Here is my latest column for the Catholic Spirit! It’s a reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christ’s call for us to be perfect in love. It’s called“Full Hearts”
*Pray and Reflect with full guided prayer meditations on the Sunday Gospel reading in my book Take Time For Himand its series on Amazon and Kindle!
At the close of the liturgical year, the Church meditates on the close of the human journey in this life – to eternal life with Christ the king in the home of our Father in heaven. Upon instituting this feast in 1925, Pope Pius XII further exhorted us to remember that the kingdom of heaven includes here on earth – in the hearts and lives of the faithful.
Jesus Christ is a king of peace. When we pledge our fealty to Him, He rules by both word and grace. When we invite Christ into our hearts and surrender our whole selves to Him, He orders all that is unruly within us, bringing calm and peace. The Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that happiness is a life of virtue, one in which a person has self-mastery over their passions and is governed by reason. Self-rule therefore could be achieved through learning and habituation. However, we know from divine revelation and experience, that it’s not that simple. Because of the Fall, we suffer from concupiscence – disordered desires, together with a weakened will and a darkened intellect. As a result, we all lament our lack of self-control – being ruled by our emotions or desires rather than the other way around. As St. Paul bemoaned, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” (Romans 7:19). We need to Christ, “the one stronger”[i] to bring order to our hearts – settling our competing desires and directing them to the right ends.
Our own inner war and lack of self-control spills into conflicts with others too. St. James observed, “What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members?” (James 4:1). Most social conflict arises from unrestrained jealousy, lust, anger, greed, sloth, and the unrestrained tongue. Christ brings peace through ordering us from within, thereby preventing the conflict and empowering us to love. He frees us from the addiction of sin and being tossed around by our impulses, so we can give to our relationships and experience true happiness.
Without Christ we struggle to rule ourselves in the order of love, but at a national and global level, it can have catastrophic effects. Pope Pius XII instituted this feast in 1925 to shed light on the necessity of Christ’s rule that was being systematically rejected from public life. He wrote,
“these manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and we said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations.” Quas Primas par. 1
Pope Pius XII wasn’t arguing for a political theocracy but speaking to the reality that God does play an essential role in public life. Without Christ governing Christians from within and without the wisdom of Christian principles at least respected by the culture, the inner war inherent in fallen human nature will snowball into terrible outer wars between peoples and nations.
When St. Paul urged the Colossians to let the peace of Christ rule their hearts, he astutely described the source of tension:
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which idolatry…But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth…
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:1,5, 8, 12-15)
Imagine the cultural effect of even a fraction of its members living their Christian faith! So how do we do that?
“The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). It begins by receiving Christ’s truth. He gave us His divine revelation in Scripture and Tradition, speaking to us through the bible and Church teaching. His gave us His Holy Spirit Who illumines our minds and softens our hearts in prayer, moving us to turn away from sin and turn toward our Lord. He raised up saints throughout history and even today, to show us the Christian life in concrete circumstances. Finally, He incorporates us into His Mystical Body, where we find nourishment, healing, and inspiration from holy people in our everyday lives; followers of Christ caring for us and encouraging us in the present moment.
“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). The more we know, the more culpable we become for our sin; and the more our hearts soften the more guilty we feel. However, Christ came not only to judge, but to heal and restore. When we see the truth about ourselves, it should motivate us to reach out to Christ our king to bestow upon us some of the wealth of His grace. Thankfully, in Christ’s kingdom this is a top priority! For the healing of mortal wounds of sin, He instituted the sacrament of Confession by which He could physically speak the words of forgiveness through His priests and convey the lifesaving sanctifying grace we had lost. Go to Him in Confession, that He may drive out your sin and fill you with Charity. Go to Him in the Eucharist too, and as you receive Him – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – invite Him to take up His throne in your heart and make your heart like His. Beg Him to govern your heart according to His Father’s will, just as He did: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38), “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Retreat to Him in prayer frequently throughout the day whenever assaulted by unruly desires or when needing the grace to discern or do the loving thing instead of the selfish thing.
Christ is a warrior king and an active prince. He doesn’t sit aloof in fine clothes in the castle, silent but majestic. He rides out into His lands to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Christ rules from within our hearts. He calms the storms of our passions with the authority of His divine word and power. He releases us from the addictions we slavishly attend to whenever they beckon despite the better things we wish for ourselves. Christ can bring our disordered desires and thoughts into line, if we allow Him to wield His grace. May Christ reign, may we lift high the gates of our hearts[ii] that He may enter. And may the peace of Christ rule our hearts!
