On Living the Vocation to Holiness - November 20, 2022

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the coming of Advent and encouraged advanced preparation so that Advent could be a true season of preparation.  With the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King of the Universe (Novus Ordo) this weekend we are at crunch time for preparing.

The color for Advent is violet.  I often say “purple” because I have no idea what the difference is, so I’ve always called it purple.  But, in English, this is a happy confluence of terms since the principal points of both Advent and Lent are preparation, penance, and prayer (notice how they all start with "p"?).  Indeed, it works for funerals too, which is why I generally wear “purple” for funerals too.

Wait a minute!  “Penance”?  Well, yes.  Penance is an important part of not only Lent (and funeral rites), but also of Advent.  While it isn’t penitential in the same way as Lent, there is a penitential aspect to this season of joyful expectation.  So, what is this penitential aspect?

The penitence in Advent comes from a realization that Christ, our King is coming, and we are not perfected in holiness and love; that is, we aren’t quite ready to receive Him.  It is for that reason that we are saddened by our lack of faithfulness, and therefore - preparedness.  When He comes we want to be ready, we want things to be perfect.  Think of a bride and groom as their wedding day looms, realizing that some important elements of their preparations are left undone.  I’ve seen brides especially come undone (actually, unglued!) over such things.

Thus, we see there is indeed a penitential aspect to our preparations.  That is one of the reasons that Advent is a time when more recent tradition dictates communal Confession services be scheduled.  And this has already been scheduled for the Tri-Parishes and extra priest-confessors secured so that this issue may be laid to rest and not be an obstacle to our full celebration of the Lord’s coming.

Another part of our preparation must be increased prayer.  In prayer we bring ourselves before the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, his Father, and the saints seeking their assistance so that we may be found truly ready at the Lord’s coming.  In this way we find ourselves in a position to receive Him fully, with hearts opened wide.  For many this is a matter of becoming more attentive to daily recitation of the Rosary, especially the Joyful Mysteries which are the Christmas mysteries if you will.

The bottom line is we want to recognize Christmas and celebrate it first and foremost as a welcoming of the Savior, Jesus Christ, into our lives – not just a part of our life, but the whole of it (every room!).  Our Advent preparation is aimed at this and will help us in achieving it, if only we can keep the cultural intrusions and premature frivolity at bay for just a few weeks.

Long live Christ the King!

On Living the Vocation to Holiness - 13 November 2022

A social media posting from another church caught my eye the other day which referred to a children’s activity which was called “stamp out indulgences”.  Given the real and scandalous abuses that were occurring in the time leading up to the so-called “reformation”, I understood where the activity was coming from.  However, I’ll admit that my reaction was one of sadness.  Why would one want to stamp out indulgences?

I should begin with defining what is meant by an “indulgence”.  According to the dictionary, an indulgence is “an extension in the time in which a bill or a debt has to be paid”; it is also “the state or the attitude of being indulgent or tolerant.”  The Catholic understanding of an “indulgence” is: “The remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church – Glossary).

As I said, given the historical baggage attached to indulgences, I get that it can become a target; however, given our knowledge of the imperfect love we have for God and for one another, why would anybody pass up the chance for the forgiveness of the debt due for our sins?  This column doesn’t give near enough space for a full discussion of the ‘ins-and-outs’ of indulgences; so, I would encourage all to take a look at paragraphs 1471 – 1479 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Here one can get a fuller understanding of the basics involved in the “why” and the “how” of it.

I would say, in the context of this column, that I am personally very grateful that God gives us the opportunity, through these grants of the Church, to be perfected in love.  Understanding the double consequence of sin (CCC paragraph 1472), I know that while Christ has paid the price of my sins and provided forgiveness through his sacrifice on the Cross, I still have my part to do in setting things aright with regards to the disorder I have introduced into creation through my sins.  I am most grateful that my brothers and sisters, both in this life and in the hereafter (Purgatory & Heaven) can assist me in this through their prayers on my behalf.

