Archive for March, 2008

“I’m going to have a what?”

theophilus March 31st, 2008

Today, the Church commemorates the Solemnity of the Annunciation – when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she had conceived the Son of God – while still remaining a virgin.

This feast is usually on the 25th of March but is commemorated today because last week was the Octave of Easter.  In any case, being the dense guy I am, I once wondered why this feast was held in March.  And then someone suggested I count back the months from December.  What gets me is that Jesus was born right on schedule.  (Think about it.)

What I love about the story of the Annunciation is that Mary immediately said “yes.”  She could have said “no,” and who would have blamed her.  Even after some persuasion by Gabriel, St. Joseph also said “yes.”  Who would have blamed him from walking away from a potentially explosive situation?

And their yes’s became even more incredible to me as I became a father.  I remember the exact moments that my wife told me that we were going to have our two children.  They were moments of fear, uncertainty, anxiety – and jubilation, exultation and gratitude.  I couldn’t wait to be a father – but these moments scared me – even the second one.

So, I can imagine how Mary & Joseph must have felt.  And for them, it must have been even more dramatic.  They were unmarried – they hadn’t done “it” – they were about to face the ridicule and scorn of a judgmental society.  It had the potential to turn into a very ugly situation.

And maybe it was because they hadn’t done “it” that made them better able to accept their “predicament.”.  They were very devout in their faith – they trusted God unquestionably.  They recognized Gabriel as a messenger from God (we would have thought we were waking up from a dream).  After hearing from Gabriel, they both implicitly believed that this baby was a gift from God and, more astounding, would be the Son of God.  There was no other choice for them to make.  What faith, what trust, what belief.

Do we trust God to this extent?  Probably not.

Guys, what would you have done were you St. Joseph?  Gone back to sleep?  Said, “no way?”  Become suspicious and jealous?  Judged this woman who the day before you loved with all of your heart?  Just ran away because it was too much to handle?  Left her to herself and abandoned her?  Treated the baby as nothing more than an inconvenient inhuman object?

I remember those two nights after our “Annunciations” and I remember the conflicting thoughts running through my mind.  I knew God’s plan was playing out for me and my wife – and I was able to get my head and emotions centered on this belief.  But, I really can’t imagine how St. Joseph or Mary were able to get their heads and emotions around the breadth of God’s plan for them.  For me, it would have been just too much. 

But then, Mary and St. Joseph were incredibly special people – so maybe it shouldn’t be that hard to imagine.  And maybe instead of asking how they could have such faith, we need to ask why we would not.

What is Mercy?

theophilus March 30th, 2008

As I was growing up in foster homes and an orphanage, I developed a well-honed sense of guilt and the anxiety that comes from doing something wrong.  I lived with the fear that if I screwed up, there was always the chance that I would be shipped off somewhere else.

Even after I was adopted, I couldn’t shake the fear, even though my Mom & Dad did everything they could to show me that I wasn’t going anywhere.  As I progressed in school, the fear was always there.  I went to a Catholic grade school and a Catholic college prep high school.  Neither of these schools had to keep me – I could always be asked to leave.

So, as you can see, I felt like I needed to stay on the straight and narrow.  I developed a sense of right and wrong – a concept of moral truth.  I learned the importance of making the right choices.  And I felt intense anxiety when I screwed up.

Now, most people would chalk this up to the “Catholic guilt” with which people – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – like to mock Catholicism.  But this reference to “Catholic guilt” misses the point -we all feel like we screw up from time to time. 

We all face regret throughout our lives.  Authors, speakers and other personalities are getting rich with their offerings designed to help us overcome our failings.  Therapists have their appointment books filled with folks struggling with the guilt of too many bad life decisions.

And that is where mercy comes in – specifically the Divine Mercy of Christ. 

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday.  The feast developed after Jesus appeared to St. Faustina in the 1930’s.  This is the day to contemplate the immense mercy and forgiveness that Christ offers us – no matter how grievous our sins.  That as an individual, a family, a community, a nation, a Church, a global people, we must turn to him and ask for his mercy for the times we’ve screwed up.

