POPE PIUS XII’S EASTER MESSAGE

POPE PIUS XII’S EASTER MESSAGE.

This message was delivered during World War II. It was a time of anti-everything. The Germans were anti-Semitic, the Soviets were anti-capitalism, The U.S. was anti-communist/Nazi (making for odd political bed-fellows in that the U.S. and Russia were “allies” ), the … Well, it just goes on and on. Today? I think we live in a similar anti-whatever climate. People talk about climate change. Today might be a good day to pray for a resurrection of solid values, true peace, and an end to anti-fill-in-the-blank.

“Be ye always ready”

A Rosary Meditation: The First Glorious Mystery, The Resurrection.

“At early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.” Luke 24:1.

“Be ye always ready” is the motto of the Knights of the Round Table. Its from this motto that the Boy Scouts got “Be prepared”. And then there was my Grandmother’s version of always being prepared that was based on the reality of the Great Depression rather than Camelot. “Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”. And all of these have their time and place in life.

The folks coming to the tomb that first Easter Sunday morning were ready, weren’t they? They brought the things necessary to give Jesus a proper burial. With the fast approach of the Sabbath there hadn’t been time Friday. But now? They were ready. They didn’t know yet that these things weren’t needed. They were doing the next right thing, certainly. They were doing the best they could with what they had. But they were doing it without full knowledge. That was OK. The knowledge was coming.

Its important for us to always be ready. As ready as we can be given our own lack of perfect knowledge. We don’t always have all the details about any given situation, do we? But its still important to do the best we can with what we’ve got. Like Christ’s parable about the servants who were each given a talent of gold by their master before he went on a journey. Two did the best they could with what they had and were rewarded accordingly. The other servant, the one who didn’t do anything with his talent, well, he got anything but a reward.

What happened to those folks that Easter morning? Were they rewarded? Certainly. They were the first to have a part in the miracle of the resurrection weren’t they? They didn’t understand it all but they were prepared and they experienced a miracle as a result. A miracle that far outweighed their preparation. But there were a few others there that morning. There were the guards at the tomb. Were they ready, do you think? And their reward was? We’ve leave that. Its ultimately between them and God. Because we don’t have full knowledge and can’t say.

If we do the best we can with our talents and limited knowledge we can rest contentedly. We don’t need to know what’s in store for us. God’s got that covered.

“His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:23, Douay-Rheims.

Just a thought … Its important to be ready in God’s service. Like those going to the tomb that Easter morning and like the servants in the parable were ready without knowing when their master would return. They didn’t know it all. We don’t either. But they were ready and rewarded. This is Lent. Its a time to get ready. In some ways our lives ought to be a perpetual Lent. And we’ll be surprised in the end by the generosity of God. Being ready can be the beginning of our miracle.

Joy

A Rosary Meditation: The First Glorious Mystery, The Resurrection.

“For I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you.” John 16:22.

We thought about the down times yesterday. That sort of thing can get to be pretty depressing. Christianity, despite what some seem to think, is NOT a depressing religion. And that’s because our God is not in possession of a depressing nature. The Divine Nature is one of Love. Real love uplifts us when we’re down.

Everything in the above verse is upbeat. When Jesus sees us and we see him we’ll experience a joy that no one can take from us. Its never ending. Its Heavenly. Literally. There’s a Godly joy in everything, it just takes a little (sometimes a lot of) effort, in this world, to find it. The next world? Our joy is confirmed for eternity. Like the Resurrection, its a new life.

But we’re not there yet, are we? (If YOU are there and you’re reading this I hope you don’t have dial-up internet access because I’d hate to see the long distance bill.) No, we aren’t there yet, but we are HERE and here can be a place of joy too if we look to Christ. I said yesterday ” … I knew it wasn’t OK, and it wasn’t going to be OK. Some things just are what they are. And they aren’t good.” I believe that’s true. Some things aren’t good period. But that doesn’t mean that we need to let these things hinder us from looking to Jesus, who IS always good. And, being the Resurrection and the Life, shares life and its attendant goodness and joy.

