May he run the good race

The Diocese of Helena recently selected Moe Wosepka as its new Development Director.  Moe is well known and loved throughout the large network of social concern advocacy with which he has been involved over the years.  He was director at the incredibly successful Good Samaritan Ministries in Helena from 1996 to 2006 that provides critical assistance to those in need.  He was then tabbed to be the director of the Montana Catholic Conference tasked with advocating for Catholic social teaching to be reflected more closely in the law.  Now he will turn his attention to marshaling resources for the Diocese of Helena that it may be better equipped to deliver the Gospel.

Moe will work closely with the Bishop and his staff on the goals and objectives of the Diocese.  As with any entity whose purpose it is to provide services, there is necessarily a component to gather the funds required to make the delivery of those services possible.  This is the arena in which Moe will work.  It will be his job to seek and establish relationships and partnerships with like-minded individuals and entities, Catholic and non-Catholic, who seek to join forces to make the world a better place to live.  In the parlance of our Catholic faith we would refer to this as working to usher the Kingdom of God into the world.

He will undoubtedly run into all sorts of obstacles along the way.  Perhaps the most discouraging of these will be the denial or avoidance of support by potential benefactors because of the clergy scandal and the potential legal claims against the assets of the Church.  So how does he open the conversation?  Does he begin with an apology?  Or does he simply forge ahead as though there is no history of sin in the Church?   I would suggest that the only message to lead and end with is the truth and love that is found in Christ.

You may have heard it said that the Church is a population of saints and sinners because within each person there is the nascent saint cloaked within a sinner.  Certainly we feel let down and angry when we discover that this truth is not limited to those in the pews but also to those serving in the sanctuary as well.  Moe will do well to deal with this fact head on and to assert that repentance in this matter must not be limited to introspection and correction within the Church but must be accompanied by a renewed vigor to deliver the Gospel in word and deed.

Let us keep Moe and our Diocese in our prayers, remembering these words, [T]herefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12: 1-2

Hold the ice

A research vessel carrying scientists and tourists has been trapped for some time in the Antarctic ice while attempting to recreate Australian explorer Douglas Mawson’s 1911-13 voyage to Antarctica.  Various icebreakers attempted to reach the ship unsuccessfully and finally helicopters were used to remove all but the ship’s crew to another vessel in open water.  This rescue operation prompted one radio talk show host to comment on the apparent irony that climatologists studying the receding polar ice caps should find themselves stranded in this position.

And so the back and forth on the subject of climate change goes.  Unfortunately although anecdotal stories such as this provide interesting, if not entertaining fodder to the discussion it does little to reduce the acrimony of the debate.  And what exactly is the focal point of the issue?  Or is it just that the focal point seems to shift, depending upon who is pressing the argument.  It seems to me that it is imperative to any honest and critical analysis of the subject that the points of principal interest be clearly defined and understood.

A reasonable framework to apply for this purpose may be found within our own Catholic social teaching.  Scripture imparts to us that God loves and cares for all of creation [Matthew 6: 2-34] and that mankind is the steward of this creation [Genesis 2: 15].  Pope Benedict, in his 2009 Encyclical Caritas in Veritate at No 48, teaches that, Nature is at our disposal not as “a heap of scattered refuse”, but as a gift of the Creator who has given it an inbuilt order, enabling man to draw from it the principles needed in order “to till it and keep it”, but that nature should never be viewed as something more important than the human person.  It is within this balance that we should consider our course.

Does “smarty-pants” man have a complete understanding of the inbuilt order of creation?  A little humility is in order here and we can answer honestly that our grasp of the universe is incomplete.  Does Catholic social teaching suggest that there is an obligation that man should seek a better understanding of this inbuilt order of creation so that he may be a better steward of it?  Yes, I believe that it does.  Ongoing study of our world, including its climate, is therefore a good use of our resources.  Further, an effort to increase our understanding of the effects we humans make on the world by our activities is likewise a duty we should foster.

Whether or not we have adequate knowledge to be legislating certain climate change policies is probably fair game for discussion.  We can be sure that we will never have a complete grasp on the complexities of God’s creation.  But as we advance in our understanding of it we are called to be prudent and care-filled stewards that we may generously share all that the world yields with this and all future generations.  Let that be our charge.

Every day a cause for celebration

The couple was married thirty four years ago today.  No Guinness record set by this, but a cause for celebration nonetheless.  The anniversary presents an opportunity to pause and reflect on all the many blessings (too many to count) that God has bestowed upon this family and to express gratitude to the source of this love.  And wonder will find its way into the thoughts of the couple of what they ever did to deserve such favor.  The only truthful answer is that God loved them first and seeks only that this love be made manifold and generously shared.

So it is that to those to whom much is given, much is expected.  The good news is that this expectation does not bring with it a burden.  It is rather an exhortation to come to understand that these gifts that God showers upon us are intended to be shared with others and will only attain their full measure when given away.  It is within the family, the domestic church, that this seeming paradox is most evident.  It is within the family that we first come to truly trust in God’s providence.

