The Unprofitable Servant: Rock Bottom

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Rock Bottom

Stealing something that doesn't belong to you is bad enough. Stealing from a church is another story altogether. Someone stole the collection from Mass during Holy Communion. A depraved and desperate soul for sure. Unfortunately, the first thought that crossed my mind when this disturbing news was delivered to the congregation was "Oh, no, now I have to call my bank and change all my account information." It was the words of another parishioner that slapped me back to reality. "Send out your guardian angel, as we did, to find that poor soul and bring him back to conversion." A little girl who does not normally attend the TLM saw what happened and was able to give the police a description. I did pray to my guardian angel for the man, but not until after I appealed to St. Anthony to find him and the money and then spent a half hour on the phone with my bank. I wasn't upset about possibly losing the money, but I didn't want the thief to have my account and routing numbers. From now on, I'm going to put an empty envelope in the basket to verify my presence at Mass and drop off my offertory donation to the rectory during business hours.

A few years ago, someone ripped the candle box right out of the floor between the time when the previous Mass ended and the next one began. The result was that the church was no longer left open for prayer between Masses. I often debate whether or not I'm going to bring my handbag with me to the altar for Holy Communion. Usually I leave it in the pew. After today, I will end that practice. I try not to bring anything of value to Mass with me anyway, but it would be a major hassle to have my car keys ripped off.

I never refuse anyone who asks for my help. I know the pastor would have reached into his own pocket to help a person in need. However, none of us is going to knowingly fork over cash to support someone's substance addiction. The person who did this is in bondage. Pray for his freedom from the slavery of addiction.

7 comments:

KerriAugust 14, 2011 at 2:49 PM
I always leave my purse in the pew when I go up for communion. I guess I will no longer be doing that anymore! I always leave it because after all "we're in church!" what could happen...???

Guess its the sign of the times. Sad :(
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AllisonAugust 14, 2011 at 3:18 PM
So sorry to hear this. To steal from a Church, with the eyes of God upon you, must come from a real self-loathing. I will pray for this wounded soul.
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CarolineAugust 14, 2011 at 7:09 PM
I can't imagine the low this person must be at to steal from the offerings given to the Lord. I'll pray for his conversion....but I'm also sorry for your experience. +
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MannyAugust 14, 2011 at 7:12 PM
May the poor man see the error of his ways and ask for God's forgiveness. May I ask why you feel like you need to "verify your presence at mass"? I just put cash from my wallet. I have to say I'm just an unknown soul at one of the last pews at church. No one knows me, though the same people seem to sit around me every Sunday. ;)
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TLWAugust 15, 2011 at 5:00 PM
Manny, we are asked to put in our envelope whether we fill it or not because when the archdiocese goes about the business of closing parishes, they look at how many active parishioners there are. Also, I know folks who've had a hard time getting married, etc. because their parish had no way of telling whether or not they were actually members. It has nothing to do with needing to make known the fact that I put anything in the collection. It's simply what we are asked to do. Hope that answers your question :)
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MannyAugust 15, 2011 at 9:22 PM
Oh thanks. I've seen people at mass do the same. I probably should too then. I'm not even sure where I get the envelopes.
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Kathy Felsted UsherAugust 16, 2011 at 5:23 AM
If we give them a check without the envelope we always remember to put our envelope number on the memo section so they can identify who the payment came from. At our church I can leave my purse in the pew but we're a very small church, tiny in fact. If I went elsewhere I would probably bring a very small shoulder bag and take it with me. So sad but you know, there are a lot of people out of work, some don't qualify for unemployment (had been self employed perhaps). It doesn't excuse it but you can understand if it was out of desperation. I hope it was for food or medicine at least.
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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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The Unprofitable Servant

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Rock Bottom

7 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross