Because the Church says so...

I've often found myself in discussions with friends, family, and random people who refuse to accept "because the Church says so" as an acceptable response, equating it with a lack of education and inability to think for oneself. To that point, this article by Ms. Emily Stimpson gives a beautiful response. 

“Because the Church says so” is indeed reason enough to believe something when you have thought long and hard about what the Church is, by what authority she teaches, and what duty you owe her.

Since Day One, the Church has professed to being Christ’s Bride, Christ’s Body, and the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. She has likewise professed that she is the guardian of both Sacred Revelation and Sacred Tradition, guided by the Holy Spirit in her interpretation of both and protected by him from teaching error on matters of faith and morals (See: Acts 15 and 1 Clement).

If you believe the Church is all that, if you believe she is what she claims to be, trusting her teachings—even when you struggle with them—is the only sensible response. If you don’t believe the Church is what she claims to be, not trusting her teachings is equally sensible. But calling yourself a Catholic is not.

The full article is worth the read and can be found at the CatholicVote.org blog HERE. 

We're All Called to Marriage?

Fr. Bryce Sibley, one of my Moral Theology professors in seminary, has an excellent article published over at the Homiletic and Pastoral Review website, on 'Discerning Marriage as Natural Vocation' and the reality that we are all called to marriage (even us celibate folks!). Below are a few highlights, for the full article check out the article HERE. 

It is necessary to clear up some confusion about the nature of marriage as a vocation, specifically in relation to celibacy and the priesthood as such. From my experience as a Catholic priest and university chaplain, this is the fundamental misunderstanding most young people encounter while considering a vocation. This confusion can have some serious effects on the ability to properly discern it, be it to priesthood or to marriage.

... 

Yes, every priest and nun, even the Pope, is called to marriage, insofar as they are human beings. Theologically, this can best be understood in what Blessed John Paul II called the “spousal meaning of the body.” This means that the ensouled body, the person, is meant for the gift of self, particularly in marriage. Marriage is something to which every human person is called; it is the “default” vocation for all humans. So marriage, at its most basic level, is a natural vocation, a call written into our very DNA, into the very structure of our being. The married person is called to give himself totally to one person in love, while the celibate is called to give himself to all. 

...

 Here is the crucial point. Individuals called to celibacy will experience both calls at the same time: the desire for marriage, written into their nature, and the inclination to renounce marriage, which comes as a supernatural grace. They should also feel the natural desire to be a mother or father. I’ve talked to many young people who have thought that if they were called to celibacy, they wouldn’t feel the desire for marriage and children. Exactly the opposite! The person called to celibacy feels both at the same time, and then is called to renounce the desire for marriage.

...

We know that we are all called to marriage; we don’t discern it, we presume it. Practically, what needs to be discerned is the possibility of a call to celibacy.

Sympathy for the Devil?

I and others have sometimes struggled with the reality of a loving a merciful God permitting souls to go to Hell for all eternity. It seems contrary to His essence. A friend of mine pointed me to this article from Crisis Magazine entitled "Sympathy for the Devil and Mercy for the Damned". It's a dialogue - fictional, to be sure - that I think helps to shed some light on this. Well-written, worth the read, and thought-provoking!

You just broke your child...

Here is a great article from Dan Pearce over at the website Become A Better Father. A bit long, but worth the read.

You just broke your child. Congratulations.

Dads. Stop breaking your children. Please.

I feel a need to write this post after what I witnessed at Costco yesterday. Forgive me for another post written in desperation and anger. Please read all the way to the end. I know it’s long, but this is something that needs to be said. It’s something that needs to be heard. It’s something that needs to be shared.

As Noah and I stood in line to make a return, I watched as a little boy (he couldn’t have been older than six) looked up at his dad and asked very timidly if they could buy some ice cream when they were done. The father glared him down, and through clenched teeth, growled at the boy to “leave him alone and be quiet”. The boy quickly cowered to the wall where he stood motionless and hurt for some time.

The line slowly progressed and the child eventually shuffled back to his father as he quietly hummed a childish tune, seemingly having forgotten the anger his father had just shown. The father again turned and scolded the boy for making too much noise. The boy again shrunk back and cowered against the wall, wilted.

I was agitated. I was confused. How could this man not see what I see? How could this man not see what a beautiful spirit stood in his shadow? How could this man be so quick to stub out all happiness in his own boy? How could this man not cherish the only time he’ll ever have to be everything to this boy? To be the person that matters most to this boy?

We were three from the front now, and the boy started to come towards his dad yet again. His dad immediately stepped out of the line, jammed his fingers into his son’s collar bones until he winced in pain, and threatened him. “If you so much as make a sound or come off of that wall again, I promise you’re going to get it when we get home.” The boy again cowered against the wall. This time, he didn’t move. He didn’t make a sound. His beautiful face pointed down, locked to the floor and expressionless. He had been broken. And that’s how his father wanted it. He didn’t want to deal with him, and breaking him was the easiest way.

And we wonder why so many of our kids grow up to be screwed up.

I’m going to be blunt. People see my relationship with Noah, and quite often put me up on a pedestal or sing my praises for loving him more than most dads love their own kids.

.... I don’t understand that, and I’ll never understand that. Loving my son, building my son, touching my son, playing with my son, being with my son… these aren’t tasks that only super dads can perform. These are tasks that every dad should perform. Always. Without fail. There is nothing special about me. I am a dad who loves his son and would literally do anything for his well-being, safety, and health. I would gladly take a rake in the face or a jackhammer to my feet before I cut my own son down or make him feel small.

[sigh] I am far from a perfect dad. And I always will be. But I’m a damn good dad, and my son will always feel bigger than anything life can throw at him. Why? Because I get it. I get the power a dad has in a child’s life, and in a child’s level of self-belief. I get that everything I ever do and ever say to my son will be absorbed, for good or for bad. What I don’t get is how some dads don’t get it.

Dads. Do your faces light up when you first see your child in the morning or when you come home from work? Do you not understand that a child’s entire sense of value can revolve around what they see in your face when you first see them?

Dads. Do you not realize that a child is what you tell them they are? That people almost always become what they are labeled? Was whatever your child just did really the “dumbest thing you’ve ever seen somebody do”? Was it really the “most ridiculous thing they ever could have done”? Do you really believe that your child is an idiot? Because she now does. Think about that. Because you said it, she now believes it. Bravo.

Dads. Do you honestly expect anybody to believe that you can’t find 20 minutes to step away from your computer or turn off the television to play with your child? It has to happen every single day. Do you not understand that children will hinge their entire facet of trust on whether or not their dad plays with them and how involved he is when he plays with them? Do you know the damage you do by not playing with your children every day?

Dads. Should anybody buy into this silly notion that anger is sometimes or often necessary? Do you not understand that anger is almost always an emotion for people who wish to control others while simultaneously failing to control themselves? Do you not know that there are incredible books and courses that can teach you better methods? Most importantly, do you not see the speed at which a child is crushed or becomes completely defiant when anger rules the roost? Are you that desensitized to the luminosity of your child’s spirit that it doesn’t crush you completely when they flinch or cower in your presence? Is that really what you want your child to do? To fear you?

Dads. Do you not realize that your child needs to feel your skin on his? Do you not realize the incredible and powerful bond that skin on skin contact with your daughter will give you? Do you not understand the permanent mental connections that are made when you stroke your son’s bare back or rub your daughter’s bare tummy while you tell bedtime stories? And if any idiot says anything about that being inappropriate, you’re gonna get kicked in the face, first by me, and then by every other good dad out there. Touching your child is your duty as a father.

Dads. Wake up! These precious souls that have been put into your care are unique and so very sensitive. Everything you say or don’t say will impact their ability, success, and happiness throughout their entire lives.

Do you not realize that your kids are going to make mistakes, and a lot of them? Do you not realize the damage you do when you push your son’s nose into his mishaps or make your daughter feel worthless because she bumped or spilled something? Do you have any idea how easy it is to make your child feel abject? It’s as simple as letting out the words, “why would you do that!?” or “how many times have I told you…”

Let me ask you this. Have you ever looked into the swollen eyes of a parent who’s child has just died? I have.

Have you ever cried through a child’s funeral? I have.

Have you ever touched a wooden box with a child inside? A permanent tomb from which another laugh or giggle will never sound? I have.

If you want the motivation to be the best parent on earth, do that just one time. I pray you never have to.

Dads. It’s time to tell our kids that we love them. Constantly. It’s time to show our kids that we love them. Constantly. It’s time to take joy in their twenty-thousand daily questions and their inability to do things as quickly as we’d like. It’s time to take joy in their quirks and their ticks. It’s time to take joy in their facial expressions and their mispronounced words. It’s time to take joy in everything that our kids are.

It’s time to stand up and ask what we can do to be better dads. It’s time to get our priorities straight. It’s time to come home and actually be a dad.

Dads. It’s time to show our sons how to properly treat a woman. It’s time to show our daughters how a girl should expect be treated. It’s time to show forgiveness and compassion. It’s time to show our children empathy. It’s time to break social norms and teach a healthier way of life! It’s time to teach good gender roles and to ditch the unnecessary ones. Does it really matter if your son likes the color pink? Is it going to hurt anybody? Do you not see the damage it inflicts to tell a boy that there is something wrong with him because he likes a certain color? Do we not see the damage we do in labeling our girls “tom boys” or our boys “feminine” just because they have their own likes and opinions on things? Things that really don’t matter?

Dads. Speak softly to your sons. Speak calmly to your daughters. Who do you want your child to be? Do you want him to be the kid at school that sits by himself with absolutely no friends or self esteem? Or do you want him to be the kid running for class office and feeling like he deserves to win it? Do we not see that we have the power to give that to our children? Do we not see that we have the power to teach our children the tools of societal survival?

Dads. Do we not see the influence we have when we say we believe in one thing, but our children see us living something else? Do we not realize how little we encourage our children to actually decide what they believe, declare what they believe, and then live by it? Whether it’s religion, politics, sports, or societal norms. It is not our place to tell our kids what to think. It is our place to teach our kids to think correctly. If we do this, we need have no fear of what they will decide for themselves and how strongly they’ll stand behind it. A man will follow his own convictions to his death, but he’ll only follow another man’s convictions until he steps in manure.

.... Dads. Every child has the innate right to ask for ice cream without being belittled and broken. Every child has the innate right to do so without being made to cower in the corner because the man who is supposed to be his hero is actually a small, small man altogether. Every child has the innate right to be happy, and giggle, and laugh, and play. Why aren’t you letting them? Every child on earth has the right to a dad who thinks before he speaks; a dad who understands the great power that has been given to him to ultimately shape another human being’s life; a dad who loves his child more than he loves his television shows or sports games; a dad who loves his child more than his material junk; a dad who loves his child more than his time. Every child deserves a superhero dad.

Maybe the truth is that a lot of dads don’t deserve their kids.

Maybe the truth is that a lot of dads aren’t really dads at all.

I apologize for the heatedness of my post. I believe a part of me feels like a coward for not saying something to the man in front of me at Costco. Consider this post to be my penance. Perhaps a part of me feels that if even one person reads this and decides to be a better dad, it was worth every second that I spent typing it. If one child has a better life because something in my words stirred their father to step up their game, then it was worth every ounce of begging and pleading with you to share this with others, of which I am inevitably going to be guilty.
Dads. Children are gifts. They are not ours for the breaking. They are ours for the making. So stand up with me and show the world that there are a lot of good dads around.

To the men and women who read this post… married or not… parent or not… share this post on Facebook and Twitter, even if it doesn’t apply to you because you’re already all these things. If you’ve ever seen a father break his child, share it. You never know what child might get his superhero dad back. You never know what tiny spirit might feel just a little more loved because Dad took the time to tuck her in tonight.

All because you were willing to paste one link and ask others to read it.

Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing Pleading

Article on St. Philomena

I recently came across this article about St. Philomena, the battle for purity among our youth, and Fr. Chad Partain of the Alexandria Diocese. Check it out HERE.

What to get your priest for Christmas...

Found this excellent little article from Fr. William Byrne over at the My Catholic Standard website:

Two ingredients that have become central to the celebration of Jesus' birth are fat and sugar. I bemoan this not because I do not like fat and sugar, but because I really like foods that have lots of fat and sugar. Celebrating a feast historically included such things because the feast had been preceded by a period of fasting. However, Christmas now is preceded by Thanksgiving and a bunch of Christmas parties.

With a priest shortage, I would like to recommend some things to get for your priest that do not involve sugar or fat. (These words were difficult to write, but I managed through the grace of the Holy Spirit!)

1. Your Neighbor - Bring your neighbor to Mass and introduce him/her to the priest. Growing numbers and a new soul tops even a cream pie.

2. Spiritual Bouquet - A note with a promise to say some prayers for your priests is a wonderful Christmas gift. Quite frankly, looking at our world, it is clear that some serious spiritual battles are going on. Your prayers are the invisible powerhouse that allows the priest to face the most difficult situations with joy. If your pastor is a bit grumpy, maybe it is because you don't pray for him enough.

3. Live Your Baptism - I pray each day for my parish not only that they will come to Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist, but also that they will bring him to the world. As Jesus is the Great High Priest, this gift is probably more for him than just for your local pastor. Being a great mom/dad/son/daughter/friend/employee/ boss and being truly a person a faith is a challenge. But heroes and saints are people who face challenges. So stand up and tell the world that you're proud to be a follower of Jesus. Let people see how you love his Church. Say grace before meals, go to Mass on vacation. Take your kids to Confession. Defend the faith.

4. Encouraging and Praying for Vocations - We just opened Blessed John Paul II Seminary in the Archdiocese of Washington because we have good numbers of men following the Lord to discern a call to the priesthood. The movement of the Holy Spirit is clear, but we need to pray that young men will be preserved from things that block them from hearing Christ's call. This is where you come in. Encouragement of a young man and prayers for those already in the seminary MUST be part of your daily regimen. This is a great gift not only to the seminarians but to the whole archdiocese.

5. Food for the Poor - Write a note to the priest, "I gave your cookies to the hungry." Once his blood pressure lowers, which it probably needs to anyway, he will be very grateful. We need your generosity more then we need your chocolate chips. (Once again the Holy Spirit helped me pen that sentence.)

 Amen, Father. These gifts would certainly warm the heart of any priest.

Why all the changes?!

Below is an article I wrote for our semi-annual publication The Oaks.

As we all continue to transition to the new wording in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there are lots of questions that can be asked: How were the choices of new prayers made? What do the new words mean? What was wrong with the other prayers? Why does it matter what words we use to pray? These and the many other questions that could be asked ultimately lead us to one central question: Why are we changing?

We could answer this with a simple analysis of recent events – the release of a document on the proper way to translate liturgical texts in 2001, the promulgation of a new edition of the Missale Romanum (the Latin text of the Mass) in 2002, and the subsequent process of translating that Latin text into the English we will soon be employing in our celebrations. In my opinion, however, that does not really answer the question. Rather the answer is simply this: the Holy Spirit.

All throughout his pontificate, Blessed John Paul II spoke of a New Springtime in the Church and His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI has continued this prophetic proclamation. This ‘New Springtime,’ as they call it, is a time when the dew of the Spirit brings new life to the Church and a flowering of the faith is made visible to the world around us - a flowering that changes our culture and our world. If we only take a quick glance at the Church today it would be easy to get frustrated or discouraged, but if we look deeply we see great things happening on a grassroots level throughout our entire Church. It is clear that the Holy Spirit is moving in our midst.

It is with this in mind that I say the Holy Spirit is the real answer to why we are changing and updating the prayers of the Mass. But just because God is doing things doesn’t mean that we necessarily enjoy it. After all, change can be a difficult thing. Most of us are creatures of habit and once we find a way of doing something that is comfortable to us, we don’t like it when changes are introduced. But the reality is that when change does happen, there is an invitation for us to grow in the midst of our frustration. I think it is that change and growth which the Holy Spirit desires of us as a nation and as a world in bringing forth this new translation of the Mass at this point in time. Why do I think that? Because the fruits are already showing themselves.

