A Treasure in a Field

This Sunday's gospel has a lot packed into a small space. One of our priest friends is the only son in a family of three. His two sisters are married and caring for their children and husbands. When their Dad passed away, it fell to the priest son to clear out the family house and sell what remained. It took Father a long time, hours of emptying closets, drawers and the basement. His father had a way of stashing cash around the house. Father J. called his sisters who needed house repairs and disposed of the "hidden treasures" in a short time. One of our young Sisters who will soon pronounce her first vows wrote a practical piece on her blog about storing up earthly treasures. It is OK to put money into a savings account, to plan your funeral so family does not have to worry. Yet, I have seen with my own eyes what happens when some people inherit unearned money. In one family, an aunt died leaving several thousand dollars to two nieces and a nephew. The nephew squandered all of the inheritance on drugs; the other two quit their jobs, also lost their money. One of them divorced her husband. Rather than money granting happiness to those three, the ill use of it led to a lot of misery. You are probably saying, "I am so in need, I would never squander thousands of dollars." Good for you! However what I wrote really happened. Some of the happiest people are those who have nothing, or have very little. I am thinking especially of vowed religious men and women. I remember walking to early morning Mass on a frigid morning in downtown Philadelphia. A woman in front of us pressed a dollar bill into the hand of a woman huddled near a steam vent on the sidewalk. As we passed the lady wrapped in a blanket, she looked up and said "I didn't ask her for money." From her expression we could tell that she had no desire for money. She may have been mentally ill, but she showed no desire for even a little wealth. The Sister whose blog I quoted gave up a well paying job. Her boss was ready to offer her a higher position in her job, in addition to the handsome pay she was already getting when she told him she was leaving all to enter the convent. As we like to say about our salary: "The pay is out of this world!" A young priest I know had a great job, and a Porsche to prove it. He found another treasure, the call to the priesthood. He left it all to serve the People of God as a parish priest. Father is happy with his new life fueled by prayer and effort. Christ is the center of his life, the treasure that he literally sold all to find. May you find Christ as the treasure of your life. Then despite ups and downs in your life, your heart will be secure. Don't take my word for it. Take the Gospel's word:

Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.

He Had Compassion

I have always been impressed by the passage in the ninth chapter of St. Matthew's gospel (vs. 36) The words that most remain in my heart are:

"When he saw the crowds he had compazssion on them for they were harrassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd."

When I see media accounts of people whose homes were bombed out or deliberately burned down, I feel compassion for the people runing for their lives. Who is going to provide shelter for families forced into refugee situations? Maybe a few weeks before the neo-refugees enjoyed the comforts of an apartment, a television, landline telephones, hot showers, modern stoves. These folks could be ourselves. In the USA this is hurricane and tornado season, just as much as it is summer fun time. Tonight I called one of my sisters who lives in Ohio. A tornado touched down two miles from her house. Our Fathers and Brothers of St. Paul who are holding a retreat for members of our Pauline Family also lost windows, electrical power, and perhaps damage to their water pumps. Many trees were knocked over. Thankfully it seems no one was hurt by the powerful winds.

We pray for our neighbors suffering from the storm damage. We pray too for those refugees in the Middle East who are caught in conflict. Some are facing severe persecution because they are Christians. Some storms are interior--they rock our heart and soul. Grief can leave one wiped out as trees stripped of thei leaves after a tornado. Jesus today looks at you--whatever storm you face--with copassion. Compassion derives from two Latin words which mean "to suffer with." On the cross Jesus took all our sin and sorrow on himself. He suffered "with and for us." Other interior storms are "personal demons" of addiction to drugs, alcohol, anger, sex, or pornography. As Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm when Peter and the Apostles were being knocked about by high seas, so Jesus can calm our storms and pull us out of soul storms that shake our "in most calm." To weather our personal storms we need to turn to Jesus. He is not some warm and fuzzy stuffed teddy bear. At times he displays tough love as when we need to shape up and quit addictions, bad habits and resist temptations. He says,

"Take up your cross and follow me."

Strong language. Yet he also invites us to

"Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Let us pray for a just peace wherever it is needed in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Africa, in the Ukraine and elsewhere. Prayer has no borders. Prayer makes us "ambassadors for Christ" as St. Paul says. Our prayer unites us to God at leaat for a short time, and it gives us compassionate hearts, hearts like Jesus' who had compassion on the crowds.

A Summer Holiday

Here in the eastern United States we are at the end of a three day holiday weekend. We celebrated the 283rd birthday of our nation on Friday, July 4th. In Boston the annual Boston Pops concert and fireworks were held on July 3rd evening because of the approach of Storm or Hurricane Arthur. From the top of our house in Boston we had a magnificent view of the Boston Pops fireworks off of the Esplanade. Barges anchored in the Charles River are used to hold the fireworks. I watched much of the concert on TV and then went up to our rooftop patio to view the huge lights of the fireworks. I think it is the best Fourth of July view I had ever enjoyed. Even though a storm was on its way. the skies were clear. We could see lights from shore points too. I enjoyed the festive mood at the concert. People of every race and color were singing together, waving the Stars and Stripes and having a grand time enjoying our common national birthday. So many of our national songs refer to God and his blessings: America the Beautiful...May God shed his grace on thee; God bless America and on and on. There is much to lament in our society today. However we are truly blessed in countless ways. We can practice our faith openly without fear of being locked up or sentenced to hard labor, or summarily executed. We can drive coast to coast on interstate highways, some even without tolls. Most of us enjoy running water, hot and cold water taps, heated and air conditioned homes and work spaces, fire stations and police which keep us safe. Communications via TV, radio, Internet, phone and other digital devices abound. Refugees living in tents with no potable running water, sanitation or ventilation long for a sliver of the comforts that even most of our poor enjoy. As we are plunged into the heat, fun, sun and toil of the height of summer may we pause and pray in thanksgiving for what we do have and take for granted in the USA and the free world. May we pray for the mounting number of refugees, especially in the Middle East. Many of these refugees are Catholics, Orthodox Christians and people of other Christian faiths whose lives are threatened by violence and a persecution. We pray too for immigrants seeking better lives. May we respect their humanity, because every human being is made in the image and likeness of God. Lately I "unfriended" a few names from my Face Book page. I did so because I do not want my page to be associated with people who use hate language; who refer to immigrants as being less than human; or as thugs and free loaders. Some whose description on their home pages boast of church membership use very "unchurchy" language whenever they speak of immigrants or of politicians with whom they disagree. Jesus told us in the seventh chapter of Matthew's gospel to "love our enemies, do good to those who persecute you..and you will be children of your father in heaven...". I know I am the granddaughter of immigrants on my father's side. On my mother's side, I remember great grandfather who was from Ireland. In my hometown there is an area, now sparsely populated that was once called "Monkey's Nest." When I was growing up there were Hispanic and Black residents mainly. But the name was bestowed in the early 1900's when Italian immigrants lived there. N o matter our ethnic heritage, we Americans are one nation under God. May we live up to the song titles "They Will Know That We Are Christians By Our Love, By Our Love...".

