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PRAYING THE PSALMS 4

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN,

SINGER, AUTHOR OF PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

The book of the Psalms is not a single book but a collection of many poems and other similar works composed mostly by King David but include many other authors such as Moses and Solomon. In the Psalms, joy, suffering, the desire and fear of death are all interwoven and expressed.

Psalms were the most common prayer of Jesus in the New Testament who loved singing them with his disciples. As they left the Last Supper they sang psalms on their way to Gethsemane. “Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:30

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

God is the true author of the Bible including the Psalms. Since Psalms are the Word of God, the pray-er who prays the Psalms speaks to God with the very words that God has given to us. Psalms are a school of prayer. When I pray the words of the Psalms, I don’t just think about how this is my prayer, I think about how it is the prayer of Jesus Christ. It is his prayer for his church and for the world. Excerpts of Psalms are copied below.

PSALM 118

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his mercy endures forever… In danger I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is with me; I am not afraid; what can mortals do against me?

The LORD is with me as my helper…Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in mortals. Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in princes. Let Israel say: his mercy endures forever… Let those who fear the LORD say, his mercy endures forever.

The LORD, my strength and might has become my savior…This is the day the LORD has made; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD…. You are my God, I give you thanks; my God, I offer you praise. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

REFLECTION

We are filled with gratefulness for the mercy of God which provides us refuge from the storms of life, and slavery to sin here on earth. Embrace an attitude of gratitude! Give thanks always for God’s providential care. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.

PSALM 124

Let Israel say, Had not the LORD been with us, when people rose against us, Then they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us. Then the waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us then seething water would have drowned us.

Blessed is the LORD, who did not leave us to be torn by their teeth. We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare was broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth

REFLECTION

God is our refuge, more powerful than any other god we may be serving. We are truly blessed that our God is all powerful, Almighty. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

God loves us and will rescue us from any threat to our bodies or souls. With God all things are possible!

PSALM 130

Out of the depth I call to you, LORD; Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. .If you, LORD, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness…I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word. My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels for daybreak… let Israel hope in the LORD, For with the LORD is mercy, with him is plenteous redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all its sins.

REFLECTION

The Lord not only freed Israel from physical slavery but more importantly freedom from slavery of sin.

People, captivated by habitual sin cry out of the depths of their hearts for relief. The Lord hears those cries. with him is plenteous redemption God wills the salvation of all. Stay the course!

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; 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….

REFLECTION

Oh my God, continue to probe me, prod me, turn me around in the right direction. Let me realize in the deepest part of my heart that I was made by you with a specific design in mind, a share in your divine life.

Let me begin to share in this divine life here on earth through the Sacraments, corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and adherence to the Gospel. Lead me home to the fullness of my being with you forever and ever!

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS

FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION AUGUST 6

CATHOLIC FEAST DAYS

COMMENTARY

A GLIMPSE OF GLORY

On August 6th, we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. In this extraordinary event, found in the Synoptic Gospels and the 2nd Letter of St. Peter, Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. The evangelists record that our Lord’s face shone like the sun and that his clothes became white as light. Then, Moses and Elijah appears to them and conversed with Christ.

THIS IS MY BELOVED SON

WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED
MATTHEW 17:5
A bright cloud then casts a shadow over the group and a voice speaks saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” The disciples fall prostrate and are very much afraid. Jesus, however, tells them to rise and not to be afraid.

The voice of God the Father from the cloud hearkens back to the cloud that guided the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus is the New Moses. Elijah paved the way for Christ, announcing His coming, the true God among the pagans of his time. Christ fulfills what the prophets foretold of Him.

Both before and after the transfiguration, Jesus told the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and die at the hands of the elders, saying, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” Matthew 17:22-23. The three disciples who saw the glorified Lord were given a vision meant to strengthen them for the difficult days ahead when Jesus would be arrested and crucified.

CONCLUSION

Jesus shows plainly that He is the King of Glory, the One sent by God to redeem Israel. St. Peter noted, Lord, it is good that we are here. Matthew 17:4 We too must cherish every moment we are in the presence of God.

Let us reflect back on the times in which we have caught subtle, or not so subtle, glimpses of the glory of our Lord. Perhaps while reading Scripture where we have encountered the majesty of God. Or perhaps moments that occurred at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or in our adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during Holy Hour.

In our prayer, ask Jesus to reveal himself more deeply to us. Simply enjoy His presence and peace. Let the Glory of God wash over you and fill you with fortitude to endure present difficulties in order to share in that Glory one day.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” Matthew 17:5. These words of the Father affirm Jesus’ mission. Ask yourself, “Am I confident in the mission God has for me?” If you are unsure of God’s will for your life, spend extra time in prayer asking that he reveal it to you.

Thank Him at the beginning and the end of each day. Praise His Name always! Jesus’ transfiguration gives us a glimpse of the transformation we will experience at the resurrection. On the last day, we too will be raised from the dead. Like Jesus on Mount Tabor, our bodies will be transfigured and glorified.

