Reflections on the feast of St Therese of Liseaux

Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time     1 October 2013
St. Therese of Lisieux, Virgin & Doctor of the Church (1873-1897)

“And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He willed to created great souls comparable to Lilies and roses, but He has created smaller ones and these must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.” – Saint Therese of Lisieux[1]

This quote from Saint Therese of Lisieux’s autobiography, Story of a Soul, gives great comfort to struggling souls. When we look at the lives of so many saints, like Saint Maximilian Kolbe or Saint Ignatius of Antioch, we see such heroism that it is easy to be discouraged. Most of us will never suffer martyrdom, which usually strikes fear within our hearts. Yet, the “little flower” teaches us a different way, the “little way” of perfection which “consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.” The “little way” is one in which some are called to be great “Lilies and roses” while others are called to be simple “daisies or violets.” Saint Therese shows that sanctity is possible to achieve as long as we follow God’s will and simply be what “He wills us to be.” In this post the “little way” of Saint Therese will be examined and encouragement will be offered to the soul who thinks he cannot attain sanctity. In the end, Saint Therese will demonstrate to the pilgrim soul, that it does not take heroic deeds to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but that perfection lies in being simple and trusting in God’s mercy.
The Beauty of a Garden
First, some are called to be great saints, while others are called to be simple.  Saint Therese compares the variety of souls in the world to flowers in a garden. She relates how the different flowers within a garden all contribute to its beauty. Also, she states that, “if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with the little wild flowers.”[2] Consequently, God desires to see great beauty when He looks down upon earth—the beauty found in a variety of souls. This is consoling, for it means that God does not require all souls to be identical. Rather, God is generous to both the great saints and the little souls, to whom He “lower[s] Himself” and shows His “infinite grandeur.”[3] He is like a gardener who cares for each flower and is “occupied…with each soul as though there were no others like it.”[4]
Saint Therese further expands upon this idea when she is struggling over what God is calling her to be. Saint Therese relates how she felt the “vocation of the WARRIOR, THE PRIEST, THE APOSTLE, THE DOCTOR, THE MARTYR.”[5] Yet, while she felt all these desires, that was not what God wanted from her. Instead, God wished her to be perfect in “doing His will.” What that consisted of was not the grand heroic deeds of the great martyrs and doctors of the Church. What God truly wanted from this “little flower” was to be “LOVE.”[6] She understood that “LOVE COMPRISED ALL VOCATIONS, THAT LOVE WAS EVERYTHING. THAT IT EMRACED ALL TIMES AND PLACES…IN A WORD, THAT IT WAS ETERNAL!”[7] At last Saint Therese discovered her vocation and so she “found [her] place in the Church.”[8] This is a great consolation as it shows that all are not called to be warriors or martyrs. Instead, we must all discover what God is calling us to be, which could be something simple, like the vocation of a husband or a teacher.  What matters is not the apparent “greatness” of the vocation, but that we accomplish what God asks of us. For Therese, God had asked her to be “love” in the “heart of the Church” and she fulfilled that vocation from the solitude of a little monastery in France.[9]
Weak Instruments
Lastly, it is important to know that in the “little way” Saint Therese is honest about her weaknesses, which gives strength to the soul who thinks he cannot become a saint. Saint Therese recounts that she is “far from being a saint,” because often she will be found sleeping “during [her] hours of prayer and [her] thanksgivings after Holy Communion.”[10] Yet, even amidst her weaknesses, she is able to surrender herself to God and present to Him those very shortcomings. In doing so, Saint Therese recognizes that true sanctity does not involve being free from every fault, but humbly admitting that we are “too little to perform great actions” and abandoning ourselves to the Infinite Mercy of God, becoming a “little Victim worthy of [His] LOVE!”[11] Thereby, instead of attaining Heaven by our own strength, like St. Therese, we beg our Father, “the Adorable Eagle [to] come fetch me, Your little bird, and ascending with it to the Furnace of Love, You will plunge it for all eternity into the burning Abyss of this Love to which it has offered itself as victim.”[12]
A “Little Way” For All
To conclude, Saint Therese of Lisieux’s “little way” is a path to perfection attainable by all. Instead of relying upon our own strength to attain Heaven, we allow God to work within our souls. In place of a desire to be a great saint and being disappointed, Saint Therese teaches the pilgrim soul to simply be “what He wills us to be.” In addition, the pilgrim soul should realize that to accomplish the will of God, it means discovering our place in His garden, being content to be a daisy or violet at the feet of the Gardener. In the end, the “little way” offers great consolation to the pilgrim soul suffering in this place of exile and is a sure path to sanctity for anyone who wishes to be immersed into the unfathomable abyss of God’s infinite love.

