Sow a thought, reap an act.
Sow an act, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
--Taken from Peter Kreeft’s “Fundamentals of the Faith”
This hit me hard when I read it, because it is true. It is so easy for fallen human beings to go from a single thought to a destiny, without even realizing it.
It reminds me of an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote: “Have a drink. The drink has a drink. And the drink has you.”
All it takes is the seed of evil to be planted within us, and an entire garden of bad fruit can grow, and ultimately devour our paths toward God.
Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor,” for a reason. He also taught us to pray to the Father by saying “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” for a reason. We cannot enter the gates of Heaven with any hate in us, just as we are turned down at the stadium if we are carrying a firearm. There are no exceptions—leave the gun behind, and you shall enter the stadium, leave the hate behind, we shall enter into God’s Stadium.
Therefore, human relationships are the most important possessions we have on earth, because it is a direct connection between one of God’s creations with another. God’s LOVE connected with God’s LOVE.
Just as it is hard for an alcoholic to acknowledge his addiction when surrounded by other alcoholics in a bar, it is hard for two people to acknowledge that they are in a sinful union until they are apart. That is why so many people stay within the “comfort zone” of an abusive relationship, because by leaving it, they will have to acknowledge it is truly abusive.
The difference is that two human beings make up a marriage (union with God), whereas a human and a material item (alcohol, products of shopping, pornography, etc) make up no relationship at all, but rather, a sinful disillusion.
Human beings can find God’s LIGHT, the path of righteousness, and follow it, but a material object will forever be a material object, and a material object will NEVER bring you happiness, because happiness is God.
The drunk must eliminate the booze to get better. Human beings, to get better, need each other. Even the most holy of saints needed other people, because if there were no other people, there would have been no one to pray for.
We all sow thoughts into actions, actions into habits, habits into characters, and characters into destinies. We do not have a choice, because we all have a destiny. And we cannot control our every thought, therefore, bad seeds will exist in the garden. But a good farmer tends to his fields. A good farmer does not allow the bad seeds to overcome the good seeds, otherwise he ends up with a harvest full of bad crops.
Just as the good farmer possesses the necessary tools of discovering the bad seeds before they grow into plants, God provides us the necessary tools of discovering the bad thoughts we sow into actions, and so on, and so on.
Because of free will, it is up to us to tend our fields. That is, if we would like a profitable harvest.
Love and GOD Forever!
Anthony Paul
Monday, December 7, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Why We Look to the Sky
“If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is void of content and your faith is empty too…If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins…If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of all men.”
--1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 19
To paraphrase Bishop Fulton Sheen ‘Christ is the only person ever born to die.’ The reason for this is the Resurrection. If Christ would not have suffered and died on Calvary, He would not have resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, thus raising us from the death of our sins, and making us, not worthy (for we can never be worthy), but made possible to reach salvation.
It can be said that the Resurrection is the cornerstone, the absolute foundation of Christianity—His Church. If we deny the Resurrection we deny our own salvation, which is what our hearts most fervently desire. We are put on this earth as preparation for the homeland—Heaven. And we can only reach the homeland if we are invited by the homeland’s resident landlord—God.
If you or I were to greatly offend and hurt another person, as far as brutally murdering the person’s only son with no remorse, would we expect that person to welcome us into their home with open arms? We wouldn’t even ask.
Yet, we feel as if we can do it to God? The Creator? He who made us with and through His LOVE, and continues to forgive us our trespasses time after time?
Sounds pretty naïve and foolish to me.
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins…”
What is the point of believing anything if we do not believe in the Resurrection? We can believe every other facet of Christ’s life, however large or minute, but what would it matter? We have to believe ALL of it! Just as a car needs an ignition (the Annunciation) to start the engine, it needs a gas pedal (the Resurrection) to allow the car to propel forward to its destination (Heaven).
Lastly, “If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of all men.”
Christ came down to this earth, professed the Father’s Word, and endured His Passion, so the gates of Heaven would swing open, making it possible for us to enter our REAL lives—a life with God. If there is no Heaven, no life after this world, we are already living in hell!
Love and GOD Forever!
Anthony Paul
--1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 19
To paraphrase Bishop Fulton Sheen ‘Christ is the only person ever born to die.’ The reason for this is the Resurrection. If Christ would not have suffered and died on Calvary, He would not have resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, thus raising us from the death of our sins, and making us, not worthy (for we can never be worthy), but made possible to reach salvation.
