Bondad en los malos dias

The Spanish “Bondad en los malos dias” in English, can mean. “Goodness in bad days.”

I am pretty sure that once in a while you may experience bad days, days when you do not feel right and it shows in your actions, gestures and even in your face. And all of a sudden certain people close to you ask; “How are you? What happened? Or what’s wrong? And you might say depending on what’s bothering you, “I have a headache”, “I feel sick”, “I am hungry” or “I had a misunderstanding with someone”. The person asking that question about your condition is showing you a gesture of concern. But those who ask that question should also realize that the answers it produces headache, sick, hungry or a misunderstanding with someone does not automatically make the day bad.

If you are going to think deeper, was there ever a day in the entire history of mankind when everything is good and perfect? When no one had headaches, when no one was sick, or when no one was hungry. Perhaps, there has never been a moment in human history that there was a good and perfect day.

Many of us may think that the perfect days were the “good old days”, the days when we were younger, or like the days of the early church. Our early church was not as good as it may seem, there was disagreement between Peter and Paul, conflict between Paul and his companion Barnabas, but because of these disagreements or imperfect days, did that make our early church bad? No, because after their disagreement, after they parted ways, the result was the establishment of more churches.

 I believe we will always have good days and bad days. As a certain poem says; “Into each life some rain must fall.” The most important thing is not whether the sun is shining or not. The most important thing is not whether you are healthy or sick. The most important thing is that whether, in good days or bad days, in sickness or in health, in life or in death, it is the Lord who journeys with us.

Marian Titles: Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, Help of Christians

Throughout the month of May, this blog has focused on titles of Mary from the Litany of Loreto.  Today, we have the fifth and final installment.

Refuge of Sinners

As with most of the Marian titles we have discussed in this series, it is easiest to understand this title through the context of Jesus.  God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus and created her free from sin from the very instant of her conception.  He made Mary a refuge from sin to carry his son.  But this title is not Refuge from Sin, but rather Refuge of Sinners.  Why?  Because Mary is our spiritual mother as well.  In her, we find a place that is free from sin, and thus a place where we can seek safety from the temptations of this world.  As the Advent hymn “Rorate Caeli” says, “We all have sinned and are become like those who are unclean” but “Be now comforted, O you my people, for most speedily comes salvation.”  Our salvation was brought about through Mary, and thus, she is our refuge.

Comforter of the Afflicted

Mary herself suffered greatly during her lifetime.  Simeon foretold that “you yourself, a sword shall pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35).  Because Mary suffered, she is able to understand our suffering.  No matter how great it may be, we can be reassured that Mary understands our pain.

Help of Christians

The final title we shall discuss from the Litany of Loreto, though not the final title the Litany contains, demonstrates that Mary is our intercessor to her son, Jesus, and to God the Father.  Throughout history, Mary has been deemed a particularly effective intercessor for us.  Healings have occurred, battles have been won, and countless prayers have been answered because of her.

Through delving a little deeper into the titles of Mary we have explored this month, I hope you have found a title that speaks to you.  Each of these titles constitutes a special devotion to Mary in a specific context.  If there is a title that we discussed you would like to know more about, Google searches for each title bring up numerous results for you to peruse and explore.

As the month of May comes to a close, let us pray that Mary, our mother, will be with us always and intercede for us.

Comfort Zones

What do we mean by Comfort Zones? Judith Bardwick says it is a state within which a person operates in an anxiety neutral position. Brene Brown says, “It is where our uncertainty, scarcity and vulnerability are minimized, where we believe we’ll have access to enough love, food, talent, time, admiration. Where we feel we have some control.” And many other psychologists refers to it as a state within which a person feels at ease, familiar, and in control, and experiences low anxiety. A person in this state uses a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.

A Comfort Zone is an area which we are used to. It is plans, thoughts, words, actions and things that we love to do because with them we are assured of our happiness and success. We are used to them because it gives us a certain level of comfort. And so outside this zone, we become uncertain, insecure and unsure because we don’t know whether we will be happy or unhappy, successful or failures.

I believe that all of us have Comfort Zones. We do things that make us happy, we go with people that we are sure of. We go to places that are safe and secure. We do things where we can predict the outcome. We frequent restaurants that assure us of good and satisfying food and service. We make this; we plan that because we are sure of the outcome. These are our Comfort Zones.

