1) Eucharistic Adoration, tonight, 7-8 pm. All are invited!
2) Clocks back one hour this weekend!
3) All-night Adoration for the elections: 9 pm (11/3) – 6:30 am (11/4), SAA Church.
4) Plenary Indulgence for All Souls Day: anyone who makes a visit to a church or oratory on All Souls Day (Sun, Nov. 2) and says the Creed and an Our Father while there can gain a plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory (i.e., send that person straight to Heaven), provided that they meet the conditions of a plenary indulgence – receive Holy Communion, go to Confession, and pray for the Pope (typically an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be) within eight days before or after All Souls Day. I will offer confessions during Adoration tonight and after all the Masses this weekend.
---------------------------------------
Fifth Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - 1 Cor 11:26-29
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you
proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of
the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and
blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and
so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats
and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks
judgment on himself.
Reflection
How is the Eucharist central in my life? My community?
Where do I reach out to the body of Christ in my
community?
Prayer
Lord,
we come together at the Eucharist to celebrate
your death and resurrection.
Help us experience authentic worship.
Help us grow in awareness of each person’s dignity,
and increase our sensitivity to injustices.
Guide us to seek ways to redress them.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Election Novena - Day Four
Fourth Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Deut 30:15-20
Moses said to the people:
“Today, I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter
and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the
LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land which the LORD
swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.”
Reflection
How do I defend the right to life especially of the unborn
and those near death? How am I tempted to turn away
from the commandments and not support the right to life
of all people? How can I overcome that temptation?
Prayer
God of life,
may we protect and defend the inviolable sanctity of
human life
from the moment of conception until natural death
with strong voices, gentle hands, and loving hearts.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Deut 30:15-20
Moses said to the people:
“Today, I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter
and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the
LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land which the LORD
swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.”
Reflection
How do I defend the right to life especially of the unborn
and those near death? How am I tempted to turn away
from the commandments and not support the right to life
of all people? How can I overcome that temptation?
Prayer
God of life,
may we protect and defend the inviolable sanctity of
human life
from the moment of conception until natural death
with strong voices, gentle hands, and loving hearts.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Election Novena - Day Three
Third Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Is 58:2-3, 6-8
[The Lord said]:
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed.
Reflection
What actions do I perform to please God?
How am I healing the wounds of my community?
Prayer
God of light,
give us the freedom to walk in
the footprints of your Son, Jesus.
Let our light shine out for all to see
by turning to those who call for our help.
Heal our wounds, heal our community.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Is 58:2-3, 6-8
[The Lord said]:
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed.
Reflection
What actions do I perform to please God?
How am I healing the wounds of my community?
Prayer
God of light,
give us the freedom to walk in
the footprints of your Son, Jesus.
Let our light shine out for all to see
by turning to those who call for our help.
Heal our wounds, heal our community.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Election novena - Day Two
Second Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Ps 146:1-8
Praise the LORD, my soul;
I shall praise the LORD all my life,
sing praise to my God while I live.
Put no trust in princes,
in mere mortals powerless to save.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth;
that day all their planning comes to nothing.
Happy those whose help is Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the LORD, their God,
The maker of heaven and earth,
the seas and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free;
the LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
Reflection
Who are the oppressed in your community? How am I
helping them secure justice?
How am I helping to feed and give sight to those most
in need?
Prayer
God of Jacob,
strengthen our hope in the Lord.
Help us to keep the faith
by striving for justice in our land.
Give us hearts, hands, and feet to truly reach out to those
in need.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Ps 146:1-8
Praise the LORD, my soul;
I shall praise the LORD all my life,
sing praise to my God while I live.
Put no trust in princes,
in mere mortals powerless to save.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth;
that day all their planning comes to nothing.
Happy those whose help is Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the LORD, their God,
The maker of heaven and earth,
the seas and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free;
the LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
Reflection
Who are the oppressed in your community? How am I
helping them secure justice?
How am I helping to feed and give sight to those most
in need?
Prayer
God of Jacob,
strengthen our hope in the Lord.
Help us to keep the faith
by striving for justice in our land.
Give us hearts, hands, and feet to truly reach out to those
in need.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Election novena - Day One
Weeks ago, I posted a novena for the election that the USCCB has asked us to pray for nine days. I will post each day's prayer leading up to the election. I ask all bloggers to pray the following prayer at some point today (and offer any moderate sacrifices) so that the election will be guided by Grace.
First Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Ps 8:2, 4-10
O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
You have set your majesty above the heavens!
When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place—
What are humans that you are mindful of them,
mere mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them little less than a god,
crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them rule over the works of your hands,
put all things at their feet:
All sheep and oxen,
even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
Reflection
How will I praise God today?
How will I show respect for others, especially my neighbor or those in my community who are not like me?
Prayer
God of love,may we grow in our love for you
by respecting the dignity of all people we encounter.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
First Day
Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Reading - Ps 8:2, 4-10
O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
You have set your majesty above the heavens!
When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place—
What are humans that you are mindful of them,
mere mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them little less than a god,
crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them rule over the works of your hands,
put all things at their feet:
All sheep and oxen,
even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
Reflection
How will I praise God today?
How will I show respect for others, especially my neighbor or those in my community who are not like me?
Prayer
God of love,may we grow in our love for you
by respecting the dignity of all people we encounter.
Amen.
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
30th Sunday - homily
“Choose life”
Jesus says in today’s Gospel that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love neighbor. I don’t think anybody here is going to disagree with Jesus about that. It’s one thing for us to agree with our Lord that the two most important commandments are to love God and neighbor, and to believe it; it’s another thing to live it. We have a great opportunity on Election Day, November 4th, to live it. May the Eucharist give us the strength and courage to live it.
First, love of God. Fr. Mike said in his homily last week that “obviously we can’t fully separate Church and state”. In the second reading, St. Paul writes that “in every place” our faith in God goes forth. Even a voting booth. How does our faith in God go forth in a voting booth, like on November 4th? In at least two ways. First, we hear what issues are most important to God and we vote accordingly. Second, we make an act of faith, trusting that if we put God first, He will provide.
Has God revealed to us what issues are most important to Him and what we are to choose? Yes. In general terms, He reveals to us in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 30, that when we have a choice between death and life, we are to “choose life” (v.19). Choose life! We can apply this to any election: when we have the choice between the culture of death and the culture of life, we choose life.
God has also revealed to us what issues are most important to Him specifically in this election. He continues to teach us through the Church, as you know. Jesus gave the Apostles the power to teach in his name, to continue His teachings. He gave them the power to bind and loose, the keys of the kingdom, and in Luke 10, he says to them, “whenever they hear you, they hear me”. The Apostles passed down this authority to their successors, the bishops. We believe that God continues to speak to us through the bishops.
The bishops have informed us about this election and what issues are most important. They tell us that “human life is sacred”. It is from God and most important to God. The bishops identify eight issues that are serious violations against human life: abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, embryonic research, genocide, racism, torture, and acts of war or terror against innocent people. These are “intrinsic evils”; they are always wrong and can never be justified.
The bishops say that we are not one-issue voters; but, they say that a candidate’s position on a single issue involving one of the intrinsic evils – legal abortion, for example - may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from support. Now, we do need to keep in mind the proportion of evil that is involved with abortion: it outweighs the evil of all the other intrinsic evils combined! Over 1 million babies are aborted every year in the United States, and almost 50 million American babies have died through abortion since 1973.
The bishops also warn us about a serious legislative threat to human life: the Freedom of Choice Act. If passed into law, this act would increase the number of abortion in our country. It would remove all restrictions to abortion. Among other things, it would: remove restrictions on protecting women from unsafe abortion clinics, remove parental notification, require states to perform partial-birth abortions – an unspeakably heinous procedure -, force taxpayers to fund abortions, and force Catholic hospitals and charities to perform and support abortions which may bring the end of Catholic hospitals and Catholic charities. We need to know where the candidates stand on the issues, but especially with regard to the Freedom of Choice Act.
We choose life and we defend the right to life; we know that without the right to life, there are no other rights…there’s no life…there’s nothing.
Second, love of neighbor. We are to be compassionate on November 4th as God is compassionate, the first reading tells us. A vote for life is compassionate – to the unborn baby and to the mother. Abortion hurts women. The Church has been opposed to abortion from the beginning; it knows that abortion hurts women. Also, you might be surprised to know that of the two sides of this issue, the one that provides more care and compassion to the woman after she has made her choice…is the pro-life side, led by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church offers more post-abortive healing to women than any other institution in the world. Love of neighbor through compassion.
Finally, it is a great challenge for us to vote primarily for love of God and love of neighbor in this election, especially given the economy. The temptation is to vote primarily for love of money. But, as Christians, we approach this differently. We approach it with faith, putting God’s issues first and trusting that He will provide for us. It is an act of faith. It’s like we go into the voting booth, saying, “Lord, I’m not exactly sure why I am choosing life, but I do it because you have said to choose life. I trust in you that you will provide”. My brothers and sisters, I promise you that if we choose life, we will be rewarded. God will provide. If we vote primarily for love of God and love of neighbor, we will be rewarded. God will provide.
Jesus says in today’s Gospel that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love neighbor. I don’t think anybody here is going to disagree with Jesus about that. It’s one thing for us to agree with our Lord that the two most important commandments are to love God and neighbor, and to believe it; it’s another thing to live it. We have a great opportunity on Election Day, November 4th, to live it. May the Eucharist give us the strength and courage to live it.
First, love of God. Fr. Mike said in his homily last week that “obviously we can’t fully separate Church and state”. In the second reading, St. Paul writes that “in every place” our faith in God goes forth. Even a voting booth. How does our faith in God go forth in a voting booth, like on November 4th? In at least two ways. First, we hear what issues are most important to God and we vote accordingly. Second, we make an act of faith, trusting that if we put God first, He will provide.
Has God revealed to us what issues are most important to Him and what we are to choose? Yes. In general terms, He reveals to us in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 30, that when we have a choice between death and life, we are to “choose life” (v.19). Choose life! We can apply this to any election: when we have the choice between the culture of death and the culture of life, we choose life.
God has also revealed to us what issues are most important to Him specifically in this election. He continues to teach us through the Church, as you know. Jesus gave the Apostles the power to teach in his name, to continue His teachings. He gave them the power to bind and loose, the keys of the kingdom, and in Luke 10, he says to them, “whenever they hear you, they hear me”. The Apostles passed down this authority to their successors, the bishops. We believe that God continues to speak to us through the bishops.
The bishops have informed us about this election and what issues are most important. They tell us that “human life is sacred”. It is from God and most important to God. The bishops identify eight issues that are serious violations against human life: abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, embryonic research, genocide, racism, torture, and acts of war or terror against innocent people. These are “intrinsic evils”; they are always wrong and can never be justified.
The bishops say that we are not one-issue voters; but, they say that a candidate’s position on a single issue involving one of the intrinsic evils – legal abortion, for example - may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from support. Now, we do need to keep in mind the proportion of evil that is involved with abortion: it outweighs the evil of all the other intrinsic evils combined! Over 1 million babies are aborted every year in the United States, and almost 50 million American babies have died through abortion since 1973.
The bishops also warn us about a serious legislative threat to human life: the Freedom of Choice Act. If passed into law, this act would increase the number of abortion in our country. It would remove all restrictions to abortion. Among other things, it would: remove restrictions on protecting women from unsafe abortion clinics, remove parental notification, require states to perform partial-birth abortions – an unspeakably heinous procedure -, force taxpayers to fund abortions, and force Catholic hospitals and charities to perform and support abortions which may bring the end of Catholic hospitals and Catholic charities. We need to know where the candidates stand on the issues, but especially with regard to the Freedom of Choice Act.
We choose life and we defend the right to life; we know that without the right to life, there are no other rights…there’s no life…there’s nothing.
Second, love of neighbor. We are to be compassionate on November 4th as God is compassionate, the first reading tells us. A vote for life is compassionate – to the unborn baby and to the mother. Abortion hurts women. The Church has been opposed to abortion from the beginning; it knows that abortion hurts women. Also, you might be surprised to know that of the two sides of this issue, the one that provides more care and compassion to the woman after she has made her choice…is the pro-life side, led by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church offers more post-abortive healing to women than any other institution in the world. Love of neighbor through compassion.
Finally, it is a great challenge for us to vote primarily for love of God and love of neighbor in this election, especially given the economy. The temptation is to vote primarily for love of money. But, as Christians, we approach this differently. We approach it with faith, putting God’s issues first and trusting that He will provide for us. It is an act of faith. It’s like we go into the voting booth, saying, “Lord, I’m not exactly sure why I am choosing life, but I do it because you have said to choose life. I trust in you that you will provide”. My brothers and sisters, I promise you that if we choose life, we will be rewarded. God will provide. If we vote primarily for love of God and love of neighbor, we will be rewarded. God will provide.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Please pray for Tarik
Eucharistic Adoration, tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church. All are invited!
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Please pray for Tarik Green, a student at St. Andrew’s school, who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. Tarik is doing better now and the cancer is in remission. The following are some comments from a St Andrew’s parent and friend of Tarik’s family:
“Please pray for Tarik and for his family as they deal with Tarik's illness. Please pray for hisrecovery and to offer his family the support of our school community. Tarik's mom requests that we lift Tarik up in prayer and to pray for his family to stay strong for him.
Tarik's mom has set up a volunteer coordination websiteto help them track who is available to help them during this difficulttime. If you would like to volunteer to help, please complete the infoon "Interested in becoming a member of this community" athttp://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/607564/login/?logout
She hopes to update the calendar sometime this week with the kind ofsupport they need and you can sign up for the things that fit yourinterests and time. Any help will make a huge difference…
Tarik is in remission. He still has a lot of treatments ahead but this is great news. I had sent an email a few weeks ago for a volunteer site to sign up for meals, etc. If you have not already done so please check out the site and see if you can volunteer for a dinner.”
---------------------------------------
Please pray for Tarik Green, a student at St. Andrew’s school, who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. Tarik is doing better now and the cancer is in remission. The following are some comments from a St Andrew’s parent and friend of Tarik’s family:
“Please pray for Tarik and for his family as they deal with Tarik's illness. Please pray for hisrecovery and to offer his family the support of our school community. Tarik's mom requests that we lift Tarik up in prayer and to pray for his family to stay strong for him.
Tarik's mom has set up a volunteer coordination websiteto help them track who is available to help them during this difficulttime. If you would like to volunteer to help, please complete the infoon "Interested in becoming a member of this community" athttp://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/607564/login/?logout
She hopes to update the calendar sometime this week with the kind ofsupport they need and you can sign up for the things that fit yourinterests and time. Any help will make a huge difference…
Tarik is in remission. He still has a lot of treatments ahead but this is great news. I had sent an email a few weeks ago for a volunteer site to sign up for meals, etc. If you have not already done so please check out the site and see if you can volunteer for a dinner.”
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
US Bishops "gravely concerned" about FOCA
St Andrew’s to hold all-night Adoration on the eve of the elections, Mon., Nov. 3. More details to follow.
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The following are two items regarding our recent discussion on the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). The first is a brief summation about FOCA from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. The second is a letter to Congress from Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, USCCB. To view these and other resources, please click on today’s title.
1) “You can’t reduce abortions by promoting abortion”
FOCA eliminates regulations that protect women from unsafe abortion clinics
FOCA forces taxpayers to fund abortions
FOCA requires all states to allow “partial birth” and other late-term abortions
FOCA subjects women to abortion by non-physicians
FOCA violates the conscience rights of nurses, doctors, and hospitals
FOCA strips parents of their right to life to be involved in their minor daughters’ abortion decision
2) Dear Members of Congress:
As the 110th Congress returns for its final weeks of legislative activity, the Catholic bishops of the United States are gravely concerned about any possible consideration of the "Freedom of Choice Act" ("FOCA," S. 1173 and H.R. 1964). Pro-abortion groups and some of the bill's congressional sponsors have said they want this legislation enacted soon.
Despite its deceptive title, FOCA would deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. And FOCA would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government to reduce abortions in our country.
The operative language of FOCA is twofold. First it creates a "fundamental right" to abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy, including a right to abort a fully developed child in the final weeks for undefined "health" reasons. No government body at any level would be able to "deny or interfere with" this newly created federal right. Second, it forbids government at all levels to "discriminate" against the exercise of this right "in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information." For the first time, abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women.
While some supporters have said FOCA would simply "codify" the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, their own statements disprove this assertion. FOCA was introduced the day after the Supreme Court's decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortions within the bounds of Roe — with FOCA's sponsors declaring that its primary purpose is to counteract this ruling and ensure that the grisly killing of partly-born children will once again be permitted nationwide. Sponsors also acknowledge that FOCA will require all Americans to support abortion with their state and federal tax dollars — despite a long line of Supreme Court decisions, consistent with Roe, upholding bans on public funding since 1975.
The National Organization for Women (NOW), in its materials supporting FOCA, has declared that it "would sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies" — laws and policies that are in effect today because they do not conflict with Roe. These include modest and widely supported state laws to protect women from unscrupulous and dangerous abortionists (including those who are not licensed physicians), ensure informed consent, protect parental rights in the case of minors undergoing abortions, and so on. The extreme and unprecedented scope of the "fundamental right" created by this bill is more fully documented in the attached legal analysis from the USCCB Office of General Counsel.
In recent months the national debate on abortion has taken a turn that may be productive. Members of both parties have sought to reach a consensus on ways to reduce abortions in our society. It is well documented, for example, that even modest abortion regulations such as public funding bans and laws protecting parental rights can substantially reduce abortions. Because many women have testified that they are pressured toward abortion by social and economic hardships, bipartisan legislation providing practical support to help women carry their pregnancies to term, such as the Pregnant Women Support Act (S. 2407, H.R. 3192), deserves Congress's attention. By contrast, there is considerable evidence that programs promoting contraceptive mandates and "emergency contraception" generally do not reduce abortions (see www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/contraception/index.shtml#2).
However, there is one thing absolutely everyone should be able to agree on: We can't reduce abortions by promoting abortion. We cannot reduce abortions by invalidating the very laws that have been shown to reduce abortions. We cannot reduce abortions by insisting that every program supporting women in childbirth and child care must also support abortion. No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions.
Therefore I urge all members of Congress to pledge their opposition to FOCA and other legislation designed to promote abortion. In this way we can begin a serious and sincere discussion on how to reduce the tragic incidence of abortion in our society.
Sincerely,
Cardinal Justin Rigali
Archbishop of Philadelphia
Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
------------------------------
The following are two items regarding our recent discussion on the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). The first is a brief summation about FOCA from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. The second is a letter to Congress from Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, USCCB. To view these and other resources, please click on today’s title.
1) “You can’t reduce abortions by promoting abortion”
FOCA eliminates regulations that protect women from unsafe abortion clinics
FOCA forces taxpayers to fund abortions
FOCA requires all states to allow “partial birth” and other late-term abortions
FOCA subjects women to abortion by non-physicians
FOCA violates the conscience rights of nurses, doctors, and hospitals
FOCA strips parents of their right to life to be involved in their minor daughters’ abortion decision
2) Dear Members of Congress:
As the 110th Congress returns for its final weeks of legislative activity, the Catholic bishops of the United States are gravely concerned about any possible consideration of the "Freedom of Choice Act" ("FOCA," S. 1173 and H.R. 1964). Pro-abortion groups and some of the bill's congressional sponsors have said they want this legislation enacted soon.
Despite its deceptive title, FOCA would deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. And FOCA would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government to reduce abortions in our country.
The operative language of FOCA is twofold. First it creates a "fundamental right" to abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy, including a right to abort a fully developed child in the final weeks for undefined "health" reasons. No government body at any level would be able to "deny or interfere with" this newly created federal right. Second, it forbids government at all levels to "discriminate" against the exercise of this right "in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information." For the first time, abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women.
While some supporters have said FOCA would simply "codify" the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, their own statements disprove this assertion. FOCA was introduced the day after the Supreme Court's decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortions within the bounds of Roe — with FOCA's sponsors declaring that its primary purpose is to counteract this ruling and ensure that the grisly killing of partly-born children will once again be permitted nationwide. Sponsors also acknowledge that FOCA will require all Americans to support abortion with their state and federal tax dollars — despite a long line of Supreme Court decisions, consistent with Roe, upholding bans on public funding since 1975.
The National Organization for Women (NOW), in its materials supporting FOCA, has declared that it "would sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies" — laws and policies that are in effect today because they do not conflict with Roe. These include modest and widely supported state laws to protect women from unscrupulous and dangerous abortionists (including those who are not licensed physicians), ensure informed consent, protect parental rights in the case of minors undergoing abortions, and so on. The extreme and unprecedented scope of the "fundamental right" created by this bill is more fully documented in the attached legal analysis from the USCCB Office of General Counsel.
In recent months the national debate on abortion has taken a turn that may be productive. Members of both parties have sought to reach a consensus on ways to reduce abortions in our society. It is well documented, for example, that even modest abortion regulations such as public funding bans and laws protecting parental rights can substantially reduce abortions. Because many women have testified that they are pressured toward abortion by social and economic hardships, bipartisan legislation providing practical support to help women carry their pregnancies to term, such as the Pregnant Women Support Act (S. 2407, H.R. 3192), deserves Congress's attention. By contrast, there is considerable evidence that programs promoting contraceptive mandates and "emergency contraception" generally do not reduce abortions (see www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/contraception/index.shtml#2).
However, there is one thing absolutely everyone should be able to agree on: We can't reduce abortions by promoting abortion. We cannot reduce abortions by invalidating the very laws that have been shown to reduce abortions. We cannot reduce abortions by insisting that every program supporting women in childbirth and child care must also support abortion. No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions.
