Many are familiar with the line from the New Testament, “God loves a cheerful giver.” It is not in the Gospels, however; it is from St. Paul. (2 Corinthians 9:7) St. Paul had a gift for synthesizing the gospel message of Jesus and teaching it to the people of various cities as they struggled to either understand the faith or to live it during times of oppression. The foundation of Paul’s teaching about our demeanor when we give is first, that we give. When the Church began (at Pentecost), one of their most obvious characteristics was to share everything in common. But that wasn’t all they did with what they had; they also shared joyfully with the poor. (Acts 2:42-47) This is exactly what Jesus taught, and therefore, whether in a material way or in service, (caritas), giving is something St. Paul would emphasize.* What is interesting, however, is that Paul highlights cheerfulness in our giving. Simply put, we give cheerfully when we share freely from a heart flowing with gratitude for what we have been given, which in turn gives rise to an outward expression as a response to God. This response is born of Divine Mercy, an expression of love, and the source of all we do. 

One of the best examples of a cheerful giver is that of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. Among his friends and acquaintances St. Frassati was known for his smile (and his famous practical jokes). To the poor he was known not only for his smile, but also for his generosity and care.** While he was from a wealthy family, he gave in ways that sometimes were more sacrificial than anyone realized, including the choice to give which cost him his life. His parents were not understanding of him, yet he obeyed them with love; his love for them was deep, sincere, and unrelenting no matter how critical they were or how little they understood the faith which powered his choices. He knew they were oblivious to what he was doing for the poor, and in humility, he bore their misunderstanding, a result of his deep gratitude for God's grace of which he was acutely aware. 

One might wonder how St. Frassati ‘came by’ his holiness or what fueled such joy and passion. It is clear that the source was God, cultivated by hours of prayer and adoration. This holds true for all believers: God invites and plants the seeds, but we must ‘water’ them. Pier Giorgio loved the Eucharist and the worship of Jesus at Mass so profoundly that he begged for permission to attend Mass and to receive the Eucharist daily, something that was not the usual practice at the time.*** He often spent hours after Mass in silent prayer and adoration before leaving the church for his daily obligations and activities. The effect of God’s love upon Pier Giorgio, combined with his deep loving response to God, was that God’s own mercy and love poured out of him in all that he cheerfully sacrificed and through all his charitable deeds for everyone he encountered. Of course, giving is not always about money, as St. Frassati taught by his life. While he did spend his own money to buy medicine or goods for the poor, it was the love he showed everyone that set him apart. As we see in him, it is the practice of prayer which opens the heart so greatly, leading us outward to share a smile, a listening ear, a small gesture, a casual conversation with a ‘stranger,’ or to pass on some knowledge or information that might aid someone. However, because we are sinful, wounded, and imperfect, this way is impossible to sustain without regular communion with the Lord; with prayer, it becomes a grace-filled way of being. While many people cannot get to daily Mass or spend hours in adoration, everyone can carve out some time for silent worship every day and we can ask God to open our heart in generosity when opportunities arise, or perhaps simply recognize at least one blessing that took place so far that day, offering a prayer of gratitude.

Perhaps the reason the apostles were able to ‘recover’ after their failure (at Jesus’ crucifixion) was because they spent much time in reflection and prayer, first in sorrow and then after the Resurrection, in awe-filled gratitude. They allowed themselves to consider their failures and sinfulness, all the while letting in the mercy and light of Jesus which cast out the shame and gloom that had come upon them after His death. As they adored Jesus while in His presence, so too can we; as they partook of His Body and Blood, so too can we; as they became filled with awe and gratitude after spending time with Him, so too can we; and when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, (as are we) their response was to burst forth from the Upper Room in joy, gratitude, love, and mercy, as can we. 

Let us spend time with Jesus so that in times of trouble, attack, or doubt our hearts will remember His mercy and love, and therefore turn to Him with trust and confidence. Even a small amount of time spent in prayer regularly will open our hearts to craving more time with Him. Our prayer will lead to recognizing His presence in every situation and encounter, enabling a response of gratitude and joy as we offer what we have found through our ‘cheerful giving' to others. God indeed loves a cheerful giver because this is the way He gives His love freely to His beloved children.

