NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

2 January:

O holy Magi, who, entering full of faith into the stable of Bethlehem, prostrated yourselves on the earth, to adore the newborn King of the Jews, though he was surrounded only by signs of poverty and weakness; obtain from the Lord for us a lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament, the true spirit of poverty, and a Christ-like charity for the poor and suffering. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Mother of God! Mother of God! Mother of God! Amen

Pope Francis' homily from the Solemnity of Mary 

In the first reading we find the ancient prayer of blessing which God gave to Moses to hand on to Aaron and his sons: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Num 6:24-25). There is no more meaningful time than the beginning of a new year to hear these words of blessing: they will accompany our journey through the year opening up before us. They are words of strength, courage and hope. Not an illusory hope, based on frail human promises, or a naïve hope which presumes that the future will be better simply because it is the future. Rather, it is a hope that has its foundation precisely in God’s blessing, a blessing which contains the greatest message of good wishes there can be; and this is the message which the Church brings to each of us, filled with the Lord’s loving care and providential help.

The message of hope contained in this blessing was fully realized in a woman, Mary, who was destined to become the Mother of God, and it was fulfilled in her before all creatures.

The Mother of God. This is the first and most important title of Our Lady. It refers to a quality, a role which the faith of the Christian people, in its tender and genuine devotion to our heavenly Mother, has understood from the beginning.

We recall that great moment in the history of the ancient Church, the Council of Ephesus, in which the divine motherhood of the Virgin Mary was authoritatively defined. The truth of her divine maternity found an echo in Rome where, a little later, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major was built, the first Marian shrine in Rome and in the entire West, in which the image of the Mother of God – theTheotokos – is venerated under the title of Salus Populi Romani. It is said that the residents of Ephesus used to gather at the gates of the basilica where the bishops were meeting and shout, "Mother of God!". The faithful, by asking them to officially define this title of Our Lady, showed that they acknowledged her divine motherhood. Theirs was the spontaneous and sincere reaction of children who know their Mother well, for they love her with immense tenderness. But it is more: it is the sensus fidei of the holy People of God which, in its unity, never errs.

Mary has always been present in the hearts, the piety and above all the pilgrimage of faith of the Christian people. "The Church journeys through time… and on this journey she proceeds along the path already trodden by the Virgin Mary" (Redemptoris Mater, 2). Our journey of faith is the same as that of Mary, and so we feel that she is particularly close to us. As far as faith, the hinge of the Christian life, is concerned, the Mother of God shared our condition. She had to take the same path as ourselves, a path which is sometimes difficult and obscure. She had to advance in the "pilgrimage of faith" (Lumen Gentium, 58).

Our pilgrimage of faith has been inseparably linked to Mary ever since Jesus, dying on the Cross, gave her to us as our Mother, saying: "Behold your Mother!" (Jn 19:27). These words serve as a testament, bequeathing to the world a Mother. From that moment on, the Mother of God also became our Mother! When the faith of the disciples was most tested by difficulties and uncertainties, Jesus entrusted them to Mary, who was the first to believe, and whose faith would never fail. The "woman" became our Mother when she lost her divine Son. Her sorrowing heart was enlarged to make room for all men and women, all, whether good or bad, and she loves them as she loved Jesus. The woman who at the wedding at Cana in Galilee gave her faith-filled cooperation so that the wonders of God could be displayed in the world, at Calvary kept alive the flame of faith in the resurrection of her Son, and she communicates this with maternal affection to each and every person. Mary becomes in this way a source of hope and true joy!

The Mother of the Redeemer goes before us and continually strengthens us in faith, in our vocation and in our mission. By her example of humility and openness to God’s will she helps us to transmit our faith in a joyful proclamation of the Gospel to all, without reservation. In this way our mission will be fruitful, because it is modeled on the motherhood of Mary. To her let us entrust our journey of faith, the desires of our heart, our needs and the needs of the whole world, especially of those who hunger and thirst for justice and peace, and for God. Let us then together invoke her, and I invite you to invoke her three times, following the example of those brothers and sisters of Ephesus: Mother of God! Mother of God! Mother of God! Amen.

NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

1 January:

O holy Magi, who were gladdened by the reappearance of the star which led you to Bethlehem; obtain for us from God the grace, that, remaining always faithful to Him in afflictions, we may be consoled in time by His grace, and in eternity by His glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

31 December:

O holy Magi, who, when deserted by the star in the city of Jerusalem, sought humbly, and without human respect, from the rulers of the Church, the place where you might discover the object of your journey; obtain for us grace to have recourse, in faith and humility, in all our doubts and perplexities to the counsel of our superiors, who hold the place of God on earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

30 December:

O holy Magi! who regarded neither the severity of the season, nor the inconveniences of the journey that you might find the newborn Messiah; obtain for us the grace not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by any of the difficulties which may meet us on the way of salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Faith in Action

In an effort to find a deeper  personal relationship with the newborn Messiah, this coming New Year I am going to embark on a journey implementing Vision Divina (Praying with Art) into my prayer life. Every Saturday for 28 weeks, I am going to add Visio Divina to my prayer, and I invite you to join me. To learn more about prayerfully meditating with some of the masterpieces of the Vatican Museum visit: Visio Divina—Praying with Art

Visio Divina – Praying with Art

You probably know what Lectio Divina is, but are you familiar with Visio Divina?

Lectio Divina is a method of prayerfully reading Sacred Scripture, in which you slowly read, meditate, pray, contemplate and respond to a specific verse or verses in the Bible. Often the Psalms are used to do this and it a wonderful habit to get into as it makes one's prayer life so very rich. Visio Divina, which is Latin for "divine seeing", is a method of praying with an image. Above is an image by Federico Fiori Barocci painted in 1570 that perfectly fits today's Gospel. The memory of this image quickly filled my mind as I heard the Gospel proclaimed today and I decided that when I got home from Mass I was going to find this image, Rest on the Flight to Egypt, and continue my Sunday prayer with a Visio Divina on the Holy Family.

I was so blessed to be led through a beautiful meditation by Fr. Mark Haydu on this painting while at the Napa Institute last July. Being part of Fr. Haydu's Visio Divina on this masterpiece was a complete surprise to me!  I had been running late that morning and missed the lecture I intended on going to, so instead of entering the lecture late, I decided to go into the chapel to pray with my friend Patti Jannuzzi. I was completely surprised when Fr. Haydu stood, exposed the Blessed Sacrament, and then in the true presence of Jesus Christ, Father walked us through the true beauty of the a piece of art that told of the Lord's early life as He fled with His family to Egypt. (Though I was surprised to be in the right place at the right time, I imagine the Holy Spirit wasn't surprised I landed in the chapel in time for the meditation on Vatican Art!) The experience had a profound effect on me and since that day, Visio Divina has become something I have wanted to make more a part of my prayer life.

After the meditation, Fr. Haydu told us of an exquisite book, soon to be published, that guides the reader through spiritual meditations with masterpieces of the Vatican Museum and also encompasses Ignatian Exercises; but my heart sank as I learned the book would not be published for months. But here's the GOOD NEWS—the book is available for purchase now! Ahhhh, the JOY of Christmas continues! 

I was so excited to find this book published, that I immediately ordered my copy and I have decided practicing Visio Divina with this book is going to be my New Year Resolution! 

Each Saturday morning beginning in 2014, I am going to do one of these reflections. With that goal in mind, today I decided I'd look deeper into Meditations with Vatican Art, so I went to their website and saw you could download three of the meditations. I thought, "Perfect, this will surely help to give me an idea of what my 2014 Saturdays will look like," but get this, the sense of being surprised by JOY continued as I realized one of those meditations was the Visio Divina for the picture above, the picture that so perfectly put an image with today's Gospel, Matthew 2:13-23.

Thus, I have decided to use the downloaded pdf meditation on Rest on the Flight to Egypt to do a Visio Divina today in order to get a little taste of what 2014 will bring and I invite you to join me—both today and on the first 28 Saturdays of 2014. It will be like an elongated 28-week Ignatian Retreat.

To join me today, download the pdf here -> Rest on the Flight to Egypt

The Focus of this Meditation: The hidden years of the Holy Family are veiled in mystery, still we are invited to prayerfully enter. Like a window, this painting images the family of Jesus in flight. May we imitate the virtues and lives of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as we endure our own personal trials and tribulations.

To join me for the next 28 Saturdays, purchase the book here -> Meditations with Vatican Art

NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

29 December:
O holy Magi! who at the first appearance of the wondrous star left your native country to go and seek the newborn King of the Jews; obtain for us the grace of corresponding with eager cheerfulness to every divine inspiration. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

NOVENA TO THE MAGI IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EPIPHANY

Our "action items" from our Advent preparation through The Joy of the Gospel were: to savor, to un-wrap and to present what we learned as we reflected on the beautiful words of Pope Francis over the 24 days leading up to Christmas. In an effort to do that, I invite you to join me over the next nine days in a novena to the Magi. To me, this is the beauty of the Communion of Saints! We have those who have gone before us —the Church Triumphant— to intercede on our behalf, to help us on our journey to union with God!

Now, I'll admit, I have prayed to Biblical figures that probably aren't as bombarded by prayer as some commonly known saints. I have prayed to Moses many times before having to give a talk, and I have even prayed to Noah's wife when faced with a situation in which I think my husband is nuts; but truth be told, I have never thought to pray to the Magi until my friend Thomas Smith posted this novena. What a fabulous idea on the heels of this great reflection on Evangelli Gaudium to pray to those who followed the star, who presented gifts to the Lord and to whom the manifestation of God-with-us was made known!

December 28 is the beginning of the Novena to the Magi, in anticipation for the Epiphany of the Lord. What a wonderful way to allow the message of  The Joy of the Gospel to infiltrate our lives over the Christmas Season. Let us follow Mary, the Star of the New Evangelization these next nine days as we anticipate, just as she did, God-with-us. Let us ask for the guidance of the Magi as we offer our gifts of our prayers of thanksgiving, of supplication and of praise to the Lord and let us ask those three wise men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, to help us prepare our hearts for a new manifestation of God-with-us this coming year.

The following prayer was found on Fish Eaters and each day I will post that day's Novena to the Magi prayer here:

28 December:

O holy Magi! You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, which would announce the birth of the true Sun of justice; obtain for us an increase of faith and charity, and the grace to live in continual hope of beholding one day the light of heavenly glory and eternal joy. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

SOMETHING IS NOT WORTH LIVING FOR UNLESS IT IS WORTH DYING FOR

"Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen." 

Good King Wenceslas looked out

on the feast of Stephen,

when the snow lay round about,

deep and crisp and even.

I love this paradox! Yesterday we celebrated the birth of the Savior, today we honor the death of the first Christian to die for professing his faith in that babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. St. Stephen is known as the first Christian Martyr (which means witness, one who gives testimony.) 

Does it seem like the actions of 2000 years ago are far away? They are not. The Christ child is present in the world today and Christians are killed for giving witness to their faith as St. Stephen did. In fact, today a Christian dies for their faith every 5 minutes or 105,000/year.

 

Challenges for us on this second day of Christmas:

1. Read the best re-cap of salvation history in Stephen's Speech to the Council in Acts of the Apostles, chapter 7. 

Something to think about: Read it out loud, or perhaps to a kid or two. And if you’ve gone through The Great Adventure, you’ll be amazed at how much this re-cap will bring that walk through salvation history rushing right back to your memory.

2. Reflect on what it means to be a witness for Christ today. 

Something to think about: John’s Gospel uses the word martyr ("martyria") instead of evangelize showing Christians are always on trial before the world and called to give witness, to give testimony to Jesus. In court, a witness speaks from first hand knowledge. A witness is someone who has first hand knowledge. 1 John: “What we have seen with our eyes, what we have touched with our hands, we pass on to you.” This is true of every disciple of Jesus... we have first hand knowledge... we speak because we have intimate knowledge of Jesus. We have seen with our eyes of faith, heard with our ears in faith and touched with our hands in faith.

The ultimate witness is to give your life for the testimony of Jesus.

Jesus and the Gospel are more valuable than life itself

3. Pray for those giving their lives for the Gospel. Pray for the grace to be a witness to Christ yourself and pray the conversion of those, like St. Paul, who are persecuting or idly standing by and watching the persecution of Christians.

