"It is not easy to be a priest today", Archbishop Wuerl writes in his Washington Post op-ed on Easter Sunday which is below. It is not easy to see the new attacks in the papers each day from the media. It is not easy to get blasted by a Catholic at an Easter Vigil reception. It is not easy to get questioned by devout Catholics who want to know what is going on. It is not easy, but it's part of the deal of being a priest. The Church is under attack; some of it is justified, much of it is not. I understand the purpose of the attacks on the Church and who is behind them. I also understand the purpose of the attack on Christ on Good Friday and who was behind that. As His Excellency points out, the Church will rise from this just as Christ rose from the dead.
Resurrection and redemption
By Donald W. Wuerl
Sunday, April 4, 2010; A15
Today, Christians worldwide celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Lent is over; Good Friday has passed. To a church that has experienced the deep pain of clergy sexual abuse, these days are a reminder that from pain and sorrow eventually come hope, redemption and new life.
This new life will come only by confronting sexual abuse head-on, taking responsibility for the wrongs of the past and committing to doing all that we can never to allow the tragedy of abuse to happen again. In the United States, we bishops have put in place tough standards for reporting allegations to civil authorities because we recognize that abuse is not only a sin but also a serious crime. In the Archdiocese of Washington and in dioceses nationwide, we mandate child protection training for adults and education for children. Seminarians, clergy, volunteers and employees who work with children must undergo criminal background checks. Independent advisory boards of lay experts guide our work, and, perhaps most important, we continue to reach out to those harmed to help them heal from their pain.
In 2008-09, 6 million children in the United States received lessons on recognizing inappropriate behavior and what to do if someone tries to harm them or makes them feel uncomfortable. Two million adults underwent background checks. Here in Washington, we have had a written child protection policy for nearly 25 years.
This commitment to safety has been done with the support and leadership of Pope Benedict XVI. Then-Cardinal Ratzinger, as the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Pope John Paul II were strong voices supporting the American bishops when we asked for changes in canon law and for special norms to expedite the removal of priests involved in sexual abuse of minors in a quick and decisive manner.
Pope Benedict has made pastoral care a priority. Two years ago this month, he stood with us at Mass at Nationals Park and spoke about the sexual abuse of minors: "No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse. It is important that those who have suffered be given loving pastoral attention. Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the Church."
One of the most poignant moments of the Holy Father's visit to our city was his private visit with victims of clergy sexual abuse. He spoke with each person, he listened to them, he prayed with them and he heard how devastating the abuse was to their lives.
Clergy sexual abuse, and in fact all sexual abuse, must be addressed wherever it occurs. No child should ever be harmed. But the wrong actions of some do not justify the vilification of all. The priests who harmed children violated the heart of their ministry and have harmed not only our young people and our community of faith but also the vast majority of their brother priests who faithfully live out their promises to serve Christ and his people.
It is not easy to be a priest today. In a culture sometimes overly focused on material goods and getting ahead professionally, it may be hard to understand why someone would voluntarily choose a life of service and a job that is 24-7. Priests are there for others when they are in despair, grieving and destitute. They help people find hope in the darkness, a reason for living and the love of God.
Some of the most significant work of priests is found in what so many take for granted -- directly, quietly, caringly and effectively serving people in parishes. Priests celebrate Mass, baptize children, witness marriages, bring reconciliation through confession, serve the poor, console the sick and bury our loved ones. Their selfless ministry helps hold together the Catholic faith family and the wider community.
Priests don't expect thanks and often don't receive it. They see the priesthood as an opportunity to bring the love of Christ to others and to help them come closer to God. It is in earthen vessels that we carry a magnificent treasure.
As the Catholic Church continues to face the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse, we must pray for the victims, recommit to doing all that we can to keep children safe, and remember and pray for the priests who every day faithfully live out the deep love that Christ has for all of us.
The writer is archbishop of Washington.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Monday, April 05, 2010
Easter Sunday - homily
They “saw and believed”.
I wish all of you a very blessed Easter! Christ is risen…He is risen indeed! When I was in the parish, a woman who was a friend of a friend came to me for a blessing. She was going into surgery with the hope of removing a brain tumor that gave her constant pain throughout her body and sidelined her from activity with her kids for years. I laid my hands on her and showered her head with Lourdes water (miraculous water from Lourdes, France). When she went in for surgery, the doctors didn’t recognize her…the tumor was gone! For all intents and purposes, it was a miracle. As much physical healing as she experienced, she has had more spiritual and personal healing. She has made a big comeback in her Catholic faith, her marriage is much stronger, and her family is more united. She saw and believed.
A priest many years ago in Europe stopped believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He didn’t believe anymore that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. But, he made a prayer to our Lord: ‘Lord, help me in my unbelief’. One day, he offered Mass. At the consecration, he elevated the host…the host began to bleed. Drops of blood came down from the host onto the altar. The Church would declare it a miracle of the Eucharist. The priest believed again. He saw and believed.
In the parish, we had Eucharistic Adoration for an hour every Friday night. People really got into it. Adoration is soooo awesome! Some nights, kids from the school came over with their classes. One night, students from the 3rd and 5th grades were there. They prayed for almost the whole hour! Sure, they ran out a few times for bathroom breaks (actually running through the Church…d’oh!). But, they were into it when there. Afterwards, they made comments that it was “awesome” and “inspiring”. I walked away thinking that they got it. At such a young age, they got it about the Eucharis: that it really is the Body of Christ. Most adult Catholics don’t get it – 70% believe the Eucharist is only a symbol. They get it and they are set for life in terms of their Catholic faith. They saw and believed.
I visited a man in the hospital who was on his death bed. While I was there to anoint him, he asked for Confession. He said it had been 50 years. 50 years. He was worried that God would not forgive him because it had been that long. I told him the story we heard on Good Friday, about the thief next to Jesus on the Cross who asked for mercy in the last hour of his life. Jesus gave him a promise that He gave to no one else in the Gospel: “today you will be with me in paradise”. I said to the man that the Lord gives him the same promise. He got it and tears of joy rolled down his face. He saw and believed.
We just heard the Gospel where Peter and John saw and believed. We normally think of Thomas as being the only Apostle who had to see to believe. But, they all did in one way or another. Peter and John saw the empty tomb, the others saw that , the witness of Peter, John, or Mary Magdelene, or they saw the risen Christ who walked the earth for 40 days. They all saw and believed.
If we have lost our faith, is it possible to see and believe again? Yes. Of course. One of the biggest highlights for me in my first year here has been a discussion group of about 8-10 students. They were “Catholic all-stars” in high school: going to Mass, inviting others to come to Mass and youth group, etc. Then, they came to college and lost their faith which is pretty common. But, through this group they are making a serious comeback in faith. They have seen Christ this semester: hopefully through me, the group leader, the teachings, the Eucharist, Confession, etc. I’ve met with two of them separately in the past two weeks for an hour and a half each time for Confession, Adoration, prayer, etc. They are back and their faith is amazing! They saw and believed again.
The common thread in all of these stories (other than seeing and believing) is that each of these people took action. They didn’t just sit idly by and say, ‘God, give me faith’. They went to where He is. They all did something about it. The woman came to me for a blessing, the priest celebrated Mass, the kids came to Adoration, the man in the hospital asked for a priest, the Apostles went to the tomb, and the students have come to the discussion group every week. They have put themselves in a position to see and believe.
Let us be like them so that we may see and believe. It happens primarily through the Eucharist; it starts with Sunday Mass….EVERY Sunday. Then, if possible, daily Mass which we have at the Newman Center Monday through Friday at noon. It is much more intimate and personal than Sunday Mass (and shorter!). Daily Mass is where so many people see and believe in Christ. Whether it’s through daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, prayer, Scripture, etc., let us see Christ and believe that He is risen…that He is real. Let us join the group of those who have seen and believed.
I wish all of you a very blessed Easter! Christ is risen…He is risen indeed! When I was in the parish, a woman who was a friend of a friend came to me for a blessing. She was going into surgery with the hope of removing a brain tumor that gave her constant pain throughout her body and sidelined her from activity with her kids for years. I laid my hands on her and showered her head with Lourdes water (miraculous water from Lourdes, France). When she went in for surgery, the doctors didn’t recognize her…the tumor was gone! For all intents and purposes, it was a miracle. As much physical healing as she experienced, she has had more spiritual and personal healing. She has made a big comeback in her Catholic faith, her marriage is much stronger, and her family is more united. She saw and believed.
A priest many years ago in Europe stopped believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He didn’t believe anymore that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. But, he made a prayer to our Lord: ‘Lord, help me in my unbelief’. One day, he offered Mass. At the consecration, he elevated the host…the host began to bleed. Drops of blood came down from the host onto the altar. The Church would declare it a miracle of the Eucharist. The priest believed again. He saw and believed.
In the parish, we had Eucharistic Adoration for an hour every Friday night. People really got into it. Adoration is soooo awesome! Some nights, kids from the school came over with their classes. One night, students from the 3rd and 5th grades were there. They prayed for almost the whole hour! Sure, they ran out a few times for bathroom breaks (actually running through the Church…d’oh!). But, they were into it when there. Afterwards, they made comments that it was “awesome” and “inspiring”. I walked away thinking that they got it. At such a young age, they got it about the Eucharis: that it really is the Body of Christ. Most adult Catholics don’t get it – 70% believe the Eucharist is only a symbol. They get it and they are set for life in terms of their Catholic faith. They saw and believed.
I visited a man in the hospital who was on his death bed. While I was there to anoint him, he asked for Confession. He said it had been 50 years. 50 years. He was worried that God would not forgive him because it had been that long. I told him the story we heard on Good Friday, about the thief next to Jesus on the Cross who asked for mercy in the last hour of his life. Jesus gave him a promise that He gave to no one else in the Gospel: “today you will be with me in paradise”. I said to the man that the Lord gives him the same promise. He got it and tears of joy rolled down his face. He saw and believed.
We just heard the Gospel where Peter and John saw and believed. We normally think of Thomas as being the only Apostle who had to see to believe. But, they all did in one way or another. Peter and John saw the empty tomb, the others saw that , the witness of Peter, John, or Mary Magdelene, or they saw the risen Christ who walked the earth for 40 days. They all saw and believed.
If we have lost our faith, is it possible to see and believe again? Yes. Of course. One of the biggest highlights for me in my first year here has been a discussion group of about 8-10 students. They were “Catholic all-stars” in high school: going to Mass, inviting others to come to Mass and youth group, etc. Then, they came to college and lost their faith which is pretty common. But, through this group they are making a serious comeback in faith. They have seen Christ this semester: hopefully through me, the group leader, the teachings, the Eucharist, Confession, etc. I’ve met with two of them separately in the past two weeks for an hour and a half each time for Confession, Adoration, prayer, etc. They are back and their faith is amazing! They saw and believed again.
The common thread in all of these stories (other than seeing and believing) is that each of these people took action. They didn’t just sit idly by and say, ‘God, give me faith’. They went to where He is. They all did something about it. The woman came to me for a blessing, the priest celebrated Mass, the kids came to Adoration, the man in the hospital asked for a priest, the Apostles went to the tomb, and the students have come to the discussion group every week. They have put themselves in a position to see and believe.
Let us be like them so that we may see and believe. It happens primarily through the Eucharist; it starts with Sunday Mass….EVERY Sunday. Then, if possible, daily Mass which we have at the Newman Center Monday through Friday at noon. It is much more intimate and personal than Sunday Mass (and shorter!). Daily Mass is where so many people see and believe in Christ. Whether it’s through daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, prayer, Scripture, etc., let us see Christ and believe that He is risen…that He is real. Let us join the group of those who have seen and believed.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Seven Last Words of Christ
Confessions today at Newman Center (my office, 2nd floor): 12 noon – 2:45 pm, 4:15-6 pm.
"There was never a preacher like the dying Christ. There was never a congregation like that which gathered about the pulpit of the Cross. There was never a sermon like the Seven Last Words."
- Arch. Fulton Sheen, The Seven Last Words (the following is taken from Sheen's book and was the subject of discussion Tuesday night here)
The Seven Last Words of Christ
1. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do"
His executioners expected Him to cry and curse like all those who had been crucified before Him. Instead, He cried out for the Father to forgive those who were executing and mocking Him (soldiers, Pilate, Herod, etc.).
Forgive who? – forgive the soldiers who mocked, scourged, and struck him
Why forgive? Because they know what they do? No, because they know NOT what they do. If they knew what they were doing (killing the Redeemer), they could not be saved. “It is not wisdom that saves; it is ignorance!”
If we knew: how terrible sin is and kept sinning...about the Incarnation and rejected Christ...about Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross and didn’t take up our own...about mercy in the Sacrament of Penance and still refused it..about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and didn’t receive...the Truth of the teachings of Christ’s Church and rejected them like other Pilates...”if we knew all of these things and still stayed away from Christ and His Church, we should be lost!”
2. "This day you shall be with me in Paradise"
The thief (Dismas) next to Christ realized he was next to the Redeemer: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”
Christ was losing his life and saving a soul
He wouldn’t speak to Herod, wouldn’t respond to those who jeered and mocked, but strained to say the words that will save him: “This day you will be with me in paradise”
"No one before (the thief on the right of Christ) was ever the object of such a promise, not even Moses, nor John, not even Magdelen nor Mary!"
“God is more anxious to save us than we are to save ourselves”...more than anything, God wants us to give Him our sins...Dismas does and he is promised paradise
3. "Woman, behold thy son"
He had already given away everything – his blood to the Church...his garments to the soldiers...paradise to the thief...soon his body to the grave and his soul to the Father
“to whom, then, could he give the two treasures which he loved above all others, Mary and John?” He gave them to one another.
'Thy son' is John, who represents us (the Church). "Woman!" is the 2nd Annunciation; "behold thy son" is the 2nd Nativity. We are born of Mary in the 2nd Nativity of the spirit; Christ is born in the 1st Nativity of the flesh.
It has been said that Jesus never denies His Mother anything. Do I ask my Mother to intercede to her Son for me, my friends and family...she who is the mother of Him who can do all things?
4. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Darkness covered the earth when spoken...the protest of nature to the Crucifixion
Separated from the Father? No, otherwise how could he cry, “My God, my God...”
Pain and desolation of not being able to see the Father’s face...like when it’s cloudy but sun is still there
While He is still in union with the Father, Christ brings atonement to all those who have abandoned God, doubt God's presence in their lives, or are indifferent towards God.
For all Christians who abandon God when they don’t feel His presence...they identify being good with feeling good...for a doubting world that asks, “why...why...?”
For indifference in the world...last 20 centuries of apathy is more torturing and crucifying than the pains of Calvary
Christ reaches out to all those who have been rejected, are lonely, isolated, hurt, etc...He knows what I'm experiencing whenever I've been abandoned, rejected, lonely, hurt or isolated. If he experienced this and rose from it, anyone in union with Him in these ways will rise with Him
5. "I thirst"
Not said to anyone there at Calvary, or even to God. He says to all mankind, "I thirst...for love!"
Suffering of God without man (5th word); suffering of man without God (4th word)
Creator cannot live without creatures; shepherd cannot love without sheep
Christ has done all he can do for us; “it is no wonder that he thirsts for love having poured forth all the waters of his everlasting love on our poor, parched
hearts”
Christ thirsts for my love; do I give him only vinegar and gall when he asks for a drink? Do I quench Jesus’ thirst with my love or do I leave him parched with my hardness of heart? Do I thirst for Jesus? For love? For Heaven? Do I thirst for others like Jesus does?
6. "It is finished"
Redemption, the Father’s work, is now accomplished; we were bought and paid for
Christ won in a battle with five wounds (hands, feet, side), torn flesh, a cry (‘forgive them’ not ‘crush and kill them’), and dripping blood
Christ triumphantly says this, like an artist who puts the finishing touches on a masterpiece.
Work of acquiring divine life is finished, but not the distribution. Is our work finished? No. He has finished the foundation; we build on it. It depends on us becoming other Christs and to take up our cross and follow Him
His work of Redemption is finished, but not complete (see Col 1:24). As the Mystical Body of Christ, we complete Christ's work of Redemption (by taking up our own Cross).
Do I accept crosses in my life with faith?
7. "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"
Like the Prodigal Son who returns to his father's house...33 years ago, left the Father’s eternal mansion and went off to a foreign country of this world...spent himself and being spent...divine riches of power and wisdom spent on humanity...in his last hour, he gives to “the last drop” of his precious blood
Now on the road back to the Father’s house...sees the face of the Father and lets out the word, “Father, into...”
Mary at the foot of the Cross with crucified body,,,Bethlehem has come back:
-thorn-crowned head was head at her breast (at Bethlehem)
-faded eyes who glanced at her from the manger
-feet with nail marks were once adored with gold, frankincense, and myrrh
-embrace at the foot of the cross = embrace at the side of the crib
At Bethlehem, Mary gave Jesus to man; at Calvary, sinful man gave him back to Mary
Do we entrust our lives to our Father in Heaven? Do we commend our spirits to God? Do we give Him everything we’ve got- heart, mind, soul, and strength? Do we have our eyes on Heaven...think about it regularly?
"There was never a preacher like the dying Christ. There was never a congregation like that which gathered about the pulpit of the Cross. There was never a sermon like the Seven Last Words."
- Arch. Fulton Sheen, The Seven Last Words (the following is taken from Sheen's book and was the subject of discussion Tuesday night here)
The Seven Last Words of Christ
1. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do"
His executioners expected Him to cry and curse like all those who had been crucified before Him. Instead, He cried out for the Father to forgive those who were executing and mocking Him (soldiers, Pilate, Herod, etc.).
Forgive who? – forgive the soldiers who mocked, scourged, and struck him
Why forgive? Because they know what they do? No, because they know NOT what they do. If they knew what they were doing (killing the Redeemer), they could not be saved. “It is not wisdom that saves; it is ignorance!”
