Finding Humility with the Holy Family

Today, on the Feast of the Holy Family, my mind turns to the 5^th Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple in Luke 2:41-52

On the way home from a visit to the Temple, well into the journey, Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not with them, so they make the trek back to find him, frantic and anxious…as any parent would be. Upon entering the Temple, they find him surrounded by men who are dumbfounded by what he knows. When asked why he caused so much worry, his response is simple-Why wouldn’t he be in his father’s house? Luke then explains that while his parents stand there listening, “…they did not understand what he spoke to them.”

As I reflect on this Gospel, this is the verse that sticks out to me. “They did not understand.” It is so frustrating to find myself in the situation where I do not understand something or someone. It hurts my pride; it’s humiliating.  So, when I come across this verse, I feel myself getting a little frustrated for Mary and Joseph. They are his parents afterall. Of all people, they should be able to understand. Couldn’t God have given them some grace or some sort of code, so that they wouldn’t worry? “Oh yeah,” they could think, “He’s the Son of God, of course.” Then, they could walk in peace knowing that Jesus would be different.

But that’s not how it was to be; it’s not how God wanted it.  It wouldn’t be normal or right for them to have a ‘secret code’ of understanding everything and knowing just what being the Son of God meant or what being his parents would mean. That wasn’t their place. The grace they were given was to be his parents, in very human, ordinary, loving ways. As part of the mystery of the Incarnation, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” and put himself in the humble place of needing humans. Jesus needed human parents who were loving, emotional, and real. He needed to learn how to be a man, how to be part of a family, and the human experience from his mom and dad. It was part of his formation. So, they had to search for him, like so many parents who have lost their children…physically or emotionally.

And their response? The only indication is about Mary, his mother. “And she kept all these things in her heart.” No anger. No resentment. And, really, no mention of anxiety after he was found.  She ponders and sits with it: something here, a truth, was yet to unfold and now was not the time for her to know. Mary, the mother of God, did not know everything, yet she knew all that she needed to know at the time.

I look at this ‘mirror’ that my Father has allowed me to reflect in while sitting with this passage. What does it mean for me when I’m hit with the realization of not understanding the events, path, or people in my life? Mary can teach us so much! If the Mother of God can accept that she is not to understand everything about her Son and all that’s to come and her reaction is to move on, while keeping these events in her heart, then who am I to say that I deserve more?

Peace comes with knowing that despite finding Jesus there was mystery for his own Mother. Mary had puzzles to be unlocked, questions to explore, and events to sit with. There flashes of light or Aha moments. Even in her intimacy with Jesus, she has to let grace enter in and grow in her heart. I am blessed that my Father lead me to this passage. I feel humbled and recognized in where I am. And, I know that the inner prayers of my learning to ponder heart are being heard…even as my Father’s response is, “That’s not for you to know right now.”

A Warm Welcome II

I arrive in Assisi around 10pm. It's cold, bone chilling, especially for this Texan. Two others get off the train, an elegant, older woman and a priest. We miss the bus by 5 minutes, so the woman is calling about a taxi. No answer at any of the numbers. Lack of sleep has caught up to me, so all I can do is just stand there...praying for a taxi to pull up. Finally, thankfully, one does. The woman and priest tell me to get in. They'll share it with me! The taxi drops me off, I go to pay the driver, and the woman points to herself and says, 'No, me. Bounasera!' Wow! 

I walk up the hill to my hotel and walk in. The man behind the desk, calls me by name...then says the words that no one likes to hear.."We have un problemo." Apparently, that day, they lost all heat...no heat in rooms and no hot water. No Bueno. I was really looking forward to staying in this particular hotel, so I thought..here it is, now the tough part starts. But he continues, "but it's no problem...I have a room for you at four star hotel across the way. I take you there in my car right now." This man. He waited for me, I was delayed from even the delayed time that I had already warned them about. All so he could welcome me and take me to the other hotel. The hotel was great, but I was still a little bummed because I had so wanted to stay at the other one. But, then came breakfast. 

