October 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
Pope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716.
The development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to this devotion.
Comment:
The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.
The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.
Quote:
“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb...It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Some Divine Mercy
Today I focused some time on the special memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos; the Redemptorist Priest I have blogged about often. Here in the New Orleans area, we celebrate this day in his memory and continue to pray that if it be God's will, Seelos will become a Saint soon.
Almost lost in this excitement is the Feast Day today of St. Faustina Kowalska, known as the Apostle of Mercy. St. Faustina was born in 1905 and by the time she was twenty had entered the religious life. Around 1931 she began receiving visions of Jesus who came to her as the King of Divine Mercy. He carefully gave her the image we now call the Divine Mercy with the rays of red and white emanating from His heart. The words at the bottom of the image are now well known; Jesus I Trust in You! One of the more popular devotions Catholics pray these days is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy from one of her visions in 1935.
St. Faustina became ill with tuberculosis in 1938 and died in that year on October 5th. By the 50's and 60's much effort was made to spread the message of Faustina and to promote the cause of canonization. This effort gained little momentum until a Cardinal from Karakow got involved. That Cardinal would later, as Pope John Paul II canonize Faustina as St. Faustina in 1993.
John Paul also decreed that the Sunday after Easter would be called Divine Mercy Sunday. Catholics began a novena to Divine Mercy every year starting on Good Friday. And on Divine Mercy Sunday special services are held, usually in the late afternoon or evening, with recitation of the Chaplet, Eucharistic Adoration and of course, reconciliation.
So as this day almost draws to it's end, lets remember St. Faustina Kowalska and pray with her, Jesus I Trust in You!
Almost lost in this excitement is the Feast Day today of St. Faustina Kowalska, known as the Apostle of Mercy. St. Faustina was born in 1905 and by the time she was twenty had entered the religious life. Around 1931 she began receiving visions of Jesus who came to her as the King of Divine Mercy. He carefully gave her the image we now call the Divine Mercy with the rays of red and white emanating from His heart. The words at the bottom of the image are now well known; Jesus I Trust in You! One of the more popular devotions Catholics pray these days is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy from one of her visions in 1935.
St. Faustina became ill with tuberculosis in 1938 and died in that year on October 5th. By the 50's and 60's much effort was made to spread the message of Faustina and to promote the cause of canonization. This effort gained little momentum until a Cardinal from Karakow got involved. That Cardinal would later, as Pope John Paul II canonize Faustina as St. Faustina in 1993.
John Paul also decreed that the Sunday after Easter would be called Divine Mercy Sunday. Catholics began a novena to Divine Mercy every year starting on Good Friday. And on Divine Mercy Sunday special services are held, usually in the late afternoon or evening, with recitation of the Chaplet, Eucharistic Adoration and of course, reconciliation.
So as this day almost draws to it's end, lets remember St. Faustina Kowalska and pray with her, Jesus I Trust in You!
Character and kindness
Please view the following link:
http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2009/10/character-exists.html
A big tip of the hat to the wonderful website by the Catholic community of St. Mary's at Texas A&M. This is one of my favorite blogs.
The video was very inspirational and put a big smile on my face after a tough day at the office!
http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2009/10/character-exists.html
A big tip of the hat to the wonderful website by the Catholic community of St. Mary's at Texas A&M. This is one of my favorite blogs.
The video was very inspirational and put a big smile on my face after a tough day at the office!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Let's not forget St. Francis of Assisi
This very important saint and founder of the Franciscans is remembered every year on October 4th. This year, falling on a Sunday, we may tend to forget him. Many people do not realize this but St. Francis was not a priest; he was a deacon of the church. He had a great conversion, renouncing his wealth as he committed his life to God. He was a powerful preacher often speaking out on serving the poor and riding oneself of extravagant wealth. He also preached humility. The Franciscans are still a very strong religious order to this day.
St. Francis is well known as the patron saint of the environment and animals. In fact, it is quite common for various blessings of animals or pets to occur on or near October 4th.
