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I did it my way (and that's the problem)

2012-02-27T00:26:00.004-05:00

“The LORD God gave the man this order: You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die.”

“But the snake said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.”

Genesis 2:16-17; 3:4-5
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“I believe that my position on choice is one that is consistent with my Catholic upbringing, which said that every person has a free will and has the responsibility to live their own lives in a way that they would have to account for in the end.”

Nancy Pelosi
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As we enter into the Lenten season we look ahead to the sacrificial gift of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. We are called to remember that it was our sins that made the cross necessary. We look back to the Garden and the Original Sin of our first parents and we can see that not much has changed. It is part of the human condition that we want to be in charge, we want to decide for ourselves how to live, we want to distinguish between good and evil on our own.

I used the quote above from Nancy Pelosi not to specifically criticize her—she’s almost too easy of a target—but to demonstrate a mindset that is not too unlike how many people feel about the moral or religious choices they make. Nancy has convinced herself that she has the power to be the ultimate judge of truth for herself. Have you ever done that? Maybe not on something as morally grave as abortion, but have you thought this way about other areas of your life?

I know I have. I think we all have. In reality, I think it’s the only way we’re able to sin so easily. Whether it has become a convenient lie that has deeply blinded us or a passing rationalization we make clever use of; we convince ourselves that doing what we want is the right thing. I left the Catholic Church in 1997 because I wanted to “do the stuff” of ministry and was frustrated by resistance I had met within my parish and the school where I was teaching religion. I allowed myself to buy into the lie that I could decide my path, rather than humbly submit to God’s way and timing.

Of course we live in a culture that praises this behavior. In fact, “do what feels good” is one of the only moral imperatives our society actively praises and pursues. This desire is so deeply ingrained in our fallen nature that we are helpless in ourselves to root it out. We can cooperate with God’s grace to put to death this desire to be gods, and by God’s grace, if we are successful our reward will be our divination, becoming like God by partaking in the life of God.

During Lent we hear the emphasis of prayer, fasting and charity. Each of these calls us out of ourselves and makes us work at denying our desires to decide what we want to do. When these are combined with the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience as a way of life we begin to imitate the very life of Christ. Truly it is obedience that is at the heart of all of these wonderful gifts of spiritual growth. Jesus demonstrated perfect obedience throughout his life, and St. Paul calls us to “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus…he humbled himself”.

As we learn to die to ourselves this Lenten season may we learn the value and way of true obedience rooted in humility. Let’s learn the lesson from the Garden; that we are not gods and are not wise enough to discern good and evil on our own. Let us learn to trust that God has given us the means to know his will and how to follow him through Divine Revelation and the Magisterium of the Church. Surrendering our wills to God is not easy or comfortable. More often than not it will require that we die. It will lead to the cross, but ultimately it will not end there. Obedience and faithfulness, even when we can’t fully understand (that’s faith isn’t it?) will be rewarded with new life. When we do fall, we should not despair but repent because God is fully capable of raising us up again.

This Is A Hard Teaching; Who Can Stand It?: Theology of the Body, Contraception and the Eucharist

2012-01-25T00:26:00.007-05:00

The sixth chapter of John’s gospel Jesus begins with the feeding of the multitudes with five loaves and two fish. The crowd, who wanted to crown him as king, followed Jesus the next day asking for a sign. Instead of giving them more food for their bellies Jesus gave them food for thought. Jesus challenged the sensibilities of everyone present; the poor and the wealthy, the uneducated and the learned, the laity and the priests and Pharisees. He told them that he was going to provide more than manna for them, that he had new heavenly bread that would give them eternal life. That bread was his very flesh and blood which he commanded them to eat and drink. He affronted their ideas of what God and their religion could or would ask of them. He challenged them to believe in something that was, in their thinking, impossible and outrageous.

The response of the crowd demonstrated how offended they were to be asked to believe such a thing:

“Who is this man? Who does he think he is?”

“How can he tell us to eat his flesh?”

“This is a hard teaching; who can stand it?”

Many of his followers left that day. These were disciples leaving, not just bandwagon jumpers following Jesus to get a free lunch or see a miracle or two. Jesus even challenged the apostles, those closest to him, to leave him, yet they stayed. Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of everlasting life.” Jesus cared not for the opinion of crowd or the popularity of his position. He didn't react to this desertion by changing his teaching. The truth is the truth and it is immovable even when all else around is shifting like sand.

This controversial teaching by Jesus spoke prophetically of the gift he planned to give to us in the Eucharist. It was fulfilled at the Last Supper when he broke and gave his body to the apostles. He poured out and shared his blood with the men that, through faith, refused to leave him when they couldn’t fully understand his teaching. Acting in and through his authority the apostles and their successors followed his command to “do this in remembrance of me”. By the sacramental grace he won at the cross the Church has participated in sharing his body and blood at every mass through the ages. It is through the gift of the Eucharist that the Church is nourished and enters into deeper relationship with Christ.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul talks about the relationship between Christ and the Church. In chapter five he calls upon wives to be submissive to their husbands, just as the Church is submissive to Christ. Likewise, he challenges husbands to lay down their very lives for their wives, just as Christ sacrificed himself for the Church. Why? Paul understands that the marriage covenant speaks, mysteriously, of the relationship of Christ and the Church. Jesus is described elsewhere in scripture as the bridegroom and we as his bride. Understanding union with Christ within a marital relationship necessarily requires an understanding of Christian marriage as intended and instituted by Christ himself.

When asked about the question of divorce, Jesus pointed his questioners to the creation narrative by quoting from Genesis 1:27; 2:24. Following this example to gain an understanding Christian marriage, and by that insight into Christ’s relationship to the Church, it is necessary to look to God’s original plan for marriage as found in the creation stories of Genesis 1-3. What does it mean for man and woman to be created for each other and in the image and likeness of God? How did God intend that original unity to be expressed? In what way has original sin distorted God’s original plan for marriage and how is it restored in Christ?

To understand what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God requires an understanding of the very nature of God—to the extent that it can be understood. The revelation of the Trinity is the revelation of the eternity of familial love and relationship. God the Father possesses in himself the fullness and essence of fatherhood from all eternity. Human fatherhood is merely a finite representation of this divine reality. In the same way, God the Son possesses the fullness and essence of sonship from all eternity. The Father loves the Son completely and is eternally giving himself to the Son as a total self-gift of love, holding nothing back. This love is received and likewise returned to the Father from the Son in a mutual, perfect self-gift of love. The bond of this love is so perfect, so complete that it is itself the very person of the Holy Spirit. It is in this image and likeness that man and woman were created.

After Adam is created by God and given dominion over all of creation something odd happens. Until this point all of creation has been declared “good” by God, but now God declares something is “not good”. Adam is alone. He cannot fully reflect the image and likeness of the Trinity without someone to give himself to as a complete, life-giving gift of love. God creates Eve to be Adam’s helpmate, his wife, a person whom he can give himself to in love. Naked and unashamed because they are able to love each other perfectly and purely, Adam and Eve are joined by God and are able to fulfill the divine command to “be fruitful and multiply.”

In his perfect wisdom God created man and woman as complimentary beings physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He created man and woman to give themselves each other in the marital covenant to become “one flesh”. For this reason, the Church has always taught that the marriage act has two equal and indivisible components: the unitive and the procreative. In God’s plan when marital love is expressed between husband and wife it is always life-giving and love-giving. The husband gives all of himself to his bride who receives him and in turn gives herself to him. The bonds of love are strengthened through marital intimacy and this love is open to the creation of new life itself.

This original design has been fractured and remains threatened by the presence of sin. After the Fall, Adam and Eve were “ashamed” at their nakedness. Sin had entered their hearts and impaired their ability to perfectly and purely love each other. For the first time, they saw each other as a means to an end, as an object to satisfy their desires. This fault carries down through the generations. It rips at the heart of marriages and marital love. Selfish desire leads to divorce and infidelity. Fears, insecurities and self-centeredness seek to close the marital act to the gift of love. Attacking marriage—the image and likeness of God, the model of the relationship between God and man—has been at the center of the plans of the enemy from the Garden down through the ages.

Enter Jesus Christ. Enter the Incarnation. Jesus comes to show what love looks like. It is self-emptying, just as he emptied himself to become human. It is forgiving, just as he extended the mercy of God to sinners. It is completely self-giving, just as he gave all of himself on the cross. It is life-giving, just like the new life he offers from the empty tomb. Jesus held nothing back in giving all of himself as a perfect gift of life-giving love to his bride, the Church. Nowhere is this more evident than at every mass celebrated every day.

At the words of consecration simple bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. The bridegroom comes under the most humble of appearances to the bride. So in essence Jesus (the groom) gives his flesh & blood, his soul & all that he is as a total self-gift so that his Church (the bride) can receive him to become one in a unitive and (spiritually) life-giving act. The mass, more specifically communion, is the consummation of the marriage of Christ and his Church.

What happens when this gift of Christ is received but not returned? What about members of the bride that take what Christ offers, but refuse to allow that grace to penetrate their hearts or transform their lives? Is this any different than a marriage practicing contraception? One partner’s gift of self is rebuffed by the refusal to allow that gift of love to bear the fruit of life?

July 25, 2012, marks the 44^th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humane Vitae, which reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s condemnation of artificial birth control. In that encyclical Pope Paul spoke of the inseparability of the unitive and procreative dimensions of human sexuality. He warned of dire moral and social consequences if artificial contraception was widely accepted, and his predictions have unfortunately come to pass. Divorcing the unitive and procreative aspects of sexuality has resulted in the destruction of marriages, victimization of women, and draconian political population control.

How did many in the world, the laity, the theologians, the priests, and even some bishops respond to Pope Paul’s affirmation of centuries’ old moral teaching? Many responded the same way the crowd did to Jesus when he told them about the Bread of Life.

“Who does this Pope think he is?”

“How can he tell us what to do with our bodies?”

“This is a hard teaching; who can stand it?”

Once again observers, followers, and even the successors of the apostles were challenged to hear and accept God’s truth. The Church is called to respond like Peter, to accept and follow, hoping that understanding will come later. It is not an easy teaching. It challenges and provokes because it is personal and requires a response. Choosing to reply in faith, like those who heard and believed Christ’s call to “eat my body and drink my blood” is eternally rewarding.

A 2010 Beliefnet.com survey found that over 70% of American Catholics did not consider using artificial birth control a sin, and 59% admitted to using contraception. Another survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 45% of American Catholics did not know that the Church teaches that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ at mass. Among the faithful there is a tragic loss of the original unity of procreative and unitive love intended for our marriages and our spiritual lives. If Catholics reject the teaching of Christ, willfully or out of ignorance, they cannot possibly enjoy freedom and strength that is promised to them through the sacraments. Is it any wonder then that the Church faces a time of trial and difficulty? The love of the Trinity and our calling to be the image and likeness of God becomes forgotten. Marriages are weakened. Souls grow indifferent. And the Church suffers from a lack of saints in our midst.

But there is hope. There is always hope in Christ. He is raising up a generation that is rejecting the lies of the enemy and rediscovering the beauty of unitive and procreative love in marriage and in the Eucharist. The way is not easy, but is possible by God’s grace and with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Why loving Jesus doesn't mean I have to hate religion

2012-01-13T17:10:00.003-05:00

So apparently there’s been a lot of buzz about Jefferson Bethke’s viral video rant/poem, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” Some people think it’s the best thing since Martin Luther got himself some paper and a hammer. Others want to start piling up wood while they look for some matches.

Personally, I admire the guy’s passion and apparent love for Jesus. I understand where he’s coming from with his anti-religion/pro-Jesus position. There was a time not that long ago I would probably have been giving him a big thumbs up, but I would have been wrong and so is he. I think what he’s really upset with is “false religion”, aka hypocrisy, and that’s a good thing to be leery of, but we can’t allow ourselves to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Here’s some things he’s just plain wrong about.

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion?

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” – Jesus (Mt 5:17)

“The Law” refers to the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. Maybe Jefferson needs to read some passages from The Law. Might I suggest Exodus 25-30? I see directions for liturgical feasts, calendars, vestments, and vessels. It describes using gold & silver, the finest linens woven by master craftsmen, and ornate jewels. There’s a good bit of effort put into explaining various rules and procedures both for how to worship and how to live. None of those ideas came from Moses, they were revealed to him by God.

If religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?

Religion doesn’t start wars. Man does. And we have started wars for all kinds of reasons: power, land, pride, good looking girls, etc. The 20^th Century saw more lives destroyed by wars initiated by religion-hating individuals than all of prior human history combined.

Why does it build huge churches but fails to feed the poor?

Once again, I’d like to defer to Jesus’ answer when asked a similar question.

May I also point out that religious organizations provide the greatest amount of charitable services to the poor than anyone else? The Catholic Church, for example, is the largest worldwide charitable organization at feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and comforting the suffering.

Jesus hated religion and for it called them foolish.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” Mt 23:1-2

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:20

Jesus was against self-righteousness and hypocrisy, not against religion.

Let me clarify: I love the Church, I love the bible, and yes I believe in sin.

But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in?

He loves the Church that he’s been bashing throughout his poem. Apparently he’s also fond of proof texting and taking the bible out of context.

And Jesus actually resides in my Church 24/7/365. So yeah, we let him in.

Religion says do. Jesus says done.

Um, Jesus tells us to “do” a whole lot of stuff, and some of it isn’t easy to hear.

While being murdered he yelled "Father forgive them they know not what they do.”

Jesus wasn’t “murdered” he became our high priest and offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. They didn’t take his life, he laid it down. See John 10:11-18.

