The Day Has Come!

Merry Christmas!

I thought I'd share from the Magnificat, a daily devotion that we have been using during the season of Advent. It really touched me this morning and I hope it does the same for you. May you all have a great birthday celebration today!

"For all of human history people have been searching for God. The search has expressed itself in the worship of imaginary gods who jealously grasped at power; it has expressed itself in the philosophical idea of an impersonal god who is remote and distant; it has expressed itself in the human attempt at power and self-glorification. And what do we find today? We find that God does not grasp for power, but empties himself of it in order to express his true authority, which springs from love. We find that God does not want to watch us from a distance but instead has become flesh, i.e., a member of our family. And who are those who recognize this unexpected presence of God in our midst?  Not the prideful and powerful, but those who humble acknowledgment of their weakness leads them to beg for a Savior and joyfully welcome him in the gloriously lowly way he has chosen to come. In Jesus, the Word has become flesh, God has revealed himself to the simple-hearted. And blessed are we who celebrate this day as the greatest discovery of all time - the discovery that God, for whom we groped in the darkness, has pierced the darkness with his humanity and has found us. May all who have walked in darkness today welcome the light: Jesus Christ, Emmanuel."

Reflection based on Luke 2:1-14
Father Richard Veras

Loving Father increase my faith in the incarnation of your Son, increase my awareness of how this has changed human history and my personal history, and increase my recognition of his divine and human presence as he pierces the darkness of this world today and every day.

Getting Prepared!

Preparation and Christmas go together like flour and water. We prepare our homes with trees and decorations; we shop for days or months to make sure we're prepared for an evening around the tree; we prepare for family meals and gatherings; we prepare for travel, plays and parties; but one question I have to ask myself is am I taking the time to prepare my heart for what brings us all together in the first place? As many of you may know, it is the season of Advent. Advent starts a new liturgical year, but it's also a time of preparation of our souls, a preparation to make us worthy to celebrate the coming of our lord. This season of advent should be used to prepare ourselves spiritually so that we may truly honor Christ with our celebration on Christmas, the celebration of the birth of our savior, the Word made flesh. As we celebrate, we also stay focused on what his birth gave to us, his presence with us today in the Eucharist and Holy Scripture, and his future coming in glory! Christ's birth gave us all of these things so in celebrating his birth, we celebrate the gifts he gave.

Are we preparing our minds to stay focused on the one we celebrate? Are we preparing our families to properly celebrate God's son, our savior? Are we being consumed by every marketing plot and every care of the department stores or are we staying focused on being a faithful servant while in the midst of all the shopping? Are we teaching our children more about Santa and presents or about Christ and the gift of salvation? We can tell alot about ourselves, and how we are treating this season, all in how our children are expressing their excitement. I know, I know children will be children, and I'm not saying that we should expect our children to ignore the fact that they get to open presents on Christmas morning, but is that all they are looking forward to? Our children go to birthday parties of their friends throughout the year and they get excited, but why are they excited, they aren't the one's getting the gifts? They are excited because they get to go play games with their friends and eat special treats with their friends...they are excited about the celebration and the fellowship. Sure, the gift giving is a part of it, but we use these moments to teach our children that giving to someone is a great joy. It's more about the celebration of that person and their birth and that's why we give gifts. Well, this is Christmas, the best birthday party of all...our children should be excited about celebrating Jesus' birthday with their families, not more excited about Santa and his gifts. Are we spending time helping the kids get their lists for Santa ready, but only mentioning Jesus when we see a nativity? Are we taking time in every day during advent to talk about what our savior means to us? The answer to this question can tell us alot about how we are influencing our children during the season of advent...are we preparing them for the birth of our savior or the fun fat guy with toys? I don't mean to sound as if shopping and gift giving aren't important because they are, but it's why we shop and why we give gifts that's important. It's the celebration of our everlasting life that brings about that joy unmeasurable!

There are many ways to help our families grow in the right direction and that's what advent is for...building a foundation in our children and in ourselves, but I find myself getting lost in the fuss, trying to get from one store to another and trying to make sure I've completed the lists. Advent should bring about peace and humility and I should take this time to ready myself to answer the call of service (Gal 5:13). How can I serve God and those around me? Christ's coming began with a call to serve. Mary answered yes to this calling of service and took on the greatest responsibility anyone could ever take on, other than the saving mission of our lord. So I'm forced to ask myself, "Am I serving as Mary served?" The name 'Ebed, or "servant" in Hebrew, was used in speaking of an important servant to the king, someone of great trust and honor. This title then given to people who held this seat in relation to God...someone given a specific task or mission like Moses (Exodus 14:31; Num 12:7), Elijah (1 Kgs 18:36), David (2 Sam 3:18; 1 Kgs 11:34), and several of the prophets (Amos 3:7; Jer 25:4). If I focus on serving, I stay focused on God. As we serve one another, we are serving Christ, and as we humble ourselves we are given grace from God (1 Pet 5:5) and I don't know about you but, I am in much need of God's grace in my life. So I ask, what's my task, what's my mission during advent and throughout this season? The answer is simple...to know, to love, and to serve...because as I serve God, I begin to know God better; and as I begin to know God better, I begin to love God more. The more I love God, the more I want to know and serve him and the cycle starts all over again.

