Jul

4

It’s, Independence Day!

July 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment

In my very humble opinion, I believe it is the duty of every American to read the Declaration of Independence on Independence Day.  Not only is it the founding document of our nation, it sets forth the birthright of every member of the human race, every child of God, no matter where they are born in the world.

And we should reflect as to whether our founding fathers look at our nation and our world today and are still proud and pleased to have pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for this great ideal now entrusted to our times.  But most importantly, we should reflect as to whether that ”Divine Providence” which they so relied on is pleased with the nation and world that we have built.  

Below is the Declaration of Independence.  I’ve omitted the long list of grievances to make it a shorter read.  On this Independence Day, we should read it and really contemplate whether we are on the right track. 

And above all, let’s really celebrate being Americans.  There has never been a nation and a people like our’s; a nation and a people built upon the ideals of freedom, liberty and opportunity for each individual.  So, let’s pledge to continue to build what President Reagan referred to as this “Shining City on the Hill” entrusted to us from God.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

. . .

“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

“Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Share This

Jul

3

Counter-Culture to Culture

July 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I love history, especially trying to learn how we got to where we are at from where we were.  One thing that puzzles me is how we got to our current culture, especially considering that it was considered the counter-culture forty years ago. 

So, how did the counter-culture become the culture?  And what should we do about it, especially those of us who are concerned about the children and the cultural environment in which they are growing up?

In his newsletter this month, Matthew Kelly is on point -

“The most cursory and elementary examination of our culture along the lines of the hopes and dreams we have for our families quickly reveals that our current culture and any authentic vision of family are massively at odds with each other. But what are we willing to do about it?

“Most parents say they would do whatever was necessary to help their child grow free and strong and succeed. But are you willing to be countercultural? This is the question it all hangs upon.

“By being countercultural I mean being willing to step away from the culture whenever it does not help you and your family to become a-better-version-of-yourselves. People who are countercultural are often ridiculed. This can be difficult, but it can also be clarifying and can help both children and parents to develop character. And the truth is, if enough people choose a countercultural lifestyle, they will create a new culture. That is the only way a new culture will be born. If enough people stop going to movies that are filled with violence and foul language, the powers that be will start making more movies that support you in your quest to become your best self. This is true across all industries. The markets will go where there is demand.

“It is abundantly clear what the fruits of our current culture are. We must decide if this is what we want for our children, our families, and ourselves. If we want a different result, then we must take a different approach. If we want a radically different result, then we need a radically different approach. And I assure you, this will require more courage and inner fortitude on the part of parents than it will from our children. It is hard to be a leader, and make no mistake, your role as a parent is a leadership role.”

And maybe that’s the answer.  We have to create a counter-culture and say “no” to the prevailing culture.  Soon enough, the counter-culture will become the culture. 

Oh, and just so I don’t create any misunderstanding - I’m not talking about returning to the ’50s.  What I am talking about is creating a culture that is conducive to raising a family.  The ideal culture has the best of today’s, mixed with the best of yesterday’s, mixed with the best of tomorrow’s.

Who knows, we might even get to a point where our children will live in a much safer world; where they are allowed to be children and not forced to grow up before their time.

Share This

Jul

2

“Jesus, please leave?”

July 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Today’s gospel (Matthew 8) has the townfolk asking Christ to leave their town. What was his offense? He cast the demons out of two men, redirected them into a herd of pigs, and then the pigs ran into the sea.

The people of the town were afraid at what they witnessed. They couldn’t comprehend so they did the natural thing - they turned away from what they did not understand or did not want to accept.

How many times do we ask Christ to leave our lives? How many instances throughout our day do we want to hide from him; pretend that he doesn’t exist in our lives?

But, the kicker is that he is always with us; in our every thought, word and deed. We cannot ask him to leave our lives because he has promised our Father in heaven that he will not lose any entrusted to him.

All it takes is for us to be aware of him throughout our day; to turn to him in times of trouble and of joy; to believe in him and follow his path no matter where it leads; to accept our Father’s will as our own.

Christ will always be with us; but we cannot make the mistake of asking him to leave our lives. Not only can he not leave our lives; but even if he could, how horrid would our lives be if we tried to go it alone?

Share This

Jul

1

“Oh, you of little faith”

July 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Today’s gospel (Matthew 8) has the disciples caught in a storm at sea with Christ in the boat with them.  He is asleep and they wake him up, shouting “Lord, save us!  We are perishing!”

Christ’s response is simple - “Why are you terrified?  Oh, you of little faith.”

No matter what we are going through in our lives - and I mean, no matter what we are going through - we must contemplate over and over again - why are we terrified?  Why do we have so little faith?

I know of a lot of folks who have so many reasons to be terrified this very evening.  They must have faith.  They just must.

Share This

Jun

30

Happy Mid-Year!

June 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It seems like just yesterday that we started the new year, yet here we are at the midpoint.  I’m finding myself trying to look back over the past six months and figure out whether I’ve done what God expected of me. 

Sometimes, I wish God would give us a performance evaluation.  We all have to suffer through them on the job; and our spouses, if they care, will give us one at home from time to time.  But, God really doesn’t call us in for a chat, does he?  He doesn’t give us a sheet of paper with three’s, four’s and five’s circled; or a list of strengths and weaknesses; or suggestions on how we can improve.  We really don’t have performance metrics to go by.

So, how do we know how we are doing?

I guess it comes from prayer; learning to really listen to the Trinity; accepting the help of Mary and the saints and angels; and having a divine relationship with those in heaven who know everything about what we do, think, and say.  It comes from being so in tune with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that we just know we are on the right track.  

I usually don’t give my life a six-month review, but this year I think I might.  I may even try to shorten it and just try to figure out what God wants me to do over the next quarter.  And then I need to focus on accomplishing as much of his agenda for me as I can. 

No distractions, no excuses.

Happy Mid-Year!

Share This

Jun

29

The Pauline Jubilee

June 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Today begins the Pauline Year - a year-long jubilee dedicated to St. Paul, apostle to the Gentiles; apostle to us.

I’m hoping to get a great deal out of this celebration over the coming year.  St. Paul has so much to teach us.

These are some sites to get us started -

Vatican

Catholic Culture

Tarsus Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Share This

Jun

28

“The Eucharist Is Not a Meal Among Friends”

June 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I haven’t seen too much written about the Holy Father’s homily at the closing Mass for the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec. So here it is. Good stuff.

“While you are gathered for the 49th International Eucharistic Congress, I am happy to join you through the medium of satellite and thus unite myself to your prayer. I would like first of all to greet the Lord Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec, and the Lord Cardinal Jozef Tomko, special envoy for the congress, as well as all the cardinals and bishops present. I also address my cordial greetings to the personalities of civil society who decided to take part in the liturgy. My affectionate thought goes to the priests, deacons and all the faithful present, as well as to all Catholics of Quebec, of the whole of Canada and of other continents. I do not forget that your country celebrates this year the 400th anniversary of its foundation. It is an occasion for each one of you to recall the values that animated the pioneers and missionaries in your country.

“‘The Eucharist, gift of God for the Life of the World,’ this is the theme chosen for this latest International Eucharistic Congress. The Eucharist is our most beautiful treasure. It is the sacrament par excellence; it introduces us early into eternal life; it contains the whole mystery of our salvation; it is the source and summit of the action and of the life of the Church, as the Second Vatican Council recalled (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 8).

“It is, therefore, particularly important that pastors and faithful dedicate themselves permanently to furthering their knowledge of this great sacrament. Each one will thus be able to affirm his faith and fulfill ever better his mission in the Church and in the world, recalling that there is a fruitfulness of the Eucharist in his personal life, in the life of the Church and of the world. The Spirit of truth gives witness in your hearts; you also must give witness to Christ before men, as the antiphon states in the alleluia of this Mass. Participation in the Eucharist, then, does not distance us from our contemporaries; on the contrary, because it is the expression par excellence of the love of God, it calls us to be involved with all our brothers to address the present challenges and to make the planet a place where it is good to live.

