A Prayer for Continued Progress

04 Thursday Sep 2025

Tags

Body of Christ, church, Colossians 1:9-14, Faith, Grace, Holiness, Meditation, Prayer, Resolution, Scripture

A reflection on Colossians 1:9-14

The first Scripture reading for today is from Colossians and, in my New American Bible, it’s labeled, “Prayer for Continued Progress”. In it, St. Paul affirms that he and Timothy continue to pray for the Church in Colossae for growth in holiness. My first thought as I read this was that it is a great prayer to say for the men to whom I serve as their Spiritual Mentor. And then I thought why limit it to just those ten men, why not pray it for all my friends and all the faithful in my parish? Then, why stop there, why not pray it for the entire body of Christ?

Thinking I had just determined what my resolution would be for today to do God’s will, I began to wrap up my prayer time. But then the thought came to me, what if someone else is praying this same prayer and it is me who is the object of their prayer? Am I doing all that they are desiring of me for growth in holiness? With that, I had to reopen my Bible and read the passage again from a personal point of view.

“Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…” (v.9).

Do I know His will for me? Can I articulate it? Do I spend time daily in prayer discerning His will and resolving to do it that day?

“…to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing [to Him]…” (v.10a)

Do I live my life in a manner that is worthy of Jesus and in a way that pleases Him?

“…in every good work bearing fruit…” (v.10b)

Do my actions and the way I live my faith bear fruit for the Kingdom? Am I doing what I need to do to bring Jesus to others or bring others to Jesus?

“…and growing in the knowledge of God…” (v.10b)

Do I consistently make the effort to grow in understanding my faith and grow in my relationship with the Lord? Do I have a good grasp of our Catechism and knowledge of the saints?

“…strengthened with every power, in accord with His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy…” (v.11)

Do I receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist regularly so as to be strengthened to face the trials of day to day life, to be patient and humble when things don’t go my way, and yet find joy in not only the process but the outcome?

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.” - (v.12)

Am I grateful for all that God has given me, even those things which I did not choose, didn’t like, and couldn’t change because He knew them to be in my best interest?

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - (vv. 13-14)

Do I believe and accept that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was for my redemption, that He has forgiven my sins, and do I attempt to lead a sinless life but repent when I fall short?

Wow! That was an exercise I hadn’t planned on today! A line from a Jerry Jeff Walker song, “The hardest thing for a man to do is look inside and see the truth about himself” easily came to mind. Yeah, there are some things I do better than others, but I really need to work on a couple of these.

In reading this passage, what is God putting on your heart to ask yourself? What can you work on today to grow in holiness?

“Generous and loving God, thank You for letting me see how I can use Your Word in today’s Scripture for not only the benefit of others but my own as well. I pray for the grace to work and improve on the one or two that need prompt attention. Amen.”

(A Prayer for Continued Progress was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2025 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 and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Be Like the Thessalonians

25 Monday Aug 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 1 Thessalonians 8-10, Faith, Mass, Mt 23:13-22, Talk the Walk, Virtue, Walk the Talk

In today’s first reading, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10, St. Paul and company praise the Thessalonians for not only proclaiming the gospel to people in other cities and cultures, but for living lives of virtue that exemplify their faith. This contrasts with today’s gospel, Mt 23:13-22, in which Jesus castigates the Pharisees and Scribes for their hypocrisy, for saying one thing and doing another, thus leading the people down a path of confusion that replaced worship of God with worshipping God’s gifts.

As faithful of Christians that we are, we can too easily fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and Scribes. We can be seen going to church every Sunday, sitting in the pews and following the rubrics, yet let distractions keep us from fully participating in the Mass with our inner eye on the sacrifice that is taking place in front of us – the real reason we are there. But, even if our full attention is focused on Jesus during the Mass, we may live separate and disconnected lives once we walk out the doors. Or, we may do all the right things and live virtuous lives, but still fail to proclaim our faith in words.

