PATHFINDER OCT DEC 2013

ESSAYS

INTERVIEWS

COLUMNS

REFLECTIONS

APOLOGETICS

OPINIONS

PATHFINDER NON-COMMERCIAL FOR CHURCH CIRCULATION ONLY

PREMIER ISSUE: OCT-NOV 2013

SUNDAY REFLECTIONSel

osp Reflections on g ober ct readings in O er and Novemb

DVD feature: Rachel still weeps The backslider’s guide: In great company Inspired by the spirit: The holy bible

THE CARPENTER’S CROSS AN ORIGINAL GOSPEL ROCK OPERA

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contents OCT-NOV 2013 :: PREMIER ISSUE

REFLECTIONS :: 43

DVD FEATURE :: 37

COVER STORY :: 18

In this issue 18 I THE CARPENTER’S CROSS

The story of Jesus as seen through the eyes of the carpenter who built the cross on which he was hung comes to the stage in this original gospel rock opera written and directed by Alfwold Silveira.

62 I SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

The 11th School of Discipleship started in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (in the Caribbean) last month. The 12th starts in England in October. We take a look at these Schools of Discipleship that are giving a new impetus to the Church and what makes them special.

37 I RACHEL STILL WEEPS

Over 25 million unborn children have been put to death since the beginning of this year alone. Drastic measures are needed to make this slaughter stop and you can do much to help.

30 I LOVE AND SEXUALITY

What can a celibate priest really teach us about love, sexuality, and relationships between men and women? Edward P Sri discusses these issues that Fr. Karol Wojtyla, more famously known as Pope John Paul II, wrote about in his revolutionary book Love and Responsibility.

27 I INSPIRED BY THE SPIRIT

God’s Holy Spirit is very eager to reveal and to communicate God’s word to all human beings. This is through two ways: in a living transmission called Tradition, and in writing called the Bible. Fr. Fio Mascarenhas explains.

10 I THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

Melody Laila tells those of us who backslide that we’re in good company—everyone from Moses to Peter fell—and how we can get back up.

15 I HEALED BY LOVE

How does one heal a relationship that has gone sour leaving both parties hurting very badly? Leela D’Souza shares the insights on love and life that she has obtained over the years.

59 I THE VATICAN MOVIE LIST

Believe it or not they watch movies in the Vatican! Here is a list of some of their favorites. In addition to some expected titles like Citizen Kane, the list includes some surprises like Roland Jaffe’s nonflattering The Mission.

81 I THE GOSSIP-MONGER

Somebody you know drops by to your place for a visit and then proceeds to badmouth Mr. X or Ms. Y—after, of course, obtaining your affirmation that she is not gossiping, but merely “sharing.”

What do you do?

EDITORIAL

MOVIES :: 56

DISCIPLESHIP :: 62

LOVE & SEX :: 30

Every issue EDITORIAL 05

”Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Having found this gate that Jesus speaks about, one needs to travel it, and as many of us have already realized, this is not the easiest of journeys to make. This magazine PATHFINDER, with its interesting mix of articles and sermons by some of the most anointed people in Christian ministry, hopes to make the path easier—and interesting—for you to travel.

In this inaugural edition we have a special feature on The Carpenter's Cross, an original rock opera that tells the story of Jesus as seen through the eyes of the carpenter who made the cross that Jesus was hung on. The play is being put up in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Jebel Ali parishes. We also have a special feature titled Rachel Still Weeps. We hope that the article, with the accompanying DVD, will throw some light on abortion and help slow down, if not altogether halt, the global slaughter of innocents.

Do drop us a note and let us know what you think of this magazine and what you would like to see included in it.

May the Spirit be with you.

Aneel Aranha

aneel@holyspiritinteractive.net www.facebook.com/aneelaranha

HAVE YOUR SAY 07 STRAIGHT ANSWERS 78 THE SITUATION ROOM 81 AND THAT’S THE GOSPEL TRUTH 43 MOVIES 56 THE LAST WORD 84

Editorial Team

Art & design

columnists

MARKETING

JANET D’SOUZA SAVITA D’SOUZA edward p sri melody laila leela d’souza Fr. william saunders mark d’silva

kiran gayathri megan coutinho Priscilla Antao SABINA ANAND TANIA PEREIRA AMORITA D’CUNHA natasha noronha

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HAVE YOUR SAY

IN THE SAME BOAT MARIA FRANCO

HAVE YOUR SAY

LORD, I WANT TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU SO I CAN BE WHERE YOU ARE WITHIN YOUR REACH AT ANY TIME NEVER A MOMENT APART FROM YOU. LORD, I WANT TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU TO SAIL TOGETHER WITH YOU REJOICE AT THE SOUND OF YOUR FOOTSTEPS ADMIRE YOUR REFRESHING PRESENCE. LORD, I WANT TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU ENCOUNTER THE STRONG WINDS IN YOUR STRENGTH TAKE EACH DAY AS IT COMES WITHOUT FEAR HOLD MY OWN AGAINST THE SAILS OF DESTINY LORD, I WANT TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU THE DESTINATION OF YOUR GAZE WITH YOUR LOVING GLANCE UPON ME KNOW, I CAN SMILE EVEN THROUGH MY TEARS. LORD, I WANT TO BE THE PILLOW ON WHICH YOU REST YOUR HEAD TO ABANDON MYSELF IN YOUR CARE SHELTERED WITHIN YOUR HEART WITH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. LORD, I WANT TO KEEP AWAKE WITH YOU WHEN YOUR HEART IS LONELY AND GRIEVED TO PRAY ALONG WITH YOU. NEVER TIRE WITH YOU BY MY SIDE. LORD, I WANT TO STRETCH MY HANDS OVER THE SEA OF LIFE JUST AS YOU DID TO CALM THE UPROAR OF THE SURGING WIND AND WAVES WHEN IT TRIES TO TOPPLE THE BOAT OVER. LORD, I WANT TO WALK ON THE WATERS MY FOOTSTEPS AS FIRM AS IF ON THE SHORE TO LOOK DEEPLY INTO YOUR UNDERSTANDING EYES AN ASSURANCE THAT I WILL NEVER SINK. LORD, IF YOU ARE IN MY BOAT THE POWER OF THE TIDAL STORM CANNOT DROWN ME EVER EVEN IF YOU ARE GENTLY ASLEEP. I KNOW YOU ARE VERY MUCH IN COMMAND. LORD, BE IN THE SAME BOAT WITH ME A BOAT FILLED WITH LOVE, HOPE AND CARE WITH YOU I CAN REACH THE PROMISED SHORE. TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH YOU FOREVER MARKED BY YOUR SIGN FOR MILLION OF YEARS TO FOLLOW AFTER.

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PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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HAVE YOUR SAY

SUN UP TO SUN DOWN TIARA D’SOUZA

MYSTERIOUS WAYS MEGAN COUTINHO

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Mt 14:31

For the longest time I felt the need to rebel against anything that people told me about Jesus. This was especially true with my mother, who tried to impose religion on me out of fear that I may go away too far from Jesus to ever come close again. But I always knew I wouldn’t stray too far from him, although I did feel very distant from him for a very long time.

I felt that my conversations with him were onesided, with me doing the talking and he doing the ignoring. This often made me angry and frustrated, especially at those times when I felt I was too weak to do anything and sought his help, not always finding it forthcoming. I started blaming him for everything that went wrong in my life, at times feeling that I was being punished by him for the things that I did.

Then questions began getting in the way of my faith. “Would God really punish us for not believing?

Would he really abandon us? Would he let everything that is wrong with the world continue without changing it?” I looked around at other Christians and wasn’t very happy with what I saw. It seemed to me that believers were close and narrow minded people who looked down on others who didn’t share their belief system. “This is not how God would have wanted it,” I said to myself. “If we were truly followers of Christ we shouldn’t be judging others.” More questions followed, accompanied with increasing doubt and even anger, and I soon began to let my emotions get the better of me.

However, all the doubt and anger OUR LORD, HE LOVES US DEARLY began to diminish after I met a certain AND SHOWS IT IN MANY WAYS. charismatic leader who made me look at YET, WHEN LIFE GETS ROUGH, things from a different perspective. I soon WE SOMETIMES FORGET TO PRAY. began to realize that there were answers NONETHELESS HE BLESSES US to my questions that were rational and AND MAKES THE WEAK QUITE STRONG. logical, and that most of the problems CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT HE FORGIVES US, we had were because of what we did, not EVEN WHEN WE’VE DONE HIM WRONG? because of God, who loves us so much that he only wants to bless us. I realized how OUR FATHER AND OUR CREATOR HE IS, blessed I, myself, was. I had a home and INDEED HE MADE US ALL a lovely family. I had friends who were HE’S BY OUR SIDE IN THE MOMENTS supportive and understanding. Even the WHEN WE RISE AND FALL acquaintances I met enriched my life.

SO LET’S REMEMBER TO SING AND PRAISE HIM When I began counting my blessings I FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE realized that what I had far outweighed FROM DAWN TO NOON AND THEN TO DUSK what I didn’t have and I had no reason to UNTIL THE SUN GOES DOWN. complain about anything; God gave me all I needed and more!

Eager to find out more about God, flowing down my cheeks. Not that I wanted to. What I now that I had begun to think about him very felt was wonderful and if this is what it felt like being differently, I started going for prayer meetings and touched by the Holy Spirit, then I wished it would began receiving deeper insights into him and his happen all the time. At the end of it, I experienced word, which we often misinterpret and distort for our a feeling of serenity accompanied with a sense of own convenience and comfort. I began worshiping empowerment that I intuitively understood was him again, but now out of love rather than fear, given so that I could share my new knowledge and wanting to reciprocate his deep and unconditional experience of Jesus with others. love for me.

Never one to speak about Jesus either, I find

In a few weeks I felt transformed and every myself doing so now, because I believe we will all be day with Jesus is a new experience for me. Some, like blessed by knowing him, regardless of how old we one incident that took place recently, are strange. are or where we are from. Jesus is always there for us Never one to display emotion, especially in public, as a friend, guiding and supporting us as we journey I suddenly found myself crying uncontrollably. I through life. All we need to do is to open our hearts still can’t fully fathom why I cried like this, but I can and minds to him, and he will do the rest, sometimes describe what I felt. For a few minutes, I couldn’t in the strangest ways imaginable. think or move, much less stop the tears that were

Truly, God works in mysterious ways. n

AN UNBORN CRY JOSEPHINE FERNANDES I WAS PLACED THERE IN SECRET

BY HANDS LOVING AND SACRED THE TENDER LOVING HANDS THAT CARE PLACED ME TO GROW THERE THE PLACE SO WARM, SO COZY FELT LIFE WAS SO ROSY EACH DAY AS I GREW HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW ME GROW THAT WORLD WAS MINE MINE TO GROW THERE AND DINE I WAS ALL ALONE THERE BUT HE SAW ME WHILE I GREW THERE HE FORMED MY EVERY BONE HE CARED WHILE I WAS ALONE HE KNIT ME TOGETHER MY EVERY NERVE AND FIBER

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ONE DAY THE CRUEL AND WICKED HEART DECIDED TO CUT ME APART I DON’T KNOW WHY WHY DID THEY WANT TO TEAR ME APART? IN CAME THE SWORD AND I HAD NO WORD I TRIED TO HIDE BUT THEY CUT MY SIDE AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE UNBORN CRY! WHY? WHY DO THEY DO THIS? IS MY CRY WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT? GOD MY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WILL FIGHT TO STOP THE UNBORN CRY!

HAVE YOUR SAY

A NEW LIFE

KIRAN GAYATHRI Coming from a non-Christian background, people often ask me what it is that makes me love Jesus. I tell them that the very idea of God coming down to earth as a man and going through all that pain and humiliation for me so that I could be reunited with him simply captivated my imagination and captured my heart.

I discovered him quite accidentally (although I have come to realize that nothing with God is accidental). I started going to church because a family friend of ours had a very handsome son and this was an opportunity to see him.

I soon realized, however, that although I might enter church feeling one way, I’d leave it feeling another way altogether, and this had nothing to do with the young man I thought I was there for. The presence of God and the sense of peace that filled me would often overwhelm me to the point of tears.

It has been two years now since I’ve discovered Jesus and it has changed my life completely. I am a new person— in him and because of him. Looking back I cannot say that I was happy or even content with life or myself.

Bad relationships and other events in my life had made me sad, bitter and angry. I didn’t think this would change no matter how many people told me that time healed everything, neither did I think I would. But I changed, and in more ways than one. And through the process, God changed my family as well, as he helped us through some very difficult moments, touching and blessing us more than we had ever hoped for. I love Jesus and all that he stands for in my life and for people like me, and what I would like to do more than anything else now is give something back in return for all that I have received. I hope this magazine will give me some opportunities.

I was very happy to hear about PATHFINDER, as I believe I will gain new insights about the faith that it is sure to provide. I would like to see the magazine addressing social, economical and political issues, hopefully in a manner that can be easily read by people of all ages and groups. And, at some point, to contribute to it too. n

YOU MADE MY DAY MARIA FRANCO

I LOOKED AT THE RAINBOW IN THE SKY AND EXCLAIMED TO GOD YOU MADE MY DAY! I LOOKED AT NATURE IN ALL ITS GLORY AND CRIED OUT IN JOY O LORD! YOU MADE MY DAY! I LOOKED AT THE STREAMS AND OCEANS, THE WATERFALLS, FLOWERS, BIRDS AND TREES AND UTTERED IN AWE O GOD! YOU MADE MY DAY! I LOOKED AT THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AROUND ME, MY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES AND REJOICED IN DELIGHT. O LORD! YOU MADE MY DAY! I FELT YOUR LOVE AND PROTECTION YOUR GRACE AND BLESSINGS UPON ME AND SANG IN PRAISE O JESUS ! YOU MADE MY DAY! WHEN YOUR SPIRIT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE YOUR WORD LORD, I WROTE THESE WORDS ON MY HEART YOU MADE MY DAY! GOD LOOKED AT ME IN REPLY AND SAID, EVERY TIME YOU PRAYED YOU MADE MY DAY! WHEN YOU LIFTED YOUR HEART IN THANKSGIVING TO ME YOU MADE MY DAY! WHEN YOU WERE SORRY FOR YOUR SINS AND SOUGHT FORGIVENESS YOU MADE MY DAY! WHEN YOU LENT A EAR TO A FRIEND IN NEED SHARED IN THE JOYS OF OTHERS YOU MADE MY DAY! WHEN YOU COMFORTED OTHERS AND TRIED TO EASE THEIR PAIN REACHED OUT TO THEM IN LOVE, CARE AND FRIENDSHIP YOU MADE MY DAY! ABOVE ALL, THE TIMES YOU SPREAD MY WORD TO ALL YOU ALWAYS MADE MY DAY!

PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

9

THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

“RETURN,YE BACKSLIDING CHILDREN, AND I WILL HEAL YOUR BACKSLIDINGS” (JEREMIAH 3:22, KJV)

BuckUp& GetBackUp MELODY LAILA

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THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

Before you start reading this article, ask yourself­—in all honesty—where you are in your personal walk with the Lord. One way you can do this is by evaluating the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life. Instead of growing, have you lost (in any degree) the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control that you once had in the Lord?

Have you temporarily lost your zeal and fervor for the Lord? Have you got caught up again in the cares of the world and all its lures?

If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, you are what is known as a “backslider”.

The word “backslide” means “to lapse morally or in the practice of religion” and “to revert to a worse condition” (MerriamWebster Dictionary).

By its very definition, we see two types of backsliders: one, those who have ‘lapsed’ (a temporary deviation or fall); and two, those who have reverted to a ‘worse’ condition than they were before.

At the very start of this feature, let me encourage you by telling you this simple fact: every single Christian has backslid to some degree, at some stage in their walk with God. This fact is well documented throughout Scripture (as we will see) and will also be attested to by any honest Christian. Another very important fact that we have to keep in your mind at all times is that the Lord understands!

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He loves us so intimately, he knows our heart and mind so minutely, that he is more than willing to forgive all and restore all. In fact, this article is one of the ways he is reaching out to you right now, waiting, longing, yearning for you to come back to him.

Are you feeling guilty that you backslid? Guilt is not from the Lord, but rather from the evil one! Has someone judged you harshly because you’ve backslid? Some people try to condemn backsliders using the Scripture passage in Luke 9:62 where Jesus says, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” However, all that verse is really saying is that if we are in ministry, we should have our eyes and heart focused on the Lord and not on the world.

So take courage! Jesus would never consign any backslider out of his kingdom. One, because he understands our human weaknesses.

Two, because he desires that each and every person repents and freely attains the salvation that he purchased for us with his precious holy blood on the cross.

These facts are clearly visible to us in Luke 15 where Jesus tell us the parable of one of the most infamous backsliders in the Bible, the Prodigal Son, who left his father and all that was good, to pursue a life in the world

and in the flesh. Like his father in the parable, our heavenly Father too is waiting with open arms to restore to us our inheritance and rightful place in his kingdom as his sons and daughters.

The first step the Prodigal Son took towards restoration was admitting to himself that he had done wrong and needed to go back to his father and repent. Any de-addiction center will tell you that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Having admitted that you are a backslider, you have completed the first step, so take courage that you’re already on your way up!

If you’re reading this with a heart of repentance, desiring to get back to where the Lord wants you to be, it means that you’re already turning towards the light that is the Lord. As Scripture tells us, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8), which means the Lord is drawing near to you too at this very moment!

As you read on, you will see several examples of people in the Bible who have backslid, but gone ahead to becoming “great” in God’s sight.

Take a moment now, before you continue reading about the holy men of God who backslid, to tell God that this is what you earnestly desire with all your heart—to come back to him and to do what is good in his sight.

THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

DAVID

David was just a young shepherd “tending his father’s flocks” when the Lord called and anointed him (through Samuel, the prophet at the time) to be king over all of Israel. Before he became king though, he was subjected to great trials, mostly at the hands of his predecessor, King Saul, who often tried to kill him. During this time of tribulation David remained true to God.

When he was finally crowned he became one of the most successful kings in the history of Israel—the first to make Israel an independent state.

However, after a while we see David backsliding badly. We see him being lazy and not doing the ministry he was anointed for (2 Sam 11:1), then coveting his neighbor’s wife (2 Sam 11:2) before committing adultery with her (2 Sam 11:4), and finally going to the extent of committing murder (2 Sam.11:15). Yet, this is the same man of whom God says, “David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart” (1 Sam 13:14).

How can this be? It is because, despite his many sins, when confronted by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12), David came clean.

How did David deal with his backsliding?

1. He confessed his wrongdoings.

2. He asked for forgiveness.

3. He accepted the consequences of his sin.

How did God respond to David?

Not only did God forgive David his sins—“The Lord on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die” (2 Samuel 13:13)—he also granted him the immense honor of being a direct ancestor of his Son, Jesus. “Of this man’s (David’s) seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus” (Acts 13:23).

So we see God not only forgiving, but also exalting David to a position so high, all generations would honor him!

SAMSON

Samson was another man anointed by God. His birth was announced to his mother by an angel who declared that Samson would be a man set apart to God from birth and who would deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistine enemies (see Judges 13:3-5).

And, indeed, Samson did grow as a very special person “and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him” (Judges 13:24-25). Endowed with tremendous strength, Samson performed great feats, often singlehandedly defeating his enemy. But then, we see Samson’s downward spiral as his passions overtake him. He lusts after a Philistine woman he meets one day and disregarding his parents advice he insists on taking the woman as his wife (Judges 14:1-4).

Later on we are told he lies with a prostitute (Judges 16:1) and still later on falls in love with a conniving woman, Delilah, who would betray him into the hands of the Philistines. Taken into captivity he is tortured, his eyes gouged out, and then used by the enemy as a source of “entertainment” (Judges 16:4-21).

How did Samson deal with his backsliding?

1. He turned back to the Lord. “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me”” (Judges 16:28).

2. He was not afraid of giving up his life and did so in grand style as he pulled the temple down on his enemies (Judges16:30).

How did God respond to Samson?

God not only gave Samson back his strength so that he could pull down the temple of the enemy and destroy all the people in it, but he also blessed Samson with an honorable burial as he was laid to rest among his own people (Judges 16:31).

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THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

JONAH

Jonah was a man who knew God (Jonah 4:2). He also knew and understood God’s word well enough for the Lord to command him to go and preach repentance to the city of Nineveh so that they could be spared the Lord’s wrath.

