Sacred Words

 This is My Body by Bishop Robert Barron mentions Ita Missa Est as an apostolic commission.  Ita Missa Est is Latin for Go the Mass is ended.  Children and new Catholics always giggle at this, thinking we are being kicked out.  Au contraire, re-think.  We Catholics believe that our church is the church Jesus commissioned.  He told Peter that He would build a church upon him.  Catholics believe that is us.  So, we are worshipping as Jesus intended.  Hence, we are carrying on the work of the Apostles.

Hence, when the priest sends us out to carry on what we have heard, seen, and tasted, at Mass, we are to go out and tell everyone the Good News about Jesus.  We, the people are being sent out, as Jesus sent out His Apostles.

If you meditate on "Go the Mass is ended," you should come to the conclusion that these words are as important as the words "Take this and eat of it, for this is My Body...this is My Blood."

Finding a bridge

Photo By Jordan Niranjan On Unsplash

Acknowledging an abyss; finding a bridge: One of the most remarkable differences between the social protests of the 1960s and those of today is that the former were done in concert with, and often under the explicit leadership of, religious people.  Can you see that?  Click on the link.

My Role

A Vandalized Statue Of St. Junipero Serra In San Francisco Is Seen June 19, 2020. CNS Photo/David Zandman Via Reuters

WORD ON FIRE

WHY 'WHAT THE BISHOPS ARE DOING ABOUT IT?' IS THE WRONG QUESTION

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON

Bishop Robert Barron wrote an article in the Pilot, entitled "Why ' What Are The Bishops Doing About It' is the Wrong Question."   that I've been thinking a lot about, lately.  What can I do to contribute to undo the racial prejudice in the USA? 

What can a simple old lady do?
     I can pray.  I am and that has led me to do something, but what?

     I can write stories.  I blog and not enough people read me.  I don't affect change.

     I can write poetry.  My mediocre poetry isn't moving anyone to change.

     I can listen.  I am and I am moved to do something but what?

     I can encourage others when I have the opportunity.  Big deal, I've always done that.

     Any suggestions?

     I am discouraged and I haven't even done anything, yet.  

The Quarantine's Three Lessons About the Church

The quarantine's three lessons about the Church: One silver lining for me during this weird coronavirus shutdown has been the opportunity to return to some writing projects that I had left on the back burner. One of these is a book on the Nicene Creed.

Bishop Barron continues explaining how the "...One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church..." brought him to reflect on what makes us "One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic...".  It is the Eucharist that glues us together.  Maybe, just maybe those people who didn't believe in the True Presence in the Eucharist will feel Jesus' absence.  Maybe they will miss the Eucharist.  Maybe this forced absence from Communion will make them reflect on the reasons why they are missing Communion.

Catholics need the sacred Body and Blood to live.  Jesus is life.  And I am starving without Him.

Think.  If Jesus can become flesh in a woman, He can become flesh in bread and wine.

For an enumeration of Bishop Barron's three lessons, click on the link.

Ipsum Esse Subsistens

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Is Seen During A Midnight Mass At St Patrick's Cathedral Dec. 25, 2014, In The Manhattan Borough Of New York City. CNS Photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters

Governor Cuomo and God's noncompetitive transcendence: Last week, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, made a rather interesting theological observation. Commenting on the progress that his state has made in fighting the coronavirus and praising the concrete efforts of medical personnel and ordinary citizens, he said, "The number is down because we brought the number down.  God did not do that.  Faith did not do that."



 Whoa!  How do you define hubris?  Please click on the link to read the rest of Bishop Barron's article in the Pilot.

Time Is Finally On Our Side

One advantage of the self-quarantine people are asked to do during this COVID-19 pandemic is time to do what we never had the time before to do.  Of course, now that we have the time to do what we put off doing, we find out that that was just an excuse.  I'm still not doing it.

All kidding aside, time is on our side, now.  In Bishop Robert Baron's YouTube on the quarantine he talks about this.  He refers to Blaise Pascal's complaint that people don't have the ability to be alone--to be silent.  The good bishop waxes poetic about it.  His suggestions range from reading to praying.

But I would like to offer my own suggestion--write letters.  Since I can't be with my granddaughters, whom I used to see almost every day, I write to them.  But also, I am writing to old friends.  I'm sending Easter wishes to those who live alone.  Letter writing is a lost art.  I prefer to text or email.  But now I look for nice stationery or a "thinking of you card" and compose a few thoughts. I'm hoping people will appreciate my efforts.

Proportionality

George MacKay, Center, Stars In A Scene From The Movie "1917." CNS Photo/Universal

'1917' and remembering who we are: is a film reviewed by Bishop Robert Barron.  Not only does he think that WWI did not meet the criteria for the Church's principles for a Just War, according to Barron, but he also blames the loss of faith on the war, too.  A brutal, nonsensical combat, for what?

Tabernacling

Is tabernacling a word?  Bishop Robert Barron uses it in his last reflection, in his book, Advent Gospel Reflections:

...The Word becoming flesh is God coming to dwell definitely in his world, undoing the effects of sin, and turning it into what it was always meant to be.  Notice, too, what we see in the wake of this tabernacling: "and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth."

Tabernacling begins with the Incarnation.  The Incarnation is when Jesus was conceived as man. The Incarnation is when He became One with us, mankind.  We are conceived within our mothers' wombs, as was He.  Jesus' Mother Mary became His tabernacle.  As a human being, Jesus what  all the scriptures said.  All those words became Jesus.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

This is the tabernacling of Jesus.  His life among us. His saving us.  His redeeming us.  His glory.  Not only is this wondrous; it is life forever for us.

