A Knight's Walk in the Kingdom

theophilus May 21st, 2008

As I realize that the gas pump really does say $3.99 a gallon, I’m thinking there are many reasons to be concerned recently.  Whether justified or not, it seems we are going through a period where it feels like times are changing and we don’t seem to be in control of our lives or our future.  God has many of us on a neat little roller coaster.

So, I read today’s first reading (James 4:13-17) with a certain comfort.  St. James instructs us that “you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.”

Only God knows what our life will be like tomorrow – we have no clue.  We just need to keep following Christ, listening to the Holy Spirit, and trusting God in his divine plan for us.

But, we also need to remember that Christ gives us the freedom to screw it all up.  Much of our lives are dependent upon the choices we make.  If we make the wrong choices, we will be knocked off Christ’s path and the tide will overwhelm us. 

In the last part of today’s reading, St. James also instructs that “for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.”  This statement is so true and is reflected in the Act of Contrition (”In choosing to do wrong and in failing to do good . . .”).   As such, we must listen and discern the right thing to do - and then we must do it.  If we fail to do what is right, we turn away from Christ and cement the uncertainty with which we face our lives.

In this day, turning away from Christ is akin to turning out the lights in the middle of a moonless and stormy night.  Let us keep the lights on and the dialogue moving between us and Christ.  Times of uncertainty remind us that we need to rely on Christ and God’s plan for our tomorrow.

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Optional Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes, priest and martyr (Mexico, 1869-1927), and his companions – feast day memorializes St. Christopher and twenty-one other diocesan priests and three laymen martyred by the anti-Catholic Mexican regime of the 1920s, which had made it illegal to even be baptized or celebrate Mass; canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

• Faith , God's Call , Liturgy
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theophilus May 20th, 2008

Having lived through a relatively disadvantaged childhood (i.e. orphaned, lived in foster homes and orphanages, adopted as older child, several major surgeries to repair birth defects), I remember being struck by today’s gospel reading (Mark 9:30-37) the first time I heard it twenty-five years ago.

After predicting his Passion for the second time, Christ tells his disciples -

“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Then, he follows up by -

“Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.’”

Despite (or due to) my childhood, I have been blessed knowing that there are people who follow Christ’s instruction.  I feel that I  personally know some who “received” Christ and thereby received our Father in heaven because they stepped up and made a difference in my life – they got me to where I am today.  Mark 9:36-37 is the story of the early part of my life and the reason that I escaped childhood with a realistic shot at success.

So, how about the first passage?  It speaks directly to me because I realized long ago that I would have to live a life of service to honor and pay back those who stepped up for me.  I couple this passage with Mark 10:45, the one that tells us ”to serve and not to be served.”  They both tell me that it is up to me to receive Christ by making a difference in other people’s lives, whether young or old. 

I sometimes succeed and often fail to carry out this personal mission, but I know I am called to serve and Christ gives me ample opportunity to do so.  It’s up to me to listen to him and recognize when he is calling me to do something.

Let us just look for opportunities today to serve – to receive Christ and the one who sent him.  Someone’s future may depend upon on what we do for them today.

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Optional Memorial – St. Bernardine of Siena, priest (Italy, 1380-1444) – Franciscan preacher and missionary; known for spreading devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus; canonized in 1450 by Pope Nicholas V. 

• God's Call , Gratitude , Jesus , Liturgy , Role Models , Sacrifice
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theophilus May 19th, 2008

Today’s gospel from Mark 9 is packed.  It’s the story of when Jesus, Peter, James & John came down from the mountain after the Transfiguration.  The disciples left at the bottom of the mountain had been unsuccessfully trying to rid a young boy of a demon.  Of course, it didn’t take long for Christ to do what had escaped the disciples.

And in the story are several great exchanges.

When told that the disciples could not drive out the demons, Jesus tells the crowd gathered that “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?  How long will I endure you?  Bring him to me.”

Later, the father of the boy responds to Jesus when asked whether he had faith – “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

After driving out the demons, Jesus responds to the disciples who are inquiring as to why they couldn’t drive out the demons – “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

So, let’s ask ourselves several questions today -

Are we a faithless generation?  How long will Jesus endure us?  Are we bringing ourselves and others to him?  Do we truly believe?  Do we truly pray?

We go through so much in life.  We struggle with our own demons.  We face a world that is so fraught with uncertainty and danger that we must get up each morning and renew our faith in God or be swept under by the currents of the modern world.  We need to start off each day with prayer and continue this prayer throughout the day.  And we do so knowing that even though we may screw up each and every day, Jesus will always endure us – as long as we believe and strive to bring ourselves and others to Christ.

And we need to continually utter the prayer of the boy’s father – “Christ, I do believe.  Help my unbelief.”  For it is in this prayer that we grasp a hold of our salvation and strength.

• Faith , Jesus , Liturgy , Mercy & Forgiveness
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theophilus May 18th, 2008

In saying the Rosary, praying Morning and Evening Prayer, and reading through the Psalms, the Doxology is a constant presence through these prayers.  Yet, I would guess that most are like me and tend to rush through the Glory Be’s without really thinking about our prayer.

