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Breakfast with Jesus; Why it is so Important

By Mary Lou Rosien

Freeimages.com/CMay

“Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”” (John 21:12) During the weeks after Easter, we hear several references to Jesus eating with his disciples. This is important for two reasons, first, it reminds us that Jesus rises from the dead with his human body! The apostles were not seeing a ghost. Jesus ate with them. He is fully human and fully divine.

Equally important, Jesus feeds them! It had probably been a long night fishing and Our Lord provided for his friends’ physical needs as well as their spiritual ones. He feeds us in the Eucharist and through his word in the Gospel. He is still meeting our needs, finding us where we are… just as he found the apostles fishing.

There are two images of Christ that I find especially appealing; Our Lord cooking breakfast for his friends and when scripture describes him as “reclining at supper.” It is easy to focus solely on the divinity of Christ and forget his human friendships. I love to think of Jesus with his head tipped back in laughter, eyes sparkling and relishing the uniqueness and even quirkiness of his circle of friends. This is the Jesus who still lives, loves and has redeemed us. He is our Savior; he is also our friend.

We can help our children to understand the complicated issue of the two natures of Jesus by practicing a simpler version of Lectio Divina (read, meditate, pray and contemplate):

Read the Gospel stories of Jesus out loud.

Discuss eating breakfast with Jesus. (meditate)
What would you like Jesus to make you for breakfast?
Would you like fire-roasted fish, like the apostles did?
How does Jesus feed your soul as well as your need for physical nourishment?
Remember that Jesus calls the Eucharist “true food.” Why do you think He says that?

Pray!
Have the children ask Jesus what he wants them to see or hear in the story.

Consider acting out a breakfast with Jesus. (contemplate)
What person in the story would you be?
How would you feel about Jesus cooking for you?
Explain how Jesus is your friend.

(C) 2017

Read all posts by Mary Lou Rosien Filed Under: Featured, General, Prayer, Scripture, Special Needs Tagged With: breakfast, disciples, eating, food, Jesus, Lectio Divina, Meditation, prayer

Expecting Christmas; A Thirty Second Meditation for Right Now

By Mary Lou Rosien

“Imagine you are on the ride to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph,” my wise confessor suggested. “Listen to what they are saying and how they are experiencing the journey.”

I could picture myself along side Mary. She, quite literally,’expecting Christmas’ is chatting to Joseph joyfully about the baby’s arrival. She is anticipating wrapping him in the swaddling clothes, sent by her cousin Elizabeth. She has everything set up with her midwife and Joseph has carved the most beautiful cradle she could have ever imagined! “It’s fit for a King, Joseph,” she told her husband.

As my prescribed meditation (penance) ended, I realized that Mary’s Christmas had definitely not gone as she may have planned. God’s idea of that Christmas was quite different from the one she imagined. It was, however, perfect in every way. The Savior born not, in the loving home of Joseph and Mary with a caring midwife attending, but in a stable with angels helping in the delivery of the Lord who would deliver us! No handsome, hand-carved cradle, only a feeding trough (manager) for His glorious head. Yes, so perfect that we ponder it with awe to this very day.

I feel the stress building. The list of things that have to be done in the next 24 hours doubling, when it should be diminishing. Lord, help me to remember that You have a much better plan for my Christmas this year than I do. It might not have anything to do with a clean house, good food or even wrapped gifts, but I pray that my heart will be open and obedient to it, just like Mary’s. Wishing all of you the most blessed and ‘perfect’ Christmas ever!

Freeimages/Schiel

Freeimages/Schiel

Read all posts by Mary Lou Rosien Filed Under: General Tagged With: advent, Blessed Virgin Mary, Christmas, Meditation, Stress

To Fast or Not To Fast

By Maureen Smith

Last Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, I sat in the back of the Chapel after work. I was asking Jesus if it was all right that I ate that extra protein bar at lunch. I thought I should have gone without it.

You see, I am not allowed to fast. Why? Because for over half my life I have struggled with an eating disorder, and since I have been in recovery I have been told not to fast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that disappointed that I don’t have to be perpetually hungry, but there is a part of me that feels guilty alongside those who fast. So I sat in the pew trying to sort out which thoughts were of God and which were of the evil one.

The next morning, as I went for a swim before work, I was praying my Rosary to help me meditate on the Life of Jesus. It was Thursday, so I prayed with the Luminous Mysteries, the first being the Baptism in the Jordan. I thought about Jesus, how he willingly took on our humanity and our sins. I am not alone in my Lenten journey, in my eating disorder, in my recovery, in anything at all! This frames Lent as well as anything I do – I am not alone and neither are any of you!

The second mystery, the Wedding Feast of Cana. The Lord doesn’t ask us to make up for our failings on our own. Following the example of Mary, we come to Jesus as beggars, and ask for His help and His mercy, in whatever way He sees fit. I am not doing this Lent thing by myself or for myself, nor am I trying to overcome an addiction by myself or for myself. It is all through Him, in Him, with Him, and for Him. He makes all things new. By my own strength I could never change water into wine or perform any miracle, let alone heal my own addiction, but I can do all things with Christ.

The third mystery, the Proclamation of the Kingdom. The words that came to me as I was swimming back and forth were, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” I worry constantly that I don’t do “enough.” What is this “enough” stuff? I am comparing myself to others, to where I thought I should be, to where I was before, etc. etc. But what does Jesus ask of me? Is it the same as what I am asking of myself?

https://www.leonieslonging.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Paul-Hoecker-Nonne-im-Laubgang-1897-WMC.jpgA few years ago I spent two years as a sister in Religious Life. In my second year, it became clear that I was struggling with eating, and so my Superior forbid me to fast during Lent. My Lenten “fast” was to eat snacks between meals, which were prepared by another sister so that I wouldn’t cheat. This was the greatest poverty I had ever experienced. I saw sisters fasting intensely as I was angrily smothering butter on my toast. And I felt nothing but shame when it was time for my mid-morning snack, which was hidden in the pantry. Hot tears rolled down my face when another confused sister found my hidden snack one day.

My point is not to make you feel bad for me, but to proclaim the truth that this “fast” is what Jesus asked of me. I wanted to choose my own Cross and fast like everyone else was doing, but that wouldn’t have helped me grow closer to Him–which is the point of Lent, right? If I had fasted as most did, I would have gained pride and a feeling of power. I would not have felt that poverty, that truth that I was totally dependent on the Lord and His Love and Mercy. I knew then the humiliation He felt during His Passion, and by knowing Him, He knew me.

As I was finishing my last few laps I prayed with the Transfiguration. I often ask Jesus if He’s sure He still loves me this way, wounded and far from perfect. Sometimes I delay in coming to Him because I want to be perfect first. But wait…perfectionism…that’s what got me into this mess! Jesus takes fallen humanity and glorifies it. He even gives us glimpses of this light and glory in our own lives, in order to give us strength for the times when we can see only darkness. Foreshadowing the Resurrection, Jesus shows us that in our humanity, in our woundedness, even in our sin He comes to us and gives us Himself so that we can be transformed by His mercy and forgiveness. This is the goal of the Lenten pilgrimage – to be transformed. To experience greater intimacy with Him, as did Peter, James, and John on the mountain, and to let His light penetrate our fearful hearts.

As I got out of the pool and got ready for work I thought of the last mystery, the Institution of the Eucharist. Hmmm…probably the Lord wants me to think about this whole fasting thing. I thought back to my time in the Chapel last evening. The soft flickering of the sanctuary candle made the shadow of File:Fra Angelico - Institution of the Eucharist (Cell 35) - WGA00549.jpgthe Cross bob up and down. Even though the light was coming from the right side of the Chapel where the Tabernacle kept vigil in silence, it seemed to cast its rays onto the center of the sanctuary where the Jesus hung on the Cross on the back wall. This was the answer to my question last night. Jesus already suffered for my sins. Was I trying to do it on my own? Was I denying that Jesus’ Passion and Death was enough for me? Was I telling Jesus that I had to suffer in a prescribed manner in order to be worthy?

This morning I welcomed again the graces I received yesterday, when He spoke truth to my heart. I was angry at myself for not suffering enough, especially compared to others. Underneath that was another question: am I enough Lord?…am I doing enough and suffering enough for you? If I had given up that power bar, it would have made me feel a little better about myself, as if I had “done” something for Him, and maybe even prevented the body image thoughts that were penetrating my time of prayer. But this was not of God! Jesus was asking me to sacrifice in another way; I was poor in spirit by obediently following my doctor’s orders and by nourishing my body that I have in the past denied–not out of a call to fast but out of fear of not being enough. This gave me the peace my heart desired; I knew this thought was from the Lord.

I begin this Lent with another kind of fasting. Yes, I am fasting, but not in the way most people are fasting. I am fasting from my will, from my passions, from my securities. I am becoming poor in spirit and accepting the Will of God. Yes, I will probably face feelings of guilt and shame about my body, especially around others who are fasting “more.” But what a perfect time to bring these lies to the Lord. I journey with Him in the desert this Lent and I choose Him over the lies and temptations of the evil one. I am not alone. He is with me, He is in my poverty, He comes to me in my brokenness, and He suffered and died for me.

My prayer is that all of you who read this are able to pray about your Lenten journey, that despite what others are doing for Lent, you recognize the places where the Lord is and is not calling you to focus. May our Lenten pilgrimage lead us to the Pierced Heart of Christ, the source of our salvation.

Read all posts by Maureen Smith Filed Under: Catechetics, Culture, Evangelization, General, Liturgical, Prayer, RCIA & Adult Education, Sacraments, Scripture, Theology Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, Eating Disorders, fasting, Healing, Lent, Meditation, mercy, prayer, rosary, sacrifice

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8:12).

By Elizabeth Tichvon

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8:12).

Why? we answer back.  Why should we believe in Your kindness when You allow the world to suffer?

Lent begins this week, and despite the mix of heartache and joy that will accompany the faithful, they’ll hold tightly to their belief without asking God why He allows suffering – especially His Son’s.  They’ll accept as true what they cannot see, cannot touch – cannot fully comprehend.

Faith is a supernatural gift from God to us, but in the next forty days, many will doubt because they won’t receive mighty wonders and signs, despite their fasting and prayers.  How God reveals Himself to us is uniquely ours and is a part of His gift.  Our gift back to Him is our complete trust in His ways, whether we receive a wondrous sign or not.  In return, He deepens our faith with understanding and we begin to receive all we ask for because we stop asking with misgivings but with the Wisdom He so faithfully gives us.

https://elizabethtichvon.wordpress.com

Read all posts by Elizabeth Tichvon Filed Under: Scripture Tagged With: faith, Lent, Meditation, prayer, scripture

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