Leftovers

22 Saturday Apr 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections

Tags

Faith, Feeding the 5000, Holy Eucharist, Jesus, John 6:1-15, Leftovers, Living Water, Meditation, Multiplication of the Loaves, Prayer

There are plusses and minuses to being married empty nesters. One positive is saving money on groceries, but an associated negative is the difficulty in preparing meals for only two people. Most recipes are designed for at least four which, when followed, means there are usually leftovers. That can be a problem if you’re one of those people who doesn’t care for leftovers, but for those of us who are fine with them and would rather not waste good food, it can be a really good thing! When you accumulate enough leftovers you get a bye on deciding what to cook from scratch every now and then.

Also, leftovers, like a spicy pot of chili, just get better after they’ve “seasoned” for an extra day or two. Even a pineapple upside-down cake like the one my wife made for my birthday this week just gets better each successive day as the pineapple juice and brown sugar syrup soak into the cake below.

I was thinking about leftovers yesterday morning as I read the day’s scripture during my morning meditation. The Gospel, John 6:1-15, told the story about the multiplication of the loaves and fishes for feeding the five thousand. After instructing the crowd to recline in the grass, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish that they wanted. When they had had their fill He said to His disciples, ‘Gather the fragments leftover so that nothing will be wasted.’ So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.” Jesus’ miracle transformed five loaves and two fish into enough food to nourish and curb the appetites of five thousand people with enough leftovers to repeat again and again.

Taking the bread and giving thanks is a prefiguring of the miracle performed at every mass when, at the epiclesis, the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit and consecrates the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. In receiving the Blessed Sacrament, we are at a feast and being fed with all the graces we need to live Holy lives.

But, we are also nourished and sated by the Word of God in Scripture. When we pray and meditate daily on the life of Jesus in the Gospels, we are lovingly fed with as much as we can eat in one sitting. We are given exactly what we need for that day to be virtuous souls. Our job is to listen to and savor His Word, swallow it by relating it to our lives in the present moment, and then digest it by resolving to apply what we hear to living in a more virtuous way. Then, we simply have to return to the table and repeat each and every day to partake in the perpetual and eternal leftovers. No worries about not getting enough, about eating too much, or the food spoiling. There will always be another full and satisfying meal the next day. And, just as day-old chili gets more flavorful, and pineapple upside-down cake gets more moist, each “meal” just gets better!

Jesus will always give us enough to nourish our souls if we invite Him, through prayer, into our hearts to feed us. What nourishment do you need today? Sit at the table, partake of the meal, savor each bite, and rejoice that there are enough leftovers for all the days to come.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for slaking my hunger by feeding me with Your Word, and for quenching my thirst with the Living Water, Your Son, Jesus. I know through faith that You will never let me go hungry as long as I keep returning to the table through prayer and the Sacraments. Amen.”

(Leftovers 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.

Our Father Who Art in Heaven…

08 Saturday Apr 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Faith, Prayer

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Faith, Holy Saturday, Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Prayer, RCIA, The Lord's Prayer, The Our Father

Holy Saturday began busily this morning as I arose and left home early for an 8:00 a.m. appointment with a gentleman at a local coffee shop/patisserie for our monthly spiritual mentoring discussion. I let him know ahead of time that I needed to wrap it up around 9:20 at the latest so that I could make it back to our parish church by 10:00 a.m., for the final rites and practice for tonights Easter Vigil Mass when I will be welcoming a friend, whom I am sponsoring, into the Catholic Church.

I arrived at the coffee shop early so that I could get my daily morning prayer and meditation in before my friend (let’s call him Wilbur) arrived. Fortunately for me, I was able to read the Gospel and quickly formed a resolution for the day because Wilbur also arrived early. He got a coffee, and I warmed up mine, and we set about talking about what’s happening in his faith life and how we can grow closer to our Lord. As always, it was a fruitful discussion.

Time always flies by quickly when we’re in deep conversation and when I checked the time it was 9:20 already. We began to wrap it up and then said our closing prayer and a Hail Mary with intentions for many out there who need help. As we stood and began to walk away from our table, a woman sitting directly behind Wilbur caught our attention and said with a smile, “It is so refreshing to see men praying together! You just made my day!” Then, a woman sitting alone at an adjacent table stood and said, with excitement in her eyes, “I agree! What a blessing to see men sharing their faith in public! Thank you!”

