The most common subjects suggested for Catholic meditation are Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. These are, of course, referred to as the Four Last Things. Although they are very serious and can be considered heavy subjects, sometimes they give us a bird's eye view of the problems we experience on a daily basis.

For example: when I'm on my deathbed, is it really going to matter that I didn't close this big business deal? When I'm standing before the judgment seat of God, will I care about this traffic jam that is making me late to pick up my children from school? When I am rejoicing eternally in Heaven (hopefully), will it matter that the baby kept me up all night and I wasn't able to clean the house before company dropped in unexpectedly? The more we meditate on the four last things, the less we let ourselves be overwhelmed and exasperated by the little things in this life.

Father Lasance writes in his 1933 book, The Road to Happiness,

"In sorrow and suffering, in trial and temptation let us reflect upon the last things, and ask ourselves: How does this look in the light of eternity? What will this count for eternity?"

Then he reminds us of the comforting words of St. Paul:

"'I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us.' (Romans 8:18)" 

Happy Feast of the Epiphany!

"The Infant Jesus had His tiny hands crossed on His chest, as if He were praying, and all His features seemed to radiate joy and love. Seeing the Divine Babe of Bethlehem thus, the three Kings fell on their knees before Him and again adored and worshipped Him. Their hearts became inflamed with a burning mystical devotion for Him. And in a fervent silent prayer they offered to the Christ Child their kingdoms, their peoples, their families, all their possessions, and their own selves. They humbly begged Him to rule over their souls and thoughts and all their actions, to enlighten them and to give happiness, peace, and charity to the world. Tears of joy and devotion rand down their cheeks, while all they could say was:

"'We saw His Star -- we know that He is to reign over all kings -- and we have come to worship Him and to offer Him our gifts.'"

~ Raphael Brown, The Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics, imprimatur 1951.

In the sermon we heard today, Father brought up a very interesting point. Before Our Lord Jesus Christ came to Bethlehem, the Chosen People, or those who worshipped the true God, were a very small portion of the population. They lived in one small part of the world, and the rest of the planet adored idols and were pagans.

Then Our Lord came, the true Light of the World, and told His followers, "Go forth and teach all nations." He manifested Himself to the Jews and to all the non-Jewish people in the world, and told everyone to spread the word.

The truth brings us joy, and brings us eternal life. "Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) So when He manifested the Truth, He brought all those people joy. "And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." Matthew 2:10. He truly brought Joy to the world.

Painting by Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia

Another form of meditation is known as "contemplation" and involves using our imagination to place ourselves in a scene from the Bible. We can think deeply and meditatively on being there with the shepherds on a cold windy hillside when the angels came to announce the birth of the Savior. Or on this night, we can imagine being present in the stable on the night before the three Kings came (the feast of the Epiphany).

"The holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel appeared to [Mary and Joseph] and said: 'Divine Providence has ordained that three kings of this world shall come from the East in search of the King of Heaven, and shall adore the Word Incarnate in this very place. They are already ten days on the way and will shortly arrive.' Joseph and Mary therefore set about preparing the grotto for the visit of the Kings, and during the following days the Blessed Virgin saw in visions the Magi traveling together across the deserts east of the Holy Land.

"The three Kings, whose names (according to tradition) were Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior, ruled over what is now Iraq and Iran. Gaspar of Mesopotamia, the youngest, was light brown in appearance, Balthasar of Parthia was dark brown, while Melchior of Media, the oldest, was rather stout and had an olive-colored complexion."

~ Raphael Brown, The Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics, imprimatur 1951.

How would Mary and Joseph feel, as a poor carpenter and his wife, knowing that mighty, wealthy kings from far away were coming to their poor shelter to worship the Infant Jesus? 

Somehow, growing up, I think I had the idea that meditation wasn't for people like me. The quotes I saw on the wonders of mental prayer seemed to all come from Saint Teresa of Avila. (Don't ask me why; so many saints have talked about its benefits, but I thought of it as her particular form of prayer.) So I thought, if and when I become a Carmelite nun who traipses around Spain reforming dozens of convents, then it would be my turn to meditate. 😏

Little did I know! All of us should meditate on God and eternity, and we should teach our children to do so...think of the benefits they could reap!

