prayer – Page 9 – Writing to Pray

Easter Season 2016

Here in New England, our seasons are grounded in the the cycle of birth, blooming, aging, death and rebirth. However, the Church seasons are also based on such a cycle. While Advent is waiting for birth of Christ, Lent is waiting for new life in Christ. The Christmas season is about Jesus’ maturity into His ministry, while the Easter season celebrates the Church’s coming of age. Following Christmas we make new year’s resolutions to foster our personal growth; in the Easter season we dwell on the maturation of our faith communities.

Jesus is no longer available to general masses; His time with the disciples free from the demands from a public ministry. He is exclusively their’s during this time. I imagine Him pulling each aside to discuss the gifts and talents He’s witnessed and to share His dream for that person’s role in the Church.

Pre-passion, Peter’s a goofy, big-hearted, enthusiastic, somewhat naive follower of Christ’s. However, Post-resurrection, he becomes a strong, serious, thoughtful leader. While Peter’s confidence, insights, actions, words, routines and concerns have changed, his heart has not.

This Easter season, like those in the Early Church, we reflect on where we are, where we’ve been and where we envision going as a community, but in order for our faith communities to mature and congeal, our individual relationships with the Resurrected Jesus need to deepen. In other words, the unity of our faith community is effected by each individual’s prayer life.

Palm Sunday and Holy Week 2016

We live in a consumer-based, capitalistic society; materialistic and often unintentionally greedy. We own lots of stuff. The ‘stuff’ is responsible to its owner for working properly and fulfilling its intended purpose. If we own a piece of equipment or an object that is broken or not useful, we either repair or get rid of it. My stereo system doesn’t need to know I own it to work properly, but I do need to act if it is to fulfill its role. The power to animate the possession resides in the “owner.”

Who or what possesses us?

While this language makes us uncomfortable because a) of modern interest in the occult, and b) because it smacks of self-imposed slavery. Paul writes extensively. “(S)ince I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus…” (Phillipians 3:12-13). And again, “For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave,” (Corinthians, 7:22).

During the trial, Jesus confirms that He is and belongs to ‘I AM.’
If we accept that we, too are possessed by the Lord, we realize He initiates and guides our actions so we can fulfill our responsibilities. He’s the spark. Our responsibilities and roles are spelled out in scripture and doctrine of the Church. The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and the Catholic social justice teachings suggests the deeds we need to perform to actualize our purpose.

As this is a Jubilee Year of Mercy, we have become focused on the to-do’s of mercy. Jesus gives us examples throughout the Passion narrative; He washes of His disciples feet, asks John to take care of Mary, and lifts up the penitent thief. The Lord desires us to serve, take care of and lift up others. However, while we dwell on these examples and the social justice teachings we may lose sight of primacy of prayer.

We can study the Passion, but we cannot know what Jesus thought and felt as he walked to Calvary based on scripture. We can reasonably assume, however, He prayed and was in conversation with Father throughout the ordeal.

We can access His internal world in those moments through contemplative prayer. And it is prayer which grounds us, reminding us to Whom we belong and of our responsibility as the ‘possessed’. Our works of mercy are manifestations of these two factors; possession and responsibility. If not rooted in prayer, our efforts to concretize “mercy” are nothing more than ‘random acts of kindness.’ They are actions based on ‘Jesus was a nice guy-try to be a nice guy too’ theology.

While faith in action is a style of prayer, I am specifically referring to individual, exclusive, one-on-one time with God. “Teach me what is mine alone to know,” can be rephrased. “Lead me to experience what is mine alone to experience.” Through contemplation we share a private world with the Lord into which only we can go.

The Lord has prepared such a world for each of us. While performing deeds of mercy is important, and while I’m ignorant of the mechanics, it is vital to the well-being of the physical world and the people walking it that we each explore and retreat into these spiritual and private worlds.

