Hide and Seek in the Garden (Re-post)

Hide and Seek in the Garden (Re-post)

John 20: 14 - 16 .... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,^[a] “Rabbouni!” (which means Master). 


Above is the Biblical scene I meditate upon most while praying the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, The Resurrection. I favor this conversation between Mary Magdalene and our Risen Lord, because it illustrates how powerful the sound of one's name is when called by Jesus.

In the preceding verses we learn that M. Magdalene has already announced to Peter and John that the Body was missing. Not finding Jesus in the tomb, both Apostles return home to their hideouts. M. Magdalene, however, will not leave. She shall continue looking for Her Lord, seeking Him in the garden where she had left Him three days before.

M. Magdalene is distraught with the idea that someone could have carried Jesus' Body away and nothing will break her grief-filled preoccupation with finding her beloved Jesus. Jesus, Himself, compassionately approaches M. Magdalene and inquires why she is crying and for whom she is looking. Empathy & consolation is not what she seeks and therefore does not rest in her search to listen.

Though M. Magdalene addresses Jesus, she does not see Him for who He is...The Resurrection! She speaks with Jesus, yet does not hear His Voice. Once His humanity veiled His divinity from so many strangers. Now, His glory veils His humanity even from the closest of friends.
"Mary." 
Jesus names His creation! Suddenly, in that instant His creation knows Him! Only now, by the familiar call of her name is  Mary aware of Jesus. When Jesus pronounces, "Mary", the Word communicates the fullness of their relationship.  He is recognized and they are reunited! Only Jesus: Her Lord, could speak her name in a divine tone.....the sweet sound of God calling to attention and in His direction one of His own.

Jesus doesn't want to offer comfort, aid, and charity to His Mary Magdalene. His intention is to reveal Himself to one who seeks Him. Beginning here, here in a garden....in a garden, just where Adam played the first game of hide and seek with God...Jesus begins the " finding game" ANEW!

Happy are the poor!

“None were left among the people of the land except the poor.”     2 Kings 24:14

The line above immediately reminds me of the third beatitude as recorded in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land”. From the 24th chapter of 2 Kings (below is the reading in its entirety), we learn that Jerusalem was besieged by the King of Babylon. The King of Judah, his mother, his ministers, his army, and all those who worked for him were suddenly “deported” from their kingdom. All who held political power and/or economic security were forced to abandon everything and surrender. The poor, however, remained unmoved. They remained firmly planted in the land of their ancestors. They had nothing to abandon, nothing to surrender, and nothing to to fear.  No one could threaten the one thing that was provided them...abundant poverty.

 

I have heard many homilies encouraging the American Catholic to share his wealth with those who are less fortunate. On occasion the preacher may also reassure the wealthy that there is nothing wrong with having great material treasure; tagging on the warning," just don't be attached to it." (Unfortunately, what has lacked is instruction on how to exercise true detachment.) In my experience, there has been plenty of preaching about the poor, but little proclaiming of The Good News to the poor. Do our shepherds not notice the poor people sitting in the pews right beside the rich?  

 The Good News (to poor and soon-to-be poor alike), is that achieving holy poverty requires letting go of comforts, position and social esteem that could besiege our interior castle. It means ceasing our search for pleasures, security and reward so that our egos become disarmed and unable to conquer the the reign of Christ in our hearts. That Good News that tells us that they; the poor servants totally dependent on our Eternal King's fore-seeing goodness, are both free to love God alone; and, by abiding in His love, will remain unmoved by the empty promises of the world. 

Why do we not hear more of this happy news?  Why are we not told about how living free is granted only to the those captured by Christ's Love?  Is it assumed that poverty does not exist inside our churches? Is it thought that Holy Poverty is so difficult, that no soul could really love Jesus enough to abandon all and surrender to the Gospel (and do so with rejoicing)?

Though encouraged to be thankful and generous; we are rarely reminded of the call to become like the One who became poor for us. Would we be truly happy if all we had to offer Jesus was to love Him back in the one same poverty with which He loves us? His Poverty?

Can Holy Poverty be acquired by the disciple?  or is it Holy Poverty that makes one a disciple? (and fit for the Kingdom, I might add.)

Is spiritual poverty a gift to the disciple? Or is the disciple that gives himself over to Spirit of Poverty?

It is my prayer that I may go beyond counting my financial blessings. May I not be hesitant to accept fully what Christ meant when He proclaimed, "It is blessed to be poor!"  It is worth exploring this truth about Holy Poverty: there is a unique happy-gratitude, joy, and interior freedom possessed by those who do find the greatest treasure is in having nothing at all...having nothing that could steal you away from Jesus. 

May we remain happily unmoved in His poor Heart, forever.

Reading 1 2 Kgs 24:8-17 

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Nehushta,
daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
He did evil in the sight of the LORD,
just as his forebears had done.

At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city
while his servants were besieging it.
Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother,
his ministers, officers, and functionaries,
surrendered to the king of Babylon, who,
in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive.
And he carried off all the treasures
of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace,
and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel,
had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.
He deported all Jerusalem:
all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number,
and all the craftsmen and smiths.
None were left among the people of the land except the poor.
He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon,
and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon
the king’s mother and wives,
his functionaries, and the chief men of the land.
The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon
all seven thousand men of the army,
and a thousand craftsmen and smiths,
all of them trained soldiers.
In place of Jehoiachin,
the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.

" I was Thinking of You."

I have made it a habit to immediately pray for the priest who hears my confession. My most recent confession was heard by a priest I had never talked to before and may never talk to again.  Not wanting to divulge the personal content of our encounter, I will only add that this particular Reconciliation with my God, though very ordinary, included an answered prayer and spiritual condolences for which I had long waited. :) 

Placing my heart (spiritually), at the door of the Tabernacle I whispered my thanksgiving for such a sweet encounter with my Lord, through His priest. The Child Jesus responded , "I was thinking of that particular confession when I called him. I was thinking of you when I called Fr. __ (my pastor), too." 
All things are of Divine Providence. There are no coincidences. May we continue to Trust that we are just where Christ wants us. God knows how to put us in our place. :) 

Who do they say you are?

The Gospel of Luke
Chapter 9,18-24


Now it happened that as He was praying alone the disciples were with Him; and He asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?" And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say Elijah; and others say, one of the old prophets has risen." And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." But He charged them and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
And He said to them all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake, he will find it."


Ponderings:

• Does Jesus call Himself "The Son Man" to remind them of the promise God made to Adam to send a savior?
• When Jesus asks, "Who do you say that I am?" is He prompting them to consider who, once believing that Jesus is The Christ of God and follow...will make them....especially to the unbelieving world!

Jesus is the Christ of God and the Son of Man. As I prayerfully imagine myself in this scene I wonder if Jesus, Peter, and the others weren't praying together, for the first of many nights, in a garden. Could they be in the Garden of Gethsemane tonight?  It makes (beautiful) sense to me, that the first time Jesus prays with His Chosen Men as the revealed Christ could be in the very place that they would pray together for the last time as Jesus awaits His betrayal. Oh! And could this first confession of Peter; when he saw and proclaimed that Jesus will save and triumph, be in the same place that Adam confessed his fall and God saw Adam needed saving?


 It was from the soil of the Garden of Eden that God created His beloved man and breathed His life-giving love into His body. It makes sense to me that God would want to begin again where The Beginning began. Perhaps, Peter would boldly proclaim Jesus as The Christ in the same place Adam hid from God's beckoning.


Peter and the disciples know Jesus is the Christ of God and have been commanded not to share the divine knowledge they have been given. This revelation will change everything for Peter and the others. They have now entered into a new relationship with the Trinity.
I wonder if there wasn't a second, nonverbalized question asked by Jesus, "If You know and proclaim  that I am the Christ...who will people say YOU are?" I imagine Jesus gave them plenty of time to ponder the social consequences of being His friend and proclaiming that God the Father was ready to fulfill His ancient promise to those who would follow after Him.




To those who would answer the call the follow Him, he gave this prescription:


And He said to them all, "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake, he will find it."

Take This and Eat It

"Take and Eat; this is My Body", (Matthew 26:26)
"...whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." (John 6:51)

Genesis 3: 1 - 5 reads;

            Now the snake was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He asked the woman, "Did God really say, 'You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden'?" The woman answered the snake; "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree there in the middle of the garden that God said, "You shall not eat it or even touch it, or else you will die.' But the snake said to the woman, "You certainly will not die! God knows well that when you eat of it you will be like the gods, who know good and evil." 

            11- 12 ".....(God asked Adam) Have you eaten from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat? The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me -- she gave me the fruit from the tree, so I ate it"

I once noticed a parish priest, while praying the institution narrative (aka the "words of consecration"), in the Anamnesis (great prayer of remembrance) emphasize the THIS when speaking Jesus' instruction to,"Take this and eat it." This profound emphasis taught me that these words (and food they transubstantiate) of Truth and Life perpetually undo the lie that led Eve and Adam to death of body and soul.

Eve reasoned "that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it." (Gen. 3:6). She did not believe trust that eating the forbidden fruit would kill her. She did not understand that her disobedience would darken her search for a way back to God, make her children heirs to confusion and bring death into the world.  

Do we believe with trust that the perpetual Holy Sacrifice and its fruit; the taken and consumed Eucharistic food; illuminates the Way, generates the Truth and brings the world back to Life?

Hide and Seek in the Garden (Re-post)

John 20: 14 - 16 .... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,^[a] “Rabbouni!” (which means Master). 


Above is the Biblical scene I meditate upon most while praying the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, The Resurrection. I favor this conversation between Mary Magdalene and our Risen Lord, because it illustrates how powerful the sound of one's name is when called by Jesus.

In the preceding verses we learn that M. Magdalene has already announced to Peter and John that the Body was missing. Not finding Jesus in the tomb, both Apostles return home to their hideouts. M. Magdalene, however, will not leave. She shall continue looking for Her Lord, seeking Him in the garden where she had left Him three days before.

M. Magdalene is distraught with the idea that someone could have carried Jesus' Body away and nothing will break her grief-filled preoccupation with finding her beloved Jesus. Jesus, Himself, compassionately approaches M. Magdalene and inquires why she is crying and for whom she is looking. Empathy & consolation is not what she seeks and therefore does not rest in her search to listen.

Though M. Magdalene addresses Jesus, she does not see Him for who He is...The Resurrection! She speaks with Jesus, yet does not hear His Voice. Once His humanity veiled His divinity from so many strangers. Now, His glory veils His humanity even from the closest of friends.
"Mary." 
Jesus names His creation! Suddenly, in that instant His creation knows Him! Only now, by the familiar call of her name is  Mary aware of Jesus. When Jesus pronounces, "Mary", the Word communicates the fullness of their relationship.  He is recognized and they are reunited! Only Jesus: Her Lord, could speak her name in a divine tone.....the sweet sound of God calling to attention and in His direction one of His own.

Jesus doesn't want to offer comfort, aid, and charity to His Mary Magdalene. His intention is to reveal Himself to one who seeks Him. Beginning here, here in a garden....in a garden, just where Adam played the first game of hide and seek with God...Jesus begins the " finding game" ANEW!


More on Adam, The New Gardener and the Garden of Eden another time........:)

John 15: 7 Abide in Me, and I in You.

Sacred Heart of Jesus
This is the picture that hung in my grandparents home, my parents and now mine. It was brought from Poland by my great-grandmother Margaret Pollick.