I am also grateful that the Church helps me recognize through the granting of indulgences that the things our Holy Mother invites us to do each day are a natural part of this healing that comes to creation and to ourselves – prayer, study of Scripture and the Catechism, works of charity, etc.

God is indeed good; and indulgences are simply another sign of that goodness, that love.

Health Update - 8 November, 2022

I want to thank all who have been holding me up in prayer.  So many of you have communicated your prayer intentions for my health to me.  It has been humbling to say the least, but I am most grateful for your prayers, expressions of concern, and the delicious food some of you have left on my doorstep.

My latest round of doctor appointments is now completed.  there's basically three pieces to this: the skin cancer, the meningioma found on the lining of my brain, and the reason I went to the doctor in the first place - my voice issue.

The skin cancer (melanoma) will be removed in the near future.  They'll also take some lymph nodes to determine whether the cancer has spread.  Bottom line: This part of the trio seems to be the one that will be the most involved in time and effort to overcome.  But, it can, and with time will be.

The spot found on my brain, a meningioma, is small and not uncommon according to the neurosurgeon.  She said it could have been there for several years already for all we know.  I'll have another MRI in three months, and if that shows no significant difference in the spot then there'll be succeeding MRIs at greater intervals until we can forget about it.  If it does grow, it is something that can be dealt with and is dealt with much more commonly now with radiation and, if need be, surgery.  But the prognosis is very good.  Bottom line: it isn't particularly worrying.

Finally, they still have no idea why my voice went haywire.  The neurologist is chalking it up to a viral infection.  It's been getting better over the last three or four weeks little by little.  So, we'll go with that and not look a gift horse in the mouth.  The hope is, especially since there hasn't been any discoverable cause, that it just continues improving until the voice is back to normal.

So, there it is: one issue improving; one issue not particularly worrisome (at the moment); and another to be dealt with more immediately with not quite as much confidence in the endgame yet.  Hopefully the last will have more clarity in the not too distant future.

In any case, the medical professionals will do their part, but in the end it's in God's hands and I'm ok with that.  So, again, thank-you for the prayers and good wishes.

On Living the Vocation to Holiness - November 6, 2022

     This month of November is traditionally dedicated to prayer for the poor souls in Purgatory.  I am amazed to still hear from life-long Catholics that they don’t believe in Purgatory.  I’ve never gotten a good answer from anyone who has stated this position about why they reject the Church’s teaching.  What’s more, it is sad that we should think so little of God and of ourselves to not rejoice at the GIFT Purgatory is to us.  Now, how in heaven’s name can Purgatory be a “gift”???  Well, let’s talk about that.

     The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraphs 1030-1032, gives us the fundamentals.  It also, in the footnotes, helps us to see the biblical foundations from the books of Job, Maccabees, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, and the Gospel according to St. Matthew; as well as writings from the saints and councils of the Church.  In reviewing this we see that this doctrine is well-grounded and a part of the Church’s very long understanding of the “Last Things” (death, judgement, heaven, & hell).

     In reading and then bringing these texts to prayer we come to see how God’s perfect plan for our eternal life is not just an eternal extension of what we have experienced in this life.  In heaven it doesn’t “take all kinds”, which we too often say as we are excusing poor behavior.  In heaven there is only one kind – those who have been perfected in love, that is, their ability to respond to love with a love that is completely self-giving.  Does that sound too good to be true?  Well, that’s the way God rolls.

     So, let us embrace this doctrinal gift through our attention to prayer for those who have gone before us, especially in those moments when we have an inkling that we should pray for one person or another.

     There are a good number of resources available for growing in our understanding and appreciation of Purgatory as well as resources for prayer.  There are some excellent videos on the FORMED platform from the Augustine Institute.  I also have an outstanding video that I would be willing to lend out.  Finally, there are still a decent number of “Purgatory Novenas” available in the entrances of each of our churches.

     I hope you will make use of these resources and grow in your confidence in God’s love for all as you embrace his plan for our salvation – of which Purgatory is sometimes a necessary and grace filled part.