Jesus comes to touch the weakest part

Reviewing yesterday’s hymn verse:

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

and ransom captive [Israel]

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O [Israel}

Verse One of the Advent hymn (see yesterday’s reflection) makes us aware of the existential pain that permeates our lives. We are exiled from our true selves; we are held captive by things that keep us from a fuller experience of God; we mourn what we have lost as well as what we cannot manage to achieve on our own; our exile is lonely and marked by profound yearning for the coming of the One who can save us from our condition.

What I didn’t mention yesterday is that the condition described in the first verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is actually the same condition as that described in the first of the 12-Steps of A.A. and other addiction programs. In the first step, we acknowledge that our lives are “unmanageable” and that we are “powerless” to do anything about it on our own. 

Franciscan Fr. Richard Rohr and retired Cistercian Abbot Thomas Keating, among many others, have pointed out that the 12-Step program of recovery is so powerful and effective that everyone should have the experience of working the steps and that everyone is addicted to something that renders life unmanageable and powerless. It needn’t be a major addiction at issue. How about that temper, or that thin skin that causes you so much pain? How about your tendency to judge others by appearances, or your bigotry, or your need to see yourself as better than others? How about . . . . . ? A gentle but ruthlessly honest review of your own life situation can and will help you identify your own particular issue, the one that holds you captive, the one that you have been powerless to defeat. Jesus Christ comes to meet you at exactly that place.

May you be open to the grace he comes to bring.

As I make my way through the verses of my favorite Advent hymn, I intend to relate it to the 12-Steps where possible. I suspect that a deep prayerful study of the verses of the ancient hymn will produce real change, growth and grace in all of our lives. Please come with me as I make my way through this journey.

Advent begins with your need for God

Let’s begin Advent with a verse from a well-known Advent hymn. But before we start, let me make a suggestion: that wherever you encounter the word “Israel”, that you replace it with “my soul.” In this way the Advent hymn becomes a song about your life and about some great blessing you can receive if you take the words to heart. Let things become not only about head but also about heart, soul, spirit, psyche, and even body.

And so here’s the verse:

O come, O come, Emmanuel

and ransom captive  [Israel]

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to you,

O [Israel].

Let it move from your head to your heart. Don’t merely try to understand it; seek to feel it deep within your being. It has a lot to say about you; it has a lot to say about all of us, here and now, and especially during this time of Advent.

The reality of the verse is undeniable: You are a captive. Think about this today: how are you a captive?

What has you stuck? What are you chained to, that you cannot free yourself from, no matter how much you have tried on your own? Is it some habit? Some mistake you have made? Some weakness that threatens to overwhelm you? Or something else: what is it?

And you are in exile. You are separated from your true self. You are separated from that person that you are trying to become, separated from your most intense dreams and wishes about yourself? You can almost reach out and touch the goal you strive for, but something always keeps you from it. And this exile you suffer is a lonely place. No one has access to it save you. No one merely human, that is.

And so you mourn. Oh how you yearn for what you cannot give yourself, that your own efforts cannot acquire for you. Perhaps it is something you have lost and wish you could have back, but it is lost to you seemingly forever.

What you need to break those chains, to put an end to your loneliness and your mourning, is not something you can give to yourself or can get from anyone else. You need help from the outside.

As it stands, your life is unmanageable and in this verse you admit it and own it. And then you hear the great promise. The only one who can set you free is going to come to you. In fact, is already with you. Let him touch all the dark and hopeless places you have considered in this meditation. And rejoice.

Rejoice in hope!

Black Friday

A few thoughts about Black Friday:

·         To me at least, it represents unbridled consumerism at its most insidious and pathetic.

This is what Pope Francis had to say about consumerism and its effect on the human person: “Since the market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending.” (Laudato Si, #58)

·         We must always remember that none of the products of consumerism can bring the lasting peace and happiness that every one of us never stops searching for.

·         I heard of a man who pitched his tent before one of the stores on Tuesday morning and lived there so that he could be the first in line when the stores finally opened for the big sales.

·         It has served to devalue family life. Family lives and traditions and customs, for many, are being neglected, curtailed or even overthrown by the new tradition of rushing to the stores at all hours of the day and night.

·         And what about its effect on young people these days. Again, I quote Pope Francis: They “have grown up in a milieu of extreme consumerism and affluence which makes it difficult to develop other habits. (Laudato Si, # 209)

·         It has further enslaved the men and women who work in retail, often giving them no choice but to leave their families to go and work the “machine.”

·         Some enjoy increased salaries, even as much as “double time and a half,” by going to work at 4 am on Friday. For the most part, these are people whose usual wages are usually so low that they need the increased income in order for them to be able to provide for their own families.

·         Thanksgiving Day and its observance is a unique moment in the life of the average American. When it supplanted by consumerism, what happens is that a cherished time which only occurs once a year is now taken over by the sort of activity that occurs on just about any other day of the year: shopping. How unique.

·         More time for rest and familial congress is eliminated, replaced by yet more frenetic activity.

·         The space for reflectiveness disappears in the lives of those who become victims to the New Order.

·         The very creation of the Black Friday concept was fueled by the insatiable greed of corporations.

·         Our humanity suffers for it, and when it gets taken away from us there is often little or no chance that we will ever get it back.

·         I was happy to read that a few establishments stood firm and did not participate in the overnight openings. Perhaps this is a sign of hope.

·         I am very happy to be in a monastery on this day. We enjoyed our community time right up to the end of Thursday, awoke on Friday for prayer, and have spent this day as a special day of rest and reflection. I wish everyone could have the opportunity to enjoy the same.

·         If you haven’t yet given in to the pull of Black Friday, please stand firm and do not let it corrupt your way of life.

·         If you have become of victim of Black Friday, I encourage you to see yourself as a victim and to examine closely the motivation behind your participation in this new custom. What, in the end, has it done for you or to you? 

The next reflection will be on Sunday, November 30.

A spiritual Thanksgiving

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could prepare for Thanksgiving in a way that helps make it a deeply spiritual experience? What could you do to make that happen? I offer a few suggestions.

·         First of all, the day before Thanksgiving is an important time to give thought and prayer to these matters. Most of us will be busy, preoccupied or distracted by all the preparations on Thursday, by the visiting and celebrating that takes place in household. In a sense, on Thanksgiving we are all “Marthas.” Wednesday offers us to be more like “Mary” and to take the time and quiet to reflect and to listen to the promptings of the Spirit Who will lead us into a deep sense of gratitude if we stay open and attentive.

·         By all means, if at all possible, go to Mass either Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Never forget that the Mass itself is the ultimate act of thanksgiving to God. “The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all ‘thanksgiving.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 1360)

·         Find a few moments of solitude and a quiet place; take a journal or notebook or simply a piece of paper and make a gratitude list of all the things you are thankful for. Don’t overthink this; in fact, if at all possible, let it be automatic writing. If something comes to mind, jot it down. Continue until you have nothing more to write. The benefits of making such a list are not only spiritual; this activity also can have a powerful effect on the emotions and on our mental state. (And, by the way, you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to do such a thing. Any time will do.)

Blessed Thankgsiving to all of you. I thank God for giving me the inspiration to write these reflections, and I thank him for you who read them, and for those of you who give me feedback every now and then.

The next Reflection will be on Friday, November 27.

This, too, shall pass

The people were adoring the Temple in Jerusalem, remarking about its great beauty and precious stones. Jesus shook them up: All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”(Lk: 21:5)

One of the things His statement might invite us to consider is an integral part of life: the impermanence of all things.

Whether it be good or bad, always remind yourself that “This too shall pass.”

This can be a consolation in times of suffering, and an important warning in times of prosperity and well-being. All is impermanent.  “The heavens and the earth will pass away,” Jesus says (Matthew 24:35). Our little kingdoms and mountains of stuff, even some of our most cherished relationships will not endure forever. All shall pass. And so, in our lives, we get to do a great deal of necessary grieving—grieving over things both great and small.

This is hard to consider, perhaps, hard to contemplate. I’d bet that people were furious when Jesus spoke about the downfall of the temple. And it is a sobering thought for us as well. But in order to live spiritually, we have to regard all things as transient until the end of days. We have to avoid clinging or getting overly detached (yesterday’s theme) to anything that stands between us and our God.

Let me close with a personal example: I had a light for the organ in the Abbey Church that I was very fond of. It was well-made and well-designed. It was an elegant piece of equipment, and it did a good job of illuminating any music I was trying to play. I’ve had it for well over ten years, and it has been used in several different ways. Well, yesterday, as I was closing up the organ, the light fell to the ground and was shattered. “Well this is turning out to be a bad day.” But then I had to go and find a replacement lamp, and it turned out that the lamp I found actually does a better job than the lamp I had lost.

