Sunday - Fifth Week of Lent

Today's readings: March 29, 2009
Reading One: Ez 37:12-14 ;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 ;
Second Reading: Rom 8:8-11 ;
Gospel: Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 ; go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page) And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)

I used the RCIA readings today (the alternate) so the audio file is from the other readings. Probably the same thing for the reflections. Anyway - you get a chance to check out both variations if you like.

Since the RCIA readings are about Lazarus, I will share with you a wonderful thing God did for me, not so you think anything about me is especially terrific, just read this blog... it is not at all about me. I am a silly man, and often times, an absolute fool. But all the same, God in His kindness, heard my prayer and answered it - and this is what this story is about. How great God is.

A dear friend named Frank got in a car accident, and broke his hip. No awful tragedy - but a huge pain. But then, things got very tragic, as my friend Frank had a wicked bacteria called C-Diff - eat his internal organs. Day after day, turned into week after week, and month after month. Dozens of operations, and for months Frank was in a coma. It reached a point where my prayers turned from hoping he get well, to asking God to take him home. It was all that bad and worse.

I asked a priest who is a dear friend if he would anoint my friend Frank with the rite of anointing the sick. He was willing, but obedient and told me he could not, as the rules did not allow the anointing if the person was not a Catholic. I was not angry, and understood full well the beauty of being obedient, and how in the past, God has rewarded my obedience with miracles and wonder. I was a little sad though, as my friend Frank was ... as Billy Crystal says in Princess Bride... mostly dead.

I visited Frank in the hospital day after day, and prayed for him. One day, I knew it was the last I might see him, and a prayer emerged from me from a place I did not even know existed. As a tear rolled down my cheek, I took my thumb, and soaked up the tear, and anointed Frank with my tear, making a cross on his forehead. And I said, You know my Lord, Frank has not always said the most charitable things about you, but for what it is worth, he was a friend to me. Please bless him, and keep him safe, and take him home if that is Your will. I left the room, thinking I had seen my friend for the last time.

The next day, Frank woke up from his coma, and over a long period of rehab, he is much much better. His life is not at all easy, as he lost many vital organs, and still has a ton of health issues to deal with. But I cannot thank You enough my dear Lord, for hearing my prayer and being so gracious. I share this story, hoping that it brings just one person closer to God, who is all good, and deserving of our Love.

Monday - Fourth Week of Lent

Today's readings: March 23, 2009
Reading One: Is 65:17-21;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b ;
Gospel: Jn 4:43-54; go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page) And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)

As a parent, it is easy to relate to the royal official with a sick child, and share his sorrow with a compassionate heart. As I reflect on this, I am reminded off a previous post discussing the Latin origins of the word mercy. But there is more going on here, because as a parent, we know when our child is sick and suffering, there is often not much we can do, and we are left feeling helpless, in spite of our desire to share our child's sorrow. But with our faith firmly fixed on Jesus, there is hope. The parent of the sick child asks Jesus to help heal his child. I am pretty certain this plea comes from the deepest regions of his heart. And Jesus replies to this request with a response that seems harsh,

Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

I think Jesus' reply is only a test, to show how deeply the man is aware of his neediness, and also how much faith he has in Jesus. And the reason is so others might come to better understand their own weakness and also, to increase their faith in Jesus.

Jesus tells the royal official his child is healed, and that is all he needs to hear. As he is returning home - he is greeted by one of his slaves who tells him his child is well. And the man realizes that hiss child got well the moment that Jesus said he was healed. This story sounds very similar to the story of the Centurion with the sick slave. Jesus offers to return to his house, but the Centurion explains he feels unworthy to have Jesus come to his house, and all he needs to do - is to say the word and his slave will be healed. When Jesus tells him to go home, that he slave is healed - the Centurion leaves thrilled and happy. And Jesus tells the crowd - never before in all of Israel has he seen such faith. The words - Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed - are the last words of prayer we say before we go to receive communion. Take a moment to reflect on the faith of the Centurion and also of the royal official in today's Gospel. And if you need help, like we all do - ask Jesus to increase your faith - so that you might be healed.

Yesterday, as part of my Lenten Journey - I decided to clean my garage, which had reached a level of scary filth of Biblical proportions. Think I am exaggerating in my little fantasy world? Ok - allow me to humble myself and tell the truth - how bad the garage neglect was. Years ago, like 5 or 6 years ago, I lost a wonderful pet to old age. The pet was an awesome cat named Duke - and I loved him with all my heart and returned the gift with all of his heart. The first year I got Duke - the Duke Blue devils won the NCAAs in 1991 and then won again in 1992. (i think those are the correct years anyway). But, as he got older - his teeth went bad and finally he got so bad he could barely stand and he didn't feel like eating any more. The day before he disappeared for good, I petted him on seat cushion for over an hour or two. We all knew he was going die very soon. And the next day - he went away and never came back. We all figured he went somewhere to die. And that was that. Till - about 5 years later when I decided to clean out the garage and I found his corpse mummified in the corner near some vermiculite that was once used to grow seeds. I included a few pictures in the animals album - it is not for the faint of heart, but for weirdos like me - it pretty cool. I have never seen anything like it. Now before you think I am a cold hearted rat - I love my little Dukie. And he will have proper burial today, I will offer some prayers from my Liturgy of the Hours, Office of the Dead section, and I will I hope, be blessed with the grace to fully believe that my Lord will hear my prayers, forgive me of my foolishness, and tell Dukie who is welcomed into heaven, how much I love him.

Fat Tuesday

Today's readings: February 24, 2009
Reading One: Sir 2:1-11 ;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Gospel : Mk 9:30-37
go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page)
And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)

Just one day before Lent, and that makes today rather hectic, as I still have a lot to do to get ready. Bills are getting paid, stamps, I hope to record some music to add as part of the blog, a meeting with Msgr at 3 pm, teaching my delightful 6th graders from 6pm - 7:15. (funny joke of the day... my friend Alan (Allen?) said to Scott, see, I told you Willy has class, and I added, yes for one hour a week, I have class... hahaha). Tomorrow, my journey begins at about 4 am, where I hope the first thing out of my mouth, is thank you. I will sing a few songs, and go to the chapel to spend some time alone with the Blessed Sacrament, before mass at 7am. This will be followed up by three trips to bring communion to the sick, and ashes for the solemnity of of Ash Wednesday. I will swing by my house to say good bye to my pets - and head out. I still do not know where I will be going.

For this season of Lent, I plan to try and focus on just three things, regarding the question - What are you giving up for Lent? First, I plan to offer my services to those who can use a helping hand. I will pray and ask where I should go, the destination will be a church to celebrate mass. After mass, I plan to ask the priest what he would like to get done today, something or someone that needs attention, or something he wants to get fixed, or perhaps bringing communion to the sick, or visiting someone in the parish who is lonely and needs someone to talk to. Whatever... maybe he needs his bathrooms cleaned. Who knows what chores are needed? I pray God gives me the grace to not only be helpful, but to be joyful in my service. I want to whistle while I work.

The second part of my Lent journey is to find more time to be still and pray. I will head out to the country, and find somewhere to park my car or motorcycle, and head out to the woods and pray. I have so many things to pray for, and as I mentioned in an earlier post, by all means - send me an email with prayer requests. ( lentjourney@gmail.com ). Like most of us, I need some time to decompress, and let the noise of the world leave me alone, and spend time dwelling on all the the things I am thankful for. But also - to be quiet, and listen in my prayers. I want God to speak to me, and the only way that can happen is if I am quiet, and humble in all my blessings. I have lots of books, and a fresh copy of the Liturgy of the Hours. (and even a how to book called The Divine Office for Dodos). Thanks Alan.

The third part of Lent deals with fasting. For me, this has less to do with food, and more to do with all the things that keep me less than focused on God on my journey through life. No TV news programs, no Hershey's chocolate truffles, no glass of wine at the end of a hard day, things like that. My fasting has less to do with food - because it isn't a big issue with me. For a long time I have enjoyed a meal or two a day, and my body has become used to it. Often this manifests itself in a larger meal at night, but for Lent, this will go too. I will eat less, and when I feel the hunger in my stomach, I hope to reflect on how Jesus suffered for me, covered my immense debt (think stimulus package big, in my case), and also to reflect on those who are hungry, and pray for an eagerness to lend a hand.

