​Jesus is Risen! He has conquered sin and death! Alleluia! Alleluia! 
​As we focus on what is most obvious, such as the new life Jesus offers and the gift of salvation with its accompanying graces, it is also important to include reflection upon eternity. During Lent we intensified our prayer, offered acts of self-denial, and gave alms, and while we should continue these actions in some form, we must consider that what came before the Resurrection was about the finite. Although Jesus conquered death, we still must pass through it. On that day our thoughts, reflections, and ability to give will end, just as it did for Jesus. However, the Paschal mysteries put death and eternal life into new perspective. The Resurrection of Jesus changed everything about the effects of death. That is, because He rose, we too will rise on the last day: because of His Resurrection everything is now oriented upon eternity, an eternity offered to us. And therefore, just as the focus needed to shift for the first witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on that Easter morning, so does ours. With Jesus’ rising, the apostles were interiorly transformed into a community of believers (a community to which we also belong!) whose focus was on building the Kingdom that Jesus brought about for eternity. With His rising, everything is now oriented toward new life. This will ever be true: everything is about eternity! 

This reality, bound to the Resurrection, is now the framework of our lives as Christians: after Jesus rose everything was different, so therefore, after Easter we are different. In whatever way we participated in Lent, our actions changed us on an interior level, even if imperceptibly. Let us consider how our Lenten observance had communal and private dimensions to it. Communally, we joined with the Church through the liturgies of the season, and privately we chose our own expressions of self-denial, almsgiving, and prayer. With Easter our focus also remains twofold, of course, (private and communal). Personal holiness is something only we can work on, but our holiness only has meaning in light of our membership in the community, the Body of Christ. What we do and how we pray effects the entire Body of Christ, and therefore, our focus should always be outward. Jesus’ death and Resurrection ‘gave power’ to the Sacraments and so Baptism became more than just cleansing, but a unification with His Body. Most of all, because of His Resurrection, Baptism offers the gift of salvation, which, of course, is about eternity. We are empowered with various spiritual gifts so that we can build His Kingdom, a responsibility which leads to eternity. Because He rose, we have Jesus with us in every way the apostles did before He died, but we also share in the deeper, more mysterious and incomprehensible way He comes through His Holy Spirit with grace.

Everything is about eternity. Therefore, our lives should re-orient to our final destination no matter when the day of our entrance into it may arrive. What this means is that our longing should be increased, not decreased. This is not the time to shrug and say, “It’s lovely that we are now assured of salvation, so I can sit back and enjoy that thought.” Rather, the new reality is that we should long for Heaven even more, with much greater fervor and intensity. Of course, if we are baptized, we are part of the Body of Christ and Heaven is to be our home; but instead of simply being content with that thought, our longing for the day when we are finally home should increase. The way to express that hunger and the energy that comes with it is to continue our works of mercy, charity, kindness, and even penitential acts offered in reparation for sin, ours and that of the world. Rather than the past being over, it is transformed; that is, in many ways it has become more important to bring what we know out into the world in order to do what Jesus asked of His disciples: Go out and bring the faith to the ends of the earth. (paraphrase of Matthew 28:19)

Let us go even further this Easter season, not only praying and reflecting over the Resurrection as an act that God worked with His Son to offer eternal life, but let us pray about how we might respond to it. Remember, with the Resurrection comes focus on the eternal, not just for us individually, but for the world. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus took the disciples to a mountain in Galilee, and while they worshipped Him, they were also fearful of what life would be like without Him present physically as their leader. (Matthew wrote, “…they worshipped, but they doubted.”) To this Jesus said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:17-20) These words still apply to His disciples today and we are empowered just as those first disciples were, possible because Jesus, the Risen one, is the Son of God. As a result, we should be unafraid to evangelize by living our faith openly with the willingness to share it in word and deed so that all may know of the salvation offered by God through the power of the Resurrection. Indeed, everything is about eternity, an eternity in which we will ever be with Jesus.

May we rejoice and be glad that Jesus is Risen! May our rejoicing aid in the adoption of renewed focus on the eternal! May we share all that we have received with the world in which we live and with those with whom we interact! And may we grow in faith, hope, love and mercy! Let us meet rejoicing at the empty tomb of Jesus! Alleluia! Easter blessings! Peace!

                      ©Michele L. Catanese


Images:
1. Altarpiece painting; Resurrection, Isenheim Altarpiece, Matthias Grunewald.
2. My photo; Tuolumne meadows, Yosemite National Park, California.
3. Icon; The Harrowing of Hell, traditional Resurrection icon. This is my photo of an icon I have.
4. My photo; the forum in ancient Philippi, Greece. St. Paul and others would have preached the Good News from here.
5. Icon; The Risen Christ, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested, a copy can be purchased at fineartamerica.com/featured/the-risen-christ-014-william-hart-mcnichols.html

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.       

The story of Lazarus coming forth from the tomb, once dead and now alive again, is a familiar Gospel passage (John 11:1-44). We know that this miracle, the climax of the seven signs John recorded, is a type of prefiguring of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Lazarus, who had died, was not resurrected, but was resuscitated. Jesus who also died, was not resuscitated, but resurrected. Also, after resuscitation Lazarus looked the same and essentially was the same because his old life had been renewed. After the Resurrection Jesus looked different because He was different: He had new life.* This is why the timing of the proclamation of this passage on the 5th Sunday of Lent is important: it is presented as Lent is about to come to a climax. Seven days after we are presented with this Gospel, we enter Holy Week, and so this reading comes right before the darkest, most intense part of Lent, a time when we may be struggling a little and new life feels quite far off. Within this passage Jesus made a reference to light which might be helpful as a message to persevere if we are indeed flagging. Don’t fret, because Jesus understands. He, too, struggled with staying the course, such as when He was in the Garden or in the three times that He stumbled under the weight of what He carried. But He stood up again and kept going to the bitter end so that we could have new life. We are not there yet, so we, too, must stand up again and keep going. As we accompany Him to the Cross this Holy Week, remember: He needs us to do that. 

We do not know what was going on in the mind of Lazarus as he lay ill and dying. We can imagine that his sisters Martha and Mary assured him that they had sent word to Jesus so that He would come. All three knew that Jesus could heal Lazarus, or at the very least, be there to comfort him as he died. Thus, we can imagine Lazarus (if he was conscious) and his sisters had an expectation that in the end, was not met: Jesus did not come as they requested. An important point to ponder is found here. The passage clearly states that these were dear friends of Jesus. Martha’s message to Him was, “Master, the one you love is ill.” This is followed by, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus….” Yet, Jesus delayed going back to Bethany intentionally. (John 11:4-7) Therefore, it seems odd that Jesus would not immediately go to them. However, we are privileged to have a view that no one at the time had because John indicated Jesus was going to do something far more powerful and important for Lazarus, and for all of us, through his illness and death. That His love for them is emphasized in these lines makes it obvious that John wanted us to understand the depth of Jesus’ love not only for His friend, but for us, and that, Jesus could never forget our love for Him: He wept at Lazarus’ tomb even though He knew what He was going to do. The delay in going was not a lack of care, but rather it was precisely because of His care. **

Another verse to ponder is the seemingly cryptic response Jesus gave to the apostles who were frightened at the thought of Jesus returning to Judea. Jesus said, “If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After the previous week’s Sunday Gospel about the blind man being healed (sign #6) we might wonder if Jesus was reminding them of blindness, and perhaps He was. But it also seems that Jesus was indicating that if we are in the darkness, (which we can think of as a reference to the deepest part of Lent), then we need to be patient and persevere because the light of resurrection is coming. Therefore, if we are struggling because ‘Lent is dragging on,’ or if we feel guilty because somehow, we have not kept our Lenten intentions going as we had expected, let us remember that Jesus knows we sometimes stumble. Therefore, we need to trust Him, continuing with the help of grace to work on the areas which we resolved to work upon, and keep on heading into the deeper darkness knowing that there will be light soon. This is not to say that all our problems and struggles will go away at the end of Lent. But it means He offers transformation through His mercy and we can be reassured that because He overcame suffering, sin, and even death, at the end of our earthly life we will be saved. 

