Tag: prayer

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A Little Help

picture of people helping each other climb a rocky hill

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Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13
Responsorial: Psalm 121:1-8
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102019.cfm

My brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel Jesus tells us the interesting story about the widow who sought justice from an unjust judge. Jesus says, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says,” (Luke 18:6).

And what does the judge say?

“…because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me down,” (Luke 18:5).

Is his motivation really about justice? No, of course not. The motivation is clearly self-preservation at best. But the judge does give us a glimpse into something very important. His motivation is not based on his faith in the absolute truth upon which the Law based, the inspired Word of God. His comment betrays his lack of real faith. This prompts Jesus to conclude the “Parable of the Persistent Widow” with a question: But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8).

But the journey of faith can be difficult. Perhaps a life of hard work can leave a person feeling jaded or cynical. Or perhaps you’ve lived a life filled with chapters you hope are never published. Either way, it’s all too easy to distance ourselves from living a life of faith – from living a life believing in anything other than those things which we define as real for ourselves.

In contrast with this idea, we hear in the first reading the extraordinary story of Israel’s battle against Amalek. Moses believed that as long as he held his arms up holding the staff of God in his hand, Israel would win the day. Indeed, as the battle raged, whenever Moses’ hands were held up, Israel succeeded, but when his arms dropped, Israel suffered. Wow! That’s a story of faith –the belief of the army of Israel that God would stand with them as long as Moses kept his arms up.

Scripture tells us again and again the amazing things we can accomplish with faith – real, absolute, unconditional faith in the God who saves. “Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth,” we hear from our Psalmist today.

But Moses could not keep his arms up without help. Scripture tells us that Aaron and Hur each supported one side of Moses until sunset. By the end of the day, Joshua and the army had indeed defeated Amalek. In the end, their faith, Moses’ faith in God and the army’s faith in Moses and God, saved the day. But what would have happened if Moses didn’t have help?

Help. That may be the most difficult word for some of us to speak. How many of us, I wonder, go through life believing we have to do it all on our own? “…be persistent,” we hear in our second reading from 2 Timothy 4:2. Be persistent like the widow in today’s parable.

But I suggest that one idea from our readings today is a reminder that we are in fact not alone. We are part of a community of believers. So, when our arms are tired, figuratively speaking, and we perhaps desire to take the easy path, let persistence nudge us forward and open us up to ask for help. How can we do this? Well, an accountability group like a Bible study with a group of friends might benefit us greatly. Or perhaps we could turn to a spouse or close friend or family member and ask for help. Of course you may ask me for help either by clicking the contact me button on the website or sending me a prayer request from the website and I’ll gladly help.

And we can pray – pray that God will place us in contact with the right person at the right time to help support our faith. I can’t tell you how many times this has happened in my life and continues to happen – the chance meeting with a person who truly is the answer to a prayer. So, we are encouraged by today’s readings to act with faith like Moses and not with selfish motivations like the unjust judge. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, we are reminded to, “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believe…” (2 Timothy 3:14).

Homework! After being nourished by the Word of God proclaimed and in the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions:

  1. Who are your Aaron and Hur? Who are the people who support you in your faith? Thank God for them!
  2. How can you be an Aaron or a Hur for someone this week?

I think by doing our homework, we can better recognize how God is trying to help us in our journey and how we can help others too. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

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19 Preparing for Lent

picture of dish with ash for ash wednesday

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I can’t believe we’re already talking about Lent, can you? In two weeks, we’ll celebrate Ash Wednesday, so I think this is a good opportunity to start making a game plan for Lent. So where do we begin? Ok, before we begin, don’t get hung up on vocabulary. I’m a Catholic and I’m going to use particular words to describe certain spiritual exercises and practices. Don’t let the ghosts of your past distract you. Think about the concepts I’m laying out and substitute your own vocabulary, then give it a try. If you’re not sure, drop me a comment or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.


Rather that giving something up for Lent, perhaps add something new, like a spiritual exercise or practice? Either way, the point of sacrificing, whether we give something up or we add something, is to help us to stop focusing on ourselves and our lives so that we can focus on Jesus.

Beginning a new spiritual exercise or practice can be uncomfortable. But that’s true for anything new we begin, right? If we start a new diet and exercise program, we can experience some discomfort, soreness and maybe some concern about the time it takes.

The same things can happen in our spiritual life. It might be a little uncomfortable in the beginning, it might even hurt a little, but you work through it to reap the benefits, right. Just like in our physical health, all it takes is a little sacrifice.

Okay. A word about sacrifice. The wife of a friend of mine told me this story. She was born and raised in England, and when she was a teenager, she and her family had the opportunity to listen to a talk given by St. Teresa of Calcutta. After the talk, she was even able to personally visit with Mother Teresa. She was so excited she wanted her father to meet her. So, she bounded like Tigger over to her father as only an excited teenager can do and she pulled her father over to Mother Teresa. As her father approached, he quickly pulled his checkbook, scribbled out a check and handed it to Mother Teresa. She folded the check and put it in her pocket. He asked, “Aren’t you going to look at it?” She told them, “Thank you for your gift, but obviously it didn’t mean much to you, so it probably isn’t going to mean much to me. But thank you for the gesture.” Well, having just been served a heaping plate of humility with a side dish of guilt, he pulled out his checkbook again. This time, she said, as he was writing the check, he shook the whole time! She said you could see the beads of sweat forming on his head. He handed the check over to Mother Teresa. She folded it and put in her pocket. He asked, “Aren’t you going to look at that one?” She said, “I don’t have to. I could tell that was a real sacrifice because it hurt.”

Let me ask you a question. Do you really think that giving up chocolate or soda or wine is a real sacrifice? Well, maybe if you’re an elementary school all except the wine part, maybe that’s a real sacrifice, but for the rest of us – middle school and above. I don’t think so. We’ve got to dig deeper.

Well, the Catholic Church has a treasure trove of spiritual exercises that we can use to help us lead a healthy spiritual life. Often this time of year, we hear a lot about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. And the beautiful part is that we’re adding this to our lives which means the sacrifice is time.

Let’s start with prayer.

St. Paul tells us that we should pray without ceasing – not just the clergy and the consecrated religious – but all of us (1 Th 5:16-18). How can we do that? One of the ways we can introduce a little more prayer into our lives during Lent is to begin every day with prayer, perhaps with a morning affirmation. I like to say the following three affirmations.

  • Where I am, God is.
  • I am divinely guarded and guided, protected and directed.
  • I am perfect health, every day in every way.

Where I am, God is. This is a great daily affirmation. It’s a reminder to me that no matter where I am, no matter how I feel, no matter how lonely I might feel, I am not alone.

I am divinely guarded and guided, protected and directed. This is also a good reminder that not only am I not alone, but I don’t have to face the challenges of life alone. No matter the obstacle before me, I have access to God’s abundant grace.

I am perfect health, every day in every way. This is really important especially if you are not in the best of health. Look, any doctor will tell you psychology plays a big part in our health. If we think we are old and sick, then we are going to feel old and sick. But it’s not just about illness, right? People of all ages can have a negative self-image. Maybe we tell ourselves we are too fat, too hairy or balding, too pale or too dark, or whatever. But we need to remind ourselves that we are creations of God. The first part of physical, emotional and spiritual healing is to accept who we are and that starts with the body we have. To affirm our body and to love our body is where we begin. And so, we start the day by telling ourselves, “I am perfect health, every day in every way.”

This is just one example of a way we can add more prayer to our lives. But we could do other things, like maybe try to attend a daily mass or we could pray the rosary.

Fasting. Scripture doesn’t say “if you fast,” but, “when you fast.” It seems we’re starting to rediscover the importance of fasting to our overall health. It’s also important for our spiritual health. If you haven’t fasted in a while, then here’s a couple of ground rules. First, if you have a health condition, you should consult with physician. Be sure to tell your physician that your faith is important to you and you want to incorporate fasting as part of your spiritual practice. Your physician should be able to help you design a program that’s right for you.

If you are not under the care of a physician, then how can we start? Well, intermittent fasting can be an effective part of any diet and exercise program, and it can be very helpful as the beginning of a spiritual practice. How can you get started? Well, let me recommend this. Start out your day with a mini fast. Your body is “fasting” while you sleep, so the idea is to extend that fast until lunchtime. Yes, you may have a cup of coffee or tea, but try to avoid eating, and drink plenty of water. Intermittent fasting is a great way to reintroduce fasting into your life. It’s not only good for your physical health, but it’s good for your spiritual health as well.

Alms giving. Many churches provide a box of some kind to help you save your loose change, like a rice bowl or an Ashes to Easter box. These types of savings can help support the charitable and missionary work of your community or a foreign missionary service program, like Friends of los Niños. If your church doesn’t have something like that, then maybe you can set out a cup and encourage your family and visitors too donate their change into this little cup. And then after Lent, donate the money from the cup to your church specifically for some charitable work, or some charitable ministry in your community, better if it’s connected to the church because this is a spiritual exercise. Or you can support another faith-based international ministry, like Friends of Los Niños. For example, let’s say that part of your fast is that you give up going to a high-end coffee shop for your midday gourmet coffee drink. Well, why not take the money you would have spent that day on that high-end beverage and put it in the box? Combining fasting with alms giving – that’s a real dynamic duo! And if you’re giving up a high-end coffee drink, then that money will add up really fast.

This is just a very brief sample of some of the things you can do during Lent. But there are plenty of other things you could do. You could attend the Stations of the Cross which is a powerful and prayerful reflection on Christ’s journey to Calvary. You could try to make it to a daily mass. Lent is also a great time to go to confession. There are so many options, and I know it can be overwhelming. I encourage you to reach out to your pastor or someone on your parish staff for some more ideas in your community. I’ll also have some resources up on the website soon. The point is, now is the time to start thinking about things you can sacrifice, either by removing things from your life or adding spiritual practices to your life, to help you draw closer to Jesus Christ.

Last but not least, you are not alone on your Lenten journey. Be a part of your community. Everyone else is on a similar journey as you. Don’t know many people at your church? Well, Lent is a great time to correct that. At many Catholic parishes, for example, the Knights of Columbus put on fish dinners. These are great opportunities to meet new people in your community and maybe learn about programs going on in your church during Lent.

Homework. After encountering Christ in the Eucharist and in the Word of God proclaimed, I encourage you to reflect on the following.

  1. First, how can you incorporate more prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent?
  2. Second, pick something and give it a try this Lent. If you forget, like fasting, that’s ok. Just start again. The point is do something.

Hopefully through our Lenten sacrifice, we will stop just for a little while focusing on our lives and grow closer to Jesus. Got it? Good! May each of us come to know the mercy and the love of Jesus Christ. May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

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On Gaudete et exsultate

Cover of the booklet Gaudete et Exsultate

My brothers and sisters, I have wonderful news! Pope Francis wrote us a letter. You can read it here for free or you can purchase a copy here! I enjoyed it and I highly recommend you read it!

So, what’s this all about?

Well, Pope Francis gets right to the heart of what it means to be a disciple: we are called to holiness. Wait, me holy? Yes! Keep reading.

What is holiness? To be holy doesn’t mean you need to wear a monastic habit and swoon in mystic rapture (96). Pope Francis tells us that holiness is faithfully living the life God created for you and for me. He warns us not to get stuck in a bland, mediocre existence or a life marked by hedonism and consumerism (1, 108).

But I cannot be holy! Look at me! Look at my life! Pope Francis reminds us that we are all sinners. In a 2013 interview with the editor of Civiltà Cattolica, he was asked, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” After a rather pregnant pause, he replied, “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.”

We are all sinners, but by the grace of God, we experience forgiveness and healing and yes, we can live a holy life. You see, the Easter story is the story of God who does not give up us despite everything we’ve gotten wrong, we get wrong and we will get wrong. The Easter story is about a God who stubbornly pursues us despite our sinfulness. Through the Incarnation, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God restores creation – He sanctifies creation. Easter is a reminder that God looks at you and me and says, “yes!”

To understand how to be a Christian, how to be holy, Pope Francis tells us we needn’t look any further than the Gospel (63-94). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23) which are a portrait of the Father whose love and mercy we are called to reflect in our own lives.

But how can I tell if I’m living a transformed life that emulates the Beatitudes? Jesus tells us that too. In Matthew 25 (vv. 31-46), Jesus gives us the metrics for living a holy life, what Pope Francis calls “the great criterion” (95). “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me,” (rsv-ce vv. 35-36).

It is love that holds the power transform our lives into holy lives. It is love that transforms our piety into holy action. It is love that reflects the love of the Father and helps us to see Jesus reflected in the faces of those around us. Without a lived faith marked by love, we risk Jesus saying to us, “I never knew you,” (Mt 7:23).

Don’t panic! Keep it simple. Holiness can be found all around us and very often right next door. Pope Francis tells us that holiness is found in, “parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant. Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbours, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence,” (7).

But Pope Francis warns us about some of the great challenges that undermine our encounter with the risen Jesus – forces that strive to distract us and to prevent us from living lives transformed by God’s mercy. He tells about the two ancient and ever-present enemies of holiness – modern versions of the heresies of Pelagianism and Gnosticism, saying that these lead to “false forms of holiness” (35).

In the modern form of Gnosticism, he said people believe that faith is purely subjective and that the intellect is the supreme form of perfection. This can lead Catholics to think that “because we know something, or are able to explain it in certain terms, we are already saints,” (45).

In the modern form of Pelagianism, he said the common error is to believe that it is by our own effort that we achieve sanctity. This can lead Catholics to forget that everything in fact “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy,” (Rom. 9:16), (48).

The pope reminds us that “the Church has repeatedly taught that we are justified not by our own works or efforts, but by the grace of the Lord, who always takes the initiative,” (52).

He goes on to remind us that spiritual warfare is real. Jesus equips us powerful weapons for battle: faith-filled prayer, meditation on the word of God, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental Reconciliation, works of charity, community life, and missionary outreach (162). But he warns us that worship and prayer alone or following certain ethical norms are not enough to give glory to God. He writes, “It is true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others,” (104).

To cultivate our spiritual growth, he encourages us to persevere with patience and meekness (112-121). He encourages us to experience joy and to face life with a good sense of humor (122-128). He encourages us to live our Christian lives boldly and passionately (129-139). He reminds us that we are not alone and that real growth in holiness happens within community (140-146). He also encourages us to develop an active prayer life in which we not only speak with the Lord, but we also listen (147-157).

What does he mean by developing a “spirit of prayer” (147)? He recommends we develop the Scriptural habit to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:16-18) and gives us examples from the lives of the saints. He goes on to say that through a prayerful study of Scripture we find Jesus in the Eucharist, “where the written word attains its greatest efficacy, for there the living Word is truly present,” (157).

Finally, he teaches us that our spiritual growth is aided by discernment – to understand whether something is coming from the Holy Spirit or from the devil (166). To put it simply, discernment is a prayerful and thoughtful spiritual exercise to determine whether something comes from God or from the devil (for more information see “Introduction to Discernment of Spirits”).

Am I blessed? Do I find consolation: courage, strength, inspiration, joy, peace (echoing St. Paul’s fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, (Gal 5:22-23))? Or do I feel desolation: anxiety, sadness, fear, restlessness, dryness or emptiness? To learn a little more about consolation and desolation, read my post “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!”

With so many technological distractions consuming all of our time, it is more important than ever to develop the practice of discernment.

Central to discernment is a daily examination of conscience (169). An examination of conscience is not just about reflecting on my shortcomings today. That is important of course, but a daily examen is also about trying to see God’s presence in our lives. Pope Francis teaches us that, “Discernment, then, is not a solipsistic self-analysis or a form of egotistical introspection, but an authentic process of leaving ourselves behind in order to approach the mystery of God, who helps us to carry out the mission to which he has called us, for the good of our brothers and sisters,” (175).

Gaudete et exsultate is a powerful reminder that we are made for so more! We are all called to a life of holiness! Can we get there? Yes and no. On our own, we could never accomplish it. Only by the grace of God are we capable of such an undertaking in this increasingly secular world. As Jesus reminds us, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” (Mt 19:26).

So what are you waiting for?

Jesus, I trust in you!