Our savior's birth brought about an everlasting change to the world, unifying us with our neighbors and strangers alike, but the greatest unity is that between us and our lord. It's this unity to our lord that calls our soul to serve...like it or not, right or wrong, people are generally "nicer" around this time of year. That's not to say that you won't find a scrooge here and there, but overall there is "Christmas in the air". I think we would all agree with an emphatic yes that we should be the same year round, but the thought still rests in the back of our minds that we all are not. We are creatures of habit and unfortunately our habits tend to be more displeasing to God than pleasing...or at least in my life they are. It is for this very reason that Advent exists, to help us start this upcoming year with better habits and an increased devotion to God. It's here, a time to start the habit of daily self examination, so that we can be prepared for the coming of Christ...not only celebrating his birth, but his presence here today and tomorrow. We use advent as a time to call out to the lord, asking for his grace and mercy, so that we may be worthy to recognize His voice when He calls and receive Him when He comes.

Pray for me that I use this season of advent preparing myself and my family for the coming of the lord...that I may present the best of myself and my family as we greet our savior this year at Christmas.

...we wait together, we long together, we pray together in unity. "Come, lord Jesus, bring us your salvation!"

All Saints Day

As we approached our fun filled evenings of family, food, and fun I wanted to share a bit...

As we look around us, we see nothing but orange and black, candies of all kinds, pumpkins and skulls, and a costume for any character imaginable...our fine retailers using every marketing opportunity to sell us another product, but there is more than these things. How can we as Christians grow in our faith and help our children to do the same amidst the ghosts and goblins? The answer is simple...celebrate and remember.

This time of year can be used to focus on our mortality and our need to prepare ourselves to one day see our God's face. From dust we came and to dust we will return, but our salvation is eternal, our focus is beyond this earth and should be beyond these earthly things. November 1st is the feast day of All Saints Day, a day set forth to honour and remember all of the saints that have gone on before us. Remembering the men and women, known and unknown, that died for the sake of Christ and remembering those close to us who are with our Lord in heaven.

Why November? In early Christianity, ceremonies were held to commemorate a martyr's death, usually, at the place of martyrdom. In the 4th century, around the time of the compilation of scripture into a bible, surrounding dioceses began to share these ceremonies and started sharing relics of saints with one another to further promote unity in the Christian Church. This can be found in an invitation from St. Basil of Caesarea, in the year 397, to the bishops of the province of Pontus (a people that were also addressed by St. Peter's 1st epistle among others). Anyway, quite often people suffered their martyrdom at the same time which further let to a combined commemoration.

During the persecution of the Church by Diocletian, one of the most evil roman emperors to persecute early Christians, the number of martyrs who died were many and there was no way that a commemoration could be assigned to individuals. The Church still felt that it was important to venerate every martyr for Christ however, so they created one day to honour all. First, traces can be found in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost and we also find traces in a sermon that St. Ephrem gave around 373 and in the 74th sermon given by St. John Chrysostom in the year 407 as well. Originally commemoration of martyrs and St. John the Baptist took place on a special day, but then many other saints were added as the process of canonization was established. The time frame was during the time of Easter, and also in May to commemorate the apostles, but when Gregory the 3rd (8th century) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all of the saints, he set the anniversary for Nov.1 and then Gregory the 4th expanded that celebration throughout the rest of the Church in the 9th century.

So now in 2009, about 1,200 years later, we can take a break from the candy and costumes and remember why this day came about. Saints are those who are in heaven right now and we all have someone who we have lost, that we believe is with Jesus in heaven. So take time to focus on the work that God did in their lives and how they were used for His kingdom. Take the time to teach your kids about just one of the many saints God has used in history...there are thousands to pick from. I heard an interesting perspective while at Mass this evening. The lives of these great men, women and children, who we honour, can benefit us a great deal. We have a 'cloud of witnesses'', working for God as perfect beings, to view as our spiritual mentors. We must remember that these great saints aren't saints because of what they did, but because of what they allowed God to do in them. Just as history teaches us of war and of invention, it also teaches us of the greatness of God shown forth in mere humans and if we humble ourselves to that, we can allow God to work in us...so that we may be saints one day.

God Bless and Happy All Saints Day!

Almighty and Everlasting God, who dost enkindle the flame of Thy love in the hearts of the saints,
grant unto us the same faith and power of love; that, as we rejoice in their triumphs
we may profit by their examples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Faustina's Diary

O Holy Trinity, Eternal God, my spirit is drowned in Your beauty. The ages are as nothing in Your sight. You are always the same. Oh, how great is Your majesty. Jesus, why do You conceal Your majesty, why have You left Your heavenly throne and dwelt among us? The Lord answered me, My daughter, love has brought Me here, and love keeps Me here. My daughter, if you knew what great merit and reward is earned by one act of pure love for Me, you would die of joy. I am saying this that you may constantly unite yourself with Me through love, for this is the goal of the life of your soul. This act is an act of the will. Know that a pure soul is humble. When you lower and empty yourself before My majesty, I then pursue you with My graces and make use of My omnipotence to exalt you.

Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, 576

† Jesus I trust in You †

Psalm 34

Hello All! I recently picked up an incredible book titled Praying the Psalms with the Early Christians written by Mike Aquilina & Christopher Baily. This book takes over thirty of David's Psalms and gives us words from our Church fathers concerning these psalms. Some of these writings come before our canon of scripture was organized into a bible. They come from letters and sermons…the dates are sometimes uncertain, but are close enough for simple historical placement. Mike and Christopher also give us rough sketches of these early saints' lives in the back of the book as well. I suggest that you all go pick up a copy of this book, it's a great way to meditate on the psalms of David. The best way to see the early Christian Church is through the writings of it. I think we sometimes forget that people continued writing after the authors of the bible and these writings are very powerful and these early Christians were being led by the Holy Spirit…I hope you enjoy!

 

Psalm 34:

 

The superscription puts this psalm in context: it was composed at a time when David had to use all his cleverness and even deviousness just to stay alive. Yet David knew that ultimately it was never his own strategy that saved him, and in these difficult circumstances, he sings one of the most memorable hymns of praise to God in the whole Bible.

