Living Monstrance

When Jesus sends out his apostles to preach, He sends them out as “sheep in the midst of wolves“.  (Matthew 10:16)  Now, sheep cannot defend themselves, and wolves love to feast on sheep.  This looks like a definite suicide mission.  What’s the deal here?

Let me tell a story.  I’ve weighed about 160 pounds since I was about 17.  I think my body size and weight hasn’t changed much since then.  A few pounds here and there, sometimes in better shape, sometimes not.  I’m not a big guy and not particularly a tough guy.

My older brother is a little different.  We’re about the same height, but his clothes don’t fit me.  He’s much stronger than I am, and tougher, too.

Now, when I was a freshman in high school, there was a room in one particular lonely hallway called the stage room.  I don’t know how it worked out, but there seemed to always be the biggest football players in this room waiting to seize on younger vulnerable guys passing by for some hazing fun.  Maybe it’s no coincidence that the team name is the Wolfpack.

One day as I was walking by, the door opened and I was seized upon.  Dragged into the stage room in the dark, the hazing was about to begin, when one of the guys recognized who I was.

“It’s Larry’s little brother.”  After a few laughs, they let me go.  These guys could have bent me into a pretzel with no problem.  But I came out with nothing but a messed up hairdo.

My brother was one of the strongest players on the football team.

None of the bigger guys in the school ever messed with me, because to them I was Larry’s little brother.  I was never afraid of hazing at my school.

What gives the apostles confidence to go out as sheep in the midst of wolves?  What gave St. Paul the guts to proclaim the truth in the midst of all the conniving of his powerful enemies?  I think I know: they have a Big Brother that the wolves of the world can’t mess with.

Now, we know the world can be a wild place.  It has wolves.  But you have the same Big Brother.  Never be afraid when you feel like a sheep in the midst of wolves.

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Several years ago, I got a phone call from a great friend of mine.  We became best friends in college and have kept in touch pretty regularly, even though he lives with his wife in New Jersey and I am in Boston.  Well this night he was filling me in on what had happened to him in his new career.

He had started teaching math to eighth-graders in a difficult public school system.  The students were all from an inner-city background in which many families are unstable or broken, the neighborhoods are dangerous, and there is a lack of true role models.

On top of this, there is a state-mandated exam that students must take, and so there is top-down pressure - on both the educational powers that be and the students - to succeed on it.  The response of the school system is to develop very systematized and inflexible curricula.

Now, when you put these two truths together - abandoned youth with an impersonal system - you get a lot of disinterested and rebellious students.  So, my friend, being a long-time basketball coach, immediately recognized a problem:

“Jerome, they’re at the sixth-grade level.  We’re starting way ahead of where they are,” he had told me.  So, he threw out the systemized curriculum and began teaching them differently.  He met them where they were, and they worked on fundamentals.

He kept them entertained with some stories from his personal life.  But even more importantly, he told them about life, about the class being a team, and how important each person was.  And he didn’t put up with any nonsense - he confronted the discipline problems squarely from day one.

He gave them the truth.  He treated them like his own.

Suddenly, the word about him was getting around the school.  One of his students, who was most feared by all the school faculty, said to him, “Mr. Kelly, we like coming to your class.  We actually learn something here.  You’re the only teacher that cares about us.”  After the first day, he never had a problem with discipline in Mr. Kelly’s class.

The kids worked, they learned, they grew - together.

But someone was watching.

See, the other faculty also caught wind.  His supervisor didn’t like his “style”.  She was jealous.

You know what, she made up some vague lies about what he was doing with the class, colored some evaluations, and recommended he be fired.  She had him brought before the principal at the end of the year.  And with her false evidence, convinced the principal that he was not appropriate for the school.

He did little to defend himself.  And there was no revenge in him, no vicious words of exasperation.  He left with his head high.

When he got done telling me this story, I said to him, “Wow, Tim, do you know how blessed you are?  You just lived the life of Jesus Christ.  How privileged are you!”

It was quiet for a little bit on the other end.  Then he said, “Jerome, it’s really lonely.”

I told him, “Tim, He is with you.  He is the only One who is with you.  It’s you and Him, that’s all.”

Saints Peter and Paul both fed God’s people with the Word of God.  They loved them as their own.  And they both suffered and died with no friend with them - except Him.

And so, they were happy - just to be with Him.

If you are going to live the truth, if you are going to be authentic in life, if you are going to boldly do the right things in life, don’t expect that you’ll be surrounded with friends when the going gets tough.  There is only One Who will be with you.  Do you like to be with Him?

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you.  If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:18-20)

He is the only One who gives us the Truth.  He loves us as His own.  He is the only One Who is with us always.

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St. John the Baptist was probably Jesus’ closest friend.  How do I know this?  Because John the Baptist was the best man at the Lord’s wedding: “He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice.” (John 3:29)

And you know when he got his wedding garment?  It was when Mary visited Elizabeth thirty years earlier.  It was then, still in his mother’s womb, that he leapt and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:14)

My brother just got married to a wonderful woman and friend on Saturday.  It was a great joy and privilege for me to be the best man at the wedding.  Now, a few weeks earlier, I had to go to a store and get fitted for a tux.

I walked in and the staff asked me questions, measured me, and had me try on a shirt, vest, a coat, pants - everything that I’d wear for the wedding.  When it was all sized up, we sat down.  As the clerk was punching things into a computer, I asked if they accepted MasterCard, because traditionally the best man covers his own tux.

“Oh, the groom’s already paid for it.”

In my heart I leapt for joy.  My brother had taken care of it.  He already paid the price.  He’s going to be a great husband and, God willing, a great father.

St. John the Baptist leapt not only because he got the garment that day, but because of the love of the Giver in providing it.

The Groom has already paid the price.  ”For you are bought with a great price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Happy Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist.

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My mother has a giant Divine Mercy image in her room right now.  She is so happy that it’s there, and since it first arrived, she has been very excited about it.

On one of the first days that it was there, she said to me, “You know, that picture is life-size.  If you walk up really close, you can actually see all the hairs on Him.”

How do you count hairs on a person’s head?  How do you even see the individual hairs on a person’s head?

You have to be very, very close to that person to do it.

When Jesus sent out His disciples on a mission, He said, “Fear no one.” (Matthew 10:26)  He said, “Even all the hairs of your head are counted.” (Matthew 10:30)  What was He telling them?  That God was very, very close to them.

Never be afraid of anyone who opposes your life mission with God.  Remember, your Father has your hairs counted.  He is very, very close to you.

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Before I left for Maryland last August to begin with the Franciscans, I had a large image of the Divine Mercy that I wanted to give away.  I had it framed and given to my local parish.  When I came back in February, I looked around the church and didn’t notice it so I asked the pastor.  He said he did not have room for it in the church, and had given it to the school.

I went to the school to find out that the image was locked away in a closet and was not being used, even during Divine Mercy Sunday.  So, I asked for it back, and decided I would give it to another pastor who I knew wanted it and would use it.

I had arranged to have a friend help pick it up and deliver it the Friday before last.  Well that morning, I was talking with my mother, who is struggling with meningeal carcinomatosis from breast cancer (that’s a technical way of saying cancer on her brain).  The family has received so many prayers and support like we’ve never seen before.  Food, visitors, helps of all sorts from different directions.  Reconciliations with old family and friends and neighbors.   And she’s been doing amazingly better than anyone expected - the doctors did not think she would still be alive.

So we were talking about listening to the Lord, when she said regarding the big white wall that faces her bed in her room, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a huge Divine Mercy image on that big blank wall?”  See, she didn’t know about the image, that I was planning to pick up the image 2 hours later to bring it to the other church.  But now I knew there was a change of plans.  It was coming to her.  I told her a little later, “I’m bringing a surprise.”