It can be said that the Resurrection is the cornerstone, the absolute foundation of Christianity—His Church. If we deny the Resurrection we deny our own salvation, which is what our hearts most fervently desire. We are put on this earth as preparation for the homeland—Heaven. And we can only reach the homeland if we are invited by the homeland’s resident landlord—God.
If you or I were to greatly offend and hurt another person, as far as brutally murdering the person’s only son with no remorse, would we expect that person to welcome us into their home with open arms? We wouldn’t even ask.
Yet, we feel as if we can do it to God? The Creator? He who made us with and through His LOVE, and continues to forgive us our trespasses time after time?
Sounds pretty naïve and foolish to me.
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins…”
What is the point of believing anything if we do not believe in the Resurrection? We can believe every other facet of Christ’s life, however large or minute, but what would it matter? We have to believe ALL of it! Just as a car needs an ignition (the Annunciation) to start the engine, it needs a gas pedal (the Resurrection) to allow the car to propel forward to its destination (Heaven).
Lastly, “If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of all men.”
Christ came down to this earth, professed the Father’s Word, and endured His Passion, so the gates of Heaven would swing open, making it possible for us to enter our REAL lives—a life with God. If there is no Heaven, no life after this world, we are already living in hell!
Love and GOD Forever!
Anthony Paul
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Live Right Now; Not for Yourself but Others
“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you you can do with what there is.”
--The Old Man and the Sea
I was struggling today while saying my mid-day prayers. I was feeling helpless, and fighting as hard as I could to keep from feeling hopeless. Aside from the physical discomfort of doubt and anxiety, I feel great spiritual emptiness when I allow doubt and anxiety to overcome me—I feel it is a great offense to God, a lack of faith and trust in Him.
Why should I expect to have anything more than what I have at the moment?
Why should I feel as if what I have—from Him—at the moment, is not good enough?
Often I see people sitting with others, looking down at the i-Phone or Blackberry in their hands, rather than appreciating the person right in front of them. And not just a person but a creation made from, by, and for God’s LOVE.
How often do we sit down with others for a meal in front of the television? Or not with each other at all, but in separate rooms?
How often do we kneel down alongside one another and pray together?
How often do we thank God for the present moment? How often do we look towards the sky, or bow our heads in reverence, and thank Him for providing such a beautiful day? And not just the sunny and warm days, without a cloud in the sky, but the cold, dreary, rainy days, as well? Every day is beautiful, and should be accepted as a blessing and gift from God!
I have tried my best to offer such short prayers to God, during all moments of my day, and I feel at peace, knowing that He is happy, and He will continue to bless me.
Very recently, I have been more mindful of these things, but I still have my shortfalls. I feel more and more homesick than ever, and I keep telling myself that I only have one month until I am near many dearly beloved family members and friends. But then, I try to remind myself that I am ALWAYS near dearly beloved family and friends—no matter where I am—because, not only is God ALWAYS with me, but every person I pass is a family member—brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
--Luke 10:20
I hope and pray that my name is written in heaven, but I have been trying to pray more and more each day, that as many names as possible, will be written next to mine.
Love and GOD FOREVER,
Anthony Paul
--The Old Man and the Sea
I was struggling today while saying my mid-day prayers. I was feeling helpless, and fighting as hard as I could to keep from feeling hopeless. Aside from the physical discomfort of doubt and anxiety, I feel great spiritual emptiness when I allow doubt and anxiety to overcome me—I feel it is a great offense to God, a lack of faith and trust in Him.
Why should I expect to have anything more than what I have at the moment?
Why should I feel as if what I have—from Him—at the moment, is not good enough?
Often I see people sitting with others, looking down at the i-Phone or Blackberry in their hands, rather than appreciating the person right in front of them. And not just a person but a creation made from, by, and for God’s LOVE.
How often do we sit down with others for a meal in front of the television? Or not with each other at all, but in separate rooms?
How often do we kneel down alongside one another and pray together?
How often do we thank God for the present moment? How often do we look towards the sky, or bow our heads in reverence, and thank Him for providing such a beautiful day? And not just the sunny and warm days, without a cloud in the sky, but the cold, dreary, rainy days, as well? Every day is beautiful, and should be accepted as a blessing and gift from God!
I have tried my best to offer such short prayers to God, during all moments of my day, and I feel at peace, knowing that He is happy, and He will continue to bless me.
Very recently, I have been more mindful of these things, but I still have my shortfalls. I feel more and more homesick than ever, and I keep telling myself that I only have one month until I am near many dearly beloved family members and friends. But then, I try to remind myself that I am ALWAYS near dearly beloved family and friends—no matter where I am—because, not only is God ALWAYS with me, but every person I pass is a family member—brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
--Luke 10:20
I hope and pray that my name is written in heaven, but I have been trying to pray more and more each day, that as many names as possible, will be written next to mine.
Love and GOD FOREVER,
Anthony Paul
Thursday, November 19, 2009
JESUS; OUR EUCHARISTIC LOVE
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and Himself for me.”
--Galatians 2:20
We were ALL crucified with Christ. Through His crucifixion and death it was made possible for ALL souls to enter the gates of Heaven, and spend eternity with the Father and all His Glory!
Before Christ, the gates of Heaven were closed—no matter how virtuous a life someone lived, he or she had to wait for the Son of Man to take flesh, preach love and forgiveness, be ridiculed and slain, and rise up on the third day, so they could enter the Presence of God.
How sad and meaningless is life without the reward of Heaven on the other side? With Christ’s death this reality died.
What I want to stress is the necessity of God’s sacrifice—Christ, and in turn, Christ’s sacrifice—His body and blood, which is ever-present in the Eucharist.
Saint Paul says, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” I would have to imagine Saint Paul was referring to the Eucharist in this statement. There is no replacement, no better way for Christ to live in us that through the Blessed Sacrament! There is NOTHING more surreal, beautiful, miraculous, and all-LOVING than the celebration of Holy Mass, which occurs so close to us, so many times a day, re-enacting the ultimate sacrifice—that of GOD, for us…for us sinners!
There are countless saints whose ONLY desire, ONLY passion, every minute of every day, was to celebrate Mass and receive Christ into their bodies through the Eucharist. And how happy God was with them! How merciful He must have been when their earthly lives came to an end!
There is NO greater way to praise, give thanks, obtain healing of body, mind and spirit, as well as humble thyself, than to receive Christ into us. But be very mindful of your sins. We should always be as pure of heart and soul as possible when receiving the Blessed Sacrament. And receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is actually damaging to the soul (see the saintly quotes at the end of post for further explanation of this)!
So be mindful of Mass. Pick up a copy of “JESUS; OUR EUCHARISTIC LOVE” by Father Stefano M. Manelli, FI, to learn of all the majesty and holiness of the Mass.
Make time for Mass. We make time for countless hours of smut and temptation-inspiring television, but we are too busy to attend Mass? Daily Mass is twenty minutes at the most. An episode of “Nip Tuck” is thirty minutes. An episode of “Desperate Housewives” is three times longer than daily Mass. Which do you think serves God, and makes him happy? I’ll put it on a line all its own for further emphasis:
We are too busy for Mass? For God? For the One who was wounded over 5,000 times so that we can be forgiven, and obtain eternal bliss?
Really? What if God was too busy to ever create us? What if He was too busy to create the world?
I am not perfect. I am far from perfect. Do I go to Daily Mass? No. And I should. I need to.
Go to confession, repent your sins, attend Mass as often as possible, and let Christ LIVE inside of you!
I will conclude this post with a series of quotes from various saints, regarding the Eucharist. I found these quotes in a little book, aforementioned, “JESUS; OUR EUCHARISTIC LOVE” by Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, FI. Thank you, Sean, it took me a few years to pick this book up, but is a life-changer, indeed!
“The Eucharist is a daily Bread that we take as remedy for the frailty we suffer from daily.” --Saint Augustine
“Every consecrated Host is made to burn Itself up with love in a human heart.”
--Cure´ of Ars
“We should not forget that Holy Thursday was the day for which Jesus had longed.”
--Luke 22:15
“It is not in order to occupy a golden ciborium that Jesus every day comes down from Heaven, namely, our soul, in which He takes delight, and when a soul well able to do so does not want to receive Jesus into its heart, Jesus weeps. Therefore, when the devil cannot enter with sin into a soul’s sanctuary, he wants the soul to be at least unoccupied, with no Master, and well removed from Holy Communion.”