Most Holt Trinity

Today is the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. All baptized Christians are introduced to the life of the One God in Three Divine Persons at baptism. To explain the Trinity in a nutshell--as far as our limited minds can understand--is like trying to fill a sieve with water. We can glean some insights from told that the Heavenly Father pointed out Jesus as his beloved Son, and we are to listen to him. And the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. Today's gospel is from John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son...." The Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove

Crisis

This morning we had a visiting priest offer Mass in our Boston chapel. Father recounted an incident which was a turning point in his priestly life. It involved a 94 year old widow whom he visited each week. Since the lady usually detained the priest for a long time, Father never looked forward to his weekly sick call to her tiny apartment. One day when she asked him just to look up, he paused and then decided "Why not?" It was a moment that changed his attitude forever. He realized that he was loved by God and the blessed Virgin Mary, and that the lady did appreciate his visits. In her long life she had suffered the loss of her husband and two sons. All three were policemen who had died in the line of duty. That tiny moment of giving in the the woman's request changed the priest's heart. There are times in life when one has to make a decision--even in what seems to be small things--which steers us toward God and our neighbor or points us toward ourselves and our comfort. In today's gospel (John 16:5--11) Jesus said he was going away, but he would send the Holy Spirit the Advocate. The closing days of May and the beginning of June bring many events that mark life passages: ordinations to the priesthood and diaconate, graduations and weddings. May the Holy Spirit guide all the newly ordained, the graduates, and the newly wedded to see that Jesus is at the heart of everything that happens in our lives! Have a beautiful and blessed May Day!

After a Retreat

I am back to the Blog World. I was away on an 8 day retreat followed by days of updating. We in our congregation call those days Encounters. Since Sisters from our various convents throughout the USA and English speaking Canada join together, we really do encounter one another.

Our retreat was lead by an Australian priest of our Society of St. Paul. Three other SSP priests were retreatants, and two SSP brothers also attended the retreat. We were more than 40 participants. We Daughters of St. Paul were about 30 Sisters, and 10 or so Sisters of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master joined us. It was also a "catholic" meeting, since the wide world was represented: We had a Korean priest and a Korean Sister, plus a Korean Sister from another community; two Filipino priests and a few Filipino Sisters; two Sisters from Western Samoa; a Sister from Brazil; another from Italy; and at least 4 Sisters from Mexico, and one from Venezuela. That's a rather long list, but we all felt as brothers and sisters of the same family.

The retreat focused on the life cycle of Jesus as told in Matthew's gospel; the life cycle of Blessed James Alberione's life; and our lives. The later segments of our life should reflect ongoing generativity. This includes taking care of the generation before us, as well as nurturing those younger than us. Father Mick Goonan led us very well, and supplied us with handouts, which always included an art piece reflecing each gospel segment. Since it is a late hour and I want to write clearly I will sign off for now and include some of the photos I took of the retreat house and the neighborhood.

The sun had just began to burn off the morning mist on Dudley Road. Have a blessed rest of the week! Please pray for the soul of a cousin who died of cancer last Saturday: Patrica Aurelio Kinnard. May she rest in peace Amen.Goodnight and God bless you! And, enjoy a blessed day wherever you are!

An Awareness of American History

As you know I was assigned to our Philadelphia convent for a few years. During my last year there, I had the privilege of being present when Archbishop Charles Chaput was installed as Archbishop of Philadelphia. We can call Philadelphia the Cradle of American Liberty, since it was there that the Declaration of Independence was signed in July of 1776. On this Good shepherd Sunday, when we celebrate vocations and we pray for the shepherds of our Church, that we read from one of the nation's Shepherds who clearly states the role of religion in our American Society. The article is in the May issue of the magazine "First Things." Archbishop Chaput quotes Benjamin Franklin, ardent patriot as well as a wise man. Enjoy this article and remember to use it when you can. Otherwise we Catholic Christians may feel intimidated by outspoken critics of religion in our Western society. As St. Paul says, we need to evangelize whether it is "in season or out of season"--whether it pleases some or not.

In 1787, at the age of eighty-one, Benjamin Franklin addressed the Constitutional Convention: “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interests, our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and byword down to future ages.”

What he said is still true. Even though the quotation is short, try to find the original article. It is well worth the read. What he writes is so true. May you enjoy a blessed Sunday and a week of joy and serenity. I will be praying for all my readers as I go on retreat.

Mother's Day

Happy Mothers' Day to all the women who read this post: mothers of families, spiritual mothers, God Mothers and those women who spend their lives giving new life to others as consecrated women in religious life or in secular institutes.In our chapel this morning we welcomed a good number of young families to our 9:30 Mass. Father Michael Harrington preached a homily geared to the children who sat on the floor in front of the altar. He touched the adults who listened by explaining how we can gift our mothers who are still with us. He had the kids list what would be a good thing to give Mom on her day: a nice card, and he held up some nice cards from the local CVS store; a box of candy; chores well done; a hug. Father then explained the significance of the statue of the Queen of Apostles which is now next to the Paschal Candle in our sanctuary. Since it is still the Easter season, a replica of an Empty Tomb is on the other side of the sanctuary for now. Father Mike pointed out that Mary is holding Baby Jesus tightly. Yet, she is holding him out to us, offering him to us, so we may take him into our arms too. That is her purpose: to give Jesus to each and every one of us. Before Mass was over we held a May crowing. Young people crowned Jesus and Mary with floral crowns. Each woman in the church, including us Sisters was given a flower as we entered. At the May Crowning we each brought a rose or a carnation and placed it in a vase in front of Mary. Two of the Sisters played Schubert's Ave Maria with flute and piano as a post-Communion meditation. It was a nice way to precede the Marian event.

Tomorrow I will begin an 8 day silent retreat at our St. Thecla Retreat House in Billerica, Mass. some of the sister Disciples of the Divine Master, and a few members of the Society of St. Paul, priests and brothers will join us Daughters of St. Paul. Our preacher will be Father Mike Goonan, an Australian Society of St. Paul priest now sationed in Staten Island, NY. This year marks 100 years of life for the Society of St. Paul and thus the birth of all the groups of the Pauline Family. Pray that I take advantage of this yearly gift of intense prayer as well as rest to reflect on the good that Jesus gives me every day.

