Tag Archives: Mass

Be Like the Thessalonians

25 Monday Aug 2025

Posted by in Evangelization

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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)

©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.

The Lord’s Supper

18 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Bible Reflections

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The Last Supper – Leonardo DaVinci

I attended our parish’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper tonight and, as always, it was especially beautiful and reverent.  During the reading of the Gospel (Jn 13:1-15), I envisioned myself in the scene, sitting around the supper table with Jesus and the Apostles.  Nobody seemed to notice a fourteenth person there.  When Jesus washed the feet of his Apostles, I recalled the first time I had my feet washed by our priest as he performed the Mandatum Rite, and what a humbling experience that was for me.

Then during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, as our pastor held aloft the Body of Christ, my mind drifted.  (I know that’s not supposed to happen, but it did).  My thoughts turned to a disagreement my wife and I often have.  We both like to read, and she frequently flips to the last chapter, spoiling the story by learning how it turns out.  Me, well, you couldn’t pay me ten bucks to cheat.  I delight in seeing the story unravel.  I want to be surprised, and I certainly don’t want her to spoil the story for me by telling me how it ends before I’ve read the book.

And then it dawned on me that I was the only one sitting at that supper table who knew what was to come in just a few hours.  I knew that Judas the Iscariot would soon leave to go bargain for his thirty pieces of silver in return for his betrayal of Jesus.  I knew Jesus would soon be arrested and tried, and of the pain he would endure being tortured and crucified, and I knew our beloved teacher would die.  I could see all these horrendous events.  

But, I also knew the happy ending: that Jesus would be lifted up after three days, that His resurrected self would join and encourage His friends in the upper room, and that at Pentecost, He would ascend into heaven.  

But I couldn’t tell any of this to the other twelve reclining at table there with me.  And I wondered if, through some twist of time and it was even possible for me to tell them, would they be like me and not care to know how it all plays out, or would they be like my wife and want to know what the future held in store?

I’ve been mulling this conundrum for the last couple hours.  I’ve decided this is one case in which I’m glad I know the story has a happy ending.  It gives me hope, takes away my fears, and makes me want to give a spoiler alert to the whole world!  

How about you?  Won’t you join me?

“My dear Jesus, You know and I know what You’re about to experience.  At every Mass, I am filled with both tears of joy and sadness as I reflect on Your Passion.  I know You gave it all for me…sinful me.  I am so deeply grateful for Your love.  Thank you!  Amen.”

(The Lord’s Supper, 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(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Road Trip Reflections: Technology and Time Zones

04 Sunday Jun 2023

Posted by in Road Trips

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A month ago I posted Jesus, The Spiritual Roadmap in which I accused younger folks of not knowing what a road atlas or accordion-fold highway road map looks like because they simply plug in an address on their cell phone GPS, hit start and go where the cute voice tells them to go.  Well, today, the hand that had one finger pointing and poking fun at their dependence on technology had three fingers pointing back at me.  

I spent Friday and Saturday helping my daughter relocate to Nashville, Tennessee, from Memphis, hauling her furniture and other belongings to her new residence.  Then, this morning I left Nashville to drive home to Ohio.

Before leaving her house, I checked the app MassTimes.org to see if there was a church nearby where I could attend mass before getting on the road.  Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and I didn’t want to miss mass.  All of the nearby Catholic churches had mass times at 7:00, 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.  It was currently 9:10 a.m., so I decided to not wait until an 11:00 a.m. mass, thinking I’d find a convenient one somewhere between there and home.

Around Bowling Green, Kentucky I checked the app again and found no convenient masses near there.  I checked Elizabethtown, Kentucky and,  Aha!,  I found one just eight miles from Elizabethtown.  St. John the Baptist Catholic Church advertised an 11:30 a.m. mass.  The app lets you get directions to the churches so I tapped on that and discovered I could get there about ten minutes early.  Perfect!

I took the exit off of I-65 just as the cute little voice told me to do.  I made several turns and with each one I seemed to be getting further into rural Kentucky.  Eventually, the GPS told me I had reached my destination.  I stopped on the narrow country road and looked to the right where “she” told me the church was.  Miraculously, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church had either disappeared or became transfigured into a nice pasture of healthy looking angus cattle.

