25 October 2014

Where Is Your Heart?



Homily for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
26 October 2014

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.

        These words of the Trappist Monk Thomas Merton expound on the great lessons we have learned in our First Reading and Gospel for this weekend: Namely, we cannot love God or neighbor exclusively. Love for God is rooted in our love for our neighbor; love for our neighbor is rooted in our love for God.

        This, then, is the basis for the understanding of Catholic Social Justice. This, then, is the basis for Christian charity.

        And so the question arises: Where is your heart?

        The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that: The heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live; according to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place "to which I withdraw." The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant. (Paragraph 2563)

        If, then, our heart is that place that not only we withdraw to, but is also the place of truth and encounter, where is it to be?

        The old adage of “Charity begins at home” becomes a lie, for lack of a better word, when we look at the heart. Charity, love, truly begins in the heart, not in the home. Charity begins when you and I withdraw and personally encounter the living God – heart speaking to Heart. Charity begins when you and I choose whether we will live in the freedom of God’s grace or choose to die due to our selfish decisions.

        Where, then, is your heart?

        For the Christian, charity is never an option – it is the way of life that we adhere to and live out because it is not only what Jesus commanded us to do (“Love one another as I have loved you” [John 15:12].), but we enter into the fullness of our participation in living out the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. For the Christian, charity becomes the very heart of who we are and not simply what we do. Our intertwined love of God and neighbor compels us toward compassion, concern, empathy, and action.

        In his encyclical, Veritas in Caritate, (Charity in Truth), Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI teaches us the following: Charity is at the heart of the Church's social doctrine. Every responsibility and every commitment spelt out by that doctrine is derived from charity which, according to the teaching of Jesus, is the synthesis of the entire Law (cf. Mt 22:36- 40). It gives real substance to the personal relationship with God and with neighbor; it is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones). For the Church, instructed by the Gospel, charity is everything because, as Saint John teaches (cf. 1 Jn 4:8, 16) and as I recalled in my first Encyclical Letter, “God is love” (Deus Caritas Est): everything has its origin in God's love, everything is shaped by it, everything is directed towards it. Love is God's greatest gift to humanity, it is his promise and our hope. (VC, 2)

        Think back to the opening words from Thomas Merton. We never worry about whether or not someone is considered “worthy” to receive our love. Who cares if another is worthy or not?! “. . . Everything has its origin in God's love, everything is shaped by it, everything is directed towards it.” Charity is what we practice in relation to our neighbor because charity is what we have received from God.

        Yet, the question arises once again: Where is your heart?

        This is the question Pope Francis has been asking the Church to reflect upon since his election. Our Holy Father has been stressing that we are not just a Church of teachings, dogmas and doctrines. Rather we are that AS WELL AS a Church of mission. We are a Church of charity. Our mission to proclaim the Gospel is rooted in our personal experience of how the love of God and neighbor has embedded itself in our hearts. Pope Francis points back at the teachings of Pope Benedict, and becomes the example of how to put that teaching into action. Pope Francis challenges us to understand that our hearts must be rooted in the Heart of Christ, since, through the Paschal Mystery, we see the fulfillment of Love in action when we look at the Cross. When we see just how far Love, Himself, would open His Heart for us, we must ponder how much we would open our hearts not only for God, but for our neighbor – including those we would deem unworthy or undesirable, for no one is unworthy of God’s love; no one is undesired by God.

        On this day, then, we approach our God in our brokenness, asking Him to strengthen us in holiness through our reception of the Word and Sacrament. We come before our God, struggling to open our heart to His Love as we struggle to open our hearts so that we may love our neighbor. We place before the Sacred Heart of Christ our unworthiness so that we may become worthy. We acknowledge those moments of feeling undesired, knowing that God always desires the whole of who we have been created to be.

        And so, where is your heart? If we’re honest, it is “the dwelling-place where [we are], where [we] live; . . . [it] is the place "to which [we] withdraw." The heart is our hidden center . . . ; [the place where] only the Spirit of God can fathom . . . and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision . . . It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter . . . it is the place of covenant.” Yet our hearts are also the places where we struggle, and, finally, where we surrender.

