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Christ Overcame

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Holy Saturday. A day filled with so much anticipation. In just a mere few hours, Easter Vigils will begin all across the country. The waiting is over. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen; let us rejoice … although our celebrations will be more muted this year, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

There are those out there who assume that, because there is no public celebration of the Mass, that Easter just won’t happen this year. Others may think that Easter is less significant this year, less important, less meaningful. Still, others will wonder if their churches will “push back” the celebration of Easter to the first available Sunday that parishioners are welcome through the doors.

Easter isn’t canceled. Just because we can’t physically gather in our Church buildings and receive the Body of Christ – the same Body of Christ that hung on the cross and the same Body of Christ that rose from the dead – doesn’t mean that this great celebration won’t take place. In fact, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered on Easter might be more profound this year. Yes, priests offer up the sacrifice on our behalf at every single Mass but, this year, being the sole persons able to participate in (let alone offer up) the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that celebrates the reward of that very same sacrifice of Jesus is just … kind of mind-blowing. The priests will celebrate the Mass on our behalf, just like they’ve been doing for the past, “I don’t know how many” weeks. And they will continue to celebrate Mass on our behalf for the weeks to come.

Easter isn’t any less meaningful this year. Jesus still rose from the dead. Jesus still saved us from the consequences of sin and death, reconciled us with God the Father, and gave us the promise of eternal life. All of these things and more are still important and still present to us, even in the midst of chaos.

And, unfortunately, Easter won’t (and can’t) be pushed back. Easter Sunday is an immovable feast day, which can’t just be celebrated at a later time. Hopefully, we will still be in the midst of the Easter season when our local dioceses will resume public celebration of Masses. You may see some aspects of Easter incorporated in your church whenever that moment comes. Maybe there will be a Renewal of Baptismal Promises with a sprinkling rite during Masses like there would have been on Easter Sunday. Maybe all of the Easter lilies and other flowers will linger on the altar a little longer than normal.

I can assure you, though, that whenever the moment is – the church will be abuzz with unbridled Easter joy. That’s what we have to hold on to during this crisis. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just like we have hope in the Resurrection, we will have our Easter morning.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still uses her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on old episodes of the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

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And We Call It Good

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I have a favorite prayer for after receiving Holy Communion. The Anima Christi. Most of you should be familiar with this prayer. It has been around for a long time. Some encyclopedia says since Medieval times, some attribute it to St. Ignatius Loyola. It doesn’t matter. It is a beautiful pray most suitable for Good Friday. And I happen to love the old language:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me. 
Blood of Christ, inebriate me. 
Water from the side of Christ, wash me. 
Passion of Christ, strengthen me. 
O Good Jesus, hear me. 
Within Thy wounds hide me. 
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. 
From the evil one defend me. 
In the hour of my death call me. 
And bid me come unto Thee, 
That with all Thy saints, 
I may praise thee 
Forever and ever. 
Amen. 

One prays for oneself in this prayer. But I want to offer you this next version to use in prayer for others. Especially for those in dire need of your prayer. And perhaps, it’s for all of us on this Good Friday on which we pray alone in our homes, unable to gather together. Fill in the name of the person for whom you are praying:

Soul of Christ, sanctify _____. 
Body of Christ, save _____. 
Blood of Christ, inebriate ______.  
Water from the side of Christ, wash _____. 
Passion of Christ, strengthen _____. 
O Good Jesus, hear me. 
Within Thy wounds hide him/her. 
Suffer him/her not to be separated from Thee.  
From the evil one, defend him/her. 
At the hour of _____’s death, call him/her 
And bid him/her come unto Thee. 
That with Thy saints, he/she may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen 

And may your prayer be answered by our Good and Suffering Christ who died for us this day, and rose on the third day to give us eternal life. May your Triduum prayers be fruitful and your Easter most joyous! 

God Bless.

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Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Choosing to be Deliberate

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Please don’t get me wrong, more than anything, I wish I could go to Mass tonight. Tomorrow, I will be wishing I could join my Church family in kissing Jesus’s feet and venerating the cross of his suffering and death, the cross of my salvation. I will miss beginning our Easter Vigil together, that moment of anticipation before it starts when we are chilled by the Michigan Spring twilight, eager for the warmth of the sacred fire. Sometimes you don’t properly appreciate what you have until you have to go without. 

But I have to admit; I am kind of excited by the opportunities present in this time of social isolation. In going without our usual Liturgical Celebrations in our communal church, we can’t gather and watch as the priests, deacons, choir, and servers enact the Mass and other Liturgies on our behalf. We have to actively choose how we will commemorate these three most Holy Days. We have to bring our participation back to our homes, our domestic church. 

The Holy Triduum is not three days of different liturgies. It is one liturgy that takes place over three days (with breaks built in!). In a time when we are set apart from one another physically, we can spiritually set apart these three days from all the others. In a time when the days are starting to run together, and friendly memes remind us to change from our day pajamas to our night pajamas, we can consciously and deliberately choose to make these days stand out.

This year, in ways that reach back to the roots of Catholicism, we choose how to participate, and it may be as simple as dressing up for dinner tonight and reading the Gospel before starting and discussing it during dinner. 

It may be that as a family, we choose to wash each other’s feet. We can say with our words and our actions, “Christ washed his disciple’s feet in an act of love, service, and humility. I wash your feet because I love you as Christ loves us.” 

Maybe, when we recall how Jesus instituted the Mass through the Last Supper, we can remember that in order to participate in the Mass, we need priests. Priests are men who love God so much that they are willing to forgo their own families so they can be Fathers to us. We can thank God for these priests, who, in all their messy humanity, make it possible for us to transcend time and space and be present at the Last Supper. They need our prayers. 

Perhaps, we can make some unleavened bread. When we give thanks for it, we can make a spiritual communion opening up our hearts just like we should each time we meet at the altar. 

This is the evening when Jesus prayed in the garden, instead of heading to bed, maybe we can take some time to sit in the silence and keep him company. 

And maybe, just maybe, we can deliberately allow ourselves to be humbled through this time of social isolation so that when we return to the communal church we won’t be the same people we were when we last left it on the unsuspecting Sunday in March. Maybe next time we will sit in the front row so we can be as close to Jesus as possible. Maybe we’ll arrive early and stay late so as to spend as much time as possible with Jesus. Maybe we’ll listen more closely to the words of the Eucharistic Prayer and be led more deeply into the liturgy. Maybe we will remember that even after this time of separation is over the Catholic Church is the church of “both/and” and we will maintain our immersion in our faith in both our domestic church and our communal church. 

However you spend these next three days, please know that you are in my prayers. May God keep you and your family safe. 

If you would like some ideas on entering into the Holy Triduum more deliberately, please feel free to visit our school website at www.sttwaylandmi.com where we have collected resources from all over to guide you. 

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Sheryl delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.

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Surely it is not I, Lord?

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When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”

As we read today’s Gospel, we find the beginning story of Judas’ betrayal. He seeks out the chief priests and says to them, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”. Thirty pieces of silver are his reward. The story goes on to the Twelve celebrating the Passover with Jesus. He tells them that one of them will betray him and the eleven answer, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”. Judas answers, “Surely, it is not I, Rabbi?”

Yes, Judas betrayed Jesus. Yes, he lied to Him, too, at the Last Supper. But what does this have to do with us? Well, I think all of us know the story of Judas Iscariot. We know it and shake our heads as we hear how he chose the love of money over loving Christ. We know how his story ends, and it breaks our hearts. I believe Jesus calls us to ask, when have we responded, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”. Have there been times in your life where you have chosen the silver? This is definitely unique to each individual person, but where have you betrayed the Lord? Where have you said no to His love or to the prompting of His Spirit? I know for myself, I can look at Judas and feel much sorrow for him. He loved the silver more than he loved the Lord. I can also look into my own heart and reflect on my own sins and mistakes throughout my life and pinpoint all the times that I, too, loved something more than I loved the Lord. In this Holy Week, may we turn our hearts with true repentance back to Jesus. May we love Him more than anything or anyone in our lives. We know the story, and we know that Judas could have written a different ending to his story if he had repented. May we do what Judas did not, may we run back to the Father and be embraced by His love and mercy. I pray that we all embrace the cross and resurrection in a new way this Easter, that we may receive the love and mercy He longs to give us. Amen.

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Briana is the Pastoral Minister at St. Mark Church in Cleveland, OH. She is also a district manager at Arbonne. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to serve the Church. “My soul has been refined and I can raise my head like a flower after a storm.” -St. Therese

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And it was Night

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 We are embarking on the journey of the Passion, and the Gospel readings for yesterday, today, and tomorrow all focus on Judas’ betrayal. Why?

Because we are all Judas, to some degree, and our fallen human nature is prone to walking away from the Lord Who is the Light of the world and into the night. These Scriptures should help us examine our own conscience, to see where we have betrayed God. Jesus did not come to tell us God’s rules or truths; Jesus came, fully God and fully man, to be the way for us, to die for each of us, and to entrust Himself to each of us personally. He IS Truth. Walking with Him in love IS the law! He came to give himself TO us and FOR us; God comes to dwell WITH us and IN us, to be our life and our strength and our virtue. He seeks a personal relationship with each of us, as Brother, Lord, and Friend!

In order to do this, Jesus “emptied himself, taking the nature of a slave” (Phil. 2:7), setting aside his omnipotence and glory. In His love affair with each of us, there is no dazzling force, no glorious coercion, no insistence beyond an irrevocable invitation and steadfast calling. We are asked to recognize a hidden God, an unassuming Savior, a defenseless Love, and to walk with Him in faith toward the open arms of the Father.

But there are many moments and circumstances in which we do not act faithfully, against our best knowledge and desire. In small and large ways, we betray Him for the small silver of some vanity or advantage or security, sometimes even for vengeance or hatred. We put our own sense of what is important and valuable ahead of what the Lord tells us is important and valuable.

As Fr. Romano Guardini said, “Judas himself unmasks us” (The Lord, 1954). In the treason of Judas, we see the possibility of our own betrayal; when we hear that “Satan entered him,” we are cautioned against allowing any treachery to become fixed in us, so that our hearts become sealed against the road back to true contrition and the way of self-giving love.

Jesus makes the invisible God visible for us, and he puts the infinite love of God on display, especially on the Cross. I heard once that Jesus’ love on the Cross would be like me sitting in the electric chair in place of the person who murdered my children, so that the murderer doesn’t have to suffer and die. This is superhuman, immeasurable, unfathomable love!

The Triduum is coming soon, and it will be historically unique for all of us. Being separated from the familiar rituals of the season gives us a tiny taste of the Cross. May we all bear this cross in the world for the sake of the world, and show our Christ-love in this patient offering.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.

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Love and Devotion

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It’s odd, isn’t it, that you can read something many times, over many years, and miss the obvious. That’s how today’s Gospel appeared to me. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus had Jesus and his 12 over for dinner after Lazarus was raised from the dead. 

How amazing to have dinner with Jesus, let alone with someone who had been dead. What did they talk about? Despite the tradition that Lazarus never smiled after he was restored to life, I imagine this dinner was a foretaste of the last banquet of the Lamb, where the redeemed will sit at table in the heavenly kingdom. 

The Gospel continues with Mary’s act of love and devotion, anointing Jesus with oil. She pours out her love for him, over the objections of Judas, who thinks it too extravagant. 

I always think that everyone in the New Testament who followed Jesus was so poor they barely had enough to eat, but here there’s a dinner thrown for 15 or more. I always picture the stories in scripture like those images from Sunday School where Jesus is on one side, and the crowd is across from him, listening to him, but with a definite divide between them. Not Mary– she’s kneeling at Jesus’ feet, massaging them with scented oil.

How could I have missed the story that was written? Probably because we hear God’s word, then file it away in our memory. Next time that passage comes up, it’s ‘oh yes, I know that story. Isn’t it …sweet or quaint or powerful–fill in the adjective.

But this year, as we begin the final days of Lent, and enter into the Triduum, all of the external busy-ness of life has been put on hold. The days have run together, making it hard to know which day this is, exactly. We have the gift of sitting with Jesus in this present moment and listen carefully to his love story. We can marvel at God’s mercy and experience his grace in a more intimate way. We long for the Sacrament of his Body but offer our act of Spiritual Communion until the time when we can receive him again.

The important thing is to know Jesus is with us, even as we engage in self-isolation and social distancing. We don’t live in the despair of the days between the Crucifixion and the resurrection. Jesus is with us now.

In the movie, Risen, a Roman officer, Clavius, is charged with finding the body of Jesus, which mysteriously disappeared from its guarded tomb. Pilate needs to produce the body to stop the rumors of resurrection. So he searches Jerusalem, coming to a house where he suspects Jesus’ followers are hiding. He breaks in, and finds the apostles joyfully gathered around a man–the man he is searching for. Jesus is engaged with them—looking, listening, smiling–fully present with them. Their fear of the Jewish authorities and the Romans doesn’t matter. Jesus is with them. As he is with us.

Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy… 1 Peter 1:8

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Pamela joined Diocesan’s staff in 2006, after a number of years in the non-profit sector. Her experience is in non-profit administration including management, finance, and program development, along with database management and communications. She was a catechist in her parish RCIA program for over 15 years, as well as chairperson of their Liturgy Commision. Received into the Catholic Church as an adult, Pamela’s faith formation was influenced by her Mennonite extended family, her Baptist childhood, and her years as a Reformed Presbyterian (think Scott Hahn).

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What is Holding You Back?

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If you missed the last two posts, here they are. They were accidentally posted out of order. We apologize for the inconvenience.

April 3rd

April 4th

Today’s readings are among the longest and most rich that we experience at a Sunday Mass. It is sad that we can’t all experience Mass in a normal way during this Palm Sunday, but we can still dive into the living word.

Instead of writing a novel to start to unpack the rich teachings in the readings, I wanted to include a video reflection that I was asked to record for the Diocese of Kalamazoo on today’s readings. I hope this is a blessing to you as we enter Holy Week. Know of my prayers for you and for health. God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is Director of Evangelization for the North Allegan Catholic Collaborative and the founder of Rodzinka Ministries. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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And We Continue

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In today’s Gospel reading, the Pharisees determine that they will kill Jesus. Jesus no longer traveled with big crowds surrounding him. He no longer visited the big cities to preach. Reading only today’s Gospel makes it seem as though Jesus secluded himself and hid in fear of being captured and killed. If we continue reading in John’s Gospel and the others, we know that Jesus does not stop sharing the word with His people. He just has to be careful and creative.

The same concept applies to where we stand now, amid all the fear and possibility of disease. Yes, we must limit our contact with others. Yes, we must no longer visit with our friends and family. Still, that does not mean that we seclude our faith. It does not mean we stop living by the Word of God. It does not mean we stop living as Christians. We just have to be more careful and creative.

