Light Dispels Darkness

Saturday, December 31, 2022 Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorial

Video What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:3–5 What a great image for meditation: “...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This line completes the unique approach taken by John’s Gospel to introduce Jesus, the Eternal “Word” Who existed from the beginning and through Whom all things came to be. Though there is much to meditate on in the first five lines of John’s Gospel, let’s consider that ending line about light and darkness. Within the material world, there is much we can learn about our Divine Lord from the physical phenomenon of light and darkness. If we briefly consider light and darkness from the perspective of physics, we know that the two are not two opposing forces fighting with each other. Rather, darkness is simply the absence of light. Where there is no light, there is darkness. Similarly, heat and cold are the same way. Cold is nothing other than the absence of heat. Introduce heat and the cold disappears. These basic laws of the physical world also teach us about the spiritual world. Darkness, or evil, is not some powerful force fighting against God; rather, it’s the absence of God. Satan and his demons do not try to impose a dark power of evil on us; rather, they seek to extinguish the presence of God in our lives by getting us to reject God through our choices, thus leaving us in spiritual darkness. This is a very significant spiritual truth to understand, because where there is spiritual Light, the Light of God’s grace, the darkness of evil is dispelled. This is clearly seen in the line “and the darkness has not overcome it.” Overcoming the evil one is as easy as inviting the Light of Christ into our lives and not allowing fear or sin to turn us from the Light. Reflect, today, upon the very real spiritual battle that takes place each and every day within your soul. But reflect upon it in the truth of this Gospel passage. The battle is easily won. Invite Christ the Light, and His Divine Presence will quickly and easily replace any darkness within. Lord, Jesus, You are the Light Who dispels all darkness. You are the Eternal Word Who answers every question in life. I invite You into my life this day so that Your Divine Presence may fill me, consume me and lead me down the path toward eternal joys. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Family as a Communion of Love

Friday, December 30, 2022 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—Feast In the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

Video When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.  Luke 2:39–40 (Gospel Year B) Today we honor family life in general by pausing to ponder the particular and beautiful hidden life within the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In many ways, their daily life together would have been very similar to other families at that time. But in other ways, their life together is entirely unique and provides us with a perfect model for all families. By God’s providence and design, the family life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph was spoken of in the Scripture very little. We read of the birth of Jesus, the presentation in the Temple, the flight into Egypt and the finding of Jesus in the Temple at age twelve. But other than these stories of their life together, we know very little. The line from today’s Gospel quoted above does, however, give us some insight worth pondering. First, we see that this family “fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord…” Though this is in reference to Jesus being presented in the Temple, it should also be understood to apply to all aspects of their life together. Family life, just like our individual lives, must be ordered by the laws of our Lord. The primary law of the Lord regarding family life is that it must share in the very unity and “communion of love” found in the life of the Most Holy Trinity. Each person of the Holy Trinity has perfect respect for the other, gives selflessly to each other without reserve, and receives each person in their totality. It is their love that makes them one and enables them to act together in perfect harmony as a communion of divine Persons. Though Saint Joseph was not immaculate in his nature, the perfection of love did live in his divine Son and in his immaculate wife. This overwhelming gift of their perfect love would have daily drawn him into the perfection of their lives. Ponder your own closest relationships today. If you are blessed with a close family, ponder them. If not, ponder the persons put into your life who you are called to love with familial love. Who are you to be there for in good times and in bad? Who are you to sacrifice your life for without reserve? Who are you to offer respect, compassion, time, energy, mercy, generosity and every other virtue? And how well do you fulfill this duty of love? Reflect, today, upon the fact that God wants you to share in a communion of life, not only with the Most Holy Trinity but also with those around you, especially your family. Try to ponder the hidden life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and seek to make their family relationship the model for how you love others. May their perfect communion of love be a model for us all. Lord, draw me into the life, love and communion that You lived with Your Immaculate Mother and Saint Joseph. I offer You myself, my family and all those to whom I am called to love with a special love. May I imitate Your family love and life in all my relationships. Help me to know how to change and grow so that I may more fully share in Your family life. Jesus, I trust in You.

Wonder and Awe

Thursday, December 29, 2022 Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial

Video The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”  Luke 2:33–35 When something truly supernatural takes place, the human mind that grasps that supernatural event is filled with wonder and awe. For Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, their minds were continually filled with a holy amazement at what they were witnessing. First there was the Annunciation to our Blessed Mother. Then the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Then the miraculous birth took place. Shepherds came to adore their child and revealed that a multitude of angels had appeared to them. Shortly after this, the Magi from the East showed up to do homage to their child. And today we are given the story of Simeon in the Temple. He spoke of the supernatural revelation he had received about this Child. Time after time, the miracle of what was taking place was placed before Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, and each time they responded with wonder and awe. Though we are not blessed to encounter this supernatural event of the Incarnation in the same way that Mary and Joseph did, we are nonetheless able to share in their “amazement” and their “wonder and awe” by prayerfully pondering this supernatural event. The mystery of Christmas, which is a manifestation of God becoming man, is an event that transcends all time and space. It’s a spiritual reality of supernatural origin and is therefore an event that our minds of faith have full access to. Just like Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, we must hear the angel at the Annunciation, the angel in Joseph’s dream, we must witness the shepherds and Magi and, today, we must rejoice with Simeon as he gazed upon the newborn Messiah, the Savior of the World. Reflect, today, upon how fully you have allowed your mind to engage the incredible mystery that we celebrate this holy season. Have you taken time to prayerfully read the story once again? Are you able to sense the joy and fulfillment experienced by Simeon and Anna? Have you spent time considering the minds and hearts of Mother Mary and Saint Joseph as they experienced that first Christmas? Let this deep supernatural mystery of our faith touch you this Christmas season in such a way that you, too, are “amazed” at what we celebrate. Lord, I thank you for the gift of Your Incarnation. With Simeon, I rejoice and offer You praise and thanksgiving. Please renew within me a true sense of wonder and awe as I gaze with amazement at what You have done for me and for the whole world. May I never tire of pondering this supernatural gift of Your life. Jesus, I trust in You.

Courage in the Face of Evil

Wednesday, December 28, 2022 Holy Innocents, Martyrs—Feast Fourth Day of the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

Video When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13 The most glorious event ever to take place in our world also filled some with hatred and rage. Herod, who was jealous of his own earthly power, felt greatly threatened by the message shared with him by the Magi. And when the Magi failed to return to Herod to tell him where the Newborn King was located, Herod did the unthinkable. He ordered the slaughter of every boy, two years old and younger, who was in Bethlehem and its vicinity. Such an act is hard to comprehend. How could the soldiers carry out such an evil plot? Imagine the deep mourning and devastation so many families encountered as a result. How could a civil ruler murder so many innocent children. Of course, in our day and age, so many civil leaders continue to support the barbaric practice of permitting the slaughter of the innocent within the womb. Thus, in many ways, Herod’s action is not that different from today. The passage above reveals to us the will of the Father regarding not only the protection of His divine Son but also His divine will for the protection and sanctity of all human life. It was satan who inspired Herod to kill those precious and innocent children so long ago, and it is satan who continues to promote a culture of death and destruction today. What should our response be? We, like Saint Joseph, must see it as our solemn duty to protect the most innocent and vulnerable with unwavering determination. Though this newborn Child was God, and though the Father in Heaven could have protected His Son with a myriad of angels, it was the Father’s will that a man, Saint Joseph, protect His Son. For that reason, we should also hear the Father calling each and every one of us to do all we can to protect the innocent and most vulnerable, especially the child within the womb. Reflect, today, upon the will of God for your life. In what ways is God calling you to be like Saint Joseph and protect the most innocent and most vulnerable? How are you being called to be a guardian of those entrusted to your care? Certainly on a civil level we must all work to protect the lives of those who are unborn. But every parent, grandparent and all those entrusted with responsibility for another must strive to protect those in their care in countless other ways. We must diligently work to preserve them from the evils in our world and the numerous attacks of the evil one on their lives. Ponder this question today and allow the Lord to speak to you of your duty to imitate the great protector, Saint Joseph. Lord, give me insight, wisdom and strength so that I can work in accord with Your will to protect the most innocent from the evils of this world. May I never cower in the face of evil, and may I always fulfill my duty to protect those entrusted to my care. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Beloved Disciple

