ASH WEDNESDAY 2011

"Most high glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me, Lord, a correct faith, a certain hope, a perfect charity, sense and knowledge, so that I may carry out Your holy and true command."

~St. Francis, The Prayer Before the Crucifix at San Damiano

FAITH

Faith is a gift of God to man and it is, at the same time, man's free and total entrusting of himself to God.

Faith is the docile listening to the Word of the Lord, that is the "lamp" for our steps and the "light" on our way.

If we open our hearts to Christ with confidence, if we let ourselves be conquered by him, we too can experience, together with the Curé d'Ars, "that our only happiness on this earth is to love God, and to know that He loves us."

Let us ask the Virgin Mary, always to keep alive in us this faith impregnated by love, which made her, the humble girl of Nazareth, Mother of God and model for all believers. ~ Pope Benedict XVI ~

THE JOURNEY

I began this blog and joined Twitter as a diversion...during the long hours...days...and...weeks of sitting...watching...waiting...and...praying...when my aunt was in the hospital in March.

It has become a place where I share my faith...my ministry...my life...and...my struggles with all three.

Not many of us live charmed lives...I know I don't. And, no matter how many letters you can write after your name...nor...what they mean...a life of faith is still a journey, with all the wonders...and...pitfalls, that any journey on earth can...and...usually does entail.

My route thus far has been circuitous at best. And, yes, the journey has been beautiful...and yet at times...exasperating...holy...and yet at times...insane...a great blessing...and yet at times...a great trial.

Some years ago, I was complaining to my confessor about how difficult some thing or another was for me...and, this was his reply: "You follow a God who carried a cross, was nailed to it, and died an undignified death upon it. WHAT Do YOU Expect?!"

Well, in a world of instant gratification...me, me, and more me...anything goes, etc., etc. we expect rainbows and baby kisses every single day. Yet, there is no rainbow without at least a little rain...nor...a baby to kiss without at least a little pain.

And so too, our faith journey will be strewn with good times...and...bad...baby steps forward...and...giant leaps backward.

The thing is, as in any journey...to stay the course...until the destination has been reached...the loving arms of Christ...as He welcomes us...Home!

WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Today, we heard proclaimed the Gospel of the loaves and fishes. The homily I heard, reminded me of a story my boys loved to have me read...over and over again...when they were little. It was a Little Golden Book called "Mickey's Stone Soup."

Based on the Grimm Brother's tale, Mickey Mouse enters a village and with a "magic stone" manages to gain everyone's trust and cooperation to make a grand soup to share. Someone brings the pot...another the water...others, the carrots, potatoes, and a bone...until a savory soup is simmering.

The Body of Christ is like that!

We all have something to share!

Too many times...like the villagers in the story...we do not even realize, just how much we have within us to share. But, when we loosen up just a teensy bit, we find that our contribution...no matter how big...or...how small...is just the thing to season the mix perfectly.

The little boy in the Gospel, had enough faith that his contribution of five barley loaves and two fish in Jesus' hands could feed the multitude gathered.

Jesus tells us we must have the faith of a little child to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

How is...YOUR...faith doing, today?

How is...MINE?

What do...YOU...have...within YOU...that is just the thing that the Body of Christ needs to fulfill the Kingdom?

What do...I?

How can...WE...come together...with...OUR...different contributions...to further God's Kingdom...here on earth?


At the end of the homily, the presider began to sing the refrain from a beautiful old song about the Holy Family, called Wind In The Willows:

As I went a walking
One morning in spring
I met with some travelers
On an old country lane
One was an old man
The second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said
"With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So I asked them to tell me their names and their race
So I could remember each smile on their face
"My name is Joseph this is Mary my wife
And this is our young son, our pride and delight
With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So I sat down beside them
With flowers all around
We et from a mantle
Spread out on the ground
They told me of prophets
And peoples and kings
And all of the one God that knows everything
"We're traveling to Glaston
Over England's green lanes
To hear of men's troubles
To hear of their pains
We travel the wide world
Over land and the sea
To tell all the people
How they can be free
With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So sadly I left them
On that old country lane
For I knew that I'd never see them again
One was an old man
The second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said
"With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."

I found the following video of the song. I just wish the lyrics had not been changed to exclude the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

DIGNITY

One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it cannot be taken away unless it's surrendered! ~ Michael J. Fox ~


So...Don't...Surrender...Your...Dignity!


Don't Surrender To...

Abuse

Addiction

Entitlement

Threats

Illness

Overspending

Jealousy

Hate

Greed

Bullying

Fear

Ego

Unbridled Passions


Rather...Submit...Your...Very...Being!


