The God of Increase

In my very first written assignment I mentioned that although I am a convert to Catholicism, I feel like I've been Catholic all of my life.  My Mother had taught me that I shouldn't look for a church that I liked, but that I should find a church that was teaching the truth, and her advice is just as good today as it was then. As I described in My Journey Home, I was led to the fullness of faith after my wife joined the RCIA program as a team member. She would come home after her meetings and we would talk about the subject for that evening, and eventually she invited me to attend the meetings with her. During those early RCIA meetings I slowly realized that the Catholic Church was teaching what I considered to be the Truth.

 

I was confirmed in 2004, and joined the RCIA program as a team member with my wife and few others. As volunteers tend to do I worked hard, asked lots of questions, and occasionally offered suggestions. I'll also admit that as volunteers tend to do I felt there was room for improvement; the process seemed to lack direction and consistency and was a bit too touchy feely for me. While I strongly valued prayer, meditation, and even mysticism I wanted to add something about what the Catholic church believes. Unfortunately, at some point I crossed the line and became a hindrance to the process, and I left the team in 2008.

 

My biggest mistake was meeting with my Pastor to voice my concern, suggesting that "if he found himself in need of someone to run the program I was available", or something to that affect. Shortly after that he inadvertently "threw me under the bus" in a conversation with the RCIA Director while trying to make some suggestions of his own. She (naturally) got the impression that I was trying to "take over" and as you can probably imagine our relationship was a bit strained after that.

 

It was about this same time that I discovered the ILM program and since I was serious about wanting to improve the RCIA in my Parish I asked for admittance. The Institute for Leadership in Ministry (and my personal journey of faith) is what this blog is all about. Their intention is to produce leaders in our Diocese. As I've recently said I enjoyed the program a lot and learned plenty, and graduated in the spring of 2013. This is where things get a little mystical ... as things tend to do when you recognize the Holy Spirit at work in your life.

 

By now two things had happened: 1) The Pastoral Staff had changed considerably, and 2) The RCIA program was much improved. Neither my current Pastor nor the rest of his staff was aware of my "previous history" with the RCIA program, but during a conversation with our Parochial Vicar one evening he asked me if I would consider working on the RCIA team. I consciously stated that although improving the RCIA program was one reason I attended the ILM program, I felt that the RCIA program had improved considerably over the last three years. I also admitted that I was still interested in the RCIA program but I was unsure about my reception as a team member. I was told, "everything would work out fine", and "not to worry".

 

You've heard the saying, "Be careful what you wish for". It's easy to get stuck in a rut and run on auto-pilot expecting the same thing, but God is a God of increase. He wants us to rise higher and continually grow and reach new levels. What I didn't realize at the time was that I was being asked to take over the RCIA program, and not just join the team. This unexpected turn of events became obvious during a later meeting with the Parochial Vicar. Even before it was announced to the Parish staff people were coming up to me and suggesting that either I should volunteer to take over the program or they were congratulating me for having been chosen to do so.

 

What I sense in my spirit is that 2013 is turning out to be an exceptional year; a year to see promises come to pass and a year to accomplish dreams. It's also turning into a year of surprises, in which God is amazing me with His goodness! My friend John, who passed away recently, is surely pleased with this turn of events and I can imagine him smiling and laughing a bit, and ready to support me fully! Over the last 3 years I've realized that the RCIA process should not be focused solely on the transfer of knowledge. It is really about the journey; leading people of faith to the Kingdom of God. So pray for me as I strive to mix in a little knowledge with the prayer, meditation, and mysticism that is and should be part of everyone's daily journey.

The Summons

Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know, and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known?
Will you let my life be grown, in you and you in me?

 

Will you leave your self behind, if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind, and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare, should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer, in you and you in me?

 

Will you let the blinded see, if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free, and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen?
And admit to what I mean, in you and you in me?

 

Will you love the you you hide, if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside, and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found, to reshape the world around?
Through my sight and touch and sound, in you and you in me?

 

Lord, your summons echoes true, when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you, and never be the same.
In your company I will go, where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow, in you and you in me.

 

Kelvin Grove, 1987, The Iona Community all rights reserved

Graduation

Well that's it! Our last class was two weeks ago, only this time it really is our very last class. Tonight is the graduation ceremony for the ILM Class of 2013, and for me too. Once again, for the last time I suppose, I would like to thank everyone who is reading my blog; His blog, I hope, it's about the One who inspires me daily to be the person I am trying to be. I hope that you have learned something too, or at least found it interesting. My desire has been to faithfully reflect my witness of God's Grace in my life, my belief in Jesus' Love for us, my trust in the Holy Spirit, and my understanding of the Catholic Church in the world.

 

Not too long ago, another ILM student mentioned that writing must come easy to me; after all I am writing this blog. I told her that before joining ILM I mentioned to the director that although I was very interested in the program I didn't want to write term papers. I guess they aren't term papers, but the four papers per year have been the hardest part of the program for me. I was very uncomfortable with the idea of writing anything that "should include theological insight and pastoral implications", because I'm the student not the theologian. However, once I realized that my papers would serve to indicate my progress which also meant there would be no tests, I accepted my fear of writing. My early papers were mostly about things that I wanted to write about and my later papers were mostly about things my instructors wanted me to write about, but in every case I found it necessary to "adjust" the final version of my paper to approximate the instructors assignment. Looking back, it really hasn't been that hard I suppose; you can do it too!

 

This has really been a very interesting process for me, and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in the Catholic Church: actually to anyone interested in religion in general. Pretty much all of my life I've been in school, or some kind of formal training, or taking self study courses, so after hearing about the program I wanted to attend ILM for personal reasons; I simply wanted to know more. After I was in the program I realized that the Institute for Leadership in Ministry actually meant training leaders for the church (oops). I struggled with this a bit in my second year, but eventually realized that the training was still valuable for someone like me who prefers to be in a supporting role. So if you're interested, talk to your Pastor and do it!

 

Sometime life gets in the way and I hope that what I've written here will help others, including my own family, discover who I am on the inside and who I am trying to be on the outside. For those who undertook this journey with me, thank you. I am especially grateful to my Mother who did her best to keep me on the "straight and narrow" and to my Dad who usually let me make my own mistakes in life, I hope they always know how much I love them and how much I appreciate their love for me. To my Grandfather who inspired me to search for the truth no matter where it leads, and to my friend John who commented on my papers and assisted me with grammar and spelling when necessary. To my sister who showed me that I could "think outside the box", and to my brother, my children, and my grand children who have their own stories. Most of all I am grateful to my wife who gently led me with love and by example, making this discovery of a lifetime possible. I love you all!

