A difficult moment

Today’s gospel begins with words which Jesus spoke to the crowds: ... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (Jn 6:53).  Many of those who heard these words found them difficult to understand, and because they could not understand his words, many of them turned back and no longer went along with him (Jn 6:66).  This was a kind of litmus test for them, a breaking point.  Like them,  we must always ask ourselves: how far am I willing to go to follow in the footsteps of Jesus?  It is always easy to follow him when things are going well, but the true level of our commitment only comes to light when there are challenges, when we are tested.

This summer has been a very trying time for many in the Church.  At the end of July, a retired Cardinal who once shepherded the Archdiocese of Washington, DC resigned his position as an advisor to the Holy Father as a result of accusations of inappropriate behaviour and cover-ups regarding abuses committed by clergy under his care while he was in active ministry.  Last week, the Pennsylvania Grand Jury released a report that accuses more than 300 priests in dioceses throughout that state of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children over a 70-year period.

Reports like this always remind me that although God is perfect, none of us is.  The weakness of those who serve in the Church is understandably a cause for concern, because we are called to lead first and foremost by example ... and because the victims in this case are the innocent: those who should be protected most of all.

Those who are guilty must always answer for their actions, but such situations should also make all of us aware of our own weaknesses, and each of us must ask ourselves the question: how far am I willing to go to follow in the footsteps of Jesus?

In the first reading for today’s liturgy, Joshua challenged the elders, the heads, the judges and the officers of Israel ... to choose who they would serve (Joshua 24:15).  In the midst of confusion and chaos, his words rang out and reverberated in their hearts, and they recognized a call to affirm their willingness to serve the Lord.

Even today, when we are faced with situations of confusion and chaos, we must always stop and listen deeply for the voice of God that is always whispering wisdom in the depths of our souls.  This voice will always help us to return to the basics.  It will always help us to find our way, even when we are faced with the most disturbing news.

The report issued by the Pennsylvania Grand Jury has sent shock waves throughout the Church in the United States and these shock waves have reverberated here in Canada and as far away as Rome.  These difficult questions require answers, and the answers will be forthcoming, but in the meanwhile, each of us can and must pray for our brothers and sisters: those who have committed such unspeakable acts and those who have been victimized.  Let us all strive to be kind to one another, tender-hearted and forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven us (Eph 4:32).

His Word Today: Emmanuel

Good morning everyone,

Anyone who is familiar with the traditional carols that are sung at Christmas will know the word Emmanuel.  During the Advent period, we sing: O come, O come Emmanuel! but many people may not know that the word Emmanuel means God-with-us.

The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the holy city.  In chapter 43 of his Book, he describes a moment when he stood in the inner court of the temple and heard someone speaking to him.  The voice said: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the souls of my feet, here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever (Ez 43:7).  This vision was fulfilled when God sent Jesus to live among us.  After the Ascension, God sent the Holy Spirit - the third person of the Trinity - to dwell among us.  This means that the prophecy of Ezekiel has been fulfilled: Emmanuel - God is with us!

God is dwelling in our midst.  If we have even the slightest doubt, all we need to do is open our eyes and look around us.  God is present in the life of a newborn, God is present in the exuberance of a child, God is present in the curiosity of a student, God is present in the moments of worry and concern faced by every parent, God is present to all those who are sick and suffering, God is present to all those who are growing weak and feeble, God is present to those who are preparing to meet Him.  God is with us.  Look for Him today, and if you find Him, say hello.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Bartholomew

Statue of Saint Bartholomew
by Marco D'Agrate, 1562
inside the Duomo of Milan

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.  Bartholomew is named as one of the apostles in each of the three Synoptic gospels (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18 and Lk 6:14).  There is no mention of Bartholomew in the gospel of John.  Instead, the writer refers to a figure by the name of Nathanael (Jn 1:45), which some scholars believe to be the apostle Bartholomew.

