All Souls Mass Kansas City

November 2, 2009

Today Our Lady of Good Council Parish hosted a special Mass for All Souls using antique black vestments. Rev. Msgr. William Blacet presided assisted by Dcn. Ralph Wehner, Director of the Office of Worship. The vestments were over 180 years old.

Photographs by Scott McKellar.

Apostolic Fathers Chapter III

St. Clement of Rome

As we continue our theme of seeking the face of Christ in the face of the early Church we must examine the letter of St. Clement to the Romans. Clement of Rome is an acclaimed figure in antiquity. Christians and heretics alike tried to claim him as their own. He is venerated in the prayers of Roman Canon, which names the first three popes (after Peter) as 'Linus, Cletus, and Clement.' Yet the actual text of the letter of St. Clement to the Corinthians begins with no mention of the author. Early church tradition has always ascribed the letter to Pope St. Clement I of Rome. St. Irenaeus claims that Clement had personally known the Apostles Peter and Paul and that "the preaching of the Apostles still echoed in his ears" (Adv. Haer. III, 3.3). Tertullian wrote that Clement of Rome was consecrated by Apostle Peter himself (De praescr. haeret. 32).

Clearly Clement of Rome was a well known and famous person but in spite of this little is known about his life. The name Clement was fairly common. While there are a number of intriguing possibilities, most scholars think that St. Clement was an otherwise unknown slave or freedman from a wealthy Roman family who took the name of Clemens. Traditionally scholars have dated the letter near the end of the reign of Domitian (95 or 96 A.D.)

Clement's letter show parallels to a type of political letter in which the orator appeals for unity against factions which have arisen in a region outside of Rome. It would be rash to speculate, that this demonstrates the early church incorporated a Roman imperial model of leadership. By mid-second century, the pattern of a single bishop in each town claiming full apostolic authority and assisted by a council of presbyters emerged without dispute. St. Clement notes,

"Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry." (1 Clement 44)

The fact that Clement uses a particular governing style does not mean he wishes to adopt the full Roman mindset. One must also deal with the irony of scholars who on the one hand wish for a weak and disorganized church structure in Rome during this period, but on the other hand claim Clement is marketing an imperial model power in his letter almost as though he were a patriarch!

The letter Clement writes to the Corinthians exhorts them to heal the schism or faction that a certain group of younger leaders have created by deposing some bishops who were appointed by the Apostles (1 Clement 42:1-5; 44:1-6).

Some scholars have highlighted the central theme of the letter as 'order' which may represent a parallel to the philosophy of Stoicism common during this period. Another group of scholars have emphasized the theme of 'restoring peace' following a Jewish-Christian theology which highlights obedience to the will of God as expressed by the Old Testament prophets. It is certainly possible to embrace both of these at once. Clement may well be interested in both 'order' and 'peace'. Echoing St. Paul in Philippians 2:6-11 and 2 Corinthians 8:9, Clement highlights the supreme dignity of Christ under the title the "Scepter of God's majesty" (1 Clement 16:2). Christ is the sign of 'order' and a model of humility. Clement writes,

"The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus the Christ was sent forth from God. So then Christ is from God, and the apostles are from Christ. Both, therefore, came of the will of God in good order. Having therefore received their orders and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and full of faith in the Word of God, they went forth with the firm assurance that the Holy Spirit gives, preaching the good news that the kingdom of God was about to come" (1 Clement 42:1-3).

We can see the pattern of authority founded by God. God recognized the lordship of Christ, who in turn shared his authority with the apostles. The apostles then passed on their unique authority to the bishops who are empowered by the Spirit to preach the Gospel and shepherd the Church. This divine order is established by God for the good of the Church. The Church exists in communion with Christ as the means through which Christ is made present in the world.

The Monarchical Episcopate    

 

When we use the term 'Monarchical Episcopate,' it refers to the idea that a single bishop was appointed as the leader of a geographic area, usually a city. Bishops are the successors of the apostles, appointed by them to lead (CCC 77). In the New Testament, Titus is told to "appoint elders in every town" (Titus 1:5). We must recall that in the letter to Titus the terms 'elder/presbyter' and 'bishop' are used without a distinction between the two terms (cf. Titus 1:5-9). There is strong evidence that by the end of the second century a clear distinction between 'bishops' and 'presbyters' was made. One sees the pattern of a single bishop leading a community. Prior to this time there may well have existed communities which collegial leadership existed without a 'residential bishop.' This makes sense where originally an apostle was giving leadership to the community (either directly or through his delegate), and then after the passing of the apostle a transition to a new leadership model would emerge. It is likely that some communities initially had a more collegial type of leadership while others quickly had a single leader. By mid-second century, the pattern of a single bishop in each town claiming full apostolic ministry and assisted by a council of presbyters emerged. St. Clement of Rome (c. 96 A.D.) notes,

"Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. We are of opinion, therefore, that those appointed by them, or afterwards by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Church, and who have blamelessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry." (1 Clement 44)

The fact that Clement says "we are of the opinion" in the above passage and does not explicitly name himself the 'Bishop of Rome' in his letter has led some modern interpreters to say that Clement's letter must be viewed as evidence that the church in Rome had only collegial leadership in this time period. Many Protestant interpreters feel compelled to argue that there was no single bishop administering the Roman church. Some even speculate further the leaders of the Roman church were scattered among house churches and were no more than parish priests without a central leader. This seems like a rather heavy burden of speculation to place on the single word 'we'. While it is certainly possible there was a time of transition between the direct leadership of the apostles and a single bishop ruling the church of Rome, as Otto Karrer has pointed out it is very reasonable to believe the bishop-presbyters worked together and that "one of them was probably responsible for unity amongst his colleges and within the congregation as a whole." The one responsible for this leadership was soon called the 'bishop.' Other examples from the same era show exactly this picture. St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35-107 A.D.) who is himself a bishop, in his Letter to the Ephesians describes the bishops "who have been appointed throughout the world" (3:2). He writes;

"Wherefore it is fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will of your bishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly renowned presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Therefore in your concord and harmonious love, Jesus Christ is sung" (Ign. Ephesians 4:1).

While the terms 'bishop' and 'elder/ presbyter' were not clearly distinguished in the New Testament, the communities St. Ignatius writes to across Asia have three clearly distinguished offices: bishop, presbyter, and deacon. One can see this again in St. Ignatius' Letter to the Trallians, He writes;

Similarly let everyone respect the deacons as Jesus Christ, as also the bishop who is a type of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and as the band of the apostles. Nothing can be called a church without these. (Trallians 3:1)

Even more boldly St. Ignatius writes to the Smyrnaeans;

"You must all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ (followed) the Father, and (follow) the presbytery as the apostles; respect the deacons as the commandment of God. Let no one do anything apart from the bishop that has to do with the church. Let that be regarded as a valid Eucharist which is held under the bishop or to whomever he entrusts it" (Smyrnaeans 8:1).

While some scholars see St. Ignatius' early second century comments as an endorsement and promotion of what would eventually be the norm in the mid-second century, there is little evidence of resistance. One suspects the scholarly attempt to emphasize earlier diversity in church order is motivated not by historical integrity but by the desire to dissent from modern church order.

 

Apostolic Fathers Chapter II

Introduction to the Apostolic Fathers

Last week I introduced that theme of seeking the face of Christ as it is reflected in the face of the Church. We see this resemblance most clearly in the faces of the fathers of the Church. The term "Apostolic Fathers" refers to a collection of texts of the earliest Christian writers to succeed the apostles. Although many of the works found in the Apostolic Fathers were revered in antiquity, some of them fell out of use and were actually lost until modern times. The full text of The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles or in its Greek title the Didache, was only rediscovered in 1883. In fact the excitement surrounding the discovery of the Didache in 1883 was much like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in our era.


Geographically the writings of the Apostolic Fathers come from a region sweeping around the Mediterranean Sea. The letter of Clement to the Corinthians and the Shepherd of Hermas are from Rome, Polycarp is from Smyrna in modern-day Turkey, the Didache and Barnabas have a variety of suggested locations from Antioch to Jerusalem, to Alexandria.


The dating of the Apostolic Fathers varies considerably. Some of the materials date from the first century and are contemporary with the New Testament. The Didache is a composite document which may incorporate an earlier Jewish catechetical tract. Most to these works are dated in the early second century.


The writers of the Apostolic Fathers are not speculative theologians but most often Bishops. Clement is the bishop of Rome, Ignatius is the bishop of Antioch, Polycarp is the bishop of Smyrna, the Didache is a manual of church discipline which attempts to pass on the traditions of the apostles through the bishops as they are remembered by one community. In each case the concern is with concrete pastoral problems in the new communities founded by the apostles. Questions relating to worship, liturgy, the Eucharist, catechesis of new converts, and the authority of bishops are raised in much the same manner as the New Testament.


It is clear from the Gospels that Jesus had a community of followers and that he intended to pass down the leadership of this community to the Twelve Apostles. Jesus intended to found the Church (CCC 857). Peter and the other Apostles engaged in a missionary activity and are soon joined by the Apostle Paul. The Church expanded rapidly into the Roman Empire around the Mediterranean establishing communities in most major cities. As the Catechism reminds us;


"In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority" (DV 7). Indeed, "the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end of time" (DV 8) (CCC 77).


Initially the movement was considered Jewish but the Church rapidly became predominantly Gentile, though of course many Christian traditions have Jewish origins. The early Christians used the Greek translation of the Old Testament as their Sacred Scriptures. The early Christians pointed to the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. To these Scriptures they gradually add the memoirs of the apostles, the Gospels and the later writings of the New Testament.


In antiquity some of the documents found in the Apostolic Fathers were considered to be part of Sacred Scripture by early church theologians and historians. The canon established by the Church at the time of Athanasius in AD 367, excluded these writings from full canonical status.  The rejection of these documents as part of Sacred Scripture does not mean the documents were lacking in orthodoxy, but only in the judgment of the Church they are not inspired Scripture. At the time these documents were written the Church had no legal status in the Roman Empire and was subject to frequent persecutions. These persecutions lead to the martyrdom of some of the early Fathers.


The Apostles also established common patterns for worship and behavior in the churches they established and established (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:17; 7:17; 11:16; 14:33). Most Important among these beliefs and practices were the rites surrounding the celebration of the Eucharist. St. Paul notes; "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-24). In saying that he "received" and "delivered" this tradition the Apostle Paul is using the technical verbs of preserving the tradition. St. Paul does not give us the full Eucharistic prayers but recounts the essential story of the institution narrative. The Didache repeats some other very early prayers from this Eucharistic tradition,

And concerning the Eucharist, hold Eucharist thus: First concerning the Cup, "We give thanks to thee, our Father, for the Holy Vine of David thy child, which, thou didst make known to us through Jesus thy child; to thee be glory for ever." And concerning the broken Bread: "We give thee thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which thou didst make known to us through Jesus thy Child. To thee be glory for ever. (Didache 9)

It is likely that these prayers are modeled on the Jewish prayers of "sanctification" or (qiddush) that were given before a meal. Normally the form begins "Blessed are you, Lord our God." The Greek equivalent of this blessing is "We give you thanks" (eucharistein). It is from this word that we get the name Eucharist. Studying the early Fathers helps us to discern the lines of continuity and the organic development between the New Testament and the later Church.

Apostolic Fathers Chapter I

Apostolic Fathers Chapter I

Like Father, Like Son
As the father of a modestly large family of five children, I have the opportunity to learn many lessons about parenting and family life. I become more aware of who I am, as I see myself reflected in the lives of my children.
Over the past three years, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has been giving an extended series of Wednesday audience talks on the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church or the light of the face of Christ that is reflected in the face of the Church. We see this reflection on the face of the earliest apostles and then on the faces of the fathers of the Church. As each of us deepens in our desire to see the face of Jesus we are reminded that we do so as part of a great family. In a world where family life is often given a low priority, the Holy Father is inviting each of us to grow in our relationship with our spiritual family.
Today when we speak about the 'Church Fathers' we are referring to the writings of a series of early Christian teachers which the Church has deliberately held up as profitable for study and reflection. Many of these writers were bishops who ministered in direct succession to the first Apostles. Their teachings give us a glimpse of the face of Jesus as reflected in Sacred Tradition. These writers took the deposit of faith that they received from Christ through the Apostles (1 Corinthians 11:2, 16; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6) and began the slow process of reflecting on its meaning in the life of the Church.
The title, 'father' probably stems from Jewish usage. The Gospel accounts speak of the "traditions of the elders" (Matthew 15:2) and "the elders of the people" (Matthew 21:23). The Jewish title 'elders' (prebuteroi) was taken over by the early Church to describe their own leaders along with the term 'episcopoi' or bishops (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 5:17-20; Titus 1:5-9). Initially the terms 'presbyter/elder' and 'bishop' are used somewhat interchangeably. Early in the second century the terminology became more stabilized with a single 'bishop' being assisted by 'presbyters' and 'deacons'. The Greek 'presbuteros' was translated into Latin as 'presbyter' and into Old English as 'preost' or 'priest.' In Jewish tradition the wise older person is also connected with the term 'father.' For example Luke refers to 'Father Abraham' (Luke 16:24) and the Apostle Paul to the 'patriarchs' or 'fathers' (Romans 9:5; Cf. Romans 4:12). These men are seen as models and teachers of the tradition of the elders. This leads St. Paul to affirm; "For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church" (1Corinthian 4:15-17). From this verse we can see how an apostle and later the 'bishop' could be regarded as the teacher and model of tradition and thus be called a 'father.'

The study of the lives, the writings and the doctrine of orthodox writers of Christian antiquity is called 'Patrology' (from the Latin patres). Specifically the term refers to the Greek writers of the East up to St. John Damascene, (c. A.D. 750), and the Latin writers of the West up to St. Gregory the Great (A.D. 540-604). These apparently differing dates may seem confusing but they relate to specific decisions in the East and West about when ecclesiastical approval for new fathers ended.
In order to qualify as an "orthodox writer from Christian antiquity" it is generally necessary to fulfill four conditions that are summarized for us by St. Vincent of Lérins (The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins III.8, 77). In order to be considered a "Father" of the Church, the writer must demonstrate: (1) orthodoxy of doctrine, (2) holiness of life (3) ecclesiastical approval, and (4) antiquity. Orthodoxy relates to a judgment by the Church of how well the writings of a particular person harmonize with the deposit of faith and its exposition in various Church councils. The orthodoxy of the writer needed to be matched by holiness of life.
Ultimately these criteria flow out of the 'mark' of apostolicity held by the Church. The Church is apostolic in three ways (CCC 857). The Church has apostolicity of origin. The origin of the Church is found in Christ rather than early heretics such as Marcion, Valentius, or Montanus. The Church has apostolicity of doctrine. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Church is the guardian of the deposit of faith. Finally the Church has apostolicity of succession. The authority of Christ granted to the Apostles is passed down to bishops who minister in succession to them. The 'Church Fathers' are held up as teachers and models of this apostolic tradition.
In the series I am beginning today I wish to introduce us to the earliest of the Fathers of the Church. In modern times the earliest collection of the Church Fathers, during up to the second century, are called the Apostolic Fathers. This term
is used to describe the earliest Christian writings after the New Testament. These writers are described as still hearing the very echo of the Apostles in their ears. The Apostolic Fathers generally include the writings of bishops and early popes such as St. Clement of Rome; St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Polycarp, as well as other church documents such as the Didache; letter of Diognetus, the Letter of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas. In this series on the Apostolic Fathers we will begin with an introduction to the history and background of this time period and then we will briefly examine each of these writings.

© Scott McKellar 2009
Index of posts on this topic

Contraceptive pill has made women less attracted to masculine men... and more interested in 'boyish' looks | Mail Online

Contraceptive pill has made women less attracted to masculine men... and more interested in 'boyish' looks | Mail Online

What do you think?

The Two become One Flesh.

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday's Gospel reading the Pharisees approach Jesus to "test" him with a difficult moral question. "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" Although divorce was an accepted practice at the time of Jesus, if we search the Old Testament scriptures they nowhere command or directly authorize the practice of divorce. Deuteronomy 24 does prescribes how a "bill" of divorce was to be given for the protection of the woman involved, since it was the prerogative of the husband to initiate the procedure. The Rabbis were divided over the precise grounds on which a husband might issue a bill of divorce. One school argued that this could only take place on the grounds of marital infidelity, while the more common position advocated a no fault clause that allowed a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Faced with a moral dilemma created by culture and not Sacred Scripture, Jesus takes an unexpected position.

Jesus asks them, "What did Moses command you? Jesus use of the word "command" is noted and the Pharisees reply instead, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." The Law merely regulates the practice, apparently tolerating it. Jesus takes the debate a step further by noting that this concession was because of the "hardness of their hearts." He then turns the discussion back to the original nature of the human person "from the beginning of creation."

Our most fundamental understanding of the human person does not flow from cultural norms or common practice but from our nature as creatures created in the image of God. Pope John Paul II recognized a new horizon for understanding the nature of the human person based on the Genesis account, as did the fathers of the second Vatican Council. John Paul II's reflections on this theme are found primarily in a collection of catechetical address on the Theology of the Body. Recently Carl Anderson and José Granados have written an excellent introduction to this thought entitled, Called to Love: Approaching John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

In the first reading From Genesis the Lord says, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him" (Genesis 2:18). Even though creation is itself "good" the man is left in a state of aloneness or original solitude which is judged to be "not good." Although man's original solitude is in part resolved by the creation of Eve, "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23), his solitude is greater than this. Anderson and Granados point out that "the term 'original solitude' underscores man's uniqueness when compared to other kinds of beings" and highlights "man's special relationship with the creator" (p. 27). Our first reading also points out that Adam's discovery of his original solitude comes about through his bodily experience of the world, it is revealed in the human body.

Before becoming the pope, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, noted that while the whole of creation offers the "sacrificium laudis" (Psalm 66:4) or the 'sacrifice of praise' to God, man "becomes the living expression of the glory of God" (cf. Psalm 116:17; Hebrews 13:15). Man becomes the special means which gathers together "the homage paid to the Lord by the whole of creation" (Sign of Contradiction). Man takes on a priestly role as a spokesperson or sacrament who speaks on behalf of the created world. Later Pope John Paul II observes that the aloneness of man and the desire to create a helper or partner for him (Genesis 2:18, 20) point to man's existence as "a relation of reciprocal gift" (TOB 14.1). Adam does not only exist with someone but for someone. "Communion of persons means living in a reciprocal "for," in a relationship of reciprocal gift." (TOB 14.2)

The next aspect of man's nature revealed in these texts is our original unity. This is Jesus' primary point in Mark's Gospel account. Jesus quotes from both creation accounts, "God made them male and female" (Genesis 1:27) and in marriage "the two shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Jesus astounds his disciples concluding, "what God has joined together, no human being must separate." The indissolubility of the sacrament of marriage is based on the unity of the communion of persons experienced by a man and women in marriage. The two become one flesh. As Pope John Paul II points out,

So it is that there are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined let man not separate." That phrase, "let man not separate," is decisive. In the light of this word of Christ, Genesis 2:24 states the principle of the unity and indissolubility of marriage as the very content of the word of God expressed in the most ancient revelation. (TOB 1.3).

Man's original unity also points to our bodily constitution as either male or female. Masculinity and femininity are two different "incarnations" (TOB 8.1) in which the same human being is created in the "image of God" (Genesis 1:27). This again points to the communion of persons as "two reciprocally completing ways of 'being a body'" (TOB 10.1).

The original unity of the human couple points to the mystery of our unity with Christ. As the council fathers remind us, "The truth is that only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light. For Adam, the first man, was a figure of Him Who was to come, (Roman 5:14) namely Christ the Lord."(GS 22). The unity and indissolubility of marriage is a sign of God's own gift of his Son. Sacred Scripture connects this to Christ, " . . . 'the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:31-32). Holy Mary Queen of the family. St. Joseph guardian and protector of the family. Pray for us.

The Catholic Key: Online Edition Newspaper of the Diocese of Kansas City - St.Joseph

The Catholic Key: Online Edition Newspaper of the Diocese of Kansas City - St.Joseph

An opinion piece, entitled "Thank God it's Monday"

USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists Mark Tenth Anniversary Of Historic Agreement

USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists Mark Tenth Anniversary Of Historic Agreement

In this historic aggreement Catholics, Lutherans and Mothodists confess their common belief on justification reversing the misunderstandings of the Reformation.

The Finnish Lutheran school following Finnish theologian Tuomo Mannermaa (pictured above) have recently argued that we should distinguish between “Luther’s theology” and the “Theology of Lutheranism”. Many of our cartoons about Luther's beliefs are being overturned by more careful research.

Lutheran theolgian Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen notes;
"In contrast to the theology of the Lutheran Confessions, Luther does not make a distinction between forensic and effective justification but rather argues that justification includes both. In other words, in line with Catholic theology, justification means both declaring righteous and making righteous." [1]

______________
[1]Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, "Drinking from the Same Wells with Orthodox and Catholics": Insights from the Finnish Interpretation of Luther's Theology, Currents in Theology and Mission 34 no 2 Ap 2007, p 85-96.

Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation by the winner of Ukraine's Got Talent

Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation by the winner of Ukraine's Got Talent

This is a truely amazing video!!

Searching for Humility

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus begins by modeling his leadership on the principle of being a servant. The disciples do not understand the connection between his mission as the Suffering Servant and authority. Jesus came, "not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Jesus rebukes the apostles for debating among themselves "who was the greatest." Jesus called the Twelve and says to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Jesus is calling the apostles to look deeper within their hearts to examine the motives for their actions. The Gospel reading this Sunday is one of a number of passages which deal with the important topic of sincerity and humility. In the parable found in Luke 14 someone sits at a lower place than is their due at a banquet and is moved to higher place by the host of the banquet, while someone else is moved downward for exalting himself and thinking more highly of himself than he should. In Luke 18 we have the story of the Pharisee and publican. The Pharisee's pride and self-importance smother his prayers. In both cases selfish-ambition and desire "to be seen by others" is a sign that there is a lack of humility.

In her work, The Interior Castle, St. Theresa of Ávila defines 'humility' as self-knowledge. Humility is being truthful with yourself about who you really are. Not thinking more highly of yourself than you should, but also not thinking less highly of yourself than you should. St. Theresa describes humility as a mirror in which we see ourselves as we are, but which also helps us to realize that any good thing we do has its source not in ourselves alone but in God's grace. This mirror also helps us to see the depths of our sins and shortcomings. This type of self-knowledge is absolutely crucial to begin to make progress in the spiritual life. St. Theresa notes, "Self-knowledge is so important that, even if you were raised right up to the heavens, I should never like you to relax your cultivation of it." (IC, II)

The virtue of humility is defined by St Thomas Aquinas as "keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" (Summa Contra Gent., IV, lv). Humility is a virtue in opposition to pride, and the virtue is exercised as a type of self-control. A false notion of humility often arises in which it is defined as "constantly putting yourself down." If someone met a famous painter and complimented the obvious beauty and profoundness of her work, it would not be humble of the painter to reply, "Oh, the painting is really not very good. I'm sure many others could do better." This is false humility. The humble response is simply to thank the person for the compliment and to give praise to God for bestowing these gifts on the painter. It would also be appropriate to acknowledge the discipline and hard work that went into developing these skills. Having said this, acknowledging what is true does not require us to begin boasting about our achievements. St. Francis de Sales warns of the false humility which causes us to "say we are nothing, that we are misery itself and the refuse of the world, but we would be sorry if anyone should take us at our word . . . On the contrary, we pretend to retire and hide ourselves, so that the world may run after us and seek us out" (Introduction to the Devote Life, III,5).

Our second reading from James reminds us that many disordered problems arise from "bitter jealousy and selfish ambition" and from a lack of truthfulness and sincerity and failure to control our passions (James 3:13-18). Humility comes from wisdom (James 3:13). It is not a lack of humility to seek professional prestige and to use the gifts God has given us to their fullness, even if this results in being noticed. To do less would actually be a failure to live up to the calling God has given to us. It would be a failure to use our gifts and talents for the glory of God. As the Catechism reminds us our human work is natural outgrowth of our being created in the image and likeness of God, it is a duty, it can be redemptive and it can be a means of sanctification, "a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ" (CCC 2427). Having said this, it is not right work in order to seek fame for fame's sake. Even the Apostles fell into this trap. As Jesus notes in this Sunday's Gospel; "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." We are reminded of the title chosen for the Roman Pontiff, Servus servorum Dei, the servant of the servants of God.

Perhaps Our Lady is the greatest example of a disciple living the virtue of humility. After receiving the message of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, Mary questions her own adequacy as the one chosen for this mission but resolves at the end of the passage, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Mary models complete abandonment to the divine will. Let us entrust ourselves to her maternal care.

 

Christopher Dawson on Technology and the Demise of Liberalism

Christopher Dawson on Technology and the Demise of Liberalism

This is an extremely interesting article by a leading Catholic thinker Professor Russell Hittinger. I was particular struck by his comment; ". . . in all of the western democracies today, the “liberal” party stands for a state managed economy. It did not succeed in its cultural mission of creating societies based upon freedom and persuasion, but rather succumbed to the militarization of state, and to the creation of new police powers and systems of surveillance."

This is exactly what has happened in Canada under years of the Liberal political party. All this with the added irony that the Prime Misters responsible were Catholics! Increasingly the state is imposing a "political correct" dogma on its citizens either by state imposed "education", official propaganda or the rule of law. I truely felt living there that my freedoms were being eroded.

Parents, educators ponder whether schoolchildren should be shown Obama address - Kansas City Star

Parents, educators ponder whether schoolchildren should be shown Obama address - Kansas City Star

Shared via AddThis

The controversy regarding President Obama’s address to school children causes me to reflect on how we can disagree with certain views and policies a politician holds, while still respecting the office that she or he holds. The Apostle Paul strongly admonishes;

Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. . . This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Pay to all their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, toll to whom toll is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.” (Romans 13:1-7.

It is obvious from Paul’s own life, as we see it in the Acts of the Apostles, that he is quite willing to resist authority when it stands in opposition to the freedom of the Gospel. Paul is a virtually a jail-bird in Acts. Yet Paul’s world is not the situation we find ourselves in today. What is the proper response today in a democracy that has enshrined our religious freedom? Clearly we have the freedom to speak our mind and a responsibility to do so. We also have the responsibility to vote in harmony with a properly formed Christian conscience. What kind of respect is owned to those who hold legitimate office even if their political views are not always clear? What if the pattern of their voting record shows they lack integrity in key ethical areas? Clearly we can vote against them at the polls but in a pluralistic society they may still get elected to political office. Even if we think a particular politician lacks a well formed moral compass, we still owe them respect when they govern the nation or proposed laws which are in harmony with the dignity of the human person and the common good. In many political situations there are no easy answers. Paul’s admonition to the Romans suggests we still need to show respect for the person’s office. Perhaps the most fundamental way to show this respect is the pray for those in authority. Later in his letter to Timothy, Paul writes,

First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity (1 Timothy 1:1).

‘Do you call twenty several?’

While researching the topic of indulgences I was asked how long after the principle act of earning the indulgence a person had to fulfill the obligation of receiving the sacramental Confession. I came across the following passage on the Vatican Website.

5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence.

 

This clarifies the question nicely, but raises a new question, since when does "several" mean "about 20"? Frankly this reminds me of the passage in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, where Gandalf begins to slowly introduce their company of 15 to Beorn and he begins by calling them "several" so as not to alarm him by their large number.

Gandalf says to Beorn,

"There was a terrible storm; stone-giants were out hurling rocks, and at the head of the pass we took refuge in a cave, the hobbit and I and several of our companions . . ."

'Do you call two several?'

'Well, no. As a matter of fact there were more than two."

Gandalf eventually introduces 13 dwarves.

Hmm, I think it's time for "elevensies" and since it is hot perhaps we should have "several" cold drinks.

Indulging in the Mystery of the Church.

A recent Vatican document offers the following definition of an indulgence:

1. This is how an indulgence is defined in the Code of Canon Law (can. 992) and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1471): "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints".

My guess is that most outside observers thing that and indulgence is the forgiveness of the guilt of sin directly and not "the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven." Perhaps this is easiest to understand using an analogy. If I break my arm and then have the break set, wear a cast until it is healed. I am able to use my arm again but is it as good a new? The answer is no. My arm is weaken by this experience. This is paralleled to what happens in the soul. I have obtained forgiveness but my past sinful behavior has left my soul weak and filled with imperfections that need to be healed by God's grace. If I die in friendship with God but still filled with imperfections I will need to be purified by God's love before I can spend eternity in his loving presence. Catholics call this purification purgation or purgatory. We find this purgation by fire (most likely a reference to God's love) in Scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:10-16. Just to be absolutely clear this isn't about "being saved" but about the later divine perfection of the soul. Protestant theologians also believe in this under the heading of the final perfection and glorification of the soul. What is different for some (perhaps most Protestants) is the denial on their part of the role of the Church as a Sacrament of Salvation.

My guess is that it also smacks to some of something mechanistic. Again this is to misunderstand how this works. The penitent receiving the indulgence is enjoined to make their heart right with God seeking sacramental forgiveness for any serious sins, then to receive our Lord lovingly in the Holy Eucharist, and to pledge to abstain from attachment even to less serious sin and false habits in their life. These are called the "normal conditions" which must accompany the successful reception of the indulgence. An indulgence is then a call to holiness and a gift of grace from the Church.

All of this may raise more questions than it answers, but it is rooted in love and relationship and the mystery of the Church.

 

Where have all the Baptists Gone?

Recently Mark Shea drew attention to an article entitled, "THE CHURCH FATHERS: A DOOR TO ROME" by self-proclaimed Fundamentalist Baptist David Cloud who warned his flock not to read the Church Fathers because they were too Catholic. What David Cloud apparently does not see is that if the Apostles were Fundamentalist Baptists just like him, what happen to the Baptists in the second century? Historically this radical juncture demands an explanation. What could have caused the Church to so radically alter her course? Where did her new compass come from?

Hmm! Wait a minute. What if the opposite is true? What if the Church was originally Catholic, with bishops and the celebration of the Eucharist? O yes, her prayers and liturgies developed, but the lines of continuity are much stronger that the supposed radical break that Cloud proposes. Frankly his proposal doesn't make a shred of historical sense. But hey, don't take my word for it. Make up your own mind. Read the Fathers! J

Jesus Stills the Storm

Anyone who has stood by the sea as huge breakers crashed against the shore has felt the tremendous power of the ocean. It is hard not to feel a sense of awe. The Ancient Israelites viewed the ocean as a manifestation of chaos which the Lord God had brought under control through his sovereign power. Our first reading from the book of Job talks about how God's power extends even to setting limits to the waves of the ocean and storms in the sky (Job 38:1-8). As the Creator, God has dominion over all created things.

As a youth I had the personal experience of being in a small sailing vessel that was overtaken by a sudden violent storm. My sailboat was blown off course and after a wild windblown journey, my sail ripped and we capsized. My partner and I were eventually thrown from the boat and left adrift in the stormy waters. We had the modern convenience of life jackets and were rescued fairly quickly by observant vacationers in a motorboat. The fear and excitement of this day have left this experience burned in my memory.

Our Gospel account this Sunday has the character of a vivid remembrance of a similar episode in the life of Jesus and his disciples. Church tradition recounts that Mark was the official recorder of the Apostle Peter's remembrances. Peter remembered that a number of boats accompanied them that day and that a sudden fierce wind caused waves to beat into the boat such that it was being filled with water and in danger of sinking. The storm was strong enough that even experienced fishermen were terrified. In the midst of this activity, Jesus calmly slept in the stern on a pillow. The disciples woke up Jesus with a reprimand, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

Jesus' actions in this incident display two things. First, Jesus' profound calm displays his abandonment to the divine will. Even in the midst of this storm Jesus shows no fear. Jesus' trust on a human level is perfectly united to his belief in God's sovereign control over all things. Jesus is able to model perfect peace. This episode in Jesus' life also shows that he is more than just a perfect disciple. Jesus manifests his own divinity by personally rebuking the wind and the waves. Upon realizing the implications of this, the disciples are struck with holy awe and cry out, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?" The reader of Mark's Gospel sees the answer clearly. This "man" is Jesus Christ the Son of God (Mark 1:1).

How can we obtain this kind of peace or inner calm in the face of life's many storms? St. Francis De Sales notes in a letter to the Abbess du Puy d'Orbe, "Let us do three things, my dearest daughter, and we will have peace: let us have the very pure intention of will to do all things for the honor and glory of God; let us do the little that we can toward that end, according to the advice of our spiritual director; and let us leave it to God to take care of the rest."

St. Augustine interpreted this Sunday's Gospel on a spiritual level as an analogy to the storms which sometimes disturb the peace of our interior life. The anger and indignation we feel inside us is like the storm and high waves which imperil our heart. He notes,

"When you hear the insult, you are eager to avenge it; you do avenge it, and by giving way to someone else's evil, you suffer shipwreck. And why is that? Because Christ is asleep in you. . . .You have forgotten Christ. So wake Christ up, remember Christ; let Christ stay awake in you, think about him. (Sermon 63.2)

We must turn to Christ. Cry out to him in the midst of our distress. We must allow him to purify our intensions. Do we desire the glory of God or our own glory in the situation? We might be tempted to think that such perfect peace is impossible. Let us look to the example of Our Lady. Holy Mary, refuge of sinners, comforter of the afflicted, help of Christians, pray for us.

The Feast of the Ascension: May 21st

The Feast of the Ascension commemorates the Ascension of Christ into heaven. There is documentary evidence that this feast has been celebrated at least since the fourth century. St. Augustine says the feast is of apostolic origin. The longest scriptural account of the Ascension is found in our first reading from Acts 1:1-11, and our Gospel is taken from St. Mark's account in Mark 16:15-20. The Latin ascensio signifies that Christ was raised up by his own powers. The Feast of the Ascension ranks with Easter and Pentecost as the most solemn on the church calendar. The feast was originally celebrated as a vigil followed by an octave (the feast day and seven days following it) in anticipation of Pentecost. The feast falls on a Thursday exactly 40 days after the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. In the US this feast is a Holy Day of Obligation but it has been transferred to Sunday, May 24^th.

The importance of this feast flows from its connection to the Paschal mystery. As the Catechism notes the Paschal mystery is fully understood as Christ's passion, crucifixion, death, burial, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension (CCC 512). Thus the ascension is the culmination of the Paschal mystery. In the Second Vatican Council Constitution on Sacred Liturgy the council Fathers note that the purpose of the liturgy is to make present the fullness of the Paschal mystery. The council Fathers point out; "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event in their lives; they are given access to the stream of divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the passion, death, the resurrection of Christ, the font from which all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power" (SC 61).

Jesus' solidarity with all humanity in the mystery of the Incarnation is brought to completion by the substitution of his own obedience for our disobedience in the Paschal mystery (CCC 615). Because Christ is one person in two natures, everything Christ does as a man is also an act of God. By his glorious ascension, Christ has "opened the gates of heaven to receive his faithful people" (Preface for Easter II). Christ has inaugurated a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and has become a New Adam (Romans 5:18).

The Fathers of the Church have used different scriptural images to reflect on how this solidarity with Christ takes place. Fathers of the East such as St. Gregory of Nyssa (330-395), and St. John Chrysostom (347-407) used the Old Testament image of the "firstfruits" to explain this mystery. By offering the first of the fruits and the firstborn of the herds and flocks, it was understood that the whole was contained in the part that was offered. St. John Chrysostom observes;

As it happens in a field full of corn, when a man takes a few ears of corn and makes a small sheaf and offers it to God, he blesses the whole cornfield by means of this sheaf, so Christ has done this also, and through that one flesh and firstfruits has made our race to be blessed. But why did he not offer the whole of nature? Because that is not the firstfruits if he offers the whole, but if he offers a little, preparing the whole to be blessed by the smaller amount. (Sermon on the Ascension PG, 50:441-52)

By his bodily ascension into heaven Christ becomes the firstfruits which are accepted as a representative of the whole human race. In effect Jesus becomes the font and origin of ascended and glorified life which comes to us through the Sacraments.

In the West this same truth was highlighted by St. Augustine who emphasized our communion with Christ by meditating on the image of the Body of Christ. St. Augustine comments on the deeper significance of our oneness or communion with Christ in his commentary on Psalm 26. He notes that the practice of anointing in the Old Testament was normally reserved for either the king or the priest. But Christ now holds both offices as both Priest and King in virtue of his anointing or literally being the Messiah or Anointed one. Speaking of Christ, St. Augustine observes, "But not only was our Head anointed; but his body was too, we ourselves. . . . From this it is obvious that we are the body of Christ, being all anointed. In him all of us belong to Christ, but we are Christ too, because in some sense the whole Christ is Head and body" (Exposition 2 of Psalm 26). St. Augustine comments on John 3:13, "Nobody has gone up to heaven, except the one who came down from heaven." Our ability to be reborn and to go up to heaven occurs by the grace of God and through our communion with Christ who is the Head of his Body. The risen and ascended Christ is the font and origin of our sacramental participation in his grace. The Son of man is "one person in both natures" he is both "the Son of God equal to God" and "the Son of man taking to himself a human soul and human flesh" (Sermon 294). St. Augustine notes,

If you want to go up, be in the body of Christ. If you want to go up, be a member of Christ. For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body; so also is Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12); because Christ is head and body (Sermon 294).

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) highlights three aspects which are accomplished through Christ's bodily Ascension (Summa Theologiae 3a, q. 57-59). First, by his ascension Christ prepared a way for us to heaven. Second, the presence of Jesus' human nature in heaven allows him to intercede for us. Thirdly, Christ's enthronement in heaven as God and Lord, allows him to shower his divine gifts upon us (Eph. 4:10). The second reading for this Mass emphasizes this very point. "But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." (Ephesians 4:7). Christ's bodily ascension allowed him to give the Church gifts of the Spirit "for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). The fullness of our participation in the Paschal mystery is made present in the Church through Christ's ascension and glorification in heaven. By our sacramental communion with Christ we become partakers in his divine life. Baptism (Romans 6:2-4); Confirmation (Ephesians 1:7-13) and Holy Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:26) are all tied to the Paschal mystery. This is the central mystery of our faith which leads the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, in order that we might know what is "the hope that belongs to his call" (Ephesians 1:18). Holy Mary, Gate of Heaven, pray for us.

Gospel Reflection: Third Sunday of Easter

In the second reading this Sunday we are reminded by St. John that all Christians are called to a life of holiness by virtue of our Baptism and incorporation in to Christ. Yet we are still capable of sinning. Jesus our Advocate before the Father, paid the expiation for our sins and is able to reconcile us to the Father. St. John tells us that Jesus substituted his obedience for our disobedience, "not for our sins only but for those of the whole world" (1 John 1:1). We must not take Jesus' sacrifice lightly.

The Christian life is a call to an intimate union with Christ. The evidence of this union is our own desire to live a life of holiness. St John reminds us,

The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him. (1 John 1:3-5).

Pope Paul VI remarks that, "The split between the Gospel and culture is without a doubt the drama of our time, just as it was of other times. Therefore every effort must be made to ensure a full evangelization of culture, or more correctly of cultures (Evangelii Nuntiandi 20). The Fathers of Second Vatican Council make the same point forcefully; "the breach between faith and daily life among so many must be considered one of the more serious errors of our time" (Gaudium et Spes 43). Theologically, this concept is called living a "unity of life." We cannot separate our lives into private and public spheres and live two separate lives. A Christian cannot go to Church on Sunday and cheat people on the stock market on Monday. We must live the virtue of sincerity rather than pursue the vice of hypocrisy. The Fathers of Second Vatican Council note,
 

Since Christ, sent by the Father, is the source and origin of the whole apostolate of the Church, the success of the lay apostolate depends upon the laity's living union with Christ, in keeping with the Lord's words, "He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing" (John 15:5) (The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity 4).
 

The Council Fathers note that the lay faithful have a special mission to carry out "the apostolate of evangelization and sanctification" in order to both penetrate and perfect the temporal order (AA 2, 6). The particular character of the lay faithful must be kept in mind. They are called to live out the universal call to holiness in the midst of their ordinary lives while engaged in temporal affairs. They are to live a unity of life brought about by a life of prayer, formation, and rich sacramental life (AA 4). The mission field becomes the world each of us live in, in the midst of our temporal affairs we must become the light of Christ to the nations. Even secular culture must be evangelized through the actions of the lay faithful. Pope John Paul II calls this the "New Evangelization." He notes, "The unity of life of the lay faithful is of the greatest importance: indeed they must be sanctified in everyday professional and social life. Therefore, to respond to their vocation, the lay faithful must see their daily activities as an occasion to join themselves to God, fulfill his will, serve other people and lead them to communion with God in Christ"(Christifideles laici 17).
The problem of living a unity of life has become particularly important for those in public office. Pope John Paul II notes,

The passing of unjust laws often raises difficult problems of conscience for morally upright people with regard to the issue of cooperation, since they have a right to demand not to be forced to take part in morally evil actions. . . . Christians, like all people of good will, are called upon under grave obligation of conscience not to cooperate formally in practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God's law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. Such cooperation occurs when an action, either by its very nature or by the form it takes in a concrete situation, can be defined as a direct participation in an act against innocent human life or a sharing in the immoral intention of the person committing it" (Evangelium vitae, 74).
 

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has also clarified that, "Those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a "grave and clear obligation to oppose" any law that attacks human life" (CDF, Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in public life, November 24, 2002). It is not uncommon to have individuals or lobby groups call themselves 'Catholic' and yet to divide their beliefs into two spheres. They attempt to point out the good they have accomplished in one sphere while overlooking their grave cooperation with attacks on human life in another sphere. This type of thinking is hypocrisy and clearly not living a unity of life.
 

In today's Gospel the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus had their eyes opened and they recognized Jesus in the breaking of Bread. Through their encounter with the Eucharist, Jesus "opened their minds to understand the scriptures." Then he commissioned them, "You are witnesses of these things." The Opening Prayer for the Thursday after Ash Wednesday is a prayer for living the unity of life. We pray, "Direct, we beseech you, O Lord, all our actions by your holy inspiration and carry them on by your gracious assistance that every work of ours may always begin with you and through you be happily ended." Pope John Paul II has named the Virgin Mary as the "Star of the New Evangelization" (Novo Millennio Ineunte 74). As we strive to live our lives fully in union with Christ, may we all pray: Holy Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, pray for us.

A short History of John Paul II's New Evangelization

The following is a complete file of the notes for this lecture.