The Holy Family Is Not Plastic

Sunday's readings can be found here.

When we look at the crèche, it is easy to think that the life of the Holy Family was plastic — almost like the material out of which the little figures are made.  Of course, we know the story of how Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem; we know that St. Joseph had to take Our Lady and the Child Jesus to Egypt to flee the “Massacre of the Innocents” (the gospel reading this Sunday); we know that their lives were not easy.  However, it is still difficult to imagine them as human beings.  Yes, they lived in perfection and without sin, but that did not mean they did not laugh or have “bad days” or play together as a family.

I believe there are several reasons the Church celebrates this feast so near the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord.  One reason is to remind us that the Holy Family was not angelic; they were, in fact, humans.  In the fifth joyful mystery of the holy rosary (Luke 2:41-52), the Holy Family goes on their yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Notice: St. Joseph is not like a lazy dad who stays at home watching football and drinking beer while the wife and kids go to church.  He accompanies them to worship and to offer sacrifice.  Eventually, Jesus gets lost in the massive amount of crowds.  Does this mean Mary is a terrible mother or Joseph is a terrible [foster] father?  No.  But it means they were human, and things like this happen to human families — even to holy human families.

Jesus goes to the Temple to converse with the doctors about the Law and Prophets — and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers (Luke 2:47).  (This is a reminder to elders that just because a person is young does not mean that that person has nothing meaningful to say.)  When Our Lady finds the Child Jesus, He explains that He must be in His Father’s house.  Nevertheless, He goes with Our Lady and St. Joseph and is obedient to them.  And Our Lady ponders all these things in her Immaculate Heart (Luke 2:51).

This feast helps us see the Holy Family as a model for our family life.  Yes, they were perfect in their obedience to God’s will, but they had problems and difficulties like we have.  Priests hear so many confessions of people who struggle with family problems and hurt [and are hurt by] the ones they love.  The people we love the most can sometimes be the ones hardest to live with!  And yet, the Holy Family shows us that when we strive for mutual respect and obedience, we can achieve virtue and allow the Holy Family to perfect our own fallen family.  Let us imitate Jesus, Mary and Joseph in our desire for a holy family – a family of saints – and always ponder – like the Blessed Virgin – the life of Jesus in our hearts.

"Christ" + "Mass" = Christmas

When I was a senior in high school, I remember being asked by a Mormon friend about the roots of the word “Christmas.”  He asked me if it was a Catholic word that means “Christ Mass.”  He was actually right.  The word “Christmas” that we use to describe the mystery of this season is indeed a Catholic word with Catholic roots.  When you attend Mass on Christmas Eve, Midnight, or Christmas Day, you are worshipping God in “Christ’s Mass.”  Of course, every Mass is a “Christ Mass” where Jesus is physically and spiritually present.  However, the sacred liturgy mystically transports us through the Mass to His nativity in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.

The word “Christmas” is not joyful to everyone, though.  In an excessively politically correct society, “Christmas” can be a bad word — so much so that businesses, department stores, and other advertisements avoid using it.  Instead, they say “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” to avoid offending atheists, and yet these companies earn a major profit from an essentially Christian holiday.  I was watching an atheist leader on TV the other day who said that he was tired of being forced to swallow Christian religion during December.  He also said that there are many so-called Christians who are really atheists inside and are forced to go to church on Christmas.  Hopefully none of you are forced to go to Mass!  (Except little brats, grumpy teenagers, and Protestant husbands – they need to be forced to go to Mass ;-).  Hopefully we all participate in Mass this time of year to rejoice that we have a Savior who became one of us.

So, what does Christmas – the Nativity of Our Lord – have to do with us today?  As 2013 comes to a close and we look forward to 2014, we are mindful that the world is getting more hostile towards Christ because the world is getting more hostile towards Christians.  It is not the first time and it is not the last time that this will happen.  We are reminded by the gospel that even Joseph and Mary were not welcomed in Bethlehem.  Like St. Joseph and Our Lady, we are called to bring Christ into the world, but we will not always be greeted warmly.  Many doors were shut in their faces, but God’s will is never prevented by human cruelty.  Even though a manger with animals is a pretty lame place to have a baby, God was not above being born there.  And when we have to accept sacrifices to live our Catholic faith, we will never be without the love and support of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

This Christmas, we have the opportunity to think about if we are shutting the door of our hearts to Christ.  If I have been away from the Church, have I closed the door to come back?  If I practice my Catholic faith, am I content with my sins or am I trying with God’s grace to overcome them?  If I am a non-Catholic, have I considered joining Catholic Church?  Wherever we are in “holding the door open” of our hearts, we ask that the Child Jesus help us to welcome Him inside.  Come let us adore Him.

Our Lady of Guadalupe's Significance for Today

For historical account of the apparition, please go here. 

In the history of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, out of all her apparitions (e.g., at Lourdes or at Fatima), there has been only one apparition in which our Lady left us a miraculous image of herself — and that is at Tepeyac in 1531, which later would be called Guadalupe.  Tepeyac is not a place in France (where there has always been deep devotion to Our Lady), nor a city in Italy, nor even in Catholic Spain — but a place in the New World that would eventually be known as Mexico.  You may know that December 12th is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and that she is the patroness of Mexico, but you may not know that she is also patroness of all the Americas and even of the Philippines.  So, a few questions may arise:  Why did the Blessed Virgin appear to the Aztec peoples and not to the Indian tribes in Virginia?  What was the reason for her visit to Mexico?  And why did she choose this occasion to leave us a miraculous image of herself?  It was certainly not for us to worship her (Our Lady always directs us to adore God alone) and it was not just to have a day each year to eat, drink and dance in her honor (although these festivities are good).  There is an ardent purpose for our Lady’s apparition and for leaving us this holy image.

Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego and left a miraculous image of herself – not to bring glory to herself – but to lead the indigenous peoples of that time (and peoples centuries later) to her divine Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, the Savior of the world.  She wanted them to abandon paganism and superstition, and to accept the true religion by embracing Jesus Christ and entering His holy Church through baptism.  In the last few decades, scientists have looked at the holy image  imprinted on the tilma under the microscope to examine it.  The most interesting findings are those objects they have found in her eyes.  When examined using digital imaging, there are several figures that can be seen in the cornea of the Blessed Virgin’s eyes.  You can see the Bishop and his interpreter, a black slave woman, St. Juan Diego, and two other witnesses of the unveiling of the miracle.  However, the scientists found an interesting image in the pupil of the eyes of the Blessed Virgin.  In the center of her eyes is a family: a husband, a wife, and children.  Many believe that, since these images were not visible until modern technology could discover them, our Lady intended us to see them in modern times.  Today, the family is under attack because of the wide acceptance of extra-marital sex, cohabitation, adultery, divorce, and the homosexual lifestyle.  The eyes of the Blessed Virgin show her intention of bringing not just individuals into Jesus Christ, but whole families into the Lord — especially amidst current challenges.

In 1999, Pope [St.] John Paul II named Our Lady of Guadalupe “Protectress of Unborn Children” to combat the the attacks on life.  How fitting that we as Catholics – North Americans and Mexicans – are able to celebrate this feast during Advent as we make room for Christ in our hearts.  Jesus is the “reason for the season,” the end of the miracle at Tepeyac, the One who gives life to roses in winter, the One whom St. Juan Diego loved with all his heart, mind, and soul.  With Our Lady of Guadalupe, we celebrate Jesus Christ who comes to be the center of our lives and to be the center of our families.

Stay Awake!

The day's readings can be found here.

Today begins the Church’s holy season of Advent, a time of delightful and eager waiting.  Many Catholics and other Christians think Advent is just a time of preparation for Christmas, but this is only partly true.  The last seven days of Advent are focused on preparation for the Lord’s first coming as a babe in Bethlehem, but until then, we are preparing ourselves in a special way for the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  Notice the color of vestments: purple.  It is the color of kings’ and queens’ robes in the ancient world.  It indicates that we wait patiently for Christ the King of kings, who rules all creation.  It is also the color of a night sky (indicative by the shortness of days this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere).  Notice the increased sobriety of the musical selections during Mass and the bareness of the sanctuary (no flowering plants adorn the altar).  Like Lent, we simplify during this holy time of preparation.

Listen closely to the readings during the Liturgy of the Word (and try not to “zone out”!).  They do not refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Archangel Gabriel, nor to the birth of the Savior.  Rather, they speak of what is to happen during the “end times” and how we should be found when Christ comes in glory.  The prophet Isaiah is speaking of the coming judgment of our God (Isaiah 2:4) and St. Paul is exhorting us to rid ourselves of “works of darkness” (Romans13:12).  We are told by Christ, “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).

So, what does “stay awake” mean?  Jesus gives the example of people  having meals, getting married, men plowing in the field, women grinding at the mill — folks doing normal things, going about their everyday lives (Matthew 24:37-42).  The difference is that some of them are sanctifying their daily lives and some are not.  Therefore, if upon His glorious return Jesus finds us sanctifying our days with prayer and living His commandments, He will judge us worthy of Himself; if not, He will leave us to eternal punishment.  However, He knows how we humans can be.  We get busy with earthly affairs – with our jobs, our classes, our pastoral work, our hobbies and entertainment – and then we do not have time for God.  When we are not making time for the One who gave us life, how can we expect Him to think we love Him and are ready for His glorious return?  Think about it: We show people that we love them by making time for them; so, why would we ever think of cutting out our time with God?  And yet we do it all the time.  As St. Paul says, we have to wake from sleep – the sleep of our own spiritual complacency – and we need to make this time holy!  If you have been “slacking” in prayer, then get back into it.  You may not have another chance!  If you have been “slacking” in your moral life in Christ, make a good confession this Advent.  You may not have another chance!  And most importantly, if you have been giving yourself over to distractions during the Mass, ask for God’s grace to participate fully and actively, and to receive Jesus Christ worthily.  You may not have another chance!

Christ Must Reign

“Viva Cristo Rey!” — “Long live Christ the King!”  These are the words of the Cristero movement during the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico during the 1920s.  These were also the words of the Jesuit priest, Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, as he was executed by firing squad (caught on video!) by the Mexican government during this tumultuous period.  He was among the hundreds of priests, nuns, and laity who were executed on account of their Catholic faith under the Mexican President Calles.

Even though we live in the United States in the 21st Century, we live in very confusing and uncertain times.  The unbelievable lack of transparency – not to mention the hidden abortion agenda – of the Affordable Care Act is only “the icing on the cake.”  However, a definitive beginning of persecution of the Catholic Church (and many other devout Christians) in America began on January 20, 2012 when HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (a supposed “Catholic”) announced the mandate requiring that health plans provide coverage for all contraceptives (sterilizations and abortifacients included) as part of “preventive health services for women.”  This was the first time in the history of our nation that government had attempted to coerce the Catholic Church to comply with a practice that is against her teachings.  Despite a so-called “compromise” in February 2012 and other delays for compliance, the Obama Administration has not relented in ultimately executing this unjust law.  At the end of the USCCB meeting earlier this month, the bishops reiterated the problems with the HHS mandate: “[I]t establishes a false architecture of religious liberty that excludes our ministries and so reduces freedom of religion to freedom of worship; it compels our ministries to participate in providing employees with abortifacient drugs and devices, sterilization, and contraception, which violates our deeply-held beliefs; and it compels our faithful people in business to act against our teachings, failing to provide them any exemption at all.”  Furthermore, this Administration has acted deviously by selecting the most controversial teaching of the Catholic Church – namely, her teaching against artificial contraception – to divide her members and to draw negative public attention.

