Tag: Truth
Humbled in the Truth
This past weekend I attended the Christian Character Weekend as part of my SFC formation. It was a blessed experience simply being a participant, taking everything in, and not worrying about serving. All the sessions were great but the first one given by Fr. Anthony Ho is what spoke to me the most. His was all about what it means to have the character of a Christian, and the main characteristic he talked about was humility.
Fr. Anthony’s session was very humbling. He helped me to see what true humility is, that it’s found in the Truth, and the Truth simply is. The Truth doesn’t hide anything; so too being humble is about not hiding. It’s about removing the fig leaves and exposing my entire nature, everything I am with all my weaknesses, sinfulness, and the need for total dependance on God’s grace. He helped me to see myself—a child before my Heavenly Father, having recourse to His mercy in Jesus through Mary.
I was reminded of very important aspects of being a Christian, that is, to be humble, admit where I am as a person, allow Jesus to meet me there, and do whatever He tells me in order to grow in holiness.
Here I am, Father. You know my heart. You know how weak I truly am. Lord, make haste to help me because I truly need You. I fall too easily to temptation in my thoughts and in my words, in what I do and what I fail to do. Help me to be humble and not to pretend that I am anything greater. Purify my intentions, lead me with Your Holy Spirit, have mercy on me, and please walk with me always.
Crown of Creation
This past weekend I attended ‘Princess Diaries‘ that Toronto SFC hosted for all the sisters. I was excited to just be a participant and not have to worry about serving. But then a week before the event, Renee, the GTA West Head asked me if I could lead the Praisefest for Saturday night. And you know what happened that whole week before the event? PANIC.
I was so mentally drained from trying to figure out the dynamics of a worship, the order of the songs, the prayers that go before the songs, the appropriate songs, the transitions, and everything else in between. On Friday morning I reached some point of mental desperation and just exasperatedly told God that he really should have chosen someone else.
———————
To understand this more let’s look at the three desires planted in every woman’s heart:
a) the desire to be romanced
b) the desire to play an irreplaceable role in an adventure
c) the desire to unveil beauty
Those desires are often misunderstood which is why a lot of sisters end up broken. We turn to the wrong sources to fill the void. I myself sought those desires out in multiple people, men boys who had no other agenda other than to fulfill their own desires.
Fifteen minutes before the session ended (New Heartbeats) He granted me the grace and wisdom to finally see all the pieces come together. And when it finally sank in, I could not contain the peace, joy and love that was pouring out of my own heart!
He said,
“My dearest Therese. These desires are not something to be afraid of. Do not deny yourself these desires because each one will lead you closer to me. Do you not already know that every movement in your heart is known to me? I fashioned that very thing that beats inside of you. Unite it with my sacred heart and will understand better the plans I have for you, as woman.”
THE DESIRE TO BE ROMANCED, I placed in you so that you will come to me in Adoration. I will embrace every part of you in the silence. Come to me, and I will pour myself out to you. Do not be afraid to glance out at me for I long to look out at your face. Each time you come, the heavens rejoice. This is where you belong, this is where you are meant to be- here with me. My beloved I have waited for you and you are finally here! Have FAITH that I am here.
THE DESIRE TO PLAY AN IRREPLACEABLE ROLE, I placed in you so that you will come to the House of Worship and receive me in the Holy Eucharist. Come to me exactly as you are. You say to me, Lord but I am broken, battered, shattered. And His reply: “But I NEED YOU. YES, YOU.” From the moment you receive me on your tongue you become the ultimate living tabernacle and you are NO longer broken, battered, shattered. I pour out my Holy Spirit within you, and my love which is far more precious than gold will bind you back together. There will always be HOPE.
THE DESIRE TO UNVEIL BEAUTY, I placed in you so that you will come to me in Confession. No sin you’ve committed, no sin that you are committing, no sin that you will commit can ever be too much for my cross. Nothing is more beautiful than a woman who humbles herself and acknowledges her weaknesses and limitations. All those layers you choose to hide behind, the masks you choose to wear around you will all be washed away. In every single instance, you come out as clean and pure just as I intended for you to be. I meet you with nothing but LOVE.
Wow. Praise the Lord. I could not contain myself in that tiny little seat. The Lord fulfilled ALL THOSE DESIRES in me within the past 24hrs! He granted me my trinity run; Adoration at Our Lady of Lourdes the night before, Confession before the last session, and Eucharist shortly after. The Lord loved me so much that He made straight my paths right before I stood before my sisters with a heart that was now READY AND WILLING.
“You, eternal trinity, are a deep sea. The more I enter you, the more I discover, and the more I discover, the more I seek you.”- St. Catherine of Siena
Amen.
Fries
Crispy, salty, yummy, oily, fatty, carbohydrate-filled, cannot-stop-yourself-from-eating-it fries. Whether it be shared or eaten alone, we all suddenly get the craving to get these fries.
- This.
Why? Not because of the potatoes for sure, though it helps. We get potatoes in different varieties, but there is something with McDonald’s Fries. Well to cut the story short, it’s the right amount of SALT.
