The Unprofitable Servant: How Well Do WE Know the Shepherd?

Sunday, February 24, 2013

How Well Do WE Know the Shepherd?

Yesterday I went to my customary Lenten retreat at the Carmelite Monastery. Something the priest said made me think about the polling that took place on someone else's blog this week asking what the minimum education requirement for papal candidates should be. The retreat-master recounted the time a famous orator stood up and recited the 23rd Psalm before the congregation. In his best orator's voice, he dramatically recited the psalm. He finished and then pointed to a lowly-looking old man and told him he was next. The old man got up and haltingly recited the psalm as well. When he concluded, the orator stood up and told the congregation: "I know the psalm, but is is obvious this man knows the Shepherd."

It is love for the Shepherd that enables us to do what might seem impossible at first. That same love, which saints like Therese perfected, is what makes it possible for us to endure suffering and trial without seeming to notice the pain. It is that love which makes humiliation and mortification appear as gifts from God's own hand.

It seems to me our Church is filled with too many people who are so busy trying to make something of themselves that they have forgotten the Master. They have neglected to make their lives an offering worthy of putting before the altar. I had a revelation the other day about why some people don't care for the Traditional Latin Mass or even a properly celebrated Novus Ordo. It is because there is no opportunity for an individual to single themselves out. Isn't that why there is so much discord with this faction or that? In the haste to make ourselves more important than we really are, we have forgotten about the Lord.

Those same self-important people are now falling down over themselves trying to point out the "qualities" they want to see in the next pope. They are salivating at the possibility of seeing a pope elected who will permit women's ordination, among other things. They talk about "representation" as though the Church is a government where the majority is permitted to rule. They insist on having a "voice". They don't understand the meaning of absolute truths. They are intent on having a church which reflects society rather than one which resembles its Spouse.

This is folly, the great cost of which will be souls "falling into Hell like snowflakes", as St Teresa of Avila was permitted to see.

We must pray for all we're worth that they don't succeed.

6 comments:

KellyFebruary 24, 2013 at 5:53 PM
All I can say to that is, Amen.
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MannyFebruary 25, 2013 at 8:53 PM
I am praying too for a good pope. I hate this period of instability. The western world is close to moral collapse and all that prevents it in my opinion is the Catholic Church. If we get a pope that's a relativist and goes for some of the absurd things you enumerated, our civilization just might as well give up the ghost. We've had two great popes in a row. I pray, pray, pray we get a third.
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KellyFebruary 26, 2013 at 5:40 PM
Oh and I am so sorry to have missed the retreat! But Ben's show was that day. so I was required to be there. :)
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MannyFebruary 27, 2013 at 9:47 PM
Off topic Joyce but this is pretty cool. You and your readers might want to adopt a Cardinal for the coming conclave:
http://adoptacardinal.org/
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CarolineMarch 5, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Joyce, It's funny ... In many Evangelical circles it's just the opposite. No one is focused on how many degrees you have, probably to a fault, but they do put great emphasis on their leaders loving the Shepherd. One of the good things I carried away from my years in the Protestant wilderness was that knowledge puffs up as St Paul says.
With everyone, I'm praying and trusting the HS knows who the right man is ... the one who has both the knowledge needed and the love of His Shepherd.

Blessings and +
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TLWMarch 6, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Hi Caroline, I forgot you used to travel in "those" circles! Interesting observation. There is a scene in "Jesus of Nazareth" when the Lord tells Judas "Open your heart, Judas, not your mind. Open your heart." And I agree with you, and St Paul, about ego that sometimes comes with knowledge. I will go out on a limb and say that I predicted Joseph Ratzinger would be made Pope, and I believe Cardinal Burke will be the first American Pope. The comfort we have is knowing that Benedict "stacked the deck" with cardinals who are like-minded and I trust they will be lead by the Spirit to elect the right man. Peace! Joyce
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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

Sunday, February 24, 2013

How Well Do WE Know the Shepherd?

6 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross