What Does Everyday Mercy Look Like?

“May I take your order?” asks our server. We hadn’t looked at our menus yet and asked for more time. “I’m sorry, so sorry!” she says rushing away. We’re a little confused by her reaction, but we continue talking about evangelization programs and activities we can "do" in this Year of Mercy that would bring people to experience the love of Christ. “Are you ready to order?” asks the server a little while later. Before any of us speaks, she apologizes again and her eyes fill up with tears, “I’m sorry; I don’t know why I’m acting this way.” Feeling uneasy, we place our orders.

Our food is served only to discover that two of three orders are wrong. “How is your food?” asks our server? We smile and nod timidly that all is fine. To be friendly, we ask her name. “Please, please, don’t give me a bad report. I’m sorry. I need this job,” she replies as tears stream down her face. We do our best to convince her that is the furthest from our thoughts. “My name is Hannah. Would you pray for me?” she asks.  "I’ve got three children and I’m being evicted from my apartment. I don’t know what to do or where to go. I know that Jesus loves me; but right now I’m scared.” We hold our breaths momentarily and then I reach out and hold her hand in mine; we pray aloud. We continue to pray silently as we listen to Hannah tell us all that was happening in her life.

After our encounter with Hannah, we sat quietly trying to make sense of it all, when my friend spoke: “Today, as I was walking and praying the sorrowful mysteries, I saw Jesus carrying his cross suffering terribly.” Then I heard Jesus say in my heart, “Today you will see many people in your path suffering crosses.”  Instantly, we knew this prophecy had come true before our very eyes. A sacred silence filled the space of our table. “We’d better go now, before we say something to ruin this blessed moment” advised my friend. In silence we left.

We didn’t solve Hannah’s problems that day, but I feel sure that she experienced the mercy of God. We had started the day intending to “teach” others about the mercy of God only to discover that God had a different plan. He wanted us to experience giving mercy rather than to teach about it. Too many times we get caught up in explanations, apologetics, and programs that we fail to see the Samaritan lying injured by the roadside. At any given moment, mercy reveals itself not in grand gestures, but expresses itself simply as an attitude on our part, as a way of treating others and the world around us that is motivated by love. Mercy is our response to another person’s suffering. 

Pope Francis envisions the church as a healing force in the world simply by extending the love God to people in the ordinary circumstances of their duty-bound lives. Seared in our hearts are photos of Pope Francis kissing the severely disfigured man, the paraplegic, and the leper.

What does everyday mercy look like? Mercy is the face of Jesus as revealed in the image of The Divine Mercy. Notice that in this image Jesus’ right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing and the other hand is inviting us into his heart. The rays emanating out from his heart is the fountain of love and mercy available to us. Vinny Flynn describes the Divine Mercy image as a two-way mirror; it shows who the Father is and who He created us to be; God calls us to become the image of the Divine Mercy. When we look in the mirror, we should see someone who radiates love and healing to all those who come into our life.

How might we become a person of mercy? Mercy is about being present to another human being and accepting and loving them as Christ would love them. It’s about being a sacrament to our neighbor; being a sign of Jesus. When people see you, they feel the embrace of Christ. As my friends and I witnessed at the restaurant, Jesus offers fleeting moments when we become bearers of God’s mercy in the world – listening when we rather be lecturing, holding someone’s hand instead of walking away, and offering a look of compassion instead of irritation. Mercy makes a habit of giving others the unexpected kindness, generosity, and support. As we are transformed into the image of the Divine Mercy, we become world changers building the Kingdom of God.

"Tis the Season to be Jolly" -- But Maybe Not Always

Have you heard anyone tell you that there are things that you are not supposed to do in Advent?

• Don’t put up a Christmas tree or Christmas lights before Dec. 24
• Don’t sing Christmas carols before Dec. 24
• Don’t get too busy; Advent is a time of reflection
• Don’t go to the mall (or Amazon.com) too often; don’t commercialize the season
• Don’t pay too much attention to Santa Claus; focus instead on the “real” St. Nicholas

I have a confession to make: For the past 25 years, I have put up my Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and spent the rest of the weekend decorating the house, singing Christmas carols, watching the Hallmark Channel, and drinking spiked eggnog. The rest of December I’m shopping, baking cookies, hosting parties, writing Christmas cards, and wrapping presents! 

Is there something inherently wrong in these activities? Catholics have a well-deserved reputation for our spirit of celebration. From a Catholic worldview all of life and creation is always and everywhere filled with the presence of God. Scripture tell us when God created he counted everything as good. Therefore everything we encounter helps us to see the love of God. We can shop, go caroling, eat fruit cake, exchange presents, raise a glass, feed the hungry, and comfort the lonely doing it all in the name of Jesus Christ. 

 

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Yes, it’s wonderful, because you “wonder” how on earth you’re going to get through it! Every commercial and storefront reminds us, “Tis the season to be jolly.” But maybe just maybe things aren’t so wonderful and jolly. As the nights get longer and air gets colder and gray, the possibility of depression and anxiety gets stronger too. December is like a tempest of activity and emotion; at times beautiful, at times difficult, stressful, and painful. The reality is that just like the innkeepers, I might respond to Mary and Joseph who came looking for a place to rest, “I’m sorry but there’s no room in the “inn” of my life for Jesus right now.”

 

Thinking that everyone else is jolly and having a Hallmark Christmas only adds to the sadness and isolation. Perhaps someone you loved died and Christmas is just not the same anymore. Or this is the year that the kids are spending Christmas with the in-laws. You cringe thinking about your relatives; they're not exactly icons of the Holy Family. There is sibling rivalry, anger, and jealousy; relatives who are too lazy to help with the dinner or who drink too much. Then you palpitate worrying about the arguments at the dinner table over politics and religion.

 

All families are dysfunctional. It’s never a question of whether our family is dysfunctional; it is only a question of how bad is it?  Virginia Wood, an English comedian, was quoted as saying, “It will be a traditional Christmas, with presents, crackers, door slamming, and people bursting into tears.” Perhaps Jenny Abrams sums it up best:  “Christmas, When Relatives Attack!”

 

God joins our dysfunctional family. Bishop Barron highlights just a few figures from Jesus' family tree. The opening lines of Matthew’s Gospel are a listing Jesus’ genealogy -- the 42 generations stretching from Abraham to Christ. God had a mother, grandmother, cousins, great-aunts, and weird uncles. Jesus was part of a family that was somewhat dysfunctional with a mix of good and bad, saints and sinners, and glorious and notorious.

 

Take for example, Ruth, an ancestor of Jesus. Ruth wasn’t an Israelite, but rather a Moabite, in other words a foreigner. How many of us feel like foreigners in our own family? Then there is Rahab, who was a prostitute living in Jericho. I’m sure Rahab never planned on her life turning out as it did. How many of us feel like Rahab? Jesus came from Ruth and Rahab and he was pleased to be their relative. 

 

The good news of Christmas is that God pushes into our dysfunctional family even though like so many of our ancestors, we are flawed and broken. God loved us so much that he sent is only son to be Emmanuel. Emmanuel literally means “God is with us.” God is with us in all that is joyful and good and beautiful. God is with us too in the midst of tangled relationships, in the midst of loneliness, in the midst of sickness, and in the midst of grief. In the Sunday readings during Advent Isaiah boldly speaks words of hope in our feelings of despair, announcing God’s promise of a day when enemies will become friends and all forms of violence will cease.

 

Advent is the best time to remember that it all starts with God’s action. We might think that this time during Advent is about us going in search for Jesus. There is a Gospel story of Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down at the well.  A woman of Samaria came to draw water and Jesus said, “Give me a drink.” The Catechism (2560) explains that Jesus asks for water to reveal God’s desire for us. God is pursuing us. God thirsts for us. God has made us for Himself to share in his love and his life.

