Self-Test

Growing tougher through testing by God

06/27/2019

Matthew 7:21-29 Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.' "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

I want to thank everyone for their prayers for me Tuesday night at Pints with a Priest. I spoke about the scandal of clergy sexual abuse of minors with a full house of about 80 people present. And fortunately, no one threw tomatoes at me or poured beer over my head. Tim Shields even bought me a beer. A few guys walked in half-way through my presentation and were clearly shocked to see a priest giving a sermon in a bar, but they stayed because it looked like it might be entertaining, maybe how some people stumbled into the Sermon on the Mount and stayed and were blessed.

After my presentation there was a lively discussion. People expressed not only their deep pain but also their unflagging perseverance in the faith. A few people who spoke were Eileen Teagle, Martha Osbun, Randy Ragsdale, Garrett Bannister, and Fr. Matt Garrison, and several others whom I didn’t know. Fr. Matt said something that really stuck with me. He said: “We should pray not only for the victims of the abuse, but also for the abusers.” That surprised me. We don’t often think to pray for the abusive clergy, because we’re usually thinking of how to punish them. But Fr. Matt made a great point: maybe the abusive priests need God’s mercy more than anyone.

As I drove home Tuesday evening, I thought: the Church is undergoing a great test of faith. Will the faith of Catholics be deepened or will the faith of Catholics be destroyed by this test? In a recent Gallup Poll, 37% of Catholics were considering leaving the Church in the wake of the scandals. But on Tuesday night I met the 63% of Catholics who are not leaving the Church. Their faith has been tested and it has grown tougher, thanks to the test.

Our scriptures from Genesis 16 and Matthew 7 also speak about tests of faith, and how some pass and some fail that test. God has promised Abraham and Sarah they will have children as numerous as the stars in the sky. But Sarah doubts her faith and immorally offers her maidservant Hagar to Abraham as a concubine so they can have a son and an heir. Sarah reacted like so many modern day Catholics: God has abandoned the Church and his promises, and so we must take matters into our own hands and figure out our own way forward. A few chapters later in Genesis 22, Abraham would also be put to the test on Mt. Moriah and asked to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. Abraham will pass that test of faith because he was ready to do the unthinkable in obedience to God’s command. He is like those Catholics who came to Fort Chaffee Brewing Co. and believe beyond belief and stay and are blessed.

Jesus said at the conclusion of his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 that the disciples’ faith would be tested. How so? The rain would fall, the floods would come, the winds would blow and buffet their house of faith. In other words, every disciple’s faith will be tested sooner or later. We are here to be tested. Why? Well, the testing will reveal whether our house of faith is erected on rock on or sand. It is the test that tells the truth about our faith. Billy Graham said: “God doesn’t test us because he doesn’t know how strong we are. Instead, he tests us because we don’t know how strong we are – and we’ll only realize it when times of testing come.”

My friends, may I suggest three tips to prepare for the test of faith God will send you? First of all, test yourself before you are tested by God. In other words, challenge and push yourself by small, daily sacrifices, or reading articles or books by non-believers. But do that in small doses, like an immunization that gives you a little of the disease so your resistance grows stronger, when the bigger bacteria of sin and scandal comes banging on the door of your house of faith. Secondly, do not judge other people’s tests and say if you had been in their shoes you would not have failed that test. Scott Hahn once insightfully observed that as soon as we say that we have missed the nature of their test. We should be careful, therefore, before we criticize Sarah in Genesis 16, or the 37% of Catholics in 2019, or even abusive clergy, like Fr. Matt wisely counseled. There, but for the grace of God, go I. And thirdly, know that God gives us all the grace to pass the test of faith. Protestants memorize Philippians 4:13 by hearts, and every Catholic should commit it to memory as well: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” God gives us the grace to pass the test, but we must ask for it in humble prayer.

God tests our faith not because he wants to know how strong it is, but rather so we will know how strong it is. But I suggest we test ourselves before God puts us to the test. And the next time you walk into a bar and find a priest giving a sermon, don’t turn around and walk out. Stay and be blessed. And buy the priest a beer.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Prayer for Priests

Seeing how prayer helps us forgive and correct

06/20/2019

Matthew 6:7-15 Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This is how you are to pray: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.' "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

This morning I need to ask you for something that you ask me for all the time, namely, prayer. I need you, the laity, to pray for me, a priest. Why? Next Tuesday evening at the gathering called “Pints with a Priest” at Fort Chaffee Brewing Co., I will give a presentation on the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Many observers inside and outside the Church would contend this crisis constitutes the single greatest scandal to hit the Catholic Church in the United States. A national poll showed that 37% of Catholics were contemplating leaving the Church in the wake of this scandal. I need your prayers, therefore, so next Tuesday I say what the Holy Spirit wants me to say to keep Catholics from jumping ship, so Catholics will not jump out of the Bark of St. Peter, the Church.

A couple of weeks ago I received a gift from Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles. I felt pretty special getting a gift from a bishop, that is, until I realized he sent it to every priest in the country. That was still pretty special. It was an advanced copy of his new book called, Letter to a Suffering Church: a Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis. The bishop calls it in French a cri de coeur, a cry from the heart from a man who deeply and desperately loves the Church. He enumerates the evils of sexual abuse in chilling detail and, believe me, his description is not for the faint of heart. He doesn’t pull any punches.

But then he goes on to state why we should stay Catholic. He writes: “I would like to present the treasure, which is the life of Christ available in and through the Church.” He goes on: “We do indeed have to look hard at the wickedness in the Church today; but we also have to be clear-eyed about the beauty, the veracity and holiness on offer in that same Church.” And then he concludes: “The vessels are all fragile and many of them downright broken; but we don’t stay because of the vessels. We stay because of the treasure.” And to be even more explicit, he elaborates on six treasures you can only find in their fullness in the Catholic Church: (1) God the Father, (2) God the Son, (3) God the Holy Spirit, (4) the Mystical Body of Christ (the Church), (5) the sacraments, and (6) the saints. So, I beg for your prayers as I try to share this treasure of faith transported in earthen vessels, the all-too-human priests. Please pray not only for this priest who has to speak, but for all priests whom Jesus has called to enrich the world with his treasures of grace.

In the gospel of Matthew today, Jesus gives his disciples (and us) the Lord’s Prayer. You will recall Jesus is right in the middle of his spectacular Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5,6, and 7. There are seven petitions that make up the meat of that prayer, but by far the most challenging one is “forgiveness.” Our Lord teaches and prays: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” And as if anticipating his disciples’ doubts and difficulties about that particular petition, he reiterates it after the prayer. He states: “But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” In other words, one of the purposes of prayer is fraternal forgiveness. We must forgive each other. But this forgiveness should go hand-in-hand with fraternal correction, which Jesus adds later in Matthew 18. That, it seems to me, is one of the great goods of prayer: it allows us to balance both fraternal forgiveness and fraternal correction. And we need both to deal adequately with the clergy sexual abuse crisis. When you pray for your priests, God will give you the grace of fraternal correction and also the grace of fraternal forgiveness.