Rethinking the Beatitudes

2011-08-11T00:24:00.002-04:00

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
(Matthew 5:3-10)

I believe the beatitudes are a model or pattern for spiritual maturity with one building on another and ultimately looping back again in a continual path toward spiritual perfection. Rather than looking at them separately as if describing different types of people in the Kingdom of God, they lay down a blueprint for how to become a disciple. This seems to make sense within the greater context of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.

Matthew chapter five begins with the beatitudes. Jesus then goes on to tell his followers they are to be light and salt to the world. The chapter concludes with a discourse on Jesus’ mission to fulfill the Law. He discusses six different topics in the “You have heard it said, but I tell you…” format. In each of these teachings he elevates the Law of Moses, the Old Covenant, to new standards that will become the way of the New Covenant. He deals directly with anger, adultery, divorce, swearing oaths, retaliation, and attitudes towards enemies.

Chapter six continues laying down the new expectations of the Christian disciple. Jesus challenges his followers to form new attitudes about alms giving, prayer (including the model of the Our Father), and fasting. He admonishes his listeners not to follow the way of the Pharisees, but to pursue humility in these practices. The chapter concludes with Jesus encouraging them to make their true treasures in heaven and to trust in the loving providence of God to care for them.

The Sermon on the Mount concludes in Matthew chapter seven. Once again Jesus lays down new expectations for his disciples. He cautions them against judging others and encourages them to be persistent in seeking the Kingdom of God. He warns of false prophets and that the path to heaven goes through the narrow gate requiring not just lip service but obedience in our actions. The Sermon concludes with the parable of the two foundations; one on sandy ground and the other on solid rock.

From beginning to end the entire Sermon on the Mount provides the foundation for how to live the Gospel as a disciple of Jesus. It provides spiritual and practical advice and instruction. It’s within this context that we are challenged to re-examine how we look at the beatitudes. An important principle of public speaking or teaching is that you start by telling your audience what you’re going to say, then you say it, then you tell them what you said. The beatitudes introduce the Sermon on the Mount. In them Jesus tells us the pattern for becoming a disciple. The rest of the sermon lays out the details. The closing parable tells us again how to be a disciple.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. To be poor in spirit is to recognize our total dependence upon God, that before him I have nothing to offer of my own. Without first coming to this most basic realization no real, sustainable spiritual growth is possible.

Blessed are those who mourn. Once we have recognized our dependence upon God we become keenly aware of our sins and faults. We mourn for ourselves, but more importantly for how our sinfulness and selfish desires keep us from drawing closer to God.

Blessed are the meek. When we recognize our dependence on God and our own sinfulness we develop a true sense of humility. Humility is not self-loathing; rather it is an honest assessment of our true standing before God and one another.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. As we grow in humility we begin to hunger and thirst for the things that please God. A desire to do what is right and to see justice done around us begins to grow and color how we live and treat others.

Blessed are the merciful. The desire for righteousness grounded in true humility and awareness of our own shortcomings leads to the next step on the path to true discipleship: seeking and offering mercy. We recognize that we fail in our desire for righteousness and that others have failed us as well. To be merciful is to extend forgiveness and grace to others and to ourselves.

Blessed are the pure in heart. Purity of heart certainly calls to mind a moral purity, but there is a deeper purity of heart. As we continue to grow in grace to become a disciple of Jesus we realize that our hearts must be purely for him. They cannot be conflicted or divided. We cannot allow our hearts to be troubled by the things of the world, but rather be consumed with love for Christ.

Blessed are the peacemakers. Once we have reached the point of allowing our hearts to be focused on God we once again turn outward towards our neighbor. Peace is not merely the absence of conflict, nor is it merely appeasement. True peace is only found in right relationship with God. Often this means the disciple is called to confront the sinner for the sinner’s own good so that he may know the peace of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted. Being formed into the image of Christ as his disciple is going to bring conflict with the world. As we attempt to make peace those not interested in Christ’s peace will persecute us just as they persecuted him. Persecution strips us and reveals to us those parts of us that don’t want to suffer or die to the world.

So the beatitudes present a summary of the Sermon on the Mount as a spiritual blueprint for Christian discipleship. The disciple begins with the recognition of his dependence upon God which leads to an awareness of and sorrow for his sins. This becomes the foundation for authentic humility and stirs up a desire for holiness. In the process of seeking righteousness the disciple’s heart is moved to seek and extend mercy. In order to continue the pursuit of God the disciple must become single-hearted for God. This purity of heart compels the disciple to bring about the peace of God rooted in truth, love and justice. Because the world has rejected the peace of Christ it will reject and persecute the disciple who then comes to a deeper realization of his dependence upon God. This causes the disciple to circle back to the very beginning of the process and start anew to become a disciple on a deeper level.

The middle of the Sermon on the Mount presents the details and examples for following this pattern. All of Jesus’ teachings in these chapters elaborate on these principles. He tells us how to embrace humility in prayer and action, how to avoid anxiety by trusting God, and how to extend love and mercy to others while pursuing justice and peace.

The final parable of the two houses echoes the beatitudes and pulls the rest of the Sermon together. The house built on solid rock has Christ as its foundation. The walls of the house are built brick upon brick just as one beatitude is built upon the other. The storm represents trials and anxieties of life as well as persecution. Those disciples who put the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount into practice will weather the storm.

Osama, Obama and JPII

2011-05-02T23:03:00.004-04:00

I'm probably going to catch some flack for this.

As I woke up this morning I was greeted with the news that Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan. I watched the news as I was getting ready for work and listened to the radio on my drive to the office. I was struck by a couple things.

I must admit that I felt relief that bin Laden was dead. While I recognize that terrorism will continue after his death; I appreciated the sense of justice and closure brought by this news.

I was disheartened by the reactions I witnessed in the news reports. People were gathering and chanting 'U-S-A! U-S-A!" and singing "God Bless America" in the streets. While I can understand their sense of relief and even victory, something in me just didn't sit right with the idea of celebrating the death of another person, even if that person was bin Laden. There was just something in me that immediately recognized that this was not a "Christian" response to this news.

Then I read this quote from Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ:

“Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions for this purpose.
“In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.”

I was just thinking about 9-11 and its lasting impact on our country earlier yesterday afternoon before this news broke. I was thinking about how our country reacted to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people that day. We started two wars, incurred trillions of dollars of debt, created new levels of government, and surrendered personal freedoms all because of the events of that horrible day.

I was reflecting on these things in light of the feast of Divine Mercy and the beatification of John Paul II who preached the Gospel of Life throughout his pontificate. I was reflecting on how we as a nation reacted to 2,977 people being murdered by terrorists and how little we care for the approximately 3,700 babies aborted EVERY DAY in America alone (over 120k worldwide everyday-see the counter on my sidebar). That means that since 9/11/01 about 13-million Americans have been legally murdered.

Osama bin Laden kills 3,000 people and he becomes enemy #1, relentlessly hunted down for nearly a decade and killed. People reacted by singing God Bless America.

Barack Obama runs on a radical pro-abortion platform. As a state senator in IL he was against banning partial birth abortions and against a bill that required medical care for aborted babies that were born alive. People reacted by making him president.

John Paul II tirelessly preached the Gospel of Life, but more than that he lived it. He met with and forgave the man that tried to assassinate him. He endured a progressive, debilitating disease with dignity and purpose while demonstrating how we can unite our sufferings with Christ's. He lived a life dedicated to loving God and relying on His mercy. People reacted by packing the streets of Rome for his beatification.

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 6

2011-04-17T23:41:00.000-04:00

"It is finished" (John 19:30) and "Father into your hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

When the Allied Forces successfully invaded France on D-Day it marked the beginning of the end of World War II. That victory all but assured the ultimate defeat of the Nazis. It was only a matter of time to finish the job. Certainly there were many more battles to fight, but once the Allies were able to establish their front lines there was no hope for a German victory.

Jesus came preaching, "The Kingdom of God is near!" Jesus spoke more about the establishment of God's Kingdom than anything else. All that he did was oriented towards this message. The miracles he performed were signs of the presence of the Kingdom. He cast out demons, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and forgave sins all to demonstrate that in the Kingdom of God there is no enemy, no disease, no blindness, and no sin. In short, Jesus came to establish a beachhead for the Kingdom of God to defeat the works of the devil and redeem our fallen world.

Hanging on the cross, Jesus was aware that he had accomplished his mission. By his death and coming resurrection he would guarantee God's victory over sin and death. He had withstood all that Satan and this world could throw at him. He wrestled with the weakness of human nature and triumphed through obedience. He took on our loneliness, fear, and pain. He endured insults, curses and temptation. He did it all, and when the last enemy, death itself, came to claim him he proclaimed, "It is finished" and entrusted himself to his Father. He gave his life; it was not taken from him.

Jesus' victory on the cross won our salvation and liberated us from sin and death, just like the people of Nazi occupied territories were freed by the Allies after D-Day. There are still many battles ahead and the way is not easy. The enemy stills claim victims and inflicts casualties while fighting a losing effort. But we can draw strength from knowing that while there are battles to fight the war has been won. If we endure we will win. This is what Paul means when he writes:

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:37-39)

As our Lenten journey draws to a close let us look forward with hope that we too can experience the power and presence of God's Kingdom in our lives as we wait for the day when the last battle is done and we can enter into the rest that Jesus has prepared for us.

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 5

2011-04-12T20:41:00.001-04:00

"I thirst." (John 19:28)

It’s approaching three o’clock in the afternoon. For nearly 20 hours Jesus has endured torturous treatment at the hands of the chief priests and Romans. He’s been tried, beaten, scourged, dragged his cross through the city and finally nailed to it. Since noon he’s hung on the cross, the hot sun beating down on him. He called to mind Psalm 22 when he said, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” That Psalm goes on to describe his condition when it says, “My mouth is dried up like clay, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.”

But, Christ's thirst was for more than water, and his words call out to each of us today just as they did to those at the foot of the cross. Jesus thirsts for us. Stop and think about that for a moment. God longs for us. His desire for us isn't born out of necessity, as if there is something lacking in God, but springs from his love for us. He longs for us to know him because he knows that only then will we be fulfilled. The only thing that will bring us true joy and healing is relationship with him and he thirsts for us to enter into that peace.

At the same time we thirst for God whether we realize it or not. In the words of the Psalmist, "As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My being thirsts for God, the living God." (Ps 42) When Jesus called out from the cross those standing nearby offered him a sponge soaked in vinegar to drink. Have you ever tried to drink straight vinegar? It's not exactly a thirst quencher. Yet every day we choose the vinegar of sin to try to quench our thirst rather than come to Jesus who offers living water.

Jesus calls out from the cross to let us know that he longs for us who unknowingly thirst for him. This Lenten season may we choose to drink deeply of the living water Jesus offers through having a personal relationship with him.

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 4

2011-04-03T21:11:00.000-04:00

"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)

Where was God when the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan? Is he all powerful but uncaring, or is he all loving but impotent? Why did he allow so many innocent people be washed away? Where is God when over 1 million abortions take place each year in United States alone? Why did God allow the cancer to return? Where is God when life hurts?

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” Jesus cried out from the cross with the very questions that shake our faith. The great Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar reflected on the depths of the suffering Jesus endured for us on the cross. In his homily, “The Scapegoat and the Trinity”, he said, “Jesus, the Crucified, endures our inner darkness and estrangement from God, and he does so in our place. It is all the more painful for him, the less he has merited it ... there is nothing familiar about it to him: It is utterly alien and full of horror. Indeed, he suffers more deeply than an ordinary man is capable of suffering, even were he condemned and rejected by God, because only the incarnate Son knows who the Father really is and what it means to be deprived of him, to have lost him (to all appearances) forever. It is meaningless to call this suffering ‘hell,’ for there is no hatred of God in Jesus, only a pain that is deeper and more timeless than the ordinary man could endure either in his lifetime or after his death.”

As Catholics we reject the notion that the Father could forsake the Son; that God could turn away from God. But Jesus was not merely God, he was the God-man and in his humanity, hanging on that cross it is not beyond reason to see that he felt abandoned and forsaken. In that moment, in the midst of suffering that goes beyond what we could imagine, in the fullness of his human nature Jesus experienced that dark night of the soul when it seems that even God has turned away.

What does this have to do with answering questions about evil in the world? How does this apply to the problems of our pain and suffering? Because the Son of God passed through the way of suffering he was able to redeem our pains. It means that though this world is fallen and broken we must pass through the way of suffering, the way of the cross, if we want to experience the joy and glory of the resurrection. The good news is that we have a Savior that will go through it with us, or as Catholic author Melinda Selmys explains, “For Christ, in being forsaken on the cross, entered into this, the deepest of human sufferings, so that even in the greatest darkness we will never be alone.”

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 3

2011-03-29T06:28:00.001-04:00

"Woman, behold your son…Behold your mother." (John 19:26-27)

We celebrate this Third Sunday of Lent just a couple days removed from the feast of the Annunciation. As we listen to the final words of Jesus before his death and resurrection we also call to mind the words of Mary to the angel, "Be it done unto me according to your will." How similar is Mary's abandonment to the will of God as her own son's prayer in the garden the night before he died, "Not my will but your will be done." Here at the cross the obedience of Mary and Jesus come together to free us from our slavery to sin so that we may use our will to say yes to God as well.

In these simple words Jesus entrusts his own mother to the Church, represented by the beloved disciple, and the Church to his mother. We can be confident that as we look to Mary she will always lead us to her son. She was there when he was conceived, there when he performed his first miracle, there when he sacrificed his life for us, and there when he poured out the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Scripture tells us that along the way Mary pondered these things in heart. She is our model for living a contemplative life of reflecting on what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives.

During this season of Lent may we follow the example of the beloved disciple and take Mary into our homes. May we learn from her humility and faith in God. She said yes when it wasn't convenient to do so. She trusted God even when she couldn't fully understand how he would fulfill his promise. She accepted the joys and sorrows equally because she ultimately knew that God was in control and could be trusted to "work all things together for the good of those who trust in him." May our Lenten prayer be that Mary, our mother, will reveal her son to us in ways that are new and meaningful to transform our lives by the power of his cross and resurrection.

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 2

2011-03-18T00:42:00.001-04:00

"I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

Tradition tells us the name of the Good Thief was St. Dismas. We know nothing of his life other than the fact that he was sentenced to crucifixion for being a criminal. Many would say that his final act was to steal heaven on that Good Friday. After the first thief mocks and scorns Jesus, Dismas rebukes him and offers a simple request to be remembered by Jesus. Somehow he recognized in the beaten, bruised and broken body of Jesus what the crowds of Jerusalem could not or would not see. Somehow he was able to see Jesus as the King of Kings ready to enter into his kingdom. His simple act of faith was rewarded by Christ’s promise of salvation.

It’s easy to be skeptical of death row confessions. We hear how hardened criminals suddenly “find Jesus” when it seems most convenient for them and it’s difficult not to react with some level of incredulity. We often ask ourselves how God could be so gullible as to accept the last minute “conversion” of someone who appears only to be trying to avoid going to hell. It seems unfair that someone who devotes their life to serving and following God and someone who ignores God until their final days would both be welcomed into heaven together.

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who goes to town in the morning and hires men to work in his vineyard for a set wage. The man goes back to town near noon and again in the late afternoon each time hiring more workers for his vineyard. At the end of the day he pays all of the men the same amount. The men hired in the morning grumbled because they thought they should get more. He reminds them that they agreed to work for the price they were paid and tells them not to be envious of his generosity.

Does this mean that we can put off conversion so we can do what we want? Certainly not, for no one knows when their life will be required of them. Jesus and the scriptures are clear that we must remain faithful and vigilant. The moral of the story is not that the wicked prosper by fooling God, but that God's mercy knows no bounds and is always available to us. Indeed, it is God who makes a fool of the devil by mercifully accepting those who call on him even with their last breath.

Jesus’ words to the Good Thief should give us all hope. While we have breath, it is never too late for any of us to turn to Jesus. It's not too late for the friend or family member we love who has turned from God to come back to him.

Lenten Meditations on the Last Words of Christ - Week 1

2011-03-18T00:34:00.002-04:00

"Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

Dr. Bernard Nathanson passed away on February 21, 2011. Dr. Nathanson was a leader of the pro-abortion movement and founding member of the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL, now the National Abortion Rights Action League). He estimated that he had supervised or performed over 75,000 abortions including the abortion of his own child. He admitted that he and his associates purposely feed misinformation to the media and deliberately attacked the Catholic Church in order to change public opinion to support legalizing abortion in the late 1960’s. Then something happened. Dr. Nathanson started to question the pro-abortion claim that the unborn child was merely a collection of cells and not a human life.

A longtime atheist, Nathanson still continued to support abortion rights despite his growing doubts until the mid-1980’s when he finally became convinced through advances in medical science that abortion was, in his words, "unjustifiable murder." He then helped to produce one of the most famous pro-life videos, The Silent Scream. Nathanson devoted the rest of his days to fighting legalized abortion. More significantly, he came to faith in God and was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1996.

At the moment of his baptism, every sin he had ever committed, every abortion, every lie, was forgiven. Think about that for a moment. The guilt of 75,000 murders was wiped away, cast as far as the east is from the west. It doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t seem right. Shouldn’t he have to pay for all those innocent lives he claimed? Welcome to the scandal of the cross.

When I think about it, really think about it, I want Bernard Nathanson to be completely washed cleaned. I don’t want him to have to pay for his sins because I know I can’t pay for mine. If God can forgive Dr. Nathanson then I know he can forgive me. The cross means there is nothing I can do that’s too big for God to forgive. This is what St. Paul had in mind when he wrote, “For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

Forgiveness is the meaning and purpose of the cross. Jesus focuses our attention on this fact by praying for the forgiveness of his executioners. Most victims of crucifixion shouted out curses at their executioners, Jesus cried out for mercy for them. Nowhere else is the scandal of the mercy and grace of God on display more than at the cross. Humanity’s greatest sin, killing God's Son, is met by God’s greatest display of love, the life of his Son given for us.

So, what’s with the pink?

2010-12-09T17:01:00.003-05:00

Long before Susan G. Komen made pink fashionable the Church has been breaking out rose colored candles and vestments on the third Sunday of Advent. Unlike the Bucs’ tangerine unis or the Rays baby blues it’s not just a marketing ploy for a liturgical version of an alternate jersey. So why do we switch from purple to pink? Why do we change colors on the third Sunday of Advent just to go back to purple for one more week?

To understand why the Church changes colors on the third Sunday of Advent we’ve got to understand what all these colors mean in the first place and why we use them. The Church follows a liturgical calendar that begins on the first Sunday of Advent and ends on the Solemnity of Christ the King. The liturgical year is made up of different seasons and each season has a specific color connected with it. Advent and Lent are primarily purple, a color that symbolizes repentance. The Christmas and Easter seasons use white to represent light and glory. White is also used throughout the year on feasts of Mary and other saints who were not martyred baptisms, weddings and Eucharistic celebrations. Ordinary time, the rest of the year, uses green to call to mind life, growth and hope. Red is used on specific feast days to symbolize the blood of martyrs or Christ (Good Friday) and also the fire of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost).

Rose may only be used on two Sundays in the liturgical year: Guadete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, and Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. The names are taken from the first few words of the introductory psalms for those liturgies. These Sundays are the midpoints of Advent and Lent, two seasons focused on repentance, fasting and preparation. The Church has designated these two Sundays to call us to remember that even in the midst of fasting and penance we are to be filled with joy. We are called to take a respite from our solemn journey and call to mind the joy of our salvation.

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Christ the King

2010-11-24T15:45:00.002-05:00

The Solemnity of Christ the King was last Sunday (Nov. 21, 2010). This was a reflection I wrote for our parish bulletin.

Pope Pius XI created the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to combat the rising tide of secularism in the world. He wanted to draw our attention to the reality of being citizens of the Kingdom of God and the authority of Jesus as King over our lives as Catholics and his authority over all creation. Looking around at the world today it’s obvious that we need this feast day more than ever as atheism becomes chic, moral relativism becomes the norm, and threats from terrorism, economic collapse and “super bugs” disturb our peace.

I think one of the saddest moments in the Old Testament is recorded in 1 Samuel 8 when the people of Israel demand a king from an aging Samuel saying, “Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.” (1 Sm 8:5) The prophet goes to God disheartened by this news and God tells Samuel, “Go ahead and give them what they want. They’re not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods.” (1 Sm 8:7-8) God tells Samuel to warn them that making a man their king will result in the king taking their sons & daughters into servitude, confiscating their lands, and taxing them. They didn’t care; they just wanted to be like all the other nations around them. How often are we tempted by the world around us to compromise? How have we lost sight of what it means to be in the Kingdom of God?

The Gospels tell us that the central message of Jesus’ preaching was “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” The Greek word for kingdom is basiliea and it means the “rule, reign of a king; the king’s authority and power”. It is where the will of God is done. This is what we ask every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer and say “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We are recognizing the authority of Jesus as King and asking him to make his Kingdom present to us. What does that mean? What does it look like? In heaven there is no fear, no sadness or suffering, no pain, sickness or death. We are living in the now and the not yet. Jesus established his Kingdom, but it’s not present in its fullness yet.

We can pray and expect miracles to happen because miracles are simply the presence of God’s Kingdom in the here and now. Making Jesus King of our lives is a daily decision to be open to allowing him to use us as he wants. Really living out the reality of serving Jesus as King means that we must seek his will before ours; knowing that when we do so, we do it with his promise to give us his strength, grace and power.

Gianna Jessen, Abortion Survivor

2010-10-04T23:22:00.002-04:00

In honor of Right to Life month, please check out this powerful video of Gianna Jessen, survivor of a late term saline abortion. (feel free to ignore the Romanian subtitles)

Commentary on Hebrews 12:1-11

2010-10-04T23:14:00.006-04:00

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons:
'My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.'

Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards. Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not (then) submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live? They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we may share his holiness. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

One of the first things that stands out is that the author of Hebrews uses the term "discipline" eight times in this passage. Each use of the word is based on the Greek word paideia, which refers to the training of children or instruction in growing in virtue. This word is only used here in Hebrews and two other places—Eph. 6:4 regarding how fathers should raise their children and 2 Tim. 3:16 describing how scripture is useful for “training in righteousness". It is different from the more common New Testament usage of manthano which means “to learn”, and is the root of mathetes, from which we get “disciple”.

It is obvious from the author’s choice of paideia and the context of the passage that he wishes to compare and contrast the actions of our earthly fathers to God the Father, and children to being "sons of God". On one hand we are directed to see in our fathers a typology of the Father. Children often do not understand that discipline is for their own good. Depending on the child’s age they may not even recognize discipline as anything other than not getting our way. I’m reminded of when my daughter Mary was not quite two years old. She was set on sticking her finger into the wall outlet. At first I would gently pick her up and move her, but she was determined. Eventually I had to reach down and slap her hand to get the point across. A father’s discipline can seem harsh, but it is most often motivated by love and is done for our benefit. On the other hand the author also points out that our earthly fathers’ discipline done in a way “that seems right to them” which implies that sometimes it is done imperfectly as we are all imperfect. God’s discipline, while we may not understand it at the time, is done so that “we may share in his holiness.”

Turning to the beginning of this passage we can see the role that discipline has in running a race. Ask any athlete, particularly endurance runners, and they will tell you how important discipline is to being successful. We are exhorted to “rid ourselves of every burden and sin”, to “persevere in running the race” while we look at the example of Jesus who “endured the cross” and “endured opposition” so we “do not grow weary and lose heart”. The author uses very deliberate language all of which evokes the idea of endurance requiring discipline. The footnote in the New American Bible points out that the Greek word used to describe the way sin “clings to us”, euperistatos or euperispastos (depending on the manuscript), can also be translated as “easily distracts us”.

It is at this point that I want to draw attention to the “great cloud of witnesses”. Who are they and what is their role? We are told that they are “surrounding” us, but we would be wrong to assume that these witnesses are mere spectators looking on as we run the race. Turning again to the Greek we see that the author of Hebrews uses perikeimai to describe their relationship to us. Although translated here as “surrounding” this word is found only a couple other times in the New Testament. In Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2, Jesus warns those who cause “little ones” to sin. He says it would be better for them to be thrown in the sea with a “milestone hung around their neck”. Likewise Acts 28:20, tells of Paul preaching while in a Roman prison “wearing these chains”. It is perikeimai that is translated in these passages as “hung around” and “wearing”. From this perspective we can now see that the witnesses mentioned here are not spectators, but rather seem more like participants. We are surrounded by these witness who are connected to us as if partners in a three-legged race.

Who are these witnesses? Verse 1 begins with the keyword “therefore”, an adjective implying that whatever follows is linked to that which preceded it. We must remember that when the Letter to the Hebrews was written it did not have the chapter and verse breaks that we have in our bibles today. We must then look to Hebrews 11, listing many of the Old Testament heroes of the faith, and specifically verse 40 which states, “God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.” Do you understand what that means? The saints in heaven are mystically untied to us not only to help us run the race for our sakes but in some way for their sakes as well. That’s the glory of the mystical Body of Christ. When one member succeeds we all benefit. In 1 Corinthians 6:14-16, Paul warns us that when one member of the Body of Christ sins we are all affected. So to, when one member endures and runs the good race we all prosper.

We turn once more to the call in Hebrews 12:1 to “rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to (easily distracts) us”. It is now obvious that while we must resist sin its hold on us, to the author of Hebrews, is not nearly as strong as the bond we have with the Body of Chirst (euperistatos/ euperispastos, clinging.distracting vs. perikeimai, hung around, encompassing). So as we run our race, seeking through discipline to follow the path laid down for us by Christ, let us not hesitate to call upon the strength and merits of that “great cloud of witnesses” running right alongside of us.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

2010-10-04T15:08:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple prayers by St. Francis of Assisi on his feast day.

Saint Francis’ Prayer in Praise of God, Given to Brother Leo

You are holy, Lord, the only God, and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love.
You are wisdom.
You are humility.
You are endurance.
You are rest.
You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage.
You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord, God Almighty, Merciful Savior. Amen.

Saint Francis’ Prayer Before the Crucifix

Most High, Glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of our minds.
Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity,
so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen.

Jekyll and Hyde at CNN

2010-09-21T22:38:00.004-04:00

Two very interesting opinion pieces were posted on CNN.com on Sept 16th. The first was about how the progress of adult stem cell research is making embryonic stem cell research unnecessary.

From the stem cell piece:

As you turn on your HDTV and watch the endless controversy over embryonic stem cell research, ask yourself: Should the government spend taxpayer dollars to develop that bulky old cathode-ray television you once owned?

As you install your $79 Blu-ray player, what if Uncle Sam was paying millions to develop Betamax videotapes?

This kind of government waste is what embryonic stem cell researchers are demanding even when science itself, according to scientists such as former NIH Director Bernadine Healy, has made embryonic stem cell research obsolete.

[and]

Adult stem cells have grown new corneas and tracheas, restoring sight and speech. Adult stem cells placed into children have repaired damage from fatal genetic skin diseases. As CBS News reported on August 2, adult stem cells appear to have the ability to stimulate tissue repair and to suppress the immune system.