If we knew: how terrible sin is and kept sinning...about the Incarnation and rejected Christ...about Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross and didn’t take up our own...about mercy in the Sacrament of Penance and still refused it..about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and didn’t receive...the Truth of the teachings of Christ’s Church and rejected them like other Pilates...”if we knew all of these things and still stayed away from Christ and His Church, we should be lost!”
2. "This day you shall be with me in Paradise"
The thief (Dismas) next to Christ realized he was next to the Redeemer: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”
Christ was losing his life and saving a soul
He wouldn’t speak to Herod, wouldn’t respond to those who jeered and mocked, but strained to say the words that will save him: “This day you will be with me in paradise”
"No one before (the thief on the right of Christ) was ever the object of such a promise, not even Moses, nor John, not even Magdelen nor Mary!"
“God is more anxious to save us than we are to save ourselves”...more than anything, God wants us to give Him our sins...Dismas does and he is promised paradise
3. "Woman, behold thy son"
He had already given away everything – his blood to the Church...his garments to the soldiers...paradise to the thief...soon his body to the grave and his soul to the Father
“to whom, then, could he give the two treasures which he loved above all others, Mary and John?” He gave them to one another.
'Thy son' is John, who represents us (the Church). "Woman!" is the 2nd Annunciation; "behold thy son" is the 2nd Nativity. We are born of Mary in the 2nd Nativity of the spirit; Christ is born in the 1st Nativity of the flesh.
It has been said that Jesus never denies His Mother anything. Do I ask my Mother to intercede to her Son for me, my friends and family...she who is the mother of Him who can do all things?
4. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Darkness covered the earth when spoken...the protest of nature to the Crucifixion
Separated from the Father? No, otherwise how could he cry, “My God, my God...”
Pain and desolation of not being able to see the Father’s face...like when it’s cloudy but sun is still there
While He is still in union with the Father, Christ brings atonement to all those who have abandoned God, doubt God's presence in their lives, or are indifferent towards God.
For all Christians who abandon God when they don’t feel His presence...they identify being good with feeling good...for a doubting world that asks, “why...why...?”
For indifference in the world...last 20 centuries of apathy is more torturing and crucifying than the pains of Calvary
Christ reaches out to all those who have been rejected, are lonely, isolated, hurt, etc...He knows what I'm experiencing whenever I've been abandoned, rejected, lonely, hurt or isolated. If he experienced this and rose from it, anyone in union with Him in these ways will rise with Him
5. "I thirst"
Not said to anyone there at Calvary, or even to God. He says to all mankind, "I thirst...for love!"
Suffering of God without man (5th word); suffering of man without God (4th word)
Creator cannot live without creatures; shepherd cannot love without sheep
Christ has done all he can do for us; “it is no wonder that he thirsts for love having poured forth all the waters of his everlasting love on our poor, parched
hearts”
Christ thirsts for my love; do I give him only vinegar and gall when he asks for a drink? Do I quench Jesus’ thirst with my love or do I leave him parched with my hardness of heart? Do I thirst for Jesus? For love? For Heaven? Do I thirst for others like Jesus does?
6. "It is finished"
Redemption, the Father’s work, is now accomplished; we were bought and paid for
Christ won in a battle with five wounds (hands, feet, side), torn flesh, a cry (‘forgive them’ not ‘crush and kill them’), and dripping blood
Christ triumphantly says this, like an artist who puts the finishing touches on a masterpiece.
Work of acquiring divine life is finished, but not the distribution. Is our work finished? No. He has finished the foundation; we build on it. It depends on us becoming other Christs and to take up our cross and follow Him
His work of Redemption is finished, but not complete (see Col 1:24). As the Mystical Body of Christ, we complete Christ's work of Redemption (by taking up our own Cross).
Do I accept crosses in my life with faith?
7. "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"
Like the Prodigal Son who returns to his father's house...33 years ago, left the Father’s eternal mansion and went off to a foreign country of this world...spent himself and being spent...divine riches of power and wisdom spent on humanity...in his last hour, he gives to “the last drop” of his precious blood
Now on the road back to the Father’s house...sees the face of the Father and lets out the word, “Father, into...”
Mary at the foot of the Cross with crucified body,,,Bethlehem has come back:
-thorn-crowned head was head at her breast (at Bethlehem)
-faded eyes who glanced at her from the manger
-feet with nail marks were once adored with gold, frankincense, and myrrh
-embrace at the foot of the cross = embrace at the side of the crib
At Bethlehem, Mary gave Jesus to man; at Calvary, sinful man gave him back to Mary
Do we entrust our lives to our Father in Heaven? Do we commend our spirits to God? Do we give Him everything we’ve got- heart, mind, soul, and strength? Do we have our eyes on Heaven...think about it regularly?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Good Friday Confessions + "Passion of the Christ"
Good Friday (April 2):
1) Confessions at the Newman Center (2210 F St.) on Good Friday from 12 noon - 2:45 pm and 4:15 pm -6 pm.
2) "Passion of the Christ" movie, 8:30 pm, Marvin Center, Room 302
1) Confessions at the Newman Center (2210 F St.) on Good Friday from 12 noon - 2:45 pm and 4:15 pm -6 pm.
2) "Passion of the Christ" movie, 8:30 pm, Marvin Center, Room 302
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
"Setting the record straight" about Father Murphy
A few people have asked me recently about the reported case in Wisconsin about abusive priest Father Murphy. Please click on the today's title to read an article from the priest who presided over the case as judge and who sets the record straight.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Palm Sunday - homily
“This is my body…this is my blood…shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven”.
These are the words we hear at the Consecration at every Mass when bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. In and of themselves, these words are awesome! They also tell us why this all happened….why Christ suffered so much…why He shed so much blood…why He died such a horrific death: so that sins may be forgiven.
The night before He died, He sweat blood in the garden. Sweat blood…so that sins may be forgiven.
The next day, He was whipped over 40 times front and back….and the soldiers used metal hooks at the end of their whips that ripped off his flesh. He was a bloody mess…so that sins may be forgiven.
Then, they mocked Him, spit on Him, and gave Him a crown of thorns that pierced His skull, causing blood to go into his eyes…so that sins may be forgiven.
They gave him a cross to carry…a very heavy cross. He fell three times, one time falling face first into stone pavement and breaking his nose…so that sins may be forgiven.
Then, He hung upon the cross for at least three hours…could barely breathe…could barely speak. And when He spoke, he said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. Then, He breathed his last…so that sins may be forgiven.
If you don’t have your sins forgiven, then Christ suffered and died in vain…all the blood He shed would be a waste.
I beg you, I beg you, I beg you: go to Confession….so that your sins may be forgiven.
These are the words we hear at the Consecration at every Mass when bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. In and of themselves, these words are awesome! They also tell us why this all happened….why Christ suffered so much…why He shed so much blood…why He died such a horrific death: so that sins may be forgiven.
The night before He died, He sweat blood in the garden. Sweat blood…so that sins may be forgiven.
The next day, He was whipped over 40 times front and back….and the soldiers used metal hooks at the end of their whips that ripped off his flesh. He was a bloody mess…so that sins may be forgiven.
Then, they mocked Him, spit on Him, and gave Him a crown of thorns that pierced His skull, causing blood to go into his eyes…so that sins may be forgiven.
They gave him a cross to carry…a very heavy cross. He fell three times, one time falling face first into stone pavement and breaking his nose…so that sins may be forgiven.
Then, He hung upon the cross for at least three hours…could barely breathe…could barely speak. And when He spoke, he said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. Then, He breathed his last…so that sins may be forgiven.
If you don’t have your sins forgiven, then Christ suffered and died in vain…all the blood He shed would be a waste.
I beg you, I beg you, I beg you: go to Confession….so that your sins may be forgiven.
Friday, March 26, 2010
A plea for Confession
Stations of the Cross, tonight, 5:30 pm, Newman Center chapel. Eucharistic Adoration and the opportunity for confession to follow from 6-7 pm. Please join us!
Holy Week schedule:
Monday
- NO Bible Study
Tuesday
- Mass (5:30 pm), dinner, discussion ("The Last Seven Words of Christ")
Wednesday
- Adoration, 12:30-10 pm
- Confessions, 8-9:30 pm
Holy Thursday
- NO 12 Mass, NO Theology of the Body
- 6:30 pm, Mass of the Lord's Supper, St Stephen's
- 12 midnight - "Christ in the Garden", NC Chapel
Good Friday
- 12:00 pm -2:45 pm- Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 3:00- Living Stations of the Cross, St Stephen's
- 4:15-6 - Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 6:30 - The Lord's Passion, St Stephen's
- 8:30 - "The Passion of the Christ" movie (Marvin Center)
---------------------------------------------
This Sunday night, I will be making a big plea for GW Catholics to go to Confession, explaining that the reason Christ suffered so much, shed so much blood, and died a horrific death is "so that sins may be forgiven”. It is in Confession that all our sins are forgiven…it is the sacrament of Reconciliation with God and the Church. My plea will be for GW students to honor the events of Holy Week, particularly Christ’s sacrifice, through Confession. Please encourage others to do this!
If you are worried about going to Confession, I understand. I have made it clear that I don’t get angry, judgemental, or condemning in “the box”. I am a minister of God’s Mercy and will offer you mercy. An example which may help solidify this point is a student who came to me for Confession recently after being filled with much trepidation about going. Here is the student’s email after Confession:
“I just wanted to say thank you for meeting with me yesterday. I really do feel spiritually renewed and so so blessed to have received the sacrament of Reconciliation. When I came into your office yesterday, I didn't for one second think that I was going to make a Confession-- until you whipped out your stole that is!...But, I am really grateful that I did-- and I am especially grateful for your patience and encouragement with the whole process, which was very overwhelming for me. Most importantly, however, I want to thank you, because for the first time in many years, I will truly be able to celebrate the gift of our Lord at Easter.”
Holy Week schedule:
Monday
- NO Bible Study
Tuesday
- Mass (5:30 pm), dinner, discussion ("The Last Seven Words of Christ")
Wednesday
- Adoration, 12:30-10 pm
- Confessions, 8-9:30 pm
Holy Thursday
- NO 12 Mass, NO Theology of the Body
- 6:30 pm, Mass of the Lord's Supper, St Stephen's
- 12 midnight - "Christ in the Garden", NC Chapel
Good Friday
- 12:00 pm -2:45 pm- Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 3:00- Living Stations of the Cross, St Stephen's
- 4:15-6 - Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 6:30 - The Lord's Passion, St Stephen's
- 8:30 - "The Passion of the Christ" movie (Marvin Center)
---------------------------------------------
This Sunday night, I will be making a big plea for GW Catholics to go to Confession, explaining that the reason Christ suffered so much, shed so much blood, and died a horrific death is "so that sins may be forgiven”. It is in Confession that all our sins are forgiven…it is the sacrament of Reconciliation with God and the Church. My plea will be for GW students to honor the events of Holy Week, particularly Christ’s sacrifice, through Confession. Please encourage others to do this!
If you are worried about going to Confession, I understand. I have made it clear that I don’t get angry, judgemental, or condemning in “the box”. I am a minister of God’s Mercy and will offer you mercy. An example which may help solidify this point is a student who came to me for Confession recently after being filled with much trepidation about going. Here is the student’s email after Confession:
“I just wanted to say thank you for meeting with me yesterday. I really do feel spiritually renewed and so so blessed to have received the sacrament of Reconciliation. When I came into your office yesterday, I didn't for one second think that I was going to make a Confession-- until you whipped out your stole that is!...But, I am really grateful that I did-- and I am especially grateful for your patience and encouragement with the whole process, which was very overwhelming for me. Most importantly, however, I want to thank you, because for the first time in many years, I will truly be able to celebrate the gift of our Lord at Easter.”
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
New health care is "profoundly flawed" - US Bishops
WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) – Less than an hour before the President of the United States signed the Senate version of Health Care Reform into law, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, through their President, Cardinal Francis George, issued the following release:
From The Catholic Bishops of the United States:
"For nearly a century, the Catholic bishops of the United States have called for reform of our health care system so that all may have access to the care that recognizes and affirms their human dignity. Christian discipleship means, "working to ensure that all people have access to what makes them fully human and fosters their human dignity" (United States Catechism for Adults, page 454). Included among those elements is the provision of necessary and appropriate health care.
"For too long, this question has gone unaddressed in our country. Often, while many had access to excellent medical treatment, millions of others including expectant mothers, struggling families or those with serious medical or physical problems were left unable to afford the care they needed. As Catholic bishops, we have expressed our support for efforts to address this national and societal shortcoming.
"We have spoken for the poorest and most defenseless among us. Many elements of the health care reform measure signed into law by the President address these concerns and so help to fulfill the duty that we have to each other for the common good. We are bishops, and therefore pastors and teachers. In that role, we applaud the effort to expand health care to all.
"Nevertheless, for whatever good this law achieves or intends, we as Catholic bishops have opposed its passage because there is compelling evidence that it would expand the role of the federal government in funding and facilitating abortion and plans that cover abortion. The statute appropriates billions of dollars in new funding without explicitly prohibiting the use of these funds for abortion, and it provides federal subsidies for health plans covering elective abortions.
"Its failure to preserve the legal status quo that has regulated the government´s relation to abortion, as did the original bill adopted by the House of Representatives last November, could undermine what has been the law of our land for decades and threatens the consensus of the majority of Americans: that federal funds not be used for abortions or plans that cover abortions. Stranger still, the statute forces all those who choose federally subsidized plans that cover abortion to pay for other peoples´ abortions with their own funds. If this new law is intended to prevent people from being complicit in the abortions of others, it is at war with itself.
"We share fully the admirable intention of President Obama expressed in his pending Executive Order, where he states, "it is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services." However, the fact that an Executive Order is necessary to clarify the legislation points to deficiencies in the statute itself. We do not understand how an Executive Order, no matter how well intentioned, can substitute for statutory provisions.
"The statute is also profoundly flawed because it has failed to include necessary language to provide essential conscience protections (both within and beyond the abortion context). As well, many immigrant workers and their families could be left worse off since they will not be allowed to purchase health coverage in the new exchanges to be created, even if they use their own money.
"Many in Congress and the Administration, as well as individuals and groups in the Catholic community, have repeatedly insisted that there is no federal funding for abortion in this statute and that strong conscience protection has been assured. Analyses that are being published separately show this not to be the case, which is why we oppose it in its current form. We and many others will follow the government´s implementation of health care reform and will work to ensure that Congress and the Administration live up to the claims that have contributed to its passage. We believe, finally, that new legislation to address its deficiencies will almost certainly be required.
"As bishops, we wish to recognize the principled actions of the pro-life Members of Congress from both parties, in the House and the Senate, who have worked courageously to create legislation that respects the principles outlined above. They have often been vilified and have worked against great odds.
"As bishops of the Catholic Church, we speak in the name of the Church and for the Catholic faith itself. The Catholic faith is not a partisan agenda, and we take this opportunity to recommit ourselves to working for health care which truly and fully safeguards the life, dignity, conscience and health of all, from the child in the womb to those in their last days on earth."
From The Catholic Bishops of the United States:
"For nearly a century, the Catholic bishops of the United States have called for reform of our health care system so that all may have access to the care that recognizes and affirms their human dignity. Christian discipleship means, "working to ensure that all people have access to what makes them fully human and fosters their human dignity" (United States Catechism for Adults, page 454). Included among those elements is the provision of necessary and appropriate health care.
"For too long, this question has gone unaddressed in our country. Often, while many had access to excellent medical treatment, millions of others including expectant mothers, struggling families or those with serious medical or physical problems were left unable to afford the care they needed. As Catholic bishops, we have expressed our support for efforts to address this national and societal shortcoming.
"We have spoken for the poorest and most defenseless among us. Many elements of the health care reform measure signed into law by the President address these concerns and so help to fulfill the duty that we have to each other for the common good. We are bishops, and therefore pastors and teachers. In that role, we applaud the effort to expand health care to all.
"Nevertheless, for whatever good this law achieves or intends, we as Catholic bishops have opposed its passage because there is compelling evidence that it would expand the role of the federal government in funding and facilitating abortion and plans that cover abortion. The statute appropriates billions of dollars in new funding without explicitly prohibiting the use of these funds for abortion, and it provides federal subsidies for health plans covering elective abortions.
"Its failure to preserve the legal status quo that has regulated the government´s relation to abortion, as did the original bill adopted by the House of Representatives last November, could undermine what has been the law of our land for decades and threatens the consensus of the majority of Americans: that federal funds not be used for abortions or plans that cover abortions. Stranger still, the statute forces all those who choose federally subsidized plans that cover abortion to pay for other peoples´ abortions with their own funds. If this new law is intended to prevent people from being complicit in the abortions of others, it is at war with itself.
"We share fully the admirable intention of President Obama expressed in his pending Executive Order, where he states, "it is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services." However, the fact that an Executive Order is necessary to clarify the legislation points to deficiencies in the statute itself. We do not understand how an Executive Order, no matter how well intentioned, can substitute for statutory provisions.
"The statute is also profoundly flawed because it has failed to include necessary language to provide essential conscience protections (both within and beyond the abortion context). As well, many immigrant workers and their families could be left worse off since they will not be allowed to purchase health coverage in the new exchanges to be created, even if they use their own money.
"Many in Congress and the Administration, as well as individuals and groups in the Catholic community, have repeatedly insisted that there is no federal funding for abortion in this statute and that strong conscience protection has been assured. Analyses that are being published separately show this not to be the case, which is why we oppose it in its current form. We and many others will follow the government´s implementation of health care reform and will work to ensure that Congress and the Administration live up to the claims that have contributed to its passage. We believe, finally, that new legislation to address its deficiencies will almost certainly be required.
"As bishops, we wish to recognize the principled actions of the pro-life Members of Congress from both parties, in the House and the Senate, who have worked courageously to create legislation that respects the principles outlined above. They have often been vilified and have worked against great odds.
"As bishops of the Catholic Church, we speak in the name of the Church and for the Catholic faith itself. The Catholic faith is not a partisan agenda, and we take this opportunity to recommit ourselves to working for health care which truly and fully safeguards the life, dignity, conscience and health of all, from the child in the womb to those in their last days on earth."
