The Unprofitable Servant: Tell Me Where You Have Laid Him, And I Will Carry Him Away

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tell Me Where You Have Laid Him, And I Will Carry Him Away

This reflection is not my own, it was the basis of the homily at Mass this morning.

Father pointed out the impossibility of Mary Magdalene's love. She is so consumed with love for the Lord that she makes the incredulous statement that if the gardener will just tell her where he has laid Him, she will go get Him, all by herself, and carry Him away. The greatness of her love would be all she'd need to help in this seemingly impossible feat - a woman carrying a dead man's body all by herself from one place to another.

When we love as we ought to love, we will do anything for our Beloved. Father touched on a very simple but powerful notion - that we should thirst more and more for Our Lord. We should pray that our thirst will only grow so that every day, we will seek Him. I think this is the basis of St. Bonaventure's prayer, which I have permanently posted on my blog and which I pray at the TLM after Holy Communion ( I really ought to print it somewhere for myself so I can pray at daily Mass as well.)
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Now that Lent is over, Mass has thinned out a bit. Perhaps those who came to daily Mass worked out a temporary agreement with their employer to be able to get there during Lent and perhaps now that arrangement has reached its conclusion. Whatever the case may be, I am so grateful that I can get to Mass most mornings. There are times when I think I'd like to pick vegetables all day rather than do the job I do with all its aggravation. But then I remember that my job allows me to get to daily Mass, and when I consider that, the aggravation seems a minute price to pay.

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I heard a priest on EWTN discuss the greatest sin of our times. No, it's not abortion, or homosexual acts or any of the other heinous things that come to mind. The worst sin is the loss of the sense of sin.

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I'm a bit cranky these days. My sister is getting married in July. She was raised Catholic as was her fiancee. Neither of them practice the faith. My sister is divorced. She and her ex-husband were like a bottle of gasoline and a lit match. Things are much quieter in this relationship. We urged her to seek an annulment so they could get married in church. She said it was too much trouble. Her fiancee, who was never married before, said he sees no point in it because he doesn't want anything to do with the Catholic church because of the abuse scandal. So they found a place to have their wedding, she has a dress, he has his bachelor party planned, the bridal party has been selected, all of the details have been addressed except one major one - they have no one to marry them. My sister even called a rabbi, who told her she couldn't officiate if any of the readings mentioned the name of Christ. In the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, anyone can officiate at a civil wedding ceremony, provided the couple has a valid license. My sister actually asked me if I would consider marrying them. I wanted to throw up, to be honest. I told her absolutely not and I asked to consider once again seeking an annulment so a priest could marry them. Nope, she said. The arrangements have all been made, and she's not changing the day or anything else to accommodate a priest's schedule.

I just received an invitation to the bridal shower. It's on Sunday, May 22nd at Noon. I go to the TLM at Noon on Sundays. It's also St. Rita's Feast Day. I am probably not going to the shower. For one thing, I did my part at my sister's first wedding. She had a lovely shower at a restaurant on a Wednesday evening. I really want no part of this wedding, but of course, there's the family peace that must be kept. I think it's enough that I'll be at the wedding.

Did I mention I'm cranky?

4 comments:

Kathy Felsted UsherApril 26, 2011 at 6:55 PM
"The worst sin is the loss of the sense of sin." This is so true and every day in every aspect of our lives people are being indoctrinated into the new belief that there is no absolute right or wrong. If there is no right or wrong, how can there be sin?

Good luck with the wedding. It puts you in a difficult position.
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KellyApril 26, 2011 at 7:35 PM
Bob told me about the beautiful homily.
Sorry for the family stuff. I hear ya. prayers coming your way.
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MannyApril 26, 2011 at 7:46 PM
The loss of sin is a great observation. I agree with Kathy - so true. Good luck with your sister.
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AnonymousApril 27, 2011 at 7:57 AM
I have the same situation with my sister whose second marriage was held in her house by an ex-priest...very strange. I wasn't there anyway. Keep praying for them...love them...and pray for them.
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tell Me Where You Have Laid Him, And I Will Carry Him Away

4 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross