Shortcut to a Spiritually Rich Life
You may be familiar with the story of a father and son who traveled with a donkey. Shortly after they began their journey, a bystander commented, ?What kind of people are they! They have a perfectly fine donkey, but instead of riding him, they are simply walking beside him!? When they heard this, the father and son thought that it was a good idea. The father said to his son, ?You should ride the donkey. Why tire yourself?? The son jumped on the donkey and they continued on their journey.
After going only a short distance, another bystander said, ?What an arrogant son this is! See how he is having his aged father walk while he is comfortably riding on a donkey!? As soon as he heard this, the son jumped down from the donkey and made his father ride instead. But they had not gotten far when the next set of comments came, ?What a hard-hearted father! He has his son walk while he proudly rides on the donkey!?
The father then encouraged his son as well to ride on the donkey. While they rode together, an onlooker saw them and cried out, ?What cruelty toward an animal! Look at that poor, silent donkey, unable to bear the weight of both of these people. Surely that donkey will collapse and fall down any time now! The father and son thought that this may be true and immediately got off the donkey.
They discussed the situation amongst themselves. ?Now what should we do? No matter what we do, people don?t seem to agree with what we have decided.? After much discussion, they came up with an idea. They tied the donkey on bamboo poles and carried the poles on their shoulders. When people saw them next, they ridiculed them, ?Here are two donkeys hauling another donkey!?
Does the story of this father and son resonate in your life? When we direct the path of our lives based on what other people say, our lives will be wasted. Humans have the capacity to turn any positive action into a seemingly negative one, and to turn any harmful decision into a seemingly helpful one. So, do not give undue importance to what people think of you and your decisions. Rather, concern yourself with another question, ?What is God thinking of me??
One reason behind our hurts, weaknesses, and frustrations is the opinions of others. When we give extensive attention to the talk of the world, we become lethargic. But when we turn to the Word of God, His words fortify us. When we aim for what pleases God, we can grow as a Christian. ?Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ? (Galatians 1:10).
Prayer
Lord, reveal to me the time and energy I spent pleasing people. Give me the grace to do only what pleases You. Fill me with fear of You so that I may never be fearful of the hurtful words and aversions of others. Lord God, grant me the wisdom to discern what it is that You are trying to tell me. Let your Word rule upon me. Amen.
Chevalier Benny Punnathara has authored many books on the faith life which have been translated into several languages. In 2012, then Pope Benedict XVI awarded the title of ?Chevalier? to Punnathara for his outstanding contributions to the Catholic Church and society. In addition to being the founder of Shalom ministries, Punnathara serves as the Chairman of Shalom Media. He and his wife, Stella, an author and speaker, live in India along with their two children.
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Every day people drive their cars and there is nothing unusual about it. But if anyone meets with an accident, it turns into a matter for the news. Headlines appear in newspapers, posts in social media instigate discussions, and everyone talks about it. It is quite ordinary when a husband and wife live together. But once they get divorced, it becomes the talk of the town. Soon enough, this news becomes a subject of gossip within the community. Nowadays, we often find the news of murder, violence, fraud, corruption, and other vices getting more attention than anything that showcases the virtues of humanity. A disproportionate importance is given to the actions of evil in news media and even in our conversations. All this has a negative effect. The one who is constantly fed disturbing stories of evil will unknowingly slip into the thought that the world is full of evil and that most of the people in it are wicked. This thought can destroy every desire to grow in virtue and disappointment can sink deep in the mind. This disappointment turns into hopelessness in life and with the world, and may eventually cause one to surrender to evil without ever putting up a fight. Make no mistake?this is the well thought out strategy of satan. He cunningly twists that which is virtuous and projects only evil, and thereby makes the world seem to think that he has the upper hand. But the truth is, there are still lots of virtues in the world and we are surrounded by virtuous individuals. Even though satan has conquered many hearts, the Kingdom of God is growing fast. Many people around us shed His light of holiness, love, and truth. We are not alone. The Lord is doing everything for us to rejoice and hope in. We should open our eyes to His great works, we should speak about them and write about them. By doing this, our joy and the joy of the world will only increase. Virtues which lay hidden will be shown to the whole world. Gossip is a sin which hinders the light of God. With fear we should remember the fact that each gossipmonger is a soldier in the empire of satan. ?Let all your conversation be about the law of the Lord? (Sirach 9:15). ?Cursed be gossips and the double tongued, for they destroy the peace of many? (Sirach 28:13). Prayer Lord, I understand that those who see evil in others will be unable to love and rejoice fully. Teach me to realize that I fail to see virtues in the world because I fail to live a virtuous life. Help me, dear Lord, to recognize the evil of gossip as the sting of hatred from the terrible serpent in my heart. O Jesus, sanctify my heart in the fire of Your love. Let my heart be filled with Your virtues and let me become Your witness as I grow in virtue. Amen.
Once Alexander the Great was asked by a scholar, ?Your excellency, once you capture Babylon, what will be your next goal?? ?Well, Edessa is next. It is easy to capture that city. So, capturing Edessa and making it my own, would be my next target,? replied Alexander. ?Once you capture Edessa, what then?? the scholar continued. ?I will then turn towards Alexandria and defeat them.? ?Well, what about after you capture Alexandria?? ?Cilicia would be my next target for attack? The scholar, curious, continued, ?Your highness, please do not feel bad that I am questioning you. Can you please tell me what benefit you will obtain by winning all these battles?? ?After conquering the cities, I will rest peacefully and enjoy life,? replied Alexander the Great. To this reply, the scholar raised yet another question, ?Your excellency, then why is that you are not able to enjoy life right now?? Even before he could enjoy his life, Alexander bid goodbye to the world. All his hard work was worthless, because after his death, everything that he captured was divided among other nations. And at the end, it was all just history. Alexander?s tragedy is felt even today by those who desire to get more than what they need, those who are greedy, and those who solely focus on making a name for themselves. It is not just our accomplishments or busy lives that make our lives enjoyable. Rather, to be happy in life, we do not need new things. There is a persistent notion of ?If I could only earn much more money, or gain more wisdom, or get another job?then my life would be so much happier!? However, these are all worldly ideas! A peaceful heart is what is necessary for an enjoyable life. And how can we best obtain a peaceful heart? By believing and trusting in God. If you are in a car traveling 100 miles per hour, you feel that the roadside trees and people on sidewalk vanish quickly. However, when going slow, you can easily see roadside scenery really well. In the same way, only when we keep our mind calm and peaceful, can we enjoy the beauty of flowers, the tranquility of dusk, and the sweetness of relationships. Only then can we truly enjoy life. Prayer Lord, teach me to enjoy every day that You give me. Grant pardon to my weak mind that does not find happiness in this great pasture that You have gifted me. Please teach me that the one who can conquer his own heart is much stronger than the one who conquers the world. Oh Lord God, please steer this fast-paced life of mine. Grant me the grace to acknowledge the beautiful life that you have given me! Amen.
Queen Isabel, the empress of Spain died unexpectedly. The people of the nation grieved greatly at the death of such a smart and beautiful thirty-six year old queen. It took almost seventeen days for her body to be brought, with great pomp, from the city of Toledo where she had died, to the capital city of Granada. Before her burial, the coffin had to be opened up in order to officially declare her dead. The Viceroy of Catalonia, Francis Borgia, was the one designated for this task. At the appointed time, Borgia opened the royal coffin. What he saw was the most beautiful face of the queen decomposed and very much disfigured. This made Borgia ponder deeply. He realized that beauty and royalty do not last beyond death. He took a pledge that he would no longer set aside his life to serve mortal kings, but instead he would serve the immortal God. This was none other than Saint Francis Borgia who later became the third Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Bruce Lee was once a man who greatly influenced the youth. He, who was well known for his skill in the martial arts of Karate and Kung Fu, had spent his entire life training and strengthening his body intensely. But alas! One day he suddenly passed away. Rumors and theories were rife about the cause of his death. His body that was made fit by years of training, lay motionless within a few hours, and decomposed into soil within a few days. We worry and labor hard for bodies that eventually turn into dust; but how much do we care to strengthen our soul? Unnecessary concern about our body will lead us astray. Undue concerns about our body?its weight, height, color, beauty, health, physical handicaps, etc.?can lead us to wrong behaviors and an unhealthy outlook towards life; whereas more concern towards the state of our soul will lead us to prosperity and salvation. Let us examine ourselves: in a day, how much time do we spend thinking about our soul? Is it not true that we are greatly concerned about the health and look of our body, but are often not in the least bit concerned about our soul! One who is not concerned about the soul will not even be aware of heaven and hell! Let these words of our Lord inspire us to ponder and meditate on this question, ?What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?? (Mark 8:36). ?Prayer: Lord our God, Who has shaped man from the dust, help us to realize that one day we are to return to dust. Give us the desire to want to be with You in eternity. Teach us to direct our labors towards gaining eternal life instead of living for things that perish. Amen.
William Sydney Porter was a bank teller at the First National Bank in Austin, Texas. The bank had a provision for its business customers that allowed them to count and take the money they needed on their own, at the counter, provided they sign off in the register with their name and amount withdrawn. It was Porter?s job to oversee this. Once when the bank officials did a random check on this, they found a deficit of three thousand dollars. Porter had absolutely no clue how this could have happened; however, the bank went ahead and filed a case of bank theft against him. Having been falsely accused of this crime, arrested and jailed, Porter was at first devastated and extremely depressed. Gradually, as days passed, Porter felt more at ease and spent the free time he got in jail very fruitfully?he began writing. As his stories started getting published, Porter strived to write more. Finally, when his jail time was done and he was a free man, he became a renowned writer with the pen name of O. Henry. The O. Henry short stories became the carrier of the sweet-smelling aroma of human goodness and have touched the hearts of many. We may also undergo situations in our lives where we are faced with tragedy, pain and injustice. It is of no use wasting our lives thinking about our sufferings and being sad and heavy-laden about them. During any circumstance, we should strive to make our lives meaningful and beneficial. Another great example is that of Saint Paul the Apostle?it was because he was held captive in prison that we received many of the letters in the New Testament. During his imprisonment?be it the thoughts of the death sentence that awaited him or thoughts of his captors?nothing bothered Saint Paul. Instead, he concentrated on completing his long letters for the spiritual growth and strengthening of the people of the Church. In the same way, whether situations are favorable or not, our lives must be fruitful. Even if our body is weary, our mind must be working. We must fill our surroundings with good thoughts. We must spread blessings to the world with prayers. Our years of life are valuable. We should not waste them being sad, disappointed and anxious. We can always do things that are useful and beneficial. Some of our dreams may have been shattered, but we can weave new ones. The life of O. Henry teaches us that losses can turn into gains. ?For everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: ?Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.? Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord? (Ephesians 5:14-17). Prayer Lord Jesus, I am deeply saddened by the times I wasted. I remember now the hours I wasted taking part in unnecessary gossip, the hours I wasted twisting and turning in my bed, or flipping through TV channels, or surfing the Internet. Had I used that valuable time for study and prayer and hard work, my life today would have turned out so much better. My Lord, please teach me to fruitfully live the rest of my life. Free my mind of anxieties and sluggishness, O Lord Almighty. Amen.
There are instances in our lives when we are confused about which path to take or which decision to make; for big and small matters. Every moment of our lives involves decisions, from choosing to sleep or pray, to what toothpaste to buy, what food to eat, what clothes to wear, or what words to say?all of these are daily, moment-to-moment decisions. Knowledge, wisdom, past experiences, and future goals are some of that factors which influence our decision making. Bad decisions are sometimes the reason why we face failures in our lives. For every decision there is a positive or a negative consequence. How will we know which is the right decision? It is important that we realize the will of God in every circumstance we are experiencing. God will reveal His will to people who genuinely seek it and believe that God?s will is the best option in their lives. There are faithful who take decisions without seeking the will of God or who make the wrong decision knowing that it is not God?s will. When problems arise, those people go to their spiritual directors or people with the gift of the Holy Spirit to know the will of God. This may not always be because of their desire to fulfill the will of God, but because of their fear of the consequences which can result from their wrong decisions. For example, a person who is dishonest in his job because he is stealing money from his company does not seek the will of God about his job; but if he is sick, he prays and seeks the will of God about the doctor he is going to see. Through sin we do not make the right decisions. Jesus Christ taught that a person who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is unable to freely make decisions. The things that make the heart lose its freedom is sin. One of the greatest gifts God gave humanity is free will. To sustain free will we need to avoid all factors of sinfulness. Otherwise the darkness in our minds will lead us to bad decisions. In other words, it is through contrition and repentance that we gain the grace to make good decisions. Our decisions impact our future. Therefore, before making any decision, think to yourself: ?Is this the will of God? Will this bring me closer to or further away from God?? When we hold tight our own desires and make our goal luxurious lives for ourselves, we are unable to seek the will of God. The main reason that a person makes the wrong decision is because his or her ultimate goal is not eternal life. Scripture says, ?This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live? (Deuteronomy 30:19). Prayer My Lord God, many times, in my quest to fulfill my own desires, I have not sought out Your will. I regret making wrong decisions in the past. Lord, give me the grace to seek Your will and make the right decisions. Amen.
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A repeated whisper from above, numerous failed attempts?all solved by a children?s story! There is a wonderful tale by Hans Christian Andersen entitled The Steadfast Tin Soldier that I have taken immense pleasure in reading aloud to my daughter, and she, in listening to it. This one-legged tin soldier?s brief existence is marked by tribulation after tribulation. From falling from several storeys to nearly drowning to being swallowed by a fish like Jonah, the handicapped fighter comes to understand suffering quite quickly. Through it all, though, he does not hesitate, falter, or flinch. Oh, to be like the tin soldier! Discovering the Reason Literalists and pessimists might attribute his steadfastness to the fact that he is made of tin. Those who appreciate metaphor will say it is because he has a deep knowledge of his identity. He is a soldier, and soldiers do not let fear or anything, for that matter, steer them from their course. The trials wash over the tin soldier, but he remains unchanged. At times, he admits that if he were not a soldier, he would do such and such?like shed tears?but those things he did not do, for it would not be in line with who he was. In the end, he is cast into a stove where, reminiscent of Saint Joan of Arc, he is engulfed in flames. His remains are later found by the housemaid, reduced to?or one might say, transformed into?a perfectly shaped tin heart. Yes, the fires that he so resolutely endured molded him into love! Perhaps, all that is required to become steadfast is to know one's identity? The question then is, what is our identity? I am, and you are, too, a daughter (or son) of the King of the Universe. If only we know and never cease to claim this identity, we too can be steadfast on the journey toward becoming like Love Himself. If we go about our days knowing that we are princesses and princes gallivanting about our Father's castle, what would we fear? What would make us quake, turn back, or crumble? No falls or floods or flames could make us step aside from the path toward sainthood that has been so lovingly laid before us. We are beloved children of God, destined to become saints if we only stay the course. The trials will become joys because they will not pull us from our path but, if endured well, will ultimately transform us into that which we long to be! Our hope and joy can always remain, for even if all about us is hardship, we are still beloved, chosen, and made to be with the Father in Heaven for all eternity. Sorrows into Joy! When the Angel Gabriel, on his mission to receive Mary?s fiat, sees Mary's fear, he tells her: ?Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.? (Luke 1:30) What glorious news! And how glorious that we, too, have found favor with God! He made us, loves us, and desires for us to be with Him always. So, we, like Mary, need not be afraid, no matter what difficulty comes our way. Mary steadfastly accepted all that came her way, knowing that His Providence is perfect and that the salvation of all mankind was at hand. She stood at the foot of the Cross in the moments of her greatest suffering and remained. In the end, though Mary?s heart was pierced by many swords, she was assumed into Heaven and crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth, to be with Love forever. Her steadfastness and loving endurance through suffering paved the way to her Queenship. Yes, the sorrow of the Pieta became the glory of the Assumption. The martyrdom of so many holy men and women made them a part of the Heavenly host praising the Lord forevermore. Like our Mother and the Saints, may we accept the grace to be steadfast, standing tall amidst sorrow, flames, and all other circumstances that try to divert us from the Lord?s open arms. May we be firmly rooted in our identity as children made in the Father's image. May we, like the renowned poet Tennyson once wrote: ?Be strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!? May we, after it all, become like Love.
