The Purpose of Ceremony

I've asked from time to time, I've questioned the purpose of ceremony. Why does there have to be such hoopla over an event, or a commitment? The answer I have found is to help us remember.

I tend to have conversations with God a couple times a week - I wish it were a couple of times a day. However, a few weeks later I have often forgotten what I said, or how I might have newly committed myself to doing His will. A ceremony, a significant event, would be great as a reminder.

I am bound by the vows I made you. *
Psalm 56:2-7b, 9-14
Trust in God’s word
The LORD knows the plans of man; they are like a fleeting breath.^{i  Psalm 94: 11}


The thoughts of men are fleeting - 

I'm convinced that we have ceremony for important matters (Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordinations - Sacraments) for else we would quickly forget what we say or do without creating what will hopefully be a great memory of a important decision, action, or commitment in our lives. 

Attending Sunday Mass

Going to Mass every Sunday keeps us from thinking of ourselves as God.

I typed this line out on Sunday, December 22, trusting I would eventually come back and develop it into a full blog post. I had little desire to put forth the effort the look respectable and walk across the street to attend Mass that day. Recently, having just stumbled across an article from a very respectable person, who admits to not attending Sunday worship very often, I am finally going to finish this post. My heart goes out to this person who seemingly has not experienced what it is to participate in or even co-offer a mass as our Baptism calls us to. I still have no theological education outside of my brief experiences of ministry and participation in worship and a desire to praise the Lord that is itself a gift from God (Eucharistic prayer reference).

So why do we attend Mass every Sunday? I could look up an answer in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but I could also ponder what I've learned over time about the Mass. I'm am only going to share a glimpse of my understanding of this matter. We have been commanded by our God to participate in worship of him, our Creator. If we did not do this on a regular basis, we would forget who is really in charge and begin to worship ourselves and make our own judgement about what is right and wrong - the beginnings of relativism which is situational for everyone. (Don't get me started on a such a rant. It won't be very logical until I've had time to think it through. Catholicism, by it's name, which means UNIVERSAL is opposed to relativism.  Check out the words from Benedict XVI, in a quote from the article listed below.) Even those who fulfill our weekly obligation for Sunday Mass fall into such temptations. 

In summary, I go to Mass every Sunday (and more often if I can), to keep from my own demise and corruption, which I still battle every day, to keep from worshiping myself and thinking I'm in control. 

Words from a wise friend of mine. [One who doesn't take themselves too seriously] means living with a 

"Christian optimism that recognizes
who is in charge and responds in JOY." 

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“We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one’s own ego and one’s own desires.”

This is a warning that Pope Benedict has not tired of repeating during his pontificate.

Relativism is a poison. It attacks our most human capacity, the capacity to seek and know the truth, including the moral truth. A dictatorship of relativism imposes by real cultural force (and even by political force) a no-standard standard, a command that all must imbibe this poison.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/benjamin-wiker/benedict-vs.-the-dictatorship-of-relativism/#ixzz2srYeM0er

The World Needs Your Prayers

Tonight, I am blessed in a way to be so very aware of the need of prayer, of sacrifices, and selfless acts of love.  I spent a few solid hours with three incredible souls on Tuesday evening this past week. Our time was spent in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord and encouraging one another on our walk of life. Since then, and since long ago, and continuing on, a battle is raging - a battle for our souls. The rest of my week was tough, mentally and spiritually. I could sense an oppression, but for awhile, I considered it just a funk I was in. However, my dear roommate reminded it was the devil. Another friend told me to tell him to go to hell. Satan continues to ride my back and on occasions convinces me of a lie, even if just a half-truth. If he is doing it to me. It is likely he is doing it to you, too. 

Here are a couple of uplifting anecdotes and reflections I stumbled across throughout the week. 

First, a story about Fiorello LaGuardia, when mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII, sat in as judge at the police station one day. He heard the case of a citizen who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed their family. Being a just judge, and honest to the law, he charged the citizen a fine of ten dollars. Banging the gavel, he reached into his pocket and paid the fine then and there.  He in turn, told the crowd, for the crime of enacting laws and having an environment where a person has to steal to feed those entrusted to their care, you are each fined fifty cents. Forty-seven fifty was collected and given to the defendant. (for another version of the story, click here).

