September | 2010 | Blogger Priest

My Lord and My God!

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Father Joe

At this point I would like to say something about the liturgical year; more precisely, I would like to give a quick summary of the first week of Easter. The Gospels relate the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Easter Sunday, we have the discovery of the empty tomb; Monday there is the story of Jesus appearing to the women; Tuesday there is the sending of Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples of his restoration; Wednesday he reveals his identity in the breaking of the bread to the two men on the road to Emmaus; Thursday he reappears to these two while they are recounting the incident to his disciples; Friday he appears upon the shore while his friends are fishing; Saturday there is a brief summary from Mark of his earlier appearances and the narration of his coming to his followers while at table. Finally, John offers us two occasions where Jesus appears to his friends while assembled in the upper room.

Jesus has risen from the dead. Over and over again it is with this message that the Church saturates us. John 20:19-31 has the doors locked in fear of the Jews who plotted Christ’s death. But, doors locked because of fear are no barrier to the risen Christ. The only locks which might prevent him from being present in our lives are the ones we place upon ourselves.

We are surrounded by signs of God’s presence. Every Springtime signals the reawakening of nature, aiding us in appreciating the meaning of Easter. Learning our catechism answers is not enough. If we say that God is everywhere, we run the risk of some skeptic asking us where we saw him last. What answer would we offer?

Astute philosophy teachers would remind us that God is in his creation, but only in the Incarnation can he be identified with it. Who is this God who is vast and infinite — who is all-perfect and knows everything — who is omnipotent and the source of all life — who is three persons in one nature — who can be revealed to us in the flesh of a frail individual called Jesus and be put to death and rise from the grave? Do we see the wonders of God around us and proclaim his glory or do we nurture doubts?

Our faith teaches us that the Scriptures are both the word of God and of man and that they speak infallibly in regards to salvation truth — do we believe this? Do we believe their testimony and that of the Church that Jesus rose from the dead? These are important questions. There are some who seem to believe easily and there are others who find it a most grueling pursuit.

I want to narrow this focus to the abiding presence of Christ in the Church and the ongoing historical fact of the resurrection. I do not pretend to speak the last word on these matters; but, it may be important to speak all the same.

There was an Anglican Bishop of only a few years ago who publicly admitted in his cathedral that he did not believe the resurrection had ever occurred. Even men of faith may lose it. An interesting footnote to that incident was that a bolt of lightning immediately struck the building and destroyed an ancient stained-glass window. One uncharitable critic with a sense of humor remarked that God’s aim was off and he just missed. Like Thomas in our Gospel, it is easy to discount the fantastic or the unusual. Indeed, this is the age of the doubting Thomas. Science has taught us to believe only what we can empirically prove. Because we cannot place the resurrection of Christ under a microscope, it is a matter, if not outrightly rejected, then ignored. Theologians, even in the Catholic camp, have endorsed an assortment of resurrectional theories which I must admit, if I accepted, would seriously dampen my faith. I recall one most famous thinker writing that if the bones of Christ were discovered tomorrow, his faith would remain intact. He would do this by spiritualizing the event into some kind of a-historical sphere beyond the datum of archeology. For me, such a statement already infers a level of doubt. Some of our thinkers would minimize the resurrection to the level of an internal feeling or experience with no physical counterpart or manifestation. There would be no visions of the risen Christ and the stories of the risen Christ a fiction made up to express what they were feeling in their hearts, especially at meal time. I am sorry. I cannot buy any of it. Maybe we all think too much? Maybe we want everything too explainable within very narrow limits? Faith is deeper than knowledge, even if one informs the other. There are plenty of men and women with intellects which could do circles around most of us; but, they might not all be believers. First and foremost, we need to fall upon our knees and admit that the resurrection is a mystery. However, having said this, we must also acknowledge that it is very real. Everything that Jesus was, his entire person — body, soul, and divinity, is transformed or glorified by the resurrection. He is like us even though his humanity is perfected beyond our wildest dreams; he is unlike us in that he appears in locked rooms and to those with eyes of faith. I believe this is the response to which the Scriptures honestly testify. To doubly stress the fact that this resurrection has a deeper substance than that which some moderns would offer it, we have the story of Thomas. Because we could not all be there, he is our representative. He says, “I’ll never believe it without probing the nail-prints in his hands, without putting my finger in the nail-marks and my hand into his side” (John 20:25).