And many people pray a beautiful prayer often attributed to St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
St. Francis is well known as the patron saint of the environment and animals. In fact, it is quite common for various blessings of animals or pets to occur on or near October 4th.
And many people pray a beautiful prayer often attributed to St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Respect Life Sunday
Today is Respect Life Sunday. In Catholic Churches across America many priests and deacons carefully preached on all things pro-life. In our Archdiocese, Archbishop Aymond spoke to the topic from St. Louis Cathedral. Then this afternoon, despite rain and bad weather, many local parishes either held Pro-life chains or attended the larger Pro-life events on both sides of the lake. Tonight, I listened to my pastor reference the Respect Life message of Cardinal Justin Rigali. It is brilliant. So I found it and post it for all to read. Let's continue to pray for a Pro-Life world where the most vulnerable are protected and we cherish all human life from conception to natural death. Cardinal Rigali:
For Respect Life Sunday
Respect Life Sunday, this year celebrated on October 4th is a day set aside for Catholics in the United States to reflect with gratitude on God’s priceless gift of human life. It is also an occasion to examine how well we, as a nation and individually, are living up to our obligation to protect the rights of those who, due to age, dependency, poverty or other circumstances, are at risk of their very lives.
In the current debate over health care reform, it has become evident that a number of Americans believe that the lives and health of only some people are worth safeguarding, while other classes of people are viewed as not deserving the same protection. Such an attitude is deplorable, all the more so in the context of health care. Sanctioning discrimination in the quality of care given to different groups of people has no place in medicine, and directly contravenes the ethical norms under which Catholic hospitals and health care providers operate.
Unborn children remain the persons whose lives are most at risk in America: Over one million children each year die in abortion facilities. The Roe v. Wadedecision in 1973 rendered states powerless to halt this killing. Thankfully Congress and most states acted to prevent public funding of abortions (with narrowly defined exceptions). Yet despite the opposition of 67% of Americans to taxpayer-funded abortion, all current health care proposals being considered by Congress would allow or mandate abortion funding, either through premiums paid into government programs or out of federal revenues.
It bears repeating: Abortion – the direct, intentional killing of an unborn girl or boy – is not health care. Abortion robs an innocent child of his or her life, and robs mothers of their peace and happiness. For 25 years, the Project Rachel post-abortion ministry of the Catholic Church has helped women move beyond their grief and remorse after abortion, helping them find peace by accepting God’s forgiveness and by forgiving themselves and others involved in the abortion decision. Abortion funding can only increase the number of dead and grieving.
Unborn children are not the only human beings disfavored under current proposals. Many people insist that undocumented persons living and working in the United States should not be allowed in any new system to purchase health-care coverage, and that poor legal immigrants be denied coverage for the first five years they are in the United States. Do immigrants forfeit their humanity at the border? How can a just society deny basic health care to those living and working among us who need medical attention? It cannot and must not.
While most Americans agree that those who cannot afford health insurance should have access to health care, some commentators have gone so far as to suggest offsetting the cost of expanded coverage by curtailing the level of care now given to elderly Americans. Other pundits have suggested that treatment decisions should be based not on the needs of the elderly patient, but on the patient’s allegedly low “quality of life” or the cost-effectiveness of treatment calculated over the patient’s projected lifespan. Such calculations can ignore the inherent dignity of the person needing care, and undermine the therapeutic relationship between health professionals and their patients.
It should not be surprising that the neglect, and even the death, of some people are offered as a solution to rising health care costs. Population control advocates have long espoused aborting children in the developing world as a misguided means for reducing poverty.
Some environmentalists now claim that the most efficient way to curb global climate change is to make “family planning” more widely available in the developing world. They report that an average of 2.3 pounds per day of exhaled carbon dioxide can be eliminated from the atmosphere by eliminating one human being. As used by population control advocates, the innocuous term “family planning” includes abortifacient contraceptives, sterilization, and manual vacuum aspiration abortions.
