Happy Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary! In honor of this special feast day, today's cross is the Carpenter's Cross - a simple wooden cross with three nails laid upon it. This cross recalls the simplicity of St. Joseph, whom tradition tells us made his living by being a carpenter. Recent Biblical archeology of the region where the Holy Family lived has suggested that it was more likely Joseph was a day laborer, working in one of the towns nearby for the Roman government, on various construction projects that were going on at that time. Most of the men in Nazareth, including Jesus when he was old enough, would have found work there, laboring with large slabs of stone and tools like the T-square and chisel. Whatever his specific trade, we know that St. Joseph earned his living with his hands, and he is typically portrayed with handheld tools, as well as lilies, signifying his purity. The three nails on this wooden cross signify the three nails that pierced the hands and feet of Jesus. Nails have been recovered from ancient crucifixion sites and they tend to be bigger and thicker than these, illustrating the cruelty of this particular death. Mystical saints over the centuries have commented that sometimes Mary and Joseph would find Jesus praying as though he was on a cross, anticipating the final sacrifice He would make of His life, already offering His life back to His Father. Although St. Joseph passed away before Jesus' Passion and Resurrection, he most likely knew it was going to happen. This great, quiet, saint of strength spent his years with the Holy Child and His Holy Mother, probably going from sublime joy to intense sorrow multiple times a week. Just as he was available for Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph makes himself available to us, as well. He is always ready to guide and protect us, to help us respond to God's promptings quickly, just as he did, and now, he can also intercede for us at the throne of his foster son, Jesus the Christ. How appropriate it is, then, for us to pray the Litany of St. Joseph today, thanking God for the gift of this holy man and asking for his intercession. Just as he was always available for Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph is available to help us, as well. Litany of Saint Joseph*
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father in heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Illustrious son of David, pray for us. Light of Patriarchs, pray for us. Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us. Guardian of the Redeemer, pray for us. Pure Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us. Provider for the Son of God, pray for us. Zealous defender of Christ, pray for us. Servant of Christ, pray for us. Minister of salvation, pray for us. Head of the Holy Family, pray for us. Joseph, most just, pray for us. Joseph, most chaste, pray for us. Joseph, most prudent, pray for us. Joseph, most brave, pray for us. Joseph, most obedient, pray for us. Joseph, most loyal, pray for us. Mirror of patience, pray for us. Lover of poverty, pray for us. Model for workers, pray for us. Glory of family life, pray for us. Guardian of virgins, pray for us. Cornerstone of families, pray for us. Support in difficulties, pray for us. Comfort of the sorrowing, pray for us. Hope of the sick, pray for us. Patron of exiles, pray for us. Patron of the afflicted, pray for us. Patron of the poor, pray for us. Patron of the dying, pray for us. Terror of demons, pray for us. Protector of the Holy Church, pray for us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. He made him master of his house, and ruler of all his possessions.Let us pray. O God, who in your inexpressible providence were pleased to choose Saint Joseph as spouse of your most holy Mother, grant, we pray, that we, who revere him as our protector on earth, may be worthy of his heavenly intercession. Who live and reign for ever and ever. R. Amen. *A partial indulgence is attached to the faithful recitation of this prayer.
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For several days last week, we focused on a great saint whose feast day we celebrate during the Lenten journey, St. Patrick. The crosses for today and tomorrow will help us think about the life of another great saint we encounter during these 40 days, St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus and spiritual father to all. Scripture doesn't record a single word spoken by St. Joseph. This leads us to think that he was a man of quiet reflection, able to see and reflect profoundly on the events that took place in his life. He is a model of a contemplative in action, a person of prayer who is also ready to respond with concrete deeds to the directions of the Holy Spirit. Many years before Jospeh, Mary and Jesus walked the earth, the prophet Isaiah spoke these words on behalf of God: Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth (Is 42:16) Isaiah is often the prophet we hear most during Advent, as we prepare for the birth of Jesus. Isaiah could have been speaking these words with St. Joseph in mind, given his role of protecting Mary and Jesus. Even before Jesus was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, Joseph had been chosen to be Jesus' foster father. He was there from the beginning; shepherding, protecting, guiding, and most likely, worrying, stressing and praying with all his might during the many events that threatened the Holy Family. We can only imagine his emotions when he found out that Mary was unexpectedly pregnant. Then, after taking her into his home, he has to travel with her to Bethlehem, only to be rejected again and again when he tries to find them a simple place to stay the night. Then, he has to suddenly rise and flee into the night, knowing that soldiers are being sent to kill little Jesus, and that his family was in terrible danger. Mary did not suffer the effects of Original Sin, but St. Joseph did. Although Mary did not suffer the consequences of original sin, Joseph certainly did. Because of this, he must have been susceptible to despair and despondency, to fear and anxiety. Did he feel inadequate to the job he was given? Probably. Did he wish he could do a better job of providing for his family? Maybe. Was he often surprised by and anxious about the commands God gave him? Almost certainly.
