One of the most intriguing passages in John’s Gospel takes place within a dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who would have been open to the reality of a coming Messiah, but as a member of the Sanhedrin, sought Jesus in the night so as not to be seen. His questions reveal a good-hearted man with an open mind seeking deeper understanding. During the dialogue Jesus said, “You must be born from above… of the Spirit.” (John 3:7-8) This concept was difficult for Nicodemus, who seemed more confused than ever, though such a man must have prayerfully reflected on it for many years. It is likely that he was in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost and so it is also likely that he came to greater insight as to what Jesus meant by being "born from above." While we have the advantage of the compiled Gospels and Acts of the Apostles as well as the teaching of the Church’s scholars and theologians down through the centuries, often it takes persistent, patient reflection to come to greater understanding. Therefore, the passage in which Nicodemus struggles to understand provides an excellent lesson in patiently waiting with a heart and mind open to all the Spirit wants to teach. 

Jesus knew that His disciples would not immediately understand some of what He taught, but that once the Holy Spirit came upon them, they would have greater clarity. When He appeared to them after the Resurrection, He enabled their understanding when He breathed upon them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” opening their minds. (Luke 24:44-49; John 20:22) However, they still had to wait for Pentecost to receive the fullness of the Spirit in order to be completely empowered with knowledge and spiritual gifts. Thus, it is always a process. St. Paul said it best when he wrote: “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully as I am fully known.” (1 Cor.13:12) Therefore, we can look to Nicodemus and the apostles for inspiration in asking sincere questions of God, to be patient in listening, and to trust in the grace of the Holy Spirit who will continue to open our minds and hearts. 

When the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost the apostles spilled out into the streets, filled with unimaginable joy and love, speaking in multiple languages to the extent that everyone there could not help but see and feel that something incredible was taking place. It was so powerful that 3000 people asked to be baptized. The same palpable spiritual power continued to pour forth from the apostles as they began to preach, heal, and baptize throughout the region: there were healings such as the beggar at the Beautiful Gate, and of many at Solomon’s portico (AA 3:1-10; AA 5:12-16). There were conversions such as Philip with the Ethiopian (AA 8:26-40), and the conversion and baptism of the entire household of a Roman centurion, Cornelius, an event often referred to as the second (or the Gentile) Pentecost. (AA 10:1-49). As Jesus had explained to Nicodemus, they had been born anew, that is, “from above.” (John 3:7) All these passages beg the question as to whether we believe that this still happens or if we think the Holy Spirit has somehow stopped sending these remarkable graces.  

Of course, the Holy Spirit has not ceased to act. If we do not see this action, perhaps it is because we need to learn more about Him in order to learn how to recognize His presence and action in our own life. We can begin by reading what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in the Gospels.​* We can also reflect on our experience of the Sacraments. Do we believe, and therefore cultivate an awareness, that grace is present even if it is beyond words to express? Regardless of whether we feel something or not, when we receive a Sacrament something does move deep within our hearts and souls. That is, we have received the very same Holy Spirit as did the apostles in Jerusalem at the first Pentecost. We must remember, it is not that the power of the Holy Spirit has faded, but rather, it is our belief that these things can still happen which has waned. Because we have not been encouraged to do so, we fail to call upon Him as the first disciples did. It is not that the ‘big stuff’ was only for the first century, but rather, it is that we have not been taught to see and to recognize that the Holy Spirit is as active as ever, but is only as active as our cooperation! ** It is important to understand that miracles still do happen: every time there is a conversion or return to the faith, every time we are suffering, in darkness, or simply struggling over a decision and we come to peace, it is the action of the Holy Spirit. Every time the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus, it takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit. These are all miraculous since it is by the power of God and not our power that it is done. And if we invoke the power of the Holy Spirit in our prayer, He is equally present and active. With a heart and mind open to the Holy Spirit we can and will grow in holiness, evangelizing others simply by being witnesses to the powerful love of God.

May we be like Nicodemus, asking sincere questions, listening, and trusting in the grace of the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts! May we pray with the mysteries of Pentecost, seeking an enlivening of the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit! And may we work with the Holy Spirit in our efforts to spread the Kingdom of God! Let us meet in prayer, surrounded by the Holy Spirit! Peace!

