"To prove to you what I said was real..."

Inexplicably, our Salt Lake PBS station showed Cowboy Junkies' Trinity Sessions from 11:00-Midnight last night despite it not being a weekend. Of course, I had to stay up and watch it. Consequently, there is a certain inevitably to Cowboys Junkies being our traditio for this Friday in January. However, there is no inevitability to the song being Cheap Is How I Feel.

"The sound of clinking bottles is the one sure thing I'll always drag with me from my past."

I love this video because it is aesthetically akin to a David Lynch film.

A few thoughts on the shape of national politics

It is funny how not posting anything for two days makes me feel like I have abandoned my poor little on-line effort here at Καθολικός διάκονος. Rest assured, I have not. New Year is a time for reflection and introspection, but I am not too keen on that these days either, which for me is not a bad thing.

As always, there is no shortage of issues to comment on: matters religious, cultural, and political. On the political front, I am appalled that the Senate and House health care bills are not going to a typical Senate/House conference committee to resolve differences and come up with a unified bill that can be voted on by both chambers and signed into law. Instead, it will all be done by Democrats from the House and Senate. I can unequivocally write something I have been hinting at all along: I oppose both bills and likely will oppose whatever emerges from what I can only call Democratic health reform caucus. This is different from opposing health care reform. The grounds on which I oppose what will emerge is that it will be too expensive, it will still not provide universal coverage, and not include adequate protection for human life across the board and very likely allow for tax payer money to be used for abortions. Nonetheless, I am ready to be surprised.

I suppose if there is any good news in all of this it is that no Republicans will vote for the bill and, given that there are elections next year in which every member of the House Representatives will stand for re-election, at least the ones choosing to run, with quite a few Senate seats at stake as well, there are likely to be quite a few Democrats in the House and some in the Senate who will not vote for the bill. All of this means that at end of the day there is no good news because we will either have an atrocious reform or no reform at all. As I have written before, the Obama Administration's mantra of "doing nothing is not an option" and then proceeding to sub-contract the writing of legislation to Congressional Democrats who invariably come up with an ineffective, pork-laden bill is not sound policy-making. Since we are talking about health care reform, perhaps the Hippocratic oath should be in effect- first do no harm!

On the positive side of the political equation, it looks like there is starting to be some positive momentum for enacting comprehensive immigration reform. I am very glad that this effort is being led by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who have declared this week National Migration Week. However, enacting meaningful and necessary immigration reform will be no less a fight than is health care reform.

I am not politically naive, but I think some bi-partisanship of the kind promised by the president during his campaign would go a long way towards breaking the impasse on big issues, like health care and immigration reform. It seems increasingly evident that the White House does not have effective congressional liaison, especially with the House leadership. One need look no further than Speaker Pelosi's recent criticisms of the president for evidence of this disconnect. It looks increasingly like in next year's congressional elections the pendulum will swing back towards the Republicans. It is almost a certainty, however, that the GOP will not wrest control of either the House of the Senate. It seems equally certain that the Democrats will not have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Sadly, such a swing will not result in any better governance.

I end with the prayer for this week:

Lord Jesus, when you multiplied the loaves and fishes, you provided more than food for the body, you offered us the gift of yourself, the gift which satisfies every hunger and quenches every thirst! Your disciples were filled with fear and doubt, but you poured out your love and compassion on the migrant crowd, welcoming them as brothers and sisters.

Lord Jesus, today you call us to welcome the members of God's family who come to our land to escape oppression, poverty, persecution, violence, and war. Like your disciples, we too are filled with fear and doubt and even suspicion. We build barriers in our hearts and in our minds.

Lord Jesus, help us by your grace,

•To banish fear from our hearts, that we may embrace each of your children as our own brother and sister;

•To welcome migrants and refugees with joy and generosity, while responding to their many needs;

•To realize that you call all people to your holy mountain to learn the ways of peace and justice;

•To share of our abundance as you spread a banquet before us;

•To give witness to your love for all people, as we celebrate the many gifts they bring.

We praise you and give you thanks for the family you have called together from so many people. We see in this human family a reflection of the divine unity of the one Most Holy Trinity in whom we make our prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Epiphany Vespers

Reading: Eph. 3:2-3a.5-6

What was made to known to the apostle by revelation is that the Gentiles, that is, non-Jewish people, have been made co-heirs, recipients of God's grace through Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel plain and simple: the promise made to Abraham that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed is fulfilled in Christ Jesus (Gen. 22:15-18).

The magi were non-Jewish people who travelled from afar to pay homage to the Christ child, thus acknowledging that is he is universal Lord, recognizing in him the revelation, the epiphany, of God in the flesh. Jesus is the epiphany. This is still made known by the Holy Spirit: Jesus Christ is not merely a way, but the Way. In him all things are made new; newness, renewal, being the effect of God's grace.

