This and That:
Our Youth Need Values Education
“Youth need an integral education of not only ideas, but also those values that form the basis of a fulfilled life and a humane society,” says Benedict XVI. As a nation we have a rich history of which we should be proud and our Nation’s impressive legacy cannot be taken for granted. It needs to be constantly taken as one’s own and consciously handed down to the younger generation at every level of education and community life.
We can see the values of freedom, hard work, literacy, and justice for all, the values that have shaped America’s national life and identity, being challenged by materialism, greed, and rugged individualism. “What has happened to the gift our young people bring to society, their idealism, generosity, joy, hope and enthusiasm? By fostering a climate of cynicism and alienation, they facilitate the spread of a counter-culture of violence and escapism, and the search for false utopias through alcohol and drug abuse,” the Holy Father added.
It is alarming to see the increase of alcohol and drug use within our community. When young people have the time, the “wheels,” and the money, just sprinkle in a few influential youth who are up to no good and the whole group goes down the slippery slope. Schools, churches, youth organizations and especially parents need to be particularly concerned as those committed to the welfare, not only of the young, but of society as a whole.
In our Parish and Catholic School we are committed to help meet these challenges by assisting young people to discern, in the light of the Gospel, the lasting truths which are the foundation of an authentic and truly fulfilling life, and the basis of a peaceful and humane social community. If the children and youth are not coming to Church, or are not in our Catholic School or Religious Education Programs, it is difficult for us to reach them.
The family is key. It is a truism to say that the family is essential to the future of any society. As a family goes, so goes a nation. In his message for the 2008 World Day of Peace, Pope Benedict emphasized the unique role of the family as “the foundation of society and the first and indispensable teacher of peace.” There is no doubt about it, strong families have long been the hallmark of our national life. The people of our Catholic parishes must be committed to working with all people of good will in meeting responsibly the growing threats to the institutions of marriage and the family. The Holy Father stated they need to do that especially, “by upholding the nature of marriage based on the life-long union of a man and woman, protecting the specific rights of the family, and respecting the inviolable dignity of all human life, from the moment of conception to natural death."
Churches, schools and families thus give witness that is aimed at informing public opinion and fostering wise, far-sighted family policies. What comes of this is clearly a contribution to the common good by defending an institution, which has been, and continues to be, as the Pope called it, “an essential resource in the service of peace and social progress.”
I close with an incident that shows the power of a Catholic Family, nurtured on regular hearing of the Word of God and being nourished on the Eucharist. Bob (I’ve changed his name) was home from college for Christmas. He appeared for daily Mass at which we usually share our thoughts at homily time. We were talking about the importance of living out our faith in Jesus. After several had spoken, Bob chimed in saying that he was captain of the football team and when he began college he went to daily Mass. He was the only member of the football team that did so. After a couple years and many talks with his teammates about his faith in Jesus, there are now eight men from the team attending daily Mass.
What I said above about the influence an individual can have for evil is also true of the influence and individual can have for good. What makes the difference is the individual…and his family…and his church…and his school. What influence are you having on your children?
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Weekly HOMILY for February 1, 2009: Authority Under and Authority Over
4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
February 1, 2009
Authority Under and Authority Over
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Authority of the Principal
Today I am recalling an experience I had back in the 1970’s, in my early years in the priesthood.
I was in the parish school, in the principal’s office. It was at the end of the school day, about three in the afternoon.
The principal and I were talking about something, and her assistant came in and said that Mrs. So-and-So was out in the hallway wanting to talk with her. The principal stepped outside and the mother started.
She disagreed with something the principal had done and was very upset. With loud, angry, and disrespectful words, this mother began berating the principal – and all of this in front of the children who were walking by, leaving the school at dismissal time.
I just sat inside the office and listened – astonished.
It was at that moment that I began to realize that something had changed – in our society, in America – something had changed for the worse in the way we treat those in authority.
Authority in the Scripture
We see this issue of authority in today’s Scripture readings.
In the first reading, Moses tells the people that the Lord will raise up prophets like himself for the people. Theses prophets will be in positions of authority.
And then in today’s gospel, the people in the synagogue “are astonished at Jesus’ teaching, for he taught them as one having authority.” So, both readings specifically raise the question of authority.
Based on the experience I had over thirty years ago, I would like to reflect with you on the issue of authority this morning. I am seeing two sides or two dimensions to the issue.
First, we are all under the authority of at least someone. And second, all adults have authority over at least someone.
Under Authority
First, we are all under the authority of at least someone.
Human society is built upon a basic respect for authority. Society cannot function effectively without this, but today there is a problem.
Today various professionals say that we are in an age of excessive individualism and that individual rights, including the right of self-expression, are no longer in balance with the rights of the community.
The mother in the incident that I recalled was completely disregarding both the person and the role of the principal, as well as the common good of that school. She was out of bounds and out of balance.
No question, sometimes there are abuses of authority – in the government, at work, in the Church, in volunteer organizations. And when there are, we need to address the dark side of authority that hurts or oppresses others.
Nevertheless, we need to view the role of authority positively. We need to remember that we are first under divine authority, the authority of God.
And then, for the well being of society, we need to respect those in authority and their role. We need to see them in the context of the common good.
We can and should think for ourselves, and express ourselves, and disagree if we are so inclined. But it is important that we do that balancing of our point of view and our right with respect for the person and role of authority as well as for the common good.
Authority Over
Secondly, all adults also have authority over at least someone.
I am thinking here of parents, teachers, day care providers, coaches, scout leaders, employers, pastors, government officials, and so on.
In these positions, we need to remember the divine origin of all authority.
The word “authority” comes from the Latin word “auctor” which means “author.” An “auctor” is a life-giver, one who gives life. That is why the Scripture refers to God as the “author of life.”
So, in our roles of authority, we need to be sure that we are giving and not diminishing life.
We need to build up and not tear down. We need to act for the good of others and not selfishly for our own good.
We are to be strong and yet gentle at the same time. We are to be freeing and not enslaving.
In other words, we are to imitate the Divine Authority. We see this so beautifully and clearly in Jesus himself.
Conclusion
So, a few thoughts today on a key topic – maybe a hot topic in our society.
We need to be mindful of authority – that we are under authority, and that we are called to exercise authority over.
Let’s allow the Lord and the Scripture to guide us in both of these experiences.
Our Lady of Grace
February 1, 2009
Authority Under and Authority Over
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Authority of the Principal
Today I am recalling an experience I had back in the 1970’s, in my early years in the priesthood.
I was in the parish school, in the principal’s office. It was at the end of the school day, about three in the afternoon.
The principal and I were talking about something, and her assistant came in and said that Mrs. So-and-So was out in the hallway wanting to talk with her. The principal stepped outside and the mother started.
She disagreed with something the principal had done and was very upset. With loud, angry, and disrespectful words, this mother began berating the principal – and all of this in front of the children who were walking by, leaving the school at dismissal time.
I just sat inside the office and listened – astonished.
It was at that moment that I began to realize that something had changed – in our society, in America – something had changed for the worse in the way we treat those in authority.
Authority in the Scripture
We see this issue of authority in today’s Scripture readings.
In the first reading, Moses tells the people that the Lord will raise up prophets like himself for the people. Theses prophets will be in positions of authority.
And then in today’s gospel, the people in the synagogue “are astonished at Jesus’ teaching, for he taught them as one having authority.” So, both readings specifically raise the question of authority.
Based on the experience I had over thirty years ago, I would like to reflect with you on the issue of authority this morning. I am seeing two sides or two dimensions to the issue.
First, we are all under the authority of at least someone. And second, all adults have authority over at least someone.
Under Authority
First, we are all under the authority of at least someone.
Human society is built upon a basic respect for authority. Society cannot function effectively without this, but today there is a problem.
Today various professionals say that we are in an age of excessive individualism and that individual rights, including the right of self-expression, are no longer in balance with the rights of the community.
The mother in the incident that I recalled was completely disregarding both the person and the role of the principal, as well as the common good of that school. She was out of bounds and out of balance.
No question, sometimes there are abuses of authority – in the government, at work, in the Church, in volunteer organizations. And when there are, we need to address the dark side of authority that hurts or oppresses others.
Nevertheless, we need to view the role of authority positively. We need to remember that we are first under divine authority, the authority of God.
And then, for the well being of society, we need to respect those in authority and their role. We need to see them in the context of the common good.
We can and should think for ourselves, and express ourselves, and disagree if we are so inclined. But it is important that we do that balancing of our point of view and our right with respect for the person and role of authority as well as for the common good.
Authority Over
Secondly, all adults also have authority over at least someone.
I am thinking here of parents, teachers, day care providers, coaches, scout leaders, employers, pastors, government officials, and so on.
In these positions, we need to remember the divine origin of all authority.
The word “authority” comes from the Latin word “auctor” which means “author.” An “auctor” is a life-giver, one who gives life. That is why the Scripture refers to God as the “author of life.”
So, in our roles of authority, we need to be sure that we are giving and not diminishing life.
We need to build up and not tear down. We need to act for the good of others and not selfishly for our own good.
We are to be strong and yet gentle at the same time. We are to be freeing and not enslaving.
In other words, we are to imitate the Divine Authority. We see this so beautifully and clearly in Jesus himself.
Conclusion
So, a few thoughts today on a key topic – maybe a hot topic in our society.
We need to be mindful of authority – that we are under authority, and that we are called to exercise authority over.
Let’s allow the Lord and the Scripture to guide us in both of these experiences.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Weekly THIS AND THAT for January 25, 2009: Celebrating Paul's Conversion and Ours
This and That:
Celebrating Saint Paul’s Conversion – and Ours!
Last spring, Pope Benedict XVI dedicated a special jubilee year to the Apostle Paul, from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 (feast of Saints Peter and Paul), to mark the second millennium of Paul’s birth.
Saint Paul was converted from Judaism while on his way to the city of Damascus as he was engaged in persecution of the early believers in Jesus. Known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul’s missionary travels included Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and Rome. In Rome, Paul was kept in chains and in the year 67 A.D., he was beheaded.
The Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul is celebrated each year on January 25th. Since the feast falls on this Sunday during this Year of Saint Paul, Pope Benedict has encouraged us to celebrate the Feast at our weekend Masses.
Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior.
One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.
From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction” (1 Thes 1:5a).
Paul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new.
So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate.
Our Lenten Family Fridays this year will focus on Saint Paul’s theology and how we are called to be transformed, as he was, by encountering Jesus Christ. Father Nicholas participated in a pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of Saint Paul” last summer and his presentations will be enriched by that experience. Deacon Lee, Father Nicholas and I will each share aspects of Saint Paul’s exhortation to live in Christ. Mark your calendars for the Lenten Family Fridays: February 27, March 6, 13, 20 and 27 and April 3.
Blessings,
Sister Mary Therese
Celebrating Saint Paul’s Conversion – and Ours!
Last spring, Pope Benedict XVI dedicated a special jubilee year to the Apostle Paul, from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 (feast of Saints Peter and Paul), to mark the second millennium of Paul’s birth.
Saint Paul was converted from Judaism while on his way to the city of Damascus as he was engaged in persecution of the early believers in Jesus. Known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul’s missionary travels included Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and Rome. In Rome, Paul was kept in chains and in the year 67 A.D., he was beheaded.
The Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul is celebrated each year on January 25th. Since the feast falls on this Sunday during this Year of Saint Paul, Pope Benedict has encouraged us to celebrate the Feast at our weekend Masses.
Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior.
One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.
From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction” (1 Thes 1:5a).
Paul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new.
So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate.
Our Lenten Family Fridays this year will focus on Saint Paul’s theology and how we are called to be transformed, as he was, by encountering Jesus Christ. Father Nicholas participated in a pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of Saint Paul” last summer and his presentations will be enriched by that experience. Deacon Lee, Father Nicholas and I will each share aspects of Saint Paul’s exhortation to live in Christ. Mark your calendars for the Lenten Family Fridays: February 27, March 6, 13, 20 and 27 and April 3.
Blessings,
Sister Mary Therese
Weekly HOMILY for January 25, 2009: Deacon Preaching Sunday
Deacon Lee Benson preached this weekend at Father Nicholas' Masses. Father's homily will return next week.
Weekly THIS AND THAT for January 18, 2009: Affording a Catholic School Education
This and That:
Affording a Catholic School Education
On November 27, 2008 Archbishop O’Brien wrote an open letter to the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in The Catholic Review. In it he spoke of the fact that Catholic Schools are facing downward trends in enrollment with rising salary and benefit costs, resulting in continuous increases in tuitions.
