tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285439012024-03-13T07:41:02.724-04:00Veritatem facientes in caritate. Proclaiming the truth in love. Ephesians 4: 15.For the glory of God, in honor of Saint John Mary Vianney
I pray that some of what you read or hear may lift your spirits in praise of Jesus Christ.
Please feel free to email with questions or prayer needs. Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.comBlogger529125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-5459939558938074722016-08-02T19:56:00.003-04:002016-08-02T19:56:41.417-04:00Mary of Bethany
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Jesus clearly loved the family of Mary, Martha and
Lazarus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were close to His
Heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wept when Lazarus died; showed
special attention to their needs; and included them in His life and
ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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Martha is celebrated in the Church on July 29<sup>th</sup>
but not her sister Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In times past,
Mary the sister of Martha was assumed to be the same person as Mary of Magdala
(Magdalene).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary Magdalene has also
been used as an “everywoman,” e.g. in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus
Christ Superstar </i>she is given to bear the roles of the “sinful woman”
(usually interpreted as a prostitute) and the woman who wiped the feet of Jesus
in addition to her own personhood as a disciple out of whom Jesus cast seven
demons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the witness of her great conversion
and her privilege as the first to see the Resurrection, she is a saint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the year of Mercy, Pope Francis elevated the
celebration of Mary Magdalene to the dignity of a Feast in the Universal Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By conflating the two Marys, we do a disservice
to both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a conflation makes Mary
Magdalene out to be a prostitute, when in fact she was not, and glosses over
the unique story of Mary of Bethany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Back to Mary of Bethany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matthew, Mark and John all situate the anointing of Jesus in the context
of the Passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew and Mark both record
that a woman anoints Jesus while at table in the house of “Simon the Leper.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of the three describe her as
sinful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John is specific about Jesus
being in the home of Marth and Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Martha serves and Mary anoints Jesus, thus they both take on their
respective roles of service and devotion as in Luke chapter 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus quiets the indignant disciples by
saying that Mary has done an act of love which is her way of preparing Jesus
for His impending death and burial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bethany
is clearly the home of Mary and Martha, a very distinct place from
Magdala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bethany is in Judea, while
Magdala is in Galilee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus visits the
home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10), which we are told is Bethany in the story of
the raising of Lazarus (John 11).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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Luke, who is always unique in his writing of the Gospel
stories in order to emphasize Jesus’ ministry to the poor and marginalized,
contextualizes the anointing at the house of Simon the PHARISEE and earlier in
the life of Jesus than the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here
the woman is clearly a sinner, a woman of ill repute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus pardons her sins in a great act of
mercy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is chastised for giving
time for a sinner but it is precisely to sinners that He came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through this story, Luke shows the purpose of
Jesus’ incarnate life: not to entertain the prestigious but to save
sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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Notice how important this story must have been for the
disciples, since it appears in all four Gospels!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all remembered and treasured the lessons
of this encounter between Jesus and the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luke’s account includes many of the same details, even if it is situated
for literary purposes in a different time in Jesus’ life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is Mary of Bethany is the “sinful
woman”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, all the more reason why,
after experiencing the mercy of Jesus and conversion from sin, she would remain
devoted to Him and would do anything for Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps she is even the “other Mary” (Matthew 28:1) who appears at the
Resurrection scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that case, she
could not be the same person as Mary Magdalene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But it would be no surprise that these two women, for whom Jesus had
revealed Himself as Savior and Divine Physician, would be spiritual friends and
travel to the tomb together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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All this having been said, it would seem appropriate to give
the converted sinner and devoted disciple of Jesus MARY OF BETHANY a feast day
in the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary of Bethany is a repentant
sinner who has learned to sit at the feet of Jesus and pour out her love to
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is all of us if we are honest
and actively seeking to know Christ more every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That image of hope deserves to be lifted up
for all to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 26</b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Anointing at
Bethany.* </b></div>
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6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the
leper, </div>
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7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of costly
perfumed oil, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table. </div>
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8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and
said, “Why this waste? </div>
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9 It could have been sold for much, and the money given
to the poor.” </div>
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10 Since Jesus knew this, he said to them, “Why do you
make trouble for the woman? She has done a good thing for me. </div>
<br />
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11 The poor you will always have with you; but you will
not always have me. </div>
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12 * In pouring this perfumed oil upon my body, she did
it to prepare me for burial. </div>
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13 Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed
in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of, in memory of her.”</div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Anointing at
Bethany.* </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3 When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house
of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly
genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4 There were some who were indignant. “Why has there been
this waste of perfumed oil? </div>
<br />
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5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred
days’ wages and the money given to the poor.” They were infuriated with her. </div>
<br />
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6 Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for
her? She has done a good thing for me. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7 The poor you will always have with you, and whenever
you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
8 She has done what she could. She has anticipated
anointing my body for burial. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
9 Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed
to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”</div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 7</b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Pardon of the
Sinful Woman.* </b></div>
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36 A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he
entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.* </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned
that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask
of ointment, </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to
bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them,
and anointed them with the ointment. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said
to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of
woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something
to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one
owed five hundred days’ wages* and the other owed fifty. </div>
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42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave
it for both. Which of them will love him more?” </div>
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43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger
debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” </div>
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44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you
see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my
feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. </div>
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45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased
kissing my feet since the time I entered. </div>
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46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed
my feet with ointment. </div>
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47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.* But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves
little.” </div>
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48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”</div>
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49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this
who even forgives sins?”</div>
<br />
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50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you;
go in peace.”</div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 12</b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Anointing at
Bethany</b>.</div>
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1 * Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. </div>
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2 They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.</div>
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3 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from
genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus* and dried them with her
hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. </div>
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4 Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and
the one who would betray him, said, </div>
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5 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages*
and given to the poor?” </div>
<br />
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6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but
because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the
contributions.</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for
the day of my burial.* </div>
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8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not
always have me.”</div>
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9 [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was
there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had
raised from the dead.</div>
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10 And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, </div>
<br />
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11 because many of the Jews were turning away and
believing in Jesus because of him.</div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 10</b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Martha and Mary.* </b></div>
<br />
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38 As they continued their journey he entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. </div>
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39 * She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the
Lord at his feet listening to him speak. </div>
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40 Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and
said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the
serving? Tell her to help me.” </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
41 The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you
are anxious and worried about many things. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
42 * There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the
better part and it will not be taken from her.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 11</b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Raising of
Lazarus.* </b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1 Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of
Mary and her sister Martha. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2 Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with
perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who
was ill. </div>
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3 So the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Master, the
one you love is ill.” </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4 When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to
end in death,* but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be
glorified through it.”</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. </div>
<br />
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6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two
days in the place where he was. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7 Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go
back to Judea.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just
trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of
this world.</div>
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10 But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the
light is not in him.”* </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
11 He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus
is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
12 So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is
asleep, he will be saved.” </div>
<br />
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13 But Jesus was talking about his death, while they
thought that he meant ordinary sleep.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
14 So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died.
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you
may believe. Let us go to him.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
16 So Thomas, called Didymus,* said to his fellow
disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already
been in the tomb for four days. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles*
away. </div>
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19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to
comfort them about their brother.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to
meet him; but Mary sat at home. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
22 [But] even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” </div>
<br />
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24 Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the
resurrection on the last day.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never
die. Do you believe this?” </div>
<br />
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27 *She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe
that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the
world.” </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister
Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” </div>
<br />
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29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went
to him. </div>
<br />
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30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was
still where Martha had met him. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
31 So when the Jews who were with her in the house
comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming
that she was going to the tomb to weep there. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she
fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would
not have died.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come
with her weeping, he became perturbed* and deeply troubled, </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him,
“Sir, come and see.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
35 And Jesus wept.</div>
<br />
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36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” </div>
<br />
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37 But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened
the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have
died?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a
cave, and a stone lay across it. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead
man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been
dead for four days.” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you
believe you will see the glory of God?” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes
and said, “Father,* I thank you for hearing me. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd
here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
43 And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud
voice,* “Lazarus, come out!” </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
44 The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial
bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him
and let him go.”</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-6461159305308850602016-07-27T10:04:00.002-04:002016-07-27T10:04:53.976-04:00Laying the Foundations for ad orientem worship <br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Several weeks ago, Cardinal Sarah issued a fraternal
challenge to priests to begin to catechize the faithful on the meaning of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ad orientem </i>worship, in order to prepare
them for worshipping in this manner beginning in Advent 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Father’s press secretary issued a
clarification shortly thereafter, stating the obvious, namely, that the
cardinal was not expounding new directives or rubrics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There need not be any new rubrics because the
Missal and GIRM already presume and allow for Mass being celebrated facing
“East” – the altar, the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
Eminence knows the significance of turning toward the Lord and the value of
this traditional posture in fostering the deeper devotion to Christ called for
by the New Evangelization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Father Uwe Michael Lang, in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Turing Toward the Lord</i>, outlines the historical, spiritual and
theological foundations of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ad orientem </i>worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the earliest days of the Church,
Christians believed that Jesus would return from the East and so that
celebrated Mass facing in a common direction to the East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever and wherever facing compass East is
not possible, the rich symbolism of facing together in a common direction
speaks volumes about who we are and what we believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together, we turn to the Lord Jesus, our
savior and redeemer, for all that we need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We look to Him, the object of our worship, when we adore and receive Him
in the Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, when we pray, it
only makes sense that we should look at Him and not at one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Unfortunately, because our Church has drifted from this
important liturgical pillar in the last half-century, restoring it will be
perceived as a “change” even though it is nothing new at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Father Z” has expertly outlined the issues
involved with this necessary liturgical development called for by Cardinal
Sarah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His words speak for themselves:</div>
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">When the 2000 GIRM was issued (now usually cited as 2002
GIRM because it is in the 2002 <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Missale
Romanum</span>), a question was put to the Congregation for Divine Worship: Can
a bishop, in his role as moderator of the Sacred Liturgy in the diocese,
forbid <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem</span>
worship?</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">On 10 April 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship
issued an official response (Protocol No. 564/00/L) about GIRM
299 (my <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">emphases</span>):</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">This dicastery wishes to state that Holy Mass may be
celebrated <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span> or <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus apsidem</span>. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Both positions are in accord with liturgical
law</span>; both are to be considered correct.<br />
There is no preference expressed in the liturgical legislation for either
position. As both positions enjoy the favor of law, the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other
accords more closely with the mind of the Church</span>.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">In a nutshell, bishops can’t overrule universal laws,
including rubrics. Bishops cannot forbid legitimate options.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">The rubrics of the modern Roman Rite, the Novus Ordo, the
Ordinary Form, do NOT favor celebration of Holy Mass <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span>, so-called “facing the
people”.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">That said, one bishop after another is tumbling
headlong into the trap laid in the purposeful <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">mistranslation</span> of GIRM 299. More </span></i></b><a href="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2016/07/a-us-bishop-expects-but-doesnt-command-that-mass-be-said-facing-the-people/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">. Alas, most
bishops these days did not have any training in Latin before, during or after
seminary, including those trained <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">after </span>the
1983 Code of Canon Law laid down in can. 249 says that seminarians are to
be be “very well-trained” (<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">bene
calleant</span>) in Latin.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">We are now beginning to see what damage can be done <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">when clerics depend on translations</span>.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">The mistranslators, and those who are in the trap pit with
them, say that GIRM 299 reads in such a way as to favor Mass “facing the
people”. The false, erroneous translation reads:</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">299. The altar should be built separate from the wall, in
such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be
celebrated at it facing the people, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">which
is desirable wherever possible. …</span></span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">No. That last clause, introduced by the relative
pronoun <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">quod</span>, does not
refer to the orientation of the celebration of Mass. Rather, it refers to
the first clause and separation of the altar from the wall. And I refer
everyone to the quote from the Congregation at the top of this post.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">What does 299 really say?</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: red;">Altare
maius exstruatur a pariete seiunctum, ut facile circumiri et in eo celebratio
versus populum peragi possit, quod expedit ubicumque possibile sit</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">. …</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">The main altar should be built separated from the wall, which
is useful wherever it is possible, so that it can be easily walked around and a
celebration toward the people can be carried out at it.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Recently in the Diocese of Little Rock, the local bishop sent
a letter to priests in which he says that he “expects” that priests will say
Mass “facing the people” <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">because
of what GIRM 299 says</span>. </span></i></b><a href="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2016/07/a-us-bishop-expects-but-doesnt-command-that-mass-be-said-facing-the-people/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;"> He didn’t try
to impose that, because, well, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">he
can’t</span>. Bishops cannot forbid the legitimate option of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem </span>worship and impose
Mass “facing the people” only. However, they can <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">torture</span> priests who say Mass <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem</span> in a thousand ways. But that would be abuse of
power. And <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">that</span> would
be something new, wouldn’t it!</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Now I read that another bishop, in Davenport, IA, has written
to priests. </span></i></b><a href="http://www.catholicmessenger.net/2016/07/priests-posture-to-remain-the-same-during-mass/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></i></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;"> He cites,
again, the erroneous English version of 299 and then writes: “To be clear, this
is the posture [“facing the people”] that priests are to take when celebrating
the liturgy (in the Ordinary Form) in the Diocese of Davenport.”</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">BTW… Bp. Amos says that the “normative” posture
is “better”. Why? Because the priest and the assembly are “facing the
altar together”. Ummmm….</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">While Bp. Amos’ language doesn’t seem to rise to the
level of a formal decree, and the letter isn’t framed in a juridical form, the
bishop takes a step beyond that of the Bishop of Little Rock.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">The <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">good news</span> –
if there is good news in this development – is that some bishops
might issue preemptive statements like this because they think priests
will listen to The Sarah Appeal™!</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Here’s the deal.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">It is surreal to have to write this, but we now have to
defend <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem </span>worship
in the Roman Catholic Church!</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">To be clear, while we have to acknowledge that <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum </span>celebration is an
option in the rubrics (as it also is and was in the Extraordinary Form), given
our tradition, ecclesial realities today and, yes, rubrics, I agree with Card.
Sarah and strongly believe <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad
orientem</span> would be of great benefit to the whole Church. </span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">I and others, therefore, are left with the bizarre task of
writing again and again that <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad
orientem </span>worship cannot presently be prohibited. And
neither can be <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span>!
