broFredsReflections 2023-1

"Fiat voluntas tua... Let it happen to me..."

A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

The `fiat' of Mary, Mother of the Lord gives us great insight in this humble girl, where she places herself totally at the disposal of God. She did not ask herself if it was convenient, or if she even understood it all, but she said "Yes Lord" from the very first word from the Angel. That's unconditional self-surrender. It is faith, hope and love, it is total obedience to God.

As we read in the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38), "In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
 
"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
 
"But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God."
 
"Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her."

May it be done according to your word = Let it happen to me ... Fiat voluntas tua

As we get closer to Christmas, we realize that Mary's "Fiat" brought profound changes into the world - we were given a Baby, a very precious Child, a Man sent by the Father in Heaven, a Man, the Son of God. A Man who could lead us to eternal Salvation through His Fiat on a Cross amid unspeakable suffering, He completed his Fiat "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!"

Now we celebrate His birth, the beginning of Jesus' humanity, where he was like us in every way but sin. Jesus felt our pain, our sin, the source of his suffering. If the human species had never wronged or never sinned nor would sin again, there would not be a reason for Jesus' Birth. We all know that there was a reason, and we are all a part of that reason. Maybe we are just weak, or weak sometimes, perhaps we are ill-willed, and we do not care to lighten His Cross, but whatever the reason, we are WRONG - we are sinners, each and everyone of us, including this writer.

This great amount of Wrong is now coming to fruition in these times, the 21st Century. Will it get worse? Probably. Will it all end soon? Definitely, but no one knows when. So let us all prepare as John the Baptist told us, prepare to bring our souls to forgiveness, and to begin again to love God as we ought.

The message of Christmas is all about love, the love of God to prepare us for the hereafter. The love of God so those who follow Him all the days of our lives, may have a Fiat too: "My God and My All!"

Fred Schaeffer, OFS
December 1, 2023

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A Little Kindness Can Make Someone's Day
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

In a few days we will be celebrating the Solemnity of the Birth of Jesus Christ. For most people, Christmas will be very short given the commercial hoopla that seems to try to "hide" the true meaning of Christmas every year. We prepare to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in our midst, as we do every time we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. I invite you, this year, to make Christmas a very special time, not from the commercial point of view, but from the worthiness of your soul to receive Him. If that means receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, then please do so. For many Catholics, especially those who are not firm in their faith, Christmas is an opportunity to get back to Jesus.

It is not important why you stopped going to Holy Mass, if that is what you did. It is far more important that you return to the Sacraments, to relive the inner closeness you once had when Jesus was a frequent visitor in your life. If you are a Catholic who goes to Holy Mass on Sundays and on Holidays of Obligation, and perhaps even during the week, then you're "active" in the Church, and for that you will feel much inner peace. The amount of inner peace you enjoy is the leaven, if you will, to bring kindness and joy into your life, and into another person's life. Oftentimes that would be your spouse, children, grandchildren, brothers or sisters, and if you were "retired," like myself, you would find other ways. Like writing an uplifting article about "making someone's day" through kindness.

St. Francis of Assisi is a very popular saint. He is known not only in the Catholic world, but he is also popular in many Christian churches and communities. He is known for humility, meekness, kindness, he is the patron saint of peace, environment, animals, merchants, and a couple of other things, and even countries, such as the Philippines. Probably of several other places also.

He is often pictured attending to Jesus on the Cross. he shared the wounds of Christ on the Cross, the Sacred Stigmata. He had great compassion and empathy in dealing with all sorts of people, people who were strangers, and who were very poor, and even lepers. In his day, lepers were outcasts. They were miserable, neglected, they were not allowed in the towns. They were repugnant due to open sores on their bodies in a time where there was great lack of medical knowledge about most diseases. St. Francis made sure that the lepers were cared for and he fed them, washed and hugged them personally.

Many people who are chronically unemployed, penniless, roughing it by the side of the road, if you will, they too are looked upon as outcasts. If St. Francis was here today, many of these people would get his help. At our Franciscan fraternities, we try to help out in providing food for the poor by running or helping at soup-kitchens or donating foodstuffs to a parish or other organization that is directly involved in feeding the poor. However, in my fraternity, none of us are very wealthy, and so the financial contributions we provide is not enough to feed just one person for any length of time. But we try. There are other ways you can help other people. They are subtle ways... have you tried a little kindness lately? It does wonders!!! It's not that I am particularly a "people watcher," but I am generally aware what goes on around me. And one thing I see more and more, are solemn and unsmiling faces, in restaurants, supermarkets and malls in particular, and other common places. Admittedly, there is less to smile about these days. As long as our government tries to tell us the economy is getting better, when there are so many poor people without anything, particularly the retired, who are beleaguered with ever increasing costs while their income, often just social security, is fixed and thus remains almost the same year after year. I live from paycheck to paycheck, and it's a struggle to make ends meet. So I know what I'm talking about.

