A Practice Homily: Authentic Passion

This "Practice Homily" Series is offered in conjunction with my journey towards becoming a Deacon in the Catholic Church. While I still have a little less than a year to go, our formation program has called us to begin writing homilies, or reflections on specific Sunday readings.

Reflection on Sunday Readings - March 24, 2013 (Palm Sunday) 
Luke 19: 28-40; Isaiah 50: 4-7; Psalm 22: 8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2: 6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 

Authentic Passion

Today we celebrate the triumphant arrival of Jesus Christ to the gates of our own hometown as we proclaim, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19:38) Today we acclaim him as “the one who brings salvation, shouting “Hosanna”, which means to save or to give salvation.” (CCC #559) Today the "King of glory" enters his City as the Prophet Zechariah foretold, as we shout, “Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, humble, and riding on a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9) Today our Lord and Savior comes to our parish family, not, as it says in the Catechism, by “ruse or violence, but by the humility that bears witness to the truth.” (CCC #559) Today we are his loyal subjects cheering along with the Psalmist, singing "Blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:26) We are the young and old, the rich and poor, the pious and the skeptic. Today Jesus enters into Jerusalem, into this parish, and into our hearts! And so begins Holy Week. (CCC #560)

One could say that this is a tale of two passions. One is the passion of our misguided hopes and dreams that seem to be fulfilled in today’s arrival of the King, to save us and more importantly, lead us into a battle that we were never meant to fight. The other is the promised Passion of our Lord and Messiah, who would walk the way of suffering for us, bearing our iniquities on the shoulders of his crucified body.

Today’s elation for Christ, our great hero and conqueror, would be misunderstood as a political victory that would turn into dismay, disappointment, and great distain, for not only will Jesus relinquish his power to Pilate and the leaders of Jerusalem, he will submit himself to humiliation and scorn. This would drive all to say that this is NOT the plan, and this is NOT the behavior of a king that would free us! So in a matter of days, our shouts of “Hosanna in the highest,” turn to shouts of “Free Barabbas [and] Crucify HIM!” All of this simply reveals our human nature to stay in our worldly comfort zones, rather than trust in the promise made by God, to send His only Son to show us the way, truth and the light of salvation.

The Gospel reading at the beginning of today’s procession is meant to invite us to imitate and even relive this triumphant event, but do so from the perspective of Jesus’ disciples, so as to learn more about our own discipleship. Think about it, after all those years of learning, and witnessing Jesus’ miraculous way, it must have been amazing to experience this kind of royal reception, even though he was riding in on a donkey. Interestingly enough, the disciples, the crowd, and us here today have to face a tough question: How many will be ready to suffer with him when the “authorities” challenge his person and his teachings?

Before you answer, our readings today offer you a chance to make an informed decision. In our first reading, the Prophet Isaiah, in the third of what are known as his four “Servant Songs”, outlines a job description for discipleship, one that calls for us to live as a suffering servant. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; [and] my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.” Isaiah also defines the confidence and the trust that the servant must have, “The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” (Isaiah 50: 6-7) The Psalmist sings with the same trust even in the face of abandonment, “I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you: “You who fear the LORD, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!” (Psalm 22:24)

In our second reading, St. Paul sings a hymn of his own, reminding us of the real Christ whom we seek to imitate and serve. The is hymn, referred to as “kenotic”, or self emptying, “describes how Jesus freely and with great love for all humanity, chose to let go of his Godhead, [or kingship] to become fully human” (Foundations... LTP, 38) like us. This letting go allowed Christ to experience our humanity and all of its trials, uncertainty, and pain, so as to live a life of humility and obedience. Paul’s hymn also reveres Christ for his fidelity and trust in the will of God the Father. It is this fidelity to God and His values that ultimately brings Jesus into conflict with the values of the world that are alien to God. St. Paul tells the Philippians that Jesus IS Lord, and the perfect example of what a servant is called to be. “Because of [Christ’s] willingness to die rather than compromise his fidelity to God’s values, “God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 9-11)

Which brings us back to the second of our two passions. “Luke’s Passion of Christ focuses on Jesus as an innocent victim, unjustly accused and condemned by powers alien to God... Despite the injustice, Jesus never turns back [and]... continues to model what faithful discipleship entails.” (Foundations... LTP, 38) His passion and suffering offers his disciples, the crowd in Jerusalem, and the you and I here today, the example of how to face our struggles with conviction and courage. While on the cross, Jesus comforts the sorrowing women, forgives his persecutors and the good thief, welcoming him into paradise, and commends himself into God’s hands. Luke’s Jesus culminates his ministry on earth, modeling for all of us, what it truly means to be a faithful disciple, living, witnessing, suffering, and dying with complete trust in God.