But, it takes a sense of right and wrong for us to recognize the need for this mercy.  It takes a faith that we can be healed for us to pursue this mercy.

And most of us – regardless of our belief in Christ and in God – have this sense of right and wrong – recognize this need to be healed.  But we are too afraid or self-reliant to seek this mercy.

I almost laugh when I think back on some of the anxiety I felt earlier in my life when I screwed up.  I realize now that I just needed to trust in Christ’s mercy, seek his forgiveness, be healed, and resolve to change whatever behavior led to the screw-up.  I still make mistakes – I still make bad choices.  But, I’m more forgiving of myself now because I know Christ is forgiving of me.  It’s just a matter of not repeating the screw-up.

But, how many of us seek this mercy?  How many us believe that our sins are so bad that Christ can never possibly forgive us?  How many of us try to bury our sins deep within our souls in the hope that no one, especially Christ, will find out about them?  How many of us just don’t want to think about it?

How many of us avoid the confessional because we really don’t want to acknowledge the bad choices we’ve made?

And, if we are trying to hide, how many us feel a weight pressing down on our soul?  How many of us feel wounded and hurt?  How many of us find ourselves making the same bad choices over and over again?  How many of us feel like there is no other way – that you are who you are and this is just the way it is?

Today is a good day to contemplate our own lives and the choices we have made.  Do we need to be healed?  Do we need forgiveness?  Do we need the slate wiped clean so we can start anew?  Do we need Christ’s mercy?

It is also a good day to contemplate where we are as a family, a nation and a Church.  Do we need Christ’s mercy in these areas that define our lives?

Christ gave St. Faustina the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.  It is said on rosary beads.  Say an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and an Apostles Creed.  Then on the Our Father beads, say this prayer -

“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

On the Hail Mary beads, say this prayer -

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

Conclude by praying three times -

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

The chaplet takes less than 10 minutes to pray.  As you pray, think of the bad choices weighing down your life – think of the bad choices weighing down other people’s lives – and ask for Christ’s forgiveness – ask for his mercy – ask that you may be healed.   Run, don’t walk, to the nearest confessional.

And then, move on – knowing that you have an open road before you.

Being Bold

theophilus March 29th, 2008

The first readings during the Octave of Easter (the first week after Easter) are taken from the first part of the Acts of the Apostles.  We hear how Peter and the rest of the apostles have the authorities tied in knots – the folks in charge just don’t know what to do with these men.

In today’s reading we hear how the authorities “observed the boldness of Peter and John” and how they perceived them as “uneducated, ordinary men.”  But they were also “amazed” and “recognized them as the companions of Jesus.”

And, therein lies the message for each us, two-thousands years later.  We may be perceived as being “uneducated and ordinary” – we may actually be uneducated and ordinary.  But it doesn’t matter.  We can still do great things if we listen to Christ and act boldy in our lives.

The last part of today’s gospel (Mark 16) has Jesus instructing the apostles to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”  And that is Jesus’ call for each of us.  We may not need to get up in front of large crowds to preach about Christ like Peter, but then very few are so called.  Nevertheless, we can “proclaim the gospel” every moment of every day. 

For we proclaim the gospel when we are perceived as being a companion of Christ – when we live good lives filled with purpose and joy.  When we are at peace with ourselves and our world.  When we comfort, console, help, serve and do our very best to make our world a better place.  When we make a difference in other people’s lives.

But we need to stop being so afraid of being perceived as a companion of Christ.  We need to be bold in our faith.  We need to proclaim the gospel in whatever way Christ intends for us – even if it’s just by the way we live our lives.

Being bold – it’s what makes mediocre men be good, good men be great, and great men be legends.  Just ask Peter and the rest of the apostles.

What Does She See In Me?

theophilus March 28th, 2008

Sometimes I wonder what my daughter sees in me. 

I stole away from work yesterday for an hour or so to go watch my little girl do her gymnastics and my little boy play basketball – which are their activities this season.  We’ve been trying to get them to try different things – to see where they have the most fun.  We found a place that has a lot of different activities so both my son and daughter can do things at the same time.

