Archive for the 'Angels' Category

Windshield Wipers

theophilus December 10th, 2008

My car is going on five years old.  And I finally broke down and bought a new pair of windshield wipers.  I was still on my first set.

I tend to put things off.  I waited until my windshield was totally obstructed during a rainstorm before I broke down and bought the new wipers.

I had a meeting Downtown today and had to drive home during rush hour.  It’s a dark and rainy night, and I was beginning to let the gloom of the weather and traffic send me over the edge.

And then it dawned on me as I peered through my car window.  I could see!

The car in front of me was clear as day.  No blurs, no streaks, no guessing.  I could see!

I didn’t realize how bad my wipers had gotten until I saw the world through new ones.

There is a lesson here for Advent.  With all of the hoopla surrounding gift buying, company parties, kids events, and classic TV shows, Advent is a time for us to clear away the blurs and streaks in our lives and start seeing the light of Christ.

Light is a major symbol during this time.  it’s the light of the Advent Wreath, the Christmas Tree, the lights in the neighborhood, the glow of the moon off of the newly fallen snow.  It’s the light given off by our children’s eyes, laughter and smiles.  It’s the light of the special cheer shown by even the most ill-tempered of folk.

Advent is like a new pair of wiper blades on a dark, stormy night.  Advent allows us to see clearly.  To see our Eternal Father, Christ, Mary, St. Joseph, and the angels so clearly that we can reach out and touch them.  To see the peace and joy in others.  To feel the peace and joy in ourselves.

And if we are not seeing clearly, then maybe it’s time for a new pair of wiper blades.   Say a prayer, ask for perspective, allow yourself to enjoy this most blessed of seasons.  Decide that you are going to allow yourself to see clearly.  Accept the grace of this gift that God gives us each December.  The gift of the birth of his son, our savior; the gift of the renewal of the hope that is our birthright as His children. 

Resources for Dads

theophilus October 2nd, 2008

To me, the key to continuously renewing our lives is to, from time to time, break away from our blogging, our fantasy football teams, our kids’ video games, and our TV to learn something.  With this in mind, I decided to fool around last night online, without going onto my regular websites.  Along the way, I found (or rediscovered) some great resources for dads - some new, some not-so-new.

The Knights of Columbus have started a web site aimed at Dads.  Fathers for Good is a resource aimed at men, specifically Dads.  Check it out.

I also came across a series of free booklets on the Scepter Publishers website.  Many of these booklets are aimed at families and provide a great deal of insight for us Dads, with titles like “Bright and Cheerful Homes,” “Parents, Children & the Rules of Life,” and “Reinventing Dad.”

I’ve also become more interested in Catholic bible study, trying to understand the broad themes of the Bible and how they guide us to getting to where God wants us to be.  I found Dr. Scott Hahn’s site, St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.  It provides a series of free online courses to help deepen our Catholic faith and truly understand what God is trying to tell us in the Bible.  Courses such as, “Covenant Love: Introducting the Biblical Worldview,” “The Lamb’s Supper: The Bible and the Mass,” and “Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God.”  All are brief, insightful and to the point.

And then it’s back to the Knights of Columbus.   They run the Catholic Information Service, which has a series of free booklets and free online courses to help explain the Faith.  The “Luke E. Hart Series Course” is based on the Catechism, and the “CIS Faith Formation Course” is geared towards explaining the Church’s faith, practices and devotions.  Both are worth checking out.  If nothing else, download some of the booklets.  The CIS also has a great page on The Year of St. Paul.  You do not have to be a Knight to access these resources.

And today is the Feast of our Guardian Angels.  We are never too old to believe in them, trust them and pray to them.  And we should most certainly teach our kids to reach out to them and talk to them, and to realize that they are a constant presence in their lives and a grace from God.

“Angel of God, my guardian dear.  To whom, God’s love commits me here.  Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.”

777

theophilus September 29th, 2008

A missed opportunity!

I’ve been trying to get a fallen-away Catholic I care about back to the Church.  I took a look at the Dow Jones from today and saw that it fell 777 points.  I made crack to him that if it had fallen 666 points, then we would have seen the churches packed this evening.  He replied back that he would have to be one of those rushing to have a visit.  I guess the DJ may have fallen 111 points too far!

In all seriousness, I have been rather despondent recently.  There is so much broken right now – things over which the common folk, like you and I, have so little control.  These times call for so many great leaders, yet they seem to be in such short supply.  The yearning for power and greed have replaced the requisite servant’s heart that have always been at the core of our nation’s great leaders.

So, as I look at the carnage from today, both in Washington and on Wall Street, I know who is at fault.  But does it matter?  Me sharing my thoughts on the rights and wrongs of this mess isn’t going to change the course of action that so many seem hell-bent to undertake.

But sharing my interior life may help others deal with the gross uncertainty of this current crisis.

I decided to go to confession today.  I haven’t been since early Summer and I figured it was a good time to get some stuff off of my chest.  I confessed about my lack of joy and peace, the gross anxieties permeating my soul.  I confessed about my lack of productivity and certainty in God’s plan for me.  I confessed that I was not ok with God deciding to make an example of us as he did with Israel and Judah of old, and how I believe he allows us to screw everything up from time to time if we have turned our back to his will.  I have not been a very good Christian recently.  I have not exhibited the faith and hope that should consume us despite any difficulty or burden.  St. Paul would be telling me to grow a pair.

And the priest instantly understood.  He remarked that his confessional has seen a continual stream of like-minded sentiments.  In fact, he said that he couldn’t wait for election day.

I really don’t know why, but I walked out feeling a millions time better.  I got back to the office to the news that the bailout vote had failed.  And for some reason, I felt a sense of relief; and again, I really don’t know why.  I’ve been in a mood this afternoon that is a 180 degrees different than this weekend, even though the news is worse.

Part of it is that God has blessed me with a very level-headed wife, and I’ve started to listen to her.  She is always thinking about the worst thing that can really happen to us and her “worst thing” is always a lot less worse than mine.  This evening, she walked me through her “worst things”, and her “worst things” are true to form when compared to mine.

Another part of it is that today is the Feast of the Archangels – Michael, Gabriel, Raphael.  They are with us always, helping us fight our battles and serving as messengers from God.  They have our backs on this one.  We just need to trust in them and trust in the Lord that sends them to fight by our side.

I don’t know what’s coming down the road.  But I do know that God is with us; he defends us; he wants the best for us.  We just need to believe in him and follow his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Take Courage”

theophilus May 8th, 2008

Sometimes, I find myself really focused on one group of saints - those who saw Mary, saints, angels and Christ himself.  Is there a greater afffirmation of faith – to get to believe and to see?

I was thinking about these apparitions in reading today’s first reading (Acts 22).  St. Paul is in prison, yet again, and we learn that ”the Lord stood by him and said ‘Take courage.  For just as you have borne witness to my  cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’”  I would think Christ gave St. Paul a little pick-me-up just then.

“Take courage” – that’s what he says to us each day.  He may not physically appear to us, but he does send us the Holy Spirit and one of his gifts is fortitude or courage.  No matter what we are going through – no matter how dire our predicament – all we need to do is reach out to Christ and take courage.

St. Paul understood Christ was sending him to Rome.  I even wonder if he knew that the entire future of the Church would be dictated by his decision.  He also probably understood that he would die in Rome for his faith and preaching.  Yet, he took courage and did what he had to do to get to Rome.

Today’s Entrance Antiphon is from Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us come to God’s presence with confidence, because we will find mercy, and strength when we need it, alleluia.”  This passage is the essence of courage – having confidence, finding mercy, finding strength when we need it. 

Christ gives us this confidence, his mercy, and all of the strength we need – we just have to take courage and receive the gifts he offers to us.   With courage, we can do anything that Christ calls us to do, whether he appears to us or not.

And while we are on the subject of apparitions, I often wonder what would we really do if Mary or an angel appeared to us directly.  Would we believe or think it was just something we drank?

What if Her Answer was “No”?

theophilus December 20th, 2007

This week’s gospels present a great “what-if” in history.  What if Mary had said “no” to the Incarnation?

I’ve been thinking about this question as we progress through the weekday Gospel readings leading up to Christmas.  The readings are those most of us know so well.

Monday – St. Matthew’s geneology of Christ; Tuesday – Gabriel appears to St. Joseph to announce the Incarnation; Wednesday – Zechariah learns Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist; Today – the Annunciation; Friday – the Visitation; Saturday – the Magnificat; Monday – the Benedictus.

Through these readings, we walk through the story told through the Rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours.  It’s a great time to refresh and renew our prayer.

It’s also a great time to consider the big what-if of our lives – WHAT IF MARY HAD SAID “NO” to Gabriel and to God?  After all, she was being asked to undertake an incredible and daunting responsibility.  She was being asked to bear and be the mother to the Son of God and to be the mother of all men and women.  She was being asked to be the human source of salvation for all mankind.

And, she could have said “no” - ”not going to do it” - ”you’re asking too much” – “go get someone else”.  She had the same free will that each one of us has.  She could have chosen not to obey.

And where would we be if she had said “no”?  I don’t even want to think of the possibilities and consequences.

We, of course, know that she said “yes” – “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”  She said “yes” because she was the perfect human, the perfect servant.  She obeyed God totally – gave herself over to God in mind, body and spirit.  There was never any danger that her answer was going to be anything less than a booming affirmation.

But, are we the same?  Christ asks us every day to follow him – to do our Father’s will.  We are asked to believe and obey.  How many of us go about our daily lives with the mindset that we are going to say “yes” to God in all things?  How many of us go along with some things asked of us but not others?

And, how many of us have said “no” or shown indifference to a really big thing that God wanted us to do?  One of my greatest fears is that God wanted me to do something incredible and I missed the boat – and he went and got someone else to do it.  That, I missed out on the reason I was created. 

Mary was created to be the mother of our Lord and Savior, the mother of mankind, the source of our salvation.  She was asked to do something big – she didn’t miss the boat.  She said “yes”.

We need to make sure we don’t miss our reason for being here or that special something God wants us to do - we need to say “yes” to everything God asks of us – and follow Christ wherever he leads us.

Let us resolve to imitate our Mother in proclaiming without reservation – “Behold, we are the handservants of the Lord.  May it be done to us according to your Word.”

“Welcome Home”

theophilus November 9th, 2007

St. John Lateran

Today, the body of the Church celebrates the dedication of an actual church – the Lateran Basilica in Rome (or St. John Lateran).  The Basicila was built by Emperor Constantine and is considered the mother church of Christianity.  It is the Cathedral of Rome, “The Pope’s Church”, and used to be the pope’s residence. 

But why do we celebrate a church?  Afterall, it’s just a building – right?

We shouldn’t think so.

Our church should be our second home.  It should be the center of our faith and our spiritual life.  It is the house of our Lord and contains his very presence within its hallowed walls. Continue Reading »

You’re Not Paranoid

theophilus October 19th, 2007

divine mercyWhen a close friend or relative dies, we often hear the consoling words, “he/she will be watching over us now from heaven” or “now we have a special angel in heaven looking out for us.”

When I was young, I loved hearing these words because they always helped me deal with death and the loss of someone I loved.  But now, these words almost scare me.

Why?

Because I really don’t like the idea that my dear grandparents, aunts, and uncles and my wife’s grandparents, aunts and uncles know my every thought, see my every action.  I don’t like the idea that they know my every flaw.  How do they feel about witnessing every failing of their beloved grandson and nephew?  Worse yet, how does my wife’s heavenly relatives feel about the guy to whom they entrusted their dear girl?

Continue Reading »

Guardian Angel . . . You Still There?

theophilus October 2nd, 2007

“O Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom his love commits me here, Ever this day, be at my side, To watch and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
If you’re like me, this prayer to our Guardian Angels was one of the first prayers I learned as a little kid.  This idea that there was an angel to keep me out of trouble was rather comforting.

As adults, do we . . . should we . . . still believe in angels . . . especially guardian angels?  Isn’t it kind of childish to believe?

Today is the feast day of the Guardian Angels . . . so, I guess the Church is telling us that we should still believe in our guardian angel . . . and why not?

Continue Reading »

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