in Jesus
In order to grow in holiness an individual must be firmly rooted in Jesus, the fruit of all holiness. “Abide in me and me in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). The more we see his light within us, the more we understand how central he is. He is the source that gives meaning and value to the many and diverse experiences in our lives, the rock on which we build our principles and practices, the inspiration from which we make our decisions and the singular star that guides our lives.
Come, be my guiding light, dear Lord,
A lamp unto my feet.
That I may ever follow you,
No other pathway seek.
To serve you with my heart and mind
In all I say and do.
And try to lead someone who’s lost
To find their way to you.
May I give words that will uplift
Where hearts are sad today.
And may I not be slow to help
the needy on life’s way.
To be thy faithful servant, Lord,
each day that dawns anew.
For heaven is the goal I seek
When earthly days are through.
And when my life draws to a close,
The hour, the day unknown.
Come, be my guiding light, dear Lord
And take me to thy home.
~Kay Hoffman
Quiet Places
Excessive busyness obstructs the ability to see who we are really meant to be. We barely know ourselves. Modern life often races past what is beautiful and life enhancing. When finding ourselves in this mode, it is imperative to slow down, pause, be still, be silent and listen. How is God helping us, leading us, blessing us? With help from God and others, we can work through all the unnecessary chaos. Esther de Waal wrote: “Unless I am silent, I shall not hear God, and until I hear God I shall not come to know God. Silence asks me to watch and wait and listen, to be like Mary in readiness to receive the Word. If I have any respect for God, I shall try to find a time, however short, for silence. Without it I have not much hope of establishing that relationship with God of hearing and responding which is going to help me root the whole of my life in prayer.” Only in silence is the potential for holiness realized.
“Be still and know that I am God,” the psalmist says. Silence and stillness whets the appetite for seeing the splendor of God’s work in ourselves and, more importantly, in our souls. The soul has been called the fairest work of God. It is a haven for his loving, living flame, his Triune presence. The greatest sadness is souls so encrusted with sin that they are dead to the indwelling of the Triune God or to the exquisiteness of the soul. Silence and stillness are opportunities to become reacquainted with our soul. How beautiful she can be if we tend to her with great love. Silence and stillness are unfolding treasures that help to pass beyond rushing around in the outer realities of self-absorbed pursuits to roaming around in the inner reality of the soul. In this inner reality holiness reminders may take form in one’s mind. When a siren is heard a Hail Mary is said for the people involved. A cross near the phone is a reminder to speak kindly to the caller, even bothersome telemarketers. A rosary held in the hand may well alleviate frustration and worry. Gazing at a holy picture or a religious statue may defuse an altercation or help with a tedious task. Repeating the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph or saying the chaplet of mercy can lessen stress during a diagnostic test or while waiting in a doctor’s office. Saying “All for Jesus” while doing unpleasant duties is a worthy custom. It was a custom for students in Catholic grade schools to write JMJ, for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, at the top of their papers. People have received personal letters with DV written at the end of a sentence. DV means Deo Volente or God willing. DOM can also be an inscription, Deo Optimo Maximo, or to God, the best and greatest. The motto of the Jesuits can be noticed in many places: AMDG, Ad majorem Dei Gloriam, for the greater glory of God, or to strive to give God more glory by doing what is most pleasing to him. John Paul II frequently used the phrase “Praised be Jesus Christ!” These helps toward holiness are also reminders of divine assistance when temporal concerns seem to block the existence of heaven.
Holiness is simply a closer walk with Jesus. To walk with him is to discover our best selves. We live our best selves when we turn from negative thoughts, feelings and actions and face what is true, beautiful, good and life-giving. Finding our best selves in God develops a better communication with others. How we talk to others often reflects how we talk to God.
Communication with God is not a series of lofty thoughts, exalted insights, profound answers or deep consolations. It is much more than that. It is a deep surrender to our Creator, which allows God to tenderly embrace us. God opens hearts as spring opens beautiful flowers. In stillness and silence the flowers open, and so it is. At last, our heart has a small understanding about the splendor of our soul. Padre Pio gives us nourishment for our souls: “Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is a key that opens God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus, not only with your lips, but also with your heart; actually, on certain occasions, you should speak with only your heart.”
Be born in us Incarnate Love!
Take our flesh and blood and give us your humanity,
take our eyes and give us your vision,
take our minds and give us your pure thought,
take our feet and set them in your path,
take our hands and fold them in your prayer,
take our hearts and give us your will to love.
~Caryll Houselander
To Reflect and to Witness
Bernard of Clairvaux said over a thousand years ago that action and contemplation are very close companions. They live together in the same house on equal terms. William Barclay, the scripture scholar, commented that the more one reads of the lives and works of dedicated men and women, the more one sees that they possessed two great qualities . . . the ability to work selflessly and the patience to wait in silence. In action and contemplation there is a blend in our lives: a rhythm of doing and resting, speaking and listening, giving and receiving. Prayer and quiet can increase our desire to spread the message and goodness of Jesus through our actions.
If we give appropriate time to “be” in our contemplative dimension, we have a better chance of being more attentive to “do” in the service of others. This is a marriage between the inner joy of listening to God and the outer joy of being his witness in the marketplace. Contemplation and action create a healthy tension. As we breathe in so must we breathe out.
A well-balanced Christian life naturally evolves into greater intimacy with God. How does this happen? Gradually the distance from him decreases because we become liberated from ourselves. Me is replaced by God. Catherine of Genoa once said, “My me is God, nor do I know my selfhood save in him.” She had it right. “What can I do for God” becomes less important than “how can I ‘be’ in God.” To “be”
