Chiara (Clare) Offreduccio was born in Assisi, Italy, on July 16, 1194. She belonged to a wealthy Assisi clan, during the time of the High Middle Ages.
At some time in her life, she came in contact with Saint Francis of Assisi, a young man who had encountered Christ, and was moved to turn his life around. The son a wealthy cloth merchant, he gave up his life of wealth and privilege, and dedicated his life to really living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis wandered the streets of Assisi, proclaiming the Good News, and living a very simple life. He began to draw followers from among the young men of Assisi. And he drew the attention of Clare.
In conversations with Francis, she felt a fire being lit within her own soul. She gave up her life of wealth and privilege; dedicated herself to a life of strict poverty and intense prayer. Her life attracted other women and together they formed a community known as “The Order of Poor Ladies.” With help of Francis, Clare drew up their Rule. They would become a monastic Order, inspired by the example of Clare. They lived in simple quarters, next to one of the churches Francis repaired, San Damiano. And Francis, himself, would remain as a source of inspiration and guidance.
Clare lost her teacher and guide on the evening of October 3, 1226. She would live on until August 11, 1253. The community of sisters that survived her, became known as the ‘Poor Clares.”
“Jesus said to him in reply ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man replied to him, ‘Master, I want to see.’ “
In today’s Gospel of Mark, we see the encounter Jesus had with Bartimaeus, a blind man. Bartimaeus must have known something of who Jesus was, and the power of healing he seemed to possess. Bartimaeus decided to take a risk and began calling out loudly to Jesus, begging for help. Some in the crowd thought of him as a nuisance.
Jesus did not think so, he had Batimaeus brought over to him. When this was done, Jesus did not lay his hands on him, as some of the people would have expected. Instead, Jesus told Bartimaeus that he could leave, “..your faith has saved you.” His sight was restored to him.
Now most of us do not have to deal with blindness; at least, not physical blindness. But what about social blindness, spiritual blindness? Where and when have we turned a “blind eye” to others in need, to others who are in suffering; to our own personal suffering?
It is moments such these, that we need to open ourselves to the Presence of Christ, to enter into prayer, to pray that our eyes, our minds, our hearts, our souls; be opened to the needs of others. And to our own need for healing.
So, I invite all of us, to, at the best of our ability, be present to our Savior in the Eucharist. And let ourselves be transformed, our eyes opened, and our journey with Christ renewed.
A long, loooong time ago, my father and uncle bought a motor boat. Back then these boats were all wood, not fiberglass, with wooden benches, instead of cushioned seats. Our families used it for water skiing, and for fishing, fresh water or ocean. One Saturday, my father and uncle took me, my brother and a cousin out into the sea, off of Lynn Harbor, for some fishing.
We were having an enjoyable day, when suddenly a storm came down on us. The waves were huge, the boat was bouncing up and down. The bench we were seating on suddenly collapsed; to say we were scared would be an understatement. We did finally reach the safety of Nahant harbor; but that was an experience.
Needless to say, I think I can empathize with what the disciples were going through, on their own boat. Still, these were veteran fishermen, who should have known how to sail through rough seas. One can understand Jesus being peeved with them.
Still there is a lesson to be learned. I think that all of us need to reflect on our own responses might be, when the world tosses challenges at us, especially challenges to our faith, to what we believe; to what actions we are being asked to take, in the name of the Gospel; which we are called to proclaim by word and deed. In the world, out there, we see new challenges; challenges to world peace, challenges to peace and harmony in our nation, in our communities; some would say even in our Church. There are storms a brewing out there, storms that threaten to swamp us.
How do we respond? By first of all, by having faith. To believe firmly that God is with us. Yes, it is a challenge, and there may be times when we may not meet that challenge. Yet, Christ is with us, encouraging us to strive to live the Gospel, to proclaim the Good News. The Holy Spirit is with us, to calm our fears, to inspire us to push on, in living the Gospel. And Father is there to embrace us all, to be a comfort to us all, no matter what trials we face.
“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”
“Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did it for me.”
Recently, on different media platforms, there have been debates on what it means to be Catholic. These discussions are taking place in some of our Catholic newspapers, magazines, and of course the Web. They run the gamut of being restrained and thoughtful; to hot and heavy. They draw the attention of some Catholics, while others show no interest whatsoever.
In today’s Scripture readings, we are seeing another approach being placed before us. Jesus outlines what it means to be a follower of His; to care for the poor, the imprisoned, the abandoned. And we are left with the question, as this year draws to a close; how did we as individuals, as a family, as a community of believers, answer the needs of the poor around us. We are summoned to share with others, not only from our surplus, but from our scarcity. We are called to reach out our hands to others who are distressed, and provide comfort and hope. To embrace the stranger, the wounded, whether physically or mentally, and give them hope.
Now the challenge then is to find out in what ways can we answer those needs. Because we are many different types of people, with different strengths, different skills, different attitudes. There are some us who are very out going, who are comfortable with strangers. Others among us, maybe not so much, but are generous, being able provide for the persons physical needs. Sometimes, all it takes is a smile and a handshake to lift a persons spirits.
There are many ways that we as individuals or as a group can care for those in needs, there are many different approaches that we can take to provide for those in need. We only need to take that first step, that first reaching out our hand; Jesus will take care of the rest.
“Then the king will say to those on his right; ‘Come, you who are blessed by my my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ “
“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” (Isaiah 2).
A very long time ago, while I was in college, a group of my classmates decided to go up to the White Mountains, and climb one of them. Which one, I cannot remember, I want to believe it was one of the smaller ones. I was invited to join in this “adventure.” Now keep in mind, I was much heavier than I am now, and I was definitely out of shape. But I went anyway.
Now it was fall, the leaves on trees in New Hampshire were just coming into their peak color. We had rented a large cabin for the weekend, we slept on the floor in sleeping bags, and the next morning, we began our hike.
It did not take long for me to realize that this may not have been one of my brighter ideas. I was starting to have having problems; I told them to leave me, I was going to sit on some rocks by the trail, and I would join them on their way down. They were not having it. They literally dragged me up to the summit. And when we made it to the top; and I could catch my breath; I looked out over the mountain range. It was one of those rare days when everything was crisp and clear, and beautiful. The foliage was in full color; you could see the beauty of the mountain range for miles. And I thank God for getting me up there.
We are all at the beginning of another Advent season, the first of two penitential periods on the Church’s calendar. A time of preparation, a time of reflection, a time for penance, a time of renewal. We are all called to make that journey up to “the mountain of the Lord’s House.” To reach where God dwells. It is a journey, a climb that began the moment we were born; the moment we were baptized and confirmed. But how many of us take this journey seriously? Or have we come to believe that this journey is too much for us, that we will just stop here and “rest.” But Jesus is not willing to give up us, He continually calls us again and again, to go forward! He gives us His body and blood to refresh us, to strengthen us; and the Holy Spirit will continue to inspire us, show us the path we are called to travel, and give us that kick in the pants to get up, and get going. And the Father waits for us patiently, lovingly.
Now there are many paths up that mountain, and we each have our own unique journey to make. And Advent is a perfect time to reflect on how our journey, how our life of faith is going. And we can see if a course correction is needed; to and determine what might be holding us back, and what needs to be jettisoned. Advent is an opportunity to refresh our soul, and begin the journey again, reaching for the top, and experiencing the glory and love of God!
“So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
“The Rule and life of the Secular Franciscan is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.” SFO Rule: Article 4
I have ten minutes to create a post for this blog, so here goes!
The Franciscan way of life, both religious and lay, has taken many different forms over the centuries. Different lifestyles, different ways of prayer, different emphasis of mission. But it must all remain rooted in this, the Gospel and the way Francis strove to faithfully live the Gospel!
For a lay Franciscan, this can prove to be a challenge. But in accepting this challenge, he or she enters a blessed way of living. The will be high moments, and low. There will be times of satisfaction, and frustration. But we are not alone in this journey; we will have brothers and sisters here on this earth; and others in heaven, who will encourage us on! The challenge is to get off our duffs and do it.
Saints Francis and Clare, and all Franciscan Saints, pray for us!
This day celebrates the memory of Saint Patrick, missionary and bishop to the people of Ireland, centuries ago! Sadly, in this country, among others, this day has become a day for excess. An excuse to suspend the requirements of Lent; and indulge in an excess consumption of food and alcohol; shamrocks, and leprechauns!