It was likely his proximity to Mary and Jesus that enabled Joseph to act in spite of his fear and believe in spite of his anxiety. And being close to Jesus and Mary, i.e. living with God and the saints, is ultimately the goal of us all. In addition to all the fearful events, Joseph must also have had countless experiences of wonder and awe, of glimpses into the very heart of God. That's why this cross, entitled 'Never Failing Love', is the cross for today. Two broad bands of cloth lash together the two arms of the cross. Joseph was privileged to see Mary wrap her infant son in swaddling clothes on the night of His birth. Those swaddling clothes that wrapped an infant who was placed in a manger, an animal feeding trough, pointed forward to the cloths the man would be wrapped in, when he was laid in a tomb. Joseph was able to see the 'Never Failing Love" of Jesus up close and personal, the love that shone forth on Christmas Eve so that it could shine forth again on Easter Sunday, bursting out of the grave like supernova. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we thank You for the gift of St. Joseph. Help us to respond to Your promptings with the same urgency and dedication that he did and inspire us to call on our foster father for help frequently. And in all things, we praise You. Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. St. Joseph, pray for us! Today, on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, is a good opportunity to slowly pray through and reflect upon one of the most cherished prayers in Christianity's, the Breastplate of St. Patrick. This prayer not only gives us some insight into the heart and mind of St. Patrick, but it also brings together the natural and spiritual worlds as two sides of one whole, two parts well integrated. Both sides give glory and praise to God. This charism is an enormous and important aspect of Celtic spirituality. The cross for today "bodies forth" (to quote Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream) this understanding by making the invisible visible. Just as the "Breastplate of St. Patrick" names and recognizes all parts of creation as made by and at the disposal of the good God who created them, this cross also, in a simple way, reminds us that "Wherever and forever, God's love is there." Whether you are a distraught Israelite, who has been captured and is sitting, weeping by the rivers of Babylon (Psalm 137:1), or you are a displaced Roman citizen who is preaching the Good News in a wild country, or you are reading this on a screen in 2024, God's love is there because God is there. Psalm 139 reminds us that there is, in fact, no place where God is not, even if we act as though that is not true. The psalm says, "From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, even there your hand guides me." (Psalm 139:7-10) There is no time, no place that can escape God. "Christ with me, With this in mind, prayerfully read through "The Breastplate of St. Patrick: A Shield for Protection"
I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles, In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins, In the deeds of righteous men. I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock. I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near. I summon today All these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul; Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me an abundance of reward. *Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trintiy, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness, of the Creator of creation. St. Patrick. pray for us! * Often the lines in bold are prayed separately, as a shortened form of this prayer. As we move through the 40 days of Lent, we are continuing to focus on our mini-journey to St. Patrick's Day. Today's cross not only shines some more light on the Cross of Christ, as does every cross, but it also explains an important aspect of Celtic spirituality. You may already be familiar with the terms "red martyrdom" and "white martyrdom," but there is also a third type of martyrdom referred to by the Irish as "green martyrdom." Let's talk about each type of martyrdom. Red Martyrdom: A 'red martyr' is a saint who gives his or her life as a witness for the faith, who literally spills his or her red blood, and dies under the crown of "red martyrdom." This type of death was especially prevalent in the early Church, when Christians suffered under persecutions from various Roman emperors. We also see this type of death experienced by missionaries in foreign lands. White Martyrdom: A 'white martyr' signifies a saint who has a willingness to bear public mockery and persecution. White Martyrdom involves facing an intense hatred of the faith, and responding to it through a total self-renunciation, a total handing over of one's entire life to God. This may involve long periods spent unjustly in jail and continuing rejection and enmity suffered at the hands of family and friends. It is as intense as red martyrdom, without the actual shedding of blood. "Green martyrdom consists in this, that by means of fasting and labor [a person] frees himself from his evil desires, or suffers toil in penance and repentance." - from a 7th century Irish sermon Green martyrdom: A saint who wears the crown of green martyrdom is one who has freely chosen to take on acts of penance and fasting, sometimes to the extreme, out of love for God. While not necessarily having to shoulder the burden of public mockery and rejection, a 'green martyr' turns every action in his or her life over to God by making an offering of it. This is a form of "praying without ceasing." It is praying with the body, through the hands and feet used in service of others, as St. Catherine of Siena was told to do by God. The acts of penance freely taken on can be offered up on behalf of someone else, in reparation for one's own sins, or even as a free will offering given to Mary to dispense with as she pleases, to give to the person most in need of it. A 7th century Irish sermon describes 'green martyrdom' in this way, "Green martyrdom consists in this, that by means of fasting and labor [one] frees himself from his evil desires, or suffers toil in penance and repentance.
