Msgr Giussani: a rambling personal reflection

Right now on the front page of the international Communion & Liberation website is a 6 minute video on CL founder Luigi Giussani, which I encourage everyone reading this to watch. Watching this video, remembering Albert Camus on his 100th birthday, my impending 48th birthday, which roughly marks my being Catholic for half of my life (baptized at 24), are what I attribute with prompting these reflections. In mentioning that I would not be Catholic were it not for Albert Camus, John Henry Cardinal Newman, and Nikos Kazantzakis (with an assist from Martin Scorsese), some of my friends might ask, "What about Giussani, about whom you are constantly going on about?"

Well, I did not encounter Don Gius until after I became a Christian, but shortly afterwards. I was baptized in 1990 and encountered Gius in 1994. So, add to what I listed above the 20th anniversary of my discovery of Giussani, which I also wrote about- "He is if he changes."

On the advice of a friend I subscribed to 30 Giorni (30 Days in the Church and in the World- the magazine is no longer published, but the website remains a treasure trove). A few times a year the magazine would include a sizeable booklet. The first one I received was by then-Cardinal Ratzinger on prayer. The next one was by this Luigi Giussani, of whom I never heard. It was entitled and "He is if He Changes." I was fascinated by it. I read it and re-read, then sought more of his writings. I have ever since.

His bio always mentioned CL, the Movement he founded. Participating in the Movement, as such, which I did not do until around 2007, really did not "work" for me, it made me kind of miserable, truth be told, but I hung in there for several years. I have no doubt that the failure is completely attributable to me. So there is no bitterness now (there was for awhile). But I have wonderful friends and our friendship and my continuing engagement with the writings of Giussani are the ways I participate.

The six minute video (watch it!) ends with a quote that really gets to the heart of the charism given to Don Gius, one in which I still imagine myself participating in some manner:

Msgr. Luigi Giussani

"Woman do not weep." This is the heart with which we are placed before the gaze and the sadness, before the pain of all the people with whom we come into contact, in the street, along our way, in our travels.

"Woman do not weep!" What an unimaginable thing it is that God- "God, who is making the whole world at this moment,"- seeing and listening to man, could say, "Man, do not weep! Do not weep because I did not make you for death, but for life! I put you in the world and placed you in a great company of people!"

Man, woman, boy, girl, you, all of you, do not weep! Do not weep! There is a gaze and a heart that penetrates to your very marrow and loves you all the way to your destiny...

This IS the Euangelion- the Gospel- the Good News. Whatever is not a means towards this end in the Church is wasted, extraneous. I believe that this is precisely, despite the sloppy, slap-happy media coverage at which I took aim yesterday, what Pope Francis, whose walk with the Lord was also influenced by Don Giussani, is trying to say to us, to model for us, like Paul, who said, "imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1). Shortly after his election as pope in March, I posted about Giussani's influence on Bergoglio- "Pope Francis moved by Msgr. Giussani."

Above all, it was Giussani who taught me that if Christ loves me so much then reality, all of it, precisely as I experience it day-to-day, is for me and not against me. This helps me to engage when I would rather disengage, which is quite frequently. I would never be a good contemplative because my contemptus mundi would lack love.

By remaining in the world I am forced to make a choice for everyday. Don Giussani helps me formulate my questions more concretely. So, instead of the abstract question, taken from the title of Hans Urs Von Balthasar's book, Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved? (emphasis on HOPE- important, lest we quickly set up a straw man and claim to have refuted Balthasar), the question, at least for me, in light of my encounter with Don Gius, is, "Dare I hope that I am being saved in and through the here and now because of reality and often despite myself?" Hence, it only remains for me to choose daily whether or not to kick against the goads, to resist reality, or entrust myself to reality, which is to entrust myself to Christ.

Luigi Giussani, Servant of God, pray for us- (here is a link to the prayer for his intercession- "Luigi Giussani, Servant of God, pray for us").

Is your life of faith routine?- UPDATED

Looking back this morning at some of the posts I linked to yesterday for my dear Camus' 100th birthday, one in particular stands out: "The invisible secret enclosed in the human heart." It stood out for something preached by Pope Benedict XVI, which I applied to Camus. This "something" is a passage from one of Pope Benedict's homilies, delivered in Freiburg, during his September 2011 Apostolic Visit to his native Germany. His homily for the Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A).

Commenting on the Gospel reading, taken from the twenty-first chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, where we read, "Truly, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him, and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him," Pope Benedict XVI said, "Translated into the language of our time, this statement might sound something like this: agnostics, who are constantly exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer on account of our sin, are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose life of faith is 'routine' and who regard the Church merely as an institution, without letting their hearts be touched by faith."

Increasingly it seems to me that many of us simply weren't paying attention, like the inattentive of old, during Jesus' own life and ministry. In this distracted age, during which entertainment reigns supreme, we constantly demand a spectacle. Is it really the spectacle that touches our hearts? Jesus did not seem to think so.

In the words of the late Kurt Cobain, from "Smells Like Teen Spirit"- "Here we are now, entertain us."

UPDATE: To take what I am trying to express a bit further, I refer you, dear reader, to a striking piece by my friend Max Lindenman, who blogs wonderfully over at Diary of a Wimpy Catholic- "A Nameless Dignity."

have mercy on me [the] sinner

Björk sings the Jesus Prayer in Greek, Church Slavonic, Coptic, and English in a composition by John Tavener:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

Albert Camus' centenary

One hundred years ago today Albert Camus, who is a charter member of my community of the heart, was born in Dréan, Algeria to a poor pieds-noirs family. Reading Camus taught me a lot about what it means to be human. Even as a Christian I embrace his starting point: "Accepting the absurdity of everything around us is one step, a necessary experience: it should not become a dead end. It arouses a revolt that can become fruitful," as well as his conclusion: "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." How this relates to, or, in my case, results in, being a Christian is best summarized in the Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes (a document not lacking problems, but also with many lovely passages)- "Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear" (par. 22).

Below are links to posts here on Καθολικός διάκονος in which Camus' thought figure prominently:

Can we face the truth, deal with reality?

"You say you want a revolution, well..."

Freedom and rebellion

The transcendence of man and the limits of history

The invisible secret enclosed in the human heart

"an ignorance that negates nothing"

"Rebellion is profoundly positive"

What happens when language prevails over reality

A fundamental question

On Guy Fawkes Day and being a revolutionary

Today is Guy Fawkes Day. What historical event is commemorated on Guy Fawkes day?

Guy Fawkes, one of the Gunpowder plotters, was arrested around midnight on 4-5 November 1605 while guarding explosives outside the House of Lords in London. The Gunpowder Plot was an extensive plot aimed at overthrowing King James I and re-establishing Catholic rule in Great Britain. The plot was slated to begin by blowing up the House of Lords during the State Opening of England's Parliament, which was scheduled for 5 November. This, according to the plan of the plotters, would lead to a revolt in the Midlands and result in the King James' 9 year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, being placed on the throne as Catholic Head-of-State.

The plot was given away to authorities by Baron William Parker, who sent an anonymous letter in late October. During a search of the House of Lords around midnight on 4 November 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested for guarding thirty-six barrels of gunpowder—enough to completely level the House of Lords. Hence, the plot failed.

It seems, given the increasing peril of religious liberty in this country, that this commemoration certainly retains some relevance. The celebration of Guy Fawkes Day was imported from Great Britain to the Britain's American colonies and was, at least for a time, known in this country as "Pope Day."

Increasingly, just living my Catholic faith seems to be a revolutionary act, especially being the father of six children. I take both comfort and strength from the fact that it is the witness of the saints that shows us how to participate in the only true revolution in human history: the one started by Jesus Christ and continued in history by His Church. When referring to "the Church," I do not reduce that to the hierarchical Church. After all, it is the saints who are the true revolutionaries and who, ultimately will comprise the Church! I like very much like the title of selections from the sermons and writings of Archbishop Oscar Romero in English, The Violence of Love.

During his Apostolic Visit to Lebanon in September 2012, speaking to the Christian young people of that troubled country and region, Pope Benedict XVI told them,

Bring the love of Christ to everyone! How? By turning unreservedly to God the Father, who is the measure of everything that is right, true and good. Meditate on God’s word! Discover how relevant and real the Gospel can be. Pray! Prayer and the sacraments are the sure and effective means to be a Christian and to live “rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith” (Col 2:7). The Year of Faith, which is about to begin, will be a time to rediscover the treasure of the faith which you received at Baptism. You can grow in knowledge and understanding of this treasure by studying the Catechism, so that your faith can be both living and lived. You will then become witnesses to others of the love of Christ. In him, all men and women are our brothers and sisters. The universal brotherhood which he inaugurated on the cross lights up in a resplendent and challenging way the revolution of love. “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:35). This is the legacy of Jesus and the sign of the Christian. This is the true revolution of love!

As The Beatles sang, "So you say want a revolution? Well, you know, we all want to the change the world." But how? As in all things, Jesus shows us the way, which is not the easy way.

I am reminded of a dialogue from the original Muppet Movie between Fozzie Bear and Gonzo:

Fozzie: Hey, why don't you join us?
Gonzo: Where are you going?
Fozzie: We're following our dream!
Gonzo: Really? I have a dream, too!
Fozzie: Oh?
Gonzo: But you'll think it's stupid.
Fozzie: No we won't, tell us, tell us!
Gonzo: Well, I want to go to Bombay, India and become a movie star.
Fozzie: You don't go to Bombay to become a movie star! You go where we're going: Hollywood.
Gonzo: Sure, if you want to do it the easy way.
Fozzie: [to Kermit] We've picked up a weirdo...

Weirdos or revolutionaries? Being Catholic, I have to reject the false dichotomy and go with both. As Flannery O'Connor observed, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you odd." Oddness is a small price to pay for being joyful.

Getting Tradition right and learning as I go

Not long ago I posted on Tradition: "Tradition must not become an empty shell". In that piece I sought to highlight the importance of preserving the connection between what we do and why we do it. From the position of a bit more perspective, I would add that this does not preclude such gestures increasing in significance by taking on more meaning over time, as long the connection is maintained and barnacle-like accretions don't obscure the sign. I still maintain that it is important to know why we do what we do, especially in the Holy Mass.

As an example to highlight my point, I used the gesture of making the Sign of the Cross on one's forehead, lips, and on one's breast just before the Gospel reading is proclaimed during Mass. In my zeal to make my point, I wrote, "this custom is nowhere called for in the rubrics and is not, at least to my knowledge, a universal practice. It is widespread, it seems, throughout the United States."

As it turns out, I was mistaken. After looking into the matter a bit more, specifically at the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, or, in shorthand, the GIRM (pronounced "germ"), I (re-?)discovered this called for gesture. In the instructions for "Mass without a Deacon," it is stipulated (par. 134)-

At the ambo, the Priest opens the book and, with hands joined, says, The Lord be with you, to which the people reply, And with your spirit. Then he says, A reading from the holy Gospel, [according to St. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,] making the Sign of the Cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast, which everyone else does as well. The people acclaim, Glory to you, O Lord. The Priest incenses the book, if incense is being used (cf. nos. 276-277). Then he proclaims the Gospel and at the end pronounces the acclamation The Gospel of the Lord, to which all reply, Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. The Priest kisses the book, saying quietly the formula Per evangelica dicta [, deleantur nostra delicta] (Through the words of the Gospel [, may our sins be wiped away])- all italicizing, emboldening, as well the added words in brackets (added from the Roman Missal) are mine

In the instructions for "Mass with a Deacon" (par. 175) read:

