The Friar Podcasts - preaching prayer and spiritual reflections

Saint Thomas Aquinas said that God and the problem of evil is the most challenging problem to the existence of God. For Thomas, the solution is that God only permits evil, when he can bring some greater good out of it. God never causes evil, because God is all-good.

But it is true that we cannot always see the good that comes out of evil. Houselander echoes the challenge this brings. But she also speaks the truth concerning God, and how he is with us in the face of evil.

For we could think it best if God prevented all evil. But to do so would also prevent us from being made in God’s image and likeness, since we would not be free. So it is that God shows us his face in a small, humble way. “The beginning of recognition will consist in knowing what sort of thing to expect.”

Each day during the season of Advent students, faculty, and staff of Christian Brothers College High School will write a reflection about Advent.

What started as a tiny pinprick of light has become a glorious star. What started as a small concern about the Ark of the Covenant dwelling in a tent has become the arrival of a King whose Kingdom has no end! And if we look ever so carefully, if we ask for the eyes of faith, we can see the presence of Christ in all people all over the world. Here is praying that each of these Advent reflections brought you a sense of hope and gladness.

If Our Lady spent so much time seeking, what of our seeking? “In our seeking for the lost Child, our contemplation of Our Lady becomes active.” There can be a misunderstanding of what Catholics believe about Our Lady, even among Catholics who are quite active in their faith.

This is because some believe that in seeking to imitate Our Lady, and to ask for her prayers, we are raising Mary to the same level as Jesus, as God. But this simply is not true. In everything Mary always leads us to her son, Jesus. Every time. Every prayer. Always.

I spoke already about the frantic search by Mary and Joseph for the lost Jesus. And we have discussed that this quest for the lost Jesus is designed by Jesus himself so that we will always be seeking a relationship with the authentic and true Christ.

But it is important that we do not lose sight of those whose life is marked by the searching that is the result of human brokenness. “If you have ever loved anyone very deeply and then lost him through separation, estrangement, or even by death, you know there is an instinct to look for him in every crowd.” We probably are well aware of the ache of a heart infatuated with another, feeling painfully when they are not with us.

“Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.” The response in this morning’s psalm serves as a reminder as we approach the day we have been waiting and preparing for: Christmas. So many amazing things in life are ignored because we have our heads down. Whether it be because we are hyper focused, sad, or simply tired of holding up our gaze, we can miss great opportunities. When I was backpacking in the Rockies, I heard a similar expression used, saying to look up from your boots to appreciate the view; you can always see your boots in Missouri. The same concept applies to us as we approach Christmas.

It is such an obvious question. “How is it that the lives of so many people who profess to be Christian are utterly inconsistent with Christianity?” This is a damning question for each of us. If those of us who profess to follow Jesus cannot live it authentically, why should anyone believe us when we talk about the value of our Christian faith?

Both readings today give us the voices of Hannah and Mary, the mothers of Samuel and Jesus. I immediately am reminded of the popular expression around Apples and Trees.

Commentary on The Reed of God, Part Three: The Lost Child

For both parent and child, the lost child happens in what feels like a split second. A slight distraction, and the familiar persons we knew are no longer present. The child searches frantically for his mother or father. The parent does the same searching for son or daughter. And so, for us it is not a stretch to imagine the panic that Mary and Joseph felt when they could not find Jesus.

Advent and the Christmas Season is one of the most exciting and wonderful times of the year. Many people go all out decorating the inside and outside of their homes with Christmas trees, lights and ornaments to celebrate this wonderful season. Another tradition that many people participate in during this time of the year is gift giving and gift exchange. Buying that special gift to give to someone and the anticipation of their reaction upon receiving that gift helps to make this time of year exciting and enjoyable. It is the spirit of gift giving that I find myself reflecting upon this Advent Season, especially today.

Remember that this is an autobiography that Augustine is writing, and he really begins at the start. Sometimes we can look back upon previous ages with a certain feeling that they are not as smart as we have become today. Yet is seems the Augustine shows us that our modern understanding of child development was present even in his time. I refer especially to his reflections on his infancy. He articulates how it is that the infant interacts with the world. Perhaps most, we understand from his observations what parents seem almost instinctively to know. That even though, as Augustine admits, we do not know or remember those times when we were infants, these experiences have profound impact upon us. It is why parents of infants and toddlers seek to create great experiences for their children even though their children will likely remember little, if anything, of the experience.