Holy Week has now begun, and our journey through these next seven days offers us a choice between two passions. Shall we stick with the passion of our own desires, or consider following the Passion of Jesus Christ, and God’s desire for us to live with him forever. This week offers our church, and the diocese renewed purpose as our priests gather with the Bishop for the annual blessing of the holy oils during Tuesday’s Chrism Mass. We will learn how to serve the Church as an authentic disciple in Holy Thursday’s washing of the feet. We will walk the Good Friday Way of the Cross together, and reflect on the Passion again, as we learn how to survive the struggle by emptying ourselves to God’s will! Saturday’s Easter Vigil will reveal to us, and new members of our faith, the full story of God’s people, as we walked out of the darkness of death into the light of a new creation! And on Sunday, one week from today, we will celebrate Easter and the miracle of the risen Christ!

May your Holy Week be full of prayer, and many blessings. May our community welcome the Messiah this day into our church, and into our hearts. And may we learn, from his example, to teach one another the power of God’s love!

Very Dangerous... You Go First!

Today's Readings

Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

The passage above witnesses to the proclamation made by Christ just after forgiving the "Woman Caught in Adultery," or as a good friend in the Church told me, "the only woman in history to commit adultery all be herself."  : )  In other words, why wasn't there another person being accused with her?  It does take two, doesn't it?  Anyway, this woman, singled out by all as the worst of all sinners, was to be put to death by stoning, when Jesus stepped to not only defend her, but forgive her as well.  Unfortunately, history provides many examples of communities who would condemn their own for similar, or even less.  Even more unfortunate is the reality that history does not offer as many examples of Christ's level of forgiveness to accompany their stories.

In the "Blogosphere" one can enter a very dangerous area, if one decides to go on record as forgiving criminals, as they are often seen as somehow condoning their criminal actions.  This GregBlog will walk this fine line ever so carefully so as not to be misunderstood.

First, I have to offer my understanding of a person's call to discipleship; that is to say, the job description offered to us at the beginning of Jesus' ministry as witnessed in the Gospel of Luke:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free..." Luke 4:18  The key phrases for this "job description" are:

• Proclaim Liberty to Captives:  Some are captive to things outside of their control: Loneliness, disability, economic struggle, etc.  Our job and privilege is to help accept them for who they are, and work WITH them to overcome certain obstacles that they face, e.g. visit the lonely, feed the hungry, and assist the disabled.
• Recover Sight to the Blind:  There is such a thing as INJUSTICE, and when we observe such things, our job and privilege is to speak out against it, and encourage a solution, especially by our actions.  We can write a letter to our congressman, vote for change, and protect the innocent in prayer and outward support!
• Let the Oppressed Go Free:  To help those who are oppressed infers that they are in prison against their will, or under some form of force or intimidation.  Like those who are captive to economic injustice, almost a combination of the two categories above, we must speak on their behalf.  But what about the prisoners?  What about those, like the "Woman Caught in Adultery"?  What about the one's who commit the crime, and serve the time?  Does one have to be captive, or blind, or oppressed to be loved by God?  Can God love the guilty, and if so, can WE serve them, and share the love of Christ with them?  Absolutely!  Christ knew of the woman's guilt, and forgave her all the more.  For the record, he would have forgiven the cowardly man that joined her in that adulterous affair if he had had enough guts to ask instead of hide.  We as disciples are called to learn from "The Teacher", and do the same!  

There are some prominent criminal cases in the news today, and some convicted criminals that need God's love.  I wonder if WE could step up and pay a visit to them?  I wonder if WE could be the ones to shine Jesus' light into their darkness?

I told you this was dangerous!

Christ is YELLING!

Today's Readings

"But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.,,, Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?"              - John 7: 10,26

If Christ were in the room, would you recognize Him?  As we continue to get to know Pope Francis, we have been thrown into an opportunity to reconsider how we view the "poor".  With the Holy Father leading the way, we are being treated to a perspective which advocates that each man, woman and child truly matters, no matter the status, and no matter which side of the street they are on... All are loved by God!

In today's Gospel, Jesus has to make the decision to visit the Temple in disguise, as folks were trying to kill him.  He avoided arrest, and no one laid a hand upon him "because his hour had not yet come." (John 7:30)  Many questioned whether it was him or not, and even though he spoke openly, no one seemed to truly recognize him, so Jesus YELLED OUT!  "You know me, and also know where I am from." (John 7:28)  And you can fill in the rest... Why are you not seeing me, and accepting me?  Why are you not walking with me, or seeking to do the will of the One who sent me?

Dare I say, Christ continues to YELL at the top of his voice, in the lives of the poor, and in the faces of the children!  Mother Teresa said that "each one of them is Jesus in disguise."  The Gospel speaks directly to us when it asks, "Could the authorities [that is you and me, and our expert opinions on all things religious, political, and such] have realized that he is the Christ?" (John 7:26)

Pope Francis spoke to this challenge in his first homily on Thursday, March 14, 2013, calling on us to recognize that Christ is indeed in our midst, calling on us to walk, build and profess his holy name.  He said, "The same Peter who confessed Jesus Christ, says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. I will follow you, but let us not speak of the Cross. This has nothing to do with it.” He says, “I’ll follow you on other ways, that do not include the Cross.” When we walk without the Cross, when we build without the Cross, and when we profess Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord. We are worldly, we are bishops, priests, cardinals, Popes, but not disciples of the Lord."

This definitive challenge to the Church (that means you and me) declares that we are to recognize the face of Christ, and be ready to help carry the burden for all who need his love.  To not recognize him, as we all are prone to do, or not do the job that needs to be done in his name, makes us the ignorant authority!  So Christ continues to YELL into our ears, "You know me, and also where I am from!" (John 7:28)  LET'S GET TO WORK!

"I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul." - Cat Stevens

From Pretender to Surrender....

Today's Readings

The GregCast was out on the road March 4th in West Hartford, CT serving the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School's XBSS Retreat!  This video, and blogpost was used for the presentation.  Things went well and we got some good video from the evening's presentation that I hope to share on an upcoming GregCast over on YouTube.  Pray for me, as I am praying for you!

Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer, and founder of the Foo Fighters, once wrote this lyric to a song called "The Pretender": "To keep you in the dark, you know they all pretend!"

This world of ours cares, but only to a point. They love, but only if things go their way. They give, but only what's been budgeted. They try, but only until it starts to hurt just a little. They allow their hearts to be moved, but then harden quickly in the face of challenges and change. In other words, this world of ours has gotten good at wanting to maintain control over their own image, and our life's actions and outcomes as well. The world would rather us stay in the dark as, Mr. Grohl put it, "just another soul for sale."

I would like to offer that God wants us to be free... Free to smile, free to choose, free scream, free to retire, and free to live! My friends, "what if I said, I'm not like the others? What if I said Im not just another one of your plays?" I am free to be determined! I am free to survive the struggle! I am free to never surrender to the darkness of sin and death! Like Mr. Grohl, "I'm finished making sense by pleading ignorance"... I'm echoing the voice inside your head that you refuse to hear! I'm the face that you have to face, mirroring yourself!

 Memo to the world: "You're the pretender... And what if I said, I will never surrender?"

The Cardinals of the Church will gather this week, and they are called to open their hearts to the will of the Holy Spirit, and the purpose of God's mission, to allow for His Church to continue to grow as evangelizer of the Good News, empowering us all to become the disciples that they we were born to be!

It's time to consider that being in the light of Christ is a better place to be. It's time to come out from under that bushel basket that wants to hide you. It's time to respond to God's love, and fall in love with His service. And even though it sounds like a contradiction, its time to promise that you'll never surrender to sin and death, so that you can truly live and surrender yourself to God's will.

Reflect...

• Who are you, and who do you follow?
• What are the hopes and dreams that will help you truly live?
• Will you trust the Spirit, and waters of your creation to make yourself a vulnerable witness?
• Will you cross the boundaries and allow for faith and forgiveness?
• Can you commit to sharing God with everyone you meet?
• Can you handle following The Way, The Truth, and the Light?

When you fall...

• Will you allow our Lord to catch you? 
• Will you get back up? 
• Will you?

U Ready to Rumble?

Today's Readings

"Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:28

In today's readings, Jesus, in so many words, echoes the now famous phrase, "Are you ready to rumble?" he lays out the reality that suffering is on the horizon, and that things are going to get tougher before they get easier. The initial response to his motivational, but realistic prediction was probably a tad disappointing to our Lord as the mother of disciples James and John stepped forward to say, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”

"Whaaa?  Mom!   I'm sorry!  What my Mom meant to say was..."