You are like salt for the whole human race. – Matthew 5:13
We should be like SALT.
Savoury
Have you ever tried any kind of food without or lacking in salt? You wanna spit it out as soon as you can right? Too much of it and you’ll stop eating.
Our faith, if lived out, makes others crave for more. It is not bland nor does it shoo people away.
Are we boring that no one dares to try it? Or too strong that people are put off by it?
- You know you want more
Amor
My best memories of hanging out at Mickey Dee’s were always with friends surrounding a pile of french fries and devouring them. It was not only a cheap way of feeding everybody but it was an experience rich in love. And that is what Amor is, love in Italian.
What is God’s love if not shared?
- Sharing is caring.
Life Giving
Salt gives life to your boring potatoes. Our lives should give hope to everyone we meet. We are beacons of hope in a world full of pain, suffering and at times monotony.
Are we a source of hope or despair? Is our testimony uplifting or scaring the heck out of everyone?
- Because life is full of twists and turns.
Thirst
Salt makes us thirsty, that’s why your large cup of pop doesn’t really cut it after consuming a bag of fries. If we live our lives filled with faith, hope, and love, it causes people to seek the One who gives us true life – Jesus. Our saltiness doesn’t highlight us, but the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Do our lives point to Jesus or to us?
- Not enough.
Faith, Hope, and Love makes our lives truly salty and it makes others thirst for Christ.
Stay salty my friends.
May we be the salt of the earth. Amen.
PS. I am not endorsing the Golden Arches, but if they want to sponsor me – that’s okay too.
PPS. This reflection was inspired by the homily of my parish priest at Merciful Redeemer, Fr. Robert, last Sunday on Matthew 5:13-16.
This blog is also hosted on my personal blog http://www.kevinmuico.com/2014/02/10/fries/
Engulfed by Love
I believe there is such thing as an objective Truth that is so ubiquitous like air, and we are engulfed by it. This Truth that exists, that is here and now, is the Kingdom of God. When we are able to be present in the here and now, and allow ourselves to be caught up in the moment, we will experience something very beautiful. We will experience the presence of Truth—the presence of God. We will experience being engulfed by Love.
All the angels and saints in Heaven, pray for us. Amen.
I Believe, Help My Unbelief!
“A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.” –C.S. Lewis
I’m so ignorant. Thank You Jesus for being the only Way, Truth, and Life. Thank You for making sure I am guided accordingly through the Catholic Church. You know how ignorant I am, and in Your infinite wisdom, you decided to establish Your church to make sure the Truth is kept untainted and unchanged. The times change but You, the Truth, do not. Sometimes You are hard to accept because accepting You requires for me to change my habits, thoughts, words, and actions. Please Lord, humble me always, that I may always be open to Your Truth that is Your Love. May Your Truth change me, humble me, and consume me. If I don’t understand something, please give me the patience to simply believe first and trust that You will allow me to understand in Your own time, Your own ways. I believe, help my unbelief! You showed me the straight line, and You wrote it in my heart. Please give me the grace to know Your will and the strength to do what I ought. Help me to know all the crooked lines in my life and always look to the straight line that is You. I am stubborn, and I will sin, but Lord please be merciful always and help me in my continued resolve to sin no more. Amen.
God Willing
Prayer to know God’s Will
May it please the supreme and divine Goodness
to give us all abundant grace
ever to know his most holy will
and perfectly to fulfill it.
—St. Ignatius of Loyola
More often than not, we tend to associate God’s will as something we could really adhere to, even obey. What I’ve learned recently is that even deeper than God’s will as a command is God’s will as Truth — a perfect Truth that longs to be fulfilled. Denial of God’s plan is not merely an act of disobedience, but a blind eye from what is – perfect, beautiful, and true.
In Exodus 3:14, God reveals himself to Moses, “I am who I am”. The divine Truth simply is. When we say “non serviam” in our work, it does not change the nature of God’s will. We are making the conscious choice to close our eyes from divine Truth, yet it does not cease to exist. God’s will is perfection in it’s highest form, and when we open our eyes, ears, hearts, to that very Truth, we are graced with glimpses of God’s goodness. We are made free.
“and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32
A brother once told me that the image of Truth manifested in the physical is our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. It encompasses all that is perfect, beautiful, and true — compassion, sorrow, love, suffering, sacrifice, forgiveness and so much more. Yes, it may be easy to close ourselves to God’s will, yet in those times of desolation, he has given us an image in the crucifixion to remind us of our alpha and omega here on Earth – dying for the sake of love. Remember, too, that honourable as it is to die a martyr’s death, is also to live a martyrs life.
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Christ on the cross is the ultimate example of a heart faithfully abondoning itself to Father God – totally, faithfully, freely, fruitfully. I can only hope and pray that, through constant mortification and sanctification through grace, and consecration to our Blessed Lady, I will be the man that God had intended only because of my total reliance on the Lord and openness to the Truth. I will be one who answers You and I will respond in the only way I know that is true – by loving You with all of me, God-willing.
Totus Tuus