 A Psalm of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

 

"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!

 

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!

O fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want!

The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who see the Lord lack no good thing.

 

Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

 

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry.

The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of their troubles.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked; and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned."

 

Taste and See…

The famous words, "O taste and see that the Lord is good" inevitably led the early Christians to meditate on the Eucharist. Here three great Christian writers examine what it means to "taste and see.":

 

"After this, you hear the chanter inviting you with a sacred melody to the Communion of the holy mysteries and saying, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Do not leave the judgment to your bodily taste, no, but to unflattering faith; for they who taste are bidden to taste, not bread and wine, but the long-prophesied Body and Blood of Christ.

So when you approach, do not come with your wrists extended or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, for your right hand is to receive a King. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, "amen." So then, after having carefully hallowed your eyes your eyes by the touch of the holy Body, partake of it. Make sure you do not lose any of it, for whatever you lose is obviously as much a loss as if you lost an arm or a leg.

For tell me, if anyone gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, making sure you did not lose a single one of them? Then will you not be all the more careful to make sure that not a crumb falls from you of what is more precious than gold and precious stones?

Then after you have partaken of the Body of Christ, draw near also to the cup of his Blood. Do not stretch out your hands, but bend and saying with an air of worship and reverence, "amen," hallow yourself by partaking also of the Blood of Christ. And while the moisture is still upon your lips, touch it with your hands, and hallow your eyes and brow and the other organs of sense. Then wait for the prayer, and give thanks to God, who has accounted you worthy of such great mysteries.

Hold fast these traditions undefiled, and keep yourselves free from offense. Do not separate yourselves from the Communion; do not deprive yourselves, through the pollution of sins, of these holy and spiritual mysteries. And may the God of peace sanctify you holy; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved whole without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. To whom be glory and honor and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and world without end. Amen."   - St. Cyril of Jerusalem,  Catechetical Lectures

 

"O taste and see that the Lord is good!" You will not taste, and you say, "Is it pleasant?" What does "Pleasant" mean? If you have tasted, let us see it in your fruit, not just in your words, as if you bore only leaves, lest you should deserve to wither as the fig tree was withered by the curse of God (see Matt. 21:19).

"Taste," he says, "and see that the Lord is good." Taste and see: you shall see if you have tasted. But how do you prove it to someone who does not taste? Whatever you say in praise of the pleasantness of the name of God is mere words: taste is another thing. Even the ungodly hear the words of his praise, but only the saints taste how sweet it is.

And what does a man do who knows how sweet the name of God is, and wishes to reveal and show it to someone, and finds no one to whom he can reveal it? For there is no need to reveal it to the saints, because they themselves taste it and know, but the ungodly cannot know what they will not taste….I know how sweet it is, but only to those who have tasted."  - St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms

 

"I am covetous of God's bounty; and as He is never slack in giving, so I am never weary in receiving. The more I drink, the more I thirst. For I have read the song of the psalmist: "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Every good thing that we have is a tasting of the Lord. When I fancy myself to have finished the book virtue, I shall then only be at the beginning. "   - St. Jerome, Letters

 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c.313-386): began his years as bishop under a cloud of suspicion. During the fourth century, the arian heresy dominated the churches intermittently, as arian emperors rose and fell. Cyril was appointed to office during an arian regime, and was consecrated by and arian bishop. As a result, many faithful church men were wary of him; and yet the arians knew he was not one of theirs. Thus, he was marginalized by both parties. Indeed, he was exiled from his see three times, one once for eleven years! A local council delegated St Gregory of Nyssa to travel to Jerusalem to investigate Cyril. Gregory vindicated Cyril, affirming his fidelity to the true faith. Cyril took part in the Council of Constantinople (380), where again his orthodoxy was confirmed. Cyril is best known for his catechetical lectures, a series of basic instruction for new converts to Christianity. In these he provides an in-depth course in Christian doctrine and practice, including the sacraments (especially baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation, but also penance), the moral life, prayer, and a step-by-step guide to the Mass.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430): is one of the most influential thinkers in all human history. His influence extends to many fields of endeavor. In literature he perfected the genres of memoir and autobiography. During his lifetime, he was considered one of the top rhetoricians in the world, and he is still counted among the great prose stylists in the Latin language. His City of God laid the foundation for mainstream political thought for than a millennium. He was warm, witty, winsome, and a brilliant preacher. He was a prize-winning poet. He wrote an influential set of rules that are still observed in monasteries. He developed definitive refutations of several heresies and helped the Church to welcome home the stray sheep. He was adept at Neoplatonic philosophy and demonstrated how it might be used well as a handmaid for Christian theology.

Augustine's life represents a classic form of the conversion story. Born in North Africa to a Catholic mother and a Pagan father, he fell into mischief and then serious sin. He took up with a concubine and had a son out of wedlock. He achieved great worldly success while dabbling in the esoteric religion of the Manicheans - who preached a spiritual mishmash of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Through all of Augustine's wanderings, his mother, Monica, prayed for him. When he took a teaching position in Rome, she followed him there, even though he tried to ditch her by leaving at night. Eventually both mother and son ended up in Milan, where they were influenced by the bishop St. Ambrose. Ambrose helped Augustine through his remaining difficulties, instructed him, and baptized him. Augustine and some of his friends - along with his son and mother - set up a semi-monastic community in northern Italy. After Monica's death, Augustine returned to North Africa, where he was pressed into service of the Church. As bishop he was involved in many important events, and was active (for example) in the synods that definitely established the canon of the New Testament. He was bishop for thirty-four years. He died as the barbarian Vandals were laying siege to his city.

