A little Lenten reminder...

Smile. There is simply no better news than that which we have received from the Apostles through their successors. The Good News is a good as it could get, and it's true. Remember, your smile is like two arrows pointing up to Heaven - perhaps at the sight of your joy someone may just be brought to contemplate the cause of our joy. So simple, so quick, so effortless, so powerful. So smile - you never know, it could save a soul.

Turning a corner

PJP said it perfectly at Recovering Our Catholic Patrimony (aka RCP): "I’ve been in La La Land lately, letting Lent take me by surprise and excusing myself by blaming a self-induced dark night." I have never been so utterly blasé, or at least not felt so, about Lent in my now nigh-eleven years of being a Catholic. Even in the years when I was busying myself with being a less-than-serious Catholic Lent meant something to me and I at least gave it a good college try.

This year? I've felt, since the beginning of Lent, like I'd been kicked in the teeth, left out to dry in the sun and shiver in the cold. Not the heart-wrenching, gut-twisting pain of rejection but the equally crushing emptiness of utter disinterest. I knew Lent was passing me by and if I kept at it I'd completely miss Easter too, but no matter what I tried I just couldn't get myself to get after it. Praying the Liturgy of the Hours I'd find myself at the end of a Psalm not even remembering what I'd just read; praying the Rosary I'd snap to and realize I had no idea even which mystery I was supposed to be contemplating. Being every inch the American that I am, I was sure that if I just stayed at it and did more, harder, longer I'd get back in it - or maybe I would Rambo myself into it, getting so peeved that I ripped down the walls with my bare hands and pulled everything out in the end. Maybe even with big explosions in the background just for giggles.

Idiot.

That's not how it works, now is it? Nope, not one single bit. Nobody gets to storm the walls of Heaven and climb over. The door is simply opened for you, if you'll but walk in.

This morning, I know not why, God decided - as I said in the comment at RCP - to apply some 2x4 theology squarely to my cranium. I think he got a good sliver lodged in my soul while he was at it too.

Why is it we have to learn the same lessons over and over again, even the ones that we ourselves teach others - sometimes even while we are teaching others that very lesson? I don't entirely know; perhaps it's because, as we so often jokingly say, God has a peculiar sense of humor (which, being God, it would have to be peculiar in the sense of "distinct from all others" since there is indeed only one God). More to the point, however, is the simple fact that even those of us who help educate others in the faith are still sinners with an incomplete grasp of what's good for us. It doesn't matter how many times you say that last point if you don't really internalize it. And internalizing things was really at the heart of the whole thing.

To some number of people out there I'm seen as a sort of "leader" in how things "should" be done. Not, likely, anyone who "counts" in the big scheme of things, but there are those who look to my example no matter how much I might wish they didn't. And you know what? That's a darned hard thing to deal with sometimes. You find yourself doing things you once enjoyed and got a great amount of spiritual benefit from so that you can be seen doing them that others might be strengthened in their own path.

Before you remind me of the passage telling us not to do things that we might be seen, be honest with yourself - there is someone out there to whom you look up and lean on in some way as a guidepost. That person, more than likely, has figured out on some level that there is someone who watches them and unless they're a saint (and perhaps even if so) that knowledge weighs on them from time to time - sometimes pulling them forward when they would like to slack off, sometimes pulling them down by distraction. I've been told by some out there that they see an example in what I occasionally do, so they're out there whether I like it or not (some days I do, some days I don't ... and some days I do a little too much). The Lord knows I have not been a model to follow in the past few weeks.

For a reason as yet unknown to me God chose this morning to lift that veil. Strangely, for one so accustomed to long flows of words (exhibit A being the long winding path to get this far in this post) I'm not quite sure how to put it. Suffice it to say the message was simple: don't just say the prayer, live the prayer - rediscover that joy of truly active participation of your entire self in the prayer. Perhaps that sounds a little New Age-ish, but that's more from a lack of sufficiency on the part of the author than anything else. We are reminded in a most eloquent way in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass that active participation in prayer consists most properly in far more than the reading and recitation of words - we must bring that prayer into our hearts and present both the prayer and ourselves to God as an offering together. Merely reading, merely saying the prayer is nothing as compared to truly making it an offering.

The funny thing is, I've told people exactly this before, but for whatever reason it never sank in quite as it did this morning. Every day during Morning Prayer I try to imagine Zechariah proclaiming the Benedictus - sometimes I get close, sometimes, well, not so much. This morning, I knew the joy which burst the bonds of his tongue as he proclaimed "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel". Blessed indeed!

I have to admit - this corner-turning makes me a little afraid. Afraid because I haven't been given this kind of clarity in a long, long time. The last time this happened, well, the issue of vocation was involved. And if I'm hearing what I think I'm hearing, frankly, it scares the life out of me. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe this is just a light shone in my darkness, I don't know. At least I like long sleeves, so there is that. It's funny, because when I was contemplating the priesthood it didn't scare me at all; perhaps it's the wisdom that comes with age, but ... Lord, Thy will be done. I am, without question, without doubt, without qualification, unworthy of whatever it is to which you call me.

Finding your center

A couple of snips from the Pope's address this past Palm Sunday from CNA. (Emphasis mine.)

The [Palm Sunday] procession “is also an expression of our 'yes' to Jesus and of our readiness to follow Him wherever He may take us,” said the Holy Father but, he added, “what does ‘following Christ’ actually mean? ... It is,” he explained, “a fundamental decision to take no account of utility and profit, career and success, as the ultimate aim of our lives, but to recognize truth and love as authentic criteria. It is a choice between living only for ourselves, and giving ourselves for something greater. In following Him, we enter the service of truth and love. In losing ourselves we find ourselves again.”

