Faith

*****"When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow the stronger. Let it be so with us. Let us not be weaklings, yielding to every wind that blows, but strong in spirit to resist."
-Amy Carmichael

...and may our roots grow deep in the Lord.

The Twelve Steps for Catholics ~part 3~

Steps Two & Three

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

Steps two and three are a natural progression, once we understand we are nothing without God. When we come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves, which for Catholics is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, can restore us to sanity, we have the beginning of faith. We believe, even though we can’t put our finger on exactly how or when this is going to happen.

Step three is usually where we start to run into problems. We have to make a decision for surrender, which for most of us is alien to our nature. We want to be in control. I have seen people whose lives were a complete shambles balk at conforming to the will of God. If you think this thinking is the province of drunks, just take a quick scan over your day and think about all the times you thought or acted as if your intelligence backed by willpower could control the outcome of a situation.

In the A.A. program, step three leaves the door open for those folks who have never had God in their lives. I have even witnessed atheists (if their really is such a thing), assign the roll of “Higher Power” to the AA group. I used to get rather annoyed at that sort of thing, but have come to understand that each person is on a journey. My only job was to plan and pack for my own trip, not theirs.

To quote from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions: “All of the Twelve Steps require sustained and personal exertion to conform to their principles and so, we trust, to God’s will. It is when we try to make our will conform to God’s will that we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole trouble had been the mis-use of willpower. We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God’s intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the purpose of A.A.’s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions.”

Holy Spirit 101

I was quite advanced in age before I had a fairly firm grasp of the importance of the Holy Spirit. When I was confirmed, I certainly knew that the Holy Spirit was going to confer all sorts of wonderful gifts on me. I knew He was the third person of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with the Father and the Son. And I knew He was worshipped and glorified because I said so every Sunday at Mass.

I never thought much about what the Spirit’s part was in my baptism. Since I was an infant at the time of baptism, I just grew up assuming all things were in order. Pretty soon, I came to see the work of the Spirit in the creation and Pentecost, and moved a bit beyond the idea that the Spirit looked like a dove or tongues of flame on the heads of the apostles, although those are valid and very fine images.

But what does the Holy Spirit do? Just as the Holy Spirit is the last person of the Trinity to be revealed, so it was also last to be understood by my mind. One day in what could only be called an epiphany, I knew what the Holy Spirit did. My faith and my knowledge of the Father and the Son were only possible because of the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit that communicated these things to me.

The Holy Spirit is like the UPS deliveryman of heaven. God has a warehouse full of gifts for me, and He entrusted their delivery to the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who reveals the Son. Because of this, the missions of the Son and the Spirit are inseparable. We see Christ, but it is the Spirit who has revealed Him.

It is on that day we call Pentecost that the Holy Spirit is fully revealed to us. The Spirit prepares us just as he prepared Mary to be the Mother of God, and made it possible for John the Baptist, still in the womb of St. Elizabeth, to recognize Christ in Mary’s womb. When we pray, it is the Spirit who opens our hearts and minds. St. Paul tells us that we cannot even say, "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3).

It is the Spirit we encounter in the sacraments. Baptism makes us temples of the Holy Spirit, and in the Eucharist, we pray to the Father, "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ." In Confirmation, the bishop anoints us with oil and says, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

If you are having a hard time in prayer or feeling discouraged, you must become “like a little child” and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. When you are in the state of grace, it is the Holy Spirit who lives in you. Let the Spirit fill you with the love of Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.

And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Additional reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church: I Believe in the Holy Spirit, EWTN – Holy Spirit

Called by God

In just a few weeks, the participants in this year’s RCIA classes at our parish will celebrate the Rite of Election. Our Bishop will be here and the Catechumens will sign the Book of the Elect signifying their next step in the journey to becoming a Catholic.

Every Monday night since last Easter, these fine people have spent Monday evenings with our pastor and a team of teachers. I am aware that not all RCIA programs are created equally. As I surf the web, it becomes apparent that many, if not most, RCIA programs place most of the emphasis on feelings, and very little on what I like to call the “nuts and bolts” of Catholicism.

At our church, we believe that a person who actually signs up for RCIA has at least a passing knowledge of what a Christian is, and is not clueless when it comes to how a Christian should live. That being the case, we move rapidly past that period loosely referred to as the “inquiry.” They are given a Catechism and the process becomes twofold - a conversion of heart, and a conversion of the intellect.

Through attendance at Mass and through prayer, having been taught some methods of discernment, their hearts are opened to the mysteries of God and His saving grace. This is the “feeling” part of becoming a Catholic. Feelings are not bad things to have but they are subject to change. If someone were to base their entire conversion experience on feelings, there would not be a lot for them to grab hold of when the first “dark night of the soul” rolled around.

It is the “nuts and bolts” that keep us moving forward when feelings have taken a mid-winter vacation. It is the authority, given by God, to the Catholic Church that allows her (the Church) to say, “I’m sorry if your feelings are not up to par today. That is why I gave you guidelines and rules. You see, I appealed to your intellect in order to win your heart.”

This year, as in years past, when our Catechumens take the next step at the Rite of Election, they will know intellectually why they are signing that book. And they will feel the words of scripture proclaimed that day from John 17;

Lifting up His eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in Your name that you have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are one.”

“As you sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate Myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth”.

Don't permit your misery or defeats to depress you. Rather let them be steps by which you descend the deep mine where we find the precious gem of holy humility.
-- St. Paola Frassinetti

I bumped into this quote yesterday quite by accident, and it made me stop what I was doing and ponder the meaning. During the Christmas season, we see so much depression, due in part to setting such high standards for what we expect to happen. Craving a picture perfect “Brady Bunch” holiday, we often get “The Munster’s Wreck Christmas.” We are tired from all the running around, and Christmas day itself becomes a let down.

We alcoholics know this well and always plan round-the-clock AA meetings during the major holidays. It is a chance for people of like mind to gather together and share the spirit of Christmas.

Barring a medical problem, for which one needs to see a good physician, what we call “depression” is really dissatisfaction and disappointment, which is a submersion into self. When we turn inward, without intending to seek improvement, or when we want to blame others for our disappointment, we are practicing a perfect prescription for unhappiness.

Take time to examine the areas of your life that could use some improvement. Also, take time to recognize when God has been working overtime to bless and keep you safe. Recognize the struggles for what they really are – a time of growth in holiness

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.


The advice on today’s morning programs on TV was how to accomplish all our last minute shopping. Today, for many, will be a day of hustle and bustle as the count down to Christmas begins.

Yet the Gospel for today, The Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), tells a much different story. Mary quietly reflects on what God has done for her. She tells us that she is “the handmaid of the Lord.” She recognizes that God has done great things for her and without Him she is nothing. She is a reflection of His glory and that is why we call her blessed.

Mary perfectly cooperated with the work of salvation through faith and obedience and she is the best example of how we should live our lives. Do your duties today with joy in your heart that God has also done great things for you.

Prayer

    Prayer as a subject keeps coming up because we in the blogoshere seem to be forever talking about it. We ask for prayers, offer prayers, tell others to pray, and relate what we are praying about. Many of the people reading this may feel pretty inadequate when it comes to their prayer life.

    The word "Pray" comes from the Latin word precari, which simply means to entreat or ask. Our Catechism lists five types of prayer: Blessing and Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving, and Praise. These types of prayers can be accomplished in the form of vocal prayer, meditation, or contemplative prayer.

    For years, I have attempted to read every book on prayer, including some by excellent Protestant authors. After all, Catholics don’t hold a patent on praying. And the result of all this reading? A whole lot of information and very little praying.

    Spending too much time analyzing and not enough time doing will produce prayer that will become a duty and a chore. Take a look back at the five types of prayer. Take a few moments each day to simply bless and adore God for who He is. Ask Him for what you need and forgiveness for what you may have done. Of course, don’t forget to thank Him for what He has already given you, ask for help for your friends, and simply recognize who He is – the one who creates and sustains all life.

    If you don’t think you are getting what you need from your prayer, or you are not praying well enough, you are too focused on yourself. We live in a society that promotes the concept of the importance of self. When we complain about our prayer life, we may be searching for an “experience.” We think we are not “holy enough” if something dramatic doesn’t happen. If you recall Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, you will “see” many dramatic things taking place, none of which included an obvious answer to all His prayer. There were no bolts of lightning or exploding rocks. If anything, God the Father seemed pretty quiet. Should we expect more than the Son of God?

Discernment

   Over the past week or so, we’ve talked about some of the ways God speaks to us. I have not covered all the ways, nor delved very deeply into the ones we did discuss. I expect my readers to do further research on their own, and my only purpose is to get the ball rolling.

   Which brings us to discernment. I used to hear this word and immediately think of “spirits” as in witches and warlocks. After spending a year on my Ignatian Retreat, I had a much better appreciation of not only what discernment really was, but the importance of developing a keen eye for the truth.

   Discernment simply means that we exhibit sound insight and good judgment. We tend to be good at this when it comes to everyday objects or occurrences. If we don’t like a certain food, for instance, we don’t eat it. If we are cold, we put on a sweater.

