God's need of us

This Third Friday of Lent finds us about half-way through this annual season of penance. How is it going for you? Have all your New Year's-like resolutions melted away? I hope so! How American: Lent, a time for self-improvement.

A brief dialogue:

You need God and, in a certain and very real way, God needs you.

God needs me?

Yes.

But God is God. Isn't part of being God being self-sufficient?

No, not necessarily. Is creation a wholly superfluous act on God's part? If God were complete and sufficient, why would God create? Can God do without us?

And so it goes. I have an entire section of my dissertation dedicated to this.

Before starting his essay “Creation Out of Love” with the words “God creates out of love,” Paul Fiddes strikes the right note with his epigraph, taken from William Vanstone’s Love’s Endeavour, Love’s Expense: “The activity of God in creation must be vulnerable.”¹ To insist that God created the world “out of love,” according to Fiddes, is not only to offer a reason for creation, but to forward a dangerous proposition, the consequences of which we must be prepared to accept

I pick this up a few paragraphs later after a discussion and attempted rebuttal of what Heidegger asserts in his first lecture on metaphysics about how believing in God begs the question of Being:

The dangerous proposition Fiddes forwards, which he rightly observes seems “theologically outrageous” to certain Christians, is that “a God who creates ‘out of love’ has needs to be satisfied.”² This assertion can be explained straightforwardly by means of an analogy. The analog is human love. “A loving God,” Fiddes insists, “needs response from some kind of created world, and especially from personal beings who are outside the internal life of God.”³ The first move Fiddes makes to bolster this audacious claim is to invoke a poem by a seventeenth century English poet, Thomas Traherne:

        Want in God is a treasure to us.
        For had there been no Need He would not hav Created the World,
        not Made us…Wants Satisfied Produce infinit Joys.”³

Fiddes quickly parts ways with Traherne, however, by denying that God’s infinite needs are eternally met because such an assertion once again renders creation superfluous, not even seeing creation as icing on the cake, but perhaps amounting to but a few sprinkles

Anyway, something to think about. I will add that all our talk about God being relational has to have some concrete meaning.

This, I think, helps explain why Lent can never mainly be about me reaching out to God. Rather, by the practice of the three fundamental spiritual disciplines that constitute part of any genuinely Christian spirituality, I clear some space, not for God to work, but to experience God who is always already at work.

Last Sunday morning, driving home from Church after leading a conversation with the Elect of our parish (i.e., adults who will be baptized at Easter) on Salvation, I heard this song by one of my favorite groups, the Welsh band The Alarm. So, "Rescue Me" is our traditio for today.

God not only wants but needs to save you, redeem you, sanctify you, conform you into the image of Christ, which is the full realization of your humanity, which, in turn, is the point of the incarnation.

---

1 Paul Fiddes, “Creation Out of Love,” in The Work of Love: Creation as Kenosis, ed. John Polkinghorne, 167.^↩
2 Ibid.^↩
3 "Creation Out of Love," 169.^↩

"despondent: in low spirits from loss of hope or courage"

Today my frustration level is through the roof! This is the second day in a row that is the case. Ever have times when it feels like the whole world is against you? Well, I am in the midst of one of those times. Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me, right?

Earlier today I had an idea for another nice post on Brother David Steindl-Rast's book on gratefulness. I am not going to write it because I don't feel very grateful today. In other words, I am not very faith-filled, hopeful, or loving. I guess I could be grateful that this, too, shall pass. The only problem is, when things get like this, I am not sure it will pass.

I often wonder if the assault is simply to turn me into a big, ill-tempered bastard. Once that happens, I will have made the required change. In other words, why do I resist? I am not sure resistance is futile. I am sure it is hugely exhausting.

I was a guest on a podcast this week. Hosted by our wonderful principal, Simon McFall, Conversations from Saint Olaf Catholic School is fun way to communicate within our community and beyond. Since this week in Catholic Schools week, our parish school devoted one day, Thursday, to vocations. I was the fill-in guest. Despite my responses not being terribly eloquent, I am posting a link anyway. The episode is "Thursday of Catholic Schools Week." Enjoy!

As far as a our traditio for today, I am reaching way back: The Kinks with "Destroyer."

I'm not going to lie. Today was a very difficult day at the end of a rough week. I am okay, no need to worry. If you can muster it, say a prayer for me. Thanks.

Queenship of Mary

One week after the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Roman Catholics celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary. From a Catholic perspective, there are four major Church teachings about the Blessed Virgin: Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, Queenship. As the Virgin's Assumption is the fourth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, Mary's Coronation as Queen of Heaven is the fifth and final Glorious mystery. The fruit of that mystery is trust in the Blessed Mother's intercession.

It's nice that this year that both Mary's Assumption and her Queenship fall on Saturdays. Traditionally, Saturdays are a day of the week devoted to Mary. And so, when not superseded by a mandatory memorial, feast, or solemnity, the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be prayed on Saturdays.

When one considers the multitude of factors that contribute to the decline of faith and religious practice, it's reasonable to see the decline in devotion to Mary as one factor. Practices like praying the Rosary daily and making frequent recourse to Mary by praying the Memorare are two of the most widespread Marian devotions.

Far from being a meek and unobtrusive figure, Mary should be seen as brave and bold, perhaps a bit brash. I am puzzled that whenever her Magnificat is the Gospel reading, the preaching rarely focuses on its prophetic message:

He has shown the strength of his arm.
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and the rich he has sent away empty

Mary is on the side of the lowly, the poor, the oppressed, the outcast. As a Jewish woman, one who turned up unexpectedly pregnant, in a conquered society, she understands, experientially, what this means.

Pope Francis's devotion to the Blessed Virgin reflects all this. Before and after each of his Apostolic trips, the Holy Father goes to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. There before Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani (i.e., Protectress of the Roman People), he asks her intercession for the success of his journey. After his trip, he returns to thank her, usually bringing her flowers. All Roman Catholics, along with all Christians in communion with Rome, constitute the Roman people.

So, beginning today, make recourse to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, trust her with your concerns and petitions. The easiest way to do this by praying the Rosary- start with the Glorious mysteries. Learn the Angelus and the Memorare.

"pray always without becoming weary"

It is not enough to say "You should be persistent in prayer because Jesus said you should." This is never a satisfactory answer. Rather, the question that must be asked is "Why would Jesus teach his followers that they must be persistent in prayer?" The fact that he did teach this in a variety of ways is plain enough.

To be clear, in today's Gospel Jesus is clearly teaching about intercessory and petitionary prayer. In other words, he is teaching about the kind of prayer in which you ask God for something either for yourself or someone else. Notice that it is not a question as to whether or not you should ask God for things. You should.

Of course, God doesn't always give us what we ask for. We should be grateful for this. Other times God answers our prayers in the most unexpected ways. By unexpected, I mean in a way different than you imagine he will. You see, it is not atypical to pray to God for a specific outcome and also seek to dictate to God, or at least imagine, just how you would like to see your desired outcome come to pass. In other words, very often we seek to dictate to God not only ends but means. This is very different from asking.

Persistence in prayer is not required because God isn't paying attention the first 10 times we ask. Persistence is prayer is not required because God likes us to beg for what we receive. Persistence in prayer is not required because there is a magic number of times we must ask to achieve our desired result. Persistence in prayer is not required because God doesn't know what we want and what we need.

My take on the need to be persistent in prayer is that it boils down to two things. First, persistence in prayer teaches us how to pray. We are to pray always in the will of God. Second, it teaches us what we should pray for in a given instance. Being persistent in prayer helps you determine both the form and content of a petitionary prayer.

My will is not God's will. For example, for someone who is sick, it makes sense to pray that God will heal them. Of course, God does not always do this. However, as the sacrament of anointing of the sick makes clear, taking its cue from the Gospel, especially passages like the one that was our reading last Sunday (see Luke 17:11-19), there is a healing we all need that is greater than our need for physical healing.

Sometimes it is God's will to heal a person. Other times it is not. Sometimes healing is realized through the course of medical treatment. Other times it happens suddenly and miraculously. I was fascinated to read about the second miracle that occurred through the intercession of Saint John Henry Newman, the miracle that allowed him to be made a saint:

Melissa Villalobos, a Northwestern Law School graduate who, in 2013, was pregnant with her fourth child when she began bleeding from what doctors determined was a blood clot wedged between the placenta and the uterine wall. This condition imperiled the life of both mother and unborn child, and her doctors had no medical or surgical solution. At one point, when Villalobos found herself lying in a widening pool of blood on her bathroom floor, she prayed to Newman, to whom she had developed a strong devotion. Within minutes the hemorrhaging stopped. Days later her doctors told her that she and her child were medically safe—and that they could not explain the sudden and complete healing. Neither could the teams of doctors who examined her case for the church’s canon lawyers (see "An Improbable Saint")

One of my favorite Gospel passages is about the paralytic man who, waiting outside the house where Jesus was healing, had his friends lift his stretcher to the roof and then lower him down in front of the Lord. Seeing him, the Lord tells him, "Child, your sins are forgiven." This is the healing the man really needed. But grasping that some in the room thought him a blasphemer for claiming to forgive sins, Jesus physically healed the man, saying- "But that you [the ones doubting he could forgive sins] may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth... I say to you [the paralytic], rise, pick up your mat, and go home" (see Mark 2:1-12).

Whenever someone asks me to pray for for them or for someone else I want to know the name of the person for whom I am praying. I also want to know some particulars of the situation. I need context to be able to pray for that person with any efficacy. It's only praying for someone over time, staying in contact with them, even through a proxy, that I come to know how should pray for them and for what I am praying with some degree of specificity. So, I check with people on the condition of the one for whom I have agreed to pray.

During Lent of 2018, in one of his homilies for daily Mass, Pope Francis preached on how to pray for someone. His words are truly those of someone who is speaking from experience and not merely the postulation of a theory (see "Pope at Mass: 'Prayer requires courage and patience'"). The Holy Father spoke of the need to pray for what you want from your heart. Pull no punches. Tell God what you want and why you want it. Next, you must be courageous and patient in your prayer. Finally, your heart must be concerned for the person or petition you bring before God: "If I want the Lord to listen to my requests, I must return, and return again, to knock at the door of God’s heart, since my own heart is committed to [this petition]! But if my heart is not concerned for this need, or the person for whom I am praying, neither will it be capable of courage and patience."

It is a commitment to agree to pray for someone. Unless you're willing to commit, then don't agree to do it. As Pope Francis said in his homily: "We cannot promise someone we will pray for them, pray only an Our Father and a Hail Mary, and then leave it at that. No. If you agree to pray for someone else, you must take this [other] path. And patience is needed."