In prayer before the commencement of the Sunday Holy Sacrifice, through prayerful imagination I placed myself within the shelter of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the same moment, in the blink of God's eye, Jesus and I sat together in one heart. Awed, I realized we were not resting in His heart, but mine.  By stepping into the abode of Jesus' love, He entered my heart. And there was only room for two in the heart of this child. Servant and Master filled it completely.
I was reminded of that yesterday afternoon, my attention was pulled to the sky where I noticed the a cloud formation of a big heart and within it was a smaller heart. The small represented my broken, flawed, human heart longing to love with abandonment and beyound myself.
By seeking the divine protection of holy Trust in Jesus' teaching providence, I discover  my heart is found both hidden and revealed.
With an unspoken prayer to love generously all the souls surrounding me; my meditation drew a picture of the sword piecing His heart through into my own. By abiding in Him, both our  hearts are emptied down and out to the low world; a world hoping to be refreshed by Love. 

See my illustration below. (I doubt I'll ever be this childlike again. I am publishing with out second thoughts for the 1st time.)

Be content with your vocation and the details within. God needs you to be you!!!

"What was the first rule of our dear Savior's life? You know it was to do His Father's will. Well, then, the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly to do it in the manner He wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is His will. I know what is His will by those who direct me; whatever they bid me do, if it is ever so small in itself, is the will of God for me. Then, do it in the manner He wills it." - Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Our family resumed studies yesterday on the Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton. She is the patron of Catholic Education which begins and ends in the home...Ecclesia Domestica! I am always grateful that this beautiful disciple of Christ has a feast day just after our Christmas break. She is a great reminder of the importance of the smallest duty required by my vocation. Her zeal feeds my own and helps motivates me to begin again the work of God through my everyday living.

Mother Seton, who served God first as a wife gifted with children and then, after becoming a widow, began her vocation as a consecrated religious. Her life as a religious would included the founding of the first Catholic Schools in America. Her example encourages me to preserver in my own vocation to provide my children with a Catholic (and classical) home-education.   Learn more about St. Elizabeth Ann Seton here:http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-01-04#sthash.knnl695H.dpuf

Today my youngest son began learning Sarah Orne Jewett's poem "Discontent".  This poem is the inspiration for the title of my blog. Happy blooming!

Discontent

Down in a field, one day in June,
The flowers all bloomed together,
Save one who tried to hide herself,
And drooped, that pleasant weather.

A robin who had flown too high
And felt a little lazy
Was resting near this buttercup
Who wished she were a daisy.

The daisies grow so trig and tall,-
She always had a passion
For wearing frills around her neck
In just the daisies' fashion.

And buttercups must always be
The same old tiresome color-
While daisies dress in gold and white,
Although their gold is duller.

'Dear robin,' said this sad young flower,
'Perhaps you'd not mind trying
To find a nice white frill for me
Some day when you are flying.'

'You silly thing!' the robin said,
'I think you must be crazy.
I'd rather be my honest self
Than any made-up daisy.

'You're nicer in your own bright gown,-
The little children love you.
Be the best buttercup you can,
And think no flower above you.

'Though swallows leave me out of sight,
We'd better keep our places;
Perhaps the world would all go wrong
With one too many daisies.

'Look bravely up into the sky
And be content with knowing
That God wished for a buttercup
Just here, where you are growing.'

Sarah Orne Jewett

Make Haste to Find Community!

The Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke (1, 35-45)

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to the city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! and why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of  your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.

Reflection: We learn from the second Joyful Mystery the importance of having a Catholic Community. Mary was most faithful and trusting, accompanied by angels, filled with the Holy Spirit and Full of Grace...and yet, God knew She needed the support of a loving and believing friend.

Mary was sent to Her cousin Elizabeth, but their bond would be much more than familial. Elizabeth's own baby was, too, miraculously conceived and also pre-announced by the Angel Gabriel. Their experiences were so similar and their missions were so closely related that all Mary had to do was say, "Hello," and Elizabeth instantly knew and understood why Mary was there. No explanations needed.