This Christmas Season, let's all try very hard to be genuine to other people and to bring the Good News of the birth of Jesus to all we know. We are bombarded with umpteen e-mails asking to be forwarded all over the place... take what is really in your heart, and send your friends e-mails, NOT of messages that came from someone else, but messages that originate with you, in the Holy Spirit, using this means as a prayer to bring a little kindness in someone’s day. To see a big smile on another person, a genuine smile, that always makes my day!

May the Lord bless You and Keep You!
A Blessed Christmas to all!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Dec. 22, 2023

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Personal Relationship with the poor
A revised Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

"If we want to have a personal relationship with God, we need to have a personal relationship with the poor"
Matthew Kelly, in “Rediscover the Saints”. Blue Sparrow (August 15, 2019)

We have a responsibility to those who are disadvantaged, who have less than we have. You see, people who are upward in career outlook tend to stay in the social strata of the "better-off;" they no longer have time to even think about, much less associate themselves with, the downtrodden, the poor, the needy, the lonely, the sick. This is true for most trendy people unless they go to church and are able to see the light of the Gospel.

Unfortunately, due to the materialistic views of the times, it is more trendy for our young, educated worker to be able to speak about his or her philanthropic activity in a way it reflects positively on the person's stature. A person likes to boast to his neighbor about his brand new car, his "state-of-the-art" house, computer or some other toy most of us cannot afford. He is likely to mention also that he was able to offset his taxes by means of a substantial donation to an organization helping society, people he really wishes to have nothing to do with. What our trendy and upwardly mobile persons fail to see in this day and age of corporate takeovers, all-too-frequent corporate demises due to Chapter 11 filings and other corporate disasters (e.g. the Steel industry in the U.S.) is that their technical, professional or mid-level management job can suddenly cease to exist and as a result they too could find themselves very rapidly going downward. Many people become homeless and need help. So those who are living the fast life should think at least a little about those who do not. All people are in need of compassion. Many an executive, with a high salary to match, feels lonely and outcast because people admire him for his money rather than for himself, as a person. I've known people who made big bucks but hated their work. Maybe I should say I've also known many more people who loved their work at the lower end of the pay-scale and they still had time for the needs of others. That's not at all surprising in light of the Gospel! We cannot all be Mother Teresa's, but we can care more than we do. Are we willing to spend time with those less fortunate than us and our social circle of friends? For a time I worked in a well-paying job in the international airline field and I made time each Saturday morning to do handyman's work (fixing worn out windows, fixing wooden benches, etc.) at a house for unemployed single women with children who were homeless. This house was run by the Sisters of Charity in Liberty City (Miami, Florida). These Saturdays in 1984-5, were much better spent there than by having Saturday brunch at some fancy seaside restaurant in Coconut Grove.

There is much suffering in the world; much unnecessary pain that can be forestalled by caring friends and neighbors:

• Can we be compassionate to the teenager who does not feel safe in his own home? We must.
• Can we listen to the senior who sits on the same bench all day at the park because he has no family left? We must.
• Can we listen to the tale of another's woe of a lonely life? We must!
• Can we see the suffering as people or persons rather than the recipients of some institutional care (e.g. Welfare, Food-stamps) or "taken care of by agencies who do that sort of thing?" We must see them as persons, as individuals because that's how Jesus sees us in His infinite love.
• No one is exempt from suffering. There are people in management positions in government who have cancer. Their high-level income doesn't help one iota to cure the disease. Our direct and personal compassion and love does and makes their suffering easier to bear. They need your compassion, and not our judgment. Pray for them as individuals and ask how you can be of help.

We need each other. That fact has nothing to do with the level of income, whether we came over on the Mayflower or some other conveyance, whether we are members of a country club or are a member of the working poor. At some time in our lives we need compassion. Should we be cold to people because they do not fit into our schedule and refuse to help the good soul who rings our doorbell in need? No! We must help. We're all in this together. Our Lord didn't turn the blind man away who sought His healing. People who love the Lord (no matter how they know Him) will not turn someone away who needs compassion or even some on-the-spot financial assistance. The poor girl, a mother of two, in that Liberty City house where I helped out… she had nothing of her own, not a cent to her name save the clothes on her back. She had received half a loaf of bread and wondered if I wanted half of it. She gave it to me with a smile that held a joy I cannot forget. There is great joy in giving and also in being compassionate.

God gave His only Son, Jesus, so that Jesus could redeem us from our sins, from our pitiful human suffering. He gives us compassion for our suffering, we, in turn, bend over His Body as He is taken down from the Cross, in the Gospel, and we adore Him for His great love. We also share these sentiments with others by being Christian to them, by loving them as He loves us. When we see each other as we ought, as individual persons, rather than as statistics and "those people," and treat them accordingly, share with each other, pray and counsel each other—then there will be peace on earth.