My friends, how are you coping with the clergy sexual abuse scandal? Evidently, you are among the 63% of Catholics who are staying in the Church if you are hearing or reading these words. But you should also think about why you are staying. That is, always remember the treasure of God’s grace carried in the earthen vessels of human priests. But more than think (with your head) you should pray (with your heart). Pray for fellow Catholics so that they do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. And please pray for priests that we practice what we preach.

Let me leave you with this telling little anecdote. One day Napoleon Bonaparte boasted that he would destroy the Catholic Church. Cardinal Consalvi shrewdly answered the diminutive dictator: “Oh my little man, you think you’re going to succeed in accomplishing what centuries of priests and bishops have tried and failed to do?” In other words, Jesus promised in Matthew 16 that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church, and neither will the scandals of priests.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Church Bored

Feasting at the table of word and sacrament

06/23/2019

Luke 9:11B-17 Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

There are always two parts to every great feast: (1) the fellowship and (2) the food. Fellowship and food are inseparably intertwined, like grape vines grown together in a vineyard. Let me explain how these two work in tandem at a typical meal. People usually imbibe a customary drink before dinner to loosen the lips and in order to socialize. “In vino veritas,” the old Romans used to say. And the longer you socialize the better the dinner tastes. Why? In Spanish they explain why, saying: “El hambre es el mejor sasón del mundo,” the best seasoning in the world is hunger. When you’re hungry, everything tastes great. What’s more, food tastes better when it is shared among family and friends. Have you noticed you usually eat slower when you’re with good company because you pause to speak? You don’t use your spoon like a shovel. You also eat less when you enjoy a meal in common because eating slower your stomach has a chance to tell your brain it is full before you overeat.

Now, the opposite can happen, too, that is, fellowship and food can not only season each other, they can also spoil each other, if they’re bad. A pastor announced, “There will be a meeting of the Church Board immediately after Mass.” After the end of the service, the Church Board gathered at the back of the sanctuary for the announced meeting. But there was a stranger in their midst, a visitor who had never attended their church before. The pastor politely asked: “My friend, didn’t you understand that this is a meeting of the Board?” The man replied: “Yes, and after today’s sermon, I suppose I’m just about as bored as anyone else who came to this meeting.” In other words, when the fellowship (the sermon) is boring, the food (the Lord’s Supper) will be bland, too. Do you know any Catholics who feel they are on the “Church Bored” (spelled b-o-r-e-d)? Food and fellowship, Word and Sacrament, are closely connected; they will either enhance each other, or they will erode each other.

In Luke 9, we hear about the feeding of the five thousand. You are familiar with the story of how Jesus miraculously multiplies five loaves of bread and two fish into a feast that fed far more than five thousand. But I would suggest to you that Luke also uses this occasion to “foreshadow” the feast of the Last Supper, like a preview of coming attractions. How so? As Jesus performs the miracle, Luke describes our Lord’s actions using four verbs: he took the bread, he said the blessing, he broke the loaves, and he gave them to the disciples: take, bless, break, and give.

Now, fast forward to Luke 22:19, where Jesus celebrates the Passover, the Last Supper. We read: “Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given up for you.” In other words, Luke wants you to see the two feasts in Luke 9 and Luke 22 side-by-side because they complement and complete each other, like pairing a good steak with a fine wine. Jesus feeds the multitude with miraculous Bread, and Jesus still feeds the multitudes (you and me) with the miraculous Bread of the Eucharist, his Body, multiplied for millions.

But we should not focus only on the food and forget about the fellowship that surrounded it. Before the miraculous multiplication and meal, we read, “Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God.” There was a discourse during dinner. And the Last Supper discourse in the gospel of John will cover 4 chapters, from 14-17, Jesus’ farewell discourse. There was only one member of the “Church Bored” at the Last Supper. Can you guess who that was? You got it: Judas, for whom both Last Supper and Lord’s sermon tasted stale.

My friends, may I help you to get off the “Church Bored,” spelled b-o-r-e-d? Here are three tips to help you make the most of the food and fellowship in the greatest of all feasts of faith that we Catholics call the Mass. First, prepare for Mass by reading the scriptures earlier in the week and let them sort of “percolate” like coffee grounds in your head and heart. I usually read the Sunday scriptures on Monday or Tuesday of the week prior and the Spirit starts to inspire my sermons. Come ten or fifteen minutes before Mass to quiet the voices of the world so you are able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is a truism that you only get out of something what you put into it. So ask yourself: how much are you putting into the Mass? Is it any surprise, then, what you are getting out of the Mass?

Secondly, fellowship with this community of believers. One thing that makes Our Lady of the Ozarks such a vibrant parish is this close-knit community. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone cares about everyone. People here invest their time, talent and treasure in our spiritual home. And that fellowship not only makes the coffee and donuts taste better after Mass, it likewise makes the Bread and Wine taste better during Mass, and fills the church.

And third, when was the last time you went to confession? I always urge people to go to confession every three months, like how often you change the oil in your car. Your car cannot run on old oil any more than your soul can run on old grace. And when your soul is cleansed of sin then the fellowship and food of the Mass tastes better. Put simply: sin makes the Mass stale, just ask Judas.

Every Sunday we come to be fed at the table of the Word and Sacrament, but sometimes we are not hungry for this miraculous Meal. Why? We’ve stuffed ourselves on the junk food of this world, and we’ve lost our spiritual appetite. Remember what our Hispanics have taught us: “el hambre es el mejor sasón del mundo.” The best seasoning is hunger, and therefore we fast for an hour before Mass. And that's how you get kicked off the church bored.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

My Brand

Bringing people closer to Christ

06/24/2019

Isaish 49:1-6 Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Shortly after I arrived here at I.C. in Fort Smith, I felt the need to create a short, pithy statement of my personal purpose as a priest. I also wanted it to apply to the whole church staff and every ministry we conduct. In modern day marketing, that is called “creating a brand.” So, here is my brand: “Bringing people closer to Christ.” Everything we do as a pastoral staff should bring people closer to Christ in the Catholic Church. That brand is the metric that measures our success as a parish. I told our staff: “When you get in your car to return home each day, ask yourself, ‘Did I bring someone closer to Christ today?’ And remember that ‘someone’ may be you.” May I share with you five amazing ways we brought people closer to Christ this past weekend?

First, on Saturday morning I celebrated the baptism of eleven Hispanic babies. Does that give you a hint which demographic in our parish is growing faster than all the rest? I always use my “super soaker” at Hispanic baptisms or they would take call day. In my homily for Hispanic baptisms, I mention how we have to go through the water of baptism to get to the Promised land of heaven, just like many of them (as immigrants) had to get wet wading through water to get to the United States. Do you think that analogy was too controversial? But they get the point, and so should we, who are all immigrants trying to get to the Promised Land of Paradise, and we must wade through the water of baptism to be saved.

Secondly, I celebrated the wedding of a lovely Hispanic couple Saturday afternoon. On their own volition, they came early – shocking for our Hispanics – and asked to go to confession before their wedding. Their sincere faith brought tears to my eyes. At the wedding were many who had not been to Mass in years (I would tell because they didn’t know any of the Mass responses). At that wedding that couple brought people closer to Christ, including this priest.

Thirdly, Saturday evening four priests – Msgr. Francis Malone, Fr. Jerome Kodell, Fr. Chandra and I – celebrated the Mass of Bill and Donna Curry’s 50th wedding anniversary. In his homily, Msgr. Malone humbly mentioned how the Curry’s had inspired him to be a better priest. I found myself nodding in agreement as I thought of many other Catholic couples whose life, love and laughter have brought me closer to Christ.

Fourthly, Sunday morning I celebrated the Mass of Corpus Christi at our mission church of Our Lady of the Ozarks in Winslow. Dc. Mike Henry, the administrator, said he was surprised to see so many people at Mass, especially our five altar servers. He explained that due to the torrential rains, some people could not cross roads submerged in water. But many still came, soaking wet. It is not just our Hispanic immigrants, therefore, who have to cross dangerous rivers and get wet to get to the Promised Land, that symbolic gesture is the very essence of the sacrament of baptism. You cannot get closer to Christ without getting wet.

And fifthly, we celebrated Corpus Christi by walking in procession with the Blessed Sacrament through the city. Several people were wondering if we might cancel due to the downpour of rain. At the 12 noon Spanish Mass, I said: “Do our Hispanic men cancel soccer games if it is raining? Do young couples stay at home and cancel their date night if it is raining? Obviously not, and nor will we, who are doing something to show our love, not for soccer or a spouse, but for our Savior.” As we wound our way through the soaked streets of our great city, people came out of their homes to stare at this strange sight: people dancing and singing before the Blessed Sacrament. All I could think of was 2 Samuel 6:14, which reads: “Then David came dancing before the Lord with abandon, girt with a linen ephod” (meaning he was dressed as a priest in a white robe). To be honest, I wasn’t expecting many people because of the rain, but there must have been over 200 who walked. In ways we will never know on this side of eternity, perhaps we brought people closer to Christ because of that Corpus Christi procession.

Today is the feast of one of my patron saints, John the Baptist. John could have claimed that brand that I love long before me. I am really borrowing it from him. Why? In Isaiah the prophet, we read: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” That brand, I believe, could just as easily be borrowed by every Christian as the metric and measure of the authenticity of our faith. In other words, before you go to bed at night, ask yourself: “Did I bring anyone closer to Christ by my words or actions, my prayers or penances?” And remember, that someone might be you. By the way, don’t let a little water keep you out of heaven, because that is the only way to get in.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Rise of Atheism

Answering atheism by carrying the cross joyfully

06/17/2019

Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow."

I’d like to say a word about something very sad, namely, the rise of atheism, the belief that God does not exist. Some recent polls have shown that 20% of Europeans do not believe that there is a God. Do you have any children or grandchildren who not only question Christianity but even a basic belief in God himself? And for many modern people God has become irrelevant, and only about as useful as the old grandfather clock in the corner that’s pretty to look at but also pretty useless to tell time. The Deity has become reduced to the décor furnishing a house, like a cross on the wall that’s hardly noticed or a bible on the nightstand that’s collecting dust.

I would suggest, moreover, that the two greatest contenders to God’s sovereignty are science and suffering. Since the 18th century Enlightenment and the French Revolution, human reason and science have explained the causes and finalities of things better than God ever did. We went from calling the cosmos “creation” to calling it “nature.” The word “creation” suggests a Creator, but the word “nature” suggests nothing. And science, driven by human reason, tries to give sufficient explanations for nature, without recourse to God.

Secondly, suffering. Nothing makes us doubt God’s goodness, God’s love, and God’s power like seeing the innocent suffer. Last week a parishioner asked me to pray for a baby named Patrick Callahan, who was born without any bones in his chest, meaning his chest cavity is essentially imploding. The doctor’s said he will not live but for a few days. I couldn’t help but wonder: where is God’s love, God’s goodness, God’s power? Why did he create this innocent child to suffer and die after a few days? And the coup de grace, the final death blow, given to God will be when science saves the suffering baby, not a miracle from heaven. The baby will live and God will die.

This is the reason the scriptures today talk about believing in the midst of suffering. Why? So that Christianity’s contenders cannot use suffering as a weapon against God. St. Paul boasts in his sufferings, saying: “We are treated as deceivers and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.” In other words, Paul does not see suffering as proof that God does not exist; rather as the evidence that he does exist. Why? Well, because God gives us the grace to endure the cross with joy and peace. In short, the cross makes us more like Christ.

And in the gospel Jesus urges his disciples to see suffering as a sign of the strength of their apostolic ministry. He teaches: “But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.” In other words, human science has struck God on the right cheek, and how did the Creator respond to his rebellious creation? He turned the other cheek so human suffering could strike him there as well. Just like Jesus was beaten by the blows of the Roman soldiers, so God is beaten up by the blows of the modern soldiers of atheism named science and suffering. In the end, however, the cross will make us more like Christ, and believing in God while we’re being beaten up will prove to the world God exists, as he strengthens us to carry the cross.

Last week we had our vacation bible school for 3 year olds to third graders. They played games, read bible stories, and danced and sang songs about their faith. One of the VBS volunteers painted a pallet that summarized the message of the whole week. The top plank of wood read, “God is good.” The next plank read: “When life is unfair.” The third plank read: “When life is scary.” The four plank read: “When life is sad.” The fifth plank read: “When life changes.” And the last plank read: “When life is good.” Fortunately, for most of those small children life has not been too unfair or very scary or really sad. But it will be someday. And we’re trying to teach them not to lose their faith when their Christianity feels beaten up by science or by suffering.

Honestly, I am not sure how to stop the rise of atheism. The only answer I can offer is the same one given by St. Paul and Jesus: embrace suffering with joy and peace. In other words, the best answer to atheism is to become more like Christ. And even little Patrick Callahan was a lot like Christ.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Your Face

Seeing our own face in the Face of Jesus

06/13/2019

2 Corinthians 3:15—4:1, 3-6 Brothers and sisters: To this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel, but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit. Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged. And even though our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.

There are few things on earth as fascinating as the human face. When I was a little boy I loved to draw and I could depict a decent pastoral scene with landscape, mountains, trees, birds a pond with ducks on it. But when I tried to paint a human face, it looked like a Mr. Potato Head. There’s always more to a face than what we see on the surface. That’s why poker players work hard on their “poker face,” so other players cannot read any expressions on their face. They know the features of a human face are highly suggestive and can reveal as much as they conceal in a raised eyebrow, a subtle smile at the corner of the mouth, rapid blinks of eyelids, and so forth.