Prayer: Mother Mary,  be a friend to me and make haste to help me in the daily duties of my vocation. I ask for all the graces needed to magnify the eternal goodness of the Lord with my life. Please ask God to bless me with true and holy friendships that will strengthen my discipleship and add zeal to my mission to please God.

Suggestion for meditation: Imagine overhearing Elizabeth and Mary pondering what the future holds for their boys. In your heart, join in the conversation and share with St. Elizabeth and our Blessed Mother a fear or hope you have for your own future or that of someone you love.

My soul magnifies the Lord

And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

because He has regarded the lowliness

of His handmaid;

for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;

because He who is mighty had done

great things for me,

and holy is His name;

And His mercy is from generation to generation

on those who fear Him.

He has shown might with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He had put down the mighty from their thrones,

and has exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has given help to Israel, his servant,

mindful of His mercy

Even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham

and to His posterity forever.

Be Not Afraid to choose Obedience!

During the Liturgical season of Advent, the Catholic faithful are encouraged to meditate on the Joyful Mysteries during their daily Rosary. This week I would like to offer my audience a personal reflection, prayer and a suggestion for meditation on the Gospel scene of Luke 1: 26 -37: "The Annunciation". This is the first Joyful Mystery.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a Virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David; and the Virgin's name was Mary. And he came to Her and said, Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you. But She was greatly troubled at this saying and considered in Her mind what kind of greeting this might be. And the angle said to Her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I have no husband?" And the angel said to Her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and overshadow you; therefor the child to be born will be called holy." And behold your kinswoman Elizabeth is her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible."

Reflection: The first Joyful Mystery teaches us to imitate Mary in prompt obedience to the plan of God. Tradition tells us that when the Angel Gabriel appeared, Mary was praying with Scriptures for the Messiah to come. Gabriel must been magnificent in both stature and persona! Was it his grandeur that startled Her? OR....was She shaken because She never, ever expected God to use Her to answer this prayer of Her people? We read that Mary was greatly troubled at first and had some (maybe a lot), of questions. Yet, with a firm belief that all things are possible with God, obedience was given immediately. Mary did not hesitate to say, "Yes!".
Prayer: Mother Mary, as we pray this decade, please ask God to fill us with His Grace, to be generous with His gift of courage so that we may be obedient to His Voice. May we always  answer whole-heartily, "Yes!" to whatever God is calling us to do.
Suggestion for meditation:  Place yourself in the Bible scene as an eye witness to "The Annunciation". When, in your imagination, you witness Mary say, "Be it done to me according to your word," ask the Angel Gabriel to give our Heavenly Father your permission to be used as He wills.

God Foresees



Divine Providence:  Divine = of God    Pro = for    Video = to see, seeing

When pondering the awesome goodness of God, I recall a time when I would often be prompted by the Holy Spirit to do small acts of sacrifice or hidden generosity. I use to practice the discipline of giving until it hurt a little. I usually did this by letting go of a piece of clothing I was still enjoying.

I remember one morning gathering food and clothes for a local food bank.  I packed up the boxes and all the kids and began the drive to the church. On my way out of the house I heard in my heart, "Give $50.00".  A monetary gift wasn't part of my plan and I felt that I was already being generous, so I ignored this idea inspiration. As I drove I heard again in my heart, "$50.00". This idea that wasn’t mine, but it wasn’t going away. So, I thought about it carefully, rationally and came to the conclusion that I could not, for practical reasons, give away $50.00.  We only had a few more dollars than that in the checking account and pay day was few days out. I knew I would need milk, diapers and so forth. No, God wasn’t asking this of me. I carried on, turning up the music trying to forget that small persistent Voice.

 I arrived at the food bank and delivered my gifts. I climbed back into the van not feeling at all satisfied with my good will offering. I sat there paralyzed by an uneasy, guilt-ish feeling. I heard once more, "$50.00". I thought, "I’ll give them $25 just to clear my conscience".

Not knowing how I was going to explain this to my husband, I wrote a check for the full $50.00 and handed it to the volunteer. Instantly, I felt levitating joy! Having done God’s will, I wasn’t worried about milk, my husband or anything else.