I wrote the above Reflection when I was a monk in Petersham, MA., in 2002; never published in any of my recent websites, except in 2020 a much longer version of this Reflection was published. It has been said that in order for us to be a friend of God, we have to be friends with the poor. That’s also a very Franciscan ideal. The entire Franciscan Order in all its branches is very involved with those who are less fortunate.

Peace and Good,
Happy New Year 2024
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
12/28/2023

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The Mystic: St. Francis of Assisi

by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

What is a Mystic? Well, there are many definitions, none of which suit me. We could simply state that mysticism is the philosophy and practice of a direct experience of God. St. Francis had an innocence that is difficult to find in today’s world. By upbringing, not really a lover of the environment, he regarded every tree as an individual creation of God. As G.K. Chesterton says so well, "In a word, we talk about a man who cannot see the wood for the trees. St. Francis was a man who did not want to see the wood for the trees. He wanted to see each tree as a separate and almost a sacred thing, being a child of God and therefore a brother and sister of man."1

Francis' Canticle of the Creatures tells us a lot about his uniqueness as a mystic. Some call him an impossible dreamer, but make no mistake about this; he wasn’t a simpleton or a fool. He had a deep, innate Faith in God, honed to a finer point than most of us. According to Chesterton, “For St. Francis nothing was ever in the background. We might say that his mind had no background, except perhaps that divine darkness out of which the divine love had called up every colored creature one by one. He saw everything as dramatic, distinct from its setting, not all of a piece like a picture but in action like a play. A bird went by him like an arrow; something with a story and a purpose, though it was a purpose of life and not a purpose of death. “1

St. Francis was a mystic, but he believed in mysticism and not in mystification. As a mystic he was the mortal enemy of all those mystics who melt away the edges of things and dissolve an entity into an environment. He was a mystic of the daylight and the darkness; but not a mystic of the twilight. He was the very contrary of that sort of oriental visionary who is only a mystic because he is too much of a skeptic to be a materialist. St. Francis was emphatically a realist, using the world realist in its much more real medieval sense.

There are few people, of the modern world in the 21st Century, who are not materialists. There are even fewer people who are so pure of thought that they always have something good to say about other people. Most of us, today, suffer. We suffer because we cannot have what the other person has, and we suffer because of sickness. St. Francis was sick, too, but he knew his pain was the pain of the Cross, and he lived with Christ in a mystical relationship that made it easy to see why he is always pictured at the Cross, supporting Christ, and Vice-versa.

We need but to read The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, to find examples of Francis’s mysticism. St. Clare is also a great mystic. As were many great saints. St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Therese of the Child Jesus, were mystics because of their pure and direct relationship with Jesus. Some of the elderly, retired friars, still live this simple direct relationship with Jesus. I pray that there are more of them.

Fred S. Schaeffer, OFS

Orig. 2015 in the Canticle; repub. 12/30/2023

(1) St. Francis of Assisi G.K. Chesterton, Image Book edition 1957, 1924, by George H. Doran Company.

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What good did you do, today?

A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

This is a question we should ask ourselves frequently. The day isn't just about getting up, saying a few prayers, heading for work or staying home. There's more to it. Life would be pretty dull if the day would be just that, and nothing else. For many people, when you ask them "what's new?" the answer would be "Oh nothing." Not surprising these days. Many a day, especially since I am retired, I spend much of the day in front of the television. Those days are generally unproductive, lazy, unmotivated, and sort of drab. But if you get up in the morning, with the intent of doing some good, you've got half a chance that at the end of the day you'll feel you've accomplished something.

Despite retirement, and your great desire for an uncluttered and undisciplined lifestyle, it is necessary to at least jot down a few items you'd want to tackle on any given day. Maybe the day began with Morning Prayer? If you are a Franciscan or a member of clergy, you'll have used the Liturgy of the Hours. And, Secular Franciscans, have that option as well. The Liturgy of the Hours gives some structure in a day, a bit of a schedule, if you will. That's how monks keep schedule - by the "hours" of this Liturgy, except that we OFS types often just pray Morning and Evening Prayer from that Liturgy, and monks, priests, religious sisters and other consecrated persons will pray the whole thing, even the smaller "hours."

A good day will, if possible, begin with Holy Mass, and certainly Holy Communion. And if that isn't possible, perhaps spend 45 minutes before the Blessed Sacrament in an Adoration Chapel attached to one of the local parishes. I was alone for much of that time, and I must admit I dozed off, but I was at peace because I was in the right place. Jesus allows us to doze off from time to time because it is the intention that counts. If we come to adore Him through simple adoration and we fall asleep, that's alright. I did not seek to fall asleep, it just happened. And in the stillness of such a visit, did we listen for the voice of God? That quiet but firm voice speaking to us as a friend, a confidant, an advisor, a brother, and one who loves us completely. One we should trust completely, too. Someone who makes the effort to go to Holy Mass or visit the Blessed Sacrament (provided the opportunity is available) is not a complacent person. He or she goes the extra mile.