May we respond to the grace and mercy of God with joyful gratitude! May we appreciate with gratitude the many freedoms we have in the USA as we celebrate our 250th year of Independence! And may we be cheerful givers, sharing the bounty of God’s mercy and love with our neighbors! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                                           ©Michele L. Catanese

* Charity comes from the Latin word caritas, a form of love which is not limited to simply giving alms and goods. It is an attitude ‘within’ the gesture of giving: caritas is the attitude of love and mercy from which generosity flows.
** It is not as if St. Pier Giorgio Frassati (feast day July 4) had a smile plastered on his face at all times, something which would have been disingenuous. Rather, he had a sincere smile for everyone because he was a man at peace deep in his soul, having a heart filled with the love of Christ. You can read more about St. Pier Giorgio Frassati’s life, and the cause of his death at age 24, from one of the many resources on my website. Click here: https://www.catanesesd.com/books-on-saints.html or go to FrassatiUSA for more resources: https://www.frassatiusa.org/
*** At the time, Sunday Mass and major feast days were the only occasions when (Catholic) lay people could receive the Eucharist. Daily Mass was not the norm, except for Religious and priests. Perhaps our gratitude can be found in recognizing the profound gift we have in that we can go to Mass, receive Eucharist, and adore daily.

Images:
1. Painting; Giving to the Poor, Unknown artist, Wikipedia Commons
2. My photo of a painting; a portrait of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, (smiling) painted by his mother, Adelaide Ametis Frassati. I cropped my photo, which originally was of the entire painting.
3. My photo; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament found in a small church while walking in the city; Amsterdam, Holland. 
4. Icon; St. Andrew First Called, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This can be found at ​fineartamerica.com/featured/st-andrew-the-first-called-135-william-hart-mcnichols.html
​5. My photo; Sky in New Zealand, north island.

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

“The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” This is the first line of one of my favorite poems, God’s Grandeur, written by Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ. This line is a reminder that no matter what is happening globally or in our daily lives, the world is alive with God’s glory and therefore, His presence. Even if we cannot see it momentarily, or even if we can only see it momentarily, the fact remains that the world is charged with God’s grandeur. We often get so wrapped up in things we are doing, struggles we are experiencing, or perhaps by ‘ingesting’ too much news (some of which is meant to ignite our anger) which subsequently weighs us down, that we lose sight of the grandeur and glory of God. Our attention gets drawn away from God and into emotions or situations, and yet, God is present there nonetheless. The issue is that we simply do not see Him because we are so distracted. However, it is essential to remember that our awareness of Him does not determine the reality of His presence. If we are honest, we must acknowledge that we do this, even if it is momentary, and remember to turn (or return) to the Lord for perspective and guidance. It might help to consider this important reality: God ‘leaves His throne’ daily, in every moment when we seek Him, to come and be with us. He ‘leaves His throne’ to greet us in our personal prayer, in Reconciliation, and in the Eucharist. And in that, the world is indeed charged with God’s grandeur.*

God does not sit passively by, merely watching our lives so that He can judge them in the end. God is involved; He is not a spectator. However, we have free will, as does all of nature, and so while God participates, He does not manipulate. He initiates an invitation, and either we respond positively or ignore it. God never forces our assent, nor does He push His way into our lives, and yet His mercy is always available in an unlimited way. We can pick up the Bible, His Word, and find Him there, speaking a personal message. His glory is written into every page, but His message is for all people throughout time that we might recognize His presence more readily every day. God’s glory, and hence His grandeur, are in His love and mercy offered to us. As Mary proclaimed: “His mercy is from age to age” and “Holy is His name!” (Luke 1:49-50)** Notice that in her prayer of praise and thanksgiving, Mary links God’s mercy with His glory. To proclaim God’s name as holy is to proclaim God’s infinite glory, and perhaps is a reference to Moses who experienced God revealing His name in a way that was beyond human pronunciation or comprehension because of the greatness of His glory and His mercy. (Exodus 34:18-19).***

To be as merciful as God is, is in fact glorious. As Jesus taught, to love and forgive without limit (recognizing our own need to seek healing and forgiveness) is the best way to honor God because we become like Him (holier); thus, forgiveness reveals God’s grandeur. The love with which God forgives us, reveals His glory in a most expressive way because when God comes to us in our lowliness, He is acting in supreme humility, the kind of which we cannot fathom. It is in this unfathomable mercy that His glory lies. Therefore, when we forgive as He does, we glorify Him in the greatest possible way as well. That the Son of God came from His throne in Heaven to take on our humanity is the ultimate mercy which led to the ultimate glory: the Resurrection. God continues to offer mercy to the weak, even to those we, in our lack of vision and wisdom, do not think deserve it; in this is His glory, a glory to which we cannot arise without His grace. We glorify Him when we offer even the tiniest shred of His mercy to someone in need of it. Any action of mercy and love on our part is a joining into His presence, and hence gives Him greater glory than any words of praise could ever express.