Oregon, where health care for low-income patients is rationed by the state, has denied several patients the costly prescription drugs needed to prolong their lives, while reminding them that the assisted suicide option is conveniently offered under Oregon’s health plan.
Many scientists justify the manipulation and killing of embryonic human beings in stem cell research, based on unsubstantiated hopes of finding new cures. Yet the facts increasingly show ...
this approach to pose risks to patients, and to women who may be exploited to provide eggs for the research.
Death is not a solution to life’s problems. Only those who are blind to the transcendent reality and meaning of human life could support killing human beings to mitigate economic, social or environmental problems.
The antidote to such myopia is to recover an appreciation for the sanctity and dignity of each unique human being. One could begin by spending a day with a young child. The average child is a wellspring of joy and giggles, capable of daring leaps of imagination, probing curiosity, and even reasoned (though sometimes self-centered) appeals for justice. Children delight in God’s creation and love their family unconditionally. God gave every human being these marvelous aptitudes, and children can help us recover and appreciate them anew.
Since the advent of widespread contraception and abortion, a cultural hostility to children has grown. They are often depicted as costly encumbrances who interfere with a carefree adult life. No fewer than six recent books are dedicated to defending the childless-by-choice lifestyle – for selfish reasons, or to counter “overpopulation,” a thoroughly discredited myth. In fact, if married couples were to have more children, Medicare and Social Security would not be hurtling toward bankruptcy. Since 1955, because of fewer children and longer life spans, the number of workers has declined relative to the number of beneficiaries, from 8.6 to only 3.1 workers paying benefits to support each beneficiary. Without substantially more young people to enter the work force as young adults, in 25 years, there will be only 2.1 workers supporting each beneficiary. Eliminating our young does not solve problems even on pragmatic grounds. It adds to them.
Children, and those who are dependent on us due to disability or age, offer us the opportunity to grow in patience, kindness, and love. They teach us that life is a shared gift, not an encumbrance. At the end of life, we will be judged on love alone. Meanwhile, in the midst of so many challenges to life, we look to"Christ Jesus our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1), who offers to all the world ashare in his victory over death.
For Respect Life Sunday
Respect Life Sunday, this year celebrated on October 4th is a day set aside for Catholics in the United States to reflect with gratitude on God’s priceless gift of human life. It is also an occasion to examine how well we, as a nation and individually, are living up to our obligation to protect the rights of those who, due to age, dependency, poverty or other circumstances, are at risk of their very lives.
In the current debate over health care reform, it has become evident that a number of Americans believe that the lives and health of only some people are worth safeguarding, while other classes of people are viewed as not deserving the same protection. Such an attitude is deplorable, all the more so in the context of health care. Sanctioning discrimination in the quality of care given to different groups of people has no place in medicine, and directly contravenes the ethical norms under which Catholic hospitals and health care providers operate.
Unborn children remain the persons whose lives are most at risk in America: Over one million children each year die in abortion facilities. The Roe v. Wadedecision in 1973 rendered states powerless to halt this killing. Thankfully Congress and most states acted to prevent public funding of abortions (with narrowly defined exceptions). Yet despite the opposition of 67% of Americans to taxpayer-funded abortion, all current health care proposals being considered by Congress would allow or mandate abortion funding, either through premiums paid into government programs or out of federal revenues.
It bears repeating: Abortion – the direct, intentional killing of an unborn girl or boy – is not health care. Abortion robs an innocent child of his or her life, and robs mothers of their peace and happiness. For 25 years, the Project Rachel post-abortion ministry of the Catholic Church has helped women move beyond their grief and remorse after abortion, helping them find peace by accepting God’s forgiveness and by forgiving themselves and others involved in the abortion decision. Abortion funding can only increase the number of dead and grieving.
Unborn children are not the only human beings disfavored under current proposals. Many people insist that undocumented persons living and working in the United States should not be allowed in any new system to purchase health-care coverage, and that poor legal immigrants be denied coverage for the first five years they are in the United States. Do immigrants forfeit their humanity at the border? How can a just society deny basic health care to those living and working among us who need medical attention? It cannot and must not.
While most Americans agree that those who cannot afford health insurance should have access to health care, some commentators have gone so far as to suggest offsetting the cost of expanded coverage by curtailing the level of care now given to elderly Americans. Other pundits have suggested that treatment decisions should be based not on the needs of the elderly patient, but on the patient’s allegedly low “quality of life” or the cost-effectiveness of treatment calculated over the patient’s projected lifespan. Such calculations can ignore the inherent dignity of the person needing care, and undermine the therapeutic relationship between health professionals and their patients.
It should not be surprising that the neglect, and even the death, of some people are offered as a solution to rising health care costs. Population control advocates have long espoused aborting children in the developing world as a misguided means for reducing poverty.
Some environmentalists now claim that the most efficient way to curb global climate change is to make “family planning” more widely available in the developing world. They report that an average of 2.3 pounds per day of exhaled carbon dioxide can be eliminated from the atmosphere by eliminating one human being. As used by population control advocates, the innocuous term “family planning” includes abortifacient contraceptives, sterilization, and manual vacuum aspiration abortions.
Oregon, where health care for low-income patients is rationed by the state, has denied several patients the costly prescription drugs needed to prolong their lives, while reminding them that the assisted suicide option is conveniently offered under Oregon’s health plan.
Many scientists justify the manipulation and killing of embryonic human beings in stem cell research, based on unsubstantiated hopes of finding new cures. Yet the facts increasingly show ...
this approach to pose risks to patients, and to women who may be exploited to provide eggs for the research.
Death is not a solution to life’s problems. Only those who are blind to the transcendent reality and meaning of human life could support killing human beings to mitigate economic, social or environmental problems.
The antidote to such myopia is to recover an appreciation for the sanctity and dignity of each unique human being. One could begin by spending a day with a young child. The average child is a wellspring of joy and giggles, capable of daring leaps of imagination, probing curiosity, and even reasoned (though sometimes self-centered) appeals for justice. Children delight in God’s creation and love their family unconditionally. God gave every human being these marvelous aptitudes, and children can help us recover and appreciate them anew.
Since the advent of widespread contraception and abortion, a cultural hostility to children has grown. They are often depicted as costly encumbrances who interfere with a carefree adult life. No fewer than six recent books are dedicated to defending the childless-by-choice lifestyle – for selfish reasons, or to counter “overpopulation,” a thoroughly discredited myth. In fact, if married couples were to have more children, Medicare and Social Security would not be hurtling toward bankruptcy. Since 1955, because of fewer children and longer life spans, the number of workers has declined relative to the number of beneficiaries, from 8.6 to only 3.1 workers paying benefits to support each beneficiary. Without substantially more young people to enter the work force as young adults, in 25 years, there will be only 2.1 workers supporting each beneficiary. Eliminating our young does not solve problems even on pragmatic grounds. It adds to them.
Children, and those who are dependent on us due to disability or age, offer us the opportunity to grow in patience, kindness, and love. They teach us that life is a shared gift, not an encumbrance. At the end of life, we will be judged on love alone. Meanwhile, in the midst of so many challenges to life, we look to"Christ Jesus our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1), who offers to all the world ashare in his victory over death.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Lord, I think I saw you hungry and thirsty today...
Does God have a knack for unbelievable timing or what. Waking up late again for the 2nd day in a row, I knew that I would be missing Mass at my local parish. But I still needed to get busy; I had a 9 a.m. appointment with our Ladies Sodality Group. When I got to the church property there was much activity going on; Mass was letting out, ladies were gathering for the meeting and another group was readying the big hall for a wedding shower. In that group included our parish secretary. When I saw her she looked concerned about something. She quickly explained to me that a lady and her daughter had been dropped off at the hall by a cab because they had no place to go. I watched with admiration as she sprang into action.
I'm going to be careful here with names and circumstances to protect privacy. Suffice it to say, the secretary being on church property today was a gift from God. She knew just what to do. She verified the story, identified the older lady as someone we had helped before and quickly contacted our local St. Vincent de Paul group. Remember, just last week I blogged about those poor boxes. They were able to arrange a two night stay for the mother & daughter at a local motel, food to last the weekend, a cab for transportation with a promise to meet them Monday and help with rent for a more permanent housing situation.
With all the ladies gathered for their big 1st Saturday meeting food was abundant. The ladies quickly packaged many goodies for the family to eat and gave them sodas to bring with them to the hotel. And I watched many of the ladies go into their pocketbooks and donate money. I had a chance to meet with them, learn about their story and pray with them giving them a blessing before they got in the cab.
I too made a small donation and wished them well and promised to keep them in my prayers all week.
Jesus comes to us at all times in so many ways. This morning it was in the persons of a mon & daughter who stepped out in faith and simply asked a cabdriver to bring them to the church; something good will happen there. And it did. Many people lived out Jesus' command to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, to do for the least of my brothers & sisters. It was a joy to witness the love and support from our secretary, the ladies of the Sodality, our St. Vincent de Paul group and all who have promised to pray for this sweet family.
Always be prepared to put your faith into action. You never know when you will see Him hungry or thirsty...
I'm going to be careful here with names and circumstances to protect privacy. Suffice it to say, the secretary being on church property today was a gift from God. She knew just what to do. She verified the story, identified the older lady as someone we had helped before and quickly contacted our local St. Vincent de Paul group. Remember, just last week I blogged about those poor boxes. They were able to arrange a two night stay for the mother & daughter at a local motel, food to last the weekend, a cab for transportation with a promise to meet them Monday and help with rent for a more permanent housing situation.
With all the ladies gathered for their big 1st Saturday meeting food was abundant. The ladies quickly packaged many goodies for the family to eat and gave them sodas to bring with them to the hotel. And I watched many of the ladies go into their pocketbooks and donate money. I had a chance to meet with them, learn about their story and pray with them giving them a blessing before they got in the cab.
I too made a small donation and wished them well and promised to keep them in my prayers all week.
Jesus comes to us at all times in so many ways. This morning it was in the persons of a mon & daughter who stepped out in faith and simply asked a cabdriver to bring them to the church; something good will happen there. And it did. Many people lived out Jesus' command to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, to do for the least of my brothers & sisters. It was a joy to witness the love and support from our secretary, the ladies of the Sodality, our St. Vincent de Paul group and all who have promised to pray for this sweet family.
Always be prepared to put your faith into action. You never know when you will see Him hungry or thirsty...
Homily for 27th Sunday; October 4th
Love and marriage, love and marriage; goes together like a horse and carriage. This I tell you brother, you can’t have one without the other. How many people remember these lines from a Frank Sinatra song or perhaps the intro to the quirky but popular TV show, Married with Children?
For as long as there have been men and women populating the earth, the subject of love and marriage is always top of mind. In our day, we know the statistics and the challenges. Almost everyone knows someone who has been in love and eventually got married. And almost everyone knows someone where marriage just did not work out for them and there may have been a divorce.
As people of faith, do we embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church when it comes to the subject of love and marriage? Do we even know what those teachings are?
To start, we can follow today’s readings beginning with our 1st reading from Genesis. It appears that God worked very hard to find a suitable partner for the first man He created. Not until God created woman did the man agree that this indeed is a suitable partner and we even hear the 1st teachings of marriage: “that is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.” So, from the very beginning God intended man and woman to live as husband and wife and live as “one flesh”.
But something must be amiss here. In our Gospel reading we find the Pharisee’s asking Jesus about divorce and Jesus replies with a question: “What did Moses command you?” Moses! Didn’t he live some 1,300 years or so before the birth of Jesus? All true! Jesus knew the Pharisee’s were setting a trap so he turned it back on them. And they answer correctly, but Jesus puts their answer in proper context. It was because of the hardness of hearts that Moses allowed divorce. And it is hardness of hearts now that they ask Jesus about divorce. Why did they do it? Simple; they hoped to get Jesus in trouble with someone.
This scene plays out in the territory of Judea. This is where King Herod ruled and had just been involved in a very public, very messy divorce. This would be the same divorce that caused St. John the Baptist to be martyred. If Jesus answers one way, he contradicts the teaching and sacrifice of John; if he answers another he may be turned over to Herod and never make it to Jerusalem and his Passion. Jesus knew all this. He turned this challenge into an opportunity to teach. And he condemned “hardness of hearts”.
Jesus clearly teaches that even the Law of Moses that allowed divorce was putting human needs above God’s will; “what God has joined together, no human must separate”. And in Jesus’ day this law remains true as it does in ours.
Yet divorce is a reality; as I have said earlier we all know the statistics. First we should recognize that many marriages result in long-term wedded bliss. I for one am so thankful to God and my wife Wendy for our now 32 year marriage. But chances are, someone is hearing this homily and divorce has touched your life personally. What are we to do or say if that be the case? Whether a divorce happens because one is a victim of bad choices and behaviors or the agent of bad choices and behaviors, divorce usually results in pain. Pain is real and pain is something Jesus Himself experienced. Jesus never ran from pain and faced pain trusting in God’s will and God’s plan.
For those of us who have never had to deal with divorce, let’s not get too puffed up here. We have indeed faced pain and we too have indeed sinned. All of us therefore can recall then the lesson of the woman caught in adultery that Jesus prevented from being stoned. We have no idea if she was married or a single woman. Remember, we identified adultery in last week’s homily as any sexual relationship outside of marriage. Jesus clearly equated her sin of adultery with any and all of the sins of her accusers. Who tossed the first stone? And neither should we. But how does that Gospel story end? Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Compassion, love and mercy are always fortified by truth.
Jesus is always ready to reach out to those in pain, even the pain of divorce, and offer healing and a path. We must, like Jesus, be ready to do the same. Don’t be so quick to speak viciously of those who experience the hurt of divorce and never pick up that stone. If you have been hurt by bad choices and behaviors in your marriage, seek a path back through the church. Fortunately, here in our parish family we have two Priests and four Deacons, all who can help with marital issues with both compassion and the truth of Christ’s teaching. Reach out to us so we can help you through the pain.
These readings today come on Respect Life Sunday. As we prepare to recognize our Pro-Life efforts this afternoon, consider marriage as God intended, with no room for “hardness of hearts”, a truly Pro-Life gift from you to God and from God to you.
Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage and you can’t have one without the other are great lines to a great old song. Love and marriage between man and woman with God at the center is truly what we can’t have without the other.
For as long as there have been men and women populating the earth, the subject of love and marriage is always top of mind. In our day, we know the statistics and the challenges. Almost everyone knows someone who has been in love and eventually got married. And almost everyone knows someone where marriage just did not work out for them and there may have been a divorce.
As people of faith, do we embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church when it comes to the subject of love and marriage? Do we even know what those teachings are?
To start, we can follow today’s readings beginning with our 1st reading from Genesis. It appears that God worked very hard to find a suitable partner for the first man He created. Not until God created woman did the man agree that this indeed is a suitable partner and we even hear the 1st teachings of marriage: “that is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.” So, from the very beginning God intended man and woman to live as husband and wife and live as “one flesh”.
But something must be amiss here. In our Gospel reading we find the Pharisee’s asking Jesus about divorce and Jesus replies with a question: “What did Moses command you?” Moses! Didn’t he live some 1,300 years or so before the birth of Jesus? All true! Jesus knew the Pharisee’s were setting a trap so he turned it back on them. And they answer correctly, but Jesus puts their answer in proper context. It was because of the hardness of hearts that Moses allowed divorce. And it is hardness of hearts now that they ask Jesus about divorce. Why did they do it? Simple; they hoped to get Jesus in trouble with someone.
This scene plays out in the territory of Judea. This is where King Herod ruled and had just been involved in a very public, very messy divorce. This would be the same divorce that caused St. John the Baptist to be martyred. If Jesus answers one way, he contradicts the teaching and sacrifice of John; if he answers another he may be turned over to Herod and never make it to Jerusalem and his Passion. Jesus knew all this. He turned this challenge into an opportunity to teach. And he condemned “hardness of hearts”.
Jesus clearly teaches that even the Law of Moses that allowed divorce was putting human needs above God’s will; “what God has joined together, no human must separate”. And in Jesus’ day this law remains true as it does in ours.
Yet divorce is a reality; as I have said earlier we all know the statistics. First we should recognize that many marriages result in long-term wedded bliss. I for one am so thankful to God and my wife Wendy for our now 32 year marriage. But chances are, someone is hearing this homily and divorce has touched your life personally. What are we to do or say if that be the case? Whether a divorce happens because one is a victim of bad choices and behaviors or the agent of bad choices and behaviors, divorce usually results in pain. Pain is real and pain is something Jesus Himself experienced. Jesus never ran from pain and faced pain trusting in God’s will and God’s plan.
For those of us who have never had to deal with divorce, let’s not get too puffed up here. We have indeed faced pain and we too have indeed sinned. All of us therefore can recall then the lesson of the woman caught in adultery that Jesus prevented from being stoned. We have no idea if she was married or a single woman. Remember, we identified adultery in last week’s homily as any sexual relationship outside of marriage. Jesus clearly equated her sin of adultery with any and all of the sins of her accusers. Who tossed the first stone? And neither should we. But how does that Gospel story end? Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Compassion, love and mercy are always fortified by truth.
Jesus is always ready to reach out to those in pain, even the pain of divorce, and offer healing and a path. We must, like Jesus, be ready to do the same. Don’t be so quick to speak viciously of those who experience the hurt of divorce and never pick up that stone. If you have been hurt by bad choices and behaviors in your marriage, seek a path back through the church. Fortunately, here in our parish family we have two Priests and four Deacons, all who can help with marital issues with both compassion and the truth of Christ’s teaching. Reach out to us so we can help you through the pain.
These readings today come on Respect Life Sunday. As we prepare to recognize our Pro-Life efforts this afternoon, consider marriage as God intended, with no room for “hardness of hearts”, a truly Pro-Life gift from you to God and from God to you.
Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage and you can’t have one without the other are great lines to a great old song. Love and marriage between man and woman with God at the center is truly what we can’t have without the other.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Oh Come Let Us Adore Him
Today is first Friday and at Catholic Churches across the world, most parishes hold Eucharistic Adoration and a Benediction. Adoration is simply yet marvelously the public worship of Jesus Christ, exposed on the altar, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity for all to gaze upon, to worship, pray and adore. Of course, this can be done at any Catholic Church in front of the Tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament reposed and not exposed.
More and more parishes are offering perpetual Adoration in specially built chapels. Where this is widespread, the faith grows and conversions occur and fallen away Catholics return. Praise God!
Today was a special day for Eucharistic Adoration as a special effort was made to involve school children in this traditional devotion. The effort today was international in scope. Our own Archbishop, Gregory Aymond, led over 4,000 children at the Basilica in Washington, D.C. in a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. The event was telecast to 40 nations and all across America. It was broadcast into the classrooms of hundreds if not thousands of Catholic Schools. What an effort! What a blessing to expose children to the Eucharistic Jesus and explain His real Presence.
Tonight, I was able, through my office as a Permanent Deacon, to lead our closing hour that concludes with Benediction. Benediction is when the Blessed Sacrament, contained in a monstrance, is used to bless the congregation. It is our Eucharistic Lord Himself who blesses! Wow!
Ask your local parish what they do to provide Eucharistic Adoration for the faithful and for those being called to "come home". And find out how close the nearest 24 hour Adoration Chapel is to your local community.
