Daily Retreat 12/01/08

2008 Dec 1 Mon: Advent Weekday
Is 2: 1-5/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4b. 4cd-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mt 8: 5-11

From today’s readings: “Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us in His ways, and we may walk in His paths....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  Many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven....”

Coming in Both Ways

“Advent” means coming, since, throughout this season, we prepare for the comings of Christ: His coming long ago at Bethlehem, His coming today into our hearts and our lives as we make Him welcome, and His coming in glory at the end of time.  But today’s readings lead us to realize that Advent is not just about the past, present, and future comings of Christ - it’s also about our own past, present, and future comings to Christ!

In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies about Zion, the Lord’s holy mountain, which will become a beacon of evangelization, guiding and inspiring the whole world with the word of the Lord and His instruction.  Now, if there were a radio or television station or internet site which broadcast God speaking to us, everyone in the world would tune in!  But in His plan of salvation, God wasn’t willing to wait for those 20th century technologies, so long before such inventions, He entrusted His divine word to human expression in the words of His prophets and other proclaimers and writers of Sacred Scripture.  Thus, we come to Christ by attentively tuning in and hearing, reading, and studying the Word of the Lord spoken in the past and faithfully recorded in the Bible.

But the living Word of God was never confined to the musty pages of an ancient book, buried in the past, and inaccessible to the illiterate and unlearned.  No, for God’s word has always and ever been heralded anew in the sacred assembly of His people.  Thus, we come to Christ not just as separate individuals drawn by His past words, but also as God’s own family invited and united in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s day in the Lord’s way, as the responsorial psalm calls us together today in thanksgiving and prayer:   “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord!”

And remember, our coming to the Lord is not just for a single day, nor even just for every day of our limited lives - in fact, our coming to God will only be complete at the eschatological fulfillment of Christ’s own words, when “many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven.”  

Come, Lord Jesus, and help us come to You!

Daily Retreat 11/30/08

2008 Nov 30 SUN: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 63: 16b-17. 19b; 64: 2-7/ Ps 79(80): 2-3. 15-16. 18-19 (4)/ 1 Cor 1: 3-9/ Mk 13: 33-37

From today’s readings: “O LORD, You are our father; we are the clay and You the potter: we are all the work of Your hands....  Lord, make us turn to You; let us see Your face and we shall be saved....  You are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ....  Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come....”

Advent Vigilance

After Jesus entered Jerusalem the week before He died, our Lord gave a series of intense instructions and warnings....  Wait a minute - doesn’t the Church begin today the season of Advent, the time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ?  Why then does this first Gospel reading of Advent focus our attention on the end of the life of Jesus?

Well, in a word: watch!  “Watch, be vigilant, stay awake!” - the Lord’s urgent, repeated command to His disciples is the simple theme of this whole four week season of Advent, so it behooves you and me to make the most of this time of grace by carefully and conscientiously heeding the clear Word of the Lord.

But then, what are we to watch for, and why are we to be vigilant, what reason is there for staying awake?  Our Lord Himself explained, “Watch, be vigilant, stay awake ...  for the coming of the Lord!”  And because He is God, His coming transcends time and space.

Yet all of us mortals still need time and space to grasp the significance of His coming into our lives.  For, one dimension of the coming of the Lord, from our perspective, is connected with the past, when the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, and the Son of God and the very same Son of Mary was born in the stable simplicity of Bethlehem.  We classify that as a event of the past, for, on our calendars, we note that over 2000 years have past since the premier of Christmas.  

True, the coming of the Lord is thus already indelibly etched in the stone of historical fact, yet that particular historical fact is uniquely equally the heritage of all time and space!  For although Americans, Canadians, Frenchmen and Germans (at least those without Greek ancestry) have no blood kinship with Socrates, all peoples, from Afghans to Zimbabweans, have equal claim to be recognized as full-blooded brothers and sisters of Christ!  And even though modern Bolivians, Russians, Italians, and all contemporary citizens of every land may legitimately deny any allegiance to the code of laws enacted by Hammurabi, all peoples, even if they were to live in Atlantis or Utopia, or on another planet, would still be within the immediate and perennial jurisdiction of Christ, the Universal Lawgiver!   Thus Isaiah and all the prophets warned the ancient Jews to rouse themselves from falling asleep when the Lord was talking to them, and to stay awake in clinging to the Lord and hoping in His Word.  Clearly, that prophetic message is valid for all times and places.

So the coming of the Lord is not just a dusty deed of the past - the coming of the Lord also has a real present dimension, it’s something that’s upon us now, at this very present moment!  For God wants us to recognize the falsehood of any time-trapped prejudice which would assume that He had budgeted more divine love for the Palestinians of 2000 years ago than He has for you and me and our contemporaries in this 21st century.   Through Sacrament, Word, and Mystical Body, the coming of the Lord is here and now, as we watch to welcome Him into our lives, into our hearts.

And the coming of the Lord also has a future dimension, for Jesus spoke often of His return in glory.  Although He never specified when that would happen, He offered a remarkably detailed preview of what would happen, "when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him.  He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,” as we recall the words of the Gospel read last week on the Solemnity of Christ the King.  So the coming of the Lord calls for utmost vigilance.

In the past, God sent His prophets to cry out to His people to watch, be vigilant, stay awake for the coming of the Lord!  Some indeed watched, kept vigil, and were thus awake at the coming of the Lord, but others slumbered and closed their eyes to the Christmas presence, and missed the grace of that Advent time....

In the present, God sends His priests to cry out to His people to watch, be vigilant, stay awake for the coming of the Lord!  Some indeed are now watching, and keeping vigil, and awake to the real Christmas presence, the present coming of the Lord, but others hibernate and close their eyes, dreaming only of material Christmas presents, and thus they miss the grace of this Advent time....

In the future, God will ever speak His Word through His prophets and priests who cry out to His people to watch, be vigilant, stay awake for the coming of the Lord!   Some indeed will watch, keep vigil, and thus awake to the Lord’s Heavenly presence, but others will shut their eyes to the hellish nightmare of having missed the grace of Advent time....

“What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Daily Retreat 11/29/08

2008 Nov 29 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Rv 22: 1-7/ Ps 94(95): 1-2. 3-5. 6-7ab/ Lk 21: 34-36

From today’s readings:  “Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book....  Come, Lord Jesus!...  Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The End of the End

Today, the first reading is from the end of Revelation,  the last book of the Bible. This is especially appropriate  because today is also the last day of the Church's liturgical  year. Tomorrow, with the first Sunday of Advent, we begin a  new liturgical year.

It would thus be ideal to reflect today on some of your  spiritual "highlights" of the pass year, thanking God for  those and all His blessings, and then consider and plan what  you can do during Advent to prepare your heart for the true  meaning of Christmas.

Daily Retreat 11/28/08

2008 Nov 28 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Rv 20: 1-4. 11 – 21: 2/ Ps 83(84): 3. 4. 5-6a and 8a/ Lk 21: 29-33

From today’s readings:  “All the dead were judged according to their deeds....  Here God lives among His people....   In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. ”

1000 Years

Although the span of 1000 years is not mentioned until Chapter Twenty of the Apocalypse, for centuries, superficial readers have focused on that number as the interpretative key of the whole book. Their position, known as "Chiliasm" or "Millenarianism" (respectively derived from the Greek or Latin word for "thousand") is that Christ will reign on earth for a literal period of 1000 years.

There are variations on this theme: some have held that Christ began this reign with His Incarnation, so they expected the end of the world in the year 1000 AD; others believe Christ secretly initiated that 1000 year reign sometime in the twentieth century; others look for His earthly kingdom to be established at a not too distant date in the future; still others latch onto the 1000 year span in speaking of a strictly political reign (such as Nazism and its "Third Reich" which was supposed to endure for 1000 years).

But "the Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the ‘intrinsically perverse’ political form of a secular messianism" (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church §676). So, like many numbers in the Book of Revelation, this "1000" is not to be taken literally; instead, it is probably best to understand the Apocalyptic 1000 year span as an indefinite but amply long period of time, as in the expression, "That won’t happen again for 1000 years!"

Daily Retreat 11/27/08

2008 Nov 27 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Thanksgiving Day
Rv 18: 1-2. 21-23; 19: 1-3. 9a/ Ps 99(100): 1b-2. 3. 4. 5/ Lk 21: 20-28.
Options for Mass in Thanksgiving to God: Sir 50: 22-24/ 1 Chron 29:10bc, 11, 12/ Col 3:12-17/ Jn 15:9-17

From today’s readings: “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb....  they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory....”

The Wedding Feast of the Lamb

Yesterday, I mentioned that many Old Testament allusions permeate the book of Revelation. Although many Catholics are unaware of it, the Mass also is rich in scriptural allusions and quotations, so when reading the Bible, you will occasionally come across a verse that sounds very familiar because it is in the Mass; or, conversely, at Mass you might make the discovery that a prayer has a scriptural original.

Towards the end of the Apocalypse, the image of the "Wedding Feast of the Lamb" is introduced as an allegory of Heaven. An angel commands John to write the remark (19:9), "Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb!" In the Mass, this verse is echoed by the priest right before Communion, "This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to His supper!" Unfortunately, the current translation in English is sloppy, so this quotation of the verse from Revelation 19:9 is not as apparent as it ought to be. The reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive You..." is also borrowed from scripture (cf. Matthew 8:8).

Also, note that the word "Eucharist" means "thanksgiving" - so on this American Thanksgiving Day, give thanks to God in the celebration of the Eucharist, the Holy Mass, which is the earthly foretaste of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb!

Daily Retreat 11/26/08

2008 Nov 26 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Rv 15: 1-4/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 7-8. 9/ Lk 21: 12-19

From today’s readings:  “I, John, saw in Heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring.... Great and wonderful are Your works, Lord God almighty....  They will seize and persecute you....”

Magnificent Harmony of Scripture

One of the pervasive characteristics of the Apocalypse is the seamless string of Old Testament allusions. Often enough, one book of the Bible will directly quote or borrow a verse from another book, but it’s even more common (especially in the Apocalypse) for words and images to be bolstered by veiled but nonetheless deliberate allusions to Old Testament antecedents.

Consider, for instance, the victorious hymn chanted by the heavenly host at the beginning of Chapter Fifteen of the book of Revelation: "Great and wonderful are Your works, Lord God almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O king of the nations! Who will not fear You, Lord, or glorify Your Name? For You alone are holy - all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed!"

This hymn "sounds" so scriptural because, not only do the words appear here in the Apocalypse, but almost all of the words had prophetically already appeared earlier in the Bible - see, for instance, Deut. 32:4, Jer. 10:7, Amos 4:12, and many psalm verses such as 85(86):9. Once again, we see how the full impact of scripture comes from taking it altogether, instead of isolating verses and going off on tangents.

Daily Retreat 11/25/08

2008 Nov 25 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Catherine of Alexandria, v, mt
Rv 14: 14-19/ Ps 95(96): 10. 11-12. 13/ Lk 21: 5-11

From today’s readings:  “The one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested...  The Lord comes to judge the earth....  Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”

The Harvest of the Earth

A number of passages in both the Old and New Testaments envision the final judgment as a harvest of souls at the end of time. In today’s verses from the Apocalypse, many interpret the harvest of the first part as the gathering of God’s elect, whereas the second image, that of the cutting of the grapes, would refer to the punishment of the wicked. Or, perhaps the first and second part are both punitive images, cf. Joel 3:13 "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great." As is often the case in the Book of Revelation, an unresolved ambiguity adds to the impact of the images’ impressions.

What is not ambiguous, however, is the inevitable reality of the final judgment, for the Lord comes to judge the earth!

Daily Retreat 11/24/08

2008 Nov 24 Mon: Andrew Dung-Lac, p, mt, & co., mts M
Rv 14: 1-3. 4b-5/ Ps 23(24): 1bc-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 21: 1-4

From today’s readings:  “I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  This poor widow put in more than all the rest....”

144,000

The Book of Revelation twice mentions a group of 144,000 faithful companions of the Lamb of God (Chapters Seven and Fourteen). The specification of this number does NOT mean that only 144,000 people will attain the eternal reward of Heaven - in fact, in addition to that group, there’s specifically mentioned another whole great uncountable multitude from every nation (cf. Rev. 7:9).

Like many numbers in the Apocalypse, this count of 144,000 is probably best understood in a symbolic sense - since there were twelve tribes of Israel (and twelve apostles), the number "12" has the connotation of fullness and completeness, so 12 x 12 (144) intensifies this meaning exponentially. In addition to a literal thousand, the number "1000" is also commonly used to imply any extremely huge number (as in, "I’ve told you a thousand times already...."), so 12 x 12 x 1000 (144,000) brings the fullness to an almost infinite dimension.

Now, this is not to say that the Book of Revelation is reduced to one big puzzle in numerology, for which one just needs to find the code in order to understand the mysteries of the universe - some people are fascinated by such speculation, but that can never be a legitimate understanding of the Apocalypse. However, it is entirely appropriate to consider the symbolic significance of many of the numbers in Revelation, because those numbers are provided specifically to help us come to the fullness of Revelation.

Daily Retreat 11/23/08

2008 Nov 23 SUN: CHRIST THE KING S (Thirty-fourth and Last Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Ez 34: 11-12. 15-17/ Ps 22(23): 1-2. 2-3. 5-6/ 1 Cor 15: 20-26. 28/ Mt 25: 31-46

From today’s readings: “Thus says the Lord GOD: I Myself will look after and tend My sheep...  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want....  Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep....  Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for Me....”

Sometimes, it causes me to tremble...

Christmas decorations are already up in the stores, choirs are practicing their repertoires of carols, and preparations have already begun for the Thanksgiving dinner this week.  Yes, the holidays are upon us, and more and more people can be seen shaking their heads and muttering, “It’s here already - where did the year go?”

It’s a good question, a fair question, but one which largely goes unanswered.  And when a certain number of those unanswered questions stack up, you and I will be left with an even more sobering question:  where did my life go?

And that’s the question that can not go unanswered.  Certainly, there’s a lot that’s hazy about the future, but one thing that’s not hazy is the text of the Gospel, which clearly warns that the Son of Man will come in His glory, and all the angels with Him.  And, although you and I don’t know when this will happen, at least the good Lord left us with a pretty good idea of what will happen.

And thinking about what will happen, causes me to tremble!

It’s much too easy for you and me to draw self-canonizing borderlines, even subconsciously, of how Heaven and Hell are divided.  “Hell?  Hell is for murderers, abortionists, tyrants, rapists, pimps and drug pushers.  And Heaven?  Why, Heaven is for everyone else, including yours truly!”

The Son of Man, however, has mapped out quite different borderlines:  those who have already seen Jesus and have reached out to Him in His needs, those who have opened their doors to Him, these will be ushered in to His presence forever, these will experience His eternal embrace, these will see the gates of Paradise opened to them.  Whereas, those who have also already seen Jesus, yet turned their backs and closed their doors on Him, these will fittingly spend eternity separated from Jesus by the gates of Hell which they helped erect in their own mortal lifetime.

When you and I realize that the Son of Man has marked the borders remarkably clearly, it causes me to tremble, because there’s no room for smugness.  No room to pat ourselves on the back, saying, “I’m ready when death comes!  Nothing to worry about - I’m an average Christian, or even better than average!”  What is an “average” Christian - someone who opens his door to Christ on Sunday, but leaves it closed the other six days of the week?

Yes, there have been times that you and I saw Christ in the least of His brothers, and then turned away and pretended we didn’t see Him, closed the door and turned up the radio, so we couldn’t hear Him knocking.  Such times could have sealed our fate, yet ..

-Today, and tomorrow, and next week, but especially today, you and I will have a new chance to give food for the Lord and the poorest of His brothers to eat.  The turkey this Thursday can fill the soul, and not just the stomach, as long as a drumstick is shared through a donation to a charity collection for the poor!

-Today, and tomorrow, and next week, but especially today, you and I can give drink to the Lord and the smallest of His brothers who stands thirsting for love, attention, and time.  Is TV time the only family time?  What can you do, what can you do, for your children, with your children today and over this coming holiday week to paternally and maternally quench their thirst for God’s love?

-Today, and tomorrow, and next week, but especially today, you and I can welcome the Lord and the strangest of His brothers who comes to our door or moves into our neighborhood.  Remove any and all dark glasses of prejudice because they make it impossible to see the Lord at the door!

-Today, and tomorrow, and next week, but especially today, you and I can visit the Lord and the sickest, frailest, and most isolated of His brothers, who sullenly sits alone in a prison (even perhaps of his own making), or the confinement of a nursing home, or the sterile ward of a hospital.  Even if you can’t go to those places, write a card, make a call, light a candle, say a prayer - there’s no leash so short that it can’t be stretched to reach the Christ who suffers alone!

And my dear brothers and sisters, today, tomorrow, and next week, but especially today, please, please give ear to Christ, even when He speaks to you through words written by the very least of His brothers....

Daily Retreat 11/22/08

2008 Nov 22 Sat: Cecilia, v, mt M
Rv 11: 4-12/ Ps 143(144): 1b. 2. 9-10/ Lk 20: 27-40

From today’s readings:  “I, John, heard a voice from Heaven speak to me: Here are my two witnesses....  Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!...  He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”

Two Witnesses

Another unsettled point of interpretation concerns the identity of the two witnesses mentioned in Chapter Eleven of the Apocalypse.  Initially, a strong case can be made linking Moses and Elijah (and by extension, the whole Old Testament collection of Law and Prophecy) to these two witnesses, since “they have the power to close up the sky so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying” (cf. Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1), and “they also have power to turn water into blood and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish,” (cf. Moses in Exodus 7:17-20).

On the other hand, though, this conjecture is not entirely satisfactory since, for instance, neither Moses nor Elijah died and had their corpses lying in the main street of Jerusalem, the city “where indeed their Lord was crucified.”  Possibly these two witnesses are personifications of the Old Testament and the New Testament, or possibly history has yet to see the definitive fulfillment of this prophecy.

What is to be avoided, however, is the gratuitous identification of these witnesses (or the infamous “beast”) with any current world figures.  That’s the biggest mistake made with the Book of Revelation:  to read the prophecies with an active imagination that can creatively find a way to link all of them specifically with current events and persons.  A few years ago, some alarmists were arguing that Saddam Hussein was the Beast of Revelation - sixty years ago, however, Adolf Hitler was the person some people believed the “beast” prophecies applied to.

Scripture presents God’s Revelation for all ages - we read it, study it, and learn much from it, but it would be the height of arrogance to claim that our age can establish the definitive interpretation of all of Revelation!

Daily Retreat 11/21/08

2008 Nov 21 Fri: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary M
Rv 10: 8-11/ Ps 118(119): 14. 24. 72. 103. 111. 131/ Lk 19: 45-48

From today’s readings:  “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings....  How sweet to my taste is Your promise!...  My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves....”   

Sweet and Sour

If you’ve been reading Revelation (including the chapters omitted from the lectionary), you’ll note that Chapter Ten and the first verses of Chapter Eleven form interludes between the sounding of the sixth trumpet (9:13ff) and the cataclysmic seventh trumpet (11:15). Remember the principle that this last book of the Bible portrays ineffable heavenly realities in (necessarily) inadequate earthly images.

So, symbols and symbolic actions constantly cry out for explanations and interpretations - occasionally, Revelation itself offers the key; sometimes, careful study can lead to justifiable conclusions; often enough, however, the symbols are ambiguous and open to many interpretations, so in such cases, everyone is invited to prayerfully ponder and propose interpretations that can be harmonized with the rest of Revelation.

For example, consider the incident in Chapter Ten in which John is directed to a scroll in angel’s hand and commanded to "Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey."   The context clarifies that the scroll symbolizes further prophesy (cf. 10:11), but why is it sweet in the mouth, but sour in the stomach?  I have heard a number of explanations, and even have conjectures of my own, but don’t be afraid to chew on and digest this image for yourself by reading Ezekiel 2:8 and 3:1-3 and then re-reading all of Chapter Ten.

Daily Retreat 11/20/08

2008 Nov 20 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Rv 5: 1-10/ Ps 149: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Lk 19: 41-44

From today’s readings:  “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling Him to open the scroll with its seven seals....  The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God....  They will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Symbolic Language

Taking the Bible seriously does not mean always taking the Bible literally.  For instance, chapter five of Revelation introduces the Lamb of God.  Now we all know the Lamb is a symbol of Jesus - John the Baptist, for instance, (in chapter one of the Gospel of St. John) pointed to Jesus, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  In the book of Revelation alone, Jesus is addressed as the Lamb 28 times!  

Now does this mean that Jesus is not only human and divine, but He also literally has the nature and appearance of a lamb, and what’ s more, a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes? Of course not!  It would be idiotic to take the Bible that literally.  The image of a lamb poetically helps us recall and focus on the sacrificial nature of Christ’s life, the seven horns represent the fullness of His power, and the seven eyes allude to His omniscience, His ability to see and know everything.  The Book of Revelation is reduced to nonsense if the figurative language is taken literally.  In fact, sometimes the Apocalypse itself provides explanation for its poetic, figurative language, such as the explanation in this chapter five (and repeated in chapter eight) that incense in the Heavenly court represents the prayers of the saints.

But unfortunately, such forthright explanations do not appear often enough in the Book of Revelation.  So, for most of the imagery, the reader must attempt to decipher the symbolic meaning, and as you can imagine, there’s a wide range of conjectures about that.

Daily Retreat 11/19/08

2008 Nov 19 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Rv 4: 1-11/ Ps 150: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 19: 11-28

From today’s readings:  “Worthy are You, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; because of Your will they came to be and were created....  Praise the LORD in His sanctuary, praise Him in the firmament of His strength....  When he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading.”