​                                 ©Michele L. Catanese

* The main explanations that Jesus made are found in Luke 24:44-49 (after the Resurrection) and during the Last Supper Discourse in John’s Gospel, particularly in John 14:15-17, John 16:12-15; then after the Resurrection, John 20:22. Of course, there is the Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22) in which the Holy Spirit descended, as well as the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36) when again the Holy Spirit descends; thus in both events, the entire Trinity was manifested. (After the Resurrection in Matthew 28:16-20, baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a key understanding.)
** Remember that God respects our freedom and never forces Himself or His graces upon us.

Images:
1. Painting, Entretien de Jésus et de Nicodème (Interview Between Jesus and Nicodemus), by James Tissot (1886-94). Original in the Brooklyn Museum, NY.
2. My photo taken off the coast of Bar Harbor, Maine.
3. Painting, Envía tu Espíritu Señor y Renueva la Paz de la Tierra (Send Your Spirit Lord and Renew Peace on Earth), Chilean 
4. Painting, Bluebell Wood by Nicholas Hely Huntchinson.
5. Icon, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you would like to purchase a copy in one of a variety of mediums go to 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. 

May is a glorious month: Spring is well under way, it is the Easter season, there are new beginnings, and it is the month of Mary. If you have wondered why May has the designation as Mary’s month, as in all things there is a bit of history.* But while May ends with two major celebrations for Mary, (Mother of the Church and the Feast of the Visitation), ironically the ‘month of Mary’ begins with a celebration of St. Joseph! While there are liturgical reasons, it is not difficult to see how fitting this is. It is true that whenever we focus on Mary, Joseph is always silently in the background; without him, it would have been impossible for Mary to bring Jesus into the world alone without being in severe violation of Mosaic Law. Joseph was also needed to give Jesus the upbringing required for a young Jewish male, and to teach Jesus a trade, in this case carpentry. Finally, in a unique way both were the first disciples of Jesus, forming the first domestic church: the family. Together they are the best model for parenting and family life that we could imagine; we would do well to model our families after them, something which requires prayer and reflection. Therefore, we can find a message within the timing of these feasts. While celebrating Mary in the month we traditionally dedicate to her, it would be good to reflect on how we can be like Joseph, called to a similar role of assistance insofar as we unite our prayer to her and the intentions of her Immaculate Heart.

In praying about the feast we celebrated on May 1, St. Joseph the Worker, we can reflect upon some aspects of this hidden man who spoke not one word in the Gospels. We know little about his life except that he protected Jesus and Mary, guiding them to and from Egypt at the instruction of an angel. Joseph was a man of prayer who recognized the voice of God and trusted in Him, hearkening us back to his ancestor Abraham who, (like St. Joseph many generations later), did not know exactly where he was going when God asked him to leave his homeland, and did not know what to expect when he got there. St. Joseph also reminds us of another of his ancestors, the great-grandson of Abraham, the Old Testament Joseph who saved God’s people from starvation, (Genesis 37; 39-45), who knew how to hear God speaking in the midst of his dreams. Like them, St. Joseph embraced difficult times, followed God’s instruction through his dreams and protected those entrusted to him. It would be good to consider and then ask the Holy Spirit to receive the same virtues of patience, perseverance, discernment, and listening, as well as how we might serve the Lord humbly.

​In honoring Mary throughout May, it is important to reflect upon all that she did and exactly who she is: Mary is the humble woman who said yes to God continuously throughout her life, a life filled with single-hearted devotion, love, and service of Jesus. She was beloved by the followers of Jesus, central to their community in the time leading up to Pentecost, present with the 120 people gathered in the upper room. (Acts 1:13-2) The community had taken to heart that Jesus had entrusted her to John to be as a son to her, but that Jesus also gave her to all of us as our mother. John took her into his household; so, too, must we. Therefore, that we celebrate Mary as Mother of the Church the day following Pentecost Sunday is significant because we recognize that as Mother of the Church, she is our mother. And in celebrating the Visitation a few days later, we are called to do as she has always done, which is to serve God by serving His people: a heart filled with love for God will always express itself in this way. 

