Rejoice! The Lord is Near!: Third Sunday of Advent (ZEP 3:14-18A; IS 12:2-3, 4, 5-6; PHIL 4:4-7; LK 3:10-18)

I want to wish each of you a joyful Gaudete Sunday.  Not only is this one of the two days of the year where we get to make the color rose look really cool, but this is the day that the Church seems to shift gears during the Advent season as we get closer to the highly anticipated Christmas feast.

The word gaudete is Latin for joy.  This is the day where we are reminded to be joyful that the “the Lord is near” and that in the midst of the hustle, bustle, and sometimes outright struggles of this time of year, we are to “rejoice in the Lord always”.

Now we can look forward to Christmas, as we are reminded that Christmas itself is a Eucharistic feast, with the Eucharist as the primary and ultimate Christmas gift.

Now we can look forward to Christmas with great joy and exultation knowing the Great and Holy One of Israel is truly with us in a very real and substantial way through the Eucharist.  The Eucharist is the gift that is initially given to us at Christmas.

As Cardinal Ratzinger put it: “The Mass is the means by which earthly time is inserted into the time of Jesus Christ and brought into its present.”  Theologically, we call this anamnesis.  But, we can simply think of it as participating in the eternal now, which is something we do at every Mass.

Jesus Christ, who is omnipresent to all of time from the eternal now, is present to us through the Eucharist while at the same time present to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph at the moment of His birth. The same Jesus Christ omnipresent across time and space.

The same Jesus Christ, who is to be born of the Virgin Mary, is the same Jesus Christ given to us when we receive Him in the Eucharist under the veil of bread and wine.

Jesus Christ is to be born in the town of Bethlehem, which in Hebrew literally means “house of bread”.  Saint Bede said, “The place He is born is rightly called ‘The House of Bread’ because He comes down from heaven to earth to give us the food of heavenly life and to satisfy us with eternal sweetness.”

At every Mass, we mystically participate in the events of Bethlehem, a place where heaven truly touches earth.  Just as Jesus told us in the Gospel of John, “I am the living bread that comes down from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:51).

In Arabic, the name of Bethlehem literally means “house of meat”.  This should remind us that the Eucharist is not a mere symbol.  The Eucharist is truly the very body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.  As Jesus emphasized in the Gospel of John, “For my flesh is true meat, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him” (Jn 6:55-56).

Once Jesus is born on Christmas day, He will be laid in a manger.  Unfortunately, many of us have come to adopt a romanticized image of the Christmas manger.  But, we must always remember that we are really talking about a feeding trough for animals.  We’re in a farming community here.  I think we all know how pleasant animal feeding troughs can actually be.

The reality of the animal feeding trough is the authentic Christmas imagery that frames the message of Jesus in the Gospel of John when He declares, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”

The early Church fathers were quick to compare the manger of Bethlehem to the altar at Mass.  Saint John Chrysostom, for example, said, “You no longer see him in the manger but rather on the altar; you do not see a woman holding him in her arms, but rather the priest.  The priest who is standing with the Holy Spirit who flies with great liberality over the offerings placed on the altar”.

But, the reality of all of this lies in the word “manger” itself.  The word “manger” simply means “to eat”. But, the context isn’t ”to eat” in the sense we might picture a civilized person eating.  But rather, the word “manger”  is far more bestial in nature.  In fact, the Gospel of John, which was originally written in Greek, uses the Greek word “trogo” for the verb “to eat”.  The word “trogo” is a decidedly more gruesome term that literally means “to chew on” or “to gnaw on,” similar to when an animal is ripping apart its prey.

Now that is savage!  But, that is the savage reality of how Jesus comes to us at Christmas.  The reality is that the nativity is just as savage and brutal as the crucifixion itself.  And that should be a shocking thought.  But the shocking truth is that the nativity, the crucifixion, and the Mass are all intimately interconnected through the Eucharist.

We’re told that when Jesus is born, He will be wrapped in swaddling cloths.  This is an important detail.  The shepherds from the Christmas story are not normal shepherds.  They are Levitical shepherds associated with the Temple.  It was their job to raise the lambs to be used in the Temple sacrifices.  All sacrificial lambs were required by Covenant Law to remain unblemished.  These shepherds would swaddle the lambs to ensure they remained worthy of sacrifice.  