Maybe you know how to be careful but aren’t sure how to be creative with your faith. Below are some ideas of how you can continue living (and growing in) your faith:

  • Tune In For Daily & Sunday Mass Online
  • You can watch with Pope Francis (view), Our Lady of Mercy in Aurora, IL (view), or check your local parishes’ websites to see when they are celebrating their Masses online.
  • Pray Together, Online
  • Pray a Rosary, Novena, or the Divine Office with your friends over the phone or in a video call. The Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist (view) record daily Mass, the Divine Office, and the Rosary.
  • Pray At Home
  • Set up your own prayer altar at home. Not sure where or how to start? This link and this link, as well as YouTube (view playlist), have many Catholic ideas and tutorials to DIY your own sacred space not only for you, but for your family or roommates as well.
  • Read or Listen to a Book
  • While you probably have a bible in your house, you also have many online resources to read daily reflections, eBooks (view), and other free, community resources without having to have anything physically delivered to your house. Also, I know that I am having to re-learn the patience to read. Traditional Catholic (view) offers a list of books to read via PDF, Kindle, ePub, online, or even the audiobook version.
  • Stop. Look. Listen. Appreciate. 
  • As easy as it may be, take the time to count your blessings and enjoy the simple yet beautiful wonders that God has given you. The breeze, the sunlight, the plants that continue to grow, the beauty in a sunrise or sunset. Take this time to see your world with child-like wonder.
  • Faith with Family
  • With schools closing, a lot of parents find themselves spending more time with the children (view) and young adults (view) than they’ve ever had to do before. Other than telling your children to clean the house, now is the time to learn more about them and guide them in their walk with Christ.

Need more ideas or want to prepare for Palm Sunday and Holy Week? Click here for a folder of resources and ideas that my friend Lexxus and the Diocese of Austin, TX, shared and here for some ideas from the Catholic All Year blog.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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FROG

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We mixed up our posts. This is the correct post for 4/3. You can find today’s reflection here: https://dev.diocesan.com/and-we-continue/

God Bless!

I’m in my second week of shelter in place and remote work. It’s taken me several days to get into a routine that allows me to be productive on the job. I have come to realize how much more I need to lean into God for support, for focus, and for inspiration. I have forgotten the acronym I learned during my days as a youth minister. FROG: Fully Rely On God.

I wasn’t doing that at the beginning of the shelter in place order. I was too caught up in the juggling of assembling a remote setup for work, checking my cabinets for food and prescriptions, reaching out to family and friends, the slight panic and fear due to the quickly changing world events. My prayer was as similar as in my youth. It was scattered throughout the day, sure, but not in the routines I’ve come to rely on. The prayer routine that helps to keep me focused on God working in and through my life on a daily basis. (If you haven’t developed a good prayer routine, now is a great time to establish one especially if you have some extra time in your days; see the resources below).

The verse before the Gospel today, “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life,” has been in my mind since I began praying with these readings. The bible is our guide to the words of life, strength, love and hope.

Where I can really be challenged is in the words of today’s Gospel. Jesus says, “believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

I know the Father is in me because of my reception of the Eucharist and my digesting (reading and listening to) His words in the bible. I get hung up on the above quote. Do my works (my deeds, words, and actions) reflect that the Father is in me, and I am an extension of the Father?

I am thankful for the examination of conscience at the beginning of Mass. I consciously try to remember to review my day as I lay my head on my pillow at night. I need to make note of what I have done and what I have failed to do while not beating myself up about my mistakes. That’s why I need to FROG.

I also need to open my window in the evening, so I can hear the peepers. It reminds me that I, too, am a little voice in the wilderness, so very loved by God, my creator. He loves me and all the whole world.

Please pray with me the words below to help us remember to rely on Him this day and hopefully, each day going forward.

Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

Amen

Beginning Catholic

Four Womens’ Routine

Catholic Gentlemen’s Routine

Starting a Prayer Routine

Is There a Correct Way to Pray

Magnificat

Liturgy of the Hours

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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In The Waiting

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During my Lenten devotions, I have stumbled across several ideas that I have been mulling over.

I was watching Fr. Mike Schmitz’s live-streamed Sunday Mass and was taken aback by his observations. People are living perhaps the hardest times they have ever lived, and death is all around us. He said that death is one of the most difficult things to get through, to watch a loved one die, to grieve the death of a family member, or even face our own impending death. It is heartbreaking and heart wrenching. But there is something even worse than death, and that is to lose heart.

