God's Temple - A Mobile Home?

It's no secret that I have been growing in my understanding of what it means for our bodies to be God's temple (1 Cor.6:19).  I have blogged about the effect Kevin Vost's Fit for Eternal Life had on me, and then received the incredible honor of being able to work with him and Peggy Bowes, author of The Rosary Workout, on the daily devotional Tending the Temple.  This morning at Mass though, a new thought hit me; and I just have to pass it along.  First however, allow me to provide a little background.


A few months back I caught the aforementioned Peggy Bowes on Relevant Radio, fielding questions about The Rosary Workout.  One of the callers was concerned that Peggy's combining of the Rosary with walking and running was irreverent, that the Rosary should be prayed while one was stationary, stilled both interiorly and exteriorly.  Peggy's response, which I really enjoyed, appealed to the example of the Blessed Mother herself:  Luke's Gospel tells us how following the Annunciation "Mary rose and went with haste into the hill country of Judah" (Lk.1:39), to visit Elizabeth.  Isn't it natural to assume that Mary prayed as she trekked the over 75 miles from Nazareth to the outskirts of Jerusalem?  Of course it is.  And not only was Mary speaking to God; she was also meditating on Scripture - look at how quickly the words of the Old Testament (1 Sam.2:1-8) leapt to her lips when she met Elizabeth and burst into the Magnificat (Lk.1:46-55).  Prayer and meditation upon Scripture - that's the Rosary - and our Blessed Mother was engaged in it while on a 75 mile hike!  I ask you to keep Peggy's insights in mind as you continue to read.


After Mass this morning I remained seated, directing my gaze at the Tabernacle and praying.  "Lord, thank You for coming into me.  I can't believe that You have made me Your tabernacle too, and that You're coming with me as I visit my family this afternoon, as I head to work tomorrow . . . Lord, You've made my body a mobile Temple, a mobile home."  And then the connections started coming fast and furious:  God had dwelt with Israel for 400 years before Solomon built Him a stationary Temple of stone - and He was a God on the move.  His dwelling throughout those 400 years was a series of tents known as the Tabernacle.  When God picked up and moved, Israel packed up the Tabernacle and set off through the desert following Him.  The Ark of the Covenant, God's Old Testament throne, was even equipped with poles so that the priests could carry it.


Luke brought Tabernacle and Ark imagery together in the way he worded his narratives of the Annunciation and visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Ex.40:34 and Lk.1:35; 2 Sam.6:2-16 and Lk.1:39-56).  Yes, in the Visitation Mary acted as Jesus' mobile home - the Tabernacle and Ark of the New Covenant.  You and I continue this awesome reality.  We bodily carry Jesus' presence into our homes, workplaces, etc.  That is our impetus in taking care of our bodies - giving them the right fuel, keeping them as agile as possible, and with sufficient strength to perform acts of love (e.g., helping your best friend move, throwing your kids up over your head).


Our Lord Jesus is of course the greatest example of this.  Tramping across Galilee, the Decapolis, and Judea, up on the mountains and out in the desert - He was a Temple on the move!  Like our Lord, the day will come when our bodies will finally yield to death, when we will find ourselves on a Cross, a bed of pain.  At that moment we will unite our agony and the failure of our bodies to His sacrifice.  (And like Him, we will one day receive them back, glorified, in the Resurrection.)  In anticipation of our Passover from the present order we daily offer our bodies in service to the Father, just as Jesus did - as Temples on the move.  We train our bodies (1 Cor.9:27) and through them offer ourselves as "living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God."  It is through the body that we Christians offer our "spiritual worship" (Rom.12:1).

Christopher West's "At The Heart of the Gospel"

I remember the discussion I had with my friend Michael in the summer of 2009 when, following a story on ABC's Nightline, criticism of Christopher West was coming fast and furious.  Both of us had really benefited from West's work, so it disturbed us to read comments on the internet like, "West is leading people into dangerous waters . . . He isn't doing justice to John Paul II's Theology of the Body . . . West is not taking into account the incredible strength of concupiscence, and his readers and listeners are going to be caught off-guard."  As I talked with Michael, the most intense lover of the Carmelites I've ever met, the conviction emerged that West's critics were not accounting for the spiritual theology of one of the Church's great Doctors, the Carmelite's St. John of the Cross.  West's critics appeared comfortable teaching that Jesus could empower people to overcome any sin - racism, alcoholism, the hunger for revenge, etc. -and actually live as blazing examples of those sins' opposing virtues . . . except for when it came to living a real, sustained victory over lust.  In that one area we seemed forever doomed to live on a precipice.  West on the other hand seemed to completely embrace St. John's teaching that God can bring us into a transforming union with Him, one that allows us to conquer temptations and take on the image of Christ, albeit with some slight imperfections, even in this life!  Jesus' desire is to brings healing and wholeness to the whole person - and sexuality is an integral part of who we are as human beings."I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (Jn.10:10). 

Christopher West

So imagine my excitement when I saw the title of Christopher West's new book, At the Heart of the Gospel: Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelization.  Does West answer his critics?  Yes, and with a tremendous amount of charity.  Hats off to him for taking those criticisms to prayer, reflecting upon them, and emerging with an even stronger presentation of Theology of the Body (TOB hereafter) to show for it.  Throughout this new book he anchors his explanation of TOB with quotations from John Paul II's text as well as Scripture and the Catechism.  He supports his points with TOB commentary from theological heavy weights like Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) and Dr. Michael Waldstein (who in 2006, made the new, critical translation of John Paul's TOB), and offers supporting insights from bedrocks of orthodoxy such as Fulton J. Sheen.  I have absolutely no doubts that what West gives readers is a completely faithful presentation of John Paul's thought, accessible to today's culture.

Christopher West does a masterful job of teaching us the true value of the body within Christian Faith.  As much as the world around us - and even our own poor catechesis - would like to characterize Christianity as souls seeking release from sinful flesh, nothing could be further from the truth.  The great scandal of Christianity - as opposed to the Platonism of the Greeks, or the Cartesian duality of today - is the conviction that God not only descended into human flesh but, through the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, has raised it to literally unimaginable heights.  The goal, the victory, we Christians await is not our souls' liberation from the body and the spiritual experience of heaven, but the glorification of both soul and body on the day Christ brings heaven to earth!