We were kind of caught by surprise. Wilbur was the first to reply and said that he was there receiving spiritual direction. Me, all I could think to say was, “Thank you! You just made our day by noticing and saying something to us.” We chatted for a while and I learned that the second woman was a minister at a small church. Eventually, conscious of the time and needing to get going, I asked if they would like to pray the Lord’s Prayer with us. They did, and we prayed, and, feeling sure that they were Protestant, I remembered to add, “For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen”, to our normal recitation of the Our Father.

Wilbur and I said our goodbyes and as I got in my truck I realized it was 9:40 already. I also knew, after having made this trip several times in the opposite direction, that it was at least a 30 minute drive considering all the traffic lights I had to pass through. I was compelled to say a prayer of thanksgiving for the encounter with those ladies, and, even though I would be late, a prayer of trust that I would not arrive at church excessively late.

I made the first three major intersections on green lights. I had a few miles then on the interstate where I blew past a state trooper at least five miles over the speed limit. As I checked my rearview mirror I was relieved that he didn’t pull out after me. After exiting the interstate I passed through the next four lights on green. The eighth traffic light had me stopped for about ten seconds and the ninth light was green as I passed through it. I walked into the church at 10:01.

The final rites this morning for the Elect coming into the Church tonight include the Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer, the Recitation of the Creed, and the Ephphetha Rite. After standing and praying the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father) together, we were asked to meditate on what it means to us.

As I repeated the prayer in my head, I thought, “‘…Hallowed be Thy Name…’ – I praise you and thank you, Lord, for that encounter with those ladies at the coffee shop, and for getting me to the church on time!”

I continued with, “‘…Thy will be done…’ – Lord, it was Your will that enabled that encounter, and Your will that caused all those traffic lights to be green.”

And I ended with, “‘…And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…’ – Lord, thank You for the faith to trust in You and not be tempted to be anxious about things out of my control. Amen.”

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the many blessings You bestow on me and all Your faithful. Thank You for the courage to express my faith in public and for the graces received when noticed by others. Thank You for the gift of trust in You. And, thank You for the gift of Your Church and for all those who will be baptized and initiated into the Catholic Church tonight. Amen.”

(Our Father Who Are in Heaven… was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Have Faith and Possess Life

27 Friday Jan 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Faith, Trust

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Faith, Heb 10:34, Heb 10:39, Mark 4:30, Mark 4:32, Matthew 11:25, Prayer, Psalm 37: 39, Psalm 37:40, Romans 8:23

(A reflection on today’s scripture passages: Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40; Mt 11:25; and Mk 4:26-34.)

In today’s first reading from Hebrews, we are reminded to not become discouraged and lose hope when we are afflicted by various sufferings. Rather, we should joyfully accept them knowing that God’s love for us, in the present and eternally, is a better and lasting possession¹ if we keep confident and endure to do the will of God.

Scripture is God speaking to each of us. Meditating on His words today reminded me of how badly I stink at suffering, of how it is so much easier to complain about physical ailments, complicated relationships, and, in general, simply not getting my way, rather than finding joy in spite of those situations. Then, in the Holy Spirit’s fashion, He didn’t let me dwell on that very long. He spoke to me with some examples to follow by placing on my mind and heart the sufferings of three close friends: Harry, Larry and Andy.

Harry has lung cancer. He endured a series of chemo and radiation treatments and the doctors thought they had it corralled. But, it came back and he’s now going through a second round. Harry’s faith is enduring. He continues to attend daily mass on mornings when he’s able and his compromised immune system is less vulnerable to catching something from the rest of us. He is always cheerful and, as much as we long to give each other a hug, there is a ton of love in each fist bump.

Larry has skin cancer. He’s been told he has a couple years of life left…here on this earth. But, Larry has a trust in God like nobody I’ve ever seen. He knows from the bottom of his heart that he is in good hands no matter the physical prognosis, and finds strength in the hope of everlasting life with the One Who loves him more than anyone else in the universe. I know this from the smile on his face and the joy in his eyes I see every time we meet.

Andy was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. With treatment he might make it through the summer. I had breakfast with him and his wife a couple weeks ago. He was as upbeat and jovial as he’s always been. You’d never know he had a struggle in the world. Andy is a hard worker, and his state in life is to provide for his family. I know he will continue to do his best in that role until it is physically impossible for him to do so.

Harry, Larry, and Andy. Three men who are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.² Three men who, through their love of God and faith in Jesus, are examples to the rest of us. They are humble and childlike³ before God They know that all things work for good for those who love and trust in God.⁴ They are like mustard seeds, which have put forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky (the rest of us) can dwell in its shade.⁵ They bring the Kingdom of God⁶ to the rest of us so that we can find comfort and strength. They model the idea that their salvation is from the Lord; He is their refuge in time of distress. And the Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.⁷

Harry, Larry, and Andy. I pray for them, and every person who is struggling with a terrible disease, each and every day. Will you join me?

“Good and gracious God, thank You for placing good and holy men like Harry, Larry, and Andy in my life. Reassure them, please, that their struggle is not in vain, that through their faith in Your mercy and grace, there will be goodness result from their trials. Help me, Jesus, develop the trust in you that they have. For them and for all the faithful, let the Church pray. Amen.”

(Have Faith and Possess Life was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Hebrews 10:34, NAB
Hebrews 10:39, NAB
Matthew 11:25, NAB
Romans 8:23, NAB
Mark 4:32, NAB
Mark 4:30, NAB
Psalm 37:39b, 40, NAB

From the Archives: Be Like Pope Saint Fabian

20 Friday Jan 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer, Saints

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Tags

Faith, Holy Spirit, Pope St. Fabian, Prayer, Resolutions, Word of God

Pope St. Fabian, stained glass window from the choir loft of St. Gratien church, Haussaire, Val d’Ouse, Ile de France, France, artist unknown.

When I complete my morning meditations I usually like to read about the lives of the saints who are celebrated on that day. Today is the optional memorial of Pope St. Fabian. As I read about his life, and especially about how he was chosen to be Pope, I thought how it all seemed familiar. I wondered if I had written about him before and, sure enough, I had, one year ago today. His is a fascinating story, and the message in my post from a year ago is still true. I thought it would be worth revisiting.

Today is the feast day of Pope Saint Fabian who was chosen as the 20th pope in 236 A.D., and who died as a martyr in 250 A.D.

St. Fabian’s story is an interesting one. Fabian was a layman farmer who happened to travel into Rome on the day a new pope was being elected to replace Pope Saint Anterus, who, after serving 40 days in his office, had been martyred. Fabian wandered into the crowd which had assembled to select a new pope and suddenly a dove flew in, descended, and landed on Fabian’s head. The gathered clergy and laity saw this, considered it a sign that the Holy Spirit was anointing Fabian, and unanimously chose him to be Pope by acclamation. As Pope, Fabian helped bring Christianity to unconverted areas of Europe, fought heresies, worked to extend aid to the poor, and promoted and kept the faith in spite of certain persecution.

Think about that for a moment. What would you have done had you been Fabian? Run and hide? Refuse the appointment? To whom would your refusal be addressed, those gathered or the Holy Spirit? Considering that the person before you had been killed because of his faith – would you have been afraid that, as leader of all Christians, you would meet the same fate?

Or would you have trusted in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that you were being called to serve Him to lead His people? Certainly, Fabian, as a layman farmer, had no outstanding qualifications as a clergyman to justify his calling. But, God knew he was the right man at the right time. I’m sure the phrase, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies those whom he calls” had yet to be coined. Fabian’s faith must have been strong, taking to heart Jesus’ words, “Do not be afraid”, as he placed his trust in God to lead him to do His will, each and every day, to the best of his ability.

Our culture may have evolved to where we don’t look at signs such as a dove landing on one’s head quite the same way. Maybe that was the Holy Spirit’s way of catching people’s attention back then. Today, most of us are literate and can read and, as such, we can receive the Holy Spirit through the sacred scripture of the Bible, God’s written Word, if we ask Him for it. Through His Word, God is speaking to us, each individually, meeting us where we are at that moment, and giving us an idea of how He would like for us to be, or what we should do, to grow closer to Him that day.

These days we don’t have to fear for our lives quite like Fabian and other Christians did in the third century. No, most of our fears revolve around losing worldly things to which we’ve become accustomed: comfort, money and material possessions, power, status, social inclusion, deeply rooted vices, etc. But, when we call upon the Holy Spirit to lead us each day as we hear the Word of God, we are often called to sacrifice one of those things that we hold near and dear so that we can grow in virtue, in holiness, and closer to Him.