When we brought it in, she couldn’t believe it.  It was a very powerful experience.  (A picture is in the post on June 17: The Divine Mercy Image in Mom’s Room.)  And things began to happen right away.

My friend who helped me deliver the image is a friend of Mother Angelica, and so he told her a whole bunch of inspiring stories.  When he was about to leave, a brother from the Oblates of the Virgin Mary arrived with the Lord in Holy Communion.

He said to me afterwards, “I have never seen anything like that, what she said.”

After my mother received the Lord in Holy Communion, and spent time with the brother, her nurse arrived.  And when her nurse was finishing up with her, the local barber stopped by, and my parents’ living room was changed into a barber shop as she gave both my father and mother haircuts to prepare for my brother’s wedding.  We’ve never seen the house like that before!

Last week, we went to the doctor’s for the first time in a month, for a monthly treatment she is receiving for cancer.  The nurse practitioner was amazed at how she has turned around and has been progressing: “This is miraculous.  We have never seen this before.”  She gave her a 6-refill prescription for her treatment meds: “and that six refills should be a indication of our confidence.”  The doctor came in and said, “We thought we lost you.  This never happens.  We are amazed.”  There was excitement and happiness.

We went to visit the staff on the 6th floor of the hospital, where she had stayed for 9 days in April.  They were amazed to see her.  Her case manager said to us, “I’ve heard of these things happening, but I’ve never seen it.  There must have been a  lot of prayer.”

“And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying: ‘We never saw anything like this!‘”  (Mark 2:12)

When we trust in God, we live the greatest moments.  We see things we have never seen before.  Praise God!

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St. Francis’ love for God drew him to relate very personally to all of God’s creation.  He even called his own body “Brother Donkey”.  He disciplined Brother Donkey consistently, and he was seemed to be denying it many things.  Now, why did he choose the name donkey for his body?  And why was he always denying it?

As a Franciscan postulant for 5 months, one of the great gifts I received was to attend and be a part of a Christmas play.  A group of families that are friends of the friars put on this play each year.  The kids love it, and it’s a great event for the adults too.

The play had a big cast of characters, life-like costumes, and a pretty good-sized audience.  But this play wasn’t on a stage in a gym.  It was outside in Vermont.  There was real snow, a real barn, real sheep, … and a real donkey.

Now in the play, the donkey had carried the Blessed Mother into the barn with the Christ Child for the manger scene.  After that, he was tied up to stay where he was, and all the angels and shepherds and wise men joined in the manger scene.

Now, this was the climax of the play.  You can picture it: big barn doors are slowly opened to the audience, all attention is on the Mother and Child, the choir is singing heavenly music, the kids are all excited.

Now, I don’t know what it was, whether he didn’t like the music, or he had stagefright, or he had just had it with that “tied up” thing.  Or maybe he wanted to be the center of attention.  Whatever it was, being in the play wasn’t enough for him, because at the very climax of the play, in the middle of the manger scene, the donkey decided all of a sudden that he was getting outta there.

Out he began to stride, right through the middle of the scene.  First a little angel grabbed him, then a little shepherd, and then another little shepherd.  Finally, with some strong and steady pulling, he was drawn back to his post and tied up to stay.  He must have got the message, because he stayed put right where he was placed until it was time for him to go to bed.

The donkey was denied his escape.

Is there a tendency inside of you that says, “I’m outta here” when your life isn’t going according to your desires?  Do you feel like you need a new family, a new career, new neighbors, new friends?  Do you feel a need to be the center of attention?  That is Brother Donkey trying to escape and ruin the whole scene.  Follow the angel and shepherds, follow St. Francis:

Deny him.

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it.  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and cast away himself?“  (Luke 9:23-25)

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As a Minister of Holy Communion in the hospital, I had the privilege to visit many people who came from all types of backgrounds and were in all types of situations.  I would see joy, sorrow, pain, relief, the whole gamut of emotions it seems.  But the greatest sadness I ever saw was from a man who had become a medical success story.

