StCYM: Holy Week (25 MAR 18)

We have reached the final stretch of Lent. This week we reflect on the significance of Christ's Passion. We reflect on what was given to humanity as a result of God the Son's dying knowing of the coming rising. This week we finished up our discussion series with knowing our purpose in life and what happens after we die. Personally, it was interesting to hear the perspective of the teens regarding various topics.

Following the discussions, we watched the second half of The Passion of the Christ. This was a very raw portrayal of our Lord's Passion. The violence was very intense, but done with purpose and not simply for show. I noticed myself reflecting on Christ's wounds and their significance. It is our sinfulness that caused Christ's wounds. He is completely innocent, yet took the punishment owed us. What an act of love!

Throughout the movie there are flashbacks of Christ's ministry. He shows us God's goodness despite our failings. The primary mission of Christ is, indeed, salvation and not condemnation. This is not to ignore the fact that we have the free will to condemn ourselves, should we not believe and follow Christ and His teachings. However, Christ came to show the world God's light and His love for creation. He then taught us to go forth and share this same love ourselves!

Holy Week completes the saving work of God. God became flesh so that he could shoulder the weight of condemnation for it. Once this is complete, God moves ever forward in sharing the love that is born out of sacrifice. Love born out of sacrifice is the strongest form of love since it requires a complete denial of self in varying degrees. God's form of love is the strongest in existence because He, being the most perfect being, sacrificed Himself. Christ denied His divinity on the Cross by remaining on it. Christ could have chosen to come down, but remained.

This denial of the highest degree of perfection should motivate us to glorify God in all that we do! God took care of the hardest part and gives us the Holy Spirit to keep up the little things. We are truly an Easter people as St. John Paul II proclaimed. It is during Holy Week that we recognize this amazing potential due to God's supreme sacrifice. Let us go forward boldly and prepare ourselves, once again, to celebrate the victory.

StCYM: The Passion of the Christ (18 MAR 18)

Last night we met once again to continue our Lenten journey. To begin the night we played two good rounds of "Lean On Me", a game where you and a partner are back to back and have to stand up without using your hands for support. It was Seniors vs. the World and the Seniors swept the World 2-0. Following the madness, we had good discussions on the topics of Satan and also Homosexuality as we continued our discussion series based on Life Teen's 100 Things Every Catholic Teen Should Know. We finished our last hour with the viewing of the first half of The Passion of the Christ.

The Passion of the Christ is arguably the best Christian film ever produced. In my humble opinion it even beats the legendary The Ten Commandments. The reason I find it so good is the amount of attention that was paid to the details in the portrayal of Christ's Passion. The film is in Aramaic and Latin, which is astonishing because those two languages are considered dead. While Latin is technically still alive as it is the official language of the Holy See and the Church and Aramaic is only used by a small group of peoples in areas in Syria, Turkey, and Iraq (Syriac Christians), the contemporary world does not truly know these two languages. Experts were hired to translate the script from English into Aramaic and Latin.

The second reason this film captivates me is the attention to how Christ's Passion connects to key people in Christian history (Mary, Peter, John, etc.) using specific imagery and the like to make those connections noticeable, yet not to the degree where they take away from the natural flow of the story being told. The reality of the violence Christ faced is also very impactful. When you weigh your guilt against Christ's innocence, while seeing his torment, the film has a striking reality to it that goes far beyond what is normally felt when watching films based on a true story. The Passion is felt in the heart.

Next week we will conclude our discussions, review our Lenten journey, and then prepare for Holy Week. We will also conclude our viewing of the film. It is my prayer that it has a prolonged impact on our faith as we prepare to move forward into the Easter season and beyond. I wish you all a fruitful remainder of Lent. God bless you.

Pax,

Johannes

Called to Self Awareness: Reflection on Romans 1:16-25 and Luke 11:37-41

Have you ever examined yourself? Have you ever taken some serious time in prayer and gone over how you are deep down inside? If we are to follow the CALL, then we need to know about our spiritual well being. When we call ourselves Catholic, do we truly attempt to BE Catholic? In today's readings we are reminded of the importance of remaining pure.

In Romans 1:16 St. Paul proclaims that he is not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the "power of God" for all who believe in salvation. We often hear of our brothers and sisters being persecuted in the early Church, but they are also dying for Christ today. The self awareness check, here, is to determine our level of commitment. Are we ashamed of the Gospel? Do we hide it from others to avoid awkward moments? Do we down play our commitment around others to avoid being uncool? These are hard questions. It is hard to swim against the current of our society. Keep swimming!