If this is not enough to convince you of some scary tactics on the part of the government, just look at the media and Hollywood.  Almost always, Christians – particularly Catholics and Evangelicals – are portrayed as either ignorant (primitive people “who cling to their guns and religion”) or as fanatical (people who have irrational, outdated morals and who condemn “women, gays and lesbians”).  This is because the liberal elites who control the mass media and the entertainment industry are banded together with many who are our political leaders.

So what does this have to do with today?  The Solemnity of Christ the King is a reaffirmation that – no matter what happens – Jesus Christ is still Universal King and no one can take His place.  Christ told Pontius Pilate: “My kingdom does not belong to this world” (John 18:36).  Likewise, we who belong to Christ’s Kingdom must not submit to unjust laws.  We as Catholics will fight for our right to conscience in this country, and – as the U.S. bishops have said – we will not back down!  We hope that the persecution of the Catholic Church in the United States never has to go where the persecution went in Mexico in the 1920s, but one thing is sure . . . If it does happen, we better be prepared.  Whatever prevents Christ from reigning in our lives, our families and our nation, we better deal with it with God’s grace and we better do it soon.  Time may be running out.

November: The Month of the Holy Souls

A couple of weeks ago, Pope Francis said that the Church in heaven, the Church on earth, and the Church in purgatory form “one big family.”  While we were reminded on All Saints Day that there are those who already see God face-to-face, All Souls Day reminded us that there are still those who are being purified of their sinfulness and earthly attachments to enter eternal life.  November is known devotionally as the “Month of the Holy Souls” — the month that holy mother Church asks her children to pray for the souls of the faithful departed.  The readings of this month focus on the “Last Things” and gives priests the opportunity to preach and catechize on this subject.  It is also a fine occasion for us to talk about purgatory: that it exists (no, Vatican II did not “do away with it”); what it is; what it is not; and what it means for us in this present life.

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030).  While the word “purgatory” is not mentioned explicitly in the Holy Bible, the Catholic Church did not simply invent this doctrine.  Like the doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation, the concept of purgatory is present in Scripture even though the term [formulated by the Church] is not.  Some implicit references are 2 Macc. 12:43–45; Matt. 12:32; 1 Cor. 3:15; and Rev. 21:27.  Furthermore, graffiti in the catacombs indicates the early Christians were offering prayers for their beloved dead.

One myth about purgatory is that it is a “second chance” for those who did not live good enough in this life.  However, a person is judged immediately at the moment of death.  Those who die in [unrepented] mortal sin go to hell.  Those who die in the perfect state of grace go to heaven.  The problem is that most people do not die in the perfect state of grace.  There may be attachment to sin in the soul or unrepented venial sin on the soul.  God grants the person eternal life through the merits of Jesus Christ (and according to how the person responded to saving grace), but because they need to be purified of “all that is not of God”, God purifies them to make them ready for eternal life.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI taught that “the fire which both burns and saves is Christ himself, the Judge and Saviour. The encounter with him is the decisive act of judgement. Before his gaze all falsehood melts away. This encounter with him, as it burns us, transforms and frees us, allowing us to become truly ourselves. All that we build during our lives can prove to be mere straw, pure bluster, and it collapses. Yet in the pain of this encounter, when the impurity and sickness of our lives become evident to us, there lies salvation. His gaze, the touch of his heart heals us through an undeniably painful transformation 'as through fire'. But it is a blessed pain, in which the holy power of his love sears through us like a flame, enabling us to become totally ourselves and thus totally of God” (Spe Salvi, 47).  We must pray that Christ purifies the souls of our deceased loved ones (and of all souls), not only that they may fully participate in the joy of all the angels and saints, but that we ourselves may receive healing in our loss as we continue on our earthly journey in Christ — the journey to our heavenly homeland.

St. Leo the Great: "Who was he? What made him so great?"

When the Catholic mission of St. Leo the Great was established by the Diocese of Galveston-Houston in 1968, Bishop Nold most likely chose the patron saint Pope Leo I because Centerville was the county seat of Leon County.  The Spanish word “león” is derived from the Latin declension of the name “Leo” as well as the Latin word for “lion.”  However, the connection is unclear of the 5^th century pope to Martín De León (of Texas history) or to the yellow wolf (“león”) of this region.

Leo was born in Tuscany in the early 400s.  He was elected pope in 440 after serving as a deacon in the Roman Church under Pope Celestine I.  Leo’s chief aim, as Successor of St. Peter, was to work for the unity of the Universal Church.  The two heresies called Pelagianism and Manichaeism threatened to tear the Church apart.  Pelagianism taught that Original Sin did not taint human nature and that the human will could choose the good without God’s grace.  Manichaeism, a Gnostic movement that had infiltrated Christianity, held that the human body and material creation was essentially evil (created by the evil god, satan) and that only spiritual creation was good (created by the good God).  These heresies risked diminishing the doctrine of the Incarnation and the need for a divine Savior.

In order to lead Christians to the truth and to protect them from error, Leo wrote (what is called) the “Tome”, which explained the two natures of Jesus Christ: human and divine.  Leo’s language was adopted by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which taught that Jesus Christ, as one divine Person, is both true God and true man.  As true man, he has a human body and a rational soul, consubstantial with us in all things but sin, and Son of the Virgin Mary.  As true God, He is eternally consubstantial with God the Father and eternally begotten by the Father.  Leo was also protector of Rome from barbarian invasions.  In 452, he managed to stop Attila and the Huns from attacking Rome.  Attila allegedly saw a giant man (perhaps St. Peter or St. Paul) in priestly robes holding a sword behind Leo threatening punishment, and so Attila withdrew his forces.  In 455, Leo was able to dissuade the Vandals from murder and arson when they sacked Rome.