 

The Church gives us the season of Advent not as someTHING else for us “to do.”  But rather each Advent is a new beginning. Just as a new year starts for the Church, each Advent is an opportunity for us to open our hearts anew to receive God’s grace.

 

Grace is a spiritual power that God gives us. When God gives his grace, a strengthening occurs. Think about it. God’s grace is so powerful; it created the world out of nothing. God’s grace raised Jesus from the dead. This grace that God offers us has the power to heal and transform us from broken and dysfunctional people into a whole, free, and loving person. The story of Jesus’ healing of the hemorrhaging woman reveals the power of grace. As Jesus was traveling with a large crowd, we meet a woman who for 12 years was afflicted with hemorrhages. She heard of this man, Jesus, and decides to take a risk. “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”  As soon as she touched him she is healed. Jesus aware that power had gone out from him turned around in the crowd and asked, ““Someone touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.”

 

Our lives are fractured by past hurts, resentments, loss, and disappointments. Jesus offers peace and salvation. In Mark’s Gospel there is a blind man known to the church as Bartimaeus who sits by the roadside begging. When he heard the noise of the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.' Bartimaeus begins to yell at the top of his lungs for Jesus. He kept shouting for Jesus even though the crowds told him to be quiet. Jesus stops and orders the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Lord, I want to see,' he replied."  

 

Imagine for a moment that Jesus comes near to you and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” What do you truly long for, thirst for this Christmas? What are you seeking? What are your dreams that you want to share with Jesus? What are the wounds that hold you back from dreaming? Tell him. Jesus has the power to heal your wounds.

 

We can use this time in Advent to become more alert to the ways God is “gracing” our lives. God is there when you’re in a conversation with your mother-in-law planning Christmas dinner; God is there when you are negotiating that tug of war for the last toy on the shelf; God is there when you are having a heart to heart with your child managing their "wish list" expectations. God is always touching our hearts through the families we live in, the chores that we do, and the struggles we live.

Christmas is a time of joy and hope, tinged with pain and sadness. God is here in the midst of it. God is Emmanuel. God is laboring to bring more light into the world. Ultimately the light will win over the darkness.

How Well Do You Know Jesus?

 

You’ve been friends forever. You know everything there is to know about your friend. Nothing you could ever learn would surprise you. While at the beach this summer with friends, we looked at each other and counted the number of years we had known one another – some 5, 10, 15, 20, and others a whole lifetime!  “I remember playing a game at my 50th birthday party of people guessing “things” about me,” shared a friend in the group; “My friend of over 20 years was getting pretty angry when she guessed wrong.  It was crazy; she even argued with me saying that my answers were wrong!” We all laughed!

Is it possible that we fail to pay attention to our friend’s attributes once we think we know them completely? Perhaps we tune out and stop attending to their reactions, stories, and dreams. Maybe we even finish their sentences, because we already know what they were going to say?

Do we feel the same way about Jesus? We hear a familiar Sunday Gospel about Jesus – his miracles, his parables, and his conversations with the Pharisees, the rich man, the Samaritan woman and we tune out.  Oh yeah, I know that story and our mind wanders to what “to do” after Mass. We know everything there is to know about Jesus.

“Who do men say that I am,” Jesus asked his disciples? He got a whole bunch of answers:  John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets – all wrong!   Jesus pressed further, “Who do you say that I am?” Since we read the Gospel as a flashback, we know Peter gives the right answer, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). Peter was the first to “know” Jesus as the Messiah. Who is Jesus for you? Christ wants us to know and love him as deeply as he knows and loves us. God knows everything about us (Psalm 139); but do we know the many faces of Jesus?

 

Interestingly each of the Gospels offers four faces of Jesus that highlight his personality, teachings, and deeds revealing his humanity and divinity. Mark, Matthew, Luke and John wrote about who Jesus was for them in the hopes that it would lead the community into deeper faith. Each evangelist wrote to a unique audience that differed in religious background, culture and ethnicity highlighting different facets of Jesus’ personality.  Virginia Smith describes the four Gospel portraits of Jesus to provide a more complete image of who Jesus is.  

Mark is the earliest of the gospels written to the Romans. Mark’s most frequent phrase is “straight away.” Jesus is always “on the go” and in a hurry to get it done. Mark’s Jesus is harried and hurried. The gospel begins with Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan and from there he walks straight into desert for 40 days. On his first day back, he goes straight to work. Jesus calls his first disciples, preaches repentance and the Kingdom is at hand, and casts out a demon. He then heads to Simon’s house for dinner only to find Simon’s mother-in-law sick with a fever; so he heals her.  All this before sunset! Throngs of people now are pounding of the door pleading for miracle cures making it impossible for Jesus to finish his dinner.  “Get a boat ready” Jesus tells his disciples before we’re trampled! Mark introduces us to a Jesus who is earthy, relatable, approachable, and someone with whom we would feel comfortable. Mark gives us the most “human” Jesus – a man with so much to do and so little time, who is moved to compassion for the suffering and expresses his anger at those hard-of-heart.

Matthew’s gospel written to the Jews reveals Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The most frequently used phrase in Matthew’s gospel is “it was fulfilled” to reference prophesies foretold in the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus.  Matthew introduces Jesus as “The Teacher” – the rabbi. Even his opponents respect his wisdom address Jesus as “Teacher.” This gospel reads as a catechism with Jesus instructing the community as Moses.  Whereas Moses went up the mountain to receive authority; Jesus teaches from the mountain by his own authority. How good of a teacher is Jesus? His last command, “Go and teach all nations….” now has multiplied thousands of missionaries spreading Christianity all over the globe with over two billion people bearing his name! 

 

Luke wrote for the Gentiles to show that Jesus’ salvation was for everyone, not just the Jews. Luke’s Jesus is compassionate and forgiving; he advocates for the poor, sinners, and outcasts. None are more ostracized than the Samaritans and yet they are the heroes in two of Jesus’ parables. Jesus affirms women giving them a legacy as disciples in his birth, life, death, and resurrection.  In Luke we discover the richness of God’s mercy in the story of the Prodigal Son – The Father, symbolizing our Father in heaven, watches and prays for his child’s repentance. This gospel’s climax is Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” To a criminal who simply asked to be remembered, Jesus gave him Paradise (Luke 23:34; 42-43).
 

John’s gospel, written for the universal church, presents Jesus as noble, majestic, and divine to inspire awe and belief in his divinity: “In the beginning was Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  Jesus’ first miracle of changing water into wine “revealed his glory and his disciples began to believe in Him” (John 2:11). Jesus’ dignity is never more evident than in the last hours of his life as he is totally in control: “I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the power to lay it down and power to take it up again (John 10:17-18) Then when bloody and broken he remains in control as Pilate boasts that he has the power to release or crucify him; Jesus responds, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” Jesus transcendence shines from the cross with his final words, “It is finished” signifying that his purpose for which he was sent is accomplished (John 19:30). 
 

The evangelists describe four faces of Jesus: Mark’s Harried, Hurried, and Human Jesus, Matthew’s New Moses, the Teacher, Luke’s Compassionate and Forgiving Jesus, and John’s Noble, Majestic, and Divine Jesus. All four Gospels are needed to have a more complete image of Jesus. Could more images of Jesus emerge from these Gospels? Absolutely. Consider but a few images:  the Good Shepherd, Sorrowful Heart, Counselor and Comforter, Lord and Savior, and Brother and Friend. To understand all of who Jesus is requires delving into all four Gospels time and time again.