God continually ‘stoops from Heaven’ to be present when we call out to Him, but He also speaks unbidden when He sees His children are in trouble. Indeed, He spoke with Moses, Elijah, and the prophets of the Old Testament because of His mercy and love. And He certainly spoke through the entrance of Jesus into the world, through His actions and teaching, and now through His Holy Spirit. Indeed, Jesus is with us “until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20) Whenever we pray, the entirety of the glory of God comes to be with us, perhaps in a humbler way than we can comprehend as He ‘leaves His throne’ to quietly be present. The God of all glory, whose mercy is unfathomable, desires to be with us in so humble a way because His love is that great. All we have to do is provide our attention, turning our hearts and minds to Him. Next time we pray, let us invite the God of all glory, our merciful God who loves us more than we can imagine, to be present even if we are able to say nothing at all. To sit with the God of the Universe who comes to us is simply enough. And in this, our little spot in this world becomes charged with the grandeur of God.

May we often pronounce Mary’s words of praise, “Holy is His Name!" May we humbly and gratefully open our hearts to the God of Glory and Mercy when He comes during prayer! And may we learn to see with greater clarity the works of God which are full of His Mercy and which reveal His glory! Let us meet in the glory of God! Peace!

                                ©Michele L. Catanese

* Remember, I am speaking metaphorically and therefore I am using hyperbole when I say “God leaves His throne.” Actually, I saw this phrase in an article a while ago and it stuck with me. The truth is that God is present to us at all times and everywhere. I simply want to drive home the point that the Lord and Creator of the entire universe, the Almighty One, does indeed come to us at every moment. That is an almost mind-blowing statement, yet it is Truth.
You can find the text of Hopkins’ poem at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44395/gods-grandeur

​** I reversed the verses to emphasize a point. It actually reads, “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear Him.” ~ Mary certainly was familiar with the Psalms, many of which contain verses that connect God’s mercy with His works among us, that is, His presence (His glory). An example is Psalm 145: “Great is the Lord and worthy of much praise, whose grandeur is beyond understanding …. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The Lord is good to all, compassionate toward all your works.” (Ps 145: 3,8-9). One of my favorites is found in Psalm 73: “Yet I am always with you; you take hold of my right hand. With your counsel you guide me, and at the end receive me with honor.” Often to be received with honor is understood as ‘receive me into glory;’ therefore, there is a connection between God’s works (counsel and guidance) and His mercy and glory. ~ There are many examples in the New Testament letters, particularly by St. Paul. Here is one example: “This was to make known the riches of his glory for objects of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, namely us whom he has called…." (Romans 9:23-24) Of course, Jesus is the ultimate ‘sign’ and embodiment of God’s mercy by His glorious Resurrection, and therefore, gift of salvation, mercifully offered after such betrayal and humiliation. 
*** “Moses said, “Please let me see your glory!” The Lord answered, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name, “Lord,” before you; I who show favor to whom I will, I who grant mercy to whom I will.”" (Exodus 34:18-19) Notice that God links His glory and His Name with His mercy.
Images:
1. My photo; God's Grandeur, taken in the Rockies of Colorado.
2. Image; The Hebrew Name of Yahweh-Adam Kadmon, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this image for purchase in one of many mediums at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/hebrew-name-of-yahweh-adam-kadmon-183-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. Painting; Works of Mercy, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Welcome the Stranger, by Olivuccio di Ciccarello.
4. My photo; Sunset at Delphi, Greece.
5. Icon; Mary Most Holy Mother of All Nations by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this for purchase in one of many mediums at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mary-most-holy-mother-of-all-nations-080-william-hart-mcnichols.html
6. My photo; Beautiful Sky, taken near Eptalofos, Greece.

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 we think about the most challenging parts of the Gospels, among the top things that usually come up are forgiving those who have hurt us, making sacrifices, how we serve the poor, and the way God’s justice works, which is ‘above’ our way of thinking. But perhaps one of the most challenging statements in the Gospels does not come from Jesus, but from His mother, Mary. At the wedding in Cana the wine ran out and she turned to Jesus for help. He responded to her with a question, to which she then directed a reply not to Jesus, but to the stewards: “Do whatever He tells you.” While there are many layers to this passage, what Mary enjoined on them is meant for everyone; in fact, these are words essential for our spiritual growth. Her words are challenging, but what she said contains great wisdom which should be reflected upon regularly. This instruction is probably one of the biggest struggles in the spiritual life, since to do whatever Jesus tells us means we have to lay aside our will in order to accept God’s. But if we do heed her word, accepting the wisdom and mercy of God, we will find great peace. Thus, it is important to hear what Mary said, recognize her wisdom, and with the help of grace, take it to heart. 