You should agree to pray for others whenever you can. In fact, you should always be praying for someone. Fasting can also help focus in on what you should pray for on someone else's behalf.

There are a few petitions for specific people I have prayed lifted to God daily for years. If nothing else, it is by praying constantly and persistently to God, our loving Father, our just and merciful judge, that we ensure there is faith on earth.

Ramblings mental and physical

A bit later this morning I am headed to New Mexico to lead a retreat for some of my brother deacons who serve in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. If I am honest, I find it a bit nerve-racking. So, I would appreciate any prayers you might utter on my behalf, especially those to the Blessed Virgin. Perhaps consider saying a Memorare for me?

The retreat is taking place at Our Lady of Guadalupe Benedictine monastery in Pecos. The reason for my nervousness is that I have only led one deacon retreat prior to this. It was four years ago and for my brother deacons of my own diocese.

Chapel, Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, Pecos, NM

In both instances I was asked to lead the retreat on short notice because the original leader had to cancel. This retreat I agreed to do it on two weeks notice. This is not a complaint. Once I get over myself, which usually takes some doing, I am happy to step up and let myself be challenged. 

Beyond the retreat- though partially impacted by my decision to lead it- it's been a really difficult couple of weeks. I pray that this weekend's break in my routine might prove helpful in this regard. If nothing else, these past few weeks have reinforced the message I plan to deliver to my brother deacons: spiritual discipline is very important.

Our Friday traditio is a lovely Gregorian chant version of the Salve Regina. It bears noting that today the Church remembers and celebrates the Korean martyrs Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions.

Inclining the ear of my heart

Without much thought and really no deliberation, the importance of the three fundamental spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving have really re-asserted themselves to me during this Lent. Up to this point, I have written a lot about the discipline of fasting. Central to my view of fasting is that it is properly practiced by eating and drinking less, or even not all for a specified period of time, but only if one is able to do so without harming one's health. Don't worry! This is not another post about fasting.

On this First Friday of Lent, I want to briefly address the spiritual discipline of prayer. Specifically, the need for silence when praying. Silence is often the fruit of prayer, how one brings a period dedicated to prayer to an end. Silence is also important when you are in the thick of prayer. It is often observed that God's first language in silence. If we take this observation with the seriousness it deserves, then prayer becomes the venue and the method for learning the divine language. You need to be quiet so you can hear. You need to hear in order to listen.

The Rule of St. Benedict famously begins with these words: Obsculta, o fili, praecepta magistri, et inclina aurem cordis tui, et admonitionem pii patris libenter excipe et efficaciter comple... The late Boniface Verheyen translates this: "Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father..." A good rule for prayer is that you should spend at least as much time in silence as you do speaking, even you're not speaking out loud. Stated another way, as in any balanced conversation, you should listen at least as much as you speak, if not more.

In his book Anam Cara, the late John O'Donohue insightfully notes: "True listening brings us in touch even with that which is unsaid and unsayable." Indeed, silence is often more eloquent than any words could ever be. "Sometimes," O'Donohue continues, "the most important threshold of mystery are places of silence." More to the point I am trying to make, this priest/poet/mystic insists that if you want to "be genuinely spiritual" you must have "great respect for the possibilities and presence of silence." Just as compassion for others flows from listening to God, fasting helps in developing this respect.

In our day, silence is very difficult. We live in a noisy world, one that is full of distractions. Prayer, fasting, and alms-giving are the keys to a holy and fruitful Lent. Silence is an essential ingredient.

Since St Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday this year, it takes a backseat. This is more than alright. Without the resurrection of Christ, which we celebrate every Sunday, even during Lent, which is why Sundays do not count against the forty days of this penitential season, there would be no St Patrick and so no feast day for this Pan-Celtic saint. Flogging Molly singing "A Prayer for Me in Silence is our Friday traditio:

"Beware the Ides of March!"

Concerns about North Korea's nuclear capabilities

While U.S.'s bellicosity over the past few decades has often deeply troubled as well as puzzled me strategically (it seems we have gotten into the habit of instigating more chaos than we quell, resulting in too many civilians being killed, harmed, and displaced- ONE is too many, ideally), I do not believe we should stand idly by while the DPRK acquires nuclear weapons and a robust and increasingly accurate means of delivering them.

I like very much this statement by Defense Secretary (Gen) James Mattis. It is clear, concise, and reasonable. Above all, it expresses a desire for peace. Let's de-nuclearize, if I may use that clunky term, the Korean Peninsula and then start helping North Korea become a responsible state by taking care of its people.

While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth. The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates

As Secretary Tillerson noted recently and publicly, speaking to North Korean leadership, which has even taken to isolating itself from China: "We are not your enemies."

For those who want to dismiss Gen Mattis and most of the military top-brass as run-of-the-mill neo-cons, you're wrong. Neither are they part of some "deep state" conspiracy. I've heard some people suggest this about Gen Mattis with regard to Iran. It might be useful to know that GCC states identify Iran as their greatest threat and have for decades. It would not be a good thing for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons either, but that is another issue for another day.

The U.S. military is under civilian control. The JCS provides the best military advice they can to the president and the rest of the National Command Authority. However, the president is free to heed or disregard.

U.S. Secretary of Defense, (Gen.) James Mattis

Someone asked smugly, "So, is North Korea the new thing we're supposed to be scared of?" I wouldn't say scared at this point. But let's see, North Korea's development of nukes has gone on apace with significant progress over several decades. Every administration during that time has had moments of tension with North Korea and attempted to dissuade and/or deter them from so doing without success, but not despite trying and probably not without delaying them. As anyone who follows the news knows, North Korea is currently working on a nuclear-capable ICBM and making progress, as their recent robust testing regime demonstrates. This would give them the capability of "nuking" the United States, which they have (unsurprisingly) identified as a target. Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't we freak out when Cuba requested the Soviet Union put nukes on that island in 1962? So much so we were willing to risk war? Thank God it didn't result in such a horror.

For anyone who thinks resuming the Korean War is in any way akin to Afghanistan or other recent Middle Eastern (mis-) adventures, you're badly mistaken. Simply using their existing conventional weapons capability, the North Koreans launching a first strike would decimate Seoul very quickly. What is very alarming about Kim Jong-Un is that he has isolated himself far more than his father or grandfather ever did, even from China. I am not sure the hard-press we're putting on right now is the best idea because it is escalating an always-volatile situation, but that's not my call. I would like Russia and China to chime in too, more than just voting to impose further sanctions, which they did today. While it may be a bit early to be scared, this is certainly news and something we should be interested in and concerned about.

In any case, if you believe in God, please pray for a peaceful resolution to this tense state-of-affairs, which means North Korea stopping its missile-testing and sitting down at the negotiating table, not just with the U.S., but perhaps a new round of Five Party talks (North Korea, South Korea, Russia, China, U.S.). Whether you voted for, like or loathe, President Trump, pray for him on this (and other matters), as well as those who advise him, and those who carry out diplomacy. I think it is worth praying that no more countries acquire nuclear weapons and that countries that currently possess such weapons will work together to reduce them with an eye towards eliminating them altogether. At the end of the day, a peacefully realized nuclear weapon-free Korean Peninsula is a worthy goal.

Unlike at least one Christian leader, I don't believe God has given President Trump sanction to take out Kim Jong-Un, or start a war, especially one involving nuclear weapons, which would be the height of insanity. I do believe in praying for our leaders as they face the challenges of leadership, praying for a lasting peace, the end of nuclear proliferation, as well as the reduction and eventual elimination of nuclear weapons.

Holyrood Embering: Observing Holy Cross Ember Week

Tomorrow, Monday, 14 September, is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which makes this week an Ember Week. Historically Christians in the Western Church observe Ember Weeks by fasting and/or abstaining on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Days of fasting and/or abstinence only amount to a diet plan when not accompanied by more time spent in prayer and concrete acts of charity (i.e., selflessly doing things for other people). Observing Ember Days is no no longer obligatory for Roman Catholics. However, Ember Days were not abolished after the Second Vatican Council.

Ember days were uniformly set forth for the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Clermont in AD 1095, the same council at which Pope Urban II called forth the First Crusade. As a result, there was a Latin mnemonic: Dant Crux, Lucia, Cineres, Charismata Dia/Ut sit in angariâ quarta sequens feria. From this we received the English mnemonic: "Fasting days and Emberings be Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie." "Holyrood" refers to the Feast of the Holy Cross, the occasion for making this week an Ember Week.

In addition to fasting and prayer, we are encouraged to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance during Ember weeks by going to confession. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal calls for bishops in various countries where the Church is present to set forth Ember Days and provide texts for their celebration.

Due to all the criticism, often exaggerated and unjust, of the Second Vatican Council when it comes to such matters, I firmly believe that what the Council Fathers and Bl Pope Paul VI, who was given the arduous task of the implementing the Council, were seeking was not to abolish these tried and true means of spiritual and ecclesial growth, but to promote spiritual maturity among the faithful not by laying heavy burdens on them, but issuing an invitation. It seems obvious to me that prayer and fasting are precisely what we need more of, along with a reduction in rancor.

I invite you to join me this week, not because you have to, or out of a guilt-ridden sense of obligation, which is foreign to Christianity, but because it is a great opportunity. I also invite you fast and pray for the upcoming Synod on the Family, which is my intention this week.

Divine Mercy Novena: Day One

"On Good Friday, 1937, Jesus requested that [St.] Faustina make a special novena before the Feast of [Divine] Mercy, from Good Friday through the following Saturday. [Jesus] dictated the intentions for each day. By means of a specific prayer she was to bring to His Heart a different group of souls each day and thus immerse them in the ocean of His mercy, begging the Father - on the strength of Jesus' Passion - for graces for them."

Because the Lord commanded St. Faustina to write down the specific prayer intentions for each of the nine days of the novena, it seems that His intention was for others to pray the Divine Mercy novena as well.

Today, then, is the first day of the Divine Mercy novena. "It is greatly recommended that the" novena prayer intention for each day "be said together with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, since Our Lord specifically asked for a novena of Chaplets, especially before the Feast of [Divine] Mercy." For those who do not know, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed on normal rosary beads. You can click on either of the two links to see in what prayers the Chaplet is made up.

Day 1: "Today bring to Me all mankind especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in my bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges me."

Prayer:

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen

For the intentions of and prayers for the remaining 8 days, please go here.

To be open to Jesus requires self-judgment

Back on 11 December, during his weekly Wednesday audience, Pope Francis delivered his final catechesis on the Creed with a reflection on the statement, "I believe in eternal life." Befitting Advent, he narrowed this down further to speaking about the Last, or Final, Judgment. According to the ancient teaching of the Church, taken directly from the words of our Lord Himself, this Final, or General, Judgment will occur when Christ returns in glory "to judge the living and the dead." This will be the time of the resurrection. As the Holy Father noted, it is difficult not to contemplate this day with fear.

Nonetheless, as Christians, it is a day to be eagerly awaited, excitedly anticipated, not feared. Really, for us, now, while Advent is certainly about celebrating and solemnly commemorating the Incarnation of the Son of God more than 2,000 years ago, it is more about awakening in ourselves the hope that this same Jesus will return in glory, to revivify living in the awareness of the end for which we are created, redeemed, and are, even now, striving to attain, namely union with God.

It should not be a day that Christians think about fearfully. Pope Francis noted,

the testimony of the first Christian communities resounds ever so evocatively. In fact, they usually accompanied the celebrations and prayers with the acclamation Maranatha, an expression composed of two Aramaic words which, according to how they are pronounced, may be understood as a supplication: “Come, Lord!”, or as a certainty nourished by faith: “Yes, the Lord is coming, the Lord is near”. The whole of Christian revelation culminates in this exclamation, at the conclusion of the marvellous contemplation which is offered to us by John in Revelation (cf. 22:20). In that case, it is the Church as bride who, on behalf of all humanity and as its first fruits, addresses herself to Christ her Bridegroom, looking forward to be enfolded in his embrace: Jesus’ embrace, which is the fullness of life and the fullness of love

Christ the Judge, Chapel of San Brizio in Orvieto, Italy

Referring back to our present striving to fulfill the very end for which we exist, the realization of our destiny, and our need to awake from our slumber and live sub specie aeternatatis, the Pontiff went on to say something that all of us need to hear:

this final judgement is already in progress, it begins now over the course of our lives. Thus judgement is pronounced at every moment of life, as it sums up our faith in the salvation which is present and active in Christ, or of our unbelief, whereby we close in upon ourselves. But if we close ourselves to the love of Jesus, we condemn ourselves. Salvation is to open oneself to Jesus, it is he who saves us. If we are sinners — and we all are — we ask him for forgiveness and if we go to him with the desire to be good, the Lord forgives us. But for this we must open ourselves to Jesus’ love, which is stronger than all else. Jesus’ love is great, Jesus’ love is merciful, Jesus’ love forgives; but you have to open yourself and to open oneself means to repent, to accuse oneself of the things that are not good and which we have done. The Lord Jesus gave himself and he continues to give himself to us, in order to fill us with all of the mercy and grace of the Father. We then, in a certain sense, can become judges of ourselves, by condemning ourselves to exclusion from communion with God and with the brethren. We must not grow weary, then, of keeping watch over our thoughts and our attitudes, in order that we may be given even now a foretaste of the warmth and splendour of God’s Face — and this will be beautiful — which in eternal life we shall contemplate in all its fullness

The Lord is coming, make straight His path. Or, put another way, Are you ready? There are still some days left in Advent. So, if you've been running around, caught up in the craziness, perhaps this weekend you can slow down, take a breath, be quiet and do something as simple as meditatively pray the Joyful Mysteries of Rosary, looking up and reading the Scriptural passages in St. Luke's Gospel that pertain to each Mystery and, above all, focusing on the fruits of these Mysteries (humility, love of neighbor, poverty, obedience, and the joy of finding Jesus). Most importantly, examine your conscience and go to confession.

On the eve of the Conclave

Dear sisters and brothers, the Conclave is near. It is time to pray and fast, nothing else, just that.

O God, eternal shepherd,

who govern your flock with

   unfailing care,

grant in your boundless fatherly love

a pastor for your Church

who will please you by his holiness

and to us show watchful care.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ,

   your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the

    unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Good news on the cause for Cora Evans' sainthood

For my dear reader who is seeking and asking me to seek the intercession of the Servant of God Cora Louise Evans, a LDS convert to the Catholic faith, who became a mystic, and for Lori, who has also come to the assistance of this dear sister, I have some very good news, brought to my attention by a very dear friend, who is a sister, Marymargaret.

A Catholic News Agency report filed on Friday afternoon by Valerie Schmalz from San Francisco announced that the Holy See has paved the way for a complete investigation into the cause for Cora's canonization. In a letter dater 29 March 2012, the Prefect of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, Angelo Cardinal Amato, granted the necessary nihil obstat for “the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Cora Louise Evans.” Lest we get too carried away, there is no certainly she will ultimately be raised to the altar, but the way has been opened for her cause to proceed. In Schmalz's words, "The Vatican has approved a complete investigation into the cause of sainthood of a former Mormon wife and mother who reported visions of Jesus and a mission to promote “The Mystical Humanity of Christ.”

Cardinal Amato's letter was written to Bishop Richard Garcia of Diocese of Monterey in California, who is the ordinary of the place where Cora ended her mortal life and so the one who permitted and promoted her cause going forward up to this point.


According to Schmalz, Bishop Garcia has appointed Marianist Father David Schuyler to take testimony of approximately eight eye witnesses, including Evans’ daughter. In addition to the interviews, "A theological review of Evans’ writings will begin and a historical commission will collect relics and other materials. The completed dossier will be sent to Rome."

