Virtual Retreat

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

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Daily Retreat 11/02/07

2007 Nov 2 Fri: ALL SOULS’ DAY
2Mac 12:43-46/Ps 129(130)/Rom 8:31-39/Mark 15:33-39
(Many options are provided for the readings today)

From today’s readings:
  “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin....      Out of the depths I call to you, LORD; Lord, hear my cry!....       For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,  nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord....  When the centurion who stood facing Him saw how He breathed His last he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’ ”

The Communion of Saints (Part 2)

The Communion of Saints is comprised of those in Heaven, the faithful on Earth, and those in Purgatory, which is the state of those souls undergoing purification in preparation to enter Heaven.  I often explain Purgatory with the following analogy:  A “welcome mat” serves two purposes: first, it offers a message of hospitality even before a person enters the house; and, second, it reminds guests to wipe their feet, so that dirt is not tracked inside.  Purgatory is simply Heaven’s welcome mat - it is a state of hopeful hospitality, since every soul that enters Purgatory afterwards enters Heaven, and it is the opportunity for souls to be cleaned and purged of all stain of sin before entering Heaven.

Although the word “Purgatory” does not occur in the Bible, that doesn’t imply that the concept itself is foreign to Sacred Scripture.  The word “Trinity” does not occur in the Bible either, but no one objects to the established use of that word as an accurate “handle” for the biblical belief in the one God in three divine Persons.

A passage in the Second Book of Maccabees (2Mac 12:39-46) is particularly explicit about the efficacy of praying for the dead:  

     On the following day, ... Judas [Maccabees] and his men went to gather up the bodies of the slain and bury them with their kinsmen in their ancestral tombs.   But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had been slain.  They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden.   Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.  He then took up a collection among all his soldiers (amounting to two thousand silver drachmas) which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice.  
In doing this, he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death.  
But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who have gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.  
Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.


Now, if those who had died fighting in the battle were already in Heaven with God, there would be no point in praying for them.  Likewise, if they were in Hell, no prayers could help them.  Their fighting and dying for the cause of the Israelites proved their overall faith and goodwill, but the presence of the pagan amulets revealed that their faith was somewhat compromised by the sin of idolatry.  It thus made sense to pray for them only by concluding that, after death, they needed to and could undergo some sort of purification for their sins before being admitted into Heaven.

Partly because of the implications of this passage, Martin Luther rejected the two books of Maccabees as sacred scripture, and to this day, Protestant versions of the Bible do not include those books.  There are, however, several other passages in Scripture which support the doctrine of Purgatory, such as Rev. 21:27; Mat 12:32,36; 1Cor 3:15; and 2Tim 1:16-18.

Daily Retreat 11/01/07

2007 Nov 1 Thu: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....”

The Communion of Saints


In the familiar Apostle’s Creed, the “Communion of Saints” is one of the articles of faith professed.  However, many people have forgotten (or never learned) the full meaning of that phrase, so today’s feast of All Saints is a most appropriate occasion to review this article of faith.

In this context, “Communion” is not primarily understood as referring to the sacrament of the Eucharist; instead, the word here bears its more generic meaning of “union with” or “close intimate relation.”

Likewise, in this context, the word “saint” (“sanctus” in Latin) is not limited to its precise definition of “a person in Heaven with God”; rather, the word here is understood in the more general sense of  “holy.”  So this includes not just the saints (“holy ones”) in Heaven, but also the saints (“holy ones”) on earth.  This wider usage is common in the New Testament, where all faithful members of the Mystical Body of Christ are called saints (e.g., Acts 9:13, Eph. 1:1, Phil 1:1, etc.).

In fact, the Communion of Saints refers not just to this “union” and “interconnectedness” of the “holy ones” in Heaven and on Earth, but even to the “holy things” as well, the interchange and sharing of faith, sacraments, prayers, etc.   Of course, in common English usage “saint” never refers to “a holy thing,” but this is just a weakness of translation; perhaps the best English rendering would be simply “Communion of the Holy,” since that term encompasses better the notion of union of holy things among the holy ones in Heaven, the holy ones on Earth, and the holy souls in Purgatory as well (more on that tomorrow).

Monday, October 29, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/31/07

2007 Oct 31 Wed
Rom 8: 26-30/ Ps 12(13): 4-5. 6/ Lk 13: 22-30

From today’s readings:  “We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings....  My hope, O Lord, is in Your mercy....  Strive to enter through the narrow gate....”

We don’t know how to do WHAT?

Have you ever had that annoying experience of a particularly presumptuous person pointing out that you didn’t know how to do something which you thought you had been doing just fine all your life.  Whether it was the meddlesome mother-in-law or the know-it-all teenager, I imagine we’ve all heard things like, “You know, you walk funny,” or “Don’t you know there’s a better way to tie your shoes,” or, my personal favorite, “Are you sure that’s how you spell your name?”

Of course, generally, you and I would respond to such provocations with patronizing sympathy for that poor simpleton who can’t think of anything better to do with his time than to rate people’s perambulatory skills or crusade for one certain method of tying or lacing shoes.

However, particularly when the observation is made by a true expert in the field, there can at times be quite an element of truth in at least some such annoying claims.  For instance, if a trusted family doctor remarked that “You know, you’re a bit stiff when you walk - why don’t you relax a bit more?”, most of us would at least consider the possibility that maybe we can improve our walking style.  Even so, such observations are still difficult to accept because they demand extraordinary humility - the personal admission that something basic and fundamental in my life still needs improvement.

So I wonder how the Romans reacted when Paul made that audacious claim (in chapter 8 of the letter he sent them) that “ we do not know how to pray as we ought.”  Maybe their response was a bit of indignation, “Aren’t you happy enough with the fact that we are praying, and most of us have been praying all our lives?  What kind of hang-up do you have, Paul, that you feel the need to offer advice even in this area?”

On the other hand, maybe even the proud Romans were humble enough, and maybe you and I can be humble enough today, to realize that Paul was a true expert in this field, and so worthy of being taking seriously in even such an audacious claim.

St. John Damascene defined prayer simply as “the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.”  Simple enough - so then, how is it conceivable that you and I do not know how to do this the way we ought?  It boils down to one word: humility.  Humility is the foundation, the essential ingredient of all true prayer.  All too often when you and I pray, we speak from the height of our own pride and will, and essentially dare to ask God to do our will, because we think we know what’s best for ourselves, or for our loved ones, and we certainly know what’s best for the people who annoy us!

In contrast, true prayer comes “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart.  Only when you and I begin by humbly acknowledging that “we do not know how to pray as we ought,” are we then ready to receive freely the gift of prayer.  “Man is always a beggar before God,” as St. Augustine put it.

So, are you and I convinced that "we do not know how to pray as we ought"? Are we asking God for "what is good for us"? Our Father knows what we need before we ask him, but He awaits our petition because the dignity of His children lies in their freedom. We must pray, then, with His Spirit of freedom, to be able truly to know what He wants.

Daily Retreat 10/30/07

2007 Oct 30 Tue
Rom 8: 18-25/ Ps 125(126): 1b-2ab. 2cd-3. 4-5. 6/ Lk 13: 18-21

From today’s readings:
  “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us....  The Lord has done marvels for us....   The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden....”


Panoramic perspective of the fullness of faith

As mentioned before, the letter to the Romans is Paul’s longest, and by many standards, his greatest epistle.  Many people consider this chapter eight their favorite part of Romans, because in these verses especially, at the midpoint and heart of the epistle, Paul boldly pulls out all the stops in presenting the advantages of Christian faith, and his ecstasy can be contagious if we attentively follow Paul’s lead in coming to accept and appreciate Christ’s universal and saving role in the center of all time and creation.

That is why, in spite of his persecutions and hardships, Paul can even make the incredible claim, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us....”  If you take the time to gaze awhile at the stars at night, the vastness of the universe necessarily offers a broader perspective to consider the horizons and significance of whatever problems and difficulties you find yourself faced with at the present moment.   Likewise, when our panorama includes the perspective of the fullness of faith, even significant sufferings of this present time are seen as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed....

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/29/07

2007 Oct 29 Mon
Rom 8: 12-17/ Ps 67(68): 2 and 4. 6-7ab. 20-21/ Lk 13: 10-17

From today’s readings:
  “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God....  Our God is the God of salvation....  The whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by Him....”

Children of God

God created us, and for that, we humbly and rightly acknowledge Him as our creator, and recognize ourselves as His creatures.  Yet already in the Old Testament, some came to fathom (although they were generally too much in awe to claim it explicitly) that we have been favored by God above the mere status of “creature”: because of God’s super-abundant love in creation and throughout our lives, He’s more than just our creator -  He’s also our Father, and we are His children.

What was tentatively implicit in the Old was made emphatically explicit in the New Testament, first by Jesus Himself, and then by His apostles, such as Paul and John, who boastingly insisted: God is our Father, we are His children!  Have we become too accustomed to this notion that our divine adoption fails to move us now to tears of intense joy and sentiments of deepest gratitude?  If a kindly king or magnanimous millionaire or some noble Nobel laureate had adopted us, would not the rest of our life be defined by gratitude and awareness of our unworthiness?  

We have indeed received this spirit of adoption, through which we dare to cry the word that also lays claim to our highest dignity, “Abba - Father!”

Friday, October 26, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/28/07

2007 Oct 28 SUN: THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Sir 35: 12-14. 16-18/ Ps 33(34): 2-3. 17-18. 19. 23 (7a)/ 2 Tm 4: 6-8. 16-18/ Lk 18: 9- 14

From today’s readings:  “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds....  The Lord hears the cry of the poor....   The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat....  O God, be merciful to me a sinner....”

A Lesson in Psychology

I never liked group projects in school.   From the earliest grades, I was invariably matched up with some of the most unmotivated kids in class.  So, in order to assure a good grade for “our” group project, not only would I have to do my own part well, I would inevitably end up spending extra time assisting the laggards, either helping them do their part right, re-doing what they had  done sloppily, or outrightly doing their share of work myself when they failed to complete it or even get started on it!

One of my last group projects in school dates to my junior year in college.  Although I’ve utterly forgotten the details of the assignment,  I’ll never forget the lesson in life it taught me, the same lesson I should have learned earlier from the Gospel.  


For my Intro to Psychology class, we were assigned to groups of five or six, and instructed to complete some elementary unimaginative experiments in behavioral observation over the weekend and then, of course, to document our inconsequential conclusions.  Not a single one of us was overly enthused about the assignment, least of all myself.  To tell the truth,  I was only in the class because it was one of those core courses in the humanities for which the dean refused to allow  more practical substitutions.  And we were certainly a motley crew - none of us hung out together, nor did any of us have the slightest interest in getting to know each other better.  

So only with the utmost reluctance did we all finally agree to meet in the library to work on our project at 8pm Sunday evening.  That, of course, is the hour which college students (at least the semi-serious ones) consider the end of the weekend - the time to get started on the homework and studies which, as we routinely complained to our professors, were so excessive as to occupy our whole weekend!

But in fact, that one was mostly a carefree weekend.  I don’t think I had even troubled my head with a single thought about the psych assignment until I glanced at a clock Sunday evening, and the clock read 8:30, and for some vague reason, that seemed ominous.  But momentarily, the vagueness of the reason dissipated, and I literally screamed as the dreadful realization hit that I had forgotten the appointment to work on the group project!  

Dropping everything, I immediately ran with all my might the half mile to the library, lambasting myself for becoming the same type of parasite that had habitually exploited me in previous projects.  A zero for this assignment would certainly skewer my psych grade - was there any way I could redeem myself with the other members of the group?  Perhaps I could agree to do all the typing for the final paper, and for good measure, I would even promise to do some extra credit research so we could tack on an impressive appendix!  In my desperation, I was willing to do practically anything to salvage my psych grade.  I even tried to think of the best way to humbly beg the other group members to accept my proposal to make amends....

But when I finally arrived at the library, there was no one from my class there!  Figuring they must have all moved elsewhere, I frantically checked around the locale, and then eventually tried telephoning the other members’ dorms.  When I finally got through to one classmate, I started to apologize profusely, but all he did was yawn as he grunted the realization, “Oh yeah, we were supposed to meet tonight, weren’t we?”

Although I was somewhat relieved that I wasn’t the only one who had forgotten the meeting, I certainly didn’t consider his lapse could ever serve as my justification. Nonetheless, as I painstakingly traced down the other members of the group, and one by one, (and generally, without much chagrin), each admitted that he too had forgotten our appointment, the earnest contrition about my own failing and zealous resolution to make amends gradually were drowned out by self-righteous disgust for the inexcusable negligence of the other members of the group.

But providentially, my guardian angel insisted that I reflect anew on the whole situation during my nightly examination of conscience.  Yes, I had forgotten the appointment, and that was clear evidence of negligence on my own part.   But after all, everyone else had forgotten too, and in the end, I was the one who finally remembered and then took the initiative to marshal the members together for a later meeting to complete the assignment.  “True enough,” my conscience admitted, “but are you excusing your own faults because everyone else has those same faults, or even worse ones?  Is that ever solid moral reasoning?”

As the Gospel parable suddenly came to mind, the realization hit me that I had to choose between stepping forward like the Pharisee to thank God that I wasn’t like the rest of those dolts in my group, since, after all, I had been the one to save the day; or, I could follow the publican’s example by focusing on my own failing, confessing my sinfulness, my negligence, my self-righteousness, humbly begging the Lord to have mercy on me, a sinner.