Our hearts can break from sadness and sorrow, they can be ripped from our very chest, but much worse than that is to be discouraged. To despair is worse than death because we have lost our hope in God.

In the same vein, I have been reflecting on the difference between concern and worry. Obviously, we are all concerned about the outbreak, how it has yanked us out of our routines, and made a horrible illness way too close for comfort. Many of us are also worried. Worried about our finances, our health, our children… Will normalcy ever return?

The difference is that concern moves us to action. We put on our rubber gloves, avoid going out of the house, and wash our hands. On the other hand, worry drives us to anxiety, and eventually, despair.

In today’s First Reading, God poured out blessings upon Abram. He made him the father of a host of nations, made him exceedingly fertile, promised to maintain His covenant with him, and gave him the whole land of Canaan. This new reality was so great that God even gave him a new name.

But let us recall that God did not give him these gifts instantaneously. He waited. Abram endured many hardships and suffered seemingly endless infertility before this great moment. God waited and chose His moment to act.

We are in this time of waiting right now. We are concerned, yes. But let us not fall into worry because Jesus is right here. He is right beside us, ready to raise us up, but He is choosing to wait.

And here’s the clincher. After God showered Abraham with abundance, He said: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Could it be that God is waiting for us to turn our hearts back to Him and keep His covenant once again? I recently saw on social media this phrase: “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” Hmmmm…

Fr. Schmitz encourages that even if God does not deliver us, may our hearts be like His. No conditions. If He saves us, we are His, and even if He doesn’t, we are still His. “Our hearts can be broken without being lost.” We want the miracle. We see others who were miraculously cured, but whether we are cured or not, we are still his. Daniel was spared the lion’s den, but Stephen was not spared stoning. Jesus begged that this cup would pass, yet was not spared crucifixion. May we say as Jesus did, may our hearts be like His and proclaim “not my will, but yours be done.”

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGv9j9PCyvo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3256MRynFSBBYKThdIhcgZ07tHhalOLWOq2T4usc_bdoelUnk4MenV1m0

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Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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If You Can’t Say No, You Can’t Say Yes

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What is freedom? The world’s idea of freedom is an absence of restraint so that we can do what we want, when we want, in the way that we want. But reason tells us that this is a false “freedom” that simply makes us slaves to our whims and emotions and selfishness (like toddlers, really). True freedom is the power to say yes to what is good and true and beautiful, and realize the profound potential in each of us, to enter into the great adventure that is God’s calling in our lives.

Most of us feel that we could be better people, but something is holding us back – some habit, some wound, some lack of understanding or talent. We could be so much more, but our fallen nature finds itself stuck in a mediocrity that has us comparing ourselves to others and wishing for more. We are not fully free to be what we sense we could be.

Can “truth” set us free? Only if what enslaves us is “not truth,” right?

Freedom is not just the ability to make any choice at all. Freedom is the potential we possess to reach the excellence we long for by intentionally choosing what is in accordance with the truth. This is why we must abide in God’s word and walk in truth in order to be truly free.

This is the message Jesus gives the Jews in today’s Gospel. He tells them the truth will set them free, but they do not understand, because they do not think they are enslaved in any way. Jesus tells them that everyone who sins is a slave. A slave of sin. Because sin is an act against truth, a choice against truth. They are slaves to sin because his word has “no room” in them. They are filled with their own ideas and their own pretensions, their own understanding. They have no room or patience for the ideas and words of this itinerant preacher who is turning their way of life upside down and stirring up trouble.

The freedom God gives us is so complete that we are free to say NO to Him. Because if we can’t say “no,” we can’t really say “yes.” A forced YES is meaningless.

What must we do to be truly free? Jesus tells us the way to walk as children of the Father: if we accept Jesus’ word (which comes from the Father), we will be his true disciples; in following him, we will come to know the truth and be truly free.