Later that very day I received an extremely belated birthday card from my mother-in- law and a check for 50.00. Also, there was an unexpected rebate check for $50.00! My husband arrived home that night with a surprise gift card to a local restaurant given to him from his boss in recognition for his long hours. It, too, was valued at $50.00.

God had long ago planned on using me to participate in His providing for those who would visit the food bank. He had also previously set into action a plot to astonish me with an unforgettable lesson on Divine Providence. God had long foreseen every detail of this day. And every detail of this day, so many years ago, continues to remind me that God's care is real and that His generosity will never be outdone.

Luke 6: 38 "Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing with be poured onto your lap.”  

Saint Anselm of Canterbury's prayer of an ungrateful soul:

O merciful Almighty Father, who pourest down Ty benefits upon us: forgive the thankfulness with which we have requited Thy Goodness! 
We have remained before Thee with dead, unfeeling hearts, unkindled with love of Thy gentle and enduring goodness. Turn Thou to us, O merciful Father.
Make us with our whole hearts to hunger and to thirst for Thee - with all our longing to desire Thee. Make us with our whole hearts to serve Thee, and Thee alone! with our whole zeal to seek those things well-pleasing in Thy sight! _ for the sake of Thine Only-Begotten Son, to whom, with Thee and with the Holy Ghost, be all honor and all glory, Lord, forever-more. Amen. 

Hide and Seek in the Garden.

John 20: 14 - 16 .... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,^[a] “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 


Above is the Biblical scene I meditate upon most while praying the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, The Resurrection. I favor this conversation between Mary Magdalene and our Risen Lord, because it illustrates how powerful the sound of one's name is when called by Jesus.

 In the preceding verses we learn that M. Magdalene has already announced to Peter and John that the Body was missing. Not finding Jesus in the tomb, both Apostles return home to their hideouts. M. Magdalene, however, will not leave. She shall continue looking for Her Lord, seeking Him in the garden where she had left Him 3 days before.

M. Magdalene is distraught with the idea that someone could have carried Jesus' Body away and nothing will break her grief-filled preoccupation with finding her beloved Jesus. Jesus, Himself, compassionately approaches M. Magdalene and inquires why she is crying and for whom she is looking. Empathy & consolation is not what she seeks and therefore does not rest to listen.

Though M. Magdalene addresses Jesus, she does not see Him for who He is...The Resurrection! She speaks with Jesus, yet does not hear His Voice. Once His humanity veiled His divinity from so many strangers. Now, His glory veils His humanity even from the closest of friends.
"Mary." 
Jesus names His creation! Suddenly, in that instant His creation knows Him! Only now, by the familiar call of her name does Mary see Jesus. When Jesus pronounces, "Mary", the Word communicates the fullness of their relationship.  He is recognized and they are reunited! You see, only Jesus Her Lord, could speak her name in a divine tone.....the sweet sound of God calling to attention and in His direction one of His own.

Jesus doesn't want to offer comfort, aid and charity to His Mary Magdalene. His intention is to reveal Himself to one who seeks Him. Beginning here, here in a garden....in a garden, just where Adam played the first game of hide and seek with God...Jesus begins the " finding game" ANEW!

More on Adam, The New Gardener and the Garden of Eden another time........:)

Seeking His Hidden Kingdom

SON OF DAVID. KING OF THE JEWS.

Where should a soul first seek the Kingdom of God?
Is not every sort of  Kingdom  found where the King reigns?