​In biblical times weddings were events that were celebrated for a number of days, so a lot of wine would have been consumed. In this passage, (John 2:1-11) the wedding hosts ran out. However, this story is not about wine that ran short; it is about Mary encouraging Jesus to begin His ministry. Doing this meant she needed to comply with the will of God.* No doubt, the most important point of the entire passage is that Mary chose to do whatever God told her, something she had been doing since she said yes at the Annunciation. During her encounter with the angel Mary had said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) She freely chose to do the will of the Father in order to bring the Son into the world, and continued to be committed to her promise to do so throughout her life. When the wine situation arose at Cana, Mary discerned that it was time to let Jesus go to do what He came into the world to do. And what she told the stewards to do is exactly what she herself was doing: she set aside her will and did whatever God told her. Did she know she was essentially sending Jesus to the cross? She could not have, since she did not know the future any more than any of us do. But what she did know was that whatever was to happen, it was in the hands of the merciful, loving God whom she served. Because her heart was immersed in Love, she was able to humbly let go.

Lest we think that doing the will of God is about being made into a subservient slave without freedom, think again. We are always free to comply with God’s will or to ignore it, just as Mary was always free to do the same. And while she had an Immaculate Heart, she still had to struggle with discerning God’s desires, just as we do. Therefore, we can draw on her motherly example, saying yes even when we do not understand, by remaining open to God and trusting in His wisdom. First and foremost, we must believe that God loves us and desires that which is best for our well-being. Second, we must accept that His wisdom is above ours. When we do not understand what He is asking or why He is calling us to something, it is in trusting in His wisdom, mercy, and the graces He will give in order to carry out His will, that we will find freedom. That is what this kind of response does: it immerses us in His love and leads to freedom. Finally, Jesus made it clear that He does not consider us slaves, but rather, we are His friends: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends because I have told you everything I have heard from my father.” (John 15:13-15) God continually tells us what He is doing if we but listen.

We are baptized into an intimate relationship with God as His adopted children. But Jesus also treats us as friends, a relationship which is unlike any other type of friendship since He loves us in a perfect, and completely unfathomable way. The friendship to which we are invited by our Lord is an incredible gift. He offers access to everything He has: His Body and Blood, His Holy Spirit, His Father and indeed, His mother. Her Immaculate Heart has always been open to God, that is, it is immersed in Love, and it is this heart that she also opens to us. Just as we share in the intimacy of friendship with Jesus and can enter into His Sacred Heart, we share intimacy with Mary and can enter into her Immaculate Heart for motherly love, guidance, and wisdom. She is continually present to us, ever leading her children into the Heart of Her Son, Jesus.                                                 

May we take to heart the instruction of Mary and always seek to do whatever God tells us! May we utilize the gift of discernment which is a grace from the Holy Spirit! And may we enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Hearts which are always open to us! Let us meet in their loving Hearts! Peace!

                                                                  ©Michele L. Catanese

* Mary did not ask a question of Jesus; she made a statement that they had no wine. Jesus responded to it by asking why that should concern Him. While that sounds dismissive, in fact, He knew she was telling Him to do something that wasn’t about wine, but rather that she was aware that the time had come for Him to begin His ministry. Without dismissing her, (that is, He was fully attentive to what she was saying), He was asking if she was ready to let Him go into a future which would require suffering. Apparently she was, because her answer to Jesus was to address the stewards, thereby enabling Him to work the miracle which acted to ‘inaugurate’ His public ministry. In effect Mary was restating her ‘Yes’ to God, the affirmation she uttered at the Annunciation: she was ‘doing whatever He told her.’ (Mary said yes to God every day of her life, but the three most important were at the Annunciation, at Cana, and at the Cross when she accepted Jesus’ suffering and death without saying or doing anything to keep Him from it.)  

Images:
1. Icon; Mother of God Seat of Wisdom by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested in purchasing this icon in one of many mediums, go to fineartamerica.com/featured/mother-of-god-seat-of-wisdom-351-william-hart-mcnichols.html
2. Fresco painting; The Wedding at Cana by Giotto. 
3. My photo; ducks in a river. I have imagined that this is a mother duck encouraging her now grown baby to go from the safety of the stick they are sitting on and to trust getting into the water.
4. Print; The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Artist unknown; this is a traditional depiction of what is sometimes referred to as the Twin Hearts.
5. My photo; a sunset over the Pacific from Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii.


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. 

Given that we are in a Franciscan Jubilee year, it is not surprising that St. Clare of Assisi has come to my attention. I have always loved St. Francis, but on our pilgrimage St. Clare made an impression, particularly her understanding of the power and love contained within the Eucharist. At her convent in San Damiano there is a statue of her holding a monstrance, a tribute to her daring trust in God when the Saracens were attacking, intending to sack the convent in 1240. Praying for protection, she brought the Eucharist to the window, a sight which caused the Saracens to flee. However, the story told by our guide concerning this event was somewhat erroneous. She said that when St. Clare prayed, ill at the time, a huge storm suddenly ensued and the Saracens had to run for cover, and so St. Clare is known as the patron saint of weather. In reality, there was no storm, but rather it was the power of the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist that brought fear into the hearts of the Saracens who subsequently fled: “According to tradition she prayed, ‘Lord, protect these sisters whom I cannot now protect.’ In that moment a mysterious light emanated from the Eucharist, dazzling the invaders and causing them to retreat.” * The details of what happened are actually unimportant, but rather it was her faith in the power of Jesus present in the Eucharist which ought to inspire our faith in receiving it every week or perhaps daily.