I did find myself taken aback at several points in the book - not from anything irreverent or immodest on West's part, but by the depth of the Holy Father's reflection.  Allow me to site one example: the Holy Father's vision of marriage as the "primordial sacrament" (TOB 97:2).  Prior to humanity's fall, John Paul sees marriage acting as an "efficacious sign," communicating divine life (TOB 19:4).  The union of man and woman, and the new life that flowed from it, was an anticipation of the union to be achieved by Jesus and His redeemed Church, His Bride (Eph.5:31-32), and the supernatural life that would come into the world through it.

And the "transforming union" Michael and I discussed so many moons ago?  Oh, it's here - in spades. West quotes from John Paul II (TOB 43:6), showing the Holy Father's complete agreement with St. John of the Cross that we can experience a "liberation of our hearts from 'concupiscence,'" a true transformation of our desires.  (The Holy Father's agreement with St. John isn't surprising considering that he was the subject of JPII's 1948 doctoral thesis!)  But like John of the Cross, the Holy Father and West insist that the purity of heart Jesus spoke of in the Beatitudes (Mt.5:8) comes only after  many purifications and dark nights.  We should not overestimate our strength or progress in the spiritual life.  For the vast, vast majority of us, periodic "custody of the eyes" will be a necessary safeguard to looking upon someone of the opposite sex with lust for a good, long while.  But we are called to transformation.  We are journeying toward looking at others with the very eyes and mind of Christ - that's the Beatitudes, that's the Sermon on the Mount.  And the Lord wouldn't issue the call unless it were a real possibility!  The question is, how serious are we about achieving it?

Looking back at what I've written so far, I recognize that my words have not, and in my opinion cannot, do justice to the depth of this book.  I already have a list of friends to whom I plan to loan it.  If you are ready to see yourself, marriage, reality, to see the Catholic Faith through a new set of eyes, then click this link:
 

Contraception INCREASES Abortions

A dear friend laughed the other night when I shared that the popularization of contraception in our country led to an increase in irresponsible sexual behavior, which in turn led to an increase in abortions.  

Fortunately, the wonderful Jen Fulwiler posted an article on this very subject, citing the supporting statistics from Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute.  Bottom line:  Half of the 1 million abortions performed annually in the United States are the result of failed contraception.  Instead of sharing the beautiful, life and culture-changing truth that we human beings can control and channel our sexual love in strong marriages, we keep perpetuating this idea that "Teens are going to do it; and a pregnancy in high school or college will ruin their lives.  They need to play it 'safe.' "  Ironically, lowering our expectations, has led to MORE unintended pregnancies - and as a result, hundreds of thousands of children being aborted every year!  It's not too late though; this is a powerful moment for our culture to take stock and embrace the truth of our sexual nature - as created by God, and observable to all - and not just pull back from the brink, but make authentic headway.  Stay tuned for my review of Christopher West's At the Heart of the Gospel: Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelization.

The Holy Family for Today's Families

For those who caught today's EWTN broadcast, here are those promised links to books:





Please examine these wonderful papal documents too: 
Pope John Paul II's Mother of the Redeemer and Guardian of the Redeemer (On the Life & Mission of St. Joseph), and Pope Leo XIII's On Devotion to St. Joseph. 


And while I realize that they do not compare with the above works, here are a couple of articles from yours truly:  
Did the Apostles Pray the Rosary?

Sharing in the Obedience of Jesus

Am I Not Here Who Am Your Mother?  (Marian Consecration)
The Eucharist, Mary, and Redemptive Suffering

 

"Faith at Work" by Kevin Lowry -- Book Review

You know, when a book has endorsements from Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Scott Hahn, Kevin Vost, Marcus Grodi, and Mike Aquilina (to name a few!!), a thumbs-up from Shane Kapler is obviously superfluous.  But in the spirit of "when has that ever stopped me before?" I have to share my deep appreciation of this book.  

The Christians who impress me most, who really stand out as being especially intimate with God, never say what I expect them to say.  Instead of telling me the "a" or "b" I expect, they say something completely original.  Their love of God and years of intimacy enable them glimpse ways, paths, where I see only dead ends.  That's what I like about Kevin Lowry and his Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck.

Lowry has worn many different hats during his professional life:  door-to-door salesman, accountant, senior vice-president at an international company, and now executive vice-president and chief operating officer of The Coming Home Network.  Because of that, Kevin shares what he has actually lived.  This book is filled with stories and through them, Kevin shares the hard won insights and principles that guide his work life as a Catholic Christian.

One of the most striking principles for me personally was drawn from his story of needing to find a new job, one that would allow him more time at home, when his seventh child, David, was born with a rare, congenital disease.  That's a scary position for any parent, but add to it the stress of being the sole breadwinner, and you've got fertile ground for a coronary!  But Kevin and his family came through it - with much prayer, a leap of faith, and then the right door opening; and Kevin learned a principle that I want to apply to my own incredibly busy life as a disciple, dad, and full-time employee:

Assuming that [God] didn't set us up for failure, it follows that we always have time to do God's will.  If we don't have time to do everything, there are items on our to-do list that shouldn't be there, or shouldn't be there right now.  The point is, our lives should follow a sense of calling, and this demands that we prayerfully discern, somewhat precisely, what God wants us to do.  In this case, God's will became clear as we prayed and followed (pp.34-35).

Kevin shares not just his own story but those of numerous coworkers who inspired him through the years.  I like the size of the chapters - at five or six pages they get right to the point and end with both "Action Steps" and "Questions For Reflection."  Being able to pack so much insight into a brief space says a great deal about Kevin's skill as a writer.  Chapters can of course be read in succession, but they also stand alone quite nicely, allowing you to jump to what is most pressing in your own work life and easily reference it down the line.  Just before I, for example, had a meeting with someone who had treated me very rudely in the past, I jumped ahead to chapters 11 and 12, "Forgive Us Our Trespasses: How to Overcome Interpersonal Strife at Work Through Forgiveness," and "I Love a Challenge: How to Overcome Workplace Challenges Through Perseverance."  They were just the dose of reality I needed going into that meeting which, I'm happy to say, ended very positively - an honest to goodness "win-win."

Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck is an extremely good read.  It is a rubber-meets-the-road approach for putting God at the center of our daily grind, whatever that grind may be!  So for what it's worth, you can add this Christian's name to Faith at Work's illustrious list of fans.

Hard to Imagine the Afterlife?

I know. St. Paul had the same problem though, “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Right now our knowledge of God is conceptual, we use analogies from this created world to speak of the Totally Other: “now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face…[we] shall understand fully, even as we have been fully understood” (1 Cor. 13:12). Don’t take this “darkness of faith” too hard though –we’ve all been through it before; and it turned out great.

None of us remember our first 40-or-so weeks, but they were lived in complete darkness. Our entire world was that wet, increasingly-cramped space inside our mom's womb. And we couldn’t even begin to imagine that there was this entire world, entire planet, awaiting us outside. We lived beneath our mother’s heart, exposed to its constant rhythm, and yet we had never seen her face! We had grown to recognize her voice, but we hadn’t developed to the point of understanding any of her words. And birth – talk about TRAUMA! All of that amniotic fluid we’ve been swimming in, gone in an instant; our heads compacted and squeezed through the birth canal; the light; the cold; that humiliating slap on the butt! But we finally entered the real world, finally got that chance to see mom face-to-face, to eat through our mouths instead of our belly buttons, and a million other experiences that we’re impossible to conceive of from the darkness of the womb.

Turns out that was just the warm-up; we’re still in utero, and the REAL world awaiting us "outside" remains inconceivable. We’re going to get the chance to enter it though; and just like before, we don’t have a clue when. This time around though, we get to participate in our own growth process. Each "yes" to God allows our spiritual "organs" to develop a bit more. If we haven't come to full term when the moment of birth arrives though, God has a top-notch NICU experience planned for us (the Church calls it purgatory; 1 Cor.3:10-15). Listen to the Apostle John:

"Beloved we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when [Jesus] appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)
 
St. Francis of Assisi was right on, "It is in dying that we are born to eternal life." 

The Blessed Mother & Physical Fitness

On Jan.1, I found myself thinking about two topics - the Blessed Mother (we celebrate her Motherhood the first day of every year) and physical fitness (because that's something I have been aspiring to).  From the outset I have to tell you that I do not look at physical fitness as an ego thing or trying to get someone to look my way.  No, it's about taking care of the gift God has entrusted to us and putting it to use in works of love for our families and others (a.k.a., "doing God's will").  God isn't just interested in our souls.  He created us as a COMPOSITE of body and soul.  He became a man to redeem our WHOLE person, soul and body.  Jesus loved us with His whole Body and Soul on the Cross, and He desires to be loved that way in return.  And what really struck me on Jan.1, was how the Blessed Mother is the ultimate example of loving the Lord with her ENTIRE body and soul, of putting her entire person at His disposal.  Man, I love her!  She is an example to us in absolutely everything!  (This icon is titled "Helper in Childbirth."  I found it through a Google search, but do not know who wrote it.  If anyone is privy to that information please let me know so I can give the proper attribution; it is amazing!)

The Catholic Briefcase - Book Review

I just finished Randy Hain's The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrating Faith and Work and I have to say, it exceeded my (already high) expectations.  I came to the book expecting solid, practical tips on how to maintain my focus upon God throughout the work day, but what I came away with was a renewed desire to make my life one seamless offering to God - as well as solid, practical advice for how to do that in the work setting.

Randy Hain challenged me to look at my job with a fresh pair of eyes and to begin identifying how I can use my time there to serve the Lord Jesus. I try to show kindness and respect to my co-workers and the public we interact with, but what talents am I sitting on that could be put to use in making our organization even better?  What can I and my co-workers do for the community around us; how can we serve the Lord by improving the larger community in which we live?

Each of Mr. Hain's twelve chapters is devoted to a particular aspect of developing our relationship with God through work - Stewardship, Better Decision-Making, and Making Time for Prayer to name a few.  Hain then introduces us, chapter by chapter, through interviews and stories, to the the Catholic professionals who exemplified these virtues to him.  I was impressed by the action points he provides to start growing these habits in our own lives and work places.  The "Reflection and Discussion" points that conclude each chapter are both pointed and helpful (in contrast to the touchy-feely reflection questions that are almost mandatory today).

This book is incredibly practical, theologically and spiritually solid, and written in a style  accessible to any one from the young man or woman at their first job to the retiree picking up a few hours in retail.  Oh, and don't forget to check out the appendices - helpful websites, an on-the-job prayer regimen, how we can help friends seeking employment, a plan for building a Catholic professionals group, and a beautiful final word on the power and comfort we can receive through Eucharistic adoration.  The Catholic Briefcase  delivers, from start to finish.

How Can I See Jesus in Others?

I was reading Randy Hain's The Catholic Briefcase last night and found myself uncomfortable with a line: "I must learn to always see Christ in [others]." 

Why the discomfort?  I knew he was right.  Instead of just reading on, I stopped and acknowledged my reaction.  As I searched my memory I recognized that this sentiment had evoked a twinge of discomfort on other occasions. I myself had voiced Randy's same point in retreat talks; but if I am completely honest with myself, I did so more out of correctness than personal conviction.  I know it is part of our Faith, that it is something we are called to do.  It's just that . . . I'm pretty bad at it.  

No, I take that back.  I have no difficulty seeing Christ in people who treat me kindly.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God works through friends and members of my family to love and care for me every day.  It's the rude folks that I cannot see Jesus in - the co-worker who perpetually criticizes the performance of another, with never a thought of how to help lighten that person's load; the person who steals my parking place right out from under me; or the relative whose preferred interaction is the argument.  After 25 years of trying to be a disciple, it still doesn't even occur to me, when someone offends me, to "see" Jesus in them.  After all, Jesus wouldn't act like that!!    How can I even make a start at seeing Him in the person who aggravates or hurts me?


And that was where grace intervened last night.  Instead of glossing over my inability to see Jesus in those who frustrate me, I had the inclination to pray.  "Holy Spirit, please give me wisdom.  What does it mean to see Jesus in others, to see Him in those who treat me badly?"  And within a few seconds my thoughts began to coalesce around a point:  It is a matter of faith.  Do I believe that God is at work in that person's life, trying to form him/her in the image of Jesus?  Yes, I believe that.  Then I can begin to see Jesus in them by reminding myself of this.  He is present to, and at work in, imperfect-them just as He is at work in imperfect-me.  It's a start.  I can do that.

"Wedding" Etiquitte

I just read today's Gospel and was especially struck at the context Jesus chose for recommending humility: "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet . . . go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, 'My friend, move up to a higher position.' Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." 


