I think it's about time I explain why the blog has its title. It comes from the Latin original of the Credo (the one where we say "incarnate of the Virgin Mary", thanks to the new translation that debuted during Advent), which literally is, "et incarnatus est". He was incarnate of the Virgin Mary.
The incarnation of Christ is extremely unique, very powerful, and astonishing. What do you mean, he took on our skin and bones (that's what incarnate means) and dwelt among us? This is at the heart of everything Christians believe. We believe that God became man. This has extraordinary impact on all our lives, especially given our doctrine of baptism, where we outwardly look like we're just getting sprinkled with some water, but we are actually being initiated into the family of God. That's pretty intense, no? Literally, that's our adoption ceremony - we are literally cleansed and receive the Holy Spirit. We become heirs to God!! This also means we take part in the life and love of the Trinity.
What else does this mean, though? We are sons of God through this adoption, which is pretty incredible. That means we are Christ to the world. The incarnation of Christ happens again and again throughout history, especially through his followers. What we do has a huge impact because of this! We are ambassadors of Christ - what we do as Christians, the world follows as though we were Christ ourselves. We must be very careful to live as good examples.
There are other implications to the incarnation of Christ, though. We are a people of Christmas and Easter. Christ took on flesh, and sacrificed it. That's why He did it. He did it to pour Himself out for all of us. We believe in this bodily reality of Christ, which is the source, summit, and summary of all our Christian lives. Even marginal Christians understand that if you go to Church at all, you do it on Christmas and Easter, where we celebrate the body and corporal reality of Christ. The bodily reality of Christ is the singular most important belief we hold not only as Christians, but Catholics. All the sacraments are about embodying Christ, giving Christ a body, being a tabernacle, being a physical, present symbol for the realities of God. We are asked to be like Mary and carry Him about and bring Him forth as a gift in the world. We don't have control over what the world does with the incarnation of Christ; we are asked to bring Him forth anyway.
Now, in light of the coming feast of Corpus Christi (the body of Christ), we should remember that the bodily presence of Christ permeates all parts of our lives as Christians (because it is easy to forget - why do you think God tells the Israelites so many times to "remember"?). We have the Eucharist! I posted the homily Pope Benedict gave - the Eucharist is the ultimate proof that Christ has never abandoned us. He is always physically present in the Eucharist. St. Peter Emyard said that Christ takes on the form of a dead corpse in the bread, but His Heart is ever blazing with love and fully alive. He trusts us to take Him into the world and live out the incarnation every day.
Christians, in sum, have reason to celebrate. Christ dwelt among us, as a incredibly present, corporeal person, and still dwells with us today!
Jun 8, 2012
EWTN.com - That Bread Is Really Jesus Christ
EWTN.com - That Bread Is Really Jesus Christ
7-June-2012 -- ZENIT.org News Agency
By Salvatore Cernuzio
ROME, JUNE 5, 2012 (Zenit.org).- This Thursday, Benedict XVI will preside over Holy Mass in the courtyard of Saint John Lateran, and then lead the procession of the Body of Christ to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
To prepare for this feast of Corpus Christi, ZENIT interviewed Carmelite Father Giuseppe Midili, director of the Liturgical Office of the Vicariate of Rome.
ZENIT: Corpus Christi celebrates the Eucharist, fulcrum of the Christian faith. What is the meaning of this solemnity?
Father Midili: Eucharist means thanksgiving. Every day, especially on Sunday, the Church gathers to celebrate the holy mysteries and to thank the Father for the gift of his Son, who offered his life in sacrifice for us and merited salvation for us. The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord is the liturgical occasion for a special thanksgiving. The Christian community gathers to become conscious that only in the Eucharist does it find the summit and source of its whole life. Every act of faith, every form of piety, of devotion, every form of genuine charity can never do without this sacrament.
ZENIT: The birth of this feast goes back to what date?
Father Midili: The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord was instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV, so that the Christian people could participate with special devotion in the Holy Mass and in the procession, and thus witness their faith in Jesus, who willed to remain present under the species of consecrated bread and wine. In the course of the centuries this solemnity constituted the highest point of Eucharistic devotion, because it united devoted adoration to that original event, which we cannot do without, which is the celebration of the Mass.
ZENIT: The celebration of Corpus Christi at Saint John Lateran was started by John Paul II. Why did he wish to give it such great importance?
Father Midili: Since the year 1979 Pope John Paul II wanted the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord to be celebrated in Rome on Thursday, because in fact on Holy Thursday Jesus gathered his disciples and during the Supper instituted the new and eternal sacrifice, the nuptial banquet of love. On the feast of Corpus Christi this same mystery is proposed for the adoration and meditation of the People of God.
The Pope wished to celebrate in the Cathedral of Rome, together with all the priests and faithful of the city, because the Eucharist is the mystery of communion with God, but also among persons. The best image of the Church, in fact, is that which is constituted around the Bishop to celebrate the divine mysteries, to eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord, to give thanks and thus witness the communion and love that Jesus taught.
ZENIT: Why is this feast in the courtyard of the Basilica of Saint John?
Father Midili: Saint John's Square is at the same time the courtyard of the Basilica Cathedral of Rome, but it is also the place of public gatherings for the city and for Italy; it is often the scene of concerts, of political events and, unfortunately, also of clashes; it is the Agora of the ancients. It became a symbol of our country, it is a courtyard-square.
To celebrate Holy Mass in such a significant place on the day of the feast of the Eucharist confirms that Jesus is in the midst of his people at every moment of life. He sanctifies the everyday with his presence, sees and heals suffering, he is for all a sign of hope. Jesus is not far from us and from our life, but is always present, he made himself close. We can meet him in the celebrated Eucharist and in the consecrated bread. He comes to meet us.
ZENIT: The procession, led by the Holy Father is an event of great impact whose central idea is that "Christ walks in our midst."
Father Midili: The Holy Mass and procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord is a unique event, which manifests the Church as Church. It is the feast of the gathered community. Believers come together to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ and, in the celebration, they thank God for all that they have received. The best image of the Church is the one gathered around her bishop to celebrate the holy mysteries, to eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord, to give thanks and thus witness the communion and love that Jesus has taught us.
Adoration is the continuation of the celebrated Eucharist, testimony of love and faith toward Jesus, prolongation of the thanksgiving after every Holy Communion. Once again the Church identifies herself with the journeying people, who follow their Master. The experience of the disciples of Emmaus is repeated, who travel a way with Jesus and listen to him while he instructs them. In the Eucharistic procession the community journeys with Jesus, but does not recognize him more while he breaks the bread. We recognize the Master present in that bread.
[Translation by ZENIT]
7-June-2012 -- ZENIT.org News Agency
That Bread Is Really Jesus Christ
Rome's Director of Liturgy Explains Importance and Meaning of Corpus Christi FeastBy Salvatore Cernuzio
ROME, JUNE 5, 2012 (Zenit.org).- This Thursday, Benedict XVI will preside over Holy Mass in the courtyard of Saint John Lateran, and then lead the procession of the Body of Christ to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
To prepare for this feast of Corpus Christi, ZENIT interviewed Carmelite Father Giuseppe Midili, director of the Liturgical Office of the Vicariate of Rome.
ZENIT: Corpus Christi celebrates the Eucharist, fulcrum of the Christian faith. What is the meaning of this solemnity?
Father Midili: Eucharist means thanksgiving. Every day, especially on Sunday, the Church gathers to celebrate the holy mysteries and to thank the Father for the gift of his Son, who offered his life in sacrifice for us and merited salvation for us. The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord is the liturgical occasion for a special thanksgiving. The Christian community gathers to become conscious that only in the Eucharist does it find the summit and source of its whole life. Every act of faith, every form of piety, of devotion, every form of genuine charity can never do without this sacrament.
ZENIT: The birth of this feast goes back to what date?
Father Midili: The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord was instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV, so that the Christian people could participate with special devotion in the Holy Mass and in the procession, and thus witness their faith in Jesus, who willed to remain present under the species of consecrated bread and wine. In the course of the centuries this solemnity constituted the highest point of Eucharistic devotion, because it united devoted adoration to that original event, which we cannot do without, which is the celebration of the Mass.
ZENIT: The celebration of Corpus Christi at Saint John Lateran was started by John Paul II. Why did he wish to give it such great importance?
Father Midili: Since the year 1979 Pope John Paul II wanted the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord to be celebrated in Rome on Thursday, because in fact on Holy Thursday Jesus gathered his disciples and during the Supper instituted the new and eternal sacrifice, the nuptial banquet of love. On the feast of Corpus Christi this same mystery is proposed for the adoration and meditation of the People of God.
The Pope wished to celebrate in the Cathedral of Rome, together with all the priests and faithful of the city, because the Eucharist is the mystery of communion with God, but also among persons. The best image of the Church, in fact, is that which is constituted around the Bishop to celebrate the divine mysteries, to eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord, to give thanks and thus witness the communion and love that Jesus taught.
ZENIT: Why is this feast in the courtyard of the Basilica of Saint John?
Father Midili: Saint John's Square is at the same time the courtyard of the Basilica Cathedral of Rome, but it is also the place of public gatherings for the city and for Italy; it is often the scene of concerts, of political events and, unfortunately, also of clashes; it is the Agora of the ancients. It became a symbol of our country, it is a courtyard-square.
