Why Personality Matters

How often do you sit in your chair and think how every day words and actions are perceived by others? Are you generally a thankful person, sharing your optimism with a gleaming smile across your face? Do you laugh often? Do you offer genuine compliments to others with no ulterior motive? Do you go above and beyond to help those with whom you work to make their day a tad less stressful?

Per Crucem ad Lucem

Through the cross to the light. As we begin the holy season of Lent, we are faced once again with the brutal sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ made to purchase our salvation. His cross was torture, humiliation, and utter agony. The prospect of His trial and crucifixion was so daunting that He begged God the Father to let it pass Him by. Jesus pleaded until blood and sweat ran from his pores (1). Yet, in spite of His fear, our Lord went to His death willingly, knowing that by doing so He was carrying out His Father’s will (2). Christ’s example leads us to consider some difficult questions: Do we really have to suffer in this life to do God’s will? How could suffering possibly benefit us? 

Our Lord calls us to master ourselves and to control our passions by accepting suffering in our life: "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any man will come after me let him take up his cross and follow me”(3).If we want to follow Christ, we have to accept suffering. Notice that Jesus calls each man to take up his cross; not a cross, not the cross, but his cross. This is a deeply personal invitation from our Lord. 

Personal or not, this call can be difficult to accept. When I’m in the midst of difficulty, I often ask God:

Lord, I’ll suffer for you, but please, can it be something else? I only got two hours of sleep last night. You’re asking me to remain patient and act charitably when the driver in front of me refuses to speed up even though he’s in the fast lane. Can I suffer some other way instead? How about I go to an extra Mass this week? It would be really inconvenient for me to have to wake up early and go to church. Will you take away the frustration and anger that’s building up in me if I take on some other kind of sacrifice? 

Transfiguration

Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.  Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”….  And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.  Mt 17:1-5, 8

            For years, I thought the transfiguration was alien, somewhere out there, distant, fictional.  However, Lent offered opportunity and I entered it. 

            Early in life, I considered Lent to be a punitive period exercised by God annually seeking penance for mankind’s treatment of Jesus.  My parents reinforced my misconception.  They confirmed I’d selected “something to give up,” while imposing additional chores and less basketball, reminding me to be prayerful as I worked. 

Following my undergraduate studies in chemistry and physics, I entered the seminary. Classes in philosophy and theology were going well, but failed to present the “mysterious proof.” My Lenten experience changed dramatically. Though I was told differently, I thought theologians devised a mysterious proof of God’s existence through the life of Jesus in a precise, analytical package that could be easily deduced in the form;

            If “A” is true, then “B” is true.

            If “B” is true, then “C” is true.

            Therefore, if “A” is true, then “C” must be true!

            To my disappointment, I discovered no such proof existed.  Faith doesn’t work that way.  My relationship with God doesn’t work that way; neither do my relationships with people.  An intense Lenten season of questioning and searching erupted.  Among the essential questions; Why be Catholic?  I have tremendous admiration for individuals, especially RCIA candidates’ pursuits to answer this question.  One’s journeys are unique.  I chose to investigate religions of the world to answer mine.

            As a result, during that particular Lent, I identified essentials significant to my relationship with God within the Church.  Though not all-inclusive, I share a few of these.  The sacraments, especially the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist strengthens my relationships with God and the community.  As a scientist, I study the Church’s discoveries and contributions in the sciences, health, and education; for example, Catholics who initially posited theories on the Big Bang and evolution.  Christ came for sinners and I live down to that!  Considering controversial issues, the Church is never stagnant, willing to wrestle with ethics and morals.  Catholics support responsibility and care for the poor, disadvantaged.  They are committed to social justice.  Her theologians are non-literalist, critical consumers of scripture and Jesus’ message.

I agree with Rachel Balducci’s (Make My Life Simple: Bringing Peace to Heart and Home) statement.  “Freedom comes from knowing we are where we need to be, and if we aren’t exactly where we should be, God is with us on our journey closer to that spot.”

With confidence and gratitude, I appreciate the Church’s inclusion of “cafeteria Catholics” as individuals embrace their struggles as opposed to exclusion.  Jesus’ parables challenge me as I journey through the cafeteria.  (I know some may cringe, thinking the cafeteria may be a negative or detrimental factor in faith, but to me, that is what “wrestling with our faith” is all about.)  It is from this tension in which new life occurs.  It is during this time of Lent where dying to self, surrendering my ego, allows for transformation in relationship with community and Christ.  I need the community.  I need to hear the voice of God in others.  The Church does not kick me out, but stays the course, shepherding her flock.  There are plenty of historical instances when acceptance has not always been the case.  Fortunately, humanity has had numerous grace-filled individuals and saints who have corrected the course!  The Church teaches me to live in paradox without feeling threatened. 

            English philosopher and theologian, Chesterton writes Catholicism keeps its beliefs “side by side like two strong colors, red and white ….  It has always had a healthy hatred of pink.” Bishop Robert Barron explains what Chesterton meant is “Catholicism consistently celebrates the coming together of contraries, not in the manner of a bland compromise, but rather in such a way that the full energy of the opposing elements remains in place.  And so, to give just one instance, the communion of saints, which includes the warrior Joan of Arc and the pacifist Francis of Assisi; the towering intellectual Thomas Aquinas and the barely literate Catherine of Siena; Antony, the recluse of the desert, and Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England.”

I see the transfiguration intimately connected to RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.  In awe, I watch adults freely choose to enter a sacramental conversion into the Body of Christ through Catholicism.  Lent is a season of opportunity, a season for individual conversion and transfiguration.  My transformation is never complete. Lent is an annual, on-going opportunity for intentional conversion (Fr. Stanger graciously listed numerous ideas in the bulletin.  What ideas are effective for you?) to build and to strengthen my relationship with God, my family, friends, and community. 

On the evening of the Easter Vigil, I anticipate looking into the faces of our community and those joining us from RCIA and seeing the face of our Lord.  God continually calls us to be “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.” Joel (2:13)  It is for our conversion, our transformation, our transfiguration that we fast and pray!  Blessings!