Aquinas 101

Saint Thomas Aquinas by Carlo Crivelli, downloaded from Wikipedia

Because my blogging of the preparation for reconsecration to Jesus through Mary has been so fruitful (because writing about it forces me to think about it at another level), I've decided to do the same for Aquinas 101 at the Thomistic Institute.

Additionally, in a very small way, it provides another link to the fine work they've been doing in teaching about the theology and philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. And it's an answer to the call of Pope Leo XIII in Aeterni Patris.

The index to the course content is found by following the link in this text.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Seven

Coronation of the Virgin by Diego Velázquez, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty six at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty six at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading is from True Devotion. Even in St. Louis de Montfort's day, there were Christians (both Catholic and not Catholic) who thought the veneration of Mary went over the top. De Montfort acknowledges here, that Mary is a creature:

With the whole Church I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the hands of God is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an atom, or rather is simply nothing, since he alone can say, "I am he who is". Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things he has only to will them.

 And yet, he continues, 

Nevertheless I say that, things being supposed as they are now, God having willed to commence and to complete His greatest works by the most holy Virgin, since He created her, we may well think He will not change His conduct in the eternal ages; for He is God, and He changes not either in His sentiments or in His conduct.

De Montfort claims that Jesus is not known as he should be, because "Mary has been up to this time unknown, and that this is one of the reasons that Jesus Christ is not known as He ought to be." This might be hard to comprehend, since Mary seems to be barely mentioned in Scripture. And it is true, that the humble Mary would rather point to Jesus, than to have attention focused on her, except if it were necessary for people to know Jesus better. A good example is the Marian dogma that she is the Mother of God, which makes some people upset. The claim is not that she is the mother of the Father, but that she is the mother of the Son. She is the mother not of a nature, but of a person, in this case, a divine person. Additionally, as the mother of the Son, she emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, who has a human mother, just like the rest of us. The title is not a claim that she is a god, an additional person alongside the Trinity, but that she has special relationship with Jesus. The title, Theotokos, tells us literally that she gave birth to the Son of God. And here is a clue, the knowledge of Mary is not one of merely knowing facts about Mary, but a knowing in the sense of being in a relationship with Mary. In his humanity, Jesus would have a special relationship with Mary, just as most human beings have with their mother. If Jesus were to appear in front of television cameras, it would not be unusual if he gave a shout out to his mom: "Hi Mom!" We fallen human beings can't love Mary more than Jesus loves Mary. We do need to keep in mind that she is a creature.

So, if we are in a relationship with Mary, there is no doubt that she would direct us into a relationship with her Son.

Finally, I'd like to pair a couple of verses from the Book of Revelation, which are not normally seen together because they are in different chapters. But one verse is immediately after the other:

11:19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. 12:1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Mary is the living ark of the New Covenant, the ark of the Word of God. God created her that she be a fitting vessel for his Son. She is not an ordinary human person. She is also the Queen of Heaven and Earth, not by her own merits, but because Christ is King (as Solomon was king and Bathsheba was queen). And it is Christ our King to whom we turn toward next week (starting tomorrow).

Knowledge of Mary: Day Six

The Virgin in Prayer by Sassoferrato, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty five at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty five at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading from True Devotion is about the wonderful effects of the devotion.

Most of reading covers familiar ground, for those who have reached this point in the devotion. I'd like to highlight this effect: "If Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which is none other than Jesus Christ." It's similar to the introduction which is prayed for every day in this week:

Our Mother is also a perfect mold wherein we are to be molded in order to make her intentions and dispositions ours.

Additionally, it should remind one of the Hail Mary where we say, "and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." We allow ourselves (or we should allow ourselves) to be formed by Mary as part of this devotion as we should allow ourselves to be formed by the Church (which is also our mother). In Mary, we are formed by the same mold which molded Jesus, and so we become like Jesus.

Also, I wish to restate the importance of praying the Rosary for this week. From beginning (in the mystery of the Annunciation) to the end (in the mystery of the Coronation of Mary), Mary is present. Especially ponder the mystery of the Annunciation, in which the Holy Spirit overshadows her (Luke 1:35), and the Son of God becomes incarnate. I think it's also useful to remember that we too bear Jesus within us when we receive the Eucharist. There are many ways in which we can meditate on these mysteries.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Five

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty four at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty four at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading again comes from True Devotion. St. Louis de Montfort claims that, "This devotion is an easy [or smooth], short, perfect, and secure [or secure] way of arriving at union with our Lord, in which the perfection of a Christian consists."

I'm not sure if I've never oversold this devotion. In my own case, I've seen the effects of this devotion within myself. Most people would say that I've had an easy life, without many crosses and burdens. And so, in way, I've not been tested in any external way which people can see. But, my journey toward Jesus is far beyond my earlier expectations. This does not mean that I'm holy in an exceptional way—I've had bumps along the road—but rather, if I were able to speak to my younger self, he would not be able to comprehend what this devotion has done for me. And as far as I know, this journey is not near completion, and by that, I understand that I'm in need of a lot more formation.

