Category: Franciscan Footprint

042623

Shaping the Franciscan Footprint

Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

April 20 – April 26

 1 — “But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”  (Jn 6:20)

        Many of us have things that happened on important days that stand out in our minds. I never can go past an Easter without thinking of an Easter homily by my pastor when I was in high school on vacation from the seminary.  I was serving the Mass and the homily or lack of one, really made an impression on me, as it did on everyone in the Church. My pastor started the homily talking about the Resurrection, but almost immediately he broke down, obviously crying and very moved. This went on for about five minutes, trying to talk, then breaking down again. He could see that he was getting nowhere, so he gave up, and went on with the rest of the Mass, gaining control as he spoke the familiar words of the Mass.

        A number of people gathered around him after Mass to see if he was okay, and he was able to explain what had happened. He had been working with a young college student at a small college near him. The student had threatened suicide several times. My pastor had been called to him and, over a period of time, they had built up a good relationship. Then on Holy Saturday evening, the day before, the student had lost control and finally succeeded in taking his life. My pastor, as you would expect, was deeply hurt.

        One of things that is clear whenever we celebrate what might be called “highly positive” feasts like Easter or Christmas is the sharp contrast of what we celebrate and the negative realities of our world. Jesus’ Birth or Resurrection does not change negative realities.

        – we still have suicides;

        – we still have tragedies in our own country, often involving young people;

        – we still have terrorism, dangerous world situations and war;

        – we still have deaths and personal heartbreaks that can make many people bitter;

        – we still have the uncontrollable teenager, a spouse that does not care, parents who are old and difficult to take care of;

        – we still have families in trouble, people not getting along and kids getting hurt;

        – we still have people in pain who are hurting physically and psychologically.

They are negative situations that might be part of our lives right now.

        And yet we hear in the Gospels so many times in Jesus’s life, words that are as often as he tells us to have faith, the words, “Do not be afraid.”

        I call those difficult situations “messes.” Every family has a mess. No matter what family we are talking about, there is something that has disrupted the normal process of living. They are situations that people usually have absolutely no control over. They make people cry out, “I don’t deserve this.” “Why can’t my life be normal like everyone else’s?” “Why do these things happen to me?” They are real, and not funny in the least. They are messes, and messes “mess up” everything that is in the immediate area. No amount of soft talk or Christian celebration will ever be able to take them away.

        To understand these negative realities, it is good to look at our Christian lives as sort of a spiritual battle, a battle between dwelling in the positive with the hope of eternal life as given to us in the Resurrection. Or dwelling in the negative, allowing the negative realities to dominate our lives and thinking.

        The way to win the spiritual battle lies not in changing the negative facts because usually we cannot change the facts, but it lies in changing the person who encounters the facts—namely, us. One of the great spiritual truths of all times is very simply: we can change. The message of every Gospel account of the Resurrection: people changed as they understood what Jesus’ Resurrection meant. They were afraid before, but afterwards were not.

        If we manage to allow Jesus’s Resurrection or Birth to dominate our thinking, it gives rise to strong positive thinking, positive thinking that looks at personal tragedies and says: yes, I can deal with these—they are opportunities to grow, to work with life and make it more positive. And, we will change ourselves, and the positive will win the battle. And be able to understand why we should not be afraid.

2 – “With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (Lk 24:31)

…Have we recognized the Lord working with us, even in the difficult moments?  He is.

3 — “This man never stops saying things…” (Acts 6:13)

…Stephen’s enemies saw that Stephen always spoke of the Lord. Do I speak of the Lord by my actions and words?

4 — They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them.” (Mk 16:20)

…As long as we do the preaching by our lives, the Lord will be with us.

 5 — “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (Jn 6:35)

…Do my thoughts, words and actions show that I receive the Eucharist?

