Archive for the 'Holy Spirit' Category

The Berlin Wall & the Freedom of Spirit

theophilus November 9th, 2009

In the early nineties, I toured Berlin and stood at what was left of the Berlin Wall.  I was actually kind of amazed because it was just a wall – a man made edifice that we use to hold up structures and tame hillsides.  But, this wall was something more – it was a wall that personified evil.  It was used to crush the human spirit and deny our brothers and sisters on the other side the very basic of the rights given to us by God as his children.

When President Reagan spoke at the Brandenburg Gate in 1987, history remembers his call of “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”  Unfortunately, other parts of his speech are left without remark.  And, it’s a shame because he gave such an exhilarating embrace of freedom – an embrace that we need in this day and age.

President Reagan was unapologetic about freedom -

“[T]here stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.”

How is truth and prosperity tied to freedom? -

“[T]ruth can flourish only when the journalist is given freedom of speech, so prosperity can come about only when the farmer and businessman enjoy economic freedom.”

Do you want peace – real and lasting peace? -

“[W]e believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace.”

President Reagan then hit his stride -

“[W]e must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty. When President Kennedy spoke at the City Hall those twenty-four years ago, freedom was encircled, Berlin was under siege. And today, despite all the pressures upon this city, Berlin stands secure in its liberty. And freedom itself is transforming the globe.”

And then came the call for self-reflection for the people of Berlin – the call for self-reflection for us all -

“[W]hat keeps you here? Certainly, there’s a great deal to be said for your fortitude, for your defiant courage. But I believe there’s something deeper, something that involves Berlin’s whole look and feel and way of life – not mere sentiment. No one could live long in Berlin without being completely disabused of illusions. Something instead, that has seen the difficulties of life in Berlin but chose to accept them, that continues to build this good and proud city in contrast to a surrounding totalitarian presence that refuses to release human energies or aspirations. Something that speaks with a powerful voice of affirmation, that says yes to this city, yes to the future, yes to freedom. In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love – love both profound and abiding.

President Reagan then gave the unassailable difference between liberty and oppression -

“Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and our worship an affront.”

And then President Reagan finished with a story that brings us back to the source of our freedom and liberty – back to God.

He told how the East Germans built a huge television tower on Alexander Platz as a grandiose secular monument. Unfortunately for the authorities, the top of the tower turned into a Cross whenever the sun shined. President Reagan used this symbol to emphatically exclaim that “this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.”

God gives us freedom as his children; Christ gives us freedom through his Cross.  Let us never ever forget that this freedom is given to us as a divine gift, as a birthright. It is up to us to decide how we will use it and whether we will strengthen it or squander it.

And it’s up to us to pray for those of our brothers and sisters that live under political oppression – that someday their walls will fall as well.

I believe God has a sense of humor, or he just finds innovative ways to get our attention. One way was through the Opening Prayer for this Sunday’s Mass.

“God of power and mercy, protect us from all harm. Give us freedom of spirit and health in mind and body to do your work on earth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

“Freedom of spirit!”  Freedom to do God’s work on earth. On this anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, let’s renew our commitment to freedom, liberty and peace. Let us gratefully acknowledge and embrace this most divine and precious of gifts, and cast off the illusions that will separate us from this freedom and separate us from God’s plan for us.

Duty to Call Out Easter Catholics?

theophilus April 13th, 2009

Does a father have a duty to call out their children when they are doing something that is not within their best interests?

Of course, we do.  Fathers are always instructing, guiding, cajoling, pressuring their children to walk the right path.  And sometimes we have to take a rather direct and pointed approach.  It’s how we fulfill our responsibility to help our kids live the lives they are supposed to lead.

But, sometimes it appears to be different when the father is “Father” and the children are parishioners.  It especially appears to be different when the parishioners step inside the church twice a year.

Yesterday, my parish was so crowded that the gym was used as overflow, complete with a closed circuit projection screen.  In other words, the Easter Catholics were out in force.

And Father took the occasion to make it a teaching moment.  He poignantly stated that if the flock who showed up once or twice a year really believed in the Resurrection, they would come to Mass frequently.

Frank, straightforward, honest, to the point.

When I was at dinner, I heard an earful from my family as the story was told.  “We should just be glad they show up at all.”  “How does Father expect to get them back if he attacks them?”  “Our priest simply said that ‘I want to remind everyone that we are open on weekends.’”

So, which is it?  Should we just be happy they are there, or should we get in their heads that it’s not ok if they skip Sunday Mass?

I guess it depends on how you view Sunday Mass and your eternal life.

Is Sunday Mass just a spot on the calendar when your neighbors get together to sing and talk; or is it the center of your week when you are invited into the most intimate and holy communion with Christ our King and Savior?  Can you ensure the quality of your eternal life by thinking of God now and then, or are you supposed to make Christ the very essence of your life, living every moment in perfect tune with him?  And can you live such a life going to Mass once or twice a year?

Mass isn’t an event or appointment.  It’s not like our weekly management meeting, kid’s soccer game, or poker night.  It is the fulfillment of our lives when we gather the divine strength and wisdom needed to live our lives the way God intends for us to live it.  It is when we are renewed and recharged.

So, if we are missing out on something so important, so vital, so essential to our lives here on earth and our eternal life, shouldn’t our Father, who has been charged with not losing us, shouldn’t he call us out if we are missing out on something as important as Mass?

With Easter Catholics, I really doubt that the soft-glove approach works.  I really doubt that the Say-Nothing Approach works either.  True, the Holy Spirit may still spark a flame, but sometimes the Holy Spirit needs to use a knock alongside the head.

Yesterday, Father said what needed to be said.  He was a shephard leading his flock.

Let’s hope, someone took it to heart and will be back this Sunday.  I won’t mind sitting in the gym if they are there.

Start of Lent & Lenten Plans

theophilus February 24th, 2009

In the past few days, I have been thinking about my Lenten plans.  Usually, I coast into Lent and figure out what I’m going to do sometime around the 2nd Sunday.  But this year, I decided to actually plan ahead of time so I can make the most of the forty days.

If you don’t have a plan, you need one; especially this year.  With the world full of chaos and uncertainty, we need to get in tune with Christ.  Lent is the gift we have been given to do just this very thing.

The best website I’ve seen so far to help me form and stick to a Lenten plan is from Catholic Culture.  Their Lenten Workshop has a Personal Program component that leads you through fasting, prayers, almsgiving, good works, education, and self-denial.  It is the perfect primer for anyone that wants to do more than just give up sweets, eat fish on Fridays, and fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Make this a meaningful Lent!  With all that is going on in the world, it shouldn’t take a genius to figure out that God is calling us back to him.  Let us pray that he opens our eyes to his deeds and our ears to the sound of his call (cf. this week’s alternative opening prayer). Let us invite the Holy Spirit into our prayers so he can lead us to what we should do.

This season is about our relationship with Christ.  Let these 40 days bear fruit worthy of his love for us.

The Paralytic Man is Us

theophilus February 22nd, 2009

Today’s gospel about the paralytic man being lowered through the roof has a very simple message – “Child, your sins are forgiven” says our Christ (Mark 2).  That is the message for us as we head into Lent.  Our sins are forgiven.

I used to not have much use for confession.  Now, it’s indispensable for my well-being.  It’s gotten so that now I really can’t stand the fact that it’s so hard to receive this sacrament in most suburban parishes, as they tend to reserve this reconciliation necessity to a tidy 30 minutes on Saturday afternoon before 4:30 or 5:00 Mass, when most family men are attending to their, ah, families.

In any case, for this Lent, find a confession period in your town that fits into your schedule.  Drive 30 minutes if you have too.  Don’t worry if the confession seems like a drive-by (and I’ve been to my share of these) and don’t worry if you think your sins are too great or too insignificant.  The goal is to get yourself right with God; to accept his grace and redemptive power; to turn your life so it corresponds with what God expects of you; to get yourself walking with Christ.

And if you are unsure as to what to say, pray to the Holy Spirit to speak for you as you share your faith and your faults with the priest in the confessional.  He is there in the presence of Christ; he is there for you.

Also, remember the words of Isaiah from this morning’s first reading (Isaiah 43) – “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!”  Christ forgives us and in the process forgets our past.  He is doing something new in each of us.

Lent starts this Wednesday.  Are you ready?  Confession is a good place to start.

Simeon’s Lessons

theophilus December 29th, 2008

I am always amazed at how much we have to learn from the lesser-known figures in Scripture.

Today’s gospel is the story of the Presentation of the Lord, where we meet the old and wise Simeon for the first and only time.

From Luke 2, we learn that he was “righteous and devout” and that he was “awaiting the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

More importantly, he had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw Christ.

And he believed this promise and waited a lifetime for it to be fulfilled.

We learn so much from this story.  From Simeon, we learn about perseverance and patience.  We learn about faith.

In the silence of his heart, Simeon heard a message from God and did not doubt what he had been told or who had revealed it to him.  He took the time to listen.  He did not waver in the prolonged time it took for his faith to be justified.

In our world today, we have grown accustomed to instant gratification and “what have you done for me lately.”  We want things now and we lose faith when we feel prematurely let-down by someone or something.  This impatience permeates our homes, religion, work, culture and politics.  We see it in our families, workplaces, Hollywood, sports teams, Capitol Hill, Wall Street, and our churches.

The problem with all of this impatience and our inability to persevere is that it undermines what God expects of us.  He asks us to be patient and to persevere in all things.  He asked the same of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, the prophets, the apostles, and the saints throughout the ages.  Heck, America was built upon the shoulders of those who answered God’s call and spent their lives fulfilling God’s plan for them.

We must do the same.  In this uncertain and turbulent world, he needs for us to be patient and to persevere.  He is in control and he needs our faith in his plan.

I’m looking ahead to what I want to improve upon in 2009.  My lack of patience and perseverance are at the top of the list.  I’m going to start with learning one of Simeon’s key virtues; his ability to listen to the Holy Spirit through the silence of his heart.  I need to sit still and really listen to God.  Then patience and perseverence may be easier to achieve.

Where’s the Flashlight?

theophilus December 4th, 2008

As we wade into Advent and I feel the need to defend why we should “keep Christ in Christmas,” I continue to be struck by how far we have come in striking our faith from our day-to-day existence.  Too many don’t want to integrate their faith with their lives.

I can’t imagine not going through each day without trying to have a conversation with God, trying to follow Christ, trying to ensure that my faith permeates everything I do and say.  I am unsuccessful too often, but at least I start off each day with good intentions.

I used to not be that way.  I used to not try.  At most, I used to fit God into my life instead of conforming my life to God’s will. 

But today, I can’t imagine not even trying to live my life for God.

And that’s what bewilders me about some men.  For some, religion has no meaning in their lives.  For others, their faith is fitted in nicely with the other things in their lives but isn’t a controlling force in what they do.  And still others have just lost faith in the Church in which they grew up.

And the thing is; there are many men who are good, decent, loving people, even if they shy away from their faith; who walk a good path, even if they don’t realize that they are walking with Christ.

Too many people say the right things but don’t walk the walk.  Others walk the walk but don’t fully commit themselves to Christ.  And I guess we need Catholic men who will do both.

We are in a world and culture where men are walking around lost, with no compass.  They need to see men that not only do the right thing, but can tell others that the reason they do the right thing is because Christ is working in them; and they themselves are  committed to being a man for Christ.  They need to have role models that show them that Christ expects each of us to follow him 24/7, whether in our families, our workplace, or our social lives.

Being a good man doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it doesn’t happen save for Christ working in our lives, even if we won’t admit it.

And these type of men; those who walk the walk but don’t want to acknowledge why; I believe the Holy Spirit is working in each of these men’s lives.  They may not know it; they may not understand it; they may not acknowledge it.  But the Holy Spirit is there.  I’ve seen it in a lot of them.

I’ve been thinking a great deal about darkness.  I like daylight; and this leaving for work and getting home while it is dark gets old for me real fast.  In the same sense, I also need the light of Christ to get me through the day.  I used to wander around in the dark and I can’t imagine going back to those times, even if I do come dangerously close at times.

But what’s worse?  Knowing that you are in danger of plunging back into the darkness; or being in the darkness, not even knowing you are there, and not really having a need to get out?