It is time to remember again what Patrick’s life was truly about; proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, by word and deed. He helped bring about the conversion of a nation!
Saint Patrick’s Breastplate (Abridged)
I arise today Through a mighty strength,the invocation of the Trinity. Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His Baptism. Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial. Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgement of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward… Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today. Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Saint Patrick, pray for us, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
There are moments in history that take place near or on rivers. In ancient times, the Roman general Caesar, took his legions across the river Rubicon, challenging the authority of the Roman Senate; and won. The Roman Republic became eventually the Roman Empire! On December 25, 1776, General George Washington took his rag tag army across the Delaware River, and attacked the British Hessian force in Trenton, NJ, the following morning. His victory at that battle saved the Continental Army from falling apart, and laid the groundwork for ultimate victory. And then there is the River Jordan. In ancient times, twelve tribes, after wandering in the desert together, crossed the Jordan, and were transformed into a united people. And during the Roman occupation, there was John the Baptist, who on the shores of the Jordan River, was proclaiming that the hoped for Messiah was coming, that now was the time for repentance, a time for change. And the symbol for that was to be bathed in the River, to be washed clean. And there was a growing expectation that the Messiah was coming soon. And then one day, a man from Nazareth arrived on Jordan’s shore, and John recognized him, knew who he was; and John poured the waters of the Jordan over him. And Jesus, saw the Holy Spirit descending upon him, heard his Father voice acknowledging him, “You are my beloved Son.” And the journey began, the work of proclaiming the Good News began.
And the work of salvation continues, Jesus continues the work through us who have also been baptized. On the day of our own baptism, the wound we suffered from Original Sin was healed; we were given new life as adopted children of God; we were all joined together in the Body of Christ, we are all brothers and sisters, living together in a holy community that is the Church. We all share in it’s mission, given to us by Jesus, to proclaim the Good News, by our words, our actions; and by the example of our own lives; we are all called to give example to others what it means to be a follower of Christ, by the way we ourselves struggle with our faith; how we, as people of faith, relate to others; our families; friends and neighbors, to strangers, the homeless; the disenfranchised in our society; and to people that are not very nice. When I read in Isaiah; when the Lord, through the prophet, declares “I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind,…” I feel that it is not just the physically blind we are called to open, but also those whose eyes are blinded by prejudice and hatred. To free those who prisoners of greed and selfishness. And to help those who live in the darkness of despair and hopelessness.
That is not to say to that there will not be times when we ourselves may be tempted to give into selfishness, anger, and despair. It is then we should turn to prayer, and the sacraments; namely confession, penance; and the Eucharist, where in we received Jesus Christ through Holy Communion, and are healed and strengthened by his Presence. It is by how we struggle with our own weaknesses and sins; and work to overcome them that we can be at our most prophetic. Our own baptism is the beginning for each of our own journey of faith. That journey continues, for each of us, each with our own calling, our own approach, to living the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. May the Lord be with all of us on this journey.
“Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
In today’s Gospel, we learn about the rich young man, who came to meet Jesus. Now, picture this, Jesus is ready to depart on a journey; he has his Apostles and other disciples with him. He begins to leave, when up comes this young man, who, by his dress, is obviously a wealthy man. And he comes to ask a question “What must I do to earn eternal life?” Jesus is ready to go, so you can hear the impatience in his voice; he gives the standard reply any rabbi would give; he quotes from the the commandments. The young man replies with fervor that he has keep the commandments since he was young. Jesus stop short, he hears the intensity in the reply, he senses the possibilities in this young man. And he gives a reply from his heart, a personal teaching to this young man. And the young man cannot accept it! He walks away!
At that moment, I can imagine the disappointment that Jesus must have felt. You can hear it in his voice when he he tells his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the people are flabbergasted by this statement. Now keep in mind, the societal structure in Jesus’ time was much different from our own today! We have a class society made up of the wealthy, middle class, low income, poor, and destitute. In Jesus time, there was, as one scripture scholar put it, the haves and the have nots! The haves were nobles, rich landowners, merchants who catered to the rich, political leaders, and leaders of the Temple in Jerusalem. The have nots, were farmers, herdsmen, laborers, craftsmen, fishermen; who, because of Roman taxes, could barely scratch up enough money to survive! To people like these, they dreamed of being wealthy, to have wealth meant they had made it. And to have Jesus tell them that the wealthy could not enter the kingdom of God, must have blown their minds! You can hear the disbelief in their voices! If the rich cannot make it, how can we? Jesus tells them, tells us that to follow, to live the Gospel, will come with trials and persecutions; but with it also a fellowship of believers, to support each other along the way; and to eternal life at the end of the journey!
Now we are a society that is fascinated with the lives of the rich and famous, I mean, who has not watched at lest one episode of the Housewives series, or have not read at lest one society magazine, like “People,” or the tabloids. We envy the rich,we wish we could have a tenth, a fraction of their wealth. Yet, Jesus cautions us, in very strong terms, that success and wealth does not guarantee entrance into the kingdom. Remember the prime commandants, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart! And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus is inviting us to cross the threshold into a new way of looking at the world, a new way of living in this world. One in which we share what we have with the poor and needy. That we look on each person that we come in contact with as a brother or a sister; a fellow traveler in this journey of life and faith, supporting and comforting each other during the hard times. And accepting each other. Standing together against a world where only money and status count, and might, whether through wealth or force of arms, makes right. If we can stand against that, then the blessings Jesus has promised will indeed be ours; and we will enter into eternal life in the age to come!
“Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” We see Jesus taking an important step in his ministry in the Galilee. Up to now, it has been just him proclaiming the Good News; just him healing the sick; and those suffering from demons and evil spirits. Now, he was sending his twelve disciples out, to proclaim the glory, the mercy of God; sending them out drive out demons, and heal the sick. In a sense, he was sending them out as his front men, to get the word out to a wider audience, to give hope to more people of the Galilee. I would have loved to know what pairings of the Apostles were. Who was Judas paired with? How did that go? Some ago, a book came out, based on the TV mini-series; “Jesus of Nazareth;” a novelization of the mini-series. In the telling of this story, Peter, the rough, tough fisherman was paired with the Matthew, the tax collector! Not exactly a match made in heaven. The story goes on telling how Matthew worked at keeping Peter out of trouble because of his temper. All of the Apostles fulfilled the mission, given to them by Jesus. The groundwork had been done, that when Jesus went into greater Galilee, thousands of people came to see him, came to hear him, came to be healed by him.
We seemed to have turned the corner on this pandemic we are going through, though this variant has people worried. Our churches are fully opened, people are being invited back; yet, the mainstream press, secular and religious, are reporting a severe drop in the number of people attending church, a drop in the number of people who identify themselves as Catholic, or even Christian. Now, there could be many reasons for this, going to church is no longer a habit, people have found other things to fill their time, people have been put off by the division in the some areas of the Church, they felt alone, scared, and losing hope, and for whatever reason, they feel nobody is reaching out to them.
Now, there are programs and approaches to answer this growing situation , all coming under the umbrella of the “New Evangelization;” but in the light of today’s Gospel, I would suggest that each one of us are called to bearers of the Good News, to be evangelists. Now some may object, “I do not have training!” I would agree, we do need trained evangelists. But we also need people who have strived to live the Gospel, at home, on the job, with family, friends and strangers. Amos was not a trained prophet, he was shepherd, something of a gardener. The Apostles were mostly fisherman, who probably knew just enough Hebrew that they could read, barely, the Torah. Matthew was probably the most educated, he had to know some arithmetic, and enough Latin or Greek to communicate with his Roman overseers. But they were ordinary folks, like you and me, but they were inspired by the Gospel that Jesus preached; they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
We, who strive to live the Gospel, try to put into practice the commandments to love God with all our mind, with all our heart, with all our soul; and love our neighbors as ourselves, with all that it implies; have that same Spirit within us. And people will recognize that, recognize the authenticity of our lives, both with the struggles and joys. And they will be drawn to Christ, drawn to the God who loves us and cares for us.
I would remind us again what Saint Paul said to the Ephesians; “In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit;”. May the Holy Spirit guide us, inspire us to be evangelists for others, by the example of our lives, our lives of faith.
Musings From St. Anthony's Walnut Tree 