St. Leo the Great entered into eternal life on November 10, 461.  He is the patron saint against snakes and naughty children (good news for Centerville teachers!).  He and only one other pope, St. Gregory I, have merited to be called “great” in the history of the Church (with possibly the addition of John Paul II in our lifetime).  His life, teaching, and patronage reminds us that even here in Leon County, we are called to proclaim Jesus Christ as true God and true man, the only Savior of the world.  With Christ’s grace and the intercession of St. Leo, we not only protect ourselves against serpents and little rascals, but against the enemies to our salvation — allurements of the world, the flesh and the devil.  We are all called to holiness and courage in our faith, and when we are discouraged or attacked, we do not give up, but we remember St. Leo’s advice from his Christmas Day sermon:  “Christian, Remember your dignity.”

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" A Question of Faith

Sunday's readings can be found here.

When we were young and full of imagination, we all used to dream of what we wanted to be when we grew up.  We would say things like, “When I grow up, I want to be a policeman” or “When I grow up, I want to be a doctor.”  Regardless of whether or not our dreams were fulfilled, the question still remains for us in terms of our Catholic faith — no matter what our age!  What do we want to be when we grow up?  The answer should be: a saint.

The feast of All Saints is a reminder to us that it is, indeed, possible to be a saint.  We do not mean this in a sanctimonious kind of way; we mean it in the most authentic way possible.  As we reflect on the Church Triumphant in heaven, we, who are the Church Militant on earth, look at their lives while they lived on earth and try to imitate their examples.  Some non-Catholics downplay the role of Catholic saints and may say, “Well, you can follow the life of a saint, but I follow the life of Jesus Christ.”  We also and above all follow the life of Jesus Christ.  But we look to the saints who lived their lives in Jesus Christ on earth to be examples to us of how we should live.  The saints show us concrete ways of living out the Beatitudes in our various states of life.  They show us examples of heroic virtue and holiness.  

For example, what does it mean to be a holy priest?  I look to the example of St. John Vianney, Don Bosco, St. Josemaría Escrivá.  What does it mean to be a holy wife, a holy mother?  Look to the example of the Blessed Virgin, St. Monica, St. Gianna Beretta Molla.  What does it mean to be a holy husband, a holy father?  Look to the example of St. Joseph, St. Thomas More and others.  These saints not only encourage us to holiness by their examples, but we have to trust that they pray for us in heaven as part of the Communion of Saints — that they are interceding for us before God the Father, through God the Son, and in God the Holy Spirit.  They want us to have what they had in this life: intimate relationship with the Holy Trinity that was radiated in charity for neighbor.

Even if we have done things in our life that are not Christ-like (that are not saintly) and even though we fail to live up to the upward calling in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14), we do not despair or give up.  We only look to such saints as Magdalene, Augustine, Francis, Ignatius of Loyola and others to show us that it is not too late to allow Christ to turn our lives around.  We can always make a good confession and begin again anew.  And with God’s help and grace, we can still be what we were always called to be — a saint!

A Personal Relationship Must Endure

A little over 15 years ago, I was received into the Catholic Church when I was in the 8th grade.  Before then, I had attended Baptist and other churches in the Tyler area.  My experience of Evangelical Christianity that I most appreciate is the constant emphasis of the need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Of course, we as Catholics believe this too and always have believed this (even though our language about prayer life is different).  I think sometimes we shy away from using this kind of language about our faith – our relationship with Christ – because we have scruples of sounding too “Protestant.”  However, the substance of our faith – the motivation of our prayer – is that we believe God is not static (like an uninterested blob in outer space) but that He is essentially personal and relates to us in a personal way.

So, if our relationship with God is personal, what do we make of the “Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge” from last Sunday’s gospel (Luke 18:1-8)?  At first read, this parable seems a bit unkind.  As is often the case in the gospels, our Lord uses extremes to show us how God relates to us personally and how we should respond.  A widow in the ancient world was often powerless and vulnerable.  She represents us who are weak and dependent on God for everything.  Christ, in His intimate knowledge of human nature and in perfect humility, applies the unjust judge to God; He knows that in all times and in all places, people often blame God for the miseries of this life.  Nevertheless, the unjust judge [God] finally listens to the widow [us] and grants her [our] desire.  So, what does this curious parable tell us about a personal relationship with Christ?

We all know that we need to pray and that we need to pray more.  But the reality is that prayer is hard.  Sometimes we feel great about assisting the Mass, going to Eucharistic Holy Hours, praying our rosary — and sometimes the last thing we want to do (or can do) is pray.  We are too busy.  We do not always get what we ask for.  We do not always feel good.  Nevertheless, if we truly consider prayer a part of our relationship with the Lord, we know we need to do it anyway.  Just as constant dialogue is important to a healthy marriage or to a good friendship, so constant dialogue is essential to our most vital relationship — our relationship with God.

Someone might say, “Well, God knows what we need before we ask, so why bother?”  True, but we still need to ask.  Why?  Because prayer helps us clarify our desires, our petitions, our needs.  And sometimes, the answer we get is “No”, so constant prayer helps us to accept when God’s will is not our will.  From what has been gathered from her letters, Blessed [Mother] Teresa of Calcutta experienced almost no consolation from her prayer for almost 50 years, yet she persevered.  Her perseverance in prayer is what kept her focused on her mission and ultimately what made her a saint.  And if we persevere in prayer, God has the power to make us a saint too.  We only have to want it.

Not Just for Old Nuns!

In 1571, Pope St. Pius V used this weapon to defeat the Turks in the victory of Lepanto.  In the twentieth century, the popes used this weapon to defeat Hitler, and before the turn of the century, this weapon brought down the Berlin Wall.  This weapon is not the firearm or the canon or even the nuclear bomb.  This weapon is the most holy rosary!

However, many people have in their minds an image of praying the rosary that looks something like this: a pious little old woman, kneeling down, rattling off prayers before a crucifix, while beads of the rosary slip through her fingers.  While there are certainly examples of this in the ambiance of our faith, we have to get out of our minds that the holy rosary is something only for old nuns — or even a form of prayer that is not practical for modern people.  Maybe even we have tried the rosary and “not gotten anything out of it.”

