Ignatian Spirituality: Set the World Ablaze

Poem: The Sacred Now

2012-02-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

When we are present in the moment
wherever we be
on the way, at table, ‘round a campfire
time pauses, opens out, lingers a while
for us to come home to ourselves
delight in the company of each other
share and give thanks.

We become patient
wildly patient
letting go of yesterday, tomorrow
open, vulnerable to the Sacred Now
firing, inspiring, spiriting all
delighting in all
moving us to reverence each other
as we are reverenced
by the Beloved of All.

Noel Davis, Australia

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-02-01T00:30:00.004-05:00

February 5, 2012

Job 7:1-7; Psalm 147;1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23; Mark 1:29-39

Job'sspeech reminds us that life is filled with heavy burdens and drudgery. Futilityand hopelessness surround him and he can see no relief from his life of misery.His life is fleeting like the wind and he declares confidently that he will notsee happiness again. Job raises for us the eternal question: If God isall-powerful and all-knowing, why do the innocent suffer? It reminds us thatsuffering isolates a person and puts one on the fringe of society. People donot want to look at someone who is suffering because it raises somethinginstinctual within us to flee from the horror of pain.

TheGospel shows us the first actions of Jesus after he leaves the synagogue wherehe taught with unparalleled authority. He immediately went with his friends, Jamesand John, into Simon and Andrew's house where he met Simon's mother-in-law who laysick with a fever. The fever left her when Jesus grasped her by the hand. Wordspread throughout the town that Jesus has an amazing gift of preaching andhealing the sick. Many were brought to him in the early evening to be cured oftheir illnesses. He was inundated with their pleas.

Thedisciples misunderstand the ministry of Jesus. Peter and the others look forJesus early in the morning because there are more people to be healed. Theyfigure that this is surely his mission because God does not want anyone tosuffer, but Jesus tells them that they are to move on. Their true mission is topreach the kingdom of God to all the people of Israel. Preaching is the key. Ifpeople learn in their hearts that the kingdom is in their midst, then God'spower will be made manifest. Healing is secondary to the mission, but throughit we learn the mind and heart of God.

The narrativesraise some questions about who, why, and when Jesus healed people. Is it God'schoice that some people are cured and others are left to suffer? Are thehealings only to illustrate a point Jesus is trying to make? Are there somepeople that Jesus was unable to cure? Surely, he was gifted with some power tofashion miracles. We never get a clue about how those who were cured lived therest of their lives. We hope they were able to hear the message that Jesusproclaimed to them and that they were not only concerned with their owninterests. It seems right that preaching the kingdom of God was central to hismission. Everyone has the ability to hear and accept his offer of salvation. Tothis mission, he knew to be faithful.

Jesuspreached a kingdom-centered theology that showed that God cared intimately foreach person. It revealed that God's presence was everywhere and was not morespecially present in the Temple or other religious-based buildings. The kingdomof God was among the people. This theology conflicted with the Temple-basedtheology that showed the primacy of worship was in the Temple and thatreligious authority rested with the elders, chief priests, and templeauthorities. In this theology, the rites, liturgy, and laws are sacrosanct andobedience to the law means life. The human person is valued if he or sheupholds the law and teachings. Otherwise, the individual is not considered animportant aspect of the faith. These are the types of rules Jesus wascontinually challenging. This conflict ultimately led to his death. Take forinstance, the event when he upset the money-changers and challenged templeauthority.

Inparallel ways, the church of Jesus struggles with the same dichotomy today.Many who suffer and look for moral guidance seek Christ in the ordinariness oftheir day and wrestle with their experiences of faith against the developeddoctrine that has endured for centuries. In this scenario, the person'sexperience matters greatly. Others will hold tightly to the letter of the lawor declared teachings because they have persisted and withstood the challengesof time. Here, the person is not considered to be a major factor. Differingphilosophies still compete. A classicist worldview is pitted against anhistorical minded one.

Whilethis conflict occurs, we take heart from this passage. Jesus moved on toproclaim the kingdom of God is in our midst. We are to do the same. Ourpreaching about the kingdom is to be central to every aspect of our lives.Christ cares about our suffering and struggles. He begs us to come to his Abba,to the one who will wipe away every tear from our eyes, to the one who hasconquered sin and death, to the one who wants to pull us close to his heart.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

FirstReading: The eldersand leaders of Israel came to King Solomon in Jerusalem to bring up the ark ofthe covenant to Zion, the City of David. The community assembled for thesacrifice and when everyone left, the glory of the Lord settled upon the holyplace. Before the people, Solomon prays to God asking that the covenant beremembered. God will be the protector of the people. The queen of Sheba heardof Solomon's fame and wisdom. She visited him and asked subtle questions andshe was quite impressed. She offered him abundant gifts the likes that had notbeen seen before. In his old age, Solomon turned his heart away from the Lord.As retribution, the Lord told Solomon that he would deprive his son of thekingdom. Only one of the tribes would inhabit Jerusalem. When Jeroboam leftJerusalem, Israel went in rebellion. They tore cloaks into twelve pieces. Onetribe would remain in tribute to David. Jeroboam persisted in sin as he orderedshrines to be built in Bethel and Dan.

Gospel:Jesus returns to Galilee after healing the demoniac. People recognize him andbring all their sick to him. Pharisees and scribes observe that the disciplesof Jesus do not customarily wash their hands before meals. He tells them thatthey disregard God's commandments but cling to human tradition. He then remindsthem that keeping the commandments mean honoring your father and mother. Heconcludes that what is in the inside of a person defiles them, not outwardcustoms. Jesus declares all foods clean and focuses upon the attitudes thatcorrupt. He travels to the northwest territory of Tyre where he meets aSyrophoenician woman. She begs him to drive a demon out of her daughter. Afteroriginally resisting her, he accedes to her wishes and realizes his missionexpands beyond the boundaries of Israel. He then travels back to the Decapoliswhere he heals a deaf, mute man. He opens the mouth of the man. His heart ismoved with pity for the people as they gather to hear him speak. Hemiraculously feeds over 4,000 people with a scant quantity of fish and bread.

Saints of the Week

Monday: PaulMiki and Companions, martyrs (d. 1597), were martyred in Nagasaki, Japanfor being Christians. Miki was a Jesuit brother and a native Japanese who waskilled alongside 25 clergy, religious, and laypeople. They were suspended oncrosses and killed by spears thrust into their hearts. Remnants of theChristian community continued through baptism without any priestly leadership.It was discovered when Japan was reopened in 1865.

Wednesday: JeromeEmiliani (1481-1537), was a Venetian soldier who experienced a call to be apriest during this imprisonment as a captor. He devoted his work to theeducation of orphans, abandoned children, the poor and hungry. He founded anorder to help in his work, but he died during a plague while caring for thesick.

JosephineBakhita (1869-1947) was a Sudanese who was sold as a slaveto the Italian Consul, who treated her with kindness. She was baptized in Italyand took the name Josephine. Bakhia means fortunate. She was granted freedomaccording to Italian law and joined the Canossian Daughters of Charity whereshe lived simply as a cook, seamstress, and doorkeeper. She was known for hergentleness and compassion.

Friday: Scholastica(480-543) was the twin sister ofBenedict, founder of Western monasticism. She is the patroness of Benedictinenuns. She was buried in her brother's tomb; they died relatively close to oneanother.

Saturday:Our Lady of Lourdes is remembered because between February 11 and July 16,1858, Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in a cave near Lourdes, Franceeighteen times. The site remains one of the largest pilgrim destinations. Manyfind healing in the waters of the grotto during the spring.

This Week in Jesuit History

· Feb 5, 1833. The first provincial ofMaryland, Fr. William McSherry, was appointed.

· Feb 6, 1612. The death of ChristopherClavius, one of the greatest mathematicians and scientists of the Society.

· Feb 7, 1878. At Rome, Pius IX died. Hewas sincerely devoted to the Society; when one of the cardinals expressed surprisethat he could be so attached to an order against which even high ecclesiasticsbrought serious charges, his reply was: "You have to be pope to know theworth of the Society."

· Feb 8, 1885. In Chicago, Fr. IsidoreBourdreaux, master of novices at Florissant, Missouri, from 1857 to 1870, died.He was the first scholastic novice to enter the Society from any of thecolleges in Missouri.

· Feb 9, 1621. Cardinal Ludovisi waselected Pope Gregory XV. He was responsible for the canonization of St.Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier.

· Feb 10, 1773. The rector of Florenceinformed the general, Fr. Ricci, that a copy of the proposed Brief ofSuppression had been sent to the Emperor of Austria. The general refused tobelieve that the Society would be suppressed.

· Feb 11, 1563. At the Council of Trent,Fr. James Laynez, the Pope's theologian, made such an impression on thecardinal president by his learning and eloquence, that cardinal decided at onceto open a Jesuit College in Mantua, his Episcopal see.

Prayer: Bede, the Venerable

2012-02-01T00:30:00.003-05:00

Simeon and Anna, a man and woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in divinity.

Photo: Sea Mist

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Third Week Retreat Homily: Jairus' Daughter and the Hemorrhaging Woman

2012-01-31T16:31:00.002-05:00

As we come to the end of a month wherewe've heard about David's successes and failures as a man and a king, I have tosay I have come to admire him and hold a warm place in my heart for him. It touchesme deeply that even though his son, Absalom, has risen against him inrebellion, he grieves uncontrollably at his unfortunate death by hanging in atree. Death is final. As we stare into death's face, the brutality of it shakesus to our core.

Death comes to us again in the Gospel.Jesus returns to Jewish lands after getting kicked out of the Decapolis wherehe met the once out of control demoniac. The crowd waits for him. Among thosewho wanted his attention was Jairus, a synagogue official, who believed Jesuswas powerful enough to restore his ailing daughter to good health. She was only12 years old. I'm sure to the disappointment of Jairus, Jesus gets sidetracked.His attention is pulled away from the concerns of Jairus because he felt powerleave him because someone forgotten by society reached out to touch his hem.

The woman with the 12-year hemorrhage isa lot like the Gerasene demoniac. She is shunned, neglected, pushed aside,largely ignored, and she has used up all her capital. She has now become abother to her family, friends, and the religious society. She is a festering wound.While some may sympathize with her, many become frustrated because she nevermakes improvements. She becomes a bother to them because she remains just whoshe is. They tolerate her, sometimes treat her with kindness, but they havegiven up on her. She has lost hope and the society around her has lost hopethat she will ever stop complaining about her condition.

We may know someone like this whosepain is chronic. Perhaps, we identify with this nameless woman because we havesomething inside us that is so disordered we cannot change. All the drugs,therapy, retreats in the world cannot ever make us whole as we once were anddesire to be again. We carry an internal system of dysfunction, disorder, andchaos that puts us on the outside of a society whose care we need. We may wantto give up because this is our fate. We will never be right again. In ourprayers, all we can do is reach invisibly, desperately to touch the cloak's hemof Jesus.

We each carry our own crosses and onething is clear: we have to gaze upon the cross to find meaning in it. It is notsomething we can escape or avoid. We will deal with it at some point in life.The question that arises is: What is our disposition and attitude by which weapproach the cross?

I am learning to be real in prayer. Itis important for me to express my raw, unfiltered desires and feelings to God andto see that anger is good. Expressing it well is healthy and it is somethingthat we learn to do through triumphs and failures. I have shouted at God withtremendous anger. I have been so angry with God I would not even talk to himfor stretches of time and I derided God for his lack of power and his lack ofconcern. I have poured out my heart far from the kindest of ways because Iwanted to let God know of my supreme frustration and my utter doubt in God'scare of me and my loved ones. How could God treat me this way if God is allloving and all powerful and all just. When I let him have it good, I feelbetter.

This passage reminds me of my oldestsister's life. I watched her die an excruciating death after years of pain and,like the woman in the Gospel, hemorrhages. She was born with mental retardationand had a difficult life. My family cared for her as best we knew how. Early inmy life I got so angry with God for allowing this dreadful condition to inhabita sweet little girl. As a young boy, I recall screaming at God for making her aperson with retardation. At age six, I recall steaming in frustration that Godchose this and allowed this to happen. I pleaded with God to give me hercondition so my innocent sister can be set free. I wanted her to live well. Herillness was undeserved.

          I felt such tenderness for my parents.This was their firstborn child and they were struggling to start their new lifetogether. I was frustrated because I wished my parents had more information sothey could protest more directly to the doctors as my sister was still in thewomb. I wished they spoke for their own needs and desires more vehemently. Myhemorrhaging mother during her last month of pregnancy was told to go homebecause she was in false labor. My parents obediently followed the doctor'sprofessional advice though they knew better. All the while, the umbilical cordwrapped around my sister's neck depriving her of needed oxygen.
          At the end of her 43 years oflife she stayed at home amidst seven long years of pain and suffering - theworst I've ever seen. I came close to cursing Jesus for he had only been on thecross for three hours; my sister's suffering was much more awful. Wheelchairbound and constricted in a physical prison, a tube inserted to feed her and atube to catch her waste, she was stung with pain. We would hold her in our armseach day and look into her catatonic eyes wondering if she knew we were there.How we wished she could speak and tell us how she felt. She cried cry herselfto sleep and immediately awoke from her chronic, ceaseless pain. Sleep couldnot soften her fatigue. Hospitals sent her back to us because her pain wasunbearable for nurses and other patients to hear. It caused everyonediscomfort. Even loving care-givers did not want to hear her moans.     We fear suffering. Fear and psychic pain aroseand we tried to reach her to let her know we were there for her, though we wereunable to help her. We were inexhaustibly powerless. We could provide norelief. We were stripped of any choice - utterly without any control or power.
          After further groaning andmoaning to God while caressing my sister's tormented face, my gaze penetrateddeeply into my sister's blank, catatonic eyes. She could not fully see me backbut I had to continue to look. I wanted to find her, to have her recognize me,to stand by her, and I could not give up. I gazed into a dark infinity throughher eyes. Exhausted, despairing, and hopeless, I was drawn in to see the sad,sorrowful eyes of Jesus looking back at me. He was there on the cross, weeping,weeping deeply for my sister. I finally came to a place of stillness andsilence. I gazed upon him on the cross as he beheld my sister on hers. He waswith her in her suffering and with me in mine. He writhed in anguish because wewere in anguish as life slipped out of his body. He was so sad for us and hecould not get off the cross because he needed to be there for us.

          My sister's pain continued a few moremonths before she died. I don't know how my mother made it through a single day,but she was lovingly faithful to her daughter. All we have is love andfidelity. I solidly knew that Jesus was with my sister and she seemed consoledby that. It was only by looking deeply into that dark pit of suffering thatJesus was able to gently reach me and show me his heart. He said, "I wantto share my heart with you." At this gruesome place, the desires of myheart met his - and he was gracious.
          I encountered a gentle God - aGod who cannot act violently. Jesus gives us the greatest gift he can - bybeing in vulnerable solidarity with his people as he hangs on the cross, withthose who hang on the cross. Ironically, if we look deeply into our suffering,we will undoubtedly find the broken, disabled, disfigured Christ, imprisoned onhis Cross, and he will gently be present to us. No greater gift exists. Theworld changes.
          At some point in our lives, wehave to confront death. David did it with his beloved Absalom, Jairus with hisdaughter, the nameless woman of chronic hemorrhages looks at her own impendingmortality, my mother with her firstborn. It is at our weakest - when we arewith someone in his or her suffering - that we find intimacy with Jesus in oursuffering. It is the point where he consoles me and tells me I am not alone. Hedoes not want suffering. This is the reason he brings the daughter of Jairusback to life and turns to the poor woman to give her a name and a chance tolive again. He wants to give you life as well. Christ took on powerlessnessbecause of our powerlessness. He wants to die on the Cross for you - so you canhave life with him.

Prayer: John McKensie

2012-01-31T00:30:00.000-05:00

Werecognize that the person whom we have encountered speaks to our innermostbeing, supplies our needs, satisfies our desires. We recognize that this persongives life meaning. I do not say a new meaning simply, for we realize thatbefore we encountered this person life had no real meaning. We recognize thatthis person has revealed to us not only himself, but our own true self as well.We recognize that we cannot be our own true self except by union with thisperson. In him, the obscure is illuminated, the uncertain yields to thecertain, insecurity is replaced by a deep sense of security. In him, we find wehave achieved and understanding of many things which baffled us. We recognizein his person strength and power which we can sense passing from him to us.Most certainly, if most obscurely, we recognize that in this person we haveencountered God, and that we shall not encounter god in any other way.

Photo: Hovering Over Creation

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Bernard of Clairvaux

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Thatperson is truly humble who converts humiliation into humility.

Prayer: Claude de la Colombiere

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Godis the only master of our hearts; God alone can give solid peace.

Photo: The Mysterious Beyond

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Jean Vanier

2012-01-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

Itis not reserved for those who are well-known mystics or for those who dowonderful things for the poor... [It is for those] poor enough to welcomeJesus. It is for people living ordinary lives and who feel lonely. It is forall those who are old, hospitalized or out of work, who open their hearts intrust to Jesus and cry out for his healing love.

Photo: Brrr. It's Cold

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: "Go and Make Disciples" by the U.S. Bishops

2012-01-28T00:30:00.000-05:00

Whenthe story of Jesus is truly our story, when we have caught his fire, when hisgood news shapes our lives individually and as a church, his influence will befelt far beyond our church.

Photo: Standing Stoicly

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Photo: Mansion with Clouds

2012-01-27T09:05:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Thomas Aquinas

2012-01-27T00:30:00.001-05:00

God is the most lovable of all things, and meditations on God's nature is the strongest incentive there is to love and devotion; but because our minds are not strong in themselves, we need to be led by knowledge, and so to love God by way of the world we sense, and above all by thinking of Christ the man, so that by seeing God with our eyes we can be lifted up to love what we cannot see.

Photo: A Warming Sunrise

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Ignatius of Loyola

2012-01-26T00:30:00.000-05:00

Weshould not want to see or do anything that could not be done in the presence ofGod... and we shall then imagine that we are always in God's presence.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

January 29, 2012

Deuteronomy 18:15-20;Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

Incomforting the Israelites, Moses proclaims that a prophet like him will beraised up and the people will be wise to listen to him. Moses often has theproblem of speaking God’s words to the people while the people choose not tolisten. He tells them that this new prophet who will come along will speak withGod’s authority and the consequence for not listening to him is death.

Jesusbegins with public ministry with much fanfare. He enters a synagogue andteaches in more astounding ways than any scribe has done. The scribes are undisputedscripture scholars who are appointed to faithfully interpret scripture and holdonto doctrinal orthodoxy. Jesus upends them and provides unsurpassed knowledgeof scripture and not only a new interpretation. He challenges the entirereligious educational structure. Naturally, the scribes are the first toquestion his authority and inquire about the source of his knowledge.

Thewords of Jesus reveal his identity for even if humans do not comprehend what isgoing on, the unclean spirits and demons do. Jesus, through mere words,demonstrates power over the demons that leave everyone aghast. Through thepower of words, news of Jesus spreads throughout all of Galilee.

Choosingwords with precision is necessary in today’s climate. In political circles,civic leaders know the importance of framing language to shape public opinion.Sound-byte slogans carry great weight because they represent an inherentworldview and political philosophy. Whoever wins the war of words will garnermore votes and will shape the landscape in their favor. The victors of warswrite the history of the vanquished and keep themselves positioned to remain inpower. Words have a power unto themselves.

As Iam in the middle of directing a Thirty-Day silent retreat, I sit back and watchthe ways retreatants learn to respect words and silence. During days of repose,it is natural for a person to resist breaking the silence because they don’twant the process of relating to God be interrupted by human words. At the endof the retreat, they resist a return to their families and communities becausethey know they will talk so much about the weather, sports teams, BrittanySpears’ new haircut, and other cultural events that do not carry as much weightas the meaningful conversations they have held each day with their retreatdirectors. The retreatants want to maintain respect of the power of words andsilence.

Tryan experiment this week that may be uncomfortable. Speak less. We all want tobe seen and heard, but can we help others be seen and heard? See if you can gothrough a day or a week of deliberately listening and hearing what others aresaying. Instead of reacting, just respond to them. Ask clarifying questionsthat elicit for them the meaning of what they are trying to communicate. You’llcome to a point when you know that you have really connected and the personwill really connect with you for truly respecting them. Ironically, we conversebetter when we first intently listen. The rewards of a more meaningfulconversation are immediately evident. It is extremely satisfying.

Iused to be a person who wanted to tell others what I was thinking. I still wantto share myself with my friends, but I’m happier to listen to them and find outwhat is going on in their lives. Mutuality is assured. I find myself holdingonto what they say with greater dignity and respect because I can listen better.I find that when I hold onto what another person says, I have less need toshare. I am satisfied honoring them. Sometimes a person merely has to speakabout what he or she feels. That may be all they need – and the power ofcarefully chosen words and silence can heal, console, and give life.

Thewords of Jesus have the power to create and give life. His words retain greatpower. Our world will be strengthened when we harness of power of the words wespeak to quiet the demons and silence adversaries of truth and life. Then, wecan see life beginning anew as the kingdom of God spreads throughout the earth.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

FirstReading: Aninformant came to tell David that his son, Absalom, was plotting to riseagainst him. Shimea, from Saul's clan, began to curse David, who allowed him tofreely express himself. Absalom came up against David's servants and had afreak accident. He hung from a tree where he was thrust in the heart withpikes. A servant came to tell David that his son was dead. Instead ofcelebrating the victory over a rebellion, David and his army mourned forAbsalom. David counts the numbers of troops in Israel (800,000) and Judah(500,000) and realized he sinned against the Lord for not trusting him. Davidchooses one of three pestilences as penitence for his crimes and he selects aplague that kills over 700,000 of his people. David relents and asks forpunishment of himself rather than harm on his people. After the death of David,the Book of Sirach offers a song of praise about David's many accomplishmentsand his growing trust in the Lord. David's son Solomon rises to the throne. Athis anointing, the Lord asks him what he wants and he valiantly asks for anunderstanding heart to judge the Lord's people and to distinguish right fromwrong. The Lord is well pleased.

Gospel:Jesus crossed to the other side of the sea as he left Israel and came into theforeign lands of the Decapolis. He encountered a strong demoniac who could notbe bound by chains. He was exiled to a cemetery to live among the demons. Jesuscured him and sent his legion of demons into a swineherd. He then crossed backinto Israeli territory and met Jairus, a synagogue official whose 12 year olddaughter was near death. She died. Jesus then heals a woman who suffered for 12years of a hemorrhage. While he was speaking, Jesus told Jairus his daughterwill live. Many doubted, but she rose once Jesus prayed over her. Jesusreturned home and taught in the synagogues. People were amazed at his teaching.After all, he was merely the son of Joseph and Mary, and the brother to fourother brothers and some sisters. He declared that a prophet is without honor inhis hometown. King Herod was curious about Jesus and asked about his identity.Some said he was one of the prophets or John the Baptist raised from the dead.Herod killed John after he swore an oath to his daughter at his own birthdayparty. The Apostles reported everything to Jesus about what they taught anddid. Jesus wanted to rest with them at a deserted place so they went off, butthe crowds kept gathering. Jesus was moved with pity because the people werelike sheep without a shepherd.

Saints of the Week

Tuesday: JohnBosco, priest (1815-1888), formed his Society to aid children who wereimprisoned. He used Francis de Sales as his inspiration. He taught poor andworking class boys in the evenings wherever it was possible to meet them - infields, factories, or homes. A sister community was set up to assist younggirls who were sent to work.

Thursday: ThePresentation of the Lord is the rite by which the firstborn male ispresented in the Temple as an offering to God. It occurs 40 days after thebirth while the new mother is considered ritually unclean. Two church elders,Simeon and Anna, who represent the old covenant, praise Jesus and warn hismother that her heart will be pierced as her son will bring the salvation ofmany.

Friday: Blase,bishop and martyr (d. 316), was anArmenian martyr of the persecution of Licinius. Legends hold that a boy wasmiraculously cured by choking to death on a fish bone. Blase's intercession hasbeen invoked for cures for throat afflictions. The candles presented atCandlemas the day earlier are used in the rite of the blessings of throats.

Angsar,bishop (815-865), became a monk to preach to pagans. Helived at the French Benedictine monastery of New Corbie and was sent to preachin Denmark and Sweden. He was made abbot and then became archbishop of Hamburg.He is known as the Apostle of the North because he restored Denmark to thefaith and helped bolster the faith of other Scandinavians.

This Week in Jesuit History

· Jan 29, 1923. Woodstock scholasticskept a fire vigil for several months to prevent the Ku Klux Klan from settingthe college on fire.

· Jan 30, 1633. At Avignon, Fr. JohnPujol, a famous master of novices, died. He ordered one of them to water a drystick, which miraculously sprouted.

· Jan 31, 1774. Fr. General LaurenceRicci, a prisoner in Castel S Angelo, claimed his liberty, since his innocencehad been fully vindicated. He received from the Papal Congregation the replythat they would think about it. Pope Clement XIV was said at this time to bementally afflicted.

· Feb 1, 1549. The first Jesuitmissionaries to go to Brazil set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, under Fr. Emmanuelde Nobrega.

· Feb 2, 1528. Ignatius arrived in Paristo begin his program of studies at the University of Paris.

· Feb 3, 1571. In Florida, the martyrdomof Fr. Louis Quiros and two novices, shot with arrows by an apostate Indian.

· Feb 4, 1617. An imperial edict banishedall missionaries from China.

Photo: Duck Farm on Ice

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: John Vianney

2012-01-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

Openyour heart so the word of God may enter it, take root in it, and bear fruitthere for eternal life.

Prayer: Gregory the Great

2012-01-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

TheHoly Bible is like a mirror before our mind's eye. In it we see our innerface.... We can learn our spiritual deformities and beauties. And there too wediscover the progress we are making and how far we are from perfection.

Photo: A Flow of Ice

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Hildegard of Bingen

2012-01-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

Thereis the music of heaven in all things and we have forgotten how to hear it untilwe sing.

Prayer: Emily de Rodat

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

Iwas bored only once in all my life, and that was when I turned away from God.

Photo: Magnolian Mansion

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Thomas a Kempis

2012-01-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

Ifthe works of God were such as might be easily comprehended by human reason,they could not be called wonderful.

Retreat Homily for 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

2012-01-22T00:00:00.001-05:00

With listening eyes, wefix our gaze upon Jesus, the man from Galilee, who begins his public ministryby performing two important tasks: he preaches "the Kingdom of God is athand" with the emphasis on the "now" and then he calls those whowill become his closest friends. He introduces a kingdom-centered theology inopposition to the Temple-centered Jerusalem theology. As we immerse ourselvesin this passage, we focus upon Jesus as the one who calls more so than beingconcerned with the responses of Simon and his brother Andrew or the Zebedee boys.

Ignatius wants us to come to know thisman from Nazareth. To do this, we are to suspend and challenge what we knowabout Jesus. We may have to let some of our ideas be bracketed and put asideuntil we can get a more accurate portrait of the man. We are given a portraitthat is woven from four distinct Gospel narratives into one conflated and disjointedimage. Many Christians today still think of Jesus when he lived on this earthas more God than man. That heresy has been stamped out over 16 centuries ago.It is a curious paradox to hold - fully human and fully divine. Our faith isbased on seeing Jesus as fully human when he walked this earth. This is why hisstory is so credible. It is why his story makes sense to us and has greatmeaning.

An important question to ask then is,"How do we come to know Jesus?" We have to let the Christ of faithreveal to us something about his pre-Resurrection life as Jesus. It is helpfulfor us to look at the way we come to know a new friend. With a friend, we havean initial encounter and we note something in the person we think we like. Wetest it out by saying, "hey, let's get together sometime." Ourinitial curiosity turns way to infatuation. We take this time to figure out howthe other person thinks, learns what motivates and inspires, what the personvalues, how this new friend interacts with others. We check to see if the otherlikes what I like. We waste time with this person and just hang out. We payattention to style. To quote the old saying, "The style is the man."The "how" is always more important than the "who."

As we build the friendship, we come toa point where we take a risk. If this person is to be my friend, I will have toreveal something about myself that the other does not like. A critical pointoccurs. The friendship can end - or it can be strengthened. We never know whatwill happen until we share what we feel and think with the other person - particularlythose areas of our private life that we keep hidden from others, especially thechaos. It is quite a risk because we want this person as a friend. If theperson is who we think, we hear the response, "I want your friendship -all of you. You are important to me. I like you and I choose friendship withyou." We come to know a person by being with him. We have the same patternof coming to know Jesus.

We cannot plan or anticipate the ways ourfriendship will grow because we bring a particular expression to it. We learnthe ways we respond to one another and come to respect each other's boundaries.It is like a dance - awkward at first, but it grows in grace as we becomefamiliar with the steps. Jesus invites us successively into a greatercommitment to him as we allow him to commit his fidelity to us. We growtogether. We have our ups and downs. We learn how to navigate through thelanguage of our relationship.

Examine, if you will, what you havecome to know about the person Jesus on retreat. Perhaps you have come tounderstand about him better through a small detail. This is why we contemplatehim and the scripture scenes. We see a small detail in the portrait that bringsgreater depth of meaning to us. Something speaks to us that is uniquelypersonal and maybe private. We find a point of contact to which we can return -a point in which we know Christ's familiar voice and style. It becomesunforgettable and it remains intimately personal. A retreatant once likened itto the Beatles' song, Something: Something in the way he moves, Attracts me like no other. Something in the way he woos me. Something in the way he smiles, Tells me I need no other. Something in his style that shows me. Something in the way he knows, And all I have to do is think of him. Somethingabout Jesus is so attractive to us, just as he was to Andrew and Simon, Jamesand John, and all we have to do is think of him.

Funny thing: When we reallycontemplate Jesus, when we set our gaze upon what he is doing, experiencing,and feeling, all the stuff of our "here and now" comes up inside ofus. Christ is relating his story to our own story. Jesus becomes present to ourpersonal stories. Christ brings it up to us so we can look at them - throughhis eyes of compassion. These are not distractions but the main source of ourprayer. He wants us to pay attention to those details of him. These are thedetails that we can trust. When we daydream about a friend, her virtues shineforth. When we contemplate the humanity of Jesus, his divinity is revealed. Knowledgeof the identity of Jesus comes about through our continued experience of him. Contemplationhelps us become the person we truly always have wanted to be.

A problem with theGospel call narratives is that we see them as otherworldly predeterminedchoices by God through Jesus. We see them as single incidences that are onceand for all settled. This precludes us from looking at them as a model for theway Christ personally calls us or that we see the evolving nature of one'scall. Christ is always calling us into deeper bond. It is never one and done.

The heart is the unmistakable place ofencounter. The heart is where the call is experienced. We fundamentally have tohonor and respect our feelings because those are the places where God typicallymeets us. We have to get out of our heads and down into our hearts becauseGod's heart is beating to communicate with our hearts. Christ will honor yourfeelings and then will ask you,"What do you want?" and "What do you need?" When we talk athis foundational level, we feel a tug to be closer to Jesus. In other words, heis still calling you - calling you closer to him. His call is personal andever-present. His call is always about the immediacy of the kingdom of God now.Not the future, not the past - just now.

As we become more familiar with him justlike the early disciples, we hold onto questions that we are reluctant to ask.We withhold crucial information and painful stories from him that determine ourtrust levels. We have become keenly aware of our inadequacies and failings. Weknow something inside of us is messed up beyond belief and we cannot fix it. Weforget to look at those worthy parts of us that we and others like. It bringsus to important questions that we have to ask, "Am I growing in freedom,humility, honesty, and freedom in my life with Christ?" "Am I personwho holds meaningful information close to my vest and keeps myself closed offto intimacy?" "Am I a person who is becoming more open to him despitethe costs?"

Jonah reminds us that our response tothe call of Jesus may be fraught with challenging tasks that we would notchoose on our own. As friends of Jesus, we know his Cross looms on the horizon.The Cross is inseparable from him, and we cannot avoid it. He asks, my friend, doyou still want to come with me? He awaits your answer.

Photo: Gloucester City

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: "She who is," by Elizabeth Johnson

2012-01-21T00:30:00.000-05:00

Humanly speaking a genuine gift is given freely, out of love and not out of necessity; its reception is occasion for gratitude and joy. In the divine freedom to be present to all creatures, empowering them to birth and rebirth in the midst of the antagonistic structures of reality, the spirit is intelligible as the first gift, freely given and giving. Her loving in the world is gracious and inviting, never forcing or using violence but respectfully calling to human freedom, as is befitting a gift.

Photo: Rocky Neck

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: The Dorothy Day Book

2012-01-20T00:30:00.000-05:00

Certainly when I lie in jail thinking of these things, thinking of war and peace, and the problems of human freedom...and the apathy of great masses of people who believe that nothing can be done, I am all the more confirmed in my faith in the little way of St. Therese. We do the minute things that come to hand, we pray our prayers, and beg also for an increase of faith - and God will do the rest.

RobertMorneau

Photo: Steamy

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: The Confessions of St. Augustine, pp. 234-35

2012-01-19T00:30:00.000-05:00

I asked the earth, the sea and the deeps, heaven, the sun, the moon and the stars.... My questioning of them was my contemplation, and their answer was their beauty.... They do not change their voice, that is their beauty, if one person is there to see and another to see and to question.... Beauty appears to all in the same way, but is silent to one and speaks to the other.... They understand it who compare the voice received on the outside with the truth the lies within.

Photo: Sizzling Surface

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

The Spiritual Exercises

2012-01-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

offered at Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a work of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus

June 25 through July 29, 2012

and

September 2012 (new)

For further information, contact Fr. John Predmore, S.J. at predmoresj@yahoo.com for an application or type in www.easternpoint.org in your browser's search field.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

January 22, 2012
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry by doing two important tasks: he preaches the Kingdom of God is at hand now and then he calls his first disciples. Jesus first encounters Simon Peter and his brother Andrew actively casting their fishing nets into the sea; together they come upon the Zebedee sons, James and John who were mending their nets. To show the immediacy of the present moment, Jesus asks the men to leave their profession behind to help him proclaim God's good news.

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians reveals the haste of taking care of the present time. Time is of great importance and we are to use our time well, which means that we have to decide our greatest priorities. The first reading from Jonah reminds us that our response to the call of Jesus may be fraught with challenging tasks that we would not choose to do one our own. Jonah is given the thorny work of asking the Ninevites to repent from their sinful ways so God will spare them. To Jonah's surprise, they take his prophetic advice by repenting and turning towards God. Jonah relents too.

A problem that arises with these Gospel call narratives is that we see them as complete divinely predetermined choices by God through Jesus. We see them as a single incident that is once and for all settled. This precludes us from looking at them as a model for the way Christ personally calls us or to see the evolving nature of one's call. Christ is always calling us into deeper relationship. It is never one and done.

A call to discipleship is first a call to be in relationship with Jesus. Just as we grow in our human friendships, our friendship with Jesus progresses. Since each of us is unique, we cannot anticipate the ways it will grow because we bring a particular expression to it. We learn the ways we respond to one another and come to respect each other's boundaries. Jesus invites us successively into a greater commitment to him as we allow him to commit his fidelity to us. We grow together. We have our ups and downs. We learn how to navigate through the language of our relationship.

Many people identify with Peter because he seems so like us. It is because he was fully human. We note the ways he excelled and failed with Jesus. At his first encounter with Jesus, he learned that he was an honorable man with great wisdom. Through his experience of connecting with Jesus, he was able to see the divinity in him because he was a wonder-worker, a scribe with unparalleled authority, and a man whose prayer kept him close to God, whom he called Abba. Knowledge of the identity of Jesus came about through his continued experience of him.

I find it helpful to ask people to consider how their relationship with Christ matured over the years. Just like the early disciples, we hold questions about Jesus that we are reluctant to ask. We withhold information and stories from him that determine our trust levels. We have to ask, "Am I growing in freedom, humility, honesty, and freedom in my life with Christ?" and "Am I becoming a person who holds meaningful information close to my vest or am I a person who is becoming more open to him?"

We always wonder about Christ's will for us. We wonder how we can figure it out so we can be faithful to it. Relax. God's will is always expressed in the "now" and God will act through our own desires. Therefore, our job is to express what we want and need. God who is generous will give us what we want. God will affirm us when we do the good God wants and our conscience will feel pangs when we stray from the path. We fundamentally have to honor and respect our feelings because those are the places where God typically meet us. We have to get out of our heads and down into our hearts because God's heart is beating to communicate with our hearts. The heart is the unmistakable place of encounter. The heart is where the call is experienced.

Pay attention to your feelings this week - even though many of them will conflict and overlap. As you respect what you feel, ask Christ to honor your feelings too. Then let him ask you, "What do you want?" and "What do you need?" When we talk at his foundational level, we feel a tug to be closer to Christ. In other words, he is still calling you - calling you closer to him. His call is personal and ever-present. His call is always about the immediacy of the kingdom of God now in this world.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: David, at age 30, was made King at Hebron. He reigned for 40 years. The Jebusites told David he could not enter Jerusalem, the stronghold of Zion, but he did. It became the City of David. David brought the ark of God to Jerusalem, danced before it, slaughtered an ox, and distributed fine foods for all his people. After a victory, David sat on his balcony and gazed upon the beautiful Bathsheba. He desired her, but she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David planned to send Uriah to the front line to be killed so Bathsheba could be his. Nathan, the prophet, told David a story of a rich man and a poor one. After David judged the sin of rich man, Nathan told David, "You are the man." David felt sick for his sin. Nathan told him the Lord would make the son of Bathsheba ill and die. David begged forgiveness and made himself sick with grief asking that the boy would live.

Gospel: Scribes questioned the origins of Jesus' authority. They claimed it must be from Beelzebul; Jesus retorted that a house divided against itself cannot stand. The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived to take him home because they concluded that he lost his mind while he was preaching. Jesus taught the crowds about the Kingdom of God, likening it to a seed scattered onto the ground. It grows, but its life is a mystery. Paradoxically, a tiny mustard seed becomes a large tree that puts forth large branches. As Jesus embarked onto a boat to cross to the other side of the lake, a violent squall came up. Jesus fell asleep on a cushion. The disciples were frantic and they woke up Jesus who calmed the storm. He demonstrated that he had authority over the natural world.

Saints of the Week

Monday: Marianne Cope (1838-1918), was a German-born woman who settled with her family in New York. She entered the Franciscans and worked in the school systems as a teacher and principal and she helped to establish the first two Catholic hospitals. She went to Honolulu, then Molokai, to aid those with leprosy.

Tuesday: Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor (1567-1622), practiced both civil and canon law before entering religious life. He became bishop of Geneva in 1602 and was prominent in the Catholic Reformation. He reorganized his diocese, set up a seminary, overhauled religious education, and found several schools. With Jane Frances de Chantal, he founded the Order of the Visitation of Mary.

Wednesday: The Conversion of Paul, the Apostle, was a pivotal point in the life of the early church. Scripture contains three accounts of his call and the change of behavior and attitudes that followed. Paul's story is worth knowing as it took him 14 years of prayer and study to find meaning in what happened to him on the road to Damascus.

Thursday: Timothy and Titus, bishops (1st century), were disciples of Paul who later became what we know of as bishops. Timothy watched over the people of Ephesus and Titus looked after Crete. Both men worked with Paul and became a community leader. Timothy was martyred while Titus died of old age.

Friday: Angela Merici (1474-1540), was the founder of the Ursuline nuns. She was raised by relatives when her parents died when she was 10. As an adult, she tended to the needs of the poor and with some friends, she taught young girls at their home. These friends joined an association that later became a religious order. Ursula was the patron of medieval universities.

Saturday: Thomas Aquinas, priest and Doctor (1225-1274), studied in a Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino as a boy. He joined the newly formed Dominicans where he studied in France and Italy. He is a giant scholar. He wrote much on Scripture and theology, including his summation of theology (Summa Theologiae). He wrote several songs for liturgy, such as the Tantum Ergo, Pange Lingua, and Adoro Te Devote.

