Virtual Retreat

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

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Daily Retreat 06/03/09

2009 Jun 3 Wed:Charles Lwanga & co., mts M
Tb 3:1-11a. 16-17a/Ps 24(25):2-3. 4-5ab. 6 and 7bc. 8-9/Mk 12:18-27

From today’s readings:
“At that very time, the prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God, so Raphael was sent to heal them both....  To You, O Lord, I lift my soul....  Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?”


Can’t take it anymore!


Because of their misfortunes, both Tobit and Sarah find the people closest to them assuming the worst about them, and so, the substantial burden of their own troubles is made even more unbearable by the stinging words of those around them.  It reaches the point where both Tobit and Sarah start thinking they would be better off dead!  But they both do the right thing, turning to God in their hour of need, and He hears their prayers.  Note that, while not giving them the answer they seek (death as release from their miseries), God gives them a much better answer than Tobit or Sarah had even dared to ask for in prayer!

There are at least two lessons for you and me here.  First, we need to be on guard against the unfortunate tendency to look on “down and out” people as just simply getting what they deserve, for whatever reason.  Even people with a strong faith commitment can slip into this attitude, at least in some ways.  Tragically enough, this often happens with relatives - after helping out a cousin or even a sibling in trouble two or three times, many people (perhaps even you and I?) start sneering at or distancing themselves from the “bad news” relative, even when it turns out that the relative is objectively not the source of the problem.

Also, we ought to carefully consider our own attitude towards problems and travail in our own life.  It’s certainly very human to think “I don’t deserve this, and I can’t take it anymore!”  When faced with the weight of such great burdens, it’s particularly important for us to turn to God and pour out our heart in prayer; and while it’s o.k. to suggest to God whatever solution might come to our mind, it’s essential to allow room for the possibility that God’s solution will be a much better answer than we even dare to ask for in prayer!

Daily Retreat 06/02/09

2009 Jun 2 Tue:Ordinary Weekday/ Marcellinus and Peter, mts
Tb 2:9-14/Ps 111(112):1-2. 7-8. 9/Mk 12:13-17

From today’s readings: “Your true character is finally showing itself!...  The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord....  Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God!”

Domestic Strains

Tobit’s charity and virtue didn’t guarantee an easy life for him - indeed, his hardships and tribulations were considerable, and certainly wore on him and his whole family.  The altercation with his wife Anna seems so typical of many domestic arguments: both Tobit and his wife were already stretched in patience because of their own travails, so each was too ready to take out pent-up frustrations on the other.

Tobit’s political persecutions and unfortunate blindness robbed him of many of the securities of his former years.  He did, however, still have the integrity of his own character, which he was determined to preserve at any price.  So, when he discovered a goat in his house, he feared that it must have been stolen, knowing that it was a luxury beyond the means of his household.  His wife Anna, worn out by her own work, was in no mood for such undeserved suspicion and ingratitude.  So they both chewed each other out, at the time each so sorely needed the other’s spousal support and understanding.  Anna’s bonus, which could have been welcomed by both as a timely blessing, became instead the source of dissension.

So often, you and I are heroic and even at times largely successful in putting up with external hardships, but in the process, we end up putting unfortunate strains on our closest relationships.  The Book of Tobit reminds us of this all-too-human tendency, but the biblical wisdom in subsequent chapters also remind us of what can be done with God’s help to overcome all hardships with solid faith and undaunted charity.

Daily Retreat 06/01/09

2009 Jun 1 Mon:Justin, mt M (Ninth Week in Ordinary Time)
Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8/Ps 111(112):1b-2. 3b-4. 5-6/Mk 12:1-12

From today’s readings: “I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness. I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people who had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria....  Blessed the man who fears the Lord....  He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’”

Biblical Family Ties


The wisdom of Sirach and other books of the Bible (especially Genesis) stress the communal bonds of the whole of mankind, since God is the creator of all.  But while not denying this unity of humanity, many of the Old Testament books focus more narrowly on the importance of family (and tribal) loyalty and harmony.  This is clearly the case, for instance, in the book of Tobit (omitted in Protestant bibles), with its intriguing narration tracing the development of a network of familial relationships while showing how faith is meant to be integrated and God recognized and faithfully embraced in each of those relationships.

The fourteen chapters of the book of Tobit are an easy read, but if you just limit yourself to the lectionary selections, the story will be harder to follow....

Tobit, for whom the book is named, was a pious old man living with his family in Nineveh along with other deported Jews.  His commitment to almsgiving and observance of God’s law are particularly exemplary in the “hardship setting” of the exile, when many people felt entitled to dispensations because of threats or ridicule from the ruling Ninevites.  Indeed, Tobit’s piety in burying the dead in the past had almost cost him his life (cf. 1:18-20), but unintimidated in his faith, Tobit continues undaunted in his works of mercy and righteousness.  However,  in spite of his unquenchable charity and faithfulness, Tobit is faced with hardships and suffering, and so, like the book of Job, the story of Tobit and his family also becomes a reflection on how people of faith can confront the Problem of Evil by committing to righteousness even when it doesn’t lead to immediate rewards.

Daily Retreat 05/31/09

2009 May 31 SUN:PENTECOST S
Pentecost Vigil Readings: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a.16-20b or Ez 37:1-4 or Jl 3:1-5/ Ps 103(104):1-2.24.35.27-28.29.30/ Rom 8:22-27/ Jn 7:37-39.
Pentecost Day Readings: Acts 2:1-11/ Ps 103(104):1.24.29-30.31.34/ 1 Cor 12:3b-7.12-13 or Gal 5:16-25/ Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27

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

The Fruit of the Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daily Retreat 05/30/09

2009 May 30 Sat:Easter Weekday
Acts 28:16-20. 30-31/ Ps 11:4. 5 and 7/ Jn 21:20-25

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

NOT the end of the Acts of the Apostles!


The daily Mass lectionary covers almost the whole book of the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter season.  Today, the final verses of this great book of the Bible are read.  Its conclusion seems incomplete - Paul is under house arrest at Rome, proclaiming the Word of God, and then what?

We know that Paul eventually suffered martyrdom in Rome, around the year 67 A.D.  The book of Acts does not relate what happened at the end of the two years he was under house arrest in Rome.  Possibly he was able to evangelize briefly in Spain, as had been his plans (cf. Romans 15:24) before returning to custody in Rome.  In any case, St. Luke focuses instead on the unhindered proclamation of the Gospel in Rome, thereby completely a milestone of Christ’s prophecy in Acts 1:8.

