• Bulletin Board, Announcements, Calendar
• Welcome and Website Protocol
• Editorial - Op Ed
• Article Archive

Print this page

Article Categories

• Book Reviews
• Open Letter
• Editorials
• Notes, Quotes & Comments
• Pastor's Study
• Project Millstones
• Sidebar Comments
• Weekly Message

Links

AMERICA Magazine
A balanced Catholic weekly magazine published by the jesuits of the United States for an intelligent Catholic readership. Go online to subscribe.

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.

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

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

Bishop Accountability
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

National Catholic Reporter
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.

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.

Search

Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Readings: Acts 20:17-27 Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21 John 17:1-11

I am in the world no longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. [John 17:11]

Shakespeare ‘penned’ the phrase quoted above. I didn’t understand it as a student of Shakespeare in high school but I began to understand it when I waved goodbye to my family as I sailed off to Italy on September 21, 1963 for a three-year stretch in Rome. In fact, it has multiple meanings and applications that I appreciate now more than ever before.

There is another phrase that perhaps gives credence to my thoughts so poorly expressed and it’s this: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Ah, that’s it. At times we need to separate from ‘the source’ in order to appreciate how important it is to stay connected.

The farewell speech of St. Paul in Acts and the farewell ‘prayer’ of Jesus in John’s gospel were more likely composed by the authors of these texts along the lines of the farewell speeches of great leaders of their times in order to attract the attention of Jesus’ followers.

The departure of Jesus and later that of Paul created ‘fallow’ time in the hearts of the neophyte believers that was absolutely necessary if they were to grasp the significance of Jesus’ message and the teachings of St. Paul.

We are once again in ‘fallow’ time as we prepare for Pentecost. It’s a time of discernment during which we are invited to ponder the words and deeds of Jesus so that in his absence, we may come to know his presence in the Spirit that remains within us and around us.

As we ponder, it is important to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and reverence of the Lord. And the fruits of the Holy Spirit are qualities that are characteristic of a community living in Christ: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty self-control and chastity.

There is much to ponder as we wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Daily Scripture

Wednesday November 29, 2006

+ Wednesday 34th Week in Ordinary Time

We are always moving from fear to faith.

Readings: Revelation 15:1-4 Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9 Luke 21:12-19

“I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished.’” [Luke 21:12]

I reckon it was someone’s intent to get us to reform our lives during this, the last week of the liturgical year. The selection of the readings this week and last are slightly less than affirming. That’s an understatement, for sure.

The readings are apocalyptic in genre and indeed, intended to both reassure persecuted Christians that God’s justice will prevail, i.e., the spirit of the just will be liberated and they will be freed from the pain of persecution in the kingdom of God that will be revealed in its fullness.

I suppose if we were living in Iraq, we might find these words consoling. However, we who live in relative freedom tend to view these readings as a foreboding of terror rather than as a reassurance of God’s glory.

There is in Christian biblical theology, the notion of the evolution or development of Christian consciousness whereby over time, believer become more aware of the various facets of God’s personality as it has been revealed over time. This is to be sure an inadequate explanation of how our understanding of God expands over time. Suffice it to state that were John and Luke writing for us today, they might use a more affirmative style.

A good example of what I am ‘speaking’ about may be found in the change of rhetoric evident in Pope Benedict’s visit in Turkey. His language is far more conciliatory than it was at Regensburg.

I do believe that we are much more apt to reform our lives when the prophets and evangelists speak affirmatively of God than when they threaten.

Moreover, we are apt to do the same when we wear a smile on our face rather than a frown—even in difficult times when the going get rough.