General

I have too much to do!

Please forgive me for my absence. Since my last post a variety of activities have required more time than I expected, leaving no time for this blog. These activities include:

• volunteering as an assistant chaplain at my local hospital;
• developing further the radio show I co-host with my Brother in Christ, Dan Duddy, something that has required more work as we build upon it to our eventual podcast;
• resuming year 5 of my parish’s men’s faith formation program–That Man Is You!–which I help lead
• preparing for my parish’s 3rd annual “Legacy of Virtue” Breakfast & Commissioning Ceremony, an event in which grandfathers, fathers, uncles, etc, hand down the principles and models of virtuous manhood to the boys and young men in their lives.

I will lobby for a 26 hour day…

Most importantly, ADVENT has begun! God is coming…and He helps prepare us by using His prophet Isaiah to announce the impending Good News:

  But the preamble of that Good News will be echoed initially by the last–and greatest–prophet, John the Baptist, and ultimately by the One whose sandals John knows he’s not fit to even carry let alone wear: Jesus the Christ. And that Introduction is…REPENT!

That’s right; all three begin their work by urging us to first turn away from the sinful path we have walked for too long, because only by doing that can we encounter Jesus as His two disciples did on the road to Emmaus, and experience the truth of His Word and the freedom that message offered. Yes, this is the same Jesus that our modern culture–including many in the Church–has redefined to be only love but never justice. Or, the culture sees His love only in the context of social justice, but never in the justice of personal morality and the responsibility each of us has to live personally moral lives as taught by Jesus. After all, His Father gave us the Ten Commandments; and Jesus talked MUCH more often about Hell than of Heaven. Our God knows us.

Back to our Old Testament prophet. I’ve long loved how the Old and New Testaments support, reinforce and illuminate each other, helping us to see the Truth in our Sacred Scriptures.

Prophecy #1: “The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Prophecy #2: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful” (Isaiah 9:5-6a AND, George Fridric Handel’s “Messiah”).

Prophecy #3: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. Justice shall be the band around his waist” (Isaiah 11:1,2a,4a,5a).

Our cultural conveyor belt rapidly moves us through December but past Advent, working hard to keep our eyes focused only upon December 25th and the great bargains for gifts. But just as the season of Lent offers us the opportunity to solemnly prepare for the eventual great joy of Jesus’ resurrection into the world, the Prayers, Fasting, Almsgiving and Penance (PFAP!!) of Advent make us holy so we can welcome the Incarnation of God into humanity.

So we must slow down and make a plan, one that helps us “make straight our crooked ways” to give Jesus easy access into our lives. For it is from this encounter that a relationship can form.

Therefore, let each of us repent during this holy season, so we can ultimately REJOICE!

So let us make a Holy Advent so we can have a Merry Christmas.

Amen.

See you soon…

Tom

 

 

 

Turning to God in Times of Trouble

The many troubles we experience that put us into “foxholes” can certainly do that. Countless times I’ve heard people I know blurt out “God!” or “Oh my God!” when fearful, startled, shocked or desperate, but who in good times would either not profess any belief or faith in God or would reject either. But woe unto God and all his believers, if the atheist, agnostic or borderline believer/doubter does not receive a reply to that emergency call!

The answer we want in response to our plea for help is often not the answer we need, which is our transformation into better versions of ourselves–as a result of the emergency, dire circumstance or suffering–especially the suffering we cause others. How do we realize that transformative experience? First, by finding meaning and purpose in our suffering. Can we find anything of value in our travails, and in how we handle them? Those questions take on additional importance when our sin is the cause, because we must use our suffering as a motivator to conversion away from the bad behavior. We can use the pain as a hammer on an anvil, to shape our character and help forge virtue in us, by developing, for example, our humility and repentance. The former should come easy, by the obvious lesson that we are often not in control of life and almost never in control of other people. This humble response should make us more empathetic to others in their suffering–especially if we have caused it. President Lincoln is quoted as having said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees, by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”

Second, and most importantly, we should learn from the greatest example of a transformative experience through suffering: the persecution, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I understand that many only believe the first two happened; but they–and we–should remember Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13)

Notice Jesus does not say, “…to lay down one’s life and then resurrect…” The loving on His part was in emptying Himself completely by giving up Himself totally–for the well-being of others. Jesus’ humility is attested to by St. Paul, when the Apostle tells us that “He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself” (Phil 2:6). That’s a tall order for us, and something much more likely to be fulfilled when we have a relationship with another. You would, in all likelihood, sacrifice yourself for a loved one or friend before doing that for a stranger. That is one reason for developing a relationship with our Creator, through His Son and with the help of the Holy Spirit. This help comes from the Spirit’s biblical role as Advocate, Comforter and Counselor, depending upon the translation (thus the great prayer, “Come Holy Spirit, fill my heart).