Servant of God Cora Louise Evans

I first wrote about Cora in June 2011. In that post, Cora Evans, Servant of God, I noted that it was San Francisco's current archbishop, His Excellency George Niederauer, formerly the bishop of Salt Lake City (who ordained your blogger), who gave his imprimatur to the Prayer for the Intercession of Cora Evans. The prayer was composed by her long-time confessor and spiritual director, Fr. Frank Parrish, S.J. I encourage any who read this blog to bring any particular needs to Cora, asking for her intercession. Below is the approved prayer:

First - Visit the Blessed Sacrament

Cora prayed that she would be given the same gift as Saint Thérèse, the Little Flower, spending her heaven on earth doing good. But, first visit the Blessed Sacrament.

Second - The Prayer - Ask Cora to intercede in your behalf

Dearest Jesus, You blessed Cora Evans with many supernatural mystical gifts as a means of drawing us to a deeper and more intimate union with your Sacred Heart through Your Divine Indwelling, Your Mystical Humanity. I ask You through her intercession to help me in my special request (name the favor) and my efforts to do Your will here on earth and be with You, Your Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph and the whole Court of Heaven forever.

Third - Say three times

For more on the Servant of God Cora Louise Evans, just on her picture located on the right-side of this blog. Please, do not hesitate to seek her intercession, especially for those who are tempted to leave the Catholic faith, but also for any need.

Novena to St. Peter Julian Eymard and miscellania

Today begins the novena to St. Peter Julian Eymard, the apostle of the Eucharist and founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. This particular order has been such a blessing to me for many years. One of my dearest and  most beloved friends, my long-time confessor and spiritual director, Fr. J.T. Lane belongs to this congregation, as does my first confessor, the late and dearly remembered Fr. Maurice Prefontaine. My life has also been very blessed by Frs. Dana Pelotte and Mike Arkins, as well as Bro. David. I am so sad that the Congregation's St. Ann's province no longer has a presence in the western U.S., especially here in Salt Lake City where they are still very beloved and missed.

St. Peter Julian's feast day is 2 August. So, the annual novena to him commences today and finishes Monday, 1 August. So, if you have a specific need or intention, whether it's personal, or for someone else, please join in praying this novena, asking St. Peter Julian to intercede for your need. Bring whatever, whether for discernment, health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), a job, school, whatever. During these nine days, visit the Blessed Sacrament as often as you can, especially if doing so results in you making some personal sacrifice. Also consider closing the novena by going to confession during this time and assisting at Mass on 2 August.

Novena prayer, prayed daily for nine days:

Saint Peter Julian, who listened with such loving response to the voice of Jesus, help us also to listen and hear Him as He calls us to serve Him each in our own vocation. Help us especially during this Novena when we turn with our petitions to your powerful intercession.

(intentions… mention in the quietness of your own heart).

Lord Jesus Christ, through Your grace, St. Peter Julian understood the Eucharist to be Your Gift of Self to the world. May our prayers lead us to an ardent love of the Eucharist so that, like St. Peter Julian, we may shine in the world with the Radiance of Your Presence, a radiance that will silently say:

Jesus is there- let us go to Him!

St. Peter Julian, Apostle of the Eucharist, pray for us.

Day 1, 24 July:

O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Our Lady of the most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
St. Peter Julian, pray for us.

Peter Julian Eymard was born on 4 February 1811 in La Mure d’Isere near Grenoble in the French Alps, and was baptised there the following day. The younger of only two surviving children of his parents, Madeleine and Julien, he showed a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament from his earliest years. As a small child, he took on the task of ringing a bell through the streets of La Mure to announce that Mass time was near. This was indeed prophetic as his whole life would eventually be dedicated to proclaiming Jesus’ Eucharistic Presence in the world and encouraging devotion to Him.

AND YOU LITTLE CHILD, YOU SHALL BE CALLED PROPHET OF GOD THE MOST HIGH FOR YOU WILL GO BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR HIM. TO GIVE TO THE PEOPLE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION… (Luke 1:76-77).

St Peter Julian,
We pray that through your intercession and inspired by your example, people may be drawn to honour and join Jesus in the Eucharistic celebration, and that those who have drifted away may once again find fullness of joy in His Presence.

St. Peter Julian, pray for us.

See Blessed Sacrament novena webpage.

Miscellania

I visited a suburban Barnes and Noble because you can very often find really great books in the remainder bins of these stores. I picked up A Roland Barthes Reader, complied by the late Susan Sontag. This contains several Barthes' works I have not previously read. The real gem I unearthed was a copy of James L. Kugel's How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture Then and Now. Kugel is an Orthodox Jew and world renown biblical scholar who now lives and teaches in Jerusalem. Dr. Kugel has a remarkable website, which will appear in my sidebar. I also acquired a very inexpensive copy of John Leland's Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think). Finally, I bought A Daybook of Prayer: Meditations, Scriptures, and Prayers to Draw Near to the Heart of God, which is a wonderful anthology. When I will have the leisure to read them remains unknown.

Because love conquered death, despair cannot erase hope

Just about every year someone I know commits suicide. Not a few times they have been people close to me, even touching my own family. Other times it has been people I have come to know in various other ways. It is always indescribably sad and scary. I cannot imagine how bereft of hope a person must be to take her/his own life.

I learned this morning that a parishioner sought relief from suffering in death last night. In the face of such a great tragedy, we are comforted by these words from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives" (par. 2283). So, I ask your prayers this morning for her to Our Lady of Sorrows, who is so full of grace and love for us, especially her wayward and lost ones. I also ask you to pray for her husband and two young daughters. She suffered from really devastating depression for a long time. Hence, let us also invoke the intercession of St. Dymphna on her behalf.

