Coronavirus Check-in

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After the Coronavirus first became present in the United States in March and April of this year, I posted some articles here about how we were responding in terms of our stress and adjustments in our lives. (For some of those articles, see “Seeing the Best and/or Worst in Us”, “What Will Your Life be Like After the Coronavirus?”. For all articles I placed under a Coronavirus category, click here – this includes articles not directly about the virus response).

The Coronavirus continues to affect our lives but we are thankful that, with restrictions, we can gather for Mass and restaurants and some businesses are open. However, we acknowledge that some businesses are still not allowed to open and that some states are seeing their worst number of cases. So, we continue our prayers for God’s assistance in ending the Coronavirus pandemic.

How are you doing with the current status of restrictions where you live? Are you happier now than two months ago or are you more frustrated? Are you ambivalent about the current status? I will admit that some days are a challenge for me. When the shutdown first began, I was very stressed at how the restrictions were changing everyday. Then, things stabilized and I had some peace. Then, it seemed to go on and on, leaving me to wonder when things would get better. Then, things began to reopen in phases. I was glad to see things reopening but I have to admit I had some very stressful days as we worked to deal with all the restrictions.

How has your prayer life changed during this time? Did you pray more when you were stuck at home and stressed out? Maybe you don’t have as much time to pray now if you are back to work but how much are you praying? Are you praying differently? Through this time of the virus, my own prayer routine has been different. It might be best described as more spread out throughout the day. As things begin to return back to normal, I am trying to find a new prayer routine. It seems like it should be simple, especially since I am a priest, but we get distracted. We need God’s help to keep us on track in our prayer.

How are you doing with your personal relationships? Are you able to see your loved ones now or do you still need to isolate for the protection of those vulnerable to health issues? Who have you missed?

Thinking especially of those with underlying health issues, but for all of us, do you feel safe with your health right now? I know a lot of people aren’t coming to Mass yet. If you need to stay home to be safe, that’s okay. That is why bishops are leaving the dispensations from Sunday Mass in place right now. You know your health history and God wants you to make wise choices. That’s why we are working to continue our livestreaming of our 10:15 am Mass on Sunday (We are sorry for the problems last Sunday. We plan to try again this Sunday).

For those who are able to safely come to Mass, how have you felt at Mass? I thought the face masks would make it seem odd. It is different, but I find myself not looking at the face masks because I am so happy that we can gather together, that I “look past” the face masks to see the person, even if I can’t recognize them behind the mask (smile).

Do you find yourself with a greater appreciation of the Mass? (I am working on a series of presentations to help us uncover the meaning of what we do at Mass).

I ask these questions about how prayer life, stress, etc. are now. We are still dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic now. Have you made changes in what your life will be like when the pandemic is completely over with? If you were very busy before, are you going back to that busyness, or do you plan to let some things go to focus on more important things? Have your discovered that you haven’t missed some things you thought would?

Where did God rank in your life before the Coronavirus?
Where does God rank in your life right now?
Where will God rank in your life when the Coronavirus is gone?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Being a Disciple of Christ

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We call ourselves disciples of Christ but what does this really mean?

Let’s start with asking what it means to call ourselves “Christian.” The term is generally applied to anyone who is baptized and/or says they believe in Christ. Yes, a Christian is one who believes in Christ. It is rooted in the Sacrament of Baptism. We must pay attention to the fact that “believe” is a verb. That requires action. To be a Christian is to strive to live as Jesus calls us to live.

This leads us to being a “disciple.” To be a Christian disciple is more than just saying we believe. The word “disciple” refers to being a student. It requires learning. Are you learning what it means to follow Jesus?

The most typical way we learn about Jesus is as children in Sunday morning catechism classes. This generally starts in Kindergarten or first-grade and ends anywhere from eighth through twelve-grade, typically on the younger side of that.

That’s unfortunate because that’s when we really start to learn. As young children, we learn facts, numbers, and rules. It is as we grow older that we begin to find real meaning and application in what we learn.

Classroom learning ends but does real learning ever stop? Life is the real place of learning. We need to have Jesus part of this so that we might always live as He teaches.

To be a “Christian disciple” is to be a lifelong learner. There is a saying expressed in various forms, “if you aren’t growing, you are dying.” Learning is part of growing. If we aren’t learning, we become stagnant. We become complacent and we may cease to thrive.

Many crowds came to see Jesus. They heard what He had say but not all became his disciples. They listened to him talk for a while, perhaps even witnessed a miracle, but then went back to their old lives without being changed by what they experienced with Jesus.

Are you changed by what you have learned from Jesus?

What do you still need Jesus’ help with?

We learn throughout our lives. We are influenced and shaped by what we experience. We can also shape the world by the way we live. Here the question we need to ask ourselves is does the world shape our faith or do we rely on our faith to shape the world? If the former, we “learn” the ways of the world and expect our faith to conform to it. The world says abortion is okay so we think our faith should too. The world says same-sex relationships are okay we we think our faith should too.

That is not what our faith teaches us. As disciples, we need to learn what God teaches us, live it, and use our faith to shape the world.

This might not be easy. Jesus told us we must take up our cross and follow him.

We might face rejection for our faith. We would not be the first. Jesus himself was rejected. Many prophets in the Old Testament were rejected and persecuted. Today (June 30th) is the Memorial of the First Roman Martyrs. Many since then have been martyred. Even today people are martyred for being disciples of Jesus.

Today the word “martyr” means someone who is killed for their faith. The root of the word “martyr” lies in one who gives testimony, who witnesses. Do you witness to your faith in Jesus, inspired by the example of the martyrs?

We need to listen to Jesus to be lifelong learners. This doesn’t have to be classroom learning. It is rooted in God’s Word. Do you pay attention when the Bible is read at Mass? Do you listen to the homily? It is important for us to know God’s Word and have it broken open (see Luke 24:13-35, especially 24:27). Do you read the Bible on your own? Do you participate in any learning opportunities for adults offered by your parish? Do you look at good Catholic websites? Do you read about about faith? A place to start reading might be the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. All of these things are part of being a disciple of Jesus.

As I conclude, I feel like I might be preaching to the choir because, if you are reading this, you are trying to learn more about our faith. I hope this encourages you in your efforts and perhaps gives you something to share with others to help them to do the same.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a
Psalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19 (2a)
Romans 6:3-4, 8-11
Matthew 10:37-42
June 28, 2020

We are Christians.  We believe in Jesus.  We need to take this seriously.  Jesus himself tells us the we must love him more than our fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters.  Remember Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God.  The second is to love our neighbor.

This might seem troubling.  The fourth Commandment tells us to honor our parents.  Jesus isn’t contradicting this commandment.  He wants us to love our families.  Jesus wants us to love everyone.  Today He just reminds us that we must love him more than others. 

He also tells us that we must take up our cross and follow him.  If we wish to follow Jesus, we need to take it seriously.  We need to be willing to suffer for the glory of God as Jesus suffered for us on the Cross.

Baptism is the first of the Sacraments we receive.  It is in Baptism that we receive the “grace of adoption”, that we become “children of light” “that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error” (quotes from today’s Collect/Opening Prayer).

Paul writes to the Romans to help them realize that Baptism is a life-changing event.  Do we see the effect that Baptism has on us? 

Changed by Baptism, by faith in God, do we “sing the goodness of the Lord?”  Do we speak of the good things the Lord has done for us?  Do we share the gospel message?

In Baptism we use water as a sign of the new life we receive.  We are anointed with the Sacred Chrism oil as we receive the Holy Spirit.  We are dressed in white, symbolizing God cleansing us of sin, and we receive the Light of Christ through our baptismal candle. 

In the rite of Baptism for children, there is an optional prayer called the Ephphatha prayer that says, “May the Lord Jesus, who made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak, grant you may soon receive his word with your ear and profess the faith with your lips, to the glory and praise of God the Father.” 

These symbols help us know what is going on in Baptism but do we see how we are changed by Baptism.

It might be hard to realize that we are changed.  As Catholics, most of us were baptized as infants.  So, we don’t even remember our own baptism.  Our parents were at our baptism but I doubt they would speak of seeing an immediate change in us.  Depending on how young we were, we couldn’t even walk or talk. 

That doesn’t mean we weren’t changed.  Already born in flesh, at Baptism we are born of Spirit.  The change happens not on the outside of our body but in our soul.

For those baptized as adults, it can be a powerful moment but we might still struggle to see how we are changed in that single moment.  God has already been at work in us.  God has begun the gift of faith in you as He called you to our Church.  So, we may not perceive the change but think of the grace of the moment.

For any of us, regardless of the age when we were baptized, when you see another person baptized, does it not bring a warmness to your heart?  I see that as joy we have for the one being baptized but also because our soul reflects on the grace of our own baptism.

We generally speak of Baptism as entry into new life.  It is. 

Yet, today Paul speaks of Baptism in terms of death.  He says, “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”

Jesus died on the Cross so that “we too might live in newness of life.” 

How do we die in Baptism? 

We obviously don’t die physically. 

We need to look at “death” and “life” as more than just terms expressing the state of our physical life. 

“Death” is to be separated from something (loss).

“Life” is to be joined to that we are created for.

Sin is death because it separates us from God.  The new life we receive in Baptism is the life we are created for, to spend eternity with God.

So, when Paul speaks of “death”, he speaks of the removal of sin and to die to our attachments to things in this world.  It isn’t physical death in this world.  It is letting go of our attachment to the earthly pleasures to put God first. 

Of course, we continue to struggle with sin.  When we fall short, we seek reconciliation with God by confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  In doing so, we ask God to restore what He began in us at Baptism.  In the Eucharist, we are strengthened to live what we began in Baptism. 

We thank God for grace He gives us in the Sacraments.  We thank God for the blessings He bestows on us.  We sing forever “the goodness of the Lord.” 

Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura

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Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura are two Latin terms that became popular among the Protestant Reformers.

“Sola Fide” means “by faith alone.” Ultimately, we cannot save ourselves. It is God who saves us through Jesus sacrificing his life for us on the Cross. The Protestant reformers misunderstood Catholic teaching to think that Catholics believe we are saved by our works. A proper understanding of what our Catholic faith says about faith and works is rooted in James 2:14-26.

James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” If we have faith, we will do good works. It is faith that saves us but our works demonstrate our faith (cf. James 2:18).

Note, I showed how this understanding is rooted in the Bible. That leads us to the second term, “sola scriptura”, which means “by scripture alone.” Protestants felt that Catholic teaching had incorrectly added to what God had revealed in the Bible. This would go against Deuteronomy 4:2, “In your observance of the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am commanding you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.” (see Deuteronomy 4:1-8).

However, it is never the intention of our Catholic Church to add or subtract to what God has taught and revealed. Yes, we have the Catechism of the Catholic Church, that explains what our faith teaches. However, this catechism was not written to add to what God has taught. The goal of the catechism, the goal of all Catholic teaching, is to help us understand how God calls us to apply what was written in the Bible 2,000 years ago to life today. When the human authors wrote the Bible, they were inspired by God to know what to write about. Through the Holy Spirit, God continues to guide the Church. We need to pray for the Spirit to continue to always inspire the Church and each of us as individuals to listen with our heart and soul to what God is saying to us.

The Bible is important. What is revealed in the Bible is crucial to us knowing how God calls us to life. For instance, our belief that the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus comes from Jesus’ own words, this is my body, this is the chalice of my blood, in Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, and Luke 22:14-20 (Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Our call to celebrate Mass comes from Jesus’ words, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19, cf. 1 Corinthians 11:25). Our need for the Eucharist comes from Jesus’ words in the Bread of Life Discourse, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:53-55). 

Everything we believe about the Eucharist is rooted in Jesus’ words as found in the Bible.

Then why doesn’t everyone who believes in the Bible believe in the Real Presence of Jesus? Honestly, I don’t know.

Today there are people who say they are spiritual but not religious, meaning they do not follow formalized religion. They may pray on their own. They may even read the Bible but on what basis do they interpret the Bible? Now, of course, everyone who is baptized has received the Holy Spirit with the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Still, one must have the background to understand what is written in the Bible. We rely on the magisterium of the Church as guided by the Holy Spirit.

