October 29, 2006
Dear Friend,
Earlier this month the International Theological Commission was supposed to overturn the centuries old tradition of limbo. Limbo was thought to be the place that all unbaptized infants went and was somewhere between heaven and hell. However the Commission, which is merely advisory to the Holy Father, said nothing. In fact, the document it was preparing is not even complete. One member of the Commission stated, “Limbo is no longer the common opinion of Catholic theology, and as far as the salvation of unbaptized babies is concerned, we trust in the loving mercy of God.”
Nevertheless, there is need for something to be said on the matter from the standpoint of pastoral care to parents who have an unbaptized child die. In those moments of loss, it is important to offer them a message of hope and consolation. Thankfully it does appear that the Pope will eventually speak out on the matter.
What is very clear are recent developments in Catholic Theology away from Limbo. The ritual for “Funeral Mass of a Child Who Died before Baptism” as an official rite of the Church and published after the Second Vatican Council has the following Opening Prayer: “Father of all consolation, from whom nothing is hidden, you know the faith of these parents who mourn the death of their child. May they find comfort in knowing that he/she is entrusted to your loving care.” Under the old adage, “What the Church prays is what the Church believes,” such a prayer clearly implies hope that the child is in heaven.
To this add the fact that the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was published in 1994, states the following teaching, “As regards children who have died without baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men [sic] should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: ‘Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,’ allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without baptism.” Interestingly, nowhere in the Catechism does the word “Limbo” appear.
It appears that the conclusions regarding Limbo were known long before the work of the Commission began.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 29, 2006: An Explanation of God
This and That:
An Explanation of God
The following was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, California. He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to “explain God.” I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
An Explanation of God
“One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
“God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.
“God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.
“Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.
“Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said okay.
“His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.
“You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.
“You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!
Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.
“If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
“But you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And that’s why I believe in God.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
An Explanation of God
The following was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, California. He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to “explain God.” I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
An Explanation of God
“One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
“God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.
“God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.
“Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.
“Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said okay.
“His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.
“You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.
“You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!
Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.
“If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
“But you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And that’s why I believe in God.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly HOMILY for October 29, 2006: Unlikely Teachers
30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 29, 2006
Unlikely Teachers
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Miss Toner
Many of us have known both the joy and the privilege of having been taught by a capable and devoted teacher.
We have known one of those special people whose talent for teaching has stirred in us a sense of discovery and left us hungering for more.
Fine teachers have the ability to turn on lights in darkened heads and open up new worlds that invite deeper exploration, admiration, and respect.
For me it was Miss Toner, my 1st Grade teacher at PS 106 in Brooklyn, New York. I never knew her first name; teachers in elementary school didn’t have first names.
Rumor had it that I was a little overactive as a child. Who me? But Miss Toner would allow me to get up and walk to the back of the room when I felt the need to and as long as I was attentive, I could move quietly around back there.
What a relief it was to do so and while back there I could look at the aquarium, terrarium, hamsters, turtles, and snakes in their respective enclosures.
Without my knowing it she laid the foundation for my self-acceptance of my heightened sense of activity and my ability to multi-task.
Good teachers are, more often than not, also good people whose character, ethics and lifestyle also teach and challenge their students to respond in kind so as to grow into adults worthy of their mentoring.
Goethe, the great German poet and humanist, once said that, “A teacher who arouses feelings in us for one good action…accomplishes more than the teacher who fills our heads with interminable lists of natural objects.”
God bless Miss Toner, wherever she is. God bless the teachers who made us who we are today.
Jeremiah and Bartimaeus
Today, the Scripture selections, particularly the first reading and Gospel, present us with teachers, albeit unlikely ones, who also are intended to arouse in us feelings that will prompt us toward good actions.
These teachers are “unlikely” in that they are what the prophet Jeremiah calls the “remnant of Israel.”
“Remnant” refers to those few survivors who remain after a catastrophe. The most poignant imagery for the remnant appears in Amos where the “remnant of Israel” is compared to the remnant of a sheep, just a pair of legs or the tip of an ear, after an attack by a lion.
This graphic description was applied to the precious few who survived the calamities of war and exile because of their unquestioning reliance on God.
They are the poor, the voiceless, the disenfranchised; they are the blind, the lame, the mothers with child.
But what do these unlikely teachers have to teach us?
Lessons of Faith, Hope and Helplessness
FAITH: Foremost among the lessons imparted by God’s special remnant is the faith that inspired them to hold fast to God while all else seemed to elude their grasp.
Faithful in all things and in all seasons, they did not allow fear to cripple them or thwart their efforts.
Even when it seemed utter foolishness to rely on an unseen God in the face of obvious, formidable adversaries, God’s remnant believed.
HOPE: Along with faithfulness, the remnant of God’s poor ones teaches hope. Hope is based on the character of God whose promises are never broken but always kept, whose word never lies fallow, but is always fulfilled.
Hope dares to follow as God leads the remnant homeward; hope dares to cry out with Bartimaeus, “Jesus, have pity on me!”
Hope harbors no doubt even when its questions are unanswered and its needs unmet; hope follows Jesus up the road without benefit of map or any other directions save that of his presence.
HELPLESSNESS: While our unlikely educators, “the remnant,” appear to be weak, they are actually teaching us that true strength lies in knowing oneself to be utterly helpless and absolutely dependent upon God.
Like the blind Bartimaeus, they teach us the courage to cry out from our needs and our desires when popular mores would dictate that we be quiet and unobtrusive.
They teach us to throw caution and decorum to the wind when Jesus calls; they bid us jump at the chance to come to him, to know him and to experience his power.
They teach us the wisdom of following God’s will and God’s ways, even when these seem impractical, unpopular, and outdated.
They teach us not to sacrifice morals or principles or values on the altar of a popular culture that attribute its choices and behaviors to the signs of changing times and excuses its sins with: “This is the 21st Century, after all!”
Conclusion
Amidst these great though unlikely teachers, might not our rising out of our own helplessness give rise to a new level of faith and hope?
Our Lady of Grace
October 29, 2006
Unlikely Teachers
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Miss Toner
Many of us have known both the joy and the privilege of having been taught by a capable and devoted teacher.
We have known one of those special people whose talent for teaching has stirred in us a sense of discovery and left us hungering for more.
Fine teachers have the ability to turn on lights in darkened heads and open up new worlds that invite deeper exploration, admiration, and respect.
For me it was Miss Toner, my 1st Grade teacher at PS 106 in Brooklyn, New York. I never knew her first name; teachers in elementary school didn’t have first names.
Rumor had it that I was a little overactive as a child. Who me? But Miss Toner would allow me to get up and walk to the back of the room when I felt the need to and as long as I was attentive, I could move quietly around back there.
What a relief it was to do so and while back there I could look at the aquarium, terrarium, hamsters, turtles, and snakes in their respective enclosures.
Without my knowing it she laid the foundation for my self-acceptance of my heightened sense of activity and my ability to multi-task.
Good teachers are, more often than not, also good people whose character, ethics and lifestyle also teach and challenge their students to respond in kind so as to grow into adults worthy of their mentoring.
Goethe, the great German poet and humanist, once said that, “A teacher who arouses feelings in us for one good action…accomplishes more than the teacher who fills our heads with interminable lists of natural objects.”
God bless Miss Toner, wherever she is. God bless the teachers who made us who we are today.
Jeremiah and Bartimaeus
Today, the Scripture selections, particularly the first reading and Gospel, present us with teachers, albeit unlikely ones, who also are intended to arouse in us feelings that will prompt us toward good actions.
These teachers are “unlikely” in that they are what the prophet Jeremiah calls the “remnant of Israel.”
“Remnant” refers to those few survivors who remain after a catastrophe. The most poignant imagery for the remnant appears in Amos where the “remnant of Israel” is compared to the remnant of a sheep, just a pair of legs or the tip of an ear, after an attack by a lion.
This graphic description was applied to the precious few who survived the calamities of war and exile because of their unquestioning reliance on God.
They are the poor, the voiceless, the disenfranchised; they are the blind, the lame, the mothers with child.
But what do these unlikely teachers have to teach us?
Lessons of Faith, Hope and Helplessness
FAITH: Foremost among the lessons imparted by God’s special remnant is the faith that inspired them to hold fast to God while all else seemed to elude their grasp.
Faithful in all things and in all seasons, they did not allow fear to cripple them or thwart their efforts.
Even when it seemed utter foolishness to rely on an unseen God in the face of obvious, formidable adversaries, God’s remnant believed.
HOPE: Along with faithfulness, the remnant of God’s poor ones teaches hope. Hope is based on the character of God whose promises are never broken but always kept, whose word never lies fallow, but is always fulfilled.
Hope dares to follow as God leads the remnant homeward; hope dares to cry out with Bartimaeus, “Jesus, have pity on me!”
Hope harbors no doubt even when its questions are unanswered and its needs unmet; hope follows Jesus up the road without benefit of map or any other directions save that of his presence.
HELPLESSNESS: While our unlikely educators, “the remnant,” appear to be weak, they are actually teaching us that true strength lies in knowing oneself to be utterly helpless and absolutely dependent upon God.
Like the blind Bartimaeus, they teach us the courage to cry out from our needs and our desires when popular mores would dictate that we be quiet and unobtrusive.
They teach us to throw caution and decorum to the wind when Jesus calls; they bid us jump at the chance to come to him, to know him and to experience his power.
They teach us the wisdom of following God’s will and God’s ways, even when these seem impractical, unpopular, and outdated.
They teach us not to sacrifice morals or principles or values on the altar of a popular culture that attribute its choices and behaviors to the signs of changing times and excuses its sins with: “This is the 21st Century, after all!”
Conclusion
Amidst these great though unlikely teachers, might not our rising out of our own helplessness give rise to a new level of faith and hope?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Weekly HOMILY for October 22, 2006: Deacon Preaching Sunday
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 22, 2006
This weekend is “Deacon Preaching Weekend” so Father Nick did not preach.
He’ll return next weekend, October 29, 2006
Our Lady of Grace
October 22, 2006
This weekend is “Deacon Preaching Weekend” so Father Nick did not preach.
He’ll return next weekend, October 29, 2006
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 22, 2006: What'll It Be: Water or Coke?
This and That:
What’ll It Be: Water or Coke?
A friend sent me the following eye-opening information on water and Coke. I did check “Rumors on the Web” before sharing it, thinking it might be some sort of a ruse. It was not listed.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Facts about Water:
1. Seventy-five percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism
is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s
metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight
hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime
fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10
glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger
fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases
the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash
the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%
less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Facts About Coke
9. In many states in the USA the highway
patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to
remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
10. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of
Coke and it will be gone in two days.
11. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola
into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit
for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in
Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
12. To remove rust spots from chrome car
bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
13. To clean corrosion from car battery
terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the
terminals to bubble away the corrosion
14. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth
soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
15. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of
Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in
aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the
drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
16. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can
of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add
detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The
Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
17. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
18. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric
acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in
about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
19. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate)
a commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
20. The distributors of Coke have been using it
to clean the engines of their trucks for
about 20 years!
Now the question is ... would you like a Coke or a glass of water?
What’ll It Be: Water or Coke?
A friend sent me the following eye-opening information on water and Coke. I did check “Rumors on the Web” before sharing it, thinking it might be some sort of a ruse. It was not listed.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Facts about Water:
1. Seventy-five percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism
is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s
metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight
hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime
fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10
glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger
fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases
the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash
the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%
less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Facts About Coke
9. In many states in the USA the highway
patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to
remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
10. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of
Coke and it will be gone in two days.
11. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola
into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit
for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in
Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
12. To remove rust spots from chrome car
bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
13. To clean corrosion from car battery
terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the
terminals to bubble away the corrosion
14. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth
soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
15. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of
Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in
aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the
drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
16. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can
of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add
detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The
Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
17. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
18. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric
acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in
about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
19. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate)
a commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
20. The distributors of Coke have been using it
to clean the engines of their trucks for
about 20 years!
Now the question is ... would you like a Coke or a glass of water?
Weekly MESSAGE for October 22, 2006: Holy Father to Visit Turkey
October 22, 2006
Dear Friend,
It was wonderful to hear that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Turkey from November 28th to December 1st. The trip is taking place in response to an invitation from Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Pope will fly from Rome to Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday, Nov. 28th.
The following day he will visit Smyrna (or Izmir), the country’s third largest city, known as “the pearl of the Aegean,” and Ephesus, the city where St. Paul of Tarsus lived and where he was held captive. Tradition says that St. John the Evangelist lived there, accompanied by the Virgin Mary.
That same day, Benedict XVI will arrive in Istanbul, the former Constantinople, where he will stay until December 1st. In this way, the Pope will fulfill the original objective of his trip: to respond to the invitation of Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to take part in the feast of St. Andrew, the patriarchate’s patron saint, Nov. 30th.
The Pope has stated that the priorities of his pontificate include the promotion of ecumenical dialogue.
The Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, Bishop Luigi Padovese, said recently that the papal visit might be an irreplaceable occasion to deliver a clear address on Islamic-Christian relations.
Turkey is a secular, democratic and constitutional republic, whose political system was established in 1923. Of its 70 million inhabitants, 99% are Muslims, the majority Sunnis. Catholics comprise 0.05% of the population. Talk about an opportunity for good will!
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
It was wonderful to hear that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Turkey from November 28th to December 1st. The trip is taking place in response to an invitation from Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Pope will fly from Rome to Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday, Nov. 28th.
The following day he will visit Smyrna (or Izmir), the country’s third largest city, known as “the pearl of the Aegean,” and Ephesus, the city where St. Paul of Tarsus lived and where he was held captive. Tradition says that St. John the Evangelist lived there, accompanied by the Virgin Mary.
That same day, Benedict XVI will arrive in Istanbul, the former Constantinople, where he will stay until December 1st. In this way, the Pope will fulfill the original objective of his trip: to respond to the invitation of Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to take part in the feast of St. Andrew, the patriarchate’s patron saint, Nov. 30th.
The Pope has stated that the priorities of his pontificate include the promotion of ecumenical dialogue.
The Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, Bishop Luigi Padovese, said recently that the papal visit might be an irreplaceable occasion to deliver a clear address on Islamic-Christian relations.
Turkey is a secular, democratic and constitutional republic, whose political system was established in 1923. Of its 70 million inhabitants, 99% are Muslims, the majority Sunnis. Catholics comprise 0.05% of the population. Talk about an opportunity for good will!
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for October 15, 2006: The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
October 15, 2006
Dear Friend
I continue to marvel at the power of faith and the strength of the Amish Community in the face of the Amish School Shootings
It is Jim Wallis’ job is to read a variety of news sources each morning and summarize the top stories in a daily digest he produces. He confesses that there are times when the violence in our world – from Darfur to Iraq, Colombia to the Middle East – threatens him with numbness. Then, there comes a story that deeply affects him. The following is his very moving account of such a story.
“On Monday morning, the breaking news bulletins began to flash into my inbox of a shooting at an Amish schoolhouse near Paradise, PA, in the heart of Lancaster County. For me, that’s home – I grew up in the County, and for 25 years my parents lived ten miles from that school. My wife’s grandmother was Amish, and we both still have relatives in the area. As more details came in, the shock and grief grew. A heavily armed gunman, Charles Roberts, walked into a one-room country schoolhouse, ordered all the boys to leave, then tied up ten little girls and methodically shot them in the head before killing himself. News stories emerged of state troopers with their uniforms soaked in blood as they worked with medics trying to save lives.
Five girls died, and five are still in hospitals in serious to critical condition.
