Month: March 2020

Posted on

Second Sunday of Lent 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Mass Readings

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4A
Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8B-10
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030820.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, I have good news! Today we heard about the Transfiguration of Jesus. This is a glimpse of Jesus coming into his kingdom (Matthew 16:28), and the anticipated vindication of the crucifixion. <1>

From the promise he made to Abraham that he would be father of a host of nations, to raising up Moses in honor of this promise, to the promise of an everlasting kingdom to David’s son, in today’s Gospel Jesus is revealed as the One through whom God fulfills His divine plan. <2>

It is literally such an awe-inspiring moment that Peter doesn’t want to leave. That’s why he offers to build tents for them. Can you blame him?

Have you ever had such an amazing spiritual experience, maybe at mass, or on retreat or a pilgrimage, and you never wanted it to end? Maybe you wished you could live in a bubble of time forever basking in the experience of God’s presence you encountered.

But most of us are called to be in the world, not of it, and certainly not hiding from it. So, like Peter who had to go down off the mountain and follow Jesus to the cross, so too we must return to the world in service to the Good News. <3>

Jesus calls us to these experiences – to mass every Sunday, to daily mass if possible, to adoration, to retreats and on pilgrimages, and especially now through our Lenten observances of praying, fasting and almsgiving. Why? He calls us to these mountaintop experiences to strengthen us. Indeed, like Peter, James and John who heard the voice of God proclaim, “This my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him,” (Matthew 17:5), God speaks to us too, if only we would listen. Every time we go to mass and we hear, “Behold the Lamb of God”, or when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, or when we hear, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,” we are strengthened so that we can come down off the mountain and go out into the world.

Just like experiencing the Transfiguration wasn’t some private revelation, but rather a powerful witness to be shared, so too are we reminded by the Transfiguration that we are called as disciples to go out into the world. Our mission is twofold: to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone we encounter, especially those nones (those who claim “none” as their religious affiliation on surveys) – we are called to those wandering lost in the world who seem so anxious, so unsettled, and so lonely. But we don’t do this alone. We do this through our communities. So, the other part of our mission is be an active member of our communities. We need to intentionally support our leaders to form our Christian communities because those are the places that anchor us in the turbulent sea of this modern world.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I ask you to reflect on the following two questions this week.

  1. Jesus led Peter, James, and John high up a mountain by themselves. How often do I take time to be with the Lord like in prayer, mass, adoration, retreat or pilgrimage? What distracts me from time with the Lord?
  2. They came down from the mountain. How do I share the graces I receive from my mountaintop experiences like prayer, mass, adoration, retreat or pilgrimage? How do I help build up my spiritual community?

I think doing our homework this week will help all of us as disciples think about what God wants us to do with the blessings we receive on the mountaintop with our communities and with the people we encounter each and every day. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Notes:
<1> Montague, George T., Companion God: A Cross-Cultural Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, New York: Paulist Press, 1989, page 189.
<2> Hahn, Scott. Email, “Listen to Him: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday of Lent,” 2 March 2020.
<3> “Mass Reading & Meditation for March 8, 2020,” Word Among Us, https://wau.org/meditations/ (accessed 2 March 2020).

References:

  1. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
  2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
  3. Montague, George T. First and Second Timothy, Titus. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008.
  4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

  1. Son of God, 444
  2. Transfiguration, 554-56, 568
  3. Predestination, 600, 2012
  4. God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled in Christ, 706
  5. Jesus conquered death, 1019
  6. The call to holiness, 2012-2114, 2028, 2813

Second Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 25
Mass Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030820.cfm

First Reading
Genesis 12:1-4A
The LORD said to Abram:
“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.

“I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.”

Abram went as the LORD directed him.

Responsorial
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Second Reading
2 Timothy 1:8B-10
Beloved:
Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.

Verse Before the Gospel
Matthew 17:5
From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel
Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Posted on

ATC 6 On Change

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote, “To live is to change, and to change often is to become more perfect.”

Welcome to another edition of All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and I’m so happy you’re here! Together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. Today we are going to discuss a question raised by a friend in Switzerland – how the Church addresses change. This question is a great one to discuss in the light of Pope Francis’ post-synodal exhortation on the Amazon, “Querida Amazonia.”

We’ll discuss Querida Amazonia in a future episode, but the point is that the Church seemed on the verge of a large number of changes and that begs the question, how does the Church approach change? Well, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus pointed out, change is the only constant in life. Change is a reality that must be faced. To avoid change can have all sorts of unintended consequences – some more dire than others to be sure.

All of creation is in a constant form of change. It is no different for humans or our institutions. The Church is an interesting phenomenon. There is the eternal form of the Church and the earthly interpretation of the Church. As C.S. Lewis described in the Screwtape Letters, number two, Screwtape tells Wormwood, “I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.” That’s an apt description for the eternal form of the Church. But the human form of the Church, try as it might, is still very far from perfect. So how does the Church make adjustments?

