Basketball and Sanctity

When I was a freshman / sophomore n high-school, sometimes I would go to the gym at lunch-time to play basketball. I wasn't good, but it was fun. Often the guys would just dribble around and shoot baskets. One day a boy named "Brian" made a nice free-throw. Swish! Someone passed him the ball back and he shot again. Swish! He got the ball back and shot a free-throw again. Swish! This same pattern kept continuing. Brian had fallen "into a good rhythm" and kept making basket after basket from the foul-line. I was thinking to myself "is this guy ever going to miss?" Finally after 15 or 16 shots, the ball hit the rim and bounced out. His streak was over.

Don't think Brian ever went "pro". In fact I don't even know if Brian even went out for college basketball. But for a short time, his free-throw shooting percentage was in the high 90s, Statistically unlikely--and better than a lot of the basketball pros. And he was just a 15- or 16-year old kid!

I wonder if this same phenomenon doesn't sometimes happen in our spiritual lives. Through the merits of grace -- we're suddenly placed in lofty places, light-years beyond what we've ever experienced in our ordinary lives. We've been given this "special rhythm". And we're on-fire. With God's help, we''re doing and accomplishing things no one would have believed possible. Statistically unlikely -- and yet surpassing what even some of the saints have done...

At least for a short time. Until the streak wears off...(grin)

Thank you Lord Jesus. Alleluia.

Angels

Today I was thinking about angels.

St. Faustina teaches that if the angels were capable of envy, they would envy humans in their capacity to suffer. Certainly suffering (if offered to God and for others) can be benefecial.

But at the same time, if suffering is so enviable -- what about joy? For example, could we envision an angel ever uttering the words attributed to Our Lady:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior... (Luke 1:46)

Could an angel ever experience this human emotion of joy like Mary did? Could an angel know this experience of being truly blessed by God? Something that powerfully permeates one's whole being -- so much so that it is undeniable...

Perhaps not.

Indeed, as some theoogians have taught, there may not be much advantage to being an angel...

St. Therese

The Carmelites in Darien sent me this lovely little picture.
Their website is here: https://www.littleflower.org/

Remembering the Mysteries...

 

As I grow older and my memory grows worse and worse, sometimes I forget the individual mysteries of the rosary. This can be a problem and distraction. But creating little word games can help in recalling things at the right time. In case you run into this problem also, here are a few ideas -- feel free to adapt or use your own...

Joyful -- let us recall that many popes recommend the rosary as a road to holiness. It is an Avenue of Pope Francis -- Annunciation / Visitation / Nativity /Presentation /Finding-in-the-Temple.

Sorrowful -- remembering the sorrowful mysteries is not hard. In fact, it's as easy As three Cs -- Agony / Scourging / Crowning / Carrying / Crucifying.

Glorious -- those who pray the rosary make "Radacal" progress in the way of perfection -- Resurrection / Ascension / Descent-of-H.S. / Assumption / Coronation.

(Will let you come up with your own for the Luminous)

St. Teresa's Prayer

IN THE HANDS OF GOD…..

By St Teresa of Jesus

I am Yours, and born for You.

What do you want of me?

Majestic, Sovereign,

Unending wisdom,

Kindness pleasing to my soul.

Kindness sublime, one Being Good,

Behold this one so vile.

Singing of her love to you:

What do You want of me?

Yours , you made me.

Yours, you saved me.

Yours, you endured me.

Yours, you called me.

Yours, you awaited me.

Yours, I did not stray.

What do You want of me?

Good Lord, what do You want of me?

What is this wretch to do?

What work is this,

This sinful slave, to do?

Look at me, Sweet Love,

Sweet Love, look at me,

What do you want of me?

In Your hand

I place my heart.

Body, life and soul,

Deep feelings and affections mine,

Spouse – Redeemer sweet,

Myself offered now to you.

What do You want of me?

Give me death, give me life,

Health or sickness,

Honor or shame,

War or swelling peace,

Weakness or full strength,

Yes, to these I say,

What do you want of me?

Give me wealth or want,

Delight or distress,

Happiness or gloominess,

Heaven or hell,

Sweet life, sun unveiled,

To you I give all.

What do You want of me?

Give me if you will, prayer,

Or let me know dryness.

An abundance of devotion.

Or if not, then barrenness.

In you alone, Sovereign Majesty,

I find my peace.

What do You want of me?

Give me then wisdom.

Or for love, ignorance,

Years of abundance,

Or hunger and famine.

Darkness or sunlight,

Move me here or there:

What do You want of me?

If you want me to rest,

I desire it for love;

If to labor,

I will die working:

Sweet Love, say

Where, how, and when.

Calvary or Tabor give ne,

Desert or fruitful land,

As Job in suffering

or John at your breast,

Barren or fruitful vine,

Whatever be your will:

What do You want of me?

Be I Joseph chained

Or as Egypt’s governor,

David pained

Or exalted high,

Jonas drowned,

Or Jonas freed.

What do You want of me?

Silent or speaking,

Fruit-bearing or barren,

My wounds shown by the Law,

Rejoicing in the tender Gospel;

Sorrowing or exulting,

You alone live in me:

What do You want of me?

Yours I am, for You I was born.

What do You want of me?

Copy-typed St Teresa’s poem “In the Hands of God” by Alan Fox

from pages 377-379 Of the Collected Works of St Teresa if Avila, vol 3.

Kieren Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez

ICS Publications, Washington, DC

ISBN 0-935216-06-5 1985.

A Vision of Heaven...

Have you seen the "Peloton" exercise-bike commercials on TV?

You might recall one where the camera pans up-and-around, back-and-forth across the screen. We see a large building with a number of individual rooms -- people are exercising, working, and living.

Interesting...

But I wonder -- could heaven look something like this? We know Jesus tells us "My father's house has many rooms" (John 14:2-3).

Only God knows. But perhaps one could imagine a large building with:

• Rooms for artists, painters, musicians.
• Rooms for teachers, doctors, nurses, judges, athletes, cooks, farmers, soldiers.
• Rooms for Angels.
• Rooms for friends of the Blessed Virgin Mary and those who pray the Holy Rosary.
• Rooms for young children, and for young persons who have died -- such as unborn children lost through abortion.
• Rooms for martyrs and persons persecuted for their faith.
• Rooms for those devoted to Holy Scripture.
• Rooms for Eucharistic Adoration.

And maybe a lot of other rooms too!

[What do you imagine heaven to look like?]

Prayer Of Carmel

Queen and Beauty of Mount Carmel
Virgin of the solitude,
in the wilderness of Carmel
lies the world's eternal good.
Draw us to its deep seclusion,
and make God alone our goal
in the mystical Mount Carmel
that lies hidden in the soul.

Sr. Miriam OCD (Jessica Powers)