Deacon Dan Wright

Pope says Christians must heal divisions to be sign of hope

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians have a responsibility to heal their divisions so that they can be a real sign of hope for the world, Pope Benedict XVI said. "Those who profess that Jesus Christ is lord are tragically divided and cannot always give a consistent common witness," the pope said during an Oct. 27 meeting with representatives of the world's major Christian communities.

Get the full story here.

Sometimes I wonder if we all want the same thing--actually, it's clear that we don't.  For many years I have prayed about Christian unity and I rejoice to hear the pope's desires for unity.  However, typically when I log on to Catholic blogs what I find is anything but the spirit of unity. Maybe it would be more honest for the big "closed heart" blogs just to admit that what they're all about is tearing down rather than expressing anything genuinely Christian.  It's hard to find real Catholics among these guys.

Recently I've wondered if it's it just me or if there's a real spirit of division at work on some of the bigger Catholic blogs.  I've decided to stop wondering about it.  The answer is clear.  I think that whenever we visit a blog and find disunity preached, whether they're promoting disunity within the Catholic Church or with Protestants, or even with other religions, we're obliged to take the time to add our comments and tell them to take a good look at what the pope is saying.  Never mind that they'll call you a troll and maybe even ban you.  It's our duty to stand against disunity as much as it is to stand for unity.

The sad truth is that too often our true responsibility and duty gets overlooked entirely in the interest of allegiance to the rhetoric of party politics, or in our attempts to identify ourselves as being either on the left or the right of things.  It's high time for us stand for one another and to rebuke the spirit teaches otherwise.

Video Reflections from the USCCB

For many years now I have found the web site of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to offer many helpful resources and tools.  Truly the USCCB web site is steadily becoming ever more a tool for evangelization on the Internet.

While surfing the USCCB recently, I discovered that they now feature daily video reflections, which can been seen in a choice of media players or downloaded as a Podcast.  I was delighted to find a reflection today from my Bishop, Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond, the bishop of the Diocese of Austin, Texas.  Bishop Aymond serves the USCCB as chair of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People.  He discusses the challenges and successes of the implementation of the charter to protect young people.  My experience of what is required of those of us in Austin who work with children is that the Ethics in Ministry program is thorough and informative, but most important it evidently has been highly effective.

I enjoyed listening to Bishop Aymond's reflections on how he came to become a priest and what the influences were in his life that helped him to decide upon a life of ordained ministry.

Click here to watch with Windows Media Player

Or here for Real Player

Also you may connect here for other reflections and programs from the USCCB's Catholic Communications Campaign.

Going to the Movies?

If you are like me chances are that you're more likely to stay at home and rent a movie to watch after the kids have gone to sleep than to go out and spend better than $50 at a theater.  However, I've found that it's always a dilemma to decide what to pick--after all, you want to get your $3.50 worth. To help out, I found a handy little tool available from the bishops:

Click here

Often a quiet night at home with a good movie is just what's needed at the end of a long week.  It's not that I'm planning on staying in.  Quiet the contrary, there's something to hoot about happening at my kids' Catholic school tonight.  But afterward, when the little ones have turned in, there are several great suggestions for a Friday night movie that get the mark of approval in a year-by-year top ten list.

New Directory, Norms for Liturgical Music

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- To ensure that the hymns used at Mass are "doctrinally correct" and based on Scripture and liturgical texts, the U.S. bishops will debate and vote on a new directory for music and the liturgy at their Nov. 13-16 meeting in Baltimore.

Get the full story here

And here too from the USCCB

While I have occasionally found music that raised my doctrinal eyebrows--though at least they are not the really bushy ones--I have maintained that music, like any other form of evangelization, needs to meet people where they are. So I've reserved judgment concerning music that really isn't to my taste. Actually, I personally take an eclectic approach to music. Sometimes I prefer listening to music that reminds me of my youth, and at other times I'm all for going with the tradition.

Whatever the bishops decide I am convinced that their decisions will have the pastoral needs of the Church in mind--in terms of worship, doctrine, and--never to forget--evangelization. Nothing speaks to the soul hungry for God like song.  Indeed, music is a great healer. Perhaps this is true because it is God who inspires music in the soul. We need not look farther than the Psalms to see it. I fondly remember my conversations with my mother when I was a child regarding the Psalms. "The Psalms were meant to be sung," she would tell me. I've held on to that truth all my life, perhaps I should say that I've sung it, although off key, all my life.

In all, we have the opportunity to pray for the bishops as they prepare to meet, and rather than taking a critical stance, let us show our catholicity by trusting that the Spirit truly guides those who have been entrusted with our souls.

The Previous Post

I had scheduled the previous post to go on at 5 a.m. today--why it didn't I can't say... Anyhow, better late than never.

I guess if you want you can count me tardy.

Remaining Vigilant

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.” Lk. 12: 35-38

In many ways the gospel passage above might well be applied to keeping oneself busy with the things of the Lord. Certainly, we can extrapolate and apply the scripture to our daily lives, though the main message for us is about being vigilant.

Often it is easy to become so busy with the things that drive our days that we run the risk of losing sight of what is most important. There comes a point when we have to say, “This is enough.” I believe we serve God in an important way when we take time to serve our families and loved ones.

Thus, I’m keeping my post short today—honestly I ran way overtime with work that I brought home from work (surely you must know that teachers have homework too). I figure an hour is about enough—that is for me; for the kids at school it ought to be much less. I shouldn't try to keep up with the 12 hour workday crowd. There are greater needs to attend!

One of the best things that any of us can do for ourselves is to enjoy the time we have with those whom we love most. Undoubtedly, we can infuse those moments with the presence of God by taking just a small amount of time each day to center our lives in God, and by doing so we place our hearts in a constant state of prayer, and in this way we remain vigilant for the Master’s return.

On Having an Attitude of Grace

For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God…Eph. 2:8

If I ever felt that there was something to worry about or to be concerned ultimately in life, today’s readings do a lot to put my fears to rest. God lets us know that his grace is working in our lives and that through it we will be abundantly blessed.

The gospel tells us to be rich in what matters to God. Thus, we are to be rich in spirit; that is, we are to be rich in our prayer life; rich in communication with God, but also rich in our relationships with others. We are to be rich in our sense of community and rich in a holy attitude that seeks for the good of others. We are to seek relationships of love and friendship—with our spouses and children, and with all whom we have contact daily.

Too often it’s easy to find a common attitude similar to what we see in the gospel where the greedy store up for themselves and rest securely. Too of often the poor and suffering of our world get overlooked, or we rationalize their situations to satisfy our attitude that it has nothing to do with us and that anyone who suffers in this life has only himself or herself to blame.

Sometimes the degree to which it’s possible to find a self-justifying attitude is appalling. One feature I’ve noticed among the Catholic bloggers who tend to take up neo-conservative political positions is that regardless of what is being discussed, they always claim to be right and there is no sense in trying to make a point to the contrary. They remind me of the very people who put Jesus to death. They claim to love their faith and religion but their hearts are far from God. I have to wonder where these folks are really coming from. I find an alarming trend exists among many of the popular Catholic bloggers to dissent with the US bishops and frequently to ridicule the USCCB on just about everything. I find it appalling when I see them ridiculing parishes and communities that strive toward healing and unity.

Woe to me if I find myself in a similar position where I feel secure enough to trust in my ways over the ways of God—be it with anything that this life offers. We cannot put our trust in political ideologies, in wealth, or in the might of nations. Our role is to trust in something else, even perhaps to trust in something that runs contrary to this world’s wisdom. The gift of grace has saved us, and certainly we are blind if we do not see and understand mercy as grace. Now our job is to share a little grace—to share the mercy we have received. In sharing mercy and grace, in reaching out and offering a day of amnesty, we will be making ourselves rich in the things of God.

This week, as many of us begin our workweeks, let us be thankful for the wonderful opportunities that our Lord has given us to share the wealth of his grace in our encounter with those whom we will meet and serve. Let us pray together for our Church, and let us particularly be strong in the things that matter most. Our Lord has fed us with his own Body, may we carry the grace we hold within us to all the world.

Trust in the Blessing

During Confirmation interviews I like to explain certain aspects of the sacrament that the confirmands may not have yet considered. Often young people may not realize that in Confirmation they will receive the fullness of God’s Spirit. Honestly, from a theological point of view we tend to find less written on the Holy Spirit—maybe it’s a sign of the Spirit’s mysterious work in our lives.  Understanding the Spirit requires the effort of uncovering its presence in our life experience.

As I was looking at the readings for today I noticed right away the reference in Ephesians to the Holy Spirit. It tells us that we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit as first installment of our inheritance toward redemption. In other words, what we receive as believers in the power of Christ is the beginning of heaven. It’s the true blessing above all other blessings, and it’s a foreshadowing of a blessing much greater to come—the blessing of eternal life.

In the idea of blessing we possess the key to a deeper understanding of what this Friday’s readings are all about. God wants us to know that we are chosen and that we will never be abandoned. His love is a love that reaches beyond life and death to something that we have not yet imagined. Being confirmed in the Church and receiving the fullness of the Spirit is like a doorway to an unimaginable degree of blessing that is real in a way that makes the realities of this life appear to be insignificant in comparison.

God’s mysterious ways are confirmed to us daily. I’ve learned that we have to be keenly aware in order to detect God’s presence. If you’re serious about it, and if you pray about it, God will heighten your awareness; you’ll begin to see God in every situation. I really do believe this. Regardless of how mundane something may appear to be, God is present. Regardless of how difficult or impossible a situation may seem, God’s presence is never too far away.

What we’ve got to do is to trust in the blessing. You may have waited many years for something and perhaps you have all but given up; nevertheless, your patience will not go unrewarded. You will receive your blessing—just keep having faith. After all, God know knows you well. You were chosen and that in itself is cause for great rejoicing. It just happens to be the fact that we do always receive the Spirit’s blessing, though sometimes many years pass before we uncover it.

The Sense of Mission

Again after a couple days away I am back with you. With the religious education season finally having begun at the parish my fall schedule now keeps me busy most days and nights. However, I must say that the work I do at the parish providing religious instruction is a labor of love—just like my special education work that I do daily. Certainly there are challenges, and certainly there are days that I would rather be doing something else, but why I do what I do comes from having a sense of mission.

I suppose that what intrigues me most about today’s memorial is that it concerns that which drives us to want to share our faith in Christ, sometimes even driving us to act against what others might call reasonable action. Of course we can do so in a straightforward manner such as in our work as religious educators, preachers, writers, foreign missionaries or in any mundane encounter where there may be a question posed to us about our faith. We can also share Christ in our actions toward others without ever having to say a word about what we believe in particular or what our doctrine might be. And of course this is the case in my teaching public school. It's a great joy to share Christ by offering goodness and love to others. May God help us all to be increasingly energetic and inspired, and may we strive always to serve in an exemplary fashion.

Whatever it is that we do in life we are called to share the essence of what it means to be a Christian—of what it means to have received so great a salvation. Blessed indeed are we to have been chosen in Christ. The message of the first reading, which is one of my favorites from all of the New Testament, a reading common to Vespers or Evening Prayer, teaches the most essential aspect of our lives: we are redeemed and his grace is lavished upon us! Our God has given us the wisdom to understand the hidden mysteries of God and the revelation of Christ.

It is little wonder that holy men and women of old offered their lives and their all to what they believed, for they saw clearly beyond the doubt and dryness of the everyday world to understand that truly life as it is lived can be infused with great meaning and great joy. Yes, blessed indeed were those eyes that saw Christ so clearly in this life as to be able to offer their blood in faith.

Often I’ve wondered where the martyrs are today. I’m sure there are still Christians giving their lives because they see Christ clearly before them. Perhaps somewhere in the Muslim world, Sudan maybe, or perhaps somewhere in Asia, possibly at this very moment a life is being given because of faith in Christ the Lord. We no longer see such faith in the western world—or do we? I like to think that whenever a Christian offers himself or herself wholly to share the love that is God, there is the same self-sacrificing spirit that is present in the martyr. We are called to give ourselves totally.

Something was said to me long ago that makes sense. When I was a teenager—before becoming Catholic—I was acquainted with several young people who were anxious to do missionary work. It was back in the days of the Soviet Union, and there was a group that came to talk to us at my church about a ministry that smuggled bibles into Communist countries. It was described as a “risky ministry,” and I am certain that it did indeed have many risks associated with it. I knew one fellow who took them up on their offer and ended up traveling around the world for many years. However, I stayed back taking someone’s wise advice: “before you can be a missionary, you need to learn to do mission work here.”

I must say that having a family and a career in which I offer service does indeed have its mission qualities. First, and this is something that many will relate to, being married is nothing less than a vocation, and second I consider everything I do in some way to reflect on my other vocation, which arises from Holy Orders.

Still, giving yourself and offering your heart in love for whatever it is that you do is something that any person is capable of doing. Regardless of whether you are married, ordained, both or neither, being a missionary requires the attitude that now is the moment to do something that is going to make a difference. I guess something we can all do is to consider now to be the turning point for the rest of our lives, and from this moment on we make all the things happen that we ever dreamed of wanting to do. Only rather than looking far away, we may only need to look as far as our spouses and families. It’s all about a sense of mission.

Another Kind of Interview

Yesterday I had the privilege of being able to spend about an hour answering questions for a group of young men working toward their Ad Altare Dei Boy Scout award. I hope that some of them visit the blog today and perhaps join us with even more questions. It seems that an hour is too short a time to get all your questions answered.

The topic of the discussion was Holy Orders, and I was on the “seat of heat.” My job was to answer any questions about being a deacon that anyone could come up with. Well, here’s your chance to do that again—only this time in the combox. Actually, the questions were prepared and I knew what to expect, but I really wanted it to be open to anything that anyone wanted to know. Surprisingly in a recent Confirmation interview when I asked, "Do you have any questions?" I got a "What made you decide to become a deacon?"

It was really a pleasure to visit with the Scouts of my parish. I remember when I was their age and even younger how important the adult men in my life were to me. I especially remember my uncles and distant cousins. I will never forget the look of joy in their eyes when they had the opportunity to spend time with young people. There were some genuinely good individuals in my life as a boy, and I am thankful for them. So, I jump at the opportunity to pass it along when I get the chance. Also, I commend the Scout leaders who were there yesterday. I sometimes wonder how you guys manage to do all you do. Being a scout leader is a tough job.

Today’s reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians teaches us that Christ has set us free. It is a joy for me as a deacon to offer instruction for the Ad Altare Dei medal, and it is a real privilege to have such a program available to teach Scouts the value of knowing Christ in his power, for it is the power of our Lord that sets us free to be everything and anything we can dream possible.