MSFriend, Author at Shepherd of Faith

Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ! That’s a famous quote attributed to St. Jerome. Isn’t that the truth?! This past Holy Thursday we continued, as a nation, to isolate ourselves to #flattenthecurve of the coronavirus. This is the first time any of us has been prevented from attending religious services and we are certainly feeling the sting.

For those of us who practice our faith regularly, this has been a blow to our hearts and minds. Who would ever fathom that churches would be closed and services celebrated privately? Technology has really shown it’s benefit! What a privilege and blessing it is to be able to watch the mass live-streamed. How many more people are being reached just by having that capability.

As sad and devastating as it is to be deprived of practicing our faith publicly, I wonder what good is going to come from all of this global suffering. Of course, all things work for good for those who love him, so I ponder the good. Here is what I came up with:

thirst

After I settled into my new normal, I decided to think of the many things we take for granted. Before this whole pandemic broke out, we took for granted that we could not only attend mass everyday but we could walk into a church at any point during the day to pray, read or adore Christ in the tabernacle. Suddenly, our reality became “the church will be closed until further notice.” Now we livestream mass and Adoration, we email prayer intentions and we practice our faith quarantined at home.

The good thing about all this is we will never take for granted the freedom we have to practice our faith. We are currently thirsting for the sacraments and that’s a good thing.

Awareness

There is an awareness that comes with having to worry about being six feet apart from another while shopping or not finding what you need because stock is limited, especially toilet paper. I find myself thinking about how long something is going to last or how much I’m using. “Wash your hands” and “don’t touch your face.” Were you aware of how much you touched your face before this pandemic? Have you ever taken the time to think about what consequences your actions can have? Like getting someone sick by spreading our germs through coughing, sneezing and not washing hands. Probably so, but not as much as you are now.

Solidarity

Talk about feeling persecuted! As a faith community, we are currently living in solidarity with all those persecuted Christians. In a sense, we are actually feeling the sting of not being able to practice our faith openly. Outside of faith, the entire world is experiencing the effects of this pandemic and in that sense we are living in solidarity with our brothers and sisters throughout the world, from different countries, states, races, ages and economic brackets. This pandemic does not discriminate. In a strange way it has made us realize that we are all in this world together, no one better than another.

Solitude

We’ve been forced to slow down. Nowhere to go, no one to meet. How does it feel? Has it given you time to contemplate the important and not so important things in life? Have you finally found the time to spend much needed quality time with family? Have you finally found the time to ponder some of life’s big questions?

intimacy

How quickly we turn to prayer in times of need! Even those with little faith have found solace in prayer in recent days. The truth is God is always pursuing us. He loves us. I recently heard someone say: “His love is so deep that he gives us the freedom to reject him.” Amazing! But let’s get back to that thought of Him pursuing us. How are we responding? Can we simply turn around on any given day and acknowledge him and share our mutual love through prayer? Why do we have to wait until a catastrophe arises to respond to his pursuit? All He wants is our consent to intimacy with Him. He has our attention now!

true love

Loving relationships take time. It seems as if time is on our side now doesn’t it? In the busy bustle of life it seems as if there are not enough hours in a day. Yet, suddenly it seems as if time is standing still. These past few weeks seem like an eternity. The month of March seemed like the longest month in creation and April is following suit. But this is God given time of stillness and solitude. A time that we can take to work on our relationship with God, to really fall in love. To develop a love that will last beyond this pandemic. Will you answer the call? Will you focus on falling in love with the one who loves you the most?

reverence

As a Catholic Christian the Eucharist is available to me everyday. I try to receive it as often as my schedule allows. I’m aware of the power in the Presence and I am grateful to receive it when I do. However, I have to admit that there are times when I am distracted with thoughts and concerns that prevent me from truly being mentally present to the miracle and grace that I am receiving. Being unable to receive these past few weeks and especially during the holiest time of the year has heightened my senses. I commit to never be distracted during mass again! Pray for me.

appreciation

I don’t know about you but I have a whole new appreciation for those who hold jobs considered essential – from the first responders in the medical field who travel far and wide to save lives; to the electricians, like my husband and brother whose skill keeps the city running; to the grocery store workers who risk their lives everyday so that I am able to pick up what I need to live.

I appreciate my home and property- my shelter from the storm and connection to the outdoors. What new appreciation have you developed?

Newness

While the first few weeks of this pandemic rattled me a bit, I slowly began to remember what I always say to encourage others: “remember, after the crucifixion is the resurrection!” In other words, this too shall pass and we’ll be all the better for it. So as I remembered that, I thought about the stone being rolled back to reveal Christ had risen. May the “stone” of this virus be rolled away and may we emerge transformed as Jesus did!

Back to Holy Thursday. Many years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to a powerful tradition on Holy Thursday. It is the pilgrimage of the seven churches. Read about it here. I’ve since moved from my old neighborhood where I would join several friends in an evening of prayer, fellowship and just plain fun. I’ve continued the tradition on my own in my new place and have even dragged a few new friends along for the ride. This year was different obviously, but I still chose to do a virtual pilgrimage.

As I sat in virtual adoration at each of the churches this year, I meditated on the scripture verses of each station as I played a chant of Ubi Caritas in the background. Each meditation brought with it a lesson:

Gethsemane

Jesus’ prayer was powerful! It prevented Him from being tempted to back out of God’s plan. It gave Him strength to stand and face His destiny head on. He makes it a point to tell His disciples to pray specifically that they not enter into temptation. Bells should be going off in our heads when we hear that. It is a direct command from Jesus Himself, preparing us and indicating how powerful prayer is in helping us overcome temptation.

Taken before Annas

Imagine the scene, Jesus who is God, standing before a high priest. He answers the questions posed to Him and He gets admonished and struck. I’m sorry, but if I were Jesus, I think I would respond with a strike back and a response that went something like “is that any way to greet the king of the world?” Yet, Jesus takes it. Picture perfect humility!

Taken before Caiaphas

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time containing myself when I feel like I’m not being heard or seen. The meditation about Jesus being brought before Caiaphas indicated to me that Jesus was damned if He did and damned if He didn’t speak. As a matter of fact, it seemed as if Caiaphas had already made up his mind about Jesus before He even spoke. Yet, again, Jesus tolerates it. I wish I could be more like Jesus.

Taken before Pilate

When I read this and meditated on it I thought of Jesus being God’s way of revealing Himself to us. God took on flesh to show the world that He is not something out there somewhere. He walks among us. He is with us! It brought me great comfort to remember that now.

Jesus taken before Herod

“Contempt” and “mocking.” How could that be? That the Son of Man allow himself to be treated with contempt and mocked. Not only that, but the shuttling back and forth between the authorities. Jesus was bigger and more powerful than them but He refused to fall prey to how the evil one was trying to derail His destiny. I thought, at a time when Jesus looks weakest, that’s when He is most powerful! Amen! There’s power in humility. There’s power in suffering at the hands of others – whatever form that may take.

Taken before Pilate again

What do you think struck me? “Crucify him, crucify him!” This is the meditation that made me think of St. Jerome’s quote: ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. I thought of the Jewish people. I thought of how Jesus was prefigured in the Old Testament. This may be a stretch but I thought, if the Jews had been more familiar with Scripture or solid in their faith, they would have seen the connection between what they were reading in their books and what they were witnessing in Jesus. They would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Ignorance of scripture, ignorance of Christ! Take heed, now we have no excuse – time is on our side. Remember: ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ and knowing Christ is what gives us peace in times like this!

Crown of Thorns and Crucified

I cried. To imagine Jesus being mocked, humiliated, spat upon and beaten on the head while He wore the crown of thorns was so sad for me. I suffer from migraines and I often think of Jesus wearing His crown of thorns. It makes me less likely to complain or feel bad for myself. The words “and led Him away to crucify Him,” made me think of an innocent lamb being led to slaughter. I love animals, so that would break my heart. Jesus led away to be crucified should break our hearts too.

As I finish up this reflection, I get a text from a friend who forwarded a text she received. This part of the text caught my attention: during this quarantine, rivers are cleaning up, vegetation is growing, the air is becoming cleaner because of less pollution, there is less theft and murder, healing is happening, and most importantly, people are turning to Christ. The Earth is at rest for the first time in many years and hearts are truly transforming.

So here’s an idea: now that Lent is done and we have all fasted in ways we would have never imagined, let’s resolve to do MORE as this scourge continues. Let’s resolve to be transformed through it. Let’s resolve to a transformation that lasts beyond the first week after this is all over. What will you commit to? mindfulness? intimacy? solidarity? God bless you and keep you healthy!

When you feel outnumbered! I drafted this several weeks ago before this pandemic which is currently wreaking havoc on our lives. Given the numbers we’re hearing on the news lately, I would venture to guess that we’re all feeling outnumbered.