This has been the story of my personal journey for truth, knowledge, and wisdom, but as with all great stories and epic journeys ... it's really just the beginning.

No Fear

Fredrich Cropp said, "There is much in the world to make us afraid", and someone else once said, "The biggest thing most of us fear is the unknown". According to surveys, some of the most common fears are (take a deep breath) ghosts, evil powers, cockroaches, spiders, snakes, heights, water, enclosed spaces, tunnels, bridges, needles, social rejection, failure, examinations, and (my biggest nightmare) public speaking. Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by a perceived threat. We all know that it is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. Some psychologists have suggested that fear belongs to a small set of basic or innate emotions, which also includes joy, sadness, and anger. The future is almost all unknown, and it can be full of scary "what ifs" that can haunt us and keep us awake at night.

 

Fredrich Cropp went on to say, "There is much more in our faith to make us unafraid". Whether it's a minor life setback or a seriously frightening situation, Christians are called to face it without undue fear, trusting in God. People will whisper behind your back (Joseph) do not be afraid. Storms will toss your boat (disciples), do not be afraid. You shall cross the barren desert (soldiers), do not be afraid. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands (Neale) and all will understand. If you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown. If you walk amid the burning flames, you shall not be harmed. If you stand before the power of hell and death is at your side, know that I am with you through it all.

 

In other words, do not be afraid even of death. The risen Lord is still saying what he has said before, "Do not be afraid", you shall see the face of God and live. "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17). God is with us. His recurring message throughout the entire Bible is that His people do not need to be afraid of anything. God is our refuge. "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God." God is our help. "I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". God is our guide. "I go before you always; come follow me, and I will give you rest". Be not afraid. "Peace be with you". "My peace be with you". Clearly the message for us is not to worry about the future.

God’s Fingerprints

In about 2000 BC, Babylonians were putting fingerprints in soft clay to protect against the forgery of important documents. In ancient China impressions of fingerprints were used as the signatures of those who couldn’t write. Fingerprints were first accepted as valid police procedure in 1901, at Scotland Yard. Prior to the use of fingerprints a system of identification known as the Bertillon system was used. Developed in France in 1883 the Bertillon system used the length and breadth of the skull, the length of each foot, the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, the length of the middle finger, and the exact size of the ears to identify a person.

 

The Bertillon system failed in 1903 at Leavenworth Penitentiary where two men, one named Willie West and the other named William West, were in custody. Their Bertillon measurements were almost identical although they were in no way related. Only their fingerprints could positively identify one from the other. Today we trust that every person’s fingerprints, which first appear on a fetus at about 4 months, is unique. Not even identical twins have the same fingerprints, and as a matter of fact, no two fingerprints have ever been found to be identical. Even a barely visible (latent) fingerprint is positive physical evidence that a person has been at a given location.

 

Does God have fingerprints? Take another look and the recent post titled Passover and enlarge the image. I think that His fingerprints are everywhere and on everything: He alone is the Master Creator, and His creativity and intellect know no bounds. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:19-20). I also think that, as the Body and Hands of Christ, we leave latent (barely visible) spiritual fingerprints on everyone and everything we come in contact with. "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Whose prints are you leaving behind as evidence?

Program Evaluation

We began this evening with a 20 minute discussion about the Graduation Ceremony. Evidently last year’s graduation was a bit … well … rowdy, and so we were reminded that it takes place in the context of evening prayer. It’s a celebration of and in our local church and we should maintain an atmosphere of prayer. Please, no whistling, yelling, or hooting! No jeans, no ball gowns, and no cell phones.

 

Tonight is our last get together before graduation. It wasn’t a normal class, however, instead we were asked to discuss the ILM program as a whole and provide feedback to the ILM staff. One of the ILM Administrators sent a worksheet so we could prepare, and the discussion was facilitated and recorded by past graduates. We were asked to think about our experience over the last three years and focus on various questions.

 

“What were your expectations coming in to the Institute in September 2010?” Since I came from a Protestant background, my original intent was to learn more about my chosen faith. I wanted to understand as much as I could and I didn’t want to get it from individuals through random conversations. I wanted to learn the Truth from knowledgeable instructors.

 

“Were they met?” Yes. This program is well managed, organized, and delivered. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the Church. Although (evidently) the ILM program is intended for “leadership” training I would insist that it is also valuable for those who might prefer to fill a secondary “assistantship” role in their Parish.

 

“Did the Institute work for you?” Yes. Even though I attended church regularly as a child and felt somewhat knowledgeable, I know more now than when I began this program; about Catholicism in particular and about Christianity in general. This is an excellent program and I feel privileged to have been part of the class of 2013.

 

“What can you tell us about the content of the courses?” Most of the instructors were very interesting and their lectures were spellbinding. Some of the instructors failed to connect emotionally with the content of their lectures, but the information provided was interesting anyway. Some of the instructors had difficulty keeping my interest, either because they were poorly prepared or it was a repeat of previous lectures. There wasn’t too much emphasis on social justice, but there were too many disconnected sessions on social justice programs. They should keep this focus prominent, but tighten and reorganize this subject to remove the repetition.

 

“Were the methodologies (lectures, Saturday sessions, discussions) successful?” I enjoyed the Saturday sessions; however a lunch period consisting of 45 minutes is insufficient. I would strongly recommend a 60 minute lunch period so that students can interact more. Initially I was uncomfortable about the discussion sessions; because I didn’t want to hear what other students thought; I wanted to hear what the church thought. I certainly didn’t want to waste time hearing myself talk because I wouldn’t be learning anything new. Eventually I discovered that other student’s ideas were interesting to hear, and to trust my ability to discern the value of their comments. Learning to interact with other students was very helpful.

 

“Were we successful at working together and respecting you as students?” Yes. All of the students I met were interesting and friendly, and the staff was friendly and helpful. It might be helpful for the staff (and students) to appreciate the diverse motivations students have in attending the ILM program. For instance not everyone intends to be a leader, yet the benefits for all students are still tangible.

 

“If you could make just one suggestion or say one thing to us, what would it be?” I’ll admit that initially I wasn’t thrilled about writing papers because I didn’t feel qualified to express my opinion, especially after only a few class sessions. However, after some hesitation, I especially enjoyed the 2nd year classes during which we shared our unfinished papers and listened to feedback. At times the guidance regarding the written assignment was poor, leaving the instructor’s expectations undefined and difficult to determine. Having a written description of the assignment and expectations was extremely helpful.

