Sharing divine truth

Going through The Catechism in a Year podcast — thank you, Father Mike Schmitz — has been a fun and helpful daily activity for my wife (my best friend) and me, keeping both of us centered on what is true as taught by the Church through sacred Scripture and tradition. The double bonus is the time we share together, coupled with the opportunity to discuss and discern how divine truth can be applied to the world in which we live. The Catechism of the Catholic Church can help make and keep us sharp in the areas of faith and reason, although we need to delve deeper into the footnotes that dig into other sources including — the best source of God’s truth — the Bible.

Searching in the Scriptures and working through excellent resources like the catechism, one discovers that divine truth is indeed timeless. It is especially fruitful when engaging with friends in prayer, study and dialogue — as in any small group and faith-based activity. The Scriptures show all that is good, beautiful and true in God’s story of salvation. Together, we can challenge each other with good questions to discuss, to sort out the shades of gray and clutter, to clear up some of the mess that has gotten in the way of truth since that occurrence of the primeval nemesis we call original sin.

The good news is that since the fall of Adam and Eve, God has not given up on restoring us back into his divine friendship, through his word and the sacraments. Jesus is the good news, who became one of us to save us and show us the value that true friendship has for our eternal souls. “The more we share in the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult to break away from him by mortal sin” (CCC 1395). Learning with others — in the context of Christ’s playful title, “the little tyrant.”

But Anne’s young heart began to soften when she was made the godmother of her younger sister. She understood that she was to help her sister, and all her younger siblings, get to heaven. She took this role seriously, earning her a new nickname, “the apostle of the nursery.”

Another turning point came when Anne’s father was killed in WWI. As Anne watched her mother suffer, Anne decided she would do all she could to help her, and one of the best things she could do was to be obedient. Anne didn’t obey simply to avoid any possible punishment for disobedience. Anne obeyed because she didn’t want to grieve those she loved.

VENERABLE

Anne

DE GUIGNÉ

Her thoughts would often turn to the Eucharist and the best ways she could make the heart of Jesus happy. Her obedience became a gift she could give, like a present she could wrap up and give to the Lord. On the day of her first Communion, she placed this note on the altar: “My Jesus, I love You, and to please You, I resolve to obey You always.”

Anne was constantly encouraging her siblings, not only to be good, but to be generous and to make little sacrifices, like giving up dessert, on behalf of others. She loved to pray for the conversion of sinners and took on “cases” like a spiritual doctor. She would often friendship — helps us progress by sharing divine truths as in the wisdom of Ecclesiastes: “Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken” (Eccl 4:12).

Look to the divine friendship Jesus spoke of to his disciples in the Gospels, as he taught and witnessed to what true friendship is. “You are my friends if you do what I command you … I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:14-15). Teaching, sharing and witnessing to the faith with others — starting with our families — develops, grows and sustains bold witnesses with strong wills and intellects that the culture we live in greatly needs.

Many faith-based examples of living the moral life are given by our triune God — the creation of male and female (Gn 1:27), the definition of the sanctity of marriage (Mt 19:4-6), the value of the dignity of life (Ps 139:13-16) and so many others. In his infinite wisdom, God inspired the biblical authors to write things down that would resonate through the ages — including the here and now — to read, teach, protect and practice.

Applying God’s wisdom by encountering Jesus in sacred Scripture is a daily practice for Catholic Watchmen. I truly enjoy the fruits of this discipline, because it helps equip and prepare me for homilies and large group fellowship as well as my daily mission with friends and friends-to-be. I can bring the saving knowledge of Jesus to others in a practical sense, such as when I engage with others at the workplace, over coffee, during hikes and bike rides, and through small group activities. We can share divine truths with friends in our restoration process to divine friendship with Jesus — and hopefully make new friends for our Lord — through his way, his truth and his life.

Editor’s note: Catechism in a Year can be found at tinyurl com/6j58973w

Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville, and assists with the archdiocesan Catholic Watchmen movement. See heroicmen com for existing tools supported by the archdiocese to enrich parish apostolates for ministry to men. For Watchmen start-up materials, or any other questions regarding ministry to men, contact him at gordonbird@rocketmail com

The Families First Project is an advocacy campaign of the Minnesota Catholic Conference to remove economic roadblocks that Minnesotans confront along their journey of forming and raising a family. This week’s column focuses on a proposal to help young people secure stable employment in the trades.

Many young people lack confidence about their economic prospects and are delaying marriage and parenthood or skipping them altogether. Steadily declining marriage rates and birth rates among middle- and lowerincome earners confirm a growing perception that marriage and parenthood are mere lifestyle choices that can only be sustained by the wealthy and fortunate.

Access to rewarding employment that allows people to support their families is essential to ensuring more people who aspire to the vocations of marriage and parenthood feel confident to pursue them. Yet, the number of jobs that do not pay a wage that can support a family, even with two full-time workers, is concerning. Last year, the AEI-Brookings Working Group on Childhood in the United States reported that “one reason marriage is fragile in many poor and working-class communities is that job stability and income are inadequate, especially for workers without a college degree.” Minnesota can help lessen the costs of family formation by nurturing the employment skills of young men and women without saddling them with the mountains of debt that create further roadblocks to family formation.

Contact your legislators and urge them to support SF596 (Dornink) / HF802 (Mueller). This legislation would create $5,000 grants for individuals enrolled in vocational programs to help pay for training, tools or licenses necessary to enter in-demand career fields. Another bill, SF1599 (Putnam) / HF1996 (Lislegard), would renew funding for the Minnesota Virtual Academy’s Career Pathways Program with Operating Engineers Local 49. This program provides high school students with up to five semesters of courses that lead to eligibility into the Operating Engineers Local 49 apprenticeship program, which trains people to be mechanics and heavy-duty equipment operators.

Not everyone needs to attend a liberal arts college following high school. But post-secondary training is a key rung in the ladder of economic opportunity. These programs can put vocational training within the reach of more low- and middleincome Minnesotans.

“Inside the Capitol” is a legislative update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff.

FAITH AT HOME | LAURA KELLY FANUCCI