Catholic Faith and Reflections | Faith Seeking Understanding

Deacon Bob’s Homily – 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Here is my homily for this weekend. Blessings on all!

Deacon Bob

In audio: 33rd Sunday Ordinary Time, Cycle A 33rd Sunday Ordinary Time, Cycle A Part 2

Text: 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A

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A Deacon’s Vocation is Discerned in Afghanistan

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I would refer you to a wonderful story of a deacon’s vocation discernment in Afghanistan back in 2005. Deacon Catarino Villanueva was ordained to the diaconate in December 2010 for the diocese of Brownsville, Texas. He had served with Charlie Company 3/144 Infantry. During his deployment in 2005, he approached the chaplain’s assistant, Deacon Paul Rodriguez and told him he was thinking of the diaconate and began to help Deacon Rodriguez remodel the chapel. At the time, there was nothing there but a tent. They prayed the Liturgy of the Hours together. Deacon Villanueva’s time in Afghanistan made him appreciative of his religious freedom.

There is an interesting piece to the story. After the building of the chapel, Villanueva was worried about the tabernacle placed there, for he wanted to protect it. It was fairly rare for a Catholic priest to be assigned to the location, so he requested the tablernacle be sent home to him. Surprisingly, first a Eastern Rite priest followed and needed it, then a Polish priest followed after that. When it is no longer needed by a priest, it will be sent home.

As Deacon Villanueva said, “If you build it, they will come.”

You can read of this at: www.cns.com/data/briefs/cns/20111110.htm#head2

You can read even more of Deacon Villaneuva at the diocese of Brownsville website at: www.cdob.org/frontpage-news-items/340-faith-on-the-frontlines–

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Social Doctrine of the Church – Laity’s Involvement in Culture

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Fostering a social and political culture inspired by the Gospel is an area of importance for the lay faithful. The work of the laity in these areas have never been solely the change of social structures, but includes the voice of faith and morals. It is this voice that forms a basis for concrete social and cultural planning. Thus, the Church must present the entirety of the Faith in a manner that is culturally up-to-date.

The end of this social/cultural involvement is the perfection of the human person and the good to society as a whole. Each human has the right to a human and civil culture. I would emphasized this statement, for it illustrates why the Church speaks so forcefully in the defense of life, marriage and family. It also explains why the Church is voicing its concerns regarding the protection of the environment.

The Church has great concern for the content of culture. The content of culture must be truth. There must be an openness to the truth, an openness which is guaranteed by recognizing that different cultures are different ways of facing the question of the meaning of personal existence.

Use of the media is a powerful instrument in the development of solidarity among peoples, a solidarity that is formed by genuine and correct communication and the free circulation of ideas. Those who are in the field of media have serious responsibilities and obligations, and need to heed the words of St. Paul “…putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another..” (Eph 4:25)

For an extensive discussion of this topic, refer to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 554-562.

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Church of the Week

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Deacon Bob

St. Peter's Catholic Church, Rose Creek, Minnesota

St. Peter’s Catholic Church

Rose Creek, Minnesota

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Pope St. Leo the Great and the Modern World

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Today is the memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great. His pontificate was from 440 to 461 AD, a time of upheaval in the Church as well as in the Roman Empire. Prior to being elected pope, Leo was a deacon who played an important role in the Church-State relations of the time.

Leo gave himself completely to the task of the Chair of Peter. He clarified the primacy of the see of Rome and the bishop of Rome as Peter’s successor. He settled doctrinal disputes between the western and eastern Churches. He formulated the doctrine of the Incarnation as the Jesus having two natures, human and divine, yet being only one divine person. The Council of Chalcedon reiterated the same. Leo battled the heresies of the time, especially Pelagianism and Manichaeism. Pelagianism was, to overly simplify, the thought that one could merit salvation without the help of grace, i.e., that one could through one’s own efforts make choices leading to salvation. Manichaeism was equally complex, but essentially purported a form of dualism in which there is a cosmic battle between two opposing forces – good and evil – in the world, each having in some sense an equality. Leo met Attila the Hun at the gates of Rome and convinced him to turn back. Next to St. Pope Gregory the Great, Leo was one of the most influential popes of the early centuries of the Church.

