Give Alms and Receive grace!!

I know it’s not Christmastime. But who can pass up the opportunity to discuss how the classic Christmas character Scrooge was transformed (or converted) into the adopted uncle and hero of a poor family – simply because he became generous with his money! It was all about making money for Scrooge. He loved money for the sake of money, rather than see the good money can do! This can, and has probably, happened to us. I’m referring not just to the transformation, but also the greed.That’s why Lent gives us a chance to strengthen pillar number three: Almsgiving. As Scrooge becomes an image of how a generous person can really turn Advent preparations into a true celebration at Christmas, almsgiving can truly transform the “Scroogey” part of us during Lent so that we can eventually celebrate God’s life-giving generosity at Easter!Almsgiving is much more than just putting money in the poor box or dropping loose change in the hands of someone alongside the road. Although almsgiving will always look like that (i.e. giving money), it is more about an attitude of generosity that helps us recognize how selfishness can creep into our lives. When we just give money without the heartfelt consideration of the needs of the poor person, we could become cynical about giving and miss out on the most important part of almsgiving – compassion (i.e. suffering with the poor). When we give alms we truly receive something that fills us up, even if we empty our wallets. Again, just ask Scrooge. What did he do when he realized that loving money was becoming more important than loving others? When he finally realized his greed, he was then taught the remedy: give concern and help to the poor. His almsgiving eventually led him to a classic Grace Before Meals "episode" where he discovered a real treasure – a family that welcomed and loved him. Yes, giving up money for the poor can satisfy a longing and hungering need in each of us. In a sense, Scrooge probably ate the best meal of his entire life after he discovered the joy of almsgiving!A way to approach almsgiving is to connect it to your fasting and prayers – the two other pillars of lent. The money you would have spent on food from which you fasted could then go directly to the poor. It is also helpful to pray about how much you could give. In prayer, God could teach us about the generosity of the poor old widow who could only give two small copper coins. In the end, she was extolled for her great and generous faith. Then consider in prayer how the rich young man followed all of the teachings of Jesus but was afraid to share his wealth with the poor. The end of his story says, “He left in sadness.” Our attitude of almsgiving can be better shaped by our prayers and fasting.Almsgiving however, can get tricky for us. It’s difficult even for me as a priest to figure out what I could give to help people in need. I’ve asked questions like you: What agencies are good at helping the poor? Will the poor just take my donation and use it for something unhealthy like drugs or alcohol? Why can’t the poor just try and find the necessary work to get off the streets? What happened in our world that creates such a dramatic divide between rich and poor? How much money is too much help? Could just a handful of pocket change really make a difference? Yes, all of these questions have come in my heartfelt prayers, especially as I try to follow my own advice in terms of almsgiving.Because we have so many questions about almsgiving, we have to ask ourselves what our attitude is towards giving and towards the poor. In order to truly give alms, we have to give without strings attached. We have to consider how the money parted from us won’t destroy our bank accounts. In the end, we could be taken advantage of, but at least our attitude to the poor was sincere. Our attitude is to give as we are called to love – that is, without conditions. The fact is, almsgiving helps