Monday, November 17, 2014

Thanksgiving Again

St. Ignatius House
Lanham, MD

 Dear Readers and Followers,

My letter to you is a way of thanking you for your support in following my efforts with the blog.  The number of years has rewarding and refreshing.  At time I feel that it was only a few months ago that I stepped into the blogosphere.  To be honest, the mission has been exciting for me.

As you know from some of my comments in the last five months, I have moved from retirement back into the work force.  Remaining at St. Matthias has been wonderful.  What I have discovered, however, is that the work demands a significant number of hours of my time.  After some prayer and quiet time with the Lord, I know that it is necessary for me to pull back from some of the work that has been a part of my life.

Consequently, this is the last notice I will be posting on Prayer on the Hill.  I will maintain the blog's technical things to keep it alive should I be able to return to blogging.  I do know this.  I will not be considering returning to blogging until next summer.  At that time I will reconsider if there is time.

Again, thank you for following me.  I do hope that my personal prayer that has led to your personal prayer being helped.

May you have wonderful holidays in the weeks ahead.  May the new year be a special gift to you from God.  I do ask this:  please remember me and my work at St. Matthias in your prayer.

Oremus pro invicem!

Fr. Milt

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

A Thanksgiving Story

St. Ignatius House
Lanham, MD


Dear Friends,

St. Luke's story is an effort to teach the Greek people about Jesus.  If you were in Luke's sandals today and wanted to teach someone who had never heard or known about Jesus, how would you portray him?

You would not overlook that he is gentle, he is kind.  He is a healing presence.

We know or should realize that we should not fear nor forget to come before Jesus in a humble manner.  We need not beg.  We know that a true humility is to accept, to receive what is given.

Once we have expressed that feeling, then we spring from our humility to go forth tooters who may not be exactly like us, others who may be different, perhaps from another place in life ... wherever that may be.

Oremus pro invicem!

Fr. Milt

Friday, November 7, 2014

Generosity and Gratitude: the Trap Between

St. Ignatius House
Lanham, Maryland


Dear Friends,
Happy weekend!
The title for this posting was prompted by the thought of a scientist.  He was intrigued by today's gospel reading about the steward who was about to lose his position.  His way to save himself and possible rejection by his boss was to relieve the burden of several of his boss' debtors.  They were given a reduced debt by the steward with the hope (expectation?) that these would become his fiori ends if indeed the master fired him.

At the end of each day, St. Ignatius recommends to retreatants and others seeking a stronger spiritual life that there be an examination of conscience and a prayer of gratitude.  

This brings to mind how difficult it is for some to receive a gift and simply to respond with "Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness."  As Christmas looms in a too near future, sometimes it becomes a season guilt:  feeling an indebtedness to others who gave gifts to us.  Underlying the felt need to respond with an in kind gift.  The scientist mentioned above questions such giving.  Is it truly given as a sign of friendship or mutual love?  Or, as he would say, is it just to make sure that we earn respect or recognition?

On this 1st Friday of November, consider the gift that all of us have received from the loving, caring, sacrificing heart of Jesus Christ.  Are we strong enough to accept forgiveness as a genuine gift that simply needs only an admission of human weakness and a prayer of gratitude?

Oremus pro invicem!

Fr. Milt

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Always Found, Never Totally Lost

St. Ignatius House
St. Matthias Parish
Lanham, MD

Scripture Today

Dear Friends, 

Here are words from St. Ambrose!  "There are grounds for preferring the stray sheep to the other."
There is hope for the many!!!  He continue "The truth is that it is a greater sin to turn back from one's sins than scarcely to have committed any.  When souls are steeped in sin, not only do they need perfect human virtue to ... mend their ways, but heavenly grace is also necessary ..."

Never believe that returning to The Lord is impossible.  All that is needed is a little dose of humility and a prayer begging The Lord to come for us "in a spirit of love and gentleness."

Oremus pro invicem!

Fr. Milt

Saturday, November 1, 2014

An Even Stranger Mystery!

Ignatius House
St. Matthias Parish
Lanham, MD

Dear Friends,

The last two weeks have more than consumed my time.  I will try to resume the daily attention to a blog posting.  The following is for All Souls Day.

This is a day that reminds all who are walking upon the face of the earth that we live with one absolute reality:  to each and every life there is ultimate conclusion, an end.  Today, perhaps more so than on other days we face a reality that is true mystery.  Likewise it is a mystery that has always fascinated humankind.
In the first letter to the Corinthians, the great preacher, St. Paul, provides insights not only for the Corinthian Community but for men and women of every generation.

Today, in true Ignatian mode, let me share three great truths from Paul’s letter that can assist each of us as we daily grow closer to that day which will be known as our last day on this earth.

First Point:  Each of us is making our way toward death
Your death and my death are a sure thing.  It is the only bet you will not lose.  Regardless of the pills, exercise and the books we read about living a longer life, there is no stopping the day that the same God who planned our arrival on this earth, will call us from this life as we know it.   Should anyone bot believe this truth, a slow walk through a cemetery should remove any doubts or wishes to the contrary:  one day each of us will die!

The sobering truth, however, can be there rarity which makes our lives more satisfying, more fruitful.  Growing more mindful of our estimate reality, we can become wiser about how we use all the graces God has given us, especially how we invest our time and gifts with people.  Anyone who has endured a life threatening moment, can remind us how that moment made them more concerned about the way they choose to life “rest of the story.”

Truth Number Two:  Death does not have the final word.
Paul sees this truth not so much in the death of Jesus but in his resurrection.  He makes clear that the death of Jesus foreshadows the actual death of death itself as it was understood in Jesus’ time.
It is in Jesus death and resurrection that God gives us a picture of what happens at the moment of death:  We see that death is not the final door.  After death itself there is more, a more that only God can give us.

Truth Number Three: God’s gift of life beyond death is a changed existence wrapped in mystery.
St. Paul wrote “…we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye at the last trumpet.”  Yet for us, because all that is wrapped up in death is a mystery, there are many questions.  “What kind of body will I have?”  “Will I be with my loved ones?  Will I recognize them?”  “Do I finally get to see God as he is?”  Myself there is one question: “Will I see those individuals who really pestered me during my life time?  How will we deal with each other in heave?”  Obviously each of us has questions.  Questions about death and life after death abound.  Scripture we might assume will give us some answers.  As Paul noted, it does not satisfy our curiosity.
We learn from this special day and the memories we hold of those who have died that, each and every day, we should be living we should be living each day, each minute, with a purpose and to the fullest.  We should not fear death but with much confidence always live with the awareness that death is not the final word.  Your death, my death, and the deaths of all we remember today and throughout this month of November are but moments between this earth and the peace and joy of a new life in God’s kingdom of heaven.
In the words that were so meaningful to Saint John Paul II, Be Not Afraid.

Oremus pro invicem,

Fr. Milt