The fact is that for the first time in many years the whole English-speaking segment of the Church is encountering extensive, deep catechesis on the prayers and celebration of the Mass. The availability of materials and regular discussion of this most-central aspect of our faith is already permitting and encouraging people to enter into the celebration of the Mass in a way that they might not have until now. The Vatican II document on the Church, Lumen Gentium, tells us that “taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, the source and summit of the Christian life, [the faithful] offer the divine victim to God and themselves along with it.” Calling the celebration of Mass the source and summit of our lives drives home the point that we are essentially a Eucharist-centered people and that our participation in the celebration of the Mass has a profound impact on the entirety of our lives; every grace comes from the Mass and every action points toward it. As we continue to talk about and learn more about this great mystery of faith, will not out our lives and world also be changed and powerfully transformed in the process?

All of this is simply summed up in that great axiom Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi, which simply means that the way we pray determines the way we believe, which determines the way we live. And if we live the prayers of the Mass then the world has no chance of remaining unchanged. How so?

If we look at the style of prayer, we see that the new translation uses notedly loftier wording. Rather than simple sentences and more commonplace words it uses complex sentences and words that will make us realize that this is not just an ordinary celebration at which we gather. It is a celebration in which we come into contact with the God of all creation and humbly seek his grace.

Our current translation turns to God saying ‘make us’, ‘renew us’, ‘give us’, and other such prayers that seem to simply tell Him what we want. The new translation will feel different as we now emphasize the fact that we must implore God’s help rather than tell Him our desires; thus we will see more of ‘be pleased’ and ‘we pray’ throughout the celebration.

Also, in our current translation we often do not hear the extra adjectives that are part of the original Latin edition. We will hear of ‘Blessed Joseph’ and the ‘Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul’ rather than simply ‘Joseph’ or ‘the Apostles Peter and Paul’ as well as the ‘glorious ever-Virgin Mary’ and ‘most beloved Son’ rather than ‘Mary, the ever-Virgin mother’ and ‘Jesus Christ, your only Son.’ Too, we will hear about break being taken into the ‘holy and venerable hands’ of Our Lord and the reception of the ‘precious chalice’ during the consecratory prayers over the bread and wine.

These and so many other little changes here and there throughout the Mass will help us to realize that God and the heavenly realities are something entirely different than normal life. They are far beyond simple mundane things and we are blessed to be able to enter into them. And as we come to integrate this realization into our belief systems, our lives will be visibly transformed. Such a great mystery!

As we sit here on the threshold of this New Springtime in the Church and the world, I cannot help but rejoice at the blessing the Lord has given all of us at being here to witness the movement the Holy Spirit so powerfully in our midst. A true blessing indeed! Come, Holy Spirit!

Penance & Paschal Mystery

Being that this is the last week of school, things have been a bit hectic with papers and presentation due dates coming in rapid succession. So, rather than share a reflection on the scriptures I figured I'd share with you a little bit about a presentation I did this past week on "the theological foundation of the sacrament of penance in the Paschal Mystery"... also known as the way in which the sacrament of penance is rooted in the saving work of Christ (his Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension). Hope you enjoy :)

The Paschal Mystery

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the ‘Paschal Mystery’ as “Christ’s work of redemption accomplished through His Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven”. Through this saving work of Christ, which transcends all time and yet is present in all time, mankind is reconciled to God. This happens ordinarily through the sacraments, which are the means to communicating the effects of that saving work. And in this presentation I hope to explain the theological foundation of the sacrament of penance in the Paschal Mystery, or how the sacrament is rooted in the saving work of Christ.

Institution of the Sacrament

Paragraph 1421 of the Catechism tells us that Christ willed that the Church continue his work of healing and salvation and that this typically is carried out through the sacraments of penance and the anointing of the sick. Thus He instituted the Sacrament of Penance after His resurrection. In John 20:19-23, we hear the story of the night when the Apostles were all gathered together and the Resurrected Lord appears to them and breathes upon them, saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” In this he recalls that fact that He Himself had the power to forgive sins and did so on several occasions, most notably in Matthew 9:2-8 and its parallels, when the paralytic is forgiven his sins and subsequently healed as a sign of Christ’s power.