I'll end this post by noting that "[w]e are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for [God's] honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of" (par. 2280). Life is the supreme gift of love given us by God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All the factors involved in any suicide are known to God and God alone, thus we commend Billy to God's mercy and pray for her, even as we comfort those she left behind. Especially in the face of tragedy and devastation, we are to be heralds of hope, witnesses to the infinite mercy and love of God, "who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all" (Rom. 8:32). In this same verse, in light of the fact that God not only gave his Son up for us, but raised him from the dead for us, St. Paul asks rhetorically "will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" The only way to bear our suffering and to allow God to use it for our salvation and that of the whole world is to unite whatever we suffer with the sufferings of Christ Jesus. Otherwise, we are liable to succumb to despair, which is the most devastating weapon in the arsenal of our enemy, who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour," even when we factor in depression and other natural causes (1 Peter 5:8). Jesus Christ gives us hope by giving himself for us and to us. He is our hope.

It is weird that preaching, teaching, and blogging about the role suffering plays in our salvation has been laid so heavily on my heart this past month or so. It is a message that needs to be heard, understood, and put into practice in our lives.

Notes and ramblings for a Sunday morning

Liturgically, Sunday trumps all saints memorials and feasts, but then each Sunday is All Saints. Today is the day on which we memorialize St. Francis of Assisi, a deacon of the church. As my wife and I walked through the mission here in Carmel yesterday afternoon, she purchased a medal of Bl. Junípero Serra, a son of St. Francis, as was Fr. Escalante, who first journeyed through Utah.

I also think of my dear friend Sara, who I miss terribly. She just began her formation to become a Poor Clare. The Poor Clares were founded by St. Clare, Francis' companion and friend. The charism of the Poor Clares is to pray for the apostolate, for the active works of spreading the Gospel in the world.

Mission Carmel by the Sea
From the end of the Prayer of St. Francis.:

"For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

Easy words to utter, but far more difficult to live. Francis' prayer exemplifies well the exhortation he is credited with giving his friars: "It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching." He also said something that forms a deep part of my personal spirituality: "Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self."

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
St. Francis, pray for us
St. Clare, pray for us
St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us
St. Bonaventure, pray for us
Bl. Junípero Serra, pray for us

I seek the intercessions of our Blessed Mother, Mary, along with those of the Franciscan family and for my sister, who is getting married today here in Carmel.

While I am on the subject of spreading the Gospel, I also seek the intercession of Holy Mary and the saints, especially St. Mary Magdalene, along with Sts. Francis and Clare, for Dr.Douglas O’Neill, his wife Dr. Sujin Yoon, and Mr. Hines Vaughn, Jr., who are being received into the Church today at The Cathedral of the Madeleine by His Excellency, Bishop William K. Weigand, formerly the bishop of Salt Lake City, who retired as bishop of Sacramento earlier this year.

How are you doing on praying the rosary so far this month? Sunday is always a good reboot day! Today we pray the Glorious mysteries.

I also want to both congratulate and express my gratitude to my friend, Deacon Greg Kandra, who links to this humble blog from his on-line endeavor The Deacon's Bench, which is now featured on beliefnet.

Veni Sancti Spiritus, veni per Mariam.

Monday and the world awaits

It is Monday, a new week dawned yesterday and the world awaits us this morning. Strengthened by our Sunday Eucharist, it is time for us to go forth, as we were sent, and usher in God's kingdom today. On the whole, it is no small task. However, it is done by many small tasks, motivated by love, throughout the day and week. Always, but especially during this month, we have recourse to our Blessed Mother. Do not forget the Memorare and/or the rosary today.

Please pray for those young people in your parish who are preparing to continue or complete their Christian initiation by receiving the sacrament of confirmation and making their First Communion. If possible, get a list and pray for them by name. If not, just pray for them as a group.

Remember to pray with intention, to ask for what you need and to lift up others in prayer. Be specific about what you ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for on your behalf. Only in this way can you come to know that her intercession is efficacious.

Veni Sancti Spiritus, veni per Mariam.

"The losers in this globalization game are the migrants themselves"

On the day he had surgery (i.e., yesterday), the Salt Lake Tribune published an editorial by our bishop, John Wester, on the issue of immigration. What Bishop Wester consistently shows is that what needs to be happening with regards to this highly-charged issue is at once clear-headed, compassionate, and practical. His editorial is entitled Migrants should be more than pawns in the game. The thing that really puts Catholic social teaching in contrast with so many other views on this issue is the insistence, on the part of Bishop Wester and other bishops, on not only recognizing, but putting the humanity of migrants at the center of the debate.

Bishop John Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City
"the United States receives the benefit of their toil and taxes without having to worry about protecting their rights, either in the courtroom or the workplace. When convenient, they are made political scapegoats and attacked -- both rhetorically and through work-site raids -- as if they were not human.

"Under this system, Mexico wins financially as well, as the country receives up to $20 billion in remittances per year without having to pay attention to the lower rungs of the economy."

Please keep Bishop Wester in your prayers, pray for his full recovery, for all afflicted with cancer, and pray that we can realize that justice and compassion are not mutually exclusive. Good Friday is a good time to pray for the alleviation of suffering and freedom for the oppressed.

