Manum misi in ignem! (said: Mah – NOOM / mih – see / in / IG – nehm) This gem comes from St. Jerome, or if you prefer his full Latin name, Eusebius Sophoronius Hieronymus (+ a.D. 420). It means “I put my hand into the fire.” To take any kind of sacred oath, is to put your hand into the spiritual cleansing fire, as the world is against this and has been throughout history. Christ, Himself did this very thing by coming to earth to save mankind from sin and death, not as a warrior, but as an exemplar of submission to the Father’s will. Think about that: God condescended and became human-His own creation. It is very hard to be a Christian as most of the culture is “Christian in name only” at best; absolute atheist at worst. In society, it is our actions, which should rightly stem from St. Benedict’s phrase: Ora et labora! (Pray and work), and we must live our faith, which is both prayer and work. Take some time and really think about that. What are/were your motivation(s) in choosing Christ? The gift of Faith? You, perhaps were drawn? Do you LIVE your Christianity daily? The list of speculative questions could be endless. Insert your question here:_______________.
I am involved with a Benedictine Prison Ministry where we get a lot of letters. I read a letter written by one of our Benedictine novices which brought tears of joy to my eyes. He wrote from prison: “…The first year and a half of my sentence, I was very angry and bitter about my situation. A situation I created for myself. For a while I was angry with God for allowing me to live through this situation. Fortunately, God has put many people in my path to help guide me toward Him. After attending my first Word and Communion service, I felt that I had found where I belong. I had walked in just wanting to experience a liturgical service, with no intention of becoming Catholic. The more I attended Catholic services, the surer I became that this is where I belonged. This is where God is calling me to be. A friend suggested various books to read and answered many questions. He and another friend taught me to pray the Rosary and helped me to understand many things about the Church. They encouraged me to pursue my faith further. My friends talked about being Oblates of Saint Benedict and what it meant. But it wasn’t just their talk; it was what they did. Their willingness to serve others without a second thought. Within a few months of my first Word and Communion service I was considering becoming an Oblate myself. After much contemplation and prayer, I signed my Novitiate papers, to begin my Novitiate year.”
I found those words to be amazing, really, as prison is the opposite of holy. The prison ministry brings a regimen of prayer and, as a result, a sense of calm and peace, to those who choose to follow it. I have heard it called “transformative” in some of the letters. So, if that guy can find Christ and “put his hand into the fire” where he is, how much can we do? Ponder that for a moment. Are you putting your hand into the fire daily? By that I mean do you pray and work Are you leaning in, or sitting on the sidelines? Why? Or Why not? Are you involved in prayer groups? Are you involved in your community? As God has gifted us what we have in this life. That means we must be good stewards of those blessings. Sitting on the sidelines / someone else has my best interests in mind option really isn’t an option.
A case could be made that by not living your faith and not sharing Christ is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, as these are gifts given to us from Him…(but I am a conservative and have been known to start an argument from time to time…) A reflection on your faith and how you are involved in your community: take some time and chew on that. Some would rather be uninvolved. Some do not care about their faith. Some do not care about their community. Some think: “Someone else will take care of that.” It doesn’t work that way, as being a Constitutional Republic, your personal participation, no matter how small or big, is needed. This is an election year. Are you going to participate? Do you have a friend who needs help finding Christ? Are you helping? Please do not think these questions are a criticism-they’re not. It is a reflection opportunity for what we are doing for our communities; both Church and State. What are you doing to put your hand into the fire?
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