Therefore I urge all members of Congress to pledge their opposition to FOCA and other legislation designed to promote abortion. In this way we can begin a serious and sincere discussion on how to reduce the tragic incidence of abortion in our society.
Sincerely,
Cardinal Justin Rigali
Archbishop of Philadelphia
Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Sunday, October 19, 2008
29th Sunday - Gospel commentary
Gospel Commentary for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
ROME, OCT. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- This Sunday’s Gospel ends with one of those lapidary phrases of Jesus that have left a deep mark on history and on human language: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s , and to God what is God’s.”
It is no longer either Caesar or God, but Caesar and God, each on his appropriate level. It is the beginning of the separation of religion and politics, which until then had been inseparable among all peoples and regimes.
The Jews were used to understanding the future reign of God founded by the Messiah as a theocracy, that is, as a government directed by God ruling over the whole earth through his people. But now the words of Christ reveal a kingdom of God that is in this world but that is not of this world, that travels on a different wavelength and that, for this reason, can coexist with every other political regime, whether it be sacral or secular.
Here we see two qualitatively different sovereignties of God over the world: the spiritual sovereignty that constitutes the Kingdom of God and that is exercised directly in Christ, and the temporal and political sovereignty that God exercises indirectly, entrusting it to man’s free choice and the play of secondary causes.
Caesar and God, however, are not put on the same level, because Caesar too depends on God and must answer to him. Thus “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” means: “Give to Caesar what God himself wants to be given to Caesar.” God is sovereign over all, including Caesar. We are not divided between two loyalties; we are not forced to serve “two masters.”
The Christian is free to obey the state, but he is also free to resist the state when it goes against God and his law. In such a case it is not legitimate to invoke the principle about the obedience that is owed to superiors, as war criminals often do when they are on trial. Before obeying men, in fact, you must first obey God and your own conscience. You cannot give your soul, which belongs to God, to Caesar.
St. Paul was the first to draw practical conclusions from this teaching of Christ. He writes: “Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God. … Whoever resists authority opposes the order that God has appointed. … This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities who are in charge of this are ministers of God” (Romans 13:1 ff.).
Paying appropriately levied taxes is for the Christian (but also for every honest person) a duty of justice and therefore an obligation of conscience. Guaranteeing order, commerce and a whole series of other services, the state gives the citizen something to which it has a right for compensation in return, precisely to be able to continue these same services.
The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” reminds us that tax evasion, when it reaches certain proportions, is a mortal sin equal to every other grave act of theft. It is stealing, not from the “state,” that is from no one, but from the community, that is, from everyone. Naturally, this supposes that the state is just and equitable in imposing taxes.
Christian cooperation in building a just and peaceful society does not stop at paying taxes; it must also extend itself to the promotion of common values such as the family, the defense of life, solidarity with the poor, peace. There is also another sphere in which Christians must make a contribution to politics. It does not have to do with the content of politics so much as its methods, its style.Christians must help to remove the poison from the climate of contentiousness in politics, bring back greater respect, composure and dignity to relationships between parties.
Respect for one’s neighbor, clemency, capacity for self-criticism: These are the traits that a disciple of Christ must have in all things, even in politics.It is undignified for a Christian to give himself over to insults, sarcasm, brawling with his adversaries. If, as Jesus says, those who call their brother “stupid” are in danger of Gehenna, what then must we say about a lot of politicians?
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
ROME, OCT. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- This Sunday’s Gospel ends with one of those lapidary phrases of Jesus that have left a deep mark on history and on human language: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s , and to God what is God’s.”
It is no longer either Caesar or God, but Caesar and God, each on his appropriate level. It is the beginning of the separation of religion and politics, which until then had been inseparable among all peoples and regimes.
The Jews were used to understanding the future reign of God founded by the Messiah as a theocracy, that is, as a government directed by God ruling over the whole earth through his people. But now the words of Christ reveal a kingdom of God that is in this world but that is not of this world, that travels on a different wavelength and that, for this reason, can coexist with every other political regime, whether it be sacral or secular.
Here we see two qualitatively different sovereignties of God over the world: the spiritual sovereignty that constitutes the Kingdom of God and that is exercised directly in Christ, and the temporal and political sovereignty that God exercises indirectly, entrusting it to man’s free choice and the play of secondary causes.
Caesar and God, however, are not put on the same level, because Caesar too depends on God and must answer to him. Thus “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” means: “Give to Caesar what God himself wants to be given to Caesar.” God is sovereign over all, including Caesar. We are not divided between two loyalties; we are not forced to serve “two masters.”
The Christian is free to obey the state, but he is also free to resist the state when it goes against God and his law. In such a case it is not legitimate to invoke the principle about the obedience that is owed to superiors, as war criminals often do when they are on trial. Before obeying men, in fact, you must first obey God and your own conscience. You cannot give your soul, which belongs to God, to Caesar.
St. Paul was the first to draw practical conclusions from this teaching of Christ. He writes: “Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God. … Whoever resists authority opposes the order that God has appointed. … This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities who are in charge of this are ministers of God” (Romans 13:1 ff.).
Paying appropriately levied taxes is for the Christian (but also for every honest person) a duty of justice and therefore an obligation of conscience. Guaranteeing order, commerce and a whole series of other services, the state gives the citizen something to which it has a right for compensation in return, precisely to be able to continue these same services.
The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” reminds us that tax evasion, when it reaches certain proportions, is a mortal sin equal to every other grave act of theft. It is stealing, not from the “state,” that is from no one, but from the community, that is, from everyone. Naturally, this supposes that the state is just and equitable in imposing taxes.
Christian cooperation in building a just and peaceful society does not stop at paying taxes; it must also extend itself to the promotion of common values such as the family, the defense of life, solidarity with the poor, peace. There is also another sphere in which Christians must make a contribution to politics. It does not have to do with the content of politics so much as its methods, its style.Christians must help to remove the poison from the climate of contentiousness in politics, bring back greater respect, composure and dignity to relationships between parties.
Respect for one’s neighbor, clemency, capacity for self-criticism: These are the traits that a disciple of Christ must have in all things, even in politics.It is undignified for a Christian to give himself over to insults, sarcasm, brawling with his adversaries. If, as Jesus says, those who call their brother “stupid” are in danger of Gehenna, what then must we say about a lot of politicians?
Friday, October 17, 2008
"I am God's wheat"
1) Eucharistic Adoration, tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church. Please join us!
2) DC ‘Hood games:
Fri, Nov. 14, 7 pm, vs. St Jerome’s + Sacred Heart, @ St Jerome’s gym, Hyattsville
Fri, Nov. 21, 7:30 pm, vs. St Andrew’s + St John the Baptist, @ Wheaton HS gym
---------------------------------------
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop and martyr of the early Church. He was brought to Rome from Antioch to be executed (he was fed to wild animals) under the Roman Emperor Trajan. On his journey to Rome, he wrote several letters to different churches. The following is a letter to the Romans which is beautifully and powerfully Eucharistic:
“I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God.
No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one only desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. Do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of initiating the passion of my God. If you have him in your heart, you will understand what I wish. You will sympathize with me because you will know what urges me on.
The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God’s side. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world. Do not harbor envious thoughts. And supposing I should see you, if then I should beg you to intervene on my behalf, do not believe what I say. Believe instead what I am now writing to you. For though I am alive as I write to you, still my real desire is to die. My love of this life has been crucified, and there is no yearning in me for any earthly thing. Rather within me is the living water which says deep inside me: ‘Come to the Father.” I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world. I want only God’s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed of the seed of David, and for drink I crave his blood, which is love that cannot perish.