Heavenly Liturgy

As mentioned, the Book of Revelation is the most mysterious and cryptic book of the Bible, so an adequate grasp of the structure of the book is essential as a basic “roadmap” for seeing how the pieces fit together.  Here’s one very simple but helpful outline:

        A. Introduction and Initial Vision (ch. 1)
        B. Letters to the Seven Churches (ch. 2 - 3)
        C. Central Prophetic Visions
             i.  Overture: Heavenly Worship (ch. 4 - 5)
             ii. Preludes to the Universal Climatic Struggle (6:1 - 11:14)
             iii. Climatic Struggle between Good and Evil (11:15 - 20:15)
             iv. New Creation (21:1 - 22:5)
        D. Closing (22:5 - 22:21)

Chapters Four and Five, which portray a beautiful vision of the liturgy and worship in Heaven, are thus the fundamental reference for the heart of the Apocalypse.  Read these chapters through several times, and note especially what traces of the Heavenly liturgy are echoed in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

Daily Retreat 11/18/08

2008 Nov 18 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Dedication of the Churches of Peter and Paul/ Rose Philippine Duchesne, v, r, ms
Rv 3: 1-6. 14-22/ Ps 14(15): 2-3a. 3bc-4ab. 5/ Lk 19: 1-10.
Or  readings for Peter & Paul: Acts 28: 11-16. 30-31/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 5-6/ Mt 14: 22-33

From today’s readings:  “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.... He who walks blamelessly and does justice...  ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received Him with joy....”

The Seven Churches

Chapters Two and Three are perhaps the most straightforward of sections in the Book of Revelation.  These letters to the Christian communities in Asia Minor are still rich in symbolic language, but they also are blunt enough about the spiritual strengths and weaknesses of the communities.

Each of the letters also is steeped with local flavor.  For example, the city of Sardis was practically impregnable as a fortress, but it’s ideal defensive position led to overconfidence on the part of its citizens, so the city fell twice in surprise night raids (Cyrus in 546BC, Anticochus in 195 BC).  In both cases, the defeat could have and should have been averted by vigilance.  The reference to garments also was especially appropriate because the city was the center of a thriving wool industry.

Needless to say, these letters to the seven Churches are thus to be firmly established in their historical context.  However, it’s also justifiable and essential to apply the warnings to present realities - the arrogant lethargy of the Church in Laodicea, for example, can certainly also be seen lurking in the Church in wealthy nations such as the United States, so  "whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!"

Daily Retreat 11/17/08

2008 Nov 17 Mon: Elizabeth of Hungary, mw, r M
Rv 1: 1-4; 2: 1-5/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 18: 35-43

From today’s readings:  “Blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near....  The LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes....  As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening....”

Approaching the End

The Apocalypse, also known as the Book of Revelation, is, without a doubt, the most mysterious, cryptic book of the Bible.   For this reason, it’s the most likely to be misunderstood.  There is no book in the Bible that more needs a little warning label on the outside that says: “Do not read without taking the time to study, and having a road map to see how all the pieces fit together in the book of Revelation!”

The basic problem is that the Apocalypse is a revealing glimpse of Heaven, and Heaven is beyond time and space.  But since the whole of our human experience is constrained to time and space, the book’s descriptions of Heavenly realities are necessarily couched in imaginative and figurative terms that challenge us to stretch beyond the time and space limitations of our present existence.

Nonetheless, don’t think I’m discouraging you from reading this last book (or any other book!) of the Bible - I would never do that!  But it’s important that as we read the lectionary excerpts of this book for the next two weeks, you and I do so carefully, always resisting the urge to jump to conclusions about the mysteries of Revelation.

Daily Retreat 11/16/08

2008 Nov 16 SUN: THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Prv 31: 10-13. 19-20. 30-31/ Ps 127(128): 1-2. 3. 4-5/ 1 Thes 5: 1-6/ Mt 25: 14-30

From today’s readings: “ When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls....  Blessed are those who fear the Lord....  Let us stay alert and sober....  A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them....”

Talents

The word “talent” is mentioned a couple of times in the Gospel of St. Matthew.  In this context, it refers to a mammoth unit of money, like a gold or silver brick.  It’s hard to give an equivalent in modern currency, but to get a close estimate, consider the following: Each talent was worth about 6000 denarius coins; each denarius was the equivalent of a day’s wages, say, around $50.  So it’s clear the master was extremely generous with his servants!

But even that generosity pales compared with God’s generosity for each of us.  Think of just a few of the many blessings you’ve received from God - ask yourself: have you used these “talents” wisely, or have you buried them?  Incidentally, the English word “talent” is directly derived from this parable!

To make this parable more concrete, a few years ago, I gave everyone in my congregation a roll of 50 pennies.  Then, I asked everyone to think of ways to be a “good and faithful servant” so that even that little gift of 50 pennies could be used for good.  Some very creative ideas came up!

Obviously, I can’t afford to give even 50¢ to everyone reading these virtual retreat reflections - sorry!  But, you can still do the exercise of figuring out how even a small amount can be used for something good, and then, sizing up how much God has given you in His generosity, figure out how to make the most of your talents to serve God as He would like!

Daily Retreat 11/15/08

2008 Nov 15 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Albert the Great, bp, r, dr
3 Jn 5-8/ Ps 111(112): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 18: 1-8

From today’s readings:  “We ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth....  Blessed the man who fears the Lord....  Jesus told His disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.....”

One Last Little Letter

Starting on Monday, the lectionary will settle on the book of Revelation for a few weeks, but today we have the last of the short New Testament epistles - 3 John.  Only fifteen verses in this letter, so it can easily be read in its entirety.

It is addressed to “the beloved Gaius,” commending him for his support of early Christian missionaries.  By aiding their efforts, Gaius and others became “co-workers” in their evangelizing efforts, without even leaving home themselves!

