Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

How Prayer is a Mother’s Best Helper

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Spoiler alert: this article includes a discount code and free shipping on a must-have resource for mothers!

I once heard my grandmother ask, “How do mothers go through life without praying each day?” Then she added, “It would be impossible.”

I come from a long line of praying mothers. My great-grandmother was famous for singing hymns while she scrubbed the laundry. My grandmother led her children in prayer before she had surgery. My mother left me little daily notes in the kitchen during my high school and early adulthood years, telling me she was praying for my latest exam, job interview, or challenge. The note would often include a quote by a saint, or a line of Scripture. The Family Rosary I pray with my husband and kids is not only one of my favorite times of day; it makes our family stronger.

The Catechism teaches that prayer is a means of obtaining God’s grace and it is necessary for salvation. “It is He,” the Catechism teaches eloquently, “who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him” (2561). And prayer is the “go-to” helper for any Catholic mom who knows how to keep her head above water AND enjoy the swim.

Just as our children turn to us for their every need, we may turn to God for the family’s needs, and He will provide. This reminder is a grace. I think the answer found in 1 Corinthians 3 sheds much light on this. St. Paul, speaking to men he called “infants in Christ,” wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” As mothers, we are working hard in the fields, planting and watering but it is God alone who causes the growth. Whenever I recall that verse, I can feel a burden lifting from my shoulders.

Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers

To help offer a plethora of ways to lift that burden from our maternal shoulders, there is the new Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers. This beautiful but easily portable book is is equally at home on your coffee table or in your workbag. It’s filled not only with a huge compendium of traditional prayers, but also the writings of real-life mothers discussing how they pray and how it affects their lives. It includes over seventy Catholic writers sharing their favorite prayers and #prayerstories. It offers serenity for busy new moms and a welcome gift of thanks for the seasoned mothers in our lives. There are reflections to see old prayers in a new way and new prayers to help you express just what you are feeling… today. There are a wealth of prayers for every possible need and each touchstone on the journey of a mother.

Contributions in the book include prayers and stories about praying them ranging from the Angelus to the Anima Christi, from the Psalms to the Rosary. There are younger moms and older moms represented in the book; as well as spiritual mothers and adoptive mothers. My writings in the book cover the many stages of motherhood: from praying while in labor, to consecrating our children, even praying now for our children’s lifelong faith in God. Here’s a trailer for the book:

I asked the editor of the Ave Prayer Book for Mothers, Heidi Hess Saxton her opinion of why moms need to pray every day and what made her want to lead this project and get this book in the hands of as many mothers as possible. This was her answer:

I grew up in a Christian household and was taught to believe God answered prayers, who is always ready to meet an urgent need or work a small miracle in a dire situation. And to be honest, I’ve had more than my fair share of small miracles.
It wasn’t until I became Catholic in my early thirties that I realized God doesn’t always ‘grease the wheels’ for us. Great mercy can come out of great suffering, and there is a dark side to expecting God to provide not only my daily bread, but the margaritas and cake as well. In reality, it is when we are at our weakest and neediest that we can best hear the beat of the Sacred Heart. That has been the experience of every great saint … and that became my experience when I became a foster mother at the age of thirty-eight to three little kids under the age of five. I prayed in the shower, in the rocker, anyplace I could catch my breath because I KNEW I didn’t have strength to do this on my own. And that is why I wanted to do this book – to help ALL mothers, to keep them company when they are struggling to find the light.

The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers helps remind us in wonderful, life-affecting ways that it is “God who causes the growth.”

For a limited pre-order window (until October 15), Ave Maria Press is allowing me to share a discount and free shipping on this book. At checkout, enter the promo code “MOSELEY” and that will give you the discounted pre-order price, plus free shipping.

Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers

May each mother who reads it be greatly blessed!

Ease Your Burdens and Find Hope through The Seven Sorrows of Mary

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September is the month in the Catholic Church that is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. It is amazing that this devotion, focused on Our Lady’s Sorrows can truly help uplift us and reduce the anxiety or burdens we carry. In the words of Pope St. John Paul II, “Turn your eyes incessantly to the Blessed Virgin; she, who is the Mother of Sorrows and also the Mother of Consolation, can understand you completely and help you. Looking to her, praying to her, you will obtain that your tedium will become serenity, your anguish change into hope, and your grief into love.”

Sure enough, as we journey with Mary in her pain, we come to realize three beautiful lessons:

  1. Mary understands our pain so completely and offers compassion and graces to us that will truly heal our broken hearts.
  2. The sufferings we endure can be used for good; can be offered up in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary; and can help us grow in compassionate love for all Mary endured.
  3. Uniting our sorrows to the sorrows of Mary not only prevents a lukewarm heart, and sets a fire of love ablaze in us, but also makes us more joyful as we grow accustomed to turning sorrow into meaning through prayer.

The Seven Sorrows devotion involves praying seven Hail Mary’s a day, each one while meditating on one of Our Lady’s Seven Sorrows, which are:

  • The prophecy of Simeon.
  • The flight into Egypt.
  • The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
  • The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
  • The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
  • The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross and preparation for burial.
  • The burial of Jesus.

Here’s an online prayer companion for the Seven Sorrows Devotion, featuring beautiful art and reflections for the required seven Hail Mary’s and corresponding reflections.

And the Seven Sorrows Rosary involves dwelling upon each of the seven sorrows as you would one of the mysteries of the Rosary, with seven Hail Mary’s instead of a decade. Begin each sorrow with an Our Father. As you contemplate the sorrows, imagine walking with Mary and offering her your loving presence and support, your willingness to stay with her as she watches her beloved Son’s suffering. Here’s a moving prayer companion for the Seven Sorrows of Mary Rosary, complete with meditations, art and music, also on YouTube.

Check out this book for more specific ways to contemplate, pray and dwell more deeply with the seven sorrows of Mary:

Finally, what could give greater joy to our Heavenly Mother’s Sorrowful Heart than consecrating ourselves to her Son’s Sacred Heart? Here is a link to a free 33-day consecration to the Sacred Heart that includes prayers and reflections delivered daily to your inbox – all leading to personal consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The next group consecration starts on September 15th!

As We Celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Heart this August… We Give Our Hearts

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August is the month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the feast day has traditionally been celebrated on August 22. We can put our anxieties aside by resting in Mary’s Immaculate Heart. After all, the Memorare reminds, “Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgins of Virgins, Our Mother.” So in a more profound way this month, let’s fly to our Mother’s Immaculate Heart!

Our Lady of Fatima asked us to pray the Rosary every day. In the words of St. Padre Pio, “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.” Happily, there’s ways to keep your Rosary fresh and charged with new levels of love. This book, Sacred Braille is filled with ways to honor Mary’s Immaculate Heart and to breathe new life into your Rosary. Whether you pray the Rosary daily, sometimes, or rarely, it will forever cure you of any impulse to think of the Rosary as “monotonous” and replace it with a renewed excitement. The book also includes devotions to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. And here is a set of Rosaries you can pray online that feature beautiful art and meditations.

Our Lady of Fatima requested the First Five Saturdays devotion as an Act of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For five months in a row on the first Saturday of the month, make an act of reparation to Mary by receiving Communion, praying the Rosary, keeping Mary company for another fifteen minutes by meditating on the Mysteries, and going to Confession within 8 allotted days. If you are reading this after the first of the month, mark your calendar and resolve to start next month! It’s a beautiful devotion that never fails to produce rich rewards. Here’s more about how to do it.

Our Lady of Fatima famously told us, “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” She also said, “Don’t lose heart… My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.” August 22 is not only the traditional feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, (which is where the August devotion to Mary’s Immaculate Heart comes from) but also the feast of the Queenship of Mary. This reminds us that we should honor our Blessed Mother’s royalty through being loving servants to her even as we are her children.

A wonderful way to serve and love the Immaculate Heart of Mary more deeply is by doing a Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus — especially one that also promotes devotion to Mary. This 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart is available online, and sends free daily emails for each day of the Consecration, complete with prayers, reflections, beautiful Catholic works of art, music, and even a daily podcast directly to your inbox. These guided daily devotions take so little time (10 to 15 minutes total) but will be time well spent. They can aid and inspire us to better prepare our hearts for Jesus and honor His Mother’s Immaculate Heart. At the end, you’ll consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. August, the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, is a perfect time to begin.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary protect and bless you and your family!

