Archive for December, 2007

Power, Anger & Fear

theophilus December 29th, 2007

Murder of St. Thomas BecketYesterday, we dealt with the devastating consequences of one man’s fear for his power – Herod and his massacre of the Holy Innocents.

Today, we deal with the devastating consequences of one man’s anger arising from his thirst for power – King Henry II and the assassination of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Here’s how the story shapes up – St. Thomas was a former Lord Chancellor for Henry II (think of a modern day presidential chief of staff).  He was very good at advising Henry and became very close to the king.  St. Thomas was then appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury, the primary see in England. 

As archbishop, St. Thomas turned against Henry and took him on when the king tried to usurp the Church’s authority and use Church property for his benefit.  Henry got angry, brought St. Thomas up on charges against the crown, and St. Thomas escaped off to exile in France.  After six years, Henry relented (under threat of excommunication) and St. Thomas returned to his see - and he continued his stout defense of the Church.  It is at this point that things get really ugly.

Henry was in Normandy, sick and bed-ridden.  He was informed of recent actions of St. Thomas that showed the Archbishop wasn’t backing down.  The king then let loose with an outburst something along the lines of “who will rid me of this turbulent priest”.  Four knights heard his “command” and went off to Canterbury to find and murder St. Thomas.  They succeeded on this date in 1170 while St. Thomas was in the Cathedral.

Reaction was swift.  The faithful unleashed an outpouring of devotion for St. Thomas – people started declaring him a martyr.  Pope Alexander III canonized him in 1173 (three years after his death).  Henry II ended up going to St. Thomas’ tomb in 1174 and doing public penance.

So, what do we take from this unfortunate tale?  For me, it’s that the thirst for power can lead us down a road so dark that eventually we get to a place from which we can’t find our way back.  And that our anger can lead to some rather tragic and ugly consequences.  For Henry, his thirst for power and his impetuous anger led to a grave crisis in the Church, turmoil in his realm, and the murder of a shepherd of Christ. 

Whether it’s Herod or Henry – or you or me – we must check our thirst for power in whatever form that thirst may take.  And we must hold in check our fear and anger in all instances – or watch these emotions devolve into unintended and potentially castostrophic consequences.

Fear and anger take us away from Christ.  We cannot carry out his plan for us if we are afraid and angry.  Let’s keep in mind that the opposite of fear is hope – the opposite of anger is love – both are two of the three theological virtues.  We need those two virtues now more than ever.  We have a plethora of modern day tragedies akin to the Holy Innocents and St. Thomas Becket occurring on our watch.  A little more hope and a little more love in this world will ensure these types of tragedies become a thing for the history books.

Painting: Earliest known portrayal of the murder of St. Thomas Becket

Kids Taking the Brunt

theophilus December 28th, 2007

It always seems that kids take the brunt of adults’ most selfish of impulses and desires.  Whether it’s using kids as soldiers, sex objects, punching bags, or the means to other similar ends, too many adults throughout the world prey on defenseless kids.  Too many adults treat kids as “things” instead of their fellow man. 

We can also look at the high abortion rate, ugly custody and child support battles, horrible child abuse and neglect, ideological battles in our schools, child abandoment, and the pushing of the sex, drugs and alcohol lifestyle on our teens.  Again, adults treating kids as “things” instead of their fellow man.

Our culture doesn’t make it easy on our kids.  They are faced with ugly, adult situations way too soon in their lives.  They are asked to become adults before they are ready and are often irreperably scarred in the transition.

I was musing on the above thoughts as I listened to today’s gospel describing the slaughter of the Holy Innocents.  Herod wanted to remain in power.  He was insecure and paranoid.  When the Magi told him of the Messiah – the “King” – Herod responded with the most selfish and evil of impulses – he ordered the slaughter of every infant boy in the region.  It was a senseless and barbaric act by a man who forgot (assuming he ever acknowledged) the humanity of the children he was slaughtering.

Christ instructs us to take extra, special care of children.  Many of us will never be guilty of a child’s death, like Herod, but too many of us will do something that causes harm to the children in our lives.

Yet, children need all of us to be at the top of our game for them.  We need to be at our best for them.  We need to lift them up and suppress every impulse to hurt them – either through an overt act or through neglect.

Children are not “things”.  They are the most precious of God’s people – they deserve nothing but our most Christ-like love for them. 

And they most certainly should not have to take the brunt for our own failings.

Revealing the Mystery of the Word

theophilus December 27th, 2007

Everyone knows about St. John the Evangelist – wide receiver catches a touchdown pass and we all see the sign (”John 3:16″).  Foul ball gets hit into the stands – same sign.  Guy shooting a free throw – same sign.

