The Here and Now Reality of Our Risen Lord at Work
I recently headed to the office with a solid spiritual spike - and it had nothing to do with the jolt I get from my delicious morning cup of Mystic Monk coffee. Throw joy into the mix - since it's Easter Season - and I was practically walking on air.
That spiritual spike came from the pen of Archbishop James Leen. Before we get into what he had to say, some background:
There would be no spike were it not for my having carved out some time for spiritual reading that morning. It was during that time that I came across Archbishop Leen's remarks.
If you're not carving out time for spiritual reading each day, consider it, along with time for reading Scripture and studying your Catholic religion. The whole shebang doesn't have to take more than 30-45 mintues each morning. Done consistently, you'll nourish your soul and, every once in a while, get hit with a spike of enthusiasm. Not only will you start your work day off right, but you'll be - as I was - walking on air.
In addition to getting that special jump start on your day, you'll find that, over time, you'll build up a pretty substantial knowledge and understanding of the Bible and your Catholic religion. We're not talking about being able to spout quotes from Scripture off the top of your head; or being able to reference on demand chapter and verse the Catechism or Canon Law. You might be able to do this, of course. But that's not the key benefit.
I've been devoting time to this routine every morning for 20+ years. I'm still not good at quoting Scripture or even being able to fire off the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. But I do have a solid grounding in my faith and the doctrines of my Catholic religion. That grounding helps you build virtue. It provides a framework for acting in a moral and ethical manner. You may not be able to recite the Twelve Fruits, but they will nevertheless inform and guide your thoughts, words, and deeds.
Now back to Archbishop Leen. Right in line with the Easter Season, he explains why and how the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord remain present to us in our everyday lives. We don't only commemorate them, we imitate them. He begins this passage referencing St. Paul, then expands to the saints, and, ultimately to all of us who claim to be Christians:
"...the Passion, Death, and Resurrection were not events anchored in the sea of time, but events perpetually re-enacted in the Mystical Body. To the extent that the life of the first Adam is destroyed in the member of Christ, that is, to the extent that the life of the flesh and its concupiscences has been subjugated in him, the life of grace derived from Christ has freedom to develop: according as it does, the Christian in his life becomes identified with Christ and re-lives the life of Jesus. The Saints understood things thus. They did not content themselves with admiring the life of the Savior, they aimed at living it themselves. At times God deigns to give outward proofs of the actuality of this mystery as when He traced the marks of the Passion on the body of Saint Francis of Assisi. We must live the mysteries of Christ’s life, in the due order of these mysteries. All this living should subserve in us, and lead up to, the Resurrection.” (Archbishop James Leen, C.S.Sp.)
Our reading and study, our attendance at Mass, our daily prayers - all these ground us in the mysteries of Christ's life. Archbishop Leen shows us that these mysteries all lead to the Resurrection. Since it's Easter Season, these words can help to keep us focused not only on the event that happened over 2,000 years ago, but on the here and now reality of Our Risen Lord and Savior.
Let's now pray for the grace to keep Our Risen Lord in our hearts and minds as we go about our daily toil. The hear and now reality of His Resurrection will help us produce our best work and treat those around us with charity. If we sincerely will it, with the help of His grace we can all do this. Like the saints, let's not be content with admiring the life of Jesus; to the extent we can, let's live it. Doing so will make the here and now reality of Christ's Resurrection come alive not only in our own lives, but in the lives of all those we meet today.
That spiritual spike came from the pen of Archbishop James Leen. Before we get into what he had to say, some background:
There would be no spike were it not for my having carved out some time for spiritual reading that morning. It was during that time that I came across Archbishop Leen's remarks.
If you're not carving out time for spiritual reading each day, consider it, along with time for reading Scripture and studying your Catholic religion. The whole shebang doesn't have to take more than 30-45 mintues each morning. Done consistently, you'll nourish your soul and, every once in a while, get hit with a spike of enthusiasm. Not only will you start your work day off right, but you'll be - as I was - walking on air.
In addition to getting that special jump start on your day, you'll find that, over time, you'll build up a pretty substantial knowledge and understanding of the Bible and your Catholic religion. We're not talking about being able to spout quotes from Scripture off the top of your head; or being able to reference on demand chapter and verse the Catechism or Canon Law. You might be able to do this, of course. But that's not the key benefit.
I've been devoting time to this routine every morning for 20+ years. I'm still not good at quoting Scripture or even being able to fire off the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. But I do have a solid grounding in my faith and the doctrines of my Catholic religion. That grounding helps you build virtue. It provides a framework for acting in a moral and ethical manner. You may not be able to recite the Twelve Fruits, but they will nevertheless inform and guide your thoughts, words, and deeds.
Now back to Archbishop Leen. Right in line with the Easter Season, he explains why and how the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord remain present to us in our everyday lives. We don't only commemorate them, we imitate them. He begins this passage referencing St. Paul, then expands to the saints, and, ultimately to all of us who claim to be Christians:
"...the Passion, Death, and Resurrection were not events anchored in the sea of time, but events perpetually re-enacted in the Mystical Body. To the extent that the life of the first Adam is destroyed in the member of Christ, that is, to the extent that the life of the flesh and its concupiscences has been subjugated in him, the life of grace derived from Christ has freedom to develop: according as it does, the Christian in his life becomes identified with Christ and re-lives the life of Jesus. The Saints understood things thus. They did not content themselves with admiring the life of the Savior, they aimed at living it themselves. At times God deigns to give outward proofs of the actuality of this mystery as when He traced the marks of the Passion on the body of Saint Francis of Assisi. We must live the mysteries of Christ’s life, in the due order of these mysteries. All this living should subserve in us, and lead up to, the Resurrection.” (Archbishop James Leen, C.S.Sp.)
Our reading and study, our attendance at Mass, our daily prayers - all these ground us in the mysteries of Christ's life. Archbishop Leen shows us that these mysteries all lead to the Resurrection. Since it's Easter Season, these words can help to keep us focused not only on the event that happened over 2,000 years ago, but on the here and now reality of Our Risen Lord and Savior.
Let's now pray for the grace to keep Our Risen Lord in our hearts and minds as we go about our daily toil. The hear and now reality of His Resurrection will help us produce our best work and treat those around us with charity. If we sincerely will it, with the help of His grace we can all do this. Like the saints, let's not be content with admiring the life of Jesus; to the extent we can, let's live it. Doing so will make the here and now reality of Christ's Resurrection come alive not only in our own lives, but in the lives of all those we meet today.
Happy Easter!
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