Finally, a special note of thanks to Kim, an old friend I haven't seen in thirty years who got in touch via a mutual friend on Facebook. She was kind enough to send me an amazing gift, a medal blessed by Mother Teresa about a year before she died. WOW! A few weeks ago, we emailed some tales of the decades gone by, and she shared with me that her daughter Charlotte fell from a horse a few years back and sustained a head injury, and is still in recovery. I had already asked Mary, a friend from daily mass, to add some prayers for Charlotte to the prayer group of our church, and she shared with me that everyone was praying with all their hearts for Charlotte. So, in the spirit of how all great gifts keep on giving, I passed on the medal to her, to wear for a day or two, and say some special prayers for Charlotte, asking Mother Teresa to intercede on her behalf, and then to pass it on to another person in the prayer group. If you are reading this, please say a prayer for Charlotte and for Kim's family. Also, I ask you to say some prayers for Randy's Mom, who is scheduled for surgery today. Thanks, and All glory to God alone, who is the source of all love, kindness, gentleness and mercy.

A Prayer For My Daughter

When I was in college, we studied a poem from William Butler Yeats called A Prayer for My Daughter written in 1919. My professor was great, and this before the web - back when you couldn't type in a clever search phrase and find all kinds of analysis on a the poem. Indeed we live in wonderful times with so much information, so readily available to everyone. Anyway, Yeats is rocking his baby daughter in the cradle, and he muses about his hopes for the girl, and how she will turn out as a person, trying to direct her in ways that will not only make her happy, but charming as well. At present, my lovely daughter Mishka is feeling under the weather, with one of those new mutant bugs. She will be fine, God willing, but please say a prayer her. Thanks.

A Prayer For My Daughter

Once more the storm is howling, and half hid
Under this cradle-hood and coverlid
My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle
But Gregory's wood and one bare hill
Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind.
Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed;
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom that is in my mind.

I have walked and prayed for this young child an hour
And heard the sea-wind scream upon the tower,
And-under the arches of the bridge, and scream
In the elms above the flooded stream;
Imagining in excited reverie
That the future years had come,
Dancing to a frenzied drum,
Out of the murderous innocence of the sea.

May she be granted beauty and yet not
Beauty to make a stranger's eye distraught,
Or hers before a looking-glass, for such,
Being made beautiful overmuch,
Consider beauty a sufficient end,
Lose natural kindness and maybe
The heart-revealing intimacy
That chooses right, and never find a friend.

Helen being chosen found life flat and dull
And later had much trouble from a fool,
While that great Queen, that rose out of the spray,
Being fatherless could have her way
Yet chose a bandy-legged smith for man.
It's certain that fine women eat
A crazy salad with their meat
Whereby the Horn of plenty is undone.

In courtesy I'd have her chiefly learned;
Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned
By those that are not entirely beautiful;
Yet many, that have played the fool
For beauty's very self, has charm made wise.
And many a poor man that has roved,
Loved and thought himself beloved,
From a glad kindness cannot take his eyes.

May she become a flourishing hidden tree
That all her thoughts may like the linnet be,
And have no business but dispensing round
Their magnanimities of sound,
Nor but in merriment begin a chase,
Nor but in merriment a quarrel.
O may she live like some green laurel
Rooted in one dear perpetual place.

My mind, because the minds that I have loved,
The sort of beauty that I have approved,
Prosper but little, has dried up of late,
Yet knows that to be choked with hate
May well be of all evil chances chief.
If there's no hatred in a mind
Assault and battery of the wind
Can never tear the linnet from the leaf.

An intellectual hatred is the worst,
So let her think opinions are accursed.
Have I not seen the loveliest woman born
Out of the mouth of plenty's horn,
Because of her opinionated mind
Barter that horn and every good
By quiet natures understood
For an old bellows full of angry wind?

Considering that, all hatred driven hence,
The soul recovers radical innocence
And learns at last that it is self-delighting,
Self-appeasing, self-affrighting,
And that its own sweet will is Heaven's will;
She can, though every face should scowl
And every windy quarter howl
Or every bellows burst, be happy Still.

And may her bridegroom bring her to a house
Where all's accustomed, ceremonious;
For arrogance and hatred are the wares
Peddled in the thoroughfares.
How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony's a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.

William Butler Yeats, 1919