Monthly Archives: December 2014

Dec092014

Musing after a morning Latin mass

God speaks not so subtly at times. Attending an early morning Latin mass dedicated to Our Holy Mother, upon request of new acquaintances in a new city, my preparatory prayers were met with a blissful invocation sung from a violin. A violin again. The blessing of sound experienced Sunday night at Victoria’s recital and my posting of a violin player with respect to a commonality with prayer soothed on into my day opening greeting of God. Silence I held. Rapture I encountered. Doctors of the Church have identified various levels of rapture experienced during prayer, yet I subscribe to the experiential. What is experienced is not experienced because one has read about it. It is not attained knowledge manifested into experience, rather what is infused by God is confirmed and clarified by teachings of the Church. The sound of a violin for the second time in three days carried my soul aloft. I never turned to see if it was the young Victoria, a visitor studying from a distant state, a young lady reposing into the Church as she enters adulthood and the vocation of classical musician. Being in the moment, aligned with the will of God, grateful for a bit of rapture, a sadness overcame as mass preceded. A wonderful family, four children and handsome parents, sat in front of me, the children holding their vigil candles with eagerness to light. The well behaved children brought deeper meaning to a mass dedicated to Our Holy Mother. An elegantly dressed business gentleman seated next to me, himself alone, passed the flame of fire to my vigil candle. All attending held upright our illuminating candles. After receiving communion, the sadness ensued. The family rearranged their positioning. Mother and father knelt directly in front of me. One of their children rested between them, mind wandering, eyes drifting, while locking arms with both her mother and father. Eyes closed, focused, and intent, the parents prayed while supporting one of their children. I watched the couple, clearing my mind of all thoughts, allowing the Eucharist to work upon me. The consequence resulted in sadness, love longing. Despair never played a part, as I determinedly held firm to hope. I thought about a friend who hints, I am not sure about exactitude, that indifference is truly a higher state of love. I feel it is a serious error of interpretation to perceive the dark night of the spirit as a passing above and beyond love and the ability to connect to one’s brothers and sisters. Charity must always be a foundation we spiritually build upon. I think of the highest contemplative Our Holy Mother with the passing of the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. Mary born free from sin, while endowed with self-will. She could sin, tarnishing the vessel God intended to birth His Son. Wonderfully, a credit to her parents Joachim and Anna, Mary kept herself free from sin throughout her young life. Hidden and devout, the first woman presented in the Temple—a startling feat in comprehension, Mary demonstrates the path of highest contemplation. Mary understands only love, harvesting intense meaning from every living soul, loving on a divine level, truly the Queen of Heaven.

spacer
Dec092014

Immaculate Conception

immaculateconception

“As for Our Lady, the most holy Virgin, she was conceived in the usual way of generation. But since in His plan God had predestined her from all eternity to be His Mother, He kept her pure and free from all stain, although by her nature she could have sinned. There is no doubt about that, as far as actual sin is concerned.  –St Francis De Sales

St Francis De Sales on the presentation of Mary at the Temple, the first woman to receive such an honor.  Mary being, protected from original sin–born in the state of Adam and Eve before corruption, enjoying free will–the choice to sin, is brought to the Temple by her parents Joachim and Anna

“Similarly, never was “so much perfume” and ointment offered to God in His Temple as the most holy Virgin brought with her on this day. Never until then had the Divine Majesty received so excellent and pleasing a gift as the offering He received from the blessed St. Joachim and St. Anne. They went to Jerusalem to fulfill the vow they had made to God to dedicate their glorious child to Him in the Temple, where young maidens were brought up for the service of the Divine Majesty.”

“Do you not see that our glorious Lady was longing to see the day when her parents would offer to God, for it is true that she had the use of reason from the time of her Conception?…Moreover, the holy Virgin and her glorious Son, Our Lord, had the use of reason from their mother’s wombs and were, consequently, endowed with much knowledge. Nevertheless, they concealed it under the law of profound silence.”