From His fullness we have all received, grace, life fulfilling grace.

Stay and Fight

Bishop Robert Barron has written a little book, Letter to a Suffering Church, to give people hope and reasons to stay Catholic.

The book is only 100 pages and divided into five chapters.  The first one hooks your interest.  Barron explains that the scandals that have gripped the church for the past thirty years have to be the work of Satan.  It's so diabolically clever!  I agree and have thought so for a long time.

The second chapter shows that bad popes, bad clerics, bad behavior, have been with us ever since Judas kissed Christ and Peter denied Him. 

The third chapter is more of the church's ugly history.

Barron says the fourth chapter is the most important.  Maybe.  I don't know it was over my head.   This is the chapter that explains why Catholics should stay and fight.  It probably says we should stay because of the Eucharist. I know that's why I stay.

"The Way Forward," the last chapter, is full of hope. We owe it to the victims of the scandal, to those priests falsely accused, and to our children.  The Catholic Church is too wonderful, the fulfillment of Jesus' promises, to not stay and fight for it. 

Remember Jesus winds in the end.

'Birdbox' and Spiritual Warfare

'Birdbox' and Spiritual Warfare: The film Birdbox, based on a British novel of the same name, started streaming on Netflix around Christmas time. Starring Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich, it is a taut thriller that manages, perhaps to echo our culture's spiritual malaise.  Click on the link to read the rest of the review by Bishop Robert Barron.

The New Evangelization and the Nones

The New Evangelization and the Nones:  Click on this link and you will read an article by Father Roger Landry.  He attended the Erasmus Lecture, hosted by First Things Magazine.  Father Landry's article relates the speaker's Talk.  The speaker is Bishop Robert Barron and his topic was "The New Evangelization and the Nones."  Please click and read the link.



I wonder if Father Landry has the inclination to talk too long and is looking to justify this propensity.  I'm speculating because Father Landry writes that we dumb down the faith.  He criticizes vapid textbooks and catechetical methods, and also the content of our priests' homilies.



.. the mistaken assumption that people cannot handle more than 8-12 minutes of back-patting encouragement, even though evangelical Protestants -- who go to the same schools and live in the same culture -- are somehow capable of listening to their ministers for 45 minutes. 


 My experience tells me differently.  My evangelical Protestant friends are capable of listening for 45 minutes but do not comprehend or grasp everything for 45 minutes.  Just about everybody is able to listen for 45 minutes.  Don't we all go to school and listen to teachers for 45-50 minutes?  But what do we get out of it?  Do we all get A+?



Any class in customer service will tell you that the customer is bored in long presentations.  Brief is  best.  Anybody in Toastmasters will tell you that for the average audience, two-three minutes is all people can handle. Naturally, it depends on the audience.  But a church congregation is aimed for the average person.  Brief is best.



Ironically, I doubt that Bishop Barron himself would recommend giving a long homily.  Word on Fire Ministries, founded by Bishop Barron perfects the short video.     That would be hypocritical of him.



How much do you want to bet Father Landry's homilies are on the long side?

Pride, Humility, and Social Media

Pride, Humility, and Social Media: On a recent trip to Sacramento, from my home base in the LA area, I flew Southwest Airlines. In an idle moment, I reached for the magazine in the seatback pocket and commenced to leaf through it.

The irony of posting this on a blog is not lost on me.

Love is both tolerant and intolerant

Love is both tolerant and intolerant: Every community, inevitably, has a value or set of values that it considers fundamental, some basic good which positions every other claim to goodness. For most of the modern liberal democracies, for example, freedom and liberty play a determining role in the moral discourse...



This is a good article which explains how love may have to correct and redirect.  It's not love to allow the beloved to be harmed.  This is why the church says "All are welcome," but you have to understand that you are welcome according to Christ's teachings, not your own.

Knowing Who We Are; Knowing What We Are Supposed to Do

Knowing Who We Are; Knowing What We Are Supposed to Do: This fall I am giving presentations to all of the high school teachers, staff and administrators in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. These talks take place on an annual basis, and this year the theme is morality.



Lucky Bishop Barron!  Read the article to see what he says.

Omnipresence

MEK drawing

How do we know when we are truly encountering God is one of those quick quips, Bishop Robert Barron is famous for, in his Word on Fire videos.  What grabbed my attention was his statement that you can’t see God, straight on, with our eyes.  Rather, we see Him out of the corner of our eyes.  I love this because this is exactly how I go through my day.  I’ve been thinking of it as a “double take”.  I see Him and realize it, and quickly look back to catch Him.

When I wake and my first conscious task is feeding the cat, and she’s figuring eighting around and in between my legs, I feel His order, His plan, and figure eight my needs around Him.  I need to be petted, cuddled, loved and fed.

When my husband cares for my breakfast needs and asks and shows concern, as we make our plans for the day.  His eyes are Your eyes.  His love mimics God’s.

At Mass, oh yes, here we meet and share our love.  The community is Your active Mystical Body.  Our angels surround Your altar.  The priest is You.  My offerings are carried above.  Your Eucharist is in my hand.  I could stare at You, forever.  I taste Your Love as we join our love.  I am blessed.  Here, You are not in the corner of my eye, not a “double take”, You are truly here, truly present, and truly mine.  We share our love in the most intimate way.  I am so blessed.

The rest of the day is seen out of the corner of my eyes, as I see kindness, parental love, honest labor, etc.  Sometimes, I “double take” when I see crosses in mail posts, clothes lines, street traffic signs, window panes, etc. I am reminded of You.  I see You.  I see Your Love for me.

How can I not encounter You when You are everywhere?