Resolutions

My personal mission statement was, and still is, "To leave the world a better place than I found it; by being a positive influence to others, and by doing the best that I can in all things."

God has given each of us unique talents and gifts, and our work for Him while on earth is to use our talents and gifts in the service of others! Each of us has something to offer to someone in need. We can give our money and our time to charity, be a friend to someone who is sick or lonely, do volunteer work, or be a peacemaker. We can give our time unselfishly to our spouse, our children, and our parents. We may choose a service-oriented occupation, or we may just do our everyday jobs with integrity and respect for others.

Although it might seem that the more we give to others the poorer we become, just the opposite is true! Service to others brings meaning and fulfillment to our lives in a way that wealth, power, possessions and self-centered pursuits can never match. This New Year, my resolution will consider the plight of others less fortunate than I, ... and I'll admit ... I've also resolved to loose some weight.

Merry Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

Christmas Eve

"Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus."

"Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

"Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you
who is Messiah and Lord."

Under my roof

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you” is now “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof”. These new words reflect the humility and trust of the Roman centurion in the gospels, who humbly acknowledges, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof”. Yet he expresses a great faith that surpasses that of many others in the gospels. Jesus praises this man for his faith.

Like the centurion, we, at this moment in the Mass, recognize our unworthiness to have Jesus come sacramentally under the “roof” of our souls in Holy Communion. Yet just as the centurion believed Jesus was able to heal his servant, so do we trust that Jesus can heal us as he becomes the most intimate guest of our souls.

Along with these short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes, I've presented an indepth look at the Mass. You can find it below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column.

Poured out for you, and for many

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

The previous translation of the Mass referred to Jesus’ blood having redemptive value “for all”, but the new translation uses the words “for many”. This revision remains closer to Jesus’ actual words of institution in the gospels. It is also more harmonious with the Latin text of the Mass, and uses wording that has been used in the liturgy for centuries. The new translation points to the reality that while Jesus died for all, not everyone chooses to accept this gift. Each individual must choose to welcome the gift of salvation in Christ and live according to that grace, so that they may be among “the many” who are described in this text.

Jesus, by speaking at the Last Supper about his own blood being poured out “for many”, was associating himself with the suffering servant figure prophesied by Isaiah (53:11-12). Jesus is the one who offers his life for the “many”. This should not be understood to be in opposition to the fact that Jesus died “for all (1 Timothy 2:6).

Along with these short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes, I'm presenting an indepth look at the Mass. You can find it below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column.

Blessed are Those Called to the Supper

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

In the previous translation of this prayer, the priest said the words, “Happy are those who are called to this supper” as he held up the Eucharistic host shortly before Holy Communion. The new translation, using the words “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb” highlights even more how the Eucharist is no ordinary meal.

In the new translation, the priest at Mass more clearly echoes the angel’s invitation to the heavenly wedding supper of the lamb, found in Revelation 19:9. Here, we see how the Eucharist we are about to receive involves an intimate, loving communion with our Lord Jesus, one that is likened to the union shared between husband and wife.

Along with these short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes, I'm presenting an indepth look at the Mass. You can find it below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column.

Theotokos

Last night I attended another of my wife's Spirituality Tuesday presentations. I've missed a few because of my crazy work schedule, but I was able to attend this meeting. The speaker was a priest who shares one of the churches in our parish, where he celebrates Mass following the Byzantine Rite.

The Byzantine Rite is followed exclusively by all Orthodox Churches, as well as others, and is sometimes referred to as the Rite of Constantinople. It is, after the Roman Rite, the most widely spread in the world. It is not one of the original parent-rites but is derived from an early liturgy found in Antioch. St. Basil reformed the liturgy of his church, the Church of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and the Byzantine service named after him represents this reformed Liturgy. Since then it has undergone further modification, principally by St. John Chrysostom.

The presentation compared their understanding of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, with our understanding, and explained the various Feast Days of the Holy Theotokos. Theo, or God, combined with tokos, or birther, means God Birther or God Bearer. These feast days are spread through the year and he presented them in the order of their significance rather than in chronological order.

These feasts begin with The Conception of Saint Anna (Dec 7-9). Anna had been unable to conceive a child, and the conception of the Virgin Mary is an important event in the plan of God for the salvation of mankind. This is followed by the Nativity of the Theotokos (Sept7-8). The Mother of God also plays an important role in God's plan for our salvation. In the prayers of this feast day the ever-Virgin Mary is called the Chariot upon which the Son of God came to us, and she is the Door through which He entered the world.

The main theme of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Nov 20-21) is that the Virgin Mary is the true Temple of God. The temple in Jerusalem was made of stone and was lifeless, but Mary is the living temple and her womb is the Tabernacle of the Word of God. The Annunciation to the Theotokos (Mar 24-25), takes its inspiration from the Holy Gospel of Luke, chapter 1. The archangel Gabriel greeted the Virgin, "Hail! O full of Grace, the Lord is with you". He went on to tell her that God desired that she be the Mother of the Word, our Savior. With faith and humble courage she said, "Yes" to God.

This is followed by the Christmas period (Dec 18-26). Before the dawn of time he was begotten of the Father without a mother, now on earth He is born of a mother without a man. The Dormition of the Theotokos (Aug 14-15) is focused on the falling asleep of the Mother of God, and is described as the greatest feast. Her passing is called dormition, or falling asleep, because her body was not subject to decay, but was taken into Glory.

The death of a Christian is called sleep because we who are in Christ will not remain in death, but like the Theotokos, we will be awakened by Him to eternal life in the Kingdom of God.  A star announced the good news to the wise men, while the Angels and shepherds sang the glory of her giving birth, O Woman full of Grace. Rejoice, for your Son has risen from the grave on the third day and has raised the dead. Let all nations rejoice! The oldest surviving written prayer to the Mother of God is from a Syrian, mid-third century papyrus; "Beneath your compassion we take refuge, O Virgin Theotokos. Despise not our prayers in our need, but deliver us from dangers, for you alone are pure and blessed".

This is the Chalice of my Blood

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

While the previous translation of the Words of Institution referred to the cup of Christ’s blood, the new translation renders it chalice. “This is the chalice of my Blood” remains closer to Jesus’ actual words of institution, is a more accurate and more formal rendering of the Latin text of the Mass, and one that underscores the liturgical nature of this vessel.

This is no ordinary cup, but the Eucharistic cup that the Lord consecrated at the Last Supper. This most sacred of vessels has traditionally been called a chalice, and this is the term used in the new translation.

Along with these short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes, I'm presenting an indepth look at the Mass. You can find it below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column.

Christmas Break

For some reason this semester seems to have gone by very quickly; our last class was last Wednesday, and we're on our Christmas break. As we progressed through the various sacraments we've also progressed through various instructors, instead of having just one or two instructors like we did last year. Nevertheless, just like last year the instructors have all been easy to understand and the information has been very interesting. They come from high quality universities as well as the seminary, so their qualifications are excellent.

This marks the middle of my passage through the ILM program; with three semesters behind me and three semesters ahead of me. Unfortunately, I'm involved in a big project at work which has required twelve hour days for the last 4 weeks. I've refused to work on school nights, but I should admit that I'm having difficulty keeping up with the reading. Hopefully, my papers don't reflect that.

Once again it's time to thank everyone who is reading my blog; His blog, I hope, it's not about me, it's about the One who inspires me daily to be the person I am trying to be. I hope that you are learning something too or at least finding it interesting. My desire is to faithfully reflect my belief in Jesus' love for us, my witness of God's grace in my life, and my understanding of the Catholic Church in the world. Thank you for taking this journey with me.

Lord God of Hosts

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

The opening line of the Sanctus is not taken from a hymn book, but from the angel’s worship of God in heaven. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah was given a vision of the angels praising God, crying out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”. When we recite “Holy, holy, holy Lord” in the Mass, therefore we are joining the angels in heaven, echoing their very words of worship.

The previous translation of this prayer referred to the Lord as “God of power and might”. In the new translation, we address him as “Lord God of hosts”. This more clearly echoes the biblical language of the angels in Isaiah and underscores the infinite breadth of God’s power.

Along with these short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes, I'm presenting an indepth look at the Mass. You can find it below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column.

Discussion Group

Tonight the students in our class were divided into four groups again, to discuss our next paper with each other and a trained facilitator. To promote cohesion in the group the same people met in the same groups as before. Two questions are assigned at the beginning of each module, from which we choose one question for our paper. These two questions are to be the basis for the evenings conversation, which is intended to promote integrative learning.

I've chosen to write about reconciliation, by imagining that I am teaching in the parish sacramental preparation program for First Reconciliation. Many parents of the children preparing for the sacrament have not celebrated Reconciliation since their first time. I've decided not to prepare a lesson plan (as instructed) but will instead imagine that I am part of a larger program of preparation for the parents.

My presentation to the parents of children in the first reconciliation class is intended to convey the meaning and importance of celebrating the Sacrament of Penance. This was another paper that was difficult to start, but after doing some research and referencing the Catachism the paper fell together pretty quickly (although not in the way the instructor may have intended).

The discussion process is not simply intended to help us write good papers, but is part of a process to "help us understand the readings and lectures by applying content to practical situations". During these meetings we will be asked to consider the theological and pastoral implications of our papers.

The goals of these sessions are: 1) To help us clarify and probe the material more deeply, especially by seeing how it applies to concrete, pastoral situations. 2) To see the significance of what we are studying for parish life by analyzing various pastoral situations, and 3) To develop the people skills necessary to work with and lead others in improve our pastoral capacity.

Consubstantial with the Father

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

The revised translation of the Creed aims at helping us more precisely profess a concept about the nature of the Son and his relationship with God the Father. We now speak of Jesus as being “consubstantial with the Father” instead of “one in being with the Father”. This difference is subtle, but the new wording more closely reflects the theological language of the bishops at the Council of Nicea who wanted to safeguard that Jesus was acknowledged as the eternal Son of God, equal to the Father.

The Council taught that the Son is “God from God, light from light, true God from true God” and “of the same substance” as the Father. Although the term consubstantial might not roll easily off the tongue, its use preserves the theological tradition of the Council of Nicea and invites us to reflect more on the divine nature of Christ and the mystery of this Trinity.

I've been advertising that, beginning on the 5th of November, I'd present an in-depth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as I expected, but I've figured out a work around and will present it beginning today.

Sacrament of Marriage

Our class on the Theology of Marriage started without the instructor, so we began by discussing our assigned reading for tonight. Although there is no spiritual basis for marriage, it still makes sense that it should be a sacrament. The relationship between Jesus and church is similar to our relationship between spouses, and even though it has been full of mistakes, the institution of marriage is still intact.

In fact someone pointed out that the Church has referred to marriage as an institution in search of a sacrament. The early church didn't think much about marriage, in the sense that it wasn’t on their mind; marriage pretty much existed outside of the church. Only in the 15th century did the church begin to consider marriage in its own terms.

We are beginning to recognize that the purpose of marriage is no longer strictly intended for procreation. Today it’s more about two people sharing their lives together, as a partnership and as a vocation. One of the students suggested that this idea opens the possibility of same sex marriage.

Once our instructor arrived she began by asking what our marriage questions might be. Of course these questions ranged from same sex marriage, to the focus on procreation vs the focus on relationship. The media’s influence on sexual orientation, the political influence on marriage understanding, and what is expected of marriage. The differences between civil marriage vs sacramental marriage, the early church role and understanding of marriage, multiple marriages, and parish differences regarding marriage requirements. Ultimately, is a loving relationship sufficient for sacrament?

The idea behind Jesus’ admonishment that anyone who divorces another and remarries is guilty of adultery was directed towards men who were in control of divorce. From the beginning the intention was for men and women to be committed. The idea that man and women should become one flesh was intended to declare equality.

Jesus improved the status of women in marriage, and by talking about divorce he leveled the playing field for women. Today annulment means that the elements necessary for sacrament were not present and that the marriage never occurred. The result is officially a “Decree of Nullity” and beleive me, it's a difficult process.

Paul took up the theme of marriage as well. For him, Jesus' covenant with the church is reflected in the covenant between two people. At his time, the Church’s position was that people should not get married, since they expected the immediate return of Jesus. It wasn’t until much later that Augustine showed the way forward for marriage. Eventually when church took over the handling of marriage it adopted much of the Roman law, which was highly developed.

The differences between civil and church understanding is still a problem for marriage. Today there are many places that do not recognize a church marriage, and require a civil marriage for legal purposes. Around the 12th to 13th century the Church declared marriage to be one of the sacraments. Up until then there were many objections to marriage, including things like the exchange of value in a dowry.  How could anything be a sacrament if it involved sex, and how could Jesus institute a sacrament of marriage if it existed long before him?

Marriage was originally a family affair, that later moved to something governed by the state, and then to a sacrament in the church. The Council of Trent required a liturgy and witnesses, and by prohibiting secret marriages they gave the power to the couple alone to commit. Marriage becomes a sacrament when the couple is open to the possibility of commitment and accepts Jesus as part of the union.

This raised an interesting question regarded when the couple is actually married. If the sacrament is satisfied when the couple is open to the possibility of commitment and acceps Jesus into their union, are they then married? The answer was that we as people need to fix a time for this process, which is the marriage ceremony. It was also interesting to note that the Church sacrament includes civil marriage, but that Church annulment does not include civil divorce.

We all agreed that the number of questions and diverse discussions highlighted the reality that there is a lot of confusion about marriage even today. People are basically unclear of the church's position regarding marriage.

We then began a discussion about something referred to as finality. Finality is defined as the orientation that a person (a life, a thing, or a process) has to an end or goal. It’s either horizontal or vertical. Horizontal finality is one dimensional, not jumping to the next higher plane. Vertical finality is about our transcendence in to a life with God. It’s about our participation in a larger, richer, more excellent kind of life.

Finality is our guideline for how we understand marriage and family. In horizontal finality we are concerned with our relationship with our spouse. It includes jobs, friends, and hobbies. In vertical finality we are concerned with how we fit into the parish and our relationship with God.

Vertical finality is not automatic; it means we are cooperating with God's grace in our lives. Sex includes both horizontal and vertical finality. Eating is horizontal in that it keeps us alive, while dining is vertical in that it promotes community. Basically horizontal finality does not include a spiritual dimension, while vertical finality does include a spiritual dimension.

Up until the Council of Trent, the Church considered marriage from the horizontal understanding, and after the Council it understood marriage to have a vertical component. Pope Pius XI was instrumental in changing the understanding and value of marriage. They recongnized a mutual inward molding of the couple, a mutual focus on the needs of others, and changes for the better because of the relationship. I know that I am a better person because of my relationship with my spouse.

Vatican II expanded on this understanding of marriage by focusing on the nobility of marriage and family. The Church’s single purpose for marriage, before Vatican II, is now understood to have multiple purposes. This many faceted love, is structured on the model of Christ's union with the church. Authentic married love is caught up into divine love.

The context for marriage is within the couples love for one another. Christian families share their spiritual riches generously with other families. This love God has judged worthy of special gifts, merging the human with the divine. The unity of marriage radiates from the equal personal dignity of wife and husband.

Children are not a requirement for a marriage to be a valid sacrament. Nevertheless, the Church still insists that “sexual intimacy should always be open to procreation”. Surprisingly, among most religions, it's the Catholics who are the most open concerning homosexual relationships. The challenge today in terms of the theology of marriage is that marriage is a way to holiness.

Vatican II helped us understand marriage as a vocation equal to religious life. As couples we can go forward in building the body of Christ. Sharing the spiritual benefits of sex must be seen in terms of the vertical finality discussed earlier. We can not come into our full human identity without coming into communion with others. This includes loving relationships with and without sex.

In the sacrament of marriage the couple are grace to each other. If we continue to grow in our love for Christ we will continue to grow in our love for our spouse. Christian love instinctively understands that love is greater than death.

Virtues of Prayer

Today’s class began with the usual prayer service although I missed it do to an unscheduled family issue. I arrived about 20 minutes late for class just as the instructor was beginning to discuss prayer.

The prayers, as practiced by the early Christians, have forms based in Judaic practices, including a liturgical space where the faithful gathered for worship. Jesus is our model and teacher. Jesus is our intercessor. “Let us therefore approach the thrown with boldness that we may find mercy in our time of need. We find Jesus praying in consolation and desolation. Jesus teaches us how to pray; “When you pray do not store up treasures on earth”, “Anything you ask the Father in my name", and from others, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”.

St. Benedict said, “Lecto Divina begins with cultivating the ability to listen deeply and reinforces hearing with the ears of your heart”. The prayer was spoken silently and slowly by the early Monks, focusing on the words in an effort to make Jesus present in their daily lives. Our goal is to reflect on the prayer’s meaning in our specific life and circumstances. Pray and speak to the lord in a natural way, then contemplate the message as grace draws you to Jesus.

The seven deadly sins are anger, gluttony, envy, sloth, lust, avarice, and pride, which is easier to remember with the anachronism AGES LAP. These sins have the power to separate us from god. They are the opposite of the virtues of patience, abstinence, kindness, diligence, chastity, generosity, and humility. We cannot practice virtue without community. Although confession is important, confession is NOT a license to sin. The priest simply represents the community to whom our confession belongs. Today we are much more aware of context. Sin is still sin, but today we see it with more understanding and compassion. There is a danger in compartmentalizing the sin and the sinner, and surrounding them with absolutes.

One of the students defined sin as “an alienation that causes separation [from God] that cascades down through the ages. For me sin is anything that gets between you and God. It's always the small things, because they sneak in as little things that eventually build up and get in the way of your relationship with God. Sin is always a violation of the relationship. Sins against God, sins against family, and sins against neighbors all have one thing in common. It breaks these relationships and separates us from God.

The Sin of the Genesis story was an inordinate desire of humans to be like God and make the rules. As a result we hide from god and must contend with sin (separation from God). The instructor asked the question, “What is a sin? Is it to feel the tendency to sin, or act on it, or live it out? During the discussion, another one of the students asked, “Is it possible to sin against ourselves”, which to me seemed like a strange question. Each of us may not be responsible for our first thought, but we are responsible for our second thought. It’s acting on that second thought, even in our minds, that constitutes sin.

There is a deadening of the sense of sin coming from eastern religions. For instance Buddhism has no deity. Freedom is more important in the West and less important in the East, just as decision making is more personal in the West and more of a group effort in the East. Faith seems to be "on the wane", partly do to the attempt to explain things without the need for a God. Without someone to blame (a personal god) there is no sin, and without sin we don't need God or Jesus.

Assimilation of cultural values on which Christianity can build on remains important. For instance we should follow the teaching of Confucius regarding self examination, and do it three times per day as he suggested. What are the Christian values that Christianity can build on? Today of course we need religion and love more than ever. Love is the key; love of God, love of self, love of neighbor, and love of nature are all part of being human. We are in a battle for our lives and our humanity. The more we are aware of our inner life the more we become aware of what Jesus wants for our lives.

The class separated into small groups to discuss a prayer verse. Our first verse was from Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth ... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”. Each of us had slightly different interpretations (of course) but it seemed to me that the treasures of earth are like the seven deadly sins from our earlier discussion, because we are inwardly focused. The treasures of heaven are like the seven virtues, because we are outwardly focused. We must be focused on heaven, but not at the neglect of the Kingdom of Heaven all around us.

Our second prayer verse for discussion came from Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eyes are healthy then the body is healthy”. One of the people in my group mentioned the idea that “Sin is in the eye of the beholder”. My thought was that how you see what is going on around you (as good or as evil) will either lead you closer to God or farther away.

We listed some of the virtues of prayer, such as “Prayer should be non-judgmental”, “Prayer should be a giving to God”, “God is the object of prayer”, “Dialogue is the purpose of prayer”, “Prayer should not be comparative”, “In prayer we should abandon ourselves to god”, “Prayer should have meaning”, “Prayer should be receptive”, “Prayer should be humble in words”, “Prayer is not about me, it's about God's grace within me”, “Prayer should be other directed”. Prayer is not about a public response (reward) it's about award in heaven.

Whereas virtues are quite often things we have to develop, vises are quite often the things we have a tendency toward. I was intrigued by the idea that forgiveness is NOT forgetfulness. We don’t want to forget because it is part of our journey and God was "in it". Through remembering the event you renew the grace that was God's part "in it".

There is nothing in the Bible about forgetting, and Jesus himself didn't say anything about forgetting. Forgive and forget is not the goal. After Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple, we're told that "Mary pondered all these things in her heart". Nothing suggests that she was trying to forget "all these things". It's about discerning all things and inviting God’s grace to bless us with understanding.

I was also intrigued when someone pointed out that the social networking sites, such as Facebook, are all about "Look at me". During the discussion someone else pointed out that although the Lowercase "i" in ipod stands for "Integrated" device it also invokes the “I” suggesting a personal pronoun. After this, the instructor introduced the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector as the Republican and tax collector which drew a laugh from the class and embarrassment by the instructor.

A student in the class told a story about a friend who had an issue against him and was unable to pray a couple of lines in the Our Father. He would remain silent during the part "to forget our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". This had really brought home the idea of sin against the community since his friend was affectively unable to pray. The student did mention that after reconciliation (and some time I imagine) they were able to resolve whatever it was.

This reinforces the social nature of sin, in that it doesn't occur in isolation; it hurts others. Another interesting point was that the vices take more energy than virtues. It’s harder to be tense all the time! The vices are about taking more for yourself, and the virtues are about more for others. Each of us must embody the virtues, working on them as we can, to grow in faith.

During a segment on the Saints, our instructor pointed out the gifts that have been given to them have in fact been given to us; the Church is an institution, the Church is us, and the Church as community in time and space. It includes all the saints that have come before us and everyone that comes after us.

Saint Francis believed that the Eternal Flame of Love is the energy and power of God that we find throughout the universe. The themes found in the various stories of the book "The Little Flowers of St. Francis" include: Spiritual friendship is essential. It is impossible to navigate our spiritual life without friendship. How we confront our demons is characteristic of our trust in God. Dealing with external monsters is not as important as how we deal with the internal monsters. Betrayal must be confronted. There is a powerful draw to "Go back to Jesus" to see the correct way to live.

A willingness to live for Christ is a powerful witness to others. You may not always know the fruit of your labor. Very often we don't know the goals of God, or the path through which people come to know Jesus. Generosity in all things is the lesson, and is sometimes more important than the story behind the lesson. Your example can inspire others to finish what you start. Nothing is impossible for God.

Sacrament of Holy Orders

Others need to see in us the loving nature of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who is the most definitive and perfect sign of love in the world.

Our instructor paused to tell a quick story. A scientist came face to face with God, and he began to discuss what he did before death. As a biologist he tried to convince God that there was “no need for Him” anymore. Science was capable of doing anything including, creating life. The biologist was so confident in fact that he offered to demonstrate his ability to create life. God agreed that it might be an interesting demonstration and he agreed to let the scientist try. The scientist reached down to grab a handful of dirt, and God said, “Oh no, go get your own dirt”.

Our lives are bound up in love, and why would we want to miss out on that. We've all experienced the feeling of being un-loved. It’s time to wake up and smell the flowers or smell the coffee, as they say. He is real! We are called to be a prophet and speak the truth, and if you have a problem with that then there is something wrong. The brain must be connected to the spirit (the heart) if we want to understand.

At this point one of the students mentioned a (non Catholic) friend who says, "The more you think about something the more you believe it", as an explanation for religion. Although the student understands that this idea is not true, he has difficulty defending his belief. The instructor suggested that a person who says this is at risk. Empirical definitive proof is not going to happen.

We were reminded that sacrament is a sign and also a symbol. At the symbolic level there are many meanings or depths of meanings. Sacramental signs point to the direct meaning and sacramental symbols point to “the rest of the story”.

We are wired for love, we are wired for God, and we are made for God. To put it another way we are wired for the supernatural existential. We have a spirit and we have a soul which is another of the many gifts we receive. What we are involved in is bigger than all of us. Our instructor mentioned that he doesn't believe in coincidences, he believes in Godincidences, which is us being open to what is possible. There is always more. It’s like the best dinner ever, followed by the best Thanksgiving ever, followed by the best Christmas gift ever. There is always more!

The matter of the sacraments is the material stuff, and the form of the sacrament is what you do with the stuff. The water of baptism is the matter. It’s a force to be reckoned with because it is dangerous, it can be destructive, and yet it is also essential for life. It has many meanings; such as being drowned in Christ, forcing us to change the very level of our being. The words of baptism are the form. In the theology of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the matter is the laying on of hands, and the form is the prayer of priestly consecration.

Sacred music leads our hearts and minds to God, so music too can be a sacrament, although now it is called a sacramental. During the patristic age, we had all this great stuff from the great catholic doctors of the church, and with it there were many sacraments. Today there are only seven sacraments, but there is still a world of stuff around us.

We are precious in the sight of God, “Come to me and enjoy your reward”. We are to be a sacrament to the world, but we can not do it if we are in a state of sin. As the blood of our Savior flows through our body, the grace of Jesus Christ ignites a fire within us. It’s part of that ontological change.

From the Seminary, which means seed bed, men come into a process which is nothing more than a catechumenate. There are periods or stages of enlightenment and a sending forth. Taking the raw material of people and forming them into the priest hood of Christ. This is a place where the word of God is planted.

Someone asked the question, “Why is the sacrament of Holy Orders only for men”? Our instructor planned to answer this question later in the lecture, but he ran out of time. He did mention that Holy Orders is an inheritance of the faith. The Church is a church of the Disciples of Christ; we (meaning everyone) are to be One Holy and Apostolic Church. Don’t forget that Jesus had women disciples all around Him.