I entered his room and found an 80-some-odd year old man all alone.  After a little introduction, I asked him why he was in the hospital.

“Oh, I had open heart surgery.  It came on all of a sudden, and the doctors say everything is going great.  My wife is coming by soon today, and it’s great to be with her.”

“Wow, that’s great!” I said, “And you are blessed to have your wife for company.”

He began to tell me more.  See, she is his second wife.  About 40 years ago, his first wife suddenly died.  A little while afterwards, he re-married.  But, his children didn’t like it.  They didn’t like that he re-married so soon.  So you know what?  They left him for good.

He hasn’t had contact with them since.  Over 40 years.  They don’t know his second wife.  They don’t know him.  They never knew he was this close to death.  They didn’t know he was in the hospital.

When he finished telling me this, I felt so bad it’s hard to describe.  But even worse, he gazed out the window, and then I saw in his eyes the greatest sadness I have ever seen in my life.

You know what?  If his children showed up, that sadness would have disappeared in a heartbeat.  There would be no accusations, no hard feelings from him, only joy, a great, great joy.  If they showed up, there would be a party - they would make his day.

“And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.  And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, I am not now worthy to be called your son.  And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring here the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found.”  (Luke 15:20-24)

Do you feel sometimes you and God are complete strangers, that you don’t have any contact with Him, that you don’t know Him at all and what He is living through?  Then know He misses your presence like you wouldn’t believe.  Know that He is waiting for you to come home to Him.  He is waiting for you to have a party for you.  He is waiting for you to make His day.

Happy Father’s Day.

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Right now, my mother has been at home struggling with cancer.  There have been ups and downs, good and bad, but we are all making it, and the Lord is doing great things in our midst.

One of the problems we face is her eating.  Her appetite hasn’t been good, so we have to be creative with ways to get food past her appetite and taste meters.

Well, one day back when she was in the hospital, a nutritionist stopped by.  My brother and I, being “competent” men, thought, “What’s she going to tell us that we don’t already know?”  But afterwards, I thought, she’s a gift - it’s good to listen to what she has to say.

So I went back to her and listened to her.

We talked about my mother’s situation and what we were doing, and she asked if we had tried smoothies.  “”Smoothies!” I thought, “That’s right - I used to make those a lot - I completely forgot about them.  What a great idea!”  She described some new products that basically compress a whole ton of calories and protein into a little, tiny, tasteless liquid.  “You could put that in the smoothies.”  In fact, she gave me a whole list of different ingredients and proportions to make.  “Wow - thank you - this is great!”

Well, when we got home, we started making these smoothies.  We ordered the little, tiny tasteless fluid on the internet.  We started blending anything that we had - strawberries, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, Ensure, milk, ice-cream, yogurt, you name it, mixing and matching depending on what we had.  Before, we couldn’t feed her anything - now it seemed like we could feed her half the fridge.

Then the final taste test came:

“This is delicious!  What do you call it?”  “It’s a Concoction.”

It has a name: Concoction.

Now, every day, we take whatever we’ve got, along with the little, tiny tasteless liquid, and make a Concoction.  When she gets on the phone, she tells everyone about the Concoction.  Even the rest of the family drinks the Concoction.

Now, here’s the point.  What if I stayed with my self-righteous, know-it-all attitude?  What if I never listened to what the nutritionist had to say?  What if I never accepted this hidden, little gift, and said a little yes?  What if I never went back to her?  I think I know:

No Concoction.

How important that nutritionist was!  How important was my little yes!

“[The Kingdom of God] is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth is less than all the seeds that are in the earth: and when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs and shoots out great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the shadow thereof.” (Mark 4:31-32)

Do you have an open heart?  Are you willing to say yes to little things?  It’s then that the Lord can do great things with you.

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