“To accomplish this, it is necessary to struggle ceaselessly so that every person will be respected from his conception until his natural death; that our rich societies welcome the poorest and allow them their dignity; that all persons be able to find nourishment and enable their families to live; that peace and justice may shine in all continents. These are some of the challenges that must mobilize all our contemporaries and for which Christians must draw their strength in the Eucharistic mystery.

“‘The Mystery of Faith’: this is what we proclaim at every Mass. I would like everyone to make a commitment to study this great mystery, especially by revisiting and exploring, individually and in groups, the Council’s text on the Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, so as to bear witness courageously to the mystery. In this way, each person will arrive at a better grasp of the meaning of every aspect of the Eucharist, understanding its depth and living it with greater intensity. Every sentence, every gesture has its own meaning and conceals a mystery. I sincerely hope that this Congress will serve as an appeal to all the faithful to make a similar commitment to a renewal of Eucharistic catechesis, so that they themselves will gain a genuine Eucharistic awareness and will in turn teach children and young people to recognize the central mystery of faith and build their lives around it. I urge priests especially to give due honor to the Eucharistic rite, and I ask all the faithful to respect the role of each individual, both priest and lay, in the Eucharistic action. The liturgy does not belong to us: it is the Church’s treasure.

“Reception of the Eucharist, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — by this we mean deepening our communion, preparing for it and prolonging it — is also about allowing ourselves to enter into communion with Christ, and through him with the whole of the Trinity, so as to become what we receive and to live in communion with the Church. It is by receiving the Body of Christ that we receive the strength ‘of unity with God and with one another’ (Saint Cyril of Alexandria, In Ioannis Evangelium, 11:11; cf. Saint Augustine, Sermo 577).

“We must never forget that the Church is built around Christ and that, as Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Albert the Great have all said, following Saint Paul (cf. 1 Corinthians 10), the Eucharist is the sacrament of the Church’s unity, because we all form one single body of which the Lord is the head. We must go back again and again to the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, where we were given a pledge of the mystery of our redemption on the Cross. The Last Supper is the locus of the nascent Church, the womb containing the Church of every age. In the Eucharist, Christ’s sacrifice is constantly renewed, Pentecost is constantly renewed. May all of you become ever more deeply aware of the importance of the Sunday Eucharist, because Sunday, the first day of the week, is the day when we honor Christ, the day when we receive the strength to live each day the gift of God.

“I would also like to invite the pastors and faithful to a renewed care in their preparation for reception of the Eucharist. Despite our weakness and our sin, Christ wills to make his dwelling in us, asking him for healing. To bring this about, we must do everything that is in our power to receive him with a pure heart, ceaselessly rediscovering, through the sacrament of penance, the purity that sin has stained, ‘putting our soul and our voice in accord,’ according to the invitation of the Council (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, No.11). In fact, sin, especially grave sin, is opposed to the action of Eucharistic grace in us. However, those who cannot go to communion because of their situation, will find nevertheless in a communion of desire and in participation in the Mass saving strength and efficacy.

“The Eucharist had an altogether special place in the lives of saints. Let us thank God for the history of holiness of Quebec and Canada, which contributed to the missionary life of the Church. Your country honors especially its Canadian martyrs, Jean de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and their companions, who were able to give up their lives for Christ, thus uniting themselves to his sacrifice on the Cross.

“Put yourselves in their school; like them, be without fear; God accompanies you and protects you; make of each day an offering to the glory of God the Father and take your part in the building of the world, remembering with pride your religious heritage and its social and cultural brilliance, and taking care to spread around you the moral and spiritual values that come to us from the Lord.

“They belong to the generation of men and women who founded and developed the Church of Canada, with Marguerite Bourgeoys, Marguerite d’Youville, Marie of the Incarnation, Marie-Catherine of Saint Augustine, Mgr Francis of Laval, founder of the first diocese in North America, Dina Belanger and Kateri Tekakwitha. Put yourselves in their school; like them, be without fear; God accompanies you and protects you; make of each day an offering to the glory of God the Father and take your part in the building of the world, remembering with pride your religious heritage and its social and cultural brilliance, and taking care to spread around you the moral and spiritual values that come to us from the Lord.

“The Eucharist is not a meal among friends. It is a mystery of covenant. ‘The prayers and the rites of the Eucharistic sacrifice make the whole history of salvation revive ceaselessly before the eyes of our soul, in the course of the liturgical cycle, and make us penetrate ever more its significance’ (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, [Edith Stein], Wege zur inneren Stille Aschaffenburg, 1987, p. 67). We are called to enter into this mystery of covenant by conforming our life increasingly every day to the gift received in the Eucharist. It has a sacred character, as Vatican Council II reminds: ‘Every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree’ (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 7). In a certain way, it is a ‘heavenly liturgy,’ anticipation of the banquet in the eternal Kingdom, proclaiming the death and resurrection of Christ, until he comes (cf. 1 Corinthians 11).

“In order that the People of God never lack ministers to give them the Body of Christ, we must ask the Lord to make the gift of new priests to his Church. I also invite you to transmit the call to the priesthood to young men, so that they will accept with joy and without fear to respond to Christ. They will not be disappointed. May families be the primordial place and the cradle of vocations.

“Before ending, it is with joy that I announce to you the meeting of the next International Eucharistic Congress. It will be held in Dublin, in Ireland, in 2012. I ask the Lord to make each one of you discover the depth and grandeur of the mystery of faith. May Christ, present in the Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit, invoked over the bread and wine, accompany you on your daily way and in your mission. May you, in the image of the Virgin Mary, be open to the work of God in you. Entrusting you to the intercession of Our Lady, of Saint Anne, patroness of Quebec, and of all the saints of your land, I impart to all of you an affectionate Apostolic Blessing, as well as to all the persons present, who have come from different countries of the world.

“Dear friends, as this significant event in the life of the Church draws to a conclusion I invite you all to join me in praying for the success of the next International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in 2012 in the city of Dublin! I take this opportunity to greet warmly the people of Ireland, as they prepare to host this ecclesial gathering. I am confident that they, together with all the participants at the next Congress, will find it a source of lasting spiritual renewal.”

Share This

Jun

27

The Angelus

June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment

One of these days, I’m going to write a book about forgotten traditions in the Church.  It seems that I am writing a great deal about traditions and devotions that I didn’t know about until I really started paying attention a couple years ago.

I came across another example today.

My kids have been in vacation bible school all week.  At the end of the school session, they have a concert for parents of all of the songs the kids learned during the week.  (Did you know that Jesus loves us better than ice cream?)  The concert was supposed to start at noon, but it was of course delayed.  As I noticed my watch strike twelve, I bent my head to say the Angelus. 

I couldn’t help but notice the level of the noise, so I took a quick look around.  I realized that I may have been the only person trying to pray.  Others may have, but they were lost in the mob of socialization going on.

Did I mention that we were in the worship space of our parish church?  And that I noticed very few parents even doing any sort of genuflection or bow to the tabernacle?  It was noon in a Catholic church, but it seemed more like lunchtime in a school gym.

And I remember a time not so long ago when I was like that; just not caring or knowing enough to care.

When I turned forty, a short two years ago, I decided to go to noon Mass at my favorite church downtown.  While I’ve been a complete moron on most things Catholic for most of my adult life, I for some reason have always tried to go to Mass on special occasions; my fortieth birthday qualifying as such an occasion.  Don’t ask me why.

In any case, I’m walking into my birthday Mass and I run into an old friend, also going into Mass.  We sat next to each other.  At twelve, the bells of the church rang and everyone stood and started reciting the Angelus; my friend included. 

Actually, everyone was saying the Angelus, except for me.  Why, you ask?  Because, I knew what everyone was praying but I had no clue - and I mean no clue - the words of the prayer.  All I could embarrassingly mumble was the Hail Mary.  And I felt ashamed.

