According to His Custom

ORDINARY TIME  

  Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21    (part I)

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

I'm going to stop in the middle of this passage because when I read this Gospel, that last sentence jumped out at me!  Wow.  He went to the synagogue on the sabbath day as was his custom.  How awesome!

Jesus didn't go just do be seen.  He didn't attend synagogue so that he could make speeches and win hearts.  He wasn't forced, or talked into it, or made to go.

He went because it was his custom. He was used to going, it was part of his routine.

How many children nowadays are not being raised in a church?  How many are not being taught to attend services on  Sunday as a mater-of-fact?  How many people do not make a weekly visit to God's House a priority?

The people of Israel observe a wide-variety of customs and I loved seeing all of the various observances.  Religious Non-Christians in the United States (which in my area of South Carolina are few and far-between) are extremely outnumbered and criticized and looked upon suspiciously, yet they stand for their beliefs and continue to observe their customs.

How brave!  What a witness to their convictions and their faith!!

Dear Lord, let me always be brave and convicted in my life's dedication to You!

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21    (part II)

He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Dear Lord, let me always-always be accustomed to spending time with you in your house.  Let me look forward to our visits with the same longing as a visit to a beloved friend or family member.  Please let me be a good daughter  in my obedience to your loving wishes.  Please let me be a good example to my family and friends. 



2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day Five

 

The Sweetness of Answered Prayers

ORDINARY TIME

OK, so I know I keep coming back to this same topic (struggling to make a spiritual connection), but I have finally found an answer I can understand and deal with! Yay!

During Eucharistic Adoration, I had again been meditating on (stressing about) this, and all of a sudden Mom leans over and says "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you just have to read this passage!" and she shoves her little devotional into my hands.

I have to admit that I wasn't happy to be interrupted in my frustrated wallowing at my lack of connection with the holiest sites on the planet, but then the first sentence just jumped out at me:

"My child, do not look for spiritual consolation or interior good feelings in your prayers and good works."  

Say what!?!?!

"If I gave internal consolation and joy for every good work, many a worldly man would follow my Commandments for the sake of these gifts."

OH!

 I was completely blown away! It went on to say:

"Spiritual consolation is only a temporary gift to encourage one who is earnestly trying to serve Me."

A temporary gift! God does not give that loving, spiritual connection I have been obsessing about for every prayer, good work, or pilgrimage visit!

If we received a warm-fuzzy, overwhelmingly joyful feeling every time we did anything for God, we would all do good works and pray all the time just for the emotional payoff!

It would interfere with our faith. It would interfere with our free will. It would interfer with our choice to follow Him. I get it! I understand!

O Thank You God!

I looked up Spiritual Consolation and it said:

"Spiritual Consolation is an experience of being so on fire with God's love that we feel impelled to praise, love and serve God and help others as best as we can.  Spiritual Consolation encourages and facilitates a deep sense of gratitude for God's faithfulness, mercy and companionship in our life.  In consolation, we feel more alive and connected to others."

What a fabulous explanation! That is exactly what I had been looking for in Israel! And exactly what I had been freaking out about since I didn't receive it every single time I stood in those holy places!

I most certainly did receive the gift of spiritual consolation multiple times, but not everywhere. And now that I understand, I am so grateful for the times that I did receive this most wonderful gift! I feel so privileged to have experienced it as many times as I did!

And best of all, I can quit feeling guilty and unworthy for the times that I did not! Whew! What a huge relief!

So now I understand why I didn't feel the connection all the time, so that I would freely and faithfully continue of my own love for God.

Thank You Lord for answering my prayer of struggle and wondering in the most unusual way!  By being interrupted and... 

WAIT!  I interrupt this prayer to finish the story. Mom had showed me this particular section of her devotional because it had spoken to HER at that moment. Unbelievable!

She was sharing with me, with tears in her eyes, how the passage was speaking to her heart as an answered prayer for her spiritual question at that moment.

How awesome is our God? How unbelievably AWESOME is our God!

Dear Lord, thank you for answering OUR prayers of struggle in such a wondrous way.  How miraculous are your ways, in that whoever wrote that passage would be your instrument to speak to two different people experiencing two different problems at exactly the same time.  You are indeed, an AWESOME God!  Thank you for blessing us with spiritual consultation about spiritual consolation!  Amen.

Cana - Vow Renewals in the Wedding Church

ORDINARY TIME

This morning I couldn't help but be excited as we were headed to visit the site of the first miracle of Jesus, the changing of water into wine!

 Everyone on the bus was in a very festive mood with lots of happy chattering and giggling as we headed from Nazareth to Cana. Most of our group were on tour with their spouse and they were all about to renew their wedding vows in the very place of the first miracle of Jesus when he turned water to wine at the request of his mother! Their excitement was infectious, so that all the rest of us were all joyful too.

Merry.  The atmosphere can best be described as merry!

Along the road from Nazareth to Cana

The drive was short and as I looked out the bus windows I tried to imagine Jesus and Mary walking to their celebration so many years ago and what it must have looked like for them. I wondered how long it would have taken them to walk the 5 rocky, hilly miles. Were they excited and feeling celebratory? Were they looking forward to seeing old friends and family they hadn't seen in a while?   

We arrived at Kafr Kanna, the modern name for Cana.  It was a gorgeous day. The bus let us out on the main street and we went up the block and around the corner into a narrow, stone-paved lane. (So much cooler to walk up the time-worn street rather than just cross a modern parking lot to a church!!)

the road to the Wedding Church in Cana

It gave me the feeling of walking backwards in time!

We passed a school yard full of happy recess noise, overflowing little shops and secret-looking doors set into the high wall of the old road.

 The sky was deep blue, the air was morning-fresh and everyone seemed to have a skip in their step!

 

All of a sudden, there we were!

Doors opened from the street, through the high wall, and we turned into a compact little courtyard in front of the Franciscan Wedding Church in Cana!.

 

We all busied ourselves for a few minutes in the courtyard. I saw this interesting poster with Pope Benedict on it. I have no clue what it says or means, but whatever it is, it ends tomorrow (the date I was there being Nov 14, 2012)!

 

 (or at least tomorrow of the day we were there!?!?) 

All of the couples who were renewing their wedding vows were purchasing certificates of the blessing they would receive in their ceremony. I had talked with Fr. T the night before at dinner, and he had promised to say a special prayer for those of us who's spouses were back home and also for all of our married children. So the sweet little nun also sold me 3 certificates, assuring me that I could carry the blessing back to my loved ones in the United States.

Sweet little nun that sold us the Wedding Certificates

We were taken to a side chapel as another pilgrim group was saying Mass in the main church. The chapel had a Mediterranean feel to me and I loved the ambiance right away.

All the "wedding couples" lined up to walk down the aisle. Most were wearing special clothes for the occasion and all of them were as excited as if they were truly having a wedding - I know I felt like I was attending a real wedding! Then I thought, well if I had planned a huge ceremony for a renewal of my wedding vows, it would feel like this, and that is what these couples were experiencing!

One couple, JP & D had previously told me how they had always planned to come to Israel and renew their vows here in this church for their 50th wedding anniversary. Only now J had become sick and was terminal. They were part of our pilgrimage in celebration of their 45th anniversary instead. D was precious as she stood beside her husband, bouquet in hand and her eyes shining. I'm sure it was bitter-sweet for them both, but as I learned during my time with them, their faith is deep and they seem to have accepted God's will for them, no matter what the path may be. They are together in it.

*sigh*

Another precious story I heard that morning was about a couple who had brought special rings for this special occasion. Many years ago, they had escaped from Cuba. They didn't elaborate to me how they left their native country, but the trip must have been harrowing as they were afraid to wear their real wedding rings in case they would be stolen. They had special wedding rings made from non-precious metal and wore them on their get-away. Later, when they were settled in the US and safe, they sent for their original wedding rings and had worn them ever since. But in honor of their safe escape, they were wearing their plain metal rings on this pilgrimage and were going to renew their vows with them today.

*sigh*

Stories like these gripped my heart that morning and coupled with my desire to be renewing my own wedding vows with my husband, let's just say I was a bit emotional...uh yeah, I cried through a good portion of the Wedding Mass!

Mom volunteered to do the readings and responsorial psalm. To me, it made the mass which I knew would be having specific blessings for Russell & I, Mitch & Marcie and Mark & Lacy that much more special.

Of course, Fr. T, who has a voice like an angel, sang the entire Mass, which is always beautiful and inspiring, as are his spiritual sermons! He can bring me to tears or chill-bumps at almost every mass!!! (even here at home I mean!)

Just like at a wedding, they held a ceremony in the middle of the mass. There was a lovely blessing of the rings (and I thought about my sweet Cuban friends).

And renewal of everyone's wedding vows!

I though our "paparazzi" were cute!

Of course, my favorite part was when Fr. T. gave the special blessing for all the married people who's spouses were not present and for all our married children. He gave such a lovely prayer for us all! I wish I could remember the words!

Look at me, I'm obviously into the prayer for my husband and children. I was crying and holding up the certificates of blessing so that they get the full brunt of it as Fr. T made the sign of the cross!

