July 1st Fast

 +JMJ

"Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3: 15-17)

In her well known book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom details the cruel barbarities of a Nazi concentration camp that she and her sister, Betsy, endure. After a succession of humiliations and subjection to degrading conditions, Corrie nearly yields to despair, incredulous as to how the sisters will bear life in this hellish place. Then, Betsy gently reminds her of Paul's exhortation— "Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God." (1 Thes. 5:18) —emphasizing that one is not only to show gratitude in times of comfort and security. Corrie mostly accedes, but resolutely refuses to thank her Maker for the fleas which are their constant companions until she later discovers that due to one guard's abhorrence of the aforementioned mites, the women can freely conduct prayer meetings in the barracks: a cherished consolation in the midst of their intense tribulation.

Paul's letters consistently remind his Christian audience that they, like the Israelites, are "strangers in a strange land" and must act accordingly to differentiate from their pagan neighbors. In the midst of difficulties, the secularist clings to his victim status: his petulant attitude a derivation of the ingrained expectation that he deserves better than the obstacles that litter his path. His resentment fuels frustration, inflaming a temper that is easily touched off at the slightest provocation. Literally weighing him down, his burdens foster a sarcastic and sullen attitude that is rife with cynicism. 

Yet the faithful Christian courageously refuses to wallow in  the mire of self-pity. He humbly acknowledges his faults and often reflects on the bounteous gifts that His father bestows, despite his many failings. Buoyed by this knowledge, he is not easily piqued by inconsequential burdens, nor vexed to suffer inconvenience. This posture of gratitude secures his peace. Thankful for the slightest minutiae, his patience increases, his perseverance strengthens, his endurance lengthens, and his joy abounds.

June 3rd Fast

 +JMJ

"Once understood, it seemed so simple. I was amazed it had taken me so long in terms of time and suffering to learn this truth. Of course we believe we depend on God, that his will sustains us in every moment of our life. But we are afraid to put it to the test. There remains deep down in each of us a little nagging doubt, a little knot of fear that we refuse to face or admit even to ourselves, that say, 'Suppose it isn't so.' We are afraid to abandon ourselves totally in God's hands for fear he will not catch us if we fall. 

It is the ultimate criterion, the final test of all faith and all belief, and it is present in each of us, lurking unvoiced in a closet of our mind we are afraid to open. It is not really a question of trust in God at all, for we want very much to trust him; it is really a question of our ultimate belief in his existence and his providence, and it demands the purest act of faith."

(Father Walter J. Ciszek, S.J.)

     Modern man is conditioned to not only know his outcomes but control them as well.  Unfortunately, when the outcome can so easily be controlled there is no need for trust, even on the simplest level, and so when a situation demands even a modicum of faith, man quickly retreats, preferring comfort to courage, safety to self surrender.  

As Christ yearns to unite, the devil devises to divide.  His ultimate goal is to erode the foundation of one's relationship with God by sowing seeds of suspicion and distrust; consequently the soul exchanges his confidence and peace for fear and anxiety.  The sundry of sin that originated in Eden first came from Eve's distrust of God's providence, her fear of His will, and ultimately her doubt of His love. 

It is this doubt of God's love that has plagued man ever since.  It is this doubt that prompted Our Lord to appear to St. Margaret Mary and reveal His Sacred Heart, reminding man of His intense love for him.  It is this mistrust of God's divine providence that moved Christ to appear to Saint Faustina, imploring man to place his trust in Him. 

Satan encourages man to think of God as distant and indifferent, an omnipotent but abstract being.  But Our dear Savior is not an abstract idea but a real person, flesh and blood, full of passionate love for the flock He lays His life down for.  The statues of Christ in Church do not invite man to worship cold stone, but rather remind the soul that what he worships is a real man, who walked this earth, who is alive in the Holy Eucharist, who aches for our love.  But he does not want a love that is conditioned and calculated, for that is not love at all, only a cowardly tepidity that dismays and disgusts him.  He begs for a love that is free of anxiety but full of trust; he invites man to relinquish his fears.  He asks,"Do you have the strength to believe in my providential care? Do you truly believe that I love you?" And so, in times of doubt, say this simple prayer over and over again, Jesus I trust in you.