Now, this is an important question because there are many Anglican clergy and laity who joined the Catholic Church in part because the tenants of the Anglican church changed quickly and perhaps too much. So, the mere discussion of change can be a little disconcerting to some, and understandably so.

There have been so many changes in the life the Church that it would be impossible to even try to list them all in this podcast. But perhaps one of the earliest examples of change concerned the questions raised over Paul’s missionary work and the Council of Jerusalem that we find in Act 15. The question was over the admission of Gentiles. Ultimately the Council agreed with Paul but made a few clarifications that would bind future missionary activity to the Gentiles.

As we walk through history, we will continue to see changes in the life of the Church throughout history right up to the present. There are many different ways change happens. Generally, I would say that change in the Church is slow and methodical, but that is not always the case. For example, the Church can change by Papal decree. One example of this is how Joseph was added to the canon in the mass. During the first session of the Second Vatican Council, the elderly and frail Bishop Petar Cule of Yugoslavia gave a long speech for the inclusion of Joseph. The presider, Cardinal Ruffini, cutoff Bishop Cule and moved on to the next speaker. Pope John XXIII, who was watching on close circuit television, on his own authority and without waiting for a recommendation from the bishops ordered Joseph’s name to be immediately added to the canon.

Other times, changes by papal decree are made after an exhaustive and deliberative process including consultations with bishops and theologians. The development of the Catechism and Canon Law are other examples of this process.

There are advisory committees at the Vatican which study various topics and issue reports from time to time. Popes are not required to act on these reports, but the reports can become part of the data used to advance a change over the course of time. Take for example the idea of ordaining women to the diaconate. The International Theological Commission of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has studied this question three times: from 1972-1974 for Paul VI, from 1992-1997 for John Paul II, and from 1997-2002 for both John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Three studies, three popes, but no outcomes. Pope Francis appointed a separate panel of scholars in 2016 to study the question again, and despite recent newspaper articles, I think the jury is still out on that one.

There are synods, special gatherings of bishops along with other clergy, consecrated religious, scholars and the laity to take up a specific set of questions, themes or handle specific disciplinary issues. Often synods are more local, but they can be requested by a Pope. The work of a synod is advisory.

Then there are ecumenical councils. These are gatherings of the world’s bishops generally at the request of a pope to take up questions of Church doctrine or discipline. The work of a council is legally binding on the Church. There have been approximately 21 ecumenical councils from the Council of Jerusalem that we find in Acts 15 that occurred within years of Jesus’ resurrection to the Second Vatican Council. Just over three hundred years mark the time between the Council of Trent (1545-4563) to the First Vatican Council (1870). It takes almost one hundred years before the Second Vatican Council to be called (1962-1965). So, the calling of a council is an extraordinary event, at least in the life of the Church over the last 500 years.

While there certainly are examples of big changes in the life of the Church, most changes are incremental usually occurring over time. Going back to the example of women deacons, while there has been a lot of study and discussion on the topic, some might argue that nothing has changed. But that’s not true. In 2009, Benedict made a small change to canon law to further distinguish deacons from priests. The change clarified that deacons do not act in the person of Christ the Head. Deacons who are empowered to serve the People of God in the ministries of liturgy, the word and charity, act in the person of Christ the servant. On one hand, this sounds like insignificant word play. But it has been suggested that this subtle change in canon law actually did two important things. It placed a codified limit on the priesthood to men and it opened the door to the possibility of women deacons.

I would suggest that this is a sign of an incremental change that may take centuries before it bears fruit. Actually, the entire diaconate is an example of incremental change. For reasons unknown, the diaconate as a separate order dies out sometime during the Middle Ages. It is revived in 1967 (more or less 500 years later) by Paul VI at the recommendation of the Second Vatican Council, but it was limited to men. The question of women deacons has continued to be studied off and on for almost fifty years. While this is disheartening for some, I think it is an example of change in the Church. I think we can describe change in the Church as a deliberative, if not slow, process.

Why?

I think that the Church tries very hard to be an authentic representation of the Christ’s church on earth. That means the Church is sensitive to not get swept away by fads, popularity and emotion. The Church is not in a popularity contest. The Church is about saving souls – period.

I think the Church is also sensitive to moving at pace that is comfortable for the majority. The Church takes seriously the threat of schisms and tries hard to keep the community of the faithful together. If I may use a hiking analogy, the Church tries not to move faster than the slowest person in the group.

