Sorting Us Out

Here on the High School Leadership Institute, or High-LI, we try to help young people become better servant leaders in the Church (btw - that's the reason for the sparsity of posts this week). One of the things that we do is have the kids take the Kiersey-Bates Temperment Sorter and then teach them about the meanings of the four-letter results for each of them. What this "sorter" does is group a person into one of sixteen possible combinations that say something about their personality. Some are introverts, other are extroverts. Some think through situations, others feel. Some judge life, others perceive. These are never right or wrong - they simply tell something about an individual's personal style.

This is something important for a leader. It means knowing oneself. Knowing oneself then can lead to sharing oneself. One does not have to be the loudest or the center of attention, the most logical or the smartest, in order to be a leader. They do have to know their strengths and those of the people around them and be willing to work together to complement each other. As we presented the results to the young people, we shared this video about the "thinking process" of the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter. Why did it make the decision about Harry that it did? The video shows many of Harry's pre-Hogwarts experiences that made him who he was - a quiet, bright, but mischievous boy who had a good heart.



There are a lot of those types of young people here this week. Please keep praying for us. We expect big things from them; and so should you.

Brown Bagging in Galilee

My bag is packed:
my bread,
my fish -
my lunch.

Mom and Dad are taking me to see Him -
the One they all talk about,
the One they all go to hear
and see.
Jesus.
He heals, He teaches,
He changes water into wine!
And now I am going
to see Him,
with my lunch.

Now we sit,
in groups of ten,
twenty,
and more -
families,
friends,
all here to see Him,
to hear His words.
When He speaks, I forget all about the heat,
the time,
the hunger -
it's all gone,
except for that Word.

Now He is finished.
I feel fed.
And my bag is still packed,
still full.

But more are hungry,
hungry for more.
"Where can we get enough food for them to eat?"
I hear Him ask .
One of them turns to me;
he smiles and crouches down.
"What do you have, little one?
What is in your bag?"
"Not much," I say,
"just these loaves and two fish."
He frowns in thought.
I feel something well up.
"But if you want them
you can have them.
Whatever will help -
anything for Him."

He takes my bag to Him,
"This is all we've got, Lord."
"All we've got?
I have more than you did!"
I think.
Jesus did not heed this
mention of "all we've got"
He simply had us all sit down,
prayed,
and handed out the food.
All ate and had their fill -
and there was more to spare!

Walking home,
all we could talk about
was that miracle.
How did He do it?
What did this mean?
Where do we go from here?

But I can't think about the questions,
I can't think about the time,
not about the long day.
All I know
is that now
my bag is packed.
And I am filled.

Joining the Battle

There is a now-cliche saying in youth ministry that young people are not the future of the Church, they are the Church now. Because it is such a cliche, I even hesitate to say it here, except that it is very true. Along side the altar society ladies and the Knights of Columbus, young people have an important place in the Church as baptized members of the Body of Christ.

I was reminded of this as I reflected on my recent viewing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince while on vacation. Harry, Ron, Hermione and the gang are at it again, as the J. K. Rowling's tale takes its darker turns. As the growing threat of Voldemort's evil plans begins to rear its ugly head, one might be tempted to ask, "Why on earth aren't the older, experienced witches and wizards doing more to fend off these Death Eaters? Why does it have to fall to the young ones to do battle with the Dark Lord?"

This is much like the complacent attitude that many in the Church have toward youth presence among us. They should be there, in the pew (very quiet, please) and not do anything else (apart from maybe helping Father as an altar server). However, this would ignore their dignity as Christians. Yes, they have things to learn - a lot to learn sometimes. But, they also have a lot to offer. Harry and friends are in the thick of things because they have something special - unique - to share in that struggle.

Today, I head off to Sparks, MD, to assist at our annual High School Leadership Institute, High LI. Sixty young people from around the diocese are coming on Sunday to grow in their leadership skills and share themselves with us and one another. They will return home, to their parishes and schools, as leaders - joining the adults as co-ministers to their fellow Christians in their particular places. Please keep us in your prayers this week.

Priests in Love

Continuing reflections on the Year of the Priest, I want to answer a question that has recurred several times in my inbox: "Do priests fall in love or have crushes?"

Now, I remarked once that the reason that I am a priest is because I fell in love. Again, love is the key to any vocation - married, consecrated, ordained. However, that does not mean that everything is sunshine and lollipops after the Big Day. So as for marriage, so too for priesthood. Priests, I am certain, have crushes; the can become infatuated with someone else. I have in my brief time as a priest. Mind, you, I never acted on these feelings. Does this mean that I am less effective? Does it mean that I was wrong and made a huge mistake? When my eyes, and heart, are drawn to dwell on another person for an inordinate amount of time, it is up to me to examine the source of that infatuation. Usually, I find that I am slipping in my attention to my prayer life or ministry. An honest assessment of my own prayer and vocation is necessary to remain faithful to it.

This is also the case in married life. People's affection wanders, waxes and wanes. But if one takes seriously the promises and vows one makes, then the life that we live - difficulties and all - can truly be the "living sacrifice" that St. Paul talks about in Romans 12.

So, yes, priests do have crushes - on men and women - depending on their orientation. That is just a fact. Now, what do we do about it? I offer (humbly, because I am certainly no expert) some suggestions to seminarians, priests, and parishioners.

First, to seminarians, I say Don't be afraid of your emotions and sexuality. These are part of who you are and they are gifts that you offer to God and the Church. Authentic love requires your humanity, and this vocation requires that you give it all - not some of it, holding something back; and certainly not "turning off" some essential part of who you are. In your prayer and formation, make sure that you are comfortable in others' company - male and female - or else you will find that the dam you have tried to create is very weak indeed. Celibacy is not simply a "given." And contrary to what some people might say, it is not a "charism" either. If it were, then we would not have to promise it at ordination. It is a discipline and as such it will take some effort - prayerful effort. It is God's grace that allows that effort to be fruitful, though.

Second, to my brother priests, especially the young ones, I say listen to your elders in the presbyterate. Keep a good relationship among those fellow workers and also with your spiritual director. Don't run from these feelings if they arise, and don't automatically assume that they are a sign that you've made a mistake. If anything, they are an affirmation that you are fully human. Sometimes, seminary hasn't prepared us for the complex human interactions in a parish, but that is no excuse to allow a crush to destroy your vocation. If these feelings arise around a particular man or woman, first pray and try to limit your intentional interactions with them. The feelings do pass - as with any infatuation. Remember that you and your priesthood are God's gift to the Church, and you are not God's gift to women (or men).

Finally, to parishioners, I say pray for your priests. This culture is not one that understands such commitments (married, ordained or otherwise). We need all the help we can get. If you find yourself the object of this inordinate affection, please be careful. Sometimes the pastoral attention that priests give is mistaken for romantic love, but we all must be careful. Limit your interaction so as to allow the space necessary for the crush to subside. The priest is not better than you because he is a priest, but his vocation is just as important to the Church as yours. We must all support each other in these vocations to help that Body of Christ reach full stature.

I offer these, again as I said, not because I am an expert by any means, but because I love what I do and those for whom I do it. Priests do not turn off their sexuality at ordination (although some try to), and that sexuality is actually a blessing from God. Their ministry is also a blessing. Let's all live as grateful recipients of that blessing.

Making Brothers and Sisters out of Friends

[I]n the pursuit of development, there is a need for “the deep thought and reflection of wise men in search of a new humanism which will enable modern man to find himself anew”. But that is not all. Underdevelopment has an even more important cause than lack of deep thought: it is “the lack of brotherhood among individuals and peoples". Will it ever be possible to obtain this brotherhood by human effort alone? As society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbors but does not make us brothers. Reason, by itself, is capable of grasping the equality between men and of giving stability to their civic coexistence, but it cannot establish fraternity. This originates in a transcendent vocation from God the Father, who loved us first, teaching us through the Son what fraternal charity is (Caritas in Veritate, n. 19).

I read these words in the pope's encyclical several times when I hit them, and they continue to echo in my thought and prayer. Benedict's letter to the Church is about helping us understand the Christian implications of development within this newest environment of globalization. There is much to be gleaned from this long encyclical. These words above struck me, not in the sense of economic or political development, but as a call for me to examine the "connections" that exist in my own life. Never before in history has humanity been so in touch with one another - through the World-Wide Web, through electronic mail and media, through social networking websites. Ideas and personalities are transmitted at the speed of a mouse click, and yet, in spite of all this connectedness, are we any closer to each other?


I think of Facebook. I have almost 500 "friends" there. But some of them I have never met; some of them I have never had a "conversation" with; some of whom I don't know from Adam (they connected to me because I was connected to someone else they know). They are all human. They all share a call to holiness. They are all my brothers and sisters by virtue of our common Father. But in spite of all we share, we don't share the one thing that can serve us all together. We are not sharing life - we are not sharing "communion." Yes, those who participate in the sacramental life of the Church (and there are many) are united in Christ in that Communion of the Saints, but what Facebook does, in some way, is take the humanity out of these "friendships."

What to do? Well, one need not abandon these social networking sites. They are helpful and useful in their own regard. But, we are responsible for the humanity of it all. Talk with those "friends." Send them a message and get a conversation going, and, better yet, meet up and chat. Proximity - either in space or in cyberspace - is really just an accident. Friendship - and the humanizing effect that friendship has - is deliberate. Facebook asks you to "confirm" or "ignore" friend requests. When you click "confirm," make sure that it is not just a collection of yet another name and thumbnail on your profile page. Try to see it as a way to help the world be more human - and to become more human yourself

"I'm the Bishop of the Moon"

There's a story here in Baltimore about our beloved Archbishop-emeritus-emeritus, William D. Borders. He was ordained bishop in 1968 and made the first Bishop of Orlando, Florida. The new diocese encompassed central Florida and included Cape Canaveral, from where, the following year, Apollo 11 launched, bound for the moon. After that historic launch and lunar landing, with all the images of our astronauts walking, golfing, and planting the flag, Borders made an ad limina visit to Rome to meet with Paul VI. During their meeting, Borders rather nonchalantly observed, "You know, Holy Father, I am the bishop of the Moon." Pope Paul looked at him rather perplexed - probably wondering where along the line this American prelate lost his mind. Borders then continued by explaining that by the existing (1917) Code of Canon Law, he was the de facto ordinary of this "newly discovered" territory.

Archbishop Borders is 96 years old now, and he is still a beloved part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. I hope he is as beloved in his former diocese - and on the moon.

Can Harry Use Unforgivable Curses?

As I mentioned last week, one of the books I read at the beach was Harry Potter Should Have Died. This was a collection of "debates" from the folks at Mugglenet.com on various questions relating to the Harry Potter series - both books and films. They argue issues such as "Which is the coolest Deathly Hallow?" and "Is Voldemort the most evil fictional character ever?" Overall, I found the book banal, but one chapter's question caught my attention: "Is it appropriate for Harry to use Unforgivable Curses?"

The movies have sort of played these moments down so far. Harry tries the torture curse ("Crucio") on Bellatrix Lastrange after she kills Sirius Black - although, as she notes, his heart wasn't really in it. As I recall, after a certain murder in Half-Blood Prince Harry attempts another Cruciatus curse on that individual, who promptly counters, "No Unforgivable Curses from you, Potter!" (I won't give anything away if you haven't seen the movie.)

Arguments are made on both sides. As far as allowing Harry to use them, the argument goes pretty much like this: Harry was angry; he wanted revenge; so he was justified in using them. Basically, this means that since Harry had been hurt in some way, he has the right to hurt back in just the same way. The argument against his use of Unforgivable Curses comes from the the very fact of what these curses are - i.e., unforgivable. If Harry is being held up as a "pure soul" or a role model, then his sinking to the use of these curses debases that position for him.

Ultimately, the lessons of Harry Potter teach us that love conquers all, and that good is more powerful than evil. Harry's use of Unforgivable Curses seems to counter that lesson. He learns to fight evil not with good in these instances but with evil itself. That is not the Harry we want to see.

St. Paul teaches that we ought not to give in to evil but rather to "overcome evil by doing good." When we allow evil to get the better of us - especially when it happens to us - we lose who we are called to be as Christians. When we are able to forgive, to put evil behind us, and to persist in doing good, it is then that we live up to the purity of faith that we receive through our baptism. We are all, through Jesus' love, constituted as "half-blood princes." When we choose good over evil, we rise to that full blood that God has given for us.

Where Do the Sheep Go?

I heard He was here.
A long way I have come -
just for a glimpse,
a peek,
to see this One
who heals the sick and
cures the blind.

I am no longer home -
no longer in
my familiar place
(He was there, once).
He has taught me
that to find the Lord
I must learn to look -
too seek Him out -
to follow.

So I went.
And now I am here.
Even before He arrives,
even before I catch sight of His boat,
I look around this shore
and find
that I am not alone.
There are many more here.

They came too
from far and wide.
They too seek the Lord.
They too have learned
that finding God
means following
the Shepherd.
He is often not in the familiar,
not in the easy way
of my daily life.
Today, I had to come here -
away.
Where the Shepherd is coming.

As He steps from the boat,
into the pebbly shallows of the shore,
we all see His eyes,
glistening with a tear
(why would He cry?).
Together, we sit and hush.

And He begins to teach us many things.

Mary Queen of the Universe - Just Outside Disney World

Following up my comments from Thursday, my old pastor used to tell us every summer, "There's no vacation from church!" - the implication being that we could easily find a Mass while at the beach or in the mountains. How about at Disney World, Footsie? While there are no overtly religious places in the parks themselves, there is a nearby site. ... Yep - looks like they go that covered too!

See what Deacon Greg has to say here.

Disney World may be the "happiest place on earth," but this shrine shows that there are happier places waiting for us all.

Reflecting on Priestly Example

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has been doing a series of reflections on the Priesthood for the Year of the Priest. These are neat, because they come not from theologians but from regular folks - and many from young people. This week, Your Humble Blogger is the reflector, speaking about my childhood pastor, Msgr. Fortenbaugh - or "Footsie" as he was known. I talked about him this past Holy Thursday as well, and this video serves as my YouTube debut, I think, on that same priest.

Making It More Interesting

Many people will complain - especially young people - that "church is boring," or "I don't get anything out of it." Others then use these complaints as reasons that more and more people defect to mega-churches that put on shows and spectacles in huge theater-style "churches". Still others in the Church will then try to jazz up worship with media presentations, wild music and (yikes!) paper mache puppets.

However, I don't think it's just "church" that young people and others find "boring" or uninteresting. Many Americans simply don't care to be informed at a basic level about the everyday news. Who are the major party players in the Palestinian conflict? What is the root of the struggle in Darfur? What is the status of the presidency in Iran? Media is in many ways too big for itself, and there are too many sources and outlets for people to pay attention long enough to be informed. Watching the news of consequence can also be "boring," and maybe I "don't get anything out of it either. But, as Pope Benedict implies in his new encyclical, we have a duty to know - to foster those connections that the media (and yes, prayer) serve.

My brother, with whom I am currently on vacation, showed me one of the latest YouTube phenoms: "Auto Tune the News," wherein these creative people take regular - boring - news footage and turn it into something worth wasting five or six minutes on. So come on - if they can make CSPAN seem interesting, maybe we can put a little more life into our participation in worship.

Saturday Laughs (I Hope)

Well, today I am somewhere on my way to the Atlantic coast for a week with the family. As I go, let me leave you with some - um - thing.






Nothing is as sincere as a mustache - and the lilting tones of "Ken." Just remember - it's "by request only"!















Ah, yes! The best (and paradoxically the worst) mullet I have ever seen. With hits such as "I Seen Her First," "Ain't above Lyin'," and "Wild Hog," I am sure that the vinyl on this one must be worn out by now!




















Poor, poor Freddie Gage.

















Never has the reality of Satan seemed so pleasant! The Louvin Brothers make hellfire seem warm and cozy and brimstone as enjoyable as a scotch on the rocks.




















Why, you are very welcome, Mike Adkins! If there are any other birds that you'd like, please let us know!















Now, who wouldn't want to hear their beloved pastor sing "Tiny Bubbles"? BTW - nice pipe, Father!













There are many, many more of these "worst album covers ever" that can be easily found via a Google image search. I offer these simply for your amusement. Enjoy a laugh; share with your friends; and never, ever, listen to these albums! Peace!

Summer Reading

As I head off on vacation tomorrow, I am taking, as always a few books for entertainment. I always get a ton of reading done at the beach, so I am looking forward to digging through these offerings:





First, Fr. James Martin, SJ, has this "spiritual memoir" about various saints that have been instrumental in his life. I am halfway through this - reading a chapter a night as I go to bed. This might be replaced as nighttime reading by the pope's new encyclical, Caritas in Veritate. But once I am through that, Fr. Martin will be back.




My non-theological, brain candy reads are Harry Potter related: Harry, A History and Mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died should get me back in the mood to see "The Half-Blood Prince" next week. The other one that I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into (ahem) is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, because what could make a Victorian classic even better? Zombie mayhem!







So, I am off. I'll check in from time to time, but this is family time - vacation. I hope you all are getting some of that too!

Caught in the Web

What do the incredible amounts of connections that instant messaging, e-mail, texting and all the social networking sites mean for us as a global community?

Love in truth — caritas in veritate — is a great challenge for the Church in a world that is becoming progressively and pervasively globalized. The risk for our time is that the de facto interdependence of people and nations is not matched by ethical interaction of consciences and minds that would give rise to truly human development. Only in charity, illumined by the light of reason and faith, is it possible to pursue development goals that possess a more humane and humanizing value. The sharing of goods and resources, from which authentic development proceeds, is not guaranteed by merely technical progress and relationships of utility, but by the potential of love that overcomes evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21), opening up the path towards reciprocity of consciences and liberties.

- Benedict XVI, Caritas in Varitate, n. 9

Paying it Forward - 8 Times

I thought this was too good to let wait until tomorrow. Here is a story of how sixteen lives have become intertwined forever. From the Baltimore Sun:

It all started when a Virginia man read his church bulletin one Sunday. A woman from his parish, someone he had never met, needed a kidney. Thomas F. Koontz, grateful that God had recently saved his teenage daughter from brain cancer, offered her one of his.

When the woman found a more suitable donor, the 54-year-old retired Marine called Johns Hopkins Hospital. Was there someone else, he wondered, who might need his kidney?

Koontz's selfless act started a chain of events that would allow not just one person to get a desperately needed kidney but eight people to get new organs to keep them alive and thriving.

Surgeons at Johns Hopkins Hospital held a news conference Tuesday to announce that they - along with doctors at hospitals in Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Detroit - had just completed an eight-way, multi-hospital, domino kidney transplant. In addition to Koontz, this record-setting swap involved seven pairs of people - each made up of one person in need of a kidney and one willing to donate to them, but whose blood or tissue type was incompatible.

A computer program was fed all of the potential donor pairs and devised a complicated exchange that took place over the past three weeks, with several kidneys being flown around the country. At the end of the line was a woman whose kidneys were weeks from shutting down but had no donor; she completed the puzzle when she received her kidney at Hopkins Monday night. She was the ultimate recipient of Koontz's largesse.

"At the end of the chain, that kidney still goes to someone in great need," said Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the transplant team at Hopkins. "But along the way, you're able to accomplish two, three, four, eight transplants. ...

Wow! And it all started with a message in the church bulletin! (Who says people don't read those things?!)

Walking a Tightrope

Last week, a reader posed this question (as part of my reflections on priesthood):

I wonder, as a cradle Catholic who loves the tradition, but doesn't always love it's perspective on today's world, how priests get around that. What do you do if your personal beliefs are at odds with the Church's teaching? For example, on gay marriage? Have you ever come across this? And if so, how do you handle it?

It's a common question, actually. People who have wanted to start teaching religious education have also posed a similar question to me. So, again as a reflection on this "Year of the Priest," let me share.

As a Catholic, I have grown up with different attitudes toward my faith and our dogma, depending on my own stage of life. In high school and college, I was particularly rebellious. Today, I would characterize myself as more "conservative" than I have been in the past, but I also hold some "liberal" views. As a priest, and as one responsible for teaching the Faith, it is my responsibility to teach what the Church teaches. This is not simply blind following. Rather, for me, it is trust in the Holy Spirit. This often can feel like walking a tightrope, but we must remember where we are anchored. If I were to take my own opinion, or my own disagreements and share them as "teaching" I would not be sharing the Faith that has sustained me - that has been handed on to me.

