The once "fake-it-until-you-make-it" Catholic suggests you do the same

It is exactly 3 years ago today that I began writing a column as a way to serve Jesus and Mary, and share the truth of our Catholic faith. At that time I considered myself "spiritual, not religious." I was what you might call a "fake it until you make it" Catholic. All I can say is that it sure has worked for me. God's grace is truly amazing. His faithfulness, mercy, and forgiveness is very real. He heals us. You only have to ask the Lord to take the lead, and then take those unsure, wobbly baby steps forward. Our holy mother Mary helps us learn to walk. She's right there, if we want to take her for our own, as St. John did at the foot of the holy cross.

I am very grateful for this new creation that God is making of me. For the good and the bad in my life, too, I am appreciative. The days of my life are like the multiple threads of an elaborate tapestry that God has used to lead me to repentance of my sinful ways and to cooperate with the grace of God in striving for holiness.

Did you know that in these muddled opinions of all sorts, and in these confusing times, there is one thing you can always be sure of? We all have a calling for holiness. I do. You do. One way to get there is to "fake it until you make it." Just try. What better day than today, on Ash Wednesday. Tomorrow, dust yourself off and get up and try again. You may fall a whole lot at first. You may get hurt. Conversion is an on-going process. Like a spiritual toddler, don't give up, keep on. You will learn to walk eventually. You may even find you love to run.

Grace and humility puts us on the road that leads to life

My eldest son selected the front pew, and the family members who went to Mass with us all followed him in. All of us could fit in the pew to sit there, but the area to kneel on padding was shorter, and someone would need to kneel on the carpeted floor. I wanted to change places with my son so that I could perform reparation. He wouldn't agree to a more comfortable spot with me kneeling on the floor. He invited me next to him, and we were both able to fit there kneeling without blocking the aisle.

After receiving our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, as I prayed, I happened to look over at my son. He was kneeling there in humble prayer with his eyes closed and his head bowed in reverence to God. I was aware of my son's difficulties in life and the temptations he battles, and I was sorry for him and for my part in it. I know that some of what he goes through is because of my own sinfulness when he lived under my roof, as a child. I was in awe at how he had become such a good and wonderful man, a responsible father, and a faithful husband to his wife. He has cheated the designs the evil one has for him and his life. He loves Jesus and reaches out to others with the love of Christ.He loves the Catholic Church and defends the faith. My son strives to be virtuous and pleasing to God. It is obvious to me that my son is a Christian who daily humbles himself and cooperates with the grace of God at work in his life. It is awe-inspiring and glorious to behold.

As I prayed, I asked the Lord to have mercy on my son for his sins, and for things he has not yet learned, and for those sins that he has not yet been able to conquer. I cried. Oh Lord, how wrong I was as a young parent, who had unrealistic expectations of my firstborn son. I was far too demanding and harsh with him. It is truly a blessed humiliation to admit that we have sinned, and to experience God's grace and mercy and reconciliation.

God is loving and merciful. When we cooperate with His miraculous, transforming grace, we become more like Jesus and Mary. Conversion, at heart, is not a one day occurrence with a vocal claim of repentance, but a lifetime occurrence within one's heart of daily cooperation with God's grace, bringing forth visible fruit of true repentance, evidenced in virtuous living. My son and I have a great relationship. We pray the Holy Rosary on Saturdays and we go to Mass together. We share good times together, and in hard times, we help bear one another's burdens. We love each other. And we encourage and affirm each other as we strive for holiness.

We've got a long way to go, but we have found the right road, the hard, narrow one that leads to life. My prayer for you, dear reader, is that you join us there. Quoting from St. John the Baptist in today's Gospel reading: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010212.cfm (I will add the EWTN homily for 1/2/2012 as soon as it becomes available and I am able to share it.)

Traditional prayer and praying "in the Spirit"

As a Catholic, you may have had the experience of being told that our devotional prayers like the Memorare are lacking something, they are memorized, and they aren't from you; and that spontaneous prayers that come from your heart are better. Unfortunately, this is a view from ignorance that  lately, even some well-meaning Catholic Charismatics believe. Is it "superstitious" to pray a certain number of repetitions when we pray? Doesn't the Bible tell us not to pray vain repetitions? Isn't it better to pray "in the Spirit"?

Let's take a brief look at our traditional Catholic prayers and why it is valuable to continue in our practice of praying them.

Those old-fashioned prayers that are memorized and recited by Catholics are powerful and they are theologically sound. They have an amazing history to them as well. And they have been approved by the Church. Catholics have devotions for Mary and the saints because over the centuries, miraculous events have been attributed to them. These are the main reasons that they are prayed and passed down from generation to generation. We pray traditional prayers because it works!

The Memorare, for example, has an awesome history of miraculous intervention by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It brings healing and the conversion of sinners as we trust and rely on our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. Accounts of St. Francis de Sales, and Father Claude Bernard, who popularized the prayer, can be read at the link. Check the original sources there at the bottom of the page for additional reading.

It is always a good thing for us to pray for one another. At the same time, this doesn't mean that we shouldn't avail ourselves of the holy saints and angels who are there for us. Spontaneous prayers are great to pray, and Catholics do pray these prayers, too. Yet when somebody prays memorized devotional prayers, it does not mean that the person does not pray from their heart. No, it is just the opposite, for the devotee finds it so dear that it is given a regular place of importance in the Catholic's life. And lastly, even Jesus prayed the same prayer three times for the cup to be taken away from Him by our Heavenly Father. Clearly, our Lord has no problem with repeating prayers. Let's just remember, that when we pray, we likewise agree to accept that God's will be done in the matter, as Jesus did in His repetitious prayer. It is the Son of God Who taught us to pray The Our Father, and The Lord's Prayer, which is not spontaneous, is repeated to this day by all Christian denominations.

Treasure the tried and true. Remember that when we pray traditional Catholic prayers given to us by our Church, we can be sure that we are truly praying "in the Spirit" for it is the Holy Spirit Who guides our Church. So come on, and pray the Memorare with me, with love from our hearts:

Color your life Magnificat

We can learn a lot about our Blessed Mother, and we can apply her words of The Magnificat to our lives today. She gives credit to God for everything that happens to her and calls these "great things". She even speaks to a positive and blessed future. She praises and glorifies God, rejoicing, filled with faith in God's providence and protection and provision. She speaks of God's mercy for those who have a high regard and reverence for our Lord. And she recounts how God keeps His promises.

Stress, uncertainty, fear, disappointments, wicked ordeals may indeed be a part of your life. I know I have much to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes we can get stuck focusing on the negative pieces and not see the positive side of the whole scenario. Think about it--we also have unexpected resolved difficulties, various talents to make use of, joyful experiences, and many freedoms to be grateful for.

We may not be able to avoid dealing with the bad things in life, but we certainly can make the decision to trust in Jesus, to be thankful to God for all of the good, and reflect on the better things. Remember the bottom line--God loves you! Roses are beautiful and soft and fragrant. And they have thorns. Can you imagine not noticing the glorious flowers and only seeing the smaller thorns?

I like the idea of making The Magnificat my own, as if I had composed this beautiful prayer about my own life. Try it. Pray the words spoken by the Virgin Mary, making them your own:


The Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,
Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid:
for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He that is mighty, 
has done great things to me; and Holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation unto generations, 
to them that fear Him.
He has shewed might in His Arm: 
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has cast down the mighty from their seat, 
and has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has received Israel, 
His servant, mindful of His mercy.
As He spoke to our fathers, 
to Abraham and to his seed, for ever.

Some days are worse than others

Noise. Children squabble. Neighbors fight. Mothers yell and cuss. Fathers slam doors. A car stops nearby with the radio blasting disgusting obscenities toward women.  I hear the train sounding a long warning. I hear above me, the air traffic, is low today. The threatening storm will bring thunder. There are automobiles with their horns being blown repeatedly by impatient, insistent drivers. The television, the cable, the internet videos are loud with violence. Several people need something from me, right now. They are all talking to me at once. There is the demand for prompt intervention. An angry critical voice expects an answer immediately. Sibling rivalry escalates, needing the referee. I shout instructions from one room to another, "don't answer the phone! It's a bill collector." A delivery person rings the doorbell. The dog barks dramatically, relentlessly, broadcasting her intruder alert. The washer has become unbalanced, bam, bam, bam, bam! The baby wakes up, startled, and wails. Noise.

Some days are worse than others. Hang in there. Remember, this too shall pass :)

Ave Maris Stella

Hail bright star of ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest
Taking that sweet Ave
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva's name.
Break the captives' fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine
Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus
Joy for evermore
Through the highest heaven
To the Almighty Three
Father, Son, and Sprit
One same glory be,

Amen.

On healing

There was a time in my life when I thought that since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior life should get a whole lot better. I remember thinking God would do anything for me, all I had to do was pray about it. My faith took a big hit when I prayed for somebody to be healed miraculously. And then she died. I was totally shocked. How could God be my all-powerful Father, be a good God, but not listen to my prayer, and not care about healing this woman? This made no sense at all--to me--at that time.

There are things that we will never understand about God this side of heaven. The Holy Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are excellent sources to learn more about God. Be attentive to the homilies at Mass. Listen to God. Accept the message.

