Men's Rosary

It is important to have  an understanding of who we are.  The challenge is that we really do not know, and we will not own up to that.  It always causes me to take pause when someone introduces themselves as the husband or wife of so and so, father or mother of x number of children, or even more interesting, the job or career they have.  We are not these things.  We are children of God and we are, hopefully, growing in His likeness.  “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we will see him as he is.”  (1 John 3:2)  Our life is to be nothing other than determining God’s will for us and uniting our will to the Divine will.  We are not who we were yesterday or today.  We are always preparing for tomorrow, for what is to come in God’s plan and being open and obedient to it, despite our faults and failings.  “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”  (1 Peter 4:1-2)

If we are not careful, we will grasp on to the opinions of the world or our circumstances, successes, and failures, as the measure of who we are.  This can in turn harm our spiritual life in a couple of ways.  In one way, we will be the victim of pride and on the other hand, we could stifle our growth by focusing too much on our failings and current situation.  In pridefulness, due to our successes, we come to depend too much on ourselves and forget that we are nothing without God.  A dangerous and shallow place to be.  “For you are dust and to dust you shall return.”  (Genesis 3:19) 

If we focus on our past, our failings in life, sins we committed or even our current situation and sinfulness, we can preclude ourselves from answering God’s call to grow in holiness and service to His church.  We must be able to forgive ourselves, for if we do not, that is pride.  “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”  (Psalm 103:10-14)  In forgiving ourselves we open the way for the Holy Spirit to work in us and open a pathway to heaven.  We open a way to becoming the person we are willed to be by God.  Too many times, we simply get in our own way!  The first step toward forgiving others is forgiving ourselves.

If forgiving ourselves is key in our spiritual growth, then forgiving others is key in supporting them in their spiritual growth.  We are called to lift one another up and help each other enter the Kingdom.  “We who are strong have an obligation to bear the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”  (Romans 15:1-2)  This is how we build up the Church.  Christ gave us the perfect example from the cross when he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34)  We are called to forgive in like manner, not only others but ourselves as well.  It seems to be a high bar for sure, but we see in Scripture that others did the very same thing.  Our first Christian martyr and deacon, as he was being stoned, forgave as Christ forgave.   “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out,  “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.”  And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”  And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”  (Acts 7:59-60)

This seems like a tall order of forgiveness, service, detachment, humility, etc.  And it is.  But we encounter the very source of our success in this endeavor at every Mass we are at.  The Eucharist!  Christ gave us his body and blood to be with us for all time as the food for the journey; the journey of becoming the person we were created to be.  “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”  (John 6:54)  It is Christ, in the Most Blessed Sacrament that sustains us all.  We should come to this Sacrament prepared in our disposition, in reverence and awe, contemplating what He has given for us, the depth of His forgiveness and mercy, and our unworthiness and smallness.  To haphazardly receive our Lord is a grave offense.  It is important to enter into the Mass prayerfully and completely so that we are led to Communion in the proper disposition to receive Him who gave everything, and receive the graces and strength promised us.  “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29) 

Let us all work on the person we are to become and honestly forgive ourselves for any faults and failings, knowing we are not the sins of our past.  Let us acknowledge that any sins and transgressions today are not to define who we are but are redeemable through the blood of Christ and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  May we be charitable and compassionate in forgiving our neighbor and not hold judgment against them or define their person by any of their deeds, knowing that they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  And most importantly, may we see Christ in the Eucharist, receive Him reverently and frequently; visit Him often in the tabernacle and adoration, knowing that He is the source of our strength and life.  As we receive Him, may we become like Him in all that we do. May we become the person we were Divinely willed to be and serve God well! “Our sharing in the body and blood of Christ has no other purpose than to transform us into that which we receive.”  (Pope St. Leo the Great)

“If Jesus stays with us wherever there is a consecrated host, what need is there to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to visit places he lived two thousand years ago?  If only people visited tabernacles with the same devotion.”  (St. Carlo Acutis)