This Week in Jesuit History

• Jan 22, 1561. Pius IV abrogated the decree of Paul II and kept the life term of Father General.
• Jan 23, 1789. John Carroll gained the deed of land for the site that was to become Georgetown University.
• Jan 24, 1645. Fr. Henry Morse was led as a prisoner from Durham to Newgate, London. On hearing his execution was fixed for February 1, he exclaimed: "Welcome ropes, hurdles, gibbets, knives, butchery of an infamous death! Welcome for the love of Jesus, my Savior."
• Jan 25, 1707. Cardinal Tournon, Apostolic Visitor of the missions in China, forbade the use of the words 'Tien' or 'Xant' for God and ordered the discontinuance by the Christians of the Chinese Rites.
• Jan 26, 1611. The first Jesuit missionaries sailed from Europe for New France (Canada).
• Jan 27, 1870. The Austrian government endeavored to suppress the annual grant of 8,000 florins to the theological faculty of Innsbruck and to drive the Jesuit professors from the university, because of their support of the Papal Syllabus.
• Jan 28, 1853. Fr. General John Roothaan, wishing to resign his office, summoned a General Congregation, but died on May 8, before it assembled.

Photo: Waves on Fire

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Italian Sacramentary

2012-01-17T00:30:00.001-05:00

Lord God, you offer to us this 'acceptable time' to recover a sense of what life means and to be reconciled to you and to our neighbor. Grant that we may walk together, day by day, in the footsteps of Christ toward the paschal feast of joy.

Photo: Cold and Alone

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree"

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

Once there was a tree ... and she loved a little boy." And so begins the story of a tree being happy because she is able to make the boy happy. At first the body desires nothing but to climb on her branches, eat her apples, and lie in her shade.

But as the boy grows, so do his desires. But because of the tree's love, she gives her apples for him to sell for money to have real fun; her branches that he might build a house for a wife and family; and her trunk so he could build a boat and sail away from the boredom of life.

And then one day, the prodigal returns to the tree that loves him. By now, she has given him everything; all that remains of her is an old stump. The boy, now an old man, needs only a quiet place to sit and rest. And the Giving Tree gives once more.

Photo: Sunlight and Sea Smoke

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Photo: A Pillar of Smoke

2012-01-15T17:39:00.001-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Gerald May

2012-01-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

The entire process (of self-development) can be very exciting and entertaining. But the problem is there's no end to it. The fantasy is that if one heads in the right direction and just works hard enough to learn new things and grows enough to get actualized, one will be there. None of us is quite certain exactly where there is, but it obviously has something do to with resting.

Prayer: "God First Loved Us" by Anthony Campbell

2012-01-14T00:22:00.003-05:00

Originally, I believed the acceptance of a loving God involved a sufficient but relative minor shift of attitude. After all, it was on so many people's lips. The more I worked with it, the more I realize that the acceptance in faith of God's unconditional love was not only hugely significant, it required a major change of attitude.... the major shift may be the images we have of God and ourselves. How radically is our image of God reshaped if we take seriously the belief in God as deeply, passionately, and unconditionally loving us? How radically must we rework our own self-image if we accept ourselves as loveable - as deeply, passionately, and unconditionally loved by God?

Homily for Mark 2:1-12 (The lowering of the paralytic)

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

This homily was given on January 13th using the scriptures: 1 Samuel 84-22 (The Israelites demanding a king) and Mark 2:1-12 (the lowering of a man with paralysis through the roof where Jesus was staying.)

God grantsour desires - whether spoken or not - even if it costs God something and bringshurt and rejection to God. God wants to give us what we want. In the firstreading, Samuel is displeased with the community elders and God tells him torelax. It is not Samuel they are rejecting; they are rejecting God as king.They are fed up with not having an earthly king to show for themselves amongthe community of nations. They want to stand up and be counted. Like us, theywant to be seen and heard and known. Sometimes their invisible God-kingdisappoints. They merely want to be like all the other nations who can proudlyboast of their king. ~ Against better judgment,God tells Samuel to relent. Somewhere in their request is a deep desire for thegood, though precise words cannot pinpoint it yet. God will give them theirking - even though what they ask is not really what they seek.

In theGospel, Jesus returns home after a terrific preaching tour. He has donemiracles, healed many, and demonstrated great power through his words.Presumably, he wants to rest and visit his family and friends. We do not knowfor sure, but while he is in his own home, many gather around his so they couldhear him speak and to be healed, and as that is happening, several people beginto dismantle his roof so they could lower a man with paralysis before him. Iknow I would be angry if someone ripped the roof off my house, but what I findinstructive is this is the place where compassion meets compassion. Jesus doesnot get upset. Instead, his heart goes out to this man who cannot evenrepresent himself. His extraordinary friends do what they can to help this manencounter the one who can change his life around. These gracious friends givethe silent man with paralysis what he most deeply desires. He wants to walkstraight and tall. Jesus wants to heal him in the deepest way possible -through the forgiveness of sins.

Most of us,if not all, have something within us where we feel shame - whether it is adisability, a sin committed against us, an addiction, or not being gifted asabundantly as another person. We dislike being identified in our entirety withthat condition. We don't want to be a paralytic, but rather a person sufferingfrom paralysis. I can imagine that if I were the man being lowered through theroof, like a spectacle, that I would feel humiliated - truly paralyzed. Allthose eyes upon me would make me implode. I do not want the attention on me oron my condition that defines me. I do not want it publicized so others may havepity on me or show me ridicule. It creates a power imbalance I would want toavoid. I would rather not be lowered than to have my shame exposed. I wouldprobably be cursing my good-intentioned friends for placing me in such anexposed situation. If I am to be fully revealed, I want it at my own pace andat a time when my free will tells me I am ready.

However,this is where the compassion of Jesus changes everything for me. When he looksupon me, all my fears and worries melt away. His warm eyes and relaxed smiletell me that he sincerely cares for me and the prior activities of the room areof second importance. He wants me radically free interiorly so I can experiencethe fullness of life and care for others as he does. He wants my happiness andhe wants me to receive the forgiveness that he generously offers - aforgiveness that accepts my disability and sees way beyond it.

What do Ido? I fight. I resist. I hold onto the shame around my condition fiercely. Itis what I know and what has defined me. I cannot let go too easily. I have longbeen a scrapper and it is not in my nature to open my palms to him to receivehis offer. Instead, I clench my fists and yell, "Why don't you helpme?"

In front ofhim, I feel my brokenness. There is an affective things inside of me that isout of control and I am mired in the horror and disorder of my life. I examinehow I move from my behavior to a disordered affection that causes my behavior.It becomes habitual and I cannot stop it for it controls me. In fact, I am outof control. When I do something whacked out, I see that it is not only asingular instance that I do something, but that I do it all the time. I come toan overwhelming powerful sense that I sin all the time. I am trapped. I amunable to love my life. I realize I need a savior - and my attention is broughtback to those gentle compassionate eyes that beg me to look deeper into his.Deep down, I want what he offers. I may have thought I wanted physical healingof my paralysis, but I really want the forgiveness of sins that keep me boundin my dysfunctional habits and patterns. I want to be free and my freedom hasto come from outside myself. I cannot do it by myself. Jesus alone offers it tome.

It causes meto reflect on what exactly this man offers me. In his disability, when he is aman with paralysis because his arms and legs are immobile because they arenailed to the cross, I gaze upon him and speak to him as a friend, and I askhim, "What have you done for me?," "What are you doing forme?," and "What ought you to do for me?" I see him on the Crossstill looking upon me with those compassionate eyes and he still honors me. Hestill hears my story and yet he wants to tell me of the ways he has, is, andwants to free me. He asks me to receive his compassion because it melts awayall the chains that we hold dear.

I am convinced that Christ's compassion canchange our world, like it did for the man who was once paralyzed. It has mine.If we can hold our story and one another's more reverently, it will create anenvironment in which less hurt and harm is created. It will create a world thatis more sympathetic, understanding, and tolerant. It will help a person feelconnected and become more whole. We live in hope that people can see themselvesas more beautiful gifts to themselves and to others.

The compassion of Jesus for otherscost him dearly. The Pharisees and Herodians plotted against him. He had totake that risk and he will always choose it - for you - because his heart iswounded for you. Stop your fighting. Accept his offer. Get out of your head andlet him open your heart so you can receive his forgiveness and healing. Hearhim tell you, "Get up, my child and walk. Rise. Take up your mat. I havecalled you for freedom. Live in my love where compassion reigns. You are worth so much to me and Iwant the very best for you. Give me the pain you hold so close. I will bring itto the cross. I want you to be free. Will you come?"

Photo: Mansion

2012-01-13T09:03:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Teresa Benedicta

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

Whoeverlives in the strong faith that nothing happens without the knowledge and willof God is not easily disconcerted by astonishing occurrences or upset by thehardest of blows.

Prayer: Cyril of Jerusalem

2012-01-12T00:30:00.001-05:00

If you have anything against anyone, forgive it. You come here to receive the forgiveness of sins, and you, too, must forgive one who has sinned against you. Or how will you say to the Lord, ‘forgive me my many sins,’ if you have not yourself forgiven your fellow servant’s little sins.

Book: "Praying the Truth" by William Barry, S.J.

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

William Barry, S.J. is pleased to share the good news about his newest book, Praying the Truth.

This book helps us deepen our friendship with God by examining how to approach God, at any time and with any problem, in complete honesty. Praying the Truth helps us realize that if we do not approach God in complete honesty, we may be holding back a part of ourselves that needs to be healed. By learning how to communicate honestly with God, our friendship with God and our faith in God's promise to love us unconditionally will be strengthened.

Praying the Truth is available on both Amazon.com and LoyolaPress.com. The book is also available at many bookstores across the country.

Visit www.loyolapress.com/honesty.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

January 15, 2012

1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19;Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42

Aswe begin Ordinary Time, we read about two favorite call narratives. The FirstBook of Samuel tells of the innocent account of the boy Samuel who wasdedicated to the Lord by his long-barren mother, Hannah. Samuel will become agreat prophet in Israel. As a youth, he is learning about prayer andpriestly-type service to Israel by studying with the great prophet, Eli.

Theever-available Samuel responds to Eli's call three times in the middle of thenight before Eli recognizes that the Lord is speaking directly to Samuel. Thereadiness of the boy is endearing. He coaxes the boy to respond with a heart ofopenness to the Lord by encouraging the Lord to speak plainly. The vocation ofa prophet is to listen to the word of God and bring these words to the peopleand their king. The prophet is the anointed one who is free from politicalentanglements.

John's Gospel has an unusual call sequence. Wefind John the Baptist in his waning days of ministry pointing out Jesus as theLamb of God to his own disciples. It is highly unusual that a teacher like Johnwould send his disciples away to another rabbi, but this reinforces theauthor's theme that the Baptist was sent to testify to the light, but was notthe light himself. John easily gives way to Jesus.

Hisdisciples have an unusual conversation with Jesus. They are clearly attractedto Jesus, who promptly asks them, "What are you looking for?" towhich they respond, "Where are you staying?" Jesus simply replies,"Come, and you will see." Both the disciples and Jesus are lookingfor a relationship that lasts into the future. It is a warm invitation thatholds great promise.

Andrewwas one of the disciples who heard John tell him about Jesus. After stayingwith Jesus for the afternoon, he goes to Simon to tell him of his experience.In the short time, Andrew has come to believe Jesus is the Messiah. When Jesusgreets Simon, he gazes upon him and renames him Peter.

Lastweek, we heard about the naming of Jesus at the circumcision and the weighty significancethat the giving of a name signifies. Jesus gives Peter a nickname that means"Rocky." Last week my mother told me that I was given the name Johnwith the expressed condition that I am never to be called John, but Jackinstead. I now am paying attention to the reasoning that went into thatdecision and I also will bring into prayer which names reveals my trueridentity to God. What does your nickname say about you?

Thesereadings also call to mind that ways we come to know God. For young Samuel, Godspoke to him clearly in the middle of the night. The two disciples of John weremoved to follow Jesus and spend time with him. The sage word of a friend helpedthem seek him out. Peter came to know Jesus after his brother, having spentsome time with Jesus, revealed that he is the one whom all of Israel seeks. Oftenwe are ready to encounter the Lord after someone has already told us of thepowerful way he already acted in our lives.

Wemistrust the ways we think we hear the Lord because it is not a clear asSamuel's. We always expect clarity or loud gongs or getting knocked off ourhorses, but the Lord acts in ways that are unique to us. We will find his voicein small whispers that we doubt, but hold out hope that it is truly from him.We seek confirmation that his invitation is real and not a fluke. We may seekan event as a curious happenstance when in fact, it is not a coincidence, but away in which our attention is held. It is then that we have to turn ourcuriosity, like the Baptist's disciples, into further questions. We have tospend time with the Lord to find out is he is our Messiah.

Holdinga question is more important than having a clear answer. We are a people whoseek the truth that is difficult to grasp. We have to wrestle with our doubtsand misgivings. These are good displays of faith. We are seekers and searchers;not possessors of moral truths that are beyond our grasp. We can come to beliefwhile still holding onto doubts. Never underestimate the value of a question -even if it doesn't feel like an intelligent one. You are searching for greatermeaning when you grapple with your ideas.

Simplyspending time with Jesus, who offers invitations of friendship, can answer someof those questions. Samuel learned the ways God initiated conversations withhim; John's two disciples spent the afternoon with Jesus; Peter came to beliefbecause he trusted in his brother's word until he came to personally know theman who was to become Messiah. Believe me. He will find a particularly uniqueway of reaching you and inviting himself deeper into your life. He wants that.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

FirstReading: Samueltells Saul that his disobedience to God has caused him to be banned as Israel'sruler. Saul's sacrifices to God after his victory over Amalek was not enough toearn favor with the Lord. Samuel hears from God that Jesse of Bethlehem willhave a son who will become king. Samuel invited Jesse to a sacrifice with Saul.His seven sons were presented, but none of them were accepted. They sent forthe youngest, David, who was tending sheep in the field. The Holy Spirit rushedupon him and Samuel anointed him with the horn of oil in the midst of hisbrothers. Months later, David was sent by Saul to fight the giant Philistineagainst whom he had no chance of surviving, but with his sling and a stone, he felledthe giant warrior by hitting him in the head. David's return from battle wasglorious, but Saul fell jealous because of the attention lavished upon hisunderling. Saul intended to kill David, but Jonathan, his son, protested.Through his intervention, Saul spared David's life. A while afterwards, Saulsent three thousand men against David, but David showed his allegiance to Saul,intending to do him no harm. Saul reconsiders his actions after David showsfealty to him and rewards him for his honor. Saul declares David will one dayrule over Israel. After David returned from a battle against Amalekites, helearns of Saul's and Jonathan's death and he grieves their untimely death.