us become more unconditional in our love for one another! I realize we are not called to throw our money out the window. It would be a disservice to give money to people who will use it for bad things. Therefore, one great way to give effectively and unconditionally is through the Operation Rice Bowl program! In America, there are many agencies that can help the poor. But what about in countries that don’t have social service programs or food banks? That’s why I’m obviously such a big supporter of this program. Our monetary almsgiving through Operation Rice Bowl not only helps us become more generous, it actually feeds and nourishes our compassionate side!St. Francis, who gave everything to the poor, would say in his famous prayer: "It is in giving that we receive." "Make us an instrument of your peace!" The “Scroogey” attitude can easily creep into our minds and souls as we are told to believe that fattening our wallets and bellies will make us happy! If we really want to understand the Grace Before Meals movement (and check out our new website and some of the fun picture galleries), we have to see the correlation between thinning out our wallets and expanding the capacity of love in our hearts!Sorry, I gotta brag a little bit, but with a purpose. My mother was Mrs. Philippines of the Nation’s Capital in 1984. Yup! Pretty impressive, huh? It was quite an honor for her to receive that title, but an even greater honor to present a sum of money to feeding centers in the poor parts of the Philippines. During one of her trips as a Goodwill Ambassadress, she remembered going to a kitchen where children received a small cup of rice and some soup made out of fish stock and vegetables. Mom was concerned to see one of the children pouring a portion of his porridge into another container and tucking it away. When my mother asked what this little boy was doing, he said that he was saving some of it to give to his mother and father for dinner tonight. My mother’s heart broke and she almost fainted with sadness! At that moment, mom wanted to give everything in her purse to that child, even wanting to adopt him right on the spot, as well as the rest of the children. But she knew that would ultimately not be the best solution. What could help these children – even in some small way? Almsgiving!Although we won’t be able to solve all of the world's problems, our giving of alms to the poor through trusted agencies like CRS and Operation Rice Bowl can help put in perspective how our compassion grows even if our wallet doesn’t. In fact, when we give to the poor, the smiles on their faces can be even more satisfying than all the money in the world!Here’s a recipe from the Operation Rice Bowl program that definitely put smiles on the faces of some of our people at the Mount St. Mary’s University Campus Ministry Program. One of the students used the Operation Rice Bowl recipe and put together a flavorful meal for a get together after one of the 10:00 p.m. Masses. He donated his time, his money and his service just to put a smile on everyone’s face. I’m using this recipe for two reasons. First, because it was really tasty stuff! And secondly, because even though it’s Cameroonian in origin, it tastes very similar to what could easily be a Filipino dish too! For the recipe, [click here].How much can I give?When we give alms to the poor, it is really an act of trust and faith that God will do something good with what we've given, whether the amount is big or small. When we make an offering because of our love for God, we learn the meaning of a Godly generosity. When we give as God gives, we learn the true meaning of almsgiving! This is a prayer from St. Ignatius Loyola, the spiritual founder of the Jesuits. His prayer gives us a hint about the “attitude” of almsgiving.Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing that I do your will.Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.Sphere: Related Content

Checkin' In

A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day,Decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle,The minister frowned as he saw, the man hadn't shaved in a while.His shirt was kinda' shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.The man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap,Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear,He decided to stop the man and ask him, "Watcha' doin' here?""The old man said he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour.Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power.I stay only moments, see, 'cause the factory is so far away;As I kneel here talking' to the Lord, this is kinda' what I say:""I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKIN' IN."The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime.Time to go, Jim smiled, and said "Thanks." As he hurried to the door.The minister knelt at the altar, he'd never done it before.His cold heart melted, warmed with love, met with Jesus there.As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP, AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKIN' IN."Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.At the factory, he asked about him, learning Jim was ill.The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill.The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward.His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad,When no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had.A minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern,No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up, and with a winsome smile;The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while;Everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see,He sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to me:"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKIN' IN.""Love the the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,with all your mind, and with all your strength."Mark 12:30Sphere: Related Content

Fasting as Spiritual Food

Fasting as Spiritual Food
Did you ever send your child up to bed without supper? You knew skipping one meal wouldn’t harm the child physically, even though you were trying to “mortify” the child’s pride and bad behavior. Fasting is similar. But instead of skipping a meal because it’s a punishment, people of faith freely take on this sacrifice as a way to temper their needs, improve their spiritual stamina, and, yes, recognize that as God’s children, we can sometimes use a little “discipline” ourselves.
The second Spiritual “Pillar” of Lent is fasting and abstinence. It touches upon what we’re all about at Grace Before Meals (by the way, check out our cool new website and tell us what you think). Some people think Lent is just a time to stock up on fish sticks and to get the phone number ready for the local pizza parlor for cheese pizzas on Fridays. But if we just look at it that way, then we may be missing out on the spiritual food that fasting provides! Jesus’ words in Scripture are actually quite clear: “Man cannot live on bread alone.” In other words, do we really think physical food and water are the only thing we need to survive?
Just for the record, I want to provide a link that has some explanation of fasting and abstinence. That way people can see and read for themselves that this discipline is not as “terrible” or as “archaic” as presented by the ill-informed or ill-willed, who simply want to say all sacrifices are “bad,” “out of touch,” and “useless.”
If fasting was not spiritually important, we have to ask why Jesus fasted and abstained during his 40 days in the desert. There is obviously spiritual food that fasting and abstinence provides. Fasting can even help the physical body, and can even compel athletes to take on all sorts of dietary disciplines.
On a spiritual level, fasting teaches us compassion. We literally hunger with people who are much hungrier than we can imagine! CRS and the Operation Rice Bowl program remind us we have brother and sisters who hunger for our table scraps. We could actually transform fasting into money. In other words, the money we would have spent for ourselves could then be given to the poor. Our compassion, which literally means “to suffer with,” is an important aspect of our Christian Faith that can only come from actually experiencing it. It is usually the ones who know pain, who are most compassionate to those who are experiencing it too.
My first experience of sincere and appropriate fasting took place in the seminary. Of all places, I began fasting while in ITALY! Talk about a sacrifice! When I started fasting, my imagination made me crave olive oil, garlic, onions, fresh herbs, and roasted meats! Talk about weird temptations! It was then I realized how my love for food can become a form of disordered concupiscence. That means, eating food could become more important than the grace before meals. The act of feeding myself seemed more important than feeding others much more needy. I realized how dependent I became on earthly foods – some of which were not even healthy for me! Fasting helped me see how easy it is to forget how I must also hunger for spiritual food – the food of eternal life!
When a person fasts properly, they literally learn the meaning of sacrificial love! Parents will be the first to tell you that feeding their children is an act of selfless love. They will sacrifice and wait until all the children eat before they, themselves, eat. Fasting can teach us how to be patient and generous, as well as give us a better perspective on food as something to be shared rather than something just to be craved.
In this, I learned that what really filled up my spirit was not physical food or drink. Instead, it was love for God and God’s love for me that gave me the greatest joy! Proper fasting ( i.e., fasting done in conjunction with Church teachings or with a spiritual director’s guidance) helped me to feel an energy I couldn’t get after eating a big meal! In fact, eating a big meal always made me sleepy and lethargic. While fasting – which included trying to have the right attitude and intention – I was actually “fed” with a spirit and zeal to do God’s work. As I tried making room in my body for God, I sensed His presence in a way that made me more productive in my day. Of course, at first I felt some fatigue, simply from not eating. But at the same time, when I took my mind off my physical hunger and focused on the spiritual purpose of fasting, I also felt a unique strength. This strength was called freedom!
The act of fasting and abstinence helped me to be more disciplined in body, mind, and spirit! As a child should willingly go to his room because he knew he was bad at the dinner table, I know people who willingly fast in order to learn the great lesson about attitudes toward food, relationships with others, and their relationship with God. It is God who sends us to our “inner room,” not as punishment per se, but so we can be fed by Him with His spiritual food! As secular fasting makes us crave earthly food, a spiritual purpose for fasting makes us crave the food of eternal life!