Catholic Friendship Teaches Compassion

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The evening is off to a great start, especially for a Monday. Swing Dance Club is an event I’d rather eat my hat than miss, and it’s awesome to start off the week with a good time with my friends. But a short time later, I find myself sitting in my dorm room clutching a left foot that’s radiating pain from here to Mexico. I’m wishing that my friends Milo and Lilly were with me, but they’re at Walmart buying me a compression wrap. Milo and Lilly are the dance partners whose overenthusiastic swing move had resulted in my falling and hurting my foot, but our friendship is so far withstanding this setback.

Suddenly, Milo bangs open the door to my dorm and sweeps in with Lilly close behind him.

“Hey hey,  how’re you feeling?” he asks brightly.

“I’m fine,” I reply, even though I’m not. Since Milo and Lilly already feel responsible for my foot sprain, I don’t want to make them feel any worse than they already do. I give what I hope is a convincing smile.

Without warning, Milo dumps an armful of candies on my lap. “I remembered that you like Milky Way bars. I also got some Snickers and Reese’s, Lilly mentioned that you liked those. I wanted to get 100 Grand bars too, since they’re your favorite, but I couldn’t find any. I also was thinking of—”

“Hey Helen,” Lilly cuts off Milo. “Want me to put on some music? You can pick anything you want, even… even Taylor Swift.”

I look at the both of them, not sure who to thank first. Milo had returned with candy I didn’t ask for. Lilly had offered to play Taylor Swift, which for her is the ultimate sacrifice.

I address Lilly first.

“Aw thanks Lilly! Yeah, turn on ‘London Boy’.”

Perhaps Lilly is regretting her offer, but she plays the requested song anyway. I’m instructed by Lilly to stick out my leg, which I do with as much dignity as I can muster, and Milo tries to compression wrap my foot. While my two friends begin arguing over how to use the wrap, I eat a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Sure, my foot is hurting like crazy at this point, but the rest of me is feeling pretty good. I only met Lilly and Milo two months ago, but they’re taking care of me like my family would.

The adventure continues for several hours, with Milo entertaining me with stories and Lilly Googling my symptoms. Eventually, I fall asleep with Ibuprofen by my bed and instructions from Lilly ringing in my ears. (“Make sure you wake me up if you need anything, okay? Anything at all!”) The next morning, I find out that my foot is broken in two places. Although I had never broken a bone before, I knew instinctively that having a fractured foot wouldn’t entitle me to days filled with Milky Ways and Taylor Swift. As it turned out, I spent six weeks shuffling around on crutches, which necessitated my getting up at the ungodly hour of 7:20 AM to make it to my early classes. My foot needed to be iced for several hours every day. I wasn’t even able to get my own food at the cafeteria. But my broken foot opened my eyes to the kindness that surrounded me. From the night of the ill-starred October swing dance session to the December day that I discarded my boot and crutches, my college friends showed me what true Catholic compassion was.

For Lilly, letting me listen to Taylor Swift in the dorm was only the beginning of her honorable sacrifices. Even when my cumbersome walking boot made us both late for class, or she had to carry me to the Wellness Center, Lilly wouldn’t complain. And Milo had a way of materializing every time I found myself looking down a staircase and wondering how I could possibly navigate it. Had he not been there to help me, I promise I would have faceplanted on the landing every time. At night, when I had to stay in and ice my foot instead of going out, Catherine and Lucy made sure I never got lonely. We’d drink tea and talk about everything under the sun. Catherine, who was a lacrosse player and had plenty of experience with injuries, would always help me elevate my foot properly. To chase away the winter blues, Megan would visit my dorm and sing songs while playing the ukulele. Kieran reminded me that I was “a champ,” Justin carried my backpack for me, and I could always count on Thomas to pick up my meal from the cafeteria. There were so many people who helped me constantly— some who I barely knew.

I can’t say that I’m glad that I broke my foot, but I can say that many good things happened as a result. Those weeks spent on crutches gave me so many opportunities to witness the self-sacrifice and compassion, not only of friends, but of strangers. And I was reminded time and again that acts of kindness don’t need to be dramatic in order to have an impact. Always act with compassion. You never know the difference you can make— or to whom you can make a difference.

“Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, you do unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

Catholic Friendship Teaches Community

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As I sit down on my bed, I receive a non-committal text from my friend Maya saying that she might drop by my dorm later that night. Not that I would say it to her face, or to her phone I guess, but I’d rather she not come. I’m stuck in the doldrums and I don’t feel like summoning the energy to pull myself out of them. I’d rather that Disney+ pull me out. I guarantee that The Mandalorian would do so more gently than Maya. I grab a granola bar, get under the blankets, and open up my laptop. I’m feeling more than a little anxious. I have a week’s worth of homework to do, and a paper to write for Professor Adorno. My train of thought is chuffing down an unhappy track. 

It’s 9:30 PM. I’m on my third episode of The Mandalorian, trying to take my mind off homework for a while, when out of the blue someone slams on my window with terrific enthusiasm. I suddenly remember Maya’s text about visiting me that night. A moment later I hear what sounds like a mob banging on my door. Thoroughly annoyed and ready to give Maya a piece of my mind, I march to the door and throw it open.  

Yes, Maya is there. Yes, Maya is dropping by like she said she would. But Maya has brought with her five other people who now enter my dorm room and wander about like visitors touring a museum.  

“Maya, what—? Oh, hey Joey.  Maya, why did you…?  Nico, could you please be careful with that? Hi Milo, yeah, just don’t spill any, please. Maya, I thought you said – “ 

“Hey Helen!” Catherine emerges from the group. “Can I have a Pop Tart?” 

“What? Oh yeah, yeah of course.” I give Catherine the Pop Tart before getting Maya’s attention. “What’s going on?” 

Even though she can hear the note of annoyance in my voice, Maya refuses to answer my question until I put on my shoes.  

“We’re all going out to McDonald’s,” Maya finally replies as I tie up my laces, “and we’re taking you with us.” The second part of her sentence is delivered as a fact rather than a suggestion. 

“But…” I look longingly over at my dimming laptop screen, which is about to shut itself off. “I’ve got to…” I trail off. I can’t say I’m doing homework; The Mandalorian is still on my laptop for the world to see. But I’m just not in the mood to go out. I’m still in the doldrums.  

“Oh come on, stop being such a lump on a log.” Maya begins pushing me out the door. 

I hastily grab my room key, Joey puts the spyglass he was fiddling with back on my desk, Catherine happily finishes eating my last Pop Tart, and Milo shuts the door behind us as the parade marches to the parking lot. 

Adorno’s paper, which had been my biggest source of anxiety, gets dumped for a more pressing concern, as Nico announces that all seven of us are riding in a car designed to seat five. I’m a big fan of personal space and try shooting down this plan. 

“Guys, I’m not sure if we should…” 

“I’ve got shotgun!” Nico jumps into the front seat as Maya starts up her Honda. The rest of the gang piles into the backseat.   

The last thing I want to do is to squish into this sardine can. 

“Helen, are you getting in?” Lucy looks at me encouragingly from over Milo’s knee. “You can get in on the right side, there’s some room here!” She wiggles her foot an inch to the left in a valiant effort to create more space for me. 

Behind me is the road leading back to my dorm and The Mandalorian. In front of me is a carful of my friends, all happy to see me and wanting to cheer me up. My decision is made. 

Treading on Catherine’s feet in the process, I sit down next to Lucy. Everyone whoops excitedly, Joey launches into a funny story, and Maya peels out for McDonald’s. In that moment, I’m the happiest person on campus. 

During my time at college, I’ve learned that the presence of community is not to be ignored or taken for granted. It’s tempting to push people away when you’re stressed, or to cling to the mentality that you don’t need support and are able to power through rough patches on your own. But when you’re at your lowest is when you need your community the most. While the ride to McDonald’s didn’t win any awards for comfort, it provided me with the encouragement I didn’t even realize I needed. The time spent with my friends made it easier to face my responsibilities. As Catholics, we understand that ‘it is not good for man to be alone’. The Mandalorian is an awesome show, but that’s not what will drag me out of my dorm to buy ice cream at 10:00 PM. When you’re feeling low, don’t close the door to your community. It won’t do you any good anyway. They’ll just bang on your window instead. 

