A brief interlude

Rublev's Ikon of The Trinity
I will be gone this week. So, I will not be posting. In the meantime, continue enjoying Easter, this most blessed season. Remember, dear friends, our hope, expressed most beautifully in the resurrection of our Lord, "is that God would have us share the life of love called Trinity" (Hauerwas, Matthew, pg 192).

There is a Psalm prayer for the first Psalm (i.e., Ps. 93) of Lauds of the third Sunday of the Psalter:

"All power and all authority in heaven and on earth have been given to you, Lord Jesus; you rule with decrees that are firm and trustworthy. Be with us always so that we may make disciples whose holiness will be worthy of your house"

May we be disciples whose holiness will be worthy of the House of the Lord, to which we return on this Dies Domini. Remember also that to be holy is nothing else than to love perfectly and that love- agapé, caritas, charity- along with faith and hope, is a theological virtue. In other words, it is a gift from God. Therefore, our love is only ever a response to the love that is God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit: "In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 4,8). So, to love in the way we should is a grace. It is not earned, lest we boast and become self-righteous, which is the worst outcome of all! May we never lose sight of the fact that "God is greater than our hearts and knows everything" (1 Jn. 3,20).

While I am writing about the theological virtues, there is still no Easter encyclical letter from the Holy Father. On the other hand, there have been two episcopal appointments, with the likelihood of at least one more prior to the Pontiff's arrival on these shores. If reports prove true, Little Rock, Arkansas will have a new bishop. The Razorback state's only diocese has been vacant for nearly 23 months, since the transfer of His Excellency, Bishop Sartain, to the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois.

"you might feel a shaft of light make its way across your face"

Since I mentioned Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs in last week's traditio I have had this song (These Are Days) on my mind, along with a lot of Mazzy Star, which I have been listening to while driving, especially at night, I thought this would make a nice early Spring traditio for a Friday. Besides having such a distinctive and powerful voice and being a great artist, Natalie is one of those women who have appeared on the American music scene whose life is so very consonant with her art. For further proof of this check out her Wonder video. Like Patti's live performance last week, this performance is a trip down nostalgia lane. I remember hearing this song once in a dark period and it gave me hope, it is translucent, the light just shines through it and through Natalie, like a lovely stained glass window. It is a song of gratitude, which is the beginning of authentic spirituality, there is no other starting point than realizing "it's true

"That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you"

Our mission is nothing more or less than showing every human being this truth about herself and all of us together, nothing else really matters except becoming who we are, who God created us to be. In order to do this we need each other. Don Giussani gives us our working definition of the human person: "direct relationship with the Mystery". Dear friends, this is the fundamental truth of our existence and the very reason that there is anything at all. So, I offer this song, Wonder, and many other things (i.e., songs, poems, films, novels, plays, etc.) from our contemporary culture in refutation of the many "prophets of doom". I feel really compelled this morning, largely at the instigation of Brother Bluebird, who has returned to once again inhabit our backyard this Spring and Summer, to quote Il Papa Buono, who once observed: "In the daily exercise of our pastoral ministry -- and much to our sorrow -- we must sometimes listen to those who, consumed with zeal, have scant judgment or balance. To such ones the modern world is nothing but betrayal and ruin. They claim that this age is far worse than previous ages, and they rant on as if they had learned nothing at all from history-and yet, history is the great Teacher of Life." With Papa Roncalli, I, too, "feel bound to disagree with these prophets of doom who are forever forecasting calamity -- as though the world's end were imminent. Today, rather, Providence is guiding us toward a new order of human relationships, which, thanks to human effort and yet far surpassing human hopes, will bring us to the realization of still higher and undreamed of expectations."

While I am on the subject of remarkable women, courtesy of my dear friend Rocco over at Whispers, here is a link to an article in the latest edition of the U.K.'s Tablet on Dorothy Day in anticipation of the forthcoming publication of her diaries. Robert Ellsberg also remembers Dorothy in Commonweal- subscription required to read the article and otherwise highly recommended. A bit closer to earth and to home, Sharon, writing over on Clarity Daily, shares a life-giving experience that, too, is about remarkable women.