The shepherds would have most certainly realized that upon seeing Jesus in swaddling cloths that He was born for a specific sacrifice.  They would have known that He was born to be sacrificed for the salvation of the world.

This is the sacrifice that we, as Catholics, are privileged to substantially participate in at every Mass. 

 
Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, born in the House of Bread, is truly the Great and Holy One of Israel.  Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, born in the House of Meat, is truly the savior of the world and truly the Eucharist we consume at every single Mass.

Of course the shepherds learned of the birth of Christ from angels on high.  The heavenly choir chanting most beautifully, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people of good will” (Luke 2:15).  Brothers and sisters, it is our unique and extreme privilege as Catholics that when we worship God in the Mass, we are worshiping alongside that very same choir of angels.  All throughout the Mass, but particularly when we sing “Glory to God in the Highest” and when we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy,” we do so in unison with the angelic realm.

Every Christmas, in fact, every single time we go to Mass, we mystically experience Bethlehem.  Just as John the Baptist pointed the world to the coming savior, so too does Gaudete Sunday point to this reality and in doing so reminds us that "The Lord is near".  

With the angels, let us cry out with joy and gladness: for among us (through, with, and in the Eucharist) is the Great and Holy One of Israel.  Let us truly be glad and exult with all our hearts that we, as Catholics, get to truly receive the full body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ every single time we receive the Eucharist.  

Brothers and sisters, look forward now with great expectation for the primary and ultimate Christmas gift that God has for you….His only begotten Son in the Eucharist!   

Thanks be to God!

The Light of Lucy: Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (IS 48:17-19; PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; MT 11:16-19)

The saint we are celebrating today, Saint Lucy, is another hero of the early Church, and a saint that it seems we have more legends for than actual history.  

While the lines between history and legend can sometimes blur, it is important to remember that Saint Lucy dedicated her life to Christ and to serving others.  She can be a true patron of how to carry the light of Christ to those living in darkness.

Saint Lucy lived in the third century.  She was a young woman from a family of wealth and influence in Syracuse, Sicily.  As a devout Christian, she consecrated her life to Jesus Christ at a very young age.  In doing so, she refused to marry the pagan man chosen for her by her family. I’m sure her family was frustrated by her proposal to donate her dowry to the needy. 

Lucy is known for feeding bread to the poor and the homebound.  She would even risk her life to deliver bread to the Christians hiding in the catacombs.

In order to avoid capture by the authorities, she would often deliver the bread under the cover of the night.  In doing so, she wore a crown of candles to light her way.

This legend sparked traditions in a number of European cultures.  In these cultures, a young girl is chosen to represent Saint Lucy in order to bear light and serve sweet bread on this feast day. The girl is dressed in white with a red sash and she wears a crown of candles on her head. In some places, crowds of candle-crowned girls lead public processions.  In other places, it is more of a family affair, where a daughter will dress as Saint Lucy and carry trays of coffee and sweet bread up to their parents' bedroom at dawn.

You may wonder what happened to this hero of faith and charity that would come to be celebrated in so many cultures.

In the third century, it was still illegal to be a Christian. The pagan man she refused to marry became increasingly jealous of and angry over her devotion to Christ.  Eventually, he reported her to the authorities.

First, they attempted to abduct her in order to place her in a house of prostitution, but God would not allow them to physically move her.  Next, they attempted to burn her, but God once again intervened for her protection.  

Then, the eyes of Saint Lucy were gouged out.  In some versions of the story, Saint Lucy did this to herself to spite the pagan man that wanted to marry her (evidently he was quite smitten with her eyes).  This is why Saint Lucy is often depicted in art carrying a platter with two eyeballs on it and why she is considered the patron saint of the blind.

Regardless of whether she removed her own eyes or her persecutors did it for her, God miraculously provided her with new eyes.

Ultimately, the life of Saint Lucy came to an end with a dagger to her throat.

