What About Reincarnation?

Q: One of my close friends believes in reincarnation. My Catholic education and faith leave me with no reason to believe in multiple lives. Among other things, my friend claims that all mention of reincarnation was removed from the Bible in the early centuries of the Church.

Please provide me with some background on reincarnation, its presence in the Bible at any time in history and the Catholic Church’s position on it.

A: In A Concise Dictionary of Theology (Paulist, 1991), Jesuits Gerald O’Collins and Edward Farrugia describe reincarnation as “the belief, also called metempsychosis (Greek ‘animate afterward’), that souls inhabit a series of bodies and can live many lives on this earth before being completely purified and so released from the need to migrate to another body.

“According to this belief, the soul preexists its embodiment, and after death exists in a disembodied state before animating [inhabiting] once again a body of the same or a different species. In various forms, reincarnation has been accepted by Buddhists, Hindus, Neoplatonists and others.

“Belief in resurrection and official rejection of the preexistence of souls...rule out reincarnation. By maintaining an indefinite series of chances, the doctrine of reincarnation reduces the seriousness of God’s grace and human liberty exercised in one life that is terminated by a once-and-for-all death.”

In 1991 the Holy See’s International Theological Commission published Certain Aspects of Eschatology, which says: “Christianity defends duality, reincarnation defends a dualism in which the body is simply an instrument of the soul and is laid aside, existence by successive existence, as an altogether different body is assumed each time.

“As far as eschatology is concerned, the doctrine of reincarnation denies both the possibility of eternal damnation and the idea of the resurrection of the body. But the fundamental error is in the rejection of the Christian doctrine of salvation. For the reincarnationist the soul is its own savior by its own efforts” (Section 9.3).

Reincarnation denies the need to convert, about which Jesus spoke often. If souls keep recycling, won’t they all end up in the same place eventually? If so, why are our decisions today important?

Arguing that some major doctrine was originally in the Bible but was later removed strikes me as too easy a solution.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “When ‘the single course of our earthly life’ is completed, we shall not return to other earthly lives: ‘It is appointed for men to die once’ [Hebrews 9:27]. There is no ‘reincarnation’ after death” (#1013).

St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade everything we do—work, study, play.

John Bosco’s theory of education could well be used in today’s schools. It was a preventive system, rejecting corporal punishment and placing students in surroundings removed from the likelihood of committing sin. He advocated frequent reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion. He combined catechetical training and fatherly guidance, seeking to unite the spiritual life with one’s work, study and play.

Encouraged during his youth to become a priest so he could work with young boys, John was ordained in 1841. His service to young people started when he met a poor orphan and instructed him in preparation for receiving Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices and taught them catechism.

After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, John opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy and powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, shoemaking and tailoring.

By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a printing press for publication of religious and catechetical pamphlets. His interest in vocational education and publishing justify him as patron of young apprentices and Catholic publishers.

John’s preaching fame spread and by 1850 he had trained his own helpers because of difficulties in retaining young priests. In 1854 he and his followers informally banded together under Francis de Sales.

With Pope Pius IX’s encouragement, John gathered 17 men and founded the Salesians in 1859. Their activity concentrated on education and mission work. Later, he organized a group of Salesian Sisters to assist girls.

Comment:

John Bosco educated the whole person—body and soul united. He believed that Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade everything we do—work, study, play. For John Bosco, being a Christian was a full-time effort, not a once-a-week, Mass-on-Sunday experience. It is searching and finding God and Jesus in everything we do, letting their love lead us. Yet, John realized the importance of job-training and the self-worth and pride that comes with talent and ability so he trained his students in the trade crafts, too.

Quote:

“Every education teaches a philosophy; if not by dogma then by suggestion, by implication, by atmosphere. Every part of that education has a connection with every other part. If it does not all combine to convey some general view of life, it is not education at all” (G.K. Chesterton, The Common Man).

Follow Him:

Jesus, before his death, gave us his body and blood so that we could live, so that we could have strength, so that we would have life and would be able to drag our cross and follow him step by step.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make frequent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and the devil will be powerless against you.

- St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

Vatican finds John Paul 'miracle'

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- The Vatican may have found the "miracle" they need to put the late Pope John Paul II one step closer to sainthood -- the medically inexplicable healing of a French nun with the same Parkinson's disease that afflicted him.

Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Catholic Church official in charge of promoting the cause to declare the late pope a saint of the Church, told Reuters on Monday that an investigation into the healing had cleared an initial probe by doctors.

Oder said the "relatively young" nun, whom he said he could not identify for now, was inexplicably cured of Parkinson's after praying to John Paul after his death last April 2.

"I was moved," Oder said in a telephone interview. "To think that this was the same illness that destroyed the Holy Father and it also kept this poor nun from carrying out her work."

John Paul suffered from Parkinson's Disease during the last decade of his life. His body trembled violently and he could not pronounce his words or control his facial muscles.

"To me, this is another sign of God's creativity," he said, adding that the nun worked with children.

He said Church investigators would now start a more formal and detailed probe of the suspected miracle cure.

The process that could lead to sainthood for John Paul began in May when Rome archdiocese published an edict asking Catholics to come forward with evidence "in favor or against" John Paul's reputation of holiness.

One proven miracle is required after John Paul's death for the cause to lead to beatification.

It must be the result of prayers asking the dead pope to intercede with God. Miracles are usually a physical healing that doctors are at a loss to explain.

Another miracle would be necessary between beatification and eventual sainthood.

Oder said his office had received many messages from faithful around the world claiming that they had got what they wanted after having prayed to John Paul after he died.

Many miracles

He said his office had also received many letters and e-mails from people claiming they had been miraculously cured or otherwise helped with a serious problem after praying to the pope even while he was alive.

But under Church rules, only those "miracles" which occurred after the pope's death can be investigated and eventually used as proof of holiness.

The month after John Paul died, Pope Benedict dispensed with Church rules and put him on the fast track to sainthood.

Benedict waived rules that impose a five-year waiting period after a candidate's death before the procedure that leads to sainthood can start.

The quick start means John Paul could be beatified and so declared a "blessed of the Church" within a few years if a miracle can be attributed to his intercession with God.

