Category Archives: counsel
A Lonely Place
“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” – Luke 12: 49-53
Being a Christian can feel lonely at times. In today’s culture you may feel ostracized by the world that just wants you to keep your mouth shut and your beliefs to yourself. Also at times, you may feel a sort of spiritual loneliness; where like David in the Psalms, you feel like God is hiding His face from you. Being a Christian is not always a walk in the park. I have personally found that one of the most painful feelings for me is wanting to share the joy I have found in Christ, but even among those closest to me, they simply do not want to hear about it. Sometimes I desperately want to be open about that part of myself with those I love who are not Catholic, but I know it will be met with silence, sarcasm, or anger. Though I still speak up in defence of the truth, I have also had to find different ways of showing that faith without words to my family and friends who do not believe or are against listening to anything that leans towards objective truth.
In our present culture, where “hate” has become the new catchphrase for anyone who stands up for objective moral truth, it is almost comical to see how much hatred the world has for authentic Christianity. Jesus warned us of the hate we would experience for loving and following Him, but He also reminds us that the world hated Him first.
The struggle can be difficult at times, yet, we know that there is victory in the struggles that we endure as Christians. The feeling of loneliness we can encounter can become redemptive. We can come to encounter Christ more deeply by offering our suffering to Him and with Him. Saint Teresa of Avila said, “Suffering is a great favor. Remember that everything soon comes to an end… and take courage. Think of how our gain is eternal.” We must take these words to heart and remember that the lives we live here are temporary.
It is of great importance to pray for the gifts of charity, humility, and patience. Charity is one of the hardest things to practice toward someone who speaks ill of you. It can be equally as hard to remain charitable when Christ or His Church is attacked. It can be much easier to get angry than to take a breath, pray for a moment, and speak respectfully to that person. Keep in mind our Blessed Lord before Pontius Pilate. He simply spoke the truth in peace.
It can be difficult to love the people who attack us, whether it be in the online sphere or among our families, friends, co-workers, etc. It is of paramount importance that we continue to love those who hurt us. This doesn’t mean that you have to be best friends, or even get along. It may even mean ending the relationship. But, we must be willing to reach out and serve them. We must remember that they deserve love and respect, even when they don’t give these things to us. Jesus loves the person who attacks us and desires for them to be united with Him for all eternity. Our job is to show that by our deeds, and then our words.
Remember you are not alone.
I remember years ago feeling very alone and wishing that I wasn’t. I was so caught up in myself that I forgot that I was never alone. I failed so many times to enter into prayer, to recall the saints, or to seek out authentic community. In hindsight, I wish I had been able to remember those painful hours Jesus wept in the garden. I forgot that on the cross, Jesus cried out, “my God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Now, I understand that I can take consolation in the fact that not only can I offer my struggles, loneliness, and sufferings to Jesus, but that I can unite them with His suffering for the salvation of souls.
Pray for those that persecute you. Pray that their hearts may not be hardened. Pray that they may recognize the love in you as God’s love for them. Pray for them if they abandon you, or if you have to leave that relationship for reasons beyond your control. Leave it all in the hands of the Father. He will take care of His children.
Love,
Catholic Ruki
We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God. – Saint Vincent de Paul
Our Unwitting Greed
And He said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. – Luke 12:15
I’m sure that many of us could easily admit that our culture is materialistic. From the time we were children, whether we know it or not, we learned selfish tendencies, and in more than just materialistic ways. We have been taught to look after ourselves first, and while this can be important to keep ourselves healthy (mentally, emotionally, and spiritually), unfortunately we often slip into habits of greed and selfishness, sometimes without even realizing it.
The way we interact with people may be selfish. Do we wish to surround ourselves with people that will make us feel good all the time? Do we want to only be surrounded by people that fit a certain criteria? If we surround ourselves with people that must make us feel good all time and never be truly honest or challenge us to grow to be better people, then we are simply being proud. Relationships should be rooted in love, and a desire to lead each other to holiness. If we only have friends because they make us feel good, or they satisfy a need for entertainment, then it should not surprise us if eventually those relationships wither and die.
Although there is beauty in friendship, and there can certainly be good fruits from many of our relationships, the goal should not be our own satisfaction. We certainly need care and love, and it is definitely necessary at times to ask in humility for respect and love from those that claim to love us, but the end result should aim to help the other grow closer to Christ.
Do we often think about others first? When we do things for people, do feel like we need to always be thanked, praised, or paid back? If we are truly acting out of love, then we should not feel the need for all or any of those things. Love does not require a payback, a thank you, or recognition from other people. Of course we should do what we can to thank those who are loving towards us, but when we are bitter when we are not noticed for being loving, then that loving action instantly becomes twisted with our pride. When we love, maybe we should just love expecting nothing at all. We should see the love we give as a reward in itself.
Let temporal things be in the use, eternal things in the desire.” ― Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
I am not saying it is not a worthy pursuit to be happy. What I can say, however, is that holiness ultimately trumps an earthly happiness. What should take priority above all things, even our own happiness, is being holy, and seeking to have a good relationship with Christ. There are things in life that require sacrifice. There are things in life that will hurt, and that hurt may go on for a long time. There are things in life that maybe we didn’t plan or even want, but have been given to us to help us to grow strong, and to grow in love.
If when we were children and we were taught in schools to do what made us happy rather than to always do what is right, imagine the chaos our world would be in. If we were taught growing up to love, to do the right thing, even if it meant not getting what we wanted, and to be selfless, we would live in a world where things would be much different. If we each sought actual holiness instead of happiness, I think in turn we will also find happiness. Happiness does not always lead to holiness, but holiness will lead to a joy far greater in heaven.