JESUS WELCOMES US INTO HIS GLORY

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…. a holy city, a New Jerusalem, coming down from God…,
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God..
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain…
REVELATION 21:1-4

WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED A SIGN OF CONTRADICTION

1 Comment / CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

CHRIST CRUCIFIED a stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to Greeks 1 CORINTHIANS 1:23

COMMENTARY

We need a Savior and what a great one we have, God himself. God emptied himself even to death, death on the cross that we might have life. Our first parents in Eden were told by God if they chose their will over God’s will, they would surely die, “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:17

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 Let us join the prophet Isaiah in proclaiming that Jesus, our Savior and Lord, “was pierced for our offences, crushed for our sins; and upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole. By his stripes we were healed” Isaiah 53:5

St. Paul tells it like it is for us Christians “WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED” 1 Corinthians 1;23. Paul was bold. Are we bold when it comes to preaching the Good News, Jesus died, was buried, and is risen for our sake.I used to have a problem when gazing upon the cross because like so many, all I saw was suffering and death.

Then my perspective changed The Cross is a sign of contradiction. I saw the love of Christ with His open arms embracing the whole world. For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

God’s love for us is beyond all our understanding. But we believe any how in God’s infinite love for us because God told us who He is to Moses on Mt. Sinai after delivering the tablets, “the LORD passed before Moses and proclaimed: the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin…. Ex. 34:5-7

This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.” Exodus 34:9

We, too, are stiff necked people, stubborn in our ways of looking at things. Some cry out I don’t want any restrictions on my FREEDOM. Hmm, how is that going in your ordinary lives in this world? God is not restricting our freedoms. We are not FREE to sin. Sinning does not make us free but a slave to sin and its consequences, addiction, dysfunctional families, hate envy, greed…”Our hearts are restless until they rest in God. St. Augustine

What Commandments of God take away anything we need? They are not restrictions on our freedom but a self-help list to live our lives to the fullest. A man fully alive is the glory of God. St. Iraenseus. We are made in the image and likeness of God who is all good. “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25

God gives his laws to make his people a people set apart, a sign to other nations. “You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them. . . . You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine” Leviticus. 20:22, 26 Holiness thus necessitates a separation from that which is unholy.

After giving the Beatitudes, Jesus said to his disciples, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect Matthew 5:48 How can that be? For man it is impossible but with God anything is possible.” Matt. 19:26

Holiness is not a human project but a response to God’s initiative, an imitation of who God is. To confront God’s holiness is also to confront our sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23

CONCLUSION

We must radiate holiness to renew the church. Men and women saints have always been the instrument and sign of renewal. The answer to a world in need of transformation is for us to be the sign. We must ask the Lord Jesus Christ for the strength and courage to be true disciples and not hearers only.

Is the Cross, a sign of life or of death? Does it speak of sin or forgiveness? Despair or hope? Is it gruesome or consoling? It is all of these, The Cross of Christ, fully embraces every dimension of our lives. But as blood and water gush from Jesus’ side, life prevails over death; mercy over sin; hope over despair; consolation over misery? Thus, we call the Friday on which Christ died “Good Friday.”

The Cross, for believers, is not so much a symbol of pain, but rather of the Love God has for us. Jesus said at the Last Supper, “No one has any greater love than to lay down his life for his friends” and that’s precisely what Jesus, our Good Shepherd did when he gave his own life on the Cross so that we, might live. The Cross is not a symbol, principally, of agonizing suffering, but of the mind-blowing love God has for us.

CHRIST VICTORIOUS

PRAYING THE PSALMS (3)

PRAYER

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN, SINGER,

AUTHOR OF PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

PSALM 101

I sing of mercy and justice; to you, LORD, I sing praise. I study the way of integrity; when will you come to me? I act with integrity of heart within my household. I do not allow into my presence anything base. I hate wrongdoing; I will have no part of it. May the devious heart keep far from me; the wicked I will not acknowledge….

Haughty eyes and arrogant hearts I cannot endure. Whoever follows the way of integrity, is the one to enter my house… No one who speaks falsely can last in my presence. Morning after morning, I clear the wicked from the land, to rid the city of the LORD of all doers of evil.

REFLECTION

In this Psalm, the Psalmist prays that he will remain holy and not be subject to the enticements of the world. We live in this world but we are not to be part of this world. John 17:15-17 Our standards are much higher. There is a heavenly world, a holy world, alongside this earthly world, seek it, grasp it. By example build the reign of God in this world that we may persevere into the heavenly kingdom.

PSALM 103

Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with mercy and compassion, Who fills your days with good things.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. He will not always accuse, and nurses no lasting anger; He has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our wrongs deserve….

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field. A wind sweeps over it and it is gone; its place knows it no more. But the LORD’s mercy is from age to age toward those who fear him….

REFLECTION

We acknowledge God’s infinite mercy and beg that His mercy continues as we are fallible, a fallen people. We are mere dust formed Creator God who loves us even to death on the cross and intends us to live in His holy image with Him for all eternity.

We may wander away for a bit but His mercy and forgiveness calls us back. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 We know God in our very being now, some call it a conscience but God calls it our hearts.

PSALM 111

Hallelujah! I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembled congregation of the upright. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Majestic and glorious is his work, his righteousness endures forever…He gives food to those who fear him, he remembers his covenant forever…The works of his hands are true and just, reliable all his decrees, Established forever and ever…holy and fearsome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who practice it. His praise endures forever.

REFLECTION

Here we acknowledge the great works of the Lord that may be found by those who study and read Scripture

God gives us food for the soul. The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom. Here fear is not so much about God’s final judgment on us as a profound awe of who God is and who we are. Our good lies in humble acceptance and trust in self-abandonment into His hands. Trust in God who wills the salvation of all.

PSALM 115

Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy and faithfulness. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven and does whatever he wills. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell. They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk; they produce no sound from their throats.

Their makers will be like them, and anyone who trusts in them. ^*The house of Israel trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield…. Those who fear the LORD trust in the LORD, who is their help and shield. The LORD remembers us and will bless us…

REFLECTION

Here we are instructed about false idols. Our ancestors, the Hebrews, fell in and out of God’s blessings throughout the Old Testament. Even when Moses was receiving God’s Law on Sinai, the Jews below were making a golden calf.

Even today, we build golden calves. Where is your treasure? What do you follow? Idols today, you know will result in the same thing as it did in the Hebrew Scriptures. Separation from the one true God will result in disaster in our lives and risk our eternal life. Are our idols worth it? And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:17

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS

IS GOD’S LAW A BURDEN OR A DELIGHT?

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

JOHN 15:9-11

INTRODUCTION

According to John 15:9-11,Christ’s joy in us will be complete if we obey the commandments? Wait a minute, how is that possible? Won’t that meaning following rules. That may cause me suffering. What is the cost involved here to have this joy of Christ? Jesus can not tell a lie so it must be true. Whether we follow the Commandments of God or not, we still follow rules, we suffer, and we pay the cost in our every day lives.

So what is this complete joy of Christ. It can’t be filet mignon every night, a Tesla car, and a summer home on the Mediteranean Sea. These things are not available to everyone and God does not discriminate among his children. This joy must be possible to all God’s children. Jesus’ joy was that He and the Father are one. Union with God must be the answer.

When I sin, I separate myself from God. And it is not just separating from God but I mess up my life here on earth with all the consequences of sin. We were created to share in the Divne Life of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Perfect union. Perfect Beatitude. How can we begin this eternity while here on earth. Well, God has given us a plan, the best self-help book ever written.

God knows who He has created and what will make us happy and safe on our journey home. Of curse there was a temporaty glich in Adam and Eve our first parents. They messed themselves and us up with Original Sin, darkness of intellect, weakened will, and death. We needed a Savior, a great one in Jesus Christ, Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

As God and man, Jesus could atone for the infinite offense against God and as human He could offer sacrifice on the part of our human race. Just as our first parents smeared the image and likeness of God in human nature, Jesus redeemed human nature and made possible union with God once more. He who sees me sees the Father John 12:45

The biblical story of the origin of the Ten Commandments suggests that Moses received them directly from God on Mt. Sinai around 1280 B.C. The Bible offers different accounts of the full text of the Ten Commandments; one in the book of Exodus and the other in Deuteronomy. The Catholic Church ascribes to the version in Deuteronomy and follows the division and enumeration provided in the Septuagint, the Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek that the early Christians followed.

“I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE ANY STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.”

This commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses. It asserts there is only One God. False gods can be anything that man puts before this One True God including people, fame, fortune and material things.

“THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.” The faithful are required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor. You do not curse someone with the name of God, mock God, or dismiss God as irrelevant.

“REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY.”

The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat) begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose from the dead. We take at least one day of the week to give thanks to God who cares for us 24/7. It is not about us it is about paying respect to the God of all. God has given us the means of worship. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life.

One does not exuse themselves lightly from Sunday Mass.

The Sacraments of the Catholic Church, including attendance at Holy Mass as a Sunday Obligation, must be done in person. Watching Holy Mass on television does not fulfill one’s Sunday Obligation. Section # 2180 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Sunday Obligation is satisfied by “attendance” at Mass.

“HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER.”

This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. You do not abandon your parents nor support euthanasia.

“THOU SHALT NOT KILL.”

Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life isn’t considered murder or immoral. Abortion is the killing of an innocent child. That child is growing in the womb of the mother but is not the property of the mother any more than the live born child.

“THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”

This commandment asks us to honor human sexuality according to natural law and Divine Law. Not only adultery of a married person having relations with someone other than their spouse but includes prohibition of other misuse of our gift of sexuality, fornication which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, masturbation, homosexual activity, rape, incest, and pedophilia.

“THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.”

This commandment focuses on respecting and honoring the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic Church believes this commandment includes cheating people of their money, depriving people of fair wages, tax evasion and damage to other people’s property including random vandalism.

“THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.

The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. To lie about your neighbor may not be killing his/her body but you are killing their reputation and dignity owe to everyone made in image and likeness of God. As the old saying goes, a like goes around the world before the truth catches it. Before lying, think consequences it may make you bite your tongue.

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.”

This Commandment forbids the intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Lusting in the heart is a heartbeat from lustfull immoral actions.

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.”

The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. This commandment condemns theft along with feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.

One can easily assume the consequences of sinning against God’s Commandments, the disastrous results when these commandments are not followed….Abusive relationships, dysfunctional families, the weak and vulnerable oppressed and bullied, no moral compass outside themselves, abandoned, ignored and diminished people who we deem not worthy of our respect and care.

CONCLUSION

The prevalent despair, obsessive behavior, and anxiety in our culture arise not from being moral, but from the abandonment of the moral law. Of course, happiness is mixed with sorrow and the inevitable tragedies of life. There are no perfect families, perfect marriages, perfect parishes—nothing human is perfect. Part of our moral quest and journey home to God and all the saints includes carrying our cross. God’s Laws are a delight!