I have spent the past two weeks (and plan on spending the next two) gearing up to give a morning of talks (Nov.12), a "guided tour" if you will, of the Book of Revelation.  And our arrival at a wedding banquet is the goal of Revelation!  We already participate in the banquet at Mass, "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Happy are those who are called to His supper" (Rev.19:9).  Jesus' words in the Gospel address how we should relate to one another within the Church!  It is not a venue for trying to win esteem or propping up our egos; woe be to us, if we ever catch ourselves feeling superior to someone in the congregation.  Each of us is loved by our Father, each of us living temples of the Holy Spirit - what higher "status" is possible?  So however many hours we pray, studies on Revelation we lead, or Sunday morning donut socials we organize; we are all infinitely loved children with nothing to prove to one another, save our ability to look past our needy selves and appreciate the beautiful people who surround us.

New Book Alert: "The Catholic Briefcase"

I just found out about a book due out early December.  It's right up my alley, and I bet it will speak to a lot of you as well - Randy Hain's The Catholic Briefcase:  Tools for Integrating Faith and Work.  Sounds like a rubber-meets-the-road kind of book:  Catholic principles for decision making on the job, finding time for prayer throughout the day, and real life stories about progressing in holiness via the daily grind.  I see that Amazon and B&N already have it available for pre-order; that has me thinking "Christmas presents."

Special Education - "Spirituality" in Public Schools?

I heard a fantastic homily awhile back – well, the first part of it anyway.  Father’s initial comments set me on a train of thought I will pass along in the body of the article.  Father asked us to contemplate the incredible gifts that God has given us.  He pointed out that we humans are the most complex life form on earth, and that it is our ability to think that gives us that position.  He pointed out what a quantum leap human intelligence was.  Other animals have "intelligence;" they can be trained.  Other animals display emotions; my dog will whimper when he’s denied a treat.  But only we human beings have the ability to step back and reflect upon our actions and words – and even our thoughts and emotions!  And then Father said something that really jumped out at me:  “We have a responsibility to develop our thinking powers, to grow our God-given intelligence.  That’s true whether you are in MENSA or a special education classroom.”  With that, my own mind was off to the races; I've had the privilege of working in special education. 

Father’s words got me thinking about the downright “spiritual” quality to human intelligence.  What do I mean by that?  Well, we invest a lot of time thinking about things that are not composed of molecules, that cannot be investigated or confirmed in a laboratory.  I’m referring to “things” like fairness and human rights.  As my friend Michael Vento likes to point out, “Has someone ever seen a human right?  How many inches long is it?”  We take other nations, such as China, to task for their human rights violations.  We expect a nation, a completely different culture on the far side of the world, to recognize them.  We’re absolutely convinced these things exist, constructing our whole legal system upon them; and yet they are non-physical.

Our federal and state governments are convinced that every student, no matter how severe his or her disability, has the right to a “free and appropriate education” (FAPE in educational parlance), “in the least restrictive environment possible” (LRE).  Interpretation:  School districts must provide whatever staff and materials are necessary to make sure that every child can take part in the education process, and that the child should be educated alongside his/her regular education peers whenever possible.  Speech-language, occupational, and physical therapists are there to facilitate that.  For some medically fragile students this means hiring a personal nurse to accompany the student throughout his/her day.   Children's educational rights have to be a substantive reality for the federal and state governments to devote so much money to them, don't they?  The right to an education, like every right, is something immaterial; and yet we fight legal battles based upon our convictions that they are in fact real.

Can’t you hear someone coming at this completely from the outside though?  “Shane, some of the children serviced in special education have conditions that will probably never allow them to progress past the age of three cognitively.  Some children have conditions that will prevent them from living to adulthood.  You want us to continue allocating millions and millions of dollars to this based upon something called a ‘right’?  I don’t believe there is any such thing; you can’t show it to me!  Don’t try to impose your beliefs (you can also read 'spiritual tenets' or 'religion') on me.  We have a separation of church and state in this country.”

And what I would respond with, and I think the federal and state governments would have to as well, are the words Thomas Jefferson placed in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”  Government does not exist to create laws or legislate morality, but to safeguard people’s rights – the opportunities and treatment to which they are objectively due.  “But how do you come up with these rights?” our objector might respond.

Wonderful question – like Jefferson, we are falling back on what at an earlier point in the Western world was called Natural Law.  (As C.S. Lewis pointed out, among the Chinese it was called the Tao.)  They are the truths that are self-evident to us simply from observation and the use of our reason, our power to reflect upon actions, words, thoughts, and attitudes.  How did we arrive at a child who has a severe disability having the right to a “free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible?”  Because we can see that this is a child, and we know that children have a right to be loved.  Part of loving them is giving instruction and welcoming them into the community.  And so, we must do this.

No one religion is being forced upon people, but there is this implicit understanding that there is an objective order, a standard of right and wrong, to which we human beings are expected to adhere.  It doesn’t matter that someone feels an “overwhelming urge” toward a behavior the Natural Law recognizes as “wrong” –ask any person sitting in jail!  The Natural Law - and the desire to pretend that it doesn't exist -  is at the root of many of the social battles going on in our country.  We'll look at a couple of those in upcoming posts.    

Small Religious Communities for Individuals with Down Syndrome

The internet is always a mystery to me.  Somehow, my little post titled Down Syndrome, Dignity, and Abortion was seen by a parent whose son is involved in a fraternity, a life lived in communion, with other young men who have Down Syndrome!  It is based in France but is spreading to other countries as well.  The community's name is Fraternites Notre-Dame de l'Etiole (The Fraternity of Our Lady of the Star).  If you click on that link you can watch a 5 min. video showing a day in these young men's lives as well as read a description of the fraternity in English.  I see something like this and all I can say is "Praise God!"

Catholic - the Toughest Way to be Christian

My post is simply to pass along a great insight from Kevin Lowry over at his Grateful Convert blog.  I highly encourage you to check out his "The Toughest Way to Be a Christian."  It, in absolutely no way, belittles other Christian groups.  Rather, it witnesses to Kevin's experience as a convert that Catholicism - with its insistence on an objective body of Truth, the Pope's final authority in teaching doctrine and morals, and the ongoing insistence that Jesus calls us to change, to become perfect reflections of Him (Mt.5:48) - demanded that he renounce more of himself than did any other Christian community.  And from my own experience of progressively embracing more and more of the Catholic Faith, I respond with a fat "Amen."  

