Mt 1:16,18-21, 24a Stop Protesting. Start Listening.

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By Faith

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“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.”

The Feast Day of St. Joseph. I’ll admit it’s a little intimidating to write a reflection today. I mean, St. Joseph!! He’s a big one. Protector of homes, patron saint of the universal Church, fathers, a happy death...

I must admit, I haven’t given him enough credit before recently.  I guess it’s because I’m neither a father nor husband. As I started asking around about saints and St. Joseph, I realized how instrumental his role—and the role of all the saints—is in our life. In praying for St. Joseph’s intercession and reading about him these past few days, I have begun to unravel the example of holiness and obedience that is St. Joseph.

Before now, in my mind, he just kind of observed. He stood by as the big stuff happened. After all, throughout the entire Bible, he didn’t even say anything! But, you see, what I’ve come to realize now is that he didn’t stand by. He stepped aside. He stepped aside so God could be glorified, not him.

Joseph was asked to marry the Blessed, the Holy, the One and Only Virgin Mary. He was asked to adopt the Savior of Humanity. Tasks like that could have easily given him a big head. But he instead chose the route of humility and obedience to our Lord.

First, take his relationships with others. St. Joseph lived with perfect people. Imagine that. He was the only sinner in the entire bar Joseph household. Talk about pressure! Imagine prayer time with his adopted Son…. “Dear…You, please, uh, bless me and my blessed, holy, perfect wife.”

Imagine how he treated Jesus. God had entrusted him to watch after and instruct the holiest and most perfect child to be born onto this earth. There was a lot of pressure involved with that, no doubt. Yet still, Joseph taught Jesus his trade, his prayers, his way of life. And well, yes, he lost him for three days, but hey, it happens to the best of  ‘em, right? (kidding)

Imagine how Joseph treated Mary. He loved her with such a pure love that no physical means could define or express it. He embodies what it means to be united man and wife and, most importantly, God. Now I don’t know much about marriage, but I spoke with someone who does, a man who is devoted to both his wife and to our Lord. He says it better than I ever could.

“St. Joseph is the perfect spouse. He was hardworking, compassionate, understanding, patient, kind, and loving. Marriage is tough work. A Christian marriage requires both humility and trust, but it also invites God into the picture to be in relationship with the husband and the wife. It takes three to make a marriage work. St. Joseph knew that well. As a husband, although the head of the household, I am called to lower myself in relation to my wife in order to love, protect, honor, and respect her just as St. Joseph did for Mother Mary. This act of lowering oneself - humility - is seen when you put your needs and wants aside for what is best for your spouse. St. Joseph is the perfect example of putting his needs and wants aside for what was best for his wife knowing that he was doing the will of God. Was it difficult? Of course. That's part of being Christian. That's part of picking up our Cross to follow Him.”

Joseph knew humility inside and out. He knew the love owed to Mary because he knew the love of God. Think about how he treated the Lord. He had been blessed with the gifts of a holy and perfect family. But soon, he learned that his adopted Son, beloved and divine, would be killed viciously and unjustly. A sword would pierce the heart of the woman he loved. And he could do nothing. It was part of a plan that Joseph, being human, probably didn’t fully understand. And still, he accepted it, just like he accepted marrying a pregnant woman who his culture would have assumed the worst. He didn’t protest. He didn’t grow angry. Joseph swallowed his pride, closed his mouth, and listened.

This takes courage. This required Joseph to put God first, to step aside and trust that God’s plan, though seemingly chaotic to him, would work for the best. The fact that Joseph said no words in the Bible is not a sign of insignificance. Rather, that silence speaks wonders. St. Joseph is an example to us all.

Like his life demonstrates, silence is necessary. Silence means that we put God before our doubts and our protests. We accept His will without a fight. We put our needs aside and arm ourselves with God’s word and God’s guidance. In doing so, we don’t enter into a journey without suffering, but we DO enter into God’s journey, a path that will never disappoint.

This Lent, follow Joseph’s example. Stop protesting, and start listening.  

 

This meditation was written by Faith, a senior at a local Catholic high school.  She is a frequent contributor to Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse.  You can find Faith at heavens boulevard.

Mt 23:1-12 Humilty: The Lost Virtue

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
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Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "...As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'  You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.  Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.  Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ.  The greatest among you must be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

The greatest must be a servant.  My heart loves this but my brain rebels.  This is so unfair!  What's wrong with being pampered, especially after having worked so hard to get to the top of your game?  Why can't we boast of our victories?  Why can't science take top prize and claim itself Master of Modernity?

Victory???  Yeah right!  Not too long ago I read that the richest eighty-five people in the world own more wealth than the bottom half of the entire global population (this translates to 85 > 3,000,000,000). 

I don't see much cause for celebration.  What have a fraction of a fraction of people in the world done with their wonderful inventions and wealth?  That is a legitimate question.

No one should claim to be the greatest.  No one.  No one should even dare boast for being elected President or Pope.  I know the Pope doesn't.  These titles are an occasion for great responsibility, not celebration.  And the Lord sternly warned and reminded his men (as well as the crowd) that where much is given, even more is expected. (cf. Lk 12:48)

Do not be called Rabbi or Master or Father.  On various occasions, Jesus warned his disciples to be careful of letting titles or power get to their heads.  Who is the greatest?  A child (cf. Mt 18:3).  Who is the greatest?  The last (cf. Mt 20:16).  Who is the greatest?  The least (cf. Mt 23:11).  Who is the greatest?  The one who serves the most (cf. Mt 20:26).

Somehow the virtue of humility got lost in our rush towards "modernity."  It needs to be found again and dusted off.  As technology becomes more invasive and weapons become more powerful, humility - along with intelligence - must take center stage. 

Our hearts may understand this, but our brains keep repelling it.  This is why we do Lent.  We need to change the way we think and the way we look at ourselves and our world.

Everybody needs to take their Lent seriously; and not just the rich, but also the political leaders of our world.  Technology, like so many others things, is only good when it is placed in good hands.

"Even though I lost an arm, I have been able to embrace more people than ever before."  - Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer.

It's amazing what humble people can do.

Lk 6:36-38 Lifelines

Monday of the Second Week of Lent
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Jesus said to his disciples:  "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  Stop judging and you will not be judged.  Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.  Give and gifts will be given to you."

A tight rope.  A few days ago I went out to The Pines for a retreat.  I managed to arrive just in time to see the kids on the high ropes course.  They must have been at least 20 or 30 feet off the ground.  Thankfully, all of them were wearing their hard hats and harnessed to their lifeline (safety cord).

This got me thinking.  We need a lifeline on just about every part of our body and in everything we do.   

Stop judging and you will not be judged.   This is a lifeline.  This is something I need to attach my tongue, my heart and my mind to.  It is not super naivety, but supreme Christianity.  It is Christ's plea - a type of public service announcement - to get off one's pedestal and start helping others.  It is the Lord's challenge to His followers. 

Stop judging takes a lot of faith, and faith is that behind-the-scenes safety cord that allows us to trust in God's judgments more than in our own, especially when it comes to such complicated things as other human beings. 

Stop judging is a commandment from God.  It means He is not confident in our abilities to judge others (but only in their actions), and so He prefers we err on the side of helping rather than hurting. 

I need His Commandments - His lifelines - all the time; and not just in high velocity situations, like work and jury duty, but in my day-to-day dealings as a father or mother, spouse and sibling.   

Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.   This is another important lifeline.  It is the one that prevents me from shutting the door on others. 

I can never write-off anyone in my life, regardless of what they have done to me.  This lifeline catches me from taking major falls in my life, like abortion. 

Abortion is horrible because it is so final.  There is no going back.  There is no way to put these pieces back together.  Once a human life is taken, it is forever gone.  Stop condemning!   

Telling someone you never want to see them again is a major temptation, one that is easy to slip onto.  But thankfully, by following this commandment; that is, by biting our tongue or holding back on our words, this lifeline can protect us from catastrophic rifts in our relationships.  Thank God for God's lifelines!

Stop condemning is a lifeline tied tightly around our wrists and behind our backs.  It prevents us from moving too fast, and with great cockiness.  It constitutes the most challenging of all God's lifelines, requiring deep faith, hope and love.  But it is the most obvious of all, especially when we reflect on our relationship with God.

On any given day, the Father could easily condemn us for our inequities.  He could easily blast us into hell.  But He doesn't.  He refuses to.  "I do not take pleasure in the death of the sinner, but conversion...I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live" (Ezek 18:23).