Tuesday, December 27, 2022 Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist—Feast Third Day of the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

Video On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. John 20:1–3 It’s interesting that Saint John refers to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” Of course, Jesus loved all people. He loved all of the disciples. But in John’s Gospel, this unique title of the beloved disciple is given to John. Saint John the Apostle may be understood as this beloved disciple for many reasons. First, recall the special closeness and affection John shows Jesus at the Last Supper when John reclined next to Him. Recall, also, that it was John alone who stood at the foot of the Cross with Jesus’ mother and that Jesus entrusted His mother to John and John to His mother. And note in the passage above that it was John who first ran to the empty tomb as soon as Mary Magdalene revealed her discovery to him. Furthermore, many scholars believe John to be the youngest disciple. And as a younger disciple, he may have received special fatherly-like attention from our Lord. However, John may also be understood as the beloved disciple for another reason. Simply put, this is how John saw himself as he wrote his Gospel account. John may have done so because telling the story of Jesus’ life was deeply personal to him. His own love and affection for his Lord was the central and most consuming passion of his soul. And it appears that as John speaks of Jesus, and of his own encounters with Jesus, John was compelled to prayerfully ponder the holy and spiritual love that Jesus had for him. Thus, it appears that John could not speak of his encounters with our Lord without also identifying the divine love that united them. It’s as if every time his Gospel story spoke of an encounter he had with Jesus, John was overwhelmed by the simple fact that Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, knew him and loved him personally. And so he was compelled to state that fact over and over. In this case, it’s quite beautiful, on a spiritual level, to ponder John’s soul. He was clearly a man who was deeply touched by God in the Person of Jesus. And after Jesus ascended into Heaven, it appears that John’s holy love for Jesus only grew. As he went forth as an Apostle, preaching about the salvation that comes through his Savior and dear friend, he clearly grew closer to our Lord day by day. When John wrote his Gospel toward the end of his life, his heart was clearly aflame with divine love as he was intensely looking forward to being fully united with his Lord in Heaven. As we honor this unique and holy Apostle, reflect, today, upon the simple truth that you are also invited to share in the holy and intimate love shared by Jesus and Saint John. Ponder the fact that our Lord also loves you with perfect charity, intimacy and totality. If you can gaze upon the love in the heart of this beloved disciple, then you, too, can share in that love and become a beloved disciple yourself. My beloved Lord, the love You bestowed upon the disciple John was perfect in every way. After Your ascension into Heaven, You continued to deepen Your relationship with him, drawing him ever closer to Your Sacred Heart. Please pour forth upon me that same love and draw me into Your Heart so that I, too, will become Your beloved disciple. Saint John, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.

What did you learn too late in life?

Venny Newson

Nothing in life is too late to learn, except these few things:

1) You will eventually die. – Nothing is certain. Therefore, you should live in a way that makes you happy, instead of letting so much time slip by to only wake up one day full of regrets of not pursuing your callings. Live immediately.

2) Your habits will take over your life. – The chains of our habits are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken. So, it’s important to start creating healthy ones as soon as possible.

3) People come, people go. – They will drift in and out of your life, almost like characters in favorite book. Make a habit of letting them tell their story, and letting them go. Then, start another book.

4) Don’t lose it for anyone. – Some people wait for you to give them a chance to bust on you. Ignore those people. Don’t talk to those people. Avoid looking at those people. They are here to teach you how to control yourself rightly. You’re worth more than this.

