My favorite Jesuit saint got fired from his most important job. This marked the beginning of his true Jesuit mission. Let me explain.
St. Claude Colombière, S.J. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
The Father, the Son and the Hay Maze
Fall is hay-maze season in America.
My Cub Scout troop went to the St. Louis County fall festival. I was 7. We carved pumpkins, rode in a wagon pulled by a tractor and ate our weight in caramel apples. As the sun was setting, my friend Jason and I still hadn’t gone through the hay maze.
Body and Blood, Heart and Soul: the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart
[written for USCCB National Eucharistic Revival, feast of Corpus Christi]
Imagine this scene: You are in a terrible accident and an ambulance rushes you to the hospital. Wheeled inside, you are in pain, confused, with bright lights shining in your face. And you hear this conversation above you:
- It’s bad, Doctor, very bad.
- What does she need?
- She’s lost a lot of blood. She’ll need a pint, maybe two at least.
- With my blood type, I’m a universal donor. I can donate.
- Doctor, that’s generous. But is this wise? Also, she sustained violent trauma to her heart.
- Ok. I’m a trained heart surgeon. I can do the surgery.
- Are you sure?
- It can be hard to see with the wounds, but this is my daughter.
- Doctor, it’s very serious. She may need a heart transplant.
- I know. I’ll give her my heart.
full text here: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/post/body-and-blood-heart-and-soul?fbclid=IwAR3v3vFiSxmx3yuZ5u5Ooc9bOzy6FDcIw-FfuaQ_optdXtqMW0Ol21McFd8
My heart, with His Heart, for all hearts
For centuries, Christians have honored the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Jesus Himself has a beating, human heart.. The eternal Son of God was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary; He grew as a boy and into a young man; He preached, taught, suffered and died on the Cross; He rose to new life in His Resurrected Body. The risen Jesus has a human heart that is beating with love for you and me, right now.
full text here: https://focusequip.org/uniting-my-heart-with-the-sacred-heart-for-the-salvation-of-all-hearts/
The Eucharist and the Sacred Heart: Friendship with Jesus
Contemporary debates about the Eucharist among Catholics are often rooted in disagreements about which aspects of the Eucharist ought to be emphasized or de-emphasized in our contemporary culture. The writings of St. Ignatius Loyola and the traditional Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart highlight a specific aspect of the Eucharist: friendship…. The Eucharist is a means to deeper communion with Jesus and others [America Media, June 2022]
full article here: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/06/17/eucharist-sacred-heart-ignatius-laramie-243180?fbclid=IwAR1c7sy7i7XIdOr08WfC4PEtYQALZtH6KOYgAmXslBqRFUfs-uXB1uE5j2s
Feast of Corpus Christi, 2022. Procession to St Joan of Arc chapel, campus of Marquette University
"Mom?" "Son?" The Risen Jesus greets His Mother
Mary sees her Son with the cross. St Ignatius considers her meeting Him in glory.
“Mom?”
“Son?”
Jesus is Risen! Alleluia, truly He is Risen! This Easter we celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Christ from the dead.
And who knew Him better than anyone else? His Mother.
Who spend more time with Him than anyone else? Mary, His mother.
Who was the only one who was with Him from His conception and birth, throughout His entire life, and all the way to His suffering and death on the cross? Only Mary, our mother.
To whom did the Risen Jesus first appear, after His resurrection from the dead? Of course, Mary, His mother.
This is the obvious truth for St Ignatius Loyola, as recorded in the Spiritual Exercises: the Resurrected Jesus appeared first to His mother. Though not described in the New Testament, this was a popular devotion in Spain and parts of Europe throughout the middle ages. St Ignatius encourages us to contemplate Christ visiting His mother at her home. We might imagine the dialogue between the Blessed Mother and her Son.
“Mom?” “Son?”
Mary last saw her Son on Good Friday. His friends wrapped His broken Body in burial cloths and placed Him in the tomb. They rolled a stone across the tomb, completing His burial. Hours earlier, He had died on the cross. Bleeding and suffering for hours, He breathed His last as Mary gazed at Him through her tears. She saw Him die. She saw His lifeless Body taken down from the cross. She held Him many times as a boy. She holds him once more before His burial in the tomb.
He greets her early on Easter morning. “Mom?”
“Son? Is that you? Is it really you!”
He brings her joy in this glorious visit on Easter morning. She embraces Him again, weeping again, now smiling through tears of joy.
He has a Body-- a risen, glorious Body. His disciples do not recognize Him at first. He is different, mysterious. He can pass through locked doors and appear in different places that are miles apart in mere moments. It is only when He calls their names or shares the Eucharist with them that they realize: it’s Him, it’s really Him!
“Mom, yes, it’s Me. It’s really Me.”
The Risen Jesus brings us joy. He draws us out of desolation and into the consolation of His Resurrection. He literally went through hell and back for us. He comes to save us. Our God saw us sinking into sin and death and He pours out His life to save us. He holds nothing back, but gives us His life.
Jesus says to us, “Yes, it’s Me. It’s really Me.” He is the Alpha and Omega; Son of God and Son of Mary. He offers us to share in His joy and glory this Easter. He is Risen! Alleluia, truly He is Risen!
originally posted April 2017, http://www.whretreat.org/blog/2017/4/13/weekend-reflections-for-41417
This Lent: Fast and Feast
Forty days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Why do Christians do these spiritual practices during Lent?
“Because… Jesus told us to? To get ready for Easter? Because that’s what we do?” Yes, these practices are good. They teach discipline. Yes, Jesus did them. Further, they remove daily clutter to ‘open up a space’ for God. To pray means I must cut back on time spent on Disney+ and social media. Fasting cuts out favorite treats, as well as meat on Fridays; it helps me recognize my own dependence on God. I give alms to those in need; to do so, I forsake recreation like movies or ballgames.
—> audio version here; click ‘Jan 26:’
https://www.arisemke.org/copy-of-cor-jesu-2021
We fast from unnecessary things to feast on what is essential. “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God,” as Jesus tells the devil in the desert [Matthew 5:4].
The Bible uses banquet imagery to describe true communion with God. “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines” [Isaiah 25:6]. This is the joyful, overflowing bounty of grace poured out upon the just. Later, in Revelation we see, “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb” [19:9].
How can we taste the heavenly feast even now? I’ll set the table with a seven-course spiritual banquet, plated graces for the season of Lent. Fast from the needless to feast on what’s needful. Try all seven this week and see what happens.
Appetizer: spiritual reading. A good appetizer is small, juicy, and stirs our hunger for what is to come. I’d recommend short readings from the saints. The poems of St Therese of Lisieux. Sermons of St Augustine or the letters of St Ignatius. Many of these are short and pithy from feisty, faithful followers of Christ. Even a few lines can stir the mind and heart. Keep a book on your nightstand; begin and end your day with a taste of grace.
teresa-of-lisieux/selected-poetry/
letters-of-ignatius-of-loyola/
Salad: spiritual direction. A salad is light, salty and tangy. It opens the palate for the main meal. A good spiritual director can help you to see how God has been at work in your life, and how God may be leading you. A good director is a good listener, who amplifies the spiritual movements in your own heart. A good pastor may bring these gifts; he knows and loves your tribe. A conversation every month or even annually can be immensely fruitful. It’s salt and light for your spiritual life.
Vegetable: reading the Bible. Some passages are savory, and practically a meal in themselves. The zesty flavor of St Paul’s letters or the simple goodness of the Psalms. We need the vitamins and minerals they provide, teaching us about God and about ourselves. Some chapters may taste like celery [Leviticus], yet still provide us with strength and grace. Ten minutes a day can make a difference to your digestion and your disposition, opening your eyes and strengthening your heart.
Grains: spiritual friendships. God did not intend us to follow him alone. God forms the Jewish people as a family. Jesus draws Christians around himself as friends. We need community, particularly a few good friends to share faith with. Some families may take time for prayer before dinner or at bedtime. Young singles may need to actively cultivate spiritual friendships on campus or at church; people you can pray with and speak with at a deeper level. It’s more fun to follow Jesus with friends; that’s why he called 12, not just one. We can live on this pasta for a long time, even if the other dishes fall away.
Main course: worship. The New Testament speaks of Jesus as the Lamb of God. At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrates the Passover, as the apostles feast on roasted lamb, commemorating God liberating the Jews from slavery in the Exodus. The Catholics, the Eucharist is the “source and summit of Christian life” [Vatican II, SC 10]. Let me emphasize: in-person worship is far superior and far messier than zoom Mass. I need to really be there in the Body of Christ receiving the Body of Christ– with the crying babies, my pew-mate’s b.o., and the so-so sermon. Online, I can crop out the annoyances like a slick instagram post. Worship the Lamb offline.
Dessert: sabbath. Jesus took a day off each week. And He is the Savior of the world, but we're too busy to rest? Rest takes discipline. It means saying No to many things so I can say Yes to one thing, that is one Person [ok, Three Persons]. Jews take the sabbath on Saturday. For Christians, it’s Sunday. What if you ran errands another day, to keep the sabbath holy? Sabbath is a day for rest, prayer, and recreation with family and friends. Take a walk. Throw a ball with your kid, who is preferably not wearing a uniform. Pray. Stick a pizza in the oven, tear open a bag of salad, open a bottle of something and eat with someone you love.
After dinner drink: service. The Italians serve cappuccino and the Brits sherry. It settles the stomach, and raises you up for the next event– a game, dancing, or a movie. Christian faith feeds us for service and action. Reach out to someone in need. Homeless shelters and food pantries offer aid to the poor and wounded. When you visit your grandma in her nursing home, spend a few minutes with her next-door neighbor, too. Serve for two hours weekly or monthly. Jesus says, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” [Matthew 25:40]. God feeds us so that we may serve; service makes us hungry to return to the feast.
Finally, my Catholic friends may ask: “where’s Mary?” She’s the hostess.
“Confession?” Go wash up before the meal.
“Journaling and rosary and…?” Pickles, olives, and pepper.
This Lent, fast so you can feast.
Fr Joe Laramie SJ is the national director of the Pope's Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer)
He is the author of Abide in the Heart of Christ: a 10-Day Personal Retreat with St Ignatius Loyola, based on the Spiritual Exercises [Ave Maria Press, 2019]
popesprayerusa.net @popesprayerusa
joelaramiesj.com @JoeLaramieSJ
Three quick tips for praying like St. Ignatius on his feast day
A cannonball blast cripples a young soldier. He falls to the ground in agony, his knee shattered along with his dreams of glory. In the weeks ahead, his leg heals. More dramatically, he picks up the pieces of his broken ambitions and God reorders them into something far more meaningful—a life lived Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, “for the greater glory of God.”…
Full Text Here: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/07/30/three-quick-tips-praying-ignatius-feast-day-241145
Original post at American Magazine
Deadly crash on the Feast of the Assumption
The car flipped over 10 times. Maybe 15. I woke up to steel smashing against cement, over and over, over and over. Glass shattered and flew in my face and hair. The sun peeked out from the grey horizon—upside down, then right-side up. The car landed on its hood with a final, ugly crunch. I had my shoes off in the back seat…
full text here: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/08/15/deadly-crash-feast-assumption
originally posted at America Magazine
Strange and holy in middle America: Our Lady of the Snows
If George Jetson went to church, this would be his parish.
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