Preparing for Lent - Two

Traditionally Lent has three main components, or disciplines that make up our Lenten observance:   PRAYER <> FASTING <> WORKS OF CHARITY Our experience of life may be thought of in the context of the passage of time. Psalm 90:2 describes it in this way: Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. But the gospel reveals a different vision of our life. Yes, life is a passage through time, and trouble and sorrows do accompany it, and we do fly away in the end, but not into nothingness as the atheists would have it. Our brief few years spent in this tiny corner of the universe are a beginning not the end. "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him-- 1 Cor. 2:9 Self denial and Works of Charity are the outward manifestation of the true character of our religious life, but it is Prayer that is the source and inspiration for our actions. The power we need to live a fruitful Christian life is channeled into our minds and hearts through Prayer. The gospel text for the First Sunday of Lent is the account of Jesus' forty days of prayer in the wilderness. The Spirit takes Jesus into the wilderness, apart from everyone, into an intense experience of prayer, to prepare him for work the Father has sent him to accomplish. Different translation describe it as; Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness <> Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness <> the Spirit impelled Him into the wilderness. Jesus' praying is a dynamic experience, a communion in the Spirit, a dialogue with the heavenly realm - and in this wilderness experience, a personal confrontation with Satan himself. It is in and through this "communion in prayer" that the will - the plan of the Father, is revealed to Jesus. This way of prayer is the model for our own prayer. The Spirit desires to take us into this same dynamic experience and dialogue with the heavenly realm, where we too learn the will of the Father for us. The following are some suggestions in preparation for prayer in Lent

Calendar for Lent	A calendar showing the days of Lent, including the scripture text references for each day, can be a helpful organizer. It helps keep track of any missed days, as well as highlighting days of special insight.
When and Where	Appointing a time and place for prayer protects prayer time from the danger of being swept aside by our many other demands and interests.
Journal	“What just happened?” Prayer is an experience. This means we should be able to describe it as if telling another about our experience. Over time a more coherent understanding of the progress of my spiritual life begins to emerge.
Scriptures	Our primary scripture source will be the daily Lenten texts. Praying scripture is not the same as studying scripture. When someone is speaking to us we want to listen to what they are saying. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”. The principal place for hearing scripture is in the Liturgy of the Word. Another source of both written text and audio can be found on the USCCB web site, on the “Daily Mass Readings” page, which has both audio and written rendering of the scripture for each day. xxx

Preparing For Lent - One

Have a look at Bishop Robert Barron's video on PRAYER Link

Search For Wisdom

7th SUNDAY 2017 WISDOM? It can be said that it is knowledge of truth; knowing the true nature and purpose of things and how interact with them. For centuries people thought the earth was flat but eventually it was discovered that it is round. Every day, science discover new true facts about the workings of this world. We have learnt through medical sciences that prolonged smoking of tobacco can harm one’s health – even cause early death – so a wise person chooses not to smoke. So, what is the wisdom St. Paul is referring to – what is this “wisdom of this world” that he says is not true wisdom? Paul is talking about the wisdom to know and truly understand, who we are, why are we here, what we must do to live a true and successful life in God’s eyes. In Paul’s day, very much like our world today, there were many and contradicting ideas or philosophies about the nature and purpose of human life. In today’s second reading, Paul is talking to the new Christians of the church in Corinth who have believed in Jesus and the true wisdom flowing from his gospel. Accepting and believing in Jesus now shapes their world view. Here, he is warning them not to fall back into there old ways of thinking. o   Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God. Our society today is becoming increasingly a secular society. It is turning away from religious values, religious interpretation and understanding of our world – especially from the Christian world view that has characterized our society. A secular world view suggests that truth does not come from the heavens, it’s whatever we say it is. “Alternative facts, alternative truth.” o   Paul tells us: We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. He goes on: o   Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. . . . .  For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Today, the spiritual mind is clashing with the secular mind. But we must be clear about what this means. It is not that the spiritual mind opposes the truths about this world that science discovers. The question is what we do with this new information. When medical science discovers that an unborn child has a medical condition does not mean that this fact gives licence to abort the child. Wisdom must now inform us what to do. Paul is telling the church of Corinth and us today – be on your guard. We examine ourselves carefully. From where am I acquiring the wisdom that governs my life and the choices I make – from the secular world or from the Spirit? 1 Corinthians 2: 1 When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, 4 and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. 6 Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. 7 Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, 8 and which none of the rulers of this age* knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,and what has not entered the human heart,what God has prepared for those who love him,” 10 this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. 11 Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. 14 Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

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Fire and Water

The Lord has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. Before each person are life and death, good and evil and whichever one chooses, that shall be given. Sirach 15:15 In the Book of Genesis we have the story of creation. First there is the formless planet earth . . .  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters . . . Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and He called the gathering of the water “seas.” Recently I saw a video of an active volcano in Hawaii. It is literally an image of the on-going act of the creation of the earth - the clash of fire and water. The raging, fiery, molten lava rises up out of the fiery abyss, forming new land out of the sea; the sea in turn cools the fiery lava, calming its rage, allowing it now to become "dry land." "The Lord has placed before you fire and water". There is within us the fiery furnace of our passions, spilling out into our conscious lives, intent on consuming all within their path. Only when our passions meet the "waters of truth", are they tamed, and formed into a foundation upon which a rich and abundant life can be formed. And where do these "fiery passions" meet the "waters of truth"? It happens  when one enters into the Practice of Prayer. It happens when at the waters edge we encounter Jesus, who will form and shape our passion for life into a solid foundation upon which a holy and fruitful life can be lived. Think of the Waters of Baptism cascading down over the heart of one who now will be molded and shaped by the Spirit, in the image and likeness of Jesus. Before each person are life and death, good and evil and whichever one chooses, that shall be given.

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Dark Clouds Rising

In Luke we read; Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens. . . . . You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time? Lk. 12:54 How timely is the message of this Sunday's readings as we see dark clouds rising over our society in these days; clouds of intolerance and division. Dark clouds obscure the light, creating an environment conducive for deeds of darkness. As the light of harmony diminishes, how easily we ourselves can be drawn into the shadows of suspicion and fear - yet seemingly unaware of what is happening to us. "Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?" “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." [Gospel, 5th Sunday]

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Fr. Thomas Rosica has an excellent commentary on today's gospel. * * * LINK * * *