Identify with Christ and Mary

“He ‘consecrates himself for us’ in that he lays down and sacrifices his life for us: that is his great prayer of intercession for us.” –Christoph Cardinal Schonborn

I feel that I can identify with two principle figures in our Sacred Scriptures and, of course, the history of the world. First, Mary, our Mother, interceded for all of mankind when she said “Yes” to God. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). This was not a simple “Yes” to save her own soul. Rather, it was a “Yes” to save all of mankind.

Then there is Christ, her son, the Son. He gave his life for us on the cross that we may all be saved from our sins. That, as Cardinal Schonborn says, is “his great prayer of intercession for us.” He did it not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He did it because he loves us and wants us to experience eternal life. He gave his life that we may have life.

When Christ washed the feet of his disciples, he showed that he wanted into even our lowest, dirtiest, most embarrassing moments in life. He said he wants to be a part of it all.

And so I offer my own life through my ministry as an intercession for every person that I have ever met and will meet in the future. My joy is so full that it cannot be contained. It must be shared. Please pray that I may become who God wants me to be, in order to share that joy in the most effective way possible.

My way of saying thank you

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.” Luke 1:46-7

It is with these words that our Blessed Mother responds to her cousin Elizabeth, who calls Mary “the Mother of my Lord”. And it is this way that I choose to respond to the many blessings of God in my life. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, a house to live in, wonderful education, amazing friends, and much more. And I choose to thank God for all of these things not by boasting, but rather by giving him my entirety for his use, just like Mary did. Each time the Eucharist is elevated during Mass I am on my knees praying: “O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament Divine. All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine!” O dear Christ, may all that I do be for the glory of your name!

The principle way I do this is through my celibacy. I am making myself available for anyone who needs me, whenever they need me. I am also striving to bring to life what the afterlife is like. “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Mt 22:30). In heaven, we will be eternally praising God and praying for those who have not yet made it, whether they are in Purgatory or still on earth. And it is those two things I wish to do with my life. Praise God through my active ministry and offer my life as an intercession for everyone on earth and in Purgatory.

All I wish is to help others come to know God as I know him. All I wish is to share the experiences I have been given so that others may come as close to God as I am, if not closer than I may ever become.

Christ is your BFF

“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends because, I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” (Jn 15:15)

We truly are God’s friends and no long his slaves. Moses, Joshua, and David all were called “servants” or “slaves of Yahweh.” Yet we have become friends. Christ revealed all that he knew to us. Only, our minds are so imperfect and clouded by original sin that we are unable to comprehend it all, especially if we try to on our own.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete” (v.11). When someone has the time of their life, they want immediately to share it with someone close by. In the same way, Jesus loved life and the Father so much, that he wanted to share it with us. He was full of so much joy that he wanted to share it with all people, so that his joy could be experienced by others, becoming their own joy. And today, Christ continues to share that joy through others.

A friendship is built on love and self-sacrifice for the other. When a friend is sad, both are sad. When a friend is happy, both are happy. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (v.13). He did this for us. What now will we do for him in return?

Christ, the Word of God.
Christ, the Good Shepherd.
Christ, the Bestest Buddy in the world.