There are two prefaces used for the four Sundays of Advent; the great solemnity of Christmas has three prefaces. Neither of the Advent prefaces are assigned to a particular Sunday, so I assume it's up to the presider as to which he uses.
The preface has the usual beginning:
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
...but that shouldn't mean we gloss over it. We have a duty to give thanks to God, given how HUGE of a gift He gave us. We may feel that this an odd way of thinking--like the Church is saying that we're forced to have such an attitude. Doesn't that fly in the face of our God-given free will? It's understandable to have that thought, but it's missing an important element: the magnitude of God's gift to humanity. Eternal life! The promise of infinite love! Can we really thank God enough?? In light of that, is it really that much of a stretch to say that we have a duty to offer temporal, finite thanks for an eternal, awesome gift?
For He assumed at his first coming the lowliness of human flesh,
and so fulfilled the design You formed long ago,
and opened for us the way to eternal salvation,
that, when He comes again in glory and majesty,
and all is at last made manifest,
we who watch for that day
may inherit the great promise in which now we dare to hope.
And so, with Angels and Archangels...
The first two lines harken back to Eden. Lest we forget, sin wasn't part of what God wanted for humanity. It was humanity that chose sin, and thereby ushered suffering into the world. God wasn't content to leave us to our own devices--through Jesus, the way, the Truth, and the life, the "way for eternal salvation" was shown to us.
One big theme in this preface appears twice: Jesus' coming, the literal meaning of the word "advent. The missionary impetus of the Catholic Church grew out of Jesus' command at the end of His first coming (go to the final few verses of Matthew's gospel) and anticipated His second coming. We just finished up a couple weeks of second coming/end of the world readings at Mass and it's a subject of which the Church reminds us. Remember: look ahead to the life to come. Take care of your soul, for we never know when the Lord will call us home.
What awaits us is "the great promise" of our Lord, the author and deepest desire of our hearts!
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Breaking through Apathy, Catechetical Enemy #1
Sometime last year I participated in Eucharistic adoration with a little praise & worship music thrown in; I helped with the musical side of it. Being in the front, I had a clear view of the whole church--and the kids who, by their body language, couldn't care less about what was happening. I don't mean that in a judgmental way; there's no way I could possibly know what was going on in their mind or their soul. Were seeds planted? Were they interiorly enjoying it while exteriorly loathing it? Who knows...
I found out later that day that the adoration was specifically for a confirmation class. After learning that, I wasn't surprised. Sorry folks! The teachers of those classes and the associated youth ministers are great. They do something very difficult and thankless. The kids? Man. I've volunteered with confirmation class kids in religious education/youth group in multiple parishes, three in Oregon and one in California. My experience at adoration was entirely consistent with all three parishes.
Here's how I'd summarize my confirmation class experiences to date, as a catechist:
1) For the most part, the kids were there because their parents made them.
2) Based on their level of knowledge of the faith, it seemed like most of the kids' families were not practicing. And here I'm not critiquing an incorrect pronunciation of 'anamnesis'; it was basic matters of faith.
3) The sacrament seemed like a stamp on a passport, or a culturally expected formality.
I don't think my experiences were unique to me. Here are some thoughts and feelings:
Sorrow. It breaks my heart for a few reasons. First and foremost, I have to admit, is my pride. This is my faith, my church, and, well, my music that they're brushing off. In addition to any selfish reasons, it's sad that a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit is treated on the same level (or worse) as an after-school club, a sports team, or any other extracurricular activity.
Something's wrong with our system... Joanne McPortland wrote this blog post a while ago that ignited a maelstrom of discussion on the subject of children's catechesis. Her main takeaway is a good one: if the parents & adults aren't catechized, even the most effective catechesis might not stick. It's really simple math:
[Religious education for one hour a week + Mass for one hour a week (hopefully) = 2 hrs/week] vs. [school all day, Mon-Fri + TV, movies + video games + sports after school and on the weekends = waaaaay more than 2 hrs/week]
Solutions? I'm not an expert educator, and I don't have the most extensive parish experience. Still, I have two thoughts on what to do.
The biggest challenge, in my eyes: how do you communicate this is special? Part of this is the witness of the teacher. I remember from an old confirmation class years ago, one of the volunteer teachers was asked by a kid about the Catholic teaching on abortion. She conveyed what the Church officially taught in a voice that sounded like she was rolling her eyes. The connotation in her voice said so much more than her words! On the other side of the coin, listen to someone like Mark Hart give a talk. He's excited and he's very convincing that he's convinced about the truth of the Catholic faith. In all likelihood, very few catechists have the ability/experience to be a dynamic speaker like Mark Hart. Still, everyone who loves their faith has something they can say.
In my archdiocese, confirmation is done in high school. At this age, I think a confirmation program ideally should have a specific goal: helping transition the kids from a child-like faith (not in the biblical sense, see Matt 18:3) to an adult faith. How exactly to do this? heh heh... good question... the kids should have a mix of things: experiences with different types of prayer, learning about the faith, reading the Scriptures, and frequent sacraments. In essence, what every adult believer should have as part of their life.
I hope the landscape changes. In the meantime, I'll be working on becoming a better witness.
I found out later that day that the adoration was specifically for a confirmation class. After learning that, I wasn't surprised. Sorry folks! The teachers of those classes and the associated youth ministers are great. They do something very difficult and thankless. The kids? Man. I've volunteered with confirmation class kids in religious education/youth group in multiple parishes, three in Oregon and one in California. My experience at adoration was entirely consistent with all three parishes.
Here's how I'd summarize my confirmation class experiences to date, as a catechist:
1) For the most part, the kids were there because their parents made them.
2) Based on their level of knowledge of the faith, it seemed like most of the kids' families were not practicing. And here I'm not critiquing an incorrect pronunciation of 'anamnesis'; it was basic matters of faith.
3) The sacrament seemed like a stamp on a passport, or a culturally expected formality.
I don't think my experiences were unique to me. Here are some thoughts and feelings:
Sorrow. It breaks my heart for a few reasons. First and foremost, I have to admit, is my pride. This is my faith, my church, and, well, my music that they're brushing off. In addition to any selfish reasons, it's sad that a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit is treated on the same level (or worse) as an after-school club, a sports team, or any other extracurricular activity.
Something's wrong with our system... Joanne McPortland wrote this blog post a while ago that ignited a maelstrom of discussion on the subject of children's catechesis. Her main takeaway is a good one: if the parents & adults aren't catechized, even the most effective catechesis might not stick. It's really simple math:
[Religious education for one hour a week + Mass for one hour a week (hopefully) = 2 hrs/week] vs. [school all day, Mon-Fri + TV, movies + video games + sports after school and on the weekends = waaaaay more than 2 hrs/week]
Solutions? I'm not an expert educator, and I don't have the most extensive parish experience. Still, I have two thoughts on what to do.
The biggest challenge, in my eyes: how do you communicate this is special? Part of this is the witness of the teacher. I remember from an old confirmation class years ago, one of the volunteer teachers was asked by a kid about the Catholic teaching on abortion. She conveyed what the Church officially taught in a voice that sounded like she was rolling her eyes. The connotation in her voice said so much more than her words! On the other side of the coin, listen to someone like Mark Hart give a talk. He's excited and he's very convincing that he's convinced about the truth of the Catholic faith. In all likelihood, very few catechists have the ability/experience to be a dynamic speaker like Mark Hart. Still, everyone who loves their faith has something they can say.
In my archdiocese, confirmation is done in high school. At this age, I think a confirmation program ideally should have a specific goal: helping transition the kids from a child-like faith (not in the biblical sense, see Matt 18:3) to an adult faith. How exactly to do this? heh heh... good question... the kids should have a mix of things: experiences with different types of prayer, learning about the faith, reading the Scriptures, and frequent sacraments. In essence, what every adult believer should have as part of their life.
I hope the landscape changes. In the meantime, I'll be working on becoming a better witness.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
St. John Bosco's Dreams
I picked up a book of the dreams of St. John Bosco recently, looking for something light I could read before bed. I haven't been disappointed, it's a easily readable but very substantial book. I bought the Tan edition of Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco after reading his dream of the two pillars. It was at once a comforting dream as a sobering one. I won't spoil it, it's worth reading.
I was mostly ignorant of St. John before reading this book; I only knew of him as the patron of youth. After reading this, I see him as a spiritual master, an expert in spiritual warfare, and a mystic. The book of St. John's dreams is worth reading. Each of the forty dreams has its own chapter; they're pulled from his memoirs and the memoirs of his confrers. The anecdotal style make them an easy read--but don't mistake 'easy' for 'fluffy.'