The crowds at John Paul's funeral on April 8 chanted "Santo Subito" (Make him a saint now!).

Oder said he and other members of the investigating team were convinced that John Paul "is already a saint" but he could not say how long the bureaucratic procedure could take.

In past centuries, the saint-making procedure has often been long and expensive but many Catholics believe that John Paul's life of suffering and service was clear to all.

Many of the people who knew or worked with John Paul are alive. This could speed up the case significantly because witnesses would be readily available to testify.

**Credits to www.cnn.com & Reuters for the news**

**新年快乐**

**恭喜发财**

Happy Lunar New Year of the Dog

May all be prosperous and in good health

May the blessings of God be upon every family

cheers!! woof woof! =D

Was Luther Right All Along?

Q: It’s my understanding that the result of all the Catholic-Lutheran dialogues confirms that Martin Luther was right all along: Works play no part in salvation and we are saved by faith alone.

It seems that the only concession on the Lutheran side was that salvation could still be lost after it’s been received. Has the Catholic Church once again “developed” a doctrine to the point of reversing it?

A: I think you may have misunderstood the recent Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration on Justification, with its Common Statement and Annex. These were signed on October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, by Bishop Christian Krause (Lutheran World Federation) and Cardinal Edward Cassidy (Holy See’s Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity).

We are saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Faith, however, is more than an activity of the mind; it must express itself outwardly. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus tells a parable about the final judgment, saying that some people are saved because of their actions and other people are condemned for failing to act.

Those who are saved do not “earn” their salvation by good works. Their works of mercy simply reflect a cooperation with God’s sovereign, saving grace. Those who are condemned presumably failed to cooperate with that same grace.

The Joint Declaration does not mean that either side “won.” Both parties instead admitted that on this issue they had not listened to one another carefully enough almost 500 years ago. Saying that, both sides win!

Shine Through Me:

Dear Jesus,
help me to spread your fragrance wherever I go.
Flood my soul with your Spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that my life may only be a radiance of yours.

Love for Christ:

Christ wants to offer us the means of putting our love for him into action. He becomes hungry, not only for bread but for love. He becomes naked, not only for a piece of clothing but for love that understands, for human dignity. He becomes dispossessed, not only for a place of shelter but for the sincere and deep love for one another.

******************************************************************************************

He who sits alone and is quiet has escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, seeing: but there is one thing against which he must continually fight: that is, his own heart.

- St. Anthony of the Desert

If you want the instructions you give those whom you teach to be effective in drawing them to the practice of good, you must practice these truths yourselves.

- St. Francis de Salles

Sunday and Servile Work

Q:It used to be that "servile" work was not permitted on Sundays. What is the current Church law on this issue?

A: The present Code of Canon Law, in effect since 1983, does not use the term "servile work." Canon 1247 simply says that on Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. And, it says, they are also to abstain from work or business that would inhibit worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, and the due relaxation of mind and body.

In commenting on the observance of Sunday, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that Sunday is traditionally consecrated to Christian piety, good works, and humble service to the sick and elderly. The Catechism urges Christians to devote time and care on Sunday to their families and relatives and to use the day for reflection and meditation which furthers the growth of the interior life.

The Catechism also acknowledges that traditional activities like sports and dining out require some people to work, as do public and social services and necessities. But, the Catechism says, all should set aside some time for leisure and worship and employers should be respectful of their employees.

The emphasis of the new law is based on the fact that everyone should use the day for prayer, leisure and family rather than on the kind of work that is forbidden. People should not engage in so much or any kind of labor that it would destroy the spirit of the day and make for "business as usual."

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Dt 18:15-20
Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
1 Cor 7:32-35
Mk 1:21-28

Hello, I'm Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the “Sunday Soundbite” for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I have a seminary classmate who will occasionally chide me when we’re having a conversation—or rather, when he’s talking to me. If he perceives me not really paying attention to him, he’ll say, “Gregory, are you in my world?” What he means is, “Are you listening to me?”

Listening is crucial. When it comes to the Word of God, listening is absolutely essential. Today’s first reading and Gospel share the theme of “listening.” Moses tells the people that God will raise up a prophet for them; God is giving them a prophet, since the people were too frightened when they heard God address them directly—the people feel that a human intermediary would be easier to listen to. But Moses warns them: They’d better listen to God’s prophet in that case—not listening will have consequences!

In the Gospel Jesus performs an exorcism. In doing so, he demonstrates that even the unclean spirits listen to him. The people who witness the event are amazed at this, and Jesus’ fame spreads. He is the fulfillment of that request from the people long ago. He is prophet par excellence, speaking God’s Word. But even more: He is God’s Word enfleshed. Hidden in the Gospel story is the unspoken question: Will we listen to him? Will we choose to be part of his world, the Kingdom of God which Jesus is bringing into our midst?

Scripture:

•“A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen.…” (Deuteronomy 18:15)

•If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Psalm 95:8)

•I should like you to be free of anxieties. (1 Corinthians 7:32)

•The people were astonished at his teaching… (Mark 1:22)

Reflection:

•When do you here the Lord’s voice?

•How are you free from anxiety?

•What is astonishing in Jesus’ teaching?

Francis gestured, danced, laughed and sang; felt the Earth in his skin and bones; talked with Jesus; enjoyed the companionship of his brothers and preached repentance in towns along the way. From the time of his conversion, he envisioned himself as a troubadour of Christ. On occasion he would pick up a stick and, imagining that he was playing a violin, sing about his God. He refused to suppress the energy of his soul and coaxed his brothers to sing so that they would awaken the spirit of joy in the hearts of listeners. (St. Francis of Assisi)

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

By universal consent Thomas Aquinas is the preeminent spokesman of the Catholic tradition of reason and of divine revelation. He is one of the great teachers of the medieval Catholic Church, honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.

At five he was given to the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino in his parents’ hopes that he would choose that way of life and later become abbot. In 1239 he was sent to Naples to complete his studies. It was here that he was first attracted to Aristotle’s philosophy.

By 1243, Thomas abandoned his family’s plans for him and joined the Dominicans, much to his mother’s dismay. On her order, Thomas was captured by his brother and kept at home for over a year.

Once free, he went to Paris and then to Cologne, where he finished his studies with Albert the Great. He held two professorships at Paris, lived at the court of Pope Urban IV, directed the Dominican schools at Rome and Viterbo, combated adversaries of the mendicants, as well as the Averroists, and argued with some Franciscans about Aristotelianism.

His greatest contribution to the Catholic Church is his writings. The unity, harmony and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings. One might expect Thomas, as a man of the gospel, to be an ardent defender of revealed truth. But he was broad enough, deep enough, to see the whole natural order as coming from God the Creator, and to see reason as a divine gift to be highly cherished.

The Summa Theologiae, his last and, unfortunately, uncompleted work, deals with the whole of Catholic theology. He stopped work on it after celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273. When asked why he stopped writing, he replied, “I cannot go on.... All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.” He died March 7, 1274.

Comment:

We can look to Thomas Aquinas as a towering example of Catholicism in the sense of broadness, universality and inclusiveness. We should be determined anew to exercise the divine gift of reason in us, our power to know, learn and understand. At the same time we should thank God for the gift of his revelation, especially in Jesus Christ.

Quote:

“Hence we must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he does not need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the truth in all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural knowledge” (Summa Theologiae, I-II, 109, 1).

Jesus in Our Lives:

We are saved in faith,
By the redemptive work of Jesus,
In our lives and in our world.
There is no better thing,
no purer gold than this.

=====================================================================

Love is the only language everyone understands.

- St. Joseph Freinademetz (1852-1908)

Love, Prayer and Healing:

Brother Jesus,
Holy Spirit,God, Creator,
I have been journeying with you for a while now, seeking to draw closer to you.
I feel your presence and your guiding hand upon me.
Be with me still as I continue to open myself to this process of love and prayer and healing.

Discerning Life:

Jesus cautions us to live a discerning life. As the Good Spirits of God guide and strengthen us; the Bad Spirits are also there to deceive and draw us away from God. Be in touch with your inner feelings. Be sincere with God and beg His Spirit to guide you to live in His ways.

=====================================================================

Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family.

- Saint Angela Merici (1474-1540)

Eucharistic Wine and an Alcoholic Priest; Hosts for the Gluten-allergic

Q:One of our parish priests suffers from alcoholism and says he has permission to use grape juice at Mass, rather than wine. Our question is whether he should distribute this consecrated grape juice to us, or use another chalice which contains consecrated wine for the Communion of the people. One priest said that unfermented grape juice is not valid matter for Mass. If that is the case, are this priest's Masses invalid? Some of us are very disturbed over this.

A: Just recently the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, under the signature of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, issued a statement that deals with the matter for the Eucharist under both forms. Canon law, based on the teaching of the Church concerning the Eucharist, demands that bread for the Eucharist must be merely wheat and recently made so that there is no danger of corruption. Wine for the Eucharist must be natural from the fruit of the grape and not corrupt (see Canon 924). Various decrees and instructions forbid additives and mixing with foreign substances. Theologians and canonists discuss what would affect validity of the matter. Matter in this sense refers to the physical material used in celebrating the Eucharist.

If an alcoholic priest is among concelebrants he may simply receive the host and not partake of the chalice. Nevertheless, ordinaries may grant permission to use must or mustum (more about this below) to alcoholic priests who cannot ingest even the smallest quantity of alcohol. For this permission the priest must present a medical certificate.

Those who receive permission to use mustum are ordinarily prohibited from presiding at concelebrated Masses. But the decree provides for some exceptions. In such a case the alcoholic who presides may use mustum for his own Communion but he is to provide another chalice in which normal wine has been consecrated for the other celebrants.

By extension of this directive, I would presume that an alcoholic priest offering Mass in a parish setting would consecrate regular altar wine for the Communion of the people if Communion is to be distributed under both forms.

While providing for the use of mustum for alcoholic priests, the Congregation also gave directives about the use of low-gluten altar bread for priests and laypersons who are affected by celiac disease (a digestive illness) or who are allergic to gluten and also present a medical certificate. Hosts in which there is no gluten are invalid for the Eucharist. But, as we will see below, reduced-gluten hosts can be acceptable.

Pastors and rectors of churches are usually careful to purchase both wine and hosts from sources that follow the requirements for the eucharistic bread and wine.

While insisting that it must be wine that is used for the Eucharist, some writers state that as soon as grapes are crushed the juice is on the way to fermentation (in the process of becoming wine) and will continue fermenting unless something is done to stop it. They say, therefore, that fresh juice from grapes, to which nothing has been added, would be valid matter.

Such grape juice whose fermentation has been suspended by freezing, or other methods which do not alter its nature, is called mustum. In the case of an alcoholic priest, Cardinal Ratzinger instructed, the preferred solution to his problem in celebrating would be for him to communicate himself by intinction (dipping the host in the consecrated wine).

Low-gluten hosts are valid matter, provided: 1) they contain the amount of gluten sufficient to obtain the confection of bread, 2) there is no addition of foreign materials and 3) the procedure for making such hosts is not such as to alter the nature of the substance of bread. When a medical certificate has been presented, ordinaries may grant priests and laypersons permission to receive such bread.

I would only suggest after all this that you be happy for your priest who seems to be successfully struggling with his addiction, and that you be supportive and encouraging as he tries to live soberly in his ministry.

Bible Differences

Q: Frequently, I participate in a Jewish/Christian forum. We ask each other questions about our faiths. I have a question that no one has been able to answer. I have noticed that the Catholic Bible includes the Books of Tobias and Judith. Do you know why the Protestants excluded them from the King James Version?

A: By the time of Jesus there were two collections of sacred books being used by the Jewish people. One collection was in Hebrew and was used by Palestinian Jews. The other was a Greek translation used by Greek-speaking Jews outside of Palestine.

After the fall of Jerusalem (around 70 A.D.) Palestinian Jews established an official list (Jamnian Canon) of sacred books. Jews in Alexandria following the Greek Septuagint translation formed their own canon of holy books. That canon contained Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Maccabees and Baruch—books not in the Palestinian (Jamnian) Canon.