        Ultimately, our hearts are searching and striving. They attempt to keep the love of God and neighbor intertwined while living in this world. They toil to practice charity while hearing the quiet whispers of the Devil to do otherwise. They wander between the ecstasy of union with God and the despair of a life wrought by sin.

        Our hearts are never complacent in living out the charity Christ has exampled and commanded us to do. Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.

        Looking, then, to the Cross, we pray that the Lord’s example may be that which compels us to charitable action. Looking to the Cross, we struggle to follow the Law and the Prophets as we pray:

Most high, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness
of my heart and give me Lord,
a correct faith, a certain hope,
a perfect charity, sense and knowledge,
so that I may carry out
Your holy and true command.
AMEN





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Enjoy the journey . . .

20 October 2014

Groaning



Homily for the Parish Celebration of Vespers for the Solemnity of Saint Teresa of Avila
15 October 2014


        We all know what it is to groan.

        We groan when we’re tired. We groan when we are sick. We groan when we stand up. We groan when we sit down. We groan in anger. We groan in frustration. We groan at the telling of a bad joke.

        We groan when we have nothing left to say.

        We groan when we don’t know what to say.

        And here we find ourselves celebrating a woman who had a lot to say, and we recognize that throughout the course of her life, she groaned.

        But Saint Teresa, this first woman Doctor of the Church, teaches us more than to groan because of frustration, sickness or the occasional bad joke. She instructs us on how to groan through and with the Spirit.

        The groaning of our hearts – the way that the Spirit stirs us to speak and to act – is the manifestation of the groaning of God to wake us from our sleep to the newness of life; it is the way in which our God calls us from a life of hopelessness to a life that is filled with hope. The groaning of our hearts to the Heart of God is that groaning of two lovers, whose expressions of love go beyond glances and actions, who speak only in the groanings of ecstasy.

        And this is what our prayer is to be: Moments when our hearts and the Heart of God join in ecstasy, groaning because words we would use are not needed or not to be found. This is what Saint Teresa teaches us, because it is what she, herself, experienced in her life.

        In his summary of his examination of the life of Saint Teresa, Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI says the following:

Dear brothers and sisters, Saint Teresa of Jesus is a true teacher of Christian life for the faithful of every time. In our society, which all too often lacks spiritual values, Saint Teresa teaches us to be unflagging witnesses of God, of His presence and of His action. She teaches us truly to feel this thirst for God that exists in the depths of our hearts, this desire to see God, to seek God, to be in conversation with Him and to be His friends.
       
        Our life lived in the here and now needs to be full of the moments when our thirst for God is expressed in our inexpressible groaning through the Holy Spirit. We seek Him with our faith and reason. We see Him through grace-filled moments, especially when carrying out the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy. We are ceaselessly in conversation with Him not only through our participation in the liturgies of the Church, but also as we surrender our lives to His will, as we submit our will to His Divine Plan.

        Saint Teresa knew the ecstasy of union with the Divine; she also knew of the painful limitations of human existence. And whether experiencing either end of the extremes, or simply being stuck in the middle, she knew that her groanings were never futile, never left unanswered, for her groanings were groanings rooted in the Holy Spirit, inexpressible expressions of her desire to always be united with God.

        This is how her teachings are timeless.

        Let us take a moment and reflect upon some of her words of instruction and intellect:

O my God, what must a soul be like when it is in this state! It longs to be all one tongue with which to praise the Lord. It utters a thousand pious follies, in a continuous endeavor to please Him who thus possesses it.

The devil will try to upset you by accusing you of being unworthy of the blessings that you have received. Simply remain cheerful and do your best to ignore the devil's nagging. If need be even laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Satan, the epitome of sin itself, accuses you of unworthiness! When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!

For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.

