Praying in the right direction …

A Rosary Meditation: The First Sorrowful Mystery, The Agony in the Garden.

“And going forward a little, he fell on the ground, and began to pray.” Mark 14:35.

You know, if there was ever a human being who knew what he was doing it was Jesus. Being perfect, and he is, everything about him gives us an example to follow. Everything.

Many of the worlds religions have much in common. Despite time, geography, and culture people are people. Everyone, for example, laughs and cries. We may laugh or cry about different things but we still laugh and cry. Various things seem to be across the board. And that’s because they are. The worlds monotheistic religions for example. Take Judaism and Islam. If you’re a practicing Jew you turn towards Jerusalem when you pray. If you’re Muslim you face in the direction of Mecca. There are reasons for this. Respect, longing, simple devotion, and more. In Catholicism? Its a little different. If we pray rightly we face in a certain direction as well. Its just not a direction you’ll find laid out by Rand-Mcnally.

Look at what Jesus did. And remember that he’s the example. ” … going forward a little … ” This is a Sorrowful Mystery. Have you ever prayed while consumed with sorrow? Certainly, we all have. When we pray, sorrowfully or otherwise, in what direction do we turn? In what direction did Jesus turn? ” … and GOING FORWARD … ” And this is precisely what we need to do when we pray.

When we pray we need to have a forward view, one of hope and not despair. Jesus prayed in sorrow but I can’t believe he prayed without hope, faith, and confidence. He didn’t look behind, at the past, at the unbelieving crowds. And certainly he saw what was coming. He knew he was about to be crucified and prayed that he might be spared this cup of suffering. But if he saw his crucifixion coming don’t you think he saw Easter morning as well? And we need to learn this lesson in prayer. Things are what they are, and sometimes they’re just bad period. But that doesn’t mean God’s going to leave them that way. Otherwise why bother praying? And there’s the hope, the forward view.

Consider also how far forward Jesus went. ” … and going forward A LITTLE … ” Sometimes baby steps forward are all we can stand. The length of the stride isn’t whats important here. Again, its the direction. Look forward with hope, not backwards with despair or the wrong kind of longing.

“Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32, Douay-Rheims.

Just a thought … Which direction was Lot’s wife looking in after she had been told to look straight ahead? What happened to her? And as we move from this world to the next, and that’s what we’re doing with every breath we take, just like Lot’s wife was moving away from Sodom and Gomorrah to a place of refuge, which way do we look?

Oh, Those Soft Little Scourges

A Rosary Meditation: The Second Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging. “They bound Jesus and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, ‘Art thou the king of the Jews?’ ” Mark 15:1-2.

Simple question, wasn’t it? You’d think that the answer would be just as simple. Yes or no. That’s not complicated, is it? But in this case, well, things aren’t as simple as they look. Yes, Jesus certainly was king of the Jews. But a real answer would’ve included much more than the expected yes or no. Because his kingship involved his being THE prophet Israel had so long waited for. And the longed for Messiah. And a priest, high priest, after the order of Melchizedek. And the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Not to mention his being the Creator of the universe.

Have you ever had someone ask you a loaded question? Ever had someone ask something like, “Why do Catholics … ?” And after you answer their question a sort of verbal scourging starts. After the answer, which normally isn’t listened to because the other person is to intent on thinking about what they’re going to tell you if you’d just shut up, the next thing you hear is usually, “Well, I think … ” And they proceed to set you straight. After all, they have several decades (sometimes) of thought without real study under their belt. You’ve got nothing much. Just God’s Church indwelt by the Holy Spirit, 2,000 years worth of the magisterium  being lead by the Holy Spirit, numerous Church councils lead by the Holy Spirit, and Papal Infallibility as a result of God’s Holy Spirit. When this sort of thing happens I want to interrupt and apologize. “Oh, I apologize. I thought your question was an honest one. I didn’t realize you only wanted an opportunity to tell me what you think. I guess I should’ve asked.” And with a raised eyebrow as punctuation right at the end for emphasis. Now, there are definitely times to speak out loudly. But often as not its best to just smile and not say what your thinking. Which is the better of the two responses. Honestly I try not to say the above lines. But, oh, I want to. I think that some of the teeth I’ve lost I lost due to gritting them. So I try to smile. Smiles rarely alienate. But for something that takes so few facial muscles, boy, they can be hard to muster.

The above is just meant to be an illustration taken from everyday life. One that lots of us have probably suffered through. There are others just as apt. Of course listening to someone who really doesn’t know what they’re talking about and what happened to Jesus after Pilates question don’t come anywhere close to being comparable. But the comparison makes a point. Scourges come in various shapes and sizes. Some are only four or five inches long and soft.

