A Word for Meditation

From today's Liturgy of the Hours, the Reading for Evening Prayer:

"Submit to God; resist the devil and he will take flight. Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you backsliders. Be humbled in the sight of the Lord and He will raise you on high." [James 4:7-8, 10]

...good words for Lent. Maybe we should take these words and read them a few times each day.

Special Lenten Reading

Today Ignatius Press officially published the second volume of Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth. If like me you've read volume one, I am sure you'll want to read volume two. I've already ordered a copy for myself so I can make it the cornerstone of my Lenten reading. While volume one covered Jesus' public ministry, volume two takes the story from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem through His Passion, Death and Resurrection and on to His Ascension. We are so blessed to have a pope who possesses such a breadth of knowledge, as well as the ability to present it clearly.

While browsing on Amazon, I also noticed that Ignatius Press has also  published study guides for both volume one and volume two of Jesus of Nazareth. I realize that some folks found the first book somewhat challenging, probably because they haven't spent a lot of time reading theological texts. They can be daunting, and are certainly not the sort of books we non-theologians might read at a single sitting. I would expect, then, that the study guides might be of help. I can't say for sure since I have used neither, but here are Amazon links: Volume One Study Guide and Volume Two Study Guide.

And if you'd like to read some good words about the newly published volume two, read the article by the always interesting and erudite Father James Schall here: Benedict's Second Volume.

Tomorrow I will suggest some other books for Lenten reading, because this evening I'm simply too tired to think. We had an early, long and busy morning at the Soup Kitchen today, followed by a board of directors meeting. It's been a full day for an old retired guy.

God's peace...

Pope Benedict's 2011 Lenten Message

Pope Benedict's Lenten Message  for 2011 is included below in its entirety.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI
FOR LENT 2011

“You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him.” (cf. Col 2: 12)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Lenten period, which leads us to the celebration of Holy Easter, is for the Church a most valuable and important liturgical time, in view of which I am pleased to offer a specific word in order that it may be lived with due diligence. As she awaits the definitive encounter with her Spouse in the eternal Easter, the Church community, assiduous in prayer and charitable works, intensifies her journey in purifying the spirit, so as to draw more abundantly from the Mystery of Redemption the new life in Christ the Lord (cf. Preface I of Lent).

1. This very life was already bestowed upon us on the day of our Baptism, when we “become sharers in Christ’s death and Resurrection”, and there began for us “the joyful and exulting adventure of his disciples” (Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 10 January, 2010). In his Letters, St. Paul repeatedly insists on the singular communion with the Son of God that this washing brings about. The fact that, in most cases, Baptism is received in infancy highlights how it is a gift of God: no one earns eternal life through their own efforts. The mercy of God, which cancels sin and, at the same time, allows us to experience in our lives “the mind of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2: 5), is given to men and women freely. The Apostle to the Gentiles, in the Letter to the Philippians, expresses the meaning of the transformation that takes place through participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, pointing to its goal: that “I may come to know him and the power of his resurrection, and partake of his sufferings by being molded to the pattern of his death, striving towards the goal of resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3: 10-11). Hence, Baptism is not a rite from the past, but the encounter with Christ, which informs the entire existence of the baptized, imparting divine life and calling for sincere conversion; initiated and supported by Grace, it permits the baptized to reach the adult stature of Christ.

A particular connection binds Baptism to Lent as the favorable time to experience this saving Grace. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council exhorted all of the Church’s Pastors to make greater use “of the baptismal features proper to the Lenten liturgy” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum concilium, n. 109). In fact, the Church has always associated the Easter Vigil with the celebration of Baptism: this Sacrament realizes the great mystery in which man dies to sin, is made a sharer in the new life of the Risen Christ and receives the same Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead (cf. Rm 8: 11). This free gift must always be rekindled in each one of us, and Lent offers us a path like that of the catechumenate, which, for the Christians of the early Church, just as for catechumens today, is an irreplaceable school of faith and Christian life. Truly, they live their Baptism as an act that shapes their entire existence.

2. In order to undertake more seriously our journey towards Easter and prepare ourselves to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord – the most joyous and solemn feast of the entire liturgical year – what could be more appropriate than allowing ourselves to be guided by the Word of God? For this reason, the Church, in the Gospel texts of the Sundays of Lent, leads us to a particularly intense encounter with the Lord, calling us to retrace the steps of Christian initiation: for catechumens, in preparation for receiving the Sacrament of rebirth; for the baptized, in light of the new and decisive steps to be taken in the sequela Christi and a fuller giving of oneself to him.

The First Sunday of the Lenten journey reveals our condition as human beings here on earth. The victorious battle against temptation, the starting point of Jesus’ mission, is an invitation to become aware of our own fragility in order to accept the Grace that frees from sin and infuses new strength in Christ – the way, the truth and the life (cf. Ordo Initiationis Christianae Adultorum, n. 25). It is a powerful reminder that Christian faith implies, following the example of Jesus and in union with him, a battle “against the ruling forces who are masters of the darkness in this world” (Eph 6: 12), in which the devil is at work and never tires – even today – of tempting whoever wishes to draw close to the Lord: Christ emerges victorious to open also our hearts to hope and guide us in overcoming the seductions of evil.

The Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord puts before our eyes the glory of Christ, which anticipates the resurrection and announces the divinization of man. The Christian community becomes aware that Jesus leads it, like the Apostles Peter, James and John “up a high mountain by themselves” (Mt 17: 1), to receive once again in Christ, as sons and daughters in the Son, the gift of the Grace of God: “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favor. Listen to him” (Mt 17: 5). It is the invitation to take a distance from the noisiness of everyday life in order to immerse oneself in God’s presence. He desires to hand down to us, each day, a Word that penetrates the depths of our spirit, where we discern good from evil (cf. Heb 4:12), reinforcing our will to follow the Lord.