There is another thing we have to be self aware of. Instead of being ashamed of the Gospel, we could be faking our commitment to it! Our Lord admonishes the Pharisees saying, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil," (Luke 11:39). When doing the dishes do we just wash the outside of the cup or the back of the plate? Of course not! We make sure to clean them completely. What is your spiritual life like? Are you clean on the outside by simply going to Mass just to go? Or simply doing the Sign of the Cross swiftly to look right? Brothers and sisters seek cleanliness from Our Lord!

It is important to examine ourselves, because what is on the inside will eventually have an effect on what is on the outside. The saying, "you are what you eat", applies to our spiritual lives as well. Let's challenge ourselves to spend a few minutes each day becoming more self aware. We are CALLED to produce good fruit and to do so we must be a good tree. To be a good tree we need to feed ourselves properly.


Pax

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Readings for 17 OCT 2017


Deus invictus! Credo Domine!

Lent Review: Lesson Learned

Introduction
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! A blessed Easter to you! We can rejoice in the bridge to Heaven being completed in Christ's dying and rising. In this article I will address some of the lessons I learned through my personal journey through Lent. Lent is a time to journey deep within ourselves and perform a solid review of our spiritual life. It is a season to grow in closeness to our Creator or to realize that He seems distant. Either way, it is a time of self reflection and awareness, with the hope of Easter ahead.

Lessons Learned
1. Discipline
In the days leading up to Lent I usually begin to set a Lenten discipline or disciplines. Since being back in the Church and meeting with my spiritual director, I have built my Lenten exercises around the big three: prayer, fasting, and alms giving. This three basic spiritual exercises are the foundation of a fruitful Lent as I have discussed before. This year I chose to pray a daily rosary (prayer); limit my smartphone use in my room (fasting); and give a specified amount from my paycheck to the Church, visit my Grandmother's husband in the nursing home, and pray for my aunt as she battles cancer (alms giving).

These three disciplines seems simple enough. In fact, as I reflect on them I have this impression that these really weren't Lent specific disciplines. This is why I may feel like my Lent was not very fruitful, but more on this later. The justification for these disciplines is to jump start my spiritual disciplines through out the year and beyond. I used to pray the rosary daily, but since have done it once to thrice per month. I used to be in a good place in terms of reading the books on my long reading list, but have turned to my smartphone and TV when bored in my room. I used to give somewhat regularly to the Church, but it was never a very defined amount or frequency.

The season started very slowly. My adherence to my Lenten exercises was very loose. Visiting my Grandmother's husband and praying for my aunt went well. The rest, however, was not very good at all. Perhaps this was due to a lack of vision or direction as an intended result of the exercises. I will certainly be discussing this with my spiritual director in our next meeting. Putting in place a discipline without a clear purpose is going to, rightly, seem pointless and will produce bad results. The point of our Lenten discipline should be Christ; He is the focus. A good discipline will guide us toward Christ and a desire to be close to Him.

2. Christ's Passion
Most people know what Christ's Passion is (the suffering, crucifixion, and death of Christ). However, there is so much to analyze and learn from Holy Week; how Holy Week came to be, what events occurred, and what they mean for us and our relationships with our God. For Lent I chose to do some spiritual reading and picked up the second volume of the "Jesus of Nazareth" series by Pope Benedict XVI. His brilliant exegesis of Sacred Scripture and infusion of Sacred Tradition revolving around Christ's Passion was an a amazing read.

This article would be lengthy if I discussed the entirety of the book in detail, so I will focus on the part of the book with the greatest impact. The part of the book that struck me the most, was how he discussed the dating of the Institution of the Eucharist, which is traditionally celebrated on Holy Thursday. However, as Pope Benedict points out, this would mean that Christ's execution would have taken place on the feast of the Passover. John's Gospel tells us that Jesus died on the day of preparation when the lamb's were slaughtered. This was powerful to me, because Christ is the lamb being slaughtered. And with this discovery, I have a new found appreciation for the Gospel according to St. John.

I love how the book was set up to go step by step in the order of events that happened during Holy Week. For someone that needs time to digest the theological density of Pope Benedict XVI, it was quite easy to follow. My edition came with a glossary as well, so any terms or ideas that I found foreign were made understandable with the help of the glossary. This book may not be for new comers to theological thought, but certainly should be on everyone's reading list.

3. Prayer and Self Reflection
While my discipline during Lent was weak, my prayer and self reflection was very strong. While I reflected on small everyday actions most days, I didn't do my deepest self examination unless I was before the Blessed Sacrament at my parish's Adoration Chapel. The logic behind this was simple. When journeying deep into your soul, depending on your life experiences, it can become very dark. When someone is in the midst of darkness, one is very vulnerable to confusion and attacks from evil sources.