Catholic Friendship Teaches Forgiveness

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It’s a beautiful day on the Belmont Abbey College campus, but within Room 105A of the O’Connell dorms a storm is rumbling. The hum of the air conditioner is irritating me, and I’ve re-read the same sentence three times. I want to clear my throat, but I don’t want to make any noise. My roommate Lilly is sitting on her bed across from me, and she and I are both glued determinedly to our copies of St. Augustine’s Political Writings. Lilly and I are currently not speaking to each other, as we have just had a heated disagreement and are now sitting in deafening silence. Maintaining this silence is difficult for me, since I can rarely hit the five-minute mark without saying something to Lilly. I’d love to tell her about who I saw at breakfast, or the good grade I just got, or at least ask her if we could have our friend Maya over tonight… but I’m not about to sacrifice my dignity and go crawling back. Instead, I’ll give her the silent treatment. Once Lilly notices how unusually quiet I’m being, she’ll realize that I’m mad, and then she’ll feel bad. But I won’t spare her a glance, and will instead wordlessly continue my homework with noble suffering.  

Lilly puts on her headphones. 

Drat. She’s not going to notice that I’m sulking if she’s busy listening to music. I need to accidentally-on-purpose get her attention. I try throwing a sock clear across the room and into my hamper, but sadly this is too regular an occurrence for Lilly to glance up. Perhaps I should take a more direct approach?  

“Hey,” Lilly says as she moves her headphones off one ear. 

“Yeah, what’s up?” I respond in what I hope is a miffed tone. 

“What’re the pages we’re reading for Dr. Hren?” 

“24-46.” 

“Okay that’s what I thought, thanks.” 

“Yep.” 

“Yeah.” 

Lilly puts her headphones back on. 

Okay, that made some waves. Unfortunately though, I’m not feeling sweet revenge. I’m feeling uncomfortable. My misery is going unacknowledged, and, for some reason, Lilly is acting as if nothing were the matter. I’m just sitting on my bed, disgruntled, in my own personal cloud of dejection. I should be doing my homework, but my mood is making it difficult to focus. As I grab my room key and walk to the bathroom, I try to worry less about Lilly and more about my midterm grade for Dr. Hren’s class. 

I’m sitting down on my bed, post-bathroom trip, and realize something’s been placed on my copy of Political Writings. What is that, a bug? I squint: it’s an Oreo. 

“Hey, Lilly?” 

“What’s up?” Lilly takes her headphones off. 

I hold up the Oreo. “Is this for me?” 

“Yes!” Lilly looks at me with a smile kind enough to make me feel like garbage. “I’m sorry I upset you earlier, and I wanted to cheer you up.”  

“Oh,” I consider the Oreo in my hand. “Thank you,” followed by a weak smile. 

Lilly beams at me before putting her headphones back on. I eat the Oreo, feeling stupid. This Saturday’s argument with Lilly had taught me a valuable lesson that I would not forget: forgiveness. 

This Oreo olive branch became the solution to our disagreements. Lilly would leave an Oreo on my bed, or my book, or simply hand it to me, or in some cases where emphasis was needed, chuck it at my head. But the Oreo would always come with an apology that, like the Oreo itself, I couldn’t help but accept. It wasn’t long before I picked up on this practice. If I used Lilly’s mug without asking, or left our window open and bugs got in, or I spilled Gatorade on her copy of The Theban Plays, I’d offer her an Oreo.  

While I don’t remember what Lilly and I were arguing about that Saturday, I do remember that she forgave me, and in doing so taught me how to apologize like a Catholic instead of sulk like a heathen. Asking for someone’s forgiveness requires more than an Oreo; it requires humility, and that you acknowledge what you did wrong. But I realized that it’s better to lose your pride than to lose your friend, and that while requesting forgiveness isn’t pleasant, it’s a lot more palatable when there’s an Oreo involved. I was able to focus on my homework a lot more easily, too, which Dr. Hren was thankful for. Forgiveness truly makes the world go ‘round. 

 

Your Talent, God’s Purpose: FREE Event

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Greetings, Friends!

Talent awareness improves professional performance, relationships, and teams–which translates into all spheres: marriage, ministry, and business.