Angolan Kizaka
This is a touching story about a friend in the seminary who went to Africa with Catholic Relief Services. One day, while working in a poor village, he decided to fast from the lunch prepared for him. It was his way to develop compassion with the poor people of that country. He took a short walk and sat on a log overlooking the strange combination of jungle and dessert. As he sat there, a small boy from the village came to him and quietly sat very closely next to him. The child said nothing. My friend didn’t say anything either, especially since this child was exceptionally shy when the newcomers were first introduced to the village. So as to not ruin the beautiful stillness of the moment, my friend also just sat there in silence. Both of them fasted from food, from conversation, from the world – but they relished in the beauty of the moment. After a while, my friend got up and asked the local people what this little boy could have wanted or meant by his silent presence. The village elders explained how the people in the village do not want people to ever feel alone. The little boy, out of his natural and tribal compassion, just wanted to keep him company and be with him so he didn’t feel alone.
For me, this story highlights a reality about fasting. When we fast, we may be separating ourselves from “earthly realities,” but we are never alone. It is in those special moments when we learn how to hunger for God, the Lord gives us the food we need to help us through our hungers. He also gives us the people we need to teach us compassion! Click here for another tasty and Lent Friendly recipe in honor of that beautiful continent of Africa, the work of CRS, and the ingenious program Operation Rice Bowl:

We hunger For You and with You!
Can a singular experience of hunger change our attitudes towards the surplus of food thrown away in rich countries? I know it can, and I hope it does! But lest we turn into mere social activists and forget the spiritual lessons of hunger, we have to make sure we provide them not only food for digestion but food for inspiration as well.
This prayer comes from the Operation Rice Bowl box:
Good and gracious God, You who are full of compassion, help us to show compassion towards others this Lent. During this Holy Season we: Pray that we may be transformed, Fast in solidarity with those who are hungry; Learn to live with less, and Give so that others may live. May we join in solidarity as one human family and love one another as You love each of us. Amen.
Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.

Please forward Fr. Leo’s weekly email blast to anyone you think would benefit. If you haven’tsigned up for the Food for the Body, Food for the Soul weekly email blast, go here to register now. Also visit our blog.Sphere: Related Content

Prayer as Food

Gregory Mussmacher God Bless!!
Prayer as Food
As I wrote in last week’s blast, I’ll focus on the pillars and themes of Lent for the next few weeks. This week, let’s look at how prayer can “feed” our hungering hearts.
This past weekend, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and University hosted 1,600 teenagers for an entire weekend of prayer, talks, singing, and Eucharistic Adoration. It’s an annual Mount 2008 retreat for young people. Thousands of teens and their chaperones, including several priests and religious, made tremendous sacrifices and “fasts”, such as not eating a home-cooked meal (they ate cafeteria food), not sleeping in their own comfortable beds (they slept on gym floors), not having a normal weekend routine (every minute was structured), and all of the other sacrifices that come with a true retreat. Despite all of these sacrifices, they were so excited and enthusiastic that it literally inspired me to tears at times. What was feeding them? The answer is obvious: Prayer!
Let’s admit, we can never pray enough. Let’s also admit, there are times when we don’t like to pray. Parents, as well as children, often ask advice about how to pray grace before meals. The easy and most sure answer: practice, practice, practice! We can only get good at anything if we practice. So too with prayer! Yet, there are forces – evil forces – that do not want us to pray. Our own weakness of faith makes us lack the necessary discipline for a regular prayer life. Our inability to fully say, “yes” to God means we give God the “leftover” of our day. We occupy our times with so much “stuff” that we may leave out the most important people in our lives – God and our family! If we don’t spend time with those important people in our lives, guess what will happen. Our relationships will fade away, and the lack of conversation means we will eventually become strangers to one another. Isn’t this a painful truth?
If this painful reality is true in our human life, guess what can happen to our spiritual life if we don’t take time to pray and talk with God? The young people who came to this Mount weekend were so filled up with prayer they had the energy to run the race to Heaven! Of course, they can’t run without resting (i.e. a Sabbath), and therefore, they were instructed that regular prayer (food for the soul), like regular meals (food for the body), is necessary for a healthy body and soul. Lent gives us that opportunity to pray, because our earthly life and our eternal salvation depend on it!
I know some people say prayer is “boring.” BUT, I wonder if it’s prayer or the person who prays that is boring? Prayer, if understood well, is true communication with a person you love! If two people are in love, do they have boring conversations? I hope not! If they do, they are telling the other person, “You are boring me!” If their love is truly enlivening, they can’t wait to talk with each other. They will tell each other everything – and be excited about it. And even if they don’t use words and just sit holding hands or in a loving embrace, they are still communicating important and exciting messages!
I just described prayer for people who love God with their whole minds, souls, and strength!
On Friday morning before the retreat, I was in the chapel praying, and I honestly had to express to God my concern about the weekend. I told God that if prayer can be hard for priests and seminarians, how are we going to convince teenagers prayer is valuable, good, and exciting? Then I opened my daily prayer book (called a Breviary) and read a passage written by St. John Chrysostom. I’d like to share with you some of what this Saint says about prayer. It was as if God spoke to my heart about how not to worry for young people and prayer. With this definition, God showed me young people are very capable of recognizing the soul satisfying quality of prayer!
“Prayer and conversation with God is a supreme good: it is a partnership and union with God. As the eyes of the body are enlightened when they see light, so our spirit, when it is intent on God, is illumined by his infinite light. I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer from the heart, not confined to fixed times or periods but continuous throughout the day and night. Prayer stands before God as an honored ambassador. It gives joy to the spirit, peace to the heart. It is the longing for God, love too deep for words, a gift not given by man but by God’s grace…When the Lord gives this kind of prayer to man, he gives him riches that cannot be taken away, heavenly food that satisfies the spirit. One who tastes this food is set on fire with an eternal longing for the Lord: his spirit burns as in a fire of the utmost intensity.”
If you ever have the chance to come on such retreats to pray and practice prayer, I guarantee you the sacrifices and fasts you make will be nothing compared to how authentic prayer can truly fill up your every desire!