To say that I have food issues is an understatement. I have allergies with allergies. When I come to breakfast buffets, there's usually not a lot for me because it's all bread, whole eggs, and fruit that I can't have. But this! This was a feast to behold AND partake in. They had gluten free bread (that I could eat) fruit that was me-friendly, and decaf coffee! It's like they knew I was coming!  I was taking photos of everything! I then found a table with a view of the hills and valley started eating and just laughing. I delighted in that breakfast. What a gift!

I feel loved and welcomed. The Lord has brought little things here and there and dear people with beautiful hearts to ensure that I'm taking care of and feel it, and this is just the first 24 hours. And, this type of hospitality has the hands of a mother all over it. I can't help but feel like Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke at the Visitation, "Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me!?" I'm reminded that I don't always allow people to do things for me. I often prefer to do things myself and can get caught up in that. Then, there are those times that I expect things from others or from God. So really, how often have I allowed the Lord to care for me AND embraced it enough to cherish it? I'm sure He has some things that He wants to talk about while I'm here, but for now, I welcome, enjoy, and praise Him for this outpouring of generosity and undeserved love, which has brought me so much peace and grace.

A Warm Welcome Part I

"He will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love" Zeph. 3:14-18

The Lord has called me to go to Assisi, Italy. He set it up and provided the means to go. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, so here I am. Before embarking on this adventure, I didn't know what to expect. The entire month up to the weekend before I left had been CRAZY...really the past 6 months have just been out of whack, although they were also filled with much grace and healing. So as per usual, things pick up in the drama category before I'm about to go on a pilgrimage. Now, to explain, this is different from getting ready to go on a trip. Things can be stressful running errands, taking care of last minute details, etc, but this kind of drama hits you in a different place. It strikes you in your heart. I was feeling personally unsuccessful and out of sorts spiritually. All that and the fact that the Lord basically put this getaway together, had me preparing myself for some sort of surgery. However, day one comes and hits me in a different way, a pleasantly peaceful different way.

I'm struck by how personal our Lord is. We all talk about His love and that He loves us, but He loves me...and you...not just the whole lot of us...each of us. He knows each of us, our hearts, desires, and what makes us smile...what we delight in. He's the ultimate Lover, in the most honorable, intimate form of the word.

Have you ever visited someone's home and felt as if they knew you were coming? Like they bought your favorite cereal, or knew that you drank only decaf coffee. They went out of their way to make sure you were comfortable and felt special. As my Host for this adventure, The Lords has done likewise. 

It started in Rome. I had set up guides through one friend, but it didn't work out. The Lord had other plans. He worked through a priest friend to connect me with one of his priest friends to meet and guide me for the afternoon. As soon as we met up, he handed me an umbrella because it was supposed to rain and a bus ticket. Then he switched backpacks with me because I had my heavy hiking backpack. (I was supposed to be the one getting doing/things for him because he was offering his time!)  He took time out of his day to walk me to St. Peter's, the fountains, everywhere, asked questions for me, and really took the time to personalize the 'tour.' We had easy conversation, and it all made me feel like I was welcome. At the end of the day, he made I sure that I got to the right train to take to Assisi. 

Going Away to Find God: What I Did on My Religiously-themed Summer Vacation

Earlier this summer, I went with my husband and two friends to Europe for two weeks visiting Paris, Lourdes, and Assisi. Each city had it’s own challenges, beauty, and joys, which I will explore over the next couple of entries. Today, however, I would like to spend time on the journey that is pilgrimage.

When I spoke about going away, a friend corrected my use of the word ‘pilgrimage.’ “Don’t you mean ‘religiously themed vacation?” He joked. It’s a fair question, though. What is a pilgrimage? Is a pilgrimage just a vacation with religious overtones? In my answer to my friend, I strived to provide a definition that explained a pilgrimage as a trip away that involved growth, struggle, frustration, but I’ve had plenty of vacations where I lost my luggage, been delayed, argued with my travel companions, and walked many miles. Another attempt was that to explain that a pilgrimage included a lot of prayer. Then again, there have been vacations where I visited Churches and prayed in the pews. The line between vacation and pilgrimage may indeed be thin, so why is there a differentiation? Does there need to be? Is a pilgrimage defined by what happens to you or by what your purpose is in going? Is it defined by where you go or who you are with?

