Interior – Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano) Milan, Italy.
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19th Mt. 20:1-16 “Are you envious because I am generous?”
Part 1: Reflection – Born with Original Sin, all are called to conversion.
Part 2: Bringing the Joy of Christ to Others by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
- The Jews were called to salvation centuries before the coming of the Messiah. They expected Him, yearned for Him. Yet, when He came, many rejected Him.
St. Paul (Romans 11 ) relates the call of the Gentiles to the fall of his Jewish brothers:
Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.
Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy. For God has bound everyone to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
- Our Lord wants to teach us a fundamental lesson. All are called. Some respond early in the day – in their youth. St. Gemma Galgani was nine when she asked the nuns preparing her for First Holy Communion to teach her about the Passion of Christ, giving her the full details regarding the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the crucifixion of Jesus. Gemma was overcome with sorrow and begged her crucified Savior to be allowed to participate in His passion. Her prayer was answered. She endured many sufferings in her short life. At twenty-one she received the extraordinary grace of the stigmata. She died at age twenty-five.
- Some respond later in the day. St. Augustine: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within, but I was without, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. Created things kept me from you. You called, you shouted, you shone, and you broke through my deafness.”
- Some respond in the twilight of their life. We call him St. Dismas. He was the good thief on the cross on Calvary. What did he see in Jesus to call Him King? His crown – a crown of thorns. His royal robe – the bruised and bloody shreds of flesh hanging from His body. His scepter – the nails pounded into His hands. His throne – the rough and crude wood of the cross. Dismas’ supernatural sight was rewarded, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” “Amen, I say to you, this day you will be with me in paradise!” Ven. Fulton Sheen said, “He who lived as a thief, died a thief, because he stole Heaven.”
- We may respond at different times, but we are all called to find true and lasting joy in Friendship with Jesus – and bring that joy to others!
BRINGING THE JOY OF CHRIST TO OTHERS! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Sadness, depression, complaining and gossiping, anger and bitterness, despair in life—all of this characterizes the environment of workplaces, offices, companies, and even many homes.
Saint Thomas Aquinas makes a somewhat obvious statement and it is the following: all are called to happiness. Everyone in the world, irrespective of time, place, or culture, has a great desire to be happy.
Why then is it, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, that so many, and we repeat, so many people are anything but happy??? The response is the following: they are looking for happiness in the wrong places. A fish placed on the top of a building, a bird plunged into water, a cat placed in the company of a dog—all are simply in the wrong place!
Likewise, the human person who pursues happiness in the casino, in wine and whiskey, in the pleasures of the flesh referring to sexual promiscuity, porn viewing and licentiousness, not to mention drugs and overeating—none of these can produce happiness. Indeed, all of the above can produce a transitory or ephemeral pleasure, but not true happiness, not true joy. Pleasure can be bought with money and depends on external stimuli; whereas true happiness comes from within; true happiness comes from God; true happiness is found in an intimate relationship, better said, Friendship with Jesus Christ. True happiness comes from union with the Holy Spirit who gives us both His Gifts and His Fruits, one of which is JOY, very much akin to Happiness!
Saint Augustine, who looked for happiness in pleasure (sexual addiction until he was 31), after his conversion, in his classic Confessions, penned this immortal line: “O God, you have made our hearts for thee and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” True happiness can only be found in God, in a deep, personal and dynamic relationship with God.
Therefore, we who have encountered God in a deep and personal manner in our lives, it is incumbent upon us to share this joy with others. Pope Francis’ document summarizes our central theme: The Joy of the Gospel. Those who have understood the message of the Gospel, which actually means Good News should not keep this joyful Good News to themselves, but be ardent and zealous in sharing it with others! This being the case, we would like to offer ten simple ways in which we can share the joy of the Gospel, the joy of union with the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit with an angry, depressed and even despairing world!
1. SMILE. Smile at the angry person. One of the clearest signs of union with God is the joy that radiates from a SMILE. Many things are contagious and that includes a smile; try it and you will see its effects! One of the highlights of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Order she founded, the Missionaries of Charity, is the smile on the face of this saint, as well as her sisters!
2. I AM PRAYING FOR YOU! Upon bumping into a sad person, why not say to them: “I am praying for you!” You might even add: “You know, God really loves you. You are precious in His Heart!” Who knows, maybe this person has never heard these words in their whole life!
3. OPEN THE DOOR! Upon entering a building, take the initiative to open up the door for the person who arrives at the place at the same time that you do! This is symbolic! You are desiring that one-day God will open up the door of heaven for you, as well as for this person. Jesus pays undivided attention even to the smallest detail. He said: “I tell you, those who give even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will not go without his reward.” (Mt. 10:42)
4. KINDNESS. Try to be kind in words as well as in gestures. The opposite of kindness is meanness! We all know what that is. When somebody says a mean word to us, it is almost as if we were stung by a wasp with those words; the poisonous venom stays with us. Kindness is the exact opposite; it is like a gentle and healing balm that anoints our soul. (Read Father Lovasik’s book on KINDNESS.)
5. A KIND LOOK OR GLANCE. Even something so simple as a kind look or glance can indeed be very consoling to somebody with a wounded heart. Indeed, words can be very encouraging, but the same can be said with a loving and encouraging glance. How many athletes have gone beyond their physical limits because there was some person encouraging them by a mere encouraging glance of the eyes!
6. GIVE A HOLY CARD. Giving a holy card of Jesus, Mary, the angels or one of the saints can serve as a concrete reminder that in the midst of loneliness and the dark nights that we all must traverse, we are really never alone, rather, God and the angels and saints are present to us. Small reminders can have a huge impact on the lives of the fallen and depressed. God is close to those whose hearts are broken.
7. TAKE A WALK AND TALK! Maybe there is a family member who is going through depression—it might be your teenage son or daughter. Then why not invite them to take a half hour nature-walk. Exposure to the trees and the multi-colored leaves, the sound of the chorus of birds chanting their songs of praise of the Creator, the gentle and warm breeze caressing the face, the bright and warm sun a source of solace and healing, the fresh smell of cut grass, the blue sky really the mantle of Mary—all of these can serve as a means to lift the cloud of depression and radiate joy and happiness!
8. TALK WITH THE WALK. During the course of a nature walk, engage this person—maybe your teenage son or daughter—in conversation. However, first highlight the good qualities that God has endowed them with. There are many, but they may not be aware of them. It is up to you to point out their good qualities and encourage them to cultivate them. These 30 minutes, exposed to the beauty of creation that comes from God who is beauty itself, as well as an encouraging conversation can turn the tide of depression to renewed hope and happiness! Try it and you will see!
9. JOKE!!! When you run into a sad-faced and joy-less individual—and there are many out there—tell an honest, clean, humorous story or simply a joke! The great orator Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, would often start off his conferences or lectures with not one joke, but three! This would dispose the audience to listen to the rest of his talk. Maybe you can buy a good, and I would highlight CLEAN joke book, and learn a few so as to spice up the life of the sad and the depressed! We all like a well-told, timely joke or humorous anecdote!
10. MARY/OUR LADY: CAUSE OF OUR JOY! In the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary one of the short phrases apropos of our topic is “Mary, Cause of our Joy, pray for us!” It is recorded in the life of St. Therese of Lisieux, known as “The Little Flower”, that when she was suffering from a very serious and painful sickness, she turned to a statue of Our Lady and she smiled at Therese, who was instantly healed of her ailment! Therefore, in conclusion, let us offer up fervent prayers to Mary, Cause of our Joy, for many of our brothers and sisters who are suffering acute sadness or depression in one form or another. Through the intercession of Mary, may sad and depressed people recognize that true happiness can only be found in union with God! Our Lady teaches the world this in her canticle of praise that we call the MAGNIFICAT: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior!” Like Mary, let us LOOK TO THE LORD AND BE RADIANT WITH JOY!
Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
