A Saturday reflection on the 4th Joyful Mystery

This being a Saturday, it is the day to pray the joyful mysteries of the rosary. Recently in meditation on this set of mysteries, I thought about the fourth, the presentation of the child Jesus in the temple, and what it tells us about giving back to God what is His.

Mary and Joseph went to the temple “in accordance with the law,” because as good Jews, they were asked to present their firstborn male child to be consecrated to the Lord. So they were doing what was required and following the law. It is written that the fruit of this mystery is “obedience.”

I have always wondered how it felt for Mary to have a son that didn’t fully belong to her. I wonder if, in this moment of presenting her son in the temple, she felt a foreshadowing of how he would never truly be hers, because he was sent as a Son of Man for the whole world.

Beyond that, I think of our own call to present our gifts to God. Jesus was a gift to Mary, but one that she could not keep for herself. I have no doubt she understood that profoundly, deep in her soul.

A very wise person (my great-aunt Sister Andrea, OSB) recently told me, “A gift is just that - meant to be given away.” You may not have carried the Son of Man in your womb, but all of us have gifts or talents that make the world a better place and which must be returned to God - in other words, used in service to others. I think that is the definition of a talent or gift, that it cannot exist for its own sake, but as something to be shared.

What do I mean by that? Well, gifts take all forms. If you have the gift of counsel, for example, do you think it is better to keep it to yourself or, well, counsel others when they ask for your help? When looked at this way, it is apparent that everything in life is a gift - your time, your home, your intelligence, your woodworking skills, your ability to mimic voices, your ease with children, your ability to decorate cakes. Everything. Therefore, it is not that all can be given away, but that it ought to be.

What do you lose by generosity? Understand I do not mean acting as a doormat or letting others take advantage of you. But rather, living freely, with trust in God’s abundance which is exponentially greater than what we can conceive. And which will put to good use whatever it is we think we have to hold on to with clenched fists.

Live with obedience as Mary did when she presented God’s son back to him. She gifted herself back as his mother, his teacher, his home. She trusted in God’s plan for her life.

Two Sunday thoughts

A very happy 26th Sunday in ordinary time for you. (Is “ordinary time” capitalized?)

First thought: I have been thinking about the Rosary a lot recently, and its power for the pray-er and the pray-ee. Also, did you know that Our Lady revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche (how is dude not a saint yet?) 15 promises for those who devoutly prayed the Rosary? Here’s the list.

I don’t fully understand all the promises, but this one is my favorite: “The Rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies; it will substitute in hearts love of God for love of the world, and will lift them to the desire of heavenly and eternal things. How many souls shall sanctify themselves by this means!”

Will make virtue and good works flourish, indeed! That is quite a promising promise. And: will substitute in hearts love of God for love of the world. Amen.

Side note - I was speaking with a priest this week and learned that virtues are not earned. They are a gift from God, like faith. Well then! I imagine I will be turning that over and researching for some time to come.

Anyway, pray your Rosary, everybody.

Second thought - I noticed this weekend that I really like the writing of my fellow Catholic Stand contributor, Suellen Brewster, so here is me recommending you read her articles. You can tell her spirituality comes from a contemplative place, and I was not surprised by her reference St. Ignatius and maybe even the Spiritual Exercises somewhere. Take a look - it’s a good activity for a Sunday.

Please pray for me, and I will do the same for you.

Reflection on the Gospel for September 23, 2019

This is today’s Gospel (Luke 8:16-18):

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

All seems well and self-explanatory til those last confusing lines.

Here’s my thoughts: everything that we have has been given us by God - wealth, good looks, intelligence, healthy relationships, a good job, a place to live, a nice view, a comfortable chair. God gives, we receive.

However! We play a role in the relationship: in order for it to be a gift, we must knowingly accept what God gives us.

I have written about acedia before, which is, in short, the rejection of God’s goodness in our lives. I turn again to that theme now.

Looking at Jesus’s words again, he makes it clear that those who have much will receive more. I interpret that now as: those who have been open to what I have given them, will receive more. I will trust them with my gifts, because they choose to listen and love me, rather than turn away.

Maybe, too, showing gratitude and acknowledgement means that every little thing becomes a gift - the way the sunlight looks coming through the blinds in the morning, the perfect timing of the bus ride home, the blessing of a much-needed item on sale. No wonder those who have much receive more - they are simply able to recognize it.

Otherwise, by our life and action - the smallness of our own outlook - we turn away from God. Of course it seems we have little; we are unable to accept what God wants for us, and asks for us, by living in a way that is closed off from others, stingy and scared. We live in acedia.

I do not, by the way, equate receiving “gifts” to any kind of harmful prosperity gospel. We know God’s real gifts are not earth-bound; they are metaphysical and spiritual gifts that help us help others. They are gifts like wisdom and teaching, not a jetski and a buffet.

God never tires of giving. I think it is more often we frustrate His gifts with our own uncertainty of His love.

Here’s one more thought on acedia from the archives. “They multiply their sorrows/who court other Gods.” (Psalm 16:4).