The Rock and the Sword

We Be Bloggin'

2011-07-22T15:46:00.003-05:00

Lazy Summer afternoons lead one to relax and remember, to reflect and hopefully be renewed. With a smile on my face this idle day in July I came upon a box labeled "The Rock and the Sword" that I stored in the attic of my domain in Cyberspace. After I dusted off the cover and tore open the packing tape from two years ago I was pleased to discover over 200 little posts my friend Sean and I made earlier in our formation of the priesthood.

Some of these posts rekindle a passion I have for writing; others make me blush with my lack of prudence. And others still help me to see that the Holy Spirit has been at work in this little instrument for some time; what good work He might yet do if we continue to cooperate with His Divine Will!

Pseudonyms served us well two years ago, but Sean (Paul) and I (Peter) have decided to use our given names now in a new venture, one at which our friendship in Christ intersects the calls to which Jesus has led us, not unlike those apostles to whom we pray.

As I was about to delete this blog, it seemed more fitting to invite those still subscribing to join us at Two by Two, our new blog. Two years later we are still headed towards the priesthood and still searching for means of fulfilling Christ's words to His disciples: "Go forth and baptize all nations." We feel very strongly that this is one such way of doing so.

Know of our prayers. Hope you will join us!

Blessings,

Brian (Peter)

Living in a Church Incarnate

2009-07-12T05:43:00.003-05:00

My bus rolled through the colorful, packed streets of Progreso, just in time for the 6:30 P.M. Mass. It was Ash Wednesday. I had spent the two previous weeks working with members of the Church in the mountain villages. My boots were still caked in mud and my T-shirt sweat stained.

Mass, unlike most weeknights in the Cathedral, was packed. I sat down in a sea of dark hair, my skinny little head poking up a good six inches above the rest. It was good to be back, and to have so many people around me.

Father Ray, my good friend and mentor, was saying the Mass that evening. I arrived just in time for the Liturgy that I couldn't even tell him that I had arrived from my mission. As he continued on with the mass, my mind began to wonder. What's the point of all of this, God? Why am I a Jesuit? How will I get through this intense life? Why am I here in Honduras and not back serving the Church at home? Questions floated in and out of my head between the incense, bells, and chants. By the Eucharist I was trapped by all the problems of the world, real and artificial.

God, what do you want of me!?

Communion rolled around, and I filled down the isle at my pew's turn. Finally, I made it up to the altar with Fr. Ray standing there in front of me, a smile on his face and the Body of Christ in his hand.

"Welcome home!"

He placed the precious Body in my hands and I had no idea how to respond. "Thank you?" "Amen?" I was surprised by his greeting, but even more surprised what lay in my hands: my home, my nourishment, Christ. "Welcome home," theological issues aside, seemed to make a lot of sense as I placed the bread in my mouth. Though Christ was entering me, more deeply, I was entering Him. I was home.

And then I turned around. Pew after pew after pew was packed with hundreds of Hondurans. Some I knew and many I didn't. Some old and plenty young. Some with faces of prayer, boredom, distraction, or confusion: men and women from all walks of life, together, worshipping the Lord as one community. And again, I was home. I didn't speak their language well, nor did I understand their culture, but we shared the same Body and drank the same Blood. I was home in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Just as we are Christ's we are each others'. Christ's love is incredibly intimate, yet it is also incredibly universal. It must be shared, and done so with spirit and vigor. Today's Gospel from Mark says:

"Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. ... So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons,and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them" (Mark 6:7-13).

Over the past nine months I can confidently say that Peter and I have grown closer to the Lord and His Church, in many ways through this blog. I hope that throughout these months, you have had a similar experience. Our domain name: "http://www.therockandthesword.blogspot.com/" has become a home to us, an Ecclesial niche of faith, hope, and love in a vast electronic world. But what are homes more than bases of love and support from which to jump off into the world? As Jesus commanded his apostles to go out with "authority over unclean spirits," so too, Jesus is asking us to go and evangelize to the world by being models of the Good News to all we meet. We do that rooted in our home, the Church, which itself is rooted in the love and presence of Jesus Christ. This virtual home of ours has been nothing but a humble little tool in God's hand to bring about his love and glory in this world. So strap on your Birks, Chucks, Nikes, or Timberlands and start walking and working throughout His vineyard, in whatever calling the Lord has set out for you!

This particualr blog post is not a "Welcome home," though there are many in our archives. This particular post is just another simple little "Feed my lambs" post. Our blog has been full of them as well. It has been our hope, through the inspiration of St. Peter, to call ourselves and our readers to God's merciful and free love while at the same time, through the inspiration of St. Paul, to call ourselves and our readers to go out and preach the Good News to all the world. In short, we hope that all of us continue to find and live out our vocations. It has been a great ride, but the really exciting thing is that this has been a little pit stop, a pointer, along the great path of Salvation history. A little spec of dust in God's big plan for all of us, and what a graced "spec of dust" this blog has been!

Peter and I would like to extend our deepest gratitude for your readership, interest, and support. I ask, through Sts. Peter and Paul's intercession, that the Father may bless you and inspire you on your way to his Son's eternal love.

Thank you and God Bless!
Paul

P.S. A bit of business: for those interested, though we will no longer be posting, this site will remain up and available if you wish to go back to any posts.

P.P.S. Just to keep things on the fun side....

A rare photo taken in the middle of America of Peter and Paul together on a road trip, discovered after years of being hidden in the bowels of a Facebook photo album.

Helpful Links

2009-07-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Benedict, patriarch to Western monasticism and grandfather to the Benedictine family of religious orders around the world. He was born in 480AD in Nursia, Italy, and established twelve monasteries before his death. He wrote what is today known as "the rule" for men and women living the monastic life. His rule became incredibly popular in the early middle ages and is still used by monks and nuns throughout the world today. I wish to extend a happy feast day to our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, the Church in Europe, and to all my fellow brothers and sisters in religious life.

And now to business...

Before we go off the air, Peter and I thought it would be a good idea to give you some spiritual resources floating out there on the web. In addition to the links we have in our side bar, located below are a few more Catholic sites that may aid you in daily religious reflection. There are hundreds, if not thousands more Catholic sites out there with lots of very good stuff. I encourage you to take some time and look around for something that is inspirational, educational, and thought-provoking.

Enjoy and God Bless!
paul

AmericanCatholic's Saint of the Day
Simply put, this site gives you a brief bio of the Catholic saint of the day.

The Apostleship of Prayer
This site focuses on the prayer intentions of the Holy Father for each month as well as prayer activity throughout the world.

The Irish Jesuit's daily reflections
This site has very insightful daily reflections about the readings from the mass.

The USCCB's daily readings and reflections
The Bishop's Conference has the Mass Readings for every day of the year (type, audio, and video) on this site along with different types of reflections.

Zenit's Church news service from Rome
This site is good for any general ecclesial news coming out of Rome.

2009 Catholic Blog Award Winners
I put this site in here because it has links to a bunch of generally appreciated Catholic blogs and podcasts. I can't speak to many of the winners, but I recommend you test them out.

Creighton University's daily reflections
Clergy, religious, and lay people from the Creighton community put together daily reflections on the readings at this site.

New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia
Anything you ever wondered about the Church organized in alphabetical fashion. Also, they have links on their front page about recent Catholic happenings around the world.

My Final Bow

2009-07-10T06:35:00.001-05:00

I've been pacing around my room for a while trying to think of some epic way of bowing out from this great blessing of a blog, but I've hit a major wall. It hurt my head!

The more I think and pray about the chance to spread the Good News, I realize how it has been a tremendously grace-filled experience. There is no better way, then, to "bow out" than to leave you with the passage that has moved me so often during these posts. It has been the passage which has led me to Jesus more and more.

To set the scene, Peter has just told Jesus of his love for Him three times, mirroring the three times he denied Jesus the night before he died. It is during this scene when Jesus turns to the one to whom he has given much and challenges Peter to leave all his "nets" once again:

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me."
--He will never lead you astray. Trust in His love!
St. Peter, pray for us!

Free Lovin'

2009-07-09T09:38:00.004-05:00

"Jesus said to his Apostles: "As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep." (Mt 10:7-8)

Profit margins, feasibility studies, and corporate investments. If you look at the Times, the Wall Street Journal, or the economist, it can seem that our world is nothing more than a market for economic profits and losses. Sometimes that attitude even creeps up into our own lives. How many times have we avoided facing a problem because it would take too long to deal with? How many people have we ignored or disregarded because they are different in any way? How often have we pushed God and His morals to the side because they were inconvenient or "not my thing?"

In today's Gospel we hear Jesus mission His apostles to go and preach throughout the land. They are to go poor, peacefully, and with great trust. Their goal is not to "get ahead" or even to feel good about themselves. Their goal is simply to, "proclaim: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The apple of their eye is not gain, prestige, or comfort. Their focus is walking in the Spirit of the Lord and sharing it with all they meet. If they meet success, great. It is for the Lord. If they meet failure, fine. Jesus said it would be part of the deal.

Christian life is no easy task. We too are called to go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God is at hand. Successes throughout our history are quite evident, but so too are our failures and rejections. Yet we still continue onward, not in fear of "getting it wrong" or even in the hopes of "making it big," but because we are filled with God's free and grace-filled love. We are freely being the people God wants us to be and loving (most) every minute of it.

Last night a few novices and I were sharing the values of both consolations and desolations in this vocation. Contrary to conventional wisdom, desolation is as instructing and grace-filled as consolation, it's just harder to see and not always evident at first sight. The struggles I have had as a novice with prayer, community life, and the apostolate, with further reflection and generosity with the Lord, turn out to be some of the most gifted experiences I could ask for.

Those graces, all graces, are freely given from the Lord. Look, and you shall receive. What a gift--one so great that it can only spill out of us and be shared. As Christ commands, "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give"

Peter

2009-07-08T06:01:00.000-05:00

While in chapel last week, I was praying about the future of this blog when an answer was laid right before me, clear and unmistakable: It has served its purpose.

A part of me writes these words with difficulty; another with profound peace. It has been a great blessing to write reflections about life in Christ, praying with Sts. Peter and Paul along the way. It has been quite humbling, too, to look at our little counter and realize that people are actually reading our posts, simple as they may be. But as I spoke with Paul and realized that he, too, had felt similar stirrings while praying about our efforts here, I knew that what I heard in prayer was not to be taken as a passing thought.

This is not to say that the past ten months of writing almost daily have been in vain; quite the opposite, in fact. There has been a great blessing which has accompanied this project, that of learning how to express the "sacramental moments" in little stories or encouragements. For those of you who know Paul and I personally, we thank you for encouraging us, for telling us how much one post or another meant to you. I can assure you, too, that we were indeed blessed as well.

This is to say nothing of the great blessing of being in contact with my close friends. A deep thanks goes out to Andrew for helping us out while Paul was in Honduras, and for keeping me in line all the while. I will always be grateful to him for being a true "Andrew" and introducing me to Christ in a whole new way. Like some Happy Days spin-off, here is Andrew's new blog as he heads to the North American College in Rome for theological studies.

And then there is my dear Jesuit friend. Who would have thought that a friendship which began as altar boys lighting matches in the sacristy would become one of deep brotherhood, a struggle and a gift that I am just now beginning to truly see the depth of. While I would love to return to the days of listening to Pearl Jam in his garage, I see how much Paul points me to Jesus, and am so blessed to have him with me on the Way.

Most of all, I must give praise to Jesus Christ for all he has done for me through this blog. Through talking and praying with Peter, I realize how much I am like him. Clumsy, failing, short-tempered and not the smartest, I'm hardly the perfect pick for priesthood. And yet He calls me out on to the water, to become a rock of faith, to spread the Good News, and to march back into Rome to be captured and crucified. It took me five years of seminary to realize it, but here it is: I don't have to do it alone. Christ is with me, loves me, and will show me the way. There are many times still when I deny Him (far more than three times), and yet John 21:12 and following occurs again and again and again.

I can't do it without Him. None of us can.

Please know of my prayers for all of you. Please pray for me as I continue down the path towards ordination, always remembering Peter's words of tremendous faith: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."

It is good to be here.

Peace.

The Last Act

2009-07-07T06:07:00.000-05:00

Dear faithful readers...

For a few weeks now Peter and I have been discerning the future of this blog. It was, in a sense, a "double-blind" discernment. Neither one of us actually knew the other had been discerning our future place in the world wide web, that is, until last night when we caught up with one another on the phone.

Peter and I have decided that this will be the final week of posting on "The Rock and the Sword." Our final post will be this coming Sunday. This decision may come as a surprise to many of you, but it is the fruit of prayer, discernment, and communal discussion. I trust that this decision is of the Holy Spirit, and in following His call, we all will grow closer to Christ.

While we have many reasons why we are being moved to "close shop," let me share just one of them with you. Simply put, we are men in formation for the priesthood and religious life, our primary focus should be on forming ourselves to the needs of Christ and the Church. In many ways these past nine months this blog has helped us do that. But silence helps us do that a lot too. So after so many posts we feel it is best at this time to return to silence--to grow deeper in Christ's call for us, our vocations.

That being said we plan on using these last days to lead our companions onward, each day posting a blog that might be helpful in furthering their discernment, companionship with Christ, and engagement with the Church.

Thanks so much for your support! This whole blog thing has been more grace-filled and providential than any of us will ever really know. What a blessing! Thank you.

God Bless You!

Paul

Wisdom Behind the Pallium

2009-07-06T06:38:00.001-05:00

Today's blog starts off with, oddly enough, Church fashion, specifically, the pallium. I recently have been reading excerpts from Pope Benedict's writings, one in particular on the pallium. Though it may be something odd to talk about, I feel the Pope has a great approach to the traditions of the Church and how they can spiritually inspire us.

I guess have to start off this blog by briefly sharing with our readers what a "pallium" is if they do not already know. The pallium is a white strip of wool that is worn over any archbishop's shoulders when he celebrates the Mass (see photo above). It first dates back to the bishops of Rome in the fourth century. Many people, if they even notice, have no idea what a pallium is or why it is worn, but like most things in the Church, it is filled with biblical, traditional, and spiritual meaning.

By now I am wondering, with so many very important things going on in the world, why am I focusing on a piece of wool? Because it does a great job of explaining the Catholic Church and it's role in the world. Read on and see for yourself. Below is an excerpt from Pope Benedict's first Mass as Pope in which he brought up the pallium:

...What the Pallium indicates first and foremost is that we are all carried by Christ. But at the same time it invites us to carry one another. Hence the Pallium becomes a symbol of the shepherd’s mission, of which the Second Reading and the Gospel speak. The pastor must be inspired by Christ’s holy zeal: for him it is not a matter of indifference that so many people are living in the desert. And there are so many kinds of desert. There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love. There is the desert of God’s darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of human life. The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore the earth’s treasures no longer serve to build God’s garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction. The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance. ...

His Holiness Benedict XVI--Homily at the Mass of Inauguration of His Pontificate (April 24, 2005)

Do not let all of the smells and bells, clothing and mortar of the Catholic Church fool you. We do not place our trust in them. They are only tools at our disposal to remind us where we should place our trust. The Church does not primarily come from within the stones of a Cathedral, the finest liturgy, the most successful social ministry, or even the greatest homily. The Church comes from Jesus Christ and no other. As the Pope stated, "we are all carried by Christ."

I often wonder how often we as individuals in the Church forget that we, before being anything else, are carried in Christ's loving, gracious, and merciful arms. So often that which should unite us, become methods of tearing us apart. "I can't believe that the choir sang (insert any church song here) during mass. It's so terrible!" or "Why doesn't the Church spend more time with the poor? Why do they only care about fancy clothes and candlesticks?" or "The Church would be a lot better off if they actually taught 'real theology' in their schools." or "Father 'X' is such a hypocrite. He drives around in a brand new Passat while half his parish struggle to get their kids through college."

I am sure you have heard any or all of these types of complaints from fellow Christians and Catholics. Maybe you have said one of them. To be fair, they ring a certain amount of truth. I feel that we as a community of believers should hear and acknowledge the concerns, anger, and questions that our fellow brothers and sisters raise. They are not something to be either feared or mocked. More often than not they come from a deep rooted love for our Mother, the Church, and a desire for her to grow and prosper. The concerns of others should be taken to heart, even if we do not agree with them, otherwise our hearts will grow cold, judgemental, and bitter.

May I humbly suggest, before our concerns (both big and small) regarding the Church take over our lives, that we remember that the world, Church, and God are much bigger than ourselves. May we be men and women of faith rather than pride, because "at the same time it [the pallium] invites us to carry one another." I am my brother's keeper and he is mine. As a Church we can only walk together. Otherwise one by one we strand ourselves in the "desert of abandonment, loneliness, of destroyed love."

Ultimately God is at the wheel. He has command, and always has. And if God is the driver, we as the Church are His navigator. Are we going to bicker amongst ourselves as to which way Christ should turn the car, or are we going to enjoy the view which his Father created and trust Christ will get us where we need to go? Road trips spent bickering are like being locked in a prison cell for X number of hours with no escape. A trip spent in reconciliation, open minds and hearts, and consoling words turn that prison into a blessing. We not only find a friend in our fellow Christian, we find a friend in Christ. We come to trust Him more and desire to continue along with Him, for with him we find life, and we find it in abundance.

photo credit:

Jesus at the Wheel

Pallium

Our Freedom

2009-07-04T07:12:00.000-05:00

Today the United States celebrates Independence Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It is the celebration of America and the inalienable right to freedom, a word whose very utterance fills one with tremendous pride.

This freedom was received far before such a document was created in "foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy Philadelphia," however. It is a freedom which was given to us by God the Father, an act of the utmost love. We must choose to act in accord with His will and plan for us; God cannot make us love Him, though He yearns for us to freely choose His love beyond all else. This freedom, then, makes us realize how much God loves and cares for us!

In a sense, the freedom which this nation proudly waves in the form of a dream, a hope, and a reality, points to the freedom which is given to us by the Lord. There have been times, too, when in our nation's history and our own lives, we have trampled upon the very freedom which was handed down to us. We have made it a slave, not treating it with dignity; we have driven it from its original home, placing other ideals on its pedestal. And, at times, we have even burned this freedom as an expression of what we can do with our minds and bodies, regardless of the consequences. These abuses are not what the Father or fathers of our nation had intended.

And still they are given to us, day after day, without reserve. We are called to exercise this freedom rightly as a sign of our appreciation for this great gift. We are called, to ensure that all our brothers and sisters receive the same liberty as well. By helping others, we give another sign of our thanks, both to God and to the delegates who formed a new nation 233 years ago.

I love this great nation, and give thanks to God for the numerous gifts He has given us. A blessed and happy Independence Day to all!

PHOTO CREDIT: John Trumbull, Declaration of Independence

Thomas, Who Got a Bad Rap

2009-07-03T07:34:00.006-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, the saint who doubted that Christ had appeared to the other disciples after the Resurrection while he was away. We know the story well; eventually Christ appears to them again and Thomas is invited to place his hand into the wound made by the lance, a scene forever immortalized by Caravaggio's masterpiece (above).

So what do you think? Did Didymus get a bad rap?

I certainly think so!

Like Thomas, we believe in all that Jesus has said and done; at times, though, it's hard to believe that such miraculous things as the Resurrection happened---and still occur. One only need go to Mass and see common bread and wine transubstantiated into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus to understand how hard it was for Thomas to believe that the one who had been crucified, died, and buried, should rise again and appear before them.

It's actually a good thing, then, that Thomas doubted. Now we have a patron to lead us in the midst of our own skepticism, our doubting of what God can and will do in the midst of our lives.

Here's what St. Gregory the Great has to say about our resident doubter:

In a marvelous way God's mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of his master's body, should heal our own wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ's wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the Resurrection.

This great saint who doubted at first eventually went on to proclaim the Gospel, as tradition holds, as far as India, so great was his faith after having seen the risen Christ. That should set the record straight; he's not "Doubting Thomas" but "Believing Thomas"!

From Thomas' faith and the continual graces which let us know that Christ is here with us now and forever, we too must go forth and spread the Gospel far and wide. So if you doubt what we profess as Catholics, pray to Jesus to allow you to feel His presence and know His Truth. Ask Thomas, too, to intercede for you. He's been down the dubious road several times before!

Happy feast day, fellow believers!

PHOTO CREDIT: Caravaggio, The Incredulity of St. Thomas

Abraham and Isaac

2009-07-01T14:37:00.007-05:00

A little Jewish child, happy as can be goes skipping down the dirt road. A bundle of wood, his badge of honor, lays across his small untested shoulders. Finally, for the first time in his life he gets to be a grown up and help out his dad. The wood is heavy, but his child like pride doesn't let it show.

A distance behind him, his father continues along, his head facing down, a knife in his hand. The closer he gets to the destination the slower he goes. Every giggle, whistle, and skip from his son is a lance in his heart. The father can't bear reaching their destination. He knows it means death.

But he gets there anyway. The sun is high and hot. Only the cicadas are out and buzzing. His son tosses the bundle of sticks on the slate slab propped up on the side of the hill. It has been a long time since the father had been here, but knowing what the he knows, it is still too soon a return.

And for the first time that day, the boy is confused. He grows quiet looking at the deserted hillside. He turns to his father who stands paralyzed by the decision facing him.

"Dad, why are you just standing there!?" The boy lets out a little laugh. "Aren't we making a sacrifice? And after all, Dad, where's the lamb to slaughter? Did you forget it?"

The father quickly turns around as if to look for the lamb they never brought, but as he turns he begins to weep. He can't believe what God is asking of him--that he slaughter his own son, that beautiful little boy of his, the one that he and his wife spent years praying for and trying to have. And now God wants him to kill this little innocent child!? Wiping the tears from his dusty face, he turns back around to his boy. He is broken, humiliated, empty. Nothing but sorrow and confusion fills his mind as he replies,

"God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering."

And God did provide, not that day, but hundreds of years later God's messenger came down from heaven and recanted God's request of the father, Abraham, to kill his son, Isaac. Instead, God made of Abraham's descendants a great nation as numerous as the stars in the sky.

And from that nation came a simple carpenter boy, born in the village of Nazareth, who was born at the will of the true Father, God. He called this child Jesus, and he was his only son. Christ became the sheep to be slaughtered, God's only son.

We are big here at The Rock and the Sword about God's love for the world. There are countless ways to talk about God's love alive in all of our lives. But the greatest way to talk of God's love for us is to talk about His son, Jesus, and what he did for us. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).

God the Father gave himself to us, He incarnated himself in the form of a living and breathing man, Jesus. His love is so great that He did not wait for us to come to him, but rather he came to us. And more than just coming to our house, he took the form of a servant, a slave, an innocent sacrifice. What God refused of Abraham and his son Isaac in today's first reading, He asked of Jesus, that all people would know that God is love, saving, free, disinterested love. He only asks that we accept his love, that we come to Him and trust Him. Nothing else will satisfy.

"Why I Like Being a Priest" by James Martin, SJ

2009-07-01T09:45:00.004-05:00

This is a blog written by Fr. James martin, SJ, for America magazine. I read through it and really liked it. I have been wanting to post it to celebrate the Year of the Priest but have just now gotten the chance. The article can be found at its original page by clicking here. And on a total side note, happy Canada Day for all of you Canadians!

enjoy,
Paul

Ten years ago today (that is, June 12, 1999) along with five other good Jesuit friends (they’re good Jesuits and good friends), I was ordained to the priesthood during a Mass at church (called—surprise!—St. Ignatius Loyola) in Chestnut Hill, Mass., right on the campus of Boston College. I am tempted to say it was the greatest day of my life, and why not? There are other days that certainly come close—the day I was accepted into the Jesuits; the day I entered the Jesuit novitiate; the day that a little refugee-made-handicraft shop where I worked in Nairobi opened its doors for the first time; the day I met my two newborn nephews. So let’s just say it was one of the greatest.

I had been waiting for ordination for many years, having witnessed, since before entering the novitiate in 1988, many of my “older” Jesuit brothers ordained over the years, and realizing, with each group of Jesuits moving into Holy Orders, that my “class” was moving ever closer. Every year until then, I was amazed to find myself weeping during the Litany of the Saints, when the congregation calls on all the saints—from age to age--to pray for the ordinandi, the men being ordained. And I rushed to receive my friends’ “first blessing,” which they always did tentatively but confidently, if you know what I mean, as if they had never done this before but had been born for it all along--and of course they were.

Actually, I almost didn’t make it to my own ordination. The week before I caught a horrible flu, and one of the older Jesuits with whom I lived, named Vin, generously rushed me to the emergency room here in New York. I was angry! How could God do this to me the week before my ordination? What if I weren’t able to go? What about all those guests? I said to the older Jesuit, “I have to ask you this—why is God doing this to me?” Vin looked at me with mock seriousness and said, “In punishment for your sins!” And we both laughed. What a ridiculous question. God wasn’t doing anything to me. I was just sick.

But when I walked up the aisle on June 12, that scare magnified my gratitude. How good it was to be there.

After the Mass, when we walked onto the steps of the church, we were surrounded by our Jesuit brothers, who--clad in their albs or wearing their clerics or, for the younger ones, just a suit and tie--hugged us tightly and congratulated us, teased us and were happy for us. My Jesuit provincial immediately knelt down and asked for my blessing. And then—behold, as the Bible would say—a few steps down the stone staircase were my mother and father, my sister and her husband and their new baby, along the rest of family and friends, friends, friends from all parts of my life. All the people who had nudged or helped or prayed or loved me to where I was. It was like heaven.

Anyway, since that day, I’ve loved being a priest. Why? In good Jesuit fashion how about three reasons.

1.) Confessions. In the first few months, when I was still learning how to celebrate the Mass--that is, learning not to (oops) forget the Creed on Sundays and remembering to pour the water in the wine, and pretty much navigating my way around the Sacramentary (which seems easy now) confessions were so simple. And beautiful. How wonderful to offer a word of forgiveness and see a weight lifted, sometimes it seemed, almost physically. How wonderful to remember during every confession since my very first one what my theology professor said to our class, “Confession is not about how bad the person is, but how good God is.” How wonderful to be able to say to someone who had been estranged or distanced from the church, or who had not been to confession for decades, “Welcome back!” I could say that!

2.) The Mass. Eventually I got to know my way around the Sacramentary. But as soon as I did I wondered, Who am I, as Mary said to the angel Gabriel, that I can say these words? Who am I that I can pray these ancient prayers along with the People of God? Sometimes when priests celebrate the Mass, as most priests will tell you if you asked, they might get momentarily distracted. (“Did I consecrate the bread and wine?” said one Jesuit in a community Mass when I was living in East Africa.) Me too. But sometimes I feel overwhelmed when I reach certain phrases. “From age to age, you gather a people so that from east to west...” “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you....” “You raise up men and women outstanding in holiness...” Who am I that I am permitted to celebrate the Mass in the Room of the Conversion of St. Ignatius in Loyola, Spain? At the Grotto in Lourdes? At the parish in which I received First Holy Communion? In our community chapel? In convents, in hospital rooms, in living rooms? Who am I, Lord?

3.) Baptisms. There is nothing more enjoyable for me as a priest than celebrating a baptism. Babies are miracles. You know that, right? And welcoming a beautiful little baby—silent, fussy or squalling--into the Christian community means welcoming them into something that they probably won’t understand for a while. It’s like giving them a secret gift that will be opened in many years: the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the church, the gift of fellowship. But not everyone will open this gift right away. Now, like some gifts it might not be appreciated at the moment it is given. But some day it will. Maybe, I think, they’ll open that gift when they’re a child, maybe when they're a little older, maybe when they're college students, maybe not until they're married or until their own children are born, or maybe not until they are facing death. But the gift is there, waiting, expectant, patient.

I wish that more people felt called to ordination. I wish that more people were invited to ordination. Many years ago, when I attended my first Jesuit ordination Mass at Holy Cross College, I remember thinking that I couldn’t imagine being a priest. Ten years later, I can’t imagine not being one. As Thomas Merton said, it seems the “one great secret” for which I was born.

James Martin, SJ

Be Not Afraid!

2009-06-30T06:04:00.002-05:00

I had a tremendous solemnity yesterday, and thanks to all those who read our post. As I mulled around thinking about Peter, talking to other people about Peter, and nearly changing my real name to Peter, I kept coming back to the same thought: Do not be afraid.

Afraid of what? That is the $64,000 question. Reflecting and praying about it, I realized that I'm actually quite afraid of what the Lord might ask me to do if I give myself entirely to him. You always read stories about the saints and how they faced ridicule and persecution while following the Lord's call in the midst of their abandonment. While it makes for good storytelling and all, I just don't want to give myself that much, hanging upside-down on a cross. I'd rather watch the sun rise over Eastern Nebraska while I sip my Folger's coffee.

And yet, there is this desire to do, to give myself to him. We've all met people that just seem to waste away the days without any purpose; I've told friends to punch me in the face if I ever reach that level of lethargy. Part of me just wants to shout "YES! OKAY! YOU WIN!" Ignatius' Suscipe comes to mind: Take, Lord, receive all my liberty...

I feel like Peter asking the Lord, "command me to come to you on the water." I want to come to Him but can't help looking about me and noticing all the pressures, the things which tell me that this counter-cultural life is just plain insane:

Celibacy? Gimme a break!

Okay, but don't you want to have a family?

But what about your dreams of being a writer?

You're so normal; why would you want to be like them?

I'll be honest; there's times when I want to hop back in the boat.

But all-in-all, I feel that Jesus is there in the midst of this chaotic storm, beckoning me to come out to him on the water. Yes, it might seem ludicrous, but so does the Cross. Just because we can't wrap our feeble minds around something doesn't mean it isn't possible to obtain through the Lord's grace and mercy. He asks Peter, Why did you doubt? The more we trust in Him and give Him our anxieties, the more freely we will be able to respond to His will, whatever it may be.

Pray to the Lord to remove whatever is hindering you from surrendering all to Him, to step out of the boat and be not afraid. What He asks of us might be painful, but He is with us every step of the way.

So, remember: Be not afraid!

Our Feast Day--The Rock and the Sword

2009-06-29T09:01:00.001-05:00

Today is our feast day, the day we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, two "Princes of the Apostles" who have led us in faith through the ages. Over the past ten months we have been blessed to see the world through the lens of their great faith in Christ; reflecting on their lives and journeys towards Rome has helped us undergo our pilgrimages as well.

Despite their disagreements on various concerns in the early Church, both men came to realize that their strength--or rather, their weakness--comes from laying everything before Jesus for the sake of the Kingdom. Stubborn, selfish, and entirely indignant to opposing views, these rambunctious ruffians slowly converted to Christ's way of thinking. Once broken down and willing to embrace their own crosses, Peter and Paul became two saintly stalwarts, meriting the images associated with their names and deeds for Christ: Peter, the Rock and Paul, the Sword.

It is our great pleasure to reflect upon these icons and how they have helped shape our lives. When Paul entered the novitiate for the Society of Jesus, he and I began exchanging letters back-and-forth, talking about our formation, struggles in prayer, and hopes for the future. In these letters we jokingly began referring to one another as "Peter" and "Paul," namely because of the relatively local service of St. Peter and the vast ministry of "The Apostle to the Gentiles," St. Paul. When we decided to begin a blog to share our reflections on Christ and His Church, it seemed fitting that we should take the names of these great saints as our patrons. With "The Rock" and "The Sword" as our guides, we have come to better know ourselves and Christ's will for each of us.

At times I picture myself in Rome as St. Peter, stripped of all my vain desires and dreams, arms outstretched on a cross. My cross. The crowd jeers at me for who I am, Who I represent; they relish my death. I am no hero; I'm the one who tried to flee from this just the day before. And yet I am the Rock, the one whom the Lord has called to spread the Gospel with all my being. Yes, I admit that I would rather be back in my cozy fishing village; yet there is something about this life that I cannot resist. I feel His Truth deep in my bones. And so I cry out, Ad quem ibimus?! Lord, to whom shall we go?! You have the words of everlasting life!

As the men lift my cross to its upside-down position (at my request), I feel the blood rush straight to my head. It pounds ferociously, but not nearly as bad as the three times I denied my Master. It is He whom I think of, the time He spent teaching and loving me. He is here with me now; I clench my fists; they are wet with blood; The nails tear into my flesh. I remember now what He said to me by the shore: ...but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands....

Be not afraid, Cephas! He says to me today and forever.

Peter, The Rock

....

Rather than either one of us being the "bloghog," Peter and I decided it would be a good idea if we both wrote a segment to this post. I can safely say that Peter and I are greatly humbled to share our musings with the confidence of two great saints of the Church interceding for this tiny little piece of cyberspace.

Peter and I have often wondered to ourselves and to each other, in a very positive way, "What's the point of all this?" I wish I could say that our reasons have been 100% pure. Divinely inspired. A future supplement to the Office of Readings in the works. But one need only read through our posts to see our humanity, count our flaws, and catch our mistakes.

And yet with our weakness in mind, I cannot help but rejoice all the more. I feel as though our struggles and yearnings have benefited and added to the graces this blog has received. If they did not exist it wouldn't be much of a honest spiritual journey, would it? Every pilgrim knows that just as much grace is found in the challenges of the journey as at the beauty of the destination. As St. Paul shared with the community in Corinth, "[the Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

This blog, though it may sometimes seem otherwise, is about neither Peter or I. It is about God and His active role in all of our lives. The stories of Sts. Peter and Paul, and might I humbly add our stories, act as road signs along the journey. Each and every post hopefully points to something greater, something amazing at work in the world--the saving and merciful love of the Trinity. And know that His loving presence does not start nor stop at the walls of the seminary or novitiate. His divine revelation did not end at 100 A.D. It is in your hands as much as it is ours. From generation to generation, His presence bleeds through to every corner of the earth from every altar. It flows back and forth from the hearts of every Christian to the simple flat table tops resting quietly in chapels and cathedrals all around the world.

We are all part of this great mystery. All the time, whether we want it or not, Christ is calling out, begging for us--all of who we are, sins included. And even more, once He has us, he asks to use us. He asks us to be bloggers, seminarians, novices, priests, nuns, parents, co-workers, managers, volunteers, siblings, athletes, politicians, medical personnel, missionaries, mentors, coaches, companions, pilgrims, and so much more. Part of that means knowing our weakness so that we can hear God offering us His love and grace. We can take it or leave it. I thank you for "taking it" and joining us, and even more importantly, Christ, along our journey to Rome. I would like to end with a famous line from St. Paul to the Philippians...

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name. (Philippians 2: 5-9)

Paul, The Sword

--Our thoughts and prayers on this most blessed of days!

PHOTO CREDITS:
1. Servicios Koinonia

2. Caravaggio, Crucifixion of St. Peter--Wikimedia

3. Algardi, Beheading of St. Paul--Web Gallery of Art
4. St. Paul Visiting St. Peter in Prison

Talitha Koum

2009-06-28T08:28:00.005-05:00

How did my daughter get better? Sit down and I'll tell you!

I had heard about Jesus of Nazareth before, and was rather skeptical about all the cures and driving out of demons that he had supposedly done. I thought he was a scam, to be honest with you. This son of a carpenter was being called "teacher;" but what did he know?! When I would see him in our synagogues I would quickly become incensed and storm out into the streets.

But then, one day, my darling little one grew faint while playing outside with the others. My wife brought her inside to rest, but soon her condition worsened and she had to be put to bed. When I came home from my duties at the synagogue I found the physician with her; he had no words of encouragement. Our once healthy, beautiful little girl now lay ghost-white in her darkened room, soon she would inhabit a tomb. I could not bear the sight of such pain; I wept for my little one all through the night. Could no one save her from death?

As I stirred from what little sleep I had, I remembered Jesus and all the works he had performed. Apparently he would be in town that very day! Whether he was a fraud or not I did not care; I went into town to see if he could heal my daughter and save her from death.

Once I arrived by the shore I found myself in the midst of a very large crowd. There, in the midst of them, was Jesus, eyes filled with mercy. He had just finished his teaching and was talking to a group of his followers. When I spotted him I ran forward, pushing aside the crowd and lunged towards him. Clinging to his feet I pleaded, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay hands on her that she may get well and live." He looked at me with such a profound gaze that I knew that he was truly capable of all that had been said of him. He motioned for me to lead the way, and thus our trip to my house began, with all his followers in tow.

There was a bit of commotion with some woman wanting healing; I stood by Jesus as he healed her--but what would come of my daughter? By the time he had finished with this woman from the crowd some relatives of mine came running down the hill. They had said that my daughter had died and not to trouble the teacher any longer. Then Jesus put his hand on my shoulder and, gazing at me once more, said, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." At that we continued on towards the house. In a time of great agony I trusted in him and hoped that he might save her.

When we arrived up the hill all my relatives were mourning rather loudly the loss of my child. As we approached them Jesus said, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." At once their sobs turned to shouts of rage at such a bold declaration. Taking me inside to my wife and child, he only allowed three of his followers inside behind him, thus barring all others from the house. I saw my wife holding our baby in her arms and felt a sword pierce my heart. Jesus then asked my wife to lay the child back onto her bed.

Then, it happened. Kneeling down beside my daughter, he placed his hand upon her head. With his eyes closed he prayed over her, far unlike some of the frauds I was used to seeing. Then, as he stood up, he said to my daughter, Talitha koum, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"

As our daughter opened her eyes and sat up in her bed, tears rushed from my eyes, tears of great joy in witnessing this miracle and saving of my little girl. As she began to walk around, my wife and I embraced our little one, and then the teacher himself. Gently he told us not to tell anyone of this healing--whoops--and to give her something to eat. With that, he and his three followers were gone.

That is how Jesus healed my little girl! May many more come to believe in the healing power of this great one, Jesus the Messiah!

PHOTO CREDIT, Ilya Repin

Pretty in Pink

2009-06-27T07:09:00.006-05:00

Now wait just a minute. Hold on. I'm going to explain...

Believe it or not, I'm not talking about myself or any girl I've met this summer, etc. Rest assured friends, family, and formation staff, I still feel called to the priesthood and don't like to wear pink (Gaudete and Laetare Sundays, maybe--but that's rose). I'm actually more concerned about the prettiness or sheer beauty of the call of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, or as they're known on the "street," the "Pink Sisters."

Founded by St. Arnold Jansen on December 8, 1896 in Holland, the Pink Sisters perpetually adore the Blessed Sacrament, praying for souls--including yours--throughout the world. These faithful servants of the Lord don such colorful habits to, as their brochure explains, "signify our special consecration to the Holy Spirit from whom comes the missionary dynamism of the Church." Such a beautiful charism and message makes this order one of the Lord's wonderful gifts to us.

It also makes their chapels across the world tranquil places to pray.

Tucked away in a neighborhood in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Sister's chapel at Christ the King Church gives you a sense of prayerfulness as you walk through the doorway. High above the altar sits a gold monstrance holding our Lord; there below on a kneeler prays a sister, an hour at a time, for the conversion of the world to Jesus' Heart. It's then that one realizes that sisters in pink are on kneelers before the Lord all over the world. Great peace and prayerfulness, indeed!

As I stumble into chapel in the mornings, or find my mind wandering in prayer, I think of these sisters, faithful servants of the Lord. When I'm asleep or in class, blogging or at baseball games, these sisters are on their knees in chapel, praying. They may not always have the most fruitful hours of prayer, but they show up and respond to the Lord's invitation to be in His presence. If "half of life is just showing up," according to Woody Allen, these sisters are great examples to all of us; they show up, day after day, sending petitions and receiving graces from the Lord. As I watch them from behind the grille, I pray that I may follow their example, and show up!

Not all of us can look pretty in pink, just as not everyone is called to be a contemplative religious. Yet, we are all called to give our whole selves back to the Father, to share in the Gospel message of the Son, and to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. No matter what color we wear, we must listen to the Lord, to hear what He calls us to do!

Pink is a pretty color, but its much more beautiful when all the colors and their charisms are united in praise, love, and service of the Lord. May we take our encouragement from these faithful sisters!

Peace.

PHOTO CREDIT, Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters

On the Fence?

2009-06-26T06:24:00.002-05:00

We've all been there. Wobbling from side to side on the white picket fence. Stuck between an enormous piece of granite and that idiomatic "hard place." Standing lost at the crossroads of two gravel county roads surrounded by cornfields.

There are always those moments of our lives, faced with one (or more) decisions at once with no idea where to go. Sometimes the decisions are between the good and the bad, sometimes they are between the lesser of two evils, while other times they are between two goods. Of the three types of decisions, is there an easiest type? I don't really know, but I would venture to say, no. If we are honest with ourselves and emotionally engaged with the decision, we know that it will be hard, whatever style it may be.

So how do we do it? How do we have the guts to "bite the bullet" and take the leap off the fence, the rock, or the crossroad?

I feel funny asking these questions since, frankly, I have no concrete answer for you. Each situation is a bit different. It demands the very personal, unique art of discernment. I supposeI am using rather poor rhetoric asking questions with no answers, but allow me to share with you a prayer. Maybe it will help. It is known as "The Prayer for Generosity" and was written by Saint Ignatius.

Teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do your will.

Amen.

In the words of a Jesuit, Fr. David Flemming, "maybe the most important words to that prayer are the first two, 'teach me.'" So often those decisions that loom ahead of us seem so complicated, big, and confusing. Millions of questions, ideas, and fears run through our heads: What will others think? What will happen to me? How will I ever actually live that decision out? Do I really have it in me? How can I want something I don't even really understand?

...Teach me, Jesus.... Teach me.

This past week 60 other Jesuit novices and I have been attending a Jesuit history course. It has been a rich "Teach me, Jesus" experience on many levels. This week we have been learning about the many Jesuit missions that mark our history and the thousands of martyrs that came along with them. Paraguay, Perú, Goa, Japan, Indonesia, China, Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil, Florida, Quebec, Virginia...and those are just some of the missions before the 18th century! By the time the 20th century rolled around, things really got busy. The list of countries where Jesuits did NOT have missions is probably shorter than the list of countries where they did.

However diverse the Jesuits, theologies, eras, and outcomes were within all these missions, there was a certain uniting factor: they all sought to bring about Christ in a setting where he had yet to been noticed. They were, in essence, masters of discernment--of noticing the decisions before them and choosing what they felt would bring about the "greater glory of God."

While the missionaries were not always perfect, more often than not they were brave in their decision making. They made their decision, and they made them wisely, taking into consideration their background and understanding of the world at that time. The end of their decision was neither for their own security or gain, but for God, who is love. And despite notable failures of many missions, their decisions ultimately bore much fruit.

If you are struggling with a decision (be it vocational or otherwise), be brave, prudent, and trusting in God. Many have gone before us with many of the same (if not harder) decisions to make. Though it may not look like it at first, a decision made with God in the forefront will bear much fruit. It most likely will lead us through the cross, and it may seem at times unmanageable, but trust that you are doing this for love, and love surpasses all things.

The fence is no place to hang out. Life is much more vivid when it is lived. Fear not failure, for God even uses that to share His graces with us.

Benedictus

2009-06-24T06:06:00.002-05:00

Today marks the solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist. Like any heroic person in the Bible, there's always an interesting prelude to their ministry. Here's the soap-opera which preceeds John's birth:

As we hear in the Gospel of Luke, Zechariah was serving his turn at the temple when his whole world was upended. Chosen "randomly" to offer incense in the sanctuary of the Lord, the angel Gabriel appeared to him to announce news "of great joy." Gabriel told Zechariah that his wife, Elizabeth, would conceive and bear a son, one who "will be great in the sight of the Lord." Furthermore, the archangel announced to this weathered old man that his son would be the one to prepare the world for the Messiah's coming (No ordinary day at temple, for sure).

Quite incredulous about the truth of this great tiding, Zechariah challenges Gabriel as to how this will come about, citing his age and his wife's inability to bear children. Unlike his wife's cousin, Mary, who would ask a similar question to Gabriel six months later, Zechariah doubts how the Lord will use he and his wife to bring about this rather unusual circumstance. Mary is confused as to how she will conceive since she has not had relations with man; Zechariah is skeptical of how God can work through two prune-aficionados.

In Daytime-Emmy-like fashion, Gabriel tells Zechariah that he will now be mute due to his unbelief. Confused, ashamed, and just plain worried, Zechariah emerges from his time in the sanctuary, unable to tell his compatriots what has happened. He then makes his way home to his wife, unsure of what will come of them in the next nine months.

As the seasons change, a child grows silently in his mother's womb. His father, beset with unbelief, also lives in silence, awaiting the son who is to herald in the rising of a new age. He watches as his wife moves about the house, hand on the small of her back, bearing much more than a child. In far-off Nazareth, a girl bears another child, to whom every knee shall bend. Mother and Savior come to visit; prenatal cousins leap for joy as their mothers greet each other. And, all the while, the Lord cultivates the rocky soil of Zechariah's heart.

Finally the day comes! Elizabeth endures great pains to bring forth the last prophet; Zechariah, pacing in the other room, experiences a different pain, that of great consternation. Elizabeth, relieved and exhausted after giving birth, looks upon her son with great peace and thanksgiving. Her husband, while happy for the gift of a child, still remains shackled in his unbelief.

On the eighth day the time came for the newborn boy's circumcision. Typically the day when the child receives its name, the relatives and those who performed the ceremony were going to name the boy Zechariah. "No," Elizabeth says, "his name is John." As though appealing to the father, the relatives bring the infant into the next room and ask Zechariah what he will name his child. "John, is his name" says the mute, now free from his silence and his unbelief.

Taking his son into his arms, he prays a great canticle to the Lord:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

For He has come to His people to set them free

To raise up for us a mighty savior

Born from the house of His servant, David

Through His holy prophets He promised of old

That He would save us from our enemies

From the hands of all who hate us

To promise to show mercy to our fathers

And to remember His holy covenant

This was the oath He swore to our father, Abraham

To set us free from the hands of our enemies

Free to worship Him without fear

Holy and righteous in His sight

All the days of our life

Gazing upon his son, Zechariah says:

You, my child, shall be called the Prophet of the Most High

For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way

To give His people knowledge of salvation

And the forgiveness of sins

Through the tender compassion of our God

The dawn from on high shall break upon us

To shine on those who dwell in darkness

And the shadow of death

And to guide our feet into the way of peace...

Many faithful Catholics pray Zechariah's canticle, the Benedictus, each morning with the Liturgy of the Hours. I admit that after six years of praying the Office, my mind wanders during this great song of praise. I pray it out of duty, like Zechariah offering incense in the temple, but oh how the Lord wishes so much more from me! How he wishes to silence our hearts from all empty distractions; if our hearts are still we will be able to hear and feel the growth of our faith in Him.

Whatever your circumstances, don't be skeptical of how the Lord is calling you to serve! Let us look to Zechariah, purified by the Lord, as an example. Let us look to John as well, who purified the ages in preparation for Christ, the One who will purify us so we may know of His great and merciful love!

PHOTO CREDIT, The Nativity Story

Holy Hours Keep Us "Up"

2009-06-23T05:52:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago I headed out to the movie theater, strapped on a pair of stylish 3D glasses, and saw the newest animated picture, Up.

Disney-Pixar's newest release is about an elderly man, Carl Fredrickson, fulfilling his deceased wife's desire to move to a beautiful waterfall somewhere in exotic South America. Through a series or mishaps, an adorable Wilderness Explore, Russell, ends up joining Carl along his journey. Thousands of helium-filled balloons end up carrying the man's house, with Carl and Russell, all the way to the waterfalls where more action and adventure ensue.

The other night while in Omaha with Peter, somehow we got to sharing how important a daily Holy Hour is for us--that is to say a substantial time in each day for private prayer with the Lord. Having recently seen the movie, I compared the daily Holy Hour with, of course, Up.

Carl spends his adult life as a street vendor selling helium-filled balloons. When it comes time to move his house, he gets busy blowing up thousands, if not millions, of balloons to journey with his house--his whole livelihood--to a whole new world. Contrary to what the physicists and meteorologists might say, it ends up working. The balloons carry him all the way to the waterfalls.

Each one of our lives is incredibly graced. God's graces in our lives are like the thousands of balloons carrying Carl's house along. Our whole livelihoods are powered by nothing more than God's innumerable graces. They come in all sorts of colors and seem so different from one another, but together they keep us afloat. They really do all end up being tied together, in our cases at the center of our hearts. We may think otherwise, but ultimately it is love, generosity, compassion, courage, creativity, all all those other good virtues that sustain us and our communities.

But as Carl and Russell find out, sometimes balloons pop, get cut off, or float away. When gone unattended, they end up heading their own way and go unused. Their house sinks down bit by bit until, only a few feet off the ground, they have to walk it to its destination.

This is where the importance of a holy hour and an examination of our day comes into play. God did not just give us His grace for His own amusement or because he was bored. He is not a manipulative God. He freely gives us His graces so that we can know His love, mercy, and desire for us. Though we experience his graces all the time, sometime each day it is a good idea to reflect on them and to give God thanks and praise. The graces may seem small, but added up over time, they grow to be something big--big enough to move our lives closer to Him and his loving home for us.

Surely God sends us so many graces that many (if not most) go unnoticed or misunderstood. Sometimes we feel deflated, like we're loosing the battle, or that He has given up on us. With a substantial period of silent prayer each day we slowly begin to see just how many graces, balloons, God really is tying onto our lives and keeping us going, well, up.

(Disney-Pixar will love to hear me say this). So, if you've got the time and the money, go see Up. Bring your kids or friends and make an evening of it. It's full of simple spiritual wisdom and some very funny talking dog. ...and who doesn't love talking dogs?

The Vision at la Storta

2009-06-22T06:28:00.001-05:00

St. Ignatius was always an ambitious man, from the time he was a child. He had a deep loyalty and love for the 16th century Spanish kingdom in which he lived. Until his mid thirties, he trained his best to be the toughest fighter and most handsome courtier. But that's not what made him great. There are no books about "Ignatius the Conqueror" or "Ignatius the Statesman." He never made it to the royal Spanish courts, in fact, he was later arrested and asked to leave Spain by the Inquisition. Even though for half his life he was taken by his pursuit for greatness, it was not until he was hit by a cannonball, gave up his dreams of greatness, and lost himself in God's great goodness. That led Ignatius where he truly wanted to go.

After Ignatius' conversion around the age of thirty, he was rather content growing in the ways of God for the next ten years. During that time he developed what is now the Spiritual Exercises, went off to University, and found some companions whom later became the first Jesuits. After a few years, and still uncertain exactly what to do for God and the Church, Ignatius and his companions found themselves bumming around outside of Rome. Sometime in October 1537, while we don't know exactly what happened, a few of Ignatius' companions report him having a mystical vision of the Holy Trinity, a popular devotion to which Ignatius' often prayed.

Ignatius's vision included God the Father with His risen son, Jesus, who was carrying His cross. He witnessed the Father ask Jesus to take Ignatius as His servant. Then Jesus, bearing His cross, posed the request to Ignatius, "We want you to serve us." It was such a moving experience for Ignatius that it affected the rest of his vocation (both directly and indirectly). Seeing himself and his companions at the service of Christ, Ignatius insisted that his blossoming religious order be known as "the Company of Jesus." Everything the companions did, from schools and libraries to missions and astronomy, would from there on out be dedicated for their ultimate companion, Jesus Christ. It made all the difference for Ignatius, the infant Jesuits, the Church, and eventually the World. Ignatius became important not through his own hands, but through God's.

So many people in Ignatius' time thought that they had to do something "pleasing to God" so that He would show us his love. And "pleasing to God" wasn't just a rosary and a kind deed. It meant walking in the snow barefoot, fasting until you can't stand, removing yourself from your community, and walking to pilgrimage destinations thousands of miles away. This perception of God not only made him not only incredibly demanding, but also very distant from his people. The "father" whom Jesus said pray to had become some form of an upset store manager.

But Ignatius' vision at la Storta tells us something drastically different about life and God's involvement through it all. To live in faith is to be growing every deeper in the trinity's consuming love. The deeper we go in the Father's love, the more we see that cross on Christ's shoulder. That cross is really just accepting the ordinary the humanity of life and seeing that through it all, Christ's risen love transforms everything. He did not die and rise again in vain. God's love does not hide us from our crosses--honest realities in our lives. It empowers us to embrace them and find His son along side us even in the midst of our struggles. And though we can't see it, all of this is done through the graces and kindness of the Holy Spirit.

From this one intimate vision in some worn-our roadside chapel came a group of men who grew all throughout the world dedicated to service, compassion, zeal, and love. Not too bad in my humble opinion. It sure beats going off to battle, formal banquets, and etiquette school to make a name for yourself. Call me crazy, but I think true freedom comes in the faith that I am loved by God. How do I know that? Oddly enough through serving others, listening to the cries of the Church, passing the day in prayer, and just hanging out with Jesus, waiting for His next call.

Father's Day: Learning to Shave

2009-06-21T07:04:00.006-05:00

Ever-curious as a child, I remember watching my father perform his daily ritual: the morning shave. With a face covered in Barbasol, he would bring his Gillette razor upon his face, slowly gathering stubble grown since the last time he used his blade. After rinsing off his razor and washing his face with cold water he would apply aftershave to his ruddy cheeks; the scent still lingers about my consciousness. I remember being so enamored by my father's shaving, but I know realize that I was more enamored by him.

I admit it; I love my father. Having been blessed with two wonderful parents, I can't help but notice their influence in my everyday life. Through the ins-and-outs of my life, my parents have been there for me, always giving of themselves so that I could become the happy, holy (in progress), and healthy man I am today. Shaving, now part of my morning ritual, serves as a daily reminder of that love, particularly the love shown to me by my father.

My intrigue surrounding the art of shaving led to the purchase of my very own Ninja Turtles shaving kit, an Easter present from some combination of a furry creature and a loving mother. Thrilled, I eagerly awaited instructions from my father. While I lacked stubble and a blade to accompany my plastic razor, I felt I had discovered a whole new realm--manliness. Although it would be several years before I would truly shave, that instruction was one of many lessons in manliness I would be graced to receive.

"Dad, you've got something on your face."

"Oh. Thanks, Pal."

Just about as often as my father shaved came the tiny bits of tissue paper which served to stop the bleeding caused by a nick of his razor. These two or three little dots would make me giggle at times; I wasn't laughing when I started getting nicks of my own. Day-in, day-out I found myself reaching for wads of tissue to stop my cuts, the obvious signs of an imperfect shave. I learned from my father that it was okay to make mistakes; as long as we admit our faults and apologize to those we've wronged, we can wear those little patches of tissue with pride. Admitting our imperfections gives us humility and allows us to show up at the sink for yet another shave.

While I was never much of a delinquent, I had a few scrapes growing up. A few car accidents,a bad adolescent attitude, poor grades at the Jesuit high school, overdrawn checking accounts, and knock-down, drag-out battles over curfew left me with quite a bit of razor burn. Feeling down on myself for these faults and growing pains, I needed someone to show me how to better my technique. There was dad, meeting me at the sink, showing me how to patiently lower the blade to face my problems instead of hacking them to bits. His love was a healing salve to irritated skin, to parts of my life below or beyond epidermic concerns. How grateful I've been for these lessons on shaving; they've really been lessons on life!

Of all the things my father has taught me, faith in God is paramount. In a household where Sunday Mass was a mandate, I quickly learned that the Trinity was not some concept I could shrug off at the holy water font. In school, in grace before meals (at home and in public), and in conversation, I became aware of a Father who loves me unconditionally, who sent His Son to die for my sins, and who sent His Spirit to dwell within my heart. The love given to me as a child points towards the love that I receive as a son of the Father. This is what my parents promised at my Baptism and have faithfully carried out. Their love is an image of the love that God the Father gives to each of us!

I want to make a quick aside: for those of you who may not have had such a wonderful upbringing, you are no less loved by your true Father. He created you with great things in store, and continually presents you with gifts of His love. I pray that you may continue to grow in your love for the Father! Also, for those whose fathers have died, remember the good works that he made for your family, to care for and shower you with love. These acts, like those of St. Joseph, do not go unnoticed by our Heavenly Father. Pray for your father in hopes that you may be together again in paradise!

While there are many days when I look in the mirror and groan at the thought of having to shave, I look to my father and the example he continues to give: to show up, to give it my best effort, and never be ashamed to ask for help. While I've learned to shave, I recognize that it's a life-long process, just like our faith. Shortly after the razor leaves my face, I come with the same advice in mind as I approach the Father, eager to set out to do His will because of the example given to me.

A blessed Father's Day.

PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Online.

Year for Priests

2009-06-20T06:43:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, Pope Benedict XVI began the Year for Priests. Throughout the following year all are asked to join their prayers to God in thanksgiving for the men who have responded to a priestly call, along with those whom God is calling to serve at His altar. We here at The Rock and the Sword are quite excited for this upcoming year--we love priests, and cannot wait until God calls us to be ordained!

I found it most fitting and providential that I got to spend the first full day of the Year for Priests with one of my best friends, our very own Paul. It was a true blessing to catch up after six months of emails and quick notes about blog posts (no offense).

What did we talk about? The priesthood! Most of our seven hours together consisted of sharing stories, struggles, and searching in the midst of our discernment of our priestly call. In the car, the pizza place, and--yes--the bar, we came to one conclusion: we are both humbled to be called to serve as priests and are willing to serve Christ wherever, however--all for Him. All for His Sacred Heart! As afraid and doubtful as ever, we turned to our patrons of long ago; those two apostles of the nascent Church felt the same stirrings in their hearts and allowed themselves to be transformed. As the city lights glimmered throughout Omaha, we prayed that we might respond in the same way.

Last night made me realize that the Year for Priests isn't just some neat little thing the pope promotes; we need to renew our love for the holy priesthood! This means everyone: our lay faithful must pray for their priests so that they may effectively shepherd them to Christ; our priests must unite their whole selves to faithful service at and beyond His altar; and, to those discerning a call to the priesthood, we must allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, compelling us ever-more to abandon our lives to Jesus! It's no small task, but we're never alone. Christ will show us the way; won't we cast out into the deep?

This little blog continues to provide us with innumerable blessings from the Lord. As Paul says, "it keeps us sharp." Too true. But even without our pen-names and posts, Christ calls each of us by name, to give of ourselves entirely for His people and His Kingdom.

The Church needs saintly priests; ministers who help the faithful to experience the love and mercy of the Lord and who are convinced witnesses…. May the Virgin Mary, whose Immaculate Heart tomorrow we will contemplate with lively faith, help us to obtain this grace. -Pope Benedict XVI

God's blessings.

Secundum Cor Jesum

2009-06-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a staple of Catholicism. For many, if not most people, there is at least some image of the Sacred Heart hanging in your local parish church. And for good reason! This devotion which was given to us through Jesus' visits of Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque gives us an insight into the very core of the Word Incarnate.

Think about it! Saint John says that "God is Love." Well if Jesus is God, and God is love, then the center of human love- the heart- is really like the center of the Divine Love embodied and enfleshed in Jesus! When we contemplate and venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus- that burning furnace of divine charity- we do not just think of how arteries, veins, and chambers, but our minds are turned to that most incredible and adorable attribute of God: His Love.

For in the Sacred Heart of Jesus we see before us in a the shape of a human heart the love which has been eternally shared between the persons of the Holy Trinity. We see the love which led God to create the world and human beings as the apex of his creation, able to actually share in the life and love of the Trinity itself. We see the love that brought the chosen people out of slavery in Egypt. We see the love that caused king David to write that timeless songs of praise which are the Psalms. We see in it the love that is so strong, so fervent, so selfless, and so overflowing- that it allow itself to be poured in the form of blood and water on the dry soil of Calvary.

This is the great mystery of the sacred Heart of Jesus. All the love of God, in its infinity, is held within the heart of a single man: Jesus the Christ. His heart beat in according with the holy longings of the Father and the Spirit who for all eternity have been enraptured in self-effacing and all encompassing charity. And in the Sacred Heart of Jesus we are able to see into that mystery. We see that love is something that calls us to be poured out. Offered up. And Sacrificed as a holocaust. A holy oblation of love. The heart of God. Pierced. Poured out, for me- and for you.

But this great Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is not just a matter of us gazing upon statues and images and thinking about how incredible the love of God is. (Don't get me wrong- it certainly is that! and how sweet a think to contemplate!) But it is infinitely more that that! Because if we just piously gaze upon the Sacred Heart, and fail to allow the sanctifying grace which poured out from it transform our hearts then we have achieved nothing! We must, if we are to be truly devoted to the Sacred Heart, pray each day, and every minute of each day that most beautiful prayer- Jesu mitis et humilis Corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum! Jesus, Meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine!

The Sacred Heart is the model for what our hearts, through grace, are to become. When the Holy Ghost comes and takes up residence in our souls he begins the process of molding our stony and broken hearts into the perfect heart of Jesus. We must then beg the Holy Ghost to renew his work in our hearts today, so that transformed by his grace and his presence in our souls we may live, love and be like Jesus! We are called to be Divine lovers. We are called to be Sons and daughters of the Father. But we can truly love him if we have a heart like his only begotten son. So let us pray, this happy day, that in God's infinite mercy, he may pour into our hearts the fire of his Holy Ghost, so that purified and sanctified by his presence our hearts may be formed secundum cor Jesum.

Saint Margaret Mary, Pray for us!

Saint Claude de Columbiere, Pray for us!

Immaculate Heart of Mary, in whose womb was formed the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for Us!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us, make our hearts like unto thine!

Fruits of Our Labor

2009-06-18T06:25:00.003-05:00

After emails, a Facebook message, and talking on the phone, I finally got the hint from Peter that the ball is in my court to put up the next post. After three days of excuses, interruptions, errands, and community meetings, I have finally run out of "more important things to do."

After three days of business since being back at the novitiate, I finally have some time to breathe (just before hitting the road again on Friday morning). So for now, it's just me, the Dell, a can warm Coke, and my ramblings.

If you don't mind, I would like to start off writing by talking about, well, writing. I know, I know. How cliche! It's like watching a movie about the confusing life of an actor or listening to a song about how hard a singer's life is. It may seem ego-centric, but give me a chance here.

Ten months ago when Peter asked me about starting this blog, it seemed like a Spirit-filled idea. It just so happened that without talking to him, I had conceived a similar thought of my own: The Church could use some vocations. We have some good (if not sometimes odd) stories to share. We at least like to act like we are writers. Why not mix all those things together and wrap it in the form of a hip, culturally-popular thing called a "blog?"

We figured that our parallel brainwaves about starting a blog were good indicators that we should at least give it a try. So trusting a ton in the Holy Spirit we started writing away. I can honestly say that this humble little blog has been a blessing much larger than Peter or I could have ever imagined. Personal prayer, talking with Peter, or getting emails and phone calls from supporters have all confirmed the goodness of this blog. That fling of an idea in September has become a staple to many people's spiritual lives. That to me is humbling and awesome all wrapped up in one.

Okay, Paul, so what's the point of sharing all this? Personally, this blog has become an amazing tool for discernment. We've been doing it since the time of Ignatius who always chose to do what would be "more pleasing to his divine Majesty" and "the greater glory of God." Jesuits, at least internally, are known for their love of discerning things. (That is to say very briefly, choose to align our lives with whatever brings us closer to the love of Christ). Often I find people think that they only have to discern the "biggies" in life: marriage, kids, careers, mortgages, political elections, and religion. But as I have personally discovered, it's much more prevalent than that. Discernment starts with the little things.

Every single day we are bombarded with decisions:

Do I hit the snooze button again?
Toast or Cheerios?
Say hello to that annoying co-worker or not?
Type up the four-page paper now or after my nap?
Drive or walk?
Pray for the needy or watch another episode of "West Wing?"
Floss or not?
Blog or cook dinner?
Stay quiet or say what I feel?

The little things make us who we are. Yeah, the big decisions direct us where we go in life, but the conscience that makes those big decisions is formed in the quiet little ones. And so it is for me, an average, run of the mill Jesuit seminarian with probably too many commitments and an ever-growing blog on the side. To manage it all, remain fresh, joyous, and committed, I try to make every decision I face throughout the day a decision that reflects Christ.

Is what I am doing bringing hope and love to others?
Am I opening myself to God's mysterious love or ignoring it?
Will this little action I am choosing to do make bigger decisions easier or harder to make?
Can I give a little more of my heart to God's people today?
Am I really trusting others and in turn, God?

Most things that define who we are start off by simply trying something new. But with every decision we make regarding that new thing, we grow to be something new. If we do not look at what we are doing and how we are doing it, we can easily loose track of where we have gone and what happened along the way.

This blog has taught me how important discernment is in life. It's important in everybody's life. It really takes up a much larger part of our life than we think. It seems it would be wise to pray for open eyes and ears to sense God working in our lives and how we have been responding. And every once in a while we can step back to get a look at the big picture--a Mosaic of all of God's callings in our lives!

A Leap of Faith

2009-06-17T06:22:00.000-05:00

"Okay...now jump!"

....

It was our final day of a two-week swimming course, and I was trying to get one of my pupils, a beautiful little Indian-American five-year-old girl, to jump off into the deep end. I sat on my rescue tube facing her, arms outstretched, inviting her to swim to me. She stood with toes curled over the lip of the pool, clearly noticing the big black "10 FT" mocking her from beneath her little brown feet. She shivered in spite of the August sun.

My heart went out to her as I picturing her with arm floaties at 15, friends laughing. We were at an impasse...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel this way with God. There He is, inviting me to cast off all my fears and anxieties about life, surrendering all into the unknown and swimming towards His arms. At times I protest in prayer, saying, "Are you NUTS?! You can't possibly expect me to do that! No, no thanks." I find myself standing on the edge, shivering as I ponder what would happen if I were to just "let go" or abandon myself to Divine Providence. All the while God waits for me with a big smile and outstretched arms.

I'm tempted to say, "I'll stick with the arm floaties, thanks."

If we're honest with ourselves, we'll realize how often we're called to die to self and to give who we are, all our thoughts, words and actions, to God's greater glory. We're entitled to have nice things, new cars, and corner offices--BUT--we're also called to sacrifice so that we may better praise, love, and serve the one from whom we've received all our blessings. He expects great things from every one of us, even if we don't expect it from ourselves. If we're truly going to follow Him, we have to trust that He will see us through our trials and sufferings, with outstretched arms.

My patron, Peter, faced similar trials in faith. Sure, he was thrilled to go places with the Lord and was ready to learn and serve, but when it came time to sacrifice and trust Jesus, Peter had misgivings:

-Oh, Lord, we've been fishing all night...

-No, Lord! Nothing bad will happen to you!

-He saw how strong the wind was, and began to sink...

-I swear I do not know the man!

Peter, like the rest of us, has trouble trusting sometimes; even right before his death he was fleeing Rome when Jesus appeared to him! Yet, despite the uncertainty, the doubt, the comfy life on the shore, Peter used the gift of faith to follow Jesus, to cast himself "out into the deep" (Luke 5:4). He discovered that Jesus was with Him the entire time...

So what ever happened to my little swimmer? After a few minutes and one deep breath, she leaped into the pool like she was on a spring. When she surfaced she was terrified, and broke into a frantic doggy paddle, searching for me in the midst of the splashes of water. I was right there, right in front of her; as I scooped her up into my arms, she looked at me with deep, brown eyes, relieved that she was safe and pleased with her accomplishment. How excited she and her mother were when she came out of the pool!

When God asks us to make a leap of faith, He's with us the entire time. But we have to be the ones to freely choose to respond to His great love. The road may be filled with sufferings, but oh how glorious it will be with Him in the Kingdom!

PHOTO CREDIT, Brookside Pool, Ashland, Ohio

Late Night Phone Convo

2009-06-16T06:23:00.004-05:00

Sorry, folks. Paul and I spent a lot of time on the phone last night, so there won't be a big post today. Just know how great of a blessing this has been to all three us as we inch towards priesthood! I'm so excited to see Paul on Friday; six months has been far too long.

Here's a rainy-day clip (I didn't know it would actually rain when I wrote this) that I've been wanting to share with you. Enjoy, and say and extra prayer for Paul and me that we go to bed on time and save on long-distance phone bills!

Father James Martin, SJ is a well-known author and media commentator who has recently released his new book, A Jesuit Off-Broadway. The book tells of Father's encounter with a theatre production in New York City, serving as theological consultant and spiritual mentor to the cast and crew.

Don't you hate it when they won't let you embed the link to a clip? Here it is. Enjoy!

An Ordination and the Harvest

2009-06-15T06:07:00.004-05:00

In a fuddled haze of travel across the nation this past week, I found myself in a tiny vestibule of a parish nestled in the great American heartland. I tried to shake off songs by Rod Stewart and John Mellencamp as we prepared for my friend's diaconate ordination. as the prelude played somewhere above our heads, he stood silently off to the side while priests, deacons, and servers gabbed on and on. As I looked at him, about to take vows of celibacy and obedience, I wondered what was going on in his head and heart. As though he heard my question, he turned to me and said:

"This is surreal. We've been talking about this moment for four years, and now it's here."

At that, the entrance hymn began, and my friend passed through the doors of his home parish like he had many times before. This time, however, was quite unlike the past 25 years of his life; here, in a farming town, my friend was about to be set apart:

"The harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." -Matthew 9:37-38

Just in case you're unaware, God is quite the romantic. You see, it's one thing to talk of a vocation as a seed, being well-nourished and planted in a "seed bed" or seminary, in hopes that it will "bear much fruit." But it's simply beautiful when God calls the son of a farmer to assist in the harvesting of another field, that of souls. Taking what nourishment he received from his family, he ventured off and allowed himself to be watered and pruned, growing into one of the Lord's own. How fitting it is, then, that my friend was called to lie prostrate with the earth, the same soil his family has toiled since the Nineteenth Century. His response to God's personal vocation for him is the best thing his family's soil has ever produced. And they agree.

As we left my friend's small town and drove past countless rows of corn, I couldn't help but think of my own vocation (it's on my mind quite a bit these days). What am I doing to nourish my own vocation? How am I toiling in the field of discernment? Am I allowing God to remove the rocks and thistles? In two years God will call me, if He wills it, to lie prostrate and be ordained a deacon. Two years out, how do things look? Am I, as farmers say about corn, "knee-high by the Fourth of July?"

Watching my friend respond to God's call has been a tremendous blessing, one which spurs me on to answer my own call. I pray that all of us may more faithfully respond to our personal vocations, those planted by God in our hearts!

Pange Lingua Gloriosi

2009-06-14T05:55:00.004-05:00

Pange Lingua Gloriosi

These words open the beautiful hymn with which first vespers of this great solemnity begin. They were written by one of the most piercing intellects and most passionate lovers of all time: Saint Thomas Aquinas. This holy man of God wrote all the hymns for this feast including the sequence, Lauda Sion, which is heard today at all the masses throughout the world. But, I begin to digress.

"Sing my tounge the Savior's glory" we translate these opening words of praise and how well do they seem for our great feast today. Corpus Domini. The Solemnity of the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord. Truly this great mystery which we celebrate today cannot but cause us to proclaim with our tounges and, indeed, our very lives, the great glory and love of our God!

The Creator and Maker of all things comes down to us in such an unassuming and humble form: a simple piece of bread and a bit of common wine. He knows that we are too weak to handle his full glory and majesty so he came first as a man, but even to this day he continues his glorious incarnation under the forms of bread and wine. He comes to us vulnerable. For in his condesencion to come among us as first a man, and now as bread, he is able to be broken. He was able as a man to be rejected and derided. An outcast, crucified. And today as a simple piece of bread he is able to be recieved mindlessly, dropped on the floor, trappled upon, left unvisited and unloved, and even desecrated by those who hate the truth (we hear of and see such horrors of sacrilidge even on youtube!)

Yet, this danger, this possibility of rejection, does not change his mind, or cause him to be any less generous in his giving of himself. He accepted the cross lovingly, as a chance to show us the depth of his love, and he continues to come to us in the Holy Eucharist so that we might still be able to experience that love. But in the holy Eucharist, which comes to us through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we are able, not just to see the love of God for us, (for we certainly can!) but we become one with it! By our sharing the Cup of our Salvation and the Bread of Angels we are caught up in the love of God. His grace is poured out into our souls, and we are able to become one in his self-offering to the Father in Heaven!

The Holy Eucharist is the source of our union with God. It is the principle that makes makes us holy, that allows us to no longer live, and act and be just humans, but it allows us to live and act and be like God! The holy Eucharist, when we faitfully and fervently recieve it and adore it, makes us Saints. That is the bottom line.

That is the real mystery of this great feast. Certainly, we can ponder and pray about the great truth of transsubstantiation and seek to comprehend the great mystery of how bread and wine become body and blood. But, to a degree we must always rely on the Holy Ghost to supply us the faith, to believe even when it may seem absurd to our fallen and sinful minds. For it is only through our faithful reception of this most Blessed Sacrament, and the time spent in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord, that we are able to become the women and men that God has created us to be! For Jesus calls us to be his friends, and the Holy Eucharist is the place where we come to meet with our true friend. The more we are with him- just like all our friends- the more like him we become. Until, through the grace of this Holy Sacrament, we are able to say with Saint Paul, " I live, no longer, I but Christ lives in me!"

The Holy Eucharist. Our greatest treasure at Catholics. Our greatest treasure as human beings. We are so blessed to be able to draw near to our Lord not just in a spiritual way like our Protestant brethren, but in a true and real physical and material presence. He waits for us, longs for us, to draw near to him. He is waiting for us in tabernacles and adoration chapels all across our city, our country, and our world. Let us make sure this week that we do not forget about him, let us be faithful to our only true friend. Let's make time to visit him, our savior, our king, who comes humbles himself to come among us.