“Suddenly, the media discovered the Amish. A quiet, peaceful offshoot of the 16th century Anabaptist movement who have lived in Lancaster County since the early 1700’s, living and farming for the last three centuries without the aid of modern technology. I know the countryside where this tragedy occurred. It’s rolling farmland, with not a power line in sight and farmers with teams of horses working the fields. If you ignore the car you’re driving on the back roads, it’s easy to imagine you’re in the 19th century.
“I’ve been surprised at the news coverage. The reporters covering the story have understood and written about the Amish in a generally knowledgeable and respectful way. As I’ve read the news, and reflected on the events, two things struck me as having entered into the news cycle that we don’t often see. One is the power of faith and forgiveness, the other the strength of community. In their quiet way, the Amish families and neighbors of these girls showed a witness to the world that it doesn’t see very often.
The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
“A pastor who has been with the Roberts family – the gunman leaves behind a wife and three children – told a Lancaster newspaper of being in the family’s home when there was a knock on the door. It was an Amish neighbor coming on behalf of the community. He put his arms around Roberts’ father, and said, “We will forgive you.” The pastor concluded: “God met us in that kitchen.”
“Also reported was a statement the family of one of the girls gave to the press: “We don’t know or understand why this happened, but we do believe God allowed this to happen. The rest of us, our lives will go on. We will try to work together to support and help the families directly involved, knowing that the innocent children likely need help in dealing with this tragedy of their friends, neighbors, and schoolmates.’’ The girl’s great-uncle added, “There is sadness for everybody involved, including the man responsible for this tragedy.’’
“One of this morning’s headlines reads: “Amish families hurt, but find way to forgive.” It is a spirit that I don’t often see in the news. A spirit in complete keeping with Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43-44) And a spirit that is now being sustained by Jesus: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. … Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:4, 7)
The Strength of Community
“The Amish community is known for its self-reliance. They do not have property insurance, so a community-wide barn raising is held to replace one downed by fire. They do not hold health or life insurance, relying rather on the community. The news reports this week have told of neighbors, friends and relatives coming to the homes of the families, bringing food and comfort. An AP story quoted a family counselor who was called to talk with the students who had run away: “There is a coming together. That’s how they deal with everything. They come together.” In a time of great grief, there is the strength of family and community.
“It is a community that lives by the words of Paul to his churches: “Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it…” (1 Corinthians 12:26) This week, the Amish community is demonstrating to the world the truth of those verses.”
What a great example these simple followers of Jesus are for us all.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend
I continue to marvel at the power of faith and the strength of the Amish Community in the face of the Amish School Shootings
It is Jim Wallis’ job is to read a variety of news sources each morning and summarize the top stories in a daily digest he produces. He confesses that there are times when the violence in our world – from Darfur to Iraq, Colombia to the Middle East – threatens him with numbness. Then, there comes a story that deeply affects him. The following is his very moving account of such a story.
“On Monday morning, the breaking news bulletins began to flash into my inbox of a shooting at an Amish schoolhouse near Paradise, PA, in the heart of Lancaster County. For me, that’s home – I grew up in the County, and for 25 years my parents lived ten miles from that school. My wife’s grandmother was Amish, and we both still have relatives in the area. As more details came in, the shock and grief grew. A heavily armed gunman, Charles Roberts, walked into a one-room country schoolhouse, ordered all the boys to leave, then tied up ten little girls and methodically shot them in the head before killing himself. News stories emerged of state troopers with their uniforms soaked in blood as they worked with medics trying to save lives.
Five girls died, and five are still in hospitals in serious to critical condition.
“Suddenly, the media discovered the Amish. A quiet, peaceful offshoot of the 16th century Anabaptist movement who have lived in Lancaster County since the early 1700’s, living and farming for the last three centuries without the aid of modern technology. I know the countryside where this tragedy occurred. It’s rolling farmland, with not a power line in sight and farmers with teams of horses working the fields. If you ignore the car you’re driving on the back roads, it’s easy to imagine you’re in the 19th century.
“I’ve been surprised at the news coverage. The reporters covering the story have understood and written about the Amish in a generally knowledgeable and respectful way. As I’ve read the news, and reflected on the events, two things struck me as having entered into the news cycle that we don’t often see. One is the power of faith and forgiveness, the other the strength of community. In their quiet way, the Amish families and neighbors of these girls showed a witness to the world that it doesn’t see very often.
The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
“A pastor who has been with the Roberts family – the gunman leaves behind a wife and three children – told a Lancaster newspaper of being in the family’s home when there was a knock on the door. It was an Amish neighbor coming on behalf of the community. He put his arms around Roberts’ father, and said, “We will forgive you.” The pastor concluded: “God met us in that kitchen.”
“Also reported was a statement the family of one of the girls gave to the press: “We don’t know or understand why this happened, but we do believe God allowed this to happen. The rest of us, our lives will go on. We will try to work together to support and help the families directly involved, knowing that the innocent children likely need help in dealing with this tragedy of their friends, neighbors, and schoolmates.’’ The girl’s great-uncle added, “There is sadness for everybody involved, including the man responsible for this tragedy.’’
“One of this morning’s headlines reads: “Amish families hurt, but find way to forgive.” It is a spirit that I don’t often see in the news. A spirit in complete keeping with Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43-44) And a spirit that is now being sustained by Jesus: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. … Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:4, 7)
The Strength of Community
“The Amish community is known for its self-reliance. They do not have property insurance, so a community-wide barn raising is held to replace one downed by fire. They do not hold health or life insurance, relying rather on the community. The news reports this week have told of neighbors, friends and relatives coming to the homes of the families, bringing food and comfort. An AP story quoted a family counselor who was called to talk with the students who had run away: “There is a coming together. That’s how they deal with everything. They come together.” In a time of great grief, there is the strength of family and community.
“It is a community that lives by the words of Paul to his churches: “Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it…” (1 Corinthians 12:26) This week, the Amish community is demonstrating to the world the truth of those verses.”
What a great example these simple followers of Jesus are for us all.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 15, 2006: A Message from the World Summit of Religious Leaders
This and That:
A Message From World Summit of Religious Leaders
This past summer the World Summit of Religious Leaders met in Moscow and issued the following joint message. They represented heads and delegates of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Shinto religious communities in 49 countries and appealed to the Heads of States, to their religious communities and to all people of good will.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
We believe that the human person is religious by nature. Since the dawn of history, religion has played the key role in the development of thought, culture, ethics and the social order. With the ever-growing role of faith in contemporary society, we want religion to continue being a solid foundation for peace and dialogue amongst civilizations, and not to be used as a source of division and conflict. Religion has the potential to bind together diverse peoples and cultures despite our human fragility, particularly in today’s context of plurality and diversity.
Human life
Human life is a gift of the Almighty. Our sacred duty is to preserve it, and this should be the concern of both religious communities and political leaders. Dialogue and partnership among civilizations should not just be slogans. We need to build a world order which combines democracy – as the way of harmonizing different interests and as people’s participation in national and global decision-making – and respect to the moral feeling, way of life, various legal and political systems, and national and religious traditions of people. Comprehensive, just and durable solutions of international disputes should be reached by peaceful means. We reject double standards in international relations. The world should have many poles and many systems, meeting the requirements of all individuals and nations rather than matching lifeless and oversimplified ideological patterns.
The human being is the Creator’s unique creation whose existence reaches into eternity. Humans should not become either a commodity or an object of political manipulation or an element of the production and consumption machine.
Conception till natural death
It is, therefore, necessary to assert constantly the highest value of human life from conception to the final breath and natural death. Thus the family needs support today, for it is the privileged context for cultivating the free, intelligent and moral personality. We call for more assistance to the family, particularly in its formative mission by national and international law and the practice of states, various public institutions, religious communities and the mass media.
Linked to this is our concern for the status of women and children in many societies. Promoting the unique character of every person, women and men, children and the elderly, as well as people with disabilities, we see that they all have their special gifts. Protecting them from violence and exploitation is a common task for authorities, society, and religious communities.