I drove another mile down the road and turned around.  Coming back, the voice told me my destination was on the left.  Still nothing but cattle.  I went on down the road a couple miles to a convenience store/gas station and pulled in.  I put in the actual address of St. John the Baptist Church and, lo and behold, it was about four miles further down the road.  I concluded that somehow someone loaded the wrong X:Y coordinates of the church in the mapping program.  

I thought, if I hurried I might be able to make it before the Gospel reading.  It was then that I noticed the time on my phone said 12:31 p.m.  And that’s when it hit me:  the time zone line between Eastern and Central time runs along the western and southern borders of Hardin County in which Elizabethtown sits.  St. John the Baptist Catholic Church was just inside the eastern time zone line…and mass was just ending!

I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation.  I’d added at least a half hour to the day’s drive time and now, once I got home, I’d have to drive another half hour each way to St. Mary’s for 6:00 p.m. mass.  I thought, okay, if that’s what God wants me to do, then that’s what I’ll do.  

Before putting my truck in drive I checked my fuel gauge and saw that I was nearing empty.  That’s when I noticed the price of gas at the station where I was parked was $2.99 per gallon…40 to 50 cents per gallon cheaper than any prices I’d seen along the interstate.  My truck has a 32 gallon tank.  I chuckled when I thought how divine providence may have just rewarded my unsuccessful effort to attend mass by saving me $15.00 on a fill-up.  

“Heavenly Father, once again my plan was not Your plan.  You had a better one that resulted in me not only saving money at the gas pump, but by allowing me to attend a beautiful mass where I ran into a friend who needed to talk to me about some matters.  You saved us a phone call.  Thank you for Your providence!  Amen.”

(Roadtrip Reflections:  Technology and Time Zones 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.

The Joy of Gift Giving

08 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by in Mass

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“The Last Supper”, Jaume Huguet, c. 1470

It’s been a while since my last post, before Thanksgiving, in fact.  I hope you had a very merry and blessed Christmas and a peaceful and pleasant New Year.

Christmas 2020 was supposed to be the year that my wife and I would get together with all four daughters and their families, but, with COVID, that didn’t happen.  We had some disappointment but we understood the circumstances and declared, “No Foul”, and no hard feelings.  We were very thankful that everyone was healthy even though we couldn’t all be together. 

We did, however, travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana to spend Christmas with our daughter and her family who live there, and another daughter traveled to meet us from her home in Memphis.  We spent the week together enjoying mild weather, good food, and good conversation.  And, although we love our daughters dearly, the highlight of the visit was spending Christmas with our two grandsons, ages 4, and 23 months.   

It is always a special time on Christmas morning when the little ones open their gifts.  Paper, ribbons, and bows fly everywhere, and as soon as one gift is opened they are on to the next one.  I love to see the excitement and the smiles of magical wonder on the children’s faces. 

But, this Christmas, I found myself observing the morning mayhem a little differently.  As much as I noticed the grandchildren’s amazement at receiving their gifts, I witnessed the joy on my daughters’ and son-in-law’s faces as they watched the little ones open their gifts, gifts that they gave out of love.  It brought back beautiful memories of the joy I experienced of giving gifts to my own daughters when they were children.  That was always the best part of Christmas for me and I loved seeing my daughters experience that same joy.  The old adage, “It’s better to give than it is to receive”, came to mind, and I had to nod in agreement.

This two week old memory came to mind yesterday right after receiving Communion at Mass.  As I walked back to my pew I thought about all those who have denied themselves the Blessed Sacrament because of their social distancing fears, or who have, through laissez-faire attitudes, grown comfortable with the habit of not attending Mass.  Back at my pew, kneeling and offering a prayer of thanksgiving for having received Christ in the Holy Eucharist, I prayed for those folks by again making my own offering to Him as I do every morning and at every Mass during the presentation of the gifts:  “Heavenly Father, I offer You my prayer, work, joy and suffering, and I unite it to Your sacrifice made present in the Mass and I offer it for the conversion of souls.  Amen.”  

I wondered if they truly know and miss this gift of love that Christ so desires to give us if we just come to Him?  I mean, isn’t the reason we go to Mass to receive Him?

And then that’s when Christmas came to mind.  I had it wrong.  I had it backwards.  We go to Mass to give ourselves as a gift to God, to unite our hearts to the heart of Jesus through His sacrifice, to love Him for loving us and sacrificing His life for us.  We give ourselves freely to please God, to bring Him joy, to put a smile on His face.  And, in return, he gives Himself, and the infinite love of a happy Father which accompanies it, to us.