The question that Jesus puts to the Samaritan woman: “Give me a drink” (Jn 4: 7), is presented to us in the liturgy of the third Sunday; it expresses the passion of God for every man and woman, and wishes to awaken in our hearts the desire for the gift of “a spring of water within, welling up for eternal life” (Jn 4: 14): this is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who transforms Christians into “true worshipers,” capable of praying to the Father “in spirit and truth” (Jn 4: 23). Only this water can extinguish our thirst for goodness, truth and beauty! Only this water, given to us by the Son, can irrigate the deserts of our restless and unsatisfied soul, until it “finds rest in God”, as per the famous words of St. Augustine.

The Sunday of the man born blind presents Christ as the light of the world. The Gospel confronts each one of us with the question: “Do you believe in the Son of man?” “Lord, I believe!” (Jn 9: 35. 38), the man born blind joyfully exclaims, giving voice to all believers. The miracle of this healing is a sign that Christ wants not only to give us sight, but also open our interior vision, so that our faith may become ever deeper and we may recognize him as our only Savior. He illuminates all that is dark in life and leads men and women to live as “children of the light”.

On the fifth Sunday, when the resurrection of Lazarus is proclaimed, we are faced with the ultimate mystery of our existence: “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?” (Jn 11: 25-26). For the Christian community, it is the moment to place with sincerity – together with Martha – all of our hopes in Jesus of Nazareth: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world” (Jn 11: 27). Communion with Christ in this life prepares us to overcome the barrier of death, so that we may live eternally with him. Faith in the resurrection of the dead and hope in eternal life open our eyes to the ultimate meaning of our existence: God created men and women for resurrection and life, and this truth gives an authentic and definitive meaning to human history, to the personal and social lives of men and women, to culture, politics and the economy. Without the light of faith, the entire universe finishes shut within a tomb devoid of any future, any hope.

The Lenten journey finds its fulfillment in the Paschal Triduum, especially in the Great Vigil of the Holy Night: renewing our baptismal promises, we reaffirm that Christ is the Lord of our life, that life which God bestowed upon us when we were reborn of “water and Holy Spirit”, and we profess again our firm commitment to respond to the action of the Grace in order to be his disciples.

3. By immersing ourselves into the death and resurrection of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are moved to free our hearts every day from the burden of material things, from a self-centered relationship with the “world” that impoverishes us and prevents us from being available and open to God and our neighbor. In Christ, God revealed himself as Love (cf. 1Jn 4: 7-10). The Cross of Christ, the “word of the Cross”, manifests God’s saving power (cf. 1Cor 1: 18), that is given to raise men and women anew and bring them salvation: it is love in its most extreme form (cf. Encyclical Deus caritas est, n. 12). Through the traditional practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer, which are an expression of our commitment to conversion, Lent teaches us how to live the love of Christ in an ever more radical way. Fasting, which can have various motivations, takes on a profoundly religious significance for the Christian: by rendering our table poorer, we learn to overcome selfishness in order to live in the logic of gift and love; by bearing some form of deprivation – and not just what is in excess – we learn to look away from our “ego”, to discover Someone close to us and to recognize God in the face of so many brothers and sisters. For Christians, fasting, far from being depressing, opens us ever more to God and to the needs of others, thus allowing love of God to become also love of our neighbor (cf. Mk 12: 31).

In our journey, we are often faced with the temptation of accumulating and love of money that undermine God’s primacy in our lives. The greed of possession leads to violence, exploitation and death; for this, the Church, especially during the Lenten period, reminds us to practice almsgiving – which is the capacity to share. The idolatry of goods, on the other hand, not only causes us to drift away from others, but divests man, making him unhappy, deceiving him, deluding him without fulfilling its promises, since it puts materialistic goods in the place of God, the only source of life. How can we understand God’s paternal goodness, if our heart is full of egoism and our own projects, deceiving us that our future is guaranteed? The temptation is to think, just like the rich man in the parable: “My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come…”. We are all aware of the Lord’s judgment: “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul…” (Lk 12: 19-20). The practice of almsgiving is a reminder of God’s primacy and turns our attention towards others, so that we may rediscover how good our Father is, and receive his mercy.

During the entire Lenten period, the Church offers us God’s Word with particular abundance. By meditating and internalizing the Word in order to live it every day, we learn a precious and irreplaceable form of prayer; by attentively listening to God, who continues to speak to our hearts, we nourish the itinerary of faith initiated on the day of our Baptism. Prayer also allows us to gain a new concept of time: without the perspective of eternity and transcendence, in fact, time simply directs our steps towards a horizon without a future. Instead, when we pray, we find time for God, to understand that his “words will not pass away” (cf. Mk 13: 31), to enter into that intimate communion with Him “that no one shall take from you” (Jn 16: 22), opening us to the hope that does not disappoint, eternal life.

In synthesis, the Lenten journey, in which we are invited to contemplate the Mystery of the Cross, is meant to reproduce within us “the pattern of his death” (Ph 3: 10), so as to effect a deep conversion in our lives; that we may be transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit, like St. Paul on the road to Damascus; that we may firmly orient our existence according to the will of God; that we may be freed of our egoism, overcoming the instinct to dominate others and opening us to the love of Christ. The Lenten period is a favorable time to recognize our weakness and to accept, through a sincere inventory of our life, the renewing Grace of the Sacrament of Penance, and walk resolutely towards Christ.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, through the personal encounter with our Redeemer and through fasting, almsgiving and prayer, the journey of conversion towards Easter leads us to rediscover our Baptism. This Lent, let us renew our acceptance of the Grace that God bestowed upon us at that moment, so that it may illuminate and guide all of our actions. What the Sacrament signifies and realizes, we are called to experience every day by following Christ in an ever more generous and authentic manner. In this our itinerary, let us entrust ourselves to the Virgin Mary, who generated the Word of God in faith and in the flesh, so that we may immerse ourselves – just as she did – in the death and resurrection of her Son Jesus, and possess eternal life.