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www.thegospelandme.com

041923

Shaping the Franciscan Footprint

Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

April 13 – April 19

 1 – “You are witnesses of these things.” (Lk 24:48)

THE WITNESS WHO “SEES”

        The year was 1906. A person who could be described as a normal young man graduated from school after having been educated in Braunau, a little town in Austria. He had a Catholic upbringing, was a Mass server, and as a young man, he struggled to be what he should have been.

        About 17 years later, another young man graduated from school not far from Braunau, St. Radegund, Austria. He fooled around in life much more than the first youth. He also was Catholic, but showed little respect for anything. He was into drinking, motorcycling (he was first in his small town to own one), and was into sexual activity. In fact, he had a child out of wedlock after his graduation from school. He finally settled down because of his marriage to a good woman, had three small children, and began to live a “normal” good life. He farmed, worked in a factory, even did some military service, but was released from it temporarily to farm. He slowly began to think. He later was to call it beginning “to see.”

        In February 1943, the first youth had become the head of state in Germany, a man by the name of Adolf Hitler. In that same month, the second youth was called into the Hitler’s army. The second was a relatively unknown person who would have remained that way had it not been for someone who wrote a book about him. The name of the book was “In Solitary Witness” by Gordon Zahn; the name of the youth was Franz Jaegerstaetter, now considered a saint in the Catholic Church.

        In February 1943 Franz Jaegerstaetter knew that he had a problem because he believed that the war he was drafted into was wrong. Being a good Catholic by that time, he sought advice of priests, even the bishop, and was told to serve. He loved his wife and children. His wife knew what he was going through, and they did not want to separate, but no matter what anyone said, he knew what was right.

        One of the major arguments for him to join the army was that his refusal to serve would not make a difference. His neighbors thought he was crazy, that refusing to join would be an act of folly, and more than that, a sin against his family, his community, and even his Church. His death would go unnoticed. It would have no impact on the Nazi movement. It would not bring the end of the war. His action would soon be forgotten. Who would remember or care about an anti-Nazi gesture of an uneducated farmer? He would be just one more filed-away name among the many thousands who were tried and executed with indifference during the Nazi era.

        But he did what he had to do because he knew it was right. He went to the military induction center, told them he would not serve, was sent to prison, and executed on August 9, 1943. He was a witness to the truth.

        The word “witness” means literally “to know.” It implies that we know this Jesus, and are willing to make him known to others. Jaegerstaetter called it the “grace to see.”

        Whether he knew it or not, Franz Jaegerstaetter was a witness. He was given the grace to see Jesus and what he stood for. Franz Jaegerstaetter knew what he did was right. So do we. Our prayer is that we may have the grace to see, and when we see it, that we are willing to act.

2 — “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”  (Mk 14:15)

…Francis took this directive quite literally. Do my actions show that I am proclaiming the Gospel?

3 — “Amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he[/she] cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:5)

…I have been; do I act like it?

4 – “The community of believers was of one heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32)

…In my fraternity, do I try to achieve this ideal?

5 – “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)

…The miniature Gospel.  I should spend some time in Thanksgiving to God today.

041223

Shaping the Franciscan Footprint

Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

April 6 – April 12

 1 – “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.” (Jn 13:14)

…Service. Do I try to be a servant to others?

 2 — “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.” (Mt 28:5-6)

…Do I live out the Resurrection of Jesus in my life?

3 – “Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.” (Mt 28:9)

…Jesus “meets us” as we run toward Him. How much have we allowed him to influence our lives?

4 – “He saw and believed.”  (Jn 20:8)

…My faith should be great. Could people see that I was a believer by my actions yesterday?

5 – “Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord”. (Jn 20:18)

INTERPRETING LIFE

“Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

(Luke 12:56)

“Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”

(John 20:18)

        There was a convention of athletic coaches, athletic directors and some accomplished athletes at Estes Park, CO in the mid-70’s.  The presence of God is usually not a topic at such gatherings; most of the talk deals with strong schedules, great athletes and coaches and great sports stories.  The main speaker for the event was marked on the program “to be announced.”

