Juanito

"No estoy yo aqui que soy tu madre?" (Am I not here, I who am your mother?)

Our Lady of Guadalupe asked St. Juan Diego.

St. Juan Diego was just a poor man who had lost his father at a young age and was raised by his uncle. He was married but had no children. He lived in the midst of the Aztec culture which was accustomed to human sacrifice, even child sacrifice. However, he chose to convert to Catholicism upon arrival of the missionaries in Mexico. He now was tending to his sick and dying uncle and was attending his daily duties when he was stopped by a beautiful woman, Our Lady of Guadalupe. She asked of him a request but Juan brought before her his concerns. Juan submitted though and did her will which brought about the beautiful image we know as Juan Diego unfurled his tilma for the bishop there appeared Mary herself.

In the image of Mary there are many significances such as how she appears pregnant (on her early December appearances which is just weeks prior to Christmas). The color and design represent her as a goddess yet she is greater than the sun and moon gods which are behind and beneath her in the picture. In her eye can even be seen the images of Juan Diego, the bishop, and others.

Mary asks us to trust her just like she did to Juan Diego. She comes though as a loving mother. She addressed Juan as “Juanito” her little Juan when she appeared and she cared for him as her child. Juan Diego provides us with an example of how to love Mary. He did so in the midst of hesitations and concerns. After the miracle of his tilma, Juan lived the rest of his life right next to the church built where she appeared to Juan.

In the midst of our busy and stressful lives we must remember and listen to the ways Jesus is speaking to us. He often, and naturally, comes through His mother as He did at Christmas. She is given to us as our own Mother. Not to be like a mother to us but to be our Mother. She whom Jesus spent 30 years with (while only 3 with the rest of humanity) is reaching out to us as her little children because her mother’s heart aches for our very good. Let us entrust ourselves to her as we prepare to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Juan Diego’s feast day, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day, and then Christmas day where Mary plays a key role in bringing about our salvation. She is the brightest light in the haze.

He is Coming

As a child my thought of advent was simply a prolonged waiting period for Christmas and the only “fun” thing about it was lighting candles on the advent wreath and blowing them out(well fighting over which of the siblings got to do it) and potentially a chocolate advent calendar. It just seemed like some place holder in the liturgical year that had no real significance.

    However, this all has started to change. Last year, instead of listening to Christmas music the whole month before Christmas, I decided to make a Spotify playlist that was for Advent. I didn’t refuse to listen to Christmas songs while played by others, but would listen to these songs I had chosen while I worked on homework or drove in the car. It was simple and small but it really made my heart desire Jesus more than in the past. As I heard “O Come O Come Emmanuel” it made me realize that should be my prayer and throughout the year as well. Many of the other songs also harken to this petitioning. In Advent, we get a chance to really  recognize the need for a savior and so we ask him to come. 

    As we enter into the season of advent, a time of expectant waiting and longing, let us prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming. Everyone is usually already in good spirits during this season, but being transformed during this time so that you are able to be joyful beyond this season is key. Just like anything, we have to train and prepare like for sports, projects, or even important meetings like the arrival of a newborn child. The cliché phrase of “the more you put into it, the more you get out of it” is true. If you do not intentionally enter into advent you will miss out on it. Conversely if you wait and desire then Christmas will be that much more rewarding and joyful.

A simple way to do this is to cut out something, change your daily habit in some way, or music selection so that you are away of the season. It helps you to yearn for Christmas in the real reason for celebration as Our God becomes flesh in the fragile and dependent state of an infant which in itself is a powerful reflection. There are also daily reflections in many forms including from Dynamic Catholic with an email and video helping you to prepare for the coming of Jesus, Emmanuel.

We also have a great opportunity to turn to Mary in this time and ask for her help to reflect and prepare. She “pondered” all of this about Jesus’ birth in her heart. She desired for Jesus to come just like we should and didn’t understand everything right at the time of the Annunciation rather she took the whole time leading up to the birth and the rest of her life to continue to ponder God’s manifestation.