The Apostles Simon, Andrew, James and John also had their own Comfort Zones. They were all fishermen. They were good at fishing. That was as far as they could go and fishing was their only Comfort Zone. Then here comes Jesus and invites them, “Come, follow me.” Following Jesus is way outside the boundaries of their Comfort Zones. They don’t know Jesus, they don’t what kind of word that this man Jesus is offering them, they don’t know where are they going to live, they don’t know what will happen to their families, but just the same they go beyond their Comfort Zones and do a heroic act: they follow Jesus. They just have found a new secure and reassuring Comfort Zone in Jesus.

Let us challenge ourselves to go beyond and move out of our Comfort Zones and discover life and discover Jesus. Some of us have so many fears, we have set our parameters so tightly around us that we cannot move anymore. Let us break loose, grow and discover new beginnings, new opportunities and more and wider Comfort Zones in life with God

Marian Titles: Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, Health of the Sick

This week, we continue our series on Marian titles with Mary as Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, and Health of the Sick.

Gate of Heaven

Just as Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father, except through me” (John 14:6), no one comes to Jesus, except through Mary in a very literal sense.  Without Mary, there would be no Jesus.  According to Tom Perna, “Mary is the ‘Gate of Heaven’ because … Our Lord, who entered the world through her, allows her to lead us closer to Him” (source).  One of the few direct quotes we hear from Mary in the Bible is “Do whatever he [Jesus] tells you” (John 2:5).  Mary brings people to Jesus, so that He may help them.  One of the individuals who went through RCIA this year found her way to the Catholic Church through a special devotion to Mary.  It is wonderful to see Our Lady working through people in their day to day lives even now.

Morning Star

Morning Star can be used to refer to Jesus Himself, as in the Exsultet proclaimed at the Easter Vigil:  “May this flame [the Easter candle] be found still burning by the Morning Star:  the one Morning Star who never sets, Christ your Son.”  But in the case of applying this title to Mary, we need to think a little more literally, as well as metaphorically.  In nature, the “morning star” is the one that appears in the sky, in the east, before dawn.  At various times of the year it may be the planet Venus, the star Sirius, or the planet Mercury.  So, if we apply this metaphorically, the star which comes before the sun (or Son, Jesus) is Mary.  She is the forerunner of Christ, and from her comes the one who is the Savior of the world.

Health of the Sick

This title, once again, allows us to view Mary through the lens of her son, Jesus.  Jesus of course brought about great instances of healing.  He cured a woman of hemorrhages, restored sight to the blind, made the lame walk, healed Simon Peter’s mother of her ailments, and even brought people back to life, most specifically his good friend Lazarus.  Mary, through her intercession to Jesus, can also bring about healing.  We see this very vividly in the miracles that take place at Lourdes, France.  Furthermore, Mary herself suffered greatly in her life, and so she is well-disposed to understand our own suffering.

Next week:  The final part of this series:  Mary as Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, and Help of Christians

What Kind of Authority Do You Have?

In the Gospel of St Luke 4:32 it is said: “They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority” What is that authority of Jesus in contrast with the authority that the scribes? In this juncture, let us all together use a little bit of psychology. We can at least identify two kinds of authority.

The first kind of authority originates from the title or name given by the society to the person. The examples of this kind are our parents, priests, government officials, doctors, policemen, judges, lawyers, managers, CEO and the like. There is authority in these people on account of who they are. Whether your parents are rich or poor, pleasant or unpleasant, they are still your parents and you surely cannot deny that they have authority over you. Whether Government Officials are honest or corrupt, responsible or irresponsible, they have authority to govern and enforce the law. I am a priest, whether you like me or not I have certain authority as priest. This is the first kind of authority, the authority that originates with the title of person.

The second kind of authority originates from expertise. Let us look on Mozart, Beethoven, Leonardo the Vinci or Shakespeare. They have authority in music, arts and literature. These peoples’ authority comes from experience with knowledge. This authority is not given by someone else, but an authority that springs from within them. And this kind of authority inspires followers and edifies people.

Have you ever experienced for example, meeting a person who never finished high school or never went to school and yet you can see and witness in his or her life a testimony of a lifetime of worthwhile experiences and a wealth or a fountain of wisdom. You are drawn to this kind of person, because you are inspired by this person.

The Scribes had authority because of their person, because of their title. They are like the parents, priests, government officials. etc. They have authority because of their function in the society. Jesus, the carpenter on the other hand, is like the masters of music, arts and literature. He has that kind of authority that inspires people to be with God and to do His will.

