Virtual Retreat

Daily scriptural reflections by Fr. Rory Pitstick, SSL from Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in Spokane, WA
Also available via daily email

Friday, June 30, 2006

Daily Retreat 07/01/06

2006 Jul 1 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Bl Junipero Serra, p, r, ms
Lam 2: 2. 10-14. 18-19/ Ps 74: 1b-2. 3-5. 6-7. 20-21/ Mt 8: 5-17
 
From today’s readings:  “Your prophets had for you false and specious visions; they did not lay bare your guilt, to avert your fate; they beheld for you in vision false and misleading portents.....  Lord, forget not the souls of Your poor ones....  Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
 
Under My Roof
 
When Vatican II allowed the Mass to be celebrated in vernacular languages, there was a rush to approve modern translations for use by the faithful as quickly as possible.  Many of those translations, however, are now recognized as hasty and inadequate, and so for years, the English speaking bishops have been sponsoring the work of a new translation of the text of the Mass.
 
The prayers of the Mass are actually rich with scriptural allusions and quotations, but this aspect has unfortunately been blurred in the English version because of the poor translations.  For instance, the last prayer vocalized before receiving Holy Communion presently reads, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.”  But a more accurate rendering (making the link with Matthew 8:8 much clearer) would be, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof, but only say the word...” 
 
Recently, the American bishops approved a number of texts of a revised translation, and so, after final approval from Rome, the new version will be introduced and become normative (several months at least will pass before that happens).  Understandably, many faithful churchgoers are weary of constant changes in the liturgical texts, but this upcoming revision is absolutely necessary to correct inaccuracies of the past translations, and we pray that the blessing of a more faithful translation will inspire greater awareness of the scriptural roots of the prayers of the Mass.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/30/06

2006 Jun 30 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
2 Kgs 25: 1-12/ Ps 136(137): 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6/ Mt 8: 1-4
 
From today’s readings:  “Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side....  How could we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?...  Go, show yourself to the priest....”
 
Go to the Priest
 
“I confess directly to God, so I don’t need to tell my sins to a priest.” The simple aspect of confessing sins to a priest is one of the most common objections raised by both Protestants and nominal Catholics against receiving sacramental confession.
 
But there are at least three scriptural rebuttals to that excuse.  First, recalling John 20:23, on the evening of Easter Sunday, Jesus specifically empowered His first priests, the Apostles, to forgive sins, as He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit - whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you hold bound, they are held bound!”    So, since the power to forgive sins has been entrusted by Jesus to the apostolic ministry of the Church, that’s where one should regularly go for divine pardon and peace.
 
Second, more generally, Jesus founded His Church specifically to continue His ministry and His presence through the whole sacramental economy.  So actually, in all of the sacraments, it is Jesus Himself who is the High Priest and primary minister, so the human priest acts not in his own name, but in the Name and Person of Christ.  The human priest thus bears witness that the sacraments are always a personal encounter between the person receiving and Christ Himself.  Thus, when a person seeks baptism for instance, he cannot baptize himself, or “go to God directly” by simply standing in the rain - as is always the case in Scripture, one can only receive the sacramental presence of Christ at the hand of a minister recognized by the Church’s authority.
 
Third, since our sins not only offend God, but also wound the other members of the mystical Body of Christ, it is fitting that the sacramental process of reconciliation also entails an ecclesial dimension.  When Jesus cured the leper, He sent him to the priest, so the priest could verify and authenticate to God’s people, the assembly of believers, that the leper had indeed been made clean.  Who cured the leper?  Jesus Himself, yet He deigned to associate the miraculous healing with the authority of the priesthood.  Who forgives sinners?  Jesus Himself, who continues to dispense His divine pardon ordinarily through His priests who administer the sacrament of confession!

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/29/06

2006 Jun 29 Thu: PETER AND PAUL, APS S
Vigil: Acts 3: 1-10/ Ps 18(19): 2-3. 4-5/ Gal 1: 11-20/ Jn 21: 15-19.
Day: Acts 12: 1-11/ Ps 33(34): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ 2 Tm 4: 6-8. 17-18/ Mt 16: 13-19
 
From today’s readings:  “Now I know for certain that the Lord sent His angel and rescued me....  Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message....  The Lord stood by me and gave me strength....  I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church....”
 
The Apostolic Church
 
Apostolicity is one of the marks of the true Church - as is professed in the Nicene Creed, the Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.  As explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church §857:
 
 The Church is apostolic because she is founded on the apostles, in three ways:
- she was and remains built on "the foundation of the Apostles," the witnesses chosen and sent on mission by Christ Himself;
- with the help of the Spirit dwelling in her, the Church keeps and hands on the teaching, the "good deposit," the salutary words she has heard from the apostles;
- she continues to be taught, sanctified, and guided by the apostles until Christ's return, through their successors in pastoral office: the college of bishops, "assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Church's supreme pastor"
 
Celebrating today St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, and St. Paul, the Apostle to the Nations, we can appreciate what a gift the apostolic nature of the Church is!  This means what Peter and Paul and all the other apostles believed and died for, we believe and live for today!  That just as Christ chose them to lead His Church at her beginning, He continues to bless His Church with their inspirational example, with their intercession now from their place in Heaven, and with their successors, the Pope and the college of Bishops in union with him.  Thank God for the Apostolic Church!

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/28/06

2006 Jun 28 Wed: Irenaeus, bp, mt M
2 Kgs 22: 8-13; 23: 1-3/ Ps 118(119): 33. 34. 36. 37. 40/ Mt 7: 15-20
 
From today’s readings:  “The king made a covenant before the LORD that they would follow Him and observe His ordinances, statutes and decrees with their whole hearts and souls, thus reviving the terms of the covenant which were written in this book....  Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of Your statutes, that I may exactly observe them.....  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.”
 
By Their Fruits, You Will Know Them
 
Several times in the Bible, there are warnings given against false prophets, and Jesus, more than once, repeated a simple principle of discernment: By their fruits, you shall know them.
 
The tendency is to use other criteria.  At the time of Jeremiah, for instance, false prophets were welcomed simply because their message was not as harsh and demanding in comparison to true prophecy (cf. Jeremiah 28).  This is also true today!  At the time of Jesus, false prophets were accepted on the basis of their apparent sincerity and peaceful appearance (sheep’s clothing), and this is also true today as well.
 
But, by their fruits, you shall know them!  The adjectives that Jesus uses to describe trees and fruits are carefully chosen, since they also can describe moral behavior (the word connections are a bit softened in translation).   Just as a good tree bears wholesome fruit, so do good morals blossom with wholesome works.  And just as a rotten tree bears bad fruits, so do corrupted morals bring forth evil works.
 
Which brings up a question about the fruits of our own lives - what kind of character do they witness to?

Monday, June 26, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/27/06

2006 Jun 27 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Cyril of Alexandria, bp, dr
2 Kgs 19: 9b-11. 14-21. 31-35a. 36/ Ps 47(48): 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 10-11/ Mt 7: 6. 12-14
 
From today’s readings:  “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth....  O God, we ponder Your mercy within Your temple....  Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction....”
 
The Narrow Gate
 
When Jesus spoke of the wide gate and broad road that leads to perdition, He was warning against the sin of presumption, which is the mistaken notion that one’s salvation is already basically assured.  Interestingly enough, this age is the only era in Christian history for which the popular unquestioned assumption is simply that, “when you die, you go to Heaven” (except, perhaps, if you were a serial killer or other particularly heinous criminal). 
 
While Christ’s Gospel is overflowing with the message of Christian comfort, the Gospel is likewise replete with pointed warnings, and it’s a sign of counterfeit Christianity to only focus on the one or the other aspect.  There have been times in the past when certain segments of Christianity focused too much on “fire and brimstone” and neglected the “Good News,” which is the literal meaning of the word “Gospel.”  But today, the tendency is to ignore even what Jesus Himself preached about fire and brimstone, and what He warned about the wide gate and broad road that leads to destruction.
 
The Golden Rule, the admonition to enter through the narrow gate, the whole Sermon on the Mount and indeed, all of Christ’s teachings insist on the urgency of choosing the Way of the Lord Jesus with our entire lives and helping others choose it as well! There’s no room for the deadly presumption that most people (and surely ourselves!) are already saved and will go to Heaven, for as Jesus points out, “How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few!”

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/26/06

2006 Jun 26 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
2 Kgs 17: 5-8. 13-15a. 18/ Ps 59(60): 3. 4-5. 12-13/ Mt 7: 1-5
 
From today’s readings:  “Give up your evil ways and keep My commandments and statutes, in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers and which I sent you by My servants the prophets....   Help us with Your right hand, O Lord, and answer us....  Stop judging, that you may not be judged....”
 
More than History in the Bible
 
What is the historical value of the Bible?  Well, since Sacred Scripture was not written as a secular history or science textbook, it should not be approached merely as such.  What the Bible does record is known as “salvation history,” the written chronicles of God’s public revelation and saving actions from Creation to the latest book of the New Testament.
 
That’s not to say that the Bible has little or no historical value - quite the contrary!  The Gospels, for instance, were clearly not written just as historical biographies of Jesus of Nazareth - since they present the Good News of Jesus in order to lead the reader to faith in Him, the Gospels are more than historical biographies!  But the fact that they are more than simple biographies does not compromise their historicity, for the Gospels, “whose historicity [the Church] unhesitatingly affirms, faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, while He lived among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation...”  (Dei Verbum 19, CCC §126, cf. Acts 1:1-2).
 
Likewise, certain books of the Old Testament (such as Kings and Chronicles) are purposely presented as a historical narrative, recounting real events in history, but with primary consideration of the place of those events in the context of salvation history.  So, for instance, certain battles and encounters between the Israelites and Assyrians are recorded in the present chapters (from the first reading) of the Second Book of Kings.  Sacred Scripture records not just the events, but the theological implications (viz., how the degree of the people’s faithfulness to God affected their political situations). 19th century archeological excavations of Nineveh uncovered written Assyrian records of the same events.   Both accounts agree in substantial details, although the two accounts offer quite diverse contextualizations: the biblical account ties the secular history to salvation history, whereas the Assyrian version stresses instead the glorification of their own rulers and empire.
 
This link details a sample of archeological evidence (from the British Museum) that corroborates the 2Kings biblical historical narrative:

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/25/06

2006 Jun 25 SUN: TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jb 38: 1. 8-11/ Ps 106(107): 23-24. 25-26. 28-29. 30-31 (1b)/ 2 Cor 5: 14-17/ Mk 4: 35- 41
 
From today’s readings:  “The Lord addressed Job out of the storm....  They cried to the LORD in their distress; from their straits He rescued them, He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze, and the billows of the sea were stilled....  whoever is in Christ is a new creation....  Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
 
Weathering Storms With Christ
 
We’ve all seen storms that were at least slightly scary, and if we found ourselves at that time in a boat, or plane, or car, then the storm may well have become very scary!  Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and the like, also remind us, even when observed from afar, that the forces of nature are more than man can ever control!
 
We’ve all been buffeted by figurative storms in our lives as well, those times we’ve found ourselves drenched in problems, engulfed with worries, and even nearly drowning in fears.  Many such squalls are more than partly our own fault, arising from our own poor decisions.  But then again, there are also times when we, through no fault of our own, just find ourselves in the wrong place, at the wrong time, suddenly faced with the most adverse conditions.
 
And often, after doing our best to get out of the storms of our lives, whether literal or figurative, we discover that, on our own, we just don’t have what it takes to weather such foul weather.   Our prayers can even reach the desperation of the disciples, “Teacher, don’t You even care that I’m perishing?  I’m drowning!  I’m up to my neck! I’ve tried everything, and still the storms just grow worse!”
 
The Gospel reminds us that, in the midst of the storm, the disciples had Jesus with them - that would be their salvation!  But the Gospel also reveals that the disciples weren’t initially inclined to turn to Jesus for help; for too long, they ignored the Lord - that would be their consternation!  For if they had called upon Him earlier, He certainly would have answered with full assurance. 
 
Jesus wasn’t annoyed that His apostles woke Him up, but He was concerned that they had waited to the point of desperation, so much so that, when they turned to Him, they didn’t even have much faith that He would or could do much to save them.  And so their prayer, like the words Job spoke in his misery, had the tone of a reproof: “Don’t You even care that we’re perishing?”
 
The elements of nature and the adversities of our lives are more than we can control, and often enough, more than we can take without help.  So, rather than pushing ourselves to our breaking points, rather than ignoring the Lord and waiting until the point of consternation and desperation, finally turning to God but with little hope that He can or will do anything about such storms, it’s much better for us to remember now that we have Jesus with us, and that will be our salvation!

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/24/06

2006 Jun 24 Sat: NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST S
Vigil: Jer 1:4-10/Ps 70(71)/1 Pt 1:8-12/Lk 1:5-17.
Day: Is 49:1-6/Ps 138(139)/Acts 13:22-26/Lk 1:57-66.80
 
From today’s readings:  “The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name....  Truly You have formed my inmost being; You knit me in my mother’s womb. I give You thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works....  My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent....  For surely the hand of the Lord was with him...”
 
The Baptist’s Birth
 
Some artists have produced masterworks partly on accident - they started with one idea, but ended up changing design plans because of the quality of their raw materials, or limitations of the medium, or a fresh inspiration.   However, such developments and modifications are completely excluded from the creative activity of God our Creator - He always starts with a complete and perfect plan that takes into account all contingencies, and so He then molds His work into the envisioned model.
 
Today’s solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist emphasizes this point.  Half a year away from celebrating the birth of our Savior, we see how God prepared the world for that event - by sending His precursor to prepare His way.  The scriptural texts that relate the birth of John clearly outline the guiding power of Providence, and thus explain why God’s people are called upon to embrace their own parts in God’s plan as it is gradually unfolded in their lives.
 