While journeying "into the darkness" as I called it in my spiritual journal, I would reflect on where I was spiritually. I wanted to examine where my sins took me, what my relationship with the Lord was during the dark times. My examinations also allowed me to be at peace with what resulted from past sins. Ultimately my journey took me to a place of hope and thanksgiving. Knowing how dark things were in the past let me appreciate how bright things are now. I became truly grateful for how God has never abandoned me even when I deserved abandonment. God remained faithful! God did not stop seeking me out!

When I came to this conclusion during my last session of reflection, tears began streaming down my face. I was entering Holy Week with an renewed appreciation for what God has done. Jesus, knowing the fault of Man, marched to the Cross. He bore my sins (and yours) and was slaughtered like the lambs during the day of preparation. The bridge to Paradise was built, and we now have an ability to cross this bridge back to our Creator!

Conclusion 
After thinking that this year's Lent was a let down I have concluded that, even though it did not go according to plan, God still showed part of Himself. The journey into the darkness of the past brought me into the light of hope. This hope was celebrated during the Easter Vigil, when we go from darkness into light. I pray that you also were able to learn something about yourself and our awesome God during Lent. I pray that we will journey onward with the victory we share in Christ.

Credo Domine!

Catholic Uniqueness: Catholicism is Weird

"It's weird being Catholic. It really is." Jimmy Kimmel is on to something here. When we compare Catholic practices and teachings to our surroundings in the post modern society they are becoming more and more different. Especially when looking at Catholicism without any context or knowledge of it, does it come across as some strange cult. We go to Mass on Sunday to consume the body and blood of a man that was killed almost 2000 years ago. We don't eat meat on Fridays. The Catholic Church preaches no sex before marriage. Catholics get ash on their foreheads on a random Wednesday known as Ash Wednesday in late winter. There is no meat on Fridays in lent. Catholics have to confess their darkest of secrets to a man in a dress (as George and Jimmy call liturgical attire), and so on.

As you read the introduction you probably concurred with my analysis of society's ignorant view of Catholicism; and it certainly doesn't help when Catholics or former Catholics contribute to the ignorance. What is becoming more and more difficult is being comfortable with being Catholic. What I mean by this is being comfortable with embracing the fact that we are called to be different or "weird". The name of this blog is actually based on the reality that being Catholic is to be set apart for the rest of the world. We are to be in the world and not of the world.

1 John 2:15-16 states, "Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but from this world." The author in 1 John makes a clear distinction. James in James 4:4 is a bit more aggressive, "Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God." This distinction is found else where in Sacred Scripture. I think it is good to reflect on the words of Christ Himself in John 15: 18-21, "18 If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me."

I like to believe that the Jubilee Year of Mercy is a year where we approach others with verse 21 serving as a lens of sorts. The New Evangelization has taken a look at how the Church as a whole communicates with the world. If we seek to evangelize using only James 4:4 we are doing the Lord no service. James 4:4 was written to an audience that knew either Church teaching or Jewish teachings. In our post modern world the general audience knows neither, and therefore James 4:4 will only alienate the world more than it already is. Meeting someone where they are, "because they do not know the one who sent [Jesus]", is the loving approach needed to properly evangelize.

In seeking to evangelize properly, however, a few things have happened in recent history that have hurt our efforts to engage the world no matter the good intentions behind them. This leads me to discuss the three liturgical corrections that need to be made as written in the article, Three Liturgical Changes We Need Now, found in Crisis Magazine. In short the three corrections are; moving the tabernacle back to the center, celebrating Mass Ad Orientem (facing "east"), and restoring the reception of the Eucharist on the tongue.

Full disclosure, I agree with all three corrections proposed in the article. The first correction has a very literal and direct purpose; to put Christ back in the center of the church. Sure during the Liturgy of the Eucharist Christ certainly is the center of the Mass, but in many places (including our Cathedral in Cleveland) outside of Mass Christ is literally off to the side. If we truly believe in the True Presence, then should Christ not be the center piece of the church? The center where our body is naturally positioned and our eyes focused? I think the article puts it perfectly when it states, "Mysteriously, the Presence is offered to the glance; the person, whether stranger, or child, or wanderer, apprehends holiness. Many have been converted by this Presence alone. Seeking shelter in a place he vaguely perceives as other, as set apart, the pilgrim finds what he didn’t know he was looking for."

The second correction is one that before Vatican II literally set us apart from the rest of Western Christianity. Before Vatican II the Church (for starters celebrated in Latin) celebrated Mass with the Priest joining the faithful in facing Ad Orientem (toward the east). In the spirit of Vatican II, through which sadly many things are permitted, the Novus Ordo is celebrated with the priest versus populum (facing the faithful) as in Protestant churches. In my opinion and the opinion shared by the author of the article is that facing Ad Orientem places the focus in the proper place; toward God. It is easy for humans to get into what the priest is doing, how he is doing, and the other human mannerism. This takes away from the true purpose of the Mass, which is to praise and worship God for revealing Himself to us. To which, then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI says, "Only for this reason [God's revelation to us] do we know him; only for this reason can we confidently pray to him everywhere. And precisely for this reason is it appropriate, now as in the past, that we should express in Christian prayer our turning to God who has revealed himself to us." (The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 75-76). Benedict XVI ultimately resolves the issue stating, "Where a direct common turning the east is not possible, the cross can serve as the interior "east" of faith. It should stand in the middle of the altar and be the common point of focus for both priest and prayer community." He goes on to say, "This mistake should be corrected as quickly as possible; it can be done without further rebuilding. The Lord is the point of reference." (p. 84).

The third correction is one that will take humility. I have come to the point in my personal piety that I feel it absolutely necessary to kneel and receive the Blessed Sacrament on my tongue. I firmly believe in the true presence of Christ, and therefore concluded that, "Who am I to stand before the presence of God?" Every knee shall bend before the Lord and mine are included. Kneeling and receiving on the tongue are physical ways that we can remind ourselves of the Sacredness of the Holy Eucharist. It helps in feeling how holy this Sacrament truly is. I like how the article ends this point, "Once communion on the tongue is restored, we’ll find that it’s more practical to distribute it if the people kneel. Soon, we’ll rediscover the efficiency of the communion rail. We will better understand the priest’s irreplaceability. We’ll find that we are fostering the priest’s fatherly, pastoral intimacy with his flock as he feeds them."

Catholicism is supposed to be weird in the eyes of the world! A good and faithful Catholic will embrace the uniqueness of our Faith. We are set apart from the world through Christ who came to save us from the trappings of it. It is very dangerous to seek normalcy with the world or to make Catholicism less weird. We are supposed to be unique, because Christ is unique. Ultimately what we do is for Christ and through Christ. So I challenge you to find ways to embrace the uniqueness of Catholicism. Credo Domine.

***

Resources:
1. The Catholic Bible (New American Revised Edition), Oxford University Press.
2. "The Spirit of the Liturgy" by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Ignatius Press.
3. "Three Liturgical Changes We Need Now" by Leila Marie Lawler, crisismagazine.com.

A Reflection on Jesus Cleaning House... His House.

Today's Gospel reading comes from the Gospel of St. Luke chapter 19. Glory to you, O Lord.

"Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, 'It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.' And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words."

The temple is the central place for the Jewish worship of God. It had a place of prominence in the city of Jerusalem. It was the place where God touched Earth, the Holy of Holies. So what does God find in this place of worship? Christ finds disorder and chaos. He finds a place that is more conducive to human wants and greed than to the worship of the Almighty God. So what does Jesus do? He cleans house. His house.

What is the significance of Jesus cleaning His house? First, it is frees it from the distracting chaos. It reestablishes a place of peace and order. Second, it allows us to truly be free to worship God. By casting out the distracting chaos, the unfair merchants, the junk we don't necessarily need, we can experience God fully. While God is bigger than the biggest spectacle, He presents himself to us in profound silence. Cleansing the temple allows us to see the true purpose of the temple, God.

So let's expand on this then. We hear often that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is certainly true since we have a soul, and God seeks union with us. As Jesus cleansed His house, allowing for us to freely experience God, we too must cleanse our temple. By allowing Christ to enter our hearts, we too can clean house. When our souls are clean, we are free to experience God more fully. We are more in tune to God's call for us.

The Church is to be the road to Heaven. Christ founded the Church to lead people to God. There is more to it though. While the road is neatly paved and maintained, it does no good if the car driving on it is not in good condition. The Church is our path to Heaven to meet our Maker. To travel on this path requires us to be in good condition also. Praise be to God that He is seeking to keep us in good condition. He is seeking to clean His temple, His rightful place in our hearts. Amen. Credo Domine.

Easter, Race, Ukraine

It has been a while since I last posted. I thought I would be more committed to blogging during Lent. I had many ideas, but it seems my Lent needed to be a quiet one. Lent was challenging, but also rewarding. It was nice to do a lot of contemplation and self reflection, because it was certainly needed, but now that it is Easter it is time to be alive. Many things happened during Lent and some have spilled over into Easter. Easter is my favorite time of the year which had me celebrating, Russia is surrounding eastern Ukraine, and an NBA owner is being essentially exiled, picking at the racism scab all over again.