 

I didn’t appreciate the subtle push by some of the instructors against the teaching and norms of the church. Nevertheless, I do see some value in understanding the views of those on the fringe of church teaching. Occasionally we received subtle suggestions that the church should be following the lead of our instructor. One in particular told personal stories of resistance against authority as a novice, and was proud of her personal stand against authority as a sister.

 

A few students that there wasn’t enough information about leadership, or leadership skills. One student mentioned that since we would (presumably) be working in a ministry, that we should have received training concerning the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Another student suggested that all of the classes should be organized like seminars, with more discussion and less lecture. Another student felt that there wasn’t enough emphasis placed on the prayer partner program, saying that it was a great idea but it wasn’t executed very well.

 

We all agreed that the Site Kreator website needed work too. Sometimes the information was wrong, and sometimes it was too late to be helpful. The intermittent availability of the WiFi connection was also a sore point for most of us, but we all agreed that emails from the staff were very welcome.

 

Something else we all talked about during the evening was our friendship. Although we all started out as strangers we ended up as family. I said that I expected the intellectual component, but I didn’t expect the community component. I am a more open person in my personal life as a result of my experience at the Institute for Leadership in Ministry.

 

I also think that most of us were interested in coming to audit one or two of the third classes being offered next year. Most of us think meeting at ILM on the Saturday classes, for lunch would be fun, and one of our facilitators graduated about 6 years ago, and her graduating class still meets every quarter. I like that idea too.

 

“Are you willing to help out with the Institute in the future?” Maybe …

 

“If so, in what ways?” Not sure …

 

The Joy of Old Age

As I've aged, I've become kinder and less critical of myself. In a way, I suppose I've become my own friend. So many people leave this world too soon, before they understand the great freedom that comes with age. As we get older, it is easier to be positive, partly because we care less about what other people think, but also because we question ourselves less. We've even earned the right to be wrong. So, don't fear or struggle with time, being old is a reward in itself, it can set us free to be the person each of us has become.

 

Like not letting others get in the way if you choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM, and then sleep until noon. If we want to dance with ourselves to those wonderful tunes of yesterday, just do it, or eat dessert every single day if you want. If you wish to weep about past memories, missing friends, and lost opportunities ... it's OK. The jet set isn't going to care if you walk on the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, or dive into the waves with abandon. They're too busy with their own lives and they too are aging too fast. Don't worry if at times you are forgetful, because some of life is just as well forgotten, remember the important things.

 

Sure, over the years our hearts have been broken, like with the loss of a loved one, or when our children suffer, or even when somebody's beloved pet passes away; but broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion for others: It also teaches us to be kind to ourselves. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and it will never know the joy of being imperfect. Sadly, many have never laughed and too many die before their hair can turn silver. I have been blessed with a life long enough to have gray hair, and to have grooves in my face forever etched by laughter and tears. I am not going to live forever either, but while I'm here I am not going to waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

Hispanic Apostolate

Tonight we began with a (surprise) task to choose a class representative to speak at our graduation ceremony. The program administrator was there and she wasn’t going to leave until she had a name. She suggested that this person should be a class leader, someone who could speak eloquently, and it must be someone who has completed all of their work.

 

Whomever we chose would be the “Voice of our Class”, and their short speech would have to compress three years of study into a three to four minute presentation. She turned it over to one of the students in our class who facilitated the discussion, nominations, and election. Eight people in our class were nominated, including me. I and one other person declined our nominations, and the first round of voting clinched it for one of the remaining six.

 

After that the administrator left and the instructor began her lecture by asking the question, “How much do you know about the Hispanic Ministry in your parish”? I think she was a bit surprised by how much we did know, although I’ll admit that I didn’t recognize that the Hispanic group is made up of so many cultural distinctions. This ministry includes Mexicans, Columbians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, etc. It’s obvious to me that we need to better understand the various cultures that make up this group, because despite this diversity their faith is deep and from the heart.
 
The American way is to compartmentalize functions and assign tasks; like the Office of Family, Office of Youth, Office of Seniors, etc, whereas the Hispanic way is to combine functions and tasks. Families are one and must be addressed together. Every culture has their own gifts and we are (still) not doing enough to cross over between the various cultural groups.

 

Different parishes have different traditions too, including informational handouts, and sources that are not being equally distributed. There is something new called the “Strong Catholic Families” program that has been successful in Los Angeles. This program was developed as the result of the Los Angeles Bishop’s strong support there, and it’s in the process of being disseminated during this Year of Evangelization.

 

We noted something called “Roots and Wings” in the instructors handouts and asked her to discuss it. It’s an encounter program that brings Hispanic directors together from the different diocese to a weeklong national retreat with lectures.

 

The Hispanic ministry, like so many others, depends on the ADA for its budget, but additional funds are collected through projects. Those involved in the ministry use an idea expressed as conjunto which represents the idea of wholeness; combining tasks. They strive to see, judge, and act: To see what’s going on, to judge what is happening, and to act to make things better. This is a huge task in the US, especially in our diocese, because we’re small compared to some of the other dioceses. Nevertheless, together we can do a lot.

 

For instance, parish life is usually organized around committees, but Hispanic groups do not work well in committees because although small groups represent the whole, it is not the way the Hispanic community works. It often requires education to help people understand the purpose of committees. It is also necessary to inform the parish leaders about this issue. In Latin America the Pastor makes all the decisions, and this is what they, as a culture, know. The Hispanic church needs to learn from the American church in order to organize and take control of their own communities.

 

The Office of Parish Services, or the Hispanic Apostolate as our instructor refers to it, is a ministry that is about two years old. The Mission of the Hispanic Apostolate is "to be a local church that will inspire the people of this valley to live the values taught by Jesus Christ, inspiring them to integrity and action."

 

In order to support the mission of the Hispanic Apostolate the following core values must be understood and lived: 1) Dedication to incorporate liturgy, catechesis, social ministries, community outreach to the community and evangelization: 2) Fidelity to the mission and tradition of the church: 3) Honesty in the ministry that includes a sense of professional ethics: and 4) Working in collaboration with other ministries and cultures.

 

Companionship and cooperation is very important in the Hispanic community; for them being a companion is being a disciple. The model for the Hispanic Apostolate is concentric circles with Jesus at the center. Radiating outward are Liturgy, Education and Catechetics, Outreach and Social Justice, Community building, and Communication and Evangelization.

 

It incorporates the following ministries exemplified in Mark 16:15, Youth and young adult ministry, Movements, Encounters, Popular religiosity, Protection of children and vulnerable adults, and vocations. The mission of the ministries is rooted in the mission of the Gospels and the social teaching of the church. The challenge is to educate, communicate, and develop a pastoral plan in diverse settings according to the Gospel.