Jesus, and the disciples were facing a similar effort that had been repeated many times before.  Factions were plotting against them, and it was obvious enough that Jesus had to speak to it, to reassure the twelve that all would be well.  They must have been a little nervous, like Jeremiah in the first reading today, "Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say. Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them." (Jeremiah 18: 19-20)

Now every good son loves his mother, but there are times when a Mom is not supposed to speak on their Son's behalf... This might be one of those times. James and John, while nervous at the potential results of heading into Jerusalem, were not the one's worried about where they were to sit.  Their mother's concern, however, was fair as she worried for their lives.  Jesus handles the request like a pro, stating that we all have our chalice to drink from, or our cross to bear, and that no matter where we sit, the task at hand is to SERVE those in need, even if it means we suffer!

Today, in our own Lenten journey, are we willing to suffer, and work harder than ever before to reach our goals?  Are we willing to serve, rather than be served?  Are we willing to forfeit the comfort of knowing all the answers, placing our trust in God?

I'm ready to rumble!

"It's OK Mom, try not to worry (although I kinda love it that you do)... I'll be fine!  Thanks for loving me!"

A Practice Homily: Trans-Figure-What?

This "Practice Homily" Series is offered in conjunction with my journey towards becoming a Deacon in the Catholic Church. While I still have a little less than a year to go, our formation program has called us to begin writing homilies, or reflections on specific Sunday readings.

Today's Readings

As we walk this Lenten journey together, I must admit that I love the people that God has brought into my life! I consider myself greatly blessed by God in the many wonderful relationships and friendships he has nurtured. The love of my parents, my wife and our children has given me the confidence that there are people who are with me every step of the way. Equally, I feel blessed by some very close friends, who know me better than most, and would do anything they could to support me, especially in times of need. Equal still, are the blessing of the many, many wonderful people that I work with, and see on a regular basis, as we share our efforts in doing our part to live and grow in community. We all have varied levels of relationships. Some are more intimate and special than others, yet all have their place in making our lives meaningful. Knowing that, our goal today is to explore how our call to deepen our relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ will only serve to benefit us, and what it is that He is trying to reveal to us.

Our first reading from Genesis offers a look at the unique and special relationship between God and Abram, specifically their covenant to one another. Today we see God reaffirming his promise to Abram to make his descendants as numerous as the stars, but God also seeks a reaffirmation of His own, seeking some reassurance of Abram’s commitment to the relationship. Abram responds, performing an ancient ritual sacrifice called “splitting”. This special ritual, which was traditionally used as a way of ratifying a contract, calls for one party to offer the symbolic sacrifice of an animal, split in two, as a way of offering himself and all that he has as a commitment to the covenant. The covenant is ratified when the other party walks between the split animal, acknowledging the sacrifice. In a sign of trust and his deep relationship with God, Abram splits a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a pigeon, and with much faith, waits for God patiently through the night, falling into a deep sleep, only to be awoken to see the fire that is God walking between the split sacrifice, sealing the covenant promising his descendants land of their own.

In today’s Gospel account of the Transfiguration, we see a unique coming together of God’s Law, His promise, and His Son, as well as another example of a true friendship. In this case, we focus on the special relationship between Jesus, Peter, James, and John, and how it is built on trust. Unlike the other disciples, these three came with Jesus because their relationship had grown, and their trust was mature enough to handle all that was about to happen, for in an amazing crescendo of God’s Word and grace, Christ gave them, and all of us, a glimpse of a new exodus from the enslavement of sin, and a new covenant for everlasting life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that Luke’s Gospel likes to emphasize the action of the Holy Spirit and the importance of prayer in Christ’s earthly ministry. One unique to quality of the Gospel of Luke is that Jesus always spends time in prayer before major events like the Transfiguration. The Catechism says that Jesus’ prayer make for “a humble and trusting commitment of his [own] human will to loving will of the Father.” (CCC #2600) In this case he prays with His disciples Peter, James and John atop a mountain, a symbolic place for divine encounters. The divine encounter of the Transfiguration most likely happened on Mt. Tabor near Nazareth. (Concise Dictionary of Theology) It is called the Transfiguration, because “While [Christ] was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” (Lk. 9:29) Jesus was transfigured, which literally means that he changed form and appearance into a more beautiful and spiritual state of being. (Oxford Dictionary) The disciples, who had fallen asleep, awoke to a dazzling light and saw the transfigured Christ talking with Moses, representative of God’s Law, and Elijah, representative of God’s promise through the Prophets. This confirmed yet another special relationship, foreshadowing a new exodus and all that would take place in Jerusalem. Peter, James and John were blessed to witness this the intimate relationship between Christ, Moses and Elijah, because of their close relationship and their faith in Jesus Christ!