Our God is a God of love, and being a God of love He has placed the opportunity for joy in all things. Sin, original or otherwise, hasn’t blotted this out and made it (joy) impossible. Sin has made it harder to see the opportunity or possibility for joy but it hasn’t negated it. A resurrection, a new life, is always possible because with God all things are possible. And the God-given opportunity for joy resides in all of creation, from the complex, which is generally what so many of us (personal experience here) try to make it, all the way to the most simple. A rocket scientist, having perfected a space shuttle and its fuel, could take great joy in the accomplishment and give God thanks and glory. Rocket science is complicated, complex. But if you want to, you can get just as much joy from a well made sandcastle.

So we have the here-after joy to look forward to, and a here-and-now joy to experience if we will. A new life there and a new life here, a resurrection of sorts, if we’re willing. And no one can take either away from us if we’ll only take Jesus at his word.

“8 And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read. 9 And Nehemias (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 And he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it is the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is our strength.” Nehemiah 8:8-10, Douay-Rheims.

Just a thought … I’ve said before, with thanks to Henry David Thoreau for the quote, that I wouldn’t talk about myself half so much if I knew anyone else half so well. Joy. Lots of folks reading this know I just underwent major surgery. The past several months, the time leading up to the back surgery, were pretty miserable. They ain’t just real great right now, but things are a lot better. A one point I spent about three weeks in bed and on my pity pot. (I hate pity pots.) I finally got so mad at the situation that, regardless how I felt, I MADE myself get up, I MADE myself clean house, I MADE myself get on my exercise bike. It was all an effort. But I’ve promised myself that even though I know I will die (from the cancer) I WILL die trying. So, and I know this thought is getting a tad long but bear with me, I decided that if I could no longer do certain things, well, what COULD I do? There IS joy to be found everywhere because God is everywhere. So I may not be able to dance the Charleston but I now play a really mean kazoo and, having reverted willingly to a part of my childhood, I experience anew the wonders of Sea-Monkeys. If you don’t know what a Sea-Monkey is Google it. If you don’t know what joy is ask God about it. He knows, and He shares.

Feeling low? Then you’re blessed beyond measure! … Wednesday, March 5, 2014

A Rosary Meditation: The First Glorious Mystery, The Resurrection. “Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” John 16:20. When we read these lines we think about how sad the followers of Jesus would be when He was crucified, and how joyous they’d be at His resurrection. And that’s the primary thought in reference to this passage certainly. But is it the only one? It was a promise to the ones hearing it then, wasn’t it? Is it any less a promise for you and me? Do we ever feel sorrow? Is it ever replaced with joy? Isn’t that the natural course of events in life? Doesn’t the one always precede the other, while the other always comes after the first? While we know that Jesus is talking about His crucifixion and resurrection here is that all He’s doing? Or is He sharing a Divine Principle with us to strengthen our faith and supply us with hope? In the Garden of Eden, at the fall of man, there was sorrow.  And right after the fall God promised to make it right later, didn’t He? Wasn’t that joyful news? Abraham and Sarah  were childless in there old age with the time for childbearing a thing of the past for Sarah. It was a sad situation. Wasn’t there great joy at the birth of Issac? A child born to King David lay at deaths door. The child died. Do you think there was joy later when David held a small Solomon in his arms? Do we give up hope when we’re sad, or does the presence of sorrow give us faith and something to hope for? Do we cling to the apple or accept the Promise? Do we mourn our fruitless existence or take joy and comfort in the hope that a wonder will be born in our life regardless circumstances? Do we cling to the dead child or the newborn babe filled with promise?

” … I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live: … ” John 11:25.

Just a thought … One of the best times in your life is the worst time of your life because it precedes the miracle.

You know, rolling stones are hard to count … Wednesday, September 4

OK, one, two, three … five thousand and eighty … Ratz! I can’t count ’em all!