Don’t hold back the tears in confession, because with the tears you are closer to perfect contrition. Sacraments are supposed to bring about bearing the perfect truth. This is for every Christian because we are to be the symbol bearer for the many meanings of the reality of Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

You're not going to be at peace until you're on your knees and filled with a deeper longing. It's not "All about me", although Narcissism is growing in the world around us. Remember that Hell is full of anarchists. Pray for the narcissists in our culture, those people who are worshiping the things which you see all around you; be a witness to the values of the gospel. For some people it's almost too late, because they've sinned until their consciousness no longer works. Let them see your holiness.

People need shepherding. By the very remembering celebrated in the Mass, we make the sacrifice memorable and share God's Charity, Love and Truth with others. Who is going to make that happen? It's the simple folks, the people in the pew, and the beauty of God working in the world as found in the book, "This Blessed Mess".

Holy Orders make the priest the official representative of Christ in persona, standing in the place of the church and in the person of Christ. Every one of us must live up to these values. Holy Orders make order in the church, makes the church holy and orders the world according to Christ's demands, who is the focus of the Eucharist. Be thankful to God for who you are, and that our life in Christ is more than what we do; it's about who we are.

There had to be a sacrifice after Adam and Eve, and ever since the fall it’s been too easy to agree with the evil one. Sacrifice is doing the Fathers will, just as Mary said “yes” to the Father’s plan. The affects of original sin remain which is why every time we choose to do wrong we sin, and with every “yes” to sin we say “no” to God. The priest hood within us and others counter acts this tendency. What Jesus did on the cross was offer us charity and love; He loves us and offers us his charity even today.

The reason for the cross is that sin is that bad. Sin is impossible in the kingdom of heaven, and with every “yes” in the name of the High Priest we say “yes” to God.

In Israel there was always a scapegoat. To it was pinned the sins of the nation as it was released into the desert to die. Jesus was the scapegoat for our sin, and we as priests are the scapegoat for our age. As priests we must hand ourselves over for the good of family, friends and strangers. We must live the prophetic dimension and be thankful for today. We as priests are sharing His Priesthood forever. “This day you will be with me in paradise”, is part of who we are.

I Believe in one God

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

English was the only Western language that translated the opening Latin word of the Nicene Creed (Credo) with the plural “We believe”. The new translation of the Creed begins with the words, “I believe in one God”, which unites us with the rest of the Catholic world in using the singular.

The singular “I believe” also makes the Creed more personal and challenges each individual to interiorize the faith. This is what we do when we renew our baptismal promises during the Easter season or when attending a baptism. The priest asks if we believe in the various statements of the Creed, and we respond “I do”.

Begining on the 5th of November, I'll present an indepth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. For now, I'll continue presenting short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes.

Sacrament of Healing

Lex grendendi, Lex orandi. Tonight our instructor began by reminding us that to really understand what we are called to believe, we must listen to the prayers of the church. What we pray articulates what the church holds to be true, and we began the class with a prayer in the form of Lexio Devina; repeating it slowly so as to absorb all it had to say to us.

It’s important to pay more attention to the official prayers of the church; really listen and consider what the prayer is saying to us, because at the end we all say “Amen”, which means “So be it". Each of us should be trying to live the values of Jesus Christ as passed down to us by the disciples. His compassion is very evident toward the sick, and His miracles were efficacious signs that God was visiting His people.

In the garden, Jesus was asking for healing that all would be one just as God and Jesus are one. The early church continued His ministry of healing, and in time it became the central action of the church. The churches ministry of caring for the sick is sharing in the healing effort of Jesus. It is our faith that we share in this ministry.

Our instructor, who is a priest, demonstrated an anointing for the sick using one of the students in the class who broke her leg, and is scheduled for more surgery. He asked us to pay special attention to what was said and done during the process. It began with a prayer that referenced baptism, and it continued with a reference to reconciliation.

There are many prayers available to match the specific individuals need. Originally the anointing with oil included all of the senses, including the loins. In the west we’ve adopted a less intrusive form the right, and use the hands to represent all the senses. Nevertheless, eyes, ears, hands, etc. are still commonly blessed depending on the situation. I especially liked the phrase “Under the burden of age" as one of the specific needs that might qualify for an anointing.

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated by a priest, and because it includes absolution of sin, a deacon is not permitted to perform this right. Reconciliation is given by God, and it is important to understand that this ministry is celebrated by the people in the church, not just by the priest. Liturgy is the source and summit of all the churches activity, and in the Eucharist we see the continued ministry of Jesus Christ, as when we say “And you my brothers and sisters".

The definition of a sacrament is “an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the church, by which divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit”. If the outward sign of God is Jesus then the primary Sacrament of God is Jesus Christ, and the Church is the Sacrament of Christ. Christ is the center and focus of every sacrament and he must be the center of our lives. Sacraments are not magic; Jesus is the one who gives the sacraments their effectiveness.

Sacraments are for the living, but "if in doubt, anoint", is the rule. Even if the person is not healed of their physical affliction, it does not mean that the anointing was ineffective. Sometimes the miracle of anointing is death. One of the students wanted to know if the anointing was performed on one who is unbaptized, asking, “Is it efficacious” meaning is it effective. The answer was, “Yes”. The prisoner on the cross next to Jesus asked, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”. God’s Grace will provide even if the person is unbaptized.

The subject of reconciliation is sin, and the object of reconciliation is healing. Likewise, the subject of anointing the sick is evil, and the object of anointing is healing. Another student immediately jumped on this “Old Testament” idea that evil is responsible for sickness, and that in turn developed into another interesting discussion.

What we decided, obviously, is that sickness in itself is not good or bad. Sickness may be a sign of a broader evil in the world, but people who are sick are not evil, it’s the sickness that is evil. I appreciated the idea that “guns are not bad any more than bandages are good, it's what people do with them that determines their value”. In the end we agreed that the subject of anointing the sick is suffering, not evil (although it was argued that suffering is a sign of evil in the world which is the result of original sin). The object of the anointing is still healing. The matter of anointing of the sick is oil, blessed by the Bishop, and used by the priest.

Baptism is the sacrament for the forgiveness of sin, and at one point people were not celebrating baptism until near death. Anointing was only used in extremis; and Extreme Unction as it came to be known was no longer the sacrament of healing. To counter human frailty, the Sacrament of Reconciliation became the opportunity to become one with Christ. Baptism is unrepeatable, and at the time it was thought that anointing was unrepeatable. Extreme Unction, or last rights, was combined with penance and viaticum.

Sacraments are signs that do what they say, even if we do not read that sign as affective. They are an outward sign of an inward grace ordained by Jesus Christ by which food is given to the soul. Grace is our share of the loving relationship between God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. You can be thought of as a container being part full or part empty of Grace; “Hail Mary full of grace”. Grace is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, saying to us, “I love you so much” that this powerful offer from God cannot be refused. If we are not living an intentional Christian life then we are failing.

In the Sacrament of Healing the Holy Spirit strengthens us and gives us hope in the face of suffering. It can be celebrated more than once, not just at the end of life, but if we don't qualify (because we’re not sick) we shouldn't abuse the sacrament of anointing; instead we should use the blessing for the sick.

Only Begotten Son

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

In the new translation, Jesus is addressed as “Only Begotten Son”. This more closely follows the theological language used in the early Church to highlight how Jesus is uniquely God’s Son, sharing in the same divine nature as the Father. This also reflects the biblical language in John’s gospel, which uses similar wording to describe Jesus’ singular relationship with the Father.

While all believers are called to a special relationship with God as his sons and daughters through grace, Jesus alone is the eternal, divine Son by nature. He is the “only begotten Son” of the Father.

Begining on the 5th of November, I'll present an indepth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. For now, I'll continue presenting short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes.

Discussion Group

Tonight the students in our class were divided into four groups, that met along with a trained facilitator, to discuss the topic of our next paper. These discussion groups will meet four times during the year on one of our regular Wednesday evenings. To promote cohesion in the group, we will be part of the same group and have the same facilitator for each session.

Two questions are assigned at the beginning of each module that should be the basis for the conversations. The goal of this process is integrative learning. It is not simply to help us write good papers, but is part of a process to help us understand the readings and lectures by applying content to practical situations. We are to bring an outline for our paper, but the final draft of the paper should be written after the meeting and it should include any insights learned from the discussion.

During these meetings we will be asked to consider the theological and pastoral implications of our papers. The goals of these sessions are: 1) To help us clarify and probe the material more deeply, especially by seeing how it applies to concrete, pastoral situations. 2) To see the significance of what we are studying for parish life and to develop skills in analyzing pastoral situations, and 3) To develop the people skills necessary to work with and lead others in improve our pastoral capacity.

Through my own fault

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

In the prayer known as the Confiteor the new translation better reflects the Latin text of the Mass and helps us cultivate a more humble, sorrowful attitude toward God as we confess our sins. Instead of simply saying that I have sinned “through my own fault”, as in the old translation, we will now repeat it three times while striking our breasts in a sign of repentance, saying “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”.

This repetition more fully expresses our sorrow over sin. When we are at fault over something small we might simply say “I’m sorry”. But if it is a more serious matter and we deeply feel sorrow over our actions, we would apologize several times. This prayer in the liturgy helps us recognize that sinning against God is no light matter. We must take responsibility for whatever wrong we have done and whatever good have we failed to do.

Begining on the 5th of November, I'll present an indepth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. For now, I'll continue presenting short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes.

Sacrament of Penance

The church is incredibly blessed. What we pray is what we believe, and what we believe is what we pray. It is up to each and every one of us to be a symbol of God's love for us; it’s the primary ministry of the church. Every Sacrament celebrated by the church makes Jesus’ Passover sacrifice real for each of us here and now. God is timeless, and although he saved the world once and for all 2000 years ago, we make it real here and now because we are the body of Christ, his Church.

God is seen most fully in and through Jesus' Christ, who was both fully human and fully divine. Jesus is the sacrament of God and the church is the sacrament of Jesus; the Church is the sacrament of salvation. Each of us is meant to be living sacraments of salvation. Unfortunately, sin separates us from God and community, and reconciliation is meant to bring us back to God and community. Officially, sin in general is anything that damages charity (love). Mortal sins destroy charity and take us away from God, while venial sins wound charity and turn our attention away from God.

Signs tell us what to do, like stop or go, but sacraments actually do what they say, like the Baptismal gift of the Holy Spirit. The rite of reconciliation is all about the love of God. Jesus is the source, agent, and goal of the sacrament of healing or penance. Sin is committed against the community, which is us, and the priest is the representative of the community. The object of penance is grace, which comes from the idea of gratitude. It is “an offer from God that we cannot refuse”, and invitation to a loving relationship with our God. A life of grace is ultimately a union with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is a loving relationship between us and the Triune God.

It’s important to remember that sin isn’t complicated; it’s simply choosing to do the wrong thing. Sin isn’t simple however, because it is anything that separates us from God. It’s different for everyone; money, fame, cars, or even that new TV can each contribute to our occasion of sin. Anything that turns our attention away from God is a sin, and it not only affects us personally but it affects our community, because we are the body of Christ.

Jesus gave the ritual of penance to the church in community, not to individuals. A personal confession of sin is missing the ritual component of community which is suggested in the lines, "wherever two or more are gathered in my name". Confession requires intention. An authentic celebration of penance requires a personal sense of sorrow, the communal prayer of absolution, and a personal willingness to conversion.

Public penance was practiced by the early church, during which the penitent was excluded from Eucharist for a period of time, while they performed works of penance. Private penance eventually became the norm, and may involve a spiritual director who can help us live a more conscious reflection of our baptism. Thankfully, our priests are graced with amnesia; they rarely remember the subject of another’s confession.

We the people are the "Body of Christ" and when we miss a Sunday the body of Christ is not complete. You cannot stay at home and pray with the family because it dislocates the body. It denies the ministry of the church, and you are unable to “take this bread and take this wine” as commanded in the Last Supper. We live in a “me first” world, but Christians know that it’s not about the world helping me; it's about me helping the world. Part of our ministry is to pray for our brothers and sisters,and one of the greatest heresies in our world today is the "I'm only human" excuse. To be fully human is to realize our divinity as the sons and daughters of God.

And with your Spirit

Excerpts from the book, A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass written by Edward Sri, S.T.D. and printed by Ascension Press in 2011.

One of the most noticeable changes in the Mass is the people’s response to the priest’s greeting, “The Lord be with you.” This new response more adequately reflects the Latin text of the Mass and the language of St. Paul (see Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23, and 2 Timothy 4:22). It also more fully expresses an important theological point. When we said, “And also with you”, our response seemed to express an exchange of personal greetings or reciprocal good will.

There is much more to this response. When a man is ordained a priest, the Holy Spirit comes upon him in a unique way, enabling him to perform the sacred rites of the Mass and consecrate the Eucharist. By responding, “And with your spirit”, we acknowledge the Spirit’s activity through the priest during the sacred liturgy.

Begining on the 5th of November, I'll present an indepth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. For now, I'll continue presenting short weekly posts detailing some of the more obvious changes.

An Evening of Prayer

Tonight we didn't have the usual class, instead we met at Most Holy Trinity Church for an evening of prayer. This was an opportunity for us to be attentive to another area of our formation - our spiritual formation. The invitation said, "We have gathered for class and now we pause to gather as a community of faith, to give thanks and praise to God".

We sang a gathering song called "O Love of God" which is one of the songs that I really like. It begins, "Oh Love of God, gather us, amor de Dios, haznos uno, that we may share the gifs we are given; para construir la comunidad, para constuir la communidad". The first reading was from Ephesians 3:14-21 which begins, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strenghtened with power through his spirit". It was actually read three times, slowly, Lecto Divina style, by different readers who put emphasis on different words and phrases.

The Psalm was also the theme for the ILM Evening of Prayer, "Let my prayer be incense before you". "Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me". After this there was a prayer for the faithful, then an Our Father, a conluding prayer, a blessing and dismissal.

Why is The Mass Changing?

From the time of the apostles, the Mass has been the central act of Christian worship. On the night before he died Jesus instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and resurrection, and as a pledge of his love. When Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me,” he was commanding the apostles to make present as a biblical memorial the sacrifice offering his body and blood at the Last Supper.

Although the Mass itself is not changing, some of the wording within the Mass is. When Vatican II authorized Mass in the common language, the Liturgy was translated from Latin into English which was then printed as the Missle we have been using since 1972. Unfortunately, unlike other languages, the English translation included wording that fails to accurately convey the meaning behind our Catholic traditons or the Biblical references from which the Liturgy comes. This is being corrected in the New Translation of the Missle, which we will begin using the first Sunday of Advent (November 27th, 2011). This New Translation better aligns the English to the original Latin and to other non English translations.

The Mass is, and will remain, nothing less than the celebration of the Eucharist that Jesus instituted at the Last Supper. The saving mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection is foreshadowed and concentrated forever in the gift of the Eucharist. Jesus, at the Last Supper, was already anticipating his sacrifice on the cross when he referred to his body and blood being offered like a Passover lamb being sacrificed.

Begining on the 5th of November, I'll present an indepth look at the Mass in a new section below the Written Assignments section in the right hand column. For the next few weeks, I'll present a few short posts detailing some of the more obvious changes.

Sacrament of the Eucharist

Possibly the most important idea in theology, is to understand that Jesus was Jewish, and He was raised in Jewish theology and perspective. Memory was very important to the Jewish people, which isn’t to say that they have difficulty remembering their history. They heard God speak to them in two great saving events: the Exodus, and the giving of the covenant at Mount Sinai. Both of these were great saving events for the Jewish people, which for them transcend time and history, because each was a divine act of the saving power of God.

The Jewish people today believe that these events really happened, and if they really happened, how can they personally connect to these events? The answer was and is to gather the people in community, and proclaim what happened, such as when they celebrate the Seder Meal together. God said, “I will be truly present” and you will encounter the original event. The Jewish people believe that they will experience the same saving power of God, even if it looks different for them today. Their saying, “Our ancestors walked through the red sea and our feet are wet” is an example of this idea. It is God, who is divine, who initiated these events.

The English language is a bit weak in understanding this idea of memory. The Hebrew word zikkaron is translated into two separate English words, memorial and remembrance, which miss the importance of this idea. Both of these words seem to suggest thinking about what happened in the past. For the Jewish people, to make memorial is to participate in and encounter the event today, not to think about it as a past event.

Our Eucharist came from a family table with family dynamics; where one presider and the others celebrated the meal, which today is celebrated as a memorial of the Paschal Mystery. This is the full saving event of Jesus Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, which might also include his conception and birth. Christ’s Paschal Mystery is what we encounter as the saving event.

This is our saving event which actually happened in history. We as Christians believe that these things really happened. On the night that Jesus introduced the Eucharist to His disciples, He changed everything. He used this idea of memorial, not thinking about it or being nostalgic about it but truly encountering it. The question is how are we going to be transformed by this saving event? The Jewish pattern of memory is the same for us as Christians. The challenge is that it looks different today, because the world around us is different. Nevertheless, we too gather the faithful to proclaim the Word to the community. We encounter, participate in, and proclaim what happened; Jesus’ saving event transcends time and we can be saved and transformed by it.

This is the saving event of our own lives, and the full power of that event is present in our midst. The body and blood of our savior is a true sacrifice, and although it isn't physical because it only happened once, it is nevertheless real. It is the same sacrifice brought to us in sacramental form, to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross as a memorial of his death and resurrection. This is what saves us, and the challenge is that it looks different because it is us encountering it today. Within this sacrament, we truly encounter the saving reality of the original event. Christ is truly in our midst, even though Jesus died 2000 years ago. This event is present, alive, active, healing, and reconciling each of us every week.

Mass is necessary because of this encounter, but every Christian needs a personal relationship with Christ. There are lots of ways to encounter Christ, such as prayer, mission work, community, supporting each other, and scripture, etc. As a Church, we don't always present Jesus well. He said, “This is my body”, my whole self, my entire person. In this broken bread is everything that I am which is for you. “This is the cup of my blood”, the cup of suffering, the cup of my covenant, which is the new and eternal covenant for all. Sealed by my death and poured out for you, so that sins may be forgiven.

Jesus’ question for each of us is “Will you drink this cup”, die with me, and be ready to give up your life for me? Will you gather together as my people, claiming God's word, and “Do this in remembrance of me”? What you are encountering is not the first covenant, but what you are encountering is the eternal covenant; filling you with peace and joy. We need to do a better job of including the people in this celebration, and of expressing the significance and power of who is truly present. Both the body and blood are used because He asked us to. The bread symbolizes the unity that we all share with each other and Christ, and the Blood symbolizes how that unity with Christ and life comes to us; through his death.

In addition to the familiar traditions of the Last Supper found in the three Gospels, John’s Gospel is slightly different. In John, Jesus washes the disciple’s feet, and then says, “As I have done so you must do for each other”. We must be the Eucharist for others, as we go out at the end of mass we go out to wash the feet of those we meet; family, friends, co-workers, and strangers. Eucharist means thanksgiving, and we must be especially thankful for the saving deeds of Jesus Christ, our savior. As lectors, ministers, presiders, and deacons convinced of the teaching, we must be washed and live as it is handed down; we must call this food thanksgiving and be what we have received.

You are a member of the body of Christ and if you are not present you scatter the body. You, owe it to the community as a member of the body of Christ to be present, really present. How you talk, sing, walk, and gesture, etc speaks volumes to those around you, because it’s about the community connection.