It’s the joy of giving that we miss when we don’t go to Mass.  It’s the missed opportunity to know that we have pleased God, and to show our gratitude for the experience.  And, since we know the happiness it brings when we give a loving gift to another, we fail to relate to the happiness we are denying God when He can’t give Himself to us. 

Thinking about that adage, “It’s better to give than it is to receive”, I decided there needs to be a corollary to it:  “The joy of giving makes the joy of receiving so much better!”  

I know there are certain folks for whom it may still be too risky to go to church to worship.  But, friends, if at all possible, find a way to return to Mass.  Rediscover the feeling of giving yourself to the Father so that He can give Himself to you with unimaginable love.  Find your happiness by making Him happy.

“Lord Jesus, I love You.  And, like giving gifts to my children and grandchildren whom I love dearly, I know it pleases You and brings You joy when I give myself as a gift to You.  Thank You for Your immense love and returning it to me in the Holy Eucharist.  Amen.”

(The Joy of Gift Giving 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.

Memorial Day

29 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Daily 100, Eucharist, Mass

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Kneeling in prayer before mass on Monday morning, I remembered, honored, and gave thanks for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for the preservation of freedom and liberation from tyranny.

Opening my eyes, I gazed upon Jesus on the Crucifix, Who gave up His life for our sins. His ultimate sacrifice on the cross showed us the way to everlasting life and liberation from slavery to sin.

As He continues to give His life for us and to us in the Holy Eucharist in the Sacrifice of the Mass, every day is Memorial Day.

“Heavenly Father, may all those who have gone before us, who have offered their lives for the protection of our freedom and liberties, find their reward by Your side. May all of us whom they have served never forget their sacrifice. And, Lord, may I never cease to remember, honor, adore and glorify You and give You thanks for Your sacrifice to save me, a sinner. Amen.”

(Memorial Day was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2019 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 Cry Room Blues

23 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in Christian Community, Mass

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My wife, Melinda, and I just returned home from a two-week trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana where we baby sat our 21 month old grandson, Patrick, while his parents took a mini-vacation. I thoroughly enjoyed fulfilling my role as a grandparent but I realized it’s not as easy keeping up with the little ones as it was 20 to 30 years ago.

Patrick is everything you imagine a lad of that age to be: strong-willed, busy, and rambunctious. And, loud. While he is still trying to form words intelligible to the rest of us, he is pretty sure his vocabulary is second to none and he wants to tell you, and the folks in the next county, all about it.

My daughter and son-in-law were out of town Thursday through Wednesday, which meant we either had to split up on Sunday to go to mass or, if we were to go together, take Patrick with us. Although I’m the father of four daughters, they were all grown before I became Catholic and began going to church with my wife. She had all the experience of taking our older three to church, all of whom were diaper-clad at the same time, and I had none. Thus, I deferred to her best judgement when she said, “Let’s take him with us.”

We decided to attend Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church that Sunday morning and on the way Patrick started showing signs of crankiness. By the time we parked and went inside, the decision was made to partake of mass from the sound-proof cry room. By the time mass began, a half dozen or so other families felt it best to do the same.

Now, the only church I’ve attended regularly is my home church, St. Francis de Sales in Lebanon, OH, and it does not have a cry room. Instead, it has a large foyer, or gathering space, in which parents can take their kids if things get out of hand. I’ve seldom seen more than one or two parents out there who are trying to keep their eyes on their kids and their ears on the Liturgy filtering through the speakers. Rather, most kids are with their parents in the sanctuary and are respectfully quiet. But, I know that Cheerios, juice boxes, Hot Wheels and stuffed animals are all employed for that purpose. I normally sit towards the front of the church and, although I can’t see the young ones back there, I know of their presence by the squeals they occasionally make.

So, I was surprised as I sat in the cry room at OLQH listening to the infants expressing their displeasure about whatever, and watching the toddler / juvenile delinquents run wild oblivious to their parent’s whispered objections. Of course, by this time, Patrick had fallen asleep in his grandmother’s arms with an angelic calmness on his cherubic face. But, it was too late to get up and reposition to the church proper. We were stuck.

