Tag Archives: Christianity

SAINT CECILIA PRAY FOR US

Leave a reply

27. KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED

  • Love gives our lives meaning. To heal, you must learn to love fully again.
  • Think about the people who care about you and the ways in which your life matters.

CARPE DIEM:

Spend some time today with someone who loves you. Focus on this person and what she is saying. Tell her how much you love her too.

It is difficult for me to believe that I am loved. It’s Lent and I have been working with the Hallow app to meditate and try to grow closer, again, to God. I am doing the Pray40: The Return Challenge. We are reading The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky and focusing on its similarity to the parable of the Prodigal son, with some reference to Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, which I am also reading a little at a time. God’s Love.

On the Hallow App today, there was an interview with Patricia Heaton, the actress from Everybody Loves Raymond and Malcolm in the Middle. She is, apparently, a devout Catholic. She went on a mission trip as a young adult; and, when she came back, prayed for discernment about becoming a missionary. She asked God to put an end to her auditions if that was what she was meant to do. She then ended up with long-time roles AND has raised money for missions around the world.

So…I spent some time in meditation this morning. My question was, “What do you want from me? I’m sorry to put it this way, but, what do you want from me?” No immediate answer. Heaton and the interviewer prayed in a chapel at a convent for St. Cecilia, where her sister is a nun. I don’t know much about St. Cecilia, except for the fact that she was musical. I prayed along, but got turned off at the mention of her as “virgin”. What is it with Catholics and the preoccupation with virgins? The interviewer mentioned her “husband”…so, she remained a virgin while married??? I have to look into this.

So…I remembered that St. Cecilia was one of my mother’s favorites. Then I remembered her confirmation name was Cecilia. Joseph’s godmother’s name was also Cecelia, spelled differently.

Anyway, this evening I am having dinner with my Survivors of Suicide friend group. We all love each other in a very special way. That’ll be good.

https://www.axiawomen.org/wow/st-cecilia-featured-saint

My Dear Jesus

Leave a reply

IMG_20191116_095747911

Good morning.

I don’t know what I believe about you any more.

I try to remember the tears that filled my eyes in Bethlehem, the most overwhelming part of my trip to Israel and Palestine. I touched the star that represents where you lay in the manger and I felt such gratitude for your having come into the world, bringing light and love. Yes, where Love was born!

The other night at my grief group, two women jumped on a man’s questions about whether or not his deceased loved one is in heaven. It hurt my heart and I could feel myself becoming angry and shutting down. All I said was…”this creates so much division in Christianity”.

So…I’ve improved! I didn’t just vomit out my anger or tell them they got it all wrong. I just agreed and reinforced with him that the important thing is the relationship.

Help me to be more loving.

In Your Holy Name, Jesus,

Amen

The Cleansing of Ten Lepers

Leave a reply

The Cleansing of Ten Lepers, Luke 17:11-19, New American Bible:

11As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him 13and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” 14And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. 15And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; 16and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?” 18Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 19Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Warning: If irreverence offends you, stop here.

In my journey with Jesus, he has taken on more human form. I look at this passage in a contemplative manner, from where I am now. I find myself noticing nuances.

In the first verse (11), Jesus is travelling through Samaria and Galilea. As he enters a village he is met by ten lepers. Is he really met by them? They stand at a distance…why? Because they are lepers! They are diseased, considered unclean. But, they have hope; and, despite being marginalized, outcast from their communities, they dare to call out to Jesus. They call him by name, “Jesus!” They defer to him, calling him, “Master!” They ask for pity. Jesus SEES them. Jesus HEARS them. He does not ignore them, treat them as though they are invisible, worthless. No! He tells them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And off they go. He gave them a direct order and they followed it.

I’m no Scripture scholar but I believe that when someone, a Jew, received a healing at that time, they were required to go show themselves to the priest, and, perhaps offer a sacrifice of some sort in thanksgiving. In any case, these guys did as they were told. However, a Samaritan among them, noticing he’s been cleansed, goes back to thank Jesus.

This is where I begin to get irritated. This man is grateful to Jesus. He returns to thank him personally because he is aware from where his healing came. I recall that Samaritans were looked down upon by “the Jews”. (Remember the woman at the well?) They don’t go to the temple to pray. They realize they can pray on the mountain.

So! The Samaritan, a foreigner, who by the way may be in his own land as Jesus is travelling through Samaria, goes back to Jesus as God’s representative, God’s human form, on earth! He has no obligation to go to the temple! But, Jesus asks, “Where are the other nine?” They’re on their way to the temple where you told them to go! They are being obedient!

I get it! It’s all about the personal relationship, but let’s cut the other nine a break. They may have been institutionalized by their religion. It may take them a little longer to get the personal relationship…or they may never get it. Does that mean they won’t enter the Kingdom? I don’t think so. They may just not be called to deeper healing, deeper relationship.