The Church has always called upon all members to support missionaries.  Many Christians make heroic sacrifices so that they can faithfully donate to missions in poverty regions; as essential as such financial support is, that is not everything.  A commitment to pray for missionaries is even more crucial, as well as giving personal encouragement and hospitality when the opportunity arises.

These Virtual Retreat reflections are a modest missionary continuation of the Church’s commitment to evangelize.  With your prayers for me and for the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, and your encouragement, and occasional donations to IHRC, and whenever you pass on these reflections or encourage others to sign-up for free email delivery (http://lists.gonzaga.edu/mailman/listinfo/daily-retreat-l), you become a “co-worker in the Truth” by supporting this modern evangelizing effort, and I thank you for that!

Daily Retreat 11/14/08

2008 Nov 14 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
2 Jn 4-9/ Ps 118(119): 1. 2. 10. 11. 17. 18/ Lk 17: 26-37

From today’s readings:  “Anyone who is so progressive as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God....  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord....  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man...”

Even Shorter Letter

Yesterday, we read St. Paul’s shortest epistle, the Letter to Philemon.  Today and tomorrow, the lectionary presents the Second and Third Letters of St. John, each of which is only half as long as Paul’s letter to Philemon!

2 John is addressed to “the chosen lady and her children.”  The “lady” referred to here is probably a personification of a particular Church community, so “her children” are simply all of the Christians in that locale.  

John begins by reiterating the commandment to love one another.  Then he warns against “those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh,” i.e., those who hedge on crucial aspects of the Incarnation, denying either that Christ really came corporeally in history, or that He will come again in His glorified body, or that His Incarnation has concrete implications for our own lives.   

From even the first century, there have been those who are so snobbishly “progressive” that they reject orthodoxy as passé, preferring instead to creatively construct their own brand of christianity.  But by doing so, they ignore John’s warning that “anyone who is so progressive as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God!”

Daily Retreat 11/13/08

2008 Nov 13 Thu: Frances Xavier Cabrini, v, r M
Phlm 7-20/ Ps 145(146): 7. 8-9a. 9bc-10/ Lk 17: 20-25

From today’s readings:  “Beloved: I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother....  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob....  behold, the Kingdom of God is among you....”

A Little Letter

This time, I must really insist you read the whole letter -  there can be no objections to taking the time for the 25  verses of this shortest epistle of Paul! Short and sweet  is a good way of describing this letter, addressed by Paul  to Philemon, a Christian of Colossae, and asking him for a  Christian attitude of clemency in receiving back Onesimus,  a runaway slave.  

Reading between the lines allows us to put the whole story  together. Onesimus (whose name in fact means "useful") had  been considered "useless" to his master (v. 11) when he ran away. By chance, Onesimus ended up being converted by Paul,  who was in prison at that time (around 62-63 AD, either in  Rome, or perhaps in Ephesus). Motivated by justice but  trusting in Christian charity, Onesimus was persuaded to take  the risk of returning to his master, where he could have  suffered severe punishment (even death!) - to avert that,  Paul wrote this persuasive and very personal letter.  

Even though none of us own slaves (or are slaves), the  Christian "way" exemplified in turn by Paul, Onesimus, and  Philemon can inspire us with a holy attitude to bring to all  of our decisions. Paul was committed to justice tempered by  reconciliation and restitution of the relationship between  Onesimus and Philemon, and by appealing to their faith and  friendship, Paul brings out the best in them both. Onesimus  had the most to lose by returning to his master, so his  decision to accept Paul's counsel demonstrates Onesimus' great  faith in both Paul and in Christ's transforming grace.  Although the letter doesn't reveal what happened, since Paul  was a good judge of character, it is safe to assume that  Philemon welcomed Onesimus as Paul had urged - with forgiveness, and as a brother.   

You and I can concretely put these Christian attitudes into  practice today - think about some situation in your life that  could benefit from "the Christian way," then make sure you guide all your decisions with your real Christian faith!

Daily Retreat 11/12/08

2008 Nov 12 Wed: Josaphat, bp, r, mt M
Ti 3: 1-7/ Ps 22(23): 1b-3a. 3bc-4. 5. 6/ Lk 17: 11-19

From today’s readings:  “But when the kindness and generous love of God our Savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of His mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit....  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want....  Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? ”

Legitimate Authority

Several times in the New Testament, Christians are  urged to be law-abiding, peaceable, and upright citizens, and that is indeed why Christianity is generally welcomed  by civil authorities.

The role of civil disobedience in the context of the Christian faith must thus be clearly understood. If a civil law obligated Christians to do something contrary to the teachings of their faith, then the law certainly should be disobeyed, always remembering (as Peter points  out in Acts 5:29) that "it is better to obey God than men."

However, our faith is not to be used as an excuse for ignoring whatever law we personally take issue with. In  fact, there is a clear distinction between disobeying a law which would obligate one to do something immoral, and protesting a law which is contrary to Christian principles but yet does not force the person to be a direct accomplice to it.  Although trespassing, withholding taxes, and even violence are sometimes used to protest clearly unjust laws, since such methods cannot be justified by appeals to scripture,  Christians should opt for Christian methods of peaceful, non-violent, law-abiding protests.  

So, for instance, in those countries where the government forces sterilization to limit family size, citizens should disobey such unjust laws. However, in countries such as America, where abortion is allowed but not compelled, peaceable protests are certainly in order, but there aren't biblical grounds for actual civil disobedience in this matter.  The Roe v. Wade ruling, indefensible as it is in what it legally sanctions, still does not actually force people to take part in such violence.  Note, however, that the proposed dreadful legislation sophistically billed as the “Freedom of Choice Act”  would radically change that for the worse, by criminalizing all restrictions and objections to abortion.

