Category Archives: Liturgy

CONVERSION and LENT – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Charity, Church, Communication, Community, Conversion, Discernment, Eucharist, Forgiveness, Holy Spirit, How to be Catholic, Lent, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Relationships, Rosary, Sacraments, Scripture, Service, Spirituality

On January 25th I wrote about the conversion of St. Paul and how he went from being a good Jew who persecuted Christians to being a Christian himself. This was a major change and a significant conversion experience. For most of us, our conversion is not as dramatic as St. Paul’s. However, I do believe that we are all in need of continual conversion and Lent is the perfect time to do this. By continual conversion (or ongoing conversion) I mean that we recognize that conversion is an ongoing process where we hear the call of Jesus to be more like him. We don’t do this all at once, it takes time and effort to even try to be more like him. As Christians, we have the responsibility to follow our Lord Jesus and to try, to the best we can, to be Christ-like. I cannot think of any better time than Lent to try to accomplish this.

The last three weeks we have looked at the three pillars (or disciplines) of Lent; Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Keeping in mind that these are essential to our growing close to the Lord, and thus being more like Him, we must keep these as our base. There are many other things that we can do to become more like Jesus. I would suggest that we take a look at these and try to put them in to practice also. Lent is definitely a time for us to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Gospel message of Jesus. The Lenten season is filled with many graces, or gifts from God, to help us accomplish our goal. Here is a partial list of ways to obtain these gifts, or graces, from God. By doing these, we can’t help but to draw closer to God and to become more like Jesus.

1 – Read the scriptures: I would suggest using the Church’s readings of the day. This is easy to do, especially if you have access to a computer or smart phone. There are many smart phone apps to bring you the daily readings, and some that offer a commentary. Even an easy Google search for readings of the day can be done. Try to start with ones from Catholic sources like the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops); EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) founded by Mother Angelica; Vatican News; Catholic Online and others. Reading the scriptures and reading their Catholic commentaries will give you a familiarity with Jesus, so you can get to know Him and follow Him.

2 – Attend Mass as often as you can. The mass has two parts: The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Word we concentrate on the scriptures and in the Liturgy of the Eucharist we concentrate on the Pascal sacrifice and actually receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. We partake of His very presence and He leads and guides us to grow closer to Him. There was a famous nutritional quote from a nineteenth century Frenchman made popular in the US by author Adele Davis, “You are what you eat”. I personally think that this fits so well to the Eucharist. It helps us to become Jesus present to others.

3 – Attend a retreat. I you have the time and money to go to a retreat house for a week or more, that would be tremendous. However, if you do not, most parishes offer some kind of local 2 or 4 day retreat. If your parish doesn’t, don’t be afraid to attend a nearby parish that does. A retreat gives us the time to get away from distractions and to concentrate on Jesus and what He is asking of us.

4 – Spiritual reading. There are so many good Catholic books out there that can help you to grow more in your faith and to grow closer to Jesus.

5 – Do something Christ-like. Great examples of this are to help out in a Parish Outreach or some other organization that helps the poor. You can also visit people who are in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, or shut ins within their own home. If you are an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, bring hosts with you to give to them (Catholics).

6 – Spend time alone in prayer. Jesus tells us to go to a place of quiet and to pray. The more we do that, the closer we get to him. Prayer can be anything from complete silent meditation to praying the rosary or chaplet of diving mercy.

7 – Spend time with other people who you know are living out the faith. The role of community, where like minded people of faith gather, is of extreme importance. This could be anything form having coffee with a friend, to attending a large prayer group.

8 – Be fillled with gratitude for all that God has given you. So ofter Jesus started His prayers by thanking the Father. The more we are filled with a sense of Gratitude, the more we will be like Jesus.

9 – Repent. Take a good look at your life and see the things that are not of God and determine to turn away from these things. Jesus started His ministry with the word Repent. The Sacrament of Reconciliation can be a big help with this, especially when there is serious sin in your life.

10 – Follow God. Make it a point to try to do what God wants you to do. Hopefully the more you are in prayer and follow the above steps, you will see what God wants from you. When you do find out, do it.

11 – Practice Humility. Jesus makes it pretty clear that He does not like people who think of themselves too highly. He loves people who are humble. His very life is all about humility. Think about how the Almighty, Powerful God humbled himself to become a man. We need to embrace this humility.

