​I have always loved the people in the city where I reside. Sure we have our problems as all cities do, but in general folks here are generous, kind, and for the most part, a blessing to one another. Whenever there is a catastrophe Houstonians open their hearts and their arms to help people in need, no matter who they might be.* But even in ordinary situations, it is my experience that conversations with ‘strangers’ are not an unusual occurrence; people are quite friendly. For example, the other day while in a checkout line, the man behind me noticed the peppers I was purchasing and engaged in a conversation about how he loved to roast peppers for his cooking. As I finished my transaction, he smiled and with genuine feeling said, “Have a blessed day!” I responded with “You too,” although what I was thinking was: “Indeed I shall; you have just blessed it.” In retrospect, I wish I had actually said that to him, although I am hopeful that he received the sincerity of my response nonetheless. But it drove home for me that what we do and say does make a difference. Not only did he brighten my day, but he truly blessed me both in the words he offered as we parted and in the friendly ‘welcome’ offered through initiating the short conversation in the first place. There are important lessons here: First, I should have said what was in my heart not only because it was the truth, but because perhaps it would have gladdened his heart more deeply, just as his words had gladdened mine. And second, it underscores the fact that with all the angst and negativity in the world, we definitely need to do much more blessing and a whole lot less cursing. This is not necessarily a reference to our choice of words, though that is also essential to kind interaction; rather, I am referring to our demeanor and the gift we should be to one another. Truly, the world needs more blessings. 

This Sunday was World Mission Sunday, something Pope Francis has spoken about in encouraging evangelization. In fact, the Pope has designated the entire month of October (2019) as Extraordinary Missionary Month. And it should not go unnoticed that the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist is also this month, (October 18), significant because St. Luke was indeed a missionary, given his travels, and that the Gospel he wrote emphasizes the importance of being welcoming to everyone, particularly the outcast, such that they come to know Jesus through offered love and generosity. Luke pointed out that Jesus taught us to be a blessing to one another and to bring blessing to the world through acts of love done without fanfare, but rather with humility and sincerity. At the heart of the message of Jesus is that we love our neighbor as ourselves and that we stretch even further by loving those who are difficult to love. This love includes welcoming the stranger, even if we are in a grocery store checkout line conversing about produce! With every encounter we are to be a blessing to one another, and not a curse. Thus, we become a type of missionary such that we intend to leave others enriched in some way, rather than leaving them worse off, empty, or feeling like they are invisible. And in turn we should receive their welcome with equal sincerity and gratitude. This sort of interaction is how we evangelize: we live the gospel, preaching with our actions, and if we have to, also with our words. **

We do not know a lot about St. Luke although there is some information which can be gleaned from the letters of St. Paul as well as what Luke revealed about himself at the beginning of his Gospel. From these we learn that Luke was a physician and that he valued writing in a historically accurate way. He was of pagan Greek origin, but he converted to Christianity after he met Paul, accompanying him on the rest of his missionary journeys. Thus, Luke was a missionary with Paul; of course he ministered to Paul as a physician, but it would be a mistake to characterize Luke as one who wrote but never spoke the message which burned within his heart, especially after spending years with such an outstanding teacher and preacher as St. Paul. In the opening of both his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles Luke addressed his writing to “Theophilus,” (lover of God). From this we can assume that Luke was writing to a community that was familiar with him, and had therefore heard him preach. And finally, while Luke never met Jesus, there is evidence that he knew Mary, ‘interviewing’ her at length. This would explain why his Gospel contains more about Mary than any other. The detail and intimacy with which he described the Annunciation and the mysteries of the birth of Jesus indicates that he had firsthand knowledge which could only have come from her. 

Of the themes of Luke’s Gospel, one which stands out is the inclusiveness of Jesus, whose love was not limited to the Jewish people who were awaiting the Messiah. It is clear from Luke that Jesus put emphasis on His love for the poor, sinners of every type, women, (especially widows), the outcast, lepers, and foreigners (Gentiles); that is, all those people marginalized by the Jewish culture. This Gospel teaches that love is about welcome and being a blessing, so that just as Jesus welcomed everyone, so too should His disciples. It is about opening one’s heart to everyone, not just those who are easy to love, but also the ones who pose the greatest challenge. Thus, all are invited, all are welcomed, and all are loved by God no matter who they are, where they come from, what their background, or what their past history may have been. It is obvious that Luke took to heart the teaching of Paul who said that there was no longer Jew or Greek, man or woman, free or slave, but all were one in Christ. (Gal 3:28) The only way for this to be lived is be intentional in what we say and do, so as to be a blessing to those we meet. 

Luke knew, and therefore emphasized, that to be a disciple of Christ we must invite the unwelcomed (Lk 5:27-32), heal the wounded (4:38-41), find the lost (15:1-32), offer peace to the disquieted (4:31-37), forgive those who have wronged us (17:3-4), and offer what we can to the poor (16:19-31). This means we must first accept these gifts of God ourselves so that we can offer them to others. Once we realize the mercy with which we have been forgiven and loved, we will find it easier to welcome others as we have been welcomed. Furthermore, nowhere in the Gospel is anyone ever expected to be perfect. As we have seen, Jesus offered great mercy to the habitual sinner. Luke makes it abundantly clear that perfection is not a criterion for entering the Kingdom of God, and thus it is not required for one to be a disciple.*** However, what is essential is how well we attempt to love our neighbor without distinction: friend, foe, and stranger alike. Clearly, the Gospel is about having an open heart, welcoming all we meet, and being a blessing rather than a curse in whatever setting we may find ourselves. 

What we learn from Luke, (and from the Church designating World Mission Day), is that we are to be missionaries of blessing here and now; we do not have to travel like Luke or Paul. In fact, before we can go to a far-off land, if that is our call, we must learn to love at home. The effect of all our loving actions, no matter where we are, is real. This means that we are to be a blessing in the little things we do on a daily basis and that if an opportunity presents itself, we should say and do what is in our heart so that we do not regret kind words unspoken or works of mercy undone. The work of blessing does not have to be something outside our ability; it is not about writing a theological masterpiece, but it is about being a missionary of love, which in itself is a theological masterpiece. It is not about spending hours on our knees, but it is about the fruitfulness of our time of prayer leading us to action. It is not about doing miraculous works, but it is about sharing with others and letting love work the ‘miracle.’ It is important to take to heart the message of Jesus that this is our call, offering blessing in place of curse, joy instead of loneliness, and kindness where there may be emptiness. Let us think of ourselves as true disciples, those who are called to act as missionaries of blessing and evangelists of love, just as St. Luke emphasized in his Gospel. This is indeed what Christ asks of those who love Him: it is how we share the Good News to the ends of the earth.

May we take up the call of Jesus as missionaries of blessing and evangelists of love! May we ask for the graces we need to live as true disciples of Jesus! May we take to heart the Gospel of Luke and the emphasis Jesus puts on welcoming all those who are marginalized or outcast! May we spend time in prayer for the needs of the world, to come to know and love Jesus better, and to better recognize the opportunities which come daily to be a missionary of blessing! And may we learn to value with gratitude the kindness, mercy, compassion, peacemaking, justice, generosity, and forgiveness which are offered to us by God so that we in turn, may offer these to others! Let us continue to meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace!

©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: This entire blog, Heart Speaks to Heart, is the result of the wisdom and encouragement offered to me by Joanne Knowles, my long time spiritual director and dear friend. She passed away this past week, so while I know she is rejoicing with God and all the holy ones, please pray for the repose of her soul and also for her family. For years Joanne encouraged me to write and she kept a copy of every single blog entry ever posted here! Fittingly, there is an early entry in which I wrote about her. It can be found in my Archives from November 2012, or you can click here: https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/the-gift-of-an-anam-cara
Rest in peace, Anam Cara!

Next post November 4

* After disasters in many places around the country and the world, not just here in Houston, Houstonians are quick to share their money, goods, and hard work to help others. It is very impressive and inspiring. During a crisis no one asks about the politics, religion, race, or creed of those who are in need: they help all equally. I must also mention that recently one of our deputies, Sandeep Dhaliwal, (a trailblazer as the first Sikh deputy to wear a turban on duty), a beloved, courageous man who cared deeply for the people of this city, was murdered during a traffic stop. The people of Houston honored him and continue to mourn his loss; another touching example of the love and care of this community.

** This is a paraphrase of a quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi as he missioned the friars to serve in the community. 

*** Read Luke’s writing and count how many times Jesus ate and drank with so-called sinners, put Himself into the presence of a demoniac in order to set him or her free, or healed the servant of an ‘enemy’ (such as the Roman centurion); count how many times He chose to be with those who cheated others such as Levi (Matthew) and Zacchaeus, forgave those who wronged Him, and had patience with those who simply could not understand what He was trying to say (not just the Pharisees, but often the apostles!) Thus it is obvious that He did not seek perfect people, nor did He ask anyone He associated with to be perfect. But He did offer them healing, hope, and the freedom which would start them on the path to holiness, clearly outlining what was expected of those who committed to Him. 

​Images:
1. My photo, taken in Hermann Park, Houston: It seems fitting to use one of the prettiest parks in Houston to highlight my hometown, mentioned in the opening example.

2. Painting, Sermon on the Mount, Blessed Fra Angelico: Bl. Fra Angelico is one of my favorite artists because his works convey a holiness and beauty which I believe is unrivaled. I chose this mostly because Jesus is teaching His disciples not only so they understand His message, but so that they become missionaries of love and blessing through their word and deed.

3. My photo of a fresco, The Visitation by Giotto, located in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy: The highlight of a recent trip to northern Italy was the Scrovegni Chapel. If you have followed my blog for any length of time you will have seen that I love Giotto. For many years I had wanted to see the frescoes in person, and it was a blessing, indeed. I chose to use this image because it is of Mary who at the Visitation acted as a missionary of love and blessing to her older cousin Elizabeth. It was as if Mary was 'preaching the gospel' yet unspoken, given that she was still pregnant with Jesus.

4. Icon, St. Paul the Apostle, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This icon depicts Paul with the gospels, that is, as a missionary who brought the Good News in his many travels, (hence he was evangelizing.) You can find it at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-paul-the-apostle-196-william-hart-mcnichols.html

​5. My photo, Masi Vineyards, Veneto, Italy: I chose this photo taken within an olive grove because it was a place of beauty and peace. The light streaming through the olive grove and the stump of what seemed to have been an ancient olive tree remaining among the living, vibrant trees conveyed a sense of life and hope.

6. My photo, grapes drying at the Masi Vineyard: These grapes were in the first step of the wine making process. The bounty of the harvest was what struck me. Along with the olives in the previous photo, it seemed to speak of the miracle, if you will, of taking the fruit and crushing it so that it can 'rise to new life' after a period of transformation, (metaphorically and symbolically speaking). This message is the heart of the gospel and it is through our love that we help others in this process of trusting that God is with them and that new life awaits all those who commit to Him.

7. My photo, taken in the baptistery at San Vitale Cathedral, Ravenna, Italy: This is a close-up of part of a huge mosaic. On the left side of the mosaic was this open cabinet with the four books of the Gospels displayed, which you can see if you look closely. It seemed a fitting way to end this entry.

​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. 

​Having been to Scotland, I know what a lovely country it is. So when I came across a video of an event in Scotland which involved the relics of one of my favorite saints, I had to view it. The video, filmed in Carfin Grotto, (not far from Glasgow), showed people lining the roads in heartfelt veneration as the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux  were carried in procession and then placed in a special vehicle in order to be brought to another part of the country. The number of people reverently lining the streets was both amazing and wonderful to behold. Seeing this inspired me to reflect upon how people respond to the sacred, especially to those who have lived holy lives: it seems that the saints fascinate us because they give us hope. Perhaps the response in Scotland was because of the goodness of St. Thérèse and her promise to “spend her heaven” interceding for those who were in need, both of which glorify God, not Thérèse. Honoring her remains is a reminder that God works through the love and service of His holy ones. But I also thought about how we should want to be remembered after our own death. To do so is not egotistical or bizarre in any way. We should all think about this because it is, in fact, our call as Christians. Each of us should desire that we would leave the world a better place, a holier place, because we have lived in it. We are meant to build up the Kingdom, and so we should desire to be remembered as those who served the Lord with humility and love. Therefore, it should be part of our reflection and prayer to ask for the graces to live in such a way that when we are gone others will be inspired by our memory and desire to live holy lives, too. And if we are truly growing in holiness, we will not desire any acclaim because we took to heart the teaching of Jesus when He said that “the first will be last and the last will be first” (Mark 10:30); thus our intention will be to glorify God so that others will be attracted to Him via our love and humble service.  

