come from ourselves, but is always found in Jesus. He is the very definition of love. His goal is always to draw you closer to Him and through Him each other. A Priest at my cousin’s wedding told them- “Judy – your job is to get Jason into heaven and Jason your job is to get Judy into heaven.” Many of us forget that love is sacrifice. But this is what Jesus teaches us on the cross. That love is sacrifice. It is willing the best for someone else and doing all possible to get them to heaven.
My prayer for you today is that you allow Jesus to be the third strand in your marriage. That you allow Him to be the glue that binds you and transforms you into love.
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Sandpaper
As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another- proverbs 27:17
Recently I was speaking with my husband about someone who is really hard to love. I am sure we all have someone who makes our lives difficult. After praying over this for a few days, I found myself in the garage and saw some sandpaper. I felt God tugging on my heart to grab hold of it. As I rubbed my thumb over its abrasive texture, I began to imagine a carpenter using it on a block of wood. The sandpaper would polish down all the splinters and burrs on the wood leaving it smooth. It hit me-was God allowing this abrasive person in my life to smooth ME? Was this person God’s gift to me? Was I the one with the splinters, the one who when the outer layer is removed can display the beauty hidden within?
I kept rubbing this simple sandpaper with my thumb and thought of the spiritual works of mercy I had been speaking with my confirmation students about -bear wrongs patiently, forgive injuries, pray for the living and the dead. These were growing in me every time I encountered said person. I had begun to pray for this soul every time I encountered them. When my thoughts were less than charitable, I would offer up my frustration, and pray for more charity, for more patience, more love, and more peace. We do not become stronger by doing nothing, or more of the same. We become stronger by pushing ourselves past our own limits. I kept imagining the carpenter lovingly sanding down the wood, if the wood could speak it would probably say it didn’t enjoy the process – but the outcome was really worth it. What is my gentle carpenter creating me to be? What virtues are coming to life in this process? Every time I surrender myself to loving my neighbor as God loves, then something has to change.
I took this image to prayer for a few days. The great aha moment wasn’t even revealed right away- The sandpaper itself became less abrasive as it is rubbed against the block of wood. They were both changed. When we can radically love as Jesus loves, then not only are we changed, but those encountering that love are also changed. Slowly, mysteriously as only God can do it- that person’s exposure to patience, love and forgiveness can often mellow their sharpness as well.
I will keep praying and thanking God for all the sandpapers in my life and remember to humbly remind myself from time to time – that I too am somebody’s sandpaper.
Finding God In The Everyday 