O Come O Come Emmanuel

The Greatest Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It was always a fun time as a child as I would travel with my immediate family to visit my extended family in Connecticut. We had great traditions of baking pies on Wednesday, playing football, and eating Thanksgiving “lunch” with my mom’s side of the family and then my dad’s side for dinner. It didn’t get much better than that. Every part of my stomach was filled to capacity with wonderful food, I had the opportunity to play games, and I was surrounded by my loving family.

Thanksgiving is still an exciting time and as we all prepare for Thanksgiving, it is important to think about the big picture. It is easy, just like with anything, to make it into something that is just a routine. Many of us completely forget the thankful part and head straight for the stuffing (or whatever food option is our favorite), but we miss a big factor.

    It is great that we are given this opportunity, this holiday, to take a small break and be grateful because we do nothing on our own. Everything that is good comes from God, even our actions. We are constantly flooded with graces and we should be grateful. Whether it is our family, friends, or the basic necessities we are grateful for, we have a start.

    Ultimately the greatest thing we can be grateful for is the Eucharist. Eucharist even means “thanksgiving”. I can clearly remember each Thanksgiving going to Mass with my family, and it was just a part of what we did but now I am beginning to understand that it is the most important part of that day, and everyday.

    Jesus makes present His sacrifice of himself on the cross through the priest. Jesus offers Himself to us in a way that we are able to consume. Jesus comes into us. No other god humbles themself to the point of becoming a measly piece of bread so that we can eat it. No other god comes into us to love us in an intimate way. No other god dies on a cross in a humiliating way in order to save us even though it is our sins that cause Him to hang on the cross. It is our God who demonstrates this love and thirsts for us to respond.

    May this Thanksgiving be one in which you find the greatest substance to be grateful for in the Eucharist.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All Praise and All Thanksgiving be every moment Thine.

Praying for Souls

We are about half way through the month and I am sure the candy from Halloween has at least a substantial dent in it. Stores, ads, and talk has already turned to Christmas (we always skip Thanksgiving!). It seems to be a rushed time of the year with many thoughts that flood the brain with holidays and the semester ending. It is easy to keep moving on and get busy but I would like to remind us of our mission for November: to pray for souls in purgatory.
      It was easy on November 2 to go to Mass and pray for the souls in purgatory. It is a true reflection of our culture: fascinated or absorbed in one minute, but then the next minute back to normal. We see it through social media mass movements and everytime a tragedy hits, but this would be a real tragedy to miss the prayers for the souls in purgatory. We must not forget that we have a duty to pray for them at all times and especially in November. The complacency sweeps us over, but it is important to think of those we know who have died, whether recently or from time ago, and pray for them. It is also a time for us to be reminded of the faith we have and the end that is to come. We need to be living for something, for someone-God. We should not settle for making it to purgatory but run straight towards heaven.
      The reality of heaven, hell, and purgatory has been made present through visions to different saints. One of which was St. Catherine of Genoa who was taken to purgatory by her guardian angel. She says:
“No tongue can tell nor explain, no mind understand, the grievousness of purgatory. But I, though I see that there is in purgatory as much pain as in hell, yet see the soul which has the least stain of imperfection accepting purgatory, as I have said, as though it were a mercy”
      Purgatory is not desirable. It is painful and consists of great suffering. But there is one thing to cling to. It is the hope of being with God one day. So as members of the Church and people of goodwill we should help these souls through our prayers. Just like so much of our faith there is the unseen mysteriousness about it, but it is important to become childlike in these moments and have great trust and faith. We must not overlook the importance of prayer. It should be a part of our daily life and in a intentional way we should remember the holy souls in purgatory.
      And surely we all know someone who has died. Whether it is a family member, friend, acquaintance, or whomever it may be, we each know someone who has gone before us. We certainly want what is best for them so we should pray for their eternal rest and salvation.
So let us pray for those souls to have that chance.Whether it is through our simple prayers, formal prayers, Mass, or the Divine Mercy Chaplet, there are many ways to keep in them in mind as we pray. In return, we will have those we help get to heaven praying for us from heaven.
 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

 

Mom is on Campus

If you have ever been to Mount St. Mary’s campus, certainly you have seen the massive golden statue of Mary that beams from the quaint University. She towers over us and allows graces to flow down constantly on our campus. Most of us see her and know of her iconic presence, but we often forget about her involvement and participation in our lives.