Another question was brought up when I returned. After asking questions about my time away and listening to my various adventures, a priest friend explained that he didn’t believe in going all across the globe to find God. He said that God was in his heart and that he could speak with Him in prayer, especially at Mass and in the Adoration Chapel, which were closer and less expensive. This is also a valid point. Do you have to go away to find God? Many times, I’ve prayed right in my chair or read a section of Scripture and heard God speak to me. How does going away change that?

I think the answer to all these questions lies in purpose.  God loves us and can speak to us no matter where are, but I do think that there are times that we are more open than others. Typically, pilgrimage combines physical, spiritual, and emotional elements into prayer.  So, I think pilgrimage is an extended metaphor about the journey of life that we are on; therefore, I think you can have a vacation that has pilgrimage components, and a pilgrimage that includes vacation moments and fun times. I also think that any day, every day, one can have a pilgrimage.

Am I going away or going away to be with God?

You can be with God at any time, but is what you’re doing or how you are living pursing God, specifically? This, to me, is what it means to be on or go on pilgrimage. (And, how I am learning to live.)  Thomas Merton said, “The geographical pilgrimage is the symbolic acting out an inner journey. The inner journey is the interpolation of the meanings and signs of the outer pilgrimage. One can have one without the other. It is best to have both.”

By living and going away with this mindset, we are giving God permission to use the time to work on our hearts, relationship, or whatever He wants to. It is a practice of surrender and faith. This can take place by walking for miles in the footsteps of other pilgrims, some even Saints who walked before us, or it may mean to stop and pray where they prayed and ask for them to pray for us. Pilgrimage can be a school for prayer and virtue.

It is praying in old Churches, taking in the beautiful paintings and architecture and allowing them to lift our eyes and hearts upwards to God. I think this can also happen while stopping at a gelato shop to sit and take in all of the beauty and wonder of creation that lies before you, in sharing laughter, meeting new people and trying out new languages and foods, talking to strangers about your faith, Jesus and Mary, washing your clothes in the sink, and even getting on each other’s nerves. It’s getting lost and allowing yourself to see life from other’s perspectives. When you purposefully take on a pilgrimage, all can be used as fodder. This can happen hiking up a mountain or going to the grocery store. I like to think of it as taking a class field trip with Jesus as our Teacher and Him setting up each interaction, frustration, moment of peace and joy to help us to learn how to listen to our Father or to learn something about Him or ourselves.

You don’t have to go away to find God, but sometimes you have to go away to let God find you. For me, that happened while I received the Eucharist in elaborate Cathedrals, was sitting in a Chapel in Paris in front of an incorruptible Saint next to a chair where Mary sat, while prayerfully and tearfully walking through the Stations of the Cross in Lourdes, and examining with my fellow pilgrims the valley atop Assisi at sunset. Because I was in a different location spiritually and physically, these places and in the conversations along the way was when, Jesus, the Gardener, broke up some of the huge, hard chunks of old soil in my heart and spoke to me, so He could show me what needed to be healed, His immense mercy, and the tremendous Love of the Father. No matter how the pilgrimage takes place, the task of the pilgrim upon return, is continue to allow Jesus to teach us what all that meant and how to live out what He sought to change in us on the journey.

No Matter What

“With an age old love I have loved you, so I have kept my mercy towards you. “ Jeremiah 31:3

“…It was because the Lord loved you…” Deuteronomy 7:6-8

I am reminded today that there is nothing I can do to earn the Father’s Love. This is both reassuring and unsettling. Unsettling because there is nothing I can do. It doesn’t matter how much I do or strive to impress him. It doesn’t matter. He loves me! Does that also mean that there is nothing I can do to make him take that love away? Yes, in reflecting in Scripture and in my life, I think that is also true. This is astounding and humbling, really. While I don’t want to try to make him not love me, although, I end up messing up anyway, I do find myself wanting to make him see me and see how important I am. It is a difficult concept to grasp, unconditional love. I find myself resisting.  From a human perspective, I find it hard to understand how I can be loved because of his love. It is so simple but so hard. Surely, there has to be a catch.

