Daily Retreat 02/28/06

2006 Feb 28 Tue: Ordinary Weekday

1 Pt 1: 10-16/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Mk 10: 28-31

From today’s readings: "Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as He who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.... The Lord has made known His salvation.... Peter began to say to Jesus: We have given up everything and followed You...."

Fully Informed

To be legally binding, a new law must be officially promulgated and publicized, in order to uphold the maxim, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse." For, if the enactment of a new law were to be deliberately concealed, how could citizens be expected to comply with it? But since all laws are publicly authorized, it becomes the reasonable responsibility of citizens to learn at least about all the laws which would apply to their state, and thus whoever refuses to study such essentials clearly risks the worst penalties.

Likewise, "the Lord has made known His salvation." Divine Revelation completely publicizes God’s expectations for the moral conduct of all who are subject to His law (that includes everyone who is, who ever was, and who ever will be!). A well-formed conscience, the light of human reason, the Natural Law, the words of Sacred Scripture, and the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium all corroborate and converge on the eternal Truth of God’s law, so ignorance of His law is no excuse!

This implies, though, that those who stubbornly ignore or reject those guides thus clearly risk the worst penalties. Fortunately for us, God does not promulgate new laws every day, so there is no burden of keeping up with the latest divine legislation. However, it’s important to note that such statutory permanency increases, rather than decreases, our reasonable responsibility for learning about all the God-given laws which apply to our state in life. Sadly, in almost all cases, people are poorly informed about God’s law simply because they don’t see it as something with practical importance. I’m always amazed, for instance, at how many people can’t even recall the 10 Commandments, yet the same people are often enough quite well informed about principles that are exponentially more complex, yet infinitely less significant, such as the 10 major points of the M.L.B.’s official rules of baseball. Ignorance and violation of the laws of a sport leads even the repentant only to forfeiture of the game, but ignoring and violating the laws of God leads only the unrepentant even to losing a soul!

Daily Retreat 02/27/06

2006 Feb 27 Mon: Ordinary Weekday

1 Pt 1: 3-9/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 5-6. 9 and 10c/ Mk 10: 17-27

From today’s readings: "Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls... Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights.... It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God."

Peter’s Pages

Last Wednesday, February 22^nd, was the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the Church’s commemoration of the Lord’s choice of Peter as the first Pope, the earthly vicar of Christ. Today and tomorrow, the first reading will be from the First Letter of Peter, a relatively short book of the Bible (only five chapters). The Second Letter of Peter is even shorter (only three chapters).

Since, beginning Wednesday, the season of Lent creates a major shift in the lectionary choice of readings, most of those two epistles of Peter will not be read in Church this year, so right now would be an ideal time to read them on your own - this will only take about ten minutes!

As is evident from today’s first reading, the First Letter of Peter gets right down to business with one of the most profound summaries of the essence of Christian faith (1Peter 1:3-5). Such full faith is the greatest cause for rejoicing, even when tested by severe trials, for perseverance through such tribulations convincingly proves the strength and solid foundation of the faith, whose goal is nothing less than the eternal salvation of the soul!

Daily Retreat 02/26/06

2006 Feb 26 SUN: EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Hos 2: 16b. 17b. 21-22/ Ps 102(103): 1-2. 3-4. 8. 10. 12-13 (8a)/ 2 Cor 3: 1b-6/ Mk 2: 18-22

From today’s readings: "Thus says the LORD: I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart... As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.... Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.... As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast...."

Warning - Lent Approaching!

Generally, the penitential season of Lent has already started by the end of February, but this year, Ash Wednesday is coming this week on March 1^st. Some years, it’s even later - in 2011, Ash Wednesday won’t be until March 9^th!

The date of Ash Wednesday changes year-to-year because the date of Easter is determined each year as the first Sunday following the Paschal full moon. This means that Easter Sunday can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.

By coincidence, this Sunday’s scripture readings serve as a most fitting lead-in to Lent. It’s "by coincidence" simply because this is not always the case - usually, it’s hard to detect a "pre-Lent" theme in the lectionary selections for the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, so perhaps, it’s more than coincidental - perhaps it’s Providential!

The first reading, from the Book of the Prophet Hosea, recounts the Lord’s plan to lead His espoused people into the desert, so that they abandon their idolatrous attachments and re-learn their utter dependence on God, who stands ready to speak tenderly to the heart. For all of us, Lent can and should be such a "desert experience," when we intentionally renounce and forsake all that we have put before God in our lives, in order to listen more attentively to His words of life, and follow more faithfully His will for us.

The responsorial psalm’s refrain, "The Lord is kind and merciful!" reminds us of the basis of our Lenten hope: we should not deny or hide our sins - instead, we can have the courage to face our sins only because "merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger, and abounding in kindness. Not according to our sins, does He deal with us, nor does He requite us according to our crimes."

In his second letter to the Christians in Corinth, St. Paul claims the Corinthians themselves as his premier "letter of recommendation." You see, Corinth was the "Sin City" of that day - for a modern comparison, one might think of Las Vegas in its sleaziest aspects. And yet, in spite of such an inhospitable environment, Paul was able to establish there a truly vibrant and faithful Church, worthy of the name of Christ. The Church’s ability to thrive there proves the Church can flourish anywhere! So Corinth is an inspirational benchmark for our own parishes - are they alive with a vigorous counter-cultural faith, with incarnated biblical morals, and with apostolic zeal to spread the Gospel? Or, do our parishes just complacently reflect the hedonist and materialist values of our modern world? Lent is certainly the season to insure that our Church is in every way a compelling letter of recommendation for the new covenant of following Christ faithfully.

The Gospel passage to be read this coming Ash Wednesday commends to all the penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In the Gospel reading today, Jesus explains that penance should never be a matter of mere routine. You see, Lent is the premier season of penance, inspired by the Lord’s own desert experience of 40 days at the beginning of His public ministry. In our preparation for Easter, we likewise commit ourselves to a desert experience of 40 penitential days, but if you count carefully on a calendar, you’ll note that Ash Wednesday is actually 46 days before Easter. This reflects our Christian awareness that every Sunday is the Lord’s Day, a celebration of His Resurrection, the joyful commemoration of His Easter victory over sin and death, the feast of our Bridegroom’s real presence. And as Jesus Himself said, "As long as they have the Bridegroom with them, they cannot fast," so the Sundays of Lent cannot be days of fasting, and thus they don’t count in the Lenten tally of 40 penitential days.

