Irregularities and Irritations

I had intended to post more in past days, but my wife and I made a sudden trip for an extended family funeral – drove around 2000 miles and had intermittent Wifi access over the past eight days.

Life's circumstances affect all of us. Part of "the Lie" is that happiness comes from pleasant circumstances, and it is reasonable to do almost anything to avoid unpleasant circumstances. Christian Faith tells us that circumstances are not nearly as important as how we respond to them.

A particular application of this was in today's meditation in the Magnificat (a daily prayer guide):

So, when you feel as if you are about to lose your patience or say something against charity, bring yourself back to him, let go of this natural inclination in order to please him. How many acts of self-denial can be offered to him, known to him alone! Let us not waste them.... It seems to me that saints are souls who forget themselves all the time, who so lose themselves in him whom they love, without looking at self, without a glance at the creature, that they can say with Saint Paul: "It is no longer I who live, it is Jesus Christ who lives in me!" Of course we must immolate ourselves to achieve this transformation, but.... you love sacrifice because you love the crucified, isn't that so? Oh! look at him attentively, lean on him, and then bring your soul to him, tell him that you want only to love him, that you want him to do everything in you because you are too little. (Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity)

Christian Faith is following Jesus in our circumstances and trusting that what seem to be irregularities do not need to be irritations, but rather steps to self-crucifixion and holiness.

N.B.

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.... (Pope Benedict XVI)

There is an inherent tension: Faith and righteousness..... or, being at home in this present world. "Faith will always appear as a contradiction to the 'world'."

Heavenly-minded

Part of the prayer from this morning’s Liturgy says:

Our lives are surrounded with passing things; set our hearts on things of heaven, so that through faith, hope and charity we may come to enjoy the vision of your glory.

Earlier this week we hosted a couple from the former congregation where I served as pastor. In the course of conversation the recently-retired husband said he spent some of his time trying to discern when the Lord would return. Quite quickly I responded, “You’re wasting your time.” Of course, my point was that Jesus said no one can know, and in that context trying to anticipate a certain day is fruitless.

Yet, there is a great benefit to such a general orientation. We too easily get consumed with this present world. It is good –– even essential –– that Christians regularly think about the coming of Jesus and the end of this-world-as-we-now-know-it.

Having just come through the Super Bowl season I was reminded of just how much our culture is consumed with passing things. Like millions of others, I watched the game.... and the commercials. I saw more TV commercials in a few hours than I usually see in several weeks. My overall sense was: I am not at home in this world.

I’ve been thinking about the orientation of the New Testament and the early Church. It is eschatological –– totally shaped by a focus of what is to come beyond this life and this-world-as-we-now-know-it. Over the next few days I will post some explicit Scriptures (and possibly a few hymns) that reinforce this perspective to help, I hope, our own orientation.

One of the preachers from my formative years would sometimes refer to the criticism of “being so heavenly-minded that you’re of no earthly use.” His retort was that the Church today needs to worry more about “being so earthly-minded that we’re of no heavenly use.”

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Confession and Prayer

I confess to Almighty God..... that I have sinned through my own fault.... in my words....

This is part of the liturgical confession. A couple of days ago I was inside at a line of a fast-food establishment for a carry-out order (my reason will be explained in my confession). It was lunch time and the line moved slowly because only one register was open. Those in front of me were a group of senior citizens who did not have the "gift" of ordering quickly (or, seemingly, even understanding what the options were) – not conducive for my patience. My "irritation button"was getting primed.

When I was (finally!) able to place my order, it was for me, my son and two grandchildren. The bags were being filled with my order before my eyes, and as the employee presented it I noticed that one sandwich had been omitted. I called her attention to this as the manager happened to walk up and added, "I came inside for my carry-out order because you guys always leave something out." Nothing like a barbed, poor-me quip to release my impatient frustrations....

Except it didn't relieve anything; the manager's response made it clear that my words had wounded. I left feeling awful because I had not exhibited those fruits of the Spirit called patience and kindness. What a paltry thing to cause disgruntlement.... How easily we (I) lapse into a selfish spirit. I so badly need to be saved – totally converted, so that I am like Jesus. Salvation begun is not salvation accomplished until we are transformed to be like our Lord.

And so I say yet again, I confess to Almighty God..... that I have sinned through my own fault.... in my words....

My ongoing prayer is, "Father, make me holy," and so, pray for me to the Lord our God.

Conversion of St Paul

Today the Church honors St Paul. Fr Dwight Longenecker posted this prayer on his blog and it's worthy of wide distribution:

Prayer for the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul.

O Lord, before it is too late I pray for true conversion of heart. If need be, knock me off my high horse with a true vision of your glory. Blind me so that I may see. Show me how useless are all my worldly contacts, lofty education and wealth are if all they have done is make me self righteous, proud and arrogant. Teach me true wisdom and draw me ever closer to a life of faith, hope and love, but most of all love. AMEN

Prayer - from the Liturgy

Christ prays for us: he is our priest;
he prays in us: he is our head;
we pray to him: he is our God.
Let us be ever aware, then, of our prayer in him, and his prayer in us.

Lord, extolled in the heights by angelic powers, you are also praised by all earth's creatures, each in its own way. With all the splendor of heavenly worship, you still delight in such tokens of love as earth can offer. May heaven and earth together acclaim you as King; may the praise that is sung in heaven resound in the heart of every creature on earth.

Two Battles

Today the Church remembers St. Vincent, a deacon martyred for his faith under the Diocletian persecution. St. Augustine reflected on Vincent in one of his sermons and included the following:

Against Christ's army the world arrays a twofold battleline. It offers temptation to lead us astray; it strikes terror into us to break our spirit. Hence if our personal pleasures do not hold us captive, and if we are not frightened by brutality, then the world is overcome. At both of these approaches Christ rushes to our aid, and the Christian is not conquered.

Call to mind how Christ our Lord in the Gospel exhorted his disciples. It is the very king of martyrs equipping his troops with spiritual arms, explaining their battles, offering them support, and promising them their reward. He once said to his disciples: In this world you will suffer persecution, and then, to allay their fears, he added, but rest assured, I have conquered the world.

It has been said that if a Christian is not being persecuted, he should be careful that he is not being seduced.

Our Lord conquered by dying. May He give us the grace to die – literally if need be, and surely to die daily to all that is not like Him.