This and That:
Bible Lovers Are Not Defined by Denomination or Politics
A survey was recently conducted that sought to prepare for the fall Synod of Bishops in Rome on “The Word of God.” It advocated for a way of prayerfully reflecting on Sacred Scripture that was practiced in the monastery I attended called “Lectio Divina.” The process entails (1) Reading, (2) Meditation, (3) Prayer, and ends in (4) Contemplation. I found the study interesting in terms of a contemporary desire on the part of our people for a better understanding of Sacred Scripture.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
There is no longer diversity among various Christian traditions regarding a relationship with Scripture, according to a survey presented in the Vatican. Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, recently presented the results of a study on the reading of Scripture in nine countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland and Russia. Bishop Paglia, president of the Catholic Biblical Federation, explained that the Catholic Biblical Federation undertook the survey with a view to the upcoming October synod on “The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church.” The survey took into account various Christian traditions and aimed “to acquire concrete information on Christians’ relationship with Scripture.”
The survey, Bishop Paglia explained, “confirmed in full the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral intuition to exhort the faithful to rediscover Scripture as the primary source of spiritual life.” It also reaffirmed, he said, “the bond that exists between the Bible and the Eucharist,” because “the majority of those interviewed indicated the Sunday celebration as the place in which they habitually listen to the Word of God.”
Ecumenical Role
The Italian prelate said the role of the Bible in ecumenical dialogue is key. The survey found that “Scripture remains the most effective ‘place’ Christians have to progress together along the path of unity... The answers also showed that there no longer exists that diversity among the various Christian traditions – a diversity evident in the past – concerning their relationship with Scripture,” Bishop Paglia noted. Another factor to emerge was “the considerable expectations that the men and women of our time have toward Holy Scripture,” which “is considered with great respect by everyone,” he said. Among Christians, the bishop explained, “it is widely held that the Bible contains the Word of God, that it is an inspired work capable of giving meaning to life, and that it has far greater authority than other ecclesial manifestations,” although the values it contains “are difficult to put into practice.” Bishop Paglia thus concluded that one of the great challenges shown forth by the survey is Scripture-based preaching, which should “constitute an authoritative appeal to believers and to all those who seek.”
Avoiding Extremes
The prelate further noted how “listening to Scriptures favors the cohesion of listeners. Indeed, listening to the Word of God truly ‘makes’ the Church,” he explained. Hence “reading Scripture in the company of the Church” makes it possible to avoid “the two most dangerous obstacles: a fundamentalist reading... and an individualist pseudo-psychological reading that leads readers to reflect themselves in the pages.”
The prelate concluded his remarks by highlighting the need “to find space for the ‘schools of the Word,’ the ‘schools of the Gospel,’ and the ‘schools of reading and listening to the Bible.’... It is in this perspective that we must see ‘lectio divina,’ the oldest and riches method of listening to Scripture,” which must be given “new spaces and new forms until it becomes the habitual way of approaching the Word of God in our Christian communities.”
Broad Majorities
Some 13,000 interviews had been completed during the course of the survey, which were described as “the most systematic scientific undertaking yet attempted to compare, on an international scale, levels and forms of familiarity with the Scriptures of Christian tradition among the adult population.” The Bible in the areas that were examined is not the text of a minority, but an important point of reference, present – in different degrees and ways – in the life and culture of broad majorities of the population. It may be affirmed that between a third and a quarter of adults in the countries examined have read a Bible passage at least once in the last 12 months.”
It has been noted that there is a gap dividing the Anglo-Saxon world from Central and Eastern Europe. In the former, the sensation of the closeness of God is anything but extinct and the practice of prayer is anything but marginal. A large majority of people looks to the Bible as a source of truth, as the source of a message that has to do with life.
More than 50% of those interviewed in Russia, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany were in favor of having the Bible studied in schools.
The survey also showed that the practice of reading the Bible depends statistically on participation in events and groups that already adopt this practice, more than on shared religious beliefs. Reading the Bible in no way echoes political polarization between right and left.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Weekly HOMILY for June 1, 2008: On the Building of Sand Castles
9th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
June 1, 2008
On the Building of Sand Castles
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
A Sand Castle
Few of us are stranger to the book by the title, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People.”
Its author is a Jewish rabbi named Harold Kushner and he has also written some lesser-known books. One of them is entitled, “When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.”
In this book, Rabbi Kushner relates the following incident. He says: “I was sitting on a beach one summer day, watching two children, a boy and a girl, playing in the sand.
“They were building an elaborate sand castle near the water’s edge. When they had nearly finished their project, a big wave came along and leveled it, washing it into the shoreline.
“I expected the children to burst into tears, but they surprised me. Instead of tears, they joined hands and ran up the shore away from the water, laughing and talking.
“Surprised by their reaction to their loss, I fixed my eye on them and saw them finally sit down and begin with renewed to build another sand castle.
“That afternoon two small children taught me an important life lesson.
“Each and every thing in our daily lives, each complicated structure we spend so much time and energy creating, is rally built on sand. Only our relationships to other people endure.
“Sooner or later, one day a wave comes along and knocks down what we have worked so hard to build up or create. When that happens, only the person who has somebody’s hand to hold will be able to laugh.”
Sand versus Rock
That story and the insightful conclusion that Harold Kushner draws from it are precisely Jesus’ message for us today.
Jesus is wrapping up his core teaching – the Sermon on the Mount. He has taught the crowds things like: “Blessed are the merciful, the compassionate, and the peacemakers.”
Jesus has talked about the primacy of love of God and love of one another. And now, at the conclusion of his major teaching, he is clear that he wants us both to both listen to and to live out his Word.
In the Gospel he says: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock” – and not on sand. It is important to put this statement into context with all that precedes it.
Putting it into context makes it clear that Jesus is calling us to build our lives around relationships and not the many things we’ve built or accomplished. He is urging us to find ourselves and our purpose for living in relationships.
This is how we build our house or our life “on rock.”
I have thought of three simple questions that can help us to look at ourselves and determine if we are doing this and I would like to share these with you.
Are We Building on Rock?
First, am I building on the “rock” of relationships. That is, do I intentionally make time for those who are important to me?
So for example, do I plan time just to be together and communicate with my husband or wife? Do I make it a point to call a friend on her birthday or to connect with my aging parents once a week?
Second, do I keep “things” in perspective?
Thus, do I live with the awareness that having certain clothes or cars or comforts is really secondary? Am I content with what I have and not allow myself to get trapped into the “more is better” mentality?
Third, do I see myself as one with others, even others whom I do not know?
By that I mean, do I listen to the names of the sick and deceased in the General Intercessions and consciously offer a pray for them? Do I see immigrants as persons with the human needs and aspirations that I also have?
Conclusion
So, Jesus calls us to build our house, our life, on rock and not on sand.