Also, the final chapter of Acts is meant to feel “incomplete” so that each reader realizes that the Apostolic work of evangelization is not done - rather, each one of us is now called upon to write the continuation of the Acts of the Apostles with the acts of our lives!

Daily Retreat 05/29/09

2009 May 29 Fri:Easter Weekday
Acts 25:13b-21/ Ps 102(103):1-2. 11-12. 19-20ab/ Jn 21:15-19

From today’s readings:
  “When Paul appealed that he be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar....  The Lord has established His throne in Heaven....  Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You!”

Tossed Around

As was the case yesterday, today there’s a big jump in the lectionary as the first reading passes over the second half of chapter 23 of the Acts (the plot to assassinate Paul, and the subsequent need to transfer him from Jerusalem to Caesarea; all of chapter 24 is also omitted (Paul’s two years in Caesarea and his interview before governor Felix), as well as the first part of chapter 25 (Paul’s process before Festus, a new governor, and his appeal as a Roman citizen to the court of Caesar).  But just because these events aren’t included in the lectionary, that doesn’t mean you can’t read them on your own!   In fact, that’s to be highly recommended.

The first reading today is a brief summary of those misadventures of Paul.  Governor Festus made this report when visited by King Agrippa.  As will become clear in the next chapter of Acts, both the governor and king become convinced of Paul’s innocence, just as Pontius Pilate was convinced of Christ’s innocence.

Daily Retreat 05/28/09

2009 May 28 Thu:Easter Weekday
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11/ Ps 15(16):1-2a and 5. 7-8. 9-10. 11/ Jn 17:20-26

From today’s readings:
  “I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead....  Keep me, O God, for in You I take refuge....  I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word....”

Skipping Ahead

All of a sudden, there’s a certain rush detected in the lectionary, as the Church hastens to finish the Acts of the Apostles by Pentecost.  For this reason, chapter 21 and most of chapter 22 are skipped, recounting Paul’s journey to Jerusalem, his visit with James, his arrest in the Temple, and his defense before the Jews (telling of his conversion) and his appeal to his Roman citizenship, which narrowly spared him from torture ordered by the exacerbated tribune.  Also omitted is a hot-headed remark from Paul in 23:3!  All this is, of course, recommended reading (along with subsequent omissions) to follow the mounting drama of the closing chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.

After his arrest, Paul’s tactic then is to turn his accusers against each other, appealing to his Pharisaical background and thereby securing the defense of the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin (but further infuriating the Sadducee party).  Since the ensuing dispute was soon out of control, the Roman tribune had to order Paul removed once again into safe custody, where the Lord Himself encourages him to continue to bear Christian witness, even to Rome!

Daily Retreat 05/27/09

2009 May 27 Wed:Easter Weekday/ Augustine of Canterbury, bp, r, ms
Acts 20:28-38/ Ps 67(68):29-30. 33-35a. 35bc-36ab/ Jn 17:11b-19

From today’s readings:  “ I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock....  Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth....  And I consecrate Myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

Truth Twisters


Paul’s exhortation to the presbyters of Ephesus was for them to “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers...” (Acts 20:28).  Notice that, as is regularly emphasized throughout scripture, moral watchfulness begins with self, before being extended to include guidance of others.  And Paul emphasizes commitment to the full truth of the faith, warning against the wolves that will come forward “perverting the truth.”

If we are to commit ourselves to the full truth of our faith, we need, first of all, to know the Truth.  Wolves are able to lead disciples astray, not so much because they lie outright, but because they “pervert the truth,” that is, they say something that has elements of truth, but the truth is twisted.  This is seen, for instance, among pro-abortion forces who couch their advocacy in language of “pro-choice” and “pro-privacy.”  In themselves, “choice” and “privacy” are indeed values to be defended, but never at the cost of another’s life!  

Whenever the Church’s teaching is spurned, it is almost always on the basis of a “twisted truth.”  Paul’s exhortation reminds us to take the time and effort to pursue the fulness of truth, first for ourselves and the matters of our own lives, and then to aid others in the quest for the untwisted truth.

Daily Retreat 05/26/09

2009 May 26 Tue:Philip Neri, p M
Acts 20:17-27/ Ps 67(68):10-11. 20-21/ Jn 17:1-11a

From today’s readings:
  “I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God....  the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death....  Jesus raised His eyes to Heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Give glory to Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all people, so that Your Son may give eternal life to all You gave Him.’ ”

The Entire Plan of God

Ephesus was “home” as much as anywhere for Paul - over the course of his mission journeys, he spent a number of years there.  It was the biggest city of Asia minor (ca. 250,000), so it was a natural sub-center of operations for Paul’s missionary work.

Today and tomorrow, the first reading goes through Paul’s touching farewell discourse to the presbyters (priests) of Ephesus.  In it, Paul emphasizes his trust in the entire plan of God for Paul personally (including imprisonment and hardships), but also Paul’s commitment to help the Ephesians embrace the entire plan of God in their lives as well.

Often, the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth is our reluctance to embrace the entire plan of God.  We welcome parts of His plan - the parts that suit us best!  But when it comes to our personal crosses and dogmatic Church teachings that challenge us, then you and I often shrink from embracing the entire plan of God, and try instead to pick and choose only what we like.

Daily Retreat 05/25/09

2009 May 25 Mon:Easter Weekday
Acts 19:1-8/ Ps 67(68):2-3ab. 4-5acd. 6-7ab/ Jn 16:29-33

From today’s readings:  “Paul entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God....  Sing to God, chant praise to His name; whose name is the LORD....  In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world!”

Introducing - the Holy Spirit!

At Ephesus, Paul encountered some disciples who had “never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (cf. Acts 19:2).  Certainly, all of us reading these words of Scripture have heard of the Holy Spirit, and yet, more than likely, a lot of ignorance can be found among us about the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.  As Pentecost approaches, these days can well be spent in prayer, meditation, and supplication to the Holy Spirit.

One scriptural place to start is the Lord’s “Farewell Discourse” during the last supper (cc. 13-16 of John), much of which has been re-presented in the daily Gospel in the last few weeks (during these reflections, I continue to highlight the first reading, but that’s not meant to discourage reading of the Gospel!).  Another reference is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, especially §687 - §747.

Daily Retreat 05/24/09

2009 May 24 Sun: Seventh Sunday of Easter
Acts 1:15-26/Ps 102(103):1-2.11-12.19-20ab/1Jn 4:11-16/Jn 17:11b-19
(In some regions, the liturgical celebration of Ascension Thursday is transferred to this Sunday)

From today’s readings:
  “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: May another take his office....  The LORD has established His throne in Heaven, and His kingdom rules over all....   We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us....  Holy Father, keep them in Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are one.”

Apostolic Succession


During His own earthly lifetime, Jesus chose His apostles to be with Him in His ministry, and He singled them out for special instruction, and at the Last Supper, He ordained them priests with the sacramental power to confect the Eucharist as they fulfilled the Lord’s command to “do this in memory of Me.”  But also, when His Ascension marked the end of His bodily time on earth, the apostles were sent to continue the Lord’s mission to the ends of the earth, and to the end of time (in fact, the word “apostle” means “one who is sent”).

The apostles understood their mission to continue what Jesus had started, and so, after the Lord’s Ascension, but even before Pentecost, their first order of business was to chose a successor to Judas, and the first chapter of Acts records how the prayerful apostolic band was led to chose Matthias.  Originally, there were only twelve apostles, but as the Church grew, so did the number of those ordained with apostolic authority - St. Barnabas, and St. Paul, for instance, are soon also mentioned in the New Testament as apostles.

The Holy Spirit guided the apostles to continue appointing successors to shepherd the nascent Church, and eventually, they had to turn to candidates who were quite fervent in faith, but nevertheless lacked the eyewitness qualifications of  Matthias and the other earliest apostles.  Still, the new successors were ordained with the same apostolic authority to teach, govern, and sanctify in the Church.  In virtue of their leadership role in the Church, they were called “episkopoi,” the Greek word meaning “overseer” or “bishop” (the English word “episcopal” thus refers to that which pertains to the office of bishop).

From New Testament times to our own day, that chain of apostolic successors has continued unbroken, so that it is an historical fact that Pope Benedict XVI and the other bishops of the Church are the legitimate successors to the first apostles.  Because the Catholic Church is blessed with this apostolic foundation, the Lord visibly continues His mission of teaching, governing, and sanctifying the world through the sacraments and scripture and other treasures of true faith.

Daily Retreat 05/23/09

2009 May 23 Sat:Easter Weekday
Acts 18:23-28/ Ps 46(47):2-3. 8-9. 10/ Jn 16:23b-28

From today’s readings:  “After staying in Antioch some time, Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence through the Galatian country and Phrygia, bringing strength to all the disciples....  God is king of all the earth....  I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

The Appearance of Apollos

One of the points that is made again and again in the Acts of the Apostles is the need for “ongoing studies” in the Christian faith.  In chapter 18, Apollos is introduced as “an eloquent speaker” and “authority on the Scriptures” who “spoke and taught accurately about Jesus.”  What a glowing introduction!  And yet, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained to him even more accurately about the Way of God, and Apollos had the humility to listen and learn.

Too many people learn a few basic things about their Christian faith, and then figure they know enough.  Just in America, there are literally millions of Catholics who have hardly spent any time or effort after making their First Communion to learn more and continue to grow in their understanding of their faith.  Worse yet, many of them have long since forgotten the fundamentals they learned long ago, and thus have difficulties in recalling even an outline of the life of Christ, or the most basic bits about the Bible, or the most elementary teachings on the sacraments.

What’s the solution?  The Apollos attitude!  Every one of us needs to admit that we’re not done learning yet - that Christ and His Church still have much to teach us about the Way of God.  Ideally, adults should network and encourage each other in this regard, but don’t let the lack of company stop you from making a commitment to searching the internet, local libraries, and available experts for help in adopting the Apollos attitude!

Daily Retreat 05/22/09

2009 May 22 Fri:Easter Weekday/ Rita of Cascia, r
Acts 18:9-18/ Ps 46(47):2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Jn 16:20-23

From today’s readings:  ““Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you....  God mounts His throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts....   But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you!”

Do not be silent!

In contrast to Athens (cf. Wednesday’s reflection), the city of Corinth gave Paul an overall warm welcome, which is why he stayed there for a year and a half before returning to Antioch and thus ending his second missionary journey.  During his stay, he wrote his letters to the Thessalonians, which are generally recognized as the oldest parts of the New Testament.  Later, on his third missionary journey, Paul would also write profound epistles to the Corinthians themselves.

The Lord’s words to Paul at Corinth are words for us as well:
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you....”   Christ’s comforting presence is the cause of our courage!

Daily Retreat 05/21/09

2009 May 21 Ascension Thursday
Acts 1:1-11/ Ps 46(47):2-3. 6-7. 8-9 (6)/ Eph 1:17-23 or  Eph 4:1-13/ Mk 16:15-20
(In some regions, the liturgical celebration of the Lord’s Ascension is transferred to Sunday)

From today’s readings:  “[Jesus] presented Himself alive to them by many proofs after He had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God....  God mounts His throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord....  The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things....  Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature!”

Where Christ, Our Head, Has Gone, We Hope to Follow!

The beginning of the Acts of the Apostles specifies that Jesus was on earth for forty days after His Resurrection, before ascending into Heaven.  So today, forty days after Easter, the scriptures direct our attention to this mystery, which is unfortunately overlooked by many Christians in their celebrations of Eastertide.  In Luke 9:51, Jesus begins His climatic journey to Jerusalem which was to culminate in His being “taken up.” In the original Greek, the same verb is used in this verse as Luke uses in the Acts of the Apostles to refer to Christ’s Ascension, so this day marks the corporeal completion of the Paschal mission. The First Eucharistic prayer especially highlights this importance of the Ascension, mentioning it at the anamnesis (right after the “mystery of faith” acclamation) along with the Passion and Resurrection as the completion of the Paschal triptych.  

Since baptism makes a person a member of the Body of Christ, the members share in the destiny of Christ the Head.  Since Christ has ascended into Heaven, that is the hope to which all the members of His Body press toward.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions (§662):

 "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces His lifting up by His Ascension into Heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, "entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands. . . but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf." There Christ permanently exercises His priesthood, for He "always lives to make intercession" for "those who draw near to God through Him". As "high priest of the good things to come," He is the center and the principal actor of the liturgy that honors the Father in Heaven.

Daily Retreat 05/20/09

2009 May 20 Wed:Easter Weekday/ Bernardine of Siena, p, r, ms
Acts 17:15. 22 -- 18:1/ Ps 148:1-2. 11-12. 13. 14/ Jn 16:12-15

From today’s readings:  “God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now He demands that all people everywhere repent....   Praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above Earth and Heaven....  When He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to all truth!”