The recent downturn in our national economy has collided with these pre-existing factors to create a bit of a “perfect storm” that poses a real challenge to the sustainability of many of our Catholic schools, our own parish school included. Catholic schools in other dioceses are facing similar financial challenges as a result of a sharp decline in enrollment.
Since returning from Israel, I have met with the chairs of the Parish Finance Committee, the School Finance Committee, and Ms. Brydie Ricketts, our school principal, in an effort to address these challenges and to create a way to make our Catholic School affordable for all who seek it. This same goal has and continues to be a priority of this Archdiocese.
One objective our parish Catholic School has is to fill every classroom without negatively impacting the quality of an excellent academic curriculum and the added benefit of a faith-based education. To meet this objective we recognize that some families will need financial assistance to bridge the gap between their financial resources and the cost of attending OLGS. We feel confident that we can award a tuition assistance grant to help any child attend OLGS based on demonstrated financial need.
In order to apply for Tuition Assistance, all a family needs to do is share its financial situation on a confidential basis with an outside firm called SSS (School and Student Service for Financial Aid). This firm in turn would recommend to the Tuition Assistance Committee how much assistance is needed for a family to attend OLGS.
➢ If you would like to have a child or grandchild enrolled in our Catholic School, but you do not feel you can afford the annual tuition of $5,625 for K-8th Grade and $5,425 for the five full-day option Pre-School for the 2009-2010 school year, simply ask Ms. Ricketts or me for an application form for SSS. They will ask for your financial picture including incomes, assets, and debts information.
➢ Once the application is evaluated by SSS, they will recommend to our School the amount of Tuition Assistance that could be granted, based on the household’s financial need.
➢ While the amount for financial assistance to be recommended is being considered, the enrollment application process for acceptance to OLGS would be occurring.
➢ Once the Financial Assistance grant recommendation is received, you will have a confidential meeting with me as a member of the Tuition Assistance Committee to review the recommendation.
➢ With the grant awarded and the enrollment process completed, the child is ready for school, whether it is the beginning of the next school year or entrance into a class in the middle of the year.
➢ Each year you will re-apply for financial assistance and, assuming no material changes in your financial status, a similar grant could be awarded.
It is important to remember that a current family that experiences a change in its financial situation that creates a need for assistance can also apply for financial assistance consideration. You would follow the same process as outlined above.
The following are dates to remember regarding enrollment into the Fall Semester for the 2009-2010 School Year.
➢ New Enrollments – Began December 1st
➢ Re-enrollment – February 6th
➢ Deadline for Tuition Assistance Applications – April 1st
Our School Council and School Finance Committee are working hard at a balancing act of keeping tuition affordable, while also providing our students a high-quality learning environment with the finest faculty, which requires competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the best teachers. Ensuring full enrollment is a critical component to achieving a balanced budget and helping families with a demonstrated financial need is a top priority.
The years have witnessed a radical change in the role our Catholic schools have played. We find ourselves at a critical juncture in the history of Catholic schools, one that offers us the opportunity to meet the social, spiritual, and cultural challenges faced by parents and children, and offers us the exciting opportunity for dynamic change. Our Lady of Grace School, I am proud to say, exists to continue the tradition of Catholic education by providing a strong academic environment rooted in faith and moral values. It does not get better than that.
Therefore, I would not want families who desire a Catholic education for their children to refrain from doing so for financial reasons. Please feel free to inquire more about our Tuition Assistance Program.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Affording a Catholic School Education
On November 27, 2008 Archbishop O’Brien wrote an open letter to the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in The Catholic Review. In it he spoke of the fact that Catholic Schools are facing downward trends in enrollment with rising salary and benefit costs, resulting in continuous increases in tuitions.
The recent downturn in our national economy has collided with these pre-existing factors to create a bit of a “perfect storm” that poses a real challenge to the sustainability of many of our Catholic schools, our own parish school included. Catholic schools in other dioceses are facing similar financial challenges as a result of a sharp decline in enrollment.
Since returning from Israel, I have met with the chairs of the Parish Finance Committee, the School Finance Committee, and Ms. Brydie Ricketts, our school principal, in an effort to address these challenges and to create a way to make our Catholic School affordable for all who seek it. This same goal has and continues to be a priority of this Archdiocese.
One objective our parish Catholic School has is to fill every classroom without negatively impacting the quality of an excellent academic curriculum and the added benefit of a faith-based education. To meet this objective we recognize that some families will need financial assistance to bridge the gap between their financial resources and the cost of attending OLGS. We feel confident that we can award a tuition assistance grant to help any child attend OLGS based on demonstrated financial need.
In order to apply for Tuition Assistance, all a family needs to do is share its financial situation on a confidential basis with an outside firm called SSS (School and Student Service for Financial Aid). This firm in turn would recommend to the Tuition Assistance Committee how much assistance is needed for a family to attend OLGS.
➢ If you would like to have a child or grandchild enrolled in our Catholic School, but you do not feel you can afford the annual tuition of $5,625 for K-8th Grade and $5,425 for the five full-day option Pre-School for the 2009-2010 school year, simply ask Ms. Ricketts or me for an application form for SSS. They will ask for your financial picture including incomes, assets, and debts information.
➢ Once the application is evaluated by SSS, they will recommend to our School the amount of Tuition Assistance that could be granted, based on the household’s financial need.
➢ While the amount for financial assistance to be recommended is being considered, the enrollment application process for acceptance to OLGS would be occurring.
➢ Once the Financial Assistance grant recommendation is received, you will have a confidential meeting with me as a member of the Tuition Assistance Committee to review the recommendation.
➢ With the grant awarded and the enrollment process completed, the child is ready for school, whether it is the beginning of the next school year or entrance into a class in the middle of the year.
➢ Each year you will re-apply for financial assistance and, assuming no material changes in your financial status, a similar grant could be awarded.
It is important to remember that a current family that experiences a change in its financial situation that creates a need for assistance can also apply for financial assistance consideration. You would follow the same process as outlined above.
The following are dates to remember regarding enrollment into the Fall Semester for the 2009-2010 School Year.
➢ New Enrollments – Began December 1st
➢ Re-enrollment – February 6th
➢ Deadline for Tuition Assistance Applications – April 1st
Our School Council and School Finance Committee are working hard at a balancing act of keeping tuition affordable, while also providing our students a high-quality learning environment with the finest faculty, which requires competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the best teachers. Ensuring full enrollment is a critical component to achieving a balanced budget and helping families with a demonstrated financial need is a top priority.
The years have witnessed a radical change in the role our Catholic schools have played. We find ourselves at a critical juncture in the history of Catholic schools, one that offers us the opportunity to meet the social, spiritual, and cultural challenges faced by parents and children, and offers us the exciting opportunity for dynamic change. Our Lady of Grace School, I am proud to say, exists to continue the tradition of Catholic education by providing a strong academic environment rooted in faith and moral values. It does not get better than that.
Therefore, I would not want families who desire a Catholic education for their children to refrain from doing so for financial reasons. Please feel free to inquire more about our Tuition Assistance Program.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Weekly HOMILY for January 18, 2009: Father Nicholas Is on Christmas Break
Father Nicholas is on Christmas Break This Week
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Weekly THIS AND THAT for January 11, 2009: A New Venture in Prayer for Me and for You!
This and That:
A New Venture in Prayer for Me and for You!
I remember graduation from Boston University in 1977 and my parents coming up to see me receive my Doctoral Degree. Back in the hotel room my mother asked, what seemed at the time, to be the fundamental question, one I had never considered, “With all this education, with all these degrees, with all the expense of eight years of Graduate Studies, what do you make an hour!” “Make an hour?” I responded surprised. “No, really,” she continued, “What do you make an hour?” I sat down and did a bit of figuring and came up with a figure that, as a priest ordained seven years at the time, I made $2.85 an hour. Her response? “Well, you’re worth every penny!” I decided to take that as a compliment! Over the years I have come to realize how much I simply enjoy studying and learning new things in areas of history, theology, software applications, cooking, and spirituality, to name a few. I am what we used to call in education a “self-motivated learner.”
So you’d think, as would my mother, that after three months praying in a Trappist Monastery and three months studying in Israel, “you’d have had enough!” Sorry, Mom, not yet! As of this month, while being full-time in the parish and continuing all my duties as pastor, I have also enrolled at the Shalem Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. The Institute provides in-depth support for contemplative living and leadership – a way of being in the world that is prayerfully attentive and responsive to God’s presence and guidance. The Institute offers a wide variety of programs and resources for spiritual directors, clergy, lay leaders, and individuals who want to open themselves more fully to God in their daily lives and work. I have enrolled in an 18-month program in “Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups & Retreats: Transforming Community.”
One might ask, “What does the word ‘contemplative’ mean?” The word itself has many meanings today. It comes from the Latin roots cum (with) and templum (temple), connoting a sense of the sacred. Stated simply, the classical tradition understands contemplation as a loving quality of presence in which one is open to things just as they are in the present moment. In Christianity and other traditions that understand God to be present everywhere, contemplation includes a reverence for the Divine Mystery, finding God in all things, or being open to God’s presence, however it may appear. When referring to prayer or other spiritual practices, contemplation is classically distinguished from meditation.
Generally this means that meditation seems like something we ‘do’ by means of our own effort and intention, while contemplation always seems to come as a gift. Furthermore, the reverence for mystery implies an openness to unknowing, a willingness to be led and guided by God without having to comprehend what is happening. In this understanding, contemplation is in no way opposed to action. In fact, our sense is that truly effective, responsive action in the world needs to be undergirded and informed by contemplative awareness.
What I learned very well while at the Trappist Monastery for three months was that although silence and solitude play a role in the contemplative life, contemplation does not mean withdrawing from the world. On the contrary, it is a responsive, participative presence in and with God, oneself, one’s neighbors, and all creation. My goal is to assist others in deepening the contemplative life and nurturing their presence for God.
The 18-month program consists of reading a lengthy series of books and articles, networking with others in the program, small group gatherings for discussion, and two one-week “residencies,” one in May of this year and the other in March of next year. This program will help me prepare for my ministry in giving Parish Missions and Contemplative Retreats when I leave Our Lady of Grace in June 2010.
In addition to the requirements already stated, I need to continue with monthly Spiritual Direction and finally, to create a small prayer group for personal support and shared informal prayer and meditation. If you or someone you know would like to be part of a regularly meeting prayer group for 18 months, please let me know by giving me a call (410-329-6826) or emailing me at namato@earthlink.net. It will be an experience of praying and meditating with others that could be a valuable resource for you spiritually.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
A New Venture in Prayer for Me and for You!
I remember graduation from Boston University in 1977 and my parents coming up to see me receive my Doctoral Degree. Back in the hotel room my mother asked, what seemed at the time, to be the fundamental question, one I had never considered, “With all this education, with all these degrees, with all the expense of eight years of Graduate Studies, what do you make an hour!” “Make an hour?” I responded surprised. “No, really,” she continued, “What do you make an hour?” I sat down and did a bit of figuring and came up with a figure that, as a priest ordained seven years at the time, I made $2.85 an hour. Her response? “Well, you’re worth every penny!” I decided to take that as a compliment! Over the years I have come to realize how much I simply enjoy studying and learning new things in areas of history, theology, software applications, cooking, and spirituality, to name a few. I am what we used to call in education a “self-motivated learner.”
So you’d think, as would my mother, that after three months praying in a Trappist Monastery and three months studying in Israel, “you’d have had enough!” Sorry, Mom, not yet! As of this month, while being full-time in the parish and continuing all my duties as pastor, I have also enrolled at the Shalem Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. The Institute provides in-depth support for contemplative living and leadership – a way of being in the world that is prayerfully attentive and responsive to God’s presence and guidance. The Institute offers a wide variety of programs and resources for spiritual directors, clergy, lay leaders, and individuals who want to open themselves more fully to God in their daily lives and work. I have enrolled in an 18-month program in “Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups & Retreats: Transforming Community.”
One might ask, “What does the word ‘contemplative’ mean?” The word itself has many meanings today. It comes from the Latin roots cum (with) and templum (temple), connoting a sense of the sacred. Stated simply, the classical tradition understands contemplation as a loving quality of presence in which one is open to things just as they are in the present moment. In Christianity and other traditions that understand God to be present everywhere, contemplation includes a reverence for the Divine Mystery, finding God in all things, or being open to God’s presence, however it may appear. When referring to prayer or other spiritual practices, contemplation is classically distinguished from meditation.