If we are to truly live our faith and spread the gospel as Jesus instructed us, we should endeavor to connect all the pieces together: what others see in us and what they hear from us. We need to walk the talk and talk the walk like the Thessalonians. We could ask ourselves, “If St. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were observing me today, could they say the same about me as they did to the Thessalonians? Have my actions become such a rote habit that I’ve lost the real meaning of Mass and purpose for worship, that is, to not only receive the Gift, but to worship the Giver of the Gift? Am I experiencing the joy and thanksgiving in my faith that is necessary for others to want some of what I have? Am I loving my ‘neighbor’ and desiring their good by helping them establish a relationship with the One Who truly loves them for who they are?”

Maybe take a few moments and spend time with Jesus in prayer, asking Him what He thinks you can do to be more like the Thessalonians.

“Heavenly Father, today’s Psalm reminds me to sing songs of praise of You, the One Who loves me and takes delight in me, Your creation. May I never forget the sacrifice of love You made for me. Help me, Lord, to walk the talk and talk the walk so that others may come to praise you as well. Amen.”

(Be Like the Thessalonians was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Are You an Average Catholic?

20 Sunday Jul 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Catacombs of St. Calixtus, Do Not Be Afraid, Do Not Fear, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Jubilee Year of Hope, Martyrdom, Mt 5:10-12, Pilgrimage, Rome, St. Agnes, St. Bartholomew, St. Emerenziana, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter's, St. Sebastian

For eight days from June 26th through July 3rd, I had the pleasure of being on pilgrimage to Rome, Italy along with three other parish Directors of Evangelization, and five from our Archdiocese Center for New Evangelization. This being the Jubilee Year of Hope, as well as having a new pope, made it a special trip. A particularly special occasion was being able to celebrate Mass inside St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with Pope Leo XIV as celebrant.

St. Peter’s Basilica altar baldacchino, by Bernini.

This was my second pilgrimage to Rome, the first being in 2019. Of course, when you go to Rome, you have to visit the major cathedrals and basilicas in and around the Vatican. We visited St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls, all marvelous examples of renaissance architecture and elaborate baroque sculpture and art. It truly is beautiful beyond words! However, this year, it was astoundingly beautiful because it is a jubilee year and a boat load of money was spent cleaning and polishing everything. The skill of the artists, sculptors, and craftsmen, men like Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and so many others, is purely mind blowing!

Domed apse of St. Paul Outside the Walls

It is beautiful, no doubt, but unless you make notes in a journal, It’s almost impossible to remember where a photograph was taken. And after three or four days of gawking at the grandeur, it all started to run together. I began to wonder why I was there, what was God’s plan for me? Was it just to be impressed with the beauty? No, there had to be more. The underlying purpose of our pilgrimage was to go deeper in our faith so that we would be inspired to encourage people in our parishes to better evangelize. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling any special inspiration. So, each day I prayed for an answer to my question, “Why am I here?”

St. Bartholomew holding a knife representing his martyrdom by being filleted alive, at St. John Lateran

One morning we visited the catacombs of St. Calixtus, where, in the 2nd through 4th centuries, nearly a half million Christians were buried, a majority of whom were martyred for opting to profess rather than deny their faith. It was their courageous faith that convinced so many Roman pagans to convert even knowing that they might be the next to be executed. As we meandered through a small portion of the 20 kilometers of underground corridors that were lined with now vacant graves stacked eight to ten high, it was easy to imagine the persecutions they endured and all the hideous and creative ways they were tortured.

On our last day in Rome we ventured into the city center and visited several minor basilicas within a couple block radius of Piazza Navona, an oval plaza that was once a center for Roman foot and chariot races, as well as for putting Christians to death. On the piazza sits the minor basilica of St. Agnes, a smaller church but still beautifully adorned with magnificent paintings and sculptures, but specifically of martyrs.

Altarpiece of St. Agnes in flames, by Ercole Ferrara, 1660.

The church is dedicated to St. Agnes, the 3rd century 12-year old virgin who refused to abandon her faith and succumb to the advances of prominent Roman men. She was martyred by beheading after attempts to burn her at the stake were unsuccessful. Also honored are St. Emerenziana, Agnes’ sister who was stoned to death for opposing the pagans who were trying to prevent Agnes’ body from being buried; St. Sebastian, a converted Roman soldier who was martyred by being shot through with arrows but not killed, and then thrown into the sewers where he died; and St. Cecilia, a young girl who was discovered to be a Christian and was beheaded.