Filipino Tortang Gulay (Vegetable Omelet)
On this past weekend retreat, we had teens from all over! I even met one person who just arrived from the Philippines a few months ago. This young teen expressed some concerns. It was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with some of the material pressures in America. According to this young person, American life is too busy, and the sense of family, respect for parents, and prayer are not seen as culturally enforced. Needless to say, this young soul began to hurt because it faced the temptations of a society that seems to elevate material possessions and wealth, while underplaying the value of family, respect for authorities, and prayer. It made me remember my impression of the Philippines when I visited there as a newly ordained priest. I went with two other priests and a former seminarian in 2001. We all agreed: The Filipino people may not have much in terms of material possessions, but they are a spiritually well-fed people! There wasn’t a church we visited at various times in the day that didn’t have lots of people just sitting or kneeling in silent prayer! Less importance on the material life, honor for family, and respect for authorities – especially parents – are lessons my family tried to instill in me, even though I’ve lived in America since I was two. In fact, are these not the same principles of our original America? Please know, I LOVE THIS COUNTRY! And I am proud of it! Yet this young person’s first impression reminds me of something I recognize as I look at culture through the eyes of a priest. It’s a “sense” that makes me want to caution this great country to not be concerned with filling ourselves up with material possessions. If there’s anything we can fill up on more, it’s prayer!
This recipe is another one that came from the Operation Rice Bowl Program from Catholic Relief Services. I’m proud to say, it’s a Filipino recipe and one I had growing up, or at least a version of it. My mom never used Parmesan cheese, but having lived in Italy for five years, I’m not going to argue with the author’s recipe! It’s a great Lenten meal. It will remind us of simpler foods. It can help us form a simpler culture. And life becomes less complicated when we take the time to pray! For the recipe, [click here].

Seek the Face of Christ
This past weekend’s retreat was called, “Seek the Face of Christ!” It’s a great scriptural line to help us remember what prayer really is: It’s gazing on the face of God and allowing God to look upon us.
For this week’s prayer, simply take a picture of your family to your chapel or parish church. Stop by on a weekday, instead of a busy Sunday Mass time. If the door is locked, call the parish office and ask if someone could let you in for a few minutes. If anyone objects to letting you pray, don’t fuss, just go to another place where you can pray. Some even have small prayer rooms in their homes for this very reason. In that silent and quiet moment – which you definitely have to work to get – look at your family picture and let God see what you see. Then look at the picture again, and let God show you what He sees! You will see how this prayer, not with words, can fill up your family with God’s love. AMEN!
Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.

Please forward Fr. Leo’s weekly email blast to anyone you think would benefit. If you haven’tsigned up for the Food for the Body, Food for the Soul weekly email blast, go here to register now. Also visit our blog.Sphere: Related Content

From dust to deliverance

Gregory Mussmacher God Bless!!

From dust to deliverance

Today is Ash Wednesday. You may see Catholics and various other Christian groups walking around with smudges of ash on their foreheads. It’s discomforting for the believer who bears this mark, as well as for the onlooker who wants to do something about it. Some will wonder, “Should I tell that person she has dirt on her forehead?” similar to challenging mealtime moments when you have to say, “you have some food on your face." Still more uncomfortable than this visible symbol is the sentiment that comes with it: “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return!”
What is this dusty ash supposed to mean? Let’s take a look at our dusty origins!
In the Old Testament Scriptures for this upcoming Sunday’s Mass (i.e., the First Sunday of Lent), we are reminded of our theological origins. We come from Adam and Eve – a man who was made out of dust, and a woman who came from his rib. Those are pretty humble origins! Remember, humble comes from the Latin word “humus” which means “dirt” or “earth.” Scientifically, despite the desire to dramatically create life as a loveless experiment, our biological origins are not much more glamorous. Instead of “dust” per se, we were formed out of two seemingly disconnected but humble fluids – sperm and egg. Sorry for the graphic biology class. But the point is, our origins are truly HUMBLE! But like Adam and Eve, we were ultimately created from an act of love. Adam was formed because of God’s procreative love. God is obviously Pro-Life! God also chose that Eve be given life so Adam could love someone. Similarly, God formed us for the same reasons – so that He can love us, we can love Him, and we can love one another.
Enter the season of Lent: a time to become more humble, and not just by giving up chocolate, soda, sausages on Fridays, and swearing. Lent gives us an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of God’s love for us by entering more deeply into humble prayer with Jesus! The Lenten season will therefore bring us to more dust – the dust of the desert. This travel through the dusty desert recalls the Jewish people’s 40 years of desert pilgrimage until they reached the Promised Land. It’s an invitation to walk with Jesus for 40 days of fasting and praying in the desert. These “chosen ones” (Christ and the Jewish people) were brought through the desert and the dust heap because it ultimately reflected God’s love! Huh? Yes! Believe it or not, God can actually lead us to and through the dusty, dry, and lifeless sufferings of the desert to strengthen our understanding of His love for us and to increase our love for Him!
I know this may make you feel uncomfortable, but the greatest of Saints have all described these dark and lonely moments of desert days as Jesus did. The desert makes us depend on a Higher Power, not just human strength. The spiritual desert makes us thirst for the Lord – the source of living waters. The desert oasis reminds us of just how easily tempted we can be by the false and fleeting images of happiness. The dust of the desert reminds us of our mortality – something that makes us very, very uncomfortable – especially if it marks us right on our forehead!
During the Season of Lent, I will dedicate the weekly Blasts to particular Lenten themes. One week will be about Prayer; another about Fasting; and the others will be about Almsgiving, Patience, and then some meditations for the Triduum. With the proper perspective and healthy and generous practices of the Lenten Themes – Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving – we will not fear the 40 days of dusty desert purification. In fact, we can rise victorious! Just be sure that Jesus accompanies us every dusty step of the way.

Operation Rice Bowl Recipes
You may or may not know, but I am part of the Catholic Relief Service Global Fellows Program. We help raise awareness of this truly generous and faith-filled organization. One of the CRS programs is called Operation Rice Bowl. I’m sure you may have heard about it from Church or your local School. It’s a small cardboard box that you can keep in your home or classroom that has various facts about world hunger. It also has a slot to put in your coins, as a way of practicing Lenten Almsgiving. At the end of the 40 days, these little boxes are returned, collected and monies distributed. I am proud to say only less than 10 % of all contributions goes to CRS administration. In other words, about 90% goes directly to provide food for the poor and supplies and materials for developing self-sustenance among the various lands and villages. It’s truly a remarkable organization!
During Lent, we have the opportunity to learn more about our own humble origins by recognizing the plight of those who are poor and hungry in our world. The Operation Rice Bowl program gives you the chance to even experiment with a developing nation’s own foods and recipes. This provides a recipe for wonderful dinner conversation with your own family!
This week, try this recipe from the Congo and read about how a CRS worker made a difference for people in this country. Although Congo is not a desert in the literal sense, it is in a spiritual sense – a place where we can find Jesus at work and prayer! For the recipe, [click here].

The Meaning of the Ashes
As we begin the season of Lent, it is good to consider the powerful words that the minister says when imposing the ashes on our foreheads. There are two approved formulaic statements in this regard. These are worth meditation and prayer!
The first is one we already discussed:
Remember man, you are dust and to dust you shall return.
The second is almost a “follow-up” to this recognition:
Turn away from sin and believe in the Good News.
Amen!
Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.Sphere: Related Content

My first blog ever!!

First let me introduce myself. Hello out there my name is Gregory Mussmacher, I created this blog to share with all of you some great advice from a catholic priest named Father Leo, I'll tell you more about him and his effect on my life later, and hopefully great stories that will interest you and inform you as well. Please be patient with me as this is the first time I am attempting this. I will publish every week Father Leo's weekly e-mail blast and write some fictional short stories of my own, I am an amature writer and welcome your comments and feedback on the short stories. I enjoy writing horror and suspense stories, but sometimes a love and romance comes to me, not very often though. I enjoy conversation on theology and politics. I am a devoute catholic and a dedicated to my family. I have a wife and three sweet loveable children.
Now more about Father Leo, he is a catholic priest in the Maryland area and has published a book called "Grace Before Meals". His website is gracebeforemeals.com, I strongly recommend you check it out. He has a tv show and appears all over the country speaking about Family Values and eating. His belief is that famalies should spend more time together in the kitchen preparing meals as well as eating together and sharing there day with one another. This country is failing in many ways I believe because family values are not what they should be or used to be. I'll speak more on this topic at a later date. I wish you all so long for now, God Bless and Semper Fidelis!!




The Healing Power of Family// by Father Leo
This past week I personally witnessed the healing power of a loving family. I’m proud to say, it was my own family! Last week, on the same day as the March for Life, I was torn between going to DC for the March or staying at the Hospital to be with my mother during a major back surgery – a spinal fusion. Needless to say, the whole family was very concerned for her. Originally, I intended to stay at the hospital – just in case. Mother insisted I go to the March. She just asked for my blessing. How humbling is that! I felt more confident going knowing she would not be alone. At a recent family meeting, we all agreed someone would be with mom at every moment. In a special way, my siblings not only took care of mom, but also helped keep my nervous father calm. As a physician, my dad knew the delicate nature of this operation and the difficulties that could ensue. Therefore, my whole family had to rely on the healing power of God more than anything or anyone.

