Discipleship

Last Friday on July 22, we celebrated the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.  In 2006 Pope Benedict XVI spoke about her in his Angelus talk, and once again he nailed it.  In one sentence, just one, the Holy Father defined what countless authors have written thousands of books and articles about.   He writes:

The story of Mary of Magdala reminds us all of a fundamental truth: a disciple of Christ is one who, in the experience of human weakness, has had the humility to ask for his help, has been healed by him and has set out following closely after him, becoming a witness of the power of his merciful love that is stronger than sin and death.

http://www.piercedhearts.org/benedict_xvi/angelus/july%2023_06.htm

You may want to go ahead and do a search on Catholic Discipleship both on Google for articles and on Amazon.com for books to learn how to follow closely after Jesus and how to witness to the power of Jesus' merciful love.  Or you might want to spend some serious quiet time with your Bible meditating on the little we know about St. Mary Magdalene who gives us such a powerful example of discipleship.  

His entire homily can be found here:

Prodigal Son

Recently, I was trying to meditate upon the parable of the Prodigal Son, specifically about the Father's remark to the Elder Son, "All that I have is yours."

What the Father said was literally nothing more than the truth.  Under the ancient birthright laws, the estate was broken into equal shares and then elder son got two:  the birth right portion.  When the younger son demanded his share of the estate the father divided his property -- 2/3s to the Elder and 1/3 to the younger.  The younger son squandered his inheritance, it was all gone.  Everything that was left of the estate belonged to the elder son.

When the younger son returned home he had no rights, no property, nothing.  It all belonged to the Elder Son.

As I was thinking about this suddenly I understood something about this parable that I had not understood before.  It isn't only about a wronged Father's love and forgiveness.  It is about grace.  The robe, the ring, the shoes were all unmerited favor -- grace, but more than that from the moment the Gather embraced the prodigal to the day that the prodigal died, every mouthful of food he ate, every piece of clothing he put on, the bed he slept in and the chair he sat on and the roof over his head, it was all grace.

I am the prodigal, I deserve death but Jesus died for me and so each beat of my heart, each breath I draw, is nothing less than grace -- the infinite, unmerited favor of God.

The other thing I understood in trying to meditate on this parable was that when the Father told the Elder Son that "All that I have is yours," He was making a statement of legal fact.  The entire remaining estate was legally the Elder son's by right, 

This is where the parable parts from fact.  The only person in the universe who deserves the Father's estate by right is Jesus Christ.  Jesus is our elder brother and we are joint heirs by faith and grace.

The elder brother in the parable, of course, was not Jesus.  In fact, when he said that he had served the Father all these years and never once disobeyed Him, he was lying, because he did not have the Spirit of the Father.  He did not love as the Father loved and he did not forgive as the Father forgave.

We cannot serve and obey the Father if we do not share His Spirit and follow His example as seen in His Son Jesus.

All Love Comes from God

Recently during my prayer times, I have come to realize what most Catholics already know, that all love comes from God.  It cannot come from anywhere else.  It does not spring up spontaneously out of the human heart.  It is not a 'natural' feeling of a mother for her infant. 

Love is always from God.  No matter how evil a soul may be, if that person has even the smallest spark of genuine love in his/her heart for even God's smallest creature -- that love came from God and is proof that soul is not beyond God's grace and redemption.

I have a cat named Ginger.  God sent Ginger to me.  God gave me the love I feel for Ginger.  I firmly believe that God will never let His gifts go to waste.  So I feel confident when out of the love God gave me I pray for Ginger who God also gave me, that God will hear and answer (whatever that answer may be) out of that same love. 

Love is the greatest and most important gift that God gives to us.  In fact, all His 'lesser' gifts come out of that great gift.  Salvation, life, Church, creation, the job we hate, all the angels and saints, everything we have is nothing more than a reflection of God's love for us.  Because we ourselves are God's gift to others, we also are a manifestation of God's great gift of love to all we meet.

If I recognize that I am a manifestation of God's love, and that I am His gift to those I come in contact with, what does that demand of me?  How must I live and conduct myself in light of that understanding?

In Humility

Recently I came across a painting by Simon Dewey titled "In Humility".  It is a close up of Jesus washing the feet of one of His disciples.  You actually see very little of the disciple because the painting is focused on Jesus on his knees, holding the foot and washing it. 

It is a beautiful picture and I purchased five 5 X 7 prints of it.  One for me and the others to give as gifts.  If you are interested in seeing it go to http://www.altusfineart.com/

I look at the picture and and think about humility and sometimes I almost get it.  Have you ever really concentrated on the mystery of the Trinity and sometimes for maybe a nano second, it is perfectly plain and understandable and then just that quick it is gone? 

Well that is how humility is with me, but this morning, for a a brief moment, I almost had it and I want to share a few thoughts on it before they are completely gone.  Now you need to understand, they may not be correct in all (or any) points, because I am just trying to work this through.

Humility isn't about "oh, I'm so unworthy"  or "I'm nothing".  Jesus and Mary are perfect models of humility and they didn't feel or think that way.  Washing the feet of the disciples was an act of humility, but it wasn't humiliating for Jesus because He knew exactly who and what He was.   
In fact, I am thinking that in order to practice true humility we must know exactly who and what we are too.