        When it came time for him to speak, the lights were turned off and a movie projector began.  It was a film of 1963 super-athlete Brian Sternberg (University of Washington, died in 2013) as he was executing a pole vault that turned out to be the world record for pole vaulting at that time with a commentary by one of the network sports people.  As a result of that, Brian Sternberg was recognized at that moment, literally, as the world’s greatest pole vaulter.

        That’s all that was shown, took about a minute.  Then a spotlight came on stage centered on an empty chair.  Someone carried out an obviously handicapped human being and placed him on the chair in the spotlight and gave him a microphone.  The handicapped person began to speak in a raspy voice.  He said: Hi, I’m Brian Sternberg.  And he told his story.

        He called himself a selfish person.  He knew he was a great pole vaulter.  He did most of his practicing on the trampoline as was common with pole vaulting.  Not needing others, since he was a natural athlete, he didn’t have much use for others.  He worked out alone away from the rest of the young people in the gym.  Gradually, he became quite cocky with what he could do.  One day he was doing a double somersault twist on the trampoline and he came down off center, landing dangerously on the trampoline, hitting his head in an awkward way.

        He was paralyzed him immediately, confined to a wheelchair forever, and quite bitter about life.  With the help of a girlfriend, he only gradually came to understand some things.

        In his speech, then, he paused so that it became deathly quiet in the auditorium, and said:

“My friends, I pray to God that what has happened to me will never happen to one of you.  I pray that you’ll never know the humiliation, the shame of not being able to perform one human act.  I pray to God that you will never know the pain that I live with daily…

Then he paused again.  And finally continued

“…unless, my friends, that’s what it takes for you to put God in the center of your life.”

        Brian Sternberg went on to explain how he had neglected the important things in life.  And now he had come to see that God was the only important thing.

040523

Shaping the Franciscan Footprint

Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

March 30 – April 5

 1 — “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.” (Mt 26:26-27)

        The Catholic family lived next door to the Catholic rectory and the relationship between the pastor and the family was a very good one. The family had a four-year-old daughter who, as her father said, “mastered the art of talking very well” and was always inquisitive. One day the four-year-old came over to the rectory with a jar of St. Joseph’s children’s aspirin, gave it to the priest and said, “This is for Jesus because he is sick.” The priest asked, “How do you know that Jesus is sick?” The girl answered, “Daddy said so.”

        The priest could not figure that out, so he called the father at work who was very embarrassed about the whole thing and explained it to the priest. The day before at Sunday Mass he had a conversation with his daughter during Mass, and at the same time was trying to keep his daughter quiet. She pointed to the tabernacle, and said, “What is that?” “That is the place where Jesus lives,” the father said. The girl responded: “Can I ask him to come out and play?” “No,” he said, “I don’t think Jesus wants to come out and play today.” “You mean that Jesus doesn’t like me?” she said. “No,” the father replied, “Jesus just doesn’t want to play today.” The little girl replied, “Why doesn’t he, can I go ask him?” “No,” the father said, “You can’t go ask him.” “Why can’t I go ask him” the little girl wanted to know. And the conversation went on like this for a couple of minutes. Finally, quite exasperated, the father said, “Jesus is sick today, he doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Hence, she wanted to give Jesus the aspirins that her parents used to help her when she was sick.

        The doctrine of the Eucharist is difficult to explain to our younger people, and it is even more complicated than it at first seems. Without really knowing what she was doing, she was speaking what spiritual writers have called the “Jesus and me” theology.

        “Jesus and me” theology is easy theology. Applied to the understanding of the Eucharist, “Jesus and me” theology concentrates on the Eucharist as such. It is not a theology that is wrong; it is simply not enough. It becomes wrong when it does not move us to become what we should be, that is, good people interested in love of God and neighbor.

