Spirit of the World:Day Two

Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay

Day two at Fish Eaters.

Day two at The Catholic Company.

Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount and states, " You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Yikes! This is difficult for everyone (Christians and non-Christians). The sort of perfection asked for is a perfection of charity: "All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity" (LG 40 § 2). We are called to love even our enemies. We are called to forgive everyone and in the Lord's Prayer we ask our Father to forgive us as we have forgiven others.

Jesus also warns that we shouldn't display our piety and prayers in order to be seen by others. That may be an "oops!" for me. That we do these things or the giving of alms should be for the love of others and the love of God, and not so that others may look on us favorably ("oh, look at that holy man!").

And Jesus teaches us to pray. We're not to "heap up empty phrases" with "many words." That is, our prayer should be meaningful. In our liturgy, we are asked, "lift up your hearts" and we respond: "we lift them up to the Lord." That is, we bring our minds, souls, and hearts into the presence of God. The warning about many words is not against making the prayers too long or being repetitive but rather against thinking that long prayers or repeating yourself will be in itself efficacious. It can't be wrong to say "I love you" to God many times during the day. And Jesus gives us the Lord's Prayer as the model of prayer.

Spirit of the World: Day One

Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay

In the twelve preliminary days, we're asked to examine our consciences, to pray, to practice renouncement of our wills, and to practice mortification and attain purity of heart ("This purity is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in heaven, to see Him on earth and to know Him by the light of faith.") The spirit of the world is contrasted with the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ (which is also that of Mary; that is, Mary has so conformed her will to the will of God, that her soul is united with the spirit of Christ). And so we're to cast off the spirit of the world and oppose our fallen desires.

Day one at Fish Eaters.

Day one at The Catholic Company.

Appropriately, the first reading is about the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of the sermon (chapters 5 through 7), Matthew reports, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching" (Mt 7:28). The Beatitudes seem opposed to our natures (indeed, they are fallen). I can imagine some thinking, "What? Blessed are they who mourn? The meek shall inherit the earth?" Jesus is going beyond telling us to avoid evil, he's telling us to be a positive force of good in the world: a light before all men for the glory of God! This is what God intends us to be.

Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary: Day by Day

The high point of my spiritual life has been and continues to be total consecration according to St. Louis Marie de Montfort. It has been the method which has brought me closer to Jesus Christ. What does it do? In summary, it is a renewal of baptismal vows. For me, and I suppose for many others, it has brought me closer to Mary, and she in turn led me to Jesus. Know Mary, know Jesus. Know Jesus, know Mary. Just as for many people are accompanied in their spiritual journey by friends on earth, Mary as my mother has accompanied me spiritually.

I intend to post small reflections daily. I'll start tomorrow on November 5th. I've found two websites which appear to post the readings and prayers. The first is at Fish Eaters (scroll down to Step 3). The second is at The Catholic Company.

There are several books which guide one in their consecration to Mary. I'll provide a small summary of what I prefer.

This is the newer book by Montfort Publications. It significantly changed the preparation as done in the prior book. Fewer prayers are said, and the readings are short. They have also removed readings from the Imitation of Christ. It's unlikely that I will ever use this book again. But if you're a person who is pressed for time, this might be for you (but maybe the real solution is to make more time for prayer).

ISBN: 9780910984072

This is the most hardcore of the bunch. There are slightly more prayers, but the readings are longer (the longest of all I've seen). It's printed by St. Benedict Center (a short ride from me). It may be for you, but it's not for me. Somehow, I felt it lacked charm. I did not connect with this preparation as well as I thought it would.

ISBN: 9780971682214

This is a popular method of consecration. Only one week of four discusses the method according to St. Louis de Montfort. It's light on prayers (which was intentional on the part of the author), but it goes deep into the ideas behind Marian consecration. Kudos to Fr. Gaitley for writing this book. I recommend this book, but I only recommend that you follow this method once, or infrequently. It is light on prayers, but it really gets the intellect moving. I had been doing the preparation according to the next book on the list, which I think prepared me for Fr. Gaitley's book. And Fr. Gaitley's book gave me a deeper appreciation of what Marian consecration is all about, but sadly, it's not quite enough to repeat.