Let us take this Gospel message into our Holy Week prayer and meditation; it is important to enter into each stage of the Passion of Jesus. Even if we cannot stay awake like Peter, James, and John in the Garden, even if we cannot tolerate the sight of blood and the suffering at the scourging and crowning with thorns, and even if we think we cannot bear to get near the cross as He is crucified and dying, let us pick up where we fell with Him and keep moving toward the Cross. It is the only road to the Resurrection. 

May we persevere in our Lenten observance! May we have the courage to get up again if we stumble and fall! May we be attentive to the Lord as He is present in our struggling brothers and sisters, reaching out to one another as we travel the same road! And may we trust in the Light of the World who overcame all darkness! Let us meet at the foot of the Cross along with Mother Mary and John! Peace!

​                         ©Michele L. Catanese

​* I am ‘painting with a broad brush’ in these comments. That is, I am not comparing every detail, because if I was doing that, there would be many more details in the specific events to be discussed. 
** In his Gospel, John highlights 7 signs (miracles) performed by Jesus which progress with greater impact and power as they are revealed. There is much symbolism involved, such as 7 being symbolic of perfection, Sacraments being ‘explained’ (the Woman at the Well), and many other things too detailed to explain here.

Note: Here is a litany I have composed which perhaps you might like to reflect upon and pray during Holy Week. The point is to fully enter into our part in Jesus’ Passion while keeping faith in His promises that light will follow the darkness:
For the moment of agony to which I contributed when You were in the Garden, have mercy on me.
For the strike of the lash which was from my hardness of heart, have mercy on me.
For the thorn my obstinance put in the crown that pierced Your head, have mercy on me.
For the splinter from the wood of the cross and the blows You received as You carried the cross which resulted from my refusal to forgive, have mercy on me.
For the blow of the hammer which came from my sinfulness, have mercy on me.
Jesus, I as accompany you to Calvary, I offer my sorrow, but also my gratitude. May the power of your mercy, forgiveness, and love be the transforming and healing light which is fully realized at Easter! Amen! Jesus, I trust in you!

Images:
1. Painting; Lazarus’ Tomb, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested you can purchase a copy of this at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/lazarus-tomb-william-hart-mcnichols.html
2. Icon; St. Lazarus of Bethany, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested you can purchase a copy of this at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-lazarus-of-bethany-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. Painting; Starry Night Over the Rhone, Vincent van Gogh, 1888, Wikimedia Commons, Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
4. My photo; ancient olive tree at entrance to the Garden of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel.
5. Painting; Lumière de Provence by Michel Moreau (b. 1940).
6. Icons; Passion Triptych, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. (Our Lady of Sorrows and St. John the Apostle are on either side of Jesus Christ Extreme Humility.) If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this triptych or of any of the three icons contained within it, you can find all of these at fineartamerica.com/featured/passion-triptych-william-hart-mcnichols.html


Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

The Office of Readings is a wonderful vehicle for prayer and reflection. It is the first prayer ‘hour’ of the Liturgy of the Hours, sometimes referred to as The Divine Office, a beautiful cycle of prayer with Scripture.* A distinctive part of this first hour is the final reading, a passage usually taken from an early Church Father or a Doctor of the Church. One such reading, entitled Prayer is the Light of the Spirit, came at the beginning of Lent. It was taken from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, a bishop of the 4th and early 5th century, from Antioch, Türkiye. As I read it, I thought of the line in Psalm 119 which connects God’s word with light: “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) In truth, as we pray with Scripture, our prayer brings us light because it opens us to God. Therefore, during Lent it is good to enter into prayer as a response to His call and as an immersion into the light of God in a deeper way; we must desire to recognize His presence and hear His voice, and therefore to receive the graces He offers through the Holy Spirit. Remember, we do not pray to enlighten God, (He already knows everything), but to become enlightened by Him, and so to grow closer. Prayer teaches listening, and in turn, listening teaches us to love.

In his homily St. John Chrysostom said: “Practice prayer from the beginning. Paint your house with the colors of modesty and humility. Make it radiant with the light of justice. Decorate it with the finest gold leaf of good deeds. Adorn it with the walls and stones of faith and generosity. Crown it with the pinnacle of prayer. In this way you will make it a perfect dwelling place for the Lord. You will be able to receive him as in a splendid palace, and through his grace you will already possess him, his image enthroned in the temple of your spirit.” The imagery that he uses is in itself, radiant; it is no wonder St. John was given the nickname, Chrysostom, which in Greek means “golden mouthed.”** Thus, he is teaching that the process and the effects of prayer will bring many virtues, most specifically that it will fill our hearts with beauty which will move us outward in love to others as our response of love. 

Through prayer the graces of modesty and humility can increase within us. These are characteristics of holiness, and they are the posture with which we should come before the Lord. As we “paint our house” it becomes “radiant with justice, decorated by the gold leaf of good deeds.” This is indeed what we are called to do with greater depth during the season of Lent: prayer brings healing, wholeness, and freedom which in turn gives birth to kindness, works of mercy, compassion, faith, and generosity, (ways of making a self-offering in love). These please the Lord as our gift to Him because in so doing, that is, by growing in holiness, we open ourselves to His Heart with greater intimacy. What is especially beautiful in what St. John Chrysostom said is that through the practice of prayer and our response to grace, we receive God as in a splendid palace: through prayer our heart becomes a dwelling fitting for the King of our Heart.

​To recognize our own heart as a splendid palace is no small thing. However, we probably need to clean house in order to bring our heart back to the kind of palace it is meant to be, a large part of what Lent is meant to do. During our prayer and reflection, we can recognize where we need to sweep out all that impedes our relationship and turn away from it, making a ‘return’ to the Lord. The Sacrament of Reconciliation, the gift of God’s mercy which cleanses and heals, is the most effective way to receive the needed graces. Thus, our prayer brings light to the dark places within, enabling the freedom to respond through humble acts of generosity, mercy, and kindness; we become as a lamp for others. Jesus said that we are to be light to the world, a light which should not be kept under a bushel basket, but should shine to guide others to Him. (Matt. 5: 14-16) The fruit of our prayer will be in the brighter light within our hearts which we bring out into the darkness of the world where God’s light is so greatly needed. 

Prayer is the key to our relationship with God since we cannot really know someone with whom we never spend time; and subsequently, if we do not know Him as He wishes to be known, it is most difficult to fall in love (or more deeply in love) with Him. Falling in love with God will not only bring greater light to our soul, but it will inspire us to make a response of love to Him. That is, prayer is the leaven for our response; the more we know the Lord and love Him, the greater our offering of generosity and love to others. During this season of Lent, it is important to be consistent with our efforts at abstinence, the purpose of which is to open us to deeper prayer and to foster generosity and almsgiving, (no matter the size of the gesture). It is prayer that will move us more deeply into the beautiful palace that our love builds for God. Prayer is the Light of the Spirit!

