Tag: holiness

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Growing in Love and Holiness

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Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Responsorial: Psalm 103 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022320.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

In today’s readings, Jesus continues to challenge the people about what fulfilling the Law means. Fulfilling the Law doesn’t mean doing the absolute minimum or following the pagans who subscribe to retributive justice, like an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. In Leviticus, we hear that God holds the people to a higher standard of conduct. “Be holy for, I the LORD your God am holy,” (Leviticus 19:2). And so, doing just the minimum isn’t gonna cut it.

Jesus explains that to be holy like God is to strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, (Matthew 5:48). What does that mean? That means we need to imitate the perfect love of our heavenly Father, who himself is love, (1 John 4:8).

Let’s look at what that means from the perspective of a married couple. Think about a story you’ve read or a movie or a show which was set in feudal times where there was an arranged marriage planned between an older lord and a young lady. Maybe this was done for some political or monetary advantage right. Well this is probably the dramatic setting of the story that will be resolved by a knight in shining armor who comes along to save the fair maiden. Right? Why? Because this idea of a marriage without love or romance is so depressing.

And a couple cannot grow in love unless that love is challenged by the stuff – the messiness of everyday life. It’s only through a couple growing in love and patience and kindness that they can to one another and, “I screwed up,” “I’m sorry,” and, “I forgive you.” Does that make sense?

Jesus tells us that image of growth in love should be applied not just to our spouses, but by all believers, to everyone all the time everywhere. It’s not enough to subscribe to the idea of an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth. That’s what it means to grow in love and holiness – what it means to emulate the Father.

That’s what St. Paul is talking about in his letter to the Corinthians. It seems like the church there is on the verge of splitting. It seems like the church is being pulled apart by different factions. Boy does that sound familiar. It sounds like our countries and even the Church itself are on the verge of being pulled apart by different factions in our own age. And we risk being pulled apart if we can’t look across the aisle with the love and the compassion of God.

Now these readings which challenge us to grow in love and holiness are particularly important this weekend. Why? Because we’re about to start our Lenten journeys and part of the exercise of Lent is to challenge ourselves to grow. Lent is a great opportunity to do what so many businesses do: pause and do some strategic planning. It’s a time to reflect on what’s worked, what hasn’t worked and what they need to do in the future. Each of us is challenged during Lent to look at our past year honestly – with a critical eye. What did we do this last year? What did we do well? Where did we go wrong? What do I need to change in my life that what will help me grow?

How do I do this? I can grow with the power of the Holy Spirit, and with the strength I draw from the sacraments. As I reflect on my life, I can bring to the Sacrament of Reconciliation those sins or root causes of sin in my life that are preventing me from growing or that are damaging my relationship with God. That leads us to our Lenten sacrifice.

A Lenten sacrifice should challenge us to grow spiritually. Let me suggest that what that can’t be is giving up chocolate. Let’s say you’re the type of person who kicks the dog or bites your sister, or maybe you bite the dog or kick your sister. How will giving up a piece of chocolate like a Dairy Milk help you overcome a sinful pattern in your lives? I don’t think it will. We need to dig deeper and figure out what will challenge me to grow in holiness.

Maybe this year you could go to mass every Sunday? Or maybe you could go to adoration for one hour every month? Maybe you could set aside a little time to pray – I mean really pray to Jesus. What I mean by that is sitting down and just trying to have a conversation with him. You can start out by saying you don’t know what you’re doing or if he’s listening – that’s okay – but just opening yourself up a little to talk with Jesus could be a start. But if we are going to grow in love and holiness, we have to start somewhere.

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

  1. What are the things in my life that are preventing me from growing in love and holiness?
  2. What is my Lenten sacrifice going to be?

I think doing our homework will help prepare us for Lent so that we can grow in the love and holiness of God. Do you got it? Do you get it? Then 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. Montague, George T. SM. First Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011.
  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. Jesus, Lord of the world, 450
  2. Church as temple of the Holy Spirit, 797
  3. Purgatory, 1030-32
  4. Christian perfection, 1693, 2013
  5. Love of enemies, 2303, 2844

Resources:

  1. Learn more about being a Christian steward: http://usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/stewardship/index.cfm

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 79
Mass Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022320.cfm
First Reading Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
The LORD said to Moses,
“Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

“You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD.”

Responsorial
Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Let no one deceive himself.
If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Alleluia
John 2:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand over your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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Feast of All Saints

All-Saints

Today, we celebrate All Saints Day.

Why do we celebrate this day? Why is it important? Do Catholics worship saints? And why is it a holy day of obligation? Good questions! Let’s try to sort things out.

First, and this is important, the saints don’t need us.

Preaching in the 12th century, St. Bernard said, “The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them.1

Second, it’s not about the saints, not really.

It’s about Jesus Christ – period. I don’t mean to oversimplify things, but the stories of the lives of the saints offer us insight into ways in which we can live out our call to holiness in the circumstances and states of life we find ourselves – clergy, consecrated religious, man, woman, child, whatever your state in life, there is a saint out there who’s life might help you see through the darkness and find Jesus Christ. This is why it’s important to remember and to honor the saints – especially on All Saints Day. It’s not for the saints’ benefit. It’s to help us grow in holiness and love for Jesus Christ.