Saint Lucy is another quintessential Advent saint in that she has come to be seen as a bearer of Christ’s light during the darkness of winter from her feast day until His birth at Christmas.  I find that extremely providential given the proximity of her feast day to Guadete Sunday.  So, let’s be joyful that we have an opportunity to imitate her devotion to Christ and to bring light to those in darkness, bringing those in darkness to the true bread of the Eucharist.  For indeed, those who follow the Lord in the Sacramental life of His Church will have the light of life.

Thanks be to God!

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Lady Clothed with the Sun: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (REV 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB; JUDITH 13:18BCDE, 19; LK 1:26-38)

The Church is careful to not assign specific meaning to much of the imagery contained in the Book of Revelation.  However, I believe there is ample evidence to suggest the lady clothed with the Sun in Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation is none other than Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast day we celebrate today.

Revelation says our Lady is clothed with the Sun.  While Mary is not literally clothed in the Sun, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe certainly seems to have a bright light around her.  It is as though the Sun is directly behind her in the background of where she was standing, which makes sense considering the apparition occured at dawn.  The light of the rising Sun shining all around her, appearing to radiate from her clothing.

The Aztec people would have associated this light with their greatest god, their sun-god.  From their perspective, Our Lady is eclipsing their sun-god…potentially a sign to drop their pagan devotions and worship the true God.

Seemingly to support that sign to drop pagan devotion, the crescent moon in the  Our Lady of Guadalupe image symbolizes another Aztec god, their moon-god.  The Aztecs would have clearly seen Our Lady crushing this god.

Revelation says our Lady is crowned with stars.  On the mantle Our Lady wears in the image of Guadalupe we can clearly see a pattern of stars.  It just happens that this pattern of stars is an exact match to the arrangement of the constellations in the sky over Mexico on the morning of December 12th, 1531.   There is a constellation called Corona Borealis, or northern crown.  This constellation is depicted on the mantle of Mary, right at the crown of her head.  Our Lady of Guadalupe is indeed crowned with stars.

Revelation says the woman is with child.  The black sash worn by Our Lady of Guadalupe is an Aztec symbol that the woman is pregnant.  

Further, if the mantle of Our Lady was fully closed and the star constellation pattern continuing through the full mantle, the star Regulus, which means “little king”, would have fallen directly over the womb of Our Lady.  And, the constellation Virgo the Virgin would have fallen directly over her heart.

Since the image does not have a closed mantle, we can clearly see the spot over the womb.  In this spot we see the symbol for a Jasmine flower, which to the Aztecs indicates both life and God.  The Aztecs would have most certainly interpreted this that she is with a child that is God.

The Aztecs would have also recognized Our Lady of Guadalupe as a virgin since she wears her hair loose beneath her mantle. Virgins in the Aztec culture wore their hair loose.
 
The references to heads, diadems, and horns in the Book of Revelation are often thought to be images of secular or political power.  There is evidence that the success of the Protestant reformation had more to do with secular leaders seeking more power than it did with religious piety.  

Many dukes chose the Reformation as a way to gain power over the Holy Roman Emperor, and there were some bishops who left the Catholic faith in an attempt to convert their ecclesial bishopric to a secular duchy.  

I have never been able to substantiate these numbers, but I have seen an estimate where five million souls were swept away from the Church during the initial stages of the Protestant reformation, impacting the political alignment of roughly one-third of European land.  An interesting potential correlation to the imagery in Revelation concerning a third of the stars.

In turn, Our Lady of Guadalupe brought nine million souls into the Church.  

Regardless, the timing of the Protestant Reformation and the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe within the context of the imagery from Revelation can hardly be ignored.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appears to Juan Diego in order to herald in the child destined to rule all nations with an iron rod.  She came to the Aztecs with a message of love and motherly care, introducing them to the Savior that could free them from the dragon they feared.  

Since the Protestant Reformation and the subsequent French Revolution, the dragon has continued its war against the children of the Lady of Revelation, to continue to sweep them into the abyss of human secularism and moral relativism. We must now be heralds of this new evangelization, carrying Our Lady’s beautiful image and message of love far and wide to every aspect of our lives.  To boldly proclaim to the Masses: Now have salvation and power come (through the Eucharist), and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed (exercised through His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church).