Freedom is in the heart and spirit, even when we are not physically free (whether from illness or circumstances or disability or quarantine!). If we carry the love of the Lord in our hearts and desire His will and the good of others, we remain in the truth and in profound interior freedom.

It is this profound freedom that gives true meaning to our YES.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.

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Desert Times

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Uncertainty. That seems to be the only constant nowadays. Times are uncertain and have been for a little while now. What I write today, Friday, March 27, will not be the same on the day this blog post is published, Tuesday, March 31. What is going on in my home state of Ohio is not the same for readers from (insert state name here). But, yet, we all share similar experiences, thoughts, and feelings about this COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us are working from home. Our children are doing online distance-learning. Our cupboards are stocked with essentials, and grocery store shelves are bare. We are worried about our own health and the health of those we love. We can list the COVID-19 vs. common cold vs. flu symptoms. Our eyes have been glued to our screens anxiously waiting for the latest information, whether it be from social media, news media, or straight from our governors’ mouths.

I see similarities in these times and these feelings to today’s first reading from the Book of Numbers. The children of Israel, their patience, being worn out by the journey compares to us being sick of “social distancing” and quarantine. There is complaining. We see complaining all over our social media feeds and probably hear it enough with our own ears in between the four walls of our houses. Lacking food or water compares to the empty shelves we see when we go shopping, looking for the bare necessities to get us through this time. COVID-19 could be the seraph serpents that are biting the people, many of whom died. And, yes, of course, we have been praying that this virus comes to an end, much like the Israelites prayed that the Lord take the serpents away from them.

While we are all sharing similar experiences, readers, one thing we also share, another link we have in common, is our faith. This faith may be a source of comfort to you during this time, or it might also be struggling in the face of darkness, like everything else in the world. It may be easy to see Churches locked and public celebration of Mass suspended as a sign of despair and of hopelessness – that God has abandoned His people in the midst of crisis. Brothers and sisters, we are in the midst of Lent. Yes, liturgically and in the sense of dates and the calendar, but also literally.

We are in the desert, side-by-side with the Lord. We hunger and thirst for an end to this terrible illness, for the opportunity to hug our family and friends and, most especially, for the Eucharist. And we can take a small bit of comfort in knowing that Christ hungers and thirsts for these things right alongside us. The Lord does not want suffering, sickness, and death. He does not want to be torn apart from those that He loves, and He wants to be present with us and to us in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. For all these reasons and more, not wanting to spend life without us, God sent His only Son into the world to become human and redeem humanity through suffering and death. This is what we prepare our hearts for during Lent. This is what we are preparing our hearts for in this time of pandemic-induced crisis. Our greatest desire is for certainty, for hope, for joy, and for light. We desire the Easter Resurrection that is to come, and we will rejoice again at the Table of the Lord. We will rejoice in social gatherings and groups of our families and friends.

For those who are feeling distanced from the Church – as someone who works for a local parish, let me be the first to tell you – the Church is adapting. The Church is overcoming. The Church is finding new ways to reach its flock. Many individual parishes have started recording or streaming Masses for their faith. And if your parish hasn’t gotten there yet, I can guarantee you that they are working on it. They are desperate to meet you where you are at – which is at home, “social distancing” and under quarantine. Other parishes have already reached steps even beyond that, with Eucharistic holy hours, Bible studies and discipleship all taking place in the digital realm. The Pope has brought the worldwide community of the faithful together at appointed times for prayer – the rosary, the Our Father, the Urbi et Orbi blessing, and probably more to come – for the eradication of this virus and healing for those affected by it.

The Church will be there, waiting for you when we are able to return. We just need to be patient until we can get to that “Easter morning.” May we return with much rejoicing, with a heart that has been sufficiently prepared for the moment and with great faith in the hope of Jesus Christ.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still hopes to use her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.