Static of the Heart

We must not lose patience with those who have the static of the world turned up so loud in their hearts that they cannot hear the Truth. We too have been guilty of static, of trying so hard to make sense and meaning of meaninglessness that we cannot hear God's whisper. Yet when we finally do turn down the white noise, the purity and simplicity of God's Truth will ring clear. It is not the static but the silence that we must turn up in our lives.

Fool vs. Man

"The foot of a fool rushes into a house, but a man of experience stands respectfully before it. A boor peers into the house from the door, but a cultivated man remains outside. It is ill-mannered for a man to listen at a door, and a discreet man is grieved by the disgrace." Sirach 21:22-24

It strikes me that this parallels a man courting a woman. The fool will try to reach inside her beauty and strive to gain entrance to her, emotionally and physically. But a man who has experience of God will stand respectfully before her. If she knows her dignity and keeps him outside and her door closed, then the fool will peer into her and listen at the door to try to gain entrance to her heart and being. But a good man will remain outside, and be grieved by any other man attempting to force his entry. The good man is like a sentry, guarding her door for her rather than trying to force his way in.

Faith, Works, and Chastity

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ...Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble." --James 2:14,17-19

It struck me in Mass that this is very much what is so lacking in the realm of chastity. So many "believe" in the good of chastity, and yet in actuality they do not. How can you tell? The way they dress, the way they act-- is it respectful of the dignity of their own person? Is it respectful of the dignity of others? How do they speak? Do they laugh at crude jokes? We must not merely pay lip service to this virtue, but truly live it and allow it to penetrate our beings. Even the demons know that chastity is glorifying to God and important for our souls-- that is why they attack it! And yet we so often shrug it off as not a big deal. We are talking here about the dignity of human persons. We are talking about the attainment of eternal life. Face it: it is a big deal.

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." --Mark 8:34

In a homily today, the priest pointed out that it says we must take up our cross. It does not say we must bear our cross. These words of Christ do not mean endure and bear your pains and sufferings. It means that it is our choice to take up the cross, to carry and live the Gospel! We will all suffer; it is rather a matter of choice for whom we will suffer. This requires action, not passivity. Either we will choose to suffer for God, and offer it up to Him and glorify Him, or we will offer it to the devil for his evil designs. It says take up your cross. Christ is the one who who will carry our cross--it is too heavy for us! In fact, He has already carried our cross. But in order for Him to carry it for us, we must choose to take it up!

The One Who Doubts

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudg-
ingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways."--James 1:5-8

We must be steadfast in our Faith, and allow God to calm the storms of our hearts. So often we call out to Him, but do not expect to hear back; we do not listen, and so do not hear his answer. And when we do not hear His answer, when we do not trust that He will answer, we are swept about by our emotions and passions and the opinions of others. We must trust in the Lord always, and listen for His counsel; we must still the storms of our passions and emotions and attachments so that we can hear His divine whisper of peace.

Immaculate Conception

excerpt from Saint Maximilian Kolbe:

In Lourdes, Bernadette asked the Virgin Mary her name and she replied: "I am the Immaculate Conception." By her luminous words, Mary expressed that she was not only conceived immaculately but that she actually was the Immaculate Conception. It is like the difference between something white and whiteness itself, or something perfect and perfection.

(...) The Holy Spirit is the uncreated Immaculate Conception. (...) The third person of the Trinity is not embodied as we all know and our word "spouse" is insufficient to express the relationship between the Immaculate and the Holy Spirit. It can be said that the Immaculate Conception is in a sense "the incarnation of the Holy Spirit."

"Put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." --John 20:27

"Christ is recognized now, not so much by His face, as by His wounds. Thomas believes that the qualifying signs of Jesus are above all, the wounds which reveal the point to which He loved us."--Benedict XVI

Know Christ's passion. Know His suffering and crucifixion. Know His love for you, as an individual, His bride. Let Him love you. Know that He died for you, to make for Himself a spotless bride. Put your hand in his side, and believe His love for you!