Father Michael

A Message from Father †Michael Feast of the Baptism of Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Today’s Theme: “The Servant of Yahweh” Identifying with Sinners When leprosy broke out among the people of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the 19th century, authorities responded by establishing a leper colony on the remote island of Molokai. The victims were snatched by force from their families and sent to this island, where they were expected to perish. Moved by their terrible plight, a young Belgian priest, Fr. Damien de Veuster, asked King Kamehameha V to be allowed to minister to them. Receiving permission, he went to Molokai, at first, trying to minister from a safe distance. Immediately he realized the effective way to do gain their trust was to live among the people, and become immersed in their culture. Eventually, after 11 years of work, he discovered he had contracted leprosy, too.* The reaction of the people on Molokai was immediate and wholehearted. They embraced Fr. de Veuster, and took him to their hearts, as “one of them.” There was no need—no point—to keep his distance from them any longer. The afflicted had someone to whom they could talk about their disease, their brokenness, their rejection and their shame. Jesus’ baptism was a source of embarrassment for the early Christians. Even John the Baptist found it incongruous and, as we saw in today’s Gospel, tried to prevent it (Matthew 3:13-17.) As John’s baptism was a call to repentance, it was for sinners, to promote consciousness of their sinfulness. He and all the early Christians were certain Jesus was no sinner! He did not stand in need of any repentance. The relevance of John’s baptism for Jesus was that of “symbolism.” He wanted to show solidarity with the people who had come for help. For this reason, it was important that He be baptized–publicly. When He stepped into the water of the Jordan, he was effectively saying to them: “I am on your side!” On the day of His baptism, Jesus "joined the ranks" of sinners. The Father showed His approval of what He was doing, setting His seal upon Him, sending the Holy Spirit in the form of a descending dove, and anointing Him with compassion for His mission. From that point in His public mission, Jesus was never apart from sinners. He sought them out; went among them; befriended them. He placed himself among the people, so much so, that the authorities identified Him as a sinner, too. This eventually led to His fate, dying as a condemned criminal. Jesus took our sinful condition upon Himself, placing Himself beside us as an older brother. He revealed to us that we are God’s precious children. In this way He showed His love for us—and likewise, showed us what we have to do if we want to help those who are downcast. The Call to Service Nelson Mandela will go down as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. A member of he Xhosa people, Mandela grew up in the Transkei. Instrumental in ending apartheid, he brought about a multicultural society in South Africa. In his autobiography, he tells that all the currents of his life were taking him away from the Transkei. Yet, he had no epiphany, singular revelation, nor moment of truth. He says: “A steady accumulation of insights helped me see that my duty was to the people as a whole, not just to a particular section of it. The memory of a thousand indignities produced in me an anger, a rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people. There was no particular day on which I said, ‘Henceforth I will devote myself to the liberation of my people.’ Instead, I simply found myself doing so, and could not do otherwise. (A Long Walk to Freedom (1994---Little, Brown and Co.,) Jesus was 30 years old when He began His public ministry. How He came to that decision, and why He waited until then to begin the real work of His life is, simply, that prior to that, He wasn’t ready…. Jesus was a teacher, not of a subject such as history, which can be learned from books, but of religion, or better, spirituality. Spirituality has to be lived before it can be effectively taught. This is why time is important. Before the age of 30, most people have little experience from which they can draw. Jesus’ life in Nazareth was uneventful, (as far as we can tell—Scripture tells us virtually nothing of His life from age 12, to 30 years of age.) We are only told that “He grew in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and Man” (Luke 2:52,) quietly, in the shadows of Nazareth, but those years were crucial for Him. Quietly, He heard a call away from Nazareth, to the service of His brothers and sisters in the wider community. The day He was baptized by John He didn’t suddenly become a different person, but He had reached a crossroads. On that day He left behind His comparatively quiet life and began to reap the harvest from what had been growing within Him. His baptism was a very special moment in His life—a moment when He decided to embark upon His public mission. No doubt He came to that moment after much meditative prayer and reflection, and it surely wouldn’t have been easy for Him. His “human self” would have experienced some uncertainty and anxiety. He needed affirmation, which came when He heard those wonderful words: “This is My beloved Son; with Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17.) These words set a divine seal of approval on His mission, which was to bring sinners back to God. Our Heavenly Father’s words would have put the “wind in His sails,” so to speak. Not only did He receive approval from on high for his mission, but He also received power with which to accomplish it. This was signified by the simultaneous descent of the Holy Spirit as a dove above His head (Matthew 3:16.) The Holy Spirit was to remain with Him throughout His entire ministry. . There is a great lesson for us in all this. We must not “write off” any part of our lives as useless, nor any experience as a waste. Everything gives us an opportunity to grow. Life calls for much patient waiting. But we must not wait for something “great” to happen. We must fully live in the moment, as therein are contained the seeds for the future—blossoming in the present. We also are called to grow in wisdom and grace, as Jesus did. He required 30 years to reach maturity and acquire sufficient wisdom. It may well require us a lifetime to grow, mature and ripen as human beings into true children of God. The feast of the Baptism of Jesus reminds us of our own Baptism, renewing its grace within us, and providing us an opportunity to commit ourselves again to the Christian life, which is essentially, a life of service. We are not called to save the world, nor to solve all its problems. Nevertheless, each of us has our own unique call—in our families, in our work, in our world. We need help from the Spirit of God, within us, to be able to be faithful to that call. Faithfulness to small, everyday tasks is our way of responding to the problems of our time, and participating in the work of Jesus. May God Richly Bless You! “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” (John 1:33.) * Leprosy, having afflicted humans for thousands of years, is along-term infection by the bacteria: Mycobacterium leprae. Initially, a person who is infected does not have symptoms and typically remains this way for five to 20 years. Infected persons may experience weakness, poor eyesight, damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and lack the ability to feel pain. This last symptom can lead to the loss of parts of a person's extremities from repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. Since the 20thCentury, Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT.) Diagnosis and treatment with MDT are easy and effective, and worldwide, a 45% decline in the disease has occurred since MDT has become widely available. Canonized in 2009, Fr. Damien is considered the patron saint of leprosy and outcasts. Trinitarian Blessings.docx Trinitarian Blessings.mp3

A Message from Father †Michael 5 January 2020 The Feast of the Epiphany Today’s Theme: “A Light for the Gentiles” A Revolutionary Feast Today, we celebrate the appearance of Our Blessed Lord, Jesus, on the human scene. The feast of Epiphany is celebrated in order to bring out a prominent aspect of the Christmas Mystery: the manifestation or “epiphany” of the universal dominion of the newborn King, to the whole world—not simply to the Jews through the Scriptures. As was dramatized in the Lord Jesus’ manifestation to the Magi, or “wise men” from the East, Christian tradition has always seen the “first fruits of the Gentiles” in the Magi. They lead all the peoples of the earth in their wake, thus making the Epiphany a universal affirmation of eternal salvation. The perfect equality of all mankind is stressed, particularly, in today’s Second Reading (Ephesians 3:2-6,) wherein we all become “one body” in Christ. Today’s feast shows that election by God is not a privilege for some, but a hope for all, eliminating every kind of exclusivism. Although Jesus’ ministry was primarily restricted to His own people, He also reached out to Samaritans, Canaanites, foreigners and all kinds of the socially outcast. In that, He angered the Jewish leaders by telling them the Kingdom of God was open to everyone. The news that Gentiles would be accepted on equal terms to their own caused shock and bewilderment to the Jews. And He reinforced this in His final commissioning of the apostles, saying, “Go out into the whole world, making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19.) Entrusted by God with our sanctification, the Church’s public worship, rites and sacraments, official prayers, feasts and liturgical seasons are the methods used to unite us to Christ, and to transform our souls to the likeness of His unrelenting light. This is emphasized in the words from today’s blessing: “This day Christ appeared to the world as a light shining in the darkness. May you follow Him in faith and be a light to others.” Every year, from Advent to Pentecost, we celebrate the principal events of our Savior’s life, not as a mere commemoration, but to renew us by the application of the special graces, which the celebration of each event brings to us. This living communication of the mysteries of Christ permeates our souls with authentic Christian life. The significance and spirit of these liturgical celebrations teaches us to allow ourselves to be guided by them in order to penetrate into the heart of the Christian mystery, and derive full benefit from their supernatural efficacy. The principal purpose of the Christmas season is to remind us of the radical transformation that took place in all human lives due to the Incarnation of the Word. God’s own Son became not only one of us, He gave us the power to truly become children of God; a new and holy people whom He quickens with His divine Life and leads to heaven. The Incarnation began here on earth as a “new order,” the final consequence of which is to be our definitive union with God in heaven. In the sacred humanity of our Savior, we find the ever-flowing spring of our supernatural life that draws down upon all mankind the full accomplishment of the redemptive work begun by His coming into this world. Significance of the Magi After the devastation of the world by sin and the darkening of humanity; after centuries of preparation and longing, (which included no less than the founding of an entire people set apart from God;) after wars, division, exile and foreign domination; after a lowly birth to a humble Jewish couple...after all this, the revelation of Christ as the eternal Son of God was finally manifested to the nations. Only a work of God in their hearts could have moved men of learning--sages from the East--who were comfortable in their own kingdoms, to be drawn to Him. What power could have moved them to leave their homes and positions of prominence behind to undertake such an uncertain journey? And then, what could inspire them to recognize the One they were coming to worship. These were men who were steeped in astrology (an early form of what has become today our science of astrophysics,) were guided by their appreciation of the natural world. As such, it was an imperfect revelation, for it told them of the birth of the “King of the Jews,” not where they could find Him. The ultimate secret of His whereabouts was locked in the special revelation of God to Israel, namely, in the Scriptures--about which they would have had little or no knowledge. †Matthew contrasts the faith of these pagan visitors and the unbelief of the Jewish leaders (civil and religious.) The pagans have answered the call to faith in Christ, whereas the “chosen people” have, for the most part, rejected it. Fathers of the Church have held that the sages’ giftsreveal that they recognized—even if only to a small extent—Who this Baby was: Gold as tribute for a king; incense offered as praise to God; and myrrh, the ointment used to soothe the sufferings of humanity. Yet all three were presented to Jesus, because, as true God and true man, He had been given all royal authority and holy dominion. By offering their gifts, the wise men pointed to Jesus’ deity, nobility and the fact that long-awaited salvation could only come about through His suffering and death. Theirs was a bold and courageous journey—appearing to many as foolhardy. It couldn’t have been an easy undertaking. No doubt they encountered many difficulties, and moments of doubt and danger. Every time their “guiding star” would have disappeared under clouds, or in the light of day, they would have temporarily lost their bearings. They must have questioned whether they were wasting their time. Nonetheless, †Matthew relates they still journeyed on faith—having no idea where the star was leading them. Ultimately, they were rewarded with finding the Christ Child (but then, too, “seeing does not necessarily mean believing.”) We cannot help but be amazed by the fruit that was borne from the journey of these wise men! In their wake, generation after generation of the wise have bowed down before the humble Child of Nazareth. Like the wealth of the nations, in the prophet’s words (Isaiah 60:5,) men and women from every age have laid their treasures before Christ, renouncing the apparent wealth of this world to embrace the real wealth that is found in repentance, faith, and humility. We have a striking advantage over the Magi—we have encountered Christ in our faith, aided by two millennia of teaching and belief. We intimately know Christ as the “Light of the World,” and as the “Star” that we follow. Nevertheless, we should not be surprised when we have doubts and when we encounter difficulties in our journey of faith. Faith doesn’t guarantee we will have an easy path, only a meaningful one. Like the Magi, we do not travel alone—we are part of a community of believers to support us. A holy Native American, Black Elk, is quoted as having said; “It is hard to follow one great vision in this world of darkness and changing shadows. Among those shadows people get lost.”* This is exactly what the Magi did—setting out in pursuit of a great vision and following that vision to its end. Blessed Are Those Who Believe The essence of the Good News is this: God made Himself present to us in the life of One Who walked upon this earth--indeed so truly present that this One, Jesus, was His Son. This revelation was an offence and contradiction to some, but salvation to those who had eyes to see, and hearts to believe. The Magi serve as the forerunners of all those who would come to worship the risen Jesus proclaimed by the apostles. Their story shows us the great benefits of faith. Herod and many in Jerusalem were troubled because of their unbelief. Their fear contrasts with the great joy the Magi felt as they followed the star on the road to Bethlehem. An overall theme of the happiness and blessedness pervades the Gospel for those who believe. All of Jesus’ preaching was intended to elicit faith in people’s hearts. However, it was not simply a matter of believing, but believing and acting on that belief, and living according to it. It is a question of hearing the Word and doing it; taking risks on it; and making sacrifices because of it. May God Richly Bless You! “Out of the Darkness, Into the Light: The Time of Christmas is the Time of Light and mutual Love.” (Sir Kristian Goldmund Aumann) * Nebraska poet laureate, John G. Neihardt: “Black Elk Speaks.” (1932) Let Your Light Shine.docx Let Your Light Shine.mp3

29 December 2019 A Message from Father † Michael Feast of the Holy Family Today’s Theme: “Family Life” Scripture Note Today’s Readings are replete with references to the “family,” beginning with a brief commentary on the fourth commandment: “Honor thy father and mother” (Sirach 3:2-14.) By extension, this has import to the obligations a society has for the well-being of all its members, and in particular, as a directive for focus on the welfare of older citizens’ need for comfort and dignity. †Paul focuses on “community” and the Christian household (Colossians 3:12-21.) Herein, fraternal love is the hallmark, which begins at home. In this context, parents are seen to be the examples that will be followed by their children as adults. Meanwhile †Matthew sees Jesus as reliving the history of His people. Our Gospel story today is colored by the story of Moses in Egypt (Matthew 2:13- 23.) Just as he had to be rescued from Pharaoh, Jesus had to be rescued from Herod. The story also contains echoes of the Exodus. Even though the evangelist’s intentions are theological, he does characterize the plight of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as homeless refugees. The Role of the Family A tree planted in an exposed place is very vulnerable, at the mercy of every wind. If it survives at all, it will likely be stunted—a poor specimen of its species. To achieve its potential, it must be planted in a sheltered environment, and most beneficially, and properly spaced among other trees. They will form a community, in which resources can be shared, and protection afforded. Like trees, it is not good for people to be alone, either. Our wholeness, our mental health and our need for “ties” to love and friendship with other human beings is essential for our wellbeing. Human nature thrives in community. Deficient by ourselves, other people enable us to develop more completely. This is evident in results observed among children who have been sheltered from others lacking many social skills and the facility for cooperative learning. It is one of the dangers faced in today’s thriving “homeschool” movement. Other examples include the experiences of “parochial” school students who faced difficulties when integrated into a “secular” school environment. While they may possess superior intellectual development, some of these children were also inadequately prepared. In the arena of social interaction, a loving family unit shines. A forest of healthy trees is a good image of the family—exemplifying closeness and space. Closeness allows for intimacy, warmth and collegial support, while space ensures individuals are not stifled, and are allowed to grow to full expression. The challenge faced by families is to consistently maintain balance. Healthy family relationships equip us to interact with others, something of vital importance in the world. Without the ability to form close relationships, we are handicapped, like a single tree, at the mercy of “cold winds” of anguish and loneliness. We learn how to bond with others in the little community of the family, to make room for others in our lives. We learn to share, cooperate and be responsible to and for one another. †Paul highlights virtues of kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, mutual forgiveness and above all, love, as qualities necessary for building communities in today’s Second Reading. Lacking some or all of these can lead to serious psychological frustrations, and destroy harmony. Our modern world puts inordinate pressure on today’s families. It isn’t that we no longer value them, but we many times lack the discipline, commitment, fidelity and self-sacrifice that make them work. Our Scriptural example of life of the Holy Family, albeit sparse in detail, shows us a loving community, in which Jesus was allowed to grow “in wisdom age and in grace, with God and men”(Luke 2:52.) In our family community we have our place: with bonds, identity and roots. And it is not necessarily a bad thing if a family shares hardships. Hardship can be a grace. Studies have given credence to the strength that comes from difficult times in a family. Struggles often breed sturdiness in people that bear witness to the grace that comes from weathering difficulties in “togetherness.” The dilemmas observed in the lives of children of one- parent and no-parent homes stand in stark contrast to other families that have stayed united to face problems in the face of crippling distress. Trees that grow on hard ground have firmer roots and are better equipped to meet the inevitable storms. Parents and Children We have learned that at Nazareth, Jesus grew quietly, in the shadows. We make presumptions about His early years, as we have only the history of Jewish life of His time to guide us. We suppose he learned a trade—carpentry, from Joseph. We envision Him attending Hebrew school with other children of his small town, learning Hebrew, along with the requisite prayers in the Synagogue, and the Torah. During those years we imagine Him growing, maturing and “ripening.” The Holy Family serves as a model for all families, and we can cull many lessons from both the few extant Scripture accounts, and idealized scenarios of simple, peasant life in and around Galilee in the first century A.D. Jesus’ family life gave Him a basis for His relationships that He would form as an adult. No doubt, He also learned acceptable parameters of human behavior from Mary and Joseph. (But since He was God incarnate, a Man without sin, we don’t conceive of any instance where He required behavioral correction!) The last Scripture story of the Holy Family is a journey to Jerusalem taken by the Holy Family, wherein a 12-year-old Jesus was found studying and lecturing to the elders of the Temple (Luke 2:41- 52.) Upon being chastised by His mother, Mary, for distressing them by his absence, He shows obligate deference and obediently returns to Nazareth with them. The extension of child rearing that we must also consider is the particular relevance for our times when the elderly are pushed to the margins of society. In our strength it is easy to forget those who are weak and perhaps a little senile. There is a saying: “One mother can take care of ten children, but ten children can’t take care of one mother.” Under God, we owe everything to our parents. The author of Sirach asserts that kindness to parents is especially pleasing to God Who accepts it as atonement for one’s sins. Here again the Holy Family serves as a model. As Jesus was dying on the cross He thought of His mother, and entrusted her to the care of his disciple(John 19:26.) (According to tradition, Joseph had already died.) Caring for one’s own kin is no easy task. No circumstances present greater difficulties than in nursing one’s own. No one is more demanding; nevertheless, our first and holiest duty is kindness towards our ageing parents. God is served when we give the thirsty a “cup of water” in His name (Matthew 25:35.) Reflection If Children live... With criticism, they learn to condemn; With hostility, they learn to fight; With ridicule, they learn to be shy; With shame, they learn to be guilty; With tolerance, they learn to be patient; With encouragement, they learn to have confidence; With praise, they learn to appreciate; With fairness, they learn about justice; With security, they learn to trust; With approval, they learn self-respect; With acceptance and friendship, They learn to find love and God in the world. (Anonymous) May God Richly Bless You! “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” – Psalm 127:3-5 Kneeling at the Manger.docx Kneeling at the Manger.mp3

25 December 2019 A Message from Father † Michael Today’s Theme: “For Unto Us a Son is Given” The Incarnation Our faith teaches that God sent His only-begotten Son to earth in the form of a Man. This was accomplished by the will of God in an act called the “Incarnation,” in which the body, soul and divinity of God, Himself, became like one of us—a human being. Taking on our human nature He conferred upon us the dignity of children of God. The mystery of the Incarnation is a mystery of love, constituting the very heart of our Christian faith. It is no wonder, then, that Christmas is such an important feast. If you really want to understand and be “in touch” with people, you must go where nobody recognizes you. You must “immerse yourself” in their particular culture—in order to see what the people see; hear what they hear; and live like they live. Simply understanding it in an abstract way is much less effective than experiencing it with your whole being. People who want to really learn a foreign language, for instance, know that this is the most effective method. God became integrated into the culture of humankind in the person of Jesus. Becoming one of us, He became the ultimate gift of Christmas. This was no “loving from a distance”—it was “loving at extremely close quarters.” God meets us where we are. Taking our humanity upon Himself means we don’t have to deny or reject our humanity in order to know God. He showed us how to live life to its fullest. Religion and holiness became very real, thereby—not merely concerned with the spirit and with heaven, but with the body and the earth. By becoming a Child, completely dependent upon human care, God eliminated the distance between the divine and the human, which made it impossible for us to even conceive His nature. No one fears a little child. Jesus became a Brother to us. Abstract talking about God can leave us empty. We need God made flesh, a human being like us, walking in our streets, even in our shoes, teaching us the way of God. And that is precisely what we celebrate at Christmas. The Son of God comes to us not as a judge, but as a Savior. He comes to reveal to us our divine dignity as His children, and show us the glory of our eternal destiny in heaven. This is the Good News—the great joy the angels announced to the shepherds, and that is announced to us in Holy Scripture. We have only to open our hearts to receive it. Shepherds It is sometimes said that religion is an escape from the harsh realities of life. But this is a complete misunderstanding. Religion is not an escape from life. Rather, it is a path toward a deeper commitment to life. The following analogy may make this more clear: Considering the world of Jesus’ time, and even today, we find the life of a shepherd to be a lowly estate. Although they performed