All of us have the first kind of authority but let us not stop there. Let us be like Jesus whose authority is beyond title. Let us aspire to an authority that edifies, inspires, and encourages others to live life to the fullest by doing and obeying God’s will.

Marian Titles: Tower of David, Tower of Ivory, House of Gold, Ark of the Covenant

This week we continue our series on Marian titles with Mary as Tower of David, Tower of Ivory, House of Gold, and Ark of the Covenant.  These particular titles all relate to Old Testament symbolism.

Tower of David

The Tower of David formed an important part of Israel’s defense, much as the Great Wall of China once did.  Referring to Mary as the Tower of David situates her as a defender of the faith.  Though that particular phrase only came into use later in the life of the Church, we can see Mary as the very first defender of the faith.  After all, without Mary, the mother of Jesus, there would be no Catholic faith to begin with.

Tower of Ivory

This image of Mary as the Tower of Ivory is meant to recall Song of Songs, where the same phrase is “used … to describe the beloved bride” (source).  As such, to me, it recalls another title of Mary used earlier in the Litany of Loreto:  Mother of the Church.  Mary is both the mother of Jesus, and thereby the Church, as well as the Bride of Christ in her devotion and dedication to her son.  However, the title of Tower of Ivory is also meant to evoke Mary’s purity, holiness, and sanctity.

House of Gold

This title accorded to Mary is meant to place her in contrast to a symbol of the early Roman world:  the emperor Nero’s “House of Gold,” which was a grand palace that lasted only four years after it was constructed.  Mary is similarly highly esteemed, but she is a lasting symbol of the power of the Church.  The Magnificat states, “From this day, all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).  Her status of honor will endure, unlike temporary things.

Ark of the Covenant

This title of Mary likens her to the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the Ten Commandments.  Jesus is the New Covenant God has made with humanity.  Therefore, since Mary carried Jesus in her womb, she is also an ark of this New Covenant.  Similar language is used to describe what will happen to Mary when she conceives Jesus as is used to describe the presence of God around the Old Testament Ark.

Next week:  Mary as Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, and Health of the Sick

Marian Titles: Spiritual Vessel, Vessel of Honor, Singular Vessel of Devotion, Mystical Rose

This week, we continue our series on Titles of Mary with the next four titles given to Our Lady in the Litany of Loreto.

Spiritual Vessel

As I wrote last week, each title of Mary refers to her in her relationship to God the Father and to Jesus.  Mary was the Theotokos or “God bearer”.  She was a vessel for our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The following three titles of Mary in the Litany of Loreto expand upon this theme in different ways.  Firstly, Mary as spiritual vessel refers to her devotion to and openness to the messages of God the Father through his angels.  She was “spiritually minded” according to Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman.  This means that she was able to see past the physical realities of this world and interact with the spiritual presences around her – the angel Gabriel, for instance.  These spiritual presences were a comfort to Mary throughout her life as she was witness to the life of Jesus, her son.

Vessel of Honor

Mary is a vessel of honor because she was chosen to be the Mother of Jesus from the moment of her immaculate conception.  God gave her sanctifying grace from the very first instant of her existence, honoring her for her future role.  Throughout her life, Mary demonstrated her special privilege, remaining free of sin.

Singular Vessel of Devotion

To understand this title of Mary more fully, we need to look closely at the word “devotion.”  Definition 2a of “devotion” from Merriam-Webster’s dictionary states that devotion is “the act of dedicating something to a cause, enterprise, or activity.”  Mary did this in giving her entire life over to God’s work and God’s will for her.  Because of her integral role in salvation history and her willingness to take part, Mary shows us the epitome of the word “devotion.”

Mystical Rose

This title of Mary moves away from the vessel theme, and introduces a new section of the Litany of Loreto, containing some of the more ambiguous titles for our Blessed Mother.  Biblical scholars believe that this title arose from a likening of Mary to the Rose of Sharon of the Old Testament, which refers to the beloved of God.  Mary was the beloved Mother of Christ as well as the specially favored one of God, so this title is fitting.

Next week:  Mary as Tower of David, Tower of Ivory, House of Gold, and Ark of the Covenant

Wait for the Answer!

Jesuit priests and authors named Frs. Barry and Connolly defined contemplative prayer as; “a conscious willingness and desire to look and to listen to God.” In my opinion, this definition suggests that it does not constitute so much of talking or saying prayers, but that it is an activity that requires more listening. I believe that this is another level of prayer, a higher level of prayer I should say. I’d like to compare this contemplative prayer to a man and a woman who love each other and desire to build a loving relationship. A man who always talks and never allows himself to listen to his beloved simply cannot build a relationship with the woman he loves. A loving relationship requires good communication. Good communication consists of speaking and listening. It is the same with building a relationship with God. It is good that one would pray the rosary, chaplet of the Divine Mercy or different novenas but it is also equally important that one stops saying one’s prayer, be quiet and be still and allow God to speak. I believe that God desires so much to speak to us; we may just too be busy “saying” our prayers to hear Him.

 A couple of years ago, a woman spoke to me who was deeply depressed. She mourned the loss of her daughter. It had been eleven months since her daughter was accidentally hit by a truck. She told me that she asked God consistently in prayers whether she was a good mother to her daughter. She sent her daughter to Catholic school, educated her to the faith, her daughter was in fact an altar server. She had raised her daughter alone because her husband left her for another woman. She tried to love her daughter the best way she could.

When her daughter grew older, she started to change and chose a different path for her life. She became an atheist and chose to be miserable and the mother couldn’t do anything except pray. She told me that for eleven months she had been asking God if she was a good mother because there was so much guilt in her heart. Regularly, she went to the adoration chapel. Every day, she prayed the rosary and novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but she told me, “God is not answering my prayers”. 

 I asked her to take a deep breath, and calm herself. I then asked her if ever she allowed God to talk to her. “What do you mean?” she inquired. I told her that she always “said” her prayers, but did she ever “listen” in her prayers? Did she allow silence to be part of her prayers and simply listen to God to answer her questions? She paused, looked at me with a little smile, and said: “No, Father, I never did that.” She told me she never thought of that and would gladly do it the next time she prayed. We ended our conversation on a happy note and she was smiling and very hopeful for the new found enlightenment with her prayers.

 I believe that God has answers to the questions and inquiries about our lives, experiences, struggles, and situations. But an individual must lovingly and patiently wait for the answers. Answers to life’s questions can sometimes be found in contemplation.

Marian Titles: Mirror of Justice, Seat of Wisdom, Cause of Our Joy

Traditionally, the month of May is celebrated as the month of Mary in the Catholic Church.  So, this month, this blog will be dedicated to various titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  These titles are found in the Litany of Loreto, which may be recited after the rosary.  You can find the full litany here.  Each week, I will delve a little deeper into three or four Marian titles from the middle section of the litany.

Mirror of Justice

According to Christopher Heffron, “Every title linked to Mary makes sense only in relation to how completely she cooperated with God’s grace and how perfectly she models being a disciple of Jesus” (source)  Mary’s life was far from fair, but she accepted God’s will for her.  From the beginning of her life, when she was immaculately conceived, she was prepared to be the mother of God.  And, when the angel Gabriel informed her of her divine “destiny”, she accepted selflessly:  “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  Throughout Jesus’ life, when Mary would encounter a particularly trying time—giving birth in a stable, and losing Jesus in Jerusalem at twelve years old, for example—“Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 NABRE translation). 

Mirrors reflect what is in front of them.  We hear very few of Mary’s actual words in the four Gospels, but her actions speak of wanting the best for those around her, as her son Jesus does.  So Mary, as the Mirror of Justice, presents to us a manner of living that advocates for fairness to all.

Seat of Wisdom

Picture an image of Mary with the Child Jesus, and what probably comes to mind is Mary with Jesus sitting in her lap.  Jesus is the second person of the Trinity.  He is God, three in one and one in three.  He has an intimate relationship with the other two persons of the Trinity:  the Father and the Holy Spirit.  And one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is wisdom.  In the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” we implore, “O Come, O Wisdom from on high.”  So, this particular title of Mary is more literal than it may appear at first.  She is literally a seat for Wisdom incarnate in the person of Jesus.

Cause of Our Joy

Mary models for us how to live life without complaint.  As I mentioned earlier while discussing Mary, Mirror of Justice, she faced life and took time to ponder her difficulties.  A different translation of Luke 2:19 states that Mary “treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart” (NRSV translation, emphasis added).  She shows us how to find joy in the mundane, everyday moments of life, as well as in the bigger events.  If Mary could find a reason to be happy during the “boring” parts of life, surely we can as well.

Next week:  Mary as Spiritual Vessel, Vessel of Honor, Singular Vessel of Devotion, and Mystical Rose