Altarpiece of St. Sebastian, by Pietro Paolo Fields, 1719

There, before the statues and relics of St. Agnes and these other martyred saints, with tears running down my cheeks, my prayer was answered. With unbelievable awe and respect for these martyred faithful men, women, and children, the Holy Spirit convinced me that I was there to fully comprehend what it means to not be afraid to profess one’s faith, so that I could help others to not be afraid.

There, in the moment, I was struck by the relative comparison between these martyrs who risked and sacrificed their lives, and the average Catholic in our world today. How many Catholics refrain from saying grace before dinner at a restaurant because of what other people might think? Too many. How many will not say “God bless you!” to a stranger and mean it because they’re afraid of confrontation? Again, too many. How many are afraid of being questioned about their faith because they know they haven’t done what they should do to be properly catechized? Way too many. How many are willing to risk asking someone who is obviously hurting if they can pray for them? Not too many, but too few. I don’t mean to judge, but generally speaking, we are weak in our faith. So many have forgotten, if they ever actually knew, what it means to be Christian. Jesus said,

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” (Mt 5:10-12)

Those early Christians – St. Agnes, St. Cecilia, St. Sebastian, St. Emerenziana, and all the martyrs in the catacombs of St. Calixtus – died with hope, hope in the glory of heaven. They understood it so well that they embraced the prospect of being persecuted and put to death by torturing far worse than a disapproving glance from the diners at the next table over.

Sadly, I get it. Been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. But thankfully it doesn’t fit me any more because I’ve learned it’s not hard to overcome that fear. In fact, the mere chance that I might cause another to ask me about my faith far outweighs the risk. So, just start. Start small and go from there. If someone sneers at you for thanking God for the food you are about to receive, just smile at them and thank the Lord for them, too. Trust in the Lord to be with you, and pray that you might be the one to inspire someone else to turn to Jesus.

Remember His words, “Do not fear!” And resolve to ask yourself every now and then, “Am I just an average Catholic?”, for, if you are to fear anything, it is just that.

“Loving Father, thank You for the gift of faith and for the fortitude to protect and defend that gift. Nevertheless, You and I know that I need constant strengthening. May I receive that grace every time I receive You in the Holy Eucharist, remembering the sacrifice You made for me. I ask You Lord, and all the holy martyrs in heaven, to help me and all Your faithful to demonstrate our faith with courage and zeal. Amen.”

“Are You an Average Catholic?”was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Practice Makes Perfect

10 Thursday Jul 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Apostles, Evangelization, Faith, Faith sharing, Friendship, Jesus, Mt 10:1-7, Small group

In yesterday’s gospel, Mt 10:1-7, Jesus sent his apostles on mission to announce that the kingdom of heaven is near. He specifically told them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel rather than to pagan territory and Samaritan towns. This is in contrast to his instructions in Mt 28:19 when, after his resurrection, he commands them to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”. In both cases, Jesus is telling them, and us, to evangelize. But why the difference?

It seems as though Jesus is giving the twelve a chance to practice evangelizing to those, who, unlike the pagans, already knew the teachings of the law of Moses and the prophets and would be more receptive to their message. He knew that taking the Word to all nations would be much more difficult. They needed to start slow and hone their skills along the way.

There is a message here for all of us, too, who, through our baptism, are also obligated to be evangelists on mission. We need to continuously increase our knowledge and understanding of our faith, and become more skillful at professing it, before we can expect to be proficient at making disciples of all nations. We need to begin with baby steps.

The best way to do this is to spend time with our friends in conversation about our faith, discussing the message of the gospel and what it is saying to us. I’m sure the apostles spent time together out of earshot from Jesus discussing all that they were learning, and sharing what it meant to them. By sharing our thoughts and insights in small faith sharing groups, or faith-based conversations over a meal with friends, we strengthen our faith and grow in virtue, and are better prepared to articulate to others His message of salvation.

I’m sure your parish offers opportunities to gather with other men and women in small faith-sharing groups and Bible studies at which you can safely share what it is that you hear God saying to you, and listen to and learn from others about the graces they receive through prayer and service. But, you don’t have to depend on your parish to organize groups or meetings. You can simply start from scratch by inviting friends to your house for a meal, spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon getting to know each other better, and interjecting faith based conversation into the experience. Do this enough and it will become second nature. Whether you realize it or not, you will be evangelizing each other. And, you will eliminate the fear that accompanies the prospect of evangelizing to people you don’t know.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me insight into how to become a more effective evangelist, and for Your patience while I learn. You know I can’t go from zero to sixty in three seconds, but need space and time to accelerate slowly. You gave Your Apostles three years and even then they hesitated. I pray for the grace to grab hold of the opportunities to evangelize when You place them before me. Amen.”

(Practice Makes Perfect was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

What Month Is It, Anyway?

26 Monday May 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Baptism, Confirmation, Devotion, Discipleship, Evangelization, Faith, Good News, Jesus, Mental Health Awareness, Mission, Proclaim the Gospel Message

The Catholic Church’s liturgical seasons fall more or less the same time every year. Advent in December, and Christmas the last week of December through the middle of January. Lent usually starts in late February and runs into April. The 50 days of Easter takes us into late May or early June. Then, we also have months with special devotions: May to the Blessed Virgin Mary, October to the Rosary, and November to the Saints and the souls in purgatory.

In the U.S., every month is also set aside to promote awareness to various other worthy causes, e.g., Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January, and Suicide Prevention Month in September. Some months celebrate less serious interests such as National Ice Cream Month in July, and Zombie Awareness month in May.

The month of May is also devoted to Mental Health Awareness. Yesterday, as in each Sunday Mass this month, one of the petitions mentioned was for all those suffering from mental health issues. Certainly, this is something we should all pray for. Our collective prayers are a type of spiritual social outreach. But it occurred to me there is a petition that I’ve never heard mentioned at my parish church or any other church I’ve ever been to in all my travels – a petition for the faithful to evangelize.

Evangelization is the central mission of the Church. The proclamation of the Gospel – the saving message of who Jesus is and what He has done for us – is a responsibility we all have by virtue of our baptism and confirmation. Unfortunately, there are so few who actually take that responsibility seriously. If we believe our prayers will be heard for those with mental health issues, or for any special interest, then shouldn’t we believe that our prayers for the faithful to muster up the courage to evangelize will be efficacious, as well? A simple petition such as, “For all the faithful, that they evangelize by proclaiming the Gospel, let us pray…” will at least remind everyone of their role. Or, we can get bold, and amp it up a notch with, “For each and every baptized Catholic to honor their responsibility by evangelizing at least one person this month and bring them to Jesus, or deeper in their relationship with Him, let us pray…”

If we want to follow and obey our Lord, we have to spread the Good News. Every month of the year should be Catholic Evangelization Month! It is that important, not only for the salvation of the souls of those being evangelized, but our own, as well.

“Good and gracious Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me and each and every one of the baptized faithful bring others to know Your amazing love, also. Help us to realize the grace of Fortitude that was bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit at our Confirmations so that we may be effective evangelizers. Amen.”

(What Month Is It, Anyway?was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Trophies and Spiritual Atrophy

21 Wednesday May 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

8th Grade graduation, Adult Faith Formation, Confirmation, Evangelization, Faith, Holiness, OCIA, Spiritual Atrophy, trophies, Vice, Virtue, Youth Faith Formation

As I’m writing this, our parish school’s 8th grade class is having its graduation ceremony. I’m sure our gym is filled with proud parents hardly believing their “baby” boys and girls will soon be high school freshmen; and those same sons and daughters, while also proud and excited, may be having some separation anxiety knowing that they and their friends will disperse to either our public high school or one of four or five nearby Catholic high schools.

This has been a big year for these youths. Tonight’s graduation is only two months after they received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Unfortunately, many of them will consider their Confirmation to be synonymous with their “Catholic graduation”. Now that they’re confirmed, they see no need for any additional catechesis, scripture study, or even prayer. Many will begin to exhibit the onset of spiritual atrophy, and in four years, when they go on to college, many will cease practicing their faith.

Yesterday I attended a conference on evangelization at a nearby Catholic church which also has a school. During a break I ventured into the hallway outside the meeting room and saw that school’s trophy case. There were years of trophies representing championships and tournament wins for volleyball, basketball, soccer and other sports. There were photographs, autographed volleyballs, and plaques with player’s names. And as I admired this memorabilia, I wondered how many of those student athletes still practice their faith. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if a school had a trophy case that celebrated the graduates who continued to practice their faith in the years to come? Perhaps they could display bronze medals or plaques for those who continued to be faithful for five years on, silver for ten years, and gold for twenty-five years.”

I was quick to tell myself, though, that the attrition in the faithful is not completely the fault of our Catholic schools or youth faith formation catechists. Sure, some could be better. They probably can improve at helping students build a loving and meaningful relationship with Jesus, a faith foundation upon which they will continue to build virtuous lives. But, of course, there are other factors, as well, such as the pressures of the predominant secular culture that easily leads youths and young adults down paths of vice.

And, then, there are the parents – what role have they played in instilling a strong faith in their children? While it’s not a parent’s job to get their kids to heaven, it is their job, and in their control, to give their kids holy parents. Have they provided an attractive example of how an adult lives a life of holiness? Again, I checked myself so as to not put too much blame on the parents. Many have good intentions. The problem may not be with a lack of desire to lead their children deeper in faith, but that they can’t lead them past the point at where they are themselves.

I couldn’t help but see the hand of God in these thoughts. There I was at a conference on how to evangelize adults, and because of a simple trophy case, I became fully aware that none of this is the kids fault, rather it is an adult problem. Somewhere along the line we’ve lost the connection that the only way our children will develop and maintain a healthy life of faith is if us adults teach, guide, mentor and reinforce what that life looks like. The teachers, the youth catechists, and the parents are all adults, and while youth faith formation is important, it is secondary to adult faith formation. And to form adults who will form our youths, we need adult evangelists who will step forward and fill this void. We need catechists for OCIA, competent leaders for Bible studies, willing facilitators to participate in adult faith formation programs, and spiritual mentors who will guide other adults to living lives of deeper prayer that will help them grow in holiness.

I went back into the conference after the break with a renewed sense of determination. I know I don’t have all the answers, but as our parish’s Director of Evangelization, there is an onus that goes with wearing that hat, a responsibility to put into place ways to lead people into a deeper relationship with Jesus that will move them along the pathway from minimal maintenance to missionary discipleship.

“Heavenly Father, I give You thanks for your trust in me, that my participation will bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Inspire me, Lord, to evangelize other men and women to be Your disciples who will lead others closer to You. And I pray that You will put in the lives of our children who have fallen away from the faith someone who will inspire them and bring them home. Amen.”

Curious Like Nicodemus

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christianity, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Friendship, Grace, Jesus, Jn 3:1-15, Nicodemus, Prayer

Jesus and Nicodemus, Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, c. early 1600s

The Gospels for yesterday and today (Jn 3:1-15), put us in the scene with Jesus and the renowned Pharisee, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus under the cover of darkness to ask questions about his ministry. We are led to believe that Nicodemus must have seen or heard of Jesus’ healing miracles and wanted to learn more about him. We know that Nicodemus eventually converted to be a secret follower of Jesus, so we can surmise that his curiosity was genuine and not a ploy to trap Jesus.

The fact that he came to meet Jesus at night may also give us a clue about his intentions. A nighttime rendezvous would be less conspicuous. If he was genuinely interested about Jesus, he may have feared being observed by other Pharisees that could result in his condemnation and rejection. In his position, he would have accumulated wealth that supported a luxurious lifestyle, which would have been jeopardized if his clandestine meeting had been discovered.

When I placed myself in this scene, I pondered Nicodemus’ motive and his dilemma. He had to satisfy his curiosity for truth, but the answer could result in his ruin. His fear of the environment and exterior influences would ultimately cause him to lead a secret and unfulfilled life.

There are millions of Nicodemuses in our world today – men, women, and teens, who are searching for truth, who are curious about Christianity, and who would like to know more but, because of negative social influences, balk at publicly asking questions for fear of what others will think or what they might lose. They are hiding out there in our workplaces, our schools, and our neighborhoods. We should be looking and waiting for them with intentionality, ready to answer their questions and allay their fears.