an important task, shepherds were obscure, and unrecognized by society-at-large. It was to such people as these that Jesus’ birth was first announced—and who first welcomed it. Picturing a quiet, dark, poor countryside, with men and boys keeping watch over flocks of sheep, we imagine people who were truly “ripe” for Good News! Scripture suggests God seems to favor coming to those who are poor and who are not afraid to admit it. We might see material poverty as the most obvious kind, but spiritual poverty is worse. God made His presence known in the midst of customary life, as they were diligently caring for their charges, unsuspecting of any abnormal event. Most often we find Him within our lives, rather than outside them—where we live, in the midst of our daily occupations, in our homes, workplaces, etc. Recovering from the initial fright, we learn that the shepherds did not sit back, however, as the angels’ message demanded action. They went in search of the Child, journeying to Bethlehem as the angels instructed. Outwardly, they encountered a Child, simply clad, lying in a manger. But inwardly, they recognized Him with the eyes of faith as the Savior, sent by God! Still, when the excitement faded, and the brightness dimmed, they had to face their dark and cold lives once again. But the Gospel tells us they returned to their fields—rejoicing, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard! Ostensibly, nothing had changed.... However, even as their lives continued as before, their hearts must have been filled with wonder. With new vision, and hope, they possessed a sense of the love of God, and His presence among them. Their formerly obscure lives now glowed with meaning— their old world becoming like a “new country” where everything glistened with marvel. Even though few, if any of us, have seen angels, we have heard their message. When we worship today, we also see the Child. Unlike the shepherds, we can only see Him with the “eyes of faith”—not simply as an Infant, but as our Savior, Christ, the Lord. Like the shepherds, we too will also leave His presence and return to our ordinary lives. But perhaps we will do so glorifying and praising God, as they did, for His goodness to us. For in the divine Child, we will also comprehend our own divinity! Each of us must learn, in our own way, how to be close to God, and how close God can be to us, in the midst of our sometimes painful and sometimes joyful existence. Religion helps us address our deepest longings, adding dimensions that fuel our innermost spirituality. Let us hope to share, in some small way, the same great joy felt by those shepherds long ago. Our joy springs from a sense of God’s presence within us and His love for us. In fact, joy itself is one of the greatest signs of His presence, a glimpse into the sublime. Christmas: A Feast of the Heart The prolific Irish writer, Frank O’Connor tells howSanta Claus once brought him a toy train for Christmas (An Only Child, Memoir, 1961.) He took it with him to visit some nuns at a local convent. While there, the nuns showed him the crib in the chapel. Seeing the Child Jesus without any presents, he was quite upset, feeling utter despondency at His being “forgotten.” Asking why, he heard the nun say, “His mother is too poor to afford any gifts.” Determined to correct this grave oversight, O’Connor unceremoniously climbed into the crib, and placed his toy train between the outstretched arms of the Baby Jesus! This story shows the power of Christmas. In this special season, God has given us the opportunity to show our potential for compassion and generosity. Of course, His was the perfect example—He sent us the gift of His only Son! Scripture tells us “...Who, though He was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped...instead He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant...in the likeness of men...accepting the state of man” (Phillipians 2:6-7.) Our Savior made Himself “small,” “humble” and “insignificant.” In doing so, we don’t feel we have an obligation to bow down before Him, as royalty, but rather, we are made aware of our own poverty. By coming in weakness, He made us aware of our own riches, and evoked a feeling of our compassion to bring our hearts to life. It was the seeming neglect of the Child Jesus that brought out a reckless act of generosity in a young Frank O’Connor, and it was Jesus’ poverty that spurred the Magi to open their “treasures” before Him so long ago. It also serves as a challenge for us, giving us an opportunity to open our hearts. Jesus no longer needs our gifts. But other people may. He wants us to share ourselves with one another. Christmas, then, is an affair of the heart. It is a feast that gives us a concept of the heart of God; and at the same time, reveals the depth of our own willingness to share with others. What makes us human is not so much our ability to think as our ability to love. To the extent that we open our hearts to God and to one another, we will experience something of this “great joy,” which is the fruit of love. May God Richly Bless You! “Into this world, this demented inn in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ comes uninvited.” Thomas Merton Promise, The.docx Promise, The.mp3

22 December 2019 Fourth Sunday of Advent A Message from Father † Michael Today’s Theme: “Preparing for Christmas” Scripture Note The Liturgy of the Word today deals with “The One Who is to come.” Isaiah vaguely glimpsed the identity of the “child” in our First Reading (Isaiah 7:10-14.)Foretelling the coming of a very special Child to be called “Immanuel,”—God-With-Us—there is no reason to believe that he knew just how special that Child would be. (No prophecy is fully understood until after its fulfillment.) In our Second Reading, †Paul draws the Romans’ attention to Jesus’ human and divine roots (Romans 1:1-7.) Both †Paul and †Matthew make it clear that Jesus was the Son of David—because he was descended from Joseph, his legal father (Matthew 1:18- 25.) But, of course, He was more than that—He was the Son of God! Matthew’s genesis, or origin account of Christ shares a family history that might seem monotonous at a glance (Matthew 1:1-17.) Moreover, at face value, his opening genealogy is a fiction, (in the sense that Jesus shares no biological relationship to Joseph and the 14 generations that preceded Him.)Nonetheless, we do find numerous examples of people within Jesus’ lineage who were totally reprehensible in their lives—beginning with Abraham, the father of nations, through David, the royal king—and many others who, at times, acted far from “saintly.” However, each repented for their sins, and in turn, received the Lord’s favor throughout the family descent. It is in this that we stake our claim for forgiveness for our misdeeds, promised by Jesus, when we sincerely repent. Therefore, we see in Matthew’s family tree achronological reasoning establishing Jewish roots for Jesus, offering a telescopic view of God’s enduring redemptive work among the people of God. Debating Christmas When we consider the seasonal celebration of the Christmas holy days (“holidays?”) each year, it is not uncommon to uncover pockets of dissent among people. Those who may have been avid participants in seasonal festivities throughout their lives may later take a contrary view to what they believe may has become a totally commercial enterprise for most people. We often hear Christmas has “...nothing to do with the birth of Christ, and should, therefore, be abandoned!” Exponents claim Christmas is little more than a “spending spree” for those who can afford it. They think of the gifts, decorations, food, drink, parties and so on, purporting the season is only of benefit to merchants who laugh “all the way to the bank.” While most businesses catering to the gift-buying public count on the Christmas season for a large portion of their yearly gross sales, no one is forced to buy anything.... In any case, most of the things people buy are given to others. Having said that, one could hardly disagree that commerce has taken center stage in the minds of most people. This aspect disturbs many who cherish the real meaning of Christmas, so it’s quite human to expect inevitable abuses. If you open a window to allow fresh air to flow, flies will come in, too. Increased instances of eating and drinking are commonly reported around holidays, and for some people, they’re simply another excuse to indulge. Nonetheless, Christmas is not a cause of people’s excesses, nor is it a time for “long faces.” It’s a time for joy and celebration, as attested to the songs of the angels: “Glory to God in the highest...” etc.—some of the sweetest music on earth. Other human extravagances and the myriad travels made to gather with family and friends, often lead to a host of family tension, squabbles and even traffic accidents. Encouraging selfishness, especially in children, is another common complaint about this season. But isn’t it true that the spirit of the season also causes the best in people to be displayed? Generosity is encouraged; heartfelt giving to the poor, the needy and the lonely is commonplace during this time. In fact, more charity is given to people during the Christmas season than at any other time of year. As regards children, the birth of the Christ-Child makes us realize how precious they are. It’s only natural to concentrate on their happiness; after all, they grow up so quickly! Without doubt, Christmas inspires dramatic expressions of goodwill. Barriers between people are dismantled, and a good deal of togetherness results. Neighbors reach across fences to greet each other, and people forgotten during the rest of the year are fondly remembered. Scattered families are reunited. Even though it doesn’t last as long one might like, at least it shows us the way we ought to go. Surely it’s better to glimpse the light than to live in perpetual darkness! Religion, as a whole, gets a mixed review during the Christmas holidays, as the spiritual sometimes is relegated to second place. However, it does act as a “spiritual tonic” for many people. Churches boast record attendance during this period, and many prodigals “return to God.” Christmas prepares a way for the Lord to come to us. Since the coming of Christ, a bright fire has been burning and the glow of human fellowship has ignited in the hearts of mankind. The warmth of God’s love, expressed in the fellowship of loving human beings beckons many to come to the feast. Even though the headlines remain crowded with reports of human strife in our crises-addled world, and it may seem there is little room for Christ within it, we must remember that there was very little welcome for Christ when He came to earth, the first time! When all is said and done, Christmas recalls the greatest event in history, namely, the Incarnation—when God’s Son came down on earth to confer upon humanity the dignity of the Children of God. We must not deprive a world drowning in bad news from hearing the Good News of Jesus. Fear at Christmas Some people fear, perhaps even dread the approach of Christmas. But it’s not Christmas itself that sparks this fear—at least not the religious side of it. The source of their fear lies elsewhere. For some, it’s the perceived “hassle” and extra work that makes them fearful. For others, it’s the strain on already overstretched finances causing trepidation. Most of us feel the pressure of other people’s expectations upon us, and conflicts that often arise between family members. For some, a rekindling of painful memories can bring on something akin to depression, when they remember tragedy or death. When there has been a loss associated with Christmas, the sight of others surrounded by loved ones can reopen wounds, maybe just beginning to heal. The resulting intense loneliness can be crippling. Still others fear advancing age, with its infirmities and palpable mortality. But those in fear can take heart and hope from the story of the first Christmas. Most of the characters in that story were afraid at one time or other: Joseph certainly was afraid when he learned Mary was expecting a child—even though they hadn’t lived as man and wife. The angel’s appearance to him was of great comfort, surely, advising him of the truth of the matter, but it probably didn’t alleve all his concerns; Mary most likely was most fearful of all. A young virgin in a closed society becoming pregnant in a mysterious manner would have brought her great shame and misgivings. Her acquiescence to Gabriel’s message—her “fiat”—was the most important agreement ever made by a human being; and how could simple shepherds avoid being fearful at the sight of an astronomical event and heavenly choirs? We all are all touched by fears, but we must move from fear to faith! It is in this realm that Christmas is the most help. It’s easier to trust in God at Christmas than any other time, because we feel His closeness and love. After all, He came in the form of a sweet Child—something none of us fear! Each of us is challenged to enter into an intimate relationship with God, and trust that we have been given His love—unconditionally. Having done all we can to improve our individual situations, by sincerely making the most prudent choices at our disposal, we can then leave what is outside our control “in His hands.” May God Richly Bless You! “Out of the Darkness, Into the Light: The Time before Christmas is the Time of Light and mutual Love.” Sir Kristian Goldmund Aumann—24 Days Until Christmas: 24 Christmas Poems Advent Song.docx Advent Song.mp3

28 July 2019 A Message from Father † Michael 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Today’s Theme: “Ask, Seek and Knock” Jesus urges us to ask, seek and knock. This means ours must be an active faith. However, sometimes we may be too proud to ask, so we don’t receive counsel. We might be too lazy to seek, so we don’t find solutions to our problems. Or, we become too timid to knock, so “the door” to spiritual discovery doesn’t open to us. We must not wait for things to “happen” or to “fall into our hands.” If we are to receive the good things available due to the provisions of our Father in heaven, we must be humble and trustful, yet proactive, exercising boldness and energy. The Lord’s Prayer Today, we revisit the giving of the Lord’s Prayer to the Apostles (Luke 11:1-13,) as the “way to pray.” As the first, and arguably, the greatest of all (rote)Christian prayers (particularly, Matthew 6:9-13,) its short, and simple phrases embrace every relation between God and us. It not only tells us for what to pray, but how to do it. Normally, however, we say it so hurriedly and without serious thought, that much of its meaning is lost. Properly understood, however, it contains the whole program for Christian living. If we were able to live up to these tenets, we would be perfectly “in tune” with the mind of Christ, because, as the text suggests, this is how He prayed and lived. Our Father, Who art in heaven.... The prayer begins by an acknowledgement of God as “Father.” As a parent to us, we are God’s children, with a child’s relationship to God. Hallowed be Thy name.... Next, we praise His name, using the word “hallowed,” certainly uncommon in modern parlance, meaning, “May It be honored,” or, “Understood as holy.” Thy kingdom come... We then pray for the coming of His kingdom—one of holiness, grace, justice, peace, truth, life and love. We have a part to play in making His kingdom a reality. Jesus often speaks of God’s kingdom, but He never defines the concept—most likely assuming it was thoroughly familiar with His audiences. The intention of the phrase probably comes from the hope of the people of Jesus’ time that a Messiah would come to earth to usher in a new kingdom, by the hands of those who would work for a better world. Such beliefs stem from Jesus’ admonition to feed the hungry and clothe the needy. A psychological meaning is also ascribed to the petition: one is also praying for the condition of the soul where one follows God’s will— which we consider next. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.... Our asking that “His will be done on earth,” contains philosophical depth that is often taken for granted, or merely “glossed over.” It is this point, perhaps more than any other, with which many people may take exception with me. “God’s will,” as a concept, suggests that such a thing can be “known,” when, in fact, it can only be “inferred.” And “inference” is a construct replete with personal interpretation. If we assume “God’s will” is the “ultimate best interest” for the universe, then It can be correctly understood as “goodness.” We believe our omniscient, omnipotent omnipresent divine creator has our “best interests” at heart. However, it does not mean we have a definable, concrete path to righteousness outlined for us to follow. In effect, because we have “free will,” we can choose whatever path to follow we prefer, from the myriad opportunities before us. Our plea to God, asking that we might follow “His will,” can be simply understood as having the wisdom to choose correctly for the “greatest good.” God is not a “puppet-master” and we are not “marionettes!” Give us, this day, our daily bread.... A presumption that God directly “controls the supply of bread,” is another misconception one might have about our prayer. We have learned that the Creator has made natural laws from which we obtain those essentials of life that are necessary for life. Members of the plant and animal kingdom exist for our use—as the primary, the apex life form on the planet, much as it does for those creatures below us on the “food chain.” This petition in the prayer can be seen as an inverse statement of gratitude for the benefices of nature—to satisfy all our material needs—subsumed into this request/thank-you. And forgive us our trespasses (debts) as we forgive those who trespass against us (our debtors).... We all are perpetrators of “sinful acts, because none of us are “perfect.” Asking for forgiveness once again gives homage to God as one from Whom forgiveness can originate. We know that sincere sorrow for our transgressions is a necessary component for receiving forgiveness, whether from God, or from our fellows. True forgiveness also entails that we pledge not to commit the same sin again! (This is often omitted....) However, predicating that forgiveness be meted out in accordance to our willingness to forgive others, is a very great condition in our prayer. Inability to forgive others, in fact makes it impossible for God to forgive us. And lead us not into temptation.... As the supreme source of all goodness, it would be strange to think that God would “lead us” into temptation. Therefore, to ask Him not to do this is somewhat curious. God does not put temptation in our path, but life does. And we walk into temptation of our own accord—our “free will.” We are asking God to help us cope with the temptations that come to us, unbidden, and to avoid those of our own choosing. But deliver us from evil.... Physical and moral evil is something that no reasonable person can expect to avoid completely. This petition asks that God protect us from—or rather, grant the wisdom to avoid—all evil, especially moral evil. We should also note that the whole of the Lord’s Prayer is couched in plural terms. This shows we are one family, under God, and there can be no salvation for us independent of others. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen.... Sometimes seen as a “stumbling block” between Protestants and Catholics, this “doxology” is not found in the original text of Matthew, nor Luke. (Note: It is found in the reading of early English versions, especially the King James translation of the Bible (1611 a.d.) The Old Testament is a source (1 Chronicles 29:11,) and also the Didache (Teaching of the Apostles—ca. 100 a.d.) Traditionally Roman Catholics did not use the doxology when reciting the Lord’s Prayer, as it is not found in the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome. However, Novus Ordo, the liturgy of Pope Paul VI (ca. 1963 a.d.,) includes it as an addendum following communal recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. As a point of contention between denominations, then, inclusion of the Doxology as part of the prayer should be considered a moot point.) On not punishing the Innocent We are presented with a fascinating picture of Abraham arguing with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah in today’s First Reading (Genesis 18:20-32.)(It further presumes that God and Abraham were in hypothetical “counsel” together to determine the fate of a large number of people.) We hear of a situation in which God will not punish a multitude of wicked people if it means punishing a handful of just ones at the same time. Finding none, the Genesis passage suggests ultimate punishment should result only when there is no possibility of finding innocent people, something seldom seen in our modern world. Today, it appears action taken for “the greater good,” is the goal for those who wield destructive power. Nonetheless “group accountability” often seems to be regarded as eminently wise and just. But it isn’t fair to punish many innocents so as to ensure one or a few guilty persons are punished. Such actions ultimately cause feelings of bitterness and resentment, and can deteriorate into class warfare. Often human beings are readily willing to punish many innocents as long as the guilty are dealt their due. Nonetheless, we can draw a lesson from this passage. Consider these examples: Governments fighting guerrillas often think nothing of wiping out whole villages of men, women and children, provided they rid themselves of a few insurgents...remember Viet Nam, Argentina (during their so-called “dirty war,”) and many other places, throughout history. (Similarly, guerrillas don’t hesitate to use such tactics;) teachers may punish a whole class with detention for the actions of a few (unknown) culprits; or closer to home, something gets spilled, or damaged when mother’s back is turned. Nobody owns up! So all the children are punished—no TV for the rest of the evening!!! Certainly, such actions are not Christian, nor humane solutions, in the model of Jesus’ “turning the other cheek.” The most important issue of our times is to resist or overcome evil without doing further evil in the process—always seeking to minimize, or prevent collateral damage. This may mean miscreants avoid immediate retribution in favor of protecting innocent bystanders. Our petitions to God for wisdom and strength take on increasingly more significance the more we think about them.... May God Richly Bless You “Nothing is impossible, if you have faith.” (Matthew 17:20) Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.mp3 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.docx

15 December 2019 Third Sunday of Advent—“Gaudete” Sunday A Message from Father † Michael Today’s Theme: “Joyful in Hope” Scripture Note “Rejoice! The Lord is nigh!” (Phillipians 4:4- 5.) As Christmas draws near, we are reminded of the joy that should be in our hearts at all that the birth of our Savior means for us. During this coming week we recall the Gospel accounts of the Annunciation, and the Visitation, mysteries that are entirely “joyful!” †Paul bases Christian joy on the assurance of salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ. He desires it to be so firmly established in the soul that no reason of human anxiety or sadness can ever overcome it, since the great peace of God must forevermore predominate over every other feeling. Yet this coming of our Lord is not His birth at Bethlehem, but His Second Coming. The great joy of Christians is to see the day when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His kingdom. The often-repeated “veni,” (L., come,) of Advent is an echo not only of the prophets but also of the conclusion of the Apocalypse of John (book of Revelation:) “Come, Lord Jesus!”—the final words of the New Testament. All our Readings today have comforting words: First, we hear “Be strong—fear not!” (Isaiah 35:1-10.) Then we are admonished to “Be Patient!” (James 5:7- 10.) Thirdly, Jesus tells His cousin John, “Blessed is the one who takes no offense in Me!” (Mathew 11:2-11.) Although not panaceas, these and other precepts from the collected wisdom of the ancients found in Scripture can serve us well as we face life’s challenges, and help us make prudent choices. Keeping the Faith John the Baptist’s situation was grim—locked away, awaiting death in a dark prison—and his faith was being sorely tested. Like him, we need reassurance and comfort. Each week, listening during the Liturgy of the Word, we can find strength and comfort, “drinking in” encouragement from Scripture. Sometimes we encounter an unexpected storm while quite nicely sailing along in life: i.e., unemployment, serious illness; or maybe sudden loss of a loved one to suicide. Such things can shatter our faith in the “right order” of things, and even, in God. At such times, we might hear: "Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as Head over all” (1 Chronicles 29:11.) John ended up in a dungeon under a death sentence, even though he was a holy, God-fearing man. Even though we might do our best, things might go wrong for us, too, and we might feel “let down” by God. Then, we may doubt His love for us—even His very existence. At such times, we may hear: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10.) Modern life has become increasingly more stressful, despite technology, social networks, and politicians’ promises. Christmas also brings added work and more stress for many, perhaps overwhelming us, bringing us to wonder if we can cope with one more responsibility. At such times, we might hear: “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail”(Isaiah 58:11.) Like it or not, we spend our lives in the “shadow of death”—sometimes severely testing our faith. At times when we have lost a loved one, and felt we were standing in darkness, we may hear Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”(Matthew 5:4) Many people are diligently working to bring about lasting peace in the world. Nonetheless, everyday we are engulfed by constant stories of people suffering oppression and strife, growing weary due to lack of progress. May the peacemakers hear the words: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17.) We may feel numbed and powerless by some of the things happening in our world—like tragic accidents, wars, famines, genocides—and we wonder why God hasn’t intervened. We must remind ourselves of our individual free will to choose, and in the midst of our confusion we may hear: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10.) When some parents despair, having seen their children abandon their faith in spite of having been given encouragement and good example, this can often be the source of great pain and sadness. May these parents hear: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12) In recent years many people have been scandalized by the behavior of some of the clergy, and formerly respected notables, sports icons and celebrities. Their grave sins against children, youth, women and marginalized people have given many reason to doubt and lose respect and confidence for our once esteemed institutions. Those whose faith has taken a severe knock may hear: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12.) Alcoholism and drug dependence is rampant among the populations of our world, causing misery and suffering, both to the addicts and those who love them—or live with them. In the attempt to encourage them to seek help, such people may recall: “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1.) Thousands of men and women, from all socio- economic groups, are incarcerated in our prison system—many with very little hope for their future, either on this earth, or in the hereafter. May all prisoners hear: “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:1-2.) Each of us knows of situations that cause us to be fearful and doubtful. We can’t stop ourselves from feeling afraid. But we must not allow our fears to cripple us. Courage is not “never feeling afraid;” it is feeling afraid and going on in spite of it. Dying in Darkness John the Baptist ushered in a new Age of Jesus. The last and greatest in a long line of prophets who prepared the people for the advent of the Christ, He was selfless and courageous, keeping alive the hopes of people during the long night of expectation. For his recalcitrant behavior in the age of Herod, he died in darkness. Similarly, fifteen centuries later, the great Florence astronomer, Galileo (b. 1564,) reminds us of John the Baptist. Using the empirical tools of his day, he confirmed what Copernicus had said, namely that it is the earth that orbits the sun, and not vice versa. His discoveries greatly enlarged our understanding and knowledge of the universe, yet he spent his last years in darkness. Challenging the prevailing Church doctrine of the day, the Roman Inquisition censured him, to a lifetime house arrest, where wrote (in 1615,): “Alas, poor Galileo, your devoted servant has been, for a month, totally and incurably blind, so that this heaven, this earth, this universe, which by my observations and demonstrations, I have enlarged a thousand fold beyond their previous limits, are not shriveled for me into such a narrow compass as is filled my my own bodily sensations.” Advent reminds us that whenever we feel we are plunged into darkness, we must remember that faith can be a fragile thing. It must be nourished with diligent care and frequent meditation. And we mustn’t be surprised when doubts arise within us. Surely God understands our meager humanity! Our supreme Creator endowed each of us with an indomitable Spirit, from Whom we can draw strength of character and wisdom, if only we center ourselves and listen for the voice of inspiration. Jesus has taught us that faith in Him and His teachings are all we need to weather any adversity. And twice blessed are we if we, like Him, can show forth our faith in deedsof love and mercy. Then people will encounter Jesus—in us! May God Richly Bless You! “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) We Gather Together.docx We Gather Together.mp3

1 December 2019 A Message from Father † Michael First Sunday of Advent Today’s Theme: “A Wake-up Call” Scripture Note The chief function of Advent is to prepare us for Christmas. However, to understand Christmas, we have to start at the beginning— with the history of salvation. People in all cultures, throughout all of recorded history, have attempted to discern what is called “God’s Plan” for the human race. For the Jewish people, the whole of the Old Testament, or, as the people of Jesus’ time called it, “Holy Scripture,” can be understood as a chronology of events and a history of thought concerning “God’s Plan.” If you happened to be part of the group called the “chosen race,” in any particular part of this history, you likely would have seen yourself favored by “God’s Plan.” Those who were not “chosen,” in contrast, were seen as “outcasts,” “barbarians,” “wanton people,” etc. Of course, the absolute truth of the matter is still one of conjecture, from an empirical, rational or scientific point of view. However, we know that virtually nothing concerning the metaphysical realm of religion is completely discernible using empirical means. One’s belief system is contained within a paradigm of “faith,” and as such, cannot be subjected to such qualifications. That brings us to our study of The New Testament, (or, “The Sequel,” as some of my Jewish friends would term it,) and the teachings of our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ. For Christians, God’s Plan for salvation is centered in Christ, and realized through Him. Advent looks back at the promise of His first coming, when that plan was announced in Holy Scripture. It also looks forward to His second coming, when that plan will reach its completefulfillment. And, of course, it celebrates His actual coming, in time, with the feast of Christmas. The First Readings we hear during our Advent Sundays (from Isaiah,) are concerned with the messiah and the messianic times. Isaiah kept the hopes of the people alive in very dark times. In today’s Reading we have the theme of universal peace and salvation (Isaiah 2:1-5.) The Gospel and the Second Reading deal with the Lord’s second coming, which the first Christians believed was imminent (Matthew 24:7-14; Romans 13:11-14.) Both Readings convey a sense of urgency through phrases such as “Wake Up!” “Stay Awake!” and “Stand Ready!” A Wake-Up Call †Paul’s letters addressed the immanency of the End Times (The "Parousia, supposed by many to occur during their lifetime,) with determination. Throughout literature, it has been common for harbingers of “the inevitable” to infuse their writings with immediacy to spur their readers to action. †Paul‘s intention was to discriminate between mere wakefulness and awareness—to alert the people to the importance of “taking themselves to task” for their moral well being; to prepare for their eventual entry into eternity. For most people, some sort of shock, or at least a jolt of some kind, is necessary for that to take place. Usually, most of us awaken from sleep in joyful anticipation; feeling good that we are alive, and thankful to God for the gift of a new day. It is another chance to embark upon some new task we have started or begin something we have been postponing, or repair some damage or neglect in our lives. Other times we may be apathetic about our waking, greeting the new day without enthusiasm. Life may seem monotonous or empty for us. Perhaps we might be unemployed, or recently retired, and we have nothing to which we can look forward. Some of us have even known times when we fear the approach of morning. Perhaps we awaken tearfully, approaching the dawn with apathy or dread. Then we may face daily tasks in a half-hearted manner, going into the day with a very severe handicap. No one has a perfect life—we all have difficulties to face. But what matter is what we make of these challenges. When they seem insurmountable, we should try to change our attitude about them. We know complaining does no good, and some circumstances really are beyond our control. However, our conduct is completely within our power, and makes the difference in our response to any particular situation. Advent issues a spiritual wake-up call, and has true power to influence our thinking. Unless we are spiritually awake we are only “half living!” In this respect, some people could be seen as little more than “sleepwalkers”—with eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear. Their minds are narrow and closed; their hearts are hardened. To be awake spiritually means to be open, receptive, vigilant and active. Spirituality is about seeing, hearing and understanding beyond our circumstances. We must, necessarily, reflect and have the will to be wide- awake, not wile away our time in drowsiness. It means we must be attentive to the truths our faith teaches us and others; and to “living in love....” We have two choices: We can be a “watcher,” or a “sleeper.” Sleepers have easy lives...but waste their lives. Although it is much more challenging to be a watcher, it's also infinitely more rewarding. Watchers are awake, alert, concerned, active, interested and caring. In a word, to be a watcher is to be “responsible.” Jesus urges us to stay awake; to be on our guard; to be on the watch. We have nothing to fear, and everything to gain from answering Advent’s wake-up call. On this first Sunday of a new liturgical year, we realize another year has come and gone and we need to get on with our work. We must seize the day, not deferring or neglecting it — for we shall pass through this world but once; therefore any good that we can do, to and for any human being should be done NOW. Towards the Mountain Isaiah’s was a bold dream: he foresaw a time of universal peace in which people would come from all nations to God’s holy mountain and no longer harm one another. There would be no more war or preparing for war. Filled with the knowledge of the Lord, people would walk in His ways. It would be splendid, and some believed it would happen at the first coming of the Christ. Others believed it would be realized only at His second coming, at the end of time. Still others, even today, dismiss whole concept as mere daydreaming. But there were, and are, many who believe in it and pursue it. Even though the vision may only be an improbable goal in a troubled world, nevertheless the dream can shape our lives. The important thing is not to give up the quest or the search--the important thing is “the goal.” Today, humanity is at a crossroads. Technology has given us great power and brought material progress and economic wealth, enabling us to do practically anything--except bring people together in love, and thus make our world a happier and more peaceful place. When the Cold War ended, the world took a gigantic step towards peace. Nonetheless, wherever we go we see divisions among people, in families, communities, cities, countries. Our faith teaches us to believe God sent His only Son into the world to reconcile people with Him and with one another. Therefore, each of us can play a part in breaking down barriers and making peace. We can do this by welcoming others and seeking reconciliation with anyone with whom we have quarreled or fallen out. The work of reconciliation begins with a simple gesture, demanding those who do not normally speak to one another begin to do so. Practicing any kind of “apartheid,” or keeping one’s distance, only exacerbates differences. But we can’t do it without faith in God’s Plan. It can happen by walking in the way of truth, as our Blessed Lord has taught us. God did not leave mankind alone—He sent is beloved Son to inaugurate the new world (the Kingdom of God,) and to accompany us on our journey towards God’s Holy Mountain, which, in the final analysis, means eternal life. “At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God's own love and concern.” ― Mother Teresa, Love: A Fruit Always in Season Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.docxGuide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.mp3

8 December 2019 A Message from Father † Michael Second Sunday of Advent Today’s Theme: “Prepare a Way for the Lord” Scripture Note Isaiah (8th Century B.C.) foretells that even though a family tree of Jesse (King David’s father) has been reduced to a mere “stump” nevertheless, from that stump a new shoot would spring—a true king, filled with the Spirit and endowed with all the virtues of His ancestors. Our First Reading today tells of the coming Messiah and the kind of justice and peace He would bring (Isaiah 11:1-10.) The new King/Messiah would be a champion of the poor and restore paradisiac peace. Meanwhile †Paul (ca. 56-58 A.D.,) writing from Corinth, in Greece, to the Romans, in a letter that has long held pride of place, being the longest and most systematic unfolding of the apostle’s thought, expounds the righteousness of God, Who saves all who believe, and reflects an universal outlook, with special implications for Israel’s relation to the Church. Yet, like all his letters, Romans also arose from a specific situation. Our Second Reading talks about the importance of hope, and how we should treat others in the same friendly way Christ has treated us (Romans 15:4-9.) †Paul sees Jesus as the one through Whom God fulfilled his promises. Thereafter, Matthew introduces John the Baptist as the herald (also foretold by Isaiah,) of the long-awaited Messiah, and the one who prepared the people to receive Him. Matthew sees Jesus as fulfilling the Old Testament promises. Vision of a New World Astronauts were the first human beings to see the earth from “outside.” Gazing down on the earth from space, they realized as never before that we are one family, with “spaceship Earth’ as our common home. Sultan bin Salman al- Saud, (payload specialist, on the international astronaut space shuttle crew: Discovery-1985,)remarked, “The first day in space, we all pointed to our own countries. The second day, we pointed to our continents. By the third day, we were award of only one earth.” The ancient prophets of the Bible had the same kind of high and wide vision, one of how things could be. However, when one reads a history book or even just a daily news account, sometimes we might be ashamed to be human! We read of wars, wars, and more wars—so many dead—so many tears—so many fears. Our world is drenched in blood. We might despair and lose all hope! And as for the “wolf and the lamb” living together, often two neighbors, or even two members of the same family have serious “fallings out” and refuse to talk to one another! It might seem visions of peace and harmony among all peoples are but mere fairy tales.... But our faith teaches us they are not. Rather, they correspond to the deepest longings of the human heart and point mankind’s ultimate goal. These visions nurture our souls and our hearts, offering us hope and courage when we are to give up on life. They fuel our deepest aspirations, and give us the energy to overcome great obstacles and painful setbacks. Prophets lived in the real world and were just as dismayed by its horrors and injustices as we are; yet they had a dream of a new world free from injustice and war. Through their faith they were able to rise above their dismay. What saved them from despair was their messianic vision and sense of the human capacity for penitence. History is not a blind alley—there is always a way out—through repentance. The marvelous vision of the peaceable Kingdom, in which all violence has been overcome and all people live in loving unity with nature, calls for its realization in our daily lives. Instead of being an escapist dream, it challenges us to anticipate what it promises. Every time we forgive a neighbor; make a child smile; show compassion to a suffering person; care for animals; prevent pollution; and work for peace and justice among peoples and nations; we are making the vision a reality. We need to keep the vision before us, so it will give us new energy to live it out, right where we are. Instead of encouraging us to escape from real life, this beautiful dream summons us to get involved. We must open our hearts to the aspiration cherished by the prophets: a world rid of evil by human effort through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had a word for the new world. He called it “The Kingdom of God.” He inaugurated it and wants his followers to build it...on earth. Ordinary people help spread that Kingdom by being kind, truthful, honest, just, etc. Even though it is a mêlée that we will never completely win, the struggle is good for us, as it awakens everything that is best and precious within us. Isaiah’s vision lives on in our midst as a task for today and a promise for tomorrow. A Place Called “Hope” Advent, at its essence, is a season that puts us in mind of a better existence. If all things and people were perfect, we would have no desires that weren’t fulfilled. It is required precisely because we live in an imperfect world that hope is necessary. With every election cycle we continually invest our hopes in flawed politicians to help us initiate new eras of peace and justice. Even though we are regularly distraught when we discover they have promised things that can’t be delivered, nonetheless, we “hope for the best.” Hope is a vital part of life. We spend our lives longing, waiting, hoping for one thing or another. It is impossible to live when one is completely without hope. Hope is as important for our soul as bread is for our body. Hope doesn’t mean sitting back and waiting for things to happen; rather it spurs us into action. We work hard to achieve our goals precisely because we have hope, believing our efforts will be worthwhile and will make a difference in our lives and those of our loved ones. Our strength and commitment depends, in great extent, on the degree and quality of our hope. Hope is not the same as optimism. In fact, hope and optimism are radically different. Optimism is the expectation things will get better, whatever the situation. Hope is the trust that the future will develop as a result of the collective choices made by human beings for the greater good. The “person of hope” lives in the present moment, with the knowledge and trust that the human spirit is indefatigable, and will not be subdued by evil forces. Hope springs from the faith that our Creator has given each one of us talents and abilities along with the free will to choose wisely among all our options. In Jesus’ teaching we are given reason to believe that God is the anchor for our lives. All great leaders were people of hope. They felt no need to know how the future would look. They just tried to do what was right in the present, and trusted that would be sufficient to promote a better future. Dissident, poet, playwright, and former president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, once said: “I am not an optimist, because I am not sure that everything ends well. Nor am I a pessimist, because I am not sure that everything ends badly. I just carry hope in my heart. Hope is the feeling that life and work have a meaning.” Cynicism is the enemy of hope. Many refuse to accept hope into their hearts, saying, “Things will never change. It’s no good.” Cynicism comes easy, requiring nothing from us—no trust; no effort; no love. It is the task of Christians to keep hope alive and set an example. We must not depend only on results but on the rightness and truth of the work itself. Meanwhile, we live in a place called hope—in which hope enables us to keep one foot in the world as it is, and the other in the world as it should be. “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) May God Richly Bless You! “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Make Straight in the Desert a Highway.docx Make Straight in the Desert a Highway.mp3

28 November 2019 Special Edition: The Holy Eucharist A Message from Father † Michael Today’s Theme: “In Memory of Me” Scripture Note Jesus said: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst....” And, "But I told you that although you have seen Me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to Me, because I came down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of the One Who sent Me...For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." (John 6:35-40.) Those hearing Him had seen Jesus raise the dead; and heard Him preach all kinds of surpassing things sounding revolutionary, at first, which then made sense—fulfilling the Law of Moses—and brought them into a new focus with a clear purpose. Still they were surprised, asking, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat" So Jesus repeated--and repeated again: “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. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will have life because of Me." (John 6:54-57.) But some of the disciples left, thinking this was too difficult to believe. Jesus didn’t call after them, but asked the Twelve if they wanted to go, too. Peter tactfully avoided the question, saying: “Lord, to whom should we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed, and we recognize that you are the Christ, the Son of God” (John 6:66-70.) And they did so, right through the Last Supper, when He went back to the same theme: He took the bread, saying unequivocally: “This is My body...” and then the cup of wine, and said: “This is My blood....” And finally, “...Do this in memory of Me” (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22–23; Luke 22:19-20) Suddenly it all made sense to them. It was in this way that Jesus would give His flesh to eat and His blood to drink: sacramentally, in the Holy Eucharist. That’s how He remains physically present among us, from then until the end of time, and how He lets us fulfill His absolute requirement for salvation. From that moment on, the Church has fulfilled His command, without interruption, continuing the Last Supper in the liturgy of the every Holy Mass—in perpetuation of the sacrifice of Calvary. It’s an idea that’s so obvious, so simple—as simple as He said it was—and yet everything that the Church teaches. Moving Ahead For two millennia since the apostles, a hierarchy of priests and bishops has been maintained, chiefly to celebrate the liturgy that changes bread and wine into Christ's Body and Blood. Multitudes of parishes exist around the world so that everyone has easy access to Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Churches, and their art—the music, vestments, and metalwork of the vessels of Holy Communion, myriad paintings and sculptures—are designed to accommodate this liturgy; and are basically the handmaidens of the Eucharist. Everything is brought into being to serve the Holy Eucharist; to depict it; refer to it; reflect it; or otherwise lead people to the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ. Technically, the process by which the bread and wine physically become the Body and Blood of Christ can be described as transubstantiation. (This word has been used at least since the days of St. Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225- 1274 a.d.) and officially adopted by the Council of Trent, (ca.1545-1563 a.d.) It is rather the opposite of transformation, in which the substance of something stays the same, but its appearance changes. (Think: the folding of steel into a sword....) Transubstantiation means that the appearance of the bread and wine stays the same, but their substance is changed, as Christ said at the Last Supper, the last Passover meal He celebrated with His apostles. The liturgy of the Holy Mass has its origins in the old Jewish ceremonial meal for a family. It’s for a family that includes the assembly of only a few, to hundreds, or thousands, or even millions of people, the main occasion for which is worship and education. Most importantly, it’s the way Christ stays physically present to His Church. So the apostles and their successors stuck firmly with the liturgy that Christ established at the Last Supper—you can’t really compromise a directive like “...Do this in memory of Me”—and on this foundation they framed the Mass as an unique liturgy in its own right. The core of the Mass has never changed. But, as time went on, other rubrics/procedures, prayers and symbols were attached to this basic framework, so that the Mass could do what it needs to do, and be understood by everybody who attends. The nature of these attachments was determined by the times and places in which the early Church was working—by what might be called, “geopolitical” factors. The important liturgical centers were where the apostles were—in the eastern Roman Empire at first, and later in Italy and France—places where it’s perfectly natural for people to use unique outward symbols and gestures to express an inward truth. So the Church, reaching out from its Jewish heritage to embrace the known world, supplemented and supported the words of the liturgy with expressive ceremonials. Some rituals were adopted from Roman civil procedures—courts of law and halls of the emperors—that would express the appropriate things in ways everyone would understand. In our time, some ceremonials have been revised, or deleted, when it was determined they may hide the framework, or in order that the original meaning might still be perceived. Most of us have seen this process in recent years—the stately Baroque presentation of the Mass mandated by the Council of Trent (the Tridentine Mass)—offered entirely in Latin, reformed in the 1960s to afford Mass in vernacular languages (Novus Ordo Mass,) all around the world. Throughout time, the liturgy has focused on the essentials, in their timeless simplicity and elegance, and brings the unchanging pattern of the Mass more clearly into view. The Mass: Organization Each Mass begins with an Ordinary—structured forms which are continuous from Mass to Mass—including the introductory rite: a greeting, the Sign of the Cross, and then a wish for grace and peace from the celebrant (priest.) The congregation answers, “And also with you,” in reply, and this starts the interaction between priest and congregation, who become two major, active participants in the Mass. Next, a Penitential Rite affords each one in attendance to consider their personal sinfulness, and upon having sincere repentance for their sins, absolution is given by the celebrant, acting in the person of Jesus, Himself (similar to the cleansing action of our Baptism.) Then, the Liturgy of the Word begins, with selected prayers and Bible readings, comprising the Proper of the Mass, which has been compiled to commemorate specific temporal cycles of feasts, (i.e. Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, other Holy Days and "Ordinary Time.") Next, the Liturgy of the Eucharist echoes the Passover Meal, the traditional Seder from Mosaic Law, and it follows through with Jesus’ commission: “Do this in memory of Me,” from the Last Supper, following the Consecration. All the faithful who have been baptized are invited to participate in receiving Holy Communion, and thereby, as a family, become spiritually united into the Mystical Body of Christ. Each of us is united, as equals, before the Lord, at Holy Mass, in a supreme act of solidarity. The whole idea is that Christ comes physically to the altar, then flows outward to the congregation, who carry Him immediately into the world—because that’s where He’s needed.... One can plainly see, therefore, that separating our worship, eliminating either the education of the Word or the inclusiveness of the Holy Eucharist, prevents us from the complete “Jesus Experience.” May God Richly Bless You!

T 16 July 2019 A Message from Father † Michael Feast of the Blessed Trinity Today’s Theme: The Indefinable Mystery of God The feast of the Blessed Trinity was introduced into the regular liturgy in the ninth century but was only inserted in the general calendar of the Church in the fourteenth. Today, the veneration of the Trinity is found throughout the liturgy. The Holy Mass, the Divine Office and the Sacraments begin with: “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” All the Psalms and many Hymns conclude with a doxology: “Glory Be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit....” Many standard prayers and homilies also begin and end in honor of the three Divine Persons. Constantly, the Church gives us opportunities to praise and adore God, Who has shown mercy towards us in that He has given us a share in His life. Today, as we celebrate Trinity Sunday, let us hold fast to our faith—for each of us longs to be one with God for all eternity, beholding the His glorious, beatific vision in heaven. Let us view our existence on earth as a transitory state—simply a mysterious “way station” on our way to everlasting glory! A Sense of God Faith is not some kind of autosuggestion. It is the grace of a mysterious encounter with that Eternal Someone. It is beyond reasoning and emotion, but these may be present to. We can grasp God with our minds and with our senses,. In fact, we can do it with our whole being. We are talking not just about an intellectual conviction about God, but a sense—a feeling—of God. What a wonderful experience that is! Happy are those who have a sense of God and of His presence in their lives! Those are the only form of riches worth having, after all. When people know something—really know it, deep in their hearts, they don’t have to argue about it, or prove. They just know it. That is the way faith works. One may contradict all prevailing “opinion, or “accepted wisdom,” and yet still possess an intimate certitude about his or her beliefs that is transcendent. One believes with the heart, without knowing why or even seeking to know. In his “Confessions,” Augustine wrote about what it took him a lifetime to realize—God’s presence within us is the greatest blessing of all: “Beauty, how late have I loved you. O Beauty, ever ancient, ever new! How late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside And it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; Yet if they had not been in You, They would have no being at all. Why do I ask You to come to me When, unless You were with me, I would have no being either.” We meet God not just in the world outside us, but in the world within us, and find that He is closer to us that we suspected. He is part of us. †Paul said: “In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17;28.) God is like a biographer whose job is to tell the story while staying in the background. We must remember that God is everywhere present— omniprescient, but until we discover Him within us He will always be remote from us, perhaps appearing unfriendly or uncaring. For many God’s silence is a big problem! But a “loud and evident’ God would be a “bully,” an insecure tyrant, instead of, as He is, a bottomless encouragement to our faltering and frightened being. God is the only One to Whom we can surrender without losing ourselves.... And, once we have truly experienced God within us, loneliness will never be a problem, because we will know that we are never alone. And we will see creation as the work of an Artist—indeed the Great Architect of the Universe (“Freemasons will recall the acronym, “GAOTU’ from their rituals)—Who is our Friend. One God in three persons—a God Who is within us and yet is utterly beyond us—indeed is a great mystery...but it is a mystery of love. God is greater that all of us. We can never fully comprehend God. We struggle to understand even our physical world, so how could we possibly understand the meta-physical? Only the gift of wisdom can help us understand the ways of God, but even then, we are hindered by our human weakness. People can purport to possess and know the “truths of faith,” and yet not know God. That conundrum is the very reason we must cleave to Jesus Christ, as our intercessor! Historical Development The Greek Church fathers always began from the one God and Father, Who, for them, as for the New Testament, was “THE” God. They defined the relationship of God the Father to Son and Spirit in the light of this one God and Father. It is as if we have a star, which gives its light to a second star(“light of light, God of God,”) and finally to a third. But to our human eyes, all three stars appear, one after the other, as only one star. Augustine (354-430 A.D.,) differed completely: instead of beginning from one God and Father, he began from the one nature of God, or divine substance, which was common to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.(For the Latin theologians, the principle of unity was not the Father but the one divine nature, or substance.) To develop the illustration above, three stars do not shine one after the other, but side by side in a triangle at the same level; here, the first and second stars together give light to the third. Augustine used psychological categories in a new way. He saw a similarity between the threefold God and the three-dimensional human spirit: between the father and the memory; between the Son and the intelligence; and between the Spirit and the will. In the light of this analogy, the Trinity could be interpreted as follows: The Son is “begotten” from the Father “according to the intellect.” The Father “knows” and “begets” the Son in His own word and image. But the Spirit “proceeds” from the Father (as the lover) and the Son(as the beloved) “according to the will.” The Spirit is the love between Father and Son become person; He has proceeded from both the Father and the Son. (It was this Latin “filioque,” which proved to be the great stumbling block for the Greeks. Their view was the Spirit proceeded only from the Father.) Augustine made an intellectual construction of the Trinity with philosophical and psychological categories in an extremely subtle way as a self— unfolding of God. Here, the words, “And the Son,” seemed so essential that in the West, from the sixth/seventh century, it was gradually inserted into the Creed. It was required by the German emperors after Charlemagne, and was definitively inserted by Rome into the ancient Creed in 1014 A.D. But even today, the East still regards this filioque as a falsification of the old ecumenical creed and a clear heresy. (This distinction is NOT an article of faith for most Christians, however, in spite of its historical significance.) In the 1950s, the late Archbishop †Fulton J. Sheen, on his television program “Life is worth living,” publicly postulated the relationship of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity to the viewing public. His wonderful “chalk-talks” were almost riveting in their concept and presentation. (I recall fondly the many broadcasts I enjoyed with my family, growing up in Lincoln, NE during the fifties and sixties. Sheen was a master of making the complex into usable simplicity!) In his talk, entitled, “The Divine Romance (1930,) he stated: “The Trinity is the answer to the questions of Plato. If there is only one God, what does He think about? He thinks an eternal thought, or about His Eternal Son. If there is only one God, whom does He love? He loves His Son, and that mutual love is the Holy Spirit. I firmly believe that the great philosopher was fumbling about for the mystery of the Trinity, for his great mind seemed in some small way to suspect that an infinite being must have relations of thought and love, and that God cannot be conceived without thought and love. But it was not until the word became Incarnate that man knew the secret of those relations and the inner life of God.” * Sheen’s soft-spoken focus has become an inspiration for me in my own preaching ministry. Like him, my goal is to bring Christ’s message of love to everyone, in an easy-to-comprehend and relatively pertinent way. In that way, our Holy Catholic Faith becomes usable in daily life. We will be, at once “in” the world, but not “of” the world, in our walk toward eternal salvation. It is this purpose to which I have dedicated my entire life. The feast of the Blessed Trinity must be understood and celebrated as a prolongation of the mysteries of God. As the solemn expression of our faith, this triune life of the Divine Persons, has been made accessible to us by our Baptism and redemption by Christ. Only in heaven shall we properly understand all that it means, in union with Christ, to share as sons and daughters of the very life of God. May God Richly Bless You! * To read the entire text of Sheen’s talk, you can find it here: www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm? For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord; and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4-5) Hymn of Promise.docx Hymn of Promise.mp3

Introduction to "Pastor's Letter" Summer, 2019 A Presumption and An Assumption My weekly Pastor’s Letter presumes nothing about the reader—except a belief in “some kind” of God. Or, (to ask even less,) it presumes a reader would be at least slightly uncomfortable, saying, “There is no God.” The focal question, then, is: “If there is some kind of God, what connection does that belief have to do with practicing some kind of formal, organized religion?” Further, one might ask, “Why should that religion be Catholic, some other Christian denomination or, for that matter, any other faith?” When I use the word, “God,” I don’t mean (at first,) even to restrict the specific meaning to Yahweh, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Great Spirit, Manitou, Ra, etc. I am merely presuming the reader accepts some kind of Mind Behind It All, which—at least at the outset—is the sole content of the word “God”—a Being responsible for the universe…Who had a purpose in creating it all—and a purpose in inviting you and me to exist. Just as a clockmaker expects the product of his work to keep accurate time (or else it’s a bad clock,) God expected planets to submit to the laws of gravity (attraction and repulsion;) crocuses to “pop up” in spring and not July; lions to forage for food and mate in the proper season, and take care of their young. That’s where problems arise. At the tail end of that evolutionary progress of “planet-to-crocus-to-lion,” came human beings. Up to that point, everything had gone relatively smoothly: planets obeyed the plan programmed into their natures; crocuses obeyed theirs; and lions obeyed theirs. Then suddenly, along came human beings—the only entities in the whole Cosmic Dance that don’t have to obey their programming—which makes our essence vastly different from being merely more complex developments of the matter and vegetable and animal “stuff” that existed before we did. No planet, or crocus, or lion can violate its nature. No planet gets “fed up with” whirling and puts on the brakes; no crocus refuses to take in nourishment; no lion can reject the hassle of dealing with its mate and become celibate. Only human beings can reject their “programming”—and refuse to be human, acting instead like “jerks,” or vegetables, or beasts. That undeniable fact of the matter is that Human beings have a propensity to “mess up” (what Western thinkers have called “original sin,” and which may or may not be traceable back to a naked couple named Adam and Eve.) Human reluctance to obey their own nature is the only Christian doctrine you can prove conclusively utilizing evidence found in daily news media and throughout history! What’s more, only human beings can transcend their programming, and go beyond their apparent limitations. On the physical level, only human beings (of all the entities of which we have knowledge) are not prisoners of their programming. If a new Ice Age develops over the horizon, humans don’t go around “moaning” helplessly, waiting for death; we “bump off” a caribou and wear its skin for protection; we discover how to use fire. Since our original, natural programming hasn’t provided us with wings, we have the ingenuity to make them for ourselves. On the mental level, human beings are without any equal (of which we are aware,) in the whole universe. Oh, it’s true we share a brain with most all the animals (the core of the human brain is the same as any snake’s…from which, it might be argued…most of our problems arise;) and we’re special, even though we’re still incompletely evolved. Unlike the smartest of beasts (dolphins and chimpanzees, for instance,) human beings can anticipate things-not-yet-even-dreamed; we can calculate, measure, ponder and philosophize. Even the smartest beast is not about to send a spaceship to Mars, or balance a budget, or write King Lear, or run a rock concert to feed hungry strangers. No animal ravages its soul to comprehend why those it loves must die. Animals can know (via instinct and experience,) but only human beings can understand (to some degree.) “The key difference between (most) humans and animals that we can observe is the existence of conscience (in some form.) As far as we know, no tiger goes into a village, gobbles a lamb, and lurches back into the forest, mumbling, “O God! I did it again! I’ve got to get counseling!” Animals don’t; but humans do. At least, humans with a conscience do…. Further, that fusion of the peculiarly human mind and body generates a third entity: A self—a non-corporeal* entity philosophers have always called (for want of a better name,) the “soul.” It is the self-conscious “I,” or “ego,” which is the sum of all my experiences, an unique person who never existed before—and never will be duplicated. It is that self, that soul—which is neither body nor mind—that many philosophers believe is imperishable. It is an entity generated and temporarily rooted in time and space, but not permanently dependent upon time and space. Unlike planets, crocuses and lions, our belief is that the human self will survive death. Despite our similarities to material beings—vegetable beings or animal beings—human beings possess in themselves a soul that is *not material. It is our special and unique fellowship with the Mind Behind It