I am no longer willing to live a merely human life, and you can bring about my wish if you will. Please, then, do me this favor, so that you in turn may meet with equal kindness. Put briefly, this is my request: believe what I am saying to you. Jesus Christ himself will make it clear to you that I am saying the truth. Only truth can come from that mouth by which the Father has truly spoken. Pray for me that I may obtain my desire. I have not written to you as a mere man would, but as one who knows the mind of God. If I am condemned to suffer, I will take it that you wish me well. If my case is postponed, I can only think that you wish me harm.”
2) DC ‘Hood games:
Fri, Nov. 14, 7 pm, vs. St Jerome’s + Sacred Heart, @ St Jerome’s gym, Hyattsville
Fri, Nov. 21, 7:30 pm, vs. St Andrew’s + St John the Baptist, @ Wheaton HS gym
---------------------------------------
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop and martyr of the early Church. He was brought to Rome from Antioch to be executed (he was fed to wild animals) under the Roman Emperor Trajan. On his journey to Rome, he wrote several letters to different churches. The following is a letter to the Romans which is beautifully and powerfully Eucharistic:
“I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God.
No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one only desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. Do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of initiating the passion of my God. If you have him in your heart, you will understand what I wish. You will sympathize with me because you will know what urges me on.
The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God’s side. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world. Do not harbor envious thoughts. And supposing I should see you, if then I should beg you to intervene on my behalf, do not believe what I say. Believe instead what I am now writing to you. For though I am alive as I write to you, still my real desire is to die. My love of this life has been crucified, and there is no yearning in me for any earthly thing. Rather within me is the living water which says deep inside me: ‘Come to the Father.” I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world. I want only God’s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed of the seed of David, and for drink I crave his blood, which is love that cannot perish.
I am no longer willing to live a merely human life, and you can bring about my wish if you will. Please, then, do me this favor, so that you in turn may meet with equal kindness. Put briefly, this is my request: believe what I am saying to you. Jesus Christ himself will make it clear to you that I am saying the truth. Only truth can come from that mouth by which the Father has truly spoken. Pray for me that I may obtain my desire. I have not written to you as a mere man would, but as one who knows the mind of God. If I am condemned to suffer, I will take it that you wish me well. If my case is postponed, I can only think that you wish me harm.”
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
"What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ"
Anon asked the following:
“St. Paul said, ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.’ How do St. Paul’s sufferings make up for what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? I thought Christ accomplished all necessary for salvation. St Paul does speak to his audience about their sufferings and how Christ will take it and do ongoing works of salvation. So, is our suffering what St. Paul is talking about as this completion? I don’t understand.”
I referred to this passage (Col 1:24) from St Paul during the summer series talk, “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” I made the point that Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is the perfect sacrifice, but it is not complete. Yes, Anon, we, the Church, complete it. God allows us to suffer so that, among other reasons, we will complete the afflictions of Christ. We are allowed the incredible gift of sharing in the Cross of Christ so that we will complete it. Elsewhere in his letters, St Paul writes that Christ is the head, the Church is the body. We, as the Body of Christ, complete the suffering of Christ, our Head.
Whenever each of us carries our small portion of Christ’s Cross, our suffering joins in Christ’s work of salvation. This means that our suffering can be salvific; hence, the phrase, “offer it up”. God gives us the opportunity to offer our suffering up for (the salvation of) others in the same way that Christ offered himself up for the salvation of all.
“in the mystery of the Church as his Body, Christ has in a sense opened his own redemptive suffering to all human suffering. In so far as man becomes a sharer in Christ's sufferings—in any part of the world and at any time in history—to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world” (“Salvifici Doloris”, Pope John Paul II, 1984).
“If then you are among the members of Christ, whatever human being you are, whoever you are that hears this, whoever you are that does not hear this (but if you are among the members of Christ you do hear this), whatever you suffer at the hands of those who are not among the members of Christ was lacking to the sufferings of Christ.
Your sufferings are added because they were lacking. You fill up a measure, you do not pour something that overflows. You suffer as much as needed to be added from your sufferings to the total suffering of Christ, who suffered as our head, and suffers in his members, that is, in ourselves.
Each one of us in his own measure pays his debt to what may be called this commonwealth of ours. In proportion to our store of strength we contribute as it were a tax of suffering. The final reckoning of all suffering will not take place until the world has come to an end” (St. Augustine).
“St. Paul said, ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.’ How do St. Paul’s sufferings make up for what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? I thought Christ accomplished all necessary for salvation. St Paul does speak to his audience about their sufferings and how Christ will take it and do ongoing works of salvation. So, is our suffering what St. Paul is talking about as this completion? I don’t understand.”
I referred to this passage (Col 1:24) from St Paul during the summer series talk, “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” I made the point that Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is the perfect sacrifice, but it is not complete. Yes, Anon, we, the Church, complete it. God allows us to suffer so that, among other reasons, we will complete the afflictions of Christ. We are allowed the incredible gift of sharing in the Cross of Christ so that we will complete it. Elsewhere in his letters, St Paul writes that Christ is the head, the Church is the body. We, as the Body of Christ, complete the suffering of Christ, our Head.
Whenever each of us carries our small portion of Christ’s Cross, our suffering joins in Christ’s work of salvation. This means that our suffering can be salvific; hence, the phrase, “offer it up”. God gives us the opportunity to offer our suffering up for (the salvation of) others in the same way that Christ offered himself up for the salvation of all.
“in the mystery of the Church as his Body, Christ has in a sense opened his own redemptive suffering to all human suffering. In so far as man becomes a sharer in Christ's sufferings—in any part of the world and at any time in history—to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world” (“Salvifici Doloris”, Pope John Paul II, 1984).
“If then you are among the members of Christ, whatever human being you are, whoever you are that hears this, whoever you are that does not hear this (but if you are among the members of Christ you do hear this), whatever you suffer at the hands of those who are not among the members of Christ was lacking to the sufferings of Christ.
Your sufferings are added because they were lacking. You fill up a measure, you do not pour something that overflows. You suffer as much as needed to be added from your sufferings to the total suffering of Christ, who suffered as our head, and suffers in his members, that is, in ourselves.
Each one of us in his own measure pays his debt to what may be called this commonwealth of ours. In proportion to our store of strength we contribute as it were a tax of suffering. The final reckoning of all suffering will not take place until the world has come to an end” (St. Augustine).
Sunday, October 12, 2008
28th Sunday - Gospel commentary
The Important and the Urgent
Gospel Commentary for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
ROME, OCT. 10, 2008 (Zenit.org).- It is instructive to consider the reasons why those who were invited to the feast described in the parable refused to come. Matthew says that they "ignored" the invitation and "went away, one to his farm, another to his business." Luke's Gospel is more detailed on this point and presents the reasons for the refusal of the invitation thus: "I have purchased a field and I must go look at it ... "I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to see them" ... "I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come" (Luke 14:18-20).
What do these different people have in common? All have something urgent to do, something that cannot wait, that demands their immediate attention. And what does the wedding feast represent? It indicates the messianic goods, participation in the salvation brought by Christ, and, therefore, the possibility of eternal life. The feast represents something important in life, indeed, the only important thing in life. The mistake of those who rejected the invitation is clear, then:
They have left the important for the urgent, the essential for the contingent! This is a widespread and insidious danger, not only in the sphere of religion but also in the purely human sphere. It is something worth reflecting on.