"That gives adult stem cells really a very interesting and potent quality that embryonic stem cells don't have," said Rocky Tuan, director of a cellular engineering institute at the University of Pittsburgh.

The Church needs to do a better job of getting the word out that we are not anti-science, just pro-ethical science. Adult stem cells (induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSC) have great promise, have already demonstrated some exciting results, and come without the immoral destruction of unborn human lives.

And then there was this piece calling for a new moral code which included the following gems:

Although few of us would turn to the Old Testament or the Quran to determine the age of the Earth, too many of us still turn obediently to these books (or their secular copies) as authorities about morality. We learn therein the moral superiority of faith to reason and collective sacrifice to personal profit.

[and]

Ask someone on the street to name a moral hero; if he isn't at a loss, he'll likely name someone like Jesus Christ or Mother Teresa. Why? Because they're regarded as people of faith who shunned personal profit for the collective good. No one would dream of naming Galileo, Darwin, Thomas Edison or John D. Rockefeller.

Yet we should. It is they, not the Mother Teresas of the world, that we should strive to be like and teach our kids the same.

[and finally…]

If morality is about the pursuit of your own success and happiness, then giving money away to strangers is, in comparison, not a morally significant act. (And it's outright wrong if done on the premise that renunciation is moral.)

Science, freedom and the pursuit of personal profit -- if we can learn to embrace these three ideas as ideals, an unlimited future awaits.

Wow. I think that's kinda how we got Hitler. So for our society to truly progress we must come to accept that "morality is about the pursuit of your own success and happiness". If morality is solely centered on my own well being then nothing I do to you or your loved ones may be construed as morally wrong so long as it brings me personal happiness and fulfillment. That is truly a scary world to imagine. By this principle the 9/11 hijackers did not commit acts of evil, child molesters, rapists and murders should be commended for breaking free of outdated moral constraints. No thanks.

Benedict in England

2010-09-21T21:40:00.004-04:00

As Pope Benedict was heading to England he took a few questions from reporters on the plane including this exchange:

"Can anything be done to make the Church a more credible and attractive institution?"

“In my view”, the Pope replied, “a Church which seeks above all to be attractive is already on the wrong path, because the Church does not work for herself, she does not work to increase her numbers and her power. The Church is at the service of Another. She serves not herself, not to become strong; rather, she serves to make the announcement of Jesus Christ more accessible: the great truths, the great powers of love and reconciliation which appeared in Him and which always come from the presence of Jesus Christ."

So many Christians and churches today are focused on their stat sheets. They judge success by how many people then can convert or get to join their congregations. Pope Benedict brushes those things aside and draws our attention back to our main focus, being Jesus to those around us. Jesus was not concerned about numbers. When he healed the demoniac of Gerasene (Mark 5) the people there asked him to leave and he did. When he introduced the Eucharist in John 6 many left and he let them leave. He let the rich young man in Mark 10 walk away. Jesus knew his job was not to make friends and influence people, but to do the will of his Father. So too, the Church must not worry about who will follow us or who will walk away, but we must be true to God and faithful to his will in loving each other as Jesus loved us.

The Hidden Way

2010-09-13T20:39:00.001-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

AUGUST 29, 2010 (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 – Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a – Luke 14:1, 7-14)

I once heard someone describe the Incarnation as fireworks in reverse, or to quote the Genie from Aladdin, “Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty bitty living space”. The infinite Creator of all things, the all powerful, all knowing Lord of the Universe, became a frail, helpless baby. The Eternal Word of God became an infant incapable of rational speech. The Incarnation was God’s ultimate teachable moment on the subject of humility, the subject of today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings.

Why should we seek the path of humility? Because Jesus did, and if it was good enough for him it’s good enough for us. Yet this runs so counterintuitive to our own nature. We want to be recognized and honored. We want to be first, not last. We desire to be popular, to have popular friends, to sit at the “cool table”. That, my friends, is the effect of Original Sin and it is the cancer at the core of our spiritual life.

Perhaps Blessed Teresa of Calcutta summed it up best when she said, “Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”

Jesus calls us to humility, to be meek and gentile of heart like him, so that we can resist temptation and comprehend our complete dependence on God. Being humble is both easy and difficult. Once we learn to put others ahead of ourselves we can see all kinds of opportunities for humility. From the simple, like allowing others through the door ahead of you, to the more difficult, like letting someone else get the credit for your work, we are called to advance in humility so we can become more like Jesus.

The Narrow Gate

2010-09-13T20:37:00.001-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

AUGUST 22, 2010 (Isaiah 66:18-21 – Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 – Luke 13:22-30)

When I taught high school religion classes I would always end each week with the Question Box. I passed around a shoe box and my students could write down questions they didn’t want to ask out loud. Without a doubt the majority of questions always started out with, “Is it a sin if I…” Of course the motivation behind these questions was to find out how much I can get away with before God gets angry with me. In other words, what’s the least amount I can do to get into heaven and the most I can get away with without going to hell? I always tried to answer these questions be refocusing the issue on following Jesus and his example rather than dealing with the question directly. I would simply state in return, “If you’re focused on walking with Jesus & following his lead then you don’t need to worry about him leading you into sin.”

We see this type of issue dealt with in today’s readings. The disciples ask Jesus, “Will only a few be saved?” Of course they want to know if it’s going to be easy or difficult to get into heaven. Will it be an exclusive club like a private resort or a public beach with all types of people crowding in? In his response, Jesus tries to refocus the disciples from a superficial concern to a deeper wisdom. He basically says, “Don’t get hung up on numbers, but focus on doing what is needed to get there yourself.”

Jesus paints a picture of two ways, the wide and the narrow. Both are open to all who want to enter, but one path is easy while the other requires some effort. Making it through the narrow gate requires discipline, and like the second reading says “all discipline seems not a cause for joy but for pain”. Yet, it is discipline that gives us the strength to make it through the narrow gate. Like children we don’t always appreciate what is best for us. We want entertainment and dessert when what we need is to do our chores and eat our veggies.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

2010-09-13T20:34:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

AUGUST 15, 2010 (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10b – 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 – Luke 1:39-56)

We need look no further than Mary for an example of how to love and follow Jesus. She responded with humility and openness to the Lord when the angel appeared to her. She did not know all of the details but she trusted God to provide. Her song, the Magnificat, is a testimony to simple faith and devotion to God. At the wedding in Cana she pointed to the waiters as she points to each of us today saying, “Do whatever He tells you.” She suffered the pain of standing at the foot of the cross uniting her sufferings with those of her Son. Mary witnessed her risen Son and waited in prayer with the Apostles for the gift of the Holy Spirit. All the while we are told that she pondered these things in heart.

Today we celebrate Mary receiving the fruit of her faith. Once again she is showing us the way and showing us what awaits each of us if we remain faithful. Like Jesus, she experienced victory over death and the grave. She placed her faith in God wand was not disappointed. The journey was long with its fair share of joys and sorrows but it was worth every step of the way.

The Church recognizes Mary as the New Eve. Like Eve she was born without original sin. Like Eve she was presented with a choice: submission through humble obedience or self-determination in prideful resistance. Rather than listening to the lies of the serpent she crushed its head, and we are all the better for it. Now she intercedes for us in our time of trial and temptation that we may follow her example and not the choice of the original Eve.

May we draw close to her and allow us to hear her encouraging us to “Do whatever He tells you.” Let us call upon Mary’s help to resist temptation and embrace humility. Mary show us your Son’s Sacred Heart and pray for us to one day experience the joys of heaven.

“Love God, serve God. Everything is in that.” - St. Clare of Assisi

2010-09-13T20:30:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

AUGUST 8, 2010 (Wisdom 18:6-9 – Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-12 – Luke 12:32-48)

As we reflect on today’s readings they can be best summed up in this famous quote by St. Clare whose feast day is celebrated later this week on Aug. 11th. We are called to love and serve God faithfully and at all times. While the writer of Hebrews recalls the faithfulness of the Old Testament saints; Jesus warns us that we do not know the day or hour of his return. My grandfather used to say that “the world ends everyday for someone.” In other words, time is short so make the best of it while we have it.

In every age there are those who are consumed with trying to decipher the End Times, to predict when Jesus will return. Not too long ago the Left Behind series of novels topped the lists of best sellers with fictional accounts of the Rapture and the return of Jesus. It can be tempting to try to read the signs of the times, especially when there are natural disasters, wars, political upheaval or economic uncertainty. If we listen to the words of Jesus, his concern is not in teaching us to figure out when he’s returning, but rather to know that he’s returning at a time least expected. His concern is that we live our lives everyday serving and loving God and our neighbors.

St. Clare left her family and possessions behind to follow the call of God just like the heroes of the Old Testament listed in Hebrews 11. She took literally the words of today’s gospel: “Do not be afraid any longer little flock…Sell your belongings and give alms…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Like so many other saints, Clare heard the words of the Gospel not merely as words addressed to the Church, but as intended for her personally. What is it that Jesus is calling you to do today? Is it something you already know in your heart but have been putting off? Hear the Gospel in a fresh way and respond today to the Spirit’s prompting in your heart for we are called to act now and not delay.

Bringing the Mountain to Our Valley

2010-09-13T20:26:00.002-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

AUGUST 1, 2010 (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 – Colossians 3:15-,9-11 – Luke 12:13-21)

In today’s first reading we listen to the words of “the preacher” from the book of Ecclesiastes. The author laments that “All things are vanity!” Ecclesiastes is truly a book for our times, on one hand despairing for the apparent meaninglessness of the daily grind. We work and toil for treasures that rust and fade away. The unrighteous prosper from their wicked deeds while the innocent suffer. Our hearts are restless day and night for something more, but we don’t know what that is or how to satisfy this desire. It’s song of living in the valleys of life when we hope for something more than what we can see.

If Ecclesiastes reminds us of the valley, then the Feast of the Transfiguration celebrated later this week calls us up to the mountain top. Jesus brings his closest disciples with him, literally “up the mountain to pray”. While there Jesus is transfigured, his body and clothes become dazzling white and he meets with Moses and Elijah. Peter immediately does what any of us would do; he pleads with Jesus to stay on this mountain top and in this moment of glory. How often, when we have spiritual experiences of feeling close to God, do we wish we could just stay right there holding on to those feelings?

Our spiritual journey will take us across many different terrains. We’ll experience valleys and mountain tops, droughts and showers. We must learn, as St. Paul did, to be “content in every situation”. St. John Vianney, whose feast is celebrated on August 4th, also learned this lesson. He was not the brightest student and struggled mightily with his studies in school. He was assigned to a small rural, out of the way parish. Yet, he learned that he could be as close to Jesus as he wanted in the valleys and on the mountain. It was his simplicity and pure devotion that drew large crowds to wait hours just to go to him for the sacrament of reconciliation.

This is the secret of the saints. They knew they couldn’t stay on the mountain, but they also knew that if they kept the Lord in their hearts they could bring the mountain top down into the valley. Jesus lead Peter, James and John down from the mountain an in the verses that follow today’s Gospel they immediately were drawn into ministry. We too need to rely on the strength we receive when we receive the Lord to bring light into our valleys, to give meaning to the routine of our lives.

Being Ordinary

2010-09-13T10:56:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared.

May 30, 2010 (Proverbs 8:22-31 – Romans 5:1-5 – John 16:12-15)

Ordinary Time. It’s a deceptively boring label for the liturgical season we now find ourselves in. It’s not “special” like Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter. There are no special, beloved Ordinary Time songs or decorations. No unique Ordinary Time traditions. It’s just ordinary, plain. It’s just like most of my life and yours. We “live and move and have our being” in the ordinary time of our lives, punctuated by special events like birthdays, marriages & anniversaries, job changes, and moving.

The challenge of the ordinary is keeping our passion alive. It’s easy to be excited when we’re standing at the mountain top of great moments in our lives. Love’s flame burns strong with little effort on your wedding day. Keeping that flame alive after five, ten, fifteen or more years takes far more than sentimental excitement; it takes hard work. So it is with the ordinary time of our spiritual journey. We can climb to great heights by attending retreats, parish missions or beautiful liturgies with all kinds of smells & bells; but we must also travel through the spiritual doldrums of everyday life. That’s why it’s so hard to get a seat for Midnight Mass at Christmas or on Easter Sunday morning while surprisingly roomy in the pew on the Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

There is wisdom in the Church’s celebration of liturgical seasons, especially Ordinary Time. It teaches us the value of embracing the ordinariness of our lives and elevating it to something more by redeeming it for Christ. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta said “Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.” That is the great opportunity that being ordinary presents to us. We must look for opportunities presented to us in ordinary and simple ways to show the love of Christ to those around us. Our challenge is not to grow weary or complacent as we “run the good race” which is more a marathon than a sprint.

The key here, as St. Francis of Assisi would say, is to “do few things, but do them well.” Commit to attending mass every week. Spend five to ten minutes a day in quiet and prayer. Our prayer life doesn’t have to be something special, it just needs to be. By keeping your personal spiritual commitments simple you’re more likely to keep them period. Don’t be seduced by the thinking that only exceptional prayer experiences are the only ones worth pursuing. I know that for me it is a constant struggle to accept that five to ten minutes of prayer are fruitful, that I should be striving for a 30 minute or more prayer time. At the same time I know that my pursuit of the perfect prayer experience is often the enemy of having a consistent prayer life. That is why I take inspiration from Ordinary Time to realize that there is value in the little, but faithful efforts that I make.

Why only prayer will end abortion

2009-10-14T21:32:00.001-04:00

Check out this story posted on American Papist