Monday, March 22, 2010
5th Sunday of Lent - homily
We just heard the story of the woman caught in adultery and the famous line from Jesus, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone”. Everyone there puts down their stones. But, you may not know the rest of the story. Someone from the back of the crowd threw a stone that landed near Jesus. Jesus looks around to see who could have thrown it, and then sees who it was and says, “Oh, Mom!”
Unfortunately, many Catholics think they are without sin. Many people have said to me over the years, “I don’t need to go to Confession, it’s not like I’ve killed someone or robbed a bank or anything”. This is an indication of a poorly formed conscience. I don’t blame these people only; it’s the role of the Church to inform people’s consciences. So, tonight, we will go through an examination of conscience just to make sure our consciences are all informed about specific sins. We’ll go through the ten commandments and the seven deadly sins, hitting the most relevant sins. This is the best way to prepare for Confession which you should all do before Easter.
The first commandment: “I am the Lord your God. You shall not have any other gods before me”. False gods would include people like boyfriends, girlfriends, celebrities, or things like money. Also, any involvement in the occult, witchcraft, ouija boards, tarot cards, palm readings are serious sins against the first commandment. Even taking horoscopes seriously is a sin.
The second commandment: “thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”. People do this a lot more than they realize. OMG…hopefully, this means, “Oh my Goshhhh”, every time. If you say, ‘Oh my God’ regularly, make it a prayer: ‘Oh my God, I love you!”
The third commandment: “Keep holy the Sabbath”. I’m not trying to be funny, but the Sabbath is every Sunday! Some people think the Sabbath is every other Sunday or just once a month. The Christian Sabbath happens every Sunday. To give you further motivation for coming to Mass here and your whole lives every Sunday, the main reason we come to Mass is to receive the Eucharist. Jesus says that we need to receive the Eucharist in order to get to Heaven (John 6). We need to be at Mass to receive the Eucharist. When you have kids and they ask you, “Mommy, Daddy, why do we have to go to Mass every Sunday?”, you can tell them it’s so they will get to Heaven which is the most important thing in life. There’s nothing more important than getting to Heaven, so there’s nothing more important than getting to Mass on Sundays. Kids get it.
Getting drunk is a serious sin against the fifth commandment. It’s a form of killing yourself and the life God gave you. It causes harm to your body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The same goes with getting high and using drugs. Any participation in an abortion is grave sin. This would include recommending someone get an abortion, actively taking part in an abortion, voting for a pro-abortion politician, etc. Cutting or any attempt at suicide is grave sin.
The most confessed sins are those against the sixth commandment, “thou shall not commit adultery”. Any sexual act outside of marriage is serious sin…. heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transsexual…any sexual act outside of marriage. Jesus puts unchastity (impure sexual sins) in the same category as murder, adultery, and theft (Mark 7). This is serious sin. The Catechism specifies some of these sins: fornication, pornography, and masturbation. Yes, masturbation is a sin. It abuses the beautiful and sacred gift of sex that God has given us by making it only for pleasure and self-gratification while objectifying people in the process. God makes it clear in the first book of the Bible that sex is for a husband and wife to unite as one flesh and to procreate. Along these lines, contraception is grave sin. Acts of contraception include using birth control pills (which often serve as abortifacients where the baby is conceived and then killed in the mother’s womb), diaphragms, and condoms (which are passed out on occasion on this campus…this both depresses and angers me at the same time). It’s not just the act of contraception that is so dangerous and harmful. It is the mentality. It is a very selfish mentality that says “me first”. That is one way to define all sin (“me first”), but especially with contraception. The person is saying, ‘I want this (sex) but I don’t want that (a kid)’. The Church has warned against the widespread use of contraception for a long time. Pope Paul VI predicted in Humane Vitae (the 1960s) that if contraception became widespread, then we would see the degradation of women increase (which has happened) and morality decrease across the board (which has happened). This was quite prophetic of our former pontiff.
Stealing, lying, cheating on tests, papers and taxes are all grave sins. Coveting what other people have in terms of physical or personal gifts or possessions are sins against the ninth and ten commandments. You should be happy with the life God has given you. There is no one else in the world like you. You are unique. God created you and ‘God don’t make junk’. You are beautiful, intelligent (my gosh, are you all smart), and good. You are good and you are loved.
The seven deadly sins: pride (I believe that pride is the root of all sin…again, this means selfishness, self-centeredness, ‘me first’), anger (the anger that leads to hate), gluttony (over-eating, over-drinking), greed (for money, power, success, popularity, etc.), sloth (laziness), envy, and lust. There are sins against the virtues, too. For example, sins against charity include gossip and being mean to people. Unfortunately, we have a problem within our own community of people being mean to their roommates. That is wrong and anti-Christian.
Now, most of what I’ve just gone through are serious sins…grave matter. If they are done with full knowledge (you know they are serious sins) and full consent (you freely choose to do them), then they are mortal sins. Mortal sins break our relationship with God and bring darkness to our souls. Anyone who dies in a state of mortal sin goes to Hell. If we have committed a mortal sin, we need to go to Confession. One of the main reasons Jesus has given us the sacrament of Confession is to keep us out of Hell. Keep in mind that receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is a mortal sin. My reminder at Communion every time is basically saying that we need to be in a state of grace to receive our Lord. If you’re not in a state of grace because of serious sin, please respect the Eucharist and don’t receive until you go to Confession.
Finally, if you are overcome with guilt right now, please think of the woman caught in adultery. She had committed the most serious sin at that time. In just a few moments, Jesus wiped out her serious sin and set her free. She was right with God and the Church in just a matter of moments. Yes, she had been embarrassed. Totally embarrassed. But, that lasted just a few moments. She left there and her sins were wiped out. That is the same opportunity you have with Confession. In just a matter of moments tonight or sometime before Easter, any and all of your sins will be wiped away by Christ through me or another priest. You will be right with God and the Church! You will be freed of your sins and guilt! And, you will hear the words from Christ that the woman heard which express his great and merciful love for you: “I don’t condemn you…go and sin no more”.
Unfortunately, many Catholics think they are without sin. Many people have said to me over the years, “I don’t need to go to Confession, it’s not like I’ve killed someone or robbed a bank or anything”. This is an indication of a poorly formed conscience. I don’t blame these people only; it’s the role of the Church to inform people’s consciences. So, tonight, we will go through an examination of conscience just to make sure our consciences are all informed about specific sins. We’ll go through the ten commandments and the seven deadly sins, hitting the most relevant sins. This is the best way to prepare for Confession which you should all do before Easter.
The first commandment: “I am the Lord your God. You shall not have any other gods before me”. False gods would include people like boyfriends, girlfriends, celebrities, or things like money. Also, any involvement in the occult, witchcraft, ouija boards, tarot cards, palm readings are serious sins against the first commandment. Even taking horoscopes seriously is a sin.
The second commandment: “thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”. People do this a lot more than they realize. OMG…hopefully, this means, “Oh my Goshhhh”, every time. If you say, ‘Oh my God’ regularly, make it a prayer: ‘Oh my God, I love you!”
The third commandment: “Keep holy the Sabbath”. I’m not trying to be funny, but the Sabbath is every Sunday! Some people think the Sabbath is every other Sunday or just once a month. The Christian Sabbath happens every Sunday. To give you further motivation for coming to Mass here and your whole lives every Sunday, the main reason we come to Mass is to receive the Eucharist. Jesus says that we need to receive the Eucharist in order to get to Heaven (John 6). We need to be at Mass to receive the Eucharist. When you have kids and they ask you, “Mommy, Daddy, why do we have to go to Mass every Sunday?”, you can tell them it’s so they will get to Heaven which is the most important thing in life. There’s nothing more important than getting to Heaven, so there’s nothing more important than getting to Mass on Sundays. Kids get it.
Getting drunk is a serious sin against the fifth commandment. It’s a form of killing yourself and the life God gave you. It causes harm to your body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The same goes with getting high and using drugs. Any participation in an abortion is grave sin. This would include recommending someone get an abortion, actively taking part in an abortion, voting for a pro-abortion politician, etc. Cutting or any attempt at suicide is grave sin.
The most confessed sins are those against the sixth commandment, “thou shall not commit adultery”. Any sexual act outside of marriage is serious sin…. heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transsexual…any sexual act outside of marriage. Jesus puts unchastity (impure sexual sins) in the same category as murder, adultery, and theft (Mark 7). This is serious sin. The Catechism specifies some of these sins: fornication, pornography, and masturbation. Yes, masturbation is a sin. It abuses the beautiful and sacred gift of sex that God has given us by making it only for pleasure and self-gratification while objectifying people in the process. God makes it clear in the first book of the Bible that sex is for a husband and wife to unite as one flesh and to procreate. Along these lines, contraception is grave sin. Acts of contraception include using birth control pills (which often serve as abortifacients where the baby is conceived and then killed in the mother’s womb), diaphragms, and condoms (which are passed out on occasion on this campus…this both depresses and angers me at the same time). It’s not just the act of contraception that is so dangerous and harmful. It is the mentality. It is a very selfish mentality that says “me first”. That is one way to define all sin (“me first”), but especially with contraception. The person is saying, ‘I want this (sex) but I don’t want that (a kid)’. The Church has warned against the widespread use of contraception for a long time. Pope Paul VI predicted in Humane Vitae (the 1960s) that if contraception became widespread, then we would see the degradation of women increase (which has happened) and morality decrease across the board (which has happened). This was quite prophetic of our former pontiff.
Stealing, lying, cheating on tests, papers and taxes are all grave sins. Coveting what other people have in terms of physical or personal gifts or possessions are sins against the ninth and ten commandments. You should be happy with the life God has given you. There is no one else in the world like you. You are unique. God created you and ‘God don’t make junk’. You are beautiful, intelligent (my gosh, are you all smart), and good. You are good and you are loved.
The seven deadly sins: pride (I believe that pride is the root of all sin…again, this means selfishness, self-centeredness, ‘me first’), anger (the anger that leads to hate), gluttony (over-eating, over-drinking), greed (for money, power, success, popularity, etc.), sloth (laziness), envy, and lust. There are sins against the virtues, too. For example, sins against charity include gossip and being mean to people. Unfortunately, we have a problem within our own community of people being mean to their roommates. That is wrong and anti-Christian.
Now, most of what I’ve just gone through are serious sins…grave matter. If they are done with full knowledge (you know they are serious sins) and full consent (you freely choose to do them), then they are mortal sins. Mortal sins break our relationship with God and bring darkness to our souls. Anyone who dies in a state of mortal sin goes to Hell. If we have committed a mortal sin, we need to go to Confession. One of the main reasons Jesus has given us the sacrament of Confession is to keep us out of Hell. Keep in mind that receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is a mortal sin. My reminder at Communion every time is basically saying that we need to be in a state of grace to receive our Lord. If you’re not in a state of grace because of serious sin, please respect the Eucharist and don’t receive until you go to Confession.
Finally, if you are overcome with guilt right now, please think of the woman caught in adultery. She had committed the most serious sin at that time. In just a few moments, Jesus wiped out her serious sin and set her free. She was right with God and the Church in just a matter of moments. Yes, she had been embarrassed. Totally embarrassed. But, that lasted just a few moments. She left there and her sins were wiped out. That is the same opportunity you have with Confession. In just a matter of moments tonight or sometime before Easter, any and all of your sins will be wiped away by Christ through me or another priest. You will be right with God and the Church! You will be freed of your sins and guilt! And, you will hear the words from Christ that the woman heard which express his great and merciful love for you: “I don’t condemn you…go and sin no more”.
Friday, March 12, 2010
"You might know this better"
To all GW students: have a great, fun, and safe Spring Break! Get some much needed rest but remember that “idleness is a devil’s workshop”. So, you’ll want to stay active spiritually, intellectually, and physically. Please pray for us down in South Carolina! See you at the student Masses (7:30 and 10 pm) on Sunday, March 21.
-------------------------------------
Occasionally, I get emails from GW Catholics about questionable comments made by their professors about Catholic teaching. These comments are not just made in religion classes here; in fact, I have fielded more questions from students about comments made in psychology classes, history classes, etc. This was my experience as a student at the University of Maryland. For example, a professor of communication occasionally brought up Catholic teaching in unflattering (to put it nicely) ways.
I welcome all GW Catholics to contact me if you hear the Church being questioned, attacked, or misrepresented in serious ways by your professors. Here’s the most recent email exchange with a classic comment at the end:
GW Catholic:
I was hoping you could clarify a question that has repeatedly popped up in my… class. My professor keeps referring to catholics believing that the eucharist represents the “bones” of Christ and not the flesh. I thought as catholics we believe the eucharist is in fact Christ's flesh. Who is right?
Fr Greg:
Thanks for the question. Our belief is that the Eucharist truly is the flesh and blood of Christ. This is based primarily on the Last Supper account when Jesus says "this is my body...this is my blood". But, it is augmented by Christ's teaching in John 6 that the bread he will give is his flesh for the life of the world. He uses the word "flesh" several times in John 6 in relation to the Eucharist; he never uses the word "bones".
The Church teaches that "the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained" (Council of Trent, 1551) in the Eucharist. So, Christ is truly, really, and substantially present. One word the Church doesn't use is physical. This is where it gets confusing and maybe where the problem is with your prof.
He's not physically present because it's NOT like we're eating his bones. We don't go up and chomp into his arm or anything at Communion. We don't see bones and we don't taste bones. We see bread and taste bread. So, it is more of a spiritual presence but it's REAL! If he was physically present, we would see flesh and blood and taste it. The consecration of bread and wine comes about in a spiritual way but REAL. Again, if it was physical, we would see a change. (btw, there is one documented miracle of the Eucharist becoming physical flesh and blood...you can see human flesh and blood).
The early Church fought against the heresy your prof is suggesting that we believe. I forget the name of it, but it may just be cannibalism. That's basically what he's saying that we believe. It's not cannibalism because Christ died "once and for all". It's His Risen Body and Blood that we receive in the Eucharist. The Church has believed this from the beginning.
Lastly, if you're ever talking to your prof, he might try to use the arguments that the Protestant Reformers used. They argued that if Christ is spiritually present in the Eucharist, then the Eucharist is only a symbol. They pointed to the Fathers of the Church who said Christ is "spiritually" present in the Eucharist (the Fathers did this in condemning the heresy that he's physically present...that we're eating bones). They said spiritual but REAL. They never wavered in their belief that Christ is really present in the Eucharist. The Reformers did; they separated "spiritual" and "real" while the Church never has.
Hope this didn't confuse you too much and it actually helped. Bottom line is that he's misrepresenting what Catholics believe and suggesting that we believe in something heretical. Feel free to send him my way so I can ask him to get it right! Great job!
GW Catholic:
Thanks a bunch! That made complete sense and I will be sure to describe to him what you've said after class. The Prof has done a good job trying to stick with Catholic facts as best he can (He's Jewish) but his main "source" that he brings up a lot is "Angels and Demons." Its funny because I answered a question he asked the class about the primacy of the papacy and his response was, "wow that sound like something from Angels and Demons."… Anyway, he then asked me if I was Catholic and when I said yes he quickly changed tone. Now whenever he is a little unclear on Catholic "stuff" he finds me and goes "you might know this better..."
-------------------------------------
Occasionally, I get emails from GW Catholics about questionable comments made by their professors about Catholic teaching. These comments are not just made in religion classes here; in fact, I have fielded more questions from students about comments made in psychology classes, history classes, etc. This was my experience as a student at the University of Maryland. For example, a professor of communication occasionally brought up Catholic teaching in unflattering (to put it nicely) ways.
I welcome all GW Catholics to contact me if you hear the Church being questioned, attacked, or misrepresented in serious ways by your professors. Here’s the most recent email exchange with a classic comment at the end:
GW Catholic:
I was hoping you could clarify a question that has repeatedly popped up in my… class. My professor keeps referring to catholics believing that the eucharist represents the “bones” of Christ and not the flesh. I thought as catholics we believe the eucharist is in fact Christ's flesh. Who is right?
Fr Greg:
Thanks for the question. Our belief is that the Eucharist truly is the flesh and blood of Christ. This is based primarily on the Last Supper account when Jesus says "this is my body...this is my blood". But, it is augmented by Christ's teaching in John 6 that the bread he will give is his flesh for the life of the world. He uses the word "flesh" several times in John 6 in relation to the Eucharist; he never uses the word "bones".
The Church teaches that "the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained" (Council of Trent, 1551) in the Eucharist. So, Christ is truly, really, and substantially present. One word the Church doesn't use is physical. This is where it gets confusing and maybe where the problem is with your prof.
He's not physically present because it's NOT like we're eating his bones. We don't go up and chomp into his arm or anything at Communion. We don't see bones and we don't taste bones. We see bread and taste bread. So, it is more of a spiritual presence but it's REAL! If he was physically present, we would see flesh and blood and taste it. The consecration of bread and wine comes about in a spiritual way but REAL. Again, if it was physical, we would see a change. (btw, there is one documented miracle of the Eucharist becoming physical flesh and blood...you can see human flesh and blood).
The early Church fought against the heresy your prof is suggesting that we believe. I forget the name of it, but it may just be cannibalism. That's basically what he's saying that we believe. It's not cannibalism because Christ died "once and for all". It's His Risen Body and Blood that we receive in the Eucharist. The Church has believed this from the beginning.
Lastly, if you're ever talking to your prof, he might try to use the arguments that the Protestant Reformers used. They argued that if Christ is spiritually present in the Eucharist, then the Eucharist is only a symbol. They pointed to the Fathers of the Church who said Christ is "spiritually" present in the Eucharist (the Fathers did this in condemning the heresy that he's physically present...that we're eating bones). They said spiritual but REAL. They never wavered in their belief that Christ is really present in the Eucharist. The Reformers did; they separated "spiritual" and "real" while the Church never has.
Hope this didn't confuse you too much and it actually helped. Bottom line is that he's misrepresenting what Catholics believe and suggesting that we believe in something heretical. Feel free to send him my way so I can ask him to get it right! Great job!