Too often, Lent sneaks up on us, and Ash Wednesday finds us unprepared to wholeheartedly address our sinfulness with the prescribed annual desert experience of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But this year, this Sunday, the Scriptures have providentially offered us a perfect lead-in to Lent, so that each one of us can profit from that most compelling letter of recommendation!

Daily Retreat 02/25/06

2006 Feb 25 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM

Jam 5:13-20/Ps 140(141)/Mk 10:13-16

From today’s readings: "Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the priests of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.... I call to You, O Lord, hasten to me.... Let the children come to Me...."

The Anointing of the Sick

Many Gospel passages attest to the constant concern Jesus had to bring comfort and healing to the sick. It is not surprising, then, that from the beginning, the Lord’s Church has been committed to providing loving, prayerful care for those who are ill, not only nursing the needs of the body, but also addressing the health of the soul as well.

This is especially done through the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, which is alluded to towards the end of the letter of St. James. Through this sacrament, Jesus continues to bring the grace of His consolation, forgiveness, and strength to those who are gravely ill. When the Lord deems that physical healing would also be most beneficial for a person’s spiritual well-being, then He grants such healing as well, sometimes directly through the sacramental anointing, but generally also working through doctors, nurses, and other agents of His care for the sick.

Some wonder why, though, the sacrament of the anointing of the sick does not always bring complete physical healing - why doesn’t the Lord show the fullness of His infinite compassion by curing all who suffer greatly? We would all certainly welcome such an easy answer to the problem of suffering, and yet God, in His wisdom, evidently does not see that as the best answer for His children.

Since Jesus Himself bore our infirmities in His Passion, He teaches us to voluntarily unite all our sufferings with His redemptive suffering. This doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to seek cures for illness and relief for pain, but the fallen state of the human race means that it will always be impossible to wholly eliminate suffering from the human condition. Thus those who are sick are called to share in the Cross of Christ precisely through their physical suffering, and the rest of the Church is then inspired to continue Christ’s ministry of comforting, consoling, and healing in His Name.

Daily Retreat 02/24/06

2006 Feb 24 Fri: Ordinary Weekday

Jas 5: 9-12/ Ps 102(103): 1-2. 3-4. 8-9. 11-12/ Mk 10: 1-12

From today’s readings: "Do not complain about one another, that you may not be judged.... Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.... For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Complain, complain

Since no life is perfect, it goes without saying that, whether caused by us or imposed on us, the myriad imperfections of our lives do tend to grate on our nerves. And since our fallen human nature tends, like Adam and Eve, to blame others for our own problems, it’s no wonder that many people have, as one of their favorite passtimes, the habit of complaining about others.

To be sure, there is such a thing as a legitimate complaint, when it is a warranted cry against a grave injustice. In such cases, it’s generally the right thing to do to diligently work to put an end to injustice, but such efforts must nevertheless always be carried out in charity.

But so many complaints are more just about the things or persons that irritate us, and less about matters of injustice. Scripture warns us against the bad habit of making such complaints, since we certainly don’t want God to judge us sharply about all the things we do that dismay Him! Patience, compassion, and mercy are not only qualities we pray we may receive from God in our final judgment, they’re also what we should pray to receive from God now so that we can pass them on to others....

Daily Retreat 02/23/06

2006 Feb 23 Thu: Polycarp, bp, mt M

Jas 5: 1-6/ Ps 48(49): 14-15ab. 15cd-16. 17-18. 19-20/ Mk 9: 41-50

From today’s readings: "Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire.... Fear not when a man grows rich, when the wealth of his house becomes great, For when he dies, he shall take none of it; his wealth shall not follow him down.... Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."

Richly Warned

While the Bible does not condemn riches per se, the love of money and the inordinate focus on amassing wealth are clearly asserted as incompatible with any full Christian faith commitment. Even commonsense wisdom recognizes the danger of greed, and so, for instance, there’s a French proverb that goes, "Money is a good servant, but a bad master."

The Epistle of St. James is eerily emphatic in warning of the spiritual bankruptcy of those whose primary interest is earthly wealth. In particular, those rich will be condemned who acquired their fortunes unethically (e.g., depriving workers of decent wages), or misused wealth in wanton luxury, or abused riches to buy the power to pervert justice.

Do these dire warnings apply to you and me? Our tendency is to pamper ourselves with comforting thoughts that, since many people are much wealthier and apparently more greedy than we ourselves are, surely our own attitude towards mammon is balanced and appropriate for our state in life, right? But then, it’s far too easy to buy the silence of our conscience on this matter, as if a minuscule percentage of almsgiving somehow justified the humongous investment of our time and talents in lucrative pursuits. So Scripture richly warns us: in the eternal accounting, whatever money isn’t shared and used for good, amounts to nothing but fool’s gold!

Daily Retreat 02/22/06

2006 Feb 22 Wed: Chair of Peter, ap F

1 Pt 5: 1-4/ Ps 22(23): 1-3a. 4. 5. 6/ Mt 16: 13-19

From today’s readings: " Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.... The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.... I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. "

A Chair?

The Feast of the Chair of Peter is celebrated today - certainly a bizarre enough sounding title for a celebration! But the object of celebration, of course, is not a piece of furniture, but rather, an office - and not the type of office that would serve as room for a chair and a desk, but rather, an office of service, a position of leadership.

Although not the first Apostle called by Christ, Simon Peter is nonetheless always listed first in the gospel lists of the apostles’ names, and he clearly served as chairman of the original apostolic college - not necessarily because of his own natural charisma as a leader, but because, as Matthew’s gospel records, Peter was commissioned by Jesus Himself (also note Luke 22:31-32 and John 21:15-19).

This Petrine office of Church leadership is better known as the papacy. In fact, from Peter to Pope Benedict XVI, the historically documented succession of 265 popes personally links each of the Peter’s successors in that line of service and leadership in Christ’s Church. And that’s something that is worthy of a feastday celebration!