        The opposite of the “Jesus and me” theology is “Jesus and we.” That is, community is important. In terms of the Eucharist, the “Jesus and we” theology concentrates on the action of the faith community, of the people who receive the body and blood of Jesus, and what I do in my community after I receive the Lord in Communion.

        In a “Jesus and we” theology, we can never receive the Real Presence of Jesus and at the same time hate anyone else or refuse to forgive another or ruin another’s reputation or deliberately be divisive in the church or community or family. The fact is, however, that many times people receive the body of Christ in Communion and do not let it affect the body of Christ next to them in the pew or in the neighborhood.

        The little girl in the story did not know what the Eucharist was all about, but she knew that Jesus was a person and a friend. If Jesus becomes a person and a friend to us, we will not just “keep him” in the tabernacle of our Churches. We will make him active in our lives.

        And maybe even ask him to come out and play with us.

[The Eucharist is central for the Franciscan. Do I go to Mass as often as I can?]

2 — But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. (Mt 27:50)

…The Lord has redeemed me; do I act like it?

3 – “Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil…and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair.” (Jn 12:3)

…A sincere act of love.  Do I show the love I have on behalf of others?

4 — Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.” (Jn 13:38)

…We should study the denial of Peter carefully. In what areas of my life has there been a denial of Jesus, and have I completely corrected them?

5 — “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” (Jn 26:21-22)

…The reason why Judas betrayed Jesus was personal gain or selfishness.  It is only fitting that Lent ends with this thought of selfishness.  Am I?

032923

Shaping the Franciscan Footprint

Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

March 23 – March 29

  1 — Jesus said: “How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?^” (Jn 5:44)

…Do I seek too much the praise from others?

2 – “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’” (Lk 1:38)

…Like Mary, I have said “yes” to the Franciscan life. Am I living it out in my life?

MARY’S PRIME DIRECTIVE

        The liturgy often refers to the Blessed Virgin. 

        Quite naturally, we are drawn into what in the study of theology is called “Mariology” or the “Theology of Mary” which is based on the fact that Mary is the earthly Mother of the Incarnate Word of God while he was here on earth with us in person.

        What should it mean for us?  A mother will be someone who both helps a child and acts as a perfect example for the child.  Therefore, there are two things for us to consider here.  They might be considered to be, in Star Trek language, the “prime directive” of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

        First, Mary helps us.  The Church has believed from early on that Mary will intercede for us, much the same way that Mary interceded for the wedding couple at Cana in John’s Gospel.  In the story she was asking her Son to help a couple, asking her Son to relieve their distress, and then offering one of the ten most important lines in Scripture, I believe: saying to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you”.  The way that Mary helps us primarily is to say to us to follow the directives that Jesus gives us.  We do not know how this works in reality, but our faith tells us that the good that we ask of God through Jesus will have Mary’s endorsement.

        Secondly, Mary serves as a perfect example for us as we live our Christian lives on earth.  She recognizes what God wants of her, and in her famous words at the Annunciation, understands that she is called by God —“Let it be done according to God’s word,” – saying “yes, I will do it”.  And she followed through with her “yes.”  Once she had said that she would follow what God wanted of her, she tried to do it.  Without knowing what it meant, she was present for her Son in everything, a lesson for all of us when we say “yes” to our Franciscan faith and the words of Jesus, no matter what happens.

3 — “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (Jn 11:25)

…Is my faith (belief AND action) as strong as it should be?

It is a good spiritual exercise to write your own eulogy—what you think your friends will say about you at your funeral, and what you would like them to say about you.
Things like:
        – on a scale of 1-10 where 10 is high, how do you score your prayer life;
        – on that same scale, do you think about other people in a good way;
        – or how would you score your taking care of those less fortunate than you are?
        – and so forth…

4 — “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (Jn 8:7)

…I too readily judge others. This directive from Jesus concerning the woman should “speak” to me.

5 — He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above.” (Jn 8:23)

…I should spend more time with the Lord, more time with what is above.