trust in God
Sabbath Moments
December 3, 2011
Awareness of God
Welcome to Sabbath Moments hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. This Saturday meme prompts us to review our week and note times when we were “resting in the Lord” or encountering Him in the ordinary events of our life.
First Friday Adoration
A couple of months ago when I learned that my local parish was having Adoration on the first Friday of every month after morning Mass I decided to participate. Sometimes my mind is rocketing around like an uncontrolled ping-pong ball, bouncing off walls, paddles, and tables. After awhile during Adoration it calms down and I can focus much better. What I like is the great quiet time with the Lord where I can ask Him to help others, speak to Him about what’s going on in my life, and praise and thank Him for His loving care for me and all those I love and pray for.
Reading the New Translation
Yesterday I stayed longer than the usual hour of Adoration so I could read more of the new translation of the Ordinary of the Mass in the Real Presence of Our Lord. It is a huge step forward in terms of the potential for deepening the spiritual life of those who attend Mass regularly. Although I already knew what some of the new translation was from reading Father Zuhlsdorf’s blog, looking at all of it was very encouraging.
First of all, in those prayers shared in common with the Extraordinary Form, the English translation is either close to or identical to what has been in use since the 19th and 20th centuries when vernacular/Latin missals became common. That is, it is very faithful to the Latin original. Many of these shared prayers date from the early Church, such as the Gloria, the Credo, and the “Deliver us, O Lord…” to name a few.
Perhaps the most important change is the restoration of the vocative case in addressing God. Since 1969 when the Ordinary Form was approved (in Latin) by Pope Paul VI, the English translators have had us ordering God around. “Do this, do that” as in “God, come to my assistance.” “Lord, see to it that…”. This approach disrupts our right relationship with God. He is our Creator. We are His creatures. He is the Commander. We are the ones to be commanded. We are not and never will be equal to God. But remember, the serpent in the garden of Eden lied to Eve and told her otherwise (Gen. 3:5), a lie the world still would have us believe today – a lie that led to the woes of all our lives.
The use of the vocative case expresses our true relationship to God beautifully, creating subtle changes in our hearts that will help us be more humble and trustful of Him if we reflect on the words. This translation is counter cultural – it is fully Catholic. It will help us drive the zeitgeist out of our souls so that we may more fully embrace the True Geist, the Holy Spirit and His promptings.
I don’t think it is possible to overestimate the importance of this much more faithful English translation of the Ordinary Form. Lex orandi, lex credendi – the law of prayer is the law of belief. As St. Paul says, “faith comes through hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Ro. 10:17). What we hear with our ears at Mass enters our hearts. What comes out of our mouths ascends from our hearts (Matt. 15:18). I can see the possibility of a much better witness to the world on the part of Catholics if this new translation is fully taken to heart. I also believe that when non-Catholic seekers of Christ hear the words of this liturgy they will have an easier time recognizing that they have come home.
Pope John Paul II did a very good thing in reforming ICEL and forming Vox Clara. Pope Benedict XVI has done a very good thing in following through with his predecessor’s initiatives.
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R. Now and forever!
(Click on the link above to read why I end my posts this way.
Apologetics and Evangelization
October 13, 2011
Yesterday I had occasion to read Joe Heschmeyer’s excellent article at Shameless Popery: Answering Four Common Protestant Objections to the Papacy. The papacy remains a stumbling block to Christian unity not only among our Orthodox brethren, but among sincere Christians of all kinds and even among Catholics themselves. Heschmeyer’s exposition is clear, thoughtful, and very informative. It reminded me of Patrick Madrid’s excellent book, Pope Fiction, another source of clarification of myths about the papacy.
Whenever I read blog posts or books by really good Catholic apologists like Joe Heschmeyer, Patrick Madrid, Jimmy Akin, Scott Hahn, Archbishop Fulton Sheen and others like them, I am filled with admiration at the fine job they do imparting truth and dispelling the many myths people believe about the Catholic Church. I also am forced to look at the vocation of the apologist, for I believe it is a vocation.
We are all called to evangelize, but we are not all called to be apologists. It’s really a gift to be able to put the Faith into words others can easily grasp. I know things in my heart, but verbalizing them is often difficult. Writing this blog makes me appreciate in a small way the extremely difficult job St. Teresa of Avila had in writing about her prayer life in The Way of Perfection. She was not an apologist, but she was a great spiritual director.