Jonah, however, had different ideas and began his backsliding by refusing to do the will of God. Despite clearly hearing the Lord tell him to do something he rebelled. God told him to preach repentance to the Ninevites; he got into a boat headed in the opposite direction! Because of his disobedience and willful rebellion, not only did he put his own life in danger, he jeopardized the lives of fellow travelers as well. Finally thrown overboard to stop the raging storm, Jonah is swallowed by a great fish and only then does he cry out to the Lord.

How did Jonah deal with his backsliding?

1. He cried out to the Lord for help. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry” (Jonah 2:1).

2. He acknowledged that apart from God there is no grace “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:8).

3. He promised to make restitution for his wrongdoing. “What I have vowed I will make good” (Jonah 2:9).

How did God respond to Jonah?

God spared Jonah’s life. Immediately after Jonah prayed, we see that “the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (Jonah 2:10). But God not only spared Jonah’s life, he gave the prophet a second chance to do what he had to do (Jonah 3:1). He did not look at Jonah’s past record, but at his potential.

Jonah subsequently went on to preach to the entire city of Nineveh, which also turned back in repentance. God had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

PETER

Simon was one of the twelve men Jesus chose to be his closest friends on earth.

Jesus himself renamed him Cephas (both Cephas [Aramaic] and Peter [Greek] mean rock). He walked with the Lord throughout his ministry. He witnessed all the miracles, healing, signs and wonders first hand. Along with the other eleven he was given “power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases, to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2) and he did go through the towns, preaching and healing in the name of Jesus (Luke 9:6). He was with Jesus through it all.

Yet, when the Lord needed him the most—Jesus had even told him that he was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mt 26:38)—Peter found himself unable to support him in prayer. Subsequently, Peter went on to disown Jesus to save his own life.

How did Peter deal with his backsliding?

1. He repented of his sins. We are told he “wept bitterly” (Mt 26:75).

2. He affirmed his love for Jesus when he met Jesus after his resurrection and vowed to do all that Jesus asked of him (John 21:15-17).

How did God respond to Peter?

When Jesus renamed Simon he told him, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). This was a heavy responsibility! Even though Peter went on to betray him, Jesus did not revoke this decree. He knew that Peter had repented from his heart and he never let Peter feel less than worthy for the position. Jesus also further revealed to Peter how he would spend the rest of his life and end it glorifying God through his death (Luke 21:19).

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THE BACKSLIDER’S GUIDE

CONCLUSION

If you haven’t got it already the point is that the Lord loves you!

Perhaps like David and Samson you’ve turned away from the Lord and fallen for the temptations of the world or the flesh.

Perhaps, like Jonah and Peter, you’ve not done what the Lord has asked you to do, not realizing that apart from the Lord you can do nothing.

Perhaps, like the prophet Jeremiah said, you’ve forsaken the Lord and tried other sources to find happiness, only to realize that any source apart from the Lord is imperfect. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

Whatever the reason is, the Lord is speaking to you now. “Come back!” he says. And just as he said to Israel through the prophet he says to you: Return, faithless __________ (insert your name here), says the Lord.

I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, says the Lord; I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the Lord your God, and scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, and have not obeyed my voice, says the Lord.

Return, O __________ (insert your name here), says the Lord, for I am your master.

These are the words of the Lord who, as you are reading this, is imploring you to turn to him and acknowledge your guilt before him, even as he assures you that he will “cure” you from the “sickness” of backsliding. n

PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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LIGHTER SIDE

SHH!

A Catechism teacher asked her children as they were on their way to Mass, “Why is it important to be quiet in church?”

One bright spark replied, “Because people are sleeping.”

A LEAF OUT OF A BOOK A little boy opened the family Bible and looked at the old pages as he turned them.

Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible.

He picked it up and looked at an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages.

“Mama, look what I found,” the boy called out.

“What do you have, dear?” his mother asked.

With amazement in his voice, the boy replied, “I think it’s Adam’s suit!”

GETTING IT RIGHT

A father who was trying to read a magazine was being bothered by his little daughter, Jane. So he took a sheet out of his magazine, where the map of the world was printed. He tore it into small pieces, gave it to Jane, and said, “Go into the other room and try to put this together.”

In a few minutes, Jane came back and gave him the map correctly fixed together. The father was very surprised and asked how she had finished so fast.

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“Oh”, she said. “On the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got Jesus in place, then the world came out all right.”

BARF BOX

A nine year old girl was in church with her mother when she started feeling sick. “Mommy” she said “Can we leave now?”

“No” her mother replied.

“Well, I think I have to throw up!”

“Then go out through the front door to the back of the church and throw up behind a bush.”

In two minutes the little girl came back to her seat.

“Did you throw up?” her mother asked.

“Yes” the girl replied.

“How could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and return so fast?”

“I didn’t have to go out of the church, Mommy” the little girl replied, “They have a box next to the front door that says ‘for the sick’.”

HUSH NOW!

Eight-year-old Simone and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had enough.

“You’re not supposed to talk out loud in church.”

“Why? Who’s going to stop me?” Joel asked.

Simone pointed to the back of the church and said, “See

those two men standing by the door? They’re hushers!!!”

DELIVERANCE

A mother had been teaching her three-year old daughter to say the Lord’s Prayer at bedtime. She would repeat after her mother. Finally, she decided to say it alone. Her mother listened with pride as she carefully pronounced each word, right up to the end of the prayer: “Lead us not into temptation,” she prayed, “but deliver us some E-mail. Amen.”

BOEING 747

Bernie asked her Catechism class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories.

She was confused with Kevin’s picture, which showed four people on an airplane. So, she asked him which story it was.

“The flight to Egypt,” said Kevin.

“Ahh. That must be Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus,” Ms. Bernie said. “But who’s the fourth person?”

“Oh, that’s Pontius - the Pilot.”

TRADING PLACES

After Mass one Sunday, a little boy called Sam suddenly announced to his mother, “Mom, I’ve decided to become a priest when I grow up.”

“That’s okay with us Sam, but what made you decide that?”

“Well,” said Sam, “I’ll have to go to Church on Sunday anyway, and I think it will be more fun to stand up and talk than to sit and listen.

GETTING INTO HEAVEN

A teacher asked the children in her Sunday School class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?”

“No,” all the children all answered.

“If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into heaven?”

Again, the answer was a resounding “No!” “Well,” she asked, “Then how can I get to heaven?”

In the back of the room, a five-year-old boy shouted out, “You gotta be dead!”

DRAWING GOD

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew.

She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s artwork. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “But no one knows what God looks like.”

Without missing a beat the little girl replied, “They will in a minute.”

LOVE & LIFE

LOVE & LIFE

Our deepest need is to be loved. God created us in love, to love him and love our neighbor.

(Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27, Matthew 22:37-39). Yet we experience so much pain in our lives—the pain of rejection, the pain of loneliness, the pain of abandonment, the painful effects of personal and social sin, the pain of broken relationships and/or the pain of losing someone we have deeply loved.

What happened to love in God’s loving plan for each of us? Does such love truly exist? Can one ever be healed and made whole again in the midst of pain and sin? Is love possible in a difficult relationship or after a broken relationship? Can we love one another in a dysfunctional family? Can we ever really learn to love?

Troubling questions, but fortunately all of them can be answered with a resounding YES! However, it requires a state of heart, mind and soul that is willing to journey through pain, while learning, understanding and changing into our God-selves, filled with grace to give and receive true love—the Spirit of God (Romans 5:5).

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God planned each of us with care (Jeremiah 1:5), with a unique identity and a unique purpose for our lives here on earth. The only true journey of love is one that transforms us into this unique loving and fulfilled person, our “God-self”, sustained by his love, serving his kingdom. It necessarily involves being in communion with him, but also involves being in communion with others chosen for us by him in committed bonds of friendship that fulfill our human needs.

If we have chosen to trust that God has intended this deep fulfillment for our lives here on earth, we live in expectation of his grace and guidance within us to lead us, to hold us in loving care through every traumatic experience or pain that is transforming us into the unique persons he has created us to be.

Each one’s journey then, would be different, individual, depending on one’s life situations, past experiences and ability to surrender to God. But, each one of us is called, and that is our joy and hope. Joy, because it leads us to deep peace and wholeness within ourselves. Hope, because there is healing of brokenness, broken relationships and a building of loving relationships with those around us.

To follow is a series of articles, derived from my own journey of experiencing healing and wholeness with God’s love, with those he has chosen to share the love experiences of my life. I will explore the various facets transforming a loving heart, mind and soul that are an essential part of the God-self transformation. For this, I rely heavily on a beautiful book “Yielding to Love” by Fr. Michael Fallon.

In this book, Fr. Michael Fallon has spelt out the state of mind and heart that enhances the experience of a deep communion of love with God and others. In turn, he has drawn from the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, two sixteenth century Spanish saints.

God loves us, and he has given us his grace to sustain us through every trauma in our lives. Growing in deeper communion with him is the way to reach deep fulfillment in a life lived for his purpose because he provides abundantly!

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Seeking True Love Each one of us searches for deep fulfilling love. Each one of us seeks to understand our lives more deeply.

Yet, more often than not, we either feel unfulfilled in our hearts or don’t understand enough. Nothing in our humanness can promise that we can achieve either—no matter how hard we try in our own strength, we will fail.

We can keep looking for the perfect love, but there will always be something unfulfilling or unacceptable. We can keep trying to understand, but there will always be something we cannot, no matter how intelligent we think we are.

So then, what makes it possible to rise above this human striving? If I set this as my goal, how do I get to where love is truly fulfilling and understanding truly occurs?

First, we choose to embark on a journey seeking true love and understanding as our destination.

This journey, however, cannot be a self-planned one. It can only happen in communion with God, seeking him with all our heart through prayer and intimacy. Our journey then becomes a God-planned one. Making this basic shift within us is a life-changing experience.

The pressure is off oneself to envision a self-designed ambition—instead we are now following God’s way. He leads us towards an abundance of life and love more than we could ever imagine on our own (Jeremiah 29:11‑13). It is his promise.

When two people are in love they want to know about each other, spend more time together, want to do everything together. The whole experience is a sharing of love and joy.

In times when one of them is in pain, the other’s love and concern is a solace, a healing that further deepens their intimacy. This should be our relationship with God in prayer, sharing our joys and pain, feeling his intimate love for us as he listens to us and pays heed to our needs. In turn, we listen to him, following his will and guidance for us in every step we take. Fr. Michael calls these experiences of loving communion “sacred encounters.” Every sacred encounter is a communion with God, and is what we call prayer.

Yet, does every loving encounter or fulfillment happen only with God? God has made us human beings with human needs and desires, and God seeks to fulfill us in our human needs too, here on earth. Our human needs include our need for food, for shelter, for relationship and also for physical intimacy. Yes God provides for us, when we belong to his kingdom. When he is Lord and King of our lives, he provides us the joy of loving family and friends.

When we are close to God, we are drawn to others who are also close to God and have experienced sacred encounters of their own. This common background helps us develop bonds of deep love, understanding and trust with each other. We support one another in distress; care for each other’s needs, and provide godly love when the other is in pain. Experiencing such bonding, our immediate family members learn to love and give and are drawn close to God. Slowly, but surely, they too are converted in their hearts and minds to seek love and understanding from God on how to be loving people. This experience forms the basis in changing dysfunctional family situations.

We need sacred encounters with God in prayer. We need a lovecommunion with God that helps us harness love energy for every human situation—the normal and the dysfunctional. We need God. n

References: Fallon Michael, MSC (2005); Yielding to Love, St. Paul’s Publications, Strathfield, NSW 2135, Reprint 2011, St. Pauls, Mumbai 400050, India New American Bible (1986); Catholic Bible Association, USA

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

The Carpenter’s Cross is a gospel music opera based on the story of Jesus as told through the eyes of the carpenter who made the cross on which he hung. Written and directed by Alfwold Silveira, and produced by Holy Spirit Interactive, this opera is being performed in three major parishes in the UAE for the first time. Here is an exclusive interview with the director.

MARK D’SILVA

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COVER STORY

“Creativity starts to flow when you start creating,” are the words that stayed with me long after a delightful conversation with Alfwold Silveira, fondly addressed by all as Alfie. Of the many pearls of wisdom he imparted that afternoon, gleaned from years of experience in interacting with people— spiritually, professionally and socially— those words stood out as I began putting our interview on paper.

Alfie is a man with his head in the clouds, but whose feet are firmly planted on the ground of faith.

Originally born and bred in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), he is now settled in Goa with his wife Myrtle and their two daughters. With a genial, affectionate, honest, forthright and humorous disposition, Alfie is a prominent and well known figure within the church, particularly amongst the youth. He has a flourishing career as an RJ with All India Radio (AIR) presenting various genres of music that appeal to the young and old. When not on AIR, he can be found conducting theatrical works shops or corporate team building exercises. He also comperes events and social gatherings. With an avid interest in music, theatre and the performing arts, he performs every now and again as a musician and vocalist. If this is not enough, he indulges in his passion of directing, composing and playwriting for stage productions like The Carpenter’s Cross, which was recently performed in Goa. He was in Dubai, as he happily described it, “on spiritual, evangelical work,” to share his experiences in music and theatre, and galvanize local talent in staging another production of The Carpenter’s Cross. “Although we did look at the possibility of bringing

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the entire cast who performed in Goa to Dubai, I always felt that it is better if the performers are from the existing community. The Carpenter’s Cross is the story of Jesus from the perspective of the carpenter who made the cross upon which Jesus died.” He also pointed to the play on words as Jesus is sometimes referred to as “The Carpenter King.”

The story is entirely—and engagingly— told through music, song and dance in the popular form of Gospel Rock Opera influenced by other well known musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar. On inquiring why he chose to use this medium, he replied with his endearing smile, “It combines two of my passions, theatre and music. If I am composing something on my own, why not combine both my passions.” He added, “The basic premise of the play came to me five years ago and that’s when I started composing it.

I’ve always wanted it to be an opera.”

ROCK N ROLL

As a member of the cast and privy to its rehearsals I noticed that the opera featured a variety of musical genres.

Alfie explained. “People initially expect something classical like Vivaldi whenever they think of opera and find themselves pleasantly surprised when they discover that the music in The Carpenter’s Cross is very different. In fact, most of it is Rock. I use the term Rock, because it is all encompassing.

You have classic rock, jazz rock, hard rock and soft rock, besides (a naughty school boy grin appears) the igneous and metamorphic rocks that we studied about in geology. There are a quite a few other genres too. These genres came about because of what I was trying to

portray. It’s not that I started composing and suddenly got a swing beat or a samba beat and decided to use it. No! A lot of thought went into it. The High Priests, for instance, seemed to have a lot of power in Jesus’ time. However, it seemed to me that they were actually quite stuck. They had to either fulfill their ambitions or fulfill the wishes of the people. The genre they sing in is a combination of Blues and Reggae, which is a brand of music originally made by people who were oppressed.

For the song Hosanna, which is sung during Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, I wanted the characters to dance and welcome Jesus with heart, mind and soul. A vibrant samba is what came to mind. I gave King Herod, who was a bit of a peacock, a West Coast Swing to show off, while Judas got a Rock Ballad as he prepared to kill himself. Ditto, the Last Supper.”

Having just received an education on the various genres of music and rocks, I was interested in knowing more about what his influences were. “A lot of it is passion and now some of it has converted itself into a professional aspect. I was part of a theatre group in Mumbai. We used to put up a lot of plays in our parish, but I always wanted to give them a different perspective, so I started writing scripts myself. A few of them were staged. One was a play called Two of a Kind that I hope to be able to stage some time, either in India or Dubai. Now I conduct theatre workshops and share whatever knowledge I have garnered over the years. For me knowledge not shared is wasted. I use this knowledge to inject a love of theatre in the hearts and minds of people, especially youngsters.

I love working with the youth. I found

COVER STORY

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that theatre is also a viable medium to address social issues. Often, friends of my daughters who participate in theatre festivals or competitions come to me for scripts. It’s then that I address a social issue through a script; it’s a good way to communicate. Music is all around us.

I hear it in nature. I play music, conduct the choir in church and am also a radio jockey, so I’m in touch with different genres of music from rap to reggae and rock-n-roll. I’m surrounded by theatre and music to the extent that it has become such an integral part of me I am incomplete without it. The family is very supportive. We all sing at our prayer meetings and in the chapel for mass.

People have suggested that the Silveira family should start a band, but I believe that family singing should only be for the Lord. Where professional singing is concerned, I do that occasionally. I also perform as a solo artist back home.”

On being asked if he had cut any records, he replied with a selfdeprecating laugh, “I did start my singing career with the intention of bringing out an album. I had written quite a few secular songs that I felt would be received very well. However, things changed over time. I felt the talents I had were God-given so I wanted to use them for his benefit rather than my own, hoping to grow his kingdom. I felt that if the songs I composed could touch the hearts and lives of people and help them to draw closer to God and to each other I would have achieved much more than any commercial success I would have obtained through a successful album. Through my songs I also express my faith, and there is tremendous satisfaction in that as well.

True, there not be as much monetary gain, but if I can gain a few more souls

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for the Lord that is something far more precious to me than silver or gold.”

After I had pondered the sincerity with which he expressed his selflessness I asked him about his experiences with youth, since he did a lot of work with them. They also formed the bulk of the cast on The Carpenter’s Cross. Was the opera targeted mainly at them or was he expecting to influence a far wider demographic?

ALL ARE WELCOME

“It started with the intention of reaching out to young adults by involving them in all aspects of production from singing and dancing to acting and backstage work, which many people don’t realize is a very important aspect of theatre.

Research had shown me that a lot of the apostles, apart from some like Peter, were quite young, so youngsters were a perfect fit for their roles. However, I have a longstanding practice of never turning away anybody who wants to use their talent and time to serve God. If they want to serve God, who am I to stop them? I only reserve the right to guide them in whether their strengths lie in—so when people of other age groups, including children, starting showing up at casting, I began taking them in. And then I began taking those who came with them as well.

“It began when I invited a set of parents to be part of the opera. They had come to see their children practice and I noticed that their feet were tapping to the music, quite obviously enjoying what was going on. After I saw their enthusiasm, it changed my approach to casting. I take everyone who comes, be it 50 people or 500 people, and fit them in. My operas are not rigid. Yes, you need the main cast where the roles are

fixed, but there are plenty of positions that can be filled. Age is not a barrier either. I can use anybody from 5 years old to 50 year old—and older—and use them at the age they are.

During rehearsals, Alfie has plenty of gyan to give. “I am not bothered if there is no one in the audience,” he tells his performers. “You are also the people the opera is targeted at, and if you get the message the purpose is served.”

This understanding helps in a better performance. “We were doing a play many years ago,” he explained, “And my spiritual director who was present at a rehearsal made a statement I never forgot. He said, “You cannot give something you do not have”.

“Actors cannot convey the message of the play if they have not received and understood the message themselves.

Therefore I place a lot of emphasis on educating the actors. If they get it, they can give it. And when they give it, others will get it. And they do.” He spoke of how many people’s lives were changed after watching the opera, including those who had never heard of Christ.

DRAMA AT MASS

A staunch Catholic, Alfie spoke about the correlation between Holy Mass and drama. “There is drama in everything.

Leave aside the grand sacrifice of the Eucharist, which is a reenactment of the greatest role ever played, everything in the Mass has elements of drama.

There is music and singing. There is the proclamation of the Word. There are different forms of movement as people sit, kneel and stand. There is a gamut of expression. It is theater at its best, because everyone is a participant in a genuine expression of love for God, who is the “audience of one””.

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COVER STORY

He inspires his cast to treat the opera in a similar manner. “No matter how large the audience in the theater is, do your best for the all important “audience of one.” Show him how much you have understood his love for you, and how much you reciprocate it, and let it all be visible in everything you do on the stage.”

GOING GLOBAL

The Carpenter’s Cross has been staged six times in India to date. There are three performances scheduled in the UAE in the parishes of Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. News of the opera has been spreading rapidly and interest is being shown from other parts of the world.

It all helps in spreading the Word, and excited by the prospect Alfie says, “The Lord’s presence is everywhere. There is now a great hunger and curiosity by many people to get to know Gods word and so many other lovely aspects of our faith.”

What else can we expect from Alfie in the near future?

“Before The Carpenter’s Cross was staged in Goa, we had staged a Broadway musical called Godspell, which is based on the gospel of Mathew. The play lends itself to adaptation and has plenty of guitar driven tracks very reminiscent of the 70’s. We adapted it to incorporate local colloquial terms that made the play very endearing to its audience. It helped the people of the region connect with the play. Creativity starts to flow when you start creating. Now that Holy Spirit Interactive has launched a youth ministry, Aneel Aranha (founder of HSI, which is producing the play in the UAE) and I are very keen that Godspell be the next production as it would be the ideal vehicle for youth and young adults to put on a show. Having said that, it is not restricted to members of the ministry (or to the youth) although, quite obviously, if you are part of the ministry, the whole exercise becomes more meaningful because there is a common vision.”

He suddenly darts off into a side road. “The Holy Spirit is everywhere,” he says. “He has met me over cups of tea, over noodles, over vada pav (a popular Indian snack). Yes, eating food is also a spiritual experience. It has been prepared with love and care by

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someone and their energy, which we consume. There is a connectivity. Very often we do not meet the chefs who prepare our food in restaurants, but we are connected to them because their heart and soul has gone into the preparation and creation of the meals.

Everything is a creation and all are gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is very present even while we are eating, and I’ve experienced that.”

Reverting to the subject of forthcoming projects, he speaks of AD 2019, an opera about the Holy Spirit, a subject hugely neglected in theater and film. “The Holy Spirit is a very dramatic and fascinating character from a theatrical perspective.

We are in the era of the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament stars God the Father, the Gospels in the New Testament stars the Son. But the main role in the Acts of the Apostles and everything that has followed since then is played by the Holy Spirit.

We need to make him known to people and I intend doing that through this play, putting a creative spin on the subject and injecting it with humor.”

Also in the pipeline is a musical titled Chosen, based on the life of the apostles, but set in the modern age, as though Jesus were living in our midst today as he did 2000 years ago. He is writing and developing this project with his dear friend Clifford Sequeira who played the role of High Priest, Caiphaus in Goa.

THE FAMILY

Alfie believes his involvement in ministry

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

is because of his family.

“The family that prays together fosters a sense of togetherness and a building up of spirituality. The concept of the church is a family. This is something I discovered long back. I had a close relation to the church for different reasons predominantly through music and the youth choir.”

He credits a big spurt in his faith to Pope John Paul II who visited Mumbai in 1986. The church youth had worked for weeks decorating the streets and making preparations for a youth rally as a greeting to the Pope. At this rally every member of the youth had to read a pledge committing their lives to God. He says something happened as he read the pledge; something snapped within him and he was unable to move for three hours. He jokes that Sachin Tendulkar’s playing career and his spiritual career began in the same year at the same grounds of Shivaji Park, where he saw the pope. Following this incredible experience he began going for daily mass. He started playing the guitar and introduced an all-boys choir to compete with the all-girls choir in the parish. (He eventually married the choir leader, and presumably declared a truce!) Blessed with organizational skills he got involved with numerous youth activities within the church, managing sports festivals and fashion shows.

Many years later, when he was on vacation, he happened to be flicking through TV stations, looking at the varied spiritual fare on offer, not all Catholic, when the Holy Spirit spoke to him again. He returned home, determined to try something new, and when he received simultaneous, but independent invitations to direct a play, he knew he was doing the right thing. Resurrection Song was the result.

Bolstered by its success, he went on to do more a more ambitious project, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Then there was no looking back.

But theater was not the only thing that held him. With his deep love for music matched with his deeper love for Jesus, Alfie felt it would be wonderful

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to put up a gospel rock concert.

However, rather than invite church choirs to perform, he thought it would be good to have secular musicians sing gospel songs. Goa was filled with talented musicians and if they could be convinced to sing for Jesus, they would surely make great music.

It was another inspiration from heaven. The first show of Praise Adonai was a tremendous success, and fourteen more shows followed over the years, including one in Dubai. As with most such ventures, Praise Adonai was always aligned with a noble cause. The aim was never to make a profit, but to have a fund to arrange similar projects.

The surplus funds were always donated to charity.

The music from Praise Adonai came in useful in Alfie’s radio show called Spiritual Sunrise. Aired on weekends, the show offered spiritual, theological and social perspectives on the Sunday Gospel, interspersed with music from the Praise Adonai shows. In parallel he produced a television show called Spirituality with his spiritual director Fr. Raymond.

Over the course of the afternoon I had learned a great deal about the man seated in front of me; that he was far more than a singer, songwriter, musician, composer, director, radio jockey, compere, emcee, event organizer, social worker, youth ministry facilitator, husband and parent. He was practically an institution, sharing his gifts and talents as generously as he had received them. As we ended our conversation, he left me with a parting gem, “We are all blessed with gifts,” he said. “Some of us have already identified them. Some of us need others to tell us what they are. If we use these gifts to glorify the Lord, we will bring heaven down to earth.” n PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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DISCOVERING SCRIPTURE

DISCOVERING SCRIPTURE

INSPIRED BY GOD’S SPIRIT God’s Holy Spirit is very eager to reveal and to communicate God’s word to all human beings. Catholic Christians believe that the Spirit does this in two ways, in a living transmission (called Tradition), and in writing (called the Bible): “The Church does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Bible alone. Hence, both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence” (Dei Verbum, 9).

Whereas the literalist or fundamentalist approach of some Christian churches accepts private interpretations of the texts of the Bible, the Second Vatican Council teaches Catholics that the Spirit has entrusted “the task of authentically interpreting the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, only to the living teaching office (magisterium) of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ” (DV, 10).

In order to understand this better, we must go back to the times of Jesus. The Spirit gave birth to the Church on Pentecost Sunday (approx. 30 AD), and empowered it to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But for its first 35-40 years, this new-born Church had no written Gospel! What the early Christians had was only the Good News of Jesus Christ alive in the memories of the apostles and first disciples.

FR. FIO MASCARENHAS

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DISCOVERING SCRIPTURE

So the Spirit ensured that these chosen people passed it on faithfully, by word of mouth, from believer to believer and from community to community (“oral tradition”). Paul insisted, “I hand on to you first of all what I myself received, that Christ died for our sins …” (1 Co 15:3; see also 11:23). The Greek word used here by Paul is “paredoka,” in Latin: “tradition.” He, therefore, often exhorted the early Christians: “Hold fast to the traditions (“paradoseis”) you received from us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Th 2:15).

During those early years of Christianity, with no written New Testament available as yet, the apostles would travel from place to place, and establish new local communities. There they celebrated the Eucharist weekly, and using the wisdom given them by the Spirit, set up its liturgical rites and customs, inculturating them in the local culture and language, etc. Therefore, the liturgies and customs of the several early churches were not uniform but different from one another, depending on whether they were located in Asia Minor, or Africa, or Europe. In this way, several disciplinary and liturgical traditions (concerning the morality of divorce, birth control, etc., and concerning the celebration of the sacraments) arose within early Christianity, all in keeping with Christ’s will. [Not all of this got recorded in the NT, since the purpose of the Gospels and Letters is not to serve as a “Christian encyclopedia” but to proclaim the Good News (kerygma) effectively. See Jn 20:30 and 21:25].

The Spirit thereafter inspired the Apostles to appoint bishops to lead these early churches, and it became the primary responsibility of these bishops, as successors of the apostles, to safeguard the genuine apostolic tradition regarding the life and teaching of Jesus. St. Paul wrote to the young bishop, Timothy: “The things which you have heard from me before many witnesses you must entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2; see also 1Tim 1:3‑7).

The Spirit eventually inspired the sacred authors (25-70 years later) to write down some Letters and all the four Gospels, and to have them circulated among the early Christians. God also guided the bishops of the early churches

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eventually to declare which writings faithfully conveyed the apostles’ teachings and which did not. The bishops gradually compiled the canon (authoritative list) of inspired writings, which became accepted as the written word of God for the whole Church. For example, the Spirit did not allow the “Gospel according to St. Thomas” and other such writings to be included in the list, but called them apocryphal (pious but not normative records about Jesus written actually in the third century!)

The final list of books as we have them in today’s Bible was drawn up by the Ecumenical Council of Carthage in 397 AD. [This “Christian Bible” was definitively completed and unanimously used by all Christians for the first 1500 years of Christianity; however, the leaders of the Protestant Reformation decided in 1540 to exclude seven OT books which were till then an undisputed part of the Greek Bible (“the Septuagint”). We must remember that it was the Greek Bible, rather than the Hebrew Bible, that the early Christians used.]

Whenever disputes arose within the Church about the meaning and proper interpretation of various scriptural texts, the Spirit inspired the bishops to call special meetings (synods, councils) to discuss and settle these points, just as the Council of Jerusalem had done earlier (“for it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden” – Acts 15:28). Many central doctrines of Christian belief (now contained in the Nicene Creed) were formulated at the first seven Ecumenical Councils (till 787 AD), a full 700 years before the Protestant Reformation declared its new principle, “Sola Scriptura” (scripture only).

Jesus himself said, “I have yet many things to say to you …when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (Jn 16:12, 13). The Church has always believed that this text is fulfilled in the teaching role of the bishops. The Second Vatican Council clarified that the magisterium of the bishops “is not superior to the word of God but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it; at the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit,

it listens to it devoutly, guards it scrupulously, and explains it faithfully; it draws from this deposit of faith all that it presents for belief as divinely revealed.

Therefore, sacred tradition, sacred scripture, and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God’s most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and altogether and each in its own way under the action of the Holy Spirit, contribute effectively to the salvation of souls” (DV, 10).

The Holy Spirit does not only desire to safeguard the integrity of the Word of God, he also wishes to make it very fruitful in the lives of the faithful! Hence, in recent years, the Spirit has inspired the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to encourage every Catholic Christian to read the word of God frequently and with devotion, declaring that the Bible is God’s gift to every disciple of Jesus Christ: “Such is the force and power of the word of God that it can serve the Church as her support and vigor, and the Church’s children as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life … So may it come about that by the reading and study of the sacred books, the treasure of revelation entrusted to the Church may more and more fill the hearts of all people. Just as from constant attendance at the Eucharistic mystery the life of the Church draws increase, so a new impulse of spiritual life may be expected from increased veneration of the word of God” (DV, 21, 26).

Let us rejoice that in the last 50 years, the Holy Spirit has brought about a tremendous revival of love for the Bible at the grass-roots level of the Church, leading to numerous publications on the Scriptures and to the formation of thousands of Bible-study groups. Through these, the Holy Spirit is bringing new strength and vitality to the Body of Christ. May the day soon come when each Catholic Christian can truthfully say, “I have made the word of God my ordinary book of daily spiritual reading and prayer!” n

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Getting It Right: The Foundation of Friendship EDWARD P SRI

LOVE & SEXUALITY

What can a celibate priest really teach us about love, sexuality, and relationships between men and women?

That’s the question a Polish priest, Fr. Karol Wojtyla, addressed in the introduction to his revolutionary book, Love and Responsibility.

Published in 1960, this book on sexual ethics was the fruit of Fr. Wojtyla’s extensive pastoral work with young people and his philosophical reflections on this topic while serving as a priest and university professor in Krakow—long before the world would come to know him as Pope John Paul II. In Love and Responsibility, Fr. Wojtyla argues that while a priest may lack direct experience in marriage and sexuality, he has something that gives him an even wider perspective on these matters: a broad “secondhand experience.” As a spiritual advisor who worked closely with many young adults and married couples amidst their struggles in love and sexuality, Fr. Wojtyla was able to draw from the experiences of a wide range of personalities, relationships, and marriages in a way that the average layman could not. Love and Responsibility is the fruit of this rich pastoral experience as well as his own philosophical and theological reflection on love, sex, and marriage.

A “GREAT BOOK”

Janet Smith, one of the leading teachers in America on Catholic sexual ethics, argues that Love and Responsibility is not just an important book, but that it should be recognized as one of the greatest works of Western Civilization. Right up there with Homer’s Iliad, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Augustine’s Confessions, we should expect to find Pope John Paul II’s Love and Responsibility on the list of the great books read around the world for centuries to come. She says, “I maintain that the Pope’s book belongs in this group, since I think generations to come will read his book—they certainly should do so, for if they do they will find that it boldly confronts questions we all have about life and offers a way of viewing human relationships which, if accepted, would radically alter the way in which we conduct our lives.”[1] Indeed, Love and Responsibility provides insights on male-female relationships that are truly life-transforming—and desperately needed today. Growing up in the aftermath of the sexual revolution, the younger generation is hungering for any wise guidance they can get on how to navigate their relationships with the opposite sex. Single people, engaged couples, and married spouses alike will find in Love and Responsibility not only a very different perspective from what the world tends to offer, but a view that, once encountered, cannot help but have a positive impact on the way we relate to one another.

In this short series of articles, my goals are modest. I do not intend to offer an academic analysis of this book or enter scholarly debate about sexual ethics. Rather, I simply aim at making some of the insights

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from this challenging philosophical work more accessible to the average lay reader and offering some of my own reflections along the way with the hope that readers may benefit from the Pope’s vision for love and sexuality and find personal application for their own lives.

THE PERSONALIST PRINCIPLE

The Pope’s first major task in Love and Responsibility is to lay out what he calls the “personalist principle.” According to this foundational principle for human relationships, “a person must not be merely the means to an end for another person” (p. 26). In other words, we should never treat the people in our lives as mere instruments to achieving our own purposes.

Pope John Paul II explains why this is so. Human persons are capable of self-determination. Unlike animals that act according to their instincts and appetites, persons can act deliberately. Through self-reflection, persons can choose a course of action for themselves and assert their “inner self” to the outside world through their choices. To treat a human person merely as an instrument for my own purposes is to violate the dignity of the person as a self-determining being. “[E]very person is by nature capable of determining his or her aims. Anyone who treats a person as the means to an end does violence to the very essence of the other” (pp. 26-27).

LOVING OR USING?

What makes it difficult to live out this basic principle for human relationships is the spirit of utilitarianism that pervades our society. In this view, the best human actions are those that are most useful. And what is useful is what maximizes my pleasure and comfort and minimizes my pain. The underlying assumption is that happiness consists in pleasure. Therefore, I should always pursue whatever brings me comfort, advantage, and benefit, and avoid whatever may cause me suffering, disadvantage, and loss.

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This utilitarian view affects the way we relate to one another. If my main goal in life is to pursue my own pleasure, then I weigh my choices in life in light of how much they lead me to this goal. Hence, many people today— even good Christians—may evaluate a relationship in terms of how useful a person is for me to achieve my goals or how much “fun” I have with this person.

Pope John Paul II says that once these utilitarian attitudes are adopted, we begin to reduce the people in our lives to objects of use for our own pleasure (p. 37).

This helps explain why many friendships and “dating” relationships (and even marriages) today are so fragile and so easily dissolved. If I value a woman only insofar as she is advantageous for me to know or only to the extent that I derive some pleasure from being with her, then there is not much of a foundation for the relationship. As soon as I cease to experience pleasure or benefit from my time with her—or as soon as I can find more pleasure or benefit with someone else—she no longer is valuable to me. This view is quite far from the personalist principle and even farther from a relationship of committed love.

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Here, it may be helpful to mention the different kinds of friendship according to Aristotle, whom the Pope cites in his discussion of love.[2] For Aristotle, there are three kinds of friendship based on three kinds of affection that unite people. First, in a friendship of utility, the affection is based on the benefit or use the friends derive from the relationship.

Each person gets something out of the friendship that is to his advantage, and the mutual benefit of the relationship is what unites the two people.

For example, many workrelated friendships fall under this category. Let’s say Bob owns a construction company in Boston. He has a

friendship with Sam in San Francisco because Sam sells the kind of nails that Bob needs at the best price. For their business exchanges, Bob and Sam see each other a few times a year, talk on the phone about once a week, and email each other regularly. Over the years of doing business together, they have learned about each other’s careers, families, and interests. They get along together well and sincerely wish each other all the best in life. They are friends, but what unites them is the particular benefit they each receive from the friendship: nails for Bob and sales for Sam.

Second, in a pleasant friendship the basis of affection is the pleasure one gets out of the relationship. One sees the friend as a cause of some pleasure for himself. This friendship is primarily about “having fun together.” The friends may listen to the same music, play the same sport, enjoy the same form of exercise, live in the same dormitory, or like to hang out at the same nightclub.

The two people may sincerely care about each other and wish each other well in life, but what unites them as friends is primarily the pleasure or “good times” they experience together.

FRAGILE FOUNDATIONS

Aristotle notes that while the useful and pleasant friendships are basic forms of friendship, they do not represent friendship in the fullest sense. Useful and pleasant friendships are not necessarily bad but they

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are the most fragile. They are the least likely to stand the test of time because when the mutual benefits or “fun times” no longer exist, there is nothing left to unite the two people.

For example, if Sam leaves the nail selling business to go sell books, what will happen to his friendship with Bob now that he no longer sells the nails Bob needs? Sam and Bob may still exchange Christmas cards and emails every once in a while, but since they no longer need to communicate regularly for their business transactions, their friendship most likely will begin to dissolve. The relationship is no longer mutually useful.

Similarly, in the pleasant friendship, when one person’s interests change or they move away and are no longer around to share “good times,” the friendship is likely to fade. This helps explain why friendships among young people shift so often. As they move from high school to college to the professional world, they mature and their interests, values, moral convictions, and geographical locations tend to undergo many changes. If their friendships in these transitional years are not based on something more profound than simply the fact that they happened to live in the same dorm, play the same sport, take the same class, and have a lot of fun together, their friendships are likely to dissolve over time.

Such friendships based on having “good times” together are unlikely to continue when those pleasurable experiences are no longer able to be shared.

VIRTUOUS FRIENDSHIP

For Aristotle, the third form of friendship is friendship in the fullest sense. It can be called virtuous friendship because the two friends are united not in self36

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interest, but in the pursuit of a common goal: “the good life,” the moral life that is found in virtue.

The problem with useful and pleasant friendships is that the emphasis is on what I get out of the relationship. However, in the virtuous friendship, the two friends are committed to pursuing something outside themselves, something that goes beyond their selfinterests. And it is this higher good that unites them in friendship. Striving side-by-side toward the good life and encouraging one another in the virtues, the true friend is primarily concerned not with what he gets out of the friendship, but with what is best for his friend and with pursuing the virtuous life with his friend.

WHAT MAKES OR BREAKS A RELATIONSHIP

With this background in mind, Pope John Paul II gives us the key that will prevent our relationships from falling into the self-centered waters of utilitarianism. He says the only way two human persons can avoid using each other is to relate in pursuit of a common good, as in the virtuous friendship. If the other person sees what is good for me and adopts it as a good for himself, “a special bond is established between me and this other person: the bond of a common good and of a common aim” (p. 28). This common aim unites people internally. When we don’t live our relationships with this common good in mind, we inevitably will treat the other person as a means to an end, for some pleasure or use.

Especially in marriage, there is a temptation to be self-centered, to want our spouse and our children to conform to our own plans, schedules, and desires. For example, when the weekend approaches, I may focus on the things I want to do—house projects I want to get done, work I want to get caught up on, sporting events I want

to watch—without giving priority to what my wife and children may need from me. When it comes to family finances, I may joyfully agree to spend money on things that are important to me, but strongly resist my wife’s desire to invest in something that may not benefit me directly, even though it may be important for our family.

However, Pope John Paul II reminds us that true friendship, especially friendship in marriage, must be centered on the bond of a common aim.

In Christian marriage, that common aim involves the union of the spouses, the spouses’ serving each other and helping each other grow in holiness, and the procreation and education of children.

Our own individual preferences and agendas should be subordinated to these higher goods. Husband and wife must be subordinate to each other and to the good of their children, working to prevent any selfish individualism from creeping into their marriage. As a team, husband and wife work toward this common aim and discern together how best to use their time, energy, and resources to achieve those common goals of marriage.

The Pope explains how spouses’ being united in this common good helps ensure that one person is not being used by another or neglected by the other.

“When two different people consciously choose a common aim this puts them on a footing of equality and precludes the possibility that one of them might be subordinated to the other. Both . . . are as it were . . . subordinated to that good which constitutes their common end” (pp. 28-29).

Without this common end, our relationships inevitably will fall into some form of using the person for our own benefit or pleasure. In the next article, we will consider how crucial these foundational points from Love and Responsibility are for navigating the emotional and physical attractions we often experience when we encounter people of the opposite sex. n

[1] Janet Smith, “John Paul II and Humanae Vitae” in Why Humanae Vitae was Right (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1993), 232.

[2] For a more extensive treatment of friendship in Aristotle, see J. Cuddeback, Friendship: The Art of Happiness (Greeley, CO: Epic, 2003).

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RACHEL STILL WEEPS ANEEL ARANHA

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“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”

Jer 31:15

Soon after Jesus was born, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem in search of him, making inquiries on the way, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?”

Herod, who was King of Rome at the time, came to hear of this and disturbed, asked his counselors to find out more. They told him that it was prophesied that the long awaited Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Herod called the Magi and told them to let him know where the boy child was so that he could go and worship him too.

The Magi found Jesus, but after paying him homage, returned to their country by a different route, being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. When they had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt because Herod was out to kill him.

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were under two years old. “Mt 2:17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

WHO IS RACHEL?

Rachel was the wife of Old Testament patriarch Jacob. She had pined for children all her life (Gen 30:1) and when she finally conceived, it was only to die giving birth to Benjamin (Gen 35:18,19). She was buried at Ramah, near Bethlehem.

A few years later, during the deportation of the Jewish people to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, many of the Israelites were detained at Ramah, and those too old or too weak to make the journey to Babylon were killed.

Rachel, a kind of mother figure in the Old Testament, is said to have raised her 40

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head from her tomb and lamented the slaughter of the people. Many more years later, she would mourn the slaughter of some more innocents who were killed by King Herod.

She still weeps now, even more bitterly, because innocents continue to be slaughtered in greater numbers than ever before in human history through the abortion of babies in the wombs of their mothers. The numbers are so huge they

Let us examine the former statement, first from a scriptural point of view, then a scientific one.

“Gen 1:27 God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Common perception often sees this as our physical bodies being a mirror of God, but God does not have a physical body. “Jn 4:24 God is Spirit.”

Consequently, “CCC 362 the human person,

boggle comprehension and at the time of this writing the children that have been killed just this year—and we are not even three-fourths through it—is in excess of twenty-five million! In the time it would have taken you to finish reading this article at least another 1000 would have been killed as they are being put down at the average rate of nearly 1 per second.

We find the number of people who die in wars, terrorist attacks and natural calamities horrifying, yet we don’t seem to be severely affected by the huge number of babies being put to death?

Why? Partly because we have been led to believe that what is growing within the mother’s womb is not really human life and partly because we have become so calloused by sin, taking life doesn’t seem to be an important thing! And we are taking life, as we shall see.

created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual” and the two cannot be separated from each other. This begins at conception, although the human being itself, with all God’s plans for it, were formed much before in God’s mind.

This is what the psalmist writes: “Ps 139:13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.”

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follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. 23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life.”

There are medically proven physical and psychological effects on the mother. Among other effects physical consequences are seen in sterility, miscarriages, ectopic (outside the uterus) pregnancies, still births, menstrual disturbances, damaged cervical muscles, perforation of the uterus, infection, hemorrhage, blood clots, peritonitis. Some psychological effects are guilt, suicidal impulses, LIFE sense of loss lowered self-esteem, One of the main arguments put forward preoccupation with death, hostility, by proponents of abortion is that an self-destructive behavior desire to unborn child is not really a human remember death date, desire to end being. Is this true? Consider this relationship with partner, nightmares, scientifically acknowledged fact: Life loss of interest in sex. However, these begins at conception, when the father’s can be mitigated by a heartfelt confession sperm cell unites with the mother’s followed by offering a mass for the soul of ovum or egg cell to form one cell, a the child, and a good inner healing. Giving fertilized ovum. A baby is genetically the child a name signals acknowledge of complete at conception. Does this not the fact that this was a human constitute life? being whose life was taken.

The box alongside (The We have observed through First Twelve Weeks) show the The First Twelve Weeks sessions with hundreds of progress of the baby over three Week 1: Conception takes place. The baby is smaller than a grain of months. By its twelfth week, sugar, but the instructions are present for all that this person will ever women who have committed abortions that healing and the baby has all its organs, become. blessings follow these acts muscles, limbs and bones fully formed; it just has to grow and Week 2: The baby attaches and burrows securely into the wall of its of reconciliation almost instantly. mature. If you were to see a mother’s womb.

And, thirdly, it is to twelve month old fetus you Week 3: The baby’s blood vessels and sex cells form. Foundations of the encourage people (read: wouldn’t fail to recognize it as brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid. you) to take responsibility. a baby! The picture shows is Week 4: The baby’s heart has begun to beat. Eyes, ears and lungs begin When the number of infants that of a twelve month fetus. to form. being put to death daily This baby feels pain, just as we do. When aborted by Week 5: This is the time of the first missed period when most women are so huge as to be mind hysterectomy (i.e. a cesarean are only just beginning to think that they may be pregnant. The baby is boggling, none of us can section) he kicks, tries to around 5mm long. Tiny arms and legs appear, as well as the baby’s face. say this doesn’t involve us: it does and we have to take breathe and may even cry. If Week 6: The baby is around 10mm long. Tiny fingers and toes develop. steps to prevent it from he is pulled out by forceps he happening otherwise we, probably won’t die until the Week 7: Buds of the baby’s milk teeth appear. too, will be held accountable surgeon tears off his head or Week 8: The baby begins spontaneous movement.

Every organ is before God who urges pierces his abdomen. When he present, but immature. through his prophet. is sucked out by machine his “Is 58:1 Shout it aloud, do end will be swifter. But it will Week 9: Genitalia become visible, indicating whether the baby is a boy or a girl. still feel pain. A lot of it. not hold back. Raise your voice like a Week 10: The baby’s fingerprints begin to form.

TURN BACK TO GOD trumpet. Declare If you have committed Week 11: The baby ‘practices’ breathing and to my people their an abortion, or abetted facial expressions, even smiling. rebellion and to one, perhaps as a medical the descendants of Week 12: The baby is able to swallow and practitioner, or advised feels and responds to skin stimulation.

Jacob their sins.” somebody to have an abortion, The baby is now fully formed!! It just has to grow and mature. It has all its organs, muscles, limbs and bones, and its sex organs are well developed.

God told the prophet Jeremiah: “Jer 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Later on, he told the exiles through the prophet: “Jer 29:11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

God has a plan for every single person he has created, but we thwart these plans when we decide to play God and terminate life—human life. Which brings us to the second point.

the purpose of this article is not to make you feel guilty or to condemn you, but to make you aware of the gravity of your sin so that you turn back to God in repentance, knowing that he is a merciful and forgiving God. “Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

It is also to help you mitigate the consequences of abortion. Taking human life—even that of the unborn— is not a minor infringement but a grave sin with severe consequences that affect not just the person involved, but even generations following. Consider these words from Exodus related to the baby in the womb to see how seriously God holds unborn life: “Ex 21:22 When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm

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STOPPING THE SLAUGHTER

When one looks at the number of unborn killed and wonders why nobody seems concerned, one has to ask the question: how have we become so callous? It is because we have becoming inured to sin by committing it so often. Did you know that if you put a frog in a pan of cold water and light a fire underneath it, the frog will slowly boil to death because its body adapts to the change in temperature without realizing that it was becoming life threatening? We have become like that, slowly boiling to death. How do we stop? By getting out of the pan and turning off the fire! This involves returning to the fundamentals concerning sexuality and the human body.

Sex, like the human body, is a wonderful creation of God, but its primary purpose is procreation, not self-gratification. The instant we take creation out of the equation and indulge in sex for its own sake, we start to play God with life, first by practicing contraception to prevent the birth of a child, then by abortion if the methods

of contraception fail to work. In this day and age it would require tremendous courage to allow God to decide when and how many children we should have, but the alternative is the slaughter we see.

Education is another step. Making people understand the facts that we have highlighted in this article, especially the basic fact that the unborn child is human life, is vital to stopping the carnage. Most women who commit abortions are led to believe that aborting a child is like taking out tonsils; a minor procedure that is harmless. It isn’t and once people are made aware that it is “real” life they are terminating, they instantly change their attitude towards abortion. (Two videos taken from YouTube are included in the video attached to this magazine; merely seeing these videos have convinced a lot of people that this is truly life in the womb).

Being non-judgmental and noncondemning of unwed mothers is another. Many women who get pregnant are young singles, and

ON THE VIDEO DVD “RACHEL STILL WEEPS”

Aneel Aranha gave this talk at the HSI Prayer meeting held at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Jebel Ali on June 18, 2013. Among the thousands of teachings he has given over the past ten years as a preacher, Rachel Still Weeps ranks among the most important—and most powerful—of them.

This video, which has already impacted scores of people and saved hundreds of lives in the process, is now being used by Pro-life movements around the world to help educate people about the value of human life, the evil of abortion, and the horrific consequences of playing God. The producers of this video grant you unrestricted permission to distribute the contents of this DVD in any form you may choose to use on the proviso that it remains unaltered in any way.

despite social acceptance of free sex (of which pregnancies are a natural consequence), being an unmarried mother is still a taboo in many cultures.

We need to be more accepting of these women, recognizing that one sin need not be compounded by another, even greater sin in which we become complicit by intolerance.

CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

I heard the story once told of a man walking down by the seashore where a freak tide had swept thousands of starfish on the beach, doomed to die.

The man began picking them up as fast as he could, tossing them back into the sea. A woman strolling by watched him for a while in bemusement before she said, “Do you really think what you are going is going to make any difference?”

The man paused in the middle of throwing yet another starfish into the sea. “To this one it does,” he said quietly before hurling it back. The woman continued to watch him for a while, then bending down she picked up a starfish and threw it into the sea. Soon, they were joined by hundreds of others and not long after, many of the starfish had been saved. n

Author’s note: Over the past few months I have given several talks on the subject of abortion and it has severely impacted those who have listened to it. Many women have confessed aborting their babies, promising that they would never do so again. A few said they would adopt a child to atone for what they did. Doctors have admitted to encouraging women to perform abortions, even assisting in the surgery. Most of them have promised that not only would they stop this practice, they would now advise woman against doing so. Hundreds of others have offered their support in this war against abortion inspiring this ministry to open a center for unwanted children. If you would like to offer your own support or want more information about the center and the other things that we are doing to help save the unborn please write to life@ holyspiritinteractive.org. In the meantime, you can do something else to stop the slaughter.

There is a DVD attached to this magazine. Feel free to make copies of it and distribute it to people you know. It can help to save a child.

Although Rachel still weeps, there is now hope in her heart.

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REFLECTIONS

REFLECTIONS

27TH SUNDAY: OCT 6, 2013: LUKE 17:5-10 FAITH 28TH SUNDAY: OCT 13, 2013: LUKE 17:11-19 THE HEART OF JESUS 29TH SUNDAY: OCT 20, 2013: LUKE 18:1-8 PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING 30TH SUNDAY: OCT 27, 2013: LUKE 18:9-14 COMING BEFORE GOD 31st SUNDAY: nov 3, 2013: LUKE 19:1-10 Salvation comes to Zaccheus

YEAR C

32nd SUNDAY: nov 10, 2013: LUKE 20:27-38 Life after death 33rd SUNDAY: nov 17, 2013: LUKE 21:5-19 End times 34th SUNDAY: nov 24, 2013: LUKE 23:25-43 Christ the king

AND THAT’S THE GOSPEL TRUTH FR. JACK MCARDLE | ANEEL ARANHA

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REFLECTIONS

October 6, 2013 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 3 Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” And the Lord said, “If you have faith even the size of a mustard seed, you may say to this tree: ´Be uprooted and plant yourself in the sea,´ and it will obey you.

Who among you would say to your servant coming in from the fields after ploughing or tending sheep: ´Come at once and sit down at table´? No, you tell him: ´Prepare my dinner. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; you can eat and drink afterwards.´ Do you thank this servant for doing what you commanded? So for you. When you have done all that you have been told to do, you must say: ´We are no more than servants; we have only done our duty.´” Here is a touching example of humility on the part of the apostles and reassurance on the part of the Jesus. When the apostles recognize that although they have faith, it doesn’t seem to be enough, Jesus tells them that they don’t need much. Faith that is lived grows.

ones we set. Like a child learning to walk, we can learn to trust.

Faith is not in the head, like some sort of mental assent. For example, I know that Jesus is Lord. That is just knowledge, and even Satan knows that. Faith has to do with my response to God’s love, and to the promises Jesus has made.

I grew up on promises. Every New Year’s Day, every Ash Wednesday, every Annual Retreat, etc., there were more and more promises.

(Probably the very same promises of the year before!). It is only in the second half of my life that I woke up to the fact that it is Jesus who makes the promises, because he is the only one who can keep promises.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, before my word passes away.”

It helps in our understanding if we remember that the whole idea of creation, salvation, redemption, etc., is the divine initiative, and we must never turn it into human endeavor. It is very easy for us to do this. We can even end up trying to have faith in our faith. We are not doing Jesus any favor by believing in him, because that is what is expected of us. His love is poured out upon us, and, if we are aware of that at all, then our response is one of love, gratitude, and ever-growing faith.

RESPONSE

Our faith can grow. Jesus compares faith to a tiny grain of mustard seed, which can grow into a huge tree. I remember getting some grains of mustard seed one time, and they were so tiny that I was unable to pick them up with my fingers. The only way I could control them was to pick them up with a piece of cello-tape, and stick them inside the cover of my Bible. I was in the Garden of Gethsemane at the time, so I could look around at the huge mustard trees that surrounded me,

and compare them to the tiny seeds.

I was also touched by the thought that these same trees were in this Garden for many hundreds of years before the time of Jesus. Something like that helps us to know our place!

“I believe, Lord; help my unbelief.” “Lord, increase my faith”. These are among the most beautiful prayers in the gospel.

Paul tells us (Romans 3) that we are saved ‘by his blood and our faith’.

Therefore, our faith is a necessary part of our salvation. “The sin of this world is unbelief in me…..When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on this earth?” Asking the Lord to increase our faith is a simple, but a very central prayer.

It is extraordinary how very definite Jesus is about faith; I mean faith that moves mountains.

Anything can happen for those who have faith. I said earlier that it is a response to love. It must also be a direct outcome of humility; out of being certain that only God can do God things, and that what I seek is beyond all possibility for me on my own. It is certainly the basis of miracles in the gospel. When Peter had fished all night and caught nothing; when the little woman in the crowd had spent every penny she had for twelve years, and was getting no better; when the man sat at the pool for thirty-eight years—then, and only then, were they ready to concede defeat, and let Jesus take over. “At your word, I will let down the net. If I can only touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed.Say but the word, and my servant will be healed.”

STORY

Before modern radio and TV became so sophisticated, a telephone operator used get a call every afternoon asking for the correct PARABLE time. She was always able to A few years ago a person went give this information with great to jail and, like many others confidence. The reason for who found themselves this was that she always in a similar situation, he checked her watch, and discovered Jesus there. PRACTICAL When he was released, he Seek out the ‘impossibles’ in your life. Ask yourself adjusted it when needed, discovered that his new if you are ready to hand them over to Jesus? Faith when the whistle blew for life in the Lord, although means handing them over, and keeping your hands closing time in the local blessed, was not without off them. There are questions to be asked, and to be factory. difficulties. However, he answered. Do I believe that he can do for me what One day her watch didn’t let these struggles I cannot do for myself? Do I believe that he wants stopped. The telephone dampen his enthusiasm, to do this for me? Do I believe that he cares enough rang, inquiring for the and once he realized that about me that he wants to be a power for blessing correct time. She explained her predicament. Her watch every troublesome situation in my life? he faced helped his faith Jesus says “Seek first the Kingdom of God,…. had stopped, and she had to grow, he began to look and all these things will be added to you”. In today’s no way of ascertaining forward to them rather gospel, we are told that our first work is to be humble the correct time until the than shy away. Today he is servants of the Lord. This is both our responsibility factory whistle sounded a mighty proclaimer of the and our privilege. We do not do this to get a return, some time later. word, doing great things in but, we can be sure and certain that, if I give the The caller then explained the name of the Lord that Lord his rightful place in my life, that everything his predicament. He was calling today, as he had he believes in so strongly.

I need will be taken care of. There is a distinction done every other day, from between what I need, and what I want. If God were that same local factory, and TEACHING cruel and sadistic, he would give us everything we What a simple request! “We ask for, and then have a good laugh, because we he had always adjusted his clock, when necessary, to need more faith; tell us often ask for things that are not for our good. how to get it.” How often “We are servants who have simply done our agree with whatever time most of us could make that duty”. Jesus even thought of himself that way, when it was in the telephone prayer our own. Faith is a he stood before the Father. “I have come to do your exchange. response to love; since God will………My very meat is to do the will of him who Be careful in whom you is love, there can be no sent me.” He had no other reason for living. He had place your trust! limits to faith, except the a total and unswerving faith and trust in the Father, and that’s what kept him going. “As the Father sent, so I am sending you…..live in my love…….for, apart from me you can do nothing.” Faith is to have one hand in his, as I reach out the other hand to another.

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October 13, 2013 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 4 Luke 17:11-19 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee, and as he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. Keeping their distance, they called to him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”. Then Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Now, as they went their way, they found they were cured.

One of them, as soon as he saw he was cleansed, turned back praising God in a loud voice, and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks.

This man was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God but this alien?” And Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

This is a rich gospel, because it not only tells us of a wonderful miracle, but it also lets us get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus, when he receives or does not receive gratitude.

PARABLE

I have the occasional day when I am in a ‘cleaning mood’. The desk gets cleared, the bin gets emptied, the books are put back on the shelves.

Every time I clear the desk I always notice the same thing. I always come across letters thanking me for something I did, said, wrote, or inspired. It is only recently I have noticed that I tend to hold on to letters like that for a while after receipt. Maybe it’s pride, but I like to receive affirmation and acknowledgment for what I do.

When that comes in the form of a letter or card, I tend to put those on my desk and they don’t get ‘binned’ until that special day arrives!

TEACHING

The lessons of today’s gospel are very simple. The ten lepers were total outcasts, and should not have been anywhere near where ‘ordinary’ people frequented. Yet, such was their trust in this man Jesus that they dared to come within shouting distance of him. I could well imagine the horror among the religious leaders, who were so particular to avoid contamination of any kind. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. It is not surprising

REFLECTIONS PRACTICAL

Have you ever cried out from your heart to that their cry reached God? It is not possible for a person to fall on the ears and the heart his knees, cry out to God, and not be heard. of Jesus.

The cry, of course, must come from the His response was heart. The heart is the organ God gave me immediate. He could with which to pray. If you think about the have healed them right lepers in today’s gospel, what makes your there, but he proposed situation so different? a test for them. “Go, Have you ever tried to walk in faith? Just and show yourselves to think about the lepers making their way the priests.” (In those to the priest. How do you think you’d feel? times, if someone was (Sit down on the road, and not budge till the cleansed of leprosy, leprosy was gone?!). Faith is in our feet, not that person had to get in our heads. Faith is what enables us to step permission from one out in trust, and to take on the impossible. of the priests before ‘There is nothing impossible with God’. ‘If returning to live in God is for us, who can be against us?’ the community). As Do you consider yourself a grateful the men left, they person? Do you appreciate what you have? still had their leprosy.

(I heard of an old lady who said that we They were taking should never be off our knees thanking God a frightening risk. that we’re able to stand up!). One of the Supposing they still surest signs that I’ve had a Pentecost is my had their leprosy ability and willingness to confirm others. I when they arrived at cannot give confirmation if I myself do not the priest’s house? have the Spirit. The greatest gift I can give However, they took another person is, not to share my riches Jesus at his word, and with her, but to reveal her riches to herself. It he did not disappoint is wonderful to meet grateful people; people them. who appreciate what others do for them.

From a casual reading of the text, it individual. He knew that, beneath appears that nine of the surface, we all share a common the men were Jews, and the tenth humanity. was a Samaritan, or a pagan. In I sometimes meet a parent other words, there was only one who is concerned about a son not of them who had no ‘religion.’ going to Mass, or a daughter living It is interesting to note that he with someone to whom she is not was the only one who returned to married. While I can understand give thanks. Is it possible that the and empathize with their concern, others had been brought up in the I tell them about Mary, the mother Jewish religion, and, therefore, of Jesus. She was reared with every they thought that God owed them little iota of the law, and she held something? The Samaritan had no her religious leaders in awe. The doubt whatever that what happened law was sacred, and the list of to him was pure gift, and he just had ‘untouchables’ was endless. She to express his gratitude. had one son, and, when he grew up, he did every single thing she was RESPONSE told not to do! He touched lepers, It is not possible for me to be befriended Samaritans, talked to grateful and unhappy at the same tax collectors and prostitutes, and time. To be a grateful person is to even went as far as calling her be a happy person. I have heard religious leaders a bunch of snakes it suggested that maybe Jesus and vipers! I continue to speak of punished the other nine by allowing this situation, and, by the time their leprosy return, but I wouldn’t I’m finished, I always feel that the consider that for one second. Jesus parent feels much better! was sad when they did not return,

but he probably was more sad for STORY them than for himself. “How sharper There is a huge fortress on a hill than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a overlooking the town of Weinsberg thankless child.” in Germany. One day, far back Jesus consistently did things in feudal times, the fortress was that were outside the strict law of surrounded by the enemy. The the religious regime. When there commander of the enemy troops was a choice between a law, and agreed to let all women and children the welfare of a human being, the leave the fortress. He also agreed to person always came first. There is allow each woman take one valuable another occasion recorded in the possession with her. Imagine the gospel when he even touched a amazement and frustration of the leper, at a time when lepers were commander when he saw each called the ‘untouchables’. Jesus had woman leave the fortress with her the ability to see through the outer husband on her back! walls, right into the heart of the

October 20, 2013 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 1 Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told them a parable to show them that they should pray continually and not lose heart.

