Daily Retreat 11/01/06

2006 Nov 1 Wed: ALL SAINTS S. Holy Day of Obligation.
Rv 7: 2-4. 9-14/ Ps 23(24): 1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ 1 Jn 3: 1-3/ Mt 5: 1-12a

From today’s readings:  “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God....  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven....”

Diverse Paths to Life’s One Goal

Among the familiar canonized saints, there is a remarkable range of personalities: compare, for example, the poverty of St. Francis of Assisi with the courtly splendor of St. Louis, or the brilliance of St. Thomas Aquinas with the simple-mindedness of St. Bernadette, or the eloquence of St. Anthony with the muteness of St. Joseph, or the restless zeal of St. Frances Cabrini with the steadfastness of St. Benedict.  They all are alike in Christian holiness, but quite different in their paths to beatitude.

Then too, we must not forget that, in addition to all the famous saints in the Church’s calendar, there are many other quiet unsung heroes in Heaven, making up that “great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.”  Again, they share similarities in their sanctity, but also varied greatly in their earthly lives.

Certainly, all saints make a whole-hearted embrace of the love of God and have at least that much in common, but they do this in quite different ways, and that is as it should be.  In an unforgettable passage near the beginning of her autobiography, St. Thérèse de Lisieux reflected on this diversity of saints, and wrote:

Our Lord has deigned to explain this mystery to me. He showed me the book of nature, and I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its springtide beauty, and the fields would no longer be enamelled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord's living garden....

There are many ways, then, of becoming a saint.  In fact, every person born into the world has a unique vocation of serving God in a particular way!   We are each inspired and strive to pattern our lives on the example of certain saints which appeal most to us, yet we are not called to be carbon copies of anyone who has gone before us, or anyone who will come after us.

That does not imply that we are to “do our own thing” in our lives, when that means giving free reign to our own will and tastes.   Rather, we are always to do God’s will in our lives, and He has formed us with a unique combination of abilities, inclinations, and challenges to fulfill His will with personal love and faithfulness.

Too often, we waste our saintly creativity dreaming of how we would faithfully fulfill another’s vocation: “If I were a priest, I would study and explain the Scriptures better than our pastor!” or, “If I were bishop, I would proclaim the truths of our faith more boldly than our ordinary!” or, “If I were the cantor, I wouldn’t draw so much attention to myself,” or “If I were their mother, I would discipline those children better!” etc.

But such thoughts are devilish distractions, for we each need our full concentration and inspired imagination just to discern and live out our own call to serve God in the unique and essential vocation to which He directs each one of us.  

So, if I am to become a saint, I must discover and fully embrace the ideal of sainthood for which God created me.  If you want to become a saint, you must discern and live the model of sanctity which God deems most suitable for you.  Certainly, the practice of virtue will be indispensable for both of our vocations, and so we each must commit ourselves to that, but there will also be many differences in our respective vocations which we must accept as well, in order for you to help me, and me to help you, so that we too one day can take our unique place in swelling the ranks of all the saints!

Daily Retreat 10/31/06

2006 Oct 31 Tue: Ordinary Weekday
Eph 5: 21-33/ Ps 127(128): 1-2. 3. 4-5/ Lk 13: 18-21

From today’s readings:  “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ....  Blessed are those who fear the Lord....  What is the Kingdom of God like?”

Modest Beginnings

Since Jesus knew the answer, for Him, it was a rhetorical question to ask, “What is the Kingdom of God like?”  In the illustrations of His replies, He proposed numerous parables, such as the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the leaven.    But these and other figures of the Kingdom of God do not paint a precise picture, because they’re more intended to spark the imagination.

For one could certainly place a tiny mustard seed or bit of yeast on the tip of his finger.  With a light puff of breath, the seed or yeast could easily be scattered to the wind, and nothing would ever come of it.  Yet if the seed were just properly planted, it really could become a super shrub, and if the yeast were just carefully combined into some dough, it really could leaven the entire mass.

What is the Kingdom of God like?  Earthly words can never completely answer celestial questions, so we can safely say that the Kingdom of God is much more than can ever be inferred  by merely examining the little signs of that Kingdom in our midst, and yet the Kingdom will be realized when its seed is properly planted and its yeast is carefully combined in our lives.

Daily Retreat 10/30/06

2006 Oct 30 Mon: Ordinary Weekday
Eph 4: 32 – 5: 8/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 13: 10-17

>From today’s readings:  “Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God....  Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked....  Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit....”

Sabbath Savvy

It’s bewildering to read in the Gospel about objections raised against Jesus for the good works that He did on the Sabbath, such as healing a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years.  We wonder: how could anyone be so mean-spirited as to complain about anything good done, especially on the Lord’s Day?

It can be conceded that, in theory, it is possible that timing and manner can sometimes mitigate or even negate the goodness of many acts offered with the best of intentions.  For example, if I were to turn out some lights in an empty room, it would normally be a favor to save electricity, unless, of course, the lights had been specifically left on for some unknown reason, in which case my good intention might have adverse consequences!

We can all think of times when others sincerely tried to help us, but perhaps really not in the right time or way.  In such cases, it’s easy to get annoyed and frustrated, leading to overblown outbursts against the person himself, instead of recognizing the good intentions, and just offering the proper corrective instructions.  When we remember how people unjustifiably objected to the good Jesus did on the Sabbath, that should help us be more patient with the good intentioned but poorly timed efforts of others.

Daily Retreat 10/29/06

2006 Oct 29 SUN: THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jer 34: 7-9/ Ps 125(126): 1-2. 2-3. 4-5. 6 (3)/ Heb 5: 1-6/ Mk 10: 46-52

From today’s readings:  “I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble....  The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy....  Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins....  The blind man replied to Him, ‘Master, I want to see!’ ”

I Want to See!

Curiously, there’s something about the miracles of healing that makes many people tune out the Gospel message.  Perhaps it’s just another of the bad effects of the modern secular mindset: while we can recognize and be inspired by the wisdom of the teachings of Jesus, when it comes to some of His actions, they seem too “unscientific” (or just completely outside our realm of experience) for modern belief.

To think of Jesus as just a teacher (even the greatest of teachers!) is to miss His essence as the Living Miracle, God made man!  Jesus IS indeed the greatest of teachers, because He teaches even more with His actions than He does with His profound words.
 
Every miracle (indeed, every action!) of Jesus was done, not just for the good of the one favored with the miracle, but for the good of all the people that observed the miracle, or heard of it (even if they heard of it, as we do, 2000 years after it happened!).

What good does the miracle of the healing of blind Bartimaeus do for us?  First of all, it teaches us a profoundly imperative prayer, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!”  We MUST call out to God for mercy and help, and like Bartimaeus, we must be persistent.

And, like Bartimaeus, we must dare to be specific.  “I want to see!”  Bartimaeus turns to Jesus with a specific need (but not a specific greed - it’s one thing to beg Jesus for essentials, it’s another to nag Him for luxuries!).  We, too, should not hesitate to ask for healing of particular ailments, pains, worries, problems.  Of course, it’s important that we remember everything else Jesus teaches us about asking in prayer, particularly, what is shown by His example words (the Lord’ prayer) and His example actions (during the Agony in the Garden) - to always submit our will to the will of God!

Daily Retreat 10/28/06

2006 Oct 28 Sat: Simon and Jude, aps F
Eph 2: 19-22/ Ps 18(19): 2-3. 4-5/ Lk 6: 12-16

From today’s readings:  “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone....  Their message goes out through all the earth....  ”

St. Peter’s Successor on the Apostles

Pope Benedict XVI recently completed an intermittent series of audiences focusing on the Lord’s Apostles. 
In keeping with today’s feastday, the Holy Father’s catechesis on SS. Simon and Jude can be found at this link: 
http://zenit.org/english/audience/visualizza.phtml?sid=96369

Also, Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin has provided this link indexing the entire collection of apostolic instructions:
http://jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei /2006/10/b16_on_the_12.html

Daily Retreat 10/27/06

2006 Oct 27 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Eph 4: 1-6/ Ps 23(24): 1-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 12: 54-59

From today’s readings:  “One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

Weather Warnings

While we all experience occasional unexpected changes in the weather, we still are aware that there are certain patterns in every weather system that are quite predictable.  The Gospel reminds us, for instance, that even in ancient times, it was common knowledge that wind from the south brought warmer weather.

This insight was based on simple observation, as people noticed that, when the south wind would blow, the temperature would almost always rise soon thereafter.    But according to Jesus, the same simple reasoning must be applied to discern the significance of His present presence.  In other words, He’s not content to be merely an isolated incident in anyone’s life - His intervention is meant to change, not just a person’s present situation, but also his future.

For most of us, however, the whole notion of the Last Judgment remains quite distant and remote - many people go months, even years, without even a passing thought to that awesome moment that will definitively divide time from eternity.  Yet the autumn weather is itself an annual reminder that all earthly things come to an end, and dwelling even a little on that interpretation of the present time should help us tune in more to the Lord’s extended forecast.

Daily Retreat 10/26/06

2006 Oct 26 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Eph 3: 14-21/ Ps 32(33): 1-2. 4-5. 11-12. 18-19/ Lk 12: 49-53

From today’s readings:  “To Him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine....    The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord....  I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! ”

Total War

History provides countless examples of aggressors provoking peace-loving peoples to legitimate self-defense.  Before commencing hostilities, often the belligerent party offers a bitter ultimatum: surrender or prepare for battle!  Now, if the ruler of the threatened nation decides to resist, his decision indeed results in war for his people, but not because of his own desire for violence, but only because the peace paid for with subjugation is but a cruel and worthless travesty of true peace.

Because we hail Jesus at Christmas as the Prince of Peace, it’s quite unsettling to hear Him clearly assert that His coming brings division, rather than peace (see today’s Gospel verses, and also Luke 22:36).  But in these matters, it is not Jesus who desires or provokes division, for it is the Devil who sows enmity and causes divisions.  Yet the Lord’s spirited and adamant resistance to Evil aggression nonetheless results in the present total war for the hearts and souls of all men.

But this is spiritual warfare, and not a mere physical battle to be fought with earthly weapons.  And in this spiritual war, there is no neutrality - one is either with Jesus and fighting for the peace of His parousia, or one is willing to settle for the infernal peace promised to those willing to tolerate evil and subjugate themselves to sin.  The drama of life is in the choosing of sides....

Daily Retreat 10/25/06

2006 Oct 25 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Eph 3: 2-12/ Is 12: 2-3. 4bcd. 5-6/ Lk 12: 39-48

From today’s readings:  “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit....  You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation....  Much will be expected from the one to whom much has been given....”

Why Faith Must Be Shared

All of us can turn to God in humble gratitude for so many blessings that we’ve received - and so many of them, we just take for granted, like the light of this new day!  And yet, every single blessing we have received and will receive is meant to be shared and used wisely in God’s service....

One of the greatest blessings for which it is so easy to forget to be thankful is the gift of our faith Certainly, our own free acceptance is an essential component of our faith, but God’s love and initiative is the foundation for all faith.  

We can think of a mother tenderly nursing her newborn babe:  when the infant willingly receives the mother’s gift of herself,  it is able to grow and be nourished and strengthened.  While the baby’s cooperation is essential, the mother is the primary giver.  So it is with faith - God gives of Himself so that we can grow and be nourished and strengthened - our part at first is just to cooperate and accept the gift, but then we also need to make the most of it!

In this very day, God will give you and me many opportunities to thank Him for the gift of our faith by sharing that blessing with others.  Truly, the good Lord has given us so much, and much will be expected from those to whom much has been given!

Daily Retreat 10/23/06

2006 Oct 23 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ John of Capistrano, p
Eph 2: 1-10/ Ps 99(100): 1b-2. 3. 4ab. 4c-5/ Lk 12: 13-21

From today’s readings:  “God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love He had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ....  The Lord made us, we belong to Him....  You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

All of the Gospels, but St. Luke’s in particular, record the loving compassion Jesus showed to those who are poor, and as well as His loving warnings to those who are rich, urging them to use their wealth in charitable ways, so that it aids rather than impoverishes their efforts toward eternal life.

The parable Jesus told about the rich fool is not just intended for millionaires and billionaires - it applies to all of us who have more than we need!  For, in spite of a standard of living that was hardly attainable for even kings at the time of Jesus, our materialistic society emphasizes to everyone, “You don’t have enough yet - you need more, more, more!”

But the truth is, we don’t need more!  Rather, we need to share more!  Instead of striving to lay up ever more wealth in bank accounts and other earthly storehouses, we need to invest more in our heavenly accounts.  As St. Ambrose once noted, “The hands of the poor and the homes of widows are storehouses that endure forever!”

Daily Retreat 10/22/06

2006 Oct 22 SUN: TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 53: 10-11/ Ps 32(33): 4-5. 18-19. 20. 22 (22)/ Heb 4: 14-16/ Mk 10: 35-45

From today’s readings:  “Through His suffering, My Servant shall justify many, and their guilt He shall bear....  Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You....  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin....  Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

How to be Great

The blatant ambition of James and John strikes us as offensive only because they were so open about it – if they had just been a bit more subtle, you and I would probably have found their aspirations more excusable.  After all, each of us are driven by our own ambitions, be they secret or overt.

Jesus does not fault the sons of Zebedee for being explicit about what they were after – rather, He insists that they understand: if their truest ambition is to be close to Christ, that means being Christlike, serving others, not lording over others (the first reading, from Isaiah, might ring a bell because it is read on Good Friday).  When you think about it, it’s a marvel that anyone becomes a Christian when the Christ has stipulated such a condition for following Him which turns worldly ambition so completely upside down!

