Video rant

Below is a response to a video that someone posted on my Facebook wall. It's been going a bit viral - but there's some harm in the misunderstandings this guy is pontificating.

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"Jesus>Religion"? Hardly.

by Father-Rob Fleckenstein on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 1:54pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

The above link will take you to a video that states that "Jesus > Religion". (The title of the video at the top will read "Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus".) From the first moments of the video to the end, I think I developed a headache in trying to follow his logic, although he said something screwy about logic being unworthy in other areas of life.

Let me try to explain some thoughts I had at things that were said in the course of the video:

- "Jesus came to abolish religion." . . . If this is so, why did He begin the Church? (Matthew 16:18 [You are Peter . . .]) He began the Church, began this "new religion", if you will, to help us understand His teachings. Religion - in general - is a communal way to express one's faith with others of the same beliefs. The religion developed by Christ when He gave the keys of the Kingdom to Peter was to help those who have come to believe in Him (and through Him and the power of the Holy Spirit, the Father) in a way which would unify the faith. Jesus was NOT against religion, but came to usher in the fullness of worship to the Father through His Paschal Mystery. Remember, Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. And if religion is all about laws, then Jesus came to fulfill religion, not to abolish it.

- While it is true that "Republican does not equal being Christian", neither does "Democrat", "Libertarian", "Independent", or any other political ideology. Being Christian equals being faithful to the Truth, Who is Christ. No one particular political ideology can claim this.

- And our poet is correct in claiming that it is knowing Jesus that we are able to boast in our weaknesses, for it is in Christ that our weaknesses become our strengths. Saint Paul teaches us this in his writings, and it is a practice of our faith which we continue to hold.

- Religion "builds great churches, but fails to feed the poor." We have the saying from Jesus that the poor will always be with us, and while it IS important that we continue to show the preferential option for the poor and continue to care for them, we must also and always continue to realize that these great churches were built by the poor who sacrificed so much so that they could glorify God in a place worthy of His praise. How quickly we forget the sacrifices made by the least among us so that they could feel "right and just" worship our Lord in a fitting environment.

- Religion "doesn't get to the core, because it's behavior modification like a long list of chores." But that "long list" helps us set goals and guides us along the journey of faith and life to "get to the core". How else will you get to the core unless you have items along the way to help you out? We, of course, know that the core is Jesus Christ, Himself. Yet it is important for us to understand and recognize those "things" along the way which help us reach the core, which allow us to reach Christ, and that "long list" is there to support us in modifying our behavior so that we CAN become more like Christ in our life, and to reach the core of His promises.

- "Now I ain't judgin' . . ." Yes, you are. You are telling anyone who follows "religion" that they are hypocrites, dressing up their outsides while their insides rot, pretending to be one thing to one group while trying to be someone completely different in their relationship with God. And while it is true that we all wear masks in our lives to protect our vulnerability, we must be aware that in our relationship with God, those masks are destroyed, because God knows us better than we know ourselves. That is one of the weaknesses - if not the greatest weakness - that we boast in because we know that it is in God alone that we come to understand who we are in Truth. And while we do need the Blood of the Paschal Sacrifice to make us clean and whole once again, we also need religion to help us not fall into the damnable patterns of our sinful lives that we find ourselves continuously falling in to. Religion helps us not only keep the outside clean and polished, but it helps us clean the inside by not just a quick rinse, but using the spiritual scour pad to take off the layers of junk that keeps us separated from God and His love and mercy.

- While it is true that the Church should be a "hospital for the broken" (which is why we have such a great relationship with our Divine Physician), it must also be that "museum for good people", because it is in that museum in which we currently are touring. As members of the Communion of Saints, we look to our past (whether immediate or ancient) to recognize those great men and women of faith who, though sinners, are now part of that heavenly celebration in which we hope to one day be a part of. Every saint has a sinner's past. We need to be mended by our Great Doctor, to receive the medicine which He prescribes (through the Scriptures and the Sacraments, most especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation), and to continue to take our spiritual vitamins (through the use of sacramentals) and constant consultation with Him (in and through our prayer). We need these multiple buildings (the hospital and the museum), for our community is not yet ready to be gathered into one building (the Temple, in the New Jerusalem).