Like the buried mustard seed hidden in the dirt of a garden, Christ the King reigns hidden in the hearts of those humbled with holy poverty; knowing themselves to be totally dependent on the King's Good Grace. Christ the King is hidden in those who resist the seductions of vain glory and instead have surrender their lives to toiling in the vineyard of souls. Christ is found hidden in every tear that mourns over evil and sin. He is hidden in the interior lives of those with an appetite for holiness alone; yearning only to reflect the beautiful, perfect image of Christ the King. Transfigured in His perfection, Divine Mercy rules in the heart of every Knight, Lady and Bishop of the land. The intentions of every royal servant is purified in selfless devotion to the common good; motivated by sincere charity. Here, within the shelter of His palace walls of Truth, His children are not subjects of fear or anger or want..and they hide not... for they are a people of peace. Waging war with prayers, fasting and sacrifice against the enemy of souls; the militants of this Kingdom cannot be contained.

The children of God will preach the Gospel. They will baptize, serve, admonish and forgive. Come mocking, come hatred, come dungeon or come sword they will rejoice and be glad.They will be comforted and satisfied in knowing that their persecution adds to the Glory of Christ their King. And they will come to rule the world.

The Providence of Small Dwellings!

In imitation of Mary, I ponder in my heart the Biblical scene of Christ's Nativity.The stable in which Jesus choose to be born gives a glimpse of God's perspective on both worldly poverty and His Divine Providence.  In my prayerful imagination I step into the cave which our Heavenly Father lovingly reserved for the Holy Family. It is smelly, dank and dirty. It lacks comfort and dignity. Joseph enters first. Looking around he realizes fully his poverty and he feels his spirit sink.

Joseph and Mary had spent so many months excitingly planning for the birth of this new Baby. I imagine he used his carpentry gifts to design storage space for diapers, warm garments and toys. He even built a room, a scared space, just for Jesus. How beautiful it must had been - the cradle he crafted for the Son he would welcome! Joseph had been anticipating giving the divine Child so much. But tonight, after a long trip and a really, really bad day, the foster father of the Christ sits on a cold, stone, cave floor far away from the home he and Mary had done their dreaming as they prepared for the One called Emanuel.  Joseph is distraught over not having been able to do better; he wants to give his family the best of everything. Instead, they are cold, hungry and barely sheltered. He looks at his wife with eyes filled with defeat, remorse and grave concern. Mary, however, smiles back with eyes full of  grace, confidence and trust. With grateful awe She joyfully laughs, "God has provided, Joseph! God has provided!"

Once upon a time I lived in a big, beautiful, yellow house. My husband and I tried our best to use the Providence of this house to serve God and bring souls closer to Him. I would often say, "God gave me this big house, it is my job to fill it up." And we did fill our home with prayer, holy friendship and so much laughter on Sunday evenings.  For 6 years we hosted a monthly parish Family Rosary followed by a big Sunday meal. Then, circumstances changed and we had to give up that house and move into a smaller home. Another family, with a house just like ours, took over the Family Rosary.Though I was aware of God's constant blessings, I had the most difficult time detaching from that big, yellow house which held so many memories.

Many times over the last 3 years I have often consider hosting another Family Rosary in our new, old house. However, pride and doubt would push the idea away from my heart. Our present home is much smaller, lacks seating, counter space and bathrooms. And though I have always been grateful that God saved this house for us, I just didn't think it was good enough for ministry, broad hospitality and Community building. I thought my obligation to fill up my house for God was no longer.  Was I wrong?

Why would God desire less "filling up of Good Things" simply because a dwelling was little? Do not small homes, too, belong to God? He has even used impoverished caves to provide for His most important purposes!!

I believe my family is called to fill up our home and cover our well lived on floors with the feet of disciples of every age. I think Our Lord would be pleased to have prayer and laughter echo off our tired walls. Most of all, I wonder if Our Blessed Mother is depending on the Pirrungs to make room for the children She wishes to gather together in the Name of her Son, all for the glory of God and the good of His local Church.

The Family Rosary was the most beautiful part of the years we lived in the big house. And, I ponder if it will be the Family Rosary that humbles me enough to see this home,too, as beautiful.

What stirs one to love?
 

A trinity of attempts.