Who can stop looking at a baby’s face? Parents and grandparents love to share pictures of their baby’s face, and are convinced their child is the most beautiful boy or girl in the whole world. And to them, they are right. Lovers look longing into each other’s eyes and want to kiss the face they love. It is said that Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman who ever lived and had, “the face that launched a thousand ships,” sparking the Trojan War immortalized in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Who can forget the haunting lyrics of the song by Roberta Flack, “The first time ever I saw your face / I thought the sun rose in your eyes / And the moon and the stars / Were the gifts you gave / To the dark, and the endless skies, / My love.” There is always more to the human face than we can catch in a sketch, in a story, or in a song.

In the first reading from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, the great Apostle tries to paint the face of Jesus with his pen and prose. He writes: “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.” In other words, if the human face is fascinating and defies description, how much more so the divine face of Jesus Christ. In a human face – like a baby’s or a beautiful woman’s – we see shining an immortal soul. But in the divine face of Jesus we see shining the glory of the immortal God.

But I believe in seeing Jesus’ face we also get to glimpse our own face for the first time, like looking in a mirror, and what we see isn’t very pretty. When Peter meets Jesus for the first time, he exclaims: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). When the Beloved Disciple, John, sees Jesus in Revelation 1:17, he doesn’t run up and give Jesus a bear hug. Rather, we read: “When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.” When the great apostles Peter and John see the face of Christ reflecting the glory of God, they immediately see their own sinfulness and their need for a Savior. No one can keep a poker face with Jesus; he sees right through us.

My friends, how do you feel about your face? Sometimes people worry about wrinkles on their face and feel they are growing old. Some people turn to plastic surgery to keep their faces looking young. I always feel a little sad about that because people lose some of their God-given beauty. In some cultures it is disrespectful to look straight into another person’s face when you speak with them; you should lower your eyes and look at the floor. I always have to make an effort to look someone straight in the eyes when I talk to them, because I get nervous and forget what I’m saying. But I know I should look at the person I am addressing.

May I suggest, however, that instead of fumbling around with human faces – our own face or that of others – we spend more time staring at the lovely face of Jesus? The best way to see the divine face is in his sacraments, especially at Mass, and in Eucharistic Adoration. Archbishop Fulton Sheen once compared seeing Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to gazing at the sunset. He said that the longer you look at a sunset, the more your face begins to glow with the glorious colors you behold in the sun. Hence, St. Paul wrote in the same letter to the Corinthians: “All of us, gazing with unveiled faces on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” And that’s true, even if you look like a Mr. Potato Head.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Autobiography

Seeing ourselves in every word we utter

06/12/2019

2 Corinthians 3:4-11 Brothers and sisters: Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory. Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.

I am learning lately that whenever someone speaks they always say something autobiographical, that is, they reveal something about themselves as a person. Human beings never speak simply about science, or solely about spirituality, or even specifically about supper without saying something about ourselves, our likes and dislikes, our hopes and dreams, our pride and prejudice. Now, the funny thing is that 99% of the time, we don’t see this autobiographical element. In other words, we believe we are only addressing the objective truth about the world, but we are inevitably also uncovering the subjective truth about ourselves. When we open our mouths, we tell the world a little about our past, a little about our personality, a little about our priorities, a little of our purpose. I am convinced that human beings cannot help but speak autobiographically.

When I arrived in Fort Smith, I realized it is very helpful to learn a lady’s maiden name. Why? It’s very hard to gossip in Fort Smith because everyone is related to everyone else. But more importantly, marriage does not make you delete your past when you drop your maiden name. You bring your past, your autobiography, into your marriage. The way you raise children, the way you communicate, the way you spend money, the way you pray will all reflect how you were reared as a child, in a word, your autobiography. The sooner spouses catch this personal part of every word they utter, the sooner they can diffuse disputes and cherish and love their soul-mate. Human beings cannot help but communicate autobiographically: we inescapably say something about ourselves when we say something about the world.

This autobiographical aspect of communication should be borne in mind when we read the bible. St. Paul’s letters are deeply self-revealing, especially his past as a Pharisee and his conversion to Christianity. Listen to this line from his second letter to the Corinthians. Paul, the former Pharisee (that is almost his maiden name!), writes: “[God] has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.” Now, what St. Paul is conveying about the new covenant of grace is absolutely true, but can you also hear an autobiographical aspect to Paul’s point? In other words, his former Pharisaism helped him to catch the distinction between letter and spirit because Pharisees care a lot more about the letter than the spirit. A writer’s autobiographical element does not abrogate what they say; it only adds to it and accentuates it.

In the gospel Jesus speaks about himself as much as about anything else; he, too, because he is truly human, speaks autobiographically. Jesus says: “Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Our Lord not only touches on heaven, I believe he is sharing something about his home, his family, his past, his perspective, his purpose, his desires, his dreams. In a word, he reveals himself. You know how some people say “Jesus H. Christ”? Well, I believe the “H” stands for home and heaven and is almost our Lord’s “maiden name,” his autobiography. Every word a person utters, even Jesus, has a hint of their home, their hurts, their hopes and their happiness. Every word is autobiographical.

My friends, listen carefully and try to catch the deeply personal tone and texture of every conversation. When someone speaks they reveal a little about themselves, and so do we. People running for president write autobiographies about themselves so the public can get to know the candidate. I would argue, however, their autobiography is obvious in every word they say. In the seminary they taught us in homiletics class not to speak excessively about ourselves in our sermons. And that is true: parishioners get tired of hearing about our vacations and our vexations. Stop talking about John and say more about Jesus. On the other hand, every preacher can only convince others about Christ, if he or she is first convicted about Christ. The best sermons always say something about the speaker, whether or not he uses the first person singular pronoun, “I.” Every word is autobiographical.

I truly believe married couples could communicate better if they kept this in mind. My spouse is sharing not only objective truth, but also his or her subjective truth when they speak. Maybe the autobiographical element of every word will help you take your spouse a little less seriously because they are only saying something about themselves. And then again, maybe it will help you take them very seriously because they are saying something about themselves.

Every human word has a hint of our autobiography. How I end my homilies says something about Jesus, and it also says something about me.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Ministry

Being set apart for the work of the Spirit

06/11/2019

Acts of the Apostles 11:21B-26; 13:1-3 In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

I was saddened to hear yesterday that Fr. Jonathan Morris, a very popular writer and television personality, had decided to leave the priestly ministry. Have you heard that? Many people have been inspired by his spiritual writings and charming personality. There is probably a collective twinge of disappointment in the Catholic world today as Fr. Morris’ decision to depart from ministry became public. Fr. Morris explained his decision saying: “While I loved and thrived in so many aspects of my ministry, deep in my interior I struggled for years with my vocation and with the commitments the Catholic priesthood demands, especially not being able to marry and have a family.” There are, therefore two reasons for my personal sadness at this news: first, because Fr. Morris felt priestly celibacy was more of a burden than a blessing, and second, because some people who loved him may confuse the message with the messenger. Let me say a word about each of these two saddnesses, beginning with the second point, confusing message and messenger.

Whenever a particularly gifted and charismatic priest preaches the gospel, there’s always a temptation to confuse the message with the messenger. In a word, we create a “cult of personality.” Maybe without realizing it, unintentionally, we take our eyes off Jesus (the Message) and focus too much on the human priest (the messenger). And when the messenger gives up the ministry, we can doubt or struggle about the authenticity of the Message itself. I’ve done that in the past, too, so don’t feel bad.

But the bible is full of messengers who remind us they themselves are not the message. Noah got drunk and feel asleep naked (Genesis 9:21), Abraham fathered a child through Hagar, his maidservant (Genesis 16:4), Moses struck the rock twice in anger and could not enter the Promised Land (Number 20: 11-12), David committed adultery and later murder (2 Samuel 11:26-27), Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). And not much changed in the New Testament. If there’s one message the bible emphatically teaches it is not to confuse the Message with the messengers. The Message is always Jesus Christ and him alone.

The first point I wanted to make was the blessing of celibacy. I truly honor and respect Fr. Morris’ reasons for relinquishing the priesthood, and I wish him only happiness and peace in his future endeavors. Nonetheless, I desperately hope people will not conclude that clerical celibacy is itself the problem. Maybe some people will argue that if priests did not have to be celibate Fr. Jonathan Morris would still be a priest. I do not know if Fr. Jonathan Morris would still be a priest or not. But here’s what I do know: Fr. John Antony would not be a priest if it were not for the rule of priestly celibacy. What do I mean? As bizarre and bewildering as it may sound, celibacy actually attracted me to the priesthood, rather than repulsed me. Celibacy was the concrete sacrifice I could point to and say, “See, Jesus, I love you that much, enough to sacrifice marriage and family.” Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying Fr. Morris does not love Jesus. He probably loves Jesus a lot more than I do. I am just saying that celibacy to me is not a burden but a blessing.

Today is the feast of St. Barnabas, an early apostle who worked closely with St. Paul in the ministry of word and sacrament. We read in Acts 11: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them’.” When a man is ordained a priest in the Catholic Church, he is set apart for the work and ministry to which the Holy Spirit has called him. One way – although not the only way – he is set apart is through priestly celibacy. By not being married and having a family, the priest enjoys greater freedom to preach and teach and go wherever the Spirit leads him. Again, we are blessed with wonderful married priests who are powerful preachers and terrific teachers. Still, who can deny that celibacy affords a greater freedom to go where the Spirit leads?

Let me leave you with the words of Pope St. John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation called “Pastores Dabo Vobis” (I will give you shepherds), that sums up all I’m stuttering to say about celibacy. The pope-saint taught: “Celibacy, then, is to be welcomed and continually renewed with a free and loving decision as a priceless gift from God, as an ‘incentive to pastoral charity,’ as a singular sharing in God’s fatherhood and in the fruitfulness of the Church, and as a witness to the world of the eschatological kingdom” (29). By the term “eschatological kingdom” the pope simply means “heaven.” In other words, in a sense that we cannot fully quite grasp, we will all be celibate in heaven. Why? Well because we will all be the Bride of Christ married to Jesus, our Spouse, even Fr. Jonathan Morris.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Inconceivable

Allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts

06/09/2019

John 14:15-16, 23B-26 Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always. "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Those who do not love me do not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. "I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you."

There was a poor pastor who had a crumbling church, badly in need of repair. One day a man brought his dog to the church and asked the priest to baptize it. The priest was understandably shocked by the request and said: “Sir, we cannot baptize a dog. But maybe one of the other churches down the street could help you.” The man turned to leave and said, “Well, I was going to leave a little donation for the church.” The priest’s ears perked up and the clergyman quickly added: “Oh, really?” The man replied: “Yes, just $5,000,000.” The priest exclaimed: “Oh, well why didn’t you tell me it was a Catholic dog?” The priest went ahead and baptized the dog. But weeks later the priest’s conscience was troubling him, and he could not sleep. He finally decided to go and confess his mistake to the bishop. The bishop listened carefully and said: “Well, my son, that’s understandable. We’re all human and can make bad judgments. For your penance, though, have the man contact me when he wants the dog to be confirmed.” Now, those are all the wrong reasons to get the sacrament of confirmation, so let me tell you the right reasons to receive Confirmation.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, and who would deny that this is the quintessential feast of the Holy Spirit? The priest and deacon wear red vestments to symbolize the great event when the Holy Spirit descended as flames of fire on Mary and the holy Apostles. Likewise, no one should deny that Confirmation is the quintessential sacrament of the Holy Spirit. What do I mean? Well, baptism orients us toward God the Father because we become his adopted sons and daughters. We are born again as children of God. Holy Communion configures us to God the Son because we consume the Body and Blood of Christ. After all, you are what you eat, and Catholics become other Christs. And when we are Confirmed we receive the power of God the Spirit who makes us one in spirit with the Father and the Son. We think like God, we love like God, we live like God. The feast of Pentecost and the sacrament of Confirmation are closely correlated because they both accentuate the activity of the Holy Spirit.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, who died in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland on August 14, 1941, made an astounding comparison between the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He said that Mary was the “created Immaculate Conception” but the Holy Spirit was the “uncreated Immaculate Conception.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is the eternal exchange of love of the Father and the Son, and is in a sense “conceived” as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, when we are Confirmed and receive the Spirit, we, too, can conceive of things that come from the heart of God, things that would normally or naturally not occur to us. Do you remember the movie “The Princess Bride” and Vizzini, who always said: “Inconceivable!” Well, the Holy Spirit makes the inconceivable conceivable because he is the uncreated Immaculate Conception. That’s why we receive the sacrament of the Holy Spirit called Confirmation and that’s why we celebrate the feast of the Holy Spirit called Pentecost, not because we hope to get $5,000,000.

The scriptures also speak about how the Holy Spirit helps Christians to conceive the inconceivable. On the original day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago, in the Acts of the Apostles, the Spirit touched the hearts of all present with the ability to understand foreign languages. People from different countries ask in amazement: “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?” Those foreigners were able to conceive the inconceivable, and through a diversity of tongues one language was heard, the language of love, the language of heaven. That was a hint of heaven, where we will speak multiple languages and all be perfectly understood. You don’t have to learn Spanish in heaven!

In the gospel of John 14, Jesus makes the work of the Holy Spirit explicit, saying: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is better than any mnemonic device we have to jog our memories, like to remember people’s names. Why? When the Spirit comes to us in Confirmation, he remind us we are children of God by baptism and strengthened with Christ in Communion, and that is the most important thing – and really the only thing – we need to remember. In a sense, you can forget everything else that seem so important to us today, like $5,000,000. Just remember you are a beloved son or daughter of God; that’s what the Spirit reminds us.