Over the centuries Christians debated not just what books of the Jews were to be regarded as inspired but also what books written by Christians should be regarded as Scripture.

When Martin Luther translated the Bible, he followed the Jamnian (Palestinian) Canon and omitted certain Old Testament books.

The Council of Trent then definitively pronounced what books were to be held as inspired. Trent followed the Greek Septuagint translation (Alexandrian Canon), including those books not in the Jamnian Canon.

At least some Protestant translations followed the lead of Luther in omitting the books not in the Jamnian Canon.

The modern revision of the King James Bible, the Revised Standard Version (published in 1977), contains all the books called deuterocanonical found in Catholic Bibles, as well as those recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

For more information on this, see Scripture From Scratch "Where Did We Get Our Bible?" by Elizabeth McNamer.

Failures and Successes:

Is it true, my dear Jesus?
That my failures are as dear to you as my successes?
Perhaps more dear?
I hardly dare believe it. And yet your desert times teach me,
your way of the cross declares to me,
that this is true.
Let me understand this, live it,
and even cherish it.

====================================================================

The Sermon on the Mount is so much at variance with all that our world holds dear that the world will crucify anyone who tries to live up to its values.

- Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

The Creed—Can It Be Possible?

Q: In the Nicene Creed we read the words “begotten, not made.” In other writings we find the phrase, “the only begotten Son of God.” Such references to Christ appear to express an impossibility. Since we believe that Christ is God, he must have existed for all time. Without a beginning how could he have been begotten?

A: I wish I could make a simple, lucid explanation of who God is and how he exists so that you would or could say, “Ah! Now I see! It’s so plain and obvious.” But that cannot be. We are always limited creatures trying to understand an infinite God—a being far beyond our comprehension and intelligence.

To understand him as God understands himself would make us God or the equals of God.

In speaking of Jesus we must always remember we are talking about the second person of the Blessed Trinity—God the Son—become incarnate. In Jesus, the Son, are united two natures: the divine and human. The divine person possesses two natures.

In the divine nature the Son exists from eternity. He always was, is and shall be. There never was a time when the Son did not exist and never will be a time when he will not exist. From eternity or in eternity, the Son is begotten of or proceeds from the Father. To use comparisons that limp, it is as a thought proceeds from or is begotten by the mind (not made, not created) or as light proceeds from the sun. Just as the Father is always there, the Son (second person) is always there being begotten by the Father.

In time the second person, the Son, took to himself a human nature—he became flesh, he became man, Jesus. In his human nature the Son (Jesus) did not exist forever. It is this event we proclaim in the Angelus prayer and celebrate at Christmas—“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus, in whom are united the divine and human natures, began to exist in time.

My Life Is a Landscape:

I see now, my Companion God,
how my life is a landscape of anger and love,
Of tornados and volcanoes,
Of quiet streams and welcomed retreats.
Walk with me over this landscape now,
And visit with me the places
Where my earth cries out for healing and forgiveness.

God’s Power in us:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we are believers, we will “know” the signs of His power in us. Are you aware of the different gifts that God has given you as signs of His presence in you? Get in touch with God and ask, “Lord, how do You want me to use Your gifts for Your people?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing wins hearts like cheerfulness.

- Saint Dwynwen (d. 460)

Conversion of St. Paul

Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior.

One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.

From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a).

Paul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new.

So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate.

Comment:

Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language (see quote, below).

Quote:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Come and Heal:

We praise Jesus, the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow,Come, Jesus,Come and heal.We will be whole in you.For service in your kingdom.

Persevere in Prayer :

Lord, may I persist in prayer,Coming daily to your temple.You wait for me here, always.You never tire of me,Why should I ever grow weary of seeking your face?Forgive me, God, when I become lazy or disinterested,Too caught up in the world to visit with you,talk to you and seek your will, your loving will in my life.

Unity – Faith:

Jesus wants us to be united in God’s Spirit. Allow God’s Spirit that is present in our family, relatives, friends, strangers, especially the sick, poor and needy to unite us. The power of God that unites us will then gives us the strength we need to face our pains and crises with hope.

“Remain in my Love”:

Jesus reminds us to “remain in His Love.” Each one of us has God’s Love in our hearts. However, our daily “busyness” with our work, family and many concerns, seems to draw us away from the core purpose of our daily living, i.e. of finding God’s Love in all our experiences.

===================================================================

If we are able to enter the church day and night and implore God to hear our prayers, how careful we should be to hear and grant the petitions of our neighbor in need.

- St. John the Almoner (550-616)

Oh what remorse we shall feel at the end of our lives, when we look back upon the great number of instructions and examples afforded by God and the Saints for our perfection, and so carelessly received by us! If this end were to come to you today, how would you be pleased with the life you have led this year?

- St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

"Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality."

– Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens

Historic Catholic-Lutheran Accord

Q: I heard that in October the pope will sign a document that is intended to unite all Christians under one umbrella regardless of denomination. Could you please explain what this means to our Catholic faith? Is there a compromise here regarding the Catholic traditions and beliefs? Where can I find more information on this subject?

A: I think you have been hearing about a historic agreement between Roman Catholics and Lutherans—not a document to unite all Christians. A Joint Declaration on Justification was scheduled to be signed in Augsburg, Germany, on October 31, 1999, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation.

This document reflects 30 years of ecumenical dialogue between these two Churches and ends a 400-year-old doctrinal dispute. The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity helped develop this joint declaration, which has been approved by the Holy See’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and by Pope John Paul II. I do not know if the pope himself intends to sign it.

Justification is the teaching about how people are saved. This teaching was probably the most basic difference between Roman Catholics and Martin Luther in the 16th century.

The joint declaration says: “The understanding of the doctrine of justification set forth in this declaration shows that a consensus in basic truths exists between Lutherans and Catholics [#40]....The teaching of the Lutheran churches presented in this declaration does not fall under the condemnations from the Council of Trent. The condemnations in the Lutheran Confessions do not apply to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church presented in this declaration [#41].”

The Lutheran World Federation represents 58 million of the world’s 61 million Lutherans; this document was approved according to official procedures of that federation and the Holy See.

