We just celebrated the Feast Day of St John Vianney, one of the greatest saints and also the patron saint of all priests (August 4). This was the day Hurricane Isaias unleashed high winds and heavy rains in our area. While it was difficult to make it to the 9 am Mass, about ten brave souls attended. At the time of consecration, the lights began to flicker...reminding us that we are not in charge. By the end of the Mass the effect of Hurricane Isaias had much diminished and we could enjoy the peaceful gathering of our Scripture Prayer Group in the Narthex (our usual Tuesday meeting). We meditated on the powerful readings of this coming Sunday:
1. Elijah finding the presence of the Lord in a tiny whispering sound (but not in the strong and heavy wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire: 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-13)
2. St Paul "joining with the Holy Spirit in bearing him witness that he has great sorrow and anguish in his heart" (Romans 9:1-5)
3. The miracle of Jesus walking on the sea during a storm and encountering his disciples in a boat being tossed about by the waves (Matthew 14:23-33).
On that day, I was listening to the Word of God reflecting on St John Vianney. I had preached earlier on HIS TEACHING ON PRAYER AND LOVE, and read the following excerpts from his Catechetical instructions:
My little children, reflect on these words: the Christian treasure is not on earth but in heaven. Our thoughts, then, ought to be directed to where our treasure is. This is the glorious duty of man, TO PRAY AND TO LOVE. If you pray and love, that is where a man's happiness lies. Prayer is nothing else but union with God...In this intimate Union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart... My little children, your hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer, we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us. Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows in the soul and makes all things sweet. WHEN WE PRAY PROPERLY, SORROWS DISAPPEAR LIKE SNOW BEFORE THE SUN... I often think that when we come to ADORE THE LORD, we would RECEIVE EVERYTHING WE ASK FOR, if we would ask with LIVING FAITH and with a PURE HEART.
I invite you to meditate on the above images of prayer and love. I hope you find them helpful in dealing with the current joys and storms of your lives. St John Vianney is teaching little children, using simple images. But he is also reaching out to all of us as Jesus said that we have to be like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
In these challenging times, we are all invited to PRAY. Let us keep our eyes fixed on heaven where our treasure is. LOOK UP! Do not look down! Keep SILENT! To calm the storms in our hearts, we need to let go of our worldly attachments. Only in the silence of our hearts, can we like Elijah feel the presence of God through hearing "tiny whispering sounds." God is silent. Only in silence can we be united with HIM (our soul and HE being fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart). This Union brings us happiness beyond understanding, as our sorrows will "disappear like snow before the sun." Only the HOLY SPIRIT can guide our prayer and help "stretch our hearts" so that they can be "LOVING HEARTS." We know that prayer strengthens our Faith, that great Gift from God. Like Peter walking toward Jesus on the water, our fear of death may take away our trust and confidence in Him and Jesus' words to Peter may resonate in our hearts, "O you of LITTLE FAITH, why did you doubt?" Let us pray that like the disciples in the boat amazed by the power of Jesus, we my do him homage saying, "You are truly the SON OF GOD."
Come Holy Spirit! Come! Guide me on how to pray. Help me to desire to be a saint imitating St John Vianney who gave HIS entire life to lead other people to God through his unceasing prayer and by leading a life of true Christian LOVE.
Come Holy Spirit! Help me to face the current storms of my life! Help me to LOVE GOD with all my heart, and all my soul, and all my mind! Help me to love others as Jesus loves me! Help me to PRAY AND LOVE!