Forgive and you will be forgiven. Finally, the lifeline that is most often used.  It's purpose is similar to that of a backup parachute.  It is the lifeline to our sinful pride; that is, when we failed to harness ourselves to the other lifelines out of sheer pride, vanity and sensuality. This lifeline prevents us from hitting rock bottom and never coming back.  This is the lifeline known as forgiveness. 

This is how it works:  Forgive and you will be forgiven. 

"Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.  We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws...O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you" (Dn 9:4b-10).

"Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins" (Ps. 103:10a). 
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 

Mt 17:1-9 The Importance of Lent

Second Sunday of Lent
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Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.

Two Thumbs up.  Not too long ago, I went to Tom Thumb to buy some groceries.  Having less than 15 items in my cart, I went over to the "express" lane to check out.  Unfortunately, as soon as I got there, the young man at the register waved me off.  He said his lane was now closed.  At that very moment, the store manager came from out of now where and firmly told him to reopen it.  I could see from the look on his face he was very upset.  But he kept his cool.  I felt kind of bad for him.  I asked him if he was finished for the day.  He told me he was...fifteen minutes ago.  As he scanned my items, I picked up a pack of chewing gum.  After he scanned it I immediately handed it back to him.  Looking a bit puzzled, he asked me if I wanted to return it.  "No." I said,  "It's for you.'  With that, the young man put a big smile on his face.  Before I left, he said, "Thank you.  You didn't have to do that.  It really meant a lot to me."  I thanked him back and I let him know he was a good kid.

Now I have to tell you I wasn't wearing my collar that day.  A few months passed before I went back to that store.  When it was time for me to check out, I saw the young man I had spoken to before.  Wearing my collar, I went to him thinking he wouldn't remember (or recognize) me.  Well, to my surprise he did.  He had not forgotten me. 

Again, looking a bit puzzled, he took one look at me and said, "Aren't you the guy that..."  Before he could finish, I said, "Yes!  I am.  Hope you're doing better." 

"Oh man, I didn't know you were a pastor."  

"I am.  I'm a Catholic priest." I said.

"Wow.  K"  Once again, his face changed.  He put a smile on his face and radiated his inner self to me. 

This experience (this story) may not seem like much, but it sure meant a lot to him and to me.

Stripping away the extras.   Throughout life we put on not only some unwelcomed weight but also some unwelcomed tendencies.  It's easy to begin to think like others, talk like others and act like others.  It's easy to begin to add on the negatives as if they were calories!  We have to be careful not to allow this to happen.  We have to pray and reflect.  We have to be at all times vigilant and proactive.  If not, then we can easily become what we never wanted to be.

The Lord's transfiguration could not have come at a better time.  He knew what was about to happen to Him.  He knew what was about to happen to his disciples.  The devil's fifteen minutes of fame were about to commence.  And so the Lord made an important decision.  He chose to reveal Himself before anyone could define Him; before cruel soldiers could drive barbarities into all our memories. 

Is this any different from what happens to us on a daily basis.  So often we arrive just at the nick of moment: maybe fifteen minutes before or after the devil, with the glorious opportunity to reveal His name to others. 

The Lord's transfiguration was a moment not to show off but to reveal His true essence, Pure Love.  This is who I am.  This is who I will always be, regardless of what happens to me; regardless of what others do to me.  This is who I AM.

Lent is all about stripping ourselves from all the extras and putting on Christ, who is not an extra.  He is the essential. 

Now that is something we can all smile about.

P.S.  Here is a beautiful song to help you with today's transformation.

Mt 5:43-48 You Would Never Know

Saturday of the First Week of Lent
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Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you...

I was a “difficult” young kid.  When I first started school, my teachers recognized within two weeks that something was different about me. They sent me off for some testing and eventually realized that I had a really high IQ and a slew of other brain-type-things that made it nearly impossible for me to relate to other kids my age. Naturally, that meant I had to be segregated. I was the youngest member in my school district’s G/T program, and my parents tried their best to enroll me in music classes and book clubs to try to keep me entertained. I really got into piano and the violin, and even picked up Spanish (thanks, Mom and Dad!). Even so, my intellect still controlled my life. I got on the wrong track, as do many kids in my situation. I began to worship my own intellect and view the religion of my parents as a useless product of ignorant people that couldn’t accept science. Within the first five minutes of my first high school theology class, I responded that the creator of the universe was “gravity”. I was an enemy of everything that the Church I have come to love stands for.

“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
and pray for those who persecute you.”