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

1704 The human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his reason, he is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By free will, he is capable of directing himself toward his true good. He finds his perfection “in seeking and loving what is true and good.”

I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

WHAT PRAYERS DID JESUS PRAY

1 Comment / PRAYER

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN,

SINGER, AUTHOR OF PSALMS

PRAYING THE PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

The Psalms are given to us as the inspired word of God. Though God used human instruments, God is the true author of the Bible and Psalms of course. Since Psalms are the Word of God, the pray-er who prays the Psalms speaks to God with the very words that God has given to us. They are a school of prayer. When I pray the words of the Psalms, I don’t just think about how this is my prayer, I think about how it is the prayer of Jesus Christ before the throne of God. It is his prayer for his church and for the world.

PSALM 16

Keep me safe, O God; in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, you are my Lord, you are my only good…..

LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you have made my destiny secure. Pleasant places were measured out for me; fair to me indeed is my inheritance.

I bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my heart exhorts me. I keep the LORD always before me; with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure…You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

REFLECTION

In you I take refuge… Seek our refuge, our safe space always in God. He will not disappoint. We will never be alone in our affliction. God was present to His Son on the cross in His promise of Jesus’ glorious resurrection. He will be present in our crosses. Some He will remove, others He helps us carry. I keep the Lord always before me!

PSALM 25

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. My God, in you I trust; do not let me be disgraced do not let my enemies gloat over me. No one is disgraced who waits for you. Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths. Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your compassion and your mercy, O LORD… Remember no more the sins of my youth remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, LORD. Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he shows sinners the way, He guides the humble in righteousness, and teaches the humble his way.

LORD, pardon my guilt, though it is great. Who is the one who fears the LORD? God shows him the way he should choose…Look upon me, have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart; bring me out of my distress…Preserve my soul and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for in you I seek refuge… I wait for you, O LORD.

REFLECTION

Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths…Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God has given His only begotten Son to show us the path. Jesus remains with us in the Eucharist, not only providing presence, a share in divine life of the Trinity, but also the graces to support us on our journey home.

PSALM 51

Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love. In your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me. For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your eyes

So that you are just in your word, and without reproach in your judgment. Behold, I was born in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me…^.

Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities. A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit. I will teach the wicked your ways so that sinners may return to you…. For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.

REFLECTION

For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me….A clean heart create for me, God….Help me God to have true sorrow and repentance for my sins. Help me to confess my sins with true candor for they have offended you who is all good and unworthy of my disobedience. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart.

PSALM 103

Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with mercy and compassion, Who fills your days with good things,

REFLECTION

Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! I bless your Holy Name. You alone do I serve. Where else would I go? You are God over all. My very breath is given to me by you, Lord of heaven and earth. From dust I came, to dust I will return. Bless the LORD, my soul! I ask you, plead with you, beg you that I too, like your Son will be resurrected on the last day and united forever with the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS TO HIS FATHER

DEVOTION TO THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine Amen

INTRODUCTION

THE REAL PRESENCE

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

1323 At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is consumed,

1357 We carry out this command of the Lord by celebrating the memorial of his sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present.

1391 Holy Communion augments our union with Christ. The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord said: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.” The Eucharist is also an anticipation of the heavenly glory

SCRIPTURE

The word of God is so powerful that whatever he commands is carried out. When he says, “Let there be light” Genesis 1:3, at creation, light suddenly appears. At his word, the sun, moon, and stars are brought into existence. The power of that divine word is also in Jesus.

When Jesus tells a paralyzed man, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk”, the man is immediately healed and begins to walk John 5:8-9. When Jesus tells the dead Lazarus to come out of the tomb, Lazarus comes out risen from the dead. John 11:43-44.

When Jesus took bread and said, “This is my body”, and took wine and said, “This is my blood” Matthew 26:26-28. These sacred words bring about what he says. Catholics believe that the same divine word in Christ that had the power to heal, raise people from the dead, can change bread and wine into his Body and Blood”.

COMMENTARY

HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE!

HE IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!

It doesn’t get much better than that but we don’t have to wait until the end of time to unite ourselves with Jesus’ glorious body and blood. At the Last Supper for all time Jesus gave us His greatest gift, His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity to share at every Mass, every day, everywhere in the world!

The Church has historically encouraged the month of April for increased devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. “The Church in the course of the centuries has introduced various forms of Eucharistic worship i.e. visits of devotion to the tabernacles; Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; solemn processions, especially on the Feast Day of Corpus Christi; and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament publicly exposed .

REFLECTIONS

The Celebration of the Eucharist is a memorial, an act of thanksgiving, and a sacrifice; a memorial of the Last Supper , an act of thanksgiving in gratitude for the gift of salvation and we offer ourselves along with Jesus in sacrifice through the un-bloody offering of bread and wine. “Do this in remembrance of me” Luke 22:19

The Lord Jesus, “the way, and the truth, and the life” John 14:6, speaks to our thirsting, pilgrim hearts, our hearts yearning for the source of life, our hearts longing for truth. Jesus Christ is the Truth in person, drawing the world to himself. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus shows us, in particular, the truth about love which is the very essence of God. It proclaims God’s everlasting love and everlasting presence!

If I look at the Eucharist through the lens of Jesus the Bridegroom Messiah, another meaning comes to light. If Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is his bride, the Lord’s Supper is not just a memorial, or a banquet of “thanksgiving,” or a sacrifice; it is also a wedding banquet in which Jesus gives himself entirely to his bride, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. This kind of self-gift is only really possible if the Eucharist is not just a symbol of Jesus, but is truly His body and blood, soul and divinity. It is the “marriage supper of the Lamb” Revelation 19:9,

Jesus’ Passion and death is not about pain and suffering but God’s sacrificial gift of love to us that we might live. In this very messy world of incomprehensible death and tragedy, cling to Jesus, run to Him. Hug him, stay close…..He is our only refuge in this spiritual battle between good and evil.

“TO WHOM SHALL WE GO!” JOHN 6:68

HOLY HOUR OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Christ is present in the Most Blessed Sacrament to manifest his great love for us. You may wish to break the hour into 4 fifteen minute sessions. The first 15 minutes we may devote to the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament…Spend this time in ADORATION. Think of the marvel of this great reality: Christ, the God-Man, is truly present in his divinity as well as his humanity, body and soul before me.

PRAYER OF ADORATION

Lord, thank you for this hour of Eucharistic devotion. I adore you as the infinite and Holy One of God. You and the Father are one and you promised that we will be one in You… May Your Holy Spirit be with us. Send Him constantly to us as You promised. As I look at this mysterious sign, the white host, my eyes tell me nothing of who is there, but faith affirms in my heart that You, my Lord and God, are there. I thank You for this precious gift of faith. Amen.

The next 15 minutes may be devoted to THANKSGIVING. Let words of thanksgiving rise up in your soul, or just simply give thanks to God for his presence here in such a remarkable way. Take time to recall and thank God for other special blessings and wonders of God: your family, vocation, gift of life, opportunity to be in his Presence, special friends, etc. Thank him for his love for you, for his unfailing help in trials and difficulties.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May I live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to me…

Dedicate the next 15 minutes to PETITION. First of all, ask Jesus here present in the Holy Eucharist for the grace he wants most for you: the great blessing of redemption and eternal salvation….for you, for each member of your family, your friends, people of you neighborhood and parish, for all mankind. Pray for conversions… Pray for the sick and lonely, the discouraged, our youth, the unborn, our country, its leaders. for our Holy Father, and for all priests and religious ….Pray for vocations to complete the work of Christ.

PRAYER OF PETITION

Give me yourself, O my God, give yourself to me. Behold I love you…if my love is too weak a thing, grant me to love you more strongly. I cannot measure my love, but let my soul hasten to your embrace… This only do I know that it is not good for me when you are not with me, when you are only outside me. I want you in my very self. All the plenty in the world which is not my God, is utter want. Amen.

Dedicate the last 15 minutes of the Holy Hour to ATONEMENT. A look into one’s own conscience first, for where we sin and where we need to ask for pardon and mercy. Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of your mercy! A look into the conscience of the world at large…the demeaning of others, insults and injuries inflicted around the globe, sins against life and the world we live in…are we good stewards…do we welcome the stranger…feed the hungry…care for the sick….. treat others as we wish to be treated….

PRAYER OF CONTRITION

O Lord, forgive me my sins; the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body; my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins, the sins that I know, the sins I have concealed so long and which are now hidden from my memory. I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial, for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour. I know my sins have wounded Thy tender Heart; O my Savior, let me be freed from the bonds of evil through your most bitter passion. O my Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been. Amen.

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD

WELCOME TO THE MARRIAGE FEAST OF THE LAMB

REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

We live in a world that flees from suffering. We are taught to believe that the less we suffer, the happier we will be. We run away from it every way we can, drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping binges, eating binges and so forth.

The world says, “Pleasure yourself and all will be well.” However, there is still a problem. We are not in control and suffering comes our way whether we like it or not. It might be us that are suffering or someone we love. Suffering need not be something we hate and try our best to avoid. Jesus showed us another way, “not my will but thy will be done” This blog today is about turning our suffering into blessings for ourselves and others.

It was not the original plan of God that suffering and death be a part of human existence. The gift of immunity from suffering and death are not essential to human nature, however, and could be lost. God endowed man with free-will so they may freely choose Him above all things before entering into the beatitude of heaven.

Our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled and as a result they lost for themselves and their descendants those gifts that made them immune from suffering and death, the consequences of sin.

Adam and Eve was cast out of the Garden of Paradise to till the ground from which they had come. They were separated from God along with their descendants. God could have left man in this helpless state but in His mercy He chose to send His only begotten Son, Jesus, to become a member of the human race. Because Jesus is God and Man, the reparation Jesus offered was infinite. Divine Justice would be fulfilled.

REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING

“In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ raised human suffering to the level of Redemption. Thus each man, in his sufferings, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ” Saint Pope John Paul II

Redemptive suffering is offering oneself united with Christ’s passion for ourselves and others to obtain heaven. It takes on our sins and the sins of others. St. Paul writes that we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:17

By suffering in His human nature during His Passion, Christ gave to all suffering members of His Mystical Body a redeeming power, when accepted and offered up in union with His Passion. There was no dark place of suffering that Jesus did not redeem and sanctify, make holy and redemptive.

St. Paul was so filled with the idea of the redemptive power of suffering that he exclaimed: “I find joy in the sufferings I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His Body, the Church.” Colossians 1:24

Just to be clear….There is nothing lacking in Christ’s redemption. When Christ exclaimed: “It is consummated!” Jesus says in effect: All is accomplished that I came to do. There is no grace that comes to any human being that was not merited by Jesus. Jesus’ sacrifice lacked nothing. Jesus had no need of any other in redeeming the human race.

