Wings or Freedom?
Sponsored
Catholic365 is sponsored by
Road to Purity
Lessons from Our Lady of Guadalupe
A few decades ago I made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
For three or four days I prayed, walked, climbed Tepeyac, lit candles, and knelt on a conveyor belt before the miraculous image of Our Lady. During those three days, thousands upon thousands of people made pilgrimage, many moving on their knees through the massive courtyard toward the sanctuary.
It left a mark on me.
Today I offer some thoughts on St. Juan Diego--the peasant behind the tilma.
Juan Diego was ordinary. He was simply going about his business--caring for a family member who was sick. To say Juan was poor is an understatement but it wasn’t his poverty that marked him. No, it was his acceptance his life.
He accepted his situation in life. He surrendered to the reality into which he was born. Surrounded by a world view that involved the slaughter of thousands in the name of paganism--he simply was walking through the wilderness to go about the care of a sick and dying family member.
He was doing the work of faith. He wasn’t seeking popularity, followers, or drawing attention to himself.
His act of charity was pure. That’s when God acts in the heart. He was the anawim entrusted as an instrument of God’s grace through Mary’s intercession.
He was a ‘David spirit’--up against the ‘Goliath Church’ sent to convince the powerful to turn, repent, believe, and live a life of charity, forgiveness and faith. The rest is history. However, as history since those days have shown, Paganism abounds--world views of selfishness have become the norm not only in the world but the church. But, maybe there is another ‘Juan’ right now, making that walk through the barren wilderness, on their way to live another act of pure charity...
It could be you.
And while their may be no outward sign of an image of Our Lady, there may be an image burned onto your soul marking you, feeding you, helping you, being with you. And, in the end isn’t that what we want? To know and feel that God is with us in the daily work of life?
So, today and in the days to come, in the spirit of Our Lady of Guadalupe--do acts of charity with a pure heart.
Ordained a Roman Catholic priest, Michael left the active ministry, married, worked as a therapist, then later became an Episcopal priest. In 2004, together with his wife and son, he made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje in thanksgiving for her healing from cancer. It was at this first pilgrimage that he felt called to reconcile with the Roman Catholic Church--a church from which he had been excommunicated.
Following he and his family’s return to the Catholic Church, he has been requested by parishes and prayer groups for talks and retreats on a variety of spiritual topics. He reaches a broad audience because of the wealth of his experiences as a priest, therapist, protestant minister, ex-communicant, hospice chaplain and of course a husband and father. He is a captivating story teller, preacher, and has a knack for connecting with the congregation and audience.
Michael is a full time chaplain for LECOM VNA Hospice. In addition he facilitates several bereavement and support groups.
Michael enjoys family adventures, bicycling, cooking, fly fishing, building projects, and music composition. He lives with his lovely wife and five hounds. On occasion he runs a half marathon with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law.
A Lost Shepherd , Michael’s first book was published in 2012 and received a nomination for Book of the Year by the Small Publishers Association. In 1991 He composed, performed and produced Earthen Illusions a selection of musical compositions and donated all proceeds to the American Cancer Society. He is also a contributor to Priest magazine, published by Our Sunday Visitor. He is currently authoring a new work on Spritual Direction in Hospice.