And again:

Benedict XVI concluded by recalling that “with the cross Jesus opened wide the door to God, the door between God and mankind. Now that door is open. But from the other side the Lord knocks with His cross, he knocks at the doors of the world, at the doors of our hearts, which are so often ... closed to God. And He speaks to us more or less like this: if the proofs that, in His creation, God gives you of His existence do not convince you to open yourself to Him, if the words of Scripture and the message of the Church leave you indifferent, then look at me, your Lord and your God. This is the appeal that, at this moment, we let penetrate our hearts.”

Merging the first and the second highlighted parts produces a truly powerful statement. You wind up with something like, "Take no account of utility and profit, career and success, as the ultimate aim of [your] lives, but [...] recognize truth and love as authentic criteria; if the proofs that, in His creation, God gives you of His existence do not convince you to open yourself to Him, if the words of Scripture and the message of the Church leave you indifferent, then look at me, your Lord and your God." Look indeed at what He, our Lord and God did - utility and profit, career and success he threw away as so much dust. But look and see the glorious end that lay at that road that seemed so much folly to the eyes of man. "[W]e proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the Wisdom of God. (1 Cor 1:23-24)"

Tags: Catholic, Benedict, Pope, Lent, Palm Sunday

Strong words at the Papal retreat

Argent, quoting Zenit, gives us the scoop on Cardinal Biff's preaching at the Lenten Papal Retreat. People had expected strong words, and the Cardinal did not disappoint.

Quoting the work "Three Dialogues on War, Progress and the End of History," Cardinal Biffi told his listeners that "the Antichrist presents himself as pacifist, ecologist and ecumenist."

"He will convoke an ecumenical council and will seek the consensus of all the Christian confessions, granting something to each one. The masses will follow him, with the exception of small groups of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants," he said.

Ouch. But if you thought that was harsh, he was much more incisive later:

The 78-year-old cardinal said that if Christians "limited themselves to speaking of shared values they would be more accepted on television programs and in social groups. But in this way, they will have renounced Jesus, the overwhelming reality of the resurrection."

Not just ignored Jesus - renounced Him. The Cardinal makes the strong point that ecumenism can be a good, but it can (and has, if you read between his lines) been taken too far. Honesty is a practice of God, not equivalence.

Particularly interesting is Catholic Mom's take on this. She notes the contrast between the Cardinal's words and those of Katherine Jefferts Schori. The Cardinal reminds us that when you've walked away from God the path to Him is back from where you are, not continuing down your own self-made road. So far this looks to be a very interesting choice by the Pope for this retreat.

Tags: Catholic, Benedict, Ecumenism, Lent, Episcopal Church

God doesn't waste opportunities

Reading Fr. Martin Fox's post about the "Jesus tomb" fiascostory got me to thinking. Among other very insightful statements, he says:

It's providential insofar as it will occasion quite a bit of discussion about what Resurrection means.

Another way it's providential is that it will help clarify who stands for what, and help Christians realize the scalding hatred that is and always will be directed against our Lord.

Some will no doubt say that's a case of whistling past the graveyard, that this is yet another heavy attack on Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular (albeit only slightly more in this case, unlike Da Vinci). Certainly, there will be some few whose already very weak faith in Christ and his Church is shaken to the breaking point, and for them we feel and moreso pray. But the truth is simply that this attack will not lead to the emptying of churches, just as Da Vinci failed to spark mass exodus.

More is waiting for us, however. God does not waste opportunities, and it is up to us to make true and full what Fr. Fox states above, that this attack of woefully inadequate intellectual proportions becomes instead a providential opportunity to reinforce the faith of those who may be inclined to believe in it and find their faith in a loving God who lived, breathed, suffered, died and rose for each and every one of them and maybe, just maybe it will become an opportunity for the catechesis we have been longing for.

We should be thankful Mr. Cameron was, frankly, stupid enough to bring this story out at a time when the Church (Catholic and catholic) is more focused on what it is and what it is called to be than at any other time in the year. Deny Easter when people are so tightly focused on deepening their understanding of what Easter is, how it is true and why it matters. What a feat of incompetent marketing. They've done their part - the question is, do we do our part? God doesn't waste opportunities - will we?

Update: I see The Anchoress has also made the same type of statement, saying, "I think it’s an extraordinarly good thing that this issue is coming up during Lent, when we’re already supposed to be in a mindset of humility and conciliation." I'd say great minds think alike, but I don't want to insult her.

Tags: Catholic, Apologetics, Lent, James Cameron

And so it begins...

Against All Heresies points us to a nicely done blog at These Forty Days. The reflections are top-notch and I like the pleasant, unimposing layout. Much different than this hodgepodge here. I'll clean this up one of these days, honest. Perhaps a good Lenten penance?

Also, Jimmy Akin is kind enough to lay out the rules for us, in case we had forgotten (or never learned) any. It's always useful to re-read the rules to make sure you haven't slipped along the way; every once in a while they can be inspiring too.

Finally, Mike Aquilina is starting a series of Lenten reflections on the three aspects of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. His reflection on prayer is, as always, moving. Once again he's making me shuffle my reading order to try to find a way to fit more patristic reading in earlier. I need more time in the day...

Update: Mike Aquilina has posted part two of his series of Lenten reflections on fasting. Again, absolutely insightful. You know something is good when it makes you really, truly reflect on your own efforts and Mike has done just that.

Update 2: And part three of the series has been posted. If you read this and don't feel like you're not giving enough, either you're already giving the widow's mite or you probably need to read it again.

Tags: Catholic, Lent, Patristics, Prayer