The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus are present in the Sacrament of Eucharist. There is no greater gift than this. On the night before He died, Jesus gave this gift to His disciples as an everlasting gift which He then purchased for us by dying on the cross and rising again. Immediately this gift became obvious and brought forth joy, beginning with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who experienced Jesus in this way. Therefore, the Church has treasured this gift since it was given because Jesus, who left His Holy Spirit to guide us with His gifts, left His physical presence as well, made so when the priest prays the words of consecration at each and every Mass. This gift of love is so enormous that we are unable to fully comprehend it. As Pope Benedict XVI taught, “God came to earth in the person of Jesus, true God and true man, to become what He created and then to raise us up to Him.” St. John recorded that Jesus continually repeated that He and the Father are One. ** Thus, we are continuously raised up to Him, also as one, in the living, physical presence of God in the Blessed Sacrament. How could anyone not accept this gift?

For both St. Clare and St. Francis, (who inspired Clare to devote her life to Christ), the Eucharist was a source of unity. They saw in it the self-giving of the crucified Christ as the gift of One for the many; they saw not only unity for us with one another, but unity with God Himself. For Francis, the bodily-ness of the Eucharist was not just something he grasped through his prayer and faith, but he shared in it through the wounds he bore for the last few years of his life, (the stigmata). Called to embody Christ’s love in word and deed, God first sent him to lepers, though sometimes he was sent to those with power; but truly his work was rooted in sharing the love of Christ with the lowly, of whom he considered himself one. He lived as a lowly beggar by embracing poverty, and yet he was bold enough to organize his followers into a community and to face the mighty. Throughout his ministry, Francis was always invited into the wounded Christ through suffering with love so intense that eventually he was drawn as deeply as possible into it in his body through the stigmata.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ it is important to contemplate the power of the Eucharist, not just in Saints like Francis and Clare, but to actually consider what the Eucharist really is. The Eucharist is the presence of Christ and therefore, it is Love seen with our own eyes, tasted within our mouths, and which enters our hearts and souls, regardless of whether we ‘feel’ anything. The Eucharist is the presence of God and is a reality so deep it goes beyond the senses where our experience of it begins. It is both the ‘result’ of the greatest act of love in the history of creation and it truly is Love itself because the Eucharist is the fullness of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We are invited into that love daily and in that love is the source of the unity Jesus prayed for on the night He died. Not only did He pray for unity, He gave it to us in the form of His dying and rising, found in the Sacrament itself. We are meant to receive of that, and then to give from the wellspring of love we receive. Just as God sent St. Francis to the poor as well as the powerful, and just as God sent St. Clare as a beacon of faith and unity, so too are we sent into the world to live the faith we profess and the love we receive. *** In the Eucharist our faith, hope, and love are renewed. Jesus, I trust in you!

May we never take the power and reality of the Eucharist for granted! May we turn to the Holy Spirit frequently to enable the gifts we have been given! And may we imitate the Saints, such as Francis and Clare, in our pursuit of holiness expressed through the love we receive from the Lord in the Eucharist! Let us meet in the Eucharist! Peace!

                  ©Michele L. Catanese

Notes: Some of the insights in the third paragraph come from the book Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love, by Sr. Ilia Delio, O.S.F., (particularly pages 82 and 83).

* Though some do claim St. Clare as the patron saint of weather, that particular patron is said to be St. Medard, a saint from northern France (d. 545 AD). St. Clare is actually the patron of TV (!) because during the time of her illness, she was bedridden and yet was able to see the Mass coming from the cloister ‘transmitted’ to the wall of her cell. https://catholicsaints.info/saint-clare-of-assisi/
The quote is from https://www.lettersfromthesaints.com/blog/st-clare-of-assisi-and-the-miracles-of-the-eucharist-the-mass-and-the-bread?srsltid=AfmBOopxJ3gk4Ks1S8j_iKafTXGN_MbGDABc8YV9ThcM_H0cPydkBykK
** This is a paraphrase of the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI. In reference to John’s Gospel, the entire Last Supper Discourse is centered around unity: the unity the apostles needed to have, the unity of the Son with the Father, and the unity He prayed that we, the Church throughout time, would have. (John 13-17)
*** St. Francis had such reverence for the Holy Eucharist and such great humility, that he remained a deacon and was never ordained a priest. It is said that he held the Eucharist as something so precious, that he never felt worthy of the gifts of the priest who through the grace of ordination is able to consecrate the elements that become Eucharist. However, it is also likely that he simply was not called to be a priest, but rather to be a deacon. – St. Clare was ‘sent’ insofar as the restrictions of the time allowed. She, and all women religious, had to live in a cloistered convent, but the doors were always open to the poor for food, shelter, education, and even healthcare.