But for others, whom I know have practiced this devotion, it does not seem to achieved immediate results, or a secure union with Jesus. Recently, I've been noodling over the causes for the hardening of hearts, and while I cannot know if it's really a hardening of hearts that's involved in any or some of the cases, it seems to me the answer is somehow related. In myself, I recognize a weakness of ingratitude. And I see within myself the tendency to focus on the bad, and lose perspective of the larger picture, which would obviously show all that I could be grateful for. Somehow, the disposition of one's heart is an important factor in formation. Not even God can change a person, if he is not willing.

But I don't know. I can't know why the claim isn't met. The devotion is not a magic charm or spell, it's a developing relationship which I recognize requires change on my part (I'm not asking Mary or Jesus to change to accommodate me).

De Montfort adds a caution which may be the best explanation this side of heaven, "if it is not common, it is because it is too precious to be relished and practised by all the world." It is precious for me.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Four

The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty three at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty three at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Again, today's reading is from True Devotion. The heart and soul of this perfect devotion is found here:

All our perfection consists in being conformed, united, and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which the most perfectly conforms, unites, and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now, Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions, that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to our Lord is devotion to His holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more is it consecrated to Jesus.

And this devotion is not novel:

Hence it comes to pass, that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else but a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin, and this is the devotion which I teach; or in other words, a perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy Baptism.

And it repeats the promise and concerns I expressed yesterday:

In a word, we must give her all we have in the order of nature and in the order of grace, and all that may become ours in future in the orders of nature, grace, and glory; and this we must do without any reserve of so much as one farthing, one hair, or one least good action; and we must do it also for all eternity, and we must do it further without pretending to, or hoping for, any other recompense for our offering and service, except the honour of belonging to Jesus Christ by Mary and in Mary, even though that sweet Mistress were not, as she always is, the most generous and the most grateful of creatures.

We're to give her all, as if we did not know that she is "the most generous and the most grateful of creatures." I hope to give her all by trusting in her, and yet at the same time, forgetting she has united her will to the divine Will of God, who is merciful and generous to us.

It is a mystery that God has so chosen to give himself completely through the participation of his creatures. His grace comes to us, not only directly from him, but very often through his creatures. And his choice to allow us to participate in the dispensing of his grace is also his gift (grace) to us. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Three

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty two at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty two at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

The reading today comes from True Devotion. It's interesting that both links at Fish Eaters and at The Catholic Company deviate from the older Preparation for Total Consecration book. The Catholic Company has included longer selections from the paragraphs in True Devotion. And the translation used is slightly different from the publications either by Tan or Montfort Publications. Fish Eaters keeps the same content from the older book, however, they opted for the translation from Montfort Publications. No worries.

The reading today answers the question of what does an authentic perfect devotion to Mary look like? It's interior, tender (trusting), holy, constant, and disinterested.

Of interest to me, is that it is interior. It seems that many Christians miss this, that point is not merely outward acts, but an interior change that should be taking place within the Christian. That interior change is manifested by exterior acts. I've two favorite quotes of scripture that relate to a change of heart.

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

And almost all of Psalm 51 could be quoted, but I'll limit it to one verse. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

On the other hand, I've the most difficultly in understanding and obtaining disinterest (of course, it's possible I've misjudged with which I'm having most difficulty). Since Mary is the means to Jesus, it seems that in some way, I'm interested in spiritual gain in my devotion to Mary. But at other times, it does seem that I'm in a friendship with her for her alone. It seems that I'm placing my trust in her that my formation will be guided rightly. This is a work in progress in developing an authentic perfect devotion to Mary.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Two

Our Lady of Lourdes, file downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty one at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty one at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading comes from the Secret of Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. The older Preparation for Total Consecration book by Montfort Publications has a few errors and today has one of them. The paragraph numbers from Secret of Mary actually go from 23 to 29 instead of 23 to 24 according to the text used for day 21 in Preparation for Total Consecration. It's obvious that the number 24 is wrong rather than the text used. Both Fish Eaters and The Catholic Company above have copied that minor error.

It's useful to go directly to the source in The Secret of Mary, since it provides a little more information in the footnotes, and provides headings to the paragraphs. The reading starts out with a brief answer why we should do this devotion:

If we would go up to Him and be united with Him, we must use the same means He used to come down to us, to be made man and to impart His graces to us. That means is a true devotion [perfect devotion] to our Blessed Lady.

Then the text compares this perfect devotion with other Marian devotions. I'll provide the missing headings for a summary: 1) Devotion without Special Practices; 2) Devotion with Special Practices; and 3) The Perfect Devotion: The Holy Slavery of Love.

Next the nature of this devotion is given:

It consists in giving oneself entirely and as a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through Mary; and after that to do all that we do, with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary.

And finally, it gives some specifics of the devotion: "We should choose a special feast day on which we give, consecrate and sacrifice to Mary voluntarily lovingly and without constraint, entirely and without reserve: our body and soul, our exterior property such as house, family and income, and also our interior and spiritual possessions: namely, our merits, graces, virtues, and satisfactions." The heading to this paragraph says "Total Surrender."

Americans and those cultures which are significantly influenced by classical liberal ideas, might have a lot of difficulty with the ideas of "slavery" and "total surrender." I did. These strong words are typically seen in opposition to "freedom." The total surrender is what we offer to God in our detachment from the world, in our placing of trust in Him, and in aligning our wills to His. And we should do it willingly. Regarding slavery: note that it's not a servile slavery but a "holy slavery of love." In many instances, men and women have loved so deeply, that they would do anything for their lover or beloved. And God's courting of His bride is a common image in the Bible, including the union of Christ the bridegroom and the Church, his bride. Jesus went all in—in his passion and crucifixion—and expects us to follow him, in love. Indeed, Jesus in his human nature placed himself in complete dependence of Mary in her womb. The Annunciation and Incarnation is the most fitting feast on which to perform this consecration.

Another objection is the total consecration not to God, but to a human being. While Jesus is the true end of this devotion, our experience with other human beings might cause us to hesitate in our placing of trust in another human being. I overcame this issue of trust, by trusting the Church which in turn is trusted because I trust that Jesus is God (and man) and the true founder of the Church. The Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived and did not sin. If I believe that is true, then Mary, full of grace, can be trusted. It's not mere trust in a human being, but a trust in a human being backed by God—and she is a creature who has united her will with the will of God.

Surprising to me, that despite my initial trust issues with Mary, I've found her easier to approach than to Jesus. I don't expect others to feel the same, but I know this is true for me. And this trust has been repaid, especially in bringing me into a closer relationship with the three persons of the Holy Trinity, first with the Holy Spirit, and then with Jesus. "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). Mary brings us Jesus, and Mary brings us to Jesus, her Son. The slavery to Mary is the means to slavery to her Son.

Knowledge of Mary: Day One

Gerard van Honthorst - Adoration of the Shepherds (1622), downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's readings are taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke which correspond to the third and fifth Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. As reported by Luke in scripture, in both these mysteries, Mary kept these things in her heart. In Luke 2:19, "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." And in Luke 2:51, "His mother treasured all these things in her heart." The title of this blog partly comes from these verses, the other part comes from the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Pondering with Mary in the Rosary has been an indispensable part of my spiritual journey, connecting my prayer with scripture and with Jesus. In each of the sets of mysteries, Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious, Mary is explicitly mentioned—in the scripture describing the mystery of the decade—in some or all the mysteries of the set. She was there for important events in the life of her Son. And so it is with confidence that we pray with Mary, and ask Mary for her intercession, that we be united to her Son, and His life.

Knowledge of Self: Day Seven

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day nineteen at Fish Eaters.

Day nineteen at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

1. We must be like children: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."

2. Jesus is asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

a) Only God is good.

b) We must obey God's commandments.

c) We must not be attached to the things of this world (specifically, for the rich man, it was riches), and follow Jesus.

d) "What is impossible for mortals is possible for God."

 And finally, there is a promise with the sacrifices and giving of self:

Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.

For some people (or maybe most), that sounds easier than it actually is. But our hope rests in God.

Knowledge of Self: Day Six

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day eighteen at Fish Eaters.

Day eighteen at The Catholic Company.

The first half of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, which is the gospel of mercy. The words of Jesus begin with a warning (which should be heeded) but move to forgiveness:

Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive.

The striking thing about this selection is the revelation that we should not expect praise for following God's commands: "when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" This is a common pitfall for those who think they are righteous and do the good they do in search of praise (rather than for the sake of the good of others).

The second part from Imitation of Christ is more comforting than previous selections:

My child, do not let the labors which you have taken up for My sake break you, and do not let troubles, from whatever source, cast you down; but in everything let My promise strengthen and console you. I am able to reward you beyond all means and measure. You will not labor here long, nor will you always be oppressed by sorrows. Wait a little while and you will see a speedy end of evils. 

The point of this rigorous self-examination is not to break a person down, but to see the truth about himself and his pride which would have him thinking of himself as God. The sense of self is not to be destroyed but humbled as Christ during his passion. In his passion, Christ was sin for us (but he did not sin himself). When we're carrying our crosses in imitation of Christ and in following Christ, we are bearing the results of our sins and the sins of others. This dying to self is to purify the self, not to destroy it.

Knowledge of Self: Day Five

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day seventeen at Fish Eaters.

Day seventeen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of the reading today is from Imitation of Christ which tells us: "In all things consider the end." That's great advice for all, including atheists (the hope is: in considering the final end or destination, they may be granted the grace of knowing God through faith). But then the reading continues into some uncomfortable truth:

... how you shall stand before the strict Judge from Whom nothing is hidden and Who will pronounce judgment in all justice, accepting neither bribes nor excuses. And you, miserable and wretched sinner, who fear even the countenance of an angry man, what answer will you make to the God Who knows all your sins?

Hopefully, we will all remember not to demand justice from God, but to ask for mercy. This and the final part from Imitation of Christ provides an interpretive key for the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke, which follows: "Why do you not provide for yourself against the day of judgment?" 

The final lines may be perplexing for some (I raise my hand😏): 

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light (Luke 16:8). 

The shrewdness of the dishonest steward is in that he prepared for the time to come, as Christians should prepare for the judgment. We should make friends for ourselves in heaven (think Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we should forgive those who are indebted to us. The steward's worry about his future...

(What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.)

 ... should be our worry about our day of judgment. For when we die, there is nothing we can do change our provision for the future. If we're serious about being welcomed into our heavenly home, today is a great day to start. "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"

Knowledge of Self: Day Four

Image by Andre Mouton from Pixabay

Day sixteen at Fish Eaters.

Day sixteen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of today's readings is from True Devotion and it is a recapitulation of this week's theme: knowledge of self. There are two quotes I'd like to highlight:

[We] can reflect on those three considerations of St. Bernard, the vileness of our origin, the dishonours of our present state, and our ending as the food of worms.

And,

[We] will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge.

That grace of self-knowledge is humility.

The second part is from Imitation of Christ. While I was a lapsed Catholic, I had the grace to witness this tendency in other people, and indeed, it is one of the truths spoken by Jesus that had me thinking, "this guy is onto something" during my return to faith.

I see this from today's reading:

Often we are not aware that we are so blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others. 

As a reflection of this from Matthew 7:1-5.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Knowledge of Self: Day Three

Image by JL G from Pixabay

Day fifteen at Fish Eaters.

Day fifteen at The Catholic Company.

Part of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus stresses the need for repentance.

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did."

The Greek word translated into "repent" is metanoia.  The literal translation would be "after mind." It suggests conversion, and it seems clear to me that Christ expresses a need to change. Hopefully, no one is so prideful that he cannot admit the need to change.

"Sinner to Saint" by Bob, a reproduction of a stick figure drawing by his college professor as part of an explanation about virtue ethics (labels added by Bob)

The figure above describes the situation. Everyone should identify themselves where they are at present (hint: the stick figure to the left, labeled "sinner"). The need for change should now be obvious for the visually minded. Another note: everyone, who is not God, should realize they need help. That help comes from God or those God has sent to help (ultimately, all help comes from God). This is important self-knowledge: the need to change and the need for help.

Additional reading comes from True Devotion by St. Louis de Montfort. This reading stresses two points: the emptying of self, and the dying to self. We die to ourselves so we can empty ourselves of ourselves so that ultimately we can be filled with God, Who is love. Unless we follow Christ, bear our crosses, and die to self on the cross with Christ, we will not bear fruit: "If the grain of corn falling on the earth does not die, it remains earth, and brings forth no good fruit."

This dying to self is an interior battle, which seems to me to differ from individual to individual. We are all broken in various ways. I only know that this is a hard battle, so there is no sense in delaying any further. We're like downing people who are wildly thrashing about for air, dealing with primitive forces (like the drive for life) so extreme, that we would try to climb on top of the person trying to save us (which is not a rational thing, since it makes it harder for the rescuer).

May peace be with you. Let Mary hold your hand.

Knowledge of Self: Day Two

Image by Andre Mouton from Pixabay

Day fourteen at Fish Eaters.

Day fourteen at The Catholic Company.

"There is no more troublesome, no worse enemy of the soul than you yourself, if you are not in harmony with the spirit."
~ Imitation of Christ, Book III, chapter 13

Today's reading from Imitation of Christ is probably one of the most difficult for those raised in a liberal society such as in America. In a land where all men are created equal, it's difficult for us to see others as superiors which we must obey, especially in a religious situation. While there are situations such as we should obey a boss at work, there is probably nothing comparable to an all encompassing obedience in religious life, except in the military (I recognize a certain independence or stubbornness as a military subordinate within myself in the past). And hopefully, children who have not yet reached majority still understand the need for obedience of parents. The family is the ordinary component of society which can form these young human beings.

While I acknowledge there are certain abusive situations where it is better to leave rather than obey, I think the worry about being treated "like a door mat" is exaggerated. Not every situation is an abusive one. And discernment should be made whether the superiors in any community are oriented toward the common good of that community and of society overall. If so, then even when we receive a directive we don't understand, we should obey it (the exception being if the directive is immoral), and obey it cheerfully (is that too far for some of you?). 