But too often, we hear St. John in the liturgy or read him in our scripture reading and we realize we can only understand him (if at all) by really concentrating on his writing.  But understanding him is well worth the effort and the journey.  And the more we read him, the better our insight.  And we realize that the beauty and power of his writing can only come from divine revelation and being intimately connected with Christ. 

In order to really grasp St. John, we need to look at his extraordinary life.  He wrote one gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation.  He was with Christ at his Transfiguration, his Agony in the Garden, and his Crucifixion.  He was the only apostle to stand by Christ through Calvary.  He was the first to the tomb on Easter Sunday (beating St. Peter in what must have been one heck of a footrace).  He was entrusted by Christ with his mother – thus allowing the Blessed Virgin Mary to become the mother of us all.  And he lived into his nineties – providing a vital link between the Apostle Generation and the second and third generations of Christians.

He had an unprecedented perspective on Christ and allowed Christ to use him to spread the deeper and more profound aspects of the divine message.  St. John has been indispensable in communicating the existence and nature of Christ’s kingdom – and getting people to believe.

Anyone who calls himself a servant of Christ must read and understand St. John.  His writings are the most difficult in all of the scriptures but it reveals the depth of Christ’s love for us and what he desires of us.  St. John provides some of the most uplifting of messages and the most depressing of warnings.  But, we should always come away from his writings with a more fervent hope, deeper faith, and greater love for Christ, his Church and our fellow man.

Through St. John’s writings, Christ assures us that we will share in his divine love as he shared in our humanity.  What a message!  What a promise!

Today’s liturgical prayer proclaims – “God our Father, you have revealed the mysteries of your Word through Saint John the apostle.  By prayer and reflection may we come to understand the wisdom he taught.”  Reading St. John may not be the easiest thing to do – but if we pray and reflect, Christ will reveal to us the wisdom taught by St. John - the wisdom of the mysteries of the Word.  And our faith will grow with this wisdom. 

And the best place to start is with John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Pray this passage – reflect on this passage – let the meaning sink into and transform our souls. 

And believe!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

theophilus December 26th, 2007

The running around is finished – now the inner contemplation of the mystery of the Nativity can begin.

It’s the day after Christmas.  I’m back at work reflecting on the incredible rush of the last four days  (yes, 4 days).  All of it good - but none of it spiritual. 

Saturday brought my Answer the Call get-together, a 10-mile run, a college basketball game, and a family Christmas get-together.  Sunday brought Mass, a Bengals game, and a family adult dinner.  Monday had me cooking a special breakfast for my kids, finishing up some loose ends, joining the overflow crowd at 3:00 mass on close-circuit TV in the church gym, rushing off to my folks for our Christmas celebration.  Tuesday was my wife and I celebrating with our kids early in the morning, spending the day with her family, and then off to my extended family’s celebration at my aunt and uncle’s house.  We stumbled back through the door at around 10:30pm.  4 days of non-stop activity – rushing from one place to the next.

Again, all of it good but none of it spiritual (especially the Christmas Mass).

Don’t get me wrong – I’m so grateful that we have so many people with whom to spend our Christmas.  I always figure that one of the worst things in life is to spend Christmas alone.  The fact that we have to shuttle between so many places and with so many things to do means God has blessed us abundantly with people that love us and interests to enjoy.

With this said, we’ll have to change something because the kids were just plain worn out.

But, how do we make the days more spiritual?  For this question, I am at a loss.

And it’s dawned on me that there are supposed to be 12 Days of Christmas.  This blessed season is not just one or two days.  It runs from Christmas Day through the Feast of the Epiphany.  It’s only the secular commercialization of our culture that has us pushing the Christmas season up a day (i.e. Christmas Eve) and then ending it on Christmas night.  We’ve taken a 12 day season and shortened it to 2.

So, let’s bring back the other days.  Get the presents out of the way in the first two days and spend the rest of the season in the spiritual contemplation of the incredible gift God gave us in sending his divine son to share in our humanity.

Let’s deepen our spiritual life over the next week-and-half, while continuing to bask in the glow of the love of our family and friends – the incredible wonderment of our children – magical family memories that will last a lifetime. 

Now that the rush is over – let’s have a real conversation with Christ so that we may deepen our relationship with him.

Let’s also take these days and reflect on 2007 while thinking ahead through 2008.

The commercial season is over – let’s ensure the spiritual season (which hopefully began with Advent) continues.

Merry Christmas!!

theophilus December 25th, 2007

A little child is born for us today; little and yet called the mighty God!

May everyone have a blessed and merry Christmas.

What if Her Answer was “No”?

theophilus December 20th, 2007

This week’s gospels present a great “what-if” in history.  What if Mary had said “no” to the Incarnation?

I’ve been thinking about this question as we progress through the weekday Gospel readings leading up to Christmas.  The readings are those most of us know so well.

Monday – St. Matthew’s geneology of Christ; Tuesday – Gabriel appears to St. Joseph to announce the Incarnation; Wednesday – Zechariah learns Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist; Today – the Annunciation; Friday – the Visitation; Saturday – the Magnificat; Monday – the Benedictus.

Through these readings, we walk through the story told through the Rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours.  It’s a great time to refresh and renew our prayer.

It’s also a great time to consider the big what-if of our lives – WHAT IF MARY HAD SAID “NO” to Gabriel and to God?  After all, she was being asked to undertake an incredible and daunting responsibility.  She was being asked to bear and be the mother to the Son of God and to be the mother of all men and women.  She was being asked to be the human source of salvation for all mankind.

And, she could have said “no” - ”not going to do it” - ”you’re asking too much” – “go get someone else”.  She had the same free will that each one of us has.  She could have chosen not to obey.

And where would we be if she had said “no”?  I don’t even want to think of the possibilities and consequences.

We, of course, know that she said “yes” – “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”  She said “yes” because she was the perfect human, the perfect servant.  She obeyed God totally – gave herself over to God in mind, body and spirit.  There was never any danger that her answer was going to be anything less than a booming affirmation.

But, are we the same?  Christ asks us every day to follow him – to do our Father’s will.  We are asked to believe and obey.  How many of us go about our daily lives with the mindset that we are going to say “yes” to God in all things?  How many of us go along with some things asked of us but not others?

And, how many of us have said “no” or shown indifference to a really big thing that God wanted us to do?  One of my greatest fears is that God wanted me to do something incredible and I missed the boat – and he went and got someone else to do it.  That, I missed out on the reason I was created. 

Mary was created to be the mother of our Lord and Savior, the mother of mankind, the source of our salvation.  She was asked to do something big – she didn’t miss the boat.  She said “yes”.

We need to make sure we don’t miss our reason for being here or that special something God wants us to do - we need to say “yes” to everything God asks of us – and follow Christ wherever he leads us.

Let us resolve to imitate our Mother in proclaiming without reservation – “Behold, we are the handservants of the Lord.  May it be done to us according to your Word.”

Inability to Pray

theophilus December 19th, 2007

It’s a serene morning – the clouds are rushing by, exposing pockets of sun and a brilliant blue sky.  A short respite from the gray and precipitation that has been our lot for the past month or so. 

It’s also respite from the killer week I’ve just had to get through.  I’ve been overwhelmed at work and have battled an annoying sinus infection.  And, I was unable to really pray and focus on my relationship with Christ.

And now that my head is clear – both physically and at the office – I can now focus on my prayer life and getting in touch with Christ in the short time I have left before Christmas.

But, after periods like this one, I wonder why I always have it backwards.  Shouldn’t I be especially focused on Christ and my prayer life when I am sick and overwhelmed?  And, why can’t I have this focus?

It would make my life easier if I called on Christ in times of trouble, instead of just when the waters are calm.

We are supposed to turn to him every moment of every day – offering our every prayer, work, joy and suffering.  But, when I am rushing about or when my head is so congested that I just want to cut it off, I forget to turn inwards for help.

And that makes my tough times that much tougher.

I know I will be rushed again at work (and that’s a good thing).  I know I will have another cold (hopefully not too soon).  So, I’m going to try again.  And this time, I hope to consciously walk with Christ to get through the rough terrain. 

Turning ourselves completing over to him really does make our lives easier.  I guess that’s my Advent lesson this year.

Miracles Do Happen

theophilus December 12th, 2007

I knew that Our Lady of Guadalupe (whose feast the Church celebrates today) is the Patroness of the Unborn.  But I didn’t realize the significance until I read One Bread, One Body today.  The reflection discusses a certain pregnant, unmarried teenage girl who was poor and just starting out in life.  Yet, she gave birth to the child, married a wonderful man, became a exemplary mother, and faithfully followed God and Christ throughout her life.

Of course, that pregnant teen was Mary – her son is Christ – her husband was St. Joseph – and because she followed God’s call, she changed the history of man.

But, what would happen if Mary came today in the same circumstances?  She would, of course, do the exact same thing.  But imagine the cultural pressures she would be under to have an abortion.  She would be told that she would be ruining her life (and her baby’s life) if she had the baby; that the ”fetus” was really just a bundle of flesh and not a person; that there wouldn’t be any consequences to her exercising her constitutional reproductive rights.  That abortion was the “right” thing to do.

