What a beautiful season this is! A blessed Easter to all! Christ is risen, alleluia! As it is written in Psalm 118:24, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
In this most beautiful season we enter into the paschal mystery of Christ's resurrection. This season in which we are reminded that Christ is no longer among the dead but is living and seated at God's right hand. He is our just judge, our Lord and one in Divinity with the Father and Holy Spirit.
Yet also profound is the sacrifice which preceded the resurrection. Christ's supreme sacrifice was total. He gave His life that we may have life. Each of us is called to imitate what he did. This not in physical sense, but rather in a spiritual sense. We are each called to die to self, for if by Christ's resurrection we are raised to new life in Him, should we not live for Him? And thus comes the demand to suffer a death of sorts in order to live totally for Him.
Before the foundation of the World, God set forward a plan. The plan not only encompasses His creation of the World, but His plan for its salvation and that of each person He breathes life into. The individual is given a free choice. As Saint Francis de Sales puts it "God wills that we be able to disobey." Francis goes on to tell us that God "desires us to obey," and "allows us to choose not to." So to simplify is that we can chose to follow the Divine will or not.
So what is this will of God? The will of God is really the plan that God sets forward for an individual. It is what God wants that individual to do. God's will for an individual is always all good. For in the end, to follow God's will is to be united with His love and His grace. It is the best foretaste of the joys of heaven. To do God's will is the greatest intimacy with Christ while on earth, and Christ Himself will lead us. All one has to do is be still and trust in God.
In the simplest terms and definitions. God has a calling for each individual. In the one body of Christ, there are many parts (as Scripture tells us). The individual responding to the call contributes to the body being a cohesive cell. So let us in this Easter Season be meditate on the resurrection of Christ, and allow ourselves to humbly submit to the divine will which is always good and full of grace. To Him be the glory forever, alleluia!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Reclaiming the True Meaning of Christmas: The True St. Nicholaus
Hello again everyone! First off let me start by saying Merry Christmas (yes, still within the twelve days, so this is still a valid greeting)! I pray that the birth of Christ is filling all with a renewed hope. In most recent post I wrote a short piece on the writings of St. Leo the great. The idea of that post was a reminder to myself and others that Christ is to be the center of Christmas.
The message transcends time. It is not just simply celebrating the event. No, we must accept Christ into our hearts. The new born Christ must now be given a place at the inn, for if we do not open our hearts to Him, we leave Him cold like He was that night. I say this especially for myself.
It is there that we can really truly reclaim what the the season is. That being said there are things that stem from it as well. So today I want to talk about Santa Claus, sort of. By this I mean to try as much as possible to unwrap (forgive the pun here) who the man behind the suit is. Yes we have the cultural image of Santa Claus, Chris Kringle, or Jolly Old St. Nick, but there was a real person behind this. No he did not have reindeer or live in the North Pole or even come down chimneys, but there is a reason for the character.
The real person was actually a bishop. A man now canonized as Saint Nicholas. But who was he and why is he honored?
The reality is that very little is known about him. All that is really known about him is that he was a fourth century bishop in Myra which is in Lycia, in Asia minor. The real famous story about him has to do with his charity towards a singular man (not to say that the bishop was not charitible to anyone else but this story is seemingly the best known). The man who Saint Nicholaus helped was a poor man who was unable to find appropriate suiters for his daughters of marrying age. Rather than see them sold off into prostitution, Nicholas secretly threw a bag of gold through the window on three different occasions. As a result, the man's daughters were able to get married.
Later on, this story evolved into the traditions of gift giving on St. Nicholas' feast. Eventually the name Santa Claus was born from a twist of tongue. Which brings me to the real man himself and what he exemplifies.
In this season of giving we have to remember why we give. You see we are not to give for the purposes of receiving. Instead, the giving is out of love towards the other. It is a sincere charity of heart. And that really is the example that Nicholas sets. That and the love of the poor preached by Christ.
So now, as we contemplate why we give, let us remember the true St. Nicholas. A bishop leading a holy life by God's grace and prompted by charity to serve the other with nothing in it for himself. It was Saint Francis who said, "it is in giving that we receive," because we often find that we receive more than we give. But the goal is to give without getting anything back. Friends, let us remember this during Christmas and always.
The message transcends time. It is not just simply celebrating the event. No, we must accept Christ into our hearts. The new born Christ must now be given a place at the inn, for if we do not open our hearts to Him, we leave Him cold like He was that night. I say this especially for myself.
It is there that we can really truly reclaim what the the season is. That being said there are things that stem from it as well. So today I want to talk about Santa Claus, sort of. By this I mean to try as much as possible to unwrap (forgive the pun here) who the man behind the suit is. Yes we have the cultural image of Santa Claus, Chris Kringle, or Jolly Old St. Nick, but there was a real person behind this. No he did not have reindeer or live in the North Pole or even come down chimneys, but there is a reason for the character.
The real person was actually a bishop. A man now canonized as Saint Nicholas. But who was he and why is he honored?
The reality is that very little is known about him. All that is really known about him is that he was a fourth century bishop in Myra which is in Lycia, in Asia minor. The real famous story about him has to do with his charity towards a singular man (not to say that the bishop was not charitible to anyone else but this story is seemingly the best known). The man who Saint Nicholaus helped was a poor man who was unable to find appropriate suiters for his daughters of marrying age. Rather than see them sold off into prostitution, Nicholas secretly threw a bag of gold through the window on three different occasions. As a result, the man's daughters were able to get married.
Later on, this story evolved into the traditions of gift giving on St. Nicholas' feast. Eventually the name Santa Claus was born from a twist of tongue. Which brings me to the real man himself and what he exemplifies.
In this season of giving we have to remember why we give. You see we are not to give for the purposes of receiving. Instead, the giving is out of love towards the other. It is a sincere charity of heart. And that really is the example that Nicholas sets. That and the love of the poor preached by Christ.
So now, as we contemplate why we give, let us remember the true St. Nicholas. A bishop leading a holy life by God's grace and prompted by charity to serve the other with nothing in it for himself. It was Saint Francis who said, "it is in giving that we receive," because we often find that we receive more than we give. But the goal is to give without getting anything back. Friends, let us remember this during Christmas and always.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Reclaiming the Reason for the Season
It has indeed been a long time since I posted last. This situation however presents me with the perfect time to post again.
We are now just about at Christmas. For us as Christians, the advent season which almost complete is for preparation for the celebration of Christmas. That is to prayerfully prepare for the profound mystery of Word Incarnate coming into the world in Bethlehem.
I write this in part, because I am most guilty of not prayerfully prepairing myself to recieve and celebrate this mystery. Luckily for me, I had one of the times where the right things were discussed at the right time.
In this case it was a discussion on the Incarnation taken from the sermons of St. Leo the Great. In these sermons, the great pontiff brings to life the mystery and majesty of Christ's entry into the world. He does while imploring the faith to act on and deepen their understanding of the mystery.
And so now, touched by the sword of Truth, I am now graced to write this. It is my blessing to say that by God's grace, I will have a deeper apprecialtion for the Blessed Lord's nativity. And in writing this, I hope that it will encourage all.
With such a short time to go, it is important for us all to prayerfully prepare ourselves to receive the mystery of the savior's birth in Manger. Likewise you should bring us to prayerful meditation of the nativity during the Christmas season to come.
The way we start is by remembering what the season is all about. It is simply put about Christ. In these sermons, St. Leo reminds us who the Christ child is. To paraphrase the great saint (although if I incidentally direct quote him, there will be citation at the end of this), Christ is the Word who "in the beginning was with God and is God. (John:1,1)" He tells us that Christ becomes human without losing any of His divinity.
Indeed it is. Christ by His design deined to become human. In one sermon St. Leo tells us that to defeat the work of Satan, Christ had to become human. He had to be the creature born free of original sin. In so doing defeating the fall.
And there's more. In fact it so much and so packed that I think the best plan is to read them for yourselves. Leo unravels the mystery of God becoming man. That Christ took flesh but remained divine. And yet being human, elivates our very nature. And most importantly he urges us to act upon and meditate on the message of Christmas.
So what do we conclude? We must remember that at the heart of Christmas is Christ. That it is His birth we laud. It is His first act of humility. Once again I paraphrase St. Leo, that Christ had to be Divine to be our remidy and human to be our example. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the message we are to carry. This is the message to meditate on. Christ, Son of the Living God was born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas Day. All praise and honor to Him.
So now, despite this being all too brief, please let us reclaim the reason for the season.
Resources: http://newadvent.org/fathers/3603.htm (sermons 21-23 were of particular help) (sermons 21-29 are Christmas sermons)
We are now just about at Christmas. For us as Christians, the advent season which almost complete is for preparation for the celebration of Christmas. That is to prayerfully prepare for the profound mystery of Word Incarnate coming into the world in Bethlehem.
I write this in part, because I am most guilty of not prayerfully prepairing myself to recieve and celebrate this mystery. Luckily for me, I had one of the times where the right things were discussed at the right time.
In this case it was a discussion on the Incarnation taken from the sermons of St. Leo the Great. In these sermons, the great pontiff brings to life the mystery and majesty of Christ's entry into the world. He does while imploring the faith to act on and deepen their understanding of the mystery.
And so now, touched by the sword of Truth, I am now graced to write this. It is my blessing to say that by God's grace, I will have a deeper apprecialtion for the Blessed Lord's nativity. And in writing this, I hope that it will encourage all.
With such a short time to go, it is important for us all to prayerfully prepare ourselves to receive the mystery of the savior's birth in Manger. Likewise you should bring us to prayerful meditation of the nativity during the Christmas season to come.
The way we start is by remembering what the season is all about. It is simply put about Christ. In these sermons, St. Leo reminds us who the Christ child is. To paraphrase the great saint (although if I incidentally direct quote him, there will be citation at the end of this), Christ is the Word who "in the beginning was with God and is God. (John:1,1)" He tells us that Christ becomes human without losing any of His divinity.
Indeed it is. Christ by His design deined to become human. In one sermon St. Leo tells us that to defeat the work of Satan, Christ had to become human. He had to be the creature born free of original sin. In so doing defeating the fall.
And there's more. In fact it so much and so packed that I think the best plan is to read them for yourselves. Leo unravels the mystery of God becoming man. That Christ took flesh but remained divine. And yet being human, elivates our very nature. And most importantly he urges us to act upon and meditate on the message of Christmas.
So what do we conclude? We must remember that at the heart of Christmas is Christ. That it is His birth we laud. It is His first act of humility. Once again I paraphrase St. Leo, that Christ had to be Divine to be our remidy and human to be our example. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the message we are to carry. This is the message to meditate on. Christ, Son of the Living God was born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas Day. All praise and honor to Him.
So now, despite this being all too brief, please let us reclaim the reason for the season.
Resources: http://newadvent.org/fathers/3603.htm (sermons 21-23 were of particular help) (sermons 21-29 are Christmas sermons)
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Fruit of Surrender: My Personal Journey to Manhood
I recently finished a post about surrender. In it I tried to lay down, however limited I am, an outline of the reasons why surrendering to the will of God is the ultimate answer and the path to true freedom. As I often do, I think it fell short. Sure, it is worth the read, but there is so much depth to this.
Having established that, in an act of providence I have another chance to reflect on this, but this time more personal. It is my own experience in which I have this opportunity.
To this point, this has been the best summer I have ever had. Sure it has had its challenges and little stresses. Sure, I am still on the job hunt, which can be very stressful. That being said, the growth I have experienced is without question and an amazing testament to the power of God. It is also a testimony to the freedom of surrendering to Him.
I consider the beginning of my summer to be right after graduation. It was a great time for me. I was happy to be done with academics and it seemed like things were going really well. I felt like I was really satisfied with where things in life were. I felt like I was on the right path, but it turned out I was wrong.
I suffered from a symptom called concupiscence. It is, simply put, the tendency to sin. It is one of the things about human nature that is hard to figure. I know sin is wrong, yet I do it anyway. It does not make much in the way of logical sense. In fact, if we use our reason, it makes no sense. This is when we come to the result of the stain of original sin, which is the fact that the will does not act in accordance with reason.
One of the things about sin, is that at some point we enjoy it. Some of them actually feel good, but that does not make them right. Things like the struggle for purity are challenging, because the sins against it feel good. The thing is the things of this world are, as I said in my other post on this subject, perishable and finite. The satisfaction that comes from many of the pleasures are temporary but the pain afterwards is often lasting.
The fact is that voluntary sin leads to disorder. Little did I realize how disordered I really was. Yes I was baptized as an adult and that cleanses me of sins from before then and gives me rebirth, but the scars accumulated from those sins did not go away. As I grew into the faith, I came to love the dogma and liturgy of the Church. The God of these things and the God of the bible is really God, but there is also a profound personal element to the experience. It is the meaning of a saying that states that "it is easier to love a God who you find for yourself." This is to say, each person should have an understanding of how God has worked in his or her life. In my case this was not a reflection I was making.
And so here I was gliding along. I needed to have a few curve balls thrown my way, which is what happened. I am not going to go into the exact specifics, but I will say that unfortunately Satan knows my weaknesses well. Luckily God does too, but Satan uses them for evil purpose. One thing I have been really blessed with are great friendships. These friendships are a method that God uses to bring me closer to him and it is my sincere prayer that I continue to bring others, including my friends closer to Him. Satan unfortunately has often used my care and love for the friends who God has put in my life as a gift to his advantage.
It is in this that the curve balls were thrown. These bumps revealed a deeper mess underneath the surface. Outwardly I was at peace, but inwardly, there was a war going on. My life was disordered. In these difficulties I saw the manifestation of the greater problem of concupiscence, which is the tendency to commit sin. Some things were things that dated back to before I converted. For some of my sins, in fact many, it took me years to even realize they were sins and took me entering into the faith for me to see some of these as truly problematic. And with some of the deeper seeded things, I maintained a certain obliviousness to them. It was here that God's grace intervened. God chose to show me directly how much damage there really was an how much I needed His healing presence.
Much of the struggle I had would be somewhat private, although part of my realization was that some of this had spilled over. It was Satan tried to make me feel overly guilty about. And while I owe my friends a ton for bearing patiently as I came through trials, I leave my debt to the love and mercy of God. The reality was that I needed to surrender. A part of that reality was that somewhere in me, I was unwilling to surrender. I had a hardness of heart. So I asked God to give me the willingness to surrender.
It was at the point that my answers came. As I started to truly surrender myself to Him, the fruits showed. My struggles became easier. I was facing up to things I had never really faced up to. I was realizing how fragile I am. Yet, I feel stronger than ever. God has greatly enriched me. With His work in my heart and His divine assistance, I am cultivating a better version of myself.
As I seek to become the man He intended me to be, I recognize that I must be a participant in His plan. As my roommate says, "playing ball" with Him. That is being open to Him and being ready to do His will. After all His will is perfect. I know I have a long ways to go, but I also recognize how far He has already brought me. This gives me both a persistence in trying to strengthen my relationship with Him, to grow in holiness, and to grow as a person and the patience to know that what God gives me today is sufficient. Overcoming challenges and personal character defects is not something that occurs overnight, but rather a process. It is something that takes time. That being said, I am excited because of the work God has done and is doing. I pray that I continue to be willing to surrender so that His work continues and He is glorified.
To this end I cannot take credit for any of the growth or freedom I am now experience. It is God working in me that is causing this to happen. It is after all God's grace that revealed to me how much I need His presence. Likewise, the peace I am experiencing is not my own. It is rather a peace that is founded in and on God. God has given it to me as gift. There is no greater freedom then to feel my will aligning with His. And for these ends I praise Him.
Having established that, in an act of providence I have another chance to reflect on this, but this time more personal. It is my own experience in which I have this opportunity.
To this point, this has been the best summer I have ever had. Sure it has had its challenges and little stresses. Sure, I am still on the job hunt, which can be very stressful. That being said, the growth I have experienced is without question and an amazing testament to the power of God. It is also a testimony to the freedom of surrendering to Him.
I consider the beginning of my summer to be right after graduation. It was a great time for me. I was happy to be done with academics and it seemed like things were going really well. I felt like I was really satisfied with where things in life were. I felt like I was on the right path, but it turned out I was wrong.
I suffered from a symptom called concupiscence. It is, simply put, the tendency to sin. It is one of the things about human nature that is hard to figure. I know sin is wrong, yet I do it anyway. It does not make much in the way of logical sense. In fact, if we use our reason, it makes no sense. This is when we come to the result of the stain of original sin, which is the fact that the will does not act in accordance with reason.
One of the things about sin, is that at some point we enjoy it. Some of them actually feel good, but that does not make them right. Things like the struggle for purity are challenging, because the sins against it feel good. The thing is the things of this world are, as I said in my other post on this subject, perishable and finite. The satisfaction that comes from many of the pleasures are temporary but the pain afterwards is often lasting.
The fact is that voluntary sin leads to disorder. Little did I realize how disordered I really was. Yes I was baptized as an adult and that cleanses me of sins from before then and gives me rebirth, but the scars accumulated from those sins did not go away. As I grew into the faith, I came to love the dogma and liturgy of the Church. The God of these things and the God of the bible is really God, but there is also a profound personal element to the experience. It is the meaning of a saying that states that "it is easier to love a God who you find for yourself." This is to say, each person should have an understanding of how God has worked in his or her life. In my case this was not a reflection I was making.
And so here I was gliding along. I needed to have a few curve balls thrown my way, which is what happened. I am not going to go into the exact specifics, but I will say that unfortunately Satan knows my weaknesses well. Luckily God does too, but Satan uses them for evil purpose. One thing I have been really blessed with are great friendships. These friendships are a method that God uses to bring me closer to him and it is my sincere prayer that I continue to bring others, including my friends closer to Him. Satan unfortunately has often used my care and love for the friends who God has put in my life as a gift to his advantage.
It is in this that the curve balls were thrown. These bumps revealed a deeper mess underneath the surface. Outwardly I was at peace, but inwardly, there was a war going on. My life was disordered. In these difficulties I saw the manifestation of the greater problem of concupiscence, which is the tendency to commit sin. Some things were things that dated back to before I converted. For some of my sins, in fact many, it took me years to even realize they were sins and took me entering into the faith for me to see some of these as truly problematic. And with some of the deeper seeded things, I maintained a certain obliviousness to them. It was here that God's grace intervened. God chose to show me directly how much damage there really was an how much I needed His healing presence.