Through the darkest valleys and toughest nights, Belinda heard a voice that kept calling her back. My mother walked out on us when I was around eleven. At the time, I thought that she left because she didn't want me. But in fact, after years of silently suffering through marital abuse, she couldn?t hold on anymore. As much as she wanted to save us, my father had threatened to kill her if she took us with her. It was too much to take in at such a young age, and as I was striving hard to navigate through this difficult time, my father started a cycle of abuse that would haunt me for years to come. Valleys and Hills To numb the pain of my father?s abuse and compensate for the loneliness of my mother?s abandonment, I started resorting to all kinds of ?relief? mechanisms. And at a point when I couldn?t stand the abuse anymore, I ran away with Charles, my boyfriend from school. I reconnected with my mother during this time and lived with her and her new husband for a while. At 17, I married Charles. His family had a history of incarceration, and he followed suit soon enough. I kept hanging out with the same bunch of people, and eventually, I, too, fell into crime. At 19, I got sentenced to prison for the first time?five years for aggravated assault. In prison, I felt more alone than I had ever been in my life. Everyone who was supposed to love and nurture me had abandoned me, used me, and abused me. I remember giving up, even trying to end my life. For a long time, I kept on spiraling downwards until I met Sharon and Joyce. They had given their lives to the Lord. Though I had no clue about Jesus, I thought I'd give it a try as I didn't have anything else. There, trapped inside those walls, I started a new life with Christ. Falling, Rising, Learning? About a year and a half into my sentence, I came up for parole. Somehow in my heart, I just knew I was going to make parole because I'd been living for Jesus. I felt like I was doing all the right things, so when the denial came back with a year set off, I just didn't understand. I started questioning God and was quite angry. It was at this time that I was transferred to another correctional facility. At the end of the church services, when the chaplain reached out for a handshake, I flinched and withdrew. He was a Spirit-filled man, and the Holy Spirit had shown him that I had been hurt. The next morning, he asked to see me. There in his office, as he asked about what had happened to me and how I was hurting, I opened up and shared for the first time in my life. Finally, out of prison and in private rehab, I started a job and was slowly getting a hold on my new life when I met Steven. I started going out with him, and we got pregnant. I remember being excited about it. As he wanted to make it right, we got married and started a family. That marked the beginning of probably the worst 17 years of my life, marked by his physical abuse and infidelity and the continuing influence of drugs and crime. He would even go on to hurt our kids, and this once sent me into a rage?I wanted to shoot him. At that moment, I heard these verses: ?Vengeance is mine, I will repay.? (Romans 12:19) and ?The Lord will fight for you? (Exodus 14:1), and that prompted me to let him go. Never a Criminal I was never able to be a criminal for long; God would just arrest me and try to get me back on track. In spite of His repeated efforts, I wasn't living for Him. I always kept God back, although I knew He was there. After a series of arrests and releases, I finally came home for good in 1996. I got back in touch with the Church and finally started building a true and sincere relationship with Jesus. The Church slowly became my life; I never really had that kind of a relationship with Jesus before. I just couldn't get enough of it because I started to see that it's not the things that I've done but who I am in Christ that's going to keep me on this road. But, the real conversion happened with Bridges to Life*. How can I Not? Even though I hadn?t been a participant in the program as an offender, being able to facilitate in those small groups was a blessing I hadn?t anticipated?one that would change my life in beautiful ways. When I heard other women and men share their stories, something clicked inside of me. It affirmed me that I was not the only one and encouraged me to show up time and again. I would be so tired and worn out from work, but I would walk into the prisons and just be rejuvenated because I knew that that was where I was supposed to be. Bridges to Life is about learning to forgive yourself; not only did helping others help me become whole, it also helped me heal?and I am still healing. First, it was my mother. She had cancer, and I brought her home; I looked after her for as long as she stayed until she passed away peacefully at my home. In 2005, my father?s cancer came back, and the doctors estimated he had at most six months. I brought him home too. Everybody told me not to take in this man after what he did to me. I asked: ?how can I not?? Jesus forgave me, and I feel that God would want me to do this. Had I chosen to hold on to the bitterness or hatred toward my parents for the abandonment and the abuse, I don't know if they would have given their lives to the Lord. Just looking back over my life, I see how Jesus kept pursuing me and trying to help me. I was so resistant to feeling what was new, and it was so easy to stay in what was comfortable, but I am grateful to Jesus that I was able to finally completely surrender to Him. He is my Savior, He is my rock, and He is my friend. I just cannot imagine a life without Jesus. * A faith-based program ministering to victims and offenders alike, focusing on the transforming power of God?s love and forgiveness l
We all wrestle with God at one point or another, but when do we really attain peace? Recently, a struggling friend told me: ?I do not even know what to pray for.? She wanted to pray but was growing weary of asking for something that was not coming. I immediately thought of Saint Peter Julian Eymard?s Eucharistic Way of Prayer. He invites us to model our prayer time after the four ends of the Mass: Adoration, Thanksgiving, Atonement, and Petition. A Better Way Prayer is more than asking, yet there are times when our needs and worries about our loved ones are so pressing that we do nothing but ask, ask, plead, and then ask some more. We might say: ?Jesus, I leave this in your hands,? but 30 seconds later, we grab it right out of His hands to explain why we need it again. We worry, fret, and lose sleep. We don?t stop asking long enough to hear what God might be trying to whisper to our weary hearts. We go around like this for a while, and God lets us. He waits for us to wear ourselves out, to realize that we are not asking Him to help us, but we are trying to tell Him how we think He needs to help us. When we grow tired of wrestling and finally surrender, we learn a better way to pray. In his letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul instructs us on how we should approach our petitions to God: ?Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.? (4:6-7) Combat the Lies Why do we worry? Why do we get anxious? Because, like Saint Peter, who stopped looking at Jesus and began to sink (Matthew 14:22-33), we too lose sight of the Truth and choose to listen to the lies. At the root of every anxious thought lies a big lie?that God will not take care of me, that whatever problem worries me now is bigger than God, that God will abandon me and forget me?that I don?t have a loving Father after all. How do we combat these lies? With the TRUTH. ?We must simplify the work of our mind by a simple and calm view of God?s truths,? reminds St. Peter Julian Eymard. What is the truth? I like Saint Mother Teresa?s answer: ?Humility is truth.? The Catechism tells us that ?humility is the foundation of prayer.? Prayer is raising our hearts and minds to God. It is a conversation, a relationship. I can?t be in a relationship with someone I do not know. When we begin our prayer with humility, we acknowledge the truth of Who God is and of who we are. We recognize that, on our own, we are nothing but sin and misery but that God has made us his children and that in Him, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). It is that humility, that truth, that brings us to first adoration, then thanksgiving, then repentance, and finally to petition. It is the natural progression of one who is completely dependent on God. So when we don?t know what to say to God, let us bless Him and praise His name. Let us think of all the blessings and thank Him for all He has done for us. This will help us trust that this same God, who has always been with us, is still here today and is always for us through good times and difficult times.
Are you quick to judge others? Are you hesitant to help someone in need? Then, it?s time to reflect! It was?just?another?day for me. Returning from the market, weary from the day?s labor,?collecting?Roofus from the Synagogue school? However, something felt different?that day. The?wind?was whispering in my ear,?and even?the sky?was?more expressive than usual.?Commotion?from a crowd?in the streets confirmed for me that today, something was going to change. Then,?I saw Him?His body so disfigured that I?turned?Roofus away from this fearful sight. The poor boy?gripped my arm with all his might?he was?terrified. The?way?this man, well, what was left of Him, was being handled?must?mean he?had?done something?terrible. I could not?bear to?stand and watch,?but as?I began to leave,?I was seized by?a Roman?soldier. To my horror, they?commanded?me?to help this man to bear His heavy load.?I?knew this meant trouble. Despite?resisting,?they asked me to help Him. What a mess!?I did not want to?associate with a sinner.?How?humiliating! To carry a cross whilst all of them watched? I knew?there was?no escape,?though,?so I?asked?my?neighbor?Vanessa?to take Roofus home?because this trial would take a while. I?walked over?to?Him?filthy, bloody, and disfigured.? I wondered what he had done to deserve this.?Whatever?be it,?this punishment was way too?cruel. The bystanders?were yelling?out??blasphemer,???liar,??and??King of the Jews,??whilst others?were?spitting at him?and?abusing?him. I?had never been so humiliated and?mentally?tortured like this before. After taking only about ten to fifteen steps with him, he fell to the ground, face first.?For this trial to end, he needed?to get?up, so?I bent over to help him up. Then, in?his eyes, I saw something that?changed me. I saw?compassion and love? How could this be? No fear, no anger, no hatred?just love and sympathy. I?was taken aback,?whilst with those eyes, He looked at me and held my hand to get back up.?I could no longer hear or see the people around me.?As?I?held?the Cross?on?my one shoulder and?Him?on?my other,?I could only keep looking at Him.?I saw the?blood, the?wounds,?the spit,?the?dirt,?everything that?could no longer hide the divinity of His face.?Now?I?heard?only?the beating of His heart and His?labored?breathing?He was struggling, yet so?very,?very strong. Amid all the noise of the people screaming, abusing, and scurrying about, I felt?as?though He was speaking to me. Everything else?I had done till that point, good or bad, seemed?pointless. When?the Roman?soldiers?pulled?Him?from me?to drag Him to the place of?crucifixion, they?shoved me?aside,?and?I fell?to?the ground. He had to continue on His own. I lay there on the ground as people trampled over me.?I did not know what?to?do?next.?All I knew was that Iife?was never?going to be the same again. I could no longer hear the crowd but?only the?silence?and the sound of my heart beating. I was?reminded?of the?sound?of His?tender?heart. A few hours later, as I was about to get up to leave, the expressive sky from earlier began to speak. The ground beneath me shook! I?looked?ahead at the top of Calvary and saw Him, arms stretched and head bowed, for me. I?know?now?that?the blood?splattered on my garment?that day?belonged to?the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.?He cleansed me with His blood. *** *** *** This is how?I?imagine Simon of Cyrene?recalling his?experience of?the day he was asked to?help?Jesus carry the Cross to Calvary.?He had probably heard very little of Jesus till that day, but I?am very sure that?he was not?the same?person after he helped the Savior carry that?Cross. This Lenten season, Simon asks us to look into ourselves: Have we been too quick to judge people? Sometimes, we?are?too?quick?to believe?what?our?instincts tell?us about?somebody. Just like Simon, we may?let our judgments?come in the way of?helping others. Simon saw Jesus?being?scourged?and assumed that He?ought to?have done something wrong.?There might have been?times?when?we?let our presumptions about a person?come in the way of?loving?them?as?Christ?called us to. Are we hesitant to help some people? Shouldn?t we see Jesus in others and reach out to help them? Jesus asks us to love?not only our friends but also?strangers and enemies. Mother Teresa,?being the?perfect example of loving strangers,?showed us how to see the face of Jesus in everyone.?Who?better to point at for an example of?loving?enemies?than Jesus Christ Himself??He loved those who?hated him and prayed for those who persecuted him.?Like Simon, we may?feel hesitant?about?reaching out to strangers?or?enemies, but?Christ?calls?us to love our brothers and sisters?just?as?He?did. He?died for their sins as much as He died for yours. Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us the example of Simon of Cyrene, who became a great witness for following Your Way. Heavenly Father, grant us the grace to become Your witnesses by reaching out to those in need.
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