In time, I began to understand that God does not heal everybody physically. His main interest is your soul. Will a healing bring eternal salvation? Will a healing cause you to live on in a lifestyle that will cause the loss of heaven? Will suffering in the body be better for those around you who have not yet learned to give of themselves, to have empathy and mercy, or to see the value in people who are not otherwise viewed as perfect and able-bodied?

Pick up the Bible and read here and there in the Old Testament and in the New Testament to gain a few clues about how God works in the cases of healing miracles. Read from the writings of the saints to understand more about how and why God brings about miracles. There are some common elements involved, but there is no set formula to receive a supernatural healing from the Lord. The one obvious shared constant is faith. You must believe God can heal. One cannot presume that ending a prayer "in Jesus name" are magic words that make our Lord obey us.

There is no harm in praying for somebody's healing. And it is right to expect a miracle rather than limit God with human understanding, such as thinking, this is a terminal disease that God cannot help with. Pray with faith that God can do anything as long as it is in accordance with His will. Revisiting the scene of the agony in the garden, Jesus prayed that the Father's will be done. God is love. Everything He does is out of love.

Grace and magic are two completely different things. Nobody commands God to do anything. Whenever saints prayed and people whom they interceded for were healed, it wasn't their doing, but miracles were wrought by the power and the grace of God. God heard them, though, and He acted. Have you ever wondered why their prayers were so effective? Find out about the saints, read about their lives, and read their writing to find out more about the depth of their faith. The saints lived holy lives. That is a big clue right there. Every single one of us is called to holiness. Even you and I can become saints. Let's rejoice and give glory to God as He spiritually heals us. Ultimately, this is the best healing of all.

Today's Gospel reading: Matthew 13:10-17

Accepting authority is not unusual, so choose yours wisely

"You're not the boss of me!" you most likely have heard one child say to another. Though adults may not speak as glibly and candidly as little children, most of us think the same thing. Here are some of our silent thoughts when challenged or corrected: Who are you anyway? I don't have to listen to you. You are no better than I am. What makes you think you're right? I've got as much right as anybody to...

This carries right over into our thinking about the Catholic Church. We don't want religious leaders in our bedroom. One of the chants at pro-life rallies goes: Get your rosaries off our ovaries! Many Americans refer to our country as one having a separation of church and state. And some Catholic politicians set their religious views aside when they vote.

A lot of Catholic families learn about our faith from everywhere except the Church, the Catechism, and the Bible. When I was growing up, the only time I heard about what anybody said who mattered in the Church, like the Pope, was if it happened to be on the nightly news. I had no idea that these are intelligent individuals who actually wrote profound encyclicals and books. I accepted whatever was said about them as if it were the gospel truth. Little did I know that my authority, who I listened to, was the liberal reporter on my TV screen. I had no idea there was a liberal bias, nor that quotes are often taken out of context. I assumed that I was getting objective information from a trustworthy source, and that it was the truth.

We may not easily warm up to the authority of the Catholic Church initially, because it seems to come down on our lifestyle. We don't want the Church to be the boss of us. We have life experience and think we know how things work just about as well as the next guy. However, if you think about it, we really do listen to somebody and accept what that authority says. Just as I accepted what was shown on the news, you accept some source as your authority for what you believe. Like it or not somebody in some way IS the boss of you. Even if you want to believe that this person is you.

Since the truth of the matter is that we learn from many different sources and incorporate those ideas into our lives, why not let one of those voices of authority be from the One who gave His all for us, Jesus. Jesus, we see in the Scriptures, is the Truth. He came, the Bible tells us, to build His Church. He thinks the Church is pretty important. He said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. There's power in the Church, then, according to our Lord. Christ finds His Church authoritative. The Holy Spirit knows more than we do, thank goodness. Isn't it time we stopped playing god and/or allowing unbelieving teachers to influence us to doubt our faith and embrace sinful ways; and rather take as our authority she who has safeguarded the Truth for us for about 2000 years, our holy Catholic Church.

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” - St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Surrender to Jesus and Mary

Especially when one is from a disadvantaged background, you can get caught up in hustling for a buck and falling into all manner of sin as you manage to struggle through one day and waking up to the next. The next day happens to be another like the one before more or less, and you are a victim of circumstance, reacting the best you can and rolling with the punches. There were times I thought that if I could just make it through the night until tomorrow arrived, it would be a better day; and I was surprised to find that the bright sunny day did not bring with it the miracle that I needed.

I tried to fight off the cruel oppressive world, I'd battle with myself, and try once more to stop sinning. I tried to have false hope because it was better than no hope. I tried to do the right thing in the midst of a gone-wrong life in a confusing and conflicted society. I tried to make better decisions. I tried to dig myself out of a deep hole. I could see the financial crisis and the losses of all sorts in my life. But I did believe God existed, somewhere out there, maybe He even resided in my heart, I knew I had a good heart.