“And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man’ s religion is vain.” James 1:26, Douay-Rheims.

Just a thought … When the world kicks in gear, and it will, and begins to set you straight about your faith without your having to ask remember that Jesus kept his mouth shut during most of what happened from the garden to the cross. And rather than wield a scourge of your own just smile. Even when it hurts.

Gardening … Tuesday, March 4, 2014

A Rosary Meditation: the First Sorrowful Mystery, The Agony in the Garden. “Jesus came with them to Gethsemane, and he began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled.” Matthew 26:36-37. I have a brown thumb. Yup, you want it to shrivel up and turn brown? Let me do your gardening. Years ago I owned a small piece of property that I was very much attached to. I worked on it, putting up a fence, building raised flower beds, constructing one spot given over to wildflowers. Watching stuff turn brown long before autumn. *sigh* And I planted a fig tree. Well, more than one. I planted it because I thought I’d live the rest of my life on that bit of land. It takes a fig tree a while to grow large enough to give shade. Planting the fig tree was my way of saying that I intended to be there long enough to enjoy its shade. The Jewish people, in Old Testament times, did the same thing for pretty much the same reason. And given the way they were forced from one place to another planting a fig tree was a powerful statement. An expression of faith in God. All of my fig trees died. I’d get up every morning and check. A couple started to make fruit. I was so happy. And then I’d get up one morning and notice the leaves were starting to wither. Jesus came to the garden and found the fig tree of Israel fruitless and dead. The people He loved, the ones He wanted so badly to bear fruit for love of Him, rejected Him. And that was an agony. Now my attachment to that little spot of land doesn’t even begin to compare with His love for Israel. I know that. But I can understand, in a small way. Maybe a small way is all any of us can ever hope to muster. Its better than nothing. But trying to understand can bring us closer to Him, can’t it? So never turn lose of any opportunity to understand, even in a small way. Every small step in understanding Him brings us closer to Him. And as we grow closer to Him our own fig tree, our own selves, grows healthy and bears fruit. That’s what He wants. When I saw those little fruits on my fig tree? I was overjoyed. Imagine how He feels when He sees fruit on us.

“And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed … ” Luke 17:6.

Just a thought … Mustard seeds, like my little figs, are small. Very small. But the mustard seed can grow into something big enough for the birds to nest in. I’d say that’s fruitful. Small figs or tiny seeds its living in Him as a branch, with His life flowing through us and keeping us alive while making us grow, that matters. Don’t worry about size. Don’t worry if you have a brown thumb. Don’t worry. Remember that He’s the Vine and we’re the branches. And things like fig trees, seeds, fruit, brown thumbs and whatever else comes to mind all fall into place so long as we keep this proper perspective.

 

YOU can be a rock star … Tuesday, September 3

An angel comforting Jesus before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. ‘Without prayer we have neither light nor strength to advance in the way which leads to God.’ ~ St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori. This statement, true as it is, was obviously a comment directed at our prayers, yours and mine. But it’s very applicable to Christ praying in the Garden, isn’t it? Where would we be, regardless our own prayers, without His then and there? After all, we walk by His Light and it is from Him that we receive our strength. Without these there is no advancement. And have you ever noticed that in the world prayer is not required in order to advance. Note that I said “in the world”. You can become president and never once pray about it. Campaign funds, a friendly media, the ability to make a good speech, charisma, these things alone can make a place for a person in the world. God doesn’t pay a lot of attention to these things. He does however see blood, sweat, and tears. Long before the rock group ever came into being these things, coupled with prayer, made saintly rock stars. And they still will.

Today … There several saints listed on the calendar for today. They are all good examples. They all followed Jesus. They all prayed. They still do. Let us follow them as they follow Christ.

Prayer … It isn’t for cowards.

Related articles

• Get plenty of exercise. Prayer is an exercise … Friday, August 16 (judemarian.wordpress.com)

The Price Tag of Prayer … Tuesday, July 30

Prayer. It takes up very little space. But is there a TIME and place for it in our lives? If we’re to taxed for time to talk with God maybe we need to re-think our schedule.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. “Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.” — Saint Ephraem of Syria. Prayer sounds like hard work. If the example of Jesus in the garden is any indication, well, it IS hard work. But then it ought to be, if its work, a labor of love shouldn’t it? We go to great pains, lots of work, to keep in touch with friends and family because of our love for them and the close ties we share. We spend money on gas, long distance fees, delivery charges, air fare, postage, and more just to keep in touch. Keeping in touch is obviously a valuable commodity. And the effort expended proves this. How much effort do we put into an extra five minutes, now and then, to stay in touch with God? Is it to much hard work, does it cost to much, is it just to much trouble? Does our prayer life indicate our closeness to God, or our distance?

Today … St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Born at Imola, Italy in 406, St. Peter was baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, Bishop of Imola. St. Peter merited being called “Chrysologus” (golden-worded) from his exceptional oratorical eloquence. In 433, Pope Sixtus III consecrated him bishop of Ravenna. He practiced many corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and ruled his flock with utmost diligence and care. He extirpated the last vestiges of paganism and other abuses that had sprouted among his people, cautioning them especially against indecent dancing. “Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil,” he remarked, “cannot rejoice with Christ.” He also counseled the heretic Eutyches (who had asked for his support) to avoid causing division but to learn from the other heretics who were crushed when they hurled themselves against the Rock of Peter. He died at Imola, Italy in 450 and in 1729 was made a Doctor of the Church, largely as a result of his simple, practical, and clear sermons which have come down to us, nearly all dealing with Gospel subjects. “Golden-worded.” Want to be like this saint? To have golden words upon your lips? It occurs to me that any word spoken in loving prayer to God meets this criteria.

Consider … “Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.” — St. John Chrysostom.

Pope Benedict on the Agony in the Garden … Friday, July 12

Pope Benedict XVI.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden.

“Having reached the grove on the Mount of Olives, that night too Jesus prepares for personal prayer. However, this time something new happens: it seems that he does not want to be left alone. Jesus would often withdraw from the crowd and from the disciples themselves “to a lonely place” (Mk 1:35) or he would go up “into the hills”, St Mark says (cf. Mk 6:46). Instead at Gethsemane he invites Peter, James and John to stay closer to him. They are the disciples he called upon to be with him on the Mount of the Transfiguration (cf. Mk 9:2-13). This closeness of the three during his prayer in Gethsemane is important. On that night too Jesus was going to pray to the Father “apart”, for his relationship with the Father is quite unique: It is the relationship of the Only-Begotten Son. Indeed, one might say that especially on that night no one could really have come close to the Son, who presented himself to the Father with his absolutely unique and exclusive identity.

Yet, although Jesus arrives “alone” at the place in which he was to stop and pray, he wants at least three disciples to be near him, to be in a closer relationship with him. This is a spacial closeness, a plea for solidarity at the moment in which he feels death approaching, but above all it is closeness in prayer, in a certain way to express harmony with him at the moment when he is preparing to do the Father’s will to the very end; and it is an invitation to every disciple to follow him on the Way of Cross.” Pope Benedict XVI.

“Jesus goes forth into the night. Night signifies lack of communication, a situation where people do not see one another. It is a symbol of incomprehension, of the obscuring of truth. It is the place where evil, which has to hide before the light, can grow. Jesus himself is light and truth, communication, purity and goodness. He enters into the night. Night is ultimately a symbol of death, the definitive loss of fellowship and life. Jesus enters into the night in order to overcome it and to inaugurate the new Day of God in the history of humanity.” Pope Benedict XVI.

Today …

St. John Gaulbert, Abbot

Saint John Gaulbert, Abbot. The city of Florence gave to the world Saint John Gaulbert. Although he enjoyed the benefits of an early Christian education, his youthful heart was soon attracted to the vanities of the world. A painful incident was the means God made use of, to open his eyes. Hugo, his only brother, had been murdered and St. John had resolved to avenge his death. On a certain Good Friday he met his enemy in a place where there was no escape for the latter. St. John drew his sword and would have killed his adversary on the spot, but the latter threw himself on his knees begging him by the passion of Jesus Christ to spare his life. St. John was touched at the words, embraced his enemy, entered a church and prayed with many tears for the pardon of his sins.

He now entered the Order of St. Benedict, in which he made such great progress in virtue that after the death of the Abbot, the monks wished to impose this dignity upon him, but the Saint absolutely refused to accept it. Sometime later, he left the monastery with one companion in quest of greater solitude.

Having visited the hermitage of Camaldoli, he finally settled at Valle Ombrosa in Tuscany. Together with two hermits whom he found there, he and his companions built a small monastery, observing the primitive rule of St. Benedict. Thus was laid the foundation of the Order of Vallombrosa. The humility of the saint was such that he would never be promoted, even to Minor Orders. His charity for the poor caused him to make a rule that no indigent person should be sent away without an alms. He founded several monasteries, reformed others, and succeeded in eradicating the vice of simony from the part of the country where he lived. He died on July 12, 1073, at about 80 years of age.

And lastly …

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.

Saint Teresa of Avila

Changing things … Tuesday, June 25

Christ in Gethsemane. What do WE do in the garden? Putter around at worldly things or talk with God about His world and ours?

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.” Matthew 26:41. Jesus was tempted just like we are. His answer to temptation? Prayer. Remember that He was and is human as well as Divine. If He needed to pray how much more do we? How much time do we spend fussing about politics or the neighbors (is that fussing or gossip?), and how much time do we spend talking sports or movies? It’s OK to talk about “stuff”, certainly, but how much time do we spend on the “stuff” that could and should be spent in prayer? If our lives are so busy that we don’t have time to talk to God what needs changing? Our lives or God? The world prattles on and on about the latest fad diet and what the starlet wore at the opening. The tube is filled with programs like “Hollywood Insider”. And it’s overflowing with “reality” shows as well. The question for us should be, “Am I more interested in what’s inside Hollywood or what’s inside me? What sort of reality am I overflowing with?” And whatever our answer is our response needs to be talking with God about it. Prayer.

Today …

St. William of Vercelli

 

 

St. William of Vercelli, 1085-1142. Born in Vercelli Italy he was brought up as an orphan and became a hermit on Monte Vergine, Italy, after a pilgrimage to Compostella. He attracted so many followers that a monastery was built. By 1119 his followers were united in the Benedictine congregation, as the Hermits of Monte Vergine (Williamites), which he headed. The austerity of his rule led to dissension among his monks and to restore peace he left. He was taken under the protection of Roger I of Naples who built a monastery for him in Salerno. He founded monasteries throughout Naples, and died at the Guglielmo monastery near Nusco, Italy. He is also called William of Monte Vergine. How much prayer do you think it took him to get through all that?

Think … Prayer changes things, this is true. It also changes YOU.

One Hour … Tuesday, May 21

An hour before God, either in Church or, if we can’t be there, where we are, is of more worth than days or even years of physical activity.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. “Then He came to His disciples and found them sleeping. And he said, ‘Could you not, then, watch one hour with me?’ ” Matthew 26:40. I told my priest this weekend, “If you see me nodding in Mass, it doesn’t always mean I agree with you.” We all do it, we’re human. Jesus understood this. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41. So, does this mean we stop trying? Of course not. But it does mean that we need to understand ourselves, our tendencies and our limitations. These things aren’t meant to be used as excuses. “I’m only human” is true, but it ought not be used as an escape mechanism. There is merit in trying just as there is merit in achieving. There is no merit in making an excuse or in giving up. Holy Hours can be wonderful things. Simply to spend an hour in front of the Tabernacle (awake) is an act of love if our heart is right. Is our heart right? A simple way to know the answer to this question is to honestly answer another: What are my motives? And a Holy Hour needn’t be spent in Church. We can’t always do that and God knows this. We are, after all, only human. But it can be spent with our Bible in our laps and with the television off. The computer can be off too. And if we fall asleep, what then? Simple. We keep trying.

Today …

St. Zeno

St. Zeno

Zeno was born in Africa. He received an excellent classical education and in 362, was named bishop of Verona, Italy. He was active in missionary work, converted many, and fought Arianism. He built a basilica at Verona, founded a convent that he directed, encouraged charities in his people, and wrote widely on ecclesiastical subjects, particularly the virgin birth of Christ, in which are revealed many of the customs and practices of the times. He died in 371. To get all of this done took time, lots of time. Do you think he would’ve gotten ANY of it done if he hadn’t prayed? Before we take time for anything else we should take time for prayer. Without prayer, and lots of it, nothing ever gets accomplished. Putting time and energy into projects, even very good projects, is a waste of time if we don’t pray. If the project is so time consuming that it leaves no time for prayer? Well, we probably ought to pray about that.

Prayer …   “A Holy Hour of adoration testifies to the fact that the Jesus who died on the cross, is present in the Eucharist, and reigns in Heaven, are identical.” (Venerable Pope Pius XII)

The agony of prayer … Friday, May 3

The Agony in the Garden. There’s room for agonizing prayer in our lives also.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. “And His sweat became as drops of blood running down upon the ground.” Luke 22:44. Sometimes prayer can be an unpleasant chore. Its one thing to pray for a new Cadillac, it’s quite another to pray for a loved one that’s gone astray or worse. And this is exactly what Jesus was doing in the garden. He prayed for us. Oh, He prayed that the cup might pass that’s true. But more than that He prayed for God’s will, and not His own, to be done. And God’s will is very simple. He wants us with Him. But for that to happen we need redemption, or to be bought back. Bought back from the things that keep us from God. The world, the flesh, and the devil. The price of our redemption was and is Calvary. The giving of His body and blood to purchase us for God. He prayed more than anything that this might happen for love of you and me. He prayed in agony. When we pray what is it that we agonize about? A new Cadillac, or the salvation of our own souls and the souls of others? You know, if you really need transportation there’s nothing wrong with praying about a nice ride. If we’re going to pray for a ride we may as well ask for a nice one. But priorities are, well, a priority. Lets not forget to pray first for the car salesperson and the auto factory worker, along with the rest of a humanity lost in its own agony of sin.

Today …

St. Agape

St. Agape

Agape and her sisters Chionia and Irene, Christians of Thessalonica, Macedonia, were convicted of possessing texts of the Scriptures despite a decree issued in 303 by Emperor Diocletian naming such possessions a crime punishable by death. When they further refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, the governor, Dulcitius, had Agape and Chionia burned alive. When Irene still refused to recant, Dulcitius ordered her sent to a house of prostitution. There she was unmolested after being exposed naked and chained, so she was put to death either by burning or by an arrow through her throat. It amazes me when I hear people say things like, “I’m glad it’s not like that today.” Just a few years ago you had to smuggle Bibles into Russia for people to be able to own one. Less than 200 years ago it was illegal to own a Rosary in British controlled Ireland. And today we’re faced with forced funding of abortion. There’s still plenty to agonize about in prayer and the satanically controlled world hasn’t really changed that much. It’s just that now our lack of freedom and the resultant persecutions are given a pleasant “spin” while parading under the banners of acceptance, liberalism, and being politically correct.

Quote …

“The dictatorship of relativism is confronting the world.  It does not recognize anything as absolute and leaves as the ultimate measure only the measure of each one and his desires. ‘Adult’ is not a faith that follows the waves in fashion and the latest novelty. Adult and mature is a faith that gives us the measure to discern between what is true and what is false, between deceit and truth.” Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Excerpts from his homily at the Conclave that elected him Pope.

And … “Freedom is a myth.” Patrick McGoohan, staunch Catholic.

A friend of yours may be bored to tears right now … Tuesday, April 16

A Guardian Angel. We all have one. They are gifts and helpers from God.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. “And there appeared to him an angel from heaven to strengthen him.” Luke 22:43. Sometimes, depending, I suppose, upon the severity of the subject matter, prayer can be a real agony. It can also be a mental chore that’s about as tiresome as a full day in the gym. Prayer can be something all to willingly put off because there are so many more “important” things to do. Shame is something else that can, and often does, stand between us and prayer. We are human, easily distracted and weak. But anything that stands between us and prayer by extension stands between us and God. Ah, now all of a sudden it’s getting serious. It was before, but serious, like lots of things, can be hard to spot in the push and pull of living. There is something we can do about it all, the answer being rather obvious. Things hidden in plain sight are often the hardest for us to spot. (Now would be a good time to read a wonderful short story by Edgar Allen Poe, in literature the very first real detective story and the “father” of that genre, called “The Purloined Letter“. It explains hidden in plain view very well.)  The obvious thing to do when prayer is hard? Pray. Sounds circular, doesn’t it? But there is a little trick here. Jesus, in the garden, was having an awful time with prayer. He sweat blood and we can figure that’s about as bad as it can get. What happened? An angel from Heaven came to His aid. We all have a guardian angel. Matthew 18:10. Angels are doers. They serve God, they carry messages, the fight battles against darkness and the demons that reside there, they do lots of things, and they watch over us. Do you think that your guardian angel, being a doer and used to staying active, enjoys standing there twiddling his thumbs, bored to tears, while you’ve got a problem that he could help with … IF you’d just ask? (Believe me, if ANYBODY needs to read this post and take it to heart its ME.) So when there’s a problem with prayer, or anything else, ask for some help. We’ve all got a Heavenly Helper standing right there next to us. Tired of twiddling his thumbs.

Today … St. Bernadette Soubirous. The young lady who saw our Mother at Lourdes. She was ridiculed, threatened by the government authorities, ostracized. No one believed her. And then a spring appeared. Now everyone, everyone with faith, believes her. And Lourdes stand out as a place of healing, healings of body, mind, and soul. In all of her troubles, before people came to believe, do you think Bernadette ever agonized in prayer? Do you think she received any help? And what do you think of the outcome?

Consider … The Blessed Virgin promised Bernadette happiness in the next world but not this one. With this in mind, here’s one last question: Were Bernadette’s prayers REALLY answered?