Christ the King and The Two Standards

This liturgical year now comes to a close with the feast of Jesus Christ the King. The figure of a king may not have the same influence on us as in times past. Our experience of political leadership is one of democracy and majority rule. Even so, there arises those persons who seem to personify the values we value most. To these persons we look for leadership and are willing to follow whole heartily. 

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, has a meditation called, The Two Standards. In this exercise of prayer, Ignatius Draws us into a serious examination of who and what is shaping our life's values and where  our allegiances lay. He puts before us Christ and the Prince of Darkness. One will lead us into paradise, the other into eternal darkness and and death. To whom do we entrust the direction of our lives?

To the person who has embraced the practice of prayer and a devout life, the answer may seem obvious. But here a note of caution is advised. Toward well-inattention persons, Satan changes tactics, now appearing as the "angel of light". Seeming to support the choice of a devout life, he employs all manner of deception. With suggestions that may appear to come from God but are not, he will draw the good soul into what is false and away from God's true purpose.

In this exercise of the Two Standards, St. Ignatius guides us to be constantly vigilant of the tactics of the Deceiver, so that we do not find ourselves aligned behind the wrong standard bearer. It is ever so important that we know the Lord, know our enemy, and know ourselves.

This prayer exercise fits so well during this week of the feast of Christ the King. The liturgy of the Church is anticipating the beginning of a brand new Year of Grace; a perfect time to take stock of our faith and devotion to Christ. 

Under Whose Banner Do I Stand?

Jesus Christ the King + I have a strong prayer practice. + I look to the Church for guidance on moral and ethical questions. + I see Sunday Eucharist as indispensable. + Participation in parish life remains a high priority. + I support my faith by Reading, both devotional and instructive.

The Prince of Darkness # I often set prayer aside until I have the time. # I'm inclined to separated faith from public life. # Sunday Mass must fit into today's busy schedules. # Religion is not as important as a good moral character. # The bible is only a product of human imagining.

* * * * * * *

For a more complete study of this subject I have added the following link.

Fr. John Veltri on the Two Standards

My Last Days - A Dress Rehearsal

The end of this liturgical year is drawing to a close. Each liturgical year connects us with the unfolding story of salvation. Beginning with the Promise, made after the Fall, it recounts the events of God's Saving Grace, and anticipates the fullness of time and the coming of the New Heaven and the New Earth - from the First Sunday of Advent through to the triumphant reign of Jesus Christ the King. As the cycle of events is recounted, a new generation is added to its history until all is fulfilled.  

Each person within the greater history of salvation, has their own unique and personal salvation history. It too has a beginning and will ultimately have an end in time. While the ultimate destiny for each individual is to share in eternal life with Christ the King, it can be rejected. Death in time is a certainty for everyone, but their existence continues. Where they will exist, becomes the purpose of the spiritual life.

One of the exercises in the life of prayer is to map out one's own faith journey. This becomes especially helpful for discernment. As you survey the progress of your life of faith, you are able to recognize more clearly those moments when the presence of God's grace was strongest, and God's direction for your life was clearest. Like one ascending to the unobstructed vantage point of the hilltop, you see clearly, from where you have come, and the way to your next destination. If you see that you have deviated from your God-given  coarse, you make the necessary coarse corrections, having a fresh heart and renewed resolve to continue. 

Starting A Personal Faith History Journal

For best results, this exercise should be carefully recorded, and added to, as your journey unfolds. Here is an outline of the main points to help you. A link to a more complete rendering of this subject follows.

• For the most part, a person's life may appear as progressing along a familiar and steady course, day to day. But there are times when that pattern is altered by significant events that break into one's life, often bring about changes. Looking back over your life, do you recognize a similar pattern?

• God's grace is always present, but we do not always recognize that presence, nor are we consciously cooperating with God's grace. But the hand of God may touch our lives at special moments and in convincing ways that awaken us to His presence and grace. These are our "Road to Damascus" experiences, that shape our life of faith. These are key moments to identify, understand and record. They are our compass check points that will helps through the dark times in our faith journey.

• Having such a coherent faith history is particularly helpful when one is facing a decision making time in their life. The rule is, in times of dark uncertainty, one should not change the course of life they have been following. Rather, one referrers back to the last grace-filled time of decision and then prays for the next light of faith to guide them.

One of those, "Road to Damascus" graced moments, occurred in my life when I made the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, at Guelph Ontario, under the direction of Fr. John Veltri SJ.  Father John has published a comprehensive approach to developing a personal faith history, which I highly recommend. Here is a link to his web site. Link To Personal Salvation History

The Measure of a Faithful Christian

Our previous Post was on the Prayer of Examine. As a followup, in this Post I have made a list of 18 positive things that we might use as a measure of how we are doing in our faith life. These are found in Romans Chr. 12: 9-21. Each of these has its own depth of meaning. Taking just one each day and unpacking it will provide an excellent resource for the Prayer on Examine. 

