Category Archives: Parish Life

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

[Week 7 of the Imagination in Action reflection series. Theme this week: True Faith]

Is magic real? If so, what is its truest expression? These questions stand at the heart of Susanna Clarke’s 2004 novel “Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.” The story is set in the 1800’s in an alternate history of England in which magic once existed. It follows various scholars of magic as they seek to reawaken the practice. I found this book fascinating, and in large measure because of the reflection that it offers on living faith. (Note: there is also a miniseries adaptation available on Netflix. It is not bad, but varies in a number of ways from the book and loses some of my favorite parts).

The first two paragraphs of the book provide a good context for how we can make a parallel with faith:

Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians. They met upon the third Wednesday of every month and read each other long, dull papers upon the history of English magic.

They were gentleman-magicians, which is to say they had never harmed any one by magic – nor ever done any one the slightest good. In fact, to own the truth, not one of these magicians had ever cast the smallest spell, nor by magic caused on leaf to tremble upon a tree, made on emote of dust to alter its course or changed a single hair upon any one’s head. But, with this one minor reservation, they enjoyed a reputation as some of the wisest and most magical gentlemen in Yorkshire.

After this, the chapter describes how one of the meetings was disrupted by the question of why they never practiced magic, and the many excuses offered by the members of the society. They saw practicing what they studied as undignified and beneath their social station. Here we can see a parallel with the strength that faith once possessed in England, and the way that many of the “gentleman-theologians” of the 1800s had continued to study faith, but merely as something historically interesting, and not a living part of their life. Modifying the questions I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we can first ask “Is faith real?” Then, “What does its true expression look like in our lives?”

Is faith real?

I think many people discount faith because they think of it in terms of “blind faith.” I dislike this phrase because I do not think it is accurate to Christian belief. “Blind faith” implies believing something without evidence, and can easily lead into unhealthy or destructive expressions of belief. Although it is true that faith ultimately requires a step of belief, we do not make this step “blind” but can look at motives of credibility (reasons to believe). We might look at the predictions of Christ in the Old Testament (existing long before Jesus walked the earth) or accounts of His miracles. But, I think the most compelling is to look at the Resurrection and the transformation of the Apostles.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then why does Christianity exist? Some religions were the development of folk myths that did not face any particular challenge from the surrounding culture (eg the belief in the Greek gods). We can look at other religions that were accompanied by gains in wealth, military power, or public prestige in their early years. While it is true that after the time of Emperor Constantine Christianity became publicly accepted and there was the temptation to profess faith simply for its worldly benefits, this was almost 300 years after the time of Christ and cannot explain the origins of Christianity. The early followers of Christ had to embrace serious public difficulties in accepting the faith.

We have many writings from the first century of Christianity (many overlapping with the life of the Apostles) that we can look at – St Polycarp of Smyrna, St Ignatius of Antioch, St Irenaeus of Lyons, St Justin Martyr, or the letter of the Roman Governor Pliny to Emperor Trajan (to give a few examples). So, it is not credible to say that the account of Christ’s life was manufactured hundreds of years after His lifetime when there was no means of knowing the truth.

Most of all, I think we have to look at the transformation of the Apostles. St John Chrysostom points out that we have to wonder why they were afraid to follow Jesus while He lived (running away at the time of the crucifixion), but were bold to profess Him after His death. Why suffer and die for something you knew was a lie? Likewise, the claim that they all had the exact same hallucination and all held firm to it to the end seems hard to believe. These could have been disproven in the early years by presenting the body of Jesus still in the tomb. I think the most credible explanation is that they did encounter the risen Christ, and this was the source of their transformation. Therefore, we are not asked to accept a “blind faith,” but one that rests on solid witness.

What does faith’s true expression look like in our lives?

This leads us to our next question in regards to true faith: its lived experience. Returning to “Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell,” we see that even if some of the magicians believed that magic actually had existed, it had no impact in their life. They felt more pressure to follow the social conventions of their time than what they studied. This is likewise a great challenge to us today. The obstacle to faith in many people may not be historical questions about the Resurrection, but the poor witness that we as Christians sometimes give. St James writes in the Bible that, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). True faith is built upon confidence in the words of Christ, and it is expressed in allowing transformation in our life. Too often we hold back in fear from letting go of the worldly promises for happiness: power, popularity, possessions, or pleasure. We see the good fruit of faith in the lives of saints and holy people we know, but aren’t ready (or sure) how to follow them.

I don’t write this to discourage anyone in their faith, but for encouragement to embrace the season of Easter. The transformation of the lives of the Apostles is not described as happening in a single day. Instead, Jesus spends forty days with them until the Ascension, strengthening them in their new-found faith. He then instructs them to spend nine days in prayer before receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (the fiftieth day). It is at this point that we see them sent forth to begin preaching.

So, if our assessment of our life of faith right now leaves us feeling down, let us remember that Easter is not a single day. It is a season that stretches across those same fifty days that the Apostles experienced. It is a time to ask the Lord to give us strength and confidence, as well as a deeper outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is difficult to do alone, and so I am going to change the focus of my reflections leading up to Pentecost. During Lent I looked mainly at our personal spiritual life. During Easter I will look at the mission of a parish and how connection with our parish helps to nourish this transformation of faith. God bless!

The Slow Regard of Silent Things

[Week 2 of the “Imagination in Action” reflection series. Theme this week: Prayer]

“The Slow Regard of Silent Things” by Patrick Rothfuss is admittedly a strange short story. He himself begins the foreword by writing, “You might not want to buy this book.” It is a poetic, bittersweet tale written from the perspective of a young woman (Auri) who lives by herself in a forgotten and ruined set of rooms beneath a university (this story is set in the same world as his book “The Name of the Wind”). Although I agree with his assessment that this book is an odd one, I am very thankful that I came across it! I believe it paints a powerful picture of the practice of contemplative prayer.

For many people I think prayer comes across like a burden. Living a life dedicated to prayer sounds about as interesting as living a life dedicated to completing homework assignments. We undertake the task because we believe it can bring some benefit, but we don’t find the experience pleasant or life-giving. I think it is fair to acknowledge that there is indeed an aspect of what the desert fathers saw as “the spiritual combat” in prayer, particularly in prayers of petition. It is not always easy and requires discipline. However, this is far from the only aspect of prayer, and it is not the end goal. The end goal of prayer is union with God. Prayer draws out expressions of petition and contrition, but should also draw us to thanksgiving and praise. Prayer can give illumination to the mind and fire to the heart. It can become the lifeblood of our day when we realize its deeper potential.

I see a vision of this in Rothfuss’ short story. Auri has been led to live in this desolate place by some past tragedy (the exact details are only hinted at). Rather than finding mere isolation she has encountered a mission: setting the ruins in order. She has come to appreciate the “slow regard of silent things.” She describes this mission as being someone that “tended to the proper turning of the world.” For example, in the story she finds a gear from a broken machine and dedicates herself to finding its right place. She likewise seeks to discern how to arrange the things in her room and whether objects are for her use or to save for gifts. In all of this we begin to get the sense that this is not just the manifestation of an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but that Auri really has the ability to see the significance of things that others miss. Her patient dedication to observing the world has given her a clarity about life that few possess. The Spanish translation of this story calls it “La Música del Silencio” (“The Music of Silence”) – something Auri can hear that others cannot. She gains strength by working with the nature of the world rather than trying to force it to conform to her whims.

In this way, I think the story paints a picture of contemplative prayer. Her life in many ways is like that of a religious sister in a convent. However, this life isn’t limited only to one who has a similar amount of time available. It isn’t just a matter of the quantity of time we can dedicate to prayer (which may be much more limited in our own circumstances), but of the quality of our prayer time. It concerns carving out some space (whenever and however we are able) to allow this transformation to take place. There are many aids to entering into this experience – e.g. praying in the Liturgy, with Scripture, Eucharistic Adoration, the rosary, listening to music, or looking at religious artwork. Our goal is to discern how to apply it to our circumstances.

How can we re-imagine the way that we view prayer in our life? How can we re-imagine our parish as a better school for prayer? Prayer is something that we should look forward to with hope, instead of dread. May the Lord bless us in our own efforts to practice this “slow regard,” and to encounter the grace prepared within!

The Monsters and the Critics

[Week 1 of the “Imagination in Action” reflection series. Introduction to the series.]

JRR Tolkien is best known for writing The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, his main career was not as an author – this was a sort of side-hobby for him. Instead, he was a professor of Anglo-Saxon language (aka Old English) at Oxford. Beowulf (an epic Old English poem) was a key area of study for him. It tells the tale of a hero named Beowulf that arrives to save a kingdom from the attacks of a demonic creature named Grendel (and Grendel’s mother), and then at the end of his life must also defend against an attack by a dragon. Beowulf slays the dragon, but dies of his wounds.

Tolkien gave a famous lecture on this story, which was later published as an essay called “The Monster and the Critics.” Here Tolkien responded to critics that complained that the story of Beowulf was too simplistic for an epic. Rather than the grand travels of something like the Odyssey by Homer, it only talked about a couple of battles against monsters. In response to this critique Tolkien argued that by limiting its scope it actually widened its applicability. He wrote that, “It glimpses the cosmic and moves with the thought of all men concerning the fate of human life and efforts.” The monsters could be seen to represent the struggles of the beginning and end of life, and hinted at the supernatural aspect of faith. Putting the “monsters” in the forefront of the story was a deliberate choice based on what the author wanted to convey.

This connects with a general principle that Tolkien believed about ancient myths/legends. In one of his letters he wrote, “I believe that legends and myths are largely made up of ‘truth,’ and indeed present aspects of it that can only be received in this mode.” He is not saying that Bilbo Baggins or Beowulf existed historically, but that their stories tell true things about our world. Some of these truths might be obscured by the complexity of life. By setting the stories in a fictional world, an author can help us to see our world in a different light. Tolkien sought to follow this ancient pattern of myth and legend in the way that he wrote the Lord of the Rings. He wanted a story that highlighted many of the real struggles of life through the “sub-creation” of an alternate reality.

My appreciation for Tolkien has only grown as I’ve read these other works of his that explain his vision and philosophy of “myth.” It sparks my imagination to enjoy stories both in themselves and in the ways they illuminate reality. It also explains why certain stories, very simple in themselves, can have such a powerful impact on us. And, ultimately, I think it helps us to understand why the Word was made Flesh, and lived among us. The life of Christ brings together all of these glimpses at truth in the actual course of human events, and invites us to see our life in this larger dimension.

“The Search” Parish Study

This week we are beginning an online study called “The Search!” I thought I’d give a little explanation of it here to help build connections.

It is produced by the Augustine Institute, and available through their formed.org streaming service. This is a great, user-friendly way to connect with a lot of high-quality materials for growing in faith (it uses the same interface as Netflix, which probably helps for many!). It can be used through your web browser or through an excellent app. St Malachy/St Elizabeth parishioners can get a free log-in by noting that they belong to the parish on the log-in screen, otherwise you may need to check with your local parish to see about availability.

Out of all of the series on the website, why did I choose to start with “The Search?” I think it provides an excellent step-by-step reflection on our search for God, and therefore is a great resource for anyone, no matter where they are on the spectrum of faith. As we go through the seven videos in the series, we are asked to begin our reflection on the desires of the human heart and our identity. The topics then move through the encounter with God, our encounter with Jesus Christ, and our encounter with the Catholic Church. Along the way we are able to reflect on the reasons for our belief as well as make/deepen a personal connection.

Each Sunday I will share a link to the next excerpt on my social media (see the links on the sidebar of the main page of this website), and each Thursday I will host a discussion on Facebook live at 5:30pm (6pm en español). All are welcome! If you’re not able to join this live, the recap will be available to view on Facebook/YouTube.

Here is a short excerpt (four minutes) from the first video, which should be accessible to all: http://watch.formed.org/videos/the-search-excerpt-what-do-you-seek (the full twenty minute version is available on formed.org).

También hay una versión en español: http://watch.formed.org/videos/thesearch-ep1-formed-esp-1

I hope you can take part in this reflection, God bless!

Prayer Service in Time of Sickness (bilingual)

Begin with the Sign of the Cross. In the Name of the Father…

Leader: Let us call to mind the presence of God as we listen to these words of Scripture:

[It is recommended to use the Gospel from the Mass of the day, which can be found by clicking the date on the calendar on US Conference of Bishops website, http://www.usccb.org. Otherwise, this reading from Matthew 8:23-27 or another reading may be used instead]

And when [Jesus] got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Leader: In a spirit of confidence let us continue with prayers of petition. [Note: the italics in the petitions mark the responses]

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

For an end to spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 and every other illness, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who are ill, that they may be given strength and recover, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who care for the sick, and all those working on a cure or vaccine, that they may be successful, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For our family and friends, the poor, and for all those in particular need right now, that they may be protected from harm and illness, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For all who have died and for those that mourn the loss of loved ones, that they may be given peace, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For all of us, that we may grow in faith and conversion to the Lord during this time, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

[Optional: For any other intentions that you would like to share…]

Let us pray for all of these petitions in the words that our Savior taught us, Our Father, Who art in heaven…

Let us also ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of the Sick. Hail Mary, full of grace…

We end by expressing our confidence in the power of the Most Holy Trinity as we pray, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son…

Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, by the grace of your Holy Spirit cure the illnesses of your servants. Heal their sicknesses and forgive their sins; expel all afflictions of mind and body; mercifully restore them to full health, and enable them to resume their former duties, for you are Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

St Malachy, pray for us.

St Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us.

St Sebastian, pray for us.

All angels and saints, pray for us.

 Prayer of Spiritual Communion:

Appropriate to pray daily, and especially at a time you would normally attend Mass.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Prayer of Adoration of Jesus in the Tabernacles of the World:

May the heart of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored, and loved at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even until the end of time. Amen.

 

Servicio de oración en tiempo de enfermedad

Comience con la Señal de la Cruz En el Nombre del Padre…

Líder: Recordemos la presencia de Dios al escuchar estas palabras de la Biblia:

[Se recomienda utilizar el Evangelio de la Misa del día, que se puede encontrar en las “Lecturas del Día” en el sitio web de la Conferencia de Obispos de EE. UU., http://www.usccb.org. De lo contrario, esta lectura de Mateo 8: 23-27 u otra lectura puede usarse en su lugar]

Subió [Jesús] a la barca y sus discípulos le siguieron. De pronto se levantó en el mar una tempestad tan grande que la barca quedaba tapada por las olas; pero él estaba dormido. Acercándose ellos le despertaron diciendo: «¡Señor, sálvanos, que perecemos!» Díceles: «¿Por qué tenéis miedo, hombres de poca fe?» Entonces se levantó, increpó a los vientos y al mar, y sobrevino una gran bonanza. Y aquellos hombres, maravillados, decían: «¿Quién es éste, que hasta los vientos y el mar le obedecen?»

Líder: En un espíritu de confianza, continuemos con oraciones de petición. [Nota: las cursivas en las peticiones marcan las respuestas]

Señor ten piedad. Señor ten piedad.

Cristo, ten piedad. Cristo, ten piedad.

Señor ten piedad. Señor, ten piedad.

Por el fin de la propagación del coronavirus COVID-19 y cualquier otra enfermedad, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

Por todos los que están enfermos, para que se les den fuerzas y se recuperen, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

Para todos los que cuidan a los enfermos, y todos los que trabajan en una cura o vacuna, para que tengan éxito, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

Por nuestra familia y amigos, los pobres, y por todos aquellos en necesidad particular ahora, para que puedan estar protegidos, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

Por todos los que han muerto y por aquellos que lloran la pérdida de sus seres queridos, para que se les dé paz, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

Para todos nosotros, para que podamos crecer en la fe y la conversión al Señor durante este tiempo, roguemos al Señor. Te lo pedimos, Señor.

[Opcional: Para cualquier otra intención que le gustaría compartir …]

Oremos por todas estas peticiones en las palabras que nuestro Salvador nos enseñó: Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo …

Pidamos también la intercesión de la Santísima Virgen María, Ayuda de los Enfermos: Dios te salve, María…

Terminamos expresando nuestra confianza en el poder de la Santísima Trinidad: Gloria al Padre y al Hijo …

Señor Jesucristo, nuestro Redentor, por la gracia de tu Espíritu Santo, cura las enfermedades de tus siervos. Cura sus enfermedades y perdona sus pecados; expulsar todas las aflicciones de la mente y el cuerpo; restaura misericordiosamente a su salud completa, y les permite reasumir sus deberes anteriores, Tú que vives y reinas por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

San Malaquias, ruega por nosotros.

Santa Isabel de Hungría, ruega por nosotros.

San Sebastián, ruega por nosotros.

Todos los ángeles y santos, rueguen por nosotros.

Oración de Comunión espiritual:

Apropiado para rezar diariamente, y especialmente a la hora en que normalmente asistirías a misa.

Jesús mío, creo que estás presente en el Santísimo Sacramento. Te amo por encima de todas las cosas y deseo recibirte en mi alma. Como ahora no puedo recibirte sacramentalmente, entra al menos espiritualmente en mi corazón. Te abrazo como si ya estuvieras allí, y me uno completamente a ti. Nunca permitas que me separe de ti. Amén.