[i] See Luke 11:20-22. “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcome him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil.”
Where do you feel out of control and need Christ’s grace to re-order your emotions and desires?
When provoked to anger, does it control you or do you control it?
Do you have the power of temperance to control your desires for food and drink, or do they drive you?
Are you able to govern your thoughts, or do they run rampant, leading you in all kinds of directions or down unsavory paths?
How have you grown over the years? What did you used to struggle with that you don’t as much now? Where has Christ brought order and grace in your heart?
Do you see a family member or friend struggling with impulsivity or an area of their life that is out of control? Remember that prayer can effect grace in their hearts and be of help to them too, especially when you feel unable to fix it for them. Take a moment to pray for them.
Self-mastery empowers us to actually love ourselves by choosing and following through with doing what is actually best for us. What do you wish you would do more for yourself? Ask Christ to help you.
Self-mastery also empowers us to love others because we can govern ourselves to choose the good for them instead of neglecting their needs or hurting them as we tend to our inner impulse in the moment instead. Consider a relationship that is struggling because of this, and pray for the grace to be more loving.
“Abba Ammonas was asked, ‘What is the “narrow and hard way”’ (Matt.7.14) He replied, ‘The “narrow and hard way” is this, to control your thoughts, and to strip yourself of your own will, for the sake of God. This is also the meaning of the sentence, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you.”’ (Matt. 19.27)”
He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘as instruments of justice unto God.’
Quite often as a mom I feel like a gatekeeper. When my kids ask to go somewhere, I need to know where, with whom, and for how long before I approve. Technology plagues me with even more gate-keeping work: parent controls, ratings evaluations, and download or streaming restrictions. The ever-multiplying accounts, passwords, devices, programs, and updates can feel like an interminable game of whack-a-mole. Christmas and birthdays used to be fun, now they feel like a migraine-inducing tidal wave of gate-keeping duties while excited, impatient children complain as I set the perimeters that I am being too slow, and of course too controlling. I’ve at least developed a one-line response to save my overtaxed brain from responding to the myriad of “logical” arguments and pleas of trust from my young teens. “It’s as simple as this,” I say, “You shall not have unfiltered access to the internet.” The Church could consider adding that as the 11th Commandment for the modern era.
Let’s face it, even adults, as children of God, need filters. We too can be easily allured by promises of pleasure, freedom, status, or adventure from false advertisers; and I don’t just mean commercially. Despite having everything, Adam and Eve fell prey to Satan’s proposition that God’s single rule (not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) was controlling and denying them fun out of selfish motivations. Satan continues to deceive us through similar false promises.
Just as predators try to find ways to get around parents to manipulate children, spiritual “thieves and robbers” try to get around Christ to attack us, God’s children. First, they try to separate us from His influence by undermining our trust in Him, His Word, or His Church. Common attempts sound something like: “Christ’s teachings hold you back. If you want to get ahead in life you have to be willing to get your hands dirty”, or “It’s not that you are going against Christ’s teachings, you are just modernizing them.” In regards to those difficult passages in Scripture, the ones that really strike at your conscience, you will be urged to simply pass over them or interpret them in a more relaxed way – “Forgive others, yes, but forgive her?, I don’t think He meant that…” Jesus stresses that we must die to ourselves in this life and deny ourselves. Instead we rationalize that He only meant that symbolically, or at least in a modest way – like going on a diet or not aiming too high. Finally, the Church, Christ’s living voice of authority, is the clearest voice of our Shepherd and therefore the harshest recipient of worldly criticism.
We are children of God, in need of a loving gatekeeper. Christ’s commands, given through Scripture and the Church, can seem restrictive and controlling if we have an adolescent view. However, as we develop in spiritual maturity, we begin to appreciate the wisdom and the love underlying them.
When I’m tempted to brush off a Church teaching or a little pull at my conscience, I stop and recall that Christ loves me more than I love myself, and He is far wiser than me. Who am I going to trust? Any other false shepherd – whether secular culture, another person, or my own impulses – eventually drains rather than fills and proves a destructive, rather than uplifting force.
Christ, our Good Shepherd, leads to green pasture. He refreshes our souls and leads us beside peaceful waters (Psalm 23). Jesus lamented to St. Faustina that distrust on the part of souls causes Him the greatest pain. As a mom of teens, I know what He means. I want my kids to trust me too, and so I repeat the prayer He gave to St. Faustina, “Jesus I trust in You.”
Consider:
When have you been steered wrong – by others, by cultural norms, or by your own impulses? What was the reason? What did you learn?