To celebrate Holy Mass in such a significant place on the day of the feast of the Eucharist confirms that Jesus is in the midst of his people at every moment of life. He sanctifies the everyday with his presence, sees and heals suffering, he is for all a sign of hope. Jesus is not far from us and from our life, but is always present, he made himself close. We can meet him in the celebrated Eucharist and in the consecrated bread. He comes to meet us.
ZENIT: The procession, led by the Holy Father is an event of great impact whose central idea is that "Christ walks in our midst."
Father Midili: The Holy Mass and procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord is a unique event, which manifests the Church as Church. It is the feast of the gathered community. Believers come together to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ and, in the celebration, they thank God for all that they have received. The best image of the Church is the one gathered around her bishop to celebrate the holy mysteries, to eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord, to give thanks and thus witness the communion and love that Jesus has taught us.
Adoration is the continuation of the celebrated Eucharist, testimony of love and faith toward Jesus, prolongation of the thanksgiving after every Holy Communion. Once again the Church identifies herself with the journeying people, who follow their Master. The experience of the disciples of Emmaus is repeated, who travel a way with Jesus and listen to him while he instructs them. In the Eucharistic procession the community journeys with Jesus, but does not recognize him more while he breaks the bread. We recognize the Master present in that bread.
[Translation by ZENIT]
EWTN.com - Pope's Corpus Christi Homily
EWTN.com - Pope's Corpus Christi Homily
8-June-2012 -- ZENIT.org News Agency
Pope's Corpus Christi Homily
ROME, JUNE 7, 2012 (Zenit.org).- This evening in Rome, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass for the feast of Corpus Christi at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. He then led the traditional procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Here is a translation of the Pope's homily.
* * *
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
This evening I would like to meditate with you on two interconnected aspects of the Eucharistic Mystery: the worship of the Eucharist and its sacredness. It is important to take it up again to preserve it from incomplete visions of the Mystery itself, such as those which were proposed in the recent past.
First of all, a reflection on the value of Eucharistic worship, in particular adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is the experience that we will also live after the Mass, before the procession, during its development and at its end. A unilateral interpretation of Vatican Council II has penalized this dimension, restricting the Eucharist in practice to the celebratory moment. In fact, it was very important to recognize the centrality of the celebration, in which the Lord convokes his people, gathers them around the twofold table of the Word and the Bread of life, nourishes them and unites them to Himself in the offering of the Sacrifice. This assessment of the liturgical assembly, in which the Lord works and realizes his mystery of communion, remains of course valid, but it must be placed in the right balance. In fact - as often happens - the stressing of one aspect ends up by sacrificing another. In this case, the accentuation placed on the celebration of the Eucharist has been to the detriment of adoration, as act of faith and prayer addressed to the Lord Jesus, really present in the Sacrament of the altar. This imbalance has also had repercussions on the spiritual life of the faithful. In fact, concentrating the whole relationship with the Eucharistic Jesus only at the moment of Holy Mass risks removing his presence from the rest of time and the existential space. And thus, perceived less is the sense of the constant presence of Jesus in our midst and with us, a concrete, close presence among our homes, as "beating Heart" of the city, of the country, of the territory with its various expressions and activities. The Sacrament of the Charity of Christ must permeate the whole of daily life.
In reality, it is a mistake to oppose celebration and adoration, as if they were in competition with one another. It is precisely the contrary: the worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament is as the spiritual "environment" in which the community can celebrate the Eucharist well and in truth. Only if it is preceded, accompanied and followed by this interior attitude of faith and adoration, can the liturgical action express its full meaning and value. The encounter with Jesus in the Holy Mass is truly and fully acted when the community is able to recognize that, in the Sacrament, He dwells in his house, waits for us, invites us to his table, then, after the assembly is dismissed, stays with us, with his discreet and silent presence, and accompanies us with his intercession, continuing to gather our spiritual sacrifices and offering them to the Father.
In this connection, I am pleased to stress the experience we will also live together this evening. At the moment of adoration, we are all on the same plane, kneeling before the Sacrament of Love. The common and ministerial priesthoods are united in Eucharistic worship. It is a very beautiful and significant experience, which we have experienced several times in Saint Peter's Basilica, and also in the unforgettable vigils with young people - I recall, for example, those of Cologne, London, Zagreb, Madrid. It is evident to all that these moments of Eucharistic vigil prepare the celebration of the Holy Mass, prepare hearts for the encounter, so that it is more fruitful. To be all together in prolonged silence before the Lord present in his Sacrament, is one of the most genuine experiences of our being Church, which is accompanied in a complementary way with the celebration of the Eucharist, listening to the Word of God, singing, approaching together the table of the Bread of life. Communion and contemplation cannot be separated, they go together. To really communicate with another person I must know him, I must be able to be in silence close to him, to hear him and to look at him with love. True love and true friendship always live of the reciprocity of looks, of intense, eloquent silences full of respect and veneration, so that the encounter is lived profoundly, in a personal not a superficial way. And, unfortunately, if this dimension is lacking, even sacramental communion itself can become, on our part, a superficial gesture. Instead, in true communion, prepared by the colloquy of prayer and of life, we can say to the Lord words of confidence as those that resounded a short while ago in the Responsorial Psalm: "O Lord, I am thy servant; I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid. / Thou hast loosed my bonds./ I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving /and call on the name of the Lord" (Psalm 115:16-17).
Now I would like to pass briefly to the second aspect: the sacredness of the Eucharist. Also here we heard in the recent past of a certain misunderstanding of the authentic message of Sacred Scripture. The Christian novelty in regard to worship was influenced by a certain secularist mentality of the 60s and 70s of the past century. It is true, and it remains always valid, that the center of worship is now no longer in the rites and ancient sacrifices, but in Christ himself, in his person, in his life, in his paschal mystery. And yet, from this fundamental novelty it must not be concluded that the sacred no longer exists, but that it has found its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, incarnate divine Love. The Letter to the Hebrews, which we heard this evening in the Second Reading, speaks to us precisely of the novelty of the priesthood of Christ, "high priest of the good things that have come" (Hebrews 9:11), but it does not say that the priesthood is finished. Christ "is the mediator of a new covenant" (Hebrews 9:15), established in his blood, which purifies our "conscience from dead works" (Hebrews 9:14). He did not abolish the sacred, but brought it to fulfillment, inaugurating a new worship, which is, yes, fully spiritual but which however, so long as we are journeying in time, makes use again of signs and rites, of which there will be no need only at the end, in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there will no longer be a temple (cf. Revelation 21:22). Thanks to Christ, the sacred is more true, more intense and, as happens with the Commandments, also more exacting! Ritual observance is not enough, but what is required is the purification of the heart and the involvement of life.
I am also pleased to stress that the sacred has an educational function, and its disappearance inevitably impoverishes the culture, in particular, the formation of the new generations. If, for example, in the name of a secularized faith, no longer in need of sacred signs, this citizens' processions of the Corpus Domini were abolished, the spiritual profile of Rome would be "leveled," and our personal and community conscience would be weakened. Or let us think of a mother or a father that, in the name of a de-sacralized faith, deprived their children of all religious rituals: in reality they would end up by leaving a free field to so many surrogates present in the consumer society, to other rites and other signs, which could more easily become idols. God, our Father, has not acted thus with humanity: he has sent his Son into the world not to abolish, but to give fulfillment also to the sacred. At the height of this mission, in the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of his Body and his Blood, the Memorial of his Paschal Sacrifice. By so doing, he put himself in the place of the ancient sacrifices, but he did so within a rite, which he commanded the Apostles to perpetuate, as the supreme sign of the true sacred, which is Himself. With this faith, dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate today and every day the Eucharistic Mystery and we adore it as the center of our life and heart of the world. Amen.
[Translation by ZENIT]
8-June-2012 -- ZENIT.org News Agency
Pope's Corpus Christi Homily
ROME, JUNE 7, 2012 (Zenit.org).- This evening in Rome, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass for the feast of Corpus Christi at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. He then led the traditional procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Here is a translation of the Pope's homily.
* * *
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
This evening I would like to meditate with you on two interconnected aspects of the Eucharistic Mystery: the worship of the Eucharist and its sacredness. It is important to take it up again to preserve it from incomplete visions of the Mystery itself, such as those which were proposed in the recent past.
First of all, a reflection on the value of Eucharistic worship, in particular adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is the experience that we will also live after the Mass, before the procession, during its development and at its end. A unilateral interpretation of Vatican Council II has penalized this dimension, restricting the Eucharist in practice to the celebratory moment. In fact, it was very important to recognize the centrality of the celebration, in which the Lord convokes his people, gathers them around the twofold table of the Word and the Bread of life, nourishes them and unites them to Himself in the offering of the Sacrifice. This assessment of the liturgical assembly, in which the Lord works and realizes his mystery of communion, remains of course valid, but it must be placed in the right balance. In fact - as often happens - the stressing of one aspect ends up by sacrificing another. In this case, the accentuation placed on the celebration of the Eucharist has been to the detriment of adoration, as act of faith and prayer addressed to the Lord Jesus, really present in the Sacrament of the altar. This imbalance has also had repercussions on the spiritual life of the faithful. In fact, concentrating the whole relationship with the Eucharistic Jesus only at the moment of Holy Mass risks removing his presence from the rest of time and the existential space. And thus, perceived less is the sense of the constant presence of Jesus in our midst and with us, a concrete, close presence among our homes, as "beating Heart" of the city, of the country, of the territory with its various expressions and activities. The Sacrament of the Charity of Christ must permeate the whole of daily life.