It’s so natural to shrug off missing Mass occasionally, because, after all, there are so many who do so regularly.  It’s so simple to soothe a conscience about using contraceptives, because, after all, nearly everyone else is doing it.  It’s so easy to excuse occasional gossip and bad language, because, after all, that’s just the way people talk in this age.   It’s so tempting to justify these and all our own shortcomings - it’s so tempting to be a self-righteous Pharisee, because, after all, that’s just what the Tempter wants everyone to be....

Daily Retreat 10/27/07

2007 Oct 27 Sat/ BVM
Rom 8: 1-11/ Ps 23(24): 1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 13: 1-9

From today’s readings:  “Those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

Flesh vs. Spirit

Almost every word has more than one meaning, depending on context.  For example, note how the definitions of the word “cleave” are virtual opposites, meaning either “to separate,” or “to cling to.”  It’s unfortunate whenever one overlooks clues of context and thereby misconstrue the meaning of words.  That’s why scripture must always be read in context – it’s too easy to be led astray by just a solitary verse here and there.  Remember, outside of proper context, even the Devil has been known to quote scripture for his own purposes!

This is important, for example, when we consider what scripture says about “flesh” - in much of the New Testament (such as these verses from chapter 8 of Romans), the word “flesh” has, in context, a decidedly negative connotation:  all that is corruptible, mortal, subject to sin.  “Flesh,” in this context, is diametrically opposed to “spirit,” i.e. all that is incorruptible, immortal, subject to grace.  An appreciation of this dichotomy, of course, is fundamental to our faith.

But it would be wrong to unequivocally identify this connotation of “flesh” with the entire material dimension of human existence.  Some have done just that, and as a result, they see matter in itself is something evil (that’s a heresy, since God Himself created matter and saw that it was good!).  Remember, the Word Himself became flesh (John 1:14), He has opened the way for us through His flesh (Hebrews 10:20)  and gives us His own flesh as the Bread of Life (John 6), etc.

So here and elsewhere, Paul is not using the word “flesh” to decry the material dimension of life in itself, but he does condemn carnal, worldly desires and secular mindsets - anything that shows “hostility toward God.”

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/26/07

2007 Oct 26 Fri
Rom 7: 18-25a/ Ps 118(119): 66. 68. 76. 77. 93. 94/ Lk 12: 54-59

From today’s readings: 
“For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want....  Lord, teach me Your statutes....  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”


Being True to Yourself


The psychological insights found in St. Paul’s writings are part of the reason his letters are so intriguing.  With the penetrating light of his faith, Paul dares to examine, describe and sort through some of the inner conflicts of human nature, thereby helping us understand not just Paul, but our own selves as well.

Paul bemoans, “For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want!”  How often you and I have made an examination of conscience, and come to this same puzzling and depressing conclusion.  Remembering that the wages of sin is death, how come we continue to fall into temptation and become once again slaves of sin?

Note that Paul is NOT excusing himself when he states, “Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”  Some have misconstrued this verse so completely so as to imply that sin makes us the unwilling victim of circumstances, that sin is not my fault, since “the devil MADE me do it.”  Such a monstrous misunderstanding is the result of reading out of context, of missing the essential nuances Paul has worked so hard to lay out in the whole of this letter!  

So, we must establish the context by re-reading at least chapter 6, along with all of this chapter 7, and the next chapter.  God’s grace makes us dead to sin, but alive in Christ.  Sin brings death, so what Paul is profoundly saying here is that to sin is to betray our new redeemed true self; to sin is to dwell in the flesh (i.e., all that is corruptible, mortal - doomed to death) instead of in the “inner self” or mind or spirit (incorruptible, immortal - destined for eternal life).  The second half of the last verse (7:25 - oddly omitted from the lectionary) makes this dichotomy clear: “Therefore, I myself, with my mind, serve the law of God but, with my flesh, the law of sin.”

So, Paul argues that sin is always a foreign intruder, a treacherous trespasser, an unwelcome and unlawful squatter in the domain of our life.  Far from cowardly acquiescing to sin because we can’t help ourselves, Paul insists that we realize that sin has NO hold or claim on our true selves, implying, therefore, that sin is to be entirely evicted and expunged because there no longer is any lawful sanction, shelter or room for it whatsoever in the new life in Christ!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/25/07

2007 Oct 25 Thu
Rom 6: 19-23/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 12: 49-53

From today’s readings:  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord....  Blessed are they who hope in the Lord....  I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”


The wages of sin

What do you get from sin?  Death.  Original sin brought death to man, and every sin since then has contributed not just to death of the body, but even at times the death of the divine life of grace.  However, the gift of God, through Christ Jesus, is eternal life.  When it’s put that clearly, as Paul does, why would anyone choose sin and death?

We must give the Devil his due - somehow, he makes sin and death so tempting!  The weakness of our nature makes us fall time and time again for his ruse of making forbidden fruit seem so sweet.  If we can learn to stay away from foods that make us physically sick, then shouldn’t we be able to stay away from “forbidden fruit” which makes us spiritually sick?

Maybe one way to learn is think along the lines suggested by St. Paul and the first psalm: what profit do we get from being faithful and embracing righteousness?  What profit do we get from sinful choices?  It’s not just a matter of life and death, it’s a matter of eternal life and eternal death!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/24/07

2007 Oct 24 Wed/ Anthony Mary Claret, bp, rf
Rom 6: 12-18/ Ps 123(124): 1b-3. 4-6. 7-8/ Lk 12: 39-48

From today’s readings:  “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?...  Our help is in the name of the Lord....  You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come....”

Freedom for slavery
 
For all of us, freedom is a most highly prized treasure.  Yet freedom is not an end in itself - the point of freedom is to be able to choose rightly, to willingly surrender our freedom to the best master.  For, as Paul points out, a person is either a slave of sin, or a slave of righteousness.
 
The idea of being a slave in anyway is repugnant to our freedom loving culture.  Yet no one can deny that those who sin are slaves to sin (Jesus said this too - check out John 8:34), since they obey the dictates of whatever leads them to sin, be it sinful desires from within or sinful forces from without.
 
The other choice is to become slaves of righteousness - to obey God and His commands, and become His slaves.  Even this would be repugnant, if God were not such a good and loving Master!  Which master do you want to serve?

Daily Retreat 10/23/07

2007 Oct 23 Tue/ John of Capistrano, p
Rom 5: 12. 15b. 17-19. 20b-21/ Ps 39(40): 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 17/ Lk 12: 35-38

From today’s readings:  “Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned....  Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will....   Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival....”

Unoriginal notes on original sin

Chapter five of Paul’s letter to the Romans is a crucial Christian observation about the Original Sin of Adam and Eve.  Since this insight is too often misunderstood, for your reflection today, I’m quoting some of the most pertinent paragraphs presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

§402 All men are implicated in Adam's sin, as St. Paul affirms: "By one man's disobedience many (that is, all men) were made sinners": "sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned." The Apostle contrasts the universality of sin and death with the universality of salvation in Christ. "Then as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men."

§403 Following St. Paul, the Church has always taught that the overwhelming misery which oppresses men and their inclination towards evil and death cannot be understood apart from their connection with Adam's sin and the fact that he has transmitted to us a sin with which we are all born afflicted, a sin which is the "death of the soul". Because of this certainty of faith, the Church baptizes for the remission of sins even tiny infants who have not committed personal sin.

§404 How did the sin of Adam become the sin of all his descendants? The whole human race is in Adam "as one body of one man". By this "unity of the human race" all men are implicated in Adam's sin, as all are implicated in Christ's justice. Still, the transmission of original sin is a mystery that we cannot fully understand. But we do know by Revelation that Adam had received original holiness and justice not for himself alone, but for all human nature. By yielding to the tempter, Adam and Eve committed a personal sin, but this sin affected the human nature that they would then transmit in a fallen state. It is a sin which will be transmitted by propagation to all mankind, that is, by the transmission of a human nature deprived of original holiness and justice. And that is why original sin is called "sin" only in an analogical sense: it is a sin "contracted" and not "committed" - a state and not an act.

§405 Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence". Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle.

§416 By his sin Adam, as the first man, lost the original holiness and justice he had received from God, not only for himself but for all human beings.

§417 Adam and Eve transmitted to their descendants human nature wounded by their own first sin and hence deprived of original holiness and justice; this deprivation is called "original sin".

§418 As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin (this inclination is called "concupiscence").

§420 The victory that Christ won over sin has given us greater blessings than those which sin had taken from us: "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Rom 5:20).

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/22/07

2007 Oct 22 Mon
Rom 4: 20-25/ Lk 1: 69-70. 71-72. 73-75/ Lk 12: 13-21

From today’s readings:  “But it was not for him alone....  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to His people....  You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”

The Word of God - also FOR US!


Our religion is grounded in God’s revelation in history - events that happened in the past which have a significance for all time.  Paul, reflecting on the life of Abraham (who lived almost 2000 years before Paul!) asserts that “it was not for him alone that it was written... it was also FOR US!”  And that “us” includes not just Paul’s contemporaries, but also “us,” we who are living almost 2000 years after Paul!

This insight is absolutely essential:  if we mis-read scriptural salvation history as just “dead history” (events of the past which may or may not be of interest to us), then the Bible will only occasionally be an inspiration to us.  But when we realize that God’s revelation to Abraham, Paul, et al. is also intended FOR US, then the words of scripture truly come alive - and in grateful response, we echo the prayer of Zechariah, blessing and praising God who has has raised up FOR US a mighty Savior!

Friday, October 19, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/21/07

2007 Oct 21 SUN: TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Ex 17: 8-13/ Ps 120(121): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8/ 2 Tm 3: 14 – 4: 2/ Lk 18: 1-8

From today’s readings:  “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight....  Our help is from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth....  Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching....  When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”


Is Prayer Inconvenient?

It’s obvious that one of the most productive factories in Hell is the Excuse Mill! The devils slaving away there crank out excuses at an amazing rate, and they’ve got an incredibly efficient delivery system that's out of this world, so whenever you or I need an excuse (particularly the "prayer procrastination" brand), POOF! - there’s our excuse, all ready to go, and it doesn’t seem to cost us anything!

But it does! Not only potentially in the long run (that "little" matter of our eternal salvation), but also every single time we blow off prayer, we’re effectively turning down and depriving ourselves immediately of whatever grace God is offering us at that moment. And that adds up to an amazing amount of grace the soul has lost!

Yes, one of the most constant temptations in life is the demotion and dismissal of prayer. It seems there’s always something more pressing to do, or that it would be better to pray later when things are calmer, or there’s some other reason why NOW so seldom turns out to be the right time to pray. And we figure since God is patient, He won’t mind too much waiting for us, and waiting for us, and waiting for us....

Yet Moses lifted his arms in prayer for hours, growing physically tired at the exertion of praying, but still he did not stop; rather, he changed position by sitting down and welcoming the assistance of others in prayer. And his prayer brought victory! Then too, Paul insists one persist in prayer and proclamation, whether convenient or inconvenient. And Jesus clearly taught with parables and modeled with His own life an absolute commitment to prayer.

Those are certainly compelling reasons to pray, even when (and especially when!) it seems inconvenient. Fold your hands or lift up your arms in prayer many times throughout the day! Whether you’re sitting, standing, kneeling, lying down, or even hanging upside down - every posture can become a posture of prayer! By all means, welcome the assistance of others to help you pray....

It’s really only for the devils that prayer is truthfully inconvenient!  In fact, for us, prayer could be defined as the greatest convenience of our life: a direct line to God, and an eternal lifeline, at that!  Nothing could be more convenient! So it is prayer that makes us like Jesus, and prayer that fills us with the love of Jesus.

But, if that’s still not enough to get you praying as you know you ought to be, consider this: those who are the most frequent customers at the Excuse Mill generally can count on getting a job there - so pray, pray, PRAY that that won’t happen to you!

Daily Retreat 10/20/07

2007 Oct 20 Sat/ BVM/ Paul of the Cross, p, rf
Rom 4: 13. 16-18/ Ps 104(105): 6-7. 8-9. 42-43/ Lk 12: 8-12

From today’s readings:  “It depends on faith, so that it may be a gift....  The Lord remembers His covenant for ever....  The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say....”

It depends on faith

Naturally, the element of faith is a favorite subject of scripture.  Yet ours is an age which sometimes seems to belittle all faith indiscriminately as infantile, instead of recognizing true faith in God as a great virtue!  

It is, in fact, essential to our human dignity that each one of us can freely reject or accept the promptings of faith - God forces belief in Him on no one.  The whole created order gives ample evidence of a divine Creator, and the light of reason reliably points to God just as a compass needle faithfully points to the north, but that is not enough for one who has deliberately rejected faith.  For, tragically, the agnostic scientist who vainly seeks for “scientific proof” for the existence of God is looking for what God Himself has decreed He will not give, because the confining criteria for such a scientific proof by definition would leave no room for faith!

And it must not be forgotten that faith is a gift from God!  As such, no one can earn faith, buy faith, or capture faith, even though conversely, one can always spurn it, sell out on it, or let go of it.  But for those who humbly accept the gift of faith and treasure it, God desires to strengthen and further enrich the same gift every day, until those who hold it fast finally find themselves holding Heaven....