Gospel:The Pharisees uphold John's followers as ones who uphold dietary laws and theyaccusatorially ask why the disciples of Jesus do not fast. Jesus further upsetsthem when passing through a field of wheat on a sabbath when they pick grainsand begin to eat them. The Pharisees are upset that the laws they held so dearsince before David's time are being recklessly disregarded. They closely watchJesus as a man with a withered man enters the place where Jesus was teaching ona sabbath. In a flagrant display of disregard for Jewish customs, Jesuscompassionately heals the man's hand. The Herodians begin to plot his death.Jesus withdrew towards the sea and hordes of people came to hear him preach andheal. He asked his disciples to get a boat ready for him. Demons approachedJesus and fell down in fear before him. Jesus went us a mountain and summonedthose he wanted to be with him. He named twelve who would become his closestcompanions. Jesus returned to his house and the crowds pushing around him madeit difficult for the disciples even to eat. His relatives heard of this and setout to seize him for they were sure that he was out of his mind.

Saints of the Week

Tuesday: Anthony,Abbot (251-356), was a wealthy Egyptian who gave away his inheritance tobecome a hermit. Many people sought him out for his holiness and asceticism.After many years in solitude, he formed the first Christian monastic community.Since he was revered, he went to Alexandria to encourage the persecutedChristians. He met Athanasius and helped him fight Arianism.

Friday: Fabian,pope and martyr (d. 250), was a layman and stranger in Rome during the timeof his election as pope. A dove settled on his head, which reminded people ofthe descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove during the baptism. Heserved for 14 years until his martyrdom.

Sebastian,martyr (d. 300), was buried in the catacombs in Rome. Hehailed from Milan and is often pictured with many arrows piercing his body.Much of what we know about him is legend.

Saturday: Agnes,martyr (d. 305), is one of the early Roman martyrs. Little is known abouther but she died around age 12 during a persecution. Because of her namesconnection with a lamb, her iconography depicts her holding a lamb to remind usof her sacrifice and innocence.

This Week in Jesuit History

· Jan 15, 1955. The death of Daniel LordSJ, popular writer, national director of the Sodality, founder of the SummerSchool of Catholic Action, and editor of TheQueen's Work.

· Jan 16, 1656. At Meliapore, the deathof Fr. Robert de Nobili, nephew of Cardinal Bellarmine. Sent to the Maduramission, he learned to speak three languages and for 45 years labored among thehigh caste Brahmins.

· Jan 17, 1890. Benedict Sestini died. Hewas an astronomer, editor, architect, mathematician, and teacher at WoodstockCollege.

· Jan 18, 1615. The French Jesuits begana mission in Danang, Vietnam.

· Jan 19, 1561. In South Africa, thebaptism of the powerful King of Monomotapa, the king's mother, and 300 chiefsby Fr. Goncalvo de Silveira.

· Jan 20, 1703. At Paris, the death ofFr. Francis de la Chaise, confessor to Louis XIV and a protector of the FrenchChurch against the Jansenists.

· Jan 21, 1764. Christophe de Beaumont,Archbishop of Paris, wrote a pastoral defending the Jesuits against the attacksof Parliament. It was ordered to be burned by the public executioner.

Photo: Winter Village

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

Prayer: Paul to the people of Ephesus

2012-01-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

Thatyou, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all thesaints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know thelove of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all thefullness of God.

Prayer: Cyprian of Carthage

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

Godfeeds the fowls, and gives daily sustenance to the sparrows and to creatureswho have no sense of things Christian. Do you think that to a servant of God,to one devoted to good works, to one dear to the Lord, anything will belacking?

Poem: "The Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot

2012-01-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

"A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The was deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter."
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.

Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires gong out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty, and charging high prices.:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we lead all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I have seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

Photo: Light of the World

2012-01-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Song of Songs: 2:10-13

2012-01-08T00:30:00.000-05:00

Comethen, my beloved,

mylovely one, come.

Forsee, winter is past,

therains are over and gone.

Flowersare appearing on the earth.

Theseason of glad songs has come.

Thecooing of the turtledove

isheard in our land.

Thefig tree is forming its first figs

andthe blossoming vines give out

theirfragrance.

Comethen, my beloved,

mylovely one, come.

Winners and Losers in the College of Cardinals

2012-01-07T20:21:00.004-05:00

With the latest papal appointments to the College of Cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI has now appointed more than half the men who will elect his successor. The impact of these appointments can be seen by comparing the makeup of the current college with its makeup at the time of his election in 2005. Who has gained, who has lost?

The bigger gainer is Italy. At the time of Benedict’s election, the Italians made up 16.5 percent of the college. After February 12, the Italian cardinals will be 24 percent of the college. This reverses the trend begun by Pope Paul VI and continued by John Paul II that reduced the percentage of Italian cardinals in the college.

The other big winner under Pope Benedict has been the Roman Curia, which now makes up about one third of the College of Cardinals, up from a little less than a quarter of the college in 2005.

Who has lost? Africa, Asia, Latin America and Western Europe (not counting Italy) are all slightly down from 2005. The pope had to take a little bit from each of them in order to increase Italy’s numbers.

The proportion of the college that is American and Canadian has remained the same, although the U.S. will lose two cardinals this year when Edward Egan and James Francis Stafford turn 80. Nine other cardinals will turn 80 this year, only one from Italy. Latin America will lose three; Western Europe two; Eastern Europe one. Thus, aging alone will further increase the proportion of the Italian bloc by the end of this year.

Thomas J. Reese, S.J.

Senior Fellow, Woodstock Theological Center

Prayer: Francis of Assisi

2012-01-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

Sinceyou speak of peace, all the more must you have peace in your hearts. Let no onebe provoked to anger or scandal by you, but may they be drawn to peace and goodwill, to kindness and concord, through your gentleness.

Prayer: Sister Lioba to Boniface

2012-01-06T07:13:00.001-05:00

I send you this little gift, notbecause it is worth your consideration but simply so that you may havesomething to remind you of me; may it draw tighter the bond of true lovebetween us forever.

Prayer: "The Magi" by Gregory of Nazianzus

2012-01-05T00:30:00.003-05:00

Now Magi fall down and present gifts, and recognize the King of all, and adjudge him King of heaven, thanks to the glorious testimony of the star.... Come then, let us join them in heaven.

Prayer: Orthodox Liturgy

2012-01-05T00:30:00.001-05:00

The Theotokos – the God bearer – has been revealed on earth … for God shall come to be born in the flesh, granting the world great mercy.

Photo: Madonna and Child

2012-01-04T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Epiphany 2012

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

The Epiphany of the Lord

January 8, 2012

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-6; Matthew 2:1-12

The dramatic story of the Magi is found only in Matthew's Gospel. It allows the extended Christmas story to come into its full purpose - to bring the news of salvation to all people. The magi's appearance signifies the Lord's inclusion of the Gentile people into the covenantal promise, and it sets up the high drama of the conflict with Herod over kingship. Herod presents himself as one who is keenly interested in meeting the newborn king of the Jews, but he remains greatly troubled by the impending loss of his authority. Herod deals with conserving earthly power while failing to see that something larger is swirling around him. Therefore, Herod's keen use of consolidating his power cannot stand against the silent divine forces that are at work.

No one knows much about the identity of the magi. They are considered wise men and they may have been practitioners of Eastern mystical traditions or Babylonian astrologers who were interested in the bright star that appeared over Bethlehem. They may have been delegates from Eastern kings or simply wealthy adventure seekers. Scripture tells us they followed the star and entered the house where Mary was with her child. During that momentous encounter, they prostrated themselves and paid him homage by offering them the treasures of gold and frankincense that are worthy gifts for a king. They also gave him myrrh, a costly bitter oil made into perfumes. Egyptians used it for embalming mummies and ancient Jews used it as incense at the Tabernacle services at the First and Second Temples.

Something happened to those men when they gazed upon the infant and his mother. The star was the initial curiosity, but that personal encounter with the child made them realize he was to become the king of Israel. Everyone who looks upon an infant finds a profound connection with the hope he represents. Every call to discipleship has a personal, intimate encounter with the one who offers us truth about our lives. Fortunately for us, their response to faith led them away from Herod so the boy could grow up without lethal harm. They felt no obligation to return to a man whose designs they did not trust. They chose to let a fragile life have a chance to live.

Through these magi, God communicated truth to the Gentiles and included them into the plan of salvation. If the magi were situated in today's world, I wonder who they would be: New agers? spiritual, but not religious seekers? yoga practitioners or Zen students? skeptics or scientists? The probabilities are endless. We have to consider which group of people today need to hear that the good news of God's salvation is offered to them and ask how we can bring them to an experience of faith that makes them feel included.

In today's rhetorical games of power, a strategy to earn favor is to split people into categories. One must uphold a particular group of people while demeaning another. Seldom would you find a strategist building up all groups of people. The idea is to endear oneself to a particular value while demonizing an opposing value. We identify with a particular value or group and cast dispersions on others. We include people from one group while placing another on the outside. We do this in the church as well.

As the feast of Epiphany is about including into the faith the Gentiles, a group that was long despised because of their pagan ways, we are to look at the judgments we make about groups we oppose. We can quickly think of categories of people with whom we will not associate. Perhaps there is a chance God does not oppose the people we place on the outside of our boundaries. There is a chance God finds in our adversaries something very lovable and desirable. Maybe we can leave the judgment-making to God. After all, God can redeem anyone God chooses. This feast is about God choosing to redeem everyone - not just us. With this in mind, we need to try to be more tolerant, loving, and compassionate towards those who hold differing opinions, especially if they are brothers and sisters in the faith.

Instead, we will do well to be like that star that burned brightly over Bethlehem. Our lives are to radiate God's goodness in our being so it points the way back to God. Thomas Merton once wrote, "There is no way of telling people they are all walking around shining like the sun." I suggest we will do better if we let our lives testify to our faith so that it brings others to curiously question what we believe. If we, like that star, brightly shine our inner light onto Christ, their encounter with the infant Jesus is enough to change hearts. We cannot do it. God changes hearts. Like the magi, a gaze at the face of Jesus will bring many to encounter the truth and to let one's heart be forever turned towards him.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: The baptism of the Lord is celebrated on Monday and the various options for the first reading point to the necessity of baptism as a condition for being incorporated into the Lord’s family. Ordinary time returns on Tuesday with the 1^st Book of Samuel telling us about plight of Hannah, the childless second wife of Ramathaim, who was tormented by Peninnah, the first wife with many children. Ramathaim loved Hannah and showed her favor. Hannah rose after dinner one night, presented herself to the Lord through Eli the priest who thought she was drunk. Hannah returned home after making an oath, had relations with her husband, and conceived and bore a son named Samuel.

Years later, as Samuel was offered to the Lord, he was receiving instruction from Eli. In the middle of the night, the Lord called to Samuel three times who replied, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” After a disastrous battle in which Israel was defeated, Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, baldly brought the ark of the Lord into the Philistine camp. The Philistines rose up and slaughtered 30,000 Israelites foot soldiers and captured the ark of God. More years passed and the elders of Israel came to Samuel to ask for a king to rule over them. Samuel was displeased and the people refused to take “no” for an answer. The Lord relented and granted their request. Samuel found Saul, a handsome man, who was destined to govern the people. Samuel anointed Saul as king.

Gospel: In the Baptism of Jesus, John makes it clear that Jesus is mightier than he is. This is to help early disciples rightly recognize that they are to leave the Baptist camp and come over to Jesus as a disciples. In Ordinary time, Jesus begins proclaiming "the kingdom of God is upon you" as soon as John is arrested. He then calls Simon and Andrew as the first disciples. Immediately, he begins to heal people and show that his word has authority over unclean spirits. He then cures Simon's mother-in-law. Many sick people are brought to him. He heals them, but moves onto the next town to proclaim the message of salvation to all the cities of Israel. A leper approaches Jesus and says to Jesus, "If you wish, make me clean." Jesus wills it and cleanses the leper, but this action makes him ritually unclean to openly enter any Jewish town. It complicates his mission. Jesus returns to Capernaum. At his home, four men carry a paralytic to him and lower him through the roof. Jesus forgives his sins, which compels his critics to charge him with blasphemy. He heals the man and sends him on his way.

Saints of the Week

Monday: The Baptism of the Lord is recounted in Mark’s Gospel where the baptism of water is to be replaced by a baptism of fire. God confirms the person of Jesus when he rises from the water and a dove alights on his head. God is well pleased.

Friday: Hilary, bishop and doctor (315-367), was born in Gaul and received the faith as an adult. He was made bishop of Poitiers and defended the church against the Arian heresy. He was exiled to the Eastern church where his orthodox rigidity made him too much to handle so the emperor accepted him back.

This Week in Jesuit History

· Jan. 8, 1601: Balthasar Gracian was born. A Spanish Jesuit, he wrote on courtly matters. He is the author of "The Compleat Gentleman" and "The Art of Worldly Wisdom."

· Jan. 9, 1574: Fr. Jasper Haywood died at Naples. He was superior of the English mission. As a boy he was one of the pages of honor to the Princess Elizabeth. After a brilliant career at Oxford, he renounced his fellowship and entered the Society in Rome in 1570. An able Hebrew scholar and theologians, he was for two years professor in the Roman College.

· Jan. 10, 1581: Queen Elizabeth signed the fifth Penal Statute in England inflicting heavy fines and imprisonment on all who harbored Jesuits and Seminary priests.

· Jan 10, 1567. Two Jesuits arrived in Havana, Cuba, as a base for evangelization.

· Jan 11, 1573. At Milan, St Charles Borromeo founded a college (the Brera) and placed it under the care of the Society.

· Jan 12, 1544. Xavier wrote a long letter on his apostolic labors, saying he wished to visit all the universities of Europe in search of laborers for our Lord's vineyard. The letter was widely circulated and very influential.

· Jan 13, 1547. At the Council of Trent, Fr. James Laynez, as a papal theologian, defended the Catholic doctrine on the sacraments in a learned three-hour discourse.

· Jan 14, 1989. The death of John Ford SJ, moral theologian and teacher at Weston College and Boston College. He served on the papal commission on birth control.

Photo: The Flight into Egypt

2012-01-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Gregory of Nyssa

2012-01-03T00:30:00.000-05:00

If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of his name. For the quality of holiness is shown not by what we say but by what we do in life.

Photo: Adoration by the Wise Men

2012-01-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Theophane Venard

2012-01-02T00:30:00.001-05:00

Happiness is to be found only in the home and in thefamily circle where God is loved and honored.

Prayer: Ambrose of Milan

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

The one who has kept good faith has deserved that goodfaith should be kept with him; the one who has made good profit because he hasnot sought his own benefit, has gained a claim to a heavenly reward.

Mary, Mother of God (long form)

2012-01-01T22:31:00.002-05:00

Mary is a rightlyrevered person in Christianity and we owe much to her example of faith. Sheholds a special place in our hearts for her willingness to become the mother ofJesus, which led her to become the "Mother of God," which today'sfeast honors. Her openness to God's will is an example for us to keep ourselvesopen to God's many invitations. The possibilities are boundless when we learnto say "yes" as Mary did.

Some struggle to relate well to Mary. Imagesof the Catholic portrayal of Mary make her too far removed from them. She is presentedas someone so pure, chaste, wise, and good that many cannot relate to herbecause those characteristics appear otherworldly. For people who make dailymistakes, Mary seems to be inerrant in her morality and too much of an ideal asone who we are to imitate. She is practically transcendent, high above us, andperfect, and we are mere humans who strive each day and fail to live up toGod's expectations for ourselves. Many times, the historical man, Jesus ofNazareth, is easier to connect with because he was a man who experiencedhumanity fully. Some portrayals of Jesus makes him more reachable than hismother.

I often suggest to spiritual seekerswho struggle with Mary to connect with her primarily as the earthly mother ofJesus . I ask them to consider their own mother's characteristics and see ifthe find similarities and differences with Mary. Mary is special because shewas a human mother who did the best for her family. She had her particularlyways of relating to her family as our mother's do. She uniquely cared for herson the way that our moms care for us. I like the way she cherishes memories inher heart the way my mother fondly remembers my childhood. The Mary I know hasa natural beauty to her, and she looks nothing like the images we see onChristmas cards or statues. She is just comfortable in her skin. She likes tosing while she cooks and bakes. And she sings well - a mezzo-soprano with deepresonance. The Mary I know has a special song reserved for me as my mother doesfor me. You may have a special way your mom knows something intimate about yourrelationship with her As I become more familiar with Mary, the more greatly Ihonor what she did and does for me. It is in her humanity that I find hergreatness.

Jesuits in their 30-day silent retreatcalled the Spiritual Exercises often call upon Mary to intercede for specialgraces. We figure we need all the spiritual resources we can muster to work outour salvation. Some Christian faiths wonder why we pray to Mary since she isnot God or Jesus. Why not go directly to Jesus in prayer? He is the one who canprovide for us. Why bother with Mary? Because mothers have a special way ofcaring for and representing the needs of their children. Mary does the same. Aswe are all her children, she wants to take care of us and since she knows herSon so well, it is easy for her to bring our requests directly to him with thetype of style that will persuade her Son to do what she asks.

We don't want to be too idealistic. Welove, or at least try to love our mothers and fathers, while we know they arenot perfect and that their love is not perfect. We have expectations of ourparents that sometimes disappoint us while at the same time the volume of theirwork shows that they have tried - with whatever success rate - but they havetried to do well for us as we have tried for our children. The beauty is intrying and in realizing that we are progressing along in a continuum in arelationship. It is never set in stone. We have the ability to change everyday. And while Mary, the mom of Jesus, had challenges to be a good parent, wehave a second mother to listen to our stories, tend to our wounds, laugh andaffirm and encourage us, or to give us a hug when we most need it. Above all,she wants to place us with her Son who she knows will care for us best. Together,they want the best for us because they know earthly life is difficult. Theywant to be our companions of the journey.

This day is also the day in whichJesus was given his name at his circumcision. (This is a special feast day forJesuits as it is our titular feast: the giving of the name of Jesus to theSociety that bears his name.) Naming someone is a powerful act. Naming a childallows us to recognize our gratitude for previous generations, to remember adear friend, or to honor someone who has made a deep impression upon our lives.For that child, we desire that he or she grows up imitating a virtue orcharacteristic of one whom we deeply admire. A lasting bond is forged betweenpeoples.

The naming of Jesus reminds us thatthe angel Gabriel suggested to her that her son be named Jesus, that is,"Yahweh saves." He shall be Emmanuel - God is with us. This namecarries a weighty significance. Paul in his letter to the Galatians tells usthat it is through Jesus as the Son of God that we are adopted into God'sfamily. Jesus is the one who brings us into God's paternal family as hischildren in intimate terms. The power of God's familial protection remains withus. In the Book of Numbers, Moses tells Aaron that he is to give the Israelitesa blessing in God's name. When the holy name is invoked, the Lord will blessthem abundantly. This is the reason we today continue to bless believers,"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Notice those people, places, andevents that we specially name. It could be a favorite family vacation spot, anewly acquired pet, a colleague's nickname, or a room in the house. We alsoname characteristics to a condition we are dealing with, like alcoholism,narcissism, depression, or powerlessness. Once we identify an appropriate namefor something, we have power over it and can relate to it from a position ofprivilege. We regain power over something once we give it a voice or a name.

As the new year begins, name yourdesires. Tell God what you want. Ask for what you need. You may first have todiscern most appropriately what you seek. Once you have rightly identified it,the pursuit of that goal is much easier and straight-forward. As we stand atthe cusp of a new year, we benefit from all the spiritual resources we canmuster. The Trinitarian God is there to aid us, and so is Mary, the Mother ofGod, who once helped her Son clarify what he wanted and needed. She will gladlydo the same for us. Seek out her counsel. She is wise beyond the ages. She willplace us with her Son.

Photo: Giving of the Name Jesus

2012-01-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Augustine of Hippo

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

Two things here on earth are essential: health and afriend. They are the things most to be prayed for.

End of Year Reflection

2011-12-31T15:03:00.003-05:00

Itis New Year's Eve day and I am getting ready to meet a friend who is visitingfrom Australia. It is his first time to visit Boston as he completes hisround-the-world trip touring Jesuit communities on his sabbatical year. I lookforward to my time with him because he is such a lovely man. I have beenwaiting all week long to spend time reviewing my Christmas cards to honor andpray for each person in my life who holds a special place. (I even pray forthose who send online greetings and for those for whom I did not get to send acard.) Now is the right time. Now is always the best time.

I just finished directing anEnd-of-Year Christmas retreat with a good friend and we are pleased with theoutcome. Most of the retreatants left Eastern Point with a wide smile on theirfaces and a jubilant jump in their steps. We tried to modify the traditionalretreat by extending the Christmas graces with some festive activities and somerelationship building while providing greater space for silence and freedom.While for some it was a deviation from what they knew and expected, most let usknow of their deep-felt pleasure of ending their year this way.

I tell God I am blessed every day tobe able to work and live in Gloucester's retreat house. I enjoy it. I amchanged by each retreat because I become a kinder, better man. I find this workmakes me better able to reveal my care for others more openly. God helps melove more easily. While the beauty of the ocean is breath-taking and thelandscape work grounds me and helps me search for natural beauty, it is thelives of others that inspires me to want to live each day to the fullest.

I've had one of my best Christmases inyears, if not the best. My soul is very light and happy and my heart beats withgreat fervor. I'm grateful for all the miraculous work God has done with methroughout the years. At times, my heart feels ready to burst open because ofthe great goodness I see in others and it hurts when I see someone in deeppain. Mostly, I'm grateful for the love I am given by many. I merely want toreturn that gift abundantly to them and to God.

I am overjoyed at the goodwill Iexperienced with my family during the holidays. I am grateful for the desire Ifeel in wanting to spend time with them. I cherish the fraternal care I receivefrom brother Jesuits and our Ignatian companions, especially the pilgrims fromour journey to Spain. I'm honored to receive great friendship and revelry withmy new friends on Boston's North Shore, especially from the choruses, and ofcourse, I am extremely enriched by those who share their stories of faith atthe retreat house.

My longstanding friends remain mylongstanding friends because I like them and they are nice. To honor my 50thyear of life, celebrated around Thanksgiving, I was in touch with many highschool classmates and childhood friends. I even connected with my high schoolteachers because they did remarkable work preparing us for life and I am veryappreciative of their skills in forming us and guiding us in those initial stepsof life. Yes, it has been a good year and a good life; all I have to do is lookaround me and be amazed at the good people who are part of it. God has beenmore generous to me than I deserve, and I spent time in prayer telling God thatmy heart is so moved by the goodness I receive.

As I review my Christmas cards, I amtouched by the many stories told to me from friends and loved ones. I amhonored by the friendships, some of which are difficult to maintain because ofdistance and time, but we persevere because our stories together are worthholding up to the Lord.

Mind you that many of these storiesare filled with heartache, loss and suffering, and they are filled withperseverance, bountiful grace, and hope. I find it a great grace to be able tohold these stories in silent respect. I want to hear more of these storiesbecause it helps me grow in compassion and care. The key to my response is aloving presence - just being silent with one who is suffering and in pain.

I find it quite extraordinary whensomeone honors my experience by letting me know they feel what I am feeling.Everyone's story needs to be told, heard and honored. Everyone needs to beseen. I gain greater insights and understanding when I allow others to feel - andfeel what they are feeling so I can experience being in the place of another.It is risky. Compassion is risky because we risk being hurt in the process ofshowing solidarity, but it is the place in our hearts where we are moved togreater love for one another. For me, the risk is worth it.

I am convinced that Christ'scompassion can change our world. It has mine. If we can hold one another'sstory more reverently, it will create an environment in which less hurt andharm is created. It will create a world that is more sympathetic,understanding, and tolerant. It will help a person feel connected and becomemore whole. We live in hope that people can see themselves as more beautifulgifts to themselves and to others.

We hold quite a gift in our hands.Christ has blessed us with the gift of compassion and he needs us to work withhim to transform the world. We cannot put a stop to all the nonsense thatcreates more suffering and sorrow, but perhaps we can lessen the insanity whenwe hold one suffering person in front of us. We give them an incredible gift ofsolidarity and understanding and it eases pain. We live in hope that thisgoodness will be remembered and passed onto others and that life will be builtup rather than destroyed. Love and compassion will reign. It will have thefirst and last word, and it is good for us to see it in the midst of ordinarylife.

I am content at this end of the yearto spend time in silence at this beautiful retreat house to remember your lifeand to present you to God. Thank you for who and what you have been to me. MayGod bless you now and in the coming year with spiritual (and financial)prosperity, good health, and a great deal of hope.

Resolutions for a New Year (reprinted from last year)

2011-12-31T08:26:00.000-05:00

Spirituality: Resolutions for a New Year

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did last year.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for at least 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Refrain from comparing your life to others. You have no idea what goes on in their journey.
12. Refrain from holding negative thoughts about matters you cannot control. Instead invest your energy positively in the present moment.
13. Be reasonable. Do only what you can. Know your limits.
14. Laugh at yourself. Be open. Take yourself lightly.
15. Avoid precious energy on gossip or speculations.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. Settle for what you already have.
18. Remember the past gratefully. Encourage your partner to make better choices.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Find something good to say about that person.
20. Make peace with your past. We only really have the present to enjoy.
21. You make choices that lead to your happiness. Feel the power in choosing what you want.
22. “The style is the man.” How we do something is more important than what is done.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. Decide what is important to you. Allow yourself to be wrong sometimes.

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day say something nice to others.
27. Learn that forgiveness is a process. Allow yourself to be angry and use that anger in a constructive way to resolve tensions.
28. Spend time with people. Solidarity is a tremendous gift.
29. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Form good relationships.

Life:
30. Know the difference between the good and the right. Do the right thing!
31. Use appropriately what is not useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. God heals everything. You are not God.
33. In the end, all will be well. If it is not well now, it is not the end.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Know your emotions. They are signals of God at work within you.
36. Understand that suffering and love are part of life.
37. When you awake alive in the morning, thank God.

Photo: And Heaven and Nature Sing

2011-12-31T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Teresa of Avila

2011-12-31T00:30:00.000-05:00

Your hand of love is always outstretched towards me, evenwhen I stubbornly look the other way. And your gentle voice constantly callsme, even when I obstinately refuse to listen.

Song: "Old Lang Syne" by Robert Burns in 1788

2011-12-30T18:00:00.000-05:00

Should auld acquaintance beforgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and auld lang syne* ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,

for auld lang syne,

we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp !

and surely I’ll be mine !

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,

and pu’d the gowans fine ;

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,

sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn,

frae morning sun till dine ;

But seas between us braid hae roar’d

sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !

and gie's a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught,

for auld lang syne.

English translation

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

and surely I’ll buy mine !

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine ;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine† ;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Photo: Peace-filled and Joyous Village

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Maximus the Confessor

2011-12-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Christ’slife was strange and wondrous for it was imprinted with the new power of aperson who lived life in a new way.

Homily for Unwrapping Your Gifts (Draft)

2011-12-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Ignatius of Loyola in his SpiritualExercises really want us to come to the understanding that we are a gift toourselves - a gift from God - to ourselves, and that we are to share who weare, share our stories, with those around us. The gift of Ignatian spiritualityis that it is a God-affirming-of-us spirituality and a world-affirmingspirituality. The Exercises conclude with two thoughts: "love is to beexpressed more in deeds than in words," and "the one who lovescommunicates with the one who is loved." This communication takes shape byway of sharing whatever goods the lover has - family, friends, wealth,learning, virtue, and so on - with the beloved. And so too the beloved sharessimilarly with the one who loves.

We need to remind ourselves thatlovers share. Lovers do not take, leaving the other bereft. What we offer toshare first is our liberty, which leads to the generosity of a great-souledperson. Although liberty is a gift from God, our communicating is the veryaction whereby the potential, which is ours, is actualized in our sharing. Wetherefore start with sharing our liberty and by doing so, we find that we makeourselves more fully available to our beloved. It is helpful to remember that agift is not actualized until it has been shared.

I'd like to suggest some practical stepsto share yourself to God and with others.

Ignatius andthe composition of place

A grounding exercise in the 30-dayretreat is the Nativity scene when a person is to imagine the setting of thebirth of Jesus. We are to examine the movements and conversations of Joseph andMary, the inn-keeper, shepherds and the visiting Magi, and every scriptural andnon-scriptural person who shows up in the scene. infantJesus We are to imaginativelyimmerse ourselves in the scriptural scenes before the real true heart of theprayer takes shape: the conversation, which is a turning towards one another inopenness. Conversations entails more listening than it does speaking.Conversation means that our whole being is oriented toward another person.

I want to tell you a short story thatI read in Mitch Albom's book, "Have a little faith," to illustratethis point.

A little girl came home from school with a drawing she had made in class. She danced into the kitchen whereher mother was preparing dinner.

"Mom, guess what?" she squealed,waving the drawing.
Her mother never looked up.

"What?" she said, tending to the pots.

"Guess what?" the child repeated,waving the drawing.
"What?" the mother said, tending tothe plated.

"Mom, you're not listening."
"Sweetie, yes I am."

"Mom," the child said, "you'renot listening with your eyes."

Ignatius wants us to use our senses inour prayer. Senses feed our intellect and heart. They provide necessary datathat we use to make judgments and interpret events. Our imagination needs thissensory and sensual data because the imagination will unite all parts of ourbeing: intellect, heart, emotions, physiological and psychological movements sothe imagination can bring meaning to the world. Through all of this, we come tounderstand more fully what we need and desire. Once we get a handle on this, wethen tell God what we need and desire and we ask for it. Hence, thisconversation becomes the cornerstone of our Ignatian-style prayer.

Give yourself a gift today oflingering with your senses. As you walk outside, take a look around at theobvious beauty of this place, but make sure you also go a little deeper. Lookhigher up in the sky and lower onto the forest floor to notice those detailsthat are often overlooked. When we contemplate some image, it is always a tinydetail, not the whole corpus, that speaks to us uniquely. Just as we contemplateChrist in a prayer session, we keep our focus upon him and when we catch aparticular detail, it is then that he brings up to us the stuff of our lives,the stuff of December 29th, 2011. Christ wants to bring greater meaning to ourlife's events.

So walk around with obvious attentionto what you see, but also honor your other senses. Smell is a favorite sensefor Ignatius for it evokes meaningful memories. Go outside and smell the saltair and the home cooking of our chefs. Taste the salt that is in the air. Ifyou see a particular berry or leaf that you life, don't just look at it. Pickit. Twirl it around in your finger, and if it is not poison ivy, rub in againstyour cheeks. Feel the cool air on your cheeks as well. Listen, as the girl asksher mommy, with your eyes, and ears, the nose, and mouth, and skin. Immerseyourself. Refrain from making judgments, just allow yourself to feel alive. Anddon't forget to breathe - deep, slow, sustained breaths. Let there be nothingquick about your breaths. Just breathe in deeply and slowly and breathe outwith the same sustained effort.

Doyou realize?

Acontemporary rock band called The Verve wrote a song a few years ago that Ireally like to sing. It is called, "Do you realize?" The questionthey ask you to consider is this: Do you realize - that - you - have - the mostbeautiful - face? When was the last time you heard someone say that to you? Doyou believe it? Do you believe that you are truly beautiful - to God, toyourself, and to others? All parts of you? with your weaknesses and strengths,your beauty and warts, and those good life choices you' ve made and even thoseones you regret and haven't allowed yourself to receive God's forgiveness. Canyou allow yourself to truly believe you are beautiful?
The way I always begin my prayer is toplace myself before God to merely let God gaze upon me. I ask that God see me,feel me, hear me, and to know what I am feeling. I ask that God behold me, justas Mary would have gazed upon her infant son when he was born, the way yourparents gazed upon you as a newborn. How does God respond? God looks upon mewith wonder and awe. God wants you to know that he gazes upon you the same way.You take his breath away and he can't do anything but be astonished by who youare. God wants to tell you that you have such a beautiful face and he holds itin his memory.

Storyof an amazing woman in Jamaica who lovingly gazed upon her daughter.

Most of us are not good at takingcompliments. We have to receive these words and thoughts from God. If we beginour prayer in this way, knowing that we are cherished to the core, somethingwonderful will happen in our hearts that allow us to open up to God. God willbe holding us and coaxing us to tell him everything that we are feeling - thepositive and negative emotions - the whole gamut of who we are because we areour feelings and our choices.

Prayeris revealing who we authentically, genuinely are to God, and letting God revealsomething about God's self back to us. We have to let God know everything aboutour emotions so God can feel what we are feeling. We are not to judge ourfeelings, but merely say, "I'm feeling peaceful because....,""I'm feeling anxious because..." "I'm feeling afraidbecause..." We just are to tell God that we have these feelings. When wespew forth our 37 complicated, over-lapped, unexpressed feelings to God, we canrest in the fact that we told someone who really wants to know how we arefeeling. God can do something with these feelings when we name them. Speakingof these allows us to answer two questions God will ask us: "What do youneed?" and "What do you want?" God acts through our desires.God's puts them there and wants us to develop them. These are the gifts thatare to be actualized. These gifts make us distinct from another person andacting upon these desires are where we find God's will, which is alwaysexpressed in the immediate present. It is in the now. God will ratify, affirmconfirm his will for you uniquely as you express your desires to him.

Once we tell God what we need and askfor what we want, we can sit back and enjoy the rest of prayer. God is alwaysgenerous and is always laboring for your own good. God wants to grace you withhis presence and shower you with his affection. God wants to spoil you rotten.Rest content because you will know God hears you and considers how to give youthe very best. It is at that point, we become concerned with God's well being.We turn to God and say: Since you, O God, have given me the grace to see me,feel me, hear me, and feel what I am feeling, give me the grace to see you, tohear you, to feel what you are feeling. This is the mutuality that Ignatiuswrites of at the close of the Exercises. Love is mutual and is to be sharedbetween lovers.

Before I get to the meditation, I'll closewith a quote from Richard McBrien:

If loveis the soul of Christian existence, it must be at the heart of every other Christianvirtue. Thus, for example, justice without love is legalism; faith without loveis ideology; hope without love is self-centeredness; forgiveness without loveis self-abasement; fortitude without love is recklessness; generosity withoutlove is extravagance; care without love is mere duty; fidelity without love isservitude. Every virtue is an expression of love. No virtue is really a virtueunless it is permeated, or informed, by love.

Photo: Mansion with Flag

2011-12-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Photo: Adoration of Joseph and Mary

2011-12-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Meister Eckhart

2011-12-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to the Son ofGod fourteen hundred years ago if I do not also give birth to the Son of God inmy time and culture.

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Innocents

2011-12-28T10:59:00.002-05:00

It doesn't take long for the joy andwonder of Christmas to get shaken off its foundation. The innocence that wasjust born to us was came into a world where cruelty erupts all too violentlyfrom human hearts. We want to linger on the good that we just received in thebirth of Jesus, but the memorials of Stephen, the first martyr, and theslaughter on many innocent boy children, boggles our mind. Our task is not tolet harsh events harden our hearts. We are to seek for the good that issurrounded by death and destruction, and cling to it. For in it, we find ourhope, and this world needs to grasp as much hope as possible.

It would be unfortunate if we were tosee the massacre of the innocents only as an historical event - as a sad eventin the middle of a glorious season. A quick survey of the daily news onChristmas day shows us the use of deadly bombs in Iraq, slaughtering ofworshippers in Nigeria, house fires in New England cities, brutal murders andunfortunate accidents. In our Presidential primary season we have plenty ofword slinging that seriously attempts to injure others instead of building upone another. King Herod exists today. And then we face our own interpersonallosses - whether it is the death and mourning of love ones or our ownexperience of being beaten down by others. We are peppered with stories thatcan wear down our hope. The temptation when we cannot do anything to change asituation is to walk away, to try to harden ourselves, to maintain an emotionaldistance, or to despair. In the face of these natural, understandable humanresponses, we all the more appreciate compassion as a difficult but pricelessgrace. The key to our responses is our loving presence - just being silent withone who is suffering and in pain.

It would be a gift for us if welearned to read scripture by lingering on our emotions and fully valuing theevents that are becoming known. We honor the experience of others when we feelwhat they are feeling. Everyone's story needs to be told. Everyone's storyneeds to be heard and honored. We can only partially know something with ourintellect; we gain greater insights and understanding when we allow ourselvesto feel - to be put in the place of another. It is risky. Compassion is alwaysrisky because we risk being hurt in the process of showing solidarity, but itis the place in our hearts where we are moved to greater love for one another.

Many of us have spent time withsomeone dear in the last hours of life. We often wonder what we can say or doto comfort and console the person and we often realize we are thinking in anunhelpful way. We would rather have the person say, "Let me tell you whatit is like. Let me tell you what I am seeing and feeling. Please don't interrupt;just stay with me and listen." We find our way into compassion as we holdanother person's story. Compassion builds upon each experience. Compassion isnot just our feeling wounded, but compassion indentifies the wound that is us.

I marvel at the magi because they sawand heard and had compassion on the boy Jesus and his family. They were changedby what they experienced. In my prayer, I can imagine them holding the boy intheir arms and feeling as if they belong to him. They have great hope for thepromise that he brings not only to the world but to themselves. I hope each ofyou in your Christmas prayer picked up the newborn babe and held him in yourown arms. So many times I hear of people who are reluctant to pick him up andsing gently to him. I hope you fully immersed yourself in the experience. Ihope you cooed at him and said some silly things that babies make us do. Thecompassion of the magi for Jesus protected his life. It makes me wonder whatgreater power compassion holds for our world.

It makes me wonder what would havehappened if King Herod's story was heard and honored by others. I'm sure hisfriends would have heard of his deep wounds and fears and insecurities. If theycould have held his story for him to examine, he might have owned up to theirrational thoughts he held. Because he did not directly confront his fears,they were manifested sideways - and that was very messy and unfortunate. Theycould have helped him become more whole rather than acting out of his unhealthiness.It is possible that the countless lives of innocent children were saved ratherthan extinguished.

We hold quite a gift in our hands.Christ has blessed us with the gift of compassion and he needs us to work withhim to transform the world. We cannot put a stop to all the nonsense thatcreates more suffering and sorrow, but perhaps we can lessen the insanity whenwe hold one suffering person in front of us. We give them an incredible gift ofsolidarity and understanding and we live in hope that this goodness will beremembered and passed onto others and that life will be built up rather thandestroyed. While King Herod exists today, he no longer reigns. Let love andcompassion reign instead. Tell your story; listen to others; ease the pain andlive in the world Christ came to redeem.

Photo: Peace

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Mary, Mother of God

2011-12-28T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mary, Mother of God

January 1, 2012

Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21

Maryis a rightly revered person in Christianity and we owe much to her example offaith. She holds a special place in our hearts for her willingness to becomethe mother of Jesus, which led her to become the "Mother of God,"which today's feast honors. Her openness to God's will is an example for us tokeep ourselves open to God's many invitations. The possibilities are boundlesswhen we learn to say "yes" as Mary did.

Forsome, however, images of the Catholic portrayal of Mary makes her inaccessibleto them. She comes across as someone so pure, chaste, and good that many cannotrelate to her because those characteristics appear otherworldly. For people whomake daily mistakes, Mary seems to be inerrant in her morality and too remoteas one who we are to imitate. She is practically god-like and remote, and weare mere humans who strive each day and fail to live up to God's expectationsfor ourselves. Jesus of Nazareth is easier to connect with because he was a manwho experienced humanity fully. Some portrayals of Jesus makes him morereachable than his mother.

Ioften suggest to spiritual seekers who struggle with Mary to connect with herprimarily as the earthly mother of Jesus . I ask them to consider their ownmother's characteristics and check to see if the find similarities anddifferences with Mary. Mary is special because she was a human mother who didthe best for her family. She had her particularly ways of relating to herfamily as our mother's do. She uniquely cared for her son the way that our momscare for us. I like the way she cherishes memories in her heart the way mymother fondly remembers my childhood. The Mary I know likes to sing while shebakes. The Mary I know has a special song reserved for me as my mother once didfor me. As I become more familiar with Mary, the more greatly I honor what shedid and does for me. It is in her humanity that I find her greatness.

Thisday is also the day in which Jesus was given his name at his circumcision.(This is a special feast day for Jesuits as it is our titular feast: the givingof the name of Jesus to the Society that bears his name.) Naming someone is apowerful act. Naming a child allows us to recognize our gratitude for previousgenerations, to remember a dear friend, or to honor someone who has made a deepimpression upon our lives. For that child, we desire that he or she grows upimitating a virtue or characteristic of one whom we deeply admire. A lastingbond is forged between peoples.

Thenaming of Jesus reminds us that the angel Gabriel suggested to her that her sonbe named Jesus, that is, "Yahweh saves." He shall be Emmanuel - Godis with us. This name carries a weighty significance. Paul in his letter to theGalatians tells us that it is through Jesus as the Son of God that we areadopted into God's family. Jesus is the one who brings us into God's paternalfamily as his children in intimate terms. The power of God's familialprotection remains with us. In the Book of Numbers, Moses tells Aaron that heis to give the Israelites a blessing in God's name. When the holy name isinvoked, the Lord will bless them abundantly. This is the reason we todaycontinue to bless believers, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit."

Noticethose people, places, and events that we specially name. It could be a favoritefamily vacation spot, a newly acquired pet, a colleague's nickname, or a roomin the house. We also name characteristics to a condition we are dealing with,like alcoholism, narcissism, depression, or powerlessness. Once we identify anappropriate name for something, we have power over it and can relate to it froma position of privilege. We regain power over something once we give it a voiceor a name.

Asthe new year begins, name your desires. Tell God what you want. Ask for whatyou need. You may first have to discern most appropriately what you seek. Onceyou have rightly identified it, the pursuit of that goal is much easier andstraight-forward. As we stand at the cusp of a new year, we benefit from allthe spiritual resources we can muster. The Trinitarian God is there to aid us,and so is Mary, the Mother of God, who once helped her Son clarify what hewanted and needed. She will gladly do the same for us. Seek out her counsel.She is wise beyond the ages.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

FirstReading: We continuehearing 1 John as he tells us about what it means to follow the Christ. AsChrist is the Word of God, if we accept the Word and honor it, we will behonored by Christ. God's love is clearly seen because he adopted us as his ownchildren and we have his protection as a father cares for his own clan. Payattention to the one who acts righteously. Be cautious of the one who sinsbecause that person belongs to the Devil. We remain in God when we actrighteously. We are to love one another and take care of our brothers andsisters. The world will hate us because of our goodness and because our mercyis inexplicable to others. As we belong to the truth, we don't have to worryabout the judgments of others. The world's victor is the one who believes thatJesus is the Son of God. As we are baptized, the Spirit, Blood, and watertestify for us. We have powerful agents working for our behalf. As we haveconfidence in God, we can ask anything in his name and he hears us. The Onebegotten by God protects and cares for us. God will help us discern theimportant matters in the world.

Gospel:The Jews from Jerusalem sent priests to John to ask him, "Who areyou?" John the Baptist tells them that he is not the Messiah, but that theMessiah is already among them. After they left, John points out to hisdisciples, "Behold. There is the lamb of God, who takes away the sins ofthe world." Two of John's disciples turned and followed Jesus. They becamehis disciples. Andrew becomes a disciples and brings Simon to the Messiah,where he is renamed "Cephas." Jesus went to Galilee. Philip broughtNathanael to him to become a disciple. Nathanael at first was dismissive, butcomes to realize Jesus is the Christ. John the Baptist again declares that heis not the Messiah, but Jesus comes to him to be baptized in accordance withthe Scriptures. Jesus attends a wedding in Cana where, through the urging ofhis mother, performs his first miracle.

Saints of the Week

Monday: Basilthe Great and Gregory Nanzianzen, bishops and doctors (fourth century), aretwo of the four great doctors of the Eastern Church. They are known for theirpreaching especially against the Arian heretics. Basil began as a hermit beforehe was named archbishop of Caesarea. He influenced Gregory who eventually becamearchbishop of Constantinople. Their teachings influenced both the Roman andEastern Churches.

Tuesday: TheName of Jesus was given to the infant as the angel foretold. In theMediterranean world, the naming of person stood for the whole person. Humanswere given the power to name during the Genesis creation accounts. If onehonors the name of the person, they honor the person. The name Jesus means“Yahweh saves.”

Wednesday: ElizabethAnn Seton, religious (1774-1821), was born into an Episcopalian householdwhere she married and had five children. When her husband died, she became aCatholic and founded a girls’ school in Baltimore. She then founded the Sistersof Charity and began the foundation for the parochial school system in the U.S.She is the first native-born American to be canonized.

Thursday: JohnNeumann, bishop (1811-1860), emigrated from Bohemia to New York and joinedthe Redemptorists in Pittsburgh before being named bishop of Philadelphia. Hebuilt many churches in the diocese and placed great emphasis on education asthe foundation of faith.

Friday: AndreBessette, religious (1845-1937), was born in Quebec, Canada. He joined theCongregation of the Holy Cross and taught for 40 years at the College of NotreDame. He cared for the sick and was known as a intercessor for miracles. Hebuilt St. Joseph’s Oratory, a popular pilgrimage site in Canada.

Saturday: Raymondof Penyafort, priest (1175-1275), was trained in philosophy and law and wasordained in 1222 to preach to the Moors and Christians. Though he was appointedbishop of Tarragon, he declined the position. Instead he organized papaldecrees into the first form of canon law. He was later elected Master of theDominican Order.

This Week in Jesuit History

· Jan. 1, 1598: Fr. Alphonsus Barréna,surnamed the Apostle of Peru, died. He was the first to carry the faith to theGuaranis and Chiquitos in Paraguay.

· Jan. 2, 1619: At Rome, John Berchmansand Bartholomew Penneman, his companion scholastic from Belgium, entered theRoman College.

· Jan. 3, 1816: Fr. General Brzozowskiand 25 members of the Society, guarded by soldiers, left St. Petersburg,Russia, having been banished by the civil government.

· Jan. 4, 1619: The English mission israised to the status of a province.

· Jan. 5, 1548: Francis Suarez, one ofthe greatest theologians of the church, was born at Granada.

· Jan. 6, 1829: Publication of Pope LeoXII's rescript, declaring the Society to be canonically restored in England.

· Jan. 7, 1566: Cardinal Ghislieri waselected pope as Pius V. He was a great friend of the Francis Borgia andappointed Salmeron and Toletus as apostolic preachers at the Vatican. Hedesired to impose the office of choir on the Society and even ordered it. Hewas canonized as St. Pius V.

Prayer: John XXIII

2011-12-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

The history of twenty centuries begins in this stable,for the child is in very truth the source of all things.

Photo: New England Snow

2011-12-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Athanasius

2011-12-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

Flesh did not diminish the glory of the Word; far be thethought. On the contrary, it was glorified by him.

Photo: The Holy Family

2011-12-26T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Leo I

2011-12-26T00:30:00.002-05:00

A day of new redemption has dawned for us, a day prepared from antiquity, a day of eternal blessedness.

Photo: Victory of the Sun

2011-12-25T05:30:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Photo: The Prince of Peace

2011-12-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: Liturgy of the Hours

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

By your miraculous birth you have fulfilled theScriptures; like a gentle rain falling upon the earth you have come down tosave your people.

Christmas Homily (long form)

2011-12-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

Nomatter how many times we hear the Nativity story, it remains fresh and dramatic.Although the readings remain the same, something within changes each year -sometimeswe find an obscure detail to capture our imagination and to bring new meaningto the story. Or we read scripture by paying attention to the emotions of eachof the characters. This year, we are more experienced and perhaps a littlewiser and we realize that we need a savior to be born for us. When we contemplatewhat God has done for us, we are amazed that this tiny child was given to us sothat we are no longer separated from God. This is an awesome gesture on God'spart.

Isaiah's words speak to the heart ofour need for a savior: "The people who walked in darkness have seen agreat light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light hasshone." When we realize how messed up our lives are, we appreciate morefully what God is doing for us. We need hope. We need hope in our hearts onceagain so we can enjoy life as our true selves desire. We look upon this feast withwonder and awe, and also soberly because we know our salvation has to come fromthe outside. We cannot save ourselves, and God in his goodness has chosen to doit.

I always find it fascinating tomeditate on how God is feeling on this night. Mostly I sense God is proud andwell-pleased. God often gets overlooked because we focus on the newborn boy,but God is ecstatic that first events that lead to our salvation have begun:Jesus Christ is born for us. God set in motion the events that will bring usback to him. God is the giver of every good gift. God is in every Christmaspresent we give and receive. I think of this quote from Ingrid Undset,

"Andwhen we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that Hehas given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forestsand mountains and oceans ~ and all that lives and moves upon them. He has givenus all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit ~ and all thatwe quarrel about and all that we have misused ~ and to save us from our ownfoolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.

My heart warms when I think about how Godfeels as he gazes upon you gathered here. I think he wants to say,"Welcome home. I'm glad to be with you. It is wonderful that you have cometogether again. I want to share my whole life with you. I want to share my mostprized creation with you - my Son, called Emmanuel - God is with us." Ifeel in my heart that God acknowledges and is deeply moved by the love you showhim. He wants you to know he is always part of your life - in the good timesand in the messiness and in the normal course of daily life. God feels greattenderness and affection towards you. Let God be good to you this Christmas.Let God shower many graces upon you. Just open your heart to receive them.

I imagine God also feels vulnerablebecause he will become a human infant in the most precarious condition possible.He, like the shepherds who live in the fields, has no home. The only one hegets is the one we give to him. He knows this is risky because our hearts needto grow to have some room for him. Without our growth, Christ has no place tolive, and God knows many will turn away from him and want to harm him.

My daydreaming over these readingstakes me to the shepherds' stories. Scripture tells us they live in the fields.Shepherding is a nomadic way of life, not a job that one holds. There's nohouse to return to. Perhaps a shack or a lean-to, but no permanent dwelling - justthe fields. In my prayer, I see not only a group of male shepherds that themovies and Christmas cards portray, but their entire shepherding family. Itstartled me that for the first time I saw the wives and children of shepherdsand my heart went out to them because I want them to have a sturdy home. I wanta better life for them. I want them to be afforded all the resources that amore prosperous family has. It appears odd that the multitude of angelsappeared to them, but each of us has a bit of shepherd within us. We have timeswhen we have felt isolated and disregarded by a larger society that looksaskance at us. We've had periods in our lives when we've felt not welcomed and"not at home." And yet the shepherds have a privileged place. It wasto them the news of this kingly child was told, and they could relate to him -because neither of them had a home. Both the child and the shepherd needed tobuild a home inside each other's hearts - and this can only come when ourhearts are open to God's invitations.

Somehow, the infant's birth warms ourheart and begs us to bear with one another. He continually draws the best out ofus. He makes us look upon even our greatest adversary with whatever kindnessand patience we can muster. We know the Christ-child only wants what is goodfor us and for our neighbor. He knows the cruelty that exists in human hearts.He wishes we would change but he doesn't force it. God never acts with force orviolence. God never acts with force or violence. In fact, the child doesn't do anything but rest in a crib and inhis mother's arms. He causes us to gaze upon him and marvel at him. This tinyboy will become everything that Isaiah said: Wonder-counselor, God-hero,Father-forever, and Prince of Peace.

However, he is not that today. He ismerely a human baby who hungers for food and human affection. He merely wantsus to pick him up and hold him close to our chests. Nothing more. That's right.Pick him up. Hold him. Squeeze him and tell him that he is beautiful. That'swhat infants need. Kind words and a warm human touch. How else are we going toknow him unless we embrace him warmly and let him into our battered world. We havemuch to say to him. Today it is good for us to tell him our hopes and dreamsfor our lives together. All he can do is absorb the love you give him at thispoint. Give him your love. Give him your love. Let this be the first thing heencounters in this world. He will return it someday. He will tell you that you havea beautiful face. He will certainly remember you. It is our time just to bewith one another and to waste time enjoying each other. That's all he wants.

As we look at him, we cannot help but seeGod, the Father, who set this blessed event in motion. Jesus is here for usbecause God wants to be among us. God long desired to bring us back to himbecause he misses us. The birth of Jesus is like God giving the human race abig warm cosmic kiss on the forehead. It is merely a token of the great loveGod has for us. No wonder why the choirs of angels sing to the shepherds,"Glory to God in the highest and peace to all people of goodwill." Letus tonight receive the news of the angels deep within our hearts. Let us becomefamiliar with the tune so it can erupt forth into our song of praise. Then,from each day forward let us sing heartily and fully like the shepherds and angelson this happy day of our salvation. Glory to God, Glory, and peace to all ofyou, dear people of Goodwill!

Prayer: Bede the Venerable

2011-12-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

A soul that has believed has conceived and both bears theWord of God and declares God's works. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you,so that it rejoices in God.

Photo: Wrapped in Swaddling Cloths

2011-12-24T01:00:00.001-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Prayer: O Antiphon - ERO CRAS

2011-12-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

If you take the last sevendays of Advent, the O Antiphons, and arrange them by taking the first letter ofthe messianic title in Latin, the letters will spell ERO CRAS, which translatesto Tomorrow, I will come.

Prayer: Benedict XVI

2011-12-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

Let us ask Mary to teach us how to become like her,inwardly free, so that in openness to God we may find true freedom, true life,genuine and lasting joy.

Photo: Adoration of the Newborn King

2011-12-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

Click to Enlarge