 

The short terms goals of the Hispanic Apostolate are: 1) Relationship building with the clergy who are ministering with the Hispanic community; 2) Develop and conduct a survey of all parishes to discover the needs of their Hispanic community so that they can understand how to respond to the needs of each parish; 3) Have a gathering with the pastors who have a Hispanic community to inform them and invite them to be a part of the development of their own Hispanic Apostolate; 4) Bring together all the leaders of the movements to inform and educate them so that they can do their ministry based on the Diocesan Pastoral Plan; and 5) Establish criteria for the Hispanic board.

 

The long term goals of the Hispanic Apostolate are: 1) To establish a Hispanic Apostolate board; 2) To establish a leadership committee to establish relationships between the members and the different groups and movements; 3) To establish polices of professional ethics in the Hispanic leadership; 4) To establish programs of education and evangelization for the leader of the different ministries; and 5) To promote stewardship education in the communities.

 

Obviously this is a new ministry with lots of work to do, and there are openings available on the Hispanic Apostolate Advisory Board. This is the time to get in on the ground floor of a growing ministry.

Staying on Track

Jean de la Fontaine said, "Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish". The Dream Test begins with the question, "Are you following your own dream". If not, life will throw obstacles at you at a staggering pace, because life wants you to pursue your own dreams, and will make sure that it does what it can to get you back on track. Ask yourself the question: “How would I really feel if I never accomplished this in my entire life”. If it leaves you hurting and is too hard to accept, then you have found your dream or you are very close to it. If you would accept it and just formulate something else life is trying to teach you a lesson.

 

Maya Angelou said, "I’ve learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow". The Priority Test begins with the question, "Are my dreams and goals in perspective". If you put your dream above health, love, family, and friends life will throw obstacles at you. These are often overlooked, partly because they’re ‘soft’ and hard to translate into goals, or maybe because they are taken for granted a little too easy. Life is trying to teach you that you should pursue your dream, but not regardless of everything else! Set your priorities straight. There’s more to life than accomplishing your dream, and living your dream should never be done alone.

Brian Tracy said, "Identify the major obstacle that stands between you and your goal and begin today to remove it". The Skills Test begins with the question, "Do I have the right skill set". Life’s pretty smart when it comes to obstacles, so the ones that will arise are those that will call for these skills specifically. If you don’t have the skills yet, don’t give up, because learning an essential skill is working to accomplish that dream too! Learning a new skill might feel like a mountain to conquer, but experience says that if the skill is necessary to get closer to fulfilling your dream, learning the skill is not that bad. The trick is to get started, take the first step, and have fun learning something new.

Seneca said, "It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness". The Commitment Test begins with the question, "Are you ready to do what it takes". The dream feels right, you’ve got your priorities straight, and you’ve got the skills you need, so all of your ducks in a row. Life is going to start there by testing your endurance and perseverance. It’s going to make it hard on you to test whether you are man or woman enough to deserve to have your dream fulfilled. This is the time to stick to the matter and push-on! Keep going! Make a nice visualization, either using imaginary or by creating something that will help you visualize what you’re trying to accomplish. Stay focused, endure, persevere, and succeed.

Easter

Dying He destroyed our death
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
John 3:16

 

 

Rising He restored our life
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
John 11:25

Passover

In the Hebrew Scriptures the Jews celebrated a physical passing over, because they were under the shed blood of a physical lamb. In the Christian Scriptures we read, "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (Corinthians 5:7). Today we can all celebrate a spiritual passing over because as believers, we’re under the shed blood of the Lamb of God.

 

While speaking to his disciples at their Passover feast, Jesus said, “…This cup is the New Covenant in My Blood which is shed for you” (Luke ?). In First Corinthians we read, “…For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death until He come” (1 Cor. 11:26). In Second Corinthians it says, "Now He which established us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Think of this seal as a fingerprint placed on our foreheads in the Blood of Christ at the time of our salvation. At the exact moment, the time that we actually surrender our lives to Christ, God dips His thumb into the shed blood of Jesus Christ and places His fingerprint on our forehead (spiritually) as a mark of security and genuineness. As Christians (a part of the Body of Christ), we must always remember that we have God’s seal (fingerprint) on our foreheads and that this seal is our security and preservation. We must also remember that we leave a mark (fingerprint) on the lives of everyone we come into contact with. Let that mark be the fingerprint of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

The Voice of God

Evangelicalism began in the 17th century, and the Evangelical Faith movement came to America during the 18th and 19th century, attracting members from the social upheaval of the 1960s and growing rapidly in the 1970s. The term evangelical has it roots in the Greek word for "gospel" or "good news"; from eu (good) and angelion (message). In this sense, to be evangelical means to be a believer of the Gospel, that is, the message of Christ. People were choosing between many different faiths and ways to believe, and the various church's were trying to offer a faith practice that encouraged people to develop a closer relationship with a loving God. An interesting research project was triggered by a comment from a woman who told a Stanford professor to "go have coffee with God". The professor was at first confused, and then amazed that this woman talked about God as her best friend, which led to the question "How does God become real to people". So for the next several years, the professor immersed herself in the activities of Evangelical Christians; joining a church, attending Sunday services, weekly prayer meetings, lectures, conferences, and retreats.

 

What she discovered was that Evangelicals seek a close, personal relationship with God. He is a God of unconditional love and kindness, and they believe that with some training they can recognize God's presence, even His voice, in their minds. When they pray, they are talking directly to God in their minds, not reciting Scripture or a suggested prayer. They invite congregants to "pretend" that God is present and make believe that he is talking back like their very best buddy. They don't think that God is imaginary, but they do believe that when congregants use their imaginations in prayer, they can experience God more intimately. What she concluded was that their beliefs and their experience may seem pretty startling to onlookers, but they are not crazy. What has developed over time are techniques that involve attending to an imaginative experience and treating that imaginary experience as significant, meaningful, and worthy; basically it's paying more attention to your inner thoughts.

Luckily all Catholics, including those with an Evangelical focus, don't have to pretend that God is present, and we would also agree that a close personal relationship with God is imperative. Other research has confirmed that people who report that they feel God's love directly feel less lonely and less stressed. During the professors study she asked a prayer group to listen to scripture readings, which were followed by questions about the passages that encouraged the participants to use their imagination to take part in what was happening in the Scripture readings. A separate Bible study group listened to lectures about scripture that weren't followed by questions. Her research found that after 30 days of listening to scripture for 30 minutes each day, the prayer group had more vivid imaginations and were more likely to say that they experienced God more as a person. Each of us should be reading scripture and practicing prayer to sharpen our mental imagery, so that like those from the research study we can say we experience God as our best friend.