When a modern day Nicodemus does muster the courage to step out and seek answers, he may simply want to learn more about Jesus, or he’s aware that there’s possibly a different set of beliefs and a better way to live than he’s ever experienced. His curiosity may manifest itself by privately asking questions to a Christian friend or acquaintance. When he does, he is giving us an opportunity to evangelize, and we need to respond utilizing good listening skills. His questions may be phrased in ways that hide their real intent, and we may have to look behind the words. We should not make stuff up, nor answer questions with excess theology. He needs simple answers, and if we don’t know an answer, we should say so and endeavor to find the answer for him. We should try to avoid vocabulary that is foreign to non-Catholics.

Like Nicodemus, his questions may appear antagonistic but probably aren’t meant to be so. Instead, they are likely due to his personal cynicism and relativism that has developed over years. He’s not ready to reveal that he’s on any kind of spiritual quest. He is curious but cautious, and still needs to feel safe and unthreatened when asking questions. We should respond in a friendly manner to increase the trust that has allowed him to ask questions in the first place.

Our gentle evangelizing should have an eye towards bringing this person from a a place of curiosity to being open to exploring the idea that God is a personal God rather than a concept, and that we can have a relationship with Him. We can introduce him to Jesus and the story of His passion, death, and resurrection in atonement for our sins. And we should be patient and pray for him, being grateful that, while he may not yet be making a commitment to spiritual or personal change, he no longer rejects the idea.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for the virtue of fortitude given to me with my Confirmation that has prepared me to proclaim the saving message of salvation of Your Son, Jesus. May I ever be vigilant and prepared to welcome anyone who is curious about our Christian faith. I pray that Your Spirit affords me the grace to respond to them lovingly with humility and gentleness. Amen.”

(Curious Like Nicodemuswas first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Fear and Faith

01 Saturday Feb 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Faith

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Calming the Storm, Faith, Fear, God-moments, Heb 11:1-2, Jesus, Jesus I trust in You, Mk 4:35-41, Prayer, Trust

Calming the Storm, Simon de Vlieger, 1637, (Wikimedia Commons/Art Collection of Univ. of Gottingen)

It’s been almost thirteen years since my conversion experience that brought me to Christianity, that instant when I knew for certain there is a God, that Jesus is real, and the Holy Spirit filled me with more love than I’d ever known. And, last month was the tenth anniversary of what I consider to be my second conversion experience, the event when I learned to trust in God’s mercy and providence, and which I recorded in Put Your Faith Where Your Prayer Is.

My daughter had just given birth to my first grandson, Jack. He appeared to be a healthy newborn but the day after he came home from the hospital we thought we’d lost him. My wife was holding him and he quit breathing. I truly believe his guardian angel was watching over him because, just hours before, my wife’s sister, a nurse, and her husband, a doctor, stopped by to visit as they were traveling across the country. They had the knowledge and expertise to revive Jack until the EMTs arrived. Jack spent the next two weeks in the NICU experiencing multiple epileptic seizures per day.

To say the least, I was consumed with fear for Jack and for the emotional health of my daughter and son-in-law. Upon learning the news, I began praying continuously, including praying many Rosaries, imploring our Blessed Mother to intercede and make Jack well. In the midst of my fear, there came a moment when I finally knew there was nothing I could personally do to help heal Jack, and that it was all in God’s hands. I uttered the words, “Jesus, I trust in You!”, and I immediately broke into uncontrolled sobbing, crying tears of joy because in that instant I knew in my heart that Jack would be made well. Two weeks later he came home from the hospital and for ten years did not have another seizure. That is until this last Wednesday.

Wednesday evening, Jack was at basketball practice and went into convulsions. Again, his guardian angel was watching over him because the father of a team mate, an emergency pediatric doctor, was present and he took control until the EMTs arrived. Once again, I fell into a state of fear for Jack and for my daughter, and began praying unceasingly.

Mid-day Thursday, with Jack still on my heart, I needed to prepare for a men’s group meeting that night. Our group reflects on and discusses the following Sunday’s Gospel, so I opened my Bible to the passage upon which our group leader instructed us to meditate. However, through some error, the passage was not tomorrow’s Gospel reading, but, instead, today’s, Mark 4:35-41, the account of Jesus calming the storm at sea and alleviating the terrifying fear of his disciples. As I read it and came to verse 40, I knew the error was no coincidence: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”. I heard Jesus say to me, “Son, have you forgotten I was there for Jack, his parents, and you ten years ago? With faith you gave it up and trusted in Me then, trust again in Me now.” Once again, my eyes sprung a serious leak and I knew I had nothing to worry about, that Jack was in good hands.

Today’s first reading is from Hebrews 11:1-2. The author reminds us that, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” Through faith, I realized for a wonderful ten years that for which I hoped. And through that experience, I received evidence that Jesus’ saving grace will make all things well again.

“Dear God, I wish Your method of grabbing my attention and drawing me closer to You through faith wasn’t quite so extreme! But, Your ways are not my ways. Once again, I thank You for this experience, for reminding me of Your love, and reinforcing my faith and trust in Your Son, Jesus. I may think He’s asleep in my boat in the middle of the storms in my life, but He is always with me. Help me to recognize that moments like this are opportunities for faith to be the ballast in my boat when the storms of life rage. I know You will make all things well, even better than they were. I thank You in advance. Amen.”

(Fear and Faith, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Let Jesus Love You!

07 Tuesday Jan 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Love

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

1 Jn 4:7-10, Adoration, Eucharistic Adoration, Faith, Feeding the Five Thousand, Five Loaves and Two Fish, Jesus, Love, Mark 6:34-44, Prayer

In today’s Gospel, Mark 6:34-44, we read St. Mark’s account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Jesus’ heart is moved with pity for the crowd of “lost sheep”, all those who are following Him, and His disciples are concerned about them going hungry. The disciples ask Jesus to dismiss the people so they can find food for themselves. Jesus responds by saying, “Give them some food yourselves”, which, of course, they see no way of doing with only five loaves and two fish between them.

In this passage we read about one of our Lord’s greatest miracles as he feeds thousands of people with so little food. We get a sense of the extent of His pity, His compassion for all people. Jesus knows they are hungry, that they need food. But, He also knows they are hungry for spiritual nourishment, hungry for truth and hope, and hungry to be recognized as people with dignity and value – things they’re not getting from the Romans and their own religious leaders.

Normally when I read the accounts of feeding the five thousand (or the four thousand in Mt 15), my thoughts go directly to what I can do to reach out and show love and compassion of my own to those who are suffering in some physical or emotional way, whether that is my wife, a child, a friend, or a co-worker. Nearly everyone struggles with life in some regard, and empathic compassion can bring comfort. Occasionally, though, I’m driven by feelings of remorse for being distant and realizing I haven’t loved as I should, or that I’ve ignored someone and haven’t made them feel valued.

It’s easy to place ourselves into the scene of this Gospel as one of Jesus’ disciples and wonder what we can do to better love someone else. But, we too often forget that, like everyone else, we also suffer in many ways. We fail to see ourselves as one of the five thousand and, while putting others ahead of ourselves is a good thing, we also need some love and compassion from time to time.

In the first reading for today, 1 Jn 4:7-10, St. John reminds us that “God is love”, and, “He [God] loved us and sent His only Son as expiation for our sins.” God loves me and He loves you. He has loved us for all of eternity. He loves us for who we are despite our sins. He loves us the same no matter how different we are from each other because He made us in His image. He wants nothing more than for us to be happy, and the happiest we can be is to be united to Him. He loves us in our relationships with other people, in the tiny blessings He sends and for which we are too often ungrateful. He loves us so much that He continues to give Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist! His love surrounds us each and every moment of every day but we are too busy with life to realize it. Consequently, it can be too easy to forget to put ourselves in His presence and actively receive His love.

So, today my post-meditation resolution was not to be intentional about finding a way to love someone else as they deserve to be loved. No, today I resolved to simply spend time loving Jesus and letting Him love me. My Holy hour of Adoration was at 4:00 p.m., and for an entire hour I gazed at Jesus in the tabernacle and let Him cast His loving gaze on me. I shared with Him what was on my heart, what I am struggling with, my concerns and desires. And then I let him console me with His love. It was a beautiful thing!

I’m sure you make time to love other people in some way. And, I’m sure you make time to express your love for Jesus in some way, either through personal prayer or time in Adoration. But do you ever intentionally make time to let Jesus love you, and all that is expected of you is to soak it up? If not, give it a try! You won’t regret it.

