Page 29 - FOP Magazine March 2019

Giving more instead of giving up
We began the Lenten Season on Ash Wednes- day, the sixth of this month. Invariably, when
the topic of Lent comes up, the question
arises, “So, what are you giving up?” The
store or elsewhere, as if they are Christ Himself.
Get to church/synagogue/mosque/whatever, espe- cially if that’s not part of your regular routine. Know
usual responses, of course, are “choco- late” or “beer.”
These examples of “sacrifice” remind
me of my attempt several years ago to give
up coffee. Coffee is one of my best friends, so that
particular Lenten sacrifice lasted about a week...and it was perhaps the most miserable week of my life!
Why, then, do we “give up” stuff if doing so makes us (and those around us) miserable? Sure, sacrificing allows us to bet- ter relate to those who are less fortunate. Our 40-day Lenten journey mirrors that of Christ himself. With that in mind, I re-aligned my Lenten priorities some years ago and decided: Rather than giving something up, why not do something spe- cial?
After all, the Lenten discipline is threefold: it involves not only sacrifice (fasting), but also almsgiving and increased prayer.
So my challenge to you is this: If you haven’t yet made (or haven’t been able to keep) a Lenten discipline, why not try this, as we are now about halfway through Lent:
Give to a charity that you find worthy. Of course, Police Chaplains Ministry, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is hap- py to be a beneficiary of your goodness. Visit www.chicagop- cm.org to donate. There are plenty of other worthy causes, as well — and I hope you’ll take this opportunity to support one.
Exercise extra discipline when it comes to your behavior and attitude at home or on the street. Go out of your way to treat your loved ones and those you encounter at work, at the
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something could hurt you, it probably could hurt the other person, too.
Remember to do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone; we all have a bur- den to carry.
Also remember...giving someone all your love is never an assurance that he or she will love you back. Don’t expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in that someone’s heart. But if it doesn’t, be content that it grew in yours.
Maybe you should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. But when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you crying.
And if you don’t, don’t worry; nothing bad will happen to
that you are always welcome there. While communal prayer is fruitful, pray also at home (with your family — at meals and bedtime), or before lunch with your partner, or on your way to/from work, or anywhere.
Father Dan Brandt’s
FATHER FRD.ADNAN
BRANDT
BRANDT
CORNER
There’s no wrong place or way to pray!
You are always welcome to pray with us at the Police Mass
at Mercy Home (1140 W. Jackson Blvd.), celebrated the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 11 a.m. (Please note that on Easter Sunday, Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m.) For the sake of on-duty worshippers, Mass lasts less than a half hour. Coffee and rolls are served after Mass for those who care to stay. While this is a Catholic Mass, all are welcome! Bring your family. There are also Blue Masses offered at various parishes, which we highlight on our home page at www.chicagopcm. org.
Also, every Friday (year-round, not just during Lent) at 1300 hours, Chaplain Joe Jackson facilitates a voluntary Bible study/prayer/faith-sharing group at the police academy. In recent months, as many as 75 recruits, officers and civilian employees of varying faiths have attended these brief Chris- tian-based gatherings. If you’d like more information about this opportunity, please reach out to Chaplain Jackson at 312- 771-6684 or joseph.jackson@chicagopolice.org.
May the rest of your Lenten journey be blessed and spiritu- ally fruitful!
To contact Father Dan Brandt, Directing CPD Chaplain, call or text 773-550-2369 or email dan.brandt@chicagopolice.org. Visit our website at www.chicagopcm.org.
you. You will just miss out on the opportunity to perhaps brighten someone’s day.
P.S. For the curious — the name of G-d...
Please note: I do not spell out the name of G-d out of re- spect. Spelling out the name and then throwing it in the trash would be a desecration of the name, so I put in the dash. This is a religious custom I follow; please don’t be offended.
Thanks for understanding. If you would like to discuss it further, don’t hesitate to drop me a line or give me a call.
On behalf of all your chaplains, may G-d bless you, keep you safe and always keep you in his loving care. Amen.
If you ever need a shoulder to lean on or want some compa- ny for a ride-along, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Contact Chaplain Rabbi Moshe Wolf at 773-463-4780 or mo- shewolf@hotmail.com.
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