This is not a matter of "picking and choosing" what we believe - what has derisively been called "cafeteria Catholicism." Certainly, dissent is possible. However, our faith in the Holy Spirit which God has poured out (and continues to pour out) upon His Church tells us that we are not the ultimate arbiters of Truth.

So, to address the question above, I do believe that those who are homosexual should be afforded the same civil rights as anyone else - as I do for immigrants and other marginalized groups. As far as our faith is concerned, marriage is not a sacramental option, but the rights afforded couples (such as health and life insurance allowances) certainly could be. This is not my innovation - nor has it been spoken by "nutty liberals" before. Rather, it comes from William Levada, the current head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (he advocated such a position while he was Archbishop of San Francisco). However, as I hinted, this is a civil issue. As far as our faith and sacraments are concerned, Church teaching is clear, and as a representative of the Church, this is what should be taught.

The guideline for us all must be Truth - and not "my truth" or "your truth" but God's Truth (which is then our Truth). In fact, this is the driving force in the pope's new encyclical Caritas in Veritate. He writes:

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

I am aware of the ways in which charity has been and continues to be misconstrued and emptied of meaning, with the consequent risk of being misinterpreted, detached from ethical living and, in any event, undervalued. In the social, juridical, cultural, political and economic fields — the contexts, in other words, that are most exposed to this danger — it is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility. Hence the need to link charity with truth not only in the sequence, pointed out by Saint Paul, of veritas in caritate (Eph 4:15), but also in the inverse and complementary sequence of caritas in veritate. Truth needs to be sought, found and expressed within the “economy” of charity, but charity in its turn needs to be understood, confirmed and practised in the light of truth. In this way, not only do we do a service to charity enlightened by truth, but we also help give credibility to truth, demonstrating its persuasive and authenticating power in the practical setting of social living. This is a matter of no small account today, in a social and cultural context which relativizes truth, often paying little heed to it and showing increasing reluctance to acknowledge its existence.

When he visited the United States in 2008, Pope Benedict spoke to Catholic educators, reminding them of their duty to teach the Truth. He called it "intellectual charity". That is the same charity that we are all called to share. To teach, and live, the Truth in love. It is not always easy - especially when we want to cling to our opinions - but it is ultimately an act of love. Priests don't "get around it," since we are obliged to follow and teach what the Church teaches. I know many priests who disagree strongly with Church positions on a lot of things - some of them ignore either the Church or their personal beliefs. However, we are called to be obedient, which means first listening - not changing things to suit our likes. If we truly trust that Christ has sent the Spirit from the Father into His Church, we must allow that Spirit's guidance to move us as well.

At Long Last

Today, the pope's new encyclical comes out - Caritas in Veritate ("Love in Truth"). The USCCB's media blog has a good prep for it - for those with the time to devour all of it! CinV comes at the end of a long line of very heavy social encyclicals over the past 120 years - Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, Pius XI's Quadrigesimo Anno, John XXIII's Pacem in Terris, Paul VI's Populorum Progressio (which B16's present offering is supposed to reflect), and JPII's Solicitudo Rei Socialis.

I go on vacation at the end of the week - so I'll have time to digest this one. I hope to bring out relevant points (in my way) as I read. So, stay tuned!

And "Tantum Ergo" at the Coffe & Donuts Later

Deacon Greg sent this to me (he posted it yesterday). "Beat It" + "ABC" + Episcopalian Organ music = well, this:



This reminds me of one time in my first year in seminary. The fellow who was playing the piano slipped the theme from "The Muppet Show" in as a postlude.

Rejection

It was a day like any other.
The Teacher made His way
down the same streets
where He used to play -
with James and Joses
and Simon and Judas -
toward the synagogue
that His papa
took Him to,
so often.

The olden faces
that always had seemed old to Him
watched Him intently
as He stood to read.
Taking the familiar scroll,
He unrolled -
and unrolled -
and unrolled.

Then, He read.

Then, He spoke,
and taught.

"Where did he get all this?"
they ask.
"This boy, grown up,
the carpenter."
"What business has he,
working wonders,
speaking to us
about what we already know?"

"Oh, please, dear friends,"
He thinks.
"These words are more
than jots and tittles.
These words are Life!

