Deacon Dan Wright

On the Feast of the Visitation

Over the years the times have been many that I have pondered the visitation of Our Lady to her cousin.  It has always been a blessing to recall the joy inherent in the Elizabeth's greeting, that the hidden infant in her womb leaped for joy.  I have always considered that the reason for the joy in the narrative is the presence of the long-awaited messiah who had finally come into the world.  In Mary's womb rested the hope of all generations, the salvation of the world.

While today's feast is undoubtedly Christological in its significance, we also take the opportunity to consider and honor Mary in it.  Upon deeper consideration the Visitation also provides us with great pneumatological insight for living the life in Christ. The lectionary readings for today, especially the second option for the first reading, give us a model to follow if we truly desire to imitate the way of life that Mary shows us.  That is, if we truly believe and are devoted to her as the Ark that holds the New Covenant, then we see that her fullness of grace is also a fullness in modeling spiritual holiness by way of submission and obedience to the gentle spirit of peace.

St. Paul shows us the way of holiness.  It is the way of a life filled with the graces of the Holy Spirit, and thus it is the way that Mary models for us:

Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;
do not be wise in your own estimation.

In a mysterious way everything we desire to know and achieve can come together in one simple prayer, if it is a prayer that has come to be a part of our hope founded on Christ and associated with the desire to serve God in the beauty of holiness.  I don't ask why so much as I simply understand that whenever I say "Our Father..." or "Hail Mary..." there is much more going into it than merely the words that I am saying.  It is my heart that prays and the culmination of all I believe, even the deepest cries of my soul, are summed up when I give to God my all and say a simple prayer.

Sure enough, what today's feast shows us has a lot to do with joy, and it has a lot to do with the great mystery of salvation coming to the world.  However, in a way that touches our lives in the here and now, the Visitation shows us the spiritual path of humility and service.  In ways that we may not have yet considered it shows us the path of peace and justice through total submission to the Spirit that is peace and justice. 

Mercy, Gratitude, and Celebration

As the three o'clock hour arrives in my time, I take this moment to reflect upon God's great mercy and my gratitude for it. 

I had planned on getting into the blog somewhat earlier, but I had a busy day planned in light of my summer job search.  It actually turned out fruitful in that I received a call only an hour ago offering me a position that I hoped for--one in which I will continue to serve as a teacher for individuals with cognitive disabilities--closer to my home and also allowing me to gain experience working with high school students.

I looked earlier at the readings for today and I was impressed with Sirach's discourse on mercy.  Sirach speaks to God, "Give new signs and new wonders...give us evidence."  His is a prayer of faith, and certainly when we want--when we have needs--we must speak to God out of our faith.  We learn to say "Lord, here are my needs; you know them well, and now I wait.  I trust in you to show your great mercy."

Time and again in my life I've seen that God is looking out for me.  It doesn't mean that there aren't tough times, and, as always, we are expected to hold up our end in things.  God makes us his partners in salvation.  That's why it's okay to say "show me your wonders Lord.  Give me evidence."  God wants humanity to cooperate.  I rejoice that Catholic doctrine teaches me that I am an active partner in the work of salvation rather than a passive recipient only.  Still, I thank God for what I have received...for what I have been given in grace.  It's all about mercy--receiving mercy and giving mercy.  Thanks be to God for all good things!

I'll return later with more...the summer has just begun.

The Power of Peace

In making preparations to talk on social justice this weekend I happened upon this video, which Stephen Hand had linked to on TCRNews.  I thought it would make for a nice reflection today--peace, and peacemaking specifically, has a far greater impact than we often realize.  Peace is the essence of justice.  In addition, I've added a new "Social Justice" category because I plan on writing a little more on the topic this summer.

I'll be posting later this afternoon with new writing and blogging news articles of interest.  Stay tuned.

More on Beckwith

(National Catholic Register) Catholics should celebrate when anyone enters the Church. After all, we have it on good authority that the angels in heaven do. But when a prominent Protestant converts, we might not just feel like celebrating; we might feel like doing a victory dance in the end zone.

We should fight the urge.

Francis Beckwith was president of the Evangelical Theological Society until he quit the post to return to the faith of his childhood. The story of Beckwith’s conversion to Catholicism has much to teach us.

The first lesson is this: The human attempt to build a version of Christianity without the sacraments was tragically flawed. Christ didn’t come merely to teach us all a lesson; he came to give us real channels of grace that incorporate us into his life. To pretend otherwise, as modern evangelical Protestantism does, is to strip his mission of its power and life. The more Christians of all stripes we can bring back to the sacraments, the better.

But the second lesson is this: Despite the tragic decision of Christian denominations to split from the Church, there is still much good in Protestant Christianity, and the biggest conversions come when we treat Protestant believers with respect.

Continue reading

No Kidding...