ISBN: 9781596142442

This is the older book by Montfort Publications. And in my estimation, it is the best, but as far as I know, it's no longer in print. The readings aren't too long, but the prayers gradually get long, going from ten minutes to a half-hour (and add twenty minutes of praying the Rosary on the second week, for approximately fifty minutes). The reason that I think it's the best is because of the prayers. I'm well aware that this amount of praying can be a grind on a person. But I've been able to see the fruit of this prayer (see the conclusion to this post). So, I recommend it.

ISBN: 9780910984102 or 0910984107

 

In various parts of his book, History and Theology of Grace, Fr. Hardon wrote about prayer. For this post, I think this quote fits well:

Similar to the necessity of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, to retain and grow in the supernatural life, is the need of constant prayer, of which St. Robert Southwell wrote in a set of verses prefixed to his Short Rules of Good Life, shortly before his martyrdom in 1595. “Nothing more grateful in the highest eyes, nothing more firm in danger to protect us, nothing more forcible to pierce the skies, and not depart till mercy do respect us: and as the soul life to the body gives, so prayer revives the soul, by prayer it lives.”

It is not by chance that the Pelagians opposed prayer on philosophical grounds, on the logical supposition that if a man’s native powers are enough to make him reach his destiny, why should he pray? St. Augustine pointed out that not the least effect of Pelagianism would be to erase all the prayers of petition in the Church of God. He explained that while there are certain blessings of grace which God gives without request on our part, like the gift of baptism for those baptized in infancy, others He will not grant except in answer to fervent prayer. This includes the grace of perseverance in the supernatural life.

The range of efficacy through prayer is all but infinite. For “as God created all things by His word, so man by prayer obtains whatever he wills. Nothing has so great a power to obtain grace for us as prayer when rightly made; for it contains the motives by which God easily allows Himself to be appeased and incline to mercy.”

What we receive in the order of grace through prayer can be infinite. All we need to do is ask.

The Will of the People

 

Marilyn Monroe, Photoplay 1953

Does Christianity make a difference in peoples lives? Does it have a practical effect? It seems to me that there is a lot of confusion about the matter. In my own experience, I know that many people believe that it's impossible to live a happy life without sexual gratification. The sexual act is translated into "love" and therefore it's impossible to live a happy life without that love. Indeed, for some, Heaven isn't Heaven unless sexual gratification is central to heavenly bliss. In short, sex has become an idol. And my general impression in conversation with such people is that the sexual restraint required by orthodox Christian morals is impossible. And, I've come to concur, that given a secular outlook on life, yes, it is impossible. But that's not true within the bigger picture which includes supernatural life. With God's grace, the impossible is possible. On the other hand, my interlocutors might object that it is possible for an atheist to be virtuous and chaste (look at the Stoics!). And I would then concede that it's possible. But then something important is missed between the contradictory possible and impossible of sexual restraint. The key is this: in our society, we tend to think at the level of the individual; how things might affect the individual (for a description of how grace might affect the natural or cardinal virtues at an individual level, follow this link). However, the Church is also a society of individuals, and it transforms society (the book reviewed here seems promising). That is, while it's possible for individuals to be chaste for a certain period of time, it's impossible for society to remain chaste without God's grace in those individuals.

Since it's election day, I'd like to comment on the importance of voting. In particular, Massachusetts has a ballot question about using Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). It's sold as increasing power to the people. That is, it gives the people a greater voice. I don't know that RCV will result in any sort of improvement. Unlike ideologues of Democracy, I'm not convinced that more Democracy or more power in voting is a good thing (the lawn signs say, "Yes on 2. More Voice"). Democratic instruments such as voting are useful in determining the will of the people, but what happens if the will of the people is wrong? Where utilitarianism and an individualistic philosophy is strong, the will of the people aims at increasing the pleasure and reduces the pains of individuals. There is no room for the common good as promoted by Christianity (in the form of loving your neighbor). As the cynics say, democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. The common good includes the minority, and very often, minorities are shortchanged with respect to the common good. They don't get to share in it fully. Today, those human beings who have yet to be born are such a minority. They have no right to vote, and are unheard. They depend on others to speak for their rights. And the abortion issue is down stream from sexual ethics. Indeed, the feminist cry for reproductive rights easily translates into "women should be able to fornicate as men do without consequences." That is, it's unfair for women to be burdened with a pregnancy when men aren't so burdened.

The will of the people is only a good thing when the people have a proper understanding of the common good and also will that common good.

