Bringing Good into Life All of Our Days

 In today's first reading, Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31, the author of this texts speaks about one who finds a worthy wife: "her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life."    And the same can be said of a wife in finding a worthy husband: his "value is [also]  far beyond pearls."  In entrusting her heart to him, she has found "an unfailing prize," one who  "brings[her] good, and not evil, all the days of [his] life."  In both cases, "[c]harm is deceptive and beauty fleeting: the woman  [and the man] who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give [both] a reward for [their] labors, and let  [their ] works praise [them] at the city gates."

In today's world, we are bombarded with examples of persons who could be characterized as opposites of the persons described in this passage from Proverbs.   The important thing, though, is that we listen to the Spirit speaking to us personally in this passage.  Each of us, in Christ Jesus and created in the image of God, is a person whose "value is beyond pearls," beyond diamonds, in fact.  Each of us, through the Spirit within us, through God at work through us, is able to bring good into other people's lives, "and not evil, all the days of our lives!" Good has also been brought into our lives by others, as well! All of us are here on earth for one reason: to bring good to others with whom were live and pray and play! As we pray in the Collect of today's liturgy, it is "full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good."

Faithfulness

 In today's first reading, 3 John: 5-8, St. John affirms those who are faithful in all that they do for others, especially "for strangers."  He encourages them to continue helping  others in ways "worthy of God to continue their journey."   Why?   Because  "they have set out for the sake  of the Name [Jesus' Name] and are accepting nothing from the pagans." Support them John says, "so that we may be co-workers in the truth."

I ask the Lord for the graces I need to grow in faithfulness:

• To my vows as a woman religious
• To my love of the Church and what it asks of me
• To the Sacred Scriptures
• To the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the little things of each day whereby Jesus' Name is praised
• To growing in holiness
• To growing in compassion for others and myself
• To growing in patience with others and with myself
• To helping others in ways "worthy of God to continue their journey"  to their eternal home
• To growing in honesty with others and myself

I asked myself what I need from others in order to remain faithful and the answer within me was: I need love, understanding, forgiveness, encouragement, truth and patience.  Others need those same gifts from me.

Water Flowing from the Temple of God, Which Each Is

 In today's first reading, Ez 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12, Ezekiel is brought to the entrance of the temple and to various other entrances. He sees water flowing out from the temple and is told:  "This water...empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

In today's Gospel, John 2:13-22, Jesus cleanses the temple from those who were using it as a place to sell their products. Jesus, seeing this abuse of the temple,  "made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, 'Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace.'"  The people challenged Jesus and asked Him: "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus says to them in response: "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."  The people thought that they had destroyed Jesus on the cross. But death had no power over Him and three days later He rose from the dead.

On the cross water flow from Jesus' Body, the Temple of God! It is from the water flowing from Jesus' side that we are cleansed, refreshed, restored to health, empowered to bear fruit that will last.  Every day, we have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist, Jesus' body and blood, soul and divinity,  the living Christ and thus our "leaves shall not fade, nor [our] fruit fail...[Our] fruit shall serve for food, and [our] leaves for medicine!"

Truly, everything is of God, for God and exists through God: the water flowing from the temple to which the angel brought Ezekiel, the water we drink every day, the water in our oceans, lakes, rivers; the water in the atmosphere, the water in our very bodies! God/the Cosmic Christ is in all! It is God in us who is the Source by which we are able to restore life, refresh life, heal life in another or within ourselves. It is the Cosmic Christ in us who provides "food" for the journey of faith, who enables us to bear fruit, fruit that will last!

Today's Magnificat!

 Today,  given all that has taken place in the U.S over the past few days, we might pray the following prayer:  

Our souls proclaim Your greatness, O God!

 You have looked with favor upon us, your lowly servants! 

 From this day, we rejoice because You, O God, have done great things for us.

 You have shown the strength of Your arm.

You have scattered the proud in their conceit. 

You have cast down the mighty from their thrones and have lifted up the lowly.