Thanks be to God.

The Advent Challenge: Friday of the First Week of Advent (IS 29:17-24; PS 27:1, 4, 13-14; MT 9:27-31)

Even though it is “just” a minor memorial on the official Roman Liturgical Calendar, I can’t help but reflect on Saint Nicholas today.  Part of the reason comes down to the last sentence of our first reading brought the jolly ole fellow to mind.  The last sentence refers to “those who err in spirit”, “acquiring understanding”, and “receiving instruction”.

It was at the First Council of Nicaea where, among other things, the heresy of Arianism was discussed.   Some estimates suggest 90% of Christians at the time the Council was convened had fallen for the Arian heresy.

A priest named Arius, was at the Council of Nicaea to defend his teaching against the Church.  Arius taught that God the Son was neither coeternal with the Father nor equal to the Father; essentially denying the divinity of Jesus Christ.

But Nicholas (the Bishop of Myra) couldn’t bear the claims of Arius. According to the legends at least, Nicholas stood up, walked over to Arius, and began to speak to him and over him.  But, Arius would not yield. In fact, Arius raised his voice all the more in defiance to the good bishop. In response, Nicholas raised his hand and slapped Arius.  

Shortly thereafter, the Nicene Creed was authored to infallibly declare the Son is consubstantial with the Father.  Meaning that, among other things, this means the Son truly is coeternal with the Father and equal to the Father in every way.  Thus, debunking the heresy of Arianism.

If you have ever felt like slapping a heretic, happy feast day to you.

But, in all seriousness, the focus of our readings is of course on the theme of Advent.  The readings describe the restoration and renewal of the coming Kingdom of God.  A Kingdom where darkness is conquered by hope, peace, joy, and love. The readings encourage us to spiritually enter into that sense of waiting…..waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ to enlighten the dark areas in our lives and the world around us.

I believe Saint Nicholas is one of those saints that in a special way encapsulate this Advent spirit.  He was a man known to bring hope to those in despair, peace to those troubled, joy to those in sorrow, and love to those who felt alone.  He was a man that stood for mercy and justice.  He was a man who was the light of Christ to those in darkness, leading them into the Sacramental life of the Church, which of course is the Kingdom of God.

The most famous story about Saint Nicholas involves the help he provided to a poor man with three daughters. The man was so poor that he couldn't afford a dowry for any one of his daughters.  In those days, that meant the daughters would have remained unmarried and most likely forced into prostitution. 

Nicholas interceded.  He secretly donated three purses of gold, one for each of the three daughters. In some versions of the story, he dropped the purses down the chimney, where of course they landed in the stockings of the daughters.

Perhaps that is our spiritual invitation for this Advent season.  An invitation to be a Saint Nicholas in a world that seems to only know Santa Claus.  To be a visible contrast of charity over (among other things) consumerism and individualism.  To search out those in our lives that are living in the darkness of a world without Christ.  A darkness void of hope, void of peace, void of joy, and void of love.  To empathize with them, to walk with them, and to be the light of Christ for them.  To show them how the Lord is the light and salvation of your life.  To show them what true reverence for the Holy One of Jacob looks like.  And, to help them experience the true awe of the God of Israel; particularly through, with, and in the Eucharist.  

To many of us, this can seem like a daunting, if not impossible Advent challenge.  Be not afraid.  It will be done according to our faith.

Thanks be to God.

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The Ultimate Fulfillment of All Things: Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (RV 20:1-4, 11—21:2; PS 84:3, 4, 5-6A AND 8A; LK 21:29-33)

Our readings today are meant to prepare us for the ultimate fulfillment of all things.  Our Blessed Lord’s establishment of the Eschaton in a perfect way.  The word Eschaton simply means the last things.  In the context of our readings, the Eschaton represents the approach of the end of the world; the resurrection of the body; the general judgment; and the final consummation of all things.

As it says in the Catechism, “Then through his Son Jesus Christ, God will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways which His Providence led everything towards its final end.”