He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor people. In the same town was a widow who kept coming to him, saying: ´Defend my rights against my opponent.´ For a time he refused, but finally he thought: ´Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, this widow bothers me so much I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wearing me out.” And Jesus explained, “Listen to what the evil judge says. Will God not do justice for his chosen ones who cry to him day and night even if he delays in answering them? I tell you, he will speedily do them justice. Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

A simple lesson in prayer without ceasing. There is a way to pray with the heart which God cannot but hear, and he cannot but answer.

To speak from the heart is to speak to the heart.

PARABLE

In the course of a dinner conversation one October day the mother asked young John what he wanted for Christmas. After a long pause he said “A bicycle”. The months went by, and the word ‘bicycle’ was never mentioned again. Not even when the mother bought roller blades for John at Christmas, with which he was delighted. She had decided that, if he really wanted a bicycle, she would have heard about nothing else for all the weeks coming up to Christmas……….

TEACHING

The purpose of the story in today’s gospel was to show the disciples that they had a need for constant prayer, and they should never give up. Prayer is being in touch with God, whether he is speaking to me, or I am speaking to him. It is part of building the relationship with God, and it is the source of our spiritual nourishment. Without prayer, we become malnourished, and unable to resist the infections of this world.

There are many pagan gods and idols out there, and they are only too ready to replace my interest in God, and to preoccupy my intention.

There was something that the widow wanted, and, despite all his toughness, the judge just had to give in to her eventually, because she had no intention of letting go, or giving up. If I met an alcoholic who wants to get sober, my initial question is “How badly do you want it? Do you want it bad enough that you are prepared to do what it takes to achieve sobriety?” I knew a young lad who wanted to work for a particular firm, and they had no vacancies. So we went back there eleven times in one month, until the personnel officer threw his hands in the air, and gave him a job!

Jesus goes on from speaking about the evil judge to speaking about his Father. If even the judge gave in, how much more certainly will our heavenly Father respond to our prayers? As I said earlier, God can read the heart, and he knows whether I really want what I ask. I don’t pretend to understand this, because I know parents who, at this very moment, are begging for the life of their daughter, and it is not likely that their prayers will be answered. I like to think that God gives us what we ask for, unless he has something better to give us. For these parents, they cannot possibly see how God could have something better to give them than a daughter whom they dearly love.

RESPONSE

The prayer that is the subject of today’s gospel is the prayer of petition. It is a very important form of prayer, of course, but it is not the most important. Prayer of praise is the highest form of prayer; but, of course, that is greatly augmented, when my prayers of petition are granted. There can be some confusion around the whole area of prayer. If my prayers are always prayers of petition, I run the risk of being selfish and self-centered; except, of course, when the prayers of petition are for others. Like one of the ten lepers, I can ask, and, when my prayer is answered, I can return to give thanks.

The persistency of my prayer is always determined by how seriously I seek what it is I pray for. If I want something bad enough, I will pray without ceasing until God answers my prayer, even if that answer be ‘No’. ‘No’ is also an answer to prayer. Be careful what you ask for in prayer, because you might receive it! We often ask for things that are not for our good, and, if God were sadistic and cruel, he would answer such prayers!

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on this earth?”

After all I have told you, says Jesus, is there anybody who really believes me? A gospel like this morning’s needs to be read several times, to try to understand the mind-set of Jesus. He is speaking with conviction and with authority. He knows what he’s speaking about, because he himself experiences this all day long. The Father of whom he speaks

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REFLECTIONS

is a Father whom he knows and trusts. Even before calling Lazarus forth from the tomb, he prayed “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” Before multiplying the loaves and fish, he thanked the Father. In other words, the Father to whom he prayed is a Father that always listens.

STORY

A group of botanists were exploring almost inaccessible regions in search of new species of flowers. One day they spied, through binoculars, a flower of great rarity and beauty.

It lay in a deep ravine, with perpendicular cliffs on both sides. To reach it someone would have to be lowered over the sheer precipice by means of a rope, and it was certainly a very dangerous undertaking.

Approaching a young lad nearby, who was watching them with great curiosity, they said, “We’ll give you twenty dollars if you let us lower you down below, to obtain that beautiful flower for us”. The young lad took a look down into the ravine, and then he said “Wait here; I’ll be back”. When he returned he was accompanied by an older man.

Approaching one of the botanists, he said, “I’ll go over the cliff, and get that flower for you, if this man holds the rope. He’s my father.”

PRACTICAL

What is it you’re asking from God these days? Are you convinced that you really want/need it? God reads your heart, and he knows you through and through. God will never disappoint you. If you don’t expect him to answer your prayer, then, you can be sure that he will not answer.

The old woman read about the faith that moves mountains, so, one night, before going to bed, she prayed that the mountain in front of her house should be moved by the following morning.

The next morning she got out of bed, went over, pulled back the curtains, and exclaimed “Hum, I just knew it wouldn’t!”

The poor are used to waiting. They wait in queues for social welfare; they stand at bus-stops for ages; they wait for a shelter, or a free-meal place to open.

If I understand my poverty as I stand before God, I would find it much easier to be patient with prayer. Day after day I can pray for something, and there seems to be nothing happening. Is it possible that some of us give up the praying just a day or two before the answer was due to arrive? I don’t pretend to understand this, but I imagine that if I kept praying, and did not cease until the prayer was answered, I would understand much better what Jesus is talking about.

I remember getting a woman to attend A.A. meetings one time, because of her alcohol addiction. I begged her to make one big act of faith, and just go to meetings day after day; and not to stop going till the miracle happened. There were many times when her faith wobbled, and when her resolve weakened. However, thank God, she kept going, and, yes, the miracle happened. Nobody can explain how the system works, but it certainly does for those who stick with it.

October 27, 2013 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 2 Luke 18:9-14 Jesus spoke the following parable to some persons fully convinced of their own righteousness, who looked down on others, “Two men went up to the Temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and said: ´I thank you, God, that I am not like other people, grasping, crooked, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give the tenth of all my income to the Temple.´ In the meantime the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying: ´O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.´ I tell you, when this man went down to his house, he had been set right with God, but not the other.

For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be raised.”

This is one of the most wellknown stories in the gospel. It spells out how to come before God, and how not to come before God.

PARABLE

A newly-commissioned colonel had just moved into his office. A private entered with a tool box. To impress the private, the colonel said “Be with you in a moment, soldier! I just got a call as you were knocking.” Picking up the phone, the colonel said “General, it’s you! How can I help you?” A dramatic pause followed.

Then the colonel said “No problem.

I’ll phone Washington, and speak to the President about it.” Putting down the phone, the colonel said to the private “Now, what can I do for you?” The private shuffled his feet, and said sheepishly, “Oh, just a little thing, sir. They sent me to hook up your phone!”

TEACHING

My generation was reared in the Holy of Holies! We were given all the rules and regulations, and we were told to remain faithful to those, and not deviate in any way, and that we would thus merit heaven.

The religion I had growing up was to keep people from going to hell.

Spirituality, on the other hand, is the only thing that frees those who have already been in hell. Ask anybody in recovery from addictions, compulsions, etc. Religion is about

externals, it’s what we do, and it’s about control. Spirituality, on the other hand, is what God does, it is internal, and it’s about surrender.

Holiness is to discover that I’m a much bigger sinner than I ever thought I was! The closer I come to God, the more obvious the sin is. It is a long journey from the Pharisee at the front to the Publican at the back. It is a journey of repentance, and of facing up to the truth. It is a journey that Life will provide if I have the courage and honesty to find it. If I still think that I should be still up at the front with the Pharisee, then my life will be riddled with guilt, and I will never find peace.

The Publican knew his place before God. God is the Creator, I am the creature. I am a sinner, Jesus is Saviour. Unlike the Pharisee, I have no right to compare myself to anyone else. All judgment is to be left to God. I can look at the most hardened criminal, and say “There, but for the grace of God, go I”. I have no reason to boast whatever. I could have been born to any parents, in any country, at any time. I did not select my sexuality, the color of my skin, or my religious beliefs. With total conviction, I can stand before God, and pray “Oh, God, be merciful to me a sinner”.

RESPONSE

today’s world that is not a religious one.

STORY

Believing that it was a wasted effort trying to get any response from his congregation, a clergyman decided to try some other way of life that might give him a greater personal satisfaction. He was very disappointed to discover that a job was hard to come by. In fact, he got to the point that he was prepared to take any job at all that came his way. At last, he landed a job in the local zoo. Unfortunately, when he went there, the job was not exactly available just yet, but the manager asked him to consider taking a temporary job, until the other one was vacant. As it happened the chimpanzee had died, and had not yet been replaced. The chimp was a great favorite with the children, and the cage could not be left empty for long. They had a chimp suit, and the man was asked if he would mind getting into the suit, and taking the place of the chimp. All he’d have to do was to roll around a few times, eat a banana, go back in the back for a rest, etc. He decided to give it a go.

He was an instant success. The children gathered around hid cage.

Every moment he made was greeted with cheers. He soon discovered that he was now getting much more attention than he ever got in the pulpit. One day, he decided to really get into the act. He jumped up, grabbed an over-head bar, and began to swing to and fro, to the delighted screams of the children. The cameras were flashing, and the crowd was gathering, so he got carried away with himself, and he really began to swing with full gusto. Unfortunately, after one huge effort, his hands (paws?) slipped, and he went flying over the partition into the cage next door. A huge tiger approached, and, forgetting that he was supposed to be a chimp, he screamed “Help!

Help!”, to which the tiger whispered sharply, “Shut up, you fool; I’m a minister too!”

Today’s gospel gives us a simple and practical example of two ways of coming before God, one is wrong, the other is right. Instead of saying “Praise the Lord”, the Pharisee was saying “Praise me, Lord.” Original sin is the result of a lie. It is only the truth that can set us free. How can I possibly hope to stand before God, and think that, somehow, I can hide, and cover up what I’m really like? When I stand before God, I must open out the canvas of my life fully before him. He knows me through and through, anyhow, and I should not insult him by practicing some sort of charade before him, and call that ‘prayer’.

To judge myself superior to others is ignorance; to boast to God about it, is arrogance. We are all children of PRACTICAL God, and the most The gospel shows us two men coming before God. I am given disabled person is a very clear distinction between their different attitudes, on this earth with and I am forced to examine my own attitude before God, as much right as in the light of today’s gospel. Falling on my knees, and the greatest genius. crying out to God for mercy and forgiveness, is not self“The greatest in my denigration, or implying that I am worthless, and beneath Kingdom are the contempt. Far from it. It’s to tell it like it is, to face up to ones who serve”. the truth, and, thus, to be set free. Only God is perfect, and The Pharisees were to come into the presence of the all-holy God, must show very good people, in up a very glaring contrast. When I come into the glare of a that they did all that spotlight, I can see the slightest speck on a shirt, a jacket, they believed to be etc., things which I had never noticed before. right. Unfortunately, Check your own attitude before God. It is like going out as with Religion into the back garden on a warm sunny day, lying back in generally, this can a deck-chair, and getting a sun-tan. The only thing you create a superiority did was to make yourself available; the sun did all the complex when it rest. Don’t ever over-emphasize the importance of your comes to looking at contribution when you stand before God. us lesser mortals. If there is ever a time when you have no choice but to Religion has always be totally open and honest, it is when you stand before tended to be God. Reflect on the fact that, at death, you will come face destructive, and to face with God. No more hiding, no more games, no more there is not a war in pretenses, no more excuses. You have a choice right here, right now. You can have a full dress rehearsal for such an occasion right here today. It is good to face up to reality, rather than letting reality catch you by surprise, when you waken up too late.

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November 3, 2013 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 3 Luke 19:1-10 Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the city, a man named Zaccheus was there.

He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus who had to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly for I must stay at your house today.” So Zaccheus hurried down and received him joyfully. All the people who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to the house of a sinner as a guest.” But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “The half of my goods, Lord, I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

The story of Zacchaeus is so simple, and has such a simple message, that it is frequently used in the preparation of children for their First Communion. Zacchaeus is anxious to see Jesus, and Jesus rewards him by offering to visit his house, and spend some time with him.

PARABLE

There were some raised eyebrows when John XXIII was elected pope. He was in his seventies, and there was no great hope that he was going to shake the Church. One of the first things he did, however, made people sit up and take notice. He went in person to visit prisoners in one of Rome’s prisons. He met them as equals, and he chatted very informally with each.

He even disclosed that he himself had

PRACTICAL

a relative in jail! The work and short pontificate of this man was going to open many doors, and set many prisoners free.

TEACHING

The first thing that is obvious in today’s gospel is that Zacchaeus was both anxious and determined to see Jesus. Notice that he was a ‘big shot’ in the town, being a very rich man, and certainly not very popular with the Jews, as he was at the top of the tax-collecting business for a foreign oppressor. He accepted his limitations, and, although he was a grown adult, he reverted to his boyhood days, and climbed the nearest tree to get a good look. He certainly caught the attention of Jesus, much more than he ever dreamed of. Not only did he see Jesus, but he was even invited to meet him, and to have Jesus as a guest in his house.

Jesus responded to Zacchaeus’ enthusiasm, and he decided to go one better. He told him to come down out of the tree, and bring him into his house for a while. This sent shock waves through the surrounding religious leaders. Zacchaeus was a public sinner, someone to be despised, and, certainly not someone who would be visited by any self-respecting Jew. Once again, of course, Jesus was consistent, in that he said he had come to seek and to find the lost ones.

Immediately upon entering Zacchaeus’ house, we can see the results of Jesus’ action. Without saying a word, Zacchaeus is deeply moved, being in the presence of Jesus, and he makes some radical decisions about his life-style, and his manner of treating others. Salvation had come to his house, he was in the presence of the Lord, and his heart was touched in a profound way. He determined to right the wrongs in his behavior. A personal contact with Jesus always evokes conversion.

RESPONSE

Once again, we have a very good example of the Lord rewarding our goodwill, and our limited human endeavors. Zacchaeus made an effort, he did his best, and Jesus was prepared to meet him more than half-way. His desire to see Jesus was obviously inspired, and it provided a moment of grace, which Zacchaeus was prepared to take.

Jesus, yet again, declared his mission. “I have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.” Jesus was prepared to enter any house, to face up to any amount of scorn from his enemies, if it meant that he made contact with a sinner, or demonstrated

to everyone where his preference lay. Far from making an apology, he reinforced his determination, and he restated his intentions regarding sinners.

It is interesting to see how Zacchaeus melted, as it were, in the presence of Jesus. Jesus didn’t preach any sermon, he made no call for conversion and change of heart. His very presence was enough. Zacchaeus was in the presence of Truth, and he could not remained unmoved. This is quite a commentary on Zacchaeus himself, because many, many others were in the presence of Jesus, and their hearts remained unmoved.

STORY

I remember, some years ago, when the Irish national soccer team became to come into prominence.

It was the European Championships, and they were doing very well. The whole country was behind them.

I was befriending a man who was terminally ill with cancer at the time, and he was in a Hospice here in Dublin. He was a totally committed football supporter, and, sick and all as he was, he watched every single game.

I had some work to do down the country, and when I returned, the Championship was over, and Denis was very low, with no interest in anything.

He knew he was dying, and he was prepared to speak about it. One day I suggested to him a possibility of what might happen, at the very moment of death, when we come face to face with Jesus. He would sit us down in front of a big screen, just like the ones that became so popular for watching the football matches during that summer.

He would put on a video called “This is Your Life”. He pulls over a chair and sits beside you. The first part of the video is simple enough, but, as it gets on with your life, you become uncomfortable, because you’re not sure just what’s going to appear next! It takes some time before you become aware of something else that is happening. Blanks begin to appear, some quite frequent, and some quite long. You glance sideways at Jesus, but he is not looking at you, so you cannot get his attention to ask him any questions. It is almost at the end of the tape that you guess for yourself what is happening. Every time you did something wrong, and admitted it, he pressed the erase button, and it was wiped clean. Even if you asked him now, he would not remember.

You then settle back in your chair, relax, and realize that you are in the presence of your Saviour, who came to save you, not to condemn you.

It is easy to suggest several practical little exercises, as a result of reading today’s gospel. Once again, we are challenged to examine how deep our desire is to actually meet Jesus. “Deep down in my heart the Spirit is moving”, is a line of a song. It is down there that the hunger must be generated, and that the longing must be nurtured. This is prayer, which is more about going aside, going down into the heart, and crying out from there. I couldn’t imagine myself finding a prayer in a book that could replace that call from the heart.

Jesus said to Zacchaeus “Come down, because today I wish to dwell in your house”. When I waken up in the morning, I can hear the Lord say “Get up, because today I want to live in you, and act through you. I want this to be OUR day, you and I together, as we walk the way for friendship’s sake, and for the joy of us being together”. What an invitation at the beginning of any day!

It is easy to imagine myself alone, in the presence of Jesus. I can take a few moments any day, and construct such a situation in my creative imagination. I can just sit and listen. Most importantly, I must be prepared to listen. I have to learn to listen, so that I can begin to listen to learn. Prayer is more a question of the Lord speaking to me, than me speaking to him. Prayer can be risky, because I may hear something I don’t want to hear. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted, but he also came to afflict the comfortable!

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November 10, 2013 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 4 Luke 20:27-38

Then some Sadducees arrived.

These people claim that there is no resurrection and they asked Jesus this question, “Master, in the Scripture Moses told us: ´If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and the child to be born will be regarded as the child of the deceased man.´ Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact all seven died leaving no children.

Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be wife? For the seven had her as wife.” And Jesus replied, “Taking husband or wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die for they are like the angels. They too are sons and daughters of God because they are born of the resurrection.

Yes, the dead will be raised, and even Moses implied it in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For he is God of the living and not of the dead, and for him all are alive.”

Jesus is usually at loggerheads with the Pharisees, who are demanding strict adherence to the law. Today he comes up against the Sadducees, who do not believe in the possibility of resurrection, and it is interesting to see how he deals with them.

PARABLE

I am writing these lines in the springtime of the year. Nature is bursting out all over. Like Wordsworth, no matter where I look, I see a crowd of golden daffodils. What must it look like through the eye of a worm in the ground, though? He is surrounded by death. Withered, shriveled bulbs all around him. From where he is, there is no sign of life, and he could have no idea what things look like from above the ground, where there is a different perspective of the very same situation.

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REFLECTIONS

TEACHING

I remember a time in my life, during my student years, when we had ‘Harte’s Christian Doctrine’, and ‘Sheehan’s Apologetics’ in generous daily doses. My one desire, at that time, was to accumulate so much information that I would be able to confound all the atheists, the agnostics, and all other forms of unbelief! I was on a crusade of conversion, so I needed to have all the answers! Things have changed a lot since then, thank God. If I met the Sadducees in today’s gospel, I wouldn’t enter into discussion with them at all. ‘For those who not understand, no words are possible, and for those who do understand, no words are necessary’.

Thank God, it was Jesus they met, and not me! He accepted them where they were at, and he taught them about the conditions prevailing in the life to come. We cannot judge it from our limited understanding of life here now. Jesus’ teaching is gentle and firm; not berating or condemning. These people just did not believe in life after death, and all Jesus could do was teach them what he knew. Perhaps his words touched some hearts, and left others unmoved. All I know is that it certainly is much easier to believe in life after death than not to believe.

I carry that thought in my heart at every funeral I attend.

The example the Sadducees use is exaggerated, and humorous, but it was the best they could come up with by way of a hypothetical case, to test how Jesus would respond.

In the after-life, the Kingdom and family of God will be complete. We will be free of the constraints and appetites of the body that are part of our present experience. We will all be children, and we will all be

PRACTICAL

November 17, 2013 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Week 1 Luke 21:5-19

complete in love, no longer needing human love and lusts to sustain us.

RESPONSE

I often wonder if belief in an afterlife is not part of the instinctual life of all of us, no matter how some people may try to deny that fact.

The most primitive tribe believed in an after-life. They ‘crossed the Jordan’, went into ‘the spirit world’, or entered Valhalla. There is a resilience within the human spirit which tells us that, even if today is bad, to-morrow will probably be better. There is some sort of inherent resurrection-hope within the human heart.

There are three stages in life.

The first is the womb-life. After that comes a breaking, a wrenching, as we enter the womb of life. This is followed by one last wrenching when we break through into the fullness of life. As soon as a baby is born, the only thing we can be certain of is that, one day, this person will die. We are born to die, and, after death, we become what we were created to be. If you ever waken up some morning and your

Some people don’t know how to deal with death! Do I face up to that reality now, or do I keep my head down, and wait till it comes?! One thing is certain: We shall all one day die. ‘I shall one day die’ can be too close for comfort. Under normal circumstances, it’s always the other guy’s funeral! (If you don’t go to other people’s funeral, how can you expect them to come to yours?!). An elderly couple agreed that, when one of them died, the other should mourn for a short time, and then take the insurance money, and have a good holiday. After a few moments of thoughts, the husband casually remarked : “Do you know what I was thinking? When one of us dies, I think I’ll go to Paris”!

My own experience has shown me that, when I faced up to death, and put it in its proper perspective, life took on a whole new meaning. I am no longer concerned with life after death. I am much more concerned with life before death. Everybody dies, but not everybody lives. Some people settle for existing, and, when they eventually die, a doctor is called to certify that fact, because there was never much life there in the first place! You could write on the tomb-stone “Died at forty, buried at eighty”!

The first time I was carried into a church, I was not consulted; and the next time I’m carried into a church, I will not be consulted either.

To try to run the show in the meantime is crazy. We are coming to the end of the Church year, and, in two weeks time, we begin a new Church year. This is a good time to do some serious thinking about life in all its dimensions. “If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then our faith is in vain”. We are not like the Sadducees. We have had two thousand years to reflect on the teachings of Jesus. The Sadducees had a genuine excuse, and were probably good people. We cannot claim that we didn’t know, that nobody told us…………

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life is exactly the way it should be, don’t move, just stay as you are, until the undertaker arrives!

This is a vast chasm between the three stages of life, and, at any stage, it is absolutely impossible to imagine what the following stage might be like. If an unborn baby could hear you, there is not one word you could use that the baby would understand. There is not one thing you could mention – flowers, sun, etc., -- that the baby would understand. That is why nobody comes back to tell us. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of any person to imagine what God has in store for those who love him.”

STORY

There were twin boys in the mother’s womb. After some time, they became aware of each other, and they began a conversation. They noticed the cord, and they decided that their mother must love them very much, when she was prepared to share her very life with them.

After a while, they noticed little nails appearing, and several other changes in their bodies. One of them asked what this might mean.

The other replied that they were probably getting ready to be born.

The first one shivered. “I don’t want to be born. I want to stay where I am.” “But you have to be born”, said the other. “We can’t stay here forever.” “How do you know there’s any life after birth? Have you ever seen anyone who was born? Has anyone ever come back to tell us?

How do you know we have a mother, anyhow? I’ll bet we only invented her for our own consolation.” “I really don’t know,” said the first guy, “ but it doesn’t make any sense to me that this is it, and there’s nothing after this.” One of them was already a little atheist(!), while the other was a person of faith, which means that he has proof for nothing!

After some time they were born.

When they felt safe to do so, they opened their eyes, and looked up into the face of their mother. They then looked at each other with a look which spoke volumes. “Weren’t we two right fools. Sure how could we possibly understand something as beautiful and as wonderful as this.”

When some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that it was adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, Jesus said to them, “The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another of all that you now admire; all will be torn down.”

And they asked him, “Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” Jesus then said, “Take care not to be deceived, for many will come claiming my title and saying: ´I am he, the Messiah; the time is at hand.´ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and troubled times, don´t be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.” And Jesus said, “Nations will fight each other and kingdom will oppose kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues; in many places strange and terrifying signs from heaven will be seen. Before all this happens, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you; you will be delivered to the Jewish courts and put in prison, and for my sake you will be brought before kings and governors. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to answer, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, and brothers, by relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death. But even though you are hated by all for my name´s sake, not a hair of your head will perish.

We are drawing towards the close of the Church year. It is fitting, therefore, that today’s gospel should deal with the final days of our world. It is almost as if to say, ‘Well, if you haven’t been listening too well up till now, this should make you sit up and listen.’

PARABLE

With the growth in communication technology of recent times, one would begin to expect to buy to-morrow’s newspapers today! Supposing you could actually buy to-morrow’s

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REFLECTIONS

newspapers today, what difference do you think it would make? In today’s gospel, we are told about the future, about the end of the world, about the end of our own lives. In recent times there have been several cults totally preoccupied with the final days. In a few cases, when the end did not come as they expected, we have had mass suicides. If the end of the world wasn’t coming, then they decided it was the end for them. It’s a great pity they didn’t listen to the final few sentences in today’s gospel.

TEACHING

You cannot save time; you can only use it wisely and well. Each moment is unique and unrepeatable. Time and tide wait for no one. That is why the present moment is so precious.

To look at the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem today is to see, in effect, what Jesus speaks of in today’s gospel.

This, too, shall pass. Life is fragile; handle with prayer. We get one shot at life ; there is no dress rehearsal. It is vital that we reflect on life itself, as we live it.

There has hardly been a generation on this earth that did not consider the possibility that the world would end in their day. I remember this being a particular worry of my own, as a child. The wars, the earthquakes, the widespread destruction were all present. All the signs of which Jesus speaks have been present on many an occasion. I have one life to live.

My task is to get on with that life, and leave the rest of the world to God. I could die with thousands of worries unfulfilled.

The last paragraph of today’s gospel is the most important one for us. The Spirit will be with us; not one hair of our heads will perish; stand firm, and we will win our souls. As Christians, we are asked and expected to live salvation, and to be witnesses of that salvation to others. If I am saved, I should look saved, and the only real sin I can commit is to lose hope.

RESPONSE

We often hear of some people referred to as ‘doomsday prophets’.

They are completely negative and pessimistic about everything. They may call themselves Christian, but they certainly are not children of the

PRACTICAL

resurrection. ‘All will be well, and all manner of things will be well’, the words of Julian of Norwich, is the conviction of the Christian. I cannot hope to understand anything of the end of the world, or anything to do with it, nor need I have such understanding. I have now, and I can say my ‘yes’ of now, and that is the only ‘yes’ in which God is interested.

The Christian life is not easy, because it involves the cross. Jesus tells us that we may have to suffer for being followers of his. Being a Christian has cost many a person his/ her life. It may not cost us our lives, but it certainly should cost us the sacrifices needed to live in accordance with the message of Jesus. We are in the world, but not of it, and we must avoid the danger of being polluted by world values and interests.

I referred to a time in my life when the end of the world was a very real concern for me. Thankfully, that is well gone, and my main concern is living today. Today is enough to go on with. I have the privilege of ministering to a small group of very elderly people most mornings. Time and time again, I tell them that the Lord has taken care of them up ‘till now, and all he asks is that they trust him to take care of the rest. Several of them are in their nineties, and one is over a hundred. It is obvious they should trust the rest to him.

STORY

I knew of an old lady one time who had a great obsession with money.

She hadn’t married, had worked hard, and she hoarded every penny she got her hands on. Whether it was the fact that she remembered days of poverty from her early childhood, or whether she was just a natural hoarder, I cannot tell; but money was a constant concern of hers. She was in her nineties, and her nephew was appointed to take care of her finances. Every single week he had to visit her, complete with check books, bank statements, etc., and she went through everything in great detail.

The nephew told me that she never missed a thing right up to the end. She died in a nursing home. The morning she died one member of staff asked another one “I wonder how much did she leave?” The answer was quick, and to the point : “She left everything.”!

The obvious message from today’s gospel is that nothing but God is permanent.

We are continually changing in a world that is also changing. ‘A thousand years in your sight are as yesterday; they are like a few hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear, or like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it withers and fades.’ I can enjoy life enormously, but not take it so seriously that I couldn’t possibly face up to the fact that ‘this too will pass’.

Life, once begun, never ends. It moves and evolves from the womb life to the womb of life, to the fullness of life. ‘The best is yet to come’. My whole sanity depends on my belief in the promises of Jesus. There are many promises which deserve my constant reflection. “I will never leave you in the storm; I will be with you always, even to the end of time……I am the Good Shepherd……..it is only the hireling who would desert his sheep……….”

“You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world”. In a world that is so often racked with despondency and gloom, there is need for the witness of the Christian message. At the present time there is an economic boom, and many people never had it so good. However, once again, the prophets of doom warn that the bubble will burst, that it will all come crashing down. The Christian is not supposed to lay up treasure on this earth, as if salvation could be found in that. ‘Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where the moth cannot consume, or the rust corrode’.

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November 24, 2013 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter Proper Luke 23:35-43 The people stood by watching.

As for the rulers, they jeered at him, saying to one another, “Let the man who saved others now save himself, for he is the Messiah, the chosen one of God!” The soldiers also mocked him and when they drew near to offer him bitter wine, they said, “So you are the king of the Jews? Free yourself!” For above him was an inscription which read, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging with Jesus insulted him, “So you are the Messiah? Save yourself and us as well!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Have you no fear of God, you who received the same sentence as he did? For us it is just: this is payment for what we have done. But this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly, you will be with me today in paradise.”

Today’s gospel shows us our King on his throne of the cross, and the scene contains all the contrasts between the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of this world. ‘And ne’er the twain shall meet’.

PARABLE Jesus was an extraordinary composite person. He was both human and divine, God and man, and he represented the balance between the vertical and the horizontal. The meeting of the two beams of the cross represented the meeting of the vertical (God and me), with the horizontal (me and others). His throne of Calvary was the meeting place for God and his people. It was no longer Moses and the burning bush. In a world that lays great stress on success, activity, power and achievement, it is worth noticing that Jesus was most powerful when he was nailed to a cross, and could do nothing, because that is where the father wanted him to be.

TEACHING In his early childhood, Simeon had prophesied that Jesus would be a sign of contradiction. He certainly was on Calvary. From any human perspective this was failure of the worst kind. His enemies had him where they always wanted him, and they appeared to have achieved

the upper-hand over him. In this is the whole paradox of the gospels.

What the world discards is what God makes sacred. It is when we are weak that God strength is given the space and opportunity to operate.

It is ironic that what was intended as a token of mockery, a sign declaring him King of the Jews was placed over his cross. Pilate had asked him if he were a king, and he asked very simply “Yes, I am, and that is why I came”. The problem here is that they are speaking a completely different language. It is not possible for someone with a worldly mind-set to understand the message of Jesus. Human judgment and comprehension is so narrow, so circumspect, so finite, that it is not capable of looking beyond the tangible, the visible, the commercial item. God’s ways are not our ways, nor are our values his values.

The final two sentences of today’s gospel contain a gem from the message of Jesus. This man may not have said a prayer in his life.

However, with his dying breath he asked for help, and he was offered heaven. It is interesting to note how differently people reacted to Jesus. This came from some certain condition or disposition of their hearts. While one man mocked, the other prayed. The grace of the Lord is equally available to all, but the condition of the soil depended on whether the seed grew or not. Jesus had earlier spoken of the sower who went out to sow his seed. He scattered it in all directions, and he left the rest to the ground on which the seed fell. He had done his part.

RESPONSE The only way I can ever hope to get into the scene of today’s gospel is through reflection and prayer. I can place myself right there, as I sit silently, and go down into my heart, where the Spirit dwells, and where all prayer begins. I can look at that figure on the cross, and contemplate that scene for any length of time, and become greatly enriched as a result. This is my Saviour, my Lord, my King, and my God. This is the source of all the grace we receive in the sacraments, and in many other ways. The streams of grace begin right there.

I have to check my mind-set against the mind-set of the world.

In the Kingdom of Jesus, he is Lord, all of his people are equal, and life in that Kingdom can be lived only through the power of the Spirit.

Because of him, my weaknesses can become my strengths, and my failures can be turned into blessings. I learn compassion through my brokenness, and I know his love through acknowledging my sinfulness. Jesus makes a particular point of turning issues on their heads. He can turn failure into victory, and weakness into power.

“Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom”. What a simple prayer! It came from the heart, and that is why it drew such

REFLECTIONS

a response from Jesus. Jesus had come in search of those who were lost. Within the final moments of his live, this man allowed Jesus find him. Jesus would never intrude, or hijack anybody into being a follower of his. He is present among us, and the choices are ours.

STORY God was the composer of the music of the universe. He wrote a symphony of heavenly music, all in perfect harmony. To the birds of the air he entrusted the pan pipes.

To the long grasses he entrusted the strings. To the clouds and the oceans he entrusted the percussion. He allocated sections of the orchestra to all parts of his creation. There was one section of his creation that he chose to treat differently, i.e., human beings. He had gifted them with reason and intelligence, and, therefore, there was no need to write a score for them, as they would know how to blend and harmonize, without receiving instructions.

The music began, and it was heavenly.

The harmony was enchanting, and the sheer beauty of it all was breath-taking. Things continued like this for some time.

Then, one day, there was a shrieking discordant note, that shattered the harmony of the universe. This was followed by complete silence.

“What was that?” whispered the trees. The birds replied “That was people. They refuse to continue in harmony with the rest of us, and they have decided to do things their way”. “What will he do now?” whispered the grasses. “He may tear up the whole score. He may write a new one. One thing is certain, he cannot pretend it didn’t happen, because that discordant note will

REFLECTIONS

reverberate throughout the universe for all eternity.”

And what do you think God did.

He searched among every sound that ever was, until he found that discordant note. He took that note, used it as a theme, and he wrote a whole new score based entirely on that note. Out of that discordant note he wrote a whole new symphony of heavenly beauty, which we now call salvation. The whole story of salvation is based on our weakness and failure.

Only God could think of such a thing!

NEXT ISSUE

ADVENT REFLECTIONS

PRACTICAL

This is a day for some serious prayer in the heart.

If I want Jesus to set up his Kingdom within my heart, then I have to invite him to do so. “Lord, let my heart be your throne, and let me worship you there. For all the mockery you received on Calvary, I offer you the love and obedience of my heart. Lord, remember me, now that you are in your Kingdom. Let my name be registered as a member of that Kingdom.”

I can measure my own life against the backdrop of today’s gospel. I collect and gather my sins and brokenness, and I place them at the foot of the cross. The greatest thanks I could give Jesus for dying for me is to accept all that his death earned for me. “Here I am, Lord. You are my Saviour, and my Lord. I entrust to you all the failures of my past, and I place in your care all that life still holds for me.”

If I put myself in place of the good thief, and look out through his eyes, what might I see?

I certainly would be deeply conscious of my weakness, my powerlessness, and my total inability to manage the situation in which I find myself. There is only one way to turn, and that is towards Jesus. Only Jesus can do for me what I cannot possibly do for myself. It is for people like me that he came, and it is up to me to allow him find me. I stand before him exactly as I am, exactly as he sees me, and I cry out to him, “Lord, remember me…….”

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R O N S

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THE BIBLE T HE E PI C MINIS ER IES TAMI HORIUCHI

This 10-part miniseries meets the overwhelming challenge of bringing the story of the Bible to film in a way that embraces modern technology and makes the stories seem relevant and fresh to today’s audiences. The Bible was truly a project of passion for executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. By focusing on hope and love as the string of continuity throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, Burnett, Roma, and the writers and filmmakers have created a powerful series about a historical text that’s at once action film, adventure, and even love story.

MOVIES

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MOVIES

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MOVIES

The many stories included in this presentation include those of Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark, the birth of Abraham’s son Isaac, Moses’s parting of the Red Sea, David and Goliath, Samson and Delilah, Mary’s conception of Jesus and his birth, the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spread of Jesus’s word through his disciples. Each of the 10 episodes is powerfully rendered-the subject matter is by nature moving, and the costuming, special effects, settings, and filming choices are fitting and realistic.

The

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performances of the entire cast are stirring, but special recognition is deserved

by Diogo Morgado for his performance as Jesus, Downey as Mother Mary, Darwin Shaw as Peter, Joe Wredden as Judas, and William Houston as Moses.

The best thing about this miniseries is that it functions so well on three very disparate levels: it serves as an affirmation of faith and a bringing to life of a beloved story for the devout, a reminder and reigniter of faith for those raised in faith who may have strayed from religion, and an overview of the

Bible’s stories and a catalyst for faith for those who may never have been exposed to the Bible. One hesitates to characterize the series as “highlights of the Bible” because the moniker trivializes the subject (though Downey calls it just that), but indeed the film views like a “highlights of” in the best sense of the phrase: it offers an overview of most of the major, as well as some of the minor events related in the Bible and conveys a strong sense of the emotion, faith, devotion, and even fervor that has driven religious belief for thousands of years. The Bible: The Epic Miniseries is well crafted and powerfully delivered and it absolutely lives up to its professed desire to preserve the true spirit of the Bible.

Special features include lots of interview footage with Burnett and Downey on a variety of subjects;

THE BIBLE (2013) FILM ««««« EXTRAS «««««

From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation.

Director : Crispin Reece, Tony Mitchell, Christopher Spencer Stars : Keith David, Darwin Shaw, Diogo Morgado, Roma Downey, Andrew Scarborough

featurettes on the Genesis and Creation segments of the series, casting, music, and special effects; and a “Mary, Did You Know” music video composed of visual excerpts from the film set to the 1996 recording by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna.

MOVIES

MOVIES

ART o Citizen Kane (1941) o 8½ (1963) o Fantasia (1940) o Grand Illusion (1937) o La Strada (1954) o The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) o The Leopard (1963) o Little Women (1933) o Metropolis (1927) o Modern Times (1936) o Napoleon (1927) o Nosferatu (1922) o Stagecoach (1939) o 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) o The Wizard of Oz (1939)

VALUES o Au Revoir les Enfants (1988) o The Bicycle Thief (1949) o The Burmese Harp (1956) o Chariots of Fire (1981) o The Decalogue (1988) o Dersu Uzala (1975) o Gandhi (1982) o Intolerance (1916) o It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) o On the Waterfront (1954) o Rome, Open City (1945) o Schindler’s List (1993) o The Seventh Seal (1956) o The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978) o Wild Strawberries (1957)

RELIGION o Andrei Rublev (1966) o Babette’s Feast (1987) o Ben-Hur (1959) o The Flowers of St. Francis (1950) o Francesco (1989) o The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1966) o La Passion de Notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ (1905) o A Man for All Seasons (1966) o The Mission (1986) o Monsieur Vincent (1947) o Nazarin (1958) o Ordet (1954) o The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) o The Sacrifice (1986) o Therese (1986) 61

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The Vatican Movie List In 1995, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of cinema, the Vatican compiled a list of 45 “great films”. The 45 movies are divided into three categories: religion, values and art. How many have you seen?

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MOVIES

Sherwood Pictures A dream to make movies that were Christian in theme was birthed ten years ago at Sherwood Church in Albany, Georgia.

In 2003, four men— brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, Michael Catt, and Jim McBride produced Flywheel, a drama about a cheating, morally bankrupt car dealer who is behind on his bills.

A spiritual experience leads him to reevaluate his dealings in surprisingly different ways. Although made on a shoe string budget, the surprising success of the film inspired a second film Facing the Giants in 2006, an underdog story about American football told from a Christian

Sherwood) budget of $2 million. It grossed a total of $34.5 million!

Despite the tremendous success of the film, Sherwood Pictures are not planning any releases soon. The Kendrick brothers, who wrote the screenplays for all four movies are devoting their energies to writing a book instead. However, the apparent market for Christian movies has encouraged a lot of independent film makers to make wholesome faith based entertainment and the Christian community has much to look forward to in the months to come. We hope there will be some Mel Gibson’s getting into the act as well.

FLYWHEEL (2003)

FACING THE GIANTS

FIREPROOF (2008)

FILM ««««« EXTRAS «««««

FILM ««««« EXTRAS «««««

FILM ««««« EXTRAS «««««

FILM ««««« EXTRAS «««««

A dishonest used car salesman decides to become the salesman that God wants him to be - with surprising results. Good lessons in honesty and tithing.

A losing coach with an underdog football team faces their giants of fear and failure on and off the field to surprising results.

Motivational movie that teaches about faith and persistence.

In an attempt to save his failing marriage, a firefighter uses a 40day experiment known as “The Love Dare”. Great watching to fix failing marriages.

When a tragedy strikes close to home, four police officers struggle with their faith and their roles as husbands and fathers; together they make a decision that will change all of their lives.

Director : Alex Kendrick Writers : Alex and Stephen Kendrick Stars : Rosetta Harris Armstrong, Lisa Arnold, Blake Bailey

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world view, featuring actors from Sherwood Church.

Two years later, Sherwood Pictures released Fireproof, and although reviews for the film were generally unfavorable, it became a surprise hit, debuting at #4 and becoming the highest-grossing independent film of 2008, grossing over $33,000,000. It received awards from evangelical Christian organizations, including the Best Feature Film award at the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

Courageous, a film about fatherhood set in a fire department was the fourth picture to be made at a whopping (for

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Director : Alex Kendrick Writers : Alex and Stephen Kendrick Stars : Erin Bethea, Shannen Fields, Alex Kendrick

Director : Alex Kendrick Writers : Alex and Stephen Kendrick Stars : Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea, Ken Bevel

COURAGEOUS (2011)

Director : Alex Kendrick Writers : Alex and Stephen Kendrick Stars : Alex Kendrick, Ben Davies, Ken Bevel

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SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

HSI School of Discipleship THE NEW EVANGELISM 12 SCHOOLS IN 5 COUNTRIES WITH 6 MORE STARTING SOON

AND JESUS CAME AND SAID TO THEM, “ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME. 19 GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 20 TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU; AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE.” MATTHEW 28:18

Jesus commanded his disciples to “make disciples of all nations.” Though the Church began this mission on Pentecost 2000 years ago, it is far from complete. In his encyclical “Redemptoris Missio” Pope John Paul II wrote, “As the second millennium after Christ’s coming draws to an end, an overall view of the human race shows that this mission is still only beginning and that we must commit ourselves wholeheartedly to its service. It is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God: “For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)

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Ever since his conversion several years ago, Aneel Aranha too has felt the necessity of preaching the Gospel. This burden laid upon his heart has taken him to several countries around the world where he has preached to hundreds of thousands of people under the banner of Holy Spirit Interactive (HSI), the ministry he started soon after his conversion. (It has since been recognized by Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, as an Association of Faith and Outreach, and has received the endorsement of several other Bishops around the world.)

During the course of his travels he came across many men and women who expressed a similar desire to share what they know about God and his tremendous love for them. He realized, however, that despite their great spirit of enthusiasm and zeal, many of them lacked the formation required to ably teach the Gospel, and even if they did have adequate knowledge, they lacked the opportunity to do so. This led him to develop the concept of a six month long training program that would educate people about the Catholic faith with three main purposes in mind: to understand it, to defend it and to spread it. With a small team of people, he formulated a basic syllabus focusing largely on spiritual growth, prepared a few notes that would take them through a couple of months, and in the summer of 2006 launched the program with forty participants.

Its success came as a surprise even to him. Within a few weeks those participating were testifying about the tremendous growth they were attaining spiritually and the confidence they had already begun to develop to take the

INTRODUCTION The Spiritual Growth module is the first in a set of modules that comprise the HSI School of Discipleship, a program intended to help people on the journey of discipleship that all Christians are called to travel.

It begins with an introductory retreat held over three evenings called the HSI Discipleship Program. The Discipleship

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Gospel to others. By the end of the six months they were clamoring for more and consequently the “syllabus” was expanded to cover another six months, including subjects like apologetics and contemplative meditation.

By the end of the year, with none of the enthusiasm dampened (and only two drop-outs), the team began putting together material for a second year, while simultaneously launching another school nearly 2,000 kilometers away in Mumbai, curious to see if the program could be transported across cultures and countries. Discovering that it could the team was encouraged to start more of what are now called the HSI Schools of Discipleship in other cities in India, UAE and USA. The ninth School of Discipleship opened in Calgary, Canada in October last year. It has eighty students from twenty different cultural extractions! The tenth School opened last month in the combined dioceses of Barbados and St. Vincent in the Caribbean.

The increasing popularity of what is on offer, largely influenced by the tremendous need that exists in the Church for such formation, has prompted the team to make the School portable so that any parish or community interested in doing this program can do it with relative ease. To this effect the syllabus has been broken up into twelve bite-sized modules of six sessions each. This allows the parish priest or community leader tremendous flexibility in implementing the program.

Provided here is a sampler of the course with the first session from Module One: Spiritual Growth. Each module has been designed to be extremely easy to use, but before you get to using it, it might help to get an idea of what this is all about.

Program covers four subjects that are fundamental to the faith—Repentance, Forgiveness, Surrender and Prayer— before culminating in an invitation to become (or grow as) a disciple of Christ through the School of Discipleship. Students in the School are taught about the Catholic faith, how to live it and how to share it with others.

The School is targeted at those who truly desire to walk the Christian path because students will have to engage in a lot of prayer, study, sharing and outreach—all of which is monitored through a system of mutual accountability— and those who aren’t serious will find the going too difficult.

Those who are serious, however, will soon discover (as others have already discovered) that the School will help them to grow spiritually, provide a tremendous learning experience, and help uncover gifts and talents that many may never know they had—and the opportunity to use them! Most importantly though, students will learn how to fulfill Jesus’ primary command to love one another in

a communal atmosphere. For this reason, the School is more commonly referred to as a Community. It is for this reason you need to do this study in a group, although you could do it independently and still learn a lot, should you so desire.

DURATION AND MODUS OPERANDI The School of Discipleship contains several bite-sized modules on a variety of subjects ranging from faith issues and contemplative prayer to Scripture and apologetics.

Each module has six sessions which are held over a duration of six weeks.

Meetings are held once a week on a suitable day at a suitable location, usually in a parish setting.

The duration of each meeting is approximately three hours with a brief break for snacks. The meetings begin with a brief period of prayer and end with a fellowship meal. The main body of the meetings consists of a video presentation followed by a time of group sharing.

At the end of each module, there can be a break for a week before starting the next module, although we suggest this break be spent with each other in

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Accountability Partners Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up.

Eccl 1:9

WHAT COMES NEXT? At the end of these modules, At the end of this module, each person needs to have an which take about a year to Accountability Partner, someone he/she will be accountable complete, students can leave to, and someone he/she will be accountable for. It is this to pursue their own individual accountability that contributes in a large measure for the growth calling. Those interested in students achieve. learning more, however, can Partners need to call each other every day and update the continue their studies for other on the progress they are making, sharing the struggles an additional year in more they face in fulfilling the requirements as per the Spiritual advanced subjects such as Growth worksheet, and encouraging and uplifting each other. apologetics, as well as actively Conversations should be short and to-the-point. If further help is engage themselves in ministry needed, speak to the leader of the group or the group’s Spiritual to help grow the Church. After Director. Every group needs a Spiritual Director. the second year, there is an advanced set of modules on theology available for those who want to an outing or some group activity like continue their education further. visiting the sick or feeding the homeless to

And with that all that dealt with, we increase bonding between students. return to the subject topic: How do we get started?

COMMITMENT Students have to commit themselves for a HOW DO WE GET STARTED? period of a year to the School and although there is no penalty if one drops out in the In the Very Beginning middle, we expect students to be people 1. Compile a database of students. of honor. The reason the commitment is You should have the following required is because students are paired up information: to be Accountability Partners and are also

- Name teamed up in small groups. Anyone leaving

- Address in the middle would disrupt the entire

- Contact Number(s) system. People cannot join in the middle of

- E-mail Address the program either, for the same reason—

- Sex they would disrupt the system—but more

- Age so because they would not be able to fully 2. Inform students of the venue, date comprehend advanced lessons if they have and time of the meeting via e-mail missed the preceding lessons. or SMS. The location, day of the week and timing of the meetings should SYLLABUS preferably be unchanged for the The first module on Spiritual Growth duration of the course, or at least the begins with an understanding of what duration of the module. discipleship means and the elements 3. Also inform those attending that they necessary to grow spiritually, leading up need to carry with them their Bibles to helping students establish disciplined along with a notebook and pen. prayer lives and study time, as well as 4. Make sure everything is set up well in encouraging students to get into the habit time. This is a checklist of things you of sharing and reaching out to others. will need to tick off to ensure things The second module looks at the story of are ready: salvation—how we moved From Death q Adequate seating to Life. The third and fourth take an in q Laptop to play the video DVD depth look at the Holy Spirit, without q Projector (especially if the whom we cannot be disciples, much less number of people is large) make disciples of others. The fifth module q Refreshments and food (tea/ takes an equally deep look at the Word of coffee and meal) God. The sixth module examines how we q Sound equipment (speaker and can attain A Deeper Spirituality while microphones) the seventh helps us in Understanding q Music (and someone to play it!) the Faith. The seventh shows us how to put on The Armor of God. These modules The Running Order of Things are interspersed with special Workshops 1. Prayer (30 minutes) that help students discover the gifts that Begin with a time of prayer. In the God has blessed them with (like leading course of the School all students people in worship, teaching or preaching), will be trained in leading worship, and showing them how to use their gifts to but in the interim find someone grow his kingdom.

2.

3.

4.

5.

used to doing this, preferably with accompanying music.

Video (30 minutes) The DVD included in this book has six talks corresponding to the subjects in this book. Play the relevant session, projecting it on a screen through a projector if possible.

Group Discussion (45 minutes) There are Discussion Questions at the end of each section in this book.

Spend some time discussing these questions with other students. If there are many students, break up into smaller groups. Ideally, there shouldn’t be more than 4 people in a group (6 if it includes small children) so that everybody gets an opportunity to share. Students should be advised at the start of the session not to monopolize the discussion time.

Closing Prayer (5 minutes) At the end of the group discussion, everybody stands, forms a circle and prays holding hands. The prayer should be short. After the prayer, everybody sings the HSI Anthem, Let There Be Love. (See Appendix for Lyrics and Score).

Fellowship Meal (30 minutes) The meeting should always conclude with a meal in true apostolic tradition (see Acts 2:42), even though this takes some planning and effort. For the first session (or couple of sessions) the leader takes responsibility for ensuring there is food on the table.

At the end of the session, s/he can invite one (or more) of the students to volunteer to get the food for the following week.

IMPORTANT

At the end of Module 1, Accountability Partners (see Box) are assigned, partnered according to gender, and teams are formed comprising sets of Accountability Partners. The size of the teams depends on the overall size of the School. The School needs to have between 8 and 80 students to work effectively. If there are 8 people, form two teams of four people each; if 80 people, form ten teams of eight people each. The teams take turns to prepare food for future sessions. The team preparing food for a particular week will also help set up the place and clear up after the session is over, something that always needs to be done with meticulousness, regardless of whether the setting is a parish hall or a private residence.

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INTRODUCTION Mt 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV) Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20 are known as the Great Commission. It is a commission given to all Christians.

We are all required to make disciples of nations. We can’t begin to do this, however, unless we first become disciples ourselves. This is not as hard as some might imagine. With a little effort and a lot of grace—which is available to those who put in a little effort—we can all become good disciples of Christ.

But first, who is a disciple? A disciple of Christ is first and foremost a follower of Christ, who proceeds to learn what Jesus teaches, and then teaches others what he has learned. He is someone who has walked with and lived with Jesus and who cannot have an existence without him.

Jerusalem. On the way he had brief conversations with three people that are quite profound in the insights they provide us.

The first is a man who sees the crowds following Jesus and is attracted to him because of that, believing that Jesus might bring him power, glory, fame or fortune. Jesus asks him if he is aware what the cost of following him is.

The second is a man whom Jesus himself calls, much like he did the twelve apostles. But unlike the twelve, who left everything and followed Jesus, this man says there are obligations that he has to fulfill. Jesus tells him not

Which of these three men most closely resembles you?

What is your motivation for following Jesus? It may be illuminating for you to write down your reasons for following Jesus. Do you believe there are many blessings in store for you by following him? Do you think there might be an escape route for you from what seems to be a miserable existence? Do you feel Jesus calling you like he did Peter and the apostles? Spend a few minutes writing about it. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

A FOLLOWER

___________________________________________________________________________

As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you

___________________________________________________________________________

Lk 9:57

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wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” When the time came for Jesus to be taken up to heaven he set out to

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SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

to worry about that; he has another mission in mind and he will take care of whatever needs there are.

The third is a man who has been with Jesus for a while, but now wants a breather from the hard life that he has been leading. He wants some time out, but Jesus tells him that there is no quitting—not even temporarily—for those who have decided to follow Him. From Jesus’ replies to the men and a few other things that he said about discipleship, we can determine the characteristics that are found in a true follower of Christ, characteristics that we may not have in great abundance now, but will inherit as we travel on this journey.

1. A refusal to let anybody take precedence over Jesus

If we are to follow Jesus, he should have prime position of importance in our lives. Jesus says, “Lk 14:26 If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” The reasoning is simple. We will always want to please those we love the most and if we love a person more than we love Jesus we will always be in conflict about whom to please when the demands are contradictory.

2. A refusal to let anything take precedence over Jesus Just as we shouldn’t let anyone supersede Jesus in importance, we shouldn’t let anything take precedence over him either. Jesus says, “Lk 14:33 So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” He doesn’t expect us to climb up mountains and take residence there, forsaking everything in the world, but he does expect us not to cling to the things of the world.

3.

A willingness to die to the things of the world Jesus also says, “Lk 14:27 Whoever does not bear his own

cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” A lot of us believe that carrying one’s cross means carrying one’s burdens, but in Jesus’ time carrying one’s cross meant only one thing: death. It doesn’t necessarily mean dying physically; rather it means dying to oneself—to the passion, the greed, the lust, the desire for power and everything else that keeps us slaves to the world.

4. A willingness to obey all he taught Obedience to the teachings of Jesus is a prime requisite in following Jesus and it is something that he has stressed on numerous occasions. “Jn 8:31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples.” Another time he was extremely stern when he warned followers to be obedient: “Mt 7:21 Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

5. The ability to bear fruit How does one tell a false prophet from a true one? By the fruit they bear (see Matthew 7:15‑21). But it isn’t only a false prophet you can tell by the fruit they bear. You can tell a disciple of Christ by the fruit they bear too: the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control (cf. Galatians 5:21-22). “Jn 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples,” says Jesus.

6. A desire to love others as Jesus loved us

And finally we come to the most important characteristic of a disciple: a love for others that mirrors the love we receive from Jesus. In the Gospel of John we find Jesus saying, “Jn 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you

have love for one another.” There are three main components of love here as exemplified by Jesus: an unconditional love, a forgiving love and a self-sacrificing love.

A LEARNER

Mt 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

We learn from Christ by taking his yoke upon ourselves and walking with him in tandem, doing what he would do. Jesus practiced everything he preached, and the following Scripture verses illustrate some of the things that Jesus did that we need to do as well.

1. A desire to serve, rather than be served One day Jesus told his apostles that he was going to die, but rather than being concerned about him, they were more concerned about themselves. Two of them, James and John, went to Jesus with a rather arrogant request. “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory,” they said.

Hearing this, the other apostles got upset, because these were positions of importance that they, themselves, wanted. “Mk 10:42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

43 But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2. A knowledge of the Word of God We need to read Scripture because through it we find out how Jesus lived, and it is through his example that we can learn to live too. We

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also need to know it because it is, as Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, the “sword of the Spirit”.

We find Jesus wielding it to great effect in the desert when he was tempted by the devil. ”Mt 4:1‑11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” 5

Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

11

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.”

Three times Jesus was tempted.

And three times he resisted, quoting the Word of God as contained in the book of Deuteronomy. (It is interesting—and educational—to note that in the second instance the devil used the Word of God to tempt Jesus!)

3. A regular prayer life

One would think Jesus being the Son of God would not need to pray, but he prayed. And in doing so he shed light on the true nature of prayer, which is communication with God, not petitioning (although it could include that), and the importance of

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it. He prayed constantly, and when his fame with the ensuing crowds prevented him from praying at will, he would wake up early to spend time with his (and our) Father.

“Mk 1:35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.”

He prayed all night before choosing his twelve disciples (Luke 6:12-13); he prayed before he performed miracles (John 11:4142) and he prayed after them in thanksgiving (Matthew 15:36); he prayed at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-29); he prayed for unity for the Church (John 17:23); he prayed before his Passion (Matthew 26:36-46); he prayed even from the cross! (Luke 23:34) He prayed everywhere for everybody and everything.

4. A deep sense of humility Pride was the downfall of Satan. The Catechism says this: “CCC391 Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy.

Scripture and the Church’s Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called “Satan” or the “devil”. The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: “The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing.”

Pride can be our downfall too, but we can learn to be humble in the manner of Jesus. During the Last Supper, Jesus “Jn 13:4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. 12

When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

5. A life of fasting and austerity

”Mt 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.”

Nobody suddenly takes off into the desert and fasts for forty days unless one has made a habit of it so it stands to reason that Jesus had been fasting regularly before he did this long fast. On more than one

What do you expect to get out of the School?

Write down your expectations of what you would like to gain from this year that you will invest in the School of Discipleship. Review this at the end of the year and see if you are satisfied with what you got out of it. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

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occasion he has suggested that his followers fast too (see Mark 9:29, Matthew 9:15, Matthew 6:16). Not only does it make for good spiritual discipline, fasting also increases our dependence on God.

6. A life of subservience to the will of God It isn’t easy being subservient to the will of God, because not only is it difficult at times, it can also be very painful. Jesus understood this all too well and in the Garden of Gethsemane he sweated blood as he begged that the cup that awaited him—more than the physical torture it was the pain of separation from the Father that tore into him—be taken away. “Lk 22:42 Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done,” he said.

has repeated on several occasions, notably in Luke 9 and 10, Mark 16, Matthew 10 and John 15.

3. To teach The Catechism of the Catholic Church, a valuable storehouse of the faith that we would be well advised to use, states that “CCC 75,76 Christ the Lord, in whom the entire Revelation of the most high God is summed up, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel, which had been promised beforehand by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in his own person and promulgated with his own lips.

In preaching the Gospel, they were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. This Gospel was to be the source of all saving truth and moral discipline.”

A TEACHER

In keeping with the Lord’s command, the Gospel was handed on in two ways: orally “by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received – whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit”; (and) in writing “by those apostles and other men associated with the apostles who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing”.

We are required to transmit this faith, teaching it to everybody beginning with our family and those closest to us.

“(Go,) teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.”

Teaching others about Jesus is a natural consequence of following Jesus and learning from him. It is also something we are required to do as disciples. In the great commission given to all those who believe in him, Jesus asks us to do these things:

Mt 28:20

1. To evangelize “Mk 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” One does not need to have a microphone in hand and a thousand people in the audience to preach. The person who said this had it right when he said, “Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary use words.”

Evangelization is simply having Jesus in your heart and sharing him with others.

2. To minister “Mt 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.”

Part of the Great Commission includes the commission to perform miracles in Jesus’ name, something that many of us sadly do not believe applies to us, even though it is something that Jesus

FOUR ELEMENTS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH ”1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

There is a certain degree of selfdiscipline required to attain any goal.

An athlete has to train. A student has to study. A carpenter has to practice.

The effort one puts into what one does is directly proportional to the level of expertise one wishes to attain. It is no different for a disciple, although as Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, we need to put in more effort because the reward is of far more value than anything we may wish to attain on earth.

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SPIRITUAL GROWTH ASSESSMENT It may help us, before we proceed further, to examine these four key elements—our prayer life, our knowledge of Scripture and Tradition, our missionary zeal, and our generosity of spirit and heart—as they exist in our lives at this moment in time to get a rough idea of where we currently are on the journey of discipleship. Complete the Spiritual Growth Assessment below. The assessment is intended to help you think carefully about your spiritual development related to these four specific spiritual disciplines: prayer, study, sharing and outreach. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you complete the assessment honestly and accurately. Use the scale below to respond to each statement.

Never 1 point Seldom 2 points

Occasionally 3 points Frequently 4 points Always 5 points Total the scores you have allocated in each discipline. A perfect score would be 20 in each discipline for a total of 80 and it is unlikely that anybody starting out on this journey would be anywhere close to that mark. While it is not the aim of the School of Discipleship to attain a perfect score, we will notice that as we build ourselves in each discipline, we get closer to God; and as we get closer to God, we build ourselves in each discipline.