Something to think about: "The martyr's life reflects the extraordinary words uttered by Christ on the Cross: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do' (Lk 23:34). The believer who has seriously pondered his Christian vocation, including what Revelation has to say about the possibility of martyrdom, cannot exclude it from his own life's horizon. The two thousand years since the birth of Christ are marked by the ever-present witness of the martyrs." (Blessed John Paul II)

If you have to choose between Christ and your life, you must choose Christ.  Today a Christian dies for their faith every 5 minutes or 105,000/year. The 20th century saw more Christians killed for their faith than all the other 19. (Massimo Introvigne, OSCE)

4. Pray for the conviction and to know without a shadow of a doubt that if the Lord brings you to that point where you have to make the choice, you can trust that He will give you the grace to be true to Him.

omething to think about: "For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved" (Romans 10:10). Christian faith includes two necessary things:

1. Belief from the depth of the heart
2. Externally confessing before other people

Christianity cannot be private. If you are a follower of Jesus,  stand up like St. Stephen and be counted. When given the opportunity, publicly confess even if it means paying the price.

Come Holy Spirit! 

WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN… NOW LET'S UNWRAP THIS GIFT!

Merry Christmas – Savor, Unwrap and Present this gift

By Janae Bower

"The Joy of the Gospel" is an incredible gift with a beautiful bow tied together with insightful commentary from all the Catholic evangelists, writers and speakers who contributed to this blog. Whether you read one paragraph of the Apostolic Exhortation or all 48,000 words of it, you have received a precious present.  We hold in our head, heart and hands how to live and love like Jesus.

We celebrate Jesus being born today in Bethlehem which in Latin translates into house of bread. Every Mass we celebrate in our church home receiving Jesus as our daily bread. Just as the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, we’ve all just reached the summit of this experience regarding the true source of our life and love. 

So what should we do with this gift? Let’s savor it, next unwrap it and then present it.

Savor it – Advent Preparation

Being part of this intentional daily Advent experience flipped things for me this Christmas season.  When in the past I’ve struggled with fitting my Advent duties into my Christmas activities; this year I struggled with fitting in my Christmas duties with my Advent activities. My Advent preparations far out-weighed my Christmas preparation and I even have documentation to prove it (the pages and pages of notes I took from the Evangelii Gaudium compared to my few Christmas lists).

Just as Kelly set this process into digestible sips for us, I hope you savored each one and let the flavor penetrate deep within your soul. Now that it’s done, I encourage you to keep relishing these hope-filled messages.  What usually happens after we experience things like this is that we check it off our list and move to the next thing.  Yet when we ponder in our hearts like Mary did the Lord can really brew it into something special.

Hold this gift in your hands.  Feel the joy it’s brought to your heart.  Savor it with all your senses.

Unwrap it – Christmas Examination

Picture three young boys in front of a Christmas tree with a pile of gifts and no gift-opening rules.  It’s complete chaos; a whirlwind of wrapping paper and presents flying everywhere (FYI: I learned quickly the importance of rules even when opening gifts).

This is what the Christmas season often feels like to me – a whirlwind of activity that I’m just trying to rip through.  Yet when I approach it this way, I don’t take the time to really unwrap the true experience of the season and appreciate all the gifts. 

Let’s use these twelve days of Christmas to unwrap what this Apostolic Exhortation experience means to us.  We can use these 12 days to slowly reveal the gifts of enlightenment, encouragement and evangelization we’ve received.  The Holy Father opened up (in paragraph 3) by inviting us to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus and what a perfect time to do so at Jesus’ birth. “The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step toward Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.”

How did you grow intellectually with your faith?  What touched your heart and soul like never before? How are you inspired to be the hands and feet of Jesus after this?

Adapting a couple of practices within our faith could be helpful in examining this experience deeper. One way is through Lectio Divina.  You could use this sacred process of reading the scripture, one in which the Holy Father encourages us to do as well (paragraph 153), to unwrap what is meaningful to you. Read through your notes and the reflections; meditate on what is speaking to you; pray for how God wants to use you; and then contemplate what this means for your life.

Another way to examine this experience is adapting St. Ignatius’ Examen, one of the most important of his Spiritual Exercises that help to engage in the practice of examining one’s soul and life. Matthew Kelly adapted this into a Prayer Process that will be a “game changer for you spiritually and a game changer for every aspect of your life.” We can use his process to do the same with the Apostolic Exhortation:

·       Gratitude – What are you most thankful for with this experience?

·       Awareness – How did you gain a deeper awareness in your life?

·       Significant moments – What was most significant for you and explore what God might be trying to say to you?

·       Peace – Ask God to forgive you for any wrongs and to fill you with peace.  How might you spread peace to others?

·       Freedom – How is he inviting you to change your life so you can experience the freedom to be the best, holy you?

·       Others – How is God inviting you to evangelize and share the Good News to others?

Present it - Epiphany Jubilation

The Feast of the Epiphany our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the oldest Christian feasts.  It marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas.  Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning “to reveal.” 

What did the Lord reveal to you in this Apostolic Exhortation?

Exhortations are meant to thoroughly encourage us, urge us to embark on a new chapter in our faith life NOW. This can be your chance to present to the King, as the three wise men once did, your gift to him.  Like the wise men, you’ve grown in wisdom through this journey and have divine gifts to share with him and to the world.

We need to know in our hearts what really matters to us; what is God – through this holy document and holy writers – trying to help us learn and discern right now in our own lives. This is our chance to write our own “Apostolic Exhortation” from how the Holy Spirit spoke to us from this inspired experience. 

Write your own joy-filled exhortation, one that will personally lift and guide you as a missionary disciple for 2014 and beyond. Once we know how we can uniquely express that heart of what matters to Jesus, then our hearts can be aflame with his love for the world!

To do so, use you what you learned from the examination suggested above and then create our own CLIFF notes.

C – Clearly

L – Logically

I – Identifying

F – Faith-filled

F – Favorites

Instead of this year making another resolution around something you want to do better; this year I encourage you to mix things up and make a reSOULtion of how you will be more like Jesus this year. We encourage you to come back to us on the Feast of the Epiphany and after to present to us the big ahas from your own joyous exhortation. It will be a merry Christ-filled gift that you’ll be able savor, unwrap and present to others!

Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author, training consultant and founder of Finding IT.  Finding IT is an inspirational business specializing in personal and professional development to help others "Get It" - to the heart of what matters most in work and life. Through her books, products, speaking, trainings, consulting, retreats, fundraisers and online resources she inspires others to find more meaning, joy and balance for their lives. Her work, which has been presented nationally and featured locally on TV, resonates with people of all ages.  Janae has a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from the University of St. Thomas and is adjunct faculty at other local universities in Minnesota. 

OF THE FATHER'S LOVE BEGOTTEN

CHRISTMAS DAY REFLECTION

 by: Msgr. Jeffery Steenson

 Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter 

Of the Father’s Love Begotten

Of the Father's love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be,

He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending he,

Of the things that are, that have been, And that

future years shall see, Evermore and evermore.

-- Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348-413 (Hymn 20]

         On Christmas Eve, we look imaginatively at Christ's birth from many perspectives.  We've heard the Christmas story from the point of view of Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds keeping watch over their flocks, the Wise Men journeying from afar, the Angels flying high over Bethlehem, the Innkeeper who turned the Holy Family away, wicked King Herod consumed with fear and jealousy, even the animals in the stable, and the manger itself.  But let us, as best as we can, letting the Scriptures be our guide, try to see this blessed event of the Birth of the Messiah from the Father's point of view.

         Prudentius, the author of this beautiful hymn, was one of the Church's first poets.  This Spaniard was a lawyer who turned from the glamour of public life to write Christian poetry, some four hundred years after the birth of Christ.  His hymn expresses the deep and mysterious truth of the Nativity -- "Of the Father's love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be."  Jesus Christ did not have a human father, because He has always existed eternally with the Heavenly Father.  Before the Old Testament, before Abraham, before Creation, the Son of God lived with the Father.  Everything else that was, that is, that will be, finds its life in Christ.  His appearance in Beth­le­hem, the Nativity, is part of God's everlasting plan.

         "For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only-Begotten Son ..."  As the Father looked down from Heaven on the night Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, He declares: "Here is My only Son, my gift to the world."   This was a gift with no strings attached, and the Father knew full well what it would mean.  All the Old Testament prophecies about the suffering of the Messiah make it perfectly clear that this was all factored into God's plan.  The Father willed for this to happen from the very beginning of man’s disobedience.  He has demonstrated His faithfulness for millenia, even when it might have been very tempting to give up on His fickle people.

         Tonight, as our Heavenly Father looks down on us, His Promise remains as true as ever -- "I will be your God and you shall be My people."  There is so much uncertainty about our lives, so many changes that threaten to overwhelm us, so much uncertainty about the future.  And yet here is a Promise we can really depend upon.  When we think of the Father in Heaven tonight, and His Son reigning with Him, let us think of the most extraordinary LOVE that binds them to each other and reaches out to us.

From Leo the Great’s Tome (449), the most important papal document ever:  

So without leaving his Father's glory behind, the Son of God comes down from his heavenly throne and enters the depths of our world, born in an unprecedented order by an unprecedented kind of birth.

In an unprecedented order, because one who is invisible at his own level was made visible at ours. The ungraspable willed to be grasped. Whilst remaining pre-existent, he begins to exist in time. The Lord of the universe veiled his measureless majesty and took on a servant's form. The God who knew no suffering did not despise becoming a suffering man, and, deathless as he is, to be subject to death.

By an unprecedented kind of birth, because it was inviolable virginity which supplied the material flesh without experiencing sexual desire. What was taken from the mother of the Lord was the nature without the guilt [of original sin].

     Putting aside for the moment the rich cultural themes of Christmas, let us go right to the heart of the matter.  Our Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, has written of how deeply disturbing the Incarnation is for the modern spirit; it is expected that God will remain in the spiritual realm, but He certainly does not belong in the material.  But this is precisely what God has done.  He has entered the world he made, the Creator now becomes the Redeemer, and what follows is a new creation (Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, pp. 56-57).   The Father sends His Son into the world to unite/sum up/recapitulate all things in him (Eph. 1:10).  It is fundamentally a new beginning, as God resets the clock and renews His creation.

         We who are baptized into Christ but who yet await the moment of our resurrection, live, as it were, with one foot in each created order.  The Church asks us to celibrate Christmas with this sense of anticipation of the wonderful healing, the joy, the perfection of life in all of its fullness, “a fundamental element of our faith and a radiant sign of hope” (p. 57).

Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson 

Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as first Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter on January 1, 2012. After 28 years as an Episcopal priest and Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, Msgr. Steenson was ordained a Catholic priest in 2009. He teaches Patristics at the University of St. Thomas and St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, TX

MARY, MOTHER OF EVANGELIZATION

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 284-288

Daily Reading for Dec. 24: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 284-288

Reflection by: Sarah Christmyer

Two months ago, I stood at the foot of the Cross - literally, at the spot where Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem.  Golgotha lies within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and it is crowned by an altar and chapels dedicated to the final Stations of the Cross. You can reach below the altar and touch the rock on which our Savior died.  

I was there for the filming of a new Bible study on Mary, so I stood there and tried to see the scene through her eyes.  I have three sons of my own, and I cannot imagine the pain of seeing them hanging there.  How did she do it?  I opened my Bible to read and my perspective changed.  

In John's gospel, we don't so much look at Jesus through the eyes of Mary as we see Mary (and the beloved disciple) through the eyes of Jesus.  Imagine him seeing them there, knowing their love and the pain they were in.  And notice what he did not say: Don't worry!  I'll be back and everything will be OK!  Instead, as his final act he gave them to each other.  "Woman, behold, your son!" and to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"  He is launching his New Covenant family.

Pope Francis draws attention to this in his conclusion to Evangelii Gaudium: 

"These words of the dying Jesus are not chiefly the expression of his devotion and concern for his mother," he says; "rather, they are a revelatory formula which manifests the mystery of a special saving mission.  Jesus left us his mother to be our mother.  Only after doing so did Jesus know that ‘all was now finished' (Jn 19:28).  At the foot of the cross, at the supreme hour of the new creation, Christ led us to Mary.  He brought us to her because he did not want us to journey without a mother..." (No. 285).

Mary, who said "yes" to God and brought Christ into the world more than 2000 years ago, is our mother in the same mission today.  She does not bring up the end of this letter from the Holy Father as an afterthought, she is his final thought because the rest of his message cannot be understood or carried out without her.  Mary is her son's gift to his people, Pope Francis says; then he picks up the title used by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI before him:  she is the "Star of the New Evangelization."

When I first read that, the ex-Protestant in me cringed.  Don't make her the star, I wanted to say - Jesus is the star!  But her "star power" is not that of, say, Jenifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie.  Mary is like the North Star, Polaris, the Guiding Star. Brightest among the stars in Ursa Minor and easy to find, it is the still point in the wheeling Northern sky.  But you don't find Polaris for its own sake, you find it so you know where North is.  

Mary is the star that sets us straight, that points the way to Jesus.  "Her exceptional pilgrimage of faith represents a constant point of reference for the Church,” wrote John Paul II.{C}[1]{C}  Picking up on that, Pope Francis says  

"Mary let herself be guided by the Holy Spirit on a journey of faith towards a destiny of service and fruitfulness. Today we look to her and ask her to help us proclaim the message of salvation to all and to enable new disciples to become evangelizers in turn" (No. 287).

You will want to read for yourself the many beautiful ways Mary helps us on our way, that Pope Francis brings out at the end of his letter.  I know it's Christmas Eve today, but it can't be an accident that our reflections end on a feast that draws us to a manger in Bethlehem, to wait with Mary for the coming of the Christ Child.  That brings us back to the Pope’s opening words:

“With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” (Redemptoris Mater, 6)

Mary, Mother of Jesus and of us all,

Star of the New Evangelization,

pray that we might be filled with the Joy of the Gospel

and bear Christ to the world through our lives.

Amen.  Alleluia!

Sarah Christmyer is a Catholic author, Bible teacher, and speaker with a special love for lectio divina (prayerful reading of Scripture) and journaling as ways to draw close to Christ in Scripture.  Since 2001, she has partnered with Jeff Cavins to develop The Great Adventure Catholic Bible study program based on Jeff’s popular Bible Timeline learning system and published by Ascension Press. Sarah is editor of the program and is the author or co-author of a number of Bible studies, including The Bible Timeline: the Story of Salvation; A Quick Journey through the Bible; and studies on Mathew’s Gospel, Acts, James, Psalms, and Genesis as well as the Bible Timeline Guided Journal.  She has a BA in English literature from Gordon College in Wenham, MA, and is working toward a Masters in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. 

Web: www.ComeIntotheWord.com[SC1]  (personal) or www.BibleStudyforCatholics.com (The Great Adventure)

PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 275-283

Daily Reading for Dec. 23: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 275-283

Reflection by: Carol Marquardt

“Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers his lambs, carrying them in his bosom and leading the ewes with care.” (Isaiah 40:11)

In this section, the Holy Father is shepherding us.  He has given strong words about evangelizing and here is encouraging all of us when we face the struggles involved. He is speaking as shepherd, not so much as teacher. He is admonishing us a little, encouraging us a lot and providing inspiration to go forward,

He admonishes us telling us not to let discouragement enter our hearts when we do not see the results that we desire from our efforts.  He points out that some people will not commit themselves to mission because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort. He says, “Sometimes it seems like our life is not fruitful, but mission is not like a business transaction or investment, or even a humanitarian activity.  It is not a show where we can count how many people came as a result of our activity.”  And he says, “If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty.”

He encourages us by reminding us that “the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing here and there in different ways, like the small seed that grows into a great tree. (Mt. 13:31-32) He reiterates that “Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world.”

Near my home is an old tennis court in need of resurfacing.  I walk my dog around it each morning and each morning I am struck again by a purple plant that somehow has managed to crack the cement and bloom in the middle of the court.  “How is this possible?” I wonder, “because cement is much stronger than the leaves of a plant.” It causes me to remember that secular human thinking doesn’t know everything about power and what is weak and what is strong. It is a reminder of resurrection power. Of this, the Holy Father is speaking. He says, “On razed land, life breaks through stubbornly yet invincibly."

He urges us to have a firm trust in the Holy Spirit who works, as he wills, when he wills and where he wills.” He tells us that only our commitment is necessary. He says, “Give him everything, allowing him to make our efforts bear fruit in his good time.”

He inspires us with the idea that we need not control everything to the last detail but instead let the Holy Spirit enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills.

Our shepherd on this earth sends us forth to sow seeds and leave the results to God.

He says, “If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty.”

Carol Marquardt has worked for many years in lay ministry in the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. She is the author of The Sound of His Voice, the first book in the Our Fiat program, a structured prayer program utilizing scriptural mediation and prayerful listening which draws you into a deeper personal relationship with Jesus.  Before beginning the development of the Our Fiat materials and Mantle of Mary Association, she served as adult education director, catechumenate director, retreat house director, and charismatic prayer group leader. Along with these positions, she has worked in inner healing ministry and spiritual direction. She has also lead pilgrimages to Marian shrines such as Medjugorje, Lourdes, and Guadalupe, as well as Rome and Assisi. She has participated in evangelization missions to Eastern Europe with Renewal Ministries from Ann Arbor, Michigan USA.

SPIRIT FILLED EVANGELIZATION

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 259-274

Daily Reading for Dec. 22: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 259 -274

Reflection by: Martha Fernandez-Sardina

Spirit-filled evangelizers!

That is what the Church and the world need: “Evangelizers fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit” who “go forth from themselves… to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness”, “firmly rooted in prayer”, “not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence.”  (EG, 259)

 In his “thoughts about the spirit of the new evangelization” (EG, 260) the pope speaks of “spirited” evangelizers moved by an “interior impulse which encourages, motivates, nourishes and gives meaning to our individual and communal activity” – and is capable of stirring up “enthusiasm for a new chapter of evangelization full of fervor, joy, generosity, courage, boundless love and attraction” if “the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in our hearts… for he is the soul of the Church called to proclaim the Gospel.” (EG, 261)

“Spirit-filled evangelizers pray and work”, and avoid “unilateral and incomplete proposals” only reach a few groups and “curtail the Gospel.” He calls for deep prayer, “the ability to cultivate an interior space… of prayerful encounter with the word, of sincere conversation with the Lord” lest “we lose energy as a result of weariness and difficulties, and our fervor dies out” or fall prey to “a privatized and individualistic spirituality” and use prayer as “an excuse for not offering one’s life in mission” and take “rrefuge in some false forms of spirituality.” (EG, 262)

Our evangelization models include “the early Christians and our many brothers and sisters throughout history who were filled with joy, unflagging courage and zeal in proclaiming the Gospel.” We need not say “that things are harder today; they are simply different”, but “let us learn also from the saints who have gone before us, who confronted the difficulties of their own day” as we “pause to rediscover some of the reasons which can help us to imitate them today.” (EG, 263)

Encounter your Lover… Speak of your Lover’s love!

Pope Francis speaks of the love relationship without which we can neither live nor share the Faith of the Church. Personal encounter with the saving love of Jesus is what characterizes the life and mission of the Spirit-filled evangelizer: “the primary reason for evangelizing is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of him”, the pope says. A person in love shouts it from the rooftops! “What kind of love would not feel the need to speak of the beloved, to point him out, to make him known?... If we do not feel an intense desire to share this love, we need to pray insistently that he will once more touch our hearts. We need to implore his grace daily, asking him to open our cold hearts and shake up our lukewarm and superficial existence.”

Because “‘we speak of what we have seen and heard’ (1 Jn 1:3)… the best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from contemplating it with love, lingering over its pages and reading it with the heart”, allowing the same Gospel beauty to “amaze and constantly excite us.” A contemplative spirit will help us realize that “we have been entrusted with a treasure which makes us more human and helps us to lead a new life. There is nothing more precious which we can give to others.” (EG, 264)

Pope Francis points to Jesus as the precious mystery the human heart longs for and needs. This is the conviction which drives our evangelization efforts: “we become convinced that it is exactly what others need, even though they may not recognize it… We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint… It is a truth which is never out of date because it reaches that part of us which nothing else can reach. Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.” (EG, 265)

Evangelistic conviction has to be constantly renewed by savoring Christ’s friendship and his message: “It is impossible to persevere in a fervent evangelization unless we are convinced from personal experience that it is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him… not the same thing to contemplate him, to worship him, to find our peace in him, as not to… with Jesus life becomes richer and that with him it is easier to find meaning in everything. This is why we evangelize.” He adds, “A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will convince nobody.” (EG, 266)

Do it like your Lover…

…Seek only and always the Father’s glory!

Jesus sought his Father’s glory. So must we “seek what he seeks and we love what he loves… the glory of the Father.” To this we must “commit ourselves fully and perseveringly… leave behind every other motivation… we evangelize for the greater glory of the Father who loves us.” (EG, 267)

 …Know and love your people!

Pope Francis challenges us to get as close up and personal as he and Jesus get: “develop a spiritual taste for being close to people’s lives and to discover that this is itself a source of greater joy. Mission is at once a passion for Jesus and a passion for his people”, he says – reminding me of the words I, as an evangelizer, have used for many years, speaking of “My two great loves: God and people.” An evangelizer’s love for all people flows from contemplating “that Jesus’ gaze, burning with love, expands to embrace all his people” and “that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people… He takes us from the midst of his people and he sends us to his people…without this sense of belonging we cannot understand our deepest identity.” (EG, 268)

Pope Francis states plainly that “Jesus himself is the model of this method of evangelization which brings us to the very heart of his people… contemplate the closeness which he shows to everyone! … Moved by his example, we want to enter fully into the fabric of society, sharing the lives of all, listening to their concerns, helping them materially and spiritually in their needs, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep; arm in arm with others, we are committed to building a new world… not from a sense of obligation, not as a burdensome duty, but as the result of a personal decision which brings us joy and gives meaning to our lives.” (EG, 269)

…Enter people’s lives and know the power of tenderness

Don’t keep the wounded Lord at arm’s length, the pope says: “Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others. He hopes that we will stop looking for those personal or communal niches which shelter us from the maelstrom of human misfortune and instead enter into the reality of other people’s lives and know the power of tenderness. Whenever we do so, our lives become wonderfully complicated and we experience intensely what it is to be a people, to be part of a people.” (EG, 270)

…Evangelize with, in, and motivated by love

Pope Francis offers us a biblically balanced approach when it comes to apologetics and catechesis in the process of evangelization. We must give reasons for our hope, but we need not be “an enemy who critiques and condemns” but “do so with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15), “live peaceably with all” (Rom 12:18), strive to overcome “evil with good” (Rom 12:21), “work for the good of all” (Gal 6:10), and “in humility count others better than ourselves” (Phil 2:3)” – “injunctions contained in the word of God which are so clear, direct and convincing that they need no interpretations which might diminish their power to challenge us. Let us live them sine glossa, without commentaries.” (EG, 271)

…The force be with you!

So similar are several of the concepts, one could think that Pope Francis and I were brainstorming together over the past several months as he wrote this Exhortation and as I developed my latest New Evangelization Outreach Project, Remember You Are Loved, launched at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2013. I’m not telling, but what I can say is this: he is on a mission of love and wants you and me to join him! What motivates and sustains our evangelization efforts is love, the force that changes everything: “Loving others is a spiritual force drawing us to union with God; indeed, one who does not love others ‘walks in the darkness’ (1 Jn 2:11), ‘remains in death’ (1 Jn 3:14) and “does not know God’ (1 Jn 4:8). Benedict XVI has said that ‘closing our eyes to our neighbor also blinds us to God’, and that love is, in the end, the only light which ‘can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working’.” He calls us to “live out a spirituality of drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare” adding that “whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something new about God… we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God. If we want to advance in the spiritual life, then, we must constantly be missionaries…”

“Only the person who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary.” The alternative is grim: “We do not live better when we flee, hide, refuse to share, stop giving and lock ourselves up in own comforts. Such a life is nothing less than slow suicide.” (EG, 272)

Make love your joyful mission

As we see here – and as we detail at RememberYouAreLoved.com – Pope Francis is on a mission of love from above. He makes it clearer than ever before what he is about and what we must be about: “My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an ‘extra’ or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world.” He adds in no uncertain terms that the mission of the Redeemer ought to profoundly alter the way we see ourselves: “We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing.” He describes what the world looks like when we fully embark on this mission of love – “All around us we begin to see nurses with soul, teachers with soul, politicians with soul, people who have chosen deep down to be with others and for others” – and describes what the world looks like when we fail to do so – “once we separate our work from our private lives, everything turns grey and we will always be seeking recognition or asserting our needs. We stop being a people.” (EG, 273)

Show and tell the world that everyone is lovable and love-able.

Pope Francis is a lover of souls. Here again, his words reflect almost verbatim the first two aims on Remember You Are Loved when the pope says that “to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving…because they are God’s handiwork, his creation…and he or she reflects something of God’s glory (and)…is the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives.” Indeed, everyone “deserves our love”! And as we know from experience at Remember You Are Loved, it is possible and it is rewarding to “break down walls and our heart is filled with faces and names!” (EG, 274)

Dare to love someone new today©!

Evangelii Gaudium is a timely document. Spirit-filled evangelizers are exactly what the Church and the world need. Love makes Spirit-filled evangelization possible and delightful. Let us go out of ourselves and into the existential peripheries where so many are distant from and indifferent to God and Church. Let us dare to boldly share the love of our Lover: the One True God who has called us to be missionary disciples and messengers of love through whom He might draw all into his open side for all eternity.

Download Martha's in-depth reflection on this section at:: Evangelii Gaudium  Reflection Nos. 259-274 and at http://iEvangelize.Wordpress.com.

Martha Fernández-Sardina is an international, bilingual speaker, and consultant touching thousands through radio, TV, articles, training seminars, talks, and new evangelization outreach projects, including Remember You Are Loved™, N.E.T.S.-New Evangelization Training School™, Prepare The Way™, the Hispanic Festival of Faith and the Month of Hispanic Evangelization. Her programs educate, enthuse, and equip Catholics for a new evangelization. Find, friend, and follow Martha and her Mission of Love at RememberYouAreLoved.com, Facebook.com/MFernandezSardina, Twitter.com/iEvangelize, iEvangelize.wordpress.com, and Vimeo.com/MarthaFernandezSardina. For a speaking engagement or a consultation, email her at iEvangelize1@gmail.com.

WOVEN TOGETHER THROUGH HUMILITY: SOCIAL DIALOGUE AS A CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 238-258

Daily Reading for Dec. 21: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 217-237

Reflection by Elizabeth Scalia

Humility has been the defining characteristic of Pope Francis’ 10-month old papacy; so ingrained is his recourse to humility that its thread runs through the entire warp and woof of Evangelii Gaudium, like a muted backdrop of color. In the section entitled “Social dialogue as a contribution to peace” the pattern of humility is more prominent, as though it is meant to specially catch our attention. “The Church speaks from the light which faith offers,” Francis quotes, adding, “the light transcends human reason, yet it can also prove meaningful and enriching to those who are not believers, and it stimulates reason to broaden its perspectives.”

The broadening of perspective itself demands a measure of humility, a willingness to say, “I know what I know, and truth is truth, but because I am secure in that knowledge, I am willing to hear what you know, and specifically what you know of the truth. Let us talk, then, let us listen; let us be fully present to each other, enough so that we might hear each other, see each other, that together we may absorb truth — the one single immutable truth, shorn of relativism — into ourselves. Let us receive it like a potent dye to our worsted wool, and thus enhance the design of humanity within what God alone weaves.”

And so, he calls for states and nations, in their role as promoters of the common good, to engage in their duties with “profound social humility” — enough to hear the voice of faith, and to consider what the Church has learned in its 2,000 year involvement with the spinning thread of history.  He asks something similar of science: exploration without ideological interest. “Whenever the sciences – rigorously focused on their specific field of inquiry – arrive at a conclusion which reason cannot refute, faith does not contradict it.”

Francis strikes corresponding notes when he calls for ecumenical dialogue — for respect between all baptized people; a willingness to remember that Christ desired our Oneness. Then,  even as we discuss and disagree, we are still -- through the thread of humility -- still together in the weave, part of a wholeness, even if we cannot see it, because we are too near, too much in the thick of it. Christian unity is essential, as is concentration “on the convictions we share,” and to which we must give witness. “The immense numbers of people who have not received the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot leave us indifferent.” Here, the hue of humility is bright with trust in the Holy Spirit.

With our Jewish brothers and sisters, humble co-operation can work for social justice informed by our mutual interest in mining “the riches of God’s word.” And beyond that — because we serve the Master who weaves all, we must seek to see others (and to be seen by them) as recognizing the commonality of humanity that makes us willing to share our “joys and sorrows”. This is, again, a call to humility: to see the person before us — regardless of belief, or of non-belief -- as first a human imbued with dignity by virtue of his existence as a created creature, beloved as any of us.

“True openness,” Francis writes, “involves remaining steadfast in one’s deepest convictions, clear and joyful in one’s own identity” while being “open to understanding those of the other party”. This is, of course, a very fine and delicate sort of weaving. It requires steadiness, for no stitches can be dropped, or the whole social fabric becomes weakened: “What is not helpful is a diplomatic openness which says “yes” to everything in order to avoid problems, for this would be a way of deceiving others and denying them the good which we have been given to share generously with others.”

We cannot say “yes” to everything, but we can say “yes” to God. Our Savior tells us that after loving God with all of our heart, mind and soul, our very next duty is to love others with the love God has for them. 

This is sublime, subversive humility, and in public life it can be misunderstood as weakness. Rather, service to this scriptural order is a source of strength. To love another with the love God has for them enables us to hold steady, even in the face of contempt, because we see the hatred for what it truly is: a lack of Christ, an ignorance that can be informed in the light of that his love, if it is truly reflected in us. Engagement with non-believers and atheists, then, as with all the rest, when taken up with threads of respect and humility, can be “a path to peace in our troubled world.”

Amen.

Elizabeth Scalia is a Benedictine Oblate and the Managing Editor of the Catholic Portal at Patheos. She is a writer, speaker and a regularly-featured columnist at First Thingsand at The Catholic Answer and the author of Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life. She blogs as The Anchoress at Patheos.com.

THE COMMON GOOD AND PEACE IN SOCIETY

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 217-237

Daily Reading for Dec. 20: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 217-237

Reflection by Sharon Wilson

Summary
As I looked at this section to write my reflection– I thought it would be fairly easy to expound on.  After all, Pope Francis lays this section out quite nicely by reminding us that peace is more than just an absence of war. He even pulls from a USCCB document;  a document that I am familiar with, Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship. He even lays out his thoughts in four principles, which can guide the development of life in society.  Then ‘Zing’ I read the first principle. Time is greater than space. Time? Space? Is this some kind of space time continuum from Star Trek or is the Pope talking quantum physics here? I check out the other topics: Unity prevails over conflict, Realities are more important than ideas, and The whole is greater than the part. It looks like I am in over my head!  But guided by Pope Francis and the Holy Spirit, and with a little patience and prayer, the words take on meaning for me.  

Reflection
Let’s look a bit into each principle.

Time is greater than space – The pope says, “Giving priority to time means being concerned about initiating process rather than processing spaces.” This section seems to remind me that it is not the outcome that we should be so concerned with, it is the process. I was just sharing with a friend how one of the best vacations my family ever took was a complete disaster. We drove to Branson (sorry Branson fans) and everything possible went wrong. We all hated it, yet it is the one vacation that my kids always talk about.  It wasn’t the destination or the trip, it was being with each other and sharing (and getting through) the experience. 

Unity prevails over conflict – Well, Duh…  Of course unity is better than conflict. Isn’t that what peace is all about. I am a Minnesotan; we live Minnesota nice and avoid conflict at all costs!  But wait, the Pope has another zinger. The Pope says, “Conflict cannot be ignored or concealed. It has to be faced.” That throws out my Minnesota nice theory.  If I am to be truthful, I know this already. If there is a problem, it never does any good to avoid it. The trick is to address the problem with love.

Realities are more important than ideas – The Pope says, “ Ideas disconnected from realities give rise to ineffectual forms of idealism and nominalism… What calls us to action are realities illuminated by reason.” This Blog is a great example of action. When Kelly got the idea for this blog, would it have merely stayed in theory – none of us would be reading (or writing) it. The idea spurred her into action, but these are still words on paper (or cyber space) and words need yet another action to make them flesh (John Chapter 1). That action is to live out what you learn and know. 

The whole is greater than the part – Here is another zinger from the pope.  In illustrating this principle he says, “Our model is not a sphere, which is no greater than its parts… Instead it is the polyhedron.” The polyWHATdron?  Is this a geometry lesson now? According to Wikipedia a polyhedron is: "A solid in three dimensions with flat faces and straight edges." Ok, that didn’t help me much. I will call on a bit of wisdom that my daughter brought home from school when she was about 10 years old.  She proudly stated “Mom. I am unique, just like everybody else.” We don’t lose our individuality when we seek the greater whole. God knows every part of us uniquely and individually. We can’t lose site of the individual when seeking the common good.  

Action
Peace be with you

In keeping with my reflection of realities greater than ideas, let’s take this idea to action. The next time you are at Mass and exchange the sign of peace – really think and pray about the person you exchange that handshake with. Each and every action we take builds common good and peace. 

Peace be with you.

Sharon is a wife and mother of two college age children. She worked as a teacher, in advertising, radio, retail buyer and in youth advocacy – she even rode an elephant in the circus once! Currently she works as the Respect Life Coordinator for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  She is a freelance writer for the Catholic Spirit and writes regularly in her blog Food for Thought on “CatholicHotdish.com” She also does speaking on various pro-life topics and gives her personal testimony on her own healing experience in the talk Glorified Wounds.   She can be reached at wilsons@archspm.org.

INCLUSION OF THE POOR IN SOCIETY

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 186-216

Daily Reading for Dec. 19: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 186-216

Reflection by Patricia Jannuzzi

Click on the image above to reflect on today's paragraphs from Pope Francis' "The Joy of the Gospel." Today's paragraphs cover something v dry near and dear to the Holy Father's heart, the poor. (If you're like me, and the print seems a wee bit small, hover over and click on the icon on the lower right-hand side and watch it on YouTube.)

SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF EVANGELIZATION

REFLECTION ON EVANGELII GAUDIUM 176-185

Daily Reading for Dec. 18: Evangelii Gaudium paragraphs 176-185

Reflection by Marc Cardaronella

God’s love is by it’s very nature communal, social, and outwardly focused. The interpersonal union of the Trinity is anything but a divine “member’s only” club. The very reason the universe exists is because the dynamo of life and love inside the Godhead can not and will not be contained within itself. God’s love is diffusive the philosophers say...it overflows it’s own boundaries and spreads like fire. It can’t be contained. 

Therefore, animated by that same life and love, God’s faithful and the message they carry within their hearts also can not be contained. Christians are compelled to share their lives with others and to spread the good news. “The kerygma has a clear social content,” the Pope says, “At the very heart of the Gospel is life in community and engagement with others.”

There are two implications here that present difficulties. The first is “the absolute priority of ‘going forth from ourselves towards our brothers and sisters’” in charity. The Pope says the “Gospel is not merely about our personal relationship with God.” Our salvation is important, but we’re saved from something and for something. That something is furthering the Kingdom of God. It’s not easy to share our faith and ourselves with others.  It makes most of us uncomfortable. And yet, the social dimensions of the Gospel call for this tension to be resolved. 

The second difficulty is that seeking God’s Kingdom and making it present in people’s lives necessarily means transforming society...and society doesn’t want to be transformed! During his time on earth, Jesus pushed back the kingdom of Satan by preaching, healing, and casting out demons. He transformed the world around him. He made it look more like the Kingdom. And, as more and more people became his followers, they did the same thing. Rome sought to eradicate Christianity, but instead became Christian. European culture and society owes it’s existence to the Church. Christianity is “meant to have an impact on society,” the Pope says. It can do nothing else because where the Kingdom of God exists, the kingdom of this world cannot...and it never leaves without a fight. 

Catholicism can’t merely be a private affair. It never could be because Catholics exist in the world. Evangelization is naturally social because conversion is not just about the soul, but about life and where it’s lived. And, when Christian life flourishes, it bumps up against those aspects of society that aren’t converted. It’s our task as Christians to take our conversion to the culture and influence our own sphere of society through relationship, through community, and through the Gospel message.

Marc Cardaronella is a Catholic writer and speaker living in Champaign, IL. A former Navy pilot, he gave up the fast life for a more rewarding career as a Director of Religious Education. He is currently the father of two young boys, he writes about the reasons why people believe in Jesus Christ (and why they don't) on his personal blog: http://marccardaronella.com.