12 – Play religious, worship music. Music lifts the soul to new heights. When we play religious music, it lifts us up and helps us to embrace all that God has for us. Try it, you will like it.

Certainly there are many other ways to grow closer to God and to be more Christ-like, but since the scriptures love the number 12, I will stop there. Remember that God wants us to be His presence to others. Our call is to be more like Him. Our conversion needs to be ongoing.

FASTING: The Second Discipline of Lent – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Conversion, Easter, Fasting, Holiness, Holy Week, How to be Catholic, Jewish roots, Lent, Liturgy, Miracles, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture, Service, Spirituality

Last week, on Ash Wednesday we heard the gospel telling us how Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are at the heart of our Lenten disciplines, and I wrote about Prayer. This week we will look at the Second Discipline, fasting. It appears that fasting has become very popular in today’s culture for health reasons. HEALTHLINE says that fasting does many things to help the body. It promotes blood sugar control, fights inflammation, enhances heart health, boosts brain function, aids weight loss, increases hormone secretion, extends longevity and can even be an aid to cancer prevention. That all sounds, and is very good. However fasting can also help us in our Spritual Life.

Throughout history, many different religions have promoted fasting. Besides Christianity, it is used in Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Judaism and Taoism. For the Catholic it is mandated for adults on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and is recommended for all of the Fridays of Lent. Note: abstaining from meat is also mandated for the Fridays of Lent. In Catholicism, fasting usually means reducing the amount of food that you take in, so that the whole day is not beyond one meals worth. In contrast, in Islam, fasting usually means staying away from all food, drink, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset for the days where it is required. They also devote one month, their month of Ramadan, to 30 days of fasting.

As Catholics, we fast in order to build our self-mastery, to embrace God more fully in our lives. During Lent, fasting (along with prayer and almsgiving) helps us to better prepare for the JOY OF EASTER! We even “fast” from singing ALLELUIA during Lent so that our EASTER ALLELUIA means more to us. We “fast” from singing the GLORIA and ringing the bells during mass. Our altars “fast” from having beautiful flowers on them. This is all to help us truly celebrate the heart of the Christian message which is the EASTER ALLELUIA, THE LORD IS RISEN.

Fasting should make our prayers more meaningful, more serious. It should show us how denying ourselves something physical can strengthen us in our spiritual life. It should teach us more about making a commitment to something, namely God and His mission for us. Fasting should also help us in detachment, namely giving up something that we may have become too attached to. When we have too many attachments, our life gets too cluttered and there is little room for God. Fasting helps us get back to what really matters in our life, our spirituality, our relationship to God.

The scriptures are filled with verses about fasting, both in the Old Testament (the Hebrew scriptures) and in the New Testament (the Christian scriptures). Our roots are in the Hebrew Scriptures so I would first like to include some to help inspire us in the need for fasting.

Joel 1: 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Exodus 34: 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Nehemiah 1: 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

2 Samuel !: 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Esther 4: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

The New Testament also has many verses on fasting.

Matthew 6: 16-18 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 14: 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Luke 2: 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

Luke 18: 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

Luke 4: 2-4 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

Fasting is good for our bodies and for our spirituality. It can also be good for others. We will talk about that next week when we look at the third Lenten discipline, Almsgiving.

NAVIGATING THROUGH A COVID-19 LENT – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Community, Eucharist, Fatherhood, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Lent, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Relationships, Spirituality, Trust

Lent is a very special season of the Church where we are called to turn away from anything that is blocking our relationship to God. We are called to do whatever we can to grow closer to Him. Our God is a loving, kind and merciful Father who desires His children to be in a close relationship with him. Too often we gradually turn away from Him because of our busyness, preoccupation with other things (both good and bad), and the distractions of normal living. God’s desire is for His children to be close to Him. He is always close to us, but we often ignore that or cannot see that closeness. Lent is a time for us to try to get back on track. It is a time for us to slow down, stop being preoccupied and stop being distracted. Lent is a time for us to move closer to our Father who loves us so much, forgives us so much and desires us so much.

During Lent (and throughout the year) the Church asks us to turn towards him using three main tools, Prayer, Fasting and Alms-giving. These three tools were given to us by Jesus himself in Matthew Chapter 6. These three tools have often been called the Pillars of Lent. All three can have various means of expression and each individual has to discern the best expression for him/her within the situation they are in. This past year and in to the present year we have been experiencing many different ways of living out our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have had their lives completely turned around by loosing their job, having reduced hours working, or by working from home. Many parents have to deal with home schooled children for at least part of the week. We have lost the ability to gather together in large and close numbers and many families have lost their ability to be with each other even on special holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving and birthdays and anniversaries. Unfortunately, many families have lost loved ones due to COVID-19 and some have lost the ability to visit loved ones in nursing homes, hospitals and other institutions. There is no doubt that this pandemic has adversely affected our every day living. It will also affect the way we experience Lent. Some of this will be in negative ways, but some may actually be in positive ways.

One of the positive ways is that COVID-19 has given some people more time within their own home. Hopefully this additional time can give people time to slow down. Lent is definitely about slowing down our fast pace so that we can have more time for quiet reflection and prayer. I would like to try to take each of the three pillars and look at ways that we can use them to grow closer to God during this very difficult time.

PRAYER – We are called to be a people of prayer, every day of the year. However, during Lent we are called to find ways to expand our prayer life. The more we pray and the more we experience different forms of prayer, the closer we come to know the love of our heavenly Father. There are many forms of prayer and I would like to discuss a few. Personal spontaneous prayer is very important. For me it is the time that I spend in giving thanks and praise to God. I find that the more I give thanks to God for all the things in my life, the more I appreciate those things and feel closer to God. Praying with scripture is also a great way of experiencing God’s love and presence. Sometimes just taking a short scripture reading, perhaps one of the readings of the day, and quieting yourself and asking God to speak to us through that reading, can produce much fruit. Personal liturgical prayer is another great way to pray. This can be done by using some of the prayers that the Church has given us, such as the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, the liturgy of the hours, litanies, etc. These can really help us feel closer to God. Public liturgical prayer is also very important such as attending mass more often, attending Adoration and Benediction and other church prayers. Our churches all adhere to social distancing and to cleaning and are probably one of the safer public places to be. For Lent, try to attend mass or services as often as you can.

FASTING – Fasting has been part of the Christian life since the time of the early church. Even before that it was an important part of the Jewish tradition. Fasting, or giving up something, can definitely help us to grow closer to God. Sometimes when giving up food for a short time, the hunger we feel in our stomach can help us better appreciate the hunger that we have for God. But fasting is not just for food. Fasting can be from things in our lives that do not lead us closer to God. Often fasting is something that goes along with adding something. For instance, if you fast from watching tv for just one hour per day and take that one hour per day and add scripture reading and/or prayer you will see how that additional hour of scripture and or prayer can bring you closer to God. Also, fasting from something that you really love can be difficult but can help you build your own self control which can be useful in many ways.

ALMS-GIVING – Alms-giving is simply giving something that you have to the poor. It can be the gift of money, goods, or time. Both the Old and New Testaments (the Hebrew and Christian scriptures) stress how important it is for us to share with others, especially with the poor. In today’s COVID world I have experienced a new kind of poor (or needy). There are a large number of people who had great jobs or owned great businesses that all of a sudden, because of COVID have lost their jobs and their businesses or have at least had a reduction of income. They own nice homes and drive nice cars but can’t afford to put food on the table and can’t afford to pay their bills. These people, by all outward appearances do not need help but in reality are very much in need of help. Many of them are embarrassed to ask for help. We need to find ways to help them too. Personally I have found that the more I give to others who are in need, the closer I feel to God. I mentioned that giving can consist of money, goods or time. Money and goods are always something that you can get more of. However time is something that can not be replenished. Giving of your time, such as volunteering at soup kitchens, outreaches, or other charitable organizations is a real gift and a real sacrifice. At the same time it is the most rewarding.

SUMMARY – Remember that Lent is a gift given to you to help you get closer to our Father who loves us so much and wants us to be close to him. Jesus taught us the three Pillars of Lent that can help us do that. The more we put those Pillars in to action the closer we will get to God. COVID has taken so much away from us and we are really hurting from it. Now more than ever, we need to be close to God. I pray that you have a very fruitful Lent and that you better understand the great riches of being a son and daughter of the Father. I pray that you know the closeness that only a son and daughter can feel. May God bless you richly during this most Holy Season.