New Evangelization

We began tonight by defining what evangelization is: According to Wikipedia “Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. We also defined it as “the announcement of the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit with the goal of inviting all listeners to trust Him”. In a wider sense, it is used to describe ordinary pastoral work, while the phrase “new evangelization” designates pastoral outreach to those who no longer practice the Christian faith.

After this we talked about how we are doing evangelization in our Parishes. Before starting the ILM program I imagined evangelization to be a more direct effort, like the door to door canvasing of the Mormon’s or Jehovah Witness’. But today I can accept the idea that it can be less direct, like the Spirituality Tuesday lecture series or the Taizé services I assist my wife with.

In fact, during one of our recent Taizé services we invited some homeless guys in for the service. I was a bit surprised that they didn’t sit together, but while one of them left (noisily) about midway through another one of them sat in a front pew and was so moved by the service that he cried during most it. There are also the RCIA and CCD programs that are designed to reach people’s spiritual needs, and the opportunity provided by baptisms. During a baptism there are often family and friends that are not practicing their faith and this is an opportunity for them to experience the sacraments.

One of the people in my group felt that small group discussions was the best way to evangelize, and of course there is liturgy, welcoming, hospitality, etc. Our instructor told us a story about a talk she was supposed to give. As she began to talk, a homeless guy ran into the church and jumped up on the alter reaching up to the Cross and the body of Jesus. Our instructor thought, “oh my goodness” and tried to talk him into coming down. Then she listened to what he was saying which was,  “Please let me touch Jesus and he will touch my heart”.

From this she learned that we need to try to understand each other, even though there are many languages, many cultures, and many traditions. Not everyone can communicate with a second language but everyone can communicate with their heart. To teach and educate people in another culture we must listen to the other person. In the new evangelization we need to renovate the people who have already heard the Good news of Jesus but are no longer practicing. Sometimes it’s hard for different communities to engage each other because we are all in our own place worshiping God.

Bringing new people to the parish is more work and more budget, but sometimes we stress preparation before God, rather than trusting in God more than preparation. Conversion must be centered on a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. We can’t just talk about Jesus; we must provide an intimate connection to Jesus. The evangelization of different cultures requires an encounter with the gospel as a key to understanding each other. Take advantage of the moment when people ask you _______ (anything) to share your understanding of what you believe.

We may not be able to speak another language but our heart can speak all languages. For immigrants from Mexico evangelization means understanding the catholic church in America. They see the church in the US as very structured, and because of immigration fears it’s difficult for them to trust, "sign here and take these offering envelopes with you". The new evangelization is helping them to understand that they don’t need to worry and that it’s OK to sing up as a member of the community.

The new evangelization is not just observing the other culture but being part of the other culture: We are (all) a gift for each other, to truly be with each other. For instance I find bilingual and trilingual services to be very prayerful, but some people are unhappy attending multilingual services, because they don’t find them prayerful. The fact is the US is the 5th most multicultural country in the world, following countries like Canada and Australia, so we need to make an effort to be inclusive of everyone.

Liberation as a part of the new evangelization is the transformation of social and political understanding in light of gospel values, sharing our lives openly rather than holding on to our confidentiality. It’s very important if we are to understand the social and economic life of the people, especially the youth and young adults. The new evangelization is most effective when you touch the hearts of the people in their own experiences. Jesus will do the rest.

After the break our instructor showed us a video in Spanish with Italian sub-titles, and then asked us “How do you feel seeing the video and not understanding what was said?” Actually many of the students in my class speak Spanish and one even speaks Italian, but I have to admit it was a bit frustrating for me. The new evangelization is simply bringing God to others by talking about something that touches our heart.

It sounds harder than then it actually is. If you listen and observe carefully you can see Jesus telling you when you are doing the right thing and when you’re not. It’s about opening our hearts and seeing with our feelings about how we are doing our ministries. We are not only a bridge but the door to Jesus' heart.

What are the challenges of the new evangelization? Working in collaboration with other cultures is very hard, because we all have different ideas and desires. We have to figure out what is best for the people. Secularism in society is a challenge for all cultures. Individualism (me, them me, them after me comes me) is a strong sense of freedom to choose one’s own life style and profession. Falling asleep and materialism are two others, and understanding the theology of intercultural ministries can be a challenge. When a church includes many cultures it can be difficult to know what each culture understands about God.

How we understand the cultural challenges and how we understand the cultures theology will influence how we do evangelization. The good news is that we are catholic, as in universal father than in belief, and having other cultures in the Parish is not a problem; it is a gift. I must understand the church as communion, as mission, and as catholic because I am catholic and when I understand what this means I will be a true disciple of Christ, ready to bring others to the kingdom of God.

The Cleaning Lady

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's I would guess, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before exiting the classroom I heard another student ask if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely” said the professor, "In your careers you will meet many people, and all of them are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello." I've never forgotten that lesson, and I also learned her name was Margret.

 

God has given each of us unique talents and gifts to use in His service. His work for us on earth is to use our gifts and talents 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 may give unselfishly of our time to our spouse, children or parents. We may choose a service-oriented occupation, or we may just do our everyday jobs with integrity and respect for others. It would seem that the more we give to others, the poorer we become, but 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.

Ethics in Ministry

Our instructor began tonight’s class by having us introduce ourselves, stating our Parish, our ministry, and whether we worked somewhere with a code of ethics. My Parish is St. Thomas Aquinas, I’m involved in three ministries right now, and I work at a bank in Silicon Valley, so we are familiar with Codes of Ethics. In fact, as an employee I have to pass a quarterly test called Ethics in Banking, and I’m not involved with the financial stuff at all.

 

He pointed out that there are codes of ethics all over the place, in all kinds of professional environments, but they have been slow in coming to the church. He teaches Ethics at Santa Clara University, and his course was created in response to the sexual abuse crisis which he considers to be a profound professional failure. His goal is to contribute to the professional ethics standards of the local Dioceses and Parishes.

 

Essentially, the question he is addressing is what are the primary virtues that ought to govern our ministry work? As usual, handouts were made available to us via the student web site which we downloaded and read prior to class. In Church Leadership, Ethics and the Future James Keenan argues that “a priest is singularly responsible to the bishop’s expectations and judgments ... and there do not seem to be any specific normative standards to guide the bishop in his assessment of his diocesan personnel”. The point he’s trying to make in this article is that whereas vertical accountability is emphasized, horizontal accountability is not emphasized.