In any case, when I popped in on my son, he was having fun.  When he saw me, he smiled at me and went right on having his fun. 

When I popped in on my daughter – it was a slightly different story.  She was doing everything she was supposed to, but she she was pretty much just going through the motions. 

Then she saw me.  She waved, her mood changed, she started doing everything with purpose, she started doing everything exactly the way she was supposed to do it.  I popped back in on my son finishing up his basketball lesson, when my daughter came running in jumping into my arms.

I knew I had made a difference in her day by being there.

And I find I do make a difference in her life and this “difference” is taking on many different forms.  I’ve been finding that she is getting up earlier and earlier so she can spend time with me before I go to the office.  At night, I’m the one she wants to cuddle with as we watch TV.  I’m the one she wants to read to her.  She insists on her monthly ”Daddy” dates.  And most importantly, I’m the one she wants to pray with her.  I was amazed when she was dressed and ready last Thursday to go with me to Holy Thursday Mass.  She was dressed and ready the next night to go with me to Good Friday Mass.

In other words, she is following me – she is connecting with me.  And all of these things she does with me seem to be initiated by her.

And I don’t understand it.  My son, I get.  He sees me and there’s an automatic connection.  According to my wife, he’s either a little version of me or I’m a big version of him.

But, my daughter – I sometimes find it hard to imagine how she sees me – what she sees in me.  I make so many mistakes with her.  Understanding the female mind has never been one of my strong suits.  And to make matters more difficult, my daughter is a little version of my wife – strong-willed, brilliant, self-confident, creative, beautiful, incredible in so many ways.  But sometimes it takes a man with a well-honed sense of empathy to stay on the same page with them – and I’ve never been especially known for my empathetic abilities.

And I guess I’m slowly learning that what she wants from me is to spend time with me.  Despite my mistakes with her, she wants to learn from me, talk to me, have me focused just on her for a period of time.  I may be imperfect – especially when it comes to her – but I’m still the most important man in her life.

And if I do it right, I will be the one she will measure every other man against.  And maybe that’s the most important gift we can offer our daughters – to exhibit such exemplary qualities that she will expect the same of the men she dates and the man she will ultimately marry.  And to help build her self-esteem so she will believe that she deserves such a man.

It’s a heavy responsibility – but it’s as important as the responsibility we have to make our sons into quality men.

We may make mistake after mistake with our daughters – but they seem to understand already that we’re just men.  We may screw up but we mean well.  And they can be especially forgiving.

We may never truly understand them, but we will make all the difference in the world if we just spend time with them and connect with them - if we just love them with every fiber of our being and be grateful to God that He has put her into our life.

Another Sighting

theophilus March 27th, 2008

On Tuesday, it was Mary Magdalene, yesterday it was the guys on the road to Emmaus – today, Jesus appears to the apostles. 

And they doubt what they are seeing.  They have to look at his hands and feet – watch him take a bite out of some fish – and then they believe. 

In this appearance, Christ says some things that should resonate with us today. 

He says hello to the apostles by offering, “Peace be with you.”  And aren’t we all yearning and searching for this peace? 

He asks them, “why are you troubled” and “why do questions arise in your hearts?”  And do we not find ourselves troubled too often of the time and aren’t we sometimes smothered with the questions in our hearts – some unasked, all unanswered?

He then “opened their minds to understand the scriptures.”  And it’s this opening that Christ so lovingly wants for us – to understand him – to understand our faith – to understand each other – yes, to even understand our wives and children.

It’s amazing how much Christ gave the apostles in such a short visit.  Just imagine what he can give us if we just listen to him and follow him.

One apostle that was definitely listening and following Jesus at this point was St. Peter.  In today’s first reading (Acts 3), Peter is once again giving it to the folks in Jerusalem.  He’s not mincing words – he’s stirring things up. 

This is the same Peter who acted the part of the coward in denying Christ and running away from him.  Now, he is fearless and on the attack.  He is a real man couragously taking the reins of leadership given to him by Christ. 