Today is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, so if there is any day to really contemplate and meditate on the Doxology, it is today -

“Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.” 

There is also the Opening Prayer to today’s Mass that we should pay particular attention to -

“Father, you sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy.  Through them we come to know the mystery of your life.  Help us to worship you, one god in three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in you.  Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.”

One God, three persons, intertwined to lead us to salvation and eternal life.

Glory Be, indeed.

Painting: “The Holy Trinity” – Hendrick van Balen (Flemish, 1575-1632)

• Holy Spirit , Jesus , Liturgy , Prayer
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theophilus May 17th, 2008

In the past few years, as I’ve started making the effort to lead a more meaningful prayer life, I have found myself wanting more and more to pray in church.  It’s always the place where I most feel the Spirit and the presence of Christ, Mary and the saints.  It’s where I feel at home, regardless of whether the church is my home parish, in my hometown, or in a city where I go for business.  I just always feel at home.

But the most disturbing thing I have found is how often I find churches locked.  Locked out of praying, locked out of devotion, locked out of feeling the intimate sensation of being in my spiritual home. 

I’ve sometimes tried to get into churches in our Downtown area, only to find them locked.  But, at least they are in parts of town where I can half-understand the doors being barred to the faithful.  

What about the churches in the suburbs, especially those in rather affluent communities, including my home parish?  Why do I seem to find them locked more times than not?  Or what about the time I was asked to leave in the middle of praying the rosary in the Eucharistic chapel of a suburban church?  They told me they were locking up the church – at 2 in the afternoon.

I should understand – there are those who treat churches as just another business to rip off.  There is no respect, no sanctity.  In this day and age, you can’t just leave a church unattended.  Although, I would like to think that there is an army of angels protecting each church, or that God would get medieval on anyone who dared tried to mess with his house (think Indiana Jones or National Treasure). 

So, I guess there isn’t a good answer to my question – why do churches always seem to be locked?  It’s just frustrating that when I’m trying to grow closer to Christ by physically paying him a visit, I’m too often met with a locked door and forced to stand on the outside looking in.

• Church , Prayer
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theophilus May 16th, 2008

The Bible is full of classic lines – some complex, some simple. 

Today’s first reading from James 2 has two of my favorite passages.

The first is when St. James writes -

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

How many times do we say a prayer for someone without doing anything to actually help them?  We tell them essentially to “go in peace, keep warm, and eat well” but don’t do anything to help them achieve peace, keep warm or fill their stomach.

So, St. James gives us the clue that we are supposed to have faith and works.  We cannot work our way into heaven.  It’s our faith that will get us there.  But we show we have faith by the works we do – by putting our faith into action. 

As for the second passage – St. James writes ”Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?”  He actually calls his reader an “ignoramus.”  With all of the great writing and language in scripture, we get a comment that you or I would make – “ignoramous.”  Classic!

There is also a great line in today’s gospel from Mark 8 – “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” 

Our goal is not success in this world, it’s success in the eternal world.  What decisions are we making today that are gaining for us the whole world but, in the process, forfeiting our life in heaven?  When we contemplate our successes, we need to really think about the causes of the success – our own personal ambition or God’s plan for us.  If it’s the former, we’re in trouble; if it’s the latter, we’re on the right path.

Classic lines to really contemplate today.

• Culture , Faith , God's Call , Liturgy
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theophilus May 15th, 2008

St. Isidore was quite a character. 

A simple farmer from the 12th Century who worked for the same rich guy all of his life.  He went to Mass every day, visited churches on holidays, prayed behind the plow, served the poor, cared for animals, and married a peasant girl who also became a saint herself.

Not bad for a poor guy.

One thing that is so great about his life is that he didn’t allow his station in life to interfere with his faith and the exercise of it.  But, history is full of the faithful who were without means and high positions but nevertheless lived as model Catholics. 

What makes St. Isidore so great is that he was a layperson who didn’t allow his work to interfere with his faith and the exercise of it.  In fact, his faith and work became intertwined to such an extent that one became an extension of the other.  To make this synergy happen in a nonprofit or community service environment is hard enough, but to live a saintly life without being in a public service type job  is downright impossible.

Or is it?

Why can’t we live our worklives as an extension of our faith?  Why can’t we offer our jobs up to Christ?  Rely on Jesus, Mary and the saints to guide us through each day?  To find Christ in the people we work with and everyone we come into contact with during the course of our workday?  To ensure that what we do in our work reflects well on our faith?  That we are not just 5-9 Catholics while checking our faith at the office door?

St. Isidore somehow got it that he was called to do a job and to do it well.  He got that he was called to live a seamless life for Christ – whether he was at work or doing something else.  His is a role model for each of us who comprise the laity of the Church.  We need to live each moment of each day as an offering to Christ.  We must bear fruit no matter the tasks of the day.