For years I’ve felt uncomfortable and guilty that I’m not a good apologist. Heschmeyer’s post raised a couple of questions in my mind: How is it that I know, accept, and understand Catholic doctrine with no doubts yet can’t easily put it into words the way others can? Is this a deficiency on my part or is God leading me another way? Then Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene in Divine Intimacy put my mind at rest. In his reflection on the gift of understanding, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit he writes:
Our intellect is incapable of seizing the infinite. Although gifted with faith, its manner of understanding is always human, proceeding by means of ideas and limited concepts, which are totally inadequate to express the divine realities.
Revelation itself comes to us in human language; therefore, it cannot tell us what God is in Himself, nor manifest to us the intimate essence of revealed truths. Proceeding with the virtue of faith alone, we are constrained to stop, so to speak, at the surface of the divine mysteries. We know with certitude that they have been revealed by God; we adhere to them with all our strength and yet we do not succeed in penetrating them. However, what faith alone cannot do, it is able to do with the help of the gift of understanding.
We received the gift of understanding, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, when we received the sacrament of Confirmation. But what is it and how does it work in our soul? Father Gabriel continues:
This gift surpasses our human way of comprehension and enlightens us in a divine way; it makes us “intus legere,” that is, ‘read within” the divine mysteries with the light, with the understanding of the Holy Spirit Himself….
…The gift of understanding tears off, so to say, the outer coverings of the propositions and human concepts, allowing us to see the substance of the divine mysteries. Faith tells us that God is Trinity; the gift of understanding tells us nothing more, it does not make us see, nor does it explain this mystery to us, but it does make us penetrate it. Under the influence of this gift, the soul not only believes that God is One and Three, but it has the intuition that the mystery of the Trinity is essential to the divine nature and that it reveals better than anything else the perfection, the power, and the infinite love of God.
Only the Holy Spirit, who is God, can make us penetrate the divine mysteries….He communicates a share of His knowledge of the divine mysteries to souls united to Him by love. Therefore, it is clear that the more closely united we are to the Holy Spirit by perfect charity, the more capable we shall be of receiving this precious communication.
Then the gift of understanding will not be inactive in us, but will intervene with its light to illumine our studies and our meditations on divine things,, making us penetrate into their depths, making us “see” the intimate sense of the sacred texts and giving us a correct understanding of God’s commandments and counsels.
In this way, the Holy Spirit introduces the soul to a form of prayer more simple and profound: the mind no longer needs to reason or to look for convincing motives; under the illuminating touch of the Holy Spirit, the soul’s gaze is arrested and fixed on truth. This simple contemplative gaze reveals God to the soul better than any theological study; it feels itself engulfed in God; it senses a bottomless abyss into which it is glad to plunge.
It does not see, does not distinguish, cannot describe anything with precision, but it feels God, feels that it is in contact with Him. What a difference in our comprehension of the same mystery when we meditate on it by the light of faith only and when, on the contrary, we have the grace to penetrate it by the light derived from the gift of understanding! Then we no longer look at the exterior but at the interior; we no longer stop at the words which express it, but we penetrate the secret meaning hidden within the words.
Persons sincerely seeking an understanding of the teachings of the Catholic Church deserve to have the truth clearly explained to them. Good apologists assist them in their seeking and the grace of faith enlightens their intellect. All questions about the Catholic Faith are in essence “God” questions. It is the gift of understanding given by the Holy Spirit that brings about the interior knowing that can’t be easily put into words. We could say that the gift of understanding in the soul completes the work of apologetics.
After today I am not going to worry any longer about being an apologist. I know I am much more of a “how to” person than a “what” person – I’m a process person. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that grace builds on nature, so I am going to leave the excellent apologetics to those with that marvelous ability and continue to reflect on the questions of God’s relationship with man, His life in us, doing His will, and trusting in Him.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Discernment
September 13, 2011
I found a really helpful article in the recent issue of the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic by Sister Catherine Martinez, O.S.B. titled: Discernment: Listening to God’s Voice in Life. I don’t know about you, but a continual question I have is, am I really doing God’s will? Now I’m not talking about fulfilling my duties of my state in life, but rather how I spend my time, such as blogging, taking up various studies, etc. Sister Catherine made such good, clear, and simple points I wanted to share them with you.
1. Pray for enlightenment. “In the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict, any time a new project is to be undertaken, the disciple is instructed to ‘pray to Him (God) most earnestly to bring it to perfection.’”
2. Sort my thoughts. A brainstorming stage where you make a list of thoughts and feelings and then sort them into those that lead to God, to self, to others, and to evil.
3. Virtually live into the decision. Choose the best option and then start living as if the decision was already completed. This could involve really simple things like reading about the area you want to pursue to adjusting your daily schedule to meeting with people who you might associate with should you make the change. During this time Sister Catherine says to monitor your emotional, mental and spiritual state. A question I really liked was, “Am I being drawn closer to God and others or am I becoming restless and disquieted?”