Easter is a time of renewal; a time to celebrate the victory we share in Christ! It was great to celebrate this blessed season with our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ! Knowing how I lived in college, I certainly enjoy this season. I don't even want to imagine what my life would be like without Christ. I have absolutely fallen in love with the Easter Vigil. To be in total darkness amidst a great flame and then to process in as the light of Christ spreads from candle to candle is a magical moment. I am honored to be part of the RCIA team, helping people come in or back to the Church is truly rewarding. I remember my reentry very fondly. I was wide eyed with eyes filled with tears of joy, because of the incredible journey I was on. The journey continues, and hopefully it continues at St. Mary's Seminary on my way to becoming a Priest. Please pray for me. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!

Earlier this week the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, was banned from the NBA for life. This race stuff is really getting annoying. There will always be people who are racist. Always. What he said is wrong, absolutely. However, why aren't we also discussing comments made by former NBA star Larry Johnson? He wants an all black league? Why is it OK to say that? Isn't that the exact opposite of what Martin Luther King Jr. wanted? Yes, it is. His dream was for all races to be able to work together and judge each other by their "character". How does the rhetoric by Mr. Johnson help King's cause? It doesn't. I have a proposal similar to King's; actually it is the same. Why don't we all just get along. King is remembered for his demonstrations of peace. He did not seek vengeance, he simply sought equal opportunity. We ought to work toward the same. We should not work for an all black league, or forced affirmative action. We should work for solidarity and opportunity. Enough of this vengeance seeking! It only fuels the fire of racists. It divides, not unites.

The Catholic Church is a shining example of how people of all walks of life work together for the glory of the Kingdom of God. The Universal Church is global, covering all races and cultures. The Catholic faith is applicable to every nation and tribe. It is absolutely beautiful. I can go into a Catholic Church in any country and celebrate the Eucharist with a multitude of people. I encourage you to look up footage from World Youth Day, where Copa Cabana Beach is filled with three million people from all over the world celebrating Mass. It is an amazing site.

And then we get to Russia and Ukraine. Putin is asserting his power during a time of US weakness. The United States has been drained by over a decade of war (three years of which there were two concurrent wars), and continues to build up trillions of dollars of debt. The United States is tired. It shows by our political climate. Each side continues to grow farther and farther apart, and the same can be said for the people of America. So while America continues to fight within, Russia is making moves. I also wonder what China is doing. We need to pay attention to the crisis in Ukraine. We are seeing incredible witness by Catholic and Orthodox Priests who are standing up for peace. Let us focus on this issue. Instead we are focused on what some old racist man said, and it is quite disappointing. I couldn't care less about the race "issue". Did Mr. Sterling's racism hurt anyone? Did his players get paid? Yes. Was his team all white? No. Is he wrong for being racist? Yes! However, instead of moving on and moving forward we let that bog us down. While this all happens Putin continues to move. We need to be paying attention, before China surpasses us as the world's largest economy. Yeah, that may happen in a decade as well. Did you hear of that? Probably not.

America needs to drastically discern its priorities. We are very concerned about social issues, but what about the economy and national security? How good are our arguments about social issues, if we can't keep our people employed and safe? They will all be for not. There is a solution. The solution is simple and many people know the solution, but choose the wide gate because it's easy. Let us choose the narrow gate. Let us choose Christ and seek to live by His commandments. If we all did this, the world would be a much better place. Well, at least it would have a better chance of being a better place. Credo Domine.

Discipline Prayer Discipline (DPD)

I. DPD Overview
Discipline, prayer, and discipline (DPD). No, that is not a typo or a mistake it is a way to go forward in pursuit of a strong faith in the midst of "toxic" environments. I had a short, but fruitful conversation with a college student today via Facebook, and the question was focused on maintaining your faith, while being around seemingly toxic people and places with an emphasis on an upcoming military life. I'm sure this person isn't the only college student that asks this, which is why I decided to write about it, hoping it reaches a few more people.

When it comes to discipline, discernment, and perseverance I am quick to turn to my Patron St. Paul the Apostle. One of the Church's greatest commanders (in this context commander as in Apostle or Bishop), St. Paul wrote a lot regarding proper practice doctrine. Sound like the military yet? The military is greatly concerned about proper techniques and doctrines. St. Paul is also greatly concerned with proper belief and practice, and rightly so! However, I will also focus on what the Great Apostle and first Vicar of Christ, St. Peter, has to say. As we meet at the corner of Peter and Paul this time, I will attempt to propose the DPD technique through the teachings of not only Christ, but the two Great Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul.


II. Discipline
I will begin with St. Paul and his teachings in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32. In Chapter 11 St. Paul discusses women's headdresses and the Eucharist or Lord's Supper. For the purposes of this post I will focus on the later. In verses 27-28 he states that eating and drinking the Holy Supper unworthily will result in judgement. One should examine themselves before partaking. This sounds exclusive, and indeed many Protestant denominations mistake the Church's teaching regarding the Eucharist. That is another post. St. Paul goes on to say in verses 29-32, "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgement; but since we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world," (1 Cor. 11:29-32 NAB). What a powerful statement!

What St. Paul is saying in these verses is that we must really understand and know of Christ's sacrifice, and cooperate in obeying the teachings. Obeying the teachings is in essence a way of knowing Christ's sacrifice. If I know Christ's sacrifice, would I not be inclined to work to sin less? I believe, and the Church believes, the answer is yes. St. Paul is teaching here that partaking in the Eucharist is a discipline! Obeying the teachings of Christ, and thus recognizing Christ's sacrifice, takes discipline. This is why I chose this passage to help in discussing DPD. To build up or maintain our faith in a world that often is toxic, we must begin with discipline. Faith is obviously the initial step, but beyond the starting point which is faith, step one is discipline. We must constantly examine ourselves and our relationship with our Lord and his Church. If we truly believe in Christ, we must do this frequently. Step one, discipline.


III. Prayer
Prayer, the second part of DPD, is the most beneficial and often neglected part of a life of a Christian. I often hear people say, "I'm a Christian. I believe in Jesus. I pray sometimes." Sometimes? My brothers and sisters (myself included here), let us pray often! Prayer can be very intimidating. "How do I pray?" "I sound like I'm whining." "God is probably tired of listening to me." "I'm a hypocrite and don't deserve to pray." Some of those statements are legitimate concerns, and the last one especially is despairing. God listens! When researching how to pray, let's start with the basics. The basic Christian prayer is in the Regulation (The Bible) and discussed heavily in the Field Manual (Catechism). I suggested that a good place to start a solid prayer life is with the Lord's prayer. What better way to start praying than with the prayer Christ himself taught us?

The Lord's Prayer as found in Matthew 6:9-13 (a shorter version is also presented in Luke 11):
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one," (NAB).

Boom! There is our starting point. Let us build our prayer life on the foundation of Christ and the prayer he told us to pray! He gives us the foundation! From there we can grow a fruitful prayer life. If you have the discipline to get going, and build on the foundation prayer (Lord's Prayer), you will notice yourself praying more spontaneously in time. This is good! Step two, prayer.


IV. Discipline
For the final part of DPD we return discipline. I could have used the word persevere or motivation, which St. Paul and others also frequently discussed. I chose discipline again, because it takes more discipline to keep motivated and persevere during the storms. It is discipline that will allow us to keep on the armor of God that St. Paul discusses in Ephesians 6:10-17 (constant prayer is also discussed in this chapter). I have discussed St. Paul already, though, and will now discuss St. Peter's teachings in 1 Peter 2. The entire chapter is devoted to living a Christian life in a hostile world. Let us look first at 1 Peter 2:11 and it states, "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage ware against the soul," (NAB). St. Peter is telling us to protect ourselves. He interestingly notes that the recipients of his letter are "aliens". This can be applied to us today. He addresses the readers as aliens, because the Christian is not of the world but in the world.

Verses 13, 16-17 are very interesting taking into account today's American political environment. In theses St. Peter discusses citizenry; "Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake... Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God. Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king," (NAB).  Pope Saint Peter tells us that we are not to be unnecessarily rebellious, but subjects of our government. He also tells us we are to use freedom for God and not for evil. Simply reflect on America today. Are we using freedom to build up God's Kingdom or to attempt to bring it down? This, also, is another post.


V. Conclusion
DPD; Discipline Prayer and Discipline. I believe this is a good way to enhance our faith that is in Christ. DPD is merely a tip to promote a life of faith by a humble follower of Christ. If there is something that works better at bringing you closer to Christ and his Church, by all means utilize it. You there is a better asset to complete a mission than the one you were given, would you not use it? Of course you would. I hope DPD is a motivator and and tool to place in the tool box. May we continue to look to Christ, using the saints before us and among us as guidance. Amen. Credo Domine.








Resource:
1. The Catholic Bible: Personal Study Edition. Second Edition. Jean Marie Hiesberger, editor. Oxford University Press. 2011.

