Happy Halloween! Even better, Happy Hallows' Eve! Or, happy eve of All Saints Day! And yes, tomorrow is a Holy Day of Obligation, so if you're Catholic, make sure to join the giant saint party at Mass tomorrow. Gosh, I love All Saints Day. We get to celebrate, as the name suggests, all of the saints. Not just those holy people who died thousands of years ago, but the community of saint-wannabes. Yeah, I'm a saint-wannabe if you can't tell. I freely admit that living a holy life, dying, and then reaching eternal glory and happiness with the grand God of the Universe is very appealing to me. Okay...maybe the dying part is not so appealing, but the after part--that's what I like! I find myself wondering. How will we do it? How will you and I(the saint-wannabes) become saints? I read about saints performing dramatic miracles, levitating, being so happy that they literally glow, being the best of the biblical scholars, being either a priest or a nun, being best friends with the pope, fearlessly walking through war zones, and making enormous sacrifices like cutting off all of his/her hair, doing extreme penances, having visions of the suffering Jesus, and ultimately suffering horrid diseases like leprosy or dying a martyrs death. Yikes! Even if we qualify under one of those things I listed...how can we ever be saints (and if you do happen to be best friends with the pope, then I beseech you: INTRODUCE ME)? How can we be saints if we don't do those great things that I've listed? Thankfully, St. Therese of Lisieux teaches that we don't need to do great things to be great saints. She speaks of sainthood being achieved through being little and childlike. Even cooler, St. Therese was not the first one to tell us this. Guess who was the first? The one and only, Jesus of Nazareth! "Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven," Jesus says in Matthew 18:3. Woah! Is anyone else freaking out? I can't enter heaven unless I'm like a child? Jesus, do You know what You are asking for? The child Jacqueline? If You want me to be like a child that means...
I list these things off to Jesus and say, "Are you sure You mean what You say about us becoming like children? Do You understand what being childlike actually means?" Jesus means what He says (no surprise there). He says, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). And the crazy thing is that Jesus doesn't just say that I have to be like a child, He becomes a child Himself! He actually lives childhood. Check out the following verses: "....and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother." Matthew 2:11 "And a voice came from the heavens, 'You are my beloved Son...'" Mark 1:11 "...with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child." Luke 2:5 "....the glory as of the Father’s only Son..." John 3:14 Notice the words I am highlighting from each of the gospels: "Child," "Mary," "Son," and "Father." What am I getting at here? Two things!
Here is what is blowing me away: To enter heaven (aka be a saint) we need to be like little children, just as Jesus became a little child. To be a little child like Jesus, we have to be children of Mary and totally depend on the grace that God gave her. It's pretty simple. Let's be children; children of Mary! Then all of us saint-wannabes will achieve our goal of sainthood! "I leave to great souls and lofty minds the beautiful books I cannot understand, much less put into practice and I rejoice that I am little because children alone and those who resemble them will be admitted to the heavenly banquet. I am glad that there are many mansions in the Kingdom of God, because if there were only those whose description and whose road seem to me incomprehensible, I could never enter there." St. Therese “[The] Blessed Mother… is the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus.” St Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, 56.