Over all, however, the outcome of this specific election is unimportant. I'm convinced that our society is in decline. Sociologist J.D. Unwin (who, it seems, wasn't religious himself) saw a correlation between sexual license and the decline of that culture. The founding fathers of this country knew that the constitution they had written was for a Christian and moral people. The best I could hope for is that there be breathing room for a religious conversion on the order of one of the Great Awakenings this culture has experienced in its history. American exceptionalism, if there really is such a thing, depends on the religious character of our culture. And that depends on religious freedom, and the will of the people to respect it, or disregard it. I'm not sanguine about that. But I can pray.

It's Alive!

Continuing from the last post, what might it look like to have supernatural life during this life time?

In John 10:10b, Jesus says, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." What might that look like for us here on earth? Sadly, in my experience, it seems hard to find good examples of this in this life. That may be my own perspective, since I have a personality that naturally (in my fallen nature) tends to be like Eeyore. But sometimes, I'm surprised, when people tell me I'm an extrovert with a generally happy outlook. I assure you this is the change that God wrought in me. And I wouldn't want to tout myself as an example of someone who ordinarily displays that life in abundance, that supernatural life. And it seems that I'm not alone in this perspective of finding so few examples. My brother-in-law once remarked to me, "Why should I go to church? Everybody in the pews aren't any better than those who don't bother to go." His remark can be taken in two ways. The first sense is the one I first took when hearing it: many Christians have refused to allow Christ to transform them into something new. They go, not to be changed, but because they think that by their attendance they get their ticket punched to avoid Hell and wind up in Heaven. The second one is a more positive view. We're all very wounded people, and this Catholics acknowledge before receiving the Lord in Holy Communion, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof." We're there to be healed, and so it should be no surprise that there are spiritually sick people in a hospital for souls.

Perhaps I should turn to Scripture for examples. The first example is of Mary (of course! I wouldn't have it any other way 😃). After the archangel Gabriel tells Mary she will bear Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, and she assents, the angel tells her that her elderly kinswoman Elizabeth is also with child.

Luke 1:39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.”

While pregnant herself, Mary goes "with haste" to help her cousin Elizabeth who may have a difficult pregnancy because she is so old. It is a corporal act of mercy. And not only this, but Elizabeth (and baby John in her womb) recognize Jesus in Mary. Yes, Mary is full of grace, but at least we should ourselves strive for the ideal that others might see Jesus in us. And finally, joy is present. As Christians, we should always rejoice ("Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thes 5:16-18).

Another example is on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples of Jesus, and there is such a commotion that Peter needs to assure the crowds which have gathered to investigate that, no, they are not drunk (c.f. Acts 2:15). Because it is the Holy Spirit that animates them so (and so it should animate us). Later, after three thousand people joined the disciples that day, Scripture describes the early Christian community: "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts" (Acts 2:46).

And we can look toward the saints as examples. Because I'm told he was always smiling, I've chosen Pier Giorgio Frassatti as an example (somehow, that seems attractive to this ol' Eeyore). Pope Saint John Paul II called him the "Man of the Eight Beatitudes."

And since this is All Souls Day, I'll ask that you do an easy act of mercy and charity and pray for the souls in purgatory, that they may quickly see God face to face and experience the joy of Heaven. Did that put a smile on your face? I hope it did.

Zombies!

Snapshot from Night of the Living Dead (source:Wikipedia)

One of the frustrating aspects of being Catholic is that there is so much to learn about the teachings of the Church. Actually, it's a blessing and a curse. The blessing is the recognition that the mysteries of the faith are inexhaustible; one can delight in this playground of the mind forever. The curse is that there is a lot of ignorance, which can lead one into error if one is not too careful.

One of my self-identified weaknesses is the understanding of grace. In understanding the complete human being, there is the order of nature, which most people have a reasonable grasp, but over and above this there is the order of grace (or supernature). When reading Scripture, it might be confusing when it talks about life and death. 

For instance, God warned Adam and Eve that eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would lead to death. But they didn't die, at least not immediately (or so it seems). It's true that God intended that they be immortal, so they did become subject to natural death. But they did die immediately upon disobeying God. They changed. They realized that they were naked, and they attempted to hide from God. They lost sanctifying grace, and hence they were dead at a supernatural level.

The Greek language has several words for life and this is explained by the late Fr. John Hardon, S.J. (from his book, History and Theology of Grace):

The most fruitful analogy that revelation gives us for sanctifying grace and the state of righteousness is the concept of life, which the Greek authors of the New Testament regularly rendered by the word zôê, in preference to two other terms they might have used, bios and psuche.