As a certified coach specializing in cultivating natural strengths, I feel deeply called to the mission of helping Catholics really shine in this dark world–now more than ever. I’m passionate about helping them to ditch misunderstandings and false shame about their talents, stand with confidence in God’s design for their lives, and experience the growth and enthusiasm that comes with that holy and humble clarity.

To that end, I’ve started doing free online events, and this month’s is called, “Wonderfully Made: Your Talent. God’s Purpose.”

Timing

We will start at 8:00 pm ET on November 12th, in my Zoom room, and run about 60 minutes. If people want to stay and chat or ask questions beyond that point, I’ll linger, but my prayer and presentation together should be no more than 30 minutes, with time for people to get settled beforehand and Q&A afterwards rounding out the hour.

Access

The Zoom link and password are at the bottom of this post.

Those of you who sign up here by midnight November 11, will receive a reminder the day of the event. No registration is needed, but you’ll need to be on my mailing list to receive a reminder.

 

Invite Your Lists

I’d be grateful for any support, especially prayer, and your presence would be wonderful. You’ll probably see this invitation in other places, too, as I get the word out. I’d appreciate your help with sharing.

FYI, my primary audience tends to be Catholic women, but I also work with and welcome men, teens, young adults, and people of other faiths (as long as they’re not hostile to Catholicism). Feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested.

Again, this is a free opportunity to have fun learning, to share your own insights, and to help me discover how best to serve our community.

Thank you, so much!

Blessings,

Lisa Mladinich

Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach

lisa@mladinich.com

Join Zoom Meeting at 8:00 pm ET, November 12th

https://zoom.us/j/6312359340

Password: 111220

Meeting ID: 631 235 9340

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Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aby0eSKFD5

 

Looking for God? Now is the Time.

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We have all heard the warning about “living in the past.”  It’s not a wise thing to do.

I know that I often catch myself dwelling on this or that decision from years or even decades ago.  When this happens I find myself rehashing my reasons and rationales like some broken record.

There is no doubt that 20/20 hindsight can be a cruel partner, poking us every now and then.   Armed with the clarity of knowing results and consequences we torture ourselves wondering how we could not see the results of our actions or decisions way back when.

Not to be outdone, of course, are the ever-popular apprehensions about the future. After all, is not the future merely a blind curve teeming with unexpected traps and problems? Yet we rush  toward manholes and cliffs we will not see until it is too late.

Between the haunting past and the foreboding future, we have a ready-made plate of worries and ruminations at our disposal.  What we need to realize sooner better than later, however, is that God is neither in our rear-view mirror nor is He at the end of the blind curve that is our future.

Dwelling In The Past

There is a clear distinction between dwelling in the past as opposed to learning from the past.  The word “dwelling” means a home or where one resides or lives. It is not constructive, and it’s even destructive, to constantly live in the past.

Whether we constantly reflect on positive or negative memories and experiences, the mere fact that we keep re-visiting that past takes away from our focus on the present.  Spending all day thinking about my great high school experiences does little to improve my present situation.  Likewise, obsessing over the mistakes or poor choices I made in the past only tends to beat me down.

Of course there is nothing wrong with mentally glancing back at our past highlights or low points. The problem occurs when we dwell or entrench ourselves in a time which we cannot change now.  We gain nothing, and even retreat, when we define ourselves by our past, bad or good.  When we define ourselves by our past, we perpetuate that past far beyond its beneficial role in our lives.  The past should inform, and not define, our present and future.

Learning From The Past

God wants us to learn and grow toward our destiny with Him. But we cannot learn and grow if we wrap ourselves in our past.  Obsessing over past glory only invites complacency, presumption, stagnation, or even arrogance. Obsessing over past stumbles or hurts only brings  depression, resentment, regret, and even bitterness.  No matter how you look at it, the past that is obsessed over is a moral minefield most mortal humans cannot traverse safely.

We should use the past as a teacher for enhancing our future. The only thing worse than a mistake is a mistake one does not learn from and may even repeat.  Reflecting on past errors and taking steps to avoid those errors again is never a bad thing.  When we reflect on our past mistakes, we bring the wisdom of the past to our present.  When we dwell on the past, however, we drag our present to that past.

The Past is an Unhealthy Neighborhood

The past can be dangerous turf teeming with regret, remorse, resentment, revenge, bitterness, and ingratitude.  Armed with 20/20 hindsight, we see results and consequences that we could never have anticipated back then. Obsessing over what we should or could have done or what we did not do goes way past the productive stage.