Christmas traditions are nice, even necessary, but they also run the risk of becoming a bit empty, a little ritualistic, making Christmas feel old, dusty, and a little time-worn. So, let us take this final week of Christmas, from today to next Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord, the first full week of this new year, and focus on the mystery of God made man for our sakes, for the sake of our salvation, in order to experience the newness, the goodness of life in Christ in order that we might realize, either for the first time or once again, that the mystery of life in Christ is not only that Christ can live in you, but the He wants to make of your heart His dwelling place.

A rescued commentary

I rescued this post from the oblivion of our parish blog that has kind of gone dormant. I love the entire Johannine corpus (i.e., The Gospel According to St. John, the three letters attributed to John), which is why I loved our diocesan deacons' retreat last fall when Dr. William Shaules, who teaches Scripture at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and at Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical Protestant school also located in the greater L.A. area, spent three days taking us through John's Gospel. Because on Epiphany we rejoice in the fact that the infant Jesus was made shown to be both messiah and Lord, this bit on what that means seems appropriate for today's grand feast:

We turn to Christ in the recognition that we are missing something, namely the good that we not only seek, but want to be. Hence, we recognize that we are sinful. Christ is expiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). To expiate means to make good. So, Jesus, in his own person, makes good the bad we freely choose. What an exchange! This is the good news in which we believe, trust, thankfully accept, and give witness to by lives that are changed. This change brought about by Christ we call conversion. To be converted is to be transformed. Sounds great, right? The working out of this often hidden dynamic is a mysterious phenomenon. This is why mercy towards sinners is so crucial. Perhaps what those who call themselves Christians, but who persist in serious sin and wrong-doing, are hoping for is a magical fix to their troubles. Nonetheless, the fix comes when their behavior catches up to them. Here is where the healing can begin, when what is done in the dark is brought into the light, but only if handled in a Christian way. On my reading of the Gospels, the only people Jesus seems to get really frustrated with are those who refuse mercy, preferring instead to cast stones (see John 7:53-8:11- While some manuscripts of St. John's Gospel do not include this pericope and some place the narrative after John 7:36 or after 21:25, with some even locating it in Luke's Gospel after 21:38, with variations in the text, it is of apostolic origin and an authentic part of the Tradition. In other words, it is nobody except the Lord forgiving and teaching mercy).

A few things on the eve of ἐπιφάνεια

I am happy to join the distinguished group of regular contributors to Il Sussidiario, to lend whatever expertise and insight I might contribute for the greater good. I am very grateful to Dario Chiesa and Sharon Mollerus for involving me in this wonderful enterprise. I hope to continue to bring some light to bear on the complex issues facing our world, as well as something of my own necessarily limited experience of how it is possible to live this way.

We're busily preparing for our annual Epiphany party this evening. Our party will be a bit smaller this year, which is just fine. I love this beautiful feast that always puts me in mind of the Christmas song Little Drummer Boy, a song that reminds us that Jesus Christ, born as a baby for our sake, is the first and best gift of all and that what He wants from us, or, in the words of Don Giussani, begs us for, is our hearts. What makes a striking appearance, or manifestation, is a who... with a deep diaconal bow to my dear friend Sharon, who brings this insight from dear Don Giussani to mind at the beginning of this new year, which makes us all highly conscious of the passing of time: "What possesses our time died for us, presents itself to our eyes and to our heart as the place where our destiny is loved, where our happiness is loved, so much that He who possesses time dies for our time." God "saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel..." (2 Tim. 1:9-10- reading from Evening Prayer I for Epiphany).

Wise women and men still seek him, the Pearl of Great of Price. Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar- pray for us.

"A world in white gets underway.."

U2's classic New Year's Day seems like the best Friday traditio on this first day of the second decade of the 21st century, though, as with the millennium itself, it is better calculated 2001-2010, making New Year's Day 2011 the first day of the second decade of the third Christian millennium. Anyway, we ushered in 2000 with great fanfare, why not 2010?

"Under a blood red sky/A crowd has gathered in black and white/Arms entwined, the chosen few/The newspapers says, says/Say it's true it's true..."

Only in Christ Jesus can we move forward in hope, which is certainty about the future, reassured of our destiny.

The Message for the World Day of Peace- 2010

Message of His Holiness
Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the
World Day of Peace

1 January 2010

1. At the beginning of this New Year, I wish to offer heartfelt greetings of peace to all Christian communities, international leaders, and people of good will throughout the world. For this XLIII World Day of Peace I have chosen the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because "creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works",(Catechism of the Catholic Church par. 198) and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and to authentic and integral human development – wars, international and regional conflicts, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen "that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying"(Message for the 2008 World Day of Peace).

2. In my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, I noted that integral human development is closely linked to the obligations which flow from man’s relationship with the natural environment. The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations. I also observed that whenever nature, and human beings in particular, are seen merely as products of chance or an evolutionary determinism, our overall sense of responsibility wanes (par. 48). On the other hand, seeing creation as God’s gift to humanity helps us understand our vocation and worth as human beings. With the Psalmist, we can exclaim with wonder: "When I look at your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have established; what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Ps 8:4-5). Contemplating the beauty of creation inspires us to recognize the love of the Creator, that Love which "moves the sun and the other stars" (Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Paradiso, XXXIII, 145).

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