The great Father Lasance, in his 1933 book, The Road to Happiness, writes:

"The great difference between the good and bad Christian is that the one thinks well on the truths he believes, and by that means lets them sink deep into his soul and take root there, so that they bring forth in him the fruits of all virtues; whereas the other does not think, and therefore is hardly touched by the truths of the Gospel; they make no impression upon him because his faith is asleep, or rather dead, for want of consideration....Oh, that men would but think! What a reformation should we see in the world! Resolve to allow yourself daily some time to meditate upon the great truths that relate to God and eternity. 'Tis one of the best means you have to secure your soul."

The Feast of St. Genevieve of Paris

I found this image on the world wide web...at a site called awesomestories. It said, "Image of a painting of St. Genevieve, created in 1821 for the Louveciennes Chapel in Louveciennes, France." I don't mean to dabble in any copyright issues, so they get full credit for it. Isn't it lovely?

St. Genevieve lived approximately 422-500 A.D. She is credited with saving Paris, and is therefore one of its patron saints. In this picture, we see her deep in prayer...and her prayers had a very practical and visible outcome.

"Upon the report of the march of Attila with his army of Huns the Parisians were preparing to abandon their city, but St. Genevieve, like a Christian Judith or Esther, encouraged them to avert the scourge by fasting and prayer. Many of her own sex passed whole days with her in prayer in the baptistery...She assured the people of the protection of Heaven, and though she was treated by many as an impostor, the event verified the prediction, for the barbarous invader suddenly changed the course of his march."

~ Butler's Lives of the Saints, edited by Thurston & Attwater, imprimatur 1953.

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

Yesterday we talked about saying a few words that help us delve into the Infinity of God, slowly and thoughtfully, truly meditating on their significance.

What about the Name above all names?

"Jesus."

"My Jesus, Mercy."

"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."

"My Jesus, my love."

Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, O.P., an Irish priest who published many small inspiring books, some of them while he was on mission in India, writes in his 1940's booklet, The Wonders of the Holy Name:

"Two things we must do. First of all we must understand clearly the meaning and value of the Name of Jesus...
"[It is] an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises that whatever we ask the Father in His Name we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word...

"Secondly, we must get into the habit of saying it devoutly, frequently, hundreds and hundreds of times every day. Far from being a burden it will be an immense joy and consolation."

Happy Feastday, my friends!

Happy New Year!

I would like to focus on one excellent idea for a New Year's resolution. Daily meditation. Catholics have been meditating since the beginning, but the world has hijacked this idea and turned it into something where you just empty yourself, perhaps rock, perhaps hum, and try to make your mind a complete blank. True meditation consists of filling yourself with God. Filling your mind and your soul with His life and His being. Concentrating our little minds on His Immenseness, our little hearts on the ocean of His Love, our little souls on the magnificence of His Omnipotence.  

Maybe this little excerpt will help:

 "What do you have to do? Simply this: you have to make up your mind that every day you will spend a little time - say a quarter of an hour - being with God, being aware of Him. And how can anyone be aware of the Invisible? You try to make yourself quite quiet; and then, perhaps with the help of some book which seems to make God very real, you think a little about Him: you can praise and thank and love and be sorry and put yourself in His Hands. Some people find that they do not need that preliminary reading or thinking; they can fix their eyes for a moment on the tabernacle, for instance, and then can at once begin to say slowly over and over again some little phrase which for them individually is very full of meaning, very full of God - it might for example be..."My Lord and my God" - but whatever it is, it seems to plunge them into the infinity of God; and they repeat the phrase or a word from it as long as it does so help them, and then they go on to another......What is certain is that, if sometimes this prayer time is full of joy and happiness, at other times it will be very hard work indeed and full of distractions, and then you will be tempted to give it up as hopeless. That is the one thing you must never do: those are the times when the real work is done."

~ Fr. Gerald Vann, O.P. 

Gratitude is given to Fr. Richard Boyle, who quoted this in his December issue of "The Carpenter."

Here are some other examples of phrases to focus our minds on the Infinite:

"The Word made Flesh"

"Ask and you shall receive"

"Come to Me all you who labor and are burdened"

"Come, follow Me"

"I am the Bread of Life"

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life"

"Greater love than this no man hath"

"Before Abraham came to be, I Am."

"Take up thy cross daily, and follow Me."

"He that followeth Me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

"And your joy no man shall take from you."