Can I quickly share how the Holy Spirit helps me conceive of the inconceivable in my daily life? Maybe it will help you. First, I always say a prayer to the Holy Spirit before preparing my homilies. I am convinced the Holy Spirit helps me conceive the inconceivable in reading and reflecting on the scriptures. Sometimes, the Spirit helps me remember a good joke. The second example of the Spirit’s work is in counseling others. Often my words only reach people’s ears – usually going in one ear and out the other! But the Spirit touches the heart and helps people conceive the inconceivable and makes possible the impossible. Pray to the Holy Spirit when you have to engage in a tough or touchy conversation: his words reach the heart, our words ring in the ears.

On this feast of Pentecost, let us praise the Father, the Son and especially the Holy Spirit. In baptism we are born again as children of God, in Communion we are strengthened by the Son of God, and in Confirmation we are inspired by the Spirit of God. And filled with the Holy Spirit, we no longer have to say, “Inconceivable!”

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Whose Kingdom

Preparing ourselves for the kingdom of heaven

06/08/2019

Acts of the apostles 28:16-20, 30-31 When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me, because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty. But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains." He remained for two full years in his lodgings. He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

A maxim that was coined in the Middle Ages has profound implications today politically, personally and even in paradise. This maxim is like a rock thrown into the middle of a lake whose ripples reach the remotest shores. The phrase in Latin is: “cuius regio, eius religio.” Literally, that means “whose kingdom, his religion.” For instance, if you lived in Spain and the monarch was Catholic, you would have to be Catholic, and poor Protestants would have to convert to Catholicism. If you lived in India, where the king was Hindu, then you would have to be Hindu, which means no more hamburgers for you because they don’t eat meat. A little closer to home, this maxim fueled the fears of many Americans in electing John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, as president of the United States. Why? Well, some people thought the pope would run the country, and the president would be little more than his puppet. The phrase “cuius regio, eius religio” carries very practical consequences for every age.

While the maxim was not coined until the Middle Ages, we see it already lending a hand in the evangelical efforts of the early apostles. In the last chapter of Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul makes his way to Rome, the Imperial Capital, the throne of Caesar (the king), not only to save his own skin, but also to save souls. And do you know whose soul in Rome Paul wanted to convert to Christianity more than anyone else’s? You guessed it: it was Caesar’s, the king’s soul. At that time the emperor was Nero, who watched Rome burn – some say while he famously played his fiddle – then he blamed the Christians for the catastrophe, and finally had St. Paul beheaded as an act of feigned justice.

But Paul wasn’t alone in Rome. Peter, too, ended up there the last years of his life and was martyred, crucified, upside-down, in the same persecution under Nero that claimed Paul’s life. In other words, Peter and Paul were like two nuclear warheads of grace aimed at Rome. Why? Simple: “cuius regio, eius religio.” If you convert the king to Christianity, the Church’s evangelical efforts would sky rocket exponentially. And that’s exactly what happened in 313 with the conversion of Emperor Constantine. The whole Roman empire became Catholic virtually overnight. Whose kingdom, his religion.

So far, I have only talked about the political side of this phrase. Now let me hit a personal note, as well as say a word about paradise. It is rare these days that I celebrate the marriage of two Catholics. Often one party is Catholic and the fiancé is another denomination. Of course, the Church permits such mixed marriages and it’s true that sometimes the non-Catholic person converts. But the opposite can also happen: that is, the Catholic could leave the Church, or simply stop practicing his or her faith. Some of you old-timers might remember many years ago such mixed marriage had to be celebrated in the rectory not even in the church proper. The reason for that custom was not because such marriages are bad, but because such marriages run a risk. What risk? Well, not only the risk of the conversion of the Catholic to another faith, but the religious identity of the future children. Each husband and wife is a king and queen in their home, their kingdom, and the children are their subjects and will follow their religion. I wish young people would consider this medieval maxim when they start dating: cuius regio, eius religio.” Whose kingdom, his (or her) religion.

And finally, when we get to heaven (hopefully) what religion will everyone enjoy? Will we be Hindus? Will we be Protestants? Will we be Catholics? Will we be Buddhists? That reminds me of the popular joke about St. Peter greeting people entering heaven. A Methodist enters and St. Peter says: “You are in House 11, but be quiet as you walk by House 8.” To a Catholic he says: “You are in House 45, but be quiet as you walk by House 8.” To a Mormon St. Peter says: “You will be in House 23, but be quiet as you walk by House 8.” The Morman stops and asks: “Why do you have to be quiet walking by House 8?” St. Peter answers: “That’s the Baptist house and they think they are the only ones here.” My personal belief is that everyone is given the possibility to enter paradise, regardless of religion or even no religion. But once we’re in the Kingdom of Heaven, we will have to worship the way the King decides. And I say the following with great respect: the King’s way of worship will be the Catholic way.

In heaven, everyone will be Catholic, but with this caveat: it won’t be exactly the Catholicism we see on the streets today. St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard…what God has prepared for those who love him.” We have not seen the Church, the Bride of Christ, without spot or wrinkle. She is far from perfect today. But when we do glorious and beautiful in heaven, we will realize the full import and impact of the maxim: “cuius regio, eius religio,” whose kingdom, his religion.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Evolution

Awaiting the fullness of the Church in heaven

06/06/2019

John 16:29-33 The disciples said to Jesus, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."

I am a fan of the theory of evolution. Now, I don’t buy everything that Charles Darwin believed when he wrote his ground-breaking book called On the Origin of Species in 1859. That theory launched the modern science of evolutionary biology. Darwin espoused two governing principles for his theory. First, species evolve over generations, changing from a less complex organism to a more complex one, the so-called “branching pattern of evolution.” Darwin wrote: “The affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been represented by a great tree. I believe this simile largely speaks the truth.” The second principle is natural selection, whereby desirable qualities are retrained and undesirable qualities are rejected. When you combine these two principles, you get a purely natural explanation for how human beings arrived on earth.

Now, we can certainly debate the veracity of Darwin’s theory. But what I cannot deny or debate is how I have experienced evolution in my own life. What I believed and how I behaved as a ten-year old is not what I believed or how I behaved as a twenty year old. Then as a thirty year old, I again evolved and did not believe or behave like a twenty year old. The same thing happened at forty, and I can see my personal evolution emerging as I turn fifty this year. Is there any reason to think this evolution will not continue inexorably at sixty or seventy? The funny thing is at each stage I thought I had it all figured out, and scoffed at the stage before. I see in my own life the “branching pattern of evolution,” from the less complex to the more complex; from enjoying mac and cheese to relishing a filet mignon and merlot. And I pray the changes have not been the result of natural selection but rather wrought by supernatural selection, that is, the evidence that evolution is God’s grace at work in my life.

Today’s scriptures also speak of a kind of evolution in the history of the Church from the less complex to the more complex, driven by supernatural selection. Paul arrives in Ephesus and asks if the disciples had received the Holy Spirit. They replied: “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Paul explains the difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus, and the disciples make an evolutionary leap in learning and living the faith. In the gospel, the disciples reach a new level of understanding and are ready to rest on their laurels. They think they have it all figured out, like I did at twenty. They say over-confidently: “Now you are talking plainly and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe you came from God.” Jesus warns them, however, they are about to undergo a moment of supernatural selection, and survival of the fittest, that is, the spiritually fittest. You might recall that Judas did not survive that supernatural selection.

If we step back and survey all scripture, we can detect Darwin’s theory of evolution unfolding. Starting from Genesis and the relatively uncomplicated creation of Adam and Eve until we reach the culmination of the work of grace through supernatural selection in the Book of Revelation. The full complexity of creation will be manifest in the Church at the end of time, when it branches out to embrace everything. St. Paul suggested this evolution in Ephesians 4:13, saying: “Until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.” In other words, the goal of evolution is when the Body of Christ, the Church, will stand fully erect and glorious, like a man evolved from a monkey.

My friends, you don’t have to be a fan of Darwin’s theory of evolution to see it can be useful in the Christian journey of faith. For example, can you see how your own faith life has slowly evolved from the less complex to the more complex? St. Paul would say you’ve gone from drinking milk to eating solid food in 1 Corinthians 3:2. This evolutionary theory of faith may also help us be more patient with children and grandchildren who seem to know little about the faith, or maybe with those who think they know everything about the faith. What they believe and how they behave at twenty might not be how they will be at thirty. Supernatural selection is at work. This evolution may also help bishops be more patient with their priests and it may help priests to be more patient with their bishops. This evolutionary theory may help spouses be more patient with one another. Why? Well, at any moment we may experience an evolutionary leap of learning and living. This theory may help all of us not to feel too cocky or over-confident, even Charles Dawrin.

Humanity has not yet reached the last stage of evolution as described in Revelation. The Body of Christ, the Church, has yet to be glorified in heaven, when we will finally stand erect, “homo erectus” the truly upright person.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Thy Will

Seeking God’s will rather than our own

06/04/2019

John 17:1-11A Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

Any Christian worthy of the name desires to do God’s will. After all, every day when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” But do we really mean those words? I am convinced that the first great step – and maybe also the last great step – in discovering and doing God’s will consists in catching that God’s will is not synonymous with my will. In other words, when we pray “Thy will be done” do we secretly mean “My will be done” because, of course, God must want the same thing that I want.

I often ask young men who are open to a priestly vocation the question: “Do you think God wants you to be a priest?” I try hard not to ask him: “Do you want to be a priest?” Can you catch the difference between those two questions? But the fact that we often go straight to the question: “Do you want to be a priest, young man?” shows we conflate “Thy will” with “My will” and think the two are one.

Last night I witnessed a wonderful example of Fort Smith Catholics seeking God’s will for our Catholic schools instead of their own wills. 155 people – including both Catholics and non-Catholics – gathered for a convocation to seek creative solutions to specific challenges and develop a strategic growth plan. Fr. Mario Jacobo, pastor of St. Boniface, led us in the Lord’s Prayer at the conclusion of the convocation and that prayer perfectly summed up the purpose of the evening. Each person who attended may have their own ideas of what’s best for our future. Let’s be honest, everyone has an agenda. But collectively, we tried to see that “Thy will” might not be the same as “My will.” The final strategic growth plan will not be the product of any one person’s will, but hopefully the manifestation of God’s will. The first great step of discerning and doing God’s will is to realize it may not be the same as my will.

Our scriptures today also speak about seeking God’s will over personal preferences. St. Paul articulates accurately how God’s will is paramount for him, more precious than life itself. He says in Acts 20: “Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace.” You might remember how passionate Paul was on doing his own will before he was knocked off his high horse (literally) and started to seek God’s will instead. Then, Paul could truly pray: “Thy will be done” rather than “My will be done.”

Jesus says in the gospel: “I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.” Now you might think that Jesus, of all people, would have no trouble doing God’s will. I think while it was easy for Jesus to discern God’s will, it was not in the least bit easy for him to do God’s will. We only have to read Luke 22:42 where Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still not my will but yours be done.” Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Lord’s Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. In other words, the first great step – and possibly the last great step – to discover and do God’s will is to see it is not synonymous with my own will.

My friends, I believe seeking God’s will requires a healthy suspicion of my own will. That maybe, just maybe, what I want is not exactly what God wants. When the church staff come to me with a conundrum that they cannot solve, I often ask them: ‘What do you think we should do?” I am not saying that to pass the buck or to blame someone else. Rather, I want to hold my own will at bay and be open to God’s will, who may well speak through the staff person. Could seeking God’s will help spouses to communicate better and overcome conflict? Sadly some spousal communication feels like a tug-of-war. They say: “sometimes you get what you want, and sometimes I get what I want.” Do we ever ask what does God want? That maybe something neither spouse wants.

C. S Lewis made this battle of wills blindingly clear in his book called The Great Divorce. The Oxford professor and sincere Christian, wrote: “There are only two kinds of people in the end – those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘Thy will be done’.” And then Lewis draws the terrifying but true conclusion: “All that are in Hell, choose it.” The first great step – and yes, the last great step – in the Christian journey is learning to say “Thy will be done” rather than “My will be done.” Now you know the difference it makes.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Laugh or Cry

Dealing with disaster with firmness of faith

06/02/2019

Luke 24:46-53 Jesus said to his disciples: "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

In the face of terrible natural disasters, like the historic flooding in Fort Smith, people react in different ways. Some people jokingly say: “either laugh or cry.” Here are some ways people have laughed about the flooding, then I’ll mention some ways we’ve cried.

Janice Keating, whose home has four feet of water in it, said, “So, I got in my car to drive to work – put on the easy listening channel to help me relax. What was playing? Frank Sinatra singing, ‘Cry me a river’.” She added: “I burst out laughing.” Philip Stevens, who lives two doors down from Janice also with a flooded home, remarked: “I wonder if my property value will go up, since I now own riverfront property.” He meant his front yard. Mike Charlton sent me a picture of Jim Gaston sitting in his living room couch with two feet of water in the room, pointing his remote toward his television, and the caption read: “I can’t seem to get my remote to work.” It’s always the remote’s fault. Ron Dee and Katie Wright can now stand in their swimming pool and at the same time fish in the Arkansas River because the river now comes up to the edge of their swimming pool. That’s how some people are laughing about this disaster to soften some of the shock.

The laughter doesn’t last long, however, before the tears come trickling back. People experience great grief when they have suffered great loss. But the loss is not only material and monetary; it’s not just physical and financial. There is also an emotional toll this tragedy has taken, as well as a spiritual one. Let me say five things about the emotional and spiritual cost of this flood.