For although John’s role of preparing the way of the Lord was certainly unique,  yet that doesn’t mean that our Creator  was more concerned and involved in John’s birth than He was in your birth or mine.  In fact, each one of us is just as entitled to echo Isaiah’s words: “The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb, He gave me my name!”  So when you come to celebrate your own birthday this year, re-read these biblical verses detailing God’s Providence in bringing John to birth, and rest assured that the very same creative Genius created you as well as a masterpiece with a uniquely sculptured place in the plan of Providence!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/23/06

2006 Jun 23 Fri: SACRED HEART OF JESUS S
Hos 11: 1. 3-4. 8c-9/ Is 12: 2-3. 4. 5-6 (3)/ Eph 3: 8-12. 14-19/ Jn 19: 31-37
 
From today’s readings:  “My heart is overwhelmed, My pity is stirred....  You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.....  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith....  a soldier thrust his lance into His side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. ”
 
The Heart of Inspiration
 
What does Jesus look like?  There’s no biblical or other early Christian literature that offers even a sketchy description of our Lord’s face and other physical characteristics.  And yet the truth of the Incarnation establishes that Jesus did (and does!) have a human face and body, and so over the centuries, Christian artists have freely painted and sculptured images of Christ, which, far from promoting idolatry,  have helped believers immensely in focusing their prayers on the divine Person who inspired the works of art.
 
Just a year or two after my first Holy Communion, my mother gave me a devotional picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was such a prized possession, and effective reminder of the Lord’s loving presence in my life!  So often, just by glancing at the picture, I was inspired to offer a short prayer to Jesus, just telling Him of my love for Him, or thanking Him for His love for me, or asking Him for directions in life, or praying for others.  I particularly remember the exciting joy of contemplating a vocation to the priesthood as the way Jesus was calling me to help spread the Gospel of His love and His life!
 
This year, some parishioners presented me with a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart, since providentially, my anniversary of ordination also falls on this feast.  How I thank God for all the love He’s shown throughout my life, particularly in the 12 years I’ve been blessed to serve Him and His people in the priesthood!  His Sacred Heart continues to enkindle in my own poor heart the fire of His divine love, the fervor of His sacrificial life.   Please remember to pray for me, and pray with me, that our dear Lord make all our hearts like unto His! 

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/22/06

2006 Jun 22 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Paulinus of Nola, bp/ John Fisher, bp, mt, and Thomas More, mm, mt
Sir 48: 1-14/ Ps 96(97): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7/ Mt 6: 7-15
 
From today’s readings:  “Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah whose words were as a flaming furnace....  The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad....  This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in Heaven....’  ”
 
Perfect Prayer
 
Since many saints have written such profound commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer, it seems appropriate on this day, when those verses are proclaimed, to pass on at least one sample of those saintly writings.
 
In one of his sermons on the Our Father, St. Thomas Aquinas remarked that the Lord’s prayer elucidates both what we ought to desire, and what we ought to avoid.  Since the glory of God should be sought first, it is the first petition mentioned: hallowed be Thy Name.  We pray for our eternal life (Thy kingdom come), and the complete fulfillment of God’s plan (Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven), and we turn to God for the necessities of this life (Give us this day our daily bread).
 
The opposite of those four goods are what we also implore God to save us from.  For, anything  directed away from the glory of God is Evil.  To remove the evil of sin, we say, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We pray to keep us far from temptation that leads to sin (and lead us not into temptation) and for definitive salvation from the Devil (but deliver us from Evil).

Daily Retreat 06/21/06

2006 Jun 21 Wed: Aloysius Gonzaga, r M
2 Kgs 2: 1. 6-14/ Ps 30(31): 20. 21. 24/ Mt 6: 1-6. 16-18
 
From today’s readings:  “When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to Heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal....  Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord....  your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.”
 
Penance in Progress
 
Day by day, the lectionary continues to step through the verses of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Chapters 5-7 of St. Matthew’s Gospel.  Today’s text should sound especially familiar - it’s read every year on Ash Wednesday, at the beginning of the penitential season of Lent.
 
Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are the three subjects our Lord addresses, warning against hypocrisy and pointing out essential traits for the authentic exercise of these self-disciplinary practices.
 
Even though these three disciplines are encouraged especially during Lent, that certainly doesn’t prohibit us from engaging in extra prayer, fasting, and almsgiving at other times of the year as well!  In fact, although it is often forgotten, Fridays throughout the year are designated as days of penance (except when they coincide with liturgical solemnities, such as this Friday’s Feast of the Sacred Heart).  This point is established in many Church documents, including the Code of Canon Law: (Canon 1250 “All Fridays throughout the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the universal Church.”  Canon 1251 “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”)
 
Many can still remember abstinence from meat on all Fridays as the form of penance mandated by the Bishops for Catholics across the country.  In 1966, the American Bishops re-iterated abstinence as the recommended penance for all Fridays, but they dispensed with the obligatory nature of abstinence, as long as some other penance was substituted (Pastoral Statement On Penance and AbstinenceUSCCB, 11/18/1966). 
 
Sad to say, the penitential aspect of Fridays has not been sufficiently publicized by most  bishops and pastors, so that many Catholics are not even aware of this as an expectation!  But by simply taking to heart the Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, we can re-discover and re-vitalize penitential practices as a regular part of the practice of our faith, especially on Fridays:
"In memory of Christ's suffering and death, the Church prescribes making each Friday throughout the year a penitential day. All of us are urged to prepare appropriately for that weekly Easter that comes with each Sunday.” Penitential Practices for Today's Catholics, USCCB, 11/12/2000. www.usccb.org/dpp/penitential.htm

Monday, June 19, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/20/06

2006 Jun 20 Tue: Ordinary Weekday
1 Kgs 21: 17-29/ Ps 50(51): 3-4. 5-6ab. 11 and 16/ Mt 5: 43-48
 
From today’s readings:  “Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD’s sight, I am bringing evil upon you...  Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned....  You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father....”
 
Proof of Christ’s Divinity
 
The manner of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, and His miracles and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy certainly attest to the divinity of Christ, but I think the most accessible proof that Jesus is indeed God is found right in His teachings.
 
Much of what Jesus taught was already taught before (even if not quite as clearly), either in the Old Testament, or even by pagan sages of ancient times.  For such teachings, Jesus is generally regarded, even by atheists, as a very wise man.
 
But some elements of Christ’s doctrine clearly transcend all human wisdom and Old Testament revelation.  Consider, for example, His command, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”  It’s hard to conceive of any other expectation so contrary to our fallen human nature!  And Jesus doesn’t even try to make the demand more appealing with a promise of a great reward - the only reason He offers is so that we can be children of our Father in Heaven.
 
If Jesus were just a merely human wise man, like the sages of other ages, He never would have dared to voice such a counter-intuitive command.  But, because of His divinity, He not only called for love of enemies, He showed the world, with His redemptive death, what He meant.  And that’s why we can and must believe Him and follow Him!

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/19/06

2006 Jun 19 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ Romuald, ab (Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time)
1 Kgs 21: 1-16/ Ps 5: 2-3ab. 4b-6a. 6b-7/ Mt 5: 38-42
 
From today’s readings:  “The LORD forbid that I should give you my ancestral heritage....  Heed my call for help, my king and my God!...  When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well”
 
Laws of Retaliation
 
Centuries before the time of Moses and the 10 Commandments, King Hammurabi of Babylon promulgated his famous law code, one of the earliest written texts of systematic legislation.  Hammurabi’s work represented a step forward for universal justice, since ideally all citizens would receive equal application of the norms of the kingdom, and there was less danger of perversion of justice by the whims of magistrates and rulers.
 
But many punitive aspects of the Code of Hammurabi were excessive - those who stole substantial amounts were punished with execution, and even petty thieves were condemned to bodily mutilation.  So, the Old Testament principle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” was actually another step forward in the order of justice, since it prohibited inordinate punishment and established a logical standard for retribution.  This rule, juridically titled lex talionis (Latin for “law of retaliation”) is foundational in many legal systems even today.
 
Jesus, however, in bringing the fulfillment of the Old Law, advocated another step forward, to the level of mercy and forgiveness.  His purpose was not to criticize the lex talionis as excessive - in point of fact, judges of that time already employed common sense in cases of personal injury, generally subjecting the offender to a proportionate fine in penalty, rather than strict mirror mutilation.  But Jesus taught that even the lex talionis could be advantageously superseded, as the actions of His life and redemptive death proved.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/18/06

2006 Jun 18 SUN: THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST S
Ex 24: 3-8/ Ps 115(116): 12-13. 15-16. 17-18 (13)/ Heb 9: 11-15/ Mk 14: 12-16. 22-26
 
From today’s readings:  “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do....   I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord....  When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, He entered once for all into the sanctuary....  While they were eating, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take It; this is My Body!’ ”
 
Cautions about Receiving Holy Communion
 
Both the wicked and the good
eat of this celestial Food:
but with ends how opposite!
With this most substantial Bread,
unto life or death they're fed,
in a difference infinite!
 
These words of warning are found in St. Thomas Aquinas’ sublime sequence in praise of Corpus Christi, the august Sacrament of the Body of Christ.  For his part, St. Thomas was simply repeating the constant teaching of the Church, which can be traced all the way back to the warning given by St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (11:27-32), that anyone participating in the Eucharistic banquet who eats and drinks unworthily, without discerning the Body, eats and drinks judgment on himself!
 
In short, there is no such thing as a “Casual Communion,” because whenever a person receives the Body of Christ, there is a profound effect of one sort or another, leading to either salvation or condemnation.  Truly, Christ wants to give Himself wholly to everyone, but logically, everyone should first prepare himself wholly to welcome this Little White Guest.  That’s why going to Mass is an essential part of fulfilling the commandment to keep the Lord’s Day holy; however, it is not the expectation that everyone receive Communion every Sunday - in fact, there are clear cases when that should not happen.
 
And so, just as there are reasons not to take certain foods and medicines at certain times, there are also reasons not to receive Communion in certain circumstances.  Dieticians and doctors and will detail the directives to follow in eating earthly food and medicine, and so priests and preachers must likewise faithfully present the precautions to observe in partaking of heavenly Medicine and Food, and thus this Feast of Corpus Christi is the right time to review four reasons which would impede one from receiving Holy Communion.
 

First of all, it’s never a good idea to eat something when you don’t even know what it is that you’re eating!  One of the earliest lessons that babies need to learn is that you can’t just put everything in your mouth, and of course adults, for their part, rightfully insist that public health authorities monitor and certify that food processing and packaging is duly sanitized.
 
In the first several years of my own life, I did not receive Communion because I simply didn’t know what It was!  I understandably regarded the Host as merely a small piece of bread or candy, and I failed to  recognize It as truly the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.  And so, if the priest presented that to me with the words, “The Body of Christ,” I would not have been ready to honestly reply, “Amen!” for that little word precisely means, “I believe!  Yes, this is so!”  Clearly, given my lack of understanding, it would have been inappropriate and impudent for me at that time in my life to receive Communion.
 
Likewise, if you don’t yet know what the Eucharist is, if your idea of communion is separated in any degree from the Catholic Church’s teaching, then it would be most appropriate for you to wait to receive Communion until the time comes when your sincere “Amen!” would confess wholeheartedly, in communion with the whole Catholic Church, that the Sacrament is indeed more than just a symbol - it’s what Jesus Himself declared it to be, His Body, His Blood!  For Christ Himself is the divine authority who, through His priests, still duly sanctifies the lowly bread and common wine and so certifies those elements after the consecration as His Body and Blood.
 

The second reason for refraining from eating at a particular time simply is in recognition that all food is less appetizing after a person has already just recently eaten, particularly if what is already digesting might disagree with something new.  So, for instance, if a person has just finished a full meal topped with a dessert of ice cream and cake, he’s not going to have a good disposition to follow that with a vinegar salad.  As another example, we’re all aware that some medicines must be taken on an empty stomach.
 
The Church’s practice calls those who intend to receive Holy Communion to prepare their bodies with a modest fast of one hour, refraining from earthly food and drink (although water or necessary medicines may be taken) for that short time in order to be better disposed to receive the Eucharist, which St. Ignatius of Antioch rightly called the “Medicine of Immortality.”  I recall one time in my youth when my family and I went to Mass on some holy day right after our evening dinner.   Since we had just eaten so recently, none of us approached the altar at Communion time, although in our silent prayers, we did express our hunger to receive our Lord into our hearts, and so in that time, we at least had the benefit of that spiritual communion with Jesus.
 
Likewise, if you’re  neglecting to prepare your own body to receive the Body of Christ, if you’re forgetting to fast for at least an hour before Communion, then the best way to sharpen your appetite for receiving the Bread of Life is to hold back at this time from approaching the altar, and instead, prayerfully express your whole-hearted desire to receive the Eucharistic Lord, at least spiritually at this moment, but then sacramentally, when you have more fully prepared.  This principle also holds for those who have been chewing gum or candy before Mass (or Heaven forbid, even during Mass!) or drinking coffee or soda or taking any snack less than an hour before Communion, because clearly it would be trivializing the Bread of Angels to eat or drink such things right before Holy Communion!
 

The third reason we occasionally forego a meal has to do with our frame of mind.  When we’re intensely pre-occupied with a particular issue, that can lead to butterflies in the stomach, which would certainly curtail the appetite.   Or there’s times when we’re completely engaged in some exciting activity, and so, we just don’t feel much hunger, even when dinner time approaches.
 
Whenever I had the chance to travel as a seminarian, I would always include a visit to the local church, generally with enough planning to also attend and have ample time for Mass, and this was certainly the case for every Sunday, at least.    And this was never resented as an imposition on my free time, for the sharing in the life of faith and the awe of praying in great cathedrals which were such monuments to the culture’s faith immeasurably enriched my travel experiences!  But I do confess that there was one Sunday when I was touring England, I believe, and while I did stop at a rather plain church for Mass, I was a few minutes late.  But worse still, throughout almost the whole liturgy, my mind was mostly engaged in reviewing my itinerary for the rest of the day: what I’d be seeing, where I’d be going next, what train connections I needed to make, and where I would spend the night.  Well, there’s a reason that Communion comes towards the end of Mass, since everything before that point thus helps in our preparation of mind, body, and soul.  So when I found myself kneeling down after the Lamb of God, I suddenly realized that I had no idea what the Scripture readings had been about, I hadn’t paid any attention to the homily, I couldn’t recall any degree of putting myself into the penitential rite or the offering, I hadn’t really prayed for others even during the intercessions, I hadn’t entered the sacrificial spirit of the liturgy, I couldn’t remember singing even one of the hymns - in short, I had missed out on nearly the entire experience of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  I was there in body, I guess, but my mind had been elsewhere.  Because I had been lackadaisical before Mass, and so inattentive during Mass, even though it was unintentional, I had needlessly forfeited so many blessings that God had offered to fortify and ready me for that intimate encounter with His Son in the Eucharist. And so, it was my fault that I simply was not well enough prepared to receive Christ - if I had approached Him at that moment for Communion, the sincerity of my spoken “Amen” would have been compromised and at least partially contradicted by my disregard for Him in the earlier parts of the Mass.  So that Sunday, instead of going to Communion, I just quietly knelt in place, and sincerely begged God to forgive me for my earlier lack of awareness, respect, and reverence, and implored the good Lord to help me in my thoughts, words, and actions henceforth to acknowledge His rightful and central place in every aspect and moment of my life.
 
If, like me on that sad Sunday, if you’re missing the divine message of the Scripture readings today, if your mind is focused elsewhere throughout the Mass, if you see no reason to personally commit to the penitential prayers, if you’re not ready to offer at least part of your heart at the altar, if you find yourself too distracted to pray for others (and yourself!), if you think the homily is for everyone else, but not for you, if you’re unwilling to enter the sacrificial mystery of the Mass, well, then my guess (and it’s a well-educated guess!) is that you’re simply not going to be at all ready to receive Christ, the King of Kings, in Communion, and so it would be much better instead to humbly beg God to forgive the misplaced priorities of the past, and help you to recognize and warmly welcome all the many blessings He sends to draw you to Himself.
 
 
And finally, there are times when we must turn down even the most wholesome food because of some serious sickness which prevents us from digesting as long as the disease continues to ravage our body.  In such a situation, it’s counter-productive to even dare swallowing a morsel - in fact, we discover that everything else in our lives can be put on hold, and needs to be put on hold, while we focus on addressing such a grave illness, turning to God and a doctor for help in getting the awful germs cleaned out of our system.
 
There was one time in my life, long ago in my days as a student, when I recollect coming to Mass with a grievous weight on my heart.  I had just left behind a horribly heated argument, and I had said some things I wish I had never said, and I had also been quite hurt by the other’s cruel remarks, which would in time come to be regretted tearfully as well.  I struggled to biblically bind those gaping wounds with the wisdom of the Word of God, with the penance, and praise, and prayers of the whole Mass, but it wasn’t enough, for before such grievous injuries could even be bandaged up, they needed to be thoroughly washed clean, and salved with nothing less than divine mercy!  I didn’t receive Communion at that Mass - indeed, I wouldn’t have been able to stomach Him in that way then, for my insides had been too upset, and soured and spoiled by sin.  So after Mass, I went to confession as soon as I could to repent sincerely of my sins, and then apologized, and also shared the mercy and stretched the reconciling embrace to my partner in argument.
 
Likewise, if you’re in a state of grave sin - even if, and especially if, that’s not weighing much at this moment on your heart or nodding conscience, please, I pray, come to grips with the seriousness of your situation, and set aside everything to address the deadly disease of sin, for until you do, the wholesomeness of the Eucharist can only be counter-productive.  So, for your own sake, do not compromise yourself further with a sacrilegious Communion!  If you’ve inexcusably and deliberately missed Sunday Mass or otherwise failed in basic respect to God and God-given authority, if you’ve willingly inflicted severe harm of any sort on another person, if you’ve had or counseled another to have an abortion, if you’re divorced and married outside the Church, if you’ve fallen into adultery, habitual masturbation or pornography, if you and your spouse have embraced a contraceptive practice and mentality, if you’ve stolen or cheated in a big way, if you’ve been living a lie, if you’re coveting the lives and goods of others while neglecting to thank God and make the most of the blessings He provides for you - if any such serious sins or others are yet infecting your soul, then clearly, you’re not in the right state for intimate Communion with Christ until you’ve repented, and been absolved and reconciled with God in sacramental confession!
 

Indeed, there are these four and even other substantial reasons to refrain when necessary from receiving Communion, but all of those reasons should be recognized as ultimately temporary and provisional, for they only exist to lead us to the more eternal and substantial reasons for always preparing ourselves as best as possible to  receive Communion, to welcome our loving God with heart, mind, and body, as we unite ourselves completely in Communion with the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/17/06

2006 Jun 17 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
1 Kgs 19: 19-21/ Ps 15(16): 1b-2a and 5. 7-8. 9-10/ Mt 5: 33-37
 
From today’s readings:  “Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen....  O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, You it is who hold fast my lot....  Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”
 
Honesty, honestly
 
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” and a few passages about the seriousness of sacred oaths (e.g., Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21) were among the strongest injunctions  in the Old Testament for honesty in speech.  True to form, Jesus advocates the perfected fulfillment of those principles, when, quite simply, a person’s “yes” would mean “yes,”and “no” would mean “no,” and there would not be any need of swearing to guarantee credibility.
 
No one would disagree, for in this matter especially, the teaching of Jesus is so clearly the way things ought to be - and yet how different is the reality of human history, with our own “enlightened” age being no exception!  Tragically, in fact, modern times have witnessed highly publicized equivocation and prevarication even of testimony given under solemn oath.
 
But instead of the hazy honesty advocated and practiced by too many politicians and media spin doctors, you and I, as followers of Christ, need to strive to live by His standards of truthfulness. In large matters and small matters, it’s always possible and right to witness with the splendor of the Truth, which is Christ Himself!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/15/06

2006 Jun 15 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
1 Kgs 18: 41-46/ Ps 64(65): 10. 11. 12-13/ Mt 5: 20-26
Note: Corpus Christi is celebrated today in some regions.
 
From today’s readings:  “The hand of the LORD was on Elijah....  It is right to praise You in Zion, O God....  Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven....”
 
Inside & Outside
 
As Jesus explained, He came to fulfill the Old Testament Law and Prophets, not to abolish them.  As the first example of His fulfillment, He considers the Fifth Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” certainly one of the clearest dictates of the old Law.
 
Jesus, of course, does not abrogate that cornerstone of civic order - rather, He builds on it, insisting that not only will we be judged on the basis of our actions, but we’re even also answerable for our attitudes and interior dispositions.  Thus, since murder is sparked by anger and disdain, those tendencies must be immediately addressed so that they never can develop to the point of even contemplating murder.
 
In addition, strained relations with others even jeopardizes our good relation with God, so “if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”  Jesus thus fulfills the Old Testament by re-affirming the old Law’s principles of exterior conduct and logically extending the principles to guide interior dispositions.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/14/06

2006 Jun 14 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
1 Kgs 18: 20-39/ Ps 15(16): 1b-2ab. 4. 5ab and 8. 11/ Mt 5: 17-19
From today’s readings: "The LORD’s fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench.... Keep me safe, O God - You are my hope.... Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill!"
 
The OT fulfilled in the NT
 
The idea still re-surfaces every once in awhile that in the New Testament, Jesus revealed God to be loving and merciful and tolerant, and this new image of God was intended to forever dismiss the Old Testament view of God as a legalistic "Big Meany."
 
That idea, however, is not just inaccurate - it’s quite heretical (it even has a name, "Marcionism," after the second century heretic Marcion who first taught this)! Jesus Himself took exception to that fallacy when He asserted, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come, not to abolish, but to fulfill!" At the time of Jesus, the phrase "the Law and the Prophets" was the most common way to collectively refer to the Old Testament scriptures, so it’s quite clear that Jesus did not reject Old Testament revelation.
 
The Gospel readings of the next few days will offer a sampling of moral cases which were first addressed in the Old Testament, but then addressed by Jesus, not in abrogation, but as the New Testament fulfillment of the Law and Prophets.


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

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Monday, June 12, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/13/06

2006 Jun 13 Tue: Anthony of Padua, p, r, dr M
1 Kgs 17: 7-16/ Ps 4: 2-3. 4-5. 7b-8/ Mt 5: 13-16
From today’s readings: "She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.... When I call, answer me, O my just God, You who relieve me when I am in distress; Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!... You are the salt of the earth...."
 
 
One of the most insidious facets of modern secularism is its insistence that religion belongs only to the private sphere. Any country, communist or capitalist, dictatorship or democracy, will happily accommodate any anemic faith that quietly keeps to itself and doesn’t dare to challenge public policy.
 
But such a mindset cannot be called freedom of religion, because it essentially attempts to normalize freedom from religion! Authentic Christian faith simply cannot be short-circuited and confined to private matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains that His disciples are not to hypocritically divorce their private practices from their public positions, rather, "You are the salt of the earth.... You are the light of the world!"
 
The splendor of the truth, like a city on a mountain, cannot be hidden. But sadly, it can be ignored, avoided, and even contemptuously derided and denied, as secularism arrogantly tries to do. But if our Christian faith is worth anything to us, then it certainly is worth sharing with others, and bringing the light of this faith to scatter the darkness of modern doubt and confusion.


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

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Sunday, June 11, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/12/06

2006 Jun 12 Mon: Ordinary Weekday (Tenth Week in Ordinary Time)
1 Kgs 17: 1-6/ Ps 120(121): 1bc-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8/ Mt 5: 1-12
From today’s readings: "You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.... Our help is from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.... Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!"
 
True Blessednesss
A great overture was sounded once on a hill in Galilee - it was the fanfare of the Beatitudes, which was the beginning of the Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount. At first, the words sounded unbelievable - how could anyone honestly say "Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are they who mourn, blessed are the meek..." In the eyes of the world, such people certainly are anything but "blessed!" Yet the fishermen and farmers who first heard these words, and down through the ages, many many people placed their faith in these words; many people, with their quiet honesty and integrity, have adopted this beautiful overture as their own theme song, not because of intrinsic appeal of the words themselves, but because of the integrity, the charisma of the Lord Jesus Who spoke these words.
 
For He proclaimed these words (and all that He taught), not just with His lips, but with His entire life. So, in fact, if we didn’t have the concrete example of the life of Jesus (echoed, as it is, in the lives of the saints who modeled their lives on His example) it would be foolish to give any credence to anything as clearly counter-cultural as these beatitudes.
 
But we do believe the beatitudes, not because they’re any secret of success for getting ahead in this world, but because our blessed Lord assures us that such blessedness is the best way to get a head out of this world.....


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

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Saturday, June 10, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/11/06

2006 Jun 11 SUN: THE HOLY TRINITY S
Dt 4: 32-34. 39-40/ Ps 32(33): 4-5. 6. 9. 18-19. 20. 22 (12b)/ Rom 8: 14-17/ Mt 28: 16-20
From today’s readings: "You must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other.... Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own.... For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption.... Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
Mission Statement
Sometimes one hears of parishes and other organizations that spend a lot of time to carefully craft a mission statement, intended to explain the reason for the organization’s existence. Now some of these mission statements are rather succinct and well-articulated, but others turn out to be pretty long and wordy.
 
But the problem with almost all of these mission statements is that they don’t take into account what "mission" means - it’s a derivative of the Latin word, "mitto" meaning "to send." There’s no mission unless there’s a sending! So, in other words, I can’t just sit down and decide what I want my life mission to be - my mission must come from a Source greater than myself, since I cannot send myself.
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Likewise, properly speaking, no parish or organization can send itself, so the mission statement must always come from a source greater than itself. The Apostles understood this well. In fact, the word "apostle" is a Greek word, meaning "one who is sent." So it’s no wonder that all four of the Gospels more or less end with a Christian mission statement, with our Lord sending His Apostles on their mission with instructions on how to carry that out.
 
The Gospel of Matthew has, perhaps, the clearest mission statement: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." For all of us Christians, this is our mission statement. The Apostles and their successors are entrusted with the earthly leadership of this divine mission, but ideally, every single Christian should hear those words of Christ with a deep patriotic stirring of the soul, and a burning desire and commitment to complete the mission faithfully!
 
"Go," for Christ has sent us, "and make disciples of all nations" - since Christians only account for about a quarter of the world’s population (and that’s including all nominal Christians), it’s clear that the Church’s mission is not yet accomplished. "Baptizing them" - for the waters of baptism are much more than just a symbol, since that sacrament effects a marvelous change in reality, washing away sin and incorporating one into the Body of Christ. "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," because every sacrament, every authentic act of the Church is done, not in our own name, not for our own glory, but in the Name of the Holy Trinity, the only true God, the Triune God - one God, in three Divine Persons. "Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" - too many Christians forget that that’s part of their mission statement. Not just the most popular parts of the Bible, not just the most appealing divine commands - no, that’s not enough, because we Christians are commissioned to put into practice all the teachings of Christ and His Church!


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

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Thursday, June 08, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/10/06

2006 Jun 10 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM

2 Tm 4: 1-8/ Ps 70(71): 8-9. 14-15ab. 16-17. 22/ Mk 12: 38-44

From today’s readings: "Proclaim the word - be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.... I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord.... Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the others...."

The Widow’s Mite

I’ve heard (and personally observed!) many parables based on "the Widow’s Mite," stories about seemingly insignificant offerings or gifts presented with exemplary fullness of heart, and thereby eclipsing more substantial contributions "from surplus wealth."

Sometimes we forget, though, that story of "the Widow’s Mite"itself is not a parable - it really happened! Indeed, the very last thing that Jesus did in the Jerusalem Temple was to draw His disciples’ attention to the example of that woman who gave a lot, though she gave a little, because, in fact, she gave all she had!

Well, of course, there’s plenty of people today who are willing to follow the widow’s example in the amount of their charitable contributions, but precious few who are inclined to match her spirit of faith and generosity. Objectively, there is much more disposable wealth in the world today than there was at the time of Jesus, and it’s fair to say that we all share at least partially in the riches accrued over centuries of technological advances. So it’s inexcusable that so many of us (myself included) need this Gospel reminder to realize that our present charitable contributions are even today still surpassed by that widow’s mite....

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/09/06

2006 Jun 9 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Ephrem of Syria, d, dr

2 Tm 3: 10-17/ Ps 118(119): 157. 160. 161. 165. 166. 168/ Mk 12: 35-37

From today’s readings: "In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.... O Lord, great peace have they who love Your law.... David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ "

Lord and Son of David

Jesus is much more than just a great teacher - He is the Messiah and Son of God! Nonetheless, He certainly is also the greatest of teachers. He clearly was adept at using different teaching strategies, such as the thought-provoking question posed in the temple, "How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?"

For the Israelites, David, of course, was their greatest king, and the Messianic prophecies established that the Christ to come would be a descendent of David. So, naturally, the Messiah was expected to be a great victorious king like David - maybe even as great as David!

But Jesus wants His listeners to understand that the Messianic prophecies pointed to the Anointed One who would transcend even the best qualities of an earthly king such as David. For indeed, even the great King David himself had the inspiration of realizing that the coming Messiah would be more than a noble descendent, and so in psalm 109 (110), David prophesied, "The LORD [God the Father] said to my Lord [Jesus, the Messiah]...." Since David addressed the Christ as his Lord, he recognized Him as much more than just his son, and that’s the insight Jesus was helping His listeners to understand!