- "Better than following some rules." Again, Jesus came to not abolish the law, but to fulfill it, since He is the Law Itself. And since He has informed us that He is the Way, Truth and Life, and if we are to follow Him along the Way through the Truth to (eternal) Life, then we come to understand and recognize that the rules that are given to us do not hinder or prohibit the freedom that we share in or live out, but rather enhance that freedom so as to truly live as sons and daughters of the Father.

- Jesus = work of God, cure / Religion = man-made invention, infection ------- Something instituted and begun by God, though run and inhabited by man, can not be seen as "an infection" for humanity. Religion is the path by which we come to know Who God is and who we are being made in His image and likeness. And Jesus cannot ever be considered as the "work" of God. He is the Word of God, He is NOT the "work" of God, though the works of God are enacted through Him. Though, as mentioned above, Jesus is the cure for all that ails us (in His role as Divine Physician).

- "Religion puts you in bondage, makes you blind." And that is very true if you live a life so tightly constricted by rules and regulations that you don't spend some time in coming to recognize the freedom that those rules and regulations are supposed to give you. And religion can make you blind if you are constantly focusing on your relationship with Jesus and forgetting about the relationship that you need to have with your neighbor. Yet, as we have mentioned before, (the Christian) religion is simply a guide for how to live one's life more fully and more alive through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The guide of religion should allow us to see Christ and His Spirit truly alive and active in this world, and how we are to participate in the Spirit for the spreading of the Gospel. (It's all part of that "amazing grace".)

- Religion = Man searching for God / Christianity = God searching for man ----------- Christianity is more than just some philosophical way of life: IT IS A RELIGION! And what is so wrong in man's desire to search for God?! NOTHING! For it is understanding that God desires to search us out that our desire to search Him out makes sense. CCC 27 states:

The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for: The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.

Another way to say it was said by Saint Augustine of Hippo in his "Confessions": "You have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."

Or another, more simplified way: We love Him because He loved us first.

- While our poet does have some truth in the statement about Jesus bearing our sins on the Cross, he is misguided in his understanding about Jesus' statement, "It is finished." Jesus was finishing or consummating the Paschal Sacrifice to the Father when uttering these words; He understood that the salvific actions of the Cross were completed, and that the actions of the new and eternal covenant were fulfilled. Jesus never meant to say that "religion was finished". If this was the case, why would Jesus ask Saint Peter to feed His sheep three times upon the beach following His Resurrection?

Our poet confesses that he does believe in Jesus, the Bible, the Church [the church], and sin. Yet he continues to have this Evangelical / Non-Denominational / American understanding of religion as something that is a barrier to a full life in Christ. It is quite the opposite - it is only through a practice of religion that we come to live that full life in Christ. For Christ did not come to simply establish a one-on-one relationship with His followers, but to give them a community of faith to live out together their joys and struggles, and through the fulfillment of the laws in Truth, come to recognize the fulness of life given to those who not only believe in His Name, but also worship and live within the Church that He established so as to guide us along the way of life and faith to the fullness of the promises He has given us.



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Enjoy the journey . . .

IC '11

Although a few days late, I did want to post my (extremely-short-for-me) homily for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8 December). Enjoy!

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Two thousand years ago Eternity stepped into time, and the God of all glory and majesty took on the weakness and brokenness of our human flesh in the Mystery of the Incarnation. Today we come and celebrate one of the final acts of preparation God did so that He could enter our world in such a unique way. The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the “final act”, so to speak, of Salvation History before God’s ultimate interaction with His creation through His Word dwelling among us. The graces Mary received so that she could say “Yes” to the Angel Gabriel are the same graces we receive from the Paschal Mystery – in our celebration of the Mass and, most especially, in our reception of the Eucharist – which allow us to also say “Yes” to God so that we, like Mary, may be able to make Christ present to the world. Our openness to God and His graces afford us the awesome opportunity to be like Mary, always willing to say to the Lord that we are His servants – let it be done to us according to His Word.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.

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Enjoy the journey . . .

An Advent Prayer

Last evening, the combined music ministries of Saint Alphonsus Parish and Saint Alexis Parish had their annual evening of Advent Lessons and Carols. I was asked to do the final prayer, and didn't have anything really prepared. But, as always, the Holy Spirit came through. This is what I composed during the event:

Lord Jesus,
You are the Song our lives sing out.
You are the Silence in which our lives yearn for Your peace.
Break through the darkness of the world's night
And shine, once again, the splendor of Your great light into our midst.
For You, we long.
For You, we hope.
For You, we cry out, "Come quickly, King of kings!", for it is in You we find our salvation.
In quiet stillness, our hearts ache for Your presence.
In joyful expectation, we announce Your coming.
Through Your grace and mercy, allow us to prepare our hearts and our lives to celebrate the remembrance of Your Incarnation and the joyful event of Your coming again.
Turn our hearts to hear Your voice.
Turn our faces to see Your glory.
Turn our lives so as to be like You, so that we may be ready to welcome You when You come again.
We ask this, and all things, through Your most glorious Name.
Amen. 



Enjoy the journey . . .

Homily 110925

 This weekend, Bishop Zubik asked all parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to read a letter he had written to the faithful of the Diocese at all Masses, in every parish across the Diocese.  The subject matter was on the proposed "Preventative Services Mandate" (to go into effect on 1 August 2012), which is part of the Federal Health Care Plan (to be fully implemented by 2014).  You can read about our Bishop's letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius here, as well as an option to write Secretary Sebelius requesting that she halt the "Preventative Services Mandate".

Once the letter was read, I followed with my homily, written below:

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

You know it’s very infrequent for me to read my homily or to preach from the ambo on a Sunday, let alone from the celebrant’s chair.  But given what we have just heard from our Bishop, it seems rather appropriate today.

Our Gospel today reminds us in no uncertain terms that when it comes to the practice of our Faith, we cannot be of two minds.  Rather, we must be decisive in following Christ, without question, knowing that our baptismal promises oblige us to do so.

Our Lord, in today’s Gospel pericope, presents to us the choice to follow Him, or not.  We either put our faith into action, or we remain silent and still.  Those are our only two options, and they equal spiritual life or spiritual death: Life in the ever-loving Spirit of God or death through our own pride, selfishness and sinfulness.  But, in reality, this is nothing new – these are the choices we face every day.

When we reject the life God gives to us, we cry out, “The Lord’s way is not fair!”, those same words we hear from the prophet Ezekiel in today’s First Reading.  These are the words we hear in society today, because our culture sees iniquity everywhere – but not seeing with the eyes of God, but using the vision of our limited human nature.  Currently, our government is trying to implement a program in which they believe to be virtuous, but in doing so, they are enacting restrictions on religious liberties for us and others around our nation.  And I am not speaking just about us Catholics, or just for Christians in general, but also including our Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters as well – all people of any faith.

You see, once one begins to chip away at the liberties held by one group, religious or otherwise, others quickly follow.  And once one begins to chip away at any of the liberties we hold dear, one begins tearing away the fabric of our national identity – an identity founded on the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness; a national identity founded and guided by the Providential Hand of God.

And so, my brothers and sisters, we must be as Paul says in the Second Reading: “of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.”  And in our unity, we begin to “have in [us] the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.”  And that attitude is a selfless love, a self-sacrificing love.  A love which goes beyond our individual self and implants itself in others when we turn from acts of iniquity to acts of virtue.

This is the attitude, the virtue we develop when we put our faith into action.  The words of the Responsorial Psalm come to life when we embody the selfless love of Christ and share that love with others.  It is in our selfless actions and humble attitude that we come to know the ways of the Lord.  But we cannot fully carry out that mission if our hands are tied, and we are told who we can serve or how, if at all, we can practice our faith.  We cannot truly know of the Lord’s ways if we are not free to hear His voice.

And so, today, my brothers and sisters, choose life!  Choose the freedom found in a life with Christ!  Choose the virtuous ways that God was given to us!  His Providence has guided this nation for the last 235 years to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That same Divine Providence will continue to lead us with zeal and conviction if we only choose to let our faith guide the way we live our lives – privately, publicly, professionally, and politically.  Yet this Divine Providence will guide us when we come to realize that we ARE “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice FOR ALL.”

Let us pray:

We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.

We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Benedict, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, David, all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

The prayer which closed the homily is a prayer written by the first bishop and archbishop of our country, John Carroll.  He wrote the prayer in 1791, and asked the Catholics of the United States to pray it on major federal holidays.  I thought it most appropriate to pray it at the end of this homily.

Usually I don't like to "mix religion and politics" - but sometimes we need to voice the potential threats and injustices to our liberties when we see them coming over the hill.  It's our constitutional right for the freedom of speech, so let's use it.

The window to write Secretary Sebelius to request the withdrawal of the "Preventative Service Mandate" from the Federal Health Care Plan is coming shortly - Friday, 30 September 2011.  I would ask that you click on the link in the first paragraph to write to Secretary Sebelius and urge her to halt the implementation of the mandate.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Journeys

**NOTE: This is a LONG entry . . .

It's now early September, and the journey season of the summer is now over.  It was a hectic time, but so very well worth it.  That doesn't mean that I'm not planning to travel soon, but I have some weeks before I'm on the road again.

My last post had me preparing to head to my retreat on Enders Island, Mystic, CT.  The retreat center, Saint Edmund's, is a wonderful place, and the island itself is small and beautiful.  While the weather was perfect to be ocean-side for a week, it was also just a great setting to re-encounter Christ and His Spirit - and it was a blessed time simply to get away and slow down, rest, read, pray, walk, and "simply be" with God.  There was a wonderful opportunity to sit down at each meal with some of the other people on retreat.  Even while we were able to get to know each other, we also had great conversations about our work in the Church and how the Spirit continues to guide us in our ministries.  

One of the evenings early in the week saw us caught in the middle of a great thunderstorm that came off of the mainland and head out into the ocean.  It was just so awe-inspiring to witness nature be so violent in the course of a short time, but also how calming and refreshed everything was following the storm.  The next evening came one of the greatest sunsets that I had ever seen.  And, like most things, while you take a picture to capture that moment, that memory, it doesn't do it justice . . . the best picture of the event is kept alive and fresh in one's mind and memory.

After about ten days back at the parish, I and my group from Saint Alphonsus were off to World Youth Day (WYD) in Madrid, Spain.  (This was my fourth WYD.)  We flew from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, before making our final stop in Lisbon, Portugal.  Before we headed into Spain, however, we had the blessed opportunity to make a [rather quick] stop in Fatima.  What a wonderful and spirit-filled place!  I had the opportunity to be the main celebrant for our group of pilgrims from Pittsburgh.  (Three of my diocesan priest brothers concelebrated with me.)  That was a moment I'll treasure for quite some time!

Our immediate voyage into Spain did not take us to Madrid, but, rather, to the ancient city of Ciudad Rodrigo.  This is where 168-or-so pilgrims from Pittsburgh (plus a number of other from various countries, such as the Philippines, China, Belgium and the Congo) spent a week in the "Days in the Diocese" program, where we were introduced to Spanish culture, workings of the Church in Spain (and, in particular, the Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo), and engaging with the local people through service and spiritual opportunities.  Never having participated in Days in the Diocese before, this was a fortunate opportunity that I'm glad to have done.  Not only were the people of Ciudad Rodrigo very gracious and open to us, but they were able to provide for us a witness of faith - and even a lack-thereof!  (Not that we wanted to see anything said or done against our faith, but it was there in a small portion.  A bigger event was to happen in Madrid - but more on that later....)

After affirming our faith for about five days, our celebration culminated in the celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is the patronal feast of their cathedral.  On the night before the feast (literally "night", because we began at 11:00 PM!), the pilgrims from Pittsburgh joined in with the faithful of the city in a procession from San Andres Church (the oldest in the town) to the cathedral, with some of the men carrying a statue of the Blessed Virgin through the streets.  It was awesome!  Some of our guys from Pittsburgh volunteered to carry the statue through the streets - a truly moving moment to see the faith of the youth shining through in that moment.  When we arrived at the cathedral, there was a period of a vigil service with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  During this time, we had three excerpts from Scripture read - all three in three languages: Spanish, French and English.  I was honored to be asked to read the Gospel in English.  The bishop gave an excellent homily about how Christ, truly present before us as the Bread of Life, was the foundation of our faith.  It was very simple, but extremely profound.  Following the vigil service, we returned back to the boarding school that we were staying at (which the cornerstone read "797" [I'm not joking - a building from the late Eighth Century!]), which was good, because it was somewhere between 12:30 - 1:00 AM!  The next day, we gathered at the cathedral to celebrate not only the Solemnity of the Blessed Mother's entrance into heaven, but to be sent by the bishop to Madrid and the celebration of WYD.

