By REY FLORES
As I was developing ideas for this week’s column, it occurred to me that there are countless current events to write about, be it the political chaos, the recent Jeffrey Epstein child sex-trafficking case, yet another local Catholic parish shutting down in Chicago — all dismal.
I figure that we have enough of those stories beating us up each day, so instead I thought about a seemingly minor observation which I normally would have dismissed. It is this: The uglier things get in the world, the more I instinctively seek beauty. Call it instinct, or perhaps our souls sometimes kick in subconsciously to survival mode. I don’t know, but I’m glad this kind of thing happens for those of us who seek God.
I recently came across a donation of several books at a thrift store which were all about angels. Angels in art, the history of angels, how angels can intercede on our behalf, and even how angels can help heal our physical maladies. Interestingly enough, pun intended, these angel books literally flew off the shelves not long after they were put out on the sales floor.
For as long as angels have existed, we have had a strong fascination with them. Aside from the countless books, there are angel calendars, angel dolls, angel statues, and let’s not forget the angels who adorn our Christmas trees each year. Speaking of Christmas: Which one of us who grew up with snowy winters hasn’t made a snow angel on the ground on freshly fallen snow?
They are creatures who, I have heard, envy the fact that we can receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, while they can’t. I’ve also always loved the concept of our guardian angels constantly being at our side, though I must admit that my guardian angel certainly deserves a raise.
The Prayer to St. Michael is one of our most powerful weapons against the fallen angel himself. Then in addition to Michael, there are the only other angels named in Scripture, the powerful Archangels Gabriel and Raphael. We certainly have some great friends available to us, but we must seek them out.
Why pray and ask for help if we’re not open to the mighty power of divine intervention and intercession? I think that’s a fair question we must all ask ourselves. Let’s ask ourselves a few more questions.
How many of us sometimes go through the motions as Catholics, putting our faith life on cruise control?
What I mean by that is that when we attend Mass on Sundays, and Sundays only, is it only because it is an obligation? When was the last time you attended a daily Mass?
I feel pretty confident that many Wanderer readers are daily communicants, so I’m not referring to you necessarily. Who knows? Perhaps even daily communicants have made it a habit only, not fully appreciating the true sacrifice and miracle that the Holy Mass is.
Oftentimes in our daily pursuits of this world, we neglect our prayer life. I myself am pretty good at praying my morning offering, my daily rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, but the Angelus, a nightly examination of conscience, and other daily devotional prayers sometimes get forgotten or overlooked by me.
In addition to those daily prayers, I often pray a novena. For the second year in a row, I have a strong dedication to praying the wonderful nine-month novena in honor of the Virgin of the Incarnation. How many of you pray a novena? I ask not in an accusatory or judgmental tone, but in curiosity as a fellow Catholic.
Openness to the power of our Lord Jesus in Heaven, God the Father, and the Holy Ghost is there for the asking, but one must seek, ask, and then obey. God isn’t a wishing well. We don’t just get to ask God for favors then turn around and disobey His Commandments.
Like I tell my non-Catholic Christian friends: Being Catholic is not easy, but the rewards are out of this world! We don’t just declare that Jesus is “our friend and personal savior.” There are sacrifices to be made, actions to be taken, truly loving our fellowman, and remaining committed to active participation in our daily faith life.
It completely baffles me how any soul can go about this world without having God in their mind and heart and on their lips. What an incredibly lonely and scary place it must be, but then again, there are those who walk in complete ignorance of God due to a number of generational factors. After all, they say ignorance is bliss. I say deliberate ignorance of God is a one-way ticket to Hell.
To be open to the divine assistance of God and all of the angels, saints, and even the holy souls in Purgatory, is to say, “I believe.” I believe in not only God, but of all of the powerful intercessors we have on our behalf.
Who wouldn’t want Our Blessed Mother Mary, the one who crushes the head of the serpent under her foot, on their side? How about that “terror of demons” St. Joseph? “Terror of demons”? You have to be one pretty mighty dude to get that kind of moniker.
Openness in one’s heart is all it takes. If we try and rationalize God, Heaven, and everything associated with both, that’s just Satan and his minions trying to plant the seeds of doubt in our minds and in our souls. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t read our Bible, the writings of the saints, Church scholars, and your weekly issue of The Wanderer.
Also, never let your suffering go in vain. Offer up your suffering the way Jesus did on His way to Calvary. Right now I’m experiencing chronic foot pain for which I’m unable to seek treatment due to a number of reasons, but when I’m ready to whine and complain about it, I think of the nail which pierced Jesus’ feet on the cross, and it brings it all into perspective.
Lastly for now, let us remind ourselves that just because we use the term “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical calendar, never means our time with God is “just ordinary.” When it comes to God and our love, belief, faith, and trust in Him, it should always be extraordinary.
Take time to believe again. Take time to open that door to all of the wonderful and mighty gifts our Lord and His Bride the Church offer.
May God bless you all and your loved ones always, and may the souls of the faithful departed never be forgotten in our daily prayers.
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(Rey Flores writes opinion and book and movie reviews for The Wanderer. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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