Much of the struggle I had would be somewhat private, although part of my realization was that some of this had spilled over. It was Satan tried to make me feel overly guilty about. And while I owe my friends a ton for bearing patiently as I came through trials, I leave my debt to the love and mercy of God. The reality was that I needed to surrender. A part of that reality was that somewhere in me, I was unwilling to surrender. I had a hardness of heart. So I asked God to give me the willingness to surrender.
It was at the point that my answers came. As I started to truly surrender myself to Him, the fruits showed. My struggles became easier. I was facing up to things I had never really faced up to. I was realizing how fragile I am. Yet, I feel stronger than ever. God has greatly enriched me. With His work in my heart and His divine assistance, I am cultivating a better version of myself.
As I seek to become the man He intended me to be, I recognize that I must be a participant in His plan. As my roommate says, "playing ball" with Him. That is being open to Him and being ready to do His will. After all His will is perfect. I know I have a long ways to go, but I also recognize how far He has already brought me. This gives me both a persistence in trying to strengthen my relationship with Him, to grow in holiness, and to grow as a person and the patience to know that what God gives me today is sufficient. Overcoming challenges and personal character defects is not something that occurs overnight, but rather a process. It is something that takes time. That being said, I am excited because of the work God has done and is doing. I pray that I continue to be willing to surrender so that His work continues and He is glorified.
To this end I cannot take credit for any of the growth or freedom I am now experience. It is God working in me that is causing this to happen. It is after all God's grace that revealed to me how much I need His presence. Likewise, the peace I am experiencing is not my own. It is rather a peace that is founded in and on God. God has given it to me as gift. There is no greater freedom then to feel my will aligning with His. And for these ends I praise Him.
Monday, July 5, 2010
St. Maria Goretti: A Story of Courage, Reconcilliation, and the Value of Chastity
On this day, July 6, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Maria Goretti. Her story is familiar to some. She was twelve years old when she was martyred defending her virginity. There are some who'll read this and not be familiar with the full story. It is worth telling for in it we are reminded that human sexuality is a treasured gift. We also see the power of forgiveness. Lastly, we will see redemption is the most beautiful form.
Maria was born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy on October 16, 1890. Her father moved the family to a town near Anzio. The family struggled with poverty. When she was young, Maria's father died of Malaria. Her mother struggled to feed the family. The neighbors had a son named Alexander. In 1902, Alexander, then 18, grabbed Maria from behind and tried to rape her. Maria told Alexander she'd rather die. He responded by stabbing her.
This point should give us pause. This young lady understood the value of her purity. She was unwilling to be so dishonored. That being said, it is very difficult to have courage in the face of death. For rape victims, it is important to remember that it was the other person who violated you and that it is no fault of yours. This is why Maria is the patroness of rape victims.
Having laid out this important little tidbit, it still is a remarkable example of just how much value our sexuality holds. She sets an example (in the extreme as many do) of the fact that this is not a gift to be neglected, but rather cherished and protected. This stands for men as well. It is important that men truly protect the dignity of women. Alexander is a man who was ready to deface it, as far too many are. Men should see the beauty of a woman as the human manifestation of the beauty of God. Thus men will be filled with a greater level of respect and things like this will not occur.
That being said, I digress. The story does not end there. On her death bed Maria forgave Alexander for the deed. Yes that is right, she forgave the man who killed her. In this she offers us an example of forgiveness rarely seen. Remember Christ said, "forgive them Father for they know not what they do," when he was about to be crucified.
Yet there is another part to this story. This is where the power of forgiveness comes in and this is where the intercession of the saints in Heaven is displayed. It is also redemptive in its quality. Alexander, the man who committed the act was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant for years. One night Maria came to him in a dream. He was in a garden and she brought him flowers. When he woke up, he repented. On the day of her canonization, he was present in Vatican square in tears. That is right, the man who had once committed murder was shedding tears of joy for the person he once killed was now recognized as a saint.
His is the story of redemption. Also it highlights the fact that Maria's forgiveness reached beyond death. Through her intercession, Alexander was brought back to the mercy of God. Thus also we are again reminded of the love God has for us all. We are His children and we have just to run to Him and He embraces us. Alexander was not only reconciled but he also experienced authentic conversion. He experienced sincere repentance. The power of this is beyond measure.
So there you have it. The story of an extraordinary young woman and the story of the man who took her life. Displayed in it are the virtue of courage, the grace of forgiveness, and the utter redemptive power of God. Let us bear in mind these things throughout this day and always. Saint Maria Goretti, patron saint of virgins and rape victims, pray for us!
facts courtesy of this web page: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=78
Maria was born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy on October 16, 1890. Her father moved the family to a town near Anzio. The family struggled with poverty. When she was young, Maria's father died of Malaria. Her mother struggled to feed the family. The neighbors had a son named Alexander. In 1902, Alexander, then 18, grabbed Maria from behind and tried to rape her. Maria told Alexander she'd rather die. He responded by stabbing her.