This reflection was written based on a song I recently heard. As I listened, I felt empowered! In fact, I was on my way to court to argue a case against three “goliath” adversaries. I was outnumbered for sure. But through this song, as I usually do, I imagined God speaking to me and I was reminded WHO was on my side – on that day and always.

Here’s how my day started out. A consoling, energetic feeling arose in me as I drove. I was excited for the day, driving, enjoying the scenery and counting my blessings. There was a sense of awareness present. An awareness of everything that was going on around me. A presence, His Presence! Then BAM! Just what I needed to hear through a song. A new anthem!

The song is called Outnumbered by Dermott Kennedy. Find the song facts here.

Here’s what I thought as I listened to the lyrics:

Don’t tell me this is all for nothing

Don’t tell me this is all for nothing – His dying on the cross and rising.

I can only tell you one thing, On the nights you feel outnumbered Baby, I’ll be out there somewhere– He’s always with us.

I see everything you can be, I see the beauty that you can’t see – we have what it takes no matter how we feel or the lies we tell ourselves. His grace is enough!

On the nights you feel outnumbered, Baby, I’ll be out there somewhere– if He takes us to it, He’ll get us through it.

Necessary suffering

I could have showed you all the scars at the start, But that was always the most difficult part – All of our trials and difficulties could have been laid out before us but that wouldn’t help us grow. Sort of like a tough love, as much as it hurts Him to see us suffer it is a necessary part of our preparation and purification. It’s how we learn and begin to become who we were created to be.

See, I’m in love with how your soul’s a mix of chaos and art
And how you never try to keep ’em apart – He loves when we understand our strengths and weaknesses, our goodness and sinfulness and humbly accept it all.

I wrote some words and then I stared at my feet
Became a coward when I needed to speak – As God He could have fought and won against His accusers but He remained silent for our sakes, for love of us.

Tough love

I guess love took on a different kind of meaning for me
So when I go just know it kills me to leave – just as it must have hurt His disciples to watch Him leave, it hurt Him just as much, if not more.

To all the stars that light the road don’t ever leave that girl so cold, never let me down, just lead me home – a command to our guardian angels to watch over us just as well as He does.

Be still and know…..

But there’s beauty here that’s yet to depart, there’s still a song inside the halls in the dark, I’ll come for you, if you just stay where you are, And I’ll always hold your hand in the car – we need to acknowledge the beauty and life inside us. God created us and thus we are ultimately ALL GOOD. He’ll come again, but let’s focus on now, remain still, consent to His Presence. He’s just one call away.

And there’ll be days when it’s difficult, But I ask you to never leave behind the reciprocal, we’re past that. Love is not designed for the cynical so we have that, we can have that – yes, difficulty will come, but never forget to count your blessings in the midst of the muck. Never lose faith in the Truth; the love that is beyond human understanding. Remember that all things work for good for those who love Him.

Patience is a virtue

How long can you wait for the one you deserve? Light on, never let it out, never let it out
If I’m gone, if you ever leave I hope that you learn
To fight on, to fight on – “the one” is not a person but a situation. a “break.” Keep the fire burning, never give up, keep fighting. If we ever feel He’s far off (our fault not His) He hopes we remember His example. GET THROUGH IT, DON’T COWER, DON’T RUN! FIGHT ON! FIGHT ON!

We all experience difficulties in life – work, health, etc. but He’s never too far. As a matter of fact, at the moment we’re all experiencing the same difficulty (more on that in a later post) but our blessings certainly outweigh them all!

I recently read about the idea of viewing a difficulty or depression as something “entrusted” to you as opposed to viewing it as something negative. Doesn’t that totally change the perception? Something entrusted to you. How will you take care of it, how will you handle it. Will you be a good steward of it?

How are you faring in the midst of this pandemic? Are you finding it difficult to handle? Are you bothered by the change in your routine? Is an extended period of time with your family frustrating you? Think of all these opportunities as things entrusted to you. Change your negative perception to something positive. The opportunities have been given to you to rework. How can you make them better? Prayer, fasting and almsgiving – the three facets of a good Lent. We’ve been given an opportunity to make it the best Lent ever. Are you missing the point?

Don’t waste this awesome opportunity of stillness and solitude. Use it to evaluate where you are personally. What have you been entrusted with and how will you get through it? Remember, when you feel outnumbered, baby He’s out there somewhere! Fight on! God bless you.

Author: MSFriend (Page 21 of 142)

Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ!