Wrong Question!

A number of commentators are wringing their hands over what they perceive to be another unfairness that will flow from the revised translations to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. How, they lament, will the Catholics who attend Mass only twice a year, be able to participate in a liturgy whose words will be so different from those they last heard?

Wrong question!

The correct one to ask is why are all those Catholics who attend Mass only twice a year not fearful of spending eternity in hell for failing to obey God's commandment? This query should be quickly followed up with two others: Why won't this issue be discussed with these infrequent Mass attendees and why will so few of them be reminded not to approach our Lord in the Holy Eucharist if they have not been fulfilling their obligation to actively participate in weekly Sunday Mass without first bathing themselves in the healing and forgiving waters of a sacramental confession?

Musing on Missions

My wife is Pentecostal, and this past Sunday evening was her church's annual Christmas program, put on by the children.  Out 17-year-old daughter made all the costumes (so says the button-popping-proud father).
The program was, as might be expected, evangelistic and oriented towards Christmas, but with an interesting twist.  The focus was on Missionary Kids - MKs - with several actual MKs involved.

One of the features was a video of the denomination's missionaries in Okinawa, whose primary focus of ministry is not the Okinawan natives, but the American Military members and their families.

And it got me thinking about missions. 
Read the New Testament.  St. Paul had helpers who traveled with him, helpers who were not necessarily clergy.
Protestants do it.  And, yes, Catholics do it to.  But to what extent?  Do Catechists accompany missionary priests?  Do cantors?
Perhaps we as Catholics could consider such a possibility.
I'm a Lay Dominican.  Perhaps my order could send out Lay Dominicans as helpers to the Friars, who could help establish missions, learn the culture.  It could be a small community similar to the old Celtic monasteries, composed of clergy, celibate, and married members.

Just a thought.

When A Father Speaks of Life, We Should Listen.

He may not become Preisdent but he is where God wants him to be. Show this man the respect we owe someone who stands up for God's Truth. Take a look.

All Saints Day in the Roman Rite 11/01 by Lou Pizzuti | Blog Talk Radio

All Saints Day in the Roman Rite 11/01 by LouPizzuti | Blog Talk Radio

All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Rite.  Yet rarely does today's Roman Catholic have the opportunity to hear the Gregorian Chant for this day.  Come, hear, and be blessed by the official song of the Roman Rite.

6:30 PM, Nov 1, 2011.
The program will also be archived for future listening.

Put on the Belt of Truth.

A talk originally delivered at Knights of Columbus Council 3717 Monthly Business Meeting, 16 September 2003

Our study this month is a continuation of last month’s.

Again, let’s look at the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians(5:10-18a)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Last month we talked about being spiritual warriors. This month, we’ll take up the

first part of our armor, the Belt of Truth.
Now, consider the Roman Armor. The Romans did not wear pants like we do. So

what was the purpose of a belt?

1. To attach the scabbard for your sword
2. To hold the armor together.

In the same way, our armor in the spiritual battle, our defense against the spiritual evils which assail us, cannot function properly, cannot stay together, without being bound together in truth.

But let me be quick to say, not just spiritual truth. No. Our Lord did not say, “I am the spiritual way, the spiritual truth, & the spiritual life”. He said, “I am the way, the truth, the life.”


Take abortion, for example. Yes, our struggle has spiritual dimensions, and
ultimately, this war will be won by the Spirit of God. But you know as well as I, it has a political and cultural dimension. There are public debates. Perhaps you’ve engaged in a debate on the subject at work, or in a coffee shop. I know I have. And what’s the biggest tool we have in such a situation? Certainly not telling the unbeliever that it is contrary to God’s Law. What do they care about God’s Law? No, the biggest tool we have is truth. Facts. Scientific evidence shows life begins at conception. The fertilized egg has a unique
genetic identity. Facts. Facts. Facts. THE TRUTH.

Do you remember our Lord’s words? “You shall know the truth, and the TRUTH
shall set you free”.

On the other hand, truth is a powerful weapon in learning to love yourself (which, of
course, is necessary in order to love your neighbor). And lying to yourself is positively
destructive.

I’m a pianist, and part of my college experience was at Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Now, I judged myself not according to what I could do, but what I couldn’t do. My idols were people like Teddy Wilson, Art Tatum, Bud Powell – the upper stratosphere of jazz piano luminaries. Consequently, when I didn’t measure up to them, I put myself down. Mercilessly. For years I thought I was mediocre at best. And it caused me to limit myself. I never took the chances that might have led to real musical success.
Then, about 5 years ago, I found the e-mail for a buddy of mine from school, a trumpet
player. We hadn’t been in contact in about 17 years, but his initial response to me was,
“yeah, I remember you. You were a Monster Piano player”.

And I always thought I was a bum.

Who knows where I would have gone if I’d told myself the truth? I have friends in
the business who have indeed ‘made it’, Grammy winners, contracts with major
recording labels.

Now, yeah, I admit I have some limitations in my playing – I certainly don’t play for hours on end like I did when I was 20, and it shows. But y’know what, I know I’m good – not in the sense that I’m cocky about it, but I’m confident in my own abilities. But I also know that I’m not the best. Knowing the truth has allowed me to accept what God has allowed me to become.

“You shall know the truth, and the TRUTH shall set you free”.

And knowing the truth allows me to avoid the lies I hear in the world. It allows me to have the sword of the spirit – that is, the Word of God – available to me to help fight spiritual battles.

So, how do we know truth?

1. Know your Catechism and Bible, know the contents of the prayers of the Mass – these will give you spiritual truth.
2. Know yourself – be honest with yourself, admit your weaknesses and your strengths. True humility doesn’t lie in thinking that you’re nothing; it lies in knowing your abilities and liabilities —your strengths <b>and</b> your weaknesses — and appreciating what God has made you.
3. Pray that God will open your eyes. and beyond that
4. Pray. Pray, and Pray. And when you're done praying, pray again

A Reflection On Unrequited Love

We can not get to know another person or develop a loving relationship with that individual unless we spend time with that person. To say that you love someone, but never visit, engage in conversation with or spend time with that person would be to live a lie and deceive yourself.

God is calling each of us to a personal and intimate encounter and relationship with Him.  But how can we experience such a relationship if we do not get to know Him, or spend time with Him, or talk to Him, or lay our burdens before Him, or listen to Him, or trust Him? Just as we could not maintain our physical health by limiting physical nourishment to one hour a week, we are foolish to think that our mere presence in a Church building on Sunday for an hour can create and sustain the type of intimate spiritual relationship God offers and desires with each of us.  

Oh, how He Who is love is not loved in return! He hungers to have you acknowledge His Real Presence in the Eucharist.

He desires to fill you with His peace, comfort and love.  He wants you to come and lay your burdens down before Him.  He wishes to strengthen you in your daily duties, trials and challenges.  He longs to make you like Him and to equip and sustain you as you become more Christ-like to others.

But God will not force Himself on anyone.  Each of us must freely respond to His invitation.

                                   

            So let me ask you: Where does God rate in your life?  How much do you love Him and how important is He to you in your daily and weekly lives?  How much time each week do you think of Him and devote to Him in contrast to the time you spend caring for yourself and family, working, eating, watching television, using the computer, gambling, sleeping, engaging in sports, socializing with friends and families, participating in community programs? 

            Look at the 24 hours in each day and the 168 hours in each week and see how often you have anything to do with Him.  For most of us, I would imagine the answer is not much.  You get the point.

            In many Dioceses of this country, we Catholics are blessed to have Churches in which someone is always present with Our Lord, praying 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  Remarkable isn’t it? - a life-changing experience for those who (often at great personal sacrifice) spend one specific hour each week in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord; a devotion most pleasing to Him Who is deserving of our worship, adoration and praise; and the source of untold blessings to so many in our families and communities.

            God has blessed our Churches with His Real Presence where He can be worshiped, adored and loved, where He changes, heals and comforts the hearts and souls (and sometimes bodies) of many.  Yet few come to keep Him company or to make reparation to Him for those who do not believe in Him. Where are the courageous prayer warriors willing to get up in the early morning hours to be with Him while the rest of us sleep?  How sad and lonely is Our Lord – so intimately present among us but ignored by the majority of people claiming to love Him. 

            Jesus asked his disciples in Gethsemane, and He is asking each of us right now: “Could you not watch one hour with Me?” What an affront, insult and gesture of ingratitude it would be to such a caring, loving and merciful God if (where it exists) Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration devotions had to be curtailed because so few of His people loved Him enough to be with Him.

Belief in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is a gift from God.  No one but He can give it to you.  He will do just that if you trust Him enough to spend time with Him. He awaits you with open and loving arms. If you come to Him with an open heart, He will give you His! That’s His promise!

What are you waiting for?  Consider this a personal invitation from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He will transform you, your family and the communities in which you worship, live and work.

Charismata and the Four Pillars

Ask any Dominican about the Four Pillars, and they'll tell you that the Four Pillars are the aspects of a Christian life which a Dominican must nurture and balance. They are

• Community
• Study
• Apostolate
• Contemplation

So, how do the Charismatic gifts fit into this paradigm?

As Roger Stronsand points out in "The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke", Luke and Acts present the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (or Filling with the Holy Spirit) as an empowering for service. So the Charismata are the tools of that service.

To put it another way, just as God will give a Ministerial Priest Sacramental Grace to perform those works proper to his ministry (i.e., the Sacraments), so He gives the Royal Priest (i.e, all Christians) Charismatic Grace to perform the work proper to his ministry. The Gifts of the Spirit are, first and foremost, meant for ministry - for Apostolate.