The word “magisterium” refers to the teaching authority of the Church. However, one should realize that “teaching authority” here does not refer to theologians who are college teachers. The magisterium lies in the pope and bishops as successors to the Apostles” (see definition of magisterium in the Catechism).

One final comment on “sola scriptura”. If you believe only in what is found in the Bible, who determines what is in the Bible? In my previous article, “Are All Bibles the Same?”, I addressed the question of different translations of the Bible as well as why the Catholic Bible has seven more books in it than Protestant Bibles. Here I will simply that it is the magisterium of the Catholic Church, depending absolutely on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, set which books are in the Catholic Bible. Protestant scholars may provide an explanation for why the seven books are not in Protestant Bibles but on what authority? The Bible did not magically appear from Heaven. The writing of the Bible is inspired by God and the books contained within it i the Catholic understanding come from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the magisterium.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Being Civilized in the Midst of Challenges

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We face challenges in our world today.  Of course, there has been challenges as long as there has been people making bad choices with their free will.  There has also being illnesses that challenge us but do not know why they exist. 

The challenges come in various forms.  We are becoming more and more a divided people, a polarized people.  We are polarized by differing ideas.  We can see this in how people of different political parties act towards one another but it is not limited to political parties.  We see people polarized over various issues.  If we could only learn to dialogue well.

We hear more and more about shootings and terrorism in schools, malls, and other public spaces.  Some stem from mental health issues by the perpetrator while others stem from hating people of a certain belief, race, or lifestyle.  Is there more hatred today?  Are we growing apart instead of together?

Right now, we continue under partial shutdown from the Coronavirus pandemic.  In some ways the pandemic has drawn people together as seen by people who are donating to help those out of work because of the Coronavirus shutdown.  Unfortunately, there are also people who are divided over how to respond (what to shutdown, when to reopen, etc.).  If we could learn to dialogue better, perhaps we could find a balanced response.

In the midst of the pandemic we find ourselves also dealing with the issues of racism, specifically how minorities are treated by the police.  However, racism is not simply a police issue.  It is a societal issue.  It is an issue that involves faith.  God calls us to love our neighbor.  It doesn’t matter where they are from, the color of their skin, or what language they speak.  We learn to look at people as God looks at them (1 Samuel 16:1-13, especially verse 7).  All are children of God and all deserve to be treated with the dignity they deserve.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen (cf. “How Do We Look at the World?”). 

So, we have the protests where people legitimately call for an end to racism, recognizing the dignity of all life.  Life and dignity are worth standing up for.  Unfortunately, some of the protests have been hijacked and turned into riots with destruction.

At the same time society faces these challenges, at a time when we need our faith, many people have left their faith.  Some have made a deliberate choice to abandon their faith, often becoming atheists while others have simply drifted away, not seeing the relevance of faith in their lives.  Some of these people may be good people.  Some have made earthly things to be their “god”.  Their desire for money, power, and sex become the driving force, i.e. their “god,” in their lives (remember Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “love of money is the root of our evils.”).  I actually read an article, “Sin City: NYC has rules for pandemic sex but no Mass”, for people looking to engage in promiscuous activity at the same time churches were closed. 

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

So, what are we to do?

As individuals, we need to think about how we treat others.  Do we treat them with dignity?  Do we treat them with love?  Are there ways God wants us to stand up for others?  Do we do so peacefully and kindly or do we contribute to the violence and the hatred?

What about the news media?  The role of the news media is to present the facts in an unbiased way without promoting one’s own agenda.  Of course, we all have our own perspective but we need to listen to all sides and rely on the Holy Spirit to help know what is right and just in God’s eyes.  The news media should not be promoting their own agenda.  In the selection of stories, they need to be open.  If they are biased in their reporting, it affects our ability to make good decisions in our own lives.  Sometimes I wonder how much the world is changing vs. how much what the news covers is changing.  In a world of high speed communication we hear about things in an instant that we would have never heard of a hundred years ago.  The news media should also report the good as well as the bad.  We need encouragement. 

The news media should also not be judgmental of others.  Nobody should be.  Here I turn to how people of different views interact.  Even in the way the government responds to the Coronavirus, the differences drive how officials want to respond.  Some bash each other over their responses to the Coronavirus.  Others use it to pass new laws largely unrelated to the virus but have been on their agenda for a while.  Some want the government to do little while others think the government is to be the savior of the world (see my article “Who is Our Savior?”).  The government has a role to play in helping those in need.  That doesn’t make them the source of all truth.  God is the source of “Truth” (cf. my video presentation, Where Do We Go for Truth?)

Here, I think of the example of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More who I wrote about yesterday (“St. John Fisher, an Example of faith”).  They serve as an example of choosing God over appeasing government officials.

We pray for all to know what they should do as individuals, as community groups, and as government officials to make the world a better place. In praying, we must realize God has a place in all of this.  God determines what is good and just, not us, not the government.  Remember the words we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”  The “thy” is God.

I have spoken today about division.  We need to learn to respond in a way that does not build division.  We are going to have different opinions.  However, a response that involves negative words or actions to people of different opinions is likely not to help much.

We need a civilized response.  My use of the word “civilized” is not my own idea.  I saw it this past week in a new initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (www.usccb.org) called “Civilize It” (www.civilizeit.org).  It reminds us to treat others with dignity.  It reminds us that our response must be rooted in the gospel and a well-formed conscience.  Our response must be rooted in love.  We must make room in our hearts for those we disagree with.

Jesus told us the greatest commandment is to love God.  The second is to love our neighbor.  In the story of the Good Samaritan, He teaches that everyone, every those we don’t get along with are our neighbor (Luke 10:25-37).

Let us civilize our dialogue by rooting in love, in God who is love (cf. 1 John 4:7-9, especially verse 8)

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

St. John Fisher, an Example of Faith

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Today, June 22nd, is the Optional Memorial of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More. St. Thomas More rose to be Chancellor of England, answering directly to King Henry VIII.

St. John Fisher was the Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in England. Both of them were faithful to God and the Catholic Church. When King Henry VIII split the church of England from the Catholic Church over the matter of his divorce, he required all government and church officials to sign an oath affirming the split, recognizing King Henry VIII as the head of the church in England, and granting his divorce.

Sts. John Fisher and St. Thomas More refused to sign the oath and were both imprisoned. (While in prison, St. John Fisher was named a cardinal.) Both held positions of great power but they were not concerned with the power. They were not afraid of the king. Their faith was most important thing to to them. They serve as great examples to us today. There are matters that are church matters and there are matters for the government. Here, I recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:21b, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (see Matthew 22:15-22 for the whole story).

The Catholic Church prescribes that we should follow secular law but not when it conflicts with our faith. God must always come first.

Like St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, we live in a time where it is difficult to hold to our faith. 1 Peter 4:12-13 says, “Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly” (see 1 Peter 4:12-19). Ultimately, they were both martyred for the faith in 1635 A.D., St. John Fisher on June 22nd and St. Thomas More on July 6th.

Holding fast to our faith may cause division but if we want to be Jesus’ disciples, we must take up our cross to follow him (see Matthew 10:34-39).

Why is the story of St. John Fisher particularly important in the diocese where I serve? I serve in the Diocese of Rochester in New York State, United States of America. St. John Fisher was the Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in England. Recognizing the connection in the names of the two dioceses, St. John Fisher was chosen as the patron saint of our diocese.

So, let us pray that the intercession of St. John Fisher, our diocese always to seek to be faithful to our mission to share Jesus with the world.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 (14c)
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33
June 21, 2020

“Jesus said to the Twelve, “Fear no one.”

Fear can be a powerful thing.  Often, we might seek the approval of those who we hold in high regard.  We fear rejection.  We might seek affirmation of our work.  We might seek agreement with what we say.  Again, we fear being rejected for our work and/or our beliefs.

Do we let that fear cripple us from acting?  Do we keep quiet out of fear of rejection?

Jesus told his disciples, “What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light, what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”  All of us are called to share what we have received from Jesus.  The gospel is meant for all.

The problem is that not everyone wants to hear God’s Truth.  They reject our attempts to talk about Jesus.  We see this today and we hear from the psalmist, “For your sake I bear insult…I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my children.” 

This can be discouraging.  Our goal is not to make ourselves outcasts or strangers.  Our goal is to share our faith.  This begins with us embracing our own faith such that zeal for God’s house consumes us.  We seek the Holy Spirit to give us this zeal that creates an irresistible enthusiasm within us for our faith.

We might face rejection but if we are speaking God’s Truth, we are not actually the ones being rejected.  They are rejecting God’s message.

The prophet Jeremiah personally experienced this as those who had been his friends denounced him and watched “for any misstep” he would make to trap him. 

Why did they want to denounce him?  Because they didn’t like what he was saying.  He was telling them how God was calling them to live.  If they listened, they would have to change their lifestyles.  They didn’t want to. 

If you read the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, they do not argue against what he was saying.  They couldn’t prove him wrong (because he wasn’t). 

So, they sought to denounce him.  They wanted to trap him doing something that went against what he taught so they could discredit him.  They actually plot to kill him.

Of course, they do not succeed.  Jeremiah laments their persecution but he understands that the LORD is with him and it is the Lord who will win.

Prophets are not meant to be popular.  They are meant to be messengers of God’s Truth.  It is sad that God’s Truth isn’t always popular but we must not let that discourage us from sharing our faith.

Today we celebrate Father’s Day.  Fathers want to be liked by their children.  However, being liked by their children is not what fathers are for.  Fathers are called to raise their children to be good people.  They need to teach their children how to be good.  The children might not like it when they are little but hopefully they come to appreciate as adults what their fathers did for them.

Then, the children in turn help the world become better.  As Christians, we work for the building up of the Kingdom of God.

In addition to being Father’s Day, it’s that time of year when we celebrate graduations.  The Coronavirus turned the school year upside down but it did not stop the school year and it cannot stop graduations.  It may stop the traditional celebrations.  It might cause drastic changes but it does not change what has been accomplished.

Now, the graduates prepare to move to the next stage of life.  Some will continue for further education.  Others will begin their careers.  We pray that as they go out into the world, they take Christ with them. 

We all need to live our faith.  We need to practice what we believe. 

Nobody says it will be easy. 

What does Jesus say?  “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” 

Yes, we may be rejected for our beliefs.  We might even be persecuted but it is only in this lifetime.  On the other hand, if we reject God, the consequences are for eternity.

In his lament, Jeremiah asked the Lord, “let me witness the vengeance you take on them.”  This is always a tough passage for me.  I don’t want anyone to suffer vengeance.  What I hope for is repentance.  It is their choice.  All I can do, all any of us can do is be who God calls us to be and leave the rest to God.

It is your choice to acknowledge Jesus by living what He teaches or to deny Jesus’ way in favor of worldly things.  Just know that how we spend eternity depends on whether or not we strive to follow Jesus. 

Our Catholic Understanding of Mary

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While all Christianity honors Mary as the mother of Jesus, not all denominations hold Mary in the same regard as we Catholics do. Many Protestants misunderstand what we believe about Mary. Some of them interpret our devotion to Mary as giving worship to Mary. We do not worship Mary. We worship only God. We venerate Mary (and all the saints.)

Our understanding and devotion to Mary is rooted in the Bible. To demonstrate this, I would like to show how the words of the Hail Mary prayer come from the Bible. First, I quote the entire prayer:

Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

The words, “Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you,” are almost a direct quote from the story of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. This first line of the Hail Mary is found in Luke 1:28.

From there, the next line of the prayer, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus,” come from the story of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56). In Luke 1:42, Elizabeth calls both Mary and the fruit of her womb “blessed”.

The next line of the Hail Mary calls Mary “holy” and “mother of God.” “Mother of God” flows from Luke 1:43 where Elizabeth calls Mary the mother of her Lord. The description of Mary as “holy” comes from Luke 1:48 where Mary says all generations will call her blessed.

The last line of the Hail Mary asks Mary to pray for us. We see Mary as one who intercedes for the people in the story of the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). (cf. We hear of the prayers of the holy ones in Revelation 5:8 and 8:3).

So, there are the biblical roots of the Hail Mary prayer. What about other parts of our Catholic understanding of Mary?

For instance, why do we call Mary our Mother? Here again we turn to the Bible, specifically John 19:26-27. Jesus is on the Cross. Mary and the beloved disciple are there at the foot of the Cross. The beloved disciple is not named as he symbolizes all of us. Jesus tells him to “Behold your mother.” Jesus declares Mary to be mother of all of us.

Not along do we call Mary our Mother, we call her “Mother of God.” In fact, we have a holy day of obligation on January 1st to specifically honor her as “Mother of God.” Mary is human. How can she be the mother of God, God who is eternal? Here we must understand calling her “Mother of God” is NOT making her to be God. It is recognizing that Jesus is both human and divine. Jesus is consubstantial with God. As the second person of the Trinity, He is God. Thus, we call Mary, “Mother of God” because of who we believe Jesus to be.

There are two remaining components of our understanding of Mary that I feel deserve to be included here. Why do we call Mary “queen” and why do we say she is ever-virgin? Protestants share our belief that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus but not after. For the response to these, I point you to an article I wrote two years ago, “Some Insights on Our Catholic Understand of Mary” that address Mary’s queenship and her virginity.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The Significance of the Altar

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One finds a lot of different items in Catholic churches. The stained windows, paintings, statues, and other artwork are there to help remind us of important things in our faith.

The two most important items found in Catholic churches are the Tabernacle (where the Blessed Sacrament (the Body of Christ) is reserved for Communion to the sick), and the altar. The altar is centrally located to be a center point when a liturgy is celebrated in a church. Most often the Tabernacle is located behind the altar to put it in the center. In some churches, the Tabernacle is given its own special place for people to sit directly before it in prayer.

Today, I would like to offer a few thoughts about the importance of the altar. Please remember we do not worship the altar as an idol. It is God who we worship.

What makes the altar so special? By definition, an altar is a place where sacrifice is offered. You can read in the Old Testament about the altars where the prescribed sacrifices were offered.

Today, there is just one sacrifice offered on the altar. It is not a new sacrifice. It is the sacrifice of Jesus giving his life for our sins on the Cross that God, in a way only God can, makes present to us today. This makes the altar a very holy place.

That sacrifice is made present in the Eucharistic Prayer as the bread and wine are transubstantiatied into the Body and Blood of Jesus. The bread and wine become “true food” and “true drink.” Thus, the altar is again a very special place. It is the place where the Eucharistic meal is prepared.

Knowing the altar to be a place for the Sacrifice of Jesus and for the Eucharist to be consecrated, we offer great reverence to the altar.

This is why the clergy kiss the altar at the beginning when the procession reaches the sanctuary. Likewise, the clergy kiss the altar as they prepare to leave in the recessional. The kiss is an act of reverence. For the same reasons, you will see anyone approaching the altar bowing as an action of reverence. (We genuflect to the Tabernacle, recognizing the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.)

I hope all Catholics are aware of the bowing and kissing of the altar as a sign of reverence. I hope everyone appreciates the altar as the place of sacrifice as well as the place where the bread and wine are consecrated, becoming the Body and Blood of Jesus.

What you might not be aware of is that in the altar, one can find relics of saints. A relic is a bone fragment, blood, or hair from a saint. These would be first-class relics. It is normally first class relics that are found in an altar. Second-class relics are items that were personal possessions of the saint. Third-class relics are items that were touched by a first-class relic. (Please note that we do not worship relics or the saints. We worship only God. We venerate the saints as model disciples).

So, why do we put relics in altars?

We need to remember that the early church was persecuted. Masses often were not celebrated in public for fear of arrest. It was common for Mass to be celebrated in the catacombs where martyrs were buried. Thus, the remains of saints became connected to the celebration of Mass.

When Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the “Edict of Milan” (313 A.D.), Masses began to be celebrated publicly. As permanent altars were built, it became customary to have relics in the altar as a connection to the past when the church was persecuted. The tradition continues today. (Some of the great historical churches like the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul are consecrated over their tombs from the same tradition.).

So, when you enter a church, look at altar and reflect what goes on there in the Sacrifice of the Mass. Ask the Holy Spirit and for the intercession of the saints to help you have a deeper faith in what happens at Mass.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

How Often Should I Go?

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Prior to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) it was common for Catholics to go to Confession at least monthly if not every other week. Some even went weekly. For some it didn’t matter if they didn’t know of any mortal sins they had committed. You went because you were supposed to.

After the Second Vatican Council, the pendulum swung from one side to the other. Many people went from going often to going once a year. Some haven’t gone in years (there are some who do go regularly).

It’s unfortunate when shifts in practice are so extreme. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a gift (see my booklet “The Gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation”). It is the gift of God’s mercy. It is the gift of God’s forgiveness made possible by Jesus giving his life for us on the Cross.

So, the question becomes how often should one go to Confession. Should one go weekly, monthly, etc.? The answer lies not in a set interval. The answer I offer to how often one should go to Confession is simple. How often do you commit mortal sin? If you know you have committed a mortal sin, the time to go to Confession is now.

So, why did people go to confession weekly or monthly? Human beings are not perfect. We sin. We cannot save ourselves. God can save us. This is what Jesus came for.

Unfortunately, the reality that we are not perfect became what has been known as “Catholic guilt.” Acknowledging we are not perfect, the thought was you must have done something wrong. The reality is sometimes we sin often. Other times we can go for a while without sinning. When we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and confess our sins, we acknowledge our need for God’s merciful forgiveness and that we need God’s grace to do better.

So, why did people stop going to confession often? I think part of it is poor communication about the church’s understanding about the Sacrament. People readily heard they didn’t need to go if they didn’t know of any sins they committed.

The part that got missed was that you still needed to go when you do commit mortal sin. Add to this is a loss of the sense of sin. People went from thinking they sinned a lot to thinking that little they do is mortal sin (see my recent articles “Is There Still Sin in the World” and “The Battle Against Sin”).

We commit sin at times. With our awareness of our sins, we feel guilty. Guilt can be a motivator to work harder and seek God’s grace to avoid sin. Unfortunately, guilt can lead to feeling we are no good. We are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). That means we have goodness within us. After creation, “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good” (Genesis 1:31a). That includes humanity. That includes us.

The purpose of confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not shame. It is so that God can heal us of our sins (for more on healing, see my presentation, Sacraments: Channels of God’s Grace, Sacraments of Healing). God heals the brokenness caused by sin. God restores us to the goodness we are created with.

So, how is one to know when they have sinned? Sometimes, it is obvious. We know it as soon as we commit the sin. Other times, we realize it later. When we realize we have committed mortal sin, we go to the Sacrament. Sometimes we go a while without being aware of sin. If we go a while without being aware of any sin, it is good for us to make a formal “Examination of Conscience” to review what we have been doing. If you still find you haven’t sinned, thank God. If you have sinned, go the Sacrament of Reconciliation and confess them.

Normally, Lent is a time when many people confess their sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Many churches plan extra opportunities for the Sacrament during Lent. That didn’t happen this year because of the Coronavirus. That’s unfortunate because the stress caused by the Coronavirus might have made some people weaker in resisting sin.

Even now, with churches beginning to reopen, going to Confession hasn’t returned to “normal.” Confessionals tend to be small and not well ventilated so confessions are being held in more open spaces. The most traditional time for confessions to be offered is right before the Saturday vigil Mass. With people arriving for Mass, confessions can’t be held in the open church. So, in many parishes, Confessions are being offered at other times. In St. Luke’s where I serve, we are currently offering confessions by individual appointment so we can properly social distance. If you find you need to confess your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, call your parish office to see when the Sacrament is offered.

If you haven’t been to confession in a while and don’t remember what to do, check out “The Sacrament of Reconciliation” for a video and additional handouts on what to do.

Know that God loves you and is ready to forgive you. You just need to ask in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff