Prayers Answered - Reflection on LUke 7:11-17

This story from the Gospel of Luke is one of the most moving.   Jesus just happens to see a funeral procession of the only son of a widowed mother.  His heart is moved, perhaps by a thought of His own mother and what she would soon have to face.  Completely without being asked He restores the boy to the mother.  

When tragedy strikes we ask about God's presence in our lives.  When we urgently pray about a need or desire we almost get into "vending machine mode" meaning that we have done our part, inserted our dollar, and now, where are the chips or the drink.   When there is not immediate and tangible response to our request we get discouraged and wonder about the power of prayer.   I wonder sometimes how God, who wants to be our friend, feels when we only come in need and clamor for help.

We will not know in this life how many times the compassionate heart of God sent his grace and worked miracles unasked, to keep us safe, to give us joy, to help us in our work.   If Jesus reached out to a poor widow, He must also have been reaching out to me all during my life, loving and caring for me.  I remember the wonderful surprise experiences, the good friends, the sunshine and flowers the lovely ancient forest... the safety in hundreds of close encounters... His hand was there, loving, protecting, giving joy.  I must remember to say thank you as I am sure the tearful widow did with such emotion.

The Fig Newton

Today's Gospel, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi Luke 9:11b-17 evoked an old memory.  There are people who think the multiplication of the loaves and fish was not a true physical miracle, but that those seated saw that Jesus was giving away the small amount of bread the little band had, became generous and unafraid to take out the lunch they had secretly stashed in their clothing.  

There was a period in my life when I had to do quite a bit of international traveling.  I was used to unexpected delays on airplanes without the possibility of food service.  I always carried a package of fig newtons in my hand luggage because it was sweet and moist and could do in an emergency.

On this one particular flight we were delayed in our take-off from Rome because of a black out in Marseilles which we would have to fly over and needed the observation of their control tower.   The crew passed out water and rolled up a mobile air conditioner truck but they couldn't light the stove for food nor let us get off because they never knew when they would get the word to take off.   The hours on the hot August tarmack went on and on to number six.   I looked at my little package of cookies and thought "What are these among so many?'  and selfishly and surreptitiously ate them about one an hour.  A male flight attendent who was passing out bottles of water secretly handed me a little buttered roll, "Because you are so good and patient Sorella."   I decided not to tell him it was 'smart', not patient....  and thanked him for  the little gift.

I think it was all right to eat the fig newtons, but I often wondered if Jesus might have been able to work a miracle if my faith were only stronger.

June Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June has traditionally been dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Many have devotion to the image and chaplet of Mercy as revealed to Sister Faustina. In both cases it is the love of Jesus for us which evokes our adoration and gratitude.

In the image above we see the heart of Jesus opened by the soldiers lance. In our prayer that wound which is the gateway to the Heart of the Risen Christ, now wide as the universe, can be a place of peace and comfort, wisdom and strength for us. We are all called to evangelize the world, but may be tempted to think we do not have the circumstances to “preach the Gospel”. Every human being is preaching a message by the very act of living. Is it one of joy and peace or criticism and judgment? Living in the Heart of Jesus we can be filled with joy and grace and our message becomes one of hope for the world.

May 2013 -- Blessed Trinity

This joyful season of post resurrection is a gold mine for those interested in growing spiritually. This coming Sunday we celebrate the Most Blessed Trinity. How sad I was when I heard a young priest complain that he couldn’t give a homily on this mystery. It is the central mystery of our faith. Not only that but we have probably all experienced a relationship with the three divine Persons who are our One God.


When we were very little children, first introduced to God we were most likely beginning a relationship with God the Father, mirrored in the adults who so lovingly cared for all our needs. When we went to school and widened our interactions with friends of our own age, and when we prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, we became acquainted with the human, visible Jesus, who shared our experiences and left a tangible image in the Gospels and a real Presence in the Eucharist. As we matured in prayer we became aware of a presence of God within us as the gift of the Risen Christ, the Holy Spirit.

For many of us this unfortunately took place unconsciously, or not at all because of sad deficiencies in our early environment. We can all make up what has perhaps been lacking. We can be conscious in our prayer life. In our times at the Liturgy or in Eucharistic Adoration we can focus on Jesus. Also in the Gospels, in recitation of the Rosary, we walk with the Jesus of Galilee and who on the cross came to understand our suffering.

In his teaching for the feast of Pentecost, our Holy Father Francis, whether it was in his prepared talk or spontaneous said something very important. He said that the Church in not an NGO. Though some aid must be organized and financed, the essence of love of neighbor is “hands on”. It is the person right in front of us whom we are called to serve. In dealing with the poor, we often find that the “poor” are not attractive. They are not always the cute little children in the third-world photos. They are often the annoying or boring neighbor, the crotchety old relative, the “far-away” patient suffering from dementia. As we adjust to whatever they need from us, we are touching the suffering Body of Christ. It is often very difficult, so we must also give due time and effort to prayer, because only in this contact do we gain the wisdom and strength to serve Him in His Body.

As we reflect on our own circumstances we may think we are excused from the call to charity and evangelization. We cannot go to Africa or even to the streets of our slums. As I thought I had this excuse, I remembered our own Sister Edilia. She spent each day sitting at the entrance to the Bloomingdale department store in Manhattan with a little basket to collect donations for our Congregation. It was only when age and illness caused authorities to withdraw her from this service that we realized what a ministry she was exercising. Her hospital room was overfilled with flowers from the employees of the store who had daily gained grace from her greeting, smile, and promise of prayer. We will never know how many family concerns were entrusted to her loving heart, but we do see what true “evangelization” is. In this Year of Faith, we are all called to “go out from ourselves and our comfortable spirituality” to the people whom God will send us. If we become tuned to this they will come because Jesus will entrust His brothers and sisters to us. We can all answer the call of our Holy Father to serve.

The Funny Bone May 15, 2013

Imagine that Jesus wants to introduce us in this post resurrection time to His Heavenly Father.  As we look in the direction He indicates we find we are painfully blinded by a beautiful and bright light.  Then Jesus breathes upon us, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit." and the suddenly the light becomes visible in its unique beauty and we find ourselves safe, joy-filled and at home in the bosom of the Blessed Trinity the source of all things.

In our daily search for joy we come in this season to the true source of joy, the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Resurrection gift of Jesus.   How little we refer to the Holy Spirit apart from the liturgy of Pentacost or our Confirmation.     Today we look for pleasure, and miss joy because we are ignoring the Spirit of Truth.  Like Pilot, we ask, "What is truth?"  There are so many versions of facts that truth is often lost and we give up our search and settle for the convenient.

In the Gospel of John, in the long farewell address situated during the last supper, Jesus promises us the Spirit of Truth who will bring to mind all that Jesus tried to tell during His lifetime.   If we are open to the Holy Spirit we will be open to continually receiving the goodness and beauty of God.  In finding the goodness of God we begin to see goodness, beauty and love all around us, even in simple things we overlooked before.  We find that a heart that is open to the Holy Spirit expands to include all the children of God and all that is good, true and beautiful.  Gradually suspicion, exclusion, fear, doubt and grudges give way to the freedom of the love of God.  We find that we have the freedom of the children of God, without having to defend our masks and false pleasures.  There is always a new joy with each day and with each event, even with those that are painful and which unite us to the Cross of Jesus, redeeming our sad and lonely world.   Let us ask daily for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Funny Bone May 6, 2013

From the very first day that I became conscious of the story of the Ascension of Our Lord, I was puzzled by St. Luke's account that the disciples returned to Jerusalem rejoicing.   I remember saying good-bye to people I loved and it hurt so much that I had to seclude myself for a day to let the pain heal.  How could they be filled with joy as their beloved Master disappeared from their view?  

I am sure scripture scholars have written volumes on just this point.   The first ordinary human explanation would be a generous joy for Jesus who had suffered so much and who would now be in glory with His Heavenly Father.   Our Holy Father Francis reminded us to be happy because now we had an "advocate"  (the Italian word is the same as "lawyer") who would now be pleading for us with the Father.... asking the forgiveness of our sins because He had himself experienced the pain and human weakness which is our lot.

As I reflect on Luke's final message in his Gospel I realize that it was written several decades after the event.   The disciples have experienced Jesus' presence with them in the Holy Spirit.  They have obeyed the mandate to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.   The command to preach was not limited to the immediate followers of Jesus but rings down through the ages to us.  How should and do we "preach" the Good News?  It is by cultivating joy, first in our own hearts and then shining the light of Christ into our dreary world.   There cannot be serious holy joy without contact with Christ in prayer.   It is in the quiet moments, however long or short we take from our busy days to remember the presence of God and the constant promise of Jesus' friendship and help that we "fill up" on true joy.   Then in our ordinary encounters we cannot be other than a light of hope to those who are part of our daily lives.   St. Francis invited his followers to accompany him on a preaching mission, saying they would use words "when necessary."  This points out a very important truth:  We are preaching by our very presence!   Is our message one of joy and hope, or agitated anger and despair?   A good clue would be a simple glance into the mirror.  

Several years ago in Albania I met two Irish sisters who were retired from many years of teaching in their homeland and who received permission to go to Albania, a country that had become a Communist Atheistic wasteland.  They did not know the language, but rented an apartment in an ordinary neighborhood and said their prayers in the small garden, with only smiles to greet those they met.   Gradually they formed a children's choir to accompany the Eucharistic celebrations.  They did not know the meaning of the  Albanian words the children sang, but gradually learned them and let the music insert the meaning into their hearts.   They became a helper to the busy local priest and so were building the Kingdom where it had been devastated.   Never underestimate the power of a friendly smile!!!!

The Funny Bone May 2, 2013

It must have been about 1956 or 57.  We were to have a three day retreat in preparation for the renewal of vows on November 21st our founding day.   For me it was a true renewal because I did not yet have perpetual vows.   As we went into chapel I felt a little giggle arising because in the sanctuary was a paper chart board with a drawing of stomach, heart, liver and gall bladder.   The "retreat master" was a Spanish Jesuit who had escaped or been exiled from newly Communist China.   He proved to be way ahead of his time as he told stories of people who were ill because they held on to guilt or grudges.   He told of the importance of forgiveness and cultivating joy and peace.  Yes, joy must be tended like a beautiful flower in a garden.   His motto was "Always have smiling eyes".    Ever since I have wondered what my face says when it is relaxed.   I have watched people who have generous and loving hearts, but whose exterior paints them as driven, bitter and judgemental.... What a waste in a world that is starved for joy.  

The Gospel readings of these post Easter days tell us that Jesus wants to come with His Father to live within us, to have supper with us.   What a party we can have if we think about it!.....  The requisites are so simple, "Obey my commandments".    These commandments are simply the dictates of our state in life.... earning a living for our family, being patient in the messy commute.  When we hug and kiss a spouse or child, prepare a dinner, strive for patience in an irritating situation, wait calmly in a long check out line, say something pleasant in a casual encounter....  These are the "commandments" for most of us.  

If we are Catholic Christians blessed by the Sacraments, joy should be the normal climate in which we live.  If we forget, or misstep, we have an advocate or lawyer always ready to defend us, seated beside the Heavenly Father ,   We need only come to Jesus and ask forgiveness and blessing.... even simply cry "help", and we find that joy returns....  Father Nacisso Irala, SJ.  if I remember your name correctly, I am still striving to always have "smiling eyes".