Tag Archives: Discipleship

Five Words

05 Thursday Jan 2023

Posted by in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

St. John showing Christ to St. Andrew, Ottavio Vannini, c. 17th Century

Happy New Year everyone!  I pray this finds you in good health and full of hope for a safe and prosperous new year.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions?  Or are you like me and know that you will break them at the first opportunity? Generally, I tend not to make them but prefer, instead, to make daily resolutions gleaned from what I hear God’s will for me is that day based on my morning prayer and meditation.  However, one thing that’s been on my mind these last few days is understanding what I can do this year to help lead more people closer to Christ.  

In yesterday’s Gospel passage, John 1: 35-42, I read, “John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’  The two heard what he said and followed Jesus.” (Jn 1:35-37, NAB)  John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus brought Jesus his first two disciples.  And all it took were five words:  “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Any good Jew would have understood “the Lamb of God” as indicating the Messiah, the One Who, according to Isaiah the Prophet (Is 53: 7, 10) would accomplish the Lord’s will and lead Israel out of slavery.  These were the words they had longed to hear for generations.  He was their hope, their salvation, the answer to their unhappiness.  He was their rescuer.

Meditating on this passage, I wished it was that easy to convert people today, to help them recognize Christ as the answer to their problems, the One Who can bring peace in a stressed out world.  All it took was for John the Baptist to say five words!  Five words that hit home with people who were looking for peace, freedom, and a better life.  I thought, millions of people today are searching for exactly those things and many of them are right here in my own community.  I wondered, “What five words could I use to attract them to our Lord?”

As I pondered this question, I realized I would have to first work on getting my little ol’ self out of my introverted comfort zone.  My first five words ought to be directed to Jesus Himself, “Lord, give me courage. Amen!”

I know that evangelizing can be more effective if a friendly relationship is first built with someone rather than shouting through a bullhorn from a street corner.  What five words could be used to initiate a new friendship?  A few that came to mind were:

  • “Hello, my name is __________.”
  • “Good morning, what’s your name?”
  • “Hello, are you new here?”
  • “Let’s get together for coffee!”

We all have friends we know very well, and we routinely meet people for the first time, who, if we are observant, we can tell are hurting in some way, either physically, emotionally or spiritually, and they need lifting up.  What five words can be used to bring the love of Christ to them, to let them know we care?  

  • “Can I pray for you?”
  • “How can I help you?”
  • “A penny for your thoughts.”
  • “You look lonely.  Wanna talk?”
  • “What struggles are you having?”

And, then there are those who we see routinely at mass, who attend simply because they are supposed to or it’s what they’ve always done, yet are lukewarm in their faith.  Many of these folks have let worldliness obscure their vision of Christ as the ultimate good.  Their lives are out of balance and they know something is missing but they’re not quite sure what to do about it.  What five words can we say to them to help them realize their situation, start them on the road back, and rekindle or strengthen their relationship with Jesus?

  • “How’s your prayer life, friend?”
  • “What graces have you had?”
  • “Where’s Jesus in your life?”
  • “Come, let’s go to confession!”
  • “Join me in Bible study?”

Five words for courage.  Five words to make a new friend.  Five words to show you love and care for someone.  Five words to help someone who can’t see the forest for the trees.  That might be all it takes.  Of course, six, ten, or two dozen words might work even better.  It’s really not that difficult if our hearts accept the mission given to us by Jesus to be disciple-makers.

“Dear Jesus, I love You because I know You love me.  I want to share it with others who need to know Your love as well.  Help me, Lord, to recognize the opportunities before me to evangelize, to summon up the courage to reach out, and to trust the Holy Spirit to give me the right words at the right time.  Amen.”

(Five Words was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Advertisement

Getting Caught in the NET

19 Saturday Nov 2022

Posted by in Christian Community, Discipleship, Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

In Luke 10:1-12, Jesus sent the Seventy-two out on a mission to visit villages around the country with instructions of how to convert souls and expand the Kingdom by preaching the new Word of God.  They were to enter a house, wish it peace, eat what is offered to them, and cure the sick.  They were to take nothing with them, placing their trust in divine providence. He told them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”  By this, He was asking his disciples to make disciple-makers.

When we read this passage we are naturally brought to reflect on our own efforts and success at being disciples and making disciple-makers – something at which most of us fail miserably.  But, these last couple of days, my thoughts have been more about being on the receiving end of the efforts of these trusting and courageous missionary disciples.  In other words, what was it like to welcome these disciples into your home and receive the peace of the Lord through them?

This week my wife and I experienced just that.  On Wednesday, we welcomed five young women, ages 18 to 20, into our home for two days.  They are part of a team of eight (three young men were hosted by another family) from NET Ministries, a Catholic organization whose mission is to reach out “and challenge young Catholics, through relational ministry, to follow Christ and embrace a life of community in the Church.”

We had never done anything like this before.  But, with our four daughters out of the “nest”, we welcomed the opportunity to offer hospitality to these young adults who are laboring for the harvest.

This team, NET Team 3, is regional to the Cincinnati area.  They cover a territory of Southwestern Ohio, Southern Indiana, and Northern Kentucky.  They travel to a different location and minister to high school and junior high school youths every couple of days, staying with an equal number of different hosts.  They are committed for a year to this life on the road, traveling with only what they can pack in their suitcase, and relying on the hospitality of those in the local Catholic communities.

NET Team 3

They arrived on Wednesday evening with only a suitcase and a backpack each, and two guitars.  After showing them to their rooms and beds we gathered in our living room around a cozy fire in the fireplace and began getting to know each other, swapping stories about life and our personal faith journeys.  Sharing came easily with no hesitation to go beyond superficialities.  There was an aura of peacefulness about them.  Their faith was evident without being in-your-face preachy.  I’m sure they had had a long and arduous day but they gracefully stayed up with us to pray a Rosary before retiring for the evening.

Thursday morning we were blessed to prepare a good breakfast for them before they headed off to a local Catholic high school to hopefully save a few souls from succumbing to the ways of the world.    They returned that evening and we enjoyed a fine home-cooked dinner (if I do say so myself!).  I got the sense that they appreciated not having pizza because they came back for seconds! Throughout dinner and then, again, afterwards around another fire, we continued with good conversation and friendship.  A guitar was uncased and we sang a few songs together.  

On Friday morning we were all up early as the team had to head about an hour south to their next retreat.  We prepared a breakfast for them to take with them.  We exchanged hugs and blessings and wished each other well.  Then they were gone.  But, they left behind the memory of thirty-six hours of peacefulness well spent, and the hope that we might be able to do it again sometime soon.  

Their mission is to grow the Kingdom of God with students and young adults.  But, I wonder if they know the impact they have on us old folks?  The joy they emanate by doing the Lord’s work brings hope to us all that some of the sickness in the world will be cured.  Thank you NET Team 3 for bringing your joy and hope to this house!

“Dear Lord, thank You for inspiring these young women and men to be disciple-makers for Your Kingdom.  Thank You for the opportunity to serve You by serving them.  I pray You abundantly bless Mally, Maggie, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Terese as they labor for Your harvest.  Amen.”

(Getting Caught in the NET was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2022 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Feed Your Flock

23 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Discipleship

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

(A reflection on 1 Pt 5:1-4)

Christ’s Charge to Peter, Raphael, c. 1515

One of the most significant moments in Simon Peter’s relationship with Jesus was the third time Jesus revealed Himself to them after His resurrection when He asked Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”  Peter answered three times, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You!”.  And three times Jesus asked Peter to take care of His flock. (Jn 21:15-17)

Peter obviously took that request to heart and remembered it for the rest of his life.  In yesterday’s first scripture reading from 1 Pt 5:1-4, Peter writes to the Presbyters, the teachers of the faith, to tend to and be examples to the “flock of God”.

This passage struck me in a number of ways.  First, I recalled the many sentiments that were offered from comments at our deanery’s recent Synod on Synodality meeting.  Although those present were a mere microcosm of our Church, there seemed to be a general opinion that one of the problems in our Church today is that our bishops and priests are not adequately “feeding their sheep” or “tending their flock”. 

Secondly, it brought to mind that we are all called to be teachers of the faith in one way or another – through our vocations as a parent or friend, through our occupations, and our volunteerism in various ministries.  We only have to recall Jesus’ words to His disciples when He was faced with feeding the five thousand, “Give them some food yourselves” (Lk 9:13), to understand that He wants us to join with Him in His mission to save souls.

Today more than ever, our Lord needs us all, you and me, to help feed and tend His flock.  Too many are not being fed and are straying to what looks like “greener” pasture in today’s world of materialism, idealism and relativism.  Once they leap that fence they become easy prey for the wolves.  We need to fertilize our “Catholic” pasture so that the grazing sates their appetites.

How do we tend to the flock?  I think the first step is to set aside the idea that our faith is something that is done to us, that it’s someone else’s responsibility.  With too few priests and deacons to go around, the laity needs to take some ownership in their personal faith formation and that of those in their “pasture”.  We need to become better catechized, grow deeper in our relationships with Christ through prayer, and live virtuous lives that are examples of holiness to others.

Every person has an opportunity to be a witness to someone who is hungering for the Bread of Life and thirsting for the Living Water.  We need to remember that Jesus gave us one mission, to make disciples of all nations, and we need to make that a priority in our lives.  We don’t have to become missionaries or monks, we just need to live simply and find synergies in our everyday lives that will edify our families, friends and acquaintances.

We need to remember that the basic building block of our Church is not the parish, but rather our homes, the Domestic Church.  If we want to rebuild our Church we need to recall how the Apostles and the first disciples lived after Christ’s death.  Theirs was a two-pronged approach:  to stick together and build and protect their community, and to draw others into it by teaching them the truth of the Gospel.  We can do that with our families by practicing our faith with our children.  We can live hospitality and invite people into our homes for friendship and good conversation which may lead to opportunities to pray together.