Firstly, the rosary is a practical prayer for modern people.  We all agree that “A family that prays together stays together.”  The holy rosary is a practical prayer that should be prayed by the family (or a couple) everyday.  It only takes about 15-20 minutes when it is prayed vocally.  A family could pray just one or two decades in the beginning and gradually work up to the whole rosary.  It can be done in the family sitting room, the dinner table after supper, or even in the car for long drives.

Secondly, the holy rosary is a scriptural prayer.  Almost all the prayers – the Our Father, Hail Mary – come directly from Sacred Scripture.  Furthermore, once you have practiced praying the rosary (because like anything, to pray it well will take practice!), you will get past the vocal prayers to start to meditate on the mysteries of Christ’s life — which are directly from the Holy Bible!  Praying the holy rosary everyday means you are praying with Scripture everyday!

Finally, the holy rosary is a powerful prayer.  The saints of the last millennium all prayed the holy rosary with deep fervor, countless miracles and conversions have happened, and lives have been changed.  Personally, when I started praying a daily rosary when I was a senior in high school, God started to speak to my heart and call me to His holy priesthood.  Some people in my life have had conversions when I prayed the rosary for them.  And praying the rosary everyday has ensured at least some daily scriptural meditation in my hectic life.

This prayer is not for little old ladies, it is not for pansies, and it is certainly not only a prayer of ages past.  This is our weapon against the world, the flesh, and the devil — and when we pray this prayer well and daily, we continue to give the victory to our Lord Jesus Christ through his most Blessed Mother, the ever-virgin Mary.  May the holy names of Jesus and Mary be praised now and forever. Amen.

The Pro-Life Movement is Making a Difference

A couple of weeks ago, two more abortion clinics (abortion mills) closed, which make a total of 44 abortion facilities closed this year.  Locally and historically, the ‘Planned Parenthood’ facilities of Bryan, Huntsville and Lufkin are among those closed this year thanks to the work of our pro-life state legislators and Texas Right to Life.  Little by little, our prayers and peaceful activism are making a big difference in the lives of mothers and babies not just in Texas but across the nation.

Nevertheless, we need to be persistent because the battle is far from being over.  It is easy to talk about the need for the legal guarantee to the right to life, but it can be difficult to take a public stand.  That is why I think it is important to muster up some courage and keep the tradition of once a year having a public event in which we pray and show the local community that we as pro-life individuals are ready to make a sacrifice to build a culture of life.

            For the last two years, with the help of others, I have coordinated the Life Chain in Centerville.  I have gone around to different Christian communities in the area and spoken to the Centerville Ministerial Fellowship to get the support of other Christians.  I have also invited parishioners from St. Thomas More in Hilltop Lakes and St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Buffalo to join us to make this an event for all of Leon County.  Both years we have had over 45 people participate in the Life Chain — a peaceful, prayerful witness at the intersection of Highway 7 and Interstate 45.

 Together let us stand up for life and pray that our country will be less of a culture of death and more of a civilization of love.

What is Pope Francis’ Attitude Toward Pro-Life Issues?

Over a week ago, I received a number of calls and e-mails of people confused and upset over the news headlines: “Pope Says Church Should Stop Obsessing Over Gays, Abortion”; “Pope Francis interview: Forget homosexuality and birth control. He’s a flaming liberal”; etc.  I have to admit that even I had a difficult time making sense of the Pope’s comments.  (I really do not know any pro-lifer who thinks that abortion, same-sex marriage and contraception are the only issues.)  Even though I personally think the Holy Father could have been more fair in his assessment of his perceived excessive emphasis on these issues, he is really not saying anything new.  In fact, Carl Anderson (Supreme Knight of KofC) correctly notes that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said the same thing in 2006 — the only difference is that the mass media ignored it.  “Asked why [Benedict] hadn’t spoken about same-sex marriage, abortion, or contraception in a speech, he noted that ‘Catholicism isn’t a collection of prohibitions; it’s a positive option.’”

Fr. Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life, highlights Pope Francis’ thought that the Church’s condemnation of abortion (and other anti-life practices) cannot simply stand alone but rather should be understood in the context of our teaching about who God is.  Fr. Pavone says, “This approach radically strengthens the Church’s opposition to abortion, because the Pope is saying not simply that it breaks the Fifth Commandment (‘You shall not kill’), but that more fundamentally it breaks the First Commandment (‘You shall not have other gods besides me’) and that to disrespect life is to abandon God himself.”  Funny enough, the day after the media reported all these outrageous headlines, they ignored Pope Francis’ speech to a group of Catholic gynecologists in which he said that abortion is a manifestation of a “throwaway culture” where the weak and vulnerable are simply discarded.  “Every unborn child, though unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of the Lord, who even before his birth, and then as soon as he was born, experienced the rejection of the world,” the Pope said.

This Sunday’s gospel on “Lazarus and the Rich Man” (Luke 16:19-31) is a warning against comfortable apathy in the face of extreme poverty and injustice.  The Catholic Church teaches respect for the sacred dignity of life from “conception to natural death.”  This does not just mean “being against abortion, homosexuality and contraception”; it means working towards employment for the jobless, assistance to immigrants, availability of healthcare, and gracious treatment of the elderly.  Certainly, we do what we can to find political solutions and we hope to influence our culture and society to help facilitate these ends, but ultimately we are responsible for our own attitude towards human life.  It starts by how we treat each and every person God puts on our path (Luke 10:33) or places outside our door (Luke 16:20).

The Advantages of Being Catholic in Leon County, Texas

Sometimes we can take for granted the blessings of our Catholic faith living in a quiet, rural part of East-Central Texas.  While Leon County has never been known to be a very Catholic part of our great state, there are surprisingly several options when it comes to the practice of our faith.  There are three Catholic churches in Leon County: St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Buffalo, St. Leo the Great in Centerville, and St. Thomas More in Hilltop Lakes.  (Interestingly enough, these churches’ patron saints are individuals from different walks of life, ethnicities and time periods in the history of the Church.)  These churches respectively serve the northern, central and southern parts of Leon County.

Over the course of a weekend, at least six Masses are being offered in Leon County all at different times to accommodate the faithful.  These Masses are being offered in English and Spanish, and once a month in Latin (Extraordinary Form at St. Kateri).  The 2010 census reports that there are 16,801 residents in Leon County.  According to the Diocese of Tyler statistics, there are almost 500 Catholic families in Leon County.  Hypothetically, if there were three persons per family, then there would be around 1,500 Catholics in Leon County.  Therefore, 8.9% of Leon County would be Catholic, which is probably a bit of a stretch.  Nevertheless, what a blessing to have three Catholic churches to serve such a small number of Catholic residents!  During the week, there are at least seven daily Masses, four Eucharistic Holy Hours, and five hours of confession times being offered.  All three churches have a faith formation program for students and adults as well as some form of sacramental prep.  In the last two years, St. Kateri’s and St. Leo’s were renovated and St. Thomas More in Hilltop Lakes was built.  Therefore, not only do Catholics in this area have places to offer a sacrifice of praise, but they have sacred buildings of inspiring beauty and tranquility in which to do so.  How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! (Psalm 84:1).

The various Catholic churches in Leon County offer Catholic Charities, Project Gabriel (assistance to women in crisis pregnancies), the annual Life Chain (pro-life witness this year Sunday, October 6, 2:30-4:00pm) and support for the inter-ministerial alliance (collaboration with other Christian denominations in the county).  If you look around the church on Sunday, you will see white, Latino, black, and even Asian people filling the pews — a sign of the universality of the Catholic Church.  All these things make me proud to be a Catholic and a priest in service to Christ’s flock in this part of Texas.  Nevertheless, in my day-to-day activities, I continue to meet Catholics who do not practice their faith regularly or who have been away from the Church.  I encourage them to return to their faith, to strengthen their relationship with Christ through the sacraments and prayer.  It is a reminder that we still have much work to do as Evangelical Catholics in Leon County.  Are we prepared to share this great treasure of our faith?  Sometimes all it takes is an invitation.  People may be surprised to know not only what we offer, but Whom we offer.

The Two Brothers in All of Us

         Probably today’s gospel passage (Luke 15:11-32) is one of the most powerful images used by Jesus in His preaching.  The “Parable of the Two Brothers” (sometimes called “The Prodigal Son”) reveals the boundless mercy of God.  Some of the Fathers of the Church interpreted the younger son as the Gentile people and the older brother as the Jewish people.  The younger son represents a people who were welcomed into the Father’s covenant despite their infidelity and idolatry, whereas the older son represents those who were with the Father the whole time but were unfaithful to Him in their hearts.         Nevertheless, the most important dimension of this parable is what it says about the spiritual life, because everyone one of us here goes through phases similar to the younger brother and the older brother.  Firstly, let us look at the younger brother.  His life represents the sad effects of sin.  When we sin, we are abusing our freedom.  Freedom is our inheritance – our gift – from the Father, who lets us “do what we want” with this gift.  When we abuse this gift by “loose living” (that is, sins of the world, the flesh and the devil), we are left empty.  We find ourselves in slavery, especially when things are so bad that we are jealous of what pigs eat.  Sin leads to hell.  Yes, hell is where we will go if we do not repent, but hell is also a present reality.  When we live so selfishly that our lives become closed in on ourselves that we have no love to give — this is hell.  And ultimately, if this is how we live our lives now, God will give us what we want for eternity: separation from Him and His kingdom in sæcula sæculorum.

         However, this spiral of sin does not have to end here.  Like the younger son, we can turn back to our loving Father, who runs toward us to embrace us, to kiss us.  Msgr. Rubino in this month’s edition of Homiletic & Pastoral Review gives a profound insight: “A significant break with Middle Eastern custom was the father’s action upon seeing the son. In the Middle East culture, old age was seen as a blessing, and reflected certain cultural norms, and ways of behavior.  Seeing his son in the distance, he runs to embrace him. He does not walk; he runs. For an older person to run was a significant loss of status, rank, and dignity as the father would have had to pull up his tunic, expose his bare legs, and run. The father’s behavior was totally beneath the understanding of how ‘senior citizens’ behaved. Surely aware of the customs of the day, he still ran to his prodigal son, risking harsh criticism from his guests for his behavior.” This is where the sacrament of confession comes in: Once the Father has run toward us after our inner detestation of sin, verbal confession is the Father throwing His arms around us; penance is the Father’s kiss.

          But what about the older son?  How do we see him in our spiritual life?  Those of us whose faith becomes simply a Sunday obligation are like the older son.  We go through the motions, but our hearts are far from the Lord.  We prefer entertainment to prayer; we prefer our political leaders over Christ (or our political parties instead of our Church); we are neither hot nor cold – just lukewarm.  As the “older brother,” we can learn something from the “younger brother.”  We need to repent; we need to ask for the gift of fervor from the Father; we need to ask Him to set us on fire for our faith.  As we approach the holy altar this Sunday, we thank God for slaughtering the fattened calf – the Lamb of God – who stands on the altar slain but living.  Let us, who have been lost, be found by the Father in the Son and through the Spirit. Amen.

It is Reasonable to Be Pro-Traditional Marriage

A few days ago, I was watching an interview with an Evangelical couple who owned a bakery in Oregon.  They had to close their bakery because, after refusing to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding, the community turned against them and boycotted their business.  In the interview, they cited their Biblical belief in marriage and, despite being persecuted for their belief, they accepted the consequence and trusted in God’s providence.  I was impressed with their solid faith and their willingness to stand up for their belief on national television.  However, I worry sometimes that supporters of traditional marriage can come off sounding as if this is only a religious belief.  Marriage between one man and one woman is certainly Biblical, but almost all cultures and all religions in all times have valued this understanding of marriage.  Even under the pagan law of ancient Rome, marriage was defined as “a union of male and female.”  Pagans knew this – not because of an awareness of Jewish values – but because of natural law, the moral law God has imprinted on the human heart (Romans2:15).