Ok, so what is a saint?

The Catholic Church believes that saints are ordinary and typical human beings who made it into heaven. How does the Church come to believe they are in heaven? Well, the Church teaches that we cannot know for sure who is in hell, but the Church insists that we can come to know who is in heaven. We call these people saints.

So how does the Church come to believe someone in particular is in heaven? Well, the Church employs a process called canonization which analyzes various kinds of evidence; reliable testimony to the person’s extraordinary holiness in this life; indications that the person’s life has drawn others closer to God; and carefully documented miracles occurring after the person’s intercession has been sought. Miracles provide evidence that the person can offer assistance because he or she is now with God in heaven.

How is that even possible?

By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ conquered death. Death no longer has the power to separate those who are in Christ from one another. For this reason, we the living can help those in purgatory through our prayers and sacrifices. Also, those in heaven can help us on earth through their prayers. St. Paul tells us that, “we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ,” (Eph 4:13). We are one body, the body of Christ. So the intercession of the saints is just one way in which Christ’s body reaches out in love: from the living to the living; from the living to the dead; and from the dead, specifically the saints, to the living.

Do Catholics worship saints? Absolutely not! Catholics venerate the saints.

Adoration, from a Christian perspective, is the act of giving ourselves to God as the One to whom we owe the source of our existence. It is an act of absolute submission to Him. He alone, then, is to be adored, to be worshiped.

Veneration is paying honor to a creature of God who deserves such honor. We remember the saints. We honor the saints. But we do not worship saints. Period.

Showing honor is a normal part of human life. We honor the founders of our countries. We name cities after them, we write books about them, we make statues of them and place them in public spaces. We paint and print pictures of them. We speak reverently and gratefully of them on patriotic holidays.

We also honor great scientists, leaders of social movements, artists and musicians. Why? Because it’s a matter of justice to recognize their gifts and contributions to our society, to our culture. These are examples of ways we venerate people in our various communities. Is it really shocking that the Catholic Church venerates the great heroes of our Faith?

Do other cultures honor saints? The short answer is yes. The journalist, Kenneth L. Woodward, points out in his book, Making Saints, that other cultures honor people not unlike Catholics. “The Buddhists venerate their arahants and their bodhisattvas, and, (among Tibetans) their lamas. Hindus revere a bewildering range of divinely human an humanly divine figures, including their personal gurus or spiritual teachers. Muslims have their awliyā’ Allāh (close friends of God) and their revered Sufi masters. Even in Judaism, whos rabbinic leaders have never encouraged veneration of human beings, alive or dead, one finds popular devotion to figures such as Abraham and Moses, assorted martyrs, beloved rabbis, and other tsaddikim, (“just men”), (15-16), (italics and spelling his).2

Why is today a holy day of obligation?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that a holy day of obligation is a day set apart by the Church to worship God. Sundays are holy days of obligation, but there are other days as well, like today (CCC 2185).

So on holy days, we are called to refrain from work and distractions so that we can focus on worship. You know, that idea of slowing down a bit is wildly important more now than ever, I think. On a holy day, the Church is asking us to get off the hamster wheel for a little while: to think about the things we have done wrong and ask forgiveness; to worship God to whom we owe everything; to celebrate the gifts we have, beginning with His Word and His Eucharistic presence; and to share the gifts we have received with other people.

Does that sound familiar? In business, how often do we stop and ask ourselves: what was our goal; how did we do; what do we need to do to execute our goal; and then we go do it. A similar model is at the heart of Christian life. We use words like “examination of conscience” and “discernment” to describe this process, but it is essentially the same. That’s why it’s important to honor all holy days of obligation beginning with participating in the mass every weekend.

I hope this provides a basic idea about All Saints Day, sainthood and holy days of obligation.

Let us pray. Loving and generous Father, the lives of your saints have given testimony to your Son, Jesus Christ. Through their example may we draw closer to him. We ask this with loving hearts and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. +Amen!

Notes

  1. Saint Bernard, abbot, sermon (Sermo 2: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 5 [1968], 364-368).
  2. Woodward, Kenneth L. Making Saints: How the Catholic Church Determines Who Becomes a Saint, Who Doesnt, and Why. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.

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On Gaudete et exsultate

Cover of the booklet Gaudete et Exsultate

My brothers and sisters, I have wonderful news! Pope Francis wrote us a letter. You can read it here for free or you can purchase a copy here! I enjoyed it and I highly recommend you read it!

So, what’s this all about?

Well, Pope Francis gets right to the heart of what it means to be a disciple: we are called to holiness. Wait, me holy? Yes! Keep reading.

What is holiness? To be holy doesn’t mean you need to wear a monastic habit and swoon in mystic rapture (96). Pope Francis tells us that holiness is faithfully living the life God created for you and for me. He warns us not to get stuck in a bland, mediocre existence or a life marked by hedonism and consumerism (1, 108).