This paragraph from the reading might help put it all in perspective:

Because you still love yourself too inordinately, you are afraid to resign yourself wholly to the will of others. Is it such a great matter if you, who are but dust and nothingness, subject yourself to man for the sake of God, when I, the All-Powerful, the Most High, Who created all things out of nothing, humbly subjected Myself to man for your sake? I became the most humble and the lowest of all men that you might overcome your pride with My humility.

 For an "independent" person like me, I think it's a helpful reminder to be at service to others.

Knowledge of Self: Day One

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day thirteen at Fish Eaters.

Day thirteen at The Catholic Company.

After the twelve day exercise in casting off the spirit of the world, we seek a knowledge of ourselves. In humility, we recognize that we don't know ourselves.  Psalm 19:12 admits "But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults." Our pride prevents us from seeing the log in our eye when we notice the speck in our brother's eye (c.f. Matthew 7:3). How do we overcome this? Well, we should ask God (and ask our friends to intercede for us).

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke directs us toward prayer. We do not know how to pray as we ought (c.f. Romans 8:26), and so a disciple asks Jesus how we should pray. Jesus responds with Luke's version of the Lord's prayer.

More than that, Jesus continues with the importance of persistence in prayer (Luke 11:9-11):

So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Spirit of the World: Day Twelve

Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay

Day twelve at Fish Eaters.

Day twelve at The Catholic Company.

The twelve days end with another reading from Imitation of Christ. It tells us how we might find faults in ourselves (including an examination of the faults of others which may be in ourselves). We must make an effort to overcome our faults. How much effort should we make to remove our faults, which may lead us to sin? How important is it to avoid even small sins? St. John Henry Newman writes:

The Catholic Church holds it better for the sun and moon to drop from heaven, for the earth to fail, and for all the many millions on it to die of starvation in extremest agony, as far as temporal affliction goes, than that one soul, I will not say, should be lost, but should commit one single venial sin, should tell one wilful untruth, or should steal one poor farthing without excuse.

But this is not merely a negative exercise, avoiding fault and sin, but there is a positive direction in all this: "and keep in mind the image of the Crucified. Even though you may have walked for many years on the pathway to God, you may well be ashamed if, with the image of Christ before you, you do not try to make yourself still more like Him." It's not merely a rejection of the world, but it's also an embrace of Christ and his passion.

And embracing his passion may well be more than an abstract idea. "The more violence you do to yourself, the more progress you will make." This is not necessarily about physical mortification (although it could be). No one is so humble that he can't whip his pride.

And this is a good bridge for what is to follow in the devotion. The spirit of the world is contrasted with the Spirit of Christ. In trials and temptations, failure and vice is contrasted with strength and virtue. Sin and death is contrasted with supernatural life. The choice is between the spirit of the world and the devil or sanctity and Jesus, our end.

 

Spirit of the World: Day Eleven

Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay

Day eleven at Fish Eaters.

Day eleven at The Catholic Company.

The first part of today's reading from Imitation of Christ also calls to mind the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30). Specifically, it seems describe the interior conflict within the man who buried his talent. Paralyzed by fear and anxiety, he does nothing. In Imitation of Christ, the anxious man, fearful about his future, hears the divine answer, "If you knew this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite secure." Faith in Christ also entails trusting Christ, not merely believing in him. We trust that Jesus will be with us the whole way, and that when we fall—as most surely will—he will pick us up. It's also a reminder that the most secure path is a loving path and love is not inert, but an act.

The second part of the reading deals with our aversion to difficulty. But as has been covered in prior posts, these tests and difficulties can be a source of our growth.

Spirit of the World: Day Ten

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Day ten at Fish Eaters.

Day ten at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading from Imitation of Christ makes an explicit reference to religious life:

What return shall I make to You for this grace? For it is not given every man to forsake all things, to renounce the world, and undertake the religious life.

Every Catholic should consider a vocation to religious life (or the priesthood). It is a higher calling, to forsake all for God, but it's acceptable to serve God in other ways. It's important to remember all is a gift from God and that at least means gratitude for those gifts:

Truly beyond the power of words is the sweetness of contemplation You give to those who love You. To me You have shown the sweetness of Your charity, especially in having made me when I did not exist, in having brought me back to serve You when I had gone far astray from You, in having commanded me to love You.

How should I build up the kingdom of God? How can I help Christ in setting the world on fire with love? Tomorrow's Gospel reading for Sunday is about the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30). We've been given gifts (talents) and the master expects some return for those talents. In all that we do, we should consider our acts with the final end in view. Sanctity and the building up of the kingdom is not merely the task for religious and priests. Laity play their part too, albeit in different ways.