St. Paul, in Colossians, is speaking of the Mystical Body of Christ, made up of Christ, the Head, and all souls who are the members of His Body. It is in the members of His Body that something is lacking.

Jesus willed that the mystery of His Passion continue on in us, so that we may be associated with Him in the work of redemption. In God’s justice He demands the debt of atonement be paid. In His mercy, God allows us to “fill up what is lacking” in another member of the Mystical Body, the Church.

Catechism of the Catholic Church #618

The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the “one mediator between God and men”. But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man… He calls his disciples to “take up their cross and follow him, for “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example so that we should follow in his steps.”…and share in the mystery of his redemptive suffering.

REFLECTIONS

Everyone suffers. No need to go in search of a “cross” to bear with Jesus. Most likely you already carry one, especially designed for you. Will you drag it behind in bitterness and stubbornness only making it more unbearable or will you pick it up, stumble forward in hope, of a glorious future one day!

The “cross” can include anything we find hard to bear. It may be physical pain, chronic illness for decades, mental anguish, disappointments, set-backs in business, loneliness, or sadness at death of family member or friend. Or they may be little irritants like a cold, being cut off in traffic, losing a parking place to another, computer problems, or cable television outage.

Though these crosses are beyond our power of control, they are part of God’s providence. God foresees them all and allows them, so He can bring good out of them. There are so many stories in the Old Testament that looked really bad and turned out very good. But here, I will just cite the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, who then in the divine providence of God became a powerful ally in Egypt that saved his family from famine in the land of Canaan. Genesis 37-42

By accepting willingly and without complaint our crosses which God in His Providence allows to come our way, we can pay in part the debt that we, or others, have incurred by our sins. Redemptive suffering does not have to take on extreme forms to be effective but rather, any suffering, if offered with love, can be given redemptive value, even something as mundane as a toothache.

It is not easy to accept suffering. Even Jesus in His human nature asked the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, “if this cup could pass, but not my will thy will be done.” Like Jesus, we too can pray in painful situations, “let this chalice pass from me” as long as we are willing to add “nevertheless, not my will but yours be done”

Christ has raised suffering to level of redemption. We share in that redemptive suffering with Christ. We may never understand suffering just as Job (Book of Job) said to God “I don’t get it “and God replied “I know you don’t understand.”

We don’t understand suffering either. But we know God is all good, only permits suffering if He can draw some greater good out of it.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY APRIL 11

JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA

“You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone!

SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY A LENTEN REFLECTION

LENTEN REFLECTIONS

Earlier this week I published the Corporal Works of Mercy Lenten Reflection. This is a companion piece that also fits in well with our Lenten reflections. We diminish so Jesus can increase in us. It is good to reflect on service, how we can put others before ourselves. Jesus was all about service. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45 Remember his washing the feet of his apostles at the Last Supper.

“When he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them,…You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, as I have done for you, you should also do”. John 14:12-15

The Spiritual Works of Mercy may not be as well-known as the Corporal Works of Mercy but have long been a part of the Christian tradition, appearing in the works of spiritual writers throughout history. Jesus attended to the spiritual well-being of those he ministered to; these Spiritual Works of Mercy guide us to help our neighbor in their spiritual needs.

In today’s blog, I list the spiritual works of mercy and make a few suggestions for carrying out these acts of mercy, especially in this time of pandemic. In adopting these works of mercy we demonstrate in a visible way our love for God who commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus attended to many spiritual needs through prayer. He prayed that His disciples would not succumb to the power of Satan at the time of the Last Supper. “And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are….When I was with them I protected them in your name…But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely…^.I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:11-13

Jesus cast out demons and called people to conversion like St. Matthew Matthew 9:9.,Zacchaus, Luke 19:2

And the Samaritan woman at the well. The woman gives Jesus a drink of water, Corporal work of Mercy.. Jesus offers her “living water” of conversion, Spiritual work of Mercy.

WHOEVER DRINKS THE WATER I GIVE

WILL NEVER THIRST

JOHN 4:14

COUNSELING THE DOUBTFUL

Everyone has moments of doubt in their faith journey. To “counsel” in the spiritual realm refers to helping someone with a difficult spiritual decision they are about to make. Doubt is a spiritual burden, and it is an act of mercy to offer counsel and help lighten the load. We should always remember that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and turn to him along our way. Has someone asked you for advice? Be sure you offer advice filtered through Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Reassure and support those who may be especially anxious during this time of Covid pandemic.

INSTRUCTING THE IGNORANT

A person may be uninformed for a variety of reasons, some of which are innocent, others are not. It may be youth or inexperience, or a person may be uninformed because of laziness, narrow-mindedness, arrogance or erroneous information. No matter the root cause, it is a work of mercy to inform the uninformed.

Jesus is the master when it comes to instructing the ignorant. His heart was moved with compassion for the people because they were “like sheep without a shepherd” Matthew 9:36 Learn about our faith and be open to talking with others about our beliefs. There is always something more to discover about our faith. Utilize the Bible and Catechism of the Catholic Church as resources. Take this time to recommit to your own study and formation during this Lenten season.

ADMONISHING THE SINNER

Do not judge, but be supportive in helping others find their way and correct their mistakes. “Remove first the beam in your eye before removing the splinter in your neighbor’s eye.” Together we can learn to walk more closely with Christ.