Daily Retreat 02/21/06

2006 Feb 21 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Peter Damian, bp, dr

Jas 4: 1-10/ Ps 55: 7-8. 9-10a. 10b-11a. 23/ Mk 9: 30-37

From today’s readings: "Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.... Cast your care upon the LORD, and He will support you.... Whoever receives one child such as this in My Name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but the One who sent Me."

Lovers of the World

St. James professes the sobering insight that "whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God!" Why? As Christ Himself insists, "No man can serve two masters..." (Matt. 6:24). So covetousness and envy and lust lead inevitably away from God to endless wars and conflicts.

To be seduced by the world is thus, as St. James claims, to fall into the most pathetic form of adultery. God loves us with the truest, most faithful love, beyond our comprehension! Through His Son’s Incarnation, He has espoused humanity to Himself - how is it that you or I would ever choose to betray that love by prostituting ourselves to the world? And yet in big ways and small ways, sometimes, perhaps always, we move to be lovers of the world, and embrace enmity with God!

After playing the harlot, can we ever return to Love Himself? St. James tells us how!

"So submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts.... Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you!"

Daily Retreat 02/20/06

2006 Feb 20 Mon: Ordinary Weekday

Jas 3: 13-18/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 15/ Mk 9: 14-29

From today’s readings: "...the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.... The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.... This kind can only come out through prayer...."

Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

You and I both know many people who have way more than we do, and yet they are unsatisfied. We moan, "If I only had his income, that would be more than enough for me. Or her intelligence. Or their sense of family peace. Or his opportunities, or her charm, or their good fortune. They have so much - why aren’t they ever satisfied?" Yet even as you and I complain about so many ingrates, these people who don’t realize how good they have it, if we would ever stop and listen, we’d probably be able to hear just as many people hungrily longing for the abundant blessings in our own lives which we so much take for granted!

So jealousy is like a poisonous but invisible gas which can so easily permeate the air we breathe, robbing us of peace and contentment and gratitude to God for His super-abundant goodness to us. Selfish ambition, the sinister sister of jealousy, likewise can snare our souls so softly and subtly, leading, as St. James observes, to "disorder and every foul practice."

How can we resist such insidious fiends? Only the wisdom from above can detect and discover and expose and expel these intrepid intruders, for jealousy and selfish ambition cannot long co-exist with Christian charity and "the humility that comes from wisdom!"

Daily Retreat 02/19/06

2006 Feb 19 SUN: SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Is 43: 18-19. 21-22. 24b-25/ Ps 40(41): 2-3. 4-5. 13-14 (5b)/ 2 Cor 1: 18-22/ Mk 2: 1- 12

From today’s readings: "Thus says the LORD: Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!... Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.... As God is faithful, our word to you is not "yes" and "no...." They came bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. "

Carrying Others to Christ

When reading the Bible, we must always strive to avoid reading "into" the sacred text our own preconceived ideas, prejudices, and assumptions, for scripture is truly the "Word of God," what He wants to say to us. However, since even the most detailed passages can frequently support many different insights, more than one legitimate interpretation can often be validly argued. As long as one respects the integrity of sacred scripture and takes into account the entire Tradition of our faith, it’s oftentimes beneficial to consider new points of view.

Consider, for example, the healing of the paralytic, recorded in today’s Gospel reading. The focus is clearly on the man’s healing as the visible guarantee of the forgiveness of his sins when Jesus said to him, "Child, your sins are forgiven!" But that central insight shouldn’t prevent us from considering other details of this miracle.  Note, for instance, in introducing the Lord’s proclamation of the forgiveness of sins, the Gospel clearly reads, "... Jesus saw their faith." Not just "his" faith, but "their" faith! In other words, what warranted Jesus’ attention was not just the faith of the paralyzed man, the one who would directly receive the blessing of forgiveness and healing, for evidently, Jesus was also touched by the faith of those who brought the man to Him.

In fact, we can legitimately speculate a bit about the faith of the paralytic - did he himself hear about Jesus, and then beg his friends to bring him to the Lord, and insist that they promise to do everything possible to get him close to the Lord? Or did his friends first hear about Jesus - were they the ones to initially tell the paralyzed man about Jesus, maybe even needing to overcome the sick man’s skepticism, and fear of being pulled up on top of the roof? On this point, scripture is not clear: perhaps the entire fivesome were all strong in their faith, but then again, maybe one or more of them were weak in faith, but dragged along willy nilly by the fervent faith of the others!

And so, while each person’s faith by itself must be addressed and nurtured, the issue shouldn’t be reduced to just "your" individual faith and "my" individual faith - the Lord Himself considers (and wants us to also consider) our collective faith, which could very well be more than just the sum of its parts!

For whenever we come to Jesus in prayer, we should also bring others with us, carrying them if necessary, at least through our prayer! We should bring all those who can not come to Jesus and His Church on their own because of illness or other handicaps - sometimes this means physically assisting those in need of transportation, or with other special considerations. We bring them to Jesus, that He may fill their lives with hope and healing, strength and comfort!

But when we come to Jesus in prayer, we should also bring all those who do not come to Jesus and His Church on their own because of ignorance, doubt, confusion and other difficulties, those who perhaps haven’t even thought much yet of issues of faith in their lives. We bring them to Jesus, that He may fill their lives with faith and the Sanctifying Grace of His Presence!

And when we come to Jesus in prayer, we should even bring all those who deliberately will not come to the Jesus and His Church on their own because of alienation, anger, fear, or other troubles, so that our patient God may fill their lives with charity as He draws them ever nearer to Himself and His Mystical Body, the Church!

Daily Retreat 02/17/06

2006 Feb 17 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Seven Founders of the Order of Servites, rs

Jas 2: 14-24. 26/ Ps 111(112): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Mk 8: 34 – 9: 1

From today’s readings: "Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?... Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.... What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? "

Faith Without Works is Dead

In the most famous passage from his letter, St. James insists that "faith without works is dead" and such faith cannot save! This point is actually reiterated other times in the letter, but nowhere in the Bible more emphatically than in this passage.