The Call to Conversion

In section one of the Introduction in the Rites book, we hear that “The Son of God made man lived among us in order to free us from the slavery of sin and to call us out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This is simply to say that he came to reconcile us to the Father. And He begins this work of reconciliation by calling the people to conversion. Like the prophets and John the Baptist who had gone before Him, Christ points out to the people the need for repentance and really emphasizes this as the key point of His ministry. The first words we find on the lips of Christ in the Gospel according to Mark are these: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (1:15). And shortly after that we hear Him say, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.” He came to call people to repentance, to a conversion of heart and, notably, took the first step in calling out to people rather than allowing them to come to Him first. And unlike his forerunners, who merely preached repentance and conversion, Christ calls men to repentance, affects that change in them, and reconciles them to the Father. All of this He does in anticipation of the merits of His own Paschal Mystery, which, though in the future, still transcends all time and is present in all time and thus is effective even before its own occurrence in time.

Conversion and the Ministry of Reconciliation

Just as Christ called sinners to repentance and conversion of heart, so too did the Apostles (MT 10:5-7). They did not affect the change in men’s hearts, however; rather, it is Christ Himself who brings about conversion. Paragraph 1432 of the Catechism says that “the human heart is heavy and hardened” and that “God must give man a new heart”. This again gets to the point that it is God who acts first, not only in calling to repentance but also in affecting the change as the soul looks upon Him Whom his sins pierced. As St. Clement of Rome says, “Let us fix our eyes on Christ's blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.” Thus it is by the grace of the Blood of Christ that has been poured out on the hardened hearts of men that they are brought to repentance. This repentance that arises in the soul of the man is simultaneously the response of man and the instance of divine initiative in which the Lord reaches pours His grace out upon the soul.

This repentance, for the unbaptized, prompts the soul to pursue the waters of baptism and so to be reconciled to the Lord. For the baptized, this repentance or conversion of heart prompts the souls to pursue the water of the tears of penance in sacrament of penance, by which they are again reconciled with the Father and with the Church.

The Effects of the Sacrament

As was said at the beginning of this presentation, through the sacraments the effects of the Paschal Mystery are poured out upon men in the liturgical celebration. According to paragraph 1422 of the Catechism, in the sacrament of penance, men “obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church….” The Roman Catechism speaks more spiritually, saying that in the sacrament, “the blood of Christ flow into our souls, washing away all sins committed after Baptism, and thus leads us to recognize that it is to our Saviour alone we owe the blessing of reconciliation.” These two point to the fact the effects of the sacrament are two-fold, namely that one’s sins are forgiven and they are reconciled with God and the Church, and that these two effects happen simultaneously. Also, it is notable that the reconciliation with God and reconciliation with the Church are inseparable.

Most important in all of this is the fact that this forgiveness and reconciliation are the effects of the Paschal Mystery of Christ, communicated through the sacrament. Again referencing the Roman Catechism, it is only by the merits of His Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension in to Heaven that this forgiveness and reconciliation occur.

Conclusion

All of this is really summed up in the prayer of absolution that we hear in the celebration of the sacrament today:

“God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Here we see the two-fold effects of forgiveness and reconciliation. We also see the statement that the ministry of forgiveness and reconciliation have been entrusted to the Church. And finally we see the fact that it is through the Paschal Mystery – the death and resurrection of Christ – that all of this comes to be.

Sexual Purity?

The article I wrote for this weekend's bulletin:

What comes to mind when we hear that words ‘sexual purity’? Is it something that we don’t need to worry about? Something only priests and religious do? Something outdated that we need to cut ties with? I hope that you didn’t say ‘yes’ to those questions because in reality sexual purity is a beautiful gift that God desires each of us to live, whether married, single, or a religious. It is a way of life that all people are called to live – a life of chaste relationships, modesty, and a true respect for others.

There are many in our culture that think that sexual purity is a thing of days long past, something that inhibits our ability to be ‘free’ and do what we want. These people will tell us that the restrictions are unnecessary and that if something makes us feel good or brings us happiness for a moment, there is nothing wrong with it and we ought to be able to enjoy it. And we often take this in without realizing it. If we were to realize what they were telling us, we might be able to make a clearer choice for the good; but it is often disguised. This reminds me of something that happened at my house recently. A stray cat made our back porch his new home. Seeing that he was sick, my mom took him to the vet and she was given some pills for the cat to take to get better. She covered them in peanut butter and the cat ate them up like they were treats. One time, though, she tried to simply put it in the cat’s food. Going outside later, she noticed that all the food was gone and on the plate there sat the little pill. She went and got the peanut butter and pretty soon the cat was enjoying another of those delicious little ‘treats’.

A similar thing happens to us with our use of the media. Our TV shows, movies, magazines, and internet websites are so ‘tasty’ that we often fail to realize what it is that we are really taking in. Mixed in with those good things are little ‘pills’ that are actually harmful to us. It can come in those brief commercials on TV, the unnecessarily racy scenes in movies, or those little ads in magazines and internet sites, and we are so used to it that we just act as if it is normal, part of daily life. And as they become part of daily life in what we see, they can easily become daily life in what we do and how we live. The question is what do we do about it? Do we stop watching TV, seeing movies, reading magazines, and using the internet? That’s one option. But most would think that a drastic step. So what other options are there?

As Fr. Miles mentioned in his bulletin article last month, it is good to exercise ‘custody of the eyes,’ modesty in dress, and pre-marital abstinence. In addition to that – PRAY! As Americans, we often think that we have to do things and forget that spending a few minutes in prayer can be more effective than a whole day of work. The grace to do all things comes from God, so to be in contact with Him is vital. It is with that thought in mind that we have begun the rosary for sexual purity, prayed each Tuesday after the Mass and Benediction. In recent weeks we have consistently drawn 60+ people of all ages to this powerful prayer. We pray for ourselves first and secondly for our society, taking the words of St. Francis as our model: Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society. So why not come join us and help us as we pray to change the world one person at a time by being little beacons of the light of Christ in a world with so much darkness?

Announcing The Great Adventure!

Here is a copy of the article that I wrote for our parish bulletin this weekend. It's not a homily, but has homiletic aspects...

On the weekend of June 26th and 27th, I had the blessing of going with around 30 youth from our parish to the Steubenville South youth conference in Alexandria. It was a wonderful experience to see and discuss the faith of so many of our youth here at Our Lady of Mercy and to experience in a different way the power and love of God. In addition to the celebration of the Mass, hours of Eucharistic adoration, and the joyful praise music, we heard talks on the value of living a life of sexual purity, the love that God has for us, and the love that we are called to have for Him. I was struck by the fact that nearly every one of the speakers walked on stage with a Bible in one hand and the microphone in the other. As they spoke, they would reference scripture and break it open in a clear, understandable way. It was beautiful to see people so immersed in the story of our salvation and who had made it such a part of their lives.

I myself have often desired to have a deeper knowledge and intimacy with the Sacred Scriptures, and have made numerous commitments over the years to read the whole Bible. I failed each time for different reasons; I didn’t have a clear plan of how to order things, I got lost in the ‘this guy begot so-and-so, and so-and-so begot what’s-his-name…’ or simply because I lost the desire to continue on. I must confess that I’ve never read the Bible cover to cover and I question whether I ever will…and if I really should.

If you’ve been keeping up with the “From the Pastor” section, you will probably recall that we will be starting up a Bible study here at Our Lady of Mercy on Thursday evenings. It will begin at 7pm, starting on July 22, and will continue for 12 weeks. By way of exciting and enlightening videos and small-group discussions, the program helps us to get past those problems of having to form a plan, having to struggle with the dry parts of the scriptures, and even with the loss of desire to continue on.

So often we get caught up in trying to read the Bible from start to finish – cover to cover - but the problem is that they books themselves are not listed chronologically but are generally grouped according to genre and length, which can make it really confusing. Jeff Cavins, the creator of the program, shows us that they key to reading the Bible is to start with the basic story of the Jewish people. He selects certain texts in the Bible and orders them to clearly illustrate the story that we often only glimpse in pieces and parts on Sunday or during the week. Once the basic story is there, then we can easily begin to understand the place of every single book in the Bible and read it with a much greater depth and understanding of its own significance in the history of the Jews and it’s fulfillment in Christ. Not a single word of the Bible is unimportant because it is inspired by God and beneficial for our sanctification and salvation (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are reminded of St. Jerome’s famous quote “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ,” which reminds us of the importance of reading and praying with the scriptures. I hope that you will come join with me in learning more about the story of our history, the beauty of Sacred Scripture, and about Jesus Himself.