Comfort for the Tough Times

Have you ever experienced a time of trial/suffering/testing of faith that is so troubling, so worrisome, so difficult and grave that you cease to be able to pray?

You know you should, you wish you could...but, you can't? The words won't come. One of those times when we are told that the Holy Spirit understands the gutteral moanings of our soul?


Recently, I was reading the writings of Blessed Mother of Teresa of Calcutta. If you are familiar with her story, then you know that she experienced what amounts to 2 decades of "a dark night of the soul"...dryness...emptiness...loneliness...feeling as Our Lord did upon His cross when He cried out,
"My God! My God! Why have You abandoned me?!"


I was immensely comforted (and thus, wanted to share this post with you so as to offer that same comfort) to read Mother's beautiful sentiments.

She said, that in those times, when all feels dark and lonely...when prayers with or without words won't come...it is then that JESUS goes before His Father, on bended knee, and prays FOR us.

Our sweet and loving Savior, does the praying that we CAN'T do.

This is not to say that He merely "prays for us" as in "Dear Father, please help Judy" in an intercessory way...

No.

He DOES do that, of course.

But, what Mother Teresa was talking about is something MUCH MUCH deeper....much more profound...much more unfathomable....

Jesus prays FOR us...meaning He "does the praying" that we should be and want to be doing but can't.


I spent the week pondering this amazing gift.

Kind and gentle Jesus...prays to His father for me...AS me...when I am unable to pray.

This led me to think of other times...such as when a marriage is in crisis...when one wants to love the spouse, but can't...or when one desires SO MUCH to BE loved by the spouse, but isn't.

Surely, if Jesus prays to His Father in our place...so too, does He LOVE OUR SPOUSE FOR US...when we are unable...and so, too, does He love US...when our spouse can not/will not.


The profound reality of these things is incomprehensible to me.

It means that there is NEVER and absence of prayer or love because for every person who ever lived, is living now, or will live...JESUS is praying for each when they can't and loving for each when they can't and loving each when they are unloved.

Mother Teresa's reflections overwhelmed me. Humbled me.

Comforted me beyond words.

May this also bring you, my brothers and sisters, in Christ, a bit of Lenten Comfort.

Wisdom in Our Youth

My 16 year old daughter was recently asked to write a talk for a Ladies' Retreat at our parish.

Her topic was to be "The True Meaning of Christmas and Keeping a Holy Focus During this Season" from a teen's perspective.

I was greatly inspired by several things my daughter shared.

I don't know about you, but whenever I have the opportunity to be exposed to faithful, zealous, devout youth, I instantly have renewed HOPE for the future. (I had this feeling when reading Kathryn's recent post on this blog about FOCUS)

Truly, it will be the grass-roots uprising of YOUTH who want to restore the Church, Family, and Nation that will change the world...loving Christ and sharing Him with others...one day at a time.

One of the things my daughter mentioned in  her talk that moved me so was this: She said that she feels we, as people celebrating the Advent/Christmas Season tend to pay too much attention to "public influence" and not enough attention to "The Ultimate Influence".

I love that. "Ultimate Influence".

I wonder how different the average day in America would look if we would all strive to take these words of a young teen to heart...how would the streets look...and the stores...and the homes of families across the country?

My daughter also said that we need to enjoy the "present moments" of our lives more...and that "rolling out cookie dough and cutting out snowflakes, are far more important than they seem to us at the time".

Wow! Such insight from someone so young; and also, for me, as her mother, such a blessing to know that she "gets it" and that these moments in our own family life have reached her heart and have drawn her closer to God.

Finally, my daughter said something that has become my own meditation for this Advent Season. I thanked her for teaching me and leading me to Christ. She said that rather than trying to "make the best of Christmas", she feels that she needs to try to "make the best of HERSELF DURING Christmas".

Wow, again!

That, after all, IS the true essence of Advent, is it not?

Preparing our hearts, best we can, to meet Our Savior in His Coming; both at Christmas time and in the end of ALL time.

So often, the media and even the casual conversations of everyday people, seem to be flooded with stories of fallen away youth; irreverent youth, lukewarm  youth, disrespectful youth.

I thank God for the glimpses He gives me of youth that are close to His Divine Son...youth that DO care about their fellowman, youth that understand the real point of holy days like Christmas, and youth that are willing and courageous enough to share their insights and wisdom with others...

This talk reminded me of another Youth...a Divine Youth, who was found teaching the teachers in the temple, one day. So too, was my daughter, "teaching the teachers" as she ministered to her own pastor and the ladies of our parish.

I am now trying to make the best of myself during this beautiful Advent Season.

I hope you will do the same.

Words of Wisdom from the Book of Sirach

A holy Jew who lived 200 years before Christ

Picture source

One of my favorite books of the Holy Bible is the Book of Sirach. Sirach: (The Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus), was written in Hebrew by a man named Joshua (or Jesus) and later translated into the Greek by his grandson. The book includes traditional Jewish wisdom. In reading the passages I find many ways I can correct flaws in my daily relationships with others. It is a shame that this book is not included in the Protestant bible as the Protestants consider it apocryphal or not authentic. Until recently, I was reading a passage and copying down verses that I found to be worth remembering. I share some with you now:

Be Cautious:

"Before investigating, find no fault; examine first, then criticize. Before hearing, answer not, and interrupt no one in the middle of his speech. Dispute not about what is not your concern; in the strife of the arrogant take no part..." - Sirach 11:7-9

"The day of prosperity makes one forget adversity; the day of adversity makes one forget prosperity...A moment's afflictions brings forgetfulness of past delights..." 11:25-27

Faithfulness to God:

"My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. - 2:1-18

Humility:

A stubborn man will face badly in the end...A stubborn man will be burdened with sorrow; a sinner will heap sin upon sin. For the affliction of the proud man there is no cure..." 3:17-28

Sincerity and Justice:

"Use your time well. Guard yourself from evil; and bring upon yourself no shame.." - 4:20

"Even to the death fight for truth, and the Lord your God will battle for you." -4:28

Against Presumption:

"...of forgiveness be not over confident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: 'Great is His mercy; my many sins He will forgive..." Delay not your conversion to the Lord, put it not off from day to day..." - 5:1-10

Sincerity in Speech:

"...be swift to hear, but slow to answer...Honor and dishonor through talking! A man's tongue can be his downfall. Be not called a detractor; use not your tongue for calumny..." - 5:11-17

"Say nothing harmful, small or great...A bad name and disgrace will you acquire; that for the evil man with double tongue!" - 6:1-4

True Friendship:

"Let your acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant. When you gain a friend, first test him, and be not too ready to trust him." - 6:5-17

Conduct in Public Life:

"...Do not plot to repeat a sin; not even for one will you go unpunished."

"...be not impatient in prayers, and not the giving of alms..."

"Plot no mischief against your brother, nor against your friend and companion."

"Delight not in telling lie after lie, for it never results in good..."

"Do not esteem yourself better than your fellows..."

"More and more, humble your pride..."

7:1-17