We need to look for opportunities to be charitable to those in need by practicing the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

We need to not be afraid to practice our faith in our work places as employers and employees; at school as educators and students; in athletics as fellow athletes and coaches; and where we volunteer.

Our faith ought to be personal but it should never be private.  We need to be bold and leave others with no doubt about our love for Jesus.

Put more succinctly, as laity, we need to step up our game, take ownership and not depend on just our clergy to feed the flock.  We need to survey our “pasture” of influence and determine who is grazing mindlessly in that pasture and on the verge of wandering off.  We need to provide them with “green grass” that will nourish and satisfy their souls.

What is your pasture?  Who is in your flock?  How can you feed and tend to them with the love of Christ?

“Dear Jesus, thank you for providing priests and friends who, through their gentle love and care, have shepherded me in my faith life.  I pray for the grace to do the same for those whom I mentor and lead to you through spiritual friendship.  Amen.”

(Feed Your Flock was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2022 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

No Chance Encounters

16 Sunday Jan 2022

Posted by in Discipleship

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

The Calling of St. Matthew, Matthias Stomer, 1629

In yesterday’s first reading from 1 Samuel 9, we heard about Saul the Benjaminite who, while out looking for his lost donkeys, just happened to run into Samuel the prophet.  Samuel had been told by God the day before that he would meet the man whom he would name as the new king of Israel at that specific time the next day.  From Saul’s perspective, It was a chance encounter.  From Samuel’s, though, it was God’s plan.

In yesterday’s Gospel, Mark 2:13-17, we read about Jesus calling Matthew, son of Alphaeus, to follow him.  Matthew certainly wasn’t expecting to be called, but it was in Jesus’ plan to pass by his tax collection booth that day and invite him to be His disciple.  

Jesus meets us in unexpected, memorable and life changing ways, also.  Unfortunately, when He does, we can be quick to write them off as mere coincidences.  I’ve learned, though, that most anything very far removed from the ordinary is God working in my life and not just a result of dumb luck.  He’s calling my attention to Himself and His will.  Sometimes it may only be a reminder that He is here with me, sometimes a reminder to be grateful for His providence, and sometimes He’s telling me I need to make a course correction.  Sometimes it’s all of the above.

I had a little God-moment yesterday.  An old friend, Joe, called me out of the blue.  I hadn’t talked to him in many months, and only a couple times since he moved away five years or so ago.  Joe and I first met ten years ago this coming April on a Christ Renews His Parish weekend, a retreat in which neither of us ever expected to participate.  Joe was a lukewarm Catholic with little desire to grow deeper in his faith but attended to placate the man who kept pestering him.  Me, I had never had any faith to allow to grow cold.  I was simply at a low point and attended to get away from the stress of life for two days.

From the get-go, Joe and I hit it off.  We became instant friends, both satiated with the Holy Spirit by the end of the retreat, and wondering where we would go from there.  I chose to join the Catholic Church and learn more about Jesus, and Joe chose to begin living out his faith with renewed zeal.  We were both on fire and our friendship kept each other stoked like a blacksmith’s furnace.  Together, we went onto the next Christ Renews team.  We met for lunch once a week and shared how God was working in our lives. We participated in a men’s small group at which we discussed the Gospel and learned more about our faith from other friends.

And then Joe changed jobs and moved a couple hours away.  We lost touch, yet we kept moving forward in our own ways.  Joe got involved in the small parish which he attends and started making new friends.  I retired and began studying to become a spiritual mentor.  Our small group slowly dissolved and I found new friends with whom to share my faith.

We talked for over a half hour, catching up with each other, our families, our faith.  He called me because he thought of me and our Christ Renews His Parish journey together.  He was giving a pulpit talk this morning to ask men to attend a weekend retreat and he wanted my prayers.  

I told him I have a couple groups with whom I meet regularly and just last week gathered together some of the old guys from our first group.  It was a fun reunion and we talked about resuming regular get-togethers.  Joe said he misses those group discussions and would like to get a small group of friends from his parish together to share their faith.  We talked about our prayer lives, and about the spiritual mentoring that I do, and he sounded interested in getting his own spiritual mentor.  It was almost like old-times.  Before we ended the call we vowed to stay better in touch.  

After our call, I thought back to how our friendship evolved.  We were both called to be on that retreat together.  We had our reasons, but God had His own.  It was not a chance encounter.  Yesterday’s phone call wasn’t a chance encounter, either.  We needed each other during that time to grow deeper in our faith which ultimately made us better disciples for Christ.  We needed each other yesterday.  It was like God giving a couple pumps on the bellows of that old furnace.  

The Holy Spirit is still urging us to continue being disciple makers.  And, because of this, we have the grace to know and accept that He puts Sauls and Matthews in our lives by His plan and not by coincidence.  But, they don’t know that….not yet.

PS:  My wife and I arrived at mass this morning just moments before the opening procession.  Not wanting to walk down the aisle to our preferred seat, we took a spot in the back pew on Mary’s side, at the far outside end of the pew.  As I sat down I remembered that this was Joe’s seat.  He would always get there early to make sure someone else didn’t get it.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for the friendships we have developed with You as the Common Denominator.  Through them You give us the extra help we need to be disciple makers and bring our brothers and sisters to You.  Amen.”

(No Chance Encounters was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2022 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

A Worthy Resolution

10 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew, Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308-1311, National Gallery of Art

Yesterday’s celebration of the Baptism of Jesus marked the end of Christmastide and initiated  Ordinary Time which began today.  Yesterday’s liturgy helped call to mind the gifts of fire and Spirit which we were given at our baptisms, those supernatural gifts bestowed upon us to help us give witness to the light and truth of Jesus in all that we say and do.

Today’s Gospel was from Mark 1:14-20.  I love Mark.  He doesn’t waste any time getting to the meat of things.  No infancy narrative, no beating around the bush.  In the very first chapter, he tells us of John the Baptist’s preaching in verses 1 to 8, about Jesus’ baptism in verses 9 to 11, the Lord’s temptation in the desert in verses 12 and 13, in verse 14 he goes straight into the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and in verse 16 He calls His first disciples.  Bam!  There it is!  He’s off and running!

As I was meditating on today’s passage I wondered if there was an intended purpose in having the temptations in the desert back to back with Jesus’ calling of the first disciples.  Probably not, but I thought of a plausible one that could be relevant to us today.  We’re ten days into the new year and many of us look back at the last twelve months and wish we had done better at this or that.  Many of our perceived faults and failures were direct results of one or more vices: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth.  In a sense, these were the temptations we were faced with in a moment of choice, which we probably caved into, and which may have become habits, or else we wouldn’t be trying to correct ourselves.

Our inherent sense of right and wrong tells us we ought to do better during the next trip around the sun.  So, we make resolutions to correct these vices with corresponding opposite virtues:  humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, and diligence.  We want to improve our diets, get more exercise, enhance our relationships, change some negative behavior, and so on.  And maybe, just maybe, that second sense is moving you to become better disciples of Christ and draw more people to Him.  To be Fishers of Men and teach your catch to do the same. 

Making changes, real and worthwhile changes, is never easy.  It’s hard to break bad habits and come face to face with fears and discomforts.  These days, one of the hardest habits to break is to pull away from one’s screens.  But, we know inside that doing so will give us more time to enhance our relationships with those we love.  That’s the first secret of improvement, seeing the good that will come.  Similarly, we can see the good, the joy, the feeling of peace, the graces, that will come from living out our calling as disciples.  It may not be easy but it will be worth it.

The second secret is to commit to making the change and eliminate the obstacles.  To lose weight you stop buying a bucket of ice cream each day so you won’t eat it.  So, determine what’s keeping you from approaching other people.  Then commit to making a change and draft a plan.  Ask yourself what you can do differently.  Go to a different mass than you usually go to and meet someone new.  Invite them to dinner.  Build a friendship.  Have good conversation and get to know each other.  Invite them to pray a rosary with you.  You don’t even have to approach people you don’t know.  Just look within your family – people who you already know and love.

Maybe being a better disciple sounds difficult, almost scary.  I know what you’re thinking – “You mean I have to talk to people, maybe even non-Christians, about God and my faith?  I’ll have to invite them to go to church with me, or a bible study, or pray a rosary with me.  What if they turn me down?  What if they reject not just my offer but me!?”  Just remember yesterday’s Gospel:   you were given with your baptism the supernatural gifts to help you give witness to the truth and the light that is Jesus!  And, then, if you were confirmed, you were given the virtue of fortitude to help overcome your fear.

I have a friend who begins each year with a resolution to bring three people closer to Christ.  Not just any three people but three specific people.  He writes down their names.  He makes a plan that includes building friendships with them by inviting them into his life.  Then, slowly, through their new and trusting relationship, he introduces them to Jesus.  I’ve seen it work year after year.  A win-win for both parties.  Does he get a bite with each cast?  No, but he’s fishing instead of just cutting bait and he puts more in the Lord’s creel than most people.

If you’ve already made new resolutions, or if you’re still kicking around ideas, consider what you can do to become a better disciple.  Ask God to help you.  Certainly resolve to change what needs to change, turn your vices into virtues, so that others can see you living the Christ life.  Then commit to bringing someone else closer to Christ as well.  It’s a worthy resolution.

“Dear Jesus, I love You, and I would love to bring more people to love You like I do.  I can only do so much on my own and I need Your help.  Help me, Lord, to realize the confidence, the faith, and the courage You have so graciously and generously infused into me through Your Spirit.  Help me to help others desire the same.  Amen.”

(A Worthy Resolution was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2022 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Are You a Full-Time or Part-Time Catholic?

10 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Faith

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,

The Dishonest Steward – Andrei Mironov

There were two days during the last week where the daily Scripture passages really struck me – last Wednesday and then again on Saturday.  Wednesday’s Gospel was from Luke 14:25-33, Sayings of Discipleship, and Saturday’s was from Luke 16:9-15, The Parable of the Dishonest Steward. 

In the first, Jesus lays out the conditions of discipleship:

  • In all our relationships, including those with our family, friends, and neighbors, our relationship with Jesus must always come first.
  • We must carry our own cross and follow Him even when it hurts.
  • We must know the cost of following Him and plan and prepare accordingly.  That cost will include being virtuous in the face of persecution and suffering, as well as requiring our effort to combat worldly indifference.
  • We must exercise prudence – do the right thing in any particular situation, choose our battles, and resist  foolishness, impetuosity, thoughtlessness, inconstancy, and negligence.
  • We must turn loose of any disordered attachments which we desire more than Him.

In Luke 16:13, Jesus tells us, “No servant can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”  Our Lord is saying we can’t be a devoted servant to Him if we are a slave to another.

Together these spoke to me about total commitment to Christ.  Not just sometimes, not just when I feel like it, not just when I have time, but all the time, and especially when I’m suffering from something I don’t like, didn’t choose, can’t change or don’t understand.

As I meditated on these two passages, trying to understand the depth of their message and implications, my mind, as it all too often does, drifted in prayer.  I recalled my 36 year career in corporate middle management, how I survived several buy-outs and mergers, each with a change of leadership, and with each change a “new and improved” corporate vision, mission and culture.  

I recalled one particular newly promoted vice-president telling us that we needed to decide if we were going to be the “pig or the chicken” in the new company.  He went on to tell a story of how a pig and a chicken joined together to create a new restaurant business.  They discussed roles and responsibilities, and when they came to deciding what would be on the menu the chicken suggested they offer a variety of meals consisting of either ham, bacon or sausage with eggs.  The pig thought about that a while and retorted that the arrangement seemed quite unfair.  The chicken, thinking her idea made perfect sense asked the pig what he meant.  The pig answered, “Well, it seems to me that I am committing to give up my life for this endeavor while your involvement is only dedicating the occasional egg.”

In essence, that new exec was asking us to decide if we were going to be fully committed to the company’s direction or would our dedication be intermittent, jumping on board only when that which was being asked of us was in line with our opinions, made us feel good and satisfied our own desires.  As a manager I was expected to set an example for the employees who reported to me.  But, truth be known, there were many times I felt like balking, procrastinating, going a different direction, and objecting because toeing the line was simply too demanding of me.

Coming back to the present moment in my prayer, I thought I had been distracted with that crazy memory.  But, then, I realized that the Holy Spirit had led me to exactly the place He wanted me to go:  to examine and understand my level of commitment to being a disciple of Jesus.  Am I a full-time or part-time Catholic?  He asks that question of each of us.

A good place to start answering Him is to consider the depth of your love for God.  Do you  envision Him with loving eyes looking down upon you, His beloved son or daughter?  Do you realize that His great love has provided everything you have, including your family and friends?  Do you express your love by being grateful for all He has given you?  

Do you love Him by simply loving those around you, even your enemies, by doing what is right and just, by loving them as you should love yourself?

Do you love Him in the sacraments, especially the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation?  During the liturgy of the Mass do you focus on trying to understand His will for you that day?  Is your attention completely captured during the epiclesis when the Holy Spirit is called down to sanctify the bread and wine making real the body and blood of Christ?  Do you frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation out of love for God because you have offended Him, or is your motive to selfishly rid yourself of guilt?

Do you love Him in your suffering, by accepting your cross as an opportunity to grow closer to Him, to grow in virtue, and to aid Him in His redemptive mission to save souls?

Do you demonstrate commitment by defending your faith in the face of persecution from those who ridicule you for your belief?  Do you practice integrity when you are faced with tough choices by doing the right thing?

Do you love God by looking within yourself and identifying those things to which you are attached, those ingrained bad habits and vices which unnecessarily draw you away from Him, and resolve to change for the good by resisting their temptations?

Being fully-committed means living one life for God rather than giving only a part to God while reserving a second part for yourself.  Our commitment has to be more than giving an hour a week to Him when, out of habit, we attend Mass, or when we say grace before meals.  We have to live it every day, all day, in our relationships, our work, and our play for the mere glory of God.

A good way to begin moving towards living a life fully committed is to begin each day with gratitude, giving thanks for one more day to live and love Him, and for all that He provides.  Then, in prayer, offer to Him out of love all that you will do and experience that day – your work, prayer, joy and suffering – to aid in Christ’s salvific mission of saving souls.  Then, spend time with Jesus in prayer, asking Him to show you what His will is for you that day and resolve to do what He tells you.  And, finally, carry out your resolution.

Truthfully, none of us are perfect, we are all sinners to some degree.  We are all on an elevator somewhere between the basement of minimum involvement and the penthouse of full commitment.  Each day we move up and down in that elevator, yet the goal of our lives is to ascend more floors than we descend and ultimately reach the top floor, heaven.  The important thing to remember is that, while God keeps the elevator running, we are the ones pushing the buttons.

“Loving Father, I give You thanks for Your eternal love, and for the opportunity to love You each and every day.  As I operate this elevator of daily life, help me, Lord, to resist pushing the down buttons that move me away from You.  Amen.”