Remember it is not all about us. No one gets to heaven by themselves. We must not keep our faith to ourselves. Our faith is as result of thousands and thousands who went before us. As they modeled the faith so too we must model the faith for others. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.” Hebrew 12:1. Those clouds of witnesses are those that have gone before us and rest in bosom of Christ.

When you correct someone, don’t be arrogant. We are all in need of God’s loving correction. Being confined in close quarters for long periods of time with families can test us in more ways than one. Be supportive in helping others find their way forward in the Spirit of Christ.

COMFORTING THE SORROWFUL

Comforting the sorrowful is one of our spiritual works of mercy. As Ecclesiastes informs us, for every beginning there is an end, where there is life there is inevitable death. Be open to listening and comforting those who are dealing with grief. Even if we aren’t sure of the right words to say, our presence can make a big difference. Lend a listening ear to those going through a tough time. A few moments of your day may make a lifetime of difference to someone who is going through a difficult time.

I will share a story making the internet rounds: a small boy saw an old man sitting on a bench in a park. The man was crying. The boy left his mother and walked over to the man. The mother watched as the boy climbed up on the bench and looked gently into the man’s face. The man, touched by the boy’s gesture, began to weep more visibly. The boy also started to cry. After a few minutes, the man hugged the boy and sent him back to his mother’s side. When the boy returned, the mother asked him why he felt a need to go over to the man. The boy responded, “He looked like he needed help crying. I wanted to help him do that. ”

FORGIVING INJURIES

Many people interpret forgiveness to mean that they must stop having negative feelings about something that happened to them, or toward someone who hurt them. Those are just feelings. Many also think of forgiveness as a work they must do out of their own power, rather than as a gift to be received from God.

No! Forgiveness is a work of God within us whereby He acts to free us from the poisonous effects of bitterness and grief that often accompany the harm that was inflicted upon us. The past no longer has control over us.

Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” So what we are saying, in effect, is “if I don’t forgive others, Lord, then don’t forgive me.”

In calling us to forgive, God is offering us the gift to be free of a great deal of poison and of a costly emotional state that robs us of joy and strength. What a relief it is to just be free of that weight! Forgiveness does not necessarily mean that we are able or even should resume relationships with people who have done us great harm.

At times, we are able to do so, but it is not always advisable. Sometimes relationships are poisonous for both parties involved. Sometimes, because the other person has not or cannot repent (perhaps because of addictions or deep-seated drives), it is too dangerous to be close to him or her.

THIS SON OF MINE WAS DEAD

AND HAS COME TO LIFE AGAIN

LUKE 15:24

BEARING WRONGS PATIENTLY

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27-28

We have all been wronged by another person in some way. And sometimes it is perceived wrongs. Often, our response is anger and a desire for vengeance, to give what we received no matter how unkind or unfair. But, Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, and most importantly, to forgive them.

The virtue of patience is required to bear the wrong. We are called to be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect. “The Lord is patient and merciful, slow to anger…Psalm 103 We need patience to endure the sorrow that besets us so that we do not betray the good we have.

Do not be bitter about wrongs done against you. Place your hope in God so that you can endure the troubles of this world and face them with a compassionate spirit. Frustrated with someone? Step away from the situation, take a few deep breaths, pray the Our Father, asking God for patience

PRAYING FOR THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

Prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can support others. Joining together in prayer for the living and the dead entrusts us all into God’s care. Let living people know you are praying for them and don’t be shy about asking them for prayers. We are all in this Mystical Body of Christ together!

Jesus taught us to pray always and never to lose heart Luke 18:11 St. Paul echoed this with the simple exhortation, “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 St. James also warned, “You have not because you ask not” .James 4:2 Prayer can avert war, bring healing, cause conversion, bestow peace and serenity, and call down mercy—sweet, beautiful mercy. Prayer is inestimable; its value can never be told.

Perhaps one of the greatest joys of Heaven will be seeing how much of a difference our prayers made, even the distracted and perfunctory ones. Imagine that in Heaven a sinner comes up to you and says, “Though we never met, your prayer reached me and God applied His power to me.”

Too many Catholics today miss the boat for praying for the dead. Many are quick to point to heaven and say their loved one is looking down on us now in God’s heavenly arms. But hold on a minute! Scripture doesn’t say that we go right to Heaven when we die. No, indeed, there is a brief stopover at the judgment seat of Christ

“It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” Hebrews 9:27 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” 2 Corinthians 5:10

Our deceased loved ones go to the judgment seat of Christ, and that is worth praying about! We have the promise of Heaven but Jesus says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Matthew 5:49 I would guess not many of us are in that state, right now.

When we send our faithful loved ones to judgment, although we send them with hope, we are aware that finishing work”pruning” may be necessary. Purgation and purification are necessary before entering Heaven, of which scripture says, Nothing impure will ever enter it” Revelation 21:27

Praying for the dead, then, is the last and greatest spiritual work of mercy. By the grace of it, and through its help, souls attain the glory God has prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE

CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY A LENTEN REFLECTION

1 Comment / LENTEN REFLECTIONS

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31

In the Good Samaritan parable, Luke 10:25-37, Jesus teaches his disciples that to love our neighbor is to show mercy to everyone we meet. No division, no enmities, no adversaries. Corporal works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor.