The centurion,whose servant was desperately ill, was the first to believe that Jesus’s Word–not his presence—could perform the healing miracle. The Roman’s faith marveled Jesus, prompting our Lord to say, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” (Mt 8:5-13, Lk 7:1-10). Catholics repeat the essence of his humble request during every Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy, to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.”)  The power and importance of this experience is to believe. The centurion had faith and chose to believe in Jesus. When we open ourselves up to the gift of faith we can then make the free will choice to believe in Jesus, especially in the poverty of spirit and humility that results from having our backs against the wall.

In the Fourth Gospel John never writes the noun belief; instead he records the verb “to believe,” almost seven times more often than the next closest Gospel, because Jesus wants us to do something: do His will!  Having faith matters little, if at all, if there’s no doing faith:

“By their fruits you shall know them” (Mt 7:16).

With the help of Felix Just, SJ, PhD (http://www.catholic-resources.org/John/Themes-Believe.htm) I’ve listed some of the effects of believing in Jesus from having a relationship with Him. We:

• become “children of God” (1:12)
• don’t perish, but have “eternal life” (3:16) Note “have,” not “will have,” a promise that the Kingdom of God IS at hand and available for those who believe (3:15-16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47)
• won’t be “condemned” (3:18), come “under judgment” (5:24) but will pass from death to life (5:24)
• “know” Jesus and the Father (4:42; 6:64, 69; 10:38)
• will not hunger or thirst (6:35)
• abide/live/remain in Jesus and in God (6:56; 14:17; 15:4-10)
• have “living water” flow out of one’s heart (7:38); receiving the Spirit (7:39)
• be “disciples” of Jesus (8:31; cf. being Jesus’ “friends”; 15:14-15)
• see the “glory of God” (11:40; cf. seeing “greater things” 1:50)
• become “children of light” (12:36); not “remaining in darkness” (12:46)
• do the works that Jesus does, or even “greater works” (14:12)
• have “life in his name” (20:31)

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit: As is so often the case, we can look back in history to the Hebrew Scriptures for context in our effort to understand something in the Christian Scriptures. So let us examine what Isaiah has to say in the 61st chapter of his book. He affirms his anointing by the Lord and his acceptance of the Lord’s gift of faith, and that with the spirit of the Lord he will encourage the oppressed, heal the brokenhearted, free the captive, give solace and comfort to those who mourn and make them “oaks of righteousness” (Isa 61:1-3). This poverty of spirit acknowledges our incompleteness or, in fact, emptiness, and therefore our total reliance on God. And in that belief, we must not hesitate to “ask,” “seek” and “knock” in order to receive the blessings of God promised to us by His Son.

The great difficulties of life overwhelm even the strongest of people, making them meek and mournful. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays for removal of the overwhelming cup of his crucifixion; however his next statement points to his great humility, and his total abandonment to his Father’s will: “not as I will, but as you will.” Can we abandon ourselves (our ego) to God’s will (“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”)

Can we make ourselves totally reliant on God?

Can we abandon ourselves to Christ?

Only through our total surrender, our self-emptying, will we find our treasure in God, because this change allows Him to fill us with His love. That treasure is not the petition we made to God, our “blessing dispensing machine,” for the thing or result we wanted; rather, it is the truth of Christ and the belief that He will ultimately be with us.

Read Satan’s temptations of Jesus; each of them were designed to make him strong (cf Johannes Baptist Metz Poverty of Spirit), because Satan fears the emptiness God chose in order to be frail and weak in His act of salvation.

Fr Tomáš Halík, in Night of the Confessor, affirms that “to ‘take up one’s Cross’ is one of Christianity’s most valuable teachings. If we follow Jesus, then we must go through our own Gethsemane, Good Friday and descent into Hell.” Bracing words, for sure. By joining our suffering with Christ we allow Him to help us carry our cross; but, most importantly, we form or deepen a relationship with Him, and find the ultimate meaning in the suffering: transformation as described by St Paul: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” He knows this because of the promise of Christ that we find in the book of Revelation (21:3-5):

“Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” And he who sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold I make all things new.'”