Images:
1. My photo; St. Clare holding the monstrance with the Holy Eucharist. This was taken at her convent in San Damiano, Italy.
2. My photo; monstrance used by St. Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotando, Italy. I took this photo twice and both times I could not eliminate the reflection on the glass case from the light in the museum. It does make for an 'interesting' photo, symbolically speaking.
3. Icon; St. Francis - Viriditas, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This icon is a diptych panel which is part of a larger work, Viriditas - Finding God in All Things. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, it is found at fineartamerica.com/featured/viriditas-finding-god-in-all-things-william-hart-mcnichols.html
4. Painting; The Good Samaritan by Vincent van Gogh. I chose this because it depicts unity: a Samaritan ministering to a Jewish man who was beaten by robbers, the subject of a parable told by Jesus. (Luke 10:29-37) Samaritans and Jews usually had great disdain for one another.
5. My photo of a painting; The Communion of the Apostles by Luca Signorelli. This is found in St. Margaret of Cortona Church, Cortona, Italy.

​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. 

Pilgrimage is an experience that contains many blessings because it is a deeper immersion into the spiritual life than we experience ordinarily. In setting aside time from our usually distracting and perhaps even fast-paced life, we can enter more deeply into our life in God. But if one goes on pilgrimage thinking that all the distractions we normally encounter will go away, think again. Of course there are fewer demands on us, but we take who we are with us, that is, the entirety of our lives, graces, weaknesses, issues we struggle with, and attachments. It is not like a person can shelve everything else and simply ‘do prayer and reflection’ without thinking of anything but the saint whose tomb we are visiting or the Scripture of the day we have heard. Indeed, our spiritual sense does become heightened, but what we are called to see or understand during a time of pilgrimage can quite often come as a surprise. If we are open to it, this is where the greatest graces lie. 

​​I had some surprises on a recent pilgrimage journey, but also had the desire of many years fulfilled: in the past I had tried twice without success to get to San Giovanni Rotando to spend time ‘visiting’ one of my most beloved saints, St. Padre Pio. But on this trip, I finally was able to be there and to pray at his tomb, something important to me as one of his spiritual daughters. His friary is in a rather remote place in western Italy on top of a hill; it definitely is not easy to get to. When praying before his tomb, therefore, I was filled with gratitude. Indeed, the experience of actually being somewhere like San Giovanni Rotando opens the door to graces in a way seeing a photo may not provide; places can be sacred, and in the case of St. Padre Pio, one feels the presence of the holy. The most significant gift was recognizing that the wait to finally get there had great value. I recognized on a deeper level that everything happens in God’s time; that is why even with multiple attempts, I did not make it there before now. This was the time appointed, not before. 

Understanding that all is in God’s time is important because we cannot make something happen that He has not appointed. In fact, often it is in the waiting that we learn the most since waiting is about preparation. Even Jesus had to wait; after His birth it was 30 years before it was the right time to embark upon His ministry. Not only that, when He was to begin His ministry after His baptism by John, He waited further: the Holy Spirit directed Jesus into the desert for forty days so that He could spend time with the Father. This second waiting period was difficult, especially because after He had fasted and prayed, Satan came to Jesus in order to tempt Him away from what He had come to do. The Old Testament is also filled with many stories of waiting.* One significant example is in the life of Moses who had to wait many years in Midian after he fled Egypt only to be immersed in a laborious period with the people he finally liberated (by God’s hand), then having to endure forty years in the desert, seemingly wandering. But every moment of that wandering taught a lesson or provided for growth in knowledge of God for those who paid attention. Not unlike us today, the Israelites had a lot to learn about God and what it meant to be His people. Think of the disaster it would have been if the freed Israelites had simply marched into the Promised Land without preparation!

In the New Testament we see how Jesus had to prepare the apostles throughout the three years of His public ministry; they were often confused, but the Lord knew that once He had died and resurrected, followed by the coming of the Holy Spirit, they would understand with greater clarity and enflamed faith. The only one who rejected this gift, Judas, wanted things done in his way and on his timeline. Once again, this proved disastrous. Though the apostles and first disciples in the early church had a lot of success at first, the ministry had to unfold over many years and through many hardships. Since they had stayed the course, bumpy as it was, they embraced that all is in God’s time and according to His will.

