Today we celebrate St Thomas. For most American the only thing we think of is doubt. For the more than 17 million Catholics in India they think of the Apostle who founded their Church.
Two cities in particular hold a special devotion to St. Thomas: present day Kerela, where he landed; and mylapore where he is said to have died. While large numbers of Catholics are Latin Rite Catholics. Two eastern rites of the Catholic Are centered in India Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara.
In recent years we have seen an influx of priests from India into the U.S. While the Catholics are a small minority in India, they have a large number of vocations. We are grateful for their assistance
Thomas should be remembered today not for his doubting but for his missionary zeal. Today we pray for all those parts of the world to whom St. Thomas took the gospel.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sometimes it takes a foreigner
This week we read the prophet Amos. We have to begin by remembering that he was a prophet during the divided kingdom.
This is important because while he was from the southern kingdom, his prophecy was to the northern kingdom.
The reaction was as expected, how dare this outsider critique us?
As we approach the 4th of July perhaps this warns us there are healthy and unhealthy forms of patriotism. One of the unhealthy ones is the one that becomes defense of any critique from outside
Expressions like "you can't see the forest for the trees" remind us that sometimes we are too close or too attached to see a situation objectively.
As individuals we recognize that sometimes we need someone with objective distance. The same is true collectively. Sometimes we need an Amos someone from another "kingdom" to help us see our faults.
If we really love our nation we recognize it is imperfect and want it to be better.
We listen, we evaluate, and where needed we change.
Prophets by their nature tend to incite anger. And the closer they are to the truth the angrier it makes us.
Amos was nothing but a farmer. But he spoke the truth. Are we willing to hear the truth no matter what the source?
This is important because while he was from the southern kingdom, his prophecy was to the northern kingdom.
The reaction was as expected, how dare this outsider critique us?
As we approach the 4th of July perhaps this warns us there are healthy and unhealthy forms of patriotism. One of the unhealthy ones is the one that becomes defense of any critique from outside
Expressions like "you can't see the forest for the trees" remind us that sometimes we are too close or too attached to see a situation objectively.
As individuals we recognize that sometimes we need someone with objective distance. The same is true collectively. Sometimes we need an Amos someone from another "kingdom" to help us see our faults.
If we really love our nation we recognize it is imperfect and want it to be better.
We listen, we evaluate, and where needed we change.
Prophets by their nature tend to incite anger. And the closer they are to the truth the angrier it makes us.
Amos was nothing but a farmer. But he spoke the truth. Are we willing to hear the truth no matter what the source?
Saturday, June 30, 2012
A little History
Yesterday, we celebrated the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. New Archbishops from around the world received their pallia (sing. Pallium) the sign of an archbishop.
Today, we celebrated the First Martyrs of Rome, which marks the persecution of Christians by Nero (64-67 AD).
One of the major revisions to the Church's calendar after Vatican II was to thoroughly review the historicity of the saints names that had accumulated after almost two millennia. Those for whom no historical evidence could be found were removed. In some cases where specific names could not be verified days like today's were created.
We know that the persecution happened and many Christians were killed for nothing more than simply being Christian. Their names have been lost to us. But isn't that a general truth? Most of the holiest men and women in history have been born, lived, and died without ever becoming famous.
Even as I write this I know that there are men and women in obscure places who will be killed simply because of their faith and no one but their families and friends will take note.
Today as we remember those first Christian martyrs who died almost 1950 years ago, we pray for all those who will be martyrs still, especially those whose names will never be part of the history.
NB. The word martyr comes from Greek and means literally witness. In Christianity a martyr is one who is killed by someone else because of their faith.
Today, we celebrated the First Martyrs of Rome, which marks the persecution of Christians by Nero (64-67 AD).
One of the major revisions to the Church's calendar after Vatican II was to thoroughly review the historicity of the saints names that had accumulated after almost two millennia. Those for whom no historical evidence could be found were removed. In some cases where specific names could not be verified days like today's were created.
We know that the persecution happened and many Christians were killed for nothing more than simply being Christian. Their names have been lost to us. But isn't that a general truth? Most of the holiest men and women in history have been born, lived, and died without ever becoming famous.
Even as I write this I know that there are men and women in obscure places who will be killed simply because of their faith and no one but their families and friends will take note.
Today as we remember those first Christian martyrs who died almost 1950 years ago, we pray for all those who will be martyrs still, especially those whose names will never be part of the history.
NB. The word martyr comes from Greek and means literally witness. In Christianity a martyr is one who is killed by someone else because of their faith.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Balance from the beginning
St. Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles
St. Peter, holding the key to heaven (the gold key)
These two statues stand out front of St. Peter's Basilica. They remind us not only of the two men but of the constant challenge in our Christian faith. St. Peter, the first of those entrusted with protecting the deposit of faith. St. Paul who pushed the boundaries and challenged the disciples and apostles to a broader vision of Church.
In every generation their are those who would drag the church to the extremes, and we depend on the Holy Spirit to help us hold fast to the essential truths of he faith and at the same time be constantly open to seeing deeper understanding. The truth Christ taught does not changes, but our understanding and the issues to which we have to apply it with time do change.
Through the intercession of these two great saints, may each of us find that same balanced place in our life.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
St. iranaenus
We can often look judgmentally on Islam and those who would interpret the Quran in ways that would lead to violence, ways that most of the adherents of the Islamic faith would say are misinterpretations of the text. But what should be done?
While beating up on the Pope and the bishops is popular both inside and outside the Church, we need them. Today we celebrate St. Iranaenus who defended the role of the bishops to, guided by the Holy Spirit, protect the proper interpretation of scriptures.