Generally this means that meditation seems like something we ‘do’ by means of our own effort and intention, while contemplation always seems to come as a gift. Furthermore, the reverence for mystery implies an openness to unknowing, a willingness to be led and guided by God without having to comprehend what is happening. In this understanding, contemplation is in no way opposed to action. In fact, our sense is that truly effective, responsive action in the world needs to be undergirded and informed by contemplative awareness.
What I learned very well while at the Trappist Monastery for three months was that although silence and solitude play a role in the contemplative life, contemplation does not mean withdrawing from the world. On the contrary, it is a responsive, participative presence in and with God, oneself, one’s neighbors, and all creation. My goal is to assist others in deepening the contemplative life and nurturing their presence for God.
The 18-month program consists of reading a lengthy series of books and articles, networking with others in the program, small group gatherings for discussion, and two one-week “residencies,” one in May of this year and the other in March of next year. This program will help me prepare for my ministry in giving Parish Missions and Contemplative Retreats when I leave Our Lady of Grace in June 2010.
In addition to the requirements already stated, I need to continue with monthly Spiritual Direction and finally, to create a small prayer group for personal support and shared informal prayer and meditation. If you or someone you know would like to be part of a regularly meeting prayer group for 18 months, please let me know by giving me a call (410-329-6826) or emailing me at namato@earthlink.net. It will be an experience of praying and meditating with others that could be a valuable resource for you spiritually.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Weekly HOMILY for January 11, 2009: Taking Our Baptismal Promises Seriously
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
January 11, 2009
Taking Our Baptismal Promises Seriously
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Godfather
All of us are familiar with the movie “The Godfather.”
For me, one of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the baptism sequence. Michael Corleone, the Sicilian Godfather, is the actual godfather at the baptism of his newborn nephew.
During the Baptism, we see the baptismal promises made by Corleone. And, as he makes them, we also see other events that he has ordered his death squad to carry out.
The priest asks, “Do you renounce Satan?” Corleone responds, “I do” and in the same moment, we see a brutal murder committed by the Godfather’s henchmen.
The priest asks, “And all Satan’s works?” And again, Corleone’s “I do” is followed by the scene of another gruesome massacre that he has directed.
And so it goes throughout the Baptism ceremony. You pick up the theme very quickly: Michael Corleone says one thing and he does another, and his profession of faith is a sham.
Baptismal Commitment
The same questions asked of Michael Corleone are also posed to us at Baptisms and sometimes here at Mass, especially in the weeks following Easter when the Creed is recited as a series of the same questions.
And the challenge is the same for us as it was for Corleone. Answering these questions is one thing, but living out a full bodies response is quite another.
Perhaps the real issue is: What does it really mean to live out my baptismal commitment? I think that Jesus’ own baptism and today’s Scripture readings help to define what the “I do” of our baptismal promises means.
Commitment #1: Living with God
Let’s look at their meaning. First, baptism involves a commitment to live in union with God.
In our Gospel passage, we are told that, “The skies open and the Spirit of God descends.” So, the Almighty God, the divine presence is here.
For us, Baptism means that we make the Divine – our relationship with God – the guiding force of our lives. It means that we seek a greater closeness with God through prayer, and that we try to live out of this inner communion with God as a way of life.
Our baptismal “I do” means that “I do commit myself to living in communion with God.”
Commitment #2: Naming Children
Second, Baptism involves a commitment to name our children as sons and daughters of God.
At Jesus’ Baptism, “The voice from the heavens says, ‘This is my beloved Son.’” So, to our children, we need to say clearly, “You are God’s daughter; you are God’s son.”
We do this in practical ways: By talking with our children, grandchildren, and godchildren about God and by teaching them little prayers, by bringing them to Mass and tending to their Religious Education.
And we do this by being a good example and guiding them through the challenging and tumultuous teenage years.
Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to name our children as God’s daughters and sons in real-life ways.”
Commitment #3: Caring for Others
And third, Baptism involves a commitment to care for others.
In our first reading, Isaiah foretells the coming of a Servant of God. Isaiah foresees that this Servant will, “Open the eyes of the blind, bring prisoners out from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
Isaiah’s vision of this Servant is fulfilled in Jesus and now needs to be continued by us.
So, we are to open the eyes of others to a life of faith in Jesus, do what we can to free those trapped by poverty, and lead into the light those caught in depression.
Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to care for others.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, unlike Michael Corleone in The Godfather, our actions must match our baptismal “I dos.”
We do commit (1) To live with God, (2) To name our children as God’s own, and (3) to care for others.
This is the meaning of our baptismal commitment and better we not renew it than renew it with half a heart.
Our Creed that follows will ask those very important questions, but first let us ponder our response.
Our Lady of Grace
January 11, 2009
Taking Our Baptismal Promises Seriously
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Godfather
All of us are familiar with the movie “The Godfather.”
For me, one of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the baptism sequence. Michael Corleone, the Sicilian Godfather, is the actual godfather at the baptism of his newborn nephew.
During the Baptism, we see the baptismal promises made by Corleone. And, as he makes them, we also see other events that he has ordered his death squad to carry out.
The priest asks, “Do you renounce Satan?” Corleone responds, “I do” and in the same moment, we see a brutal murder committed by the Godfather’s henchmen.
The priest asks, “And all Satan’s works?” And again, Corleone’s “I do” is followed by the scene of another gruesome massacre that he has directed.
And so it goes throughout the Baptism ceremony. You pick up the theme very quickly: Michael Corleone says one thing and he does another, and his profession of faith is a sham.
Baptismal Commitment
The same questions asked of Michael Corleone are also posed to us at Baptisms and sometimes here at Mass, especially in the weeks following Easter when the Creed is recited as a series of the same questions.
And the challenge is the same for us as it was for Corleone. Answering these questions is one thing, but living out a full bodies response is quite another.
Perhaps the real issue is: What does it really mean to live out my baptismal commitment? I think that Jesus’ own baptism and today’s Scripture readings help to define what the “I do” of our baptismal promises means.
Commitment #1: Living with God
Let’s look at their meaning. First, baptism involves a commitment to live in union with God.
In our Gospel passage, we are told that, “The skies open and the Spirit of God descends.” So, the Almighty God, the divine presence is here.
For us, Baptism means that we make the Divine – our relationship with God – the guiding force of our lives. It means that we seek a greater closeness with God through prayer, and that we try to live out of this inner communion with God as a way of life.
Our baptismal “I do” means that “I do commit myself to living in communion with God.”
Commitment #2: Naming Children
Second, Baptism involves a commitment to name our children as sons and daughters of God.
At Jesus’ Baptism, “The voice from the heavens says, ‘This is my beloved Son.’” So, to our children, we need to say clearly, “You are God’s daughter; you are God’s son.”
We do this in practical ways: By talking with our children, grandchildren, and godchildren about God and by teaching them little prayers, by bringing them to Mass and tending to their Religious Education.
And we do this by being a good example and guiding them through the challenging and tumultuous teenage years.
Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to name our children as God’s daughters and sons in real-life ways.”
Commitment #3: Caring for Others
And third, Baptism involves a commitment to care for others.
In our first reading, Isaiah foretells the coming of a Servant of God. Isaiah foresees that this Servant will, “Open the eyes of the blind, bring prisoners out from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
Isaiah’s vision of this Servant is fulfilled in Jesus and now needs to be continued by us.
So, we are to open the eyes of others to a life of faith in Jesus, do what we can to free those trapped by poverty, and lead into the light those caught in depression.
Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to care for others.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, unlike Michael Corleone in The Godfather, our actions must match our baptismal “I dos.”
We do commit (1) To live with God, (2) To name our children as God’s own, and (3) to care for others.
This is the meaning of our baptismal commitment and better we not renew it than renew it with half a heart.
Our Creed that follows will ask those very important questions, but first let us ponder our response.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Weekly THIS AND THAT for January 4, 2009: A Change in Our Monthly Envelope Mailing
This and That:
A Change in Our Monthly Envelope Mailing
Beginning in February in our monthly mailing of envelopes, we will discontinue an old familiar envelope and begin a new one. The old familiar goldenrod Capital Campaign envelope will be replaced by a new green one called, “Our Lady of Grace Debt Reduction Fund.” Because we get our February envelopes mailed to us in mid or late January, I thought it important to “get the word out” about the change. This week’s “This and That” is to explain the “What” and the “Why” of the envelope change and to give you a “heads up” before you receive the packet in the mail.
While I have this opportunity, it might be good to explain the different envelopes in the monthly packet you receive. There are the weekly Offertory envelopes, which are your weekly contribution to the support of the parish and its more than 60 ministries. Without the “bread and butter” Offertory we could not provide for our worship, programs or services. The second envelope is the new green “Debt Reduction Fund” which is explained further below. Finally there are the Christmas and Easter Special Collection envelopes. They are your Christmas and Easter gift to your parish.
Regarding the new green envelope, our three-year Capital Campaign was begun in January 2005 to pay for new construction and improvements to the facilities on campus. It also included paying down of some of our debt that was incurred on prior parish projects. The Campaign was a success with all of our planned projects being completed and we were able to reduce some of our outstanding debt.
In December 2007 we completed our Capital Campaign original pledge period for the Campaign, which used the goldenrod collection envelope. There were some parishioners who needed to extend the payment of their pledges beyond the original pledge schedule. There were other families who had joined our parish after the Capital Campaign had officially begun and were willing to make a three-year commitment that extended beyond December 2007. For these reasons we kept the goldenrod envelope in the monthly Offertory packet of envelops for all of 2008.
As we enter 2009, your family and your parish family each faces challenging times. Our parish is not immune to the economic climate in keeping our operational budget balanced and in servicing of our debt. Our Parish Development Committee has recommended that we discontinue the goldenrod Capital Campaign envelope and in its place include a green envelope called “Our Lady of Grace Debt Reduction Fund” beginning with the February envelop packet. These donations will go directly to servicing our debt on a regular basis and will be used for nothing else. The green envelope will now be included in the monthly packet.
The debt which was approved by the Finance Committee, Pastoral Council and Parish Coporators, was a result of our purchasing of some of the adjoining property, the opening of the Middle School, creating additional parking, building of the athletic fields, improvement of the ingress and egress to the campus, and expansion of the Educational Center. It was never our intention to completely pay off the debt to the Archdiocese so now that the Capital Campaign is officially over, we are asking all our people to help us chip away at reducing it, since the more we are able to pay off, the lesser the interest cost to the parish.
Thank you for continued generous support of Our Lady of Grace. Without your financial help we could not have accomplished all that has been done and will be done in the future.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
A Change in Our Monthly Envelope Mailing
Beginning in February in our monthly mailing of envelopes, we will discontinue an old familiar envelope and begin a new one. The old familiar goldenrod Capital Campaign envelope will be replaced by a new green one called, “Our Lady of Grace Debt Reduction Fund.” Because we get our February envelopes mailed to us in mid or late January, I thought it important to “get the word out” about the change. This week’s “This and That” is to explain the “What” and the “Why” of the envelope change and to give you a “heads up” before you receive the packet in the mail.
While I have this opportunity, it might be good to explain the different envelopes in the monthly packet you receive. There are the weekly Offertory envelopes, which are your weekly contribution to the support of the parish and its more than 60 ministries. Without the “bread and butter” Offertory we could not provide for our worship, programs or services. The second envelope is the new green “Debt Reduction Fund” which is explained further below. Finally there are the Christmas and Easter Special Collection envelopes. They are your Christmas and Easter gift to your parish.
Regarding the new green envelope, our three-year Capital Campaign was begun in January 2005 to pay for new construction and improvements to the facilities on campus. It also included paying down of some of our debt that was incurred on prior parish projects. The Campaign was a success with all of our planned projects being completed and we were able to reduce some of our outstanding debt.
In December 2007 we completed our Capital Campaign original pledge period for the Campaign, which used the goldenrod collection envelope. There were some parishioners who needed to extend the payment of their pledges beyond the original pledge schedule. There were other families who had joined our parish after the Capital Campaign had officially begun and were willing to make a three-year commitment that extended beyond December 2007. For these reasons we kept the goldenrod envelope in the monthly Offertory packet of envelops for all of 2008.
As we enter 2009, your family and your parish family each faces challenging times. Our parish is not immune to the economic climate in keeping our operational budget balanced and in servicing of our debt. Our Parish Development Committee has recommended that we discontinue the goldenrod Capital Campaign envelope and in its place include a green envelope called “Our Lady of Grace Debt Reduction Fund” beginning with the February envelop packet. These donations will go directly to servicing our debt on a regular basis and will be used for nothing else. The green envelope will now be included in the monthly packet.