The unity of colors on this Celtic cross perfectly displays the white and green crowns of martyrdom St. Patrick took on. Although he was not asked to shed his blood for his mission, he met with severe persecution and life-threatening threats from Irish leaders on multiple occasions and he suffered rejection and ridicule from the Church, because he was not well-educated. In fact, he describes himself by saying this, "I am Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful, and utterly despised by many." (The Confession of St. Patrick) These experiences gave him the white crown. But he also willingly took on many extra penances, which he also describes in his Confession. He wrote about his extreme prayer life, praying more than 100 times in the day and again at night, depriving himself of sleep and braving the elements all as an offering to God. He writes that he did this on purpose, as reparation for the life he lived before coming to Christ. He even goes so far as to say he deserved his captivity, because of the life he and his fellow Britons were leading. He writes, "I was taken into captivity to Ireland with many thousands of people---and deservedly so, because we [had] turned away from God, and did not keep His commandments, and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought over us the wrath of his anger and scattered us among many nations, even unto the utmost part of the earth, where now my littleness is placed among strangers." St. Patrick looks at his life head on and decides that not only does he need to change it, but he also needs to try to make amends for it. This is quite an amazing reaction from a suddenly enslaved 16-year-old, trying to survive on the wild hillsides of Ireland. And survive, and even thrive, he does. For the rest of his life, St. Patrick would wear the white crown of martyrdom as he continued to spread the Gospel in the wilderness, and he would also wear the green crown of martyrdom, accepting the sufferings that came to him and turning them back into offerings. His mission was successful, not because of his strength and power, but because he chose to be small and humble and left the rest to God. The third lesson we can learn from St. Patrick's life is to seek to wear the crown of green martyrdom, an option that is available to everyone. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, help us to imitate St. Patrick's willingness to do penance and fast for the sake of Your kingdom. Guide us to recognize when we, too, are presented with these opportunities and help us to respond with a generous heart. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In anticipation of the feast day of St. Patrick of Ireland, on March 17th, the Celtic Shamrock cross is the cross we will reflect upon today. St. Patrick is remembered and venerated for his tremendous missionary spirit. His witness to and explanation of the Christian faith to the Irish tribes has become the stuff of legends. But the fruitful effect his preaching had on the people was not just a lucky coincidence. It was only able to take place because of the suffering that he had undergone as a young man. Because he was taken away from both hearth and home, i.e. family and nation, St. Patrick had to make a quick and serious study of the people he was living with, in order to survive. He came to deeply understand the culture and beliefs of the Irish people. He knew all about their leaders, their customs, their religious beliefs and practices and more importantly, what it all meant to them. It was this understanding, gained through suffering and hardship, that enabled St. Patrick to speak to the culture in a way that would resonate with them, so that they could come to believe. “We beg you, holy boy, to come and walk again among us." said the voice of the Irish Legend has it, for example, that St. Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate the core tenant of Christianity, the Holy Trinity: Three Persons. One God. Whether he actually did or not is lost in the sands of time, but this is one example of how St. Patrick met the Irish people where they were, coming alongside them, explaining to them that what they sought in all their religious traditions could be fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. The Irish, like many peoples at this time, worshipped certain elements of nature. Understanding this, St. Patrick used nature itself to proclaim the Creator behind it.
This process of using elements already existing in a culture as a springboard to Christianity is referred to as 'pre-evangelization' - God prepares people for the Good News by setting up elements of it within their own culture. Then, when the time of more formal evangelization comes, the people are ready to hear it. This is the pattern of true evangelization; it's the pattern Jesus Himself used on the road to Emmaus, after His death and resurrection. (We see it again later in Mexico, with the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe.) We know that St. Patrick was successful in his missionary attempts, and he came to love the place of his enslavement and the people who lived there. In fact, after a miraculous escape from Ireland, even being reunited with his family, we know that St. Patrick was called back to his mission field by the Irish themselves. He writes that his family, "Welcomed me as a son, and they pleaded with me that, after all the many tribulations I had undergone, I should never leave them again. It was while I was there that I saw, in a vision in the night, a man whose name was Victoricus coming as it were from Ireland with so many letters they could not be counted. He gave me one of these, and I read at the beginning of the letter, 'The voice of the Irish people.' While I was reading out the beginning of the letter, I thought I heard at that moment the voice of those who were beside the wood of Voclut, near the western sea. They called out as it were with one voice: “We beg you, holy boy, to come and walk again among us.” This touched my heart deeply, and I could not read any further; I woke up then. Thanks be to God, after many years the Lord granted them what they were calling for." St. Patrick freely and willingly returned to Ireland, leaving his family and a comfortable life behind. He had already learned to trust God in every situation. He knew God could and would protect him, even when it didn't look like God was acting in his life. The second lesson to learn from St. Patrick is to act as if God is with us. We can look around, learn, and study our circumstances so that we are properly prepared to respond when the time comes. We may not be able to change the difficulties in our lives, but we can always learn and grow from them so that we are ready for the open door, or, in St. Patrick's case, the ship two hundred miles away, when it comes, at the time when God acts. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we thank You for the tireless witness of St. Patrick, and for his willingness to return to the place and people who had enslaved him in order to spread Your Good News. Help us to respond to the circumstances in our lives that are difficult in the same way, by studying and learning so that we are ready to do Your will. And in all things let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, on Sunday, March 17th. This particular saint and his feast day are near and dear to my heart, for many reasons. The witness of his life in the face of significant hardship, from within the Church as well as without, makes St. Patrick a person who we should frequently call upon, developing a relationship with him and his charism that goes beyond wearing green on March 17th and drinking green beer. The crosses for the next several days will focus on him and his message, which is so appropriate for the Lenten season. The Amazing Grace cross above starts us off. First of all, the cross is made of a heavy stone, very similar to the stony outcrops that St. Partrick lived among as a missionary to Ireland. This stone also points to the multiple monasteries that developed around that particular way of life known as 'Celtic Monasticism,' each monastery built not just from stone sourced from the wild and wooly hills nearby, but more importantly, built on and for The Stone, the "cornerstone that the builders rejected." Secondly, the artwork around the "A" and the "G," as well as the font used to write the words "Amazing Grace" are a version of the Celtic sacred arts. This particular scrollwork was started by the Celtic people and then was carried on and continued in the Celtic monasteries. This cross reminds us, first of all, that St. Patrick's life was hard. Captured by raiders at a young age from his native Briton, St. Patrick was forced into a life of servitude and slavery. He was left alone to survive the elements with very little food, clothing or shelter. Tasked with being a shepherd, St. Patrick would later write that it was this very experience of hardship that opened him up to receiving God's grace, God's Amazing Grace. Alone out there on the hillside, dealing with rain, snow, and hunger, St. Patrick recalled that he prayed often.
In his Confession, he says, "After I arrived in Ireland, I tended sheep every day, and I prayed frequently during the day. More and more the love of God increased, and my sense of awe before God. Faith grew, and my spirit was moved, so that in one day I would pray up to one hundred times, and at night perhaps the same. I even remained in the woods and on the mountain, and I would rise to pray before dawn in snow and ice and rain." St. Patrick responded to immense hardship by seeking God. He could have responded to his difficult situation in any number of ways. But he chose to use this experience to pray and ask for help, and God answered him. This decision revealed immense fortitude in the young boy, a virtue he would lean on many times as he grew older and took on the mission God would give him. This is the first lesson we can take from St. Patrick's life: God is with us in all and every situation, and He can bring good out of the worst experience. We often don't know why things happen in our lives. We can only try to respond in the same way that St. Patrick did, believing that somehow, someway, things will work out for the best if we place our faith in God. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we thank You for the gift of St. Patrick. Help us to respond as he did, especially in overwhelming and difficult situations. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. I found this handmade cross at a shop in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a perfect visual embodiment of the Mass readings for today. The first reading, in which the prophet Ezekiel retells one of his visions, proclaims:
Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides. [The angel] said to me, "This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine. (Ez 47:6-9, 12) This is an excerpt called 'The Wonderful Stream," from the book of the prophet Ezekiel. It's related to Ezekiel's famous vision of dead, dry bones coming back to life, when God restores scattered bones by giving them His own breath, giving His own life, back to the people of Israel individually and as a community. The reading today focuses on water, instead of bones. It relates how a certain, specific river will leave the Temple and run through the land, bringing an abundance of fruit and shade, eventually joining with the sea. The water in this stream will cause living creatures to multiply, and each month trees will bear a certain fruit. This is an image not only of peace, but also of order, in that the fruit trees bear fruit at certain times and not just whenever, all higgledy-piggledy. This is an image of paradise, of a coming transformation promised by God and prophesied by Ezekiel. It will be fulfilled by Jesus the Christ, who replaces the Temple in Jerusalem with the Temple of His body, from which life-giving water will flow. Jesus is the Living Water who makes all things new. Just like the cross above shows, the Living Water will produce fruit trees that bear fruit abundantly, providing both food and medicine, replacing the barren dryness of the desert, bringing new and eternal life to all who will drink it and be rooted in it. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we thank You for the beautiful descriptions of the world you intend to create, and of the transformation You intend to bring about. Help us to draw close to the Living Water this Lent, so that we may be like the fruit trees and bear abundant fruit, and our desert may become like a fruitful orchard. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. It doesn't sound quite right, to call the cross carved into a marker for one of the Outdoor Stations of the Cross a "Sign of Life" cross. Yet today, as I was unexpectedly walking around our parish campus with one of our volunteers' dogs, in the midst of a Spring Break Catholic Soccer Camp, that was the realization I came to. (You never know what's going to happen during a typical day in parish life.) All these crosses, carved into each of the Stations of the Cross markers on the outdoor path, are indeed Signs of Life, even as they adorn Jesus' bloody path to death at the same time. How is that? The simple answer is that Jesus' death gives us life, and signs of His life become visible when you do things like walk a dog around an outdoor Stations of the Cross path, in the midst of a Spring Break Catholic Soccer Camp, at a Catholic Church.
We are embodied people, placed in a material world. We are not, nor will we ever be, angelic beings who exist without a body. There is a short period of time in which our soul separates from our body, resulting in death. But this state will ultimately be rectified when our bodies are resurrected and (we hope and believe) glorified like Jesus' body was. Our ultimate destiny is to be embodied once again. Jesus also had a body. He was incarnated into a human body that was His own being, His own flesh and blood, just as much as our bodies uniquely signify us, making us humans. If Jesus had not had a body, then He could not have offered it up on a cross for us, either. He could not have suffered. He could not have died. He most certainly could not have resurrected and ascended. His body was important. It mattered. It made His mission possible. Without Jesus' body, there would be no outdoor Stations of the Cross path to walk around with a dog. There would be no Catholic Soccer Camp, where kids are invited to come and run and jump and play, to talk about integration, and hug themselves and thank God for the gift of their bodies, for the ability to kick and leap, to breathe and laugh. There would be no sports camp that connects the life of an athlete, with all the discipline, sacrifice and teamwork that entails, with the Christian life, a life also rooted in discipline, sacrifice and community. The crosses on these wooden markers remind us of the physical aspect of Jesus' life. He took on human nature at His incarnation and He will keep that nature for the rest of eternity. If this is what Jesus did, does now, and ever will do, then we. too, should also take seriously the care and use of what is embodied - from our four-footed friends to ourselves. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we thank you for the gift of being embodied. Help us to protect and care for what You have created, that we may see signs of Your life in nature and especially in each other. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. PS. If you look closely, you can see the kids and volunteers at Catholic Soccer Camp reflected in the glass. Today, Saturday, March 9th, we find ourselves in an in-between day. We have just left the fourth Friday of Lent behind, where we fasted and/or abstained and took on a little more austerity, in keeping with the solemnity of Fridays in Lent. But tomorrow, March 10th, is Laetare Sunday. "Laetare" is Latin, and is part of the expression proclaiming, "Rejoice, O Jerusalem!" (Is 66:10) This Sunday is similar to Laudate, or Rose, Sunday in Advent. At Mass tomorrow, the priest's chasuble will not be the purple we have seen during Lent. He will instead be wearing a rose or light violet colored vestment. (The rose hue of Laetare Sunday is slightly different than that of Laudate Sunday in Advent, just as the purples of Advent and Lent are not quite the same.) Nevertheless, tomorrow we should experience a lightening, a sense of expectation, a bit of hope in the midst of these long 40 days. We might even see a few flowers on the altar. In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul explains why should feel hope now, despite still being out in the desert, wandering in the wilderness. He writes, "Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light!" (Rom 13:11b-12) We are now deeply into the journey to the cross, not too far away from Jesus' ascent to His cross on Calvary. What will take place there is the restoration of the covenant not kept by the first Adam, but renewed and fulfilled by the second Adam, Jesus the Christ. On His cross, water will flow from His side, pouring down upon the earth in the same way that the water originally flowed out of the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:10 tells us that a river rose "in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches." The water in Eden signified the presence of God, who shares His life with us and makes this life universally available by separating into four branches, i.e. the four corners of the world. We ourselves are able to partake of this holy water through Baptism, and the mingling of the water and the wine is repeated in every Mass. "Let us throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light!" (Rom 13:11b-12) That's why the cross for today is not just a cross, but it's also a holy water font. It is a sacramental specially designed to hold Holy Water, so that we can bring that Holy Water home from the church and use it in our daily lives, so that what we proclaim in the Sacred Spaces we use to sanctify in the ordinary places. As you can see, this cross is also joyful! There's nothing sad or downcast about this type of Mexican pottery, commonly referred to as Talavera pottery. This cross is a fitting symbol to ponder on this in-between day, as we stop at an oasis for a bit of spiritual refreshment before pushing ahead to the end of the journey.
Let us pray: Holy Trinity, thank you for giving us this small pause, this little break of refreshment, so that we can rest and recover enough to move ahead with the rest of the Lent season. Help us to carry the joy of Laetare Sunday in our hearts as we journey on. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Today is the fourth Friday of our Lenten pilgrimage. We take Fridays during Lent a little more seriously than the other days of the week, due to its implicit connection to Good Friday. Although technically we are only called to abstain from meat on these days, many Catholic households still respond by eating a little less, and maybe skip dessert, due to the inherent solemnity of these Fridays. These Fridays of Lent give us the chance to focus more fully. We can collect our thoughts, place ourselves in the presence of the Lord, and concentrate. That's why the cross for today is the Focus cross. It's subdued, earthy colors and small size invites us to slow down and travel through today more deliberately, uniting our thoughts with our actions, focusing on simplicity and humility. You may have seen the statements below already. I've adapted them for our purpose here, today. Read them each slowly, thoughtfully, imagining you are walking with Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, bringing your thoughts, words and steps together. FAST from judging others; FOCUS on Christ dwelling within them. FAST from thoughts of ill; FOCUS on God's healing power. FA from thoughts that weaken; FOCUS on promises that inspire. FAST from words that criticize; FOCUS on words that praise. FAST from what is life-stealing. FAST from worry and problems that overwhelm;
FOCUS on God's loving providence and prayer that sustains. FAST from idle gossip and suspicion; FOCUS on silence with a purpose and truth. FAST from discontent and complaining; FOCUS on gratitude and appreciation. FAST from discouragement; FOCUS on offering hope. FAST from sorrow and anger; FOCUS on serenit and patience. FAST from personal anxiety and bitterness; FOCUS on eternal truth and forgiveness. (source: unknown) Learn to FAST from evil and discouragement and FOCUS on the good things of God. Let us pray: Holy Trinity, unite our thoughts and our actions during this Lenten pilgrimage, so that we say and do what is pleasing to You. Help us fast from what is life-steaking and focus on You and Your promises, which are life-giving. And in all things, let us praise You. Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
40 Crosses for
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