TORONTO, Canada (The Catholic Register) The Roman Catholic Church in Toronto says an ordination ceremony held May 27 by a group that calls itself Roman Catholic Womenpriests has no connection whatsoever to the Roman Catholic Church.

The ceremony in the tiny West Hill United Church here saw Marie Evans Bouclin, a Sudbury, Ont. woman, ordained by South African woman Patricia Fresen. Fresen was part of a ceremony in 2002 on the Danube River in Germany, where seven women were ordainedby a schismatic Argentine bishop. The women were subsequently declared by the Vatican to be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.

Since then, the group has performed several other public ceremonies and now claims 14 women priests in Canada and one in the United States.

In the Toronto event, two American women were ordained as priests and three others were ordained as deacons. One of them was the group's first male, Jim Lauder of Victoria, B.C.

However, the ceremony had nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church, according to the archdiocese press release issued just prior to the event.

To avoid misunderstanding, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto is issuing this statement to point out that, despite its name, (Roman Catholic Womenpriests) has no connection whatsoever to the Roman Catholic Church, nor do its ceremonies have any relationship with the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church.

The statement said the church has no authority to restructure the sacraments, especially that of priestly ordination.

Read the whole story here.

While the "Womenpriests'" ordinations undoubtedly have no connection to the Roman Catholic Church, rather than dismissing the movement entirely I believe that we--at least as individuals--should take a stance of dialogue with women who have left or are considering leaving the Catholic Church to pursue a so-called Catholic ordination.

It is not in the spirit of justice that we deride or condemn those who disagree or dissent with the teachings of the Church.  Rather, we act in mercy when we listen with an open heart and with passionate understanding.  Ours is to keep in mind the attitude of Christ our Lord who desired that not one of his sheep be lost.

The issue of women's ordination is pertinent to our times and to our culture, and although the ordination of women is not possible according to Catholic teaching we are not in any way called upon to ridicule or further close the door.  Rather we have a unique opportunity for theological dialogue and to look deeply into one of the issues of our day. 

By seeking to understand the causes for the Womenpriests movement, and delving into the question of priestly ordination, both for women and married men, we will better understand Holy Orders on the whole.  I have found that one of the best ways to strengthen my skills as an apologist for the faith, as well as to strengthen my understanding of Catholic teaching, is to grapple with those issues that are most difficult culturally and theologically.  There is nothing to say that such dialogue cannot occur with compassion and understanding while remaining faithful to the Magisterium.

Newsworthy Conversion

While browsing news headlines this afternoon, I was surprised to see that Francis Beckwith's conversion was still being reported freshly.  Earlier last month I had intended to post on this newsworthy conversion; however, end of school year work responsibilities prevented me from getting into it.  Here's an excerpt from what I found today:

Until a few weeks ago, Francis Beckwith served as president of the Evangelical Theological Society, an association of 4,300 Protestant theologians.

That was until he made the announcement on the Right Reason blog of his return to the Catholic faith of his youth. Beckwith returned to the Church after 32 years as an evangelical. The online “storm” that followed led Beckwith to resign as president of the prestigious society.

He serves as associate professor of church-state studies at Baylor University. He spoke recently to Register senior writer Tim Drake from his home in Waco, Texas.

Click here to read Dr. Beckwith's conversation with the National Catholic Register, and here for Dr. Beckwith's original post announcing his conversion.

Of the many things I found interesting in the story was the tone of many commenters on the original blog entry.  It goes to show us that when it comes to being on the receiving end of religious bigotry Catholicism is deemed to be fair game.  Indeed it appears that the Catholic faith is yet an acceptable prejudice in our society. 

I'm glad to see that Francis Beckwith's conversion is still making news, and still challenging the prevailing notions of it being somehow alright to bash Catholicism.

Justice and the Sacrifice of Praise--a Note on Returning to the Blog

After a lengthy absence away from the blog I'm back, and I'm ready for what the summer may bring me.  Hopefully, this will mean that I will have a daily opportunity to update with new material--perhaps several times a day--ranging from blogging the news, the daily readings, and my homilies and reflections in general.

What I do usually during the summer is to stay home with my children while both they and I take a break from school.  This summer may be a little different in that in addition to my break from work I am also seeking a new job for next year, perhaps even discerning a different type of work.  My philosophy has always been to pray for God's will to be done.  This is a prayer that I have found to be highly effective.  The secret is learning to trust.

Something that I noticed in today's readings from the Mass has to do with offering the sacrifice of praise.  More than one time in my life I have had it suggested to me that a secret in our prayer life is to praise the Lord.  I have learned that it isn't so much that our praising God is some kind of secret formula for getting what we want; rather, praising God in every imaginable situation shows our willingness to accept that God's justice is being carried out in our daily lives.  Moreover, offering praise to God has more to do with what we are doing in our lives than anything that we might think to say.