When I was in my early teens it was tempting to find a church I felt comfortable in, that appealed to my personal tastes.  What a mistake!  This God we are seeking tells us that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways (Is.55:8).  It can be tempting to "create" our own worship routine (I put "create" in quotes because we're really just isolating elements that already exist in the Mass, to the exclusion of others.); but the truth is, Jesus asked us to worship in one specific way, "This is My Body . . . This is My Blood . . .Do THIS as a remembrance of Me."  Before I start going on let me come back to my original point - click the link above and read a good post.

Down Syndrome, Dignity, and Abortion

My aunt Sheila with 9 of her brothers and sisters.

As a speech-language pathologist working in a school, 10% of the students I see were born with Down Syndrome.  I love the kids, and I love their parents.  My aunt Sheila, now in her forties, was born with Down Syndrome too.  One of twelve kids, my grandparents, dad, aunts and uncles, recognized Sheila for who she was, and is - another indispensable member of our family, with her own inborn set of strengths and weaknesses.  Sheila is adored by our family, as are the kids I work with who have Down Syndrome by theirs.  Why do I even feel the need to write that out?  Shouldn't it be a given?  It should, but in Europe and the United States, when a prenatal screening identifies a child as having Down Syndrome, that child is aborted 92% of the time!  Now believe me, I have an idea of the unique challenges parents and families of kids and adults with Down Syndrome face; but we're talking about human beings - my aunt, the little boy I'm building sentences with, the girl who is now communicating with her mom through sign language.  These people that I love are survivors of a genocide, a silent genocide taking place all around us.  We need to speak up and expose it for the atrocity it is.

Word of God on 9/11

It's mornings like this that I'm reminded how awesome the Holy Spirit's timing is.  The lectionary, the cycle of readings used at Masses throughout the entire world, was established long before terrorists launched their attack upon the United States, and yet the readings that fall on the 10th Anniversary of the attacks could not speak more deeply.  There is something supernatural about the liturgical calendar:  It floors me how my life as an individual, as well as the life of a nation, can coincide with it.:

Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD'S vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail . . .

If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; of the Most High's covenant, and overlook fault (Sirach 27:30-28:7).

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living (Romans 14:7-9).

His master summoned him and said to him, "You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?"
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart" (Mt.18:33-35).

 

Hard words to hear as we remember such a grave crime, and yet, necessary words.  Jesus does not ask more of us than He did of Himself and His Mother there on Calvary; and as with Mary, He gives us the grace necessary.

 

Star Sighting

"Glorious" is the only word I have.  The kids and I were walking through the Mills Mall in Hazelwood, MO, when we saw police and a long line of people.  (The police car parked along the curb is a fairly regular sight; it bespoke nothing of the date with destiny that awaited us.)  We just went by on the outside of the line, not really interested.  But then . . . as we passed the window of CitiTrends we saw him. . . St. Louis/ Western Civilzation / and tite (yeah, that's how you spell it) rhymes all rolled into one - NELLY himself.  Doesn't get much better than that my friends.  (If you've ever checked my profile you know it lists my residence as "Nellyville, MO.")  Came home and slipped into my AirForce Ones.

"But how can I be holy?"

St. Francis de Sales has some real words of wisdom in his, Introduction to the Devout Life:
"The practice of devotion must differ for the gentleman, the artisan, the servant and the prince, for widow, young girl or wife. Further, it must be adapted to their muscular strength, circumstances and duties... Is the solitary life of a Carthusian suited to a bishop? Should those who are married practise the poverty of a Capuchin? If workmen spent as much time in church as religious, if religious were exposed to the same pastoral calls as a bishop, such devotion would be ridiculous and cause intolerable disorder. Yet this foolish mistake is often made...True devotion never causes harm, but rather perfects everything we do... 'The bee sucks honey from the flowers without injuring them,' wrote Aristotle, leaving them as whole and fresh as when it found them. Devotion goes further, not only is it unharmful to any state of life, it adorns and beautifies it... It makes the care of family peaceful, the love of husband and wife more sincere, the service of one's king more faithful, and every task more pleasant and a joy."

Last Supper Mysteries

On the way into work I was meditating on the Fifth Luminous Mystery, Jesus' institution of the Eucharist.  I found myself thinking about the worthiness of the Apostles to receive Communion.  Jesus gave Himself to them and ordained them as priests knowing that they would abandon and pretend not to know Him only hours later.  Its a sobering realization for you and me:  Jesus does not withhold Himself from anyone.  He does not look into the future, see the poor use we will make of His grace, and then decide we're not worth the effort.  His "default disposition" is to give Himself away (that's Trinitarian through and through).  On one hand that gives us great confidence in His mercy toward us.  On the other hand, it keeps us from being overconfident; the fact that we have experienced moments of intense intimacy with the Lord does not mean we are immune from a serious future fall.


When I finally drove home tonight, I had the urge to stop at the nearby Eucharistic Adoration chapel.  Because it is perpetual adoration (24/7), I knew there would be another believer there praying.  What really thrilled me was to enter the chapel at 9:20 on a Thursday night and find four other people there!  We all came, knowing we would find Jesus there - the real Jesus, the whole Jesus.  How mind-boggling is that?!

God's Gag Reflex

Yesterday's readings at Mass inspired me to recycle a past post.  Hope you enjoy:

Papal infallibility = God's Gag Reflex. Irreverent of me? Don't cry "blasphemy" just yet; all will be explained.


That picture is awesome though. Must...look...away...to begin writing. Alright, lets establish what the Church means by papal infallibility. Bottom line - the pope is protected from teaching something that is false, WHEN a very specific set of criteria is met:

1. He speaks as the Successor of Peter, Head of the Apostles
2. upon a matter of faith or morals,
3. with the intention of instructing the entire Church

So the Catholic Church is NOT claiming that the Pope:

• is infallible when he reflects on the readings during a Sunday homily
• speaks infallibly on matters of science, mathematics, economic policy, politics, etc.
• will speak out when he should (cowardice could keep him from speaking at all)
• will enunciate the truth as clearly as is possible
• doesn't sin (that would be impeccability, not infalliblity; and the Church has NEVER claimed impeccability for the Pope.)

The Church's ONLY claim regarding papal infallibility is that when three criteria are met, God will RESTRAIN the Pope from saying something FALSE. (Yeah, when I called it the "Divine Gag Reflex," I was talking about a different kind of "gag" - the kind you stuff in a mouth. I know, I'm horrible. Got you reading though, didn't I?) Infallibility is a completely negative gift; God will not allow the Pope to insert something false into the official body of Truth entrusted by Jesus to the Church. God would "reflexively" act to stop such an attempt.


Where do we Catholics come up with this belief? Like everything else, we trace it back to Jesus. He made some pretty startling promises to those Apostles:

“He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me” (Luke 10:16)
"[The Holy Spirit] will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. . .He will guide you into all the truth” (John 14:26; 16:13)

Paul the Apostle, knowing Jesus' teaching, and himself moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote of "the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). WOW - Jesus' intent was for the Church to be the place that the world could turn to hear the Truth, to get a reality check. And what measures did He, does He, take to guarantee this?


He called a fisherman named Simon, and after changing his name to Peter (Rock), Jesus told him, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). The Jewish mind of the first century, hearing those words, would have immediately shot back to the Israelite monarchy. Jesus was adopting the terminology used to refer to the Master of the Palace, or vizier - what we today would call the "Prime Minister." He was second in command after the king (2 Kings 18:18; 15:5), and as such held "the keys of the kingdom." Flip to Isaiah 22:21-23 and examine how Jesus made use of the same vocabulary in speaking to Simon-Peter.


Jesus, in announcing the Kingdom of God, was announcing that all of the promises God had made to King David about an everlasting kingdom, were about to be fulfilled. Jesus, the descendant of David, was the long-awaited Messiah; and He was renewing Israel. Israel had begun with the 12 sons of Jacob - its renewal with the 12 Apostles of King (Christ) Jesus. And Peter was to be the Prime Minister, using the power of the keys to bind God's people to Truth and the way of Love. It would be meaningless to speak of the authority of other ministers to bind and loose apart from their unity with Peter. Jesus' purpose wasn't to make Peter some type of dictator in regard to the other Apostles; in Christ’s Kingdom the greatest is meant to serve the rest. Part of Peter's service, and that of the Popes who have succeeded him in office, is to speak the final word when matters are in dispute, thus maintaining the unity of the Church/Kingdom. This service is especially important when the ones arguing are fellow shepherds.


And so we have Jesus' words to Peter, "You are Rock, and on this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt.16:17-19). What is the power of hell? Deception. The devil deceives; that's always been his M.O. And to combat this Jesus gave Peter the keys - authority to speak out, definitively binding the Church to Truth and loosing it from deception.


Now, Jesus can't mean that Peter gets to flip a coin, decide what is true, and God will magically rearrange spiritual and temporal realities to make it so. God isn't manipulated! No, Peter is simply a minister in Another's Kingdom. Peter speaks to the Church and world on behalf of the King (Who has ascended into Heaven). To use the power of the keys demands a reflexive action on God's part - "gagging" Peter, preventing him in some way, if he ever attempted to teach something that was false. At the same time, when God allows Peter to teach the Church, He expects it to be adhered to. Ignoring Peter? Well, remember what Jesus had said, "“He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me” (Luke 10:16). Whenever the pope speaks in his official capacity (remember those 3 criteria I started with?) as Successor to Peter, Prime Minister of the Kingdom, the same is true.


Oh hey, I do recall Jesus talking about having a gag reflex - yes, a true, biological gag reflex. After His resurrection He told the Apostle John to write a letter to the church in Laodicea, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).

Before I wrap up I need to give a shout-out to Duran Duran for their song The Reflex. I think we can all agree that that's a gift that keeps on giving.

Mama Said

My children's mother would have a heart attack if I ever said this to them, but St. Louis' (King of France and patron of my hometown) mother, Blanche of Castille, use to tell him, "Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin."  That's harsh by modern standards, but I can't help but feel that Blanche knew the score . . . her boy grew up to not just lead a country and engage in international politics but to do so as a SAINT.  And as we know from watching the evening news, that's nothing short of miraculous!

Policies - Why Won't the Church Just Change Them?

New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan ( a St. Louis native), offered a great explanation on why the Church doesn't change its policy on matters that the majority of western Catholics disagree with - the indissolubility of marriage, same-sex marriage, ordaining only men, etc., etc.:

At times it – “the Vatican,” “Rome,” “the Pope,” “the Holy See,” “the Magisterium” — might even wish it could change certain teachings.  For instance, I would wager most bishops, priests, deacons, pastoral leaders, and maybe even the Holy Father himself has, at one time or another wished the Church could alter the teaching of Jesus that marriage is forever, and that one cannot break that sacred bond asunder.
But it can’t, because it didn’t make up the teaching to begin with.
So, plug in whatever word you want in the boilerplate headline: “Group Challenges Vatican on its Policy of __________________” — abortion, marriage, euthanasia, lying, stealing, artificial contraception, sexual acts outside of marriage, ordination of women — fill in the “flavor of the day,” but the headline is still inaccurate: these are not “policies” decided by some person in the Vatican; these are not “bans” put out by some committee.  These are doctrines, timeless teachings not ours to alter.

It sometimes seems as if many view the Church as a political institution, with a new pope or new bishop able to set out his own positions and priorities the way an incoming president or governor would.  Back in 2009, for instance, when I was appointed Archbishop of New York, I was asked by a reporter how my “policy” on gay “marriage” would differ from the “policy” of Cardinal Egan.  I tried to explain, as gently as I could, that the responsibility of any bishop is to clearly and charitably articulate the teaching of the Church, not to establish “policy” on which teaching he will follow and which teaching he will change.

Transfiguration

I have an article on the Transfiguration running over at Catholic Lane today.  My comments cannot compete with St. John's below though.  Thanks again to the Daily Gospel for this great commentary:

Saint John Damascene (c.675-749), monk, theologian, Doctor of the Church
Homily on the Transfiguration ; PG 96, 545

Today we see the depths of inaccessible light. Today the unending outpouring of the divine radiance shines out before the apostles. Today Jesus Christ reveals himself as Lord of both Old and New Covenants... On Mount Tabor today, Moses, God's lawgiver, leader of the Old Covenant, giver of the Law, stands beside Christ his master as a servant. He recognises the destiny into which he was initiated in times past by its foreshadowings – which is what, in my opinion, the words «to see God from behind» mean (Ex 33,23). Now he sees in all clarity the glory of the godhead «hidden in the shadow of the rock» (Ex 33,22) but «this rock was Christ» (1Cor 10,4), as Paul expressly teaches: God incarnate, the Word and Lord...