"You have shown mercy to Your servant beyond all hope, and have exhibited grace and friendship beyond his deserving. What return shall I make to You for this grace?"

Spirit of the World: Day Nine

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Day nine at Fish Eaters.

Day nine at The Catholic Company.

The treatment of temptations continues from Imitation of Christ, chapter 13 of book I. Regarding the fighting or resisting of temptations, it offers sound advice which I discovered before I read Imitation of Christ (and before consecration to our Lady). As a sailor, I swore like a sailor, and often, I didn't even realize I was swearing. It was part of my habit of speech. I reckon that since I never developed the habit as a child, but only as a young adult, I was able to defeat that habit easily after the intervention of friends and relatives. However, it never penetrated for me that using the Lord's name in vain was a sin. I didn't do it often as a child, and so I never really developed the mental block or virtue to avoid it as child. So using the Lord's name in vain is something that carried on for most of my adult life, until it finally sunk in, that I should not be doing so. And this was a hard habit for me so break. I learned to anticipate when I'd be tempted to swear out the Lord's name, and eventually, this habit was defeated (and it progressed to a point that it's like fingernails across the chalkboard whenever someone else utters the Lord's name in vain). And so, I can vouch for the advice given in today's reading. Resist early!

The Sacrament of Reconciliation or confession is a wonderful place for God's grace in resisting sins, but also at a mundane level it's a good place to get advice in resisting temptations. One piece of advice may have been influenced by the knowledge of my devotion to Mary. I was advised to pray the Hail Mary whenever I feel the beginnings of temptation. That also seems to have worked well for me.

But the final piece of advice given in this reading is the recognition that for some, temptations will be a lifelong burden. So, know that you'll need to persevere, but have faith in Jesus Christ that he will help us bear the burdens.

We should not despair, therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the more fervently that He may see fit to help us, for according to the word of Paul, He will make issue with temptation that we may be able to bear it. Let us humble our souls under the hand of God in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble in spirit.

Hopefully, it can be seen, that although we've fallen many times, it's possible to make progress, even if it's so slight. We can grow in Christ, and Christ can grow in us.

Spirit of the World: Day Eight

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Day eight at Fish Eaters.

Day eight at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading from the Imitation of Christ gives some solid advice about temptation. We'll always experience temptations in this life—as the book of Job says, "The life of man upon earth is a warfare." We're warned not to simply flee temptations (although we should avoid those near occasions of sin), but to learn to overcome those temptations with God's help. We should not put ourselves into these situations, but when they come, overcoming the temptation will teach us the virtuous way.

Indeed, it is suggested that temptations are useful:

Yet temptations, though troublesome and severe, are often useful to a man, for in them he is humbled, purified, and instructed. The saints all passed through many temptations and trials to profit by them, while those who could not resist became reprobate and fell away. There is no state so holy, no place so secret that temptations and trials will not come. Man is never safe from them as long as he lives, for they come from within us & in sin we were born. When one temptation or trial passes, another comes; we shall always have something to suffer because we have lost the state of original blessedness.

Spirit of the World: Day Seven

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Day seven at Fish Eaters.

Day seven at The Catholic Company.

Chapter 18 of Book I of the Imitation of Christ is continued from yesterday. The fervor of the saints of old are compared to the laxity of our times.

The saints:

To themselves they seemed as nothing, and they were despised by the world, but in the eyes of God they were precious and beloved. They lived in true humility and simple obedience; they walked in charity and patience, making progress daily on the pathway of spiritual life and obtaining great favor with God. 

The lax: "Today, he who is not a transgressor and who can bear patiently the duties which he has taken upon himself is considered great."

Much later, centuries after the publication of the Imitation of Christ, Soren Kierkegaard in Diapsalmata writes of the bourgeois moral attitude which seems typical even today:

Let others complain that the times are wicked. I complain that they are paltry; for they are without passion. The thoughts of men are thin and frail like lace, and they themselves are feeble like girl lace-makers. The thoughts of their hearts are too puny to be sinful. For a worm it might conceivably be regarded a sin to harbor thoughts such as theirs, not for a man who is formed in the image of God. Their lusts are staid and sluggish, their passions sleepy; they do their duty, these sordid minds, but permit themselves, as did the Jews, to trim the coins just the least little bit, thinking that if our Lord keep tab of them ever so carefully one might yet safely venture to fool him a bit. Fye upon them! It is therefore my soul ever returns to the Old Testament and to Shakespeare. There at least one feels that one is dealing with men and women; there one hates and loves, there one murders one's enemy and curses his issue through all generations—there one sins.

This seems Kierkegaard's way of expressing Revelation 3:16, "because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth."

The world beckons us to nod off, but let us remember the zeal of the saints who were alive in Christ.

Spirit of the World: Day Six

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Day six at Fish Eaters.