And we become renewed because we have a relationship with God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, based upon love. So go ahead and make your 911 prayer call, if you’re in trouble; but before that happens, I strongly recommend you call on Him–often–to say “Hi” and to share your life with Him. Get to know Him; open yourself to Him; love Him.

 

Amen.

Tom

 

 

 

Each spring I look forward to the first beautiful weather weekend at the Jersey Shore, so I can strap my bicycle onto my car and make the trek to Long Beach Island–or “LBI” as we regulars know it–and take a two-wheeled tour. That activity is easier to do before the peak summer vacation season hits, when the population can increase from roughly 10,000 to close to 200,000! I try to remember to check the direction of the wind, so that I can avoid heading into it on the back half when my energy stores are low; but if I forget and have to slow down, it gives me more time to explore the neighborhoods, interact with some residents and visitors and get landscaping ideas for my gardens. And the inspiration has helped, as the photos below can attest.

 

 

On this particular spring afternoon I drove to the north end of the island, and when I made the u-turn to park on the other side I saw that I was serendipitously in front of the Barnegat Light Historical Society and Museum.

 

 

Enjoying history as I do, I left the bike on the car so I could take a quick look inside this small building. On my way to the front steps I turned to my left and saw the beginnings of an interesting garden, one that wound around the building; so I decided to take that detour, before going inside and learning much of the history of the town and the island.

I learned the details of the LBI’s most famous landmark, Barnegat Lighthouse, including its original lens that helped guide seafarers to safe harbor. The weight of this piece required retrofitting massive beams underneath the old floorboards.

 

 

I then learned about how the changing tides and sand dunes had significantly altered the topography of the northern half of the island, to such an extent that an old incapacitated fishing vessel was eventually buried up to its mast. There’s no wondering why archeologists have the patience to explore the rich history of cultures and civilizations (and maybe treasures?), those that time, tide, sand and dirt have covered.

 

(courtesy of South Jersey Trails)

I checked my watch and saw that the friendly and informative conversations I’d had with two local historians had used up most of my bike ride time, so I decided to get in just three more sights:

 

 

Standing over 160 feet, “Old Barney” requires 217 steps in order to make it to the top. On this day I did not scale this tower because of the time I took at the museum; but I clearly recall doing this with my children, many years ago. I remember very well the challenge of carrying Kevin part of the way, and then doing the same with Maureen just a few years later–in their very early years. Phew! I could only do that today if our lives depended upon it. But, what a view on a sunny day. I’m sure that over the years, many captains said the same thing when they struggled for guidance on foggy or stormy nights: “Phew! What a view!”

 

 

This beauty might as well be in the museum, since many years have passed since I last saw one on the road conducting business by making dreams come true for children in my hometown. Seeing this truck brought back a wave of memories about my childhood growing up in the Village of South Orange, NJ.

My siblings, friends and I spent many a day at Cameron Field, the public recreation complex. This was the place to be for socializing with friends and strangers, and a place where boys and young men had their mettle tested in a variety of contests: baseball, basketball, tetherball, swimming and the occasional fight. You could meander throughout the vast acreage and either find or lose yourself, watching the old men patiently play bocce ball, attempting to walk across the polished stones in the babbling brook without getting your shoes soaked or while lying on the vast slope of Flood’s Hill to stare into the big sky:

 

 

South Orange was a great town in which to grow up. And as the weather warmed, we knew only one thing could distract us from all these activities: the jingle bells of the Good Humor Man!

 

 

Had someone presented us a choice of either a Rembrandt portrait or the chocolate-covered popsicle painted on the side of the truck, the latter would have won hands down. The walls of the freezer vault were very thick as was its square door. When the man yanked that metal handle with his left hand and reached inside with his entire right arm, the anticipation of what he would bring out was heightened by the mysterious darkness inside and the smoke that immediately appeared. Unfortunately, since my siblings and I totaled eight money was scarce–especially for those of us toward the bottom of the count. Therefore we were usually observers of the melee rather than participants. Still, we could fantasize. During our younger years we might be allowed a fruit flavored popsicle, for two reasons:

1. they cost much less than the ice cream popsicles, with top-shelf flavors such as chocolate covered candy, toasted almond, strawberry shortcake, etc)
2. they were made with a groove down the middle, making them relatively easy to split in half! So not only did we get the lower-level popsicles, but we had to share them! Oh well…

That’s enough of my reverie…

By far the main interest for me on this 18-mile strip of land is one that I associate more with a shrine to which I would make a pilgrimage, than what its face value would seem to suggest, and that is:

“Anchor Produce”

 

At first glance you might wonder what it is that I see in this brightly-colored but otherwise nondescript building that you don’t see. Fair question; and the simple answer is, I know some of what goes on inside this emporium of the Garden State’s productive farms. And the reason I have this prized knowledge is that my son has worked in this establishment for nearly a dozen summers since his junior year in high school.

Through his friendship with the family owners of this enterprise, Mike and Judy Nichols and particularly their two sons, Danny and Tim (elementary and high school classmates and football and wrestling teammates), I’ve had the good fortune to be regaled by stories about this or that aspect of the operation and then invited “behind the curtain” so to speak, to see how the machine runs so well–despite the seeming chaos and the occasional madcap antics of the young men (it seems that no matter the topography or material of the surface on which they stand, Kevin and Tim somehow convert it into a wrestling mat…).

On more than one occasion I’ve told Kevin, that the antics in this store make me want to write a novel, or perhaps a screenplay for television, that revolve around it, around the characters (family and staff) and around the always-pleasant and satisfied customers. The high quality food, prompt attention to detail and customer service has resulted in years of success, making me predict many more such years.

LBI is a wonderful place to be. Do yourselves a favor and head up, down or over (under would be the most interesting…) to this special place at 21st St & the Boulevard.

Oh, and what does all this have to do with God or faith? Well, I know the answer; but do you?

Amen.

Tom

“So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mk 16:19).

OK. Am I stating the obvious, by saying the disciples’ jaws must have felt sore from dropping each time they saw Jesus after his resurrection? That seems a safe bet, particularly in the days shortly afterward. No one comes back from a Roman crucifixion, especially one that used nails (instead of only rope), thorns and a lance.

And how about that stone tomb, and the massive wheel used to seal it? It’s no wonder the Apostles did not believe Mary Magdalen’s report (those “Doubting Apostles“–not just Thomas!). I can imagine multiple private conversations among those men, and all of Jesus’s followers, each seeking reciprocal reassurances of sanity. But I think it reasonable to conclude that spending 40 days with the Christ in their “Apostolic training program” would decrease the jaw-dropping–just a little.

Nothing is accidental when it involves the Son of God, as you can probably imagine by his use of a 40-day period to prepare his most intimate followers to go forth and “make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19). After all, he completed his own 40-day program (in the wilderness) prior to beginning his public ministry. And as a faithful Jew, he knew of the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness

Some of you may have noticed an interesting similarity, and contrast, involving the wording used to describe Christ’s Resurrection (an Ascension in its own right) and his Ascension. In I Corinthians 15:20 Christ “has indeed been raised from the dead;” and the Eastern Church uses “Analepssis” or “the taking up” for Christ’s ascension. Both seem to imply that Christ either didn’t or couldn’t raise himself–either from the dead or into heaven; but then in the Creeds of both the Apostles’ and the Nicene Council Christ “rose from the dead,” thereby indicating an act of his own power. And then we turn our attention to the Latin Feast of Ascensio, which seems to straddle both meanings: “Christ was raised up by his own powers.”

Finally, who was it that died on the Cross? The explanation needed to help us understand all this is found in the two natures of Jesus the Christ. The human nature of Jesus of Nazareth died on the Cross, was raised from the dead and was assumed into heaven; but the divine nature of Jesus the Christ, the God as 2nd person of the Trinity, never died on the Cross but surely rose from the dead and ascended into heaven–of his own power!

Now that I’ve settled that controversy, with a Council of…One!

In John 6:62, Christ asks the Jews:

“Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?”

