Restitutio Pro Reatus Poenae: Friday of the First Week of Lent (Ezekiel 18:21-28; Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8; Matthew 5:20-26)

Last year, during Lent, we introduced the concept of reatus poenae. If you recall, reatus poenae is the concept that the impacts and consequences of our sinfulness (often through how we have hurt ourselves or others) remain in effect even though our crimes have been forgiven and forgotten in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I’ll bring up again the baseball analogy that I have used a couple of times.  When my brothers and I would break a window playing baseball, we were generally forgiven right away.  However, in spite of the forgiveness, the window still had to be fixed.  Despite the forgiveness, restitution needed to be made for what we had done.

Today, I want to talk a bit more about the restitution we can offer for reatus poenae so that the broken windows in our lives can be truly fixed.

You may recall another homily from a few months ago regarding indulgences.  We said that indulgences are the remission of temporal punishment for any sins that have been forgiven through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The grace from the Cross is a remedy for what we owe for the temporal consequences of our sins….a remedy for the restitution we need to make for reatus poenae. When we receive that grace through prayer, fasting, and/or almsgiving, it is called an indulgence.  

When we receive a plenary indulgence, we are given a complete remission of what we owe for temporal consequences of our sin.  Restitution for our actions have been made.  Or to paraphrase what Jesus said to Saint Faustina, our debt to His justice is fully paid off.

We have a wonderful opportunity to receive plenary indulgences during Lent.  As many of you know, the deacons of the parish lead a Stations of the Cross prayer service each Friday evening during Lent at 7:00.  On Good Friday, the prayer service is at Noon.  

You may already be aware of this, but praying the Stations of the Cross (both during Lent and outside of Lent) is an opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence.

This year, the deacons will be more intentional to call out the plenary indulgence in the prayer service so that we may take advantage of this powerful grace from our Blessed Lord.

I invite all of you to come pray the Stations of the Cross with us this evening and each Friday during Lent with the intention of receiving this grace of remission for the reatus poenae in our lives.

Just a quick review of the requirements to receive a plenary indulgence:  

1. Complete the indulgenced act, which in this case is to participate in the Stations of the Cross prayers.
2. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within a window of 20 days before or 20 days after receiving the indulgence.  If you confess your sins sometime around mid-Lent, your should be covered for the season.
3. Receive Holy Communion on the day you will pray the Stations of the Cross.  Since all of you are at Mass this morning and will assuming receive our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist, you should be in good disposition to receive the indulgence this evening.
4. Pray for the intentions of the Pope. This is something we do at every Mass we celebrate, but the deacons should call this out in the prayer service as well.
5. Practice detachment from all sin.   This may be the most difficult of all the requirements, but at the same time, it is ultimately the purpose of Lent.

If for some reason you do not meet all requirements and do not receive the plenary indulgence, you will still receive a partial indulgence.  Partial indulgences can greatly reduce reatus poenae.

I hope to see you at the Stations of the Cross as we participate in the offer of Jesus to Saint Faustina to “draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church”.   

Today we praise Jesus Christ for the treasury of His Hoy Catholic Church because, if you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Thanks be to God!

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Tempered through Fasting: Friday after Ash Wednesday (Isaiah 58:1-9a; Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19; Matthew 9:14-15)

Last year, my homily for the Friday after Ash Wednesday set the table for the Christian discipline of Fasting.  We said:

The practice of fasting and abstinence teaches our senses to ignore the cultural programming of instant gratification by focusing instead on our need for God.

Further, the practice of fasting and abstinence gives us a spiritual defense against the seven capital sins; particularly gluttony.  In those times we are tempted to fall to a capital sin, the practice of fasting and/or abstinence can give us an alternative focus to avoid the temptation.

I thought it appropriate today to double click on the idea of tempering our temptation through fasting.

As we see in the example of Jesus in the desert, fasting can strengthen the will as one does not live on bread alone.  Through that strengthening of the will, we begin to see a dissipation of disordered passions.  By voluntarily denying ourselves of the carnal pleasures of the world, we train our mind and psyche to resist the perceived demands of instant gratification.

Let’s break that down a bit more:

Fasting tempers temptation by strengthening the will.  By training the mind to say no to the little things like that daily soda, that afternoon snack, or that hamburger on Fridays, we gain in the virtue of temperance.  It's like doing pushups of virtue in that we gain the strength necessary to say "no" to more significant temptations, like the capital sins.

Fasting tempers temptation by mortifying the passions.  In this aspect, we echo Saint Paul as we “put to death” our disordered passions.  Through the death of our disordered passions, our self-mastery over our senses is restored.  We can more consistently respond to things with love as opposed to reacting from the depths of our fear and other disordered passions.

