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Liturgy
This link will keep 'parishioners-at-large' in touch with current creative liturgy sources and resources that respect a variety of 'traditions' within the Church.

COMMONWEAL Magazine
A 'lay' Catholic weekly publication with an accent on an intelligent analysis and commentary on curent issues, trends and concerns of interest to Catholics.

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A national Catholic lay newspaper covering events not usually covered or presented with a clerical bias in the local diocesan press or but of concern and interest to Catholics.

Survivos' Network for those Abused by Priests or Religious
A National Network of self-help support groups for people abused by clergy or religious.

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Vital information about the disclosure of sexual abuse and related issues affecting Catholics in the pew and the manner in which Bishops continue to exempt themselves from accountability

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A 'movement' of lay Catholics 'inspired' by the abuse scandal calling for greater accountability of bishops to 'Catholics in the Pew.'

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Daily Scripture

+ 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

Be wise but don’t be a ‘wise guy!’

Readings: I Corinthians 3:18-21 Psalm 24:1-4, 5-6 Luke 5:1-11

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: “God catches the wise in their own ruses,” and again: “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that are vain.”

Wisdom (Sophia) is a feminine attribute of God. True wisdom is rooted in deep faith and an abiding confidence in God’s abiding presence in all of creation and in the depth of our being. Wisdom comes from study, prayer and from the daily effort to live in God’s grace with Jesus as our mentor. Reason without faith leads to rationalization of our wants and desires. Reason combined with faith moves us to contemplation and moves us to probe and ponder the greatest mysteries of life that exceed the power of the human intellect to explicate or explain. That’s why poets, artists and composers are enable us to comprehend the qualities of God in nature, in the human body and in the qualities of a life lived in union with ultimate truth and beauty.

So we need to go to our prayer chair for at least twenty minutes at the beginning and end of every day. We need to walk among the trees and along the sea. We need to listen to music that stirs the soul and sing songs that touch the heart.

Only then can we be thoughtful people of measured speech and positive deeds.

Holy Thursday 2009

Thursday April 9, 2009

+ Holy Thursday

The ‘eighth commandment.’

Readings: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-15.

After he had finished washing their feet and had once again put on his outer garments, he reclined at table and said to them, “Do you understand what I have just done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. What I have done for you, you should also do. [John 13:12-15]

As a pastor, the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is the most soul-stirring liturgy of the entire year because it dramatizes not only the gift of Jesus life given in bread and wine to the apostles and to the Church down to our age, but it also epitomizes what the life of the Christian should be at the table of humanity.

I have read somewhere that the ‘washing of the feet’ or the ‘mandatum’ as it is called in the ritual, was close to being instituted as a sacrament. It certainly is sacramental – an occasion of grace that inspires us to be and do hat we ritualize at worship.

In a survey on expectations of the faithful for priests conducted several years ago, more than any other quality the faithful look for in their pastors is spiritual depth.

That’s a tall order – one that stretches me, as I’m sure it does all priests. On the other hand, I have been inspired and energized over and over again by so many ‘lay priests’ in the pew. In fact, the spirituality of the priest is rooted in the faith of the people in the pew. After all, it is baptism that unites all of us – women and men – baptized into the common priesthood of Christ.

Jesus’ instruction to his apostles to wash the feet of others was meant for every disciple, not just the ‘Twelve.’ This was more than a gesture to inspire. It was indeed a ‘mandatum,’ a command to do as he did.

Washing the feet of others can include anything from a spiritual or corporal work of mercy to the taking of a concrete positive action to change an oppressive political, economic or ecclesiastical system.

The people of L’Aquila in Italy know of what I speak. What can be a more dramatic observance of this sacred day than the rescue of someone buried beneath the rubble of an earthquake?

And what about the people who are building homes and installing fresh water supplies for the people in Guatemala? And what of the many people who bring healing to those afflicted with physical or mental illness?

The Eucharist was the setting for the washing of the feet because it is in the bread of Eucharist that we are joined as sisters and brothers in Christ becoming in fact, the bread that we eat. We are the Body of Christ. Amen.