(Are You a Full-Time or Part-Time Catholic? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2021 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Bring a Friend to Christ

23 Saturday Jan 2021

Posted by in Evangelization

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Jesus Sends the Apostles – Duccio di Buoninsegna, c.1300

Yesterday, as I read the Gospel from Mark 3:13-19, I zeroed in on Jesus’ summoning of the twelve whom he appointed as His Apostles.  I tried to imagine what they felt when they realized they were being chosen to stand out from the hundreds of other disciples who were following Jesus at the time.  Were they overcome with joy?  Probably.  Did their chests swell with pride for being chosen?  I’m sure they did.  Later, in Mark 10:35-45, we discover James’ and John’s ambition to be placed above the others.  

And what about the hundreds of other people who had flocked to Him, followed Him, and became His disciples?  How did they feel?  Did they feel left out?  Or did the joy they had discovered from following Jesus infuse new life into their vocations as spouses and parents, and into their occupations?

Two thousand years later, not much has changed.  The Holy Spirit is still calling men to be apostles by calling them into the priesthood, and women into religious life.  Their love for Jesus prompts them to embrace lives of poverty, chastity and obedience and live by divine providence as the first Apostles learned to do.  I am grateful for their sacrifices that, through them, the rest of us are brought closer to Jesus.

The rest of us.  What about the rest of us?  Because we have not been summoned, does it mean that we can’t or shouldn’t help bring others to Jesus as well?  Absolutely not.  Those disciples not chosen for the Twelve didn’t just throw up their hands and say, “Okay, that’s it, I’m not on the A-team so I can go home now.”  No, they remained faithful followers.  And, so should we.  

But, our job is not just to follow Jesus.  It’s to tell others about Him, to introduce them to Him.  In, Thursday’s Gospel we read in Mark 3:8, “Hearing what He was doing, a large number of people came to him….”.  How did they “hear” what Jesus was doing?  They heard because those following Jesus told them about His saving grace.  And, then, they not only heard, but they saw with their own eyes the joy and excitement  displayed by those who had seen the Messiah.

I know what you’re thinking:  “The point Jerry’s trying to get across is that we need to evangelize, that we need to go out and tell others about Jesus.”  You’re right.  And, I know what you’re feeling:  “That’s not easy to do.  Anyhow, most of the people I know already go to church and those who don’t don’t care.  What if people push back and don’t want to hear about Jesus?  What if they ask me questions to which I don’t know the answers?  It makes me uncomfortable!”  I get it.  Been there.

You might be thinking, too, “You know, I lead a good Christian life, I’ll let my example speak for itself.”  Well, that’s all fine and good, but it’s too passive.  That’s like seeing the guy or girl of your dreams and thinking you don’t need to speak to him or her because your good looks or your fancy clothes are enough of an attraction when, instead, it’s a vivacious, outgoing and charming personality that’s needed.  No, you have to take action, you have to do something.  But, where do you start?

I will assume you have friends.  And, every one of those friends is in love with Christ, they look forward to going to Mass every Sunday (and during the week, if possible), and they consider receiving Communion the high point of their day, right?  What, no?  They aren’t all that way?  You mean you have some friends who are perhaps a little lukewarm?  Oh, and even a few who don’t profess any faith?  Okay, good, you’re not alone, then.

The operative phrase in the above is that you have friends.  We all have friends and family whom we love but whose faith is all across the board.  And, since we are all sinners, every single one of us has room to grow in virtue that only Christ can bring through a close relationship with Him. Our mission is to help that happen.

What makes for good friendship?  Usually, it begins with getting to know each other through good conversation.  Good conversation brings with it a certain intimacy which, in turn, brings a level of trust.  A deep and trusting friendship turns into a loving relationship that desires the best for each other.  And, how can we love someone more than to wish for them a relationship with God that will bring them joy for all eternity?

I know, it sounds good, but how do you make it happen?  Well, it usually won’t happen by itself, meaning you have to set it in motion.  There are various ways to begin.  And, it’s not by following a “friend” on social media.

An easy way is to sit in a different pew than you’re used to sitting in, or attend a different Mass, and meet someone new.  Strike up a conversation after Mass.  If that’s the Mass they usually attend, make it a point to go back and meet them again.

It may help to have a plan.  I have a friend who, at the beginning of the year, spends time in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to put on his heart three men whom he should try to bring closer to Christ.  Then, he makes it his mission for the year to help them get there.

You might think of a friend who is struggling in some way.  Perhaps someone who hasn’t been to Mass in a while due to the pandemic.  Give them a call to check up on them and see how they’re doing.  See if you can stop by and chat with them for a while.  If you can, follow up later and do it again.

Invite someone you’d like to know better out to dinner or for a drink at the local pub.  Sit around a campfire and share stories about your lives. Get together at your house for dinner and an evening of playing cards.  Then invite them to pray the Rosary with you.  Make plans to do it again soon.

Once you’ve come to know the person better, and they you, interject more of your faith into the conversation.  It can be done gently and unobtrusively.  Let them see your love for Christ.  Don’t worry if they don’t jump on board right away or reject your invitation, give it time.  You’ve planted the seed.  Keep watering and fertilizing that seed by following up.  It will grow.

If you meet with other men or women in a small faith sharing group or attend a Bible study, invite that friend, after a while, to come join you.  Perhaps invite someone to a Welcome, or Christ Renews His Parish weekend, or a Cursillo weekend.  Talk to them about how uplifted you are when you attend your Adoration hour and suggest they consider taking on an hour themselves.  

Above all else, PRAY.  You must pray for your friends.  Pray that they open their hearts fully to the Holy Spirit.  And, pray for your own docility to the Holy Spirit so that you will follow His lead.

You might think this sounds like manipulation.  It’s not.  It’s love.  Manipulation would be for the purpose of what you get out of it.  Through your love, you are helping someone find the love of Christ, for their own good, not yours.

Does it work?  Absolutely!  It’s what brought me to Christ and the Catholic faith almost nine years ago.  I was Agnostic, had no faith and didn’t care one way or the other.  But, two men, both strong in their faith, befriended me and slowly and gently led me to Jesus through friendship and good conversation.  They spent and invested time in me, invited me into their world, and in that world I found more love than I’d ever known.  Out of gratitude, I want to do the same.  Won’t you join me?

“Lord Jesus, thank You for placing friends in my life who, through their love of neighbor, took the time to patiently invest in me so that I would come to know You.  Lord, please help me bring those who do not know Your love, and those who have let their relationship with You become stagnant, to a full and eternal loving relationship with You.  Amen.”

(Bring a Friend to Christ was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2021 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

The Choosing

13 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Bible Reflections, Discernment, Prayer, Scripture

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

 

Take Up Your Cross pic

As I read and meditated on Tuesday’s Gospel,  I couldn’t help but wonder about a few things.

“In those days He departed to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, He called His disciples to Himself, and from them He chose Twelve, whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” (Luke 6:12-16 NAB)

Did Jesus spend the night in prayer discerning which of His disciples He would choose to be the Twelve? And, if so, what criteria did He consider? Was He looking for the one with the greatest love for God? Or, the one who was most faithful? Or, maybe the one most loyal to Him? Perhaps the deciding quality was the ability and willingness to show compassion and mercy to others. Could it have been the ones who demonstrated love for their neighbors as they loved themselves? Or, was it the ones who had the greatest zeal to go out and spread the Good News?

One would think it would have been several or all of those things. But, then, maybe it was none of them.

And, did He learn from his prayerful conversation with God that night that Judas Iscariot would betray Him?

Who knows.

But, an even more important question came to my mind: “Would He have chosen me?”

Followed by, “If not, why not?”

In which of those qualities that, on the surface, would seem to have been the most important to Him, do I not measure up? Just a few? Or all of them?

It gives me something to pray about, to ask Him to show me where I should focus my attention.

Would you have been chosen? What would have excluded you?

“Lord Jesus, I love You and I desire to grow closer to You. I give You thanks for Your Mercy. I pray for the Grace to always trust in You, to always live the Father’s commandments, and to be Your voice, hands and feet in spreading Your Good News. Amen.”

(The Choosing was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)
©2013-2017 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

 

Raising Our Eyes to Jesus

12 Sunday Mar 2017

Posted by in Faith

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

Transfig of Jesus - Raising our eyes

As Catholics, we come to church because we love the Lord. We come to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.  We come to profess our faith in the saving Grace of Jesus and life everlasting.  But, I suspect, as in any religious congregation, there are those who come for other reasons:  because it’s what they’ve always done on Sunday mornings; because they feel they need to set the example for their children; or for fear of what might happen in their after-life if they don’t.  And, there are many more Catholics who simply no longer attend church either because they no longer believe or have justified and allowed worldly things to keep them away.

Today is a day we have been waiting for in our parish for several months: we begin our mission for conversion and renewal (for any Protestants reading this, think, “revival”).  Over the next four days, we will have a guest speaker, Deacon Ralph Poyo of New Evangelization Ministries, who will provide insights into what keeps us from becoming the disciples – followers of the Lord – that we are called to be; and how to improve our relationship with the Lord by recognizing those things that block our path.  The hope of the mission is to bring all parishioners, those strong in their faith, the luke warm and the fallen away, into a closer relationship with the Lord.

And, so, as I prepared for mass this morning by reviewing the scripture readings for the day, I couldn’t help but sense that they were cued up by God especially for our purpose.

In the first reading, from Genesis 12:1-4, we hear God telling Abram to “1Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” God goes on to tell Abram how he will be blessed, how from him a ‘great nation’ will be made, and how his name will be made great.  Unspoken is the reality that this would be a tough journey through desert with uncertainty of what lies ahead.  Abram didn’t say, “No, I don’t think so, Lord!  That doesn’t sound like fun.  What about all the things I will have to give up?  What about my other commitments?  No, Lord, I kind of like it right here where I am.”  Instead, without blinking or thinking twice, “4Abram went as the Lord directed him.”

Then, in the second reading, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, we hear St. Paul reminding his beloved Timothy:  “8Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.  9He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began.”  Here St. Paul is telling us that we are all called to live a holy life; and that it’s not always easy to follow the Lord.  We have to use the strength the Lord gives us to say “no” to our will (the things that keep us away), and “yes” to His will that will bring us closer to Him.

Finally, the Gospel reading was Matthew’s account of the transfiguration of Jesus, Matthew 17:1-9. After Peter, James and John saw Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus on the mountain, “5a bright cloud cast a shadow over them” and, upon hearing God’s voice say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”, the Apostles fell prostrate to the ground.  Jesus came to them and told them to, “7Rise, and do not be afraid.” Then, “8when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.”  With this last line I thought how wonderful it would be if it was that easy – each time we are fearful, each time we start to let our will take control – to raise our eyes and fix them on “no one else but Jesus alone.”

Unfortunately, we tell ourselves it isn’t that easy. It’s in our fallen nature to do so.  But, through the Grace of God, we have been given the gift of faith which is all that we need to give us the courage to say no to the things that keep us from Him.  Sometimes we just need help being shown the way.

Deacon Poyo, I hope your talks this week enlighten and inspire me, and everyone else in our parish, to build a better relationship with Jesus, and to help our brothers and sisters do the same.

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit, and we shall be created and You shall renew the face of the earth.  Amen.”

(Raising Our Eyes to Jesus was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2017 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

What Do You See?

25 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by in Eucharistic Adoration, Faith, Love, Prayer

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

AdorationIt’s four o’clock on Friday afternoon as I take my place on the prie-dieu, kneeling in front of the Tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for my hour of Adoration. Today the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and Jesus is at home in the monstrance. It’s just me and Jesus here together. It doesn’t get much better than this.

I say my prayers, giving thanks for His Grace and Mercy. I ask Him to forgive me for my sins and I ask for His blessings on my family. I give Him thanks for this opportunity to be here with Him.

I pray that during the next hour, in the quiet solitude of this beautiful church, He makes Himself present to me. I look up at Him and I know He’s looking down at me, and my deepest desire is to feel His presence.

As always, I tell myself to clear my mind so I can hear Him if He speaks to me. I try this almost every week and I know how difficult it is to lasso the stray thoughts and images and corral them into an out of the way corner. I am seldom successful.

I tell myself, “Relax, take a deep breath, and picture Jesus looking back at you.” It strikes me that I’m thinking/talking to myself in the second person. I realize this conversation is anything but clearing my mind.

I try again. After a few moments of nothingness….“Ugh, I forgot to get back with the Boss about those plans for next week. He’s not gonna be happy!” I catch myself before I go too far down this rabbit trail and I try to get back on track.

Again, I utter, “Breathe, clear your mind. Look up at Jesus and feel Him looking down at you.” After another few moments of nothingness….

“Jesus, what do you see? What do you see when you look down at me? Besides a middle-aged, over-weight man with a growing bald spot on the top of his head, what do You see, Lord? What do You see in my heart?

“Am I the disciple You would have me be? Do I do all that I can to bring others to You? Am I quick to be charitable? I try, Lord, but am I doing enough? Do my actions speak for themselves? Is my faith strong enough for me to be believable to others? Lord, I know I have made little effort lately to grow my faith, please help me.

“What do You see, Lord? Am I the husband I should be to my wife? You know how much I love her, but do I make her feel as loved as she deserves to feel? Do I sacrifice and die to myself daily like I should for her? I know the answer. Please help me be a better husband.

“What do You see in me as a parent? When You look into my daughters’ hearts do You see love that is borne from my love for them? Does my love reach across the miles to them? Have I been, and do I continue to be, a good role model for them? Perhaps so – they have chosen fine men to be their husbands – but, please, show me how to continue. And, please let them know I will always love them.

“As I grow older, and as my parents grow older, do You see me being the son I should be? Do I reach out to them often and comfort them? Have I shown gratitude for all they have done for me? Help me be a better son, Lord.

“As a sibling, what do You see? The years and the miles have made it easy to gradually slip away from my brother, sisters, and in-laws. Do they know how much I still love and care about them? Have I made the effort to let them know? Please help me find a way to do better at staying in touch.

“Lord, You have blessed me with some truly wonderful friends who care not just about me as a person but as a spiritual being. Have I let them know how much their love for You means to me? Do they know their love and guidance has brought me closer to You? What do You see, Lord? Am I there for them when they need help? Do I reciprocate and help them get closer to You?”

I come back to the moment and it dawns on me that I haven’t yet cleared my mind. I’m not listening. I’m in a monologue with Jesus and I’m not giving Him a chance to respond. Again, in the second person, I rebuke myself, “How can you expect Jesus to reveal Himself to you when you’re doing all the talking?”

Then, I think, “Wait, maybe He just did.”

I love my hour of Adoration with Him!

Lord Jesus, every week when I pray to You before Mass, I ask for insight and Your assistance in helping me become a better disciple, husband, father, son, brother and friend. I pray I never stop asking. Amen.

(What Do You See? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2015 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.