Day six at The Catholic Company.

Again the reading is from the Imitation of Christ, and the topic is the examples of the saints. The following quote is an example of how they cast off the spirit of the world:

They used all their time profitably; every hour seemed too short for serving God, and in the great sweetness of contemplation, they forgot even their bodily needs. They renounced all riches, dignities, honors, friends, and associates. They desired nothing of the world.

Spirit of the World: Day Five

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Day five at Fish Eaters.

Day five at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading from the Imitation of Christ is about vainglory or pride. This seems to me to be the great interior battle for fallen Mankind. I say this, because I recognize my frailty in this regard. And so I assume that this is a great battle for others. I could be wrong (that is, maybe others don't have to fight this fight).

I get some pushback for making similar statements as this in the reading: "In Your sight I am vanity and nothingness, a weak, unstable man." In God's sight, I am nothing. And I think this is true. And some folks seem to think that people shouldn't think so poorly about themselves. And I acknowledge that for some people, there might be a danger here. But for prideful people, going to the opposite extreme is a good tactic for obtaining the virtue of humility. But I still think the statement is true. In my pride and in my vanity, I am nothing.

And on the other hand, in a seeming paradox, I hold this statement by Saint John-Paul II as also true:

"We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son."

I am infinitely loved by God! I really am valuable!

How do I resolve this apparent contradiction? I think the key is this: without God, I am nothing. In my pride and vanity, I push God away from me, and I diminish. When I repent and turn back to God, I am so much more. And God's plan is that I be so much more, a being in the image and likeness of God. But I must empty myself of pride and sin, and allow God to form me and fashion me into something worthy of His glory—hopefully, to be present before Him, face-to-face.

Spirit of the World: Day Four

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Day four at Fish Eaters.

Day four at The Catholic Company. 

The reading from the Imitation of Christ reminds us, that without God we are nothing, and we can make no demands upon God. Yes, we are loved and valued by God, but that value is a gift. Indeed, all we are, all we have, and all the good actions we do are only possible by God. Since we are fallen human beings, we tend to go wrong and astray without God's help.

This is worth quoting:

He who wishes to be too secure in time of peace will often become too dejected and fearful in time of trial. If you were wise enough to remain always humble and small in your own eyes, and to restrain and rule your spirit well, you would not fall so quickly into danger and offense. When a spirit of fervor is enkindled within you, you may well meditate on how you will feel when the fervor leaves.

We will be tried, and experience trials. And the final sentence stays with me, and I hope that it always will, that I remember when I received consolations from faith, that when that well seems to dry up, I'll be able to persevere during hard times.

Spirit of the World: Day Three

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Day three at Fish Eaters.

Day three at The Catholic Company.

It may be a guy thing, but I'm often drawn to difficult things (although that is not universally true, since I also shirk mundane difficulties). Today's reading ends with the most difficult: "the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Mt 7:14). Being a faithful (and should I say "devout" given the modern twist?) Christian isn't easy. Indeed, staying on the narrow road and reaching the narrow gate is impossible without God. And if you're not bearing your cross, you're probably not doing it right. Christianity isn't about comfort and ease in this life. That's not Christ's promise.

"Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you" (Mt 7:6). How is it that I've missed this until now? Thanks to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible and The Didache Bible, it's finally penetrated. If anything, the passage applies to the Blessed Sacrament, the most holy thing in the Catholic Church (for it is actually and truly Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament). This sacrament is not for those outside the Church (and it's not terribly difficult to enter the Church). And I remember the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament by atheists and Satanists (at least that is what they reported they did). That's literally trampling on it.

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find..." (Mt 7:7). Yes, it's about persevering in prayer (which we always should do), but it's also a promise: God will give good things to those who ask. The most important things you need, whether you realize it or not are mercy and grace. The Mercedes Benz you're asking for may not actually be good for you (that is, material riches).

 "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mt 7:1). This verse is often misused to condemn people who judge actions to be sinful (guess what? In judging those who judge, they've done the same thing). Notice the personal pronoun "you" in the statement. We are not to judge people. The verse follows with the insight that most attracted me while I was on the path toward returning to the Church. That I and others note the speck in the eye of people who are not us, while ignoring the log in our own eyes. Our critical gaze is almost always outwards, when true transformation begins when we turn the gaze at our own hearts.

A very popular psycho-babble phrase when I was growing up was "I'm okay, you're okay." Looking back on it, it seems to me to answer a real need for mercy in a world that was beginning to turn away from God (around the same time, the cover of Time magazine asked, "Is God Dead?"). I see a similar thing from "recovering Catholics" who complain about "Catholic guilt." Pain and guilt can be good things, if they point to something wrong, in need of healing. The problem with these attitudes comes with the thought by the person that he doesn't need to change. The examination of our hearts is not to hate ourselves, or to think ourselves beyond mercy, but actually and eventually hate sin in the same way you might hate cancer. It's in order to move a person toward repentance, and ask Jesus, "Please heal me!" This is the cry of the blind man, asking to be healed, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Lk 18:35-43).

Lead Us not into Temptation and the Lord's Prayer

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Since most people scratch their heads about the term "lead us not into temptation," this post will focus on that aspect. But I'll also link and summarize exegesis to all of the Lord's Prayer from various sources. I hope you'll follow those links to gain a deeper appreciation of the "Our Father."

Pope Francis has been controversial. For those of a more conservative political bent, that is an understatement. But controversy needn't be completely negative. In this case, the news of Pope Francis' approval of changes in the translation to the Lord's Prayer has led people into a deeper exploration of the phrase. It has enriched my understanding of the prayer, and I see that as a good thing.

First visit the Catholic Encyclopedia's entry on temptation at New Advent. It gives the Latin word tentare to mean to try or to test. That's useful to keep in mind while reading the rest. The article also distinguishes between external and internal temptations. The external comes outside of us, like Satan tempting Eve. The internal temptations are the ones which we wrestle with internally: our weakness toward sin, or when we struggle to avoid that last piece of chocolate cake.

Scripture abounds with God's tests. God placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. God tested Abraham with the sacrifice of Isaac (which was stopped at the last second). Strikingly, after the baptism of Jesus, he "was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Mt 4:1) or "the Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness" (Mk 1:12). I found the following page which lists scriptural references about being tested (I do not vouch for all the examples given, but it seems to be a starting point one can look into).

Jesus being led by the Spirit to be tempted is in Scripture. In his article Lead Us Not into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil, Fr. Thomas Weinandy has a startling thesis, 

A proper understanding of this petition is found in Jesus’ own life.  His life exemplifies, and so becomes the interpretive key, to the authentic meaning of the petition. Moreover, as in Jesus’ life, the petition, “lead us not into temptation,” cannot be understood apart from “deliver us from evil.”  Together they form one complete petition.

That is, we get a deeper appreciation of the Lord's prayer by meditating and contemplating Jesus on the Cross.

Fr Hardon in his History and Theology of Grace spends a significant portion of a chapter discussing the Lord's Prayer (scroll down to The Perfect Prayer subtitle). He writes:

The structure of the Lord’s Prayer, according to St. Thomas, can be schematized in a way that shows each petition as a successive step in the logical process just described. Our destiny may be considered either 1) objectively, as the glory of God, or 2) subjectively, as man’s beatitude in heaven, which is attained positively and 3) directly, by doing the will of God, or 4) instrumentally through the bread of the Eucharist and our bodily sustenance; and negatively by removing the obstacles, which are 5) sin and its prelude, which is 6) temptation, and its just retribution, which is 7) the evil of God’s punishment for sin.

Then he follows St. Robert Bellarmine in a doctrinal and moral interpretation of the Lord's Prayer. Here we find a few paragraphs on "lead us not into temptation":

Two requests are implied in the petition, “lead us not into temptation.” We pray to be delivered, as far as possible, from temptations that God would otherwise permit to assail us; and to be protected from falling under those temptations which He actually allows.

The most important thing about temptations is that we cannot escape them in this life, which is one unremitting temptation, “for the flesh lusts against the spirit.” No matter where we turn, temptations are there to meet us: we are tempted in food and drink, in hunger and sobriety, in riches and poverty. But if temptations are inevitable, are they useful? Yes, and even necessary. Through temptation we become familiar with our weakness, and so enabled to fulfill the maxim, Cognosce te ipsom. Through temptation we are saved from the demon of self-exaltation, our souls are cleansed and enlightened, and we are effectively moved to come to the assistance of others because our sympathy for them has been aroused by the knowledge of ourselves.

Take away temptation and what happens to patience, fortitude and constancy? Without trial how can these and other virtues not only exist, but also be preserved and made to grow? “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus,” says the Apostle, “shall suffer persecution,” which is synonymous with temptation. The more holy were God’s saints, the more severely He tried them in the crucible of temptation.

While temptations are so useful, they are still dangerous. Struggle with them is an uncertain issue. It would be presumption to ask for them. It is a mark of humility to decline them and ask God not to lead us into them, if that be His will.

 And finally, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains the Lord's Prayer.

Introduction on the Lord's Prayer

Article One: "The Lord's Prayer 'is truly the summary of the whole gospel.'"

Article Two: Our Father Who Art in Heaven

Article Three: The Seven Petitions 

Starting at paragraph 2846, the Catechism explains "It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a single English word: the Greek means both 'do not allow us to enter into temptation' and 'do not let us yield to temptation.'"

Paragraph 2847 states:

The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a "delight to the eyes" and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death.

 There's more about this in the Catechism.

Article Four: The Final Doxology and conclusion.