I am an adopted daughter of God, a joint heir with Christ and His little sister.  He shed His perfect sinless blood to purchase my salvation = how valuable does that make me?  My mother is the Queen of all the Angels and Saints.  My mother is the daughter of God the Father, the mother of God the Son, the spouse of God the Holy Spirit by whom she conceived Jesus. 

What that means is that nothing I do, nothing that is done to me, and nothing people think about me can humiliate me.  Therefore, I don't have to worry that something might be beneath me.  Likewise, I don't need to do things to make myself look more important, or more holy or more anything in the eyes of anybody,  I particularly don't need to put people down so that I look bigger in comparison. I am free to perform acts of love for God and man with no thought of the opinions of others.

Jesus, Creator of the universe and Savior of mankind could perform the ultimate act of humility and leave the throne of heaven and become human and like a servant wash the feet of His disciples out of love because it in no way lessened who He was -- and even if it would, for the love He bore us He wouldn't care and would do it anyway.

More Thoughts on Benedict

On April 9, 2008, Pope Benedict spoke at length (about 5 pages worth) on St. Benedict, the Patron of his pontificate.  

www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud...

 

I just love the way the Pope writes/speaks.  He referred to St. Gregory the Great's Dialogues Vol. II which is the most important source on St. Benedict's  life.  The Pope said, "Gregory wished to illustrate the ascent to the peak of contemplation which can be achieved by those who abandon themselves to God.  He therefore gives us a model for human life in the climb toward the summit of perfection [St. Benedict]."

Once again in two sentences, the Holy Father, provides material for hours of consideration and a concise summary of a book, that somebody really needs to sit down and write. 

St. Benedict climbed toward the summit of perfection.  He provided us a Rule to help us make that climb and lived a life that we can take as an example of how to make that climb ourselves.  St. Benedict ascended to the peak of contemplation, and whether St. Gregory here uses contemplation as that level of prayer which is pure gift or as a synonym for meditation, the way St. Benedict made that ascent was through self-abandonment to God. 

Peak of contemplation -- abandon themselves to God -- summit of perfection, they are like jigsaw puzzle pieces that interlock together making a whole that quickens the heart of all Catholics who long to strive for holiness.  This whole is the work and journey of a lifetime.

But this whole requires a foundation, St. Benedict knew that and provided for it.  He lived in what is now known as the Holy Grotto in Subiaco for three years as a hermit.  Pope Benedict says, "The period in Subiaco, a time of solitude with God, was a time of maturation for Benedict.  It was here that he bore and overcame the three fundamental temptations of every human being:  the temptation of self-affirmation and the desire to put oneself at the center, the tempation of sensuality, and, lastly, the tempation of anger and revenge."

Three years alone with God, speaks of a time of serious prayer, which Pope Benedict refers to as "the foundation of his existence."  and  "Without prayer there is no experience of God."  St. Benedict himself describes prayer as an act of listening, which must then be expressed in action. The Pope goes on to say, "However, Benedict states that in the first place prayer is an act of listening (Prol. 9-11), which must then be expressed in action. .. . . Thus, the monk's life becomes a fruitful symbiosis between action and contemplation, 'so that God may be glorified in all things' (57, 9)."  Of course, action in the life of a Catholic is synonymous with obedience.  "In the exercise of obedience practiced by faith inspired by love (5,2), the monk achieves humility (5,1) . . . .  In this way, man conforms ever more to Christ and attains true self-fulfillment as a creature in the image and likeness of God."

So more pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fit and the picture begins to be seen.  St. Benedict, the hermit, prays alone for three years.  He overcomes self-affirmation, sensuality and anger/revenge.  Three sins whose underlying foundation is pride and which can only be vanquished by humility.  Prayer - fruit (the grace of overcoming sin).  Prayer - obedience.  Prayer - humility.  Prayer - grace of abandonment - contemplation - the summit of perfection.   As the pieces fit together, it becomes obvious that it isn't a picture that emerges at all, it is instead the view through a kaleidoscope that is constantly changing at first glance it looks like a picture of prayer, but no it is a picture of discipleship,  but actually it is a picture listening but really it is a picture of humility, but .  . . .

. . . . . but pictures are whole, not linear.  Life is four dimensional not flat.  This is why St. Benedict is a model for us in the climb to the summit of perfection.  His life began with prayer, continued in prayer, persevered in prayer and ended in prayer.  That prayer gave him the grace to overcome sin, the grace to obey, the grace of humility, the grace to listen.  the grace to love.  It is all grace, even prayer.

Benedict: the Pope and the Saint

Today I was reading some remarks Pope Benedict made about St. Benedict on July 10, 2005.  The Pope pointed out that the Saint Benedict taught his monks that the search for God is the fundamental - the one and only - aim of life.  As the Saint said, "Prefer nothing to Christ".