5) You are your greatest asset. – Walk like you love yourself. Talk like you love yourself. Eat like you love yourself. Dress like you love yourself. Invest in yourself. Read. Exercise. The most important relationship in your life is the one you have with yourself.

6) Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. – So, be with someone who is good for your mental health. Meditate. Feed your mind good stuff – No TV, no crappy books, no shitty people, and no dead-end jobs. There is never a refund on a wasted time.

7) The people are fucked. And you, too, are a human. – Don’t trust just anyone. Doubt others, and doubt yourself. Then, re-evaluate your actions and adjust them to better suit your aspirations, dreams, and goals. If you can’t find a leader who inspires you, be the leader you wish you had.

8) Respecting yourself enough to… – Create your life in a way that makes you feel good. A job you don’t like? Life is short - quit. People stepping all over you? Start being unapologetically yourself. Don’t have time to get important things done? Be the first one up. Oh yeah, and please, always use a condom.

9) Freedom is incredibly scary to people. – People have become so comfortable being told what to do, how to do it, when to do it, with whom and why, that they don’t know how to be themselves anymore. That’s why everyone who shows signs of freedom reminds others in what prison they live. Expect prisoners to revolt.

10) Give less fucks. – Stop giving fucks about everything and everyone. That is, about what people are saying about you, about whether that cute boy/girl called you back or not, about whether your socks match or not, or what color your birthday balloon is.

11) You will mostly find interests, not friends. - And people, waiting to stab a knife in your back. Only your family supports you unconditionally (except for when they don’t.) Most everyone will back off when you ask for help, unless they are favored in some way.

If you want a real friend, get a dog.

Damn! You read that whole thing.

You are already far ahead of most.

Keep going, you wont’t regret it. If you give up, you will.

What movie scene moved you the most? What made it so powerful?

Marcus Lundgren

Well, one scene that’s stuck with me for moving me to tears is the final scene of About Schmidt (2002).

In this film, Jack Nicholson plays Warren R. Schmidt, a recently retired actuary who struggles with his new life as a pensioner.

His unfaithful wife has just died from a blood clot in her brain.
His daughter wants to marry a man he can’t stand.
He tries to approach women without success.
He feels old and useless.
He’s depressed.

The only real source of happiness in his life is his Tanzanian foster child, Ndugu.

He has never met or spoken with this boy, but he sends him money and letters in which he writes down his thoughts and feelings about his wife’s passing and just how difficult life can be when you get old.

Over the course of the film, his mental and physical state deteriorates rapidly.
He stops grooming himself and walks around in his pajamas.
He leaves the house looking like this as well. Goes straight from his bed to the grocery store. He doesn’t care.

He finds his deceased wife’s love letters from one of their mutual friends.
He donates all of her possessions to charity.
He angrily confronts her lover.

Then he finally snaps and decides to take a long drive to visit his daughter.
He’s not invited but he wants to stop her wedding from taking place.
He shows up and is shown the door by his daughter. He’s not welcome.

Depressed, he then visits his old college campus and fraternity, as well as his former hometown in Nebraska, only to discover that his childhood home has been turned into a tire shop.

That night, he sits on top of his RV just staring into the darkness, when suddenly a bright meteor flies over his head. Seeing this as a sign of his dead wife forgiving him for being a terrible husband, he suddenly feels invigorated and decides to visit the parents of his son-in-law-to-be in Denver.

Things do not go well. While there, he meets his daughter once again and tries desperately to persuade her not to go through with the marriage.

She doesn’t listen. And later that night, while he’s taking a bath, the mother of his son-in-law-to-be, makes a pass at him by approaching him completely naked.

He flees the house.

The next day is the day of the wedding. He swallows his pride and manages to give a speech. For his daughter’s sake. Even though he hates her husband and his family.

Having now lost everything he once held dear, he returns home, feeling empty and defeated. He writes a letter to Ndugu in which he laments his old age, how he’ll soon be dead and how nothing in his life ever made any difference.