At the ambo the Deacon greets the people, with hands joined, saying, The Lord be with you. After this, at the words A reading from the holy Gospel, [according to St. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,] he signs with his thumb the book and then himself on his forehead, mouth, and breast. He incenses the book and proclaims the Gospel reading. When this is done, he acclaims, The Gospel of the Lord, and all reply, Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. He then venerates the book with a kiss, saying quietly the formula Per evangelica dicta [, deleantur nostra delicta] (Through the words of the Gospel [, may our sins be wiped away])- all italicizing, emboldening, as well the added words in brackets (added from the Roman Missal) are mine

This correction came was prompted by reading the answer to a question posed to Padre Antonio over on Aleteia. He writes nicely about what this Tradition, this custom, this gesture means: "We are all invited to examine ourselves on how we receive the Gospel, how we involve ourselves in the proclamation of this message, and how we conform our lives to its instructions. We are called to become an 'illustrated Gospel' – the 'fifth Gospel,' written not with ink but with our lives. We receive with the mind, we proclaim with our lips, and we preserve the treasure of the Word in our hearts. Along this road, let us entrust ourselves to the Lord to be a reflection of the true light through the darkness of today’s world."

Fortunately, my mistake does not undermine the point I sought to reinforce, but arguably makes it stronger.

Zacchaeus, "Jesus, I trust in you"

"Now a man there [in Jericho] named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was." Thus begins our Gospel reading for this Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time- Luke 19:1-10.

What was it that made Zacchaeus seek to find out "who" Jesus was? It is important to note that the inspired author does not record that Zacchaeus merely sought to get a look at Jesus, but desired to see "who" He was. So, when Jesus, seeing him up in the sycamore tree, said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house" (Luke 19:5), the wealthy tax collector "came down quickly and received [Jesus] with joy" (Luke 19:6).

If this encounter had ended there that would be enough, but it does not. Zacchaeus received Jesus into his house, a place Jesus entered despite the grumblings of those who did not deem it fit for Him to enter the house of so manifest a sinner. And, without Jesus making any demands on him whatsoever, Zacchaeus, whose business was tax collecting and, hence, to some degree, extortion, spontaneously declared that he was giving half of possessions to the poor and would repay anyone he had extorted four times more than the amount he had taken from them.

I think this stands in some contrast to the rich young man from the previous chapter of Luke, who, upon asking Jesus what he was required to do to gain eternal life, went away sad when Jesus said that in order to gain to eternal life he needed to sell all his possessions, give them to the poor, and then follow Jesus, that is, join his itinerant band. You see, the rich young man's righteousness (he had kept all the commandments from his youth) was not enough to "save' him because only Jesus "saves."

Zacchaeus found out who Jesus is- our Lord and Savior. Did not the Lord say, after Zacchaeus publicly repented, "Today salvation has come to this house"? Our Lord also declared Zacchaeus, who was very likely a Jew, but certainly not an observant one, as opposed to the rich young man, who was observant, to be a "descendant of Abraham."

What made Zacchaeus a descendant of Abraham and an heir to God's promises? His repentance and placing his trust in Jesus, in a word, his faith. Faith is our response to God's initiative towards us. Zacchaeus is a model of faith because, unlike the rich man, who asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Zacchaeus began with the question, "Who is Jesus?" and the desire to know Him.

Surely, both men had heard of Jesus prior to seeking Him out, but there seems to be a qualitative difference in how they approached our Lord. Present in the contrast between Zacchaeus and the rich young man, though not as stark, is something of the same dynamic expressed by Jesus in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in last Sunday's Gospel. As a result of his approach, based on Jesus' statement in the previous chapter that "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:25), which was made immediately following His encounter with the rich young man, Zacchaeus becomes living proof of Jesus' words, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God" (Luke 18:27).

In the Book of Revelation the risen Lord says, in His words to the Church in Laodicea, after saying, he reproves and chastises those He loves, and urging them to earnestly repent, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me" (3:19-20). God's Kingdom is a banquet, a wedding feast, of which the Eucharist, situated as we are between the already and the not yet, is both a participation in and foretaste of. Like Zacchaeus, let us receive Jesus with great joy!