Fasting tempers temptation by weakening the flesh.  If you recall, the Carnevale season was intended to be a season of preparation to say "farewell to the flesh".  Carnevale, after all, means "farewell to the flesh".  

Now is the time to put that preparation into action.  Our motto becomes that of Jesus in the desert in that we only rely on “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” as opposed to the pleasures and temptations of the world around us.  

We hear the word of God through the Mass and the Sacraments, and we surrender our weakened bodies to the Paschal Mystery.  Through the Paschal Mystery, our weakened bodies are paradoxically strengthened.  Through the Eucharist, we participate in the victory of Christ in the desert.

Fasting tempers temptation by sharpening discernment.  We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with idols.  These idols create unnecessary and excessive noise that serves to distract us from hearing the word of God and distracts us from seeing the tactics of the evil one.  

Fasting can help eliminate this noise in our life, which in turn, will enable us to hear the Holy Spirit more clearly.  With more focus on the Holy Spirit, we can better discern the will of God in our life.  And, with a strengthened will, we will have the fortitude to live it out.

We can see how fasting on a regular basis helps to temper our temptations and aids us in our spiritual lives.  As we have said in the past, the practice of fasting and abstinence is a gift Jesus has given to His disciples in order to foster a deeper relationship with God and to seek Him more earnestly with a humble and contrite heart.

A heart contrite and humbled through fasting, O God, you will not spurn.

Thanks be to God!

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The Cloak of the Prophet: Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19; Psalm 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15; Mark 7:31-37)

After my homily a couple of weeks ago comparing the relationship of David and Saul to the relationship of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches, someone asked me about the significance of David taking a piece of Saul’s mantle.  This tearing of the mantle represents the division in the Kingdom of God.

We see this theme again in our reading today.  The cloak of Ahijah, which represented the Kingdom of God, separated into the 12 tribes of Israel.  Jeroboam takes 10 of the tribes into rebellion against the house of David, the other 2 remaining faithful.

Again, there are a lot of parallels in our first reading to Church history.  This time the parallels are between Jeroboam and Martin Luther.

Both men recognized the abuses that were occurring and wanted to do something about it.  Some of these abuses were well intentioned such as financing the building of Solomon’s temple in the Old Testament and financing the building of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Church history.  Still, abuses existed, none-the-less.

Before they became rebels, both Jeroboam and Martin Luther were highly regarded.  King Solomon made Jeroboam responsible for the workers within the Tribe of Joseph.  Martin Luther was named provincial vicar within the Augustinian order.

Neither men initially intended to rebel, and the story of both men is far more complicated than I can do justice today…perhaps I’ll get into that in future homilies.  Ultimately, both men were pleading for fairness, but when the pleas were denied, both men crossed the line denouncing authority entirely.  Pride vs humily…how many times does that contrast come up in salvation history?

However, there are some important points we can be call out.  Both men were threatened with their lives.  King Solomon threatened to execute Jeroboam upon learning about the potential rebellion.  Similarly, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V gave permission for anyone to kill Martin Luther in the Edict of Worms.

Despite the bounties placed on their heads, both rebellions started without military response.  Unfortunately, both rebellions would lead to wars later.

Recall the 10 fragments from Ahijah’s cloak.  The 10 northern tribes rejected the house of David and followed Jeroboam into a modified religion.  The 2 southern tribes stayed faithful and continued the authentic worship prescribed by God.  Similarly, for all intents and purposes, northern Europe followed Martin Luther into a modified religion.  Southern Europe stayed faithful and continued the authentic worship prescribed by God in the Eucharist.

As part of the modified religion, Jeroboam presented two golden calves as the true gods of Israel and led many to sin as they frequented the calves.  Meanwhile, Martin Luther introduced two new religious doctrines: Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide.  Through their religious inventions, both men separated their followers from the true faith.

Both men broke from the priestly line.  Jeroboam made "priests" in his new religion, but none of them were from the tribe of Levi as prescribed in the book of Deuteronomy.  Martin Luther did not have a way to validly ordinate priests through a duly consecrated bishop.  Therefore, apostolic succession was broken and there are no holy orders in Protestantism.

Jeroboam’s new religion rejected many of the Old Testament scriptures as authoritative and often changed the wording in their books in an attempt to legitimize their religion.  Martin Luther did similar.  In his new religion, he rejected seven books of the Old Testament (and threatened to reject several New Testament books).   Further, he added the word “alone” to his translation of Romans 3:28 in an attempt to legitimize Sola Fide.

Understanding this history gives us better perspective of the place the Catholic Church has in Salvation History and how the non-Catholic ecclesial communities around us fit into it.

Let us thank God today that we have remained faithful to His household, which is of course the Catholic Church (as Saint Paul says in his letter to Saint Timothy).  Let us pray that the mantle of our High King (the cloak of our High Prophet) will become whole again in that our separated brothers and sisters will come home.  Home, where through the Eucharist, we can hear the Lord say, “I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.”

Thanks be to God!

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Postmodern Prophet: Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (1 Kings 11:4-13; Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40; Mark 7:24-30)

In our first reading today, we see Solomon in the role of both prophet and king.  Solomon was to be the king of the Davidic Kingdom of God….the king after the heart of God.  

We also see him as a prophet today.  He received the prophecy that the kingdom will be lost due to his failure as a king.  A failure due to the fact that he was not faithful to the Lord since he turned his heart to idols.

Similarly, by virtue of our baptism, we are kings and prophets in the Messianic Kingdom of God.  We also live in a world full of idols.  These idols can easily tempt us to unfaithfulness if we are not diligent at all times.

In his monthly challenge, Archbishop Lori reminds us, “In our prophetic role, we are called to speak God’s truth even when it is unpopular in the eyes of the world.”

Toward the end of his reign, Solomon failed to do this and the Kingdom suffered as a result.  We must ask ourselves:  How are we doing in our prophetic role within the Messianic Kingdom of God?  

Archbishop Lori helps us reflect on this as he asks the following: “Do you shy away from speaking the truth because you fear opposition or repercussions? Does your silence on issues of faith or morals sometimes give others the false impression of agreement? How do you make sure you are being respectful and charitable to others when speaking the truth?”

He goes on to challenge each of us to “learn more about the Church’s teachings on one or two contemporary issues that you are concerned about, so that you can better defend the truth when an opportunity arises. Look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and booklets from the Order’s Catholic Information Service as resources.”

If you have not done the podcast “Catechism in a Year” with Father Mike Schmitz, I highly recommend it.  Or, if you have completed it, go through it again.

Another thought is to make sure you don’t just receive your news from contemporary news sources (even Fox news, for that matter).  Instead, learn to interpret the news through the lens of the Church and learn to apply it to the world around you.

Being a true prophet in our postmodern, post-Christian, world is an act of true heroism, but at the same time we realize from our Gospel reading that the “dogs under the table” are hungry for the Truth.  

We all know people that are slaves to human secularism, the culture of death, and the host of idols that constantly bombard us.  Often these people have been lied to, manipulated, and victimized.  You may be the only opportunity for that person in your life to come to realize and understand the Truth.  Can you be the voice of Truth to them…the Truth that will set them free?

As priests, prophets, and kings in the Messianic Kingdom of God: remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Thanks be to God!

Martyr of Justice: Memorial of Saint Paul Miki, Priest and Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs (Galatians 2:19-20; Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6; Matthew 28:16-20)

When we hear of Nagasaki, Japan, our first thought may go to the detonation of the second atomic bomb during World War II.

But, today, we remember another incident at Nagasaki that happened three and half centuries earlier involving our saint of the day, Saint Paul Miki.

Saint Paul Miki was born into a wealthy family about the same time Christianity was introduced to Japan.  He was baptized at the age of five and raised Catholic.

He joined the Jesuit order at the age of 22 and became well known for preaching and for conveying deep theological concepts.

However, he never became a priest.  At the age of 33, just two months before his scheduled ordination, he was arrested.  He and 25 others experienced their own Way of the Cross.  

They experienced a death march of hundreds of miles through ice and snow from Kyoto to Nagasaki.  Then they were crucified and pierced with a spear.  Saint Paul Miki would have been Japan’s very first priest.

Among his final words, Saint Paul Miki said, “Having arrived at this moment of my existence, I believe that no one of you thinks I want to hide the truth. That is why I declare to you that since this way teaches me to forgive my enemies and all who have offended me, I willingly forgive the king and all those who have desired my death. And I pray that they will obtain the desire of Christian baptism.”

His life shows us that true martyrdom is not found in the finality of death itself, but rather testimony to Jesus Christ.  Martyrdom is about profound transformation and witness as opposed to simply dying for a cause.  It is justice that creates the martyr, not suffering.  The sanctification of the land through the blood of the martyrs is simply the fruit of that justice.

Saint Paul Miki embodied the endurance of persecution and torture.  In the process, he encouraged others, he proclaimed his faith, he invited his persecutors to embrace Christianity, and he expressed profound love.  His deep connection with Christ was on full display until he drew his last breath.  

Only through transforming union with Jesus Christ can someone express true joy in persecution, peace in times of trouble, and love for those who harm them.  

As Saint Maximillian Kolbe, who would later build a mission in Nagasaki, said, “Let us not forget that Jesus not only suffered, but also rose in glory; so, too, we go to the glory of the Resurrection by way of suffering and the Cross”.

That is the power of the paschal mystery…the paschal mystery we celebrate and participate in every time we come to Mass.  The very same transformation Saint Paul Miki underwent and that enabled him to become a martyr for Christ, is the same transformation we are invited to through the Mass and the sacramental life of the Catholic Church.

Today, through the Mass, we go to the resurrection by the way of the suffering and the Cross of Jesus Christ.  Allow the Blood of the Lamb to transform you today.  Allow the Blood of the Lamb to fill you with holy justice and a zeal to witness through missionary discipleship.  For we too are called to declare that there is no other way of salvation than the one followed by Christians.

Remember always that those who sow in tears, shall reap rejoicing.

Thanks be to God!

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Capital Sins: Friday of the Third Week of Ordinary Time (2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17; Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6a, 6bcd-7, 10-11; Mark 4:26-34)

Our first reading gives us an opportunity to reflect on the seven capital sins.  

The capital sins are pride, avarice, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth. They are called "capital" because they form the basis for other (often more serious) sins, as we see in our first reading.

Capital sins not only can lead to more serious sins, but they often become mortal sins over time in their own right. That being said, generally speaking, capital sins begin as simple imperfections.

We need to reflect on how the capital sins, no matter how insignificantly they may seem to manifest themselves in our lives, have come to hinder our true freedom in Christ and hinder the full movement of grace in our lives.

Let’s take a look at how the capital sins were manifest in the life of David.

Sloth is often defined as laziness or apathy toward responsibilities.  We often think of that as a physical laziness, but it can also mean spiritual apathy; including a neglect of our vocation.  

David was neglectful of his vocation.  Our reading begins with David sending his army out to fight the Ammonites.  A king faithful to his vocation would have been with his men.  Instead, David chose to stay in Jerusalem.  A decision that created a void of purpose that left him vulnerable to temptation.

Lust is the excessive craving for sexual pleasure.  This one is probably pretty obvious.  He saw Bathsheba bathing from his rooftop and pursued her, which of course led to adultery.

Avarice, or greed, is often thought of as obsessive desire for material wealth.  But, it is not limited to material wealth.  

Despite the multiple wives and concubines David had, he wanted the one thing that was Uriah’s.  He wanted Uriah’s wife.  He stole the poor man’s “beloved ewe lamb”, as Nathan would put it in the rebuke that you will likely hear tomorrow.

Pride is excessive self-importance or arrogance.  David thought he could take what he wanted without regard to anyone else.  Then, he made himself the author of life and death in his attempt to manipulate the situation.  He thought he was above the very laws he had the responsibility to uphold as king.

Envy is seen as jealousy over the traits or possessions of others.  Certainly envy was involved in David’s drive to pursue Bathsheba.  

However, I think there is another thread worth discussing.  As David was trying to trick Uriah, the righteousness and honor of Uriah prevented him from going home to Bathsheba…a level of righteousness and honor that David probably realized he was lacking in the moment.  This likely stoked a resentment in David that ultimately led to the murder of Uriah.

Wrath is intense or uncontrolled anger.  While we do not see this intensity in how the situation is described in our reading, we still get a feel for how cold and calculating David was toward his plan to have Uriah murdered.  Further, consider his indifference toward all the other men that died alongside Uriah, another symptom of his wrath.  Ultimately, it was a total disregard for the sanctity of human life in order to satisfy his own desires.

Finally, gluttony, which is an overindulgence in food, drink, or consumption.  In this case, gluttony is used as a weapon.  David uses excessive food and wine in an attempt to break the will and resolve of Uriah.

The story of David reminds us that the seven capital sins are part of human nature.  Each of us experiences capital sins as part of our lived experience.

Between now and Ash Wednesday, the invitation is to reflect on how each of the capital sins are present in your life.  What are some of the things in your life that you can give up that would help you resist the capital sins going forward?  At the same time, what virtuous acts can you put into regular practice to counteract the effects of capital sins in your life?

These are our invitations as we prepare our hearts for the season of Lent.  This is how we grow in our conformity to Christ.  This is how we enable the seeds of faith to grow in our life that they may yield fruit for the harvest.

In solidarity with David, let us pray: “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”

Thanks be to God!

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