 

There was as short discussion that made me wonder if our claim to being ethical assists us or works against us. We are supposed to be governed by a sense of Christian Love, and some in my class seemed to feel that it was obscuring our resistance of accountability to each other. I found that disturbing. Both Law and ethics are found in the application of behavior. My class seemed focused on negative examples regarding ethics in the church and I wondered (aloud) if we could identify any positive examples regarding ethics in the church.

 

Usually, a code of ethics is only necessary if there is some problem that needs to be addressed? Another common element is that little democratic input is found in creating a code of ethics. They are normally just presented to you and require complete agreement in order to keep your job. Everyone is subject to the agreement; the written code of ethics in our Diosces should apply equally to religious staff and lay staff.

 

Each case where things have gone so terribly wrong is an individual case, complex and heartbreaking, but there needs to be a more open environment. For one thing, transparency will be required to rebuild trust in the church. In my work for example, our personal performance is evaluated by others as well as by ourselves. James Keenan says that parishioners must make sure that people are held accountable; but we must remember that while in the professional world failure results in loss (firing) and in the religious world failure should result in loss (trust) with relief (forgiveness).

 

We also discussed a group known as the National Roundtable on Church Management, and I’ll admit I’m not sure what to think about this group. If what they are advocating is a corporate model for accounting in the Parish, arguing for standards and transparency, then I think it’s a good idea. The question is whether corporate business practices are the answer that we should be looking, of if it’s just part of the answer.

 

We all agreed that it’s a step forward in running a parish, but it’s not the answer to accountability. I suggested that it may be the answer to professional accountability but it probably shouldn’t be applied to ministerial activities. In other words the corporate model may be applicable to the functioning of the parish but it would not be applicable to the ministry of the church. After all, we’re all Priest, Prophet, and King and although these must be held together they cannot be compressed into one function.

 

An article in the Economist from last week, which was also found in the New York Times, argued that the "Vatican ought to be broken up and run like an international corporation". The trap of course is that bringing in corporate practices may also introduce corporate motivations. I would not support anything like this, but how might best practices be applied to influence the management of the church, and how would you measure results? After all we’re supposed to be "In the world but not of the world".

 

The Roundtable group insists that they are not talking about turning the church into Google. They are arguing the advantages of taking best practices and applying them to leadership roles, "seeking God in all things", by  making discerning choices about the things that would apply and those that would not apply.

 

After the break we moved on to a more general topic, thinking about our own sense of ethics. Each of us is responding to a call, a basic fundamental attitude about life, as a free response to God's call in community to commit ourselves in Love to serve others. But how do we accomplish this? Character at its core is a sense of who we are. It is the sum of our intentions, attitudes, motives, and actions that give our lives a fundamental direction.

 

Our call and our character carries with it various virtues, like behavior towards others. We discussed holiness (how we behave), the practice of discipline, love, humility (lowly but chosen) trustworthiness, altruism (habit of mercy), prudence, reliability (an inner and outer consistency through all parts of our practice). We also added witnessing (the inescapable reality of public action), integrity (acting as a whole in ministry), and compassion (understanding the needs and challenges faced by others).

 

We should all be striving for the kind of love that draws good out of evil, and attention to detail is how we can make a situation better for others. Our professional obligation is theological competence in sharing the ministry of salvation. To serve salvation in word and deed, in what we know, in what we say, and in how we act is to cooperate with our own salvation and the salvation of others.

 

Evangelization is more successful if we’re working towards the others best interest. Putting others first in all things also means being attentive to self-care. Feeding the soul and the body, and not volunteering for absolutely everything that needs to be done. Using power wisely to proclaim the word, giving others credit when possible, and occasionally giving way to others who might want to lead. Striving for ethics in ministry by understanding our call, maintaining our character, and practicing virtues will bring us closer to the role of Priest, Prophet, and King.

Golf Lessons

Last summer my wife and I visited a friend and his wife on the island of Kauai, at the North end of the Hawaiian Islands. His wife has recently taken up golf and was obviously enjoying it a lot, because she talked about it constantly! Not just because of the weather and the beautiful scenery either. She just loved playing golf, even though as she admitted, she wasn't very good at it. She was excited when she hit the ball well, because it went down the fairway like it was supposed to. She was also excited when she didn't hit the ball well, because it meant she could hit it again. When the ball fell into a sand trap, she was excited because it was a chance to practice getting it out. As you might imagine, she especially liked the colored golf balls.

 

I'll admit that I don't like golf, but in a way I think life is a bit like golf: We have to identify short and long term goals, review the various challenges, and then take appropriate action. I also think that like my friends wife, we can't let our abilities get in the way of trying to do our best. I love the fact that she doesn't keep score when she plays golf, and I think most of us would agree that life is not about keeping score. Marsha Sinetar said, "Life’s up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want". All of life's obstacles have their own lessons to teach, the trick is to identify the challenge to be dealt with.

 

Like a video game, only with the right action can you pass on to the next level. For instance, you don’t want to push-on when you’re not really pursuing your own dream, and you don’t want to redefine your dream until you have the right skill set. If you take the wrong action, you may not necessarily be moving away from your dreams but most of the time life will just keep putting obstacles in your path. So when life decides to pull a trick on you and place an obstacle on your path, be grateful! It’s an opportunity to learn something about yourself, and it gives you an opportunity to identify the challenge and consciously choose how you are going to deal with that obstacle. Remember that life is not the opponent. God wants you to live your dream, and will help you to do just that. It’s good to know that although Life’s favorite trick is to challenge us, we can learn from the experience and know that God is with us.

Gospel of John - Class 8

Our assignment for this class was to contrast the passion narratives found in the Gospel of John ch:18-19 with the Gospel of Mathew ch:26-27. Prior to today’s class our instructor wanted us to write down three differences to discuss in class.

 

In the account of the anointing of Jesus in Bethany Matthew names the host but the woman is unnamed, John named the woman but not the host. Matthew doesn’t use the names of those involved when the servant losses an ear during Jesus’ arrest, but John names Peter as the one with the sword. Remember that John isn’t too concerned about the primacy of Peter or the other apostles.

 

In Matthew Jesus has help carrying the cross and in John Jesus carries the cross alone. Although in Matthew Judas is condemned, Jesus says “Let my disciples go” making good His promise to have not lost one of those given to him. In John there is no final judgment of Judas also signifying that He has “not lost one of those you gave me”. Matthew’s Judas is repentant and John makes no mention of money as part of the story line.

