Evangelization | Blogger Priest

More Arguments with Anti-Catholic Bigots

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Father Joe

I respond to negative comments from Jorge Ulate and Darren J. Cowley.

JORGE: Where in the Bible does it say that the Catholic Church is the “church” established by Jesus? If I recall correctly Jesus established Jews to run his ministry. All the apostles, excluding one was not a Jew. So, how can this be? I am a Christian, now with all due respect. Can you answer me? So I would not be so confused. Or maybe I should convert to the right path— the Jesus way, not the Catholic.

FATHER JOE: The Catholic Church has an unbroken apostolic succession going back to the first apostles. If you read Acts and the epistles of Paul it is obvious that the Church was expanding beyond members of the Jewish nation to include the Gentiles. When the Jerusalem faith community was largely destroyed, the gravity would move to the large numbers of Greeks and Romans. Peter and Paul had already gone to Rome and had become martyrs of the true faith. The historical continuity connects the Catholic Church to the Church directly established by Jesus Christ. Simon is renamed Peter or Rock and Christ promises to give him the keys to the kingdom, warning that the gates of hell would never overcome the Church. Only the Catholic Church still claims a leader who is a successor of Peter, the one we call the Pope. The Eastern churches are also connected to us and have all seven sacraments. The juridical break is over the Petrine See, notably the extent of the Pope’s authority. However, they too see their bishops as successors of the apostles. Christ is called the Way and the early Church also termed the Church as such. This makes sense since the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. The word “catholic” means universal or worldwide. There is one Church instituted by Christ to perpetuate his ministry and to preach his truths.

HONEST DARREN OF AUSTRALIA: The Catholic Church is well documented by secular authors as having killed 100 million people during the inquisition and dark ages.

FATHER JOE: Not true, and what are these secular authorities? Anti-Catholic apologists and certain fundamentalists make such bloated claims, but they are hardly secular or unbiased. The inquisitions were largely civil affairs over which the Church had minimal control. Spain was the harshest and there were probably only seven million people in the whole country at the time. Rome censured them for their severity. The entire population of all of Europe might not have been 100 million. Stop telling lies or do some credible research and put an end to your libelous ignorance. A few thousand people may have suffered capital punishment. By comparison, since 1976, the United States has executed 1,321 people. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops opposes the use of the death penalty.

HONEST DARREN OF AUSTRALIA: These people are anyone who did not accept their spiritual authority on earth.

FATHER JOE: No, these were people who were judged dangerous to civil harmony. The secular leaders viewed religion as a glue to hold their societies together. Spain fought hard to remove the Moslems from their nation and their inquisition sometimes targeted Jews. Freemasons were also regarded as a threat since they conspired against both the state and the Church. Eventually Protestant monarchs would repress the freedoms of Catholics just as Catholic leaders had sought to minimize the damage of non-Catholic factions in their nations. The Inquisition in Italy is regarded by all authorities as the most mild. Crimes were not just heresy but infractions for which today’s civil courts would also render punishment. Of 75,000 cases judged, some 1,250 may have received the death sentence.

HONEST DARREN OF AUSTRALIA: They have never acknowledged this or apologized.

FATHER JOE: It makes no sense for the Church to acknowledge your deceit. Having said this, the late Pope John Paul II regarded even one life as sacred and having incommensurate value, took the high ground and offered a series of “mea culpas” or apologies in the hope that others would respond in kind. Read his apostolic letter, TERTIO MILLENNIO ADVENIENTE. He writes: “Another painful chapter of history to which the sons and daughters of the Church must return with a spirit of repentance is that of the acquiescence given, especially in certain centuries, to intolerance and even the use of violence in the service of truth.” It was his hope that this new millennium might be less bloody than the last.

HONEST DARREN OF AUSTRALIA: They are an abomination God. The pope is a sinful and corrupt man, he is not God and does not have any authority.

FATHER JOE: Actually, your bigotry is the abomination. Your hypocrisy damages the Christian witness we are to offer the world. Calumny is a sin and yours is paraded for all to see. The Pope like all good men recognizes that he is a sinner and he has a Confessor. Like Peter, he is a weak man; but also like Peter, the sacred charge is given to him by Christ, all the same. The Pope does not claim to be God. He is the Vicar of Christ, the Servant of the Servants of God. You are probably the unwitting servant of the father of lies.

HONEST DARREN OF AUSTRALIA: Spend time on your knees in prayer and read the Bible, and you will be led to the truth and a close relationship to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

FATHER JOE: I read the Scriptures every day and pray throughout the day. As a Catholic, I have both a personal and a corporate faith in Jesus Christ. As a priest, I am God’s instrument in extending the saving works or ministry among men. Christ feeds his people. Christ forgives his people. Christ heals his people. Christ teaches his people. The Catholic Church is the New People of God!

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Catholic, Evangelization, Religion | 13 Comments »

Responding to a Catholic Hater #3

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Father Joe

EVETTE: The ones who are supposed to be so called mediators or intercessors for the people are child molesters. I thank God for the Church of God! I thank God that I can live a life free from sin at 30 years old. Since repenting of my sins 4 years ago, God has given me the grace each day to live sin free in a sin filled world. That’s the God I serve!

FATHER JOE: Hum, well this discussion is going quickly to mud-slinging. Most priests are good and holy men. You do them and the priesthood a great disservice with your slur. It is hardly a Christian attitude, dare I say even sinful? And yet, you still insist upon your own righteousness, despite such an unchristian manner. Christ is the Mediator and men ordained to his ministries participate in his one priesthood. As for intercession, it is true that priests pray for their people, indeed, all Catholics are expected to pray for the welfare and good of others, living and dead. I guess you pray for no one except yourself. The parameters for your private faith allow no room for anyone else to get in. Beware; it may even shut out Jesus. You say thank God for his Church and yet you attack his Church, the Catholic community of faith, the Mystical Body of Christ. You might not believe this, but instead of claiming a share in his “church” by faith and baptism, you want it all for yourself. The Catholic faith would pray for you, even forgive you. Your response to the Catholic Church is condemnation and hatred. That is not from God. I am not sure how you define sin, but despite your protestations to the contrary, I just do not believe you. You might avoid many of the more visible and egregious sins, but you can also commit transgressions in your thoughts and in your heart.

EVETTE: I don’t have to lie anymore, fornicate anymore, cheat and deceive anymore.

FATHER JOE: Are you sure you do not lie “anymore”? If so, then what we are dealing with here is either ignorance or self-deception. You say you do not “fornicate” anymore and that is well and good; but you would condemn me as a priest, even though I still cherish an unbroken virginity that I dedicated to the Lord many years ago. I am a celibate priest, like most priests, who lives out a single-hearted love of God, a love that expresses itself in worship and service. You may have accepted Jesus Christ four years ago as your Lord and Savior. You might have invoked the blood of the Lamb to wash away your sins. But it still matters what you say and do and think. Faith is not a club with which to beat others over the head. Faith is surrendering our lives into the hands of God and divine providence. The difference between sinners in the Church from those outside is that a believer is a sinner forgiven. I hear none of that in your arrogant witness.

EVETTE: 1 John 3:5-10, “and ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinners not: whosoever sinners hath not seen him, neither known him. Little let no man deceive you: he that forth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinners from the beginning. For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever us born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that Loveth not his brother.”

FATHER JOE: Okay, I fixed of couple of typos, but I fear that it still is not an entirely accurate rendering of the KJV. Let me offer the New American Catholic translation for clarity sake (the translators were Catholic, Protestant and Jewish):

“Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him. Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother. For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another” (1 John 3:4-11).

We belong to Christ and this is distinguished against the “lawlessness” that belongs to any who oppose Christ (antichrist). We are not hostile to Christ but love him. Christians might not escape sin but they are aware that it damages or severs their friendship with God. Catholicism speaks about this as either venial or mortal sin. Those who remain in their sinful manner of life show that they really do not belong to the Lord. That is why we are called to be faithful. Such a state is sustained by faith and the abiding grace of God. The sacramental life and God’s mercy in the Church is a way for believers to maintain the “seed” or life in the Spirit. In other words, Christ is alive in them. It may be you read the wrong message in the Hebraic way of speaking, because such here does not support the notion of “once saved, always saved.” Faith can sour. Such is the terrible truth that has been realized, among the ministers and congregants of all the denominations, ecclesial communities and churches. Of course, as long as there is the breath of life, a repentant sinner can come home again.

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Bible, Catholic, Evangelization | Leave a comment »

Responding to a Catholic Hater # 2

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Father Joe

EVETTE: In Acts 20:28, Paul speaks on the role of preachers and ministers to “…feed the church of God….” He didn’t say the Catholic Church; but feed the Church of God.

FATHER JOE: The word “Catholic” means worldwide or universal. St. Ignatius of Antioch used the word “katholikos” in his epistle to the believers of Smyrna written around 107 AD. The context makes it clear that the word was used for the Church as far back as the last quarter of the first century in the Christian era. This is the one-and-the-same Church as established by Christ and led by the Apostles.

EVETTE: Furthermore, there is no place in the bible where we are instructed to pray to Mary or any of the saints of old.

FATHER JOE: Asking saints to pray for us is no different than my praying for you. The saints are alive and they intercede for others; it is very simple and logical. The mystery of the resurrection means that mortal death does not bring an end to our existence and caring for others. Turning to Mary, the fact that many people open their hearts to her in prayer was prophesied at the Presentation in the Temple. “The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:33-35).

EVETTE: Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We are to cry out to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; all others are idols. The word admonishes us to “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14).

FATHER JOE: Our Lord takes upon his own shoulders the yoke of sin so that we might know healing and forgiveness. Jesus is indeed the Prince of Peace. Catholicism has a central devotion to Christ; however, the Lord does not dismiss the corporate dynamic of faith, either. Jesus, himself, did not do everything alone but called to himself his apostles and disciples. He shared with them the truth and extended to his apostles something of his authority. Jesus teaches us how to pray and gives us the OUR FATHER. He also sends his HOLY SPIRIT upon the Church and we also pray, “Come, Spirit, come!” Would you reduce the other divine persons of the Sacred Trinity to idols? As I have explained many times, all prayer has as its proper object, almighty God. However, we can ask our brothers and sisters, living and dead, to pray for and with us. Just as a person might speak to a deceased spouse or parent while visiting a grave; we call upon the saints as members of our spiritual family. They are not worshipped and they are not false idols. Depictions of the saints are no more idols than a photograph of your child kept in the wallet.

EVETTE: Roman Catholicism is full of poison. In the Church of God, there is NO SIN. Can you say that about the Catholic Church?

FATHER JOE: The offers us the saving sacraments. The Eucharist is the antidote to all the poisons of hate and selfishness. The Church gives medicine for the soul, not poison. The Church is holy because Christ is holy. Church members are sinners who seek the mercy of our Lord. Jesus called sinners not the righteous (Luke 5:32). The Church does the same. Do you regard yourself as perfect and without sin? If so, then I would suggest that you look at yourself closer in the mirror. The self-righteous Pharisee thought he was justified too, but he was wrong. He was also quick to condemn others. We read:

“He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. ‘Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:9-14).

To be continued…

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Bible, Catholic, Church, Evangelization | Leave a comment »

Faith & Values in the News

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Father Joe

Religious Banners Removed at Catholic School

God forbid that young people at school events should get a taste of traditional American liberties, like freedom of religion and freedom of speech… NOT! Schools can teach science and the faith of atheism but are to make no mention a Creator. Schools can teach safe “promiscuous” sex and give away condoms, but not a penny is available for abstinence education. Schools are forbidden to teach the 10 Commandments and then wonder why youth misbehave and get in trouble with the law. All manner of vulgarity is tolerated but not a bible verse on a sheet… yep, these girls are real trouble-makers, but the right kind. When Islamic religious fanatics burn the flag, destroy property and commit murder… we target our sights upon peaceful Christian cheerleaders at a school football game. Ah, the world is insane!

Muslim Prayer Room Opens at Catholic High School

How many Catholic chapels are there in Islamic schools? Where does courtesy end and religious indifferentism begin? How does one reconcile this with the insistence that “Catholic identity” is not at risk in our parochial schools? Do the Jewish children get their private prayer space as well? What about the Wiccans and Satanists? Do they get chapels to honor the goddess and/or the horned beast? Certainly, we would not want to discriminate or be judgmental… would we? Ah, the plight of radical tolerance!

7-Election 2012

It does not look good for Romney… vote with a cup of coffee. The trouble is that the Tea Party is into another type of drink!

Ex-Priest Sues the Catholic Church to Clear His Name

If what he says is true, I really feel sorry for this guy and there needs to be justice.

The New York Times Remembers Sister Mary Rose

Rest in peace, Sister, and many thanks for saving children and Covenant House.

Children Freak When Disney Channel Cartoon is Interrupted by Porn

If trash television were not trasmitted at all then such accidents would not happen. The truth is that our children are exposed to unhealthy and vulgar images all the time. We cannot trust television to babysit our children. It is a compromised media. The providers are more interested in making money, even with virtual prostitution, then in helping parents to raise kids of good moral character and virtue. In any case, if adults are themselves corrupted by this media, then how can they pass on anything of value without the poison of hypocrisy?

Filed under: Atheism, Bible, Catholic, Celibacy, Conscience, Discipleship, Evangelization, Faith, Family, Modesty, News, Politics, Religion, Religious Liberty, Schools, Sexuality, Sin, Youth | 1 Comment »

The PATHEOS Portal

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Father Joe

http://www.patheos.com/Library/Roman-Catholicism.html

The PATHEOS portal advertises itself as “hosting the conversation of faith,” however— it does more than this, it seeks to reframe and/or to delineate religious truth. While several good Catholic blogs are hosted; it seeks neutrality with other religious or non-religious systems that is not possible without compromise and contradiction. For instance, while admitting that Catholicism “traces its history to Jesus of Nazareth,” which it defines as merely an “itinerant preacher,” the quick facts given stipulate the following:

The Roman Catholic Church formed between the 3rd to the 5th centuries C.E.
The bishops formed a “universal” church.
The exact date of the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church is indeterminable.
Many historians suggest that Pope Leo I (440-461) is the first to claim universal jurisdiction over the worldwide Church, thus initiating the rise of the papacy, a uniquely Roman Catholic structure.

While the nomenclature of “Roman Catholic” and “Pope” develops over time, the Church is directly instituted by Jesus Christ, God-made-man. The apostles were bishop-priests. There was no generic first and second century Christianity. Those who accepted Christ in faith and baptism were Catholic Christians. All the apostles and disciples were Catholic. The Virgin Mary was a Catholic. Jesus calls Simon ROCK or Peter and says that he will build his Church on this ROCK. He gives Peter the keys to the kingdom and universal jurisdiction as his visible shepherd. While there is certainly development, all the important elements go back to Christ and the apostles. Anti-Catholic critics have long contended for the late institution of the Church. Revisionist Catholics, even in academia, spout similar nonsense. These are not credible historians, no matter what alphabet soup follows their names. It seems to me that while individual voices at PATHEOS are orthodox, the site is tainted by a religious relativism that spills over into the section about Catholicism. Might this represent the wrong type of ecumenism about which Pope Benedict XVI has warned us? I think so. There is no sense of the supernatural nature of Mother Church. Dissenting voices are given as much legitimacy as those which speak the truth. There is no imprimatur or protection to insure against misleading statements. Attempting to appease many authorities, there is a definite religious indifferentism and denominationalism. Both are contrary to Catholic teaching and are affronts to the truth.

Mark Shea has a good article on his blog (hosted at PATHEOS) entitled, “Why it’s Our Ruling Class vs. the Rest of Us.” It alerts us to media consolidation and control of information, even religious information. I did not even know that PATHEOS existed until after I looked at the post and had my eye drawn away to the ads and links. I found it very unsettling and confusing. I hope over time the problems can be fixed, but I fear a continuing tension and struggle over what is or is not genuine Catholicism.