A Rosary Meditation … The First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. New Life. Because Christ rose from the dead we will too. If He can get up and walk away from His own grave He can certainly raise us up. This body renewed, changed, made whole in every way, with an eternal guarantee. What more could you ask? The Resurrection is about more than just Easter Sunday, although you’d think that would be plenty. The Resurrection is both an offer and a promissory note to anyone willing. Willing to do what? Follow Jesus. f we follow Him in life we’ll follow Him in death. And the ultimate result? More rolled away stones than we’ll be able to count.

Today … St. John Vianney, Priest (Patron of priests) Feast day – August 4 Universally known as the “Cure of Ars),” St. John Mary Vianney was ordained a priest in 1815. Three years later he was made parish priest of Ars, a remote French hamlet, where his reputation as a confessor and director of souls made him known throughout the Christian world. His life was one of extreme mortification. Accustomed to the most severe austerities, beleaguered by swarms of penitents, and besieged by the devil, this great mystic manifested an imperturbable patience. He was a wonderworker loved by the crowds, but he retained a childlike simplicity, and he remains to this day the living image of the priest after the heart of Christ. He heard confessions of people from all over the world for the sixteen hours each day. His life was filled with works of charity and love. It is recorded that even the staunchest of sinners were converted at his mere word. He died August 4, 1859, and was canonized May 31, 1925.

And … “And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here.” ~ St. Augustine. Some of the resurrection? Oh, it’s already started. Dead hearts made alive again.

The “I want to be like Jesus” Rosary

Every Christian wants to be like Jesus. He is our Goal. To be like Him, to be with Him. Sometimes we look at ourselves and see how far away we are from our Goal. Sometimes it helps to remember the things we have in common with Jesus, even if they’re just little things. Knowing we have things in common with Him may not make us any more like Him but it does help make Him seem not so far away. He doesn’t want to be far away. He came here, lived with us, walked with us, ate with us, to be close to us. And we can be as close to Him now as our hearts will let us.

I want to be like Jesus …

1st Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation. When it was known that I was on my way into the world there was an announcement too. I am like Jesus.

2nd Joyful Mystery, the Visitation. My mother went visiting, sharing me with others before I was ever born. I am like Jesus.

3rd Joyful Mystery, the Nativity. When I was born folks came to see me, and they were glad to see me. I am like Jesus.

4th Joyful Mystery, the Presentation. After I was born my parents were thankful to God for me. I am like Jesus.

5th Joyful Mystery, the Finding in the Temple. When I was little I’d hide away and no one would know where I was. I am like Jesus.

1st Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden. I’ve prayed when my heart was heavy and felt like it was about to break. I am like Jesus.

2nd Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging. I’ve been hurt by people. I am like Jesus.

3rd Sorrowful Mystery, the Crowning with Thorns. People have made fun of me and misused me. I am like Jesus.

4th Sorrowful Mystery, Carrying the Cross. I’ve fallen more than once under a burden to heavy for me to bear alone and God has sent me help. I am like Jesus.

5th Sorrowful Mystery, the Crucifixion. I’ll die someday and I’ve had my heart-broken. I am like Jesus.

1st. Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. When the priest baptized me I was born new in Jesus, raised up from the death of my sin, my own resurrection. I am like Jesus.

2nd Glorious Mystery, the Ascension. I am with Jesus in His Heart right now, there where He is, so in a way He has already taken me to Heaven. I am like Jesus.

3rd Glorious Mystery, the Decent of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit descended on Jesus, on His Church, and on me too when I was confirmed. I am like Jesus.

4th Glorious Mystery, the Assumption. Jesus’ Mother is in Heaven and she is my Mother so my Mother is in Heaven too. I am like Jesus.

5th Glorious Mystery, the Coronation. Jesus made our Mother Queen and that means she is His Queen and my Queen, she is our Queen. I am like Jesus.

I am human, God is my Father, Mary is my Mother, the Saints (living and dead) are my family, Christ’s Church is His Body and I am a part of all this. I want to be like Jesus. And in being like Jesus I need to remember those things we already have in common and prayerfully work on the rest.

Living … Saturday, July 13

The Resurrection of Christ.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. “And whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die.” John 11:26. It is Jesus, the RESURRECTION and the Life, speaking to us here. If you want to be among the Living its obvious you yourself need to be alive. Real life comes from only one source, and that’s THE Source. Jesus. Every time we go to confession or receive communion, every baptism, every confirmation with its gift of the Spirit of Life, every marriage that creates a new life by making two one and this union a fruitful source of children and family, in short, EVERY sacrament tends to life. Every sacrament is a “miniature” resurrection, every sacrament is a partaking of THE Resurrection, because every sacrament originates in the One Who IS the Resurrection and the Life. The Resurrection is a Mystery. Taking part in it is no mystery, it is a fact of Life. Or it can be, it should be, a fact of life. Because the fact is that the Author of Life makes life available to us everyday. All we need to do is receive. But, sometimes, we forget and go looking for the Living (Jesus) among the dead (the world and the things of the world). How not to forget? Be single-minded. Keep eyes, mind, and heart fixed on Jesus. Always. Then there will be no alternative but to live.

Today … Bl. Thomas Tunstal. English martyr. Born in Whinfell, near Kendal, Westmoreland, he studied for the priesthood at Douai, France, and was ordained there in 1609. The next year he returned to England but was arrested almost immediately upon his arrival. Escaping, Thomas was recaptured and taken to Norwich where he spent six years in confinement until finally being hanged, drawn, and quartered. While in prison, he joined the Benedictine Order. He died in 1616.Today? He lives.

We are not alone in our life’s journey … “The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.”

Saint Teresa of Avila

Tombs were made to be empty … Wednesday, June 26

The Empty Tomb. Lets keep it that way.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. “And they departed quickly from the tomb in fear and great joy.” Matthew 28:8. Some of the folks on that very first Easter Sunday had a pronounced reaction when confronted with the empty tomb. True, certain unbelievers made excuses and even paid the guards that had been on watch to lie about what had happened, but the people who believed, REALLY believed, had a resurrection all their own. They saw, they knew, they believed, they hoped. These things lay dead in most of us prior to faith. Given faith, when confronted by that empty space, these things came to life in their hearts. And their reaction proves it. They departed the tomb QUICKLY. Having been given new life in Christ we ought to be anxious to leave the death that is sin behind as fast as we can. They departed the tomb, leaving death behind, with a holy fear. A fear that drove them away and put the desire in their hearts never again to return to the ways of death, to sin. And all of this was accompanied with GREAT JOY. Leaving death behind and being brought face to face with THE Life, being given a portion of that life (and what is life without love?) they experienced joy. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. The joy that is a right, a true relationship with the Risen Christ. Life being what it is it’s an easy thing to get sidetracked. That’s normal enough. What’s more important than being sidetracked is getting back on track. Always remember the empty tomb, always flee death, always work out your salvation in fear and trembling, and always, ALWAYS experience the joy.

Today …

Bl. Teresa Fantou

French martyr, she died in 1794. A member of the Sisters of Charity in Arras, during the French Revolution, she was arrested by republican authorities and guillotined at Cambrai. Teresa and her three companions, Francoise Lanel, Madeleine Fontaine, and Joan Gerard were beatified in 1920.The world is intent upon death, ours and its own. It doesn’t realize that martyrdom, by guillotine or pin pricks, is just another doorway to life for us. Teresa? She knows.

Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI … “Joy is the gift in which all the other gifts are included.”

Related articles

• “Are you really alive again, Lord?” … Saturday, June 8 (judemarian.wordpress.com)

The Gift of Burden … Friday, May 31

We all have a cross to carry. Get used to it. It’s a gift.