    On November 5th, many college campuses across the country, including Mount St. Mary’s University, started the 33 Days to Morning Glory, a Marian Consecration for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is so exciting, and I am sure Mary is so pleased. I have already been given graces of enthusiasm and zeal to start and renew my consecration while inviting others to do it with me. On Monday (November 5th), I consciously wore my new t-shirt that has Our Lady of Guadalupe on the back. I was so happy knowing I had her with me. I then was able to grab a stack of the 33 Days to Morning Glory pamphlets and hand them out to people I encountered on campus.

    To my surprise, many people were open to accepting this pamphlet. I think that is in part because we all want to be saints and this is a means to getting on the right track, and because Mary wants us to do it so she helps us to even be open to consecrating ourselves. While the world is afraid of the public scorn of others or even their privacy, we are able to give everything to Mary and be comforted and protected. She is a privation and security.

    So what is Marian Consecration?! It is, as 33 Days to Morning Glory explains, the “quickest, surest, easiest way” to sainthood. It is because Marian Consecration is the renewal of our baptismal promises through Mary who brings us to her son Jesus. It is a way for us to come to understand the intimate relationship we are in; not just religion we are a part of. It brings to life the faith that we are a part of through the help of saints, particularly Mary.

Some people worry about idolizing Mary, but we are not worshipping Mary or skipping Jesus or God. We are simply going through Mary because of a variety of reasons. One, Mary is the means that God chose to bring Jesus to us, through the incarnation, so it is the channel that is set in place. She is the perfect human we humbly and faithfully accepted God’s plan so God looks favorable upon her as his queen. Therefore whatever we bring to Mary to bring to God is presented more attractively. She takes our meager prayers and efforts and polishes them up like a good mother to show off to our Father. She was given to us as our own spiritual mother by Jesus on the cross. She has the most perfect and loving heart of a mother but especially in regards to our spiritual life and so when we give her permission, through the consecration, she brings us directly to her Son. She is the moon which is nothing without the S(o)n. As long as we see her in light of the sun we will always have direction, even in dark times.

If you are now looking to consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary with a 33 day consecration, there are always opportunities. Anytime there is a Marian feast you begin preparation 33 days before. The next one would be for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the preparation starts on November 9! Join me in allowing Mary, Our Mother, to guide us to our heavenly home.

Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.

-Saint Francis de Sales

So Many Lights on Halloween

Days of great significance cause us to anticipate them more and desire to celebrate them longer. Many towns set off fireworks the weekend before the 4th of July or the days prior to extend the celebration. We start listening to Christmas music well before December 25th, and we have parties all before and even after. Great feast days and holy days/holidays are prolonged, even Halloween. But what are we even celebrating at Halloween?

    Certainly Halloween is a fun time eating candy and dressing up. There is something exciting about it and maybe it is just because we all get to be like children once again. There is the aspect of “playing” and “pretending” which helps us to enter into life with a different perspective and depth, whether we realize it or not, and to top it off people (strangers!) give us candy. My best/ Halloween costume was being Squints from The Sandlot. It was great! It is my favorite movie and I wish I could live just like those kids in The Sandlot by playing ball all day and just being a child. But, while it was fun it doesn’t seem to be enough. It was about me and it seemed to be fake.

