Tag: Love

Joyful Mystery

From the Annunciation to the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. There is a lot of uncertainties within this series of decades in the Holy Rosary. It makes you wonder, why is it called the Joyful Mystery? The title of each decade is very exciting and it holds a beautiful story, but when we look deeper into each story what does it really say.

I was very inspired to write this reflection based off of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s video on “Having Joy in the Uncertainties”, which made me then realize the joy in the midst of this life of suffering. Momma Mary, in the Annunciation was approached by the angel Gabriel and was told that she would bare the Son of God. In response she said “Let it be done unto me according to thy word”, I never realized this until I watch the video with Fr. Mike, was that the very next sentence was “then the angel departed from her”. Can you imagine being in that moment, being told that you are going to have within you the Son of God and that was literally it? No context or anything. Like where do you go from there? No one told Mary and Joseph that they would have to go to Bethlehem and give birth to Christ in a manger. No one mentioned that they would have to flee to Egypt to save their Son from being killed. No one told Mary that she would have to witness her Son be tortured, spat on and crucified. There was so much uncertainty that the only thing that was certain was and still is the past. Yet, Momma Mary was still joyful. The Apostles were still joyful, they spread the Good News throughout the world. Through their suffering came out a lot of joy.

It is very humbling to know that in this life of suffering, there is joy that will follow. Yet, we do not know when or where that will come but we remain hopeful. I know for myself in this pandemic, at the beginning of the year, everything was set in stone, I was ready… then the NBA got cancelled, that’s when I knew things were going to change. It was so humbling for me to realize that everything can just be taken away in the snap of a finger. There was so much that was unexpected at that point in time that I had no choice but to rely on God and entrust myself to His will. It was hard to remain hopeful but after households, after one to ones I felt the joy and the hope that the Lord was wanting me to feel. To understand that I was being called to love in the uncertainty, to be joyful in the midst of the suffering. There is so much that I do not know and I can only pray the Lord, for you and I both, gives us the heart to overcome the world. To love beyond our capacities. There is joy and hope because God is with us.

Lord God, help us to entrust our lives to You in the midst of these times. There is so much uncertainty but with You we find hope and joy. Give us the strength to carry on. This we ask through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

Christian

An Invitation

The world is literally crumbling right now. It’s amazing how just one virus can bring the world to its knees. A lot of people are suffering and dying because of it. It brings us to the question, how could God allow something like this to happen? What is the good in all that is happening around the world right now? Where is God?

It’s funny because before everything happened I wasn’t really taking Lent seriously, it was more so as a routine for me. Actually I didn’t even realize it was Lent or take it in until I was at the Ash Wednesday mass. I went about this Lent just thinking that it is just another year where I have to get through these 40 days that nothing was going to come out of this. Man, was I ever wrong. Once COVID-19 started to get worse as the days went on, I began to realize what I was missing. It was hard not being able to go to mass, realizing that I was not able to be with Christ physically. With everything going on it is making me realize of how much I am missing and how much of my life is not centred around Christ. Here I am, at the beginning of Lent thinking it’ll be okay because I will continue to serve and that will be pleasing to the Lord. I’m not saying that serving Him is not pleasing, but when not putting Him at the centre of my life, I realized that my service becomes routine as well and just “another thing to do”. Now that I am not able to be with Him physically, I felt like it was all over. I realized that I relied so much on Christ being there physically present so much that I forgot that He is literally everywhere and in everyone we encounter.

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” – Blaise Pascal

With everything that is going on and with a lot of reflection, I am realizing the aspects of my life that Christ is asking me to put Him at the centre. That with all that this world throws at us, God gives us the opportunities to be closer with Him. Suffering is an invitation to be closer with God. We are given a sliver of Christ’s cross to carry. Nothing that we are feeling – the pain, anger, tiredness, sadness, it is nothing compared to what Christ went through, bearing the whole world’s sins on His cross that He carried. The mere fact that Christ walked this earth shows just how much God wants to be present with us and a part of our lives. So I pray, continue to let Him into your hearts. Pray for me as well that I do the same. Make Jesus the centre of your life – in all aspects.

