Immense Benefits from Small Acts

"Merciful Father, may our acts of penance bring us your forgiveness, open our hearts to your love and prepare us for the coming feast of the resurrection …. " (Opening Mass Prayer in Lent)

I am reminded that God our Father is a merciful God. What a consoling and healing truth! Our Lenten acts of penance although insignificant in themselves produce immense spiritual benefits. Just as Namaan the leper was healed of leprosy by dipping himself seven times in River Jordan, so do our acts of penance capable of bringing forgiveness, healing from sin and opening our hearts to God's love.

 

Harvest and Perseverance

"Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance." (Luke 8: 15)

Harvest must surely come if we persevere in studying God's word and serving him in holiness and justice.

I delight in God’s Promises

"Happy the man who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season; and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers." (Psalm 1: 1-3)

I believe in prayer.

I believe in the word of God.

I believe in miracles.

I leave the rest to God.

I delight enormously in God's promises; I covert them.

Trusting in Yahweh

"Blessed is anyone who trusts in Yahweh, with Yahweh to rely on. Such a person is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream: When the heat comes it has nothing to fear, its foliage stays green; untroubled in a year of drought, it never stops bearing fruit." (Jeremiah 17: 7 – 8)

To trust in Yahweh means to trust that his word is true; to trust that he will do what he says.

I trust God for everything and at all times.

"When the heat comes …" This refers to the inevitability of times and seasons. The Psalmist says that those who trust in Yahweh fear no bad news.

To Serve God is to Reign

"All-powerful God, to serve you is to reign: help us to serve you in holiness and justice. …" (Opening Prayer in the Mass of St. Casimir on March 4)

When I read the above prayer, I wanted to make sure I understand the meaning of the verb to reign and so I searched the Merriam Webster's Dictionary and found the following definition:

1 a : to possess or exercise sovereign power : rule b : to hold office as chief of state although possessing little governing power

2 : to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3 : to be predominant or prevalent

Is Jesus Christ not prophet, priest and king? Is it not our destiny to share in this royal dignity of the Son of God as adopted sons and daughters of God. To serve God is indeed to reign.

 

 

Active in good works

"God of love, bring us back to you. Send your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works …" (Mass Prayer in Lent)

In the Lent of 1999, I confided the following to my journal:

"Lent is a period of grace, a period of Metanoia, a time of returning to God in every area of our life. We call on the Holy Spirit to make our faith strong and enable us to be active in good works.

Where do I need my faith made strong this Lent? Where do I need to be more active in good works?

I need my faith strengthened in God's providence for me. I need to believe more in God's promise of:

• Peace
  
• Provision
  
• Protection
  
• Power
  
• Purpose
  
• Pardon
  

In terms of good works, I need to be engaged in pamphlet apostolate."

After almost ten years of writing the above, I am still praying for stronger faith in God's loving and powerful providence for me. I did start the pamphlet apostolate and it is on-going.

 

Correct Thought

"Test me, O God, and know my thoughts; see whether I step in the wrong path, and guide me along the everlasting way." (Psalm 139: 23-24)

How does God test me? Through his word. His word challenges every area of my life. Are my thoughts on family, health, job, money, tools and food formed by God's word?

Father, I want your word to completely form my thoughts so that when you test my thoughts, I will not be found wanting.

Correct thought is the key to correct action. To have the mind of Christ is to have correct thought on every issue.

Going up to Jerusalem

"Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the son of man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised up again." (Matthew 18: 18-19)

Ezekiel was sent to "snakes and scorpions." Jeremiah was sent to rebellious Israel. Both prophets foreshadow Jesus' ministry. Just as Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Jesus were not sent to a nice party filled with well-groomed men and women, no Christian should expect such a ministry. Jesus says that if they persecute him, they will surely persecute his followers. St. Paul writes that the presence of persecution is a sign that we are following in the footpath of Jesus. When we are baptized, we die with Jesus so that we can rise with him.

Persecution

"Come on,' ' Let us concoct a plot against Jeremiah, for the law will not perish for lack of priests, nor advice for lack of wise men, nor the word for lack of prophets. Come on, let us slander him and pay no attention to anything he says." (Jeremiah 18:18)

Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the cause of right, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

If they persecute me, they will persecute you.

Persecution is a necessary ingredient in the mission of the Baptized.

Baptism and Mission

"Ever-loving God, you called Blessed Katherine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the African American and Native American peoples. By her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and the oppressed and keep us undivided in love in the Eucharistic community of the Church. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son. Amen" (Opening Prayer in the Memorial of St. Katherine Drexel, Virgin – March 3)

Saint Katherine Drexel, Virgin:

(1858 – 1955) Born into a wealthy Philadelphia family, Katharine took an avid interest in the material and spiritual well-being of African and Native Americans. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People, and opened mission schools in the West for Native Americans and in the South for African Americans. In 1915 she founded Xavier University in New Orleans. At her death, there were more than 500 sisters teaching in 63 schools. (Roman Missal)

The mission of St. Katherine Drexel: Go and teach the message of the Gospel and bring the life of the Eucharist to African American and Native American people. St. Katherine was chosen, called and anointed for this mission. She was chosen for this mission at her Baptism, anointed for it in her Confirmation and at the fullness of time called to dedicate her life to it. She succeeded.

I am also called for a specific mission at my Baptism. I am anointed for it by the Holy Spirit. I am waiting for the fullness of time. In the meantime, I recognize that preparation time is part of the mission.

 

 

 

God’s Perfect Love

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" (Mark 6: 50)

What are you worried about?

• Family
  
• Job
  
• Money
  
• Health
  
• Tools
  
• Future
  

1 John 4:8 states that there is no fear in love. If I truly understand and believe in God's love for me, I would see that his love includes my family, job, money, health, tools and of course my future. When my love is imperfect, I think I deserve punishment from God and therefore my health or my money may not be covered by God's love. God's love for us is perfect and includes everything that we care for. How comforting to hear Jesus say to us: "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" How beautiful is the truth of God's loving providence for all of us.

 

Divine Pedagogy

"Father, teach us to lead good lives, encourage us with your support and bring us to eternal life …." (Mass Prayer)

How does God teach us to live good lives?

These are some of the elements in the divine pedagogy:

• Word of God
  
• The Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation
  
• Family
  
• Friends
  
• Circumstances
  

In the divine teaching plan, there are also sticks and carrots. The carrots are the many ways in which God supports or encourages us. Some of them are listed above and others are:

• Good health
  
• Peace
  
• Music
  
• Books
  
• Job
  

 

Practice what you teach 2

"The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore observe and obey what they teach you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practice what they teach." (Matthew 23: 2-3)

Fruit of the fourth Joyful Mystery is Obedience.

Mary and Joseph obeyed all the laws, statutes and customs prescribed by God.

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Lord, I want to practice what I teach. Make me a teacher of the Eucharist. You bless me every day with this awesome gift. Let the Eucharist be the source, center and summit of my life. Give me the assignment of drawing people to the Eucharist. Then you will help me every day to practice what I teach. Amen!

A Sacrifice of Praise

"He that offers praise as a sacrifice glories me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God." (Psalm 50: 23)

What is a sacrifice of praise? A sacrifice of praise is the sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, renewed daily at Mass. Why is this sacrifice the most pleasing to God? This is because in the sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus Christ is the priest, the Lamb of God and the altar of sacrifice. Everything is pure and perfect and this is why a sacrifice of Thanksgiving (Eucharist) honors God more than any other.

Obey

"If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall eat you instead – for Yahweh's mouth has spoken." (Isaiah 1: 19-20)

Obedience to God's law brings peace, prosperity and security.

In the 4^th Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, we ask God for the gift on an obedient heart. We ask Mary, the obedient handmaid of the Lord to intercede for us so that we may grow in obedience.

Father, I am willing to obey. Bend my will to your law. Create in me a new spirit.

Rebellion brings fear, pain, poverty and insecurity.

The life of David proves the truth of Isaiah 1: 19-20. When David obeyed, God was with him and for him. When he disobeyed God, he ate the bread of wrath and drank the water of bitterness.

Protect Your Church

"Lord, watch over your Church, and guide it with your unfailing love. Protect us from what could harm us and lead us to what will save us. Help us always, for without you we are bound to fail……" (Mass Prayer in Lent)

In the above prayer, the Church bares its soul to God and says it as she feels and believes it to be. Let us look at the components of the prayer.