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/19/07

2007 Oct 19 Fri: Isaac Jogues and John de Brébeuf, ps, rs, mss, mts, & co., mts M
Rom 4: 1-8/ Ps 31(32): 1b-2. 5. 11/ Lk 12: 1-7

From today’s readings:  “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered....  I turn to You, Lord, in time of trouble, and You fill me with the joy of salvation....  There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.....”


Justification

Since God is infinite, even a "small" offense against Him has an infinite dimension.  So, there is nothing that a finite creature can do to adequately make amends to Almighty God for any sin whatsoever. That, in a nutshell, is why justification comes only through our Redeemer the debt of sin is too much for anyone to pay merely on the basis of personal merit.

Thanks be to God that He paid that debt for us! Christ's redemptive death on the cross, however, does not mean that "good works" and the Old Testament law are of no value whatsoever - in fact, only with a careful reading of scripture (particularly, but not exclusively Paul's letter to the Romans) can we begin to grasp the right relationship of faith, works, and the Law.

Most of the formidable error and confusion about these concepts can be traced to hasty reading of a few select verses. Only by attentive reading can we hope to stay on track! Remember that especially as we traverse these significant theological discourses in Paul's letter to the Romans.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/18/07

2007 Oct 18 Thu: Luke, ev F
2 Tm 4: 10-17b/ Ps 144(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....”

The Best of Jesus

This year, the gospel readings on Sunday have generally been from Luke.  As the Church celebrates his feast today, consider reading through the entire Gospel according to St. Luke - many find it their favorite book of the Bible!

As you read through the Gospel, you will notice that Luke is a bit of an investigative reporter - he’s very good about researching the history, of going into the background, doing all those things, then putting the pieces together to help us understand and get the clearest picture of what happened in the life of Jesus.

However, for all Luke’s attention to historical detail, one thing that we have to remember from the start is that none of the Gospels are simple biographies of Jesus. And by saying this, I don't mean to say that they are untrue, they're unhistorical, they're unbiographical-I don't mean to say that at all! They are true (they’re literally the Gospel Truth!), they are biographical, they do tell about the life of Christ, but they're still not biographies about Christ.  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John did not write so that you could pass a history test about who was Jesus. They wrote Gospels (as we know is translated “good news”) so that we could not just know who Jesus is, but believe in Him!

This means that every detail in the life of Jesus is an example for us, is an inspiration for us and is an important part of who He is.  So as you’re reading, ask yourself, What is it about Jesus that is important for me to know from this verse, from this passage, in order to believe in Him more fully, in order to understand who He is more completely, in order to follow Him more wholeheartedly?

St.  Luke also makes sure that we get a close-up of the best side of Jesus, the best of Jesus.  Not that there's a “worst” of Jesus, of course, but I think we can say there is a “best of Jesus”:  the Jesus who so loved, the Jesus who is so compassionate, the Jesus who is so forgiving, the Jesus that is so much with us!  St. Luke really shows best how Jesus is in solidarity with us. He's one with the downtrodden (like the Good Samaritan was, for example). He's one with those, such as lepers, who are marginalized in society, He's one with the poor (such as the widow who generously gives her last pennies), He’s one with those who have done something so bad that they've been excluded by their sins from society (such as the prodigal son and adulterous woman) and He's there to bring them back and reconcile. And so in all of this, we have a picture of the Jesus that we love best.  Perhaps that summarizes the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Luke: the Jesus that we love best!

Monday, October 15, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/17/07

2007 Oct 17 Wed: Ignatius of Antioch, bp, mt M
Rom 2: 1-11/ Ps 61(62): 2-3. 6-7. 9/ Lk 11: 42-46

From today’s readings:
  “By the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself....  Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works....  Woe to you Pharisees - you pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God....”


To Judge or Not To Judge

Even in the Old, but especially in the New Testament, the maxim "Do not judge others!" is a point reiterated several times. Paul's words in the first reading are an elaboration of the command given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 7:1).

No one needs an explanation why this warning is repeated so often and so explicitly in the Bible - the temptation to judge others is so common in human nature! Surely no one reading this (even less so the one writing) can boast that the reminder does not apply personally. Yet the logic is so simple and irrefutable: when you and I judge others, we are calling down judgement upon ourselves - to assert that we spot error and wrong in others is to imply that we should first be able to recognize error and wrong in ourselves.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that we should ever muffle the distinction between good and evil by rebutting the warnings of reason and conscience with the adage, "I cannot judge." To assert that "stealing is a sin" is not to judge in the perilous, self- righteous sense condemned in the Bible.  But to point fingers in particular cases, to assume evil motives, to ignore mitigating circumstances, and to assign a punishment in our thoughts is to judge others, and let us hope that the timely scriptural warning will help you and me to avoid that a bit more in our lives!

Daily Retreat 10/16/07

2007 Oct 16 Tue/ Hedwig, r/ Margaret Mary Alacoque, v
Rom 1: 16-25/ Ps 18(19): 2-3. 4-5/ Lk 11: 37-41

From today’s readings:  “I am not ashamed of the Gospel!...  The heavens proclaim the glory of God....  Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you....”

Are you ashamed of the Gospel?

St. Paul had a way of presenting the truth in a rather straightforward fashion. His words are so refreshing in this age, when so much of what we hear and read is crafted by “spin doctors” or advertising professionals who make their living capitalizing on equivocation, suppressing the truth, and stretching and distorting the simple meaning of words.

Paul’s claim, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel!” was proven with his years of tireless and fearless missionary travels and eventual martyrdom. He was not ashamed of the Gospel because he understood what it is: the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, the Good News of the revelation of God’s love in the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus His Son!

When you and I treat the Gospel as just another advertisement clamoring for our attention, then it’s easy to be ashamed of it, to relegate it to a minor place in our lives. But then comes this unadulterated, unequivocal reminder from St. Paul: “They have no excuse; for although they knew God, they did not accord Him glory as God or give Him thanks!”

When you and I understand, as Paul did, what the Gospel is, then it will become unthinkable for us to be ashamed of it. May we never exchange the truth of God for a lie, and revere and worship the creature rather than the Creator - rather, let the boast proven with our own thoughts, words, and actions be, "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL!"

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/15/07

2007 Oct 15 Mon: Teresa of Avila, v, r, dr M
Rom 1: 1-7/ Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Lk 11: 29-32

From today’s readings:  “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ....  The Lord has made known His salvation....  At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here!”

The Roman Crown

Paul wrote more of the Bible than anyone else, and of all his letters, the epistle to the Romans is unanimously hailed as his masterpiece. That’s not to say, of course, that his other letters are "second-rate" -  only that the letter to the Romans stands out as the longest and theologically richest. The other church communities Paul wrote to had been founded by him, or at least were well known personally to him. For this reason, in writing to the Romans, Paul needed to present himself and his teachings more explicitly than in other letters - and that’s helpful to us as well!