But I cannot be holy! Look at me! Look at my life! Pope Francis reminds us that we are all sinners. In a 2013 interview with the editor of Civiltà Cattolica, he was asked, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” After a rather pregnant pause, he replied, “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.”

We are all sinners, but by the grace of God, we experience forgiveness and healing and yes, we can live a holy life. You see, the Easter story is the story of God who does not give up us despite everything we’ve gotten wrong, we get wrong and we will get wrong. The Easter story is about a God who stubbornly pursues us despite our sinfulness. Through the Incarnation, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God restores creation – He sanctifies creation. Easter is a reminder that God looks at you and me and says, “yes!”

To understand how to be a Christian, how to be holy, Pope Francis tells us we needn’t look any further than the Gospel (63-94). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23) which are a portrait of the Father whose love and mercy we are called to reflect in our own lives.

But how can I tell if I’m living a transformed life that emulates the Beatitudes? Jesus tells us that too. In Matthew 25 (vv. 31-46), Jesus gives us the metrics for living a holy life, what Pope Francis calls “the great criterion” (95). “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me,” (rsv-ce vv. 35-36).

It is love that holds the power transform our lives into holy lives. It is love that transforms our piety into holy action. It is love that reflects the love of the Father and helps us to see Jesus reflected in the faces of those around us. Without a lived faith marked by love, we risk Jesus saying to us, “I never knew you,” (Mt 7:23).

Don’t panic! Keep it simple. Holiness can be found all around us and very often right next door. Pope Francis tells us that holiness is found in, “parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant. Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbours, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence,” (7).

But Pope Francis warns us about some of the great challenges that undermine our encounter with the risen Jesus – forces that strive to distract us and to prevent us from living lives transformed by God’s mercy. He tells about the two ancient and ever-present enemies of holiness – modern versions of the heresies of Pelagianism and Gnosticism, saying that these lead to “false forms of holiness” (35).

In the modern form of Gnosticism, he said people believe that faith is purely subjective and that the intellect is the supreme form of perfection. This can lead Catholics to think that “because we know something, or are able to explain it in certain terms, we are already saints,” (45).

In the modern form of Pelagianism, he said the common error is to believe that it is by our own effort that we achieve sanctity. This can lead Catholics to forget that everything in fact “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy,” (Rom. 9:16), (48).

The pope reminds us that “the Church has repeatedly taught that we are justified not by our own works or efforts, but by the grace of the Lord, who always takes the initiative,” (52).

He goes on to remind us that spiritual warfare is real. Jesus equips us powerful weapons for battle: faith-filled prayer, meditation on the word of God, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental Reconciliation, works of charity, community life, and missionary outreach (162). But he warns us that worship and prayer alone or following certain ethical norms are not enough to give glory to God. He writes, “It is true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others,” (104).

To cultivate our spiritual growth, he encourages us to persevere with patience and meekness (112-121). He encourages us to experience joy and to face life with a good sense of humor (122-128). He encourages us to live our Christian lives boldly and passionately (129-139). He reminds us that we are not alone and that real growth in holiness happens within community (140-146). He also encourages us to develop an active prayer life in which we not only speak with the Lord, but we also listen (147-157).

What does he mean by developing a “spirit of prayer” (147)? He recommends we develop the Scriptural habit to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:16-18) and gives us examples from the lives of the saints. He goes on to say that through a prayerful study of Scripture we find Jesus in the Eucharist, “where the written word attains its greatest efficacy, for there the living Word is truly present,” (157).

Finally, he teaches us that our spiritual growth is aided by discernment – to understand whether something is coming from the Holy Spirit or from the devil (166). To put it simply, discernment is a prayerful and thoughtful spiritual exercise to determine whether something comes from God or from the devil (for more information see “Introduction to Discernment of Spirits”).

Am I blessed? Do I find consolation: courage, strength, inspiration, joy, peace (echoing St. Paul’s fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, (Gal 5:22-23))? Or do I feel desolation: anxiety, sadness, fear, restlessness, dryness or emptiness? To learn a little more about consolation and desolation, read my post “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!”

With so many technological distractions consuming all of our time, it is more important than ever to develop the practice of discernment.

Central to discernment is a daily examination of conscience (169). An examination of conscience is not just about reflecting on my shortcomings today. That is important of course, but a daily examen is also about trying to see God’s presence in our lives. Pope Francis teaches us that, “Discernment, then, is not a solipsistic self-analysis or a form of egotistical introspection, but an authentic process of leaving ourselves behind in order to approach the mystery of God, who helps us to carry out the mission to which he has called us, for the good of our brothers and sisters,” (175).

Gaudete et exsultate is a powerful reminder that we are made for so more! We are all called to a life of holiness! Can we get there? Yes and no. On our own, we could never accomplish it. Only by the grace of God are we capable of such an undertaking in this increasingly secular world. As Jesus reminds us, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” (Mt 19:26).

So what are you waiting for?

Jesus, I trust in you!