Daily Retreat 11/11/08

2008 Nov 11 Tue: Martin of Tours, bp M
Ti 2: 1-8. 11-14/ Ps 36(37): 3-4. 18 and 23. 27 and 29/ Lk 17: 7-10

From today’s readings:  “For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age....  The salvation of the just comes from the Lord....  We are unworthy servants; we have done what we were obliged to do....”

Eager to do what is good

Some people tend to think of Christian morality primarily as a collection of prohibitions: Thou shalt not do this, thou shalt not do that....  While it’s certainly true that some negative imperatives are essential to Christian ethics, putting faith into action is a lot more than merely following a list of what not to do.

In fact, the Word of God is even more emphatic about spelling out what we should be doing as Christians.  For instance, the Epistle to Titus includes exhortations to “say what is consistent with sound doctrine... be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith.... be reverent... teaching what is good... remaining in self-control, serving as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in teaching, dignity, and sound speech....  rejecting godless ways and worldly desires, living temperately, justly, and devoutly....”

In short, since God has redeemed us and chosen us as His own people, it’s not enough to merely avoid doing what we shouldn’t be doing or complacently assume we're already doing enough good; rather, we need to always be positively eager to do what is good!

Daily Retreat 11/10/08

2008 Nov 10 Mon: Leo the Great, pp, dr M (Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time)
Ti 1: 1-9/ Ps 23(24): 1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6/ Lk 17: 1-6

From today’s readings:  “To Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior....  Lord, this is the people that longs to see Your face....  Scandals will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur!”

What remains to be done....

One of the latest Pauline epistles is addressed to Titus, who was a companion of St. Paul during much of his missionary activity and was ultimately appointed by Paul as bishop overseeing the early Church in Crete.  The letter to Titus is rather brief (only three chapters), and in general, easy to understand, so no excuses for  not reading the whole thing!

Paul begins this letter with his most elaborate self- introduction, which is worth a closer look. The Apostle  recognizes that his God-given mission and vocation to  service is not for his own glory, but for "the sake of  the faith of God's chosen ones and the recognition of  religious truth, in the hope of eternal life...." A nice  general summary, not only of Paul, but of the purpose of  all Christianity!

Paul's purpose in leaving Titus on Crete was that he  "might set right what remains to be done and appoint  presbyters" (also translated "elders" or "priests") as  his co-workers. Paul goes on to enumerate prerequisites  for presbyters and essential character qualities of bishops.  We pray that every leader of the Church today live up to this description by proving himself "blameless, not arrogant,  not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy  for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,  temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to  the true message as taught so that he will be able both to  exhort with sound doctrine and to refute opponents." 

Daily Retreat 11/09/08

2008 Nov 9 SUN: DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME F
Ez 47: 1-2. 8-9. 12/ Ps 45(46): 2-3. 5-6. 8-9/ 1 Cor 3: 9c-11. 16-17/ Jn 2: 13-22

From today’s readings:  “The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out....  The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!...  the temple of God, which you are, is holy....  He was speaking about the temple of His Body....”

God’s House is Our House

It can seem a bit strange to have a feastday in honor of the dedication of a great church building that is set in the heart of Rome.  Although most people are more familiar with St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, it is this older Basilica of St. John Lateran which is actually the Pope’s Cathedral (as Bishop of Rome), and for this reason bears the inscription “omnium ecclesiarum Urbis et Orbis mater et caput” - “the mother and head of all churches of the City (Rome) and of the World.”

As St. Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians, more important and more resplendent than even the greatest basilicas, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the heart of each believer, which makes us all Living Temples of God.  People are more important than buildings - always, and without exception.  If for some tragic reason, the destruction of the great Lateran Basilica were somehow necessary to save even one human life, then surely the building would be sacrificed to save the life!

This puts things in perspective, but that’s not to say that there is no importance or sacredness to church buildings.  Jesus Himself defended the sanctity of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.  And, in many places in scripture (such as today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel), God chooses to use a building as a focal point of His blessings and presence.  This is true also of your parish church - it truly is the House of God since you will find the dwelling place of God there, His tabernacle among us!  But our loving Father does not want His House just for Himself - He wants us to join Him there!  God says to us His beloved children, “My house is your house!”

Daily Retreat 11/08/08

2008 Nov 8 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Phil 4: 10-19/ Ps 111(112): 1b-2. 5-6. 8a and 9/ Lk 16: 9-15

From today’s readings:  “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me....  Blessed the man who fears the Lord....  No man can serve two masters....”

Strength for Everything

Phil. 4:13 has been a personal favorite scripture  verse since my youth, when I came across this translation,  "I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Paul,  and all of the martyrs, certainly proved the truth of  this ambitious claim!

Like all sweeping assertions, a little nuance is needed  to capture the insight correctly. In what things does  Christ strengthen us? In every matter that pertains to  living God's will faithfully. So, when faced with problems  in life, the crucial thing is to discern God's direction,  because we have no right to expect divine assistance in  selfish and misguided efforts. On the other hand, when we  are committed to following God's will, then He will help us persevere in spite of difficulties and overcome all obstacles,  leading us to join Paul in rejoicing!

Daily Retreat 11/07/08

2008 Nov 7 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Phil 3: 17 – 4: 1/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Lk 16: 1-8

From today’s readings:  “Our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.”

Our Citizenship is in Heaven

Even those who are very patriotic could name more  than a few things wrong with their native land. And  one of the top things on that list for almost every  country would be a disregard for God's law. So, as  Paul maintains, our loyalty to any nation on earth  should never trump our loyalty to our heavenly homeland.

As we read scripture, striving to imitate St. Paul,  the Word of God can help us elevate our minds from  constant pre-occupation with earthly things. Not that  we are to absolutely ignore earthly things - just that we must put them in perspective, lest they become like  a god to us. If anything besides God is really first in  our lives, then, in a sense, whatever it is has become  our god!

Daily Retreat 11/06/08

2008 Nov 6 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
Phil 3: 3-8a/ Ps 104(105): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Lk 15: 1-10

From today’s readings: “But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ....  Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord....  Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep! ”

At a Loss

Life is about learning, and each one of us has anecdotal proof that many lessons are only learned the hard way. Generally, though, when we learn things the hard way, we become the most credible of teachers in helping those we know to learn from our mistakes.

St. Paul once was fanatical about the Mosaic law, and he believed that adherence to that was the most important thing in life. But after his conversion experience, he learned there was something even more important - Jesus Himself!

What about you? What do your actions and passions reveal as being most important in your life? Learn the greatest lesson in life from Paul, so that you can join him in declaring, "Whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord!"

Daily Retreat 11/05/08

2008 Nov 5 Wed: Ordinary Weekday
Phil 2: 12-18/ Ps 26(27): 1. 4. 13-14/ Lk 14: 25-33

From today’s readings:  “Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation....  The Lord is my light and my salvation....  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple....”

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling...”

Although the terms are sometimes used as synonyms, there is, in fact, a subtle but essential distinction between Christian “redemption” and “salvation.”   When Christ died on the Cross, He redeemed mankind - He paid the price for all sins when He willingly laid down His life in universal atonement.  So His sacrificial death is redemption for all people of all times and places.

Although the merits of Christ’s death are more than sufficient to redeem all those enslaved by sin, this redemption does not negate free will: each person still can choose whether or not to avail himself of the ransom of Christ’s death.  When a person rejects Christ, he forfeits his salvation.  So in spite of being redeemed by Christ, such a person, because of his free will, is not saved.

So when Paul urges, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling...,” he is not implying that a person can somehow redeem himself by accumulating enough good works to serve as a ransom for sin.  But Paul is teaching that redemption by Christ still does not in itself guarantee salvation, since that always requires the cooperation of free will.  

Having received the Truth of the Gospel, a person may either “hold on to the word of life,” or let it go.  Because a person can easily change his mind, clearly, the acceptance of Christian redemption on the day of one’s baptism could be negated by a future mortal sin such as apostasy - it would be perilously presumptuous to consider that an impossibility!  So you and I are to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” - even after having joyfully accepted Christian redemption, we must carefully and constantly strive to insure that our choices continue to embrace Christ and all His teachings.

Daily Retreat 11/04/08

2008 Nov 4 Tue: Charles Borromeo, bp M
Phil 2: 5-11/ Ps 21(22): 26b-27. 28-30ab. 30e. 31-32/ Lk 14: 15-24

From today’s readings:  “God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name....  I will praise You, Lord, in the assembly of Your people....  Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God....”

Kenosis

In spite of Paul’s repeated invitation to rejoice in the Lord, and in spite too of the way that he continually insists on an upbeat interpretation for all problems (even his own imprisonment!), we still shouldn’t dismiss this letter to the Philippians as simply a naive overly optimistic Pollyanna-type “pick-me-up” that’s meant to chase the doldrums away.  Paul, remember, never shrinks from the cross of Christ.  In Philippians chapter 2, we find the beautiful Canticle of Christ’s kenosis, His emptying Himself in taking on humanity and embracing His cross:

Though He was in the form of God...

It’s not known whether Paul wrote this hymn himself, or whether it had already been in use in the worship of those earliest Christians.  In any event, these unforgettable verses of Philippians chapter two are a profound and poetic expression and celebration and meditation of our Savior’s mission. 

Daily Retreat 11/03/08

2008 Nov 3 Mon: Ordinary Weekday/ Martin de Porres, r (Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time)
Phil 2: 1-4/ Ps 130(131): 1bcde. 2. 3/ Lk 14: 12-14

From today’s readings:  “If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing....  In You, O Lord, I have found my peace....  When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind....”

Heartwarming

Although the letter to the Philippians is by no means Paul’s longest epistle, it is certainly one of his most oft quoted - as you read through the four brief chapters, you’ll come across many inspirational lines that will probably sound quite familiar - I’ll bet you’ll even find some of your own favorite Bible verses.  And there’s good reason for this popularity!  Philippians is Paul’s warmest letter - there’s this magnificent sense of how he’s so grateful for the times the Philippians have cooperated in his ministry, how they’ve listened to his words, how they’ve focused on those things that are true and just and beautiful –  all the most important things in life.

And there’s rejoicing – in fact, that word “rejoice” is a regular refrain, ringing throughout this epistle more than in any other book of the New Testament. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!  This very verse is so insistent that it gave name to Gaudete Sunday - that third Sunday of Advent, when Christmas is so near and the third candle of the Advent wreath is lit, which, you will note, is generally a pink candle, precisely as a festive sign of this rejoicing that “the Lord is at hand,” since that taper’s hue of rose cheerfully contrasts with the more somber purple color of the Advent season.

So if you ever have a sense of being down and out, and depressed, and the feeling that the world’s an awful place, read this epistle and warm up to some very practical advice and the inspirational appreciation that Paul had for the Philippians, and his reminder of what it’s all about-the beautiful good news that is meant to permeate every aspect of our life.

Daily Retreat 11/02/08

2008 Nov 2 SUN: 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!’ ”

Purgatory

(Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

§1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

§1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.  The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

§1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore Judas Maccabeus made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.  The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.