Today’s Good News is that God is ready to deepen His relationship with you, so as to call you to accept His grace and promise of a new life for you, your family, and all those you serve. But we need to become more than just acquaintances, or even “best friends” with the Lord. We need to trust and grow with Him, knowing, as the Psalmist sings, that only He is our light and our salvation! (Ps. 27) In our first reading, God’s covenant with Abram, promises us descendants as countless as the stars, and a land to call our own. The second reading asks the Philippians, and us to join others in imitating those who follow Christ, so as to try and be more like those who have truly deepened their relationship with Him, for in doing so, Paul promises that we will be transformed as “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body” (Phil. 3: 21) Finally, in our Gospel, and in our upcoming celebration of the Eucharist itself, we see the benefit of having a close relationship with the Lord, as Peter, James and John, and all of us gathered here, are able to witness Christ in all of His glory as he confirms His union with the Law and the Prophets, revealing to us a glimpse of the new exodus, and a new covenant to come.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

Today's Readings

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.  Genesis 1:1

My routine of going to the Scripture to begin my day was interrupted this morning by a phone call from a concerned friend, telling me that the Pope had resigned!  What?  

In a rare moment these days, I turned on the TV.  I saw Benedict's pictures on virtually every morning show, with experts explaining all of the early details.  I waited for the "bomb shell".  Why else would any leader resign?  Was there some issue, or controversy?  Nope... After an hour or so of hearing facts and the understanding of how things work.  The Holy Father may retire if he chooses.  "If it should happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that he makes the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone" (Canon 332, No. 2). 

Like a great athlete, the Holy Father is retiring at the top of his game.

Here's my first take... From my FB post earlier in the day: Our prayers are with the Holy Father this day, and for many to come.  Take a deep breath my Catholic friends, and all who care... This will pan out to be something monumental in the life of the Church.  Pope Benedict XVI has just given us a valuable lesson: Knowing when to say when, and putting one's total trust in God and the plan that is in store for us is of primary importance.  Sure, there is precedent, and the Code of Canon Law allows for this to happen, but most of all, our Holy Father is calling on our Church to stay in a proactive and ready mode of witnessing the Gospel!  He will continue to witness through a life of prayer, while the next Pope will have to hit the ground running!  There are things to do!

Now that I've looked at today's readings, I am very confident that God has a plan, for today we hear of Creation... Yep, the whole story of just how we began.  No history interpretations or lessons, just the facts.  In the beginning, there was nothing.  Then that "mighty wind" swept over us, and BANG... We're something!  Today, the Holy Spirit is upon all of us, the Church, and Pope Benedict XVI.  Once again, this mighty wind is calling the world to create itself anew!  

The Holy Father is responding ahead of time to a concern that was raised quite often during the last years of Pope John Paul II's Papacy.   Blessed John Paul the Great made a huge impression on the world as he faced illness with humility and courage.  And I know that Pope Benedict is doing the same.  But he is offering us one very important caveat... The work of the Church must be led by examples of prayer and ACTION.  He will continue to pray, but must step aside for someone else who is physically capable to fulfill the role.  This decision to resign is rare and the first such decision in more than 600 years.  I wonder if his final act as Pontiff is designed to teach us something?  

That's a silly question... Of course it is!  Like it or not, it's time for something new, and maybe, as Monty Python put it, "something completely different"!

Can One Be Critical of Church?

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a friend about their concerns related to someone else's outspoken criticism of the Catholic Church. Specifically, this criticism that the Church, and it's Popes were "not catholic enough". The concern was so great that it challenged my friend to the core, causing him to wonder if there was any credibility at all to the claims. The overwhelming thought was simply, "What if they were right? What if we're 'not catholic enough'?" When it comes to dealing with such religious criticisms and concerns, my first inclination i

s to be skeptical. Isn't that the tenant of our human spirit? In other words, why would a criticism like "the Catholic Church is not catholic enough" be of any concern?

