A GRAIN OF WHEAT

I’ve been reading a lot recently about religious life. For some reason, whenever I think of holiness one of the first things that comes to mind is the Carthusian monk praying the divine office. No one knows that he is there except for God. What is it about religious life that gives these people such a strong prayer life and closeness to God? Is it the cloistered lifestyle, or the diligent practice of prayer, or the silence observed at crucial points (if not all the time)? While I do think that all of these things help facilitate a growing relationship with our Lord, I don’t think that they are necessary in achieving holiness.

Take the religious view on work for example. Religious view work as a mix of penance and prayer. They are obedient to the Father and are glad to work. Just about every activity performed by our religious brothers and sisters is a form of prayer. Now, how hard would that be to integrate into the lives of us lay people? Probably not that hard if we could but be obedient. I have often found that money is not always a very strong motivator, but God sure is. I don’t get paid to do housework and give my wife a break, but if I am to reflect the love of Christ then I should sacrifice my own desires out of love. If you open your heart then you can find prayer in just about anything. There are so many opportunities to glorify God and to live as children of God, but how often to we take advantage of those opportunities?

Our religious brothers and sisters view themselves as the leaven of the world; when they sacrifice their own desires and are raised toward God then we all are raised. I certainly agree with this. I am so glad that our religious brothers and sisters are in perpetual prayer for our benefit. I also think that we are all called to be leaven. Whether religious, priest, or lay person, we should all take the world on our shoulders and lift it toward God. It is our duty and our calling.

I have never experienced blatant, face-to-face anti-Catholicism until yesterday. I was helping a nice older lady with her financial needs when she asked me what church I attended. Although I work in a very sterile corporate environment, I’m not shy about my faith, so I told her that I attend the local Catholic parish. She explained that she was a member of the local Pentecostal congregation and proceeded to invite me to her church. I very politely declined explaining that I have been a Catholic since birth and I really love my faith. So far, so good. There really was no harm in the invitation. But her next statement caught me off-guard. She leaned in and almost whispered, “Your priests don’t preach the truth”. Needless to say, I was taken aback.

Unfortunately, I was at work so I was unable to enter into a debate with this woman. I just brushed her off and sent her on her way. But I think her attitude is indicative of the strong anti-Catholic sentiment that is ever-present today, especially among protestants. I have been preparing for the time when I’d have to defend my faith, and I am very sorry that I was hindered from doing so in this instance (don’t get me wrong, I’ve always defended the faith, but not in a clear, learned manner). But I know there will be more attacks on my faith and I’m sure I will be given ample opportunity to put my knowledge to good use.

But, hey, in the future if you want to save me, just throw me a raft. I have the only Church founded by Christ that is handling the salvation of my soul.

Well, my wife had the ultrasound yesterday and we are having another boy! We are excited, to say the least. We also got to see that he is developing well and looks healthy. Now comes the mad dash to prepare for a new baby. I’ll have to put the cradle back together, put together the new crib, dresser, changing table…But it is worth it. I just thank God for the opportunity to work for my children. They truly are a blessing.

My wife and I are going today to get an ultrasound on our developing baby. This is our second child, so we have gone through this before. While we are extremely excited, we learned with our first child not to hope for one sex or the other (but the consensus of family and friends is girl). While finding out the sex is a primary source of excitement, so is seeing that our little baby is healthy. They really spare no effort in showing you things you never thought about seeing, such as the chambers of the heart, the kidneys, spine and brain.

I think that ultrasounds, while not necessary, certainly go a long way in helping you bond with your child before he/she is born. In an age where abortion on demand is rampant, it is nice to see what we are “choosing” to let live. In a way it is a choice; we are choosing to let God’s love work through us and manifest itself in the form of a new life. To be able to see your child in the first home of humanity, the womb, is a blessing indeed.

I’m in the process of reading A Place Apart, by M. Basil Pennington, O.S.C.O. The premise is to teach lay people (me) how to set aside a place and time for prayer. Fr. Pennington, a Trappist monk, is very adept at identifying the intrusions of life in the world and overcoming them. He recommends creating a space which is used only for prayer and reflection, whether it be a corner of your room or a local chapel. So that is what I’ve been trying to do lately. I bought two pictures over the weekend: One of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the other is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I intend to place these pictures, along with other sacramentals, over my nightstand to create a place of prayer.

I really like the idea of having a chapel-like place “in-house”. I think that it is important to have a place of refuge from the world; a place where you can flee to God and seek peace. Of course I live very close to my parish, but you never know when temptation will strike or when you may feel the need to give thanks and praise the Lord. Plus, we all remember when Jesus said, ” Go to your inner room and pray”. So why not create your own space which focuses your attention on God? I love the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I’ve always felt close to it and that’s why I want it in my prayer corner. Of course, bare walls may be sufficient for some people. Whatever helps you pray, give it a try.

 God Bless.