In reality, it is a mistake to oppose celebration and adoration, as if they were in competition with one another. It is precisely the contrary: the worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament is as the spiritual "environment" in which the community can celebrate the Eucharist well and in truth. Only if it is preceded, accompanied and followed by this interior attitude of faith and adoration, can the liturgical action express its full meaning and value. The encounter with Jesus in the Holy Mass is truly and fully acted when the community is able to recognize that, in the Sacrament, He dwells in his house, waits for us, invites us to his table, then, after the assembly is dismissed, stays with us, with his discreet and silent presence, and accompanies us with his intercession, continuing to gather our spiritual sacrifices and offering them to the Father.
In this connection, I am pleased to stress the experience we will also live together this evening. At the moment of adoration, we are all on the same plane, kneeling before the Sacrament of Love. The common and ministerial priesthoods are united in Eucharistic worship. It is a very beautiful and significant experience, which we have experienced several times in Saint Peter's Basilica, and also in the unforgettable vigils with young people - I recall, for example, those of Cologne, London, Zagreb, Madrid. It is evident to all that these moments of Eucharistic vigil prepare the celebration of the Holy Mass, prepare hearts for the encounter, so that it is more fruitful. To be all together in prolonged silence before the Lord present in his Sacrament, is one of the most genuine experiences of our being Church, which is accompanied in a complementary way with the celebration of the Eucharist, listening to the Word of God, singing, approaching together the table of the Bread of life. Communion and contemplation cannot be separated, they go together. To really communicate with another person I must know him, I must be able to be in silence close to him, to hear him and to look at him with love. True love and true friendship always live of the reciprocity of looks, of intense, eloquent silences full of respect and veneration, so that the encounter is lived profoundly, in a personal not a superficial way. And, unfortunately, if this dimension is lacking, even sacramental communion itself can become, on our part, a superficial gesture. Instead, in true communion, prepared by the colloquy of prayer and of life, we can say to the Lord words of confidence as those that resounded a short while ago in the Responsorial Psalm: "O Lord, I am thy servant; I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid. / Thou hast loosed my bonds./ I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving /and call on the name of the Lord" (Psalm 115:16-17).
Now I would like to pass briefly to the second aspect: the sacredness of the Eucharist. Also here we heard in the recent past of a certain misunderstanding of the authentic message of Sacred Scripture. The Christian novelty in regard to worship was influenced by a certain secularist mentality of the 60s and 70s of the past century. It is true, and it remains always valid, that the center of worship is now no longer in the rites and ancient sacrifices, but in Christ himself, in his person, in his life, in his paschal mystery. And yet, from this fundamental novelty it must not be concluded that the sacred no longer exists, but that it has found its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, incarnate divine Love. The Letter to the Hebrews, which we heard this evening in the Second Reading, speaks to us precisely of the novelty of the priesthood of Christ, "high priest of the good things that have come" (Hebrews 9:11), but it does not say that the priesthood is finished. Christ "is the mediator of a new covenant" (Hebrews 9:15), established in his blood, which purifies our "conscience from dead works" (Hebrews 9:14). He did not abolish the sacred, but brought it to fulfillment, inaugurating a new worship, which is, yes, fully spiritual but which however, so long as we are journeying in time, makes use again of signs and rites, of which there will be no need only at the end, in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there will no longer be a temple (cf. Revelation 21:22). Thanks to Christ, the sacred is more true, more intense and, as happens with the Commandments, also more exacting! Ritual observance is not enough, but what is required is the purification of the heart and the involvement of life.
I am also pleased to stress that the sacred has an educational function, and its disappearance inevitably impoverishes the culture, in particular, the formation of the new generations. If, for example, in the name of a secularized faith, no longer in need of sacred signs, this citizens' processions of the Corpus Domini were abolished, the spiritual profile of Rome would be "leveled," and our personal and community conscience would be weakened. Or let us think of a mother or a father that, in the name of a de-sacralized faith, deprived their children of all religious rituals: in reality they would end up by leaving a free field to so many surrogates present in the consumer society, to other rites and other signs, which could more easily become idols. God, our Father, has not acted thus with humanity: he has sent his Son into the world not to abolish, but to give fulfillment also to the sacred. At the height of this mission, in the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of his Body and his Blood, the Memorial of his Paschal Sacrifice. By so doing, he put himself in the place of the ancient sacrifices, but he did so within a rite, which he commanded the Apostles to perpetuate, as the supreme sign of the true sacred, which is Himself. With this faith, dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate today and every day the Eucharistic Mystery and we adore it as the center of our life and heart of the world. Amen.
[Translation by ZENIT]
Mar 7, 2012
Let's talk about the centurion
I hadn't prepared to post anything but today felt like a necessary post so pardon the scantness of depth. Luke 7 opens with the healing of the Centurion's servant. This is a passage I remember hearing every once in a while in church but its meaning became much more immediate to me when I learned that we used it in mass! (Shout out to Scott Hann and Supper of the Lamb!) Now, of course we use it more directly in the new translation but anyway, I flipped open the Bible and this passage came up.
What I find really interesting is that Jesus said this man, a Roman, not an Israelite, has more faith than anyone he has seen in all his ministry. And what is Jesus reacting to give such an astounding proclamation? After humbly stating he is not worthy of Jesus entering his house, the centurion says: "I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me." (Luke 7:8) This man is acknowledging what Jesus says throughout the gospel, that He is there to do the will of the One who sent Him, God the Father. But, in the same way that Jesus subjects Himself to His Father's will, those who follow Christ must do as He commands. The Centurion is not an extraordinary man except in one feature: his great love.
What I find really interesting is that Jesus said this man, a Roman, not an Israelite, has more faith than anyone he has seen in all his ministry. And what is Jesus reacting to give such an astounding proclamation? After humbly stating he is not worthy of Jesus entering his house, the centurion says: "I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me." (Luke 7:8) This man is acknowledging what Jesus says throughout the gospel, that He is there to do the will of the One who sent Him, God the Father. But, in the same way that Jesus subjects Himself to His Father's will, those who follow Christ must do as He commands. The Centurion is not an extraordinary man except in one feature: his great love.
The Centurion is coming to Christ on behalf of his dear servant, a man he loves deeply as a friend and fellow soldier. We know that he loves and is charitable also by the elders begging of Jesus, "This man really deserves your help. he loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us." (Luke 7:4-5) How different is the Centurion from these elders though! He loves greatly but does not boast of his deserving! He does not say, "Heal my servant for I have given your people a temple!" No, rather he says, "Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get healed." (Luke 7: 6-7 *As you can tell, this is an odd translation but it's what I have on hand right now). This speaks to the wisdom of the Centurion in understanding Authority.
Just as the Centurion reports to and does the will of his commander, so must Jesus do the will of His Father. And what is the will, the order, the word, of our Father? It is Jesus. That is His command, that is His cry of salvation for us, that is the Word that will heal us. When the Centurion tells Jesus "only say the word and my servant shall be healed" he acknowledges Christ as his superior and also as the Word of God. While He was on earth, Christ put Himself under His Father's will but in truth, this does not make Him less God than our Father is. The Father always has authority over the Son, much as it is in any human relationship. But, in the incomprapble Blessed Trinity, Jesus is in fact one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. His personhood in God is to be subjected to the Father's will while at same time His entire being is the Father's will. The Word that heals the servant is Jesus.
I apologize for rambling. God, please grant us the humility and wisdom of the Centurion in that we may recognize Jesus as our saving grace and Your true Son. May we seek him humbly and confess our weakness to Him so that He may say the Word, Your Word, and heal us that we may be reunited to you. Amen.
Jan 26, 2012
Importance of Spiritual Friendships
It has been a LONG time since I've posted on this blog but on a lonely night it is good to come back. Today is the feast day of Saints Timothy and Titus. The readings and reflections in the Magnificat emphasize that they were friends and helpers of St. Paul who had very different spiritual gifts. Timothy is called Paul's confidant whereas Titus is the negotioater, a peacemaker as the Beatitudes would list him. Both men helped Paul and the early Church spread the Gospel and they helped each other also grow in faith through their friendships which were solidly founded on their common faith.
Friends are those who inspire us to be better than we currently are and do God's work in pushing us to be more like Christ. A friend fueled by the love of God will encourage you to "be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" not only in words but in their own actions. At the end of the day, without support and friendship, I feel we all will fall short and become hypocrites in our faith, saying one thing while doing another. It is very hard to live a good Christian life when you are not surrounded by good Christians who will admonish you for your wrongdoings and praise God with you for His many gifts and virtues He's bestowed upon you. As of late, I have been wholly lacking in spiritual friendships and I certainly feel that missing in my heart.