St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897, feast day October 1) was one who chose to be ‘little.’ As she matured both emotionally and spiritually she realized that her life was about living in service of Jesus. Thérèse came from an upper middle-class family, surrounded by her loving parents and siblings. But as the ‘baby,’ she had been the center of attention for many years, something she relished until she had a painful revelation, after which she cast aside her selfish behavior and focused on pouring her love outward. At only 15, she entered a Carmelite convent, a place of obscurity and poverty, and it did not take long for the other nuns to see that she was filled with great love and holiness. A few years later, when it became clear that Thérèse was terminally ill, her superior had her write her autobiography (The Story of a Soul). Thérèse did so as an act of obedience; she never dreamed it would be published, intending it for her community and nothing more. Without that book the world would never have known one of its greatest saints. Thérèse would have died in obscurity the way she chose to live. But it was her humility and the little acts of love she directed at each and every nun in her community which made her so beloved. In other words, she who was ‘first,’ coming from a comfortable background, had desired to be ‘last,’ (entering into humble service), just as Jesus taught. And in so doing, Thérèse of Lisieux caught the attention of the world as the last who became the first; she viewed herself as little and became one of the most inspiring Saints of all.*

Another who can be described similarly is St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226, feast day October 4). He, too, was born into a well-off family, though perhaps his was a bit more prominent than that of Thérèse. Also similar is that as a youth Francis was self-indulging: he was haughty and loved partying with his friends, spending money on vanities and the so-called good life. And also like Thérèse, he had a ‘moment of reckoning’ in which he made a complete break with ego and pride, embracing instead humility and poverty. His conversion was a lengthier process than that of Thérèse, but his love for Jesus grew so great that he eventually threw off all of his finery (quite literally), donned a rough garment with a rope belt around his waist, and devoted himself to Lady Poverty and service of Jesus in the poor, especially the lepers. Unlike Thérèse, however, he was a laughing-stock at first; but then Francis become one of the most respected of people, and now, one of the most beloved of Saints. ‘The first’ (the rich powerful one), became ‘the last’ (in poverty and humility), because he chose it. Thus in becoming ‘the last’, he became ‘first’ again, only this time in the estimation of the one who is most important, Jesus the Lord.

There are many similarities in the stories of these two saints, yet they could not have had personalities that were more different and could not have lived in eras more diverse. However, what they had in common is the thread that binds all the holy ones: Thérèse and Francis each had the desire to serve God, fueled by intense, intimate love for Him which enabled them to become humble and lowly. Thus, both desired poverty and to serve others via the life to which they were called. These two great saints became ‘the first,’ as acclaimed, revered, canonized Saints, when they chose to be ‘the last;’ that is, they chose others over self, little acts of love over grandiose gestures, Christ over honors. Jesus became their wealth, their goal, and their greatest love. In desiring lowliness, they chose to make the lives of others better, Thérèse in her obscure convent, and Francis either working with lepers, evangelizing, or in prayer on Mt. Subiaco. Both sought only Jesus, nothing else; thus they learned to find Him in their own little ways in the ones they served. Both were filled with love which was so evident that after their deaths each were acclaimed and canonized almost instantaneously. As the saying goes, “Cream rises to the top.” The last shall be first.

​What we learn from Sts. Francis and Thérèse is that if we desire to be holy, which we should want with all our heart, we should imitate the one thing they both did, and that is to seek to be ‘the last’, not ‘the first.’ If we seek to be ‘the last’ we need to put God before ourselves, desiring to serve Him in our families, with our friends, and especially in the poor, lonely, ill, and marginalized. And we should desire to be remembered after our death as one who lived a holy life, not for the acclaim, – (a lack of humility does not make one holy, it does the opposite) – but because it is what we are called to do, because it glorifies God, and mostly because it is our gift of love to Him. A holy life, and thus a life well lived, is our best gift of gratitude to God. Jesus taught on numerous occasions that seeking the highest position is a fleeting, hollow honor, there is nothing lasting to be gained in it. However, if we choose to be the least, serving as He served, we are His true disciples and we will attain the glory which does last: to share eternity with Him in Heaven. 

To become the last we need to be like St. Thérèse, with love as our vocation, and like St. Francis who was able to be Christ-like despite what anyone thought of him. These are not impossible dreams to pursue, but with work and discipline, with love as our motivation, we can joyfully choose to be humble, (to be as ‘the last’), so that others may be brought to God. The gospels tell us that if we love our neighbor as ourselves, if we are generous, kind, merciful, strive to serve others, and seek forgiveness when needed, we will grow in holiness. And like Thérèse and Francis we need to be women and men of prayer so that we might grow in intimacy with God and to better recognize His presence when the going gets tough as well as in times of joy. If we live humbly and with the love Jesus taught, everyone we encounter will be left just a bit better and the world a bit holier, because we have lived. Indeed, we should spend time reflecting upon how we want to be remembered after our life is over. And if we seek no honors now, and are willing to serve others even in the smallest, seemingly insignificant ways, we will have imitated Christ and we will have become holy, honored in His sight. If that is your dream and the passion of your heart, then you will be the last who God will invite to be the first.

May we seek to be humble, desiring to live the gospels as Jesus taught! May we be inspired by the saints who made humility, service of others, and love their response to God! May we ask the intercession of St. Thérèse and St. Francis so that we might live holy lives! May we devote our lives to striving for holiness according to the lifestyle to which we have been called! May we eventually leave this life having made the world just a bit better for having lived! And may we live with gratitude for all the graces and gifts given to us by God! Let us continue to meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace!

              ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes:
* When I use the terms ‘the first’ and ‘the last’ I am putting them in partial quotes (as is my style) so that we are reminded that I am using the definition of first and last as applied by Jesus in the gospels. He is not speaking as if we are in a race, nor is He implying that we denigrate ourselves. Rather, Jesus is implying 'the last' are those who do not seek honors and who seek to live with humility, serving with love. Those who seek to be ‘the first’ are the haughty: the true ‘first’ are the ones who God honors, that is, the holy ones. 

To view the video which inspired this post, mentioned in the first paragraph, click here: https://www.facebook.com/sanctafamiliamedia/videos/863612750701716/
​
Images:
1. My photo, at garden at Direlton Castle, N. Berwick, Scotland: I thought that this would be an appropriate photo to begin since it was in a beautiful garden in Scotland, but also because St. Thérèse of Lisieux is often referred to as "The Little Flower" after a reference she made to herself in her autobiography in which she said that she was a little flower in the garden of the Lord.

2. My photo of a photo, taken in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France (2013): I took this photo while in my second visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. It was part of a permanent collection of photos of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Unfortunately, I do not know if those original photos survived the recent fire at the Cathedral. 

3. Icon, St. Francis Wounded Winter Light, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This icon shows the humility and chosen poverty of St. Francis of Assisi. He truly was a humble servant of God, the last who became the first, as described by Jesus in the gospels. You can find this icon at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-francis-wounded-winter-light-098-william-hart-mcnichols.html

4. Painting, St. Francis Giving His Cloak to a Beggar, Giotto: This painting depicts St. Francis as a young man. The event painted here shows him as his conversion was evolving, so to speak. It was one of his first offerings to the poor, taking place shortly before he left all of his family's wealth behind for good. 

5. My photo, a hummingbird on a feeder: I chose this photo because the hummingbird is a tiny bird, humble in size, but amazing to behold. They are almost insignificant in size, yet they are beautiful. It seemed a fitting reminder that the littlest can be great in its own way.

6. Painting, Mother and Child, by Vincent van Gogh: I chose this because it is a humble scene of the security given through the bond of love between the mother and the child, both asleep before the warmth of a fire. There is no finery here, just love.

7. My photo, trees in a park outside of Auckland, New Zealand: I chose this because the (large) tree looked rather luminous. Just as holy people have a kind of luminosity, a radiance often depicted as a halo, so this tree seemed to have a radiance of its own.

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 remember a time when taking a long trip by car meant obtaining a large, somewhat unwieldy foldout map. But if you had a particular ‘auto club’ membership – (you know the one) –you could request a series of maps in a spiral folder which outlined how to get to the desired destination, step by step. Without these aids there was no way of knowing what the best route might be. It was cumbersome, but did the trick. Today, of course, things have changed; we have access to GPS through various devices, including those built into the dashboard of our cars. But what has not changed is that we still need assistance to efficiently and safely travel to places we have never been. As important as it is to get guidance for trips, however, it is even more important that we recognize the need for guidance in our spiritual life: we need direction so that we are always moving toward God rather than going in circles, or worse still, inadvertently moving away from Him. We do not want to get lost along the way, especially when we encounter the many unexpected twists and turns which will arise. To that end we need to identify the available spiritual road maps and then utilize them as best we can. The most obvious guide is Scripture, especially the gospels, followed by other spiritual reading, solid teaching, and the example of the holy ones. The assistance of a good spiritual director also helps with the prayerful discernment that is needed to ensure we are making wise spiritual choices. But whether or not we have access to a spiritual director (who should be a person devoted to prayer), I suggest that we also look to the Virgin Mary, our mother, to find one who not only intercedes for us, but is an excellent spiritual role model. Mary always leads us to Jesus: always toward God, and never in any other direction. As such, she is the perfect role model for everyone on the spiritual path who seeks guidance for the journey. 

It is important for us to realize that choosing what leads toward God is not always clear since the evil one is so deceptive. The devil is the father of lies, the deceiver, and the consummate belittler. That is, he loves to insert ‘ideas’ into our heads and hearts which tell us what poor, inept Christians we are, that we can never become holy, and a host of other self-degrading thoughts, (all lies), in an attempt to gain more power over us. Anything that gives us a negative image of ourselves, or which enhances a false image, pulls us inward toward self, or distracts us from the truth of our goodness and giftedness so that we become ineffective, should raise a ‘red flag’ because these are never from God. If there is something within that is in need of change and it really is coming from God, it would be in an area of sin or weakness that needs improvement; dealing with it would lead to holiness, resulting in peace after we go through the process of changing the behavior. Ultimately, God builds us up, while the evil one tears us down. 

A saint who was in constant warfare with the devil was St. Padre Pio. (His feast day is September 23.) He was well known for having a great love for Mary, utilizing her intercession to fight temptation while encouraging others to do the same.* He once said, "Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother." Padre Pio lived what he taught; he was described as always having his left hand in his pocket, fingering his Rosary beads as a constant prayer and reminder of her protection and presence. From him we can learn to turn to Mary for guidance and intercession. 

​Padre Pio no doubt understood that Mary was espoused to the Holy Spirit. At the Annunciation after she said, “Be it done unto me,” Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, resulting in the conception of Jesus within her womb. Thus, the Spirit became her true Spouse, enabling the Son of God to be fully human while remaining fully God. (This is not to trivialize or forget St. Joseph whose role was essential and impactful, obscure as he remains.) Furthermore, since Mary had such great intimacy with God, Satan fears her more than any other creature. This is because he knows she is mother of Jesus, spouse of the Holy Spirit, full of grace: Mary is the Immaculate One in whom there is no sin. In other words, the devil has no power over her and can never prevail over her. Everything she does leads to her Son, and the devil can never win that battle, try as he might. Perhaps this is why the evil one is so hell-bent on getting at us. Unlike Mary, we are vulnerable and therefore we need guidance and protection. She offers these to us through her prayerful intercession and also though her example.