When Fr. T sings the consecration, it is so beautiful! What must it have been like for our dear priests to have changed the wine to blood in the very place where Jesus foreshadowed his own sacrifice by changing water to wine?

After the Mass, all our "newlyweds" lined up to have their picture made on the altar. It was fun and the mood was very festive!

After all the pictures we began our tour of the grotto under the main sanctuary. Then we did a little shopping!

Of course there was lots of wine to choose from! Everyone bought a lot of it, which turned out to have a wonderful side effect - once back to their rooms, they realized that it was too heavy to carry back on the airplane, so each night someone brought wine to dinner and shared! It was like a wine-tasting! LOL!

I bought a set so that Russell and I could have a small bottle and each of the kids could have one to share with their spouse....we'll give Morgan his on his wedding day - WAY in the future!! LOL!

My own wedding picture, along with those of my children

Dear Lord, please continue to bless my marriage.  Keep us together always, no matter what we may face.  Please bless my children and their spouses.  Let us all be strong in our devotion to each other and to you.  Amen.

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 4

Unclean Spirits

ORDINARY TIME  

Mk 1:32-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

The Synagog in Capernaum

I've stood in that synagogue, right there, right where this happened.

It is still mind-boggling.

And I think about that man, the one with the "unclean spirit". It's a demon, they don't say it, but we all think it, know it. The unseen world that we pray about in the Creed. You have to acknowledge the presence of demons if you acknowledge the presence of angels.

So there is Jesus in the synagogue, reading, teaching, answering questions. And all of a sudden this one man cries out. Why? What is up with that?

Hmm. (thesaurus: used for representing the sound made when you are pausing to think)

So I think about animals. Rabbits, pheasants or doves in a field. When a hunter and his dog come up, they freeze. They hunker down into the grass and hide. They wait, they watch. I'm sure their senses are hyper-sensitive. As the dog gets closer, they're fear intensifies. They are perched on the verge of flight. If he gets too close, they bolt!

Is this like the unclean spirits? Do most of them hold their fear in check as Jesus gets close to them? Are they paralyzed with fear that the Christ is so close to them? Do his words burn their minds? Are they cringing inside the human they inhabit?

And then one of them just can't stand it, maybe a particularly bad one that even all the other humans are aware of by the actions of the poor possessed man. Jesus is too close, the words too true - does it bolt? Does it scream? In total fear can it not help itself from crying out to the Lord?

Dearest Lord, protect me from unclean spirits!  Let your love and protection envelope me and repel Satan and his evil minions from wrecking havoc on my life and those around me.  Let my prayers surround me like armor and keep me safe.  Amen. 

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 4

Making the Water Holy

 BAPTISM OF THE LORD

I have spent several days meditating and pondering (I like that word!) on the Baptism of Jesus by Saint John the Baptist.

I never thought too much about St. John until I visited his birthplace in Israel in Ein Kerem.

Ein Kerem, Israel

Since then, I've had a little niggling in the back of my mind to find out more about him (and you know that is totally the Holy Spirit nudging...) and this week I actually made an effort due to the upcoming Gospel this Sunday.

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

(and  Matt 3:13-17  and   Mk 1:9-11)
 

This Sunday is the last of the Christmas Season, The Epiphany of the Lord.  ?  Now didn't we just celebrate the Epiphany?  You know, when the Wise Men came to visit Jesus and bring him gifts in the manger?  Hmmmm.

When we were in Israel at the Yardenit Baptism Site for our Baptism Renewal in the River Jordan, everyone was in the most glorious mood following our experience.  (You can see this in our faces in the pictures!).  As a group, we were so happy and everyone was just bubbling!  I was standing with Fr. T & Fr. N discussing the experience and I asked them if they felt like John the Baptist as they immersed each of us under the water of the Jordan - and simultaneously they both immediately responded "I felt like Jesus!"

Well!  That was an un-expected answer!  At least I wasn't expecting them to say that!  Hmmm?

Fr. T was super animated and told me "Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was without sin.  He allowed himself to be baptized to make the water holy!"

To make the water holy? 

He said "This is the very same water that Jesus Christ had stood in, the same water!  He has made it holy!"  He was very excited and animated, practically dancing on the walkway as he spoke!

Fr. N and Fr. T celebrating a baptism in the holy water of the Jordan River

I've thought about that a lot since then.  It is one of those things that will just float up into my mind and first thing you know I'm thinking about it again.

I could imagine the cousins, John and Jesus, in the waters of the Jordan as I looked at my photos and thought about what Fr. T had said.  I can't tell you how often this image and his statement would enter my mind. I thought and thought about it and I finally came to the conclusion that maybe I had misunderstood what Fr. T was saying.

Fr. T is Filipino, and although he has a excellent command of English, I thought maybe there was something in the translation that was different since it wasn't making sense to me?  I was just misunderstanding him.

All I know is that what he said came back to me multiple times.  Jesus was baptized to make the water holy.

Hmmmmm.

Fast forward several months.~~~~>

I'm a 6th grade Religious Education teacher at my church, and I was reviewing the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday in class, which just happened to be the story of St. John the Baptist and Jesus in the River Jordan.   Fr. T randomly pokes his head into my class to visit the kids and see what we are studying, so I tell him.

And he lights up!  He got very excited and says the exact same words he said in Israel that day "Jesus allowed himself to be baptized to make the water holy!".

!!!!  What??

I knew then that I had not heard the words wrong at the Jordan, I was somehow missing his point!

So.  I have made it a point to figure it out.

I have meditated on this, I have prayed about it.  I have read multiple catholic websites and all four Gospel passages regarding this.  You know it must be significant for that reason alone!

Now, sitting here in the Adoration Chapel at my church, it occurs to me that Jesus sanctified the water and the act of baptism with his participation.

Before Jesus, St. John and others might have been cleansing people with water from the river and the nugget of what was to come or what that act was to become, was there.  It was symbolic, a way to make the people understand they were starting spiritually fresh and clean and new.

But with Jesus' act, it brought the Three Persons of God together for the first time!  The heavens opened, the Spirit of God came down upon the Son of God and God the Father spoke!

Wow!

And with that, the act of baptism went from being a ritual to a sacrament!

Jesus made the water holy.

Holy for us all, because he took our sins upon him in the water that day and began the road that would take him to Calvary to die for all those sins.  He purified the water for us, he made a way for us to achieve heaven.

I read that when the heavens opened above him that this was the beginning of our open way to heaven, he initiated the purification of humankind which was soiled when Adam first sinned.  And Jesus most certainly did make the water holy for us all.

Per the catechism, Jesus stood on the bank and allows himself to be numbered with the sinners there.  He accepts, he submits to the will of the Father, he becomes the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world".  And the Father is pleased.  The heavens were opened - that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified.

Yes, the water was made holy.

Thank you God for Holy Priests who open our minds to you!!!  Most especially, thank you for the one who evangelized to me with one single sentence (even though I did have to hear it twice!).  Bless and protect all our priest and protect their FIRE!!!

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 5

Renewal at the River Jordan

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

My first glimpse of the River Jordan - WOW!

(Wow!  There it is!!)

(Wow!  It's so small...?)  That's called a 'deep creek' where I come from.  But what was I expecting?  The Mississippi??   Considering my reaction, I guess so.

I mean, it's SO FAMOUS!  I've been hearing about it all my life.  I must have projected a lot into it, like it should be bigger just because it's so well-known?   This is one of the reasons that I was so blessed to be given the generous gift of a trip to Israel by my mother!  Because to be there helped me to identify with the sites, with Jesus and with His life.

The river starts in the northern part of Israel and runs down into the Sea of Galilee separating Israel from Syria.  Then, exiting the southern end of the sea, it creates the border (for now) between Israel and Jordan as it flows down into the Dead Sea.

The River Jordan was a very important waterway in Jesus' time and is now.  We Americans, we forget that everyone in this world can't just turn on a tap and have water - safe, clean and unlimited!  I'm on a wonderful well at my house that has never once not given me cold, clean, fresh water in unlimited quantities.   I have never, ever worried about  running dry, so my water is completely free!

Water is an amazing thing!  We all understand being dirty and water's cleansing properties.  Water is refreshing, both to drink and to cool off when we are hot.  Water is soothing, when we are cold we warm up in a hot shower or bath.

If we don't get it when we need it we will get sick.  If we drink it too fast we will get sick.  We will die if we don't get enough of it, it can kill us if we get too much of it.

Water can be good or bad, a life-saver or life-threatening.  It can easily be too hot, too cold, too violent and just a few inches of it can kill us.

What a remarkable thing water is!

River Jordan

Thinking on this now, I remember a conversation I had with our Israeli Guide, Hillel.  He said he had spent 4 months in the United States, traveling all around and seeing the famous sites.  I asked him what was his favorite place and was surprised when he said "Niagara Falls".  Really?  I asked him if he had seen Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, the Badlands....he said oh yes, he'd seen all those places.  But he told me "I am from a desert country.  I've seen plenty of canyons and mountains.  But I have never seen a waterfall anything like that before!". 

It's all in perception.  Seeing something from someone else's point of view. And getting one of those "ah ha" moments of understanding of where another human being is coming from.

The Jordan River was life-sustaining for the people for thousands of years.  Water was precious.  Hillel gave us some background about the river, how the peoples used it over the years, conflicts over damning the water, etc.  And of course he related the story of John the Baptist and Jesus.

But none of this was in my mind as we arrived at the Baptismal Site on the River Jordan - called "Yardenit", which means "little Jordan" in Hebrew. 

To be completely honest - I must confess - what I was actually thinking was "what a tourist trap!"...I had looked this place up online ahead of time and it seemed really cheesy to me.  This was suppose to be a pilgrimage and I felt like I was in Disney World or something!  Like when you are on one of the rides and there are animatronic robots are making it look like you are in the jungle or in the future or in a haunted house.

Besides, hadn't we all already been baptized as infants?  You can't be baptized twice.  I understand renewal of the baptismal promises, we do it every year in Mass and also if you ever attend a baptism.  But the robes and the full immersion, people singing and swaying....it all felt so protestant to me!

But all my fellow travelers seemed so very excited and couldn't wait!  ???  Well, I had no intention of participating in this!  I would just watch from the bank, thank-you-very-much.

I went into the building with everyone and was surprised by the JOY inside!  My goodness!  It was a tangible, physical thing - the room was electrified with excitement and anticipation! Everyone was purchasing gowns and renting towels, trying to cox me into participating "come on, you must do it!".

First thing I know, I'm paying for a gown and towel and heading up the walk to the changing room (which was flat insanity - around 40 or so women chattering excitedly in a dozen languages in all stages of dress....it was CRAZY!).  I emerged from the bathhouse just as excited as anyone else, it was infectious!

Mom & I and our fellow Pilgrims about to renew our Baptismal Promises!

We stopped to have Hillel take a group shot of a bunch of us and then we practically skipped down the path to the water!  I'm telling you, I found myself to be full of anticipation, but nothing like the stressful oh-I-hope-I-make-a-spiritual-connection-to-this-site I felt at some of the other holy places!  This was like pure exhilaration!

Everyone was so happy and child-like, silly might be a good word, as we stood in line to take our turn with Fr. T & Fr. N.

Entering the water was a shock!  It was freezing!!!!!  I wasn't expecting that at all, I'd gone wading in the Sea of Galilee earlier in the day and the water was so warm (and that sea fed this river!), how could this water be so icy!!!   I thought, oh my gosh, how in the world am I going to be able to go under?!?!?!??!

But when my turn came, I waded right down to Fr. T & Fr. N and stood between them.  They each took an arm and with the words "I Baptize you in the Name of the Father..." and they pulled me over backwards and I was under!

It happened so fast, I was being pulled back up before the freezing water could even register on my brain!

And then back down, "And in the Son...."

and under into a surreal upside-down world,

and there was lightening-quick disorientation as my equilibrium was not keeping up with the physical movements,

and then strong arms pulling me back up, hands under my back holding me steady,

up and out of the water for a quick breath and I could hear them say "And the Holy Spirit..."

and the dizzying feeling of being pulled back down,

the soft enveloping of the water which by now had no temperature to me at all,

and again the safe and secure arms of the priests pulling me up and out into the light.....

Oh it was GLORIOUS!

It was a complete feeling of cleanliness~  it was like the moment you walk out of the confessional and you know you are pure of sin at that time!  And even though there was no confessing, no contrition, no penance, I felt completely clean, completely perfect in God's eyes at that moment!  And it was just beautiful!

It was so spiritually uplifting and I felt such oneness with my fellow pilgrims and with the water and the trees and the flowers and the grass and the sky and with God!  Such peace!  Such joy!

Everyone must have been feeling similarity because Di was yelling from out in the middle of the river "Come Swim with me!" and many of us went out into the water like children - splashing and laughing, cutting flips and dunking each other!  We were all just so exuberant!

Too soon we had to get out to get dressed.

It was an awesome bonding experience!  I think all my fellow travelers felt the same way.  I sat next to Vi and her mother for 8 hours on the plane coming to Israel, yet I felt closer to her now after those few moments shared in the water!

It was truly a mystical thing, a wonderful spiritual event that I will never forget - one that I can reconnect with every time I dip my fingers into the holy water font and bless myself as I enter the sanctuary with the words "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".  

Oh Lord, thank you so much for that wonderful spiritual gift on my trip, a souvenir I hope to cherish forever and ever!  Amen!

 Matt 3:13-17     Mk 1:9-11     Lk 3:21-23

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 5