Perhaps we can recite by heart a Gospel story about Jesus. Resist the temptation to skip over it. Rather read it slowly because it is an encounter with the divine; the Holy Spirit speaks to us through its words. As we listen, we will hear Jesus ask us throughout our lives, “Who do you say that I am?”  He doesn’t ask us this question, because he doesn’t know his identity, but rather the Carmelite Sisters tell us that Jesus “starts to move us, guide us, and prompt us to a whole new place in our lives. He wants us to have a fuller understanding of who we are. That place and that deeper understanding of ourselves is ultimately within Him, within His heart.” Jesus is trying to build within us a fortress where we able to stand firmly believing in him in all the moments of our lives, in every season, and for the rest of our lives.

Journaling with Jesus

Which face of Jesus best describes your relationship with Jesus today?

Which face of Jesus challenges you the most?

Which face of Jesus draws you most closely into the mystery of faith?

Why Do You Remain Catholic?

The world I grew up in was Catholic. I am first generation American; my parents are from Italy and came to this country after they were married and landed by ship in New York harbor. All my relatives made the same voyage and still live within walking distance of my childhood home. We didn’t need telephones; we stepped outside and talked face-to-face. My brother and I played outside all day, without wearing a GPS tracking system. Every Saturday we had dinner at my Nonna’s house – I still remember her prayer book with its binding broken and holy cards spilling out. Every holy card had a story!

My parents’ home and those of my grandmothers, aunts and cousins had religious art on the walls, crucifixes above every door, and votive candles lit perpetually for deceased relatives. The row houses on my block were lined with saint statues – St. Francis, St. Anthony, and the Blessed Mother. Every time you walked pass a statue or when the funeral hearse drove past the home of the deceased for the last time, everyone on the block made the sign of the cross kissing their fingers to heaven.

My brother and I attended Catholic elementary school and were taught by the Sisters wearing habits. Those Sisters had perfect aim; they could throw an eraser across the room and hit their mark every time! I experienced the ruler on my knuckles a couple of times. Never would I go home and tell my mother that Sister hit me -- not if I didn’t want to get hit again!  “Going to confession” wasn’t terrifying: at least once a month, the Sisters lined us up outside the confessional. We giggled when someone lingered in the confessional wondering what their penance would be!

The 4^th of July was nice, but the Feast San Janero rivaled any fireworks show. My brother and I never had a birthday party but our First Communion and Confirmation parties were out-of-this world! Going to Mass on Sunday was not something to be negotiated; it was assumed and expected. My brother and I walked to Church by ourselves; my mother went to the early morning Italian Mass so she could start cooking the sauce.

These pious devotions and family traditions infused in my heart a trusting faith in God’s love and omnipotence. You could say that my faith wasn’t so much taught as it was caught. I caught my faith by experiencing it with others in my home and neighborhood. When my sons were born, I worried if I could pass on the faith living 600 miles away from the support of my parents, relatives and neighbors. Experts say that by age 12, our influence as parents diminishes and the influence of peers, media, and social media increases. Their advice is to let children make up their own mind about God, because teaching them about a specific faith is tantamount to child abuse.

Can that be true?! Not even close! The number one ingredient to keep our children Catholic is by moms and dads who practice what they preach and preach what they practice. The National Study of Youth and Religion found that 82% of teens ages 15 to 17 who remained highly religious in their mid to late 20’s were raised by parents who talked about faith at home, attached great importance to their beliefs, and were actively living out their faith; most of all when the whole family attended worship together, teens were especially likely to remain religiously active as young adults. Funny how we need science to tell us what God has been telling us all along. God desired to be raised by a human family; Jesus spent over 90% of his life on earth living an ordinary family life. He went to Temple with Mary and Joseph and on pilgrimage to Jerusalem with them.

There is nothing quite as familiar as the Mass to lifelong Catholics. Too often, we complain, “It’s boring!” A talk-show host asked a paramedic with an illustrious career to describe his most difficult assignment. “Oh it just happened a few weeks ago. We got a call from Immaculate Conception Church that a man had died at Mass. We got a description of the man – he would be sitting erect, eyes glassy, with no apparent sign of life” described the paramedic. What was so difficult about that asked the host?  “Well, he said, we had to carry out 4 guys before we found the guy who was dead!”

How can we see the beauty of Mass once again? We can restore our wonder by seeing it through the eyes of a child. Many years ago, we took my Protestant friend’s son to Mass. There he sat on the edge of the seat with his eyes and ears taking in all the sights, sound, and smells around him. It was the Feast of Christ the King and the Church was filled with the smell of incense. The climax was the consecration and I heard my son explain how the bread and wine changes into the body and blood of Christ. “Are you going to drink it,” asked his friend?  “Sure,” said my son, when you go up for Communion, fold your hands across your chest and you will receive a blessing.”  “I will?” responded his friend.  “Yeah, it will help you be a better person.” Through the eyes of a child, supernatural things were happening at the altar. 

What about for us? Do we see supernatural events occurring at Mass? St. John Paul II described the Mass as the place where heaven and earth meet. The Book of Revelation provides the script for this heavenly drama. We are in the heavenly Jerusalem where we are surrounded by the angels and saints who invite us to “come to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Who is getting married? Who are the bride and groom? Scripture and Tradition reveal Jesus as the bridegroom and the Church as the Bride of Christ. We are all invited to the heavenly banquet where by the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine are transformed into the true body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.

I had the privilege of recapturing that sense of awe while attending Mass this June at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL. As I stepped into the Shrine, I stepped into the heavenly Jerusalem. My breath was taken away by the physical grandeur of the Gothic architecture, the 7-foot Monstrance exposing the Real Presence, stained glass windows, icons, crucifix, and statutes all reflecting the glory of God. Mass is about to begin: the bells ring, the cloistered nuns sing as angels, about a dozen altar server process down the aisle; the altar is incensed and scent of sweet perfume fills the air. The Word is proclaimed and like the men on the road to Emmaus our hearts were burning. Then the climax of the Mass begins…. the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The priest mixes and pours the contents of bowls and chalices. We are invited to Holy Communion at the communion rail to receive Jesus true body, blood, soul and divinity on our tongues.  At Mass, the tangible meets the invisible reality of God.

Why Do YOU Remain Catholic? This is question was posted on Facebook to Catholic bloggers after the latest finding of the Pew Research Study; nearly 1 in 3 Catholics leave the faith. I remain because Catholicism and I are indivisible. Catholicism enlightens everything I think, say, and do. G.K. Chesterton wrote, “There are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.” Indeed Catholicism teaches the truth of the Gospel. Its doctrines, liturgies and traditions do more than give knowledge about our faith, they shape our imaginations. Catholicism is something to experience aesthetically – with our hearts.  This is why our prayers and liturgies involve the body and soul and use icons, statues, ashes, candles, incense, bells, holy water, and relics; our Churches are exquisite with color, art, images and symbols.

In the Catholic view of things, we meet God through things we can see, hear, touch, feel and taste. Catholics have a sacramental worldview where spiritual and earthly realities coexist. Our faith opens our eyes and ears to see people and all created things of this world as revealing something about the glory of God and in their beauty draw us to contemplate the majesty of God.

Catholicism is bold, it is beautiful, it is powerful, and it is the truth of the Gospel.

Journal with Jesus

What do you remember about growing up Catholic? Can you recall your First Holy Communion? How did you feel about receiving Jesus into your heart?

What are your first memories of Jesus Christ? What symbols, stories, and songs have been important to your religious and spiritual development?

What is your favorite way of praying? Why? Why kind of prayer do you find most difficult?

Which sacramentals are most important to you? What is the "background story" of the sacramentals in your home?

Who are your favorite saints? Which saints do you pray to most often?

Can you name some things that have been signs to you of God's presence and love?

Why do YOU remain Catholic?

Have you ever considered it your responsibility to evangelize others? What are some practical ways in which you can share your faith with others?

Want to learn more about the Joy of Being Catholic. Read Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, The Privilege of Being Catholic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are the Fragrance of Christ to God

Scripture tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8). “God's love never fails, never forgets, never compromises, never lies, never lets us down nor disappoints us. His love is consistent, unwavering, unconditional, and unstoppable. Nothing can deter him from ever leaving us, ignoring us, or treating us unkindly. He will love us no matter what. It is his nature to love,” describes Don Swager, author at dailyscripture.net, the character of God’s love. It sounds incredulous almost like a fairy tale. Is that heretical to say?!

When we look back on the experiences of our own life, we find plenty of reasons why it would be hard to believe that God’s love us unconditionally. The word demands that we earn love – “What have you done for me lately?” Or, “I’ll stay with you as long as you make me happy?” Far too often, the world judges us as to be not rich enough, powerful enough, pretty/handsome enough, funny enough, or famous enough.

When we judge ourselves by our own personal standards we find even more reasons why God’s shouldn’t love us. There seems to be something "broken" inside, something not as it should be that blocks us from knowing deeply God’s love for us. This brokenness carries such names as loneliness, betrayal, rejection, abandonment, and loss. In our woundedness we cry, “Is there anybody who loves me?” “Is there anybody who will stay with me in my darkest moments?” “Is there anybody who can make feel as though I truly belong?”

What is that will bring us more joy, happiness, and contentment in this life now and the next for eternally? A friendship with God. God created us with one purpose: to enter into a loving relationship with him; God offers himself in friendship by giving his heart, mind, and power to dwell within us. God asks us simply to do all things with Him (John 15:9-12).

God loves not because we’re successful by the world’s standards, not because we’ve earned his love by doing good deeds; God loves us freely because that’s the way God is. We call this love grace and it’s a pure gift, freely given without strings attached; it cannot be earned or bought. All we have to do is accept the gift. Sounds easy, but is it really? Have you ever received a gift for absolutely no reason – it’s not your birthday or Christmas. Or worse yet, you receive a gift from someone who you don’t “exchange” presents. How hard is it to accept? Immediately you think, “I don’t deserve this.” Or, “How am I going to reciprocate.”

Jesus was in the home of his special friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary boldly poured costly perfumed oil on the feet of Jesus graciously revealing her intense love for Jesus (John 12:2). The whole house was filled with the perfume’s fragrance drawing everyone near to Jesus. The perfume symbolizes Mary’s extravagant love that she gives without reserve. God does not expect us to outmatch his love only that we hold nothing back and love him in return. Mary’s gesture arouses the longing in our heart for God to infuse his love and life of grace within us. Yes, we are broken, but we have hope that God can fix us and we will live whole and free.  God’s grace transforms and sustains us as Christ lives in us, through us, and for us.

St. Paul tells us "We are a sweet fragrance of Christ unto God" (2 Cor 2:15). By our baptism we have the fragrance of Christ infused within us. God’s grace is poured into our hearts and brings us into intimate relationship with our Father. The closer we get to Christ, the more of His fragrance we wear.

Jesus says, “Come, you who are weary. You are enough because I claim you as my own” (Matt 11:28) Despite your faults, despite your failings, despite your weaknesses..... I want you to see what you truly are. . .a beloved child of God! (1: John3:2) You are “fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  

You are a pleasing aroma because of Christ in you.

Journaling with Jesus

How do you think God sees you?  How do you see God? Is it a positive and loving image or a fear-filled image?  Ask God to show you how much He loves you. 

What do you desire from God this time in your life? Tell Him. What are the most important things, concerns, or questions going on in your life now?  Share them with God. Take a moment to thank God for creating you and revealing Himself to you.