4. Look for a confirming sign. Confirming signs are events or experiences that can’t be manufactured by you and that show the way forward.
5. Make the decision.
6. Ritualize the decision. This is the plan for following through. Sister says it can be simple such as making a note on the calendar, sharing the decision with a trusted friend or spiritual director, or writing about it in a journal.
7. Guard our heart and watch our thoughts. This is the time when we can doubt ourselves, especially if the decision is one that involves a major life change or is painful. Sister says, “If I did happen to make a wrong choice, I need to trust that God will reveal that to me and that He will provide another confirming sign to show me the right way.“
We all reach crossroads in our lives where numerous opportunities may open themselves to us. Following Sister Catherine’s process of discernment can be a great help towards us doing God’s will and not our own.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Run Without Stumbling
September 6, 2011
The Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost evokes such beautiful images of a right relationship with God I find myself rejoicing every time I repeat it at the end of each hour of the Divine Office most days this week.
O almighty and merciful God, of whose gift it cometh that Thy faithful do unto Thee worthy and laudable service: grant us, we beseech Thee, that we may run without stumbling towards the attainment of Thy promises. Through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
I cannot help but read this prayer as a little child speaking with her loving Father in total trust. It takes me to Matt. 18:3-4:
Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
We begin with the vocative case: O almighty and merciful God. This places me in the position of lowliness, of one who lacks power of my own but who has great needs only Someone of great power can provide out of a loving benevolence and mercy. These great needs above all are the forgiveness of sins and the building of virtue. My heavenly Father listens for my voice. He waits for my call.
He holds out to me a richly wrapped present I open in delight. Inside is the bright light of grace as shining from a globe. This grace/gift is the power to do worthy and laudable deeds that give my Father pleasure. He has given me a treasure that will never fade or be used up – a treasure I must safeguard if I am to follow His commands.
I see, as in Psalm 23 v.5-6: You spread the table before me…my cup overflows a beautifully decorated banquet table set with every good a child of God could desire. My Father has prepared it for me – these promises of eternal life and joy are within reach. As I see it, I run toward it as a young child runs with a somewhat wobbly step. My Father heeds my call to guide my feet without stumbling.
The prayers of the sacred liturgy belong to the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, which offers them to the Father on behalf of all men. I am comforted every time I pray them, knowing they are inspired by the Holy Spirit and infused with the charity of Christ. This week I will hold on to the image of me as a child running without stumbling toward the beauty and perfection of heaven.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Sabbath Moments
August 20, 2011
Awareness of God
Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. This habit of reflecting on moments touched by God is a great leveler of the highs and lows we all go through. Finding God present with us, whether we go to Him or He comes to us, is a reason for thanksgiving – a wonderful motivation for participating in the great thanksgiving of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
This is my only blog post this week. A dear friend is going through the savage emotional turmoil of separating from her husband of many years. Devout Catholics don’t do this lightly and she is suffering greatly. I’ve been devoting quite a bit of time over the past two weeks to listening and helping her sort through difficult issues so I haven’t been trying to blog. In my mind’s eye we are standing at the foot of the Cross offering these trials to Jesus. He is the only one who can lighten her load. In my life I’ve seen that going through times like these is an opportunity to surrender to God, to let Him take the lead, to submit to His claim on us. When we step out into what appears to be darkness and uncertainty putting one foot in front of the other, we find His light and the generous blessings He is waiting to give us. Suffering can be a Sabbath Moment even though it doesn’t feel good.
Psalm 107
This morning’s Office of Prime contains Psalm 107, an expression of trust in God in the time of battle. These verses stood out for me today:
Give us aid against the foe, for worthless is the help of men.
Under God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes.
I love these words because they acknowledge God as all powerful and ourselves in need of His help to overcome our foes: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Men cannot help us. Only the grace of God can do this. Surrendering to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us enables us to overcome these three valiantly, that is, intrepidly. We need have no fear, only confidence. We can fight off any threat to our spiritual well-being and gain control over our unruly selfishness by simply asking God for aid and accepting it, then using it. Although we are co-operating, “it is He who will tread down our foes.”
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Too Vertical?
August 12, 2011
Some years ago a priest accused me of having too much emphasis on a “vertical” relationship with God and not having enough of a “horizontal” relationship. I had no idea what he was talking about except to know that he was insulting me. In those days I was unaccustomed to the code words the Modernists of the post-Vatican II world used to belittle Catholics trying to live according to the two great commandments in a world that is trying to throw God down a deep well and pile it full of stones. This priest, by the way, had a Ph.D. in sociology from St. Louis University in the heyday of the St. Louis Jesuits. He is big on social work and not so big on unity with the Holy Father and deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, according to a sermon he gave.
So what is a “vertical” relationship with God? Put simply, it means we acknowledge God as our creator and ourselves as His creature, subject to Him always. We put our duty to God ahead of everything else. We also learn to think with the mind of the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ.
I have no idea what a “horizontal” relationship with God is. To me, “horizontal” connotes equality in some way. I don’t see being equal to God as a possibility for any creature. In retrospect, when I think of that remark I feel a little as if I was in the Garden of Eden with a snake slithering around my feet. I believe this priest was telling me I should put more emphasis on social work and a lot less on how much and the manner in which I worship God – sort of a Modernist metaphor for the two great commandments.
In any case, I can’t accept a false dichotomy between the two great commandments. One is never followed at the expense of the other. Out of our love of God flows our love of neighbor and true love of neighbor is impossible without putting God first. Piety, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, is the root of love of neighbor.
We all know that post-Vatican II, religious communities of men and women were decimated as they hemorrhaged vocations. The sacred priesthood endured the same losses to the point that now, in my diocese, a number of priests are caring for three parishes where in the past every parish would have had two priests.
A chief reason for this diminishment in numbers was the false concept that “I don’t need to pray. My work is my prayer. Serving the poor is my worship of God.” I heard and read this from religious who ultimately abandoned their vocations. In other words, they gave up the practice of the virtue of religion in favor of all sorts of good works or championing political causes, becoming empty vessels in the process. These same people would extol Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s work with the poor and dying, but not extol the fact that she started every day with prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mass before she ever set foot in the streets of India.
Some of the laity fell victim to this false dichotomy, too. We had a local Carmelite monastery of cloistered nuns many of us were very attached to. A number of laity in the Third Order Franciscans wanted the local bishop to kick them out of the diocese because they “aren’t doing anything”, and take their monastery and turn it into housing for the poor. Aside from the fact that the monastery was a foundation of Pontifical Right and the bishop had no authority to take it away from them, these Carmelites no doubt did more for the salvation of souls by being faithful to their vocations than those who wanted their property. If God wanted nothing but Christian social workers He would never call each of us to vocations other than that.
On the other hand, priests like Father Giovanni Salerno, founder of the Missionary Servants of the Poor of the Third World, show us what a right relationship with God can lead to. He writes an account of his work with a native of Peru:
Timothy was a young man born in Cotabamas. On account of poor nourishment and hard labor in the fields, he came down with tuberculosis, and when they called us to help him, we found him vomiting liters of blood. He was very weak and he was in despair because he was leaving seven children as orphans and in poverty. After giving him some relief, food, medicine, and decent clothes, I concerned myself with preparing him to meet the Lord.
I read him the verses of the Gospel in which Jesus tells us to trust in Him, for He helps the orphan and the widow. He did not know that Jesus felt this way about the poor, having thought that Jesus was a judge who severely punished all those who broke His commandments. Each day I would visit him and give him shots, and we would discuss Jesus’ love for sinners and the suffering. Each day I would find him more and more serene.
The tuberculosis was joined by other infections and he began to worsen. I invited him to trust in God, saying that God is a loving father and that He would care for his children with generosity and love. When I had administered the last Rites, he told me: “I was desperate, but now I die wealthy because I leave my children to Jesus,” and he quietly fell asleep in the Lord.
God is indeed a loving father, and Timothy’s wife and children were well taken care of. With the help of some friends, I brought two of the children to Italy and they are now professionals.
Father Salerno is one who would be considered “too vertical” by the Modernists. Yet his moral authority and the fruits of his work came from his daily prayer and the sacred liturgy. To the Modernists, I say, bring it on. If we only have time for “do gooding” every day and no time for prayer and the sacred liturgy, the Fount of Life and the Fire of Love will die out in us. Although I’m not called to be a missionary “on the ground”, I want to be like him.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Sabbath Moments
June 25, 2011
Awareness of God
Welcome to Sabbath Moments, a meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Please visit her to read other bloggers’ moments when they experienced the action of God quietly in their lives this week.
Our dog, Francie, usually lays on the bed near me when I am praying in the morning. She dozes while I talk with God. When I close my books, she knows it’s time for hugs and kisses. She jumps up with a wagging tail, then rolls over and presents her belly to be rubbed. I thank God for this wonderful, affectionate pet who is a blessing from Him. She is always good for grins and ought to wear a sign that says, “Will do anything for food.”
Francie knows her place in the family hierarchy and never tries to climb higher. She knows her job is to protect and she does it well. She wants to please us, she loves to play, and always comes when she’s called. It all seems simple and clear to me, the lessons I learn from Francie about what my relationship with God should be.
My place in the hierarchy is that of creature to Creator. As long as I remember that, I am fine. Just as Roger and I take care of Francie’s needs, God takes care of ours. As Francie trusts us, we must trust in Him.
My job is to follow Jesus, keeping my eyes on Him and seeking His will for me as Francie keeps her eyes on me, ever alert to do what I want. If I always come when He calls, something good will happen for me, just as Francie knows that coming when called always means something good. If I seek to please Him I find peace.
I don’t think very often about playing with God, but it occurs to me that all genuine joy and pleasure comes from Him. He delights in His creation as I delight in Francie, and it pleases Him when His creatures play together well and when they enjoy His sense of humor.
All too often the times when I seek God are when I am troubled. Thanks to contemplating my fun with Francie I see that He is there with me in play as well, and I thank Him for her. As I enjoy many moments of laughter with Francie, I cannot be anything but grateful and joyful that He has allowed me such a good companion, teacher, and reminder of His presence.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Sabbath Moments
May 28, 2011
Awareness of God
Welcome to Sabbath Moments, a meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Sabbath Moments are times when we just “be” with God or when we are aware of Him working in our lives. Visit Colleen to connect with others who are sharing their Sabbath Moments from this week.
This week with all the many tornadoes day after day in our region, I was especially aware of God’s protection for us. Whenever there are bad storms and the sirens go off, it’s prayer time. Many little towns nearby suffered, and Joplin, an hour away, was hit especially hard, but our town was spared. Many people’s lives will never be the same because of losing relatives and friends, but I pray for peace and a closer relationship with God for all of them.
This morning I was reflecting on what praying the rosary means to me. It is both a habit and a ritual for me. Mother Mary is real and central to my life. Just like any earthly mother who loves to hear from her children and to stay connected with them, Mary loves to hear from us and have us stay connected to her through the rosary. I don’t worry about the meditations. Sometimes I am able to meditate on the mysteries and sometimes not. The prayers themselves are beautiful, Biblical, and so easy to remember. I take my rosary in hand every night when I’m ready to fall asleep and start praying. Every morning I do the same when I’m waking. It’s part of growing more trusting towards God and surrendering my will to His by imitating Mother Mary.
Clematis "Belle of Woking"
Today I placed an order for a clematis called “Belle of Woking” which originated in 1875. To my surprise I will be getting another one for free. Then I ordered a peony and will be getting three daylilies for free. Growing lovely flowers and sharing them with neighbors when I have to dig and divide them is my way of spreading God’s love and paying tribute to Our Lady. We can never have too much natural beauty around us. I look on the freebies I’m getting for today’s orders as God’s blessing and encouragement to keep planting lovely things for His greater honor and glory.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Praying the Psalms – Psalm 64
April 2, 2011
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Jenny at Just a Minute hosts this meme. I invite you to visit her to read other reflections on this Psalm.
The prayer of Psalm 64 could easily have been the words of Christ to His Father as He went about His public life. They are easily the words of the contemporary Christians who seek to live the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes in daily life. Nothing is more insidious than the sneaky, underhanded, malicious person who plots in secret to undermine the work of the Lord.
Father Paschal Botz, O.S.B. writes:
Couched in ancient images, the Psalm describes a modern situation: the ruthless intrigues of the wicked and God’s answer to the complaints of the righteous. In Old Testament times, the pattern of prayer includes cries for help, then details of the foes’ evil-doing, the self-defense of the sinner, God’s intervention for justice, and the joyful proclamation of the just man and assembly. It seems that here the innocent man has to defend himself against planned evil, and in desperation he calls on God for protection. Personal enemies attack him, not with real weapons, but with poisonous tongues that are worse than arrows and swords, with hidden malice more dangerous than open warfare.
God repays in kind. He defeats the subtle plans and lays bare the stupidity of all evil plots for all men to see. God’s work is so sudden that men must fear. Divine wisdom is never at a loss against the deep thoughts of man. “Who can see us?” This short-sighted question is for God to answer. He tears away the mask of human cunning and deceit and makes an example of evil intent. When “all men will fear,” His triumph puts to rest the concerns of the just.
vs. 2-7 Hear, O God, my voice in my lament; from the dread enemy preserve my life. Shelter me against the council of malefactors, against the tumult of evildoers, who sharpen their tongues like swords, who aim like arrows their bitter words, shooting from ambush at the innocent man, suddenly shooting at him without fear. They resolve on their wicked plan; they conspire to set snares, saying, “Who will see us?” They devise a wicked scheme and conceal the scheme they have devised; deep are the thoughts of each heart. [As the pitched battle between good and evil accelerates in our times, we cannot help but see that nothing new is under the sun. Man has not changed. The greatest damage done to others has always been with the tongue to start, and today the only escape from the lies, half-truths, and deceit planned in darkness is to restrict our reception of television, internet and radio in our lives while devoting more time to prayer and praising God. Hearing and seeing the "bitter words" disturbs our peace of mind and can lead us into sin. Unless we are called by vocation to enter the conflict, are we not better off praying for deliverance for all mankind from these evils and faithfully going about our daily duties?
Jesus said, "For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile a man" (Mark 7: 21-23). God knows our hearts and will render to each of us our just desserts. ]
vs. 8-11 But God shoots his arrows at them; suddenly they are struck. He brings them down by their own tongues; all who see them nod their heads. And all men fear and proclaim the work of God, and ponder what He has done. The just man is glad in the Lord and takes refuge in Him; in Him glory all the upright of heart. [Sometimes we fall into thinking that we have to do something about the chaos and contention in this world by physically intervening. For some that may be true, but for most of us, prayer and kindness to those we meet is what God is calling us to do. He will shoot the arrows of His choosing at the rabble rousers. He is all-powerful and in His light their darkness will be revealed. The liars and deceivers convict themselves out of their own mouths. We must always keep in mind that God and truth cannot be overcome. We can rejoice in Him who cares for us, taking refuge under His powerful wings.
Lord, when I am anxious about the state of the world and of our country, remind me that You are in charge. Give me the right prayers to say. Do not allow me to sin by returning evil for evil, but rather give me the strength to do the duties You have given me. Let me find peace and joy in You, and trust in Your goodness, justice, and power.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
Praying the Psalms – Psalm 62
March 19, 2011 – Feast of St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary and Foster Father of Christ, Patron of the Universal Church, Guardian of the Holy Family
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Welcome to “Praying the Psalms,” a meme hosted by Jenny at Just a Minute. Visit her to see thoughts on this psalm from other bloggers.
“Abandonment to Divine Providence” is rightly the theme of this psalm. No matter how bitter our experiences, God is our refuge. Power, prestige, esteem of others, and wealth are nothing. They do not last. We are balanced only when we trust in God and pour out our hearts before Him.
King David teaches us wisdom from hard-learned lessons; his words remind us of the persecution of Christ by the Pharisees throughout His public ministry. From Christ we learn to cling to the Father – to keep our eyes on heaven – to pray and praise God in all our sufferings.
vs. 2-3 Only in God is my soul at rest; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all. [In these times as we experience chaos and evil the world over, we do well to imitate the contemplative religious communities who devote their lives to Christ behind the cloister, the stronghold of God. In the heart of Christ they show us how to avoid being disturbed. It is in front of the Blessed Sacrament we find peace.]
vs. 4-5 How long will you set upon a man and all together beat him down as though he was a sagging fence, a battered wall? Truly from my place on high they plan to dislodge me; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouths but inwardly they curse. [Satan strives against us - we who have been exalted by the grace of Baptism and belong on high with the Lord. As he tempted Christ in the desert, he lies to us, whispering falsehoods in our ears. He hypocritically presents evil to us as good. All the while, like the Pharisees who sidled up to Christ and with honeyed words and evil intentions tried to entrap Him, Satan curses us in his black heart.]
vs. 6-9 Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from Him comes my hope. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed. With God is my safety and my glory, He is the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O my people! Pour out your hearts before Him; God is our refuge! [Jesus alone is the answer. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He clung to His Father through His Passion. These are His words to us. Clinging to Him is the only way we can withstand the evil surrounding us and enter into eternal safety and glory.]
vs. 10-13 Only a breath are mortal men; an illusion are men of rank; in a balance they prove lighter, all together, than a breath. Trust not in extortion; in plunder take no empty pride; through wealth abound set not your heart upon it. One thing God said; these two things which I heard: that power belongs to God, and Yours, O Lord, is kindness; and that You render to everyone according to his deeds. [The things of this world are vanity. We cannot extort heaven from God with earthly wealth and power. All that we have comes from Him and belongs to Him. We are fools if we think we achieve anything by our wealth and position on earth.
The Hebrew poetic device "One thing God said; these two things which I heard" is a beautiful way of confessing that God alone is both powerful and just. We will benefit from His loving kindness at our particular judgment when we die, and before then from the many actual graces He grants us in this life to witness to the Gospel. Lord, when I am tempted to panic at the evils in this world and fear for my well-being, remind me to praise You and surrender all my anxiety to You in perfect trust.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
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Praying the Psalms – Psalm 57
February 12, 2011
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Jenny at Just a Minute hosts this meme on Saturdays. Visit her for more reflections on this psalm.
This psalm has two parts. In the first, we pray and exalt God right in the midst of persecution and danger of death. No matter how awfully we are threatened by earthly evil or the powers of darkness, we sing our growing trust in God.
The second part shows how we awaken from darkness and call the dawn awake. After great suffering we praise God, exalting Him above the heavens and declaring His glory over all the earth.
vs. 6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. [The devils consistently seek to set occasions of sin before us. They prepare situations that if we fall into them, will cause us to enter intense darkness - mortal sin. But they fall into the pit themselves because they walk not in the light, but in profound darkness. At the end of the world, that darkness will envelop them forever.
Lord, deliver my fellow man from the grip of these demons so they don't fall into the pits set for them. Deliver me with your truth.]
vs. 7-11 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and chant praise. Awake, O my soul! Awake, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn! I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to thee among the nations. For Thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, Thy faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted above the heavens, O God! Let Thy glory be over all the earth! [Lord, I can never praise You enough. Everywhere I go I will thank You in the midst of all peoples. The universe cannot hold the steadfastness of Your love nor your faithfulness.
As I see what You have done for me, opening the gates of heaven and offering me a share in Your life for all eternity, I want everyone on earth to see Your glory and be saved. I want all to know Your love in a most personal way. May all praise and glorify You from whom all goodness comes.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
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Praying the Psalms – Psalm 56
February 5, 2011
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Jenny at Just a Minute hosts this meme, so join her for other comments on this psalm.
Poor King David! The Philistines were holding him in Geth and things were not going well. David as a prefigure of Christ laments his situation. We can hear Christ sighing through him in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Church, the Body of Christ repeating these same prayers today.
vs. 1-7 Have pity on me, O God, for men trample upon me; all the day they press their attack against me. My adversaries trample upon me all the day; yes, many fight against me. O Most High, when I begin to fear, in You will I trust. In God, in whose promise I glory, in God I trust without fear; what can flesh do against me? All the day they molest me in my efforts; their every thought is of evil against me. They gather together in hiding, they watch my steps. As they have waited for my life , because of their wickedness keep them in view; in Your wrath bring down the peoples, O God . [What can flesh do against anyone of us? We Christians are attacked day and night by the fallen angels and by our fellow man, but the only thing we must fear is the one who can cast us into hell (Lk. 12: 4). We were made for heaven. Although the demons of hell seek to triumph over us, if we trust in God He will bring them down.
Blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:10). Lord, watch over our fellow Christians in the lands where they are murdered daily because of their faith. Give me the strength to stand up to persecution and witness faithfully to You no matter how strongly the Adversary attacks under whatever guise he assumes. Let me be willing to die for You.]
vs. 8-14 My wanderings You have counted; my tears are stored in Your flask; are they not recorded in Your book? Then do my enemies turn back when I call upon you; now I know that God is with me. In God, in whose promise I glory, in God I trust without fear; what can flesh do against me? I am bound, O God, by vows to You; Your thank offerings I will fulfill. For You have rescued me from death, my feet, too, from stumbling; that I may walk before God in the light of the living. [We plead for Divine pity with the confidence that our Father in heaven hears us. As He knows when each hair of our head falls, He sees every tear we, His little ones shed. Few of us can stand up to defamation without fighting back, but David and Christ submit it to the Father in the dark of night, glorifying Him.
I am bound to You, O Lord, through my Baptismal vows. Like King David, I am Your anointed one through the merits of Christ. In thanksgiving to You I assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In the sacrament of Confession you have rescued me from death, from every stumble. Keep watch over me that I may walk before You in Your light with the angels and saints. Lord, I am weak. I can glory only in Your promise.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
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Sabbath Moments
February 5, 2011
Awareness of God
Here we are with the Sabbath Moments meme hosted by Colleen at Thoughts on Grace. Visit her to read other bloggers’ moments with the Lord.
Southwest Missouri is sporting lovely snow covered evergreens. In our small town only the sun has been able to clean the streets, so the one in front of the house that gets little sun is snowy and icy. We got another 3 inches yesterday and 4 inches last night. Beauty belongs to God, and I thank Him for a warm house and trust Him to make sure we have the money to pay the next gas bill! It’s all his money anyway.
Father Zuhlsdorf posted about a beautiful concert he attended at Trinity Church in New York this week. It was music from the Sarum Rite and I listened to the whole concert with great pleasure. Byrd and his contemporaries wrote some truly heavenly music I never get tired of hearing. Trinity is the kind of church made for this kind of music. It plays well in the background while you’re doing chores. Awesome performance.
