Angels Watching Over Me

Angel is the Greek word for “messenger.” Today is the feast day of Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels.

Much confusion exists about angels today – fueled mainly by a movement within the country toward a so-called “spirituality.” Not the traditional definition of the word, but rather the hijacking of the term by those who profess something along these lines:

• I think that all religions are more or less the same


• It doesn’t matter where (or if) you go to church, as long as you live a moral life and believe in Jesus


• Therefore – I prefer to call myself not religious but rather, spiritual

The short-comings of such thoughts are many – but I think at the core this is driven by a disordered fascination with individualism that is rampant in America today. These old-fashioned denominations are okay for some, but I have some personal, unique insight that just can’t be met by them. I’ll do my own thing – I’ll journey with God in my own way.

And in typical American style, this spirituality movement has been snatched up by clever marketers who make all sorts of angel stuff these days. Books, prints, statues and the like. Lots of the materials available are quite poor theologically (by any denominational viewpoint).

As you go about your day ponder these thoughts about angels:

• Angels do not have bodies – they are spirits possessing intellect and free will – only in encounters with humans in Scripture do they assume the use of a body


• Sacred Scripture identifies nine choirs of angels – angels, archangels, virtues, powers, principalities, dominations, thrones, cherubim and seraphim


• Angels are often depicted as “fairies” assisting people with decisions and such – this is not the nature of an angel


• Angels are incredibly powerful – MUCH more powerful that humans – an angel could will that the earth smash into the sun and it would happen


• Angels are not God – they are God’s messengers - sometimes tragic things happen to people, that is the nature of free will in a fallen world, not because your guardian angel wasn’t looking out for you

Padre Pio

Today is the memorial of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887 – 1968). Padre Pio was a Capuchin Franciscan who was loved by thousands, perhaps even millions of people. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in June 2002.

A deeply spiritual friar, Padre Pio offered Masses regularly that went on for three hours or more. He spent incredible amounts of time in private prayer and adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament. Additionally, he spent hours upon end in the confessional counseling, forgiving and assisting people from all over the world.

Our Lord blessed Padre Pio with a collection of supernatural gifts:

• For instance, he could read the souls of those who confessed to him, and on occasion would point out to them if they were hiding the confession of a sin.
  
• He was known to be in two places at one time (bilocation).
  
• He was a mystic and had visions and ecstasies.
  
• Perhaps more than anything else, he was famous for having the stigmata for over 50 years.

St. Francis also received the stigmata, a gift of inexplicable grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. To bear the wounds that He bore, and to experience, even slightly, the suffering that He did is a mark of incredible holiness, and incredible closeness to our Lord. (remember that the word compassion means "to suffer with")

You can read more about the stigmata here. It is interesting to note that the majority of saints who have received the stigmata have been women.

Pray for us, Padre Pio – that we may take up our cross each day and follow our Lord Jesus Christ more closely, more willingly and with greater humility.

Fall Begins

Today is the autumnal equinox, the first day of Fall. Fall is traditionally associated with such things as:

• Going back to school


• Leaves changing color and dropping from their trees


• Football getting underway

I happen to be a fan of all three of those activities. When school resumes things liven up a bit around my office. The changing foliage reminds us of the handiwork of God all around us. And of course football hardly needs any explanation for its appeal. This year will probably be more enjoyable for Husker fans than last.

I’m thankful for all these events that mark the changing season.

Matthean Priority?

Today is the feast of St. Matthew, Evangelist.

Numbered among the Twelve, and identified as a tax collector, he answered the call of Jesus. He is also known by the name, Levi.

(This statue of an angel is the symbol of the Evangelist Matthew - it is located on the Duomo (Cathedral) of Orvieto in Italy, which I visited this Spring)

One thing that seems vogue today in Catholic biblical circles is an ongoing discussion of the dating and priority of the Gospels, specifically whether Matthew or Mark was written first.

Logical arguments abound on both sides, but the vehemence with which they are pursued are often over the top for my tastes.

Today it seems harder than ever to agree to disagree on a given topic. Whatever happened to the adage that “men of good will can disagree on an issue?”

Today we have a new adage, you see, many people think that those who don’t believe exactly as they do are somehow suspect, are somehow deficient.

Not only is that factually incorrect, it is also the application of poor logic. We’ve seen much of this faulty thinking around the confirmation hearing of John Roberts to be Chief Justice of the United States. Instead of deciding to confirm him on his legal skill and background, some senators are trying to ascertain how he will decide cases linked to their favorite pet causes.

To disagree with Roberts personal view on abortion, is not a LOGICAL reason to vote against confirming him. A valid, logical reason would be something to do with his abilities as a lawyer or judge.

Perhaps the inspiration that guided St. Matthew in recording the Good News will also inspire the US Senate to judge Roberts on his merits and qualifications, rather than conjecture about a future ruling on a given topic.