Life was like a roller coaster ride for me. Maybe you've been there. Maybe you're there right now. If you're dealing with addiction, with an impossible work situation, or you feel like you will never find love; all is not lost. I've been there. Sometimes I still have to fight off those demons. Just about the time I've mastered one area, another temptation raises up to try to entice me to do something else that I know would not be pleasing to our Lord.

These days things are very different, though. I am not directionless, adrift in the midst of a great deadly ocean without a Life Savor. This change did not come about because I learned how to kick a bad habit or to master a new technique in some innovative psychological methodology. I stopped focusing on me and my pain and demanding all of my wishes come true. By the grace of God I understood that my whole life was spent trying to have my own way, and it was, big shocker, God whom I was really resisting. I responded, I surrendered to Jesus and Mary. I'm one of those "late arrivals" spoken of in today's homily (provided here below for your convenience.)

I know what is happening now that I am walking in the light. I am able to recognize that sin is always there at my door, and refuse it entry. There is spiritual warfare going on in our lives. There is testing and purification that is on-going, too. So I may fall down, but I am not out. I get up again, dust myself off, get to confession, and hold my head up once again. It is defeating to look at all the times I have fallen rather than remind myself of all of the times that I stood back up. And with Jesus and Mary to help me, and smile upon me and my little victories over sin, I am strengthened all the more to gladly say yes to God's will. I want to set those vices aside that are shameful and lead to ruin, and replace them all with life-transforming holy virtues. Don't you?

Today's Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:38-42

{12:38} Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
{12:39} And answering, he said to them: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
{12:40} For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
{12:41} The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here.
{12:42} The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.

Wearing the garment of grace

Last year after my children and I went to the doctor for physicals, the doctor asked me about what all four of us were wearing and if it was something to do with our religion. I explained that they are scapulars and that we are Catholic and that they are a part of our faith. She remarked that this was odd, since she had been working at the clinic for 5 years and had never seen one before, and the majority of her patients are Catholic.

Prior to that visit, she had never seen one on any of us, either. I had heard someone say that it was a good idea to wear a scapular, but I saw no need to wear some superstitious magical trinket when I was walking with the Almighty God. I didn't even know anybody who wore one. It is such a rare thing in America to wear one, that even the priest was surprised to see it when my grandson asked him to bless the one I gave to him.

In my family, because I have been learning more about Mary, and have adopted her as my mother, we all now wear the brown scapular. I didn't know much if anything about it the day I saw them and bought them. It's just that Mary, the mother of God supposedly liked them, or so I'd heard. So I figured it couldn't hurt. After all, Our Lord and Our Lady want us to be a people of faith. Let me put it on right here and now, and I'll learn about it later, was my thinking.

I've since learned that Mary, our Lady of Mount Carmel gave us this promise: "Wear the Scapular devoutly and perseveringly. It is my garment. To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of Me, and I in turn, am always thinking of you and helping you to secure eternal life." Wow! This is no magic, it is a garment of grace. Speaking as one who has innumerable sins every single day of my life, this is good news. We all do things wrong, things that hurt others, things that we wish we'd never done. But you know what? Our Blessed Mother can help us with that.

It is a good idea to wear the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Holy Mary assures us: "Whoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

In your hour of need look to your mother

The newborn baby endures many hardships. Breathing air, sensing temperature changes, experiencing hunger, just to name the obvious few. The baby cries out, this is the only mode of communication given to the newborn. The little one cannot defend himself, she cannot feed herself. In anguish he grasps at his face, painfully scratching it with the little hands that he is unable to put to good use. She startles easily, and she is completely helpless. The little one is experiencing a whole new world, and finds it harsh in many ways.

A baby quickly learns that crying brings a loving response from his mother. She cannot explain how it is that her wet bottom feels better. The tiny human being does not understand why snuggling is comforting to him. How it is that she knew how to suck and swallow milk, and how her mother knew where to get the nourishment never even occurs to the infant. The little one's needs are being met, and the baby understands that this mother person is the best thing in the whole new and seemingly hostile world.

This physical reality is also true in the spiritual realm. Here, too, we have only to cry out to our Blessed Mother, and she will be there to care for us. Hardships, struggles, and suffering are all best brought to Mary. She knows what to do in our time of need. And she is happy to help. At the same time, she will lead us to her Son. She is the one who brought forth our Redeemer in the first place, and she continues to do exactly that. She knows our Lord better than any of us, for she is His mother. If Jesus trusted her to be His mother at the most tender time of His human life, we can trust her to be our mother, too.


"If there is anyone who is not enlightened by this sublime magnificence of created things, he is blind. If there is anyone who, seeing all these works of God, does not praise Him, he is dumb; if there is anyone who, from so many signs, cannot perceive God, that man is foolish." -St. Bonaventure