Polished Paul

Read all of chapter 17 of the Acts to get the full effect of Paul’s most polished sermon - his speech at the Areopagus in Athens.  Although many today would be turned off by this very formal style, it certainly was the perfect pitch for the intelligentsia of Athens who congregated just for the stimulation of new philosophical ideas.  Paul must have stayed up all night, painstakingly brooding over audience analysis, and enthusiastically practicing on his delivery, spicing it up with local allusions, figuring out the best hook to catch the polytheistic Athenians’ interest, then determining how he’d smoothly lead them to an awareness of the one true God.

And yet, Paul’s effort was in vain, for the speech was a failure!  True, a bit of interest was stirred up, but most of the Athenians just scoffed at the very notion of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead.  Consequently, Paul did not tarry long at all in Athens, and there was no prodigious growth of the Church in that city.

Although some, particularly Pope Benedict XVI, have pointed to the positive pioneering and diplomatic aspects of Paul’s speech on the Areopagus as an inspirational precedent for the Church’s dialogue with modernity, others, such as Bishop Fulton Sheen, have focused more on the lesson to be drawn from Paul’s failure.  All of Paul’s other sermons are unabashedly Christ-centered, but at the Areopagus, Paul’s strategy was to start with common ground, catering to the Athenian fascination with philosophy, but thereby diluting somewhat the compelling package of the full gospel presentation of the life and love of the Lord as revealed in His incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection.

Both insights are crucial: Christians certainly have the vocation of proclaiming Christ to all the world, and ingenuity and inculturation are to be fostered in the work of evangelization.  On the other hand, Christianity cannot ever be reduced to a vehicle for secular humanism, and the gospel cannot ever be compromised to accommodate modern mindsets.

Daily Retreat 05/19/09

2009 May 19 Tue:Easter Weekday
Acts 16:22-34/ Ps 137(138):1-2ab. 2cde-3. 7c-8/ Jn 16:5-11

From today’s readings:
  “He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God....   In the presence of the angels I will sing Your praise; I will worship at Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name....  But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.”


Rejoice in coming to faith!


We’re all familiar with the conversion of St. Paul, but actually, the Acts of the Apostles is full of conversions!  The first reading today relates the conversion of a most unlikely candidate - the jailer who had charge of Paul and Silas!  Having been instructed to guard the apostles securely,  he certainly did his best, locking them in the deepest dungeon and shackling their feet for good measure.

When the miraculous earthquake freed the prisoners, the jailer reasoned that he would be blamed for their escape.  Because his failure to contain the prisoners would have cost him his life after a court-martial, in utter hopelessness, he prepared to commit suicide.  But Paul’s voice assures him that the prisoners have not left, so with the relief of a man who has just escaped death, he throws himself down before the apostles with the question, “What must I do to be saved?”

Do you and I realize that our salvation, even if not so dramatic, is still every bit as climactic?  The jailer and his family rejoiced and reveled in the gift of their faith - only hours earlier, he had been a doomed man; now, through his baptism, he was a new man!  We too, can best appreciate the gift of faith leading to salvation by recalling the doom that would be ours without our Savior - and thus, we too rejoice and revel and thank God for making us His!

Daily Retreat 05/18/09

2009 May 18 Mon:Easter Weekday/ John I, pp, mt
Acts 16:11-15/ Ps 149:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Jn 15:26 -- 16:4a

From today’s readings:
  “...the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying....   The Lord takes delight in His people....   I have told you this so that you may not be scandalized.”

An Open Heart to Pay Attention

Our modern pace of life and the storm of stimuli that goes with it continues to erode our ability to focus our attention on anything for very long.  We expect our environment to resemble the internet - if what we’re looking for doesn’t grab our attention right away, we simply turn our gaze in another direction, just as we do when scanning a webpage:  if we don’t find the right info in the first screen, we certainly don’t bother to check out the site any further; rather, with just a click, we jump to a new lead, following any one of the myriads of links at our disposal.

I suspect that’s part of the reason why God sent His Son 2000 years ago - in spite of all the adversities of ancient life, in His Providence, God saw those times as more receptive for the initial sowing of His seed.  Since God made the people of this generation just as He made those of past generations, His Gospel will necessarily resonate with human hearts just as much today as in the past.  However, aspects of our modern lifestyle impede the Gospel from reaching the heart at all!  Christian faith provides the answer to man’s search for meaning, it supplies inspiration for every moment of life, it offers comfort in every trial, and it furnishes hope to overcome all despair.  However, hearts hardened with modern marketing distractions aren’t often open enough to embrace such ultimates - rather, most people content themselves with a mix and fix of philosophical junk food and emotional narcotics which are temptingly designed for nothing but a fleeting “feel good” sensation.  Christianity insists that there’s more to life than a series of stimulations!

In Paul’s day, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia and others who listened and paid attention  when the Gospel was proclaimed in their midst.  In our day too, whoever places his heart in the Lord’s hands will allow Him to open it to the ultimate embrace of the fullness of His Truth!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/17/09

2009 May 17 SUN:SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 10:25-26. 34-35. 44-48/ Ps 98:1. 2-3. 3-4/1 Jn 4:7-10/ Jn 15:9-17

From today’s readings:  “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears Him and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him....  The Lord has revealed to the nations His saving power....  Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God....  If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love....”

The Code of Silence

What do you tell people about God?  Some people, I know, don’t talk much about God to anyone, treating Him like a taboo subject.  Such people need a reminder: the word “gospel” literally means “good news” - if faith means anything in our lives, then we need to pass on those tidings of great joy of who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing, and what He has promised to do!

All of the faithful apostles spent their lives telling people (everyone they met!) the good news about God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The first reading, for example, relates that Peter was sent to Cornelius, a man he had never met before, specifically to tell him and his family the gospel, the good news about God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Curiously, God first sent His angel to Cornelius, but the angel’s job wasn’t to tell Cornelius the good news directly - the angel just told him to send for Peter, and then Peter was given the honor of telling the good news.  

In other words, an angel, a heavenly messenger, was sent to prepare the way for Peter, a human messenger.  Normally, we would expect things to be the other way around, but from the beginning, God insisted that Christians would have the dignity and joy of sharing the good news about who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing, and what He has promised to do!

The apostles were so dedicated to telling people the good news about God that soon, some of them decided to not just preach the gospel, but also, to write it down, and send letters, and carefully record the words and deeds of Jesus, so that peoples of all places and all times would be able to share the truth and good news.