St. Jerome (c.347-420): was raised in a Christian family in Stridon (In modern Croatia). In his teens he went to Rome for literary studies in the classics, and there he experienced a call to deeper Christian commitment. He and several friends decided to live an ascetical life in common. After a time, Jerome traveled eastward to Syria, for a while settling as a hermit in the desert. He attended the Council of Constantinople (380) as an advisor and then returned to Rome, where he was soon drafted into service as secretary Pope St. Damasus I. In Rome a growing number of small communities of women were living the religious life. Jerome directed many of them in their piety and studies. After the Pope's death, Jerome went east again, and many of those women ascetics followed him. He established monasteries in Bethlehem and set to writing and translating in earnest. He overhauled the popular Latin translation of the Bible (the Vulgate); he even learned Hebrew in order to fine-tune the Old Testament. He wrote voluminously. He most famous for his Biblical commentaries, but he also produced letters of spiritual direction, books of apologetics, and the first encyclopedia of Christian biography as well as important works combating heresy.

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Praying-the-Psalms-with-the-Early-Christians/Mike-Aquilina/e/9781593251550/?itm=1

From the book "Praying the Psalms with the Early Christians: Ancient songs for modern hearts"

Written by Mike Aquilina & Christopher Bailey

Published by The Word Among Us Press

Scripture texts used are taken from the Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition

The Faithful

Twenty years after the close of the Second Vatican Council (II Vat.Council, Vat. II etc.), in 1987, the bishops met in a synod to discuss the role of the laity or lay faithful in the Church.  This synod of bishops was based on the teachings of Vat.II. After the synod, the bishops requested that Pope John Paul II summarize the discussions that took place. The following is based on the first 16 pages of his response. Christifideles Laici:

The Vineyard…

One may ask, "Who are the lay faithful?" or, "What does it mean to be laity in the Church and what are my roles in the Church and in the world?" "How do I fit in and how do I carry out my role?" Pope John Paul first used Matthew's gospel to compare us to the laborers in the vineyard, called by Christ. "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard" (Mt 20:1-2).

This vineyard we are called to labor is the world in which we live in. (Mt 13:38) This vineyard is to be "transformed according to the plan of God in view of the final coming of the Kingdom of God." We tend to think that only pastors and clergy are to answer this call, but everyone is called. St. Gregory the Great speaks some powerful words to us, "Keep watch over your manner of life, dear people, and make sure that you are indeed the Lord's laborers. Each person should take into account what he does and consider if he is laboring in the vineyard of the Lord."

A few verses later in Matthew chapter 20 we see that idleness should not be tolerated. 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into the vineyard'" (Mt 20:6-7). John Paul II says, "The voice of the Lord clearly resounds in the depths of each of Christ's followers who, through faith and the sacraments of Christian initiation, is made like to Jesus Christ, is incorporated as a living member in the Church, and has an active part in her mission of salvation."  II Vatican Council reminds us: "…For faith throws a new light on all things and makes known the full ideal to which God has called each individual, and thus guides the mind towards solutions which are fully human."

To labor in the vineyard we must rely on the Holy Spirit for our renewal and we get just that. When we answer the call to holiness, we attain renewal on a constant basis. Our youth must learn this call and this renewal because they are our future and the future of the Church. "We must collaborate with our bishops, priests, and nuns actively in service; actively participate in the Liturgy; proclaim the truth of Sacred Scriptures and catechesis; and there are a multitude of services/tasks entrusted and available to the lay faithful." We are told of something to be mindful of however.  We cannot let the temptation of being so engrained in Church services and tasks cause us to fail in our responsibilities in the world that we live. We must maintain our responsibilities without separation of living the gospel.

We should not be discouraged. It's easy to allow our minds to lead us into a hopeless way of thinking…that all of it is just too much and we just can't do it. John Paul says, "Keep a watchful eye on this our world, with its problems and values, its unrest and hopes, its defeats and triumphs. This then, is the vineyard; this is the field in which the faithful are called to fulfill their mission. In everyday life there often exist contradictions in the exercise of human freedom, where there is found side by side and at times closely intertwined, evil and good, injustice and justice, anguish and hope." But, we have faith and the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in our daily lives. Through that faith in the Holy Spirit, we will get clear answers as to the direction we are to go. St Augustine says, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.".

We, as humans, get our dignity because we are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). The online bible on newadvent.org gives some great study notes on that particular verse: Let us make man to our image…This image of God in man, is not in the body, but in the soul; which is a spiritual substance. endued with understanding and free will. God speaks here in the plural number, to insinuate the plurality of persons in the Deity". Back to our dignity, think of what we are faced with in the vineyard. Think of the humiliating and degrading forms of "manipulation" that mold our minds to slavery…slavery to a stronger ideology, economic power, political and inhumane systems, scientific technocracy or the major influx of mass-media.

I love what John Paul stresses here though, "But the sacredness of the human person cannot be obliterated no matter how often it is devalued and violated because it has it's unshakable foundation in God as Creator and Father…" We have dignity because of something greater than all of the above mentioned enslavements. He then goes on to say, "…A person is not at all a "thing" or an "object" to be used, but primarily a responsible "subject," one endowed with conscience and freedom; called to live responsibly in society and history; and oriented towards spiritual and religious values."

We are to use our dignity in the strength of humanism. We do this through our participation and educating our youth as to this call of holiness. We participate in our families, in academics, we educate ourselves on different cultures, participation in social areas, and in political areas of life. "…creators of a new, more humane culture—is a requirement both for the individual and for peoples as a whole."