Just as St. Joseph assisted and supported Mary during his life, we are called similarly; just as Mary assists the efforts of Her Son to bring His message to the ends of the earth, we can assist her through our prayer and example. Mary aided the Church by her prayer at Pentecost; we, too, should call down the Holy Spirit on the world. Mary works to combat evil and build up the Kingdom of God; like St. Joseph we are called to support the work she indicates is needed for the reparation of sin and salvation of the world. Therefore, during our celebration and honoring of Mary this month, we should ask ourselves about the quality of our response to God, and how perhaps it could be better. It is a call to come closer to Jesus and to grow in gratitude for His mother, who He shares with us as our mother, too. She is the Queen of Heaven, and still is the humble woman who always puts her Son Jesus before herself. We are also invited to be like St. Joseph in bringing the Gospel to the world, humbly working without need of recognition. Together, Joseph and Mary remind us that we are one Church, one family, in need of guidance and protection in a world that presents a multitude of distractions and temptations. They offer the strength to persevere while inviting us to peace and joy in love of the Risen Jesus! Let us rejoice that we have them to show us the way!

May we accept the loving embrace of Mary and Joseph, letting them wrap our lives in theirs, guiding us to an ever deeper relationship with Jesus, our Lord! May we, like Mary and Joseph, learn to hear God’s voice as we prayerfully reflect and discern! And may we obtain the grace to offer ourselves as they did to serve God in whatever way we are called! Let us meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace! 

                                                                 
                                                                    ©Michele L. Catanese


Note:
*https://aleteia.org/2018/05/02/why-is-may-marys-month/?utm_campaign=EM-EN-Newsletter-Daily&utm_content=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_term=20230505
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​Images:
1. My photo, flowers by Lake Geneva, Montreux, Switzerland.
2. Icon, St. Joseph Mirror of Patience, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. ​If you would like to obtain a copy you can purchase one in one of many mediums at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-joseph-mirror-of-patience-334-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. Icon, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church by Fr. William Hart McNichols. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-blessed-virgin-mary-mother-of-the-church-william-hart-mcnichols.html
4. My photo, family of Blue Herons, Rockport, Texas.
5. Oil painting, First Steps, after Millet (1890), by Vincent van Gogh. "In fall and winter 1889–90, while a voluntary patient at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, Van Gogh painted twenty-one copies after Millet, an artist he greatly admired. He considered his copies "translations" akin to a musician's interpretation of a composer's work. He let the black-and-white images—whether prints, reproductions, or, as here, a photograph that his brother, Theo, had sent—pose "as a subject," then he would "improvise color on it." For this work of January 1890, Van Gogh squared-up a photograph of Millet's First Steps and transferred it to the canvas." Description from https://customprints.metmuseum.org/detail/489071/van-gogh-first-steps-after-millet

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. 

​Stories are often far more impactful than detailed explanations, no matter how brilliant or deftly made. Because they are so effective I shared a short story with my Christian Spirituality classes to help them with a particular concept. The tale took place on a chess board, and all of the personified pieces were either caught up in yesterday or were obsessing about tomorrow; that is, until a unique character arrived to help them change their perspective, resulting in a joyful embracing of ‘the now.’* While the story was rather silly, the point was clear: being attuned to the present is essential to living a spiritual life. Just as we followed the footsteps of Jesus moment by painful moment to the Cross during Lent, after the Resurrection we follow His directive to bring the faith to the ends of the earth, looking toward eternal life, building up the Kingdom in the here and now. In other words, the Resurrection of Jesus and the graces that go with it sanctifies the present, the now, so that each moment contains the power of His love and mercy guiding His disciples in this life with an eye toward the next. 

Staying in the present is not as easy as it sounds, however. We are imperfect and our minds tend to wander, especially in this era in which there is a tremendous amount of information and stimuli available that attempts to entrap our attention. Especially difficult is the temptation to dwell on the past or to fixate on the future, tendencies which hinder our effectiveness as disciples. It is one of the reasons we have difficulty during prayer. Distractions often arise because our minds are somewhere other than in the present, contributing to the idea that we should just give up on prayer altogether. During spiritual direction sessions I have (on occasion) heard something like this: “I am not good at prayer. I do nothing but struggle.” The first issue is that we should never judge our prayer or the content of it. Prayer is a conversation with God, and He certainly is not judging it, so why should we? As for distractions during prayer, we all face them. I read somewhere that St. Teresa of Avila once said, “If you have distractions during prayer, it means you are alive.” It is true that distractions are a normal part of our humanness. But in order to deal with them we need to recognize that just about all of our distractions arise either from the past, such as memories that plague us, or from things we need to do, (or are hoping to do), in the future. These concerns need to be put into God’s hands so that we can be attentive to the present as He is speaking to us now. Simply put, we cannot be attentive to the movements of the Holy Spirit if we aren’t ‘here.’ **