St. Thecla Retreat House

Two Bound for Emmaus

Yesterday's Liturgy gave us St. Luke's story of the Disciples who were going home to Emmaus. Luke, the artist, paints a verbal picture of two downhearted people. Some writers say they may be a married couple. Or, they may be two male followers of Jesus who had gone to Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus, in disguise as a fellow traveler, joins them in their conversation. They were evidently very downcast and sorrowful. Jesus asked them why they were so disheartened. After he found out that the two were deeply saddened and discouraged by the sufferings and death of Jesus. Their hopes pinned on Jesus now seemed their hopes on him to be the promised Messiah of Israel. How could he be anything worthwhile after being executed as a criminal on Golgatha? The Traveler begins to explain. "Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he (Jesus) interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures." When they had reached their destination--or at least were getting ready for a meal and rest--they invited Jesus to stay with them, still not realizing who he was. When they were seated for dinner

"he took bread, said he blessings, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight."

The two from Emmaus immedediately changed their plans and headed back to Jerusalem to tell the Apostles. There they found the eleven Apostles and other disciples who too had seen the Lord Jesus. The two from Emmaus reflected on their conversation with Jesus. Their "hearts were burning" they recalled as they conversed with Jesus. Do we let our hearts catch fire as we converse with Jesus? As we listen and pray with his word, the Bible? We can get used to hearing and reading the gospel stories. So what new, good thing can he tell me today? If we leave Jesus space to get into our minds and hearts, he can transform us.

In today's gospel, Luke continues the story after the Emmaus disciples arrive back in Jerusalem. this time Jesus appears to the whole group gathered with Peter and the other Apostles. Jesus again reminds them that he fulfilled all that was said about him from Moses and the other prophets. Today's reflection by the Irish Jesuits on their Sacred Space website offer us some more food for our mins and hearts.

And out of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection comes the mission to proclaim reconciliation with God through Jesus to the whole word. “You are witnesses to this.” It is their mission to carry on the establishment of the Kingdom throughout the world. Or, as it is put here, “that repentance, for the forgiveness of sin, would be preached in the [Messiah's] name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem”. The Kingdom is being realised when people go through that process of radical conversion and change of life (‘repentance’ metanoia) which brings about a deep reconciliation of each one with God, with all those around them and with themselves, when all divisions fall away, when fear and hostility are replaced with a caring love for each other. If we have not yet done so, let us become part of that great enterprise today.

Easter Tuesday Outing to Jerusalem

Six of us Daughters of St. Paul had an Easter outing today. A friend provided us tickets and even free parking for the Museum of Science in Boston. We were thereto see an IMAX movie called Jerusalem. It gave a cursory history of the ancient city and breathtaking views of the site of the Temple, the Dome of the Rock, and the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The weather was delightful, warm and moderately sunny. The movie served to remind each of us of the events we celebrated last week. From the film I learned that Jerusalem was inhabited by the ancient Jebusites. They worshiped the setting sun which they called "Shalem." Hence comes the name Jerusalem. In the film three young women served as guides: one Christian, one Muslim and one Jewish.

Each girl showed some of the quarter of the city where she lives and explained the celebratory activities of their neighborhoods. I found it interesting that the celebrations highlighted for each group were centered around religious practice, rather than mere cultural practices.

The ancient city has few roads. Instead, pathways or stone staircases lead up and down the hillsides. As one of the guides said, the three major religious groups live side-by-side, yet there is little if any, interaction among the three main religious groups. Jerusalem was invaded 40 times by various armies, among them the Roman army of the Caesars. When the Muslims invaded it in the seventh century, they found it a Christian city.

The followers of Mohamed searched for a place for their own worship. They found what they believed to be the foundation stone or rock of the Jebusite city: a very large black rock almost a plateau on a hill. They chose to build their mosque around the rock. That is why it is called The Dome of the Rock. I was impressed by the Christian girl's remark that the three religious groups live in tight proximity to one another; yet, none of the three religious groups seemed to know much at all about the why and wherefore of the other. May this movie be a way that leads to some understanding and peace to all those living in the Holy Land, especially to those living in the Holy City of Jerusalem. May it bring greater understanding to those of us who do not live in Jerusalem but also live in a multi-cultural setting where we too live with and respect people of all the major religions of the Holy City. Now when I recite the Psalm which says "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" it means much more to me.

Easter Monday is Marathon Monday

Today 36,000 people are running from Hopkinton, Massachusetts for 26 arduous miles to downtown Boston. Thankfully, the sun is shining and it is still relatively cool. Volunteers along the way numbering 10,000 offer drink and momentary solace to the runners. Thousands more come to watch and millions view this around the world on TV and Internet. This year's event holds special meaning. It is a symbol of the solidarity shown to Boston by millions of people from all parts of the globe. After the tragic 2013 bombing which cost four lives and maimed scores of athletes and innocent bystanders, "Boston Strong" has become a rallying cry for peace and a sign of encouragement for anyone here facing difficulty. In the liturgy of the Catholic Church, today is a little Easter. It is an echo of the Alleluia's sung from Holy Saturday through Easter Sunday. As one writer says, the whole of Eastertide which last for about 50 days is characterized by the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Easter is not just a day reserved for "church going" or as some old timers would say, "Sunday go-to-meeting" (church). It is a season and it calls us to go out of ourselves and proclaim the Good News that "Jesus is risen" with our lives. I want to share with you a commentary by the Irish Jesuits on their daily website Sacred Space:

In today’s reading, the women are to instruct the disciples that they will see him in Galilee, their own place and that is where we will expect to see him, too. Galilee is their home ground, the place where they were born, grew up and work. That is where the Risen Jesus is to be found. He is saying the same thing to us too. We do not have to go to Jerusalem or Rome or Lourdes or Fatima to find him. If we cannot find him in the place where we live and work, we won’t find him in those other places either.

(Sacred Space, Monday of Week 1 of Easter 2014) Have a blessed and grace-filled day!

Boston College Alumni | Reflections for Easter Sunday

I wanted to share with my readers a practical and lovely Easter

reflection from our Boston College Alumni spirituality source:



Boston College Alumni | Reflections for Easter Sunday

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In many Christian cultures the greeting on Easter is: "Christ is risen, Alleluia!" The response is "He is truly risen, alleluia! Christ risen from the dead and living now and forever is what gives us peace and hope. By his dying and rising, Jesus points us to a better life, a live lived like his, spent in love and for love of God and our neighbor. The neighbor is first of all the person who lives next to us in our house. that neighbor may get on our nerves, disappoint us, even contradict us. But, Jesus as Mother Teresa used to say "is hidden in disguise" of that poor one. Poor--maybe spiritually or in manners, or attitude. Nonetheless there is Someone hidden in this person whom I am bound to love. Easter gives us reason to hope, to be energized in doing good. God does not lead us where his grace does not keep us! Have a very blessed Easter Sunday and Easter Season!"

Why Call It Good?