Forgiving others or ourselves can be very difficult, if not impossible, for those wrapped in the past.  It is also practically impossible to appreciate the present if we are preoccupied with the past.  The devil wants us to sink in the past’s cesspool of vice and hopelessness.

Ultimately, those mired in the past cannot let go because they cannot trust in God’s mercy.

Leave The Future to God

Dwelling in the past is an invitation to be ungrateful for what we have and mistrustful of God’s Divine Mercy. At the same time, worrying about the future can be an invitation to be mistrustful of God’s Divine Providence.

While there is nothing wrong with glancing at our future and reflecting on our plans and hopes, this is very different from being anxious or even petrified of what that future will bring.  If the past is teeming with the potential for regret, then the future is overflowing with the potential for fear.

God wants us to learn from our past and plan for our future with joyful trust, acceptance, and gratitude for His many blessings. We are closest to God when we humbly ask for forgiveness for our stumbles and humbly embrace God’s Will for our lives.  Learn from your past and leave it to God.  Embrace your future and entrust it to God as well.

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Mt 6:34)

Find God in The Present

Fulton Sheen once observed that much of our unhappiness stems from excessive concentration in the past and extreme preoccupation with the future.  We cannot change the past.  We only have the potential to either simmer in it or learn from it.  Similarly, we cannot predict the future.  We only have the opportunity to become paralyzed before it or to embrace it by trusting in God.

God is found in our present moments.  He is present among the countless souls we daily encounter in great need for kindness, compassion, and love.  He is present in the wonders of nature that surround us each today.  Each moment is an opportunity to get closer to God in small and immense ways.  We can only relieve pain, loneliness, hopelessness, and sorrow in the present.  We can only reach out to wandering hands in search of a caring touch in the present.

Prayers about the past tend to apologize or hope. Prayers about the future tend to petition.  Prayers in the present, however, are the most opportune way to praise and thank the Creator.

Embrace each moment as an opportunity for salvation. Sanctify each moment with humble contentment and acceptance. Do not waste or tarnish each moment with apathy, or ingratitude.  Let God always be your answer to now.

2020  Gabriel Garnica

Follow that Star!

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In this Octave of Christmas, St. John the Apostle lovingly reminds us why we celebrated the birth of Jesus only five days ago: “…because your sins have been forgiven.” (1 John 2:12)  What a reason to celebrate!

St. John shows us a strong contrast between man’s covetousness for worldly enticements, which is governed by the devil, and the way revealed by the Father through our Messiah, Jesus. God gave us a Savior because we’ve all failed terribly, and as sinners, need to repent. Once we understand the role of Jesus in our broken world, we can truly rejoice at Christmas!

But alas, the day after we celebrated Christ’s birth, our love for the world drew many of us away from the love of God and back to the after-Christmas sales and return lines, still searching for that perfect gift. Even now, opened presents lie abandoned under the tree, waiting to be stripped of their tags and stashed into closets or cupboards – the “must-haves” we couldn’t live without. So, where is the gift we didn’t find under the tree?

The Holy Spirit gave us 365 days’ worth of priceless lessons, yet many of us missed the target again and continue to search. The infant Jesus has come! It’s still not too late to reflect on the year and ask our newborn Savior to take us deeper into the journey and help us find the peace we seek, for “…the world and its enticement are passing away.” (1 John 2:17)

Again the true meaning of Christmas struggled to reach far too many hearts. Let’s stretch farther to find those searching hearts and share with them the joy and peace we’ve found in the birth of Jesus who came to save us, and all together follow that shining star into the New Year!

Elizabeth

Blessed 2020!

Today’s Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/123019.cfm

What is Your Eternal Job Description? The Lesson of Martha and Mary

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The recent gospel story of Martha and Mary (LK 10: 38-42) is one of the most powerful and profound expressions of an eternal struggle many of us face on a daily basis.  People grapple with their ‘job descriptions’ every single day, just like Martha was doing.

Quite often our job description is about as secular as it can get.  We focus on what we need to focus on to succeed in this world. The next day, however, we sway toward a crooked, but hopefully sincere, struggle to define our ‘eternal’ job as saving our own souls and those of others while serving and loving God and others.

While a certain amount of shuffling between a secular and our sacred, eternal job description is allowed in our daily pilgrimage through this world toward God, we must always take stock and adjust.  We need to maintain the overall direction of our efforts – facing due Heaven and not due earth. What are the signs that we are straying toward earth more than toward Heaven in this daily struggle?

Burdens

In Luke’s gospel,  Martha feels burdened by her earthly tasks and complains to Our Lord. Whatever earthly loads we may be carrying, feeling burdened certainly seems par for the course regarding all of them.  Earthly tasks carry physical, emotional, psychological, social, financial, practical, and many other kinds of burdens.  As physical beings, we will certainly feel those burdens on a regular basis.

Our burdens can surely tire, frustrate, and exasperate us.  While it is both normal and expected that we will all feel these strains from time to time, there is a high correlation between our eternal job description and just how much and how regularly we are feeling such burdens.  Those with an earthly focus will tend to feel more and increasingly burdened by these loads because earthly burdens tend to seem all-consuming and endless.

In fact, earthy burdens sometimes seem insurmountable and pointless.  They can overwhelm us.  We can feel lost as to how to handle them, and wonder how they can possibly lead us to any good.  A couple consumed and obsessed with buying a home, for example, may pull themselves in all directions trying to save for their goal.  They can even lose hope that they will ever achieve it in the light of their difficulties.

Isolation and Abandonment

Martha also expressed resentment that Our Lord did not care about her plight.  Martha felt she was being left all alone to deal with her burden. Once we become distracted or lost in an earthly focus, however, we measure and judge according to the dictates and standards of this world and not of God.  Negative, earthly feelings such as resentment, anger, bitterness, and jealousy creep in.  These secular standards and measures tell us that we are getting the short end of the stick and even being treated unfairly by God and others.  Ironically, we will feel isolated and abandoned by God and others precisely because our self-obsession and warped self-pity will not allow us to find fulfillment or joy in focusing on the needs of others.

It is easy to see that Martha was only focused on herself in this situation.  She was feeling unfairly treated and did not care to see anything other than that view of the situation.  Martha even went as far as to judge and question Our Lord’s stance in all of this!  Do we not do the same when we pray for something and then resent it when we feel our prayers are not answered?

Enticing Others to Our Mistake

Martha’s resentment and frustration led her to ask Our Lord to make Mary join her in her mistake!   I have often read that one of the devil’s greatest delights in pushing us to sin is successfully convincing us to join in his mistake of rejecting God.  Misery loves company, and Martha’s self-obsession leads her to demand that Our Lord order Mary to make the same mistake that she has made.  This warped delusion of self and righteousness goes as far as pretending that one’s foolishness is actually one’s enlightenment and that others should follow one’s “light.”

Our Lord tells Martha that she is worried and anxious about pointless things that will not ultimately amount to a hill of beans to her eternity. We stray from the path to Our Lord to the extent that we seek our treasure among things that do not lead us to him.  Washing dishes and making beds are not inherent evils.  Fixing the car and installing a new garage door opener are not inherently bad.  Fixing the air conditioning and paying our bills are not superficial and useless tasks.  However, while we should focus on and accomplish these things as we can, we must never reach the point of worrying and obsessing over these tasks and duties as if they are all that matters. Such worry and obsession only pushes God to the background for another day.

Where is God to You?

When we become fixated with things of this world over what matters to heaven, we tend to push heaven to the background and even change how, and even if, we see God at all.  If you see God as some sugar daddy who will come to your rescue whenever you need Him, you have lost the proper place of God in your life.  Frankly, I am not sure which is worse:  forgetting God or distorting what God is.  If God is not found in your preoccupation or consideration of some issue or burden, then perhaps you are mired in an overly earthly focus.

The story of Martha and Mary reminds us that we have a daily choice to embrace God or this earth.  Too many times, we become so wrapped up in accomplishing what this world expects or even what we think this world expects that we forget what God expects from us.  While doing our best to fulfill our tasks and duties in this world is important, we can never allow those tasks and duties to displace God as the center of our lives and focus.

Always place God first, place your earthly burdens before Him, and trust that He will guide you through these struggles!

2019  Gabriel Garnica