Try as I might, I couldn’t concentrate on the mass. The priest’s homily was 27 minutes and I lost focus after the seven minute mark. My attention was on the ruckus going on within the confined space we were collectively occupying. And, more than once, I said a silent prayer of Thanksgiving for “Saint Melinda” for putting up with all this nonsense all those years without me by her side to help. I owe her.

In thinking about the poor parents who make the sacrifice to go to mass and put their patience on the line, the phrase, “I’ve got the cry room blues”, popped into my head. By the time we left church I had half the song written in my mind. On the way home this weekend I tweaked it a bit and added one more verse. I feel obliged to share it with you here:

The Cry Room Blues
(Lyrics by Jerry Robinson with an imagined Memphis bluesy melody)

Gonna go praise the Lord today,
Gonna hear me some o’ that Good News.
I say I’m gonna go praise the Lord today,
Gonna listen to all the Good News.
But all I hear is my baby screaming the Sunday morning cry room blues.

I’d love to sit a bit closer to You,
Up front in the first few pews.
O, Lord, I’d love to sit a bit closer to You,
Up front in the first few pews.
But I’m trapped here in this cry room while my baby’s singing the blues.

My baby needs a diaper change,
Somewhere he’s lost his shoes.
I say my baby needs his diaper changed,
And somewhere he’s lost his shoes.
Now baby’s giving his daddy the Sunday morning cry room blues.

The old folks ain’t got no sympathy,
They’ve all paid their dues.
I say the old folks got no sympathy,
‘Cause they’ve all paid their dues.
Yeah, they’ve done their time singing the Sunday morning cry room blues.

Now, before you think me evil or cold-hearted, let me say that the experience brought me a new-found respect for any parent who chooses to bring their child to church. You could do otherwise and all of us, the parents, children and the rest of us as the whole Body of Christ would suffer. I applaud you! Please don’t stop, especially if you’re afraid to come because your church doesn’t have a cry room. Your squealing and squirming saints-to-be are the future of the Church. And, whether you know it or not, they’re watching every move you make. Keep being good examples and good parents! The rest of us have “been there and done that” and understand it’s a right of passage. My wife and many others have successfully made it. You will too. God bless you all!

“Lord, thank You for all the parents who sacrifice their sanity for the greater good of bringing their children to You. Please give them the grace to continue forming their children in Your ways. And, thank You for providing my wife with the patience and fortitude to do the same with our daughters while I chose to sit it out. Amen.”

(The Cry Room Blues was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)
©2013-2018 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 Monday Morning Blessing

19 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by in Christian Community, Faith

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fne-flag-300x207

The flag of the Federation of North American Explorers

As I pulled into our church’s parking lot this morning for 7:30 a.m. mass I nearly ran into the back end of a tour bus. The bus was a traveling billboard for a Country and Western radio station so, filled with curiosity, I could hardly wait to see which Grand Ol’ Opry star was visiting St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lebanon, Ohio.

When I walked through the doors of the church it was obvious there was not a country music star in attendance. Instead, there were what looked like fifty Boy Scouts sitting in the first few pews on Joseph’s side. Taking my usual place abreast from them on Mary’s side, I noticed their neckerchiefs, “Smokey-the-Bear” style hats or berets, khaki shirts, navy shorts and knee socks. The boys appeared to be in age from seven or eight years old to their late teens. But, looking out of the corner of my eye so as not to appear to be staring, I realized the patches and insignia were different than one would normally see on a BSA uniform.

As mass proceeded, I noticed that each boy, and each accompanying similarly attired adult, followed the mass to the letter. Then, as we walked forward to take communion, each boy dropped to both knees in genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament and took communion from our priest on the tongue rather than receive it by hand. Not only was I curious about who these kids were, I was tremendously impressed! They took their faith and adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist seriously!

After our priest gave the final blessing, I was further impressed when our guests knelt again, sang a song and prayed the St. Michael the Archangel intercessory prayer before standing and recessing in an orderly fashion. It was refreshing to see their love for the Lord instead of how fast they could get out of church.

Back in the foyer, our church’s gathering space, I just had to introduce myself to some of the men who appeared to be the leaders of the group. I wanted to know more about them. I learned they were not Boy Scouts, rather they were were Explorers in the Federation of North American Explorers (FNE). They were on their way home to Toronto, Canada from a trip to Florida and Georgia. They stopped by our community outside of Cincinnati because the only FNE chapter in Ohio is based at our sister parish, St. Philip the Apostle, in Morrow, Ohio.

FNE with Fr. Wood

Parochial Vicar and Priest at St. Philip the Apostle, Fr. Eric Wood, surrounded by the Holy Trinity Chapter of the FNE.

Luckily, the gentleman with whom I was speaking was the leader of the local group. He gave me a few minutes of his time before he had to leave to take his group of hungry boys to a local restaurant for a buffet breakfast.

He explained that the Federation of North American Explorers is a Catholic faith-based, single gender, youth program that interweaves faith into the regular program of weekly meetings, field trips, seasonal camping trips, summer camps and international travel excursions. Groups of boys are led by men, and groups of girls are led by women. And, before having to rush to catch up with his charges, he told me his mission is to “Save souls and create living saints” out of these boys.

After I got home from mass, I searched on-line for the Federation of North American Explorers and I found their website Federation of North American Explorers. I became even more impressed!

There are 22 FNE groups across the United States and seven groups in Canada. The webpage explicitly states that they actively embrace and participate in the celebration of the Eucharist, pray together for each other, their families, and others in need, pray the Rosary together, and attend Eucharistic Adoration. They grow through service to others including feeding the poor and visiting the elderly.

Non-Catholic Christians are invited to join and participate in all activities except for reception of the Sacraments. The organization promotes respect for members of other faiths as part of their daily lives.

The intent of the FNE program is to shape “the character, social, environmental, spiritual, and leadership aspects of the child into his or her adult life.” They “deliver a Christ-centered program experience where each member strives to become an Ordinary Saint through love, service, hard work, dedication, honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, prudence and by embracing the Sacraments of the Church.”

The FNE is recognized as a private pontifical association of faithful by the Holy See as well as by local Archdioceses as a Catholic Lay Movement.

I was particularly impressed with the 10 points of “The Explorer’s Law”, those virtues that build character, and consisted of, among other things: honor, loyalty, service and charity. Each law is stated and then explained for clarity. The one that particularly caught my attention was:

Law #3 – An Explorer is made to serve and save his neighbor. “You cannot be a follower of Christ unless you are willing to sacrifice yourself for others, and the motive must always be for our Lord’s own sake….An Explorer must be prepared, first, by learning everything he can which can make him useful, and then by being always on the watch for the ‘good turn’ which he can do….There is one ‘good turn’ which you can do for anybody at any time, i.e. say a prayer for them. In this way you can give great help to many who need it, even if it is out of your power to be of use to them in any other way.”

As I learned more about the FNE, I felt a sense of relief. In a world that is consumed by individualism, relativism and materialism, to find an organization that is developing our future generations into Catholic men of character is a true breath of fresh air!

I love God-moments like these first thing in the morning, especially Monday mornings!

If readers in the Cincinnati/Lebanon, Ohio area are interested in the local chapter of FNE, you may contact Mr. Mark Glaser at holytrinityfne@gmail.com.

“Heavenly Father, I give you thanks for the adult volunteers who donate their time and energy to develop our children, the future of our Church, into Christ-loving men and women of character. Amen.”

(A Monday Morning Blessing was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2018 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.

Finding Rest in the Desert

04 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in Renewal

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“[Jesus] said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’”                     – Mark 6:31 NAB

In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs His apostles to take a break from their travels and their mission of preaching repentance and healing of unclean spirits. Two by two, they have been separated and away from Jesus for quite some time.  They are tired and dirty.  They have healed many but have been rejected by many, also.  They’re ready for some downtime and time to re-energize.

As I heard the lector read this verse from the Gospel of Mark this morning at mass, I reflected on my own experience and realized that Jesus, as always, hit the nail on the head. For me, it has always been when I have retreated to a “deserted” place for rest and reflection that I have, afterwards, found myself refreshed and renewed in my faith and closer to Jesus.

My first experience was five years ago when I attended a Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreat weekend at our parish church. My decision to go on the retreat was based not on getting closer to Jesus or to increase my faith, for I wasn’t Catholic nor remotely religious, but to hide from the daily struggles of work, and trying, unsuccessfully for the most part, to bring some balance to my life.  I also hoped to meet some men and make some new friends.  I did meet many men and made many new friends – not just acquaintances but lifelong brothers.  And, more importantly, I found God and the love of Christ.  My life was transformed and it hasn’t been the same since.  I became Catholic one year later.

Following that CRHP experience, I met regularly with some of those new friends on a regular basis in a quiet room at our church or at each other’s homes. They were special times, ones which would have required a natural disaster to keep me away.  We talked about how we had seen God working in our lives, and we opened up and shared the difficulties we were trying to overcome.  We chose scripture passages to read and discuss.  We learned from each other and we encouraged each other and we formed brotherly bonds.

With pressures from work seeming to increase, I wanted more of this type of respite. I began attending Bible studies and other opportunities to learn and deepen my faith, including weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  Along with spending time with my wife, these encounters were the things which brought me peace.

In wanting to learn more about my faith, I jumped at the invitation to attend a Cursillo weekend where I could again spend a restful few days in reflection and fellowship with other men. Like CRHP, it was a life changing experience.  As a follow-up to Cursillo, monthly Ultreya meetings and weekly discussions of our prayer life, what we are doing to grow our faith, and what we are doing to bring others to Christ, keep me grounded and help direct my attention away from worldly strife.

Through these experiences, I have learned to take advantage of other opportunities for silence, solitude and time for prayer when I am away from my home field and friends. At those times, my “desert” becomes a rolling mountain stream, a peaceful perch overlooking a valley, holding a sleeping grandchild in my arms, or just about any place where I can marvel at His many miracles.

rock-creek

One of my favorite places to rest and listen to God – Rock Creek, west of Red Lodge, Montana.

I have probably read that verse from Mark several times but it never hit home until today. Before mass was over I took time to say a prayer of Thanksgiving for giving me the desire to want to find my own isolated “desert”, and to take time for rest and recharging by the best power source there is, Jesus Christ.

Where is your “desert”? Where do you go to find peace and quiet?  Do you make the time to go?  Do you go there with the intention of spending time with Jesus and letting him recharge you?  You should!  Go!  Look for the opportunities.  Attend a retreat such as Christ Renews His Parish or Cursillo.  Schedule time to meet with faithful men and women from whom you can grow your faith and who will lift you up with encouragement.  If this is new to you, signing up for a Bible study at your church is a good place to start.  The important thing is to seek Him.  Seek Him in a place that offers a measure of solitude and silence where you can listen to God, perhaps through others, and speak to Him in prayer.  You will find Him and you’ll be glad you did.

“O, loving and gracious God, I give You thanks for arranging our first meeting where I learned of and felt Your immense love for me. Thank You for rewarding me with Your peace each and every time I have come back to You.  Your love increases my faith, and my faith brings me hope for a life of eternity with You.  Amen.”

(Finding Rest in the Desert 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.

Giving Your Heart

04 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by in Charity, Confession, Grace, Mass, Prayer

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As we began singing the hymn during the presentation of the gifts this morning, the usher passed the collection bowl down our pew. As always, we passed it to the next person without putting anything in it.  Rather than write a check every week, we make our contribution once a month.  Let me rephrase that – my wife, who manages our money, makes the contribution for the both of us once a month through an electronic fund transfer.  I don’t have to do anything other than sing when it’s time (and, I’m sure, some folks wish I wouldn’t even do that!)

While I was singing, my mind drifted to that thought, “I don’t have to do anything.” Then, as the bread and wine were brought to the altar and the collection was placed at its base, I suddenly felt ashamed of myself.  Although our monthly gift surely helps the parish and those in need, it’s given remotely and matter-of-factly.  It’s just something we do every month.  Perhaps my wife says a prayer of gratitude for the ability to contribute and a prayer for whoever may benefit from it when she clicks the button to make the EFT happen, but I don’t do anything.

I realized that I was missing something. At a minimum, I thought, I ought to consciously acknowledge our offering and pray that it helps someone.  But, ideally, it’s more than that.  The presentation of the gifts at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is offering a gift to Jesus himself.  And, it doesn’t matter whether I make a monthly electronic contribution or drop an envelope in the bowl each week, the gift He wants more than anything else is the gift of my heart offered willingly with love – the acknowledgement that I am giving myself to Him.  A monetary contribution is nice, but hiding behind it without giving Him the gift He truly desires is like buying an expensive gift for your child’s birthday without showing up in person.

I realized that in giving myself to Him each time I attend mass, I am making a commitment to subordinate my will to His. Near the beginning of mass, during the Introductory Rites, I confess my venial sins and ask forgiveness in the Penitential Act.  There is always something I can think of about which I regret doing or not doing.  His forgiveness of these sins allows me to start anew.  Thus, recommitting myself to Him and praying, “I am Yours, Lord”, after I am forgiven, time after time, day after day, seems only fitting.

I know that the next time I attend mass I will take to heart the meaning behind the presentation of the gifts. I will sing and I will watch the family who brings the gifts to the altar.  But, I will also offer a prayer to Jesus that he accepts my gift, the gift of my heart, and my commitment, again, to allow His will to be done.

I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling, that many who have gone to church day in and day out their entire lives probably do just like I have done – use this time during the presentation of the gifts to sing (or not) and let their minds wander. Won’t you join me, instead, to recommit and imagine that it is our hearts which are being laid at the base of the altar?

“Lord Jesus, I give You thanks for Your forgiveness as I offer You the gift You truly desire, the gift of my heart. I pray for the grace that one day I will not have any sins of commission or omission to confess, knowing that I have allowed Your will to be done.  Amen.”

(Giving Your Heart was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2016 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 Big Stuff

06 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by in Faith

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holy-eucharistI don’t know if it’s just the time of year, or the change in the weather, or some straggling ragweed still in the air, but I felt puny all last week. I decided to take Friday off and I made a 9:15 a.m. appointment to see my doctor.  On Thursday night before bed I told my wife that I was looking forward to sleeping in an extra hour or two.  Then she asked me if I would like to go to 7:30 a.m. mass with her, something I never get to do because of my work hours.  I replied I would be glad to, but then thought to myself I need to change that “hour or two” of extra sleep to just one hour.

Melinda woke before me on Friday morning and was already down stairs when I rolled out of bed. We met up after I showered and dressed and, unlike every normal work day, I had a chance to give her a big hug and good morning kiss.  I growled, “I love you”, in my broken voice that was about two octaves lower than normal.  Melinda replied, “You don’t sound too good!”, to which I said, “I feel great, I got an extra hour of sleep and I’m getting to hug you this morning.  My day is starting off fabulously!”  She responded, “Boy, it just takes little stuff to get you feeling good.”  I didn’t tell her but I thought, “No, darling, this isn’t little stuff.  This is big stuff.  This is why I decided I’m going to retire.  These little moments of intimacy are the big reward.  They’re what makes life worth living.”

We went to mass and got there a couple minutes late. I seldom get to go to weekday masses and always get a little confused with the slightly abbreviated version as compared to the usual Sunday mass.  In one way I miss the hymns (the people around me probably didn’t miss my singing!) but then without them it gets me to the Celebration of the Eucharist that much quicker.  Receiving Holy Communion is always the high point of my day.  As I accepted the Blessed Sacrament I marveled at how that one little round disk, which just a few moments earlier was simply a wafer of bread, can, with its transformation, transform one’s whole life.  And, then, with a glance towards the crucifix which hung above the altar, I thought, “That’s not just a little round wafer of bread, no, that’s BIG stuff!  Bigger than BIG!  It is truly the body of Christ!”  Upon kneeling back at my pew I gave thanks to Jesus for the unity with Him, for His nourishing my spirit, for His forgiveness of my sins and for the grace to avoid sinning, and for giving me the grace to listen to the Holy Spirit and let it fill my heart with love.  Yeah, that’s real big stuff.  It’s what makes life worth living.

Later that afternoon, I had the opportunity to join a friend to talk about our faith. We meet weekly to share with each other how our prayer life has been going over the last week, what we’ve been doing to study and grow our faith, and what actions we have taken to spread the word of God or bring Christ to others.  We’ve found that this weekly exercise helps us hold each other accountable so that we don’t get lazy in our faith.  It only takes an hour.  To some it may seem like small talk, but to me it’s that man to man time when we can be honest with each other and we know that we can trust the other to help keep us on the right path.  More big stuff.  And, more of what makes life worth living.

I love the big stuff.  How about you?  What’s your big stuff?

“Heavenly Father, thank you for opening my eyes to the big stuff in life and helping me decide to turn away from the things that have kept me from the big stuff. As I move into retirement I pray that I can always keep the big stuff the big stuff.  But, Lord, I know I will lose focus from time to time and I pray you will gently bring me back.  Amen.”

(The Big Stuff was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic.)

©2016 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.