After the Ascension of Jesus (Lk 24:50-53), it is believed that Bartholomew went on a missionary tour to India where he visited the region of Bombay where he described his own interpretation of the holy city of Jerusalem (cf Rev 21:9-14) and left behind a copy of the gospel of Matthew. Other traditions hold that he served as a missionary in Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia and Lyaconia, as well as Greater Armenia.

Bartholomew is believed to have been martyred while in India.  At the age of 50 years, it is believed that his skin was removed from his body while he was still alive and that he was beheaded by order of the king.  His relics made their way back toward Italy, where they are currently housed in the Basilica of San Bartolomeo in Benevento.  Some relics have also been moved to Rome (where they are housed in the Basilica of San Bartolomeo sul'Isola), the Frankfurt Cathedral (officially known as the Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew, located in Frankfurt, Germany) and the Canterbury Cathedral located in Canterbury, Kent, England.

May the zeal of this holy apostle inspire us today to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Jesus.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Laundry

Good morning everyone,

Some people quite enjoy the chores we all have to accomplish, even the most mundane ones ... like doing the laundry, but not everyone.  Sorting the dirty laundry, loading the washing machine, choosing the water temperature and the cycle, drying the delicates, folding everything and putting it away ... not to mention the ironing.  It can all be rather cumbersome, but doing the laundry - something that we hide from public eyes - is an essential part of life.

The principle of doing the laundry also pertains to our spiritual lives.  The prophet Ezekiel speaks today of this necessity, reassuring us that the Lord will sprinkle clean water upon us (Ez 36:25) to cleanse us from all the dirt that we have accumulated.  Like the laundry, we often choose to keep the dirt and grime of sin hidden from others, but God wants to cleanse us from all our impurities ... to give us a new heart and to place a new spirit within us (Ez 36:26).

What spiritual laundry have we been trying to hide - from ourselves, from God or from others?  We can always trust that God will wash away all the dirt that we have accumulated, and replace our tired spirits with fresh, clean laundry.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Queenship of Mary

The Coronation of the Virgin
by Fra Angelico (1395-1455)

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This feast was established in 1954 by Pope Pius XII - the same Pope who solemnly decreed the Church's belief in the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

Mary's queenship has its roots in scripture:  at the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38), the archangel Gabriel announces that Mary's son would receive the throne of his ancestor David, and ... rule over the house of Jacob forever.  At the Visitation (Lk 1:39-45), Elizabeth refers to Mary as the mother of my Lord.  Throughout the significant moments in Mary's life, she was always associated with her son Jesus.  Her queenship is therefore understood as a share in Jesus' kingship.

Today's festivity falls on the octave (the eighth day) following the liturgical solemnity of the Assumption of Mary.  In the encyclical entitled Ad Caeli Reginam (To the Queen of Heaven) in which Pope Pius XII established today's Memorial, His Holiness pointed out that Mary deserves the title of Queen of Heaven because she is the mother of God, because she is so closely associated with the redemptive work of her son Jesus (ACR, 38), because of her pre-eminent perfection and because of her intercessory power (ACR, 39).

While on earth, Jesus established his kingship based in service to others and Mary too exercised her queenship through service.  Now, we believe that the glorified Jesus remains with us always as our king until the end of the age (Mt 28:20) and Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned as queen of heaven and earth remains by our side, interceding for us and helping us as we journey to our heavenly homeland.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Pius X

Good morning everyone,

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Pius X.  Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born in Riese, in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, then a part of the Austrian empire but now part of the Italian province of Treviso on 2 June 1835.  He was the child of a postman, and grew up in poverty, one of ten children: he had three brothers and six sisters.

At a young age, Giuseppe studied Latin with his village priest.  Having completed his secondary studies, he was admitted to the seminary of Padua in 1850 where he completed his studies in preparation for Ordination as a priest of the Diocese of Treviso.  He was ordained a priest on 18 September 1858.  In the early years of his priesthood, while fulfilling most of the duties of a pastor, he also managed to study Saint Thomas Aquinas and Canon Law.  As the years progressed, he continued to be entrusted with further pastoral responsibilities until in 1978, he was appointed as a vicar-capitular with pastoral responsibility for the city of Treviso during a time of vacancy in that diocese until a new Bishop could be appointed.  He held this position for two years, after which he returned to the Treviso seminary where he taught dogmatic theology and moral theology for four years.

On 10 November 1884, Pope Leo XIII appointed him as Bishop of Mantua (Italy).  Nine years later, during an open consistory held on 12 June 1893, Pope Leo XIII created him a Cardinal and three days later, he was privately named as Patriarch of Venice, but was prevented from assuming that role until the following year.  On 20 July 1893, Pope Leo XIII died, and not long afterward, the Conclave to elect a successor was convened.  Cardinal Sarto was elected Pontiff on 4 August 1903, taking the name of Pius X.

Even after he had been elected Supreme Pontiff, he never forgot his humble origins: that he - and we - are human beings, not God (cf Ez 28:2, 9). His simple origins became clear right after his election, when he wore a pectoral cross made of gilded metal on the day of his coronation and when his entourage was horrified, the new pope complained that he always wore it and that he had brought no other one with him. He was well known for cutting down on papal ceremonies.  The pontificate of Pius X was noted for conservative theology and reforms in the liturgy and in Church law.  He worked tirelessly to develop various aspects within the life of the Church.

In 1913, Pius X suffered a heart attack, and subsequently lived in the shadow of poor health. In 1914, the pope fell ill on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary (15 August 1914), an illness from which he would not recover. His condition was worsened by the events leading to the outbreak of World War I (1914–18), which reportedly sent the 79-year-old pope into a state of melancholy. He died on 20 August 1914 of a heart attack, on the very day when German forces marched into Brussels.

Following his death, Pius X was buried in a simple and unadorned tomb in the crypt below Saint Peter's Basilica. Papal physicians had been in the habit of removing organs to aid the embalming process. Pius X expressly prohibited this in his burial and successive popes have continued this tradition.  Pope Pius X was beatified on 3 June 1951 and subsequently canonized on 29 May 1954.

Saint Pius X, pray for us, that we may always remain a humble people at the service of our brothers and sisters.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Bernard of Clairveaux

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Bernard of Clairveaux, a French abbot and a major leader in the reform of Benedictine monasticism.

Saint Bernard was born near Dijon (France) in 1090 AD.  As a young boy, he was admittedly unruly, and this behaviour continued into his teen years, but having experienced a conversion of sorts, and recognizing his need to change, he chose (as a young adult) to join the Cistercian Order - a branch of the Benedictines that had only recently been founded.  They were known for their austerity and Bernard thought that this discipline could tame his wayward ways.  This recognition of conversion was not unlike the man who came to Jesus and said, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' (Mt 19:16), however like the young man in the gospel, all who recognize such need for conversion should also be prepared for surprises.

At the age of 22 years, Bernard entered the Cistercian Abbey of Cîteaux (south of Dijon), a place that was known for its strict observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict.  Bernard's remarkable enthusiasm helped to persuade his uncle, his brothers and many friends to join him.  In total, a group of 30 men entered the abbey along with Bernard.  Three years later, Bernard was sent, along with 12 other companions, to a diocese in Champagne where, in a valley that came to be known as the Valley of Light (Clairveaux), Bernard founded the monastery where he would live as abbot for the rest of his life.

From the time he became abbot to the time of his death in 1153, Bernard dominated the religious and political life of Western Europe.  His writings have had a lasting impact on Catholic spirituality and the abbey of Clairveaux became the motherhouse for dozens of Cistercian monasteries around the world.

Bernard died at the Clairveaux abbey on 20 August 1153 at the age of 63 years.  He was canonized by Pope Alexander III on 18 January 1174.  May he intercede for us so that we too might seek to follow in the footsteps of the Lord who calls us to be his disciples.

Have a great day.