Lent for the Busy Person

You may be like me on the day before Lent, better known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in the US, and make a list of Lenten promises to God. This list will include sacrifices, prayers, activities, and other things you will give up or do for Lent. If you are like me this list starts out fairly large. Not to boast, but here is an example of what my first list looked like:

If you are having trouble deciphering my beautiful calligraphy, the list reads:

1. No fast food 2. Facebook only on Fridays (Adoration Friday of course) 3. Daily Scripture reading 4. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration" by Pope Benedict XVI and 30 day consecration ("33 days to Morning Glory" by Michael E. Gaitley) 5. Daily Rosary and Divine Chaplet 6. Daily Holy Hour (Eucharistic Adoration) 7. Gym three times per week.

You were probably chuckling by number four or five. What makes me chuckle is the line after the list which reads, "I think this is doable...." and then I add, "Also, praying more in Latin and Deutsch (German), and bed before 12am." To anyone counting, that is nine Lenten promises! Yes, nine! Sure, for a college student with a light course load this is possible, but I am not a college student with a light course load. You should have seen the reaction my spiritual director (Fr. Sean) had when I recited this list to him during my session with him. He had some good advice on how to refine this list. He broke it down into three categories (prayer, fasting, and alms giving). Here is my list following spiritual direction:

Again, my amazing calligraphy reads:

1. Prayer: a. Holy Hour three times per week minimum b. Daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy

2. Fasting: a. Facebook (one post per day [must be spiritual], and no more than one total hour surf time per day)

3. Alms giving: a. Volunteer three times during Lent

4. Spiritual Reading: a. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth" and 33 Days to Morning Glory

Again, looking back this is a jam packed Lent. Lent is supposed to be challenging, absolutely! Lent is a time to wrestle with our faults and find ways to eliminate or reduce them as we walk with Christ. I must admit, that I have not been proactive enough in following through in this refined list. I know that I could offer up three hours a week for Eucharistic Adoration. I already do an assigned hour on Fridays. I  know I could be reading the amazing work by Pope Benedict XVI instead of watching the WWE Network (which is awesome by the way). With work and prayer, I can commit to this list. Instead of volunteering, I have given money to Harvest for Hunger instead almost each time that I buy something at work. Since I seem to go two weeks to a month with out a day off, finding time to volunteer is difficult, so I made an adjustment.

At this point you may be wondering when I'm going to come up with ideas for you the busy person. The idea is this; make your initial list, reflect on your daily duties, and then discuss this list with friends, family, or a priest. You will find that you can refine this list and still have a fruitful Lent. Lent is not simply about abstaining from things. Lent is about spiritual growth. The goal is to come up with a list of things that will help you grow spiritually. Our relationship with Christ and his Church matters, and Lent is a time to get back to the basics. These basics, as Fr. Sean (my spiritual director/Confessor) puts it, are prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Find one thing that you can do or sacrifice in each of these categories, and Lent will be a fruitful one for you.

God knows our lives better than we do. God knows we are busy. Let us not feel guilty for having to trim our Lenten promises down to size. Let us, instead, be joyful that we are seeking a closer relationship with our Lord and his Bride, the Church. Lent is my favorite time of the year for this reason. I am so glad the Church has set aside a time to reflect, pray, and sacrifice to draw closer to God. Let us march forward toward Christ.

Here is a simple list you might be able to implement if you are having trouble:

1. Prayer: 10-15 minutes of prayer each day. Doing this around meal times is a good way to set aside time for it. Before bed is also a good time. Go to Confession more frequently.

2. Fasting: Limit social media time or Internet time to 1-3 posts per day if you are a frequent user. Or limit TV time to 1-2 hours a day if you watch a lot of TV. Do a good fast on Fridays (one meal and two smaller meals or snacks that do not add up to the one meal), or go 24 hours without eating (health permitting).

3. Alms giving: Pick a ministry and donate your time, money, or other resources throughout Lent. At Walgreen's they are supporting Harvest for Hunger. I simply add $1, $5, or $10 (on paydays) to my bill. This is a quick easy way to help feed the hungry.

I hope this list helps. Sometimes when it comes to our spiritual lives, less indeed is more if our mind, body, and soul are fully invested. I pray you have a blessed Lenten season. Please pray for me as I seek to better fulfill my Lenten promises. Please continue to pray for peace, especially in Ukraine and Venezuela. Let us be a witness to the love which conquers all. Credo Domine.

From Lutheran to Catholic

Two of the most common questions I am asked, regarding my reversion are, "Why Catholic?" or "What is the difference?". They certainly are two very good questions. In a multifaceted, "buffet style" world, it is hard to sift through the differences between many things especially Christian denominations. I must admit the jump from Lutheranism to Catholicism is not nearly as far as jumping from being a Pentecostal or Baptist. Lutheranism is a spin off of Catholicism itself, so since the two closely resemble each other on the surface, it is easy to overlook or miss the differences.