In our English language we call the Friday before Easter "Good" Friday. In thelatin languages it is "Holy Friday", Venerdi Santo in Italian, viernes santo in Spanish. It is a "holy" day, a day of quiet reflection for those who can take the day off from school or work. In our Boston community we have 12 young women with us who are participating in a Holy Week Retreat experience. This day is one of silence for them and for us Sisters it is like a retreat day-. Our publishing house, Pauline Books & Media, is closed, our employees are off until Tuesday. It is indeed a special time. We hope that those of you who can will be able to attend a Good Friday prayer service, and communion rite at your local parish or a church near your workplace. Today there is no Mass celebrated. We will have a Communion service, and the veneration f the cross. Three times as the priest enters the church he proclaims, "Behold the wood of the cross, upon which hung our salvation. O come let us adore him." May your Good Friday be truly good: in your thoughts, words and actions. The first Good Friday seemed anything but good. Jesus Christ was unjustly sentenced to die like a criminal. His response: "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." On the cross Jesus paid the price for sin: mine and yours and for all men and women. As we pray today, let us pray for those parents and teachers in South Korea whose children perished in the ferry boat accident. May Jesus crucified and now gloriously risen bring comfort to the grieving, and eternal life with him to those who have died.

The Last Lenten Friday

Today is the final Friday before Holy Week. The Church asks us to remember Jesus’ suffering and death on every Friday of the year. On Lenten Fridays we are asked to pray more intensely and to offer some kind of penance as a form of a “thank you” to the Lord for what he endured, and as an “I’m sorry” for the times we fell into sins. There are many motives for doing penance. For members of the Pauline Family, our prayers and work, in addition to any “extra” penance are offered to God in reparation for the disrespect given to Jesus, and all things sacred because of the misuse of the many forms of media. Sometimes this misuse comes in the form of mockery, put-downs of religious practices, and ridicule of the Pope and Bishops.

Reparation can also be “public.” By this I mean that when a radio or TV program blatantly mocks our Faith, we can do something about it. We do not “turn the other check” and allow the public airwaves or the cable for which we pay to trash our faith. Call or email the channel or station with a respectful comment telling of your displeasure, not a hate-filled rant which is not worthy of a Christian citizen. You could say something like this,

“I usually enjoy this show, but the slurs about the Catholic Church are too much for me to endure. I refuse to watch this show (name it), nor will I buy any more products from its sponsors.“

A very effective way to cut short a program’s Catholic/Christian bashing is to notify the sponsors of the show. If it is a local company, call them and lodge your complaint. Again, be respectful but firm. If the company has an 800 or other toll-free number, call them with the complaint and the promise to avoid buying their products. For many companies, the bottom line is the profit from their ads supporting the offending program. There is an axiom that survived for ages:

“The only things necessary for evil men to prosper is for good men to do nothing.”

Have a grace-filled Lenten Friday. God bless you!

Truth

In today's Gospel for the Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent, Jesus faces the people who challenge and ultimately reject him. Why the rejection? Because they were closed to the Truth which was standing in front of them. They thought they knew all the answers about God and religion. As one writer says, "They were the first fundamentalists." Jesus held out hope for them and for us when he responded with this, "The truth will set you free." In John 14:6 Jesus affirmed, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." When I am faced with a difficult decision, do I pray to Jesus Truth for wisdom to know the best way to decide? Here's a little prayer for today from Blessed James Alberione:

Jesus Master, sanctify my mind and increase my faith. Jesus Truth, may I be light for the world.

Have I met Jesus Truth in his word in the Gospels today?

A Sign for Us

If you’ve ever flown at night across a wide expanse of ocean, you may have felt a bit of relief when you looked out the window and saw the far off lights of coastal villages. You may have glimpsed your destination airport’s lights tracing rectangles in the dark. Seeing the lights raised a natural sort of hope in your heart. Today the reading from Book of Numbers gave hope to a people worn out from their desert journey. They railed against God and Moses because they had another set-back. They had to make a detour around the Edomites. In their complaints about the food, the lack of abundant water, and the sameness of their diet, they sinned against the Lord. Many were bitten by poisonous snakes whose bite was fiery—the Seraph snakes. When the people cried out for mercy, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. When Moses did that, people who just looked at the pole were healed from the serpent’s bite.(See the Book of Numbers 21:4--9) Jesus referred to this when he said, “I, when I will be lifted up, will draw all to myself.” As the lights which pierce the darkest night, or as the bronze snake lifted high to heal, so Jesus lifted high on the cross, cures us. He gives us his Word to heal our minds, his example to heal our wills, his own Body and Blood in the Eucharist to nourish and sustain us.

My oldest sister has a Greek Orthodox friend. Her living room is dominated by an icon crucifix. The right arm extends over the fireplace, and the Savior’s head is bowed to the right. The mere size of that crucifix compels you to gaze at it and to contemplate why is that Man on the cross? You needn’t have an almost life-size crucifix, a small one suffices. However it is helpful for our spiritual life to have a wall crucifix to remind us when we enter our homes who is our Healer and our Lord. Have a blessed day.

Come Out of the Tomb

Today's Gospel tells of Jesus' raising his friend Lazarus from the tomb. Blessed James Alberione wrote a prayer that compares sin and the alienation it causes to a tomb. Here he writes: "O Jesus Good Shepherd, turn your gaze on the many 'lost sheep.' Their souls are in a spiritual tomb. They need to be 'born again,' given a new life of grace. There are many sinners, many spiritual cemeteries around us. May Jesus' voice resound in their ears:

'Lazarus, Come out of your tomb of sin!' May these souls rise to a new life of grace in Christ. Thereby they will give consolation to the church and to all their brothers and sisters in Christ." (Adapted from Brevi Meditazioni, Giacomo Alberione)

Another way of looking and praying with this Gospel is to see how Jesus experienced grief and even anger at death. Sin brought death into our human experience. Father Scott Hurd, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, and author of books from Pauline Books & Media applies the teaching of this powerful Gospel to those who grieve at the loss of loved ones. http://fatherscotthurd.blogspot.com/2014/04/fifth-sunday-of-lent.html

Are You a Modern Day Lazarus?

The Fifth Sunday of Lent offers us the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Chapter 11 of St. John's Gospel details the account of the death of Lazarus, and the mourning of his two sisters, Martha and Mary. I always admire Martha, the hard working lady of the house. Jesus tells her:

"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Martha replied,

"Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Martha made a profound statement of faith. Even though she mourned the death of her brother, Lazarus, she clearly and firmly believed in the power of Jesus. When Martha's sister Mary showed up at the tomb, weeping. Stirred by his own strong emotions, Jesus too wept. As the evangelist John wrote: "He became deeply troubled." Jesus went to the tomb. Martha warned him that Lazarus' dead body would be giving off a stench, since it had lain in the tomb for four days. Jesus prayed aloud to the heavenly Father.

"Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd Here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me."

And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice,

"Lazarus come out!"

The dead man came out, tied hands and foot with burial bands....So Jesus said to them,

"Untie him and let him go."