 

spacer
Dec072014

Grace builds upon nature

A measuring gauge I utilize when dealing with others dedicated to the religious life is their ability to absorb criticism. Not that I am judging, I just really notice those who are overly sensitive, convinced it is a glaring character defect. The religious life is serious business, yet I find malleability, flexibility is essential when socializing within and without the Church. We don’t have to be so serious with everyone. I recall reading St Francis of Assisi placed himself under obedience to any and all who approached him. It was bothersome to the other friars that he was constantly running off tending to the smallest errands for complete strangers. I imagine a conversation between the early friars. “Where is brother Francis?” “He went off to get a walking stick for the old man whose knee is troubling him, then after this the baker asked him to fetch some milk, then Renata had him hang curtains in her home, and after this he has promised to help Gabriella find shoes for her three children, and the priest is still waiting for him to assist in moving some furniture”. I have a friend I value immensely as an integrity based, scrupulously moral, well read, intelligent Catholic, however his inability to cope with the slightest opposition stuns me. He is too easily insulted. Often, a casual comment from a stranger can enrage him. I am reminded of a friary story. A sister began receiving nightly visits from the Virgin Mary. Several things about the visions, including spoken words, disturbed her. Seeking the advice of a proper Church authority, she was told to spit on the vision. The superior immediately suspected Satan was behind the supernatural acts. The witnessing sister was startled by the advice, asking what if it truly is the Holy Mother. The superior responded that if it was truly Our Holy Mother she would simply wipe away the spittle and smile. If it was Satan, unable to tolerate the slightest offense, the vision would expose its evil nature. The sister spit on the image and the image immediately convulsed into violent rages, cursing and declaring vengeance. The obvious example of the ultimate holy tolerance is Our Savior. All powerful, able to call down legions of angels, he accepted the scourging at the pillar, the carrying of His cross, and then ultimately His crucifixion. Our Lord and Savior forgave those who saw fit to cruelly punish and put him to death. He did not take it personal. Those not aligned with the will of God live under the influence of an unsteady hyper-sensitivity. They are effortlessly and constantly knocked off balance. Acceptance and tolerance of personal insults, criticisms, and injustices are excellent opportunities for developing humility and spiritual fortitude. Keeping clearly in mind, that proper acceptance includes forgetting, not internal festering.

spacer

Finding myself within vastness

Tonight, I attended a senior violin recital for a young lady who participated in the communal three mysteries Rosary. The excellent performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music soothed the soul, pleasant sounds and cultured ambiance. I marveled that so much beautiful music flowed from the meek frail young lady with the whispery voice I was blessed to sit next to. The innocent invitation she offered after prayers was in truth an offer to a sensory celebration of creation. True beauty. Marvelous. The performance reminded me of St Augustine’s insistence that we must protect the senses. What we hear, see, taste, touch and smell effects the state of our soul. Tonight, my soul was tuned through hearing by the distinguished accumulation of cultured practice and education, a student properly graduating with accolades.

I want to conclude the Brother Sun Sister Moon video series with a third and final (also noting many respected religious despise the movie–pardon me, with all its failings, I adored it). The two part scene represents to me an important theme I focus upon. It embraces my posting of the Gospels detailing the bleeding woman. Within a crowd it is essential that as individuals we touch the hem of Christ’s garment. Within the hierarchy, vastness, dogma, bad and good characters including priests, the multitude of people, mistakes, politics, plenitude of saints, the immensity and fullness of the Catholic Church, it is our individual responsibility to touch the hem of Christ’s garment. Similar to the bleeding woman, we must, through faith reach out for Christ. In this video, St Francis and his mendicant brothers face the enormity of the Church, pleading their case of individuality. I say within obedience to the complexity of the Church, we must find our individual way.