John Paul points out that war, terrorism, and violence manifests conflict in humanity daily, like never before. Humanity is trying to play God, emulating the building of their own "tower of Babel". This only brings about oppression, confusion, and struggle in our day to day lives. In turn, leading to the destruction of family life. But we can't lose sight of those millions of people who have dedicated their lives to promoting peace and justice. "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Mt 5:9). Today, right now, we must find our hope in Christ and His intervention for humanity. Because of Christ we are able to hope and we are able to labor in the vineyard. "Jesus Christ himself, is the "good news" and the bearer of joy that the Church announces each day, and to whom the Church bears testimony before all people. The lay faithful have an essential and irreplaceable role in this announcement."

So, the lay faithful are laborers? Yes, but Scripture gives us more insight into the Mystery of the People of God. We are laborers in the vineyard, but we are also a part of the vineyard. Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches" (Jn 15:5). "The vine is the figure and symbol not only of the People of God, but of Jesus himself. He is the vine and we, his disciples, are the branches. He is the "true vine," to which the branches are engrafted to have life (Jn l[5]:1)." II Vatican Council reminds us, "Christ is the true vine who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us. Through the Church we abide in Christ, without whom we can do nothing (Jn 15:1-5)."

Born of Water...

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Jn 3:5).

Baptism plays an extremely important role in who we are and in our holiness. We all know that baptism cleanses us from original sin and we also know that we are instructed to be baptized, but what does it mean for us right now? We see that we are the branches of a life giving vine, which is the source of our fruitfulness, Jesus. Our incorporation into Jesus through baptism is the source of being a Christian in the mystery of the Church. This baptism not only washes us clean, but makes us a new creation (Gal 6:15; 2 Cor 5:17) in Christ who, through grace, gives us life. "Baptism regenerates us in the life of the Son of God; unites us to Christ and to his Body, the Church; anoints us in the Holy Spirit, making us spiritual temples." ~ John Paul II

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (Lk 3:22).

Baptism gives us an association to Christ and through His redemption we are children of adoption  (Gal 4:4-7) and brothers or sisters of Him. "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren" (Rom 8:29). The Holy Spirit is used to make us Children of God and members of Christ's Body.  St. Paul speaks of this to the people of Corinth, "For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12:13), so that he can say to the lay faithful: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Cor 12:27);

Peter defines the baptized as "living stones" founded on Christ, the "corner stone," and destined to "be raised up into a spiritual building" (1 Pt 2:5). II Vatican Council says, "By regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the baptized are consecrated into a spiritual house." The Holy Spirit "anoints" the baptized, giving us an inerasable character (2 Cor 1:21-22), and making us as a spiritual temple, that is, he fills this temple with the holy presence of God as a result of each person's being united and likened to Jesus Christ. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Lk 4:18-19; cf. Is 61:1-2).

Through the grace and dignity given to us through Baptism we participate in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King. St. Augustine offers for Psalm 26, "David was anointed king. In those days only a king and a priest were anointed. These two persons prefigured the one and only priest and king who was to come, Christ (the name "Christ" means "anointed"). We share in that priestly mission that took Christ to a cross and He left us the Eucharist for us to enter into full communion with that sacrifice, His Body and Blood. We share in that mission of the "great prophet" risen up (Lk 7:16, Acts 2:17-21). Because we belong to Christ, who is Lord and King, we share in his kingly mission and are called by him to spread that Kingdom in history.

"Our participation in this mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King finds its source in the anointing of Baptism, its further development in Confirmation and its realization and dynamic sustenance in the Holy Eucharist. Each individual is one of the many who form the one Body of the Lord." ~ John Paul II "A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Pt 2:9).

Ok, there is a mission, but how do we as individuals fit into it…how do we fulfill our part? We all receive one dignity from baptism, but this one dignity takes on a manner of life which sets us apart, while not bringing about a separation from the religious orders carried out by men and women in the Church. The II Vatican Council has described this manner of life as the "secular character": "The secular character is properly and particularly that of the lay faithful." John Paul says, "To understand properly the lay faithful's position in the Church in a complete, adequate and specific manner it is necessary to come to a deeper theological understanding of their secular character in light of God's plan of salvation and in the context of the mystery of the Church".  Pope Paul VI said, "The Church has an authentic secular dimension, inherent to her inner nature and mission, which is deeply rooted in the mystery of the Word Incarnate, and which is realized in different forms through her members".

We live in the world even if we are not of it (Jn 17:16). We are sent to continue the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, which "by its very nature concerns the salvation of humanity, and also involves the renewal of the whole temporal order." All of us, as members of the Church, are sharers in this secular dimension but in different ways. We, the lay faithful, attain our own manner of realization and function, which, according to the Council, is "properly and particularly" ours. This manner is expressed by "secular character." Our individual place in life is the place where we receive our call from God. Our mission is a doable mission as humans. Vatican II said, "The lay faithful live in the world, that is, in every one of the secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very fabric of their existence is woven."  We  study, we work, we form relationships as friends, professionals, members of society, cultures, etc. This way of life is not just some useless situation we've been placed in. We must remember that Christ accepted His mission as a human, like us in all things with the exception of sin. Christ's mission certainly wasn't an easy one, but He did it and He did it as a human. Vatican II says it well, "The Word made flesh willed to share in human fellowship.... He sanctified those human ties,. especially family ones, from which social relationships arise, willingly submitting himself to the laws of his country. He chose to lead the life of an ordinary craftsman of his own time and place."