While Catholics and non-Catholics would likely agree with everything I have said up to this point, the details of the Eschaton (or the Apocalypse, as it is commonly referred to in Protestant and Evangelical circles) have been the topic of heated debate and the fodder for heresy.  Sometimes, well intentioned Catholics fall for the bad theology of the Apocalypse.  

That is certainly part of my story.  I grew up in a Catholic family, but my extended family were primarily non-Catholic Christians.  I attended their Vacation Bible Schools.  I would often hear them say things through the lens of their Protestant theology.  I remember watching Billy Graham from time to time, and listening to more than one compelling sermon on the Evangelical understanding of the end of the world, particularly one concept that is known as Millenarianism.

The reading from Revelation is the Scripture that is often taken out of context to support the concept of Millenarianism.  Millenarianism is the belief that a Messianic Age will be established on Earth before the Last Judgment; meaning that Jesus will return in the flesh to earth and reign for a literal thousand years before the end of time.  The Catholic Church condemned this heresy in 1944.

For me, the sensational depiction of the Book of Revelation through the lens of this Millenarianism heresy created an unfounded fear within me of the Apocalypse as opposed to a more Catholic approach, namely a loving yearning toward the Eschaton. 

We should realize that the details of the Eschaton are largely a mystery.  Due to the level of mystery, the Church has been very careful to provide definitive interpretations of the Book of Revelation.  Given that, what should we, as pious Catholics, do with this subject?

First, learn my lesson.  Stay away from non-Catholic sources, especially those that claim to have it all figured out.  They don’t…trust me.  Been there, done that.  I have also learned we need to be discerning of some “Catholic” sources.  Again, if they claim to have it all figured out, they don’t.

But, more importantly, we must always endeavor to look at things through the sacramental worldview as opposed to the secular worldview.  Interpreting today’s readings through the secular worldview will almost certainly lead you to conclusions in the vein of raptures, tribulations, marks of the beast, and other apocalyptic symbols.

Instead, embrace the Sacramental worldview, which is really what the Book of Revelation is all about.  The Wedding Feast of the Lamb is the prevalent topic throughout the Book of Revelation, and that should be the primary focus for its interpretation.

Unfortunately, non-Catholics don’t have the Mass.  All they can do is interpret Revelation through the lens they have, which, sadly, is the secular worldview.  Catholics have been given something much greater, the Eucharist.  Christ already reigns on Earth through the Church and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.  The Catholic Church is that holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride.  Through the Eucharist, we come to life in its fullest sense.  Through the Church we reign with Christ as we allow Christ to reign over every aspect of our lives.  

As our first pope, Peter, told us in Scripture, “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.”  In the Sacramental worldview, today is our thousand years.  Today is our day to witness to Jesus and for the word of God.  We do this with faith.  We do this with faith that through the Mass, we are already participating in the day that non-Catholics can only speculate about.  We do this with faith that through the Mass, the Eschaton (the ultimate fulfillment of all things) is already being made manifest in our midst.  We do this with faith that God is here and lives among his people.

Thanks be to God.

The Joy of Cecilia: Readings for the Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (HOS 2:16bc, 17cd, 21-22; PS 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17; MATT 25:1-13)

If I may be granted a small indulgence this morning, I pray everyone with a devotion to Saint Cecilia, including my daughter Samantha, will have a joyful and holy feast day.

My faith journey, the awakening of the seeds of Confirmation in my life, in a way, intersected with my daughter’s preparation for Confirmation.  When I learned she selected Saint Cecilia to be her Confirmation saint, I took the opportunity to learn more about the virgin and martyr that absolutely captured the heart of the early Church.  For all intents and purposes, Saint Cecilia was very likely the first saint I became acquainted with in my spiritual journey.

It made sense to me that Samantha, being a very fine musician in her own right, would choose the “Patron Saint of Musicians” to be her Confirmation saint.   Though, I have to admit, I was a bit unprepared to learn the depth of what is behind the title “Patron Saint of Musicians”.

I learned that Saint Cecilia, who had taken a vow of consecration to our Blessed Lord, was known for hearing heavenly music in her heart at a time when she was forced into marriage with a pagan nobleman.  She sang to God in her heart throughout the wedding ceremony.  On the night of her wedding, an angel appeared at her side to protect her virtue and to crown her with a chaplet made of roses and lilies.  

