Obedience To God is True Freedom: By: C.C.

   

"As Saint peter knew, the paradox of the Gospel is that we are set free from the chains of our own making by choosing to yoke ourselves to Christ, who bursts our bonds by his own death and Resurrection" (Magnificat Magazine)

To be a Christian and to follow the path of Christ demands great sacrifice. This sacrifice varies depending on our state in life and also to the degree in which we surrender ourselves to God. This surrender which seems quite 'radical' to many is met by our Lord with immense grace, mercy, and love. It is because of His love for us that we are provided with the freedom to love him, to serve Him, and to continually strive toward Him amidst our difficulties and challenges. It is because of our Lord's mercy that we are able to experience a sense of His peace, joy, and love.

    Through faith and a strong will to live in accordance to God's design we are opened up to the invisible reality of Christ. This surrender that we are called to and reminded of many times by Jesus in the Gospel requires great obedience. The concept of obedience is often difficult to accept and seems to be one that many in our modern world reject. We can often fail to recognize that obedience to God is not imprisonment, but is a means by which we bind ourselves to the fullness of truth, love, and freedom found in our Lord alone. 

   So often one can settle for the tangible things of this world and claim to be 'liberated' and 'free' by doing as they please in the name of themselves and end up in the shackles of selfishness and disillusionment. Jesus calls us to obedience and sacrifice not for punishment, but for love. He offers to us an interior freedom and we must take the time to detach from external entrapment. We can only be truly free when we bind ourselves to the source of all freedom and fulfillment. We can only know this by giving ourselves completely through sacrifice and obedience. Blessed are they who hear the "hound of heaven" and answer by the laying down of their lives through sacrifice, service, and love. 

  May we begin each day with thanksgiving to God and think often of the end of our life,so that we may live each moment striving for purity of heart and draw nearer to our Lord in all things until we are truly Home.(CC)

   

   

  

      

Faith. By: C.C.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible." (Hebrews 11:1-3)

   Today's readings at Mass had me examine my own heart. I was led to truly think about the ways in which I conduct myself in matters of faith. Am I always assured? Do I live with a sense of conviction at all times? It is a constant work to continually devote ourselves to building a relationship with the Lord and trusting in His ways. It is not something fixed and stagnant,but rather it is constantly in flux as we react and act in accordance to the movements of the events in our lives. 

   It is important to acknowledge through our movements and experiences that God is unchanging, and that his love is presently near to us at all times. His presence, His realness, and His truth does not cease to be true because we waver in our faith. We are called by Him to a relationship; we are called to have faith in things unseen. 

  Through faith we come to a place of understanding that there is something exceeding the capacity and limitations of our human comprehension. If we attempt by intellect alone to seek the heights of God we will find ourselves falling ever so short of reaching this place. Faith demands a simplicity of heart and a total surrender. It demands for us to surrender even our intellect and allow God through faith to reveal His mystery to us. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" . In our moments of doubt and difficulty may we turn to the Lord and ask for Him to aid in our clarity. In these times let us say to the Lord "I believe;help my unbelief!" (Mark 9: 24) May we strive to live with this in our hearts so that we may experience on earth the peace and joy that is beyond all understanding until we are truly Home where our treasure is. (C.C.) 

"I believe though I do not comprehend, and I hold by faith what I cannot grasp with the mind." (St. Bernard)

Taking Up The Cross: A Reflection on Fr. Gerard`s Homily By:C.C.

"To take up the cross means that we are under the cross and not on top of it. It is bigger than we are that is why we cannot cast it aside but must be under it and bear it and live with it. This is where, we drop the ball. We see obstacles and not crosses. This is not totally untrue. There are things we can and should overcome. It does become untrue when we look at life as one obstacle course where we go from triumph to triumph. Our very language bears out this gospel of success. ‘I’ve got a handle on it’ or ‘I’ve got it under control’ or “I’m on top of it, don’t worry’ or ‘I think I have it beat’. If all we have are obstacles then we are in control and if we do not make it, it is because we have not tried hard enough or worked smart as they say. I wonder if we look closer we would not find the cross hidden away in such lives by compensations, denial or rationalizations or the other unconscious defense mechanisms