So, St. John, the beloved apostle, fervently preached about his beloved Lord and friend, Jesus, and the eyewitness evangelist carefully wrote down the facts about what Jesus had done and said, so that everyone of all times and places could share in the truth that “God is love,” and thus come to know the real Jesus, and never be misled by charlatan fiction writers and tawdry sensationalists.

The Da Vinci Code and other demonic twists of gospel truth and their spinoffs are the craze in our country because of an even more sinister code:  the code of silence.  When faint Christians stop telling other people about God, when we’re content to stand by while the Christmas tidings of great joy are drowned out by commercial jingles, when the word “Easter” makes us and our children think about bunnies and eggs instead of an empty tomb, when we’re too busy or too lazy to pray, when we stop listening to Peter and John and the apostolic successors, when we silently tolerate abortion and the unraveling of family life, when we stop reading the word of God, then any false prophet can hawk a slick package of lies and claim that it’s the truth, simply because a gullible public buys it.

But when zealous Christians read the Gospel and pray the Gospel and live the Gospel and share the Gospel, when we prove ourselves friends of Jesus because we do what He commanded, when we love one another in truth and in deed, when we stake our lives on the only joy that is complete, when we herald the tidings of great joy of who God truly is, what He has verily done, and what He is really doing, and what He has indeed promised to do, then the code will be broken, and the Good News will be the final word!

Daily Retreat 05/16/09

2009 May 16 Sat:Easter Weekday
Acts 16:1-10/ Ps 99(100):1b-2. 3. 5/ Jn 15:18-21

From today’s readings:  “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number....  Let all the earth cry out to God with joy....  If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”


Closed and Open Doors

Paul has set out on his second missionary journey, accompanied by Silas this time.  Instead of starting their travels with a sea voyage, as was the case in the first journey, Paul and Silas follow the land route, and thus soon reach Derbe and Lystra, which had been the end point of the first mission.  There, they are joined by the young Timothy.

The plans were originally to head west to the coast cities of Asia minor, but things didn’t pan out, so they headed north, intending to go on to Bithynia, but again “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,” so they wound up in the northwest coastal city of Troas.  Luke does not explain in what concrete manner the Holy Spirit re-directed them - perhaps it was just a matter of adverse weather or road conditions.  In any case, the missionaries prove themselves docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than stubbornly sticking to their pre-conceived plans (yes, there’s a lesson for you and me here!).  And so, in Troas, Paul has his illuminating vision of the beckoning Macedonian man with the unplanned invitation to cross over the Aegean Sea, and sow the seeds of the Gospel on European land for the first time!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/15/09

2009 May 15 Fri:Easter Weekday/ Isidore the Farmer, mm
Acts 15:22-31/ Ps 56(57):8-9. 10 and 12/ Jn 15:12-17

From today’s readings:  “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us....  My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast....  This is My commandment: love one another as I love you.”

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us

The Second Vatican Council, convoked over forty years ago by Pope John XXIII, was only the most recent in the series of Church Councils held since Pentecost - the first council of the Church was, in fact,  the Council of Jerusalem, held around 49 A.D. and reported in Chapter Fifteen of the Acts of the Apostles.  

The decision of the Council of Jerusalem was promulgated solemnly through personal representatives credentialed with epistolary edicts, which included the solemn assertion, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us...”  In contrast, at that time, imperial and other official decrees often began with the words, “It seemed good to me and my council....”  The Apostles thus were attesting that the decision was made initially and primarily by the Holy Spirit, while their own participation was concurrent, but secondary.

This encapsulates the Church’s teaching about her charism of infallibility - the Pope and Church councils have never presumed to put words in God’s mouth and speak on their own initiative for Him, but they have and do prayerfully listen to God and then share the results of the deliberations about what “seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.”  The Pope and councils reflect on God’s revelation, interpreting it and repeating it anew, but they don’t add to revelation.  In this way, God does continue to speak His eternal truth through the Church  because, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains in §890, the Magisterium’s task specifically is “to preserve God’s people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error.  Thus, the pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God abides in the truth that liberates.  To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals.”

Daily Retreat 05/14/09

2009 May 14 Thu:Matthias, ap F
Acts 1:15-17. 20-26/ Ps 112(113):1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8/ Jn 15:9-17

From today’s readings:
  “Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles....  The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people....  You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

The College of Apostles

Chapter 15 of Acts (the Council of Jerusalem) recounted an instance of the inspired and decisive leadership of the Apostles in the early Church.  This was also seen even earlier in the election of Matthias, which was the Church’s first order of business after the Ascension of Jesus.

The “apostolic” foundation is one of the four marks of the Church, which is “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.”  The New Testament relates that the Apostles were more than once at odds with one another, yet they managed to preserve and pass on the unity of their faith.  To continue their work, they chose Matthias, and after him, a long line of others who were ordained among the college of Apostles, continuing in an unbroken tradition to the bishops of this day.

The apostolic foundation is the anchor of our Christian faith - neither the Pope nor all the bishops together are able to contradict the original teachings of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals.  However, disciplinary practices in the Church can change though - for instance, I wouldn’t imagine that bishops today are chosen by drawing lots, as was Matthias!  But, what cannot change is the apostolic commitment to appointing successors - even the Pope and all the bishops together could not decide never to ordain more bishops, because such a decision would contradict the apostolic precedent.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/13/09

2009 May 13 Wed:Easter Weekday/ Our Lady of Fatima
Acts 15:1-6/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Jn 15:1-8

From today’s readings:  “They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine grower.”

The Council of Jerusalem

Around the year 50 A.D., the leaders of the early Church assembled together in Jerusalem to resolve a burning question: whether or not pagan converts to Christianity had to embrace circumcision and the other practices of Judaism.  Clearly, the first Christians were Jews who saw in Jesus the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies, but gradually, pagans also were attracted to the following of Christ, and so the debate arose: is Christianity merely a sect of Judaism, or does it supercede the old law?

It’s hard to imagine how entrenched the pro-Jewish position was: the Apostles and the great majority of all the disciples had grown up in the Jewish faith, everyone knew that Jesus Himself had been a faithful Jew, all Scripture was Jewish (since not a word of the New Testament had yet been written), liturgical worship was thoroughly Jewish (except for a few distinctively Christian adaptations in celebrating the Breaking of the Bread), and the Temple still proudly stood as the undisputed center of worship in Jerusalem.

Despite all this, the Church’s decision, guided by the Holy Spirit, was to affirm Christ as the source of salvation (cf. 15:11), thereby recognizing the legitimacy of the faith of those who had converted to Christianity directly from paganism.  In this first plenary Council of the early Church, we see that, rather than splitting apart into two irreconcilable sects, the believers were ultimately united (some grudgingly, others enthusiastically) under the inspired leadership of Peter and the other Apostles in facing a moment of crisis.  This is the same pattern that emerges from all of the other 21 general Church councils, down to the Second Vatican Council.

Daily Retreat 05/12/09

2009 May 12 Tue:Easter Weekday/ Nereus and Achilleus, mts/ Pancras, mt
Acts 14:19-28/ Ps 144(145):10-11. 12-13ab. 21/ Jn 14:27-31a

From today’s readings:  “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God....  Let all Your works give You thanks, O LORD, and let Your faithful ones bless You....  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”

Coming Full Circle

It’s crucial to our faith to realize that “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” The initial verses today clarify the context - Paul had recently been stoned and left for dead!  And remember, this was in Lystra, where the Apostles were originally received as gods (cf. yesterday’s reading and reflection) - what a fickle crowd!

Derbe was the most distant city reached in Paul’s first missionary journey.  Afterwards, he and Barnabas back-traced their steps, always taking the time to encourage the new disciples and ordain presbyters (elders or priests) to share in their apostolic ministry.  By the time they returned to Antioch, the Apostles had spent almost two and a half years on their mission and had traveled about 600 miles by foot on the land portion of their trip - and this would turn out to be the shortest of Paul’s missionary journeys!

The Apostles’ zeal, and sacrifice, and “many hardships” should serve as a wake-up call to you and me, inspiring us to do more than just plod along complacently in a half-hearted commitment to our Christian faith!   We might even take on a concrete missionary goal for this week: to pray a bit more consistently, stand up for our principles a bit more courageously, and share our faith a bit more generously!

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/11/09

2009 May 11 Mon:Easter Weekday
Acts 14:5-18/ Ps 114(115):1-2. 3-4. 15-16/ Jn 14:21-26

From today’s readings:
  “ We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them....  May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth....  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name— He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Personal ups and downs

At Iconium, there was an attempt to stone Paul and Barnabas.  Just a short day’s journey away, at Lystra, there was an attempt to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods!  What a contrast in reception!  And yet, the Apostles always focused more on the reception given God, than on the reception given to themselves.

Like Paul and Barnabas, we too experience ups and downs in the way people treat us.  The natural tendency is to stew over those who reject us, but to bask in the favor of those who welcome us.  But the Apostles had different criteria: it made little difference whether they personally were accepted, as long as Jesus was welcomed (cf. 1Cor. 1:10-17).  Likewise, as at Lystra, if people’s enthusiasm for them personally surpassed their enthusiasm for God, they were dismayed rather than edified!

It’s difficult, but very Christian, to adopt the Apostles’ criteria as our own.  So often, our best opportunity for evangelization comes at the moment we have center stage, and if we just have the humility to take one step backwards, the spotlight will be on God!

Daily Retreat 05/10/09

2009 May 10 SUN:FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 9: 26-31/ Ps 21(22): 26-27. 28. 30. 31-32 (26a)/ 1 Jn 3: 18-24/ Jn 15: 1-8

From today’s readings:
  “The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace....  Let the coming generation be told of the LORD that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice He has shown....  Children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in deed and truth....  I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”


The Offertory of the Mass

In the middle ages, farmers would often bring to Mass at the offertory the literal fruits of their labors, setting baskets of grain and produce at the foot of the altar for distribution to the poor and other needs of the Church.  Over time, this simple custom evolved into the regular Sunday collection, the invitation to present a tithe of our weekly monetary labors in a basket to be set at the foot of the altar, still for distribution to the poor and other needs of the Church.  As I’ve noticed in my years of priestly service, the offertory is not everyone’s favorite part of the Mass - in fact, many people choose to participate very little, if at all, at that moment in the liturgy.

Now, just in case you’re worried that I’m working up to an appeal for more money at Mass collections, I want to put such anxieties to rest right away.  Nonetheless, I have to admit that I am indeed making an appeal to you for greater offertory contributions, because, you see, our Lord Himself asks us to offer more!  

He asks you and me to come to His house weekly, on His day, and offer Him our joys and hopes, our successes and honors, our dreams and plans, our deeds of kindness and our words of consolation, our penetrating minds and our loving hearts, our able bodies, and our immortal souls!  In other words, Jesus asks us to bring Him the very best fruits of our lives - and this is why the offertory is a central part of the Mass, so that we can intentionally present all such fruits at the foot of the Lord’s altar in union with His own sacrificial offering of His whole Body, for our good, and the good of all His Church!

Well, He certainly asks for a lot, but even when we do offer God all the very best fruits of our lives, the good Lord is not satisfied!  Because He also asks you and me to come to His house weekly, on His day, and tender and surrender to Him, just as much, our grief and anguish, our failures and disgraces, our fears and worries, our sinful deeds and thoughtless words, our feeble minds and our selfish hearts, our pain-racked bodies, and our lost souls.  In other words, Jesus also asks us to bring Him the very poorest fruits of our lives - and this is why the offertory is a central part of the Mass, so that we can contritely lay all such fruits at the foot of the Lord’s cross, because when sprinkled with the Blood of Christ, and re-grafted onto the Vine that is divine, even such poor fruits are taken up as part of the Lord’s acceptable sacrifice!  

So now let us go to the house of the Lord, on His day that He has made, and approach His altar with praise and thanksgiving, ready now to participate fully at the offertory, ready now to offer Him more than before - ready now to offer Him our best fruits, and also even the poorest fruits of our lives, determined to remain in Him, and let His words remain in us, to submit to His pruning, to keep His commandments, and do what pleases Him, to love one another in deed and in truth, and thus to bear much fruit for and from the holy sacrifice of the Mass!

Daily Retreat 05/09/09

2009 May 9 Sat:Easter Weekday
Acts 13:44-52/ Ps 97(98):1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Jn 14:7-14

From today’s readings:  “ The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit....  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God....  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?”

Lost Chance


A healthy tension exists throughout scripture between, on the one hand, God’s patience and eagerness to receive those who welcome Him, but, on the other hand, the tragic finality of the real omnipresent possibility (guaranteed by free will) for a person to ultimately reject God.