In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus talking to the Samaritan. How did he know that she had had 5 husbands and was now living with another man? Because He was God? When He walked this earth, prior to His resurrection, He was like us in all ways except sin (Gaudium et Spes, 22). So, no, this was not a manifestation of His divinity. It was the Word of Knowledge (1 Cor 12:8), one of the Gifts of the Spirit.

Likewise, every healing which He performed was a manifestation of the Gift of Healing.
And Jesus said that we would do greater things than Him.

My Brothers and Sisters, the primary Apostolate of ALL DOMINICANS is preaching the Gospel to the lost. And with the Gifts of the Spirit, we are equipped to minister to the needs of the people, show the Love of Christ to people, which opens the door for the preaching of the Gospel.

More on St. Dominic and Miracles

The following are from Miracles And Manifestations Of The Holy Spirit In The History Of The Church, taken from page 110 of the Kindle edition.

Summary of Miracles Attributed to St. Dominic

One day, preaching before a church against the heresies of the day, St. Dominic found himself, with a brother from the Cistercian convent, suddenly transported into the church, without any one having opened the door.  At another time his valise and books fell into a river, and when, after several days, they were "fished up again", they were not even wetted.  Often while traveling the rain fell in torrents, without one single drop falling on him, that he might reach his journey's end quite dry.  As he never took money about with him, he had to ask free passage across ferries.  On one occasion the boatman refused to ferry him across without his fare; so he lifted his eyes to heaven, and found at his feet the required money.  In the convent of St. Vincent of Caatreg, the cruficix spoke to him, and told him to persevere in well-doing, and to remember that saints were made perfect by suffering.  In the same place, while at mass, his fervor was so great that he was lifted into the air full five feet from the ground, of which fact the prior himself and the canons were personal witnesses.  He saved miraculously from drowning forty English pilgrims going to St. James's, who had entered a boat too weak and had been thrown into the Garonne.

Brewer, Dictionary of Miracles, pp. 231-232.
Citing Les Petits Bollandistes, Vol 9, p. 284.

Raising the Dead

The son of a matron died while his mother was listening to a sermon by St. Dominic. the dead body was taken to the monk and laid at his feet.  The "blessed father", moved with compassion, made on the lad the sign of the cross, and taking him by the hand, the dead child rose, stood on his feet, and returned home in perfect health. 

A carpenter, working in the convent of St. Sistus, fell into a pit, and the earth falling on him crushed him to death.  St. Dominic ordered him to be dug out, prayed overe him, and he returned to life wholly unhurt.

The nephew of Cardinal Stephen, whose name was Neapolion, being thrown from his horse, had his neck broke, and was killed.  St. Dominic, going to the spot of the accident, prayed thrice, saying the same words; then taking the young man by the hand, he said with a loud voice, "Neapolion, I say unto you, in the name of Christ, Arise."  Forthwith he arose, and St. Dominic led him to his uncle.

Brewer, Dictionary of Miracles, pp. 80-81.
Citing Edward Kinesman, Lives of the Saints, 1623.

"If God Does Not Show Up, We're Dead"

by guest blogger, Sherry W

The following was originally published on the Siena.org blog, 28 April 2011 
 
In the spirit of the season, I have a book on order about 100 Catholics saints who raised the dead.

I know. It is really out there. Jesus rising from the dead - OK. Even the idea of saints doing it spooks us a bit. And as for just plain Christians experiencing God raising the dead? Yeah, right.
It came as a surprise to me to discover that it has always been a rare but real part of the Christian experience. The ultimate experience of resurrection life.

My first real life exposure was years ago when I was doing gifts interviews in Washington DC and a woman came in who had had an extraordinary healing ministry for 30 years. When I asked her to tell me a story, she told me about praying for a man who rose from the dead. We hear hundreds of amazing and inspiring stories in the Called & Gifted process but this was one of those jaw-dropping moments. I tried to appear calm and pretend that I had heard stories like this before although I was inwardly skeptical. Darn. She really wanted to talk about other things so I never did hear exactly what happened.

(I had a similar experience not too long ago when I finally heard someone tell of having an experience of bi-location. As she pointed out, I do joke in workshops about my desire to hear bi-location stories, but I never expected anyone to take me up on it. 65,000+ have gone through the Called & Gifted process and I finally stumbled across someone who seems to have experienced bi-location. That percentage seems about right.)

And then there was the time in Rome, when Fr. Michael Sweeney and I and our OP host were standing jammed upright in a Roman bus famous for its crowds and its pick-pockets. I had my purse firmly clapsed under my arm and my arms rigidly down at my side when our guide casually nodded his head toward a church that we were passing and said "Oh, and that's where St. Dominic raised the boy from the dead." "Wait!" I squealed inwardly as I desperately tried to turn my wedged body so that I could see what he was referring to but we had passed the spot by before I managed to extract myself.
Another tantalizing almost-brush with resurrection.

Bl Jordan of Saxony, who followed St. Dominic as Master of the Order, wrote a very sober account of the miracle which was witnessed by a number of intelligent Dominicans.

"It happened that, once while he was in Rome, a young man, related to the Lord Cardinal Stephen of Fossa Nuova, was riding recklessly down a steep hill and thrown from his horse. While he was being carried away, it was hard to tell whether he was still alive or dead. As the crowd which had gathered was displaying its grief with wails and lamentations, Master Dominic happened along with Brother Tancred, a good, fervant man and one prior in Rome; in fact, it was he who told me of this incident. Brother Tancred said to him, "Why do you hesitate? Why don't you call on the Lord? Where is your pity for your neighbor, your confidence in God?" 

Stirred by these words and inflamed by the fire of his own ardent compassion, he ordered that the young man be brought to a nearby house. There he restored him to life by his prayers and personally led him out of the house in the sight of those who had gathered."
He had expired. That is what I heard from his parents, who lived in the Roman Campagna.)

Wow. A Dominican whose instinctive response to a fatal injury was "Why do you hesitate to pray for life? Where is your pity for your neighbor, your confidence in God?"

Suddenly, it doesn't all seem so freaky.

And then I started to hear confirmed stories from sober people that Christians were starting to see people raised from the dead in significant numbers around the world.

And then I heard about Heidi and Rolland Baker, missionaries to Mozambique. Watch this short 2008 CBN interview with Heidi about the extraordinary things that she and her co-workers are seeing in northern Mozambique. Mother of over 7,000 abandoned and impoverished children, faced daily with a level of suffering and chaos that is almost indescribable, Heidi puts it bluntly "If God does not show up, we're dead." 

And she talks very simply about how hard it is for western Christians to be open to the miraculous.

To be desperate enough, hungry enough, humble enough to pursue God instead of depending upon our own considerable resources.

It was said of St. Dominic that he spent his days talking to people about God and his nights talking with God about people. It was his passionate longing for and pursuit of God that made it seem perfectly sane to his closest companions that he could and should pray for God to raise a young man who had died in a tragic accident.

But the question that haunts me is am I that open to God's manifest presence as St. Dominic and his early companions or as Heidi Baker is? Or am I just fine doing the conventional, educated, middle class western thing: depending entirely on my own resources? What more would God give the world through his Church if we were that desperate, that humble, that open?

On Charismata and the Charismatic movement

Nineteen years ago, I left the Assemblies of God and began exploring the catholic tradition, the first step of which was an Eastern Orthodox Church.  Partially out of desire to leave the past behind, and perhaps a little bit under the sway of Fr. Seraphim Rose's Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future, I distanced myself from any possibility of charismatic expression or theology.  Although I eventually rejected the narrow (and, frankly, ignorant) view expressed in Fr. Seraphim's book, I generally avoided the Charismatic Movement when I became Catholic in 1995.

A few months ago, however, an interesting thing happened.  I was in a Facebook debate with a traditional leaning Catholic who was attacking the Charismatic Movement, and much of what he said echoed the false sentiments of Fr. Seraphim.  I was forced to defend the movement from which I had distanced myself.  And it made me start thinking.

What was it, really, that made me avoid the Charismatics.  Yes, maybe there was an element of Been there, Done that.  But it was deeper.

I hadn't ever denied the reality of the Charismata.  But, to be honest, my observation was that Catholic Charismatics tended to be more Charismatic than Catholic.  There was little grounding, or desire for grounding, in the 2000 year Tradition of the Church.  It was almost like they were your typical Protestant Pentecostals, except for an acceptance of the Sacraments. 

This week, I began reading A Key to Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church, by Msgr Vincent M. Walsh, and some works by Fr. Robert DeGrandis, and I saw that there was indeed a strong biblical basis - and Christian Initiation and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Evidence from the First Eight Centuries certainly shows there is a strong patristic basis as well.

So, I did something I haven't done since 1992.  I prayed in tongues.  And the effect was immediate.

I received a measure of Inner Healing.

So I've continued to do it.  And praying the Rosary, and the Office?  It's been a long time since I've wanted to pray them.  I have prayed them, to be sure.  As a Dominican, I am obliged to do so.  And the practice has not been without edification, and yes, enjoyment.  But it was done out of obligation, not out of joyful anticipation.

Now, it's joyful anticipation.
I could say the same about study.  Joyful anticipation.

I foresee a deepening of the Charismatic Dimension in my life, enriching my participation in the Dominican Pillar of Contemplation.

And the Pillar of Apostolate?  More on that later.