Category Archives: Spiritual Life

The Dilemma of Social Networking

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Last night, I watched the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, which talks about how social media manipulates us in both obvious and subtle ways. There wasn’t much in this documentary that is new or overly surprising to me, but it does connect some very disturbing dots. It deserves a second watch before discussing further, which I will be able to do both here and as part of a panel on an upcoming episode of Secrets of Technology.

It does deserve an immediate response, so I’ve decided that it’s time for a social networking fast. I have already closed out Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit tabs from the desktop browser and removed their apps from my phone and iPad. I haven’t deleted my accounts, as they’re still useful tools when used properly, but I need to get away from the temptation for a while. I may even sit down with a trusted friend to change those accounts’ passwords to restrict my access further. My homilies and other blog posts will continue to post to FB and Twitter, as that can be done on an automated basis.

One point the show makes is how notifications help encourage the “addiction” the social networking creates. It encourages restricting notifications on phones and tablets to only essentials, so that we’re not constantly buzzed by frivolous notifications. I’m working through the apps on my devices to do just this, and encourage others to take the same steps.

What do I hope to do in exchange for the time suck that is social networking? There is a backlog of good spiritual and theological reading I need to get to. Maybe I’ll develop a sci-fi story idea I’ve had kicking around for a while. There might be a few posts to this blog, other than just homilies. Of course, more prayer and reflection on the Scriptures is very necessary. Oh, and I’ve been very negligent in getting back to my jogging routine.

So, this was just some short initial thoughts and actions from watching The Social Dilemma. More will be coming in the near future. If you wish to respond, please do in the comment section below because I won’t see them on Facebook or Twitter!

God’s peace vs the world’s peace

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In the Gospel from today’s Mass, Our Lord promises His disciples, “Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you.” (John 14:27). This is one of these verses that people get wrong because we don’t understand what Our Lord means by peace.

When the world talks about “peace”, it really means “an absence of strife”. We say countries are at peace because they’re not currently exchanging bullets or dropping bombs on each other. We say people are at peace because they’re not currently attacking each other and name calling. The world even promotes material and emotional peace that is basically another word for high self-esteem.

Our Lord’s peace, however is different. To demonstrate the peace Our Lord gives, let’s compare a couple preachers: the Osteens and St. Paul.

Just one example of the many books the Osteens have published.

If you’re not familiar with Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria, they’re preachers at the Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. According to Wikipedia, the church was originally founded by Joel Osteen’s father, but Joel has really expanded it. The current building is actually a former sports arena that seats nearly 17,000 people, and is usually packed for each service.

Sounds impressive, right? Some might wish we in the Catholic Church could do the same. The problem with Joel and Victoria is that their message is not the fullness of Christianity. Oh, they claim to be Christian preachers, but what they proclaim is more or less a self-help spirituality with Christian ideas sprinkled in.

In case you have the stomach for it, here are the most recent videos from both Joel and Victoria:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxDvRPHEdZg

Some might say, “Well, that don’t sound too bad. After all, it starts from the Scriptures.” True, but they use the Scriptures to promote typical self-help nonsense. “Thinking with the mind of Christ” does not mean “Champion mentality” and “Enjoying the life God gave you” (from Victoria’s video). Interestingly, the video from Joel even talks about “peace stealers”, not understanding that he’s talking about the world’s peace and not God’s peace. Their message is all about “being happy”.

In contrast, let’s look at St. Paul in the first reading today. He was stoned (literally, as in having rocks thrown at him, not merely smoking marijuana) and dragged out of the city. Was he “enjoying the life God gave him” at that moment? Probably not, but he got up and went right back to his work of evangelization. Because of his faithfulness to Christ, St. Paul brought thousands of people to baptism and was one of the main driving forces behind the early Church’s rapid growth.

St. Paul realized that suffering was a part of following Jesus, but he also realized and experienced the true peace Our Lord wishes to give us. This peace is not merely a “warm fuzzy”; it’s far deeper than anything the world can give. It’s a spiritual recognition of the love of God, and the consolation that leads us deeper into our relationship with Christ. It gives us the strength to stand up the stones – whether literally or figuratively – that the world wants to throw at us. We may even be able to rejoice over the mistreatment we receive at the hands of the world as the Apostles did. (Acts 5:41) It is the grace of God working in our lives, leading us to salvation and giving us the desire to bring as many people as we can with us.

This is the peace we should desire. Not the Osteens’ worldly feel-good peace, but the true peace from Our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the peace that can truly make us “bounce back” (to use Victoria Osteen’s words) from the stones of the world, and desire His salvation all the more.

Lectio Divina

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For most of the school year, I’ve been leading Religious Education for our middle school (6th-8th grades) kids. We went through Mark Hart’s T3 Bible Timeline (which is admittedly a bit mature for this age group, but they still seemed to learn from it), finishing it last week. In the last lesson, Mark briefly touched on Lectio Divina, and there was a section in the student workbook on how to do Lectio.

Last night, I led the kids in the steps of Lectio, trying to explain how to do it, and they seemed to pick it up. They were even quiet! It was a good reminder for me about this beautiful and powerful prayer form, which I had learned at Mount Angel Seminary thanks to the Benedictine monks there.

For those not familiar, Lectio Divina is a 4-step immersion into hearing God speak to us through the Scriptures:

  1. Lectio – Reading: Slowly reading the Scripture passage, not skimming or rushing, but speaking the words out loud and intentionally listening to them.
  2. Meditatio – Meditation: Choosing a word or phrase that stands out in the reading, and chewing on it in your mind and heart.
  3. Oratio – Prayer: Speaking with God about the passages that stood out and your meditation on those passages
  4. Contemplatio – Contemplation: Entering deeply into God’s love and simply being in His presence

Lectio Divina is fairly simple to get the pattern, but difficult to master. Contemplatio is really something that develops over the course of a lifetime, and is a grace given by God Himself to those who seek Him. This doesn’t mean that the other 3 steps can’t bring His grace, however. Much fruit can be gained through the process of Lectio, Meditatio, and Oratio, especially for those called to the ministries of teaching and preaching.

I highly recommend all Christians explore and use Lectio Divina as a way to better understand the Scriptures and what God is saying to us each individually through them. It is an ancient, venerable form of prayer that is just as necessary today, if not more so due to the lack of silence, as it was over a thousand years ago. Much richness can be mined from the Scriptures, and deeper relationships with God the Father and His Son, the Word of God, can develop through the working of the Holy Spirit.

Resources and Apps for Lent

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There are some great resources available for free online to help with our Lenten journeys. Here are some I’ve found, and will be updating as I find more:

Daily Reminders

  • Evangelization is important, but it can be scary to share the Faith. Go Lent promises to send daily texts that will “help you step a little bit more out of your comfort zone each day.”

Reflections and Meditations

Apps

  • FOCUS has created Lentsanity, a website and app (Android, iOS) to help with following the Lenten practices, including alerts from Meat Police to remind us not to eat meat on Friday.
  • For those familiar with Catholic Relief Service’s Rice Bowl campaign, it now has an app (Android, iOS) that presents daily prayers and reflections, recipes from throughout the world, and shows the good work done by CRS throughout the world.

This is what I’ve found so far, but there’s more out there! If you find something interesting and helpful for your Lenten journey, let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

Why I refuse to bless children at Communion

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I’ve been thinking more and more about my concerns around giving special blessings to children at Mass. There are a number of people here who are continuing to express concern because of my stance on not blessing children in the communion line. To be clear, this is a position taken not out of spite, but out of a respect for the liturgy and for the documents of the Second Vatican Council. In paragraph 22, Sacrosanctum Concilium states, “Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.” A priest does not have the authority to add a blessing to the liturgy for anyone, because a priest does not have the authority to add anything to the liturgy. It doesn’t matter if other priests go beyond their authority and do it in disobedience. In my mind, it is inappropriate, and I will not. Period.

Of course, people don’t like to hear that. They think it makes the kids feel “special” that they receive this blessing. (As an aside, I think the parents and grandparents get the warm-fuzzies more than the kids do.) Of course, they can’t be blamed. For 30+ years, they’ve been fed a mindset that the liturgy is malleable to whatever we want to do with it. Blessing for kids? Sure, we can add that right during Communion. Having kids come up for the homily and sit with the priest on the sanctuary steps? Sure, we can do that. Holding hands during the Our Father and running around the nave greeting people during the Sign of Peace? Absolutely! Whatever makes you feel good!

As I’ve studied more about the theology of the liturgy, I’ve come to the realization that this “feel good” approach is sending the wrong message about the liturgy. I’ve also become concerned that this has dangerously damaged their relationship with God, and they are blissfully unaware that any damage has been done. Instead of liturgy being the community focusing their minds and hearts on worship of God, it has become a social activity, focusing on ourselves. Now, we don’t come to liturgy to turn to God, but to ourselves. For this reason alone, I despise blessing children in the Communion line (and yes, I chose that strong language very carefully), and encourage other priests to stop immediately.

There’s another reason, more cultural, that should be of concern to these same parents and grandparents: the culture of entitlement. One of the arguments frequently given in defense of blessing children is, “They feel like they get something.” Yes, because we wouldn’t want our children to learn how to do something without getting something in return.

We live in a culture of entitlement, where a large percentage of the population expects to get something for nothing. There is a large population in the United States and other countries who believe that they are entitled to anything and everything their hearts desire without any commitment or work on their part. They should “get something” for just being there. Is that the message we want to give our children in the Church? I don’t, and firmly hope that parents and grandparents don’t want to send that message either. Unfortunately, this mindset that children need to “get something” at Communion time only enforces this idea.

Now, will stopping the blessings of children at Communion cure that? No, not on its own, but it’s a first step. It’s an opportunity for parents to teach children that there are some things you just have to wait for. Some things are so important that you have to get ready for them. Some things you may even have to work for. Receiving Holy Communion is one of those things. You have to wait until you’re old enough. You have to prepare to receive. It’s not something that is just given to you. One day you will be able to receive, and I hope that will be a joyful day, but you’ll need to wait until then.

Parents and grandparents, I beg you: work with me on this! Please don’t continue to argue about it. My decision is made, the issue is done. This is truly done in the best interest of your children and grandchildren, as well as for you. Use this opportunity to help the children to see how special and important receiving Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament truly is. Help them to see that the liturgy is about worship of God, and not us getting something and feeling good. Then, when they can come forward to receive Holy Communion for the first time, they will truly understand what it means to be special enough to receive Our Lord.

Descent of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands

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Today, at daily Mass, I meant to talk about St. Anthony Mary Claret. I always enjoy talking about the saints on their feast days, and trying to find some connection between this saint and our lives today. So, I printed up a bio of the saint from SQPN, and headed over for Mass.

Well, I think the Holy Spirit had other ideas. As I was proclaiming the Gospel, I was struck by this passage:

He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. (Luke 13:13)

At all the celebrations of the Sacraments, with the exception of Marriage, the priest or bishop lays his hands on someone or holds his hands over the matter of the Sacrament. Part of the blessing Holy Water includes the priest holding his hands over the water. At the Epiclesis (calling down of the Holy Spirit) of the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest holds his hands over the bread and wine which has been offered to become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The bishop lays hands on those who are to be Confirmed (can be done by holding hands over them), and also lays hands on those who are to be ordained to Holy Orders. Part of the Rite of Anointing includes the priest silently laying his hands on those receiving the Sacrament of Anointing.

It was the Sacrament of Anointing that really caught me. I had always wondered why the rite called for the priest to lay hands on them. Yes, I knew that the Sacrament worked through the power of the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the anointing with the Oil of Infirm. Yes, I knew that laying on of hands symbolized the descent of the Holy Spirit, but I had never made the full connection until this morning. I admit, I’m not always the brightest bulb in the box. It took me until today to realize consciously that nearly every time Our Lord healed, he touched them or was touched by them.

When the priest lays hands on those receiving the Sacrament of Anointing, it is a prayer for healing by the Holy Spirit. Realize, of course, that the healing we pray for may not always be a physical healing, but any time we pray for healing, healing will occur if the recipient is open to the Holy Spirit. The healing they receive may be spiritual, with a greater openness to the spiritual benefits of the suffering they have to endure. The healing may be a preparation for the final journey into eternal life, which is why Anointing is part of the Last Rites. Any time the Sacrament of Anointing is received, healing will occur.

I truly meant to talk about St. Anthony Mary Claret this morning, but I don’t think he’ll mind that Someone else wanted to be the focus. Come, Holy Spirit!

Welcoming Suffering

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From the writings of St. Rose of Lima, featured in today’s Office of Readings:

If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! Without doubt they would devote all their care and concern to winning for themselves pains and afflictions. All men throughout the world would seek trouble, infirmities and torments, instead of good fortune, in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace. This is the reward and the final gain of patience. No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men.

This is something that I struggle with greatly. If things are going well, I’m happy as can be, but turn really whiny when difficulty arises. By whiny, I mean like a puppy that has to be closed off from the rest of the family when company comes over. Yeah, that whiny. On top of that, I get upset and angry. Not a pretty combination.

St. Rose was both a visionary and mystic, which gave her a far clearer view of the spiritual life than most of us have. She was far more acutely aware of the benefits suffering has for our spiritual development and well-being, provided we accept it and open ourselves to the graces God gives us. Due to the spiritual blindness caused by sin, we fail to understand how suffering is a good thing to be desired instead of a negative aspect of life to be avoided.

Of course, we see the effects of our spiritual blindness in what John Paul II identified as the Culture of Death. Anything that causes suffering, trouble, or difficulties in our lives is to be avoided – even to the point of killing innocent children through abortion and those elderly or infirm seen as “inconvenient” – and anything that promotes comfort in an easy and long life is to be encouraged, regardless of the consequences to others.

The challenge for us as Christians is to realize the spiritual growth and benefits of suffering in our lives, and to allow those tribulations to show the joy of God’s grace despite the suffering we face. Oh, and no whining, despite how much I want to.

St. Patrick’s Day: what it’s really about

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In the United States, St. Patrick’s feast day, which we celebrate today, has become an opportunity for Americans to eat corned beef and cabbage, and get drunk on Guinness, green-dyed beer, and Irish whiskey. Now, I love a good corned beef and cabbage feed, and enjoy (in moderation!) Guinness and Irish whiskey, there is much more to this feast than merely stuffing ourselves and getting drunk.

Today should be a day to remember St. Patrick, bishop of the Church and patron saint of Ireland, and to recommit ourselves to live our lives as St. Patrick did: in total service of Christ. In fact, his Lorica shows what’s really important in life:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

Following Christ and professing our faith in Him. That’s what St. Patrick’s feast day is all about. So, enjoy the corned beef and cabbage (or be contrary like me and try this absolutely incredible-sounding Irish Beef Stew), tip back a Guinness or two (all in moderation, of course), but don’t forget to praise Our Lord and give your life over to Him!

Lenten Practice: Spiritual Reading

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If you’re not already doing it as part of your daily spiritual routine (you do have a daily spiritual routine, right?), spiritual reading during Lent is another great practice that allows us to be drawn into the graces of the season. For this reason, many publishers produce booklets with daily readings, reflections, and prayers that take just a few minutes every day. One Lenten booklet I particularly like, and even ordered as a hand-out to parishioners, is Magnificat‘s Lenten Companion. Sadly, they’ve sold out completely on this year’s edition, so keep it on your list to remember for future years. Magnificat also produces an Advent Companion, which is similarly worth ordering as soon as it’s available.

Along with the daily reflection booklets, Lent is a great time to avail yourself of the many great books on spirituality and Church teaching out there. You can choose from classics like Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis to more recent spiritual writing by Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Dr. Scott Hahn, among many other spiritually enriching options.

This Lent, join me in turning off the computer and TV, and picking up a good spiritual book or two. My choice is Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection. What are you reading this Lent?

Lenten Practice: Prayer Before the Crucifix

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During Lent, Christians are encouraged to increase the spiritual practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In fact, Lent is an excellent time to receive several Plenary Indulgences. One such Indulgence is attached to the practice of praying the Prayer Before the Crucifix on Lenten Fridays following receiving Communion. Remember that the standard conditions apply:

  • Complete detachment from all sin, even venial sins
  • Receive the Sacrament of Confession and confess all sins
  • Receive the Holy Eucharist
  • Pray for the intentions of the Pope

The Confession must be received within a reasonable amount of time (I generally recommend 7 days before or after), and one Confession can cover multiple Indulgences. You must receive Communion for each individual Indulgence, and can only receive 1 Plenary Indulgence per day.