As I was reflecting on this today, it seems in so many ways we, the Church, are in the same predicament today. We are trying to heal old divisions among the faithful. We are battling modern day heresies that are leading many away from the truth. As an example, here locally, there is a growing influence of Buddhism. More and more people are gravitating toward its philosophy and away from the truth of Christ. There is locally a burgeoning acceptance of Wiccan, which is the worship of created things and satan. There is, of course, the pervasiveness of relativism, a philosophy that truth and reality are created by humankind, largely on an individual basis. The human person creates truth and reality based on their perceptions, experiences and choices. I have always thought that those who get caught up in this philosophy are breaking the first Commandment, for God alone is creator of all that exists, and we are called to recognize his authority.

Let us always recognize that we do not have to go here or there searching for the truth. As the Gospel for today tells us, the Kingdom of God is in our midst. Let us pray for those who are caught up in the modern day errors and led astray from the Church. Let us ask St. Leo the Great for his intercession so that the Church may be strengthened and the people of God may always remain steadfast in the Gospel.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“Every person’s mind has a great desire to know and understand important things, but the heart’s desire is to be known. We want not only to know about the world, the things of God, but to be known by God.” — Robert A. Carman, SFO

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How Do We Know God? From the Second Century an Echo of Papa Luciani

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Deacon Bob

In the Office of Readings for today, an author from the second century wrote about how we come to recognize God. What he wrote reminds me of what Papa Luciani said and wrote many years later. This simplicity of the thought, yet the profound nature of the words, are timeless in their applicability.

I offer here a section of the second century’s author homily. (My translation of the Italian text I use.)

But in what way do we recognize God? Doing what he says and not dishonoring his commandments; honoring him not only with our lips but with all our heart and mind. He says, in fact, through the mouth of Isaiah, “This people approach me with their words only, and honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me.” (Is 29:13) Let us not be contented, then, to call him Lord; this does us no good. He in fact reminds us, “Not everyone who calls me Lord, Lord will save himself; only he who does good.” (cf. Mt 7: 21) Thus, brothers, we recognize him in the practical life, loving each other, fleeing from all impurity, slander, envy, living instead temperately, with mercy and goodness. We recall that our rule of life must be that of mutual help, not the lust for money. We recognize God exactly in this way and not doing the contrary. …. We run in the way of justice, we struggle according to the rule of life, we navigate through many obstacles so as to be crowned….

This unknown author over 2000 years ago penned words that remain true to this day, and his word are reminiscent of what Papa Luciani wrote during his years as bishop and later as Pope.

Posted in homilies, Papa Luciani (Pope John Paul I) | Comments Off

Church of the Week

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Adams, Minnesota

Posted in Churches of the United States | 2 Comments

Do You Have Enough Oil?

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Deacon Bob

This weekend’s Gospel reading is of the foolish virgins who run out of oil for their lamps as they await the bridegroom’s coming. Of course, it is also about the wise virgins who have prepared themselves for the wait and enter the wedding feast at the opportune hour.

So, do you have enough oil for your life?

Most of us in our sixth or seventh decade of life begin to worry whether we have enough money in the bank or in the 401k to sustain us after retirement as we await the unforeseen hour of our death. We wonder whether we are being wise enough in our financial planning to meet the need of the wait, so we don’t end up on the public dole, or out in the cold in late life. If only we knew the day and the hour, we think, then I would know how much reserve to build up.

But as the Lord is so clear in telling us, we don’t know when. We really don’t know how much money we will need.

What about our spiritual lives? Do we have enough oil? Do we anticipate and prepare? In this realm of human existence, we have to take ourselves out of our usual awareness of time as a sequence of events… days leading to years and years leading to decades…. and place ourselves into God’s time. God’s time is now, an eternal now, kairos as the ancient Greeks would say. With this kind of time, we need to ask the question, “Am I prepared, now, to hear what God is saying and how he is coming into life at this moment? Do I have enough oil to see clearly by the light of faith God’s beckoning, God’s invitation to enter into his joy?”

Am I prepared to be filled with joy in his presence, now, at this moment, a moment that is in God’s time, kairos time, for he will surprise us when we probably least expect him. God’s coming is always accompanied by joy.

God is never stingy in his giving of his grace and his gifts to all who are open to them and seek his presence, his coming into life.

Thanks be to God.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“The Immaculata is the peak of all created perfections.” – St. Maximillian Kolbe, OFM Cap.

Posted in Blessed Virigin, Prayer and Meditation, Saints and Prophets | Comments Off

Three Years and Counting….

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Last Friday marked the three year anniversary of the start of this weblog. On October 28, 2008, the first post was written. Since then there has been 1204 other posts with nearly 500 comments. Over 500,000 page visits in that span of time.

I continue to hope that this weblog provides a place for us to have intelligent conversation about matters of importance to the world and our Catholic faith.

God bless all of you.

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Who is Lord in Your Life?

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Our first reading for Mass today (Romans 14: 7-12) challenges us to ask, “Who is Lord in my life?”

God has poured his life and love into our lives at our baptism. His fidelity to us is unquestionable. We all will probably say that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and truly he is. I would suggest, though, that we give some time reflecting on whether we will, today, actually live in a manner indicative of his Lordship.

At it’s foundation, making Jesus the Lord of our lives is an act of will made possible by God’s grace. We have to decide, consciously, to put the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and Jacob, the God of the patriarchs, the God of Mary and Joseph, the God who has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the Lord in all that we do. We must cling faithfully to that decisive act of will through thick and thin.

But we are called to something even more profound. We are called to develop a relationship of passionate love for God as Father, Son and Spirit. A loving relationship that captures us for all eternity. A longing for God.

So, how do we know if God is truly our Lord?

Ask yourself honestly when you pray the Our Father whether you might be praying something like this: “Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. My kingdom come. My will be done and please bless it!” If this is our prayer, perhaps we haven’t given Jesus his proper place in our lives.

Ask yourself this question: If someone were to come to you and offer you a place of complete happiness (and be able to deliver on the promise) but told you that Jesus would not be present in that place, would you want to go? If you answer “Yes” then perhaps Jesus is not Lord in your life.

Let us pray for each other as we grow in our relationship with God, let us sustain each other in the difficulties of Christian life, and rejoice with one another in the wonders of God’s love in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Posted in Dogmatic Theology, Fundamental Theology, Spirituality | Comments Off

Was Religion the Catalyst for Modern Civilization?

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Finally….. the National Geographic, June 2011 issue, has an interesting article entitled, The Birth of Religion, in which the author suggests that religion was the force behind the Neolithic Revolution in the Fertile Crescent (present-day Turkey and Iraq) and thus the reason for the development of what is now modern civilization.

It has been the long-held assumption that it was development of agriculture which allowed migrating bands of humans to settle in a place and establish larger communities and the beginnings of modern civilization. The discovery of a very ancient temple area named Gobekli Tepe on the border of Turkey and Syria seems to be calling into question this understanding and purports that it was the human desire to gather to worship that formed the basis for modern civilization.

Imagine that.

It has always been the understanding among Jews and Christians that it was God, his revealing himself more and more in the course of human history and humanity’s response to God’s self-revelation, that both humanized and divinized humankind. In other words, it is God who brought men and women together as a people, with an identity and a culture, so they might more and more perfectly worship him and live together as a people.

What science has so long attributed to more base reasons (the need for food and shelter and security) our faith tradition has taught is actually attributable to God’s influence.

Shouldn’t surprise us, should it?

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Quote for the Day

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“Praise to you, my Lord, through those who forgive one another in your love and bear sickness and trials. Blessed are they who live on in peace, for they will be crowned by you, Most High!” – St. Francis of Assisi

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