We have much to learn from Peter before the Passion – we have even more to learn from him in its aftermath.  Peter found himself – found his purpose – found Christ’s path for him.  And he didn’t disappoint.  He didn’t allow the sheer impossibility and danger of his mission to overwhelm him.  He just got the job done.

Let us believe unquestionably in Christ.  Let us follow him so selflessly and with such fearless fidelity that we too can achieve the impossible.  The ability to do great things is in each of us – if we just believe in Christ’s plan for us.  And if we are doing what is expected of us, we will find our peace - answers will be given to us - and our minds will be truly opened. 

It’s just up to us to believe and follow.

Walking THE Road

theophilus March 26th, 2008

Cleopas and his buddy are walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus in today’s Gospel (Luke 24).  They are probably still stunned and in shock as to what happened that weekend.  Then, this “man” comes up next to them and starts talking to them.  They don’t realize it’s Christ until much later - after Christ has taught them at length – and celebrated the Eucharistic meal with them.

These disciples were not the only ones who have walked this road.  Everyone who has tried to walk with Christ and follow his path has walked their own Roads to Emmaus.  If we try to walk with Christ and follow his path, we walk our Road to Emmaus.  

And we know this road – we know where it leads – how to travel it – when we get off of it.  What we don’t know is where the curves and hills are – what potholes and gravel roads are in our way. 

But, it doesn’t matter how difficult the road is ahead of us – if we have enough faith in Christ to know that he is walking with us every step of the way. 

And how do we know we are walking with Christ – that we are on the road?

A good start is to take a look at today’s Responsorial Psalm (105), which tells us to “give thanks to the Lord”, “invoke his name,” “make known his deeds,” “sing to him,” “proclaim all his wondrous deeds,” “rejoice,” “look the Lord in his strength,” and “to seek to serve him constantly.”  Psalm 105 is pretty self-explanatory – talk to the Lord, rely on him, serve him.

We can then learn how to walk this road by reading today’s first reading (Acts 3), which has Peter and John going to the temple “for the three o’clock hour of prayer.”  It’s 3:00 in the afternoon and they are going to go pray.  We read this and think “don’t these people have a job.”

But do we pray throughout the day?  We should.  Prayer shouldn’t take the place of our work – but prayer should complement everything we do throughout the course of our day.  It should be our running conversation with God as we go about doing what he wants us to do – and everything we do better be what he wants us to do. 

We can take breaks from the rush of the day to say a quick prayer.  We can set aside a couple minutes at various points of the day to consciously touch base with and acknowledge God.  Other faiths do it – why shouldn’t we?

Still, a third way for us to stay on this road is also offered by today’s first reading, which later on has Peter healing the “crippled” man at the city gates.  I can just imagine Peter thinking afterwards – “wow, how cool was that.”  Peter, the repentent denier of Christ, now had the power to heal.  He had to be as amazed as the man he healed as to what he had done.

And what’s even more amazing is that we all can acheive great things – as long as we alllow Christ to work through us.  It may not be something as dramatic as healing a disabled person – but Christ wants to work his wonders and he wants to do so through us.  We have to listen to Christ and do what he guides us to do. 

The world is filled with great stories everyday of people doing incredible things and accomplishing what we too often call “miracles.”  And they are done by people who listened to the voice inside of them – the voice of the Holy Spirit – telling them they could do the seemingly impossible.

So, let’s walk our Road to Emmaus.  Let’s stay on it by being like the Psalmist in talking to God, relying on him, serving him.  Let’s pray constantly like Peter and John.   Let’s listen to Christ and allow him to work the impossible through us like Peter.  Let’s be aware when we are off the road so we can hurry to get back on it and let’s encourage others to stay on the road.  For the Road to Emmaus is the road to our salvation and eternal life.

Jesus is Calling Us – By Our Name

theophilus March 25th, 2008

Mary Magdalene sits there in today’s gospel (John 20) crying at Jesus’ tomb.  A “man” appears and asks her why she is weeping and who she is looking for - Mary cannot recognize this “man” and asks him where they had put Jesus.