Our father among the Saints . . .

John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople . . .

Today is the feast day of John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church. The name ‚Chrysostom translates from Greek as ‚“golden mouth‚” or ‚“golden throat,‚” a reference to his incredible preaching.

(this mosaic is from Hagia Sophia, tenth century)

Mistranslation has occasionally suggested that some of St. John‚’s writings were anti-Semitic; but this is not true. His Orations Against the Judaizers, is sometimes sloppily translated as Orations Against the Jews. Of course a reading of this work in context yields what in fact is a polemic against those in fourth-century Antioch who were trying to Judaize the Christian community.

Many consider John to be the finest Christian preacher. On many occasions his homilies would go on for hours, captivating the people and astonishing them with his oratorical skill.

He revised the Divine Liturgy that is used in Eastern Churches (both Orthodox & Catholic) even to this day.

All who preach ought to be inspired and moved by the abilities of this great saint. His teaching is clear, his exhortations thrilling, and his exegesis rock-solid.

Pray for us, O Golden-Mouthed One, that we might be inspired with your zeal for the Gospel!

Job Pray-er II

This is an update to my previous entry, “Job Pray-er.”

I found out that my fourth friend was offered the job that he had interviewed for!

He had cleared two interviews when I wrote the previous post; and has since gone through two more last week.

He begins his new job tomorrow. I know he will do a great job, and I know it is a relief to him and his wife to find such a good fit for his qualifications and expertise.

Congratulations, Doug!

Garage Sale?

I am not a fan of garage sales. I was visiting with a friend recently who was taking two days off work to organize and run a garage sale at her home.

I was astonished – Not only was she going to have a garage sale, she was going to use precious vacation time to get it together, too!

My disdain for garage sales can be explained by three simple reasons (not necessarily in order of importance):

• The sorting, tagging, cleaning, pricing, advertising, displaying and selling of your old stuff is hardly worth the time spent on all these steps.

• I am not a patient man – the thought of wasting a Saturday on the principle that someone might buy some of my unneeded items sends a shiver up my spine.

• Stewardship – anything we no longer need we feel privileged to donate to someone that can use it.

And today it is easier than ever to donate items to charities. St. Vincent de Paul Society, Amvets and others come right to your door and pick up whatever you might have.

On the other hand, some people (such as my friend) actually enjoy the art of garage-saling. And it does provide a valuable service for those in need to purchase items at a fraction of what they would cost new.

So, in a spirit of cooperation I won’t be going to any garage sales – I don’t want to take up the good parking spots for those who enjoy it.

Hope for a Child

A month or so ago, our parish family collected toys, school supplies, and shoes for Iraqi children.

One of our parishioners has a brother serving in Iraq and we sent the items to him. He distributed them to the local schools, hospitals, and quite often, during patrols.

You see, American soldiers come in contact with Iraqis all the time; many times children are simply walking aimlessly around the countryside. So our soldiers visit with them, and when they have items on hand, distribute a soccer ball or doll to brighten the day of such children.

What a shame these sorts of stories are no’t highlighted in the mass media. The gift of hope is the greatest thing that can be given to such little ones.

These children have known little other than war and the horrors of a ruthless dictatorship their entire young lives.

What a precious opportunity it is for American soldiers to brighten their day with a simple toy.

Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called children of God.

Happy Birthday Mary!

Today is the feast day that commemorates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Joachim & Anne (the grandparents of Jesus have their own feast day, July 26th).

Obviously Mary played a crucial and essential role in salvation history. With her fiat, that is, her saying yes to God, she ushered into our world the greatest miracle of all, Immanuel, (“God with us”) the Incarnation of the Logos.

Some of the more important feasts of Mary are:

Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God – Jan 1st
Annunciation of the Lord – April 4th
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – May 31st
Nativity (birth) of the Blessed Virgin Mary – September 8th
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – August 8th
Immaculate Conception of Mary – December 8th

Tonight at our Faith Sharing get-together we will enjoy birthday cake in honor of Mary. St. Gerald Church has a vibrant and faith-filled Young Adult group.

Young Adult Ministry is a crucial area for the Catholic Church to focus on. This is traditionally the time in a person’s life when they are most apt to drift away from the practice of their faith. But it need not be that way - we simply must welcome the young adults we encounter and call them to active ministry in the Church.

Remember, our Lord Jesus first called twelve young adults to be his disciples. The Church was built on young people, and is sustained by them even today.

Labor Day?

Today is a holiday that honors the “working man.” At least that’s what was envisioned when the first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882.

But maybe today we should call it Consumerism Day or Materialism Day or Best-Day-for-a-Car-Sale Day. Because it’s focus seems to have somehow morphed into a day for commerce.

So, ironically, instead of a day off for working people, everyone in the retail business has to work harder.