People could have written me off as a Christian-basher who would never change. I could have become a lost cause. But that’s just not what Catholics do—that’s just not what Jesus told us to do. To give the cold shoulder to an enemy is to tell God that you don’t think He has the power to change a heart. Basically, it’s like you’re saying, “hey, God, I know you made me really holy, but that person over there is way less holy than me. I don’t think their conversion is possible, so I’m not going to even try to cooperate in it.”

“for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good..."

God never gave up on me. One day, our theology teacher wanted us to go to Adoration in our little school chapel. I was not excited. I did not get why people could stare so intently at a piece of bread. But something changed that day, and it was not by my doing.

Let’s just say that I’m an ugly crier and had to swallow my pride before my next class. God killed two birds with one stone.

It’s funny how He turns the tables, too. A couple months ago, He gave me the incredible responsibility of comforting a person (who is not religious) who was struggling with years of serious sin and feeling like they were lost. I can barely order a coffee without making a babbling idiot of myself, so this was a huge task. But sometimes, there are no words—at least no words of your own. God speaks instead. The only thing that I could articulate was that God loved her. God loved her with a passionate, self-sacrificing, all-consuming love that He poured out on the cross. Even if she could not accept His love, that didn’t change the fact that He loved her. He thought of her on the cross as He did every one of us. Even the worst “enemies” of the Church are children created in the image of God. Who are we to treat them as anything less?

Therese of Lisieux (love her) said, “just as the sun shines at the same time on trees and flowers, like each one was the only one on earth, so does our lord care for all souls in a special manner, as if they were each unique.” Wow! God could never forget one of his precious flowers.

“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Agh—‘perfect’ is a hard one. One time, I wrote a theology paper and used the Greek translation of ‘perfect’. It literally means “fulfilling all that a thing is capable of/made for.” As many a Spring Break escapade has proven, humans have terrible judgment. The same applies with judgment of character—we simply are not capable of judging. But we are capable of great love. So let’s do that! Love an enemy today by praying for them. Ask God to change their heart and to let them feel His love and mercy.

This meditation was written by Katie, a high school student in Dallas, Texas.  She is a special contributor to Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse.

Mt 5:20-26 Make Or Break

Friday of the First Week of Lent
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Jesus said to his disciples:  "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven..."

Last Friday a group of high school kids ran up to me, cornered me and stole my ear from me to complain about how unfair Lent was this year.  "Wait a minute!  Slow down." I said. "I have no clue what you're talking about?  What's going on?" They reminded me of how Spring Break falls inside of Lent.  "This is so unfair!", they said.

"Oh, that's right."  I picked up my stuff and left with a smile on my face.

Hey God! Your ways are not fair.  Thus says the Lord God:  "You say, 'The Lord's way is not fair!'  Hear now, house of Israel:  Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?" (Ezek 18:25).

I've been thinking about this bible passage a lot.  It kills me to admit it, but I believe the Lord has a point.

Say and do.   Come on...admit it.  It's easier to say sweet things than to do sweet things.  It's easier to say the right things than to do the right things.  I know.  I say the right things a lot more often than I do them!  Why can't life be like that?  Why do we demand people to do what they say?  Ugh!  This is so terrible. Why can't we just place a higher value on what people say instead of what they do?  Wouldn't that be heaven?  

No.  It would be hell...and we know it. 

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven"  (Mt 7:21).

This is so unfair!  (I'm being sarcastic!)

And yet, I must admit the Lord did nothing less than what He said.  He said He would lay down His life for us and He did.  He said if you wanted to be the greatest than you better start serving others.  He said it and He did it Himself.  He said, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies..."   Well, He said it and did it.

If the Lord is unfair, then He is first and foremost unfair with Himself, which is not too farfetched if you consider how He allowed Himself to be treated.

Sacrifice and love.  Oh, I hate this one!  This one is by far the worst for me.  Why can't love just be warm and fuzzy?  Why does it have to involve blood?  Why can't it just feel good all over?

This is so unfair!

But again, I must admit the truth, and the truth is as clear as can be.  There's no doubt about it.  The people who love me the most are the people who have sacrificed the most for me. This is the truth.  And for the vast majority of us, our very first experience of pure love came via our parents: by the way they constantly sacrificed themselves for us. 

Sacrifice and love go hand-in-hand like Christ and the Cross go nail through hand.

Forgiven means forgiving.   This one is brutal.  It really is.  It's also kind of sneaky.  Can you believe it?  If you wish to be forgiven, then you must forgive!!!  

"I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment...Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Mt 6:12).

I can't tell you how many times I prayed (I should say "I said") the "Our Father" and I never picked up on this agreement.  It is so sneaky of Him.  I'm actually giving God permission to forgive me in the same way I forgive others!  So if I don't forgive others, then I am telling Him not to forgive me.  This is so unfair!  It's downright mean! 

But then again, I should know better.  I should know the Lord did it Himself, especially when He said to his torturers, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lk 23:34).   

"Forgive us...as we forgive" has never been written in small print.  It is our pride and joy.  

The Golden Rule vs. The New Commandment.    What is the Golden Rule?  "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Lk 6:31).  This is fair.  I like this one.  I can get along with this. 

What is the New Commandment?  "Love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34).  This is not fair.  This is totally unfair!  It's so unbalanced!  And the timing could not have been worse:  right before Jesus is arrested, beaten, scourged and crucified!

Come on!  Give me a break!       

But once again, as unfair as it may seem, I have to admit this New Commandment brings me to tears of joy.  It's a challenge worth taking.  It may fit inside my brain like a circle fits into a square, but it fills every inch of my aching heart with faith, hope and love. 

The Lord's Commandment seals the deal.  "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (Jn 13:35).

Mt 7:7-12 Seriously?

Thursday of the First Week of Lent
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Jesus said to his disciples:  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Call upon the Lord.  Take a deep breath and pray.  Call upon the Lord.  He, who knows all things, knows you.  He knows what you should be asking for...and deep down so do you.

The Lord wants you to be holy.  "Be holy, because I am holy"  (Lev. 11:45).  

What should I be praying for?  It's noble, right and just to pray for an end to war, terrorism, poverty and corruption.  But if we expect things to change for the better, then we better start praying to God that we change.  What should you be praying for?  You know.  Take a deep breath and pray for it.

Ask and it will be given to you.  Do you ever wonder why your prayers don't get answered? 

One day (a long time ago) my best friend complained that he wasn't feeling well.  He looked so bad I took him straight to the emergency room.  After being in the ER for hours, he finally came out with a prescription in his hand for some antibiotics.  I asked him what was wrong?  He told me he had an STD.  I couldn't believe it!  "Seriously?" I said.  "Of all people, you?"  [I said this not because he was holy, but because he was ugly.  College students can be brutal.]  I continued, "I thought you were serious about your girlfriend."  He looked at me and told me he hadn't been with anyone other than his girlfriend.

"Wait", I said.  "You haven't been messing around?" 

"No!  Not at all," he said.  "And now I have to tell her I gave her an STD."      

I looked at him and I could tell he was visibly shaken by the news.  He wouldn't - couldn't - bring himself to admit it.  So I did it for him.

"You know what this means, right?  You do realize you didn't give your girlfriend an STD.  She gave it to you!" 

For a minute there I thought he was going to kill me.  His face turned beet red and his hand turned into a fist.  I quickly told him to relax, and that if he didn't believe me then he should ask his doctor. He did.  Then he asked his girlfriend.  She fessed up.  She had cheated on him.  My friend immediately ended his relationship with her.  Now in all fairness, maybe it was the girl of his dreams that ended their relationship.  But come to think of it, maybe it was the ugliness of sin (betrayal) that ended their relationship.     

Sin has a way of preventing our most fervent prayers from being answered in the way we would like them to be.
 
Is the opposite of praying, sinning?  So...if you're not praying, you're sinning?  Hmmm...I don't like that.  But maybe there is some truth to it.  I do know that sinning can happen to the best of us, which means all of us, and that, regardless of our religion, profession or vocation, praying can help avoid sinning.  I for one know that I am not praying enough.   

The command "ask and you shall receive" slides both ways:  upwards and downwards; towards holiness and towards sinfulness.  When we sin, we're asking for trouble.  When we pray, we are asking for His grace.  

Ask and Do.  I find it very interesting how the words "ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened" are followed up with:  "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." 

This Lent, let's not just ask for an end to abortion, terrorism and/or war, but for a change of heart, a new heart.  I am sure we will receive what we ask for. But according to God, the best way to get His attention - to be taken seriously - is by treating others the way we would like to be treated.  

This includes God, lest we forget.