A moving homily given on the last day of our pilgrimage drove home this point. The priest, our spiritual guide for the trip, told a story about how he was ministering in Palestine and in his 7th year there, he witnessed an atrocity. It shook him to the core, but as he prayed, the message of the Lord to him was clear: “Nothing is without consequences. Everything is in my hands.” That was without a doubt the most important message of my pilgrimage experience and it would be good for all of us to trust in these words. Though also filled with beauty, our world is complex and dangerous insofar as the culture continues to call us away from our beliefs and practices. But if we can live with mercy, just as the Lord taught, recognizing that it is all in His control, we can find the peace only He can bring. In other words, if we hold onto Jesus and the Gospel message He gave, we will be filled with the strength of His love which will enable us to remain steadfast in our faith as we share it with others. 

May we learn the value of waiting as an essential tool in our spiritual life! May we continually trust in the Lord and His mercy even when things don’t make sense! And may we trust that everything truly is in His hands! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                ©Michele L. Catanese

* Some examples are Noah, who had to wait 40 days and nights of rain and flooding aboard the ark, only to have to wait again for the waters to recede; Elijah, who had to wait three years for God to send rain to Israel; David, who had to wait many years to finally accede to the throne, and the people of Israel, who had to wait at least 50 years to be freed from the Babylonian exile.

Images:
​1. My photo; Via Francigena, a pilgrimage road that begins in Cantebury, England, and ends in Rome, Italy. This was taken during our hike, not far from San Gimignano, Italy.
2. My photo of a photo; St. Padre Pio. This photo hangs in the museum just outside where his tomb is located; San Giovanni Rotando, Foggia, Italy.
3. My photo; Jesus as a boy with Mary and Joseph. This photo was taken in the Church of the Holy House of Loreto; Loreto, Italy.
4. My photo; on the Via Francigena, near Monteriggioni, Italy.
5. Icon; The Risen Christ, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/the-risen-christ-014-william-hart-mcnichols.html
6. My photo of a photo; young St. Padre Pio; This undated photo was in the hotel where we stayed in San Giovanni Rotando. I chose this because Padre Pio probably had not yet received his stigmata when this was taken, but it must have happened not long after. He had to wait 50 years, enduring the pain and suffering, before the wounds disappeared at his death. Additionally, he faced opposition during his time as a friar and often had to wait long periods while being silenced, not able to hear confessions or say public Masses; subsequently he would be cleared to return to ministry since he was falsely accused every time. He bore it all with patience and grace.

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

The second Sunday of the Easter season was Divine Mercy Sunday. In 2000 St. John Paul II instituted this celebration for the Church, inspired by Jesus’ appearances to St. Faustina Kowalska in the 1930’s which included Jesus’ request for Divine Mercy to be celebrated in this way. For many, thoughts of Divine Mercy bring to mind the words St. Faustina saw in her vision of Jesus: “Jesus I trust in you.” * Sometimes these words are uttered as a petition prayer for a specific intention, while at other times we are simply declaring to the Lord that we trust Him in whatever matter is at hand, (and hopefully in all things). While ideally the words should be a prayerful declaration of trust, we know that often our prayer is something reminiscent of the desperate man in the Gospel who had some faith, but was honest enough to recognize that his faith needed to grow. Truly, Jesus in His unfathomable mercy does not expect us to have perfect faith, but He does desire our efforts at growth through prayer and intimacy with Him. Thus, in His mercy He provided a prayer to assist us in opening the door to greater trust and which enables our hearts in becoming merciful with the same mercy Jesus gives to us.

The Gospel passage mentioned above begins with the inability of the disciples to cast out a spirit in a possessed boy. The father, desperate to help his son, went straight to Jesus with his plea for help, saying, ““…. if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can!” Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”” Jesus responded by commanding the spirit to leave the boy and he was healed. (Mark 9:14-29) In this passage, Mark – (from whom every word has significance) – intended to convey insight into faith. He was aware that throughout life, many will be in the position of this father with our faith ‘pressed to the limit.’ What is most striking, though, is the honesty of the man. He admits to frustration not only with the situation of the long-term affliction to his beloved son, but with the disciple’s failure to help. It is clear he believed Jesus could help or he would not have persisted in bringing his son, but while doing so, he also candidly revealed his hesitation to commit to full trust when he said, “if you can!” That Mark included Jesus’ repetition of the phrase reveals the importance of what is to happen; Jesus did not repeat the words with disdain, but (perhaps) with some admiration for the man’s complete transparency, confirmed in the declaration: “I do believe, help my unbelief!”**

The statement of struggle with the depth of belief the father needed to have, but still did not, is what we all wrestle with. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will recognize that the continued anxiety or fear that can linger even after praying fervently to the Lord is indicative of how our faith is lacking. It is important that we do not feel guilty about this because we are imperfect, (still in process), and therefore, we are not capable of perfect trust. Jesus understands this, so again, let us look to the passage: filled with Divine Mercy, despite the father’s wobbly trust, Jesus healed the boy. That is, the man’s imperfect trust was enough for Jesus, perhaps because Jesus saw that undaunted, the father’s love enabled him to provide ‘what little faith he had.’ It was his love that provided what his faith lacked. Thus, if we are pushed beyond the limits of our faith, love will enable us to ‘breach the gap.’ ​

Finally, look at how Mark described the healing: “…throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse which caused many to say, “He is dead! But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him up, and stood him up.”” (Mark 9: 26-27) Mark could have written, ‘And he was healed,’ but in recording their claim that the boy was dead, he illuminated a truth quite relevant to Easter: enabled by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our cooperation through faith and love is what gives life to what is dead within us. Truly, we would not even have the gift of faith if not for Jesus rising from the dead, conquering sin, and empowering us through grace, particularly through Baptism; without grace we are dead spiritually. In the unfathomable ocean of Mercy offered by Jesus, we go from death to being raised up with Him, thus to stand with Him on the last day.

How wise of the Church, (specifically through the efforts of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II), to emphasize Divine Mercy during the Easter season! We need to continually seek Divine Mercy as the source of the mercy we need for ourselves, but which we must also offer others. And when we say, “Jesus I trust in you!” we must not worry if we waver a bit or if it is more of a plea than a statement: Divine Mercy itself supplies that which we lack in our own faith. Divine Mercy is an incomprehensible, unfathomable mercy because it comes from the very nature of who God is. While it is not a mercy we can understand, it is something to which we can always return; it is inexhaustible because the love of God is without end. Therefore, let us immerse ourselves in Divine Mercy in joy and with gratitude as we continue to celebrate the season of Easter.

May we always turn to Jesus for His mercy! May we be filled with Divine Mercy so that we can offer it to others through word and deed! And may we always say with gratitude and love: Jesus I trust in you! Let us meet in the Mercy of Jesus! Alleluia! Peace!
​
                            ©Michele L. Catanese

* St. Faustina Kowalska had the vision in 1931 in which she saw a red ray of light coming from one side of Jesus’ Heart and a white (pale) ray coming from the other side. Beneath Jesus were the words, “Jesus I Trust in You.” In 1935 Jesus gave her the Divine Mercy Chaplet for people to prayerfully ask His mercy for themselves as well as for the whole world. He also said He wanted the Sunday after Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. St. John Paul II instituted Divine Mercy Sunday on April 30, 2000 during the canonization of St. Faustina.
** This seems to be one of the most honest statements (by a person other than Jesus) contained in the Gospels, up there with Peter’s confession of faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Most High God!”

Note 1: I have written on Divine Mercy many times. Here are two suggestions, both from 2023:
https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/oceans-of-mercy
https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/and-mercy-rose
Note 2: I am taking a ‘blog holiday’ so I will not be posting a new entry until May 18. You can find more entries to read in my Heart Speaks to Heart Blog Archives (found at the bottom of the page) whenever you like.

Images: 
1. Icon; St. Faustina Kowalska Apostle of Divine Mercy, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. Notice the icon within the icon. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this icon you can find it at fineartamerica.com/featured/st-faustina-kowalska-apostle-of-divine-mercy-094-william-hart-mcnichols.html
2. My photo; Hummingbird feeding. I took this in my backyard. 
3. My photo; this crossover bridged the gap, (that is, across the river), in a scenic town in the Scottish Highlands.
4. Painting; Jesus Heals a Demoniac, by James Tissot. 
5. Photo; Fr. William Hart McNichols offering the gift of an icon to St. John Paul II. It is one of his original icons, Our Lady of the New Advent The Burning Bush. This took place in Denver, Colorado, 1993. I chose this to offer a photo of St. John Paul II and also to show Fr. Bill McNichols, the iconographer whose work I include in every blog post. All icons, images, etc., are posted with his generous permission. You can obtain a copy of this at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/our-lady-of-the-new-advent-the-burning-bush-024-william-hart-mcnichols.html
For clarification: I did not take this photo. Also, I do not get any financial remuneration by endorsing or posting the work of Fr. Bill. 
6. Painting; the original Divine Mercy image as described by St. Faustina Kowalska.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

                      ©Michele L. Catanese


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

​                         ©Michele L. Catanese

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                   ©Michele L. Catanese

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                   ©Michele L. Catanese

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

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

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