Oración de Adoración de Jesús en los Tabernáculos del Mundo:

Que el Sagrado Corazón de Jesús en el Santísimo Sacramento sea alabado, adorado y amado en cada momento, en todos los tabernáculos del mundo, incluso hasta el fin de los tiempos. Amén.

Why Stained Glass Windows are Wonderful

It is always a very odd experience for me to go into a church that has clear glass windows (it’s rare, but does happen). Even though I don’t think about it often, it drives home the fact that almost every church has stained glass windows. Rather than seeing the outside world, you are drawn into the story of the church you have entered. This is different than the type of story being told by a casino (which often does not give vision to the outside world, either). In that case, the lack of windows seeks to dull the mind and prevent the patron from remembering outside responsibilities. Stained glass windows, in contrast, are not about dulling the mind or trapping the person. The purpose is to elevate the soul to see past the immediate demands of daily life, and return back to our responsibilities with minds refreshed.

Stained glass windows acknowledge that we as human beings are easily distracted. We can probably all remember times in school when a window became a distraction to staying focused on the lesson! Not only does the stained glass keep us from the distraction of outside things, it also gives us something to reflect on when our minds wander. When our attention drifts from what is happening in the liturgy, the windows give us something better to contemplate than our to-do list. The Scripture scene or saint depicted in it can help draw us into prayer despite our wondering thoughts! As human beings we need more than just words to feed us. Beauty speaks to us about other truths of our faith, and can draw us to an encounter with God. Our imagination gives us another avenue to enter into reflective prayer.

So, the next time your mind wanders in church and you get sidetracked looking at windows, give thanks that the design had your situation in mind!

Installation as Pastor

Today I was honored to be officially installed as the Pastor of St Malachy and St Elizabeth! You may wonder: didn’t I become pastor last year? Well… not exactly. I was appointed as “Parish Administrator,” which is the common practice in our diocese for the first time a priest is placed in charge of a parish or group of parishes. Up until this assignment I had always been assisting another priest. Canon law (the collection of laws within the Catholic Church) distinguishes an Administrator from a true Pastor. So, it is true that last year I was entrusted with the pastoral care of these parishes, but it was in a more provisional way (my dad referred to this role as being an “imposter pastor!”). By granting the canonical title of Pastor, Bishop Jenky has deepened my call to serve these parishes.

It has been an honor and a joy to spend this year of preparation/on-the-job training at these two great parishes! I very much request your prayers as I seek to give an ever better response to the call of the Lord. I am excited for all of the great possibilities that this next year holds! God bless-

The Eucharist and the Parish

One of the very special events in the life of a priest is his “first Mass.” This is usually celebrated at his home parish the day after his ordination. When I was preparing for mine, the line that kept coming to my mind was what Jesus tells his apostles at the Last Supper, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Luke 22:15). It was the fulfillment of many years of preparation, and I was so happy to celebrate it with the community where I had grown up (even though it was probably the most nervous I have ever been celebrating a Mass!).

Indeed, the last thing Jesus chose to do before going to his arrest and death was to institute the Eucharist. Jesus emphasized the desire he had for this celebration because it was to be the foundation for the new community he was founding. This communion with his Body and Blood was to be the lifeblood of his “mystical” Body: the Church. St Paul uses this image in a powerful way in Chapter 12 of the first letter to the Corinthians. He says that the Church is the Body of Christ. Each of us is a member of this Body with our own mission and gifts. The body is not a single part, but there is a unity within the distinct parts. Pope Francis speaks of this as “harmony,” which avoids the opposite errors of stale uniformity and destructive disunity (see his first homily for Pentecost as Pope, 19 May 2013).

I think it also teaches us something very important about what a parish is supposed to be. To use another phrase from Pope Francis, he speaks of the parish as a “community of communities” (The Joy of the Gospel, paragraph 28). This is similar to St Paul’s description of the Church as a unified Body with many parts. In our parish we have a variety of communities. Our goal is not to lose what is essential or unique about each of these communities, but similarly not to break down into isolated units. It is our unity in the celebration of the Eucharist that stands as an essential part of what we do together as a parish. We might think of this as the heart that pumps blood through the body. If a hand tries to separate itself from the heart it will wither. If we lose our connection here, we will not bear fruit. There will be events that fall mainly within one of the communities here, and we want to keep all of the distinctive life and gifts manifest in them. Our parish will be at its best, though, when we keep these parts connected in the unity of the parish through union with Christ in his celebration of the Eucharist.