We do Christ's work anytime when, for the love of Him, we do something to ease our neighbor's burden, and I believe that also includes praying for them for various intentions. Human beings are social persons, and as such we make conversation with the people around us. One morning I had to go make a monthly payment and I was talking to an acquaintance and another guy he was dealing with, and we got to talk about the Catholic church - they know I am a devoted Catholic so that is a topic of conversation that comes up. One of them admitted he was raised Catholic at home, had Catholic schooling through high school perhaps, and they speak of Christian brothers, and "the nuns." Teachers who were nuns, despite their good intentions, are often criticized for harsh treatment, treatment that was common years ago, little punishments to get "Johnny" to read properly and keep his mouth shut in class when it wasn't his turn to speak. Remember that?

A couple of years ago, I attended a lecture on St. Bonaventure's "Tree of Life" (very interesting, by the way), and with me were a couple of guys who were interested in joining a religious order. Anyway, one of them looked at this nun who was leading the presentation, as this was held in a Motherhouse of a Franciscan order of nuns, in Indiana, and remarked that this nun looked pretty familiar. Turns out it was his grade school teacher. So we got to talking about our grade school experiences with the nuns and some of the stories were rather interesting. Suffice it to say, that the nun in question remembered the boy who sat in her grade school class about 20-odd years before, and even which seat he sat in. So you never know who you're going to run into.

As social creatures, we talk a lot and occasionally say significant things! Very occasionally. I think less than 5% I hear during any given day is significant in any way, but when the Lord speaks to me, I am all ears. And when I get an opportunity to make a remark to guide another person to be closer to God, I often take that opportunity. Or, at least I try to reinforce a position that brings people closer to God. And so, in this morning's conversation one of the people was talking about no longer going to church but he said he still prayed before going to bed. I told him that was a good thing to keep up.

We do have the opportunity, daily, for many small deeds of mercy, be it from a smile and a "thank you" to a salesperson in a store, to allowing someone trying to turn into the avenue which is clogged with cars, in front of you, knowing that if you don't provide that opportunity, he or she may sit there waiting for quite a long time. That's practicing charity. I feel great when someone does that for me. Apart from prayer and the abstention of sin, what good did we do today? Yes, we should try to abstain from sin. This isn't easy but it can be done, if we love God! That begs the question how did we treat the men and women in our lives? Many women are at home all day long, especially retirees, and their day might not have been so interesting, and coming even close to boredom. Then again, many women work these days. You almost have to. It is healthy for our general well-being to get out of these daily ruts. Monotony is not particularly good for us. We become grumpy and discontented and we treat others in a negative way. So we try to be positive and become more active in some way. For parents with children, their life of course revolves around these children. But once grown and out of the house, we live on our memories and the home may seem empty at times.

Some interest outside the home is necessary and desireable. I used go to lunch outside of the house almost daily. That was my way of seeing other people. Then also, some people keep active by volunteering their time to charities and other organizations around. If these organizations are ones that help other people, your time given would be a great gift to them. Many people join church organizations, just to get something moving in our lives. We need to get loose from our "self" and invigorate mind and soul by doing something for others. What did you do today that was good? Even better, did you do something that was great? Happy all Saints Day!

May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Fred Schaeffer, OFS
November 1, 2023

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Be a child of Light

A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

“… for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8). Who are the children of light? This terminology only appears in the Bible in three places. Let’s look at Ephesians, Chapter 5, where we find v. 9 and 10: “… for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” There is more in Chapter 6, that deals with the relationship between children and parents.

A child of light is anyone who obeys the Lord. How does this apply to us today? Simply this: reject temptations, obey the Commandments of God, and those of the Church, and, strive to love God in all things.

“Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Phil. 2:14-16.

Jesus wants us to approach Him with the innocence of children. Sure, we say, but children can be innocent and glad because they don't carry the burden of adulthood and the complexities of life on their shoulders... but you see, my friends, if we offer our trials to Jesus and place our burdens at the foot of the Cross, and surrender totally to Jesus, then the complexities of life will no longer be a wall that separates us from our loving Master. Have you ever noticed that things go smoothly as long as we do this, but the minute we begin to doubt God's wisdom and try to re-engineer the problem, then things go wrong? When we're asked to help a friend with a severe problem, always pray on it first. With discernment, listen to that inner voice that leads us along the way of the Lord, because if you don't, then our counseling would be ineffective and we would probably do more harm than good. But if we listen to the Word of the Lord, we are brought closer to Jesus through the realization that He loves us deeply, and he never says no to us when we come to Him in supplication. Prayer works... “If you ask anything of the Father in My Name it shall be given you...whatever you ask in My Name, I will do.” (John 16:23-24, 14:12-14).

Then you approach the Lord, with a simple petition "Jesus, please help me with this problem", or by asking a Prayer Team to pray with you for something, you've already taken that first step. You wouldn't ask Jesus' help if you didn't believe that He could help you. There is no problem so large and complex that Jesus cannot help. He always helps, maybe not in a quantity that is immediately evident, but He does help us. First He helps us to overcome our doubts about the problem. When we surrender to Him totally, every day, the problem will be resolved. “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13). Jesus always remains faithful to us. You can always ask for His help and it will be lovingly provided.
 
