September 1st Fast

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JMJ

"Ours is the spirit of the Eucharist- the total gift of self."

(St. Katharine Drexel)

In the Sacrament of Divine Love, Our Lord provides a daily reminder of the self-emptying love of the Cross: "This is my body which will be given up for you."  Christ not only desires men to partake of the heavenly banquet He so generously offers daily at Holy Mass but also summons His disciples to discover the truth about love contained in the sacrifice of the altar: the total gift of self.

The Eucharist is not a saccharine symbol but is the actual flesh and blood of Christ Himself.  So, too, the gift of self cannot be some charming notion bereft of tangible realities.  The great commandment that Christ gave at the Last Supper-"To love one another as I have loved you"- demands not just spiritual assent but bodily as well.  We are called to give our bodies in every act of sacrifice.  

One gives his tired eyes, staring at the screen to make a deadline, to keep his job and provide for his family.  Another gives his ears to patiently listen to the endless questions of a curious toddler. Perhaps another gives her tongue to converse though she wishes to be silent, or to be silent when she wishes to criticize or complain.  Still another gives her hands to clean and keep a welcoming home.  Or it could be that one gives his smile, relinquishing his preference in trivial matters.

The complete and total surrender of our will is the invitation that Our Lord asks of us. Sacrifices will often go unnoticed, deeds will rarely be praised; one must be content to remain hidden as He does in the Sacrament of Love.  

August 4th Fast

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JMJ

"On the Way of the Cross, you see, my children, only the first step is painful.  Our greatest cross is the fear of crosses. . . We have not the courage to carry our cross, and we are very much mistaken; for, whatever we do, the cross holds us tight- we cannot escape from it. What then have we to lose? Why not love our crosses and make use of them to get to heaven?" (St. John Vianney)

One of the consequences that resulted from the Fall was the introduction of fear into the filial relationship between God and man.  Sin ruptured the bond and uncertainty replaced confidence in God's divine providence.  Anxiety is like a stubborn weed that chokes a serene soul and banishes peace from a tranquil heart.  It is such an attractive activity, especially for the restless, because it occupies the mind with ceaseless distractions from the silence of needed prayer.  Anxiety indulges one's selfish tendencies by its narrow focus on how an impending situation will cause that individual to  suffer.  To worry is an easy task because it excites one's imagination, offering innumerable scenarios to be played out, and always that self-pitying that assuages the ego.

However, St. John Vianney said:

" God commands you to pray, He forbids you to worry."

 Rather than endure the emotional exhaustion of worrying, one need only to accept his cross and constantly pray for the perseverance to carry it with love.  Worry eminates from a lack of trust in God, and a lack of confidence in our own gifts to shoulder a particular burden.

One forgets too often that, through Baptism, he has become an adopted child of God.  Our God is not a distant being, indifferent to our fate.  No, He is a father, deeply invested in our lives, deeply desirous for our good, ever so willing to send His graces when we ask for them in prayer.  Crosses will surely come, for we cannot attain heaven without them, but He wants us not to fear the pain and sorrow that accompany them but instead have confidence in the hope of heaven that they promise when endured willingly.