Dad’s Lenten Blog

Thoughts during Lent

Tag: love

  • Front of the line

    Sometime ago I was told the story of a woman who had visions while she was in Mass. She could see all the supernatural things happening as the Mass went on. Well, as you know, this is one persons experience and we do not have to believe it. But something she saw really affected me.

    It was during the Presentation of the Gifts. When the bread and wine and the offerings are brought to the priest. Of course we are usually singing the Offertory Hymn. But it was in this moment that she saw something extraordinary. Directly behind the people who bring up the gifts was a line of many, many angelic figures. It was the Guardian Angel of every person in that church.

    In the front of the line, a handful of these angels were joyful and looking towards the altar. In their hands were golden chalices. In those chalices were gifts of prayers and petitions of those individuals in their care that were in the church that offered them at this Mass. As the passed, the angels placed their chalices at the foot of the altar. In the middle of the line, were another handful of angels walking up to the altar. In their hands were much smaller chalices, likewise containing prayers. Their faces were stern as they looked toward the altar. As they passed, theytoo, placed their small chalices at the foot of the altar.

    In the back of the line is where most of the angels were. Something looked very different about them. They were empty handed. Their heads looked down, with sadness, to the ground as they passed by the altar with nothing to offer. You see, the first Guardian Angels had chalices filled with prayers and petitions to offer Our Lord. The second group with smaller chalices only had a few tokens of prayer and petitions. But at least there was something. Then the last group, the bigger group, they had nothing to offer.

    How did this affect me? It was pretty profound! And I will say that, at almost every Mass now I will always try to tell my Guardian Angel to for offer this to Jesus. First, I thank God for all my blessings, which includes all of you. Second, I try to recall my sins and ask for forgiveness. Third, I pray for or ask for whatever intentions are on my mind. And Fourth, I resolve to do better! And then I ask my Angel to place those on the altar. This just takes a few moments, and it has the effect of settling me into the Mass. Sometimes I’m distracted and forget and then the Offertory starts and I try to do a quick one. (no ones perfect :-). Whether it is truly happening or not, I just love the thought that my Guardian Angel is at the front of that line.

  • Don’t tell anyone

    I have often wondered why after Jesus healed someone, he charged them not to tell anyone. The leper, the blind men, the mute man, the father of the daughter he brought back to life, and even the demons He cast out who knew who he was. Why?

    Many scholars can espouse on this better then me. Why all the miracles and then the command not to let anyone know about it? Wouldn’t that draw people to Him. Wouldn’t that make people believe?

    I think the truth lies in our hearts. What is more important? Jesus the miracle worker or Jesus the Savior. Perhaps the reason was that he wanted His message, His teachings, His mission to be front and center. First and foremost….. faith. If we got what we wanted all the time, every time we asked we would be like spoiled children. His actions always were driven by an increase in faith and sometimes our hearts are so hard that only a miracle can break through. 

    I like to think about this from the perspective of the hemoraging woman who touches His cloak. She is healed. And He says to her,”Your faith has healed you”. This is the point.  His message is clear. He has come to heal, to cure. But not in the way that we think. He came to heal hearts. To show us the path to heaven. 

    All His words, all His teachings, all His parables, all His actions lead us to transform our lives. To believe. To have faith that we are loved and through Him we have a path to heaven. 

    If all people thought about was Jesus working miracles or that Jesus was the Messiah would they hear His message? If they weren’t cured would they walk away disappointed or worse? He taught to love our enemies… wasn’t the Messiah supposed to deliver Israel from the hands of the Romans??

    All His words, His Gospel message lead us to one place. We pray with fervor and hope. And when we do, miracles of all sorts small and large come to us. But it is those personal miracles that only we can see that strengthen our faith. 

    So for three years He performed all kinds of miracles, Turning water into wine, healings, razing people from the dead, feeding thousands, on and on. There is no question in my mind that all of those people absolutely told people. When the blind man who could now see or the paraplegic walks around. People could see and ask how did this happen? Wouldn’t they seek out the man who had done this? 

    Who would have thought in a million years that the man with the message of love, of hope, of forgiveness,  would be tried, tortured and nailed to a cross? The miracle worker could not save Himself. How confused everyone, including the disciples must have been???? How their faith would have been tested. How did those miracles look now with Jesus hanging on the cross?

    But then…….. the Resurrection. He conquered death. He defeated sin. He completed His mission. 2000+ years later, for you and me. His words, His message, His teachings are the most important things. Lasting and unfathomably deep. Certainly miracles are all around us. But it demands from us what He wants the most. Faith. 

  • Lent and me

    I was sitting in Mass today after receiving ashes and thinking “what is Lent?”

    Lent actually means “spring”, which is kind of interesting. Coming out of winter to the rebirth of life all around us…. The analogy to the Jesus’s death and His Resurrection on Easter is clear.

    We all know that Lent is a time for Prayer, Fasting and giving Alms. We give up things or try to add good things to our lives. All good and important stuff.

    But then I started thinking deeper. What is Lent to me? Why do I feel called to make this a different time?

    I was staring at the Crucifix high up on the alter when it occurred to me.  Jesus suffered the worst kind of death, torture, humiliation, abandonment, unimaginable pain.  Not just for all of us… but for me.

    Some piece of that suffering belongs to me. Why? Because He loves me so much that He wants me to be with Him. He has given me a chance. He loves me so much that He took on all my sins, everything that I have done and will ever do. All He asks in return is that I ask for forgiveness.    How is that even remotely fair?  He gave His life and that is  what he wants in return?

    And then I started thinking. If I really believe that, then when was the last time I thanked him for it. When was the last time we sat down and had a real heart to heart. Sure, I pray a lot, but most of my prayers have something to do with asking for something. I’m talking about a real two way conversation in prayer.

    That’s when it occurred to me that maybe this was supposed to be the meaning of Lent.  He is calling me into a deeper relationship with Him. And how do I get there? Through two way prayers, listening in silence and quieting my mind. Listening for his voice. Opening my heart to the Holy Spirit. And doing active things, like- Reading  snippets of Scripture and the many assorted books and writings all around me; Contemplating the Saints I love; Really attending Mass. Not just being there. We are called to fast at certain times but I want to skip a meal or meals to feel that hunger pain, not to be exalted in some way, but as I reminder of His sacrifice.

    What is Lent —-  All focusing on one thing. Putting Jesus at the forefront of my life. Making Him my best friend, my Savior. And somewhere in each day of this Lent … remember the sacrifice He made for me.