I also worked up an ebook for newcomers to the Traditional Latin Mass. Writing, designing, and laying out stuff is very relaxing for me. Hunting for just the right photo, not so much. I couldn’t have done this without God’s help. So far, feedback has been good. Will write a post about it next week.
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
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Praying the Psalms – Psalm 55
January 29, 2011
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Today’s psalm is lengthy, so I will comment on only a few verses. Striking are the similarities to our world condition today.
vs. 1-3, 9-11 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my supplication! Attend to me, and answer me; I am overcome by my trouble. I am distraught by the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring trouble upon me, and in anger they cherish enmity against me. Destroy their plans, O Lord, confuse their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls; and mischief and trouble are within it, ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its market place.
[Who among us could not pray this for our nation and the world today? Those supporting the schemes of Satan perpetually contradict themselves and truth. The riots in the Middle East today create great noise and violence. The pro-death factions the world over fill their countries with oppression and bring trouble and death on all. Christians everywhere are hunted and marked for slaughter. The frauds of our markets and in our government are creating terrible poverty. But You, O Lord can destroy their plans and show them up for what they are. Deliver us by the light of Your truth. Give us the strength to stand up to evil without flinching, and to speak the truth without fear.]
vs. 12-14 It is not an enemy who taunts me — then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me — then I could hide from him. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to hold sweet converse together; within God’s house we walked in fellowship. [The words of Christ to Judas. Lawless enemies are understandable but the stab in the back from a friend is the deepest wound. If, when we are tempted to sin, we would think of ourselves as stabbing Jesus in the back, would we continue? We cannot comprehend the depth of His love or the pain He endured because of our sins. Lord, let me take this reproach to heart and refrain from sin.
We cannot understand what motivates people to the great evil we witness today, other than it being a result of our fallen nature and a militant campaign by Satan. We stand aghast at the blindness of the rich and powerful stirring unrest and violence to gain yet more riches and power. It has been that way throughout history.
Those we thought to be friends may oppose us, joining forces with the evildoers. There is no escape, much as we long for it, except in the arms of our Father who counts each hair of our heads. The final verse says what we must live, "But I will trust in Thee." Lord, give me fortitude to stand with You, completely confident in Your power. Let me never give up or give in to this world.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
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Praying the Psalms – Psalm 54
January 21, 2011
King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection
Praying the Psalms is a meme I like to share with others. The Psalms are the prayers of Christ and the prayers of Everyman, containing glimpses of the depth of God’s love for us. No matter our situation, there’s a Psalm for us to pray.
Father Paschal Botz, O.S.B. gives us the background of this Psalm:
The place where David’s prayer was heard is called the Rock of Rescue, a name familiar to the Old Testament man of prayer. When the enemy was closing in on David, perhaps among strangers in the land of Ziph (see 2 Sam. 23: 15-29), there was no human hope. Being heard by God in that desperate moment must have left a deep impression on him. It greatly increased his trust in God.
David kept God before his eyes and did not forget to thank Him for delivery from the enemy. He passed on his faith and trust to the community of God’s chosen people and strengthened them in turn. David was not revengeful when he had Saul at his mercy, as the story proves. He could have destroyed Saul, but spared him as God’s anointed, thus leaving judgment to God to “put an end to them.”
Instead, he promises a votive sacrifice to the Lord for his rescue. All this is very Christlike, who let His enemies go free that He might redeem them and us. When they hated Him without cause (Jn. 15:25), He trusted the more in His heavenly Father. Because He was forgiving, we are redeemed. God will always requite the enemy who masterminds evil both against Christ and His members.
vs. 1-3 Save me, O God, by Thy name, and vindicate me by Thy might. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For insolent men have risen against me, ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before them.
[Today the culture of death is in hot pursuit of the helpless of all ages, womb to the aged. These insolent, godless men seek our lives so that they may enrich themselves and control those they choose to leave alive. Our pro-life prayers in the name of Jesus are all that stands between them and even greater carnage. We may not be spared in this life, but by clinging to Christ, we will be saved to eternal life.]
vs. 4-7 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. He will requite my enemies with evil; in Thy faithfulness put an end to them. With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to Thee; I will give thanks to Thy name, O Lord, for it is good. For Thou hast delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
[How many times have we felt vengeful towards those who have harmed us? Give me the grace to forgive my enemies and pray for their salvation. Lord, let me leave the evildoers to You. I will faithfully assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each week in thanksgiving, for the only troubles that are truly evil are the ones that would take me away from You.
Only through You will I stand with the triumphant saints on the last day, victorious over the demons of hell who sought my eternal life.]
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R. Now and forever. Amen.
(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)
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