[An interesting aside: There were five Pittsburgh priests in Ciudad Rodrigo.  All five of us wore our "blacks", our clerics, every day.  The priests in Ciudad Rodrigo did not.  At least, at the beginning of our time there.  The Church in Spain is undergoing an intense persecution, and a number of the priests there have basically abandoned the wearing of their clerics.  (And I don't want to judge, because being persecuted CAN wear one down to a point where an individual wants to simply remain anonymous.)  But the presence of the Pittsburgh priests did something to the clergy of Ciudad Rodrigo, because over the course of the week, there was a change in clothing.  From "civies", to the wearing of a dark / black polo shirt, to gray clerics, to the black clerics.  Apparently, the five of us helped the priests of Ciudad Rodrigo to find the courage to wear the "symbol" of who they are, and who they are called to be by the nature of their ordination.  It was an interesting evolution to see over the time that we were there.  I continue to pray that they have the courage and zeal to not be anonymous, but visible signs of Christ in their community.]

After a brief stop in Salamanca, we entered into Madrid for the celebration of the 26th World Youth Day.  We stayed at a sports complex a short distance outside of downtown Madrid, but not too far away by bus or train.  Our group quickly learned the stops of route 102, and found the Metro pretty easy to figure out.  Though we did A LOT of "hurry up and wait", we were able to get a shady spot for the Opening Mass.  I was able to concelebrate and distribute the Eucharist - and meet up with a classmate of the Archdiocese of Atlanta from seminary, as well!  

Our first full day of WYD did not proceed as we would have hoped, and there were some eye-opening moments, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world.  We tried to get to a catechetical session, but the volunteer said it was full (and admitted that he wasn't too positive where the church was), so we, along with another small group from Pittsburgh, did our own catechesis, and were able to catch a quick, but good lunch before we headed into the Sol section of Madrid to catch a bus that would take us (and the pilgrims from Saint Teresa of Avila Parish) to Avila for a day trip.  I wish that we could have spent more time there!  Avila is just so rich in spiritual history that I would to have liked to soak it in!  But we had to head back to Madrid, which was about an hour away.  

When we returned to Madrid, we decided to stay in Sol, since we were scheduled to have a Holy Hour with Bishop Zubik, Bishop Walterscheid and the pilgrims from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  Unknown to us was the fact that the government had authorized a protest from 8:00 - 10:00 PM in the Sol section.  You could imagine our surprise and concern when we came out of the restaurant from dinner, and, looking at the streets around us (and even the one we were on), protesters were gathering to speak out against: WYD, the cost of WYD on the Spanish government and citizens, the Pope and the Church in general.  Anyone wearing a WYD backpack or any priest in his blacks or religious in their habit was a target of yelling and / or violence.  An older gentleman stopped me and warned me that if we were to go in the opposite direction, we would be in perilous danger.  We ran into the group from Saint Teresa's, and decided to pray for our safety and the protection against the anger of the protesters.  (I recommended the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel.)  After we finished praying, we noticed our Pittsburgh bishops walking up the street toward the protest.  We stopped them, and two of the other priests with me went to scout out a safer route, while I stayed with the bishops and the rest of the group.  After some time, we headed up to the church (Santa Cruz / Holy Cross), and had the Holy Hour.  Unfortunately, the groups from Saint Columbkille and Saint Louise de Marillac Parishes could not join us, for the protesters were still gathered right outside their hotel.  It was a powerful Holy Hour - and one that we all needed.

The rest of WYD was not as concerning, but there were things that frustrated us, including a sickness that seemed to be running through various members of the Pittsburgh pilgrims.  (I did get sick, but only a head cold on the last few days - but I'm still getting over it.  [Just a lot of congestion - but am feeling a lot better than I did a week or so ago.])  One of the more interesting things that happened to me personally was to receive some "protest propaganda" shoved right at me as I was walking with my group.  When I opened up the paper, there was a paragraph on how the Church needed to accept the use of condoms, with a condom in the paper.  It was an awkward moment, but I just discarded it, and prayed for those people who thrusted it to me.