This is what makes the parish family, our faith community, the dynamic treasure that it is.  On any given day within the parish, a wedding anniversary occurs . . . or a marriage . . . or a birth . . . or a baptism . . . or a celebration of life within a Resurrection Mass.  On these hallowed occasions the graces that our Lord confers upon the family spill over, splash over and generally wash over all who are present with collateral blessings.  To be a guest is to be invited to a much grander banquet than the invitation would suggest.  It is God’s intention that the generosity of his love, which is the main course of the feast, be known.  We should therefore not be taken by surprise when we come away from these celebrations feeling nourished and fulfilled although we had thought of ourselves as mere witnesses.

The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is, of course, the “source and summit” of all of our celebrations.  I say, “of course”, because I know that the Mass, being regularly attended as it should be, can seem to become routine, ordinary and commonplace; hardly a celebration at all.  In light of the thanksgiving liturgy that the Eucharist actually is, we must always be looking at this parish family gathering as the grand banquet spread before us by our Lord who showers us with his love, making all of our other wonder-filled family celebrations possible.

Each day, therefore, the parish celebrates the life within it that is lived out in its families and shared and witnessed by the community.  This is the reason to belong to a parish.  That we might give and that we might receive the lifeblood of the Church; the shared love of Jesus Christ, who loves us first.

“[T]hey departed for their country by another way.”

This familiar tag at the end of the passage gives us the image of the magi and their entourage skirting around the main byways serving Jerusalem in order to avoid Herod’s minions and thereby preserve the obscurity of the Christ child and his Holy Family. Imagine how bewildered these men must have been to discover the almost complete lack of awareness, appreciation or enthusiasm from the people in the Jewish capital; the city of the Temple; the very subjects over whom this infant Messiah would gloriously rule.  No one cared, it seemed, except for King Herod, who could expect to be supplanted by this much anticipated successor, anointed by God.  They must have shaken their beards and wondered what sort of topsy-turvy world they had stumbled into.

Doesn't this lead us to look at this passage from an alternative perspective and to come to understand that by commenting that the magi departed for their country “by another way,” it can also be taken to mean that they as well as their direction were changed by this encounter with the Christ child?  These “wise men” were students of history and of prophetic writing.  They may have personally experienced the ravages of war and slavery between the peoples of the area and were most certainly aware of the unrelenting cycle of evil perpetrated on the poor and powerless.  It is easy to imagine that they were starved for peace and dreamed of a resolution to all conflict through the powerful intervention of God who would anoint a beneficent King.  That this King would then gather and rally his Jewish subjects to conquer the world and bring it all under his peaceful rule.  The Jewish scriptures gave them this hope and they searched for it, guided by the star.

What they found were a people with ears oddly unattuned to hear the joyful news that the Messiah was arriving as well as a ruthless King with all of the means to destroy this infant interloper within his first moments of life.  And yet strangely no one monitored the magi on their short journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Even though a host of angels loudly heralded the good news to the shepherds in the fields, a mere few miles from the Temple, all was numbly quiet in the streets of Jerusalem and the halls of Herod’s palace. 

What was discovered by the magi in that Bethlehem cave was an infant in full possession of timeless love and peace which emanated from him as a gift to touch their core.  This was not a fearsome warrior, but a tender lover.  He had no need for military protection because he was under supreme protection.  Guidance came to the Holy Family directly from God’s envoy.  No one and no thing would disturb this anointed one of God from fulfilling his mission as foretold by the prophecies.  And this finally was the epiphany experienced by the magi: God’s love prevails.

To Russia with love

Two bombs exploded this week in the streets of Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, Russia killing 31 people and seriously injuring many others.  The backdrop to this tragedy is the 2014 Winter Olympic Games scheduled in Sochi, Russia, 400 miles away.  A Chechen Muslim rebel leader has reportedly called on Muslims to attack civilians and to prevent the Olympics from occurring as he is quoted as saying that the games are, “Satanic dancing on the bones of our ancestors.”

This is news from a world away.  Just more senseless suicide bombings.  It looks like the Muslims are up to it again.  Isn’t it a shame that it might affect the Olympics?  And after that thirty second sound bite we move on to news in the entertainment world.  Wait . . . is that the extent of our concern about this?

What sort of deeply felt conviction makes a human being blow himself (or in this case, herself) up for the singular purpose of killing, maiming and terrorizing others?  What is the story of the Chechen Muslim people and their connection to the Sochi region?  What is it about the Olympic Games in this location that inflame such anger and hostility from these individuals?  Is it a fair question to ask what the ultimate cost will be, in human lives, of these games?

These are all important concerns for each one of us.  Yes, this is on the other side of the world and yes, it is all very complex.  And yes, it would be very hard to measure any difference you or I could make in the matter.  Yet, others will make decisions and take actions that will influence the outcomes to the events that will unfold in the coming weeks.  Will any of these decisions and actions by guided by love?  And by this I mean with recognition of the love that God has for all of his children. 

The Olympic Games provide extraordinary opportunities to bridge the differences between peoples and cultures.  That is, at least for those people and cultures who are invited to the games, or have the economic capacity or desire to compete.  Clearly there are those who will remain outside of the fraternity.  That, I believe, is at the crux of the question.

In the meantime, Russia and much of the rest of the world are likely to frame the issue solely as how to most efficiently remove the threat against the games.  I am loath to guess what degree of success decisions based on such a narrow view will meet.  It will therefore remain for you and me to take up our duty (our cross) to stay informed and to pray that the peace and wisdom of Christ may find its way into the hearts of those making the decisions (on all sides).  Let us pray that the evil that has already been perpetrated over the years on the people in this region will not be compounded by further acts of malice.

Wide-eyed with wonder

During one of our Masses on the fourth Sunday of Advent we baptized an infant, the second child for this young family and an addition as well to the extended family with young cousins all gathered around the baptismal font. They were allowed in close, in front of the adults, so that they could see and hear and touch and smell the occasion. In rapt attention they watched as their baby was anointed with oil and water was poured over her head and a candle was set alight just for her. One of the cousins swished her hand through the running waters of the font and practiced blessing herself and her little sister. Some of the children stood on their tiptoes as if to get closer and take in more of the fragrant chrism oil. In witnessing this I was struck with the thought that these wide-eyed little children, filled with wonder, were perhaps appreciating the sacrament at a level often overlooked by the older and wiser of us who sometimes believe we have taken in all we need to understand about these treasures from God.

Just a few days later at the first Vigil Mass of Christmas Eve we blessed the crèche in the presence of the children's choir and many of the young families of the parish and school. Again the awe and wonder was readily apparent in the faces of the young children. This simple familiar scene set in statuary now radiated a special significance to them as they could see and imagine the new Christ child before them. Families made a point to stay after the Mass to gather at the crèche to pray, to take pictures and to just be with the Holy Family. Isn't it interesting that it is the extraordinary perception and animation of a young child that often brings the grown-up around to take a closer look at what may have been missed or perhaps forgotten?

There is a great mixture of genius and mystery designed into our Catholic liturgy. All of our senses are provoked to the purpose of impressing upon our memories these outward signs that signify another, more significant reality. But the point here is, that we mustn't let ourselves become complacent and give short shrift to the present experience. We must be present to it to fully appreciate the beauty, truth and the love of God that is being expressed.

The young child does not yet have the rational tools to over-think things. He makes sense of his world primarily from what his five senses tell him. When his senses are pleased by the beautiful his nature recognizes the truth and goodness that is there and he accepts them with awe and wonder. And so it should be the aim for the rest of us of all ages to sharpen our awareness of the beauty that is before us in the liturgy that we may be present to the gift we are given.

From unknown to Man of the Year

What do you think of Pope Francis?  He has not been the Holy See for a year and the media is already posting thoughts about his first year.  Much that is written has a positive spin to it.  “A man of the people” . . . “Champion of the poor” . . . “A simple, yet holy man, steeped in the gospel”.  Some that is written are voices of caution and concern.  “He is, at his core, a Marxist” . . . “For all his inclusive language, he will not let women or gays in” . . . “He is a loose cannon to the orthodoxy of the Church”. 

I have made an effort to not limit myself to excerpts of his thoughts, as digested by someone else, but rather have sought out the primary sources of his communications; his homilies, addresses and writings.  It has been fascinating to me to read reviews of Pope Francis, as others see him, inside and outside of the faith, in light of the actual text of the message that he gives.  What has been demonstrated to me is that, first of all, the world, for all of its apparent casual approach to faith, cares very much about the message that is given by the Holy See.  And finally, whatever message he attempts to convey will be sieved through filters of both hopefulness and cynicism.  The responses that we hear to the Holy Father are not so much accurate reflections of his message as they are true likenesses of his hearers.

For this reason I believe it is important to listen very carefully to the responses to him that we are receiving from all corners of the room.  For this purpose he is not only the Pope, but he is the Church.  He is, in fact, a not so simple holy man, steeped in the gospel and the teachings of the Church who unapologetically takes the Catholic faith to the streets, reaching out to both believer and unbeliever. He challenges the most orthodox of Catholics as well as the most virulent detractors of Christianity to come to an understanding of the person of Jesus.  It is to this challenge that people are responding and not to the person of Pope Francis.

If we are to evangelize effectively it is critical to recognize the hopes and anxieties of those we seek to reach.  This outpouring of reaction to the message of our Pope is a treasure trove for anyone wishing to understand the mission.  Let us pray for the ears to hear and the heart of Christ to deliver the gospel to all we meet.