A second time Jesus appears in the locked room. Thomas is there. After wishing them peace, he says to Thomas, “Take your finger and examine my hands. Put your hand into my side. Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!”

(John 20:27). I cannot imagine this testimony from Scripture if this appearance were simply on the level of hallucination or a dream. No, Jesus said and meant these words. This particular testimony is for us more so than any previous age.

In the sacrament of the Eucharist, the Church provides what is missing so that the risen Christ might be here for us as our food. Jesus again speaks, but this time his words may be more directed to us than to Thomas. “You became a believer because you saw me. Blest are they who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29). A day should not pass without our thanking God for the gift of faith and beseeching him for an ever greater share of understanding and belief. The sacraments must suffice until we meet Christ face to face. When we look upon the cup of his blood and the bread which is transformed into his body, we need to see with eyes of faith. He is here with us. His real being is present in these gifts, not just as empty symbols, not merely as devices to recall a past event, but actually here. My father had this kind of faith. Every time he saw the host and cup elevated he could not help but respond with those words of Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (verse 28).Those need to be our words, if not upon our lips, then at least in our hearts.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

Filed under: Catholic, God, Incarnation, Jesus, Liturgical Year, Redemption, Reflection | Leave a comment »

To Share Food is to Share Life

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Father Joe

You may have noticed how often the resurrection appearances are linked with meals. I have already mentioned the story of the two men on the road to Emmaus who recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Jesus also took and ate a fish to demonstrate that he had actually risen from the dead.

In John 21:1-14, he directs his disciples to throw their net into the sea and there is a miraculous catch. When some of it is cooked, he “came over, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.” The Eucharistic themes are unavoidable. He makes himself present to us when we gather in his name and eat the bread of life. The symbol of the fish, because of its recurrent use, has also become a signature of sorts for the presence of the risen Lord. Indeed, in the midst of persecution, Christians would often draw a fish upon the ground as a secret sign that it was safe to speak, that they were all among friends.

It is no accident that the Lord uses the occasion of the meal to repeatedly reveal himself to his friends. It is an ancient maxim that to share food is to share life. What better sign could there be then for the resurrection to be seen in its greatest glory. The disciples recall all the past times when they would gather with their master and share nourishment. We can imagine that these were occasions of great intimacy and bonding. When the Christian community was exiled from the synagogues, and we can see such friction as this in Acts 4:1-12, the meal they celebrated in common upon the following day increased in importance. In the early days of the Church, this agape or love feast included a regular banquet where they recalled the stories of Jesus and was followed by the commemoration of the Lord’s Last Supper with his friends — the Eucharist. As time passed, and the first meal became unwieldy, it was dropped and the celebration of the sacrament became the principal meal that Christians celebrated as a family. It is still in this spiritual food that the risen Jesus is made present in our midst. He gives it to us and it is he. Just as we need food for physical nourishment; so too do we need the Eucharist to nurture us and to keep us spiritually alive in faith.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

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Our Bodies Are Us

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Father Joe

Jesus appears to his friends and wishes them peace (Luke 24:35-48). I want to speak briefly about this appearance and a connection we can make with it in our lives. When his friends doubt it is him, or fear that it might be a ghost, he tells them to look, to see, and to touch. He shows them his wounds and says, “…a ghost does not have flesh and bones as I do.” Then he accepts and eats a piece of fish with them. St. Luke is adamant in having us understand that he is really in this scene and no mere ghostly apparition or simply an internal feeling that he is present, as we sometimes sense at prayer. He is much more here.

It is this stress upon his risen bodily presence which, I believe, offers us much consolation. The human person is not a disembodied spirit; nor is it angelic. We are created with both bodies and souls and it constitutes who and what we are. That is why the Church is so insistent that on the final Judgment Day, we will be restored body and soul. Although this mystery goes beyond our feeble minds, we see hints to how it might be in Christ. Notice that he is both the same and different; at first they did not recognize him. This is no wonder. Could any of us recognize a human countenance where all the wrinkles of age, the scars of disease, the marks of pain, and where all tears have been wiped away? Think what such a person might look like. However, after awhile, especially in the breaking of the bread, they come to see him for who he really is. Indeed, he still carries the marks of the crucifixion which are his badges of honor in his victorious fight against sin and death.