GW Catholic:
Thanks a bunch! That made complete sense and I will be sure to describe to him what you've said after class. The Prof has done a good job trying to stick with Catholic facts as best he can (He's Jewish) but his main "source" that he brings up a lot is "Angels and Demons." Its funny because I answered a question he asked the class about the primacy of the papacy and his response was, "wow that sound like something from Angels and Demons."… Anyway, he then asked me if I was Catholic and when I said yes he quickly changed tone. Now whenever he is a little unclear on Catholic "stuff" he finds me and goes "you might know this better..."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
"Nuns can be funny"
1) "The Light is on for You" - Confessions tonight, 8-9:30 pm, Newman Center, 2nd floor.
2) Eucharistic Adoration, today, 12:30 -10 pm. Please come by to adore our Lord in the Eucharist.
-----------------------------------
A friend sent me a youtube video with a comedic nun who is hilarious. Her act is called, "Late Night Catechism". It is really funny; I was laughing out loud! She weaves in some solid catechesis as well. It's a good break for you students from all of the stress of your mid-terms. I'm praying for you!
To view the video, please click on today's title.
2) Eucharistic Adoration, today, 12:30 -10 pm. Please come by to adore our Lord in the Eucharist.
-----------------------------------
A friend sent me a youtube video with a comedic nun who is hilarious. Her act is called, "Late Night Catechism". It is really funny; I was laughing out loud! She weaves in some solid catechesis as well. It's a good break for you students from all of the stress of your mid-terms. I'm praying for you!
To view the video, please click on today's title.
Monday, March 08, 2010
3rd Sunday of Lent - homily
“Obey your thirst”. This is the slogan of the soft drink, Sprite. Obey your thirst. For what do you thirst? Now, if you gave up Sprite or some other drink for Lent and you’re thinking to yourself, ‘come on, Father, back off’, I apologize. I know this will be hard for you, but please bear with me…! Actually, a good buddy of mine gave up alcohol for Lent and is having a hard time with it, as he does every year. Well, at least the first week of Lent. The day after Ash Wednesday, I asked him how it was going. He said, “38 more days!” I was thinking to myself, ‘he’s not gonna make it’. For what do you thirst? For what do college students thirst? Well, other than beer…for what did you thirst when you came to GW? Success, achievement, love, friendship, fun…all these things. My hope is that if you came thirsty for these things, you will leave thirsty for something else: the waters of eternal life.
This was the experience of the woman at the well (reading from 3rd Sunday, Year A). She came to the well looking for drinking water. She’s totally normal, looking for something good and normal. She encounters our Lord and begins a conversation with Him. He offers her something different than drinking water: the waters of eternal life. This sounds attractive and beautiful to us. The way that Jesus said it to her got her right away. It must have sounded especially attractive to her because she immediately responded to his offer with, “Sir, give me this water”. She came to the well thirsty for drinking water but, in the course of this conversation, she realized her real thirst…for Christ and eternal life. I don’t know how long this conversation lasted – maybe half an hour, maybe an hour – but it changed her life. She had an encounter with Christ and it changed her heart. It helped that Jesus revealed things about her that showed he knew her very well. She responded by believing that He is the Christ and going back to her town and telling everyone about Him.
We have some GW students her tonight who have also realized their real thirst and are obeying their thirst. They are a group of nine students who are preparing to become Catholic at Easter. They came to GW like all of you, thirsty for the things I mentioned earlier. They have realized their real thirst is for Christ. Some are thirsty for the waters of eternal life through Baptism. All are hungry and thirsy for the Eucharist. All are preparing to receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation so they can join the Church’s mission of evangelization. They want to be like the woman at the well who went out and converted a whole town after her encounter with Christ. A whole town! Can you imagine converting your whole dorm? That would be amazing, but remember that you evangelize every time you come to Mass. It’s a great witness to Christ when you choose to come here. It takes a lot of courage to choose to go to Mass in college because you know that your friends will make comments and jokes: ‘oh, you’re a churchgoer’. You are evangelizing others, so great job!
My hope is that you all are having the experience of the woman at the well. You have come to GW thirsty for other things but have had an encounter with Christ which has revealed your real thirst. We can encounter Christ in the Eucharist, in Confession, in prayer, etc. It changes our lives when we have such an encounter with Him as it changed the life of the woman at the well. We realize that our real thirst is for Him and for eternal life. As St. Augustine (who did much partying before he realized his real thirst) said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him”.
Finally, whenever we come to Mass, we obey our thirst for the Eucharist. We satisfy our hunger and thirst; that’s why we are here. Also, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross when he said, “I thirst”. For what does Jesus thirst? When he said, “I thirst”, the people there brought him something to drink. He wasn’t talking about physical thirst. He was saying, “I thirst for souls. I thirst for hearts. I thirst for love. Your hearts thirst for me. Obey your thirst”.
This was the experience of the woman at the well (reading from 3rd Sunday, Year A). She came to the well looking for drinking water. She’s totally normal, looking for something good and normal. She encounters our Lord and begins a conversation with Him. He offers her something different than drinking water: the waters of eternal life. This sounds attractive and beautiful to us. The way that Jesus said it to her got her right away. It must have sounded especially attractive to her because she immediately responded to his offer with, “Sir, give me this water”. She came to the well thirsty for drinking water but, in the course of this conversation, she realized her real thirst…for Christ and eternal life. I don’t know how long this conversation lasted – maybe half an hour, maybe an hour – but it changed her life. She had an encounter with Christ and it changed her heart. It helped that Jesus revealed things about her that showed he knew her very well. She responded by believing that He is the Christ and going back to her town and telling everyone about Him.
We have some GW students her tonight who have also realized their real thirst and are obeying their thirst. They are a group of nine students who are preparing to become Catholic at Easter. They came to GW like all of you, thirsty for the things I mentioned earlier. They have realized their real thirst is for Christ. Some are thirsty for the waters of eternal life through Baptism. All are hungry and thirsy for the Eucharist. All are preparing to receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation so they can join the Church’s mission of evangelization. They want to be like the woman at the well who went out and converted a whole town after her encounter with Christ. A whole town! Can you imagine converting your whole dorm? That would be amazing, but remember that you evangelize every time you come to Mass. It’s a great witness to Christ when you choose to come here. It takes a lot of courage to choose to go to Mass in college because you know that your friends will make comments and jokes: ‘oh, you’re a churchgoer’. You are evangelizing others, so great job!
My hope is that you all are having the experience of the woman at the well. You have come to GW thirsty for other things but have had an encounter with Christ which has revealed your real thirst. We can encounter Christ in the Eucharist, in Confession, in prayer, etc. It changes our lives when we have such an encounter with Him as it changed the life of the woman at the well. We realize that our real thirst is for Him and for eternal life. As St. Augustine (who did much partying before he realized his real thirst) said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him”.
Finally, whenever we come to Mass, we obey our thirst for the Eucharist. We satisfy our hunger and thirst; that’s why we are here. Also, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross when he said, “I thirst”. For what does Jesus thirst? When he said, “I thirst”, the people there brought him something to drink. He wasn’t talking about physical thirst. He was saying, “I thirst for souls. I thirst for hearts. I thirst for love. Your hearts thirst for me. Obey your thirst”.
Friday, March 05, 2010
"Pope in HD"
Tonight at Newman Center: "Stations, Adoration, Burritos".
Stations of the Cross (5:30 pm), Adoration (6 pm), Chipotle burritos - vegetarian (7 pm). Please join us!!
-------------------
Two tidbits of info about how the Vatican is going even more digital:
1) You might have seen recently how the Pope is encouraging priests to blog and use other digital tools. How cool! To view the article, please click on today's post.
2) And, "Pope in HD" from zenit.org:
A new agreement between Sony and the Vatican Television Center will make high definition images of the Pope available by October, according to the director of the Vatican press office.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, who also directs Vatican TV, announced the development in a statement today. Vatican TV is purchasing a mobile unit from Sony that allows for television filming in high definition.
Father Lombardi said the deal is part of Vatican TV's intention to stay abreast of technological developments, and that HD is the new "frontier of television production."
"It is consolidating rapidly and increasingly there are more channels that broadcast in high definition," he noted. "Therefore, it has seemed necessary to be in conditions to produce to the measure of the highest standards, to be protected from the risk of the diffusion of events related to the activity of the Pope and of the Holy See, in the very near future, being delegated to others."
The Knights of Columbus will help finance the new mobile unit.
Stations of the Cross (5:30 pm), Adoration (6 pm), Chipotle burritos - vegetarian (7 pm). Please join us!!
-------------------
Two tidbits of info about how the Vatican is going even more digital:
1) You might have seen recently how the Pope is encouraging priests to blog and use other digital tools. How cool! To view the article, please click on today's post.
2) And, "Pope in HD" from zenit.org:
A new agreement between Sony and the Vatican Television Center will make high definition images of the Pope available by October, according to the director of the Vatican press office.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, who also directs Vatican TV, announced the development in a statement today. Vatican TV is purchasing a mobile unit from Sony that allows for television filming in high definition.
Father Lombardi said the deal is part of Vatican TV's intention to stay abreast of technological developments, and that HD is the new "frontier of television production."
"It is consolidating rapidly and increasingly there are more channels that broadcast in high definition," he noted. "Therefore, it has seemed necessary to be in conditions to produce to the measure of the highest standards, to be protected from the risk of the diffusion of events related to the activity of the Pope and of the Holy See, in the very near future, being delegated to others."
The Knights of Columbus will help finance the new mobile unit.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
"Boy, was I bored!"
Confessions tonight, 8-9:30 pm, Newman Center. "The Light is on for You"
----------------
Last night, we had a couple of discussions at the Newman Center. The first one was on service and the second one on faith. The latter discussion was about making a comeback in faith with students who are trying to do just that. I told my story of how my Catholic faith was awakened in college. The basic point of my talk was that faith is a gift...it's something we receive. God is the source of our faith, so if we want to make a "comeback" in faith, we need to go to Him more...we need to receive more of His Grace in order for our faith to grow. As Catholics, that primarily means coming to the sacraments more, especially the Eucharist.
I finished my story by talking about the priest who was instrumental in my "comeback", Fr. Wells. I gave them each a copy of his book, "From the Pastor's Desk", which is a collection of his reflections (it was done by people after he was killed in 2000). Here is one of his brilliant reflections, which is related to what we discussed last night:
"Grace of Frequent Confession" (June 21, 1998)
"During a period of about four or five years, I served as a confessor to a convent of about twenty sisters. This meant that every two weeks, I would go across town for a couple of hours to hear the confessions of those who chose to take advantage of the sacrament on that particular day. How does one put this politely? Well, let me say only that these women took their vocations very seriously and, happily, they had little 'serious matter' to confess. In other words, on more than a few afternoons, with the sun shining warmly into the room where he sat, Father had to be gently called back to full awareness of what he was doing. Boy, was I bored! And then, as God would have it, something happened. Since I was there for four or five years and, therefore, heard the same sisters' confessions regularly over that time, I began to notice changes in the sisters. Without even their fully noticing, these individuals, in ways unique to their spiritual journeys, showed the grace of the sacrament in their lives. Impatience with this or that sister began to fade; stubbornness in the face of authority became a bit less challenging, or frustration with the girls in the school showed itself only after just a bit more provocation.
I had always heard that the sacramental grace of confession is that we are gradually given the help to turn away from habitual sin. These sisters, already close to God, showed me how grace, over time, gently turns us away from all that is not of God. What is true for religious women can, of course, be true for any of us; and interestingly, I also see it here at Lourdes. As you know, we hear confessions daily from 11:30 to noon. Because confession is so avaailable, we get so many people from the offices nearby. Most go behind the screen so, in one sense, I have no idea who they are; but as with those sisters, it is fascinating (and inspiring) to hear the spiritual journeys of individuals. And unlike the sisters, some begin that journey after years away from confession. Habits of sin, I have come to believe, are addictive in some ways and, therefore, are hard to break. One of the reasons I have come to love hearing confessions is that it is such a thrill to hear of the gradual victory over the addiction of habits of sin. We are tough and stubborn - almost like sidewalk concrete - but given an opening in ourselves, grace can gradually destroy the hardness of sin.
St. Paul says that faith is the ability to believe in things unseen. So many Catholics seem to have lost faith in the Sacrament of Penance. The act of confesing sins can be, of course, tough. It is true, certainly, that venial sins are forgiven through receiving communion, for example; and therefore, there is no obligation, in the strict sense, to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance unless there is serious sin. Obligation is one thing; opportunity is another. What a tremendous gift that promises that, in time and with God's grace, we can gradually move away from those petty habits of sin that so impede us from living the life of Christ. May God continue to draw people back to regular use of this wonderful Sacrament of Reconciliation."
----------------
Last night, we had a couple of discussions at the Newman Center. The first one was on service and the second one on faith. The latter discussion was about making a comeback in faith with students who are trying to do just that. I told my story of how my Catholic faith was awakened in college. The basic point of my talk was that faith is a gift...it's something we receive. God is the source of our faith, so if we want to make a "comeback" in faith, we need to go to Him more...we need to receive more of His Grace in order for our faith to grow. As Catholics, that primarily means coming to the sacraments more, especially the Eucharist.
I finished my story by talking about the priest who was instrumental in my "comeback", Fr. Wells. I gave them each a copy of his book, "From the Pastor's Desk", which is a collection of his reflections (it was done by people after he was killed in 2000). Here is one of his brilliant reflections, which is related to what we discussed last night:
"Grace of Frequent Confession" (June 21, 1998)
"During a period of about four or five years, I served as a confessor to a convent of about twenty sisters. This meant that every two weeks, I would go across town for a couple of hours to hear the confessions of those who chose to take advantage of the sacrament on that particular day. How does one put this politely? Well, let me say only that these women took their vocations very seriously and, happily, they had little 'serious matter' to confess. In other words, on more than a few afternoons, with the sun shining warmly into the room where he sat, Father had to be gently called back to full awareness of what he was doing. Boy, was I bored! And then, as God would have it, something happened. Since I was there for four or five years and, therefore, heard the same sisters' confessions regularly over that time, I began to notice changes in the sisters. Without even their fully noticing, these individuals, in ways unique to their spiritual journeys, showed the grace of the sacrament in their lives. Impatience with this or that sister began to fade; stubbornness in the face of authority became a bit less challenging, or frustration with the girls in the school showed itself only after just a bit more provocation.
I had always heard that the sacramental grace of confession is that we are gradually given the help to turn away from habitual sin. These sisters, already close to God, showed me how grace, over time, gently turns us away from all that is not of God. What is true for religious women can, of course, be true for any of us; and interestingly, I also see it here at Lourdes. As you know, we hear confessions daily from 11:30 to noon. Because confession is so avaailable, we get so many people from the offices nearby. Most go behind the screen so, in one sense, I have no idea who they are; but as with those sisters, it is fascinating (and inspiring) to hear the spiritual journeys of individuals. And unlike the sisters, some begin that journey after years away from confession. Habits of sin, I have come to believe, are addictive in some ways and, therefore, are hard to break. One of the reasons I have come to love hearing confessions is that it is such a thrill to hear of the gradual victory over the addiction of habits of sin. We are tough and stubborn - almost like sidewalk concrete - but given an opening in ourselves, grace can gradually destroy the hardness of sin.
St. Paul says that faith is the ability to believe in things unseen. So many Catholics seem to have lost faith in the Sacrament of Penance. The act of confesing sins can be, of course, tough. It is true, certainly, that venial sins are forgiven through receiving communion, for example; and therefore, there is no obligation, in the strict sense, to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance unless there is serious sin. Obligation is one thing; opportunity is another. What a tremendous gift that promises that, in time and with God's grace, we can gradually move away from those petty habits of sin that so impede us from living the life of Christ. May God continue to draw people back to regular use of this wonderful Sacrament of Reconciliation."
Monday, March 01, 2010
2nd Sunday of Lent - homily
“This is my chosen son. Listen to him”. We hear the Father speak in today’s Gospel! It must have been one of the most powerful moments in an already amazing scene at the Transfiguration. “This is my chosen son. Listen to him”. How? How do we listen to Christ? How do we hear God speaking to us. In my travels of discernment, I have found 4 ways that God speaks to us: prayer, Scripture, other people, and our experiences.
God can speak to us in prayer, not like I’m speaking now, but to our hearts and minds. It’s a really good idea to have a spiritual director – a priest or religious – who can help us to know if that voice in prayer is our own, God’s, or another voice all together. God speaks to us through Scripture and we’ll see what He is saying to us through the readings in a moment. He can speak to us through other people; that’s why it’s so important to be around holy people who are open to the Holy Spirit. The final way is through our experiences. The world doesn’t believe that things happen for a reason. It believes in “coincidences”. We don’t believe in coincidences; we believe in “God’s incidents”.
So, what is God saying to us through today’s readings? He is saying many things, but one thing is that He is in covenant with us. He has always been in covenant with us. Abraham is the beginning, Christ is the end, and we all are in the middle of the covenant with God. Each one of you is in the middle of the covenant with God! When I say that Christ is the end, I mean that He is the fulfillment of the covenant. The new covenant fulfills the old one. Christ is the fulfillment of the old law and the prophets, too. That’s why Moses and Elijah are represented at the Transfiguration. Moses represents the law and Elijah the prophets.
In the new covenant, all people are in covenant with God. As God’s people in covenant with Him, we have not always been faithful. Especially now, we see so many people are not faithful to God, His law, and His covenant. And yet despite our unfaithfulness, God has remained faithful. Even now, in the midst of a world of great sin and unfaithfulness, God remains faithful to us. We know this because of something that St. Paul writes in one of his letters: “where sin abounds, grace abounds more”.
The greatest sign that God is faithful to us is His Son, Jesus Christ. God sends His Son to us to redeem us from our sin, from our unfaithfulness. This is what is referred to in the scene of the Transfiguration: what Jesus will “accomplish” in Jerusalem. This word “accomplish” is significant because it shows us that Christ’s suffering is something that He will do…for us. It is his work of redemption…his work of salvation. It is also a word that we will hear on Good Friday: “It is accomplished. Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit”.