This point should give us pause. This young lady understood the value of her purity. She was unwilling to be so dishonored. That being said, it is very difficult to have courage in the face of death. For rape victims, it is important to remember that it was the other person who violated you and that it is no fault of yours. This is why Maria is the patroness of rape victims.
Having laid out this important little tidbit, it still is a remarkable example of just how much value our sexuality holds. She sets an example (in the extreme as many do) of the fact that this is not a gift to be neglected, but rather cherished and protected. This stands for men as well. It is important that men truly protect the dignity of women. Alexander is a man who was ready to deface it, as far too many are. Men should see the beauty of a woman as the human manifestation of the beauty of God. Thus men will be filled with a greater level of respect and things like this will not occur.
That being said, I digress. The story does not end there. On her death bed Maria forgave Alexander for the deed. Yes that is right, she forgave the man who killed her. In this she offers us an example of forgiveness rarely seen. Remember Christ said, "forgive them Father for they know not what they do," when he was about to be crucified.
Yet there is another part to this story. This is where the power of forgiveness comes in and this is where the intercession of the saints in Heaven is displayed. It is also redemptive in its quality. Alexander, the man who committed the act was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant for years. One night Maria came to him in a dream. He was in a garden and she brought him flowers. When he woke up, he repented. On the day of her canonization, he was present in Vatican square in tears. That is right, the man who had once committed murder was shedding tears of joy for the person he once killed was now recognized as a saint.
His is the story of redemption. Also it highlights the fact that Maria's forgiveness reached beyond death. Through her intercession, Alexander was brought back to the mercy of God. Thus also we are again reminded of the love God has for us all. We are His children and we have just to run to Him and He embraces us. Alexander was not only reconciled but he also experienced authentic conversion. He experienced sincere repentance. The power of this is beyond measure.
So there you have it. The story of an extraordinary young woman and the story of the man who took her life. Displayed in it are the virtue of courage, the grace of forgiveness, and the utter redemptive power of God. Let us bear in mind these things throughout this day and always. Saint Maria Goretti, patron saint of virgins and rape victims, pray for us!
facts courtesy of this web page: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=78
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Redeeming Value and Message of a Movie: "61*"
I was watching baseball recently and my attention was brought back to the legendary summer of 1961. In that year, two Yankees, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle put together one of the greatest seasons any pair of teammates put together. It also turned into the great home run race (this was until 1998).
It was 1998 and the memories that it brought back for those old enough that inspired Billy Crystal, a big Yankee fan to direct a movie entitled 61*. The movie was a historical fiction that brought the magic of that season back to life.
Also brought back to life in the movie was the fact that Maris was not well-received. At this point you may be wondering why I would write about a secular movie on a Catholic blog. The fact is that this movie actually contains a certain redemptive value. I think it is something that can make us conscious in our own morality. It also something we can bring to the society in general.
How so? As you watch the movie (which I recently did for the first time in a while), we see the plot unfold around one of the movie's two central characters, Roger Maris (the other being Mickey Mantle). As the movie unfolds, Maris becomes in a certain sense the hero of the movie. It is in him becoming the hero that the redeeming value comes forward.
At the time of the chase, Roger Maris was the unwanted hero. To Yankee fans who at points in the 1961 season booed him, and to the country, Roger Maris was not "the right man" to break the record. His big problem was that he was a quiet down home man. He was a faithful husband and a good father who preferred time with his family over time in public. He was often very private and very shy. In terms of the game, he was businesslike. He wanted to go out and just play. He was a good player who did not want to play for accolades or recognition. For this reason, people rooted against him. There attitude was this: how dare this "colorless" man break the great Babe Ruth's record?
This is exactly why having be the hero of the movie is so perfectly redeeming. In this hyper materialistic world, Maris is the antithesis. He was humble in that he did not go about bragging about his skills and showed humility in never looking for or asking for attention. Part of the reason that he was perceived as surly is because he often deflected the attention.
More to the point, Maris was a faithful and loving husband as well as a devoted father. He was man who tried his hardest to balance his vocation and his family life. He suggested to his wife having a house in New York so he could be closer to her and the kids, but the Maris family could not afford it.
There in lies the value. You see in this sense, he was not the charismatic hero, but he is a hero because he did not want to be. He was a good family man and that is something to aspire to. He was humble, which is a quality that all should exhibit, particularly Christians. He showed humility in the way he carried himself which we all must reflect.
So let us Christians and men in particular reflect upon these values. Let us aspire to them. Let us reclaim heroic virtue. Let us walk in humbleness and reflect humility. Let us be devoted God and to our fellows. Lastly an most importantly let us reflect Maris' greatest virtue, his courage which he displayed. Let us with the same courage against the trends of society walk on the path of holiness and righteousness.
It was 1998 and the memories that it brought back for those old enough that inspired Billy Crystal, a big Yankee fan to direct a movie entitled 61*. The movie was a historical fiction that brought the magic of that season back to life.
Also brought back to life in the movie was the fact that Maris was not well-received. At this point you may be wondering why I would write about a secular movie on a Catholic blog. The fact is that this movie actually contains a certain redemptive value. I think it is something that can make us conscious in our own morality. It also something we can bring to the society in general.
How so? As you watch the movie (which I recently did for the first time in a while), we see the plot unfold around one of the movie's two central characters, Roger Maris (the other being Mickey Mantle). As the movie unfolds, Maris becomes in a certain sense the hero of the movie. It is in him becoming the hero that the redeeming value comes forward.
At the time of the chase, Roger Maris was the unwanted hero. To Yankee fans who at points in the 1961 season booed him, and to the country, Roger Maris was not "the right man" to break the record. His big problem was that he was a quiet down home man. He was a faithful husband and a good father who preferred time with his family over time in public. He was often very private and very shy. In terms of the game, he was businesslike. He wanted to go out and just play. He was a good player who did not want to play for accolades or recognition. For this reason, people rooted against him. There attitude was this: how dare this "colorless" man break the great Babe Ruth's record?
This is exactly why having be the hero of the movie is so perfectly redeeming. In this hyper materialistic world, Maris is the antithesis. He was humble in that he did not go about bragging about his skills and showed humility in never looking for or asking for attention. Part of the reason that he was perceived as surly is because he often deflected the attention.
More to the point, Maris was a faithful and loving husband as well as a devoted father. He was man who tried his hardest to balance his vocation and his family life. He suggested to his wife having a house in New York so he could be closer to her and the kids, but the Maris family could not afford it.
There in lies the value. You see in this sense, he was not the charismatic hero, but he is a hero because he did not want to be. He was a good family man and that is something to aspire to. He was humble, which is a quality that all should exhibit, particularly Christians. He showed humility in the way he carried himself which we all must reflect.
So let us Christians and men in particular reflect upon these values. Let us aspire to them. Let us reclaim heroic virtue. Let us walk in humbleness and reflect humility. Let us be devoted God and to our fellows. Lastly an most importantly let us reflect Maris' greatest virtue, his courage which he displayed. Let us with the same courage against the trends of society walk on the path of holiness and righteousness.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Answer: Surrender
I recently listened again to the marvelous homily given by Bishop Slattery at the Pontifical High Mass at the Basilica National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.. In his homily the Bishop talked about suffering. He talked how suffering can reveal the mercy of God. His meditations may be the best I've heard on the subject (it's up there for sure). The homily can be found at this link (originally posted by Cleansing Fire) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_IW4lFjHh0. Part two can found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvsUXTvzSgQ&feature=related. The other thing that Bishop Slattery states so well. He talks of the obedience with which we become true disciples of Christ. This is to be obedient to the Father with the obedience of Christ.
It is this upon which I now meditate. One of the things my housemate and I has discussed often is the way to freedom. As it is termed, absolute freedom under the law. What does this mean? To many in society, freedom is being able to do what we like, but to the Christian, freedom is, as John Paul II stated so well, "the ability to do what we must." In simple layman's terms, do the right thing. In our terms, right action, guided by right reason. These are things ordered by God.
So what is this freedom? This freedom can only be achieved one way, surrender. For those that are reading and scratching their heads, that was not a typo. It may not make sense to some. In fact, it may seem backwards. The fact is that it is the truth. Jesus says "Deny yourself daily, pick up your cross, and follow me." He calls us to drop everything and follow him. As the good bishop said in his homily, the things of this world "are perishable and finite." We cannot grow connected to these things. The balance is to be part of this world and yet not. We must engage the world but not become enslaved by its temptations. Instead we as Christians have to turn to God and that which is imperishable and infinite. It is essential to remember that our hope is not in this world but rather in the next.
So what does this really mean? How am a connecting the bishop's homily to surrender? Well the answer is simple: one way we become obedient to God is to surrender to His will. Sometimes he allows us to go through times of difficulty. It is up to us to accept these and unite our suffering with that of Christ. As the bishop said, "Christ reveals Himself to those who suffer in Christ." What I am really going to try and hammer home is the relationship of our obedience to what this freedom is.