Lord, thank You for blessing us with this life, with the opportunities to encounter You. Lord, protect us from all that is happening right now in this world. So many are suffering but in the same way we know that You are hurt as well seeing us in pain. Protect those on the frontlines Lord – the nurses, doctors, janitors and all those who are putting themselves at risk with everything. Through this suffering Lord, allow us to seize those opportunities where we are able to bring you to the centre of our lives, but to also be a beacon of hope for those around us that aren’t seeing or experiencing Your love.

Amen.

Christian Medeiros

How Much Do You Love?

How much do you love? Do we love like Christ? Do we try to love like Christ? I leave that to your discretion on how to determine those questions. I remember being asked by a brother one time about how much I love. I told him, a lot. So he asked me, “Christian, if it were to be 3AM and it is a blizzard outside and it’s freezing. You’re in your bed fast asleep and this friend of yours calls you because for some reason they just finished work and they ask you, ‘bro, can you drive me home? I can’t get a hold of my parents and I have no other way home’, will you be willing to bring them home?”

I remember I was left there pondering what I would do in that situation. When it came down to it, I said yes, I would. Why? At the time I never fully grasped why, I just knew that I was willing. Looking back at it actually, yes, that is the most extreme inconvenience if ever faced with that. But then again, I ask… how much do you love?

Love is a choice not a feeling. Love is something that was never meant to be convenient although it can be sometimes. Love is something that is meant to push us to see Christ in others. It is something that makes us a better version of ourselves. It allows us to see our weaknesses and allows us to conquer our dreams. Love allows us to do spontaneous things for those we choose to love.

Sound familiar? God does the same. God is Love and Love is God. In those situations of doubt and fear, anger or frustration… ask yourself, what would Christ do? The answer will always be love.

Lord, allow us to love just as You do. Give us the strength in times of anger or frustration, doubt or worry to just remember to love. Amen.

Christian

 

 

Kinsmanship

The last couple of days I spent time with both my upper and lower household. In fact for 48hrs the only people I saw were my household. On Thursday some of us went to Wonderland to celebrate the birthdays of two brothers. One of those brother’s was Vince, who was our Full Time Pastoral Worker (FTPW), and Thursday was his last full day with us here in GTA. If it’s one thing that really stood out amongst all the business and excitement of the day was friendship.

It was truly an honour to seriously be able to call each and everyone I was with a friend. We were hanging out because we wanted to be with each other. It wasn’t out of obligation or because of an event, we were just chilling. I say this not out of bitterness or to throw any shade, but it was something that stood out because I have been in households before where the friendship doesn’t go beyond the meetings and service events. My personal household journey and experience has not always been an easygoing one. I’ve experienced the m.i.a., gone inactive household heads. The only call or text you last-minute when there’s an event household heads. And the awkward small talk, obligated to say hi and bye at an event, household heads. I’ve also had the pleasure of having household heads who were accountable for me. The ones that randomly check up on you. The household heads who are genuine friends and you can be real with about every and anything. In terms of myself being a household head, I’m sure there have been times where I fail. Times where I’ve been a bit of all the aforementioned types, but hopefully I’ve also been able to be accountable to others and to be a friend.

It’s not only about household heads, but the entire household. To be friends with the people you serve with makes a huge difference. Much like when you have a job, it could be the most annoying job in the world but if you have a strong team of co-workers you genuine like and can get along with it makes all the difference!

So after the long day on Thursday, some of us saw Vince off at the airport early Friday morning. I was able to beat the rush hour traffic and make it to morning mass. Not going to lie, I was extremely tired. Wednesday night I had about 3hrs of sleep, and again on Thursday night only another 3hrs. The temptation to skip mass was real as I arrived to the church at 8am and had to wait half an hour. Interestingly enough, in my half-dazed state, what really woke me up was the responsorial psalm where the response was, “Your friends make known Your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.”

At first I thought I misheard it because it seemed so out of place to me. In a sense it seemed too casual. So I paid closer attention and again the congregation echoed, “Your friends make known Your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.”

I broke it down into two parts. First, I thought about the Apostles and their journey with Christ. I was up really late Wednesday night talking to a friend in a difference province, I didn’t even feel tired at the time because the conversation was life giving to me. One of the things we talked about was humanizing the saints and thinking about what they were like when they were on earth. For example when they went out on mission together, imagine if they couldn’t sleep because one of the apostles were snoring too loud. It would have been inevitable that they did things to get on each others nerves, but they probably had moments where they trolled each other for fun too. In their journey together they became friends, and not just with each other, but truly friends with Jesus in flesh.

After Jesus’s time on earth they didn’t just stop being friends or forget about Jesus. Rather they accepted the mission that was bestowed upon them and kept going. They had a personal stake in the mission, not just because of fear of the Lord or fear of the loss of heaven, but also because Jesus was their friend! Talk about your original ride or die homies. I found the wording in the responsorial psalm to be very deliberate. It didn’t say “Your followers”, “Your people”, or “Your servants”, but rather it said “Your friends”.

The second part was about the Lord’s glorious kinsmanship. One definition I found for kinsmanship is, “a bond shared between two or more individuals. Its more than friendship…. There is a closeness, a sense of fierce loyalty to someone not of blood relation.” This is the definition I had in my mind when I was at mass. And to be honest I found it profoundly flattering and just unfathomable that the Lord would want to be my friend. The Apostles’ job wasn’t to brag about their friendship with God, but rather invite you and to show God’s great love and how He wants to be in friendship with you! Everything about Christ is rooted in love and in relationships. “God Himself is an eternal exchange of love – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and He has destined for us to share in that exchange.” – CCC 221

And so the Apostles were entrusted to share all that love and all that Jesus had taught them to others. That mission carries on today still through us. Once you’ve received the love of Christ and truly get to know Jesus, you become His friend! And like the responsorial psalm both reminds and instructs us, “Your friends make known your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.” It is our duty, what we should be doing; let the glorious genuinely deep friendship and love the Lord has for each and everyone for us known to every single person on earth.

I was happy that I was able to experience even a small fraction of this through the Christ centered friendships in my households. I pray that we are able to bring Christ centered love to all our friendships that we have now and in the future.

In Christ,

Meagan Webb

Momma

Dear Momma Mary,

Since I was young I always knew you were just there. I’ve never really seen the importance of your presence in my life. So I want to take this time to say I’m sorry. Sorry for denying you, for pushing you to the side and for not acknowledging you and what you have done in my life. I can’t help but be hurt for the hurt that I’ve must have brought to you through my sins, my failures and just my stupid decisions. The amazing thing is, just as a mother always does, you still love me. Through thick and thin. So with that Momma, I would love to thank you, for never letting me go and for showing me the way to your Son, Jesus. In the times I struggle please continue to be there for me, with your most holy intercession. Draw me closer to your Son. I know that I still struggle to pray for your intercession and to acknowledge you in my life, but know that I am trying and will continue to.

So Momma, thank you and I love you.

Love,

Christian Medeiros

Why?

‘We gave you a strong warning’, he said, ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt for this man’s death on us.‘

A lot of times we are faced with warnings like this or we get judged and criticized. This is actually a huge fear of mine. It is not like I am afraid to be Catholic, but more so afraid to proclaim that I am. Reading this verse from Thursday’s readings I couldn’t help but think of myself being in front of the high priest shook and distraught, sweating and nervous. I can’t help but think I am so weak that I can’t even defend the God that has given me so much in my life. Then I read the second part of the reading.

‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, whom you executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.‘

So after reading that, I questioned myself, why am I afraid? Why can’t I be just like Peter and not be afraid to be obedient to God? What is it that I am really holding back? Sometimes I think, the early Christians, they faced way more than what we face today. They were discriminated, stoned, judged and even killed. The amazing thing is, they did not run away they faced all of this  hatred and defended their faith. They stood on their solid ground. So what are we really afraid of? It’s funny because whenever I ask that, I am always recalled to my life verse.

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:30-31

Constantly I am reminded of this verse and I am always called back to it. Why is it that I doubt? I know the Lord is taking care of me and He will protect me. No matter how many times I reject the Lord in my life, I am called to have faith in Him and believe in His love. So to say that by the end of this reflection I know the answer now would be wrong. I don’t know the answer as to why I doubt or why I am afraid to proclaim I am Catholic, all I know is that there should be no reason to doubt when the Lord’s plan will prevail.

Lord, guide me and protect me. Allow me to be a defendant of the faith. Give me the strength and the courage to proclaim Your Glory. Holy are You Lord God, let Your will be done.

Amen

Christian Medeiros

 

 

The Sorrowful Mother, who is also the Cause of Our Joy

The first time I had ever learnt about Our Lady of Sorrows was when I attended a Come and See retreat with the Sisters of Providence in February 2013. At the time of the retreat, I remember feeling very nervous because I was the only participant and because I was afraid that God was calling me to a way of life that I felt I wasn’t prepared for. As the weekend progressed, I grew to enjoy my time with the sisters learning about their foundress and Our Lady of Sorrows, but I couldn’t understand them nor their way of life. I felt that their charisms were interesting, but the thought of deep sorrow and suffering didn’t resonate with my life because it contrasted with the CFC-Youth culture, which was always vibrant, lively, and joyful for me.

In October that year, a turn of events occurred and so I began to fall into intense anxiety, constant worrying, and issues regarding my self-worth. I kept this pain to myself for months because I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I didn’t want people to worry about me. And I didn’t want to classify myself as depressed if I wasn’t and for other various reasons. I thought that being quiet about my suffering was the ‘best’ way to deal with it because I thought if I had said anything it would just feed the fire, and I would never get out.

A few months later I returned to the Sisters of Providence, except this time with other CFC-Youth brothers and sisters. At this event the sisters briefly introduced their foundress and charisms. However this time, I understood the connection between their foundress, Bl. Mother Gamelin, and Our Lady of Sorrows. They had expressed that Bl. Mother Gamelin found consolation for the loss of her family members in Mother Mary because of the pain she endured while following the life of her Son, Jesus Christ, especially at the point of His crucifixion. Furthermore, Bl. Mother Gamelin realized that Mother Mary experienced greater pain and suffering than she did because Mother Mary not only saw her Son on the Cross, but her God. This gave way to her understanding that she not only could find consolation in Mother Mary, but Mother Mary could find consolation in her.

At this moment, I was taken aback, almost mind blown because I imagined the intensity of Mother Mary’s deep sorrow, so I, too, found myself sympathizing with her, wanting to console her. Upon reflection, this made me realize that Mother Mary understood my suffering; maybe not in the same way, but in a much greater way as her commitment to God’s will meant the salvation of the entire world from generation to generation. This set as one of the beginning steps to my love for Mother Mary and having the desire to become closer to her.

The Annunciation

Today as the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Solemnity of the Annunciation/Incarnation, also sometimes coined as Mother Mary’s first yes, I wonder at the thought as to how Mother Mary must’ve felt during this specific time of her life. I would like to believe that although she may have worried about what was to come in her life and was humbly surprised that God blessed her among women, that she experienced an unsurpassable joy, having God’s grace outpoured from her womb while carrying Jesus Christ.

For the longest time I had taken the rosary for granted, and to know that the Annunciation is the first of the joyful mysteries makes complete sense to me now. The joy of Christ coming to this world impacts all human beings, including Mother Mary — how her joy must have been great and complete! I’ll be honest and say that I only know this much and probably nothing more, but I look forward to learning more about Mother Mary, to love and appreciate her more, and to give everything to her in joyful hope that she presents it to the Lord perfected.

In Mother Mary’s life I have found this truth in love where there is a juxtaposition between its many fruits.

Where there is great love, there is great suffering; and where there is great love, there is great joy; and where great suffering and great joy converge at a perpendicular as to form a Cross, there is great love. This love brings about a resounding peace, which cannot be disturbed when the mind and the heart are fixed towards God’s will. Nothing stands in between the woman, like Mother Mary, whose obedience is blind, but perfect. The woman does not fall short when in the constant presence of Christ, but rises with Him (again). So it is worth experiencing great suffering, great joy, and great love now than later because in Heaven the first is no longer present, and the two latter are far more amazing than we can imagine.

Although it’s nothing new to me, I’m beginning to understand more that in serving God and His people, there will be a series of varying emotions passing through the heart, but it is always up to me to accept God’s grace and love in order to do His work and fulfill the role that God has entrusted to me to do. With Mother Mary at my side, she sets as a prime example for me to do what I am called to do: to have joy now, to suffer now, and most importantly and overall, to love now.

Mother Mary, Our Lady of Sorrow and the Cause of our Joy, pray for us. Inspire us to love like Jesus Christ, your Son and God.

Amen.