In Acts 3:11-26, the cured lame man signifies that what happened to Jesus will touch each and every one of us who believe in him. As a sign of this belief, we need to respect our bodies as his temples and extensions in the world. Our bodies are who we are and therefore we need to take care of them. We are our bodies! This message emerges in our celebration of both Christmas and Easter where our humanity is elevated and then restored. This message touches all the doctrines and feasts of the Church. Yes, it touches moral theology, too. After all, in the various arguments about abortion, euthanasia, artificial contraception, etc. we are speaking not so much about the body as a shell or robot which we can manipulate as we wish; but rather, we are talking about our very selves and our personhood. People who see the issues of the Church disjointed do not realize that to allow selfishness to rewrite our moral principles would ultimately destroy the meaning of the coming of Christ into our world and his resurrection.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

Filed under: Easter, Incarnation, Jesus, Morality, Redemption, Reflection | 1 Comment »

The Gates are Opened

Posted on September 11, 2010 by Father Joe

The story of Jesus appearing to two men on the road to Emmaus is one of the most famous of our resurrection accounts (see Luke 24:13-35). The last phrase, “. . . they had come to know him in the breaking of the bread,” speaks to us about how we encounter the risen Lord in our Eucharist. The Eucharist is Christ’s living legacy to us. No matter what age it might be, he does not abandon us. After his ascension, the Lord continues to abide in his early disciples as well. He sends them his Spirit and works his ministry through them.

We see one incident of this in Acts 3:1-10. Peter and John are going up to the temple to pray. Outside the edifice, at the temple gate, is a beggar who for years has been at the practice of begging from those who come to worship. It is interesting that he is outside the temple because as a cripple he is also outside the hearts and lives of many of his own people. He is tolerated, but looked down upon. He must beg for his sustenance. He is a man whose dignity has been tarnished by a situation beyond his control. Peter is poor in worldly riches; but, he has already begun to save up for himself treasure from heaven. He possesses Christ and he gives Christ. In the name of Jesus, he heals the crippled man and orders him to walk. In that single incident, the poor man’s dignity is restored. He would no longer be a castoff from society. He is whole again. This is the meaning of Easter. We may be weighed down by our sins, be of ill health, be lonely, or sad; and yet, Jesus offers us healing and forgiveness. We had cut ourselves off from God and from his friends by our rebellion; now we can be reconciled and aliens no longer. Our shame from the primordial rebellion is no longer imputed against us and our hearts can be turned around — making Christ our greatest treasure — living only to serve and love God.

Notice what the first act of the lame man is once he is healed. No longer merely at the gate of the temple, he walks inside the temple with them. Through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, the gates of our heavenly Jerusalem are now open to us. May we be filled with the same joy as this healed lame man, entering heaven by “walking, jumping about, and praising God.”

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

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Our Belief & Unbelief

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Father Joe

From the very beginning, there would be those who would doubt the resurrection of Christ. Indeed, even one of his disciples, Thomas, would have to be challenged by Jesus himself to touch his wounds before his skepticism could be swept away. However, the Gospel chronicles another type of rejection as well, one far more resistant to the truth (see Matthew 28:8-15). The chief priest has an inkling that the story of Christ’s coming back from the dead might bear some truth. It is this possibility which he and his cronies seek to hide behind lies. So, they bribe the soldiers to say that Jesus’ disciples had stolen the body at night.

When Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, it was this same rigid rejection of his messiahship which catapulted him to the crucifixion. Despite the evidence of multiple witnesses, they later disregarded his resurrection. It was not so much that they doubted Jesus, but that they did not want to know who he was. His claims challenged their positions of prestige and power. His assertions about his own personhood shook their accepted norms in regard to monotheism. What did he mean when he said that he and the Father were one? What was this Spirit he would promise to send? Who was he to forgive sins, especially of those who had come nowhere near them in keeping all the precepts of the law?