So we don't need to lose sight of our position in the world. Baptism didn't take us away from the world. "So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God" (1 Cor 7:24). Just the opposite, God gives us our call to holiness while we are in the world and He takes into account our position and the talents He has blessed us with. The lay faithful  "are called by God so that they, led by the spirit of the Gospel, might contribute to the sanctification of the world, as from within like leaven, by fulfilling their own particular duties. Thus, especially in this way of life, resplendent in faith, hope and charity they manifest Christ to others." (II Vat.)

"The secular character of the lay faithful is not therefore to be defined only in a sociological sense, but most especially in a theological sense. The term secular must be understood in light of the act of God the creator and redeemer, who has handed over the world to women and men, so that they may participate in the work of creation, free from the influence of sin and sanctify themselves in marriage or the celibate life, in a family, in a profession, and in the various activities of society." ~Synod of Bishops 1987

"Holiness is the greatest testimony of the dignity conferred on a disciple of Christ. This call to holiness is precisely the basic charge entrusted to all the sons and daughters of the Church. Not a simple moral exhortation but an undeniable requirement arising from the mystery of the Church: she is the choice vine whose branches live and grow with the same holy and life-giving energies that come from Christ; she is the Mystical Body whose members share in the same life of holiness of the Head who is Christ; she is the Beloved Spouse of the Lord Jesus who delivered himself up for her sanctification (Eph 5:25). The Spirit that sanctified the human nature of Jesus in Mary's virginal womb (Lk 1:35) is the same Spirit that is abiding and working in the Church to communicate to her the holiness of the Son of God." ~ John Paul II

 The synod states that, "All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity; All of Christ's followers are invited and bound to pursue holiness and the perfect fulfillment of their own state of life". Since Christians are re-clothed in Christ Jesus and refreshed by his Spirit, they are "holy." They therefore have the ability to manifest this holiness and the responsibility to bear witness to it in all that they do. As Christians, we are to live "as is fitting among saints" (Eph 5:3); "To be holy in all conduct" (1 Pt 1:15); to follow and imitate Jesus Christ in embracing the Beatitudes; in listening and meditating on the Word of God; in our participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church; in personal prayer; in family or in community; in the hunger and thirst for justice; in the practice of the commandment of love in all circumstances of life and service to the brethren, especially the least, the poor and the suffering.

So, how does this call to holiness affect us and how do we live it today? The Synod of Bishops sums it up very well for us…"Therefore, to respond to their vocation, the lay faithful must see their daily activities as an occasion to join themselves to God, fulfill his will, serve other people and lead them to communion with God in Christ."  Our fruitfulness and our growth depends on our remaining united to the vine. "As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn 15:4-5).

Christ The King

Hello to those of you who read this...no matter how few the number...hehehe.

It's been a while since I've posted, but I wanted to share some great info I was blessed enough to listen in on. At church we have a men's meeting on the first Wednesday evening of every month and a few months ago our "guest speaker" was Jim McCullough. Jim shared some amazing insight into what he had been studying, concerning Christ our king and His kingdom. He shares with us what our Church fathers understood about the many parables on the kingdom, resourcing sermons by Msgr. Ronald Knox as well as other sources.

Jesus used the phrase "The kingdom of God" (of heaven, in Matthew) all the time, particularly in many of His parables, but references to it get scarce after the Gospels. The kingdom is referred to around 140 times in the Gospels, but only 33 times in the whole rest of the New Testament.

When we first look at the parables we must remember that Jesus was announcing this kingdom while engaging with Pharisees, lawyers, & scribes. These stories must relate to these men even while proposing something different or new. Many were left puzzled...the Pharisees and the Jewish people in general had accepted ideas about the kingdom of God and Jim outlines what those understandings were, at the same time giving us Jesus' take on the kingdom and then showing how these parables can relate to us, the church. So, get your bibles out and get ready for some interesting stuff!
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Parable: The Sower - Matthew 13:1-9
Pharisee Understanding of the Messiah: The Messiah will be a victorious king
Jesus: Odd choice of a non-military figure as the protagonist of the parable. Rather He says that the Messiah is more like a planter of seeds, sowing indiscriminately everywhere, apparently uselessly, but confident of a good harvest.

Jesus then gives explanation of why He teaches in parables. In the Old testament we see that God brings the Israelites along gradually rather than overwhelming them.

So Jesus speaks in a way that invites thoughtful engagement. A parable, rather like a work of art, if approached with an open mind and good will, can gradually unfold into deeper meanings that bring new insights and a new way of seeing reality. Or, if approached with a closed mind and ill-will, they will begin the process of exposing both of those to open sight...Perhaps that will begin to wake them up!

