Friday of the Second Week of Lent
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
FRIDAY, March 5th Mt. 21: 33-43, 45-46 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”
- Jesus said He would be a sign of contradiction in the world. He who was crucified, suffered and died on the cross, rose victorious from the grave!
- As followers of Christ, we too are a sign of contradiction in the world. When the world seems to have forsaken us, we have a Savior who will raise us from desolation to consolation if we turn to Him.
OVERCOMING LONELINESS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Feeling down in the dumps? Feeling like nobody really understands nor cares about you? Feeling dreary, dark, bewildered and confused? Feeling as if life does not have any real meaning and purpose? Ever feel like throwing in the towel and saying, “I’ve had enough!”
Saint Ignatius of Loyola would call this a state of desolation. One of the most common manifestations of desolation is that of loneliness—you feel alone in the world, nobody seems to care about who you are or where you are heading in life.
If we do not know how to cope properly with this state of desolation, this state can wreak havoc in our life, doing irreparable damage in our spiritual life and even our natural life. One wrong decision made in a state of desolation could be life-determining. How many young people today have recourse to violence toward others, and then turn on themselves, when swimming in an apparently endless sea of desolation?
This state of desolation—manifested through a deep sense of loneliness—is all pervasive, in all societies and situations, today more than ever! However, we are a people of hope, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth!” (Ps. 124: 8) Saint Paul reminds us with these encouraging words: “If God is with us, who can be against us.” (Rom. 8: 31) And, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12: 10) Our strength being, of course, God. The Psalmist calls God a rock, as well as our light and our salvation.
To overcome the state of crushing loneliness that we all experience in certain periods of our lives, let us have recourse to this simple but efficacious practice that can be carried out anywhere and with minimum effort. Begin by prayerfully reading the Good Shepherd.
Psalm 23: The Psalm of the Good Shepherd
When dark clouds rain down their torrential storm upon your lonely and forlorn soul, open up your Bible and rewind back to the Old Testament, to this most famous of all psalms, a psalm of David. Let these words become like balm to your soul.
The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside still waters,
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of darkness,
I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Silence! Find some place of silence so that you can read, pray, meditate, listen and allow God to speak to the depths of your heart. God will indeed speak in the silence of our hearts if we allow Him.
“The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Allow these words at the beginning of Psalm 23 to speak personally and intimately to you, and to your lonely and abandoned heart! Pray these words slowly, calmly, and with a truly open spirit. Pray them a second or third time. Then something powerful may happen! God’s gentle but pervasive grace will touch the depths of your soul with this knowledge: I am not alone, I have never been alone in my life, and I will never be alone for this simple but profound reason: “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”
Contemplative Scene. From there create a contemplative scene with you walking alone with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in a verdant, fragrant pasture. Stop and look into the eyes of Jesus, who truly loves you as the precious apple of His eye. You are of great importance to Him, now and always! He came into the world to save you, your immortal soul, as if you were the only person in the whole created universe!
Unload. Now is the time to open up your wounded, lonely, sad and depressed heart and talk to Him! Of all the people in the world, the Good Shepherd is the best of listeners. Not only does He listen to your words, but He can also read the deepest secrets in your heart,! There is no need to put on a mask with Him. He knows you even better than you know yourself! If ever there were a mind-reader or a heart reader, it would definitely be Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
Be not afraid. Saint Pope John Paul II insisted at the outset of his inspiring pontificate that the world at large, as well as individual hearts, should not be afraid to open the door to Christ, in other words to open up their hearts to Jesus, the Good Shepherd of their lives!
What to say and how to say it. Use the simplest words; the Lord is not picky or demanding in language proficiency. Tell Him all. Remember the words of the Apostle Saint Peter: “Cast your cares upon the Lord, because he cares for you.” (1 Pt. 5 :7) Are you fearful about the future and what it holds for you? Tell the Lord this! Do you have doubts about the past due to the number and seriousness of your past sins? Cast your sins into the Heart of the Good Shepherd. He did not come for saints but for sinners. Is your heart severely wounded, even from infancy? Fear not! The Prophet Isaiah teaches us this about Jesus’ wounds: “By His wounds you are healed.” (1 Pt. 2: 24) Are you suffering some form of sickness that seems to have no healing remedy? Never forget that Jesus healed the blind, the lame, the deaf, the paralytics, the lepers; He even brought the dead back to life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let Jesus be the Doctor of your woundedness and your sicknesses. Are many fears and doubts looming up before your eyes? Then call out with all of your heart: “Jesus, I trust in you!”
The Good Shepherd’s listening Heart. In all that you say to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, He listens most attentively with a kind, compassionate and loving Heart. Furthermore, the Good Shepherd is never impatient with anybody. No! He is the epitome of patience. Still more, the Good Shepherd is never too busy to walk with us, listen to us, talk to us and console us.
In sum, in moments of crushing loneliness do not turn to the false gods of this world—drinking, drugs, porn, illicit sexuality. These will only cast you into a deeper pit of loneliness. Rather, turn to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and open up your lonely heart to Him, because in truth, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want!”
Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