Today, read or listen to the Word of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart so that you can hear what God is asking of you today. If His will for you is to lose a bad habit or make a change in behavior, ask Him for the strength and courage to make the change. Maybe He’s asking you to love someone more. Trust that He is asking these things of you because He wants you to be closer to Him, that He wants you to find joy and happiness which you can only find in Him. Then, resolve to carry out His will.

Be like Pope Saint Fabian.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the desire to spend time with You in silence and solitude each day, to read Your Word, and to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and for the grace to do Your will with courage and trust. Amen.”

(Be Like Pope Saint Fabian 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.

The Sweetness of the Word in a Sour World

19 Saturday Nov 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Catholic Moral Teaching

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Cultural Immorality, Faith, Grace, Jn 10:27, Lk 19:45-48, Prayer, Ps 119:103, Rv 10:8-11

In today’s Scripture there seemed to be a common thread of how sweet the Word of God is to the faithful. In Rv 10:8-11, we read about the angel handing John the scroll (the Word of God) and ordering him to “Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.” The prospect of heaven is sweet, but the suffering we experience on our way there can be upsetting.

In today’s Psalm, Ps 119:103, we read, “How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

In the Alleluia, Jn 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Sheep are comforted by the words of a trusted shepherd.

And in the Gospel, Lk 19:45-48, the chief priests, scribes and Jewish leaders sought a way to put Jesus to death after he exercised His authority and cleansed the temple by driving out the money changers – “but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on His words.” Jesus was feeding the people with something far sweeter than anything the Pharisees had been providing!

A new prophet was in town. Not just any prophet, but the one the people were calling the Messiah! Don’t you know this drove the Jewish leaders crazy! They were being ignored. They were losing control. Jesus was a threat to their power.

Not much has changed in two thousand years. World political leaders have consistently been frustrated over Christians who choose to follow Jesus, the Word of God, rather than capitulate to the philosophies and cultures they try to impose. Today, you don’t have to travel away from home to experience the sour stomach effects of what’s being shoved down our throats: abortion up to and including the moment of birth, rampant promotion of transgenderism and euphoric celebration of the LGBTQA movement, the redefinition of marriage, the erosion of religious freedom and hosts of other misguided policies that tear down accepted morality and the institution of the family in the pretense that government knows best.

Making it particularly difficult for us Catholics are the various leaders within our government who claim to be devout Catholics yet are on the front lines of promoting these immoralities. Faithful and humble believers are a threat to their agenda, a pain in the rear to the pride that drives their desire for power and control. Desperate people do desperate things and theirs are true acts of desperation. Their level of frustration with all of us who follow the voice of our Good Shepherd must be reaching a crescendo because, from all observations, they are working hard to do the devil’s work.

We must remember to let the evil born of their frustration be theirs and theirs alone. As virtuous Christians, the Church Militant, we receive through prayer the grace to take these issues which we don’t like and haven’t chosen and work to peacefully change what we can. But, for those issues out of our control, we need to pray for that same grace to live lives of virtue, maintain interior peace, and hang on His words – the only medicine that will soothe the indigestion of life and transform our frustration into acceptance that all will be well for those who love and trust Jesus.

Let it be Jesus to whom we listen! Let it be the sweetness of God’s Word we savor rather than the immoral philosophies of the misguided leaders of the world. We will be victorious and it will drive them crazy!

“Lord Jesus, Your sweet words hold the promise of everlasting life. I pray for the conversion of all misguided souls. And, I pray for the grace to be an effective disciple maker, to help change the world by feeding hungry souls on the sweetness of Your Word. Amen.”

(The Sweetness of the Word in a Sour World was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

St. Anthony of Padua – Patron Saint for the Recovery of Lost and Stolen Items

15 Wednesday Jun 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Saints

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Intercessory prayer, Lost items, Patron Saint, Prayer, St. Anthony of Padua

Monday was the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, a Portugese Franciscan friar who died at the age of 35 in the year 1231 in Padua, Italy. He was a holy priest, loved by everyone and known for his preaching, knowledge of scripture, and care of the sick and homeless. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in less than a year after his death. He is considered the patron saint for the recovery of lost and stolen Items.

Yesterday I decided to invoke his assistance.

There’s been some strange and mysterious stuff going on around my house lately. Too many things have come up missing. I don’t understand it and I can’t explain it but something’s going on. I need St. Anthony’s help.

Monday night we had a tremendous storm roll through our area with intense lightning, heavy rain, and unbelievably strong straight-line winds. It only lasted a half hour or so but it knocked out our power and downed one large maple tree and broke two others in half. I do not own a generator so we ate dinner by candlelight and then went to bed when it got dark.

We awoke yesterday morning with still no power. I wanted to reach out to friends to see how they fared but my cell phone was almost dead and, with no power, I had no way to recharge it. So, I went to my vehicle to plug my phone into the car charger but it was nowhere to be found. I have an identical charger in my wife’s car so I went to plug it in there. Again, no car phone charger. Both gone. An hour later I picked one up for $30.00 at a department store which fortunately had power.

Monday, I was sanding down a table top in preparation for refinishing. There was a small crack in the oak top which needed filling with a little wood putty. I went to my storage cabinet where I thought I had a tube of putty purchased last year for another project but it was nowhere in sight. I’d used a quarter teaspoon of putty out of that tube and now it’s gone. Six dollars later I had a new tube.

Last week I lost two pair of reading glasses. I have searched every room in the house and garage to no avail. I have (had) about six pair laying around but these two were my favorites.

The week before I lost a fairly new pair of sun glasses. They were in my truck and I moved them to my wife’s car and now they’re in neither place. Gone.

That same week I lost a spoon and fork that belonged to a friend who left them at my house. One day I had them and was going to take them to his house but something else came up and I didn’t get to deliver them. The next day when I went to take them to him, they were gone.

A few days before that I changed the oil in my truck. I have a long-nozzle funnel which I need to add new engine oil. I use it for this one purpose only and keep it with the other items I need for changing oil but it, also, had disappeared.

I don’t know what’s going on but it’s getting frustrating. I don’t have any children at home to hide my stuff, and nobody’s asked to borrow anything. Maybe I’m losing it? As you read this, does it sound like I’m getting feeble minded? Is forgetting where one puts things the first phase of dementia? I’m at my wit’s end. It’s time to invoke St. Anthony.

“O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me the return of the above mentioned items. O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.”

(St. Anthony of Padua – Patron Saint for the Recovery of Lost and Stolen Items was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Ask and You Shall Receive

28 Saturday May 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Charity, God-moments, Grace, John 16:23-28, Love, Prayer

(A reflection on the Gospel of John 16:23-28)

One night a week or so ago I didn’t sleep well and I woke up groggy and too late to go to 7:30 morning mass. In fact, I barely had time to get my act together and make it to 9:00 mass at another parish. I didn’t have time for my morning meditation and, because of the slew of errands i I had to run during the day, I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit it in until my Adoration hour that evening. So, my resolution for the day was the standard I use in situations like this: “Heavenly Father, grant me the grace to recognize and act on the opportunities you present to me today to be charitable to others. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

My first stop after leaving mass was the grocery store. As I pulled into the parking lot the skies opened up and it began to pour down rain. I decided to wait it out and lay my seat back and take a little nap until it stopped raining. I checked the clock to see what time it was and then closed my eyes. Three minutes later, just as I was about to doze off, I heard a knocking on my window. There, looking me in the eyes with her nose almost touching the glass, with either rain or tears running down her cheeks, was a young woman asking, “Sir, my car won’t start, would you mind giving me a jump?”

I immediately replied, “I don’t have any jumper cables” (which was the truth), to which she responded, “I do!”. I couldn’t very well say we should wait until it stops raining since she was already soaked to the bone, so I agreed to help her.

The shopping cart corral was between her car and mine so I pulled out and maneuvered my truck close to her little sedan. By the time I got my hood opened I was already sopping wet. The young woman pulled her jumper cables out of her back seat and they were the shortest set of cables I’d ever seen, only about three feet long and they wouldn’t reach my battery. I repositioned closer to her car, reopened the hood and connected the cables, which barely reached, and soon we had her car started. As I disconnected the cables and closed the hood, she politely told me, “Thank you.”

I got back in my truck and pulled back into my parking spot. As I watched her pull away I realized the extent of my sogginess. I started to complain when it hit me that I had received exactly what I’d asked for, a chance to be charitable to someone else. I looked upwards and, with a chuckle, prayed, “Lord, you didn’t waste any time, did you!” In my imagination I could hear God, with a chuckle in His voice saying, “You asked for it so I gave it to you. Thank you, my son”, to which I replied, “You’re welcome….and thank You!”

This memory came back to me as I read today’s scripture. In today’s Gospel, John 16:23-28, Jesus tells us that “whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give it to you….ask and you will receive so that your joy will be complete.” This was nearly the last thing Jesus said to His disciples before He was arrested. It was His last request to His friends. He had told them He was going away but He would send the Advocate to be with them in His absence. He wanted them to know that He wasn’t leaving them alone and if they trusted in Him they would still find joy no matter what.

Jesus wants us to trust Him, too. He wants us to know that His Spirit is with us all the time and all that we have to do is call upon Him and ask Him for what we need. We please Him immensely when our request is for something good, something that is in line with making us like Him, something that leads us toward holiness.

If our request is for something that is not good, we might get what we ask for or we might not. We might get it to teach us a lesson, or we might not get it because we’ve sold ourself short and He’ll give us something even better. The important thing is to ask Him, to include Him in our daily lives, to trust that His generosity will provide the best for us and that it will complete our joy.

How often do you ask Him for help?

“Lord Jesus, I know that I don’t ask You for Your help nearly enough. You’ve told me that, without You, I can do nothing. I need to take that to heart and spend more time asking You for the good things in life like: loving my family and neighbors as they deserve to be loved, being more virtuous, and loving You more dearly by spending quality time with You in prayer. Come, Holy Spirit! Amen.”

(Ask and You Shall Receive was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

The Good Shepherd

10 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Faith

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Jn 10:1-10, Prayer, The Good Shepherd

Yesterday’s Gospel, Jn 10:1-10, brought back memories from long ago. Like 53 years ago when I was 12 years old living in the small village of High Ham, Somerset, England. My friend, John, a year older than me, lived a few hundred yards down the road. John and his family were dairy farmers with a fine herd of Holstein cows. And, they had a large flock of sheep which they raised for the wool. I spent every moment I could down on John’s farm helping with anything his dad would let me. I learned to milk and feed cows, deliver calves, shovel manure, cut, bale and pitch hay, drive a tractor and a car, and herd and shear sheep.

To the best of my recollection, I enjoyed every aspect of it – some more than others. Perhaps my least favorite was herding the sheep. I think I preferred shoveling manure to messing with those unruly critters. Driving the flock from one pasture to another was always a challenge. If one sheep got a notion to jump through a hedge or over a low spot in a rock wall into someone’s yard, they all followed the leader. I did not have what it took to herd sheep. But John, he was the good shepherd. He had the knack. When he was herding them down the main road through the village they were perfect darlings. He loved those fluffy ovines and they loved him. He treated them gently and kindly, and spoke to them softly. With John, they were happy sheep. Me, I just wanted them to do what I wanted them to do – go from point A to point B without detouring to points C, D, E and F along the way. But, they wouldn’t listen to what I had to say.

In the 53 years since then I’ve learned that people can be the same way. We know who loves us and who doesn’t, who cares for us and who has our best interest at heart. Just like sheep, we can sense the difference between someone who is loving, caring, and sincere, and someone who is trying to control us for their own purposes. We become friends with the former and turn our backs on the latter.

Or not. Some folks decide they don’t need any help making it through life. They can do it on their own. Wander where they will with no concern for anyone else. They’ll jump the hedge when something spooks them, and poop in someone else’s yard and think nothing of it. Their actions are driven by fear, or because it feels good, or because it’s convenient, or to simply show they can. But, they’re never really happy.

Still others let other people lead them to places they shouldn’t go, and they blindly follow. Often these are unhealthy relationships based on false love. Some idolize entertainers, politicians, or athletes thinking happiness will be found if they can be like them.

For my part, since I began to follow Jesus ten years ago, I’ve learned that no one loves and cares for me more than He does. It’s His voice I listen for each morning as I sit in the solitude and silence of my daily meditation, conversing with Him, asking Him what His will is for me each day. He is my Good Shepherd. I know where He is leading me, to heaven, and I want to get there virtuously without detouring and ending up in other places that He doesn’t want me to go. Why? Because I hear His voice and follow Him out of love. It’s where I find true happiness.

To whom do you listen? Is it the Good Shepherd? Or is it the harsh and demanding voice of today’s world that invokes anxiety; or the inviting call of pride; or the sexy but illusory whisper of self-pleasure that beckons you?

“Lord Jesus, You are my Good Shepherd. I find peace and consolation each day knowing that You are watching over me, that You know what is best for me, and that You will lead me there. All I have to do is listen to and follow You. Amen.”