During this lenten season, we are called to reflect on our relationship with Christ and prepare ourselves for Easter. The Church calls us to fast, to pray, and to give alms. We should hold ourselves accountable for sins of selfishness and greed that may be in the way of having a better relationship with God, and with the people that surround us in our homes, workplaces, and in society in general. Let us seek to live our lives that are holy above all else, that seek simplicity and truth, and that help us to be humble. The things we accumulate in this world will not come with us when we die. If we wish to accumulate something in life, it should be acts of love, and a desire to love selflessly above all else. This is what will yield good fruit, if not in this world, then in the eternal kingdom of heaven.
Love,
Catholic Ruki
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6959
http://www.josemariaescriva.info/article/opus-dei-founder-st-josemaria-escriva-teachings-on-almsgiving-or-how-to-to-lend-a-hand
http://orthodoxcatholicism.com/2013/02/23/deny-thyself/
http://orthodoxcatholicism.com/2013/04/20/i-am-a-hypocrite-presumption-and-the-importance-of-penitence/
The Brown Scapular
“WHOSOEVER DIES IN THIS GARMENT SHALL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE.”
– promise of Our Lady to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251
Yes. That is her promise. When I first learned of the brown scapular, I was a little taken back when I learned of her promise. Is that all? All I have to do is wear that piece of wool on string and I won’t go to Hell? Well, that IS her promise, but it’s not that simple. I’ll come back to this later in the post. Let’s start from the beginning first.
Mt. Carmel, a mountain on the northwest coast of Palestine was the location of many events from the Bible. In the Old Testament, Elijah challenged the people that turned to the pagan god Baal. He brought the elders that worshipped Baal to the mountain and had them each prepare a place for an offering. The altar that was set aflame would determine who the true god was. After building his altar, he soaked it in water, making it impossible for human hands to set it aflame. When Elijah called upon God, a bolt of lightning came down. The pagan prophets were killed. Elijah then went into hiding in the mountain and was joined by other prophets. There they lived in peace.
In the New Testament, Our Lady was in the shadow of Carmel in Nazareth, and it was here that she said yes to God to carry His only Son. Mary and Joseph passed over Mt.Carmel on their return from Egypt. Hermits on the mountain rejoiced for their Saviour had finally come. It is said that the Carmelites were the first people baptized by the apostles. They also had great love for the Blessed Mother and built a church on the mountain named after her as a sign of their love for her.
Jump ahead to 550. The scapular is worn by those within religious orders as a sign of reminder of service to God. A scapular is two pieces of wool strung so that when placed over the head one piece of wool hangs on the front and another on the back. Often images are embroidered on the wool pieces. It is a sacramental, which means that it is a tangible silent prayer and it is worn as a reminder of our faith. It is also worn as something we can physically see and touch during times of temptation so that we may ask for intercession during times of need.
In 1251, Simon Stock begged Our Lady to help repair the issues within the new order of Carmelites. Many people thought that there were enough orders and another wasn’t necessary. Internally, the younger and older monks were having a hard time getting along. Later, Mary appeared to him saying, “take this Scapular, it shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger and a pledge of peace. Whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire,” and she handed him the brown scapular. Eventually, the wearing of the scapular spread from not only religious but to laity as well. It’s worth noting that this story is not by any means dogma, but has been passed down through the centuries largely through oral tradition.
There is more to this promise. While Mary always keeps her promises to her Children, it is only in devoting our lives to Christ through his Mother that we will be worthy of the scapular we wear. To be eligible for this promise, there are a few things one must do after being enrolled in the Family of Carmel by a Carmelite priest or any other priest.
1. You must wear the scapular perpetually.
2. Live a Chaste life according to your vocation ( married or single)
3. Recite daily the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin OR Observe the fasts of the Church together with abstaining from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays OR With permission of a priest, say five decades of Our Lady’s Most Holy Rosary OR With permission of a priest, substitute some other good work.
This isn’t a free ride to Heaven, though. In wearing the scapular, we are to live up to the expectations of Mary. If we choose not to live like Mary, the Scapular will find it’s way off. If the wearer is in a state of mortal sin and refuses to cooperate with God’s Grace to confess his sins and be fully repentant, God will not take their free will from them. Their own choices to separate from God will surely be the cause of the removal of the scapular. As said in the Audio Sancto I attached below, “Mary will not be made a fool of.”
Her promise is strong and sure. By devoting our lives to Christ through a devotion to Mary we can achieve holiness. By loving her as our Mother and Queen she will readily be with us to help us through trials and struggles in our lives. She will lead us to her Son and help prepare us for the Kingdom. Like Christ, we too should be obedient to our mothers and live our lives out of love for her and her Son. The Devil and his demons tremble at the name of Mary, and they fear the Brown Scapular. Pray your Rosary. Love Mary. Love Christ.
Here is the Link to an amazing sermon from Audio Sancto all about the brown scapular. I encourage you all to listen to it, as it is full of amazing stories and miracles.
http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20100718-Stories-Of-The-Brown-Scapular.html
Also, below are other resources and links so you can order your own scapular.
Love, Ruki
http://www.sistersofcarmel.com/brown-scapular-information.php
http://www.freebrownscapular.com/
http://www.freebrownscapular.com/brown_scapular_history.html
http://www.prayerbook.com/Prayers/LiturgyBVM/liturgybvm.htm
Team Orthodoxy 