And then maybe there is this possibility; maybe it’s just that these men of whom I speak are not in the darkness after all.

I guess it’s just up to each of us to determine whether we walk in the light;and if not, what we need to do to get there.  And it’s up to each of us to ensure that we are not deceiving ourselves into thinking we are walking in the light if we are really stumbling around in the dark.  The Holy Spirit will tell us if we ask him.

Now, where did I put that flashlight; just in case.

Runners and God

theophilus October 4th, 2008

When I’m running in my neighborhood, I pass this home with a statue of Mary in the front yard.  I say a quick Ave Maria and invite Mary on my run with me.  When I’m struggling in a long run, I tend to start praying; exhorting the Holy Spirit to fill me with the motivation to push through.  I’ve said many times that God has blessed me with this wonderful gift of running.  I run for him, through him, and with him.

A couple of months ago, I wrote about Ryan Hall; America’s top young marathon athlete.  He finished 10th in the Olympics and should wear the gold some day.  He is such an inspiring figure because he runs for Christ, through Christ, and with Christ.  His running is part of his faith.

So, I almost laughed when I picked up my November issue of Runner’s World.  The September issue had a great article about Ryan’s running and his faith.  This issue had the letters responding to this article.

Two of the three letters were very positive about the article.

Then I came to this third letter; from Guy Marjerrison of Toronto.

“I thought this magazine was about running, not God and religion.  Ryan Hall is a great runner, and his dedication to his training should be the thing that awes and inspires us, not where he sits on Sundays.”

Wow!

What Guy doesn’t realize is that Ryan’s faith and his running are tied together.  He is a 24/7 Christian.  Everything he does, he does for Christ.  He doesn’t take and leave his faith in the pew on Sunday; he takes it on the road with him; through all of the miles and races; all around the world.

“His dedication to his training” is only made possible by his faith and his belief that this was what he was wonderfully made to do.

And I think most runners understand this divine purpose of our passion.  On the next page of this Runner’s World issue is a pie chart summarizing the comments about the Ryan Hall article (I guess they had an unusally high number of comments).

Of those commenting: 37% found “inspiration in a runner who puts religion first;” 19% drew “strength to run from their faith:” 17% were “glad that the story didn’t make Ryan Hall look like a Jesus freak:” 13% hoped “the magazine devoted as much space to other religions;” 8% wished “everyone knew the joy of running with God;” and 6% “don’t believe in God but believe in Ryan Hall.”

I’m assuming that Guy is a great runner, because I don’t know too many runners who aren’t invoking their God every step of the last few miles of a long race.  And, I don’t know many runners who don’t feel that incredible surge during a race; that surge that can only come from the Holy Spirit.

Now, if only I could think of a patron saint for runners.  But then, Mary seems to not have a problem keeping up with me.

Happy Birthday, Mary!

theophilus September 8th, 2008

It’s Mary’s birthday – have you sent her some flowers today (saying a Rosary will do)?

I am not what you would consider a master of the obvious.  I was thinking this morning why Mary’s birthday is celebrated today.  And then I read something that clued me in that today is nine months to the day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

Now, I get it!

How often do we miss the obvious from God; the things he shows us that shouldn’t be that hard for us to figure out?  His signs are all around us; and too often we miss them.

How many times do we sit in Mass and listen to the readings or the homily and fail to realize that God is talking to us?  How many times do others do something in our lives and we fail to realize they are Christ’s way of showing his face to us?  How often do we ignore that voice in our head that is the Holy Spirit telling us which way to go?  How many times do we feel the presence of Mary and the other saints attempting to guide us, but we shrug them off?

The Holy Trinity is all around us.  Mary and the saints are always with us.  It’s up to us to recognize their presence in our lives. 

It’s up to us to master the obvious.

St. Monica & St. Augustine

theophilus August 27th, 2008

Today and tomorrow, we remember the lives of St. Monica and her son, St. Augustine.

There are two amazing things about their story.  The first is that St. Monica spent her whole married and maternal life praying for the conversion of her pagan husband and her delinquent, wayward son.  She kept the faith and hope needed for such a life purpose and she showed them both the love required of a daughter of God.  She understood the power of prayer and persistence; and she succeeded.

It makes me wonder if Mary does the same thing for us.  We go off on our own without thinking of God or his son.  We try to live life our way.  And our heavenly Mother is there to pray for us, watch over us, have faith in us and hope for us, and ultimately to just love us; all in the knowledge that we CAN find our way back to Christ, especially when we are faced with the reality that we need him and have to have him at the center of our hearts and lives.

Which leads me to the other amazing thing about the story of these two saints.  St. Augustine was like us.  He was a frat boy on the loose (think John Belushi with the mind of a philosopher).  He was enjoying life to the fullest in every temporal way.  But, he finally realized that he was missing something central to his soul.  He was missing Christ.  And when he found him, he found his path and purpose in life and took off into a life so well lived that we remember him 1,700 years later.  And not only do we remember him but his writings are required reading for Christians and non-Christians alike.

It’s never too late.  I pray to St. Augustine all the time.  As I do, St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis of Assisi.  All three discovered their calling later in life.  They were all so far off the path that they couldn’t have found it with a GPS system.  Yet, Christ led them back.  Mary took their arms.  The Holy Spirit guided them along the way.  They ended up sanctifying their lives and dedicating themselves to the purpose designed for them by our Eternal Father.

They saved their lives; and we can do the same.  What is keeping us from living the holy, sanctified, joyful, Christ-centered, selfless, saintly lives expected of each of us?  We must ask Christ to help us recognize these obstacles and for the strength and persistence to get rid of them.  We must ask for his mercy and forgiveness so we can move beyond our past.

It’s never too late.  It’s just a matter of whether we want to cast these obstacles aside, like St. Augustine, St. Ignatius and St. Francis.  It’s just a matter of whether we want to become the saints we all can be.

The Holy Father at WYD2008 Sydney

theophilus July 22nd, 2008

The following are excerpts from the Holy Father’s homily at the closing Mass for WYD 2008.  These thoughts are meant for all of us – not just the youth present Down Under.

“God’s love can only unleash its power when it is allowed to change us from within. We have to let it break through the hard crust of our indifference, our spiritual weariness, our blind conformity to the spirit of this age. Only then can we let it ignite our imagination and shape our deepest desires. That is why prayer is so important: daily prayer, private prayer in the quiet of our hearts and before the Blessed Sacrament, and liturgical prayer in the heart of the Church.”

“What will you leave to the next generation? Are you building your lives on firm foundations, building something that will endure? Are you living your lives in a way that opens up space for the Spirit in the midst of a world that wants to forget God, or even rejects Him in the name of a falsely-conceived freedom? How are you using the gifts you have been given, the ‘power’ which the Holy Spirit is even now prepared to release within you?”

“Empowered by the Spirit, and drawing upon faith’s rich vision, a new generation of Christians is being called to help build a world in which God’s gift of life is welcomed, respected and cherished – not rejected, feared as a threat and destroyed. A new age in which love is not greedy or self-seeking, but pure, faithful and genuinely free, open to others, respectful of their dignity, seeking their good, radiating joy and beauty. A new age in which hope liberates us from the shallowness, apathy and self-absorption which deaden our souls and poison our relationships. . . . the Lord is asking you to be prophets of this new age, messengers of His love, drawing people to the Father and building a future of hope for all humanity.

“The world needs this renewal! In so many of our societies, side by side with material prosperity, a spiritual desert is spreading: an interior emptiness, an unnamed fear, a quiet sense of despair. How many of our contemporaries have built broken and empty cisterns in a desperate search for meaning, the ultimate meaning that only love can give?”

“The Church also needs this renewal!  She needs your faith, your idealism and your generosity, so that she can always be young in the Spirit!” (Source: Vatican Information Service)

We are all “prophets of this new age.”  We are “messengers of His love, drawing people to the Father and building a future of hope for all humanity.”  We are the spigot providing water for that “spiritual desert” which has spread to too much of our world.  And through us, the Spirit continues to work to fill in the emptiness, calm the fears, elate the despair, and provide the meaning hungered for by so many in today’s world. 

Prophets of This New Age!  I like that!

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