Picture that for a moment.  Can you imagine this level of trust in God’s providence?  Can you imagine this level of trust in God’s protection?  Both of these attributes were on display throughout the life of Saint Cecilia, which truly struck me.

Saint Cecilia lived in a time when true faith in God’s providence and protection was vital to the daily life of a Christian.  She lived in a time marked by war, border incursions, violent riots and rebellion, political instability, economic disruption, trade issues, and currency debasement (which generally occurs when the government artificially creates more money).  I am sure none of that sounds familiar to any of us.  

She lived at a time before Christianity was legalized.  Public displays of faith oftentimes led directly to martyrdom.  At the risk of her own life, she introduced hundreds to Jesus Christ, converting them to the Catholic faith, leading them to be baptized, and accompanying them into the sacramental life of the Church.  Included in those she converted was her husband and his brother, both of whom would later die as martyrs.  

Saint Cecilia cheerfully embraced martyrdom around the year 230.  Her martyrdom came in a fashion that only the “Patron Saint of Musicians” could.  Her martyrdom was exceptionally brutal. She was sentenced to be suffocated in the balnea of her house.  You can think of a balnea as being somewhat similar to a modern-day sauna.  

Saint Cecilia was shut in the balnea for a full day and night with the furnace fed seven times its normal amount of fuel.  During that time, she did not even break a sweat. She was then condemned to be decapitated.  After three blows with the sword, Saint Cecilia was still alive.  She was left to bleed to death on the floor of the balnea.  She finally passed on the third day, but not before converting dozens more as many came to listen to her sing and collect her blood.

In the 9th century, Pope Paschal I had a vision where he saw Saint Cecilia.  She exhorted him to search for her body.  With the information from the vision, Saint Cecilia’s incorrupt body was found in the Catacombs of Saint Callisto, very near to the papal crypt.  She was the first incorrupt saint identified by the Church, an enduring sign of the providence and fidelity of God in all situations.

Her house is now the site of the Basilica of Saint Cecilia in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome.  Inside the Basilica is her crypt, containing her incorrupt body; along with the remains of the balnea, the site of her martyrdom.   

As we continue to trudge the road of happy destiny, a road full of turbulent political, economic, and social pressures, let us always remember the eternal joy of Saint Cecilia.  A joy that can only come with being in complete harmony with our Blessed Lord.  A joy that comes through trust that the Lord is with us in our suffering and protects us at our darkest hour.  A joy that comes when we truly meet Saint Cecilia and the bridegroom through the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Thanks be to God.

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Remember the Wife of Lot: Friday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time (2 JN 4-9; PS 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18; LK 17:26-37)

Today’s reading gives us an invitation to reflect on the wife of Lot.  In the story of Genesis, two angels appeared to Lot to warn him of the upcoming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  They warned him to flee with his wife and two daughters in order to be saved from the coming destruction.

As Lot and his family escaped destruction, following the narrow path of salvation, if you will, his wife chose to look back.  She looked back to the life she was leaving behind.  She looked back to all the material goods and carnal pleasures she was asked to leave behind in order to be saved.

The consequence of this action is that she was turned into a pillar of salt.  Even though, by every indication in Scripture, she was considered a follower of God, at the moment she was put to the test, it seems she put those things for which she looked back, before God.  

The parallels of Sodom and Gomorrah to the state of the world today cannot be ignored.  We’re continually attacked by human secularism, moral relativism, a flood of other isms that deny the Truth of Jesus Christ.   The Truth the sets us free.   The Truth that offers an escape from the destruction of the secular world.

As we walk the narrow path of salvation through the sacramental life of the Church, we must diligently detach ourselves from those things that are impediments to our relationship with God.

I am not talking about mortal sin, though we certainly need to identify those, repent of them and receive absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Think of it this way, mortal sin removes us from the narrow path of salvation and places us on the broad road to destruction.  Praise Jesus that the Sacrament of Reconciliation returns us to the narrow path.