Because Catholics and Evangelicals are united on the Biblical understanding of traditional marriage (the sacramentality thereof notwithstanding), I encourage my Evangelical readers – and Catholics curious about how to address this topic with unbelievers – to consider the natural law arguments and those coming from science.  The Catholic tradition, utilizing faith and reason, takes all that is good from pagan philosophy and natural theology, and also does not reject evidence coming from the human sciences.  One year ago, Most Rev. John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark, wrote a masterpiece on the reasons why the Catholic Church is against so-called “gay marriage” and why it is bad for society.  I invite my readers who are serious about this subject to read the letter online.  Of course, he covers the Biblical view and makes use of Christian tradition, but the most impressive part of his letter is his application of natural law, biology and secular studies to make the case that “same-sex marriage” is detrimental to civilized society.

The ideology behind support for “same-sex marriage” is a denial of objective morality, which has always been a slippery slope for humanity.  Archbishop Myers writes, “It is so important in our times for us to recognize and to overcome false and ultimately destructive ideologies that deny what thinkers from Plato and Aristotle, to Cicero and Aquinas, to the American founders, to Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi all affirmed: that objective truth exists and it is our task to discover it, be formed by it, and to conform our lives as individuals and communities in accord with the truth. We should want what is good, but something is not good simply because we want it. . . Such is the case with marriage. Many today believe that it is an arbitrary thing whose meaning and purpose is imposed by political or juridical fiat. It can mean one thing now and another later. But this has never been the case.”  The issue of re-defining marriage is larger than I can cover in this forum, but my point is that there is great support for our position outside of Biblical references.  As we continue to be maligned as “bigots” or “homophobes” by a hostile world for our sensible position, it is good to know that divine revelation and nature are on our side.

“Oh Lord It’s Hard To Be Humble”

In 1980, country music singer Mac Davis composed a light-hearted song about how vanity and popularity can go to one’s head.  The refrain is probably the most recognized and amusing part of the song: “Oh Lord it's hard to be humble / When you're perfect in every way. / I can't wait to look in the mirror / Cause I get better looking each day. / To know me is to love me / I must be a hell of a man. / Oh Lord it's hard to be humble / But I'm doing the best that I can.”

Although most of us are not this vain (at least we won’t admit to it :-), we all struggle with the capital sin of pride in its various manifestations: thinking we are better than others, refusing to admit when we are wrong, ambitious to get ahead, insistent on “having the last word,” and not respecting the opinions of others.  Indeed, it is hard to be humble.  The good news is that our Blessed Lord knows this.  And whether or not we want it, He will teach us the virtue of humility in one way or another.

In the gospel of today’s (Sept 1) Mass, Jesus watches how guests at a Pharisee’s home presume seats of honor (Luke 14:7-14).  Our Lord takes the opportunity (as is often the case when He observes vices) to give a parable — a parable concerning the conduct of invited guests and hosts: Guests of honor should be humble enough not to presume seats of honor; Hosts should be humble enough to invite those who do not present a social advantage.  For a challenging take on this teaching of Christ, I recommend Happy Are You Poor (Ignatius Press, 2003) by the late Fr. Dubay, S.M.

So, what is Jesus teaching about the nature of humility?  True humility is not timidity or mediocrity; it is not opposed to legitimately desire personal advancement, professional prestige and well-deserved recognition.  However, the humble person does not “show off” and knows his purpose in life is not to be praised but rather to carry out a mission for God and for others.  We might take an opportunity this Sunday to reflect on how the Lord might be asking us to practice this virtue in our particular state in life.  Do we have a puffed-up view of ourselves that needs to come down a few notches?  Do we refuse to apologize when we are clearly in the wrong?  Do we justify our own sins in order to avoid the confessional?  It is much easier to see these vices in others, but humility helps us see them in ourselves and to humbly ask for the Lord’s help in overcoming them.

It is hard to be humble, but a daily examination of conscience keeps our feet on the earth and our heart in the Lord’s hands.  God alone is perfect, and He wishes to perfect us in our weakness with His healing grace through the Cross of Christ.  [M]ay I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians6:14).

Dare We Hope “That All Men Be Saved”?

The Swiss theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar, wrote a book in 1988 that expressed optimism for the salvation of many at the Final Judgment.  The basis for von Balthasar’s book is a quote from St. Paul: [God our savior] wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). “The question is whether God, with respect to his plan of salvation, ultimately depends, and wants to depend, upon man’s choice; or whether his freedom, which wills only salvation and is absolute, might not remain above things human, created, and therefore relative” (Dare We Hope, 15).  Von Balthasar examines the tension that can sometimes seem to exist between God’s justice and His mercy.  “On his earthly pilgrimage, man is . . . placed between fear and hope, simply because he is under judgment and does not know” (Ibid., 27).

While theologians have the license to debate the perceived harshness of God’s judgment (or the softness of His mercy), the official doctrine of the Catholic Church is not universal salvation.  In other words, the Catholic Church does not teach that everyone is going to heaven regardless of the lives they led or the god they worshipped.  “Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. Since ‘without faith it is impossible to please [God]’ and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life ‘but he who endures to the end’” (CCC 161).  But what about those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Does this mean they are damned?

The Second Vatican Council reflected on this question and formulated a response that must be understood in its proper context: “Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life” (Lumen Gentium, 16).  Notice: Vatican II does not simply say non-Christians are going heaven; it reminds us that we still have the important task of evangelizing them.  (I will write on this in the future.)