So read the words through thoroughly, and then simply but honestly ask yourself: What type of faith can be proven from the works of my life?

Daily Retreat 02/18/06

2006 Feb 18 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM

Jas 3: 1-10/ Ps 11(12): 2-3. 4-5. 7-8/ Mk 9: 2-13

From today’s readings: "...we all fall short in many respects.... You will protect us, Lord.... Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. "

Taming the Tongue

Control of the tongue is another topic repeatedly addressed in the letter of St. James. There are so many sins committed by the tongue - gossip, insults, arrogance, slander, lies, profanity, cursing - you name it! In addition to these sins, there are those many times when everything would have turned out better if we had just kept our mouth shut, times that we’ve caused trouble just by unnecessary, imprudent speech, even if it was true and non-sinful.

St. James points out that effort spent taming the tongue can have such positive effects on our whole lives. Like the bit used to guide a horse, or the rudder which steers a ship, the tongue directs much of our moral orientation, so one who masters his own tongue is in a position to set a straight course of living.

Reflect on this as well: when we receive Holy Communion, the moment the Sacred Host is placed in our mouths, our tongue is like a throne for Christ our Lord. Is it a worthy throne? Not if soiled by gossip and lies, not if defaced with the graffiti of profanity and cursing, not if scratched and scraped with abrasive sarcasm and unkind words!

Daily Retreat 02/16/06

2006 Feb 16 Thu: Ordinary Weekday

Jas 2: 1-9/ Ps 33(34): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Mk 8: 27-33

From today’s readings: "Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that He promised to those who love Him?... The Lord hears the cry of the poor.... He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days."

Preferential Treatment

When we focus on minor details, it’s tempting to dismiss scripture as archaic and inapplicable to our modern situations. But when we look at the big picture and main points, it’s almost uncanny how pertinent and timely are the insights of the Word of God.

St. James, echoing the teachings of Christ, insisted on the equal dignity of all people, rich or poor. The image of a rich man with gaudy golden rings might seem ridiculously ostentatious for modern taste (and therefore not overly impressive), but of course the essential point is not how he is dressed, but how he is treated because of his wealth. And today, as well as the time St. James wrote, we continue to give rich people preferential treatment.

But our Christian faith calls us instead to give preferential treatment to the poor, recognizing in them our Lord Jesus, who said, "Whatsoever you do to the least of My brothers, that you do unto Me!"

Daily Retreat 02/15/06

2006 Feb 15 Wed: Ordinary Weekday

Jas 1: 19-27/ Ps 14(15): 2-3a. 3bc-4ab. 5/ Mk 8: 22-26

From today’s readings: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.... He who does these things shall never be disturbed.... Then Jesus laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly."

Welcoming the Word

When we welcome people, you and I convey to them, in word and deed, that we want them to stay, that their presence has brought joy and comfort and good things to our lives. Then too, there are some people whom we deliberately choose not to welcome, letting them know, in word and deed, that we do not want them to stay, that their presence means little to us, or is a source of irritation.

The Word of God is more than written or spoken speech expressing an idea - the Word of God is Christ Himself! Do you welcome the Word of God, or do you choose not to welcome Him? In order to welcome the Word of God, you and I must begin, as St. James notes, by "putting away all filth and evil excess," for no one can feel welcome in a home or heart polluted like a cesspool.

But in order to truly welcome the Word, it’s not enough to just sweep out the sin in our lives - it’s also essential for our actions to embrace the Word. As we do so, a miracle occurs, for to embrace the living Word of God is to transform ourselves, so that our actions and our very selves come to even embody and enflesh the Word!

Daily Retreat 02/14/06

2006 Feb 14 Tue: Cyril and Methodius, bps M

Jas 1: 12-18/ Ps 93(94): 12-13a. 14-15. 18-19/ Mk 8: 14-21

 

From today’s readings:  “No one experiencing temptation should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and He Himself tempts no one.....  Blessed the man You instruct, O Lord....  Jesus said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’ ”

 

How Tempting!

 

Temptation, of course, is not the same as sin - temptation is the “lure and enticement of desire” which leads to sin.  Even though temptation comes from Satan (never from God!), remember, Jesus Himself was tempted, so there is no sin involved merely in experiencing temptation.  In fact, it has been said that a person unaware of any temptations in his life has a lot to worry about, because the Devil evidently assumes such a one is already in his possession!  So, when a person perseveres, fighting against temptation, he is being virtuous.  That does not mean, however, that one should deliberately entertain temptation, for to do so intentionally would be a sin of presumption that one could successfully resist the temptation.

 

In fact, the most effective and straightforward resistance to sin is at the level of temptation.  When a person falls regularly into sin, an essential defense tactic is for him to quarantine himself as much as possible from the sources of temptation.  That’s the reason that, when making an examination of conscience, not only must we take responsibility for our sins, but we need to go the additional step of identifying the “near occasions of sin,” so as to avoid them in the future.  This is why we pray, “Lead us not into temptation...,” imploring God to lead us away, as far as possible, from sources of temptation, not because God Himself ever would lead us into temptation (note how emphatic James is about this point)!

Fr. Rory Pitstick
Our Lady of the Valley Parish
2511 N. Elmway
Okanogan WA 98840 USA
(509) 422-5049

"Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui." John 3:30

---

What are the most popular cars? Find out at Yahoo! Autos

Daily Retreat 02/13/06

2006 Feb 13 Mon: Ordinary Weekday

Jas 1: 1-11/ Ps 118(119): 67. 68. 71. 72. 75. 76/ Mk 8: 11-13

 

From today’s readings:  “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance....  I know, O LORD, that Your ordinances are just....  The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from Him a sign from Heaven to test Him.”

 

Greetings from St. James!

 

Ready for a change?  Read St. James!  In his letter, James writes to Christians of all ages about some of the most fundamental practical questions that arise in living out a daily whole-hearted commitment to Christian faith.

 

What to do when faced with difficulties and trials?  “Consider it all joy!”  What?!  Isn’t it our troubles that shatter our contentment - how then can we see problems as joy?  Because “the testing of your faith produces perseverance!”  And what a blessing that is, to rejoice in faith that has weathered all trials, and been strengthened instead of compromised. 