spacer
Dec062014

Tuning Effort

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. –John 15 ‘Farewell Discourse’

spacer
Dec052014

Discernment through conviction to God

The soul therefore, requires at least indifference of judgement and of will.  Then, penetrated with the conviction that God is all and the creature nothing, one will desire to see and embrace in all things only the God whom one loves and yearns for and his holy will which alone can conduct one to one’s end.  Happy the person, if one has also acquired what may be called indifference of taste, so that the world and its pleasures, the goods and honors of earth, everything, in short, that might estrange one from God, now inspires one with disgust, and on the contrary, whatsoever brings one closer to him, even suffering, delights one.  So has it been with the saints who hungered and thirsted after God.  Oh, how such indifference facilitates the practice of holy abandonment!  — –Abbot Vital Lehodey, O.C.R. ‘The Way That Leads To God’.

I must be able to discern all matters through the love of God.  Is a matter drawing me deeper into God, or even on the most subtle level attaching me to worldly pleasure?  Regarding suffering, internal and external conditions, am I able to stay focused, remaining, at least indifferent to pain.  The levels of practitioner are relevant.  “The beginner, influenced by fear, endures with patience the Cross of Christ. The proficient, animated by hope, bears it willingly. He that is perfect in charity embraces it with the ardor of love.  The process is intense and difficult, demanding prayer, the sacraments, and counsel of others.  The difficulties of life must not sweep me into despair.  Hope reigning supreme.

Yet in one way suffering may be easier.  In regards to discernment, suffering’s challenges are apparent.  More difficult to recognize is pleasure luring one away from God.  Addicting, pleasure soothes the senses into comfort, allowing attachment to develop deeply emotionally and habitually. Relationships with others can be complicated.  Relationships, dynamic–shifting through time, present a myriad of emotions, aspirations, and experiences  A relationship with someone leading deeper into the spiritual life can evolve into a dangerous emotionally confusing imbroglio.  Based upon opposing discernment or brokenness on either part, the relationship can grind into conflicting expectations.  Avoiding the need for conquest, superiority, or defensiveness (over-sensitivity) can I stay focused upon the will of God, not imposing my will in a manner that leads me or the other away from God.  Turning matters over to God, trusting in my Lord, I must be able to forego concentration upon reputation or impression, accepting the role of fool or inferior, in order to love God greater.  Loving God does not involve defeating my brothers and sisters.  God must always remain my ultimate goal,  Personal advancement amongst friends, acquaintances, and coworkers must mean nothing.  In religious services and gatherings, I must seek no attention or undo recognition.  Accolades are unnecessary.  I must not satisfy the need to be recognized as a knowledgeable man of God, a teacher who is not a teacher.  Socially, I repose into listening, saying as little as possible, while not becoming conspicuous in silence.  I do not fear appearing stupid, or remaining unnoticed.  If a topic is broached that I am knowledgeable about, I do not need to demonstrate my acumen.  Self-seeking and self-consciousness are usurped by faith, hope, and charity.

An interesting experience I recall that I feel relates to the subject at hand.  I remember a social Church gathering, eating dinner at a table filled by strangers and acquaintances.  During festivities, a widow was being encouraged to attend older singles dances.  The encourager, a lifetime single in her fifties, attractive, carefree and casual, bubbly and bright in a crowd, intent upon making an impression, a frequenter of singles dances, elaborated how it was all for fun. Simple light-hearted dancing and conversation between men and women.  The widow insisted she had absolutely no desire to seek a mate.  The encourager, never wed–describing herself to close friends as a bride of Christ (a consecrated single the term she fashioned) pushed further, stressing it was all about happy-go-lucky flirty fun.  The widow became pensive, thinking deeply, responding, “no that is not the case.  I could never bear the idea I might be leading someone on.  That I could possibly break someone’s heart. My husband was the only man I ever dated. Since I was a teenage girl, I feared breaking a man’s heart. I could not abide by that.”  I marveled at the woman’s response, the maturity, the insight to understand the complexities of human interactions.  She would easily forego personal pleasure if seeking that pleasure presented the opportunity of harming another.  That was a woman remaining focused upon God.

spacer
spacer