--Saint Therese of Lisieux
“Endeavor not to miss Communion. We can scarcely give our enemy, the devil, greater joy than when we withdraw from Jesus, who takes away the power the enemy has over us.”
--Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
“My distractions are numerous, and with Jesus I learn to recollect myself. The occasions of offending God are frequent, and I receive strength every day from Him to flee from them. I need light and prudence to manage very difficult affairs, and every day I can consult Jesus in the Holy Communion. He is my great Teacher.”
--Saint Thomas More
“Those who have little to do must receive Communion often, since it is not inconvenient for them; the same also goes for those who have much to do, since then they have more need of it.”
--Saint Francis Desales
I pray that this post may inspire all to, not only attend Mass more regularly, but to do it with greater passion, love, and humility.
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
--Galatians 2:20
We were ALL crucified with Christ. Through His crucifixion and death it was made possible for ALL souls to enter the gates of Heaven, and spend eternity with the Father and all His Glory!
Before Christ, the gates of Heaven were closed—no matter how virtuous a life someone lived, he or she had to wait for the Son of Man to take flesh, preach love and forgiveness, be ridiculed and slain, and rise up on the third day, so they could enter the Presence of God.
How sad and meaningless is life without the reward of Heaven on the other side? With Christ’s death this reality died.
What I want to stress is the necessity of God’s sacrifice—Christ, and in turn, Christ’s sacrifice—His body and blood, which is ever-present in the Eucharist.
Saint Paul says, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” I would have to imagine Saint Paul was referring to the Eucharist in this statement. There is no replacement, no better way for Christ to live in us that through the Blessed Sacrament! There is NOTHING more surreal, beautiful, miraculous, and all-LOVING than the celebration of Holy Mass, which occurs so close to us, so many times a day, re-enacting the ultimate sacrifice—that of GOD, for us…for us sinners!
There are countless saints whose ONLY desire, ONLY passion, every minute of every day, was to celebrate Mass and receive Christ into their bodies through the Eucharist. And how happy God was with them! How merciful He must have been when their earthly lives came to an end!
There is NO greater way to praise, give thanks, obtain healing of body, mind and spirit, as well as humble thyself, than to receive Christ into us. But be very mindful of your sins. We should always be as pure of heart and soul as possible when receiving the Blessed Sacrament. And receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is actually damaging to the soul (see the saintly quotes at the end of post for further explanation of this)!
So be mindful of Mass. Pick up a copy of “JESUS; OUR EUCHARISTIC LOVE” by Father Stefano M. Manelli, FI, to learn of all the majesty and holiness of the Mass.
Make time for Mass. We make time for countless hours of smut and temptation-inspiring television, but we are too busy to attend Mass? Daily Mass is twenty minutes at the most. An episode of “Nip Tuck” is thirty minutes. An episode of “Desperate Housewives” is three times longer than daily Mass. Which do you think serves God, and makes him happy? I’ll put it on a line all its own for further emphasis:
We are too busy for Mass? For God? For the One who was wounded over 5,000 times so that we can be forgiven, and obtain eternal bliss?
Really? What if God was too busy to ever create us? What if He was too busy to create the world?
I am not perfect. I am far from perfect. Do I go to Daily Mass? No. And I should. I need to.
Go to confession, repent your sins, attend Mass as often as possible, and let Christ LIVE inside of you!
I will conclude this post with a series of quotes from various saints, regarding the Eucharist. I found these quotes in a little book, aforementioned, “JESUS; OUR EUCHARISTIC LOVE” by Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, FI. Thank you, Sean, it took me a few years to pick this book up, but is a life-changer, indeed!
“The Eucharist is a daily Bread that we take as remedy for the frailty we suffer from daily.” --Saint Augustine
“Every consecrated Host is made to burn Itself up with love in a human heart.”
--Cure´ of Ars
“We should not forget that Holy Thursday was the day for which Jesus had longed.”
--Luke 22:15
“It is not in order to occupy a golden ciborium that Jesus every day comes down from Heaven, namely, our soul, in which He takes delight, and when a soul well able to do so does not want to receive Jesus into its heart, Jesus weeps. Therefore, when the devil cannot enter with sin into a soul’s sanctuary, he wants the soul to be at least unoccupied, with no Master, and well removed from Holy Communion.”
--Saint Therese of Lisieux
“Endeavor not to miss Communion. We can scarcely give our enemy, the devil, greater joy than when we withdraw from Jesus, who takes away the power the enemy has over us.”
--Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
“My distractions are numerous, and with Jesus I learn to recollect myself. The occasions of offending God are frequent, and I receive strength every day from Him to flee from them. I need light and prudence to manage very difficult affairs, and every day I can consult Jesus in the Holy Communion. He is my great Teacher.”
--Saint Thomas More
“Those who have little to do must receive Communion often, since it is not inconvenient for them; the same also goes for those who have much to do, since then they have more need of it.”
--Saint Francis Desales
I pray that this post may inspire all to, not only attend Mass more regularly, but to do it with greater passion, love, and humility.
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wait...wait...wait...He Answers Us Always!
“Let us conduct ourselves in all circumstances as God’s ministers, in much patience; in tribulations, in hardships, in distresses; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults; in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings; in innocence, in knowledge, in long-sufferings, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unaffected love; in the word of truth, in the power of God; with the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left; in honor and dishonor, in evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet truthful, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold, we live, as chastised but not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet enriching many, as having nothing yet possessing all things.”
2 Corinthians 6: 4-10
In this passage Saint Paul is describing the perfect apostolic man. It is especially important to take notice of the overlying theme—patience. God does not work on our clock. As put by the pastor of Saint Mary’s in Gatlinburg this past Sunday, “God does not acknowledge time. Time does not even exist to Him.” And in very eloquent, as well as beautiful imagery, he went on to mention that ‘we are as close to the foot of the Cross on Sunday in Mass, as Mary and Saint John were on the day of Christ’s crucifixion!’
How could this possibly be?
God transcends time. He transcends everything. And He so loves us that, not only did He give His only Son—an extension of Himself, to atone for our sins nearly 2,000 years ago (in human time), He continues to give Christ as a sacrifice to us every single time a Mass is celebrated!
Why are the doors not flung open, with people pouring out onto the streets to receive the Most Holy Blessed Sacrament?
Because we are too impatient to take a very short amount of our daily time—time that is a privilege given to us by the Father, not a right obtained at our conception, to learn of God’s unending, unfathomable love and mercy.
Last night there was a football game. Of course there was a football game; there were many of them; it was Sunday. That’s the day we wake up, consume alcohol, eat fattening food, drape ourselves in various colors, and worship football. The last game of the night ended with a “questionable” coaching decision. On 4th and 2, at their own 29-yard-line, the team winning by 6 points decided to go for first down rather than punt. They didn’t get it, and ultimately lost.
Why is this so important, you may ask. It’s not.
But every time I look up at the televisions of my workplace they are talking about it, discussing it, beating the issue over the head with a thousand pound club, until we are all sick to our stomachs over the very thought of it.
How many times today did I look up and see a program about God or the Eucharist? Not once.
For thousands of years man has given God every reason to lose His patience with us, and he remains merciful and loving, no matter how many sins we commit against Him. We miss Sunday Mass, but we do not miss a single second of the football game. We consume our minds and lives, seeking the answer for riches and the ‘good life’ through “Secrets of the Mega Rich” articles in man-made business magazines, yet our bibles and prayer books gather dust on the shelves, while our churches remain half full. The very moment something “bad” happens in our lives, we give up hope, lose patience, and question His very existence. But He remains patient.
It is difficult to sit back and wait, especially in the “want it now” society we have built with various forms of technology. We want even our prayers to be heard immediately, and rewarded immediately.
I remember being a sophomore in high school, and saying a nightly devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, hoping to become the starting point guard on the basketball team. I was more devout to that chaplet, and that cause, than many since.
Day after day went by, and I practiced harder and harder, to no initial answer of my prayers. I persevered through the rest of my sophomore year, and was even stripped of my varsity jersey by the end of the season.
Over the following seven months I practiced every day, and I prayed every night. As the beginning of the season neared I was sure that my time had come. Then, one week before opening tip-off, I was demoted to second string, and days later, third string. Ultimately I spent the majority of my time playing junior varsity basketball for the third consecutive year. My hopes were crushed, but I did my best to endure the internal disappointment.