Such a man was dangerous to them and had to die. And, what is more, he had to remain dead. We might ask, why did Christ not reappear immediately before the Pharisees and chief priests who had orchestrated his demise? If we look closely, this is already obvious for a couple of reasons. The first has already been mentioned; many of them were not interested in the truth of the situation. They hid it from themselves and tried to veil it from others. Back in 1977, George Burns played the deity in a film called Oh God! As proof, God appears before skeptics; but no sooner had God vanished from the courtroom that they began to explain him away as mass psychosis or illusion. Would these ancient figures have been any different? Probably not; the Scriptures would be fulfilled in their regard which says that they would not believe, even if one were to rise from the dead. The second reason is the most telling and we find it in the Gospel where John looked into the empty tomb — he saw and believed. Jesus would not appear or be present to those who did not believe in him. Even Paul, who had persecuted Christians, was only able to see Christ as a light. The reason he could experience the risen Lord at all probably had to do with the fact that he had been mislead about Jesus and yet was still a man very much in love with God. For those who had killed this love, no vision was possible and no witness credible.

The vast host of witnesses to the risen Christ in this period and the Church’s experience of the Holy Spirit throughout the ages stand for us as a most staunch underpinning to our faith. May we always be open to belief and struggle sincerely to help transform our unbelief.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

Filed under: Catholic, Discipleship, Easter, Incarnation, Jesus, Liturgical Year, Reflection | Leave a comment »

To See More Than an Empty Tomb

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Father Joe

The cast of characters and events in John 20:1-9 fuel our hope. They include Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and John. But notice who is absent in our reading; although it is a Gospel and therefore about Jesus, he is neither seen nor heard. All we have is the empty tomb and some surprised disciples. The story, of course, goes on; but, the Church in its wisdom feels that this passage alone would suffice on Easter morning at Mass. Why is that? Let us look at the story.

The first to reach the tomb and to make the discovery that the stone had been rolled away is Mary Magdalene. In the long history of the Church, venerable piety would link her to the prostitute whom Jesus reformed. Although modern exegesis would place this in some doubt; she, nonetheless, stands out as one of the so-called weaker sex, a woman who in that society often possessed a third class status behind oxen and other forms of property. To the eyes of many, she would be worth nothing and invisible. And yet, this Scripture and Luke (mentioning the women), places the female first at the tomb. Maybe this honor falls upon her to demonstrate how Christ has come to raise up the downtrodden and to grant all of us an equal dignity in the eyes of God? He comes for the poor, the oppressed, and the sinful. Mary Magdalene, maybe more so in that culture than our own, would come to highlight that mission. If as a child he could be worshiped by lowly shepherds then why could he not first appear to a woman who herself was lowly in the eyes of many?

In this version of the story, she is afraid and runs to Peter with the news. The second person to reach the tomb is called “the disciple Jesus loved” and we in our tradition have discerned this to be John. But, notice what he does. Although he has outrun Simon Peter, he hesitates at the entrance of the tomb and waits for him. John is nothing if he is not humble. He knows quite well whom Jesus has placed in charge of the disciples — it is Peter. Peter is the one who first recognizes Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. But, remember what has happened recently. He has denied Christ three times. Unlike John, he runs and hides himself. He would not even be present at the Cross. Now, he is at the tomb. He is slowly recovering from his betrayal. With Jesus gone to the Father, it would be Peter who would be the rock of Christ’s Church. In the tomb he sees the various wrappings, but we are not told whether he discerns more. We like Peter might also sometimes find ourselves in the paradox of both betraying Christ by our sins and yet searching earnestly for him. Where is he, we might ask?

After Peter looks into the tomb, John takes his turn. With John there is no mention of the various wrappings and artifacts which the human eye can see. No, it is John this time who sees deeper than the rest. With the same eyes which witnessed the Crucifixion and somehow did not totally abandon hope, he sees and believes. He sees with eyes of faith. It is no mere empty tomb for him. Something new has happened — something unheard of — something which only a madman or a man of faith might hold — a man has risen from the grave. Notice that I say this is something new. In similar stories as with the little girl or Lazarus, a person comes back to life; but it is more like resuscitation than resurrection. Jesus would never die again. Jesus is totally transformed. Everything he is becomes something new and wonderful — beyond suffering — beyond sickness — beyond death. Suddenly the quote from Jesus, that if his temple is destroyed it would be restored in three days, makes sense. He means his very own person.