The initial grievance Luther had was the selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church, thereby questioning how the Church's practice of such corresponded with its teaching on sins, confession, absolution, and salvation. It is important to note, that initially Martin Luther had no intention to create "Lutheranism". He had no intention of starting the Reformation (capital "R"), and instead wanted the Church to enter a period of reformation (small "r"). 

Martin Luther was the big political whistle-blower of his day. The Catholic Church during the time of Martin Luther, was as much a political power as it was a spiritual one. The Catholic Church controlled a lot of Europe, and also was the sole entity involved in the coronation of the great kings of Europe. Martin Luther was correct in pointing out that reform was needed, and it did eventually come. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) made the necessary reforms and affirmations of Church teachings.

Looking back, a good Catholic would be obedient and accept the reforms and affirmations instituted by the Council of Trent, but the Reformation was roaring at that point. Had the reaction of the Church been quicker, we may not have had such a schism then. Had the princes not backed Luther, Lutheranism would not exist. It was the German princes that backed Luther once he was excommunicated. The split was as much political as it was doctrinal, if not more so at the time. I need not go into further detail on the rest of the Reformation. There are countless articles and books on the topic. 

Being apostolic is vital to the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Once you take the authority out of the dogma's, the dogmas become formed to our infallible human desire. Christ was very specific with the handling of his Church. He entrusted it to St. Peter. the first pope and the other apostles. These apostles then took the authority, teachings, and traditions Christ handed down, and chose disciples to carrying them on as well. Every bishop can be traced back to the original Apostles. How amazing is that?! This is why my reversion really is simple. By the Reformation taking down one papacy, they created thousands more. If every person is able to interpret Sacred Scripture, which was compiled by the very Catholic Church that is rebelled against, then who is to say what is proper and what isn't?

Many will answer, "Exactly! Who has the right to tell me what is true!" This is prideful. To think this way is to fall in the sin of pride. I used to think the same way, "Who is the Pope, a mere man, to tell me what the truth is?" I often knocked the Papacy down a couple notches during my sermons. By doing that I was instituting myself as the Pope at that moment. What a grave sin of pride that was! Praise God for forgiving these sins!

The reason we need a Pope, apostolic succession, dogmas, etc., is to preserve the teachings and traditions handed down by our Lord and Savior Himself! Christ chose Apostles (Holy Orders). Holy Communion was instituted by Christ. Christ Anointed the Sick. He instituted Baptism, and Reconciliation (Confession). Christ laid out the doctrine of Holy Matrimony. The people received the Spirit thanks to Christ (Confirmation). The Traditions of the Catholic Church come from the Messiah and his trusted Apostles. How can I deny this? How could I, when faced with the decision, go with the teachings based on a mere man's opposition to Church practices (which have been corrected)? To go with a mere person or Christ? I chose Christ. Rather, the Holy Spirit enabled me to choose Christ.

People have been debating Catholic doctrine for centuries. Catholics have debated their own doctrine for well over a millennium. What I always come back to, when being faced with opposition, is the authority. Who has the authority? Did Martin Luther take it with him? No! Catholic doctrine can be debated and dissected all day and night (it is), but what matters is who the carrier of the keys is. Christ gave St. Peter the keys to the Kingdom. I could not ignore Matthew 16:13-19 and many other passages that depict Peter as head any longer. Christ said that he will build his Church on the rock that is Peter.

Everything starts with God. God gave St. Peter the keys, which were passed onto St. Linus, then St. Anacletus I, they eventually were given to St. Deusdedit, St. Adrian III also held the keys, they eventually arrived in the hands of Celestine V, St. Pius V carried them, and the list goes on. The keys are carried today by number 266, Pope Francis. This connection to Christ is incredible and undeniable. Apostolicam really is the reason for my reversion. It is not because of how I feel about the Eucharist, Marian devotion, marriage, sex, or religious celibacy. Those all come after Christ. Jesus is the reason for my reversion, because he started the apostolic succession. It all started with our Savior. Amen, credo domine.

Here are some of the books I read during my reversion that I said I would provide in my last post:

1. "100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura" by Dave Armstrong

2. The Acts of the Apostles, New American Bible

3. The Gospel of Matthew, New American Bible

4. "Practice Makes Catholic" by Joe Paprocki

5. "Rediscover Catholicism" by Matthew Kelly

I also utilized websites:

1. www.catholic.com

2. www.catholicscomehome.org

3. www.elca.org