I just received two text messages from friends. One said "Happy Easter =]!!" and the other said "Happy Resurrection Day!"
There's nothing wrong with the first text, obviously, because today is in fact Easter Sunday; but sometimes it feels as though we're focused on the joy of Easter in terms of eating candy and partying and seeing family and hearing happy music in Mass, while we can tend to overlook the REAL reason for all the celebration.
You may think, no Emma, I know that Easter is the day the Lord has made! Christ resurrected! That is the real meaning. He died for our sins and rose to life! He has given us new life!
Well yes, this is true. But we often just say things, we often know the answer, we often are joyful for events like Easter Sunday but don't REALLY comprehend what we are saying. There's a difference between believing something with your mind and believing with your heart.
I can compare it to the Eucharist. We know, because we are taught and believe, that the Eucharist is in fact the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He offered himself to us, and we get to participate in possibly the most beautiful communion known to mankind - that of literally consuming our Savior and becoming one with Him, body and blood. If this is so, if this is what we truly believe, then why aren't we rushing to Mass every Sunday? Why aren't we reverent for the entire liturgy? Why don't we arrive early, instead of 5 minutes before (or late), to prepare our minds and hearts to receive our LORD? Why do we not fall to our knees every time we receive Him, overcome with His sheer power and glory? Why do we not burst into tears at the beauty and reality that we get to receive Jesus? Why do we complain about going to Mass and waking up early? Why do we get excited to sing at Mass in a choir, to see friends that we haven't seen in a week, to eat breakfast together afterwards, to dress up and act holy, yet we don't dress up because we will be in the presence of the LORD; we don't eat breakfast to share in community and talk about the LORD; we don't get excited to see JESUS who we haven't seen in a week; we don't get excited to sing praises to the Lord for the sole reason that HE IS THE LORD. We say that we believe the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, and maybe we do believe it; but do we believe it with our heart?
It's no wonder that many people are skeptical about the Catholic Church. The core teaching of our faith that separates us from other Christian religions doesn't even seem like it's that important to us.
So what about Easter and Christmas and these other joyous events in the Church? Are we going to get excited about Easter because Lent is over and we can eat sweets and meat and use Facebook? Or are we going to REJOICE in this day that the Lord has made! Rejoice today not because it's Easter Sunday, but because Jesus Christ rose from the dead today. For more than a month we haven't said "Alleluia!" We've sacrificed those things in our lives that we indulge in or that take us away from spending time with the Lord, but now we can rejoice and sing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ because He is risen! Happy Resurrection Day! Because of this day, because He rose from the dead, WE have life after death. WE are able to worship Him and receive Him. WE are saved from sin and death. WE are loved by the Lord and WE are called to new life in Him!
So today on Easter Sunday, or as I now like to refer to it, Resurrection Day, share in joy and feasting with family and friends, but not just that - celebrate because we all have the chance to take part in the everlasting life that Jesus Christ has offered us through His death and resurrection!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
A Shameful Past...
There aren't many things in my past that I regret or that I am ashamed of, but they do exist. Recently, I have been really struggling with trying to let them go. I know that I'm forgiven for my mistakes by the grace of God, so the guilty aspect is not there. It's the shame that follows that causes so much suffering and contempt for myself.
Last night, however, as I prayed The Way of the Cross, I was struck with how many reflections were based on our shame of sin. All of the meditations work well together, but for the sake of wasting space and time, I'll only write the small excerpts.
There is no evil so great that it could frighten God's goodness away. There is no shame so great that God's mercy could not shine forth from its very midst.
The very first manifestation of sin in the world was Adam and Eve's realization that they were naked. Out of shame they covered and hid themselves. This shame separated our first parents from one another and from God. Now Jesus finds himself naked as the armor-clad soldiers strip him of his garments to shame him. He who is without sin endures its shameful results, and leaves no shame untouched in his march for salvation. Like a parent who does not draw back from a sick child even in the worst throes of illness, Jesus is not afraid to go to the very core of our worst shame. He is not squeamish; our sins and secrets do not scare him. The serpent causes shame and hiding; Jesus invites us to mercy and communion.
So often we are afraid that reestablishing a relationship with someone we have wronged is hypocritical; but Christians call this reconciliation. How many friendships have ended because one who has betrayed will not forgive himself and so will not allow the other to forgive him? This is the story of Judas. Let us rather follow Peter. He is absent from the way of the cross, but he leads the Church in the way of repentance. Peter's life and preaching feed us by witnessing to Christ's infinite mercy.
Our Lord is so merciful. I am trying to open myself up to Him, to let Him love me that I may be saved from the torment of what I've done. I try to put great effort into allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of my future sisters as well, but it comes easier only as I make myself vulnerable to Christ and let Him forgive me and guide me every day. I am learning this through spending time with Jesus in the chapel and at Mass, and praying the covenant of Regina Angelorum, especially where it says:
"We realize that the fight against Satan's powers cannot be taken alone. This is why God, in His goodness and love, has given us the gift of our sisters to witness to each other and challenge one another to love as Christ loves. We have taken Mary as our model of womanhood through her life of humility and purity...We call upon her name as Queen of the Angels to assist us in our submission to Christ...As a household, our goal is to support and encourage each other to grow more like Mary in our surrender to Christ...Through faith, we trust in Mary and the Angels to help us fight the good fight of faith."