One thing that seems to fit nicely with Labor Day is time to spend with your family. Lots of vacation stuff happens around this long weekend, and I really like that.

Enjoy the day, spend it with family or friends. Relax, converse and just enjoy being with others. It’s a lost art these days.

Today is the feast day of St. Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church.

During a trip to Italy this Spring, two of my deacon brothers and I joined Monsignor Tom Fucinaro at St. Peter's for Mass. (from left Deacon Doug Marsh, Deacon Tom Valasek, myself and Msgr. Fucinaro)

His body is entombed underneath the altar, behind the gold grate.

It was a special privledge for us to do so. St. Gregory is one many popes that was a deacon when he was elected, rather than a bishop or even a priest.

You might find it interesting that from 432 - 684 thirty-seven men were elected pope. Of those the breakdown was:

• Only three of them were priest or bishops at the time of election
• Thirty-four were deacons when they were elected

Like Gregory, a deacon elected pope is immediately ordained a priest, and then immediately ordained a bishop. It can even be during the same liturgy that both ordinations occur.

For Gregory it took only about three hours for him to be elected pope, be ordained twice, and then assume the office of the papacy.

Today it is at least theoretically possible for a deacon to be elected pope, but it hasn't happened for a very, very long time. In fact, even a layman can be elected pope. If he was, he would be ordained a deacon, priest & bishop, all in succession and probably during the same Mass.

It's not terribly likely though - usually the cardinal electors choose someone that is actually in the Sistine Chapel during the balloting (though they do not have to).

Pray for us, Pope St. Gregory the Great!

Katrina Relief Efforts

Catholic Charities is consistently among the most efficient charities in our nation. As expected, they are coordinating various actions to assist the thousands who have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Many people think only of the short-term needs, food, water, medicine, clothing & shelter. In addition to those immediate needs, Catholic Charities will also assist people with re-building housing, finding employment and re-establishing their lives.

You can help with the effort in three ways:

1. Most Catholic parishes will be having a special collection this Sunday -- simply bring a check with you to Mass


2. Donate directly to Catholic Charities USA online securely here


3. Send a donation by snail-mail to:

Catholic Charities USA
2005 Hurricane Relief Fund
PO Box 25168
Alexandria, VA 22313-9788

Thank you for your generosity in helping those who have been hurt so deeply by this ravenous storm. It's important to remember that Americans are by far the most generous people in the world -- we give more to charity, both in terms of monies & volunteerism.

This is a moment for us to demonstrate our love for one another, even in the midst of so much devastation. God bless you all!

Musical Chess

As I drove to work yesterday I listened to a fascinating interview on our local Catholic radio station, KVSS. Their morning show featured a discussion with Kathleen McGee and Laura Buddenberg of Girls & Boys Town.

What fascinated me was a discussion around teenagers and why they so often appear not to think about the consequences of a given action. McGee explained that during the teen years young people simply don’t have the same kind of brain that adults do. Their brains are still growing and developing.

She described that the amygdala (which produces emotional action) has a disproportionate amount of control over teens, while the prefrontal cortex is still developing (the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that assists with discrimination, logical thinking, consequent action, and so forth).

But instead of merely offering this analysis, she shared that parents can help teens develop their prefrontal cortexes in two simple ways (here is what I found so fascinating):

• Reading music helps develop this part of the brain – students should be enrolled in either vocal or instrumental music to develop their ability to read music


• Playing games of strategy develop this part of the brain – teenagers should learn and play chess or other similar games

If you have a young person in the house, start now by teaching them to play chess, and get them involved in music as well. Both are past-times that can provide most people with a lifetime of enjoyment and help keep their brains sharp, too.

"Directed" Contributions

It’s odd how a change in aspiration makes all the difference in the world.

Yesterday was a really long day for me. I arrived at work at 7:30am and decided not to return home at 4:00pm, when I usually leave.

You see, I had a meeting scheduled in my office for 7:00pm, and I thought I would just stay at work and clean up a number of items on my desk, etc.

So I happily chipped away at a number of things until 7, met with the Stewardship Committee until about 9:30pm, and then headed for home.

But this long day was a satisfying one. I’ve worked many long days, in fact when I worked at the phone company I worked a lot of days like this; but never with the sense of accomplishment that I have working for the Church.

I left a career in corporate America because I was sick of two things:

· The methods used to accomplish things were often Dilbert-like

· The foolishness of making a wasteful, greedy company richer, despite it’s incompetence is just crazy

It’s not that way working here at St. Gerald. We see the fruit of our labor – oftentimes right away. We have a much needed addition to our school being built right now. And as I visit the job site each day, I’m reminded of what a little change in perspective can do – it makes the long days enjoyable, and the end result is very rewarding.

God bless you all for bringing about the Kingdom – in whatever way you can!