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Oh, to be in love! Passion and thrills; feelings of warmth and excitement.; giddiness and drama. This type of love is bombarded at us in today's society. We see it in the movies, read it in books, and listen to it in music. This wonderful feeling of romantic love is theologically and philosophically known as eros. Eros is awesome and eros is good. It is the "feeling" of love. I totally have felt in love--not with an earthly man--but with God (big shocker there, for those who know me!) I have felt the whimsical whirlwind of dancing with Jesus (no, not literally, but it certainly felt like it). Those feelings of pure joy that are so marvelous, I think, "Oh my gosh! God is so awesome! I'm so happy, I literally think I'm going to die!" Those feelings of awesomeness are eros. Now, instead of speaking in theological terms, let's make it simple and call eros, feel love. Well, there is another type of love: agape. This love is not centered around feeling but is centered around choice. For our sake, let's call agape, choice love. Choice love is selfless love, the strongest love, and the most important love. It doesn't mean feel love is bad. Feel love is good, but love itself will completely diminish if there is no choice love. Moving back to the example of the feel love I've had with God: I said I've felt the whimsical whirlwind of dancing with Jesus. I've also felt like He's ditched me on the dance floor for another girl. I know it's a weird comparison, but seriously! It feels like He totally ignores me and no longer loves me! I can pray all I want, do cognitive behavior therapy all I want, get reassurance from others that He loves me, and still, I will feel like He doesn't love me. Notice a keyword I've been using: "feel." It feels like He doesn't love me. Yeah, it feels like God doesn't love me as water soaks through my shoes when stepping in a puddle or when all of the cafeteria food looks disgusting (to use minor examples). When these things happen on a "bad day," I don't feel all "lovey-dovey and "Yipee! I'm dancing with Jesus! We are living on Cloud 9!" Instead, I feel resentful toward God--angry, disappointed and sad. My friends, that is when choice love comes in. It's the type of love that loves, even when the feelings aren't there. Think of a husband and wife who are arguing. Do you think they feel loving? Probably not, but they choose to love each other anyway by remaining faithful, honest, and caring. In this same way, we as Christians are called to love God and love others even when we aren't feeling loving. Ever seen the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl? There is this certain pirate named Captain Barbossa in the movie, who is going through life without feeling anything. He can't taste food or feel love. It's a curse: he can't feel and all he wants is to feel. Well, when the curse finally breaks, Captain Barbossa at last get's to say, "I feel..." but then adds, "cold" (See the picture of the pirate on the right). It's pretty funny, I think, and it relates to this whole concept of feeling love and choosing love. We can put so much work into feeling the feels of love, like Captain Barbossa, and eventually when we get that feeling...it's not always a good feeling. What do we do when love doesn't feel good? We turn to the deepest love there is: choice love. Now, to get more personal, I'll admit I've been going through a rough time. I often have intrusive and obsessive thoughts that God has rejected me and that He doesn't love me. Even scarier, I often have intrusive and obsessive thoughts that I've rejected God and that I don't love Him. This makes me feel confused, desolate, angry, and depressed. I tend to wonder what happened to all of the initial feelings of romance and joy that I had with God when I really started to like prayer as a child and teenager. I wonder why my mind has been clouded and twisted by my mental illness, particularly by my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. What gets me through the terrible, intrusive thoughts that God hates me? Those nasty feelings that come from the thoughts that I hate God? The answer is choice love. I choose to keep loving God and others--not close to perfectly--but I keep on trying. Feelings come and go, good days and bad days come and go. Thoughts come and go. My depression comes and goes. Choice love never leaves. This pure, concrete love--agape never fails (1 Cor 13:8). Now, feel love does return to me--it always does, even if for a little instant--the good feelings can return in the next hour, day, week, or year. But, choice love is with me to say. Choice love never withers and never fades. It's the love of God that remains strong. It is the love that Jesus has Himself, even as He hangs desolate on the cross. So, be careful with basing love on feelings. Because it's likely you may start feeling cold. Don't fret because choice love will stick with us through that cold. P.S. Here are some sources that I used to write this article: My dad, Deacon Chris--he's the one who first taught me that love is essentially a choice My theology classes in high school--thank you, Ms. Mansour and Mr. Dabney! Pope Benedict the XVI in his encyclical letter, "Deus Caritas Est." Fr. Ryan Mann--a priest who serves the Poor Clares and gave the sisters and I some classes on the teachings of Pope Benedict the XVI. P.S.S. Also, just to clarify, feeling love is totally awesome and amazing, Pope Benedict the XVI explained that feeling love and choice love work together. Both of them are essential to life. See his encyclical letter, Deus Caritas Est. Fire up Chips! This past week was homecoming week at Central Michigan University (CMU), so there was feasting and celebrating over here at college (actually, I went home for the weekend, but you know how homecoming typically goes). That included fundraisers, games, parades, tailgates, and of course, the big football game, which was this past Saturday: CMU vs. Toledo! We lost...FYI...but still, Fire up Chips (Another FYI: Our mascot is the Chippewas--Chips for short)! Call it a coincidence or a Godincidence, but this past weekend's Gospel reading was all about Jesus getting fired up for a ginormous feast! Thing is, our homecoming festivities come and go. We fire up about it and then we lose (or sometimes we win) and that's that. It ends. What about a feast--a celebration--that never ends! How about a never-ending party? How about a never-ending wedding feast? Sign me up! In this past Sunday's Gospel, Jesus speaks in a parable, in which a king invites honored guests to his son's wedding feast (see the verbatim reading below). However, the guests don't come! Instead of attending the feast, one guest goes to tend his farm and another to his business. The king is pretty disappointed by this, but says something like, "Okay. Those who were invited to the feast I'm holding for my son have not come, even though everything has been prepared for them. I've killed all of these fattened calves and they are going to be delicious, so there is no way I'm letting them go to waste!" So, the king sends his servants into the streets to invite whomever they find to the feast! Next, bad and good alike fill the banquet hall for the feast. Let's put this parable in real-life terms because parables are just mini reflections of real, big concepts. The king is God the Father. The son is God the Son (aka Jesus). The wedding feast is heaven (and remember, heaven starts now!). The fattened calves are all of the abundant fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit--all of the goodness of God--the Good News. The servants are you and me! The honored guests that were originally invited are people who have heard the word of God but have chosen their work or busy life instead. So the guests in the street that the servants are told to invite are all of the people we see! The bad and good alike. That includes the classmates, the weird, the cool, the scholars, the cheaters, the drop-outs, the annoying, the good friends, the not-so-good friends, the stupid, the wise, the nerdy, the boring, the successful, the failures, the arguers, the fake, the outcasts, the bullies, the bullied, the loners, the disgusting, the clean, the smelly, the lazy, the picky, the humble, the proud, the controllers, the prisoners, the dying, the abused, the abusers, the hurt, the molesters, the majorities, the minorities, the stuck-up, the advanced, the beginners, the powerful, the privileged, the polytheists, the monotheists, the non-believers, the different denominations, the natives, the foreign, the unfamiliar races, the invaders, the free, the slaves, the coworkers, the employers, the employees, the peace-makers, the violent, the captors, the invaders, the outgoing, the shy, the large, the tall, the short, the small, the lovers, the haters, the prissy, the protectors, the enemies, the rich, the poor, the parents, the children, the cousins, the grandparents, the grandchildren, the siblings, the aunts, the uncles, the nieces, the nephews, the babies, the elderly, the fetuses, the young adults, the teenagers, the preteens, the middle-aged, the brain-dead, the enemies, the alcoholics, the addicted, the shouters, the athletic, the strong, the weak, the arguers, the defensive, the over-confident, the awkward, the religious, the holy, The killers, the shooters, the terrorists, the criminals, the captors, the liars, the homeless, the famous, the liberal, the conservative, the presidents, the penitents, the enthusiasts, the teachers, the ugly, the pretty, the suicidal, the live-life-till-I-die-ers, he rapists, the raped, the strippers, the thieves, the lustful, the creepy, the modest, the fundraisers, the self-less, the prostitutes, the gluttonous, the extremists, the crazies, the servants, the veterans, the dirty, the risky, the cashiers, the cougars, the money-hunters, the cowards, the greedy, the followers, the leaders, the healthy, the ill, the females, the males, the heterosexuals, the homosexuals, the bisexuals, the asexual, the healers, the fighters, the attackers, the disabled, the soldiers, the pest-controllers, the garbage men, the assistants, the cashiers, the policemen, the professionals, the sales-clerks, the cleaners, the assistants, the doctors, the nurses, the waiters, the cooks, the guides, the drivers, the creators, the performers, the bank-tellers, the secretaries, the lawyers, the care-givers, the workaholics, the shopaholics, the gossipers, the mean, the nice, the jobless, the stressed, the talkers, the listeners, the competitors, the oblivious, the silent, the prejudiced, the merciless, the dangerous, the opposers, the pornographers, the masturbaters, the gamblers, the unfaithful, the liars, the cheats, the gangs, the cliques, the silent, the dying, the traditionalists, the philosophers, and the one's who turned town the first invitation! I honestly could keep going, but I have to stop somewhere. (I apologize, I'm in my poetry unit in my creative writing class and the words just keep coming). If you read all of that or if you didn't, I think you get my point. Invite anyone and everyone--no exceptions or rejections. EVERYONE. The good and bad alike. So, join me in inviting people to this awesome wedding feast. Get fired up! You don't have to say, "Dude, I noticed you're mean and annoying. Well, it just so happens that my God and King wants me to invite even people like you to His wedding feast." Please don't say that. What I mean is, let us act like the servants of a great king. Invite with a smile. Tell all people the Good News by our loving actions. Don't be afraid of small-talk. Let's be gracious, courteous, conscious, and wholeheartedly invested in whomever we see, because they are chosen guests at the heavenly wedding feast. Thank you USCCB for posting this past week's gospel passage (this is the shortened version): Matthew 22:1-10 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."' Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests." https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1AVNE_enUS663US669&biw=1366&bih=637&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=paul+writing+to+timothy&oq=paul+writing+to+timothy&gs_l=psy-ab.3...46012.49759.0.49973.23.23.0.0.0.0.155.1668.21j2.23.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.17.1310...0j0i67k1j0i8i30k1j0i24k1.0.xkhL70c504c#imgrc=wFhS03F3Ec3zMM: The following is a letter. The words have been taken from the writings of St. Paul and they are addressed to you! Yes, I'm talking to you! Things are crazy right now in the world. There are hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. We hear of terrorism, political unrest, and now of this terrible shooting that occurred in Las Vegas this week. Then, in our own government, cities, schools, works, and churches, things are also crazy! What in the world do we do? How should we react to such things? Well, take a look at this letter addressed to you. The following are excerpts from letters that St. Paul wrote to different people and churches in the 1st century (early Christian Church). And if you think that God doesn't speak through a man, St. Paul says, "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching" (2 Tm 3:16). Each word in the following letter is directly from the Bible--specifically St. Paul's letters as found in the New Testament. Know that I've rearranged the order of the verses and have taken some main points and condensed them into a shorter form as most of us don't have time to read all of Paul's letters in one setting! Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ (Tm 1:1) to... My Dear Child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord (Tm 1:2). I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you (Phil 1:1). God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (Cor 1:9) I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have (2 Tm 1:6). Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God (2 Tm 1:8). For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ (Ti 2:11-13). You had suffered and been insolently treated (1 Thes 2;2). If you died with Christ to the elemental powers of the world, why do you submit to regulations as if you were still living in the world (Col 2:20)? The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). Understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power (2 Tm 3:1-5). I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not! (Rom 11:1) So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tm 2:1). Bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory...This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself (2 Tm 2:10-13), You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and sufferings (2 Tm 3:10-11). But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed (2 Tm 3:14). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22). Be filled with the Spirit...giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father (Eph 5:18-20). May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it (1 Thes 5:23-24). The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you (2 Tm 4:22), Paul Dear old St. Paul here encourages us! He acknowledges our suffering and does not deny the evil in the world. Yet, he tells us what to do and how to act. Amidst this worldly chaos, we are to trust in God. We are to remain peaceful, patient, and hopeful. For we have the Spirit of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ who has conquered suffering and death. Yes, in the world we have trouble, but take courage! Jesus has conquered the world (See John 16:33). |
AuthorJacqueline St. Clare: I spent six months in a cloistered convent, and now I'm a college student! Archives
April 2021
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Unexpected Church MembersAll words that are underlined can be found on the "Glossary" page
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