Later on the Gospels would relate episodes where the risen Lord, who is man and yet also very much God, would appear to his followers. He would greet his friends from a beach. He would appear to them in the locked upper room. He would appear to a couple of followers along the road to Emmaus and be recognized in the breaking of bread, an incident which is intensely important for us who also seek Christ in his bread of life broken for us at the Eucharist. These other incidents are wonderful treasures in our heritage from God; but we must first take seriously the initial response of John and then later the other disciples. In our own personal stories we see little more than what we find in our Gospel about the empty tomb. Jesus does not regularly manifest himself in a sensible fashion in our homes. Even in our Church, the reality of the risen Christ can only be present in the sacraments which reveal him to our eyes of faith and yet veil him to our five physical senses.

However, we like the early Church, know in our hearts that Christ is indeed risen and that his Spirit is among us right at this moment. He promises that he would never abandon us, even unto the end of the world. In my fondness for history, I recall a passage from the great French general Napoleon after his final bid for power fails. He remarks that in his very own lifetime, his followers have forgotten him and that he is utterly deserted. And yet, Jesus who lives and dies a millennium and a half earlier still possesses disciples willing to surrender their lives for him. For Napoleon, in those last years of his life, this becomes evidence that the Spirit of the risen Christ is still alive among his disciples in the Church. This continues to be the case for us. Not only is the risen Christ made manifest in the seven sacraments and especially in the Eucharist; he is also revealed in his Mystical Body — ourselves.

We are given a share of that life. In baptism, we die with Christ (Good Friday) so that we might rise with him (Easter). We do not deserve this gift. But, in return for our faithfulness, it is offered all the same. Everyone who has ever died is still alive. All those who have believed in our Lord and were faithful now possess a happiness and life we could never even imagine. In the face of death, the resurrection is our one true consolation. Otherwise, we would be tempted to complete despair. Imagine, we will one day meet Christ face to face, and in him, everyone else who has believed, whom we have lost and loved — our friends — our parents — our brothers and sisters — even our enemies, whom we sometimes ironically miss more than certain friends — all those who have at least on some level of their life held Jesus as their treasure. Every year, starting on Holy Saturday, our Easter Candle burns tall and bright once again, a symbol that after we have burned ourselves up bringing Christ’s light to those in darkness and his warmth to those in the coldness of sin, that we like him will be restored and made new.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

Filed under: Catholic, Easter, God, Incarnation, Jesus, Liturgical Year, Redemption, Reflection | Leave a comment »

Eternal Christmas & Christ: The Meaning of It All

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Father Joe

The feast of Christmas is very important in preserving an authentic understanding of the identity of Jesus. It is for this reason that the Knights of Columbus each year promote their loyal “Keep Christ in Christmas” campaign with essay and poster contests. Of course, it has been argued that the abbreviation “X-mas” still preserves something of the truth in that the “X” is an ancient symbol for the Cross and thus, by association, for Christ, himself. Those who malign the celebration of Christmas as a religious holiday, more so than not, minimize the mission and identity of the Lord. There is a minister, nationally televised throughout the nation on Sunday mornings, who annually assaults the meaning of Christmas. He actually claims that the Jesus who walked on earth was a different individual from God’s eternal Son in heaven. Jehovah Witnesses reduce Jesus to an important prophet but sidestep the dilemma that unless he is God then the charges of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin stick. Only God can forgive sins. Only God could save us. Another evangelist bewails the fact that at Christmas even the most sanitized Protestant worship space looks like a Catholic church with the various “idolatrous” statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. This is peculiar in that many of these same churches will return to repudiating such graven images come December 26 and argue that Catholicism has stripped the corresponding commandment from the Decalogue. Our view is not all that complex, although it is perfectly reasonable: the incarnation of Christ alters forever the economy of images. Jesus is the revelation of the Father and God with us. Now, the image of the creature can convey something of the dignity of God and his involvement in salvation history. Representations of Christ, the Virgin Mary and other saints are not worshipped in themselves but constitute a language in pictures that moves the mind and heart to the truth of the Gospel. A crucified figure on the Cross or any baby in a manger is recognized immediately, even by a child, as Jesus. One of the most heated debates on Internet message boards is between hard-line Seventh-Day Adventists and mainline believers over the correct Sabbath and the so-called pagan origins of Christmas. Protestant Christians are ridiculed for following Catholic institutions not mandated by the Bible. The Mormons often have very elaborate and beautiful commemorations for Christmas; however, they deny that Jesus is the unique or only Son of God the Father. This difference is critical because a denial of monotheism separates them from classical Christianity as well as from Islam and Judaism.

Technically speaking, God had already entered the human family when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary. However, although the proof of his existence as well as the personhood of John the Baptizer is validated in the visitation between Mary and Elizabeth; human convention places much gravity upon the moment of birth. Except for a few early episodes, we will not hear more about Jesus until he enters upon his public ministry. The life of Jesus is one of progressive revelation through significant steps. Jesus is present in the womb; then he is born and placed in a manger; later he is brought to the temple for his presentation; as a boy he is discovered teaching the teachers; many years later, he begins his public ministry and is baptized by John in the Jordan (the two meeting once more in a new beginning); and ultimately, he is fully revealed in his Paschal Mystery (passion, death and resurrection).

Looking to the date for Christmas, December 25, not all the ancient authorities were in agreement about it. Clement of Alexandria knew no certain tradition about it, asserting that some thought that either April or May 20 might be the day. St. Epiphanius and Cassian offered the Egyptian reckoning as January 6. The Greek churches did not celebrate Christmas for some time and when they did they linked it to the Epiphany. Preaching on Christmas in the year 386, St. Chrysostom told the Antiocheans, “It is not ten years since this day [December 25] was clearly known to us, but it has been familiar from the beginning to those who dwell in the West. The Romans, who have celebrated it for a long time, and from ancient tradition, have transmitted the knowledge of it to us.” St. Augustine confirmed that this was the practice of the Church in the West. Thus, we can conclude that even by the fourth century that dating was well established in earlier antiquity. [Source: The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1917.]

Such facts are interesting, but no matter what the true date is, we know for certain he was born and that Christ’s humanity was real. God became a human being so that something of God could now be found in every man and woman. Such is the significance of divine grace. Human nature is not only restored in dignity, but is complemented by the supernatural presence of God. The unity between God and man that was disrupted by sin is bridged in Jesus Christ. Christ’s redemptive work began with the incarnation and was accomplished in his saving works. The Sinless One took upon himself “sinful” flesh that sin might be conquered. The unity between God and humanity was already realized in Jesus Christ personally, even from the womb. His death and resurrection would extend this unity as a saving reality embracing others in the human family.

The Scriptures give sparse details about the daily relationships in the Holy Family. Our natural presumption, given that Jesus is God and that Mary was preserved from sin as the vehicle of the Incarnation, is that it was a peaceful home filled with harmony. Certainly there is much credit to such a view; however, we should be cautious in too quickly identifying their family life with what we hold as ideal. What evidence we do have about the relationship between Jesus and Mary is jarring to polite sensibility. Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was submissive to Joseph and Mary. But, was there the tenderness that we usually associate with them at Christmas? The only polite words that Jesus addressed to his Mother, as understood today, were at the Cross. Mary, the same woman who held him in Bethlehem will hold her dead Son in her arms at Golgotha. Her devotion and faith is clear. But the recorded words of Jesus were often quite pointed and curt. Finding him teaching in the temple, after a three-day search, the boy Jesus speaks to Mary as if she were the child: “Why have you sought me? Did you not know that I had to be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). His foster father Joseph says nothing. Mary bends her will to Christ’s and Joseph moves aside for the true Father of Jesus, the Father in heaven. As a man, Mary and the brethren (cousins to Christ) followed him and were no doubt concerned for his safety. They call out for him (Matthew 12:46-50). He does not respond. Rather, he tells his listeners, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Then looking to his listening disciples, he adds: “Behold my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is brother and sister and mother to me.” Again, he speaks, not from the normal perspective of a son but as one who cannot be utterly contained in the human dynamic. In other words, his divinity as God’s Son always comes to the fore. Earlier, at the wedding feast of Cana (John 2:1-11), Mary makes the statement to Jesus that they have no more wine. Jesus answers, “Woman, what business is this to me. My time has not yet come.” Despite the tone, he will perform his first miracle all the same. If I spoke that way to my mother, she would probably slap me. Many women are well aware of the tough tone that Jesus takes with Mary. How often have we heard upset mothers say to their sons something like, “You must think you’re Jesus Christ!” What are we to make of this?

First, Jesus was aware, even from the womb and manger, of his identity as the Son of God. He would grow in wisdom and grace but his divine awareness and knowledge was always accessible. It may be, as some theologians suggest, that he shelved while still retaining elements of his divine consciousness so as not to overwhelm his human nature. Second, we cannot interpret in the language alone any animosity or bitterness between Jesus and Mary. Jesus had to make a demarcation between them. While he had been born of Mary, his was ultimately the role of the Creator and her, the creature. In any case, discriminating mothers know by a gentle embrace or even a look, that they are loved. Mary loved Jesus and never doubted his love for her. Full of grace, Mother Mary was always imbued with the presence of her Son. She gave physical birth to him in time, but she was always giving spiritual birth to him in faith and in her immaculate heart. The writer, Francois Mauriac, said of this: “Christ had all eternity in which to glorify his mother in the flesh. Here below, perhaps, he sometimes treated her as he still does his chosen ones whom he has marked for holiness and who, behind their grilles, in their cells, or in the midst of the world, know all the appearances of abandon, of being forsaken, not without keeping the interior certainty of being his elect and beloved” (LIFE OF JESUS, pp. 15-16).

God is on our side in Jesus Christ. God the Son, Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and eternal Word, has made himself a son of Mary and a brother to all in the human family. The mystery of Christmas signals a new intimacy between heaven and earth. At a time when we give and receive gifts, God has given us the best gift of all.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

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A Word to Altar Girls

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Father Joe

The presence and participation of girls as altar servers has become fairly commonplace since their official introduction in the 1990’s. Just as we would hope that our young men might be inspired to consider a vocation to the priesthood; it is desired that our young ladies might give some thought toward a calling to the religious life as either a sister or a nun. While it is only “private” revelation, I have routinely shared with our altar girls the following citation from Mary of Agreda’s CITY OF GOD about the Virgin Mary’s service in the temple:

“The priest also gave Her a rule for her occupations and said: ‘My Daughter thou wilt assist at the exercises of divine praise and song in honor of the Lord with all reverence and devotion, and always pray to the Most High for the necessities of his holy temple and of his people, and for the coming of the Messiah.” . . . The most holy Child remained on her knees, while She listened to the words of the priest and then asked his blessing; . . . In the performance of works not commanded Her our Queen and Lady distinguished Herself from other maidens by asking her teacher to be allowed to serve them all. . . . By means of her infused science She understood all the mysteries and ceremonies of the temple; but She was anxious to learn them also by study and practice, as if She were ignorant of them, nor did She ever fail in any ceremony or duty, no matter how small. She was most eager for humiliation and most submissive in her self-contempt; . . .” (pp. 130-132).

If our girls and women can in some small way imitate this kind of model, then the novelty of their service should prove no problem. Notice the word “maidens” in the text? Although not translated, the Roman Canon mentions God’s servants and handmaids. Considering the political climate, such an appreciation would be a wonderful counter-cultural sign of humility, not to men, but to almighty God.

Filed under: Altarservers, Discipleship, Liturgy, Mary, Mass, Parish | 2 Comments »

Our Faithful High Priest

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Father Joe

Jesus is our High Priest. Unlike the Jewish priests, he was not given his role by human authority and neither did he have any personal sin for which he needed to make an offering. Jesus took upon himself the punishment that was rightfully ours. Certainly his death on the Cross brings immediately to mind the great offense of our sins. We did not deserve such a Savior who would make himself priest and saving victim. Looking upon the Cross should serve as a remedy for our pride and lust, unless we have desensitized ourselves to human suffering. Jesus repairs the damage inflicted by Adam and Eve. His death will render satisfaction for all the sins of their children.