The temptation is to resolve that tension by either the sin of presumption (arrogant over-reliance on God’s mercy, sometimes to the point of explicitly rejecting the possibility of damnation), or the sin of despair (premature dismissal of God’s mercy, and total lack of hope in regards to either personal salvation or the salvation of others).

Taken as a whole, scripture insists on testifying to this tension up to a man’s last breath, but admittedly there are passages, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles, such as Paul and Barnabas’ denunciation of the jealous Jews in Pisidia, in which a judgment of  resolution is pronounced.  As harsh as these words appear, it can be argued that they are not equivalent to the divine judgment of eternal salvation.  Are you and I ever justified in making such a judgment of ourselves or others?  Since God alone is judge, the answer is NO, as scripture explicitly affirms (e.g., Matthew 7:1).  However, that does not entitle us to deflate the tension by casting out all moral reasoning into the murky waters of agnosticism and skepticism!  Our God-given consciences, intelligence, and revelation are meant to be used in assessing the morality of our own actions (and even the actions of others, to a certain point), but God has not granted any of us the right to judge the eternal salvation of ourselves or any others living on earth!

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/08/09

2009 May 8 Fri:Easter Weekday
Acts 13:26-33/ Ps 2:6-7. 8-9. 10-11ab/ Jn 14:1-6

From today’s readings:  “We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our fathers He has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, You are My Son; this day I have begotten You....  I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Paul’s Speech in Antioch of Pisidia (Part II)

The first part of Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (covered yesterday) was an overview of salvation history in the Old Testament, up to the witness of John the Baptist.  The second part of Paul’s speech is a summary of the passion, death, and Resurrection of Christ - the heart of the Gospel!

Remember, this address was given in a Jewish synagogue, so notice that Paul attributes the responsibility of Jesus’ death, not to Jews in general, but only to “the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders [who] failed to recognize Him.”  The scandal of the cross is explained by pointing out how it “fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read Sabbath after Sabbath,” and “what God promised our fathers, He has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus!”  Paul’s quotation of the second psalm (appropriately echoed in the lectionary’s responsorial psalm) is followed by other scripture quotations, but those verses (13:34-43) are omitted from the lectionary.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/07/09

2009 May 7 Thu:Easter Weekday
Acts 13:13-25/ Ps 88(89):2-3. 21-22. 25 and 27/ Jn 13:16-20

From today’s readings:  “From David’s descendants God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus....  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord....  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

Paul’s Speech in Antioch of Pisidia (Part I)

Are you thinking of Christmas eve?  Interestingly enough, the speech that Paul gave in the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia is the second reading for the Christmas vigil!  So, the outline of salvation history which Paul presented is evidently considered ideal by the Church as background reflection material to understand the significance of the birth of Christ.

Paul begins by reviewing the heart of a number of books of the Old Testament:  Exodus (the Passover journey out of Egypt), Joshua (the settlement in the land of Canaan), Judges, Samuel I & II (which include the history of Saul and David, especially the “Messianic promise” of chapter 7 of II Samuel which is referenced in Acts 13:23 “From this man’s descendants, God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior: Jesus!”).

Paul finally then makes reference to John the Baptist, the bridge between the Old and New Testaments.  Paul’s point is that, for the fullest appreciation of our Savior, we need to review the panorama of salvation history, so, inspired by Paul’s words, you and I can today re-commit ourselves to study of both the Old and New Testaments and thereby get the whole story of the history of salvation!

Daily Retreat 05/06/09

2009 May 6 Wed:Easter Weekday
Acts 12:24 -- 13:5a/ Ps 66(67):2-3. 5. 6 and 8/ Jn 12:44-50

From today’s readings:
  “The word of God continued to spread and grow....  May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear Him....  I came into the world as Light, so that everyone who believes in Me might not remain in darkness.”

Spread the Word!

Many bibles include a map of the missionary journeys mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, and consulting such an atlas is extremely helpful in following the work of the Apostles and the spread of the Gospel.  The lectionary verses today recount the beginning of what is often labeled “Paul’s First Missionary Journey,” which continues through the end of chapter 14 of the Acts.  Initially, Paul’s companion Barnabas, who had been a Christian longer (cf. Acts 4:36),  probably took the lead by virtue of his experience, which may explain why the first mission stop was in Cyprus, the native land of Barnabas.  They were also initially accompanied by “John, who is called Mark,” although he returned to Jerusalem at an early stage of the mission (13:13).

This journey marks a crucial turning point in the book of Acts.  Previously, evangelization was mainly the result of the circumstantial travel of the apostles and disciples, especially the dispersion that occurred after the martyrdom of St. Stephen (cf. 8:1ff).  Now, however, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul, driven by ambitious missionary elan, set out to proclaim the gospel to peoples who had never even heard of Jesus!

Evangelizing and proselytizing are crucial hallmarks of Christianity.  If the Apostles had not spent their lives in missionary activity after Christ’s Resurrection, you and I would probably have never had much of an opportunity to welcome Christ’s gospel.  And so, for our part, there should come a similar “turning point” in our own lives, when the Holy Spirit helps us realize that merely “keeping the faith” is NOT enough - we need to share it, and do our part,  so that in this time and place, the word of God continues to spread and grow!

Monday, May 04, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/05/09

2009 May 5 Tue:Easter Weekday
Acts 11:19-26/ Ps 86(87):1b-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Jn 10:22-30

From today’s readings:
  “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians....   Glorious things are said of you, O city of God....  I told you and you do not believe.”


Calling Christians

The Acts of the Apostles recalls that “it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.”  The verse (11:26) marks a milestone of familiarity for all who rejoice in the honor of being called “Christian.”  Antioch was a huge city of over half a million - the only cities larger at the time were Alexandria and Rome.   No wonder that Antioch soon passed Jerusalem and briefly reigned as the most populated city of Christianity (with St. Peter as Bishop!) until surpassed itself by Rome in the latter half of the first century.

It seems the disciples were called “Christians” before they started calling themselves with that title.  In other words, witness to their faith in the risen “Christ” must have been their most prominent characteristic in word and deed.  Some sneering abs refuse to acknowledge Catholics as “Christians,” referring to us instead as  “papists” to insinuate that our religion is pope-centered, instead of Christ-centered.  But that’s no better than dismissing such believers as “biblicists,” intimating that they are bible-centered, instead of Christ-centered!  Neither the papacy nor the bible is professed in the Apostle’s Creed as the object of our faith.

The point is, Christian faith is centered on the person of Christ, and He has given the definitive revelation of the person of God the Father and the person of God the Holy Spirit.  Every other aspect of faith must be ordered under that and must support, but not surpass, focus on the Holy Trinity.  So if a person has misplaced his primary zeal in the papacy, the bible, social justice, Marian devotions, or any other major yet necessarily ancillary element of our faith, the text of Acts is a reminder to live up to our most noble title, the name of “Christian!”

Friday, May 01, 2009

Daily Retreat 05/04/09

2009 May 4 Mon:Easter Weekday
Acts 11: 1-18/ Ps 41(42): 2-3; 43: 3-4/ Jn 10: 1-10

From today’s readings:
  “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too....  I will go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy....  Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep....”

The Gate


Not content with just reading an excerpt from Chapter Ten of John on  “Good Shepherd Sunday,” the Church looks more in depth this week at the Lord’s extended metaphor about the sheepfold and the Good Shepherd.  Interestingly, Jesus also calls Himself, not just the Shepherd, but also the “gate for the sheep.... Whoever enters through Me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly!”  

In general, gates are designed to keep bad things out, and good things in.  Gates are positioned front and center (or at least the main gates are), allowing for clear access and optimal visibility.  So Jesus is the gate to Truth, because in His teaching, He always took care to be clear and accessible, so that by following Him, everyone could be enclosed in the fullness of truth and virtue, and keep sin and error out!

But instead of entering through the Gate of Christ to the fullness of Truth, some claim to have access to Truth through stealth or occult means, or some secret “back door.”  Such people may even study a sampling of Christ’s teachings, and then somehow presume that they know better than Jesus, or, at least that they know better than the Body of Christ, which is the Church!

Others, unwilling to enter the fullness of the Truth, attempt to just sit on the fence.   Even if they profess to recognize Jesus as the source of Truth, they hedge on a full commitment when it comes to leaving behind ALL sin and error which, as Jesus insists, has no place in the Christian sheepfold.

Still others, finding the Gate of Christ solidly shut to their own misconstrued ideas of Truth, futilely attempt to undermine the solid wall of Christ’s teachings.

But remember, there’s a reason for every gate - it was erected specifically to keep the bad out, and the good in, and so that when one is ready to enter, one doesn’t have to steal in furtively, or sit on the fence, or dig through dirt in vainly attempting to undermine the whole wall.

True, on the day of our baptism, all of us Christians decided to enter fully the Gate of Christ.  But ultimately, we’re not locked in - every temptation is a crisis which forces us to either re-commit to stay in Christ’s sheepfold by following His lead, or to go off on our own, to our own peril!  

The Good Shepherd stands as the Gate, first calling His sheep lovingly by name to stay close by Him, then clearly warning those who start to stray.  But still, some sheep insist on rejecting Christ’s voice, running away from Him and thereby tragically treating the Good Shepherd and Guardian of souls like a stranger!  Yet elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus insisted that He diligently seeks out even those sheep who have strayed....

So, there’s a few questions for you and me today: Where are we grazing in relation to the Gate of Christ?  Are we fully in His flock, entirely out of it, or just trying to sit on the fence?  Do we recognize Him as the one Gate to the fullness of Truth, or are we yet looking for an easier way?  Do we follow the Good Shepherd obediently, or have we decided to fend for ourselves by going in a direction He’s warned us not to take?  Are we sheep that have finally found the Good Shepherd because He indeed has sought us and found us?  Or are we sheep still even partially straying, perilously exposing ourselves to wolves and thieves who steal and slaughter and destroy -  lost sheep, while the whole found flock is praying, and Jesus Himself stands ready to open to the fullness of Truth and complete safety, because as He said, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through Me will be saved....”

Daily Retreat 05/03/09

2009 May 3 SUN:FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 4:8-12/ Ps 117(118):1. 8-9. 21-23. 26. 28. 29 (22)/ 1 Jn 3:1-2/ Jn 10:11-18

From today’s readings: “He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.... By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.... Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.... I am the good shepherd, and I know Mine and Mine know me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I will lay down My life for the sheep.”

Good Shepherd Sunday

The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday, because the Gospel reading always is taken from the section in chapter 10 of St. John’s Gospel, in which verses Jesus develops the metaphor of Himself as the Good Shepherd.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Good Shepherd is the disposition to lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus, in fact, mentions this trait several times. So I bring your attention once again to this peculiarity of the Good Shepherd, his readiness to lay down his life for his sheep, because, like so many things Jesus said, the idea itself is disturbingly mind-boggling, but because we’ve all heard it before a number of times, we’ve become too numb to be shaken by the extraordinary words.

For, in the normal order of things, while it’s unquestionably noble and the supreme sacrifice of love for a man to lay down his life for his friends, it’s tragic for any man to lay down his life for mere sheep, whether it’s ten sheep, a hundred sheep, or even a million sheep - there’s no way any number of sheep can be counted as outweighing the life of a single human being.

Now, even the most confused literalist doesn’t believe that Jesus is here espousing a reckless style of actual shepherding, whereby the sheepman is expected, for instance, to be the wolf’s dinner to insure that sheep may safely graze. So, are we then just to dismiss this self-sacrificing aspect of the Good Shepherd as an inappropriately over-driven hyperbole?

Actually, the Lord’s figure of speech is not an exaggeration at all - if anything, it’s actually a restrained understatement to help us fathom the limitless love behind the divine decision that, in the person of Jesus, God Himself would lay down His life, willingly, for the sake of His “sheep,” His creatures, i.e., for you and for me, and for all of humanity.

In his novel Charlotte's Web, E.B. White writes of a spider who lays down her life, who gives her all, so that a runt pig may live. Now, any farmer would, of course, be happy to trade all his resident spiders for any size of pig, no matter how small, and yet, despite the intrinsic worthlessness of her own arachnid life, Charlotte’s self-sacrifice successfully ennobles even the apparent worthlessness of Wilber’s swinish life. That’s the transforming power of self-sacrifice!

To an infinitely higher degree then, the value of human life, which in itself, is already beyond simple human appraisal, was immeasurably ennobled by the inestimable self-sacrifice of the divine life of Jesus. As St. John writes, “Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are!” No longer mere exalted creatures of God - we are God’s children, because the loving self-sacrifice of Jesus has ennobled our very nature!

Jesus, the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. He didn’t throw away His life, His life wasn’t taken from Him! He lays down His life for His sheep, simply so that, in taking it up again, we sheep may have a full share in His divine life!