My first attempt at blogging was in 2010. It was to be a political blog entitled Defining Is. My enthusiasm didn't last. A year later I tried again with a new title; At the Corner of Church and State. It, too, would be political, but this time also spiritual. My zeal didn't last. 
Tomorrow, on the day The Church remembers Saint Theresa of Avila, I plan on posting my third "maiden" article. Saint Teresa, pray for me as I try to follow God's inspirations for this blog. It will last this time for I must keep a promise made to my dear friend, Linda J., to continue writing.

Linda, thank you for encouraging me to write about the little portion of Jesus that He allows me to know, and love, and serve. 

The Day After

During our family Friday night dinner, the children asked my husband and I where we were when we realized American was being attacked on 9/11. I review that day several times a week, so being asked to repeat my tiny experiece of that day if very easy: calling daddy right away, glued to the TV, not being able to reach my own father up north, after flight 93 crashed going out into my southern yard to see if any planes were falling out of the sky above me...and my baby taking her first steps, and being shaken awake in terror  that night by a military plane flying over our home. My oldest daughter then asked us, "And what about the next day? What was that day like?" I sat there for a moment not being able to recall one memory of 9/12. Then my husband and I replied in unison: "It is still the next day."

Look at your Father when He's talking to you!

Our family morning prayer routine was interrupted last week because of our family's involvement in two different Catholic camps. My husband and oldest daughter attended Holy Mass at another parish. I and the rest of the kids participated in morning devotions with others in VBS.

Wanting to hear the daily readings one morning, I turned on EWTN and proceeded to get myself made up for the day. Br. Leo read the first reading and the lead the responsorial psalm. But, when Brother sang the Alleluia before the Gospel...I heard my soul being called. I'll never forget it....I was leaning over my bathroom counter into the mirror applying my mascara. I hear Him calling me out of the mirror and into His Presence. As every woman knows, once the process of applying mascara begins it must be carried out to the end!
Therefore, being in the middle of my plans for the moment I did not responded with obedience. It was more like a..."yep...I hear you...just a sec...be right there...coming...." but not moving. Then I suddenly saw myself in a new way. I stood there looking at myself looking at myself! While reflecting on my imagine I heard a voice inside my heart tell me, “You want to hear  God, but won't take your eyes of yourself!"

In that moment I realized the root of all my stress and anxiety and lack of peace was ME!   I know God has a plan for every moment of my life. What I have forgotten is that I am not to depend on myself for the fulfillment of His plans. I need to stop paying so much attention to what I am doing…and focus on what He is doing through me.

And when my Heavenly Father wants to talk to me....I should at least look in His direction!

A Little Saint

A friend of mine died suddenly last Sunday. Her funeral Mass was yesterday. She was a wife blessed with four beautiful children to nurture and educated while waiting to one day meet the several other babies she held only in her heart.

She always reminded me of Caroline Ingalls (Ma) on Little House. My friend was a simple and humble woman of pure sweetness and great FAITH!  She did nothing to attract attention to herself in anyway. Nothing about her would make her stand out in a crowd. Yet, she stood out in the hearts and lives of so many. My estimate is that there was close to 1000 people at her funeral in a city 3000 miles from where she grew up. No one there was a co-worker, no one was there to make an appearance out of political or business motivations or high society expectations …. Only pure hearted family and friends who loved her so much.  Six priests presided over the Mass and 3 deacons assisted simply because they wanted to be part of the last moment of the story of a special soul. One priest that knew her well referred to her as “a little saint.”

It dawned on me just today, (Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel), that my dear saint wore the scapular. The promise is that one who wears it devoutly will exit Purgatory before the next Saturday after death. I don’t think she had to wait that long.

She was a “little saint” well in advance.

June: Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

J.M.J. 

This is the first day of  the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. How blessed my family is to have had the opportunity to begin this month with a Eucharistic Procession at a local Catholic school. One of my  older children is currently discerning religious life. Because of her interest in being a nun, last evening we had a wonderful visit with the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. They teach at a local school and invited us to participate in this morning's devotion. To learn more about this order please visit: www.sistersofmary.org.  Please, remember to pray for vocations!