First of all let us consider the religious sphere. Neglecting the important for the urgent in our spiritual life means continually putting off our religious duties because there is always something urgent calling for our attention. It is Sunday and it is time to go to Mass, but there is that visit, that work in the garden, that lunch to prepare. Mass can wait, lunch cannot; so you put Mass off and go to your stove.
I said that the danger of neglecting the important for the urgent is also present in the human sphere, in everyday life, and I would also like to reflect on this. It is of the utmost importance that a man dedicate time to his family, be with his children, talk to them if they are grown, play with them if they are little. But then at the last moment there are always urgent things to deal with at the office, extra things to do at work, and he puts it off till another time, returning home too late and too tired to think about anything else.
It is a very important thing for a man or a woman to go every so often to visit their aging mother of father who is living alone at home or some care facility. For everyone it is important to visit a sick friend to show your concern and perhaps offer them some practical help. But it is not urgent and if you put it off, it does not appear that the world will end and perhaps no one will notice. And you put it off.
The same is true in regard to your health, which is also something important. The doctor sees that you need to take care of yourself, take some time to rest, avoid stress. ... You answer, "Yes, yes, I'll definitely do it just as soon as I'm done with that project, when I've finished working on the house, when I've paid off all my debts. ... Until you see that it is too late. Here is where the problem lies: You go through life chasing after the thousand little things and never find time for the things that truly impact human relationships and can give joy (or deep sadness when neglected) in life. Thus, we see how the Gospel is, indirectly, a school of life; it teaches us to establish priorities, to attend to what is essential. In a word, to not lose the important for the sake of the urgent as happened with those who were invited to the wedding feast in our parable.
Gospel Commentary for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
ROME, OCT. 10, 2008 (Zenit.org).- It is instructive to consider the reasons why those who were invited to the feast described in the parable refused to come. Matthew says that they "ignored" the invitation and "went away, one to his farm, another to his business." Luke's Gospel is more detailed on this point and presents the reasons for the refusal of the invitation thus: "I have purchased a field and I must go look at it ... "I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to see them" ... "I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come" (Luke 14:18-20).
What do these different people have in common? All have something urgent to do, something that cannot wait, that demands their immediate attention. And what does the wedding feast represent? It indicates the messianic goods, participation in the salvation brought by Christ, and, therefore, the possibility of eternal life. The feast represents something important in life, indeed, the only important thing in life. The mistake of those who rejected the invitation is clear, then:
They have left the important for the urgent, the essential for the contingent! This is a widespread and insidious danger, not only in the sphere of religion but also in the purely human sphere. It is something worth reflecting on.
First of all let us consider the religious sphere. Neglecting the important for the urgent in our spiritual life means continually putting off our religious duties because there is always something urgent calling for our attention. It is Sunday and it is time to go to Mass, but there is that visit, that work in the garden, that lunch to prepare. Mass can wait, lunch cannot; so you put Mass off and go to your stove.
I said that the danger of neglecting the important for the urgent is also present in the human sphere, in everyday life, and I would also like to reflect on this. It is of the utmost importance that a man dedicate time to his family, be with his children, talk to them if they are grown, play with them if they are little. But then at the last moment there are always urgent things to deal with at the office, extra things to do at work, and he puts it off till another time, returning home too late and too tired to think about anything else.
It is a very important thing for a man or a woman to go every so often to visit their aging mother of father who is living alone at home or some care facility. For everyone it is important to visit a sick friend to show your concern and perhaps offer them some practical help. But it is not urgent and if you put it off, it does not appear that the world will end and perhaps no one will notice. And you put it off.
The same is true in regard to your health, which is also something important. The doctor sees that you need to take care of yourself, take some time to rest, avoid stress. ... You answer, "Yes, yes, I'll definitely do it just as soon as I'm done with that project, when I've finished working on the house, when I've paid off all my debts. ... Until you see that it is too late. Here is where the problem lies: You go through life chasing after the thousand little things and never find time for the things that truly impact human relationships and can give joy (or deep sadness when neglected) in life. Thus, we see how the Gospel is, indirectly, a school of life; it teaches us to establish priorities, to attend to what is essential. In a word, to not lose the important for the sake of the urgent as happened with those who were invited to the wedding feast in our parable.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Vote according to your conscience
Live concert tonight! During Eucharistic Adoration (7 pm), Jim and Michele Cowan will perform praise and worship music. Last year’s concert was thoroughly enjoyed by many here, and we are hoping for the same tonight. Please join us!
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Regarding the upcoming elections, the primary resource which Catholics should use to help form their consciences is a statement from the U.S. bishops: "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship - A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States".
To view the statement, please go to: www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/FCStatement.pdf
Also, to view a video about Faithful Citizenship, please click on today’s title, and scroll down to the video, “Faithful Citizenship: A Matter of Conscience”
As was posted recently by a blogger, here are two excerpts from the bishops’ statement:
"In making these decisions, it is essential for Catholics to be guided by a well-formed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not carry the same moral weight and that the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions. These decisions should take into account a candidates commitments, character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue. In the end, this is a decision to be made by each Catholic guided by a conscience formed by Catholic moral teaching."
"As Catholics we are not single-issue voters. A candidate's position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support. Yet a candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support."
----------------------------------------------
Regarding the upcoming elections, the primary resource which Catholics should use to help form their consciences is a statement from the U.S. bishops: "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship - A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States".
To view the statement, please go to: www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/FCStatement.pdf
Also, to view a video about Faithful Citizenship, please click on today’s title, and scroll down to the video, “Faithful Citizenship: A Matter of Conscience”
As was posted recently by a blogger, here are two excerpts from the bishops’ statement:
"In making these decisions, it is essential for Catholics to be guided by a well-formed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not carry the same moral weight and that the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions. These decisions should take into account a candidates commitments, character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue. In the end, this is a decision to be made by each Catholic guided by a conscience formed by Catholic moral teaching."
"As Catholics we are not single-issue voters. A candidate's position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support. Yet a candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support."
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Run for Vocations
A friend of mine, Kelly, sent me the following. Please support the Run for Vocations!
“I am running in the Marine Corps 10K on Sunday, October 26, 2008. I will be running on the Run for Vocations Team, again this year. The team is made up of priests, seminarians and lay people all running to support our seminarians (men studying to be priests). It is an exciting team--our mission is to support seminarians in their discernment of their call to the priesthood! I see the daily need of priests in my work with high school students. Priests bring the sacraments, comfort in times of need and celebrate in life's great joys. So, my training has been a great time to pray for their perseverance and holiness so that when they are ordained they will serve the Church with their whole lives. (The muscle aches are good sacrifices for their needs, too!)
I am asking you first to pray for our priests & seminarians. We depend on them daily and they can use our prayers. Secondly, I would ask you to prayerfully consider directly benefiting a seminarian by donating to the Run for Vocations Team which raises funds for the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Washington. The Archdiocese provides for the basic needs of the seminarians, their education, healthcare, housing and food. Your donation provides for extraordinary expenses they incur that they are unable to pay for themselves such as unexpected medical costs, travel expenses to family if an emergency or death arises and spiritual enrichment opportunities (for example leading youth to World Youth Day this past summer). No donation is too small, the seminarians are very grateful for your support!