Finally, whenever we come to Mass, we remember what Jesus accomplished on the Cross for us. The amazing thing is that through our remembrance and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ becomes truly present on the altar in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the sign for us today of God’s faithfulness to us in our covenant with Him. We will see and receive this sign in a few minutes. When I elevate the Eucharist tonight, may each one of hear these words from the Father: “This is my chosen son. Listen to him”.
God can speak to us in prayer, not like I’m speaking now, but to our hearts and minds. It’s a really good idea to have a spiritual director – a priest or religious – who can help us to know if that voice in prayer is our own, God’s, or another voice all together. God speaks to us through Scripture and we’ll see what He is saying to us through the readings in a moment. He can speak to us through other people; that’s why it’s so important to be around holy people who are open to the Holy Spirit. The final way is through our experiences. The world doesn’t believe that things happen for a reason. It believes in “coincidences”. We don’t believe in coincidences; we believe in “God’s incidents”.
So, what is God saying to us through today’s readings? He is saying many things, but one thing is that He is in covenant with us. He has always been in covenant with us. Abraham is the beginning, Christ is the end, and we all are in the middle of the covenant with God. Each one of you is in the middle of the covenant with God! When I say that Christ is the end, I mean that He is the fulfillment of the covenant. The new covenant fulfills the old one. Christ is the fulfillment of the old law and the prophets, too. That’s why Moses and Elijah are represented at the Transfiguration. Moses represents the law and Elijah the prophets.
In the new covenant, all people are in covenant with God. As God’s people in covenant with Him, we have not always been faithful. Especially now, we see so many people are not faithful to God, His law, and His covenant. And yet despite our unfaithfulness, God has remained faithful. Even now, in the midst of a world of great sin and unfaithfulness, God remains faithful to us. We know this because of something that St. Paul writes in one of his letters: “where sin abounds, grace abounds more”.
The greatest sign that God is faithful to us is His Son, Jesus Christ. God sends His Son to us to redeem us from our sin, from our unfaithfulness. This is what is referred to in the scene of the Transfiguration: what Jesus will “accomplish” in Jerusalem. This word “accomplish” is significant because it shows us that Christ’s suffering is something that He will do…for us. It is his work of redemption…his work of salvation. It is also a word that we will hear on Good Friday: “It is accomplished. Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit”.
Finally, whenever we come to Mass, we remember what Jesus accomplished on the Cross for us. The amazing thing is that through our remembrance and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ becomes truly present on the altar in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the sign for us today of God’s faithfulness to us in our covenant with Him. We will see and receive this sign in a few minutes. When I elevate the Eucharist tonight, may each one of hear these words from the Father: “This is my chosen son. Listen to him”.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Confession
"The Light is on for You" - Confessions on Wednesdays during Lent, 8-9:30 pm, Newman Center, top floor.
A GW student approached me last semester about starting a discussion group in a residence hall with his Catholic friends. We've met four times now; I've posted my notes here from the discussions of the past three weeks (basically the same talks we've had at the Newman Center on Tuesday nights). We started out with about four students who hadn't been faithful to Mass but are now making a comeback, thanks be to God.
Last night, eight students came out for a discussion on Confession. It was one of those great, great discussions! One of the students went to Confession after the talk and another one is coming today. God is soooooo good!! Overall, the students seem very happy with the group. The one who started the group texted me last night, "this is turning out to be awesome".
Here are my notes from the talk:
Confession
Where did Confession come from? What is the basis for it?
-John 20:20- Jesus gives the power to forgive sins to the Apostles
- they passed it down to the next priests who passed it down...2000 years of Apostolic succession where priests like me in 2010 have Christ's power to forgive sins
Brief history of Confession
- in the early Church, publicly known sins (apostasy, e.g.) were confessed publicly in Church; privately known sins were confessed privately
- penance was done before absolution
- the form changed in the Middle Ages (?) to how we have it now
Is Confession necessary to get to Heaven?
Yes, if we’ve committed a mortal sin which breaks us off from God
No, if we haven’t committed a mortal sin and are always in a state of grace.
Yes, in order to live fully in Christ on Earth.
Is Confession only about sin?
No, it’s primarily about God’s infinite mercy.
-“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved” – Jn 3:17
- the woman caught in adultery: “has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you. Go away, and from this moment sin no more” - Jn 8: 11
- the parable of the prodigal son
'I thought only God forgives sins. How can the priest forgive sins?'
Jesus has the power to forgive sins
- “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” – Mt 28:18
- “your sins are forgiven” – Lk 7:48 (the woman who was a sinner) + Mt 9:2 (the paralytic), e.g.
Again, Jesus gives the power of forgiving sins to the Apostles (the first priests)
“As the Father sent me, so I am sending you’. After saying this, he breathed on them and said: ‘receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained”. – Jn 20:21-23
“ God reconciled us to himself through Christ and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (1 Cor 5: 18)
Why do I need to confess my sins to a priest? Why can’t I just confess to God privately?
- we can be forgiven of venial sins outside of Confession
- the Penitential Rite at Mass, Eucharist, sincere Act of Contrition, e.g.
- but, forgiveness of mortal sins is reserved for Confession
- what was the first mortal sin ever committed? Original Sin (Adam and Eve)
- after they sinned, the gates of Heaven closed; no one could go to Heaven because their mortal sins couldn't be forgiven. Christ had to come to Earth to bring the forgiveness of sins, mainly through Confession
- mortal sins kill our relationship with God and take us out of the state of His grace (which we need to be in order to get to Heaven)
- mortem = death
- “there is sin that leads to death” (1 Jn 5:16)
- Jesus’ list of serious sins from Mt 15
- if we are in state of mortal sin at the hour of our death, we will go to
Hell (Catechism, # 1861)
- “You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery in his heart. If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell” -- Mt 5:28
- example of how serious sin can cause eternal damnation
- Jesus speaks of Hell and eternal punishment over 100 times in the Gospels (theme, but not focus of his mission)
-we need Christ in order to be forgiven
- Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross = so that our “sins might be forgiven”
- our sins are taken to the cross of Christ and forgiven in Confession in a way that we can’t do on our own (confessing privately takes Christ out of the equation?)
- in Confession, we receive Christ’s sanctifying grace
- can’t get on our own (ala Baptism, Anointing of the Sick )
- if mortal sins kill our soul, the grace of Confession brings it back to life
- participation in the Paschal Mystery
What is a mortal sin?
1) Grave matter* – it’s wrong
2) Full knowledge – I know it’s wrong
3) Full consent – I freely choose to do it
* examples of grave matter: skipping Sunday Mass, getting drunk, offenses against chastity (fornication, pornography, masturbation, etc.), contraception, lying, cheating on exams, etc.
----------------------------------
"I’m afraid to go to Confession"
- been many years
- forgot how
- priest will judge me
- priest will tell others my sins
- I will forget some sins
- I wouldn’t know where to start with my sins
Keep in mind:
- it is Christ in the Confessional; in persona Christi (the priest acts in the person of Christ when celebrating the sacraments...it's really Jesus absolving sins, saying the Mass, baptizing babies, etc.)
- “whoever hears you, hears me” (Lk10:16)
- we hear and know we are forgiven: “I absolve you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”
- Christ’s grace in Confession heals us and gives us the strength to overcome future sins (Mother Teresa, John Paul II)
- +the priest can give us advice on how to avoid the sins in the future
- confessing on the lips = shows true contrition; as when I sin against a friend, need to go face to face
"How do I make a good Confession?"
- examination of conscience
- contrition
- confession
- do your penance
"How often should I go?"
- at least once a year (required)
- whenever in mortal sin or think you may be (before receiving Holy Communion)
- once a month (MT, JP II)
- grow in grace and holiness; frequent Confession helps us to ‘forgive those who trespass against us’ so that we will be forgiven
- see our sins as they are (gossip, e.g.) and see ourselves as we are: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”
How to go to Confession / Examination of Conscience
A GW student approached me last semester about starting a discussion group in a residence hall with his Catholic friends. We've met four times now; I've posted my notes here from the discussions of the past three weeks (basically the same talks we've had at the Newman Center on Tuesday nights). We started out with about four students who hadn't been faithful to Mass but are now making a comeback, thanks be to God.
Last night, eight students came out for a discussion on Confession. It was one of those great, great discussions! One of the students went to Confession after the talk and another one is coming today. God is soooooo good!! Overall, the students seem very happy with the group. The one who started the group texted me last night, "this is turning out to be awesome".
Here are my notes from the talk:
Confession
Where did Confession come from? What is the basis for it?
-John 20:20- Jesus gives the power to forgive sins to the Apostles
- they passed it down to the next priests who passed it down...2000 years of Apostolic succession where priests like me in 2010 have Christ's power to forgive sins
Brief history of Confession
- in the early Church, publicly known sins (apostasy, e.g.) were confessed publicly in Church; privately known sins were confessed privately
- penance was done before absolution
- the form changed in the Middle Ages (?) to how we have it now
Is Confession necessary to get to Heaven?
Yes, if we’ve committed a mortal sin which breaks us off from God
No, if we haven’t committed a mortal sin and are always in a state of grace.
Yes, in order to live fully in Christ on Earth.
Is Confession only about sin?
No, it’s primarily about God’s infinite mercy.
-“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved” – Jn 3:17
- the woman caught in adultery: “has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you. Go away, and from this moment sin no more” - Jn 8: 11
- the parable of the prodigal son
'I thought only God forgives sins. How can the priest forgive sins?'
Jesus has the power to forgive sins
- “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” – Mt 28:18
- “your sins are forgiven” – Lk 7:48 (the woman who was a sinner) + Mt 9:2 (the paralytic), e.g.
Again, Jesus gives the power of forgiving sins to the Apostles (the first priests)
“As the Father sent me, so I am sending you’. After saying this, he breathed on them and said: ‘receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained”. – Jn 20:21-23
“ God reconciled us to himself through Christ and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (1 Cor 5: 18)
Why do I need to confess my sins to a priest? Why can’t I just confess to God privately?
- we can be forgiven of venial sins outside of Confession
- the Penitential Rite at Mass, Eucharist, sincere Act of Contrition, e.g.
- but, forgiveness of mortal sins is reserved for Confession
- what was the first mortal sin ever committed? Original Sin (Adam and Eve)
- after they sinned, the gates of Heaven closed; no one could go to Heaven because their mortal sins couldn't be forgiven. Christ had to come to Earth to bring the forgiveness of sins, mainly through Confession
- mortal sins kill our relationship with God and take us out of the state of His grace (which we need to be in order to get to Heaven)
- mortem = death
- “there is sin that leads to death” (1 Jn 5:16)
- Jesus’ list of serious sins from Mt 15
- if we are in state of mortal sin at the hour of our death, we will go to
Hell (Catechism, # 1861)
- “You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery in his heart. If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell” -- Mt 5:28
- example of how serious sin can cause eternal damnation
- Jesus speaks of Hell and eternal punishment over 100 times in the Gospels (theme, but not focus of his mission)
-we need Christ in order to be forgiven
- Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross = so that our “sins might be forgiven”
- our sins are taken to the cross of Christ and forgiven in Confession in a way that we can’t do on our own (confessing privately takes Christ out of the equation?)
- in Confession, we receive Christ’s sanctifying grace
- can’t get on our own (ala Baptism, Anointing of the Sick )
- if mortal sins kill our soul, the grace of Confession brings it back to life
- participation in the Paschal Mystery
What is a mortal sin?
1) Grave matter* – it’s wrong
2) Full knowledge – I know it’s wrong
3) Full consent – I freely choose to do it
* examples of grave matter: skipping Sunday Mass, getting drunk, offenses against chastity (fornication, pornography, masturbation, etc.), contraception, lying, cheating on exams, etc.
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"I’m afraid to go to Confession"
- been many years
- forgot how
- priest will judge me
- priest will tell others my sins
- I will forget some sins
- I wouldn’t know where to start with my sins
Keep in mind:
- it is Christ in the Confessional; in persona Christi (the priest acts in the person of Christ when celebrating the sacraments...it's really Jesus absolving sins, saying the Mass, baptizing babies, etc.)
- “whoever hears you, hears me” (Lk10:16)
- we hear and know we are forgiven: “I absolve you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”
- Christ’s grace in Confession heals us and gives us the strength to overcome future sins (Mother Teresa, John Paul II)
- +the priest can give us advice on how to avoid the sins in the future
- confessing on the lips = shows true contrition; as when I sin against a friend, need to go face to face
"How do I make a good Confession?"
- examination of conscience
- contrition
- confession
- do your penance
"How often should I go?"
- at least once a year (required)
- whenever in mortal sin or think you may be (before receiving Holy Communion)
- once a month (MT, JP II)
- grow in grace and holiness; frequent Confession helps us to ‘forgive those who trespass against us’ so that we will be forgiven
- see our sins as they are (gossip, e.g.) and see ourselves as we are: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”
How to go to Confession / Examination of Conscience
Monday, February 22, 2010
1st Sunday of Lent - homily
I always enjoy hearing the line from this Gospel, Luke chapter 4, about Jesus’ fast of forty days in the desert: “He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry”. Um, yes, after forty days of eating nothing, I think he would be hungry! (If I go forty minutes of eating nothing, I am hungry). Now, about Jesus’ fast of 40 days: our fast during Lent is patterned after the Lord’s fast. That is, it is 40 days. 40 days. I say this to settle a dispute that Catholics have every Lent about whether or not we can enjoy the things we gave up for Lent on Sundays. Let’s do the math to find out. It’s 46 days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday (the Lenten Season). If you minus out the 6 Sundays in Lent, you get 40 days of fasting and penance. Sundays are feast days; every Sunday is the feast of the Resurrection, so there is no fasting. So, have fun enjoying what you gave up the rest of the day today. We love our feast days!
Fasting does a body good! It is a real source of strength and grace for us. Fasting gives our bodies strength in the midst of temptation. Jesus fasted for forty days in order to resist the strong temptations of the devil. He was like an athlete who was in peak condition to take on his biggest opponent. This is true for us, too. We need to stay strong and healthy to win against temptation. If we are weighed down by overeating or overdrinking, we are weakest and most vulnerable to lose. We always need to do fasting in moderation, but even a small fast can bring great strength. Just as prayer gives strength to the soul, so fasting gives strength to the body.
Fasting is also a source of grace for us. We saw this on Ash Wednesday which is a day of fasting for the whole Church. There was tremendous grace at work at our GW Masses. Hundreds of students came out for Mass, of course (people love their ashes!). But, many students went to Confession which we offered during and after the Masses. The students seemed to have a very positive experience on Wednesday. As one of our students said, “it was a day of grace”.
We need strength and grace to fight temptation. Temptation is one of the three types of demonic activity in the world. Every person faces temptation, even Jesus. It is all around us. The second type is oppression. This is when someone’s spirit is oppressed by an evil force. It leads to a spirit of sadness or despair. This happens to many people. The third type is possession. This is when an evil spirit possesses a person. The key point about demonic possession is that it only happens to people who invite the evil spirits in. If you saw the movie from years ago, “The Exorcist”, you might have noticed what brought on the demonic possession for the little girl: she was playing with a ouija board with her Mom. We have to be very careful not to invite evil spirits in these types of ways. Even talking about them can invite them in!
We should respect the power of our opponent, but not be afraid of him. We hear in this Gospel and know in our hearts that Jesus has power over the devil. If we stay close to Christ and his grace, we have nothing to worry about! If we remain in close friendship with Christ in a state of Grace, then we have nothing to fear. Primarily for us during Lent, this means staying close to the Eucharist and Confession. If we are coming weekly to the Eucharist at Mass (even daily if we can) and go to Confession regularly (once a month), then we have the strength and grace to resist temptation and all the weapons of our opponent. If we are imploring the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother, the saints, and our guardian angel, then we are employing the full arsenal of Grace that God avails to us. There’s a great bumper sticker that speaks to this: “Need a weapon? Pray the rosary”.
Finally, may each one of us remain close to our Lord and His Grace , especially during Lent. Through God’s Grace, may we live out what St. James writes in his letter, “Resist the devil and the devil will flee” (James 4:7).
Fasting does a body good! It is a real source of strength and grace for us. Fasting gives our bodies strength in the midst of temptation. Jesus fasted for forty days in order to resist the strong temptations of the devil. He was like an athlete who was in peak condition to take on his biggest opponent. This is true for us, too. We need to stay strong and healthy to win against temptation. If we are weighed down by overeating or overdrinking, we are weakest and most vulnerable to lose. We always need to do fasting in moderation, but even a small fast can bring great strength. Just as prayer gives strength to the soul, so fasting gives strength to the body.
Fasting is also a source of grace for us. We saw this on Ash Wednesday which is a day of fasting for the whole Church. There was tremendous grace at work at our GW Masses. Hundreds of students came out for Mass, of course (people love their ashes!). But, many students went to Confession which we offered during and after the Masses. The students seemed to have a very positive experience on Wednesday. As one of our students said, “it was a day of grace”.
We need strength and grace to fight temptation. Temptation is one of the three types of demonic activity in the world. Every person faces temptation, even Jesus. It is all around us. The second type is oppression. This is when someone’s spirit is oppressed by an evil force. It leads to a spirit of sadness or despair. This happens to many people. The third type is possession. This is when an evil spirit possesses a person. The key point about demonic possession is that it only happens to people who invite the evil spirits in. If you saw the movie from years ago, “The Exorcist”, you might have noticed what brought on the demonic possession for the little girl: she was playing with a ouija board with her Mom. We have to be very careful not to invite evil spirits in these types of ways. Even talking about them can invite them in!
We should respect the power of our opponent, but not be afraid of him. We hear in this Gospel and know in our hearts that Jesus has power over the devil. If we stay close to Christ and his grace, we have nothing to worry about! If we remain in close friendship with Christ in a state of Grace, then we have nothing to fear. Primarily for us during Lent, this means staying close to the Eucharist and Confession. If we are coming weekly to the Eucharist at Mass (even daily if we can) and go to Confession regularly (once a month), then we have the strength and grace to resist temptation and all the weapons of our opponent. If we are imploring the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother, the saints, and our guardian angel, then we are employing the full arsenal of Grace that God avails to us. There’s a great bumper sticker that speaks to this: “Need a weapon? Pray the rosary”.
Finally, may each one of us remain close to our Lord and His Grace , especially during Lent. Through God’s Grace, may we live out what St. James writes in his letter, “Resist the devil and the devil will flee” (James 4:7).
Friday, February 19, 2010
Can you donate $25 for a GW service trip?
Cardinal McCarrick is coming to GW! The former Archbishop of Washington will be celebrating the 7:30 pm student Mass at St Stephen's (25th & Penn.) this Sunday, Feb. 21. Papa John's pizza after Mass in the Parish Hall!
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A group of GW students, Meg (our campus minister), and I will go on a service trip to South Carolina over Spring Break, March 13-20. It's called "Alternative Spring Break". We will be building and renovating homes for low-income families.
The students have to raise $10,000 in order to go on the trip. This covers their transportation, housing, project fees, tools, food, gas, etc. They have raised a little over $7,000 so far. Can you help them meet their goal?
You can help send these students on the trip by clicking on the PayPal "donate" button on the right of your screen. Your donation will go to the GW Newman Center which will put it toward the Alternative Spring Break trip.
A donation of $25 will pay for a student's housing for a night.
A donation of $50 will pay for a student's tools and equipment for the week.
A donation of $75 will pay for a student's project fee for the week.
A donation of $100 will pay for a student's transportation for the week.
On behalf of the students, thank you very much for your generosity!
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A group of GW students, Meg (our campus minister), and I will go on a service trip to South Carolina over Spring Break, March 13-20. It's called "Alternative Spring Break". We will be building and renovating homes for low-income families.
The students have to raise $10,000 in order to go on the trip. This covers their transportation, housing, project fees, tools, food, gas, etc. They have raised a little over $7,000 so far. Can you help them meet their goal?
You can help send these students on the trip by clicking on the PayPal "donate" button on the right of your screen. Your donation will go to the GW Newman Center which will put it toward the Alternative Spring Break trip.
A donation of $25 will pay for a student's housing for a night.
A donation of $50 will pay for a student's tools and equipment for the week.
A donation of $75 will pay for a student's project fee for the week.
A donation of $100 will pay for a student's transportation for the week.
On behalf of the students, thank you very much for your generosity!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
"Top Ten Ideas for Making a Good Lent '10"
We are giving out cards today at all the Masses that include ideas on how to make a good Lent as well as what we're offering at the Newman Center during Lent. Here is the info on the cards:
GW Catholics
Top Ten Ideas for Making a Good Lent ‘10
1. Attend Mass every Sunday
2. Attend a weekday Mass (in addition to Sunday)
3. Go to Confession
4. Attend Adoration at Newman Center
5. Pray the Rosary
6. Attend Stations of the Cross every Friday at Newman Center
7. Read a chapter of the Gospel every night
8. Fast (Ash Wed, Good Fri.) + Abstain from meat (Ash Wed, Fridays)
9. Tithe: Give 10% of spending money (food, drink, etc.) to Church/poor
10. Serve the poor*
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GW Newman Center - Lent '10
Sunday Mass: 7:30 pm, 10 pm
- St Stephen’s Church, 25th & Penn. Ave.
Weekday Mass: 12 noon (M-F), 5:30 pm (Tues.)
Confessions: Wed, 8-9:30 pm (Newman Center), after Sunday Masses, and by appt.
Adoration: Wednesdays, 12:30 pm – 10 pm
Fridays during Lent, 6-7 pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays during Lent, 5:30 pm
GW Catholics
Top Ten Ideas for Making a Good Lent ‘10
1. Attend Mass every Sunday
2. Attend a weekday Mass (in addition to Sunday)
3. Go to Confession
4. Attend Adoration at Newman Center
5. Pray the Rosary
6. Attend Stations of the Cross every Friday at Newman Center
7. Read a chapter of the Gospel every night
8. Fast (Ash Wed, Good Fri.) + Abstain from meat (Ash Wed, Fridays)
9. Tithe: Give 10% of spending money (food, drink, etc.) to Church/poor
10. Serve the poor*
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GW Newman Center - Lent '10
Sunday Mass: 7:30 pm, 10 pm
- St Stephen’s Church, 25th & Penn. Ave.
Weekday Mass: 12 noon (M-F), 5:30 pm (Tues.)
Confessions: Wed, 8-9:30 pm (Newman Center), after Sunday Masses, and by appt.
Adoration: Wednesdays, 12:30 pm – 10 pm
Fridays during Lent, 6-7 pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays during Lent, 5:30 pm
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
"There's a little black spot on your head today"
Check out a youtube video which has some pretty funny satire about Catholics and Lent. Based on a cool song, too! To view the video, please click on today's title.
Lent begins tomorrow!
Lent begins tomorrow!
Monday, February 15, 2010
6th Sunday - homily
I would like to begin with a demonstration and need three volunteers to help me. I ask two of you to take hold of each end of this long cord (that stretches across the width of the church). Please raise it up as high as you can. Now, third volunteer, please stand near me. I ask all of you to imagine that this line represents our lives. Here at one end to the left is when each of us was brought into the world…when we were conceived. The rest of the line represents our lives on earth and our lives for all eternity. The line goes off to the right, past the volunteer for infinity…
Now, where on the line would we have the third volunteer put his (or her) finger if we were measuring our life on earth in relation to eternity? He would put it right next to where we came into this world! We think our lives are so long here, maybe eighty or ninety years. That is a long time, but in relation to eternity, it is a mere fraction only. It is a very small amount! Now, how we spend this small amount of time determines how we will spend all of eternity…! Whoa. Thank you, volunteers, you may return to your seats.
So, how do we spend this small amount of time? How do we live our lives in order to determine a good eternity? Jesus lays out a blueprint in today’s Gospel: the Beatitudes according to St. Luke. These beatitudes are a little different than we’re used to hearing: “blessed are those who are poor”…and are hungry…and are hated by people. This doesn’t sound like the most attractive blueprint on how to live. It reminds me of the quote from St. Theresa of Avila: “Lord, seeing the way you treat your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few of them!” It’s a tough way to live in order to have a good eternity…to have eternal life. What these beatitudes are really describing is the life of Jesus Christ. He was poor…he was hungry…people hated him.
How do we live in this life? We live like Christ. We live in imitation of Him. With Lent beginning this Wednesday, we have an opportunity to see if we are living in union with Christ. . That’s what Lent is all about: being more like Christ. If we look at our lives and see that we aren’t living like Jesus, we make changes. For example, if we are so focused on being rich, then we try to be more poor. If we trust only in human beings, then we try to trust more in God. The little sacrifices we make should be for us to be more like Christ. We make little sacrifices in order to imitate Christ’s big sacrifice.
There is one event which determines how we live. It is the event about which St. Paul writes in our second reading: the Resurrection. The most fundamental question for any Christian is, ‘do you believe in the Resurrection?’ When people (either here or in the parish) have come to me saying that they don’t know if they believe anymore, the first question I ask them is, ‘do you believe in the Resurrection?’ St Paul makes it very clear that if Christ isn’t raised from the dead, our faith is pointless…it’s like, ‘Go home now. We are still waiting for the Christ’. But, if He is risen, then He has power over all things. The man was dead! He was dead. And, He came back to life…He rose from the dead. No one else has ever risen from the dead. This shows us that He is the Christ…He is the Son of God. Everything He said is true and He has power over all things. He has power over everything you’re struggling with in your life right now, especially sin. He has power over addiction, depression, anger, laziness…even doubt.
The Resurrection is the cause for our hope. It gives us true hope in this life and for the next. Keep in mind that before Christ, there was no real hope for a good eternity. It’s only through His death and resurrection that we have the hope of eternal life. It is the event that gives us hope and joy. We don’t walk around saying, “yeah, He’s risen from the dead (with our heads down)”. We say joyfully, “He is risen!” The Resurrection gives us joy that marks us as Christians. Mother Teresa (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta) once said, “we should never be so sad that we lose sight of the Resurrection”. How do we live our lives? We live them in imitation of Jesus Christ filled with hope and joy.
Finally, when we come to the Eucharist, we have the same bold point as with the Resurrection because the Eucharist is the risen Body and Blood of Christ. If the Eucharist is not the risen Body and Blood of Christ, then you should go home now. The Mass would be a sham and your Catholic faith would be pointless. But, Christ is risen from the dead and is truly present in the Eucharist. The Mass, then, is the greatest event in the world! We not only see our Risen Lord, we get to receive Him in Holy Communion.
May the Eucharist give you strength to make a good Lent. May you be filled with courage and generosity in growing closer to Christ. May you all live lives filled with hope and joy that will lead to an eternity of happiness and peace.
Now, where on the line would we have the third volunteer put his (or her) finger if we were measuring our life on earth in relation to eternity? He would put it right next to where we came into this world! We think our lives are so long here, maybe eighty or ninety years. That is a long time, but in relation to eternity, it is a mere fraction only. It is a very small amount! Now, how we spend this small amount of time determines how we will spend all of eternity…! Whoa. Thank you, volunteers, you may return to your seats.
So, how do we spend this small amount of time? How do we live our lives in order to determine a good eternity? Jesus lays out a blueprint in today’s Gospel: the Beatitudes according to St. Luke. These beatitudes are a little different than we’re used to hearing: “blessed are those who are poor”…and are hungry…and are hated by people. This doesn’t sound like the most attractive blueprint on how to live. It reminds me of the quote from St. Theresa of Avila: “Lord, seeing the way you treat your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few of them!” It’s a tough way to live in order to have a good eternity…to have eternal life. What these beatitudes are really describing is the life of Jesus Christ. He was poor…he was hungry…people hated him.
How do we live in this life? We live like Christ. We live in imitation of Him. With Lent beginning this Wednesday, we have an opportunity to see if we are living in union with Christ. . That’s what Lent is all about: being more like Christ. If we look at our lives and see that we aren’t living like Jesus, we make changes. For example, if we are so focused on being rich, then we try to be more poor. If we trust only in human beings, then we try to trust more in God. The little sacrifices we make should be for us to be more like Christ. We make little sacrifices in order to imitate Christ’s big sacrifice.
There is one event which determines how we live. It is the event about which St. Paul writes in our second reading: the Resurrection. The most fundamental question for any Christian is, ‘do you believe in the Resurrection?’ When people (either here or in the parish) have come to me saying that they don’t know if they believe anymore, the first question I ask them is, ‘do you believe in the Resurrection?’ St Paul makes it very clear that if Christ isn’t raised from the dead, our faith is pointless…it’s like, ‘Go home now. We are still waiting for the Christ’. But, if He is risen, then He has power over all things. The man was dead! He was dead. And, He came back to life…He rose from the dead. No one else has ever risen from the dead. This shows us that He is the Christ…He is the Son of God. Everything He said is true and He has power over all things. He has power over everything you’re struggling with in your life right now, especially sin. He has power over addiction, depression, anger, laziness…even doubt.
The Resurrection is the cause for our hope. It gives us true hope in this life and for the next. Keep in mind that before Christ, there was no real hope for a good eternity. It’s only through His death and resurrection that we have the hope of eternal life. It is the event that gives us hope and joy. We don’t walk around saying, “yeah, He’s risen from the dead (with our heads down)”. We say joyfully, “He is risen!” The Resurrection gives us joy that marks us as Christians. Mother Teresa (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta) once said, “we should never be so sad that we lose sight of the Resurrection”. How do we live our lives? We live them in imitation of Jesus Christ filled with hope and joy.
Finally, when we come to the Eucharist, we have the same bold point as with the Resurrection because the Eucharist is the risen Body and Blood of Christ. If the Eucharist is not the risen Body and Blood of Christ, then you should go home now. The Mass would be a sham and your Catholic faith would be pointless. But, Christ is risen from the dead and is truly present in the Eucharist. The Mass, then, is the greatest event in the world! We not only see our Risen Lord, we get to receive Him in Holy Communion.
May the Eucharist give you strength to make a good Lent. May you be filled with courage and generosity in growing closer to Christ. May you all live lives filled with hope and joy that will lead to an eternity of happiness and peace.
Friday, February 12, 2010
"Dividends of a Catholic Education"
1) Ash Wednesday Masses at GW: 12 noon, 5 pm, 7:30 pm
Marvin Center, 3rd Floor, Continental Ballroom
800 21st St., NW DC
2) This week, the Dominican Sisters of Mary appeared on the "Oprah Winfrey Show". Good for Oprah for inviting the Sisters!! My hunch is that the Sisters did this primarily to evangelize on behalf of the Church; they don't need to recruit for more Sisters. I regularly receive letters from them saying that they have a different vocations crisis: too many Sisters! To view clips from the show, please click on today's title.
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Good friends from my last parish sent me the following essay which their 7th grade daughter wrote about the "Dividends of a Catholic Education". It's pretty incredible! I invite all bloggers to write a few dividends of their Catholic education whether it's been in a Catholic school, parish, Newman Center, blog site, etc.
I would echo the beautiful sentiments below by saying that the greatest dividend of a Catholic education is learning about the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. After 12+ years in Catholic schools, my Catholic education really started when a priest simply said, "'this is my body' means this is my body".
Christ’s Wonderful Gifts
Dividends of a Catholic Education
To me, the most important benefit that I receive from Catholic education is that every Sunday I witness an extraordinary miracle: the changing of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It really opens my eyes, and makes me realize the amazing power of God. If you see this action, it can change your life. The phenomenal power of this deed gives me the chance of eternal life. It reminds me that God loves me so much that he gives up his body for my well-being.
Another benefit is that when I pray, I remember that every time I receive grace from Him. Also, in the sacraments, we tighten the strand of our friendship with God, and he loves us ever more. Any time we even give God thanks, he smiles, and the jagged nail is loosened.
So keep in mind that the littlest acts, whether it be praise to God or prayer, is pleasing in His eyes. He looks down on us with extreme care and love. With all of His great gifts, such as eternal life, we are given the chance to be with Him in Heaven. The Eucharist and grace are His presents to us, and are one of the greatest acts of love I know. So take time to just take time to thank Him for all of the benefits of being Catholic.
Marvin Center, 3rd Floor, Continental Ballroom
800 21st St., NW DC
2) This week, the Dominican Sisters of Mary appeared on the "Oprah Winfrey Show". Good for Oprah for inviting the Sisters!! My hunch is that the Sisters did this primarily to evangelize on behalf of the Church; they don't need to recruit for more Sisters. I regularly receive letters from them saying that they have a different vocations crisis: too many Sisters! To view clips from the show, please click on today's title.
--------------------------------
Good friends from my last parish sent me the following essay which their 7th grade daughter wrote about the "Dividends of a Catholic Education". It's pretty incredible! I invite all bloggers to write a few dividends of their Catholic education whether it's been in a Catholic school, parish, Newman Center, blog site, etc.
I would echo the beautiful sentiments below by saying that the greatest dividend of a Catholic education is learning about the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. After 12+ years in Catholic schools, my Catholic education really started when a priest simply said, "'this is my body' means this is my body".
Christ’s Wonderful Gifts
Dividends of a Catholic Education
To me, the most important benefit that I receive from Catholic education is that every Sunday I witness an extraordinary miracle: the changing of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It really opens my eyes, and makes me realize the amazing power of God. If you see this action, it can change your life. The phenomenal power of this deed gives me the chance of eternal life. It reminds me that God loves me so much that he gives up his body for my well-being.
Another benefit is that when I pray, I remember that every time I receive grace from Him. Also, in the sacraments, we tighten the strand of our friendship with God, and he loves us ever more. Any time we even give God thanks, he smiles, and the jagged nail is loosened.
So keep in mind that the littlest acts, whether it be praise to God or prayer, is pleasing in His eyes. He looks down on us with extreme care and love. With all of His great gifts, such as eternal life, we are given the chance to be with Him in Heaven. The Eucharist and grace are His presents to us, and are one of the greatest acts of love I know. So take time to just take time to thank Him for all of the benefits of being Catholic.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
"Good news about sex"
Weather.com has issued a blizzard warning for today in DC. Please take this seriously and be safe today!
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR ANYONE WHO BECOMES STRANDED.
FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS... MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL... HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED... STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
----------------------
Here are my notes from last night's discussion, "Good News About Sex":
Intro:
How can a celibate priest give a talk about sex?
Same question as, ‘How could Jesus talk about sex?’
-I and any priest re-present Christ’s teaching (God’s revelation about sex)
What did Jesus teach about sex?
- reaffirmed what was taught in the beginning, for one
- Matt 19: 5 (sex within the context of marriage)
- “in the beginning”…what does that mean?
I. Sex is beautiful
One of the first things God reveals to us is the beautiful gift of sex:
Gen 1: 28 – “Be fertile and multiply”
Gen 2: 24 – husband and wife “become one body (flesh)”
- Yahweh is speaking about marriage in Genesis, and to the first married couple(Adam and Eve)
-it is God’s command for them to have sex so that they will become oneflesh (union) and multiply (procreate)
-if it is from God it must be good, true, beautiful, glorious, wonderful (these are all qualities of God)
- The gift of sex is meant for us to understand what love is: the love between spouses + God’s love
- (example of engaged couple)
- “Good news about sex and marriage” ("Good News about Sex and Marriage", West, p.20): Sex expresses marital love
- So, God has given us sex for these two reasons: union and procreation
- where is pleasure in all of this? not there
- God has made the sexual act very pleasurable so that married persons
will do it!
- so they multiply (we need sex to survive as a race)
- those things we need to survive are pleasurable: eating, drinking, sleeping, e.g.
- but need to do it in right context and with moderation
- pleasure is not to be the focus
- any reason outside of union and procreation is not what God intends for sex
-unmarried persons can’t enter into one-flesh union; haven’t promised themselves to the other
-couples not open to life can’t be fertile and multiply; artificial contraception is from man, not God
-‘for pleasure only’ is an abuse of the gift of sex; selfish; focuses on what I get, not what I give
II. Sex is holy
- first of all, what is holiness?
- not just praying or being in Church
- holiness = otherness (living for God and others)
- second, how can sex be holy?
- within the marital act
1) husband and wife imitate God the Creator
Union:“the union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator’s generosity and fecundity” (CCC, #2335)... fecundity = fruitfulness
Procreation:Continuing God’s work of creation
- they are co-creators with God!
2) husband and wife imitate the life of the Holy Trinity
- (example of married couple)
- West, pp. 19-20
- when the couple gives themselves completely to the other in the sexual
act, they are acting in love
- love = gift of self
- God is love, and He gives himself completely
- so, sex is a way to imitate God in a very deep and powerful way
- worshiping God through our bodies
- holiness through our bodies
- marital act = sacramental
- bedroom of a married couple is analogous to a Church
sanctuary just like marital love is analogous to the Eucharist
- Eucharist = union b/w God and man
- marital love = union b/w spouses
III. Sex is pure
All are called to live sexuality as God intends – in a pure way
All (married, religious, single) are called to live chastity
What is chastity and how do we live it?
- chastity is sexual purity
5 ways to live it
1) Pray
2) Sacraments
3) Custody of the eyes
4) Use reason to control sexual desires
5) Read lives of saints / examples of living virtues
How important is chastity?
St Maria Goretti - martyred at age 11 for her commitment to chastity
Christ: Mk 7 (unchastity is among the most serious sins)
St Paul: Eph 5:22 (chastity is 1 of 12 fruits of Holy Spirit)
Vs.
Eph 5:21 (those who live impurity…”will not inherit the kingdom of God”)
IV. Sex is good
a) Living sexuality the way God intends leads to:
Joy, happiness, peace, freedom
b) Impure thoughts and actions: “slavery” to sin
c) example of someone who is living chastity after many years of unchastity
Freedom v. slavery
Happiness v. sadness
Peace v. anxiety
d) I am a priest largely b/c of freedom of chastity:
-fervent prayer to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary for chastity
-daily prayer as priest
e) All should pray and fast for chastity
Fasting – great way to control desires (small matters---> big matters)
- practices / disciplines of saints
Pray:
Priests: at Mass, especially
Married – for self and spouse
Single – pray for self (at Mass, etc.)
- and for future spouse to be living chastity
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR ANYONE WHO BECOMES STRANDED.
FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS... MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL... HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED... STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
----------------------
Here are my notes from last night's discussion, "Good News About Sex":
Intro:
How can a celibate priest give a talk about sex?
Same question as, ‘How could Jesus talk about sex?’
-I and any priest re-present Christ’s teaching (God’s revelation about sex)
What did Jesus teach about sex?
- reaffirmed what was taught in the beginning, for one
- Matt 19: 5 (sex within the context of marriage)
- “in the beginning”…what does that mean?
I. Sex is beautiful
One of the first things God reveals to us is the beautiful gift of sex:
Gen 1: 28 – “Be fertile and multiply”
Gen 2: 24 – husband and wife “become one body (flesh)”
- Yahweh is speaking about marriage in Genesis, and to the first married couple(Adam and Eve)
-it is God’s command for them to have sex so that they will become oneflesh (union) and multiply (procreate)
-if it is from God it must be good, true, beautiful, glorious, wonderful (these are all qualities of God)
- The gift of sex is meant for us to understand what love is: the love between spouses + God’s love
- (example of engaged couple)
- “Good news about sex and marriage” ("Good News about Sex and Marriage", West, p.20): Sex expresses marital love
- So, God has given us sex for these two reasons: union and procreation
- where is pleasure in all of this? not there
- God has made the sexual act very pleasurable so that married persons
will do it!
- so they multiply (we need sex to survive as a race)
- those things we need to survive are pleasurable: eating, drinking, sleeping, e.g.
- but need to do it in right context and with moderation
- pleasure is not to be the focus
- any reason outside of union and procreation is not what God intends for sex
-unmarried persons can’t enter into one-flesh union; haven’t promised themselves to the other
-couples not open to life can’t be fertile and multiply; artificial contraception is from man, not God
-‘for pleasure only’ is an abuse of the gift of sex; selfish; focuses on what I get, not what I give
II. Sex is holy
- first of all, what is holiness?
- not just praying or being in Church
- holiness = otherness (living for God and others)
- second, how can sex be holy?
- within the marital act
1) husband and wife imitate God the Creator
Union:“the union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator’s generosity and fecundity” (CCC, #2335)... fecundity = fruitfulness
Procreation:Continuing God’s work of creation
- they are co-creators with God!
2) husband and wife imitate the life of the Holy Trinity
- (example of married couple)
- West, pp. 19-20
- when the couple gives themselves completely to the other in the sexual
act, they are acting in love
- love = gift of self
- God is love, and He gives himself completely
- so, sex is a way to imitate God in a very deep and powerful way
- worshiping God through our bodies
- holiness through our bodies
- marital act = sacramental
- bedroom of a married couple is analogous to a Church
sanctuary just like marital love is analogous to the Eucharist
- Eucharist = union b/w God and man
- marital love = union b/w spouses
III. Sex is pure
All are called to live sexuality as God intends – in a pure way
All (married, religious, single) are called to live chastity
What is chastity and how do we live it?
- chastity is sexual purity
5 ways to live it
1) Pray
2) Sacraments
3) Custody of the eyes
4) Use reason to control sexual desires
5) Read lives of saints / examples of living virtues
How important is chastity?
St Maria Goretti - martyred at age 11 for her commitment to chastity
Christ: Mk 7 (unchastity is among the most serious sins)
St Paul: Eph 5:22 (chastity is 1 of 12 fruits of Holy Spirit)
Vs.
Eph 5:21 (those who live impurity…”will not inherit the kingdom of God”)
IV. Sex is good
a) Living sexuality the way God intends leads to:
Joy, happiness, peace, freedom
b) Impure thoughts and actions: “slavery” to sin
c) example of someone who is living chastity after many years of unchastity
Freedom v. slavery
Happiness v. sadness
Peace v. anxiety
d) I am a priest largely b/c of freedom of chastity:
-fervent prayer to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary for chastity
-daily prayer as priest
e) All should pray and fast for chastity
Fasting – great way to control desires (small matters---> big matters)
- practices / disciplines of saints
Pray:
Priests: at Mass, especially
Married – for self and spouse
Single – pray for self (at Mass, etc.)
- and for future spouse to be living chastity
Monday, February 08, 2010
5th Sunday - homily
Celebrating Mass on Super Bowl Sunday reminds me of an episode from “The Simpsons” years ago. It was Super Bowl Sunday and they show the scene at the Church as the service begins. There is one person in the congregation. The pastor seems a bit upset and says, “well, thank God at least one person came to Church and isn’t watching the big game”. Then, the one man who is there says, “oh my gosh, the big game!” , and goes running out of Church!
This year in the Church is the “year of the priest”. It began last June and will end this June. It is a year to celebrate priests and thank them for their service to us. In Washington, we have had a campaign in which people have been sending letters and cards to priests to express their appreciation, love, and support. It’s been overwhelming for us priests, but we appreciate it very much. So many people who we will never meet have been offering so many prayers and sacrifices for us all year. You all should send a note to your priests back home before June, thanking them for their service to you and your family. They have given up everything for you.
It’s important for us to realize that priests have given up everything for us. They haven’t always been priests! We think this, don’t we…that priests have always been priests…that they popped out of their mother’s wombs… as priests! Priests are normal people who live ordinary lives until they realize they have been called to live extraordinary lives. Today’s Gospel from St. Luke helps to clarify that. Some of the first priests – the Apostles – were fisherman. Again, ordinary guys trying to make a living. Then, something extraordinary happened.
They had closed up shop for the night. They hadn’t caught any fish and were cleaning up, going home. Then, our Lord comes over to them and asks them to cast the nets again. At his word, they did and then caught a huge amount of fish. Extraordinary! Incredible! Something happened to them in this scene that changed them forever. The focus here is on Christ – as it is with every vocation. But, their response is very powerful, too: “they left everything and followed him”.
They left everything and followed him. Catholic priests have been doing that for the past 2000 years. They have left family, career, hopes, dreams…everything. They have left it all to follow Jesus in serving us as priests. They have give up everything so that we might know Christ through the preaching of the Gospel…that we might receive Christ in the sacraments…that we might be saved. They have really left everything for the salvation of souls. They have given up their lives so that we might go to Heaven. Of course, this is all in imitation of Christ, the High Priest.
I remember helping out on a Confirmation retreat years ago in my parish. My pastor who was middle-aged was leading the day-long retreat for 8th graders. Here he was in his fifties talking to a bunch of thirteen year-olds. I started thinking, ‘what is this all about?’ Then it hit me, this is his life. He had given up his life to do this: to talk to these kids and adults about Jesus…to bring Jesus to others and to bring others to Jesus.
Finally, without priests, we would not have the sacraments – the sacraments of salvation – especially the Eucharist. There is a powerful and inspiring video about the priesthood called “Fishers of Men”. It’s fast-moving and hard-hitting. There are at least two great quotes from the video. One is “who will give the sacraments to the next generation?” We do need young men to become priests and give the sacraments to the next generation. God is calling men, especially here at GW to do this. Will they hear the Call and answer it? The other great quote is, “without priests, we wouldn’t have the Eucharist”. As we receive the Eucharist tonight, let us thank God for the gift of Himself in this sacrament and also the gift of the priesthood. Let us thank God for priests who have given up everything for the salvation of souls…who have left everything to bring Jesus to us and us to Jesus.
This year in the Church is the “year of the priest”. It began last June and will end this June. It is a year to celebrate priests and thank them for their service to us. In Washington, we have had a campaign in which people have been sending letters and cards to priests to express their appreciation, love, and support. It’s been overwhelming for us priests, but we appreciate it very much. So many people who we will never meet have been offering so many prayers and sacrifices for us all year. You all should send a note to your priests back home before June, thanking them for their service to you and your family. They have given up everything for you.
It’s important for us to realize that priests have given up everything for us. They haven’t always been priests! We think this, don’t we…that priests have always been priests…that they popped out of their mother’s wombs… as priests! Priests are normal people who live ordinary lives until they realize they have been called to live extraordinary lives. Today’s Gospel from St. Luke helps to clarify that. Some of the first priests – the Apostles – were fisherman. Again, ordinary guys trying to make a living. Then, something extraordinary happened.
They had closed up shop for the night. They hadn’t caught any fish and were cleaning up, going home. Then, our Lord comes over to them and asks them to cast the nets again. At his word, they did and then caught a huge amount of fish. Extraordinary! Incredible! Something happened to them in this scene that changed them forever. The focus here is on Christ – as it is with every vocation. But, their response is very powerful, too: “they left everything and followed him”.
They left everything and followed him. Catholic priests have been doing that for the past 2000 years. They have left family, career, hopes, dreams…everything. They have left it all to follow Jesus in serving us as priests. They have give up everything so that we might know Christ through the preaching of the Gospel…that we might receive Christ in the sacraments…that we might be saved. They have really left everything for the salvation of souls. They have given up their lives so that we might go to Heaven. Of course, this is all in imitation of Christ, the High Priest.
I remember helping out on a Confirmation retreat years ago in my parish. My pastor who was middle-aged was leading the day-long retreat for 8th graders. Here he was in his fifties talking to a bunch of thirteen year-olds. I started thinking, ‘what is this all about?’ Then it hit me, this is his life. He had given up his life to do this: to talk to these kids and adults about Jesus…to bring Jesus to others and to bring others to Jesus.
Finally, without priests, we would not have the sacraments – the sacraments of salvation – especially the Eucharist. There is a powerful and inspiring video about the priesthood called “Fishers of Men”. It’s fast-moving and hard-hitting. There are at least two great quotes from the video. One is “who will give the sacraments to the next generation?” We do need young men to become priests and give the sacraments to the next generation. God is calling men, especially here at GW to do this. Will they hear the Call and answer it? The other great quote is, “without priests, we wouldn’t have the Eucharist”. As we receive the Eucharist tonight, let us thank God for the gift of Himself in this sacrament and also the gift of the priesthood. Let us thank God for priests who have given up everything for the salvation of souls…who have left everything to bring Jesus to us and us to Jesus.
Friday, February 05, 2010
"Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are"
1)”Jesus and Burritos” is still on for tonight. Adoration at 6 pm, Chipotle burritos at 7 pm.
2) A few spots left for next weekend’s retreat, “No Greater Love”. Please sign up asap by emailing Meg (meg@gwcatholic.com).
------------------------------------------
The following is an encouraging, sharp, and courageous article by a columnist of the Washington Post, Sally Jenkins, regarding Tim Tebow’s pro-life Super Bowl ad. Obviously, we don’t agree with Jenkins’ position on abortion; the main point of disagreement is that babies in the womb are not just potential lives, they are actual lives…actual human beings. Overall, though, the following is a very well-written article; it’s refreshing to see a secular journalist set the record straight that pro-choice means pro-abortion. Hopefully, Jenkins will see that the crowd (NOW, et al.) that she condemns are the same ones who have fought so hard for the “pro-choice” legalization that she supports. It’s not pro-choice legislation, it’s pro-abortion. Please pray for Sally Jenkins who is most likely under heavy attack from those who are viciously pro-abortion.
Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are
I'll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time. I realize this stance won't endear me to the "Dwindling Organizations of Ladies in Lockstep," otherwise known as DOLL, but I'll try to pick up the shards of my shattered feminist credentials and go on.
As statements at Super Bowls go, I prefer the idea of Tebow's pro-life ad to, say, Jim McMahon dropping his pants, as the former Chicago Bears quarterback once did in response to a question. We're always harping on athletes to be more responsible and engaged in the issues of their day, and less concerned with just cashing checks. It therefore seems more than a little hypocritical to insist on it only if it means criticizing sneaker companies, and to stifle them when they take a stance that might make us uncomfortable.
I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the "National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time." For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.
Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked "The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us" to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually "pro-choice" so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical.
Pam Tebow and her son feel good enough about that choice to want to tell people about it. Only, NOW says they shouldn't be allowed to. Apparently NOW feels this commercial is an inappropriate message for America to see for 30 seconds, but women in bikinis selling beer is the right one. I would like to meet the genius at NOW who made that decision. On second thought, no, I wouldn't.
There's not enough space in the sports pages for the serious weighing of values that constitutes this debate, but surely everyone in both camps, pro-choice or pro-life, wishes the "need" for abortions wasn't so great. Which is precisely why NOW is so wrong to take aim at Tebow's ad.
Here's what we do need a lot more of: Tebows. Collegians who are selfless enough to choose not to spend summers poolside, but travel to impoverished countries to dispense medical care to children, as Tebow has every summer of his career. Athletes who believe in something other than themselves, and are willing to put their backbone where their mouth is. Celebrities who are self-possessed and self-controlled enough to use their wattage to advertise commitment over decadence.
You know what we really need more of? Famous guys who aren't embarrassed to practice sexual restraint, and to say it out loud. If we had more of those, women might have fewer abortions. See, the best way to deal with unwanted pregnancy is to not get the sperm in the egg and the egg implanted to begin with, and that is an issue for men, too -- and they should step up to that.
"Are you saving yourself for marriage?" Tebow was asked last summer during an SEC media day.
"Yes, I am," he replied.
The room fell into a hush, followed by tittering: The best college football player in the country had just announced he was a virgin. As Tebow gauged the reaction from the reporters in the room, he burst out laughing. They were a lot more embarrassed than he was.
"I think y'all are stunned right now!" he said. "You can't even ask a question!"
That's how far we've come from any kind of sane viewpoint about star athletes and sex. Promiscuity is so the norm that if a stud isn't shagging everything in sight, we feel faintly ashamed for him.
Obviously Tebow can make people uncomfortable, whether it's for advertising his chastity, or for wearing his faith on his face via biblical citations painted in his eye-black. Hebrews 12:12, his cheekbones read during the Florida State game: "Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." His critics find this intrusive, and say the Super Bowl is no place for an argument of this nature. "Pull the ad," NOW President Terry O'Neill said. "Let's focus on the game."
Trouble is, you can't focus on the game without focusing on the individuals who play it -- and that is the genius of Tebow's ad. The Super Bowl is not some reality-free escape zone. Tebow himself is an inescapable fact: Abortion doesn't just involve serious issues of life, but of potential lives, Heisman trophy winners, scientists, doctors, artists, inventors, Little Leaguers -- who would never come to be if their birth mothers had not wrestled with the stakes and chosen to carry those lives to term. And their stories are every bit as real and valid as the stories preferred by NOW.
Let me be clear again: I couldn't disagree with Tebow more. It's my own belief that the state has no business putting its hand under skirts. But I don't care that we differ. Some people will care that the ad is paid for by Focus on the Family, a group whose former spokesman, James Dobson, says loathsome things about gays. Some will care that Tebow is a creationist. Some will care that CBS has rejected a gay dating service ad. None of this is the point. CBS owns its broadcast and can run whatever advertising it wants, and Tebow has a right to express his beliefs publicly. Just as I have the right to reject or accept them after listening -- or think a little more deeply about the issues. If the pro-choice stance is so precarious that a story about someone who chose to carry a risky pregnancy to term undermines it, then CBS is not the problem.
Tebow's ad, by the way, never mentions abortion; like the player himself, it's apparently soft-spoken. It simply has the theme "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." This is what NOW has labeled "extraordinarily offensive and demeaning." But if there is any demeaning here, it's coming from NOW, via the suggestion that these aren't real questions, and that we as a Super Bowl audience are too stupid or too disinterested to handle them on game day.
2) A few spots left for next weekend’s retreat, “No Greater Love”. Please sign up asap by emailing Meg (meg@gwcatholic.com).
------------------------------------------
The following is an encouraging, sharp, and courageous article by a columnist of the Washington Post, Sally Jenkins, regarding Tim Tebow’s pro-life Super Bowl ad. Obviously, we don’t agree with Jenkins’ position on abortion; the main point of disagreement is that babies in the womb are not just potential lives, they are actual lives…actual human beings. Overall, though, the following is a very well-written article; it’s refreshing to see a secular journalist set the record straight that pro-choice means pro-abortion. Hopefully, Jenkins will see that the crowd (NOW, et al.) that she condemns are the same ones who have fought so hard for the “pro-choice” legalization that she supports. It’s not pro-choice legislation, it’s pro-abortion. Please pray for Sally Jenkins who is most likely under heavy attack from those who are viciously pro-abortion.
Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are
I'll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time. I realize this stance won't endear me to the "Dwindling Organizations of Ladies in Lockstep," otherwise known as DOLL, but I'll try to pick up the shards of my shattered feminist credentials and go on.
As statements at Super Bowls go, I prefer the idea of Tebow's pro-life ad to, say, Jim McMahon dropping his pants, as the former Chicago Bears quarterback once did in response to a question. We're always harping on athletes to be more responsible and engaged in the issues of their day, and less concerned with just cashing checks. It therefore seems more than a little hypocritical to insist on it only if it means criticizing sneaker companies, and to stifle them when they take a stance that might make us uncomfortable.
I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the "National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time." For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.
Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked "The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us" to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually "pro-choice" so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical.
Pam Tebow and her son feel good enough about that choice to want to tell people about it. Only, NOW says they shouldn't be allowed to. Apparently NOW feels this commercial is an inappropriate message for America to see for 30 seconds, but women in bikinis selling beer is the right one. I would like to meet the genius at NOW who made that decision. On second thought, no, I wouldn't.
There's not enough space in the sports pages for the serious weighing of values that constitutes this debate, but surely everyone in both camps, pro-choice or pro-life, wishes the "need" for abortions wasn't so great. Which is precisely why NOW is so wrong to take aim at Tebow's ad.
Here's what we do need a lot more of: Tebows. Collegians who are selfless enough to choose not to spend summers poolside, but travel to impoverished countries to dispense medical care to children, as Tebow has every summer of his career. Athletes who believe in something other than themselves, and are willing to put their backbone where their mouth is. Celebrities who are self-possessed and self-controlled enough to use their wattage to advertise commitment over decadence.
You know what we really need more of? Famous guys who aren't embarrassed to practice sexual restraint, and to say it out loud. If we had more of those, women might have fewer abortions. See, the best way to deal with unwanted pregnancy is to not get the sperm in the egg and the egg implanted to begin with, and that is an issue for men, too -- and they should step up to that.
"Are you saving yourself for marriage?" Tebow was asked last summer during an SEC media day.
"Yes, I am," he replied.
The room fell into a hush, followed by tittering: The best college football player in the country had just announced he was a virgin. As Tebow gauged the reaction from the reporters in the room, he burst out laughing. They were a lot more embarrassed than he was.
"I think y'all are stunned right now!" he said. "You can't even ask a question!"
That's how far we've come from any kind of sane viewpoint about star athletes and sex. Promiscuity is so the norm that if a stud isn't shagging everything in sight, we feel faintly ashamed for him.
Obviously Tebow can make people uncomfortable, whether it's for advertising his chastity, or for wearing his faith on his face via biblical citations painted in his eye-black. Hebrews 12:12, his cheekbones read during the Florida State game: "Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." His critics find this intrusive, and say the Super Bowl is no place for an argument of this nature. "Pull the ad," NOW President Terry O'Neill said. "Let's focus on the game."
Trouble is, you can't focus on the game without focusing on the individuals who play it -- and that is the genius of Tebow's ad. The Super Bowl is not some reality-free escape zone. Tebow himself is an inescapable fact: Abortion doesn't just involve serious issues of life, but of potential lives, Heisman trophy winners, scientists, doctors, artists, inventors, Little Leaguers -- who would never come to be if their birth mothers had not wrestled with the stakes and chosen to carry those lives to term. And their stories are every bit as real and valid as the stories preferred by NOW.
Let me be clear again: I couldn't disagree with Tebow more. It's my own belief that the state has no business putting its hand under skirts. But I don't care that we differ. Some people will care that the ad is paid for by Focus on the Family, a group whose former spokesman, James Dobson, says loathsome things about gays. Some will care that Tebow is a creationist. Some will care that CBS has rejected a gay dating service ad. None of this is the point. CBS owns its broadcast and can run whatever advertising it wants, and Tebow has a right to express his beliefs publicly. Just as I have the right to reject or accept them after listening -- or think a little more deeply about the issues. If the pro-choice stance is so precarious that a story about someone who chose to carry a risky pregnancy to term undermines it, then CBS is not the problem.
Tebow's ad, by the way, never mentions abortion; like the player himself, it's apparently soft-spoken. It simply has the theme "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." This is what NOW has labeled "extraordinarily offensive and demeaning." But if there is any demeaning here, it's coming from NOW, via the suggestion that these aren't real questions, and that we as a Super Bowl audience are too stupid or too disinterested to handle them on game day.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
"Dating and relationships"
Ash Wednesday Masses at GW
Wed., Feb 17, 2010
12 noon, 5 pm, 7:30 pm
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
---------------------------------------------
Last night we had another good discussion after Tuesday dinner. It was on dating and relationships. Here are the notes from my talk that started the discussion:
Dating and Relationships
I. “Don’t date anyone you wouldn’t marry”
II. Two models for dating
-From FG’s homily / 4th Sunday, 2nd reading (1 Cor 12)
1. World’s model: rush thru friendship into romance/sex
“Dating habits of teens are perfect preparation for divorce, not marriage”
-“Christian Courtship”, p.128, about Connie Marshner
If rushed, not love (lust??)
-FG in hs, pressured by friends to have sex with g-friend after 3 mos.
2.Christian model: love is patient / love waits
-Patient in every stage of dating (friendship/courtship)
If patient, love (agape…a share in it…preparing for it)
III. Stories
World’s model – AM
Christian model – KW
IV. Friendship dating
-friends 1st
- 1-2 months, at least
- if desire, friendship date more than one person at a time
- patient, communicate “friends only” / set boundaries (prudence)
- low-key, no pressure (pressure w/world’s model - locked in, engaged)
- testing period without emotional attachment
-see what the other is like and how you two get along
-free to remain as friends only if not going as you thought
-helps to avoid big-time hurt feelings
-STORY of the girl who could have used this model in college
For girls especially:
- able to screen out jerks /guys who are not for you
- if guy isn’t up for being friends first and waiting / sacrificing for you, then he’s not for you
- chaste hugs, no kissing or holding hands
- get to know souls, not bodies (what makes a relationship/marriage last)
- foundation for courtship
- contact: talk 2x/wk, see 1x/wk STORY of MH + JP
- Prayer: pray for other and for God’s Will to be done
V. Exclusive dating / courtship
-Communicate / decide to exclusively date the other (call off other friend-dating)
-Be patient…..“ short courtships often make for short marriages” – Morrow
-Hold hands, gentle kissing, chaste hugs
YG: video – incl. couple that wouldn’t kiss until marriage
-a bit extreme but got conversation started with teens
-at least one teen made a chastity pact that night at YG
-Contact: talk 2-3x/wk, see 2-3x/wk
-Pray for other and for God’s Will to be done
-Chastity: NOT JUST ABSTINENCE; sexual purity
-sexual habits you build when young stay with you when old
- “ in courtship stay with you in marriage
- if unchaste habits, then marriage in trouble
- STORY: TR
-God’s Grace and person’s will can change habits, but takes a lot of Grace and a lot of work
-if chaste habits now, then marriage will be much more fruitful
How to live chastity? (for another discussion)
Benefits of chastity and modesty
-Freedom- free to love the whole person: body and soul
- unchastity brings slavery; chastity brings freedom
-Mutual respect
-Mutual, sacrificial love (agape)
-Attraction–seeing the beauty of the other’s soul makes them more attractive
-Modesty – makes women more attractive; helps guys out
VI. What if you’re not dating?
-pray for future spouse
-prepare for future spouse: prayer + chastity, esp.
-trust that God will provide future spouse + be ready when He does
-wife / husband (marriage); Church (religious); Church (single)
Story of DP + TP
Wed., Feb 17, 2010
12 noon, 5 pm, 7:30 pm
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
---------------------------------------------
Last night we had another good discussion after Tuesday dinner. It was on dating and relationships. Here are the notes from my talk that started the discussion:
Dating and Relationships
I. “Don’t date anyone you wouldn’t marry”
II. Two models for dating
-From FG’s homily / 4th Sunday, 2nd reading (1 Cor 12)
1. World’s model: rush thru friendship into romance/sex
“Dating habits of teens are perfect preparation for divorce, not marriage”
-“Christian Courtship”, p.128, about Connie Marshner
If rushed, not love (lust??)
-FG in hs, pressured by friends to have sex with g-friend after 3 mos.
2.Christian model: love is patient / love waits
-Patient in every stage of dating (friendship/courtship)
If patient, love (agape…a share in it…preparing for it)
III. Stories
World’s model – AM
Christian model – KW
IV. Friendship dating
-friends 1st
- 1-2 months, at least
- if desire, friendship date more than one person at a time
- patient, communicate “friends only” / set boundaries (prudence)
- low-key, no pressure (pressure w/world’s model - locked in, engaged)
- testing period without emotional attachment
-see what the other is like and how you two get along
-free to remain as friends only if not going as you thought
-helps to avoid big-time hurt feelings
-STORY of the girl who could have used this model in college
For girls especially:
- able to screen out jerks /guys who are not for you
- if guy isn’t up for being friends first and waiting / sacrificing for you, then he’s not for you
- chaste hugs, no kissing or holding hands
- get to know souls, not bodies (what makes a relationship/marriage last)
- foundation for courtship
- contact: talk 2x/wk, see 1x/wk STORY of MH + JP
- Prayer: pray for other and for God’s Will to be done
V. Exclusive dating / courtship
-Communicate / decide to exclusively date the other (call off other friend-dating)
-Be patient…..“ short courtships often make for short marriages” – Morrow
-Hold hands, gentle kissing, chaste hugs
YG: video – incl. couple that wouldn’t kiss until marriage
-a bit extreme but got conversation started with teens
-at least one teen made a chastity pact that night at YG
-Contact: talk 2-3x/wk, see 2-3x/wk
-Pray for other and for God’s Will to be done
-Chastity: NOT JUST ABSTINENCE; sexual purity
-sexual habits you build when young stay with you when old
- “ in courtship stay with you in marriage
- if unchaste habits, then marriage in trouble
- STORY: TR
-God’s Grace and person’s will can change habits, but takes a lot of Grace and a lot of work
-if chaste habits now, then marriage will be much more fruitful
How to live chastity? (for another discussion)
Benefits of chastity and modesty
-Freedom- free to love the whole person: body and soul
- unchastity brings slavery; chastity brings freedom
-Mutual respect
-Mutual, sacrificial love (agape)
-Attraction–seeing the beauty of the other’s soul makes them more attractive
-Modesty – makes women more attractive; helps guys out
VI. What if you’re not dating?
-pray for future spouse
-prepare for future spouse: prayer + chastity, esp.
-trust that God will provide future spouse + be ready when He does
-wife / husband (marriage); Church (religious); Church (single)
Story of DP + TP
Monday, February 01, 2010
4th Sunday - homily
You might have seen the story on the internet this week about the professional baseball player who is quitting baseball to become a priest. Totally cool! Grant Desme is a 23 year old up-and-coming star with the Oakland Athletics who believes that God is calling him to be a priest, so he is acting on it immediately. It’s an incredible story and one that has caught many people off guard. But, it’s not a new story. A couple of years ago, there was a professional soccer player who retired in the prime of his career to enter the seminary. I know of a woman in the ‘90s who was a great college basketball player at a major university who entered the convent right after college; she is now a cloistered nun. Cloistered, whoa! A friend of mine was an all-American basketball player in college. She could have gone to the WNBA but chose to get married and raise children. These are great and heroic examples of people who had everything at their fingertips – money, fame, and success. They chose to follow their calling, their vocation instead. They chose love over all of those things. We have examples in our own community, too. There have been eight men and women who have entered seminary or a religious community after GW. They, too, chose their vocation over careers in politics, government, law, medicine, etc. They chose love. What examples they are to all of us!
Every one of you has a vocation, a calling from God. Every person in this Church, at this university, in this country, in this world has a vocation. It’s either to the married life, the religious life, or the single life. Your job is to figure out to which one God is calling you. Most of you are called to marriage, but some of you are called to be religious and some of you are called to be single. As we heard in the first reading, God gave you your vocation before you were born! He has put you on this earth for a reason. He has a plan for you that involves living out love in a particular vocation. What is the best way to find your vocation? I will reveal that in a few moments.
You are preparing for your vocation right now. You are preparing for love. So, you should be asking yourselves, “how do I prepare? What is love?” St Paul offers you a lot of help in today’s second reading. If you’ve been to Catholic weddings, you’ve probably heard this reading (1 Cor 12) before: “love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous…love never fails”. This is the Christian model for love. You can compare this model to your lives right now. For example, if you’re in a dating relationship, is it patient? Have you been patient in every stage of the relationship? If so, it is love. But, if you’ve rushed through the stages and been impatient, then it’s not love. This is the model of the world that comes to us mainly from movies and television. It’s the model that says to rush through friendship into romance…into sex. It’s the model that so many young people follow and that experts say is preparation not for marriage, but for divorce. It’s the model that has led to a 50% divorce rate in our country. Please…don’t follow this model. Follow the model of love. Love is patient. Love waits. Please wait and be patient… for the sake of love and for the sake of your relationship.
The Church also goes deeper in looking at love. Mainly with the help of Pope John Paul II, it has defined love as “gift of self”. Love means giving yourself to another. Love means sacrifice. If you really love someone, you are willing to sacrifice for them in big and small ways. Jesus says there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends (Jn 15). This will be the focus of our retreat next month, “No Greater Love”. We will focus on what it means to sacrifice…what it means to love. It will be a great weekend to help you prepare for your vocation. We will have student leaders who will tell their stories about how they have already entered into sacrifice for others…how they already entered into the greatest love. It will be powerful! You will hear from one of these leaders at the end of Mass.
Finally, the best way to find your vocation is through the Eucharist. I am utterly convinced of this because I’ve seen it happen with so many people. If you stay close to the Eucharist, I promise you will find your vocation. This means coming to Mass regularly and receiving the Eucharist regularly, coming to Adoration, making chapel visits…having a relationship with Christ in the Eucharist. It leads to us saying, “Jesus, you gave me your life, how can I give you my life?” He is the example for us in living out a vocation. He lived out the Father’s Plan even though it meant sacrifice; we hear of the beginnings of this sacrifice in today’s Gospel. He is the example and the source of our vocations. He has given you a vocation. He is calling you to something great! To whatever He is calling you, there is your happiness. God doesn’t want you to be miserable, so to whatever He is calling you will make you happy.
Through the help of Jesus in the Eucharist, may you find your vocation…may you find the reason God has put you on this earth…may you find the love to which He is calling you. And, in the process, may you find true happiness that God has desired for you since He formed you in the womb.
Every one of you has a vocation, a calling from God. Every person in this Church, at this university, in this country, in this world has a vocation. It’s either to the married life, the religious life, or the single life. Your job is to figure out to which one God is calling you. Most of you are called to marriage, but some of you are called to be religious and some of you are called to be single. As we heard in the first reading, God gave you your vocation before you were born! He has put you on this earth for a reason. He has a plan for you that involves living out love in a particular vocation. What is the best way to find your vocation? I will reveal that in a few moments.
You are preparing for your vocation right now. You are preparing for love. So, you should be asking yourselves, “how do I prepare? What is love?” St Paul offers you a lot of help in today’s second reading. If you’ve been to Catholic weddings, you’ve probably heard this reading (1 Cor 12) before: “love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous…love never fails”. This is the Christian model for love. You can compare this model to your lives right now. For example, if you’re in a dating relationship, is it patient? Have you been patient in every stage of the relationship? If so, it is love. But, if you’ve rushed through the stages and been impatient, then it’s not love. This is the model of the world that comes to us mainly from movies and television. It’s the model that says to rush through friendship into romance…into sex. It’s the model that so many young people follow and that experts say is preparation not for marriage, but for divorce. It’s the model that has led to a 50% divorce rate in our country. Please…don’t follow this model. Follow the model of love. Love is patient. Love waits. Please wait and be patient… for the sake of love and for the sake of your relationship.
The Church also goes deeper in looking at love. Mainly with the help of Pope John Paul II, it has defined love as “gift of self”. Love means giving yourself to another. Love means sacrifice. If you really love someone, you are willing to sacrifice for them in big and small ways. Jesus says there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends (Jn 15). This will be the focus of our retreat next month, “No Greater Love”. We will focus on what it means to sacrifice…what it means to love. It will be a great weekend to help you prepare for your vocation. We will have student leaders who will tell their stories about how they have already entered into sacrifice for others…how they already entered into the greatest love. It will be powerful! You will hear from one of these leaders at the end of Mass.
Finally, the best way to find your vocation is through the Eucharist. I am utterly convinced of this because I’ve seen it happen with so many people. If you stay close to the Eucharist, I promise you will find your vocation. This means coming to Mass regularly and receiving the Eucharist regularly, coming to Adoration, making chapel visits…having a relationship with Christ in the Eucharist. It leads to us saying, “Jesus, you gave me your life, how can I give you my life?” He is the example for us in living out a vocation. He lived out the Father’s Plan even though it meant sacrifice; we hear of the beginnings of this sacrifice in today’s Gospel. He is the example and the source of our vocations. He has given you a vocation. He is calling you to something great! To whatever He is calling you, there is your happiness. God doesn’t want you to be miserable, so to whatever He is calling you will make you happy.
Through the help of Jesus in the Eucharist, may you find your vocation…may you find the reason God has put you on this earth…may you find the love to which He is calling you. And, in the process, may you find true happiness that God has desired for you since He formed you in the womb.
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