St. John frequently had dreams that identified the boys in his Oratory. One of those, "A Dream About St. Dominic Savio," featured St. John being reunited with one of his pupils, St. Dominic. At the end of their conversation in the dream, St. John asks about how he can help the boys at the Oratory. St. Dominic hands him three lists: unconquered, casualties, and overcome by evil. The first list was small, noting the names of the boys who had not been conquered by evil. The second group, casualties, was comprised of boys who had previous run-ins with evil, but had been healed through Confession and the Eucharist. The final group is a fairly obvious one, with a twist. When St. Dominic handed St. John the list, he forbade him to open it in his presence. It gave off an unbearable smell that, in his dream, forced St. John to vomit uncontrollably.
On one hand, we're curious creatures and want to know the future, our fate, and so on. On the other hand, there are things that--even if only subconsciously--we would rather not know. Reading this particular dream, two questions raised in my mind.
First, which list would I be on? It isn't a question of which list I think I should be on. The lists came from the Lord, Who sees and knows our hearts; He Who created us; He Who will be our judge. What list would the Lord put me on right now? There were many names on the final, stinky list that surprised St. John. Who's to say that I'm any different?
Second, can you imagine the effect on the boys of the Oratory? St. John related his dreams to the boys, and used them as teaching tools to effect further conversion of heart. When he read the lists in his dream, he knew many of the boys on them. Even further, he talked to the boys on the stinky list individually. "Hey bro, can we talk? That dream I told all you guys about... you're on the wrong list and on the path to hell." Not that I'm disparaging St. John; better that the boys would know, and hopefully they turned their hears back to God.
Our Lady also figured prominently in some of St. John's dreams. In "A Fiendish Elephant," the large beast (=Satan) starts attacking boys on the playground. Our Lady's mantle became enormous and she threw it around the boys to protect them; all their wounds are healed when they're taken in by her. She cries out, "Venite ad me omnes!" Come all to me!
It made me smile. Here is Our Heavenly Mother, loving us, fighting for us, protecting us. From that dream, St. John gave advice to his boys that we can all take to heart: "Turn to her; call on her in any danger. I can assure you that your prayers will be heard."
St. John Bosco, pray for us!
St. John frequently had dreams that identified the boys in his Oratory. One of those, "A Dream About St. Dominic Savio," featured St. John being reunited with one of his pupils, St. Dominic. At the end of their conversation in the dream, St. John asks about how he can help the boys at the Oratory. St. Dominic hands him three lists: unconquered, casualties, and overcome by evil. The first list was small, noting the names of the boys who had not been conquered by evil. The second group, casualties, was comprised of boys who had previous run-ins with evil, but had been healed through Confession and the Eucharist. The final group is a fairly obvious one, with a twist. When St. Dominic handed St. John the list, he forbade him to open it in his presence. It gave off an unbearable smell that, in his dream, forced St. John to vomit uncontrollably.
On one hand, we're curious creatures and want to know the future, our fate, and so on. On the other hand, there are things that--even if only subconsciously--we would rather not know. Reading this particular dream, two questions raised in my mind.
First, which list would I be on? It isn't a question of which list I think I should be on. The lists came from the Lord, Who sees and knows our hearts; He Who created us; He Who will be our judge. What list would the Lord put me on right now? There were many names on the final, stinky list that surprised St. John. Who's to say that I'm any different?
Second, can you imagine the effect on the boys of the Oratory? St. John related his dreams to the boys, and used them as teaching tools to effect further conversion of heart. When he read the lists in his dream, he knew many of the boys on them. Even further, he talked to the boys on the stinky list individually. "Hey bro, can we talk? That dream I told all you guys about... you're on the wrong list and on the path to hell." Not that I'm disparaging St. John; better that the boys would know, and hopefully they turned their hears back to God.
Our Lady also figured prominently in some of St. John's dreams. In "A Fiendish Elephant," the large beast (=Satan) starts attacking boys on the playground. Our Lady's mantle became enormous and she threw it around the boys to protect them; all their wounds are healed when they're taken in by her. She cries out, "Venite ad me omnes!" Come all to me!
It made me smile. Here is Our Heavenly Mother, loving us, fighting for us, protecting us. From that dream, St. John gave advice to his boys that we can all take to heart: "Turn to her; call on her in any danger. I can assure you that your prayers will be heard."