A HUGE highlight for the group was the ability to be about 10 - 20 feet from the Pope and Popemobile as it passed through the crowds for the Welcome Ceremony on Thursday.  You could see some of the youth becoming so alive in that moment.  (Or, as I should really say, "moments", since the Holy Father passed the group twice!)  They got some great pictures and video, and, hopefully, an understanding of who the Holy Father is to us as Catholics.

The Stations of the Cross were beautiful.  The statues that they used for the Stations truly depicted the scenes of Scripture that were used for our reflection.  The music, also, brought the Stations to life, and we were able to enter into the Paschal Mystery in a unique way in this celebration with the Pope and our sisters and brothers from throughout the world.

The USCCB Mass for all the pilgrims from the United States was pretty good.  Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York gave an awesome homily about how Peter's encounter with Jesus literally turned his life "upside down" - reflecting on the martyrdom of Saint Peter on his cross.  The journey to the vigil site was HOT (as was pretty much the whole time we were there)!  However, since one of our youth came down with the same head cold that I was developing, I took him to one of the hotels where our sick pilgrims were staying.  I, therefore, was not with the group when they entered the vigil site, and ended up being a part of a large group that was prohibited from entering for quite some time.  An intense thunderstorm passed through (as you may have heard from the news), and so I left my place "gateside", and tried to find some shelter - not from the rain, really, but more from the lightning.  After walking a good bit, and unsuccessful in my attempt to find shelter, I headed back to the vigil site, and spent a good 30 - 40 minutes trying to find my group.

My group was in one of the farthest areas away from the stage.  There was a hillside blocking any sight of the stage, and the closest large screen was about 300 yards away, if not more.  We did have a speaker in our area, so we could hear everything pretty well.  As I walked down the hillside to get to them, I could only think that I was entering a refugee camp - there was a fence blocking out the area for the people to stay, and there were people on either side of the fence talking.  That was on my right side.  On my left were police and their vehicles, making sure that no one became too rowdy or out of control.  It felt very odd - it was like nothing I had ever experienced on a WYD.  (I felt like I was a "chaplain to the damned".)  It felt like forever to walk along the fence and find my group, but I did.  I quickly set up camp, and went to sleep.  I was just happy to be with the group.

The next morning, we awoke to announcements being made about lost children needing their parents to pick them up; about how only concelebrating priests and bishops would receive the Eucharist, since the wind of the previous evening's thunderstorm knocked over the tent where the Blessed Sacrament was being reserved; about how the people had to clear the roadways and proceed to their assigned areas so that the Pope would be able to drive around and see as many people as possible; how the Pope was glad to be there, and would like to see all the flags flying as high as possible; and about how there was an 83-year-old Polish lady who had lost her group - this announcement being made only in Spanish, English and Italian.  It was a strange morning.

The Mass, though, was wonderful - and though we could not receive the Eucharist, it was a great catechetical moment to remind the youth that the obligation for Sunday is not to receive the Eucharist, but to attend Mass and to be a part of the community of faith, to be a part of the full, conscious and active participation of worshiping God.

Returning to the sports complex after two long days was wonderful - just in the fact of getting a shower and washing all the dirt and dust off.  Our group finished packing, and at 11:30 PM, boarded the bus to take us to Lisbon for our return flight home.  Flying from Lisbon, back to Philadelphia and then back to Pittsburgh, it was a good time to rest, catch up on some sleep, and then see family and friends at the airport to welcome us home.  And it was SO GOOD to come home . . . and to sleep in my own bed.

WYD, despite what I wrote above, was an overall wonderful experience.  We know that the negative moments are going to creep in to any event.  Unfortunately for my group, they happened around some of the most pivotal events of the WYD experience itself.  But I am very glad to have gone.  I gained a deeper appreciation for my faith, for my vocation as a priest and shepherd, and for the people the Lord has placed in my life to get me to where I am.  I am grateful for the opportunities to have been a witness to the faith, not only for the world, but more for those who were with me throughout the pilgrimage.  Yet I am also thankful for the witness of faith that they provided for me.  And I am glad to have shared this experience not only with some of my brother priests, who are some of my best friends, but also with my sister.  She was great to have around . . . and not because "she's my sister", but because of the silent communication that we share and have developed over the years.  Plus, it was good to have the "24-hour comedy channel" (as our cousins would put it) there with me to help me in not becoming too stressed at moments.