I can’t advise another as to how to access this private world. I do know the Lord can’t wait for you to join Him and will do whatever He can to entice you. If you are an artist, poet, reader, He will draw you in. If you have a vivid imagination, or are reality-based, in love with figures and facts, He will issue an invitation which only you will recognize as such. Our time with the Lord in this type of prayer is the greatest act of Mercy we can perform.

5th Sunday, Lent 2016

The circumstance of the scribes and elders reminds us not to judge ourselves as better than others. We also need to remember the concrete and literal message of the story: the Lord forgives us. Although, through baptism our sins have been forgiven, “One baptism for the forgiveness of sins,” our sins do weigh heavy upon us. For our own spiritual growth, we need to remember forgiveness is not a static, one time event; we find consolation and solace in being forgiven repeatedly, as we sin somewhat consistently and constantly.

This idea of not judging, not condemning others becomes difficult when we consider the global stage. War requires one or more of the players to judge themselves as ‘right’ and ‘better than’ the other players. If they did not, they would not feel justified in killing other humans.

To respond to war come and killing and terrorism, we ourselves take sides; it is sometimes necessary in order to decide on useful and appropriate action. While we vehemently disagree with the killing, we can avoid falling into this cycle and pit of judgment and condemnation if we forgive those we believe wrong at the outset. When we do so, our action is grounded in mercy and compassion, not anger and frustration.

Perhaps “One baptism for the forgiveness of sins” also means that our baptism bestows upon us the grace to forgive the sins of others.

4th Sunday, Lent 2016

While his own doing, the prodigal son leaves as a rich, privileged man and returns home having experienced poverty, hardship, hunger, etc. He’s lived and is now mindful of others’ struggles; he comes into solidarity with hirelings and underlings.

We all face difficulties of some sort and need to conscientiously, intentionally reflect on the similarities and parallels between our struggles and those of others. We need to concern ourselves with their situations and circumstances, which requires becoming aware of them, as well as performing useful and helpful acts. While we need to concern ourselves with hardships worldwide, it’s appropriate to ‘act locally, think globally.’

Prodigal son returns to the father prepared to be treated as a hireling; he chooses poverty over privilege, and to follow orders as opposed to giving them. In a way, the son had decided to live as if he taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. three to of the three vows associated with holy orders. It takes humility, acceptance and gratitude to live the lifestyle predicated on these principles.

Even if we have not taken Holy Orders, these vows invite all of us to think about our relationships to others, stuff and money. We reflect on the people, principles, and passions that we choose to listen, follow and put first. When we consider other people’s needs as important as our own, we are acting in solidarity with them.

3rd Sunday, Lent 2016

We often hear the default, “It’s just a job, puts food on the table.” However, most people typically want the fruits of their labors to be valued and respected. Most want to perform their job duties excellently. One of the social teaching exhorts us to assure all have gainful employment, and to compensate fairly for education, experience and responsibility. While we may not be employers, as co-workers and customers, we can recognize the labor others put into meeting our needs and desires.

The Gardener, Jesus, is our migrant farmer, putting time and energy, hope and faith into the sorry, struggling fig trees that we are. In many a work situation, we are asked to put effort into projects which seem fruitless or to help less proficient co-workers. This parable and social teaching exhorts us to help and uplift others so all might be find peace, hope and joy with their work.

The fig tree in Jesus’ parable this week is ‘sick.’ It is disabled, wounded or impaired, bearing no fruit, not fulfilling its potential. While the sacrament of the anointing of the sick is typically given to those in critical condition, the sacrament reminds us of our responsibility to accept human weakness. We are called to interact with such compassion and gentleness that we not only cause no spiritual pain, but actually heal previously inflicted psychological or spiritual pain.

This parable of the ailing fig tree, the sacrament of the anointing of the sick and the social teaching around worker’s rights and the dignity of work calls us to notice and appreciate the work of others. We are to interact in a way that causes no harm, but heals, encourages and inspires others so that they find peace, hope and fulfillment in their work.