Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary & the Celebration of Memorial Day

 

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary & the Celebration of Memorial Day

 

The Visitation is described in Luke’s Gospel [1:39–56], the Virgin Mary, who was pregnant with the infant Jesus, went to her cousin Elizabeth’s.  So today, it is most appropriate to pray, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.  Amen.”

 

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally it was known as Decoration Day, it started following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

 

Take a moment today and offer this Prayer for those who have served, are serving now or will serve in our military in the future.

 

“All powerful God, O God of infinite mercy,

bless the men and women who served in our military,

especially those who gave their lives in service to our country.

Bestow Your healing and peace upon their families and enkindle in us a deep sense of gratitude for their answer to the call of duty.

Gather each one of them to Your Kingdom where peace reigns.  Amen.”

 

May this Memorial Day as the coronavirus begins to fade draw us closer to each other and to You Dear God.

May it remind us that we are only passing through this world, preparing to be with You in the everlasting joy of Your Kingdom.  We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

May God Be Praised!

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.

Some Thoughts on the Trinity

 

Trinity Sunday

 

My favorite metaphor for the Trinity was developed by the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, “Every act of speech consists of a speaker, a word, and the breath that animates the voice and enables the word to be spoken…. Within the Trinity the Father is the speaker, the Son is the word, and the Holy Spirit is the breath.”  [Hans Urs von Balthasar’s description of the Trinity in Longing to See Your Face by Thomas Scirghi, p.37]

I think von Balthasar’s metaphor is clear and rich for reflection, so deep and so simple.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of the Christian life.” [CCC, #261]

Tertullian, one of the theologians of the early church, explained the Trinity this way, God the Father is "a deep root, the Son as the shoot that breaks forth into the world, and the Spirit as that which spreads beauty and fragrance.”

There is an ancient story about St. Augustine, it goes something like this, one day he took a break from writing about the Trinity to walk along the seashore. There he came across a child with a little pail, intently scooping up a pail full of water out of the ocean, then walking up the beach and dumping it out into the sand, then going back down to scoop out another pail of water to pour into the sand.  Augustine asked the child what he was doing, and the child explained that he was "emptying the sea out into the sand."   

The Bishop gently tried to point out the impossibility of this task, the child replied, "Ah, but I'll drain the sea before you understand the Trinity.  If you want to spend some time reflecting on the Trinity von Balthasar’s analogy [above] and St. Augustine’s “Memory, Understanding, and Will” analogy [below] will provide you with rich material.  We must start with the understanding that all Trinitarian analogies fall short.  St. Augustine’s analogy uses the mind's ability to remember, to understand, and to will.  Caitlin Sica has an excellent article on Augustine’s analogy here: https://mcgrathblog.nd.edu/st.-augustines-analogy-for-understanding-the-trinity

When you remember a story, you had to have understood the words that were being said and you need to will yourself to recall that story.  When you seek to understand a concept, you have to remember what the concept is and will yourself to understand it.  When you will or desire something, you must understand what you are willing, and you must remember what you are willing.  Thus, while a certain act like remembering might be more visible or tangible, it necessarily depends on understanding and will.

As these acts can never be fully separated, so too with God: “The divine Persons are also inseparable in what they do. But within the single divine operation each shows forth what is proper to him in the Trinity, especially in the divine missions of the Son's Incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC, #267)  

 

One of my favorite stories about the Blessed Trinity comes from my ancestral land, Ireland.  I don’t know if it is a true story or not, but it worth sharing.  At the Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation the Bishop [as they traditionally do] was asking the candidates for Confirmation some questions about the faith.  The bishop asked about the Trinity, a young man offered this response “one in three and three in one”, the Bishop responded, “I don’t understand”, the young man said, “You’re not supposed to, it is a mystery.”

 

Although the Trinity is a mystery, we can reflect on it and develop a deeper understanding of it, realizing that we will not fully understand it here on earth. The Bishop of Perth in Ireland preached in 2017 on Trinity Sunday, one the insights he shared was this,  “At the very heart of the mystery of the Trinity, of course, is the realization that God is not isolated and alone but is, in fact, in some mysterious way, a communion of life and love. We have been taught by the Scriptures to speak of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and these names all point to the idea of relationships.”

 

The Trinity calls each one of us to a relationship with God, the God who loves us totally.  Spending time reflecting on that is a “good waste of time.”

 

St. Joseph pray for us.                                                                                                                          

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.                                                                                          

May God Be Praised!

 

 

A Few Pastoral and Personal Thoughts for Christine and Michael

 

Homily for Christine and Michael’s Wedding [05/28/2016] 

Christine and Michael, thank you for the privilege of sharing some pastoral thoughts with you as you proclaim your love for each other and ask God to be an integral part of your marriage.

 

Let me share this Ziggy Comic with you.

“What matters most are the Loved ones we meet along the way…who make the journey with us

Christine and Michael today you are embarking on a most precious, rewarding, and precarious journey

MARRIED LIFE.  Each of us here wants your marriage to succeed and friendship to grow and we pray that—that will happen.  But I must caution you that our culture and our world do not care and will not support your marriage.  The world thinks about marriage as a contract or a convenience while (we) the Church, celebrate marriage as a sacrament and a covenant.  Some would argue that we differ in semantics, but God’s grace flows from the sacrament you give to each other today.

 

We, gathered here, admire your willingness to give fully and selflessly one to the other; your belief in God, Marriage and each other brings you to this holy place.  In the reading from Tobit, we learn of the need to pray together every day, to ask God for help and guidance.  My hope & prayer for (you) Michael and (you)

Christine is that you learn to make your marriage like a dance because, “Marriage is not a ritual or an end.  It is a

long, intricate, intimate dance together & nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner.”  Christine and Michael - have chosen well.  St. Paul tells us that Love is: “patient, kind, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”

The closer you are to Jesus, His sacraments and to each other the more likely you will be a married couple filled with joy, giving witness to God’s love.  Pope Francis said, “The sacrament of marriage is a great act of faith and love, [it] requires courage to step beyond one’s self.

The Christian vocation to love unconditionally … with the grace of Christ, is the basis of the free consent which makes marriage…”  [Pope Francis, General Audience, article by Deborah Castellano Lubov]

In Mark’s Gospel Jesus tells us that you are joined together in His love.  Jesus joins you together today and urges both of you to keep Him in your marriage –- if you do that you will remain in God's love and in love with each other.  Today Jesus the Son of God – fully human and fully divine; His SPECIAL PRESENCE in the Eucharist joins us here.         

Victor Hugo wrote, “To love another is to see the face of God.”  Today we witness you seeing the face of God in each other; what a blessing.  May that be true each day of your married life.  Remember that God is the oxygen of your Marriage, without Him the flame in your relationship will die.  With the Lord your love will brighten our world.

“The measure of love is to love without measure.”

That is your challenge!

“Happiness is being married to your best friend.”

That is your goal!

To meet your challenge and achieve your goal----Stay close to Jesus and practice the “Beatitudes of Married Couples.”

BLESSED ARE MARRIED COUPLES:

1. Who comfort each other,

2. Who listen to each other,

3. Who respect each other,

4. Who cherish their union,

5. Who love each other. 

I pray that you keep Jesus in the center of your marriage, I will pray for you every day; May God Be Praised! 

St. Joseph pray for us.                                                                                                               

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.                                                                                                                                             

A Special Grace for a Special Couple

 

Blog Post 5/28/2021 - Grace at a Special Wedding

Five years ago, I had the singular privilege of offering the Grace at Michael [my son] and Christine Kelly’s Wedding Reception [on May 28, 2016].

"Let us bow our heads and our hearts to ask God for His Blessing and, His Grace: Upon Christine and Michael, their parents, and siblings, and upon their family and friends here and those in heavens above!  Lord Jesus, we ask for the courage to help those who have no friends or family.

We ask you to bless those who prepared our food this evening and those who will serve it.  With a special love in our hearts, we ask God to bless this couple who married today.  Christine and Michael: May your mornings bring joy, and your evenings bring peace.

May your troubles be few and your blessings many.

May your hands be forever clasped in friendship

And your hearts forever joined in love.

May God hold you in the palm of his hand, as He did today when you were united in Holy Matrimony.

May you be poor in misfortune and rich in holiness.

May you see your children's children.

May you share the special glimpse of God you have been given.

And May God’s love be the foundation of how you live and all you do! 

Father, in heaven, we make these prayers through Your Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  Amen!

May God Bless you, Christine and Michael today as you celebrate your love and your marriage.  May the sun shine brightly upon you and when the rain falls upon you, hold each other closely with the Lord to guide you. 

Ad Multos Annos.

Love,

Dad

Spiritual Thoughts for Today

 

 

 

 

St. Thérèse of Lisieux said, “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “Do not be afraid.  Let your weary, listless heart rest against the sacred, loving breast of this Savior who, by his providence is a father to his children, and by his gentle, tender love is a mother to them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Thomas a Kempis wrote On humility and peace, “Do not care much who is with you and who is against you; but make it your greatest care that God is with you in everything you do.”  [From the Imitation of Christ]

 

 

 

 

Fulton J. Sheen offered us this powerful insight, "God’s delays are mysterious; sorrow is sometimes prolonged for the same reason for which it is sent. God may abstain for the moment from healing, not because Love does not love, but because Love never stops loving, and a greater good is to come from the woe. Heaven’s clock is different from ours."  [Life of Christ, p.357]

 

 

 

 

Dcn. Kelly reflected, “Some say, Jesus is the Greatest Story ever told, I believe Jesus, True God and True Man, is the Greatest Truth ever revealed.  Jesus Christ showed us the human face of God and we are sustained in God’s grace through the Risen Lord.  Let us thank God for The Lord transformed and Glorified at Easter.  Let us praise God: Father, Son and Spirit.  Alleluia, Alleluia!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Joseph pray for us.                                                                                                                         

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.                                                                                          

May God Be Praised!

 

 

 

 

Why Did God Make Us?

 

 

 

Why Did God Make Us?

 

Remember the Baltimore Catechism?  If you do you will understand immediately, and if you don’t read these short questions and answers, they are true and enlightening.

 

1. Q. Who made the world? 

A. God made the world.

2. Q. Who is God?   

A. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things.

3. Q. What is man?   

A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.

6. Q. Why did God make you?   

A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote, "Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it."

[The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, St. Ignatius of Loyola, p.18]

 

 

Today’s Catholic Catechism answers the same question this way in #27: “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because [humans were] created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw [us] to himself. Only in God will [we] find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for: The dignity of [human beings] rests above all on the fact that [we are] called to communion with God ....”

 

 

Spend a few minutes today thinking about your creator and the wonderful creation you are and reflect God’s love and beauty today.

 

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.

May God Be Praised!

Praying

  

 

We few thoughts on Praying.

 

1  Mary Oliver’s poem “Praying”

 

“It doesn’t have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

 

a few words together and don’t try

to make them elaborate, this isn’t

a contest but the doorway

 

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.”

[Mary Oliver’s poem “Praying” from her book of poems, Thirst]

 

2.    Jon Nilson wrote, “Before he died in November 2013, friends of John S. Dunne, C.S.C., gathered around his bedside. With him and for him, we prayed in words that he had composed for himself….”

 

“O Lord, go with me And be my guide, In my most need Be by my side:

If you are guiding me

I shall not want,

If you are guarding me

I shall not fear,

Though I am walking

In the valley of the shadow Of my dying,

You are walking with me, And when I am not

You will have taken me.”

 

3.    Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg wrote about what “prayer” means in Hebrew.  She wrote that “The Jewish concept of prayer … is best defined by its Hebrew word ‘tfilah’ …. In Jewish Hassidic tradition tfilia is understood to be an introspection that results in bonding between the creature and the Creator, as a child would bond with his/her father.”

 

We can pray any time, so today thank God for the gift of Prayer, by praying.  Prayer is the best way for us to know, love and serve God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.

May God Be Praised!

 

 

 

Our Salvation is Near

 

 

Our Salvation is Near

 

St. Francis de Sales said, "Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them, every day begin the task anew. And, Origen said, “God blessed the land when our Savior came to earth.”

 

The psalms give us wonderful spiritual reflection material, spiritual food to nourish our souls.

 

“Mercy and faithfulness have met;

justice and peace have embraced.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth

and justice look down from heaven.”  [Psalm 85]

 

“Lord, as daylight fills the sky, fill us with your holy light.

May our lives mirror our love for You whose wisdom has brought us into being, and whose care guides us on our way.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”  Amen.

[From Morning Prayer – Liturgy of the Hours] 

 

“Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice.” 

[Psalm 86 – Morning Prayer – Liturgy of the Hours]

 

 

 

 

Today allow the thought of God’s mercy to patiently fill your soul as daylight fills the sky.  The Lord is anxiously awaiting spending time together today.

 

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.

May God Be Praised!