I am asking you only to look at Him. For who can prevent you from turning the eyes of your soul upon this Lord? You are capable of looking at very ugly and loathsome things: can you not, then, look at the most beautiful thing imaginable? 

 

        My brothers and sisters, we have entered into the eternal groaning of our hearts this evening, seeking the Lord, recognizing His presence in our midst. We have turned our gaze to Him who is the most beautiful thing imaginable. We have entered into our prayer as friends of God. We laugh at the absurdity of Satan’s lies. We do all this through the praise of our God.

        Saint Teresa ultimately teaches us one thing tonight: Do not be afraid of the groanings of our soul. They are that crying out of our souls to the Lord; they are our inexpressible expressions seeking the ecstasy found in the union of the Loved and the Beloved. Don’t be afraid, then, to allow your soul to groan, for the Spirit groans within us to awaken us to the ecstasy that awaits us – in this life and in the next. It is in the reckless abandon of our hearts to God’s that we testify and witness to the world – through our groaning – that “God alone suffices.”



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Enjoy the journey . . .

04 October 2014

Celtic Adventure

I returned Thursday evening from my "Celtic Adventure" - the pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland. It was a wonderful time! And while I did take advantage of immersing myself in the culture, I also found the time to really reflect upon how the Irish and Scottish cultures have influenced Catholicism in the world, in the United States, in Pittsburgh, and even in my own life.

Day-by-day, I wrote down some of the highlights of my journey through the islands. I wanted to share with you those moments throughout the journey that I wanted to remember so well.

(Note: This is going to be a little long.)

Ireland: Day One

- Left Pittsburgh for Newark
- Leaving Newark for Shannon, our flight was a little delayed when we were called back [to the gate] for some paperwork problem.
- Arriving at Shannon, we found out that the itinerary was to be changed, and so we ended up spending some time in the village of Adare.
- In Adare, we ended up going to the 9:30 AM Mass at Holy Trinity Abbey Church, which was founded in 1232.
- After returning to the airport to pick up the remainder of our group, we headed to Galway, where we had some time in Eyre Square, and had lunch (and the trip's first Guinness) in a little pub called The King's Head.
- Rested and refreshed at the hotel, and had dinner in the restaurant within the hotel.

Ireland: Day Two

- The opportunity to visit the Marian Shrine at Knock was a great blessing.
- Concelebrating a parish daily Mass and to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was a unique opportunity that I didn't anticipate for this pilgrimage.
- Visiting the village / town of Cong, where "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, was filmed.
- Walking through the ruins of Saint Mary's Abbey, an Augustinian abbey founded in 1200.
- Sharing a Guinness with some members of the group at the Pat Cohan Bar - made famous from "The Quiet Man".
- Enjoyed a great dinner at The Skiff in Galway.
- Sad to not have the chance to explore (experience) Galway a little more, but excited to travel to Killarney.

- Side happiness: The many places that I have found Wi-Fi. Just being able to stay connected has been awesome . . . Truly, the small things.

Ireland: Day Three

- Even with some small stops [along the way], today, overall, was a long day on the bus.
- After leaving Galway, we headed towards Killarney.
- We stopped briefly in the town of Kinvara, which had a little bay, although you could plainly tell we were at low tide.
- In Kinvara, there was a dog who followed the group, most likely thinking we were going to give him something to eat.
- Along the way to the Cliffs of Moher, we stopped along the road to stretch and admire the Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful.
- For lunch, we stopped at Fitz's Bar in Doolin. Although I just had a bowl of vegetable soup, it was quite good.
- The Cliffs of Moher are epic, awesome, and gorgeous! Also, windy as hell. But it was a wonderful experience to go there.
- We also stopped at Saint Bridget's Well to say a quick prayer. Pilgrims have been stopping there for centuries, requesting the Saint to intercede for their intercessions.
- Arrived in Killarney, and had about forty minutes to rest up before heading to dinner at the Porterhouse Restaurant and Bar. They ended up having live entertainment. The guy was rather good.