And this means, in the full context of his teaching, that we tend to our relationships well. I propose three questions to help us to see where we are with this.
1. Do I intentionally make time for those who are important to me?
2. Do I keep the “things” in my life in perspective?
3. Do I see myself as one with others, even others whom I do not know?
When our sandcastles are buffeted by ocean waves and all seems lost, it will be nice to have someone’s hand in order to run up the beach and begin to build anew!
Our Lady of Grace
June 1, 2008
On the Building of Sand Castles
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
A Sand Castle
Few of us are stranger to the book by the title, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People.”
Its author is a Jewish rabbi named Harold Kushner and he has also written some lesser-known books. One of them is entitled, “When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.”
In this book, Rabbi Kushner relates the following incident. He says: “I was sitting on a beach one summer day, watching two children, a boy and a girl, playing in the sand.
“They were building an elaborate sand castle near the water’s edge. When they had nearly finished their project, a big wave came along and leveled it, washing it into the shoreline.
“I expected the children to burst into tears, but they surprised me. Instead of tears, they joined hands and ran up the shore away from the water, laughing and talking.
“Surprised by their reaction to their loss, I fixed my eye on them and saw them finally sit down and begin with renewed to build another sand castle.
“That afternoon two small children taught me an important life lesson.
“Each and every thing in our daily lives, each complicated structure we spend so much time and energy creating, is rally built on sand. Only our relationships to other people endure.
“Sooner or later, one day a wave comes along and knocks down what we have worked so hard to build up or create. When that happens, only the person who has somebody’s hand to hold will be able to laugh.”
Sand versus Rock
That story and the insightful conclusion that Harold Kushner draws from it are precisely Jesus’ message for us today.
Jesus is wrapping up his core teaching – the Sermon on the Mount. He has taught the crowds things like: “Blessed are the merciful, the compassionate, and the peacemakers.”
Jesus has talked about the primacy of love of God and love of one another. And now, at the conclusion of his major teaching, he is clear that he wants us both to both listen to and to live out his Word.
In the Gospel he says: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock” – and not on sand. It is important to put this statement into context with all that precedes it.
Putting it into context makes it clear that Jesus is calling us to build our lives around relationships and not the many things we’ve built or accomplished. He is urging us to find ourselves and our purpose for living in relationships.
This is how we build our house or our life “on rock.”
I have thought of three simple questions that can help us to look at ourselves and determine if we are doing this and I would like to share these with you.
Are We Building on Rock?
First, am I building on the “rock” of relationships. That is, do I intentionally make time for those who are important to me?
So for example, do I plan time just to be together and communicate with my husband or wife? Do I make it a point to call a friend on her birthday or to connect with my aging parents once a week?
Second, do I keep “things” in perspective?
Thus, do I live with the awareness that having certain clothes or cars or comforts is really secondary? Am I content with what I have and not allow myself to get trapped into the “more is better” mentality?
Third, do I see myself as one with others, even others whom I do not know?
By that I mean, do I listen to the names of the sick and deceased in the General Intercessions and consciously offer a pray for them? Do I see immigrants as persons with the human needs and aspirations that I also have?
Conclusion
So, Jesus calls us to build our house, our life, on rock and not on sand.
And this means, in the full context of his teaching, that we tend to our relationships well. I propose three questions to help us to see where we are with this.
1. Do I intentionally make time for those who are important to me?
2. Do I keep the “things” in my life in perspective?
3. Do I see myself as one with others, even others whom I do not know?
When our sandcastles are buffeted by ocean waves and all seems lost, it will be nice to have someone’s hand in order to run up the beach and begin to build anew!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Weekly THIS AND THAT for May 25, 2008: Byrdie Ricketts New Principal of Our Lady of Grace School
This and That:
Byrdie Ricketts New Principal of Our Lady of Grace School
If you were at Mass on the weekend of May 18, 2008 you had the good fortune of meeting and hearing from Byrdie Ricketts herself as she addressed our people, and individuals had a chance to shake her hand and wish her well. For those who missed the opportunity I want to share the news with them through this column.
The following is the letter I wrote to all the parents of our school children the week before I presented Byrdie at the Sunday Masses. As a parishioner, should you wish to congratulate Byrdie personally, her email address is byrdiericketts@yahoo.com.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Dear School Parents,
It is with great joy that I write to you announcing the name of the new principal for Our Lady of Grace School. She is Mrs. Byrdie Ricketts, one of our own parishioners and a seasoned educator. Byrdie has been involved with our school since its inception. She served on the School Implementation Committee and as Chair of the School Council for the first six years and an additional year as a member of it.
Mrs. Ricketts is well known in northern Baltimore County as a teacher and administrator in a number of schools, having spent many of her 39 years at Fifth District Elementary School. She has a rich background in curriculum, technology and faith formation. Is there anyone in our community who has not either had her for their teacher, talked to her as a parent, been prepared by her to receive 1st Communion, or received Communion from her? What is evident to anyone who knows Byrdie is that she has a passion for teaching children, she loves people, she is a team player and most importantly, she is guided by her faith in God.
Hiring Byrdie Ricketts is a wonderful conclusion to the extensive process we used for the principal search. Last fall, in the consultations that we held with the School Council, the faculty and you, our parents, the consistent advice was that we need someone who has the skills of a “Public Relator.” Mrs. Rickett’s natural warmth, love of people, and passion for our school make her the prime candidate to fulfill that role.
As the Search Committee did its work, the members developed interview questions for each of the roles that a Catholic School Principal must demonstrate: Faith Leader, Curriculum Leader, Administrator and Public Relator. The Search Committee interviewed a total of six applicants. They were all strong candidates, but Byrdie was the best fit for Our Lady of Grace School.
Now that Mrs. Ricketts is hired, Sr. Helen will begin to work with her for a smooth transition in leadership. Sr. Helen has already prepared wonderful materials for this process. The beautiful thing is that Sr. Helen has already worked closely with Byrdie, first as chair of the School Implementation Committee the year before the school was opened, and later with her as chair of the School Council. This is a reality that will make the transition a true “passing of the torch” with a rather small learning curve.
If you cannot quite place Byrdie Ricketts, she is the red-haired lady with the big smile who can be seen at Mass every week serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Communion. She is the first grade teacher you wish you had or the one you remember most. Her faith makes her a natural partner in ministry for me, a great leader for a Catholic school faculty, and someone to whom our parents can entrust the education of their children. I would invite you to join me in welcoming Byrdie to her new role as principal of our school by sending her an email at byrdiericketts@yahoo.com.
Byrdie Ricketts New Principal of Our Lady of Grace School
If you were at Mass on the weekend of May 18, 2008 you had the good fortune of meeting and hearing from Byrdie Ricketts herself as she addressed our people, and individuals had a chance to shake her hand and wish her well. For those who missed the opportunity I want to share the news with them through this column.
The following is the letter I wrote to all the parents of our school children the week before I presented Byrdie at the Sunday Masses. As a parishioner, should you wish to congratulate Byrdie personally, her email address is byrdiericketts@yahoo.com.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Dear School Parents,
It is with great joy that I write to you announcing the name of the new principal for Our Lady of Grace School. She is Mrs. Byrdie Ricketts, one of our own parishioners and a seasoned educator. Byrdie has been involved with our school since its inception. She served on the School Implementation Committee and as Chair of the School Council for the first six years and an additional year as a member of it.
Mrs. Ricketts is well known in northern Baltimore County as a teacher and administrator in a number of schools, having spent many of her 39 years at Fifth District Elementary School. She has a rich background in curriculum, technology and faith formation. Is there anyone in our community who has not either had her for their teacher, talked to her as a parent, been prepared by her to receive 1st Communion, or received Communion from her? What is evident to anyone who knows Byrdie is that she has a passion for teaching children, she loves people, she is a team player and most importantly, she is guided by her faith in God.
Hiring Byrdie Ricketts is a wonderful conclusion to the extensive process we used for the principal search. Last fall, in the consultations that we held with the School Council, the faculty and you, our parents, the consistent advice was that we need someone who has the skills of a “Public Relator.” Mrs. Rickett’s natural warmth, love of people, and passion for our school make her the prime candidate to fulfill that role.
As the Search Committee did its work, the members developed interview questions for each of the roles that a Catholic School Principal must demonstrate: Faith Leader, Curriculum Leader, Administrator and Public Relator. The Search Committee interviewed a total of six applicants. They were all strong candidates, but Byrdie was the best fit for Our Lady of Grace School.
Now that Mrs. Ricketts is hired, Sr. Helen will begin to work with her for a smooth transition in leadership. Sr. Helen has already prepared wonderful materials for this process. The beautiful thing is that Sr. Helen has already worked closely with Byrdie, first as chair of the School Implementation Committee the year before the school was opened, and later with her as chair of the School Council. This is a reality that will make the transition a true “passing of the torch” with a rather small learning curve.
If you cannot quite place Byrdie Ricketts, she is the red-haired lady with the big smile who can be seen at Mass every week serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Communion. She is the first grade teacher you wish you had or the one you remember most. Her faith makes her a natural partner in ministry for me, a great leader for a Catholic school faculty, and someone to whom our parents can entrust the education of their children. I would invite you to join me in welcoming Byrdie to her new role as principal of our school by sending her an email at byrdiericketts@yahoo.com.
Weekly HOMILY for May 25, 2008: Deacon Preaching Sunday
Deacons preached this Sunday. Father Nicholas will return next weekend.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Weekly THIS AND THAT for May 18, 2008: Some Fascinating Things on Old Tombstones!
This and That:
Some Fascinating Things on Old Tombstones!
Often when time permits, I take a few moments walking from the gravesite to my car to pause and read grave markers and say a prayer for the person who lies there. The following are some actual and rather humorous examples given to me by a friend.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York:
Born 1903 – Died 1942
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down. It was.
In a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery:
Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up and no place to go.
East Dalhousie Cemetery, Nova Scotia:
Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102.
Only the Good Die Young.
In a London, England cemetery:
Dec. 8,1767
Here lies Ann Mann,
Who lived an old maid, but died an old Mann.
In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery:
Anna Wallace
The children of Israel wanted bread,
And the Lord sent them manna.
Clark Wallace wanted a wife,
And the Devil sent him Anna.
In a Ruidoso, New Mexico, cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast… Pardon me for not rising.
In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania, cemetery:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:
Here lays the Kid.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
A lawyer’s epitaph in England:
Sir John Strange.
Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.
John Penny’s epitaph in the Wimborne, England, cemetery:
Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.
In a cemetery in Hartscombe, England:
On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went out of tune.
Anna Hopewells’s grave in Enosburg Falls, Vermont:
Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn’t the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.
On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket, Massachusetts:
Under the sod and under the trees,
Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there’s only the pod.
Pease shelled out and went to God.
In a cemetery in England:
Remember man, as you walk by,
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so shall you be.
Remember this and follow me.
To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:
To follow you I’ll not consent.
Until I know which way you went.
And finally, on a grave in tombstone, Arizona:
Here lies Lester Moore
Shot to death by a .44
No Les, No more
Some Fascinating Things on Old Tombstones!
Often when time permits, I take a few moments walking from the gravesite to my car to pause and read grave markers and say a prayer for the person who lies there. The following are some actual and rather humorous examples given to me by a friend.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York:
Born 1903 – Died 1942
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down. It was.
In a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery:
Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up and no place to go.
East Dalhousie Cemetery, Nova Scotia:
Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102.
Only the Good Die Young.
In a London, England cemetery:
Dec. 8,1767
Here lies Ann Mann,
Who lived an old maid, but died an old Mann.
In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery:
Anna Wallace
The children of Israel wanted bread,
And the Lord sent them manna.
Clark Wallace wanted a wife,
And the Devil sent him Anna.
In a Ruidoso, New Mexico, cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast… Pardon me for not rising.
In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania, cemetery:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:
Here lays the Kid.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
A lawyer’s epitaph in England:
Sir John Strange.
Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.
John Penny’s epitaph in the Wimborne, England, cemetery:
Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.
In a cemetery in Hartscombe, England:
On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went out of tune.
Anna Hopewells’s grave in Enosburg Falls, Vermont:
Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn’t the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.
On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket, Massachusetts:
Under the sod and under the trees,
Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there’s only the pod.
Pease shelled out and went to God.
In a cemetery in England:
Remember man, as you walk by,
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so shall you be.
Remember this and follow me.
To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:
To follow you I’ll not consent.
Until I know which way you went.
And finally, on a grave in tombstone, Arizona:
Here lies Lester Moore
Shot to death by a .44
No Les, No more
Weekly HOMILY for May 18, 2008: Our Genetic Code
Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
May 18, 2008
Our Genetic Code
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
DNA
Does anyone know the other name for Deoxyribonucleic Acid? It is simply the technical term for DNA.
DNA is our genetic code – something that has been popularized on CSI and other crime solving TV shows.
It is important to note that there are certain elements in our genetic code that are common to all of us. Those commonly shared codes are what make us human beings.
But there are other elements in our genetic code that are absolutely unique for each person and no two people have the exact same combination and that’s what makes each of us different. That’s right; no two people are exactly alike.
I began thinking about this when I was reflecting earlier this week on today’s celebration of the Holy Trinity.
My idea is that there are certain specifications that are built right into us as human beings, into our spiritual genetic code, that lead us or draw us to God specifically as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Here is what I have in mind.
God the Father
First, doesn’t it seem to be a fact of human nature that we always – and I do mean always – want something other than what we have at the present moment? Don’t we often want something different or something more?