</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">It is unfortunate that the poor English (and Italian, etc.)
translation of GIRM 299 lead unsuspecting bishops and priests to think that
worship <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span>, “is
desirable whenever possible.” It was this very confusion that lead to the
submission of the question, the <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">dubium</span>, to
the Congregation some 16 years ago and, consequently, to the official
response which I quoted at the top. Back then, the Prefect of the
Congregation for Divine Worship (who was not acting merely as a private
citizen, btw…) made clear that, according to the law, Holy Mass in the Novus
Ordo could be celebrated in either position.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Two final points. </span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Confusion flows from the poor English and Italian
translation. However, the French, German and Polish managed to get it right!</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">FRENCH: (299) Il convient, partout où c’est possible, que
l’autel soit érigé à une distance du mur qui permette d´en faire aisément le
tour et d´y célébrer face au peuple. </span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">GERMAN: (299) Der Altar ist von der Wand getrennt zu
errichten, so dass man ihn leicht umschreiten und die Feier an ihm dem Volk
zugewandt vollzogen werden kann. Das empfiehlt sich überall, wo es möglich ist.
</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">POLISH: (299) Ołtarz winien być zbudowany w oddaleniu od
ściany, aby łatwo można było obchodzić go dookoła i celebrować przy nim w
stronę ludu. Wypada go tak umieścić wszędzie, gdzie to jest możliwe.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">But I, friends, don’t need translations to be able to read
299, and neither should any other priest or bishop of the LATIN Church.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Next, way back in 1969, when the first Novus Ordo Missal
was released, the 1969 GIRM 262 (the predecessor of 2002 GIRM 299) said:</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">262. Altare maius exstruatur a pariete seiunctum, ut facile
circumiri et in eo celebratio versus populum peragi possit.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">The main altar should be built separated from the wall, so
that it can be easily walked around and a celebration toward the people can be
carried out at it.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Note well that the pesky <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">quod</span> clause, which has caused such confusion in the 2002
version, is absent. </span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">So, you might be asking, WHY was that <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">quod</span> clause inserted into the 2002
version? It was probably an attempt – ham-fisted – to
curtail the wide-spread destruction of existing altars that was going
on. There is NO LEGISLATION that requires that existing altars be
reworked or destroyed or detached or chopped off or … anything. That <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">quod</span> clause expresses a
suggestion that, if it is possible, altars should be constructed far enough
from the wall that they can be circumnavigated and Mass can be said from either
side. That’s it.</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Fr. Z’s position: All things being equal, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem worship is superior, </span>but
both <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem</span> and <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span> are provided for in
the rubrics of the Ordinary Form. Attempts to forbid <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ad orientem</span> worship today are based both on erroneous
scholarship from decades ago that promoted <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">versus populum</span> worship (later repudiated by some of the scholars
who proposed it), and on bad translations of present day liturgical legislation
(which were subsequently clarified the Congregation for Divine Worship).</span></i></b><br />
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Celebrating the Holy Mass in a common direction and assuming
the posture of adoring Christ together will orient our lives, beyond our
worship, more perfectly around Him, without whom we wither and die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until our fellow clergy are ready to accept
this development which will be so beneficial to the Church, there are three
things we can do to lay the foundations:</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
1. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strong>Teach</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no wrong time for catechizing the faithful about the mysteries
of the faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using Fr. Lang’s book and
other writings of recent popes and scholars on the subject, each priest can
catechize through homilies, bulletin inserts and adult faith formation classes
about the fundamental orientation of the Christian life and its liturgical
expression: turning toward the Lord.</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strong>Make visible the Holy Cross</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Cardinal Ratzinger pointed out in his book
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spirit of the Liturgy</i>, placing a
Cross and its accompanying candles on the top of the altar reminds the priest
and the people not to gaze at each other but to gaze together at Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“True love consists not in gazing at each
other but gazing together in a common direction.” – Antoine de Saint Exsupery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the Cross at the center of the
liturgical action, everyone will be encouraged, even subtly, to look at Jesus
and ignore the rather insignificant face of the priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the priest can feel comfortable doing
what is right while praying, namely, looking at God when speaking to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The celebrant should never stare out into the
congregation during the Gloria, Creed, and Offertory/Eucharistic Prayers. He should be looking at the altar,
the Cross or the Eucharistic elements. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
addressing the people, he should look up or turn around to speak to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This common sense practice will help to quietly form the people
to see Jesus as the object of their worship and keep they eyes fixed on
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><strong>Use the Prayers of the Faithful to promote
turning toward the Lord</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saint Augustine
and other Church Fathers speak of the custom of the early Church, that a
minister would announce to the people after the homily: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">conversi ad Dominum</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turn
to the Lord!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people would then face
East with the priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the
message at the heart of Cardinal Sarah’s call to celebrant Mass <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ad orientem.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only makes sense that the priest should be
leading us together in a common direction toward Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one wants the bus driver to be looking
back at them while driving them to their destination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the introduction and concluding prayer to
the Prayers of the Faithful, priests can use the words “turn toward the Lord”
in such a way as to restore this ancient call to worship and to instill in the
hearts of the faithful a sense of clarity about what we are collectively going
to do next in the Mass: worshipping and receiving the living Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, at the introduction one might say: “Let
us turn toward the Lord and offer Him our prayers in peace and confidence.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end one might pray, “Heavenly Father,
God of infinite love and tender mercy, hear the prayers of your people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we now turn to the Lord Jesus to adore and
receive His Body and Blood, bestow on us the grace to love you above all else.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is open to interpretation and adaptation
but the basic concept is to incorporate the idea of transitioning from the
Liturgy of the Word, which is essentially a dialogue and teaching experience,
to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which is an experience of adoring Christ together
and receiving Him in Holy Communion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Taken together, these three simple practices will shape the congregations entrusted to our care to </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">understand more fully the authentic meaning of the worship of God in the Holy Mass.</span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-34351091846496015002016-07-18T13:41:00.001-04:002016-07-18T13:41:15.879-04:00Collossians 1: A complex summary of the Kerygma
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Christ Jesus is the image of
the invisible God,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">the firstborn of all creation.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In the preface of Christmas, we hear that,
through the incarnation and birth of Jesus, God made Himself visible so that we
might be “caught up in the love of the God we cannot see.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is “God with skin on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incarnate Jesus Christ experiences and
redeems the totality of our human life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus lived among us and thus understands all our joys and sorrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is not the watchmaker of the Deists but a
deeply personal God, who loves us enough to want to be with us in the most
intimate way, and to bear our burdens with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">For in him were created all things in heaven
and on earth,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">the visible and the invisible,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">whether thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers;</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">all things were created through him and for
him.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Creation takes place IN, THROUGH and FOR Jesus
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Son of God, even before He
was incarnate and was given the name Jesus, was involved in the creative action
of the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Genesis 1 says that “God
spoke and it was made.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Word of the
Father is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, who would in the
fullness of time take on flesh and become man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus was there at the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was also involved throughout the Old Testament as the Word who spoke
through the prophets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the Rock who
gave life-giving water to the thirsting Israelites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Fathers of the Church even say that the
MIND of God takes on flesh in Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s
Mind and Word take on a “life of their own,” so to speak, in the Incarnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Son of God becomes flesh and reveals the will
of God in a deeply personal way among us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The Trinity is unified in every act of
creation, redemption and sanctification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All things were created <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">through</b>
the utterance of the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in</b> Jesus Christ, that is, with His involvement and intimate participation;
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">for</b> Jesus Christ, for His
sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God did not need creation but
created the universe in order to share His love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Father first and from eternity shares His
love with His Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything that
exists is made by God to exist first and foremost <u>for</u> the praise and
glory of Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the
fullness of who God is and the perfect manifestation of God to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">He is before all things,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">and in him all things hold together.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This verse reminds us of the prologue of John’s
Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John says that the Word was with
God in the beginning and IS God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
is supreme over the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything
in the universe depends on Christ to remain in being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot even breathe without His
grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">He is the head of the body,
the church.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus established the Church and remains its
Head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His headship is manifested through
the ministry of the bishops and priests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just as creation depends on Christ, so does the life of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">He is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">that in all things he himself might be
preeminent.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus is the beginning of creation and also of
the New Creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through His Passion
and Resurrection, Jesus has saved us from sin and opened the way for us to
eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All things have been made
new in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He alone is the savior of
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has done first what we
hope to do: rise to eternal life with the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By rising from the dead, Jesus is supreme and
preeminent in all things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no
other “god” or “messiah” who has died and rose from the dead for our sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus deserves our total devotion and
obedience because He is the source of eternal life for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the first to be born from the dead,
to rise from the grave, and He shows us the pattern of what we are called to be
and to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">For in him all the fullness
was pleased to dwell,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">and through him to all things for him,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">making peace by the blood of his cross</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">through him, whether those on earth or those in
heaven.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In the New Covenant, Jesus is the center of the
universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Through</b> Jesus everything is reconciled; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">through</b> His blood enmity is put to death and harmony is restored; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in</b> Him we see the totality of who God
is; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">for</b> His sake everything is reconciled
and redeemed so that the entire universe owes all praise and glory to Jesus
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">----</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus is God from the beginning and shares form
eternity in the fullness of who God is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Father empties Himself in love in begetting the Son, who returns the
Father’s love perfectly from eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
love is fruitful in the Spirit, who proceeds from the shared love of them
both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus became incarnate in order to make god
visible to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Jesus we see the
fullness of redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God cannot teach
us more about Himself than He already has in Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">He is the first-born from the dead and provides
the path for us to rise from sin and death into eternal blessedness with
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus became like us that we might
become like God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His paschal mystery is
our salvation from sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took pour
place, bore our infirmities and suffered the punishment we deserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus is the Head of the Church, which carries
on the sanctifying work which He began with the Apostles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spirit guides this work of
evangelization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Therefore, in everything, Jesus is preeminent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the center of the universe and the
center of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-57248349207057159702016-07-18T11:06:00.000-04:002016-07-18T11:06:22.104-04:00Seeking a fuller definition of conscience<br />
Cardinal Newman defines conscience as the "aboriginal vicar of Christ," according to the triple <em>munera</em> which are rooted in the Old Testament figures of priest, prophet and king, which Christ assimilates unto Himself and perfects, and which the Church is given as gifts and duties. <br />
<br /><br />
<strong><em>Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ, a prophet in its informations, a monarch in its peremptoriness, a priest in its {249} blessings and anathemas, and, even though the eternal priesthood throughout the Church could cease to be, in it the sacerdotal principle would remain and would have a sway.</em></strong><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.newmanreader.org/works/anglicans/volume2/gladstone/section5.html">http://www.newmanreader.org/works/anglicans/volume2/gladstone/section5.html</a><br />
<br /><br />
The conscience, in other words, exists in a manner more fundamental that any other manifestation of God in our human experience. Even without any other religious experience, man still possesses the voice of God deep in his heart. Conscience proclaims the truth like a prophet, rules over our actions expecting obedience as a king, and blesses or condemns the choices we face as a priest blesses or condemns heresy. <br />
<br /><br />
Therefore, conscience cannot be the opinion of the individual but, rather, the voice of God Himself in the heart of His creature - the pinnacle of His creation, made in his image, capable of union with Him and able to love Him in return - the human person. <br />
<br /><br />
<em>Gaudium et spes</em> no. 16 concurs:<br />
<br /><br />
In the depths of his conscience, <strong>man detects a law which he does not impose upon himself</strong>, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that. <strong>For man has in his heart a law written by God</strong>; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged.(9) <strong> Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths</strong>.(10) In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor.(11) In fidelity to conscience, Christians are joined with the rest of men in the search for truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerous problems which arise in the life of individuals from social relationships. Hence the more right conscience holds sway, the more persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and strive to be guided by the objective norms of morality. Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance without losing its dignity. The same cannot be said for a man who cares but little for truth and goodness, or for a conscience which by degrees grows practically sightless as a result of habitual sin.Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-90477140132889767902016-07-18T10:52:00.001-04:002016-07-18T10:52:48.519-04:00Marriage Preparation
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Several weeks ago, Pope Francis asserted
that most marriages are invalid because young people today do not understand the
Church’s definition of marriage nor the reality of that to which they are
expected to consent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><u><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">News story:</span></u></b></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-marriages-invalid-1.3640107"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-marriages-invalid-1.3640107</span></a></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/06/17/enough-is-enough-pope-francis-should-resign.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/06/17/enough-is-enough-pope-francis-should-resign.html</span></a></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It appears that the relevant canons would be 1099 and 1101.
The Diocese of Madison has a helpful website which presents the cannons along
with commentary and examples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.madisondiocese.org/DioceseofMadison/Tribunal/TheGroundsofNullity.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.madisondiocese.org/DioceseofMadison/Tribunal/TheGroundsofNullity.aspx</span></a></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A person cannot validly consent to something they do not
believe in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A deeply held false belief
that marriage is disposable, for example, constitutes a defect of
consent. </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However, the modern progressive societies where such a belief
would be prevalent are the same places where there is a widespread and easily
accessible information network, along with sufficient resources to provide
marriage preparation, such that a person would be stretching the limits of the
plausible to claim ignorance about a basic element of both family life and
Christianity, namely, the qualities of indissolubility and unity in
marriage. We have the opportunity, in the developed world at least, to
overcome the false beliefs imposed on young people by the media and the bad
example of their elders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The text of the vows is sufficient to declare to the
individuals what constitutes the definition of marriage. Marriage
preparation in the most basic form can explore the text of these vows and
unpack their meaning for the couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Insofar
as they are not impeded by mental illness, drugs or alcohol, or have not been
otherwise deceived or manipulated, they have the ability to know and understand
that to which they are consenting. Therefore, their declaration of
consent is made with knowledge. </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Other defects enter in when the individuals consent for the
wrong reasons or without careful thought, or are otherwise under undue
pressure, duress or influence. Even in such a case of outside influence, the individuals would
have knowledge of what constitutes the Church’s definition of marriage because they heard it
in marriage preparation and in the ceremony. </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The question arises in an annulment investigation: did one
or other of the persons explicitly or implicitly simulate an essential property
of marriage?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did they verbally speak words
they could not have the ability to understand because of a deeply held understanding
of marriage contrary to Catholic doctrine?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sure, this is possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But so
widespread that most marriages are invalid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unlikely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Either way: the pope’s words are as clear a reminder as any that
marriage preparation is a vital part of the new evangelization and the quality
of said preparation must be improved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> There is no excuse for a couple not to know want they are committing to in their vows. The priest needs to share the doctrine and holy couples are essential as "sponsors" to give a living example of a holy family life. </span></span></div>
<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-29019762794751487152016-07-12T15:51:00.004-04:002016-07-12T15:51:51.741-04:00Clarifying the clarification
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
Regarding the below post:</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
1. Current liturgical norms presume the posture of the priest is such that he is oriented, together with the people, toward the altar when he is at the altar. He is instructed, when necessary, to "turn toward the people." No new norms are being proposed because none are necessary. </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
2. GIRM 299 addresses church architecture not liturgical orientation. Mass may be celebrated facing the people. Still, no theological or spiritual reasons exist which compel anyone to do so.</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
3. Facing the object of our worship is common to all major religions and consistent throughout the history of Christianity until recent alterations were introduced in a manner that was neither organic nor integral. The cardinal is encouraging, not mandating, that we recall our tradition and orient our worship of God to the very God whom we are worshipping. </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
4. The "ordinary form" is only "ordinary" numerically. More people celebrate it. Both forms of the Roman Rite are equally valid and acceptable. One is not essentially "better" than the other, for Jesus is truly present in every Mass, even if the more traditional celebration of the liturgy has a far superior effect in bringing the faithful to a deeper understanding of the faith and more intimate relationship with God. </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
5. It is better to refer to the "reform of the hijacked implementation of general and limited conciliar directives contained in <em>Sacrosanctum concilium </em>according to the false hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture" and to the "restoration of the sense of the sacred." </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 13.5pt;">
<a href="http://zenitenglish.cmail20.com/t/d-l-irlylhk-htuidhuli-p/" title="Press Office Clarifies Cardinal’s Remarks About Priest Facing East During Mass"><span style="color: #9a9661; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Press Office
Clarifies Cardinal’s Remarks About Priest Facing East During Mass</span></strong></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong><span style="color: #cccccc;">Posted by
ZENIT Staff on 12 July, 2016</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Vatican press office on Monday released a clarification
regarding media presentations of an address given July 5 in London by Cardinal
Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cardinal spoke about Masses celebrated ‘ad orientem,’ that
is, with the priest facing away from the people (to the east, if the church was
built with that traditional layout).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Vatican’s statement clarifies that the cardinal’s address
was not an announcement of new directives for the celebration of Mass. Here is
the text of the statement, with the English translation provided by the press
office.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">__</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some clarifications on the celebration of Mass</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">It would appear opportune to offer clarification in the light of
information circulated in the press after a conference held in London a few
days ago by Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
Cardinal Sarah has always been rightly concerned about the dignity of the
celebration of Mass, so as to express appropriately the attitude of respect and
adoration for the Eucharistic mystery. Some of his expressions have however
been incorrectly interpreted, as if they were intended to announce new
indications different to those given so far in the liturgical rules and in the
words of the Pope regarding celebration facing the people and the ordinary rite
of the Mass.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Therefore it is useful to remember that in the <i>Institutio
Generalis Missalis Romani</i> (General Instruction of the Roman Missal),
which contains the norms relating to the Eucharistic celebration and is still
in full force, paragraph no. 299 states that: <i>“Altare extruatur a
pariete seiunctum, ut facile circumiri et in eo celebratio versus populum
peragi possit, quod expedit ubicumque possibile sit. Altare eum autem occupet
locum, ut revera centrum sit ad quod totius congregationis fidelium attentio
sponte convertatur” </i>(“The altar should be built separate from the
wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass
can be celebrated facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible.
Moreover, the altar should occupy a place where it is truly the centre toward
which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally
turns”.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pope Francis, for his part, on the occasion of his visit to the
Dicastery for Divine Worship, expressly mentioned that the “ordinary” form of
the celebration of the Mass is that expressed in the Missal promulgated by Paul
VI, while the “extraordinary” form, which was permitted by Pope Benedict XVI
for the purposes and in the ways explained in his Motu Proprio <i>Summorum
Pontificum</i>, must not take the place of the “ordinary” one.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Therefore, new liturgical directives are not expected from next
Advent, as some have incorrectly inferred from some of Cardinal Sarah’s words,
and it is better to avoid using the expression “reform of the reform” with
reference to the liturgy, given that it may at times give rise to error.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">All the above was
unanimously expressed during a recent audience granted by the Pope to the same
Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.</span>Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-28903760232985906322016-07-12T14:19:00.003-04:002016-07-12T14:19:30.932-04:00Follow-up: Futile efforts to stem the tide of immorality originating in the State
The Supreme Court is a negligible concern in the election, unworthy of consideration. You and I will never see a pro-life politician, justice or other government
official. The U.S. government we know has abandoned the Constitution and our nation's moral foundations. Roberts, hailed as the savior of life ten years ago, has done nothing of value for the pro-life cause. The State is not our ally in this battle, which is primarily a spiritual one. <br />
<br /><br />
Much time, money and energy has been wasted on political efforts which have not borne fruit. Instead, may we focus on the conversion of hearts and the building of a world that does not desire the evils our leaders have legalized. <br />
<br /><br />
The secret and, therefore, the essential locus of evangelization with respect to
the Gospel of Life is the medical pregnancy center. They are the only ones
having any notable success-not the screaming fundamentalists with bloody
pictures on the street, not the lobbyists, not the pundits. If we had
spent the money wasted on failed pro-life voting initiatives on clinics we
would have saved more babies. The conversion of the heart of a mother begins with her first ultrasound and
the embrace of a loving staff. <br />
<br /><br />
Pray for conversion of hearts not political victories. Pray for a world that
no longer needs abortion and recognizes need to reform an overgrown and meddlesome
State. <br />
<br /><br />
Consider the following Message from Cleveland Right to Life:<br />
<span style="color: #373737; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #373737; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">June 29th 2016</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In 2011 alone, abortion related complications affected</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> 26,500
women and over 3000 women needed hospitalization; but the abortion industry has
opposed Common sense health standards at every level in every State
in America, and on June 27th 2016 the abortion industry received
the highest court in the land's approval to continue to operate on unsuspecting
women in the usual substandard and sometimes deadly fashion.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">According to a report just released by Family Research Council, "the
U.S. Supreme Court announced its 5-3 decision in <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt</span></em>, striking
down Texas' H.B. 2 commonsense regulation and enforcement of basic health
standards in abortion facilities. The Texas law required that abortion
facilities be held<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">to the same standard as surgical centers and that abortionists
must have admitting privileges at a local hospital not further than thirty
miles from the abortion facility." </span></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">Cincinnati Right to Life points out that "The Court's
decision affects states beyond Texas, including Ohio, as currently 29 states
prescribe health and safety standards for abortion facilities, and 15 states
require abortionists to maintain admitting privileges with a local hospital or
a written patient transfer agreement with a doctor with such privileges to
ensure knowledgeable care should an emergency occur" </span></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">The <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Whole
Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt </span></em>decision is yet another example of
the mess that our country is in, a mess that will only be overcome when we fall
on our knees and ask for God's forgiveness for allowing this slaughter to
continue on our watch. For at least a decade many in the prolife movement
have placed their trust in the courts as they have tried to regulate abortion
out of existence. This strategy has to change. The deciding vote in
this latest Supreme Court decision was made by a Republican appointed judge,
Justice Anthony Kennedy. This decision is a clarion call to all of us in
the prolife/pro-family movements to think outside the box as we regroup after
this devastating blow to men, women and children. The "same ol' same
ol" will get us more of the same failed results. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In a recent comment Attorney Gualberto Garcia Jones, Vice
President of Personhood Alliance notes " </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">This
decision officially spells the end of the strategy of chipping away at Roe.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> I</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> think it also stands as a solid rebuke to those who
tried to fight absolute evil with a compromise of principle and half measures.
Abortion was never about women's health, it is bloody murder. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">I think yesterday's decision was not a blow to the
pro-life movement at all. It should be a great gift, a wake-up call to stop the
fantasy that the abhorrent evil of abortion will somehow be rooted out by
appealing to the mad executioner's sense of justice."</span></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">These are sobering words, but ones that need to be heard.
All too often we hear the prolife leadership say that they need to temper
the message so as to keep the troops "encouraged" and
"positive". Unfortunately
this strategy has failed to help the grassroots to face the
reality of what is ahead. No matter who is elected up or down the ticket
in November, we have a "focus" problem on our hands within the
movement. When a national leader within the prolife movement states
publically (as was recently the case) that the most important challenge
facing us today is to pass a 20 week abortion ban, then we know that we are in
trouble. According to </span><a alt="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_termination_of_pregnancy" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015EtsvEJM3Mbilj4MWtntGwNxhG-K8VP5yhFKYm_z1QZnwAQtb7TqoIMQxWRTqvMP5HFjnwrPTNDu2LHEx5IIHgV-9lFKlXqSeCM4SM7VAdWrDQigPUBm9cu1yQTY6QPJ4i-1JD39TmLQoB1yCGtCmKc0jKV8sInnR9GlBAhEat8_ybfmthDDezYR7x90GQyWmOoOOK3Tj_hqGOoWkiGh0aBZSYN3Uv0J&c=9DAwGBy62F5HDz_WhQVamK-bPumect5hF06Kr9Ny4Va8QenNdfAaMw==&ch=PtA9a-V3e0vA7YVWt7uCEtquiUI9doI61jcrvGcflQJgNCDUsY6Shg==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="color: red;">Wikipedia</span></a><span style="color: red;"> only 1.4% of all abortions are
performed after 20 weeks. What about the other 98.6%? </span></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">Furthermore, the 20 week abortion ban legislation that was written
and submitted by our prolife leadership, and which the
leadership considers to be the most important effort to end abortion, has
institutionalized the idea of "classes" of pre-born
children where a litmus test is applied on "how you were conceived". If
you were conceived through rape or incest - sorry, you fail the
test - you have to go elsewhere to get protection for your
Right To Life. Your little body will be offered up on the altar of
prolife compromise! </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We might want to throw up our hands and cover our eyes at this
latest SCOTUS decision but let's face the facts. It is a Republican,
Regan appointed Supreme Court Justice who has just pushed us over the cliff
into hell. There is no "encouraging" or "positive"
way to spin that. Sorry, but the whole mantra about "elections
have consequences" so we must vote for the establishment in order to
get "good" Supreme Court justices has just been blown
asunder. T</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">he deafening silence on this latest
disastrous court decisions, of the presumptuous GOP presidential
candidate, Donald Trump, does not bode well for the child in the
womb! </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Justice Kennedy broke ranks over
20 years ago with his Casey decision, a decision that should have heralded in a
new path of action for the prolife movement. Gualberto Garcia Jones makes
a very good point in his commentary when he says "</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">The fight at the Supreme Court should have been abandoned
15 years ago after Casey, just like the fight against slavery was abandoned
after Dred Scott in 1857.... We have a clear path ahead of us now. End abortion
absolutely by a constitutional amendment, or be complicity with it.... Let's
get to work." </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">It is time to stop with the failed policy of relying on
politicians and the courts. It is time for "we the
people" to insist on a Human Life Amendment and unite the
whole movement behind ENDING abortion. It is time to fall on our
knees and beg for forgiveness for trusting in SCOTUS instead of our Lord and
Savior. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #373737; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: red;">Let us remember these beautiful words in Psalm 146, "Do not
put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save - Blessed is he whose
help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God"</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-60365440645010405542016-07-11T09:28:00.000-04:002016-07-11T09:28:00.735-04:00How does a Catholic make up his mind this election?Here are some points to consider:<br />
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<em>Editor’s note: The following is in part a response to “Should
a Catholic Vote in This Election” by Mattias Caro: </em><a href="https://ethikapolitika.org/2016/03/06/should-a-catholic-vote-in-this-election/"><span style="color: blue;"><em>https://ethikapolitika.org/2016/03/06/should-a-catholic-vote-in-this-election/</em></span></a></div>
<br />
There is no unique situation provided by this election cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Voting one’s conscience is essential in every
election cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intrinsically evil
acts of abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, as well as the duty
to safeguard the biblical definition of marriage, have all be relevant for
several decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have been no
authentically Catholic presidential candidates since the abortion issue arose
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v. Wade</i> in 1973.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my lifetime, there has been no evidence
that case law on abortion will be overturned in the foreseeable future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much time and money has been wasted on
chasing the phantasm of a “pro-life president.”<br />
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Intrinsically evil acts are the crux of Catholic voters’
decision-making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, opposing
policies that support intrinsic evils is paramount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a moral duty as Christians do avoid
and oppose evil, along with pursuing as much good as we can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also acceptable for a Catholic to vote
for an imperfect candidate, whose policies are not totally in conformity with
Catholic teaching, if such a vote opposes and/or avoids evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incrementally doing the right thing, moving
in the right direction, is not morally objectionable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The possibility of candidates abusing the
“Catholic vote” is real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catholic voters
have the moral law as their guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The decay of prudence and judgment on all issues is impacted
by the grave evils destroying human life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The increasingly eroded moral fabric of our society is the very reason
that we are obliged to oppose evil in every form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abortion does corrode our public life and
discourse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, personally, have witnessed
a lack of respect for everything once held sacred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a July Fourth event this year, I picked up
at least a dozen American flags which teenagers had taken from the volunteers,
ripped off their sticks and trampled on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Motorists no longer stop for emergency
vehicles nor yield to funerals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thugs
ambush first responders in the “war on cops.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cowards bomb night clubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manners
have been all but excised from the training of young people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because human life is deemed disposable, so
is everything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the
situation we face: we are surrounded by evils which must be opposed.</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
To assert that there is no significant difference between
the presumptive nominees for president in this election is a stretch of Herculean
character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, if the new
challenge does not exist, neither does the uniqueness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Clinton’s record is widely known, easily
verifiable, and presents a present danger to society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
A few issues into which one could delve deeper through
personal research in order to have a clearer picture of Ms. Clinton’s political
record and character include:</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Filegate</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Travelgate</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Missing Rose Law firm billing records</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Castle Grande</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Vince Foster (missing office records and briefcase)</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
John Huang</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Webster Hubbell</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Whitewater</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Dan Lasater</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Lippo Group</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Craig Livingstone</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
James and Susan McDougal</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Madison Guaranty</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Mochtar and James Riady</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
David Hale</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Jim Guy Tucker</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Whitewater</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Cattle futures insider trading</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Sandy Berger (theft at National Archives)</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Johnny Chung</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Nannygate</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Ng Lapseng</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Troopergate</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Selling of nights in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city>
bedroom</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Ron Brown and trade missions</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Mr. Trump does not have a political record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has never been a politician, nor has he in
any public setting had the opportunity to demonstrate his policies on a host of
issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a real concern: we do
not really know who he is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
On the issue of life, all we do know is that he says he is
pro-life at this point on his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allowing for the working of grace and the possibility of conversion, we can
only take him at his word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no
significant reason to doubt him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Presuming that President Reagan would not support Trump, in other words
claiming the support of a deceased man of greatness for one’s own agenda, is
undignified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To eliminate him as a
candidate worthy of the Catholic vote because he is “mean” and has a
hyperbolically aggressive stance on immigration is quite short-sighted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We know far less about Mr. Trump than his competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His use of the bankruptcy statutes to get
three of his companies is questionable but technically legal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His crass attitude and arrogance are a
genuine concern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he possess the
character of a man we want as president?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do reservations about character “trump” the duty to oppose evil?</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We do know for sure that he has worked tirelessly to build a
wildly successful business empire, which employs thousands, contributes to the
global economy and is a legacy his children will inherit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also raised his children to be responsible
citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, none of them is
known to use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Mr. Trump is confused about Planned Parenthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are most people today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has in the past, before he came close to
being elected to the nation’s highest office, uttered some truly offensive and
sinful comments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not know exactly
what he will propose as president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
a mortal man, imperfect and unpredictable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So is every human person who ever ran for an elected office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, for one, hope and pray for his
conversion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our county needs a noble
leader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only God, by the power of the
Spirit, form a man into a statesman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As far as I know, Mr. Trump has not advocated any positions
which would support an intrinsic evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This makes him markedly different from Ms. Clinton, whose unabashed and
militant promotion of abortion perpetuates the culture of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Trump is not only less likely to advance
intrinsic evil but more interested in promoting the goods of national security,
economic stability, job growth and stronger international relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Catholics have the option not to vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One has to have a compelling reason to take the extraordinary step of
not exercising one’s civic duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
good for people of faith to be engaged in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While from a moral point of view, abstaining
from voting is not voting for Clinton, from a practical standpoint abstaining
means ceding ground by not deliberately opposing evil with the power of the
vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Abstaining from voting is an act that has no measurable
value or positive consequence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
“political class” does not give a gnawer’s posterior about the moral choices of
Christians, nor about the political independence of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The political class finds the Church to be an
annoying splinter in the toe, not an indicator of the direction they should
take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Catholic vote was so divided
in the last election as to be unworthy of consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When 52% of Catholics vote for a pro-abortion
statist and socialist, there is no longer anything special about Catholics as a
voting bloc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
If, in obedience to God, a Catholic chooses to make a
particular choice not to cast any votes, he or she would need to demonstrate
that God so instructs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, I have
not seen anyone attempt to satisfy this requirement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br /><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I have not made up my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot tell anyone how to exercise their civic duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A well-informed conscience is to be
obeyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The USCCB’s “Forming Consciences
for Faithful Citizenship” offers valuable help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, as a fellow citizen, I can caution all people of good will to
be open to the facts and seriously attentive to the evils threatening us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-81248829876823241302016-07-08T10:54:00.000-04:002016-07-08T10:54:05.700-04:00Blue Lives Matter, too.
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Over the past three years, there have been a number of
high-profile police-involved shootings, several of which have sparked public,
and violent, rallies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the shootings
have been determined by the justice system to be justified uses of force, while
others have been determined to be excessive force or negligence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Criminal charges have been brought against
some officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times, officers need
to protect themselves and others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly,
also at times, an officer, poorly trained or lacking in good judgment, makes a
tragic decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The shooting incident of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, was hijacked
by a small group of radicals who created the “Black Lives Matter” movement,
based on the allegation that the killing of Michael was racially
motivated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This movement, dubbed “un-American”
by African-American radio personality David Webb, has ignited violence against law
enforcement and encouraged a climate of discrimination against white-skinned human persons
and police officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Following the report of each police-involved shooting – Ferguson,
Baltimore, Cleveland, NYC, Chicago, Minnesota, Baton Rouge, etc. – we witnessed a
similar response: the BLM movement took to the streets and the shooting was
labeled by leftists as racially motivated, regardless of whether there was any
evidence in support of the claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
various riots, cars have been burned, police targeted and people injured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Last year, two NYPD officers were murdered in their patrol
car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last night, five officers in Dallas
were murdered by snipers in a planned, premeditated and
coordinated attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
suspect with whom officers negotiated admitted that he wanted to “kill white
people, particularly white officers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This individual’s attack on officers was explicitly racially motivated:
by his own admission, the suspect wanted to kill people whose skin color was
different from his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The undercurrent of “Black Lives Matter” is that the lives
of black-skinned human persons matter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more
</i>than those of white-skinned or uniformed human persons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is itself a racially-motivated
organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Many of the same people who say they want to see an end to
racism use race as a grounds for decision-making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as we employ Affirmative Action and
quotas in employment and education, rather than rewarding merit and
accomplishment, we perpetuate a culture of racial division.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to learn how to evaluate others based
on the “content of their character rather than the color of their skin.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Dr. MLK Jr.)</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In order to build a society where race and skin-color no
longer matter and where we see each person as a child of God, we need first to
eliminate race as a factor in our decisions and thought processes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is both a systemic problem and an
ideology corrupting the hearts of individuals, which cries out for conversion and
healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Bottom line about last night: there is no police-involved
shooting so horrific nor feeling of discrimination so deep as to justify the
murder of law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when an
individual officer acts out of line or possesses racial hatred, ambushing
police is unacceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The spreading virus of hatred for law-enforcement is
infecting our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The video posted
by the girlfriend of Philando Castile includes her quoting her young daughter
as saying “The police are bad guys.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Where did she learn this belief?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Teaching our children to fear or hate police will only make our
neighborhoods less safe.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As the virus spread, so does the “Ferguson effect.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Law enforcement will pull back and be less
eager to rush in to a dangerous situation, out of a natural sense of
self-preservation and fear of ambush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
we do not support them, they will not be there when we need them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heroically, police officers show up to
protect the very protestors whose rallies incite violence against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
A very small percentage of priests, ministers, coaches and
teachers have molested children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
does not make every priest, minister, coach or teacher an evil person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very small number of police officers have
made deadly decisions based on poor judgment and perhaps racism (through it is
hard to know the heart of a man in a split-second decision).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This does not make every police officer an
evil person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
There is no evidence of a coordinated targeting of black
people by law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is,
however, evidence of a coordinated targeting of white police officers last
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slain Dallas officers had nothing
to do with the shootings in other states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were innocent men whose families have now been devastated by
senseless violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
BLM promotes violence and racism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is categorically opposed to American
values, as well as to unity, charity and peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Our first responders need our undying support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are our defense against crime,
destruction and instability in our communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Black, white, “blue”………ALL LIVES MATTER.</div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-2041049650849313182016-07-06T13:07:00.003-04:002016-07-06T13:07:51.801-04:00The most important pastoral decision a priest can make in the next six months...
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> </span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">…is to catechize his
flock on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ad orientem </i>worship and then
follow Cardinal Sarah’s direction by starting in Advent to celebrate Mass
facing the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This decision will
orient our worship and our lives toward man’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">telos </i>which is union with God.</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> </span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">Turning toward the Lord
together is not a matter of style, preference, scrupulosity or facultative
liturgical reform. It is the most important liturgical restoration we
could undertake. Especially in a time when the world has become unmoored
from God’s Law, we need to show the world how to turn to God and seek His face
once again. In every age, this orientation is our Christian way of
life. This orientation begins in the liturgy, which flows from our faith
and in turn informs our life decisions. <i>Lex credendi, orandi, vivendi</i>.
<u5:p></u5:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><u5:p> </u5:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">We need to do
this. As much as we need to eat, sleep, breathe and love those in our
care, we need to do this. <u5:p></u5:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> </span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><a href="http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2015/aug/12/cardinal-robert-sarah-liturgical-english/">http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2015/aug/12/cardinal-robert-sarah-liturgical-english/</a></span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> </span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><span style="color: red; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/07/05/cardinal-sarah-asks-priests-to-start-celebrating-mass-facing-east-this-advent/">http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/07/05/cardinal-sarah-asks-priests-to-start-celebrating-mass-facing-east-this-advent/</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><span style="color: red; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-70530078041372502292016-06-22T10:17:00.001-04:002016-07-06T13:09:21.550-04:00The English MartyrsIn today's first reading, the priests of the temple discover an old dusty book containing the forgotten law of the Lord. When the king reads it, he is both overwhelmed by the magnificence of God's Word and frightened at the prospect that he has failed to lead the people in God's ways and will suffer his wrath. He embarks on a campaign to bring the people to their knees before the Lord and return them to the path of fidelity and right living. They forge a covenant with God - a pact to remain faithful to Him.<br />
<br />
<br />
Saint Thomas More and Saint John Fisher, by virtue of their baptism, entered into a relationship with God and forged a bond of fidelity and love with Him. The truths of God's law and their Catholic faith were so much a part of them that they could not imagine being unfaithful to the Lord. John Fisher had not walked for weeks in his prison cell in the Tower of London but, on the day of his beheading, he mustered every last ounce of strength to walk to his execution with confidence and purpose. He and Thomas surrendered their lives for Christ rather than violate their faith. <br />
<br />
<br />
Today, as we observe not only the increasing secularization of the world but also the uncertainty, confusion and equivocation within the Church herself, we must pray for the conviction of the martyrs John and Thomas to fill the heart of every Christian - layperson and clergyman - so that we can know what we believe and reject what threatens the integrity of our faith.<br />
<br />
<br />
Pandering, excusing and watering down was not the way of the English martyrs and it will never be effective in achieving the salvation of souls. Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-55925360813383558232016-06-14T14:38:00.000-04:002016-06-14T14:38:26.048-04:00The problem is bigger than OrlandoThe deadliest mass-shooting and the most devastating act of terror on American soil was carried out this past Saturday night. I was saddened by the news that law-abiding citizens enjoying their freedom to party were gunned down by yet another radical Muslim. <br />
<br /><br />
It could happen to any of us, anytime, in any public place. Terrorism does not discriminate. It's victims are Christians, Jews, persons who identify as LGBT, and anyone else the Muslim faith/the Koran itself or individual radicalized Muslims deem for their purposes to be an "infidel." Yes, Islam targets LGBT people and believes the homosexual person is beneath them. Still, any non-Muslim who is an affront to their beliefs and who does not accept Sharia Law is a potential victim. No act of terrorism or new victim should come as a surprise to us anymore. Men of the ilk of those who have been worked up into a frenzy sufficient to make them fly airplanes into buildings in the name of an alleged "god" will do anything to anyone. <br />
<br /><br />
<h4>
<a class="pages" href="http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/noble/sura9.html#14" target="_blank">Quran (9:14)</a> - "Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of a believing people." Humiliating and hurting non-believers not only has the blessing of Allah, but it is ordered as a means of carrying out his punishment and even "healing" the hearts of Muslims.<br /><br /><a class="pages" href="http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/noble/sura9.html#20" target="_blank">Quran (9:20)</a> - "Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant." The Arabic word interpreted as "striving" in this verse is the same root as "Jihad". The context is obviously holy war.<br /><br /><a class="pages" href="http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/noble/sura9.html#30" target="_blank">Quran (9:30)</a> - "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!" </h4>
<h4>
Courtesy of: <a href="http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx">http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx</a></h4>
<br /><br />
A religious understanding which presents "Allah" or "God" as one calling for the murder of the innocent simply because they believe differently is both irrational and incompatible with the Judeo-Christian tradition. Christians do not, and have never, believed in this. Even in the time of the crusades and the inquisition, Christians have not attributed the thirst for the blood of the unbeliever to God. Remember Regensburg? They proved the Pope Emeritus' point for him by rioting the next day. Seeking blood in the name of God is irrational. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the soul. <br />
<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg.html">http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg.html</a><br />
<br /><br />
<strong>If this is Allah</strong>, he is not he God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, nor the God of the New Testament. <br />
<br /><br />
Our politicians (we no longer have statesmen), including the presumptive Democratic nominee, keep telling us that these violent individuals, who carry out acts of terror in American soil, are "lone wolves" and "self-radicalized," as if they reach the conclusion to kill all on their own. How, then, do we explain the coincidences - same faith, same demographics, same overseas connections, same "Allahu Akbar" cries, same insanity - between different terrorists. <br />
<br /><br />
"By definition, "lone wolves" are not part of some global network you can detect and disrupt." - Matt Yglesias<br />
<a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/06/problem-with-clintons-intelligence-surge.html">http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/06/problem-with-clintons-intelligence-surge.html</a><br />
This is the focus of the Left in American politics today: downplay the influence of radical Islam on terrorists and re-direct our attention on gun control. However, the connection of so many terrorists to the Muslim faith through attendance at Mosque services as well as their ties to their ancestral homeland by definition makes them part of a "global network." They frequent the same places and get their ideas form the same sources. They are not lone wolves. They have been radicalized by the version of Islam that they have encountered, which has formed them into jihadists. The Orlando shooter is reported to have gone to Mosque services three times a week - frequent for any religion. His parents immigrated from Afghanistan, where 95% of the people support Sharia Law. There was a formation in certain ideas happening from an early age. <br />
<br /><br />
Ms. Clinton said: “The Orlando terrorist may be dead, but the virus that poisoned his mind remains very much alive." <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/hillary-clinton-orlando-mass-shooting/486860/">http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/hillary-clinton-orlando-mass-shooting/486860/</a> Absolutely. What is that virus? It's not Christianity, nor the defense of God's definition of marriage, nor Catholicism, nor Republicans or Democrats, nor mere homophobia, nor the second amendment, nor reasonable and legal immigration. The virus is a faith and philosophy that instructs its followers to kill the unbeliever. <strong>If this is not "true Islam," let "true" Muslims" prove it and fight against the radicalized version. Until then, we are left to wonder.</strong> <br />
<br /><br />
Christians did not do this by being faithful to God. While we assert that homosexual activity is a sin, so is murder. Every human life is sacred and each person is to be respected. One's orientation is not sinful, since morality deals with actions and not feelings or capacities. The ACLU is a scourge on our nation. <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/the-aclu-says-christians-caused-the-orlando-shooting-57439/">http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/the-aclu-says-christians-caused-the-orlando-shooting-57439/</a> They even use the opportunity to pretend they were right and have all the answers. Such arrogance. <br />
<br /><br />
The solution is not gun control because terrorists do not need to buy guns legally; guns, knives and explosives can be supplied to them through sources other than gun stores. The solution is careful monitoring of immigration and allowing law enforcement to be more specific in their investigations. Maybe it's time to profile a bit: middle-aged, middle-eastern men who have ties to countries which harbor terrorists and who seem unusually interested in weapons and flight schools, for example. So often, the clues come out after the killings. <br />
<br /><br />
The first step is to have a leader who is neither intimidated by nor complicit with radical Islam. President Obama's lack of action on terrorism leads to one of those two possibilities. I'm not sure which is worse. <br />
<br /><br />
We all need to abandon the false world-view in which all religions are the same and face the facts about those who see Christianity as their enemy. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/06/13/florida-catholic-bishop-it-is-religion-including-our-own-that-targets-lgbt-people/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/06/13/florida-catholic-bishop-it-is-religion-including-our-own-that-targets-lgbt-people/</a> Christianity, by remaining true to the Bible, does not target the LGBT community. No where in Scripture or Tradition is there a condemnation of the human person for being who they are. It's our actions that have consequences. <br />
<br /><br />
We need to escape the fantasy world of welcoming every immigrant without due process of law and concern for national security, pretending all religions are the same, and blaming American values for the terrorist threat. Instead, we need to focus on understanding the threat, identifying the threat and neutralizing the threat. <br />
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<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-15145401199770447422016-06-04T19:29:00.000-04:002016-06-04T19:29:02.249-04:00What happens when you watch Megan Kelly and think too much...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Brilliant, famous, influential Catholics disagree on their
opinions of Donald Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To wit:</div>
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http://www.nationalreview.com/article/432437/donald-trump-catholic-opposition-statement</div>
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http://www.thechristianreview.com/a-catholic-apology-to-trump-his-voters/</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have not made up my mind yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes is can see how valuable Trump’s strong
policies and love for American exceptionalism are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other times he seems so angry and mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we want a leader who knows what is takes
to insure American progress and security straight in his mind but is a
jerk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do think that it’s not a good idea to tell
Catholics that the one pro-life candidate who understands the rule of law and
wants to protect our jobs and our borders is not worthy of their vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since when do Catholics reject without cause
or opportunity for reconciliation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Beyond the harsh exterior and the policy positions, there is
another element of The Donald that came out during Megan Kelly’s first
prime-time special two weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kelly
asked not only political questions but probing personal ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked if he had ever been “wounded” by
anyone, Trump had no answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed
to think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kelly tried to open
him up but he could not face the answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He appeared afraid to look inside himself and unwilling to consider
those he wounded and those who wounded him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was unwilling to admit any regrets, something every healthy human
person has to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Trump said if he is ever wounded, he immediately fights back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, he comes across as
defensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His attitude gives the
impression that he believes that the large crowds at his campaign rallies give
him a mandate to be angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, he is
justified in his vulgarity and does not have to meet people where they are and
work with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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It’s possible that the tough outer shell is hiding much we
have not seen about the real man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
his wife Melania was interviewed, she showed viewers their palatial NYC
apartment and spoke lovingly of Donald and his virtues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i>
is interviewed, he comes across with the vulgar attitude that gives rise to
Weigel’s article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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If he does not win the presidency, where most candidates
find value in getting their ideas out for discussion and changing the political
landscape by their campaigning, Trump said he would consider the whole campaign
to be a “waste.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peculiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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It would be helpful if we all could know the man better
before we make our choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he
learned the virtue of authentic humility (not to be confused with being a wimp)
he would be a better man and candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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An aside, now, regarding Megan Kelly’s show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Trump, she went on to interview a
trans-sexual human being, who spoke of finding “my truth” and “living my
dreams.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Herein is encapsulated the
“Dictatorship of Relativism” which Benedict XVI famously defined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When an individual limits their life
experience to having it their way, they are trapped in the confines of their
own limitations and are not free to see all that the Lord has in store for
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In interviewing Trump, Kelly made the statement “You’re
Jewish; I’m Catholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both understand
guilt.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trump was reluctant to open up –
as I observed anyway – or to speak of hurts, wounds or regrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Catholic guilt” is an unfortunate
stereotype.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guilt, in a healthy sense of
remorse and contrition, leads to confession and reconciliation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Unfortunately, the culture around us mocks “guilt” and
prefers a mentality of radical individualism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The truth is: it’s far healthier for individuals and society to acknowledge
sin, seek reconciliation and live, not for themselves, but for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relativism is the crux of our societal
struggles and God’s law is the medicine of their healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Our great country needs a leader who will stem the tide of
socialism and the dismantling of the Constitution begun in the last eight years
through policies that weaken American stability, all the while promoting human
flourishing, encouraging prosperity and safeguarding security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no perfect statesman, or as we say
today, politician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some who
can do far better than what we have experienced recently and others who have
openly committed to building on a foundation of sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also need Jesus Christ in order to be
converted to a deeper sense of virtue, other-centeredness and respect for the
dignity of the human person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With God,
all things are possible – even the conversion of a demagogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, pray early and often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-10559362792537319202016-06-03T14:16:00.001-04:002016-06-03T15:10:17.240-04:00Deaconesses?Since the recent conversation between the Holy Father and the international gathering of religious superiors in Rome, the airwaves and cyberspace have been flooded with talk of "ordaining deaconesses." <br />
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<a href="http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/clearing-the-air-on-women-deacons/">http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/clearing-the-air-on-women-deacons/</a><br />
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This action, if it were possible, would be an entirely novel invention by egalitarian ideologues. Novelty is the enemy of the Church's Tradition, which is itself the path to eternal life. At some point, such types need to face the facts that contradict their agenda. To wit:<br />
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<br />
1. Romans 16 speaks of "our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the Church at Cenchrea." This in no way indicates an office of deaconess, much less a ceremony of ordination to such an office. The office of deacon was established after the word servant (diakonos) was being used in a general sense. We use words even today in both an official and general sense, e.g. "a police officer" vs. "policing the area." All it means is that she was a "servant of the church." The Lord welcomed women into his company and the Church has always depended on the varied service of holy women. Please read the article: "Women in the Life and
Teachings of Jesus" by James A. Borland. <br />
<br />
<br />
2. I Timothy 3: 12 ff refers to the qualifications of deacons and, in so doing, clearly identifies them as male (<em>andres/viri</em>). The specific role of <em>diakonos</em> deacon is an office for which women are not qualified according to the description given by Saint Paul in I Timothy 3. In the early Church, women had important roles of service - caring for the poor, assisting the elders, charitable works, helping with female catechumens - that were not in any way reserved to the ordained clergy. As adult baptism waned, so did "women deacons." (See <em>Catholic Encyclopedia</em> article on "Deaconesses") The Church's traditions have developed in a particular direction since then, under the guidance of the Spirit. <br />
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3. While women have been important leaders and contributors in the Church's history, they were never ordained. Even though the Apostolic Constitutions contain evidence of a Bartholomew writing to another bishop in order to give him instructions on how to bless women for service in the Church using a ceremony that contains elements akin to an ordination, this does not mean that it was in fact an ordination. Priests lay hands on people all the time and parishes hold commissioning ceremonies for liturgical minsters. These blessings do not make them ordained clergy. A "deaconess" (to use a fabricated transliteration) was a women of importance in her role of service to the Church but not an ordained clergy person. Mother Superiors in the Middle Ages carried croziers, during which time some theologians mistakenly included religious vows as an eighth sacrament. They wielded great power, as did Saint Joan of Arc, but this did not make them ordained. <br />
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4. The 2002 report of the International Theological Commission (one of the advisory bodies operated by the CDF) titled <em>From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles </em>and the Vatican document <em>Ordinatio Sacerdotalis </em>along with its accompanying <em>responsum ad dubitum </em>clarifies both the role of female servants in the early Church and the deposit of faith regarding ordination of men only to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Nothing new can be unearthed somewhere by a new commission. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_pro_05072004_diaconate_en.html">http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_pro_05072004_diaconate_en.html</a><br />
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<br />
<a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19940522_ordinatio-sacerdotalis.html">https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19940522_ordinatio-sacerdotalis.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19951028_dubium-ordinatio-sac_en.html">http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19951028_dubium-ordinatio-sac_en.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
5. Holy Orders is one unified sacrament with three degrees - deacon, priest, bishop - and the rules and rituals governing it should express that. <br />
<br />
<br />
6. Modern egalitarianism is not a good reason to make innovative theological decisions. It will be even more harmful to the Church than it is to the secular world. We need to accept how God made us and calls us differently, for ordained ministry is from Him, not from human invention. We need to follow the way of the Church and not the way of the world. <br />
<br />
<br />
Thus, if a new role for women is deemed to be essential to the life of the Church today, it would need to have a title that unambiguously distinguishes it from all that it is not: Holy Orders, vowed religious life, consecrated life, and consecrated virgins living in the world. <br />
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Better yet, let us do all that we need to do to promote vocations and thrive in like manner to those diocese whose seminaries are filled. Then the Church will grow as Christ intended and the priest shortage will not pressure us into ill-fated creativity. <a href="https://liturgyguy.com/2016/04/30/why-arent-other-dioceses-looking-to-lincoln/">https://liturgyguy.com/2016/04/30/why-arent-other-dioceses-looking-to-lincoln/</a><br />
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<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-13306131014038869472016-05-16T09:15:00.000-04:002016-05-19T12:04:36.616-04:00Christ ascends into Heaven and sends the promised gift of the Spirit<br />
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
On May 5<sup>th</sup>, the universal Church celebrated the
Solemnity of the Ascension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Out of obedience, many of us celebrated the Mass of the Ascension on the nearest Sunday. </span></div>
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I have become convinced, after much
reflection, that the Holy Days of Obligation are an indispensable opportunity for
the faithful to learn about and celebrate the faith beyond the Sunday
obligation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Days in the universal
Church calendar honor our Lord (Christmas, Ascension and Corpus Christi), the
Blessed Mother (Mother of God, Assumption and Immaculate Conception) and the
Saints (Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary and Patron of the Universal Church, and
All Saints).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is reasonable that
Corpus Christi be transferred to a Sunday since it is not tied to a specific
day and a Solemnity of the Lord can pre-empt a Sunday celebration in the table
of feasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, because of the
scriptural basis of the Ascension taking place 40 days after the Resurrection, transferring
“Ascension Thursday” to the following Sunday makes no sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The uniqueness of the Ascension demands a
unique celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accommodating
convenience is a poor reason for making decisions about Church practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A better reason is facilitating a deeper
relationship with Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking
time out of our routine to honor significant events and persons in the story of
salvation is absolutely worth our time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People today need more time with Jesus, not less; a more radical living
out of their faith instead of minimalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Furthermore, in a world where healthy masculinity and virtuous
fatherhood are lacking, we need to “Go to Joseph” for inspiration and
intercession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I am convinced
that the salvation of souls would be further enabled by a commitment on the
part of our Church hierarchy to celebrating more Holy Days of Obligation and
doing so with greater zeal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Asking the
baptized to commit to Mass on seven Holy Days throughout the year is not too
much to ask, considering all the activities for which families today manage to
find time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These seven holy days should
thus be celebrated as obligatory without exception: Immaculate Conception,
Christmas, Mother of God, Saint Joseph, Ascension, Assumption, All Saints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The circumstances under which one incurs the
penalty of mortal sin for missing Mass on these days could be modified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, work that is necessary to
support the family could be a legitimate excuse to miss Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bottom line is to undertake a campaign of
encouraging people to see the eternal spiritual benefit of celebrating these
feasts with the Church community.</div>
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We recall this moment in which Jesus returned to the Father’s
right hand because it signifies the end of His earthly ministry and opens the
way for the spark of the Spirit of the Lord to ignite the kindling which was
the early Church into flame – the fire prophesied by Joel, the fire Jesus came
to cast on the earth and longed to see burning, the fire which spreads its
light and warmth throughout the world as the Gospel is proclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus told the Apostles that He had to leave
them in order for the Spirit to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Church could not hope to flourish without the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, Jesus tells the Apostles to
stay put in Jerusalem, waiting and praying for the promise of the Father to
come upon them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the power of the
Spirit to encourage them, the Apostles would have the wisdom and courage, in
fact all the gifts of the Spirit, they need in order to be Jesus’ witnesses to
the ends of the earth.</div>
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Having ascended through the clouds, Jesus enters into the
heavenly sanctuary accompanied by the blare of trumpets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Each time we enter into the celebration of the Holy Mass, we are drawn up into the heavenly liturgy. We sing with the angels and join in their unceasing worship of God. </span>On Calvary, Jesus offered the one perfect
sacrifice for the salvation of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rising from the empty grave, He trampled the power of sin and
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The veil of the sanctuary was
torn in two when Jesus breathed His last, so there is no more daily sacrifices
in the temple at Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lamb is
the light of the heavenly Temple, the New Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spirit is the light of the earthly Jerusalem,
where the Apostles suddenly discover they are given the power to speak the one
faith in the language of all peoples. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Church, she who was born from the saving tide of blood and water flowing from the
side of Christ as He surrendered to death on the Cross, is christened at
Pentecost with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the epicenter of the Upper Room an explosion of grace occurs whose
shockwaves have been felt across the continents and down through the
centuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The moment of Pentecost – the driving wind and the tongues
of fire – is often conceptualized in a pious manner, especially in sacred
art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact is that the Apostles were
ordinary blue-collar men, who never expected to venture outside Galilee and
Judea before they met Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of a
sudden their best friend rises from the dead, they are compelled by their love
for Him to travel to the ends of the earth preaching the Gospel and they
discover they can speak languages they have never even heard before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the wind and fire of the Spirit shook
them to the core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostles’ Baptism
in the Spirit was as knock-your-socks-off powerful an experience then as it is
for those who are prayed over in a charismatic retreat today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than little flames on the heads of
iconic figures frozen in prayer, the Apostles were blown over by what they
felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story of Pentecost took place
because the Mary and the Eleven were obedient to Jesus and gathered for nine
days of intense prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus asks the
same of us: enter into frequent and sincere contemplative prayer, seeking to
experience a deeper indwelling of the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus desires to share an outpouring of the Spirit with every human
person, in order that we all can become His witnesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Saint Paul exhorts us in Romans and Galatians to live by the
Spirit and not by the flesh, to exemplify the virtues of the Spirit rather than
be held prisoner by the vices of the flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Often these war within us in spiritual battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am fond of this old Native American legend:</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i>An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A
fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.</i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i>“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One
is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity,
guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He
continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity,
humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and
faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person,
too.”</i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i>The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked
his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”</i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i>The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”</i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The world tells us to feed the flesh: to eat, drink, use,
abuse and indulge as much as we want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God tells us to nourish our spiritual life, through prayer, celebrating the
sacraments, practicing the virtues and studying the teachings of the
faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to choose every day,
sometimes hour by hour, to starve the flesh and feed the soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Spirit offers us His gifts: the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">knowledge</b> of the things of God, a deeper <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">understanding</b> that surpasses the world’s false values, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">wisdom</b> to perceive life through the
mind of Christ, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">counsel</b> to make
healthy choices and virtuous decisions, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">fortitude</b>
in the face of opposition to our faith, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reverence</b>
for all that is sacred and a healthy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">fear
of the Lord</b> that compels us to be totally devoted to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These gifts form us into disciples, even
saints – but only if we accept them and put them into action in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this Jesus ascended into Heaven and sent the
promised gift of the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same
precious gift awaits us, too, whenever we sincerely knock at the treasury of
grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Come, Holy Spirit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fill us with all the gifts of your love that we need to nourish our
spiritual life and be witnesses to Jesus in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-41603765862085596472016-05-07T10:36:00.003-04:002016-05-07T10:36:51.360-04:00In Christ we are free: the Apostle and a famous convert<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Saint
Paul on Freedom</span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Galatians 4</span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God’s Free Children
in Christ.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004001"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">1 I mean that as long as the heir is not of age,</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> he is no
different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004002"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2 but he is under the
supervision of guardians and administrators until the date set by his father. </span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004003"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3</span></a> In the same
way we also, when we were not of age, were enslaved to the elemental powers of
the world. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004004"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">4 But when
the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under
the law,</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004005"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">5
to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004006"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">6 As proof that you are
children,</span></a> God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying
out, “Abba, Father!” <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004007"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">7
So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir,
through God.</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do Not Throw This
Freedom Away<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004008"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">8</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves
to things that by nature are not gods; <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004009"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">9 but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God,
how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you
want to be slaves to them all over again?</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004010"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">10 You are observing days,</span></a> months,
seasons, and years. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004011"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">11
I am afraid on your account that perhaps I have labored for you in vain.</span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004020"></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: 56004020;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: 56004020;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">An Allegory on Christian Freedom</span></i></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004021"></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: 56004021;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">21 Tell me, you who want to be
under the law, do you not listen to the law? </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004022"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 56004022;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman
and the other by the freeborn woman.</span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004023"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 56004023;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>23 The son of the slave woman was born
naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise.</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004024"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">24
Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from
Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004025"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">25 Hagar represents
Sinai,</span></a> a mountain in Arabia; it corresponds to the present
Jerusalem, for she is in slavery along with her children. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004026"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">26 But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and
she is our mother.</span></a> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">27 For it
is written: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004027"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for more numerous are the children of the deserted one</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">than of her who has a husband.” </span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004028"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise.</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004029"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">29 But just as then the
child of the flesh persecuted the child of the spirit, it is the same now. </span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">30 But what does the scripture say? </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Drive out the slave woman and
her son!</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004030"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">For the son of the slave woman shall not share the inheritance with the
son”</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">of the freeborn. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56004031"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">31 Therefore, brothers,
we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman.</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Galatians
5</span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Importance of
Faith.</span></i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005001"></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: 56005001;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">1 For freedom</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Christ set
us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005002"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2 It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves
circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005003"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3 Once again I declare to
every man who has himself circumcised</span></a> that he is bound to observe
the entire law. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005004"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">4 You
are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have
fallen from grace. </span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005005"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">5</span></a> For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of
righteousness. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005006"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">6</span></a>
For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for
anything, but only faith working through love. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Freedom for
Service.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005013"></a></span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: 56005013;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">13 For you were called for
freedom, brothers.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/5#57005013-j"></a> But do not use
this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through
love. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005014"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">14 For the whole
law</span></a> is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">15 But if you go
on biting and devouring one another, beware that you are not consumed by one
another. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005016"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005015"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 56005016;">16</span></span> I say,
then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the
flesh. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005017"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">17 For the
flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these
are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005018"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">18 But if you are guided
by the Spirit, you are not under the law.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005019"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">19</span></a> Now the works of the flesh are
obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005020"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">20idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry,
jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,</span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005021"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> 21 occasions of envy,</span></a>
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that
those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005022"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005023"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005024"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">24 Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus]
have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005025"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">25 If we live in the
Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.</span></a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="56005026"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">26 Let us not be conceited, provoking one
another, envious of one another.</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In these splendid
words, Saint Paul teaches us that God the Father ransomed us from slavery to
sin by offering up His Son, who freely sacrificed His life in our place on the
Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, we possess the freedom
of God’s children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christian freedom is
not license to do whatever pleases our whims but liberty from sin to pursue
excellence and place ourselves at the service of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are free because of Jesus and our lives
are meant to be a freely offered sacrifice to Him and to others in His
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><strong>Malcolm Muggeridge </strong></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the conversion
story of the British journalist Malcom Muggeridge, recorded for history by the
man himself in the book titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Conversion:
The Spiritual Journey of a Twentieth-Century Pilgrim</i>, there are several instances
of the theme of freedom and its implications for Christian discipleship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us explore five.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<ol style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Through the story of an encounter with a
French woman whose German lover is captured and executed, leaving her a widow
before she could be a wife or mother, Malcolm teaches the lesson that
liberation comes through suffering and self-giving love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is shaved and marched through the streets
as a traitor in humiliating fashion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
even suspects her brother to be among the executioners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Malcom concludes from his meeting with her
that “What is remarkable is that her love for her lost lover, and joy in the
child she will bear him, swallows up her suffering and grief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is to say, she is Liberated….”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(p. 115)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For Jesus Christ, sin and death were swallowed up in love through the
suffering He embraced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story
portrays vividly for Malcolm what the Passion of Christ demonstrated, that “the
only way to be truly liberated is through suffering and the dynamic of love
rather than through exaltation and the dynamic of power.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think how liberating and fulfilling it
feels when we have reached outside of ourselves and done something good for
another instead of wallowing in the complaints we might have about our own
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us, accepting suffering as the
royal road of the Cross in our own lives and diving deeply into every
opportunity to love no matter the cost to ourselves means being truly free.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The words of Saint Augustine’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Confessions</i> – the Doctor’s own
conversion account – describe with “clarity and force” the battle with sinful
impulses and the struggle to seek fulfillment in God and not in
self-pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Self surmounting self”
is the phrase Augustine uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By not
thinking of our own Pelagian efforts to master our vices and attain perfection
– to surmount ourselves – Augustine says that the tumults of the flesh are
hushed and we can hear the Very Voice of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Freedom from sin requires admitting that sin exists in us and
surrendering ourselves and our sinfulness to the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot do it alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we fill our time, our thoughts, our whole day with the good things
of God, then His Very Voice crowds out the sirens which call us to false promises
of happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humility and surrender to
God allow us to experience freedom from sin and authentic blessedness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we are bound to God we are truly
free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Self-control and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kenosis</i> exemplify true freedom not
self-indulgence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of all the places where Malcom has seen the
face of Jesus – from country churches to city streets – the place where he
found himself “nearest to You, Jesus” was “in the land where for half a century
past the practice of the Christian religion has been ruthlessly suppressed…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How infinitely preferable it is to be
abhorred, rather than embraced, by those in authority.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In every age and on every inhabitable
continent, Christians have suffered for their faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, they are murdered in droves by Muslim
terrorists in the Middle East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, as
often as there is persecution, there are signs of joyful confidence – hymns of
praise erupting where one would expect shrill cries of agony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The youths in scripture endured the fiery
furnace for the sake of their faith and were met in their suffering by the Son
of Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a disciple has rejected the
need to please others or to be popular for the sake of remaining true to Christ
at all cost, then he is truly free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
oppression of unjust authority will have no power over him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His soul is in the hand of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In his encounter with Mother Theresa, Malcolm
discovers a remarkable woman of faith, who divests herself of all earthly
comforts – television, radio, newspapers, fancy clothes, money and the conveniences
of modern technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes her
letters in her own hand personally, refuses to hold fundraisers for the order
and travels in the most economical way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This radical version of living out the Gospel – her simplicity, humility
and austerity – leaves her totally free of all earthly cares to spend her time
worshipping God and serving the lowliest of His people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a contagious spirit as well – the wealthy
ladies of India join her in serving the poor, the convent is overwhelmed by girls
wanting to enter and Mother’s legacy has made hers a household name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mother Theresa” is the trademark for
Christian discipleship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made herself
free of all burdens in order to be the slave of the Body of Christ. </span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In reflecting on the concept of death and his
own impending passing from this world, Malcolm finds inspiration in the example
of the Lutheran theologian-pastor and courageous member of the opposition to
the Third Reich Dietrich Bonhoeffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
two Nazi guards approached to take Bonhoeffer to his execution, “with his face
shining in joyful expectation,” “For you it is an end, for me a beginning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, for the one who has embraced costly
discipleship in life and dies a disciple, “life is changed, not ended” (Preface
I of the Mass for the Dead, Roman Missal) and death has no power, no sting, no
victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are free to live life to its
fullest, using the good things God has made for us on earth for his glory and
our human flourishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Malcolm concludes
his chapter in death, the final one of the book, by committing to live just for
each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, having experienced the
merciful love of God, we are free to live and free from fear of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ is alive and He is among us always!</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With Malcom and
the Apostle to guide us, may we always seek to honor God in our lives and so be
free from selfishness, fear and sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
this purpose God has created and redeemed us. Whenever and wherever God is the first priority, then the Spirit is alive and freedom reigns. </span></div>
</li>
</ol>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-24636059198324996662016-05-02T14:14:00.002-04:002016-05-02T14:14:44.096-04:00Pope Saint Pius V
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This past Saturday was the feast of Pope Saint Pius
V. As a member of the Order of Preachers, he exemplified Dominican
life. He knew the power of prayer and experienced victory through
the Rosary and Mary's intercession at the Battle of Lepanto.
He shared the fruits of his contemplation in the administration of the
Church and in his role as teacher of the faith. </div>
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</div>
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Following the Council of Trent, Pius V undertook the
publication of the Roman Catechism, Missal and Brievary, and codified the
practices of the universal Church. This meant that various liturgical
rites celebrated in different countries and in religious orders (e.g. Sarum
Rite, Mozarabic Rite, Gallican Rite, Dominican Rite) were suppressed and the
Roman Liturgy was mandated universally. This change had the benefit of
preserving continuity in the Church but also eliminated much beauty and variety
in liturgical expression. The Mass established by Pius V remained
essentially unchanged until 1970 - 400 years. </div>
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</div>
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Interestingly enough, this past week we heard that Pope
Francis has extended an olive branch to the <em><span style="color: black;">Society
of Pius X</span></em> and that reconciliation is more possible than ever
before. The Society remains convinced of the authenticity of the
Tridentine Mass - the Mass of Trent and of Pius V - and believes strongly in
preserving the true faith against perceived innovations by the Second Vatican
Council. The conflict and division stem from the actions of Archbishop
Lefebvre, who ordained priests and bishops without permission a number of years
ago. There is another group, even more radically traditional, called the
Society of Saint Pius V. They have also performed their own ordinations
without permission and remain in schism. </div>
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</div>
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Regarding the Society of Saint Pius X, Pope Emeritus
Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication against their members and, in the <em><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">motu proprio
Summorum Pontificum, </span></em>opened the way for universal celebration of
the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. However, beyond liturgical
spirituality, theological questions remain, which need to be ironed out before
authentic reconciliation can take place. SSPX members are hesitant to
assent to all the teachings in the documents of Vatican II. In the
commentaries on the ongoing discussions, I have not so far seen mentioned the
importance of distinguishing between the teaching of the council and its
inconsistent and inauthentic implementation. To this day, fifty years
later, I hear people say that Vatican II eliminated or mandated things when
these claims find no basis in the 16 documents. If the council is
understood in the context of a "hermeneutic of continuity," as
Benedict XVI so remarkable taught us, there is necessarily less about which
anyone needs to be concerned. It appears, however, that there is an
openness in the Vatican to "lowering the bar" concerning that which
needs to be assented to in order to be reconciled to Christ and the
Church. That would be a mistake. "Getting along" at the
expense of vigorous orthodoxy is not authentic unity. </div>
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</div>
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This feast day of a great pope gives us an opportunity to
reflect on the significance of consistency and continuity in the life of the
Church. May we always listen to the voice of Christ in prayer and defend
what He has revealed to us. </div>
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</div>
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For Pius V, the Holy Rosary was a powerful weapon against
evil. Along with his living example of praying the Rosary as the
Christian army battled the Turks at Lepanto, he codified the original 15
mysteries we know today. Before he was able to do so, a rich tradition of
prayer had developed. </div>
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</div>
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There are three stages of development to the history of
the Rosary. The first consists of two separate tracks, developing
simultaneously. On the one hand, the prayers of the Rosary are compiled
and, on the other hand, the use of beads to count prayers is invented. </div>
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</div>
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1. The Hail Mary</div>
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By the 7th Century, prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary is
common practice all over the world. </div>
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By 1050, the "Hail Mary" has been compiled from
the words of Mary and Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, with the
addition of the petition "Holy Mary, pray for us..."</div>
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In the 1100s, there is evidence of people praying the
Hail Mary 50x per day in 5 sets of 10 or 150x per day, as a means for the
illiterate to pray alongside the monks, who chanted the 150 psalms from the
Bible. </div>
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Saint Louis (1214-1270) prayed the Hail Mary 50x per day
with a genuflection at each one.</div>
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Others prayed it 150x per day, 100 with a genuflection
and 50 with a full prostration. </div>
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</div>
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2. Beads</div>
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The use of beads to count prayers transcends the
Rosary. </div>
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A regular discipline of prayer throughout the day existed
in the Christian life from the time of the Apostles and people used beads to
help the count their prayers in order to maintain a consistent rule of
prayer. </div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In the East, the Jesus Prayer (Jesus, Son of the Living
God, have mercy on me a sinner.) was prayed using the 33 or 100 "chotky
beads" as early as the late 3rd Century. </div>
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In 1075 there is a record of Lady Godiva threading stones
on a cord to count her prayers. </div>
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These two tracks, the writing of prayers and the use of
beads, which spring organically from the human desire to praise God and seek
His help, blend together as the Rosary becomes a regular part of the Church's
prayer. </div>
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</div>
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The second stage of development is initiated by
Heaven. In 1208, Saint Dominic receives a vision of Mary, who presents to
Dominic the Rosary and promises him it will be a powerful weapon of
prayer. </div>
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<a href="http://www.catholic-pages.com/prayers/rosary_dominic.asp"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.catholic-pages.com/prayers/rosary_dominic.asp</span></a></div>
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Heaven itself confirms the Church's writing of the Hail
Mary and the use of beads to count prayers in a numbered pattern. From
then on, devotion to the rosary flourishes. </div>
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In 1514, Gaspar Loarte wrote the first instruction for
Catholics on how to pray the Rosary. </div>
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</div>
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The third stage brings us back to Pius V, who established
the mysteries and made the Rosary as we know it today popular throughout the
whole Church. The mysteries make the Rosary a "Compendium of the
Gospel," in the words of Pope Saint John Paul II, because they focus our
attention on the principal events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. The
word "Rosary" itself is coined by 1597. The essence of the
devotion is established. </div>
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</div>
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As time has passed, additions are made which expand the
richness of this great prayer.</div>
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The Fatima Prayer is added in 1917 at the request of Mary
herself.</div>
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Pope Saint John Paul II adds the Luminous Mysteries in
order to include the stories between Jesus' adolescence and Passion.</div>
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</div>
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All of this came to pass because Pius V saw the
importance of promoting the growth of the Rosary, which itself began in the
hearts of the faithful and was confirmed by Heaven in the vision of Mary to
Saint Dominic. </div>
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</div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-33682769708796533052016-04-26T13:26:00.000-04:002016-04-26T13:26:00.935-04:00Where has all the common sense gone?One of the highlights of the recent synod on the family is the valuable lesson that both the doctrine and the human person before us deserve our reverence and respect. The synod fathers call for a balance to be struck between mercy and fidelity to the truth of the Gospel. Whenever mercy and truth are separated, one can be sure that Christianity has been abandoned. <br />
<br />It is possible to maintain a balance between remaining in the truth of Christ and sharing that truth in a manner that is loving, understanding and welcoming. <br />
<br />It is absolutely possible – and essential for the salvation of souls – that human persons in irregular situations be welcomed and respected, all the while being challenged to avoid sin and seek greater holiness. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well; neither did He approve of her attempted marriages. <br /><br />It is possible to maintain a balance between integration and avoiding scandal. We can, with the inspiration of the Spirit, welcome people in irregular situations into the parish community, all the while not being unfair to those families who are blessed to be able to maintain the Church’s discipline. If we cross the Church’s boundaries in making provision for those in unusual life situations to feel included in parish life, we risk scandalizing the faithful. I<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">f <em>public</em> scandal has occurred, the truth must be spoken in love.</span> As we include and integrate, we need to be careful not to push away faithful Catholics. Cardinal Dolan warns us this phenomenon is already happening: “Can I suggest as well that there is now a new minority in the world and even in the Church?” Cardinal Dolan asked. “I am thinking of those who, relying on God’s grace and mercy, strive for virtue and fidelity.” (Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Faithful Catholics are ‘new minority’ who often feel ‘excluded,’ even in the Church. October 14, 2015, <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/">www.lifesitenews.com</a>.)<br />
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Each person is unique and so is each family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore the pastoral challenge is
ever-evolving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What matters most is that
priests and laity alike have a sincere desire to forge the proper balance
between mercy and truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does no good
to teach with authority and not also with love, or to speak falsely out of fear
of offending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br /><br />
Because I recognize the value of balance in the life of the Church, I was disheartened by a homily given by a priest where I was attending Mass several weeks ago. He began with a lengthy - a solid five minutes, which is long for a homily that should be no more than 15 minutes in order to be balanced with respect to time and integrated within the entire liturgy - description taken from a piece of 19th Century literature, the name of which eludes me and is not important for this exercise, of the agony of Hell. I, a priest, was unsettled and squirmed in my seat as I imagined the rolling eyes of adults and blank stares of teenagers in the pews. I wondered to myself: "Why would you lay on the faithful a frightening description of Hell as the introduction to an Easter Season homily?" <br />
<br /><br />
Specifically, it was Divine Mercy Sunday, in the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The next stage of the homily's descent was to assert, fairly explicitly that the purpose of the Year of Mercy was to set aside all talk of the pain of Hell in favor of a merciful description of God. That's when it hit me: not only did the good Father bore us with a depiction of hell in language far more "antiquated" than one could claim the 2010 Roman Missal translation is, but he did so in order to set up a straw man which he later immolated on the altar of political correctness. Classic silliness: mercy means there is no Hell! <br />
<br /><br />
As if it could not get worse, he ended the homily with a Hopkins poem - one which, without the text before my eyes to read, even I could not comprehend. <br />
<br /><br />
I had forgotten until that moment how much lack of balance and lack of sensitivity can really shake the soul. The Catholic approach is "both...and" - both justice and mercy, love and truth, welcoming and defense of the faith, sacred beauty and active participation, eloquence and relevance. So, pray and then be reasonable! Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-77068357185102840922016-04-23T10:42:00.002-04:002016-04-23T11:48:06.899-04:00We are nourished by the Lamb who has become our ShepherdIn the past two weeks, at Sunday and weekday Mass, we have heard from the Gospel of John. In particular, the Scriptures chosen by the Church have focused on the themes of the Eucharist (John 6) and the Good Shepherd (John 10). Each of these chapters is a discourse on its respective theme, which is divisible into three parts. <br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Bread of Life discourse is John 6: 22-71. In the first part, verses 22-40, the people ask Jesus for a sign: "What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in he desert..." They are challenging Him to show them a miracle to prove He is the Messiah. If He is the Messiah, they reason, He will be able to do remarkable things as Moses did for their ancestors in the past. Jesus ups the ante and tells them that it was Himself, as God, who fed them then and who will feed them now with the Bread of Life. They beg Him, "give us this bread always." He clarifies that HE is the Bread of Life. This brings about the first objection. The crowd murmurs because they insist that they know Jesus as the kid from Nazareth. They scoff at the notion that He is from Heaven. <br />
<br /><br />
Next, in verses 43b-52, Jesus goes deeper into His teaching and reveals that the Bread of Life is not just "Him" in a generic sense but His flesh and blood. In Greek, He is telling them they need to <em>munch or gnaw</em> on Him, to consume Him in order to have life. This ignites the second objection. The crowd is disgusted by the notion of eating the flesh and blood of Jesus and they question "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" They still think Jesus is only a man. <br />
<br /><br />
In the third part, verses 53-66, Jesus does not back down in the face of opposition but reiterates that the one who eats His flesh and drinks His blood has eternal life. Notice the location of this discourse in verse 59: "These things He said while teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum." Jesus is teaching in a place of honor in the synagogue - with the backdrop of the scroll of the Torah, in the role of authority of the Rabbis, on the foundation of the law and the prophets. In this sacred place the Word of God is heard. The Word Incarnate speaks the truth that comes from the Father. To the Jews, His words were a line in the sand: believe or turn your back on eternal life! This sparks the third objection. The crowd has heard, they have listened, and they have determined that Jesus' saying is too hard for them. They walk away and return to their former way of life. Jesus' further clarifications fall on deaf ears. They turn their backs on God's Word. Finally, in conclusion, Jesus elicits a promise if fidelity from the remaining few disciples, the Twelve. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." <br />
<br /><br />
When God's Word to us is challenging for us, it is easy to come up with objections: we know better, we are disgusted to be asked to do something beyond our comfort zones, we find Jesus' teachings too hard to accept. Perhaps we even know well one aspect of Church teaching and are closed to learning more or to having a deeper relationship with Jesus. May we have the courage to go deeper and overcome ourselves in order to follow Jesus. <br />
<br /><br />
In John Chapter 10: 1-39, Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd. Again, there are three sections to His teaching. The Church places these readings on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, years A, B, C. They also appear on weekdays during the Fourth Week of Easter. <br />
<br /><br />
Verses 1-10 speak of the gate of the sheepfold. In the ancient world, shepherds would entrust their sheep to a common corral under the watch of a gatekeeper so they could sleep at night. In the morning, each shepherd would call our his won sheep, who would hear his voice and follow him. The people of Jesus' time would have had this scene clearly in their minds when He used this parable. Yet, they are still slow to believe that Jesus is the gate through which His flock enter into eternal life and the shepherd who leads them there. False prophets are robbers who steal the sheep away from the Lord.<br />
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Next, in verses 11-21, Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. In contrast to the cowardly hired man, the Good Shepherd is responsible for the fold and sacrifices out of love for them. This deeper teaching of Jesus again ignites division among the crowds. some say He is possessed; other wonder how He could be because He has done great miracles. <br />
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Thirdly, in verses 22-30, Jesus explains that the flock of which He is the shepherd belongs ultimately to the Father and has been given to Jesus by the Father. In saying that He and the Father are one, Jesus identifies Himself as consubstantial with God. This the Jews interpret as blasphemy and they try to stone Jesus, who escapes from their power. Once again, we see Jesus going deeper and deeper in His teaching - not backing down in the face of opposition - and the crowds reacting ever more violently. Jesus is rejected for doing good and speaking the truth. <br />
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Notice that in all three Good Shepherd passages speak of the shepherd's VOICE. There are many voices clamoring for out attention today - Trump, Cruz, Sanders, Clinton, CNN, FOX News, militant atheism, the gay "marriage" lobby, Planned Parenthood and more. Some voices want us to reject Jesus and throw stones at the Church's Tradition. In order to live a virtuous life, we must first quiet ourselves and shut out the noise, in order that we might hear the Shepherd's voice. A faithful sheep ignores every voice but that of his own shepherd, Christ Jesus, who died for us lowly sheep. We have a High Priest who was tempted in every way, yet without sin, and thus sympathizes with our weaknesses, as the Letter to the Hebrews tells us. We have a Good Shepherd, who was first a Lamb, the sacrificial Lamb of God, who was immolated for our salvation. In His voice we will hear only love, only mercy, only truth. He will never lie to us. He will never abandon us. <br />
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May we remain always fiercely loyal to the voice of our Shepherd, who nourishes us with Himself. Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-1058289433326634692016-04-22T13:25:00.000-04:002016-04-22T14:26:04.644-04:00Dangerous collaboration<br /><br />
Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services are teaming up with the federal government of the United States to assist in resettling refugees from various foreign countries, including Syria. Ohio is one of the resettlement locations. Ohio Catholic dioceses and Catholic Charities agencies have issued guidelines for preparing the "heart of it all" to welcome the refugees. This is happening against the backdrop of terrorist attacks linked to members of the Islamic State in Europe and despite the warnings from the FBI that refugees cannot be adequately vetted. The stream of refugees provides a cover for transient terrorists, as we have already seen in Paris and Texas. Of course, not every refugee is a terrorist. Yet, just one can kill thousands. No American should be so quick to ignore the obvious threats to our national security and irresponsibly welcome refugees, anymore than we would welcome rank strangers into our home and among our children. The reality of today's world demands a more careful response. When (not if) a terrorist posing as an un-vettable refugee destroys life and property on American soil, the blood of the innocent will be on the hands of everyone remotely and materially cooperating in this harebrained scheme. <br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/13307.2.0.0/world/terrorism/how-many-syrian-refugees-are-terrorists">https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/13307.2.0.0/world/terrorism/how-many-syrian-refugees-are-terrorists</a><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.numbersusa.com/news/fbi-says-there-no-way-vet-incoming-syrian-refugees">https://www.numbersusa.com/news/fbi-says-there-no-way-vet-incoming-syrian-refugees</a><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2015/11/15/two-syrian-refugees-among-seven-terrorists-in-paris-attacks/">http://nypost.com/2015/11/15/two-syrian-refugees-among-seven-terrorists-in-paris-attacks/</a><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://freebeacon.com/national-security/disclosure-another-41-foreign-born-individuals-snagged-on-terror-charges/">http://freebeacon.com/national-security/disclosure-another-41-foreign-born-individuals-snagged-on-terror-charges/</a>Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-20224358116861047562016-04-03T15:32:00.001-04:002016-04-03T15:32:30.462-04:00Rich in Mercy<p dir="ltr">All of you who stand fast in the Lord are a holy seed, a new colony of bees, the very flower of our ministry and fruit of our toil, my joy and my crown.<br>
St Augustine</p>
<p dir="ltr">From today's office of readings.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It is a joy for every pastor of souls to see those entrusted to his care buzzing like a new colony of bees - active in faith and works of mercy. It makes us smile to see the people ignited by the breath of the Spirit through our preaching and celebration of the sacraments and making the faith and parish life their own. How important it is for priests and laity to learn mutual respect - both admiration for another's talent and deference to the grace and office of ordination. The Queen of every parish is Our Lady and Christ is king. Thus there is no room for queen bee personalities or wannabe kings in the ministry of a parish. With deference to Christ we work together not as enemies so His mercy can be clearly visible. </p>
<p dir="ltr">There are three things the Church prays that we will grasp a hold of in our hearts and intellectually understand today...the font, the Spirit, the Blood. All of these belong to Jesus and are instruments of His mercy. The font cleanses. The Spirit of the Father and the Son possesses all power to heal body and soul. The Blood of Jesus flowed from His horribly painful wounds, cascading onto the ground, becoming an ocean of mercy into which we insert ourselves as taps into a rich a fragrant tree. Those wounds, still visible in the Risen Christ, endure as reminders that our redemption came at a great price. From the wounds in His broken Body came the redeeming Blood we consume in Holy Mass and the water which gives life to every font as Jesus breathed forth the Spirit for the last time on earth. The Spirit the Blood the water of the font-these three are Christ's and they testify that He is Lord. He is the first font of new life. He has power to heal all wounds and forgive all sins. Enter His wounds by embracing your own woundedness and meditating on what He endured for you. From His wounds into ours flows the ocean of mercy.</p>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-882709367197732572016-03-28T14:43:00.003-04:002016-03-28T14:43:46.220-04:00The Resurrection assures us that Christ conquers all evil – Easter 2016
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Christ is risen!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Indeed He is risen!<br />
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In the Maronite Rite, there is a beautiful prayer which the
priest says as he leaves the altar at the end of the liturgy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the “Farewell to the Altar” and it
highlights the significance of the Eucharist we celebrate as well as the sense
of sorrow and longing we would feel should we be forced to live without
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Remain in peace, O holy altar of God.</div>
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May the offering that I have received from you forgive my
sins </div>
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and prepare me to stand blameless before the throne of
Christ </div>
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I do not know if I will be able return and offer another
sacrifice upon you. </div>
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Protect me, O Lord, and preserve your holy Church as the way
to truth and salvation. </div>
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Amen.</div>
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This same sentiment gives rise to the old adage in the Roman
Rite:</div>
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O priest of God, say this Mass as if it were your first,
your last, your only Mass.</div>
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The Mass and the gift of the Eucharist is a treasure we as
Catholics hold so very dear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we were robbed
of it we would feel the pain of spiritual malnourishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not a sentiment only for
priests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Catholic is given the
opportunity to share in intimate union with Jesus in the Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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This is the feeling that overwhelms the hearts of persecuted
Christians throughout the world today – in Africa, Asia, the Middle East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do not know if they will be able to
offer another Sacrifice of the Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They might be murdered before they can return to church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> What we take for granted, or even skip sometimes when we would rather sleep or golf, is for many Christians a privilege so precious that they risk life and limb for it. </span></div>
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This is the feeling of priests who are not free to pray the
Mass, priests who are imprisoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
the experience of priests like Fr. Tom, the priest captured by ISIS in Yemen several
days ago when the four nuns were killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allegedly, he is to be crucified by ISIS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knows not whether he will ever return to
the altar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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This was the experience of priests and Catholics in the concentration
camps of the Third Reich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They smuggled
in the necessary elements, not only for Mass, but for priestly ordinations, for
these sacraments were so important to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They risked torture and death in order to remain faithful to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They knew not if they would ever return to an
altar to offer Mass in public again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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When we bid farewell to the altar at the end of Mass, we
need to be keenly aware of the gift we have received and, therefore, filled
with gratitude and expectation until we meet the Lord again in the
Eucharist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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For those persecuted Christians throughout the world, each
farewell to the altar is not a casual event like it is for us as we depart to
go back to our comparatively comfortable homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For persecuted Christians, bidding farewell to the altar involves a
twinge of sadness, knowing that death may come before the next opportunity to receive
the Lord. </div>
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Persecution, also called genocide, is a reality for
Christians in many places today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
something mysterious that encourages Christians throughout the world and down
through the centuries to persevere in their faith and remain loyal to Christ no
matter the odds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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This “mysterious something” is the Risen Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We Catholic Christians have faith, not in a philosophy
or ideology or text but in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">person</i>,
Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Risen Jesus walks with us and sustains us even in the most
frightening times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is light when we
are in darkness, peace when we are afraid, hope when we are gasping for
breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We know we need Jesus so badly and we cannot live without Him. </span></div>
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Christians everywhere draw strength from the love of the Risen
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever trials or obstacles we
face, the knowledge that Jesus Christ rose triumphant over the grave bolsters
our faith so that nothing this world or the evil one throw at us will
ultimately bring us down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if we
were tortured for our faith and robbed of the blessed opportunity to consume
the Eucharist at the altar, we know He is real, He is alive and He loves us!</div>
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Saint Paul tells us that our faith would be in vain had
Jesus not risen from the grave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God did
all He could do to achieve our salvation by giving His Son, who died on the
Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Cross won the victory over
sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, if there were no
Resurrection, Calvary would just be another man’s tragic death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death would be the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Resurrection confirms that all that Jesus
did on the Cross, all that He accepted and endured – the thorns, the whip, the
nails, the bleeding and suffocation – was not in vain and was not just the sad
death of a pathetic criminal among so many crucified in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Resurrection
affirms that Jesus is alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is God,
who alone can conquer death and, therefore, His death means everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His Passion is the self-sacrifice of the Son
of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His death means victory over all
evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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If Jesus has power over the grave, He has power over
everything else – our sins, addictions, tragedies, sufferings, persecutions and
trials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the Eucharist, that
power is poured into us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we worthily consume
the Lord, we are filled with His grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All the things over which we feel powerless, we give to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus can destroy them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The Cross in ancient times would have been a ridiculous
choice for a religious symbol, as if someone today took the image of a noose or
an electric chair and held it high as a sign of victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people of ancient Rome worshiped Caesar,
crying out as they greeted each other on the streets “Caesar is lord!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross was Caesar’s horrific instrument of
torture and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saint Paul turns the
ancient routine on its head when he declares “Jesus is Lord!” and we glory in
His Cross, for it is the instrument of our salvation!</div>
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By dying Christ has trampled death and by rising has restored
life to all who grasp His hand as He reaches out to lift us up to new and
abundant life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exsultet</i>, sung
at the Easter Vigil, declares that “this day sets Christians apart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Resurrection indeed sets us apart, not
just because we believe in Jesus but because of what He did for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Christ’s flock, we have been restored to
life by the Paschal Mystery of the Lord and are truly set apart from the world
by Baptism – set apart to have deep faith in Jesus and remain close to Him, set
apart to celebrate that faith in daily prayer and the sacraments, set apart to teach
that faith to every person who has ears to hear us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Christ is risen and with Him rises all our hopes and the
promise of everlasting life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is
alive and well in our midst and we shall not be overcome by this world’s
evils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus gives is a love, a peace, a
comfort, a strength which only He can give – a love which the world cannot
never take away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is risen!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-34466235378531832612016-03-25T00:57:00.001-04:002016-03-25T10:32:38.526-04:00Holy Thursday: Christ, not CorrectnessWith the decree <em>In Missa in Cena Domini, </em>Pope Francis modified the rubrics regarding the ritual of the washing of feet on Holy Thursday, a ritual which may take place within the Mass of the Lord's Supper. The decree of the Holy Father extends the participation in the rite beyond the previously mandated "twelve men" (viri) to include a representation of the whole People of God: ordained, consecrated, lay, elderly and young people, healthy and sick persons, men and women. His intention is to allow the rite to demonstrate the role of humble service shown by Jesus to the Apostles and taken up by His priests for the well-being and salvation of all people. The priest is responsible on judgment day not only for his own soul but will answer for what he did to save those entrusted to his care. Priesthood is a life lived for others - all others without prejudice. <br />
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While this change might be conceived as a welcome inclusion and deeper symbolism, there is a wider context and deeper implication to be considered. It is important to take note that Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments - the dicastery responsible for issuing the decree - clarified on February 26th that each pastor "has to decide in accord with his own conscience, and according to the purpose for which the Lord instituted this feast." Cardinal Sarah's remarks further clarify the discrepancy between the original decree and the explanatory document issued by Archbishop Roche, secretary of the same congregation. The decree allows for the possibility of washing the feet of a variety of persons, whereas the explanatory document makes it appear obligatory ("pastors may" vs. "it is for pastors to choose"). Selecting a group of "washees" that represents each part of the People of God is an option for pastors, as, in fact, is the entire foot washing ritual itself. Permission is not obligation. <br />
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As each pastor makes his choice, he is informed by conscience and by history, says the Cardinal. What is the "purpose for which the Lord instituted the feast"? Holy Thursday is the birth-day of the Priesthood, which precedes the birth of the Church from the side of Christ as He hung upon the Cross and the evangelizing mission of the Church sparked by the flame of the Spirit at Pentecost. The ritual of feet-washing, along with the consecration of the Eucharist, is a priestly ritual. Jesus commands His Apostles - the first bishops/priests - to memorialize Him in two important ways: by calling down the Spirit to make Him present through the words of consecration under the species of bread and wine ("Do this in memory of me.") and to humble themselves to serve His flock, entrusted to their care, in the person of the Good Shepherd ("As I have done for you, so you ought to do."). Through the priesthood of the ordained, the perpetual institution of the Passover is celebrated in the Sacrifice of the Mass and the living image of the Good Shepherd is alive in our midst. <br />
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Each pastor should feel totally free and open to choose twelve men or a more outwardly representative group of persons for the feet washing. However, in his reflection deep within his heart, he must keep in mind the priestly character of the day, the event and its individual elements. Holy Thursday celebrated the institution of the Eucharist and of the Priesthood. The rituals of the Mass for that day are fundamentally priestly actions. This is why the washing of feet - as with the confecting of the Eucharist - is reserved to the clergy. As we see the priest washing the feet of parishioners, we see both a historical symbol of what Jesus actually did and a spiritual symbol of what Jesus and all His priests do for the Church. In the priest we are meant to see the Lord serving His Bride, the Church. <br />
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In conscience, each priest may have his own reasons for the decision he makes regarding this ritual, which might be valid if they are in accord with our Catholic tradition. It could be argued, for example, that choosing twelve men maintains a clear representation of the precise historical action of Jesus and also manifests the humble service of the priest - who ministers <em>in persona Christi capitis </em>(Christ the head)<em> </em>of the Mystical Body, the Church, and father to his parish flock - toward the men of the parish, who are the heads of their families, the domestic churches. The men, in turn, are called to "wash the feet" of their brides as Jesus cleanses His Bride the Church by His saving Passion. <br />
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Some have argued that the Last Supper prototype restricts the meaning and obligation of foot washing to the fraternity of the priesthood. Jesus commanded that the Apostles do what He had done "for one another" not for others outside the Twelve. Christianity demands that every believer serve all other human persons. Priestly fraternity demands that every priest serve his brothers. Yet, the implication of the Last Supper washing of feet is that the priest, representing Jesus, will stoop to do even the most undesirable tasks for his flock, even to the point of smelling like the feet of sheep. In conscience, a pastor may legitimately choose to maintain the previous discipline of washing the feet of men to emphasize the role of men as fathers of the domestic church and maintain the historical example of Jesus washing the feet of the male apostles. <br />
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The recent papal decree provides a context for discussing a broader pair of inter-related issues, namely, the granting of permission following the violation of existing law, which gives the appearance of a concession to heteropraxis, and the interpretation of permissions as obligations. <br />
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There are three notable examples of this trend in recent history. <br />
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1. The 1964 Vatican document <em>Inter Oecumenici </em>directed that church buildings should be constructed with the altar away from the wall in order to accommodate Mass celebrated facing the people. No change in orientation was required. Mass facing the people was documented a decade before it was permitted. This one sentence in one document was used as justification not only for a universal change in the direction of the liturgy but the destruction of countless pieces of irreplaceable sacred art. The result: Catholics today in large measure do not know Whom and for what purpose they worship. <br />
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2. Permission was given for lay "Eucharistic Ministers" to distribute the Sacred Host and Precious Blood in the absence of a sufficient number of priests. An further indult was granted (and, thankfully, later rescinded - not that anyone noticed) in the USA permitting EMHCs to purify the sacred vessels, well after it was already being done in many parishes. The permission given for lay distributers in cases of true necessity was turned into an obligation by those who believed that the Priesthood of the Baptized was most fully exercised by the laity filling multifarious roles in the sanctuary rather than evangelizing the marketplace. So much so that, in some parishes, 12 ministers distribute Holy Communion to 500 blank stares in under 5 minutes. The result: Catholics in large measure do not know the difference between the Bread of Life and Panera.<br />
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3. Permission was given by the Vatican several years ago for females to serve Mass, long after "altar girls" were common in many parishes. The permission was again interpreted by the inclusion-oriented to be an obligation. Altar girls further evolved into the scenario of a middle-aged woman flaunting inappropriate attire and presenting the Missal, which is resting on her bosom, to the priest inches from his face as he stands at the chair. Of course, all the young people and some of the adults have the very best intentions. But not everyone does. When such decisions are made without careful consideration, to door is opened to a variety of problems. The result: Catholic young men have no training ground in which to observe the priest and listen for the possible call to priesthood, without the distractions we all know young women provide. <br />
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What do these three have in common? We have them - Mass facing the people, altar girls, proliferation of lay distributers - not because they are fabulous ideas and essential elements of Catholicism but because someone believed we need to be more inclusive. No one is more inclusive than Jesus Christ, who DIED for ALL. Fidelity to all that fosters the deepest faith in Him need not be construed as exclusion of others. <br />
Our service of God needs to be thoughtful. We do things in the Church for the right theological and spiritual reasons, not because people think we need to adapt to the world's standards. Reverence, sanctity, deeper knowledge of Jesus - these are the reasons for what we do. Liturgical discipline is to be informed by theology, otherwise improper discipline itself fosters bad theology. <em>Lex credendi, lex orandi</em>. Adoring the Almighty together, fostering vocations to the priesthood and guarding against abuse of the Holy Eucharist are priorities for priests and lay persons which help to form men and women into saints through an experience the richness of the Church's authentic tradition. <br />
How can the washing of the feet, and all other rituals of the Church, foster the same growth in holiness? This is the question this discussion brings to the fore. <br />
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More information:<br />
<a href="http://aleteia.org/2016/03/15/cardinal-sarah-catholic-priests-dont-have-to-wash-womens-feet-on-holy-thursday/">http://aleteia.org/2016/03/15/cardinal-sarah-catholic-priests-dont-have-to-wash-womens-feet-on-holy-thursday/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jacksongalloway.com/news/2016/3/17/ad-orientem">http://www.jacksongalloway.com/news/2016/3/17/ad-orientem</a><br />
<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-29049487885256616262016-03-21T21:05:00.002-04:002016-03-21T21:05:13.849-04:00Preparing to Commune with Jesus Christ
Other Christian rites have lengthy prayers immediately before Holy Communion, which center one's mind and heart on the sacred act about to take place, that is, our intimate union with the living person of Jesus Christ. Roman Catholics, generally speaking, have become far too lax in their preparation for and meditation on the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Reflection on the following two prayers from the Anglican and Byzantine traditions will assist in awakening a sense of the sacred in us and cultivate amazement at the reality of the Eucharist. <br />
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Jesus, the Son of God and Second Person of the Trinity, humbles Himself to enter into us under the form of bread and wine. His Body and Blood are adored and received by the faithful, who are transformed by grace into living images of Jesus. <br />
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Receiving Communion while in the state of mortal sin, without regular confession and firm purpose of amending one's sinful habits or actions contrary to the Church's teaching, without observing the fast (which includes chewing gum in the Communion line) - all these bring condemnation upon us for they mean we are receiving Christ unworthily. <br />
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May we prepare ourselves well before every Mass we attend so that we may confidently access the treasury of grace with humility, professing that Christ is Lord and He is truly present in the Eucharist out of love for us poor sinners. <br />
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These prayers can be memorized or written on a note card. Then, we can say them as we approach the altar to receive the Lord. Praying one of these prayers privately will enhance and deepen our communal recitation of the words "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. Only say the word and I shall be healed." We can then cultivate a serious devotion to the precise moment when we commune with the Lord in the Mass.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prayers of
Preparation before Holy Communion</span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prayer
of Humble Access – Anglican-Catholic Rite</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting
in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not
worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the
same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious
Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed
through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in Him, and He
in us. Amen.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Prayer before Communion –
Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the
Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is
truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and
forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known
and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure
Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">H</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">ow shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your
saints? If I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me,
since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by
the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts
be to my condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and
sanctification of soul and body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom.
It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation.
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Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not
reveal Your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give You a kiss as did
Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord, remember me in Your Kingdom. </span><br />
<br />Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543901.post-43522226429720655322016-03-21T10:28:00.001-04:002016-03-21T10:28:48.050-04:00Gratitude for Jesus Christ: Palm Sunday and Holy WeekAs we begin Holy Week, this special time in which we focus on the redemptive work of Jesus, within this Year of Mercy, we commemorate His triumphant entry into Jerusalem together with His Passion and death. Our meditation stirs in us a deep sense of gratitude. <br />
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Saint Paul tells us that our faith is in vain if Jesus has not risen from the dead. Indeed, the Resurrection is proof that Jesus is God and that He has power over death and the grave.<br />
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But first, and most significantly for all of us and for each of us, is the sacrifice of the Calvary. The love of Jesus is revealed in the most profound way as He offers Himself to the Father in our place on the altar of the Cross to take away our sins. At the realization that God emptied Himself to take on human flesh and further humbled Himself to death on a Cross, we are moved by the Spirit to express gratitude and praise. <br />
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The Lord of all creation is handed over to His creatures. The origin of all law is tortured by lawless men. The foundation of truth is sentenced to death because of a lie. All glory be to you, O incomprehensible and long-suffering Lord!<br />
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The crowds who welcome Jesus to Jerusalem with cries of "Hosanna!" are the same crowds who, days later, are stirred into frenzy by the jealousy of the Pharisees, demand the crucifixion of their Savior. Behold the contempt and ingratitude with which our Lord is treated. <br />
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Remember what Has done for us, for you. As He felt each thorn, each lash, each splinter, each nail, He had you in mind and He bled for you. May we always be on guard, lest we fall into ingratitude as the crowds did. We, who cry out "Hosanna!" before the Eucharistic Prayer at every Mass, can so easily forget and turn against Jesus when we sin. We are broken, wounded, weak human persons. <br />
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Today and throughout this Holy Week, we open our hearts and ask the Spirit to enter into us and fill us with gratitude and praise, with a sense mindfulness of all Jesus has done for us. He died that we might live. Because He died, life is with living!Father Matthew J. Albrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01168790338393704631noreply@blogger.com0