“Lord Jesus, You showed the extent of Your love for me by offering Yourself upon the cross to redeem me of my sins. You love me enough to supernaturally give me Yourself in the Holy Eucharist. Lord, You know that in my heart I love You. But help me to more frequently acknowledge Your love for me by spending time with You, by placing myself in Your presence, and letting You love me. Amen.”

(Let Jesus Love You!, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Rehabilitating the Labor Force

07 Saturday Dec 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Christian Life, Evangelization

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Charity, Christian living, Cleanse the lepers, Cure the sick, Drive out demons, Evangelization, Faith, God, Jesus, Master of the harvest, Mt 10:1-8, Mt 9:35-38, Prayer, Raise the dead

In today’s Gospel, Mt 9:35 – 10:1, 5-8, Jesus shows his compassion for the many people who’ve come to him to hear his teaching and to be cured. As I imagine myself in that scene, I sense Jesus is overwhelmed because He knows there are so many more people who need to be cured, who need to be preached to, but He simply can’t get to them all. He needs help and he tells His disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then, rather than just wish for help, He commissions His twelve disciples, giving them authority to drive out unclean spirits and cure every disease and illness.

Whether you like it or not, Jesus is talking to us – to you and me. He’s asking us to not only be productive laborers but to increase the labor force. For most of us, that’s a scary thought, and a task that’s all too easy for us to turn from and walk away. We feel either incompetent or it’s inconvenient for us and low on our to-do list. But, it’s a condition of employment, so to speak. In a way, the compensation we receive will depend on how well we accept and perform that job requirement.

But Jesus is a fair and just employer. He doesn’t expect everyone to aspire to be upper level management. He just wants us to do the best job we can in the jobs we have – our particular vocations. We don’t have to be priests, religious, or parish Directors of Evangelization. He doesn’t expect us to quit our jobs as parents, siblings, friends and neighbors to be something we’re not. He just asks us to help Him in the roles we’ve chosen and the environment in which we work.

Often we get so wrapped up in our jobs that we forget that the mission of the company is to provide a service or product that is needed by others. It’s that way with our Christian faith, in which our mission is to serve others so that they will discover the saving grace of Jesus. Jesus trains us through Scripture and the Sacraments, through which He gives us the knowledge and tools to do our jobs well.

Where do we start? Well, Jesus asked his disciples to begin by asking “the master to send out laborers.” He’s telling us to pray, to pray to God for insight for whom we can reach out to join our labor force. This may be a new hire to our faith, or someone already on the payroll who’s not quite pulling their weight. If we pray, and if we pay attention, the Holy Spirit will put someone on our hearts.

But prayer is just the starting point. We have to use the knowledge and skills we’ve been taught through our faith formation, from what we’ve learned at our weekly meetings (Mass), and how we’ve seen other top producers (the Saints), do their jobs. By applying what we’ve learned, and with the support we will be given, we can add to our ranks and grow our business.

Many people, though, need some form of rehabilitation before they can become productive co-workers. Jesus has conferred on us degrees in Occupational Therapy. Like He gave His twelve disciples, He’s given us the authority and ability through the gift of charity and friendship to cure the sick– those who are spiritually ill, who are suffering from infectious diseases caught in the secular environment; and to raise the dead – those who were once alive but have succumbed to one of these fatal infectious diseases.

And, like the disciples, we can cleanse the lepers – by offering love and respecting the human dignity of those who aren’t exactly like us; who are rejected or who are outcasts from society because of decisions they’ve made or unfortunate circumstances that have occurred in their lives. And, we can drive out demons – by being good friends who, with compassion, help those who are controlled by vices such as pride, anger, envy, lust, gluttony, sloth, and greed, – all of the things the enemy uses to keep people from God; and help them through anxiety about worries and regrets over which they have no control.

Our Lord needs more good and able people to expand His kingdom. He’s depending on us to look within our own spheres of influence, to ask Him for guidance, and to employ all that he’s taught us to rehabilitate co-workers and new hires alike, so that the harvest will yield more fruit per acre.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching me, for setting the example of how to grow Your kingdom. I feel pretty incompetent at times, but I know You are here with me and I only have to call upon You when I need help. Help me to never forget that I can’t do this alone, that You are always by my side. Amen.”

(Rehabilitating the Labor Force, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2024 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.