 

An anemic, untested faith will always be a source of concern and preoccupation, like a newly designed fighter plane that hasn’t been test flown yet - no matter how maneuverable in theory, the question still remains: how will it hold up in adverse conditions?  But after testing, there is proof of perseverance -  the plane (and faith!) can be relied upon to hold up under future trials - consider it all joy!

Fr. Rory Pitstick
Our Lady of the Valley Parish
2511 N. Elmway
Okanogan WA 98840 USA
(509) 422-5049

"Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui." John 3:30

---

What are the most popular cars? Find out at Yahoo! Autos

Daily Retreat 02/12/06

2006 Feb 12 SUN: SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Lv 13: 1-2. 44-46/ Ps 31(32): 1-2. 5. 11 (7)/ 1 Cor 10: 31 – 11: 1/ Mk 1: 40-45

 

From today’s readings:  “...he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants....  Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered....  Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ....  go, show yourself to the priest.... ”

 

Divine Prerogatives and Human Agents

 

“Incarnation” is a big word, but with a little help, even a child can marvel at its central meaning, that the infinite God took on human flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit when Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  At that moment, nine months before His birth, the Word became flesh, God was incarnated, God became man, became one of us human beings.

 

The Incarnation, though, was actually the second step in the Divine Designer’s plan for ennobling humanity, for even before the Incarnation, way back “in the beginning,”God had already demonstrated His affinity for the human race when He created man in the image and likeness of God, for Genesis recounts how God created man and woman, and blessed them as the crown of His creation.

 

Well, since God literally invested so much of Himself in His humanity, humanity, by logical extension, is now caught up in divinity!  That doesn’t mean, of course, that you and I are gods (we need that blunt reminder every once in awhile, don’t we?).  But it does mean that our humanity is endowed with privileges beyond our mere natural order, because God actually and factually shares certain divine prerogatives with His adoptive children.

 

For instance, consider the creation of new human life, when a  man and a woman share in the divine privilege of creation.   Whenever a human baby is conceived, at that moment of conception, there is a new life, which certainly must be a new human life!  Obviously, the new human life is still quite dependent on the life of his or her mother at least, and by extension, the new human life is normally also dependent in a real way on the life of his or her father.  And yet the new human life is still quite distinct from the life of his or her father, and even distinct from the life of his or her mother.

 

Now, if this were just a matter of matter, that is, something limited to physical reality, something confined to the natural order, the new life, called a human “zygote,” would already be some “thing” to be careful with, some “thing” to treat respectfully, at the very least because of its potential. 

 

However, human conception is not just confined to the natural order!  For, at the moment of human conception, in every single instance of human conception, God Himself steps into the picture !  Because He has deigned to share His divine prerogative of creation with His adoptive children, God is directly involved in every act of human conception. 

 

As Creator of the animal world, God is certainly indirectly involved in every act of animal conception, but as Creator and Father of humankind, God is directly involved in every act of human conception, for He instantly animates every human zygote with an immortal soul at the moment of conception.  Consequently, a human zygote is not just some “thing” to treat respectfully because of its potential - rather, a human zygote is already some “one” to treat with love and reverence, because of his or her intrinsic value in God’s perspective as worthy of an immortal soul. 

 

Consider Mary’s love for her Son, which certainly began right at the moment of His conception!  How blasphemous to even imagine that Mary could have spent the first couple of weeks, or days or hours, or even a single moment treating the microscopic Jesus as a mere “thing,” an inanimate extension of her own body which she could dispose of, or perhaps decide to keep, however she might think fit.  No, thank God, no!  From the beginning, Mary welcomed the new Life within her with love and reverence, so much so, that when Mary went to visit Elizabeth, the divine Zygote’s real presence, only a few days after conception, was already bringing joy and blessings to those ready to respond to the grace of divine visitation.

 

So, human parents clearly share in the divine prerogative of creation, because God always is directly involved in human procreation, and we can even note that God never does this on His own, completely without human intention! 

 

Now,  God shares His divine prerogatives with His adoptive children not just in the matter of natural generation, but also in the phenomenon of spiritual generation.  For, when someone is created anew with the divine life of baptism, God imparts a character on the human soul that elevates it immensely and indelibly in dignity. 

 

But, in accordance with Divine Revelation, God never gives the divine life of baptism on His own, completely without human intention.  And note further that neither does a person baptize himself!  Normally, of course, a priest or deacon administers this sacrament, but in an emergency, any one of us could pour water on the head of some unbaptized person and say, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”and God would step into the picture to endow that person with the divine life of baptism!  But no one of us can pour water on his own head to receive baptism, nor can a person even stand in the rain or under a waterfall and suppose that God is sanctioning and cooperating in such an “autobaptism.”

 

Only in the most extreme circumstance, when a person truly desires baptism but is denied it because of tragic circumstances beyond his control, is there recourse to what is known as “baptism of desire,” the guarantee that God’s grace can reach a person in an extraordinary way if  the person is deprived of the ordinary means of God’s grace.  Is this because God is stingy with His grace?  Not at all!  Rather, God is so serious, sincere and emphatic about sharing His divine prerogatives with His adoptive children, that He chooses to enlist and respect their cooperation in dispensing sanctifying grace, just as He looks to human cooperation for the matter of human procreation.

Now for my final point: all this clearly applies also to forgiveness of sins!  Non-Catholics ask why a priest is needed for sacramental absolution and, inexcusably, too many Catholics have fallen into this same sad skepticism.   Why does God involve human beings in the creation of new life?  Why does God involve human ministers in the act of baptism?  Why did God, in both the New and the Old Testaments, specify His human priests for the ministry of reconciliation of all that is unclean?  Why did Jesus, on Easter Sunday, say to certain men, His apostles, His first priests, “Receive the Holy Spirit - whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you hold bound, they are held bound”?

 

Well, since God literally invested so much of Himself in His humanity, humanity, by logical extension, is now caught up in divinity!  The divine prerogative of creating human life, the divine prerogative of elevating human life with the baptismal infusion of deifying grace, the divine prerogative of reconciling human life through the forgiveness of sins - all this, (and more!) God could have chosen to ordinarily do without human intention and cooperation, but all this (and more!) God has, in His divine wisdom, decreed that He will bring about precisely through means of  human intention and cooperation, thereby showing us and all people of all times and places how serious, sincere and emphatic He is about sharing His divine prerogatives with His adoptive children!