On the other hand, Paul’s writing can indeed be so dense - he wanted to be sure to not leave anything out, and he occasionally pre-empted misunderstandings he was expecting by going into excruciating details about matters which seem tangential to us.  So, as we read through this letter (Romans will be the daily first reading almost continuously well into November), don’t be frustrated if some sections are hard to wade through - in fact, shelves of commentaries have been written to debate what Paul meant in certain key verses!

Notice how his greeting (today’s reading) focuses almost entirely on Jesus, revealing only the bare minimum about Paul himself. The Apostle certainly had his priorities straight, so even his greeting sets a good example for everything we do!

Daily Retreat 10/14/07

2007 Oct 14 SUN: TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
2 Kgs 5: 14-17/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3. 3-4/ 2 Tm 2: 8-13/ Lk 17: 11-19

From today’s readings:  “Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of Elisha, the man of God....  The Lord has revealed to the nations His saving power....  The word of God is not chained!....  Jesus, Master - Have pity on us!”

Curing leprosy

The Gospel of Life peels forth once again today, this timely inspiration from the spires of our Church.  Led by Pope Benedict, we continue to proclaim the message of hope, a message well-founded in the Christian Standard of Life.  Yes, a message of hope, even and especially in our country, where the leprosy of the culture of death looms to disfigure and deform even the heart of our great nation.

Brothers and Sisters, do you not realize that there is a cure to this leprosy?  The lepers mentioned in Sacred Scripture had every reason to despair:  after all, they had made every human effort to find a cure.  Naaman, in particular, the leper mentioned in the first reading, had been a great war hero, and servant of the king - he had at his disposal money, political power, the right connections - but these could not cure his leprosy.  Similarly, we Christians will not be able to drown the culture of death with a shower of all  the gold in Fort Knox.  Nor would even a constitutional amendment alone be sufficient to banish the culture of death.  And every political alliance forged so for has been anemic when it comes to resisting the culture of death.

The cure then calls for more than money, political power, and connections.  In fact, the only cure is the Gospel of Life itself - not in limited doses, but in its entirety!  As Pope John Paul the Great says in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, "The Gospel of life is something concrete and personal, for it consists in the proclamation of the very person of Jesus!"  

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David?  Such is our gospel, for which we, like St. Paul, should be willing to expend ourselves and suffer, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained!  Indeed, all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God, for the Lord has revealed to the nations His saving power, His cure for all the diseases of degenerating plaguing the moral and spiritual fiber of our national constitution.

His cure, His medicine, is His Son!  Yes, God prescribes His own Son as our salvation, whose Real Presence is the antidote for all the poisons of death!  Today, we reverently receive this redemptive remedy, for, as the Pope reminded us, "The Eucharist is the center of the Church's life. In It, Christ offers Himself to the Father for our sake, making us sharers in His own sacrifice, and gives Himself to us as the Bread of Life for our journey on the highways of the world."

"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"   Have pity on us who have too long tolerated and acquiesced to the culture of death.  Lead us now in raising the standard of life throughout our neighborhoods and nation, for this saying is trustworthy: if we persevere, we shall also reign with Him who alone can say, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you!" 

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/13/07

2007 Oct 13 Sat/ BVM
Jl 4: 12-21/ Ps 96(97): 1-2. 5-6. 11-12/ Lk 11: 27-28

From today’s readings:
  “The LORD is a refuge to His people, a stronghold to the children of Israel....  Rejoice in the Lord, you just!.... Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it....”

The Good News of Gloom and Doom

Today, the prophet Joel continues the preview of God’s judgment (the lectionary will focus more on this especially in November). Read the entire four chapters of this book to see the whole picture. A few background notes may help: in Joel’s day, there was a ghastly plague of locusts that relentlessly consumed all vegetation in its path. We can hardly imagine how terrifying that must have been to be faced with such an unremitting, all-consuming adversary!

For Joel, this frightening reality could also be seen in a different light - as an image of the justice of God perpetually swallowing up and over-shadowing all evil. Since there was no way to resist the plague, the people’s only hope was to return whole-heartedly to the Lord with prayer, penance, and fasting - in other words, to voluntarily expunge all the evil from their midst (some verses from chapter 2 probably sound vaguely familiar because they are read on Ash Wednesday).

Although unbridled evil is truly terrifying, even more terrifying is the Lord’s judgment and ultimate dispatchment of all evil. But for those willing to cast off evil and turn to God with prayer, fasting, and penance, He is the opposite of terrifying - "the LORD is a refuge to His people, a stronghold to the children of Israel."

Daily Retreat 10/12/07

2007 Oct 12 Fri
Jl 1: 13-15; 2: 1-2/ Ps 9: 2-3. 6 and 16. 8-9/ Lk 11: 15-26

From today’s readings:  “Near is the day of the LORD....  The Lord will judge the world with justice....  Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters....”

Scared By Death, Scared To Death, or Scared From Death?

There is such a thing as a healthy apprehension about the end of our life and the end of the world. Joel and many of the other prophets focus on these somber elements of the coming “day of the Lord” not to scare us TO death, but to scare us FROM death and TO life... to remind us of the eternal justice of God, to wake us up to the frightening ugliness of sin and therefore inspire us utterly to expunge evil! And while fear should not and can not be the primary motive for our faith, there’s nothing wrong with a sobering look at the “big picture” of the two options for eternal life: Heaven or Hell. Remember, Jesus Himself taught more about the reality of devils and Hell than anyone else in the Bible!

But instead of this healthy apprehension, it’s so easy today to be lulled into the sin of presumption - to assume that no sin I’ve ever committed could warrant Hell, or to presuppose that I will live long enough to make amends for any sins, or that God is so merciful He would never send anyone to Hell....

The Bible, for all its tidings of the infinite mercy of God, never contradicts in any way the eternal justice of God – as the psalm asserts, “The Lord will judge the world with justice!”  That’s a sobering enough warning to scare us away from the culture of death and lead us to the culture of life.

Daily Retreat 10/11/07

2007 Oct 11 Thu
Mal 3: 13-20b/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 11: 5-13

From today’s readings:  “A record book was written before Him of those who fear the LORD and trust in His name....  Blessed are they who hope in the Lord....  How much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

The End of the Old

Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament - the prophecies about the Messiah and His precursor (John the Baptist) make it an appropriate bridge to the New Testament. The three chapters attempt to wake up and shake up the people of God with the reminder that life is ultimately a crucial choice for or against God (cf. Psalm 1).

Who can deny that today, as in that time, "indeed evildoers prosper, and even tempt God with impunity"? Although God does not bribe us with material prosperity to follow Him, yet He does promise to "give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" - and the Holy Spirit helps us choose God in every way, to "delight in the law of the LORD and meditate on His law day and night."

So do we give in to wicked temptations which promise immediate gratification, or do we hold out faithfully in our hope in the Messiah’s promises? The choice is ours, remembering "the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes."

Daily Retreat 10/10/07

2007 Oct 10 Wed
Jon 4: 1-11/ Ps 85(86): 3-4. 5-6. 9-10/ Lk 11: 1-4

From today’s readings:  “Have you reason to be angry?...  Lord, You are merciful and gracious....  Lord, teach us to pray....”

Have you reason to be angry?

Many people are familiar with the gist of Jonah’s story, but have never actually read the book. The last chapter in particular often surprises readers: it’s downright comical to picture the prophet pouting about the death of a gourd/cucumber plant, feeling “angry enough to die.”

Not only do Jonah’s antics provide a foil to the “gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish,” but they also provide a reflective reflection for us to consider our own anger and antics. Let’s be honest - often, our excuses for our own tantrums are just as ridiculous as Jonah’s, but even when we’re griping about something more substantial than a withered cucumber, the reasons for our anger must be evaluated in light of God’s mercy toward us.

In other words, since we have sinned against God who is all good (and never at fault!), He certainly has real reason to be angry with us. And yet when we humbly beg that He forgive us our sins, all He asks is that “we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us.” Have you reason to be angry? Our Lord gives greater reason to forgive!

Monday, October 08, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/09/07

2007 Oct 9 Tue/ Denis, bp, mt, & co., mts/ John Leonardi, p
Jon 3: 1-10/ Ps 130: 1b-2. 3-4ab. 7-8/ Lk 10: 38-42

From today’s readings:  “The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time....  If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?...  Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things....”

Reluctant Prophesy

When Jonah arrived in Nineveh, even though grateful to the Lord for saving his life (cf. chapter two), he probably was still reluctant, intimidated, and even resentful, about his vocation as a prophet to the people of Nineveh (cf. chapter four).  So, when he began announcing his warning “Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed,” he very probably was not as zealous as we generally imagine prophets to be - indeed, perhaps we can even picture him as muttering the warning under his breath, not expecting anyone to listen. But surprisingly, everyone listens, takes the warning to heart, and even passes on the word!

Evidently, even reluctant cooperation with God’s will can be a providential means for God to bring inspiration to others. Too often, you and I dismiss certain people or situations as “hopeless,” and so we don’t bother even trying to bring about change with the light of our Christian message of hope. But in fact, such people and situations are like Nineveh - the ones who need it the most; and their presence in our life is not accidental, but providential, because we, like Jonah, are called (whether we like it or not!) to bring God’s Word to them.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/08/07

2007 Oct 8 Mon
Jon 1: 1 – 2: 1-2. 11/ Jon 2: 3. 4. 5. 8/ Lk 10: 25-37

From today’s readings:  “ Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD....  You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord....  Who is my neighbor?”

A Whale of a Tale

After making our way through some obscure books (such as Haggai and Zechariah), it’s a bit of a relief to begin the very familiar narrative of Jonah today - by coincidence, we’ll remain on this book three days and three nights!  The four short chapters can be easily read in just a few minutes - some people who heard the story as children but have never actually read the whole book might be surprised by the last chapter’s twist.

We all know well the most important lesson from chapter one: you can’t hide from God!  Nonetheless, on reflection, most of us probably need to admit we’ve done a lot of running from God in our lives - too much! Perhaps it’s even true right now: is there anything you know the Lord has called you to do, which up to this point you’ve found excuses not to tackle? Are there any "storms" raging in your life which have been caused by your turning away from God?  NOW is the time to cast aside the excuses and turn back to God completely, giving you the reason to join Jonah in his hymn of praise and thanksgiving (chapter two - used for the responsorial psalm today).

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/07/07

2007 Oct 7 SUN: TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Hb 1: 2-3; 2: 2-4/ Ps 94(95): 1-2. 6-7. 8-9 (8)/ 2 Tm 1: 6-8. 13-14/ Lk 17: 5-10

From today’s readings:  “The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late....  If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts....  For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control....  Increase our faith.... ”

Respect Life Sunday

When you or I give something as a present for a loved one's birthday, or anniversary, or Christmas, before dressing our present in bright, cheery wrapping and ribbons, and crowning it with a shiny, beautiful bow representing the bonds of affection which inspired our gift -  before this whole ennobling ritual, there's first the perfunctory custom of tearing off the present's price tag.

We remove the price tag, one might initially suppose, to make the gift easier to receive, to make it harder for the recipient to feel awkward because the gift is too expensive, or conversely, to feel offended, because the gift is too cheap.

However, the American mind is endowed by our commercial culture with the involuntary habit of stamping a price tag on everything - with the speed and ease of scanning a bar code, our mind's computer can match almost any object with it's amazingly accurate pricelist database, continually updated with the stream of advertisements downloaded constantly whether we're online or offline.

“Oh yes - those run about $12.95 - I remember seeing the ad in yesterday's paper.”  OR “Look - he just got one of the closeout  '07 models - sticker price of around $28 grand, when you include the options.”  It's part of our culture!

So, in a way, it's futile to remove a present's price tag, because the recipient will reflexively, even unintentionally, stamp a new one on, and generally, they'll be little difference between the actual and imagined retail price.  

Yet our custom of giving and receiving presents with price tags removed might also inspire you and me to consciously and conscientiously adopt our innate standard of appraisal for all gifts, as opposed to the falsely inflated standard imposed on us.  For we've been brainwashed to depend on the commercial standard, the dollar standard, which we’ve acquired at unconscionable cost from the supermarket of the world.  

But our naturally inborn standard, the standard by which even our Creator appraises His own work, is the Gospel Standard of Life.  For in the final analysis, nothing has true value except that which overflows with the creative energy of life; that which gleams with the polish of the loving blood, sweat, and tears of life; that which glows with the splendorous spark of life, even when the passing of years reduces that spark to a flickering flame.

Rather than conceding that the more dollars something (or someone!) costs, the more valuable it is, instead, as Christians, you and I are charged with upholding the Standard of Life, employing it in the assessment and evaluation of the world and our own decisions.  For instinctively, who of us values a truckload of free merchandise samples more than a simple flower presented by a child as a sign of her love?  Those who bow to the dollar standard only value a rosary if it's made of gold, but as Christians, we hold that a plastic bead rosary prayed every day for the life of the unborn is worth infinitely more than a diamond rosary locked in a safe!