"Please, dear friends,
these words can set you free!
This Word can set you free!"

But they heard nothing
but the same old thing.
On this day -
a day like another.

So, He turns away,
and follows the street
He knows so well.
It now leads somewhere else -
away.
His sadness for His friends
digs at Him again,
like
a
thorn
in
His
flesh.
But the road calls -
there is work to do.

That work begins again today -
a day like any other.

"Robobama"

When I was in Disney World this past January, the Hall of Presidents was closed. They were getting ready for its newest occupant:

Call it Faux-bama. Or perhaps Robobama. After a long renovation, the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom reopens this Saturday, July 4, and inside is a new guest: an Audio-Animatronic version of President Barack Obama.

Disney Imagineer John Cutry programs an Audio-Animatronics figure of President Barack Obama (Courtesy Disney)

The statue moves and talks, with words that President Obama himself recorded at the White House earlier this year. With the cooperation of White House staffers, Disney even incorporated Obama's sense of fashion and style, including the selection of watch and accessories on the figure.

One photo, in the Orlando Sentinel, shows the Obama-bot with a serious, determined face and two hands extended slightly, palms facing up. The expression and body language seems to be saying, "What are you gonna do?" or perhaps "Slap me ten!"

With the unveiling, Disney will have on display life-sized animated figures of every U.S. president. Lincoln's gives the entire Gettysburg Address. The Audio-Animatronic Bill Clinton poses with his fist raised, thumb slightly up in his famed "I feel your pain" position.

Could you imagine a "Hall of Popes"?

Patriotic Spirit

Where were you on January 27, 1991? If you were alive and in the US, this is probably a good hint:



The US was recently involved in the "Persian Gulf War" (not the Iraq War), which intended to end Saddam Hussein's aggression against Kuwait. The hearts and prayers of all of America were with our men and women in the desert. This is not the best rendition of the national anthem, and yet it remains one of the most memorable in recent history. Why? I think it's because of the spirit that the citizens of our nation shared. Whitney's singing of the "Star=Spangled Banner" simply tapped into that spirit and further bound us together.

This is not unlike what we might call "spiritual experiences". They can come in the midst of Mass, at a youth rally or on a quiet walk in the woods. The Israelite nation looks back at moments like the crossing of the Red Sea or liberation from Babylon as major moments of God's action in their collective life. Christians see the Paschal Mystery - and our subsequent sharing in it through Baptism and the Eucharist - as such moments. We all have them. Why are they so powerful?

Because they are moments of Spirit - when God enters yet again and draws us closer to Him and to one another.

That's the goose-bumpy feeling you're feeling.

If You're Too Busy to Pray, You're Too Busy

When I was ordained a deacon, I made the three promises: celibacy, obedience, and prayer for God's People. The second two are repeated at Priesthood, and we were prepared for them all during seminary (assuming we were paying attention!). As I looked ahead to a life of living these promises, I - naturally - thought that celibacy would be the most difficult. There are times when this is true, but the other two, surprisingly to me, have proven just as difficult.

This week, I want to simply focus on one of them: prayer. If prayer is off kilter, then everything else is, I have found. The other day, Deacon Greg Kandra at The Deacon's Bench posted about a priest and his "day off." The blog entry generated a few comments that generally pointed to the expectation that priests be above all men of prayer. "No problem," one might say, "right?" That's a priest's job.

Well, yes. But, the incidentals of parish life often make this easier said than done. Believe it or not, many parish priests struggle genuinely to "find time to pray." Most of us had been taught in a very monastic environment at seminary, with a regular routine of prayer, eat, work, and prayer. This worked well when others told you what to do and threatened you with ejection if you didn't do it. However, when you are on your own, as many priests find themselves, this is not the case.

I don't mean to suggest that our priests don't pray. It's just that for a "secular priest" (as diocesan priests are often called), a monastic model - and even a communal model - of prayer and work is often unrealistic. For me, if I don't pray first thing in the morning, I might as well have not gotten up. Wednesday was like that. Responding to Deacon Greg, I e-mailed him:

Dear Greg,

This morning I was reading your post about the priest's "day off," and all the commentary that went with it. I think it is important for parishioners to know and appreciate that their priests, more than often these days, do get caught up in some sort of work on their day off. We need to be better stewards of our time in that regard and see that day as a necessary part of the week. The commentary about prayer was particularly interesting to me. I have found that if I don't make time in the morning for that special time with God, I often lose it altogether. Today, actually, was one of those days. I toted my breviary along to the office, having woken up late, with the intention that I would "pray at the office." As I dragged my sleep-deprived body into my desk chair, a man who had visited the Newman Center where I work two weeks ago came in. He had visited before looking for assistance for his teenage daughter who was dying of sickle-cell anemia. Today, he came with the sad news that she passed away on Saturday.

"Have a seat," I told him, gesturing to my easy chair in the office. "I am so sorry."

He told me of the generosity of the sickle-cell community here in Baltimore (which had brought him and his daughter to Baltimore in the first place a month and a half ago). He had questions about the permissibility of cremation (which was barely all he could afford). Then he told me of the new-found faith that he and his daughter had here in Baltimore. You see, they had been both Jehovah's Witnesses, and they were told that they were excluded from "salvation" if she got a blood transfusion. "I love my daughter, Father," he told me through tears. Now, she told him, "without Jesus there is no grace, and without grace there is no salvation." Her faith made him a believer.

He misses his daughter, but he also rejoices that she had the chance to find Jesus before she met him finally. I told him that her prayers for her mother's conversion were all the more powerful now, and that we would remember her at Mass this Sunday. Her name is Jasmine.

I tell you all this, Greg, because this is so often the life of the pastor - of the priest, deacon and pastoral staff worker. Moments where (often despite us) God breaks through the plans, the bureaucracy, and our laziness, and He reveals the purpose for all that we do. We are connected - to God and to one another. The "business" of the parish life is not the "demon" (as one commenter called it). Rather, the demon is one of forgetfulness - losing sight of the fact that God is there - in the meeting, in the encounters that you don't schedule, in the work - and yes, in the day off! Thank you for pointing out that priests are busy.

What is more important, though, is that we remember Whose work we are doing.

Your fellow worker,

Fr Austin

PS - I'm off to pray now!

That moment's blessing, when that man came into my office, was God at work. I don't want to fall into the trite dictum of "My work is my prayer." I have never seen that as a good way to go (what happens when you start to despise your work? do you despise your prayer too?). Rather, my work should bring me to prayer and my prayer should empower me for work. If it had not been for prayer, and the awareness of God's presence that is fostered by that prayer, that man's arrival would have simply been an interruption and a bother. Instead, I was blessed by God's grace.

Now, I pray that my brother priests, and all coworkers in the Vineyard, find that grace too.

PPS - Greg sent a great (and timely!) link that also speaks to the point, here.

Orioles Magic and Keeping the Faith

I am a life-long Baltimore Orioles fan (you may send your sympathy cards to my office at Towson). ever since they won the World Series in 1983 - 26 years ago! - they have been a steady disappointment to their fans, with a couple of years' exception. However, I still watch and expect great things from the boys in the Orange and Black.

Last night, they played the first-place Boston Red Sox. When they went into their half of the seventh inning, the O's were trailing 10 to 1. This should not surprise any real O's fan. However, a true fan says, "We have three innings left!" And they did. They posted two consecutive 5-run innings and beat the Red Sox, 11 to 10.

Orioles Magic is still alive.

This morning, I think of the Psalms and the People of Israel, who constantly recalled God's wonderful action on their behalf in history. Even when in exile - even when they seem to be totally defeated - they sing the Lord's praises, and believe He will act again. This is faith. God does not ask for fair-weather fans; He asks for faith. And while God may not be terribly interested in the outcome of a baseball game, He cares deeply for us. When things are tough - especially when they are tough for a long time - many are tempted to abandon faith, and many do. However, the true mark of strong faith is entrusting oneself to God, even when He seems distant. We might be long-suffering, but God gives us the Gift of patience and of that produces the Fruit of long-suffering, which allows faith to remain present and even strong.

While I continue, each year, to keep the faith that my O's will again be on top, little gifts like last night remind me why I do such an illogical thing. However, God's presence calls me to remain in my box seat of life, trusting also that He has some late-inning magic ready too.