“We descend by self-exaltation and ascend by humility.”
— St. Benedict of Nursia
Recently I went to Mercy Hospital to visit Fr. Ron Lengwin, spokesperson for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, after he had seven-bypass surgery on Valentine's Day. I thought to myself what a grace to have a renewal of heart on that day — much like we do on Ash Wednesday. After my visit with Fr. Ron, I imparted a blessing upon him and despite his distress and discomfort, he graciously reached out his hand to anoint my spirit and Lenten pilgrimage. In my prayer I asked God that this testing would serve as a catalyst for his Lenten pilgrimage as no Lent before.
I then visited Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy, OFM, who offered the Noon Mass last Sunday, and who while offering a Lenten retreat for our Christian Mothers in Healy Hall, was stricken with a mini-stroke. As paramedics came and lifted him out of Healy Hall, I anointed him as the devout women around us prayed.
Fr. Angelus mentioned to me that his nephew, Fr. John Higgins, is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, the home of the newly-minted Cardinal Timothy Dolan. His nephew serves at a Hispanic parish that is 105 years old. This good priest walked with a fellow priest 58 miles in an attempt to raise $105,000 for his parish school. Fr. Angelus noted that Cardinal Dolan was the first to give him a $1,000. His nephew was pleased to have raised over $70,000 by journey’s end. Let us pray for the speedy recovery of Fr. Ron Lengwin and Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy especially in our Lenten observances.
Before I left Mercy, I stopped in Holy Family Chapel to say a prayer for my brother priests and parishioners as we begin the holy season of Lent. After I left the hospital, I went up to Epiphany Church and looked at the old Civic Arena half-way down, and wondered how many times I had been in that place through the years. I must admit I ducked down to the Pittsburgh International 2012 Auto Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for Half-Price Monday to look at the new models. It was a nice crisp walk, but after seeing the cars with their flashy attraction, new bells and whistles, better gas mileage and higher performance, I was still content with my reliable 2006 blue Subaru sedan.
My visit to my brother priests that day reminded me of the prayer above my desk in my office from Bishop Robert F. Morneau's book, "A New Heart: 11 Qualities of Holiness", which reads as follows:
Give me a pure heart, that I may see Thee,
A humble heart, that I may hear Thee,
A heart of love, that I may serve Thee,
A heart of faith, that I may abide in Thee,
A heart of courage, that I may follow Thee,
A heart of joy, that I may sing with Thee,
A heart of praise, that I may adore Thee,
A heart of gratitude, that I may thank Thee,
A heart of kindness, that I may emulate thee,
A heart of hospitality, that I may welcome Thee,
A heart of hope, that I may trust in Thee.
May we allow Christ the Divine Physician to do heart surgery on each of us this holy season, removing the blockages that impede a closer relationship with Him.
Lent is that special time to return to the Lord with all our heart. Conversion is for every season and it is on-going. Conversion is not something superficial, transient or temporary, but challenges us to make radical, permanent decisions of sincere acts of repentance and sorrow for sin that makes God’s rich love and mercy real. Conversion is the interior work of God within us, for which we must have a contrite heart and be moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God. Lent is a time to forge our heart, mind, will, and life in imitation of the Self-less One who calls us to an unselfish way of living.
Throughout each of our lives we have temptations and testings. In the first century even St. Anthony of the Desert, who spent 40 years in prayer, was caught in a painful struggle with his own inner demons. When the trial was finally over he asked the Lord, “Where were you?” Christ answered, “I was right here with you all along.” Thus Christ suffers in and with those who suffer and He asks His followers to do the same.
Each day we arise afresh. The ancient Christian writers warned against, “morning demons”, namely, yesterdays worries and grievances returning to poison the new day. St. Thomas Aquinas held that all possible temptations are included in the three temptations of Jesus in the desert on the onset of his public ministry, namely: lust of the flesh, the desire for glory and the quest for power, all encompassing the tempter’s offers.
None of us are above temptation, for in the human condition one is susceptible, vulnerable and fragile. That is why in Christ, one is strengthened to overcome and conquer sin in one’s life. Perhaps the greatest threat to our spiritual growth is to think that we are exempt from the discipline and hard work of conversion. Lent is a time for retreat into the desert which forces us to come face-to-face with ourselves. Here we discover what is driving us away from God and what is bringing us to the Lord.
Dr. Elizabeth Kubler Ross wrote, “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
My visit to Mercy was like a blessing. Being with those priests reinforced to me that suffering is a great teacher in life. When offered in union with Christ’s Cross, it makes us ever more compassionate, merciful and loving to others.
