His homilies are not long and they are not flowery but they are thought provoking and inspiring. I am speaking of Pope Francis, of course. As promised yesterday, here are a few thoughts from his Ash Wednesday homily to begin our Lenten journey. He speaks of three elements that lead to the conversion of the heart that is characteristic of this time of grace. He says that "we are invited to embark on a journey in which, in defiance of the routine, we strive to open our eyes and ears, but especially our heart, to go beyond our 'little garden'."
PRAYER is the first element.and is described as the strength of every believing person. He says "In the weakness and frailty of our life, we can turn to God with the confidence of children, and enter into communion with Him. In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and that could harden the heart, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of God's boundless love, to enjoy its tenderness. Lent is a time of prayer, a more intense, more diligent prayer, (one) more able to take care of the needs of the brethren, to intercede before God for the many situations of poverty and suffering." Notice it is a prayer not for ourselves but for others.
FASTING is the second element, and it is not something that should "satisfy" us, making us feel that everything is right and in order. We are not speaking here of the formal fasting of the law. "Fasting makes sense if it really affects our security, and also if a benefit to others comes from it, if it helps us grow in the spirit of the Good Samaritan, who bends down to his brother in need and takes care of him. Fasting involves choosing a sober life, which does not waste, which does not 'discard'. Fasting helps us train the heart to essentiality and sharing. It is a sign of awareness and responsibility in the face of injustices, abuses, especially toward the poor and the little ones, and is a sign of our trust in God and His providence."
ALMSGIVING is the third element and is a sign of gratitude for gifts received, for alms are giving to those from whom we expect nothing in return. We are called to be a grateful people, aware that everything that we have is a free gift of God to us and not of our own deserving. Gratefulness is a lost commodity in our everyday life. The Holy Father says "Almsgiving helps us to live the gratuitousness of the gift, which is freedom from the obsession with possessing things, (freedom from) the fear of losing what one has, from the sadness of those who do not want to share their well-being with others."
The Holy Father concludes by saying that "Lent comes providentially to rouse us, to shake us from our torpor, from the risk of moving forward (merely) by inertia. ... Why must we return to God? Because something is wrong in us, in society, in the Church - and we need to change, to turn things around, to repent!"
Good words of challenge for the Lenten journey.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Launching the campaign
We hear so much about wars and the rumors of war, of confrontations and rebellions, of civil unrest and the open hostility of brother against brother that I not only get tired of the talk but overwhelmed at the hatred and anger found in the human condition. That is one reason why I found the Collect prayer for Ash Wednesday to have jarred my peaceful approach to this sacred season. The prayer, if you were not a Mass today, says that "as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons ...", but then the kind of weapons was mentioned - not of mass destruction, or of death and ethnic cleansing, but the weapons "of self-restraint". This is the kind of weapon that can only be used against the powers of evil, a weapon of love over hate, respect over prejudice, peace and forgiveness over injustice and anger.
Lent is about the inner struggle within humanity, the human dimension versus the divine reality of mercy and love. It is about soul searching, about clearing out the cobwebs, about facing the reality of our sinfulness and in that sinfulness our nothingness without God, and about repenting. It is a strategic campaign that leads to glory. The same Collect prayer says right before the above quote " ... that as we begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service ..." we may be granted that self-restraint. Notice that the battle campaign is one of Christian service. It is not about us, but rather about others. It is the embracing of the command of charity and love that is the message of Jesus. Our Holy Father addresses this in his homily today (I'll speak of that tomorrow). For tonight, having signed a host of God's people at three services today with ashes and reminding them that this signing was not for others to see but for them to ponder their nothingness apart from God, it is time to close - but with the heartfelt hope that this Lent be a time of untold blessings for you in your prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Happy Lent.