Fr. Rory Pitstick
Our Lady of the Valley Parish
2511 N. Elmway
Okanogan WA 98840 USA
(509) 422-5049

"Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui." John 3:30

---

Brings words and photos together (easily) with
PhotoMail - it's free and works with Yahoo! Mail.

Daily Retreat 02/11/06

2006 Feb 11 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Our Lady of Lourdes

1 Kgs 12: 26-32; 13: 33-34/ Ps 105(106): 6-7ab. 19-20. 21-22/ Mk 8: 1-10

From today’s readings: "After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold .... They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock.... Taking the seven loaves, Jesus gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. "

Eyeing Idolatry

Idolatry is so crude and base - how revolting, pathetic and almost unimaginable it seems that King Jeroboam could fashion two golden calves, then proclaim, "Here is your god, O Israel!" and lo and behold, the people immediately start worshiping the idols, abandoning the true God, the Source of their every blessing!

And yet, can we boast that our generation is untainted by idolatry? Hardly! While it’s true that no one falls for the simple idols of golden calves anymore, how many fall for more sophisticated idols such as money, power, prestige, sex, hedonism? When such things are pursued as the source of salvation and ultimate happiness, and treated as the most important things in life, it’s unarguable that they have become idols displacing worship of the true God.

Even as you and I recognize such obvious ills in society, it’s tempting to assume we’re free of idol worship in our own lives. And yet, each time our sense of priorities places God on the back burner of our lives, there’s evidence enough that we’ve fallen again into the abject sin of idolatry.

Daily Retreat 02/10/06

2006 Feb 10 Fri: Scholastica, v, r M

1 Kgs 11: 29-32; 12: 19/ Ps 80(81): 10-11ab. 12-13. 14-15/ Mk 7: 31-37

From today’s readings: "Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.... My people heard not My voice, and Israel obeyed Me not.... He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!"

Dealing with Disaster

God’s mercy, though infinite, is still in no way some impervious force which shields us from the effects of sins freely chosen. God’s mercy is never imposed - it must be embraced freely, but that cannot be done as long as our arms are still holding tight to our sins. The first reading recounts the rebellion of Israel which resulted from the stubborn sins of Solomon. The exasperation of God Himself is heard in the psalm: "If only My people would hear me, and Israel walk in My ways, quickly would I humble their enemies; against their foes I would turn My hand!"

The tragic effects of sin can be seen all around us. The only way to deal with this disaster is to relinquish our own sins so that we are free again to embrace God’s mercy, and pray and assist others to open their ears to God’s plea to return to Him.

Daily Retreat 02/09/06

2006 Feb 9 Thu: Ordinary Weekday

1 Kgs 11: 4-13/ Ps 105(106): 3-4. 35-36. 37 and 40/ Mk 7: 24-30

From today’s readings: "When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God, as the heart of his father David had been.... Remember us, O Lord, as You favor Your people.... Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps...."

Solomon’s Spiritual Disaster

Of all the tragic persons recorded in scripture, certainly King Solomon is among the most tragic. Having been blessed so abundantly by God, and having begun his reign with such fidelity and zeal for serving God, Solomon, corrupted by his many wives, turned to idolatry in his later years as his proverbially wisdom fizzled out.

Why?? How?? What went wrong? As in Saul’s case, God’s grace was certainly never lacking - in fact, God had super-abundantly fortified Solomon with great wisdom and other strengths to enable him to faithfully fulfill his royal vocation. Unlike his father David, Solomon wasn’t pricked with envy - his seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines were presumably enough to smother any jealousy on Solomon’s part.

Yet scripture stipulates emphatically that it was his foreign wives who turned Solomon to idolatry. So even before worshiping their gods, Solomon must have idolatrously worshiped his wives by putting his relationship and good-standing with them ahead of his relationship and good-standing with God.

Momentarily setting aside the separate issue of Solomon’s unbridled polygamy (as if that were even possible!), we can glean a crucial insight about marital priorities from Solomon’s disastrous example(s). In marriage, the spouses certainly must hold each other as the most important person in each other’s life, yet a spouse, even a wise and holy one, cannot ever usurp the place of God. Much marital malignancy is caused when a husband arrogantly insists that his wife treat him as a god (or vice versa), but just as much damage is done when a husband (or wife) idolatrously puts the spouse before God.

Daily Retreat 02/08/06

2006 Feb 8 Wed: Ordinary Weekday/ Jerome Emiliani, p, rf/ Josephine Bakhita, v

1 Kgs 10: 1-10/ Ps 36(37): 30-31. 39-40/ Mk 7: 14-23

From today’s readings: "The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon’s fame, came to test him with subtle questions.... The salvation of the just is from the LORD; He is their refuge in time of distress.... From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile. "

The Queen of Sheba’s Example

Jesus Himself gave the best commentary for the first reading’s report of the queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon: "At the judgment, the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here." (Matthew 12:42).

Jesus gave His comment in answer to the scribes and Pharisees who were endlessly seeking a sign from Him. He had already healed numerous incurables, but that wasn’t enough for them. He had already outlined the path to Heaven in His Sermon on the Mount, but that wasn’t enough for them.

As the saying goes, for some who do not believe, no proof is possible. But for those who, like the Queen of Sheba, spend the time and effort necessary for a fair investigation of scriptural claims, the result is that what is discovered exceeds even the greatest initial expectations! Likewise, whenever people take Christ seriously, the results are astounding! But when people are content to keep their distance from Christ and His Church, then they join the generation that will suffer condemnation for not learning from the Queen of Sheba’s example.

Daily Retreat 02/07/06

2006 Feb 7 Tue: Ordinary Weekday

1 Kgs 8: 22-23. 27-30/ Ps 83(84): 3. 4. 5 and 10. 11/ Mk 7: 1-13

From today’s readings: "Listen to the petitions of Your servant and of Your people Israel which they offer in this place.... How lovely is Your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!... This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me."