More vexation on the Feast of St. Joseph

A friend from Brazil, Adriano, writes in reply to my first post on the very troubling series of events in Brazil:

"Fisichella did a bad work.

"He was not well informed about what was really going [on] here in Brazil. He was right when he talked of the need of protecting the girl and her family, but he was [poorly] informed about the rest.

"Our pro aborti[on] politic[ian]s, doctors and activists will keep his letter to justify their future 'social abortions'.

"The message sent: the church is a mess, with poor communications, abortions are endorsed in th[ese] cases.

"Dom Jose was trying to save the 3 children. Last week a girl [who was] 11 gave birth here, helped by the local church, she is well. She was raped, too.

"The doctors who performed the abortion, were from a staff of abortists, with political connections and interests.

"Only they say she was immediatly in danger."

To which I replied:

Adriano:

Thank you for further enlightening us from your closer view of the matter. I would urge you to read my follow-up post on this very troubling series of events. In the end, the thing that Fisichella spoke out against was the very public way in which the local ordinary handled the matter. He conceded that those who procured and performed the abortions were excommunicated latae sententiae. I think, as you suggest, he was asking to see and hear more compassion for the 9 year-old girl, who is a victim many times over in this horrid series of events. As with here in the States, all that was likely heard in Rome was the archbishop's condemnation.

Also, after looking into things further, I cannot reconcile the abortions even using the principle of double effect because the good effect (i.e., saving the girl's life) went through the bad effect (i.e., the abortions). At the end of the day, I regret posting anything on this at all. However, I do not want to be a revisionist. So, I will leave these posts confusions and convolutions and all. I am grateful for you and Joseph for constructively engaging me. So, thank you for your clarification and correction. Like Archbishop Fisichella, I do not want to encourage those who do not look at human life from the proper perspective.

Adriano also passes along the link to a letter written and signed by the Archdiocese of Olina and Recife's chancellor, vicar general, archdiocesan seminary rector, attorney, and the priest within whose parish the abortions were conducted, in response to Archbishop Fisichella's article, setting forth the pastoral care and concern taken for the girl, her mother, and everyone involved, as well as making some clarifications and corrections as to matters of fact to the L'Osservatore Romano article .

On this, the Feast of St. Joseph, let us pray to him on behalf of this young girl and on behalf of her step-father, whose rape was the cause of all that followed. Let us ask for his intercession on our behalf that we, like him, when he learned his bethrothed was with a child that was not his, might do the right thing in any all circumstances.

Here is a passage, a reprise, from my homily for the Holy Family:

"When we consider the Holy Family it is easy to become sentimental. In recent years, however, we have recovered the human context of the Incarnation from the perspective of Mary, an event that made her, for a time, an unmarried, pregnant teenager. But in order to see the bigger picture, we need to recover the perspective of St. Joseph, too. He was betrothed to a young woman, with whom he had not had relations, but who turns up pregnant before coming to live with him. Despite this, he did not abandon her, but accepted the will of God, which, even though made known to him by an angel, must have remained incomprehensible and difficult for him, especially in the months leading up to the birth of the divinely conceived child. It is the kind of manliness exemplified by St. Joseph that we desperately need today. After all, the collapse of the family falls disproportionately on women and children, crushing many. The need for this kind of responsibility is reflected in the divine command to ancient Israel to care for the widow and the orphan, something for which they were frequently chastised by God through the prophets for failing to do. The crisis of fatherhood today, which results in the grave sin of men failing and refusing to provide materially, emotionally, and developmentally for their children, stems from our rejection of the family as an institution ordained by God through nature and grace."

To all the Josephs out there, including Msgr. Joseph Mayo, my pastor, and Msgr. Joseph Terrence Fitzgerald, our tireless vicar general, happy day!

Prayers needed

Please put my father-in-law, Al, in your prayers. He is in ICU in Columbus, Ohio, the nearest city to where he lives. He suffered two heart attacks, the second one yesterday. Being the stubborn old farmer that he is, he did not seek help until the second attack, but just kept working. It looks like he is out-of-the-woods this morning, but he needs all the prayers he can get.

Sadness in the mo[u]rning

UPDATE: Fr. Neuhaus passed away this morning, not long after this was posted. Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

In fulfillment of the title of his book from several years ago, As I Lay Dying: Meditations Upon Returning, written after a close a brush with death, dispatches from New York report that Fr. Richard John Neuhaus lays dying this morning. He was administered the last rites of the church by his friend, Fr. George Rutler. Fr. Rutler says "that it is appropriate that prayers be offered for a holy death." I am mindful that the fruit of the fifth Glorious Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the joy of a happy death. Far from being morbid, it is a deep and real profession of faith in the fact that Jesus Christ defeated death, our enemy, by his dying and rising again. Existentially, it is a recognition of our finitude, of the fact that we will, in fact, die.

I am terribly sad as I write this, but I embrace my sadness as a wholesome part of my humanity. I am also thinking of my dear pastor, Fr. Thomas Kraft, OP, another good and holy priest, whose physical health is failing. Part of me, considering the state of things, wants to yell Lord, we need them! Jesus Christ will never abandon us and submitting to him, to his holy will, is obedience, which is a choice I make in freedom. Therefore, I pray in the manner Jesus teaches thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread, which is you, Lord.
Rocco draws our attention to something Fr. Neuhaus wrote back in 2000:

"We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well."

Let us uphold him as he works through his pains of labor, being born to life eternal. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.