Finally, my senior year rolled around, and shortly into the fall we began practicing for the upcoming season. The idea of sitting out the season never crossed my mind. I had put too much time, sweat, and devotion into that team for three years to give up. Also, I had not reached my ultimate goal—starting point guard. So I practiced every day, and prayed every night, and just as it happened the previous two years, I was demoted from first string to second string days before the first game.
I was not discouraged; I was irate. I wanted to quit, but I loved my teammates, and I didn’t want to walk out on them. I figured I would still get to play quite a bit, even if I wasn’t a starter. I was wrong. I hardly played at all.
Four games into the season, I quit. I have never revealed that to anyone before now. I didn’t turn my jersey in, though, which I still believe to be a blessing. I skipped four consecutive practices. In my mind, my career was over. Then, on the afternoon of the next game I felt an irreplaceable feeling of emptiness. I could not imagine what I would do, or how I would feel if that game went on as scheduled, and I was not in uniform with my teammates. So I swallowed my pride, walked back in that gymnasium, and then into my coach’s office, and I pleaded for my spot on the team. He must have been in a good mood, or God somehow intervened, because he agreed to let me rejoin the team. I was sure that I would almost never play again, except in practice. But I was okay with it. I was satisfied knowing that I had not quit.
Several games later, one guy went down with the flu, and could not play. I walked into the locker room from pre-game warm ups, and my name was on the chalkboard, along with the other four starters. I had waited three and half years for that moment, practiced three and a half years for that moment, but most importantly, I prayed for three and a half years for that moment. And I started every remaining game in that season. My patience and perseverance was rewarded.
I still remember that story, every time I want to quit or succumb to a hardship. And that’s when I pick up my Rosary and pray. He’s patiently waiting, always!
I would like to conclude this post with a passage from Saint John Chrysostom:
“The weak and lazy quit immediately at the first difficulty; the earnest and the ardent, instead, persevere in Divine pursuits even in the face of a thousand obstacles; and as much as it lies within their power, they accomplish all things. It is particularly characteristic of the lover never to cease doing what pleases his beloved.”
Love and GOD FOREVER,
Anthony Paul
2 Corinthians 6: 4-10
In this passage Saint Paul is describing the perfect apostolic man. It is especially important to take notice of the overlying theme—patience. God does not work on our clock. As put by the pastor of Saint Mary’s in Gatlinburg this past Sunday, “God does not acknowledge time. Time does not even exist to Him.” And in very eloquent, as well as beautiful imagery, he went on to mention that ‘we are as close to the foot of the Cross on Sunday in Mass, as Mary and Saint John were on the day of Christ’s crucifixion!’
How could this possibly be?
God transcends time. He transcends everything. And He so loves us that, not only did He give His only Son—an extension of Himself, to atone for our sins nearly 2,000 years ago (in human time), He continues to give Christ as a sacrifice to us every single time a Mass is celebrated!
Why are the doors not flung open, with people pouring out onto the streets to receive the Most Holy Blessed Sacrament?
Because we are too impatient to take a very short amount of our daily time—time that is a privilege given to us by the Father, not a right obtained at our conception, to learn of God’s unending, unfathomable love and mercy.
Last night there was a football game. Of course there was a football game; there were many of them; it was Sunday. That’s the day we wake up, consume alcohol, eat fattening food, drape ourselves in various colors, and worship football. The last game of the night ended with a “questionable” coaching decision. On 4th and 2, at their own 29-yard-line, the team winning by 6 points decided to go for first down rather than punt. They didn’t get it, and ultimately lost.
Why is this so important, you may ask. It’s not.
But every time I look up at the televisions of my workplace they are talking about it, discussing it, beating the issue over the head with a thousand pound club, until we are all sick to our stomachs over the very thought of it.
How many times today did I look up and see a program about God or the Eucharist? Not once.
For thousands of years man has given God every reason to lose His patience with us, and he remains merciful and loving, no matter how many sins we commit against Him. We miss Sunday Mass, but we do not miss a single second of the football game. We consume our minds and lives, seeking the answer for riches and the ‘good life’ through “Secrets of the Mega Rich” articles in man-made business magazines, yet our bibles and prayer books gather dust on the shelves, while our churches remain half full. The very moment something “bad” happens in our lives, we give up hope, lose patience, and question His very existence. But He remains patient.
It is difficult to sit back and wait, especially in the “want it now” society we have built with various forms of technology. We want even our prayers to be heard immediately, and rewarded immediately.