Jesus restored Lazarus to his earthly life. Blessed James Alberione affirms that there are people who are "walking dead" or veritable cemeteries, because their souls are starved of grace. Their inner lives are bereft of the light of God because they have refused to accept the call to repentance, to conversion, to true love of God through Jesus. In the Catholic Church we know that Christ forgives all our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or, as we say in everyday language, confession. Sin is cancer of the soul. Jesus is our Healer ready to clear out the wound of sin. He is waiting to tell our soul to "come out of the tomb of sin, of spiritual darkness, of an ego turned in on itself. He tells us to come out of the tomb off brooding over the festering hurts of offenses done to us; or, of sins we have committed and never admitted to God or to ourselves that we were at fault." Lately Pope Francis preached on the need to confess our sins and to receive pardon through the absolution offered in the Sacrament. Before hundreds of people, he himself knelt to confess his sins at one of the many confessionals in St. Peter's Basilica. I pray for all those who have been away for years from the healing power of the confessional. Some of us go face-to-face. If you can't kneel it is more convenient to sit and tell the priest. Sitting, standing, kneeling or on a sick bed, Jesus is ready to tell the Lazarus within us, to the sin within us, to "come out of him", "leave her." As we begin this time closer to Easter, we want to experience our own personal rising from the death of sin, to the new life that only Christ Jesus can give us. In many parishes throughout the USA, there is an effort to make confession more available by offering it on Wednesday evenings. Check your local parish's website to see of they are part of "The Light Is On For You" practice; or, you can check when confession is available. When you are really hungry, you can't wait to bite into a good steak, a hamburger, or a dish of ice cream. You don't wait a month, or a year or more. As we feed our bodies, we need to nourish our souls. Confession or Reconciliation serves as not only a "clean up" service for our souls, but an infusion of grace, the divine energy that only comes from the Holy Spirit. Have a blessed Sunday. There are three titles, each one concise, that can help you prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation: Basic Helps to Confession; Why Go to Confession by Bruno Forte; and for young people: The Sacrament of Reconciliation in My Pocket.

The above titles are available from www.pauline.org

The "Real" Gift

Today I attended the funeral of a gentleman from our parish who was married for 66 years. His dear wife was escorted into St. Thomas church immediately behind her husband's coffin. It was a happy and sad occasion. One's earthly life was completed. Victor's eternal life had just begun. After Communion a grandson delivered the eulogy. He described his granddad as the ideal dad. He was a faithful Catholic. He belonged to the Holy Name Society which made him stand out as a fervent Catholic. He was faithful to his job as a mail carrier, faithful to his wife and his 5 children. Like St. Joseph, Victor was more of a "do-er than a speaker." After 66 years of marriage Victor went to his eternal reward. There were plenty of tears shed by his children and grandchildren. Amid the sorrow there was also a quiet hope. "Life is changed, not taken away" is one of the liturgy's comments on death. Among the relatives and friends joy radiated from a newly-wed couple, and the promise of new life evident in two of the expectant grandchildren. In both the homily and the eulogy those of us who were not close family learned a lot about the deceased Victor. He was a man of few words, but of an abundance of good works. He worked as a postal mail carrier--a hard but steady job. What a witness to true love for his family, devotion to his hometown, to the Boston Red Sox, to his heritage as the son of Italian immigrants. It seemed appropriate that today, Pope Francis addressed his Wednesday audience to newly married couples. Pope Francis told those young people beginning new lives together:

“When a man and a woman celebrate the sacrament of marriage, God, so to speak, is ‘mirrored’ in them, He marks them with His features and the indelible character of His love.” Even God “is a communion of the three persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who live forever and are forever in perfect unity. And this is the mystery of marriage: God makes one existence of the two spouses — the Bible says ‘one flesh’ — in the image of His love, in a communion which draws its origin and its strength from God.” The Pope then asked those husbands and wives present if they are aware of this “great gift” that the Lord has given them: “The real ‘wedding gift’ is this: Your marriage is a reflection of the Holy Trinity, and with the grace of Christ, you are a living and credible icon God and His love.”

“The plan that is inherent in the Sacrament of Marriage is truly wonderful! It takes place in the simplicity and also the fragility of the human condition. We know the many trials and difficulties that the lives of a married couple encounter... The important thing is to keep alive the link with God, which is the basis of the marital bond.”

For those who prepare couples for a Catholic marriage, the Daughters of St. Paul have published "Transformed in Love" a thoroughly Catholic marriage preparation program. To find out more about this very helpful title, check out its website: www.transformedinlove.com.

Pick It Up

The gospel selection for this day in Lent tells us about a healing Jesus performed on a Sabbath. He met a man, apparently crippled, who had lain next to the pool at Bethsaida for 38 years. It was said that an angel would at times come down to stir the water. When that happened the first to arrive in the pool was cured. The man lamented that he could never make it. Someone always got their before him. Jesus asked the man: "Do you want to be well?" Instead of answering yes right away, the man told his story. Jesus' reply was this, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." If we want to be well, we cannot remain motionless. Jesus told the man to get up and pick up his bedroll. In Lent, when we feel called to do a good deed, or to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation we cannot remain motionless. We must allow the Holy Spirit to permeate us, to let his strength move us to repentance, to good deeds, to a deeper life of prayer. If someone has the grace to return to confession/the Sacrament of Reconciliation, even after a long separation from it, he or she can feel like she is walking on a cloud. "Take up your mat" can mean put more effort into your daily routine. If a pedestrian steps into your path and you have to brake suddenly, say a quick Hail Mary. When you may feel cranky due to a late night project, resist the temptation to snarl at one whose ways annoy you. Pause a moment and ask Jesus to help you to show his gentleness and patience, instead of your rudeness. Jesus faded into the crowd immediately after he cured the man with the mat. Afterwards Jesus found him and said, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more...." One commentator wrote about this man: "He never takes hold of the life that Jesus has restored to him" (Vatican II Missal)

I wonder if that man who was cured later found a good job. He probably entered a whole new lifestyle: no more begging or sitting next to a pool. Did he follow Jesus? What would I have done? Jesus offers me life every day. Do I take hold of what he offers me? These thistles seem to me to epitomize the harshness of penance. So the thorns too remind us of Jesus bearing a crown of thorns. "Seize the day"--seize the moments of grace Jesus send you!

Laetare Sunday Rejoice

I don't know about you, but I have mixed feelings about Laetare Sunday, or Rejoice Sunday. A part of me says, "Be happy. The end of Lent is getting near! Another part, way down deep says, "Too bad! Time has gone so fast. I barely realized it was Lent." I just checked with my desk calendar. Easter is only three weeks away. The only time I and you have is now. So let's make the best of it.