What are imperfections? Well, that's difficult to answer in general because we are all unique in one way or another and most of us know where we're apt to go wrong. A short examination of conscience before retiring is usually a good time find out what needs correcting. As members of the Body of Christ, we are the Lord's temple and this temple must be cleansed of everything that offends the Lord, including mere imperfections which we are apt to overlook. When you work at this regularly through a daily spiritual renewal, the big problems will go away because we've surrendered to God the Father, through the redemption of His son on the Cross, with the fire of love that binds us together in the Holy Spirit.

When you feel God's grace at work as some of these imperfections lessen, and your prayer life increases in strength, then you have to be especially careful about temptation. Sometimes at times when you're in intense prayer or meditation, such temptations appear as if out of nowhere often in the manner of impure thoughts. St. John of the Cross indicates this is normal; we cannot prevent these thoughts from occurring because in feeling joy and peace, all our senses come into play, not just the spiritual sense. The important thing is that you must be on guard so as not to give into such thoughts. I often catch myself daydreaming, even during Holy Mass. St. John of the Cross also says that this time will pass and when the soul matures in this spiritual relationship with Jesus there will come a time that we will be purged from these temptations and imperfections.

My sisters and brothers, it is not wise to rush one's advancement in this spiritual relationship with Jesus. Jesus will set the pace, we merely obey. One of the biggest enemies of reverence is haste. Do take it one step at a time! As you reexamine yourself to see where you might improve, read the Word of the Lord frequently, speak to Jesus many times during the day because He is your friend and allow Him to take charge of you. Surrender your will to Him totally. We promise you: you'll never find cause to regret it!

God bless you all.

Fred Schaeffer, OFS

Nov. 10, 2023

 Index

The Silence of Peace
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

I’ve written many reflections on "silence." That's because the only way to come very close to Jesus is through interior silence, and to a strong degree, this interior peace depends on exterior silence, as well. But that's not the entire picture. The following ideas were written by a nun, probably one who lived a very holy life, who contributed this anonymously to the world. Some of the most beautiful and meaningful things were written by people who did not wish credit for their writings. Their only wish was to live, speak and write for the glory of God.

    INNER PEACE

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
• A loss of interest in judging other people
• A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
• A loss of interest in conflict.
• A loss of ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom).
• Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
• Contented feelings of contentedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
• An increasing susceptibility to the love extended by others, as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it. 
   
  

Interior Peace is attainable by all of us. It just takes the right disposition and a lot of willpower. And it also takes interior silence. Not only silence as in "stop thinking so hard," but also as in "allow things to happen and don't worry about them." But there is also an exterior silence that comes about when a soul really has Inner Peace. You see, when more of us have this peace, there will be less noise in the world, and in particular, there will be no gunfire anymore, no conflict, no hatred. If you read the lines above, this guide to Inner Peace, it becomes apparent that this can be applied to any religion, any culture, anyone regardless of personal belief, even to people who have no belief at all, and that is the beauty of it all. It doesn't judge people, for if we place people into groups, i.e. by religion or nationality, we are making a judgment. We aren't going to do that, remember?

It will probably take many more years of living for me to get anywhere with "Inner Peace" and Silence, but some of it is already happening, because I put a lot of effort in this. I do a lot of smiling, and guess what? People smile back! This is God's love in action. This is the Holy Spirit, the love between the Father and the Son, forming the Holy Trinity. For a Catholic, this cannot be denied.

I thought for many hours (I've had this definition of Inner Peace for many years) about interior peace and it is so desirable, but we have to overcome all sorts of problems within ourselves to pursue these ideals. There are a number of Saints who are well known for their inner joy: St. Francis of Assisi really stands out here. He used to talk to the animals, as well as to people, and you have to really "exude" inner joy to accomplish this. I've had occasion to work with birds (as in tagging them for science; it's a long story, I won't get into it now), particularly birds of prey and inter-tropical migrants, and birds while being held seem to know, instinctively or otherwise, that they will not be harmed, that they are safe. I can't explain it, but it's true.

I didn't become a Franciscan because St. Francis talked to the birds, but rather, because I saw in Saint Francis's life an inner peace, an inner joy that for many of us is illusive. And, of course, I also followed the call of the Holy Spirit to join the Franciscans. This call came in a curious way. A stranger (later to become a good friend) came to a gathering I was attending, and asked if there were any Franciscans there. A strange request, I thought at the time, but nevertheless, I was curious, and raised my hand and told this woman that I had been a Capuchin-Franciscan novice years before. She asked me if I would please help her to begin a Secular Franciscan Fraternity in Vero Beach. I did, in 1992, with the help of others, of course. Divine Mercy Fraternity is still active at St. Helen Catholic Church, but we pray for new vocations, because many members have died, or moved to other places (usually, as a result of employment); so we're hoping others will join.

Attaining "Inner Peace," means that we have to give something up. Nothing is easy, but with God's Grace anything can be accomplished, as long as one realizes that "with God" means that He is 99.9% of the "team effort," and we are the rest. We have to experience a daily inner conversion of the heart. "Inner Peace" carries a price, my sisters and brothers, the price of effort. You can't buy it, but you must live it, every day, every hour, every minute. Don't be a fanatic about it, for you will never get there. In any spiritual effort I undertake, which includes finding more inner peace and joy, a sense of how far I've come lies in the amount of inner joy I have in dealing with other people.

We are such complex people. Did you know that the most problems that arise are because we cannot forgive other people, and then we cannot even forgive ourselves? Take it from me, it's true. Time and time again, I talk to people, about their problems and it's about something that happened years ago, and they won't forgive the other person, and they are knotted up inside from hate, and guilt. Whole families are at odds with one another because they cannot come to a peaceful settlement. And that's within our own families... then, can you understand that nations and cultural differences set us apart, too? In the eyes of some groups of one religion or the other, we're regarded as "infidels." Can this hate ever be stemmed? Can we be forgiven? Will we forgive those who call us that? That all counts when we seek "Inner Peace." When you hate your sister or brother, your parent, or someone you've never met from another culture... you will not find "Inner Peace." Inner joy is about reconciliation, love, and forgiveness. It is definitely NOT about war. It is wrong for one nation to invade another; there are other ways to settle differences. Peaceful ways.

The result of prayer cannot be categorized in a Yes/No answer. People who have Inner Peace know the value of prayer in their lives. They know, that without prayer, it is much more difficult to find inner joy. But it is not impossible. I know someone who doesn't believe in religion. He acknowledges that there is a God but he doesn't give Him credit for anything. But I fully believe he is a person who has inner peace. It is all in the way you live your life. Look at these "Inner Life" points again... and examine how they can help the way you think and act.

May God continue to bless you and give you His peace!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS (bc201)

© 2023-2024 All Rights Reserved | Frederick S. Schaeffer OFS

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My Grace is Sufficient

A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

bc 236

In 2 Corintheans, Chapter 12, St. Paul tells of being tempted by Satan. And he goes on to share with us (v.8-10), "Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it [Satan] might leave me, but He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

This is an interesting passage in Scripture, because it indicates so clearly that God's Grace is stronger when we are weak then when we are powerful. The French Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704), proclaimed, "When God desires a work to be wholly from His hand, he reduces all to impotence and nothingness, and then He acts." The key in both the Scripture and Bossuet's homily is that God's Grace is sufficient to heal us, provided we allow Him to heal us. When we are weak and our defenses are low (e.g. impotent), then God heals us.

When we are in trouble through suffering, be it through illness, or weakness by giving in to temptation, please know that He will be with you in your suffering, so it is important that we remain faithful, and seek Him out in prayer.

Our resolute faith while suffering is how we respond to God's love. God wishes to heal us, to cure us, because He wants us to be happy in His love. His love is a gift to us, and is not to be wasted. If we allow bad things to happen, due to direct action on our part or by the sin of omission we waste God's love. Every Catholic should be for "Life." There are some who say they are Catholic but who are not pro-life. The attitude to allow things to happen because you decide not to get involved, is a null-response to God's love. It's like saying "God loves us, so what?" If you have this attitude, repent - and get with it.

Temptations often come concealed, when we are tempted they aren't always obvious. Good Catholics having received His grace are able to discern properly and always find a way out of temptations. His Grace is sufficient! Trust in God, and move on. Don't allow temptations to even enter your life. With God's Grace, we are strong enough to withstand them, to keep them at bay.

God bless you, and keep you well!

Fred Schaeffer, OFS
January 12, 2007

© 1996-2007, Frederick S. Schaeffer, OFS
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Praying for Intercession

A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

I was reading about the need for Intercession as people ask that I pray for their intentions. Then I can go talk to Jesus and ask Him to be my intercessor to the Father. In recent Reflections I have written, the Holy Spirit led me to the subjects of "Silence" and "Praying to and with Jesus". All of that is related. Saint Faustina Kowalska decribes this relationship in her Diary, at paragraph #411 in a beautiful manner: "March 21, 1935. Often during Mass, I see the Lord in my soul; I feel His presence which pervades my being. I sense His divine gaze; I have long talks with Him without saying a word; I know what His divine Heart desires, and I always do what will please Him the most."

That reaffirms that the language of prayer with Jesus is, or can be, silence. And, silence is also the absence of other thoughts. If, during Mass, our thoughts are all over the place, thinking about relatives, friends, football, the Ladies Guild, or whatever, then we are not silent. But it is a different kind of silence, perhaps. How can we concentrate on Jesus, be He in the Blessed Sacrament during Holy Mass, or in public Adoration, or, as He usually is, contained in the Tabernacle? Go one step further ... How can we concentrate on Jesus when he is with us in our Heart, when one is distracted? In that sense, sin is also a distraction from inner silence, because when we sin we tell God that we know better than He, at that moment or time.

Most people have trouble with complete silence and even with partial silence. Look at what happens when the priest sits down after Holy Communion and just doesn't get up to continue Holy Mass in the same length of time he usually does? People get fidgety, they look at each other in disbelief, they think of getting out of the parking lot when they are really still at Mass... sounds familiar? Some people are terribly impatient. Why are we in such a rush!? Relax! I've got news for you, if you live in Vero Beach, FL and you are into retirement, life is much, much calmer. I don't worry about the next minute or two, or even ten minutes ... life ends fast enough, why let these remaining years be a time of frustration? Not necessary!

So sit down with Jesus. And quietly prepare to pray, taking time to just adore Him in the tabernacle in silence. If your manner of adoration takes place outdoors (e.g. sitting in a beautiful spot in nature, by a bog or marsh for example) this way of seeing God in nature, though certainly valid, should never take the place of attending Sunday Mass, of course. I'd love to have the opportunity again, to sit in the early morning by such a beautiful marshy area while the birds become active and daily life begins again—that mental picture certainly reminds us of God's beauty and gives great joy. There are so many ways in which we can adore Him in a simple way, and thus use that time to provide intercession in prayer for someone's toil and troubles. That's an image of a Prairie Warbler, one of the small neo-tropical migrants sometimes seen in Florida (said to breed in Mangroves).

I've said hundreds of times in these reflections that "prayer works" - I'd like to shout that out so everyone can hear me, because it is true. Jesus is an immense help in negotiating the small problems in life. Many small problems occur every day. Many people pray to the Saints and Blessed, and they ask if they would, in turn, ask Jesus that some intention be granted ... Jesus hears those requests too! And they are granted also. I feel that in my spirit, in my heart. And if I can show other people, that is you, my readers, or surfers, that I believe... then perhaps you can also believe so strongly in the Lord.

There are so many people who offer nothing but criticism, how they negatively feel about religion, the church, their lives, and all sorts of grandioze subjects that have nothing whatever to do with relationships. You see, what we have with God is a relationship; a relationship of love, of speaking (prayer) with/to God, and in that sense, relationships are very important. Such a relationship with God will one day save your soul – He promised us: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Jn 3:16.

Work on your relationship with Jesus, and with His Mother, Mary who is our mother as well. Start simply, and His Grace will bring this relationship to a level that is far greater than we would ever think it could be. Make a habit of silent reflection, just sit and relax by Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and He will help you along the way.

Peace and all Good!

Fred Schaeffer, OFS

May 22, 2011, Repub. 11/28/2023
FR2-563

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Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
Pardoning that we are pardoned,
And dying to self that we are born unto Eternal life. Amen.

Reflections by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

The above prayer is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, but historians believe he didn't write it.

1. Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace
   How can we be instruments of God's peace in this frenetic world? We can begin by turning our minds to Him who has promised us salvation and eternal joy, and remodel our lifestyle more in keeping with His gentleness and peacefulness. This is a process that will not occur overnight, but in order to be that instrument of His Peace, let us begin now! As Catholics, the first thing one might do, before beginning a new project, in this case a lifelong project, is to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let's begin with a fresh slate.
   Another important ingredient to daily conversion is toning down the noise. By that I mean restricting all the meaningless and banal influences that we listen to daily. Many well-meaning Catholics use the television for news and entertainment. Have you lately observed all the messages that is paraded in front of our eyes/ears that are meaningless and even harmful junk, and I'm not even talking of commercials. Let's take a news. The announcer or anchor-person on most news channels not only reads the news or message, but instantly interprets same. Is this necessary? No!!! We are intelligent enough to interpret what we are hearing, we do not need a news announcer to tell us what we are to believe. Then they have panels, such as two or more people who will give their opinions of the news just read. That's nice, but again, we are force-fed what they believe, most of the time, and in the end I am so confused that I do not recall what the original premise of the news report was.
   So cut down the noise and confusion, and you have a purer train of thought, and more time to discuss "events in daily life" with the Lord. Have an ongoing relationship with the Lord. He desires this, and it is good for us. This give and take with Jesus makes us an instrument of His peace, though humility and a simple life. Pray the Rosary and bring His (and our) Mother into your Faith picture. Devotion to the angels and saints also helps us to be instruments of His peace.
   
   
2. Where there is hatred, let me sow love
   Bring love and peace to your family by loving your spouse and children, and if you are single, by respecting people around you. Where two people cannot work out a difference of opinion, they are too stubborn and/or proud, then hatred can result. It is a cessation of relationship, a breakdown of family unity, and if not a family setting, this hatred can occur among larger groups of people. If you, in your innermost thinking desire someone to die, or "go away permanently" - that's hatred, and the solution is love. In order to love anyone, we have to find some point of agreement. I don't have to like you but I must love you, why? Because Jesus Christ said so! His greatest command is to love others as you love Him and yourself. Ergo, if you do not love yourself, you can't love God or anyone else and that usually takes psychological or psychiatric help to get fixed. In other words, hatred is an illogical position. God loves us so, that a normal person would want to speak of that love to other people and multiply His love among all!
   