First, a person’s home is more than merely a shelter from the elements; it is a projection of one’s personality. It says something about who you are, just like your clothes say something about you. As you get older, a home almost begins to feel like an extension of your body. That’s why it’s so hard for my elderly parents to leave their home and consider assisted living. To them, leaving their home would feel like amputating a part of their body. So, when someone loses their home the pain is piercing like the cut of a sharp knife. Carl Geffken, Fort Smith City Administrator, said that 640 homes and 324 businesses had been directly affected by the flooding. Those who lost their homes have lost a precious part of their personality, a deep emotional pain.

A second aspect of the anguish people feel is a disconnect between those directly affected by the flooding and those untouched by the flood waters. As you know, I live next to the church and the rectory (my home) is far from the river, so I can go on with life as usual. I can almost forget about the flooding. But for those who lived along the river, life will never be business as usual. I heard one person say cavalierly and uncaringly: “Well, it was their own fault for buying property so close to the river. They should have known it might flood.” Be aware how much our brothers and sisters are hurting, and don’t forget about the flood. That forgetfulness may hurt as much as the flood itself.

A third side of the sorrow is not knowing how long the flooding will persist and the recovery will take. Governor Asa Hutchinson surveyed the Arkansas River from a helicopter last week and remarked: “We’ve never seen this before. We’ve never had to deal with this before, so there are a lot of unknowns.” It is said the stock market hates uncertainty and reacts negatively when things are unknown. It goes down. Human beings hate uncertainty, too, and we hit the panic button when the future is fuzzy. For the Fort Smithians looking for a place to live, the future feels very uncertain. This flood feels like the stock market crash of 1930.

Fourth, however you may feel, remember this three-step coping technique I find useful: “name it, claim it, and tame it.” That is, first put a name on your feelings: angry, anxious, sad, confused, hurt, alone or even numb. Then, second, accept and embrace the feeling instead of trying to deny it or pretend you feel fine. And then third, you’ll slowly move beyond the feelings and begin to sense some peace and purpose. I ran into Philip Stevens getting out of his boat near his flooded house and I stuck out my hand for a handshake. He brushed my hand aside and said, “I need a hug.” That’s a man who has named it, claimed it, and is starting to tame it.

Fifth, let me say a word about our faith as we face this flood. I am praying that this traumatic experience will deepen our faith, but I am not so naïve to think it might not also weaken our faith. Crises make some people run to spirituality, but it makes other people run to the saloon. It can be hard to believe that God is still in charge and that nothing happens outside of his control or without his consent. It’s easy to believe that God is good when all goes well. But it becomes a lot harder when all goes south. That requires believing in God’s goodness even when you cannot see God’s goodness. And Christians have one word for that: they call it “faith.” Faith is believing in God’s goodness without seeing God’s goodness.

The Flood of 2019 may make some of us laugh and may make others cry. But whatever you feel, don’t let your feelings frustrate your faith. Let me leave you with the inspired text of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, the glorious 8th chapter. He asks: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?” Then the great Apostle, who by the way had also endured “dangers from rivers” (2 Corinthians 11:26), answered his own question: “No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That unflinching faith is what we need to face this flood.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Verge of Victory

Breaking through the wall to victory in Christ

06/01/2019

John 16:23B-28 Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. "I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

In the development of every skill, the evolution of every science, the mastering of every sport, the individual involved eventually hits the wall. That is, you feel like giving up; you feel defeated and demoralized. But the amazing thing is that if somehow you can keep going through the wall, hoping beyond hope, you start to grow exponentially in that field. For example, people who run marathons say they hit the wall around mile twenty. A marathon has 26.2 mile, and you still have six miles to run. At mile twenty you run out of energy and enthusiasm, and you start to walk because you hit the wall. Experienced marathoners say the real marathon only begins at mile twenty. But if somehow you keep plunging and lunging forward, you can feel a second wind and renewed energy to finish the race.

Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, hit his wall when searching for the right filament for the bulb. He found a second wind after the wall, when he famously said: “I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that do not work.” After six weeks of studying Spanish in Cuernavaca, Mexico, I hit the wall and felt I would never learn the language. And there wasn’t enough Tequila in Tamaulipas to drown my sorrow. But I kept going through that wall, and I started “habaling espanol” at an incredible rate. Hitting the wall is bad because you want to give up. But hitting the wall can be good because you stand on the verge of victory.

In the gospel of John, Jesus describes another wall in the world of Christian discipleship. It’s hard to catch his point at first, but listen carefully. Our Lord teaches: “I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.” In other words, for three years the apostles had been running alongside Jesus in the marathon of discipleship, hearing him teaching with parable and figures of speech. Then suddenly, they hit the wall of the Lord’s crucifixion and death. They felt defeated and demoralized and wanted to quit. And Judas did quit.

The other eleven, however, hoped beyond hope and experienced the resurrection. What resulted? They started to grow exponentially in faith, hope and love. The period of time – fifty days – between the resurrection and Pentecost was when the apostles were hitting the wall and slowly going through the wall. After Pentecost, with the second wind of the Holy Spirit (ruah in Hebrew, pneuma in Greek, literally mean wind), their faith became formidable and an unstoppable force for evangelization. Then, they themselves would pray in the name of Jesus, and Jesus would not have to ask the Father for them.

May I offer a few practical applications of hitting the wall and the growth that lies on the other side, the verge of victory? Many Fort Smithians have been hit hard by the flood and feel like they have hit the wall. Some break down and cry, others feel depressed and defeated, some feel like there is no hope of recovery. But if somehow we can hope beyond hope, we can burst through that proverbial wall and come out on the other side stronger Christians and better citizens. We can hit the wall in our vocations of marriage and priesthood. Some couples who hit the wall in their marriage feel that maybe separation or divorce is the answer. Or, maybe some turn to Tequila like I did studying Spanish in Mexico. But, if somehow they stay together and power through the wall, with God’s grace, and eating a lot of humble pie, they will find many blessings on the other side, like one day celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary surrounded by children and grandchildren.

The same thing happens in our Catholic journey of faith with Jesus. At some point in that journey, our faith just looks like a lot of rules and regulations, prayers and penances, sacraments and saints, a bunch of incense that makes no sense. It can all feel too formal and fussy, and we wish it were simpler and more straight-forward. Sometimes Catholics leave the Church because they hit the wall and subsequently hit the road. But if we can power through the wall, we’ll find a faith on the other side that has inspired the saints and martyrs up and down the centuries not only to live for Jesus, but to die for him, like St. Justin Martyr. We will feel like the Apostles after they powered through the wall of the fifty days of Easter, with the second wind of the Holy Spirit – the ruah, the pneuma – filling our sails.

On the other side of the wall, we will grow exponentially in our faith. And Jesus will say to us: “On that day, you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!