Sometimes, the apparent tragedy of loss ends up leading to something new and better in our lives.

And that is how it will be at the end of time, or at the end of our earthly days, whichever comes first.

A pre-Thanksgiving fantasy

The poor widow put two copper coins into the temple treasury and we are told that she gave away all that she had.

We have so much, and we would find it nearly impossible to give away everything that we had, just like the good young man who went away sadly from the Lord because he was rich and the Lord had encouraged him to sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor.

But could we give away just one small thing? Would it be possible to do that today? In the monastery we have a place where we can leave clothing to be distributed to the poor. I imagine that today I am going to sacrifice one piece of clothing for that collection. But what will I sacrifice? Will it be an old piece of clothing that I haven’t worn in years? Or might it be something that I like and that I wear often? The thought is difficult; giving away something that I use and like would be like tearing something away from my personhood, and find that in reaction to the thought of giving it away is to want to cling to it more tenaciously than ever. No, this is a silly idea. I think I will let it pass.

It is so difficult for we who have so much to separate ourselves from what we have. In a sense, I think it is true that what we have actually owns us rather than the other way around.

But imagine this: Imagine that you have indeed given away everything, keeping nothing back. And imagine that you are going to have to depend on God completely for anything else you need today. Is your faith strong enough to believe that you will be given what you need? Or would you tremble in panic?

And yet, even in the midst of so much opulence, at the very bottom of it all, it is God who gives us what we need when we need it---and realize that those needs are not necessarily material.

But God does supply all our needs, and the things that we think we need that have not been given are things which God knows we really do not need, or that God knows would end up being no good for us. This reminds me of a saying I once heard: “If you want to have what you need, then take delight in what you have.

And so here are a few rambling thoughts that might help us prepare spiritually for Thanksgiving when it occurs later this week in the United States.

What good you have done

That good thing that you do, or did one time,

whether it be great and spectacular,

or tiny and subtle,

whether it benefit thousands and millions,

or just one simple poor child,

whether it cost you much and left you exhausted,

or it was effortless and natural,

this thing that you did,

offer it to God your King.

Offer it freely, completely detached

   from any expectation of reward, recognition, praise or recompense.

Detachment protects you from pain.

It is difficult, and sometimes even painful when we are attached,

   when no one notices what we have accomplished,

   or no one even cares,

   when the attention is given to another in our place,

   when no one understands how much we really gave,

but these pains are as nothing,

in light of the glory of the Giver of all good things.

Unite your offering to Him,

to Him Who has offered so much,

and pray for detachment.

For in detachment there is freedom,

freedom from ego, freedom from pride, freedom from mixed motives.

That freedom is so precious in a world where everyone clings to a brief moment of fame.

Why take credit? What you were given was given to you,

So let it return to the Source,

while you meanwhile remain at peace and rest in the joy of what you have done,

that has brought a loving smile to the King.

Then step back, breathe deeply,

and remain within his court,

for He has wanted you to be there

for all time.

The "not-so-good" is important, too.

I had my daily practice session at the organ earlier today, and I must say that it wasn’t a good day. In fact, it was downright stinky. Sour notes all over the place, and it seemed like my fingers had minds of their own and were going off in directions they shouldn’t have been taken. Pieces I usually play with ease suddenly were filled with obstacles; in some cases it seemed like I have never ever practiced those pieces before.

And yet, I trudged on, and put in my time, even though thing weren’t going right. Years ago I would have simply walked away from the organ discouraged and frustrated, but not now. Now I just trudge along. What makes the difference?

The difference is that I’ve come to realize that sometimes we have to get through the stinky times in order to get to the good ones. And, as any creative person will tell you, sometimes we have to make bad art before we can make good art. In fact, the “down times” (such as what I had today) are actually a necessary and even vital part of the process. You don’t get to the good without suffering through the not-so-good when it comes along, time and time again, knowing that everything has its contribution to the process and that nothing can be done to run away or prevent ourselves squeezing through what we have to in order to get to the end.

This a symbol for the spiritual life as well. God leads us through it all, and as we grow older, we begin to discover that God uses everything, even those parts of our lives that we’d rather not remember.

All is in process. All is in God’s hands. And, ultimately, no matter what the path may be like, if we walk it with faith and endure it with patience, it will all lead back to God.

The next reflection will be on Sunday, November 22.

Personal peace

The time came when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, knowing that its fate was going to be annihilation and total destruction. He lamented, and he said something that I’d like to leave with you for today’s reflection:

“If this day you only knew what makes for peace.”

He was speaking of the people’s refusal to turn to him and to believe in him and the things he had taught them. And, of course, that is a good place for us to start as well. Do we believe that Jesus is the One who brings true peace? Do we believe it deeply enough? Do we believe it so much that it has an effect on the way we think and on our behavior as well? Or do we reserve certain aspects of our lives as separate from what we say we believe? Do we withhold? Do we prevaricate? Are we sometimes of two minds and two faces?

These are difficult questions, and, just like everything else that is difficult, we can only find the answers by turning to the Lord and asking him to help us see what we have not yet been able to see.

Do we have the energy or the courage to do that? In each and every aspect of our lives? Or do we have to say “not yet, Lord,” “give me more time.”?

Or let’s make it a bit easier, especially if you are one of those who consider yourself a beginner in the spiritual life. (After all, these reflections are meant for you, not for the experts.) Anyway, for you, I offer just a few questions to guide you on your search for the peace that Jesus brings:

·         Is there something you are ignoring or not being honest about?

·         Is there some good you could be doing that you are not doing (sins of omission)?

·         Where in your life is there no peace? Have you asked Jesus to touch it?

·         Is there anything going on in your life that you would rather God not notice?

·         If Jesus said to you today, “What do you want me to do for you?” how would you answer.

God bless you.

Using gifts

God gives gifts to each one of us:

    to some more, and to others less

       (for some mysterious reason that lies hidden from us for now).

Some of the gifts are extraordinary,

such as the gift of a surgeon to save lives

or the gift of an artist to add to the beauty that is in the world.

Some of the gifts are less illustrious, although just as extraordinary,

such as the gentle smile of a woman who passes by a beggar on the street, as she gives an alms,

or the craft of a subtle peacemaker,

or perhaps even the gift of prayer to someone who is unable to go out into the world,

   but who embraces the entire world in contemplative prayer from his wheelchair.

What are your gifts? Be honest. Don’t be afraid. You will not sin against pride

   if you acknowledge the gift, understanding that it comes from God for the good of others.

God is the giver of all good gifts.

God is also a benevolent task-master,

   expecting and even demanding that the gifts be used,

          developed,

          enhanced,

          utilized,

          shared.

So, you see, each gift has wrapped within it an expectation, a responsibility.

And do you know what is a wonderful thing?

That when in good faith we try to exercise the gift, God adds to it,

          and blesses it, and helps it to bear fruit now or in a time to come.

But remember:

   To whom much has been given, much will be expected. (Luke 12:48)

Unmanageable?

Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.

Yesterday we noted how it is a good antidote to pride to acknowledge the fact that we, as individuals, are in need of pity. This is very similar to what happens in 12-step programs where the first step is for an individual to admit a personal powerlessness over a particular problem or addiction and that because of this, his or her life has become unmanageable.

Note that many spiritual writers have suggested that working through the 12 steps is a worthwhile spiritual exercise for anyone, addict or not. In this sense, it would be good to apply the first of the 12 steps to each of the deadly sins.

Today I offer some simple notions about how we are all victims of pride (and in fact, might even want to consider pride to be our personal addiction):

·         Pride makes us blind to our own imperfections and limitations.

·         Pride causes us to dwell on ourselves and to ignore other peoples’ needs.

·         My pride hurts others, to be sure, but it also hurts me.

·         Sometimes I don’t contribute to the good of the community, family, parish or cohort of workers because I think they’re beneath me.

·         Because of my pride, I don’t seek to learn from others.

·         Because of my pride, I don’t take advice, so I fail to develop my gifts and talents.

·         My pride makes it impossible for me to be a “team player.”

·         Pride changes leadership into tyranny.

·         Pride makes friendships impossible or intolerable.

Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.

An antidote to pride

Saint Luke’s Gospel tells of a blind man who was sitting by the roadside begging, and who cried out,

“Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” This is one of a number of encounters that Jesus has with the blind, and all of them are particularly valuable to us for our meditation and growth in spirit and in holiness.

This man was blind; he could not see. That is, he could not see the many things that we see naturally without giving a moment’s thought to them.

The blind man, however, did see in a deeper sense; He “saw” that a great and powerful man was approaching him; he” saw” the reality of Jesus’ lineage (Jesus, Son of David), and he “saw” his own need for merciful pity. The word he uses in Greek is eleison, the same word we use at Mass when we pray Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison. And we usually translate it as “have mercy,” but the current English translation of the Scriptures we are using at Mass has the blind man calling out not for mercy, but for pity.