You would think that knowing Jesus loves you would be enough to get over things you've done, accept his love and mercy, and move on...Unfortunately, at least for me, it's not about knowing that He loves me, but rather seeing the shame of what I've done and not understanding how this could possibly be true, despite the fact that it is.
Last night, however, as I prayed The Way of the Cross, I was struck with how many reflections were based on our shame of sin. All of the meditations work well together, but for the sake of wasting space and time, I'll only write the small excerpts.
There is no evil so great that it could frighten God's goodness away. There is no shame so great that God's mercy could not shine forth from its very midst.
The very first manifestation of sin in the world was Adam and Eve's realization that they were naked. Out of shame they covered and hid themselves. This shame separated our first parents from one another and from God. Now Jesus finds himself naked as the armor-clad soldiers strip him of his garments to shame him. He who is without sin endures its shameful results, and leaves no shame untouched in his march for salvation. Like a parent who does not draw back from a sick child even in the worst throes of illness, Jesus is not afraid to go to the very core of our worst shame. He is not squeamish; our sins and secrets do not scare him. The serpent causes shame and hiding; Jesus invites us to mercy and communion.
So often we are afraid that reestablishing a relationship with someone we have wronged is hypocritical; but Christians call this reconciliation. How many friendships have ended because one who has betrayed will not forgive himself and so will not allow the other to forgive him? This is the story of Judas. Let us rather follow Peter. He is absent from the way of the cross, but he leads the Church in the way of repentance. Peter's life and preaching feed us by witnessing to Christ's infinite mercy.
Our Lord is so merciful. I am trying to open myself up to Him, to let Him love me that I may be saved from the torment of what I've done. I try to put great effort into allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of my future sisters as well, but it comes easier only as I make myself vulnerable to Christ and let Him forgive me and guide me every day. I am learning this through spending time with Jesus in the chapel and at Mass, and praying the covenant of Regina Angelorum, especially where it says:
"We realize that the fight against Satan's powers cannot be taken alone. This is why God, in His goodness and love, has given us the gift of our sisters to witness to each other and challenge one another to love as Christ loves. We have taken Mary as our model of womanhood through her life of humility and purity...We call upon her name as Queen of the Angels to assist us in our submission to Christ...As a household, our goal is to support and encourage each other to grow more like Mary in our surrender to Christ...Through faith, we trust in Mary and the Angels to help us fight the good fight of faith."
You would think that knowing Jesus loves you would be enough to get over things you've done, accept his love and mercy, and move on...Unfortunately, at least for me, it's not about knowing that He loves me, but rather seeing the shame of what I've done and not understanding how this could possibly be true, despite the fact that it is.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
My Name Is Written In Heaven
Last night I sat in Regina Angelorum's common room to pray night prayers. I decided that I should pray their household covenant beforehand, and as I did, it all became more real for me. Suddenly I didn't feel like I was just reading a piece of paper, but I was comprehending it. I realized the power of the covenant and felt the intensity of what it calls me to do every day. After I finished, I looked up and saw everything in the common room, all the stuff: the candles, the statues, the crosses, the angels, the walls...In that moment, it was real for me. It was real that I am joining this household and that one day I will be a part of the sisterhood that I now look at from the outside. But it's more than just saying I am another sister, wearing the sweatshirt, and attending commitments - I will be an integral part of the sisterhood. I will not only just have my sisters to support me and help me grow in my faith, I will need to be that for them. Instead of taking this thought and looking forward to it, suddenly I filled with fear, hesitation.
Could I be strong enough? Am I strong enough to be a sister to these girls who have been in the household for years? Will I be able to make myself vulnerable to them when I need it? Can I possibly keep the words of this covenant and its challenges for the rest of my life? My life is a long time, and though I know these thoughts are not of God, they have plagued my mind since last night.
Am I good enough? Every time I ask that terrible question, I always revert back to the Bible verse from Luke that Jess gave me a few weeks back:
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
I have power over evil, but what is greater is that my name is written in heaven. Why do I ask if I am good enough when the Lord has already written my name down in heaven, planning to use me to do His will on this earth? He will guide me through these times as I come so close to becoming an Angel, a sister in Regina Angelorum.
Could I be strong enough? Am I strong enough to be a sister to these girls who have been in the household for years? Will I be able to make myself vulnerable to them when I need it? Can I possibly keep the words of this covenant and its challenges for the rest of my life? My life is a long time, and though I know these thoughts are not of God, they have plagued my mind since last night.
Am I good enough? Every time I ask that terrible question, I always revert back to the Bible verse from Luke that Jess gave me a few weeks back:
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
I have power over evil, but what is greater is that my name is written in heaven. Why do I ask if I am good enough when the Lord has already written my name down in heaven, planning to use me to do His will on this earth? He will guide me through these times as I come so close to becoming an Angel, a sister in Regina Angelorum.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Beginning
I have no specific thoughts right now on what my first post should consist of, but I expect that eventually I will regularly write in order to show the active work of my faith in my life. Right now I am just so thankful that my brother and sister were able to experience the faith of Franciscan University this weekend and the passion that the students have, striving to live a holy life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)