May 1st Fast

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JMJ

"Do not say it is impossible for me to influence others.  If you are a Christian it is impossible for this not to happen.  Things found in nature cannot be denied; so here, for it is a question of the nature of a Christian.   Do not insult God.  If you say that a Christian cannot help others, you have insulted God and called Him a liar.  It is easier for the sun not to give warmth or shine than for the Christian not to shed his light. . . . The light of a Christian cannot escape notice.  So a bright lamp cannot be hidden." (St. John Chrysostom)

One can easily get discouraged by the current culture that is not only opposed to the inherent dignity of human life and God's plan for it, but does not even have space for common sense and reason anymore. Each news story beings fresh worries and anxiety for the future.  How can we promote a culture of truth, of beauty, of goodness when we are almost forced into silence?

Silence.  How unused to it we are!  How ironic that we have have lost the ability to communicate when we  have all the means of communication available.  The early Christians certainly faced a predicament even more dire than our own, and yet they had no Roman Senators to plead their case, no wireless mediums to defend their cause; in fact, their most prominent leaders were daily being martyred.  They could not take to the pages of the Roman Sentinel to articulate their position nor march in droves to win others to their side.  How is it that they succeeded?  Through sacrifice and silent witness.

The early Church had no other means but their lives to propagate the Faith, and pass it down to the next generation.  Their martyrdoms were the culmination of lives given wholly to Christ.  Their age was just as dominated by supreme selfishness, and so the antidote they offered was self-sacrifice: first, in their families, and then, often, in the arena.

The Christian family must and can bring joy to a society steeped in selfishness, and therefore drowning in depression.  In Lumen Gentium, one of the documents of Vatican II, the Church stated:

"In connection with the prophetic function is that state of life which is sanctified by a special sacrament obviously of great importance, namely, married and family life. For where Christianity pervades the entire mode of family life, and gradually transforms it, one will find there both the practice and an excellent school of the lay apostolate. In such a home husbands and wives find their proper vocation in being witnesses of the faith and love of Christ to one another and to their children. The Christian family loudly proclaims both the present virtues of the Kingdom of God and the hope of a blessed life to come. Thus by its example and its witness it accuses the world of sin and enlightens those who seek the truth."

Promoting a culture of life begins in deed, and leads to The Word Made Flesh.  We are Children of the Light; let us live our lives accordingly.

Good Friday Fast

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JMJ

"We must have confidence, not in spite of our miseries, but because of them, since it is misery which attracts mercy.  Oh, this word, mercy- misericordia- "miseris cor dare," a Heart which gives Itself to the miserable, a Heart which nourishes Itself on miseries by consuming them. Meditate on this word."

(I Believe in Love, Father Jean C.J. d' Elbee)

March 6th Fast

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JMJ

"Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.  She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.  Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me.'
The Lord said to her in reply, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.'" (Lk. 10:38-42)

Our vocations are given to us as God's chosen path for us to sanctity.  But, what does it mean to be saints? A saint is someone who enjoys eternal happiness while beholding the face of God forever in Heaven.  Wanting us to desire this reality, He sets before us the path in life where we can best see Him in others and so learn to love and yearn for Him here on earth.  Yet, what if we are too busy to take notice? Perhaps, we have become too attached to the things of this world to appreciate the beauty that gives us a foretaste of the next?

In his book, Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait, Father Leo Maasburg noted one of the quiet ways Bl. Mother Teresa practiced charity:

"When she turned to speak to someone, she concentrated on them completely.  It was as if she and that person with their questions and concerns, were the only people there."

What a wonderful challenge this presents!  The "gift of self" often referenced by St. John Paul II is not simply a general term applied in an overall vocational sense.  No, it is a phrase that is meant to be lived daily, moment by moment, with each person we encounter.  
 How frequently does one fail to make the effort to put aside mental or material distractions for the- often short- time they are in a loved one's presence.  What does this say to the other?  Distractions take on different forms but can easily be justified by one reason or another.  Yet simply because technology or our mental faculties allow us to multi-task does not mean we always should.  

To turn one's whole heart and mind to another expresses the value we place on their importance in our life and the love and respect we have for them.  Blessed Mother Teresa once said:

"Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well."

In a culture where soundbites rule and moments are captured on phones, it certainly goes against the grain to take in the whole of a moment, and not be satisfied with a piecemeal approach.  Yet, what joy there is when one learns to patiently and lovingly attend to the other!  What great peace comes, when we refuse to be rushed, and can fully enjoy the other without the voices of restlessness and anxiety that perpetually tell us we are wasting time and must busy ourselves with something else.   Like Mary, who constantly "pondered these things and kept them in her heart," let us too learn to patiently ponder the hidden beauty that lies waiting to be discovered in those closest to us; a beauty that foretells of the infinite beauty that is awaiting us in Eternity.

December 5th Fast

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JMJ

"When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."  So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.  All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.  Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them." (Lk. 2:15-20)

In forgetting the meaning of Christmas, most have forgotten the reality of the Incarnation: that God came down from heaven and became man.  He came to redeem men, but also to live among them, to be one of them.  

During His time on earth, Our Lord taught us much about the importance of being present to others.   His Love for man did not start at the preaching of His Gospel message in the beginning of His ministry; rather, it revealed itself in the joy of the Baptist in the womb of Elizabeth, in the hymn of praise in Mary's Magnificat, in the wonder witnessed by the shepherds in Bethlehem, in the beauty and majesty beheld by the Magi.  Indeed, while we know little about the majority of His Life on earth (the thirty years of His Hidden Life) we do know that He was constantly present to Mary and St. Joseph.  It should not surprise us then that two hearts were nevermore so united as those blessed hearts of Our Lady and Our Lord.

Yet, there were two other hearts that were closely united as well in that little home at Nazareth: Joseph's and Mary's.   Theirs was a complete trust that stemmed first from their unshakable faith in God, and second, from their confident trust in one another.  Mary was secure in her love for Joseph shown by her openness to sharing Gabriel's message with him; Joseph, likewise, was secure in his love for Mary, protecting her and the Child by his firm belief in the messages of the angels.  In the home at Nazareth, their loving presence provided the firm foundation for the Son of God to grow "in wisdom and grace."  

In a healthy marriage, one's love is secure and confident.  It is constantly nurtured and attended to because the peace of the family depends on it.  The marital relationship remains primary even after the birth of children, for it is from this stable foundation that harmony in the home rests.  It requires patience and presence.  To strengthen a marriage, each spouse learns to be physically, mentally and emotionally present to the other.  

It is in being with the other, that we learn about the other.  Just as the simple and sincere  sought out Our Lord in the stillness and solitude, so too, one must push aside all noise and distractions in seeking out Our Lord in others.  This Advent and Christmas season, give of your presence and rejoice in the love of Our Savior and those He has given to you.

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November 7th Fast

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JMJ

"I will hide from people's eyes whatever good I am able to do so that God Himself may be my reward.  I will be like a tiny violet hidden in the grass, which does not hurt the foot that treads on it, but diffuses its fragrance and, forgetting itself completely, tries to please the person who has crushed it underfoot.  This is very difficult for human nature but God's grace comes to one's aid."  (Diary of St. Faustina, No. 255)

One of the greatest saints of modern times, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, spent her days hidden in a monastery, unconcerned about the attentions of others and instead quietly sought her heavenly reward by the small acts of love she performed each day unbeknownst to her Carmelite sisters.  When told by the novices in her care that her Little Way was too simple and easy, she quickly noted that though it was simple, easy it was not.  She was keenly aware of the  mighty struggles that took place within her to to perform these selfless acts that when unnoticed, but supremely confidant in the the path she was treading.

It is easy to imagine oneself as a magnanimous benefactor who would gladly give away his money in anonymity; giving to those in need eagerly and willingly.  And yet, in his every day life, he may feel burdened by the with apparent cross of anonymity when it comes to his good works and selfless acts.  For those especially dear to him, he performs innumerable sacrifices each day but is slighted if the recognition he believes he deserves is not immediately forthcoming.  It is then that one must accept that a true sacrifice is a selfl-denying act that seeks no comfort, physical or emotional, to soften the hardship incurred.

The saints desired no adulation, and were content to live humbly and obscurely on earth if only to share in His glory in Heaven.  If Faith informs us that Heaven is complete happiness then surely it must make us realize that any trifle reward on this earth is nothing in comparison to that of Eternity.

Remember that your sacrifices are not separate and singular.  They are joined with others to strengthen the Body of Christ.  In family life, the spouses' gifts of self together solidify the bond that unites them, and the love that draws them closer.  Be content knowing that doing God's will each moment of each day will bring peace to your home and everlasting joy in Heaven.  

"[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you give alms do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." (Mt. 6: 1-2)