Era of the Church: Jesus' explanation to the disciples of the four different responses to the Gospel teachings of the Church. 1. No faith at all, the Gospel rejected; 2. Shallow faith, unable to deal with opposition; 3. Faith choked by worldly concerns, never really maturing; 4. Faith that grows and matures and is fruitful in widely varying amounts.
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Parable: Mustard seed & Leaven worked into three measures of flour. - Matthew 13:31-33
Pharisee Understanding of the kingdom: The immense kingdom will be imposed, all at once, by the Lord's fiat.
Jesus: Odd choice of kind of seed and amount of flour. The kingdom will have a tiny beginning, but with much work will permeate a great mass and cause it to rise. It will be like a little seed and end up large enough for the 'birds of the air' (Gentile Nations-Daniel 4) to nest in it. It will have a pungent punch or strong flavor like mustard...
Era of the Church: In our personal spiritual journeys, small beginnings, over the years, will grow surprisingly large, and un-believers may flock to us and join us (or we provide shelter, a church home for them). A small religious practice with steady application (e.g. 15 minutes of bible study each day or daily morning and evening prayer time) will slowly permeate us with life and raise us up. Also, individually, we patiently work on evangelizing the world around us.
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Parable: The Fig Tree - Luke 13:6-9
Pharisee Understanding: There is a fixed time for the arrival of the kingdom.
Jesus: The "gardener" may intervene, fertilize the unproductive fig, and give it another chance to produce fruit. This is a mercy, because the arrival of the kingdom will not be good for the unproductive fig.
Era of the Church: "Delay" in bringing judgment, as we see it, God is trying to bring everyone to repentance and salvation. Therefore, we must be patient with God's plan and thankful for His mercies. We may need such a "delay" as do our loved ones and our enemies...pray constantly for those who need His mercy. We all need second chances, but our chances eventually "run out".
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Parable: Seed growing secretly by itself - Mark 4:26-28
Pharisee Understanding: The Lord will establish the kingdom openly, quickly, & completely.
Jesus: From sowing to harvest God rises and sleeps (appearing unconcerned) and the world appears to go on normally as the kingdom slowly matures. It's growth is mostly unseen and not understood by those watching it from the outside.
Era of the Church: Our lives go on in a very ordinary way. Despite our lack of understanding of how it all works, God is supplying our spiritual growth and bringing it into full maturity. Parallel to the Leaven: here the emphasis is upon (invisible) grace ('he knows not how') producing maturity; good intentions, followed by repentance, & then charitable works. Full of virtue, so ready for the harvest. - Gregory the great.
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Parable: Wicked Vineyard Workers - Luke 20:9-16
Pharisee Understanding: The Messiah will vindicate the Jews
Jesus: Just as you have previously rejected the prophets, you will reject and kill the son, and the vineyard will be given to those who will produce the fruit that God expects.
Era of the Church: With this example before us, (and with all the help Christ provides) we will have even less excuse not to do the works the Father expects. For the Father has now sent US the law, prophets, writings, and finally Christ - and if we reject these with hardened hearts, He will look to others to produce his fruit.
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Parable: Wheat & Weeds Together + The Dragnet - Matthew 13:25-30, Matthew 13:47-54
Pharisee Understanding: The kingdom will consist of only the righteous.
Jesus: The kingdom will grow over time consisting of good and bad mixed in, and will only be separated in the end. Or, alternatively, the kingdom will have both valuable and worthless fish, and only at the end will they be sorted out by angels.
Era of the Church: Don't be surprised in seeing evil men involved in the Church. The dragnet hauls in, not just fish, but every kind of thing (Greek) like trash, etc. It attracts sinners of all types, but they are in the place where they have the best chance at being changed by God and by the fruits we bare for Him. Some men are evil, but it is not our mission to weed them out and burn - God will not be fooled. Hence the Church's discipline tends to be mild and forgiving, and thus the Church has often had trouble with the human impulse to form groups of "only the perfect". On a personal level, we have too many planks in our own eyes to tend to the splinters we see in others. The weeds in our own spiritual lives, we repent of, and pray for others. It is important to note that these are a general statements, elsewhere Jesus gives specific instructions for dealing with manifest grave evil, and lays heavy responsibility on the Bishops in the Church...[their authority is very important.]
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Parable: Shepherd seeking the lost sheep + Woman seeking the lost coin - Luke 15:1-10
Pharisee Understanding: We work hard to bring worthy sorts of converts into the kingdom.
Jesus: You do travel long distances to do that, but do not skip over the lost and the little ones along the way. Heaven rejoices at one sinner doing penance and righting themselves with God. Another great point to note: Angels in Heaven rejoice at earthly obedience to God. Why would the saints in Heaven be any different in their concern for us?
Era of the Church: We need to have preferential optin for the least, the last, & the lost. Rejoice with Heaven when one is brought back into the fold. We, as a people of God, hurt together and we rejoice together.
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Parable: Treasure in the field + The pearl of great price - Matthew 13:44-45
Pharisee Understanding: The kingdom will be a brute fact, inclusive of all Jews and converts to Judaism and with sovereignty over everything.
Jesus: The question is not, what is the treasure, but who is the man seeking? The kingdom is a treasure that must be discovered and dug out, or as a pearl that must be sought out. This kingdom will cost me all...I give my life. I re-hide the treasure in the world, and only I know exactly where it is or is not. Jesus pays the price for the entire world, not only the treasure or those in the kingdom. Knox's interpretation or take on it...
Era of the Church: Our relationships with Christ and His Body the Church is the most precious thing that there is. When we find it (or it becomes alive for us) we rejoice! We will give up everything else for this! This pearl is one of the gates into the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven! The value of this may remain hidden or obscure to the rest of the world.
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Parable: The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32
Pharisee Understanding: We, the keepers of the Law, please the Lord and will inherit the kingdom.
Jesus: Pharisees trained by the Old Testament to see the younger brother as vindicated. Jesus says, "Alright older brother, let's say you do keep the law, but how about the lost, the Gentiles without hope? The Father loves them too. Will you?"
Era of the Church: In the Church there must be no resentment over returning sinners - are you envious that they 'got to sin' and you did not? Perhaps only those of us without sin at all should cast stones...
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Parable: Dives and Lazarus - Luke 16:19-31
Pharisee Understanding: Successful/wealthy law keepers have an edge toward being a part of the kingdom.
Jesus: ...names the poor man with a specific name. No, it is easier for a rope (Aramaic translation) to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom (even the apostles find this hard). Remember, I raised Lazarus and you Pharisees and chief priests still doubted. You just added him to the list of troublemakers that you wanted to kill. [John 12]
Era of the Church: Earthly riches in our lives make it hard for us to focus on God and our mission for him. Not to say that blessings are bad, but if our blessings aren't being used to benefit the kingdom, they are hendering our relationship with God. A rope through the eye of a needle really puts it into perspective...even Christ raising a man from the dead couldn't convince some of His teachings.
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Parable: The Wedding Feast - Matthew 22:1-14
Pharisee Understanding: We are invited to the banquet, it is for us.
Jesus: This is true, you are invited, but will not accept the invitation when the time draws. Your rejection of me as your king will lead to the destruction of Jerusalem. Others will be invited and will come to the wedding banquet. They will be invited by a new set of servants, the Apostles. Note, the "one" without a wedding garment may be Judas. Jesus already knows his un-faithfullness.
Era of the Church: The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. The Church will prevail against the pretensions, un-faithfullness, & falseness of those who only appear to do the will of the Father. The will of our Father includes prayer, fasting, almsgiving, & works of mercy.