Ireland: Day Four

- Visited Muckross House - a beautiful mansion with twenty-five bedrooms. Gorgeous scenery with the lake and the mountains in the background.
- Visited Ross Castle, a tower castle in which we climbed the majority of steps (126 of them). It was pretty neat to learn about it. Hard to imagine the life of the Middle Ages looking through the lens of the Twenty-first Century.
- Lunch in Killarney. Mom, Dad, and I found a little place called Jam along Old Market Lane. Tasty food. Good find!
- Enjoyed the chance to visit the Cathedral of Killarney, Saint Mary's. A beautiful church. Some good praying.
- Group dinner was at Lord Kenmare's Restaurant. Delicious meal, including hand-made ice cream for dessert.
- On a whim yesterday, the majority of the group decided to see a show, "Celtic Steps". It was wonderful. Irish dancing, singing, and music - what a wonderful time to sit back and relax for the evening.
- Felt the need to not just go to the hotel after coming back from the show, I went across the street to the McSweeney Arms Hotel, Restaurant and Bar, and had a pint of Guinness. Sitting by myself there was quite nice.

Ireland: Day Five

- Began the day at Torc Waterfall, including a steep climb to a bridge overlooking a portion of the falls.
- On the way to Dingle, we stopped at Inch Beach for a brief visit. Very windy, but quite enjoyable.
- Stopped and visited Dingle, including Saint Mary's, the local parish, and The Diner, a tasty restaurant, for lunch.
- Came back to Killarney, and after a brief rest, headed to the Danny Mann Inn for a nice dinner.
- On the way back [to the hotel], saw and watched / listened to a man performing on New Street. Very entertaining.

Ireland: Day Six

- Began the day visiting Blarney Castle, and had the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone (or, The Stone of Eloquence).
- Did some shopping with Mom and Dad in Blarney.
- Following Blarney, we stopped in the village / town of Cobh. Toured the Cathedral of Saint Colman. Also saw a memorial built to those who died in the sinking of the Lusitania.
- Came to Cork, and had dinner at the Boardwalk.

Miscellaneous events:
- Heard FUN.'s "Some Nights" in Gaelic.
- Had a flavor of ice cream that was absolutely delicious: Captain Morgan's Rum and Raisin.

Ireland: Day Seven

- Woke up (way too) early to begin the Road Trip to Dublin.
- Stopped in the town / village of Cashel, and visited the ancient and impressive Rock of Cashel. (The site pre-dates the time of Saint Patrick in Ireland.)
- Following our visit to the Rock, we spent a little bit of time visiting and walking around the town / village of Cashel (proper). We stopped at an awesome bakery, and walked the streets. We also passed Kearney Castle (now a hotel), where Blessed John Kearney (a priest) was hanged in 1642.
- We left Cashel and headed towards Dublin. And we sat in traffic. There was a rematch for the national hurling title in Dublin between Kilkenny and Tipperary (they previously ended in a tied score). (Kilkenny won, by the way.) Though we moved at a snail's pace, it was hell.
- Two bright moments while sitting through the traffic: 1. Passing through the Curragh, an area of bogs and fields, most recognized internationally in the movie "Braveheart"; and 2. Needing to stop to use the restrooms, we stopped at a little supermarket called Centra, where the manager was kind enough to rest for a little. Of course, showing our appreciation, we all bought something to snack on (since we weren't stopping for a proper lunch). The people there were kind, and we're supporting a local economy. 
- After we got into Dublin, we came to the hotel. Following a brief rest, the parents and I walked around the area of the hotel, finding the church (Saint Mary's) where we'll be attending Mass tomorrow morning.
- Dinner was held at The Den Pub at the Lansdowne Hotel. Very tasty. The owner / manager was very friendly. A good time was had by all.
- Following dinner, ran to a convenience store and picked up some Fanta - love that drink. While we have Orange Fanta in the United States, we don't get Lemon Ice Fanta. It was SO GOOD to have it again.

Ireland: Day Eight

- Had the chance to sleep in today. I was happy for that, considering I didn't sleep well last night.
- Attended Mass at Saint Mary's Church on Haddington Road.
- Took time to have lunch and explore the ruins of Glendalough Monastery, which was founded by Saint Kevin. We were late leaving because some of the group got a little lost on one of the trails. (Everyone returned okay.)
- Returned back to Dublin, and a small group of us chose to tour (or, as I was saying, "make a personal pilgrimage to") Guinness Brewery. Excellent time there. Had the chance to learn how to pour the perfect Guinness.
- After a quick return to the hotel for a quick freshening up, we headed to the Temple Bar, where we saw the show "Celtic Nights".
- Last night in Ireland. Tomorrow we press on to Scotland.

- Funny experience of the day: At the Guinness Brewery tour, we were on the elevator heading to the Gravity Bar, which is on the top floor of the plant. When the elevator doors opened at the bar, "Come On, Eileen" started playing, just like we entered into our own commercial.

Ireland: Day Nine

- We left Dublin, en route to Belfast, shortly after 9:00 AM.
- We stopped in the town / village of Drogheda, and had the opportunity to stop at Saint Peter Church, where the head (and other relics) of Saint Oliver Plunkett is housed. The church, itself, is very beautiful, and reminded me a lot of the old Saint Peter Church in McKeesport.
- Shortly after [that], we entered into Northern Ireland.
- Upon entering Belfast, we had some time to look around and grab some lunch. Mom, Dad, and I grabbed some very good lunch at a restaurant called The Chubby Cherub. (Although I later felt ill, probably due to the rich creamy sauce that was on my lunch.)
- Arrived at the ferry in Belfast, which brought us over to Scotland.
- Ate dinner at the restaurant Elliots, in Ayr, followed by a two-hour ride to Edinburgh.
- Arrived in Edinburgh, where we ended up going to the wrong hotel. After repacking the bus and some laughing at the situation, we arrived at our hotel.

Scotland: Day One

- After a pleasant night's sleep, I got up late (as did a number of people from the group).
- After breakfast, I lollygagged in my room for a little while, just relaxing and getting miscellaneous items in order.
- I decided to got out exploring. Ended up visiting Saint Giles' Cathedral, and did some shopping.
- Met the group, and with our new tour guide, we were off on a quick tour around the city of Edinburgh.
- We walked up to Edinburgh Castle, where we had the chance to tour, see the Crown Jewels of Scotland, and the Chapel of Saint Margaret (the only building of the castle not destroyed by Robert the Bruce, after he kicked the English out).
- Had the opportunity to then tour Holyrood Palace - named after the famous Augustinian abbey that once stood there. The tour was long, but full of history. And it was great to go through the ruins of the old abbey church.
- Enjoyed dinner at The Whiski Bar. Very good food. I had a cocktail called "The Kilt" - Described [on the menu] as: "Simple perfection! The local Glenkinchie 10 Yr Old Malt with Amaretto served over ice." Delicious!
- Back at the hotel now, starting to prep myself for our final full day of the pilgrimage [tomorrow].

Scotland: Day Two

- Left early this morning to visit Saint Andrews - the town and the ancient cathedral.
- The town is a nice, little town - we had a quick tour on the bus.
- The ruins of the cathedral are amazing! We toured them, as well as a small museum, and the remains of the abbey. I and a few others decided to climb the 155 steps of Saint Rules Tower. Impressive sights to be seen from the top.
- While walking around town, we stopped at a nice restaurant called Mitchell's, where we had an excellent meal.
- Returned to Edinburgh, and spent the afternoon resting, walking and shopping.
- Had a very good dinner at a place called Howies.


That following morning, we boarded the bus, then boarded the plane. It seems like a whirlwind adventure, and, after two years of waiting, can't believe that it's here-and-gone already. But I'm glad to be home. Toward day ten of the trip, I was over living out of a suitcase.

Back to reality and normality.





Enjoy the journey . . .