Archive for September, 2009
Angelic ministries
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Yesterday was the great feast of the archangels. It one of those feast days that makes you stop and consider the existence and the role of the archangels: to heal, guide, and protect. This Friday, October 2, the Church celebrates the feast day of the guardian angels. Another great feast day!
Both of these feast days remind me that I’ve always been fortunate in being able to peacefully accept the existence of angels, and to know of my guardian angel’s presence in my life. The child’s prayer stands out, which truly is more adult than childish: ”Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide.” I say this prayer a lot, oftentimes starting it before I even cognitively realize that I’m praying it. I pray it for myself. I also pray it to other people’s guardian angel, especially when they are struggling or hard-hearted.
We can never underestimate the role of the angels, and the wonderful gift they are to each of us. Who cannot be inspired by the wonderful story in the Book of Tobit: the story of love, sacrifice, and faith. The story of a young man’s angel pointing him in the right direction, and keeping him safe. This story is the story of each of our lives, if we’re willing to recognize it. God sends each of us an angel.
Yesterday, I was thinking of what I could do to honor the angels and their presence among us. I suspect that the greatest thing we can do to honor the angels is to imitate them: their love, honor, and service of the All-Powerful God. At least, that’s what came to mind.
Now, oftentimes in the spiritual life, we make resolutions that are really too lofty or removed from our daily lives. In light of this truth, I asked the angels to help me imitate them. Here’s what came to mind. You’re going to laugh!
In Rome, almost on every street corner, there’s someone with a map trying to find his way, or what way a group should go. People casually walk by, ignoring them, just going about their business. It can be frustrating when you’re the one with the map! So, here’s my resolution: I’m going to do a personal “map ministry.” What I mean is that whenever I see a person with a map, I’m going to ask them if they need help finding a place or a monument, etc. I tried it today as I was running errands. The smiles, joy, and gratitude of people was amazing. All I could think of was the angels: this is what the angels want to do for each of us, for all of humanity. They want to help us find our way. And that’s just awesome!
So, you have until Friday and the feast of the guardian angels. What will be your “angelic ministry”? How will you imitate the work of the angels of God among us?
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University of the Holy Cross
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Towards the end of his life, the great scholar and teacher of the Christian Faith, St. Thomas Aquinas, just stopped writing. He had experienced a mystical encounter with the Lord Jesus and said that everything he wrote was “like straw” when compared to the reality of God. Throughout his life, he often said that his greatest school, where he learned the most, was at the foot of the Cross. The Cross prepared him for the reception of grace, the exercise of virtue, and for glory – even in this world.
These thoughts were on my mind today as I met both with the Director of Studies and, hopefully, my future thesis advisor at the university where I’ll be completing the licentiate degree. I was expecting a challenge, but the program will be almost three times the demand that I was anticipating. To be honest, I felt slightly overwhelmed. But, then, the thoughts of St. Thomas Aquinas came to mind. Not bad, I get to learn theology and be pushed beyond some intellectual comfort zones at, of all places, the University of the Holy Cross! The place is well named! I realize that if I approach my studies with the right attitude then I can actually grow both intellectually – and spiritually – this year! Not a bad deal.
Formal classes at the university do not begin until next Monday, October 5, but before then there will be some more meetings at the university, some forms to fill-out, and we also have an orientation at the priest graduate house which will start later this week. There’s so much to do just to get ready for the main work of study and research.
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“Do not prevent him”
Sunday, September 27th, 2009
As a student priest, I don’t have the opportunity to often preach publicly. As you can imagine, coming from parish life, this is a great shift of focus in my priestly ministry. To slightly compensate for this missed service of homiletics, on Sundays, I’d like to give a few brief thoughts. I don’t have my biblical commentaries and personal library with me, so I wouldn’t call these written homilies, but truly just some passing reflections on the Sunday Scripture readings. To anyone who might be reading the blog, I hope you enjoy the reflections!
Today, we see Jesus in his public ministry, on the way, in the thick of things. It’s a beautiful aspect of the Church’s Ordinary Time in the liturgical year: we focus on the Lord’s teachings. Unlike high feast days which mark events in the Lord’s life, during Ordinary Time we especially focus on what he taught, why he did what he did, and what difference it’s suppose to make in our lives. So, here is Jesus at work! And what does he say? Not just what does he say in general, as if we were keeping a journal. No, what does the Lord say to me, to us, right now? As we are “on the way” with Jesus, in the trenches of our own discipleship, as the Lord looks to us, what is he saying? What does he want? What do we want?
The apostles complain (this seems to happen a lot in the Church). They saw someone else, not in their number, work miracles in Jesus’ Name. They want to stop the person: who is this person? who do they think they are? how dare they attempt to work outside of the established boundaries? But, what does Jesus say?
The Lord tells the apostles, “Do not prevent him.” In other words, back off. The Lord uses this as a teaching moment: to attempt to stop the work of the Lord because it happens outside of our understanding, or our group, or our control, or outside of our comfort zone is to fight against the Lord himself. After all, in the work itself, it is the Lord who is working!
Now, back to our question, what is the Lord saying to us in today’s Gospel?
He reminds us that he works in ordinary ways, but he also works in extraordinary ways. He cannot be boxed in, nor should we attempt to mark boundaries or attempt to limit the power of his grace. First, this lesson has to reach our own hearts. Where have we not allowed the grace of God to be preached in our own lives? Where have we secluded the power of grace? And, then, in our families, among our friends, at work and study, in our daily routine, in what areas have we kept out the workings of God? We have to let the Lord’s kingdom come in all the areas of our lives. We cannot hide behind “personal” arguments, or “private” assertions. No. The Lord calls us not to prevent the preaching of his Gospel and the graces of conversion. We have to open wide our hearts to him and to our neighbor: ”do not prevent him.”
This is a challenge, but a basic part of our Christian discipleship. Have we domesticated God, and tamed his grace among us? Have we compromised, fragmented, or compartmentalized his Gospel so drastically that it no longer has any power to convict us, change us, or convert us?
These are some hard thoughts to consider as we celebrate our Sunday, our day of festive observance of the Lord’s Resurrection! We pray to hear the call of the Lord, and not to prevent his grace among us. Come, Holy Spirit! Have a joyful and rejuvenating Sunday!
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All Roads Lead to Rome…
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
Well, here I am! ”I awoke midway through life and found myself in a dark forest…”. All right, maybe not. I’ll leave such deep reflections to Dante and the “Divine Comedy.” I did awake these past two days and find myself in the Eternal City, and I did think, “What am I doing here?” Truly, life takes us to many and diverse places, especially when we follow such a majestic and wild teacher as the Lord Jesus.
And, truly, all roads lead to Rome: either the actual city, or the City of God which Rome symbolizes and reflects in our fallen world (even in the midst of its own fallenness).
Being back in the city has been a surreal and reflective experience. The streets and pathways are all familiar: I remember where to go for paper, stamps, water and snacks. The practicals of the place have a consoling consistency. But, being a priest in Rome, is a whole different experience. And, while the practicals are all the same, the spirituality of the city is much different. I’m a priest. To my own surprise, I didn’t think that would make a difference, but it does. The whole city takes on a new light. Old streets are like new. Maybe this is the experience St. Augustine spoke of when he wrote, “Beauty, ever ancient, ever new.” The city is new, even as it bears the marks of an old friend. I’ve wondered how I should be different in approaching the city: what more should I bring? And, not simply to this city which stands as a beacon, but to the Church, to the Body of Christ, to the faithful in South Carolina, to friends and family. Needless to say, these are the reflections in my heart as I begin my studies here.
This week is all the basics: checking in the graduate house, unpacking, getting settled in, finding all the basics, organizing notes and schedules, etc.
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