Did you resolve to do or to avoid something for Lent: a food, an activity, a place? Why not dust off the excuses and start again. God looks at our efforts. As Mother Teresa said, probably hundreds of times, God does not ask success from us, but the effort to do good. As St. Theresa of the Child Jesus did, we can compare our forays into spiritual combat with ourselves as an infant learning to walk on her own. At first she may hoist herself up by hanging onto her crib. In the crib she walks around by hanging on. Once she is out onto the floor with nothing to steady her, she crawls then gets up, and soon is down again. Walking is a learned exercise. Who can count all the times that a baby walks a few feet then plops down on her round bottom. Then she rolls over and is up again. Anyone familiar with little kids knows what I mean. How often a baby starts out, falls, and looks up for approval from a grown up. Even if we are not looking up, God is watching our every desire to do good and to be good. In the Biblical Book of Hosea, God says, "It is love that I desire, and not sacrifice." In the same chapter, God assures us, "Even if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." We have a loving and forgiving God. May your fourth week of Lent be an exercise in loving and forgiving: first yourself and then the ones near you. Blessed James Alberione offers a short prayer to help us when we feel we haven't "made it" yet in our spiritual life:

By myself, I can do nothing. But with God, I can do sll things. To him honor and glory; to me the eternal reward.

Lenten Check Up

How is your Lent going? Fridays of Lent for us who are Catholic are meant to have a keener focus on Christ. These Fridays are an invitation to check on what we proposed to do, or to avoid as our Lenten practice. Or, our Lenten penance. The purple vestments and altar covers in our churches stand for penance. In the book of Jonah, God spared the people of Nineveh

because they "believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth....When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out."

Sackcloth was scratchy and uncomfortable. It was a penance, a discipline to wear that instead of smoother, lighter clothing. When Jesus spoke about fasting and doing penance, he cautioned people to make it "low key" that is not to show off. God is the one we are doing this work for. "Do not look gloomy like the hypocrites." Wash your faces, be well groomed so you don't look like you are starving! We might put on a modern twist to this advice. Fast, yes. Fast from a critical attitude; fast from too many words; fast from wasting time in scrolling through websites just out of curiosity. If you prefer to go on-line check out one of the religious sites. Our Sisters at www.pauline.org offer reflections, newsletters and prayers to give you a spiritual uplift. Father Robert Barron has a free spiritual guide for every day in Lent. One site that I use everyday is by the Irish Jesuits: Creighton University offers free daily reflections, and even an on-line retreat. http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/cmo-retreat.html The Internet has many free spiritual resources to help us remember God in our daily lives.

These reflections remind us that sin tends to erase our sensitivity to sin. When we gaze at the crucified Christ, we see the price Jesus paid to wash away our sin. Fridays are always a day to recall that the Sacred Heart of Jesus asked for reparation: acts of love to repair or make up for offenses to God. Just as we want to "make up for" having forgotten someone's birthday or anniversary; or we want to apologize and make up for an unwitting verbal barb we may have spoken--so we want to "make up to" or atone for our sins with some form of penance. What ever you chose, may it be done for love of God and with a peace-filled heart. And may he grant you the grace to persevere through the end of Lent. Then when Easter comes we will be more free to accept the Risen Christ into our hearts.

St. Patrick Missionary and Patriarch

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Our dining room and our work space is well decorated with green, shamrocks, and St. Patrick statues here and there. I was delighted to receive a St.Patrick's Day card even from a friend in Ontario. For some this is a day of excess drinking and rowdiness. Were Patrick here to comment on the less than pious activities done in his name, he may well use his crozier (the staff which bishops use to symbolize their shepherding of Christ's flock)to corral the errant sheep. Patrick, who had once been captured by Irish ruffians who raided Britain, returned to that land after he had a dream. Much like the dream St. Paul had when a man from Macedonia called Paul to "come over to us Macedonians", Patrick could even name the person calling out to him:

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us." (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Patrick prayed and prepared himself and was ordained a bishop. Like Paul in his tireless missionary work, Patrick worked hard to bring Christ's message to the people "at the end of the world"--the expression used by Europeans of his day, since the Emerald Isle was the western most corner of their known world. A wimp by no means, Patrick's Letter to Coroticus, a fellow Roman citizen, supposedly a Christian, reveals his rage and sorrow at the soldier's massacre of newly baptized Christians. those who survived were sold as slaves. For me the core of Patrick's teachings is based on the Trinity and adhearance to Jesus Christ. With my best wishes for a very joyous celebration of this great Saint's feast day, I leave you with part of his famous Breastplate:

St Patrick’s Breastplate We wrap round ourselves today the great name of the Trinity, the Three in One, the One in Three, the God who lives eternally. Christ within us, Christ around us, Christ beside us, Christ surround us, Christ behind us, Christ before us, Christ to comfort and restore us. Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger, Christ beneath us, Christ above us, Christ to cherish and to love us.

On the Threshold of the 40 Day Retreat

First of all my apologies for a long hiatus from blogging.One excuse is that I recently changed my address. Now I am part of our Boston community. I have been assigned to Boston often. Now this seems more "permanent." often people have asked me, "Is this a 'permanent' placement? Will you always be here (in whatever city I happened to have been assigned to)?" In the early days of our religious life, the Founder had told us that we should be like the sparrows perched on a branch a;ways ready to fly off to whatever assignment came up. We are still surrounded by a blanket of snow. Old snow, frozen solid. Experience and faith tell us that one day that snow will melt and the green grass will sprout. Winter's icy grip and its stubborn clinging this year are all the more reasons to want to spend a fervent Lenten season. Lent requires more effort, more spiritual energy, more of the heat of the love of God and the love we have for God. One thing that has encouraged me to spend a better Lenten season was seeing the movie the Son of God last week. It is a good movie, and powerful especially in its depiction of Jesus' Passion. The actor who portrays Jesus does well as he becomes intensely serious as he foretells his sufferings to the Apostles. The scenes of Jesus suffering in the last days of his life tell the story of God's love shown to us through Jesus. Although some may criticize the film as "lame" or "not enough" I say no motion picture is "enough" to portray the love of the infinite God. We use finite means to convey an infinite love story. People do their best, but God's grace has to do the rest: to move our hearts to imitate the love Jesus showed on that first Good Friday.

No matter what your Lenten resolve is keep at it. A fourteen year old boy whose cause awaits canonization is Marjorino Viggolungo. He was one of the very first members of the Society of St. Paul founded 100 years ago. Marjorino was convinced that he could be an Apostle by bringing God's Word to life through the printed Word. His motto was "A little (more) every day" for God. That one resolve which he stuck to won him a holy death. The Son of God movie is in theaters in the USA right now. Don't complain about Hollywood. Instead support the good that Hollywood tries to do.

January's High LIght

As I write this thousands are descending on the US Capitol to prepare for tomorrow's March for Life. I don't want to be a "sourpuss" as Pope Francis writes in his latest document, "The Joy of the Gospel" and say, that "As usual, the major media outlets will underplay the numbers of people who march for life." In reality it is close to a

million people, many high school and college students who will sacrifice their time, and pleasure to walk in Washington to demonstrate their love for life in all its stages. This March is not a "Catholic" event alone. During this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity it is a witness to all those men and women who are united in their belief that life is a gift. It is precious and is to be protected by law from the moment of conception until the last breath of the elderly. I will be there in spirit, since our Center remains open and I am helping to staff it. This does not include areas that schedule their own marches, or who go to their own state houses to lobby for life. If you see a 5 second glimpse of crowds of people on the Washington Mall January 22, you will know to multiply that crowd by at least 500 thousand times. Today three of our community of five will participate in a Northern Virginia Arlington Diocese Rally for Life which prepares young people from all over the country to march with purpose tomorrow. On Wednesday morning they will be at the Patriot Center again to join in praise and worship with the young people before the March for Life.

Let us pray for all those attending the March for life: for all the bishops, priests, sisters and religious brohters, and the thousands who brave the bitter cold to stand in solidarity for the gift of life!

End of the Year and Happy New Year

For many years, a New Year’s Eve custom was the singing of the Te Deum a Latin hymn of praise and thanks to God for all the graces of the year which soon to leave us. We each can make our own Litany for all the graces of this past year: for our life, our health, for the opportunities to attend Mass and receive Holy Communion, for the graces of absolution in the sacrament of reconciliation. WE thank God for good friends, for supportive families, for beautiful scenes, for joyfilled entertainment, for good books and movies. I thank God too for the good I received from our friends and relatives who passed into eternal life this year. Two of my sisters, a brother-in-law, and our uncle died in 2013. Each of them left many good examples of generosity, and devotion to their families. We thank god too for negative events which purified us, strengthened us, and taught us--even if we did not "like" them. In the Church, we received a new Pope as we honor Pope Emeritus Benedict. The two Popes together published the encyclical, The Light of Faith. Now Pope Francis has gifted us with his own document: The Joy of the Gospel. It is ready to ship or to pick up at our Pauline books & Media Centers. Happy reading in 2014! 2014 also marks a special anniversary for the Pauline Family: 100 years of existence. The actual anniversary date is August 20. On that date in 1914 Reverend James Alberione gathered two young men into what was called the Typography School in Alba, northern Italy. The School soon became a seminary for the education of the members of the newly born Society of St. Paul. The Society’s aim was to use the press as a means of evangelization. As media blossomed, so the Pauline Society was to adapt each modern means of communication for the gospel message. Happy Anniversary to all Paulines! In the early years of the Pauline foundations, everything was lacking--except faith in God's loving providence. Money was scarce, bills piled up, deadlines loomed waiting to be met. It was then that Father Alberione (now blessed Alberione) together with his assistant, Father Timothy Giaccardo (composed a prayer of confidence in God. It reads more as a "contract" with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is called the Pact or Secret of Success. In my next blog I will provide The Pact.

Hunger for Bread for Body and Soul

 At this noon hour I want to share with all my readers the prayer to end world hunger: Here is the campaign prayer to be prayed at noon on Tuesday, December 10, 2013:

O God, you entrusted to us the fruits of all creation so that we might care for the earth and be nourished with its bounty. You sent us your Son to share our very flesh and blood and to teach us your Law of Love. Through His death and resurrection, we have been formed into one human family. Jesus showed great concern for those who had no food – even transforming five loaves and two fish into a banquet that served five thousand 

and many more.

We come before you, O God, conscious of our faults and failures, but full of hope, to share food with all members in this global family. Through your wisdom, inspire leaders of government and of business, as well as all the world’s citizens, to find just, and charitable solutions to end hunger by assuring that all people enjoy the right to food.

Thus we pray, O God, that when we present ourselves for Divine Judgment, we can proclaim ourselves as “One Human Family” with “Food for All”. AMEN

In our work as Daughters of St. Paul we strive to abolish spiritual hunger too. I remember years ago meeting an elderly Japanese lady who told me, "I just met Jesus Christ." I did not ask her age, but I think she was at least in her 80's. That is when it struck me that there are millions who have never really heard about Jesus. Pope Francis' new Exhortation the Joy of the Gospel tells us how to alleviate that hunger for Jesus that many people have.

Last night in Alexandria, Virginia the Daughters of St. Paul Choir gave an outstanding musical night of evangelism. None of the songs were scolding people nor did they make fun of Santa (After all Santa is truly "Saint" Nicholas, a real man, a real and holy bishop who did give to the poor.) 

Our Choir Traveled Many Miles and Long Hours to Sing in Alexandria VA

There are some "religious" people who refer to the saved and the unsaved. The feast of Christmas which we are about to celebrate on December 25 celebrates the coming of Christ, born of Mary, to save the entire human race. He went on to preach, suffer and rise from the dead to save all. While there is life there is always hope. As long as one's breath clouds a little mirror Jesus is always offering his saving grace. As Francis Thompson wrote, Jesus is truly the Hound of Heaven who pursues souls "Down the nights and down the days, and down the many labyrinthine ways." As the Gospel of Matthew assures us, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leaves the righteous 99 sheep to find even one wayward sheep. May we pray today to abolish world hunger and to satisfy the hungers of human hearts starving for goodness, beauty and lasting truth.

 

Sister Fey Rocks a Gospel Number at
St. Joseph Church in Alexandria, Virginia

Concert Venue Change Dec. 9, 2013

St. Francis Xavier and Us

This third day of Advent is also the feast of the Jesuit missionary saint, Francis Xavier. Francis was one of the original band of young men who joined the Company of Jesus. They became known world wide as the Jesuits. When Francis was a student with the older man, the ex-soldier, Ignatius of Loyola, he was fun loving, and carefree. Ignatius kept reminding Francis that there was more to life than fun. "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet suffer the loss of his soul?" When Francis finally gave in and turned his life totally over to God, he gave all his talents to the Lord too. Francis sent to India at first where he converted many--it is said hundreds of thousands to Christ. He converted the songs the men at the docks used into musical Bible lessons. He prayed intensely and worked just as intensely. He lived as a poor man among the poor. Then he moved on to Japan. There he dressed as a Japanese in a more elegant and acceptable style. After all he was an ambassador for Christ. Francis lived out St. Paul's words: "I have made myself all things to all people, so as to win some for Christ." Francis wanted to preach to the Chinese, but his strength was consumed and he died off the coast of China. Pope Francis wants us Christians to be evangelizers, to reach out to our neighbors with the gospel message and with our witness.The Daughters of St. Paul publishing house, Pauline Books and Media, will be printing the pope's apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel. It is expected to be ready by January.
Another way to evangelize our culture is though music. The Daughters of St. Paul on the US east coast begin tonight to sing in concert to prepare folks for a happy Christmas.

See the www.pauline.org web site for locations nearest you. This link provides locations and times: https://www.facebook.com/DSPchoir/events

Have a blessed continuation of this season when we celebrate God's coming to us as a true man, a real human being who loves each of us.

Advent Eve St. Andrew's Day

Today is the Feast of the Apostle St. Andrew. He was the brother of St. Peter. Andrew seems to have had a pleasant personality. He never seemed jealous of his more famous brother Peter. He who was a fisherman became a fisher of men. He was called directly by Jesus to follow him and seek to draw men and women into the net of the Faith. As Pope Francis is exhorting us Christians, we too are called to follow the example of Peter and Andrew, James and John who left their nets to follow the Lord.

St Andrew

A priest friend mentioned this morning how he imagines what the people driving near him on the roads and highways really look like. Then he prays for his fellow motorists. For me riding on public transportation, the transit system, or the Metro as it is called in the DC area, serves up a slice of real life. In the car I can't stop to hear a street person ask for a few coins. I can't hear the roar of the trains pulling in or out of the stations, Nor can I hear the fellow playing a recorder as he leans up against an office building. Neither can I hear the jazz and blues belted out by a sidewalk entertainer playing a keyboard atop enormous speakers at the subway entrance. From the car's windshield I never noticed the policemen in bullet proof vests near the subway entrance. In the comfort of our little van I had forgotten the feel of  squeezing into a subway car and holding on tight as the train lurched forward. At the airport stop, some got off, headed for a higher adventure; their plane trip to work or home. Others from the airport entered the rail car, some looked exhausted, others seemed content. Someone got up (a woman) so I could sit down. I really appreciated the chance to stop swaying. The man seated next to me seemed annoyed and morose. I feel sorry for him. He gave off a joyless vibe. Perhaps he was ill, or had experienced a bad day at work.
Scanning the faces of my fellow passengers I wanted to say "Cheer up! The Lord is near. He loves you. You have reason to smile despite your crosses."  I did not feel quite filled enough with the Holy Spirit to actually say these words: "God bless you! Smile, God loves You!"
After the rush of our current Advent/Christmas season, I highly recommend the Holy Father's new Apostolic Exhortation: Evangelium Gaudium, TheJoy of the Gospel. Our Pauline Books & Media publishing house will publish the new document in January: www.pauline.org. Gospel means good news. Each of us Christians who live our faith are living gospels. For Advent a good resolve to prepare for Christ's coming would be to have a "joy" check up every morning in front of the mirror. Am I smiling or at least serene in my appearance? Away with all crankiness and complaining. Enter peace, self-control and joy.
Have a blessed St. Andrew's Day and a super Advent!

Only 6 More Says!

The Liturgical or Church year ends on Saturday, November 30. Today's Feastr of  Jesus Christ, King of  the Universe is the last Sunday of our liturgical cycle. Advent begins next weekend. Since my last post--about 20 days ago, life and death have intertwined. In my family we enoyed knowing that we had a step-sister, even though we did 

Finish Line

Saints Shakers and Movers

Today, November 4, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Charles Borromeo. At a very young age, in his early 20's, Charles' uncle the Pope appointed him a bishop. 21st century opinion would call his a case of pure nepotism. However God Charles' position to help implement the reforms of the Council of Trent--an ecumenical council which last about 20 years. Trent was the council summoned to answer the Protestant Reformation. That Council clarified many issues. spread his new religion using a catechism. Trent issued the Roman Catechism to educate Catholics to the basics of the faith. Luther and other reformers pointed out the failings of many of the clergy and other church officials. To remedy the situation, the council fathers mandated  a more systematic training of future priests: seminaries. Charles Borromeo was especially expert at setting up these centers of priestly formation where men were trained in academic and spiritual subjects. It was important to have clerics steeped in learning to help their parishioners. The seminary fostered growth in the spiritual and ascetical life, with its discipline and prayer, both communal and private. There young men  learned to live more gospel centered, prayerful lives. One of those seminaries, that of the Diocese of Alba, in Italy's Piedmont was instrumental in the forming of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione. When one visits the chapel at the Alba seminary, the influence of St. Charles Borromeo is very evident.

St Charles Borromeo

St. Charles worked and prayed hard for his own Diocese of Milan. He lived from 1538 to 1584--a time of great turmoil in Europe. One of the reforms of the Council of Trent was that of making sure a bishop resided in his own diocese. When Carlo (his Italian name) arrived in Milan the church was reeling from the lack of leadership and organization. With prayer and great tact he set about reforming the clergy and the church in general in that huge northern Italian see. There were some who resented his efforts and even tried to kill him. The Lord spared him from a violent death. He died in Milan and was proclaimed a saint only 26 years after his death.
In the 20th century Milan was a huge industrial city. Immigrants from southern Italy came to work in the auto industry and other related factories. Italy's Communist Party was making headway among factory workers.
A priest who had worked with college students during the time of the Fascists was singled out to work in the Vatican. Giovanni Battista Montini preferred to work with the people and with the ordinary laity. Yet Montini

Pope Paul VI

was eventually appointed Archbishop then Cardinal of Milan.Cardinal Montini went to the factories to bless the machinery and to talk to his flock. He even donned a hard hat at least once to evangelize the men and women who had begun to drift away from the faith, I am sure that Montini, who became Pope Paul VI, learned much from his predecessor Carlo Borromeo. I saw Paul VI when he came to New York City to address the UN and beg for peace. Then I saw him up close in Rome. May he rest in peace with the Lord he served so well. Paul VI traveled outside of the Vatican several times. He was the first Pope in hundreds of years to embrace a Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Athenagoras. Like his predecessor who brought the reforms of the Council of Trent into the real world, so Paul VI did for the renewal called for by the Vatican II Council. He carried the cross of his Pontificate with grace and humility. May he intercede for our bishops, and our Pope Francis.  

Saints, Sinners, and Memories

November slipped in with the Feast of All Saints on Friday, and of All Souls on Saturday. Saints with the capitol "S" and many, many more with the small "s". When I lived in Hawaii a priest at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace would begin his daily homily like this: "My dear saints." That was always a good pick-me-up, a great way to feel affirmed as we began our day with a very early Mass. Two of our Sisters attended a beautiful wedding on All Souls Day. The groom told the guests at the reception that he and his wife were going to help one another to become saints. What a blessed way to begin their life together, declaring their resolve to become saints by helping one another throughout their lives. Everyone is made to be a saint. Life has built-in aids to sainthood. Another name for these aids is a cross. By taking up the daily duties we have: those we like, and those which annoy us, we travel a bit closer to the goal of sanctity.
Saints are not "born" with halos. God's continuous gift of his grace and effort to accept and bear our crosses help to become daily, saints in the trenches. Or, should I say saints-in-the-pews!
I hope to write more about this month packed with feast days both religious and civil.
Have a blessed week, and be happy saints!