Most of what ails us, so to speak, is a result of being unaware of the graces provided in our current moment. God is found in ‘the now;’ in truth, the only thing we can control in life is our response to Him in this moment. The past is over, though we can learn from it, rejoice in it, and God can heal it if need be; but we cannot change the reality of it. The future is not assured; and most of the time when it arrives, it is not what we had expected anyhow.  However, while making plans is prudent, we need to trust God and follow His call, something which requires opening ourselves to Him. As in all our relationships, the only way we can grow is by being attentive to the other in the present moment. If we dwell in the past or future, we are not truly paying attention to them, but rather, we are only paying attention to ourselves.

​Similarly, being attentive to the present moment will enliven our liturgical worship, particularly in how we receive the Word and the Eucharist. When we hear the Word we must not be tempted to think of it as a recitation of someone else’s past. It is our past, and it offers great insight; it is God’s message of love and mercy, made manifest in our present lives. And if we get distracted by the past or the future while participating in the Eucharist, (a sacred gift which should evoke reverence and awe), falling into a routine of receiving without being truly present to Christ, then we will miss an intimate encounter with the Living God who desires an intimate encounter with you.

We cannot hear God’s voice if we are not attentive to Him, and if we do not listen to Him, we cannot serve others effectively either. When we work at the habit of staying in the present, it will not only facilitate greater attentiveness to others, but it will also help us to become more self-aware; that is, we need to listen to what is going on within ourselves, too. Jesus came that we “might have life to the full.” (John 10:10, NIV) Living life to the full is about finding Jesus in the present moment, like Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb on Easter morning. She recognized Jesus when He pronounced her name, drawing her from the mourning of the past into the joy of the present. The Good News is that we, too, are called to nothing less than to encounter Jesus in the same way.

May we ask for the grace to be attentive to Jesus in the present! May we become less centered on self and more on others by being fully with them! And may we seek to be like Mary our Mother, in pondering what we receive in each moment so that we, too, may be able to say, "Your will be done!" Let us meet in this present moment in the Heart of our Risen Lord Jesus! Peace!

                                    ©Michele L. Catanese

*Twelve and One-Half Keys: Parable-Stories for those on a Mystic Journey, by Edward Hays, pages 65-72

**In general, most distractions hold us back from finding Jesus in the present moment of prayer. While some distractions appear to be random thoughts, distractions about the past might be an indication that we need to let go of something, or they can be an indication that we are in need of healing, whether it is something large or small. Thus, these concerns can sometimes be an invitation from the Lord to bring them (to Him) for healing. If it is some past failing that comes up, it can be a temptation from the enemy that is designed to keep us from progressing in the spiritual life. But Jesus offers mercy and freedom and whatever graces we need if we ask. (The Sacrament of Reconciliation is suggested for this, too.) If the distractions are about things we need to do in the future, we can pray for the grace to fulfill the task, ask God to heal our anxiety, teach us to trust in Him more, or something along those lines. We need to face the distractions head on, talk about them with God, listen for the movements within our heart that come from the Holy Spirit, put our cares in the Lord’s hands, and then move on in the prayer. And note that praying about some things is not a ‘one-shot deal:’ issues in need of healing and lessons to be learned take time. These issues can best be discerned and attended to with the help of a certified spiritual director who is trained in the practice of guiding people through these things. (By the way, one of the reasons we begin prayer with the Sign of the Cross is because the gesture is an acknowledgement that the time of prayer is not the same as what came before, intentionally inviting God to open our eyes to His presence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in this present moment. We are basically acknowledging that this time is sacred.)

Images:
1. Photo, chess board with king and pawns, free stock photo.
2. Icon, St. Teresa of Avila by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This icon can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-teresa-of-avila-177-william-hart-mcnichols.html.
3. Painting, The Pond in Sunbeams by Aleksandr Dubrovsky, 2019.
4. My photo, Church in Nazareth, Israel. 
5. My photo, Lush forest in New Zealand, (North Island).
6. Icon, Our Lady of Silence, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. It takes entering into the silence of prayer to be able to say "Thy will be done." This icon can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/our-lady-of-silence-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