For example, if we drive a Chevey Malibu, don’t we start noticing the Buick Lucerne or the Toyota Camry?
If we are here at home in Parkton or Whitehall or Hereford, don’t we wish we could be in Florida or wherever? And if we are in Florida, don’t we eventually say that it will be good to get back home?
Yes, we are always looking for something other than what we have. We want something more or different.
I would like to suggest that this hunger for the other is built right into us. It is part of our spiritual genetic code.
It is a piece of evidence of the Divine Other within us, a piece of the Divine who has made us and who alone will satisfy this hunger.
We call this Divine Other “God the Father.”
God the Son
And then, isn’t it true that as part of our common genetic code we all want to be loved and to love?
Don’t we look for affirmation from a parent, a teacher, a scout leader, a boss, whomever? Doesn’t our sense of self-esteem to some extent come from being loved by at least somebody?
And, in turn, don’t we feel very good when we are loving others? Don’t we feel fulfilled when we have done something to help someone or when we have expressed our love with a gift to that special person?
My point is that deep down within us there is this hunger to love and to be loved and it is part of our spiritual genetic code.
This is why Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are so magnetic: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” In another passage, the Scripture goes so far as to say: “God is love.”
So, God is love itself and gives himself fully to us in the person of Jesus. We call this experience of God’s love “God the Son.”
God the Holy Spirit
Finally, isn’t it true that we want the other or the others whom we love to be with us?
If a husband and wife are apart because one of them is on a business trip, don’t they try to remain present to each other through an e-mail or phone call? When we go to movies, don’t we want a friend or family member to go with us?
And don’t we keep photos of our children who live far away or of our parents who have died on our bedroom dressers? Don’t we want to share Thanksgiving dinner with another or others who are close to us?
Yes, deep down within us is this hunger to be with others or with the other. This is also part of our spiritual genetic code.
I believe that this points to the presence of the Divine Other within us. In fact, our hunger to be with others will in the long run only be satisfied by the Divine Other.
And this Divine Other chooses to remain with us even now, here on earth, through his Spirit. We call this the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
This may be a new way of approaching the Trinity we celebrate today.
In our spiritual genetic code, we have this deep down hunger for something or someone other. We have this deep down hunger to love and to be loved.
And we have this deep down hunger for the presence of others in our lives.
Theses elements of our genetic code are evidences of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Our Lady of Grace
May 18, 2008
Our Genetic Code
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
DNA
Does anyone know the other name for Deoxyribonucleic Acid? It is simply the technical term for DNA.
DNA is our genetic code – something that has been popularized on CSI and other crime solving TV shows.
It is important to note that there are certain elements in our genetic code that are common to all of us. Those commonly shared codes are what make us human beings.
But there are other elements in our genetic code that are absolutely unique for each person and no two people have the exact same combination and that’s what makes each of us different. That’s right; no two people are exactly alike.
I began thinking about this when I was reflecting earlier this week on today’s celebration of the Holy Trinity.
My idea is that there are certain specifications that are built right into us as human beings, into our spiritual genetic code, that lead us or draw us to God specifically as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Here is what I have in mind.
God the Father
First, doesn’t it seem to be a fact of human nature that we always – and I do mean always – want something other than what we have at the present moment? Don’t we often want something different or something more?
For example, if we drive a Chevey Malibu, don’t we start noticing the Buick Lucerne or the Toyota Camry?
If we are here at home in Parkton or Whitehall or Hereford, don’t we wish we could be in Florida or wherever? And if we are in Florida, don’t we eventually say that it will be good to get back home?
Yes, we are always looking for something other than what we have. We want something more or different.
I would like to suggest that this hunger for the other is built right into us. It is part of our spiritual genetic code.
It is a piece of evidence of the Divine Other within us, a piece of the Divine who has made us and who alone will satisfy this hunger.
We call this Divine Other “God the Father.”
God the Son
And then, isn’t it true that as part of our common genetic code we all want to be loved and to love?
Don’t we look for affirmation from a parent, a teacher, a scout leader, a boss, whomever? Doesn’t our sense of self-esteem to some extent come from being loved by at least somebody?
And, in turn, don’t we feel very good when we are loving others? Don’t we feel fulfilled when we have done something to help someone or when we have expressed our love with a gift to that special person?
My point is that deep down within us there is this hunger to love and to be loved and it is part of our spiritual genetic code.
This is why Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are so magnetic: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” In another passage, the Scripture goes so far as to say: “God is love.”
So, God is love itself and gives himself fully to us in the person of Jesus. We call this experience of God’s love “God the Son.”
God the Holy Spirit
Finally, isn’t it true that we want the other or the others whom we love to be with us?
If a husband and wife are apart because one of them is on a business trip, don’t they try to remain present to each other through an e-mail or phone call? When we go to movies, don’t we want a friend or family member to go with us?
And don’t we keep photos of our children who live far away or of our parents who have died on our bedroom dressers? Don’t we want to share Thanksgiving dinner with another or others who are close to us?
Yes, deep down within us is this hunger to be with others or with the other. This is also part of our spiritual genetic code.
I believe that this points to the presence of the Divine Other within us. In fact, our hunger to be with others will in the long run only be satisfied by the Divine Other.
And this Divine Other chooses to remain with us even now, here on earth, through his Spirit. We call this the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
This may be a new way of approaching the Trinity we celebrate today.
In our spiritual genetic code, we have this deep down hunger for something or someone other. We have this deep down hunger to love and to be loved.
And we have this deep down hunger for the presence of others in our lives.
Theses elements of our genetic code are evidences of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Weekly THIS AND THAT for May 11, 2008: The Shadow of St. Peter Falls on America
This and That:
The Shadow of St. Peter Falls on America
Three weeks ago Benedict XVI made his first visit as Pope to the United States of America, and many were concerned about the impact the German Pontiff would have on our somewhat beleaguered Catholic Church. Many asked if Benedict XVI would be able to “connect” with people as his predecessor Pope John Paul II had done. After all, Benedict XVI arrived in America at age 80, while John Paul II was only 59 when he visited for the first time in 1979. The following observations are by Father Thomas Rosica on Pope Benedict’s recent visit to the USA.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Up until last week many people both within and outside the Church in North America simply didn’t know Joseph Ratzinger, and some didn’t want to know him. They knew only half-truths about a former Vatican watchdog who was often portrayed as a strict, scholarly bookworm who lacked the charisma and flair of his predecessor on the throne of Peter. Last week something changed significantly in peoples’ perception of Benedict XVI.
The carefully orchestrated American pilgrimage was replete with a White House royal welcome for his 81st birthday on Wednesday, a major lecture to Catholic university presidents and educators, a private and very moving meeting with victims of clergy sex abuse at the Vatican embassy in Washington, an address to leaders of many faith traditions, and a mega Mass at Washington Nationals Stadium.
Moving over to the Big Apple for the final leg of the journey, the Pontiff gave a major address to the U.N. General Assembly only to be followed by another major address to the people behind the scenes at the United Nations: secretaries, janitors, interns and the support staff. (Not many political leaders acknowledge the little people who make the big organizations work!)
The German Pope also visited a Manhattan synagogue on the eve of the first day of Passover. He celebrated mass marking the third anniversary of his election as Pope on April 19th in what many consider the symbolic seat of Catholicism in the United States – New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
“New Spring”
During that Mass he issued a rallying cry for the “new spring” in a Church that he said was so divided and wounded in many ways, especially by the clergy sex-abuse scandal. As our cameras covered the event, we saw many priests and religious men and women in tears during that Mass.
At the end of Mass celebrated on the Pope’s third anniversary of election, he spoke personal and unscripted words: “At this moment I can only thank you for your love of the Church and Our Lord, and for the love which you show to the poor Successor of St. Peter. I will try to do all that is possible to be a worthy successor of the great Apostle, who also was a man with faults and sins, but remained in the end the rock for the Church. And so I too, with all my spiritual poverty, can be for this time, in virtue of the Lord’s grace, the Successor of Peter.”
On Saturday evening the grandfatherly Benedict XVI stunned the world, and even himself, with a grand performance of humanity, compassion, conviction, sheer joy and very stirring words at the youth events at New York’s seminary in Yonkers. Prior to entering the World Youth Day atmosphere outside, the Pope met with dozens of disabled children in the seminary chapel – most of them in wheelchairs. The Pope walked slowly down the aisle, along which the children were lined up. He took each by the hands, or kissed a child on the head. Parents and caregivers nearby wept openly.
At the outdoor rally for nearly 30,000 young people, Benedict XVI made a rare reference to his upbringing in Nazi Germany. “My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew -- infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion – before it was fully recognized for the monster it was,” said the Pope, who deserted the German Army near the end of World War II.
Throughout the week, the Vatican took great care in articulating the Pope’s immigration position, stating the need to protect family unity and the human rights of immigrants, but pointedly avoiding any specifics of the American immigration debate, such as the issue of whether to grant legal status to illegal immigrants. For sure, Benedict XVI’s words last week stirred the crosscurrents of the debate at the heart of a presidential election in the United States.
There is the Church
An ancient Latin expression, first used by St. Ambrose in the fourth century, came to my mind last week during several moments of the historic papal visit to the United States: “Ubi Petrus ibi ecclesia,” which is translated, “Wherever Peter is, there is the Church.”
Peter was in America last month, on the South Lawn of the White House, and at the Catholic University of America. Peter’s great smile and obvious serenity ignited a Nation, a Church and a Continent with hope in the midst of cynicism and despair, and while many would like to hasten death for a Church that is alive and young. Peter’s words addressed to representatives of more than 190 member nations of the United Nations spoke of human rights, dignity, dialogue and peace to a world at war in so many places. Peter’s eloquent silence, prayer and gestures at ground zero brought healing and peace to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on a nation.
The New Testament’s Acts of the Apostles tells us “that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”
Pope Benedict XVI came to America last week to bring healing and hope. His words and simple gestures were desperately needed in a nation torn apart by terrorism and wars, and in a Church split by many divisions. Only time, reflection and prayer will reveal if the healing of U.S. Catholics, begun last month, will bear fruit for the Church in America.
One thing is certain, however: Last week the shadow of Peter fell on millions of people in America and far beyond. And many received hope and experienced healing from our many diseases. And one more thing happened last week: Joseph Ratzinger came into his own.
Though elected and installed as Pope three years ago, his Papacy really began in the minds and hearts of North Americans last week when “Peter was among us.”
The Shadow of St. Peter Falls on America
Three weeks ago Benedict XVI made his first visit as Pope to the United States of America, and many were concerned about the impact the German Pontiff would have on our somewhat beleaguered Catholic Church. Many asked if Benedict XVI would be able to “connect” with people as his predecessor Pope John Paul II had done. After all, Benedict XVI arrived in America at age 80, while John Paul II was only 59 when he visited for the first time in 1979. The following observations are by Father Thomas Rosica on Pope Benedict’s recent visit to the USA.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Up until last week many people both within and outside the Church in North America simply didn’t know Joseph Ratzinger, and some didn’t want to know him. They knew only half-truths about a former Vatican watchdog who was often portrayed as a strict, scholarly bookworm who lacked the charisma and flair of his predecessor on the throne of Peter. Last week something changed significantly in peoples’ perception of Benedict XVI.
The carefully orchestrated American pilgrimage was replete with a White House royal welcome for his 81st birthday on Wednesday, a major lecture to Catholic university presidents and educators, a private and very moving meeting with victims of clergy sex abuse at the Vatican embassy in Washington, an address to leaders of many faith traditions, and a mega Mass at Washington Nationals Stadium.
Moving over to the Big Apple for the final leg of the journey, the Pontiff gave a major address to the U.N. General Assembly only to be followed by another major address to the people behind the scenes at the United Nations: secretaries, janitors, interns and the support staff. (Not many political leaders acknowledge the little people who make the big organizations work!)
The German Pope also visited a Manhattan synagogue on the eve of the first day of Passover. He celebrated mass marking the third anniversary of his election as Pope on April 19th in what many consider the symbolic seat of Catholicism in the United States – New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
“New Spring”
During that Mass he issued a rallying cry for the “new spring” in a Church that he said was so divided and wounded in many ways, especially by the clergy sex-abuse scandal. As our cameras covered the event, we saw many priests and religious men and women in tears during that Mass.
At the end of Mass celebrated on the Pope’s third anniversary of election, he spoke personal and unscripted words: “At this moment I can only thank you for your love of the Church and Our Lord, and for the love which you show to the poor Successor of St. Peter. I will try to do all that is possible to be a worthy successor of the great Apostle, who also was a man with faults and sins, but remained in the end the rock for the Church. And so I too, with all my spiritual poverty, can be for this time, in virtue of the Lord’s grace, the Successor of Peter.”
On Saturday evening the grandfatherly Benedict XVI stunned the world, and even himself, with a grand performance of humanity, compassion, conviction, sheer joy and very stirring words at the youth events at New York’s seminary in Yonkers. Prior to entering the World Youth Day atmosphere outside, the Pope met with dozens of disabled children in the seminary chapel – most of them in wheelchairs. The Pope walked slowly down the aisle, along which the children were lined up. He took each by the hands, or kissed a child on the head. Parents and caregivers nearby wept openly.
At the outdoor rally for nearly 30,000 young people, Benedict XVI made a rare reference to his upbringing in Nazi Germany. “My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew -- infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion – before it was fully recognized for the monster it was,” said the Pope, who deserted the German Army near the end of World War II.