Unlike the dollar standard, which fluctuates, and can be devalued and compromised, there's no room for haggling over the Standard of Life, because it's written clearly on the tablets of our hearts, so that one can read it readily.  Oh, harden not your hearts to this Standard!  Whether we're rich or poor, you and I can give only one truly price-less gift, the gift of our life, whether that gift be vowed in holy matrimony to a spouse and children, or that gift be vowed in sacred service to Jesus the Bridegroom, and to all God's children.

Only by adopting the Standard of Life in preference to the secular "standard of living," can we rediscover the sacredness of an uncontracepted conjugal embrace overflowing with life!  Only by cultivating our Standard of Life can you and I fathom how faith, even the size of a mustard seed, can uproot barren trees of despairing worldly entanglements and equivocations!  Only by openly employing the Standard of Life as our perennial litmus test, can you and I fully confront and conquer the destruction and violence levied against us!  Only by guarding the rich trust of the Standard of Life can you and I make our own creditable deposit to the ledgers of history!   Because, you see, regardless of how much money bears the words, “In God we trust,” there’s still only one currency bearing God’s trust, and that is the Gospel, the Standard of Life!

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Daily Retreat 10/06/07

2007 Oct 6 Sat/ BVM/ Bruno, p, h, rf/ Bl Marie-Rose Durocher, v, rf
Bar 4: 5-12. 27-29/ Ps 68(69): 33-35. 36-37/ Lk 10: 17-24

From today’s readings:
  “As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him....  The Lord listens to the poor....  I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it....”


Jerusalem, Our Mother


Hardly anything in the Bible comes across as impersonal in any way. On the contrary, Sacred Scripture is essentially intimate and personal, so that even events that happened so long ago and words uttered so long ago seem so close and connected to us (this is one of the reasons that the God’s Word appeals even to non- believers).

In this section of the book of Baruch, Jerusalem is personified as a mother bewailing yet also consoling and encouraging her captive children.  She insists that her children understand the nature and awful gravity of their sins, but she also implores that her children realize where their hope for salvation lies - in turning back to God ten times the more!

Read the entire 4th and 5th chapters to appreciate the poignancy of this "mother’s" message, and realize how much God’s Word is intimate and personal for YOU!

Daily Retreat 10/05/07

2007 Oct 5 Fri
Bar 1: 15-22/ Ps 78(79): 1b-2. 3-5. 8. 9/ Lk 10: 13-16

From today’s readings:
  “We did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God, in all the words of the prophets whom He sent us, but each one of us went off after the devices of his own wicked heart, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God....  For the glory of Your Name, O Lord, deliver us....  Whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

Guilty or not Guilty?

The Bible (especially the Gospels!) is full of Good News, particularly in regards to the mercy of God, His refusal to let sin have the last word.  Yet the proclamation of the mercy of God does not negate the existence of sin.  This is true both personally and collectively.

The book of Baruch begins with a moving confession of collective guilt. The people of God had sinned grievously, and even though some individuals may have been personally innocent of those grave sins, everyone suffered the evil consequences of the sins.

With the modern emphasis on rugged individualism and personal rights, this biblical reminder can seem so out-of-date with its insistence that there are negative as well as positive aspects of the reality of human solidarity.

But that’s precisely why the scriptural insight is so timely and pertinent. If we can boast, “WE have sent man to the moon!” then we must also admit, “WE have polluted our environment.” It’s true that “WE have saved millions of lives with the smallpox vaccine!” but “WE have also ruined lives with drugs.”

Yes, WE have sinned. We have all sinned individually, and we have all sinned collectively. We have sinned as a family, for instance, by investing more of our time in television and sports than in our faith development. We have sinned as a community, for instance, by being more preoccupied about infrastructure breakdown than about family breakdown. We have sinned as a nation, for instance, by legalizing abortion. We have sinned as a Church, for instance, by excusing or ignoring sins of the clergy.

But when we acknowledge our collective guilt, then we can also together turn to God, imploring His forgiveness in solidarity: Deliver us and pardon our sins, O God! Have mercy on us, O Lord!

Daily Retreat 10/04/07

2007 Oct 4 Thu: Francis of Assisi, rf M
Neh 8: 1-4a. 5-6. 7b-12/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 11/ Lk 10: 1-12

From today’s readings:  “Ezra read out of the book from daybreak until midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law....  The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart....  Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom He sent ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit....”


Warmly Welcoming the Word of God

Imagine that you received a glowing personal letter from the President, or from the Pope - wouldn’t you read it eagerly, and pour over its contents carefully, so that you could share such memorable words with all your family and friends? Even if the message were lengthy or some words demanding, certainly you would do whatever was necessary to fully take to heart and understand such an important missive!

But since you and I believe that the Bible is, not just the words of some v.i.p., but the actual life-giving Word of almighty God, shouldn’t we welcome it with even more joy and enthusiasm than we would welcome a letter from anyone created by God?  Sometimes when reading or listening to Sacred Scripture, we sadly lose the sense of its specialness because of its Source, and we end up just skimming or half-listening to the most important words ever written!

The scene in chapter 8 of the book of Nehemiah portrays an unforgettable picture of the people of God, so hungry to hear His Word, listening attentively for several hours, reverently receiving the revelation, and being moved profoundly by the message.... Why aren’t you and I so tuned in when God’s Word is proclaimed in out midst? In becoming so accessible to us, hasn’t the Word of God also regrettably often become trite and commonplace in our reception?  What can we do about this?

When we come to realize and appreciate that the Bible is in actuality the Word of God, the collection of love letters from the Lord, personally and intimately addressed to His beloved children, then, and only then, will we be as the people in the day of Nehemiah - fully and warmly welcoming in every way the wondrous Word of God!

Daily Retreat 10/03/07

2007 Oct 3 Wed
Neh 2: 1-8/ Ps 136(137): 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6/ Lk 9: 57-62

From today’s readings:  “Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart....   Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!...  No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God....”

Mission and Wherewithal

After the Babylonian captivity, around the same time that Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah were leading the people in rebuilding the Temple, a man named Nehemiah obtained royal permission to also rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Without walls, Jerusalem had no real defense, and so was scorned by all. Since God had decreed that the time had come to rebuild His Temple in Jerusalem, it followed that the city itself was also to be rebuilt to protect and worthily host the Temple.

The first chapters of the Book of Nehemiah chronicle the rebuilding of the walls, and the various obstacles that Nehemiah needed to overcome in order to complete the task. In spite of the obstacles, because God was with the builders, the wall was completed in only 52 days (cf. Neh. 6:15)!

Remember, whenever God gives anyone a mission, He also assures that the wherewithal to complete the mission will not be lacking!  Nehemiah knew this well, and so was able to accomplish what many dismissed as “impossible” – and now, you and I need to realize that the same thing is true in our lives: all we need to do is discern well our mission from God (our vocation), and then have the faith to know that He is with us to empower us to loyally fulfill our mission!