RCIA – Mystagogy: Your Special Gifts

         Mystagogia: It means “going deeper into the mysteries” – that is, into the truths of the faith. The early Church understood that post Easter many of the mysteries of faith that had been entrusted to the newly initiated needed time to “sink-in” and mature. Let’s give a quick synopsis of what has happened over the past 8 months. For these are the mysteries we will be delving into, the rest of our lives. We have heard about:

         The Church – we are not talking about the building, but us, the people. We are through our belief in Jesus, baptized and connected with one another into the People of God, the Church. Our love for each other is our manifestation of our love for our God. It is because of this love we can go up to the altar and receive the Eucharist.
         We heard about the significance of the 7 Sacraments. We heard how each one, instituted by Jesus, has a significance and place in our lives at critical phases of our lives.
         We heard about Jesus’ teaching and His Life. The purpose of why He came and what it means to each of us.
         We heard about the place which Prayer has in our lives. We heard and learned the “Our Father”, “The Hail Mary”, and “The Glory be”. We have recited the Creed, an enumeration of all that we believe in. We have learned the formulation of the Rosary, Mary’s prayer.
         We touched on each of The 10 Commandments. Not so much that we understood them completely, but at least have become aware of each one and what it means to us, as individuals.
We heard of the importance of Morality. How our living moral lives can positively affect others. The Commandments are a guide for all mankind for living moral lives.
         This thumbnail sketch does nothing but enumerate some of the topics that were covered over these 8 months. What you now do with them depends solely on you. You have just scratched the surface of the beauty of the Catholic Church, of Christianity. As we said earlier, the Church realizes that you now have the awesome and wondrous task of allowing yourself to go deeper into these mysteries, to accept God’s love and goodness. Nobody’s words, no one else’s beliefs, or experiences, not even Scripture, itself, can be a replacement for your own personal belief. All they can do is help you become aware of Jesus and His love for you.
         You are not alone, however. Every Catholic Christian living today has the same task ahead of them, as you. Each of us has the responsibility to learn what it is, in us that wants to join Jesus, to love Him. We need, also, to view what it is that is preventing us from joining Him. Our lives are not cast in cement. We are flesh and blood. We strive, we fail, we hope, we despair. Through it all Jesus looks on us, loves us and tries to help us see and understand. We need only try to comply, try to understand, seek out what things are pertinent to us. What do our lives really reflect? We have to move the Christianity which we learned with our mind and allow it to flood into our hearts. To say we love one another and to actually love one another are two separate things. We, you and I, we need to look inside ourselves and see our faults, as well as the good that we do.
         So, in conclusion, realize that starting from today, right now, each of us must look solely at ourselves and give to Him, who we are right now. We cannot give Him who we want to be. We can only give Him what we have, what we are right now. The experience of loving Jesus is personal. It will always be personal. Just because you have attended this class does not guarantee your success. Your personal belief in Jesus, your desire to follow His way, the time you devote to praying and understanding all of these will help you grow. To understand ourselves, who we are, why we feel as we do, why we do as we do, all of these will help us grow. What we see, at times, we may not like, but we know that in spite of what we see, our God loves us and has a plan for us. He waits for us to grow to be the Catholic Christian that we want to be and that He wishes to see in us.

3rd Sunday of Lent, RCIA: The First Scrutiny

       This time of scrutiny what is it? What is its’ purpose? It is not simply to critique and assess your readiness—that was done at the Rite of Election. The purpose of the scrutinies is for each of you, the elect, to look within yourselves and uncover, and understand all that is weak, defective, or sinful in your hearts. It has a second purpose, as well, to bring out, and strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good in you.

       As you continue on this journey realize one very important fact. None of us, no one reading this, and no one on this planet is perfect. Each one of us has made and continues to make wrong and bad decisions in our life. This time of scrutiny is a time for honesty. This is a time for you to look at yourself and see what it is that is holding you back, preventing you from getting closer to Jesus.

       In the readings, today, we hear many references to water and thirst. In the Book of Exodus, we hear the people complaining to Moses and to God about their thirst. These were the same people who had been enslaved in Egypt, but at least, there, they had food and water. Now with Moses, leading them to the Promised Land, they had neither. So, they grumbled as to where this journey was taking them, and the hardships they had to endure.

       Before we touch on today’s Gospel, we have to understand a little of the tension between the Jewish people and the Samaritans. After the death of King Solomon, the Jewish kingdom split into two: northern Israel with its capital Samaria and southern Judea with its capital Jerusalem. The Samaritans were viewed as a sinful people, because they worshipped idols, their current fads. The Jews maintained their belief in one God. So, though they had common roots, Jewish people were forbidden to associate, nor talk with the Samaritans.

       In the Gospel of John, we hear the story of Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman. Jesus approaches the woman at the well and asks her for some water. She immediately responds with, “How do you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan, for water?” To which Jesus replies, if you had the gift of faith, and knew who I am, you would be asking me for the gift of living water.

       The Gospel continues with Jesus revealing to her the nature of her life and that she had 5 husbands. This was her scrutiny. This was her time to look at herself, to view her life and see the falseness, the shallowness of it. This passage ends with the woman speaking of the Messiah, to which Jesus simply says, “I am He.”

       Do you see the similarity in these readings and with what is going on with your life, right now? The waters of Baptism, your belief in Jesus, these have the promise of eternal life. This is your journey to the Promised Land. This is not, however, a simple road. It will entail hardship, at times. It will involve your honesty. It will require you to look at your life and how you are living it.

       This time of scrutiny is very important. It starts you on a road of looking at yourself, at your motives and where you need to make corrections. This process of introspection (looking within) will last a lifetime. The more we focus on Jesus, and then look at where we are, we will know what it is that needs to be addressed.

       We said at the outset that there were two purposes to the scrutinies. The second is to bring out, strengthen and understand all that is good within you. The Catholic Christian life is not, and will never be simply focused on the removal of evil. That is not what Jesus was all about. It is a positive life. It is one of doing good acts, helping people, being concerned about people.

       We try to live our lives in a way that Jesus will be glorified and honored. We do this by being like Him. I can’t help people giving them money, if I am poora and don’t have any. I can’t help people across the street, if I, myself, am blind, and cannot see the other side of the street. The time of scrutiny is also to know what goodness we do possess. Do you have a smiling personality? Do you feel sad when you see someone suffering? Do you have time to give to people? These are all qualities that others need to receive. Give what you do have.

       So the scrutinies involve our seeing where we are lacking, and also seeing what gifts we do have. We pray to our Father in heaven to help us eliminate those aspects of our lives that prevent us from living the life of Christ, and at the same time to help us grow to be like His Son.

       As the time draws near for your reception of Baptism, or Confirmation or the Eucharist, you must spend it in preparation of yourselves. Allow the words of the Gospels to fill your hearts and reshape your lives. Allow Jesus’ life to inspire you and lead you. Look within and see what commitment you have made. The time of scrutiny is a positive time. It is a time of opportunity. It is your time.

Do What I SAY, Not What I DO??

        The Gospel in Tuesday’s Mass pulled no punches. Jesus is talking to the crowds and His disciples. He tells them that whatever the Scribes and Pharisees tell them to do, they should do. Observe and practice whatever they tell you, for they are speaking from the words of Moses. He goes on and cautions them, however, don’t do what they do”. For what they preach, they do not practice.

        This is the same Jesus who earlier was trying to point out to these same Scribes and the Pharisees their evil ways. He did this through parables, through examples. He did whatever He could to teach them and gently but firmly wake them up. The timeframe is shortly before the Passover and His death. Jesus cannot try to convince them anymore. Time is running out. Time is of the essence. Now all of His efforts must be directed at the people, the followers of the Judaic Law. He wants to point out to them that the words (the 10 Commandments) handed down by Moses should, and must, still be observed. The words spoken by the Scribes and Pharisees are true. But these same leaders do not observe the very things they preach. Don’t do what they do, don’t imitate their actions.

        And today, don’t look around you, to see who falls into that category. Don’t look to see which priests, preachers, or leaders don’t seem to practice what they preach. Don’t be scandalized when people come up short in your estimation, for we are all alike. Look within. We know what we should do. We know what is expected of us. We feel, down deep within us, the tug at our hearts when we know we are really not moving in the direction we should be. And yet, we will be the first to say what others should and should not do. We will be the first to observe that, that person needs a haircut. She is looking for trouble. They should be doing this or that. They need to be more concerned about others. Whoa!!! Stop right there. How do we know what others are about? How do we know what they should do? How did we come to this knowledge of their motives, their limitations?  The Pharisees were very good at observing the faults and limitations of others. And so, Jesus tells them and us, not to be like the Pharisees.

        It is difficult to assess ourselves. In order to do that, we have to be observant of our actions, and truly critical of our motives. Excuses for what we do, must be non-existent. In the glare of a bright light (our earnest seeking of God’s truths), that is the only way we can ascertain what our true motives are. And yet, after all this, the best that we can come up with is, “I am a sinner, Lord”. For in that moment of recognition, of affirmation, we lay ourselves bare, stripped of all pretenses. It is at that precise moment, that the only thing we have is our trust in God.

        Trust in God, that seems like such an easy solution. But, is it? To trust Him and say, “You are in charge and I accept that”, that is no small feat. But that is exactly what God is looking for in us. He doesn’t want to hear how clever we are, nor, how much wealth we have, nor how many electronic trinkets we have. Our lives of serving others’ needs, of giving people our time, of praying for those who are suffering, these are what God is looking for in His people, His creations. If we recognize the brotherhood that we share with everyone, and live accordingly, then we are doing not what someone tells us to do, but what God wants us to do.

The Golden Rule

        Today’s Gospel brought some fond memories back to me. I was maybe six or seven years old and I was sitting at the dining room table, doing my homework (supposedly). Opposite me, across the table, sat my sister, Lil, also doing her homework (actually). In my hand, I held a thin ruler which had inscribed on it, the Golden Rule. “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you”. -1 So, what was I Doing? I was quickly snapping my wrist back and forth, making the piece of wood snap back and forth over my sister’s pencil, purposely distracting her. After telling me to stop umpteen times, all hell broke loose in rapid succession. She grabbed the ruler. Raised her arm to throw it at me and threw. I ducked. The china closet glass door caught it. My father asleep on the couch was up in a flash. My mom was in from the kitchen to restrain my dad. The neighbor next door (who knew everything in the neighborhood) was knocking at the door, asking if everything was alright. Such was my first encounter with the Golden Rule.

        This formula, however, when you think about it is a powerful way for us to lead our lives. What do you like? What do you dislike? What things do you appreciate when others do them to you? They are the same things that everyone else likes and dislikes, and appreciates. Why do we expect special treatment, and yet, withhold it from others? We cannot treat just those people that we like with kindness. We cannot go out of our way just for those people to whom we feel close. The Rule doesn’t say Do to those people that you like…

        Jesus has given us a clue, a very special clue, as to how we should treat others. Whatever is good for you is good for others as well. When we are ill, what would we appreciate being done for us? When we are racked with pain? When we have so much work to be done and not enough time? Whatever attitudes, or assistance, or thoughtfulness we would love to receive, so too others would also appreciate these things, as well. People are people. Their color, their mood, their manners, their cleanliness, or their charm none of these should matter as to how we treat them. People are people. We are all people, a struggling people, trying to find the answer to the riddles of the lives that we have created for ourselves. Jesus told us how to live, and what to do. During this time of Lent is an excellent opportunity to begin doing for others.

1- Matthew 7: 7-12 (Today’s Gospel)

Morality and Conscience

          Someone loves you, with no strings attached, wanting only the best for you. Instinctively you want to respond back in the same way. LOVE BEGETS LOVE.

           Jesus said, “You shall love your God with your whole heart, with your whole mind, your whole soul and with your whole strength.” When He said this He was quoting from Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. This thought was not something new. This feeling existed in man almost as a fundamental law of nature. God, the Creator, receives back from his creatures, the totality of their love. Everything that makes us what we are, Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength, we use to love our God.

          Jesus said, “…out of the goodness in our heart, we produce goodness; and an evil heart produces evil.” Modern day theologians coined the phrase “Fundamental Option”, a basic choice of a way of life. We gradually, over time, become consistent in our way of living. Our actions over time become us. Our love for our God flows from our fundamental option. Little acts of goodness and kindness gradually become our life style. Good begets more good. To do anything else gradually becomes almost unthinkable. This equates to what we call the State of Grace.

          Our value structure grows out of our prior actions. Repetitive actions will either strengthen or weaken our value structure, depending on their nature. In today’s crime stories we hear of police speaking about a person’s rap sheet. He started by stealing a bike, then bullying, then he became a member in a gang, then robbery, armed robbery, homicide, etc. Little things became bigger and bigger. The life style became detoured in a downward spiral. His fundamental option was degrading rapidly. No thought of God, of love, of other was present. Self was all that mattered.

          We speak of two types of sin: Mortal Sin and Venial Sin. Mortal sin, (deadly to the life of a Christian) consisted of very grievous matter, to which we gave our full consent, and worst of all we knew that it would separate us from our God. In spite of all of that, we gave our consent. Venial sin, though not as crippling as mortal, it was something that still should be avoided. Why? The concept of Fundamental Option explains the why. Have you ever heard the description of the “slippery slope”? The slope lets smaller sins gradually lead us in a downward direction away from God. The farther down we go, it soon becomes our choice, our way of life, our fundamental option. This choice then makes us more susceptible to committing graver sins. What are your venial sins, now? What were they a year ago? What will they be in a year?

          We associate all matters of knowledge as being in the domain of the Mind, as opposed to feelings, being leanings of the heart. Conscience is our ability and obligation to seek truth and decide for the truth NOW, in light of what knowledge we have. It is a decision that is made here and now. How do we decide? We pray for enlightenment. We pray that we will see and understand the answer. BUT…we don’t use the Holy Spirit as a supernatural computer… press some keys, say some prayers and get an answer, as to what I should do. You are expected to use your minds. Seek out good advice. Discuss with those you trust what options are there for you. Talk with people in authority over such matters, or with people who have expertise in the matter. Talk with your parish priest, your teachers. Talk to those you trust and respect. The graver the decision the harder you pray and seek the correct answer.

          Conscience is listed as being made up of 4 D’s
DIG for facts. (Relentlessly digging to uncover the truth.)
DELIBERATE these facts. (Weigh the merits of each, the flaws of each.)
DECIDE one way or the other, when all the facts are in that you can gather.
DO what you just decided on.

          Decisions made by our conscience are always risky. This is because these decisions depend on the amount of certainty that we can acquire. Did we acquire certainty? Or, did we just prove enough for the decision that we wanted? Sometimes, however, in some matters, conscience is the only guidance that we have. However, you cannot throw out moral laws, just because they are difficult, just because you don’t agree with them. We cannot say “I will follow my conscience” while knowing that we say this only because we seek a different outcome.

          In Civil law there are no exceptions. The law is the law, and your knowledge of the law is not a factor. It is your responsibility to know the law and how you should act under it. God’s law, however, is always directed towards the highest good. Keep holy the Sabbath, one of the Ten Commandments. Go to Mass on Sunday, Church Law. But… my neighbor needs nursing assistance this Sunday, which I have the ability to give, but I have to go to Mass. Take care of your neighbor, first. God’s law considers the circumstances. If we held strictly to the law of God above everything else, would we not also be like the Pharisees? Christ continually rebuked them because of their obsession with the law, while overlooking the needs of their neighbors?

          With our whole person we are to love God, with our whole heart, with our whole mind, with our whole soul and with our whole strength, and, our neighbor, as ourself. Conversion is a life-long process. Throughout our life, we learn about ourselves, we learn our faults, we see others struggling just as we are. Slowly our lives change. We either try to make a difference, because of our love, or we ignore and look the other way. Our calling as Catholic Christians is to reflect God’s image and to be like His loving Son. Why?… We gave the answer at the beginning of this talk:

          Someone loves you, with no strings attached, wanting only the best for you. Instinctively you want to respond back in the same way. LOVE BEGETS LOVE.

Lent 2012

       Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, forty days before the Resurrection of Christ. The Church, which is the people of God, which is made up of you and me, we use this time to prepare ourselves for Easter. Very often that preparation consists of what can I give up? The concept is correct, but sometimes for all the wrong reasons. We, I know I do, often look at this, as a time to make ourselves miserable. Let’s see, I can give up chocolate… I love chocolate. I will deny myself a second helping… I need to lose weight, anyway. I will watch less TV… I can read instead.

       The concept of Lent is denial; that is true. But the emphasis is in order to get ready for the Resurrection of Jesus, we must die to ourselves. This is a time of preparation. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day when Christian Catholics have the ashes from last year’s Palm Sunday placed on our foreheads. With this action the words are said, “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust you will return.” It may seem morbid, but really it is a reminder that now is the time to think about the goodness of God, the joy of Christianity, the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. Our life on earth is merely a time of preparation. It is not the end, not the purpose of our existence. We are not here to cram every possible good feeling into our life. God has placed us here, because He loves us. He wants us to be united with Him. But, He has given us the freedom of choice. He wants it to be something that we desire, too. Only with the fire of His love burning within us, can we really die to ourselves.

       So this dying to ourselves what does it mean? What can I do? We think of negatives. Give this up. Don’t do this. Stay away from that. Dying to ourselves does not have to be a negative. Let’s see people as persons who need us, but are afraid, or ashamed to ask. Help them, in whatever way we can. Let’s see the evil in this world, not as the horrible thing that it is, but as a reminder to us that our lives should be filled with prayers for everyone in the world. Let’s make the effort to pray more. What better way than to go to Mass on a daily basis during Lent. (If this is viewed as a negative…I don’t want to, I like to sleep, I don’t have the time… then we don’t understand the nature and beauty of Mass.)

       In short, dying to ourselves is really dying to the ways of the world, dying to the ways we may have become accustomed to living. For these forty days, let’s think of some aspect of our life that we can make more positive, more Christian and less of ourselves. I would ask everyone at this time to pray the Chaplet on a daily basis. Pray it for yourself and your family. Pray it for the Church. Pray it for the people in our nation. Pray it for the world. Every one of the above are struggling, hurting and in need of the prayers.The Chaplet is much shorter than the rosary. If you are unaware of what it is, may I suggest that you click on the words: “The Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena” at the top of this page. Have a happy, love-filled Lent.

Christ Works Through Us

         In my last entry, “People and Me”, I mentioned Christ’s words, “I am the Way”. These words are the key to all of our Christian belief. We hold Jesus as not only our model, our example, but the way we are to live. We are to believe this so deeply, so intimately that His thoughts are our thoughts, His concerns, His love, His passion for people are to become ours.
         In today’s Gospel, at the very outset we hear the 72 disciples exclaim with joy, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.” ^-1 Jesus goes on to caution them to not rejoice in this fact, but just rejoice that their names are written in heaven. These 72 were no different than you or I. They did not instantly become angelic or saintly. However, they did believe totally in Jesus. And their belief spurred them into actions at which they, themselves, were amazed. They believed as the proverbial mustard seed, and mountains of people were moved.
          They believed in Jesus. They believed with their entire being. Their lives reflected their belief. We know the story of Jesus. We know the events in His life. We know the wonders that He did, the sufferings that He endured. We know of His Resurrection. All that information that we have in our mind, must find its way into our heart. It must move us, shape us, and guide us. The truth will set us free. Our belief, our total belief in Jesus, will be the driving force in our lives. Not just on Sunday or when we go to Mass, but throughout our daily life we will be guided by our love for Christ, our love for our God.
           The Apostles and the 72 were the first ones to recognize the importance, the impact of Jesus in their lives. They themselves, like us, cannot do anything except through Jesus. Or said in a more direct way, total belief in Jesus, and all that it entails, enables Him to work through us. This is very easy to type, to read, to say but to live that total belief will consume us.
          Our lives will change, must change. We can’t just read this or say it and then say, “Ok, now where was I?” It’s like a two by four hitting us, awakening us. Do I take my belief in Jesus outside, when I leave my home? The first person I meet, regardless who he or she is, will I treat them as I would Jesus? Am I really concerned about people, or just the appearance of being concerned? These are questions that take on different meanings when asked through our belief. This is not saying that our goal is to be nice or good to people. No, this is saying that our belief in Jesus, in His way, will automatically drive us to being nice or good to people. The being nice is not an end in itself, but rather a beginning.
         Why is this just a beginning? It is the start, because through the genuine love, and concern that Jesus has for mankind, and that we strive for, Jesus can and will work through us. This is not something to which we can aspire. We can’t say, “Ok, Jesus, use me”. But, we can believe so totally, we can love so completely that we are willing to be used. The danger will always exist that this becomes an end in itself. That is where pride takes over. I… I… I. This is why it is so important to remember Christ’s words that He is the Way. For it is that Way, that will change us.

1- Luke 10, 17-24