After the surgery, my sisters took the lead in caring for Mom. Please know that all of my family helped in some way, including my aunt who came from Canada. But the girls in the family really brought a special touch to the healing process. The maternal instinct is real! They brushed Mom’s hair, fed her the ice chips, and talked “girl things” just to keep her mind occupied. The early morning after the surgery, I went to the hospital intending to relieve my sister who stayed with Mom all night. My sister, however, decided to stay just a bit longer. It was moving to see my sister’s devotion to mom, even reciting morning prayers for her from Mom’s well-worn prayer book. Then Dad came, followed by my aunt, and later, my brother and other sister would be on hand – a changing of the guards, so to speak.
Even though there was little we could do for my mother on a “physical” level, I could sense how the presence of her family, and the spiritual support gave her some consolation, encouragement, and yes, healing. My gosh, watching my family’s attention to mom even “healed” and consoled me! Maybe that’s the way it is in prayer. Even though we may think prayer has no effect, I realize that just being in God’s presence, as my family was simply with my mother, is efficacious!
I don’t write this blast to brag about my family. We will be the first to admit we’re far from perfect. In the midst of all of our concern for mom, it was easy to become frustrated with one another. But even in those tense moments, when we focused on caring for mom, I also saw the hand of God – even in the messiness of our lives. I recognize how God does not intend for His children to be alone. He wants his children to have a family. He wants His family to have “compassion” – a word that literally means, “to suffer with.”
When watching my sister brush Mom’s hair, or when I saw Dad looking at this patient with more than a doctor’s love, or the grandkids just giving her a hug, I could sense God’s presence in the hospital room. At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel sadness for those people in hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living who don’t have family members to visit them. I also sensed a deep appreciation for those church volunteers and pastoral visitors who participate in a ministry to visit the lonely and sick members of God’s family. After all, visiting the sick is a virtuous act, a corporal work of mercy.
It is not easy to put our days on hold and take care of the sick, aged, and lonely. It is never easy caring for someone else! Yet in dealing with sick family members, we have an opportunity to be instruments of God’s healing love. Sure, we can get on each other’s nerves. Yes, there are days when we don’t have the time to help as much as we want. True, our patience can always run thin, because we just want that person to get better now. We must admit that a family – because we’re human – will never be perfect. BUT, as God’s family, we can try to be faithful. After all, the solemn vows at weddings remind us that true love for each other does not happen exclusively in good health! In fact, we can “prove” our love when the other is sick.
A family’s love for another is a great source of healing. I can see how God’s family – the Church – is a source of healing love. This past week, I definitely saw how my family, imperfect as we are, helped bring some healing and consolation to Mom. There really is a healing power of the family.
Separated Baby Back Ribs – Fusion Style!
Mom, please forgive me. But in trying to think up a recipe for this week – especially in light of your back operation, the separated bones in your back, and spinal fusion to heal you – a seminarian and I came up with a recipe called: SEPARATED Baby BACK Ribs - FUSION Style! Get it?
Fusion is a culinary technique that blends different cultural ingredients to create, or rather recreate, a recipe with layers of flavors. Now that I think of it, it’s kinda’ like my family. We all bring something different because of our personalities, but in the end, it all comes together.
I decided to use ribs, because this meat can take on many flavors, such as southern barbecue or even Asian-spiced marinade. In this recipe, we’re going to combine sweet and sour, and spicy and cool. This recipe reminds me of my very “spicy” family. It’s also a a light-hearted way to remember mom’s back operation and spinal fusion.Folks, I hope my “making light of the situation” doesn’t come across as “insensitive.” In fact, when I told mom of my recipe idea, it made her laugh! For the recipe, [click here].
A Family Prayer for the Sick
I appreciate all of the people who offered prayers for my mom, especially the people at the March for Life. Mom is doing much better despite some pain and the long road of physical therapy ahead of her. When family members are sick, we may sometimes feel helpless. I know that feeling. The only thing I knew I could really offer my mom were my prayers for her. Thank God for prayers! They work!
I would like the Grace Before Meals families to join me in a prayer for those sick members of God’s family who may feel lonely because no one in their families visit them. Perhaps this prayer will encourage some of our readers to join the local parish ministry that visits the sick in hospitals or nursing homes. We can show how God’s Family consoles the sick with our prayers and our presence!
Let us Pray:
Father in Heaven, help us become Your witnesses of healing love by our prayers, our presence, and our care for the sick. Help us to find You in our sick and lonely brothers and sisters, so that, like the saints who cared for the sick, we can grow in holiness and love. In a special way, heal our sick loved ones. Bring them to good health. As you allow them to share in the sufferings of Your Cross, let the grace of the Cross bring them to eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.Sphere: Related Content