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Apostles, Bishops, Catholic, Church, Evangelization, Faith, Links, Magisterium, Patheos, Pope, Priests, Religion | 4 Comments »

Trying to Save the Souls of Teens

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Father Joe

There has been an issue the past few years with young people preparing for Confirmation. A cynical joke is shared that Confirmation is the sacrament one receives before leaving the Church. They disappear from Sunday Mass and sometimes even their parents go with them. Sacraments are treated as a list to check off instead of as transitions to new ways of living and conversion. When we talk to young people a few are really attentive, some seek to humor us and others do not even attempt to show interest in faith. Trying to reach them, I once invited each of the youth in the Confirmation class to share five of their favorite pieces of music. My plan was to listen to the music so as to extract themes for their retreat. The music was so violent and pornographic that it made me sick and my DRE became worried for me. Part of me became angry and I was tempted to withhold Confirmation altogether. I challenged them about the tragic disconnect between such filth and their faith in Jesus Christ. Did it make a difference? I can only hope.

Every year is such a struggle. They neglect parish service projects, community service and their required classes. Assignments are not turned in and there seems to be a general apathy. Instead of helping, a few parents paint the situation as adversarial, exaggerating the preparedness of their teens. Over the years I have had wonderful volunteers and my current DRE is the best I have ever known; but what can we do if there is no partnership from the parents in the home?

As much as their indifference wounds me, I would give them chance upon chance, to come to their senses and turn around. The challenges we face from a secular and hedonistic culture and media seems to overwhelm our few minutes of formation. Christian faith and values must be taught in the home. Living our faith should come, arm-in-arm, with knowing and loving our faith. We must also exert a strong effort against negative influences. Peers should not include bad companions. Foul visual and audio media should be thrown away. We need to be selective as to what we watch and listen. Another element is dress and posture. Young teens should neither date nor dress in provocative clothing. One critic has lamented that clothing styles for children and teens are illustrative of a pedophile and pederast culture. We are allowing our children to be poisoned and then expect a short weekly religion class, to which they come late, to somehow counteract the deadly effects.

We keep trying because we care. We don’t want to throw anyone out because of the likely concern that they will never come back. This year I am personally offering make-up classes for those who have missed required Confirmation classes. They are good young people and I see a level of hope. We have to keep hope alive.

Filed under: Evangelization, Youth | 1 Comment »

Gone Fishing: Called Out into the Deep Water

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Father Joe

When Jesus called me to be a priest, it was as if I were one of the fishermen in the boat with Peter and I heard him say, “Put out into the deep water.” Never having learned to swim, the prospect of such a literal action would be very frightening to me. But, the spiritual enactment of these words was no less daunting. There were many hurdles and risks. A psychological test was required. A number of people thought I was a bit off; did I want to risk confirmation that I was crazy? There was the medical examination and the physical challenges. I was a lifelong asthmatic with poor eyesight. My back had been bad from my youth. If accepted, there would be eight years of education; did I have sufficient grey cells to properly know the faith and to teach it to others? As a child when my mother tried to place me in parochial school, the good sister rejected me as too sickly and stupid. Later, in public school, I would fail first grade. The teacher told my mother that I was “retarded” and needed to go to a “special” school. Mother argued and thankfully another teacher stepped in and made a difference. Facing the prospect of years in formation, was I spiritually prepared and able? I went to Mass every Sunday and said my prayers but had done little in the way of church service. I had been kicked out of Sunday CCD early in high school. The teacher said there was nothing he could teach me. I had always behaved myself, but the eventual promises of perpetual celibacy and obedience also weighed on my mind. I was a good kid but sometimes got into fights. Whatever mischief my brothers and I engaged, my father always pointed to me as the “ring leader.” When it came to girls, I had many romantic thoughts but found them infinitely mysterious. Nevertheless, I came from a large family and knew that not having one of my own would be a terrible sacrifice. Of course, that was the whole point about the priesthood— sacrifice. Lastly, there was the question of money. My family was poor. If the Church wanted me as a priest, then the Church would have to pay for it. My family made sacrifices, but this matter worried me to no end. If I failed, then all the costs for seminary education would fall on my shoulders. It would mean years of debt for an education that would not easily translate into any successful secular occupation. A friend of mine who left was so plagued by the expenses that he enlisted in the army to defray them. Part of me was fairly certain that my application for seminary would be denied. Two weeks before starting at a regular college, I got the word. I had been approved. Every year after that I felt sure the faculty or bishop would catch on and dismiss me as unworthy. It was this that fueled my surprise when I stood before the archbishop on the day of my ordination. Oh my goodness, I thought, they’re actually going to it! The Church was going to make me a priest. I could not shake the notion that the Church must be pretty desperate to want me. But, for what it was worth, I would employ my poor gifts for the good of God’s people and seek to give God the glory.

Filed under: Evangelization, Personal, Priests | Leave a comment »

Gone Fishing: The Biggest Fish Story Ever Told

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Father Joe

Fishing entails real work, but there are extended periods of rest or inactivity. In my own reckoning, I have always associated it with finding buried treasure. The fish are hidden under the water and are acquired at the end of a baited hook or net. What we do or do not get is received as a gift, and if plentiful, a welcomed surprise. When something really huge is caught, we have the makings of “a big fish story.” The Good News of Christ represented the greatest story that mankind had ever heard. It was also one filled with surprises. While fish stories tend to get bigger or more far-fetched with each telling; the truth of Christ’s message exploded way beyond the capacity of the words we might find to convey it. God loved us and wanted to forgive our sins. The time for healing the breach between heaven and earth had come. Jesus was Emmanuel or God come down from heaven to save us. Even as Jesus was rejected, he would offer his life in atonement for our sins. Jesus would redeem us from the devil and conquer both sin and death. Jesus would overcome the grave and give us a share in his resurrected life. There was just no topping such a story. Of course, the analogy with fishing falls apart. The great treasure is not so much associated with fishing for souls as it is in the bait that is given to us or the counsel as to where to throw our nets. Just as in baptism where we are submerged or die with Christ so that we might live with him; there is a level of risk and trust in baiting our hooks or nets with Christ in the hope that we might catch others for the faith. We have to trust the bait and the counsel given. If we fail to live out the faith we profess with our lips, only going through the motions, we might find ourselves with empty or torn nets. The bait that we relied upon might itself be found lost from our hooks. Then we would have nothing.

Filed under: Evangelization, Priests | 1 Comment »

Gone Fishing: Catch or No Catch

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Father Joe

There is something very conducive to meditation about fishing and boating. One is always prepared for the surprise of the catch; but one could also enter a trance by looking at the light reflecting on the moving water. I knew one fellow who regularly fished at a small mountain lake. However, it was common knowledge that there were no fish stocked in the lake. When asked why he engaged in such a futile occupation, he said that he was not even partial to fish, but enjoyed the activity itself. It enabled a link with nature and the God of nature. He could reflect deeply about his life, the things that mattered and invite God to communicate through the stillness and silence. It allowed him to get away from the noise and busy-ness of the world, so that he might better commune with God. I have something of the same appreciation of fishing, both in a real boat and in the ark that is the Church. We might not even be good fishermen, but the real work belongs to God. When the disciples had fished all night, catching nothing; our Lord sent them out again and directed them in throwing out their nets. It was then that they made their catch and found their nets at the bursting point. However, even if nothing is caught, the spiritual fisherman can take solace in doing as he is told. God does not demand that we be successful, only that we be faithful.

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Gone Fishing: When Fish Bite Back

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Father Joe

Many years ago, I shared a boat ride with a few brother priests on the Sea of Galilee. It is a freshwater lake. I tried to imagine myself on a more primitive boat with fishermen and the new prophet and teacher, Jesus. Some would call him, “Messiah,” but from the perspective of history and faith, I would call him, “Lord.” My momentary absorption was broken by the pilgrimage guide speaking about problems faced by contemporary fishermen. It seemed that some idiots had dumped piranha into the water and the wicked fish were flourishing, to the chagrin and financial downfall of those who made their living there. I pulled my hand that was lazily hanging over the side back into the boat. What would Jesus have made of that? Our Lord told his disciples that he would make them fishers of men. But, now the fish could bite back, both literally and figuratively. Like the interloper piranha, sometimes men resist the nets of the Gospel and the fishermen themselves become victims of the sea and their would-be catch: we call such fishermen by another name, martyrs. Of course, not everyone remains steadfast. Sometimes those who seek to spread the truths of faith are ill-equipped, either intellectually or spiritually. They become seduced or converted, themselves, either to religious falsehood or to the incomplete answers of a secular and/or atheistic modernity.

Filed under: Evangelization, Priests | Leave a comment »

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