Lent is about the inner struggle within humanity, the human dimension versus the divine reality of mercy and love. It is about soul searching, about clearing out the cobwebs, about facing the reality of our sinfulness and in that sinfulness our nothingness without God, and about repenting. It is a strategic campaign that leads to glory. The same Collect prayer says right before the above quote " ... that as we begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service ..." we may be granted that self-restraint. Notice that the battle campaign is one of Christian service. It is not about us, but rather about others. It is the embracing of the command of charity and love that is the message of Jesus. Our Holy Father addresses this in his homily today (I'll speak of that tomorrow). For tonight, having signed a host of God's people at three services today with ashes and reminding them that this signing was not for others to see but for them to ponder their nothingness apart from God, it is time to close - but with the heartfelt hope that this Lent be a time of untold blessings for you in your prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Happy Lent.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
No ordinary gift
In his first letter which formed the first reading for today's liturgy, Peter speaks of the prophets who laid the groundwork for our understanding of our relationship with God. Their probing of the word and action of God allowed them to see that it was not about them, but rather about those who would come after them, those for whom the promise was made. Good News was revealed and proclaimed, the Holy Spirit brought the heavenly reality to mortal man, and we are invited understand, enter into and share in something "into which angels longed to look." This was no ordinary gift. This was something that even those most closely created in the Divine image longed to see. This was God's love manifest in the gift of the Living Word, Jesus, God's Son, one with us, given to us, and walking with us into the glory of heavenly things.
As we stand at the threshold of Lent, the next words of Peter are an invitation: "Gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Do not follow your former unenlightened desires, but "be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, Be holy because I am holy." This not so ordinary gift is worth any and every sacrifice, for it comes to us from the ultimate sacrifice of love on that Good Friday afternoon.
As we stand at the threshold of Lent, the next words of Peter are an invitation: "Gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Do not follow your former unenlightened desires, but "be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, Be holy because I am holy." This not so ordinary gift is worth any and every sacrifice, for it comes to us from the ultimate sacrifice of love on that Good Friday afternoon.
HAPPY LENT
With love
This morning I remembered my Mom, Frances Louise Lenard Stoviak, in a special way at Mass as my sister, Janie and I recall the anniversary of her death. It was nine years ago last evening that she died peacefully at home after a brief illness. Mom was eighty-six at the time of her death.
After Dad's death three years earlier, Mom had become more frail, and when she developed pneumonia it became too much for her. After a brief period in the hospital, we brought her home where she was most comfortable and Janie took great care of her. I spent most of the evening with Mom on the 3rd of March, and had just returned to the rectory when the call came of her passing. Mom had lived a good and full life, much loved by those most important to her, and was a great source of love and support for the rest of us. Her wake and funeral Mass were a tribute to the person that she is. We love her deeply and miss her dearly.
After Dad's death three years earlier, Mom had become more frail, and when she developed pneumonia it became too much for her. After a brief period in the hospital, we brought her home where she was most comfortable and Janie took great care of her. I spent most of the evening with Mom on the 3rd of March, and had just returned to the rectory when the call came of her passing. Mom had lived a good and full life, much loved by those most important to her, and was a great source of love and support for the rest of us. Her wake and funeral Mass were a tribute to the person that she is. We love her deeply and miss her dearly.
Monday, March 3, 2014
What must I do?
In Mark's gospel today we hear of a young man running up to Jesus and asking "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The answer given is not a surprise - follow the commandments of God. Having assured Jesus that he had done so, Jesus looked upon him with love and said: "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." He went away sad.
Jump forward to the late 1800's and we find a young lady of wealth and worldly prestige from the other end of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia who asked the same question "What must I do?" She, too, had followed the commandments and loved her God, but felt that there must be something more. The words of Jesus to this young man in the gospel echoed in her heart. She had seen in her travels in this country the needs and oppression of Native Americans and African Americans. She saw the need to not only bring the Good News to them, but to help deal with their poverty, their lack of education and advancement, and the prejudice that was found in our society. She accepted the challenge to minister to this portion of God's flock, and dedicated her entire life to founding a religious community known as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, to provide schools, including the first Catholic College for African Americans (Xavier University in New Orleans), and starting one hundred forty five missions and twelve schools for Native Americans before her death in 1955. She used her fortune, her name and reputation to doing this work, but most especially she brought her faith and love of Christ to the love that she had for those greatly in need in our society. Her name is Mother Katherine Drexel of Philadelphia, canonized a saint of the Universal Church (the second from Philly) on October 1, 2000. I had the honor of being present for her canonization as well as having her Sisters give a Mission Co-op Appeal in one of the parishes where I served, and can attest to the pride that they have for their foundress. The young man went away sad ... Katherine Drexel went away with a joy in her heart. Approaching Lent, what is our response to the Lord inviting us to "Seek first the Kingdom of God?"
Jump forward to the late 1800's and we find a young lady of wealth and worldly prestige from the other end of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia who asked the same question "What must I do?" She, too, had followed the commandments and loved her God, but felt that there must be something more. The words of Jesus to this young man in the gospel echoed in her heart. She had seen in her travels in this country the needs and oppression of Native Americans and African Americans. She saw the need to not only bring the Good News to them, but to help deal with their poverty, their lack of education and advancement, and the prejudice that was found in our society. She accepted the challenge to minister to this portion of God's flock, and dedicated her entire life to founding a religious community known as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, to provide schools, including the first Catholic College for African Americans (Xavier University in New Orleans), and starting one hundred forty five missions and twelve schools for Native Americans before her death in 1955. She used her fortune, her name and reputation to doing this work, but most especially she brought her faith and love of Christ to the love that she had for those greatly in need in our society. Her name is Mother Katherine Drexel of Philadelphia, canonized a saint of the Universal Church (the second from Philly) on October 1, 2000. I had the honor of being present for her canonization as well as having her Sisters give a Mission Co-op Appeal in one of the parishes where I served, and can attest to the pride that they have for their foundress. The young man went away sad ... Katherine Drexel went away with a joy in her heart. Approaching Lent, what is our response to the Lord inviting us to "Seek first the Kingdom of God?"
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Random thoughts
Here we are on Oscar Night, and I took a break from watching the red carpet arrivals, mainly because with the screaming fans the actors cannot hear the interviewer's questions and I had trouble hearing the answers that were given. The questions are always so in depth, anyway. I used to be a movie buff who saw many films, but I have seen only a few of the films nominated this year. I have no favorites but am waiting to be surprised.
Speaking of movies, I loved the promo for the new film "Son of God" that opened on Friday. The promo goes something like "Newsweek declares 'Son of God' awesome!" I know that Newsweek was speaking of the film, but we all know the greater truth - that the Son of God IS awesome. If only the world would catch on to that truth and the headlines of the world would acknowledge the awesomeness of the Lord. Maybe in time. By the way, I read that "Son of God" came in 2nd place over the weekend, following the thriller "Non-stop", garnering $26.5 million at the box office. A young man in his early twenties who is in our music ministry said that he saw the movie and really thought that it was good. Maybe this week for me.
Our winter weather came - not as bad as what they had forecast, yet, but not good. Our numbers this morning at Mass were sparse, especially at the 11:00 am which is gaining a reputation - this was the third out of the last four weeks with a wintry mix taking place during the Mass. Thank God we had a baptism during Mass which bolstered our numbers - a young man of a few weeks by the name of Easton Carl Varrati. He was adorable.
Because of the snow I was unable to attend a reception held today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Episcopal ordination of our bishop, Lawrence E. Brandt. May 4th is the actual day. Our roads had not had much done to them, so I chickened out. I offer my congratulations and gratitude to Bishop Brandt, who celebrates his birthday (an important one, too) later this month.
Well, back to the Oscars and a warm evening in front of the TV.