This refers to the heavenly person in Daniel 7:13:

“In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, so that every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Jesus gently admonishes Mary Magdalene to not attempt to hold him, which she desires because she wants to keep Jesus with her; but he must first ascend to heaven and to his Father, so that he can return to his disciples in spiritual and sacramental ways:

“Do not touch Me, for I am not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren, and say to them: I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God.” (Jn 20:17) Mary

St Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians,

“Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’” (Eph 4:8-10)

And he shares a similar theme in his first letter to Timothy, saying:

“He was…taken up in glory.” (I Tim 3:16)

Does Jesus abandon the Apostles and Disciples? Pope Benedict tells us that the Apostles have a new understanding of Jesus, and believe in a new presence of him—one powerful and deeply personal. He is not “up in the cosmos,” but rather close to them (That makes me think, “wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in my name”) so that they experience lasting joy—not sadness! Remember their 40 days of training…

Benedict teaches us that the cloud that helps Jesus ascend has great theological meaning:

1. Cloud at Christ’s Transfiguration
2. “Overshadowing” to Mary, of the power of the Most High
3. “Holy Tent” of God in the Old Covenant, where the Cloud represents God and is the same Cloud that led the Israelites out of the desert.

Sitting at God’s right hand means sharing in the dominion over space and all creation. So this exalted position makes clear that Jesus is not the son of David, but rather David’s Lord. And since Jesus is with the Father, he is closer to us than ever. So his “going away,” in John, will actually bring him closer to us, because he will be in communion with the Father. That’s a paradox, but a blessing as well.

And it helps us understand Jesus with great joy, when he tells the Apostles (and us):

“I go away, and I will come to you.”

His Ascension moves him away from one place at one time and throughout history and in every place, sending the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, the Paraclete to all who believe–including those 11 men (and Mary) praying in an Upper Room in Jerusalem–and thus the Church begins…

 

 

As part of their preparation for receiving the “promise of the Father” (i.e., the power of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:4-5), Christ instructed the Apostles to stay together and pray together. These instructions called to mind the exhortation and warning attributed to Benjamin Franklin to his fellow Founding Fathers, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence: “Gentlemen, we must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” The similarities don’t end there, considering the small band of patriots seeking to begin a new nation, while opposed by the English military, the greatest power in the world at that time. I could go on…

By instructing his disciples to remain together, in prayer, he insured that they could build–and model for future generations how to build–Christian communities throughout the world. As Pope Benedict tells us in his 2006 homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost, “To stay together was the condition laid down by Jesus in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; the premise of their harmony was prolonged prayer. In this way we are offered a formidable lesson for every Christian community” (emphasis added). I printed those two words in bold type in order to emphasize the importance of a shared faith built upon relationships based upon God’s love.

And what is the ultimate example of a loving relationship and loving community? The Holy Trinity.

In many forums I’ve emphasized this community aspect, after learning how crucial it was to sustaining the early Church and to growing it. Persecution was rampant during that time (and at other times, including–increasingly–our own), and a solo faith would have wilted under the withering assault of the state and other hostile groups. We need encouragement from fellow believers, as one’s strong faith can help another’s weakened belief. The Apostles learned that the glue that could keep them together while they waited for the fulfillment of God’s promise and ever after, was prayer–as a community!

For years I preferred a private, personal faith, on my own terms; and one way that manifested itself was my withdrawal from the “Handshake of Peace” during Mass. I’m sorry I did that, and modeled that for my children. I had no understanding of, let alone appreciation for, the community of believers and all its blessings. But I learned to open myself to the camaraderie waiting for me, as have they, despite the “risk” of catching germs from the person who coughed in his hand or having the brief embarrassment of facing the person I cut off in the parking lot. I still find it amazing when women whip out from their purses the hand sanitizer bottles (to be shared by their husbands, I might add), unaware that the only way that lotion might work is if the entirety of both hands were vigorously rubbed together for at least 30 seconds including under the tips of the nails (an action I’ve never seen!) And in my nearly 63 years, I’ve yet to see this reaction to a handshake outside of church. O “we” of little faith!

I’ve described the importance of “community” in a variety of forums, including previous blog posts, during presentations and on a radio show I co-host with my brother in Christ and beloved friend Dan Duddy (“The 13th Apostle,”  Saturdays @ 11:30 am on WQPH radio 89.3 FM in the Shirley/Fitchburg MA area, or streaming on WQPHradio.org and archived at this link)

As is so often the case in our Sacred Scripture, the New Testament helps unfold and develop a truth of the Old Testament. Pope Benedict tells us that God initiated his covenant to the Israelites in Sinai (Ex 19:3) with his first revelation of himself to them. This “Feast of Sinai” was celebrated 50 days after Passover, as Feast of the Covenant–with only the people of Israel. The “tongues of fire” described by Luke (Acts 2:3) in Christ’s Pentecost echoes that, but describes a different seminal event: the Feast of the New Covenant (“Behold, I make all things new”), one between God and all mankind through the actions of Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Holy Spirit!