Pope Benedict then proceeded in one sentence make a statement about this, that the sentence itself was worthy of an entire homily and hours of meditation.  In one sentence, the Holy Father summarized what should be the contents of an entire book - and I really want to read that book, so I wish somebody would sit down and write it.

The Pope's sentence started out:  "Holiness consists of this" referring to the Saint's teaching to prefer nothing to Christ.  Pope Benedict describes St. Benedict's teaching as a "sound proposal for every Christian"  He goes on to suggest that making that proposal is "a real and urgent pastoral  need in our time." 

I interpret this as meaning that here and now, "in our time" (which the Pope describes as being "when we feel the need to anchor life and history to sound spiritual references") there is a "real and urgent" need for our priests to propose to every Catholic that we strive for holiness in our lives and to inform us that holiness consists in preferring nothing to Christ.

How many times have we been reminded that we are ALL called to holiness?  That we are to be holy as our Father in Heaven is holy?  But no one has ever explained to us how we sinners could ever possibly attain that holiness?  Here the Pope reminds us that the Saint has already explained it:  Prefer nothing to Christ.

In his remarks, Pope Benedict  went on to remind us that, "Mary Most Holy is a sublime and perfect model of holiness who lived in constant and profound communion with Christ."

Of course, I feel the need to state the obvious and  to connect the dots.  In all her life from birth to the present day, Mary never preferred anything to Christ.  He was her son, her Lord and her Savior.  She preferred Him to life itself, and as the Pope said, "Holiness consists of this." 

Recently I have spent a lot of time considering the grace of humility.  Thinking about the Pope's remarks, I have come to the conclusion that humility also consists of preferring nothing to Christ.  Mary, perfect model of holiness" is also a model of humility precisely because she preferred nothing to Christ.  Preferring Christ above all else, she happily embraced the role of "handmaid of the Lord."  Likewise, if I prefer Christ above all else, particularly above myself, I cannot be proud or haughty. 

Here is the Pope's sentence just as he spoke it.  Ignore my thoughts and pray and meditate over it.

Holiness consists of this, a sound proposal for every Christian that has become a real and urgent pastoral need in our time, when we feel the need to anchor life and history to sound spiritual references.

Here is the link where you can read his remarks in their entirety.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2005/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20050710_en.html

Litany of Humility

Litany of Humility

by Merry Cardinal del Val, secretary of state to Pope Saint Pius X

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,                                                            
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,                                                                  
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,                                                               
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,                                                              
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,                                                                
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,                                               
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,                                                             
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,                                                             
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,                                                                
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,                                                                  
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,                                                               
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,                                                              
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,                                                                  
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,                                                                   
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,                                                                   
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,                                                                 
Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,                                  
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,                            
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,                                                                                            

Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside,                           
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,                    
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,                 
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,                                                                                             
Jesus, Grant me the grace to desire it.

(accustomed to be said after celebration of Mass, by Merry Cardinal del Val, secretary of state to Pope Saint Pius X)
(for private use only)

Gotta Love Those Disciples

Today's Gospel Reading came from Mt 8:23-27

 

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

Here we have the disciples terrified out of their minds by this storm.  It was a very big storm and it was a very little boat.  They had good reason to be afraid.  What is Jesus doing?  He's sleeping the sleep of the innocent without a care in the world.  So the disciples wake Jesus up.  I'm just guessing here, but I'm going to bet it wasn't a gentle waking.  I imagine that one or more of them grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a really good shake while the rest of them were screaming like little girls, "Lord, save us!" 

Jesus wakes up and says, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith." 

Now, the "why are you terrified" bit is perfectly justified.  Jesus is probably more than a little disappointed, how could they possibly think that anything bad could befall them while he was with them?  But the "O you of little faith" bit doesn't really seem fair to me, after all they did come wake him up.  They didn't wake him up and say, "Jesus, we're going down, grab something bouyant!"  No, they woke him up and begged him to save them.   To my mind that is the very essence of faith.  It may not be perfect faith, which in this case would be manifested as - Jesus is with us, of what should we be afraid?  But it is faith in that there was no doubt in their minds that Jesus would save them.  Yes, they were afraid.  Yes, they pretty much figured their boat was sunk.  And YES, they knew that their salvation lay entirely in Jesus' hands.  In fact, their faith was stronger than ours often is because they did not tell Jesus HOW to save them as we so often do. 

Jesus got up, rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm.  The Bible doesn't mention one way or the other, but I have always thought that he then laid down and went back to sleep.

So, the storm is over.  The disciples should be happy, right?  But with these fellows nothing's ever easy.  "The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” They believed Jesus would save them.  Jesus did save them,  How they expected him to save them, I don't know, but it clearly wasn't by commanding the winds and the waves.  Their faith was strong enough to never doubt the saving power of Christ, but it wasn't strong enough to believe that he could control the forces of nature.

Perhaps that is the message of this Gospel passage, faith is not static, it ebbs and it flows.  Faith is based on relationship and as that relationship grows, so will the resulting faith.  Yesterday the disciples knew that they could trust their friend and companion Jesus to save them.  Today the disciples know that their friend and companion Jesus is so much more than they exer imagined and they can still trust him to save them.