When reflecting on this story, I find that Christ is the judge who has paid the fine but we are the crowd who with the merit of our prayers and sacrifices make up for "...what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, ..." (Colossians 1:24) Leading into this statement is: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking..."    We own the fifty cent fine or rather the responsibility to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, not only their bodily needs, but also their spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs. 

In an Advent reflection I found while in Adoration later in the week, I read these words by William of St. Thierry:

"And this is clearly the reason: you first loved us so that we might love you – not because you needed our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you."

and later in the same excerpt:

"You know that this disposition could not be forced on men’s hearts, my God, since you created them; it must rather be elicited. And this, for the further reason that there is no freedom where there is compulsion, and where freedom is lacking, so too is righteousness."

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to love the Lord our God, and offer Him your prayers. We become what we were created to be by loving God - and in turn loving neighbor.  This is a blessing to be aware of, but also a call to greater charity, and greater responsibility toward our neighbors, our brothers and sisters. 

I leave you with this quote by St. Faustina, courtesy of a text from a friend:

"Prayer-A soul arms itself by prayer for all kinds of combat. In whatever state the soul may be, it ought to pray. A soul which is pure and beautiful must pray, or else it will lose its beauty; a soul which is striving after his purity mus pray, or else it will never attain it; a soul which is newly converted must pray, or else it will fall again; a sinful soul, plunged in sins, must pray so that it might rise again. There is no soul which is not bound to pray, for every single grace comes to the soul through prayers." - St. Faustina

Laity and Work

"To the laity:

There is no vocation more religious than work.  A Catholic layman or laywoman is someone who takes work seriously.  Only Christianity has given a religious meaning to work and recognizes the spiritual value of technological progress.

Your institution has as its aim the sanctification of one's life, while remaining in the world at one's place of work and profession: to live the Gospel in the world, while living immersed in the world, but in order to transform it and to redeem it with one's personal love for Christ. This is truly a great ideal."

I found this quote in the midst of transferring over pages and articles from an old diocesan website to a new website.  On the vocation page, this quote was of many from Pope John Paul II. I don't know that this post will tie well into that quote, but it has been on my mind most of today. 

Today I was extra tired from arising for an early morning event (5 am ladies Bible study), and thus more easily discouraged by little things throughout the day.  My melancholic temperament very often relies on the graces and perspective of a Seven Sorrows rosary; just a reminder that my sorrows are minimal compared to all Christ suffered for our salvation.  

The devil picked on me today.  Not that he doesn't most days, but I was particularly susceptible to his temptations this second Thursday of December.  And I didn't realize it til I was leaving work.  I could not stay on task.  With just over an hour left in the work day, my boss asked me,  "Klenda, how much did you work for me today?" half joking, but half serious.  Since I split my time in two departments he was kind of accusing me of spending my time in the wrong department.  However, that was not the case.  I could not focus well today at all. One conversation discouraged me around mid-morning and it was kind of down hill from there. (God's teaching me the emotional maturity to not have to rely on others to help cheer me up, but an acceptance of what is and a greater self-mastery.)  I could not get myself out of this funk.  

I can diagnose that sometimes I become too focused on the detail and forget the big picture. I can also recognize that a lack of results or fruit from my work is also very discouraging.  This is where the devil can get me down and beat me to stay down.  Now, how to overcome?  Of my own accord, I am not be able to.  I may need to accept the suffering of days like today and grunt on through the work I am called to do, allowing it to sanctify me and loving Christ in the midst of it. 

As I began my drive home this evening, I started my rosary for my every week Thursday intention. Grace showed me the recipients of my intention were in need of the merits earned from my struggles today. I don't know how exactly they were applied, or if I will ever. I trust someone else's day was better today through my struggles. 

I was very tempted to come home to take a nap, foregoing my original plans of a yoga class and a run (the cold discourages me from exercising...), however, if I can offer more graces by a fidelity to regular exercise, then bring it on.  

P.S. St. Therese of Lisieux did her best not to complain of the cold. Can you pray a "Blessed be God" every time you are tempted to wine about how cold you are this winter? 

Awe-spiration, my friends.  Pax vobis.