Church: Ekklesia, sacred assembly, people of God. Jesus Christ says that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is there.

"Guide your Church with your unfailing love" - It is very comforting to know that God's love cannot fail. It is not like human love which is constrained by the weakness of flesh and blood.

"Protect us from what could harm us" These could be: false prophets, heretical ideas, associations, books, movies, places, media programs, entertainments, food, etc.

"Lead us to what will save us" There are: the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Word of God, Prayer, Ministry, etc.

"Help us always" – Help us right here, right now and every time and every place.

"Without you, we are bound to fail" – God is the source of all inspiration, power and success.

The constituent parts of this prayer flow from scripture. Lex orandi, lex credendi. The rule of prayer is the rule of belief. What does the Church believe? Watch her lips as she prays.

Pagan Obsession

"Father of mercy, hear our prayer. May the grace of this mystery prevent us from becoming absorbed in material things ……." (Mass Prayer in Lent)

How comforting it is to be reminded that our God is Father of mercy. We know that he hears our prayer because Jesus has taught us so. But what we don't fully appreciate is how quickly and how deeply we can be absorbed by the material culture surrounding us. The antidote to his evil is ever present and accessible: the Eucharist, the great mystery of our faith.

The Eucharist is the great mystery that delivers us from pagan obsession with:

• What to eat and what to drink
  
• What to wear
  
• Where to live
  
• Money
  

As frequent Communion delivers us from all the above, it transforms our heart and mind to seek God's kingdom and justice everywhere and every time.

 

Be Compassionate

"Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6: 36-37)

Your word, Lord, is spirit and life.

Holy Spirit, come and help me to understand these words.

Make me compassionate. Teach me not to judge, criticize and condemn. Teach me to be forgiving. Amen.

The ABC of Mercy:

A – Ask for mercy

B – Be merciful

C – Completely trust Jesus for mercy

Redemption from sin2

"O my Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and show faithful love towards those who love you and who observed your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and rulings and turned away from them." (Daniel 9: 4-5)

In the Lent of 1999, I confided the reflection below to my journal on the above scripture.

"Paraphrase what God is saying to me in the above text:

I am the Lord, your God. I am great and to be feared. I keep the covenant and show faithful love to those who love me and who observe my commandments. You have sinned, you have done wrong, you have acted wickedly, you have betrayed my commandments and rulings and turned away from them.

Lesson: I started the first of March with great excitement about my forthcoming birthday on the 17^th of the month. This is going to be a special birthday – a jubilee. I asked God for blessings and birthday gifts. In his word to me in Psalm 26: 11- 12, "But I walk without blame; redeem me, be gracious to me! My foot stands on level ground; in assemblies I will bless he Lord," and in Daniel 9: 4 – 10, God is saying to me that the greatest gift is redemption from sin.

God's greatest gift to us in Christ Jesus is redemption from sin. Sin deprives us of divine filiation. Freedom from sin means living in grace. This is God's greatest gift to man. When we live in grace, in divine filiation, then all things are ours. We discover and feel the truth of Christ's word in Matthew 6: 33-34:

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and his justice before everything else, and all the rest will come to you as well. So do not be anxious about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself. Each day has troubles enough of its own."

Seek first redemption and then all things are yours. This has been the consistent message of this Lent. Break the cycle of sin, slavery and suffering through the abundant grace of God at this season. This is also the means of getting what you want in life.

"Praise and honor to you Lord Jesus Christ. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life; you have the message of eternal life." (John 6: 63, 68)

Christ's words become spirit and life to me when I act on them in obedience of faith.

Redemption from sin

"God our Father, teach us to find new life through penance. Keep us from sin, and help us live by your commandments of love …. " (Mass Prayer in Lent)

During Lent, we find new life through penance. We ask God to keep us from sin. Sin is the enemy of our relationship with God. If through God's mercy, we are free from sin, then we can always call God our Father. Redemption is redemption from sin so that we can live with the confidence of adopted children of God.

"Redeem me, and have mercy on me; my foot is set on the right path, I worship you in the great assembly." (Psalm 26: 11-12)