To cast light on why Mary is a model spiritual guide, let us look to the wedding at Cana which reveals the gifts of wisdom and discernment which she possessed. (John 2:1-11) During the celebration Mary observed that the wine had run out, and stated this fact to Jesus, saying, “They have no wine.” While it was not an obvious request for Jesus to act, Mary wisely knew that this was the time for Jesus to reveal that He had the power of God. When she turned to the headwaiter with the instruction to do whatever Jesus told them, (despite Jesus asking her how her concern affected Him), it is clear that Jesus understood the deeper meaning of what she was actually indicating. Both of them knew that His actions would set Him on a road from which there was no turning back, and both knew that this was indeed the time for Him to begin. But Mary also understood that His compliance would cost each of them dearly as she had just encouraged Jesus to begin a ministry that would take Him from her. (Two notes here: First, we must remember that she was a widow with no other children and so she had just rendered herself completely vulnerable and lowly. Second, while she may have anticipated that His ministry could cause Him to suffer, she could not have known Jesus would end up on the cross; discernment is not about knowing things with certainty like a type of clairvoyance. Rather, it is about trusting God that what we are doing will head us in the direction He intends for us and for the greater good.) 

Therefore, because Mary was able to guide Jesus as His mother, a gift developed through years of pondering many things within her heart, we see that she is someone to whom we, too, can turn for spiritual guidance. With her connection to both the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Mary’s intercession can be of assistance in making good choices. We can ask specifically for the gifts of wisdom and discernment, followed by the gift of trusting in God more completely. However, we also need to look to how she lived her daily life as one completely devoted to God, that is, how she lived as a true disciple of Jesus. Though there are few details, we can look to what is written of her in the gospels to see that she lived in a way that should inspire our growth in prayerfulness, patience, perseverance, generosity, humility, and acceptance of God’s desires for us. And perhaps she can also teach us to live as she did, in peace with the lack of certainty, even when it proved ‘costly’ to her. In other words, we can look to her example to inspire greater trust in God, completely and without reserve. 

Our ultimate goal is to move closer to God as we journey through life, serving Him the best we can, and trying to do everything with love. While we have many resources to aid us on this journey, the best is always the Gospels which contain all that Jesus taught and demonstrated. But given that the journey is complicated and filled with potential traps, looking to saints such as Padre Pio is also important since they can teach us how to put the gospel into action as they did during their own lives. But the greatest of the saints is Mary and since no one is closer to Jesus than she is, her guidance should not be overlooked. Her motherly heart is full of grace, compassionate and loving, and yet she is also a formidable foe to the evil one. Therefore, with gratitude to God for so great a mother and spiritual guide, we should listen to her prompting when she says as at Cana, “Do whatever He tells you.”

May we have the courage to live the call to holiness, looking to the saints as our spiritual guides! May we seek the intercession of Mary, our Mother, letting her be our guide in wisdom and discernment! May we follow the example of St. Padre Pio in seeking Mary’s protection and intercession! May we spend time in prayer, reflecting upon the gospel message and how to apply it in our daily life! And may we grow in wisdom, discernment, grace, and love, trusting in the love of Jesus, following where He leads!

​                                             ©Michele L. Catanese

Next post: October 7

* If you want to read more about St. Padre Pio, you can go to an earlier entry which highlighted him. It can be found at the following link: https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/i-reach-out-my-hand

Images:
​1. My photo, Paris, France: I took this photo from the window of a hotel at which I was staying a number of years ago. Watching the traffic zoom in and out of the traffic circle from above was a fascinating experience. There seemed to be no rules and everyone seemed to be doing his or her own thing. I chose this for the opening image because it truly drove home (no pun intended) the importance of a map and of knowing what one is doing when trying to navigate a place one has never been before.

2. My photo, taken in Ireland, somewhere on the Dingle Peninsula: I like signs that have a humorous twist to them when taken out of context. In context this one was quite important, but it still struck me a bit funny at the time. It seemed a perfect image to convey what can happen if we follow the prompting of the evil one instead of using the road map of Scripture and our prayerful discernment. 
 
3. This is a photo of St. Padre Pio that is widely circulated. I like it because he has a faint smile on his face, which seems to show compassion and love. It is one of my favorite photos of him, although I have no idea who the photographer may have been.

4. My photo, cropped and blurred, taken at an ordination: I chose this photo because of the action of the deacon pouring wine into the chalice as the gifts were being prepared during a Mass. The photo contains an optical illusion unless you look very closely. Look at the acolyte seen on the left: his folded hands are obscuring the wine in the decanter. If you do not look closely at his hands, it looks like water is being poured into the chalice, as if water is becoming wine. I assure you, it was wine going into that chalice. This photo seemed perfect as a symbol for the wedding at Cana referred to in the paragraph.

5. Icon, Our Lady of Grace Vladimir, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: I chose this icon because St. Padre Pio lived in a monastery in San Giovanni Rotando called Our Lady of Grace. As mentioned, he had a strong devotion to Mary. You can obtain a copy of this icon at the artist's website in one of many mediums. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/our-lady-of-grace-vladimir-002-william-hart-mcnichols.html

​6.Oil painting, White Sails in Collioure by Achille Lauge (1928): I chose this painting because of the lighthouse. It seemed appropriate since lighthouses are beacons used to help ships either safely navigate dangerous waters or keep them from crashing into reef or shoreline. They are excellent symbols of the guidance we need to keep our spiritual life our off the rocks. You can find this painting at https://www.paintingstar.com/item-voiles-blanches-a-collioure-1928-s183838.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. 

When sci-fi movies were made many years ago they were quite different than the high tech films we have today. Those older films might even be considered a bit ‘cheesy' in comparison. Many of them had the scene, now thought of as rather cliché, in which the locals would encounter strange creatures from outer space who would (in perfect English) utter the words, “We come in peace.” The plot line would invariably progress to the introduction of some ‘skeptics’ who would decide that these aliens were up to no good, consequently opting to wipe them out, to the dismay of those who had come to know the aliens as friends. The aliens would flee, heading for home somewhere in the stars; in a happier ending they would get away unscathed, and in a less happy outcome no one would escape at all. No matter how antiquated the ‘technology,’ the message for the viewer was almost always the same: while a few people were accepting, there were many who were not as welcoming to the strangers. Simply put, what held the ‘earthlings’ back was distrust based on fear. As corny as those films were in all their string-suspended-spaceship and papier-mâché glory, they were truly onto something. What they revealed was the sinful tendency that we have yet to overcome which is to distrust what we do not understand. And this was exactly what Jesus contended with when His followers were few. He was feared and mistrusted by the leadership of His day, and thus, by those who followed them. But He certainly did come in peace and what He offered was nothing less than love and salvation.

The temptation to distrust and to feel threatened by what we do not understand stems from human weakness, that is, our broken nature. And it is our brokenness which is the venue used by the enemy of human nature in order to make inroads into our spiritual life in an attempt to derail it. This is precisely why we need the Lord so much. We need His wisdom and His grace in order to make choices which do not allow the enemy to chip away at our sense of goodness in order to move us subtly away from God. The enemy will stop at nothing to thwart any progress we are making. This is why it is so important that we learn how to discern what is from God and what is not. To do this we need to know God better, to form a friendship with Him, so that we learn to recognize Him and His handiwork. God is mysterious and way beyond our ability to comprehend; but we can grow in intimacy with Him, we can learn how to observe Him. By reading Scripture we can learn to recognize His mercy, for example, endlessly offered throughout salvation history. 

A key to our relationship with God lies in studying His actions as recorded in the Scriptures and in our prayerful interaction with Him. It is not enough to know about Him; we need to know God Himself. While there is a tremendous amount in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, Jesus reveals the Father and the Spirit so that we might understand more about who God is. Therefore, let us look to a rather startling statement made by Jesus which sheds light on how God desires to relate with us. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15) While God had always shown His great love and care for His people throughout their history, the intimacy that Jesus implied when He said, “I call you friends” would have amazed His Jewish followers, and for the Gentiles it would have been confusing because the gods they worshipped were not deities to be approached; to audaciously attempt anything even remotely akin to friendship would have been unthinkable. Yet friendship is exactly what God has always desired and it is what He continues to seek in relationship with each one of us.

Although there are many ways to pray with Scripture, let us look to The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola who encourages that we enter into a particular passage as a way to discern how we are called as disciples to respond to God’s call. Our response begins with accepting the call to the intimacy of friendship with Him, and from this relationship, we can then offer friendship to those to whom we minister and for that matter, all those with whom we come into contact.* 
An example of one who took this concept of friendship and discipleship to heart is the Jesuit, Fr. Matteo Ricci, (1552-1610) who was missioned to China after his ordination. He was a gifted linguist, and like the great Jesuit missionary who preceded him, St. Francis Xavier, he adapted the dress, language, and culture of the people so that he could evangelize them respectfully. He approached the Chinese people as friends to whom he came in peace and fellowship. He even wrote a book of maxims (on friendship) which he based on Chinese culture, adding a Christian approach to them.** Thus, he took to heart what he learned from the Scriptures he prayed with often, perhaps learning to do so when he made The Spiritual Exercises as a young Jesuit.

Ricci imitated Jesus in viewing others as potential friends when he became a missionary who brought the faith to the people of China. He learned to imitate the priority Jesus demonstrated in bringing His love, mercy, and kindness to others. He recognized that while not everyone is a person to whom we can be intimate in our relationship, we can offer ourselves in friendship through welcoming the stranger, reaching out to the hungry, ill, imprisoned, and lonely, and offering kindness to all. Ricci knew that praying with the gospel reveals that Jesus acts just as the Father acts and that during His ministry Jesus surrounded Himself with men and women to whom He revealed much, but to whom He also listened intently. Thus when a stranger approached, one of a different faith such as a Syro-Phoenician woman or a Roman centurion asking for healing; when a leper was near, when a prostitute was about to be punished, or when a rich man climbed a tree to get closer, Jesus not only listened to their words, but He invited them into an intimate friendship based on mercy, kindness, and love. He did not condone their behaviors, but He met them where they were: He showed them what they needed to avoid, offered the graces they needed for change, and loved them just as they were, with all their faults and failings. And these are all characteristics of discipleship which Ricci put into practice during his ministry.

Jesus calls us all to this radical friendship because He truly loves us. But as in all things spiritual, true prayer, and thus our response to God, always leads us outward to action. Therefore, our loving response to Him becomes the basis of how we relate to others. Jesus taught us to treat our neighbors, friends and enemies alike, with the same respect, mercy, and forgiveness. However, He knows better than any of us what the betrayal of a friend can be like. He did not advocate that we allow people to abuse us and He was clear that there are times when the greater act of love is to walk away. But in all, friendship means that we accept the other just as they are, aware of their weakness (and our own), and that we forgive liberally. But let us remember that we need to apply prayerful discernment. It would be naïve to expect everyone to respond in friendship; evil does exist and the enemy does seek to do harm through the tactics of ‘divide and conquer,’ mistrust, hatred, doubt, and fear. Therefore, we always need to test the actions and attributes of a person or group in order to ascertain their consistency with gospel values and whether they lead us closer to or away from God. There will be trial and error, but the more we grow in friendship with God through prayer, the more we will grow in our trust of His Holy Spirit and therefore in our discernment. Thus, we will become better disciples in offering the sincere welcome of friendship to others.

Whether or not we should return to a few of those old sci-fi movies to observe human nature at its best and worst, I do not know, although it might be fun. But let’s not forget to immerse ourselves in the gospels and take it to heart that Jesus, Emmanuel (God-with-us) and Prince of Peace, calls us “friend.” Therefore, as friends and disciples, through our prayer and discernment, let us trust that He will lead us in our own efforts to welcome the stranger and give what we can to the downtrodden, not to force people into compliance with our will, but to offer a home within the heart of our church communities and into the Body of Christ where all are welcome and all are loved.

​May we ask the intercession of St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Francis Xavier and all the holy men and women who went before us as friends, guides, and missionaries of love! May we imitate Matteo Ricci in responding to God’s unique call to put everything at His disposal, offering friendship to the people we encounter! May we study and pray with the Scriptures so that we might know, serve, and love God better! May we open our hearts wide, accepting the invitation the Lord extends so that we might develop the intimate friendship He desires! May we move outward in peace and love to our neighbors, including the stranger! May we pray to the Holy Spirit that we might discern wisely and learn how to be true disciples of Jesus Christ! Let us continue to meet in the heart of Jesus, our friend and our Lord! Peace!

                                               ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Next entry, September 23.

*In The Spiritual Exercises this is experienced in the exercise, The Call of the King, (paragraphs 91-94) at the end of the First Week, and then also in the Second week as discipleship is explored.

**The book is called On Friendship: One Hundred Maxims for a Chinese Prince by Matteo Ricci, SJ, introduction by Timothy Billings. Ricci based his writing on the Chinese understanding of the essence of friendship as taught by the Ming debating societies. Billings discusses this in his lengthy introduction of the book.

If you would like to read more on friendship in an Ignatian context, go to the Archives listed on the right side of this page and click on March 2014; then scroll down to my entry for March 9, titled Friendship and Lent. You can also click on this link: https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/friendship-and-lent
The entry is about Servant of God Fr. Egide Van Broeckhoven, SJ. He valued friendship so greatly that he devoted his ministry to working in factories in order to minister as a friend to his co-workers. He was a remarkable man who died at the age of 34 as the result of an industrial accident. Most notable is that he considered friendship to be his vocation.

Images:
1. Photo taken by Hubble Telescope: I chose this photo of the stars and galaxies because it seemed appropriate to the start of this entry.

2. My photo, taken while hiking: I chose this rather bleak photo as a symbol of our brokenness, but there is also a hint of life amidst the dead leaves. You can see the mossy growth intertwined with the branches on the left if you look closely.

3. The Galilean Jesus, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This is the way I envision Jesus meeting with disciples and saying, "I call you friends." He is the ultimate friend. You can find this image at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-galilean-jesus-266-william-hart-mcnichols.html

4. Painting of Matteo Ricci, SJ: I liked the bright colors in this painting, to be honest, so that is why I chose it. However, I also liked it because behind him is an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, holding the child Jesus. Thus, the painting depicts the Chinese culture, but also that Ricci was evangelizing, bringing Christianity to the people with whom he lived. For more on Matteo Ricci go to https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-voices/16th-and-17th-century-ignatian-voices/matteo-ricci-sj/

5. My photo taken at a festival in Natchidoches, TX: This seemed to capture friendship in the sense that there were people having a good time at a street festival. Friends enjoy shared fun as well as the more serious parts of life.

6. Icon, Santo Toribio Romo Y Gonzalez, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: St. Toribio (1900-1928) was not a Jesuit, to be clear, but I chose this icon of him because he gave his life as a martyr for his faith during the Cristero Wars in Mexico. He acted as a friend to many, trying to help them escape the government death squads who were trying to wipe out Christianity at the time. He is a patron saint of immigrants. You can find this icon at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/-santo-toribio-romo-y-gonzalez-patron-of-immigrants-277-william-hart-mcnichols.html

7. Starry Night, painted by Vincent van Gogh: Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, so I knew that if I was using the idea of visitors from the stars as an example, I had to include this painting.

8. Jesuit Triptych, (Saint Peter Faber, St. Ignatius Loyola, and St. Francis Xavier), by Fr. William Hart McNichols: Each of the panels can stand alone. They are: Saint Peter Faber Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Ignatius Amidst the Stars and St. Francis Xavier Adoring Jesus the Mother Pelican. I chose this triptych as an example of friendship. These were the first Jesuits, friends who under the leadership of St. Ignatius, formed the nucleus of the religious order known today as the Society of Jesus. If you are interested in this triptych of icons or any other work by Fr. Bill McNichols, go to at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/jesuit-triptych-st-peter-faber-st-ignatius-st-francis-xavier-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. 

Most of us are familiar with the cartoons in which a character has an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other, each of which is battling to influence the poor soul. The angel tries to get the character to choose that which is better and the demon uses all sorts of ruses to get the character to do what ‘feels good’ or which seems to suit his or her own needs. The demon tries ardently using all sorts of delightful-looking temptations, persuasions, and charm in an attempt to make something which is not good seem as if it is a good choice. The demon tries everything in its power to get that character to give in. Meanwhile the angel is appealing with what the viewer knows is actually the better choice, the right and just choice, or the healthier choice. We laughed at these cartoons when we were kids, yet there was a lot to learn from them. Those are the tactics of the enemy who will even use charm to get us to stray from the path which leads to God. He will use every ruse he can, hoping that the soul does not realize that the devil’s power is limited vastly in comparison to that of God; he resorts to deception and fear to ensure that the soul is distracted from that reality. This is why it is so important to understand the discernment of spirits: the evil one is plenty smart, and knows how to use distractions and all manner of tactics since he has no other real power: the power he has is the power we give him. And the enemy wants us to forget that God gives us grace which, if utilized, will overcome him every time, even if we have to put up a valiant fight. Therefore, it is essential that we know how the enemy works, and that we know ourselves and our weak points, so that we might be armed with the limitless grace God provides. The best way to do this is through the spiritual discipline which comes from study and prayer.

In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola provides many opportunities for learning spiritual discipline, helping us recognize sin and its effects. In the First Week​* of the Exercises, we grapple with sin, our participation in it, and its effects upon us and on the world so that we might learn to recognize it. In the Second Week, we observe the nature of discipleship by spending time with Christ in the gospels so that we learn what Jesus taught. In these first two Weeks we also learn more about ourselves, our patterns, behaviors, and desires. But before we enter into the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, (Weeks 3 and 4), roads upon which we will tread with Him, St. Ignatius provides one of the most important meditations of the entire Exercises, intended to help the retreatant understand the road upon which they are about to embark. To do this, they must learn to discern at a higher level. St. Ignatius understood human nature by reflecting upon his own experience in which he had an initial desire for glory as a follower of Jesus. ** He came to see that whether outwardly or inwardly, (and thus less visible), retreatants might also have some misguided zeal or a glorified view of themselves or of discipleship, a view which could blind them and become an inroad for the enemy to utilize. Ignatius knew how easy it is for a retreatant to be dazzled by the charm of the enemy. Thus, he offered a meditation to help the retreatant learn to recognize the source of their own motivations and therefore to discern what the potential traps might be in their future decision making. 

This pivotal meditation provided by St. Ignatius is called The Two Standards. To set the scene Ignatius describes a great battlefield, (almost like a giant football field, metaphorically speaking). On one end is the enemy with his army under his standard (or flag) of allegiance. On the other end of the field is Jesus with His army under His standard. On first glance, it seems to be a ‘no-brainer’ that we would follow Jesus and not Satan. However, it is actually not that simple: Ignatius wants us to see that the enemy is filled with guile and can draw us in before we know it. Therefore, Ignatius guides the retreatant in observing that the temptations of the enemy are quite subtle and exceedingly alluring. He has them imagine Satan, the chief of the enemies, trying to goad and tempt them with riches, honors, pride, etc. That is, all those ways in which they thought they had become indifferent when praying the Principal and Foundation at the beginning of the retreat, are now not so easy to choose. Doing this exercise helps to uncover our true desires and motivations so that we are not led astray even by our best intentions which the evil one wants to twist: it helps us learn how to discern at a deeper level so that we are not swayed by his convincing arguments. But as important as this is, it is not the final goal. The true goal is to conform our heart to that of Jesus so that we might truly become one with Him and with His desires for us and for the world. Only then are we ready to embark on the path to the Cross with Him, so that we might rise with Him as well.  

God desires that we have the freedom to choose the good, and to do it for the right reasons. Thus, through this exercise we begin to move toward the true freedom which comes from discovering the purpose for which we were created: to know, serve, and love the Lord, who Ignatius (in understanding the Scriptures) describes as knowing, serving, and loving us first! If we want to grow in holiness, which means we want to become the disciples we were intended to be, we need to stay upon the road which leads us home to God, knowing that while God allows us to choose freely, He definitely has a preference for how we choose; God wants us to spend eternity with Him enjoying His love. In learning to conform our hearts to His, we will also have an effect upon those who we encounter in our daily lives as we move outward in service, motivated by love. It is by our example, by our deeds of love (small or large), that we build the Kingdom and thus, glorify God. And it is in so doing that our response of gratitude is that of true indifference. His will has become ours.

While not everyone can make the Spiritual Exercises, and while some are not called to Ignatian spirituality or are not attracted to it, we can all learn from the lessons taught by St. Ignatius, particularly that of the Two Standards. *** There are many pathways to holiness. No matter which one we are most comfortable with, it is important to know ourselves, our tendencies and desires, and it is important to recognize the pitfalls which the enemy places before us. All followers of Jesus need to grow in intimacy with Him, not only to experience His love, but to learn how to recognize the ways in which He typically acts. Reading the Scriptures and praying with them continually is an effective method for growth in this way. Through Scripture we can see how merciful God has always been, and we can learn through the words and deeds of Jesus how best to be His follower. Jesus is clear that the way of love is not always easy, but that it is His way. And with the help of saints such as Ignatius of Loyola, we can discern the way to proceed, which, while not fool-proof, (as nothing in this life ever is), provides guidelines to avoid moving away from God and helps us respond to Him with love and gratitude. Whatever our present call may be, we must not go ‘into the field’ without spiritual weapons such as the wisdom to discern and the knowledge that God will not abandon us.

We are all called to holiness. Each of us is called to do it in a way unique to our personality, the gifts we are given, and to the circumstances of our lives. Through his life and writings, St. Ignatius offers tools to help us grow in spiritual wisdom and in our intimacy with the Lord. But we also have companions on the journey: we have co-workers in the mission, our brothers and sisters in Christ who accompany us, and we have the Holy Spirit who provides guidance. Finally, we have those who have gone before us, who like St. Ignatius of Loyola, offer the hope that we will not lose our way and who offer valuable insights into how to accomplish the purpose for which we were created.

​May we ask the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola for assistance in the process of discernment of spirits! May we be inspired by the many Saints and Blesseds who have gone before us and have left legacies of holiness from which to learn! May we pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, as well as for the response of holy lay women and men to act as leaders in the faith! May we conform our hearts to the Lord! May we spend time in prayer and study of Scripture so that we may grow in intimacy with God in order to recognize Him more readily! And like St. Ignatius of Loyola, may we put ourselves at the disposal of God so our service might lead to greater love, and our love to greater justice and peace! Let us continue to meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace! 

                       ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Next entry, September 9

* The main body of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, that is, the retreat, is divided into four parts which he called Weeks. Although the retreat is intended to be 30 days in total, the Weeks are not of equal length, but rather each Week is determined by the pace at which the retreatant is able, guided by the Holy Spirit and discerned by the spiritual director. No two experiences are ever the same, even when the same person makes the Exercises more than once in their lifetime. The retreat can be modified to as few as 8 days or as long as 30 weeks in which one would meet weekly while living in everyday life, (in contrast to the 30 day experience done at a retreat center), depending on the availability or lifestyle of the retreatant.

**During the convalescence of St. Ignatius, (as he was in the midst of his conversion experience), he would daydream about doing chivalrous deeds for Jesus or Mary. Sometimes he would imagine he was like St. Francis or St. Dominic doing great things for Christ. But after these daydreams, he noticed he would be restless or agitated; but when he simply imagined putting his life at the disposal of Christ, he found that peace would return. Thus began his experience in understanding discernment of spirits.

*** I want to be clear that there are many Christian spiritual approaches to prayer in addition to Ignatian spirituality. Some people are more comfortable with one spiritual tradition rather than another: ‘one size does not fit all’ and so it is important to discern which one is best for you to adopt and practice. A good spiritual director can help with this if you do not know what to look for. 

​Images: 
1. My photo, taken in Rome: I took this photo of a painting during a trip to Rome a number of years ago, and unfortunately I cannot remember which of the major basilicas we were in. Nonetheless, I chose it as an example of the heavenly angels battling the fallen angels, now known as demons; in it, those who refused to obey God are being cast out of Heaven. They now occupy themselves serving the 'enemy of human nature,' as St. Ignatius refers to Satan. 

2. Painting of St. Ignatius Loyola: This is a rather famous image of the saint. I chose it because it depicts the radiance of his holiness emanating from his face, but also it shows him at prayer. This is a cropped version of a larger painting in which, if memory serves, is of St. Ignatius at prayer as he presides at Eucharist. (He is wearing a chasuble, so that is the clue.)

3. My photo, just outside of Tomintoul, Scotland: This seemed to be a good representation of an open field, reminiscent of the plain or field described by St. Ignatius in The Two Standards meditation.

4. Inset of a painting called Noli me Tangere, by Blessed Fra Angelico: I love the work of Bl. Fra Angelico, so I chose this close-up of the Risen Jesus because Jesus is the goal of our spiritual journey. We desire to conform our heart to His.

5. Icon, St. Ignatius Amidst Alaska, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: I felt like this icon depicted the devotion of St. Ignatius to Jesus. Having Ignatius in a somewhat remote place, such as Alaska, not only highlights the presence of God everywhere, but it seems to be a reminder that spirituality is not contained to one culture. Our church is catholic, that is, universal. You can find this icon and purchase a copy if you so choose at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-ignatius-amidst-alaska-141-william-hart-mcnichols.html

6. My photo, hiking in the Highlands of Scotland: This photo seemed appropriate as a reminder that we want to follow the signs, so as not to stray from the path.

7. My photo, fiddleheads, taken while hiking near Granton on Spey, Scotland: These fiddleheads seemed to speak of growth and new life. They certainly stood out from the rest of the grass when I spied them. Those who grow in holiness do stand out even with humility, such as that of these humble plants.

​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. 

A few times each month I have a commitment that necessitates driving on the freeway heading east and which sometimes coincides with the sun coming up over the skyline. It is always thrilling. It reminds me of all those summer mornings when I was in graduate school waking up in my 8th floor room with a perfect view of the sun coming up over the nearby Missouri River. I never tired of it; not once in the three years I lived there did seeing this cease to enthrall me. The night sky is exciting, too: recently the International Space Station flew overhead, easily viewed from my backyard. There is something about the wonders of the rising or setting sun, and of the intricacies of the night sky, that is captivating and can be truly savored. It is also an invitation to prayerful reflection. We might reflect upon Genesis 1 when God separated the day from the night and saw that it was good, or we could meditate upon the resurrection of Jesus on the morning of the third day. Or we could simply savor the wonder of it all, the gift of creation given by God, moving our hearts with gratitude and awe. Whatever it is, simply savoring these moments, emblazoning them in our hearts and minds in the context of faith, and consequently being filled with gratitude: these are all movements toward God. And it is St. Ignatius of Loyola who taught that these moments are opportunities to grow in our ability to find God in all things, a key principle of his spirituality, and therefore, to our growth in holiness. It is a way to learn the language of God, which not only aids our relationship with Him, but fosters another essential spiritual practice called the discernment of spirits.

Both the ability to see God in all things and to choose that which leads us closer to Him are predicated upon the essential practice of the discernment of spirits. We must be able to discern in order to recognize God’s presence and therefore to choose rightly, moving closer to God. I cannot emphasize this enough: discernment of spirits as taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola is of the utmost importance. This kind of discernment is not about basic decision making such as whether to wear this shirt or that, or whether or not to cross a street, but it is about recognizing whether something is motivated by goodness or evil; it is about learning to recognize the way the good spirits, (the Holy Spirit and the angels) act as opposed to the actions of the “enemy of human nature” * and his minions, that is, the bad spirits. To be clear, we do not discern between good and evil. This is because good and evil ought to be obvious: we already know to avoid evil and do good. We have the Ten Commandments, all that Jesus taught, and our ‘spiritual common sense’ as ways to know the difference between good and evil, thus we do not have to discern anything here; we clearly choose the good and not the evil. 

Spiritual discernment, however, is about recognizing what is going on when we are presented with more subtle choices. In other words, it is a process of seeing what is not obvious on first glance in order to either grow closer to God, or so that we do not fall prey to a deception which might lead us away from God without our even realizing it. Therefore, spiritual discernment is prayerful consideration of two (or more) choices, both of which appear to be good, but one of which, as we will discover through the process, is actually better than the other because it leads us closer to God.** Working at this so it becomes a habit is part of how we grow in holiness and it is how we do our best at following the call of God daily; but it also helps us to beware of the deceptions of the evil one who wants us to choose the path away from God through one tiny step at a time.

​St. Ignatius pointed out that the evil one is a master of deception. In the Spiritual Exercises he wrote that "the angel of darkness likes to masquerade as an angel of light." (Paragraph 332) Therefore the choices at hand may look really good, but one of them could actually contain a hidden evil, leading the person further from God rather than closer to Him. The temptation is to see something that is ordinarily a good thing as something to choose, when for you at this moment it will actually derail your progress. And sometimes the enemy is so bold that he makes something which is otherwise bad appear to be a good, viable choice by tempting us through rationalization. This is why a spiritual director is so important. He or she can assist in the process of discernment because the director is impartial and objective, whereas we are always biased by our own ‘baggage’ and inadvertent self-delusions. Thus, it is imperative to our spiritual life that we learn this process and make it a habit. The world we live in is steeped in an attitude of self-centeredness in which many are becoming their own god or are falling prey to the attitude which says "everything is okay because I say so, or everyone else is doing it, or because it feels good." Truth does not change just because we want it to. We can never be too careful in making choices because the evil one revels in getting us to stray off the course of goodness. Therefore, discernment is an essential tool for our spiritual life.

All that being said, the process begins with weighing one of our two (or more) choices. Essential here is not just the feelings, but whether or not our behaviors are consistent with the gospel and the way the Holy Spirit generally works. In other words, if we see the fruits of the Spirit, if there is an increase in goodness, generosity, selflessness, faith, hope, love, mercy, and all that Jesus taught, then perhaps this is the way the Spirit is calling us. (Galatians 5:22) But if the choice leads us to self (ego), ambition, power, lack of kindness, mercy, or love; if it leads to dissension, factions, or to fear, this can only lead us away from God. Therefore, we need to move away from anything which leads to those ends. As St. Ignatius put it, we need to resist it by moving against it, (a concept referred to as agere contra.)

​We must recognize that Christianity is counter-cultural and it has been since the beginning. The message of Jesus was not the same as that of the Pharisees who had created their own interpretation of the Law. They interpreted the Old Testament according to their designs, losing sight of its true purpose, (love), and even justified evil as good as well as perceiving some good actions as evil. When the Father sent Jesus to bring His message of Love, to ‘not abolish the Law but to fulfill it,’ those who were not discerning listened to the Pharisees, advertently losing sight of the original intent of the word of God which led to justice, peace, mercy, and love. And even with the teaching of the Gospel by the early Christians, all subsequent generations have wrestled with the same temptations. Therefore, it should not shock us that we continue to struggle with issues needing discernment. But if we learn to discern, we learn to see God in all things. And in learning how to recognize His presence, we can learn how to follow Him rather than to fall prey to the subtle trickery which encourages self over God. And perhaps then we can teach others through our own word and deed.

If we truly want to grow in holiness, and if we listen to the teaching of Jesus with a heart which desires to follow, we can learn to take the path offered by the Spirit. The Good News is that when we do make mistakes, and we will, we have the mercy of God to turn to. Discernment of spirits is not some sort of ‘magical’ method in which we will always make the correct choice. But what it encourages, what St. Ignatius encourages, is that the more prayerful we become in our approach to everything, the more we will see God in all things, and thus, the more we will learn about how He acts. The road to holiness is the road to God: the key is to stay on it so that we might progress, to learn from our deviations from it, and to never cease dialoging with God in prayer. And our hope is to bring as many people as we can along with us. Our good behaviors, works of mercy, attempts at justice which are made simply by living the gospel, are all ways we can combat the work of evil that wants to derail the world. The News is Good, and hope is abundant for those who learn how to see, hear, and discern. If we simply apply the gospel to our choices, we are indeed on the right road.

​May we ask the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola and all the Jesuit saints who have followed in his footsteps to help us to grow in spiritual discernment! May we increase our prayer time to include more reflection upon how God labors for us so that we might grow closer to Him! May we make it a priority to learn more about God by studying the Scriptures and by prayerfully reflecting upon them! May we slow down our pace enough to learn how to savor all the moments of wonder and awe which present themselves to us! And may we find peace, hope, mercy, and love to be the Source and the End for which we yearn: in our discernment, may we find the Lord! Let us continue to meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace!

​               ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Next post, August 26.

* One of the ways that St. Ignatius referred to the devil in the Spiritual Exercises was as "the enemy of human nature." It is an apt description.

** For decisions of greater importance, such as for major life decisions, the prayerful process takes longer than one or two days, and is done over more time, usually a number of weeks. Most of the time however, when we are discerning smaller, everyday matters we do it more quickly.

Links to fuller explanations of concepts highlighted in this entry: please click one or more of the following if you desire more information on Ignatian spiritual discernment.

https://ignatianresources.com/discernment

​https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/discernment-different-stages-life/
​
https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/discernment-in-a-nutshell/

http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/the-devil-comes-cloaked-as-an-angel-of-light/

Bishop Robert Barron on Finding God in All Things https://pivotalplayersfilming.com/commentary1/#top

More on the Spiritual Exercises from Bishop Barron https://pivotalplayersfilming.com/commentary2/

On the concept of agere contra https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/acting-against/

Images:
1. Inset of the sun from The Sower by Vincent van Gogh (1888): I chose this for the beginning because this sunrise over a wheat field gives me a similar sensation of wonder and awe as experienced when I viewed the sun rising from my room while in graduate school, as mentioned. 

2. My photo, at the continental divide, Loveland, Colorado: This is one of my favorite photos and so I chose it because it was a place which evoked a sense of the presence of God. Indeed these mountains are His handiwork.

3. Pastel drawing, St. Ignatius at Prayer in Rome, Fr. William Hart McNichols: This drawing captures the reflection of Ignatius during his prayer. Perhaps he was discerning something.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-ignatius-at-prayer-in-rome-william-hart-mcnichols.html

4. My photo, the Jordan River, border of Israel and Jordan: I felt this this was an appropriate reference to our baptism from which the graces we need for discernment begin.

5. The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew, by Duccio Di Buoninsegna (1308-11): This seemed to be an excellent reference to the discernment of the two future apostles who encountered Jesus while fishing, not knowing exactly who He was. They ultimately discerned to follow, a movement closer to God indeed.

6. My photo in the Highlands of Scotland, near Tomintoul: This photo taken while hiking in Scotland seemed to be a good representation of the spiritual journey. If we read the markings correctly, and do not stray off the path and get lost, we find our ultimate destination.

7. Icon, St. Ignatius and the Passion of the World in the 21st Century, Fr. William Hart McNichols: This seemed like the best image to finish the entry because we are in a confusing world. Like St. Ignatius, we can make a commitment to following the Lord, but we will need to continuously discern as we go. Our trust must be in the Lord who never leaves us.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-ignatius-and-the-passion-of-the-world-in-the-21st-century-194-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. 

Travel experts wisely advise that when visiting a foreign country we should go off the ‘tourist track’ and go where the locals go, eat where they eat, etc., so that we get a truer sense of the place we are visiting. This has proven to be wonderful advice because we only pass through some places once in a lifetime. And because this may be so, it is important that we savor the natural beauty or uniqueness of a particular spot by immersing ourselves in it. By listening to the sounds of different birds, smelling the air which might carry the fragrance of native plants and flowers, and taking in the general ambiance, we can create a mental picture to take home, letting the place leave an imprint on our heart. Photos are nice, but it is important to truly be in the place where we are presently, especially one we may never see again. In this way, we might pass through only briefly, but when we leave, our hearts are somewhat changed so that we are not the same as when we arrived. And even if we were to return to a place on multiple occasions, it is never the same experience with each subsequent visit. True, things change locally, but the deeper reality is that everything is different because we are not the same. We return with extra layers of experience, some joyful and some painful, and hopefully, with extra wisdom. No matter where we go we can only take away that which is absorbed into our hearts. The truth is, no matter how much we want to hang on to anything, anywhere, or anyone in life, we are only passing through. But the beauty of it is that we are passing through with a purpose and a goal: our purpose is love and our goal is to be in Heaven with God forever.

To be clear, the source of the wisdom to do this lies with St. Ignatius of Loyola (feast day July 31) who taught that we should “relish” experiences because they are gifts from God. At the beginning of his spiritual life, (after his famous conversion), Ignatius spent a few years traveling on foot as a pilgrim. During this time, he learned how to savor everything. He discovered that it was not just about the destination and the physical exertion it took to walk from one place to another, but it was about the process. At the beginning he was so zealous that his tendency for scrupulosity got out of control. He lost focus on his exterior surroundings and worse still, on how God was calling him, zeroing in on his own sins and weaknesses which he perceived to be many at that point. Thankfully, God broke through to him in a dramatic way on the banks of the Cardoner River, an event which marked a huge turning point for him, beginning the formation of Ignatius into a master of spiritual discernment. St. Ignatius went on to compose his famous Spiritual Exercises, a directed retreat experience which at its core is about learning how to savor, to recognize God’s presence, and to listen to His voice through the process of spiritual discernment * so that we would come to know Him and thus serve and love Him better. Our goal is to always choose what leads us closer to God, while learning how to recognize God’s presence so that we might grow in holiness and discipleship.

The reflection and discernment which are intrinsic to Ignatian spirituality remind us that we are only passing through, and so we want to make best usage of the gift of the time we have at any given point. It is important to realize that we do not really possess anything, except our heart and our will which we can freely offer to God. It is the only return which we can make to Him, and it is the one in which He delights the most. As to the rest, we are simply stewards: we are stewards of our material goods, of the earth, of the hospitality and welcome we should give to others, and as such, we are stewards of relationships. In other words, we do not possess all that will fall away and become dust, just as we do not possess people or the earth. Rather, we are to make best use of these gifts and then pass them on to others when the time has come. Everything in life requires this letting go. Therefore we must not cling, even in relationships. And while some relationships are more enduring than others, our love should allow (and encourage) the other to make changes, especially those which involve personal growth. The result of this letting go, even if the other moves away physically, is a growing closer within our hearts through the true love of friendship. This is how it ought to be with God: our relationship with Him is the most important relationship of all, and so when it feels as if He is distant, because we have cultivated a relationship of faith, hope, and love with Him, we know He is nearer than we might be able to perceive.

St. Ignatius of Loyola provided a wealth of spiritual wisdom throughout his lifetime, especially through his Spiritual Exercises. Part of the ‘genius’ of the Exercises (which are truly directed by God and discerned by one’s director) is that everything within them ties together. At the beginning the retreatant freely accepts that everything is a gift to be used for the greater glory of God, and that all things are for this purpose. Thus, we do not cling to anything. Another way to put this is that we are only passing through and everything is intended as a way to help us discover “the purpose for which we are created.”** At the conclusion of the Exercises, the retreatant accepts this spiritual truth far more deeply: through the process, we come to understand more about our purpose and goal, which is Love. To this end, St. Ignatius provides a prayer, referred to as the Suscipe, as the response of the retreatant who at this point is so filled with gratitude and love that this offering is deeply heartfelt and sincere. It begins with the words, “Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire will, all that I have and possess.”*** The retreatant now knows with experience that indeed everything is a gift not to be possessed or clung to, but is a means to the end for which we were created: to know, serve, and love God better and to know the depth of His love for us. Therefore, the retreatant has learned to see that our response of self-giving is the best (and only) thing we can ever give to God. 

St. Ignatius understood the message of love taught by Jesus. He knew that living the Christian life means we are a type of missionary, a missionary of love. As such we recognize that wherever we go, we are passing through, not aimlessly, but with a goal: to share love and to lead others (and ourselves) closer to God who ‘labors for us,’ too. The only permanence we seek is that of Heaven, the rest is a means to that end. This is not to say that we are to use things indiscriminately or selfishly, as if to throw them away when we are finished. No, it means that we utilize both our talents and our material goods for the greater good (with love and gratitude) because we know we are stewards, not owners. Therefore, we give glory to God when we treat others with the respect and dignity they deserve, when we reverence the beauty of the gift of nature, and when we work toward peace and justice in little ways by our daily actions in order to assist in building the Kingdom. 

If we accept the reality that we are only passing through, we will learn to savor each moment with each person in a new way, and we will keep our eyes focused on the Lord, the source of all joy, even when we are in the midst of pain. We will find an inner freedom so that we are not prisoners of our possessions, but are more able to share what we have with others, and we will be less prone to grieve when our things are gone or our health diminishes due to disease or the aging process. Let’s not be deluded: much about this is not easy, but with the purpose of love and the goal of life with Jesus in Heaven forever, we can embrace our passage through time as the wonderful gift that it is meant to be, sharing precious moments with loved ones as well as with those who are in need, finding Christ in our midst and love in the hidden places during our journey. Indeed, we are only passing through this life so that we may have permanence in the next. 

​May we have prayerful insight into recognizing the purpose for which we have been created! May we come to see the wisdom of letting go of all that which can hold us back from that purpose! May we ask for the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola that we might discern wisely as we try to choose that which leads us closer to God! May we come to greater interior freedom by seeing all created things as means to an end, which is the Kingdom of God! And may we have gratitude for the many gifts we have been given so that we might freely share them with others, assisting them by our little acts of kindness! Let us continue to meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                            ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Next post, August 12

* In the next post, I will deal with discernment of spirits, a key principle in Ignatian spirituality. There was simply too much to say in a single entry. 

** Principle and Foundation, paragraph 23 in The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. To read it, click here: ​https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/offices/ministry/pdf/First%20Principle%20and%20Foundation%20-March%202015%20%282%29.pdf

*** Suscipe, (Take Lord Receive) paragraph 234, ibid. The text of the prayer is at the beginning of another excellent article. To read it, click here: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/suscipe-the-radical-prayer/


​Images:
1. My photo, Glen Etive, in the Highlands of Scotland: I chose this because it is a place which I truly felt etched itself into my heart. It was so beautiful and quiet, even with many hikers in the area. While I only passed through, it was a place which I savored.

2. Icon, St. Ignatius the Pilgrim, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This icon was perfect for depicting the early stage of the spiritual journey of St. Ignatius of Loyola into the spiritual powerhouse he became. He began to understand the 'art' and importance of discernment of spirits during this time. If you are interested in a copy of this icon in one of many mediums, you can find it at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-ignatius-the-pilgrim-021-william-hart-mcnichols.html

​3. My photo, taken in Mount Desert Island, near Arcadia National Park, Maine: This photo seems to capture the nature of our spiritual journey insofar as the clear sky and calm seas, but with the fog in between the two. Spiritual discernment helps us to cut through the fog a bit, by relying on the Holy Spirit to help us become closer to God, sort of a spiritual GPS. (Perhaps in this case GPS could stand for 'Godly Positioning System?')

4. Icon, St. Ignatius in Prayer Beneath the Stars, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This is perhaps my favorite icon of St. Ignatius. I love it because of the obvious contemplation he is engaged in, but it also depicts that he was a great mystic as well. That his feet are not on the ground spoke to me of letting go: he is not attached to anything and all is for the greater glory of God. 

5. Painting, St. Francis Gives His Cloak to a Beggar, Giotto (1299): This painting is in the upper church in the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, Italy. I really like the work of Giotto, and chose this one because if ever there was a Christian missionary of love, St. Francis was it. He imitated Christ more than any other saint insofar as he truly loved everyone, regardless of who they were or what disease they had, poor or rich. 

6. My photo, on the ferry crossing the Long Island Sound from New Haven, Connecticut to Orient Point, NY: This photo seemed to capture the theme of passing through once. I have actually made this trip a number of times, but every time it seems different. And in fact it is always different due to variables in the weather, the season of the year in which the travel is done, the passage of time between trips, etc. It is a reminder that while I may have taken this trip before, each particular time is singular and unique, unlike any before or to come. We only pass through in this way once.

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. 

Reading is a wonderful way to learn and it is also a way to relax, depending on what it is that one is reading. When it comes to fiction, many older classics are among my favorites, although literature that is more current can be enjoyable, too. However, because of a tendency toward reflection, sometimes I find connections to spirituality, perhaps even where none were intended by the author. Recently I read such a book, a best seller which will not be named because spoiling a good book is not my intention here. Nonetheless, the basic plot sounds ordinary enough: a couple has some personal difficulty, a somewhat mysterious person comes into their lives, and through tragedies and triumphs which occur along the way, this person teaches every character in the novel a lesson of great importance. However overworked that plot line may seem, this one was cleverly written with characters that were well developed.* However much I enjoyed it, the end part of the book was disappointing at first; but after some reflection I began to see that while the mysterious person never ceased to be a mystery, that person had a profound effect upon every character in the novel by teaching each one how to love in a new way. And doesn’t that sound a bit like Jesus? He came into the world as a somewhat mysterious figure to those around Him who were trying to figure out what He meant when He said or did things which they could not truly understand. And in the end, He taught everyone how to love. The major difference between Jesus and the character in the novel is that Jesus did more than teach about love, He is love. And Jesus loves us with perfect love, a love beyond all comprehension that has no end: Love is always with us.

The main point made by the author of the novel was that love has lasting effects. All of the main characters grew in their understanding of love, an effect which was carried outward in their subsequent relationships with others. This is what Jesus taught: love begets love, and in this way Love is always with us. Similarly, all of our actions affect people around us, and so it is important to realize that we have the power to change lives for better or for worse. And of course, the effect we desire should be for the good, leading others toward love, that is, toward God, and not away. As Christians we have been taught that true discipleship is about the process of becoming more like Jesus, becoming His hands and feet, bringing His light and love to the wider world. Jesus taught this throughout His ministry, but it is driven home at the end of His sojourn on earth. The last words Jesus spoke before He ascended were these: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Therefore, the disciples were being told to bring love and everything love means to the entire world, a work which they would begin, and would then be continued by disciples through the ages. 

The core of the gospel is love, something which often consists of challenging work. Love is about actions, difficult decisions, and commitment; it is also about kindness, leading others to goodness and hope, working for justice, and being present in every kind of situation. The source of this hope, courage, and persistence is Jesus who explains it in the first sentence of His commissioning. He said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt 28:18) Thus, Jesus empowers His followers to have the gifts needed in order to go forth in love, to courageously persevere through the obstacles that will in fact come, as well as to be able to recognize the presence of God in the joy of new life, the result of love. But let us be clear: love does not solve all problems. Rather, love helps us to endure that which we would not be able to withstand otherwise. Love unifies people, enabling them to work as a true community; love enables us to see past differences so we can embrace diversity. Love unites and never divides; it brings us closer to God and never away from Him. But in no way did Jesus ever imply that love would be easy: love is not the easier path in life, but for those who love God, it is the only way. 

​An excellent example of one who chose love is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, (1901-1925; feast day, July 4.) Apparently he always carried a particular passage of Scripture with him.** This is interesting because Pier Giorgio had a habit of memorizing long passages of Dante or other classic spiritual works which he could recite at any given moment. Therefore it seems logical to assume that he had this one memorized, too, making it curious as to why he would carry a written copy. My guess would be that having it with him acted as a reminder of how he wanted to live: what he carried was the great hymn about love written by St. Paul which begins, “Love is patient, love is kind….” (1 Corinthians 13) If you research his life you will see that Bl. Pier Giorgio lived this passage as well as anyone ever could. He was patient, kind, selfless, polite, caring, and was not brooding or jealous. And in his actions toward the poor, he gave away much of what he had, but never in a way that brought him attention. When he died, thousands of poor people showed up at his funeral, baffling his family as to why this would be. It seemed that those poor were there to honor their friend and the Lord he served so valiantly, even with great suffering. Bl. Pier Giorgio was not perfect; no saint ever is. But as a lay person he devoted his life to spreading the gospel in word and deed, wanting nothing more than to share the love of Jesus with everyone, including his enemies. The effect he had on people was profound, and he continues to be a role model for young adults today.

Bl. Frassati lived the commission of Jesus in the very way Jesus intended, which is through love. You could say this of all of the saints, each of whom did it in their own individual way. However, one additional mention must be made, and that is St. Thérèse of Lisieux who realized that her entire vocation was love. In other words, she aligned the core of her being to Jesus so she could be love, just as He is love. Thus, being holy is about living love in whatever unique way we have been called, in whatever unique circumstances we encounter on a daily basis. Living love is not about being perfect, but rather it is about pointing others toward Jesus so that they might enter into a deeper relationship with Him, too. We have been empowered to love as we are able though the gifts given by the Holy Spirit at Baptism and through all the subsequent sacraments. Every time we partake of the Eucharist, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, we are immersing ourselves in Love in order to know (and thus share) Him more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly. *** The Eucharist is our food, our fuel, our lifeline to the One who loves us and enables us to love. It is also important to remember that sin is the enemy of love, and therefore it is imperative that we partake in the boundless mercy of Jesus offered through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. That we are not perfect is no longer an obstacle to those who partake of the graces being offered through this great Sacrament of healing. Therefore, we have nothing to fear because grace (the Holy Spirit) will give us all that we need. 

When Jesus said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples….,” He not only commissioned His followers, but He also made it clear how we are to accomplish this work: He is love and therefore the power He gives is the power of love which we are to share in simple, everyday ways. This power enables us, His disciples, to build the Kingdom one act of love at a time. Thus, we can be like St. Thérèse, making small acts of love a part of our lives; or we can be like Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, seeking the grace to carry within our hearts the love offered by Jesus and described by St. Paul so that we might bring healing, mercy, peace, and hope to a world which sorely needs it. Jesus calls us to be examples who teach with our lives that Love is always with us “to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20) 

May we be good examples of discipleship, working toward a return to selfless love! May we be inspired to live like the holy ones who sought to be as Christ to others! May we ask the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Thérèse of Lisieux that we might imitate Christ in whatever way we have been called! May we turn to the graces offered through the Sacraments, utilizing their power to enhance our ability to love! May we live such that others are enriched by our presence! And may we remember that God is always with us because as St. Paul says, nothing can ever separate us from His love! Let us continue to meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                      ©Michele L. Catanese


Notes: The next post will be on July 29.

*If you absolutely must know what novel I am referring to, send me a private message via email and I will tell you. But be forewarned that I have not named the novel for a reason: I absolutely detest when someone ruins a story by revealing details and plot points to those who have not yet read or seen it. And even though I have been general in my descriptions, there is enough said to color how you might read this particular book rather than seeing things through your own lens.

**I read an article in Aleteia written by Philip Kosloski which brought this to my attention. https://aleteia.org/2019/07/04/bl-pier-giorgio-frassati-always-carried-this-one-bible-passage-with-him/?utm_campaign=NL_en&utm_source=daily_newsletter&utm_medium=mail&utm_content=NL_en

​***While many will recognize this statement, I was not quoting a song in the musical, Godspell; I was quoting St. Richard of Chichester from whom it originates. For more see https://www.oystermouthparish.com/st-richard-of-chichester
​
Images:
1. Oregon coast, my photo: I chose this to open the entry because the overcast sky and low cloud make this beach seem like it is shrouded in mystery.

2. Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee, by Duccio Di Buoninsegna (1308-11): I chose this painting because it depicts Matthew 28:16-20. Jesus was commissioning the apostles as quoted in the paragraph.

3. My photo, taken on a hiking trail in mid New York State: This photo seems to exemplify the point that love is not always easy. Sometimes we have to watch our step carefully given that the enemy loves to trip us up or get us to head in the wrong direction.

4. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: This is a rather famous photo of Bl. Pier Giorgio taken when he was in his early 20's. (He died not long afterward, at the age of 24.)

5. Photo, Eucharist at the Consecration at Mass: I chose this for two reasons; the first is that it shows the vessels that hold the elements which become the Body and Blood of Jesus at the consecration. I also chose this particular photo because the hands are those of the iconographer who wrote the icon which is follows.

6. Icon, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: It only seemed natural to use this icon since it was commissioned by my husband and I a number of years ago. It is a favorite, naturally. If you are interested in purchasing a copy (in one of a wide variety of mediums) from Fr. Bill, go to https://fineartamerica.com/featured/blessed-pier-giorgio-frassati-197-william-hart-mcnichols.html

7. My photo, rainbow over Kaikoura, New Zealand: I chose to end with this photo because the rainbow was given as the sign of the first covenant God offered, the covenant made with Noah. A covenant is a commitment of love between God and His people. Love is the core of all covenants, and thus, Jesus is the New (and final) Covenant: He is Love and Love is always with us.

​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. 

Art galleries are wonderful places to visit, not just because of the masterpieces contained in them, but because something unexpected often grabs our attention while there. This is exactly what happened while I was visiting Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. In one of the galleries there is an inscription on the wall, a quote from the Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro, which both captured my attention and became a point of reflection: “Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” The quote was especially well-placed, as we were surrounded by the magnificent paintings of a multitude of artists. As we proceeded to view selections representing different artistic styles, I noticed that when I was unable to find beauty it was either because I did not understand the artistic techniques utilized by the artist or that it simply was not a style I prefer. I realized that just because we do not ‘like’ a style, it does not mean it has no beauty. Upon further reflection, there is a wider connection of this concept to the gospels: that is, (in our lives) we do not have to disingenuously like everything we see or encounter, nor should we see something and naively say it is marvelous when it really holds no appeal; and especially not if it moves us away from God, or worse still, is evil and thus, devoid of beauty – (anything evil has lost its beauty because it has stripped itself of God and godliness). At its core, this is not at all about taste; the concept here is actually what Jesus meant when He told us to love our neighbor, including our enemies. He was not saying that we should be inauthentic, nor was He conflating ‘love’ with ‘like.’ Rather, He meant that we do not have to like everyone, but that we are called to love, a choice we make to do what is kind, merciful, compassionate, and just. These are the characteristics of the holy, of those who see beauty.

​Seeing beauty in others is not always easy for us, but for God it is. Scripture reveals that in the very beginning everything came from Him, the source of all Beauty. The writer of Genesis points out that after God finished working on each day of creation He “saw how good it was,” a statement which also implies that what He made was beautiful in His eyes. At the end of the process, as the ‘jewel in the crown of creation’ God made humans “in His image, in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen 1:27) The second chapter of Genesis provides greater detail about the creation of humans: God blew His own breath into an ‘Earth creature,’ fashioned lovingly with His own hands from the clay of the ground, (‘Adam’ comes from the Hebrew, ha adamah and means ‘the ground’ or ‘earth’), and then eventually divided it into male and female. This means that not only are we created from the divine image, which is Beauty, but that we contain beauty within us, the spark of divine love which animates our souls into the magnificent creatures we are meant to be. Thus, God will always see us as beautiful because we are His beloved creation, His work of art, as St. Paul wrote (Ephesians 2:10), created individually and uniquely, but all equally lovely in His eyes. It is not only our appearance that He sees; every aspect of our being delights Him.  

Pissarro’s insight is deeply profound, but I also see it as both a challenge and a call to holiness since the saints can be characterized as are ‘those who see beauty where others do not.’ Part of what constitutes holiness is the ability to see beauty in the humblest people and places; to do so, the saints become humble themselves, shining with the beauty of God. Throughout history, many holy men and women have worked with the poor and destitute, seeing them far differently than did their communities. These saints imitated Jesus who saw the lepers as beautiful children of God, curing their affliction both to alleviate their suffering and so that others might see them as He did, that is, to see past illness and to see the beauty of the person. Jesus saw everyone, especially the poor, the widowed, the outcast, the leper, the sick, the alien, and all the marginalized, as beautiful people with something to offer the community as beloved children of God. The gospels are full of stories which demonstrate this. Nothing was too ‘ugly’ for Jesus, even those who were possessed. He saw the demons as interlopers who did not belong within the possessed individuals, casting them out so that the person would have the freedom they deserved, thus allowing their true selves to become visible again.

There are countless examples of holy men and women, such as St. Francis of Assisi, who when young was physically disgusted by lepers, yet found he could approach and kiss such a one, sincerely learning to see past their deformities and see the persons rather than the symptoms. St. Theresa of Calcutta felt called to some of the filthiest places in the world to care for the people lying in the gutters. She picked up everyone, no matter what their religion or nationality and no matter how fetid their condition. She called it “doing something beautiful for God.” There is no doubt that she saw these people as beautiful, beloved creatures and did not see their afflictions as that which defined them. Finally, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young man from a wealthy home, gave the poor all he could. He entered into the tenements and the hospital wards with the poorest members of society, bringing clothing, medicine, and food. As he lay dying of polio myelitis at age 24, his last act was to write instructions for delivery of some medicine to a poor man. Pier Giorgio contracted the disease that killed him from the very poor he served, yet he died joyously, though in great suffering. All three of these holy ones saw beauty where others did not. They were not seeking acclamation; rather, they were deeply humble. They acted as they did because the spark of beauty within themselves, the love of Jesus Christ, had been fanned into flame through their prayer and true desire to help the people they had come to love. They saw beauty in all children of God, and so they literally began to love with Christ’s own heart.

Last week we celebrated the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, that is, the celebration of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, took on flesh and blood at His incarnation, and on the night before He died, He intentionally left His Body and Blood as His everlasting presence offered to us. Every time we consume His Body and Blood as Eucharist, the spark of love within us, truly ‘lit’ at our baptism, is fanned into flame so that we might become more like Him. (The newly baptized receives a lit candle and is told, “Receive the light of Christ!”)  Furthermore, what happens within the church is not intended to stay inside; this is why we are implored at the conclusion of Mass by the deacon to “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord with your life!” Our call is to take what we have received and to share it with others. This includes learning to see beautiful things in humble places, learning to see God’s beauty in those whose lives have either blurred their beauty such that it cannot be readily seen, or through no fault of their own, have been downtrodden by suffering, poverty, or the prejudices and preconceptions of society.  

​We do not have to be artists to learn to see beauty as God does. In order to see things that are not visible to the ‘untrained eye’ we must allow ourselves to be ‘trained,’ something remedied through prayer and by asking the Holy Spirit for the specific graces to do so. We can also appeal to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, (both feasts were celebrated at the end of last week), for the grace of loving more like they do. It is good to learn to see beauty in nature, in the arts, and in anything which leads us closer to God; it is blessed to learn to see beauty in humble places, in particular if it is within the people with whom we come into contact, and especially in those who might be outside of our ordinary comfort zone. Blessed are we when we love as Jesus loves! When we do, we uplift our brothers and sisters, and we enable others to see God’s beauty also; that is the very nature of discipleship, and it is at the heart of holiness.

May we ask the Holy Spirit to help fan the spiritual flame of love within us! May we ask the intercession of the Saints and Holy Ones to help us see beauty more readily! May we imitate Christ in our outreach to those who are in greatest need, learning to see beauty in the humblest, and learning to be humble from their beauty! May we turn to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, asking her to show us how to love as with her motherly heart! May we desire holiness and therefore turn more often to prayer so that we might grow in love of God and in turn share it with others! May we find the ultimate Beauty in the Body and Blood of Jesus, and with grateful hearts may we partake of this gift often and always! Let us continue to meet in the Sacred Heart of Jesus! Peace!

​                      ©Michele L. Catanese


Note: Next post July 15


Images:
​1. I took this photo while in Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. Some may say that this is nothing but a dead tree limb, and that is actually true. But a dead limb can certainly be thought of as humble, artistically placed, an unusual bit of nature's idea of beauty. Thus, this photo seemed perfect to begin the entry.

2. More of Scotland, another of my photos: This is the garden at Dunvegan Castle. I was captivated by the rhododendrons, which are considered an invasive species by some, yet with a bit of intentional landscaping and care, they are quite attractive. Again, some things may be relative to one's preferences, but if we open our eyes to it, we can see beauty.

3. Julie and Ludovic-Rodolphe Pissarro Among the Flowers, painted by Camille Pissarro, (1879): How could I write a piece inspired by Pissarro and not include one of his paintings? I chose this particular one, however, because his wife and son who were the subjects of the painting. I loved that they were surrounded by their lovely garden, a humble place, yet filled with the grandeur of nature. You can find more on the artist at https://www.wikiart.org/en/camille-pissarro

​4. St. Francis 'Neath the Bitter Tree, icon written by Fr. William Hart McNichols: I chose this because it depicts St. Francis of Assisi and is reminiscent of when he embraced the leper, an event which led to his ministry to the poor and sick, particularly those with leprosy. We still have our 'lepers' today, so I chose this as a challenge for us to pray about how we are called to see past the infirmities, or whatever we see as a 'stumbling block' to a relationship with them, so that we might reach out. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/francis-neath-the-bitter-tree-006-william-hart-mcnichols.html

5. My photo (cropped) of the stained glass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas: I chose this because Jesus is holding the bread and wine which He offers now as His Body and Blood.

6. My photo of gorse on a hill in Scotland: Gorse is a plant which grows all over Scotland and turns everything into a blaze of bright yellow. It is seemingly everywhere, a humble plant which is indeed beautiful when it covers a hillside. 

7. Heart of the Mother, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: I chose this because I loved the simplicity of the image. Mary is dressed in pale yellow and cream, and so her heart truly stands out. Mary is pure, without sin, conceived as such within her mother's womb in preparation for her assent to being the Mother of God. Her heart was always immaculate, and I believe this image truly captures that, as well as her humility. We need to turn to Mary's motherly heart often, asking for her intercession as our model of faith, humility, and love. ​https://fineartamerica.com/featured/heart-of-the-mother-252-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. 
​

When considering saints who are regarded as ‘hidden’ the first one who may come to mind is St. Joseph. He is one of the most important saints, but in reality little is known of him. There are literally scores of other seemingly hidden saints, who were indeed holy in their own right, but who have been obscured by lack of historical information about them. Their vagueness seems to be due to either the passage of time or the strange stories which abounded about them which contributed to making their lives seem less pertinent to modern people. Whatever the reasons, it is generally the case that unless we stumble across their stories, we may not even know these saints existed in the first place. But when we do become aware of them, we have to accept that all we can ever know is that at some point in time they were important to a particular community, a great blessing to many, making enough impact that they were considered holy. Such it is with St. Nathalan of Aberdeen, Scotland, sometimes called St. Nauchlan. This man is so obscure that even his name seems to be unclear, something which is probably more about translation than it is about accurate details. But one thing is sure: St. Nathalan was real, was indeed holy, and after many centuries is still affecting people today, even if only in a small way. This is because holiness is never ‘outdated,’ and no matter when someone lived, and no matter how little we know about the details of their lives, holiness is always pertinent.

​Having never heard of him before, St. Nathalan came to my attention during recent travel. We happened to be in the small town of Ballater in the Scottish Highlands and wanted to find a church where we could attend Sunday Mass; enter St. Nathalan Roman Catholic Church. Given the small size of the church building, it was fairly obvious that we were visitors. However, the welcome was sincerely warm, both from the pastor and from the parishioners who were gathering there. The liturgy was reverent, prayerful, and definitely intimate; in fact, it was an outstanding experience of humble, heartfelt worship. After Mass I asked the pastor about St. Nathalan and he said with a chuckle that he really did not know much about him. In his defense, I can now see why he may not have known much: no one really does. The ensuing search for the story of St. Nathalan, with reflection upon the importance of knowing who he may have been, led to some insights about the impact holiness has upon a community, especially when the people need help. The first insight is that quite often the needed help comes from the grassroots, from a ‘local’ who rises to the occasion for love of God and His people. Second is that God’s call to holiness is meant for everyone. In other words, though our own times seem rather desperate and fraught with growing dangers both within the church and without, there are holy ones ‘out there’ who are working to bring the Gospel into the light. But perhaps - (with apologies to Walt Kelly and his Pogo comic strip) - “he is us!” * Without a doubt, we need to accept that we might be the one God is calling to make a difference. And finally, it is helpful to know who Nathalan was because he can act as an inspiration toward our own response to God’s call.

Briefly, St. Nathalan lived during the 7th century, born to a noble family in Tullich, Aberdeenshire. We do not know exactly when he was born, but he died around 678 A.D.; his feast is celebrated on January 28. He was known to have been pious from his youth, and was no stranger to manual labor in the fields. He was generous with the corn he grew, giving what he had to the poor. However, legend has it that one day Nathalan said something which he immediately deemed offensive to God, and in order to show his sorrow, took on as a self-inflicted penance a walking pilgrimage to Rome with one arm bound by a chain, locked to one of his legs. It is said that he threw the key to the lock into the River Dee, (which runs through Ballater, by the way.) When Nathalan hobbled into Rome he bought a fish to eat from the market, and yes, the key to the lock was found inside the fish, at which point he felt like God had released him from his penance. Nathalan was eventually made a bishop, no doubt because his reputation for piety and generosity was made known to the pope. He returned to Scotland and led the people, built many churches, had many miracles attributed to him, and died as a figure beloved to the people of Aberdeenshire and Deeside.

While some of that seems far-fetched, it is important to realize that legends about the saints do not take away from the truth which inspires them. It is easy for us to dismiss these stories with a roll of our eyes, and in the process dismiss the saint along with the story. But instead of getting caught up in the details, it is important that we read between the lines, looking more deeply at the truths about the saint hidden within. The stories are not meant to turn these people into magical, and thus unbelievable, figures; rather, they are exaggerations, representing the holiness of the saint as experienced by the people. Exaggeration and hyperbole have always been part of our spiritual heritage. It was a technique employed in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The Jewish people were well acquainted with this technique, as were the first Christians. For example, when Jesus said that “if our right hand leads us to sin we should cut it off,” (Matthew 5:30) He was not advocating self-mutilation; He did not mean that because we are imperfect only one-handed people would enter the Kingdom! What He meant was to identify and then cut out all of the behaviors which lead us into sin and away from God. When teaching, as Jesus was doing in the example, exaggeration can drive home a point. Therefore we should not be surprised when we come across ancient stories about the holy ones that contain hard to believe events or situations. What we need to do is reflect upon the symbols used and try to find the truth contained within it. As applied to St. Nathalan, it seems that he was a man of piety who engaged in some self-discipline which inspired others to emulate him. Perhaps he ‘chained up’ some bad habits with which he struggled, or set an example by living simply because he gave so much away. Whatever it was, the people acclaimed him as holy, and since there was no formal procedure for canonization at that time, it would explain why so little detail remains about the lives of so many holy, yet obscure saints. ​**

​In that light, we should strive for holiness quietly and without self-aggrandizement. Our acts of mercy and working for justice should lead to humility; true acts of charity are not stoked by ego or about self. What we do is for others, and ultimately all our works, are our response of love to God. Thus, our focus is never upon ourselves, and simultaneously, is never off Him. If we aspire to be true disciples, and if our desire for holiness is not for acclaim, but that “He must increase and I must decrease”, if we seek only to glorify God that we might bring His love to others to alleviate suffering and be present to those in need, if we hunger to bring His light into the darkness: the best way to do it is quietly, recognizing that it is simply not about us. And if what we do does attract attention, as it did for saints like Nathalan, then we are to pray for the humility to keep steady in our work without letting the attention become a temptation away from God and into the arena of self. To help the church heal from some of the wounds within it, to help bring change both into our church and to the world, or to attract people to the Lord, is to do so with authenticity and true devotion. It is our example which will speak to others. 

So let us respond to the Holy Spirit as did St. Nathalan, serving the Lord with gladness and glorifying Him with our lives. If we fall into obscurity after our lives are over, so be it; what matters is that the world is left a better place for our having been in it. Anyhow, in God’s eyes not a single one of us is ever obscure. He has every hair of our heads counted, and His love for us never wavers. Therefore, we can thank and praise Him for the holy ones like St. Nathalan who continue to inspire us despite how little we know of them. They remind us that in every era and culture, holiness is always pertinent.

​May we find inspiration in the lives of the hidden saints such as St. Nathalan and may we continue to turn to them, asking their intercession! May the holy ones from every era, nation, and culture assist us in our efforts to bring healing and hope to the poor, lost, and wounded among us! May we seek to learn more about the saints of past times, applying what we learn to our lives as imitators of Christ! May we seek to make God known and loved through our works in order to glorify Him, avoiding the temptation for self-glorification! May we continually turn to the Holy Spirit to lead us closer to God in our desire to grow in love for Him! And may we never cease to desire to grow into holiness, according to the call we have received from God! Let us continue to meet in the Sacred Heart of Jesus! Peace!

​                                         ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Next post will be July 1.

* This reference is to a famous comic strip which was written by the cartoonist Walt Kelly for Earth Day 1971 in which the main character, Pogo, was lamenting pollution in a forest. You can view the comic at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_(comic_strip)#/media/File:Pogo_-_Earth_Day_1971_poster.jpg

More can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_(comic_strip)

** Considering our 2000+ years as a Church, canonization as we know it began rather recently in Church history: the process which is not the same as, but similar to the one used today, began in the 16th century, more or less. In the early ages of the Church, saints were declared mostly due to local acclaim because the people who knew them had the best sense of these men and women. Often a local bishop would approve of it, but eventually the Pope was deemed the proper spiritual authority to grant approval. As the Church grew and more candidates for canonization grew, the Church realized a need to regulate canonization, with accurate evidence of holiness, and so it became a more elaborate process.

More on Saint Nathalan: http://catholicsaints.info/blessed-nathalan-of-aberdeen/

http://catholicsaints.info/calendar-of-scottish-saints-saint-nathalan-or-nauchlan-bishop-a-d-678/

​Images:
​1. The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs, attributed to Blessed Fra Angelico, 1423-24): I chose to begin with this since there are myriads of Blesseds and Saints who are both known and unknown, therefore it seemed appropriate to begin with a depiction of the cloud of witnesses, as described in Hebrews 12:1. You can learn a bit more at https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/probably-by-fra-angelico-the-forerunners-of-christ-with-saints-and-martyrs

​2. Statue of St. Nathalan which is on the church in Ballater: This is not one of my photos. I never actually saw this when we were at St. Nathalan in Ballater because it was raining and so we could not really spend time looking at the exterior of the building, but now I wish I had. However, this photo is a good depiction of him, given that there are no paintings that would be accurate likenesses, anyhow. 
https://present.fr/tag/saint-nathalan/

3. The Island of Mull, my photo: I chose this photo because this is typical in much of Scotland. The scene is humble, beautiful, and peaceful, a reminder of what life may have been like during the time of St. Nathalan.  

4. Another of my photos, the Dee River near Ballater: We were hiking in the area and came across this spot on the river. It seemed appropriate to the story of Nathalan throwing the key in the Dee and miraculously finding it in the fish he bought in Rome, as explained above.

5. Bluebell Wood, painted by Nicholas Hely Hutchinson: This is exactly how we experienced the ubiquitous bluebells all over Scotland, including some of the islands. They are humble little flowers, yet their presence changes everything around them. We should emulate them!

​6. Icon, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, by Fr. William Hart McNichols: This seemed quite appropriate for the end of the post because Mary was the most humble of saints, even as Mother of God. She always points people to Jesus and was content to pray in intercession for Him throughout His ministry, and continues to intercede for us today. Jesus gave her to us as Mother of the Church when He was on the cross, and it was she who was at the center of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. She is an excellent example of the humility which we should strive for. For more go to: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-blessed-virgin-mary-mother-of-the-church-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.