Even on the narrow path, we need to be mindful of the fate of Lot’s wife.  We need to identify those things in our lives that hinder true freedom in Christ and hinder the full movement of grace in our life.

Father John A. Hardon, S.J. defines an attachment as follows: “Emotional dependence either of one person on another, or of a person on some real or illusory object …the first condition for progress in sanctity is some mastery over one’s attachments.”

It seems pretty clear in Scripture that Lot’s wife had an emotional dependence on things that God was asking her to leave behind in order to her saved from the destruction…things she needed to leave behind in order to continue to progress in sanctity.  Instead of looking forward to the fulfillment of all her desires that can only be found in God, it seems she could only look back to what she thought she was losing…it seems she could only look back to those things that she thought were the source of her happiness.

So, what are those things in our lives?

The following questions may help us better understand those attachments in our lives that may be preventing us from having the deepest relationship possible with the Lord:

• Am I using created things in excess of my real needs? 

• Do I use things for the purpose for which they were intended? 

• Do I make persons or things ends in themselves rather than as means to a good? 

• We all have coping mechanisms to deal with life.  Are my coping mechanisms based on spiritual realities, or do I rely solely on material things?

An honest and regular reflection of these questions can help us identify attachments and surrender them to the Lord.  This will lead to greater freedom in Christ, greater activation of the charisms we have received from the Holy Spirit, and continued sanctification by ensuring we heed the lesson of the wife of Lot.  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

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Urging out of Love: Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time (PHMN 7-20; PS 146:7, 8-9A, 9BC-10; LK 17:20-25)

Jesus, enthroned in Heaven, doesn’t suffer.  But, He does suffer through us.  I think that can be a comforting thought to keep in mind as we suffer through the wake of this last election cycle and the emotions we may feel as a result of some of the outcomes.

On the one hand, we can be grateful that the Pope’s call to vote for the lesser of two evils was answered.  As Catholics, we have to call a spade a spade and understand that the Trump administration will be supportive of two intrinsic evils, evils that must be resisted by Catholics in good faith.  However, those two intrinsic evils are certainly outweighed by the more than six intrinsic evils that would have been further propagated to the most aggressive extent possible under a Harris administration.

On the other hand, the state of Missouri now has two amendments to the constitution that violate human dignity.  Amendment 2 takes advantage of the weaknesses of human nature for material profit, and of course Amendment 3 reverses the abortion ban and opens the pandora’s box of a whole slew of intrinsic evils under the guise of reproductive health care.

At the national, state, and local levels, there will be much suffering of the children of God, and Jesus will suffer through them.

I’ll just echo the following statement from the Missouri Bishops:

We are saddened that Missouri voters chose not to safeguard vulnerable women and children by voting for Amendment 3. However, this result is not the end of our work. The Catholic Church in Missouri will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the dignity of all human life, protect the vulnerable, and provide support for those in need.

We reaffirm our commitment to walking with mothers and fathers facing unforeseen pregnancies, along with parents facing hardship in their pregnancies. For those women and men who have been wounded by abortion, the Church will continue to provide true hope and healing.

We are grateful to the Catholic faithful, clergy, and all people of good will who worked tirelessly during this campaign to uphold the dignity of life and defend our state’s most vulnerable. They, along with us, remain committed to uphold and proclaim the inherent dignity of all. Let us continue to pray and work for a greater recognition of the gift of each and every human life in our society.

Signed Most Reverend, Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski.

This is the time to truly accept that God permits evil in our lives in order to bring a greater good out of it.  This is the time to truly embrace our identity in Christ, the identity of Christ who suffers through us.  This is the time to forget our regrets over the election, perhaps our demand for justice, and any resentment towards the enemy.   This is the time to truly be an instrument of love and reconciliation to the world.  Ultimately, love and reconciliation is the only way we will ever convert others to the Truth of Jesus Christ.  I urge you to embrace the mission of evangelization with love.

Perhaps those times Jesus spoke about have finally come…the days where we truly long to see one of the days of the Son of Man.  It maybe hard to see at this point, but with faith, we know the Lord will reign forever.

Thanks be to God.