The question is asked, if Jesus died for all, why do we still experience suffering and death? Why are we still punished for original and personal sin? The reason is simple. Christ has won the victory and yet in time we must become receptive of the fruits of his self-offering. It is still possible to reject the saving work of Christ. The providence of God determines who will accept the merits of Christ’s passion. As a people of faith we cry out for the blood of Christ to wash us and to make us new. Such is human freedom that we must will to be saved. We need to cooperate with Christ in breaking the bonds of our enslavement. If we fail to make use of his grace to do so, the fault is ours.

Jesus could surrender himself as a sin-offering because he had been made man; he had the authority to efface our sins because he was almighty God. A wrong against an infinite being could only find reparation from one of equal dignity. While God could have magnanimously forgiven us; he opted to fulfill the demands of divine justice. It is for this reason that in Jesus, both mercy and justice meet.

Christ suffered in his humanity while his divinity gave infinite value to his passion. This is at the heart of Christ’s identity as the God-Man. Jesus bought us back from the devil, literally redeemed us. Christ’s Cross merits all necessary graces. Just as the blood of a paschal lamb delivered the Hebrews from death; Jesus is the new Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and gives us a share in eternal life.

Jesus truly died. He was not play acting as some contend. His soul separated from his body, although his divinity remained with both. The soul of Jesus descended to the dead, the limbo of the fathers or righteous dead of the Old Testament. As the one high priest, he does this to lead the righteous into paradise. His death had unbarred the gates of heaven and now they were free to go to their just reward. Meanwhile, Christ’s body was taken down from the Cross and placed into a borrowed tomb. We know what happens next. Jesus rises body and soul from the grave.

Jesus continues to be our one high priest and mediator to the Father. All Catholic priests participate in this one priesthood, acting at the altar in the person of Christ, head of the Church. His sacrifice is re-presented upon our altars and his grace is infused into men’s souls. Jesus is present to us, albeit invisibly, and he sits at the right hand of the Father as our eternal advocate.

Jesus has made peace to God on our behalf. This reconciliation is sealed in his blood. He has redeemed us and he pleads our cause. His one sacrifice brought with it all the sacrifices of the old law and alone appeased the throne of heaven, the almighty Father. This restoration of the primal unity between God and man will be consummated at the end of the world.

For more such reflections, contact me about getting my book, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS.

Filed under: Catholic, Jesus, Redemption, Reflection, Sin | Leave a comment »

Messiah, Savior and Lord God

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Father Joe

The long-awaited Jewish Messiah comes into the world (Matthew 1:1-25). The Genealogy of Jesus is traced to his stepfather, Joseph and the remaining Gospel text affirms the virgin birth. It was customary for people to marry within their tribe. Thus, if Joseph was of the line of David then Mary would be as well. Despite the fact that the conception was made possible through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, it was customary to trace the family line through the father. Again, affirming that Jesus was the promised Messiah of the line of David, Joseph and Mary go to David’s town of Bethlehem for the census (Luke 2:1-14). The story is familiar; there was no room at the inn and so the Christ-child was placed in a manger, a feed box for animals. Today, upon the manger of the altar, we again find Jesus, who makes himself a saving food for men and women. The angel makes the wonderful pronouncement to shepherds and the hosts of heaven rejoice. It is part of Christian folklore that the devil and the other fallen angels were thrown out of heaven precisely because they refused to have any part in this angelic rejoicing. He would not bend the knee or give glory to a God dressed in human flesh and made vulnerable to human caprice. The shepherds visit the nativity (Luke 2:15-20). Mary “treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart,” an indication from St. Luke that Mary was one of his sources for the nativity narrative. The great theologian of the evangelists, John, speaks of the pre-existent Word that became flesh, the only Son of God come into the world to save us and to bring us to the Father (John 1:1-18). The Jewish Messiah is revealed as the World Savior and God come among us.