Pope Remembers Shahbaz Bhatti, Murdered Catholic Pakistani Official

Last week I mentioned the murder of Pakistan's Minister of Minority Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic who had spoken out strongly against the country's so-called anti-blasphemy laws. These "laws" are often applied unjustly against Christians and other religious minorities simply for practicing their faith. During the Angeles on Sunday afternoon, Pope Benedict XVI praised this courageous man to the crowd assembled in St. Peter's Square. Shahbaz Bhatti gave his life while supporting and protecting Pakistan's oppressed and persecuted minorities. The following is a video of the Holy Father's comments:

A Word for Meditation

From the Liturgy of the Hours, the Office of Readings for today, Ash Wednesday:

"This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own." [Is 58:6-7]

...and from the Intercessions in today's Morning Prayer:

"Teach us to be loving not only in great and exceptional moments, but above all in the ordinary events of daily life."

And, remember, it's not what you give up for Lent that's important; it's what you give...in secret. It is in giving to others that we give up of ourselves.

Wildwood Soup Kitchen Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

Last evening the Wildwood Soup Kitchen had its annual volunteer appreciation dinner, a time when the soup kitchen's board of directors thanks all the volunteers who make this ministry possible. It's also an opportunity to provide a brief recap of the previous year and inform our volunteers of any plans and changes that might affect them in the coming months. We gathered for the dinner at a local church -- New Covenant United Methodist Church -- that has the capacity to seat our large crowd of volunteers.

Although we took advantage of the church's professional cook to prepare the meal, he was ably assisted by members of the soup kitchen's board who also served and cleaned up afterward. And so the volunteers could share a delightful meal -- one they didn't have to cook and serve -- and could actually sit down together and engage in real conversation. This is not something we normally get to do in the midst of the organized chaos involved in the daily preparation, delivery and serving of 250 meals. It was a lovely evening.

We now have close to 150 volunteers, including cooks, kitchen helpers and servers, drivers, bakers, and a host of others who handle such tasks as writing the newsletter, buying food and paper products, maintaining the volunteer database, updating the website, fund-raising and more...much more. It's quite an operation and the fact that we accomplish so much without a single paid employee always astonishes me. But I am even more astonished, and thankful, that we do all this solely through the generous contributions of individuals, businesses, churches, neighborhood groups, and civic organizations. We receive no government funds and are still able to serve and deliver nearly 70,000 meals each year. It is truly God's work and He should receive all the praise and credit for what He has enabled us to do in His name. Remarkably, our volunteers represent nearly 30 area churches, men and women who come together not to focus on their differences but to accomplish what the Lord has called His disciples to do.

Every so often I am asked to speak about the soup kitchen to local organizations, and I always begin with that wonderful passage from Matthew 25:35,

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me..."

It's a passage we at the Wildwood Soup Kitchen have adopted as our guiding vision. And when I explain that, so long as they come in peace, we welcome everyone who comes to our door, no exceptions, I can usually expect someone to question this policy of unconditional service: "Don't you think that some of those people who come for a meal really don't need it, that they're just scamming you?" I always respond by saying, "Yep, there are probably a few, but that's not our worry. We let God take care of it. He just told us to welcome them and give them a meal, not to check their tax returns. And, at least so far, He's given us everything we need to do His will."

I also found the timing of the dinner to be perfect. The evening before Ash Wednesday is a good time to reflect on Jesus' call to alms-giving, prayer and fasting. It's a good time to recall why we feed the hungry and why we welcome the stranger who seeks our help. As Christians we don't do these things because they make us feel better about ourselves; we do them for God's greater glory.

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomine tuo da gloriam -- Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory -- Ps 115:1]. These are wonderful words to keep in mind as we make this year's journey through Lent to the glory of Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Praise God in all things.

Homily: 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Dt 11:18,26-28,32; Ps 31; Rom 3:21-25,28; Mt 7:21-27

Words, words, words...The readings we just heard are really all about words…well, about words and the Word. Today we’re inundated with words – words in print, broadcast words, televised words, internet words, words of telemarketers, robo calls, emails, voice mails, text messages, tweets – words pouring down on us from every direction.

We blog, we tweet, we befriend complete strangers on Facebook, we share our photos on Flickr, our videos on YouTube…all of it encased in words. We carry phones in our pockets and purses, or attached to our belts.  Bluetooth receivers hang from our ears, constantly collecting words from everyone we know.

At home we have phones and TVs and PCs in every room, even the bathroom. Our homes and cars and offices and briefcases and backpacks all have their own laptops or netbooks or iPads. And we walk through our lives with the words of our favorite music streaming through little earbuds stuck in our ears, blocking other words and worlds from disturbing us. And words, as they expand and multiply, are much like any other commodity; they become increasingly valueless.

Lovers utter words of binding love, words of commitment at the foot of the altar, and then follow them with the big words, the legal words of separation and divorce that try to break what cannot be broken.

Politicians love words too. They want our trust, hoping we’ll trust in the untrustworthy, asking us to believe they’ll always strive for the good even when they don’t. And how many of us offer them our trust, shifting our allegiance, our faith, from God to man?

Others change words, distorting them, substituting them, all the while hoping we won’t notice. To kill the most innocent becomes a choice. To murder the old and the ill becomes dignity. And in all of this, as we drown in this flood of words and distortions, of the words of this world, we cease listening to The Word.

Moses realized this over 3,000 years ago. That’s why, in our first reading from Deuteronomy, he told the people: “Take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead.” Yes, Moses pleads with God’s people: Don’t forget these words, this Word of God Himself.

What were these words of Moses, this Word of God that is so important? They’re the words of the Shemá, the words pious Jews pray when they wake and as they go to sleep, the first prayer a Jew learns as a child, and the last prayer he utters as he dies:

”Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One, and you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

Moses lays out a choice, a real choice before the people: choose a blessing or a curse, a way of faith or a way of disobedience, a way of love and life or a way of death. This Word, this choice, still applies, for all of us; because Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, enshrined it as the greatest of commandments. But Jesus doesn’t leave it there, for He doesn’t just repeat the Law; He fulfills it. Jesus, the Word, opens God’s Word for us, showing us the will of the Father.