Sirach 35:2 shows us the truest meaning of the sacrifice of praise.  It is a meaning that we may not have yet considered.  Actually, having come from a Pentecostal background I felt strongly that offering praise only meant lifting my voice to God and literally singing praises to the eternal and blessed One.  Certainly, this is also part of our Catholic experience in liturgy and worship.  However, the deeper meaning of things is something that we always should seek, and praise has a deeper meaning than its surface context.

Clearly the praise that God desires from us is that we seek and do justice.  The work of justice is something that I have given a lot of time, energy, and thought to in the past.  Justice is what God desires from us as an everyday way of relating to one another and living, but it doesn't have to be that we consider the work of justice to be anything extra to our daily life in Christ.  We are called to offer justice as the sacrifice of praise in every moment of our living whether it is during our summer vacation or in the midst of our busy daily existence.

Justice speaks clearest to us that God repays us fairly, and that we offer fairness and right judgment in our daily affairs with others.  Truly God knows the depths of our hearts and sees our innermost place.  Truly God rewards us justly.  With this knowledge even more do we have reason to seek God's will and to be willing to carry it out as our life's work and calling.

Sunday Homily: Exploring the Commandment to Love

Today's gospel recounts the giving of the commandment that we love one another. It is the commandment on which we base our lives because it encapsulates the message of the Good News: in Jesus Christ God has given us a great gift, one that transforms both heaven and earth, reaching to the deepest foundations of human experience; reaching into every life and leaving no place, no heart, untouched.

The commandment to love one another is a simple and easy message, yet it also calls to us from the depths of experience. It is the message of reciprocity between us and God. As we have received, so we are to give in return. Thus the commandment to love one another contains a twofold movement. It has to do both with God's love for us, and with our responsibility to love others.

We recall that God sent Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. The transforming power of God in our lives is a witness to the great love we have received. The message of God's reprieve to humanity brings to mind the most evangelical qualities of our faith; that is, it embodies the gospel message that is personal to us in our salvation, in our relationship to Christ and one another. It is the message that God comes into our lives and makes us new. It is the message of the grace of God: of receiving undeserved favor in being saved from sin to eternal life.

Recently, I reflected on the idea that in order to receive the goodness of God that we must present ourselves to God as we are. At any stage in our lives we must be able to love the person that God made. Without pretense or flight to fantasy we fully accept ourselves, who we are and as we are, not more or less, as the handiwork of God—we are God's ongoing creation, revealing the transforming power of love.

A friend of mine commented, "I think we also have to be willing to help others while knowing that we are far from perfection... We are called to share what we have been given and what He has allowed us to know, even if we may still be struggling with certain issues, or far away from any level of heroic virtue in our own lives." Indeed such is the beginning of carrying out the commandment to love. First, before we can love others, we must love who we are, we must accept the person God made in ourselves.

To fulfill the commandment to love one another we must first receive the love of God in our lives and then share it with the whole world. To love one another is not an option. It cannot be given only to those whom we like; we are to offer it to everyone. To do so is the foundation of Christian ethics. Loving others is our primary responsibility: the true litmus test—the shibboleth—of our personal faith.

More than simply being an attitude that we convince ourselves we possess, we must ascertain that the love we hold claim to is real in action. We must offer it in though kindness, mercy, compassion, and acceptance of all others. Our daily actions toward others deeply reveal the love of God active in our lives. It is evident in the quality of friendship—or even the mere friendliness—that we offer each stranger, each passerby, each family member, and each and every coworker or acquaintance. Daily we have multiple opportunities to fulfill the personal and immediate dimension of obeying the commandment to love one another. There is also the universal dimension. It is no less real, and no more ideal, than the love we are to offer in our daily encounters.

The universal of the commandment is evident in our willingness, our capacity, to give to the whole world from the good that we have been given. The degree to which we are willing to take a stand as peacemakers and healers literally shows the love of God active in our souls. Love approaches her enemies with an olive branch in hand and looks to the future with hope for coming generations. Like a mother protecting her young, love considers the needs of her children first.

In following the global commandment to love we must have an eye toward the future that is full of hope. We must seek to build a world that is hospitable to all: a world free of war, where peace is won by giving rather than by the proliferation of might. Love looks to a world where we are willing to share our good things with others. Love is to share peace, to share the wealth of our nations, to share food and medicine, to share our lands with strangers and, and to protect and preserve the planet for future generations. To love one another is to give without counting the cost or reckoning who we give it to. It is to hold and to bind, to forbear and to forgive. Love is to give completely of ourselves knowing that all things are but God's good gifts to us first.

When we accept the responsibility—the commandment—to love, we will be known as the disciples of our Lord. Then our eyes might catch the vision of a world and a future full of hope, one where all things are made new.