St. Paul tells us, as he told Titus in his letter, "For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not subject to anger, nor given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre: 8 But given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent: 9 Embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers." Though we are not all bishops, this advice applies the same to all of us. How different might we act every day if we had a friend remind us of these things? If we had someone who cared enough about our relationship to God to call and check on us spiritually? Spiritual brothers and sisters, be sure to pray for one another and check on one another. None of us can get through this alone. The journey of this life requires us to have companions, "It is not good for man to be alone". Spiritual relationships, whether they be romantic or friendships, are a necessary and joy filled obligation to come closer to our Lord. Let's embrace such friendships and keep Christ at the center of all things in our lives.
God bless!
Nov 9, 2010
"Increase Our Faith"
This is a meditation from yesterday's Magnificat which has inspired me, so I thought I would share it:
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Faith is to believe without understanding, without seeing. God has blessed us with the gift of our intellect, and up to a point we understand many things about ourselves and the world around us. However, when you begin to move deeper into faith, something very strange happens.
You have been walking in the sunshine of your intellect. God has helped you and encouraged you to use it. Then, just like in the tropics where there is no twilight and day becomes night within minutes, so God plunges you into the night. He says, "Put your head in your heart and believe! For now there is no answer. I am the answer. You won't see me in the dark. You will have to follow me in faith, without knowing. Arise and believe!"
There is a tremendous secret in God's ways of doing things if we do follow him across that dark night of the tropics, of the soul. There will be a moment, maybe just before death, or in the midst of life, or maybe when we are at a very tender age. At this moment he will appear. He will just be there. What you knew by your own intellect has been blended together with what was added to you because you believed and walked in the darkness of night. You have entered into the fullness of the kingdom of God even before your death. The kingdom of God is in your midst now.
What stands between us and the kingdom is our arrogance; the arrogance of our intellect. Our intellect has been given by God. It is my wrong use of it that is so terrible.
--Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty (b. Russia (+1985) and foundress of Madonna House)
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"Increase Our Faith"
Faith is to believe without understanding, without seeing. God has blessed us with the gift of our intellect, and up to a point we understand many things about ourselves and the world around us. However, when you begin to move deeper into faith, something very strange happens.
You have been walking in the sunshine of your intellect. God has helped you and encouraged you to use it. Then, just like in the tropics where there is no twilight and day becomes night within minutes, so God plunges you into the night. He says, "Put your head in your heart and believe! For now there is no answer. I am the answer. You won't see me in the dark. You will have to follow me in faith, without knowing. Arise and believe!"
There is a tremendous secret in God's ways of doing things if we do follow him across that dark night of the tropics, of the soul. There will be a moment, maybe just before death, or in the midst of life, or maybe when we are at a very tender age. At this moment he will appear. He will just be there. What you knew by your own intellect has been blended together with what was added to you because you believed and walked in the darkness of night. You have entered into the fullness of the kingdom of God even before your death. The kingdom of God is in your midst now.
What stands between us and the kingdom is our arrogance; the arrogance of our intellect. Our intellect has been given by God. It is my wrong use of it that is so terrible.
--Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty (b. Russia (+1985) and foundress of Madonna House)
Mar 24, 2010
Reflection on the Joyful Mysteries
This was a note I wrote (with pen and paper! So rare these days that I have to add that disclaimer) and gave to Anthony this past Monday after I prayed a Rosary, and here I will transcribe it as he has told me to do. I edited it slightly, but mostly this is what was originally written:
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It occurred to me that these are the steps of Christian life/initiation in allegory:
1. The Annunciation. God speaks to our human hearts and asks us if we will bear Christ in the world; we become like Mary if we say 'yes', albeit in our small ways, to not only our own salvation but that of others around us, to be co-redeemers with Christ; if we say 'no', we become Eve, and allow evil to propagate; this is a joyful mystery because there is no joy in refusing God.
2. The Visitation. This 'yes' is then confirmed by action; Mary goes in haste, despite her own medical needs, to help another yet needier. Doesn't Christ do this also when He takes up His cross? We are beginning to have Christ dwell within us. In our good works, Christ - already present from the 'yes' - grows in us, and He is yet, even at this early stage, able to inspire others through us.
3. The Nativity. Christ, after this prior preparation, is now ready to come into the world; the individual ceases to be, except for Christ's sake - notice how Mary becomes silent in Scripture after His birth - Christ lives, and is incarnated (meaning, He comes into flesh) in and through the believer who says 'yes' to His will and follows it with good works. Here, the nations and non-believers will see Christ clearly and those who love wisdom will honor you and adore Christ in you; you will manifest Christ to them and give Him to them, and may give them faith.
4. The Presentation. Even despite these marvellous signs, there may be a temptation to pride, to assume these good things come from you and not God. Here, the true believer must submit to the laws and decrees of God; He will enter into God's covenant - circumcised of heart, now bodily - the body manifests the spirit. Obedience becomes fitting to a maturing soul, and accepting joys with sorrows, pleasure with pain, benefits the soul, if for the sake of Christ - the Christian must suffer the world's scorn, even as he experiences the benefits of divine grace. Mary's heart is to be pierced, even as her Son is exalted (and becomes a sign to be contradicted against). The Christian must gird his soul with strength, or be swept away by the follies of his age - whatever heresy or fad of heteropraxy (unorthodox practice/ritual or immorality, if I have got the term correctly). The Christian's consolation is in his covenant with God, God's faithfulness, Christ - nowhere else may a soul rest in total peace. Obedience and humility - accepting God's rightful place as giving Him His due - is necessary for Christian life. "Whosoever loves me, keeps my commandments".
5. Finding Jesus in the Temple. Here, the believer grows in wisdom and the favor of men; he can be the scribes, learning from the mouth of Jesus, and be burning in their souls for charity. He can be Mary and Joseph, who never stop seeking their Lord, who rest when He is found in His Father's House - the lost find Him. One, humbly speaking, may be Jesus, as by baptism's covenant we are Christs - anointed ones - and heirs of God. With His wisdom, the more we conform to Christ. We will be able to better confront the errors of our time, instructing the ignorant with God's Word. We may be one with God - and in our lives we must take the positions of all 3 mentioned here - the scribes, Mary and Joseph, and our Lord. We must continually be converted, renewed, and seeking; this path we must follow. Like the manifesting of doctrine, Christ draws us ever closer to Himself, more deeply intimate.
+n Christ+
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It occurred to me that these are the steps of Christian life/initiation in allegory:
1. The Annunciation. God speaks to our human hearts and asks us if we will bear Christ in the world; we become like Mary if we say 'yes', albeit in our small ways, to not only our own salvation but that of others around us, to be co-redeemers with Christ; if we say 'no', we become Eve, and allow evil to propagate; this is a joyful mystery because there is no joy in refusing God.
2. The Visitation. This 'yes' is then confirmed by action; Mary goes in haste, despite her own medical needs, to help another yet needier. Doesn't Christ do this also when He takes up His cross? We are beginning to have Christ dwell within us. In our good works, Christ - already present from the 'yes' - grows in us, and He is yet, even at this early stage, able to inspire others through us.
3. The Nativity. Christ, after this prior preparation, is now ready to come into the world; the individual ceases to be, except for Christ's sake - notice how Mary becomes silent in Scripture after His birth - Christ lives, and is incarnated (meaning, He comes into flesh) in and through the believer who says 'yes' to His will and follows it with good works. Here, the nations and non-believers will see Christ clearly and those who love wisdom will honor you and adore Christ in you; you will manifest Christ to them and give Him to them, and may give them faith.
4. The Presentation. Even despite these marvellous signs, there may be a temptation to pride, to assume these good things come from you and not God. Here, the true believer must submit to the laws and decrees of God; He will enter into God's covenant - circumcised of heart, now bodily - the body manifests the spirit. Obedience becomes fitting to a maturing soul, and accepting joys with sorrows, pleasure with pain, benefits the soul, if for the sake of Christ - the Christian must suffer the world's scorn, even as he experiences the benefits of divine grace. Mary's heart is to be pierced, even as her Son is exalted (and becomes a sign to be contradicted against). The Christian must gird his soul with strength, or be swept away by the follies of his age - whatever heresy or fad of heteropraxy (unorthodox practice/ritual or immorality, if I have got the term correctly). The Christian's consolation is in his covenant with God, God's faithfulness, Christ - nowhere else may a soul rest in total peace. Obedience and humility - accepting God's rightful place as giving Him His due - is necessary for Christian life. "Whosoever loves me, keeps my commandments".
5. Finding Jesus in the Temple. Here, the believer grows in wisdom and the favor of men; he can be the scribes, learning from the mouth of Jesus, and be burning in their souls for charity. He can be Mary and Joseph, who never stop seeking their Lord, who rest when He is found in His Father's House - the lost find Him. One, humbly speaking, may be Jesus, as by baptism's covenant we are Christs - anointed ones - and heirs of God. With His wisdom, the more we conform to Christ. We will be able to better confront the errors of our time, instructing the ignorant with God's Word. We may be one with God - and in our lives we must take the positions of all 3 mentioned here - the scribes, Mary and Joseph, and our Lord. We must continually be converted, renewed, and seeking; this path we must follow. Like the manifesting of doctrine, Christ draws us ever closer to Himself, more deeply intimate.
+n Christ+
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