Get involved in Eucharistic Adoration; oh come let us Adore Him!!!
More and more parishes are offering perpetual Adoration in specially built chapels. Where this is widespread, the faith grows and conversions occur and fallen away Catholics return. Praise God!
Today was a special day for Eucharistic Adoration as a special effort was made to involve school children in this traditional devotion. The effort today was international in scope. Our own Archbishop, Gregory Aymond, led over 4,000 children at the Basilica in Washington, D.C. in a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. The event was telecast to 40 nations and all across America. It was broadcast into the classrooms of hundreds if not thousands of Catholic Schools. What an effort! What a blessing to expose children to the Eucharistic Jesus and explain His real Presence.
Tonight, I was able, through my office as a Permanent Deacon, to lead our closing hour that concludes with Benediction. Benediction is when the Blessed Sacrament, contained in a monstrance, is used to bless the congregation. It is our Eucharistic Lord Himself who blesses! Wow!
Ask your local parish what they do to provide Eucharistic Adoration for the faithful and for those being called to "come home". And find out how close the nearest 24 hour Adoration Chapel is to your local community.
Get involved in Eucharistic Adoration; oh come let us Adore Him!!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Gotta love October!
I divide the year into two parts. My favorite half starts now, October and runs through March. My decision is purely because I no longer seem to be able to tolerate heat and humidity, something that runs rampant here in the deep south from April through September. Of course, we can get heat and humidity any day of the year. But cold fronts, clean cold air, even a frost, deep winter nights where the stars are abundant all happen in my favorite half. I also love football, the holidays and still more football.
When October 1st rolls around I realize that the Church offers much to kick off my favorite half of the year. October is dedicated to Mary and the Rosary. We now can reflect on a great deal of Scripture with the addition of the Luminous Mysteries several years ago, by Pope John Paul II, to the well known Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries.
October is also a great month dedicated to Pro-Life activities. This weekend, across Catholic parishes and communities, Chains of Life will be lining sidewalks, streets, highways and byways. And don't be surprised if you see more than a few folks praying a Rosary in the Chain for Life.
After a wonderful feast today for St. Theresa we celebrate on the 1st Friday of the month the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. We can reflect with the 91st Psalm and rejoice that God gave His angels charge over us!! Most Catholic children will learn the Guardian Angel prayer early in their life's formation: "Angel of God my guardian dear to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and gaurd, to rule and guide, Amen.
This weekend, in our neck of the woods, brings huge fall festivals, a big LSU football game (Geaux Tigers) and the best NFL matchup of the week, Saints vs Jets (Go Saints Go)!! Even when our plate is full and our calender favorable, may we always remember to give God all the glory, praise and thanks and visit Him at Mass, perhaps a 1st Friday Adoration and Benediction and in prayer. Gotta love October!
When October 1st rolls around I realize that the Church offers much to kick off my favorite half of the year. October is dedicated to Mary and the Rosary. We now can reflect on a great deal of Scripture with the addition of the Luminous Mysteries several years ago, by Pope John Paul II, to the well known Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries.
October is also a great month dedicated to Pro-Life activities. This weekend, across Catholic parishes and communities, Chains of Life will be lining sidewalks, streets, highways and byways. And don't be surprised if you see more than a few folks praying a Rosary in the Chain for Life.
After a wonderful feast today for St. Theresa we celebrate on the 1st Friday of the month the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. We can reflect with the 91st Psalm and rejoice that God gave His angels charge over us!! Most Catholic children will learn the Guardian Angel prayer early in their life's formation: "Angel of God my guardian dear to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and gaurd, to rule and guide, Amen.
This weekend, in our neck of the woods, brings huge fall festivals, a big LSU football game (Geaux Tigers) and the best NFL matchup of the week, Saints vs Jets (Go Saints Go)!! Even when our plate is full and our calender favorable, may we always remember to give God all the glory, praise and thanks and visit Him at Mass, perhaps a 1st Friday Adoration and Benediction and in prayer. Gotta love October!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)