“For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  The importance of this verse, Mark 10:45, is further reinforced from context.  The remaining verses of Chapter 10 recount the healing of blind Bartimaeus, and then Chapter 11 begins with the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  So, Mark 10:45 is intended as a climatic summary of the Lord’s explanation of His own mission, and His insistence that all of His followers share fully in that mission.

Daily Retreat 10/21/06

2006 Oct 21 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Eph 1: 15-23/ Ps 8: 2-3ab. 4-5. 6-7/ Lk 12: 8-12

From today’s readings:  “He put all things beneath His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way....  O LORD, our LORD, how glorious is Your Name over all the earth!...  Whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

Not to deny Christ

Although, as we’ve seen in several Gospel passages just this past week, Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples to avoid the showy hypocrisy of the Pharisees, nevertheless, He didn’t go so far as to bid His followers ever to hide their faith, and so, perhaps this distinction deserves a bit more of our attention.

For faith in Christ is meant to be celebrated, shared, and proclaimed!  There’s never a good reason to belittle or deny our belief in Christ - even a very real threat of martyrdom should inspire us to boldness, rather than timidity, in the proclamation of our faith.  But, by extension, that means that the modern secular attacks on our faith should likewise stir us to ever greater Christian witness, instead of reducing us to mute bystanders in the ongoing public debates touching on cor Christian values.

Yes, Christians are called to be courageous, strong, and indefatigable in the proclamation of our faith in word and action, but, what we must avoid, however, is any hint of a sanctimonious, “holier-than-thou” attitude in our interactions with others.  For, to dare to gloat about our own goodness, would be to deny Christ as the source of all goodness, and whoever denies Christ before men, will be denied before the angels of God!

Daily Retreat 10/20/06

2006 Oct 20 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Paul of the Cross, p, rf
Eph 1: 11-14/ Ps 32(33): 1-2. 4-5. 12-13/ Lk 12: 1-7

From today’s readings:  “In Christ we were also chosen.... Upright is the word of the LORD, and all His works are trustworthy....  Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees....”

Secret Sins

Most of us can remember times in childhood when we found ourselves with friends and about to go somewhere forbidden, or say something uncouth, or do something wrong, but the temptation was overcome merely by the voiced and timely warning that “someone might see us, and then we’d be in big trouble!”

Part of growing up involves the realization that sinful actions are simply always wrong, even if there’s absolutely no chance of “being caught.”  But children as well as adults find it much easier to succumb to temptations of “secret sins,” wrongdoings that have little chance of being discovered.  So we gossip, and speak white lies, and “round up” in our own favor, and cut ourselves all kinds of slack in everyday matters of morality.

But Jesus alerts us to the futility of such actions, insisting that ultimately, “there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.”  With the Lord’s grace, each of us can learn to face our secret sins, not to see how much we can get away with them, but how much we can get away from them!

Daily Retreat 10/19/06

2006 Oct 19 Thu: Isaac Jogues and John de Brébeuf, ps, rs, mss, mts, & co., mts M
Eph 1: 1-10/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 5-6/ Lk 11: 47-54

From today’s readings:  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before Him....  The Lord has made known His salvation....  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah....”

Scripture Study from “A” to “Z”

When I first started reading the Bible, I recall noting the inclusive range of the Lord’s mention of the prophetic witness “from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zechariah” (cf. Luke 11:51).  In my naivete, I thought Jesus had deliberately chosen those two names as handy examples representing all of the prophets, from “A” to “Z.”  

But the problem with my assumption, of course, is the fact that the New Testament was written in Greek, a language which has its own distinct alphabet, beginning with the letter “Alpha” and concluding with the letter “Omega.”  In illustration of this, in the Apocalypse, the phrase “I am the Alpha and the Omega” is used several times to illustrate the all-encompassing eternity of God - cf. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13.

This point, of course, is merely a minor reminder of the perils of jumping to conclusions when reading the Bible.  Instead, we need to patiently and respectfully study scripture, taking advantage of all of the valid insights advanced by linguists, historians, archaeologists, and others who cooperate to help us all better understand the Word of God.

Daily Retreat 10/18/06

2006 Oct 18 Wed: Luke, ev F
2 Tm 4: 10-17b/ Ps 145: 10-11. 12-13. 17-18/ Lk 10: 1-9

From today’s readings:  “Luke is the only one with me....  Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of Your Kingdom....  The Kingdom of God is at hand for you....”

St. Luke

Each of the four evangelists offers a self-contained portrait of the life and ministry of Jesus - to be sure, many of the details overlap, but there’s also unique insights presented in each of the Gospels.  Logically then, there are advantages to reading and studying each Gospel by itself, but there are also other benefits to comparing and contrasting the evangelists’ accounts.

