The Little Black Book for 2015 Quotes

“Simon was blindsided. He was on his way in “from the country” minding his own business, when all of a sudden the soldiers seized him and made him carry the cross. He didn’t volunteer for the job, and this wasn’t part of his plans when he got up that morning. Some of the toughest crosses are the ones I don’t expect or volunteer for. Why this? Why now? Why me? There’s no answer this side of the grave. I just do what Simon did: Put my shoulder to the cross as best I can, and walk behind Jesus one step at a time, just trying to get through a day.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“Earlier, when Jesus sent out the 72 disciples, he spoke of “a money bag, sack, and sandals.” Now he speaks of “a money bag, sack, and sword.” He is speaking symbolically, referring to a new time of persecution. The disciples miss the point, take him literally, and produce two swords. His response amounts to: “Enough of that.” We’re sometimes taught to be quick with the sword, and we’ve all got our own “swords” – glaring daggers at someone, making cutting remarks. Throughout this Lent, I’ll watch Jesus face some “swords:” Mockery, manhandling, torture. The early Christians applied a passage from Isaiah to him: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Is 53:7) How did he do that? How could I do that? Ask him.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“Good Lord, how it must have felt to have that awful truth twisting inside his stomach as Judas tried to look normal. Too bad he didn’t know he was normal. He was a sinner, as I am. But there was still time. He could confess the awful truth. Why didn’t he? Telling even an awful truth is better than living a lie. Maybe Judas lost his nerve, or didn’t know how to say it, or to whom to say it. So he lived the lie that killed him. Perhaps I’ve had things inside me I didn’t know how or whom to tell. The sacrament of reconciliation began as a kind provision to enable sinners to tell the truth and find peace. That’s still what it is.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“I’m familiar with “covenant” – that’s what marriage vows are. I can catch the implications of the eucharistic covenant if I picture God speaking vows to me: “I, God, take you, [your name], to be my own, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse [this includes sin], for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health . . . and when you die, my Son will walk with you through death and bring you safely home, to peace and joy and life . . . forever.” Remember. A covenant involves both parties. We have to speak our part. “I, [your name], take you, God, to be my own . .”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“The cross comes into my life in many forms. But the cross, different for each person, is when I say: “Anything but that.” I cry from the depth of my soul, “O Lord, anything but that . . . anything!” Sometimes I get the same answer Jesus got. And so I take the Lord’s hand and take what I have to face . . . sometimes with none but the Lord who understands how hard it is. And I just hold on to him.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“Helping the poor isn’t always pleasant It’s no picnic helping the poor. There’s often no feeling of fulfillment. It’s work – like a lot of virtue is work. The poor, as fate would have it, are just like us. They’re mixtures of virtues and vices. Like us, they aren’t always grateful. Like us, they don’t always trust. Like us, they don’t always respond. Like us, they’re both generous and greedy. Like us, they’re sometimes wonderful and sometimes awful. Whatever happened to the noble poor? Some are out there, but mostly they are in Charles Dickens’ novels. The “poor” poor aren’t always so noble, and they are the hardest to deal with – which is probably why we don’t. Mental note: When you help the poor, you always receive more than you give – but it may not seem that way at the time. Another thing I learned is that food baskets at Thanksgiving, toys at Christmas are good as far as they go – but they don’t go very far. People easily talk about direct help to the poor on special occasions – clothes, food, money. Those fine things shouldn’t be taken lightly. But that’s the easy part. The hard part is trying to do something about the poor’s state in life. The discussion always slowed when we tried to focus on this. Where do you begin? What do you do? It’s hard when you deal with the causes. How can we give them basic skills to manage their lives? Can we make loans available to them through our own credit unions at considerable risk? Shouldn’t the state make better provision for dependent children? What about health insurance? How do we help them find work? How do we help them find work that pays a living wage? Why are single parents, usually women, abandoned so easily by a spouse? Mental note: Direct assistance is good. Tackling the causes is better.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“If I start distinguishing between the deserving and the undeserving poor, I’m finished – at least as far as the Gospel is concerned. Who is really to decide if they are undeserving? That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to help them help themselves. As the saying goes, “Give me a fish and you feed me for a day. Teach me to fish and you feed me for life.” I should always try to help the poor help themselves. But I need to be careful about metering out my help too carefully. Jesus was never overly careful about metering out his mercy. He was criticized for his “reckless” mercy toward undeserving sinners. The undeserving poor remind me that something deeper needs to change – whatever it is that makes them feel hope-less and helpless. I need to address that. In the meantime, I need to help them, and not be judgmental or overly careful. Mental note: If I’m to err, err on the side of largesse.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke

“Lent also looks two ways. I look to my mixed past – joys and sorrows, successes and failures, good deeds and sins. But I also look to my future – the great feast of Easter and the assured victory of life over all forms of death. The ashes on my forehead are not a gloomy symbol. They express my belief that through death I find life. Dying to old ways of sin brings the peace I’ve always wanted. No Lenten penance dead ends in pain. Beneath true penance is always the experience of God’s loving presence. Plus the sense that I’m moving in a good direction. I can spend a lot of time on my past, maybe too much. Maybe I should talk to the Lord about my future. For starters, talk about these next 40 days. Don’t drift halfheartedly into Lent. Plunge into it.”
― Ken Untener, The Little Black Book for 2015: Six-Minute Meditations on the Passion According to Luke