As I reflect, I come to a deeper and another unsettling thought. My resistance probably means that I’m not as accepting of his love as I’d like to be, and I probably am not as loving as I think. I’m not sure that I love everyone without strings attached. It’s easy when things are great, but when things get tough or don’t go my way, I’m like child yelling, “This is not fair! I deserve better!” How quickly, I forget how faulty I really am when I feel like a victim.

How can I love others? Just love no matter what they say or do? I realize more and more that I cannot. However, our Father does and can. He is so way more capable of loving. Because he loves, we are made in his image, in love…out of love…to love; we are loved, are forgiven, loveable, and cared for. This love is unimaginable, unearnable, and unbelievable, but it is beyond our imagining, offered, and very real. Love is not a concept; it is a Person sent to die for us from a Father who’s gaze and embrace are unending.

Since there is nothing I can do to earn his love, and he is love, I surrender to the fact that I need him. I need to accept his love and mercy. However, in doing so, I put myself in a very interesting position. It changes things from “Because the Lord loved you…,” to “Because the Lord has loved me, I love you.” I grow in the vision to see the Lord present and loving in my brothers and sisters. I can grow in the grace to say “I love you” and mean it. Because the Lord has been merciful to me, I can be merciful to others.  And, in the words of Blessed Mother Teresa “Love anyway.”

I thank and praise the Lord for this immense love and my prayer is that I can see with his eyes and somehow learn to be as merciful and loving to my brothers and sisters, not because they deserve it, not because they’ve earned it, but because the Lord has loved me and kept his mercy towards me and that's a Gift. May we all accept this Gift and share it with each other!

Take my hand

I'll lead you to salvation

Take my love

For love is everlasting

And remember

The truth that once was spoken

To love another person

Is to see the face of God

From Les Miserables “Epilogue”

Who is this King?

Preparing for Easter offers a beautiful time to ponder the love of Our Father. For, it is in the Body of His Son that He cloaks Himself in skin and comes  among us to dwell, so that He could one day dwell within us.

 

Holy Week is a bittersweet clip of time and space that shows our relationship with the Father, through the actions and words of the Son. I think it is a microstory of the story of God loving and reaching out to His people and the Father desiring to make us His own. This microstory consists of His invitation and our response shown in a short week, but in reality, it is a dance that takes a lifetime to learn.

 

From the Hosanna of Palm Sunday to the magnificent glory of Easter Sunday, each interaction Christ has with His disciples speaks to our interactions with Him, our relationship. As Christ is welcomed riding on a donkey with palm fronds being tossed at Him and people singing the arrival of their triumphant King, I think we, too, are challenged to look at our expectations of Who this Mysterious Wonderworker is. What type of King is He to us? A great king with mighty power? A military kind of king with a mastermind that could defeat any army? If we let Him reign in our lives, will He fix everything that is wrong?

 

At the Last Supper, the relationship becomes more complex. The King who came riding in on a donkey, shares of Himself in ways like that of no other. He literally shares of Himself in 2 ways: in giving of His Body and Blood and in humility by washing His disciples' feet. With both He commands , "do likewise." Since this happens in the same meal, I think He is telling us that they are connected. He gives us the Gift of Himself in order for us to make gifts of ourselves.

 

This is also the same meal that he reveals who will betray Him and who will deny Him. A king with earthly power would not stand for any type of betrayal or denial. He would've done away with anyone who would not give him honor he was due, but Jesus doesn't stop either man allowing them freedom. The one who had been a betrayer the entire time, ends his own life finding himself unforgivable and Jesus' mercy unbelievable. The other is humbled but sees that he is not beyond the mercy of Christ, and although broken, finds healing and learns that Christ has a special place in building His Kingdom even for him. He is indeed a different kind of king.

 

What can we gather from this? For me, what is amazing...it's that following Christ is about a relationship of love, not just king and subject. He wants to dwell with us, share meals and talk about what is going on in life. Two: it is not easy to follow Him, especially when I am selfish or His will is not on my agenda. Many times, I haven't allowed Christ to be present to me, so how can I be a loving presence to others? Also, I see myself in both Judas and Peter, finding myself betraying and deny Christ with my sins; sometimes, I only see the bad that I've done and the shame gets me down. But, thankfully, Christ's mercy is never ending, and I can be renewed through the Eucharist and Reconciliation...because it's about relationship.

 

However, this love story is not over. Christ gave Himself in Body and Blood at the Last Supper, but His Body has yet to be broken and the Blood yet to be poured out.

A Lesson in Love

Valentine’s Day is coming and for about a month now, stores and commercials have been giving us ideas about how to show those who are special to us how much we love them. Houses and classrooms are decorated with red and pink hearts. With all of this love in the air, there must be a lot of love in our hearts, right? It probably depends on what one means by love.

When you say, “I love you.” What do you mean? This is something that I’ve been sitting with for some time. By having only one word for love, I think the English language has done a disservice to us. So, love can be the word that is placed between a subject and an object to designate strong or happy feelings…I love my car; I love the color yellow; I love you.

So, what does the sentence, “I love you” mean? You make me feel good? You’re hot? You make me laugh? I want what is best for you? 

The answer is so subjective, one might say. However, let’s think of this using an example, like, being a sibling. Do your brothers and sisters always make you feel good? Probably not. Do you think they’re hot? Awkward. Let’s say no. Do they always make you laugh? Maybe. Do you want what is the best for them? Of all the answers, that seems to be the most probable because no matter what happens between you and your siblings, you want what is best for them.

Additionally, the first three are rather self-serving. This tells us something else about love. Love is about the other person, not ourselves. Think about a mother giving birth. When she looks into her newborn eyes, she’s not thinking that she feels good…because she doesn’t. And, her child hasn’t had the chance to do anything for her except give her cravings and heartburn, so it can’t have anything to do with what the baby has done for the mother. A mother’s love comes from the care and concern she has for her baby. This is proven by the 9 months of sacrificing what she would like to eat or do for what is best for the health of her baby.

Speaking of mothers, a great mother who can teach us about love is Mary, the Mother of God. This is shown in several Scripture passages, but one that sticks out to me is the Presentation. Mary and Joseph are presenting Jesus according to Jewish law, and they are met by an elderly man, Simeon, who knows a lot about them and their Special Baby. He tells Mary that Jesus will be rejected by some and that a sword will pierce her own heart. This is rather sobering. A sword in the heart is painful. Period.

Mary teaches us so much with such grace. She has already, without knowing everything, said yes to carrying this Baby risking scandal and ridicule. Then, at this point, she hears the last thing a mother wants to hear about her son. Still, not quite understanding, yet knowing that this path will involve pain, she says yes. “I will go through this. I will not abandon Jesus, and I choose to abandon myself to God’s Will.” She loves her Son and He needs a mother to raise Him. God has asked her to do this, and out of love for Him, her Son, and us (The people He came for; people she had yet to know…Mary even loved us enough to make this sacrifice.) Through this, she shows us how to love in that she lived allowing God to love through her. Later on, she exemplifies unconditional love again by accompanying Jesus during His torture and Crucifixion.

How could Mary proceed with raising Jesus knowing that He wouldn’t be accepted and that she would be caused pain? How did she not run away from this? Love. Real. Pure Love. The power of God had to be radiating through her to allow her to move forward in love and strength.

So, what could God be teaching us through Mary? Love involves sacrifice of our own dreams or desires. Part of the Presentation is Mary offering Jesus back to God. In doing this, she offers her very heart to Him as well. Love is a choice. She chose to follow God, to walk with her Son on His path, to be His mother.

What does this mean for us? We are called to love in this way. If God is our Father, then those people that we work with, sit next to on the bus, those who annoy us, and those who live in ways that we disagree with are all our brothers and sisters.  Love is a choice. We choose to love, to hate, or to be indifferent. It is a choice we must make everyday. What does this have to do with Valentine’s Day? Nothing. Unless you hand out a Valentine to everyone you meet. Ironically, those who need love the most are the last ones who need a stuffed teddy bear and a box of chocolates. Gifts are not bad, but the best gift we can give someone else is our love.

The amazing thing is that we have a Father who knows Love and offers Himself completely. He has an enormous capacity for love that can stretch our hearts to really look our brothers and sisters and say “I love you!” All the while prayerfully asking, “Father, show me how to love them like you do and, then, give me the grace to do it.”