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/07/06

2006 Jun 7 Wed: Ordinary Weekday

2 Tm 1: 1-3. 6-12/ Ps 122(123): 1b-2ab. 2cdef/ Mk 12: 18-27

From today’s readings: "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.... To You, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.... Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?"

Resurrection

Even though, at the center of our Christian hope, there stands the Resurrection of Christ and His promise that His faithful disciples would share in His Resurrection, it is unfortunate that many Christians are critically confused about just what "resurrection" is.

Human beings are creatures of God composed of body and soul. Human death is thus defined as the separation of body and soul, when the physical aspect (body) is no longer animated by the spiritual facet (soul).

Most people, Christians and non-Christians, believe in the immortality of the soul, viz., that the spiritual "core" of each person does not cease to exist with the person’s physical demise. But Christian faith goes much further, for the Christian dogma about resurrection is not just about the soul. Clearly, the immortal soul does not need to rise again, so "resurrection,"in fact, always refers to the body!

To quote §997 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in His almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus' Resurrection."

God who created us body and soul, redeemed us body and soul, ultimately calls us to enjoy the fullness of life with Him, body and soul! Modern dualism, however, insidiously tries to reduce Christian faith by limiting discussion of the aspect of afterlife to merely the spiritual realm. But the unfortunate consequence of that mistaken view is that a person’s body is then treated merely as a thing, as a disposable vessel for the person’s soul, and that attitude leads to a speedy decay of Christian bodily ethics.

Like the Sadducees, all those who deny, dismiss, or downplay the resurrection of the body stand in need of Christ’s vital correction: "Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?... He is not God of the dead, but of the living! You are greatly mistaken."

Daily Retreat 06/08/06

2006 Jun 8 Thu: Ordinary Weekday

2 Tm 2: 8-15/ Ps 24(25): 4-5ab. 8-9. 10 and 14/ Mk 12: 28-34

From today’s readings: "Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.... All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy toward those who keep His covenant and His decrees.... Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than He. And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Simple and Sublime

The paradox of Christianity is that our faith is, at the same time, sublime and simple. Each Christian can, and should, spend his whole life growing in faith and understanding, but that doesn’t mean one needs a college degree in order to grasp the initial fundamentals of the faith.

The great commandment bids us to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." If we are loving God with our whole selves, we will, of course, continue to grow in our faith and understanding every day of our lives - there’s simply no room for complacency.

Likewise, love of neighbor can never be considered in this life a "finished" task, simply because each day, our neighbors present us with new opportunities for the response of Christian love. It’s so simple to summarize Christian commandments under these two heads, and yet it takes a lifetime to fulfill them!

Daily Retreat 06/07/06

2006 Jun 7 Wed: Ordinary Weekday

2 Tm 1: 1-3. 6-12/ Ps 122(123): 1b-2ab. 2cdef/ Mk 12: 18-27

From today’s readings: "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.... To You, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.... Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?"

Resurrection

Even though, at the center of our Christian hope, there stands the Resurrection of Christ and His promise that His faithful disciples would share in His Resurrection, it is unfortunate that many Christians are critically confused about just what "resurrection" is.

Human beings are creatures of God composed of body and soul. Human death is thus defined as the separation of body and soul, when the physical aspect (body) is no longer animated by the spiritual facet (soul).

Most people, Christians and non-Christians, believe in the immortality of the soul, viz., that the spiritual "core" of each person does not cease to exist with the person’s physical demise. But Christian faith goes much further, for the Christian dogma about resurrection is not just about the soul. Clearly, the immortal soul does not need to rise again, so "resurrection,"in fact, always refers to the body!

To quote §997 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in His almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus' Resurrection."

God who created us body and soul, redeemed us body and soul, ultimately calls us to enjoy the fullness of life with Him, body and soul! Modern dualism, however, insidiously tries to reduce Christian faith by limiting discussion of the aspect of afterlife to merely the spiritual realm. But the unfortunate consequence of that mistaken view is that a person’s body is then treated merely as a thing, as a disposable vessel for the person’s soul, and that attitude leads to a speedy decay of Christian bodily ethics.

Like the Sadducees, all those who deny, dismiss, or downplay the resurrection of the body stand in need of Christ’s emphatic and vital correction: "Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?... He is not God of the dead, but of the living! You are greatly mistaken."

Monday, June 05, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/06/06

2006 Jun 6 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Norbert, bp, rf

2 Pt 3: 12-15a. 17-18/ Ps 90: 2. 3-4. 10. 14 and 16/ Mk 12: 13-17

From today’s readings: "Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability.... In every age, O Lord, You have been our refuge.... Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

What Belongs to God

Christ’s response to the question about paying taxes shouldn’t be categorized as merely a brilliant and politically astute comment which successfully dodges the main issue. No, for our Lord’s words were offered as an honest and complete answer, which did, however, obviously transcend the limitations of the insidious question.

I’ll leave it to others to argue about "what belongs to Caesar," for the bigger issue is about "what belongs to God." If you were to compile a quick inventory about who and what you are and what you have, how much would you reckon actually belongs to God?

When we remember that God created everything out of nothing, it’s hard to minimize, compartmentalize or otherwise downplay the legitimacy of the Lord’s claims on our entire existence! He gives us Life - and He asks us to repay Him with reverence for all life made in the divine image. He gives us Time - and He asks us to repay Him by keeping holy the weekly Sabbath. He gives us Hope - and asks us to repay Him by trumpeting that hope to others. He gives us Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness - and asks us to repay Him by sharing that with others.

I write these daily reflections as a humble offering and small part of rendering to God what belongs to Him. Your own time spent reading, reflecting, and taking action can be offered in the same spirit of giving to God what clearly belongs to Him!

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/05/06

2006 Jun 5 Mon: Boniface, bp, mt M (Ninth Week in Ordinary Time)

2 Pt 1: 2-7/ Ps 90(91): 1-2. 14-15b. 15c-16/ Mk 12: 1-12

From today’s readings: "Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.... In You, my God, I place my trust.... The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes...."

Understanding More About the Lectionary

Today, as occasionally in the past, in answer to certain questions submitted, the spiritual focus of these virtual retreat reflections is interrupted with the substitution of a somewhat technical explanation of the liturgical lectionary’s overall outline Yesterday’s solemnity of Pentecost signaled the end of the festive Easter season, so a marked shift now appears in the selection of daily scripture readings as the "ordinary time" liturgical season is resumed. This season actually begins right after Epiphany, but is suspended during Lent and Easter - hence, this week is considered the "ninth week in ordinary time."

For all Christians, the Gospels are, without a doubt, the most important and familiar books of Sacred Scripture. But in order to help readers become more familiar with other books of the Bible, since August 2003, when I succeeded Msgr. Van Ommeren as director of these virtual retreat reflections, for the most part, I have focused mainly on the first readings, except on Sundays and other liturgical solemnities.

The Sunday scripture readings are structured in a 3 year cycle, but from Monday to Saturday, the daily readings follow a related, but separate 2 year sequence. Because this daily lectionary cycle has now come full circle, throughout this past Easter season, it seemed appropriate to begin a renewed emphasis on the Gospel readings, and that concentration will continue for the next several months.

Throughout this present week, the daily lectionary will be covering Chapter 12 of the Gospel of St. Mark, which includes some of the final parables and teachings of Christ in Jerusalem, right before His Passion. Needless to say, having just completed the Easter season, it’s a bit of an awkward transition to jump back to that time frame in our Lord’s life. The variability of the date of Easter caused that clumsy coincidence for this year, but starting next Monday, the semi-continuous Gospel "track" of the daily lectionary will switch to Matthew’s Gospel, commencing quite logically in Chapter 5 with the Sermon on the Mount.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Daily Retreat 06/04/06

2006 Jun 4 SUN: PENTECOST S

Pentecost Vigil Readings: Gn 11: 1-9 or Ex 19: 3-8a. 16-20b or Ez 37: 1-4 or Jl 3: 1-5/ Ps 103(104): 1-2. 24. 35. 27-28. 29. 30/ Rom 8: 22-27/ Jn 7: 37-39.

Pentecost Day Readings: Acts 2: 1-11/ Ps 103(104): 1. 24. 29-30. 31. 34/ 1 Cor 12: 3b-7. 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25/ Jn 20: 19-23 or Jn 15:26-27

From today’s readings: "When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house.... Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.... The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, meekness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.... I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to all truth!"

The Fruit of the Spirit

There are so many scripture passages that relate to the Holy Spirit and today’s feast of Pentecost, but my reflection will just focus on a few verses from the alternative Second Reading. It’s clear that those whose lives are guided by the Holy Spirit bear fruit in their lives - the fruit of the Holy Spirit, listed by St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians. There are twelve listed in the tradition of our Church, beginning with the fruit of love or charity, words which are quite misused in our society. For Paul is referring to the love that God shows us by sending His Son into the world to die for us, which of course is much more than just the romantic love we toast on St. Valentine’s day! Charity, likewise, is often thought of primarily as a monetary donation to some poor person or "charitable" cause. But charity is anything that puts into practice that love we are meant to have in our lives....

It has been said that the infallible sign of the presence of God in a person is an unquenchable joy. Pope Paul VI wrote a beautiful letter on Christian joy in the year 1975, in which he reflected on the life of Christ, which always shone forth with that Christian joy. Why? Because He was secure in knowing that He was loved by His heavenly Father. And so in spite of disappointment in His life, in spite of the hardships of His life, He always shone forth with the joy that marked the presence of the love of God in Him. Our lives should also sparkle with that joy, with that fruit of the Holy Spirit, so much so that others throughout the world, the people that God puts in our lives for a purpose, will be attracted by that joy.

Peace is another fruit of the Holy Spirit, and we recall the Lord’s words that He gives us His peace, not as the world gives, but a deeper kind of peace. More than just the absence of hostilities, Christ’s peace is Shalom, the sense of wholeness that comes when God is wholly with us.

Patience, even and especially when things aren’t going our way! In all of our lives, mishaps happen; in all of our lives, the unexpected occurs. And how we adapt ourselves, how we roll with the punches, shows how much our lives are bearing or not bearing the fruit of patience. So many of the Saints were secure in their patience, even in spite of numerous tribulations and tortures - what a formidable fruit that is!

And kindness - certainly, all of us have experienced many times in our lives when the rudeness of others wore on us, and ate at our hearts, and soured our own outlook, clinging to us like a barnacle. But on the other hand, the kindness of others has often brightened our lives, and that sense of kindness is meant to be brought into every situation in life! No matter how rudely, no matter how inconsiderately others treat us, there is always a kind reply at our disposal, if we are attentive to developing and harvesting that fruit of the Holy Spirit, the kindness that the Lord gives us!

Goodness: the goodness that comes from modeling our lives on the life of Jesus, not being content with just a few good deeds daily, but having the goodness of Christ living in our life in a concrete way that is always inspiring us to see the goodness in others, as well as goodness in ourselves, the blessings of the Lord which are always meant to be shared with others. For if we hoard that goodness, what good does it do? But if we share it with others, it’s a multiplication of a fruit of the Holy Spirit!

Generosity, the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is, in a sense, the sharing of all of the other gifts, of all of those other fruits, the acknowledgment that God has given us more than we need, more than we can even use on our own! And so we have an obligation and a need to share all of our gifts, and not in a miserly way, but in a generous way, a pouring forth to others!

Meekness, an awareness that, instead of always standing up and claiming what is our due, all of us have to remind ourselves that "all is gift," and sometimes that means we have to even forego what is our right, our justice under law, in order to help the world to appreciate the One who died on a Cross, even though He had done no wrong, the One meekly led like a lamb to slaughter.

Faith comes from the awareness that God is here with us. So we don’t have to worry about everything in this world, because our God is here with us! And we don’t have to have the answers to everything, of all the questions that come to us, because our God is here with us, and He knows the answers! We don’t have to have a sense of loneliness, a sense of being by ourselves, because our God is here with us! When that fruit of faith is clearly shining throughout our life, then the whole world sees us as people of faith, and that fruit helps others develop their fruits.

Modesty refers both to modesty of the body (how we dress, how we clothe our body and present ourselves to others) and modesty of soul. This spiritual modesty is the recognition that no matter what great gifts we have been given (and we all have been given such great gifts), that’s what they are - gifts! We would not have them, we would not have the gift of life, if it were not for our loving generous Father and Creator. And so to acknowledge Him as the source of all our gifts, of all our blessing and bear the fruit of modesty in our life.

The fruit of self-control, of discipline in all aspects of life, reminds us that we need not and should not ever be slaves of passion or greed, for grace is never lacking to those who strive for self-mastery in God’s service.

The fruit of chastity is derided by many in our as a rotten fruit, and yet how sweet it is when a person’s life bears that fruit of chastity! Not just the chastity of body, but also the chastity of heart, the chastity of recognizing all that we are as made by God, male and female, in His image, and so presenting His image as He wants it presented.

As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "you shall know them by their fruits!" If we live in the Spirit and follow the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will blossom in our lives as well!

Daily Retreat 06/03/06

2006 Jun 3 Sat: Charles Lwanga & co., mts M

Acts 28: 16-20. 30-31/ Ps 10(11): 4. 5 and 7/ Jn 21: 20-25

From today’s readings: "Paul received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.... the LORD is just, He loves just deeds; the upright shall see His face.... There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written."

The Incomplete Gospel

St. John’s Gospel ends with a humble assertion of limitation, noting that "there are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." Clearly, the written gospels, the "good news" about Jesus Christ, accurately give the definitive and comprehensive account of the Lord’s life, but at the same time, they are necessarily only anecdotal and summary, and do not pretend to be unabridged accounts of everything that Jesus said and did.

St. Mark commenced his Gospel with a similar disclaimer: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." In other words, the whole written Gospel of Mark is just the beginning of the entire good news about Jesus Christ, because He is alive and at work in the world today, in a different manner, but no less so than He was 2000 years ago.

As we’ve seen, the Gospel of St. John is particularly featured during the Easter Season, which comes to an end tomorrow with the celebration of Pentecost. The final verses of the Fourth Gospel read today are thus an invitation to re-read that entire Gospel of St. John, but also to review with thanksgiving in our hearts the good news about all that Christ has done in our own lives!