For example, if by "love must be sincere" I understand it as being focused on the good of the other, are my dealings with others motivated by self interest only, or do I see the other person struggling no less than I? Is it just, "tough on them, I have my own problems."

Each of these will yield new insights and new challenges. Very likely you will find yourself saying: "... but wait a minute ...!"

+++++++++   "18"   +++++++++

+ Love must be sincere. 

+ Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

+ Be devoted to one another in love.

+ Honor one another above yourselves.

+ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

+ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

+ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

+ Practice hospitality.

+ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

+ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

+ Live in harmony with one another.

+ Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

+ Do not be conceited.

+ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

+ Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

+ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

+ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is               written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: 

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 + Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Prayer That Guards Our Hearts

Throughout my busy day ......

...... have I kept your Word O Lord?

The beautiful thing about beginning the practice of prayer in our lives is the discovery that God is speaking to us, personally. As we listen, we hear God giving direction for our life; what is right and true and good for us to live by. We begin to follow God's Word and doing so brings a special peace into our hearts.

But then, an unsettling pattern begins to become evident. We find ourselves doing the opposite to what we have received from God. Surprised by this, we recommit ourselves to God's direction, only to see ourselves, again doing the opposite. Troubling indeed, but in this we are not alone. Listen to St.Paul speaking about this.

So the trouble is not with God’s Word, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that God’s Word is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s Word with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s Word, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 8:14 - Paraphrase Translation) (Substituting "Law" with "God's Word") 

When speaking of sin in this context, St. Paul is talking about  that which is the "broken part", of our human condition; that which is imperfect and non-compliant with truth. There are various areas of our being where this brokenness occurs; in our physical body, in our psychological formation, in our wounded emotions, in our negative interactions with others, in our troubled conscience, in a history of failures, in our broken hearts. All of this combined, is what St. Paul calls, "the flesh". We enter life innocent and pure, but soon, all these forces begin to shape us. Our good intention must scale this rising wall of negativity, but for the most part it is unable. "I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate."

The goal of the life of prayer is to scale this wall of negativity and reach true freedom of heart. But in order to do this, I must understand what is working against me. What I cannot overcome on my own, the Lord's grace empowers me to accomplish. "Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord."

Within the rich resource of prayer is a form of prayer specifically intended to support us as we deal with our divided hearts. It is called the Prayer of Examine. In this form of prayer, we look back over the events of our day, to discover the forces, within and without, that shaped our living that day. For those things that drew us closer to the Lord we give thanks. But we are equally intent on recognizing the things that divided our hearts, and interfered with our efforts to be  faithful to the Lord. Our intention is not to accuse ourselves, the Evil One has that covered. We are looking for those places in our lives where the Lord wishes to meet us, so that he can bring his saving grace to heal us and empower us.

In a secular worldview, people look for all manner of excuses for their negative behavior or to put the blame on others. In the prayer of examine, one is ready to except responsibility for their actions, what ever the reason, but most importantly, they seek to understand how, with God's grace, to be an instrument of reconciliation and redemption for that which is broken. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17. The aim of the Christian Life is to become a co-redeemer with Christ. The aim of prayer is to learn how.

The Prayer of Examine

Our lives are lived out in the real world of time and place. It was at this very time, this place, that I did, said, interacted, reacted, or failed to say or do, that resulted in these real consequences. The Prayer of Examine is no less real. It too, must have a time and place in my day to take place. It must be approached in all honesty, for its purpose is to uncover and see; but to see as the Lord sees us.

There are five steps to take in the Prayer of Examine. 

1. Ask God for light. I want to look at my day with God’s eyes, not merely my own.
2. Give thanks. The day I have just lived is a gift from God. Be grateful for it.
3. Review the day. I carefully look back on the day just completed, being guided by the Holy Spirit.
4. Face your shortcomings. I face up to what is wrong—in my life and in me.
5. Look toward the day to come. I ask where I need God in the day to come.

 "Yet how do we hear the voice of God? Our Christian tradition has at least four answers to that question." - See more at: Rummaging for God: Praying Backwards through Your Day

 (For a complete and thorough treatment of the Prayer of Examine, go to the Ignatian Spirituality Site - LINK)

Points to consider:

• This prayer need not be long in time. (10 to 15 minutes is often enough)
• One is not trying to "to strain gnats out of their soup", rather to discover what may be spoiling it - what needs changing in the recipe, to make it better.
• "Know thy self". Life has shaped me into the person I am today. But it is I, that person, that God knows perfectly, the person God accepts into his loving embrace, the person whose future the Lord will reveal.
• Nothing is greater than the hand of God, nothing more perfect than his plans for us.
• We are vessels of clay, now formed by his hands, destined to contain the treasures of heaven.