I have a confession to make – I was placed for adoption when I was born and ended up not being adopted until I was an older child.  I’m sure my birth mother received advice that she was better off aborting me.  But, she placed me in the care of the Sisters of Charity – so I’m guessing that she really didn’t give a great deal of thought to this advice. 

And, of course, I’m glad she didn’t listen.  I have birth defects – those first years of my life (my ”Orphan Years”) were hard and still play a pivotal role in my life.  But I thank God every day that I’m alive and that my birth mother cared enough to give this unwanted child a chance at life.  And I bet my two children are also thankful that their unknown grandmother listened to the right voices.

And I’m tired of the abortion lobby’s disingenious talk about constitutional rights.  Abortion is big business and largely unregulated.  A certain non-profit pulls down millions from government grants and other sources.  Doctors and abortion clinic owners are getting rich off of killing unborn children.

But this business never wants to talk about the fact (yes, the fact) that we are dealing with human life – my life – the life of all of the “unwanted” children that, unlike me, are not given a chance at life.

And Mary, our mother, cries over each death.  And she is working to change the hearts, minds and souls of those who are contemplating abortions, those who are performing abortions, and those who are advocating on behalf of the abortion lobby.

And we must pray and pray and pray.  Eventually, we will turn the tide and unborn children will receive the same dignity and rights shared by us all – the same dignity and right to live that my mother shared with me.

It may seem like a miracle is needed but miracles do happen – just ask St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

How Dare Us!

theophilus December 11th, 2007

I didn’t want to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Golden Compass.  I figured the subject was being beaten to death – and rightfully so.

But, I read a post on Ignatius Insight Scoop about the L.A. Times editoralizing (or is it reporting – who can tell nowadays?) on the religious groups’ protests against the movie.  The Times, of course, blame the whole controversy on us religious (all religious or just Christian religious?) for having the audacity to take offense at a movie and book series whose premise is the evils of Christianity and the death of God (and that insight is from the self-professed atheistic author himself).

Now, read the editorial/news article and substitute any of the protected demographic groups in place of “religious groups” and you would get a different conclusion from the folks at the Times. 

If you think otherwise, take a look at what’s happening in Cincinnati.  A local high school decided to put on an Agatha Christie play,  Ten Little Indians.  It’s a play that’s been a staple for decades among theatre groups from high school to regional.  But, when Christie first wrote the play, she titled it – Ten Little N-word.  The play itself doesn’t even involve racial issues.  The title of the book (and the current acceptable title of the play) is now And Then There Were None.

Who knew about the old title?  Not a soul at the school district.  In fact, not a soul knew about the ancient title unless they lived in early 20th Century England or currently have an agenda to push. (Is the old title objectionable – of course, it is – but that has nothing to do with whether the play under its current title(s) should raise objections.)

But, a certain group has gotten involved - claiming racial insensitivity.  They’ve called for demonstrations – and yesterday, they called in the Feds to investigate – even though the school has changed the title to And Then There Were None, confirmed that they didn’t know about the first title, explained that the play doesn’t have anything to do with race whatsoever, and agreed to open a dialogue on racial issues (for something that doesn’t deal with race to begin with).  And this is all after they first decided to shut down the production altogether but reassessed their decision after an outcry from students and the public.

But, I bet if the Times were on this story, they would conclude that the play shouldn’t go on and these misguided high school students should have been more thoughtful and sensitive, forseeing how someone could maybe find offense at the previously unknown title of the play.

But us “religious groups”, we’re just being uptight and unreasonable about a movie and book series that openly attacks the very basis and foundation of our life and our being.  And what exactly are we calling for?  Not that the movie and book series be pulled (i.e. censored) – but that folks should think twice about exercising their free will in seeing it.

How dare us! 

The Highway

theophilus December 10th, 2007

Highway

The season of Advent is a journey – one that should lead us closer to Christ.

But on this journey, what road should we travel on?

Today’s first reading (Isaiah 35) tells us -

“A highway will be there, called the holy way; . . . [it] is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk.”

This highway – this holy way – is the path that Christ illuminates for each of us.  It’s the path that he wants us to follow to reach him and live the life we are supposed to lead.

Are we on that path?  Or are we on the bumpy road in the next county over?  Are we doing what Christ expects of us?  Or are we off on our own?

Isaiah 35 paints a great picture of the world open to us if we are on THE Highway.  Conversely, other parts of Isaiah and his fellow prophets paint a rather bleak picture if we are off this highway.

It’s up to us to decide which highway we are on.  We have two more weeks of our Advent journey to help lead us to that decision.

See you on the open road – let’s hope it’s the holy way.

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