If the Christian faith were reduced to individuals with Bibles, any charismatic personality could cherry pick verses from the Old and New Testament to justify anything and gather a following. Have the bishops for 2000 years gotten every issue right all the time? No, nor has the Catholic Church ever claimed that. On the core issue, we do hold that through the bishops the Holy Spirit works to keep the Church on the right track as we deal with new realities that the world of the Bible could never have imagined.
Even the great movements of the reformation never imagined a church without structure or authority. They saw the danger of an individual with a Bible, our human capacity to find what we want to see.
The heresy against which Iranaeus fought, Gnosticim, did not die off in the second century. The gnostic idea of having a kind of secret knowledge apart from the scriptures and what was handed down by the Church, seems to resurface in every age. We can dismissively refer to these groups as "cults" but the reality is that many lives have been ruined and even lost, because some poor soul searching for God was drawn into them. We have to look no further than the ongoing saga of Warren Jeffs, right here in the U.S.
Our bishops are imperfect human beings, and any of them including the Pope will readily admit that. As we remember St. Iranaenus today let us pray for our bishops.
While beating up on the Pope and the bishops is popular both inside and outside the Church, we need them. Today we celebrate St. Iranaenus who defended the role of the bishops to, guided by the Holy Spirit, protect the proper interpretation of scriptures.
If the Christian faith were reduced to individuals with Bibles, any charismatic personality could cherry pick verses from the Old and New Testament to justify anything and gather a following. Have the bishops for 2000 years gotten every issue right all the time? No, nor has the Catholic Church ever claimed that. On the core issue, we do hold that through the bishops the Holy Spirit works to keep the Church on the right track as we deal with new realities that the world of the Bible could never have imagined.
Even the great movements of the reformation never imagined a church without structure or authority. They saw the danger of an individual with a Bible, our human capacity to find what we want to see.
The heresy against which Iranaeus fought, Gnosticim, did not die off in the second century. The gnostic idea of having a kind of secret knowledge apart from the scriptures and what was handed down by the Church, seems to resurface in every age. We can dismissively refer to these groups as "cults" but the reality is that many lives have been ruined and even lost, because some poor soul searching for God was drawn into them. We have to look no further than the ongoing saga of Warren Jeffs, right here in the U.S.
Our bishops are imperfect human beings, and any of them including the Pope will readily admit that. As we remember St. Iranaenus today let us pray for our bishops.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Religious Liberty
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
These sixteen words have been the guarantor of the freedom of all religious men and women in our country. As a Virginian I must reach back to their predecessor, the 1779 Virginia statute on religious freedom
"[N]o man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."
Today people of many faiths including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are feeling pressures that would limit their ability to live their faith in their daily lives.
From today until the 4th of July we are entering a time of prayer. The U.S. bishops have called for a Fortnight for Freedom. For those not familiar with the term fortnight is a term for a two-week period. We are called to pray not just about one particular law but any attempts to limit non-violent exercise of religion, or to coerce persons to act contrary to their faith. Click the link above for more information.
These sixteen words have been the guarantor of the freedom of all religious men and women in our country. As a Virginian I must reach back to their predecessor, the 1779 Virginia statute on religious freedom
"[N]o man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."
Today people of many faiths including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are feeling pressures that would limit their ability to live their faith in their daily lives.
From today until the 4th of July we are entering a time of prayer. The U.S. bishops have called for a Fortnight for Freedom. For those not familiar with the term fortnight is a term for a two-week period. We are called to pray not just about one particular law but any attempts to limit non-violent exercise of religion, or to coerce persons to act contrary to their faith. Click the link above for more information.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Same truth, different expression
When you read the first reading today, it seems unfair. After the repentance of the king God says, "I will not bring the evil in his time. I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son."
On the surface it seems to be unfair. Why would God punish a child for the actions of his son. The short answer is, he wouldn't. While the Old Testament tends to state everything in a simple language that reads to us like direct divine intervention, what is really being described here is consequences.
Our actions are never single acts in perfect isolation. Because we live in relationship to others all of our actions have ripple effects. Some we see; some we don't see. Some we intend, some not.
When a pregnant woman does drugs, is it God punishing the child when it is born with problems? In our modern language we would recognize that it is the consequence of her action, not divine punishment.
Today's reading reminds us of a stark, painful truth. There are times when we can feel true contrition, and be truly forgiven by God, but as the expression goes, you can't unring the bell. There are times when we have to live with the effects of the choices we made.
Today's first reading is a reminder of why it is so important that we think before we act. Can we foresee every effect? No. But it is a safe bet that when we chose sin, there is going to be a negative ripple.
Once more we come back to fundamental moral theology. What distinguishes a human act is intellect and will, the ability to think and chose.
On the surface it seems to be unfair. Why would God punish a child for the actions of his son. The short answer is, he wouldn't. While the Old Testament tends to state everything in a simple language that reads to us like direct divine intervention, what is really being described here is consequences.
Our actions are never single acts in perfect isolation. Because we live in relationship to others all of our actions have ripple effects. Some we see; some we don't see. Some we intend, some not.
When a pregnant woman does drugs, is it God punishing the child when it is born with problems? In our modern language we would recognize that it is the consequence of her action, not divine punishment.
Today's reading reminds us of a stark, painful truth. There are times when we can feel true contrition, and be truly forgiven by God, but as the expression goes, you can't unring the bell. There are times when we have to live with the effects of the choices we made.
Today's first reading is a reminder of why it is so important that we think before we act. Can we foresee every effect? No. But it is a safe bet that when we chose sin, there is going to be a negative ripple.
Once more we come back to fundamental moral theology. What distinguishes a human act is intellect and will, the ability to think and chose.
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