Furthermore…

I went to a Day of Recollection recently, but I never got a chance to use a cheeky line that was running through my head: Who needs this? We have too many collections already!

The Apostles Creed refers back to a time when the church was more interested in stating clearly and explicitly its beliefs, and not elaborate devotional embelishments or fine expressions of piety, humility and total surrender to the love of God.

 At one point I stopped to consider whether it is missing a sense of “God is Love” and “God loves me,”  that our relationship with God is a relationship of love.

Then it occurred to me that the prayer’s litany of beliefs is truly a series of statements and indications, in the plainest language possible, of how much God loves us.

I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY

He loves us as a father dearly loves his children.

CREATOR HEAVEN AND EARTH

Almighty God so overflowed with love that He brought into being all goodness, truth and beauty, and made us able to know and love Him, and what he created.

AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD

God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son.

WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Brought into the world by Love.

BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY

His perfect mother loved Him, and loves us for His sake.

SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED

He so loved us that he underwent unimaginable agony so that we might be restored to friendship with the Father.

HE DESCENDED INTO HELL

He brought the same friendship to the dead.

ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN

He proved that He is Our Lord and Savior.

HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, FROM WHENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

Holy, Holy, Holy Love.

WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

God’s Love is the third Holy Person.

THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH

Jesus has given us His Love forever.

THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

We are all invited to be united in the love of God.

THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

God’s never excludes us from his Love.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND LIFE EVERLASTING.

God in his Love offers us eternal happiness with Him.

AMEN.

For his homily yesterday Father said he kept going over the Scripture readings looking for a good theme for Mother’s Day, but every time he couldn’t get past the word ‘circumcision’ in the first reading.  Not too cool a reference for Mother’s day!

Confessional with sign outside

FAST LANE - TEN SINS OR LESS

Our Bible study group is usually a lively exchange of reactions to our chosen Scripture selections, and I can come away pregnant with unexpressed thoughts, if that designation does not  overly dignify their nature. We show particular reverence when the Psalm selection is read, making the Sign of the Cross first, respecting the request of one of the members that we approach the Psalms prayerfully.  I have been seeking a short, reverent prayer appropriate for use before reading the Psalms, but haven’t been satisfied with anything yet found. Today we considered Psalm 145, and it closes with

My mouth will speak your praises, Lord./  all flesh will bless your holy name forever.

That is not bad; almost exactly that for which I’ve been searching.  

I was poking about the EWTN website today and made the marvelous discovery that they have a whole page listing litanies. I like litanies. Then I further discovered that there is a litany listed that honors Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks. What a blessing, and a great revitalization of my devotion to Blessed Kateri. It extols her purity, devotion, and inspiration to others. It even alludes to the miraculous clearing up of her disfigured face, which shined in death with a beauty that was taken from her in life.

In grammar school in the 40’s us kids would be herded into St. Boniface, and often prayed litanies, responding ‘Ora Pro Nobis’ to each line. I thought the Latin said something about ‘Robert,’ which vexed me greatly, because I already felt there were too many Roberts in the class, and I begrudged them the extra attention, which could just as easily have been given to the underrepresented Williams.

“And lead us not into temptation.” These words in ‘The Our Father’ never seem to speak clearly to me, as though I am missing something, probably missing exactly what was intended for us by Jesus.

As a child, it was easy to assume that someday, after I grow up and know more about life, it will clear up.

But, when you get into your 70’s, you can’t fog the issue that way anymore.

So I’ve taken to punctuating the phrase my own way, meanwhile adding a meta-prayer, an inchoate plea that I am not distorting or vitiating the prayer as intended and given by Our Lord as I say it.

I say it thus: “Lead us — not into temptation.” Just a slight pause makes a subtlely meaningful difference. 

Seems like a terrific supplication: Lead us!  Lead us, Lord!

And oh yes — not into temptation! Anything but that!

But how I pray that You lead us!

And may we someday learn to follow You better!