 

In Matthew’s account of the betrayal Judas is in charge (kiss and coins), and in John’s account Jesus is in charge (Who are you looking for and I AM). The crucifixion in Matthew is a humiliation and degradation, which is what it was supposed to be under roman rule, in John the crucifixion is a lifting up or glorification of Jesus. At the end of Matthews account Jesus cries out “My God, My God”, and in John he quietly says “It is finished”.  We don’t find the in inauguration of a new community at the base of the cross in Matthew, and in John we see those gathered at the base of the cross as the foundation of the New Israel.

 

During our class discussion she emphasized the difficulty in trying to conflate them into one story. She also wanted us to understand that the Church is made up of saints and sinners. It’s not two separate groups of people; we are both, and she thought maybe this is what Jesus is trying to show. Jesus the Christ, who was and is the Son of God, is the primary message of the Gospel of John.

 

In John chapters 18 and 19 the Passion Narrative brings to a climax the themes found throughout the Gospel: A lifting up or gathering up of Jesus and the destruction of the old physical temple and the raising up of the new Temple in Jesus. Jesus is bound when the Jewish guards take him to Annas, and is then bound again when the guards take him to Caiaphas. This may allude to the story of Abraham and Isaac who was bound. He also carried the bundle of wood to his own sacrifice. It’s interesting to note that the place of Abraham’s sacrifice is the place later called Golgotha, the place of the new Temple, God’s beloved Son.

 

Passover was a very important event of course. God rose up Moses to deliver the people, and He brought the ten plagues to convince Pharaoh to let His people go. God also instructed every family to sacrifice a lamb and place its blood on the lintel so that the Angle of Death would pass over their house. The idea that this was a quick meal with no time for bread to rise continued into the days of Jesus. The Passover celebration brought thousands of people to Jerusalem, to sacrifice and eat the meal which included unleavened bread.

 

In the first three Gospels the Disciples ask where they are to prepare the meal, and that evening they celebrate the meal. Jesus’ death is the day after the Passover meal. In John’s Gospel Jesus’ death occurs on the day prior to the Passover meal, on the afternoon of the day of preparation. John changes the time for theological reasons to identify Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, giving life to all who believe in Him. Jesus’ death represents the salvation of Israel, just like the Passover Lamb protected them from death at the original pass over.

 

In John the soldiers use a hyssop branch to offer Jesus water with the sponge, which was also used to spread the blood on the lintel. The Hyssop branch was a sign of salvation and freedom for the Israel households.

 

For John the freedom from sin and slavery of the world denotes a condition rather than an individual act or infraction of the law. Adam and Eve’s refusal to believe that God was ultimate love and refusal to believe that everything comes from God, was related to their fear of not being in control of their lives. The fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was original not because it comes first but because wanting to be god like is the source of all sin, and is therefore a condition that affects the whole human race. For John the task of the Disciples was how to deal with the expression of individuals regarding this original human sin.

 

John also saw Jesus’ death as a free laying down of life for those whom Jesus loves: It was a release or liberation from the slavery of sin. The reason for Jesus' death was not the result of hate but was an ultimate act of Love. God’s Love achieved what Israel’s Law was unable to achieve, and their sacrificial acts were no longer necessary. Those who can believe and really understand it can have Eternal Life. What is required of us is to do what Jesus did for us, extend the love of Jesus to all, up to and including laying down our lives.

 

There was plenty of religious and political chaos present during the Passover event. Usually, when violence increases chaos increases and when the people decide that their violent behavior must stop they search for a common enemy. A scapegoat is blamed for their condition and turned into the common enemy, and Jesus was identified as their common enemy and blamed for causing the social unrest.

 

The people were looking for a scapegoat and it was obvious who the scapegoat should be; who needed a trial. Jesus was from Nazareth, He was a Galilean, despised by the religious authorities because His teachings challenged the Law, and they were threated by His teaching about the temple and His claim to be a king.

 

Once the scapegoat is gone the mission is accomplished and people begin to feel a little more peaceful. They justify their action by saying, “It is better for one person should die than the whole nation should parish.” Jesus was oppressed and afflicted, like a lamb taken to the slaughter. He was a scapegoat whose death was freely given: God let his plan come through despite the chaos that was present. The risen Jesus came to forgive and the peace that he brings is intended to commission us to forgive those who are against us. “Peace be with you. My peace I bring you.”

Seven Times Seventy

I don't think many of us really understand forgiveness. Just as Jesus loves all His people and is willing to forgive their sins, we must be willing to forgive others who have done wrong to us. Anger can consume us with hatred and block out the love of God. Whether between parent and child, spouses, friends, or nations, expressions of anger divide us and drive us toward open hostility. More often than not, our angry feelings are based on a misinterpretation of what someone said or did. A grudge clouds our judgment and may lead us to an act of revenge that can never be undone. The phrase seventy times seven is synonymous with God's eternal forgiveness. "Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22).

 

Jesus isn't telling us to forgive our brothers more than seven times, or more than seventy times, or up to 490 times. He's telling us we should always forgive our brothers when they have sinned against us. God in heaven has forgiven all of humanity's sins; how wrong it would be for us to deny our brothers and sisters a similar forgiveness for much lesser matters. The book of Matthew goes on to recount one of Jesus' parables about how the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. After the master took pity on a servant and canceled his debt and let him go, the servant failed to do likewise. "You wicked servant," the master said, "I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" The Heavenly Father will turn us over to the jailers to be tortured (eternal hell) unless we forgive our brother from our heart.

 

“Let me say this, then, speaking for the Lord: Live no longer as the unsaved do, for they are blinded and confused. Their closed hearts are full of darkness: they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds against him, and they cannot understand his ways. They don’t care anymore about right and wrong and have given themselves over to impure ways. They stop at nothing, being driven by their evil minds and reckless lusts. But that isn’t the way Christ taught you. If you have really heard his voice and learned from him the truths concerning himself, then throw off your old evil nature; the old you that was a partner in your evil ways, rotten through and through full of lust and shame".

 

"Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better. Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature. Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are hurting ourselves. If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry, get over it quickly; for when you are angry you give a mighty foothold to the devil. If anyone is stealing, he must stop it and begin using those hands of his for honest work so he can give to others in need. Don’t use bad language. Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to, and what will give them a blessing. Don’t cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who marks you to be present on that day when salvation from sin will be complete".

 

The need to forgive is not some ideal that we cannot hope to attain. Forgiveness is necessary to free us from the dark cloud of anger and resentment that can literally destroy our own lives. We cannot afford to wait for the other person to repent and apologize. Unless we let go of our anger and the desire to punish or get even, the Love of God cannot enter our lives. We are not meant to live hard-hearted or self-centered lives. We are called to put our faith into practice and truly love our neighbors, especially those less fortunate. Before we were Christians, it was natural for us to hold grudges and be unforgiving, because that was our very nature. As believers we have been set free from our unforgiving past and it no longer has to lead us. Jesus calls us to remember that we are all God's children, so stop being mean, bad-tempered and angry, quarreling with harsh words, and the dislike of others. Instead, "be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ” (Ephesians 4:17-32).

Gospel of John - Class 7

Our instructor began this evening by describing a few of the themes found in the Gospel of John. 1) An abiding presence of Jesus in our lives: 2) The necessity of His return to the Father: 3) The promise of the Spirit that would not leave us: 4) The future of a community to be His witness: and 5) The centrality of the Love that Jesus had for this community.

 

Then she described three worlds found in the Gospel, which is basically three ways to interpret the text. 1) “Behind the text” includes the historical background and the social context of the author. This is not always apparent from the text, and may require additional study. The text is read with an understanding of the writer’s experience. 2) “Of the text” includes the various literary forms of written communication, such as fiction, or poetry, or imagery. The text is read with an understanding of the characters and development. 3) “In front of the text” includes the reader’s experience, as we reflect on the message and our relationship to the story. The text is read with an understanding of where we are in the text.

 

Evidently there was some discussion in the previous week about chapter 14’s focus on a series of dwellings: The Father dwells in Jesus. The subject of the verb dwell is not the believer, but is God. The action is the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit coming to dwell in us. It reflects a common call to prayer, “Come to the quiet here in the dwelling place of God. Now deep in the quiet, we are the dwelling place of God”.

 

While Jesus was on earth He was the bearer of the Spirit, "The Paraclete is now with them". Jesus brought the Spirit to the disciples, but after He goes, the Spirit is given to them. When Jesus returned to the father the roles were reversed. The role of the Spirit is that Jesus has promised the disciples that He will return. Its purpose is to mediate the presence of Jesus while He is absent. The same Spirit is given to all, including you and me, in order that we may receive the grace to live our lives faithfully.

 

The Holy Spirit is our advocate teaching us everything and reminding us of what Jesus has taught us, and we call upon that Spirit during other sacraments. While the community had the presence of the historical Jesus there was no need for the Eucharist. The real sacramental Jesus was not just the symbol, The Word was among us. We can't have both the real and symbolic at the same time.

 

Without a leader some in the Johannine community feared that they might fall back into their previous religious practices, but John taught that as one temple was destroyed (Jesus’ body) another temple was created (the Church). John’s community felt that they were the house of God, and they strongly believed that worship should be in Truth and Spirit. This assured them that the departure of Jesus would not leave them as orphans, but that they would continue to experience the indwelling of Jesus in their lives. For them, the Spirit was the proleptic (looking forward in anticipation of the future) gift of the eschaton (referring to the final times).

 

John 14:6 says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. This verse seems to say that the path to God is through Jesus alone, and that it restricts salvation as only through Jesus, ignoring other paths to salvation. I would say that for Christians this is true: Jesus is the exclusive Way to mercy, justice, salvation, forgiveness, and compassion. Our instructor, however, was trying to point out that imagining Jesus as the Gate to Heaven might limit God’s ability to reach those who are outside of the Church. Those who don’t necessarily believe or declare a belief in Jesus are  also “on the path” to salvation, and they too are part of his flock. I would certainly agree that it is not our place to restrict the Love of Jesus or limit His power to provide Grace to all.

 

In His appearance to the Disciples, “Peace, My Peace be with you”, He breaths upon them giving them the Holy Spirit. This is symbolic of a new Israel rising up to become the New Kingdom, and it enjoins the work of Glorification to all of the disciples. Our instructor contrasted two translations of John 20:23. We are familiar with “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you shall retain they are retained”. She indicated that in the original Greek it reads, “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven, those whom you hold fast are held fast”. It helps us understand that everyone is given to Jesus, and once Jesus takes hold of us we will not be lost.

 

We then discussed the final race to the tomb. Although the Beloved Disciple was the first to reach the tomb, he waited for Peter to enter first. As the Beloved Disciple peered in he was not concerned about the absence of the body in the tomb because he immediately recognized and understood the significance of the burial cloths. The face veil had been carefully put aside by Jesus as a sign that He was returning His Father. There is a group of Aramaic writings called the Tartams which describe the veil that Moses wore except when he conversed with God. Moses would put aside the face veil when he went up on the mountain and the New Moses, Jesus, has permanently put aside the veil as He returned to God.

 

On the other hand, Peter’s failure to believe demonstrates that our faith in the Easter miracle does not come from the tomb itself, but instead comes from the resurrection. In returning to God, Jesus is taking up his presence in the people. Earlier Peter had denied Jesus three times near a charcoal fire. Later gathered around another charcoal fire Jesus professes his love three times, trying to lead Peter to an acceptance of agape Love (the unselfish love of a father or mother for their child). Peter was unable to move beyond phileo love (the love for one another in friendship or association). This is actually one of the greatest examples of forgiveness found in the Bible; whatever Peter was able to give was acceptable to Jesus. Even given the honesty of Peter's limitations he received a position of leadership.

 

In desolation and weeping Mary was not surprised when addressed by the angels. Still looking for a corpse and thinking that the body has been stolen, Mary does not yet see the action of God in her life because she is blinded by her grief. Even as Jesus appeared to Mary she didn’t recognize him until He called her by name, recalling Jesus’ words “My sheep know my voice. I call them each by name”. As her name is called she turns, which is symbolic of our conversion to faith moving each of us to recognize Jesus as our teacher and savior.

 

Mary was the only one to see Jesus individually, “I have seen the Lord”. In this encounter we see her close relationship with Jesus as He says, “Let me go to my Father”. John has given woman powerful commissions before and here she is symbolic of the new Israel with Jesus alone as her teacher. Although the Law came through Moses Truth comes through Jesus, and she is one of his own; a true disciple, the first proclaimer of the gospel. Jesus goes on to say “Do not continue to touch me”, meaning stop holding on to me, let me be free to depart. If we continue to cling to the ways of the past we will not be able to accept the Spirit. The way He is present to the Johannine community is changing: The new way that Jesus is present to the world is in the face of the people, and how we are to relate to Jesus is changing as well. He leaves us with the sacraments.

 

In response to Jesus’ prompting to the fisherman so many fish are caught that is difficult to bring them ashore. Pulling in new Christians will not be easy either; it will be a difficult job. It’s important to note that the “net is not torn”, which is a symbol of the church: Despite the obstacles found in the church, the church will not be torn. This gives us confidence that the church will not be destroyed despite the oppression that is yet to come; “The light will continue to shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it”.