Those who are made partners with the paschal mystery will go forward to the hope of the resurrection. All this holds true, not just for Christians only, but for all people whose hearts are active and visible. Christ died for all, and all people are called to the same destiny; to be divine. We Catholics must proclaim with others as partners, the saving justification of Jesus Christ. Catholics see the Eucharist as a celebration of those who already hold an understanding of what it means. It is the saving Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Transformation

Supposedly, Aristotle coined the phrase "The whole is more than the sum of its parts", but in fact there is no place in Aristotles's Metaphysics where that phrase, or anything similar, can be found. The Gestalt theory of Max Wertheimer maintains that there are experienced objects and relationships that are fundamentally different from the mere collections of sensations, parts, or pieces. What Gestalt theory actually says about relationships is that "The whole is different from the sum of its parts". With that in mind Kurt Koffka wrote that it is more correct to say that "The whole is something else than the sum of it's parts", because summing up is a meaningless procedure, whereas the releationship between the whole and the parts is meaningful. In the natural world, synergistic phenomena are ubiquitous of course, ranging from the synergies of scale in multi-cellular organisms and the many different kinds of synergies produced by socially-organized groups, from honeybee colonies, to wolf packs, to human societies. In the context of organizational behavior, following the view that a cohesive group is more than the sum of its parts, synergy is the ability of a group to out perform even it's best individual member. This has been true from the begining, and the early hominins who became systematic big-game hunters is one primoridal human example.

Recently, I've been thinking about the idea of transformation, which is a bit like synergy. As children our kids were always making something from clay, some of which we have kept to this day, and one of our daughters now teaches three dimensial art. Opening the door of a kiln is a moment of high expectation, anxiety and joy, and I would think a moment of transcendent surprise as well. A potter could describe the general process that results in a small work of functional art. An engineer would deconstruct the chemical interaction of the clay and glaze properties, as they interact with heat and time. A chemist could explain why metalic crystals are formed in the surface of the glassy silica under the condtions of oxidation and reduction in the kiln environment. As you've probably noted, I tend to find the spiritual in just about everything, partly I suppose because I'm usually looking for it, and you would probably agree with me that none of that information, knowledge, or truth really begins to express what one sees when the door of a kiln is opened for the first time.

There is something more at work here, which is a tranformation in the fire that goes beyond mere rationality and logic, although both have directly contributed to the process. All of the activity, sensations, and parts that make up this single piece of pottery, can't explain the transcendant creativity of the fire. Essentially, reducing it to numbers and formula doesn't describe beauty. Our modern minds try to reduce everything to what we can measure, weigh, and reproduce, but as important as the scientific method is there is "something more at work here". This is true of an art process, a relationship, ones sense of self, or our sense of God. Reducing life to the evolution of the chemical and biological interactions of self-conscious beings may be completely accurate, but it doesn't begin to define the moments of our lives. There is "something more at work here". The next time you stand in awe of a sunset, or the giggle of an infant, or the helping hand of a friend, take a breath and suspend the logic that seeks to limit such moments to what you and I can understand.

Sacrament of Confirmation

We began tonight with a short review of the changes in baptism. Both the East and the West began with a converged process of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist (bce), but with the introduction of infant baptism, the West began a long process of separating the sacraments into distinct events. The result was Baptism as an infant, followed by penance and Eucharist at about the age of 10, which in turn was followed by confirmation at about the age of 13 (bec).

In the early Church the goal was the transformation of the disciple into the person of Christ, who in turn becomes poured out and broken for others. Paul’s model of, “No longer I live but Christ in me”, became the adult model and instruction of the catechumen was over a long period of time. It was for them a hearing and a commitment; it wasn’t about knowing the information about Christ or the rules of the church. It was about a personal commitment and relationship with Christ; it was about the Devine Person of Christ in their midst and in their lives.

Very quickly diversity in the ritual began to develop. The model continued to be what happened to Jesus, including immersion in water, recognition of the Holy Spirit, and the voice of God speaking to the believer; to represent the spirit of Baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the proclamation of the word. Eventually, the sign of the laying on of hands became an anointing with oil, and penance was added to restore baptismal innocence. Still today, the result of giving our lives to Christ is living a life in community in the gospel, affected by the witness of others.

With the publication of the Second Vatican Council documents, the recovery of the catechumenate process was undertaken and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (The RCIA) was published as a guide. This book is for everyone on the planet, and it is intended to provide consistency in the process. In the West, a second model now exists. There is the model for children which begins when they are infants and continues through childhood (bec), and the restored model for adults (bce). This second catechumenate model is a converged process of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and it returns to the original model (bce), followed by the earliest Christians and still followed by the Eastern rite churches.

Originally baptism was to free one from sin and post baptismal confirmation was a sign of anointing by the Holy Spirit. Confirmation done much later is something else and today it includes two years of instruction, plus a retreat, plus a number of service hours. However, youth ministry and confirmation don't have to be a single process; they can be separated. Following the reasoning that parents don't wait for their children to understand the benefits of food before they feed them, it may be best to give it before they can comprehend it. Many people are requesting and some parishes are even adopting a restored sequence, which makes much more sense pastorally. Although it keeps infant Baptism it moves Confirmation, Penance, and Eucharist to about the second or third grade. Notice how this again restores the original order of the sacraments (bce).

In the “Sacrament on Charity”, Pope Benedict said that Eucharist is the climax of initiation, and our Bishop called for a study on “How we can better prepare our members for the confirmation process”. The result of the study was that Parishes were offered an opportunity to pilot the restored sequence process. Many believe that this process better satisfies Pope Benedicts view, and many are using the restored sequence in their parishes. This is why there seems to be no consistency in the catechumenate process and why there is so much confusion. While many still argue that waiting until later keeps the child "involved", an early Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist process needs to be followed by consistent education and training. A vibrant youth program is very important, so if you've got a teen confirmation program that is working - keep it!

In 1972 the Second Vatican Council began a process of restoring the ancient biblical theology of Baptism as it developed in the fourth and fifth centuries. In 1974 the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults was published in Latin and in 1976 it was published in English. Originally the text was for un-baptized people only, but in 1988 a candidate process was added to respect those who are already baptized in other traditions.

Regardless of the details, the catechumenate and candidate processes are a life-long discipleship. They're intended to be a public process which includes information, formation, and transformation. They're goals should be immersion in the Word, community life, prayer and the paschal mystery, and the mission of the church. The catechumenate and candidate processes for both adults and children are the responsibility of the entire community and they require a team approach that should include everyone as a renewal for the entire parish. Admittedly, it’s a difficult process but we must continue to do it even if we are not doing it well. You should just do it, and do the best that you can!