I remember being a sophomore in high school, and saying a nightly devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, hoping to become the starting point guard on the basketball team. I was more devout to that chaplet, and that cause, than many since.
Day after day went by, and I practiced harder and harder, to no initial answer of my prayers. I persevered through the rest of my sophomore year, and was even stripped of my varsity jersey by the end of the season.
Over the following seven months I practiced every day, and I prayed every night. As the beginning of the season neared I was sure that my time had come. Then, one week before opening tip-off, I was demoted to second string, and days later, third string. Ultimately I spent the majority of my time playing junior varsity basketball for the third consecutive year. My hopes were crushed, but I did my best to endure the internal disappointment.
Finally, my senior year rolled around, and shortly into the fall we began practicing for the upcoming season. The idea of sitting out the season never crossed my mind. I had put too much time, sweat, and devotion into that team for three years to give up. Also, I had not reached my ultimate goal—starting point guard. So I practiced every day, and prayed every night, and just as it happened the previous two years, I was demoted from first string to second string days before the first game.
I was not discouraged; I was irate. I wanted to quit, but I loved my teammates, and I didn’t want to walk out on them. I figured I would still get to play quite a bit, even if I wasn’t a starter. I was wrong. I hardly played at all.
Four games into the season, I quit. I have never revealed that to anyone before now. I didn’t turn my jersey in, though, which I still believe to be a blessing. I skipped four consecutive practices. In my mind, my career was over. Then, on the afternoon of the next game I felt an irreplaceable feeling of emptiness. I could not imagine what I would do, or how I would feel if that game went on as scheduled, and I was not in uniform with my teammates. So I swallowed my pride, walked back in that gymnasium, and then into my coach’s office, and I pleaded for my spot on the team. He must have been in a good mood, or God somehow intervened, because he agreed to let me rejoin the team. I was sure that I would almost never play again, except in practice. But I was okay with it. I was satisfied knowing that I had not quit.
Several games later, one guy went down with the flu, and could not play. I walked into the locker room from pre-game warm ups, and my name was on the chalkboard, along with the other four starters. I had waited three and half years for that moment, practiced three and a half years for that moment, but most importantly, I prayed for three and a half years for that moment. And I started every remaining game in that season. My patience and perseverance was rewarded.
I still remember that story, every time I want to quit or succumb to a hardship. And that’s when I pick up my Rosary and pray. He’s patiently waiting, always!
I would like to conclude this post with a passage from Saint John Chrysostom:
“The weak and lazy quit immediately at the first difficulty; the earnest and the ardent, instead, persevere in Divine pursuits even in the face of a thousand obstacles; and as much as it lies within their power, they accomplish all things. It is particularly characteristic of the lover never to cease doing what pleases his beloved.”
Love and GOD FOREVER,
Anthony Paul
Monday, November 16, 2009
Prayer to Saint Francis of Assisi
Dear Saint Francis,
you reflected the image of Christ
through a life of poverty and humility.
You touched the poor with compassion
and joyfully served the sick and oppressed.
You gave away all your earthly treasures
to bring the heavenly glory of God to all people.
Though marked with the wounds of our Precious Lord's Passion,
you never exalted yourself above others.
Meek and gentle Saint Francis,
pray for me that I may be willing
to dedicate my life to Christ as you did.
Amen
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
you reflected the image of Christ
through a life of poverty and humility.
You touched the poor with compassion
and joyfully served the sick and oppressed.
You gave away all your earthly treasures
to bring the heavenly glory of God to all people.
Though marked with the wounds of our Precious Lord's Passion,
you never exalted yourself above others.
Meek and gentle Saint Francis,
pray for me that I may be willing
to dedicate my life to Christ as you did.
Amen
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Prayer to Saint Anthony
Dear Saint Anthony,
Be near today,
Help me seek and find
What's gone astray.
When darkness enters
Show me the light
To bring the lost
Into God's sight.
With the Infant Child
Embrace my soul;
Bless all my ways
And make me whole.
Amen.
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
Be near today,
Help me seek and find
What's gone astray.
When darkness enters
Show me the light
To bring the lost
Into God's sight.
With the Infant Child
Embrace my soul;
Bless all my ways
And make me whole.
Amen.
Love and GOD FOREVER!
Anthony Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)