When the joint declaration was approved in June 1998, both sides identified issues needing resolution before the declaration could be accepted as an official statement for these Christians. A further “Common Statement” and “Annex” were released by both sides on June 11, 1999; they are part of the document to be signed in Augsburg, Germany, where the foundational Lutheran Augsburg Confession on justification was drawn up in 1530.

The following are two key passages: “Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works”(#15); and “Grace, as fellowship of the justified with God in faith, hope and love, is always received from the salvific and creative work of God. But it is nevertheless the responsibility of the justified not to waste this grace but to live in it. The exhortation to do good works is the exhortation to practice the faith” (“Annex,” #2D).

You can be sure that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has very carefully carried out its responsibilities and would not have approved this new document if it compromised the Catholic faith.

Your best source of information will be your diocesan newspaper, Catholic magazines and official Catholic and Lutheran publications. You can find the text for this joint declaration at www.zenit.org/english on the Internet or at a public library.

Since many Protestants other than Lutherans consider the Augsburg Confession a foundational document, they will surely take notice of this joint declaration.

Swiss Guards honored for 500 years of service

Read up here

All Parts of Ourselves:

Having explored who we really might be,in God’s eyes and in our own,we look at our blindness and our light.We look at our broken parts, those we don’t acknowledge.They are parts of us that need to be loved,we welcome all parts of ourselves home so that we may be whole.

**************************************************************************************

A cheerful attitude will sustain you in all your difficulties, trials and sufferings in life.

- Blessed Laura Vicuna (1891-1904)

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Jon 3:1-5, 10
Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
1 Cor 7:29-31
Mk 1:14-20

How about a real "fish story" from today's Sunday Scriptures? Hello, I'm Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the "Sunday Soundbite" for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. A fish story is usually an outlandish, exaggerated tale. Our first reading fits the bill—part of the story of Jonah. Besides featuring a pretty big fish, it tells a rather fantastic account of the instantaneous conversion of the ancient pagan city of Nineveh!

Scripture scholars see the story as a kind of folk tale—short on history but long on spiritual truth: God calls each of us—even if we're reluctant prophets, like Jonah. He resisted God's invitation to preach to the Ninevites, and wasn't all that happy with the outcome. Perhaps he would have enjoyed a dose of fire and brimstone rather than the mercy God shows the repentant Ninevites.

The story of Jesus calling the fishermen in today's Gospel is no tall tale. Unlike Jonah, Simon and Andrew, James and John respond instantly and willingly leave all to follow Jesus.

These readings make me think of my own "vocation story." How did God call me? How have I responded? I know I haven't always been immediate, willing, or whole-hearted in my response. Luckily, God seems to keep on calling, continuing to invite me to my own personal conversion. God always offers me yet another opportunity for a change of heart. And that's no fish story!

Scripture:

•Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you… (Jonah 3:3)

•Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)

•For the world in its present form is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:31b)

•“…Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17) •They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. (Mark 1:19b)

Reflection:

•How is God present in the world?

•How is your world changing?

•What more can you do to change the world?

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final, way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.

Praise and Thanks:

Jesus, keep me poor in spirit so that I may see everything as your gift and offer it back to you in return. Give me a grateful heart that finds joy in every breath I take.…Free me from my preoccupation with wealth and possessions. Let me live a simple life as your disciple, a life that gives you praise and thanks.

====================================================================

Christ made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him whom the angels serve.

- St. Agnes of Rome (d. 254)

Justin Guarini-Get Here

You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trailway
You can reach me on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind
You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man
I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can
You can reach me by sail boat, climb a tree and swing rope to rope
Take a sled and slide down slope, into these arms of mine
You can jump on a speedy colt, cross the border in a blaze of hope
I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can

There are hills and mountains between us
Always something to get over
If I had my way, surely you would be closer
I need you closer oh closer

You can windsurf into my life, take me up on a carpet ride
You can make it in a big balloon, but you better make it soon
You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man yeah
I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can

I don't care, I need you right here, right now
I need you right here right now, right by my side
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I don't care how you get here, just get here, get here
I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can
Get here if you can

Gift Me With Passion and Energy:

Jesus, give me the courage to live as one touched and changed by your redeeming love. Gift me with the passion and energy to run and tell others how your love has transformed me. Help me discover the mission that you call me to fulfill and let me embrace it with passion.

====================================================================

In every success we are right, I think, to take a modest share of joy and satisfaction while leaving the glory to God who is the Principal Author of our good work, we being just the instruments. Like the apostles we learn to rejoice not because the devils fall down at our preaching nor because of marvellous achievements, obtained, but because our names are written in heaven, in the book of life, because God is to be glorified by our efforts.

- Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi (1903-1964)

i see u online.....my heart veri much wans to tok to u.....to make contact wif u....to connect wif u...

its like a gift given to us....its a special thread that binds me and u together....to hear u...or just to make contact wif u....will shoot me up to the highest heavens...

i just feel that there's this special bond that has been blessed to us....a road that has been paved for us to walk together...perhaps not now.. for an 'under construction' sign has been placed infront of it...

however the rational mind kicks in and presents me a wake up slap.....

"don't do anything stupid to make her uncomfortable"..."do you wana end up losing her forever?" ... "u nut case....better not say or do aniting stupid to scare her" ...

hence...in silence i wait....for her to make the move instead.....an action i've decided.....to let her lead the way and set the pace....for her to be comfortable is the crucial factor....

to love is to allow the other party to have the best...nothing but the best...no compromises..no sub standards...even if one will be at the losing end or pay a hefty price for it...how much will one lose anyway? .that loss will always be countered into a profit...as long as the person has the best...its never about yourself...but its always about the other person....

the reason is very simple...

she has saw my heart.....it has been bared out to her...there's nothing left of me to hide...everything is now under the microscope.....my feelings, hopes, wishes and intentions.....

the ball is in her court...not that i'm pushing everything her....just that...i've done what's there that needs or can be done for now....moving at her pace now is the objective...

time she needs..to clear herself of past hurts and painful experiences....to put her life back in place...to allow new seeds to germinate in her heart....so that she'll be open to feel again...open to accept another person...and to climb out of the dark bottomless pit...