The debt which was approved by the Finance Committee, Pastoral Council and Parish Coporators, was a result of our purchasing of some of the adjoining property, the opening of the Middle School, creating additional parking, building of the athletic fields, improvement of the ingress and egress to the campus, and expansion of the Educational Center. It was never our intention to completely pay off the debt to the Archdiocese so now that the Capital Campaign is officially over, we are asking all our people to help us chip away at reducing it, since the more we are able to pay off, the lesser the interest cost to the parish.
Thank you for continued generous support of Our Lady of Grace. Without your financial help we could not have accomplished all that has been done and will be done in the future.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
Weekly HOMILY for January 4, 2009: Epiphany: A Game of Hide-and-Seek
Feast of the Epiphany, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
January 4, 2009
Epiphany: A Game of Hide-and-Seek
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
A Hasidic Story
While in Israel this past fall, I heard a Hasidic story about a little boy playing hide-and-seek with his friends. For some unknown reason the other children stopped playing while he was hiding.
The little boy begins to cry. After a while his old grandfather comes out of the house to see what is troubling him and to comfort him.
After learning what has happened, the grandfather says, “My son, do not weep because the boys and girls did not come to find you.”
“Perhaps this disappointment has a lesson to teach us. All of life is like a game of hide-and-seek between God and us. Only it is God who is weeping for we are not playing the game well.”
“God is waiting to be found and many of us have left the game and gone in search of other things.”
Epiphany: Are We Seeking?
Epiphany is the feast about God-wanting-to-be-found and in fact being found, by shepherds and Wise Men.
Today I would like to look at aspects of ourselves that (1) Help us find God and aspects of ourselves that (2) Keep him veiled and hidden.
A way of doing this is to look at the three groups involved in this feast day and see the characteristics of each. My guess is that we can find aspects of each of them within ourselves.
First, there is King Herod, then the priests of the Temple, and finally the three Wise Men.
Herod: Closed to Seeking
First to King Herod. Here is someone who is threatened by the fact that Jesus could affect his own power and position. Consequently, he is completely closed to Jesus as a possible Savior.
In fact, his only objective is to have this child killed and takes steps in the slaughter of the Innocents to do just that.
Herod might represent us when we are closed to God who is making new expectations of us.
For example, perhaps we are closed to seeking out professional help in our marriage or with our drinking habits.
Perhaps we, like Herod, are threatened and closed to what the Lord may be calling us to face in our lives – the loss of power or control over children, workers, or others.
We may be unwilling to look inside at ourselves because it might require that we change something in our behavior or attitudes.
Temple Priests: Indifferent about Seeking
After Herod there are the Temple Priests. The Gospel simply says that they tell Herod where the newborn King of the Jews is to be born.
But notice that, even though they are good religious people, they don’t bother to go and seek Jesus for themselves.
They are just caught up in their own life and not looking for or even alert to anything new or different in their relationship with God.
I’d suggest that Temple Priests represent many of us, when we are indifferent to the ways God may be speaking to us today.
For example, perhaps we pass the pamphlet rack in the foyer of the church every week, but never consider picking up something to help our faith mature and keep pace with our maturing and learning about other things in life.
Or maybe we hear news reports about the environment but never even think about recycling.
Three Wise Men: Open to Seeking
Finally, there are the three Wise Men. The Gospel says that they travel from the East in search of the new Savior.
Apparently, they were quite spiritual people and are already respected for their wisdom.
They are open to this new revelation of God in Jesus. They are people who are still searching for more in their lives.
I would suggest that these Wise Men represent us when we are open to the Lord calling us to search out new ways in relating to God or to others.
For example, maybe we are willing to talk things through with a teenage son or daughter and look at our part when the relationship just seems to be going down the tubes.
Or maybe we are open to changing our way or manner of praying by making it less of a time for asking for things and more of a time for listening to what God is trying to tell us in the Scripture.
Conclusion
So this simple story of the three Wise Men may not be so simple after all.
It is really a story of how you and I are responding to the ways that the Lord may be speaking to us today and in these times of economic stress.
Am I closed and threatened like Herod? Or am I indifferent like the Temple Priests?
We pray that our style of relating to this Infant Savior is that of the openness of the Wise Men.
Our Lady of Grace
January 4, 2009
Epiphany: A Game of Hide-and-Seek
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
A Hasidic Story
While in Israel this past fall, I heard a Hasidic story about a little boy playing hide-and-seek with his friends. For some unknown reason the other children stopped playing while he was hiding.
The little boy begins to cry. After a while his old grandfather comes out of the house to see what is troubling him and to comfort him.
After learning what has happened, the grandfather says, “My son, do not weep because the boys and girls did not come to find you.”
“Perhaps this disappointment has a lesson to teach us. All of life is like a game of hide-and-seek between God and us. Only it is God who is weeping for we are not playing the game well.”
“God is waiting to be found and many of us have left the game and gone in search of other things.”
Epiphany: Are We Seeking?
Epiphany is the feast about God-wanting-to-be-found and in fact being found, by shepherds and Wise Men.
Today I would like to look at aspects of ourselves that (1) Help us find God and aspects of ourselves that (2) Keep him veiled and hidden.
A way of doing this is to look at the three groups involved in this feast day and see the characteristics of each. My guess is that we can find aspects of each of them within ourselves.
First, there is King Herod, then the priests of the Temple, and finally the three Wise Men.
Herod: Closed to Seeking
First to King Herod. Here is someone who is threatened by the fact that Jesus could affect his own power and position. Consequently, he is completely closed to Jesus as a possible Savior.
In fact, his only objective is to have this child killed and takes steps in the slaughter of the Innocents to do just that.
Herod might represent us when we are closed to God who is making new expectations of us.
For example, perhaps we are closed to seeking out professional help in our marriage or with our drinking habits.
Perhaps we, like Herod, are threatened and closed to what the Lord may be calling us to face in our lives – the loss of power or control over children, workers, or others.
We may be unwilling to look inside at ourselves because it might require that we change something in our behavior or attitudes.
Temple Priests: Indifferent about Seeking
After Herod there are the Temple Priests. The Gospel simply says that they tell Herod where the newborn King of the Jews is to be born.
