Did you ever hear something or think of something and it made you think of something else that might have some connection to that thought? Sometimes if you get enough of those random thoughts or sayings, they begin to form one whole thought in your mind; kind of like connecting the individual dots and coming up with a bigger picture. That happened for me recently. I'll tell you the "random" thoughts first so it'll make a little more sense.
#1 Brother Andre of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal visited our parish last fall and attended our Homeschooling Mass one morning and spoke to the children afterward. He told them about the rosary he wears on the rope around his waist and the symbolism that holds for him. He likes to have a big rosary, he said, because to him, it is like holding Mother Mary's hand. What a beautiful thought.
#2 For the last few years I have slept with my rosary in hand. Sometimes I fall asleep praying the rosary, other times, when I am too tired to pray, I just take comfort in knowing our heavenly Mother is close to me.
#3 I see people who have their rosaries in hand during Mass. It is beautiful to see their devotion to our Lady, but I always hope they are not praying the rosary during Mass. The Mass is the greatest prayer we can offer, so praying the rosary - which is also a beautiful prayer - during Mass, would take away from the Mass and Mother Mary would never want our attention turned from her Son to her. The rosary is not supposed to take us to Mary, except in that it leads us closer to her glorious Son.
While I have been in Kansas City I've been visiting different churches for Mass. Last night I had the pleasure of visiting St. Patrick's Oratory for the 6:00 p.m. Latin Mass. I love the Latin Mass, though I understand scarcely one word of it. That, coupled with the fact that I didn't have a Mass guide, led to my eyes wandering a bit. There was a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus directly in front of me, which of course reminds me of my home parish, and just to the left of the altar, a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother.
I don't know how long I stared at that statue of Mother Mary, long enough for the random thoughts above to shoot through my head and click into place. Mother Mary was there for the sacrifice of her Son and she is there every time and every where Mass is celebrated. If we allow her, she takes us by the hand and leads us to her beautiful Son.
So the next time you see me at Mass, don't be surprised to find my rosary in my hand - it's Mother Mary's hand, guiding me through the sacrifice of the Mass, closer to her Son.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Love
We become what we love. Say this out loud, "I become what I love." So, what do I love?
If you only love yourself and you don't know who you are (a beautiful child of God), then what do you become?
Not too long ago I was having a conversation with some women who have both experienced great tragedies in their lives. They were both shocked to find that they lost friends while they were going through these tragedies; friends they thought would be with them through anything.
One of the women lost her firstborn child in infancy. There is nothing to prepare you for this or help you through this here on earth. This tragedy takes strength that only comes from heaven. On the day they left the hospital, without their son, she was told she'd lose some friends. She thought that was ridiculous, her friends would all be there for her. Sadly, some weren't. It was too painful for them, what had happened, and they didn't know what to say or they didn't know what to do, so they baled. They left this woman out in the water and hoped someone else would throw her a life preserver. Fortunately, others did, but where were her friends?
Go through some sort of life changing event and you'll quickly find out who your true friends are - and even family.
Her friends loved their lives - whatever those lives were - and this tragedy of hers, and therefore her life, no longer meshed with their lives, so they let her go. I don't know how these people live their lives but in this tragedy, they put themselves first - above this woman and her hurt and certainly above God - who calls us to love.
Jesus tells us to love God with all our hearts, souls, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. I wonder how that friend feels today, all these years later. Has she ever managed to reach out to another in love, unselfishly?
Another friend and her husband lost their business and of course all the money it had provided for them. Sadly, they lost many of their friends as well. They have wondered if those people were in their lives for them, or for their money. The probably will never get an answer to that question. Money is important to many people and in fact, for some, it is their god. If you don't have money, they don't have time for you. This was a dark time for them and they learned that losing those friends was much worse than losing the money.
Tragedy struck again for them when she was in a car accident and nearly lost her life. Fortunately she was the only one involved in the accident so no one else was hurt, but they weren't sure she was going to make it through (she did, beautifully).
This second tragedy had poeple coming out of the woodwork; some they knew and some they did not. Meals were delivered for over 6 weeks, money came in, gift cards, assistance at home, with the kids, rides to the doctor, etc. People surprised them with their generosity and people they didn't even know came forward to help.
People who love.
Love equals action and when you love, you will be compelled to serve, to help others. It doesn't matter if you know them or not, the love will compel you to action.
I believe there are two kinds of peole who serve - those who serve so they look good to others or get something in return and those who serve because they love. God knows the difference and the judgment is His.
Those who love serve with purity of intention (I've previously written on that, check the archives). They don't expect anything in return. They serve because they love. They love God and they love neighbor, and in that, they are ultimately loving themselves too.
So, what do you love? Do you love self? Do you love God? Do you love neighbor?
What does love compel you to do?
If you only love yourself and you don't know who you are (a beautiful child of God), then what do you become?
Not too long ago I was having a conversation with some women who have both experienced great tragedies in their lives. They were both shocked to find that they lost friends while they were going through these tragedies; friends they thought would be with them through anything.
One of the women lost her firstborn child in infancy. There is nothing to prepare you for this or help you through this here on earth. This tragedy takes strength that only comes from heaven. On the day they left the hospital, without their son, she was told she'd lose some friends. She thought that was ridiculous, her friends would all be there for her. Sadly, some weren't. It was too painful for them, what had happened, and they didn't know what to say or they didn't know what to do, so they baled. They left this woman out in the water and hoped someone else would throw her a life preserver. Fortunately, others did, but where were her friends?
Go through some sort of life changing event and you'll quickly find out who your true friends are - and even family.
Her friends loved their lives - whatever those lives were - and this tragedy of hers, and therefore her life, no longer meshed with their lives, so they let her go. I don't know how these people live their lives but in this tragedy, they put themselves first - above this woman and her hurt and certainly above God - who calls us to love.
Jesus tells us to love God with all our hearts, souls, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. I wonder how that friend feels today, all these years later. Has she ever managed to reach out to another in love, unselfishly?
Another friend and her husband lost their business and of course all the money it had provided for them. Sadly, they lost many of their friends as well. They have wondered if those people were in their lives for them, or for their money. The probably will never get an answer to that question. Money is important to many people and in fact, for some, it is their god. If you don't have money, they don't have time for you. This was a dark time for them and they learned that losing those friends was much worse than losing the money.
Tragedy struck again for them when she was in a car accident and nearly lost her life. Fortunately she was the only one involved in the accident so no one else was hurt, but they weren't sure she was going to make it through (she did, beautifully).
This second tragedy had poeple coming out of the woodwork; some they knew and some they did not. Meals were delivered for over 6 weeks, money came in, gift cards, assistance at home, with the kids, rides to the doctor, etc. People surprised them with their generosity and people they didn't even know came forward to help.
People who love.
Love equals action and when you love, you will be compelled to serve, to help others. It doesn't matter if you know them or not, the love will compel you to action.
I believe there are two kinds of peole who serve - those who serve so they look good to others or get something in return and those who serve because they love. God knows the difference and the judgment is His.
Those who love serve with purity of intention (I've previously written on that, check the archives). They don't expect anything in return. They serve because they love. They love God and they love neighbor, and in that, they are ultimately loving themselves too.
So, what do you love? Do you love self? Do you love God? Do you love neighbor?
What does love compel you to do?
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