Third Week of Easter: Pentecost with the Church Fathers

The Third Week of the “Pentecost with the Church Fathers” book focuses on baptism. The authors write:

This week we shall therefore prepare for Pentecost by looking at the mystical life started in those seemingly normal waters of the baptismal font. There is no other way to that Father than through Jesus Christ.

This encounter with Christ can be painful and it can be scary, but there is no other way. A wonderful scene in the Chronicals of Narnia between the Christ-figure Aslan the Lion and a girl named Jill helps us see what it means to surrender to Christ when and where He appears:

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion

“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.

“Then drink,” said the Lion.

“May I- could I- would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her near frantic.

“Will you promise not to- do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.

“I make no promise.” said the Lion.

“Do you eat girls?” she said.

“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emporers, cities and realms.” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

“I daren’t come and drink.” said Jill.

“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.

“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”

“There is no other stream.” said the Lion.

CS Lewis – The Silver Chair 21-23

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Christ refuses to let our indecision and fear drive Him away, and that is the theme of the Third Week of Easter.

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The questions for this week were excellent and focused on how we live out our baptismal promises and whether our career was just a career or did we see it as a vocation. Do we take every moment as an opportunity to do God’s will?

I read all the Narnia books growing up but didn’t catch the Christian references until much later. I love this exchange between Jill and Aslan. It wonderfully captures how I felt in the months leading up to being baptized. The fear is real. You can’t fully grasp how much your life will change, but you sense it. That looming change is scary.

“I have swallowed up girls and boys, men and women..” I do feel swallowed up: like I stepped into deep water and emerged on the other side in a new world. I wrote about drowning in gratitude, but I have drowned in Jesus. Now everything is reoriented around Him and thank God for that!

This is the first thought in my head each morning when I wake up: gratitude. Thank you, Heavenly Father! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Holy Spirit! The second thought- what do You want me to do today?

Thursday, April 18, 2024

On Thursday, I was able to go to Mass in the morning and for that, I was so thankful because another priest came to visit. I believe he was originally from Peru and has relocated to the Diocese and been touring parishes. My friend Belinda also went to the Mass so we got to visit for a bit before I had to rush back to make it in time for my next meeting.

Later in the day, I walked on the trail behind the house. The apple tree by my bench is fully in flower and there are so many bees I could hear the buzzing practically before I could see the tree! I prayed daytime prayer (midafternoon prayer) while the bees worked overhead and flower petals fell all around.

Friday, April 19, 2024

I had a busy day of meetings on campus in Hammond where I learned that the changes we thought would happen over the next few years would instead be in place by the end of June. We had no idea what this could mean for any of us, if we would still work together as a team, what our jobs would be, or if we would even have jobs. I should have felt upset, but I didn’t. Instead, I felt relieved.

The previous week, my supervisor and I had made reservations for the Region Cat Cafe for Friday, 4/19 afternoon. I met her there and we spent some time with animals that are so good at just being present in the moment: not looking back or forward. It was what we needed, I think.

When I got home, I painted a bit and wrote in my journal:

Saturday, April 20, 2024

I was able to go to Mass on Saturday. We watched the seventh episode of Divine Mercy and had a wonderful discussion about the redemptive power of suffering, God’s Divine Justice and Mercy, and how these are His to give. We talked about people who had repented and sought God’s Mercy through penance and reconciliation just before being executed. Then, when we got to the closing prayer, we found it summed up the breadth of our entire conversation!

Heavenly Father,
just as we have been disobedient to you,
we now receive mercy because you are full of mercy,
even toward those who have rejected you.
How can we fathom the depths
of your riches and wisdom and knowledge?
Your ways truly are unsearchable
and your judgments are beyond our scrutiny.
We cannot know your mind.
We cannot presume to question your ways.
Your gifts to us are more than we can ever repay.
For from you and through you and to you
are ascribed all things.
To you be glory for ever.
Amen.
— Adapted from Romans 11:30-36

From Divine Mercy Study Guide, p52

Sunday, April 21, 2024

On Good Shepherd Sunday, which is also World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I was able to pray the rosary before Mass twice. Because of this, I was able to go to both the 8am Mass and the 10am Mass, in addition to the vigil Mass the day before. Three Masses in two days!

I got to the 8am Mass later than I intended because the ducks, specifically Bertie, have developed the habit of following me around in the morning. They seem to be trying to get in the Jeep! And if they can’t get in the car, they feel the next best thing is to hide under it as I drive away. So I must stop, shoo them out, and then run to the Jeep. Then they follow me and the cycle repeats.

Attending the Vigil Mass and the 8 and 10am Masses meant I was able to listen to Father Mike’s homily three times. Watch it yourself here, Reader. I think it was probably one of the best ones yet. He talked about how Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who knows His sheep. Because of this, He knows us better than we know ourselves. When we pray the Our Father prayer, we are asking that the Father’s Will be done, not our will. This is smart because God, Who knows everything, knows what we need. I love this and I am always asking God- what do You want me to do? What can I do for You today? So much anxiety is removed from our lives when we can just ask God!

I stayed at the 10am Mass after praying the rosary because many children were receiving their First Communion and I wanted to pray for them. The Knights of Columbus were also there escorting them up the isle and standing by when they received Communion. It looked like they were guarding them and I prayed that many angels would likewise guard and protect them from losing faith.

After Second Mass (insert obligatory meme here, sorry couldn’t resist)

Anyway… after the second Mass of the morning Midi and I went to the Crown Point Square to walk around and talk. We had planned to have lunch at a cafe on the square, but it was too busy so we went to Panera instead. Stuart was on a prescribed burn all day so I made dinner: herb-crusted roast lamb with a lemon herb sauce and a Greek salad in honor of Good Shepherd Sunday. Stuart liked it!