theROCK

Change

Are you still scrambling with what to give up for Lent? I decided to give up coffee and 6 hours later found myself unable to do that. Knowing God’s forgiveness, I reflected more on what I need to do that will change my heart. For we know that prayer, fasting and almsgiving is the church’s invitation for us to enter deeply into the mysteries of the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord. But there is more to just “giving something up.” It is about CHANGE and adopting the life of Christ given to us. 

We see little signs of change in nature: buds on the trees and bulbs beginning to bloom in spring. It’s a reminder for us that new life emerges from the dormancy of darkness. Journeying with the Elect (those to be baptized at the Easter Vigil) and witnessing their change is truly a gift. We see how Christ is active in drawing them to himself; their hearts open for the many God-winks in daily life, their eyes open to see how God is working in their lives, and their ears open to the voice of the  Holy Spirit.

Fr. Dennis said we should not come to Communion unless we want to be changed. As we walk toward the altar to receive Jesus, He enters our lives in a tangible way and changes us into his image. That change may be small but it is effective. What change do we seek? What change do we need?

Prayer allows us to ascend the mountain as Jesus did in the gospel account of the transfiguration and to hear the voice of God. Imagine what it was like for Peter, James and John to witness our Lord’s transfiguration, to reflect on the experience, and later to share it with others after his death. It changed them forever and cemented their deep relationship with Jesus. 

Reflecting on the change we need in our lives, let us think about where we fail. Could it be our judgement of others or harboring grudges? Could it be our selfishness or self-absorption? How effective can we be when we allow the noise of the world to overpower us? Practicing little virtuous habits will result in big changes in our lives.

God chooses to work through us, as flawed as we are, to share Jesus with others. Come away from your busy life and spend some time in prayer, in silence, and encounter the One who loves you unconditionally. Bring your brokenness, your lack of faith or even your sinfulness to Him who wants to change you with his Love. 

A Matter of Life After Death

It’s been a difficult year health-wise for many of my family members and friends. Regular updates about diagnoses and surgeries, tests and treatment plans has my mind thinking about Life and Death more than usual. A lyric comes to mind from my favorite band Rush: “learning that we’re only immortal . . . for a limited time.”

We live our days one day at a time and don’t like to think about death because the afterlife is a giant question mark of unknowns. As Catholics, we believe quite profoundly in Life AFTER Death. Our souls are destined to exist for eternity.

At a recent staff meeting we discussed an article about the “Nones.” Nones being those who have no affiliation with a formal religion.  Atheism is on the rise, with more Americans rejecting the notion of God entirely, much less that Heaven and Hell are real. Another well-known quote comes to mind: "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." ~ Charles Baudelaire

Every one of us likely knows someone (or is that someone) who has experienced first-hand some inexplicable/miraculous event that transcends the corporeal and can best be described as Divine Intervention.   It is a matter of faith to recognize the handprint of God in those moments.  It is a matter of fact that sometimes things happen that defy that which our human minds and science can explain. Miracles are the proof that God is with us.

Jesus’ earthly life and His words through the Gospel accounts assure us that eternal life with HIM is within our reach and that there is a reckoning for those who embrace sin and evil. So for the faithful, we recognize that what we’re doing here on Earth really is about salvation. OUR salvation. But in all honesty, whether a person believes or is a NONE, for every human being ever conceived, eventually life on Earth ends and the souls’ Eternity begins.

God alone is the judge for a soul’s eternal life. We all sin and we must seek Reconciliation. This is how we reconcile our mortal minds with our own mortality. 

Jesus told us directly how to reconcile ourselves with God: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Mt 22:38-40

If  we truly follow these commands, when illness threatens body, soul is still at peace.

Come Away and Rest

As I prepared to write this reflection, I found myself pacing in my office. I was deep into the, “Lord, reveal to me what you need your disciples to hear so that it be your words not mine.” In the gospel from Mark I was struck by verse Mark 6: 31, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” How often do we do that? 

At this point in the Gospel of Mark, the apostles learn of John the Baptist’s death. Jesus desperately tries to remove them from the crowds so that they may come away by themselves and rest awhile. Jesus is encouraging self-care. Jesus is encouraging time to mourn. Jesus is loving His disciples, striving to provide them with what they need, yet the crowds press on.  What does this mean for our own lives? 

Our culture has allowed us to believe that busy is better. That the busier you are the better you are. It is a badge of honor to share how impossible your schedule is. Why? Is busier better? Is it somehow a show of popularity? Is it arrogance to some degree? I have come to learn through many Saintly examples that the busier we are, the less charitable we are able to be, that if we don’t set boundaries with our time, we are unable to respond to the demands of love around us. How does the adage go? You can’t give what you don’t have. Jesus clearly knows that and strives to provide that for His disciples.  We often see Jesus retreat in order to pray, to rest, to fill His cup. If He can do it, so should we. In today’s Gospel, He is teaching this important practice, to go away to a deserted place to rest.  As disciples, we must refresh, restore, and renew our energies in order to be the hands of Jesus in the world.

My fellow disciples, take time to go away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile. Summer provides an opportunity to do that if we let it. This could mean turning off the radio in the car, sitting on the deck/patio so you are not distracted by the TV, putting down or putting away our phones, spending time just “being,” or visiting church to sit before the tabernacle or in Adoration. Simply unwind and unplug. If this isn’t part of your routine, might I suggest starting slow with 1 or 2 minutes and building up from there? To the unpracticed, one minute can seem like an eternity! Create a habit of withdrawing to fill your cup so that you can be a peace-filled disciple, one who is ready to respond to the demands of love placed before you on a daily basis. Go, rest a while.