Where English and Latin have only one word, life and vita, the Greek has three; and the choice of one of these to describe the divine life we receive through grace must be significant. The true antithesis of zôê is thanatos (death), and means life taken intensively, as contrasted with bios, which refers to life extensively, or its duration, and with psuche, the breath that in animated beings is a sign of life.

The term zôê is used selectively and exclusively to designate the supernatural life which God communicates to us through Christ; indeed, He is our life and its Author. Most often the combination, zôê aiônios (eternal life), is found in the Gospels and St. Paul; yet the same zôê that we possess on earth will continue into eternity. This is the divine life that was in the Word from the beginning, “and the life was the light of men.” It is also the life that the Persons of the Trinity have in common. “For the Father has life in Himself, even as He has given to the Son to have life in Himself.” It is a participation in this life that those who believe in Christ have received.

So there is such a thing as "the walking dead," those who have natural life but have lost supernatural life ("need brains!"). An interesting aspect of this analog is that zombies are deficient in the brains department; they're not quite the rational animal God intended them to be. "Sin makes you stupid." On the other hand, "the living dead" should be applied to those who have died naturally (when the soul separates from the body, leaving a corpse and an immortal soul), but who have persevered with sanctifying grace, and retain supernatural life.

The saints in heaven are alive! This is why we rejoice in the liturgy. The entrance antiphon for All Saints Day (the reason why we have Halloween: All Hallows Eve) is:

Let us all rejoice in the Lord,
as we celebrate the feast day in honor of all the Saints,
at whose festival the Angels rejoice
and praise the Son of God.

A question comes to mind: What might it look like to have supernatural life during this life time? Stay tuned to this channel. (update: I've tackled the question here.)

How Do You View the World?

 "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!" (Luke 12:49)

Image by Cristian Ibarra from Pixabay

How do you view the world? How do you see the world? I think that Kant was partially right in that we view the world through the subjective lens of the mind. But I think this lens itself is not static, but in formation throughout a person's lifetime. The way we interpret the world can change over time, and the way this lens is formed can either allow us to see the world objectively, or this lens can distort reality.

The Christian claim is that through the lens of faith, we can see the world as it really is. "I once was blind, but now I see." My own experience is that this is a process. As I look through the lens of faith, I begin to trust this faith as I see clearer than before. And the process continues as faith makes sense of the world.

Indeed, we find meaning through faith. And metaphysically, this makes sense if the Christian claims are true. God is Being itself ("I AM Who AM" Ex 3:14). God is Truth itself. Jesus, the incarnate God, said, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (Jn 14:6). God is the light by which we see light (Ps 36:9). We come to see objective truth through faith.

But this is not the only way of seeing the world. One way of viewing the world is through the lens of ideology. That is, instead of shaping his lens (his world view) through his experience, a person chooses to shape his lens through ideology, a view of the world through a particular political perspective. The person gives himself over to this ideology in a similar way as a person gives himself over to a faith. But like a dangerous cult, the ideas forming the ideology closes a person off from seeing reality clearly, admitting no other perspective (e.g. lens) but that of the ideology. An ideology is a faith which won't be tested by the world as it really is. Rather, the ideology forces itself on the world.

And in a similar fashion, conspiracy theories are formed. It is a way of viewing evidence to fit a narrative.

The common feature of ideologues and conspiracy theorists is a sort of self-righteous pride. The claim is that only they see the world as it truly is, and that an enemy prevents others from seeing as they see. With an ideology accepted by ideologues, this can get really dangerous when ideologues judge that the only solution is to purify the world of evil persons who refuse to get completely onboard with the ideology; the orthodox must expunge the heretics. It becomes an evil parody of the Christian religion; the spiritual battle is waged only in the material realm.

In Christianity, the spiritual battle is waged in each individual's heart -- not the material heart which pumps blood throughout the body, but the very core of a person's identity, that thing which defines a person as he truly is. In Christianity, the virtue of humility is the gateway for all other virtues. It is not the virtue of making one see himself as worthless, but rather it is the virtue of seeing oneself as he truly is -- a sinner loved by God, a person of infinite worth. This is where God's grace truly changes the world -- not from the outside world forcing itself on the person, but from an interior conversion bringing an interior love to the outside, setting the world on fire with God's love.

With the interior change, a person truly sees. "I once was blind, but now I see."