Over the last few Sundays, we have been hearing many gospel passages in which our Lord is reminding us of the need to be vigilant and to persevere (Luke 11-13).  If we are all just going to go to heaven regardless of our relationship with Christ and our moral choices, it would not matter whether or not we persevere.  However, Christ reminds us in the gospel this Sunday (August 25): “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough” (Luke 13:24).  God does will that we all be saved and come to the knowledge of truth, but He will not force us.  He gives us free will to cooperate with His saving grace.  If we do not enter through the narrow gate, we have only ourselves to blame — not God.  Christ is the narrow gate, and if we commit ourselves to Him, we do dare to hope that we will all be saved.

Reflection for August 18

How can Christ set our Catholic Communities on Fire?

A Pastoral Reflection

Today's readings can be found here.

In the gospel of this Sunday’s Mass, our Lord says, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49).  As I am beginning my third year as priest in Centerville and Hilltop Lakes (also part-time in Madisonville), I would like to reflect on the ways Christ is kindling a fire in the communities I serve.  However, I would also like to suggest a few ways that can help this light to burn more brightly.

At St. Leo the Great, much has been accomplished so far in 2013.  During Lent, we undertook the renovation of our little church.  Just recently we paved our driveway with concrete.  The great news is that – thanks to your generosity – we are doing well financially and not in debt.  The aesthetic improvements are a visible sign to Centerville that Christ has ignited a great flame of faith in his Real Presence, which is the heart of our Catholic community and identity.  We look forward to the feast of St. Leo the Great on Sunday, November 10^th, and the raffle of the iPad.  At this point, now that much of the needed maintenance has been taken care of, we will be saving and planning for a church hall with classroom space.  I also plan to write the Bishop this year to ask if St. Leo’s is ready to be promoted to “parish” status.  (We’re still a mission of Crocket!).

At St. Thomas More, our new church could be paid off before the end of the year, and we look forward to new pews before Thanksgiving.  The number of families has doubled since the dedication of our church in December 2011.  At both St. Leo’s and STM, we were able to have Family Faith Formation during 2012-2013.  With the help of my deacons and catechists, I plan to continue Family Faith Formation this year.  For adult faith formation, we will be doing The Great Adventure Catholic bible study in order to gain a holistic approach to Sacred Scripture.  I also plan to ask the Bishop if STM can be officially made a “mission” of St. Leo’s.

Building projects, financial stability, and catechesis are great qualities to have in our Catholic communities, but if these strengths are not moving us to a deeper interior life and a stronger sense of mission, then we need to consider that maybe Christ’s flame needs a bit more fuel.  Perhaps we could consider a stronger commitment to devotional confession, attending daily Mass, and spending quality time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration.  I realize that Mass and Adoration may be difficult for some families, but I plan to work with the pastoral councils about how to encourage more participation in these spiritual and sacramental opportunities.  

Another way Christ might be wanting to ignite you is by volunteering for both the needs at the church (sacristy, floral, and liturgical ministries) and the needs in the larger community (visiting the homebound, nursing homes, pro-life activities).  I kindly ask that we all prayerfully reflect on our personal contribution to our Catholic communities.  Am I responding to Christ’s flame of faith in my heart through some form of generous giving?  Is Christ asking me to volunteer in some way?  Do I see confession, Mass and Adoration as sure ways for Christ to intensify my flame so that I can ignite Centerville and Hilltop Lakes with the love of Christ?  May the Holy Spirit guide your discernment and may Christ set you on fire to be the saint He has called you to be.

Part IV: Paul VI, John Paul II and Building the “Culture of Life”

Birth Control and the Catholic Church

On July 25, 1968, on the feast of St. James the Apostle, Humanæ Vitæ was promulgated by Pope Paul VI.  It is a relatively short encyclical and speaks of the moral threats to holy matrimony, the Magisterium's response, pastoral principles, and catechesis on the meaning of human sexuality.  In continuity with the Church’s tradition, he affirmed his predecessors’ teaching that contraception and sterilization are intrinsically disordered practices and always contrary to the ends of holy matrimony. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of fallout over this encyclical —especially among faculties of theology in many universities and seminaries.  Men training to be priests were either told to “soft-pedal” this teaching or “just don’t go there.”  Lay persons were told “birth control is just a matter of conscience despite Church teaching against it.”  Because correct teaching on the right formation of conscience was neglected in the years directly following Vatican II, this is regrettably the approach many still take in the Church today.

[Soon to be Saint] John Paul II did much during his pontificate to build upon Humanæ Vitæ and made significant contributions of his own to furthering a holistic approach to the human person, and in particular, to human sexuality.  His very life showed the contrast between a “culture of death” and the “Culture of Life,” which energized the faithful around the world to have a better sense of what it means to be Pro-Life.  Being Pro-Life does not just mean we are against abortion.  It means we are against anything that offends against human and Christian decency.  In fact, being Pro-Life is not essentially about “what we’re against.”  It means imitating the Fiat – the “Yes” – of our Lady to the call to follow God’s will, to respond affirmatively to the universal call of holiness, and to proclaim the Gospel of Life in word and action.

The Gospel of Life is essentially the message of Jesus Christ — that He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).  Therefore the message of life is essentially evangelical.  I want my Evangelical readers to reflect on some of the prophecies that Paul VI had in his encyclical: He predicted that if artificial contraception became widespread and accepted in society, there would be higher rates of infidelity, divorce, and abortion (for abortion is the Plan B of contraception); that many men (including married men) would lose respect for women and view them as objects for selfish pleasure; and that governments would promote and enforce contraception on the weakest members of society.  These atrocities have all come true.  While there may not necessarily be a direct causal relationship, it would be absurd to say that artificial contraception has not contributed to the demise of healthy, holy human sexuality during the last 50 years.

Thankfully, there is a “New Springtime” of lay faithful who are committed to living out God’s plan for holy matrimony.  John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” has provided a positive approach to sexual ethics.  Many practice Natural Family Planning (NFP) to space births when necessary in a way that respects marital goods and that helps spouses to communicate better and grow together.  For more information about NFP, I invite you to visit The Couple to Couple League website.  Please continue to reflect on the points I have covered the last few weeks and pray for the spread of the Gospel of Life!