Submit to the Holy Spirit...

To the dignity and peace that can only be found within YOURSELF

Within YOUR heart

Within YOUR soul

Within YOUR relationship with our Heavenly Father...as mediated through Christ...and...guided by the Holy Spirit!


Despite what the world tells us...

Dignity and peace do not come from what others do...or...say about...or...to us!

IF THEY DID...what a roller coaster ride our life would be...as we rode the wave of compliments...and fell into the pit of complaints...over and over...many times...every single day!

Dignity and peace do not come from external things...fancy cars...fancier houses...closets full of clothes and shoes...vacations across the world...fame...fortune...things...and more...things.

IF THEY DID...all those sporting that onerous bumper sticker: "Whoever dies with the most toys...WINS," would be happy and at peace...rather than working more and more hours...at more and more jobs...even at times...grasping at that which is not theirs...in the vain attempt to sustain the unsustainable.

Just pick up a newspaper, a magazine, or turn on the television...the story is there for all to see...happening to all too many...all too often...all the time!


Christ surrendered HIS dignity...that we should keep ours...as royalty...sons and daughters of the KING! That is the only thing we possess...freely given by God...that will survive our death...and...all eternity.

So, as Catholic Christians, our bumper sticker should read, "Whoever dies with the dignity and peace of their soul intact...WINS!"


How are...YOUR...dignity and peace doing today?

Have...YOU...surrendered them to another's abuse...threats...or...jealousy?

Have...YOU...surrendered them to illness...or...fear?

Have...YOU...surrendered them to the opinion of another?

Have...YOU...surrendered them in...YOUR...own over-developed sense of entitlement...overspending...or...greed?

Have...YOU...surrendered them in the race for MORE?


As long as...YOU...are breathing...YOU...can reclaim...YOUR...dignity and peace...YOUR...very SOUL!

The question is...

Do...YOU...have the...FAITH...necessary to...submit...to the Holy Spirit...in order to do so?


Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13 ~

EMBODIED FAITH

When presented to archbishops, the pallium signifies their participation in the pastoral power of the pope within their church province.

The pallium is a circular, white, woolen stole approximately two inches wide, worn about the neck, breast, and shoulders.

The pallium has two pendants, one hanging down in front and one behind...each are about two inches wide and twelve inches long...and are weighted with small pieces of lead covered with black silk.

At least part of the wool of the pallium is supplied by two lambs presented annually as a tax by the Lateran Canons Regular to the Chapter of St. John on the feast of St. Agnes.

There are six small black crosses on the pallium...the crosses on the breast, back, and left shoulder each have a loop which secures a gold pin set with a precious stone.

The pallium is worn over the chasuble.

For more information on the pallium go to:

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA ~ PALLIUM ~

GOD vs SCIENCE

I received this in my e-mail the other day. Unfortunately, the author is unknown. I hope it speaks to you the way it did to me:

A professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion."

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly.

"Aha! The Bible!"

He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good."

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues.

"He doesn't, does He? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says.

He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"

"Errr yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student falters. "From God"

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?"

The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Again, the student has no answer.

"Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"

The student squirms on his feet.

"Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question.

"Who created them?"

There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues on to another student.

"Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"

The student's voice betrays him and cracks.

"Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing.

"Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him."

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelled your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies.

"I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own.

"Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested.

The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.. There is no such thing as cold, otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester.

"So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time.

"Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room.

"Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?"

The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers.

"I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues.

"Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied,

"Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

In reality, there is only one sin: turning away from God. And there is simply one conversion: returning to God's love.
~ John Dear on Peace ~

DO, RE, MI, FA, SO, LA, TI, DO!

On March 23, 2009, more than 200 dancers were performing their version of "Do Re Mi", in the Central Station of Antwerp. With just two rehearsals they created this amazing stunt! It was a promotion for a Belgian television program. They are looking for someone to play the leading role in the musical "The Sound of Music".

Amazing what 200 people can do with just two rehearsals when they come together for a common cause!

It is the same in our lives of faithful service.

We have all heard the phrase: "Many hands make light work."

What is it YOU are being called to DO FOR GOD??

WHO can help YOU?

Have YOU asked them, yet?

What are YOU waiting for?

The time is NOW, the world needs YOUR Ideas... YOUR Hopes...YOUR Dreams!

If God calls you to it, He will guide you through it!

Have FAITH: in God...in YOURSELF...and, in God's Trust In YOU!

IS IT A "NEED" OR MERELY A "WANT?" IT REALLY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

This week, I have found myself saying over and over again: "If we would just set our priorities straight, and properly distinguish between what we NEED and what we simply WANT, the world would be a better place!!"

Over the last couple of weekends 90 boys and girls received First Holy Communion. Next weekend 5 more boys and girls in our Spanish community will receive for the first time as well.

The pastor requests that the congregation refrain from taking pictures during the mass. We have a photographer who takes a picture of each child as father elevates the host in front of them. Usually, this goes very smoothly and after the pictures are taken, I crop them and bring them to our local wholesale club where I purchase 3 5x7 pictures of each child. These are presented to the families with the certificates and crosses at the parish celebration we hold for the children the weekend after first communions.

Unfortunately, this year, the photographer had equipment problems. Our pastor and the photographer were very accommodating, and new pictures were taken of the children affected by the malfunction, at the parish celebration mass. After mass, when everyone went downstairs for coffee and cake, and to pick up the pictures and certificates, I found out that one child's pictures were missing.

I told the mom, who was very upset, that I had all the pictures on the disk the photographer had given me and, we could look through that during the week to find her child. She wanted to do it then and there Saturday evening. The problem was I don't have the software in my office to work on the pictures. That is something I do in my spare time at home. Hence, the disk was not at church with me.

Mom was not a happy camper, to say the least.

I brought the disk in on Monday, and on Tuesday morning mom came in to the secretary, but, unfortunately, there was no picture of her child on the disk. When I got into the office, there was a voicemail message from a very annoyed mom saying she "NEEDED" the picture of her son!?

I really do understand mom's frustration; however, we NEED God, we NEED sustenance, we NEED relationship, we NEED love, we NEED a roof over our head, we NEED a job to sustain ourselves...we DO NOT NEED PICTURES.

Mom WANTS a picture...I understand the desire; but, NEED is a strong term used indiscriminately in our day to day life.

Today, I did come up with a solution with dad, and with the pastor's help we will recreate the original scene and mom will get a picture. No problem really, and such a small thing to get so worked up over.

Now, last night I held our End of the Year Catechist meeting. Again, I was reminded of how we skew "NEED" and "WANT" in our day to day lives.

I teach the Level 8 Confirmation class. It has been this way for 8 years and, I have no plan of changing it any time soon. I enjoy working with the boys and girls and, more importantly I know that I get through to them.

So, in preparation for last night's meeting, I put together the Level 8 calendar and syllabus. Because, our celebration of Confirmation will be held in March, I arranged with our Music Minister for a music rehearsal at one of our last classes. I also have a CD of the music we use in the celebration that I play each week as the boys and girls gather to help familiarize them with the music.

Mostly, however, I teach the boys and girls about the virtues, the Acts of Mercy, respect life issues, social justice issues, and chastity. Level 8 is a well rounded faith experience for our young people complete with guest speakers, retreat, and my favorite experience: The Hunger Banquet.

After I had distributed the calendar, one of the catechists walked over to another and began a hushed exchange. Soon, she turned to me and said: "We just changed your schedule!"

My reply was, "No, You Did Not!"

The catechist explained that we would be singing with the boys and girls each week so that on the day of Confirmation they would know the songs.

(REALLY, WE WOULD?!? Quite a declaration from a person who will be facilitating Level 8 for the very first time...has no clue as to how the program is organized...and, oh yes...IS NOT THE DRE!!)

I told her and her compatriot that we would NOT. That class is 45 minutes long, and I have much to impart to the boys and girls in that limited amount of time.

Again, what is NEEDED and what is WANTED are two very different things.

Part of the problem, is time; part of the problem is that the boys and girls are not interested in singing...are not members of their school chorus...and, most importantly are at an age where they do not want to appear foolish in front of their peers.

I understand this; apparently, my catechist has forgotten how difficult it is to be in eighth grade.

The other part of the problem is the same as the problem I see with weddings: I am preparing the boys and girls for a life of confirmed faith NOT a one hour celebration where they smile, or in this case sing "purty" and get big bucks at the party afterward!!

While I too, might WANT to hear the boys and girls sing as if they were in High School Musical XXVIII, we do NOT NEED for them to perfectly lift their voices in song.

What we NEED is for them to lift their lives in service as committed, confirmed Catholic young people!

That will not be accomplished by replacing sound faith formation with singing lessons.

The difference between "NEED" and "WANT" is really very simple; and yet, it is an unclear understanding of this difference that colors our vision of our world, each other, and our faith!

So, how are YOU doing today?

Are YOU struggling to attain your NEEDS?

Or, could YOU make your life easier with a reevaluation of your WANTS?

It really is THAT SIMPLE!!