The arrival of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room must have resulted in stunned amazement, great joy and perhaps more jaw-dropping! However some in the vicinity, upon hearing the enthusiasm and multiple tongues, mocked the Apostles by saying their testimony was fueled by drunkenness (Acts 2:13). This is a weak accusation, considering the early time of day (“third hour” is 9:00 am) and that Jewish followers of the Christ fasted during the morning of Pentecost.

Peter stood with his brothers in faith (remember: Community), lifted up his voice while recalling their ancient prophet:

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will put out my Spirit upon all flesh…And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”

Note the “whoever.” Peter testifies to the New Covenant assurance noted above, that salvation belongs to all mankind who believe in Jesus Christ–not just the Jews rescued from Jerusalem (after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans), not just men and not just free.

The most important point to make about Christ’s Ascension and the Holy Spirit’s Pentecostal descent, is that these actions–not just states of being, but actions–demonstrate their limitless love for us. The most important aspect of God is not that he is love, but that he does love–because had he not loved us, we wouldn’t know about that love or about him.

Now it’s our turn: let us “go forth and make disciples of all nations,” doing so in the name of the loving Father, and of the loving Son and of the loving Holy Spirit!”

Amen.

Tom

“I am the Light of the world,” proclaimed Jesus in the 9th chapter of the Gospel of John, a statement layered with profound pastoral and–especially–theological meaning, meaning that we’ll discuss later.

Two weeks ago, my (St. Mary’s) parish had its 2^nd Annual Legacy of Virtue Father/Son Communion Breakfast and Commissioning Ceremony, and event aimed at restoring and strengthening a fading tradition.

Over the centuries, generations of men throughout the world have known that one of their main responsibilities was to form their boys into competent men of good character, teaching them the virtues of wisdom, courage, self-control and justice. St. Paul teaches us that Jesus improved upon those virtues, with the addition of faith, hope and love. Thus, Christian men have the greatest model of virtuous manhood, in Jesus, and of legacy, in His commissioning the Apostles to carry on His work and help others fulfill God’s purpose for them. The Church is evidence of their success. But in recent decades many men have struggled with their commission, to be models of heroic virtue for their sons and daughters. The result has been weakened faith in the family, the culture and the Church.

In response to this challenge, the men’s groups of St. Mary’s have teamed up to host this commissioning event, and “Legacy of Virtue” was born. The purpose of this event is to strengthen our faith and renew the tradition in which fathers, or other trusted male mentors, emphasize the heroic nature of the Christian virtues and the importance of men passing on the Great Commission to their sons. Restoring this tradition rekindles holiness, empowering all of us to fortify what is perhaps the most dear to Our Heavenly Father: a loving family.

I give great thanks for the support from my pastor, Msgr Ken Tuzeneu, and to my brothers in Christ from the various men’s ministries in our parish.

Our first year was more of a Mission Statement. This year we emphasized how to live virtuously while going through great struggles, since we will all go through them–including tragedies.

 

***

 

Present from almost the beginning of human history, innocent suffering has posed the greatest challenge to humanity.

Since we’re rational beings, our first response is often to ask, “why?” or “why me?” Christians quickly follow that question with a much more difficult one: “How can or why would a loving God allow his greatest creation to experience so much pain and sorrow?” Those questions point to a profound misunderstanding about the meaning of the Christian life, by suggesting that those who follow Christ’s way and do God’s will won’t suffer as unbelievers suffer? Neither Sacred Scripture nor our Catholic Tradition give us any evidence for that. When Jesus invites us to follow him, “because my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” he is urging us that we will find His Way—not life—easy.

These ordeals bring us to a decision point:

1. Do we quit, wave the white flag of surrender, become bitter and resentful? Do we blame God, and thereby discourage others rather than seek help from those “others”?
2. Or do we persevere and strive to overcome, learning to receive love and give love in that process, thereby giving encouragement by our virtuous example?

