Praying on Empty
In lieu of a Book Review this week and a regular post, here is the Introduction to my latest book . . .
A fat mother groundhog lives in the backyard of my convent. The other day I glanced out my window and thought I saw her standing like a statue. But no. It was an enormous bird! I grabbed my camera and dashed out the backdoor. Too late—the exotic creature flew off and disappeared. This experience is the perfect image for the subject of this book. God is sometimes as elusive as that bird. We yearn to come close to him, yet we can’t. Either God hides for some unfathomable reason, or we don’t have the knack of capturing him—not for a photo but for a heart-to-heart talk.
If the title Praying on Empty has seized your attention, you probably know what I’m talking about. You used to like to pray. You felt connected to God and enveloped by divine love. Sometimes you had a flash of insight about God, life in general, or your own life. A Scripture passage spoke to you with a new and personal meaning. Praying and singing with other Christians at Mass made your heart swell with joy. Prayer filled you with peace and seemed to empower you with the strength to face any trials. You felt good . . . and even holy. (more…)
Spring Cleaning: House, Body, and Soul
In just the past few days, the world outside my window has burst into bloom. A little tree filled with red blossoms is backed by a host of trees in various shades of green. The little azalea plant the mail carrier trods on when it’s snow-covered still has buds. A woodpecker hammers a telephone pole. All is fresh. Now that the earth is renewed, I was motivated to renew my house and yard. The steps I took to accomplish this have parallels with our lives.
First, I realized that I am a hoarder. Every carton, large and small, delivered to me during the past ten years I tossed into the attic for future use. My nephew the fireman would faint if he saw the collection. Large bags were stuffed with styrofoam packing peanuts and other packing material. And drawers and boxes held reams of half clean paper intended for copying my manuscripts…which nowadays are only on computer files. So the cardboard and paper went into recycling bins, and the peanuts and 50 pieces of cardboard shaped like book covers found a home in a school. The house is streamlined; time to streamline my life. For one thing, my body could shed a few pounds! Then there are the superfluous activities that fill up my days. Do I really need to read all those novels and watch that many DVDs? In addition, my mind has a store of bad memories like hurts and failures. No need to dwell on them. Throw them out.
My backyard was littered with deadwood, literally. I stacked the tree limbs (some six feet long) and branches behind the garage and filled two large bags with hundreds of twigs. Is there a relationship that has expired and is ruining the landscape and beauty of my life? Is a project not bearing fruit and wasting my time?
I polished furniture, my cross, and the wood floor so they look their best. If I take care of myself, I too will “shine.” Time to make appointments—for a physical, an eye exam, a dental check-up, a haircut, maybe a hearing test. Oh, and confession.
Windows decorated with smears, dust, and fingerprints need washing; otherwise we don’t see clearly through them. The world looks dingy and blurred. In this era of
alternative truths and fake news, let’s pray that we and other Americans have 20-20 vision when it comes to distinguishing the truth.
This is the month for the Big Switch, when heavy winter clothing is put away and light, colorful spring garb is unearthed. What should be disposed of because it is old, torn, stained, not worn in a long time, or hasn’t fit for the past ten years and probably never will? Getting detached, not only from clothing but from other things, is liberating. There’s less to clean, less to keep track of, and less to move around. On the spiritual level, we can also become detached, especially from something harmful such as a bad habit, an addiction, a bad influence.
During this Easter season when nature is renewed and when we celebrate that Jesus has brought forth a new creation, let’s celebrate life by cleaning up and renewing our lives. After all, as St. Irenaeus famously said, “The glory of God is a person fully alive.” Just as the glorious world during springtime proclaims the glory of God, so can we.
What have you done so far this spring to purge your life and renew it?
BOOK REVIEW People of God’s Mercy: What 14 figures from Scripture reveal about Divine Compassion
Marci Alborghetti Twenty-Third Publications $14.95
In the document announcing our Year of Mercy, the Holy Father wrote: ““We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace.” The book People of God’s Mercy assists us in doing just that. Each chapter in this book hones in on a particular person in the Bible who has experienced God’s mercy or offered it to someone.
In the first part of the chapter the person relates his or her story, complete with the thoughts and feelings Alborghetti supposes must have occurred during the events. The second part of the chapter relates the biblical person to our own lives. For example, the murder Cain commits is akin to the anger we harbor occasionally; the jealousy of Leah mirrors our jealousy. Other characters a chapter is devoted to include Martha and, of course, Peter.
The first-person accounts make for intriguing reading, while the reflections are practical and can be taken to heart. Questions for personal consideration conclude each chapter.
Some theologians consider mercy the greatest of God’s attributes. When we practice mercy, we are more Godlike. This book offers insights into the meaning of mercy.
Journeying with Jesus
The first time I was to fly alone to Abu Dhabi to speak at a religious conference, I was rather frightened—petrified would be more accurate. It meant stopping in Chicago to switch to Etihad, the United Arab Emirates airline, flying over the ocean (daunting to a non-swimmer like me), and then counting on someone to meet me in the Abu Dhabi airport. I decided to imagine that Jesus was with me on this journey. We’d be taking this trip together. After all, it was his work I was doing.
In Chicago, when I requested a window seat, the clerk said the flight was full and none was available, but he would give me a good seat. It turned out to be the last one in the back, but there was an empty seat beside it…the only empty seat on the plane! So it was easy to think of Jesus as my traveling companion.
Of course, Jesus, who is God, is constantly with us, but we usually aren’t aware of him. This was the case with the two disciples walking the seven 
miles to Emmaus—Clopas and the other unnamed one, perhaps his wife. The risen Jesus was walking with them, talking with them, but they didn’t recognize him. Worse yet, they thought that Jesus, being dead and buried, could not possibly be the Messiah they had hoped him to be. They rejected the women’s news that Jesus was risen. And so they were dejected.
Each year our fifty-day-long Easter season reminds us that Jesus is risen. He opened the eyes of the two Emmaus travelers to this truth in two ways. First he broke open Scripture for them, going through the Hebrew Scriptures and pointing out the passages that indicated that the Messiah would first suffer. Second Jesus revealed himself by breaking bread with them in the inn. As at the Last Supper, he took, blessed, broke and gave the bread. Jesus uses the same methods to assure us that he is alive and with us. At each Eucharist, we hear Scripture proclaimed and broken open in the homily, and we share in the sacred bread and wine that is Jesus. Our faith is bolstered by the women and men believers gathered in church with us—all witnessing to the fact that Jesus lives and therefore our final destination is heaven and everlasting life. Alleluia!
No matter where our journey on Earth leads—through pleasant valleys when we are at peace, through dark forests when we are scared, on mountaintops when we are happy, or in deserts when we are alone and sad—the risen Jesus walks with us. Let us pray that our eyes are open and we are mindful of him with us and within us. As we pray in Psalm 139:7-10, “Where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in the land of the dead, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.”
By the way, as I flew home from Abu Dhabi, again on a full flight there was an empty seat next to me.
When have you experienced the risen Jesus accompanying you, perhaps in the form of another person?
BOOK REVIEW Little Sins Mean a Lot: Kicking Our Bad Habits Before They Kick Us
Elizabeth Scalia Our Sunday Visitor, $14.95
Every morality course should make this book required reading. Scalia focuses on the faults that make us less than we would want to be and that might evolve into serious sins, like the capital sins. Some of the topics are procrastination, griping, self-neglect, excessive self-interest, suspicion, and gossip. The reader will cringe to realize that, yes, that’s me. But Scalia admits it first. In fact, she refers to herself as “the walking embodiment of all of these bad habits and sins.” Each chapter, sometimes with painful honesty, is shored up by personal examples of faults either in her or those who are in her life.
Each chapter opens with a quotation from diverse sources ranging from Homer Simpson to St. Benedict. After a discussion of the bad habit, it is further enhanced by a list of related quotations culled from the Church documents, popes, and saints. For those who can claim the little sin as their own, Scalia offers several practical recommendations for combating it. A few times she suggests praying to our Guardian Angel (another invisible friend who is always with us). The chapter concludes with a prayer.
You would expect that, considering the subject, this would be a heavy, boring book. Far from it. The author’s light tone, wit, and funny bone all come into play. Although this book could be used to make an examination of conscience, it is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.
Easter Symbols, Old and New
The Easter season is fifty days long, affording us plenty of time to ponder this fantastic mystery of our faith: Jesus made it possible for us to live forever. We celebrate the death/rising phenomenon employing various symbols that point to new, abundant life: eggs, rabbits, lilies, the sun, spring. I’ve thought of a new Easter symbol for our modern world. The other day my computer “died.” For no apparent reason, the screen became dark. No amount of clicking and pushing buttons brought back the manuscripts I was working on, the artwork I saved, and access to my email account and Facebook. After several long minutes of panic, I pulled out all the plugs and replugged them, and then turned off the power on the surge protector and turned it on again. Miraculously the computer came back to life. You can imagine my relief and joy. This experience, like other metaphors, limps. Yes, what was dead was revived. But on Easter, Jesus came back different—with a new and glorious life. He could walk through walls, appear and disappear, and he would never die again. Alas, after dying, my computer is not improved at all. It still has a virus, and it still won’t let me view certain videos. Moreover, I know that someday it will konk out again.
Life offers other experiences that are mini-Easters. A relative or friend is in a coma with no hope for survival, and suddenly he or she moves a hand. A precious plant shrivels up and “dies,” and just when you are going to throw it out, you notice it has two tiny green leaves. A person that you lost track of gets in touch, and your friendship is revived.
In case you are not familiar with, or forgot, the reasons for the traditional Easter symbols, read on . . .
Spring flowers: During winter the world is barren and looks dead, but when spring comes, in our landscapes—and maybe in our yards—vibrant, new flowers burst forth.
Rabbits: These are prolific animals, a fitting symbol of the abundant life Jesus promised.
Eggs: Just as a chick emerges from what looks like an inanimate object, Jesus comes forth from the tomb “newborn.”
Lily: This flower is shaped like a trumpet as though it announces Jesus’ resurrection. Its white color stands for purity, while its gold stamens symbolize royalty and glory.
Sunrise: After the dead of night, the brilliant, life-giving sun rises in the East, a symbol of the Son who rose.
Lamb: Cakes in the shape of a lamb and covered with cocoanut are served at Easter meals. They stand for the “Lamb of God,” Jesus who was sacrificed for us once and for all. His sacrifice was foreshadowed by the Passover lambs whose blood on Hebrew doorposts in Egypt saved these slaves from death.
Butterfly: A lowly caterpillar emerges from its cocoon as a new creature, a lovely butterfly with wings that enable it to fly. Obviously the butterfly symbolizes the new life Jesus has as he leaves behind an empty tomb.
New clothes: At baptism we put on Christ and were made new.
Alleluia: This word means “Praise the Lord.” (from the Hebrew “Hallel,” for praise and “Yah” for Yahweh.) It conveys thanks and joy. This is one reason why Handel’s Messiah with its “Hallelujah Chorus” is popular around Easter.
What other modern or natural symbols for Easter can you think of?
B
OOK REVIEW: Our Lady of Fatima: 100 Years of Stories, Prayers, and Devotions
Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle Servant Books, $15.99
This May, Pope Francis is expected to canonize Francesco and Jacinta Marto, two of the three children who witnessed Mary’s appearances at Fatima. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first apparition on May 13, 1917. The book Our Lady of Fatima could not be more timely.
The author presents a carefully detailed exposition of the apparitions, beginning with the Angel of Peace’s visits in 1916 that prepared the three visionaries for Mary and concluding with Mary’s final visit, when the miracle of the dancing sun occurred, witnessed by thousands of people. This is followed by accounts of the lives of the three cousins, Francesco, Jacinta, and Lucia after the Fatima apparitions. The siblings Francesco and Jacinta died as children, but Lucia lived to become a Carmelite nun and died in the year 2000.
People who are familiar with the Fatima story, perhaps from viewing the movie about it, will learn new facts. For example, I didn’t know that Mary continued to speak to the children individually after the famous apparitions. Also, I was surprised to learn the extent of the sacrifices the three children undertook as a result of their special mission and the suffering it entailed. They truly did lead the heroic lives of virtue required for canonization.
Found in the book are explanations of the “three” secrets of Fatima and Mary’s requests, in particular, consecrating the world to her Immaculate Heart and the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. Included are various Popes’ reactions to Our Lady’s requests. Of course, the story of St. Pope John Paul II’s survival after being shot with four bullets on May 13 is recounted. The Pope attributed this miracle to Our Lady of Fatima and had one extracted bullet inserted in Mary’s crown on her statue in Portugal.
Woven through the book are numerous quotations from Popes and personnel of EWTN, where the author is a host. Each chapter ends with thoughts for reflection, suggestions for application, and a prayer. In an Appendix is a collection of prayers and devotions related to Fatima.
The book is marred by needless repetition and a few errors: beautified for beatified, lightening for lightning, and some incorrect punctuation. These can be overlooked in light of the book’s content; for the outstanding messages of Fatima are pray for world peace, especially the rosary, and perform sacrifices for sinners. This advice is sorely needed today. Reading this book promises to kindle a renewed zeal for living a holier life.
How to Celebrate Easter
Weeks before Easter, my mother would begin creating Easter eggs. She used melted beeswax in a coffee tin lid to make strokes on the eggs using a straight pin in the end of a wooden matchstick. Then she soaked the eggs overnight in Chick-Chick dye. When she scraped off the wax with a butterknife, the white patterns stood out against vivid colors. My new book Living Faith at Home, which offers suggestions for nurturing the Catholic faith in “the domestic church,” includes ideas for celebrating Easter. You might adopt one or two from the following excerpt:
Easter Season
Easter (not Christmas) is the highpoint of our Church year because on that day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ that made possible our own resurrection. His resurrection is the foundation of our Christian faith. Just as God saved his people from death by the blood of the Passover lamb and led them out of slavery to the Promised Land, Jesus, the Lamb of God, by his blood saved us from sin and death and made it possible for us to enter heaven. Make Easter a fantastic celebration at your house. (more…)