I have to say here that there are plenty of criticisms of the Church that are of concern these days, like the abuse scandal and how to respond and improve, or the level of attendance and participation in the pews. But when a criticism comes from "the fringe", and seemingly seeks to aim torpedoes at the core of a system, I think there needs to be a level of responsibility demanded of the "criticizer" and of course the "criticizee" as well. A level headed debate is always a good thing, but a barrage of accusations, without concern for accuracy, academia, discussion or compromise is, in itself, very destructive and should be greeted with MUCH SKEPTICISM.

Now you're saying, "What's the criticism? I want to know more!" While I respect your curiosity, I am not blogging about this to enter into this particular debate. I am curious, though. What what makes a "fringe" like criticism worth responding to, especially when an organization claims to know that "Satan lives in the Vatican"? Here's the point... Can one be critical of Church and the people that claim to serve God? Absolutely! But, in an educated and enlightened society, there must be some "rules of engagement. While researching and reading about some of "the fringe", I came upon this particular list that seeks to guide the critical thinker in times of dealing with controversy. The following came from a discussion thread in a religion forum, and is seemingly attributed to a writer named John Daly. I can't find much bio info, so while you should never trust what is on the internet, I still find the info that was quoted in this particular forum very interesting and worth some reflection:

When confronting a controversy or a critical issue, one should take care to present concerns with the following "rules of engagement" in mind...

Form the quoted list...
"a. It (the argument) must be clear. 
b. It must be amply based on authorities with due references. 
c. Its facts must be true and its arguments valid. 
d. It must avoid overstatement.
e. It must be mild and charitable in expressing disagreement with the controverted issues."

Furthermore, and with respect to theological debate, take these principles to heart...

The list continues... "To write in public on matters of theological controversy it is necessary to be competent. That competence comprises the following elements: 

a. Correct use of the mind - thinking straight. Distinguishing between a valid and an invalid argument; identifying a convincing proof, a probable proof, suggestive evidence, tenuous possibility and outright sophistry. 

b. Sound general education: background familiarity with philosophy, history, etc. 

c. The ability to write clear and correct English communicating exactly what one means. 

d. Good all-round familiarity with all aspects of the theological doctrine. 

e. Ability to read and understand the language of the theology itself.

f. A profound knowledge of the specific subjects being written about. 

g. Integrity. I do not mean by this a high degree of sanctity. I mean the minimal austere uprightness that would never twist the truth, abuse logic or muster up unjustified certitude on doubtful matters and would always retract any mistake made. 

h. Orthodoxy - [Consideration] to what [theological] authorities teach (which entails knowing what [they] are obliged in conscience to accept as sound doctrine and the different ways in which the [theology] teaches us)."

While I'm a little nervous to offer all of this, for fear of getting more than what I am bargaining for, I do feel that there is a responsibility that comes with criticizing the hearts of God's People!

For Donny...

Last night I worked with the youth ministry of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church up in Malden, Mass., just north of Boston. It was an awesome experience, and the young people of IC are "the bomb". Basically, the Spirit called us to embrace the challenges that come with the commitment to being a "disciple", something I blog on faithfully. Those challenges are certainly outlined within the past many blogposts, and as cliche as they can be, they are real and somewhat formidable. Young and old alike, unless you can keep your own relationship with your God intact, then you certainly can't assist others in building their relationship (duh)!

Enter Donny... As soon as we were finished with the two-hour program called "AP Life", a young man named Donny, and two others walked into the Parish Hall. Donny is a thin young man, displaying many tattoos. His baggy shorts, white tank top, and Red Sox hat tilted a tad to the right, combined with his swagger, told me that he was a tough character. With respect to the challenges that come with putting all this "Jesus Stuff" to the test, the timing couldn't have been better. As soon as we were done with our fun games that had meaning and direction built into them, and when the prayer for strength and courage to lead and guide us into our way as disciples was over... In walks Donny and his friends.

If you haven't figured it out yet, Donny needs Christ in his life, and Donny comes around the parish every now and then just to see what's going on. My guess is that this is the way Donny does it every time. He waits in the wings for the prayer or "good for you" program to be over, and then walks in as folks are leaving to see Scott, the parish YM. The kids see, and probably know Donny's story. But yet, they are not ready, nor would Donny be open, to them offering some initial greeting, and reassurance of Christ presence in their midst. No, Donny always comes to see Scott, and the kids get to observe the real nature of how discipleship can work. That's the gift of the timing... These kids got to observe how all this theory, and banter from Greg really plays out.