   The classic example is two elderly men. They cannot stand each other. If spoken about the one or the other, they fly into a rage. They have no love for each other, and probably not for many other people. I listened to a guy the other day who told me he hated his brother. I asked him when they last met, and he said they hadn't talked in many, many years. I sort of wondered out loud how he knew that his brother still felt the way he did - when there had been no contact for so long? People change! Call him on the phone, talk to him as if nothing happened, then when you get into the conversation, apologize for your long silence... it works wonders, particularly when you speak / pray about it with Mary, Jesus or whomever you address your prayers to. It is never too late to forgive. It takes forgiveness to turn hatred into love. Where there is hatred, let me sow love...
   
   
3. Where there is injury, pardon
   A situation in which hatred prevails causes grave injury. Why? Because the condition "eats" at a person, it is something he or she continues to think about or brood about and what you get is psychological injury! I wouldn't be surprised that some of our physical injuries (a pain in the back?) could be the result of a family dispute where no one intends to forgive and forget. Such relationships are extremely stressful usually to both parties although they'd never admit it. An even stronger injury is done when two groups of people, or a nation, hate each other because of the color of the skin, or the lifestyle one leads. Yes, I know such responses are also illegal, but that hasn't stopped anyone from creating that sort of injury. On the smaller scale, a difference between two people is easier to resolve than a large scale cultural difference, but we must try. In prayer ask for the Spirit of the Lord to guide us to mutual forgiveness. Ask God to pardon us, as we insult another person or people, that injury needs to receive healing.
   
   
4. Where there is doubt, faith
   Doubt, unbelief in God, disbelief in the goodness of others, ask our Father in Heaven to give you a measure of faith, hope and charity, so that your doubt can be erased. Begin with the doubt you feel, and not with the doubt you perceive your spouse, child or neighbor feels. Belief in God's goodness and power will help eradicate doubt.
   
   
5. Where there is despair, hope
   Despair is a feeling of worthlessness, total lack of confidence in our ability to get us out of a critical situation. People whose property has been foreclosed could feel despair at the thought where the next meal will come from, or a roof over their heads. Our Lord has given us a mechanism to deal with despair, and that is hope. It is the seeing of a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, the recognition that there is some way out of the present predicament, with His Grace and love. People who are seriously ill, are often driven to despair... let us pray that they may through God's love find hope to overcome their thoughts of despair. Despair in young people, particularly teenagers has been known to lead to thoughts of suicide, so we pray that they have good friends who can look out for them and bring them some measure of hope.
   
   
6. Where there is darkness, light
   "When life was dark and foreboding..." sounds like the beginning of a horror book. Darkness of thought is nothing to joke about. People who experience extreme darkness, are often very sad. A person suffering from a bipolar condition, might feel extreme darkness, but to one extend or another, we all do at some point in our lives. I pray that a good friend be around at this point of darkness, so that we will find light. How nice it would be if that light was Jesus the Lord, and we had the Grace to recognize Him.
   
   
7. Where there is sadness, joy
   St. Francis had great compassion, and this shows in many of the writings about him. In fact, it does not surprise me that he was a bearer of the Wounds of the Lord, the Stigmata, for Francis was keenly aware of the sadness that went along with Jesus' suffering and death. Francis was also very much aware of Joy, or as he called it "Perfect Joy." Joy, that feeling of lightness and simple pleasure, a smile of the soul, cancels out darkness. We will experience this holy joy as we become friends with Jesus. So talk to Him often, share your feelings with Him (it isn't important if you discern an answer from Him or not - that will come eventually). Always be open to His joy, instantly - do not shelve it away because you have something else to do... God's joy is a gift from Heaven and drives sadness away.
   
   
8. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
   To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love.
   What Francis means here (even though he did not write this prayer that is attributed to him) is for us to take a back-seat (I mean us, personally) and to love other people much more than we love ourselves. Compassion is consolation, understanding and love - of someone who is in dire straights, someone who really needs help. So it just doesn't matter if we feel sadness too. What is important is that we are there for the other person.
   
   
9. For it is in giving that we receive, Pardoning that we are pardoned, And dying to self that we are born unto Eternal life. Amen.
   When we give what we have to another, we will receive in return, when we pardon the fault of another, we ourselves are abundantly pardoned, and when we die to self (that is, do all these acts of charity for the Glory of God and not for our own edification) we will receive Eternal life. That is where all desire to go. I hope I will get there too, and I rejoice at the thought of spending much more time with you, and with Jesus, Mary and the Angels and Saints.
   
   Peace!
   
   
   Fred Schaeffer, OFS
   2011; Slightly revised 2023, on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi
   

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