A Rosary Meditation … the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, the Carrying of the Cross. “What does he gain who refuses the cross? He increases its weight.” St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church. Jesus carries His cross. Through crowds, across uneven ground, in the dust and heat, with both sweat and blood clouding His eyesight (Is it any wonder Veronica wiped His face?), amidst a jeering crowd, with His persecutors prodding and taunting, and with His mother and a faithful few looking on with hearts torn. How much did His cross weigh? Physically I’m sure it was heavy. I’m just as sure that it was much heavier emotionally.The weight on His shoulders wasn’t anywhere close to the weight on His Heart. We carry heavy crosses too. Many times what goes on around us makes them even heavier, just like it was for Jesus. We don’t have much control over the weight of it, we often can’t do much to make it lighter. Oh, we can seek medical help, confide in our priest and friends, ask for help if we’re willing to set pride and ego aside. But after all that? It’s still heavy. Want to make it even harder to carry? Want to make it heavier? Try setting it aside, try getting out from under it. This is life, and in life there will be crosses. We can’t escape them. In carrying them we are dealing with them. It’s when we try to shake them off or pretend that they aren’t there (denial) that we only make things worse. Jesus didn’t lay His aside even though He could have. We see the results now because we can look back at the Resurrection. It’s hard to look forward and see what blessings ours will bring. But trusting that those blessings are sure if we carry our cross to the end we’ll be able to see the blessing face to Face in the end. Running away never gets us anywhere. Running TO is a different matter. What we carry as we run only makes us stronger. Embrace the cross. It’s not a burden, it’s a gift. Jesus carried His cross to Calvary. If we carry our cross and follow Him we’ll go to Calvary too. And He’ll be there to meet us.

Today …

St. Thomas Du

 

 

St. Thomas Du is a Vietnamese martyr. A native of Vietnam, he entered the Dominicans as a tertiary and aided the Catholic cause in Vietnam until his arrest by authorities. He was tortured and finally beheaded. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988. Arrest, torture, death. A big, a heavy cross. We can look back now and see the results. Du died and a saint was born. If he had tried to get out from under his cross, and by denying Christ he could have, where would he be now? If we try to escape our cross where will we be later?

Quote … “Jesus, Mary, The Cross: I want no other friends but these.” ~ St. Bernadette Soubirous ~

Get out your map … Wednesday, May 22

Galilee, Israel.

A Rosary Meditation … The First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. “And behold, He goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see Him.” Matthew 28:7. Over the years, given the various jobs I’ve held, the bosses that I liked the most were the ones that didn’t mind getting their hands dirty, the ones that would never ask you to do something that they wouldn’t do themselves. You don’t mind following someone like that. And in Christianity Jesus leads the way, doesn’t He? “Christian”, strictly speaking, means a person who follows Christ. “Catholic”, meaning “universal”, indicates that the opportunity to follow Jesus is open to all, Jew, Samaritan, Greek, Gentiles in general, the good and the bad. Especially the bad because they need Him the most. During His earthly life how many prostitutes and thieves followed Him? The people I see in Church, the ex-drunks, the ones that lived loose and so-called free, the ones that had an abortion, the ones that were atheistic and actively, openly against fought the Church, these are the ones who need Him most. And mostly they’re the ones I like the best. The ones, thankfully the few, who don’t mind letting you know that butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth now and never has, well, I worry about them. “Jesus hearing this, saith to them: They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For I came not to call the just, but sinners.” Mark 2:17. And Jesus leads the way. “For we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.” Hebrews 4:15. And what is the result of our following Jesus? Whether He leads us to Galilee or a martyr’s death or the voting booth? “Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2. And this is what makes the trip worth while.

Today …

St. Bobo

 

 

St. Bobo was a Crusader and hermit, also called Beuvon. Bobo was a knight of Provence, France, who fought against the invading Saracens and then became a hermit. He died at Pavia, in Lombardy, Italy, while on a pilgrimage to Rome. This guy made a lot of trips following after Jesus. As a knight who knows where he went. Rescue maidens from dragons? Probably not, but I’m sure there was adventure. As a Crusader there was no doubt a lot of traveling, a great deal of following. And as a hermit?  He probably traveled further as a hermit than he did as a knight or Crusader put together. I’ll let you think about that one. When we get weary of the trip, and weariness happens, Bobo might be a good one to turn to for prayer help. Like Jesus, the One he followed, he knows what this trip is like.

Think … “Truth is not determined by a majority vote.”―Pope Benedict XVI.