Speaking of movies, I loved the promo for the new film "Son of God" that opened on Friday. The promo goes something like "Newsweek declares 'Son of God' awesome!" I know that Newsweek was speaking of the film, but we all know the greater truth - that the Son of God IS awesome. If only the world would catch on to that truth and the headlines of the world would acknowledge the awesomeness of the Lord. Maybe in time. By the way, I read that "Son of God" came in 2nd place over the weekend, following the thriller "Non-stop", garnering $26.5 million at the box office. A young man in his early twenties who is in our music ministry said that he saw the movie and really thought that it was good. Maybe this week for me.
Our winter weather came - not as bad as what they had forecast, yet, but not good. Our numbers this morning at Mass were sparse, especially at the 11:00 am which is gaining a reputation - this was the third out of the last four weeks with a wintry mix taking place during the Mass. Thank God we had a baptism during Mass which bolstered our numbers - a young man of a few weeks by the name of Easton Carl Varrati. He was adorable.
Because of the snow I was unable to attend a reception held today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Episcopal ordination of our bishop, Lawrence E. Brandt. May 4th is the actual day. Our roads had not had much done to them, so I chickened out. I offer my congratulations and gratitude to Bishop Brandt, who celebrates his birthday (an important one, too) later this month.
Well, back to the Oscars and a warm evening in front of the TV.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Getting ready
We had a big crowd at Mass this evening, larger than usual. It was close to standing room only. A few people thought that it was Christmas. But the reality is that a big snow storm is supposed to arrive beginning tomorrow, and people wanted to get Mass in before the storm. Getting ready is a part of our lives this Winter: we hear the forecast, we gear up, we run to the store for the usual emergency provisions of bread, milk, tp and of course rock salt. I am hoping that it is all in vain, and that the storm will not materialize. But we are ready. I went out to dinner tonight and brought enough left overs home to tide me through the storm - I'm ready.
We get ready for many things that touch our lives, and we spend time and effort and money to do so. Then the event happens and it is all over before it began.
There is a "getting ready" that is about to begin in our faith life - the beginning of the great season of grace called Lent. Next Wednesday we are signed with ashes as a sign of our commitment to journey through forty days of fasting and prayer in order to prepare us for our confrontation with the crucified Lord and to receive the gift of renewed life found in his resurrection. We will be invited to approach Lent with hope and expectation, with joy and longing for the blessings found at the end of this journey. I like watching Rick Steve's travels through Europe on PBS and last evening he was on the pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela. He pointed out the rigors of the journey, the varied motivations of the pilgrims, the temptations and discouragements that prompt some to give up, but also the absolute joy of finishing the trek, of running the race, of finding grace at the end of the journey. But you do not enter "the way" lightly or unprepared, either physically, emotionally or spiritually. You need to be ready for the journey. Our camino is Lent. Our motivation is to seek first the Kingdom of God. Our goal is the Cross which leads to the Resurrection. And our time is NOW! Make this Lent count ... may we be open to every blessing in store for us on our journey.
We get ready for many things that touch our lives, and we spend time and effort and money to do so. Then the event happens and it is all over before it began.
There is a "getting ready" that is about to begin in our faith life - the beginning of the great season of grace called Lent. Next Wednesday we are signed with ashes as a sign of our commitment to journey through forty days of fasting and prayer in order to prepare us for our confrontation with the crucified Lord and to receive the gift of renewed life found in his resurrection. We will be invited to approach Lent with hope and expectation, with joy and longing for the blessings found at the end of this journey. I like watching Rick Steve's travels through Europe on PBS and last evening he was on the pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela. He pointed out the rigors of the journey, the varied motivations of the pilgrims, the temptations and discouragements that prompt some to give up, but also the absolute joy of finishing the trek, of running the race, of finding grace at the end of the journey. But you do not enter "the way" lightly or unprepared, either physically, emotionally or spiritually. You need to be ready for the journey. Our camino is Lent. Our motivation is to seek first the Kingdom of God. Our goal is the Cross which leads to the Resurrection. And our time is NOW! Make this Lent count ... may we be open to every blessing in store for us on our journey.
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