Category Archives: Faith

Helping Jesus Carry the Cross

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Reflection on The Fifth Station: Simon the Cyrene helps Jesus carry His Cross.

Who can understand the humility of God who holds power over the whole universe and yet enlists the help of a Simon to help Him carry His Cross.  Richard Garnaut says:

I imagine Simon was reluctant to take part in your shame.  He had no idea at all (that those)who watched and jeered at him would pass into oblivion,  while his name would go down in history and eternity as the one who helped his God in need.

Is it not so with me, dear Jesus? Even when I carry my cross reluctantly as Simon did it benefits my soul. If I keep my eyes on you and watch how you suffered, I will be able to bear my cross with greater fortitude.

You bore the Cross and looked on it and held it fondly before you passed it on to me.  You watch me and give me strength just as you did Simon.  When I enter your kingdom, I shall know just as Simon knows, what marvels your Cross has wrought in my soul.

Proof – Show Me God! And Then What?

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On Facebook: Someone “is amazed how people can have core beliefs with no proof behind them?”

Not to waste a quip that begs a spiritual work of mercy, I thought I’d take it up here, rather than beleaguering those on Facebook anymore:

It’s the old “show me” that had the Russian astronaut, Yuri  Gagarin, supposedly, saying during his famous space flight, “I don’t see any God up here.”

So what if you had proof?  Would you change? Actually, Gagarin’s words are nowhere in the verbal transcript of that flight. It suited Nikita Khrushchev to say that in a speech at the plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to fit an anti-religious agenda. So, I ask, “What’s your agenda?  What will a God with a plan and an agenda of His own mean to your life?

Here’s what I mean: when Jesus appeared in the synagogues of Galilee, it was at a time of great expectancy.  The rabbis knew the signs of Messiah.  The people had no trouble recognizing the actions of Jesus to be the actions of God: love, healing, deliverance, power over the elements, power over matter and the biggie, power over death.  Some acclaimed Him.  Many walked away. Finally the rabbis said in effect and to His mortal peril, “No way.  No Messiah! They had the Romans crucify Him on their behalf.  Jesus said, “Follow Me.” Now the people too saw where it could lead. To be fair the rabbis saw where He could lead them.  He was standing above Moses, above Sabbath and spoke not about God but as God.  He was changing everything.  Even though they prayed for Messiah to come, and this man worked the signs of Messiah, they saw change as an enemy.

So I ask again. If God shows Himself, or you are given the proof you, supposedly, seek, what will change?  Will you?  Pope Benedict in his book Jesus of Nazareth, says.:

“The people who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are those who live by God’s righteousness – by faith.  Because man constantly strives for emancipation from God’s will in order to follow himself alone, faith will always appear as a contradiction to the “world” – to the ruling powers at any given time.”

“Show me proof.” you say.  “Show me God”…. and what?  Will you change?

Save the World

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“ONE DAY, THROUGH THE ROSARY AND THE SCAPULAR, SHE WILL SAVE THE WORLD.” St. Dominic

“In the pages of an ancient history of the Carmelite Order (written in mediaeval Latin by a
priest named Fr. Marianus Ventimiglia), published in 1773 in Naples, we find this historical
account:

“Three famous men of God met on a street corner in Rome. They were Friar Dominic, busy
gathering recruits to a new Religious Order of Preachers; Brother Francis, the friend of birds
and beasts and especially dear to the poor; and Angelus, who had been invited to Rome
from Mount Carmel, in Palestine, because of his fame as a preacher. At their chance
meeting, by the light of the Holy Spirit each of the three men recognized each other and, in the
course of their conversation (as recorded by various followers who were present), they made
prophecies to each other. Saint Angelus foretold the stigmata of Saint Francis, and Saint
Dominic said:

“One day, Brother Angelus, to your Order of Carmel
the Most Blessed Virgin Mary will give a devotion to
be known as the Brown Scapular, and to my Order of
Preachers she will give a devotion to be known as
the Rosary. ONE DAY, THROUGH THE ROSARY AND
THE SCAPULAR, SHE WILL SAVE THE WORLD.”


Things Visible and Invisible

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I tend to see Christ and Our Lady all around me:

in trees,

on trees.

Once I saw his name “Jesus” spelled out in the shadows on the ground in front of me as the sun shown through the leaves of my shefflera.  My husband who doubted me, soon found himself tracing out the letters with his foot.

This past summer, I set up a tent behind my trailer. It had mesh, see-through, sides.  The next day, a man from the next campsite came over to tell me that his whole family saw Our Lady of Guadalupe but her image was only visible through the sides of my tent.  I checked it out that evening and sure enough, I could see her too.

All this to say I understand when the Anchoress declares  Advent Pictures of Christ amid the snowflakes.  In an absolutely stirring post, she says, “When I first saw these pictures, all I could think of was: Look! Pictures of Christ!  Pictures of perfection, they remind us of the joyful Antiphon for a Monday’s vespers: ‘yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace.’ “

Pray-As-You-Go

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Check this out: Pray-as-you-go! and Sacred Space compliments of the Jesuits in Britain.

Nature Cries Out!

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I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.’ Luke 19:40

Here is a photograph of a living tree which I pass almost everyday.  One day it stopped me in my tracks as an image emerged out of the noise of criss-crossing leaves and branches. This tree was struck by lightening and now bears a recogognizable image:

Scourging and Crucifixion

Scourging and Crucifixion of Christ.

I am an artist and that may make me sensitive to images camouflaged in the ordinary things around us.  Not only do I see the Scourging and Crucifixion of Christ in this living tree, but I can also see the Crown of Thorns. As a starting point for mediation, ask yourself, “Why a tree?”