Forming: Scott the YM not only welcomes Donny, but he stresses that he has been missed by simply saying "Donny! How's it going, and where the heck have ya' been?". The hand shake follows, and the discipleship begins!

Storming: Donny goes on to describe all the reasons why he hasn't been able to stop by, and all the turmoil in his life that has gotten in the way. Comforted by his friends joining him, Donny doesn't show too much concern, as most things are never too much for Donny to handle!

Norming: Scott the YM and Donny have a leisurely conversation about anything and nothing, and Scott tells Donny what he missed, both that evening, and the times since he last stopped by, but stressed that, "You are always welcome Donny, so don't be such a stranger!". The conversation contiued, and Donny was very comfortable just hanging out.

Performing: Up walks me, Mr. Short Guy, to say "Hi, my name is Greg". Donny shakes my hand, asks me where I am from. I say Alabama, he and his friends sing the chorus to "Sweet Home Alabama", and we all laugh! Then I simply ask, "Whatcha been doing this Summer?" The story he told of having a job, losing a job, and the personal struggles he faced, mostly due to his hot temper, and his cool swagger, told me that by stopping by to see Scott, he was in the right place, and dabbling in the right relationship.

There's no conclusion here, just the reality that "Church" always seems to happen when the Church service, or the "Jesus Stuff" Speech is over. My last word to Donny was simply, "You're a good man... Don't let the crap get the better of you!" We all left, and the Massachusetts sun rose this morning on me, the kids from IC, Scott, their amazing YM, and on Donny and his friends.

I thank God for bringing me back to Boston, and for the sharing with me, the great people of Immaculate Conception Parish in Malden. But today, I pray for Donny... "Jesus, be with Donny, and his hot temper, and cool swagger... Christ, continue to show him your Way, and guide him in your love and peace... Lord, you make all things new. Transform the lives of your faithful, especially Donny, so that we may renew the face of the earth!"

Why I Don't BLOG Enough...

Once upon a time, there was a Catholic Diocesan Youth Ministry Conference Training Team that was extremely excited about their new and fresh conference theme. "Catch the Spirit" was to appear on shirts, cups, and I think these really cool erasures that everyone was gonna get in a welcome bag. When the stuff was delivered, and being prepped for the conference, it quickly became obvious that God was wanting the world to know that they should "Catch the Spirt"! "Whoops", said the printer, and the conference went on to distribute the cheapest and most memorable conference shirts and welcome packets of all time!

I'd like to believe that my life is definitely called by the SPIRIT, and it seems obvious that I like to live this call in small SPIRTS of creative energy, that are usually accompanied by some free time thats not usually there. Therefore, I like to take this rare time and SPIRT to offer some motivation to tell you all something that is supposed to be good for you... So, called by the SPIRIT, this little SPIRT of energy offers this simple truth... We are called to do the good things, so that people may share in the goodness of the SPIRIT that calls us all to do good things for others!

The shirt should have read: Catch the SPIRIT and Use that Spirt!

50 Ways to Get Through Easter... S.P.A.R.K.L.E.!

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. (John 16: 23)

Easter Day #42: S.P.A.R.K.L.E.!

I’m not sure why, but every now and then my brain needs another acronym to ponder, so let today’s reflection be rooted in these words!

S imply be a
P art of
A nd
R esponsible for
K nowing the
L ord in
E verything you do!

Add a little “Sparkle” to your life, and that life will become contagious, inviting others to follow. Do this, and all shall be well!

50 ways to Get Through Easter... Discipleship!

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. (John 6: 35)

Easter Day #18 - Today’s word: Discipleship!

I should have lots to say about today’s word, being that all I’ve been blogging and talking about is DISCIPLESHIP these past few weeks. So this is a good time to review. We’re almost 3 weeks into the Easter Season, and our call is to take the message and our witness of the resurrection into the world... That message is that “He is Risen!”

As DISCIPLES we are called to be active and animated in our sharing of the faith. We help folks stay awake to the truth about their being a child of God, born and reborn to bloom and become a valued part of His body, enlivened with the “Ruah” or the breath of God! With a sense of brio, and a “Carpe Diem” style attitude, we must seize every day, knowing that we stand on the firm foundation of our Church, confirmed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work, always conscious of the power of the faith given to us to continue to proclaim throughout the world! We are created and dedicated to make DISCIPLES of all nations! So lets do it!