It can be a bit unnerving, can’t it? No matter how hard we try, the words, the Word, won’t just go away. It’s there before us in its stark reality. And here, today, in this Gospel passage before us, it’s a word of judgment. It tells us that our words, the words of the world, really aren’t all that important: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,”

It’s not the words, is it? It’s not the saying of words. Well, then what is it?  “…but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Does the will of my Father…It’s the doing. But, even then, it’s not all the doing. “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’”

And as I hear these words, I certainly don’t condemn you, brothers and sisters. No, I turn my glance and my thoughts inward, trying to measure myself against God’s Word. Lord, Lord, did I not preach in your name? Did I not heal, and teach, and bury, and baptize…all in your name?

But that’s not the doing our Lord wants from me or from you…at least not all. He wants more, much more. He wants the doing of the Father’s will, the fulfillment of His commandment to love.

Warning us against self-deception, he wants us to turn inward in our understanding of self. Warning against a distorted self-love, he calls us to turn outward in expressing our love for God and one another. We must listen to these warnings, because Jesus is the judge, the decider, the one who will welcome or deny. And there are words none of us wants to hear: “I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.”

Jesus, you see, knows His disciples and they know Him. Does He know you? Does He know me? And do we really know Him?

Yes, as Paul tells us in the 2nd reading today, it is through the gratuitous gifts of faith and God’s grace that we are justified. But God’s grace doesn’t free us from obedience; no, it is Christ’s fulfillment of the Law, the New Law, that lives within us, His disciples. And it is the Holy Spirit that moves within us, bringing us to knowledge of Father and Son. It is Christ’s presence working with us, through the Holy Spirit, that forms the firm foundation of which Jesus speaks, the foundation that protects us from life’s storms.

Ssalvation is a gift, but you and I can reject God’s gifts. We can reject His love. For God respects our freedom. He allows us to choose, to make the same choice Moses placed before the children of Israel: a choice of blessing or curse. Eternal loss, then, is certainly possible.

The life Christ wants for each of us here and now is nothing less than a challenge: How do I receive the gift? How do I let Jesus Christ into my life? How can I know the way to salvation?

You and I must be like a small child who’s been given a wondrous toy, who clutches it against his breast, holding it tightly for fear it will be taken away – this is how, childlike, we should treasure the gift of Jesus Christ. For as Jesus told Thomas at the Last Supper:

“Where I am going you know the way...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

What is the way? Nothing less than our Christian faith and the struggle to put that faith into practice by loving God and our neighbor. We can’t do it on our own, and so through the grace of the sacraments God gives us mercy, and Spirit, and forgiveness, and healing, and the very gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

And the truth? Why, it’s the Good News of Jesus Christ! It’s the truth of Jesus’ promise, borne out and proven by His resurrection.

And the life? Oh, the life is eternal life, the fruit of Jesus’ promise. It’s the understanding that we’re here for a purpose: to do the Father’s will so that we may spend an eternal life of happiness with Him.

And so don’t let God’s Word, the mystery of His love, be drowned out by the words of the world. Lent begins only a few days from now. Don’t let it slip by unnoticed. Take some time every day to hide yourself from the noise of the world, from the cacophony of meaningless words, and listen to God’s Word working within you.

As God spoke to us through the words of the psalmist:

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Prayer for Happy Employment

Here in The Villages, our large retirement community in Florida, only a few residents are actually seeking employment, usually part-time jobs to supplement their retirement income. But given the state of the economy elsewhere, the situation is quite different. When a family's breadwinner is unemployed, the effect on the family can be devastating. Hardly a week goes by when I am not asked to pray for someone's adult child who is out of work and seeking employment.

This morning, while browsing on a couple of favorite sites, I came across the following prayer to St. Juan Diego and decided to share it with you. I especially like its focus on "happy" employment, because the work one does should be both rewarding and enjoyable. In my own life I have been blessed with satisfying and meaningful work, and pray that others may experience the same.

I found this prayer on Andrew Cusack's blog. Please share it with those in need of work.

Prayer to St. Juan Diego

for Happy Employment

Dear Juan Diego, when the Lady of Tepeyac Hill gave you her picture, she also gave you a task to fill your days with happy labor. It was your privilege and joy to spend the hours caring for the chapel of the Tilma, telling its story to those who came there. Here the time of your earthly pilgrimage passed quickly and happily because you worked for Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Dear Juan Diego, please help me find steady employment that my time and talent may be devoted to the tasks suited to my nature and ability.

May my hours of toil then, give fair return and more to him who hires me. May my work not be done for mere profit, or just to make a living. Rather, may it be done to make of myself, one more able to honor the Creator. May it be done with reverence and appreciation of the materials, all supplied by God, and only modified by man. May my work be done to enjoy the benefits of skilled and honest craftmanship.
And especially let my work be done to make known and lead others to love the same Lady you serve so well. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

The USCCB and the New American Bible, Revised Edition

The other day I mentioned that the US Bishops' website lacked information on the new translation of the New American Bible. Apparently they have corrected the omission. I visited their website a few moments ago and found that it contains quite a bit of good information on the upcoming availability of the Revised Edition. The new edition is not yet available online, but they promise it will be up and running soon.

Click here to visit the page: NAB-RE

If you want to purchase the Revised Edition -- available on Ash Wednesday -- you can pre-order a copy via Amazon right now. It is available in several bindings. Click here.

A Word for Meditation

Sometimes the psalms can seem a bit strident, filled with calls for the wrath of God to inflict vengeance on the oppressor. As one who has never really been oppressed in life, I suppose I shouldn't judge those who have suffered greatly at the hands of others. But reading such sentiments can make it difficult to think of some of the psalms as Christian prayers, even though they form the basis of the Church's daily prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours.

As we make our way through the psalms the differences between the Christian and Jewish worldviews become readily apparent. For example, reading the psalms will bring two very different concepts of justice into stark contrast. As C. S. Lewis points out in his Reflections on the Psalms (p. 10 and 12),

"The ancient Jews, like ourselves, think of God's judgment in terms of an earthly court of justice. The difference is that the Christian pictures the case to be tried as a criminal case with himself in the dock; the Jew pictures it as a civil case with himself as the plaintiff...Christians cry to God for mercy instead of justice; they [the psalmists] cry for justice instead of injustice."

Once the modern reader of the psalms understands this difference, he can more easily come to terms with the tone of many of the psalms. In today's Office of Readings, for example, we find a man oppressed by his enemies and betrayed by one who was once his friend [Psalm 55]:

"How close was the friendship between us, we walked together in harmony in the house of God."

Seeking justice, not from man but from God, he cries out in hope:

"I will cry to God and the Lord will save me." 

And the expected result?

"God will hear and humble them...you, O God, will bring them down to the pit of death."

This is not the Christian cry for mercy, but the ancient cry for justice. With the proclamation of the Good News, the fulfillment of the Law by Jesus Christ, we come to a whole new understanding of justice and of our relationship with our enemies:

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you..." [Mt 5:43-44]

And yet, even amidst the curses and cries for vengeance, there are wonderful things to be learned from the psalms. For instance, in the psalm we have been discussing [Psalm 55], we are left with some solid food for meditation:

"Entrust your cares to the Lord and He will support you. He will never allow the just man to stumble....O Lord, I will trust in you."

Good words for Christian and Jew and all God's people.

The Imminent Pakistani Break-Up

Pakistan today faces an uncertain future with, as far as I can see, only two possible outcomes. It will become either a radical Islamic state like Iran, or the Pakistani military will stage a coup and take over. I see no other possibility. It certainly will not continue as it has. And keep in mind, Pakistan is a key U.S. ally and the nation we rely on the most to fight Jihadist terrorism. It is also a nation with over a hundred nuclear weapons.

The folks I know who are intimately familiar with Pakistan assure me that the people have become increasingly radicalized in their Muslim beliefs. By a vast majority they support the idea of sharia law and all it entails. Most of the Pakistani people believe that any Christian who proselytizes or tries to convert a Muslim should be executed. I am also told that the government is unable -- or, moire likely, unwilling -- to ensure the safety of any minorities in Pakistan, and that includes Christians, Hindus and Sikhs.

Last week's assassination of  Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan's Minister of Minority Affairs, and the national government's only Christian minister, is a stark indication of how Pakistan has changed. With the exception of the prime minister, no other government ministers attended today's funeral Mass held at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Islamabad. One can only assume the rest of the cabinet are either cowards or support the murderous work of the assassins.

Even in death Shahbaz Bhatti was treated badly by the government he served. With the prime minister's arrival at the church, government security personnel prohibited all other mourners from entering the building. Even Bhatti's sister and other relatives (photo left) were not permitted to attend the funeral. What a disgrace!

I expect we will see a continued escalation of persecution of Christians and other minorities in the coming months, Keep these brave souls in your prayers,

For details on the funeral and related news, click here: Bhatti Funeral

A Word for Meditation

Given all that's happening in our restless world today, I found the opening words of the Prayer at the conclusion of today's Office of Readings particularly relevant: 


Lord, guide the course of world events and give your Church the joy and peace of serving you in freedom.


Perhaps it would be well to add this to our intentions every day.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) to be Available Wednesday

On Ash Wednesday (March 9) the New American Bible Revised Edition (NAB-RE) will be available. The NAB is the US Bishops' official English translation of Holy Scripture, and this revision was approved for publication last September. It includes a complete revision of the Old Testament which hadn't been changed since 1970. It also, thankfully, includes a major revision of the 1991 translation of the Psalms. The New Testament of the NAB was revised in 1986 and will remain in the new edition.

I have not yet seen it, so I really can't comment on it. I know only that the translation has been in the works for some time -- for almost 20 years according to several reports. I've never been a big fan of the current NAB and prefer both the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem Bible. Perhaps this translation is a more accurate rendering of the original Hebrew and Greek, as the translators claim. That would be nice. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

The US Bishops' website has a page devoted to the NAB Revised Edition but it really contains very little useful information; indeed it doesn't even mention that it will be available next week. And information about the Revised Edition is almost totally absent from their NAB Frequently Asked Questions page. I find it all a bit odd. Perhaps their webmaster is on vacation. There are, of course, no lack of opinions on the revised edition, and you can read them for yourself simply by googling "New American Bible Revised Edition".

And all you pastors and liturgists can relax and put away your parish checkbooks. There will be no changes to the version of the NAB used in the readings at Mass in the United States, so you won't have to buy new, expensive Lectionaries to match your new, expensive Roman Missals that will go into effect on the First Sunday of Advent.

Homily: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Is 49:14-15; Ps 63; 1 Cor 1:5-1-5; Mt 6:24-34

When I was a little guy, about seven years old, not long after the end of World War II, my family spent a year or so in Germany thanks to the U.S. Army. My dad thought it would be good for us to experience life as the Germans did, so instead of living in military housing, we lived on the economy in a fourth-floor, walk-up, cold-water flat in Heidelberg. And he sent my brother and me to German schools. As the youngest I attended Frau Scharmer’s one-room schoolhouse, along with a dozen or so German kids. Of course, as youngsters my brother and I just saw it as another interesting experience orchestrated by my father, as a kind of adventure.

My dad also found the people he met to be remarkably interesting, and so he had a habit of inviting them to dinner, as a way to get to know them better. Because I was so young I don’t recall very many of these folks, but there were a few exceptions. And one in particular made a real impression on me.

He was an elderly man, a Protestant minister, a Lutheran, who had managed to survive several years in a concentration camp because he had dared to be one of the few who preached against the Nazis. Unlike many of his colleagues he refused to take an oath of allegiance to Hitler, proclaiming instead, “I have only one Lord, one Master, Jesus Christ.” I remember him saying, “We can have only one in our lives, for no one can serve two masters.”

Of course, he was only echoing the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel passage in which Matthew relates for us Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. But notice how Jesus followed His remark about serving two masters with a criticism of those who worry. Interesting, isn’t it? Jesus tells us that when we worry about the things of this life we are, quite simply, making those things more important than anything else. In effect, He’s telling us that the things we worry about take control of our lives; that they become the master and we become the slave.

We’ve all known people whose lives are consumed by a desire for wealth…lives that are ruled by money, or the fear of not having enough of it. Others are ruled by a form of vanity, the clothes they wear, how they look…and so as a nation we spend billions to become slaves to fashions and cosmetics. And there are countless other masters out there – all kinds of addictions and obsessions – each taking control of people’s lives, each chipping away at their human dignity, each enslaving them little by little.

Sometimes, though, this subservience to another master can manifest itself in less obvious ways. Back in my consulting days, I was once working with the top management team of a large US corporation. At one point I saw a need to address certain ethical issues that had arisen during the course of our discussions. As I was speaking to them about the connection between moral action and ethical conduct, I was interrupted by the chief executive who stated, “Well, I really don’t see why we need to inject all that religious morality into business decisions.” -- an interesting comment coming from a CEO.

Of course, what he called “all that religious morality” was really just his euphemism for the moral law, for God’s Law. And so it seemed that his company had placed a man in charge who paid allegiance to a different master, who desired success at all costs. And from further conversations with the man it was apparent that he had compartmentalized his life; allowing God no role in his business dealings. You see, brothers and sisters, when we become enslaved by one of these earthy masters, these masters that never last, we lose sight of what is truly important; we lose sight of God Himself.

Oh, but it can get worse, far worse. We can fall prey to multiple masters, all seeking to enslave us. After all, do you remember how the Gadarene demon responded when Jesus asked his name? “My name is Legion, for we are many.” Yes, there are many sources of enslavement in this world. And as that enslavement deepens, we begin to turn against God, to reject His commandments and all that He has revealed. It can even lead to outright hatred of God, and we’ve certainly seen enough of that in our world today.

How did Jesus put it? “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The irony, of course – and faith is filled with irony – is that by becoming obsessed with the unimportant, we strip our lives of the truly important. We lose sight of the only master worthy of our trust. You see, brothers and sisters, unlike everything and everyone else in our lives, God alone can be fully trusted. For divine love is unique.

God calls us to Him. He doesn’t force us; He calls us. And He promises to care for us in this life and give us eternal happiness in the next. We need only trust Him. Just look at the painting of Divine Mercy hanging on the wall over by the sacristy door. Look at Jesus, those rays of God’s mercy and forgiveness pouring forth from Him. And then read the words, “Jesus, I trust in you.” This is what He asks of us.

But do we trust in Him? Are we willing to stop worrying about the things of this life? Are will willing to turn to Him, childlike, in total trust? Can you place God first in your life, above everything and everyone else? These are questions that, as Christians, each of us must ask, because our very salvation hangs on our answers.

Pope Benedict, preaching yesterday on this Gospel passage, stated that, “Those who believe in God, a Father full of love for his children, must put the search for his Kingdom and his will in first place. This is the opposite of fatalism...Faith in providence does not exempt from the hard struggle for a dignified life. Instead, it frees from the concern for things and fear of tomorrow.”

The pope went on to ask us to pray that “we may learn to live according to a simpler and more sober style, the hard work of every day and respect for creation, which God put into our care.”

And, brothers and sisters, let’s not forget that our loving God offers us an alternative to worry. He offers us the sacramental life in Christ. This very day, in this Holy Eucharist, God will provide us with all things necessary for life and for our mission in the world. In a few moments, as we conclude the Lord’s Prayer, Father Peter will pray in our name a brief but profound petition: “…protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” 

Notice how the two are woven together.  Only by protection from all anxiety can we “wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”  But if you and I, burdened down with worry and care, separate ourselves from our God, we’ll wait, not in hope but in despair, not in joy but in emptiness.

That brief prayer, that petition, is far more profound than we might think. For it’s a prayer in response to Jesus’ admonition to set aside all worry, a prayer in which we ask to be protected from all anxiety as we wait for the Lord. And in response the Lord does come. He comes to us right here and now as His Body and Blood, as the Bread of Heaven and the Life-giving Wine. 

You see, brothers and sisters, God rewards our trust by giving us Himself. He asks us to carry all those cares and worries with us as we come forward to receive Him in Holy Communion.

He asks us to leave those worries at the altar, and to stop fretting about what we shall eat and drink. Though unworthy of the gift, we are invited to eat and drink and become one with Jesus through this Eucharist.

As for that worry about what we shall wear, let the catechumens show us at Easter Vigil when they rise up from the waters of Baptism, clothed with white robes in Easter joy. 

And so protect us, Lord Jesus Christ, from all anxiety. Feed us with yourself so we may go out from here today to serve you and your people. And let us never forget, in the words of that German minister, “I have only one Lord, one Master, Jesus Christ.”

Homily: Wednesday 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17 • Psalm 79 • Mk 10:32-45

Prayer has got to be the most unusual form of communication in which we humans engage. In prayer we speak to someone we can’t see or hear…at least we can’t see or hear Him the usual human way, with our eyes and ears. And so one of the first things we discover is that prayer demands both faith and hope, for without them we really couldn’t pray, could we?

And then there’s the object of our prayer. The One to whom we pray is the God who made us, our Creator, who is both omniscient and omnipotent. This makes things even more interesting. Since God knows everything, even our thoughts, we can tell Him nothing He doesn’t already know. And so no prayer ever surprises God.