May we reflect upon the image of God enthroned within our hearts that we might enter into prayer more deeply! May our hearts become as a splendid palace for Him! And may the Light of God within our hearts enable us to become light to others! Let us meet in the palace of our heart with the Lord! Peace!

                                   ©Michele L. Catanese

* The Liturgy of the Hours (The Divine Office) is a cycle of prayer that encompasses the entire Book of Psalms in a four-week period, repeated throughout the year and includes readings and reflections specific to the liturgical seasons. Included in each Hour are petitions, reflections, and readings from the Old and New Testament, along with the Lord’s Prayer, and in some of the Hours, a canticle such as the Magnificat. In this order the Hours are: the Office of Readings (Matins), Morning Prayer (Lauds), Midmorning Prayer (Terce), Midday Prayer (Sext), Midafternoon Prayer (None), Evening Prayer (Vespers), and Night Prayer (Compline). Many cloistered or monastic communities pray all the Hours every day and of these, some congregations add early Morning prayer at sunrise (Prime). Every day all priests, deacons, and many religious Sisters and Brothers pray the two most important hours, Morning and Evening Prayer, which are often called the ‘hinges’ of the Liturgy of the Hours. I must also add that many of the laity also pray these two Hours.
** For some information about St. John Chrysostom go to https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-john-chrysostom/

Images:
1. Photo; the four volumes of The Liturgy of the Hours.
2. Icon; St. John Chrysostom, unknown iconographer.
3. Painting; Bedroom in Arles (La Chambre à Arles), by Vincent van Gogh (1889), Public Domain.
4. My photo; sun immerging from storm clouds, off Grand Cayman.
5. Painting; Works of Mercy, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Olivuccio di Ciccarello.
6. Icon; Mother of God of Kosovo, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this icon and many others at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mother-of-god-of-kosovo-087-william-hart-mcnichols.html
​
Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

Apparently when I was a child I would often say, “Let me do it myself.” I do not know why I felt the need to be so fiercely independent all the time, but whatever the reason, this attitude is something many of us share. It is good to be capable without becoming overly dependent, but continually refusing to accept the help of another is not healthy emotionally or spiritually. To be resolutely independent, thinking we can or must do everything ourselves, is an act of pride; the difficult truth is that we simply cannot. To seek or accept offered help is an act of humility and an acceptance of our humanity. To refuse help can actually be sinful; not only is it prideful to think we do not need the other and the help they offer, but this attitude will probably manifest within our relationship with God, too. If there is anything I have learned it is that I need God for everything, and without Him, I would come to ruin. Even Jesus turned to His Father when He needed to discern something, and this was especially so when He needed the courage to undergo His Passion. As I sometimes need to remind myself, if Jesus needed it, how can I think I do not? 

There are many reasons that we can fall into refusing help, including ‘learning’ it as a defense mechanism or having an underlying disposition which suggests that we can or should do everything ourselves. Additionally, some people refrain from asking God for help because they think either what they need is somehow too small for God, or worse, they do not feel worthy of His help. They will intercede for others, but never ask God for any of their own needs. In these cases, not asking God for help when needed is actually false humility, a subtle form of pride that usually stems from a misguided sense of what it means to become holy. If we do not ask for help with our inner (spiritual) needs, our attitude toward God will manifest externally in our resistance to the help of our brothers and sisters, and so it goes, round and round. Remember, when we resist the help of others, we prevent them from offering the gift of loving service to us! *

However, there are many things we must do for ourselves, including decision making, so that we do not fall into an unhealthy life of dependency and lack of confidence. I especially want to point out a time when it is not only appropriate to do something that only we can do for ourselves, but which is absolutely necessary: making the effort to allow God to point out our needs and then responding to Him. As St. Augustine said, “Indeed, God, who created us without us, will not save us without us.” ** In other words, God, for whom nothing is impossible, will never force us to do anything, not even in accepting His gifts of love and mercy. Our free will is a gift He gave and He always respects it. He will not force us to accept that which saves us; we must choose it. Therefore, it is important that we discern carefully when to exercise our will to do something only we can do, and when we need to ask God to supply the graces we need. 

Lent provides an opportunity to look more deeply within so that we might assess where we are in our spiritual life. We basically know that the three aspects of prayer, almsgiving, and abstinence are at the core of this season, so perhaps in this context we can look at our relationship with the Lord when it comes to our approach to the graces and the help God continually offers. Pope Leo XIV has written a beautiful, clear message inviting our consideration of two main points this Lent which can assist our efforts. The first is listening: in our prayer he invites us to spend time listening to God more intentionally, especially to His word in Scripture. Remember, to listen is to receive, and so listening attentively followed by reflection is a way to receive from the Lord. Thus, when we are with others, our attention to them is an act of receiving them. The second concerns abstinence and fasting: while he emphasizes how fasting from food does help us to listen better, the Pope’s exhortation is that we especially fast from words that hurt others or which tear down instead of building up.***

​One of the readings proclaimed on Ash Wednesday implored us to return to the Lord with all our heart. (Joel 2:12) Thus, Lent is a time to come before the Lord so that we might grow in humility and holiness; it is a time to ask forgiveness for whatever we cling to that hinders our growth. In other words, Lent is a season which leads us to greater freedom as we walk more closely with the Lord. It is a time to recognize our spiritual poverty as we align ourselves more closely with the Lord who embraced the poverty of the Cross when all was stripped away that we might have eternal life. Only hands and hearts which are open and empty are capable of being filled with graces from God. And only when we are filled can we humbly share the abundance of our faith, hope, and love with others. Perhaps this Lent can be a time of growth in receiving so we might give, and a time of growing in true humility that we might glorify God by our heightened ability to love as He does.

May we work at listening and fasting from hurtful language as the Pope has encouraged! May we cooperate with grace that we might learn how to receive as well as to give! And may we learn to seek and accept the help of the Lord each day! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                   ©Michele L. Catanese

* A suggestion to help with this is to pray with the account of the Last Supper in the Gospel of John in which Jesus tried to wash Peter’s feet and he refused out of a misguided sense of humility. To this Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” But Peter still did not understand that God knows exactly what and how much we need, so he said: “Then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Of course this was not what Jesus was talking about; He said, “…as I have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.” He modeled this to them in reference to imitating Jesus in humility, but we can also see that God knows what we need better than we do. (John 13:1-20)
A final note here: Everything we ask for is not to be ours. We might pray for something and not get it, and so we think our prayer is not efficacious or that God is not listening. God has wisdom we do not possess and He sees the larger picture for our lives. Therefore, when we do not get what we asked for we must be clear that God did answer and the answer is “No, this is not good for you at this time.” This is mostly the case when we are asking for tangible, visible things. If we ask for inner help, for healing, discernment or any other grace, God will not say no! (Remember, our inner needs are far greater than our external needs, as written about in my previous entry, Jesus Our Truest Friend.)
** This saying is found in St. Augustine’s Sermo 169, 11, 13: PL 38, 923. It is cited a number of times in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. One such place is CCC 1847. My comment: Our creation by God did not depend upon our participation: it was pure gift. Thus, it was in this same love that God also offered us the gift of freedom which therefore requires the responsibilities that accompany it. Hence, if we want to grow, we need to take responsibility for doing the work needed. 
*** https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/lent/documents/20260205-messaggio-quaresima.html