But the cross means that we do not have control. There is a point of suffering such that we cannot get our arms around it. We cannot understand it. If we could wrap our minds around it, it would cease to be the cross. That is why we are always under it. We have to bear it and take it up. Suffering is the point of failure in our lives. It can lead to despair or it could lead to life. We could push it away and pretend that we are in charge and finally end up in hopelessness when the lies and denials fail. Or we can welcome the stranger we cannot understand and take up the cross with the Lord and find life." (Abbot Fr. Gerard D'Souza- Abbey of the Genesee)

   In reflection of today's Gospel I was very pleased to come across this homily shared by Fr. Gerard from one of my favorite places to retreat (The Abbey of Genesee).These words about the cross resonated deeply with me today and I feel that they can speak to each one of us as we seek to identify, understand, and accept the cross within our own lives.

   There is something about the cross that leaves us uncomfortable. To feel the weight of something we do not have control over or quite understand leads us to feel vulnerable and out of control. We often forget the message and promise of our Lord that we hear today when we are faced with these circumstances. As Fr. Gerard points out we can be led to despair or we can be led to life.The choice in face of the cross is ours. It is here we make an act of will that consequently determines where we will be led. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel that "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."(Matthew16:24-25). As followers of Christ we are aware that to take up our cross daily is to persevere throughout our struggles and challenges being aware that our Lord helps us to carry our burden. We can potentially feel most conquered and most defeated when we try and remain in this place of being 'in charge' and 'on top of it' opposed to surrendering completely to our incapability and our great need for the help of our Lord to lead us toward life. 

Our Lord did not present us with the cross to burden us, to weigh us down, or to lead us toward despair and hopelessness. He took the cross so that we may have life and know it in the fullness of  eternity. Let us take up our cross daily with faith in our Lord to lead us to life. May we persevere in our journey remaining in the joy of our Lord by seeing even the most difficult of sufferings as a 'kiss from the cross'. Let us offer all things to Him in faith. If we seek to follow our Lord and grow in holiness we must strive to also embrace everything with faith, hope, and trust. Let us wake each new day with thanksgiving to our Lord and the knowledge that He is present with us in the face of our cross and our biggest struggle.(C.C.) 

Choosing The Better Part. By:C.C.

"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." (Luke10:42)


  

    The Gospel reading for today is one that invites each of us to take a look at our own lives and into the anxieties and distractions that we often experience. Many of us can potentially insert our own names into this passage; identifying ourselves most with Martha as we too may overlook choosing the "better part".

    Being aware of the presence of God in our lives and working towards remaining attune to Him can enable us to accomplish our works with much greater ease. It can also help us to prioritize our tasks. Thursday's Gospel reading reminded us that we are invited to cast all of our burdens upon Jesus..."Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."(Matthew29:29-30) It is easy to become overwhelmed and distracted as Martha did by the pressures of life and yearning to please others. As responsibilities pile upon our shoulders we can feel as if we work alone; losing sight of our Lord and His providence by becoming consumed in the noise of activity and deaf to His words.

    Jesus calls us away from our tasks and burdens as He did with Martha by reminding her what the "better part" was. Though Martha's intent was pure and seeking to serve our Lord, there is something much more beautifully selfless in what is most pleasing to Him. It is not a matter of self-flattery by which Jesus declares Mary's choice to be the 'better part', but it is a statement made out love and desire to provide Martha with the sustaining peace, joy, and strength that His presence and counsel can bring to her. Jesus also affirms through this that it is far better to be in communion with one another, sharing time, and listening to each other, rather than perpetually busying ourselves with what we deem to be productive and necessary work. 

      I was moved in two directions while reading this Gospel. The first asserted the need to constantly practice the presence of our Lord and to cast my burdens upon Him so that I may fulfill all of my tasks in the way that He wills. Secondly, I am reminded of our call as Christians to receive others as if we are receiving Christ. The way that we treat our brothers and sisters so too do we treat our Lord. 

    Jesus reminds us today of our need to sit with Him and listen in order that we may grow in a relationship with Him and remain aware our need and His constant desire to be part of our lives. It is the "better part" to sit attentively before His feet so that we not only remember His majesty, but that we come to know His immense love for us. By being present at the feet of our Lord we can learn how to be most present to our tasks and also to those we encounter. Let us strive to always choose the "better part" by sitting attentively and listening to our Lord. (C.C.) 

The 'Can't' Catholics and Ineffective Evangelization by: C.C.

"And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth." (2Timothy 2:24-25)

    To love our Lord is a beautiful thing and to seek to live out His will is something that each of us should strive for. To live in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church is to live in accordance with Christ. Potentially after reading such a statement many who disagree wholeheartedly with this may feel quite "puffed". And for this I will apologize, but not entirely. I apologize to you because if you disagree with this statement then it means that this Truth has not been properly shown and shared with you by those you have encountered. It is for this reason that many people today are misguided, misled, and overly critical of what the Catholic Church is all about. We do most disservice to one another and ultimately to our Lord when we begin looking at others and finding fault in them declare that there must be a greater fault in their religion. We also cause immense damage when we do not humble ourselves and live in accordance to what we are taught and have received through grace. When we preach principals that we do not practice without a humble spirit we cause damage.

   I am full of fault and error, I sin and I fall short many times from reaching the bar that our beloved saints have set. I can not yet love in the fullness preached in the Gospel and I surely can not begin to look at another and criticize their shortcomings as if I am better than them. What I can do though is gently point them in the direction of He who can do and has done everything that I can not. I can lead them through my actions and my surrender toward He who through us can accomplish the impossible;He who provides love beyond our understanding and calls us toward Him with love and not in a spirit of condemnation. I can lead them to the beauty of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, allowing what can not be understood by words and intellect to be experienced.

     There is nothing more ineffective than losing sight of the simple truth that we are human. The humility required to serve our Lord is immense. Our biblical ancestors and beloved saints, and even those living around us today with great fever and effectiveness for our Lord all possess an incredible amount of humility.

     What makes us most great is not the many things that we accomplish or strive to achieve, rather, as Christians we acknowledge that to be "great" is to be nothing and to allow our Lord to accomplish amazing things through us. It is in this way that we can attain joy, peace, and experience the love of our Lord. It is troubling to me when I am faced with those around me within the Catholic Church family, who believe that for some reason a way of "catching souls" is through condemnation, anger, judgement, and by throwing out rules and "Can'ts" opposed to presenting the person of Jesus. 

    Surely there is a way ordained to live our lives in accordance with God that may first appear limiting to some, but this is a conclusion made out of ignorance and not out of the awareness of truth and love. It is love that places these seemingly demanding ways of life upon us. Love that cares more for our well-being than we often care for ourselves and even realize. In seeking to evangelize we must be aware that our first task is to live out the Gospel, live out the faith, live in a relationship with the Lord and strive for purity of heart. It is only in this way that we can ever engage with our brothers and sisters within and "without" the Church in proper spirit of God and in the way that we are truly called. 

   We must own our humanity and brokenness, we must see ourselves before God in humility. In seeing the truth of ourselves we become less critical of those around us. We can not parade around yelling at others saying "You can''t do this, and this is wrong", we must act in love. I am not suggesting that we tolerate what is evil, I am not saying that we dilute our faith by any means. I am saying that it is time to reclaim the old Latin saying "Fortiter in re,  suaviter in modo" - Strong on the principals, soft on the approach. May we  seek to first live out the principals we wish to uphold with a humble heart, turning time and time again to our Lord in faith and trust. (C.C)

Chastity: Clarity to Discern and to Love. By:C.C.

     The virtue of Chastity is presented quite prominently today. However, it is still something that many may dance around discussing and addressing due to the fact that well, we are asking people to address the matter of sex. How does one do this without crossing "the line'? It is accomplished by presenting human sexuality through the lens of He who drew the line in the first place. We do most justice to matters of our sexuality by drawing nearer to our Lord to understand what this beautiful gift so misused and misunderstood today is truly all about. Through this we are able to become aware of the intended purpose of our sexuality and how each of us individually are called to live it out. We become aware that chastity is not a "death sentence" or something proposed so that we will not enjoy our sexuality, but rather, it is a means for us to experience true freedom, true joy, and unity in a way that often exceeds our understanding. 