On the cross, Christ made the supreme sacrifice for all. He took the sins of humanity upon Himself. His blood is the blood of our redemption. Then he broke from the powers of death and was fully resurrected in His bodily form. Thus bringing about the restoration of life. The result of sin is the death of the soul, but for one who abides in Christ, he or she is freed from the death.
Our desires on their own, save for our desire for God, are disordered. By the stain of original sin, our will does not act in accord with our reason. Our reason will tell us that God's will is perfect and that we have to submit to it. Our will however, will tell us it is too painful. Sometimes that submission can be painful. Often times we have to give up on certain things we feel matter. That being said, the reward that awaits in heaven for he who patiently bears his trials is beyond imagination.
Christ set the example of love and obedience by His sacrifice on the cross. He made His most sacred heart open and available so that we open our hearts to God. God's love for us is so strong, that if we let Him in, He will keep us close. The fact is that He gives us more than we need.
The fruit of our obedience is to experience more fully this love. To have the freedom from worldly desires and to have them become godly desires is more fruitful than secularists realize. The thing to remember is that this is true freedom. It is a freedom from the enslavement of sin.
As good as it may feel for one to give into selfish desires, they are not truly fulfilling. The true fulfillment comes from God. It is in this that obedience shows its fruit. Christ's action of obedience was to die, and so to must ours. This death is not a physical one, but rather a death to self. Thus by surrendering ourselves entirely to God, we render ourselves His servants and thus become more loving of those around us. By surrendering to God, we are filled with every goodness, even in those moments that are most painful (this is when God is our comfort). Lastly surrender to God brings the greatest level of joy. I can speak to it personally, and countless others will testify to the same.
It is this upon which I now meditate. One of the things my housemate and I has discussed often is the way to freedom. As it is termed, absolute freedom under the law. What does this mean? To many in society, freedom is being able to do what we like, but to the Christian, freedom is, as John Paul II stated so well, "the ability to do what we must." In simple layman's terms, do the right thing. In our terms, right action, guided by right reason. These are things ordered by God.
So what is this freedom? This freedom can only be achieved one way, surrender. For those that are reading and scratching their heads, that was not a typo. It may not make sense to some. In fact, it may seem backwards. The fact is that it is the truth. Jesus says "Deny yourself daily, pick up your cross, and follow me." He calls us to drop everything and follow him. As the good bishop said in his homily, the things of this world "are perishable and finite." We cannot grow connected to these things. The balance is to be part of this world and yet not. We must engage the world but not become enslaved by its temptations. Instead we as Christians have to turn to God and that which is imperishable and infinite. It is essential to remember that our hope is not in this world but rather in the next.
So what does this really mean? How am a connecting the bishop's homily to surrender? Well the answer is simple: one way we become obedient to God is to surrender to His will. Sometimes he allows us to go through times of difficulty. It is up to us to accept these and unite our suffering with that of Christ. As the bishop said, "Christ reveals Himself to those who suffer in Christ." What I am really going to try and hammer home is the relationship of our obedience to what this freedom is.
On the cross, Christ made the supreme sacrifice for all. He took the sins of humanity upon Himself. His blood is the blood of our redemption. Then he broke from the powers of death and was fully resurrected in His bodily form. Thus bringing about the restoration of life. The result of sin is the death of the soul, but for one who abides in Christ, he or she is freed from the death.
Our desires on their own, save for our desire for God, are disordered. By the stain of original sin, our will does not act in accord with our reason. Our reason will tell us that God's will is perfect and that we have to submit to it. Our will however, will tell us it is too painful. Sometimes that submission can be painful. Often times we have to give up on certain things we feel matter. That being said, the reward that awaits in heaven for he who patiently bears his trials is beyond imagination.
Christ set the example of love and obedience by His sacrifice on the cross. He made His most sacred heart open and available so that we open our hearts to God. God's love for us is so strong, that if we let Him in, He will keep us close. The fact is that He gives us more than we need.
The fruit of our obedience is to experience more fully this love. To have the freedom from worldly desires and to have them become godly desires is more fruitful than secularists realize. The thing to remember is that this is true freedom. It is a freedom from the enslavement of sin.
As good as it may feel for one to give into selfish desires, they are not truly fulfilling. The true fulfillment comes from God. It is in this that obedience shows its fruit. Christ's action of obedience was to die, and so to must ours. This death is not a physical one, but rather a death to self. Thus by surrendering ourselves entirely to God, we render ourselves His servants and thus become more loving of those around us. By surrendering to God, we are filled with every goodness, even in those moments that are most painful (this is when God is our comfort). Lastly surrender to God brings the greatest level of joy. I can speak to it personally, and countless others will testify to the same.
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