Throughout the week, the Vatican took great care in articulating the Pope’s immigration position, stating the need to protect family unity and the human rights of immigrants, but pointedly avoiding any specifics of the American immigration debate, such as the issue of whether to grant legal status to illegal immigrants. For sure, Benedict XVI’s words last week stirred the crosscurrents of the debate at the heart of a presidential election in the United States.
There is the Church
An ancient Latin expression, first used by St. Ambrose in the fourth century, came to my mind last week during several moments of the historic papal visit to the United States: “Ubi Petrus ibi ecclesia,” which is translated, “Wherever Peter is, there is the Church.”
Peter was in America last month, on the South Lawn of the White House, and at the Catholic University of America. Peter’s great smile and obvious serenity ignited a Nation, a Church and a Continent with hope in the midst of cynicism and despair, and while many would like to hasten death for a Church that is alive and young. Peter’s words addressed to representatives of more than 190 member nations of the United Nations spoke of human rights, dignity, dialogue and peace to a world at war in so many places. Peter’s eloquent silence, prayer and gestures at ground zero brought healing and peace to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on a nation.
The New Testament’s Acts of the Apostles tells us “that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”
Pope Benedict XVI came to America last week to bring healing and hope. His words and simple gestures were desperately needed in a nation torn apart by terrorism and wars, and in a Church split by many divisions. Only time, reflection and prayer will reveal if the healing of U.S. Catholics, begun last month, will bear fruit for the Church in America.
One thing is certain, however: Last week the shadow of Peter fell on millions of people in America and far beyond. And many received hope and experienced healing from our many diseases. And one more thing happened last week: Joseph Ratzinger came into his own.
Though elected and installed as Pope three years ago, his Papacy really began in the minds and hearts of North Americans last week when “Peter was among us.”
Weekly HOMILY for May 11, 2008: Puzzles and People
Feast of Pentecost, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
May 11, 2008
Focus: How a puzzle helps us understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Function: To have children and adults understand their relationship to Christ and to one another in concrete situations
Format: Analogy
Puzzles and People
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Image of a Puzzle
What would you say this is? (Show one piece of a puzzle.) And this is another piece. (Show second piece.)
What do we know about two pieces of a puzzle? (Show how one interlocks)
If I turn them over and show you the picture, what does that tell us? (That the two pieces are part of a larger picture.)
So if each of us is a piece of the puzzle, then two things become evident: (1) Each piece – each person – contributes to the total picture. This piece/person may be the nose; this piece/person may be the ear.
(2) Each piece connects with four other pieces.
Puzzles and Pentecost
I would like to use this puzzle say that puzzles can help us appreciate something about today’s Feast of Pentecost.
Pentecost celebrates God’s presence within us and this presence is God the Holy Spirit. Pentecost opens up for two truths that are revealed in the puzzle analogy.
First, the Holy Spirit within us makes us realize that each of us – you, you, you, and I – are part of the living Body of Christ on this earth.
Saint Paul, in our second reading today, says: “As a body is one, though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one, so also Christ.”
What he is saying is that each of us, even though we are different and there are many of us, that each of us contributes in an important way to making up the living Body of Christ on this earth.
Yes, it is something like the pieces of our puzzle making up the whole picture of Jesus.
And second, like the pieces of a puzzle, each of us is connected with one another.
Saint Paul, in the second reading, says: “For in one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of the one Spirit.”
So, we can say that each of us is different; each of us is unique with our own piece of the puzzle.
But like those pieces, we are all inter-connected with each other by the one Spirit of God that lives and breathes within us.
Application
What I’d like to ask now is, “How does the power of God’s presence within each of us make a difference for us at our ‘sides,’ that is, at the places where we connect with other pieces of the puzzle?”
For starters the Holy Spirit, who makes Jesus Christ present, can help us to RECONCILE ourselves with other pieces of the puzzle and draw us into communion both with God and with his Church. (Demonstrate the connectedness of the two pieces.)
That same Holy Spirit that is poured out upon us will show us God’s BLESSINGS and challenge us to share our bounty with all those in need. (Demonstrate the connectedness of the two pieces.)
Finally, that same Holy Spirit will quicken those of us who have grown lukewarm in our faith or it will drive out the sluggishness or REKINDLE the desire we used to have for heaven by our mixing with other pieces at Sunday Mass each week (Shake the piece as a way of energizing it.)
Conclusion
We have all spent time with puzzles and there is fun in seeing the wonderful scene or picture emerge before our eyes.
The puzzle we are working on today is the body of Jesus Christ becoming a reality by our own participation at the corners of our lives. (Show one piece, pointing to its four corners.)
(Saturday 2:00pm and Sunday 11:30am) As a remembrance of this special day, boys and girls, we are going to give each of you a piece of a puzzle that you can place on your dresser.
May it be a daily reminder of the important part you play in being part of the Body of Christ and what being a part of that Body calls you to do.
Our Lady of Grace
May 11, 2008
Focus: How a puzzle helps us understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Function: To have children and adults understand their relationship to Christ and to one another in concrete situations
Format: Analogy
Puzzles and People
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Image of a Puzzle
What would you say this is? (Show one piece of a puzzle.) And this is another piece. (Show second piece.)
What do we know about two pieces of a puzzle? (Show how one interlocks)
If I turn them over and show you the picture, what does that tell us? (That the two pieces are part of a larger picture.)
So if each of us is a piece of the puzzle, then two things become evident: (1) Each piece – each person – contributes to the total picture. This piece/person may be the nose; this piece/person may be the ear.
(2) Each piece connects with four other pieces.
Puzzles and Pentecost
I would like to use this puzzle say that puzzles can help us appreciate something about today’s Feast of Pentecost.
Pentecost celebrates God’s presence within us and this presence is God the Holy Spirit. Pentecost opens up for two truths that are revealed in the puzzle analogy.
First, the Holy Spirit within us makes us realize that each of us – you, you, you, and I – are part of the living Body of Christ on this earth.
Saint Paul, in our second reading today, says: “As a body is one, though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one, so also Christ.”
What he is saying is that each of us, even though we are different and there are many of us, that each of us contributes in an important way to making up the living Body of Christ on this earth.
Yes, it is something like the pieces of our puzzle making up the whole picture of Jesus.
And second, like the pieces of a puzzle, each of us is connected with one another.
Saint Paul, in the second reading, says: “For in one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of the one Spirit.”
So, we can say that each of us is different; each of us is unique with our own piece of the puzzle.
But like those pieces, we are all inter-connected with each other by the one Spirit of God that lives and breathes within us.
Application
What I’d like to ask now is, “How does the power of God’s presence within each of us make a difference for us at our ‘sides,’ that is, at the places where we connect with other pieces of the puzzle?”
For starters the Holy Spirit, who makes Jesus Christ present, can help us to RECONCILE ourselves with other pieces of the puzzle and draw us into communion both with God and with his Church. (Demonstrate the connectedness of the two pieces.)
That same Holy Spirit that is poured out upon us will show us God’s BLESSINGS and challenge us to share our bounty with all those in need. (Demonstrate the connectedness of the two pieces.)
Finally, that same Holy Spirit will quicken those of us who have grown lukewarm in our faith or it will drive out the sluggishness or REKINDLE the desire we used to have for heaven by our mixing with other pieces at Sunday Mass each week (Shake the piece as a way of energizing it.)
Conclusion
We have all spent time with puzzles and there is fun in seeing the wonderful scene or picture emerge before our eyes.
The puzzle we are working on today is the body of Jesus Christ becoming a reality by our own participation at the corners of our lives. (Show one piece, pointing to its four corners.)
(Saturday 2:00pm and Sunday 11:30am) As a remembrance of this special day, boys and girls, we are going to give each of you a piece of a puzzle that you can place on your dresser.
May it be a daily reminder of the important part you play in being part of the Body of Christ and what being a part of that Body calls you to do.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Weekly HOMILY for May 4, 2008: Ride On!
Ascension of the Lord, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
May 4, 2008
Focus: Learning to Ride a Two-Wheeler
Function: How riding a two-wheeler helps us understand Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and the Sending of the Holy Spirit
Form: Analogy
Ride on!
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Riding a Two-Wheeler
Remember the first time you rode a two-wheeler?
Chances are you fell more than once and scraped your knees and elbows more than a few times.
It was hard trying to learn how to (1) Balance your weight, (2) Peddle fast enough to move forward, and (3) Look where you were going all at the same time.
You thought you’d never be able to quite get it together. It was just too much to deal with!
But also remember that when you were (1) Losing your balance or (2) Not peddling fast enough or (3) Going into an intersection, out would come the strong hand and arm of your dad or mom behind you, holding the bike by the seat while running along side of you.
Then, when your dad or mom felt you were steady enough and sure of yourself, they would … let go – and there you would be, riding out into the world on your very own.
What a sense of accomplishment! Remember the sense of joy and exhilaration? You were riding a two-wheeler all by yourself! Just like a big kid!
It was wonderful to be able to identify with kids bigger than yourself; you, at last were like them!
The Feast of the Ascension
Today – on this the Feast of the Ascension – the Church thinks about its long “bicycle ride” through time.
The fear, the uncertainty, the anxiety that the first Apostles experienced over Jesus’ death, Resurrection and departure are today replaced by a sense of joy, hope and exhilaration.
The task for them is to teach others to be followers of Jesus down through the ages and that continues today.
And while we seem to be on our own to (1) Balance, (2) Peddle and (3) Look where we’re going, it is important to know that Christ is still very much present, as if he were running alongside my bicycle, holding me steady, guiding me on our journey of faith, grabbing me by the bicycle seat, when I am going to tip to one side.
This Feast of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven is not the celebration of Christ’s physical departure from the earth. On the contrary, it’s the celebration of his eternal presence running alongside of us in our bicycle ride of life, if you will.
That’s what “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age,” means. He will be with us on our bicycle ride of life exerting a gentle influence and on-going presence.
Prayer, Word, Eucharist, and Reconciliation
So just precisely how is he there for us? Well let’s go back to the challenges of riding a two-wheeler.
There will be times in my life when (1) I may lose my balance… I’ll make a bad choice, say something out of anger, be dishonest and whoa, whoa, there goes my balance as a child of God.
When this happens I have the ability to pray, to turn to God to fill me with his grace and get me back and in balance.
There will be times when I grow weak or weary and (2) I may want to stop peddling, as in the homework is too difficult or I’m not feeling well and I can’t lift a finger or I don’t have the strength to love that person in my family or classroom.
When this happens I have Jesus present as the Holy Eucharist to give me strength to love and to accept others as they are. He wants to be my nourishment.
And yes, there will be times when (3) I’ll take my eye off my goal on occasion and ride into an area that is dangerous or not life giving and I don’t even know it, as in becoming friends with individuals who tease or bully others, or associating with folks who gossip and hurt others.
But, once again, the Lord is there for me in Sacred Scripture to encourage me with new insights or alternative ways of doing things.
Notice that at each moment of my bike ride of life I can count on a “gottcha”! Jesus’ presence to me in Prayer, Eucharist, and Word will always be there.
Conclusion
Today we are experiencing the joy and exhilaration, the sense of accomplishment and victory that we experienced so long ago when we first learned to ride a two-wheel bicycle.
And yet, it’s even more exciting because in knowing that it’s Jesus who rides along with us through our lives, we never have to fear balancing, peddling, and looking out for danger.
To have these assurances it will take our going to Mass every Sunday where we find him present to us in all those important ways.
Our Lady of Grace
May 4, 2008
Focus: Learning to Ride a Two-Wheeler
Function: How riding a two-wheeler helps us understand Jesus’ Ascension into heaven and the Sending of the Holy Spirit
Form: Analogy
Ride on!
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Riding a Two-Wheeler
Remember the first time you rode a two-wheeler?
Chances are you fell more than once and scraped your knees and elbows more than a few times.
It was hard trying to learn how to (1) Balance your weight, (2) Peddle fast enough to move forward, and (3) Look where you were going all at the same time.
You thought you’d never be able to quite get it together. It was just too much to deal with!
But also remember that when you were (1) Losing your balance or (2) Not peddling fast enough or (3) Going into an intersection, out would come the strong hand and arm of your dad or mom behind you, holding the bike by the seat while running along side of you.
Then, when your dad or mom felt you were steady enough and sure of yourself, they would … let go – and there you would be, riding out into the world on your very own.
What a sense of accomplishment! Remember the sense of joy and exhilaration? You were riding a two-wheeler all by yourself! Just like a big kid!
It was wonderful to be able to identify with kids bigger than yourself; you, at last were like them!
The Feast of the Ascension
Today – on this the Feast of the Ascension – the Church thinks about its long “bicycle ride” through time.
The fear, the uncertainty, the anxiety that the first Apostles experienced over Jesus’ death, Resurrection and departure are today replaced by a sense of joy, hope and exhilaration.
The task for them is to teach others to be followers of Jesus down through the ages and that continues today.
And while we seem to be on our own to (1) Balance, (2) Peddle and (3) Look where we’re going, it is important to know that Christ is still very much present, as if he were running alongside my bicycle, holding me steady, guiding me on our journey of faith, grabbing me by the bicycle seat, when I am going to tip to one side.
This Feast of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven is not the celebration of Christ’s physical departure from the earth. On the contrary, it’s the celebration of his eternal presence running alongside of us in our bicycle ride of life, if you will.
That’s what “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age,” means. He will be with us on our bicycle ride of life exerting a gentle influence and on-going presence.
Prayer, Word, Eucharist, and Reconciliation
So just precisely how is he there for us? Well let’s go back to the challenges of riding a two-wheeler.
There will be times in my life when (1) I may lose my balance… I’ll make a bad choice, say something out of anger, be dishonest and whoa, whoa, there goes my balance as a child of God.
When this happens I have the ability to pray, to turn to God to fill me with his grace and get me back and in balance.
There will be times when I grow weak or weary and (2) I may want to stop peddling, as in the homework is too difficult or I’m not feeling well and I can’t lift a finger or I don’t have the strength to love that person in my family or classroom.
When this happens I have Jesus present as the Holy Eucharist to give me strength to love and to accept others as they are. He wants to be my nourishment.
And yes, there will be times when (3) I’ll take my eye off my goal on occasion and ride into an area that is dangerous or not life giving and I don’t even know it, as in becoming friends with individuals who tease or bully others, or associating with folks who gossip and hurt others.
But, once again, the Lord is there for me in Sacred Scripture to encourage me with new insights or alternative ways of doing things.
Notice that at each moment of my bike ride of life I can count on a “gottcha”! Jesus’ presence to me in Prayer, Eucharist, and Word will always be there.
Conclusion
Today we are experiencing the joy and exhilaration, the sense of accomplishment and victory that we experienced so long ago when we first learned to ride a two-wheel bicycle.
And yet, it’s even more exciting because in knowing that it’s Jesus who rides along with us through our lives, we never have to fear balancing, peddling, and looking out for danger.
To have these assurances it will take our going to Mass every Sunday where we find him present to us in all those important ways.
Weekly HOMILY for April 27, 2008: Deacon Preaching Sunday
Father Nicholas did not preach this Sunday. The deacons did.
Weekly THIS AND THAT for April 27, 2008: A Message to Americans from Our Holy Father
This and That:
A Message to Americans from Our Holy Father
Much of the following material was contributed by Ian Fisher and Katie Zezima of the New York Times.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
On the occasion of his 81st birthday, Pope Benedict XVI visited the White House on Wednesday and praised America as a nation where strong religious belief can coexist with secular society. In a speech to American bishops later on in the day he warned of the “subtle influence of secularism” that can co-opt religious people and lead even Catholics to accept abortion, divorce and co-habitation outside of marriage.
“Is it consistent to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday and then during the week to promote business practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs?” he asked in his address to the bishops. “Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death?”
“Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted,” he said.
From the very beginning of his visit and again in his homily at the Mass at the Nationals Park, the pope acknowledged the “deep shame” caused by the sexual abuse scandal that has divided and weakened the American Church. He agreed that the scandal as it unfolded was “sometimes very badly handled.”
He said the church must “address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores.
“What does it mean to speak of child protection,” the pope asked, “when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?”
He deplored the “crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent today,” saying that not only the church, but also families, teachers and the news media and entertainment industries have to take responsibility for “moral renewal.”
His comments to the bishops, on topics like immigration, medical ethics and attrition in the church’s ranks, seemed in contrast to the festive greeting he had received at the White House.
The general tone on a day when he was feted by thousands of flag-waving supporters on the streets of the capital appeared aimed at celebrating and challenging more than scolding.
The White House hosted a crowd of 13,500 on the South Lawn in the morning on the first day of the visit, welcoming the pope with a 21-gun salute; a fife-and-drum band; the soprano Kathleen Battle, who sang the Lord’s Prayer; and two rounds of “Happy Birthday.”
The crowd burst into applause when Mr. Bush told the pope that Americans “need your message that all life is sacred,” a reference to the two men’s shared opposition to abortion rights.
The president also adopted a trademark Benedict phrase when he said the nation needed the pontiff’s “message to reject this dictatorship of relativism.”
The term is considered the defining phrase of the papal election in 2005, in which Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, on the day his fellow cardinals went into the conclave that elected him Pope Benedict XVI, deplored the idea that all belief is equally true.
“Here in America,” Mr. Bush said, “you’ll find a nation that welcomes the role of faith in the public square. When our founders declared our nation’s independence, they rested their case on an appeal to the ‘laws of nature and of nature’s God.’ ”
The pontiff, dressed in his traditional white cassock and skullcap, said, “I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society.”
He said, “Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth.”
It is only the second time that the leader of Roman Catholics has visited the White House. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter hosted Pope John Paul II.
A Message to Americans from Our Holy Father
Much of the following material was contributed by Ian Fisher and Katie Zezima of the New York Times.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
On the occasion of his 81st birthday, Pope Benedict XVI visited the White House on Wednesday and praised America as a nation where strong religious belief can coexist with secular society. In a speech to American bishops later on in the day he warned of the “subtle influence of secularism” that can co-opt religious people and lead even Catholics to accept abortion, divorce and co-habitation outside of marriage.
“Is it consistent to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday and then during the week to promote business practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs?” he asked in his address to the bishops. “Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death?”
“Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted,” he said.
From the very beginning of his visit and again in his homily at the Mass at the Nationals Park, the pope acknowledged the “deep shame” caused by the sexual abuse scandal that has divided and weakened the American Church. He agreed that the scandal as it unfolded was “sometimes very badly handled.”
He said the church must “address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores.
“What does it mean to speak of child protection,” the pope asked, “when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?”
He deplored the “crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent today,” saying that not only the church, but also families, teachers and the news media and entertainment industries have to take responsibility for “moral renewal.”
His comments to the bishops, on topics like immigration, medical ethics and attrition in the church’s ranks, seemed in contrast to the festive greeting he had received at the White House.
The general tone on a day when he was feted by thousands of flag-waving supporters on the streets of the capital appeared aimed at celebrating and challenging more than scolding.
The White House hosted a crowd of 13,500 on the South Lawn in the morning on the first day of the visit, welcoming the pope with a 21-gun salute; a fife-and-drum band; the soprano Kathleen Battle, who sang the Lord’s Prayer; and two rounds of “Happy Birthday.”
The crowd burst into applause when Mr. Bush told the pope that Americans “need your message that all life is sacred,” a reference to the two men’s shared opposition to abortion rights.
The president also adopted a trademark Benedict phrase when he said the nation needed the pontiff’s “message to reject this dictatorship of relativism.”
The term is considered the defining phrase of the papal election in 2005, in which Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, on the day his fellow cardinals went into the conclave that elected him Pope Benedict XVI, deplored the idea that all belief is equally true.
“Here in America,” Mr. Bush said, “you’ll find a nation that welcomes the role of faith in the public square. When our founders declared our nation’s independence, they rested their case on an appeal to the ‘laws of nature and of nature’s God.’ ”
The pontiff, dressed in his traditional white cassock and skullcap, said, “I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society.”
He said, “Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth.”
It is only the second time that the leader of Roman Catholics has visited the White House. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter hosted Pope John Paul II.
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