 You have filled those hungering for truth and justice, compassion and integrity with good things.

The rich You have sent away empty. 

You have come to the help of those seeking goodness, justice and humble service; of those wanting leaders who are concerned for all people and are committed to the common good. 

You have remembered Your promise of mercy, the promise You made to our ancestors--our forefathers and foremothers-- forever! 

Thank You from the bottom of our hearts!

Learning How to Live in Humble Circumstances!

 In today's first reading, Philippians 4:10-19, St. Paul shares his secret with them of how to survive in any circumstance of life:  "...I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also  how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through  him who empowers me. Still, it is kind of you to share in my distress."  He also thanks them for being generous with him in the ways that they have shared in his distress, promising them that his  "God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

We certainly are living in stressful times right now as the coronavirus rages in our country and around the world. Many of us have lost loved ones or have, ourselves, contracted the disease. Persons living in assisted living facilities or nursing homes, in most cases, are separated from their loved ones. Family members and friends, in most cases, are not allowed to visit. In the facility itself, residents often find themselves quarantined to their rooms! 

The question we face is:  In what ways are you, am I, relying on God to "fully supply whatever [you or I] need, in accord with [God's] glorious riches in Christ Jesus" to take responsibility for our lives and the lives of others, to the extent that we are able.  St. Paul became self-sufficient in times of scarcity and need. What are you/am I, doing to care for ourselves and others, trusting that God will give us the strength we need to step up to the plate, so to speak!  In times of restriction on our moving about and doing what we normally would do, it is easy to fall into the pit of self-pity and complaining, blaming others for difficulties we might be experiencing instead of engaging in behaviors and attitudes that promote fullness of life for ourselves each day and enhances the lives of those with whom we live!  During this time, may we learn "the secret of being well fed and of going hungry"--hungry for a previous normal, perhaps--"of  living in abundance and of being in need."

Living in abundance, while quarantined, could be achieved by making choices that bring life to others and to oneself:  living a reflective life, that is, taking more time for prayer--personal, communal, liturgical--engaging in spiritual reading and journaling, enjoying creative activities that utilize skills we have developed through a lifetime. Abundant life could also be attained by calling family and friends and community members; responding to correspondence, and, at times,  participating in activities that another suggests for us to relieve stress and build relationships!

All Souls' Day: May our Deceased Loved One Rest in Peace!

Today we celebrate the Feast of All Souls and, rightly so, today's first reading, Wisdom 3: 1-9, speaks about our deceased loved ones.  The author of Wisdom reminds us that they "are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them."  What consolation for all of us left behind! Whatever hardships they endured here on earth, they are now enjoying the peace of the Lord in the land of peace, heaven itself. And we are grateful to the Lord for that!

 We may think of "their passing away [as] an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace." They left us with a heart of "hope full of immortality."    I think of my mother who suffered from years of cancer.  Her leaving young children without a mother certainly seemed like "utter destruction,"  a harsh, cruel fate for a wonderful woman! But cancer or disease of any kind has no feelings, just a way to strangle life out of its victims!  Any kind of death may seem cruel for those left behind but it certainly brings relief to those ravaged by a painful illness.  I pray that God's mercy, love and strength take possession, though,  of each member of a family suffering the loss of a loved one!

The author of Wisdom goes on to say that our loved ones may have seemed to have been "chastised a little,"  but are now,  "greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself."  I thank God for His generous blessings pour out upon our loved ones who, truly, have been "found worthy of himself."  May they rest in peace!

Sealed as God's Servants!

 In today's first reading, Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14, John has a vision of an "angel...from the East, holding the seal of the loving God."  This angel cried out in a loud voice to four other angels who were given authority  "to damage the land the the sea...Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."  Are you, am I, serving God? Are we God's faithful servants or have we abandoned God to serve another who pretends to be God and is jealous of God and of those who are faith to the Lord!  This one does everything possible to lead people astray!  Have you, have I, been led astray? Are we serving wealth/money, material things, consumerism, hedonism, or any other God substitute?