Everyone is obliged to perform the works of mercy, according to his own ability and the need of his neighbor. It is important to remember that ordinary deeds done every day to relieve the corporal or spiritual needs of others are true works of mercy, if done in the name of Christ.

Corporal works of mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we see and treat others as if they were Jesus in disguise. What better time to practice these works of mercy than during this Lenten season.

WHATEVER YOU DO TO THE LEAST OF MY BRETHREN

YOU DO TO ME!

MATTHEW 25:37-46

CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY

The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms (money) to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity (brotherly love); it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH #2447

FEED THE HUNGRY

There are many people in this world who go without food. Support Food Banks especially in this time of pandemic. Caretakers who provide for the sick or dying, may not have the energy to shop or cook. Providing meals to a friend during a difficult time, is an effective act of charity. During this lent let your fast remind you of those who go to bed every night hungry all year round.

Pray for those that do not have what they need. Why are those of us who have more than we need when there are those who have less than they need?

GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY

How can you and I, as followers of Jesus Christ, practice this corporal work of mercy in our world today? The obvious thing is, when we see someone who is thirsty, to give them a glass or bottle of water. These days we do not meet many thirsty people by the roadside, as the early Christians did.

But as citizens and voters we can make a big difference in the availability of clean water. Supporting “clean water” policies to insure that there will be clean water for future generations is one way to give drink to the thirsty.

Nearly 1-billion people lack access to a supply of safe water. More than 3.4 million people a year die from water-related diseases. Every 21 seconds a child in the world dies of such diseases. Nearly one-fifth of all childhood deaths are caused by diarrhea, which kills more young children than AIDS, TB, and malaria combined. (Source: water.org.)

JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH REFUGEES IN EGYPT

SHELTER THE HOMELESS

The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20). Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, was born in a borrowed manger, had no fixed address in his public ministry, and was buried in another man’s grave. It is quite an irony: He who made the universe became a homeless person. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were themselves refugees fleeing into Egypt to avoid the infanticide of Herod.

There are people today, here in America, who seem to be against all immigration. But the truth is: almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants! And we, as believers, need to treat the immigrants with respect and according to their human dignity, as we would want to be treated ourselves.

‘When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34

There are many circumstances that could lead to someone becoming a person without a home. Christ encourages us to go out and meet those without homes, affirming their worth and helping them seek a resolution to the challenges they face. Many homeless shelters need warm blankets and other goods.

THE WIDOW’S MITE

GIVE ALMS TO THE POOR

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Mark 12:41

Donate money to organizations that have the ability to provide support and services for those in need. . Remember in this time of pandemic that the lack of Masses and activities may result in parishes struggling financially; be sure to continue your support and if possible, increase offerings for those who cannot donate due to recent financial hardship or inability to work.

VISIT THE SICK

Some are sick, not from physical illness but from social isolation. One thinks especially of the elderly in our communities who, whether at home or in long-term care facilities, live in geographical isolation from their loved ones. The call to visit the sick can mean reaching out to the friendless in our local nursing homes: those who are ‘sick at heart’ from being lonely and forgotten and who are regularly deprived of the basic human need called ‘friendship.

Our mere presence, as someone willing to be a friend and a listening ear, can mean much more to them than we can imagine. In spite of their illness, these individuals still have much to offer to those who take the time to visit and comfort them. Along the way the infirm will be giving us the precious gift of growing in compassion.

Invest time in reaching out via phone call or by sending a letter or card to those who may feel particularly isolated during this time. Offer to assist caregivers of chronically sick family members by grocery shopping or cooking for them so they do not have to risk exposure in this time of pandemic.

VISIT THE PRISONERS

Jesus was a prisoner; so were Peter and Paul and many of the saints, bishops, and teachers of the first few centuries of Christian life were. So free Christians took it upon themselves to visit their friends, bringing food, solace, and encouragement.

People in prison are still people, made in the image and likeness of God. No matter what someone has done, they deserve the opportunity to hear the Word of God and find the Truth of the message of Christ.

You may donate to charities that give Christmas presents to children whose parents are in prison. If you know a family member of one who is incarcerated, support them with a phone call or card.

Visiting prisoners may seem like one of the more difficult of the works of mercy simply because of the difficulty in gaining permission to enter the jail or prison and the need for training in how to minister to the imprisoned. Check out prison ministry in your local diocese. There are often ways to correspond with prisoners safely by mail.

Above all, pray for those in prison. Prisoners abound in our society, and most of them are not behind bars. Many of our neighbors and family members are imprisoned by their addictions, others are isolated by their anxiety. Someone you know may need your presence more than you can imagine.

BURY THE DEAD

Funerals give us the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times. Through our prayers and actions during these times we show our respect for life, a gift from God, and comfort to those who mourn.

Grief is a rolling, painful journey with stops and starts and no discernable end. No two people grieve in the same way, and remembering that and resisting comparisons will help us support those we love. It is in the weeks and months after the funeral when our support can mean the most. A phone call or email just to let the grieving person know we care can be a boost in a painful day.

We can include a grieving person in lunch, dinner or other plans. At the end of the meal, I can make plans to meet my friend for coffee, giving him/her something to look forward to. A note of condolence can touch the heart in the days and weeks after a death, and much later, it can be re-read and offer comfort again.

CONCLUSION

FRANCIS EMBRACES JESUS IN THE DISGUISE OF A LEPER

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day And one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,”But you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

JAMES 2:14-17