The human being is the supreme creation of the Almighty. Therefore human rights – their protection and respect at the national, regional and international level – are an important concern for us. Nevertheless, our experience also shows that without an ethical core, without understanding our duties, no society or country is exempt from conflict and collapse.
Freedom and rights
Sin and vice ruin both the individual and the society. For this reason we are convinced that law and social order should seek to bring together in fruitful harmony a commitment to rights and freedom as well as an awareness of the ethical principles that are constitutive of human living together. We state the importance of religious freedom in today’s world. Individuals and groups must be immune from coercion. No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his or her own beliefs in religious matters. It is also necessary to take into account the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
We condemn terrorism and extremism of any form, as well as attempts to justify them by religion. We consider it our duty to oppose enmity on political, ethnic or religious grounds. We deplore the activities of pseudo-religious groups and movements destroying freedom and health of people as well as the ethical climate in societies. Using religion as a means for rousing hatred or an excuse for crimes against individuals, morality and humanity present a major challenge today. This can be effectively addressed only through education and moral formation. School, mass media, and preaching by religious leaders should return to our contemporaries the full knowledge of their religious traditions which call them to peace and love.
Ethical values
We call for an end to any insult to religious feelings and defilement of texts, symbols, names or places held sacred by believers. Those who abuse sacred things should know that it wounds the hearts and stirs up strife among the people. Through education and social action, we must reassert sustainable ethical values in the consciousness of people. We believe these values to be given to us by the Almighty and deeply rooted in human nature. They are shared by our religions in many practical ways.
We feel responsible for the moral condition of our societies and want to shoulder this responsibility in working together with states and civil associations enabling a life where ethical values are an asset and a source of sustainability.
Economy and resources
Human life is also interrelated with economy. International economic order, as all other spheres of global architecture, should be based on justice. All economic and business activities should be socially responsible and carried out using the ethical standards. It is this that makes the economy really efficient, that is, beneficial to the people. A life lived only for financial profit and facilitating production progress becomes barren and meager. Being aware of this, we call on the business community to be open and responsible towards the civil society, including religious communities, at the national and global levels.
It is imperative that all governments and the business community alike be responsible stewards of the resources of our planet. These resources, as given to all generations by the Creator, should be used for the benefit of everyone. All nations have the right to use their resources, sharing them with others, as well as to develop technologies for their effective use and preservation.
Poverty
The responsible distribution of the earth’s richness, in addition to just international trade and active humanitarian involvement, will help overcome the poverty and hunger suffered by billions of our brothers and sisters. Poverty and social vulnerability become the cause of mass migration generating more and more problems in both poor and rich countries. The concentration of the majority of the world’s wealth in the hands of a few, while an enormous number of people, especially children, live in abject poverty, is a global tragedy. It will most definitely continue to destabilize the world, threatening global peace. We call upon all nations to return to a life of moderation, self-restraint and active justice. This will secure a hopeful future for upcoming generations and effectively function to cut the ground out from under the feet of extremists and terrorists.
Today’s challenges
The governments, religious communities and peoples of the world should work together to face the challenges of today, such as infectious disease epidemics, particularly AIDS, as well as drug addiction, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. No country, regardless of wealth and power, can cope with these threats on its own. We are all interconnected and share a common destiny. This requires concerted and united action by all member states of the international community. Moreover, the spread of diseases is not a concern for doctors alone, and the dissemination of lethal technologies is not a problem for law-enforcers alone. These challenges should become a common concern for the whole society.
Dialogue
Inter-religious dialogue should be maintained by the religious leaders and experts, and be enriched by the contribution of ordinary believers. It is inappropriate, and history shows that it is dangerous, for the actions of religious communities to be dictated by political interests. We also deplore attempts to artificially “merge” religious traditions or to change them without the will of their adherents in order to bring them closer to secularism. Our communities are also ready to develop dialogue with the adherents of non-religious views, with politicians, with all civil society structures, with international organizations. It is our hope that such a dialogue continues, permitting religions to contribute to concord and understanding among nations, a common home founded on the truth, built according to justice, vivified by love and liberty.
This dialogue should be conducted on an equal footing, in a responsible way and on a regular basis, with openness to any themes, without ideological prejudice. We believe that the time has come for a more systemic partnership of religious leaders with the United Nations. Making a special appeal to all the believing people, we urge them to respect and accept one another regardless of their religious, national or other differences. Let us help one another and all well-intentioned people in building a better future for the entire human family. Let us preserve peace given to us by the Almighty!
Moscow
July 5, 2006
A Message From World Summit of Religious Leaders
This past summer the World Summit of Religious Leaders met in Moscow and issued the following joint message. They represented heads and delegates of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Shinto religious communities in 49 countries and appealed to the Heads of States, to their religious communities and to all people of good will.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
We believe that the human person is religious by nature. Since the dawn of history, religion has played the key role in the development of thought, culture, ethics and the social order. With the ever-growing role of faith in contemporary society, we want religion to continue being a solid foundation for peace and dialogue amongst civilizations, and not to be used as a source of division and conflict. Religion has the potential to bind together diverse peoples and cultures despite our human fragility, particularly in today’s context of plurality and diversity.
Human life
Human life is a gift of the Almighty. Our sacred duty is to preserve it, and this should be the concern of both religious communities and political leaders. Dialogue and partnership among civilizations should not just be slogans. We need to build a world order which combines democracy – as the way of harmonizing different interests and as people’s participation in national and global decision-making – and respect to the moral feeling, way of life, various legal and political systems, and national and religious traditions of people. Comprehensive, just and durable solutions of international disputes should be reached by peaceful means. We reject double standards in international relations. The world should have many poles and many systems, meeting the requirements of all individuals and nations rather than matching lifeless and oversimplified ideological patterns.
The human being is the Creator’s unique creation whose existence reaches into eternity. Humans should not become either a commodity or an object of political manipulation or an element of the production and consumption machine.
Conception till natural death
It is, therefore, necessary to assert constantly the highest value of human life from conception to the final breath and natural death. Thus the family needs support today, for it is the privileged context for cultivating the free, intelligent and moral personality. We call for more assistance to the family, particularly in its formative mission by national and international law and the practice of states, various public institutions, religious communities and the mass media.
Linked to this is our concern for the status of women and children in many societies. Promoting the unique character of every person, women and men, children and the elderly, as well as people with disabilities, we see that they all have their special gifts. Protecting them from violence and exploitation is a common task for authorities, society, and religious communities.
The human being is the supreme creation of the Almighty. Therefore human rights – their protection and respect at the national, regional and international level – are an important concern for us. Nevertheless, our experience also shows that without an ethical core, without understanding our duties, no society or country is exempt from conflict and collapse.
Freedom and rights
Sin and vice ruin both the individual and the society. For this reason we are convinced that law and social order should seek to bring together in fruitful harmony a commitment to rights and freedom as well as an awareness of the ethical principles that are constitutive of human living together. We state the importance of religious freedom in today’s world. Individuals and groups must be immune from coercion. No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his or her own beliefs in religious matters. It is also necessary to take into account the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
We condemn terrorism and extremism of any form, as well as attempts to justify them by religion. We consider it our duty to oppose enmity on political, ethnic or religious grounds. We deplore the activities of pseudo-religious groups and movements destroying freedom and health of people as well as the ethical climate in societies. Using religion as a means for rousing hatred or an excuse for crimes against individuals, morality and humanity present a major challenge today. This can be effectively addressed only through education and moral formation. School, mass media, and preaching by religious leaders should return to our contemporaries the full knowledge of their religious traditions which call them to peace and love.
Ethical values
We call for an end to any insult to religious feelings and defilement of texts, symbols, names or places held sacred by believers. Those who abuse sacred things should know that it wounds the hearts and stirs up strife among the people. Through education and social action, we must reassert sustainable ethical values in the consciousness of people. We believe these values to be given to us by the Almighty and deeply rooted in human nature. They are shared by our religions in many practical ways.
We feel responsible for the moral condition of our societies and want to shoulder this responsibility in working together with states and civil associations enabling a life where ethical values are an asset and a source of sustainability.
Economy and resources
Human life is also interrelated with economy. International economic order, as all other spheres of global architecture, should be based on justice. All economic and business activities should be socially responsible and carried out using the ethical standards. It is this that makes the economy really efficient, that is, beneficial to the people. A life lived only for financial profit and facilitating production progress becomes barren and meager. Being aware of this, we call on the business community to be open and responsible towards the civil society, including religious communities, at the national and global levels.
It is imperative that all governments and the business community alike be responsible stewards of the resources of our planet. These resources, as given to all generations by the Creator, should be used for the benefit of everyone. All nations have the right to use their resources, sharing them with others, as well as to develop technologies for their effective use and preservation.
Poverty
The responsible distribution of the earth’s richness, in addition to just international trade and active humanitarian involvement, will help overcome the poverty and hunger suffered by billions of our brothers and sisters. Poverty and social vulnerability become the cause of mass migration generating more and more problems in both poor and rich countries. The concentration of the majority of the world’s wealth in the hands of a few, while an enormous number of people, especially children, live in abject poverty, is a global tragedy. It will most definitely continue to destabilize the world, threatening global peace. We call upon all nations to return to a life of moderation, self-restraint and active justice. This will secure a hopeful future for upcoming generations and effectively function to cut the ground out from under the feet of extremists and terrorists.
Today’s challenges
The governments, religious communities and peoples of the world should work together to face the challenges of today, such as infectious disease epidemics, particularly AIDS, as well as drug addiction, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. No country, regardless of wealth and power, can cope with these threats on its own. We are all interconnected and share a common destiny. This requires concerted and united action by all member states of the international community. Moreover, the spread of diseases is not a concern for doctors alone, and the dissemination of lethal technologies is not a problem for law-enforcers alone. These challenges should become a common concern for the whole society.
Dialogue
Inter-religious dialogue should be maintained by the religious leaders and experts, and be enriched by the contribution of ordinary believers. It is inappropriate, and history shows that it is dangerous, for the actions of religious communities to be dictated by political interests. We also deplore attempts to artificially “merge” religious traditions or to change them without the will of their adherents in order to bring them closer to secularism. Our communities are also ready to develop dialogue with the adherents of non-religious views, with politicians, with all civil society structures, with international organizations. It is our hope that such a dialogue continues, permitting religions to contribute to concord and understanding among nations, a common home founded on the truth, built according to justice, vivified by love and liberty.
This dialogue should be conducted on an equal footing, in a responsible way and on a regular basis, with openness to any themes, without ideological prejudice. We believe that the time has come for a more systemic partnership of religious leaders with the United Nations. Making a special appeal to all the believing people, we urge them to respect and accept one another regardless of their religious, national or other differences. Let us help one another and all well-intentioned people in building a better future for the entire human family. Let us preserve peace given to us by the Almighty!
Moscow
July 5, 2006
Weekly HOMILY for October 15, 2006: The Choices Before Us to Folow Jesus
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 15, 2006
The Choices Before Us to Follow Jesus
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Arid Land → Niagara Falls
Once upon a time, two men lived on the arid stretches of mesa in Arizona where it rained only briefly a couple times a year. Nothing grew there except cactus, lizards and sand fleas.
Both men had grown weary of being so thirsty in such a dusty place so they decided to travel to Niagara Falls.
Upon their arrival, the view was breathtaking! They witnessed water thundering down hundreds of feet in abundance, making the air heavy with mist, offering cool refreshment to all.
Overjoyed at their discovery, one of the men held out a large empty juice bottle and in a flash it was filled to overflowing. “I think I shall come here every six months with a bottle or two,” he said to his companion.
The other man shared his own idea. “I think I shall leave my home in Arizona and settle and build a home by the river.”
The Falls or the Desert?
Which of the two men showed himself to be truly wise, wise as Solomon in the first reading or wise as Jesus in the Gospel we just heard?
With which of the two men might you identify? Whose lead would you follow?
Probably only a few of us would dare to admit that we might choose to go back to life in the arid desert and rely on the occasional visit to the Falls for a much needed respite.
While we might long for relief from the aridity and dust, how many of us would be willing or wise enough to make such a life-changing decision and leave all that was familiar – however dreadful or unsatisfying – in order to embrace the unknown, the untried?
Would we dare risk our sure base of security? Would we chance the loss of everything that was so familiar?
Religious Status Quo
But this is precisely the choice placed by Jesus to the young man who runs up to him to ask about a share in everlasting life. And it is the choice placed before us today as we “run up” to Jesus in the Eucharist this evening/morning.
First, we can continue with our “religious status quo,” that is, keeping the rules that have been our guide since we were children, rules like not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying or defrauding, and honoring one’s parents and thinking we’re doing just fine.
Notice the comfort level we may have here and one that can be attained with a just a smidgen of faithfulness and perseverance.
Or we can let go of the comfortable easily kept rules and venture out into the unknown – the going beyond the rules – by being kind to others especially strangers, taking time to “turn the other cheek,” “walk the extra mile,” stepping up to the plate and offering to volunteer at my church?
Things we Posses and Treasure
Second, we can look at the things we posses and treasure, the things we go to great lengths to amass, and ask, “How much faith do I put into these things to bring me lasting happiness?”
Can I come away from the safe harbor of familiar objects, expensive “toys,” and things that glitter and vie for my attention?
Can I acknowledge that nothing satisfies like my relationship with Jesus Christ?
And if that is true, do I take the time to pursue that relationship with faithful attendance at weekly Mass, daily prayer, and acts of kindness?
Security Against the Future
Third, in my mind can I let go of what I consider “security against the future” that I have stored up against a rainy day, you know, my “hedge against inflation,” my secured savings?
Can I let go of what makes me feel invulnerable and prepared to face any and all emergencies?
It’s not having these securities that Jesus is calling us from, so much as it’s placing our trust in these things to keep us secure over Jesus’ relationship with me.
To all these things – “Religious status quo,” “Things we posses and treasure,” and “Security against the future” – that Jesus invites us to: “Come away, let go, and attach yourself to me as if to a lifeboat on a stormy sea.”
Conclusion
We need to be fully aware of the challenge Jesus is offering the young man in the Gospel who runs to him in eager anticipation, then goes away sad, his face fallen, his heart weighed down with blessings and burdens of many possessions.
Why? because Jesus is speaking the very same challenge to us today.
The question for us is, like the second man in the fairytale of Niagara, “Are we willing to build our home in Jesus Christ?”
Our Lady of Grace
October 15, 2006
The Choices Before Us to Follow Jesus
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Arid Land → Niagara Falls
Once upon a time, two men lived on the arid stretches of mesa in Arizona where it rained only briefly a couple times a year. Nothing grew there except cactus, lizards and sand fleas.
Both men had grown weary of being so thirsty in such a dusty place so they decided to travel to Niagara Falls.
Upon their arrival, the view was breathtaking! They witnessed water thundering down hundreds of feet in abundance, making the air heavy with mist, offering cool refreshment to all.
Overjoyed at their discovery, one of the men held out a large empty juice bottle and in a flash it was filled to overflowing. “I think I shall come here every six months with a bottle or two,” he said to his companion.
The other man shared his own idea. “I think I shall leave my home in Arizona and settle and build a home by the river.”
The Falls or the Desert?
Which of the two men showed himself to be truly wise, wise as Solomon in the first reading or wise as Jesus in the Gospel we just heard?
With which of the two men might you identify? Whose lead would you follow?
Probably only a few of us would dare to admit that we might choose to go back to life in the arid desert and rely on the occasional visit to the Falls for a much needed respite.
While we might long for relief from the aridity and dust, how many of us would be willing or wise enough to make such a life-changing decision and leave all that was familiar – however dreadful or unsatisfying – in order to embrace the unknown, the untried?
Would we dare risk our sure base of security? Would we chance the loss of everything that was so familiar?
Religious Status Quo
But this is precisely the choice placed by Jesus to the young man who runs up to him to ask about a share in everlasting life. And it is the choice placed before us today as we “run up” to Jesus in the Eucharist this evening/morning.
First, we can continue with our “religious status quo,” that is, keeping the rules that have been our guide since we were children, rules like not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying or defrauding, and honoring one’s parents and thinking we’re doing just fine.
Notice the comfort level we may have here and one that can be attained with a just a smidgen of faithfulness and perseverance.
Or we can let go of the comfortable easily kept rules and venture out into the unknown – the going beyond the rules – by being kind to others especially strangers, taking time to “turn the other cheek,” “walk the extra mile,” stepping up to the plate and offering to volunteer at my church?
Things we Posses and Treasure
Second, we can look at the things we posses and treasure, the things we go to great lengths to amass, and ask, “How much faith do I put into these things to bring me lasting happiness?”
Can I come away from the safe harbor of familiar objects, expensive “toys,” and things that glitter and vie for my attention?
Can I acknowledge that nothing satisfies like my relationship with Jesus Christ?
And if that is true, do I take the time to pursue that relationship with faithful attendance at weekly Mass, daily prayer, and acts of kindness?
Security Against the Future
Third, in my mind can I let go of what I consider “security against the future” that I have stored up against a rainy day, you know, my “hedge against inflation,” my secured savings?
Can I let go of what makes me feel invulnerable and prepared to face any and all emergencies?
It’s not having these securities that Jesus is calling us from, so much as it’s placing our trust in these things to keep us secure over Jesus’ relationship with me.
To all these things – “Religious status quo,” “Things we posses and treasure,” and “Security against the future” – that Jesus invites us to: “Come away, let go, and attach yourself to me as if to a lifeboat on a stormy sea.”
Conclusion
We need to be fully aware of the challenge Jesus is offering the young man in the Gospel who runs to him in eager anticipation, then goes away sad, his face fallen, his heart weighed down with blessings and burdens of many possessions.
Why? because Jesus is speaking the very same challenge to us today.
The question for us is, like the second man in the fairytale of Niagara, “Are we willing to build our home in Jesus Christ?”
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for October 8, 2006: Today We Are Amish
October 8, 2006
Dear Friend,
This past week I have found myself mourning the death of the five little girls in Monday’s Amish schoolhouse shooting in Lancaster County, PA. The editorial in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun settled me a bit and brought tears to my eyes.
“Lamentations: The Baltimore Sun, Wednesday, October 4, 20065
“Death is seldom easy to bear, but to lose so many innocent children to such unspeakable horror as took place Monday in a barricaded one-room schoolhouse is a tragedy beyond measure. And yet the image that will haunt us for a long time is not the TV helicopter-eye view of that pastoral killing ground in tiny Nickel Mines, PA, but the congregation of Amish men in their dark clothes and straw hats and women in equally plain dress standing a silent vigil outside the police crime-scene tape. They are transfixed by the grim proceedings, but powerless to do much about them.
“Today, we are Amish. We are standing on the outside trying to understand this incomprehensible act of violence. How could a man, a father of three who family members insist has lived a rational life, shoot these young girls in such a carefully planned and brutal manner? As of late yesterday afternoon, police say five of Charles Carl Roberts IV’s victims are dead; five others remain hospitalized in critical condition.
“This is a crime that will no doubt be analyzed and scrutinized and dissected by police, forensic psychiatrists and other experts in considerable detail. Police have offered evidence that Mr. Roberts had a confused and twisted mind. He claimed to have abused children in the past and dreamed of doing so again. He may have harbored deep guilt, anger and self-loathing.
“So, too, the tragedy will raise familiar questions of public policy. We will no doubt re-examine the too-easy availability of firearms in this country; the propensity for violent attacks in schools, what motivates them and how to make schools more secure; and whether the steady cultural diet of violence in our news and entertainment incites imitators or merely inspires mind-numbing indifference and acceptance.
“But it’s difficult to take much comfort from explanation or outrage. They cannot hold a dead man accountable, or raise his victims, or restore their grieving families. What we must deal with now is a sadness and a sense of disquietude that such a thing could happen in this country, particularly to a religious brethren that abhors violence and rejects the vanity and materialism of 21st-century life.
“We’ve seen too many bullets fired into too many children for too long. A terrible hurt has been inflicted. Nickel Mines may be a 90-minute drive and a cultural world away from Baltimore, but it doesn’t feel so far apart right now. “
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
This past week I have found myself mourning the death of the five little girls in Monday’s Amish schoolhouse shooting in Lancaster County, PA. The editorial in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun settled me a bit and brought tears to my eyes.
“Lamentations: The Baltimore Sun, Wednesday, October 4, 20065
“Death is seldom easy to bear, but to lose so many innocent children to such unspeakable horror as took place Monday in a barricaded one-room schoolhouse is a tragedy beyond measure. And yet the image that will haunt us for a long time is not the TV helicopter-eye view of that pastoral killing ground in tiny Nickel Mines, PA, but the congregation of Amish men in their dark clothes and straw hats and women in equally plain dress standing a silent vigil outside the police crime-scene tape. They are transfixed by the grim proceedings, but powerless to do much about them.
“Today, we are Amish. We are standing on the outside trying to understand this incomprehensible act of violence. How could a man, a father of three who family members insist has lived a rational life, shoot these young girls in such a carefully planned and brutal manner? As of late yesterday afternoon, police say five of Charles Carl Roberts IV’s victims are dead; five others remain hospitalized in critical condition.
“This is a crime that will no doubt be analyzed and scrutinized and dissected by police, forensic psychiatrists and other experts in considerable detail. Police have offered evidence that Mr. Roberts had a confused and twisted mind. He claimed to have abused children in the past and dreamed of doing so again. He may have harbored deep guilt, anger and self-loathing.
“So, too, the tragedy will raise familiar questions of public policy. We will no doubt re-examine the too-easy availability of firearms in this country; the propensity for violent attacks in schools, what motivates them and how to make schools more secure; and whether the steady cultural diet of violence in our news and entertainment incites imitators or merely inspires mind-numbing indifference and acceptance.
“But it’s difficult to take much comfort from explanation or outrage. They cannot hold a dead man accountable, or raise his victims, or restore their grieving families. What we must deal with now is a sadness and a sense of disquietude that such a thing could happen in this country, particularly to a religious brethren that abhors violence and rejects the vanity and materialism of 21st-century life.
“We’ve seen too many bullets fired into too many children for too long. A terrible hurt has been inflicted. Nickel Mines may be a 90-minute drive and a cultural world away from Baltimore, but it doesn’t feel so far apart right now. “
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 8, 2006: Five New Faces for the School Year
This and That:
Five New Faces for the New School Year
Our Lady of Grace is one of 15 “learning parishes” for St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, right here in Baltimore. Last year the Seminary came to a realization that completely revamped its pastoral training program for men studying for the priesthood. The “rude awakening” was that with the clergy shortage, they had to begin preparing men to become pastors within a few years after ordination. No longer did we have the luxury of having a newly ordained priest go through the process of being 2nd curate, then getting moved to another parish after four years to become 1st curate and eventually a pastor after 8 to 12 years. As a result, St. Mary’s devised a way to give seminarians four years of experience – one year in each of four parishes – learning from selected pastors how best to pastor. It is an honor for Our Lady of Grace to be such a designated parish site. Something about each of our four seminarians with the focus of each year and how they will fulfill that focus here in our parish follows. They will be on hand each weekend at two Masses; please take the time to say hello and get to know them better. What follows the seminarians is information on our Permanent Deacon Candidate.
ERIN BROWN is a deacon studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Last year, he served at St. Francis de Sales parish in Abingdon. He is looking forward to serving here at Our Lady of Grace and after just a few weeks with us says, “It’s a real blessing.” The Seminary has stated the following as parameters for his ministry among us: Diaconal Service, Preaching, and Coordinator of the Seminarian Team. Erin will be preaching on the 4th Sunday of the month at two Masses. He will also do group Baptisms on the 1st Sunday of each month, as well as and wake services. He will also be responsible for communication regarding the team.
TIM BALLIETT is in third theology and studying for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Erie and his diocesan assignment is at St. Tobias Parish in Brockway. He will be ordained a deacon this coming April. Before entering the seminary, he earned degrees in psychology at Gannon University in Erie and at Penn State. The Seminary parameters for Tim are teaching, responsibility for a ministerial project, and working collaboratively with the parish staff. Tim’s learning contract with us includes being a member of the RCIA Team. His “project” will be setting up a formation program for RCIA sponsors. He will also assist in giving Sacramental Preparation Workshops and make guest appearances at Religious Education classes.
JULIAN CRESPO is from Colombia, South America. He is studying for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Julian is in second Theology. He looks forward to continue learning more from our culture and the way we experience our spirituality. The Seminary has asked us to place Julian in situations where he can learn to minister to sick and suffering, as well as helping us promote solidarity and justice. His learning contract includes: hospital visitation, visiting the homebound, going to Manor Care with our youth each month, and being present when I have Bereavement Sessions with families who have lost a loved one.
MICHAEL HALL is also studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey and is in first theology after finishing a year of Pre-Theology also at St. Mary’s. He is 28 years old and, after going to Restaurant School in Philadelphia, spent five years as a Restaurant and Hotel Manager in Princeton, New Jersey. “After 14 years of involvement in Youth Ministry for my home parish,” he states, “I was not able to shake the urge inside me to take my faith to another level. I contacted my Diocesan Vocation director and the rest is history.” Michael is looking forward to spending a year in what he calls “such a vibrant parish.” He is happy to have us be a part of his journey to the priesthood. With Michael as a 1st year man, the Seminary would like him to understand the pastoral dynamics of our parish. His contract involves: watching how systems work here at Our Lady of Grace, discerning the local Theology, that is what ecclesiology is operating (e.g. how pastor and staff relate to the people, what their celebration of Mass is like, what kind of a parish are we?) and some participation in ministry. Michael will: attend meetings of councils and committees, discuss systems with Pastoral Team members, shadow Elaine Hagner, our Parish Administrator, and serve as Catechist in Middle School Religious Education class.
In addition to the four seminarians we also have the good fortune of having an individual studying for the Permanent Diaconate. As Deacon Fred Passauer, last year, John Koester will be with us through his ordination to the Diaconate on May 19, 2007. We will be seeing lots of him and we welcome him and his wife Susan to our parish family.
JOHN KOESTER grew up in Baltimore City and has lived in Harford County since 1984. His wife Susan is from Massachusetts. They are members of St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air. He is beginning his final year of classes for the formation program for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is looking forward, as he puts it, “If the Lord wills,” to his ordination. John is pleased to be at Our Lady of Grace for this very important and final year of formation. He already feels very welcome. John’s pastoral year with us will include: oversight of Saturday and Sunday evening Masses, preaching on the 4th weekend of the month, Baptism Preparation sessions and Baptism set-up, shadowing Father Nick in Marriage Preparation sessions, wedding rehearsals and bereavement sessions, teaching sessions of the RCIA, reviving our Parish Nurse Program, and attending Pastoral Team meetings.
Should you wish to chat with any of the seminarians or John, they would be happy to respond to your emails. Their addresses are as follows:
➢ Erin Brown: ebrown@stmarys.edu
➢ Tim Balliett: tballiett@stmarys.edu
➢ Julian Crespo: crespojulian@hotmail.com
➢ Michael Hall: mhall@stmarys.edu
➢ John Koester: jwkinmd@clearviewcatv.net
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Five New Faces for the New School Year
Our Lady of Grace is one of 15 “learning parishes” for St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, right here in Baltimore. Last year the Seminary came to a realization that completely revamped its pastoral training program for men studying for the priesthood. The “rude awakening” was that with the clergy shortage, they had to begin preparing men to become pastors within a few years after ordination. No longer did we have the luxury of having a newly ordained priest go through the process of being 2nd curate, then getting moved to another parish after four years to become 1st curate and eventually a pastor after 8 to 12 years. As a result, St. Mary’s devised a way to give seminarians four years of experience – one year in each of four parishes – learning from selected pastors how best to pastor. It is an honor for Our Lady of Grace to be such a designated parish site. Something about each of our four seminarians with the focus of each year and how they will fulfill that focus here in our parish follows. They will be on hand each weekend at two Masses; please take the time to say hello and get to know them better. What follows the seminarians is information on our Permanent Deacon Candidate.
ERIN BROWN is a deacon studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Last year, he served at St. Francis de Sales parish in Abingdon. He is looking forward to serving here at Our Lady of Grace and after just a few weeks with us says, “It’s a real blessing.” The Seminary has stated the following as parameters for his ministry among us: Diaconal Service, Preaching, and Coordinator of the Seminarian Team. Erin will be preaching on the 4th Sunday of the month at two Masses. He will also do group Baptisms on the 1st Sunday of each month, as well as and wake services. He will also be responsible for communication regarding the team.
TIM BALLIETT is in third theology and studying for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Erie and his diocesan assignment is at St. Tobias Parish in Brockway. He will be ordained a deacon this coming April. Before entering the seminary, he earned degrees in psychology at Gannon University in Erie and at Penn State. The Seminary parameters for Tim are teaching, responsibility for a ministerial project, and working collaboratively with the parish staff. Tim’s learning contract with us includes being a member of the RCIA Team. His “project” will be setting up a formation program for RCIA sponsors. He will also assist in giving Sacramental Preparation Workshops and make guest appearances at Religious Education classes.
JULIAN CRESPO is from Colombia, South America. He is studying for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Julian is in second Theology. He looks forward to continue learning more from our culture and the way we experience our spirituality. The Seminary has asked us to place Julian in situations where he can learn to minister to sick and suffering, as well as helping us promote solidarity and justice. His learning contract includes: hospital visitation, visiting the homebound, going to Manor Care with our youth each month, and being present when I have Bereavement Sessions with families who have lost a loved one.
MICHAEL HALL is also studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey and is in first theology after finishing a year of Pre-Theology also at St. Mary’s. He is 28 years old and, after going to Restaurant School in Philadelphia, spent five years as a Restaurant and Hotel Manager in Princeton, New Jersey. “After 14 years of involvement in Youth Ministry for my home parish,” he states, “I was not able to shake the urge inside me to take my faith to another level. I contacted my Diocesan Vocation director and the rest is history.” Michael is looking forward to spending a year in what he calls “such a vibrant parish.” He is happy to have us be a part of his journey to the priesthood. With Michael as a 1st year man, the Seminary would like him to understand the pastoral dynamics of our parish. His contract involves: watching how systems work here at Our Lady of Grace, discerning the local Theology, that is what ecclesiology is operating (e.g. how pastor and staff relate to the people, what their celebration of Mass is like, what kind of a parish are we?) and some participation in ministry. Michael will: attend meetings of councils and committees, discuss systems with Pastoral Team members, shadow Elaine Hagner, our Parish Administrator, and serve as Catechist in Middle School Religious Education class.
In addition to the four seminarians we also have the good fortune of having an individual studying for the Permanent Diaconate. As Deacon Fred Passauer, last year, John Koester will be with us through his ordination to the Diaconate on May 19, 2007. We will be seeing lots of him and we welcome him and his wife Susan to our parish family.
JOHN KOESTER grew up in Baltimore City and has lived in Harford County since 1984. His wife Susan is from Massachusetts. They are members of St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air. He is beginning his final year of classes for the formation program for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is looking forward, as he puts it, “If the Lord wills,” to his ordination. John is pleased to be at Our Lady of Grace for this very important and final year of formation. He already feels very welcome. John’s pastoral year with us will include: oversight of Saturday and Sunday evening Masses, preaching on the 4th weekend of the month, Baptism Preparation sessions and Baptism set-up, shadowing Father Nick in Marriage Preparation sessions, wedding rehearsals and bereavement sessions, teaching sessions of the RCIA, reviving our Parish Nurse Program, and attending Pastoral Team meetings.
Should you wish to chat with any of the seminarians or John, they would be happy to respond to your emails. Their addresses are as follows:
➢ Erin Brown: ebrown@stmarys.edu
➢ Tim Balliett: tballiett@stmarys.edu
➢ Julian Crespo: crespojulian@hotmail.com
➢ Michael Hall: mhall@stmarys.edu
➢ John Koester: jwkinmd@clearviewcatv.net
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly HOMILY for October 8, 2006: Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 8, 2006
Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
eHarmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an author and relationship expert, is the founder of “eHarmony.” The Internet service is advertised as a patented “Compatibility Matching System.”
As spokesperson for his company, Warren asks television viewers and online guests, “Isn’t it time you experienced the joy of falling in love with someone who sees you, loves you and accepts you for who you are – the kind of joy that comes from true compatability …. Let eHarmony help you begin the journey to your soul mate today.”
Not a bad offer.
Their “journey” begins with a comprehensive 436-question “Relationship Questionnaire” that screens applicants on as many as 29 dimensions of compatibility, including values, character, education, sense of humor, spiritual beliefs, family background, life experiences, etc.
A highly successful enterprise, eHarmony boasts of having matched thousands of couples; a study conducted in 2005 by Harris Interactive claims that as many as 90 eHarmony couples get married every day.
Nevertheless, and despite the success that eHarmony can document, meeting one’s soul mate by discovering several levels of compatibility is one thing. Staying married, through all the joys and pains, the celebrations, and struggles of life, is quite another.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that the Church in its wisdom periodically invites the praying assembly to consider the gift of marriage and the inherent blessing and challenges it offers us.
Genesis & Jesus: The Reality and Power of Marriage
The reading from Genesis is a faith-inspired account of the creation of the universe and of the earth’s first partners who would share dominion over it.
It is very clear that man and woman are created to be soul mates and that their union is divinely intended to supercede even the relationship between parent and child.
When they are joined in the relationship of marriage, a man and a woman become one body, a new entity that did not exist before their union.
In the Gospel, when Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of divorce, he will reference this Genesis text and with it the truth that the marital union, intended and blessed by God, should not be severed by human beings.
And again we hear that the couple joined by marriage has become a new being; they are one flesh, one heart beating in two bodies, one soul enlivening two persons.
Now I would submit that such a union cannot be based on mere feelings or infatuation. Regardless of how potent such passions may be, they do not have the “legs” to withstand the long and winding – might we add arduous – journey that is a marriage.
And this is the point I want to make: that this journey becomes possible only when two persons share at the deepest level of their faith, their values, their spirituality. Yes, our faith stands at the center of most of our life experiences and relationships.
Application
Here’s my thinking.
If the most important relationship we have in life is our relationship with God, and if this most important relationship is founded, formed and sustained in faith, doesn’t it stand to reason that faith would also be an integral aspect of the primary human relationship of a marriage?
So this faith between me and God and the relationship that comes from it (gesture: left palm up for God and right palm on chest for self) empowers the faith between husband and wife (gesture palm to palm as husband to wife) thus creating an extraordinary potential for unity and endurance.
Yes, faith-in-God as two individuals empowers faith-shared-in-each-other as husband and wife.
And when that exists in a marriage what might you expect from your marriage?
➢ How about a faith that endures when beauty fades?
➢ How about a faith that survives when finances fail, when physical or mental health deteriorates, when troubles comes, when death visits?
➢ How about a faith that sustains the two of you when friends or relatives disappoint or betray you, when jobs are lost, when trust is tested?
➢ How about a faith that enables when self-esteem and self-confidence are lost?
➢ Or a faith that empowers you when fears seem to cripple you?
From many of your marriages that I have experienced, I have come to know that faith in God and a shared faith in each other makes for the deepest degree of compatibility that can exist between a man and a woman.
In the celebrations your 25th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries I have seen a faith that enables that relationship to continue, to thrive, and to endure.
Conclusion
eHarmony may have a great way of drawing people together as soul mates, but it is shared faith in God, empowering your faith in each other, that will keep you together!
Our Lady of Grace
October 8, 2006
Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
eHarmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an author and relationship expert, is the founder of “eHarmony.” The Internet service is advertised as a patented “Compatibility Matching System.”
As spokesperson for his company, Warren asks television viewers and online guests, “Isn’t it time you experienced the joy of falling in love with someone who sees you, loves you and accepts you for who you are – the kind of joy that comes from true compatability …. Let eHarmony help you begin the journey to your soul mate today.”
Not a bad offer.
Their “journey” begins with a comprehensive 436-question “Relationship Questionnaire” that screens applicants on as many as 29 dimensions of compatibility, including values, character, education, sense of humor, spiritual beliefs, family background, life experiences, etc.
A highly successful enterprise, eHarmony boasts of having matched thousands of couples; a study conducted in 2005 by Harris Interactive claims that as many as 90 eHarmony couples get married every day.
Nevertheless, and despite the success that eHarmony can document, meeting one’s soul mate by discovering several levels of compatibility is one thing. Staying married, through all the joys and pains, the celebrations, and struggles of life, is quite another.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that the Church in its wisdom periodically invites the praying assembly to consider the gift of marriage and the inherent blessing and challenges it offers us.
Genesis & Jesus: The Reality and Power of Marriage
The reading from Genesis is a faith-inspired account of the creation of the universe and of the earth’s first partners who would share dominion over it.
It is very clear that man and woman are created to be soul mates and that their union is divinely intended to supercede even the relationship between parent and child.
When they are joined in the relationship of marriage, a man and a woman become one body, a new entity that did not exist before their union.
In the Gospel, when Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of divorce, he will reference this Genesis text and with it the truth that the marital union, intended and blessed by God, should not be severed by human beings.
And again we hear that the couple joined by marriage has become a new being; they are one flesh, one heart beating in two bodies, one soul enlivening two persons.
Now I would submit that such a union cannot be based on mere feelings or infatuation. Regardless of how potent such passions may be, they do not have the “legs” to withstand the long and winding – might we add arduous – journey that is a marriage.
And this is the point I want to make: that this journey becomes possible only when two persons share at the deepest level of their faith, their values, their spirituality. Yes, our faith stands at the center of most of our life experiences and relationships.
Application
Here’s my thinking.
If the most important relationship we have in life is our relationship with God, and if this most important relationship is founded, formed and sustained in faith, doesn’t it stand to reason that faith would also be an integral aspect of the primary human relationship of a marriage?
So this faith between me and God and the relationship that comes from it (gesture: left palm up for God and right palm on chest for self) empowers the faith between husband and wife (gesture palm to palm as husband to wife) thus creating an extraordinary potential for unity and endurance.
Yes, faith-in-God as two individuals empowers faith-shared-in-each-other as husband and wife.
And when that exists in a marriage what might you expect from your marriage?
➢ How about a faith that endures when beauty fades?
➢ How about a faith that survives when finances fail, when physical or mental health deteriorates, when troubles comes, when death visits?
➢ How about a faith that sustains the two of you when friends or relatives disappoint or betray you, when jobs are lost, when trust is tested?
➢ How about a faith that enables when self-esteem and self-confidence are lost?
➢ Or a faith that empowers you when fears seem to cripple you?
From many of your marriages that I have experienced, I have come to know that faith in God and a shared faith in each other makes for the deepest degree of compatibility that can exist between a man and a woman.
In the celebrations your 25th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries I have seen a faith that enables that relationship to continue, to thrive, and to endure.
Conclusion
eHarmony may have a great way of drawing people together as soul mates, but it is shared faith in God, empowering your faith in each other, that will keep you together!
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