(copied from the website http://intothewest.mymiddleearth.com/2013/06/20/perfection/)

First Reading from the prophecy of Zechariah. 8:20-23.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: There shall yet come peoples, the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another, and say, "Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD"; and, "I too will go to seek the LORD."
Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

Ps 87(86):1-3.4-5.6-7.

His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!

I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
"This man was born there."
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”

They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
"My home is within you."

Luke 9:51-56.

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and He sent messengers ahead of Him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?"
Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.


Commentary of the day :

I was asked the question the other day, “Why don’t you give it back to all the detractors who have condemned you or spoken harshly about you?”

I recall these words of St Luke’s Gospel where the apostles feel the rejection of the Samaritan villagers and James and John feeling for Jesus ask, “Do you want us to kill them all?”

James and John knew that they had power over them and could destroy them if they wanted to, but Jesus rebuked them. “That’s not the right approach” I can imagine Him saying.

Some of the people who have been vociferous in their condemnations have been people who in the past I have helped. I have held their hands and felt their pain. I know their pasts and realize that they are still hurting. By my turning away from ministry in some way they feel I have turned my back on them.

I know I could just publicise their pain and tell about their shame and they would be destroyed. I could call down fire from Heaven to consume them. But that’s not the right way to behave if you are sincerely a disciple of Jesus. Jesus taught His disciples, “turn the other cheek” and “give away all you have”. Its hard and at times I feel some people don’t deserve it, but I remind myself that Jesus said, “Give mercy because the amount you measure out will be the amount you get back in return”.

It’s a worthwhile motive.

 

Vatican Council II
Declaration on the relations of the Church with non-christian religions « Nostra Aetate », §2-3

"Jesus turned and rebuked them"

The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in non-christian religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14,6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself (2Cor 5,18f.). The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.

The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.

 

Mass Readings & reflection for 30th September

Monday, 30 September 2013

Monday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time

St. Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church (c. 340- c. 420) - Memorial
Most of the saints are remembered for some outstanding virtue or devotion which they practiced, but Jerome is frequently remembered for his bad temper! It is true that he had a very bad temper and could use a vitriolic pen, but his love for God and his Son Jesus Christ was extraordinarily intense; anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and truth, and St. Jerome went after him or her with his mighty and sometimes sarcastic pen.
He was above all a Scripture scholar, translating most of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. He also wrote commentaries which are a great source of scriptural inspiration for us today. He was an avid student, a thorough scholar, a prodigious letter-writer and a consultant to monk, bishop and pope. St. Augustine (August 28) said of him, "What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known."

St. Jerome is particularly important for having made a translation of the Bible which came to be called the Vulgate. It is not the most critical edition of the Bible, but its acceptance by the Church was fortunate. As a modern scholar says, "No man before Jerome or among his contemporaries and very few men for many centuries afterwards were so well qualified to do the work." The Council of Trent called for a new and corrected edition of the Vulgate, and declared it the authentic text to be used in the Church.

In order to be able to do such work, Jerome prepared himself well. He was a master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Chaldaic. He began his studies at his birthplace, Stridon in Dalmatia (in the former Yugoslavia). After his preliminary education he went to Rome, the center of learning at that time, and thence to Trier, Germany, where the scholar was very much in evidence. He spent several years in each place, always trying to find the very best teachers. He once served as private secretary of Pope Damasus (December 11).

After these preparatory studies he traveled extensively in Palestine, marking each spot of Christ's life with an outpouring of devotion. Mystic that he was, he spent five years in the desert of Chalcis so that he might give himself up to prayer, penance and study. Finally he settled in Bethlehem, where he lived in the cave believed to have been the birthplace of Christ. On September 30 in the year 420, Jerome died in Bethlehem. The remains of his body now lie buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.

Comment:

Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, "You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you" (Butler's Lives of the Saints).

Quote:

"In the remotest part of a wild and stony desert, burnt up with the heat of the scorching sun so that it frightens even the monks that inhabit it, I seemed to myself to be in the midst of the delights and crowds of Rome. In this exile and prison to which for the fear of hell I had voluntarily condemned myself, I many times imagined myself witnessing the dancing of the Roman maidens as if I had been in the midst of them: In my cold body and in my parched-up flesh, which seemed dead before its death, passion was able to live. Alone with this enemy, I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus, watering them with my tears, and I tamed my flesh by fasting whole weeks. I am not ashamed to disclose my temptations, but I grieve that I am not now what I then was" ("Letter to St. Eustochium").

Patron Saint of: Librarians

Zech. 8:1-8.

This word of the LORD of hosts came: Thus says the LORD of hosts:
I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred to jealous wrath for her.
Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell within Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in her streets.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the LORD of hosts?
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun.
I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.

Ps 102(101):16-18.19-21.29.22-23.

The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
And all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
And appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
And not despised their prayer.

Let this be written for the generation to come,
And let his future creatures praise the LORD:
"The LORD looked down from his holy height,
From heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
To release those doomed to die."

The children of your servants shall abide,
And their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared on Zion;
And his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Luke 9:46-50.

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest."
Then John said in reply, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company."

Jesus said to him, "Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you."

 Commentary of the day :
Sometime I thought that when someone retweeted things I put on Twitter or liked stuff I posted on Facebook but now I realize Jesus was not 100% correct when He said, "Whoever is not against you is for you.."
It doesn't necessarily work like that today. People are so opinionated and their opinions change.
Gone are the days when the world was populated with principled people.
You just have to look at the last election and wonder how anyone could have voted for some of the frauds passing themselves off as representatives of the community.
It is clear than many were seeking glory for themselves and pretending to be something that they were not.
Today, make a decision to be a person who stands for something. Make a resolution to make the world a better place by your actions towards those who speak to and about...

 Vatican Council II
Declaration on the Church's relations with non Christian religions «Nostra Aetate », 5

"We tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company"

We cannot truly call on God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a brotherly way any man, created as he is in the image of God (Gn 1,27). Man's relation to God the Father and his relation to men his brothers are so linked together that Scripture says: "He who does not love does not know God" (1Jn 4,8).


No foundation therefore remains for any theory or practice that leads to discrimination between man and man or people and people, so far as their human dignity and the rights flowing from it are concerned.

The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, this sacred synod ardently implores the Christian faithful to "maintain good fellowship among the nations" (1Pt 2,12), and, “if it is possible, to live for their part in peace with all men”,(Rm 12,18) so that they may truly be “sons of the Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5,45).

Reflections on the feast of St Michael the Archangel

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year C   

29 September 2013

St. Michael Archangel,
St. Gabriel Archangel,
St. Raphael Archangel

Feast












First Scripture reading:
Amos 6:1.4-7.

Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment.
They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.

Ps 146(145):7.8.9.10.

The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
Secures justice for the oppressed,
Gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.

The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
The fatherless and the widow He sustains,
but the way of the wicked He thwarts.

The LORD shall reign forever;
Your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

Second Reading: 1 Tim 6:11-16.

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I charge (you) before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Luke 16:19-31.
Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

 Commentary of the day :

If I was in the parish today, the congregation would be getting an earful about the amazing miracle of birth that’s changed my world this week on September 24^th and about how impressed I was with my gorgeous wife’s courage during the procedure.

But if you want to read about it you can see my other blogged article at:

http://kevinmatthewlee.blogspot.com/2013/09/everyone-loves-baby-but-mine-is-best.html

Today is the birthday of my youngest sister Monica who is fifteen years younger than me so growing up I took special care of her. She can recall all the games I played with her and Mary (our next sister up from Monica), the adventures I took them on as well as listening to her difficulties. So on the feast of St Michael and the other archangels I always remember her as well as the police whose feast day it is too (under the patronage of St Michael).

The Gospel message which I want to share with you today is just one point. The rich man in the parable Jesus told was sent to hell not because he didn’t go to Africa to feed the starving people, or because he did anything wrong. He was sent to hell because he ignored the plight of the poor man outside his gate. He didn’t hurt him or even tell his dogs to lick Lazarus’ sores. He just did nothing. 

In the mind of Jesus, apathy is a sin of omission. It’s a crime worthy of eternal damnation. So be careful Tony Abbott what you DON’T DO for those people seeking genuine asylum from unjust regimes. They are outside your gate calling for help and you turn them away…

Criminal neglect.

Constitution on the Church in the modern world « Gaudium et Spes »  

"Lying at his door was a poor man"

God intended the earth with everything contained in it for the use of all human beings and peoples. Thus, under the leadership of justice and in the company of charity, created goods should be in abundance for all in like manner. Whatever the forms of property may be, as adapted to the legitimate institutions of peoples, according to diverse and changeable circumstances, attention must always be paid to this universal destination of earthly goods. In using them, therefore, man should regard the external things that he legitimately possesses not only as his own but also as common in the sense that they should be able to benefit not only him but also others.


On the other hand, the right of having a share of earthly goods sufficient for oneself and one's family belongs to everyone. The Fathers and Doctors of the Church held this opinion, teaching that men are obliged to come to the relief of the poor and to do so not merely out of their superfluous goods. If one is in extreme necessity, he has the right to procure for himself what he needs out of the riches of others. (Here the ancient principle applies...: “In a case of extreme necessity everything is held in common and must be put to common use.” Clearly, for a precise application of this principle, all the necessary moral conditions must be present.) Since there are so many people prostrate with hunger in the world, this sacred council urges all, both individuals and governments, to remember the aphorism of the Fathers, "Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you have not fed him, you have killed him," and really to share and employ their earthly goods, according to the ability of each, especially by supporting individuals or peoples with the aid by which they may be able to help and develop themselves.

Cosmas & Damian

Mass Readings and reflections for Thursday, 26 September 2013

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time

Saints Cosmas & Damian, Martyrs († c. 283) were brothers, born in Arabia, who had become eminent for their skill in the science of medicine. Being Christians, they were filled with the spirit of charity and never took money for their services. At Egaea in Cilicia, where they lived, they enjoyed the highest esteem of the people. When the persecution under Diocletian broke out, their very prominence rendered them marked objects of persecution. Being apprehended by order of Lysias, governor of Cilicia, they underwent various torments about the year 283. They are patron saints of pharmacists. 

Haggai 1:1-8.

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius, The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people says: "Not now has the time come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; And he who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house That I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the LORD.

Ps 149(148):1-2.3-4.5-6a.9b.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

Lk 9:7-9.

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, "John has been raised from the dead" ;
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared"; still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him.

 Commentary of the day :

Today is the birthday of my brother Brendan who is also a priest but ten years after me. He hasn't spoken to me since my hiatus with the Catholic priesthood owing to my decision to marry. He thinks I am bound for hell. Sad to say, many righteous people feel that God is like the Old Testament no chances, wrath-filled deity and despite preaching mercy and forgiveness they never offer it. Jesus gives stern warning to those who follow that view of Christianity: "the amount you measure out will the amount you are given back" (Matthew 18:31-33)

Today's Gospel shows the attitude of many of my Twitter followers who claim not to believe in God or Jesus but have a healthy respect for those who reverently do. They are however dissuaded from following a faith because of the poor examples of the representatives putting themselves forward as "faith leaders" e.g. Joseph Ratzinger and George Pell.

I watched an interesting documentary on Australian Muslims' divorces last night and watch three Sheiks sitting in judgment over a couple who were seeking a divorce. I was totally turned off by the suggesting that they are paid for their services as the Sheiks sat pen in hand ready to decide on this unfortunate couple's fate.
A couple showed their certificate of divorce to show the Sheiks that this was for them only a formality, the Sheiks were furious.  They are losing their influence over their people who have adopted an attitude which welcomes Western permissiveness.
When the decision went against one group of Islamic Sheiks from another faction they said, "We don't care what the Australian government decides, we don't accept the divorce. What's in it for us?" It was weird and made me realize that there are so many versions of religion that are driven by power struggles and greed rather than the good of humanity.

 Catechism of the Catholic Church § 31-35

Herod keeps trying to see Jesus

Created in God's image and called to know and love him, the person who seeks God discovers certain ways of coming to know him. These are also called proofs for the existence of God, not in the sense of proofs in the natural sciences, but rather in the sense of "converging and convincing arguments", which allow us to attain certainty about the truth.

These "ways" of approaching God from creation have a twofold point of departure: the physical world, and the human person. The world: starting from movement, becoming, contingency, and the world's order and beauty, one can come to a knowledge of God as the origin and the end of the universe. As St. Paul says of the Gentiles: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made” (Rm 1,19f; cf Ac 14,15f; 17,27f; Wsd 13,1f)….

The human person: with his openness to truth and beauty, his sense of moral goodness, his freedom and the voice of his conscience, with his longings for the infinite and for happiness, man questions himself about God's existence. In all this he discerns signs of his spiritual soul; this soul... can have its origin only in God. The world, and man, attest that they contain within themselves neither their first principle nor their final end, but rather that they participate in Being itself, which alone is without origin or end. Thus, in different ways, man can come to know that there exists a reality which is the first cause and final end of all things, a reality "that everyone calls God" (St Thomas Aquinas).

Man's faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God. But for man to be able to enter into real intimacy with him, God willed both to reveal himself to man, and to give him the grace of being able to welcome this revelation in faith. The proofs of God's existence, however, can predispose one to faith and help one to see that faith is not opposed to reason.

A disciple is never above his master

Friday of the Twenty third week in Ordinary Time 13 September 2013 St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church 1 Tim 1:1-2.12-14. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Ps 16(15):1-2a.5.7-8.11. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you." O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; With him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. You will show me the path to life, Fullness of joys in your presence, The delights at your right hand forever. Luke 6:39-42. Jesus told his disciples a parable : "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye." Commentary of the day : Saint Cyril of Alexandria (380-444), Bishop, Doctor of the Church Commentary on Saint Luke's Gospel, 6 ; PG 72, 601 (trans. ©Friends of Henry Ashworth) "When fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher" “The disciple is not above his teacher”... So then, if the Master does not judge, why are you judging? He came not to judge the world, but to take pity on it (Jn 12,47). What he is saying, then, is this: "If I do not pass judgment, neither must you, my disciple. You may be even more guilty of the faults of which you accuse another. Will you not be ashamed when you come to realize this?" The Lord uses another illustration for the same teaching when he says: “Why do you look for the speck in your brother's eye?” With compelling arguments he persuades us that we should not want to judge others, but should rather examine our own hearts, and strive to expel the passions seated in them,. asking this grace from God. He it is who heals the contrite of heart and frees us from our spiritual disorders. If your own sins are greater and worse than other people's, why do you censure them, and neglect what concerns yourself? This precept, then, is essential for all who wish to live a holy life, and particularly for those who have undertaken the instruction of others. If they are virtuous and self-restrained, giving an example of the gospel way of life by their own actions, they will rebuke those who do not choose to live as they do in a friendly way, so as not to break their own habit of gentleness.

 

Love Your Enemies, and pray for them...?

Mass Readings & Reflection for Thursday 12 September 2013

Thursday of the Twenty-third week in Ordinary Time
The Most Holy Name of Mary

Coloss. 3:12-17.

Brothers and sisters: put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.  And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And always be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ps 150(149):1-2.3-4.5-6.

Praise the LORD in His sanctuary,
Praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
Praise him for his sovereign majesty.

Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
Praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
Praise him with strings and pipe.

Praise him with sounding cymbals,
Praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
Praise the LORD! Alleluia.

Lk 6:27-38.

Jesus said to his disciples : "To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit (is) that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."


 Commentary of the day :
 

This is without a doubt the most difficult of Jesus' statements to follow.

How can you love someone who abuses you, or curses you, hits you, lies about you or even kills one of your family? But Jesus expects His followers to trust that its the best way.

I have met so many people who were victims of abuse or were imprisoned during war and the ones who amaze me are those survivors who have said, "But I forgive him.."

They are no longer victims, they are victors. They have proven to me that they are better human beings than I could ever be. They are able to understand that only when you allow yourself to let of your pain or hurt, will you set your pride free and in so doing, you will gain a happiness and peace that can not be taken away.

If there is someone you have been deeply hurt by, try today to take a few moments to pray for them. I have, and already I feel better..

As one wise person told me (and is quoted in my upcoming book, "Being Good Enough"):

Holding a grudge and seeking revenge is like burning down your house to kill a rat.

Now read what Pope John Paul II had to say:

 

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful"

There are many passages in the teaching of Christ that manifest love-mercy under some ever-fresh aspect. We need only consider the Good Shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep (Mt 18,12s; Lk 15,3f) or the woman who sweeps the house in search of the lost coin (Lk 15,8f.). The Gospel writer who particularly treats of these themes in Christ's teaching is Luke, whose Gospel has earned the title of "the Gospel of mercy"...

Christ, in revealing the love - mercy of God, at the same time demanded from people that they also should be guided in their lives by love and mercy. This requirement forms part of the very essence of the messianic message, and constitutes the heart of the Gospel ethos. The Teacher expresses this both through the medium of the commandment which He describes as "the greatest” (Mt 22,38), and also in the form of a blessing, when in the Sermon on the Mount He proclaims: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5,7).

In this way, the messianic message about mercy preserves a particular divine-human dimension. Christ - the very fulfillment of the messianic prophecy - by becoming the incarnation of the love that is manifested with particular force with regard to the suffering, the unfortunate and sinners, makes present and thus more fully reveals the Father, who is God "rich in mercy" (Eph 2,4). At the same time, by becoming for people a model of merciful love for others, Christ proclaims by His actions even more than by His words that call to mercy which is one of the essential elements of the Gospel ethos. In this instance it is not just a case of fulfilling a commandment or an obligation of an ethical nature; it is also a case of satisfying a condition of major importance for God to reveal Himself in His mercy to man: "The merciful...shall obtain mercy."

Jesus often spent the whole night in prayer to God

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-third week in Ordinary Time 10 September 2013
St. Nicholas of Tolentino († 1310)

St Paul's letter to the Colossians 2:6-15.

Brothers and sisters: as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted in Him and built upon Him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.
For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily, and you share in this fullness in him, who is the head of every principality and power.
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ.
You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;
despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it.

Ps 145(144):1-2.8-9.10-11.

I will extol you, O my God and King,
And I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
And compassionate toward all his works.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
And let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
And speak of your might.

Lk 6:12-19.

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.

 Commentary of the day :
 

Have you ever spent the whole night in prayer? We used to have the annual all night vigil in our parish which was surprisingly under attended. I say surprisingly because if its only on once a year, why wouldn't people want to take advantage of an opportunity to commune with God for a whole night and ask for His guidance?

Jesus did it every time He had a big decision He needed to make, like choosing the Twelve.

Did He make a mistake choosing Judas? Did His prayer time fail Him?
There is something very comforting about being alone with Jesus in the Tabernacle late at night. I did it every night before sleeping. In fact, even the nights I drank excessively, I could not go straight to bed without at least spending a few minutes with our Lord (although I am sure I didn't say much). Just knowing Jesus is still here with us is very encouraging.
If I didn't find it incredibly peaceful for my soul, I would have stopped the practice long ago.

I often spent many night vigils in the time leading up to my decisions such as marrying my wife and leaving priesthood. I also made long vigils before I chose priesthood.

Did I make a mistake? I don't think I did. I have spent more time in prayer than most of you reading and I have given more time in service to God's people than most of you. And I do not regret any minute of that time & I pray that God is still guiding me now in the steps of a new journey where unclean spirits still abound.
 

The words of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), founder of the Missionary Sisters of Charity from her book, "No Greater Love", on page 10 well summarise what I am trying to convince you of:

We cannot find God in noise or agitation.... In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls. In silence we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice:
Silence of our eyes.
Silence of our ears.
Silence of our mouths.
Silence of our minds.
In the silence of the heart
God will speak.

Silence of the heart is necessary so you can hear God everywhere - in the closing of the door, in the person who needs you, in the birds that sing, in the flowers, in the animals. If we are careful of silence it will be easy to pray. There is so much talk, so much repetition, so much carrying on of tales in words and in writing. Our prayer life suffers so much because our hearts are not silent. I shall keep the silence of my heart with greater care, so that in the silence of my heart I hear His words of comfort and from the fullness of my heart I comfort Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.

Praying the Psalms with song

Monday of the Twenty third week in Ordinary Time 9 September 2013

St. Peter Claver, Priest (1580-1654) - Memorial

Coloss. 1:24-29.2:1-3.

Brothers and sisters: I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labour and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you and for those in Laodicea and all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, to have all the richness of fully assured understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Ps 62(61):6-7.9.

Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.

Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!

Lk 6:6-11.

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

Commentary of the day :

John Michael Talbott sings a very beautiful and moving rendition of the Psalm we have in today’s Mass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAiGAyp22JI
A lot of other people agree because it has had close to three hundred thousand views!

I regret every Mass I ever celebrated that did not have a sung Responsorial Psalm. As you know the word psalm means song and the psalms were written as hymns (some of them even carry instructions for the instruments to be used).

As one comment to the above You Tube video from a non-Catholic says, the song carries a real anointing from the Holy Spirit. I always advised people who came to me with unsolvable problems to sing the psalm I selected and feel the Presence of God comforting and guiding them towards a miraculous discovery. They never once were disappointed.

St Paul today says something which always made me wonder what he meant: “I am making up for what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ” as if Jesus didn’t suffer enough!

I am still suffering for the people of my parish in Glenmore Park who are still feeling like sheep without a shepherd. I continue to provide these daily Mass readings and reflections for those who want guidance or support in prayer. I recognise its only about 20 people who view them each day, but you are still worthy of my concern and prayers. Please know that I am praying with you in your difficulty.

The Gospel is quite poignant. Jesus broke the laws of His synagogue to heal a man on the Sabbath. Similarly I broke a church law to show my desire to heal the Church and help it overcome its obsession with hanging onto the imposition of priestly celibacy which has allowed so many paedophiles and sexual deviates to impersonate priests just so the hierarchy can keep up its façade of holiness. Be Church people, don’t just go to church!

Saint Athanasius (295-373), Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church
Against the pagans, 40 ; SC 18

Healing on the sabbath day symbolizes creation's consummation

This world is very good, as it has been done, and as we see it taking place, since that is what He wills; and this we can hardly refuse to believe. For if the movement of creation were irrational and the universe were borne along without plan, a man might fairly disbelieve what we say. But if it subsist in reason and wisdom and skill and is perfectly ordered throughout, it follows that he that is over it and has ordered it is none other than the Reason and Word of God...

Being the good Word of the Good Father he produced the order of all things, combining one with another things contrary, and reducing them to one harmonious order. He, being “the Power of God and Wisdom of God” (1Cor 1,24), causes the heavens to revolve and has suspended the earth and made it fast, though resting upon nothing, by his own will (cf Heb 1,3). Illumined by him, the sun gives light to the world, and the moon has her measured period of shining. By reason of him the water is suspended in the clouds, the rains shower upon the earth and the sea is kept within bounds, while the earth bears grasses and is clothed with all manner of plants (cf Ps 104[103])...

But the reason why the Word, the Word of God, has united Himself with created things is truly wonderful... For the nature of created things... is of a fleeting sort, and weak and mortal, if composed of itself only. But the God of all is good and exceeding noble by nature,— and therefore is kind... Seeing, then, that all created nature, as far as its own laws were concerned, was fleeting and subject to dissolution, lest it should come to this and... be broken up again into nothingness... he did not leave it to be tossed in a tempest in the course of its own nature. But because God is good he guides and settles the whole Creation by his own Word... lest that should come to it which would have come but for the maintenance of it by the Word — namely, dissolution—for “He is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all Creation, for through him and in him all things consist, things visible and things invisible, and He is the Head of the Church” (Col 1,15-18).