The House of God

A solarium is a room or gallery particularly exposed to the sun. An observatory is a building ideally situated for viewing the moon, the stars and other celestial luminaries. Certainly, sunlight can be felt in places other than a solarium, and the stars can be seen from vantage points other than an observatory, but this universal accessibility to sunlight and starlight does not negate the singular advantages afforded by a solarium for enjoying sunlight, and an observatory for beholding the starlight.

A church or a temple is a building dedicated to the honor and awareness of the presence of God. Can God be experienced outside of church? Yes, of course, for God is everywhere, but that does not mean that there’s no purpose for a church building! Sunbeams bath the whole world with light and warmth, but this is particularly true in a solarium; moonbeams reach every corner of the earth, but especially the telescope of an observatory. God listens to prayers wherever and whenever uttered, and He blankets all of creation with His blessings, but it is in the sacred silence and solemn sacramental celebrations of a church building where God uniquely deigns to demonstrate the intensity and permanency of His Real Presence.

Solomon’s solemn supplication at the dedication of the Temple is a reminder to us of why we have churches, and why we need to spend more time in them!

Daily Retreat 02/06/06

2006 Feb 6 Mon: Paul Miki, p, mt, & co., mts M

1 Kgs 8: 1-7. 9-13/ Ps 132: 6-7. 8-10/ Mk 6: 53-56

From today’s readings: "The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies of the temple.... May Your priests be clothed with justice; let Your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.... Whatever villages or towns or countryside He entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch only the tassel on His cloak; and as many as touched it were healed."

The Holy of Holies

Note that the lectionary skips a number of chapters, including the proverbially judgment of Solomon (1Kings 3:16-28), and his construction of the Temple and palaces in Jerusalem (ch. 5-7). Today’s first reading picks up with the dedication of that great Temple, celebrated with the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant. Compare the solemnity of this moment with the transfer of the Ark in David’s Day (2 Samuel 6:12-18; cf. reflection of Jan. 27, Tuesday of the third week in ordinary time)!

Because the Temple’s sanctuary housed the Ark of the Covenant, it was considered the "Holy of Holies," the physical guarantee of the presence of the Lord’s glory. This explains and justifies the extravagant beauty of the Temple, because the architectural glory was designed to house and incarnate the spiritual glory. Just as our stately capitol buildings, imposing courthouses, and elegant city halls are meant to arouse in us awe for the law and state, so our churches rightfully enshrine such beauty that inspires us with visions of the Lord’s own glory!

Daily Retreat 02/05/06

2006 Feb 5 SUN: FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Jb 7: 1-4. 6-7/ Ps 146(147): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ 1 Cor 9: 16-19. 22-23/ Mk 1: 29-39

From today’s readings: "I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.... Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.... Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!... Rising very early before dawn, Jesus left and went off to a deserted place, where He prayed. "

First Things First

What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Clearly, whatever is first enjoys, in some sense, the highest priority, and is therefore most likely to actually get done. For most of us, there’s some ritual of cleaning ourselves up in the morning, and making ourselves presentable. But some start by turning on the radio to learn what’s happening in the world, or reading the newspaper. Others get the coffee going first thing, because they’re just no good without their morning cup of coffee. There are even those who begin their day with the somewhat illogical routine of turning off the alarm clock and simply going back to sleep!

But what did Jesus do first thing in the morning? He prayed! He did what you and I and all people can do and should do first thing in the morning; He showed clearly what His priority was, and what ours should be; before anything else, He first did the most important thing He had to do - He prayed!

How wonderful it is to let our first words of every day be sincere words of a simple prayer: "Good Morning, God!" or "Praise to You, my God!" or "Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this new day!" No matter how sleepy we are, no matter how busy the new day is going to be for us, there’s no reason we can’t begin in the morning with such a heartfelt greeting to God.

But remember, prayer is not just talking to God, it’s also listening to Him! So, we need to take a moment in the morning to glance at the crucifix on our bedroom wall, and listen to how that sacramental reminds us that God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone believing in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life! When someone needs our help in the morning, we need to hear in that cry for assistance the voice of Jesus saying, "Whatsoever you do to the least of My brothers, that you do unto Me!" When we take a few minutes to read the daily Bible verses, we can clearly hear God speaking to us through the scriptures that remind us what our day is all about, "All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it!"

The first thing Jesus did in the morning was to pray. Those who follow Jesus strive to be like Him and do what He did, so, from now on, what’s the first thing you’re going to do in the morning?

Daily Retreat 02/04/06

2006 Feb 4 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM

1 Kgs 3: 4-13/ Ps 119: 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14/ Mk 6: 30-34

From today’s readings: "Give Your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge Your people and to distinguish right from wrong.... Lord, teach me Your statutes.... When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. "

The Wisest Prayer

It’s common to ask for many things in our prayers: health, peace, reconciliation, strength, inspiration, etc. It is good, of course, to turn to our loving Father with these and all our needs, yet isn’t it strange how seldom you and I remember to raise Solomon’s humble petition, so warmly welcomed and overwhelmingly answered by God?

Solomon asked God to "give Your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge Your people and to distinguish right from wrong...." Few of us have been called by God to serve as a judge, so the first part of his petition wouldn’t necessarily apply directly to us (although we certainly can pray for this blessing for our judges and other politicians!); however, all of us can and should pray for an understanding heart to distinguish right from wrong in our own lives!

Admittedly, making the best moral choices is not easy. At times, we get sucked into sin so fast simply because our conscience is caught sleeping. Other times, because of our own moral laziness and, at times, failure on the part of our teachers, our consciences has not been adequately formed to guide us safely through moral dilemmas. Then too, the allure of sin wins when we whine with excuses to rationalize our daily compromises with sin. All this reminds you and me of our need to take advantage of our Church’s moral guidance as we pray daily that wisest prayer: "Give Your servant, therefore, an understanding heart ... to distinguish right from wrong!"

Daily Retreat 02/03/06

2006 Feb 3 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Blase, bp, mt/ Ansgar, bp, ms

Sir 47: 2-11/ Ps 17(18): 31. 47 and 50. 51/ Mk 6: 14-29

From today’s readings: "Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was David in Israel.... Blessed be God my salvation!.... King Herod heard about Jesus, for His fame had become widespread....."

Just as, in his words and memory, David so eulogized Saul after his death, so Sacred Scripture now speaks so well of David (in today’s first reading from Sirach, and elsewhere in the Bible), notwithstanding his sins.

I imagine for many readers, it might come as something new, this revelation of David over the past weeks as a complex character, with a sinister side in addition to his more familiar heroic face. This very tension, of course, adds dimension to his literary weight; and even though morally, there never is justification for even a small sin, yet David’s failures at least can demythologize him for us - he was a real person, not a legendary demigod. By now, we’ve seen that his struggles and falls are all too similar to our own weaknesses, and yet the implication then is that his heroic strengths are not unreachable for you and me, if we just follow the noble part of David’s example, since he...

"...called upon the Most High God, Who gave strength to his right arm to defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people.... With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had His praises sung; he set singers before the altar and by their voices he made sweet melodies, he added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year so that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound. The LORD forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel!"

 

Note:  The Virtual Retreat is now being blogged!  In recent years, weblogs (better known as "blogs") have become increasingly popular, so I've decided to also offer the Virtual Retreat in that format (http://virtualretreat.blogspot.com/).  The daily reflections will continue to be posted on the Immaculate Heart Retreat website (www.ihrc.net) and still emailed to those who have signed up for the free mailing list at dailyretreat.org.  The new blog format will better accomodate those who have requested access to past reflections - all of the January reflections are already available in the blog archive link, and I will see about eventually re-posting reflections from past years as well.  Also, in response to a number of requests for an "early edition" for those in other time zones, the blog posting generally will be at least several hours earlier than the emails.  Thank you for helpful suggestions, feedback, and continual prayers and support!

Daily Retreat 02/02/06

2006 Feb 2 Thu: PRESENTATION OF THE LORD F

Mal 3: 1-4/ Ps 23(24): 7. 8. 9. 10/ Heb 2: 14-18/ Lk 2: 22-40 or 2: 22-32

From today’s readings: "And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek.... Reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of glory may come in!... He had to become like his brothers in every way.... Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation...."

Presenting...JESUS!

Malachi prophesied that "suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek." Simeon was on hand when the prophecy was fulfilled, and he appended some additional verses of prophecy, both about the Child and His Mother.

And about us! In his beautiful prayer, Simeon recognized in Christ the "light for the revelation of the gentiles." Where would we be without light? In darkness, of course! And so, where darkness remains in our lives and in our nations, it’s clear that the light of Christ must be brought to bear in order to dispel those shadows.

Mary and Joseph were entrusted with the Christ Child, and they presented Him to the Lord and to those such as Simeon and Anna who were waiting and searching for Him. In the intimate moment of receiving the Eucharist, each communicant is likewise entrusted with the Body of Christ - so each of us, like Mary and Joseph, have the divine privilege of re-presenting Him as we turn to God in reverent gratitude, and then, letting our lives shine with His light, we turn to present Him anew to all in the world who are still waiting and searching for Him!

 

Note:  The Virtual Retreat is now being blogged!  In recent years, weblogs (better known as "blogs") have become increasingly popular, so I've decided to also offer the Virtual Retreat in that format (http://virtualretreat.blogspot.com/).  The daily reflections will continue to be posted on the Immaculate Heart Retreat website (www.ihrc.net) and still emailed to those who have signed up for the free mailing list at dailyretreat.org.  The new blog format will better accomodate those who have requested access to past reflections - all of the January reflections are already available in the blog archive link, and I will see about eventually re-posting reflections from past years as well.  Also, in response to a number of requests for an "early edition" for those in other time zones, the blog posting generally will be at least several hours earlier than the emails.  Thank you for helpful suggestions, feedback, and continual prayers and support!

Daily Retreat 02/01/06

2006 Feb 1 Wed: Ordinary Weekday

2 Sm 24: 2. 9-17/ Ps 31(32): 1-2. 5. 6. 7/ Mk 6: 1-6

From today’s readings: "David said to the LORD: ‘It is I who have sinned; it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong....’ Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.... Where did this man get all this?"

What’s Wrong With a Census?

We must face the fact that some things in the Bible are unexplained, such as why David’s census of his kingdom was such a grievous sin, as the king himself came to see it. Certainly, it was motivated with much self-interest, for, on the basis of the census, David could impose taxes and levy recruits for his army and labor for his projects.

Some have suggested that the census was proof of arrogance and presumption, undertaken so David would be in a position to rely less on the Lord for guidance; others have seen in it a challenge to God in taking such a precise inventory of the nation’s population.

In any event, because he is king, the ramifications of his sin are felt by the whole people. David’s plea is spiked with nobility but laced with futility: "It is I who have sinned; it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong. But these are sheep; what have they done? Punish me and my kindred." Although David nobly recognizes his personal responsibility, as king, the destiny of the nation he leads is grafted to his personal fate, for good and for ill.

In the modern political climate of radical individualism, we tend to forget that the leaders we delegate are likewise invested with concomitant responsibility for our national destiny. Judges, legislators, and other leaders such as governors and presidents must always take into account that their decisions will affect, for good and for ill, all their constituencies; even when few have the nobility to own up to personal responsibility, all will witness the futility of forever ignoring the inevitable evil aftermath of sinful choices of leaders.

 

Note:  The Virtual Retreat is now being blogged!  In recent years, weblogs (better known as "blogs") have become increasingly popular, so I've decided to also offer the Virtual Retreat in that format (http://virtualretreat.blogspot.com/).  The daily reflections will continue to be posted on the Immaculate Heart Retreat website (www.ihrc.net) and still emailed to those who have signed up for the free mailing list at dailyretreat.org.  The new blog format will better accomodate those who have requested access to past reflections - all of the January reflections are already available in the blog archive link, and I will see about eventually re-posting reflections from past years as well.  Also, in response to a number of requests for an "early edition" for those in other time zones, the blog posting generally will be at least several hours earlier than the emails.  Thank you for helpful suggestions, feedback, and continual prayers and support!