All, God, Who—because He created it all—exists outside it all. And so, too, at this very moment, our souls exist outside it all…. So, let me capsulize by saying my weekly letters presume only that the reader has at least some vague belief in God, or some higher Authority, and the reader has “messed up” at least once during their lifetime…. Therefore, I proceed from the perspective that there is some kind of Mind Behind It All—and thus everything that exists in the universe was intentional and has some purpose programmed into it. Further, no one could argue that human beings often refuse to be humane; while at other times, they surprise us with extraordinary displays of creativity, selflessness and caring “beyond all expectations!” Transcendent Inter-Communication “Transcendent Inter-Communication” (TIC,) (maybe a jawbreaker, but it got your attention…) means, that activity, which a person might call “prayer.” I chose an admittedly cumbersome title to show that I mean considerably more than simply kneeling in a quiet place and semi-consciously rattling off numerous wrote “Our Fathers” and “Hail Marys” (not to demean saying these, in any way.) Nor do I mean even the far more public and “formal” prayers involved in any one of the several, familiar liturgies—whether they are from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Seder services or even ethnic ceremonials. What I mean by TIC (prayer,) is conscious “centering” of the self; going deep into one’s unique “soul,” that is connected beyond time and space in some way; reaching into the Mind Behind It All—thus communicating directly with humanity’s Ultimate Source. (Perhaps it might help to think of prayer as the practice of “withdrawing for awhile” and “connecting into the Pool of Energy–the Source of all that Exists—for the express purpose of “charging ones batteries.”) If my presumption is correct, then God is the Cause of all that Exists, including you and me. Therefore, several corollaries immediately follow: • If God caused me, then I quite obviously didn’t cause God. Neither did you. God caused us both. Now, I don’t mean that God forced your parents to do “You-Know-What,” or even that God—necessarily—stopped at each embryo and breathed a soul into it, as He does in the story of Adam and Eve. (Although, being God, He could have easily done that if He wanted to; triggering the Big Bang appears to have been a far larger job.) But God created a universe in which the whole process of evolution could take place—from planets, to crocuses, to lions, to us—with intelligent beings, existing a quantum leap above our nearest animal cousins. God is the “Inventor” of the human soul and thus, ultimately, the Inventor of you and me. • If the universe is, indeed, a “Great Dance” in which each participant has its own unique purpose, then God is the “Choreographer or Director”—not me. I may not be quite satisfied with the part I’ve been given—my height, or parents, or having to go to work or school—but it’s the part I’ve been given. I’m free to improvise with it; it’s not “scripted;” I’m not a puppet. Each of us is free not to act “humanly.” I can even pretend to be the lead in the drama that is my life. (I may not like the way the play was going when I first came on—the previous history of the world—or the other actors with whom I must perform. Or, I may not like the fact that, at the end, my character dies. But it’s the only play there is. If I go to the Director and ask, “Why do I have to leave the stage?” He (God,) can say, “Who gave you the right to a part in the first place?”) • “If we are answerable to God, then God is not answerable to us’ (as Job discovered so painfully, and may be the hardest one for most of us to admit.) Which brings me back to the first bombshell: God is the ultimate source of my existence. I’m dependent…I’m indebted. Granted, if I hadn’t been given existence, I’d never know the difference. But I do exist, and I’m grateful for that. And I appreciate not only the bare gift of existence, but everything that came with it: my wife, my Mom and Dad, other people I love, babies, books, beer, single-malt scotch, the Pacific at sunset, natural wonders—like giraffes, dolphins, grand canyon(s,), “Star Wars” movies, and on and on…. If you tried simply to list all the wonderful, joyous, delicious extras that came along with the initial invitation to life, it’d take the rest of your life. In fact, there are so many fantastic gifts (most of which we take for granted, as if we’d done something to deserve them,) that it’s enough to take the sting out of the few lousy things we have to put up with—like death, and visits to the dentist, or having to deal with annoying political figures, criminals, terrorists and their ilk. There was an important reason for my emphasizing ‘deserve’ in that last paragraph. We do take existence—and all those billions of nifty gifts that came along with it—for granted, as if it were something due to us. But it wasn’t because before you and I were given existence—before our birth, we simply “weren’t here” at all. How could something that doesn’t exist deserve anything? It’s the same with God. He invented procreation and evolution, mountains at sunrise, fields of buttercups and the whole great cosmic dance. Then, God invited you and me to join in it! We should thank God for that, but ordinarily we take it all for granted. A person may well be self-reliant, but you are most definitely not self-sufficient! You might tell yourself: ‘I did it all myself!’ But everyone knows that’s not true! Consider this analogy: Suppose some “zillionaire” stopped you at random in the street and said, “You look like a very promising person to me.” And then he takes out a roll of bills the size of a tractor tire; peels off a cool million bucks; and says: “There ya go, buddy. I’d really like you to spend it wisely, but there are no strings attached. Use it however you want. Have a nice day.” And off he goes. Now if you didn’t even try to find out who the guy was; if it’s too much to bother even to try to track him down and say, at least, “I don’t understand, but, Thank you,’’ I think one would be justified in considering you to be iron-hearted, mean-spirited, and perhaps, conscienceless. It’s not that we don’t have the time, after all, or that we forgot. (Very few of us are so busy or absent-minded that we forget to take a shower or brush our teeth.) And it might not be a bad idea (even for purely selfish reasons,) to say, “Excuse me, sir, but you seem to know the score…I mean, how things work. Could you, at least, give me, a little advice? I mean, what do YOU mean when you say ‘spend it wisely? I’m new at this millionaire thing, and I need some help…okay?” Part of the reason we don’t pray (unless we’re involved in some sort of crisis situation,) is that we’ve never really thought about how much we owe The Mind Behind It All—God, our Father. (But if you’ve read this far, that is, obviously, no longer an excuse.) Even when we do realize our indebtedness, we don’t like to feel obligated (Most people tend to avoid bookies, pawnbrokers and loan-sharks when we owe them money—we don’t typically invite them for long contemplative walks in the woods….) But that alibi won’t work, either. Like our “zillionaire,” God says to us, “No strings.” As far as we know, God made human beings the only entities in the universe that can tell Him, “Kiss off!” God with made us with a certain nature—but we don’t have to follow it if we choose not to…we have “free will.” A person might ask: “What about the Ten Commandments? We’ve all broken at least a few of them, haven’t we? And when we did, which of us has been struck by lightning?” The Ten Commandments, The [613] Laws of Moses, and the many rules/laws that have been made to govern human behavior before and since then, are simply the result of wise men and women studying human programming and trying to spell it out in words. But even if the rules of that programming are hammered out in stone, written on papyrus, vellum, and parchment, or coded into a hard drive, you’re still free to do whatever you please—even to act like a beast, or a vegetable or a jerk. Probably the best way to thank God for the gifts of existence is to use God’s gifts wisely—to find our true purpose in life and try to be your best at it. We only get one time around; so we might as well do a good job of it (apologies to the reincarnationists.) Yes, there are good “atheists” and ethical “humanists” who try to do that, too—to be as righteous as possible. I’ve met some of them. But atheists and ethical humanists don’t know they’re indebted; they feel no need to say, “Thanks,” for all they have been given. At least, unlike them, you and I do. The Church "All right,” (you might say.) “No more guilt trips…I’ll pray. But why can’t I just go out into the woods and spend some time with God? Why do I have to go to some boring ceremony, with all those ‘phonies’ who look pious for an hour a week and then spend the rest of the week with their fists in the cashbox? And why do I have to concern myself about all those rules!” Therein, are many of the usual objections voiced by those who honestly believe in God, but do not want to involve themselves in organized Church, or weekly, common worship. Whenever I hear them (and I’ve heard them many, many times in my 75-plus years on the planet,) I say, “No problem!” The fact is, that it’s simply, highly recommended. Only two questions: First, “When’s the last time you actually went to church—or meditated in the great outdoors?” (This usually stops them dead in their tracks.) And secondly, “Why does it have to be either/or? Why can’t it be both?” And that’s where we finally come to the questions I am wont to address in my weekly Pastor’s Letters: “Why belong to an organized religion—with formal rituals and ‘all those rules?’ And, specifically, why belong to the Catholic Church?” My best guess about why I’m a Catholic is exactly the same as why I’m white male, of German/Bohemian origin, a Republican, and an American. Basically, I initially had nothing to do with, nor did I choose any of those things. The male part was sheer chance. The rest of those qualities—like my very existence itself—I owe to my parents, and to their parents. I didn’t choose any of those things, any more than I rationally chose to be toilet-trained. The white and ethnic parts even my parents had no say about. But the American part and the Republican part they both chose, and I just sort of accepted them—simply by not rejecting them…at first. The same thing was true about my being Catholic. That was my parents’ choice, and—for a long time—their choice became my choice, exactly the way that my Dad’s preference for medium-rare roast beef eventually also became “my choice.” …But then, like all of us, I became an adult. Psychologists tell us that the child’s superego records everything his or her parents say, as sternly and permanently written on the mind as the Ten Commandments were reportedly carved in stone. What’s more, those “laws” were recorded with the same emotional intensity that the child felt when his or her parent issued the command in the first place. For instance: I can hear My mom saying, “If you ever go to bed without brushing your teeth, I’ll whack your butt!” That is recorded in my mind as strongly and indelibly as when Sister Agnela told me, “If you don’t go to Mass on Sunday, you’ll go to Hell!” “The process of adolescence is the period when a person establishes his or her own ego and conscience. That’s when children test the truth of their parents’ “laws,” and discover which are merely their parents’ personal preferences. Unfortunately, many adults either adopt their parent’s opinions as their own, or reject them totally—no matter whether those choices/opinions are true or false—simply because they are those of their parents.’ From the beginning of my adolescence until I was well into my twenties, I was involved in my own process of “conversion”—discovering new horizons, testing out my previously recorded “convictions”—while coincidentally discovering which parts of myself were “non-negotiable:” (i.e., being white, of German/Bohemian descent, male;) and discovering which parts were open to discussion: (being Republican, Catholic and liking medium-rare roast beef.) I was, for all intents and purposes, always Catholic. I was baptized as an infant, but not yet converted. Adults must decide whether their inherited faith is really “the way to go,” or whether they should investigate the myriad options in the world and choose one of them. I suggest you might ask yourself: “Is the question of having adopted some particular faith the same for you as is the question of how you like your roast beef? Is it the same as the question of your affiliation with one political party or another? Or is it the same as the question of your being of some cultural or ethnic descent? My hope is that your answer to this “faith question” would be at least as important to you on your path to salvation as any of those others; and that reading my Pastor’s Letters might help clarify your thinking on the matter. May God Richly Bless You! Attribution Each of my Pastor’s Letters is a “collage” of subjects, suggested by the weekly Liturgy of the Mass; and coupled with ancillary ideas, liberally and extensively “borrowed” from various Scripture(s) and numerous published sources; and then coupled with my own original thoughts and experiences as a life-long Catholic, and as an Ordained Old Catholic Priest, and Bishop.

Did you know? Fr➕Michael Schamp says Holy Mass every Sunday @10am. Everyone, regardless of past Christian affiliation is welcome to receive Holy Eucharist! Come see what the Old Catholic Church can offer you! email: fathermichaelschamp@gmail.com

Father +Michael welcomes everyone to the Holy Eucharist, without restriction, especially former Roman Catholics who wish to receive the Sacraments. Reply email: fathermichaelschamp@yahoo.com We are Catholic, both in practice (worship) and the deposit of faith through the bishop and clergy, whose lines trace back to the original apostles. We celebrate all seven Sacraments, the Holy Mass, affirm the Real Presence in the Eucharist, have veneration for Mary and the Saints, and encourage traditional pious practices such as the Rosary and Benediction. Our Mass is the Novus Ordo of Paul VI.