You can make your donation in a number of ways:
1. Online at: https://www.adw.org/vocations/runforvocations_donate.asp
2. Make a check out to "Archdiocese of Washington" put "Run for Vocations" in the memo line and mail to: Office of Priest Vocations, Archdiocese of Washington, PO Box 29260, Washington, DC 20017-0260
Thank you for your support, it means a lot to me and our seminarians!”
“I am running in the Marine Corps 10K on Sunday, October 26, 2008. I will be running on the Run for Vocations Team, again this year. The team is made up of priests, seminarians and lay people all running to support our seminarians (men studying to be priests). It is an exciting team--our mission is to support seminarians in their discernment of their call to the priesthood! I see the daily need of priests in my work with high school students. Priests bring the sacraments, comfort in times of need and celebrate in life's great joys. So, my training has been a great time to pray for their perseverance and holiness so that when they are ordained they will serve the Church with their whole lives. (The muscle aches are good sacrifices for their needs, too!)
I am asking you first to pray for our priests & seminarians. We depend on them daily and they can use our prayers. Secondly, I would ask you to prayerfully consider directly benefiting a seminarian by donating to the Run for Vocations Team which raises funds for the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Washington. The Archdiocese provides for the basic needs of the seminarians, their education, healthcare, housing and food. Your donation provides for extraordinary expenses they incur that they are unable to pay for themselves such as unexpected medical costs, travel expenses to family if an emergency or death arises and spiritual enrichment opportunities (for example leading youth to World Youth Day this past summer). No donation is too small, the seminarians are very grateful for your support!
You can make your donation in a number of ways:
1. Online at: https://www.adw.org/vocations/runforvocations_donate.asp
2. Make a check out to "Archdiocese of Washington" put "Run for Vocations" in the memo line and mail to: Office of Priest Vocations, Archdiocese of Washington, PO Box 29260, Washington, DC 20017-0260
Thank you for your support, it means a lot to me and our seminarians!”
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
God is so good and creative
LIVE CONCERT this Friday!! Jim and Michele Cowan will perform a live concert during Eucharistic Adoration on Fri, Oct 10, 7 pm. Come join us in the Church as we worship our Lord with the help of the musical talents of this father and daughter!
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Here are three questions from bloggers:
1) “Fr, I understand that the readings for today were about fraternal correction, that we should go to the people who have harmed us multiple times on different levels and only cut them off if they are obstinate in their sin and harm, what do we do when they repent? Even if it is after we have cut them off or to quote the readings today 'treat them as we would a gentile'?”
It’s hard to say categorically without knowing the situation. But, I would assume from what you’ve written that you’ve learned of their repentance after you’d approached them and they were obstinate in their sin. I would first ask how you came to find out that they have repented? Did they come to you and finally show true repentance? If so, then you should accept them and reconcile with them. If you found out about their repentance some other way, then you should forgive them from your heart (if you hadn’t already) and try to make it known somehow that you are open to reconciling with them. When they approach you to reconcile, again you should accept them and reconcile with them. As God rewards our true repentance with reconciliation, so we should reward others with reconciliation, no matter how long it takes for them to be truly repentant.
2)“Hi um, Fr. Greg.. my question isn’t related to your topic but I was wondering, I can’t find a place to do confession where I am right now and I'll be here for an entire year, I don’t speak the language, how do I receive communion again if I can’t go to confession, is there a way to receive communion even if I don’t go to confession??”
First, I assume you know that it is only when we are conscious of having committed a grave sin that we need to go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion. Second, if that is the case, then I would suggest asking all over the place if anyone knows where you can find a priest who speaks at least some English. I would find it hard to believe that there is no priest like that anywhere near you. You might even try to go to Confession with your local priest; he might know enough English to absolve you.
I have heard a few confessions in languages that I didn’t know too well; somehow, I was able to discern, more or less, the state of their person’s soul and offer absolution. If there is no way to communicate with that priest or any priest and you need absolution before receiving Communion, then you will have to wait to receive until you find an English-speaking priest for Confession. But, give it a try with a local priest. God is so good and creative, He will surprise you. I am confident He will provide what you are looking for.
3) “Why speak in tongues?”
I’m not an active member of any charismatic group, so I’m not the best authority when it comes to speaking in tongues, but I do know that the Catholic Church began with an event (Pentecost) which involved the speaking of tongues (by the Apostles). The Holy Spirit is the giver of speaking in tongues, and at Pentecost, the Spirit came upon the Apostles as “tongues of fire”. The Apostles then spoke in “tongues”. But, Acts 2 makes it clear that “tongues” refers to languages. The Apostles were speaking to the Jews who had gathered from different lands in different languages - “in (the Jews’) own tongues”.
So, at the core of this, there is legitimacy and value to speaking in tongues; after all, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit! The confusion comes in when it occurs without proper interpretation. My guess is that when it’s an authentic gift of the Spirit, speaking in tongues is able to be interpreted. It is also my understanding that, like Pentecost, speaking in tongues is more about speaking in languages that are able to be understood than anything else.
To read more about this gift, please go to:
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1998/9804chap.asp
-----------------------------------------------------
Here are three questions from bloggers:
1) “Fr, I understand that the readings for today were about fraternal correction, that we should go to the people who have harmed us multiple times on different levels and only cut them off if they are obstinate in their sin and harm, what do we do when they repent? Even if it is after we have cut them off or to quote the readings today 'treat them as we would a gentile'?”
It’s hard to say categorically without knowing the situation. But, I would assume from what you’ve written that you’ve learned of their repentance after you’d approached them and they were obstinate in their sin. I would first ask how you came to find out that they have repented? Did they come to you and finally show true repentance? If so, then you should accept them and reconcile with them. If you found out about their repentance some other way, then you should forgive them from your heart (if you hadn’t already) and try to make it known somehow that you are open to reconciling with them. When they approach you to reconcile, again you should accept them and reconcile with them. As God rewards our true repentance with reconciliation, so we should reward others with reconciliation, no matter how long it takes for them to be truly repentant.
2)“Hi um, Fr. Greg.. my question isn’t related to your topic but I was wondering, I can’t find a place to do confession where I am right now and I'll be here for an entire year, I don’t speak the language, how do I receive communion again if I can’t go to confession, is there a way to receive communion even if I don’t go to confession??”
First, I assume you know that it is only when we are conscious of having committed a grave sin that we need to go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion. Second, if that is the case, then I would suggest asking all over the place if anyone knows where you can find a priest who speaks at least some English. I would find it hard to believe that there is no priest like that anywhere near you. You might even try to go to Confession with your local priest; he might know enough English to absolve you.
I have heard a few confessions in languages that I didn’t know too well; somehow, I was able to discern, more or less, the state of their person’s soul and offer absolution. If there is no way to communicate with that priest or any priest and you need absolution before receiving Communion, then you will have to wait to receive until you find an English-speaking priest for Confession. But, give it a try with a local priest. God is so good and creative, He will surprise you. I am confident He will provide what you are looking for.
3) “Why speak in tongues?”
I’m not an active member of any charismatic group, so I’m not the best authority when it comes to speaking in tongues, but I do know that the Catholic Church began with an event (Pentecost) which involved the speaking of tongues (by the Apostles). The Holy Spirit is the giver of speaking in tongues, and at Pentecost, the Spirit came upon the Apostles as “tongues of fire”. The Apostles then spoke in “tongues”. But, Acts 2 makes it clear that “tongues” refers to languages. The Apostles were speaking to the Jews who had gathered from different lands in different languages - “in (the Jews’) own tongues”.
So, at the core of this, there is legitimacy and value to speaking in tongues; after all, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit! The confusion comes in when it occurs without proper interpretation. My guess is that when it’s an authentic gift of the Spirit, speaking in tongues is able to be interpreted. It is also my understanding that, like Pentecost, speaking in tongues is more about speaking in languages that are able to be understood than anything else.
To read more about this gift, please go to:
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1998/9804chap.asp
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Respect Life Sunday - homily
How important is life to us? How is important is human life? These are great questions for us to ask anytime, but especially today when the Church celebrates Respect Life Sunday. October is Respect Life month. These are also significant questions for us to consider as we approach Election Day, November 4th. Is there anything or any issue that is more important than human life?
How important is human life to God? It is most important. Just as children are most important to their parents, we are most important to God. WE are “cherished plant”, as we hear in the first reading. WE are the “apple of his eye”, as we hear elsewhere in Scripture. The readings today give us the image of God as an owner of a vineyard; we are the vineyard. “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts”, the first reading says, “is the house of Israel and the people of Judah are his cherished plant”. Again, this refers to us, His people.
Human life is so important to God that He sends his son into the vineyard – the dangerous vineyard – to save us. Let’s be clear: He sends His son to save HUMAN life. When He does, He says, “they will respect my son”. But, they killed His son.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my unborn sons and daughters in the United States”. But, they kill thousands of unborn babies in the United States every day through abortion.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my people in different lands and of different races”. But, they have killed millions of Jews and Africans through genocide.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my oldest children who are of advanced age”. But, they have made it legal in several countries to kill the elderly through euthanasia.
It is a dangerous vineyard, indeed! It is one that disrespected the life of Christ and continues to disrespect human life.
God continues to send His son to save us. He continues to send His son to save us…. in the Eucharist. The best way for us to respect the son in the Eucharist is at Mass. We respect the son in the Eucharist when we come to Mass on time, dress properly, do our best to be attentive and prayerful, participate in the liturgy, and stay until the final blessing. It is extremely disrespectful to the Eucharist when we, without a good reason, leave Mass as soon as we have received Holy Communion. Remember, Judas left the first Mass early.
Let us all respect the son in the Eucharist at this Mass and at every Mass.
Finally, St. Paul gives us beautiful words to meditate on this week. He writes about “whatever is true…whatever is honorable …just …pure …lovely …gracious …excellent …worthy of praise.” We can meditate on them and realize that, among other things, he is describing the Eucharist. And, he is describing human life.
How important is human life to God? It is most important. Just as children are most important to their parents, we are most important to God. WE are “cherished plant”, as we hear in the first reading. WE are the “apple of his eye”, as we hear elsewhere in Scripture. The readings today give us the image of God as an owner of a vineyard; we are the vineyard. “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts”, the first reading says, “is the house of Israel and the people of Judah are his cherished plant”. Again, this refers to us, His people.
Human life is so important to God that He sends his son into the vineyard – the dangerous vineyard – to save us. Let’s be clear: He sends His son to save HUMAN life. When He does, He says, “they will respect my son”. But, they killed His son.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my unborn sons and daughters in the United States”. But, they kill thousands of unborn babies in the United States every day through abortion.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my people in different lands and of different races”. But, they have killed millions of Jews and Africans through genocide.
In a similar way, He says, “they will respect my oldest children who are of advanced age”. But, they have made it legal in several countries to kill the elderly through euthanasia.
It is a dangerous vineyard, indeed! It is one that disrespected the life of Christ and continues to disrespect human life.
God continues to send His son to save us. He continues to send His son to save us…. in the Eucharist. The best way for us to respect the son in the Eucharist is at Mass. We respect the son in the Eucharist when we come to Mass on time, dress properly, do our best to be attentive and prayerful, participate in the liturgy, and stay until the final blessing. It is extremely disrespectful to the Eucharist when we, without a good reason, leave Mass as soon as we have received Holy Communion. Remember, Judas left the first Mass early.
Let us all respect the son in the Eucharist at this Mass and at every Mass.
Finally, St. Paul gives us beautiful words to meditate on this week. He writes about “whatever is true…whatever is honorable …just …pure …lovely …gracious …excellent …worthy of praise.” We can meditate on them and realize that, among other things, he is describing the Eucharist. And, he is describing human life.
Friday, October 03, 2008
"Announce the kingdom!"
1) Parents Prayer Group, 2:15 pm, today, Athletic Field steps. Please join us as we pray for the students of our school.
2) Eucharistic Adoration tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church. All are invited!!
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Tomorrow is the memorial of St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). Coinciding with the feast of St. Francis, Sunday’s 11:30 Mass on the field will include the Blessing of Animals. The following is an article from americancatholic.org about the extraordinary life of St. Francis who is one of the greatest saints in the Church.
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a mite of self-importance.
Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth. Prayer—lengthy and difficult—led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: "Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy."
From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, "Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." Francis became the totally poor and humble workman.
He must have suspected a deeper meaning to "build up my house." But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor "nothing" man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up every material thing he had, piling even his clothes before his earthly father (who was demanding restitution for Francis' "gifts" to the poor) so that he would be totally free to say, "Our Father in heaven." He was, for a time, considered to be a religious "nut," begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, bringing sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking.
But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: "Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff" (see Luke 9:1-3).
Francis' first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no idea of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church's unity.
He was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade.
During the last years of his relatively short life (he died at 44) he was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death, he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side.
On his deathbed, he said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, "Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death." He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior to have his clothes removed when the last hour came and for permission to expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord.
Comment:
Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He loved nature because it was another manifestation of the beauty of God. He did great penance (apologizing to "Brother Body" later in life) that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. His poverty had a sister, humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist.
Quote:
"We adore you and we bless you, Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all the churches which are in the whole world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world" (St. Francis).
2) Eucharistic Adoration tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church. All are invited!!
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Tomorrow is the memorial of St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). Coinciding with the feast of St. Francis, Sunday’s 11:30 Mass on the field will include the Blessing of Animals. The following is an article from americancatholic.org about the extraordinary life of St. Francis who is one of the greatest saints in the Church.
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a mite of self-importance.
Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth. Prayer—lengthy and difficult—led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: "Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy."
From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, "Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." Francis became the totally poor and humble workman.
He must have suspected a deeper meaning to "build up my house." But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor "nothing" man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up every material thing he had, piling even his clothes before his earthly father (who was demanding restitution for Francis' "gifts" to the poor) so that he would be totally free to say, "Our Father in heaven." He was, for a time, considered to be a religious "nut," begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, bringing sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking.
But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: "Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff" (see Luke 9:1-3).
Francis' first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no idea of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church's unity.
He was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade.
During the last years of his relatively short life (he died at 44) he was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death, he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side.
On his deathbed, he said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, "Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death." He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior to have his clothes removed when the last hour came and for permission to expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord.
Comment:
Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He loved nature because it was another manifestation of the beauty of God. He did great penance (apologizing to "Brother Body" later in life) that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. His poverty had a sister, humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist.
Quote:
"We adore you and we bless you, Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all the churches which are in the whole world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world" (St. Francis).
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