However, October 31 was set to be Halloween by a pope in the 700s to be more than that. It was chosen because November 1 is All Saints Day. You can research or even YouTube answers to what is Halloween and you will most likely find controversial opinions but here is a clip that can help explain some questions or concerns on Halloween while giving the history of it.

Through Halloween we get to remember the strength and victory of God in the midst of our evil and fakeness. We get to prepare for All Saints’ Day and remember great witnesses to the faith. They shine as great lights for us in how to imitate Christ.

Saints come in all forms. Some became well known in their life and went “viral” as everyone talked about them and still does on their feast days, but some were simple and unknown until after their death. Because, with the saints it is not pretending to be something or gaining popularity, but rather it is about allowing Christ’s love to transform us and make us into Himself.

It might be hard to celebrate All Saints’ Day because of the immensity of the saints. There are so many to think of and yet none are named specifically on that day. Yet it is good that we don’t know any specifically because really it is not about them. It is about God. So enjoy Halloween in preparation for a great day. A day that we celebrate an accomplishment that we all seek. May we ask the multitude of saints to help shine a light on our path to heaven.

"Be Not Afraid"

After last week’s canonizations, this week had a lot to live up to. Thankfully we have so many things to celebrate in the Catholic Church! For instance, this past Monday we celebrated the feast of Saint John Paul II. What a day that was! For me the day couldn’t have been any better. It was a beautiful day start to finish, but especially the finish.

Monday evening I was praying in adoration up until reposition (the closing of adoration). I stuck around longer to pray some more and as I sat there reflecting on the day and my future, my campus chaplain walked over to me and handed me a little picture card of John Paul II that had a relic. I was so honored and blessed. It was such a gift and reminded me of his intercession. When I was little I used to wear a bracelet that said John Paul II “Be not afraid” which reminded me to have faith in God. So too this relic was a reminder to continue to trust in God and not be afraid.

Prayer Card with relic I received

So many other people were impacted in some way by JPII during his life and long papacy, and even to this day. He had a real capacity to love and it was obvious that he was a saint. My siblings, parents, grandparents, and friends all have a love for him as person with great faith especially in a time of such need. There are countless stories to tell about him as he faced many trials: the death of family members at a young age, the Nazis, and an attempted assassination on his life to name a few. He also was an exciting and engaging person as he was active skiing, playing sports, and ministering to people in that way while being a real light in times of darkness. He knew how impactful communication can be around sports and activities.

Not only did he possess and experience those trials and joys, he ultimately strived wholeheartedly for holiness. The many first hand stories I have heard of people encountering him have described the great love they felt as he merely gazed upon them and smiled. I get so excited talking about him and especially seeing how all types of people light up when they hear his name. It makes me wonder what was so different about him and how we can imitate him as he imitated Christ. Although most of it is a mystery that can be explained simply by grace, I know we can learn a couple of things from him.

One, John Paul II loved the Eucharist. He loved it with his whole being because he knew that it was Jesus’ body and blood, truly and most fully. JPII would find any hidden tabernacle. One story that illustrates this is from his visit to the US. His schedulers describe this encounter at the seminary in Baltimore as the doors of the chapel were closed and there was nothing to make anyone think there was a chapel yet JPII knew exactly where the Eucharist was and opened the door to adore the Lord. He immediately entered deep prayer as every encounter with Christ he treasured. Thus he threw off the schedule in typical "Wojtyla" fashion (his birth name was Karol Wojtyla)!

Two, he loved his mother Mary. He relied on her throughout his life as he lost his earthly mother at a young age, yet on May 13, 1981. On the anniversary of the Marian apparition at Fatima, JPII was shot in an attempted assassination. Surely the bullet should have killed him from the angle and distance, but miraculously it didn’t. John Paul II professed, “One hand fired the shot. Another guided it”  in reference to Mary’s intervention. From that point, John Paul II surrendered all, even his papacy to Mary and showed the whole Church to do likewise.

Thus be not afraid of following Jesus wholeheartedly by devotion to the Eucharist through the intercession of Mary.