The Sunday Gospel readings this year are mostly from Mark, but in the daily lectionary cycle, we’re now close to the middle of St. Luke’s Gospel, which we’ll continue reading through the end of November.  With the coming of the first Sunday of Advent and the new Church liturgical year (which will be on December 3 this year), Luke’s Gospel will start to be featured for the Sunday readings again.

So, with St. Luke’s feastday celebrated today, this week is an ideal time to read through Luke’s Gospel in its entirety, an exercise which will both help to better put the daily Gospel readings in context, and also prepare for next year’s Sunday readings.  And remember that St. Luke, like all the other evangelists, wrote his Gospel to help us get to know Jesus, so it’s not about reading words, it’s about listening to the Word!

Daily Retreat 10/17/06

2006 Oct 17 Tue: Ignatius of Antioch, bp, mt M
Gal 5: 1-6/ Ps 118(119): 41. 43. 44. 45. 47. 48/ Lk 11: 37-41

From today’s readings:  “ For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.... Let Your mercy come to me, O Lord....   Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Inside-Out

On many occasions, Jesus attacked the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, with their finicky attention to appearances but utter disregard for more fundamental realities.  While it’s a temptation for all of us to see ourselves as clean of such Pharisaical character defects, in all likelihood, interior impurities may well be lurking undiscovered beneath exterior show coats.

For example, any assumption that “I’m less sinful than the majority” is clearly a Pharisaic notion.  Even if that statement were objectively true, the Christian objections are that, first, we humans have no basis for passing judgment on others, and second, the benchmark for morality is not based on averages and national norms, so there’s just never any point at all in comparing our own moral performance with the failings of others.

As Jesus explains, so often it’s simply a matter of getting things “inside-out,” because assessments on the basis of outward appearances should always be tempered by insights on the basis of just honestly looking at what is within.

Daily Retreat 10/16/06

2006 Oct 16 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ Hedwig, r/ Margaret Mary Alacoque, v
Gal 4: 22-24. 26-27. 31 – 5: 1/ Ps 112(113): 1b-2. 3-4. 5a and 6-7/ Lk 11: 29-32

From today’s readings:  “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery....  Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever....  This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah....”

Signs of the Times

Both the Old and the New Testament (and our own lives!) are full of signs, miraculous events when God pierced the ordinary routine of daily life with an extraordinary intervention from on high.  Interestingly enough, though, God’s signs provoke a wide range of responses: some people simply ignore the signs, others dismiss them, still others are momentarily impressed but then soon forget the signs, but some are inspired to respond to God’s signs with a lifelong commitment of faith.

While it’s human nature to look for such miraculous signs to guide our faith, Jesus rebukes those people who demand a ceaseless supply of signs as the prerequisite for faith.  Certainly, no one ever worked more miracles than Jesus, no one ever accomplished greater miracles than Jesus, no one ever spoke with greater wisdom than Jesus, no one ever demonstrated greater love than Jesus, and yet that was not enough for the evil generation at the time of Jesus, and it’s not enough for the evil generation of our own day, all those people who still seek signs, demanding that God do just a little bit more to assure them personally of His divinity.

Jesus directs the attention of such people to the “sign of Jonah,” which is the message of judgment and just condemnation.  When Jonah preached to the Ninevites, the reluctant prophet didn’t work any miracles to convince them, but still, his words of God’s impending judgment rang true in their hearts, and so they repented of their evil.  Jesus offers to all His gospel of love, joy, and peace, but only when embraced with sacrifice, virtue, repentance and forgiveness.  For those who are still undecided and ever demand more signs before making their commitment of faith, they ultimately choose to spend eternity contemplating nothing but the sign of Jonah.

Daily Retreat 10/15/06

2006 Oct 15 SUN: TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 7: 7-11/ Ps 89(90): 12-13. 14-15. 16-17 (14)/ Heb 4: 12-13/ Mk 10: 17-30

From today’s readings:  “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me....  Fill us with Your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!...  Indeed the Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit....  Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, ‘You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me.’ ”

What’s Wisdom Worth?

Success stories of "Rags to riches" continue to pop-up in newspapers, but how many modern "fool to wiseman" parables are published? In this age of technological marvels, people have a frenzied focus which insists that there’s no price or sacrifice too great to pay for the next scientific breakthrough.  Conversely, there’s little interest at all in pursuing WISDOM - some are skeptical that such as thing as true wisdom even exists, and of those who recognize wisdom as something real and worthwhile, so many have a fatalistic view: people are "lucky" who are marked by wisdom in their lives, but wisdom is certainly not something that can be pursued like financial success can.

So the Sunday scriptures can seem surreal - how can anyone appraise wisdom (which is so abstract!) above scepter and throne, riches, gems, gold, silver, even health and comeliness (which are so concrete!)?  How can the Word of God be sharper than any two-edged sword? How can Jesus demand more (too much, in fact!) from a good-hearted, well-intentioned, God- fearing, lovable and loving rich young man?

The answers are all connected. To be wise simply means to see consequences from a bigger perspective and make decisions accordingly. Since God sees all consequences, true wisdom is present anytime a person chooses what God reveals to be the best choice. Too often though, what God reveals to be the best choice is not at all what we figure to be the best choice. That’s why we need the sharp, penetrating Word of God, "able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart."  Wisdom CAN be pursued, but only when we’ve been cured of the paralysis of materialism.

Daily Retreat 10/14/06

2006 Oct 14 Sat: Ordinary Weekday

Gal 3:22-29/Ps 104(105):2-3, 4-5, 6-7/Lk 11:27-28

 

From today’s readings: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.... Rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!... Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

 

The Last Word

 

We’ve all had the experience of being interrupted in mid-sentence - at times, the person to whom we’re speaking has correctly guessed what we were about to say, and so, having completed the ellipsis in his own mind, perhaps nothing important was lost, apart from the breach in courtesy.

 

But sometimes, the unfinished thought is much more than what the listener surmised, so as long as it remains unspoken and unheard, key insights are missing.

 

I fear that we all have the tendency to interrupt God’s words for us. Whether we’re reading the Bible, attentively listening to the proclamation of Sacred Scripture, or engaged in prayerful meditation, it’s far too easy to only hear part of God’s word because we imagine we already know the rest of it. But it’s always to our advantage to listen completely to all that God has to say, and it only makes since that He should get in the last word!

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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Daily Retreat 10/13/06

2006 Oct 13 Fri: Ordinary Weekday

Gal 3: 7-14/ Ps 110(111): 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 11: 15-26

 

From today’s readings: “Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.... The Lord will remember His covenant for ever.... Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

 

Demonic Reality Check

 

The Gospels mention many encounters Jesus had with demons, and yet, for modern people, those verses are often demeaned as hopelessly “culturally conditioned,” with the assumption that all that the ancient world ascribed to demonic influences can now be explained scientifically with the help of physics, psychology and modern medicine.

 

Clearly, previous ages did have primitive theories about phenomena beyond the scope of the science of those centuries, and bona fide advancements in human knowledge offer compelling reasons to abandon many tenets of ancient thought. Yet to completely dismiss demons as something totally unreal would betray an arrogant mindset which views itself as superior to Sacred Scripture, and such an attitude is quite incompatible with Christianity of any sort.

 

The power of Christ, however, is greater than all the might of Hell, so those who stay close to Christ need not fear anything demonic. But those who convince themselves that there are no devils, sooner or later conclude they don’t need Jesus to save them from such evil, and so their every sin becomes an invitation for more demons to move in.

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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Daily Retreat 10/12/06

2006 Oct 12 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Gal 3: 1-5/ Lk 1: 69-70. 71-72. 73-75/ Lk 11: 5-13

From today’s readings:  “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?...   Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has visited His people....  If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Persevering in Prayer

Perseverance is a key component to success in life, and so, not surprisingly, it’s also an essential part of prayer.  Jesus Himself prayed consistently throughout His life, and so His exhortation for perseverance in prayer is particularly exemplary.

In the illustrations and examples Jesus gives, it is mostly petitionary prayers that are considered, when we ask God for what we need, “our daily bread.”  Above all, the gift par excellence, the Holy Spirit, is promised for those who ask, seek, and knock.

But it also goes without saying (or actually, it needs to be said!) that you and I can and should extend the call for perseverance to all types of prayer as well, voicing our contrition, thanking God, and praising and adoring Him unceasingly, and praying for others in incessant intercession, and, throughout our lives, listening to God, which also is part of prayer!

Daily Retreat 10/11/06

2006 Oct 11 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Gal 2: 1-2. 7-14/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Lk 11: 1-4

From today’s readings:  “James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised....  Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News....  Lord, teach us to pray....”

Teach Us to Pray

When we pray the Lord’s prayer, we usually follow the version found in Matthew’s Gospel, which is slightly longer than the rendering in Luke’s Gospel.   But, in both cases, Jesus wasn’t teaching certain “magic words” which would invoke God’s power - rather, Jesus was teaching what should be the heart of all our prayer!

So, today’s brief Gospel passage is the springboard for two essential and profound steps in our prayer life.  First, we begin with the humble plea, “Lord, teach us to pray.....”  Some of us need Jesus to teach us how to find time to pray, or how to be less distracted in prayer, or how to persevere when we feel unmotivated - each of us has much to learn from Jesus’ teachings about prayer!

And second, you and I can thoughtfully take a closer look at the words and petitions of the Lord’s prayer, and then truly make that our own prayer....

Daily Retreat 10/10/06

2006 Oct 10 Tue: Ordinary Weekday
Gal 1: 13-24/ Ps 138(139): 1b-3. 13-14ab. 14c-15/ Lk 10: 38-42

From today’s readings:  “The one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy....  Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way....  Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing....”

One Thing to Remember

What if someone (be it your boss, your family, or even yourself, or Someone else) were to review your “To-Do” list today and then, in all seriousness, say, “There are many things here to do, but really, of all things, in fact, there is need of only one thing to be done.   Concentrate on that one thing, and don’t be so anxious and worried about the non-essentials!”   If true, what a liberating revelation that would be!    What a relief to be able to finally catch your breath, focus, and stop worrying about so many things!

But let us further consider that this single new focal point did not merely supersede all the many things on today’s “To-Do” list, but because of its overarching importance, all of our other tasks and chores for this whole week are now officially to be downgraded.  In fact, not just for the whole week, but the whole month too - yes, even the whole year!  Better yet still: in consideration of your whole life, if you zoom in on only one particular thing, concentrate your efforts and energies, and choose to simply take care of  that one thing, then your whole life will be an unsurpassed success!

How can that overbearing endless “To-Do” list of our life ever be reduced to just one thing?  Who is so naive as to propose such a preposterous possibility?  And yet, we all heard the Word:  “Martha, Martha - you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing!”  Now of course, it is not just “Martha, Martha” who is addressed by the Word of the Lord, but each one of us can hear Jesus repeating our own name as He insists: “You are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Choose the better part, and it will not be taken from you!”

What then is this “one thing” which Jesus reveals is to be the focus of our life?  Well, clearly it has to do with God - we should choose to have Him at the center, rather than the outskirts of our life.  But what does that mean in practice?  

Well, when you see a man who is tan, well-groomed and well-dressed, with bulging biceps, but a tucked-in tummy, it’s obvious that his physical well-being is his priority!  Such a man never puts exercise or diet on the back burner  - he shuns shabbiness, and runs from the near occasion of flabbiness.

Likewise, when you see a saint who is quaint with well-groomed virtues and well-dressed in joyful holiness, bulging with generosity, but tucked in humility, it’s obvious that his eternal well-being is his priority!  Such a man never puts spiritual exercise or fasting on the back burner - he shuns vice, and runs from the near occasion of sin.

So, choosing God in practice as the heart of our life means just that: practically choosing God in our everyday life.  In the morning, a simple but essential prayer: “I need you Lord today - keep me ever beside You, and help me listen to what You have to say!”  Then throughout the day, to check the Cross more often than the watch, for the hands on the crucifix point to eternities, whereas the hands of a clock merely time temporalities.  And when day is done and it is finished, to pray in His words, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us....  Father, into Your hands, I commend my spirit.”  Jesus taught us to choose the better part - all that means is choosing Him as our heart!

Daily Retreat 10/09/06

2006 Oct 9 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ Denis, bp, mt, & co., mts/ John Leonardi, p
Gal 1: 6-12/ Ps 110(111): 1b-2. 7-8. 9 and 10c/ Lk 10: 25-37

From today’s readings:  “But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ....  The Lord will remember His covenant for ever....  A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho....”

Carrying out the commandment

The moral of the Good Samaritan parable is so clear: in order to fulfill God’s double-edged command to love God and your neighbor as yourself, one must do more than just agree with it in theory - one must carry it out actually, practically, extensively, and inclusively.

It must be fulfilled actually, meaning simply it must be put into action.  God does not ask us to do something unknown or cryptic, which would make it an unjust commandment, like expecting someone without the necessary education to fix a car or a computer, or translate an alien language.  Love God, love your neighbor as yourself - there’s nothing impossible or incomprehensible about that - you have only to carry it out!

The commandment must be fulfilled practically, meaning simply that it must be put into action in our daily lives.  The love that God demands of us is not an academic, larger-than-life love;  rather, it’s the concrete love that gives largeness to life, because it’s the love that God made us for!    Love God, love your neighbor as yourself - there’s nothing abstract or pedantic about that  - you have only to carry it out!

The commandment must be fulfilled extensively, meaning simply that it must be put into action in our daily lives at every possible moment.  What loving husband would kiss his wife in the morning and figure “That’s enough - no need to show anymore affection for the rest of the day!”?  My experience is that we Christians tend to excuse ourselves especially from this aspect - we certainly are committed to helping others, but after doing it a couple of times, we reason that we’ve done enough.  That was the same fallacy the villains of the story fell into: one can almost hear the priest and Levite muttering, “I gave alms three times already on this journey - it’s someone else’s turn now!”  Love God, love your neighbor as yourself - there’s no exceptions granted for those who feel they’ve already done more than their share - you have only to carry it out!

The commandment must be fulfilled inclusively, meaning simply that it must be put into action in our daily lives at every possible moment with everyone.  Recall that Samaritans and Jews had a distaste for each other’s company.  The most natural thing for a Samaritan to do, when confronted with the sight of a Jew in need, would be to excuse himself, “Let the Jews take care of their own kind, and we Samaritans will take care of our own kind.”  But the shock of the story comes from the Good Samaritan’s neighborly compassion for someone who was not of his own kind!  Love God, love your neighbor as yourself - there’s no restrictions on who qualifies as your neighbor - you have only to carry it out!

The Good Samaritan parable was not intended to give anyone warm fuzzies inside - such a reaction would be clear proof of a dangerous degree of self-righteousness!  Rather, everyone should find this parable disquieting, even somewhat bothersome.   That discomforting element of this gripping parable is not that it’s too confusing, or too abstract, or even too demanding - rather, it’s annoying simply because, concerning God’s commandment of love, in our hearts, we know that actually, practically, extensively, and inclusively, we still have yet only to carry it out.

Daily Retreat 10/08/06

2006 Oct 8 SUN: TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Gn 2: 18-24/ Ps 127(128): 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6/ Heb 2: 9-11/ Mk 10: 2-16

From today’s readings:  “The LORD God said: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.’...    May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives....  He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin....  But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ...”

The Two of Them Become One Flesh

Clearly, the Bible espouses a sublime teaching about the matrimonial union of man and woman. Jesus Himself quotes chapter 2 of Genesis, reminding His followers that our conception of marriage must begin with God’s intention, not just human experience, for better or for worse.

But hardness of hearts has led to separating what God has united. In Holy Matrimony, God unites man and woman, but divorce separates. God unites the unitive and procreative dimensions of marital intercourse, but contraception separates. God unites the sexual and spiritual aspects of human life, but hedonism separates. God creates and unites male and female as partners, but chauvinism and militant feminism separate them as antagonists.

Those who abort and thwart God’s conception of marital unity, rebuking and rejecting the divine biblical and magisterial teaching, ultimately bear nothing in their lives but the sterile hardness of their own hearts. But those who embrace God’s design and are open to His will all the days of their lives bring forth the fertile fruits of Christ’s blessing which lead to the Kingdom of God!

Daily Retreat 10/07/06

2006 Oct 8 SUN: TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Gn 2: 18-24/ Ps 127(128): 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6/ Heb 2: 9-11/ Mk 10: 2-16

From today’s readings:  “The LORD God said: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.’...    May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives....  He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin....  But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ...”

The Two of Them Become One Flesh

Clearly, the Bible espouses a sublime teaching about the matrimonial union of man and woman. Jesus Himself quotes chapter 2 of Genesis, reminding His followers that our conception of marriage must begin with God’s intention, not just human experience, for better or for worse.

But hardness of hearts has led to separating what God has united. In Holy Matrimony, God unites man and woman, but divorce separates. God unites the unitive and procreative dimensions of marital intercourse, but contraception separates. God unites the sexual and spiritual aspects of human life, but hedonism separates. God creates and unites male and female as partners, but chauvinism and militant feminism separate them as antagonists.

Those who abort and thwart God’s conception of marital unity, rebuking and rejecting the divine biblical and magisterial teaching, ultimately bear nothing in their lives but the sterile hardness of their own hearts. But those who embrace God’s design and are open to His will all the days of their lives bring forth the fertile fruits of Christ’s blessing which lead to the Kingdom of God!

Daily Retreat 10/07/06

2006 Oct 7 Sat: Our Lady of the Rosary M
Act 1:12-14/ Lk 1:46-47,48-49,50-51,52-53,54-55/Lk 1:26-38

From today’s readings:  “All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus....  The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name....  Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!”

The Rosary

God, our Heavenly Father, gave us His Son, Jesus, to save us from sin.
Jesus, as He was dying on the Cross, gave us His Mother, Mary, to be our mother, too, in Christ’s family.
Mary, to keep us close to her Son, gave us the Rosary, a beautiful yet simple aid to prayer
focused on the joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries of salvation.


Such an elementary explanation of the Rosary can be an ideal introduction to this devotion for children and adults who have never been taught about this way of praying.  While it’s essential that we pray to God in our own words too, sometimes it’s difficult to express everything in our hearts, and so then we simply turn to prayers learned by heart:  the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, lovingly tied together in the Holy Rosary.