Pastor's Desk Archive (February 2008)

Lent/Easter 2008: A 90 Day Retreat for Disciples (2/3/2008)
Satan, The Devil, The Evil One (2/10/2008)
This Is My Beloved Son, Listen To Him (2/17/2008)
Lent Off To A Good Start For Me (2/24/2008)

Lent/Easter 2008: A 90 Day Retreat for Disciples (2/3/2008)

The 40 days of Lent and the 50 days of Easter present us with an opportunity to become more faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we choose to do so, we can think of these ninety days as an extended retreat during which we can seek spiritual growth. We can make choices that will make it clearer to us and to others that we are truly willing to allow God’s grace to make us holy.

Being holy is not about walking around all the time with our hands folded prayerfully. Visible piety is one element of holiness, but not the only one and not the most important one. The most important element involves learning how to live in the world as parents, as sons and daughters, as husbands and wives, as co-workers, as fellow students, as employers and employees, and as faithful members of our parish family.

The stewardship card attached to this bulletin provides each of us with a chance to assess our priorities as Lent begins. We often talk about not praying enough and not setting aside enough time to grow spiritually. The truth is we always do what we really want to do. We make time for what we regard as most important. Doesn’t all our time belong ultimately to God? Isn’t He the one who gave us this life for a particular amount of time? If we don’t set aside time for spiritual growth this Lent, when will we do so? Do we want to be caught off guard should a serious illness or accident befall us or someone we love? It’s later than we think. Force yourself to read the ages of the people in the daily obituaries—just one day. I think you’ll find it sobering.

While there are a host of things you can choose to help you grow spiritually, I want to particularly recommend you add a daily Mass or two each week during Lent. It is a relatively short investment in time while holding the promise of a great reward—a stronger connection to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are two morning Masses and two evening Masses to choose from. I also highly recommend your participation in the Way of the Cross on Friday evenings. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice. Perhaps you can make a little one.

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Satan, The Devil, The Evil One (2/10/2008)

Although this creature is known by various names, he is featured prominently in each of today’s three scripture lessons. In the story from the Book of Genesis, he crawls on to the scene as a serpent - the most cunning of all the animals - who cons the woman into disobeying the direct command of God not to eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the Garden. Supposing she is exercising some kind of a “choice” which will give her “the knowledge of good and evil”, she eats of the fruit and gives some to Adam as well. It seems that the only thing they learned from this was the shame of their nakedness and so they tried to hide themselves from God. Isn’t this something like what happens to each of us when we choose to do something which we subsequently realize is evil? In our shame and guilt we may not try to hide ourselves from God but we often try to cover over our sin by refusing to be accountable for it.

St. Paul teaches that sin and death entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Throughout the Old Testament we read of the testimonies by which God sought to restore man’s original goodness, and of the many ways through which men kept turning away from Him. In the fullness of time, God sent His only Son into the world to free us from sin and death. He is the New Adam (Mary is the New Eve) whose obedience even unto death on a cross triumphs over evil and Evil One. When Christ rose from the dead, the hope of eternal life became a reality for all who place their faith in Him.

In the passage from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus enters the dessert to fast and pray prior to beginning His public ministry. It is there that, like all human beings, He is tempted by the Evil One. Just like in the Garden, Satan is a liar and a con man. Supposing that he is God’s equal, he offers Jesus what look like “choices” but are really grave sins. Aided by the Grace of God at work in Him, Jesus resists the temptations and gives Satan the boot.

Lent brings us the opportunity to take another look at the kinds of choices we make. Many of us are so modern and “up to date” that we have begun to doubt the existence of “the devil”. We suppose that by doing away with him, we can be free to do as we choose. As tempting as this may be, we need to be careful lest we do away with God as well. The Evil One is a spiritual creature, a fallen angel. He is not God’s equal, but God’s enemy. While he cannot make us fall into sin, he’s certainly delighted when we do so. While God honors our free will, He is certainly delighted when we accept His grace and give Satan the boot.

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This Is My Beloved Son, Listen To Him (2/17/2008)

In Matthew’s account of The Transfiguration Jesus tells his disciples to, Rise and Do Not Be Afraid. But He didn’t just say this in words. He called people to follow after Him so He could show them that courage leads to life in the kingdom of God. He taught His followers the truth that was made known to Him by His Father in heaven. He promised that those who eat His flesh, and drink His blood that they would have the same Life that He and His Father have. Then He suffered and died and rose again to fulfill that promise.

From the days immediately following Christ’s death and resurrection down to the present day there have always been people who have distorted and misrepresented the teachings of Christ. So how can people recognize and follow the authentic teachings of the Gospel? By being united with the church that Jesus called into being when He sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His apostles: As the Father has sent me, so I send you. This is why we call ourselves an apostolic church. We follow the faith that, like Christ, they taught and laid down their lives for.

Being a faithful follower of Christ is not about having fun. Nor is it merely about feeling good about ourselves. It’s about suffering and dying in all kinds of ways. It’s about letting go of the things that are passing away so that we can hold on more firmly to the true faith that has been passed on to us by the apostles, martyrs, and saints.

We know that we have nothing to fear when we remain in Christ. We can’t look to the ways of the popular culture to help us on this journey. We are not likely to be saved by the folks who win Grammys, Emmys, and Oscars.

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Lent Off To A Good Start For Me (2/24/2008)

Week 1—cellulitis...four days in Midwest City Hospital. Week 2—gall bladder attack and removal…two days in Midwest City Hospital. How’s your Lent going? Mine has been swell so far!

Physical ailments of these kinds are a reminder that our bodies can give out on us without much notice, if any. I’ve been trying to take better care of mine in recent years by engaging in physical exercise on an average of five days a week. Maybe I would be doing worse without that, who knows? All I know is I miss feeling well enough to get back to the YMCA. Growing in patience is surely another positive dimension of Lent.

A tip to those of you who’ve never had cellulitis and suppose you won’t get it because “you never get those sorts of things”. You might think again. My doctor told me that the invading bacteria could have easily made it in through a crack in the skin between the fourth and fifth toes. Those are the two that are so close it’s hard to see between them. Check it out.

And if you’ve been diagnosed with gall bladder disease, as I was more than a year ago, and are waiting around to have an attack before taking action, give that another thought. I have never experienced such excruciating pain in my life. I thought I had it under control with the “purple pill”. So much for my plans.

I want to thank those of you who got the news of either or both of my illnesses and have offered prayer for me. It definitely helped and I appreciate it deeply! Thanks also to those who sent notes and cards, especially some of the kids in CCD classes. Thanks to the Mitchells, Margaret, Bob Bussa, and the Pratis for being good Samaritans well beyond the call of duty.

Let me assure you that I very much plan “to take it easy” in the aftermath of these setbacks, but I also have to take steps to get back to normal. I will rely on signals from my body to tell me that I may be overdoing. The last thing I want to do is to end up with yet another illness. Thanks for your prayers.

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