    Sexuality is not separate from God, or bad, but it belongs so appropriately, intimately, and beautifully with Him that it must be utilized in accordance with His will and design to fulfill it's full purpose. When we understand our sexuality in accordance to the will of God then we are truly being led toward the greatest of joys. 

   God's will is often ignorantly perceived of as being authoritarian, punishing, and strict which leads many to buy into the lie of using sex as a means of recreation and "liberation" which ultimately leads them to becoming enchained by lust and unable to experience the depth of intimacy that is beyond physical limitations. Where is the liberty in that? It is this misguided understanding of human sexuality that has added to the evils we face in today's society..abortion,sexual addiction, pornography, adultery, and the destruction of family life. 

     There is a fulfillment of relationship and understanding of human intimacy on a divine level that can not be attained or experienced by disordered physical and sexual intimacies. There is a bareness through which we approach God when we are not consumed in lust; and also, the way we encounter our brothers and sisters in Christ is a much more profound and genuine experience. Chastity invites us to experience the love of God and the love of one another in purity. 

  Sexuality is a gift from God and living chaste is a gift that we give to God, but ultimately one that in turn gives so much more in abundance to us. Often, we are led to think that chastity is all about our "future spouse", and while the importance of chastity before and within marriage is undeniable, chastity is a call for all of us primarily for union with God Himself. It is by living chaste and seeking to grow in relationship with our Heavenly Father that we can discern with clarity and are ultimately led to where God wills us to be (marriage or religious life). It is through chastity that we can see the immensity of what God has gifted us with and can hear Him calling us His beautiful beloved. Like all things on our spiritual path there are challenges and trials in living chaste, but we do not work alone. May we invoke the intercession of our Heavenly Father, all the angels and saints , and our Blessed Mother Mary as we seek to live out chastity.

      Heavenly Father we thank you for the gift of our sexuality. Help us always to acknowledge this as a gift from You and provide us with strength to live in purity as we strive to serve You. Lord forgive our sins and protect all of us from temptations and from lust. We pray especially for the intercession of Our Blessed Mother to wrap her mantle of love around our shoulders and guide us along our journey toward purity. Amen (C.C.)

    

The Balance of St. Benedict:"Ora et Labora"-Pray and Work. By:C.C.

"Ora et Labora" can often be perceived by the Western world as an ancient ideology rather than an essential balance needed for our "modern times". We can often be most victim to a motto of "work, work, work," and view the idea of having a prayer life to be another job. Prayer, by it's nature should lead us into further union with our Lord where we can attain peace and the means to properly accomplish our tasks according to the will of God.
   It is disordered to consume ourselves solely in work and can result in hindering our time with God, and also damage the relationships with those around us. By being a slave to time and deadlines we are often led tumbling downward becoming most overwhelmed. We create a god out of work and the fruits of this "devotion" are not able to sustain us or satisfy our needs. The often ignorant idea of what obedience to God entails or may ask of our lives can keep us prisoner to the world and unable to attain what we are truly striving for. It keeps us slaves to something that does not provide for what we truly need.
    Obedience to God is the beginning of freedom and fulfillment. It is something Saint Benedict understood well, lived well, and articulated in his writings. By embracing these teachings we can live a balanced life of prayer and work so that we are not slaves to our tasks, or victims of empty and burdensome rushed prayers.
  In giving God our time, we give God credit for the time given to us by Him. One may find themselves accomplishing all work in a spirit of peace, purpose, and joy. One may also see that work can be a form of prayer. It is by giving ourselves to God that so much more is truly given to us. We can find in this offering of ourselves seemingly more time and a Divine helping hand to aid us in our work. Creating the balance between prayer and work begins with prayer. Let us pray to have peace and balance in our lives and to continually turn to our Lord throughout the moments of our day seeking His will in all tasks. (C.C)