Today the leader of the New Covenant, who had proclaimed... Christ to be the Son of God when he said: «You are the Christ, the Son of the living God» (Mt 16,16), sees the head of the Old Covenant standing beside the giver of both the one and the other and saying to him: «Behold He who Is. Behold him of whom I said there would arise a prophet like myself (Ex 3,14; Dt 18,15; Acts 3,22) – like myself in that he is man and leader of the new people but above both me and every other creature in that the two Covenants, both the Old and the New, are disposed by him for my sake and for yours»...

Come, then, let us obey the prophet David! Let us sing praise to our God, to our king; let us sing! «He is king over all the earth» (Ps 47[46],7-8). Let us sing with wisdom, with joy... Sing also the Spirit «who scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God» (1Cor 2,10), seeing in that light of the Father who is the Spirit who enlightens all things, the inaccessible light of the Son of God. Today is manifested what our fleshly eyes cannot see: an earthly body shining with the divine splendor, the glory of the godhead overflowing from a body that is mortal... What is human becomes God's and the divine becomes human.

60 Former Anglicans Becoming Catholic Priests

Pope Benedict's outstretched hand is bearing incredible fruit.  This Pentecost weekend will see the ordination of 60 new Catholic priests for the Church in England - all of them having formerly served as priests in the Anglican Church. I have no doubt that the intercession of Saints like Thomas More, Thomas Becket, John Fisher, and Blessed John Henry Newman helped obtain this incredible work of the Spirit.  See Rome Reports for more info.

Vatican Council II to Youth

Another fantastic commentary from the Daily Gospel Apostolate:
Vatican Council II, Message to Youth
It is to you, young men and women of the world, that the Council wishes to address its final message. For it is you who are to receive the torch from the hands of your elders and to live in the world at the period of the most gigantic transformations ever realized in its history. It is you who receiving the best of the example of the teaching of your parents and your teachers, are to form the society of tomorrow. You will either save yourselves or you will perish with it.

For four years the Church has been working to rejuvenate her image in order to respond the better to the design of her Founder, the great Living One, the Christ who is eternally young. At the term of this imposing re-examination of life, she now turns to you. It is for you, youth, especially for you that the Church now comes through her Council to enkindle your light, the light which illuminates the future, your future.


The Church is anxious that this society that you are going to build up should respect the dignity, the liberty, and the rights of individuals. These individuals are you. The Church is particularly anxious that this society should allow free expansion to her treasure ever ancient and ever new, namely faith, and that your souls may be able to bask freely in its helpful light. She has confidence that you will find such strength and such joy that you will not be tempted, as were some of your elders, to yield to the seductions of egoistic or hedonistic philosophies or to those of despair and annihilation, and that in the face of atheism, a phenomenon of lassitude and old age, you will know how to affirm your faith in life and what gives meaning to it, that is to say, the certitude of the existence of a just and good God.

What a Surprise!

For several months now I have been praying for the success of a book scheduled to come out this fall, Tending The Temple: 365 Days of Spiritual & Physical Devotions, from Dr. Kevin Vost and Peggy Bowes.  Kevin is a good friend, and I've really enjoyed corresponding with Peggy these past few months.  During that same period I became serious about implementing the points made by Kevin in his Fit for Eternal Life, and have shed 52 lbs.  Well last week, completely out of the blue, I was invited to come on board as a third author.  I feel so incredibly blessed to be working with them; this is a project I will definitely learn a lot on!  My thanks to Kevin, Peggy, Bezalel Books, and its wonderful editor-in-chief, Cheryl Dickow.

John Paul II - A Good Word

Another great commentary on today's readings, courtesy of the Daily Gospel:

Commentary of the day
John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Apostolic Letter « Novo millennio ineunte », § 58 (© Libreria Editrice Vaticana)

"Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature"

Duc in altum! «let us cast out into deep waters!» (Lk 5,4). Let us go forward in hope! A new millennium is opening before the Church like a vast ocean upon which we shall venture, relying on the help of Christ. The Son of God, who became incarnate two thousand years ago out of love for humanity, is at work even today: we need discerning eyes to see this and, above all, a generous heart to become the instruments of his work... "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). The missionary mandate accompanies us into the Third Millennium and urges us to share the enthusiasm of the very first Christians: we can count on the power of the same Spirit who was poured out at Pentecost and who impels us still today to start out anew, sustained by the hope "which does not disappoint" (Rom 5:5).

At the beginning of this new century, our steps must quicken as we travel the highways of the world. Many are the paths on which each one of us and each of our Churches must travel, but there is no distance between those who are united in the same communion, the communion which is daily nourished at the table of the Eucharistic Bread and the Word of Life. Every Sunday, the Risen Christ asks us to meet him as it were once more in the Upper Room where, on the evening of "the first day of the week" (Jn 20:19) he appeared to his disciples in order to "breathe" on them his life-giving Spirit and launch them on the great adventure of proclaiming the Gospel.

Rosary during the Week of Easter

Easter is such a tremendous Mystery that the Church actually takes eight days to unpack it.  That's right, liturgically, Easter continues through next Sunday, Divine Mercy Sunday.  When I prayed the Rosary today I devoted all five of the mysteries to different aspects of the Resurrection accounts:

1.  The earthquake and descent of an angel to roll back the stone.  The Roman soldiers flee.  The women come to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body and are told of the Resurrection by the angel (Matthew)
2.  Peter and John, told of the empty tomb by the women, race to investigate it.  John looks in and believes, but Peter goes away wondering (John's Gospel).
3.  Mary Magdalene weeping at the tomb, asks the "gardener" where he has moved Jesus' body.  Jesus reveals Himself by speaking her name (John).
4.  On the road to Emmaus, Jesus opens the Scriptures to Cleopas and another disciple.  He opens their eyes to recognize Him in the Breaking of the Bread (Luke).
5.  When those two disciples return to tell the apostles that Jesus has been raised, the Lord then appears to the whole group (Luke).  He breathes on them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  Anyone whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.  Anyone whose sins you hold bound are held bound" (John).

Happy Easter!

The Luminous Mysteries for Holy Week

I usually pray the Rosary on the way to work in the morning, and these were the Scriptures that came to mind. As so many times before, the Holy Spirit surprised me:


Jesus' Baptism
Shortly before Palm Sunday, James and John asked to sit at the Lord's right and left hands.  His response: "You do not know whay you are asking.  Can you drink of the same cup I shall drink or be baptized in the same bath of pain as I?. . .From the cup I drink you shall drink; the bath I am immersed in you shall share..." (Mk.10:38-39).


The Wedding Feast at Cana
As we pass through trial, as we endure pain, suffering, we bring our needs to the Lord - just as Mary did for the bride and groom at Cana.  Jesus' response to Mary: "How does this concern of yours involve me?" (Jn.2:4) evokes that feeling we have that Heaven is closed to our petitions.  In those moments, Mary's advice is best, "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn.2:5).  We have to continue to live with faith in God's complete and total love for us, in fidelity to all He has asked of us.  When speaking about the End, Jesus told the Apostles, "Because of the increase of evil, the love of most will grow cold.  The man who holds out to the end, however, is the one who will see salvation" (Matt.24:12-13).  And like the Blessed Mother we will ultimately see the Lord reverse the situation; the Cross will yield to the Resurrection.  "What you have done is keep the choice wine until now!" (Jn.2:10).


Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Repentance
Jesus moved immediately from Simon-Peter's profession of Faith and His appointment of Simon as "Rock," to the teaching that, "The Son of Man must first endure many sufferings, be rejected by the elders, the high priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and then be raised on the third day.  WHOEVER WISHES TO BE MY FOLLOWER MUST DENY HIS VERY SELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS EACH DAY, AND FOLLOW IN MY STEPS!" (Lk.9:22-23).  All of the Apostles knew how the carrying of a cross ended.


The Transfiguration
It was "about eight days after" those words that He gave Peter, James, and John a preview of His resurrected glory (Lk.9:28). "His face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzlingly white," and they heard the Father, "This is my Son, My Chosen One.  LISTEN TO HIM."  What does our Lord say afterward?  "Do not tell anyone of the vision until the Son of Man rises from the dead. . .The Son of Man will suffer. . ." (Mt.17:9,12).

The Institution of the Eucharist
"I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer" (Lk.22:14).  As the Lord did so, John and James drank of The Cup that united them to Jesus' baptism of pain, "This cup is the new covenant in My Blood, which will be shed for you" (Lk.22:20).  When we share the cup we participate in Jesus' offering (1 Cor.10:16); and because of that, with St. Paul we can say, "Even now I find joy in the suffering I endure for you.  In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the suffering of Christ for the sake of His Body, the Church" (Col.1:24).

The Eucharist, Mary, and Redemptive Suffering

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Colossians 1:24).  It is a mysterious but incredible reality:  the suffering God allows into our lives, when accepted and lived with trust in his Love, become an actual participation in the sufferings of the Crucified, allowing us to be formed more truly his image – the very goal of our Faith.  And, as Paul said above, because we are "members of one another" (Rom.12:5; Eph.5:25), this grace is of benefit not just to us, but to the entire Body.  This teaching, far from casting aspersions on the efficacy of Jesus’sacrifice, proclaims its superabundance.  We believe that his sacrifice redeems us so profoundly that it transforms us from mere creatures of God into sons and daughters.  It transforms us into cells of Jesus’ Mystical Body, inserting us into the Life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the only Son. This reality is there in the theology of Paul, and unpacked for us in the teaching of the saints and doctors.  What I had never recognized before was how it was contained in Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist.

 "This is My Body …. This is My Blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."  This Body and Blood — Jesus received them from his mother Mary.  He clothed himself with her flesh, her blood, and offered Himself to the Father "in" them.  That is the mystery of redemptive suffering that the Lord wants to continue in you and me — to clothe himself with our very persons and lift our sufferings up into his own, making them part of his eternal offering to the Father (Heb.9:14).  As with Mary, he requires our consent to bring about this supernatural reality, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

We see Mary, fully engaged in this Mystery, there at the foot of her Son’s Cross.  Which of us parents haven’t imagined looking up and seeing our own children hanging there in the sun — their bodies ripped, blood flowing down their limbs, suffocating under their own weight.  It is the most monstrous suffering imaginable, but God allowed it into the life of his beloved Mary.  Her Son was dying to redeem the world, and her heart was pierced right along with His (Jn.19:34; Lk.2:35). Jesus was suffering there before her eyes, in the flesh he took from her; but through the chords of grace he was suffering in and through her person, gazing up at him, as well.  Through it all, the Holy Spirit maintained Mary in her fiat , "let it be to me according to your word;" and Scripture tells us that he made her suffering fruitful for the Mystical Body, "[Mary,] a sword will pierce your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Lk.2:35).  The mystery of redemptive suffering spoken of by Paul in Colossians 1:24 is graphically manifested by Mary at the Cross.

I don’t see any romance in pain, and I don’t desire it; but part of reality is recognizing that God allows me to pass through it.  It is not an end in itself, but a potentially powerful means: "For Jesus’ sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead" (Phil.3:8-11).  So I need to call out for the grace to unite my sufferings to those of Jesus, to allow him to lift me up toward his Father, "This is My Body…This is My Blood."  I need to pray each day for the grace to persevere through suffering; Jesus told us the stakes are high, "Because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Mt.24:12-13).

"End Times" Recommended Reading

We're entering into Holy Week, and in the middle of it I'll be chatting with Relevant Radio's "On Call" about the End Times and a Catholic way of reading the Book of Revelation (Chapter 8 of The God Who is Love).  Why talk about the End Times during Holy Week you ask?  The Catechism explains it well:

Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. . .The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection (CCC 675-677).

In history's final days, the Church will corporately manifest Jesus' Passion before the world!  And then will come the Resurrection of the Dead.  There are some wonderful resources out there to assist us in our study:

Fr. John Tickle's The Book of Revelation: A Catholic Interpretation of the Apocalypse
Scott Hahn's CD-series The End: The Book of Revelations
Fr. George Montague's The Apocalypse and the Third Millennium: Today's Guide to the Book of Revelation















Of these final three, David Currie's book is exceptionally thorough.  It's title is Rapture, but it explores what Daniel, Zechariah, Jesus' Olivet Discourse, the Epistles of Paul, and the Book of Revelation all have to say regarding "The End."