But notice that, even though they are good religious people, they don’t bother to go and seek Jesus for themselves.
They are just caught up in their own life and not looking for or even alert to anything new or different in their relationship with God.
I’d suggest that Temple Priests represent many of us, when we are indifferent to the ways God may be speaking to us today.
For example, perhaps we pass the pamphlet rack in the foyer of the church every week, but never consider picking up something to help our faith mature and keep pace with our maturing and learning about other things in life.
Or maybe we hear news reports about the environment but never even think about recycling.
Three Wise Men: Open to Seeking
Finally, there are the three Wise Men. The Gospel says that they travel from the East in search of the new Savior.
Apparently, they were quite spiritual people and are already respected for their wisdom.
They are open to this new revelation of God in Jesus. They are people who are still searching for more in their lives.
I would suggest that these Wise Men represent us when we are open to the Lord calling us to search out new ways in relating to God or to others.
For example, maybe we are willing to talk things through with a teenage son or daughter and look at our part when the relationship just seems to be going down the tubes.
Or maybe we are open to changing our way or manner of praying by making it less of a time for asking for things and more of a time for listening to what God is trying to tell us in the Scripture.
Conclusion
So this simple story of the three Wise Men may not be so simple after all.
It is really a story of how you and I are responding to the ways that the Lord may be speaking to us today and in these times of economic stress.
Am I closed and threatened like Herod? Or am I indifferent like the Temple Priests?
We pray that our style of relating to this Infant Savior is that of the openness of the Wise Men.
Weekly HOMILY for January 1, 2009: Mary, a Model for How to Live in the Present
Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
January 1, 2005
Mary, a Model for How to Live in the Present
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Past and the Future
A writer named Alice Camille says that many of us live in the past or in the future a good bit of the time.
Alice Camille says that “past-dwellers” can be divided into two groups.
➢ First, there are the nostalgiacs: those who think that the way things were in the past was great and who long for the good old days.
➢ And second, there are the rubberneckers: those who are fixated on something bad that happened and they just can’t get over it.
Then, Alice Camille also says that future-dwellers can also be divided into two groups.
➢ First, there are the I-can’t-waiters: those who can’t wait for this or that to happen because then everything will be just fine.
➢ And second, there are the worriers: those who are filled with anxiety about tomorrow.
The problem is that the past-dwellers (the nostalgiacs and the rubberneckers) and the future-dwellers (the I-can’t-waiters and the worriers) are not living in the present.
The fact of the matter is that they are largely missing the only moment that counts – today, right now, the present moment.
Mary and the Present
The image of Mary today calls us to (1) Live in the present and (2) Also shows us how to do that.
Our Gospel passage tells us that following Jesus’ birth, “Mary treasures these things and reflects on them in her heart.” Later on in this same chapter, Luke again tells us that Mary “stores up these things in her heart.”
So, Mary is portrayed as a reflective, prayerful person.
➢ She seems to look back to what has happened in her life and to what she has been told about her role in God’s plan.
➢ And Mary also looks ahead to the promises and hopes about tomorrow that God gives us.
So, yes, she reflects on the past and the future, but notice that she is not stuck in either of them!
Instead, Mary sifts through everything and extracts what it is that God wants her to do right now. She tries to shape her life in the present from her experience of the past and from her hope for the future.
Mary as a Model for Us
My recommendation, of course, is that Mary is a good model for us on New Year’s Eve/Day.
She calls us to be prayerful, to be reflective in a very specific way. She moves us to sift through the experiences of our past and review the hopes for the future so that we can live the present fully and live it well.
➢ So, prayerfully, what can we learn from our experience of our past? From success or failure, from joy or sadness?
➢ And, what can we learn from our hopes for the future? From Jesus’ vision of peace and reconciliation, or from our own desire to have more time for the people in our lives?
In other words, what do our experiences of the past and of the future say to us about the present?
Conclusion
The example of Mary calls us to address this question in a prayerful and reflective way.
Our Lady of Grace
January 1, 2005
Mary, a Model for How to Live in the Present
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Past and the Future
A writer named Alice Camille says that many of us live in the past or in the future a good bit of the time.
Alice Camille says that “past-dwellers” can be divided into two groups.
➢ First, there are the nostalgiacs: those who think that the way things were in the past was great and who long for the good old days.
➢ And second, there are the rubberneckers: those who are fixated on something bad that happened and they just can’t get over it.
Then, Alice Camille also says that future-dwellers can also be divided into two groups.
➢ First, there are the I-can’t-waiters: those who can’t wait for this or that to happen because then everything will be just fine.
➢ And second, there are the worriers: those who are filled with anxiety about tomorrow.
The problem is that the past-dwellers (the nostalgiacs and the rubberneckers) and the future-dwellers (the I-can’t-waiters and the worriers) are not living in the present.
The fact of the matter is that they are largely missing the only moment that counts – today, right now, the present moment.
Mary and the Present
The image of Mary today calls us to (1) Live in the present and (2) Also shows us how to do that.
Our Gospel passage tells us that following Jesus’ birth, “Mary treasures these things and reflects on them in her heart.” Later on in this same chapter, Luke again tells us that Mary “stores up these things in her heart.”
So, Mary is portrayed as a reflective, prayerful person.
➢ She seems to look back to what has happened in her life and to what she has been told about her role in God’s plan.
➢ And Mary also looks ahead to the promises and hopes about tomorrow that God gives us.
So, yes, she reflects on the past and the future, but notice that she is not stuck in either of them!
Instead, Mary sifts through everything and extracts what it is that God wants her to do right now. She tries to shape her life in the present from her experience of the past and from her hope for the future.
Mary as a Model for Us
My recommendation, of course, is that Mary is a good model for us on New Year’s Eve/Day.
She calls us to be prayerful, to be reflective in a very specific way. She moves us to sift through the experiences of our past and review the hopes for the future so that we can live the present fully and live it well.
➢ So, prayerfully, what can we learn from our experience of our past? From success or failure, from joy or sadness?
➢ And, what can we learn from our hopes for the future? From Jesus’ vision of peace and reconciliation, or from our own desire to have more time for the people in our lives?
In other words, what do our experiences of the past and of the future say to us about the present?
Conclusion
The example of Mary calls us to address this question in a prayerful and reflective way.
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