a renewal process that is neccessary....to prepare her for a new experience....one that will be mind blowing on the postive side and wonderful....a journey down the road..once she's ready....the other half knows what he wans..and is ever ready....

pls take yr time...i beg u not to rush....for the last ting i wan...is for you to be hurt..by my very own actions....

its not that i'm running away... neither..its not becos i dun wana make contact u....

i just cannot lose u....i cannot..to lose u....is like taking my life away from me....

she's a person so precious and special...so perfect in my eyes....that I wouldnt dare anyhow touch it ...that i''ll consider every move that i make....every word that i will say....to ensure that not a single bit of it..will hurt her or make her feel negative....to give up my life to protect and keep it intact....is a price..i have prepared and will most willingly pay....

i stand waiting outside the door of your heart....ready and waiting for u.....never will i walk away or give up.....i will wait for u..in yr time ...to open that door of your heart and let me enter.....

i'm not superman..neither do i have any super powers....i may not be able to give u everything....but i know...for veri sure..is that...if i ever enter....i'll hold u tight...and give u a wonderful experience that u'll ever have...at the end of the day...words are just words....i'll let my actions do the talking......

these are just my thoughts.....penned down for memories....if u feel uncomfortable..pls..just ignore it...take it as just a nut case blabbering nonsense....u dun need to reply to it..nor say anting abt it....or even be troubled about it....the message given by u about us is veri clear now....i know yr stand....i'll just let time move us forward instead.....

but pls trust mi...there is a road being paved for us...there is much potential for us to move into a more deeper,special and intimate level....the thread and bond is not just given to anyhow to 2 persons....its god given...at least..tats wat i believe.....

"when u laugh...i laugh wif u.....when u r happy....i rejoice for u....but when u r sad...it pains me much..when u cry...i cry harder than u know....i rather shoulder all the bad things for u..than to have u go through it..."

Differences in Protestant and Catholic Bibles

Q: The Catholic Bible contains more books than Protestant translations. Why?

A: As Melvin Farrell, S.S., points out in Getting to Know the Bible (Hi-Time Publishing Corp.), the Bible has a somewhat complicated history.

Since the differences between Protestant translations and Catholic translations of the Bible are in the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures, let us begin there.

The books of the Bible were written as individual books or writings. They were in response to different needs or situations and had purposes of their own. They emerged from different authors and traditions. Father Farrell tells us that until the Babylonian exile, which took place from 587 to 538 B.C., there were three different traditions concerning sacred writings among the Israelites: Northern, Southern and Deuteronomist. After the exile the three traditions were merged. One volume of sacred writings resulted with the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) at its heart.

With the passage of time other books came to be regarded as sacred or inspired. But not everyone agreed about which books were inspired.

Jews in Palestine formed a list of some 39 books written in Hebrew. Egyptian Jews (Jews of the Diaspora) added writings of their own (such as Tobit) to this list and produced a Greek translation of 46 books called the Septuagint. Thus there came to be a Palestinian Canon and the Septuagint, also known as the Greek or Alexandrian Canon.

After the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D., the Jews felt a need to preserve and gather traditions to pass on to those who would come after them. Around the end of the first century the Jews of Palestine settled on a Palestinian Canon.

In the meantime the early Christians were reading and writing in Greek. They were producing sacred writings of their own. The books they wrote and used in their liturgies and instruction were in Greek. They followed and accepted the Greek or Septuagint version of the Hebrew or Old Testament Scriptures.

Although all Christian lists were not immediately the same there was a list of Christian inspired writings by 150 A.D. Councils in 393 A.D. and 397 A.D. listed 27 books as belonging to the New Testament or Christian writings. By his death in 420 A.D., St. Jerome had produced the Latin Vulgate translation which became the official Bible of the Church.

When the Reformation came along, Martin Luther translated the Palestinian Canon rather than the Vulgate of Jerome. Leaders of the Reformation for the most part followed his German translation of the Bible, accepting the Palestinian Canon.

The Council of Trent (1545-1563) took up the question of the inspired writings and authoritatively defined the canon as the books now contained in the Catholic translations of the Bible, following the Greek (Alexandrian) Canon.

Today many Protestant translations of the Bible contain the additional Catholic books, calling them by the name of Apocrypha. Catholic scholars use the term deutero-canonical for these books unique to the canon used by Catholics and Orthodox.

My Truest Self:

Life-giving God, help me to trust that you are with me, bringing life out of death and reworking my flaws into the beauty of a new design. Give me the courage to embark on the journey of trust to become my best and truest self.

====================================================================

One of the most ardent desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is that his Most Holy Mother be venerated and loved by all: firstly, because the Lord himself has ineffable love for her, and then because he made her the mother of all men, so that with her sweetness she might attract to herself even those who flee the Holy Cross, and bring them to the Divine Heart.

- St. Joseph Sebastian Pelczar (1842-1924)

the clock is counting down...the days are proceeding as scheduled....

tick tock...




tick tock...




tick tock...




tick tock...

9 more months to ORD!!!

lalalalalalalalalala.... =D

Questions about Communion

Q: I am a eucharistic minister in my parish. As a parish we discourage allowing parishioners to take the host to the cup and dip. I believe this is also the current official position of the Catholic Church. We discourage intinction, but we don’t aggressively prohibit people from doing it if they so choose. I have perhaps had only three or four people do this with me over the past three years.

Now comes the May 1996 "Wise Man" column where it is written that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger recommends intinction for priests with an alcohol dependency problem.

Another reader writes:

As a eucharistic minister in our parish I was trained with members of the parish that communicants reach out their fingers and literally take the host being held by the priest or eucharistic minister. I recall our pastor saying something like, "Scripture doesn’t say, ‘Take and dip,’ and it doesn’t say, ‘Put your hands out.’ It says, ‘Take and eat.’"

Recently I was attending a different church and I reached out to take the host. Right at that point the pastor pulled the host back and wouldn’t let go! We both spent a half second tugging on it, when he told me, "You don’t grab it." It was quite embarrassing.

What are the accepted, recommended or unaccepted ways, currently, to receive the host?

A: Your letters are reminders of one of the reasons we have rites and rubrics to be observed by all—to avoid surprises and the confusion that can come from everyone doing his or her own thing. Established rites and procedures allow everyone to know what to expect and do from church to church, from one parish or congregation to another.

And as I read the letter talking about the quasi hand-wrestling for control of the host in the distribution of Communion, I could not help thinking about words written back in 1980 by R. Kevin Seasoltz in New Liturgy, New Laws (Liturgical Press). Speaking of Communion in the hand in general, Seasoltz wrote, "In the recent past, the refusal to give Communion in the hand often resulted in distressing confrontations between communicants and ministers of the Eucharist. In such instances it probably would have been more prudent for the minister to give Communion in the hand rather than observe the [then] liturgical norm. Avoidance of hostility and division would have been more in keeping with the symbolism of the Eucharist as the expression and cause of Christian unity than strict adherence to liturgical discipline was."

I’m confident that struggling over the host produced no feelings of unity or charity and was probably disconcerting to other communicants. For the rest, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (found in the front of the Sacramentary) goes into little detail about the reception or imparting of the host at Communion time. It goes into much more detail about giving and receiving Communion from the chalice.

In speaking of receiving or communicating the consecrated bread or host the Instruction sometimes speaks simply of doing so in "the usual manner." The Instruction usually speaks of receiving and not taking. More particularly the Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite by Msgr. Peter J. Eliot (Ignatius Press), who works in the Roman Curia, says under the heading of "Ministering the Eucharist": "When giving the Body of the Lord to a communicant, the minister raises the host over the vessel and says, ‘The body of Christ.’ After the communicant has responded, ‘Amen,’ the host is placed carefully on the tongue or on the outstretched palm of the left hand." In my experience that is how Communion in the hand is and has been taught.

In reference to Communion by intinction, the Appendix to the General Instruction for the Dioceses of the United States clearly says, "When Communion is distributed under both kinds by intinction, the host is not placed in the hands of the communicants nor may the communicant receive the host and dip it into the chalice." That, I think, implies that when intinction is not the case the host is placed in the hand.

This Appendix makes it plain communicants do not take the host and dip it into the chalice. There is probably fear of dripping and spilling of the consecrated wine in such a procedure. Communion by intinction is not forbidden, but it is the minister who does the dipping rather than the communicants.

I think it safe to say that almost all, if not all, Roman Catholic liturgists discourage Communion by intinction. The sign value in intinction is not as full as drinking from the cup.

I should think the reasons for an alcoholic priest communicating by intinction are obvious. In many cases the minimum of the consecrated wine thus consumed will not trigger the urge to drink. This is more important than the fuller sign value of drinking from the cup.

Light of Christ:

Life-giving God, shine the light of Christ into the unredeemed places within me. You know all of my doubts, fears and broken places. You are aware of the ways I resist light and hide in the darkness. Be relentless in pursuing me with the light of Christ.

Doing Good:

Jesus cured a man on the Sabbath. He did not break the Sabbath Laws because He was helping someone in great need. God would not object. Whenever we refrain from helping the needy e.g. a beggar or migrant workers, be very careful that we do not fall into the sin of self-righteousness.

====================================================================

God does not command us to live in hair shirts and chains, or to chastise our flesh with scourges, but to love Him above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.

- St. Charles of Sezze (1613-1670)

Whence the Miter?

Q: I am looking for information on the bishop's miter. Can you help me?

A: Signs and Symbols in Christian Art, by George Ferguson (Oxford University Press), describes the miter as "a tall headdress worn by cardinals, archbishops, bishops and some abbots. It is a liturgical hat and has a plain and simple form, as well as a more ornate and precious form with emand stones." The Dictionary of the Liturgy, by Jovian Lang, O.F.M. (Catholic Book Publishing Co.), describes the miter this way: "The front and back are stiff, shaped like inverted shields ending in a peak which are pressed apart when the miter is on the head. These two pieces are sewn together at the lower part, but a cleft separates them on the top....Two wide lappets hang down from the back over the shoulders."

The miter is a sign of authority. When worn at Mass, it is taken off for the eucharistic prayer. The "horns" of the miter are reminders of the rays of light that came from the head of Moses when he received the Ten Commandments and are also symbolic of the Old and New Testaments. According to Lang, the use of the miter originated in Rome in the 11th century.

Life, Hope and Joy:

Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. You know all my stagnant places, the deep ruts that I have worked in my life. Sometimes I lose hope and cling to the darkness of these tombs. Give me the courage to trust that you are present—even where I am broken and stagnant—bringing life out of death, hope out of despair and joy out of grief.

Faith – Practice:

Do we live our faith in a routine way? Do we really know the “why’s” and “how’s” of our faith? We should nourish our faith daily with spiritual readings of the lives of saints, etc and concretize our faith with sacrifices and services to the needy. A routine faith is a shallow faith.

====================================================================

The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross.

- St. Anthony of Egypt (251-356)

Healing, Transforming Love:

Jesus, Living Water, help me move beyond my guilt and shame. Teach me to love myself with an unconditional love that heals, transforms and reconciles.…Help me open myself to your redeeming love, trust my own goodness and learn to love myself. In my thirst I turn to you.


Fasting:

Fasting is useless, unless we have a deeper meaning to it e.g. discipline ourselves or to offer it as a sacrifice for certain prayer intentions etc. If we fast because we want to be Christ-like, then such an act will surely deepen our faith and personalize our love for Jesus.

=====================================================================

Mary Most Holy goes on being the loving consoler of those touched by the many physical and moral sorrows which afflict and torment humanity. She knows our sorrows and our pains, because she too suffered, from Bethlehem to Calvary.... Mary is our Spiritual Mother, and the mother always understands her children and consoles them in their troubles.

- Pope John Paul II

Can Non-Christians Be Saved?

Q: I have been debating with a non-Catholic friend on who will be admitted to heaven. His contention is that the Bible is the only blueprint for salvation. There is no place in the Bible where it is stated or implied that a non-Christian can gain entry to heaven.

I maintain that, given sincerity of a person's belief, God will have a place for non-Christians. I believe that the new Catholic catechism does agree with this. I have also read Crossing the Threshold of Hope by His Holiness John Paul II. In this book I believe the pope gives hope to others sincere in their belief.

It is difficult for me to believe that all men are not created equal with equal chance of gaining heaven. My friend says, "Sorry, no deal. The Bible says if you don't accept Christ as your Savior, nothing else matters." My question is: Is there some documentation in the Bible that allows for the saving of non-Christians? Do you agree that non-Christians can be saved? Surely there is a place for others.

A: In the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, paragraph 16, the Vatican II Council Fathers wrote: "Those who have not yet received the gospel are related to the People of God in various ways. There is, first, that people to which the covenants and promises were made, and from which Christ was born according to the flesh (cf. Romans 9:4-5): In view of the divine choice, they are a people most dear for the sake of the fathers, for the gifts of God are without repentance (cf. Romans 11:28-29).

"But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Moslems: These profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.

"Nor is God remote from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, since he gives to all men life and breath and all things (cf. Acts 17:25-28), and since the Savior wills all men to be saved (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4). Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through dictates of their conscience—those too, may achieve eternal salvation.

"Nor shall divine providence deny the assistance necessary for salvation to those who, without any fault of theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God, and who, not without grace, strive to lead a good life."

So the Fathers of the Council do not exclude anyone acting in good faith from the possibility of salvation. They do go on, however, to speak of the Church's mission from Christ to bring the gospel to all people, for Christ is the source of salvation for the whole world.

Redemptive Love:

Jesus, thanks for those who love me with your redemptive love, especially those who continue to love me even when I fail to return their love. Whether these are strangers or lifelong friends, I am grateful for the way they embody your redeeming love.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the Word and the Spirit of Grace.

- St. Arnold Janssen (1837-1909)

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19
Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Jn 1:35-42

Hello, I'm Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the "Sunday Soundbite" for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Despite all the slick, hi-tech forms of advertising around today, "word of mouth" is still an effective way to find out about things. Take movies, for example. If people are talking about a film around the water cooler at work, you can be sure the weekend attendance figures for that movie will increase.

Today's Gospel depicts the effectiveness of word of mouth in spreading the news about Jesus. John the Baptist points out Jesus to two disciples, who meet the Lord and then in turn begin to share what they've found with others. Their early "evangelization" efforts continue beyond the verses we read in today's selection. One disciple after another invites a friend to "come and see" Jesus. Each new disciple shares what he has discovered. Eventually a small circle of disciples gathers around Jesus—all through word of mouth.

Catholics don't often consider themselves "evangelizers." We may see other Christian denominations making more aggressive efforts to acquaint people with Jesus. But perhaps we should take a cue from John the Baptist, Andrew and the other disciples portrayed in John's Gospel. What might we tell others about Jesus today? How has he changed our lives? Can we confidently invite others to "come and see"—and perhaps find the new life that flows from him?

Scripture:

•“…Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

•Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. (Psalm 40:7a)

•Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? (1 Corinthians 6:15a)

•“where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” (John 1:38)

Reflection:

•Where is Jesus staying in your life? Have you answered His invitation to “Come and you will see”?

•Do you recognize your capacity to be another Christ for others to receive Jesus through you?

•Do you take time to stop and listen to hear the message the Lord is speaking to you?

•Do you have time to simply "be” and not to always “do”?

We are so obsessed with doing that we have no time and no imagination left for being. As a result, men are valued not for what they are but for what they do or what they have—for their usefulness. When man is reduced to his function he is placed in a servile, alienated condition. He exists for someone else or even worse for some thing else. Hence he cannot enjoy life. The ethos of our society certainly places an enormous emphasis on “having fun,” but our whole concept of joy is mendacious because it is servile. Even the fun that we have is for a purpose. It is justified not by its gratuity, its simple celebration of the gift of life, but by its utility.…

Why then aren’t we happy? Because of our servility. The whole celebration is empty because it is “useful.” We have not yet rediscovered the primary usefulness of the useless. From this loss of all sense of being, all capacity to live for the sake of living and praising God, all thankfulness, all “Eucharistic” spirit, comes the awful frustrated restlessness of our world obsessed with “doing” so that even “having fun” becomes a job of work, an operation, a veritable production, even a systematic campaign.

Fulfill My Deepest Thirst:

Jesus, Living Water, help me trust the surprising and unexpected ways that I encounter you. My thirst brings me to desert places where you met the stranger at the well.…Give me the grace both to recognize that only your redemptive love will fulfill my deepest thirst and to open myself to that love. In my thirst I turn to you.

**************************************************************************************

There is no hardship, no privation too great for him once there is a question of God's glory for the salvation of neighbor.

- Blessed Peter Donders (1809-1887)

Focus on Your Will:

Wonderful Creator, you have gifted me with many talents. So often I see those talents as “mine” and use them for my own purposes. Help me recognize that you have given my these gifts for a deeper purpose. Let me focus them on your will and your kingdom. Give me the courage to use them to liberate those held captive and to serve those in need.

**************************************************************************************

To those who wish to stand in God's grace, neither the guardianship of saints nor the defenses of angels are wanting.

- St. Hilary of Poitiers (315-368)

Baptismal Names

Q: Is it necessary to select a saint's name when baptizing a baby? If so, how is it determined what constitutes a saint's name? Is it only those names found in the Bible—Old and New Testaments—or some official listing of saints?

I was always told by my mother that my name was Shirley Helen. The Helen had to be there if I was to be christened in the Church. Now at age 77 I am being told my mother was wrong: It is strictly a personal choice of the parents and the so-called saint's name must only be biblical.

A: I suppose we can say you and your mother are (were) both right.

The pre-Vatican II Handbook of Moral Theology, by Dominic M. Prummer, O.P., citing Canon #761 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, says the name given in Baptism should be a Christian name. "If the parish priest cannot induce the parents to do so, he should add the name of some saint to that suggested by the parents and enter both in the baptismal register."

Older priests may well remember books on a sacristy shelf asking "Is It a Saint's Name?" or lists of male and female saints.

The present (1983) Code, Canon #855, legislates that parents, godparents and pastor are to see to it that the name given is not foreign to Christian sensibilities.

So the law does not demand a saint's name. Rather, it forbids a name offensive to Christians. That sensibility might change from place to place.