Do You Love Me?

How many times does God have to ask me that question?  What, is He insecure?

Well, to be honest, I can't blame Him for being insecure of my love.  He needs proof.  Yeah, yeah, He knows my heart, and therein lies the rub.  I'm fickle.  He knows my mind, and again I slack off.  And my actions, well, they're disappointing at best, nevermind my good intentions.  So, OK; it's perfectly understanding that God is always asking me, "Do you love Me?"

These were my thoughts when I heard this morning's Gospel, John 21: 15-19.  Jesus has resurrected.  He's eating with his apostles.  But to Peter, He asks, "Do you love Me", three times.  And just like Peter, I also think, "What is He asking me that for?  He knows I do."  The second time Jesus asks, Peter recalls his betrayal of Jesus, and is embarrassed.  I also am embarrassed by my behavior.  Then the third time, Peter affirms his love, "Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You."

I go through the same process.  I am no better than Peter.  If God forgives and trusts Peter, after Peter's betrayal, then there's no reason why God wouldn't trust me.  Like Peter, I will always love the Lord, and I pray I will never tire of responding, "Of course, I love You with all my heart, soul, and mind, forever and ever."

St. Pachomius

Even though today my Magnificat said that the Mass for today was for St. Isidore, the patron saint of Madrid, Spain, farmers, and rural communities, Father Kevin said the Mass was for St. Pachomius.

Who?  That's what I said.  So read on and learn.

St. Pachomius is the father of spiritual communal life.  In his time, 300 A.D., religious people didn't live together.  There were only hermits.  A person living a solitary religious life is called an eremite.  A hermit isn't necessarily religious.  An eremite is a religious hermit.

So many others came to join him, that he had to make up some sort of organization.  This was the beginning of living a communal life.  Anybody can live in community, e.i hippies.  Religious people living together is said to be living a cenobite life.  Hence, St. Pachomius is the founder of cenobite monasticism.

Father Kevin is a Trappist and was celebrating the founder of his monastic life.  That's why the Mass was in celebration for the life of St. Pachomius.

St. Matthias Won the Crap Shoot

That's what Father Kevin said this morning.  St. Matthias won the crap shoot.  He became an apostle by the luck of the draw.  Due to the death of Judas, the apostles were missing one member.  The remaining eleven decided to choose another man.  Peter explained to all the disciples (Acts 1: 15-16), which were about a hundred and twenty, that they should choose someone who had been with them since Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, up to Jesus' Resurrection.  That left two men: Joseph, called Barsabbas, and Matthias.

And they drew lots between them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

So it was by "luck of the draw,"  that Matthias was blessed.  Blessed to help spread the Truth and be martyred for Christ.  Because of this Wikipedia says this day is considered the luckiest day of the year. Go buy a lottery ticket.  Go to the                  race track and bet on a horse with a name that has a religious connotation.

According to old tradition, St. Matthias's Day is said to be the luckiest day of the year. This is because Matthias was the saint who was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot. It has therefore been seen as a good day on which to buy lottery tickets or to participate in activities such as that. 

h/t: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Matthias

The Blessings of Children

Father George told the story of a young man who had been married awhile and lost his job.  He started selling drugs for a living.  His wife was scared and prayed and talked him into going on a Curcillo.

He was touched by the Holy Spirit and turned his life around, much to his wife's joy.  When his wife became pregnant, after having 3 children, he was thrilled.  He called his mother to tell her.

His mother responded with silence.  He said, "Aren't you happy for us?"  His mother said something about dropping them out like pigs.  This was shocking because his mother had eight children!

Anyway, angry words were spoken and the son hung up on his mother.  There was no contact for about a month.  The mother finally called and apologized, and no more was said.

The couple ended up having fifteen children!

The mother in her old age ended up needing 24 hour care.  She's in a nursing home.

Guess who visits her.  Who reads to her?  Who bring her gifts?  Who spends time with her?  Who sends greeting cards?  Who telephones her?  Who watches over her?

Who're her prides and joys? 

All Glory Be To God

God desires to be glorified by our happiness.  Our happiness is a part of His divine glory.  This is what I believe and experienced this Mother's Day, yesterday.  Thanks be to God.  

Freedom of Conscience

“To bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”  George Washington, 1790

These are the words, hubby and I read at the Touro Synagogue.  We’re vacationing in Newport, RI.  On our “To Do” list, was a visit to America’s oldest synagogue, Touro Synagogue. 

The original congregation was founded in 1658 by Jews fleeing the Inquisition.  Eventually, enough Jews settled in Newport to request a rabbi.  Remember that Roger Williams founded Rhode Island based on religious tolerance.  So the Jews felt accepted.  Not Catholics, they weren't welcome; but that’s a different thread. 

After the Revolution, before the Bill of Rights, the warden of Touro Synagogue, Moses Seixas, wrote a letter to President George Washington.  He wanted to be sure that the president understood the concerns of the Jewish people in America.  The Jews were tired of being persecuted and dispersed; they wanted assurance that their religion and culture would be respected.

George Washington responded with the words written above.  I was very interested that “Freedom of conscience” was mentioned by the leader of our fledgling government in 1790.

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.

I particularly admire Washington’s closing comment.   “… while every one (sic) shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” 

Again, this doesn’t apply to Catholics?  Nowadays, Catholics are afraid their hospitals will be forced to perform abortions, their social service agencies are afraid they’ll be forced to accept policies against their beliefs, their schools be forced to teach prejudicial curriculum, and their churches be forced to perform marriages that our religion forbids.  Where or where is the vine and fig tree under which Catholics can sit and not be afraid?

Praying to Saints

Hubby and I were touring Newport, RI, yesterday.  We visited museums, a synagogue, and Trinity Church.  Trinity Church's steeple is a landmark.  You can see it from the ocean, and it's a famous, well-known site of recognition.  Of course, we had to go there.  

The guide gave us a wonderful tour of the church.  Hubby just had to have a picture taken of him sitting in the same box that George Washington and Queen Elizabeth II prayed in.  Many famous people worshiped there.  We met their new priest, The Rev. Canon Anne Marie Richards.

Our tour guide happened to say that it was so nice to have a lady priest.  She went on to say that she never felt part of the church until the Canon Anne Marie came.

I bit my tongue.

The church had some beautiful stained glass windows.  I learned the difference between painted glass and the stained glass pieces that Tiffany made.  Big difference!

The stained glass windows depicted Mary, and some saints, and some famous parishioners.  Our guide said, "Of course, being High Church Episcopalian, we do not worship saints like Catholics do..."

I just had to speak up, no many how many kicks in the ankle hubby was giving me.

I asked her to pray for me.  She looked askance, but she said, "OK."   Then I said, "Why do you not think it odd, or wrong, to pray for others, yet you think it odd, or wrong, that Catholics pray to saints?"  Then I pointed to the Apostle Creed that was on a plaque.  I quoted, "I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS..."  What do you think the communion of saints means?

It means the spiritual solidarity among those living and those that are dead.  Thomas Aquinas* tells us that we participate in this mystical body exchange of  the same faith, prayers, merits, veneration, etc.
Hence, it's praying to the dead, not worshiping, but asking intercession, as we join together in prayer, just as I ask a living person to pray for me.  I'm not worshiping that person. I'm asking for intercession to God.

The tour came to an abrupt close.

I did better on the tour to the synagogue.

*Summa Theologica III: 8:4.