   Yet, when it comes to our immortal soul, we often exhibit far less care. We live in an age of information overload. If you are reading this, you have probably already checked out the number of Catholic websites, blogs, and news agencies. Some of them are a source of great wisdom and some are a scandalous barrage of nonsense.

   And, let us not forget that “oracle of wisdom”, Oprah Winfrey and her ilk, which would have you believing you “have the power.” The messages of the quasi-New Agers and “feel good” merchants of deception are swaying far too many Catholics. New Age practices and thinking is no longer creeping into our churches; it is now a full gallop. Now, more than ever, discernment is needed.

   How do you protect yourself, gentle reader, from information that is not in tune with Catholic teaching? Well, first you must discern what is right and what is wrong, and to do that you must know your Catholic faith. It is part of developing that well-formed conscience we talked about yesterday.

   Try starting with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I’m shocked at the number of Catholics who do not own, nor have even read the Catechism. If you like your information on-line you will find the entire Catechism right in front of your nose. Catholic Culture provides reviews of Catholic websites that can be very helpful. Find a spiritual advisor who is authentically Catholic to help you discern.

   And, don’t forget prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you travel your road of conversion. I can’t say this often enough; conversion is not a one-time event – it is a life long commitment to growth and change.

God Calling

I have the same hope in God as they themselves have that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous.
Because of this, I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Acts 24:15-16

As we continue to look at the ways God speaks to us we come to conscience. The Catholic Church teaches us to follow our conscience. But, in order for us to make moral and ethical decisions, we must first have a well-formed conscience.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.

Many Catholics have gotten themselves in deep trouble for not having, or even attempting to have, a conscience that is formed to the word of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. I refer to it as “willful ignorance.” Many of us have fooled ourselves by doing what is convenient or “feels good” rather than what God demands of us.

When we are tempted to sin, God speaks to us through our conscience. If you are listening, the call of God to do what is good rather than evil is strong. If we ignore this call, it will become harder and harder to hear.

Prayer for God’s Help in Daily Actions

Our Father, may everything I do begin with Your Inspiration,
Continue with Your Help.
And reach perfection under Your Guidance.
With Your loving care guide me in my daily actions.
Help me to persevere with love and sincerity.
Teach me to judge wisely the things of earth And to love the things of Heaven.

Called to be Holy

When I did the year long Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL), I was most taken by the call of Isaiah (Is. 6:1-13). The first reason was my fascination with the Seraphim. Six wings are pretty impressive, and I went on a search for a likeness of this amazing creature. My search eventually landed me at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Picayune, Mississippi. They have beautiful statues of the Seraphim on each side of their altar.

Once I had satisfied my pathological “need to know” about the Seraphim I had to address this business of being “called.” I had already come to understand that not only had God always known me, but also everyone else. Not only had I always existed, but also God had a plan for me, just as He does for each of you, gentle reader. This can be a comforting truth, especially if you think yourself useless.

We’re told quite often our first and most important calling is to be holy. It is through our calling that we work toward our holiness. Some of us will have conspicuous callings and others will labor for the Kingdom of God in a more subdued manner. Not everyone can be the star on the top of the Christmas tree. Some of us have to be little ornaments. But together we make up the whole beauty of the tree.

Believe then, the Word of God. You are uniquely chosen, prepared, and guided. When we pray and ask “Thy will be done”, we are taking the first step toward fulfilling our destiny.

Meditation for the day: Isaiah 6:1-13 The Call of Isaiah and Isaiah 45:1-13 to see how God called Cyrus by name and prepared his ways.

Holy Spirit at Work

My apologies for being so lax with my posts – not that I think they will make or break anyone’s day. I have still been able to read and appreciate all of your posts, and for that I give thanks.

My lady friend mentioned in my Oct. 26 post needed attention as to her living conditions. She has nursing help coming in, but she really needed to be where she could have more human contact. The retirement apartments most often recommended and already visited by another friend seemed to be the best option.

I called this morning and an apartment had just become available today. We buzzed by after her doctor appointment and we were both dazzled. There is a beautiful dining room, many wonderful activities, and transportation to doctor appointments, shopping, and other outside activities. Her apartment is a studio and has a wonderful view of the enclosed garden area. She wrote out a deposit check on the spot and will be able to move in when the painting is complete and new carpet is installed.

Another friend, who thinks he’s an atheist, was along and he remarked about how lucky we were. No Nameless friend, that’s not luck - that’s how the Holy Spirit works.

Are we not blessed to be able to see the hand of God at work in our lives??

Can You Get Excited?

Bishop Zubik's 1st Homily as Pittsburgh's Bishop

September 28, 2007

We all need to hear what Bishop Zubik has to say. Go here and listen to a wonderful speaker with a wonderful message for all of us. The heart of the message starts at about 7:15. Feel free to jump forward.

Erica's Story

As we came down our road one night early last summer, a little creature hopped across the road. I thought it was a rabbit and was pretty amazed, as we had never had rabbits on or around our five acres before.

It was several more days before I saw the tiny cat in our back field and realized it was the hopping creature I had seen. For many days I saw the little cat but could not get close to her. She was wearing a collar so I wasn’t too concerned. After a few weeks, I decided to feed her. When I could finally pet her, I was shocked to discover she was a skeleton wearing a fur coat.

As the weather became colder, she was given a bed in the barn. Soon the bed was put in a large insulation-wrapped cardboard box, and shortly thereafter, my own heating pad made its way into the bed. By now she had a name; Erica.

Every day Erica sat by our back door and gazed into the house already populated with two dogs and another cat. Her face said it all, “I want to be part of this family.” One night the temperature was to drop very low and yes, gentle reader, Erica was allowed to sleep in my office. As I write this she is curled in a ball on her very own table next to my computer.

I’ve thought often of the faith that little scraggly cat demonstrated. She knew in her little animal “soul” that she would have what she desired. She was always calm and quiet as she watched through that door. Her persistence and patience paid off.

How would our lives change if we had just a little bit of the faith Erica had; if we could gaze through the eyes of faith at Our Lord with calmness and quiet? How would it feel if we absolutely knew, with no reservations, that the Faith of Our Fathers – the Catholic faith -- contained all the answers we would ever need?

Erica taught me about patience, persistence, and most importantly, about the power of faith. Be vigilant, gentle reader, for you never know who or what is going to teach you a lesson.

P.S. Erica is named after the Phantom of the Opera, Erik, to whom she bears a striking resemblance.

Non-Denominational Bible Study?

Unfortunately, I’m seeing more and more Catholics attending what they call “non-denominational Bible studies." Attendees are almost always ladies who are probably more attracted to the social aspect of such gatherings than by what they may learn about scripture. In most cases they are the only Catholics attending.

My usual response to this information is, “there is no such thing as a non-denominational Bible study; it is either Catholic or it’s not Catholic.” When questioned about how they deal with such passages as John 20:23 concerning the Sacrament of Penance or, Matthew 16:18-19, with all that pesky Peter/Rock stuff, their answer is, “they just don’t go there.” Huh? You’re going to have Bible study with whole parts left out because you may disagree?

The saddest part of this scenario is that the folks attending these non-Catholic Bible studies are usually the ones who know the least about their faith. If they knew their faith, they wouldn’t be there. So, here they are, sitting ducks for the other attendees to “kick sand in the eyes of their faith.” Are the non-Catholics bad people? Of course not. What they are is people who have a faith based on “Bible only” and they are going to do their best to help their poor deluded Catholic friends. Many times they help them right out of the one, true Church.

How much better, gentle reader, to start a Bible study in your church, or at least, coerce someone else to start one. I’m good at that! Non-Catholics recognize the need for community and use Bible study gatherings to good effect. Let’s learn a lesson from them, and some scripture, too.

By the way – we are not a “denomination” (which means “to take a new name”); we are the Church. Those who are separated from the Church are members of denominations.

It's a Matter of Faith

What is faith? In Hebrews 11-1 it says, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”

I was blessed to have experienced a first rate Catholic education by way of Catholic grade school and Catholic high school. I was also blessed to have a first rate Catholic Mom who really knew her stuff. Almost daily we had wonderful theological type discussions around the house, but often we got to the place where my Mom’s answer was always, “it’s a matter of faith”. For a young person, that was the equivalent of; “Because I said so”. It was the signal there was to be no more discussion on that subject. Accept what I am telling you and believe it – because it is true and, “because I said so”.

And accept it I did, because it was true. Now, wasn’t that simple, gentle readers? When we turn into big people we have this need to make everything so complicated. We fret and stew over every little truth presented to us. We don’t study up on all this God stuff because it’s interesting or fun. Oh no, we rip it down to its tiniest molecule, pin it up on a board like a dead butterfly, and then congratulate ourselves for having “found” faith.

That’s not how we “get” faith. Faith is a gift from God. If you’re waiting for it to come to you by way of a burning bush, you may have a very long wait. God gifted me with faith through my Mother and the Sisters who taught me at school. Your faith may come through another quiet little source, but only if you ask and are prepared to get your ego out of the way.