6th Week in OT 2018 - Monday - Facing trials joyfully

While still a young abbot, St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “There are more people converted from mortal sin to grace than there are religious converted from good to better.” What St. Bernard noted among the monks of his community, could be noted of nearly every Catholic parish in the world. Many people in our pews have turned away from the great mortal sins of our world, many attend Mass regularly, yet deep spiritual maturity is never gained. Jesus’ call to radical holiness is brushed off by so many as too lofty or unrealistic, so it is never attempted.

St. James in his New Testament epistle insists that the Lord desires great sanctity for all of his followers, and so the epistle writer explains that deep conversion flows from repentance and humility. His is certainly a message we do well to reflect upon as we prepare for the beginning of Great Lent beginning this week.

James invites us to make an honest interior examination to see where we have not submitted our minds and hearts to Lord, where we are seeking our happiness in earthly things instead of heavenly ones.

Before an athletic event, athletes will psych themselves up for the game, they’ll push aside their worldly cares; in their minds, they’ll review the plays of the game, they’ll muster the energy they’ll need to persevere through the game’s most difficult moments; they’ll contemplate how they will outsmart their opponent, and recount the games’ basic maneuvers.

Well, we may not be physical athletes, but we are certainly called to be spiritual athletes. And reading through and reflecting upon the Letter of St. James is a wonderful way to do our “pre-gaming”, pre-Lenten preparations.

We hear James say today, “consider it all joy when encountering trials.” We are certainly about the encounter the great trial of the Church year, the Lenten season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and we are to consider it a joy. That word “consider” means to adopt a certain frame of mind, an attitude.

Adopting the correct attitude toward our Lenten trials will help us to confront the major trials of life with the right Christian attitude. From St. James, we learn that the Christian faith means more than simply believing in God, but living out the duties and trials of life, faithful to all Jesus’ teaches and commands; faith demands an interior commitment to God that is expressed in concrete behavior.

May St. James assist us to seek the deep conversion and radical holiness to which we are all called for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of February, that those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption.

For those preparing for baptism and entrance into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter, for their continual conversion to Christ and that of the whole Church.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord