Reflections for June 9-Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Catholic Church Points the Way to Christ

in a Time of Moral Confusion

The day's readings can be found here.

Now that we have passed through the major liturgical seasons of 2013, the rest of the summer and fall we will be in Ordinary Time.  The Sunday readings (Year C) will focus on the miracles and teaching of Christ as found in the Gospel of St. Luke.  While I certainly plan to comment on the Biblical readings in the coming months, I would like to start preaching on the fundamentals of Catholic moral teaching.  Many of you know that the "STL" (sacred theology license) behind my name is a certification given to me by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.  My field of study was moral theology, and I would like to begin to address the numerous moral issues that face us as Catholics today — especially here in the United States.

As I preached last Sunday, most of our moral teachings as Catholics are the same as Evangelical Protestants.  The difference, though, is our rich tradition and history of thought on the moral life.  The Catholic Church's moral teaching is Bible-based, but it also combines the thought of the Early Church Fathers (the "Patristics"), the Scholastics (St. Thomas Aquinas et al.), the Ecumenical Councils (especially Trent and both Vatican councils), and the Papal Magisterium (the popes' teaching on life and social doctrine).  In every age, the Church has had to confront and correct the moral problems of the day with clear teaching, utilizing faith (Scripture and Tradition) and reason (the best of philosophy and the human sciences).  We as Catholics are at a major advantage today because of the resources we have to dialogue with the world about the various ethical problems we face.  We are even able to engage non-believers, because not only are our ethical values founded on the true faith, but also on reason – our understanding of the natural law – the law of ethics inherent in all rational creatures.  However, we are at a disadvantage because most Catholics sitting in the pew do not feel prepared to talk about difficult moral problems in a faithful and rational way.

Among the topics I would like to address in the coming months are the following: abortion, artificial birth control, euthanasia, same-sex attraction/unions, immigration, poverty, war, etc.  Some will immediately argue that these topics are far too controversial, but that is exactly why I want to present clearly the Church's teaching on them.  (Ignoring them does not make them go away!).  As priest in charge, as a shepherd after Christ's heart, I cannot neglect my mission to instruct and (hopefully) inspire the faithful entrusted to my care.  Our common moral life as Catholics is always centered on Christ, His life within us (Galatians 2:20), and our response to His grace.  In other words, we are not "moral rigorists."  Our faith in Christ, our reception of the sacraments, our living out of the Church's teaching, and our prayer life are all a response to Christ's call to holiness.  This is the aim of the Christian moral life, this is my aim as a Catholic priest, and it is my hope that this will continue to be the aim of Catholic Christians.

Reflection for June 2-The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Corpus Christi

Remedy for Boredom

The day's readings can be found here.

One of the worst problems of today is the problem of boredom.  No matter how many gadgets we buy; no matter how many shows, movies and sports we watch; no matter how many hobbies and games we play; somehow we are still bored.  Boredom is such a problem because it leads to sin.  The Church has traditionally called spiritual boredom “sloth.”  Sloth does not necessarily refer to physical laziness, but it is “the passivity and inactivity of the will and the desires even in the presence of the true good.”  It is the soul’s refusal to eat its food.  Violence and promiscuous sex are spiritual junk foods, and boredom is spiritual anorexia.

And where do we often find sloth?  Look around the church on Sunday.  Observe how bored people look.  Then compare that with an athletic event (like a football game).  Compare the interest, the passion, the energy, the engagement of the heart.  Don’t we know what’s going on in the Mass?  Don’t we know that we’re attending a meeting of spies plotting a revolution against the prince of darkness?  Don’t we know the great Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who sneaks into our church in disguise to meet us here?  Why are we so bored?  What’s missing?

The answer is not pleasure and it’s not entertainment.  The answer is joy.  And we experience joy and surprise when we meet Jesus.  If we are not experiencing joy and surprise at each Sunday Mass, then we need a bit of a wake-up call – a shock – that renews the joy and surprise of Jesus Christ, who takes simple bread and wine and changes it into His own Flesh and Blood.  This is what the solemnity of Corpus Christi is supposed to do!

Think about what a joy and what a surprise it is that God — the God of all creation; the King of the Universe; your Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier — that Jesus Christ gives Himself to our mouths and our stomachs as well as to our souls.  That thing that looks like a little piece of bread — that’s Him!  That bit of liquid that looks like wine — that’s His Blood!  It’s nearly unbelievable.  How can we believe this?  Only because He gives us grace to believe.  Our faith in Jesus is a miracle, and so our faith in the Most Holy Eucharist is a miracle too.  The beauty of the Mass; the Scripture readings; the vestments, the incense, the gold vessels; the chant and sacred music; all these things point – not to a God of boredom – but to a God of joy and surprise, a God who is not a “tame lion.”  He is utterly humble, but He is utterly alive; and He offers us His own Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!

Reflections for May 26-Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Why is the Dogma of the Trinity so Important?

The day's readings can be found here.

The most central dogma of our faith is what we celebrate this Sunday: the Most Holy Trinity; the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; one God in three Persons.  Surprisingly, the word “Trinity” is not found in Sacred Scripture, yet all Christians believe and profess this truth.  The word comes from the Latin word trinitas, which means “a single collection of three.”  The Catholic Church did not invent this doctrine, but the Church did give this most subliminal Mystery a name.  Therefore, all non-Catholic Christians – even those that believe in the Bible alone – owe the development of this doctrine to the Catholic Church.

When we enter into theological discussion about the Most Holy Trinity, when we ponder this awesome Mystery, it is important to avoid using our imagination.  Our imagination immediately thinks of the three Persons as three beings, but this is false.  The Trinity is three Persons but one Being.  Our minds cannot fathom this because we think mathematically: 1+1+1=3.  This is true.  However, God is not a math equation.  God is utterly One, but He is one divine substance in three Persons.  So, He is an infinite, incomprehensible relationship in Himself.  Even though we believe this, one could ask: What does the Most Holy Trinity have to do with real life?  The answer is: Everything.

And why?  Because all of us are created in His image and in His likeness.  We reflect the relationship that is in God – that is God – but we reflect it imperfectly.  There is a perfect relationship between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The love between Father and Son is so strong, so perfect that this love produces a Person: the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Love between Father and Son.  However, when we look at ourselves, we do not see this kind of love. . . and we do not see this perfect relationship around us.

When we hate, when we gossip, when we neglect our Sunday obligation, when we lust, when we are arrogant – we deny the awesome mystery of what it means to be created in God’s image and likeness.  St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:5).  Do we realize how sin offends against the Love of Father and Son?  Being made in the image and likeness of the Most Holy Trinity is God’s greatest gift to us.  But when we sin, when we fail to love God, when we do not pray, when we do not suffer with Jesus — we do not experience His glory – and we do not experience His Love – the Love who is the Holy Spirit; the love between the Father and the Son.

Reflections for May 19-Pentecost

Come, Holy Spirit!

The day's readings can be found here.

In St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, as soon as you enter the magnificent church, something bright and beautiful can be seen through the baldacchino, all the way in the apse.  It is a beautiful window of the dove – who represents the Holy Spirit – shining forth into the church.  This window was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, but it is actually not stained glass.  It is alabaster from Bohemia — a very precious, translucent marble.  It shows that the Holy Spirit is the One Who is in charge, the One Who guides the Church, and the One Who gives us supernatural life.

Today the holy Church celebrates the solemnity of Pentecost.  The name “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word for “fiftieth.”  It is exactly fifty days since the resurrection of our redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Like Easter (Pascha), Pentecost is tied to a Jewish Feast, Shavuot, which celebrates becoming God’s People and accepting God’s Law.  Pentecost is our celebration of becoming the New People of God and having His Law written on our hearts.  But also from a practical point of view, Shavuot was a perfect time for the Holy Spirit to descend on the Apostles and Our Lady because it was a pilgrimage festival; many Jews and Gentile converts from other countries were in Jerusalem during this time to receive this promised gift.  Therefore, Pentecost is also a celebration of the universality of the Catholic Church.

Jesus promised to St. Peter and the Apostles that He would send them the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth.  This stable gift of Jesus to His Church is not a thing, but a Person: the Holy Spirit Himself.  He proceeds from the Father and the Son.  He is their eternal, mutual Love.  He knows the Father and the Son perfectly, and so He alone is able to guide the Church into the fullness of the truth.

But which truth?  Yes, all truths – all doctrines – reflect the Truth.  The Truth we seek is none other than the Person of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit is promised to lead us always to Jesus Christ, to sanctify us with the sacraments, and to guide the leadership of the Church in constantly teaching the truth in doctrine and morals.  The Holy Spirit is also the heart of the Church’s mission to evangelize all nations.

So, why have we not done that?  Well, it is partly hardness of heart in the world, but also it is partly our own lukewarmness in the faith.  Whatever our weaknesses are, we must surrender them to the Holy Spirit so that we can be completely His to evangelize the world: starting in the family — starting with ourselves.  Come Holy Spirit, fill us with the fire of your love!

Reflection for May 12-Mother's Day

Mothers:

Models of Charity

The readings for Ascension Sunday can be found here.

In St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, there is a beautiful statue sculpted by Bernini of a woman holding a child.  It is actually not a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Christ Child.  Rather, it is a statue of an allegory – an allegory of virtue – in keeping with the ancient Greek and Roman traditions.  The statue is called “Charity” — and it is no wonder why Bernini chose a woman with child to represent this virtue.

So, what is charity?  It is simply love of God that is reflected in love for neighbor.  It is agape, or unconditional love, the kind of love Christ commanded us to have a few Sundays ago (John 13:33).  I believe that Bernini chose to show a mother with her child to best represent charity because a mother’s love is unconditional!

Think about it: the mother sacrifices herself in so many ways in order to give her child everything he needs.  From the very moment of the conception of the child, the child is completely dependent on the mother.  The mother must go through the pains of labor in order to give birth, and then when the baby is born, she must constantly nurse the child from her breast.  (And from what I hear, this is not exactly a pleasant experience!)

For the first several years of a child’s life, the child is completely dependent on the mother for feeding, protection, comfort, discipline and – yes – even faith.  In order to fulfill her role, the mother constantly sacrifices herself – her own wants, needs, comforts, pleasures – to give her offspring the very best of life.  This is the charity, the unconditional love, that our Lord teaches us to have.  In a beautiful way, mothers show that this kind of love does not end once a child grows into a teenager, a young adult, or a grown-up.  Mothers don’t stop being mothers, and they continue to love and care for their kids their entire lives.

To all the mothers in my life, on behalf of all children (myself included), I thank you for your self-sacrifice for us your children.  While some in the world may not see the awesome vocation and gift of motherhood, the Church does, and we appreciate you.  May God reward you, may our Lady, Queen of all mothers, pray for you, may the angels and saints protect you, and may you have a blessed Mother’s Day!

Reflections for May 5

God bless

Planned Parenthood?

Sunday's readings can be found here.

On Friday, April 26, President Obama spoke to around one thousand excited members of Planned Parenthood (PP).  He told them, “[You have] a president who’s going to be with you fighting every step of the way.”  During his speech, the President talked about “women’s health” and “access to quality, affordable healthcare,” and “a woman’s right to make her own choices about her own health,” which we know are code words for abortion.  Yet, he never used the word “abortion” in his speech.

As National Right to Life correctly notes, President Obama avoids using the word “abortion.”  He and the media and PP themselves have long engaged in a delicate verbal dance where they let abortion supporters know they are on their side, without ever letting the general public know how deeply involved PP is engaged in the grisly practice.  However, PP killed 333,964 unborn babies by abortion in the United States in 2011, and every PP affiliate in the country is required to either perform or refer for abortions.  PP does 27% of all the abortions in the U.S., yet they market themselves magically as a “health care” outfit that provides “services.”  And worst of all, PP and its affiliates receive more than half a billion dollars in federal, state and local government grant money every year!

As if the President’s support for PP were not bad enough, he found it opportune to take a swipe at Pro-Life activists during his speech.  “The fact is, after decades of progress, there's still those who want to turn back the clock to policies more suited to the 1950s than the 21st Century,” Obama said. “And they've been involved in an orchestrated and historic effort to roll back basic rights when it comes to women's health.”  I’m sorry, Mr. President, but murdering babies is not health care no matter how much you dress it up with nice words.  And a baby in the womb is a person whether it is 1950 or 2050.

The President ended his speech with something that is almost unbelievable: “Thank you Planned Parenthood. God bless you.”  I cannot even begin to articulate how egregious of a blasphemy this is.  All I can say is that we must pray and do penance for Mr. Obama.  If he is pledging undying support for baby killers in the midst of a declining economy, domestic terror attacks, and potential war threats from abroad, I am even more convinced that we need to put our trust in God’s help alone for the future of our nation.

Reflection for April 28-5th Sunday of Easter

Which kind of love?

The day's readings can be found here.

Jesus says in the gospel today, “I give you a new commandment: love one another” (John 13:34).  This is probably one of the most popular of Christian doctrines, yet it is probably the most misunderstood (and ignored!).  The word “love” has been so banalized in our contemporary culture that its true meaning has been lost.  What is the difference between the “love” I have for chocolate versus the “love” I have for my God?  Or, what is the difference between the “love” I have for a dog versus the “love” I have for my wife?

A major problem in making effective distinctions of love is that there is really only one word for love in the English language.  In Greek there are many words indicating the different types of loves.  For a scholarly yet accessible treatment on the subject, I recommend reading Pope Benedict XVI’s 2005 encyclical Deus Caritas Est (“God is love” which can be read online for free.  For something easily readable as well as entertaining, I recommend C.S. Lewis’ 1960 masterpiece The Four Loves.

Lewis divides human love into four categories, and he says “the highest does not stand without the lowest.”  The first and most basic form of love is “affection” (storge), and it is expressed when we find something in common with others.  The second form of love is “friendship” (phileo), and this is love between friends.  (Lewis believes the meaning of true friendship like that of David and Jonathan has been lost in modern society.)  The third form of love is “romance” (eros), which Lewis describes as “being in love” with someone while not always being sexual.  The fourth and highest form of love is “unconditional love” (agape) that brings forth caring regardless of circumstance.

When Jesus tells us that we must love one another as He has loved us, Jesus is asking us to love unconditionally (with agape).  As we continue to rejoice at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we might ask ourselves: Am I being faithful to this commandment of Jesus?  Do I love unconditionally?

P.S. Please pray for the Catholic community of Mary, Queen of Heaven in Malakoff, Texas. They lost their church to an accident and subsequent fire on Thursday.