When have you been steered right by Christ? How has His wisdom brought deeper joy and fullness of life, even amidst suffering, than these other voices?
Have you ever had to be the gatekeeper for loved ones? Consider the love it takes to be strong and the need for them to trust you.
How can you trust Christ more and listen to His voice more often? Could you attend Church more regularly? Could you invest more time into Christian friendships? Do you make time to study your Bible, read quality devotionals, or learn more about your faith?
Make a Resolution (Practical Application):
Choose one way to listen more to the voice of Christ this week.
Ideas: Add 10 minutes to your prayer time, pray the rosary in the car, listen to Christian radio, listen to Christian podcasts, read the daily Scriptures (these can be found at usccb.org), post inspirational Scripture quotes in places you will see them often, meet with a Christian friend.
Consider adding a filter, rating restrictions, or accountability software to your personal technology.
By a miracle of God, the Holy Spirit would overshadow Mary and Jesus Christ would be conceived in the womb of a virgin. For this to happen, another miracle had to take place first. The Son of God received His human nature from His Mother Mary, but since God and sin are incompatible it was necessary that she too be without the stain of sin. So today the Church prayerfully remembers and praises God for the other miraculous conception – Mary’s. Through His grace she was preserved from Original Sin from the moment of her conception. Incredibly, this saving grace is the same grace merited on the Cross by Jesus which saves us, except that she received this gift from her beginning whereas we are cleansed from sin in Baptism.
Mary received this state of grace as a gift from God, but unlike Eve (and Adam), she remained faithful to God and this gift through every temptation. Mary suffered difficulties, anxieties, troubles, danger, and excruciating emotional pain, especially at the foot of the Cross, yet she trusted God above all and surrendered always and completely to His will.
As we praise God today for His great love and mercy in the miraculous conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we look to her for motherly guidance and love. She is both our mother and our role model. We are cleansed from sin in Baptism, may we strive to remain faithful to that gift, trusting in God and glorifying Him as Mary did, in every circumstance.
Consider:
God’s miracles are a fruit of His power, mercy, and love. Consider the gift of Mary’s Immaculate Conception and the beauty of human nature in the fullness God created it to be.
Consider the miracle of your life and the great dignity God has given you. Take a moment to thank God for the gift of His grace in your life and freedom from sin at your Baptism. Consider the fullness of life God desires for you which He makes possible through His grace, and teaches through His commands.
Sin appears as freedom and pleasure but in fact only degrades us. Examine your conscience for the ways you have fallen to temptations and sin, especially since your Baptism. Go to the Sacrament of Confession this Advent Season to receive Christ’s healing grace and to begin anew.
Make a Resolution:
Learn from Mary’s example of discipleship and ask her to help you love the Lord as she did.
Jesus Christ is a king of peace. When we pledge our fealty to Him, He rules by both word and grace. When we invite Christ into our hearts and surrender our whole selves to Him, He orders all that is unruly within us, bringing calm and peace. The Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that happiness is a life of virtue, one in which a person has self-mastery over their passions and is governed by reason. Self-rule therefore could be achieved through learning and habituation. However, we know from divine revelation and experience, that it’s not that simple. Because of the Fall, we suffer from concupiscence – disordered desires, together with a weakened will and a darkened intellect. As a result, we all lament our lack of self-control – being ruled by our emotions or desires rather than the other way around. As St. Paul bemoaned, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” (Romans 7:19). We need to Christ, “the one stronger”
heart according to His Father’s will, just as He did: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38), “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Retreat to Him in prayer frequently throughout the day whenever assaulted by unruly desires or when needing the grace to discern or do the loving thing instead of the selfish thing.
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Just as predators try to find ways to get around parents to manipulate children, spiritual “thieves and robbers” try to get around Christ to attack us, God’s children. First, they try to separate us from His influence by undermining our trust in Him, His Word, or His Church. Common attempts sound something like: “Christ’s teachings hold you back. If you want to get ahead in life you have to be willing to get your hands dirty”, or “It’s not that you are going against Christ’s teachings, you are just modernizing them.” In regards to those difficult passages in Scripture, the ones that really strike at your conscience, you will be urged to simply pass over them or interpret them in a more relaxed way – “Forgive others, yes, but forgive her?, I don’t think He meant that…” Jesus stresses that we must die to ourselves in this life and deny ourselves. Instead we rationalize that He only meant that symbolically, or at least in a modest way – like going on a diet or not aiming too high. Finally, the Church, Christ’s living voice of authority, is the clearest voice of our Shepherd and therefore the harshest recipient of worldly criticism.
Take Time For Him 