Pange Lingua Gloriosi. Indeed.

O Loving Jesus, ever present to us in the Most Holy Eucharist, draw near to
us this day and all the days of our life, so that we might sing your praises
forever around your throne in heaven. Amen. Alleluia!

Photo Credit: Fra. Lawrence Lew O.P. Blackfriars, Oxford

Serving at His Altar

2009-06-12T06:01:00.011-05:00

My mom woke me from peaceful slumber that fateful fall morning in 1997; it was my first day as an altar server. I hopped out of bed, showered and brushed my teeth, all the while going through what we had been taught in weeks previous on how to serve Mass. Book, bells; candles, cruet, cup. Book, bells; candles, cruet, cup.

Candles, cruet, cup.

"You remember everything?" my mother asked.

"Yesssh" I said through chattering teeth.

In the sacristy I paced around like an expectant father, waiting for the other server to show up. We sixth graders were told not to worry too much about serving the first few times; there would always be a seventh or eighth grader there to help us along. But as the clocked verged on 6:00, I had my suspicions. My teeth were chattering yet again, sounding more and more like a landing chopper. I prepared my self for imminent doom.

Candles, cruet, cup. Candles--cruel cup.

At five 'til my pastor barged into the sacristy, still smelling like last night's cigar. He took a stab at my name and then vested for Mass. When he turned around again and realized I was the lone server, he grunted to himself and said, "Don't worry. You're gonna do fine." I wondered if he told the same thing to the girl who had caught her hair on fire a few weeks before...

Candles...uh...oh no....

I'm sure there were many serving blunders that morning, but one sticks out above all others (perhaps I made myself forget the worst ones). By the grace of--well, God--I managed to get to the Offertory and place the Sacramentary, chalice, and ciborium on the altar. But then I blanked. "What do I do know," I thought as I looked at the Credence Table. Nothing came, except a cold sweat. I spun around to look for the priest; he was busy with prayers. I even searched for my mom in the pews, hoping she could coach me along; I couldn't get her attention. Like a deer in headlights I turned back and looked at Father, my eyes pleading for some hand signal or a whisper.

...WATER!... was the reply which reverberated throughout the chapel. Grabbing the cruet, dish, and towel, I felt like the Lion from The Wizard of Oz, quivering as I poured water over my pastor's hands. As he draped the towel over my arm and motioned for me to head to my spot, I spilled all the water down one of the air vents in the sanctuary. I nearly died. As Mass went on, I stood off to the side, thinking of how they would fire me from serving for sure...

Nearly 12 years later, I can now laugh at myself when I make serving mistakes (a little). There are still times when I blank or find myself sprinting furiously behind the scenes of our cathedral to get to where I need to on time. All in all, I'm able to appreciate the humanness of serving at His altar, since that's who we are and that's what we have to give.

You may not have ever served Mass before, but all of us serve the Lord in a variety of ways. As He stands at His altar deep in prayer for us, we bring Him the fruits of our labor, return the copious gifts and talents He has provided, and stand at attention, dutifully awaiting instructions as to how we can assist Him in the building up of His Kingdom. We may be asked to do specific tasks, namely our personal vocations; at times we'll look at our Lord with that deer-like stare, not knowing what to do.

But not to fear! In the silence He will motion for us to come to Him, to remember the gifts He bestowed on us with the cleansing waters of Baptism, and then will smile down at us to show us how pleased He is with our service. Then we will be ready to loudly ring the bell when He is raised up before us, to announce His presence in the Eucharist, just as we announce His presence to all we meet!

While I may have had a traumatic first-time serving experience, I was still praised for my efforts, for showing up and trying. That's a huge part of what he asks of us--just showing up and giving it our best shot! He'll be so grateful if we do!

...And, if you're like me, your mom will take you out for bagels afterwards!

PHOTO CREDIT: St. Wilfred's, Camden, NJ

Summer Strivings

2009-06-10T07:12:00.004-05:00

Since June is now in full-swing, I can't help but think one thing: What happened!

I, like most college students, have been finished with school for just under a month at this point, and it seems like it is just flying by. The days are filled with work, and visiting old friends, and a little nap if can be managed! But at the end of most of my days I sit in my room at home and often I can't help but feel exhausted! Summer is meant to be a break of mind and body from the rigour of the academic term, but lately it seems like it is more of a strain that even school, with the only difference being that the weeks go by even faster!

With all of this in mind I have been thinking a lot about what these precious summer months are about. For so many of us they are time for family vacation, and catching up with friends, and hopefully some good old American baseball games. But I think that these summer months should also be a time of spiritual renewal.

I know that when I was in high school there were always a lot of retreats that occurred in the summer, and I would usually go on at least one or two of them. These intense times of prayer and reflection always helped me to refocus my life on that which is important. Prayer. The Sacraments. Jesus. But often this refocusing would only last for a couple of weeks or even days after retreat because the business of summer, and later school would get me back into my old habits!

But this time of the year- the summer- is really the chance for all of us, but especially students, to work on our spiritual lives and to make some real growth. Maybe it is something big like getting up every morning before noon and going to daily mass! Jesus is waiting for us with untold blessings if we would hit the snooze just a few times less! But even on a smaller scale we can start integrating more prayer into our lives by praying the rosary in the car before we listen to the radio, or spending one hour a week in a local adoration chapel with Jesus. We spend so much time with our other friends- why not give some time to the one friend who will be with us forever!

Today is the day my friends. The time is now. Let us seize this great gift of summer to renew our strivings for sainthood and holiness. It may cost us a little time, or a bit of sleep, but what how small do those thing seem when compared to the abundance of graces we will receive from the Lord if we open ourselves to him! So start today- spend some extra time in prayer, or in service to your neighbor. Go to mass, or help your parents out around the house... or do both!

Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice, be glad, and give him the praise and honor that is due. Amen.

Prodigal Son, the Morning After

2009-06-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

The workers are buzzing about the property, busy disassembling tents, tables, and chairs from last night's celebration. Workers chip away at the remnants of the swan ice sculpture, a last minute purchase which stood in the midst of the sumptuous feast. The Father, now with a much lighter pocketbook, sits on a wicker chair underneath the veranda, sipping an iced tea. He watches all the activity, smiling.

The door from the kitchen opens slightly; it's his son. Clearly just rising (as though from the dead), he grips a hot mug of coffee with both hands and slowly lowers himself into a chair next to his Father. Through bleary eyes he can see his Father turned to face him, grinning excitedly.

"Good morning! Boy we had fun last night!"

"...uh? Yuh--yeah. Yeah we did. I never knew you to be much of a dancer."

"Ha! Not much of a dancer! They used to call me 'Lord of the dance!'"

The son snorts into his mug before taking a sip of his steaming brew. Taking in a deep breath, he shifts in his chair to face his Father.

"About yesterday. Thank you so--

"Don't mention it. I'm just so glad you're home!"

"Yeah, I am, too. But you didn't have to--

"I mean it. It was nothing. I love you!"

A lone tear wells up in the son's right eye; it streams down his weathered face and plops into his coffee. In a few seconds a series of images from the past few months run across his consciousness: the Maserati Grandturismo, the Ecstasy, the dozens of women, the fifths of Johnny Walker Blue. The torched condo in Aspen. Getting ejected from the Bellagio when his Visa maxed out. Waking up naked in a dumpster. Doused in blood at the meat packing plant. All was forgiven him.

Indebted to his Father far more than half of an inheritance, a grin appears on the son's face, nearly matching that of the beaming face looking back at him.

"Come on!" the Father exclaims as he leapt from his chair. "Have I got something to show you!"

The son dutifully follows his Father over to one of the golf carts, barely climbing on before he hit the gas. Chuckling excitedly as gravel churned beneath the tires, the Father puts his arm around his son as they speed off up a winding path to the bluff which overlooked the property.

The sun shines brilliantly over the vastness of the property, the lush fields filled with crops, the forest of tall, sturdy pines, and the steady stream which runs into the valley, curving off into the distance. The son had forgotten it all. It was all so beautiful!

Suddenly, the guilt surged up inside of him once again. How unworthy was he of this love! He should be out in those fields below with the hired hands, muscles aching and back blistered under the harsh sun. Once more he felt his Father put his arm around his shoulder, pulling him close.

"You see all this? It's yours. All yours."

The son stammered as he tried to understand what had been said. "You--you mean that---

"Yes. It's all yours. It's my gift to you. You see, son, I give you all that I have freely, without reserve. I have so much and want to share it with you and with others, my other children. All I ask is that you love me in return.

"Oh, my child, how many people have lands as green as these and don't even realize it! They either go unnoticed on the other side of bluffs, or lay unattended out of indifference. Some are afraid to share their great gifts with others. They too have strayed as you have, but oh how happy I am when they return! I give everything I have to each of my children and seek for them to share their bounty with all they encounter. That is your work, my child!"

Embracing his Father out of thanksgiving for the absolute forgiveness and blessings he unworthily received, the son wept tears of great joy and love for the One who cared for him so much!

PHOTO CREDIT: Pompeo Batoni, Wikimedia Commons

Mass Chaos

2009-06-08T07:09:00.001-05:00

As I knelt down in a pew at a local parish yesterday, I realized that it was the first time in what seems like forever that I wasn't serving a Sunday Mass. I didn't have to worry about whether the candles were lit, or if the altar servers knew what they were doing. Peace.

I eased myself into the cool wooden pew, closed my eyes and thought, "Ah, this is what I remember, Lord."

And then the chaos began.

Honestly, I don't know how "you" do it. I'm speaking to the American Catholic, the week-in, week-out Catholic who faithfully fulfills their Sunday obligation and seeks a greater intimacy with our loving God. If I had any authority to dispense great amounts of sympathy to you, or perhaps a "Time off Purgatory" Card, I'd gladly do so, for sitting in the pews for a change made me realize how darn difficult it is to focus on Mass with the 1812 Overture being played all around you:

-One kid screaming for Daddy

-Another screaming for Mommy

-Someone dropping coins, after the offertory

-The priest's microphone wasn't working

-The cantor's mic was, but you couldn't hear her

-The organist pausing a few seconds between each note

-The homily lasting 15 minutes too long, and I'm being generous

And that, you might say, is nothing compared to what could have happened:

-Cell phones

-General chatter

-More coins

-People hacking up lungs

-Being pelted by Cheerios

-Ad nauseam

Maybe I'm not being charitable or patient. Maybe it's the eight days of silence from which I'm still acclimating. Maybe. But it makes more sense how people feel compelled to make a break for the car after Communion, or why people don't stay and pray too often when Mass has ended (because it's like Grand Central Station!).

And still, week after week, you faithful followers dip your fingers into fonts and endure the chatter, the cell phones, and the children (I know I'm being hard on the kiddos; as great as they are, they can still be distracting. Disclaimer over). But why? Why haven't you gotten fed up by now?

I received an answer to my Mass quandary once the priest took the host into his hands moments before the Consecration. As he prayed the prayers which Jesus prayed on the night before He died, the noise in the pews decreased by a few decibels. And while there was some cooing and shifting around as the priest raised that host and chalice to the Holy Trinity, there was a peace found in the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord. That, or more appropriately, He is what keeps people coming back week after week, in spite of the cacophony surrounding them. Christ dwells in the midst of our humanness; He loves us for making room for Him in the silence of our hearts.

So, I again extend my gratitude to you weekly Mass-goers; you get it. In the midst of the chaos, you find Christ. I'll try to remember how difficult it can be. Out of sympathy, once I'm a priest I'll try to keep my homilies to 25 minutes or so...

Haha... Just kidding. Peace.

O Most Holy Trinity

2009-06-07T07:06:00.008-05:00

Today our Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Trinity, our one God who reveals Himself in three persons. While the doctrine surrounding the Holy Trinity has always been at the fore of our Catholic faith, the feast itself was not universally celebrated until set forth by Pope John XXII in the 14th century. It's fitting that this feast is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost, since it was then that the disciples first preached about the Father, Son, and "the Spirit of Truth."

And oh how beautiful it is, that our Father thought enough of His creation to send His only Son to earth, the Word made flesh who suffered on the cross so that our sins might be forgiven. And His Holy Spirit, whom He sent to the disciples and Mary at the Cenacle, to each of us so that we might feel His presence, be guided by His Truth, and experience His merciful love. How blessed are we to have a God who bestows on us His boundless love!

I'll be honest, in what should be a post filled with ardent love for my creator, redeemer, and sanctifier, I find myself at a loss for words (and that's a rarity) regarding this most important feast. Thus, let us turn to the Church Fathers for inspiration on how to worship the Holy Trinity.

Here's a snippet of what St. Athanasius says in the Office of Readings:

We acknowledge the Trinity, holy and perfect, to consist of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In this Trinity there is no intrusion of any alien element or of anything from outside, nor is the Trinity a blend of creative and created being. It is a wholly creative and energizing reality, self-consistent and undivided in its active power, for the Father makes all things through the Word and in the Holy Spirit, and in this way the unity of the Holy Trinity is preserved....

Even the gifts that the Spirit dispenses to individuals are given by the Father through the Word. For all that belongs to the Father belongs also to the Son, and so the graces given by the Son in the Spirit are true gifts of the Father...

While this may seem like a bit of a head-scratcher, God's love for us is made resoundingly clear in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Each of His persons seeks to show resounding love that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share for each one of us. May we be receptive to the grace that they have already bestowed upon us!

A blessed Trinity Sunday to you all!

PHOTO CREDIT, Hendrick van Balen, Wikimedia Commons

It Is Good to Be Here

2009-06-06T10:59:00.003-05:00

Just finished with our eight-day silent retreat; what a tremendous blessing! Like St. Peter said to Jesus at the Transfiguration, "Lord, it is good to be here!"

I'll be back tomorrow for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Please pray for Paul as he reaches the half-way mark through his own eight-day retreat!

Peace,

Peter

The Great Missionary of Germany

2009-06-05T08:00:00.006-05:00

Today is the feast day of the great missionary to Germany Saint Boniface. Saint Boniface was born in England about the year 673. He was first professed in the monastic life in Exeter but in 719 went to Germany to preach the Gospel. He made many converts there and was consecrated bishop, ruling over the church at Mainz. He attracted many companions by whose help he founded or restored diocese in Bavaria, Thuringia and Franconia. He also convened councils and promulgated laws. While preaching the Gospel to the Frisians, Saint Boniface was killed by Pagans in 754. His body is buried in the monastery of Fulda.

Here is an exert from one of this holy martyr's letters. May his words enflame our hearts with a similar zeal for the things of God on this first friday of June. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on Us!

In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.

The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty; Clement, Cornelius and many others in the city of Rome, Cyprian at Carthage, Athanasius at Alexandria. They all lived under emperors who were pagans; they all steered Christ's ship- or rather his most dear spouse, the Church. This they did by teaching and defending her, by their labors and sufferings, even to the shedding of blood.

I am terrified when I think of all this. Fear and trembling came upon me and the darkness of my sins almost covered me. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the Church which I have accepted if I could find such an action warrented by the example of the fathers or by holy Scripture.

Since this is the case, and since truth can be assaulted but never defeated or falsified, with our tired mind let us turn to the words of Solomon: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own prudence. Think on him in all your ways, and he will guide your steps. In another place he says: The name of the Lord is an impregnable tower. The just man seeks refuge in it and he will be saved.

Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God's strengthening aid and say to him: O Lord you have been our refuge in all generations.

Let us trust in him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear let us bear with the help of Christ. For he is all powerful and he tells us: My yoke is easy and my burden light.

Let us continue to fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us; if God so wills, let us die for the holy laws of our fathers, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them.

Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ's flock. Let us preach the whole of God's plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as Saint Gregory writes in his book of Pastoral Instruction.

Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr, Pray for us!

An Afternoon with St. Augustine

2009-06-03T06:18:00.005-05:00

I have heard it said that you don't make it through a Jesuit university without at least having read St. Augustine's famous autobiography, Confessions. I have also heard it said that you don't make it through Confessions without having fallen asleep while reading it at least once. Inspired with this confidence, I decided to dive once again into the Church classic the other day with the sure thought that it would carry me into a nice afternoon nap.

My eyelids were heavy and I was all but asleep. Augustine had been writing about things that Doctors of the Church seem to love discussing: existence, non-existence, transient things, pestilent desires, physical perception, limitations, etc. All these things are good for us to discuss, but mixed together with a lazy rainy afternoon they just become sleepy pages of confusion for me.

Then I got to the underlined paragraph and understood why St. Augustine rocks.

Do bot be vain my soul. Do not deafen your heart's ear with the tumult of your vanity. Even you have to listen. The Word [Christ] himself cries to you to return. There is a place of undisturbed quietness where love is not deserted if it does not itself depart. ...'Surely I shall never go anywhere else', says the word of God. Fix your dwelling there. Put in trust there whatever you have from him, my soul, at least now that you are wearied of deceptions. Entrust to the truth whatever has come to you from the truth. You will lose nothing (Confessions IV.xi).

My eyes crept back open as I read through the passage. I sat in my chair thinking, one, that this stuff rocks and, two, this is totally blog material.

In this passage, St. Augustine's intended listener is his soul. The problem? The soul's addiction to vanity. Its effects? A life of distraction, noise, and pride. The solution? Christ and humbling ourselves to live in his ever-open "undisturbed quietness."

Let's not kid ourselves. Let's open our souls today and tell them, "Even you have to listen." The same challenges with vanity, pride, lust, bitterness, and fear affect our souls today. We are bound to go through this life facing challenges both within the world and within our own hearts. Some we will face with success and others, sadly, with failure. Our christian lives are much more developing journeys than they are static objects. We are a "pilgrim people." It is my humble opinion that along this journey, to better hear Christ leading our hearts, we must pray. In particular, to come to allow our hearts to dwell with God, we must pray for humility and mercy.

Humility.

Our lives are God's. When we are baptized we cease to live for only ourselves. Primarily, we live for Christ and His Church. This is the job of every Christian from the youngest to the oldest. Our pride tells us that it is all about us. Our faith tells us it is all about God. Pride gets us comfort. Faith gets us salvation. Faith keeps alive every grace and promise of love that Christ ever gave to us while walking around Galilee and Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. Trying to grow in humility frees us from the expectations we (as well as others) have placed upon us. It then brings us to see what Christ really is asking of us. Putting Christ in the center of our lives, we find our vocation to serve and our joy.

Mercy.

We mess up. The difficult thing about being a pilgrim people is that, well, we aren't there yet. Sometimes that is frustrating and temptations along the way seem to be a lot more appealing or make a lot more sense. Yet the farther we stray from all the other pilgrims on the trail, the more lost we become and the harder it is to get back. God's mercy brings us back to the trail, even when we should totally be lost. "Survival of the fittest" has no room in God's plan for our salvation. If we are open to it, even curious about it, God will show us his mercy. We find it in the forgiveness of a friend, the compassion of an enemy, and most of all, the Sacrament of Confession. We once again become God's people and, closer to Him, we can better hear His call.

Mercy and humility go hand in hand. Giving into one is giving into the other. Both are giving into the truth. And if we do this as Christians, Augustine encourages us, "you will loose nothing."

There is so much more to write on this topic, but lacking St. Augustine's masterful skill and brilliant words, and still wanting that nap, I will call it quits for now. I simply ask that we pray for men and women of humble hearts full of God's mercy that will answer the call to be His ministers as priests and religious, to be ministers of that same humility and mercy which they have received.

It's all about confidence

2009-06-02T06:16:00.002-05:00

So I was driving home last night when I noticed a billboard. On it was a young, smiling woman with perfect hair, bright white teeth, and golden skin. Next to her was an advertisement for some place called "Image Solutions," a type of store who's goal it is to make people look good. Above the Vanna White wannabe and the advertisement was a phrase,

"It's all about confidence."

At first I scoffed, thinking to myself what a cheap ad. There is so much more to confidence than nice skin. But the beautiful thing about advertisement is that it always tugs on a certain truth. Ultimately, more than anything else, truth sells. People like someone or something they can trust. People like the truth. It's part of natural law.

I realized that "It" really is all about confidence. What we do with our lives depends on where we place on trust, with whom we place our faith. And we have a choice (it's part of that free will thing). Every person I have ever met, be it the most inspiring bishop, a critical atheist, or a searching agnostic, has faith. What sets them apart is how they understand faith and where they choose to place it. But in the end they are putting their trust, their confidence, in something.

So where are you putting your confidence? With whom do you hold your faith?

Some people put it in their appearance. They go to Image Solutions and pay lots of money to get rid of their wrinkles. Some people put their confidence in their academic grades, getting it right. They may think, if I am really smart then I am sure to get ahead in life. Some people put their confidence in the fruits of their labor. I must be living right if I have all of this cool stuff in my possession. And some people put their confidence in fate. Rather than take care of a problem now, they wait for their destiny to play itself out.

I would humbly suggest that as Christians, that we place our confidence in something a little bit bigger. I pray that we continually grow to place our confidence in Christ. I pray that little by little we take our trust from the things of this world and replace it with trust in God. After all, everything in this world first came from Him in His graciousness.

Placing our confidence in God and His son, Jesus Christ, really makes all the difference. Things seemingly difficult, out of the question, and even impossible become viable possibilities. And on top of it all, it is naturally done with Joy! A life with the confidence in Christ looks like this: Missionaries in far off lands and different cultures are able to evangelize the faith. Parents with a pile of bills and four little kids find support and comfort in their neighbors and fellow parishoners. Students new to a high school or university come to find a caring and faithful group of friends that will last them for life. Priests not sure which direction to take the parish are inspired to bring his parishoners to a deeper understanding of Christ. Vocational discerners are not afraid to embrace the true call they have been hearing from Him.

Folks, it's all about confidence. Placing our confidence in Christ sets us free to love and serve and be joyous. It sets us free to go beyond the normal status quo. It puts us past taking care of "me and my own," and tosses us and those around us into the role of loving the whole world. With confidence in Christ and His mysteriously powerful Holy Spirit, nothing can keep us down.

What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be
slaughtered." No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who
loved us. (Romans 8:35-37)

Humbled, Honored...Nominated?

2009-06-01T06:11:00.008-05:00

It turns out that we at The Rock and the Sword have been nominated in four categories in the Catholic New Media Awards. Pleasantly surprised and, well, feeling a bit like David amongst all the Goliath Catholic-bloggers, we're thankful to have been nominated for the following:

Best Group Blog
Best New Blog
Best Blog by a Religious
Most Spiritual Blog

We've decided to pull our support behind the "Best Group Blog" category since we could not have come up with eight months of posts without each other, nor without the Holy Spirit. If you'd like to vote for us, click here!

More than anything, though, we hope to continue to win souls for Jesus through our little blog (and no, this isn't a ploy to make you vote for us; we mean it). Thank you so much for your prayers, compliments, encouragement, and support!

Peace,
Peter, Paul, and Andrew

The Greatest Gift Ever!

2009-05-31T06:29:00.001-05:00

He breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit." John 19:22

Today is a glorious day in the history of salvation. Pentecost. We hear in the Gospel those words I quote above, about how Jesus breathed on his disciples and gave them the Breath of God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit!

This image of Jesus breathing on the Apostles instantly calls back to my mind another story from a bit further back in the bible. In the book of Genesis we hear the story of creation, and in the second creation story (Gen 2:7) when God, the Sacred Writer says, "breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul." In the begining of time, in the first creation, God breathed his very life into our first father Adam. This breath of life is what set him apart from all the rest of creation as unique, and treasured by God. This breath gave man a soul. He was rational, above all the stones, and plants, and animals. Not just the most developed, but truely of a whole different kind: in the image and likeness of God!

But this breath was tainted. Tinged with the sulferous air of sin. Our souls, our likeness to God, were injuried in that primal sin of the first man and woman. In their pride they sought to be like God, and sought to live independently from Him upon whom all things depend. Yet, even from the beginning, despite the fall of man, hardly a chapter later(Gen 3:15) in the Holy Writ, God promised a redemption: "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." God has promised that the new Eve would crush the head of the dreaded serpant. That sin would be destroyed, and that the New Adam would be victorious over the sin of the former. Indeed, God has promised us redemption from sin- a New Creation!

Jesus has bought for us our redemption, and today our Lord consumates his promise of a New Creation. As he breaths on his beloved apostles, he again gives life to a living body. Only this time it is not a single man, but an entire nation. As Jesus breaths on his Apostles he breathes life into his Holy Body- His Church! The Holy Spirit whom was breathed forth from the mouth of the Resurrected Jesus is the very soul of the Church. He, the third person of the blessed Trinity, is the living principle at work in the members of the Church of God. For 2000 years the Spirit has been sanctifying the souls of the baptized, and bringing them to maturity in Christ, unto the fullness of his age!

It this Spirit who is at work in our lives making us holy. Jesus, by his perfect sacrifice paid off our debt to the Father, so that the walls of sin would be torn down, and we could be reconcilled with God. But it is the Spirit, as Saint Paul says, who allows us to cry out "Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15) as sons and daughters of God. It is the Spirit, who is poured out this Holy Day, who makes us partakers in the Divine Nature. (2 Peter 1:4) It is the Holy Spirit who makes us Saints. This is the gift which we recieve today! We recieve the Spirit of God. We recieve the Love of the Father and the Son, and in doing so we are caught up in their love and are able to love as they love! How glorious is the dignity of the Daughters and Sons of God who through the Spirit are called to so great a vocation!

I have one more image I wish to share with you to help illustrate the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We hear in the first reading for today from the Acts of the Apostles about about how on the day of Pentecost there was a strong rushing wind that blew through the house as the Spirit came upon the Apostles gathered in the Cenacle. This image again reminds me of the book of Genesis where, admidst the the darkness and chaos before creation, the Spirit of God moved over the waters. It was the Spirit who created cosmos, order, and beauty out of the chaos and disorder which came before. I like the words in hebrew which describe this chaos. It says that all the world was all tohu and bohu! I cannot help but relate this work of the Holy Spirit on a grand scale to the smaller scale of our individual souls. As the Spirit ordered and beautified the chaotic darkness in creation, so does he bring cosmos and goodness to our souls out of the chaos- vertiable tohu and bohu- which exists in our souls when sin abounds in our lives! The Spirit comes and dwells in us and brings Godly order to our lives. He creates in us virtue and forms our lives into something beautiful for God. Every time we recieve the sacraments (especially the Blessed Sacrament with pure and properly disposed (without any mortal sins!) hearts) the Spirit comes into our hearts and brings his order to them.

This is the work of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus was so excited (he was really excited, just read the last chapters of Saint John's Gospel if you don't believe me!) to give to us. The Spirit is really the greatest gift ever! He is deemed the "Sanctifer" because it is his role amongst the persons of the Trinity to make all of us holy. He it is who is sent to all the people in the world to make them sons and daughters of God. He wants to flood our souls with his life and grace everyday! We are meant to have a never ending increase of his presence in our souls! We must merely become docile to his Divine work. The Church prays today- Veni Sancte Spritius! Come Holy Spirit! - let us join in the chorus of all the saints, living and dead, so that we might be inflamed as the holy apostles were that first Pentecost day with the love of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit, with all his gifts and virtues, might live and reign in our hearts for ever and ever. Amen!

Home Cooking

2009-05-30T06:25:00.005-05:00

Steaming yellow corn. Creamy mashed potatoes. Rich juicy hamburgers. A warm gooey brownie to top it all off for dessert. Siblings, nieces, and nephews circling around the crowded table. Mom and Dad making sure everything is set out and under control. Hours of catching up, politics, religion, and laughter.

I absolutely loved my time in Honduras, but after five months away there is nothing that compares to a home cooked meal. I could eat rice, beans, tortillas, and cheese all day. I have really fallen in love with Honduran food. But having been raised in the land of red, white, and blue, I will never get over my love of a juicy hamburger and fries. (to all of my vegetarian friends, my apologies). I can't really explain why I will never get over that love except to say that it just tastes really good.

Being back home on my week-long home visit, I have had plenty of opportunities to have some really good meals with a lot of saintly people, the most meaningful of which have been my family. Spending time with them the past few days I have realized that, like good home cookin', nothing can replace the good ole' family. Family is where everything starts: life, faith, education, relationships. I believe that so much of who we are comes from our parents, brothers, and sisters. Their love and example, no matter what distance or time, is irreplaceable.

My dad, brother and I were up talking last night until about midnight about the big questions in faith and life. My dad said something that really shocked and impressed me.

"If you're making a choice between what your head says and what your heart says, always go with your heart. You will never be wrong. It will hurt at times, but you will never be wrong."

That was coming from a man with a PhD in psychology! And he is absolutely right. Families come in all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of scars and bruises, but I think everyone can agree that families rooted in love are good things. What is more beautiful than a family that has embraced its heart and chosen to share its gifts with the world? It's what the holy family did 2,000 years ago and it's what is asked of our Catholic families today: that your family may be a place of love and as such an example of Christ to all inside and outside the family.

It is certainly in a parent to want their child to be successful or at least financially secure when they grow up. And it's certainly a kids desire to want to be well loved, happy, and accepted. These are all totally normal concerns, but we must keep them in check because those are all "head matters." First as a family we must follow the heart. We must, with God's blessing, face the true challenges of sin in our lives, search for our vocations, and open ourselves to the needs of the rest of the world. These are the heart matters. Address them first and the head matters will almost automatically fall into place.

I am thankful to be home these days with my family and have lots of really good home cooked meals. But even more, no matter how imperfect we are, I am thankful for the example of Christ each member of my family has been to me from the youngest baby to the oldest grandpa.

St. Ignatius' Gift to the Church

2009-05-29T06:47:00.006-05:00

Shhhh...

Do you hear that?

......

No? I didn't think so. It's the sound of nothing.

Silence.

Today is a very special day for Peter. He is beginning his 8-day silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Being a Jesuit novice, a "son of Ignatius," it is an understatement to tell you how excited I am for him.

If you have ever been on a spiritual retreat, you may be able to attest to their power. Many life-changing retreats today find their spiritual roots to the 16th century and the founder of the Jesuits. St. Ignatius revolutionized the structure of retreats for common everyday people by turning them into a practical and accessible type of "spiritual boot camp." He led friends, classmates, politicians, clergy, beggars, and anyone else he met through what is now known as the Spiritual Exercises: a series of contemplations, meditations, and prayers all in silence to better know Christ and choose to follow Him more closely. Millions of people have gone through the exercises in their own way, as prescribed by St. Ignatius, and today are working as collaborators with Christ to spread the love of the Kingdom.

But for however revolutionary, effective, and personal the Exercises have been, all of those compliments and titles really mean nothing. The Exercises and all other retreats are for a single two-hinged purpose.

Hinge One.
To know that God is our Father. He has loved us since the time of creation. He has forgiven us with the life and death his one and only Son. And He continues to inspire us through the radically mysterious gifts of the Holy Spirit. God certainly is good. He is love. Nothing can compare. Over and over again, our concepts and rationality of Christ washes away to our relationship with Christ. In away, this hinge is basically the retreatant falling in love with God and all his goodness.

Hinge Two.
Eventually we come to the realization of our desire to pay God back in gratitude and joy. What else can we do with the love that has been freely given us than continue to freely share that same love. What else can we do than, "pay it forward?" More than "staying inbounds" or "getting an A," we have the radical desire to be disciples. We want to walk as Christ walked. We want to go into the world, spreading Christ's life, listening to His wisdom, making mistakes, and finding forgiveness. We want to walk to Jerusalem with Christ and along the way, share all we have learned to all we meet.

Christ certainly is alive and working in the world each and everyday. But in a very intimate and personal way, he is alive and working in the hearts and minds of women and men on a retreat. If you are considering any major decision, contemplating your vocation, or confused where your life with Christ is headed, make a retreat. It can be as long as 30 days or as short as 30 minutes. Just find a place in your day and in your heart where you hear nothing but silence. And then, get out the key, unlock your heart, and come face to face with Christ. He will fill you with what you need.

As Peter and his brother seminarians head into their 8-day retreat, please keep them and their directors in your prayers. And if you would like a saint to pray to for this, shoot some prayers St. Ignatius' way. It just so happens that he is the patron saint of retreats. Go figure!

Gifts of the Spirit

2009-05-28T06:49:00.005-05:00

During this week between the Ascension and Pentecost the Church in her liturgy and in the hearts of the faithful cries out of the outpouring of the Spirit of God into our hearts. While I will wait until Pentecost itself to look a little more deeply into what the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, I want to briefly look at one aspect of Catholic devotion to the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

If you are at all like me you may have memorized these seven things as you prepared to receive the sacrament of Confirmation--and then proceeded to quickly forget them! However, believe it or not, these things are actually quite important to our sanctification! Saint Thomas Aquinas even goes so far to say that the cultivation of the gifts is a thing necessary to our salvation! That is a strong statement, and so I want to take a quick look at each of these gifts so that in these coming days we may be able to pray more fervently to the Holy Spirit to give them abundantly to us in our lives!

Firstly, the great teachers of the Church have always seen the gifts of the Spirit as a supernatural aid which we receive through the sacraments which perfects our natural virtues. The 17th century theologian and commentator on Saint Thomas compared them to a divine wind. He saw our lives as a long voyage to a distant shore. On a natural level we are able to row towards our end with the help of the natural virtues like justice, temperance, fortitude, and prudence. But the gifts of the Holy Spirit are like a divine wind which comes us an catches the sails of the ship and allows us to easily, and without difficulty glide to our end- which is nothing else than eternal beatitude with God!

These seven gifts then each work to perfect one of the four cardinal virtues or three theological virtues. When we become docile to their work in our souls we can quickly become great saints because then the Holy Spirit can really transform our lives! So here is a short explanation of each of them with their corresponding virtue, and short prayer for each one from a common novena from the Adoremus Society. May this help all of us to pray for fervently to the Holy Spirit in these next few days and all of our lives to enkindle the fire of Divine love in our hearts!

Wisdom: Perfects the virtue of Charity. This gift gives an ability to have a divine taste for things. By this gift we come to love the things that God loves, loving God above all things! It allows us to put the things in our lives are placed in proper order.

Spirit of Wisdom, preside over all my thoughts, words and actions, so that in all things I may love God for His own sake above all things. Amen.

Understanding: Perfects the virtue of Faith. This gift gives us an insight into the mysteries of our faith such as the life of the Trinity, and the Divine Sacramental mysteries especially the Eucharist. It increases the strength of our faith so that we are able to more firmly hold the great truths of the Gospel which are our salvation.

Spirit of Understanding, teach and enlighten me, so that I may never waver in my faith, but enjoy true peace of mind and heart.

Knowledge: Perfects the virtue of hope. This gift allows us to judge properly the things of this world and our relation to God. It perfects hope because it shows us the truly transitory nature of things in this life and makes us desire above all things life with God in this life and the next.

Spirit of Knowledge, teach me how to look at things in their true light, so that I may not be bound by earthly attachments, but ever rejoice in thy heavenly comforts.

Counsel: Perfects the virtue of prudence. This gift helps us to make decisions according to the will and providence of God. It allows us to make truly wise and godly choices in the daily events of our lives and to know and follow the vocation to which God is calling us.

Spirit of Counsel, grant that I may always seek thy guidance, that my thoughts and actions may be informed by good judgment, and that whenever my advice is sought by others, it will be offered with kindness, prudence, truth, and in accordance with God’s will.

Fortitude: Perfects the virtue of fortitude. This gives us the strength to persevere amidst the smallest and the greatest of trials and crosses even unto giving up our very lives for the true faith of Catholicism and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Spirit of Fortitude, strengthen my weakness, so that I may never be discouraged by obstacles in the path of holiness and virtue, but may willingly accept the trials and difficulties of this life.

Piety: Perfects the virtue of justice. This allows us to truly give what to each what they deserve in particular giving to God the things he deserves by worshiping Him in rightly in spirit and truth. It also helps us to conduct affirms perfectly amongst our brothers and sisters, treating them with the dignity they deserve as son and daughters of so great a King.

Spirit of Piety, implant in my soul filial love toward God my heavenly Father, and brotherly love for all, so that I may delight in the service of God and my neighbor.

Holy Fear: Perfects the virtue of temperance. This allows us to know more completely the greatness of our heavenly Father and to have a child-like fear which helps us to moderate our earthly passion for pleasurable things like food, drink and sex so that we might live lives pleasing to this great and mighty God.

Spirit of Holy Fear, keep me mindful of the infinite Majesty of God, keep me from all selfish desires and evil actions, that I may humbly serve God and others with a clean heart and clear mind.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love! Amen.

Pope Saint Pius X, May 8, 1907

PHOTO CREDIT: Bro. Lawrence Lew, O.P.

The Joker Saint

2009-05-26T06:48:00.002-05:00

If there was ever any doubt as to where I got my prankster traits from, no one need look further than my own father. He's the county court jester, the family harlequin, whose lame jokes make our eyes roll deep into our heads. He's even worse up at the parish; as a bass in the choir, I have my suspicions that his antics have led to his entire section being moved right up front. Don't worry, it hasn't phased him any...

Trick candles on my great-great aunt's 90th birthday cake...

Hiding the newly-delivered pizza in the fridge and telling your then five-year-old blogger that he ate it all...

Warning my grandmother about a foul ball at the stadium (no where near her) and frightening her so that she spilled her beer all over the guy in the row in front of them...

And my fellow brother seminarians come up to me and say, "Now I know where you get it."

What? What's so wrong about wanting to sing "Eye Has Not Seen" on the Feast of St. Lucy? Why shouldn't we be able to hear each other bellowing through the halls (yes, even during Lent)? Finally, I've found a saint who understands my plight, who gets my need to have a good chuckle every once-in-a-while. His name is Philip Neri, and he's awesome.

Born in Florence in 1515 and ordained in 1551, this farcical father wasted no time in putting his people in stitches. Always one for spontaneity and practical jokes, Philip could be seen walking around Rome with half of his beard shaven off, the self-deprecation used as a form of humility. While people laughed and pointed, they also saw his bright, exuberant face and wondered what made him so happy. The wealthy came to him in droves, listening to his every word about Jesus and the faith.

Not at all amused by the sinfulness of the carnivals of the time, Philip created a place for young men to experience the true joys of life. The small oratory became known as the Congregation of the Oratory, a group of diocesan and religious priests. Also, as a spiritual director, he allowed his directees to wear their hair shirts--if they wore them on the outside of their clothes. As people laughed at them, they realized that humiliation was far more of an itch to endure; to do so for Christ's sake, however, was no laughing matter.

Here's a snippet of the type of impact Philip had on the people of Rome:

St. Philip Neri once gave a gossipy lady the following penance: "Go to the market, buy a chicken, and pluck it on your way back here, scattering the feathers as you walk. When you give me the plucked chicken, I'll tell you the rest of your penance."

The baffled woman did as she was told. After she handed the plucked chicken to the saint, he said, "Now that you've spread those feathers about, go pick them up."

"But, Father! It's impossible to know where they've all gone!"

"Just like the words of your gossip," he said.

I don't want to dismiss Philip's serious side, either. In fact, this saint had an intense conversion on the eve of Pentecost, 1544, at which what seemed like a great ball of fire came hurling down at him. After the ball entered his mouth, he was filled with a profound love of God that he knew he must serve the Lord always. As he said Mass, this priest would be filled with such ecstasy that he would take hours to adore the Blessed Sacrament.

Philip also popularized the Seven Churches Tour and Forty Hours devotion, two practices still alive today. In all that he did, Philip made sure that his ministry was never dull or insipid, but filled with the same fire for God that consumed Him. Humor was the means that Philip used to save souls, to meet people at their level and bring them--laughing--to God.

I could ramble on about Philip's hilarium vitae, but I won't. The important thing to remember is how Philip was willing to receive the Lord's grace and the gifts He had bestowed upon him. He possessed great energy, charm, humor, and humility, and used these gifts to build up the Kingdom of God! It doesn't matter how well you'd perform on "Last Comic Standing"; it does matter how you bring souls home to Jesus Christ. Philip was innovative and put his blessings to use.

So what about my dad and me, the real-life Family Circus? What are we to do with our uncanny ability to make even the most stoic begin to snort? We have to keep doing it in Jesus' name! Under St. Philip's patronage, hopefully we'll be laughing out loud with the Joker Saint and many others in paradise...

Information on St. Philip Neri from Catholic.com and EWTN Online.

In Memoriam

2009-05-25T05:28:00.001-05:00

On this day, when many of us have the privilege of having the day off from work or school, it's important for us to remember why we can lounge around the house and barbecue. The men and women who have served our nation so bravely should be honored for their efforts.

I'd like to share my reflections on Memorial Day from a somewhat unique perspective:

Above my reading chair in my room at the seminary hangs a picture of my great-uncle, a Franciscan friar. He's celebrating Mass, at what seems like the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer. It's an amusing shot, actually; it's taken from the back of the congregation, where it's quite obvious that not all the people in the congregation are paying attention.

I never knew my great-uncle, but I know him because of his reputation. His best friend, also a Franciscan who recently passed away, spoke volumes of him to me. "You would have loved him so much," he often said. But, I didn't even need his friend's adulation to love him; I only have to look at the picture. After all, a picture speaks a thousand words.

That old saying is so true when it comes to the picture hanging in my seminary room. My great-uncle has a look on his face which shows that there's a lot on his mind, far more than a thousand words. In truth, I know he's thinking and praying for his parishioners, the ones who fill his rather ruddy-looking church, only half of them paying attention.

If every picture tells a story, then this picture tells an anthology. Of course his church was ruddy; it was a field in Vietnam. And of course some of his parishioners are distracted and unfocused; they're about to head into combat. And, of course my great-uncle is praying for these men; they are his flock. The picture is so moving; it's no wonder people think I cut it out of a magazine.

I've tried several times to picture myself as one of the soldiers at that Mass in Vietnam. The truth is that I can't; I'm not sure I'll ever be able to. I don't know what it is like to prepare for battle (and in this case, for a battle that people don't support back home). These men--no, boys--have experienced a fear, a surge of courage and honor, a sense of duty that I will never quite possess. They, along with so many others, fought for my freedom. I look at them in awe.

There is one person in the photograph that I pray I may one day comprehend. It's my great-uncle. It's not because of our relation; it's because he's a priest. Someday I pray that God will permit me to take the host into my unworthy hands and, through the Holy Spirit, transform bread and wine. Just as my great-uncle offered up the souls of those soldiers at the sacrifice of the Mass, so too does every priest lift up his flock as they face their daily struggle, the combat of the life in Christ.

Oh how so many people have served; I hope that I may faithfully serve as well. In the meantime, we have the memories and photographs of those who have fought for freedom--for country and God--to lead us on our way.

Let us thank God for those who have served so well. In their memory, we pray.

PHOTO CREDIT: Arlington Cemetery

Finding Him Who Has Left

2009-05-24T05:20:00.003-05:00

"We can claim a great high priest, and one who has passed right up through the heavens, Jesus the son of God." Hebrews 4:14

Centuries ago, when men of science were not provided with precision instruments, our whole view of the universe was earthbound; the stars looked small, and close to us, and friendly, and you could debate, in all seriousness, whether the sky was not a dome of crystal. It was easy for an artist, in those days, to represent the whole mystery of our Lord's Ascension into heaven as a single piece of composition. There, on a grassy slope at the bottom of the picture were the apostles, all kneeling, all looking in the air; above them spread a light barrier of fleecy cloud; and above that again was the figure of our Lord, still carrying the banner of his Resurrection, making his way upwards towards the jewelled throne on which the eternal Father was seen awaiting him. But for that barrier of cloud, you felt the whole process would have been visible to human eyes; heaven was a close as that, just up in the air. It was a wonder, on a fine day you did not catch a glimpse of it.

Today, the men of science have educated us, and we can no longer feel at home in the cosy fairy-land of medieval thought. We know what it is to climb above the clouds, and the intense dreariness of that upper air in which the world seems far behind you, and you are not nearer heaven. Nor have we reached the end of it; already men are working out programs of interplanetary travel. Beyond these stars, with which we see ourselves, before long, on visiting terms stretch remote areas of which the solar system is only a neglected corner. And (we say to ourselves) if Jesus of Nazareth really started out from some mountain in Palestine, to make his way up, up beyond the furthest star, how many light-years must his journey have taken? Can we be sure he has reached heaven yet? We turn away from the mystery with baffled minds. We can still contemplate, devoutly enough, the manner of our Lord's coming to earth; the Christmas crib has not lost its appeal, after all these centuries. But, the manner of his leaving it- we cannot contemplate that without a hundred distracting speculations.

The apostle tries to make it easier for us by writing the words I quote to you just now, "We can claim a great high priest, and one who has passed right up through the heavens, Jesus the son of God." He was writing for the benefit of his Jewish fellow countryman, and he uses terms which will be familiar to them. Under the old dispensation, one part of the tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple, was curtained off in darkness to serve as the innermost shrine, the holiest place of all. Only once a year was the curtain drawn aside, only once in the year did any human foot tread there, and that was on the day of Atonement, when the high priest, after doing sacrifice, went in there and sprinkled the blood of the victim, to make amends for his own faults, and those of the people. Just so, our Lord offered the perfect sacrifice of his own death; and as he did so, the veil that hung between the most holy place and the rest of the temple was torn, we read, from top to bottom. The fact was symbolic of the occasion. For our Lord, having offered the perfect sacrifice, ascended into heaven, tore aside the veil of mystery that hangs between earth and heaven, went, once for all , into his Father's presence to make atonement for your sins and mine.

To us, they seems remote and shadowy, these comparisons drawn from the rites of yesterday. Shall we, instead think of our Lord's Ascension in terms of the Christian sacrifice? Think of him as the priest going up to the altar, going up, going away from us. Think of our Lord, in his Ascension, as the priest climbing the altar steps; going up, going away from us, and yet not exactly leaving us behind. No, in a sense he takes us with him; takes our sins with him, to ask forgiveness of them, takes our needs with him, to plead them before God, takes with him, above, our offering of Love.

Our High Priest, we call him, for it is the business of a priest to meditate between man and God; and no one could do that perfectly except he who is both God and Man. And it is his humanness that we chiefly remember, when we think about the mystery of his Ascension; if I may quote once more from the Epistle of the Hebrews, "It is not as if our high priest was incapable of feeling for us in our humiliations; he has been through every trial, fashioned as we are, only sinless." Since he went up into heaven, a cloud has concealed him from our sight; it has not concealed us from His. He knows our individual needs, and can feel for them, because he has had such needs himself. Oh, it is foolish of us, no doubt, to ask for sympathy in that way; we know, of course that the divine nature is all-merciful -how else could it be divine? But somehow it makes it easier for us to focus our minds on the lovingness of God, if we can tell ourselves that Jesus Christ is in the bosom of the Father- Jesus Christ, who rested his head, at the last supper on the bosom of a human friend. He has known all our trials, bourne all the weaknesses that are a true part of our nature, been helpless in Mary's arms, hung desolate on the cross. "Gall and wormwood", we say to him with Jeremias, "gall and wormwood, keep all this well in memory" and our gall and wormwood becomes less bitter to us because we know that he remembers.

Since the Ascension, we have found it easier to realize the love of God, because it is mirrored for us in the human sympathy of Jesus Christ. But there is something else, since the Ascension, it has been easier for us to imagine heaven as a desirable goal. Try as we will, the idea of heaven eludes us. Are we to think of it as a place, from which every element of unhappiness is excluded? But we know how much more our love of places is condition by moods and sentiments , by the the desire for change by association and by history! Or are we to think of it as a state? But then, how are we to think of a state except in terms of selfish enjoyment? Or should we look forward to being reunited with those we have loved? But how frail they are, these earthly bonds; how time impairs them! No, when we have tried everything, we shall find not better window on eternity than St. Paul's formula, "To depart and be with Christ."If he has left us, and gone to heaven, it is so that we may no longer be disconcerted by the barrier of cloud that stands between us and it. We are not concerned to "go" here or there, to be in this or that state of existence. We want to find him.

-Monsignor Ronald Knox, May 1948, Ampleforth Abbey, England in his Pastoral Sermons (Sheed and Ward 1960)

IPF

2009-05-23T07:43:00.003-05:00

Well, tomorrow I leave for Omaha to attend the Institute for Priestly Formation. I'm rather looking forward to learning more about spirituality; anything that will help me grow in my love for Christ is a welcomed gift!

About 180 seminarians from across the United States will be in attendance at the program; it will also be a blessing to meet and form friendships with future priests from across the country!

I still plan on blogging frequently along with Paul and Andrew during the ten weeks at IPF, though I will take a brief hiatus during our eight-day Ignatian retreat. Please pray for me that I may be receptive to God's grace and allow Him to make my heart like unto His.

My prayers to all of you! Make sure you wear sunscreen to the pool this weekend!

-Peter

PHOTO CREDIT, Gocreighton.com

The Lawnmower and Sin

2009-05-22T10:19:00.009-05:00

I had always been enamored with our lawn mower. Red, shiny, the smell of gas and the loud roaring; it was so enticing! As a five-year-old, the lawnmower symbolized all the things I wasn't aloud to do because I wasn't an adult. My father sternly told me to stay away from the mower, and gave me one of my own instead. Mine only spewed out bubbles; dad's spewed out grass...and glory.

One afternoon my chance to get acquainted with the big mower finally came. I played on the back patio while my dad mowed beneath the brutal sun. My mom then appeared at the back door, waving her arm at my dad; he had a phone call. As he walked inside the house, I leaped up and approached the beast which shone in the midst of the partially-mowed lawn.

There it stood, in all its splendor. Because it was forbidden--and since no one was looking--I moved in slowly to see the wheels, the shiny base, and the bag which held all the grass clippings. Oh how I wanted to be like my dad and use the real lawn mower, to fill it with gasoline and start up the motor!

It was then that I saw the motor, glimmering in the sun. I reached out to touch it, and...

OWWWW! MAAAAA!!!! AHAAAAH!!!!!

I am reminded of this painful childhood memory when I'm preparing to go to Reconciliation. When I think about why I'm tempted to sin, I realize that it's something that I can't have, that's forbidden for my own good! Oh how easy it would be to borrow the essay my friend wrote last year, to participate in the slander of some priest or sister, or drop a few curse words to fit in with a crowd. Oh how shiny and delectable those possessions seem, or the enticing images which roar through the backyard of my consciousness. Let's not forget the sin which fuels them all, the pride which is poured into the engine of gluttony, wrath, and greed. The motor of sin burns, dear friends.

Despite the stern warning from our Father, we choose to investigate anyway. Even when he provides us with good things and gives us defenses against the lure of sin, we can't but help to see what it's all about. It's our concupiscence, the stain of Original Sin, which compels us to leave the secure confines of God's infinite love and wander out on our own. Whether we realize it or not, all we receive from sin is a pain which sears into the depths of our souls, a pain which burns far more than the momentary satisfaction we get when we fail to do what is holy, what is right and of God.

And are we left alone to bear the burns of our disobedience? Of course not! Jesus hears the wails and cries from our souls and comes running out to console us, to bring us back to the Father's house, to tend to our injuries. Through Reconciliation, Christ applies a healing salve to our souls and comforts us in our sadness. He invites us to renew and begin again the work of proclaiming His Good News!

I certainly felt a lot better when my mom sat and iced my fingers; instead of yelling at me, my parents explained that this was why they had wanted me to stay away from the lawn mower, so that I would not get hurt. Between sniffles I managed to tell them I was sorry for not listening; they gave me a hug and said they loved me. While my fingers still bore the blisters from the lawn mower's motor, I felt well enough to get back to my playtime.

It's too bad my analogy of staying away from the lawn mower didn't work when I began mowing the lawn ten years later. Thankfully God still promises to make our burdens light!

PHOTO CREDIT, Amazon.com

Hands of Chrism

2009-05-21T07:35:00.002-05:00

As we seated ourselves in those highly-polished pews, Father gripped on to the ambo for a moment, as though to collect his thoughts. His weathered furrowed brow bore a few more wrinkles than I was used to.

Instead of talking about the reading or the Gospel, Father spoke about the priesthood. He informed us of the upcoming ordination of priests from our diocese; while he was grateful for the fair number he told us how desperately we needed more men to answer the call. I looked around to see the other young men in the congregation stirring in their pews as well.

Father then divulged the real reason he wanted to talk about vocations; it was the 31st anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He told us how blessed and privileged he was to be able to serve the people of God, and hoped that might continue to faithfully shepherd the flock as long as the Lord required. The lump which had been forming in my throat grew larger at these humbling words.

Of course I was meant to visit that parish and hear that beautiful homily. It struck me how much Father loves the priesthood, loves the people whom he serves so dedicatedly. His words might be slurred and his steps aren't as steady as they once were, but he is still faithful to his priestly vows. His hands still bear the Chrism of long ago. That's what struck me the most; he is God's.

As I inch towards my own ordination, I do so with much fear and trembling. It's beginning to dawn on me how I don't have it all figured out or how much more I need to pray. And, as these humble men with faded clerics get up each day and offer bread and wine to their Maker, I start to cower when I think of how unworthy I truly am, no matter my GPA or the compliments I receive. Yet, as my spiritual director reminds me, St. Paul took up his sword despite his insufficiencies; he says that God told him: "My grace is sufficient for you; for power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).

Or, as a fellow seminarian brother loves to say: "God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called." We need only to respond to His invitation, and He will supply the rest. I only hope that we may be as faithful to Christ as the priests who have gone before us. I hope more men my age will realize that God is calling them to share in this most beautiful calling.

So what about these aged men with frayed purple stoles, who hear our sins and hold them within the recesses of their hearts? Those who have been there for ice cream sundaes and suicides, marriages and miscarriages? They need young men with sharp eyes, strong shoulders, and open hearts to bear the loads, the Cross which they have bore so faithfully. As they hear "Well done, my good and faithful servant," young men need to be willing to hear the words of their bishop: "May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment."

The Apostle of the Holy Name

2009-05-20T06:53:00.001-05:00

St Bernardine, whose feast we celebrate today, was born September 8, 1380, in Massa Marittima, in the territory of Siena, Italy. His life was an example of holiness expressed in his love for God and his fellowman. During an outbreak of plague in 1400 he volunteered to care for the people who were sick, stopping only when he himself became ill. In 1402 he entered the Franciscan Order and was ordained in 1404.

Commissioned to preach in 1405, St. Bernardine is best remembered as an excellent preacher who drew very large crowds and who frequently focused his sermons on devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.

Here is an exert from one of this beautiful sermons from today's Divine Office:

"The name of Jesus is the glory of preachers, because the shining splendor of that name causes his word to be proclaimed and heard. And how do you think such an immense, sudden and dazzling light of faith came into the world, if not because Jesus was preached? Was it not through the brilliance and sweet savor of this name that God called us into his marvelous light? When we have been enlightened, and in that same light behold the light of heaven, rightly may the apostle paul say to us: One you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. So this name must be proclaimed, that it may shine out and never be suppressed. But it must not be breached by someone with sullied mind or unclean lips, but stored up and poured out from a chosen vessel...and so the Church, the bride of Christ strengthened by the testimony of the Holy Apostles, rejoices with the psalmist, singing: O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I proclaim your wondrous deeds. The psalmists exhorts her to do this, as he says: Sing to the Lord, and bless his name, proclaim his salvation day after day. And this salvation is Jesus, her savior."

To assist him in promoting such devotion, St. Bernardine designed a symbol which he displayed during his sermons. It consisted of an abbreviated form of the name of Jesus at the center, surrounded by a blazing sun.

Soon the symbol began to appear on buildings and in the homes where St. Bernardine had spoken. The use of his own symbol to promote devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was disapproved of by some people of his time and charges of heresy were made against St. Bernardine. He was found innocent by Pope Martin V, testifying to the worthiness of his life and his chosen apostolate.

St. Bernardine's tireless commitment to spreading the Good News to all people remained until the very end of his life. In 1444 he set out to preach in Naples, a location he had visited only briefly once before; en-route he fell ill with fever. He was taken to the convent of St. Francesco where he died on the Vigil of the Feast of the Ascension. He was canonized May 24, 1450, six years after his death.

As we celebrate the memory of this great disciple let us call upon that most Holy Name which was always upon Saint Bernardine's lips for the grace to be a witness Jesus Christ this day and all the days of our lives!

O Jesus, lover and savior of my soul, have mercy on me!

More Faith!

2009-05-19T06:46:00.003-05:00

There was once a young man who went to Calcutta India to work with Mother Teresa and her incredible sisters. This young man felt called to serve the poor and to answer Christ's call to love one another, as he has loved us. He was drawn to Mother, the sisters, and their incredible witness to Faith and true Christian Charity. After a couple weeks helping out in the streets and in the hospitals this young man was experiencing a great struggle about what to do with his life.

This state of confusion or doubt about our vocations and about how God is call us to serve him and his Church. And our reaction to such a state is probably similar to what this young man's was. He went to Mother and asked her (in a paraphrased form),

"Mother, please pray for me that I may know what God wants to do with my life. Pray that he will show me what I am supposed to do."

How many times I know I have prayed this prayer- asking God to show me (a burning bush would be great) what his desire for my life is. Yet, Mother's response was perhaps not exactly what he expected or even was hoping for. She told this young man, in a strong yet loving voice,

"I will not pray for you (that would have taken me aback!) that you may know what God wants you to do. But I will pray for you to have more faith! For that is what you need. More faith that you will accept whatever situations and persons that God puts in your life. It is not for us ask for clear signs, but we must only plead for more faith so that we may trust wholly in God."

When I first heard this story, I was really struck by it because it was not what I had expected. But, as I have continued to think about it and pray over it, I have come to see that this saintly woman struck at the hear of what our prayer must be. Our daily prayer must be for ever greater faith. That no matter what or who we confront each day we might approach it all with complete faith and trust in Jesus. For with utter faith and abandonment to God's will we are able to not longer worry about the future, but only accept it with trust in our heavenly Father. This is not easy, but that is why we need to pray! Everyday, every moment, for greater faith, leading to a sure hope and fervent love!

An Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy catholic Church teaches, because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive or be deceived. Amen.

On Notre Dame

2009-05-17T13:31:00.001-05:00

Well, the time has come. President Obama is set to give his commencement speech to the 2009 graduating class of the University of Notre Dame. A controversy from the get-go, Mr. Obama's presence in South Bend this weekend has caused quite a ruckus, indeed:

-77 bishops openly denounce the invitation by ND President, Rev. Jenkins

-Mary-Ann Glendon refuses to accept Laetare Medal

-Former candidate for president Alan Keyes is arrested for protesting at ND

-Abp. Burke of the Apostolic Signatura says invitation "is of the greatest scandal"

-$14 million of support is withdrawn by ND alumni

-Oh, and a graduation is tarnished, honestly, by both sides.

Yes, both sides. For one, the administration of Notre Dame has greatly disappointed Catholics in America. As a benchmark of American Catholicism, Notre Dame should have realized the outcome of such an invitation, or, realistically, should have had the prudence not to have invited the least pro-life president to speak at its commencement and receive an honorary degree. Sadly, such actions reflect a growing number of Catholic institutions which view their religious affiliation as more of a burden than a blessing, ever-trying to shirk their responsibility to uphold the teachings and Tradition of Holy Mother Church.

And the other side, the ones protesting off campus? Not much better, honestly. As graduates and their families drive up to campus to see the despicable display--pictures of bloody aborted children, signs damning Fr. Jenkins and Mr. Obama, and screaming fanatics being dragged away in hand cuffs--what will go through their minds? Unbelievable. Those loonies. Fundamentalists. Catholics.

I shudder every time I see such displays on the March for Life; in my humble opinion, this type of protesting only furthers hatred and stifles all dialogue. Such acts and chants ("Hey hey! Ho ho! Roe v. Wade has got to go!") are just nauseating to me; they detract from the simple witness and turn what should be a prayerful protest into a debacle plastered all over the network media. My praying of the Rosary is far more effective than a night in South Bend's jail, Mr. Keyes.

Thankfully there are some--like my mother's group--who won't be yelling at graduates or holding signs calling Fr. Jenkins the Devil. Instead they have gained entrance to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction was led by Bishop of Fort Wane-South Bend, Indiana, John Michael D'Arcy. Bishop D'Arcy has opposed the "circus-like" atmosphere mentioned above, saying that such demonstrations are "unseemly and unhelpful." Thank God for the witness of this bishop and these faithful Catholics! Their prayers will serve as the salve placed on the sores surrounding the campus today.

More than anything, folks, we need to pray as well. And, while I'm grateful that you took the time to read my rather obvious reflections on Notre Dame's commencement exercises, I hope you will join me in asking the Notre Dame to intercede for us, that we all--choice and life alike--may be more attuned to Christ's will. A great change is needed indeed, one that must reach far beyond the plush lawns of our universities; it must dwell within our hearts as well.

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete."

-John 15:11, from today's Gospel.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Lechlitner, Wiki Commons

Flannery on Why I'm Not a Novelist

2009-05-16T08:41:00.004-05:00

A quick post today (wedding, etc.) from an essay by Flannery O'Connor in a collection of her essays entitled Mystery and Manners. The following passage reminded me, as the title of the post suggests, why I'm not a novelist:

"I collect articles from the Catholic press on the failures of the Catholic novelist, and recently in one of them I came upon this typical sentence: Why not a positive novel based on the Church's fight for social justice, or the liturgical revival, or life in a seminary?

I take it that if seminarians began to write novels about life in the seminary, there would soon be several less seminarians...." -195

Amen, Flannery. What we need is for more Catholics to become novelists, to challenge the status quo which has crept into the "New Fiction" section of our local bookstores. There are many already, and I thank them. But, where's our generation's Flannery? Or Evelyn Waugh? Where's the modern-day Brideshead Revisited?

As much as I would love to write the next great Catholic novel, I wouldn't know where to begin. Besides, it's not my calling. I've been called to save souls in another way.

I desist. But I don't think that Flannery would mind about blogging, if she were here to tell us. Our little ministry has, as of now, been a more of a blessing than a hindrance. Others, too, have said the same. As long as our grades, humility, and fingers keep up, we'll continue to blog about "life in the seminary" and much much more. Just no novels!

Peace.

Little Wisdom

2009-05-15T06:38:00.007-05:00

Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, was father general of the Society of Jesus from 1965-1983. His memory remains strong within the Society. I have yet to visit a Jesuit residence that does not have have a picture of Arrupe hanging somewhere in the building. Even though his leadership was marked with some turbulent years within the Church, Society, and world, Arrupe is still known among Jesuits for his dynamic yet humble spirit. I share with you today probably his most famous quote. I think it contains some great advice for discernment...

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend you weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

I have had the pleasure to meet many young people the past few years who are seriously discerning their vocation. These young women and men aren't spending their time discerning for better money, security, or credentials. They are discerning, in my humble experience, because they have tasted love in one way or another; after tasting it, they desire more. The artificial love that is so prevalent in our culture just won't satisfy them anymore. Neckties, PS3s, Kenwood speakers, season football tickets, and even volunteerism won't work to fill the hunger. Those things are all nice in their own way, but what do they mean to a person once he has tasted love--once he has been part of a life-changing retreat, adoration hour, relationship, mission trip, or Mass?

Over time talking with these people and looking into my own vocation, I have begun to accept the maxim that "the design is in the details." Our vocations are obviously "big deals" and as such they are hard to fully grasp within our spiritual field of view. Trying to fit something way too big into our heads can be frustrating. However, we can very often see best God's desires by looking to the details of our lives. We see our callings by openly and generously looking to "what you are in love with, what seizes your imagination" with the full confidence that it really will affect everything.

Where did I go today? What did I watch? What made me laugh? What pissed me off? With whom did I talk? What did I hope for? These questions can become boring and repetitive, but after a while they start creating a mosaic of God's plan for our lives. Every once in a while if we look back, to our surprise we realize that there actually was (and continues to be) a plan to this life. God really is using me and wants me for more.

The other day I was exhausted playing with kids at the parish orphanage. I tried hiding at a picnic table a while from the kids to get a couple minutes of quiet. The only problem is that kids have some kind of honing device implanted into their heads that allow them to always track you out. Four year old, Juan Pablo (yes, named in honor of John Paul II) was the first to come over to the table.

"Hey, buddy. What are you here for?"

"mmmmm...."

Knowing he's named for the pope, he always makes me think of the Mass.

"Are you here for the Mass?" I smile and ask.

"¡Sí!" He shouts back in joy to my surprise. I can't help but laugh.

"Okay, Juan Pablo, let's start."

"In the name of the fadder, and of da son, and of da howy spiwit. amen!"

"Very good. Now let's sing a song, okay?"

"Wait, Padre, wait! I have leaves." Juan Pablo proceeds to take out two leaves hidden somewhere under his shirt and place them sticking up on the table.

"Leaves? For what?"

"For Jesús! The big one is for him!"

"Oh. I see. And the little one?"

"For María!"

By this time three other four-year-olds had circled around the table with their own gifts of sand, broken toy wheels, and plastic tea cups found around the yard to be used as "gifts for the Mass."

"Juan Pablo, this is perfect. Thank you."

"Okay, Padre, let's go to the Mass, now."

"Okay, Pablo, let's go."

That "Mass," all theological and liturgical critiques aside, was the highlight of my day. Maybe my week. I told everyone here in town about it. It blew me away that a four year old could connect a certain reverence with the Mass and lead others to the same.

PHOTO CREDIT, Company Magazine, vol. 181

Replacing No. 12

2009-05-14T05:03:00.001-05:00

There, in the midst of around one hundred twenty people. Peter stood up and addressed all present. It had come to his attention that there should be a replacement for Judas Iscariot, the one who had betrayed Jesus, leading to His Crucifixion. Remembering the deeds of Judas and his subsequent suicide Peter quoted the Psalmist in hopes that the prophecy might be fulfilled:

"'Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.' And: 'May another take his office.'" (Psalm 69:25, quoted in Acts 1:20).

That other was Matthias, one who had been with Jesus from the beginning, and, according to the qualifications Peter requires in Acts 1, was also present when Jesus appeared to them at the time of His Resurrection.

In a homily on the Acts of the Apostles, St. John Chrysostom has this to say about the call of Matthias:

"And they all prayed together, saying: You Lord, know the hears of men; make your choice known to us. You, not we. Appropriately they said that he knew the hearts of men, because the choice was to be made by him, not by others."

In the decision to select the next apostle, the disciples fully relied on signs from God as to whom they should choose. How fitting it is, then, that Matthias' name means "Gift of Yahweh" in Hebrew!

Matthias is an important saint for all of us because of his call to join the eleven in the task of evangelization. We, too, have been chosen by God to spread the love of Christ to all nations, to everyone we meet. We meet the qualifications through our Baptism; we have been with Christ from the beginning, and know full well of His triumphant rising on the third day. Ever-dependent on Him to guide us to know His will, we eagerly unite ourselves to the faithful followers, who perform works of love in His name!

This may sound daunting, but it can be so simple as well. Can't such evangelization begin with a smile to a stranger, or a waving in for the guy who's already half-way in your lane on the road? By starting small, we can slowly lead others to feel the same joy we experience, the Resurrected Christ within our midst.

May St. Matthias be an example for us as we march forth as members of Christ's glorious Church!

Our Lady of Fatima

2009-05-13T06:59:00.006-05:00

On this day in 1917 three young children were pasturing their sheep in a depression on a hill called the Cova da Iria, and before them appeared a lady dressed in white, shining brighter than the sun, giving out rays of clear and intense light. She said to them "Please do not be afraid of me, I am not going to hurt you." One of the three children, named Lucia, asked this beautiful lady where she came from, and the lady replied, "I come from Heaven."

The Lady wore a pure white mantle, edged with gold and which fell to her feet. In her hands the beads of a rosary shone like stars, with its crucifix the most radiant gem of all. Still, the young girl Lucia felt no fear. The Lady's presence produced in her only gladness and confident joy. "And what do you want of me?" Lucia asked.

The Lady replied, "I want you to return here on the thirteenth of each month for the next six months, and at the very same hour. Later I shall tell you who I am, and what it is that I most desire. And I shall return here yet a seventh time."

This was the beginning of a series of apparitions by this Lady in White whom we now know as Our Lady of Fatima.

The Blessed Mother kept her promise to these three amazing children, Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, and continued to appear to them over the next six months until the last apparition on 17 October 1917. In these visits Mary told the children many things, but the central message which she emphasized was the power of Mary's intercession especially through the praying of the Rosary.

Mary told the children in her first visit, "Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war." She wanted to remind the world that our prayers to Mary and her Immaculate Heart are the a sure and effective way to bring God's Kingdom to Earth. She especially promised that through the faithful daily recitation of the Rosary many souls would be saved and peace in the world would be accomplished.

She even revealed to the children, in the second apparition, a new prayer which has become a nearly universal part of the Holy Rosary: Mary said, "I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. And after each one of the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in this way: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins , save us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need."

As we celebrate this feast in honor of our Blessed Mother Mary, let us make a commitment to consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart and to the faithful praying of her powerful Rosary. I know that it can seem like a difficult practice to begin, because our days are so busy, so full of work and commitments. But, as our world gets darker and darker, we need the help and intercession of Mary, especially under her title of Our Lady of Fatima. We all can find fifteen minutes in a day- even if it is spread out in the day, one decade at a time- to pray to our Mother Mary and her Immaculate Heart for our own salvation, and the salvation of all people!

Let us keep before our minds this day, and all days some of the words which Mary told Lucia some 90 years ago when she asked, "But Mother, must I be alone in this world?":

"Not alone, my child, and you must not be sad. I will be with you always, and my Immaculate Heart will be your comfort and the way which will lead you to God."

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for Us!

(For more information on Mary's Message at Fatima look here)

Just a Drop in the Bucket

2009-05-12T06:21:00.003-05:00

"I lay there watching moonlight poor through the crack of the ill-fitted door as everyone drifted to sleep. ...Odors of the night and the autumn and the swamp entered to mingle with the indoor odors of children, kerosene, cold beans, urine and the dead incense of pine ashes. The rots and freshness combined into a strange fragrance--the smell of poverty. For a moment I knew the subtle joys of misery." --John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me

The injustice here in Honduras, like that in any developing nation, is like a slow drip filling a bucket. A starving and flee-ridden child. A home for a family of five made of cardboard and mud. A husband who openly cheats on his wife. An alcoholic man roaming the town square who no one, myself included, has the courage to help. The overweight corrupt government official with his head held high in the air, ignoring the problems surrounding him. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Trying to rationalize it, each isolated event can offer a reasonable excuse. I, and many others throughout the world, say "It's not that bad. He will change. It's just the way things are here." Each isolated event, to a certain extent, can also be romanticized or ignored. But eventually the messiness of life becomes too much, too real. Eventually the bucket fills up. The harsh realities of the world in which I live come pouring into my conscience. Something has to be addressed.

So how will I respond?

My time here in Honduras has taught me a lot about my vocation, things very practical and very basic, but no less valuable. Much like John Howard Griffn, I have been cast into a new world, impoverished in many ways. I have tasted, however briefly, the "subtle joys of misery." There is nothing attractive or romantic about misery or poverty, but, ironically enough, Christ chose misery and pain as his entry into the world. Because of this, we know love. We know joy.

So, how do I respond? I open my heart to the pain of the world so that suffering may know love. What I know of Christ, intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally, I will give over to the world as to ¨set it ablaze¨ with faith, love, and hope. This is the task and love of a person in religious life. In no way am I qualified to do this, nor perfect at it. God knows how often I mess up and take the easy way out. I, like all, am a sinner simply trying to "get it right" in this world.

Yet, I trust that God still wishes to use me. He wishes to use all of us. As a Church, we are sinners called to serve the Lord our God. This is our universal vocation: to spread the Gospel, live in the Sacraments, and practice charity in all we do. In this we will pray without ceasing. We will know that amidst injustice, hatred, and sin, that God is love and wishes us to live with Him forever in that most radical love. This is to know the true "subtle joys of misery."

Don't be led astray

either by the allure of power and money

or by following false ideologies.

True hope is not found in either.

True hope is not found

in a revolution of violence and bloodshed,

and hope is not found in money or power--

neither on the left nor on the right.

The hope that we must account for

and that makes us speak with valor

is found in Christ, who reigns even after death.

And with Him reign all who have preached

His justice, His love, His hope, His peace.

--Archbishop Oscar Romero

Wedding Banns, God's Providence

2009-05-11T06:42:00.009-05:00

Today marks my parents' 24th wedding anniversary, the day in which they professed their love for one another, a love rooted in their love for God and for His will for their lives. God's providence was visibly present in the years leading up to their marriage in May, 1985; I'd like to share this story of providence as I've heard it on anniversaries past...

Providence is a wonderful place to start this tale; Providence College, that is. As a senior in suburban Boston, my father wanted to experience life away from the insanity which is the MBTA and the parking lots which are its roads and freeways. And so he looked to Providence for his next four years of education, and hoped to room with a good friend. All was set and ready to go--until his friend wasn't accepted. As providence would have it, my dad was not supposed to go to Providence; he settled on a Jesuit school even farther away from home. It was there that he met my mother.

If you think that's the end of the post, well, clearly you've underestimated God's sense of humor! Let's continue, shall we?

My mom, a year older than my father, had just started her sophomore year when my father arrived, strong accent-and-all. As handsome as my father is (I've been graced with his good looks), my mom didn't even notice the short Irishman; when she wasn't pouring through nursing books or immersed in clinical sessions she was dating a senior from Cleveland. His name comes up every now and then at the dinner table, causing my mom to laugh and my dad to mumble inaudibles into his food. Still, it's quite clear who she picked in the end...

As fate--or God--would have it, my parents did not date while they were in college. They weren't strangers or even mere acquaintances; they actually knew each other. Heck, my dad's even in the pictures of a party my mom threw at her house! Still, their love was not meant to be...yet. In the spring of '79 my mom graduated and went off to become an obstetrics nurse; my father received a bachelor's in business a year later. He returned to Bean Town to start work at a corporation downtown, greatly diminishing any chance of seeing his future spouse ever again.

Two years later, after becoming a manager of the hospital where she worked, my mom decided that she would return to school for a Master's degree. When, again, she felt she should study towards a second Master's, she looked at programs across the country. Boston College seemed to be the program which offered her the best opportunities. Clearly there was more in store than she had anticipated...

Next scene: A crowded subway train headed into Boston. My dad, four years older, was back to riding the train again, this time wearing a suit. My mom's best friend--who had also moved out to Boston--happened to be on the same train. Shouts of astonishment echoed through their car as the two caught up on life; my mom's friend mentioned how my mom was in town as well. Flabbergasted at how small the world can be, my dad offered to show the two of them around town. The rest, as they say, is history.

I like to tell the story of my parents when people tell me that they're unsure whether God is immediate, that He's concerned with our seemingly stale happenings. Not so! God not only cares immensely about our lives, but prompts and guides us through His providence to make the right decisions. Why my dad didn't go to law school, why my mom didn't go elsewhere for grad school, or even why they decided not to move to California shortly after marriage are all rooted in His plan, His desire for us to be happy and love and serve Him all the more. If we allow Him to dwell within our hearts, He will most certainly lead us to the past which is best. All we have to do is say "I do!"

My thoughts and prayers, Mom and Dad, on your anniversary!

PHOTO CREDIT

As a Child Rests in His Mother's Arms

2009-05-10T06:52:00.002-05:00

As a child rests in his mother's arms, even so my soul. Psalm 131

I've found it very difficult to make this post. Time and time again I've tried to draft a post which captures the beauty of Mother's Day, but I keep falling short. I even tried to pawn it off on Paul and Andrew, though I knew I shouldn't have. I'm glad I get Mother's Day, though. What I have to say may fall short, but then again I never think anyone can fully express how meaningful this day can be.

First and foremost, I have to say: I love my mother. I mean it. She has been my constant guide these twenty-three years, so much so that I often take her for granted. She is everything that a mother should be, and much much more. Here's but a glimpse at the different roles she takes on:

Bread-winner, cook and counselor, teacher and tick-remover, humanist and humorist, color-commentator and chauffeur, scout leader and room-mother, nurse and nanny, maid, judge, movie companion, and open-ear. My confidant, my friend, my role-model. My mom.

We love to talk about my mom's mother, too. I've had the chance to speak of her before; she meant so much to my mom as she was growing up, and well into her "grown-up" years. Looking back she marvels at how her mother, an only parent, managed not only to raise and provide for three kids, but look after her ailing parents and keep a full-time job as well. "We never felt as though we were without anything," Mom says. "She did it all and never complained." It's hard for some people to picture someone being so selfless; most mothers understand entirely. "I would do anything for my children," they proclaim.

Those that do understand can relate to our Blessed Mother, too; she certainly bore a tremendous burden as the Theotokos, or God-Bearer. As her child rest in her arms after dying on the Cross for our sins, the words that Simeon spoke to her at the Presentation came rushing back to her: And your heart, too, a lance shall pierce (Luke 2:35). How our mothers are so united with us in the midst of our hardships! They are there for us always!

...And have been since the beginning of our lives. To think that, from the moment of conception, we are united to our mothers--and are utterly dependent upon them for our survival! Oh with what profundity must a mother contemplate her gift of motherhood: within her womb rests her child, unaware of the love which he has already begun to receive. It is always so captivating to see a mother looking off into the distance as her child moves within her. For nine months there is an intimacy which exists like none other.

And, as one monumental sign of the unconditional love that a mother shows for her child, she undergoes excruciating labor pains to bring this love of hers into the world. I will never know of this sacrifice and suffering out of such love and self-giving; it is uniquely a mother's. And I am a recipient of such love.

The least I can do is buy my mom flowers, especially after 32 hours of labor, not to mention the labor of the past 23 years! And yet she does it all without seeking retribution, all in the name of love. How fitting our mothers are, then, as models of the unceasing love which God gives to us, without reserve. Our mothers lead us to know our Creator, and show us how to follow Him.

That's about as best as I can describe my love for my mother; she leads me to God. She has been with me on the road to my vocation, always guiding and supporting me. Tradition holds that the mother of a priest approaches her particular judgment before God, He asks her, "And what have you done for the sake of my Kingdom?" She replies, "I have given you a priest." Surely such love does not go unnoticed by God, the One True Priest.

Mothers. What a blessing!

My prayers for all mothers on this special day. Thank you for the love you give unceasingly to your sons and daughters! May God continue to bless you in your most treasured vocation!

Our Mass in Christ

2009-05-09T05:55:00.002-05:00

There have been several times when Peter, Paul or I have perhaps referred to the idea of "offering it up" or "uniting our lives and our trials to Christ." However, I don't think any of us have ever attempted to explain what exactly this idea entails or what it means. I know that I had no conception of offering things up until a few years ago. But the more that I have come to understand it- and sought to put it into practice in my daily life- the more I have come to see it as so essential to our holiness and our lives as Catholics.

This idea of offering things up is intrinsically tied up with the Mass. In the Mass, Jesus' perfect offering, his sacrifice on the Cross, is re-presented, offered again in an unbloody (thank goodness) manner on the altar. This sacrificial offering of the Mass the the fountain from which grace flows. However, the Sacrifice in the Mass is not just something Christ does. He invites us, indeed he calls each of us, to unite our whole lives to his sacrifice. He asks us to love as he loves, to place all our talents, all our trials, all our minds, wills, hearts- indeed every ounce of our being to be united with His total self gift. He invites us to give as he gave- with everything we have. And when we do this, he pours out his Holy Spirit into our hearts, and he transforms our hearts in to the image of his perfect heart. But the important thing about this uniting ourselves to Christ's offering is that it is not something that stays in Church, or that we do for just an hour each week. It is rather must become the whole pattern of our lives- our every action should be united in a offering to God the Father out of love!

With my two cents put in, I now offer you a little meditation and prayer which I found to be quite beautiful and which penetrates into the heart of this whole matter:

Our Mass in Christ

Thou, O Jesus, are my Victim of love on the Cross and in the Mass. I must learn, as a living member of your Mystical Body, to offer myself each day and every hour in union with Thee in the Mass.
Souls are saved by sacrifice. The one great sacrifice in all the world is Your Sacrifice, the Mass. Only insofar as my life belongs to the Mass and becomes a life of Sacrifice with thee, will it be of value for the salvation of souls, including my own.
In union with You, O Jesus, I offer all that I shall think, say, do, suffer, or enjoy this day, so that all may be purified and sanctified in You.
In union with You, O Jesus, I stretch out my arms upon the cross, which is my day, with its sacrifices and offerings. I accept beforehand, in the spirit of docile surrender, all that You have arranged for me in the coming hours. And thus I shall try to incorporate into my life the doctrine so clearly emphasized by Saint Cyprian: "The Sacrifice of our Lord is not complete, as far as our sanctification is concerned, unless our sufferings and sacrifices correspond to His Passion."
In leaving the Chapel, O Jesus, I offer to You all the hours, and minutes, and seconds of this day. Today, I shall do everything in the spirit of sacrifice, of docile surrender and complete abandonment to Your adorable Will.
If I meet with suffering, disappointment, coldness, opposition, misunderstanding, ill-will, or with anything else that hurts or humiliates, I shall not complain but strive to recall: IT IS MY MASS.
I shall strive to keep the happy things holy, because they too belong to my Mass. All has been offered. May all be holy!
Today I shall try to live in the full realization of this great fact: The measure of spiritual profit which I derive from the Mass each day is precisely the measure in which I offer myself in union with thee, my Divine Victim, Jesus.
More clearly than ever before, O Jesus, do I now understand that my love is the measure of the cross that I bear with Thee, for Thee, and In Thee, whether it be great or small.

While this may seem old school, or just a bit odd with all this talk about sacrifice, it is really at the heart of what our Christian vocation is all about! Saint Paul tells the Romans (12:1) to offer their lives as spiritual sacrifices holy and acceptable to God our almighty Father! And Jesus himself often told the disciples that they would have to take up their crosses, DAILY, to follow Him. The greatest act of Jesus' life was when he gave his life for us- and he invites us to become one with him. We are able to share in his work of salvation, when we offer things us we win grace for ourselves, but also for others. Our lives truly become a means for the salvation of others!

This is not something just for priests or nuns or seminarians or saints. It is for all of us. We can all do this! We all must do this! It is the true meaning of our lives! To become one with Christ in his self-giving love, so that we may become one with him in his eternal beatitude- in eternal Life! It is a matter of each day offering our lives to him. " Jesus, I offer it all to you." A striving minute by minute to sanctify our actions and trials by giving them to him. It takes time to perfect, but if we persevere, and ask for the help of his Spirit and grace, we will be able to one day say with Saint Paul that "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)

I Thirst

2009-05-08T05:25:00.001-05:00

Last week I was hiking through the mountains visiting tiny rural villages with two local Church delegates. The scenery was gorgeous, the homes were humble, and the people were beautiful. As I went along I thought of Jesus' two-word sentence to Mother Teresa that became her order's famous line, "I thirst." Out of my basic desire for some water, it became my prayer for the four hour hike. However, as I went along its identity changed. It stopped becoming my prayer and started becoming Jesus'. Here's some of it...

I Thirst.

God, I am really thirsty. Why didn't I bring any water? Ten years of boy scouts and I forget to bring water!? Please don't let me dehydrate. May a kind stranger give me some water at their home.

I Thirst.

God, I am tired. My legs burn. How do these mountain people do it? Why do they want to live up here with nothing, no lights, no cars, no TV, no real education? God, I am tired, but open me up to these people's world. May they give me life.

I thirst.

I thirst to know you, Jesus. I have walked with you for a long time, and it always seems that I am learning something new. I thirst to see your face and to act as you act. I thirst for your mercy and for your strength. I thirst to be your face to the world.

I Thirst.

I thirst that these people know you. These villagers are a forgotten people. The government doesn't visit. The venders don't visit. The football teams don't visit. The Protestants don't visit. Just these few delegates and a priest every few months. I thirst that they know love.

I thirst.

I thirst for you, Paul. I thirst for you to go to these people to show them my love and to taste their love. I thirst for you to see me in their eyes. In their faces. In their need. I thirst for you to enter into my body, even here in the mountains.

I thirst.

I thirst for the Church. I thirst that they come to me on the cross. I thirst for their lives, their joys, accomplishments, and sins. I yearn that they be a church dependent on nothing but my love and grace for nothing is greater.

I thirst.

I thirst for the World. I thirst that they know me from the biggest cities to the farthest corners. I thirst that they know peace, generosity, and forgiveness. I yearn for them to see how sacred a human life is and how meaningful it becomes in society.

I Thirst.

I thirst for others to thirst with me. I thirst for women and men to answer my call to love and to serve. I thirst for holy priests and religious. I thirst for strong marriages and families. There is nothing greater a person can do than to lay one down's life for one's friend. I thirst for men and women to work along side me and stay with me amidst loneliness, rejection, and even death. I thirst for them because I want them to see the joy and love that will come.

Our Lady of the Gift Shop--An Ode to Mary

2009-05-07T05:56:00.001-05:00

As I looked around the town, all I saw were white cowboy hats, dusty F-250s, rusted out oil wells, and the stereotypical tumbleweed blowing down the road. Somewhere between the cowboy hats and the tumbleweeds I knew it was certain: This is Texas. This exact time last year I was stranded in a town called Midland, TX, with just over four dollars in my dirty old pocket. I had arrived via greyhound in search of a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe that I read about in some book. This was all part of my 30-day pilgrimage--something that every Jesuit does as a novice. I arrived right at sunset. With no contacts or churches to fall back on, I resorted to spending my first (and only) night in Midland sleeping in a ditch. As I attempted without success to fall asleep on a pile of mulch, thoughts of the previous 16 days went through my head. I was happy for my joy, proud of my successes, ashamed of my failures, but most of all, worn out from living as a nomadic beggar. The next morning, roaming through the dusty streets, I encountered a group of Catholic women who generously offered me breakfast and pointed me toward the shrine.

I arrived early and had the shrine all to myself; not a soul sat in the giant outdoor amphitheater. For a couple of hours, I felt as if the it was all mine. In a way, I felt as if I had Mary's full ear. Not having had much privacy the previous two weeks, I took full advantage. Plopping myself down in the middle of the bleachers, I took off my boots after wearing them for a day and a half, and pulled out my rosary beads. Too tired to pray anything else, I simply prayed the mysteries of the rosary. The Annunciation, the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Eucharist, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Pentecost. Praying with Mary, I prayed more intimately to Christ. Though exhausted, the prayer was rich. Moreover, reviewing my life as a pilgrim and as a Jesuit, I could notice my life had been full of these mysteries all along. My life and all of our lives are constantly filled with these mysteries made manifest through the love of Christ and power of the Holy Spirit.

Even though I was all but broke, with nothing on the agenda for that day I headed over to the gift shop (Just between me and my readers, I have a secret love for Catholic gift shops. There's an unexplainable joy that I get from walking amid laminated holy cards, porcelain statues, leather Bible covers, and holy water bottles, all with the Chant CD playing in the background). I walked around the closet-sized store, discretely checking out prices of random trinkets, and wondering why anyone needed to buy the "liturgical incense for home use" on sale at the register.

Then something caught my eye. A whole shelf full of miniature statues of the famous Pieta (see photo above) originally done by Michelangelo in 1499. The Pieta said it all for me about Mary that day. Through everything, Mary was there for her son: His birth, His childhood, His ministry, death, burial, and glorious Resurrection. Through all of her life, and now in heaven, she always has had her Son on her mind and heart. As such, there were times in Nazareth she stayed up worrying all night. There were times she laughed all through a meal with her Son. There were times she cried all day long. And there were times when she said "Thank You" to God all morning long. To this day, Mary remains faithful to the fruit of her womb, Jesus, and has yet to leave His side.

To know Mary's heart is to know Jesus' life. Jesus was Mary's life. It was the most important thing for her. As Christians, it should be the most important thing for us as well. However, we are sinners. We need some grace and good examples. The Holy Spirit supplies the grace and our Holy Mother supplies the examples. As a novice, when I wonder how am I going to do this whole religious life thing, I turn to Mary. I have come to trust and to love her. I ask her in prayer to place me with her Son. That I may rest with her Son like in the Pieta after not having quivered from accepting my cross nor spreading the good news.

Back in the gift shop, contrary to my frugal personality, I took two of my four dollar bills and purchased two of those cheap little Pieta statues. I gave one to my mother for Mother's day last year and kept the other for myself. It goes with me to whatever city I travel to remind me that no matter where I go, what happens, or how bad I mess up, I will always have the love of Mary and the mercy of her Son, Jesus. What a good purchase!

Mary, you are awesome, humble, kind, loyal, and generous. We ask you to pray that we may serve this world with Jesus so that we may live in the next world with Him and all the saints. Amen.

A Meaningless Mocha

2009-05-06T05:36:00.005-05:00

One of my professors once attended a respect-life conference to hear various talks and conferences. As she was walking around the many different booths, a woman approached her, smiled, and said, "You don't remember me, do you?" Instead of pretending, she humbly admitted, "I'm sorry, you look very familiar, but I don't remember." The woman smiled and told my professor how they had first met.

Years prior to the conference, both women were asked to be a part of a panel for reproductive health convened by the state. My professor was one of the representatives of the pro-life cause, whereas her acquaintance was a strong advocate for the pro-choice, pro-abortion--what have you--coalition. As you can imagine, the sessions were somewhat tense, the issues at hand being far more than simple talking points. At the end of the meetings the assembly split and went their separate ways; while there were never any open hostilities, the environment was not the most cheery.

During one of the breaks, my professor asked a few of the pro-choice representatives whether they would like a coffee from the shop nearby. Some declined outright, while two or three looked up and, while startled by the kindness shown to them by someone of an entirely different belief concerning one of the world's hotly-contested issues, told her their order. When the sessions began again, the woman who came up to my professor, now with warm coffee in hand, was still reflecting on the kindness shown to her. She was so affected that, years later, she had come to the respect-life conference not as an opponent, but as one dedicated to the defense of all human life. All because of a few kind words and a meaningless mocha...

I love this story, and not just because it involves coffee. It shows us that if we're willing, we can evangelize through the most menial tasks if we do them with love. People, like the woman at the conference, can't help but be curious at what makes us tick, "What makes them so happy, so thoughtful?" To satisfy their curiosity, they'll spend a little time researching or what not until they eventually convert or "change sides" as the woman put it. Invitations can lead to a change of ideologies, but can also lead to a change of heart, hopefully towards Jesus' Heart.

This challenge ties in nicely with today's Gospel as well; Jesus tells us: "I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness." It is our duty as followers in this light to extend it to our brothers and sisters in darkness. We must do whatever we can to bring them closer to our Light and our Love!

Maybe the mocha wasn't so meaningless after all!

A Cool Website

2009-05-05T11:33:00.004-05:00

The Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus has recently created a very well done website on discernment and the Jesuit vocation. It is for anyone and everyone. While much of the material is for young men discerning a vocation to the Society of Jesus, there's also a lot of material for family, friends, curious bystanders, and other Catholics discerning a vocation. If you have some time, give this website a visit.

http://www.nwjesuits.info/

My continued prayers. Blessings.

peace.
Paul

Dream the Impossible Dream

2009-05-05T05:50:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't just a filler post since the three of us are swamped with end-of-the-year papers, tests, and missionary work. I've actually been waiting to post this great video for some time, and hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

The clip takes an interesting spin on the Man of La Mancha, using one of the musical's most beautiful songs and applies it to the life of Servant of God, John Paul II. While the video isn't the best made on such a tremendous Witness to Hope, parts of this clip fit so poignantly into the great zeal of this pope, who fulfilled his quest in the name of Jesus, so that "my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest."

It's a fitting video for Cinco de Mayo, too!

Anywho, enjoy the video, and pray for Andrew, Paul, and me as we finish up our year of studies!

Scandals and Vocations

2009-05-04T05:47:00.003-05:00

I had just finished my final lap of a work out during track practice that Wednesday in April, 2002, when my coach came up to me. "Hey," I gasped, still short of breath. Coach had a grim look on his face; he said there was a really important meeting about the pro-life trip that he wanted me to attend in a few minutes. Unsure about what was going on, I showered and headed up to my high school's conference room. Once inside, our pro-life moderator told us that the priest who had been on our bus had just been arrested on charges of sexual abuse. We were devastated.

I had known this priest pretty well. Brilliant, funny, holy, with a warm smile; this priest was "cool." Honestly, we all wanted to be like him. His joy for the priesthood was one of the reasons why I kept thinking about the being a priest, why I kept discerning. Father encouraged me in my discernment, even getting me an adult catechism and wrote a message on the inside cover, "Never stop asking questions! May God fill you with His ultimate Truth!" Upon learning of this betrayal, the questions rushed into my brain:

Why, God? Why Father?

I had to answer some of the questions, too. First, at that meeting at the conference room, I decisively stated that in no way had Father ever harmed me (they were particularly worried since I had known Father through discernment groups). Secondly, I assured my parents that this priest whom I had revered had done nothing to me nor to any of my friends that would lead me to ever suspect him of such heinous deeds. It turned out that the charges brought against him stemmed from incidents seven years previous to his arrest. Still, the betrayal made me angry and sad all at once. We listened in silence to the radio reports on the forty-minute ride home.

My parents, amazing as they are, let me sit with the news for a while. Eventually I came to them with my questions: why had I been fooled by this wolf in sheep's--or priest's--clothing? How could someone be capable of such evil? With compassion and respect for the priesthood they talked with me about sin and evil, and explained that all the good that Father had done in recent years was not negated by actions in the past, egregious as they were. While their words didn't take Father's mug shot off the local news, it did ease my pain. Once more I opened the cover to that adult catechism and read his wishes for me:

Never stop asking questions! May God fill you with His ultimate Truth!

As the sexual abuse scandal came into the fore of our Stateside Church in the following months, my discernment of the diocesan priesthood intensified. People who knew that I was thinking about the seminary after high school asked me, "Do you still feel called?" Or, more blatantly, "Do the scandals make you rethink your vocation?" My response was simple: "No, it makes me want to be a priest more than ever. We need priests, and I think God's calling me to be one."

I look back on those few months in the Spring of 2002 and realize that they are pivotal in my vocation to the priesthood. To see priests as humans, capable both of failure and great good, made me realize how dependent I have to be on Jesus Christ if I am ever going to be a holy shepherd. Also, while I lost a great role model to the abuse scandal, I have come to know many priests who, in spite of the sins of some of their brothers, keep ministering to the people of God and invite them into God's loving arms. These priests continue the good work Father had begun; they still continue to challenge me to seek God's ultimate Truth.

In the midst of darkness, God's light will shine as brilliantly as before. We must continue to seek His Truth, even when those who had guided us before have gone or have betrayed our trust, or worse. Hopefully our Church will continue as before, ever mindful of the wounds inflicted on the innocent, aware of the need to screen and effectively train its priests, religious, and laity, and full of resolve to preach God's unending love and tremendous mercy! What a blessing to be called to such a vocation!

For Truth's Sake

2009-05-02T08:59:00.003-05:00

The world we live in is one in which the truth about human life and dignity is daily questioned if not denied. It is a world in which the "true" is based upon majority opinion that is here today and gone tomorrow. It is, sadly, a world in which many self-proclaimed members of the Church,which is supposed to be "The Pillar and Bulwark of Truth"(1 Tim 3:15), are unwilling to stand up and defend the truths about God and his creation. In a world such as this, today's saint stands as a light shining in the darkness, and a hero whom we can seek to imitate.

Saint Athanasius, who lived from 296-373, is known as the "Father of Orthodoxy." During his life time there was a vicious heresy that was spreading all across the Christian Mediterranean- Arianism. This was a heretical sect founded by a Arius, a priest from Alexandria, which denied that Jesus was really God! These ideas were devastating because if Jesus is not God, then our faith is utterly vain! This sect was not just a small pocket of rebels, rather quite nearly all of Christendom had fallen into some type of Arianism or Semi-Arianism!

However, in the midst of this mileau, in which the true faith was being distorted by a new fad that had appeared, Athanasisus- then only a deacon-stood strong in proclaiming, unequivocally and without apology the truth of who Jesus Christ really is. He said, in his Oratio de incarnatione Verbi,

The Word of God, incorporeal, incorruptible, and immaterial, entered our world. Out of his loving kindness for us he came to us, and we see this in the way he revealed himself openly to us. taking pity on mankind's weakness, and moved by our corruption, he could not stand aside and see death have the mastery over us; he did not want creation to perish and his Father's work in fashioning man to be in vain. He therefore took to himself a body, no different from our own. Within the Virgin he built himself a temple, that is, a body; he made it his own instrument in which to dwell and to reveal himself. In this way he received from mankind a body like our own, and since all were subject to the corruption of death, he delivered this body over to death for all, and with supreme love offered it to the Father. He did so to destroy the law of corruption passed against men, since all died in him. In death the Word made a spotless sacrifice and oblation of the body he had taken. By dying for others, he immediately banished death from mankind.
In this way the Word of God, who is above all, dedicated and offered his temple, the instrument that was his body, for us all, as he said, and so paid by his own death the debt that was owed. The immortal Son of God, united with all men by likeness of nature, thus fulfilled all justice in restoring mankind to immortality by the promise of the resurrection.

He was unafraid to stand in the truth, even though many other bishops, priests, and faithful were abandoning it. Thanks be to God that in 325 the Council of Nicaea, with Athanasius' help, the disputes were settled, and the truth was triumphant. Jesus' nature was proclaimed- 100% Human and 100% Divine!

Athanasius' strength, his love for the truth, and his profound holiness are all examples for us in today's world. We can, and must, look to and pray to this holy saint, and all his confreres in heaven to aid us in our daily battle to proclaim the truth of Jesus' Christ! The same today, yesterday and forever!

Lessons from the Workshop

2009-05-01T15:31:00.000-05:00

As you may have seen on the news, today is the International Day for Workers. Started in previously communist Russia, in many countries today, the holiday serves as a day for protests and marches against (or for) anything and everything. With a desire to better orient the day as well as celebrate it within the faith, in 1955 the Church declared May 1 to be the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. My Daily Roman Missal had this to say about today's feast, "The Church remembers today, through the example of St. Joseph, the human and supernatural worth of our work, which is collaboration with the God of creation. Work is not a heavy burden, but rather a natural way of making ourselves and others holier, bringing us closer to perfection and the love of God each and every day."

Even though very little is known about St. Joseph, we can create a certain idea of him from the things written about him or referring to him in the Gospel. In the Gospel for today's feast, Jesus speaks amazing words of wisdom in the synagogue at Nazareth. However, the proud Pharisee's ask, "Where did this man [Jesus] get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son?" (Mt 13:54-55). Though Jesus clearly spoke the truth of the scriptures, because he was the son of a carpenter, he was discredited. After all, what things of God can a boy learn by spending his days in a dusty workshop with a carpenter? Plenty....

1. "An hour of Prep saves two hours of work."

In whatever you do, pray first. If we do not pray, we do not know God's love and graces at work in our lives. If we cannot see his love and grace, our work is frivolous and trivial. It becomes nothing more than frustrating busy work. Prayer keeps our actions focused on what is important: those we serve, our families, our health, or communities, and ultimately, God.

2. "Measure twice. Cut once."

It never hurts to take a second look at your surroundings. Images, ideas, and sounds come at light speed in today's media. We are affected by the people and things with which we spend out time. Our emotions and thoughts are always running. Therefore, we must continually measure ourselves: why am I doing what I am doing? Is it for God? Is it to better His world? Are my actions corresponding with the beliefs of my faith, the Church, and my loved ones? When we stop examining ourselves we start becoming someone we don't know or don't want to be.

3. "Always finish what you started."

If anyone in this world is a model of loyalty, it is St. Joseph. He stuck by the Virgin Mary when, proper to the custom, anyone else would have divorced her. Under short warning he took his new family all the way to Egypt as a refugee so that Mary's son would not be harmed. He took them to the temple to present themselves to the Lord, and took them into his home. Even though he never had to, Joseph made Mary and Jesus his whole life. He stuck with them until the end. And how rare is that for us today? How many marriages end up in divorce? How many vocations go unanswered because of the daunting task of commitment? It's my humble opinion that our culture, especially us young folks, have a phobia towards commitment. We are worried by uncertainties. What's going to happen? What am I gonna get out of it? Joseph and millions of other saints, parents, priests, and religious had (and continue to have) the same questions, but they stuck with what God asked of them. In the words of JPII, "Be not afraid." Answer God's call and stick with it. There will be some very very hard days and months, but they won't even touch the joy that comes from a life dedicated to God.

I would like to end with a saying about St. Joseph on a holy card I got from an old Dominican brother. It's very simple, but a great inspiration to me.

At times Joseph,

like so many,

was a refugee

without home,

welcome, or work.

So, what he could do, he did.

It made all the difference.

A Photo Report

2009-04-29T18:42:00.017-05:00

I was trying to think of a creative way to describe life for a novice here in Honduras. At the same time I was uploading some of my 162 pictures to the computer. Then it dawned on me, Paul, just put up some photos. As the cliche goes, a picture speaks a thousand words. That being said, I have also decided to put a few captions underneath to give the viewer some context. Enjoy and may God bless you in your mission!

Above, Hondurans and Americans work together to finish the floor of a village´s chapel.

Above is the facade of St. Peter´s Catholic grade school in southern Belize. The Jesuits are in charge of almost all the education in the Belizian state of Toledo.

Above, Honduran youth work to finish their ¨alfombra,¨ or carpet, which was one of many decorating the streets during the four Holy Week processions.

Above, a Jesuit Father leads the crowd of a few hundred in the stations of the cross on the feast of Our Lord of Esquipulas (February 3).

Above, the crowd of hondurans carry the statue of Christ through the city on Good Friday stopping in 14 different barrios for each station.

A grandmother and her five grandchildren of which she has full responsibility. They live in a rural mountain village and make their living by weaving baskets. Amidst such poverty I was still greated with ¨La paz de Cristo, mi hermano.¨

A woman and her three children living in the same village as the family above. They invited me in to take a photo of them in front of their family shrine to Our Lord of Esquipulas.

Two Delegados de la Palabra whom I accompanied to different moutain villages. Here they are taking a break in front of the village´s chapel.

Above is the imposition of hands at the priestly ordination of a Central American Jesuit. The Mass was so well attended that it had to be held in the town square.

¨For me, Christ is life.¨ Enough said.

...Through Mary

2009-04-28T06:12:00.002-05:00

Today is the feast day of one of Mary's most devoted sons: Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort.

He was born in on the 31st of January 1673 in the small town of Montfort in Brittany. At the age of twelve he was sent to the Jesuit college of Saint Thomas Becket at Rennes, where he remained for eight years. The assurance that he was called to the priesthood came to him when he was praying before the statue of our Lady in the Carmelite church at Rennes, and unexpectedly an opportunity was offered to him to study in Paris. So at the age of twenty he set off for the capital, walking the whole 200 miles as an expression of the poverty he had joyfully embraced. He gave away all the money he had to beggars, as well as the new suit he had received. Then, kneeling down in the road, he resolved never to possess anything of his own but to rely entirely on the loving providence of his heavenly Father.

He began his studies at St. Sulpice and attended the University of Paris. Among many gifted and devout students, he was outstanding both for his intellectual abilities and for the holiness of his life.

After his ordination in 1700 his great desire was to go to the foreign missions, preferably to the new French colony of Canada, but his spiritual director advised against it, and he chose a life of missionary work in France.

All was not well with the French Church of his day. What especially troubled Fr. de Montfort was the lack of priests to minister to the people's needs, and the widespread ignorance of the faith. A short experience in the parishes caused him to write to his director"

"Seeing the needs of the Church, I cannot help praying continually for a small society of poor priests who, under the protection of the Virgin Mary, will go from parish to parish, instructing the poor in the faith, relying solely on divine providence".

That aim and desire remained with him throughout the years of his unceasing missionary work, as he walked from diocese to diocese. Because of his unconventional way of life, his outspoken condemnation of what was wrong, and his firm opposition to the erroneous doctrines of his day, he made many enemies. In fact, due to the intrigues of influential people, he was requested to leave more than one diocese and to carry on his ministry elsewhere.

On account of the disapproval he met in various places, he began to wonder whether he was following the path God wanted. For him there was only one way to find out. He would go to Rome and put the matter to the Holy Father himself.

As always, he travelled the thousand miles or so on foot, and on reaching Rome was able to have a private audience with the Pope. Clement Xl, having heard his difficulties, assured him his vocation lay in evangelising France, and commissioned him to continue his missionary work - to catechise the children, to instruct the poor in the knowledge of their faith, and to encourage people to renew their baptismal promises, but always to work under the guidance of the diocesan authorities.

He left the Holy Father, his mind at rest, and endowed with the title of Missionary Apostolic to give authority to his teaching. There were only sixteen years between his ordination to the priesthood and his death, but they were full years. He went from parish to parish renewing the Catholic life of the West of France, preaching and instructing, providing for the poor, teaching catechism, organizing the building of shrines, renovating broken-down churches, and establishing schools.

All this strenuous apostolic work, added to his long journeys always on foot, his unceasing penances, and an attempt on his life by poisoning - all took their toll of his sturdy constitution. In 1716, while preaching a mission in the village of St-Laurent-sur-Sevre, he became gravely ill. He struggled into the pulpit to give his last sermon, which was significantly on the kindness of Jesus.

In the afternoon of April 28th it became evident that death was near. He kissed the crucifix and the little statue of our Lady which he held in his hands. Then he exclaimed, "In vain do you attack me, I am between Jesus and Mary. I have finished my course: all is over. I shall sin no more". Then he died peacefully.

Thousands came to pay him their respects before he was buried in St-Laurent, and ever since his tomb in the parish church has been a place of pilgrimage. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 20th 1947, and his feast is kept on the anniversary of his death, April 28th. (Biographical notes taken from the introduction to True Devotion published by the Montfort Fathers 1980).

The great legacy which this holy priest has left to the Church is his Marian devotion. In his beautiful work, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, he lays out a plan for the spiritual life that does all things through Mary. His work influence many popes, including John Paul II, whose motto Totus Tuus came from Montfort's work. This spirituality, which brings all souls to Jesus through his Blessed Mother, is what Saint Louis called "an easy, short, perfect, and secure way of attaining union with God."

For all of us who are striving for that perfect union to which Jesus calls us (Mt 5:48), Saint Louis' total consecration to Mary is a great aid which will lead us quickly and surely to our destiny: Eternal Life.

Saint Louis de Montfort, Pray for Us!

Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

This epitaph engraved in Latin on his tomb is an excellent summary of this saint's life:

You who pass this way, what do you see?
A light quenched,
A man consumed with the fire of charity,
Who became all things to all men,
Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.

If you would know his life, there was none more holy;
If his penance, none more mortified;
If his zeal, none more ardent;
If his devotion to Mary, none more like Bernard.
A priest of Christ, he showed forth Christ in his actions,
and preached him everywhere in his words;
unwearied, he rested only in the grave.

A father to the poor,
protector of orphans,
reconciler of sinners,
his glorious death was the image of his life.
As he lived, so did he die.

To Emmaus

2009-04-26T05:52:00.002-05:00

Today in Luke's Gospel we hear of the two disciples running back from their meal with Jesus, who was "made known to them in the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:35).

While the tail-end of the Emmaus story is mentioned today, I'd like to reflect on the different roads of our own lives.

During his installation homily two weeks ago, Archbishop Dolan relayed a story of his own walk down the road to Emmaus:

For three weeks in July, 1992, I was on pilgrimage in Israel. I had a wonderful Franciscan guide who made sure I saw all the sacred placed in the Holy Land. The day before I departed, he asked, "Is there anything else you want to see?"

"Yes," I replied, "I would like to walk the road to Emmaus."

"That we cannot do," he told me, "You see, no one really knows where that village of Emmaus actually was, so there is no more road to Emmaus."

Sensing my disappointment, he remarked, "Maybe that's part of God's providence, because we can now make every journey we undertake a walk down the Road to Emmaus."

I like the message in this story; it makes us realize that we can experience Jesus' love for us here, now, for all time. He is walking with us down the road to wherever we're headed; He even appeared to His disciples who were far too frightened to set out on the road themselves. Desperately in need of a guide, or even Google Maps, the twelve are astounded when Jesus appears to them. Point blank He asks them (and us) "Why are you troubled? And why do questions still arise in your hearts?"

Perhaps, during our encounter with Christ on our journey, Jesus might even convince us that our lives need to be re-routed. We need to take a moment to realize He's with us, and then, through prayer and reflection, run in the exact opposite direction from the path we mistakenly chosen to live. Anything is possible if we are receptive to His invitation to follow Him!

"You are witnesses of these things."

This Is the Day

2009-04-24T07:45:00.001-05:00

As my alarm went off this morning I could not help but groan, and wish that the snooze was an option. Over the past few days the heat has stopped working in my room at school, and while the beauties and warmth of spring have showed signs of returning- my room has been veritably frigid in the mornings, and getting out from under the covers is often the last thing I want to do! It often seems like the night cannot last long enough, and that the coming day is a dread.

But as I was sitting in chapel this past week, thinking about this general mindset I have been in of late, my mind drifted to the responsory in the Divine Office which the Church gives us to pray each day in the Octave of Easter.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad, Alleluia!

I realized that the Lord was trying to tell me something! This joy we have during the Easter season, the joy in the fact that we celebrate the Day when the Lord defeated Satan and death, is not just meant for Easter Sunday. Everyday is the day of the Resurrection if we are living a life in Christ. We are offered each day to share in his New Life of Grace. Each day is a gift, each morning is another opportunity, another gift given to us by God. He has a plan and a mission for us each day- to bring His love and the joy of His Resurrection to the ends of the world!

I realized, thinking about this Easter verse, that I ought to sing out these words not just on Easter Sunday, or even just during the Easter Season, but everyday of my life! Because Today is the Day the Lord has Made! He has made it and has brought me, you, us to it- to enjoy! This is a reason to kick off the covers each morning! No matter how cold your room may be, no matter what activities, meetings, projects the day will bring- they are all gift! A gift from the Jesus to you!He wants us to seize it, and offer all of our activities for his greater glory! Today is the day of our salvation! Today is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice, and be glad! Alleluia!

Jesus Christ, the same risen Lord today, yesterday, tomorrow, and forever!

Here are some words from the good Monsignor of Geneva on this idea:

There is no moment when God is not present with us under the appearance of some obligation or some duty. All that is effected within us, about us, and through us involves and hides His divine action; it is veritably present though in an invisible manner; therefore we do not discern it, and only recognize its workings when it has ceased to act. Could we pierce the veil which obscures it, and were we vigilant and attentive, God would unceasingly reveal Himself to us, and we could recognize His action in all that befalls us. At every event we should exclaim, Dominus Est! It is the Lord! and we should feel each circumstance of our life an especial gift from him.
-Saint Francis de Sales

The Need for Jesus

2009-04-23T08:42:00.003-05:00

Recently, a few brother seminarians and I received tickets to one of the professional sporting events in town. We made it to our seats--really good seats--and started to watch the home team in action. After a while I sat back in my seat and relaxed. "What a treat, I thought." One of my classmates turned to me and said, "Isn't this great; we're with real people!" I smiled, knowing exactly how he felt. This was real.

Yet, there's always something that'll inevitably take me from my "happy place" of sports and send me hurling back to the reality that I'm studying to be a priest. While watching the game, I couldn't help but notice the conversation going on directly behind me. Now, before you label me as a snoop, they did mention one of our Catholic high schools by name, not to mention the word "Catholic" about four or five times. My ears perked up at that buzzword I say with such praise.

"I'd never marry a Catholic girl."

"I did. Man, you know how that turned out."

And so on. My ears had now turned a tinge of red; I was a bit miffed at the conversation topic. Yeah, this was real, but it was ruining my happy real, the one where I didn't have to think about being a future priest and could bury my face into a hot dog. While I was pleased that my team had taken a comfortable lead, I was frustrated by the guys behind me, who were now talking about whether one of them should have taken the Breathalyzer when he got pulled over for drunk driving. LOUDLY. The conversation festered in my mind; all I wanted to do was watch the game! As I turned to my classmate, he said in his noticeable accent:

"Man, those guys need Jesus."

Ah! How true! Here I was about to read them the riot act for their defamation of prudent Catholic women and derelict driving (especially since my dad was hit by one head-on), and my brother seminarian remembered what they really needed: Jesus. It's then I realized that, yes, while we're supposed to make leisure time for ourselves, there's never really a break from our task of bringing others to Christ. I'm not just talking about seminarians, either; each of us has a call from our baptism to evangelize, to show others the way! While it wouldn't have been prudent to sit down with those guys and explain to them the errs of their ways at the sporting complex, I could at least say a few prayers for them instead of banishing them to the pits of hell in my mind.

I need Jesus too; otherwise my ministry is worthless.

My bishop told us something similar to this the other day: as priests we need to show everyone how much we care, and challenge them face-to-face when they aren't living up to the Gospel. We do so, he added, with gentleness, humility, and patience. That's why it takes so long to get ordained, I now realize. Anyway, it was a great learning moment.

And the home team won!

While You Were Sleeping

2009-04-22T05:20:00.001-05:00

When I came back to my room yesterday after a day full of meetings and classes, I laid down on my bed to do some light reading. An hour later I woke up with wrinkled clothes and that horrid groggy feeling. You know, the one that makes you feel like a zombie? Anyway...

Later on in the evening while I was caffeinating myself before Evening Prayer, I thought about how God is always with us. We believe that He perpetually is present, His Spirit guiding, prompting us to receive His abundant grace. Then a thought came to me of God watching over us as we sleep, as a mother or father looks on as their children rest in peace.

How beautiful is that?! Even the gruffest hee-man needs his sleep, and needs God even more. Whether everyone recognizes the need for God is another question. As we envelop ourselves in blankets and sheets and drift off, God is there. He is with us always.

I don't know why, but this simple thought moves me, almost to tears. I rest easier at night knowing that the One whom I pray to, depend on, and even abandon at times, is ever-present. As my eyes begin to droop, He, fully aware of what tomorrow will bring, fills me with His grace, and gives me the ability to rise another day, to show how much I love Him by loving others. All while we are sleeping. Again, it's so simple, but so moving.

And while we prepare for restful nights, we remember Simeon's words spoken at the Presentation, words which we pray at Night Prayer, the Nunc Dimittis:

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace

Your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation

Which you have prepared in the sight of every people

A light to reveal you to the nations

And the glory of your people, Israel.

Christ is that light which Simeon is privileged to see, the One who allows him to rest eternally in peace. How good it must feel to have fulfilled one's life as a servant of the Lord, to lay down at night and know that the Lord--the Christ--dwells in your midst, on earth. While we are sleeping, He too watches over us, as He did His disciples.

Christ's ministry on earth will be carried on long after (perhaps) we depart from this earth. As we continue to follow Him, may we be aware of all He has given to us, and how we might express our love for Him through our service to His Church. That way, when we drift off to sleep, we too might say, "Nunc dimittis..."

Missing the Mark

2009-04-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

I've always had a fascination with archery and the skill of shooting an arrow into a target. It's quite a sight to see when done masterfully; the fluid drawing of a bow, the moment taken for aim, and then the quick release of the string intrigue this suburban seminarian. How I'd love to be able to sink a few arrows into a target, to feel the tension in my muscles before I release the bow...

Actually, I gave up on this dream some time ago. In Boy Scouts I tried to earn my archery merit badge one year at summer camp. We were lined up along the archery range and received some basic instructions before target practice began. Once we were free to practice, my fellow patrol members issued forth a barrage of arrows on the targets down range; my friend the adventurer even hit a bulls eye or two. I'm sure I gave bull's eyes to him as I continued to fail miserably at loading the arrow, let alone shooting it.

After fumbling for a few minutes, one of the range counselors came over to show me what I was doing wrong. He corrected my stance, showed me how to place the arrow on the bow, and how to aim properly. Then, when he asked me to try again, I grew frustrated when trying to remember everything. After fumbling around for a while I finally fired a shot that stuck into the ground twenty feet in front of us. Smiling, the instructor told me to keep at it. My anger brought a new shade of red to my already-sunburned face...

I thought about my failed archery career last night as we seminarians prayed Psalm 45 in chapel. In one line the Psalmist asks the Lord to "Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand." The line also applies to our spiritual life; there are times when we, unlike God, fail to hit the target. Sin, after all, literally means "missing the mark."

Perhaps you're like me, standing on the firing line of life, looking down-range at life's difficulties, wondering how you're ever going to succeed. You pull an arrow out of your quiver, place it on the bow, and begin to draw the string back, wondering, in the midst of all the commands and instructions, how you're ever going to succeed. By this point your eyes are watery, your focus is lost, and you've psyched yourself out. You give into frustration and freely choose to let your arrow sail over the target, or blithely fire your arrow into the ground in front of you. Perhaps you've experienced this type of frustration, the continued failing at being a good "archer." Fear not; you've got company!

Oh how many countless times have I walked into my instructor's office and knelt down, confessing my failure at missing the target once more. I hang my head in sorrow, my soul bursting with contrition, just aching to be back on the line once more. For once I would love to feel the arrow leave my bow and pierce the target, my true goal of grace and good actions. Donning his purple instructor's stole, my mentor gives me a few pointers and some encouragement. "Don't be discouraged," he says consolingly. "It takes a whole lifetime to become an expert at hitting the target. You'll miss from time-to-time, yes. Just don't be afraid to seek forgiveness and the strength to try again."

Let's have the resolve this Easter Season to renew ourselves and focus on hitting the mark which the Master Archer has intended for us. Even if we miss, we must never give up!

A Sea of Divine Mercy

2009-04-19T03:00:00.003-05:00

During my first week at the seminary we had a full day of Recollection. We headed out to a rural parish in the area and spent the morning and the first part of the afternoon in prayer and meditation. It was a beautiful day, and while the hours of silence were a little intimidating to me as a new seminarian, I ended up having a great day. We were supposed to end our time at the parish with Benediction at 3:00 PM. So I was in my pew in the this little country parish on time, and was ready to begin Benediction when one of my brothers started leading us in prayer from the back of Church. I noticed many of the other men getting out their rosaries and I followed suit, but I soon realized that we were not praying the rosary; instead we were praying a prayer I had never heard before. I soon caught on, and was able to respond with the group- "Have mercy on us, and on the whole world." As I prayed those words I for the first time I was somewhat confused, but I was captivated by their beauty and depth, calling on the Lord's mercy on the entire world! How much is this needed in our world which is so torn by sin and pain!

On the way home that day, after Benediction, I worked up the courage to ask my brother what that prayer was (I was a bit nervous about looking silly since it seemed like everyone else knew what had been going on!) and he told me that it was the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and we left it at that. But that night when I was back in my room at school I typed "Chaplet of Divine Mercy" into google and started reading on EWTN's website all about this devotion.

I was captivated. I had seen the Divine Mercy image in churches many times before, but I had never known what it was all about, but as I read the history and the promises surrounding this devotion I could not help but be amazed! Jesus had offered to us so many graces! He told Saint Faustina- the young Polish nun whom he had revealed himself to-

On one occasion, I heard these words: My daughter, tell the whole world about My Inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy.The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will I contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary 699)

Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to our neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to absolve yourself from it. (Diary 742)
This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. (Diary 420)

Today is the Feast of Divine Mercy! (For more on this incredible devotion and the image go here) The flood gates of Divine Mercy are open to anyone who approaches Him in trust, and asks for his merciful love! Let us not miss out on the graces he offers us today! Let us go receive communion today- with the purity from sin which that requires- and let the torrents of divine mercy flood our souls, and let us pray that his love may permeate the whole world!

JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!

Consecrated in the Truth: II

2009-04-18T07:51:00.003-05:00

Part II

....To be immersed in the Truth, in Christ – part of this process is prayer, in which we exercise our friendship with him and also come to know him: his way of being, of thinking, of acting. Praying is a journey in personal communion with Christ, setting before him our daily life, our successes and failures, our struggles and our joys – in a word, it is to stand in front of him. But if this is not to become a form of self-contemplation, it is important that we constantly learn to pray by praying with the Church. Celebrating the Eucharist means praying. We celebrate the Eucharist rightly if with our thoughts and our being we enter into the words which the Church sets before us. There we find the prayer of all generations, which accompany us along the way towards the Lord. As priests, in the Eucharistic celebration we are those who by their prayer blaze a trail for the prayer of today’s Christians. If we are inwardly united to the words of prayer, if we let ourselves be guided and transformed by them, then the faithful will also enter into those words. And then all of us will become truly “one body, one spirit” in Christ.

To be immersed in God’s truth and thus in his holiness – for us this also means to acknowledge that the truth makes demands, to stand up, in matters great and small, to the lie which in so many different ways is present in the world; accepting the struggles associated with the truth, because its inmost joy is present within us. Nor, when we talk about being sanctified in the truth, should we forget that in Jesus Christ truth and love are one. Being immersed in him means being immersed in his goodness, in true love. True love does not come cheap, it can also prove quite costly. It resists evil in order to bring men true good. If we become one with Christ, we learn to recognize him precisely in the suffering, in the poor, in the little ones of this world; then we become people who serve, who recognize our brothers and sisters in him, and in them, we encounter him.

“Sanctify them in truth” – this is the first part of what Jesus says. But then he adds: “I consecrate myself, so that they also may be consecrated in truth” – that is, truly consecrated (Jn 17:19). I think that this second part has a special meaning of its own. In the world’s religions there are many different ritual means of “sanctification”, of the consecration of a human person. Yet all these rites can remain something merely formal. Christ asks for his disciples the true sanctification which transforms their being, their very selves; he asks that it not remain a ritual formality, but that it make them truly the “property” of God himself. We could even say that Christ prayed on behalf of us for that sacrament which touches us in the depths of our being. But he also prayed that this interior transformation might be translated day by day in our lives; that in our everyday routine and our concrete daily lives we might be truly pervaded by the light of God.

On the eve of my priestly ordination, fifty-eight years ago, I opened the Sacred Scripture, because I wanted to receive once more a word from the Lord for that day and for my future journey as a priest. My gaze fell on this passage: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”. Then I realized: the Lord is speaking about me, and he is speaking to me. This very same thing will be accomplished tomorrow in me. When all is said and done, we are not consecrated by rites, even though rites are necessary. The bath in which the Lord immerses us is himself – the Truth in person. Priestly ordination means: being immersed in him, immersed in the Truth. I belong in a new way to him and thus to others, “that his Kingdom may come”. Dear friends, in this hour of the renewal of promises, we want to pray to the Lord to make us men of truth, men of love, men of God. Let us implore him to draw us ever anew into himself, so that we may become truly priests of the New Covenant. Amen.