(The Good Shepherd was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Are You Prepared for Lent?

26 Saturday Feb 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Lent

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Almsgiving, Fasting, James 5:9-12, Lent, Mark 10:1-12, Prayer, Three Pillars of Lent

Last summer my wife and I remodeled our kitchen and half of the first floor of our house. Well, actually, we hired a contractor to do the work. But, there were a few things I reserved for myself. Before construction began we moved everything we could into the garage except for major furniture items which we moved to the basement. After work was completed we moved the furniture back into the upstairs. The stuff in the garage…well, it’s still there.

Another task reserved for myself with the idea of saving a few bucks was painting an accent color on a four by seven foot wall in our living room. It’s now been seven months and it’s still not painted.

My wife occasionally, and patiently, asks me if I’m ever going to get these things done. My response has been, “Yes, dear, you don’t have to remind me every six months!”

These things came to mind while reading yesterday’s scripture passages. In the first reading from James 5:9-12, we are cautioned to keep our promises, to “let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’”.

In the Gospel, Mark 10:1-12, Jesus and the Pharisees debate whether divorce is permitted in marriage. In a nutshell, Jesus makes it clear that with marriage, a promise is a promise, and it can’t be undone through simple justification for convenience sake.

It is four days before the start of Lent and most of us are considering what promises we will make during Lent. For many, those promises will consist of giving things up, especially food and drink such as quarter pound burgers, chocolate, caffeine, and beer for 40 days.

But, Lent is about more than giving things up. It’s about preparing our soul to receive the glory of our Risen Lord at Easter. The Church has traditionally suggested three ways to do this: prayer, fasting and almsgiving, often called the Three Pillars of Lent.

The first pillar, prayer, is intended to dispose our hearts and souls to grow in friendship with Christ through conversation with Him. It’s telling Him what is on our hearts and with what we are struggling. It’s giving thanks for all we’ve been given and asking His assistance when we know we can’t do something ourselves. It’s listening to His response, His message about what His will is for us, and then resolving to take action on those inspirations. That resolution in itself is a “promise” which we then fulfill.

The second pillar, fasting, may include the challenge of giving something up, something difficult that will stretch our efforts. But, that’s not the whole deal. It’s more about clearing space in our soul for Jesus. It’s rooting out the unnecessary stuff that takes up room and crowds Him out of our life. It’s looking at our poor habits and vices and resolving to change so that God can replace them with virtue.

The third is almsgiving, the component that looks beyond God and ourselves and focuses on those around us. It’s attention to the needs of others and seeing how we can love others as Christ loves us. We may think of almsgiving as throwing a few extra coins in the collection basket, or dropping off a few extra boxes of cereal at the food pantry. Those are good things but they aren’t everything. It’s good to get creative with almsgiving, to do something which, like fasting, stretches us. It’s not just about giving of our treasure, but of our time and talent, too.

Resolutions don’t have to be excruciatingly difficult. Keep them simple but challenging, doable and worthy of your effort.

I’ve never shared my Lenten resolutions because I didn’t want it to appear like a prideful thing. But, this year, I am in hope they will help others use this season to become the person God created them to be. Here are mine:

Prayer – I resolve to spend at least 30 minutes in meditation, reflecting, making a resolution and keeping it, every day without missing a day.

Fasting – I resolve to set aside the comforts associated with idleness and procrastination and be diligent about completing projects around the house.

Almsgiving – I resolve to write a note a day to 40 people whom I love and cherish, letting them know how much they mean to me.

In your effort to grow closer to Christ, the evil one will put obstacles in your path, especially the need to rationalize and justify why you should give up on your resolutions. Do not give in!

“Dear Jesus, You sacrificed everything for me. This Lenten season, help me to make sacrifices that will make room for You in my life. Amen.”

(Are You Prepared for Lent? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

From the Archives: Groundhog Day

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Virtue

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Groundhog Day, Holiness, Malachi 3:1-4, Meditation, Prayer, Refinement, Vices, Virtue

Happy Groundhog Day! I don’t know how it is where you live but if Punxsutawney Phil lived in Southwest Ohio, he would not have seen his shadow this morning! We are facing the worst winter storm of the season with predicted ice accumulation and several inches of snow on top of that.

The weather forecast made me think of one of my favorite movies, Groundhog Day, and I remembered that I had previously written a post with that title. Turned out it was from one year ago and it was a reflection connecting today’s first reading from the prophet Malachi (Mal 3:1-4) with the plot of the movie. I re-read it and thought its message was worthy of reposting. Thank you for taking the time to read it. I hope its message will help you in your spiritual life.

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It’s been two days since the world’s most renowned groundhog, Punxsutawny Phil, popped out of his burrow and saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. (For my international readers who are unfamiliar with Groundhog Day, go hereto learn more). Personally, I can’t make it through the second day of February each year without thinking about the 1993 movie, Groundhog Day,one of my all-time favorites, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

In it, actor/comedian Murray, plays the part of Phil Connors, an abrasive and self-centered television weatherman who is sent on assignment along with his producer and cameraman to cover the annual Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania. During the festivities, Phil records his news report on the celebrated groundhog’s prediction with all the contempt for the “rat” (and the people of the town) that fits his egotistical personality.

In a kind of karma, Phil and team are forced to spend the night in the small town because of a severe winter storm which he failed to predict. The following morning, Phil awakes in his hotel room bed and discovers it is February 2nd all over again, a deja vu which only he experiences. Then, every morning afterwards, for what seems like a lifetime, he wakes at 6:00 a.m. to the same song on the radio only to find it is still February 2nd.

As the film progresses, Phil’s life progresses from denial to rebellion to despair and then finally to acceptance of his situation. With acceptance, he learns to replace his pride with humility, his lust with love, and greed with generosity. He learns the importance of beauty in life and placing others before himself. In a sense, he is being refined each and every day that he is stuck in the seemingly endless time loop which only he experiences. In the end, when he finally experiences the true meaning of selfless love, he wakes up one morning and it is February 3rd.

On Tuesday as I was reading the daily Scripture during my daily meditation I thought of this movie again. For the last four years I have hi-lighted in yellow pencil the passages I have read each day, and underlined in red those phrases which the Holy Spirit put on my heart that day. And, next to each, in pencil, I have written the date I meditated on that passage. I’ve now been doing this long enough to see that I’ve read that same passage on or about the same date in a previous year.

Many Catholics don’t know that the Church repeats the daily readings on a two-year cycle for weekdays, and a three-year cycle for Sundays. I knew this and always thought it was simply an effective way to read almost the entire Bible over a three year period. But, on Tuesday, I saw it differently.

In the first reading from Scripture that day, I read in Malachi 3:1-4, “For He will be like a refiner’s fire…” so that their offerings, “will please the Lord.” It struck me that the only way we can grow in holiness is to continually be refined; that our purpose on earth is to be refined to the point where our final offering will, indeed, please the Lord and we will be united with Him in heaven.

As Catholics, we don’t wake up to the same song every morning like Phil did, but our two or three year cycle does give us the opportunity to grow in holiness and virtue every day.

For one who does not spend time in daily meditation listening to the Word of God and asking what His will is for them every day, it can be a difficult journey. Without prayer and trusting in God to help, you can easily do like Phil, that is deny, rebel and despair when life doesn’t seem to get any better. But when you spend time daily in conversation with Jesus and you’re docile to the Holy Spirit, and you accept and take responsibility for your faults and weaknesses, it becomes much easier to resolve to grow in virtue knowing you can trust in Him for help. One day He may show you where your pride is strong and how to replace it with humility. The next day the Word of God may lead you to growing in love and charity and away from lust or selfishness. Still another day you may decide that you need to be more generous, or less envious, less angry, more grateful, or stronger in your faith. Some days it will seem like you’re stuck in your own Groundhog Day (movie) time loop because you didn’t get it the first time…or the second. But, with each conviction, you can resolve to become better in a particular aspect of your life every single day until your vices have been refined into sustainable virtues that “will please the Lord”.

My goal in life is to become a saint. I want you to become one, too. I would much prefer our refinement take place day by day here during our time on earth than when we have no control of it in Purgatory. Ask the Lord to show you each day how you can grow in holiness, and pray for the grace to resolve to take action daily. Even if they’re just baby steps, they’re still steps forward towards your goal. A lifetime of baby steps will get us there.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for this day and every day that I have to grow closer to You. I pray for the grace to make the most of them by living my life as You would have me live it, with humility, prudence, fortitude, justice, temperance, faith, hope and love. Amen.”

(From the Archives: Groundhog Day was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)