It was this moment that set me off like a bull let loose from his pen; a bull overtaken with in an insatiable hunger to truly discover my Catholic faith. 

A year and a half before this moment, I had had another epiphany; a moment when I truly realized that my relationship with God was at a dead end.  At that point, I was led by the Holy Spirit to open up the Bible and read it cover to cover over the course of the following year.  That year was a good start.

But now the Holy Spirit was calling me to something deeper.  He moved me to really dive into the Catechism, traditional prayers, devotions, spiritual classics, contemporary Catholic literature, and all things Catholic.  Within the month, I was praying the Rosary almost on a daily basis, going to Mass at least once a week, setting aside time for real prayer every single day, going to Reconciliation every month or so, really researching our faith. 

Less than two short years later, I find I have a spiritual plan for each and every day.  I know what I’m going to do to bring me and others closer to Christ each day; to live out the universal call to holiness beckoning each of us.  Oh so slowly, my vices and distractions have been melting away; each in their own time (with too many yet to go).  And, I’m beginning to truly understand the mysteries and majestic beauty of our faith.

And I find that, while I still fail on what seems like an hourly basis, I know what I’m doing wrong and what I need to do to fix it.  I start each day fresh; trying to do better.  It’s made me a better husband, father, son, friend, and professional.  I also find that I tend to be more joyful and at peace than I have been at most points during my life.  I am finding Christ within me, guiding me along the path he wants me to go.

All because I didn’t know the Angelus.  I swear that it was Mary and St. Gabriel telling me oh so gently that it was time for me to get my faith in gear; that the time for me to be a freeloader was over.

And each day or so at noon, you’ll find me bowing my head and proclaiming, “And the angel of the Lord declared unto Mary . . . “.

And each day, you’ll find me a changed man and hopefully a better servant in Christ’s kingdom.

Share This

Jun

26

“Respect in God’s House”

June 26, 2008 | 2 Comments

I went to weekday Mass the other day.  As it wasn’t my parish, I picked up a bulletin on my out to find out what was going on in this particular parish.  I found the following treatise written by the music director.  It’s some pretty good stuff.  Keep in mind that St. Gabriel’s has a traditional layout with the organ in a choir loft, so he has probably seen it all from his perch on high.

“Respect in God’s House

“Most of us, (at least I would hope), tend to respect other’s ways when we visit their homes.  As we probably all know, some poeple have different customs than we may have.  For example, there are those who may request that you remove your shoes before you enter their home.  Or who may prefer you not to smoke in their house.  Or who may ask you not to lean back in their kitchen chairs or not put your feet on their furniture or demand you set your drink on a coaster.  And as guests, we respect these rules, even when they may differ greatly from what we might do in our own homes.  And we also expect guests in our homes to respect whatever customs we might have.

“There are certain customs we are expected to follow in God’s house, church, too.  For example, it is customary in Catholic churches with a visible tabernacle (such as Saint Gabriel Church) to genuflect to the tabernacle before taking our seat in the pew before Mass and also before leaving church after Mass.  Those who are physically unable to genuflect should at least humbly bow.  This shows respect to the Presence of God in the reserved Eucharist.

“In Catholic churches without a visible tabernacle it is customary to bow in reverence to the altar.  So why do so many not do this?  We often greet one another whole-heartedly before Mass yet fail to greet God with a simple genuflect or humble bow.

“Remember that we are coming together to pray.  Mass is not a social event.  It is indeed a celebration, but it is not a party.  There are some who come early or stay after Mass to pray privately.  We should respect this by not carrying on loudly in our conversations before or after Mass.  I suggest you take these social encounters outside of church.  Yes, community and fellowship is a good thing, but God’s house is a place for worship, and is not a social hall.

“Just as it may be considered rude to arrive to a host’s home late for an engagement, or to ‘eat and run,’ so too one should arrive to church on time for Mass and not rush out right after Communion.  The prayers after Communion are not that long.  And don’t forget that just before the end of Mass, we are given a Blessing.  And some of us need all the Blessings we can get.  If you leave early you miss out on this.  Give God this time and don’t be in such a hurry to rush off to breakfast or home to TV or wherever it is you go after Mass.  Even our longest Masses at Saint Gabriel Church (i.e. Palm Sunday) are no longer than 1 hour 15 minutes.  Plan to be present for the entire experience.

“This is a sensitive subject, but it too should be addressed.  Be mindful in the way you dress for church.  I realize it is hot outside, but our church is air-conditioned.  Perhaps short-shorts or halter tops or cut-off jeans or tank tops or tee-shirts with crude messages or pictures across the front or back are not really appropriate.

“We should dress in a way that says we are gathering together to pray, not coming to a picnic.  Our clothes should not draw special attention to ourselves.  God should be our focus, not the sloppy or ‘half-dressed’ young lady or man in the pew in front of us.  That’s not to say you are expected to wear suits and ties and beautiful dresses every time you come to church.  But it really doesn’t take all that much effort to just look nice.

“When we gather for Mass, we come to worship God TOGETHER.  It is not appropriate to pray the rosary or read prayers from a prayer-book or silently pray your own private prayers.  And it is most certainly not the time to balance your checkbook or ‘text’ your best buddy or listen to your iPod.

“Private prayers may be prayed before or after Mass.  Mass, however, is a community prayer.  We pray it together.  It is not something the Priest does.  Rather, the Priest leads all of us in the this prayer TOGETHER.  And so we are expected to sing the hymns and acclamations as best we can.  And join in the spoken (or sung) congregational responses and prayers., which all Catholics SHOULD know by heart, however, for those who don’t know them, these texts are printed in the hymnals.

“We are also expected to sit or stand or kneel at different times throughout the Liturgy.  (Exceptions are made for those who can’t.)

“And we are not supposed to be chewing gum or munching on snacks during Mass.  (Exceptions are made for small children.)  I recently saw someone (definitely old enough to certainly know better!) blowing bubbles with bubble-gum during Mass.  (We no longer have Sisters patrolling up and down the aisles!)

“And PLEASE turn off your cell-phones!  It is impolite to interrupt the worship of God, and a ringing cell-phone (even one that rings a fanciful musical melody - of which I have been blamed by certain naive parishioners) is always a distraction and annoyance.  And it is even worse when one ANSWERS the phone (always out loud, of course).  ‘Hi . . . I’m in church . . . yeah, I’m about to take Communion . . . hold on . . . ‘Amen’ . . . okay, I’m back . . . ‘

“We really must try harder to show proper respect to God and to our fellow church-goers when we gather to worship.  Respect the Liturgy of the Church too, even if we would prefer it was another way.  Let’s make our worship experience something special, something holy, something unlike the rest of our week.  And we’ll all feel great about it.

-Gene M. Osterkamp, Music Director”

Share This

Jun

25

Forgetting God’s Law

June 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Imagine not knowing the law - especially the law as passed down by God.

In today’s first reading (2 Kings 22), King Josiah sent his aide, Shaphan, to the temple to collect some money owed the royal treasury.  When he got there, Hilkiah, the high priest, lets him know that he found the ”book of the law.”  In other words, he found the Pentateuch and the other scripture that God had given the Israelites to show them how to live always in his favor.

Shaphan was pretty much clueless as to what he was carrying back to Josiah.  But, upon reading it, Josiah knew exactly what it was.  I can just imagine a big old “uh-oh” (or something a little more explicit) coming out of his mouth.  He had to immediately realize that his people were nowhere near following these laws from God.

To his credit, Josiah gathered his people, read them the law, and reaffirmed their covenant with God.  For the time being, he was recommitting his people to following God’s path.

What I can’t understand is how did they forget the law to begin with?  How did they get so far off the reservation that they didn’t even know the law existed?

But, then again, that’s how I feel sometimes about my lack of catechist training growing up.  How come I didn’t learn all of great things I’m learning now about our faith?

Have too many of us forgotten too much of the law?  And what do we need to do to rededicate ourselves to God’s covenant with us?

Share This


Scripture and Catechism references powered by the CRE.