Then he checks the pile of mail that’s gathered while he was away. He finds a letter from Ndugu. He sits down to read it.

As it turns out, Ndugu is only 6 years old and cannot read or write himself. A nun has helped him compose his letter. But Ndugu is grateful for all the letters he’s received and thanks him for his financial support

He’s also drawn a crayon picture of two stick figures smiling and holding hands.

Schmidt realizes that he has made a difference and breaks down in tears.

This scene moved me for 2 reasons.

First of all, it was the sheer surprise of seeing the usually cool as ice Jack Nicholson display genuine emotion on camera. He had no shades to hide behind this time; no iconic smile or wolf eyes to make him look like the bad-ass guy he always is.

This scene felt REAL as if there was no acting involved at all.

It’s so good, in fact, that I wonder if Jack wasn’t perhaps crying over something he’d recently experienced in his real life? A great loss of some kind?

The second reason is that I’ve known quite a few older men who ended up alone and felt useless and as if their lives never had any meaning.
And if my life continues on the same path it’s currently on, I will be in the same situation one day, so I think I can empathize with Schmidt to a certain extent.

Wonderful film. Sadly, it seems almost forgotten today.

God’s Promised Inspiration

Monday, December 26, 2022 Saint Stephen, the First Martyr—Feast Second Day of the Octave of Christmas, December 26 Readings for Today

Video “When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:19–20 These words of our Lord came to fruition in the life of Saint Stephen, the Church’s first martyr. Saint Stephen was martyred within a couple of years after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. He was one of seven deacons who the Apostles appointed to assist them in their work of caring for the poor as the Church began to grow. Stephen was a man of deep faith and was filled with the Holy Spirit. After he was appointed deacon, he began to preach with boldness. Among his listeners were members of the synagogue of Hellenistic Jews. Stephen debated them vigorously and proved himself to be full of wisdom and power, performing many signs and wonders in their midst. But this only led his listeners to become outraged to the point of seeking his death. As a result, they made false claims that Stephen was preaching against the Temple and the Law of Moses. In the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 7:2–53), Stephen responded by giving a long and detailed speech by which he explained the full truth of Jesus in light of the Old Testament. Stephen concluded by saying, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.” This infuriated his listeners in the synagogue even more. After this, something truly miraculous happened. Stephen had a vision. He looked up to Heaven and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” He saw his Lord, standing at the right hand of the Father. And it was his proclamation of this vision that finally drove the infuriated crowd to drag him out of the synagogue and city and to stone him to death. Stephen’s story, however, ended in a beautiful and inspired way. As the crowd was stoning him, he spoke two powerful statements. First, he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And then he prayed in a loud voice,  “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” As mentioned above, the words our Lord speaks in the Gospel today came to fruition in the life of Saint Stephen. First of all, we see that Jesus’ prediction that some of His followers would be handed over to deaths by their own kinsmen came true in the life of Saint Stephen. But Jesus also promised that when this would happen, “You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” And it will be the Spirit of the Father “speaking through you.” And that’s exactly what happened with Saint Stephen. First, he was given a glorious vision of Heaven. Second, he was inspired to fully surrender his spirit over to Jesus. And third, he was inspired to pray for his persecutors and forgive them. These words and actions did not come from Stephen alone. They were the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that when one is persecuted for the sake of the Gospel, the Father will be especially present and give powerful inspiration at the moment of need. Reflect, today, upon the profound truth that God never abandons us. In fact, when we suffer the most or endure persecution, rejection or any form of mistreatment, God is especially present. Look at your own life and consider those moments that you find most challenging. Pray to Saint Stephen and ask him to pray for you so that you will be open to the inspired words and actions of our Lord when you need them the most. Most glorious Saint Stephen, please pray for me. Pray for me especially when I experience the heaviest crosses in my life. Pray that I, like you, will be open to God’s inspiration and grace at those times I need it the most. St. Stephen, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.