St. John Bosco, pray for us!
Friday, October 17, 2014
E-Book Club - "The Lord" ch. 4
One of the good lines in this chapter helps me understand a passage that I've never fully understood. When Jesus descends into the Jordan to get baptized by John, and John initially refuses--Jesus responds, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matt 4:15). It obviously made sense to John at the time, since he proceeded to baptize the Lord of Lords.
Guardini had a brief line to describe this scene: "But Jesus insists on placing Himself completely within human law." (pg. 20-21)
Also, it's good to be reminded how intricately woven Jesus & John's lives were. Since John was killed in the early part of Jesus' public ministry, we don't hear about him as much as the other disciples. Guardini's narrative puts a few things together: John's disciples questioning about fasting, Jesus' disciples' jealousy at John's baptizing, and Jesus' disciples request for prayer lessons. I didn't think about it before, but those two circles probably interacted more than we're told in the gospels. That makes sense, as 1st century Palestine was only so big...
On pg. 22, the difficulties of the prophetic life are described, and this, too, didn't occur to me before. I'll have to read 1 Kings 17-19 like Guardini recommended.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
E-Book Club: Romano Guardini's "The Lord"... Chapter 3
Ch. 3: The Incarnation
The major line that stood out to me was: "But love does such things!" The Incarnation is a deep mystery, not only because all divinely-rooted mysteries have infinite depth. The heart of this mystery is the very heart of God. Out of all the ways that the Father could've offered salvation to humanity... why this? Love!
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1)
"God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." (John 3:16)
"Who shall separate us from the love of God?" (Rom 8:35) (answer: NOBODY!)
"And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Col 3:12-15)
I liked Guardini's line, "When it is the depth and power of God that stirs, is there anything of which love is capable?" (pg. 15) I think of Paul's conversion. A Pharisee who was so convinced of the truth of his own faith and of how false Christianity was! Another example is how the Church began with some scared disciples in Jerusalem. Add the Holy Spirit, stir, and a missionary explosion. Countless saved souls, martyrs, saints!
Love just does those things.
The major line that stood out to me was: "But love does such things!" The Incarnation is a deep mystery, not only because all divinely-rooted mysteries have infinite depth. The heart of this mystery is the very heart of God. Out of all the ways that the Father could've offered salvation to humanity... why this? Love!
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1)
"God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." (John 3:16)
"Who shall separate us from the love of God?" (Rom 8:35) (answer: NOBODY!)
"And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Col 3:12-15)
I liked Guardini's line, "When it is the depth and power of God that stirs, is there anything of which love is capable?" (pg. 15) I think of Paul's conversion. A Pharisee who was so convinced of the truth of his own faith and of how false Christianity was! Another example is how the Church began with some scared disciples in Jerusalem. Add the Holy Spirit, stir, and a missionary explosion. Countless saved souls, martyrs, saints!
Love just does those things.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Our Lady of the Rosary, 10/7/14
Today is the great feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and I had the opportunity to go to Mass on my lunch hour. The readings felt out of place at first, but the Holy Spirit had some remarkable subtlety when those passages were chosen.
The first reading, from Galatians 1, had me confused. Paul speaks of his "former way of life" as a Pharisee who persecuted the earliest Christians. That's fine, but for a feast day of Our Lady? Then came:
"But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me..."
The Immaculate Conception hit me right in the face. Mary, too, was set apart from her mother's womb, destined to be the mother of the Redeemer. The Lord accomplished it through His grace; in Mary's case, being full of grace. Although their vocations differed, Paul, like Mary, was the bearer of Christ to the world.
The Psalm for today was a selection from Psalm 139. I could hear the Blessed Mother praying these words, with the tender heart of a handmaiden of the Lord. Here again, I heard the Immaculate Conception:
"Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works."
An important theological point that non-Catholics often miss is that the veneration we hold/display for Our Lady is dependent entirely upon Christ. Her role is there because of Him; she was preserved from original sin because of Him; we call her Our Mother rather than His Mother because of His gesture on the cross. This point could not have been lost on her, either. These lines don't offer thanks to God for this or that thing. The Psalmist prays a beautifully humble prayer: thanks to God goes back to the beginning, for our very being was sculpted by His hands. If the Psalmist hadn't written this, I could picture Mary writing it.
Finally, the Gospel reading: the well-known story of Martha & Mary in Luke 10. Just like its predecessors, this reading seems an unusual pick. However, praying the rosary brings us into an encounter with Jesus. After all, Mary knows it's not all about her; everything she does, every heavenly effort she makes on our behalf is to lead souls to Her Son. (see John 2:5) The lesson that the Gospel reading is trying to teach us is clear: sit at the feet of Christ, as Mary did; recognize the "one thing" that should be our first priority. In the rosary, we have such a wonderful avenue to contemplate Christ.
Mary, beloved Mother, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
The first reading, from Galatians 1, had me confused. Paul speaks of his "former way of life" as a Pharisee who persecuted the earliest Christians. That's fine, but for a feast day of Our Lady? Then came:
"But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me..."
The Immaculate Conception hit me right in the face. Mary, too, was set apart from her mother's womb, destined to be the mother of the Redeemer. The Lord accomplished it through His grace; in Mary's case, being full of grace. Although their vocations differed, Paul, like Mary, was the bearer of Christ to the world.
The Psalm for today was a selection from Psalm 139. I could hear the Blessed Mother praying these words, with the tender heart of a handmaiden of the Lord. Here again, I heard the Immaculate Conception:
"Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works."
An important theological point that non-Catholics often miss is that the veneration we hold/display for Our Lady is dependent entirely upon Christ. Her role is there because of Him; she was preserved from original sin because of Him; we call her Our Mother rather than His Mother because of His gesture on the cross. This point could not have been lost on her, either. These lines don't offer thanks to God for this or that thing. The Psalmist prays a beautifully humble prayer: thanks to God goes back to the beginning, for our very being was sculpted by His hands. If the Psalmist hadn't written this, I could picture Mary writing it.
Finally, the Gospel reading: the well-known story of Martha & Mary in Luke 10. Just like its predecessors, this reading seems an unusual pick. However, praying the rosary brings us into an encounter with Jesus. After all, Mary knows it's not all about her; everything she does, every heavenly effort she makes on our behalf is to lead souls to Her Son. (see John 2:5) The lesson that the Gospel reading is trying to teach us is clear: sit at the feet of Christ, as Mary did; recognize the "one thing" that should be our first priority. In the rosary, we have such a wonderful avenue to contemplate Christ.
Mary, beloved Mother, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
Saturday, October 4, 2014
7QT: Lazy blogger edition, 10/4/14
--- 1 ---
Onto a new book! Romano Guardini's The Lord. I'll be putting up discussion posts if anyone has the book and is interested. We're only on ch. 2 so far! I remember reading bits and pieces of this book for one of my classes. I was amazed at the depth of it... so much so that I bought copies as presents for a couple people. And now, 10 years after I read those bits and pieces, I'm finally getting around to reading the whole thing (hopefully).
--- 2 ---
I've also finally finished reading through the Gospel of Matthew, chapter by chapter. I'd really recommend the commentary that I used: The Better Part by Fr. John Bartunek. It's meant to assist in lectio divina but I mainly used it as a commentary.
--- 3 ---
Speaking of great resources, did you know Scott Hahn has a website that has free Bible study resources? Check out www.salvationhistory.com. I just started listening to the one on Matthew's gospel. Very cool so far!
Speaking of great resources, did you know Scott Hahn has a website that has free Bible study resources? Check out www.salvationhistory.com. I just started listening to the one on Matthew's gospel. Very cool so far!
Fall is here, and the cooler weather is a welcome reprieve from the hot sun. Hot sun by Oregonian standards is anything over 80, I believe. I love fall weather but I'm not looking forward to months and months of rain.
--- 5 ---
New special saint in our lives: St. Leo the Great. Pope in the 400s and a major influence on the Council of Chalcedon. Pretty awesome pastor in a turbulent time: heresies like monophysitism and manichaeism. Check out his famous Tome on the person of Christ. In a related note, our baby Leo is due in three short months! Can't wait!
--- 5 ---
New special saint in our lives: St. Leo the Great. Pope in the 400s and a major influence on the Council of Chalcedon. Pretty awesome pastor in a turbulent time: heresies like monophysitism and manichaeism. Check out his famous Tome on the person of Christ. In a related note, our baby Leo is due in three short months! Can't wait!
The Dodgers have no postseason gear, unlike their new nemesis, the Cardinals. Makes me very sad... and wishing they'd start chopping the payroll down.
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
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