Look, change happens. But when change happens in the Church, don’t assume that it is a knee-jerk reaction to anything. Try to remember that a lot of prayer, research, and time went into any change we experience in the Church.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal and next time on All Things Catholic, I think we’ll take up the question of the Amazon Synod and the Pope’s exhortation, “Querida Amazonia”.

You’re listening to All Things Catholic.

This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join us again next time and don’t forget to watch for the weekend edition where we break open the Word. Peace!

References:

  1. McGonigle, Tomas D. and James F. Quigley. A History of the Christian Tradition: From the Reformation to the Present. New York: Paulist Press, 1996.
  2. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
  3. Zagano, Phyllis. “What’s the problem with women deacons?” U.S. Catholic, 26 February 2018, http://www.uscatholic.org/womendeacons, (accessed 3 March 2020).
Posted on

First Sunday in Lent

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Mass Readings

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

First Reading: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Responsorial: Psalm 51:3-6, 12-13, 17
Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19 OR 5:12, 17-19
Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030120.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

As we begin our first Sunday of Lent, we tackle an important social condition that is perhaps at the very core of the spiritual crisis today.

In the first reading from Genesis, we come to the temptation in the Garden, and indeed our second reading is a reflection on this first temptation which lead to the first – the original sin. This is a very important point. Too often we talk about the original sin, but before there was a sin, there was a temptation. What was the first temptation?

As you read the first reading which you’ll find near the bottom of the notes for today’s reflection, I want you to carefully read the interaction between the serpent and Eve. You can almost hear the conversation, can’t you?

What happened in the first chapter of Genesis? God created and he said it was good. Now in chapter two, the serpent says to Eve, “Good? You’re not good! You’re human! Look at you! You’re filthy. You’re disgusting! No, you are not good. But if you want to be good, then you need to eat the fruit of this tree. In fact, if you eat the fruit of this tree, you won’t just be good – you will be like God – no – you will be gods!”

What is the first temptation?

The first temptation is to reject the goodness of God’s creation. We buy into the voices whispering in our ears that we can’t be good. And that leads to the next big temptation – to be gods. What do gods get to do? Gods get to decide right from wrong; good from bad. So, if I do as the first humans did in the Garden – if I turn my back on what God asks of me, then I will be in control and I get to decide good from bad – right from wrong.

We are bombarded all day long with a myriad of voices. It’s impossible to tell the good from the bad. It’s all too easy to give in to the voice we think is good and embrace ourselves – our intellect – our wealth – our accomplishments, and convince ourselves that what we have is the ultimate good.

This, I think, is what Satan tempts Jesus with in today’s Gospel. If Jesus would just turn his back on God, then Jesus can become a god on earth, and he can have untold riches. It will be okay because as a god, Jesus will decide what is right from wrong. He can say that rejecting God’s voice isn’t bad and doing whatever you want whenever you want is good.

This is the at the very heart of relativism. What’s good for me doesn’t have to be good for you. Why? Because in my house, I’m god. In your house, you’re god. So, your rules can be different from mine. There is no such thing as moral Truth. It’s live and let live. And that idea is, quite frankly, intoxicating. But truth is that nothing – not wealth or sex or power or drugs or alcohol – nothing can fill the whole in our hearts except the love of Jesus Christ.

And what do we do with that love? We share it with others. As disciples, our task is to help build God’s Kingdom on earth. So, as disciples we strive to use the gifts and talents we have been given – to develop the best version of ourselves to give people hope and to help make the here and now a better place for everyone.

Is that easy? Is living a life totally in touch with our gifts and talents and totally following the will of the Father easy? No. The experience of the cross tells us that the path for the disciple is not only difficult, but it can be dangerous. But the question before you and before me is about our eternity. No wealth can save us. Only Jesus can save us. So, especially during this season of Lent, we should listen more intently and try to discern not only God’s voice among the myriad of voices we hear, but we should also try to identify and, with the help God provides through our guardian angels and the saints, reject the voices of the enemy. Like our psalmist, we turn to God and we cry out, “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.”

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I ask you to reflect on the following two questions this week.

  1. First, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. How do I test God’s love for me? How can I grow in trust of God?
  2. Second, Behold, angels came and ministered to him. How have I felt God’s care this week? How can I share God’s loving care with those in need?

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

References:

  1. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
  2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
  3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

  1. Temptation of Jesus, 394, 538-540, 2119
  2. “Lead us not into temptation”, 2846-2949
  3. Jesus and the angels, 333
  4. Seductions of the devil, 394-395
  5. The Fall, 385-390, 396-400
  6. Adam, Original Sin, Christ the New Adam, 359, 402-411, 615

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 22
Mass Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030120.cfm

Reading
First Reading Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

Responsorial
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Second Reading
Romans 5:12-19 OR 5:12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

or

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

or if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before The Gospel
Matthew 4:4B
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

ospel
Matthew 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.