The Church has let us in on the fact that it considers St. Isidore’s life to be a big deal – one of emulation for the rest of us.  He was canonized in 1622, at the same time as those other Spanish lightweights – St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Philip Neri.  What incredible company for this simple farmer just trying to live his life in union with the Lord.

So, how about saying little prayers as we go about our work today?  Let’s ask St. Isidore to show us how.

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Optional Memorial of St. Isidore, holy man (Spain, 1070-1130) – farmer; married St. Maria de la Cabeza; patron saint of Madrid, Spain and U.S. National Rural Life Conference; canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV; one of the Spanish “Five Saints.” 

• God's Call , Prayer , Role Models , Saints , Workplace Faith
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theophilus May 14th, 2008

We’ve all walked into a group where we were the outsider – where everyone seemed to know each other and had their bond and we were left wondering what we needed to do to get into the circle.

So, imagine St. Matthias and his entry into the “Apostles Club.”  Christ had just ascended into heaven and the eleven remaining apostles got together, drew lots, and pegged him as the new twelfth.  He had been a disciple for quite some time but there is a huge leap from disciple to apostle, especially when that leap involves jumping into a group that’s been tight for 3 odd years.

Yet, this situation is exactly what Matthias faced.  And he did what he should have done – he fit in, found his role, and got to work. 

So, what do we take from Matthias’ life?  He followed Christ’s path for him.  He didn’t let himself be intimidated by the group he was being asked to join.  He accepted his role and went about his work.

We are all part of a club – let’s call it the Club of Christ.  And we just need to embrace our role in this club, fit in, and get to work.

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Feast of St. Matthias, apostle (1st Century) – chosen by the apostles after the Ascension to take Judas’ place among the twelve; story is told in Acts 1:15-26. 

• God's Call , Saints
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theophilus May 13th, 2008

With today being the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima, I’ve been reading in depth about the events of Fatima and the three children.

And, I’m thinking – what if my two kids came running in one day excitedly telling us that Mary appeared to them?  And that they saw dark visions of the world’s future?

I believe that Mary appeared to the three Fatima childen, but I have to admit that I would really question what my kids were on if they told me that Mary appeared to them.  Heck, I would question what was wrong with me if Mary would appear to me.

But, what if Mary or Jesus or the angels would appear to us?  Would we believe?  Would we accept?  Would we tell others?

And then, it dawns on me – we see Mary and Jesus and the angels everyday of our lives.

We just celebrated Mother’s Day.  On each Mother’s Day, I am especially reminded of how blessed I am in having seen Mary in my life. 

I am adopted – placed for adoption at birth, not adopted until I was an older child.  So on Mother’s Day, I not only say a special prayer for my Mom but also for my birth mother and all of the women who came into my life to care for me when I was growing up  - the nuns and social workers at the orphanages, my foster mothers, my nurses during my many surgeries, my teachers and so on and so on.  It took me a while but I finally realized that Mary appeared to me in the faces of all of these blessed women.  Mary has been there for me every day of my life.

And that’s the thing about revelations like Fatima - they remind us of how Jesus and Mary are always present in our world.  They are always present to us and through us.  We just need to be their face to others and see their face in others.

We will most likely not see Mary face-to-face in our temporal lives – but we should live each day as if we have seen her.  For chances are, we will see someone today who is the face of Mary, and that person may be in the mirror looking back at us.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us and let there be peace in the world.

• Faith , Mary , Relationships
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theophilus May 12th, 2008

A lot has changed in my life since the beginning of February when we embarked on the 90 something days that make up Lent and Easter.  How about you?  Are we better servants and followers of Christ?  Have we been enriched with the Holy Spirit?  Have we given over all of our fears, anxieties and worries to God?  Or, in this the full majesty of Spring, are we still the same tired soul we were in the doldrums of Winter?

Today’s liturgy starts a run through the Letter of St. James.  He begins by exhorting the perseverance of those facing obstacles.  He then proceeds to encourage all to ask God for wisdom.  He discourages doubt saying that “the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.” 

He wants those in lowly circumstances to reach higher and those who are rich to think of their lowliness in relation to the breadth of history.  He reminds all that “[f]or the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes.  So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”

These are all good thoughts to contemplate as we leave the wonderful purpose and focus of Lent & Easter and return to Ordinary Time.  This time does not have to be ordinary for us at all – it can be a spiritual time for us as we go through Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi Sunday, and the Feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Visitation of Mary – all by the end of May.  And then it’s into Summer.

Let us take the energy, discipline and peace gained over the past three months and immerse ourselves in the majesty that is our faith.  These past months are meant to be a means of renewal – so let us be renewed and rededicated during this Ordinary Time to doing our best in building Christ’s kingdom here on earth.

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Optional Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, martyrs (1st Century) – Roman soldiers who were converted by St. Peter; turned in and condemned to martyrdom. 

Optional Memorial of St. Pancras, martyr (4th Century) – Roman teenager baptized by the Pope and was martyred when he refused to renounce his faith.

• Liturgy , Renewal
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