Living lives of love

"To be a Christian is to be called to a life of love, but that calling is a lifelong task that requires our willingness to be surprised by what love turns out to be" (Hauerwas, Matthew, pg. 194). It might be good to also add that we must be willing to be surprised by what love turns out not to be. "In particular," Hauerwas continues, "the separation of love from the one who has come to teach us what it means to be loved by God by making us disciples tempts [us] to sentimental accounts of love. As a result, accounts of Christian morality are often hard to distinguish from utilitarianism." To wit: When we "make love a relatively unspecified ideal," a touchy, feely account of what Msgr. M. Francis Mannion might call wheat fields and waterfalls, we "are tempted, if not willing, to do great evils that good may come because [we] have lost the skills necessary to discern good from evil" (Matthew, pg. 193). It might also be the case, at least individually, that we have never acquired the necessary skills because we are too often jonesing for an emotional fix, wanting to be affirmed in behavior that needs to change.

I know that in pastoral ministry, when people seek advice and counsel, most often the last thing they are looking for is to be challenged in their lives by the Gospel, by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Hence, too often, what counts for pastoral ministry is what most counsellors would call enabling behavior, amounting to nothing more than telling people what they want to hear, watering down Jesus' call to discipleship. It is important to keep in mind that the Good Shepherd does not and never has pastored his sheep in this way. Now, lest I be misunderstood, I am not proposing the opposite extreme, namely that pastoral ministry consists of beating up on people who are already down, for whatever reason(s), in the belief that what people always need is a kick in the pants. I am proposing the development of the skills necessary to discern good from evil, which, in the immortal words of Boston, is more than a feeling. It actually involves the use of reason. Using our reason in such acts of discernment, thinking with Christ, which is thinking with the Church, is an act of love (Matt. 22,37). Far from always being an affirmation, such a discernment can lead us to conclude that we must do what we do not necessarily want to do, what is the difficult and not the easy thing.

The internet broadcast of the Mass for the Second Sunday of Easter from The Cathedral of the Madeleine, at which I had the privilege of preaching in the presence of Bishop Wester, despite the fact that it has Bishop Wester as the homilst, is now available for viewing. Thanks Fred!

Iohannes Paulus II- ora pro nobis

O Blessed Trinity
We thank You for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II
and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him. Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way of achieving eternal communion with you. Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will, the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.

Three years ago today Karol Wojtyla went home to the Father's house.

Hierarchy update

This morning it was announced that the Holy Father has named Bishop Thomas Rodi of Biloxi, Mississippi as archbishop of Mobile, Alabama. Bishop Rodi is 59 and succeeds Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb, the nation's longest-serving metropolitan, who reached the retirement age of 75 back in October 2006.

This appointment adds Biloxi to the list of sede vacante dioceses, which decreased to eight for one day and is now back at nine. It makes sense for a vacancy to be created for a metropolitan (i.e., archdiocesan) see, especially when filled by a bishop from within the metropolitan province, like Rodi.

Archbishop Lipscomb's retirement decreases the number of ordinaries serving past age 75 from eleven to ten. I left Bishop Cullen of Allentown, PA off the list in yesterday's update- it is corrected.

Hierarchy update

The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Michael Duca, currently rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas, a priest of the Diocese of Dallas, TX, as bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport, LA. Bishop-designate Duca succeeds Bishop William Benedict Friend, who retired in December 2006 at age 75. It is important to note that, like the past several appointments, no vacancy was created to fill this one.

This appointment finds the number of ordinaries serving beyond the mandatory retirement age of 75 on the rise, currently numbering eleven. These prelates are Cardinals Maida and Egan of Detroit and New York respectively, as well as Archbishops Hughes of New Orleans; Lipscombe of Mobile, AL and Curtiss of Omaha, NE. Bishops serving past 75 are D'Arcy of Ft. Wayne/South Bend; IN; Murray of Kalamazoo, MI, Moynihan of Syracuse, NY; Saltarelli of Wilmingtn, DE; Tafoya of Pueblo, CO; Cullen of Allentown. PA. Archbishop Brunette of Seattle turns 75 early in 2009. Bishops Peña of Brownsville, TX; Carmody of Corpus Christi, TX; Higi of Lafayette in Indiana are all 74. It also bears noting that Archbishop Flynn of St. Paul/Minneapolis, who will also turn 75 this year, and Bishop Weigand of Sacramento have co-adjutors in the persons of Archbishop Nienstedt and Bishop Soto respectively.

The sede vancante dioceses in the United States are now Charleston, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Des Moines, Iowa; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Juneau, Alaska; Little Rock, Arkansas; New Ulm, Minnesota.

Jesus Christ, the liberator of humankind

Nativity mural at Batahola Norte Community Center in Managua, Nicaragua

In a really insightful article, Fr. Roger Haight, S.J., whose book, Jesus Symbol of God, merited a notification from the he Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, masterfully condenses developments in theology since the Second Vatican Council in seven stages, with one stage, stage three, being divided in two. The first part of stage three, which deals with the development of liberation theology, or, better stated, theologies of liberation is summarized in this way, with two lessons:

"Stage 3: Gutiérrez, Segundo, Sobrino, Ellacuría
Latin American Liberation Theology

"Two fundamental elements reflect the essential logic of liberation theology. The first is negative experience, which leads to an awareness of the dehumanized condition of large numbers of people. The experience has three dimensions: a situation is wrong; we know it could and should be different; the contrast fuels an urge to right the wrong. What does Christian theology say to this situation?

"The second fundamental element of liberation theology seeks to answer that question. The response appears embryonically in Luke’s parable of the Good Samaritan, which can be read as dramatizing the principle that love of God is displayed as love of neighbor. The truth of the principle is conveyed with climactic force by the shocking fact that only the Samaritan had internalized it. Modernity adds a conviction that beyond tying up the victim’s wounds, true love will make the road to Jericho safe for all. With this addendum liberation theology rewrites the parable for the whole world.

"Lesson 4. Social practice is an intrinsic dimension of Christian faith from which one cannot prescind. One of the deepest principles liberation theology presents to the Christian community is that action and practice are not just the consequences of faith, but the intrinsic testimonial of its authenticity. As Ignatius of Loyola postulated in his Spiritual Exercises, 'Love ought to manifest itself more by deeds than by words' (No. 230). For this love to be effective and authentic, it must be directed against the causes of human suffering.

"Lesson 5. Social-ethical considerations are intrinsic to theological understanding. Catholic theology has come to a new realization of the social ethical implications of Christian faith. After a period of separation between theology and ethics, theology has recognized the necessity of accountability. In 1971 the essential link between faith and justice was written into magisterial teaching when the World Synod of Bishops wrote that 'action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the gospel' (Justice in the World, Nov. 30, 1971)" (America Vol. 198 No.9- subscription required and recommended).

Bible scholar Luke Timothy Johnson, writing in Commonweal, responds to the CDF's notification of Fr. Sobrino's Christology. Johnson shows that there is still something of a phobia about all things that smack of the liberation theology. Without a doubt theology is an ecclesial endeavor. Therefore, any theology that merits the name is subject to authority. Nonetheless, it seems that there needs to be more of a dialogue and perhaps a way of reading that does not assume the worst. Any serious work of theology is always a bit ambiguous and begs for more dialogue, facilitates dialogue and brings not only reason, but experience, into contact with faith, seeking to make sense of human experience in the light of faith.

It is a new month, April, the day for foolery. We have snow on the ground and we have already been in Easter for more than a week. It is all weird, but in a good way, in a way that makes me more attentive and aware. Lent was intense, Easter is proving even more intense, busier. Spring means life, Easter means a lot of sacraments, the media through which God communicates his divine life to us.

Happy April Fool's Day!