It’s then Jesus calls her - “Mary” – and the voice touches and stirs her soul.  She instantly recognizes it’s the Lord calling her.  “Mary” – “Mary” – you know she heard this voice calling her for the rest of her life.

And he calls us like he called Mary.  We need to always remember that Jesus knows our hearts, our minds, our souls.  He knows everything about us – and I mean everything.  There isn’t a thought, an action, an idea we have that he doesn’t know about.  We think we can hide from him - but we cannot.

And he calls us – each and every day – by name.  Sometimes, he whispers our name.  Other times, he shouts it.  It comes as firm reassurance at times of quiet reflection.  It comes in loud torrents at times of our worst sin.  He comforts, encourages, calms, guides, warns, teaches, scolds.  He is always calling for us – and it’s up to us to listen.

Jesus will always be calling for us – he will always be trying to tell us how to follow him – how to walk his path – how to bring ourselves and others to him.  We must hear him – we must heed him – we must follow him.

Listen for him today – he will be calling you – by your name.

The Lenten Hangover

theophilus March 24th, 2008

Easter Sunday is past – so is Holy Week – so is Lent.  For some, it seems like months ago that Lent started – for others, it seems like yesterday.

For me – if I did Lent right – Easter Monday feels like a hangover – or maybe more like a letdown.  I guess it’s because the Church affords us so many opportunities to grow closer to Christ and Lent gives us the fortitude (or is it the excuse) to practice self-discipline and change things in our lives that we never had the strength to change – that I just feel – well, I just feel like it’s a letdown when it’s over. 

This letdown raises a big question for us - ”where do we go from here?”  Do we go back to our old spiritual and personal habits, or do we let the things we worked on take hold?  Do we spend more time with Christ, or do we let everything else interfere, again?  Do we spend everyday exhibiting Christian joy and the peace that comes from truly living our Catholic faith, or do we sink again into the anxiety and fear that can creep in when we let the uncertainty of this world overwhelm us? 

Yesterday started the beginning of the Easter season.  Fifty days (seven weeks) to let the changes of Lent take hold – to continue to focus on becoming the person we want to be – the person Christ wants us to be.

Let’s avoid the hangover – let’s avoid the letdown – let’s continue the journey started almost seven weeks ago.  Let us have hope in the better us. 

The Lord Has Risen – Alleluia!

theophilus March 23rd, 2008

“The Lord has indeed risen, alleluia.  Glory and kingship be his for ever and ever. ” (Luke 24:34) – Today’s Entrance Antiphon.

May everyone have a blessed and joyful Easter.

Gathering Around the Cross

theophilus March 22nd, 2008

The demise of the Catholic Church has been greatly exaggerated.

How do I know?  I saw it firsthand last night.

At the evening liturgy, I watched as family after family went up to the Cross in various forms of veneration.  Family after Family!

At one point, my mind really started wandering and I looked up at Mary and wondered what she thought of all of this.  Remember, the first veneration of the Cross was performed by a whopping six people (Mary, the other Mary, John, the Centurion, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus). 

Now, in this one church alone – at this one service alone (my parish has a 12:30 and a 7:30), person after person came forward.  Some old, some very young, teenagers, college students, couples, families, and folks by themselves.  The veneration went on a good 45 minutes to an hour. 

And this was at one service in one church among all of the churches in the world, where the millions of the faithful came forward to remember the Passion, venerate the Cross, and receive the Holy Eucharist.

And it dawned on me – we are all drawn to the Cross.  Even our Protestant brethren share this attraction.  It’s the source of our redemption and salvation.  It’s the source of our peace and our love.  It’s the essence of our life and our being.

We gather around the Cross because we are lost without it.  We cannot go it alone without Christ. 

So, it doesn’t matter the side issues that may cause rancor within the Church – what matters is that we believe in Christ crucified and Christ risen.  That we believe in the mercy and forgiveness that only he can offer.  That we believe we have this life so we can walk the path of Christ and bring others to him.

What’s important is that we gather around the Cross every day of our lives – that we venerate the Cross every moment of every day by the way we live.

And let’s remember that we have each other to give us strength.  We are a catholic Church – we are all in this thing together – we do not go it alone.

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