PRAYER

RESPONSE

Personal Prayer: I spend at least 30 minutes in personal prayer each day Family Prayer: I spend at least 10 minutes praying with my family each day Group Prayer: I spend at least one day a week praying in a group Community Prayer: I go for Mass on all days of obligation PRAYER TOTAL

STUDY

RESPONSE

Bible Reading: I read the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church Bible Study: I study the Bible and refer to the Catechism Bible Memorization: I memorize verses from the Bible Bible Meditation: I meditate on Scripture passages STUDY TOTAL

OUTREACH

RESPONSE

Faith Sharing: I share my faith with others, including strangers Intercession: I pray regularly for the salvation of those who don't know Jesus Ministry: I am engaged in ministry (Eucharistic minister, catechist, choir member, etc.)

Invitation to Prayer: I invite people to Church, prayer and other spiritual programs OUTREACH TOTAL

SHARING

RESPONSE

Time: I spend my time in the service of God and/or for God's people Money: I tithe 10% or more of my income in the service of God Talent: I use my talent in the service of God and/or for God's people Charity: I share of my love with all of God's children SHARING TOTAL TOTAL OF ALL FOUR ELEMENTS

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SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

SPIRITUAL GROWTH PLAN

The following goals can help us achieve great spiritual growth. We are not going to try to attain all these goals immediately, but build up gradually as we proceed through the School.

Do not let the goals listed here frighten you. They are all attainable. It helps to look upon these with a spirit of adventure, because every thing we do here helps us get closer to God and each other, and that is enormously rewarding as well as filled with wonderful surprises.

1. Prayer a. Personal Prayer: Spend at least half an hour in personal prayer each day. b. Family Prayer: Spend at least 10 minutes praying with the family each day. c. Group Prayer: Spend at least a couple of hours each week praying with a group. d. Community Prayer: Go for Mass at least once a week.

2. Study a. Bible Reading: Read 3-5 chapters of the Bible. b. Bible Study: Study in depth at least one chapter of the Bible each week. c. Bible Memorization: Memorize three to four Scripture verses each week. d. Bible Meditation: Meditate on Scripture passages, like the daily gospel readings.

3. Sharing a. Time: Spend part of your time in the service of God and His people. b. Money: Tithe at least 10% of your income. c. Talent: Use your talent in the service of God. d. Charity: Share your love with God’s children, especially those in trouble or distress.

4. Outreach a. Share your faith: Testify about your faith to at least one person each week. b. Intercession: Pray for the salvation of at least one new person each day. c. Ministry: Involve yourself in some aspect of ministry. d. Invitation to Prayer: Invite at least one person a week to join you in group prayer.

growth. Two of these, prayer and study, deal with our relationship with God. The other two, sharing and witness, deal with our relationship to people. We have subdivided these four elements into another four and we will briefly look at them here. We will examine each individual element in more detail later in this module.

PRAYER AND STUDY

We have chosen to follow Jesus, but this is not something that we can do unless we love him, which comes only by getting an understanding of his love. “1 Jn 4:19 We love, because he first loved us.” This requires prayer, which helps to build a relationship with him, and study, which helps us get to know him better. The more we know Jesus, the more we love him, and the more we love him, the more we can fulfill the commandment to “Lk 10:27 love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind”.

There are no shortcuts to this and if we don’t have a dedicated and disciplined prayer and study life our Christian journey will be largely superficial and get us nowhere.

Prayer Prayer involves four sub-elements that are vital to growth: - Personal prayer, where we spend time one on one with God. - Family prayer, where we spend time with God along with those he has given us for our own.

- Group prayer, where we spend time with God along with his other children.

- Community prayer, where we unite globally with the body of Christ that is the Church.

Study Similarly, there are four sub-elements to study as well:

- Bible reading, where we read Scripture along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church to get a better understanding of it.

- Bible study, where we delve deeper into the Word of God. - Bible memorization, where we internalize Scripture to the extent we have it committed to memory.

- Bible meditation, where we deeply ponder the things God says to us.

SHARING AND OUTREACH

We don’t live in isolation; we are social beings.

And as Christians we are closer knit as part of the body of Christ.

Paul writes this: “1 Cor 12:12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”

Consequently, we have an obligation to share the blessings and gifts we have received with others, and reach out to those who don’t know Christ in order to draw them to the eternal life we partake of.

Sharing There are four elements to sharing: - Sharing time, where we spend a part of our time in the service of God and his people.

- Sharing money, where we tithe part of our income towards the growth of God’s kingdom.

- Sharing talent, where we use our gifts and talent for the glory of God. - Sharing love, where we give our hearts for those in need of love.

Outreach Likewise, there are four elements to outreach: - Testifying about Christ to those who don’t know him.

- Interceding for the salvation of those who are lost.

- Involving ourselves in growing the Kingdom of God through ministry.

- Drawing people to prayer, worship and the Word of God. PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP

Spiritual Growth Worksheet

The Spiritual Growth Worksheet alongside will help you keep track of your spiritual growth.

Make a few copies of the sheet.

There is nothing asked of you at the moment; merely record what you do in each discipline every day.

If you are a typical beginner on this journey of discipleship, you will find yourself struggling with many of the disciplines. This is normal and nothing to be unduly concerned about.

In the final session of this module you will be asked to choose an Accountability Partner –someone you will hold yourself accountable to (and also be accountable for!). You will notice how being accountable to somebody will ensure that you improve in all four areas mentioned.

Sa

Su

Mo

Tu

We

Th

Fr

Personal Prayer

Note total time spent each day

Family Prayer

Note total time spent each day

Group Prayer

Tick the days you attended a prayer meeting

Community Prayer

Tick the days you went for Mass

Bible Reading

Note number of chapters you read each day

Bible Study

Note number of chapters you studied each day

Bible Memorization

Note number of verses you memorized each day

Bible Meditation

Note number of passages you meditated upon

Time

Note amount of time you spent with the sick, etc.

Money

Note % of income you tithed in the week

Charity

Note % of income you gave to charity

Talent

Note what you did each day in service of God

Faith Sharing

Note number of people you witnessed to

Intercession

Note number of people you interceded for

Ministry Work

Note the time you spent each day in ministry work

Invitation to Prayer

Note number of people you invited to prayer

Accountability

Tick the days you called your Partner

More About the HSI School of Discipleship

The HSI School of Discipleship is a structured program intended to help people on the journey of discipleship that all Christians are called to travel. It begins with an introductory retreat held over three evenings called the Discipleship Program. At the end of the Discipleship Program, those interested in deepening their faith and spreading the Gospel message to those who don’t know it are invited to join the School of Discipleship, a year long program.

There are eight modules in the first year, each module comprising five subjects that help students grow spiritually. Those who wish to further their education are invited to continue in the School for a second year. This has eight more modules that help students better understand the faith.

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Module 1: Spiritual Growth The Making of a Disciple Prayer Study Sharing Outreach

Module 3: The Holy Spirit Meet the Holy Spirit The Personality and Deity The Promise and the Baptism The Gift and the Indwelling The Leading of the Holy Spirit

Module 5: The Word of God Reading the Word of God Studying the Word of God Understanding the Word of God Memorizing the Word of God Meditating on the Word of God

Module 7: Understanding the Faith Scripture, Tradition & Magisterium The Sacraments The Eucharist Learning from the Saints Introduction to Apologetics

Module 2: From Death to Life Sin and Separation from God The Need for a Savior Jesus Christ, Lamb of God The Christian Self Identity The Renewing of the Mind

Module 4: The Fruit and Gift The Gifts of Sanctification The Fruit of the Spirit The Gifts of Service The Gifts of Manifestation Discovering and Using Your Gifts

Module 6: A Deeper Spirituality Contemplation Journaling Ignatian and other Forms of Spirituality Lectio Divina Prayer and Fasting

Module 8: The Armor of God Stand Your Ground The Battlefield of the Mind Putting on the Armor Command and Conquer The Battle Belongs to the Lord

PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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Guido Reni’s Michael (in Santa Maria della Concezione church, Rome, 1636) tramples Satan. A mosaic of the same painting decorates St. Michael’s Altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.

STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Q

With all of the talk about angels, the multitude of pictures and books about them, and even the television shows with angels, why don’t we ever hear more about them?

Some of these shows make angels seem like fantasy spirits. Too many people have a superficial view of angels. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly affirms, “The existence of the spiritual, noncorporeal beings that sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition” (no. 328). Given that we do believe in angels, we define them as pure spirits and personal beings with intelligence and free will. They are immortal beings. As the Bible attests, they appear to humans as apparitions with a human form.

Since the fourth century, nine choirs or types of angels are identified in the Bible and have been elaborated upon by various theologians: The first three choirs see and adore God directly. The seraphim, which means “the burning ones,” have the most intense “flaming” love for God and comprehend Him with the greatest clarity. (Interestingly, Lucifer, which means “light bearer,” was one of the seraphim whose beautiful light was changed into darkness.) The cherubim, which means “fullness of wisdom,” contemplate God’s divine providence and plan for His creatures. Lastly, the thrones, symbolizing divine justice and judicial power, contemplate God’s power and justice.

The next three choirs fulfill God’s providential plan for the universe: The dominations or dominions, whose name evokes authority, govern the lesser choirs of angels. The virtues, whose name originally suggested power or strength, implement the orders from the dominations and govern the heavenly bodies. Lastly, the powers confront and fight against any evil forces opposed to God’s providential plan.

The last three choirs are directly involved in human affairs: The principalities care for earthly principalities, such as nations or cities. The archangels deliver God’s most important messages to mankind, while each angel serves as a guardian for each of us.

Although not official dogma, this schema became popular in the Middle Ages in the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Hildegard of Bingen and John Scotus Erigina.

Nevertheless, we believe that Almighty God created the angels before the rest of creation. At some point, some angels, led by Lucifer, rebelled against God. These angels made a free choice, radically and irrevocably rejecting God and His rule. Therefore, they were cast into Hell. This event is mentioned, albeit briefly, in several passages of the New Testament: St. Peter wrote, “Did God spare even the angels who sinned? He did not! He held them captive in Tartarus [Hell] — consigned them to pits of darkness, to be guarded until judgment” (1 Pt 2:3). In the Letter of St. Jude we read, “There were angels, too, who did not keep to their own domain, who deserted their dwelling place. These the Lord has kept in perpetual bondage, shrouded in murky darkness against the judgment of the great day. Sodom, Gomorrah and the towns thereabouts indulged in lust, just as those angels did; they practiced unnatural vice. They are set before us to dissuade us, as they undergo a punishment of eternal

fire” (Jud 6-7). When Jesus spoke of the Last Judgment and the need to serve the least of our brethren, He said to the unrighteous, “Out of my sight, you condemned, into that everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41). Always remember that these fallen angels — the devil and demons — had been created good, but by their own free will chose to sin and turn away from God.

A key to understanding angels is by looking at what they do. First, angels see, praise and worship God in His divine presence. Jesus said, “See that you never despise one of these little ones. I assure you, their angels in Heaven constantly behold my heavenly Father’s face” (Mt 18:10), a passage which also indicates that each of us has a guardian angel. The Book of Revelation described how the angels surround the throne of God and sing praises (confer Rv 5:11ff, 7:11ff). Moreover, they rejoice over the saved soul of the repentant sinner (Lk 15:10).

Second, angel comes from the Greek angelos which means “messenger,” which describes their role in interacting with this world. St. Augustine stated that angels were “the mighty ones who do His word, hearkening to the voice of His word.” Throughout Sacred Scripture, the angels served as messengers of God, whether delivering an actual message of God’s plan of salvation, rendering justice, or providing strength and comfort. Here are a few examples of their role as messengers in the Old Testament: After the Fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion, the cherubim guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24).

Angels protected Lot and his family in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19). The angel stopped Abraham as he was about to offer Isaac in sacrifice (Gen 22). An angel guarded the people on the way to the Promised Land (Ex 23:20). In the New Testament, an angel appeared to the centurion Cornelius and prompted his conversion (Acts 10:1ff); and an angel freed St. Peter from prison (Acts 12:1ff). In all, Hebrews 1:14 captured their role well: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to serve those who are to inherit salvation?”

Archangels and Guardian Angels Sacred Scripture identifies by name three angels, who are the great messengers of God — Michael, Raphael and Gabriel. They are called archangels because of their important roles in God’s plan. St. Michael, whose name means, “one who is like God,” led the army of angels who cast Satan and the rebellious angels into Hell; at the end of time, he will wield the sword of justice to separate the righteous from the evil (cf. Rv 12:7-0).

St. Gabriel, whose name means “strength of God,” announced to Mary that she had been chosen as the Mother of the Savior (cf. Lk 1:26-38). St. Raphael, whose name means “remedy of God,” cured the blind man Tobit (cf. Tobit 5).

The angels are also our guardians. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession” (No. 336). St. Basil (d.

379) asserted, “Beside each believer stands an angel protector and shepherd leading him to life” (Adversus Eunomium, III, 1). Most of us at an early age learned the little prayer to our guardian angel: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and to guide.” Some of the saints were able to see angels, like St. Peter (Acts 12:1-19), or their guardian angel, like St. Pio (Padre Pio) and St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

Moreover, as Catholics, we remember the important role of St. Michael in defending us against Satan and the powers of evil. Toward the end of the 19th century, Pope Leo XIII (d. 1903) had a prophetic vision of the coming century of sorrow and war. In this vision, God gave Satan the choice of one century in which to do his worst work. The devil chose the 20th century. So moved was the Holy Father from this vision that he composed the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel: “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.” For many years, this prayer was recited at the end of Mass to bring about the fall of communism. All of the faithful should again invoke the aid of St. Michael to combat the great evils we see present in our world — abortion, euthanasia, terrorism, genocide, same-sex marriage and the like.

As members of the Church, we are conscious of the angels in our liturgical practices. At Mass, in the Preface before the Eucharistic Prayer, we join with all of the angels and saints to sing the hymn of praise, “Holy, holy, holy … “ In Eucharistic Prayer I, the priest prays, “Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in Heaven.” In the Final Commendation of the Funeral Liturgy, the priest prays, “May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs come to welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem.” Moreover, we celebrate in our liturgical calendar the Feasts of the Archangels (Sept. 29) and Guardian Angels (Oct. 2).

In our daily prayers and activities, we should be mindful of these servants of God who by His love keep our lives safe from harm and guide us on the path of salvation.

ANGELS FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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SITUATION ROOM

BEWARE THE

GOSSIP-MONGER Somebody you know drops by to your place for a visit and then proceeds to badmouth Mr. X or Ms. Y—after, of course, obtaining your affirmation that s/he is not gossiping but merely “sharing.” This is what you do:

o Decide it would be impolite to tell the person to shut up; besides you are a little curious to know what folks around you are saying about Mr. X or Ms. Y. o Tell the person to their face that you’d rather not engage in the conversation, even though you know it could very well jeopardize your relationship. o Listen with great eagerness interspersing every second statement with gushed, “Oh really?” or “How shocking!”, thereby ensuring that the verbal flow of diarrhea doesn’t stop. o Pitch in with your own contributions, embellishing all of them with copious amounts of garnish to make it more interesting.

. . . . . t Ps s

PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

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SITUATION ROOM

The Triple Filter Test You might find it interesting to note that the word “devil” in Greek translates as “a slanderer,” so whenever we engage in a slanderous conversation we become devilish—quite literally.

All slander has its roots in gossip, and there is perhaps no sin that is more obscene or more damaging, both to others and to self. To others, because it trashes reputations and ruins lives, very often of the innocent. To self, because it jeopardizes our very salvation! In the understanding of this fact, lies the antidote to gossiping, so let’s take a look at a few things that Scripture says about gossip—or the careless use of the tongue: Jesus warns: “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

(Matthew 12:36‑37) If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

(James 1:26) ... nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:10) Peter too warns about the suffering that will meet the busybody, equating such people with murderers and thieves.

“If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.”

(1 Peter 4:15) The dictionary defines a meddler as “a person who seeks

How you answered

confidential information about others; a snoop; a nosy person.”

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. (James 3:9-10) And if Scripture doesn’t impress you, understanding this fact might: If your friend talks about somebody to you, you can bet anything you want that your friend talks about you to somebody!

Many people I know, especially those reluctant to engage in gossip, prefer to exercise option (a). The reasons are more than those stated and often includes the very real fear that upsetting the gossip-monger—usually a person with a very vindictive nature—would result in vicious attacks against oneself.

So the best thing to do (they reason), is to pander to the gossip-monger. But this can have worse consequences. Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 10:28, warns: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

When you engage in a conversation that God warns against, even without contributing anything to it yourself, you are a fellow participant in a sin. So cut the person off right at the pass with a polite, but firm: I don’t think I want to hear about that. And if you lose your “friend”, perhaps you are better off with him/her lost.

For a guide on how to determine if someone is gossiping or not, check out The Triple Filter Test.

If you answered yes to options (c) and (d), you are a gossip-monger yourself and need to stop. It might help you to realize that you may be engaging in gossip-mongering because of a sense of low selfesteem and personal insecurity. Spend time in personal prayer, establishing a relationship with Jesus, who will give you a sense of identity and security in him and the Holy Trinity.

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PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, “Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?”

“Wait a moment,” Socrates replied.

“Before you tell me I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”

“Triple filter?”

“That’s right,” Socrates continued.

“Before you talk to me about my student let’s take a moment to filter what you’re going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”

“No,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it and...”

“All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?”

“No, on the contrary...”

“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you’re not certain it’s true?”

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. “You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?”

“No, not really...”

“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?”

The man was defeated and ashamed.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

(Ephesians 4:29)

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THE LAST WORD

BEING DO-GOODERS PETRINA ROCHE

“Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

I think this line from Scripture captures the essence of our purpose in the world today. In leading Christian lives, we are not only required to spend time with God in prayer and worship, but rather be visible examples of our faith to others of our faith in our daily existence.

More often than not we know what is required of us—what the world expects and, more importantly, what God expects. Yet, how many of us live by the tenets of our faith? How many of us are aware of the suffering of the people around us? How many of us look at people without judgment? How many of us have not spoken about somebody in a malicious manner (perhaps just after hearing a sermon in church advising against slander)? How many of us have heard of the success of someone else and verbally wished them well but in our minds have wondered if they were deserving of it or not—thinking that perhaps we deserved the success more than them?

It’s not about practicing what we preach, but rather about observing people around us and really feeling for them; every person around us. For example, if I am walking down the street to work, instead of being unnecessarily worried about things in my life, I choose to leave it in God’s hands for his plans for me will surely unfold. Mind thus freed, I can now notice the beggar on the corner of the street, or the homeless person sitting in the cold, or simply the person walking through the door behind me.

Being aware of each person allows me to truly walk in this world like Jesus did. To stop by a coffee shop and buy a coffee or sandwich for the beggar, perhaps giving my loose change to the homeless person, or merely holding the door open for the person behind me, smiling as I do so. I can’t tell you what a difference a genuine smile from the heart or a kind word can make to even a total stranger. We need to believe that we make a difference—that we can make a difference.

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PATHFINDER | OCT-NOV

I think we are blessed with an abundance of love and this love should be given to others—those who need it and perhaps even those who seem to be blessed with an abundance of it already.

We need to start paying it forward. I consider myself a very blessed person, although there are many days when I feel otherwise. I wonder when the things I want in my life will be realized in God’s plan, but it doesn’t stop me from being the best I can be for the world. We are all on a journey of discovery—discovering God, ourselves, opportunities etc., But the important aspect of the journey is to stay aware and steer our path with one constant—not to just be good, but to do good.

I don’t claim to be a saint in the least—God knows I have my fair share of things I wish I could have done differently, ways in which I wish I were a better person—but I do try every day to touch someone’s life in whichever way I can. I strive to have an impact on someone’s life so that they have a better quality of life and a higher level of spiritual awareness.

So today I invite you to not only read Scripture but live it. It is hard, I know, and although I am not an authority on the subject, from my experience I can say this: no matter how horrible or disappointing I sometimes find the world and the human race, I cannot and will not stop helping those around me. I strive not to be envious of others successes. And I try to love with a passion and fierceness and to give that love with a generosity that knows no bounds—much like Jesus did. n

Want to have the last word?

We all have something on our minds or in our hearts that we would love to share with others, but often don’t get the opportunity to do so.

Well, you have it here. Put down your thoughts in an email and send it across to us at editor@ holyspiritinteractive.org. You may just have the last word!

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