 

Turning Regrets into New Beginnings

If only I hadn’t said this and done that. If only I had a second chance; If only I could take everything back. If only I could undo or erase it from history. Wishing to go Back to the Future cannot undo what happened to us regardless if past events were shaped by our own actions or by the actions of others. Regrets leave a legacy of guilt, shame, self-hatred, and depression. Regrets put us at risk of losing hope for the future by holding us back from receiving God’s love and mercy. In the wake of regret we cannot see what God might be doing through these painful events.

I remember St. Peter in the courtyard where he denies knowing Jesus three times, even when the Roman guards brought Jesus out. St. Luke (22:61-62) tells us that “The Lord turned and looked at Peter, and he remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.” Peter is overwhelmed with feelings of shame and guilt. He is not the person he thought he was; the person he prided himself to be – loyal and true. “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” (Luke 22:31) Peter meant it when he said these words, but his actions proved otherwise. Peter’s self-image is shattered and he feels worthless.

“Behold, I make all things new” are hopeful words revealed to the disciple John recorded in the Book of Revelation (21:5). I heard these words spoken in Mel Gibson’s movie -- The Passion of the Christ. There is a powerful scene when the Blessed Mother runs to meet Jesus who has fallen a third time under the weight of the cross. Mary touches Jesus’ bloody and bruised face and he looks into her eyes and speaks words meant for all of us, “Mother, behold, I make all things new.”

Strangely, this scene doesn’t look like a picture of success. Rather, it appears that all the plans and dreams of a new Israel are lost. Jesus is disgraced and soon to be put to death. Still these words hold the promise that we can begin again and be made new. They are charged with the heart’s deepest longing for a fresh start. The sense of tragedy doesn’t last; the news that the tomb is empty spreads; death could not keep Jesus captive. All things are indeed made new by the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Perhaps life didn’t turn out the way we had planned. The dreams we had for our life, marriage, family, career, health, and fortune are unfulfilled. Perhaps parts of our lives are fractured by abuse, addiction, loss, illness and death. Do we cling to what should have been or could have been? Each of these experiences put us at risk of living our life trapped in a bundle of regret with resentment, bitterness, and loneliness as our constant companions.

What does Peter do after his regrettable act? Does he hide his face forever? Is he destroyed by self-pity?  Does he lose all heart; perhaps kill himself, as Judas did (who was also wracked by shame and grief)? Unlike Judas, Peter clings to Jesus as never before.   Soon after the resurrection Jesus reveals himself to Peter and the disciples by the sea.  Peter leaps out of the boat and runs to Jesus as soon as he recognizes him. Peter’s sorrow leads him to seek Jesus’ healing grace. Later Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you," Peter responds. "Then feed my sheep,” replies Jesus. Peter becomes truly the “rock” on which the Church is built. Nothing is so bad in our lives that God can’t bring good out of it.

Do you long for a fresh start? We can use our feelings of sorrow to invite God’s help to liberate us from past regrets. A Catholic psychotherapist, Jim Benefield, discovered a spiritual exercise that can help attain freedom from past regrets and turn them into immeasurable graces. By using our holy imagination as a form of prayer, we resolutely surrender all our lifelong regrets into the providential hands of Jesus. Here we let God’s grace flow through us opening the door to healing and total freedom from the bondage of living in regrets. Our deepest longing to begin again and made new is fulfilled. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17)

Journaling with Jesus

What regrets do you need to hand over to God? Ask Jesus for his help to surrender your situation and for his grace to renew you.

Where in your daily life do you experience the Lord’s presence more powerfully? Thank Jesus for his providential care.

Are you ready to receive fresh hope in Jesus promises to make all things new?

Nina Rizzo, PhD is the Founder of Open Door of Faith that offers spiritual retreats uniquely designed for the RCIA Ministry and Special Topics for Christian groups. Retreats are designed to help individuals enter into the mystery of faith, become aware of God's presence, and listen to Jesus' voice as they discover the Lord's call to conversion, discipleship, and service. Each retreat invites people to encounter Jesus through Scripture reflection, interpersonal sharing, and prayer journaling.