But still, Jesus tells us, God listens…to every word of every prayer, to every meditative thought turned His way. He even listens to the contemplative, inexpressible yearnings of our hearts. And so, even though God knows everything and can do anything, we still ask Him for anything and everything. And He doesn’t seem to mind. Indeed, Jesus tells us that He actually wants us to do so. He doesn’t even mind when we repeat ourselves and ask for the same thing again and again.

God sure is different from us, isn’t He? If someone tells us something we already know, we’re quickly bored. And if they continue to bore us, we usually make our excuses and leave. And if someone nags us about something, we try to avoid them. If we can’t avoid them, we often give them what they want just to shut them up…just like the corrupt judge in the Gospel parable. But God is different…very different. He takes patience beyond all normal human boundaries. He stays interested and fully involved in even the most uninteresting people and things. In fact, God is so unlike us, so inhuman, He’s… well…He’s downright God-like.

You see, God wants us to know this. He wants us to pay attention to Him, our Creator. He wants us to pray constantly in all that we do. He wants to be uppermost in our minds all of the time. And yet, how many of us actually do these things? How many of us engage in a constant, ongoing personal encounter with God? The Apostles certainly didn’t, at least not before Pentecost. Just read the Gospels and you’ll see. Indeed, we can learn a lot about prayer from the Gospels. Prayer, after all, is really a personal encounter with God, and the Gospels are just one encounter after another.

Today’s reading from Mark is no exception. Did you notice how James and John prayed? Those “Sons of Thunder” knew exactly what they wanted, didn’t they? And they wanted to make sure Jesus knew it as well. How did they put it? "We want you to do whatever we ask of you."

It would seem the brothers had an agenda, one that related directly to their image of themselves. It’s pretty apparent they were concerned not so much with God and His Kingdom, but with themselves. Like most of us, they wanted to sit not at Jesus’ right and left hand, but at the right hand of their own glorious self-image. There’s really no trace of praise in their prayer, no trace of thanksgiving, no adoration, no blessing, no intercession…It’s all petition, isn’t it? And worse, it’s an ego-centric petition; and, sadly, it’s one they don’t even recognize…at least not yet.

That too is interesting, isn’t it? And a little ironic. When they were in Jesus’ presence day in and day out, they recognized nothing. As Jesus remarked, they had eyes but they could not see. It’s only after Jesus leaves them, only after the Holy Spirit enlightens their hearts and minds at Pentecost that they come to understand what God is all about. Until then, James and John must wait to experience the grace needed to recognize the selfish quality of their prayer for what it is. Only then they will come to acknowledge this grace as a basis for mercy.

Yes, brothers and sisters, like James and John, we too are self-absorbed. And this self-absorption affects not only our prayer, but infiltrates every aspect of our lives and ultimately enslaves us. We are slaves, you know. That’s why Christ ransoms us.

Can we accept this fact, and turn to God in praise and thanksgiving? Can we join the Apostles and let the Spirit pray in us and create a thirst for the chalice from which Jesus drinks? Can we accept that, as Christians, as disciples of Jesus, we are baptized in the baptism of Christ's Cross?

Is your individual prayer the gift of yourself with Christ on the Cross? And, don’t forget brothers and sisters, this prayer of ours, this personal encounter with the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, must leads us to serve others in Christ’s name. Our service to those in need must always be the outgrowth of our prayer. Otherwise our prayers are only selfish ramblings, really no prayer at all.

A Word for Meditation

Once again, in today's Office of Readings, we read from St. Augustine's Confessions: 

"All my hope lies only in your great mercy."

Because we are sinners, without God's mercy and forgiveness, we would have no hope whatsoever. Never cease thanking God for His mercy.

Another Tragic Death: Shahbaz Bhatti

This morning in Pakistan a courageous man was murdered. Shahbaz Bhatti, 42, the Pakistani Minister for Minorities and a devout Catholic, was gunned down in the street in Islamabad, apparently by Islamic militants who left a note at the scene: 

"Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claims responsibility for the assassination of Bhatti for speaking out against the blasphemy law." 

The TTP is an organization claiming to represent a number of Isalmist extremist groups.

Bhatti had been critical of Pakistan's blasphemy law which on many occasions has been used by Muslims to accuse Christian neighbors, usually unjustly through false accusations. He had also been particularly vocal in his support for Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy for her alleged comments about the "Prophet." Bhatti was not the first target of these Islamic extremists. They had also recently murdered the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, for the same reasons. Bhatti knew he was a target, but would not back down from his support of the freedom of religion supposedly guaranteed by the Pakistani constitution.

The following video is a portion of an interview Bhatti gave to Al Jazeera News.

As you can see in the above video, Bhatti was focused on all victims of discrimination in his society, and was chairman of the All Pakistani Minorities Alliance, an organization of the most marginalized minorities, particularly religious minorities, as well as the poorest of the poor. Speaking of his work, Bhatti stated, "I just want a place at the feet of Jesus. I want my life, my character, my actions to speak for me and say that I am following Jesus Christ." And in an interview on a recent visit to the US, he said, “But I will continue to follow the principles that I believe. I will continue to raise the voice of the voiceless. And I will not feel fear because of these threats because I follow Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us. So as a follower of Christ, my destiny is to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.”

May his life be an example to others, and a sign of the power of God's love, a sign that will bring others in Bhatti's country to Jesus Christ.

Rest in peace.

You can read more on this story here: Shahbaz Bhatti Assasinated

And here's a Q&A interview with Bhatti conducted by The Christian Post last month in Washington, D.C.: Interview with Pakistan's Minister for Minorities

EU Considers "Christian" to be Politically Incorrect

On January 31 the foreign ministers of the European Union, in another masterful display of courage, rejected a draft resolution condemning recent atrocities against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Egypt. The ministers were unable to agree on the inclusion of the word "Christian" for fear that it might be too politically incorrect.

This is what Western Europe, the former home of Christendom, has come to. The foreign ministers of these once great Christian nations now quake in their Guccis for fear that someone will take offense if they use the word "Christian" in a resolution. What cowards! What a tragedy!

Read more here, thanks to European Dignity Watch: EU Foreign Ministers

On February 21, as a result of much criticism, the ministers agreed on a watered-down version of the resolution that mentions Christianity once, and only in conjunction with Muslims and certain minorities, despite the fact that, according to the respected Pew Research Center, Christians are the victims in 70% of the religious persecution that occurs worldwide. And in Muslim countries, Christians are the victims of choice when it comes to persecution.

Once again European Dignity Watch provides details on the resolution: EU Struggles to Condemn Persecution

Egypt: More of the Same, Perhaps Worse

If you've been reading these posts in recent weeks you know that I've probably been a wee bit pessimistic when it comes to Egypt's future, and in particular the future of Egypt's Christians. As the revolution played out, we were frequently told how the Egyptian Army was held in such high esteem by the people. The Christians of Egypt, however, were not quite so enthusiastic about the army taking control of the government. They are also concerned about what will follow. Over the years Christians have been the object of much persecution, resulting in many deaths as well as the destruction of churches, monasteries, businesses and private homes. In some instances the attacks were perpetrated by Jihadists who killed and bombed while the military and police looked on.

It seems these fears are well placed. The following news story by the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) describes how the army has been methodically attacking Christians since taking control of the government. It does not bode well for the future. And neither do we see these stories in the mainstream media.

Egyptian Armed Forces Fire At Christian Monastery - 19 Iinjured

By Mary Abdelmassih

(AINA) -- For the second time in as many days, Egyptian armed force stormed the 5th century old St. Bishoy monastery in Wadi el-Natroun, 110 kilometers from Cairo. Live ammunition was fired, wounding two monks and six Coptic monastery workers. Several sources confirmed the army's use of RPG ammunition. Four people have been arrested including three monks and a Coptic lawyer who was at the monastery investigating yesterday's army attack.

Monk Aksios Ava Bishoy told activist Nader Shoukry of Freecopts the armed forces stormed the main entrance gate to the monastery in the morning using five tanks, armored vehicles and a bulldozer to demolish the fence built by the monastery last month to protect themselves and the monastery from the lawlessness which prevailed in Egypt during the January 25 Uprising.

"When we tried to address them, the army fired live bullets, wounding Father Feltaows in the leg and Father Barnabas in the abdomen," said Monk Ava Bishoy. "Six Coptic workers in the monastery were also injured, some with serious injuries to the chest."

The injured were rushed to the nearby Sadat Hospital, the ones in serious condition were transferred to the Anglo-Egyptian Hospital in Cairo.

Father Hemanot Ava Bishoy said the army fired live ammunition and RPGs continuously for 30 minutes, which hit part of the ancient fence inside the monastery. "The army was shocked to see the monks standing there praying 'Lord have mercy' without running away. This is what really upset them," he said. "As the soldiers were demolishing the gate and the fence they were chanting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Victory, Victory'."

He also added that the army prevented the monastery's car from taking the injured to hospital.

The army also attacked the Monastery of St. Makarios of Alexandria in Wady el-Rayan, Fayoum, 100 km from Cairo. It stormed the monastery and fired live ammunition on the monks. Father Mina said that one monk was shot and more than ten have injuries caused by being beaten with batons. The army demolished the newly erected fence and one room from the actual monastery and confiscated building materials. The monastery had also built a fence to protect itself after January 25 and after being attacked by armed Arabs and robbers leading to the injury of six monks, including one monk in critical condition who is still hospitalized.

The army had given on February 21 an ultimatum to this monastery that if the fence was not demolished within 48 hours by the monks, the army would remove it themselves (AINA 2-23-2011).

The Egyptian Armed Forces issued a statement on their Facebook page denying that any attack took place on St. Bishoy Monastery in Wady el-Natroun, "Reflecting our belief in the freedom and chastity of places of worship of all Egyptians." The statement went on to say that the army just demolished some fences built on State property and that it has no intention of demolishing the monastery itself.

Father Hedra Ava Bishoy said they are in possession of whole carton of empty bullet shells besides the people who are presently in hospital to prove otherwise.

The army attack came after the monks built a fence for their protection after the police guards left their posts and fled post the January 25th Uprising and after being attacked by prisoners who were at large, having escaped from their prisons during that period.

"We contacted state security and they said there was no police available for protection," said Father Bemwa," So we called the Egyptian TV dozens of times to appeal for help and then we were put in touch with the military personnel who told us to protect ourselves until they reach us." He added that the monks have built a low fence on the borders of one side of the monastery which is vulnerable to attacks, on land which belongs to the monastery, with the monks and monastery laborers keeping watch over it 24 hours a day.

The monks of St. Bishoy are now holding a sit-in in front of monastery in protest against the abuse of the army by using live bullets against civilians

Nearly 7000 Copts staged a peaceful rally in front of the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo, where Pope Shenouda III was giving his weekly lecture (video), after which they marched towards Tahrir Square to protest the armed forces attacks on Coptic monasteries.

And here's a video of the army firing at Christians outside the monastery.

 Let's hope and pray that this is not a sign of what is to come for these brave Christians.

A Word for Meditation

From today's Office of Readings -- the second reading taken from the Confessions of St. Augustine:

Lord, you know me. Let me know you. Let me come to know you even as I am known. You are the strength of my soul; enter it and make it a place suitable for your dwelling, a possession without spot or blemish. This is my hope and the reason I speak. In this hope I rejoice, when I rejoice rightly. As for the other things of this life, the less they deserve tears, the more likely they will be lamented; and the more they deserve tears, the less likely will men sorrow for them. For behold, you have loved the truth, because the one who does what is true enters into the light. I wish to do this truth before you alone by praising you, and before a multitude of witnesses by writing of you.

 Yes, we have changed little since Augustine wrote these words 1,600 years ago.

"...the more they deserve tears, the less likely will men sorrow for them."

Baby in the womb