Will I be going to WYD in Rio de Janeiro in 2013?  I really don't know at this point.  Part of that depends on where I am assigned to at that moment.  The other part is dependent upon whether the Lord needs me to be a witness of faith at that WYD, or if my witness will be needed more here.  Would I like to go?  I think so, for a variety of reasons - but I'm not going to think about it right now, and take the decision slowly for now.

My summer journeys have ended.  They were good - they were long.  And while it's good to be home, it's also good to have traveled and experienced my faith in these relaxed, yet intense ways.  I can't wait to see where the Lord takes me in my journeys - both physically (including future assignments) and (more importantly) spiritually.  Until the next leg begins, I'm going to take it slow and see what plans the Lord has in store for me.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Go with God, but Go

The above saying is one that I say to my friends - and even others - from time to time.  While it is jovial, I find myself saying it to myself more and more recently.  Which is why I'm saying it to myself once again.  And I need to.

I'm leaving for my annual retreat tomorrow.  This will be the first one that I've gone on since I've been ordained, and I'm very much looking forward to it.  I'll be heading out a good numbers of hours away from SWPA, to what seems to be a wonderful, peaceful and blessed place in New England.  (I've not yet been there, so I'm going on what's been put on their website.)  I've been looking toward this retreat for some time now - especially since the World Youth Day pilgrimage is right around the corner.  (Yep, I'll be back a little over a week, and then I head with our group of 17-or-so to Spain.)  

I think that I wrote in a previous entry how I was explaining to a friend that retreats are a good thing.  He had joked with me that I shouldn't be retreating in life, but courageously moving forward.  And, laughingly agreeing with him, told him that for me to move forward - or anyone for that matter - I had to "retreat" and fall back, see what I've done, where I've been, so that I know where I am going and what I am to do.  I still think of this conversation often, especially when I am preparing to go on retreat.  I need to "Go with God" - we all do.  But, even more so, we all just need to "go".

The only thing now separating me from leaving on retreat are three Masses, one sleep, and packing.  (I have a feeling that the packing won't occur until tonight or tomorrow morning, but we'll see.)  And while I wish, in some sense, that I had someone to drive up with me, I'll be happy to have some time alone in the car.  I have a number of CD's to listen to, and lots of good music to set me in the "retreat mood / mode".  I'm looking forward to some down time / quiet time.

Pray for me, as I will for you.



Enjoy the journey . . .

Non-Stop Homilies

It's been awhile since I've written, and I apologize.  Since Lent began some 90+ days ago, it's been a non-stop whirlwind of constant activity.  But I did want to share two weekday homilies that I gave recently.  I usually don't write down my homilies, but I needed them to be succinct, and so I wrote them down so I wouldn't find myself rambling.

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Gospel: Matthew 6.7-15

The Lord gives to us this day the perfect prayer.  We, in turn, pray through Him and, once again, offer to the Father the Perfect Sacrifice.  We do so that, through our prayer and offering - and through the the reception of the Eucharist - we join in the work that God's Kingdom will come, and that His will - not ours - will be done and be the mission we live out.

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Gospel: Matthew 6.19-23

"Heart speaks to heart."   This motto of Blessed John Henry Newman summarizes what we are called to reflect upon today.  The Lord reminds us that where our treasure is, there is our heart.  Our hearts, my brothers and sisters, are ultimately resting in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, finding their solace in His Paschal Mystery.  Our task is to seek the true treasure which His Heart is, and to constantly find solace and rest there.  And that seeking begins here - at the Table of the Word and the Altar of Sacrifice - when we place our hearts, when we place our all at the foot of the Cross, seeking nothing more than to find our treasure at the Feast of Life - the treasure of the very Heart of God poured out for us, speaking to our own hearts, "Follow me."
 

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Interestingly, the Gospel for the second homily fell on a day when I and a youth minister of the Diocese were going to use this particular Gospel for our opening prayer in a Morality course that we were teaching.  Truly, the Lord works is awesome ways.






Enjoy the journey . . .