Our great stories and legends teach us about heroic men and boys.

This struggle becomes a contest in which mind, body and spirit are tested—often severely—and is strongly suggested by our language, when we say “I’m wrestling with this or that problem.”

With that in mind, can we prepare for the inevitability of suffering, and train ourselves into virtuous fitness, much as we can train ourselves intellectually, physically and nutritionally? For faithful Catholics, the answer should be a resounding “Yes!” because of our 2,000-year tradition of faithful examples who decided—by a free will choice—to have joy by giving glory to God:

St Paul said,  “We rejoice in our suffering!”

St Peter told us, “But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s suffering!” (that’s pretty good company!)

And, Jesus taught us about that easy yoke and light burden, in spite of what the world can do to us, by saying, “In the world you willhave trouble; but take courage—take courage from Me!—because I have conquered the world.”

Jesus, the most virtuous person, offers us the chance to live His Way and gives us the courage to model him—whatever the world throws at us or whatever we might have done to the world in our sin. He also offers us His love, mercy and forgiveness when we have caused our suffering.

That tradition of overcoming lives on in Anthony Ferraro, and in those who encourage him because of their love for him.

Born with a congenital eye malformation that eventually made him legally blind, Anthony had many opportunities to quit over the great frustrations from his handicap—one especially felt during his teenage years. But he had the good fortune to receive that supportive training, from his parents and older brother (A loving family makes a powerful difference). Amazingly, he also became a wrestler, an endeavor that, perhaps unlike any other, prepared him for the trials and tribulations he would face—on the mat or off (I know that my son, Kevin, benefitted greatly from his participation in this sport. He is a wrestler). With the help of dedicated and selfless coaches, Anthony learned to face those challenges, and overcome both them and himself. This experience is depicted in the award-winning film, “A Shot in the Dark: He May Not See, But He Believes” (You can purchase the video here vimeo.com/ondemand/ashotinthedark)

***

Now let’s briefly return to the title of this post.

In a prior post I’ve written about the many “I Am” messages in John’s Gospel, all of which recall the same words used by the God of Israel to Moses, in Exodus:

“I Am” represents the ultimate truth, Gods existence, Jesus’ identification with his Father (in philosophical terms, a “numerical one”). Jesus is the I Am for all of us, as The Ultimate Light (that never extinguishes), The Bread (that always feeds), The Water (that always quenches), The Way (that gives our destination), The Truth (that never deceives) and The Life (that we live with Him, forever). Jesus, as the source of light, opened the eyes of the blind man. As he said to St Thomas, the Apostle, “You believe because you have seen; blessed are those who haven’t seen, yet they believe.”

Those who believe in Jesus, will see…

***

I wrote the following poem for that Legacy of Virtue event, with Anthony–and all of us–in mind:

 

“The Overcomer”

Thomas R Caffrey (2/16/19)

 

I entered life in shock downstream,

Departing from love’s womb;

Too young to ponder, hope or dream,

Or even to presume

 

That normalcy and life quite fair,

Will partner on my path;

Preventing plights that can ensnare,

And change my joy to wrath!

 

Then “Fairness,” you abandon me,

To sadness, loss and pain;

“Undeserved!” I cry, angry,

Discourage, swarms my brain.

 

Persist, I must, but not sure how,

And “why” has yet come clear;

That fair life doesn’t seem quite so,

The cuts go deep I fear

 

My winding journey then descends,

Hope’s offer, blind to me;

“I’m lost!” I yell but find no friends,

Then fall,  “Please, help me see!”

 

A plea! I hear, a sound afar

A primal cry of hurt;

An Innocent becomes my star,

To lift me from the dirt

 

To light my path, its purpose now,

And beckons me, “strive on!”

Behind me “past” I make my vow,

Those tears I move beyond

 

The pain? It’s less. What made that be?

Could it be from the other?

My stagger becomes straight on way,

To lift my injured brother.

 

That “why” was answered, for more than me,

I’m sure from up above;

For Triumph comes exultantly,

When first we come to love.

 

Have you overcome great difficulties? Of course, or else you wouldn’t exist! The biggest challenges for us to overcome, are those resulting from the hurt and damage that we have caused. I’d welcome your story, to learn how you overcame the difficulties life has brought your way–0r that you’ve brought on yourself.

Amen.

Tom