Grace is not imposed on us

“Life continues to be offered, not imposed.” (Oliver Clement, The Roots of Christian Mysticism, p. 40)

Clement is speaking about new life, life in the Spirit, that fullness of life that Christ promises when he says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

This life is offered to us but it is never forced on us. We are not compelled to grow in wisdom, or in the virtues, or in anything else that would enlarge our lives and make us grow closer to God and, ultimately, to his kingdom in the world to come. It is there for us to choose freely: God yearns for us to choose life, and if we ask, he sends us all the help and graces we need to make it happen. But we have to ask. We have to choose.

And so, what choices are set before you at this point in your life? What choices are set before you today? What will bring you to the “fullness,” what choices however will empty you out and set you apart from what Christ had come—and died—and rose from the dead—to give you?

And here’s a little trick: don’t think on any grand scale. Think small. The little things, taken together, lead to the greater ones.  12-steppers know so well how they have to work on their recovery on a day-to-day basis, paying mindful attention to the little aspects of the struggle. All of us, too, need to work out our salvation, our ultimate union with God, in the same way: one small step at a time.

Today, perhaps, I will read something inspiring rather than plop myself down in front of the television   set.

Today, perhaps, I will let the other driver go first instead of fighting for control of the road.

Today I will not give my energy to that person who robs me of joy and wholesomeness.

Today I will speak with someone who brings out the best that is within me.

Today I will meditate, even if only for 3 minutes.

Today I will look for opportunities to perform some small generous acts, especially in areas where I tend              to be selfish.

Today I will smile more.

Today I will give thanks as often as I can remember.

Today I will spend time with that hobby or that creative work which lifts me up and brings me joy and    peace.

Today, you will . . . 

IMHO is back

Welcome again, everyone. I'm now retired and have more time to read, think and pray . . . and also more time to write. My goal is to publish 5 or 6 daily reflections each week. Please pray for me the the Spirit will inspire me to offer something on a regular basis. And, above all, please tell others about this blog and to use the comments feature to stay in touch with me.

God bless you all,
Fr. Bede

Can going to Mass actually change us?

I came across this in my lectio today, and thought it worth sharing.

 

"Ritual action is always self-engaging and full of risk. Through our offering gestures we open ourselves to the possibility that we will be changed forever. We cannot pray to the living God to receive us and our gifts without the real possibility that God will accept these offerings and make us and them the Body of Christ. Such is our faith; such is our hope. It is a risk we take in the belief that whatever we have left behind will be repaid a hundredfold in this life and the next. Since we do not live our lives all at once, we come back again and again to Eucharist to offer ourselves and our gifts in order that bit by bit we may be transformed into the very One we receive in communion."

C. Vincie, “The Mystical Implications” in A Commentary on the Order of Mass of The Roman Missal, 2011.

 

Have a nice day.

Holy Inspiration

May God grant me . . . to conceive thoughts worthy of the gifts I have received.   Wisdom 7:15b (New Jerusalem Bible translation)

We are all gifted

If you don't know anything about the theory of "multiple intelligences," you might want to google it to find out more. Basically what it says is that there are many different ways to be intelligent (or gifted) and these ways might not necessarily be the ways that are identified in traditional education.

I offer two quotes worth pondering in this respect.

The first is from Albert Einstein (whom people thought was unintelligent because he didn't start speaking at a young age).  "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life by believing that it is stupid."

The second quote is from a student writing her teacher after she became aware of the theory of mulitiple intellences and how it helped her appreciate her boyfriend in a new way:

The gist of the note (I'm quoting from a source I've since forgotten) stated that she was in a relationship with a young man whom her friends and family constantly demeaned because they perceived him as beneath her intellectual level and as "just a dumb jock." The message went on further to say that as a result of learning about Multiple Intelligence Theory she had begun to look into her boyfriend's strengths in new ways.

Due to my exposure to the multiple intelligences, I have found out that he is very smart in many ways that I am not. He's quiet and knows how to really listen to people, is especially good at working with kids, and often sees beyond people's obvious exteriors. He can fix anything! Obviously, he's good at sports, but he also knows who is, what he's good at, and what he wants to do with his life. He also has lots of common sense! My family and friends are wrong! Thanks for helping me see that he is intelligent in many ways.

MYSTERY

From the writings of Charles Dickens:

"A wonderful fact to reflecct upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other." 

It's too bad so many of us (and probably all of us sometimes) forget that and fail to pay honor and reverence to the mystery of each other. And there are always some who think they have others "all figured out." What a travesty.

The quote, by the way, comes from "A Tale of Two Cities."

Peace of mind (and of soul)

From Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence (DeCaussade):

Why are we so skillful in tormenting ourselves beforehand with what will possibly never happen? Sufficient for the day be the evil thereof! Anxious forethought does us much harm; why then do we indulge in it so readily?

We are the enemies of our own peace of mind.