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Parable: 10 Virgins, 5 with oil for their lamps - Matthew 25:1-13
Pharisee Understanding: We will be ready for the kingdom
Jesus: On the contrary, my friends. Everyone will be caught sleeping when the Messiah comes. And when that happens, what you will need will be oil; oil for "illumination" (as baptism was sometimes called), oil for anointing, the oil that makes the Messiah a Christos or Anointed One. Look for it now - it will be too late then!
Era of the Church: Nor will we Christians know the day nor the hour, either of Christ's return or of our own going (generally speaking - some saints have been told the hour of their death). We must be sure to have our anointing with us, while alive, at all times. Watchfulness while we are awake is required in order for us to be prepared while sleeping. Origen said that our lamp is faith, oil is works. Those with only faith and no works or fruit will be excluded...that is having dead faith.
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Parable: The Good Samaritan - Luke 10:29-37
Pharisee Understanding: The kingdom will crown the work of the temple and priesthood, and the Messiah will be a great king in the likes of David.
Jesus: It's odd the choice of 'bad guys' when He is talking to the lawyer. Also in the choice of 'good guy'. Temple worship cannot help stripped and wounded humankind. The ironic chioce of a Samaritan as the rescuer should indicate you will suspect the Messiah's ancestry/birth, home place, and His religion. After all, you have called me a Samaritan and said I was possessed by demons. [John 8:48] Yet, I will rescue wounded mankind and I will use earthly things to care for the wounded as well...inns, innkeepers, oil, donkeys, etc...
Era of the Church: No matter what misapprehensions others may have about your ancestry, ethnicity or religious beliefs, be a neighbor and assist in doing God's will for others when you are called. Bring the wounded and the robbed and the beaten and stripped to the Church, intercede for them, donate to the innkeeper for them.
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The Pharisees teaching and understanding of the kingdom was so ingrained into the people that even the Apostles, as the Ascension is ready to take place, say: "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He tells them that the time for the full implementation of the kingdom is not for them to know. After this they 'retreat' and prepare for 9 days, and then begin to preach the kingdom. Note that some uses of the phrase imply that we are currently in the kingdom of God and some imply that it is still to be inherited.

The basic idea is this: with Jesus' resurrection and the events of Pentecost, the Kingdom of God had arrived already, now on earth, in power. But, the kingdom in its complete fullness awaits Jesus' return in glory, the resurrection of our bodies and the re-creation of a new heaven and earth.

The victory has been won, so we can go forward in confidence. Yet we will have many tribulations because in this interim period - our path to resurrected glory is the same one Jesus took-through the cross-until He comes again.

Christians did just that-despite the hard road and heavy crosses, they evangelized and lived with confidence, already experiencing and living the life of the kingdom of God. But how was this interim period described? Is it the same thing as living in what Jesus called 'My Church'? Is the Church the same thing as the kingdom? But to simply call the Church the kingdom implies a fullness that is not yet apparent.

Here is how the Catholic Catechism describes the relationship between the Kingdom of God and the Church: The kingdom of heaven was inaugurated on earth by Christ. "This kingdom shone out before men in the word, in the works and in the presence of Christ" (LG 5). The Church is the seed and beginning of this kingdom. Her keys are entrusted to Peter. CCC567

So how did this seed get started? It fell on good ground, died and was buried, then rose to new life. And the fruitfullness of that seed is the Church. What do we call the Church? The Body of Christ. So where Jesus proclaimed the kingdom, the Apostles proclaimed Jesus, the beginning and continuing source of life and the final fullfillment of the kingdom.

So what about the parables?

The Catholic Catechism says this about the parables: "Jesus and the presence of the kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables. One must enter the kingdom, that is, become a disciple of Christ, in order to 'know the secrets' of the kingdom of heaven." CCC546

To live in the kingdom is to live in Christ Jesus. "In Christ" or "In Him" occurs 120 times over the rest of the New Testament, along with implications such as John's 'He is the vine and we are the branches' comparison, etc...

Thanks alot to you who actually read this and thanks to Jim McCullough for sharing his talk!

Footnotes:

1. Knox was the son of an Anglican bishop and converted to Catholicism after becoming an Anglican priest. He was a brilliant student at Oxford, a writer of mysteries, translator of the Bible into modern English. A large collection of his sermons has been put together by Ignatius Press: Pastoral and Occasional Sermons.

2. These are rough figures, quickly taken from using the fine search engine for the Revised Standard Version you can find here: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/r/rsv/

3. "In the era of the Church" means, in the time between the resurrection and the 2^nd Coming, where those who are living "in Christ" are already living in the Kingdom of God, insofar as they are living members of His Body.

4. The Knights of Columbus sponsor the best search engine I have found for the Catechism: http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/index.cfm