​Images:
1. Painting; Jesus Goes Up Alone onto a Mountain to Pray (Jésus monte seul sur une montagne pour prier), by James Tissot (1886-1894); Brooklyn Museum, Wikipedia Commons, Public Domain
2. Painting; Samaritan Woman at the Well, by Artemisia Gentileschi (1637). The Samaritan woman could not save herself: she recognized this while interacting with Jesus and accepted the water only He could give. (John 4:4-42)
3. My photo; bridge into a castle in Kinsale, Ireland.
4. Painting; Bread, artist unknown.
5. Charcoal; Ashes, artist unknown. (Public Domain)
6. Image; Jesus Listen and Pray, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this or any of his icons and images go to: fineartamerica.com/featured/jesus-listen-and-pray-251-william-hart-mcnichols.html

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

Many of us have had the painful experience of being ditched by a ‘friend’ who we subsequently discover had only intended to use us in some way, especially because they have now attached themselves to someone else whom they deem more beneficial to their presumed status. They have ‘ghosted’ us; that is, they have disappeared from our lives, cutting us off totally, leaving only the pain of recognizing that true loyalty or mutual friendship was never intended nor existed. In this experience we are not alone: Jesus was abandoned by His followers on a number of occasions, especially when His teachings seemed too difficult to comprehend or when followers did not want to do something that required change within them. If Jesus fell out of favor with the authorities, they left Him in search of something or someone whose teachings were what they wanted to hear, or perhaps from whom they could get something that benefited their desires. I can imagine this was quite painful for Jesus since He came to save all people, especially those whose souls were in greatest peril of being lost. Therefore, we should be consoled because He truly understands. 

I recently read an article about a saint with whom some may be unfamiliar, St. Charbel Maklouf (1828-1898). Last November this saint was highlighted by Pope Leo XIV during his trip to Lebanon, (his first trip outside of Italy as Pope), when he prayed at his tomb. St. Charbel was a Maronite monk whose fame spread far and wide not only because of his wisdom, but because of the miracles which occurred through his intercession during his lifetime and which have continued to take place after his death. It is said that over 30,000 miracles have resulted through his prayer. More important than his miracles however, is who he was. St. Charbel was a humble monk whose four most prominent characteristics were prayer, silence, modesty, (humility) and simplicity. It is said that he prepared for two hours before he celebrated Mass and prayed for two hours after he finished. He is usually depicted with his eyes closed, as explained by Chorepiscopus Samer Nassif: “His eyes are closed because he is turned toward God; he belongs to Heaven.” There is much one can say about this wonderful saint, but to our point, it would be easy to turn to him only for what we want him to do rather than to learn from who he was. It is better to know him and imitate his virtues, becoming a true friend, rather than to only ask for his help. True friendship, spiritual or otherwise, is about mutuality; for a saint such as Charbel, our friendship is best offered by imitating his virtues and loving Christ better because of him.*

Let us turn to Jesus, (whom St. Charbel loved), and therefore consider one of the most obvious occurrences in His ministry concerning those who sought to ‘use’ Him. That Jesus was aware of this, and the lesson concerning this kind of behavior, was important enough for Mark to point out in his Gospel account.  I am referring to something Scripture scholars call the Messianic Secret, a term which refers to instances when Jesus would work a miracle and then tell the recipient not reveal that it was He who had healed them. The first thought we might have is “Good luck with that!” How could anyone be expected to receive sight, be freed from demonic possession, cleansing from leprosy or any other catastrophic illness, and keep it a secret? How could anyone hide the identity of the healer once their miracle was noticed by others? The answer is not that Jesus realistically expected them to hide their healing, but He was making an important point: He was trying to keep His identity as the healer unknown to help people to reorder their priorities. That is, He wanted people to follow Him not for what they could get, but rather for who He is. Just as none of us like being used by friends, Jesus did not want to be reduced to being merely utilitarian. He wanted people to truly hear His message and to change their lives that they may know the love and mercy of God rather than to be lost. We cannot grow or be set free from what hinders, nor find freedom, love, and mercy, without our hearts being healed. None of that is possible without a sincere relationship with Jesus.**

It is clear that Jesus is more interested in the state of our soul since the body will eventually decay; He desires that we understand that our soul is infinitely more important because it is eternal and it is the essence of who we are. He longs for our freedom from all that prevents true relationship with Him, to heal the wounds within our hearts, and to liberate us from attachments and distractions; without His help, we simply cannot achieve this. Jesus desires intimacy with us, simply put, because He loves us. And in the same way that we must follow Him for who He is, He wants to love us for who we are. That is, Jesus is not trying to ‘rack up’ followers, but rather, He wants us to know His mercy, His love, and His very Heart. Jesus desires our friendship, and He is our truest friend. As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” We can find this truest of friendship and love nowhere else, so let us look no further and let our hearts rest in Him.

May our hearts rest in Jesus alone! May we offer all of our relationships to the Lord that we might be truer in our friendships, living with forgiveness, mercy, and love! And may we grow in holiness to better love our Truest Friend, Jesus, with sincerity and commitment! Let us meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace!

                           ©Michele L. Catanese

* First, a chorepiscopus is a rank in the Maronite church just below a bishop, translated as “country bishop.” A good way to understand this is to think of a chorepiscopus as an assistant bishop.
- It might help to begin knowing St. Charbel better by considering some sayings he often repeated: “Begin nothing on earth unless it has its end in heaven.” And, “You exist in this world to give and to serve.” You can find more at https://aleteia.org/2025/12/01/why-is-st-charbel-depicted-with-his-eyes-closed/
- About the Pope’s visit to St. Charbel’s tomb: https://aleteia.org/2025/12/04/4-attitudes-taught-by-st-charbel-according-to-pope-leo-xiv/

​** There are numerous instances in the Gospels of Jesus asking recipients of His miracles to keep quiet, but an instance of note is when Jesus healed the paralytic who was lowered through the roof by his friends. Jesus said, “Child, your sins are forgiven” and only after the uproar (created by the scribes who were present) did Jesus heal the man physically. He then addressed the crowd saying, “Which is easier to say… ‘Your sins are forgiven, or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’”?  (Mark 2:1-12) This incident is also found in Matthew 9:1-8 and in Luke 5:17-26. I must note that it is often pointed out that Mark wrote the shortest Gospel and that every word he wrote in his succinct style was measured and of importance, so it is interesting that of the three Synoptic Gospels, his telling of this healing is the longest. Therefore, it becomes obvious how clearly Mark understood the importance to our Lord of this message concerning the value of our soul!​

Images:
1. My photo; New Mexico sky.
2. Photo; St. Charbel Maklouf; Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
3. Painting; Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man, by James Tissot. Wikimedia Commons. This image was uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum as a content partnership, and is considered to have no known copyright restrictions by the institutions of the Brooklyn Museum. Note: While the Brooklyn Museum cannot make an absolute statement on copyright status for legal reasons, it supports and encourages the Wikimedia community in researching and applying the copyright status tag that is most appropriate for their purposes.
4. My photo; hikers on a trail in Lost Maples Natural Area, Vanderpool, Texas.
5. Icon; Nuestro Salvador de las Sandias, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you desire to purchase this icon in one of many available mediums, go to ​fineartamerica.com/featured/nuestro-salvador-de-las-sandias-012-william-hart-mcnichols.html.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

I walk for exercise every day, but since the weather where I live is mostly hot and humid, I do a lot of it on a treadmill. However, when we do have days more conducive to being outdoors, I walk on one of the many trails around my neighborhood. I prefer walking outside because there is something freeing about it that opens my heart to God and provides for better attention to nature. My eyes and ears attune to Him with greater clarity, and believe it or not, with fewer distractions. An example of this took place on a walk last week when I noticed a Monarch butterfly fluttering around me. It provided much joy as it kept flying before me, flitting from left to right as if in a dance specially choreographed just for my pleasure. This went on for a few minutes, and I am sure that if anyone had observed my ‘interaction’ with the butterfly – (yes, I was talking to it!) – and the huge smile on my face, they might have thought I had ‘gone over the edge.’ I felt care-free like a little child, quite captivated by it. The joy lasted well after it finally went its own way. But the greatest gift was in the awareness of the presence of God in His creation: it was as if God was delighting in delighting me!

Pope Leo XIV recently declared 2026 as a year of Franciscan Jubilee to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi and to celebrate the long history and many contributions of the Franciscans over the years. The jubilee can also serve to invite the faithful into an examination and renewal of our spiritual lives, particularly our prayer and service, as well as to encourage growth in some of the virtues taught through Franciscan spirituality: Gospel-living expressed by simplicity, care for creation, and care for the poor. Perhaps a good way to think of the jubilee is that it is a way to embrace Gospel-living with intentionality, that is, to live with the attitude of St. Francis, a man who tried to live like Jesus as much as he possibly could. Perhaps this year can inspire us to try to become a little bit Franciscan in how we live. 

The jubilee calls our attention to the way of St. Francis. The spirituality that flowed from him and his followers can be characterized by daily prayer rooted in listening and silent reflection, seeking to meet God throughout the day both in the people encountered and in the beauty of creation. Franciscans often refer to creation as the ‘mirror of God’ and along with Sacred Scripture find this the most fertile way to find the Lord and to rejoice in Him. Therefore, with just a little commitment and intentionality, we can enter into the jubilee spirit by paying more attention to creation, finding joy in this gift. We can pray to grow in the graces of simplicity, kindness, and humility, (hallmarks of Franciscan life), and a deepened reverence for creation and for others, especially those who are marginalized or who we find most difficult to be with. 

​The Franciscan motto is “Pax et Bonum” (peace and all good): if we try to live this motto our focus will remain on living the spirit of the jubilee. St. Francis served in whatever way he could, including ministering to the poor, especially lepers, and in his efforts to evangelize through preaching.​* No matter what he did, all of his efforts were wrapped in prayer and characterized by deep joy. Prayers that are attributed to him and free-spirited actions such as joyfully preaching to the birds (or to anyone who would listen) are what attract many to  St. Francis today. We, too, can pray for this interior freedom, and we can pray to respond to the graces we receive, seeking to be a peacemaker, or to be a person who brings joy to others through our attitude and presence, wherever and however we are called. It does not matter how much or little we do, or even the exact nature of our service, but what matters is that we live as Jesus taught, becoming a better example by sharing kindness and joy rather than hiding the joy we possess in our relationship with Christ. Simply put, real joy attracts, being dour does not!

St. Francis was arguably the most Christ-like person in the history of Christianity. He was not perfect, and had a number of failures and sufferings, but his goal was to imitate Christ and to work for ‘peace and all good.’ The key to living the Christian life with the joy he exhibited only comes through a relationship with God. We do not have to live the radical lifestyle St. Francis chose, but like him we do need to heed the words of St. Paul: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17) In this year dedicated to honoring St. Francis and his spiritual followers we are reminded of a pathway to God which can bear fruit. What matters most is that we respond to God as He calls to us daily, and that we do not miss His gifts of love, mercy, and beauty which can come in ‘ordinary packages.’ Indeed, God wants us to know Him and how much He loves us; He wants us to delight in Him by delighting in the beauty He provides no matter what our circumstances. It is not always easy to see these gifts, but the more we seek, the more we will find, and the more we find, the more our faith will grow so that one day our joy will be complete.

May we become more like St. Francis by living with simplicity and kindness! May we seek to work for peace and all good! And may we learn to delight in the Lord who delights in us! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Pax et Bonum!

​                                   ©Michele L. Catanese

* It is said that one of the instructions St. Francis gave his followers was, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if you have to, use words.”
~ To help our reflection, here are some suggestions that might help in living the Franciscan spirit and which might also serve to increase our understanding:
Read the life of St. Francis or St. Clare of Assisi; dive into the writings of St. Bonaventure, a doctor of the Church (1221-1274), or the writings of Bl. John Duns Scotus (1265/1266-1308) the other 'heavy hitter' of Franciscan thought and spirituality. There are many Franciscan saints from whom we might learn such as Anthony of Padua, Thomas More, Angela of Foligno, Marianne Cope, Maximillian Kolbe, and Padre Pio. There are also ‘modern’ Franciscan writers, bloggers, speakers (on various platforms, YouTube and the like) whose work can enhance our reflection or actions. 
​You can find information on some Franciscan saints at franciscanmissionaries.com/12-franciscan-saints-know-besides-saint-francis/

Images: 
1. My photo; this is a moth, actually, on a hiking trail in Idaho. This creature also gave me great pleasure a couple of years ago while out hiking.
2. Painting; I Will Hold Out My Hand and My Heart Will Be In It - 1979, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This image depicts St. Francis of Assisi after he received the stigmata. ​You can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/i-will-hold-out-my-hand-and-my-heart-will-be-in-it-1979-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. My photo; ducklings in a creek; I took this while hiking near Silverthorne, Colorado.
4. Painting; St. Francis of Assisi, by Jusepe de Ribera, 1642.
5. Painting; Celia Thaxter's Garden by Childe Hassam, 1890.
6. Painting; Bluebell Wood by Nicholas Hely Hutchinson.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

​In early January we often look forward to what a new year will bring. Therefore, this is a good time to reflect upon our spiritual progress, (something we should do often), since it provides an excellent opportunity to ponder how we might deepen spiritual awareness and grow in relationship with God, considering how we might better respond to His call. It is important to reflect upon the mysteries of creation, beauty, and most especially, who we were created to be. And it is important to remember that all of the answers we seek are found in God. However, we need to keep in mind that when we seek, we may discover more questions than we began with: it is wisdom to realize that the more we think we know, the less we really know, hence we continue to hunger for God to reveal Himself. Our trust in God must deepen so that we become content in the humility of simply being His child. And this is what the Baptism of the Lord is about: the humility of Jesus revealing whose Son He is, and His invitation to humbly grow in our understanding of being His Father’s child, too. 

As humans we have found many different ways to try to understand ‘the way things are.’ The sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, are important ways to understand the intricacies of the universe and how we function within it. We must recognize, however, that all of these, no matter how much or little we comprehend, are different ‘languages’ by which God reveals Himself. That is, together with theology they are ways to express God’s revelation. As the Psalmist says, we are “wondrously made.” (Psalm 139:14) The sciences are not opposed to theology, but rather are ways to describe that which comes from the Creator who designed the way it all ‘works,’ and yet, who Himself is uncreated: He simply is “I Am Who Am.” (Exodus 3:14) To facilitate our response to beauty, that is, to God, we have the arts, including dance, music, visual disciplines like painting, sculpture, and photography, as ways to express without words. There is also language, spoken and written, including poetry, prose, essay, or simply the common parlance of speech. All of these, while grand or poor, are attempts to express the inexpressible, our response to beauty and the revelation of God. 

