Blog Posts - CR Cards

What can hold us together?

7/12/2016

During this time of violence and sadness in our nation, it seems as if we forget or take it as trite and naïve when someone says "We need to love one another." But we are living in a society that is more and more prone to ridiculing the Christian values that the baptized were signed with when sealed with the sign of the cross.   If we, as proclaimed followers of Christ don't get it, who will?

Today my heart, as yours, has been filled with prayer for the families of the officers murdered in Dallas. My heart too, has been filled with those nameless victims that have been killed in other parts of our country and the world too.   Can I, can we finally face the truth?

You may ask, "What truth?" to my question. Well, I always wonder why we don't get it when our televisions broadcast inappropriate and violent programs that have become easily accessible for our children.   And we wonder why they do not value other's lives? Why they choose anger and violence over peaceful means to solving conflicts? It seems a no-brainer to me, but we, as an adult society, like these programs, and so they remain. Everyone knows that if a good number of viewers turned off the TV in protest, eventually, things would be changed. As computer programmers once told me, "Garbage in, garbage out." They weren't just talking about computers, they were talking about our minds, our very being and the influence our society can have upon us.

If we want our nation to respect life, then we need to sow the seeds of life in our society and cease ridiculing those who try to do so.   The well-known song "Let There Be Peace On Earth" has a refrain that we need to take seriously: "And let it begin with me."

So, loving one another again, regardless of race, religion, class or any other unique distinction, can be attained if we truly want it. If we truly want it, we will deny ourselves in order to get it.   If we truly want it, we will change what needs to be changed in ourselves, so that we can have peace ". . . begin with me."
When will we live the Resurrection spirituality that calls us to die to ourselves so that others may live?

My prayer today for myself and for each of us is that we may work with God's grace to love so that "the whole world may know that we're not alone." The Risen Christ works through you and me and is present to each of us if we just let him in.

Lost or Found?

7/11/2016

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." - From Mt. 10

I can't help but ask myself today after praying this verse from Matthew, if I am "lost" or "found." It is like a glass of water being half-full or half-empty, isn't it? There are many times when I would define myself by the ups and lows of my life. Jesus seems to ask me to look at this losing and finding thing a little differently.

I think he is asking me to define myself as being one with him. My losing and finding moments of my life all center around him. Resurrection Spirituality calls these moments by other names: "dying and rising." Do I define myself by the dying, suffering moments of my life or by the happy, glorious resurrection moments of my life? It seems to me to be a very erratic way to live, for my life is like a seesaw as far as dying and rising is concerned. Yet, the key is to die and rise, to lose and find, for his sake. My identity with Christ makes sense of all the roller coaster rides that toss me to and fro.

Dear Lord, please help me to always keep you as the Center of my life. This is my prayer for all who also read this reflection today. Thank you, Lord, for all the moments of my life which truly converge upon you.

Christ Lives In Me

6/11/2016

St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians today that he "has bee crucified with Christ and that he lives, no longer, bur Christ lives in him." (Gal2:16, 19-21)

Can you imagine that? Being so close to Christ so as to be with him in his suffering and also with him in his risen being?   It may seem odd, but I can relate to being one with another in their suffering. I have witnessed loving parents stand by the bedside of their dying children and be one with their children in the pain and anguish they endure. I have also felt very deeply the pain of those suffering in the parish I minister in and in the grave difficulties that they or my family members have.   Perhaps you have experienced the sorrow of others in this way too?

I find it amusing for myself to admit that though the Resurrection of Jesus is so much a part of the marrow of my bones, there are days when I may not feel that he lives in me.   This is mostly when the darkness of life obscures my vision or when I center around myself and my own hurts, instead of centering upon Christ.   He is always with me, guiding and living in me. Did he not say that "If anyone loves me, my Father will love them, and we will make our home in them?" (Jn 14:23)

I remember when I first saw the movie The Lion King and I was touched by the song He Lives in Me. All of creation speaks of the glory of the Risen Christ!   Even when I do not feel his presence and influence in my life, he is there. Even when I distance myself from him, he is there. In God's time, when people get to know you and me, they will get to know Christ too.

"Rejoice with me . . .

6/3/2016

. . . because I have found my lost sheep."

How could I ever understand the immensity of God's love for me?  ll.   How much God desires for me to love back. Why am I sometimes afraid to do so?   Why do I hesitate to let God love me and to love God back?

I think sometimes I let my own sinfulness and humanity discourage me and begin the cycle of believing that I am not loveable. I think that at times, when I do not love myself, I project that upon others and even upon God.

Yet, God does love me just as I am.    Jesus came to show me that so that I would never doubt his love again.   After his gruesome agony and death on the cross, there was no more proof I needed. Still, he wanted me to know that his love would never end. His love conquered even death when he rose to give me hope for all time.   He loves me so much that he is always with me, supporting me, guiding me, accompanying me through the ups and downs of my journey.
He is always there to take me back when I stray. He is always there to help me to begin again.

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a day when we remember with deep gratitude the unconditional love God has for us. Let us give thanks.
Let us pay it forward.   Let us live in God's love. This is my prayer. Amen.

. . . And to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.

6/2/2016

What "to love my neighbor as myself" mean? What does "loving myself" mean? Yes, I know all the updated info regarding knowing the value and dignity of who God created me to be. I know that God "don't make junk" and that all that God has created, including me, is truly good and truly holy.   Yet, it is when I drift away from the goodness I am called to live, I am not living the dignity which is mine. When I choose to treat myself and others like junk, I am not treating them as God wants me to.

I think I need to work on loving myself as well as on loving those in my life. I need to cut myself some slack as well as let others be human and thus, imperfect.   I confuse being created by God with the human dignity God wants me to have, with being perfect. God never said I was perfect.   God did say "I love you."

I pray for the grace today, to rise above the negative thoughts and feelings that sometimes take me away from knowing how much I am loved by God, no matter how many sins or failures I have in my personal resume.   If only I would just chill out a bit and let myself be, I may find it easier to let others be too. I might not be as judgmental or as condemning. I might be able to grow in patience with others if I was more patient with myself.

The bottom line is that God loves me and each person on the face of this earth, more than we can imagine. How can settle with loving less? This is the Resurrection Way.

Marriage

5/20/2016

I always have a difficult time praying the Gospel today from Mark 19: 1-12. I know it is because of Jesus' teaching on marriage, adultery and divorce. It is not that I don't understand what Jesus is saying, it is because so many today, take Jesus' teaching on marriage so lightly. I know. I am not married. How would I know about the difficulties?

Well, I don't have to run a marathon to realize that it will be difficult for me. I don't have to have surgery to realize that it is a very difficult thing to do. This does not mean that I do not understand, but that I can understand, without having lived the life.

One only has to read the news to see how Christian / Catholic Morality is being challenged and often ignored. How does one live what Christ is saying in the Gospel today?

I would invite the reader to read a bit of Pope Francis' Exhortation on the Family, called The Joy of Love. Have you read parts of it yet? I will turn the tables of the readers of this blog today. :) How 'about reading part of it and sharing what has touched you from this new document? You can do that simply, by making comments to this post.

Resurrection Spirituality encourages us to know and heed the guidance and words of the Vicar of Christ.

You can find The Joy of Love here.

To Whom Shall I Go?

5/19/2016

Today's first reading from James speaks of those who store up treasure for the last days, while withholding just wages from workers and turning a deaf ear to the poor.

I could not help but think of the treasures I run after in my life. Sometimes they are prestige, success, efficiency, and other values that I can keep under my control. When I do that, I just don't get it. I forget too easily that though these attributes can be used for good, they are not the be-all or the end-all of my life.
Still, when I catch myself letting an unfinished project throw my day out of sync or I lose my "cool" when I may be ignored while another is praised, these incidents can become blessings in disguise. How? Well, they can reveal to me my own inner poverty, the inner need I have to divest myself of the attitudes and "treasures" that take me away from my only TREASURE, Christ Jesus.

Resurrection Spirituality asks me to get up again and again, when I lose my focus and chase after the kind of treasures that are not lasting. James 5:1-6 bring this to consciousness for me today.

The Spirit Reminds Us

5/14/2016

The Holy Spirit was given to us by Christ to accompany us as we move forward in out lives unto eternity. We want to be holy, but it is not as easy to attain as we might have thought. Jesus showed us the way, but he also promised and sent the Holy Spirit to us to remind us of all he told us, to be our companion and advocate, and to give us the courage and energy we need to be Jesus' disciples.

A wise person once told me that each day the Holy Spirit is begging to be our spiritual director. The Holy Spirit wants to coach us to turn to God as often as we can.   The world we live in is often God-less. We most certainly need a spiritual coach that is with us constantly. The challenge is, do I welcome the Holy Spirit as my director each day or do I follow someone else?

As we prepare for the Vigil of Pentecost this evening, I pray that I may begin my day welcoming the Holy Spirit as my counselor and ever-present friend.   I pray that I may use the courage and wisdom the Spirit freely gives to make good choices. I don't Pentecost to come and go without renewing this heartfelt intention.

We are told that the period of Divine Revelation is over. Nothing more will be revealed to us. All we need to know and have has already been given. Think about it: He was born to save us, he taught and performed miracles, he suffered, died and rose to be with us now and in eternity and he promised and sent the Holy Spirit to us, so that we would continue to live faithfully as his disciples. Let's not waste it.   As teens today might say, "It ain't gonna happen again!" We need to make sure that the love freely offered to us by God does not become a missed opportunity.

Resurrection spirituality celebrates the great gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to be faithful to the Risen One and to deepen our relationship with him day-by-day.   What more could we want or ask for?

When

5/13/2016

When Jesus spoke to Peter in today's Gospel he said, " . . . when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." (Jn 21:15-19)

We can all relate to this statement. Aging is a process that takes us on different paths we never thought would happen to us: a loss of hearing or sight, a diminishment of the strength we had in younger years, the unwanted chronic illness or the death of loved ones and friends. John tells us in his Gospel that Jesus said this to Peter because he knew the kind of death that awaited him.

Years ago, I saw the movie Peter and Paul, with actor Anthony Hopkins, who played Paul and Robert Foxworth, who played Peter. It left a great impression upon me because as Peter was being crucified, he thought of Paul's words in Romans 8:38: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things,* nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,* nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It seems to me, that Peter who had a history of not always getting Jesus' teachings correct, scored big time with this one. He let the unshakeable trust and faith he had in Christ's love for him, carry him to the end.

I believe that growing old spiritually is optional for one who follows the Risen Christ, especially if we, like Peter and Paul, understand the richness of the fact that nothing we endure in our life, can ever separate us from this love.

As You Sent Me Into The World . . .

5/11/2016

. . . so I sent them into the world." (Jn 17:11B-19)

To be sent by another can be a nuisance. To be a "Go-fer" can be a starter, bottom level job for a person who aspires for real work in the years to come. When one is send by, Jesus, however, it is an altogether entirely different thing. It is to receive a mission of responsibility. It is an honor.

Jesus is praying to his Father for the apostles and for us with the words above.