That might rankle us and shake up our pride a bit. Do we think of ourselves as needing pity? The blind, the lame, the helpless, the lost, the paralyzed, the total loser---all of these need pity, a special brand of pity. They need the pity that is going to lead to action, to reparation, to restoration and to thorough healing.

But do we need pity? What might it cost our pride if we began to think of ourselves, not only as sinners in need of mercy, but certainly as the lost an prideful needing pity?

It might do us some good to humble ourselves in that way. And if we do, then, we will begin to see what we often overlook and what we tend to ignore or hide away.

Jesus has an answer to all of this: His answer: What do you want me to do for you?

Out of your humility, ask him. Now.

The Agony of Paris

A terrible thing happened in Paris this weekend. Hatred, violence, the killing of innocence, unmerited pain, fanaticism, self-destruction, terror and chaos.

If you can, sit with the weight of all this evil  while gazing at a crucifix, and behold Him Who drew onto himself the entire weight of sin and evil in the world.

Hold the pain and connect it with the crucifix, and stay with it for as long as you are inspired to do.

In your prayers, let every suffering soul and every grieving person be embraced by the crucifix.

And remember this: the crucifix is the gateway to the end of all pain, all violence, all hatred, all chaos.

All death.

* * * * *

A terrible thing happened in Paris this weekend.

A terrible thing is happening in the world these days, every hour, every moment.

Terrible things are happening in our country these days, every hour, every moment.

We cannot and do not hear of all of them. Few of them make the news or attract the attention of the media.

But still they are happening. And always, it is the crucifix that provides the only point of reference that makes it possible to bear the evil.

Even though it may seem impossible, or implausible, or unimaginable,

it is within the agony of the crucifix that is found  the seed of the end of it all,

and that seed will come to life.

And there will be peace. We will see glimpses of it. It will drown the darkness for all time.

And so pray,

     grieve,

          carry the pain.

                Allow the pain to gentle you and me that we may be no part of the darkness.

Pay careful attention to anything within you that may contribute to the darkness, even the temptation to think of righteous revenge. For when you think like that, you are infected by the same evil.

Pray. Grieve. Carry the pain. And give it over to the Savior the world needs so badly.

And let it end there. And let it begin there.

Be awake, be aware

This prose poem was inspired by the reading from the Book of Wisdom, 13:1-9.

In the beauty of the fallen leaves, see God, the Source of Beauty and the Creator of all things beautiful.

Gaze upon the colors of the season and see God, in Whose mind color was born.

As you breathe the air, be conscious of the God Who breathed life into you and Who continues to breathe in you.

In the rains that come, be reminded of He in Whose name you were baptized.

As water flows from your faucets, think of God Who brought water out of the rock for people who were dying of thirst.

In the clothing you wear, give thanks that you are clothed; honor God who gave the skill to men and women who designed and made what you wear.

In your home, give thanks to God Who provided you with shelter; pray for the homeless, and find ways to give to ease their lot.

Look around your home, see all the fair and beautiful furnishings, thank God for Creativity which he bestows on artisans, artists and craftsmen.

In those you love, give honor to God who is Love and who gives us that love to share with others.

As you read these lines, praise the God of inspiration, the Source of so many holy writings.

As you close your eyes for a moment, remember the God Who leads you from darkness into light.

As you go about this day, stay awake, stay aware, stay filled with thanks.

The next reflection will be posted on Sunday.

When Wisdom Flees

I am back after a week’s “Medical leave.” I wish to thank everyone for your kind prayers, messages, and good thoughts.

Who are the people in your life that you consider to be truly wise? They don’t need to be scholars. Wisdom doesn’t deal with how much one knows but rather with how one knows. They also don’t need to be people in power; indeed, many rulers and bosses are not wise.

The wise are not often found among the sound and sleek or those whose lives are spent in the pursuit of status, material wealth, fame or prestige. (And how much of our own energies do we expend chasing after such things in our own lives?) No. The wise are found among those Jesus mentions in his Beatitudes: the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourning, the peacemakers, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and, to be sure, among the persecuted.

We may know wise people who do not necessarily always act wisely. Sometimes, the weaker aspects of their humanity eclipse what in them may be considered wise.

How about you? When are you wise, and when are you not? I find a helpful guideline in the text of Wisdom 7: “. . . nought that is sullied enters into her (wisdom)” Wisdom is at all times pure: when our thoughts or actions are tinged with impurity, or mixed motives, or hidden agendas, then wisdom flees. “. . . wickedness prevails not over wisdom.” So purify your thoughts, examine your motives carefully, and, above all pray for the gift of Wisdom which, “passing into holy souls from age to age, . . . produces friends of God and prophets.”

If you have a chance, you’d do well to sit for a quiet few moments and look over what is found in Wisdom 7:22b-8:1.

Have a nice day. God bless you.

Different gifts for different folks

Note: I am having minor surgery tomorrow and will not be posting reflections for a few days. Pray for me, please. 

Saint Paul to the Romans: “each of us has gifts according to the grace given to us.” (Romans 12:6)

A few comments:

·         Each of us. No one is excluded from this economy of grace. If you think you have no gifts, ask the Lord to open your eyes to see what he has given you. If you think someone else has no gifts, or regard someone as useless, again, ask the Lord to open your eyes.

·         Has gifts. Don’t think materially, in terms of possessions or products of consumption. The best way to recognize a gift is to visualize how it can be used for the good of others. Some people think they have no gifts because they are lazy or selfish. Having gifts entails a responsibility. “To whom much is given, much will be expected.”

·         According to the grace given to us. Remember that grace is not earned, but simply given, sometimes in abundance by the Giver of all good gifts. Ask for help to discern your particular grace, your particular gift, and how you might share it with others. It is also important to realize that each person has different gifts. Don’t expect others to be like you. Be patient with those who do not share your particular gifts, for it may be that God has given you the grace to be able to serve those same people.

·         Finally, realize that God loves all of us, and gives us gifts so that we can take care of one another. Learn to recognize and celebrate the gifts that others have. Do not give way to jealousy and envy. One monk is much better at hospitality than I am. Another monk is the most generous person I know. And another monk has a green thumb, while I can’t even manage to keep a cactus alive. Put all the monks together with all their gifts, including mine, and we have a beautiful and gifted community. The beauty is based on all of us together. Such is the same with every Christian community. Celebrate it.

All Souls' Day: Why we pray for the dead

I have my own personalized way of explaining the necessity of a final purification after death, and why it is important for us to pray for the dead. I offer it here for what it is worth.

Let’s start with a question: If you were to die tonight in your sleep, are you ready to enter heaven and the presence of God completely purified without any stain or blemish, with all things settled in your life? Are you completely reconciled to the people in your life? Are you free from your weaknesses and from your failings? Are all of your sins forgiven and are you free from the burden of guilt that we all carry with us for whatever reasons there may be?

You were created in the image and likeness of God (see posts from June 2014 for more discussion of this). Is that image clear and clean and spotless?

Or do you need more time?

That, in a nutshell, is my explanation.

If I die tonight, please pray for me. I’d appreciate it and I know I need it.

Where is happiness?

Every year, on All Saints’ Day, the Gospel calls our attention to the Beatitudes.

Unfortunately, however, since we hear them so often, the Beatitudes are sometimes reduced to the level of dull clichés. We listen to them, but we don’t hear them. If you were at Mass today, did you truly hear them as they were proclaimed, or did you perhaps “zone out” as they passed by?

It is hard to focus on them. They turn what we consider the “natural order” of things right upside down. Those who are blessed, or “happy,” or “fortunate,” at not those we have been brainwashed into choosing. Just look at the list of those Christ calls “blessed:”  the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted.

Things get shaken up; false notions are shown to be empty promises; our basic drives are called into question—the drives for security, power, approval, aggrandizement, notoriety, self-esteem, control; happiness is not what it appears to be or what think it should be. We may think we are climbing the ladder of success only to discover that we have set it up against the wrong building.

I turned to the Catechism of the Catholic Church to see what it had to say about this “reversal of fortunes:”

. . . true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement—however beneficial it may be—such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the sources of every good and of all love. (#1723)

 At first sight, I find this difficult to embrace, but when I hold it up to the picture of my own life I can see how true it is. I have sought happiness in so many things, and never truly found it. And yet, I consider myself to be a happy man. Deep down inside, I think the happiness comes from my existence as a monk which demands a radical orientation towards God and the things of God, especially at this point in my life when I am no longer doing those things which in the past brought me honor and prestige and a bit of fame.  But enough about me. What do you make of all this, and how can you apply it to your own life? That’s the important question for you to consider on this All Saints’ Day.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, either by commenting below or by sending me an email (bcamera@anselm.edu).

God bless.