Building the City of God

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates one of its best examples of the winding path toward holiness; one of its most learned men; one of its most revered teachers; and my patron saint. Few, if any, have had more influence on the doctrine of the Church over its existence of two millennia. None have had a greater impact on this author’s search for sanctity, and his work in the area of Church History.

Because St. Augustine has been devoted to praying for this sinner in search of redemption, it is appropriate to offer a devotion to God through him. I pray that each of you will receive multiple blessings by praying for St. Augustine’s intercession.

Great Augustine, our father and teacher, knowledgeable in the luminous ways of God and also in the tortuous paths of men; we admire the wonders that divine grace wrought in you, making you a passionate witness of truth and goodness, at the service of brothers.

At the beginning of the new millennium marked by the cross of Christ, teach us to read history in the light of Divine Providence, which guides events toward the definitive encounter with the Father. Direct us toward peaceful ends, nourishing in our hearts your own longing for those values on which it is possible to build, with the strength that comes from God, the ‘city’ made to the measure of man.

May the profound doctrine, that with loving and patient study you drew from the ever living sources of Scripture, enlighten all those tempted today by alienating illusions.

Give them the courage to undertake the path toward that ‘interior man’ where the One awaits who alone can give peace to our restless hearts.

Many of our contemporaries seem to have lost the hope of being able to reach–amind the numerous opposing ideologies–the truth, of which their innermost being still keeps a burning nostalgia.

Teach them to never cease in their search, in the certainty that, in the end, their effort will be rewarded by the satisfying encounter with the supreme Truth who is source of all created truth.

Finally, St. Augustine, transmit to us also a spark of that ardent love for the Church, the Catholic Mother of the Saints, which sustained and animated the toils of your long ministry.

Have us, walking together under the guidance of legitimate Pastors, reach the glory of the heavenly Homeland, where, with all the saints, we will be able to join the new canticle of the everalsting alleluia. Amen.

St. Augustine, pray for us!

God Bless.

(This prayer was composed by Pope John Paul II in 2004 upon his reception of the relics of St. Augustine at the Vatican.)

Mother Teresa, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity and one of Pope John Paul II’s numerous beati, was one of the most charitable women who has ever lived. Her work on behalf of the “poorest of the poor” earned her a monumental reputation among people throughout the world, and people of every faith. Despite all of that, she was a human being, who doubtlessly struggled agains sin and despair; and she was a Catholic, who was taught that faith and life are exercises in hope and perseverance.

Apparently, the reporters and editors at NBC Nightly News do not understand Catholic teaching about spiritual aridity. In a story that aired last night on the show, the reporter claimed that Mother Teresa “suffered from profound, persistent spiritual pain,” and that she “doubted the existence of heaven or God.” Yet again, America received an inaccurate picture of the Catholic Faith and its teachings on prayer, spiritual aridity, and the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Mother Teresa was no different, except in the duration of her struggle, from so many other faithful Catholics who have dealt with “dark nights of the soul” on their journey toward God (me included). There was a whole book written about the benefits of spiritual aridity…titled Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross. Dark nights of the soul are, in fact, gifts from God to some people because they strengthen souls against temptation.

Holy Mother Church teaches that the faithful can engage in ritualistic activity (either prayer, worship, or works) in order to pull themselves through the dark nights. Those activities provide a sense of comfort and purpose in the midst of questions. People who practice such activities understand that “Christ is everywhere,” even when we don’t feel his presence.

People, including the viewers of NBC Nightly News, must understand that sainthood is not always brought about by a flourishing prayer life. Rather it is found in people who reach “courageous charity” (as my pastor called it); people who build Christ’s kingdom on earth even when they don’t feel like it. Mother Teresa did just that. But the news story linked above only served to tarnish her reputation for heroic charity, as well as her faith that God could work for good in any circumstance.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

God Bless.

The Catholic Church teaches that pride is one of the seven capital vices (things that lead to sin). Indeed, some theologians might argue that pride is the most capital of vices, since those who fall victim to it deem their own will more important than God’s. Forgetting Whose will is most important will quite often lead to indifference, lukewarmness, envy, and hatred of God (CCC 2094, 2540).

Additionally, pride has serious consequences! The wisdom books of the Old Testament teach us why we should avoid such a grave evil. The Book of Sirach states: “The beginning of man’s pride is to depart from the Lord; his heart has forsaken his Maker. For the beginning of pride is sin, and the man who clings to it pours out abominations.” Thus, faithful Christians must work to combat pride, primarily through cultivation of the virtue of humility.

Like so many other people throughout human history, this author has struggled (and continues to struggle) to overcome pride, to rid his life of selfishness. It seems to be an ongoing battle. However, it is possible that this vice will be overcome someday. Prayer must be incorporated into our daily lives and we must receive the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, frequently. When we do these things, grace will abound, and sinners will be transformed into saints.

Let us all pray together that sinners, especially those who struggle with pride, will return to the Lord, beg for mercy, and cultivate humility in their lives. Let us pray that an increase in humility will tranform our families, ministries, jobs, communities, and society.

God Bless.

At a young age, St. Bernard was appointed abbot of the Cistercian Monastery of Clairvaux, and thus began exercising his enormous influence over Christendom. Even into the modern age, the works of St. Bernard remain a prime example of what it means to strive toward holiness. Because of his reputation, the abbot had been popularly proclaimed a Doctor of the Church since his death in A.D. 1153. Pope Pius VIII made those popular and historical sentiments official in A.D. 1830.

At the center of all of the wonderful stories that recount St. Bernard’s life, and all of his poignant teachings are two things: humility and an intense desire to be united with God in pure Love. The following passage, then, illustrates this point most appropriately. In his treatise, On Loving God, the monk wrote:

“Admit that God deserves to be loved very much, yea, boundlessly, because He loved us first, He infinite and we nothing, love us, miserable sinners, with a love so great and so free. This is why I said at the beginning that the measure of our love to God is to love immeasurably. For since our love is toward God, who is infinite and immeasurable, how can we bound or limit the love we owe Him? Besides, our love is not a gift but a debt. And since it is the Godhead who loves us, Himself boundless, eternal, supreme love, of whose greatness there is no end, yea, and His wisdom is infinite, whose peace passeth all understanding; since it is He who loves us, I say, can we think of repaying Him grudgingly? ‘I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I trust’ (Psalm 18:1). He is all that I need, all that I long for. My God and my help, I will love Thee for Thy great goodness; not so much as I might, surely, but as much as I can. I cannot love Thee as Thou deservest to be loved, for I cannot love Thee more than my own feebleness permits. I will love Thee more when Thou deemest me worthy to receive greater capacity for loving; yet never so perfectly as Thou hast deserved of me. ‘Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written’ (Psalm 139:16). Yet Thou recordest in that book all who do what they can, even though they cannot do what they ought. Surely I have said enough to show how God should be loved and why. But who has felt, who can know, who express, how much we should love him” (Chapter VI).

The great Doctor’s words were meant to remind readers that we must always strive to love God more perfectly, despite the fact that we can never love Him as much as He deserves (at least not this side of Heaven). Because He created us and sustains our life, God deserves our immeasurable love for our whole life.

In conclusion, let us pray with the Church as She prays on the Feast of St. Bernard:

Heavenly Father,
St. Bernard was filled with zeal for your house and was a radiant light in your Church.
By his prayers, may we be filled with this spirit of zeal and walk always as children of the light.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever.
Amen.

God Bless.

My son is no longer a pagan! He was welcomed into God’s family this past Saturday through the Sacrament of Baptism. For a few short years, he is as holy as can be since he has not the opportunity or the capacity to sin. Hooray!

The Baptism was absolutely beautiful, and the godparents, my wife, and I were joined by dozens of family and friends. The celebration was overwhelming and inspiring for this first-time father. I am anxious to celebrate with my son as he receives other sacraments in the future.

This month’s word was chosen in light of the beginning of my son’s sacramental life in the Church, which will take place in just over a week.

The Catholic Word of the Month is BAPTISM.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Baptism is too elementary to discuss. More importantly, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Baptism is mundane or unnecessary. One who thinks and believes these things ought to reconsider.

Baptism is the very beginning of our relationship with God. It is the sacrament of primary importance because it allows us access to the rest of the sacraments. Without Baptism, we have no access to sanctifying grace, which helps us fulfill our eternal destiny, eternity with God in Heaven. Finally, Baptism makes the one who receives it a new creation: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). (See also 1 Peter 3:21)

Fr. Alfred McBride wrote of the subject so much more eloquently:

Baptism is a sacrament that initiates a person into membership in the Church. Baptismal grace forgives original sin and all personal sins. It is the first sacrament that a Christian receives and it unites the candidate to Christ, who died for our sins and rose from the dead fro our salvation.

No one ought to think of his/her Baptism as “an expression of inward faith.” On the contrary, Baptism is the sacrament that instills the seeds of Faith within us. Then, as we live from our Baptismal graces, and the grace received from subsequent sacraments, those seeds of Faith bear fruit in our lives.

Let us pray that baptized Christians will recall the mighty power of their baptisms in their daily lives. Let us pray that God will grant an abundance of grace from this precious sacrament so that we may become holy in this life.

God Bless.

Our modern Church is marred by scandal (in the moral sense, not political) and sin. One does not have to look far to find an example of how our culture and our humanity has been torn down. It is quite deplorable and disheartening.

However, we need not live in anguish or despair. Great hope abounds, primarily in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In that setting, God grants penitents an abundance of grace to overcome enslavement to sin. Confession has the potential to heal broken individuals, and thereby heal a broken Church and culture.

There is one problem, though. Not enough people are availing themselves of the sacrament. It is sad, but there are a few primary reasons. One of the most prevalent of those reasons is that a confessor was rude, judgmental, uncaring, or all three. Thereby, many people have been traumatized by “bad” confessions.

Thus, the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori ought to be proclaimed to all sinners, penitents, and confessors.

“If all preachers and cofessors would discharge their duties as they should, the whole world would be holy! Bad preachers and bad confessors are the ruin of the world; and every preacher and every confessor is bad who is not devoted to his office, who does not study to improve himself in it, who does not fulfill it to the very best of his ability” (Circular Letters, p. 12).

The previous quote proves to readers that, despite his intellectual rigor and busy schedule, St. Alphonsus was a man who preached the mercy and love of God. Few other men would have arranged to pay the debts of some one who persecuted him so fiercely. It is no wonder that he is heralded by the Church as the Patron of Confessors.

On this feast of St. Alphonsus, let us pray that confessors will allow the love, mercy, peace, and joy of God to work through them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us also pray that more Catholics will seek out that love, mercy, peace, and joy by going to Confession.

God Bless.