Birthday of John the Baptist

This past Sunday the liturgy celebrated the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist. The gospel passage ends with these words: The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. For this meditation, I am going to flip the focus from John in the desert to the desert itself. Living in this part of the world we may not have had a personal experience of being in a desert - of experiencing its stark emptiness, its hostile environment. But pictures of deserts can give us some idea, especially the desert emptiness. For people who have embraced the pursuit of a true spiritual life, the experience of times of aridity will inevitably become part of their spiritual life, and with that a real sense of the desert. When Israel was liberated from bondage in Egypt, they were lead into a desert. There in the desert they were purged of all the contamination they acquired while they were in Egypt. All that was not of the God had to be stripped away so that they could come to know the One True God and learn to serve this God alone. Even as Moses was receiving the Commandments from God, the people were worshiping the image of a golden calf.  How fitting it is then, that John the Baptist carries out his prophetic role in the desert - calling God's people to come out into the desert to be purified in a baptism of repentance.  As preparation to begin his ministry, Jesus is taken by the Spirit into the desert to encounter the Evil One, the Deceiver, there to confirm the integrity of his message of salvation; to counter Satan's lies with the truth of God. Every soul who wishes to live a truly holy life will, from time to time, be lead by the Spirit into the desert, into desolation, so that they too can encounter the Great Liar, and discern how they are being deceived. It is in this desolation that they will be given the enlightenment necessary to be purified of all that is not of God. Thus purified, consolation once again returns, enabling them to continue even more devoutly the pursuit of holiness. For more on this click the label "Discernment" below.

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Model of Faith - Model of Salvation

Entrusting Yourself to Him

Meditation for the 28th Sunday

"Your Faith has saved you." The term leprosy in the new testament, actually referred to any visible skin condition a person might have, including leprosy. People with these conditions were greatly feared as contagious. Anyone showing signs would be quarantined and forced to live in colonies apart from the community. They were required to announce themselves as unclean to anyone with whom they crossed paths. Their living conditions were appalling and a painful death awaited them.  "The Encounter" On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” The text does not indicate exactly what they might have been hoping to get from Jesus. Perhaps they were hoping Jesus might be able to persuade the authorities to let them have better access to the resources of the community to improve their desperate lives. What they received was unimaginable. "The Birth of Faith" And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Faith is the act of ENTRUSTING one's self into the hands of Jesus. Those with true faith live with the certainty that no matter what may come against them in life they are secure in God's providence. God will see them through. People who think of themselves as self sufficient, having control of all that they need for a full and happy life, may see little purpose for faith in their life. That is why Jesus said that it is hard for the wealthy to find their way to the Kingdom. The poor have little blocking their view. While poverty regarding the things of this earth may begin our understanding of what it is to be poor, "poverty of spirit" is where the full meaning of poverty known. The human spirit that lives not in communion with God through faith but relies solely on itself, is in the most retched of all conditions. "Rich In Mercy" Those who pursue a life of prayer quickly realize how highly contagious are the sinful values of the world, corrupting the human spirit like a leprous condition. Only when we are willing to examine ourselves in the light of the gospel will we come to realize how retched our condition has become - then we too will cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on me.” Each new day, through prayer and the pursuit of the spiritual life, our condition is restored to wholeness again.  “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17 In Leviticus Chapter 13 we read . . . “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease." . . . . . The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease." Today, skin diseases are well understood medical conditions. Doctors have replaced priest as examiners and they prescribe appropriate healing remedies.  But the dreaded condition of moral corruption continues to require careful examination and discernment. The Prayer of Examine now replaces Leviticus Chapter 13. but the urgency for its use remains.  ... Prayer of Examine [link] ...

Conscience and the Voice of God

By God's willing it so, we live in a material world that God has designed and created. God also gave us intelligence by which we are able to investigate this material world and to discover its complexity. But what does it all mean? The great minds of religion, philosophy and science, have all pondered this great question through the ages and we turn to them looking for answers. But why not ask the One who created it all in the first place? “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor.2:9 Great minds may be helpful in pointing us in the right direction for our search, but only God knows what he has planned for each one.  But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Cor.2:10 God has a vast vocabulary and can speak to us in many ways. It is the Spirit who translates for us, enabling us to understand the message God is speaking to us.  We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 1Cor.2:12 The more we listen the better we become at hearing and understanding what God is saying to us personally. But if we are not tuned in (prayer of contemplation) we are on our own, trying to make sense of it all. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:14 Speak Lord, your servant is listening.

	Tuning In The Vocabulary of God When and Ways God Speaks
Scripture		Church Teaching	Sacraments
Sense of the Faithful		Inner Peace / Unrest	Prayer / Insight
Devotional Prayer		Spiritual Direction	Lives of Saints
Spiritual Reading		Faith Sharing	True Prophets
Manifestations of Charity		Spiritual Gifts	All Creation

Bishop Robert Barron has an interesting talk on the subject of Hearing God's Voice and the role of conscience.  [ ... Link ... ]

First Sunday of Lent 2016

Each year the gospel for the First Sunday of Lent is the account of Jesus' 40 days and 40 nights of prayer and fasting in the wilderness. It is Matthew, Mark and Luke who record this event, each with a slightly different telling. Mark simple recounts the event without any details of the temptations. At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. Mk 1:12 Here we note that it is the Spirit who is orchestrating this event. It is a contest of influence between Satan and the Spirit. Who's council will Jesus follow. We think back to the book of Job, where a similar contest between Satan and God is allowed to happen to Job, to test his fidelity to God. Satan is allowed to test Job with a series of crisis inflicted on him. Job remains faithful to God. St. Ignatius, in his "Rules for the Discernment" offers further insight into this dynamic of the testing of one's fidelity to God. First, Satan tries to prevent this faith from ever coming alive in a person. Failing this, Satan creates confusion sounding like the voice of the Good Spirit.  The fourth rule: It is proper to the evil Angel, who forms himself under the appearance of an angel of light, to enter with the devout soul and go out with himself: that is to say, to bring good and holy thoughts, conformable to such just soul, and then little by little he aims at coming out drawing the soul to his covert deceits and perverse intentions. How then does one know how to make the correct decisions in order to remain faithful to God? A starting point is following the rules, the directives handed down by sound and tested teaching. This was what guide Israel - the law of Moses - the 613 commandments recorded in Talmud - the negative commandments numbering 365, (thou shalt not) and the positive commandments numbering 248, (thou shalt). But in the gospels, Jesus demonstrates that fidelity to the law is only the beginning. In Luke 10:25 we have the account of an expert in the law, trying to test Jesus.  And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan, how a the Samaritan man helped the man who was injured by thieves, while a temple priest and a Levite, going up to the Temple for service, passed him by, because the rules of the law prevented them from coming in contact with blood and then serving in the temple. When the rich man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responded by directing him to the commandments. But when the man said the commandments he already follows, Jesus responded; “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:18 We do not save ourselves, God's Mercy saves us. What we must do is "... come and follow me." We must have a firm, committed and personal relationship with Jesus - a real and dynamic spiritual life. This spiritual relationship implies listening, learning to hear, to recognize the Voice of the Spirit guiding us through each day - helping us to discern, out of the many voices coming at us, which is the voice of the Spirit. These days of Lent are meant to be an "intensive care", for our mind and heart.  "Speak Lord, your servant is listening." ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: From the VOICES OF LENT SERIES: Part One + Part Two + Part Three From SALT+LIGHT, Fr. Rosica

Crossing the Bridge of Mercy

There is an American saying that goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The opposite side of this saying would be, "It's broke, so fix it."  We are celebrating a special Jubilee Year in the Church, called for by Pope Francis. The origin and character of Jubilee Years can be found in the book of Leviticus 25:8.  “You shall count seven weeks of years—seven times seven years—such that the seven weeks of years amount to forty-nine years. Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month let the ram’s horn resound; on this, the Day of Atonement, the ram’s horn blast shall resound throughout your land. You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.” It was to be a time to put everything back into right order - to rest the land and reestablish all relationship to right order - in other words, to fix it. Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee in the year 1300. His focus was also on right relationship, mainly the relationship between Christians and there God. The penalty for sin is banishment, Adam and Eve were banished from paradise, the Christian banished from heaven. This banishment was reflected in one's banishment from the life of the Church and even one's place in society. But for those who would repent and confess their sin, forgiveness was given and their banishment lifted. Those who have been banished find themselves left outside and facing, as it were, a locked door which barred them from entering. The unlocking and opening of a real door of forgiveness and reconciliation, became a symbol of the grace offered to banished sinners in a Jubilee Year. The symbolic act of opening a Holy Door remains with us to this day. I think another symbol of the consequence of sin is a broken bridge. Bridges are meant to unite, but if they are broken they stand to divide the very ones they were meant to unite. Therefore, broken bridges must be fixed. Engineers tell us that to build a bridge, work must be undertaken from both sides. It would follow that fixing a broken bridge would require the same approach. In the case of broken situations caused by sin, there is also two sides to be considered, one side has to do with the one who sins, and the other side with the One who is sinned against. On the sinner's side, the repair work is called repentance, and from God's side, it is mercy and forgiveness. The motive that moves the sinner to have the brokenness fixed is sorrow for sin and a true desire to be united again with God. God's motive is love, manifested by mercy.  On our side, what is needed is a master "Pontiff" (from the Latin word pontifex, meaning bridge-builder. Later it meant high priest and finally bishop.) And God has given us such a Pontiff in Pope Francis. By the inspiration of God's grace, he has called us into a special Jubilee Year, exhorting us to engage with the Father, in the work of reconstruction, the work of reconciliation through mercy. BE MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER! It is now time for everyone to get to work. No doubt, we all have a stake in both sides. We need forgiveness and we need to forgive.  The Holy days of Lent are soon to begin, a most appropriate time to engage in this work of Mercy. But first we need a plan, a blue to follow.

The observance of Lent has traditionally included the three penitential disciplines of Prayer, Fasting, and Works of Charity. Commentary on each is addressed in the gospel reading for Ash Wednesday. Each one may take on a variety of forms but all are essential for a complete and fruitful experience of Lent. In Prayer, we set our hearts to listening for the Voice of the Spirit calling us out of the security of the world we have built for ourselves, into a place of discernment. Here we are helped to discover what is hindering us from advancing in our spiritual life, holding us back from crossing over into a deeper union with God. From Prayer, we move on to embrace the challenge of Fasting; of letting go of the illusions that we believe make us happy and fulfilled. Self denial goes against all the satisfactions the world is offering. We find ourselves caught in the middle, attracted by the truth and goodness that awaits if we go forward, while still clinging to the comfort and security of the familiar. Finally, if we persevere, we discover another side to a truly fulfilled and happy life. New values motivate us. It is no longer about me, rather it is about we. "... and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2:20 Time to get ready, a crossing lies ahead, there is more to come.

Follow the Voice - 2016

Bishop Robert Barron has an interesting and informative video on listening to the Voice of Providence guiding us through our life. (I might add that it compliments well the purpose that motivated the establishing this blog, Voices) 

Before we put forth a single step into a new day, a destination, as well as a plan for getting to this destination already exists for us. What we need is a strategy for hearing and following the "Voice", as it lays out this plan before us.

Providence speaks to us through many different voices, but the art of listening is taught through prayer - especially the Prayer of Discernment which I have explored many times in this blog. (Insert the word "discernment" in [ Search This Blog ] for a list of links.)

PSALM 139  LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, far too lofty for me to reach. Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light” Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one. You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know. My bones are not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me unformed; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be. How precious to me are your designs, O God; how vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sands; when I complete them, still you are with me. When you would destroy the wicked, O God, the bloodthirsty depart from me! Your foes who conspire a plot against you are exalted in vain. Do I not hate, LORD, those who hate you? Those who rise against you, do I not loathe? With fierce hatred I hate them, enemies I count as my own. Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my thoughts. See if there is a wicked path in me; lead me along an ancient path.

   

The Gates of Hell Shall Not Stop You

… on this rock I will build my church, 

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mtt. 16:18

When you hear the expression "the gates of hell" you think of that place of imprisonment where the souls of the condemned are held in eternal bondage and prevented from ever leaving, held securely by the gates of hell.

But there is another way of understanding the gates of hell - not as gates of imprisonment, preventing escape, but as citadel gates, preventing entry, entry into the great city of this world, the great city to which the Lord is sending his evangelists to bring the truth of the gospel, the Good News of God's Merciful Love and to set people free.

Mark ends his gospel account with what is known as "the Great Commission" - “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons;... Mk 16:15

Jesus makes it clear that he has been sent into the world by the Father to free the world from the bondage of ignorance that constrains it, from the lies and deception that Satan has used to imprison the minds and hearts of all peoples. From the moment Jesus enters this world, the powers of darkness conspire against him to prevent his coming by destroying him. But Jesus breaks down "the gates of hell" and enters triumphantly, first freeing the spirits of the dead held in bondage (1 Pt. 3:19) then entering the whole world through the ministry of the Church which he empowers through the Holy Spirit.

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke 9:1

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Lk. 10:17

By virtue of our baptism, we are all called to be evangelists, "to go out to all the world", and through every form of engagement and communication bring the light of the gospel to all people. Just as certainly as did Jesus, we too will be opposed. The gates of hell will stand against us. 

The face of this opposition may not be as obvious as depicted in the opening illustration. As St. Ignatius teaches in his "Rules for Discernment", our enemy will take on the persona of the "angel of light", appearing to be on our side - a welcoming friend, ready to assist us in our calling. That is why the prayer of discernment is so essential for the evangelist to practice.

It is a mark of the evil spirit to assume the appearance of an angel of light. He begins by suggesting thoughts that are suited to a devout soul, and ends by suggesting his own. For example, he will suggest holy and pious thoughts that are wholly in conformity with the sanctity of the soul. Afterwards, he will endeavor little by little to end by drawing the soul into his hidden snares and evil designs. Rule IV wk. II

The Prayer of Examine helps us stay connected with the "Angel of Light" as we strive to live as a true evangelist in whatever way God's Spirit is leading us. In John 15: Jesus reminds us of the importance of staying connected: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

The following are some links that can help you with the Prayer of examine.

THE PRAYER OF DAILY EXAMINE: Ignatian Spirituality Site. 

The Practice of Prayer - One

Some Reflections

A person enters a room. At first they sit, then stand again. Going to the window they look out, then come back and sit again. A sense of uncertain anticipation prevails. They take out a paper with some notes written down. They stand again, walking around as they go over these notes. They look out of the window again, then return and sit down - speaking to themselves as if rehearsing what they will say. 

There is a knock, one's name is called, as the door opens, and the Other enters, embraces the first without words, then they sit down. The prepared notes are set aside as a sense of calm fills the room. There is a peaceful silence for a time, then the Other begins to speak. 

"Go to your room, composed and waiting, 

and when you are called, reply, 'Speak, LORD, 

for your servant is listening.'” (A paraphrase of 1 Samuel 3:9)

Much has been written and said on the subject of contemplative prayer. However, there is an inherent risk of this turning into a "how to" instruction, which could lead one into thinking it is simply a matter of following a formula and you have contemplation. Contemplation is not something you make happen, it is a gift.

Contemplative Prayer is akin to a meeting. Like any meeting, two separate parties must come together. If one is absent, there is no meeting. The one who prays may be open to this meeting, even longing for it to take place, but nothing they do will make it happen. It happens only when The Other comes, revealing His presence, making it possible for an encounter to happen. 

The following are some quotes with reflections taken from Thomas H. Green S.J., from his book, Opening To God. Here is a link to his opening chapter, recorded on the Ignatian website [LINK - Thomas H. Green S.J. ]

There is an infinite chasm between God and man; man, no matter how hard he tries, cannot come to God -- cannot leap across infinity.(2) He cannot even, as the semi-Pelagians maintained, take the first step in coming to God. God must come to man. He alone can leap the infinite gulf between creator and creature; this is what he did in the Incarnation of Jesus and what he does in the life of every pray-er who truly encounters him. T.H.G. SJ

Fr. Green explores the traditional definition of prayer - "Prayer is the lifting of the mind and heart to God." He points out how this definition taught us that:

that: 

1. God is far beyond our ordinary experience; 
2. prayer entails effort on our part; and 
3. prayer involves both the mind and the heart -- the understanding and the feelings and will -- of man.

He goes on to show how errors in theology lead to thinking that prayer was a product of one's own efforts. He suggests that a better definition of prayer describes prayer as an OPENING of the mind and heart to God. 

My point is simply that Christian prayer is grounded in a very specific conception of God: a personal God who encounters his creatures in love. To return to the catechism definition, the idea of prayer as a raising of our minds and hearts to God seems to me to over stress our own effort and activity in prayer. For some time, I have been suggesting that a better approach would be to define prayer as an opening of the mind and heart to God. This seems better because the idea of opening stresses receptivity, responsiveness to another. To open to another is to act, but it is to act in such a way that the other remains the dominant partner. T.H.G. SJ

Being open implies LISTENING. Learning to pray is learning the art of listening.

Hearing or listening is a good metaphor for prayer. The good pray-er is above all a good listener. Prayer is dialogue; it is a personal encounter in love. When we communicate with someone we care about, we speak and we listen. But even our speaking is responsive: What we say depends upon what the other person has said to us. Otherwise we don't have real dialogue, but rather two monologues running along side by side. I believe that our remarks have carried us a good way toward understanding what prayer is. T.H.G. SJ

Learning to listen implies the need to understand the language the other is speaking. How does God speak to us? Who will teach us the divine language? Only God can. But we can learn much by sharing in the experience of others who have been people of this way of prayer.

To the beginner, there is still a puzzle and a mystery in listening to God. (To the proficient pray-er it is no longer a puzzle, but it will always be a mystery.) Since we never encounter God in the same way we encounter another human being, how do we know when God talks? How do we interpret what he "says" when he does not speak as men speak? How can I respond meaningfully to someone whose coming is always veiled in the mystery of faith? In short, how do I know I am not just talking to myself when I pray? The central purpose of this book is to help to answer these questions -- not in a way that will eliminate the mystery of faith, but in a way that will encourage the beginner to begin and to continue to discover God speaking in his or her own life. T.H.G. SJ

God is not hindered in the choice of ways to speak to us. Perhaps the most common language God uses is the language of the heart. Our hearts are moved and insights arise in our thoughts as he speaks to us. As we progress in this practice of prayer, we see a pattern in these movements and the insights we gain form a coherent grasp of the message. In Ignatian prayer, this is the discernment of prayer. This dialogue, unfolding in our heart and mind, inspiring our response is Prayer. 

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