At its core, our desire to know is actually spiritual hunger. Therefore, we can marvel at that which we do not fully understand, and we can praise God for the magnificence and mystery of it all. This praise leads to a deepening of love and gratitude, since we deserve none of it, and yet the reality is that He created it all for us.* According to His plan, even after Adam and Eve destroyed the original beauty of Eden through disobedience, (bringing original sin into the world), God sent His only Son to save us from the power of sin and death, enabling the gifts which we are able receive through Baptism. As we just celebrated at Christmas, Jesus is the Son of God, true God and true man: He is fully divine as the Son of the Most High, and as the Son of the Immaculately conceived mother, Mary, He is also fully human, but without sin. So why then, did He begin His ministry by being baptized? He certainly did not need it!

​Among other things, the answer lies in humility and in love. Jesus came into the world in the deepest humility; God ‘leapt down’ from Heaven to enter our world of imperfection, experiencing pain, suffering, and death. It therefore makes sense that also in humility He would do that which He wants for us to do as well. But further, Jesus changed the nature of John’s baptism so that it became a Sacrament which by the power of His Holy Spirit cleanses all sin and ultimately changes our status to that of sons and daughters of God. As St. Paul pointed out, we became adopted sons and daughters of God when we were baptized.** Thus, we share the Father with the Son in a deeper way through the Holy Spirit. This sharing opens our capacity for faith, hope, and love, the graces which come from Baptism. Finally, we observe that the Father’s voice was heard saying how pleased He was in Jesus; and the Holy Spirit rejoiced, too, as He was seen like a dove hovering over Jesus. (Luke 3:21-22) This was the way God wanted to point out that indeed Jesus was the One for whom we had waited and that we should pay attention, learning from Him as we become His disciples.

In Jesus’ Baptism, we can observe virtues in addition to humility. He was obedient to the Father in being baptized without the need of it; He exhibited fortitude in His acceptance of His ministry, opposed long before He said a word and ending in death; He lived with prudence and temperance in how and when He did everything; we observe justice in His teaching and in His final victory, giving insight into how God’s justice is different than ours. Therefore, through Jesus' baptism we learn the virtues we must have to grow in the Christian life, graces offered by the Father to assist us in persevering in the faith and in our call. As we reflect upon what we hope for in this new year, we can draw upon what we have been given, approaching the Lord in prayer that our hunger for Him might increase.

May we adopt an attitude of humble, spiritual hunger, knowing that it can only be fulfilled in God! May we continue to drink from the wellspring of our own Baptism, that we might grow in faith and hope especially when we are most challenged! And may we strive to grow in mercy and love just as Jesus taught! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                        ©Michele L. Catanese

* The first chapters of Genesis reveal that we are to have dominion over everything, insofar as we are stewards, and we are meant to enjoy it all.
** John’s baptism was for forgiveness of sin, but he could not cleanse original sin; his baptism did not forgive in the sacramental sense. John's baptism was about repentance as he was readying the way for Jesus who could give us sacramental Baptism which imparts grace and changes our status to adopted sons and daughters of God. (See Galatians 4:3-7; Roman 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:4-5) Only God can impart grace, something John knew: “I baptize you with water, but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” John went on to explain that while he baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:26-34) ~ There are many more reasons that Jesus was baptized though He did not need it, but I am only focusing on this aspect for the purpose of this reflection.

Images:
1. My photo; The Baptism of the Lord, by Giotto. Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy.
2. Image; Hebrew Name of Yahweh-Adam Kadmon, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you would like to purchase a copy of this, go to fineartamerica.com/featured/hebrew-name-of-yahweh-adam-kadmon-183-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. My photo; grotto garden in Portland Oregon.
​4. My photo; Spey River in the Highlands of Scotland, near Grantown-on-Spey.
5. Print; The Cardinal Virtues, artist unknown. This medieval print depicts Patience and Temperance on the top, left to right; Fortitude and Justice on the bottom, left to right. 
6. Oil painting; Louveciennes, Chemin de Creux (Winter Landscape in Louveciennes) by Camille Pissarro, 1872. Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
​
Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

During Advent we considered the humility of Mary and Joseph, not to mention the unfathomable humility of God who bent low in order to become one of us. We reflected upon how Mary and Joseph each knew who they were before God, and loving Him, they said yes. At the Annunciation, Mary had completely given herself to God, and similarly Joseph had put aside his expectations, obeying the angel who came to him via a dream, taking Mary as his wife despite her pregnancy in which he had no part. As the Christmas season begins it is good to ponder more deeply the dimension of humility which enabled them to set aside their egos and follow what was asked of them. Neither of them would have been able to assent to taking on their difficult ministry, (and ministry it was), if they had not given all completely to the Lord. Therefore, in this Christmas season we are invited to reflect upon the actions of Mary and Joseph in everything that followed the birth of Jesus in the same way. We continue to observe in them what it means to follow the Lord as completely as we can: we must lay aside our ego, take on the mantle of humility, and live as if at the stable, lowly and simple. 

The Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated only a few days after the Nativity this year. This presents a difficult Gospel to hear so soon after the joy of Christmas day: the angel tells Joseph to take his family and flee because Herod wants to kill Jesus. In the Gospel of this feast day, we see the contrast between the Holy Family and that of the inflated ego of Herod, the king who feared a baby so much so that he decreed all baby boys under two be put to death. Herod knew the prophecies, but rather than to consider the possibility of their fulfillment, his hubris would not allow him to accept that this king was indeed greater than he, not as a threat, but as his savior. It drove him to the worst evil through the horrific acts of murder he ordered; and it was this ego that ultimately led to his ruin. Joseph and Mary were not ‘ruled’ by ego, and therefore heeded the warning of God, uprooting themselves from their kinsfolk and everything they knew as home.

The Gospel proclaimed at Mass the following day is that of the Presentation of the Lord in which Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple for naming and circumcision.* They only had the offering of the poor: two turtledoves or two young pigeons. However, they found no shame in this, because what was more important to them was following the Law with their precious Child; they were unconcerned with how things looked to others. And it was in the Temple that they met Simeon and Anna, both of whom (individually) identified Jesus as the Messiah. Because of their holiness Simeon and Anna were blessed with long life as they longed to see the Awaited One. They trusted the Lord and His promises so greatly that the Holy Spirit gifted them with seeing who He really was when Jesus was before them. Their lack of ego enabled them to see, and therefore, to rejoice in the Messiah’s arrival. Simeon, however, left Mary with a somber message: “Behold this child is destined … to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce)….” (Luke 2:34-35) Mary, however, did not recoil or snatch the Baby out of his hands, nor did she respond as if he had spoiled their joy. Rather, she pondered what he said in her heart, again accepting whatever the Lord would bring. This was because it was always about God, and not about willfulness or superiority (something she had about nothing and no one).

During these few weeks of the Christmas season there is a tremendous amount to reflect upon. That God has humbled Himself and come as a man is something we can never stop considering prayerfully. That this is so makes the soon-to-come season of Lent as deeply shocking as it is and what makes the Easter mysteries to follow so astounding and rich. Without what we ponder at Christmas, the rest of the mysteries would be bereft of their intricacies and nuances, and the stunning reality of who Jesus is, why He came, and what He chose to do for us, would be diminished: we see with vivid clarity that in His own humility God did not choose Himself over us! If we do not consider, and therefore try to imitate, the humility of Mary and Joseph, we may fail to grasp that which snares our own ego, nor might we recognize the depth of our sinfulness and unworthiness. And without that we would not experience the depth of the love and mercy of God, who despite these things, sees us as infinitely worthy. In short, we would miss the unfathomable gift of love and mercy God offered us by sending His Son into the world. 

It is at the stable with the Christ Child that we are given the foundation for our faith: God loves us beyond measure, and the only fitting response we can give is that of casting aside our ego and agenda in a gesture of humility, trust, and love. This Christmas season let us arrive at the stable to become more ‘lowly and simple,’ that we might give the Lord Jesus our hearts as fully as we can.

May we enjoy the blessings of the Christmas season which has just begun! May we pray for the grace of setting aside our ego to say ‘yes’ to the Lord in love! And may we embrace the call to be lowly and simple as we follow where the newborn Lord leads! Let us meet in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Peace!

                                                        ©Michele L. Catanese

* Indeed, the sequence is backwards if one looks at it chronologically rather than how we celebrate these days liturgically. Chronologically, first came the Presentation of Jesus on the 8th day of His life, according to Jewish custom and Law. At some point after the Presentation, the Magi arrived staying there for only a short time since they received a message in a dream to leave by another route; almost simultaneously, Joseph experienced his own dream telling him to take his family away as protection from Herod, thus the Gospel heard at the Mass on the Feast Holy Family. Quick primer: the Gospel on the Feast of the Holy Family came from Matthew’s Gospel and the Gospel describing the Presentation was from the Gospel of Luke. Also, it is important to know that the Sunday Masses and the Gospel passages proclaimed follow the major feasts of the Christmas season, but the calendar may influence their order in the liturgical year: Christmas, Holy Family, Epiphany, the Baptism of Jesus. The cycle of the daily Masses, (during which the Presentation is celebrated) is completely different, though of course, very much revealing mysteries consistent with the season of Christmas. During the 8 days (the Octave) of Christmas we always have the feasts of St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, and the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God which ends the Octave (January 1). It can be confusing, so perhaps the following will help:
From Philip Koslowski at Aleteia, posted Dec. 27: “… in the Roman Catholic Church, the liturgical season of Christmas does not start until December 25 (including the vigil celebrated on December 24) and lasts through January. This is where it can get a little more confusing as the Baptism of the Lord is a moveable feast, depending on the day when Epiphany falls in the Roman calendar…. For those dioceses that celebrate Epiphany on January 6, the Baptism of the Lord falls on the Sunday after it. In other places where Epiphany is celebrated on the first Sunday that falls from January 2 through January 8, then the Baptism of the Lord could occur either on the following Sunday, or on a Monday (this happens if Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8). The latest that the Baptism of the Lord can occur is January 13. Ordinary Time starts on the day after this feast.”

Images:
1. Image; The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-nativity-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-034-william-hart-mcnichols.html
2. My photo; The Holy Family fleeing to Egypt, bas relief sculpture on the wall of the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem, Palestine.
3. Oil painting; The Sheepfold, Moonlight, by Jean-Francois Millet, (1856-1860)
4. My photo; tree at Fort Davis, Fort Davis, Texas.
5. My photo; Angels adoring the newborn Jesus at the manger, found in the Basilica of the Transfiguration, Mt. Tabor, Israel.
6. Fresco painting; The Cortona Altarpiece: Adoration of the Magi, (left) and The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (right), by Blessed Fra Angelico (1400-1455)

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

During Advent a wonderful contemplation is to simply sit and gaze upon a creche scene. The figures do not move, nor do they make a sound; they do nothing except hold their position, as it were. However, while they do not make a sound, they do speak, though not aloud. They speak to our heart of who they are depicting and what we are awaiting. Not everyone does this, but part of my Advent tradition is to leave the baby Jesus out of the scene until Christmas Eve night. Thus, throughout the entire season the scene and all its figures seem to be awaiting the Lord. Yes, the shepherds and wise men are in my creche scene, but for me the shepherds are representative of the simple folks who knew of the prophecies and were waiting, and the Magi represent the journey which involves watching and patience in finding the place where the Star was leading. In these late weeks of Advent, the scene speaks of intensified waiting and of the need to pay close attention, a reminder of the words of that beautiful line of Scripture: “When peaceful stillness compassed everything and the night in its swift course was half spent, your all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne bounded….” (Wisdom 18:14-15) 

​Everything about the stable scene is a contradiction of sorts, yet it is just as the Father wants it to be. Isaiah wrote some rather intriguing lines that point out the mystery involved: “No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, “This is the way; walk in it.”” (Is 30: 20-21) That is, the all-powerful Word will bound from Heaven and will be our guide. But in an earlier prophecy, Isaiah had revealed that this all-powerful Word would come as a child, (Isaiah 11:6). Perhaps the late Advent creche scene is telling us that the Teacher is coming, though as we least expect Him. Thus, the empty manger speaks of this child, our Teacher and King, whom we will see if we remain patient. This king comes in the deepest humility; indeed, what king is there who would assent to being born in a manger surrounded by animals? 

The next contradiction is the mother, a humble, holy woman named Mary, pregnant not in the usual course, but through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to the Son of God, who will be called Jesus, the Teacher and King foretold of old. Then we see Joseph watching over his pregnant wife, quietly contradicting the evil intentions of Herod by heeding the angel’s message: he is the father obedient to The Father. There are the animals whose home this family is occupying, yet who gladly share it. In what should be chaotic, peace reigns in the hopeful waiting. Isaiah said that there will be an eminence of light in the dark of this place: “The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be… like the light of seven days….” (Isaiah 30:26) Thus, the final contradiction: in the darkest time of the year, an unnaturally bright star is leading the Magi to this couple who are preparing for the Baby. And unbeknownst to anyone, this Baby is light because He is the Light of the World.

It is important to remember that Mary is the Immaculate Conception who defuses the light of the One whom she bears within her womb, and will always do so. It is important to remember that Joseph, the silent one, is able to hear angels speak because he is a listener who then acts upon what he hears. Perhaps this is the call of Advent this year; that is, Advent and the creche scene speaks of our call to defuse light by living as Jesus teaches, first by listening to Him and then sharing the gospel in all we say and do. The message is that we are all called to greater purity and simplicity of heart and to ask for the grace to let go of our attachments so that we might focus on the Lord above all else. We are called to be like Joseph, listening before speaking, so that we too might hear angels speak deep in our hearts. And yes, we are called to be bearers of God’s healing and mercy. As Isaiah wrote: “He [God] will be most gracious to you when you cry out; as soon as he hears he will answer you.” (Isaiah 30:19), And again, in the light “…the Lord binds up the wounds of His people....” (Isaiah 30:26) Thus, we are to trust that God’s presence in this coming Child who is both Teacher and King will bring healing to us and to our world, and we also must remember that for this to be so, we must do our part by working with Him, acting as He taught during His ministry. Jesus taught that ‘what we have received, we are to give as a gift.’ (paraphrase of Matthew 10:8 and 1 Peter 4:10-11)

As Advent grows late and the day is drawing nearer, we are called to imitate the virtues of those gathered at the manger. It is only in silence that we can open our hearts to truly hear the message, to recognize the gifts offered, and to ask for the grace to grow holier in the light of the coming Lord. Let us be ready for time and eternity to meet on that awaited day when peaceful stillness will compass everything.

May we gather at the creche in expectation, hope, listening, and receiving! May we imitate Mary and Joseph in living the call we have been given with listening hearts and purity of spirit! And may we welcome anew the Lord of Light, Jesus Christ, into our hearts at Christmas! Maranatha! Come, O Lord! Peace!

                                 ©Michele L. Catanese

Note: Since this blog is dedicated to St. John Henry Newman, it is only fitting that I include some lines from one of his poems which describe the mysteries of late Advent.
The Watchman (A Song) – St. John Henry Newman
Time’s years are many. Eternity one.
And one is the Infinite;
The chosen are few, few the deeds well done.
For scantness is still Heaven’s might.  (December 12, 1832)

Images:
1. My photo; Creche scene in my prayer room.
2. Painting in a style called 'gouache' (water is used as a medium); St. Joseph Seeks a Lodging at Bethlehem, (Saint Joseph cherche un gîte à Bethléem) by James Tissot (1886-94).
3. Icon; San Jose Flor de Jese, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested, you can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/san-jose-flor-de-jese-323-william-hart-mcnichols.html
4. Icon; Mother of God of Medjugorgie by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested, you can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/the-mother-of-god-of-medjugorgie-084-william-hart-mcnichols.html
5. My photo; New Mexico sunset.
6. Fresco painting; Nativity, Giotto (1303-1306) at the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy; public domain.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

Advent is the quietest time of the year. Lest you think I haven’t left the house or watched TV in the last three months, let me clarify. Spiritually, Advent is the quietest time of the year. And this is exactly the point: we exist between the pull of the world and that of spirituality. The world is overly lit up, loud, and ‘bossy’ in that we are faced with music and lights far too early, as well as the not-so-subtle persuasion to purchase all sorts of things. It is not that we ought to avoid the joy of the season, but the reality is that we are in Advent, not Christmas, so our joys ought to reflect where we are now, not where we will be in four more weeks. If we get ahead of ourselves, we will miss the beauty and the incredible graces of Advent. Thus, Advent, the quietest time of the year, invites us into the silence which is filled with joyful expectation and messages of hope and wonder too beautiful to miss.

Our reflection must begin with Mary who is essential since her participation was crucial to God’s plan. And in considering her, we must also consider the importance of hopeful expectation: the beauty and wonder of this gift is evident since the Son came ‘down’ from heaven through the assent of this humble woman and therefore, in her time of pregnancy we prayerfully join in the joyful waiting. Within this mystery is our opportunity to receive messages of hope and wonder that are far too beautiful to consider missing. It is interesting that Mary is recorded as speaking only five times in the Gospels. The first two, at the Annunciation when she humbly said yes to God’s plan, and again at the Visitation when she responded immediately to serve her pregnant older cousin.* At that time, Elizabeth, who also knew how to listen in the quiet of her soul, upon seeing Mary approaching, cried out, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” We, too, should be continually asking how it happens that the mother of our Lord should come to us when we enter into the silent prayer of Advent (or any time that we invite Mary to join us as we pray.) In the silence we can consider if we react with joy in her presence, remembering the beauty of her love for the Son she brings, as well as the love she bears for us. 

With Mary we can respond: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior….” (Luke 1: 46-55)** Notice that Mary praised God first for who He is and then for the joy He has caused within her spirit. God is always first in her mind and heart, and it is to Him that all her words and deeds always point. In this beautiful prayer she affirms many of the ways God offers hope: He has mercy, He shows His might by casting down the arrogant and raising up the lowly, He fills the hungry with good things, He keeps His promises and remembers His servants. These words, just as in the words she spoke at the Annunciation, convey what God reveals as messages of hope and wonder. God revealed His wonders within Mary through her pregnancy with His Son, within an elderly woman (Elizabeth) becoming pregnant with the prophet long promised (John the Baptist) who would usher in the Messiah, and in His unfathomable mercy for all humanity. 

During Advent let us be with Mary in her joy and expectation which came through messages of hope and wonder too beautiful to miss. In our prayer, we can join her in the silence before the angel appeared and then again, in their encounter. We should pause there, entering into the wonder of moments such as these in our own life: how have angels come to us and what do they say? What is God’s message of hope and wonder for us? We can join Mary in quiet service, our response to God’s mercy. What is the hope and wonder we experience as we give to others and receive their gratitude? What is our experience of doing things no one knows about, that like Mary, we do in hidden ways? What is the hope and wonder of coming into contact with the Lord? Do we recognize the moments pregnant with the Lord as did Elizabeth? And do we respond with joy, as did both women? 

There are messages of hope and wonder too beautiful to miss in Advent which we can only receive if we enter into the season. We are not meant to insulate ourselves from the outside world with its lights, noise, and ‘bossiness,’ and there is nothing wrong with engaging in some of it so long as we do not lose sight of the opportunities for the quiet pondering which we are called to in this wonderful season, Advent, that we might prepare the manger within our heart for the Lord Jesus. Advent is a gift to all who follow Jesus Christ so that when He comes with even more hope-filled mercy and love, we will not miss those messages either. Indeed, Advent is a precious gift into which we can (and should) invite others, especially those most harried or burdened by this time of the year. Indeed, there are messages of hope and wonder too beautiful to miss that become even more beautiful when shared.

May we enter into Advent by joining with Mary in joyful expectation! May we receive the beautiful messages of hope and wonder contained in the mysteries of the season! And may we grow in relationship with Mary and the Lord Jesus for whom we, too, are preparing! Let us meet in the silence of Advent! Maranatha! Come O Lord! Peace!

​                                         ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes:
* When we first ‘meet’ Mary in Scripture she was in solitude and the archangel Gabriel appeared with his strange greeting, “Hail, favored one,” along with tidings of great joy. Mary listened to what he said and finally spoke: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” After Gabriel explained, Mary spoke a second time: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:26-38) The third time she spoke was the Magnificat. The other two times occurred in John’s Gospel when again she made two statements during the Wedding at Cana: “They have no wine,” and “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:3,6)
** The Magnificat was a canticle, a song. I have always envisioned Mary singing it with Elizabeth joining in as if in refrain. Remember, Mary’s words were based on the prayer of Hannah when the Lord revealed to her that she, who was thought barren, would be the mother of Samuel, a great prophet. (1 Samuel 2:1-10) By incorporating the prayer of Hannah, (which Elizabeth would have known) it seems Mary was including praise for the wonder of Elizabeth’s pregnancy as a once barren woman with her own miraculous and virginal pregnancy. Once again, this displays the humility of Mary and her sensitivity to all God’s marvelous works.
Images:
1. My photo: At an agriturismo property (farm/guesthouse) outside of Noto, Sicily, Italy.
2. Painting; The Visitation, (inset of a larger work), by Bl. Fra Angelico.
3. My photo; Mount Cook in the South Island of New Zealand.
4. My photo: close up of dew on a tiny plant, Lost Maples Natural Area, Vanderpool, Texas.
5. Icon; The Mother of God Overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you would like to purchase this in any medium, perhaps an Advent card, (or perhaps another of Fr. Bill's beautiful icons for a Christmas card), or an icon as a gift, you can find it at ​fineartamerica.com/featured/the-mother-of-god-overshadowed-by-the-holy-spirit-118-william-hart-mcnichols.html
​(Remember, I do not receive any remuneration for recommending Fr. Bill's work. I simply enjoy sharing messages of hope and wonder too beautiful to miss!)
6. Drawing; Advent Week 1 wreath and candles.
7. Photo; Advent Week 2 wreath and candles.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.