Epic Saints: Wild, Wonderful and Weird Stories of God’s Heroes by Shaun McAfee – Review by Steven R. McEvoy

Anxiety and Worry, Apologetics, Book Review, Charity, Church, Communication, Community, Converts, Death and Dying, Demons, Ethics, Eucharist, Evangelism, Forgiveness, Heresy, Holiness, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Marriage, Miracles, Morality, Mystics, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Priesthood, Pro-Life, Purgatory, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Soldiers, Spirituality, Teaching, Trust, Vocation, Women,

I enjoy writing book reviews of books that I have read and then posting them on my website.  However, I didn’t feel comfortable writing a book review for this book since I am one of the contributors to it.  I did read the book and really enjoyed it and would recommend it to my readers.  For the review, I turned to my friend, Steven R. McEvoy and obtained his permission to post the review that he had written and originally appeared on his website:  www.bookreviewsandmore.ca  .  Steven does a great job of reviewing books and you should check out his website.  Here is his review of Epic Saints.

Epic Saints 
Wild, Wonderful, and Weird Stories of God’s Heroes

by
Shaun McAfee 


TAN Books
ISBN 9781505115123
ASIN B083Y67LD7

I love books like this one. I love reading about saints and am currently reading books from 4 different series about saints. But what a book like this does is introduce me to a few new saints, it gives me some more information and examples from saints that I am more familiar with. This was an EPIC READ that I could hardly put down. It is mostly eBook about specific saints and But there is also a lot of great information about the process of saint making, and the canon and calendar of saints. But the volume is not just the work of Shaun McAfee there are several contributors. Those contributors are:

Alex R. Hey
Sarah Spittler
Jessica Mcafee
Theresa Zoe Williams
Brooke Gregory
Deacon Marty Mcindoe
Shaun Mcafee
Laura Hensley
Mike Panlilio
Maggie Van Sciver

The essays interspersed through the biographies are:

Have Saints Always Been Canonized The Same Way?
What Is The General Roman Calendar?
Can These Stories Be Allegorical?
Are We Really Expected To Believe These Stories?
Why Are Some Saints Not On The Calendar?
What Is The Process For Canonization?
What Should We Do With Saint Narratives That Contain Errors Or Inconsistencies?
Why Are Some Canonized Quickly While Others Have Been In The Process For Centuries?
Can I Become A Saint?

And on top of that are profiles of 74 saints. Shaun and the other contributors do an amazing job or highlighting so many saints in such a short space. There are almost a dozen saints I need to go find further readings on. And my son is already looking forward to my rereading this book with him. 

In this volume there are a few tales about dragons. Saints pulling practical jokes and pranks. A bilocating death and many, many more stories of saints, of Martyrs and holy men and women. 

Though I will be honest with you, the pieces in this volume are so well written you might have a hard time picking a favorite. And you will definitely want to read more on at least some of the saints. An excellent read that I highly recommend. 

Love Is All About Giving – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Eucharist, Evangelism, Forgiveness, Healing, Holiness, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, How to be Catholic, Jewish roots, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Marriage, Penance and Reconciliation, Priesthood, Pro-Life, Relationships, Sacraments, Scripture, Sin, Spirituality, Teaching, Vocation

Love Is All About Giving – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

During this time around Valentine’s Day most of us are concentrating on finding just the right gift for the one that we love.  I certainly realize that giving to the one we love is something that should be done constantly in our relationship with them.  But Valentine’s Day sets aside a special day for us to do that.   If we truly love someone, we want to give to them at Valentine’s Day and throughout the year.  It seems naturally built in to us as humans to want to give.  I think that is because we are made in the image of God, who is the great giver.

We all know John 3:16 which says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  This is the gift above all gifts.  It is also the gift that keeps on giving, as the commercials say.  I would like to take a look at this precious gift.  To begin with, our very life is a gift given to us by God.  It is a precious gift that should be held sacred.  Secondly, the scriptures tell us that God formed us in His own image.  This too is a precious gift.  We, like God, are made to live throughout all eternity.  We, like God, are also given the gift of free will.  This is also a very precious gift, but one that has gotten us in to trouble.  Unlike God we sometimes choose to be selfish and not loving and not giving.  In order to remedy this, God decided that He would come to us and bring us the gift of salvation.   The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.  He did this for a specific purpose, for our salvation and for our formation.

I have always been interested in Social Anthropology, where we study the behavior of cultures, both ancient and sometimes contemporary.  I have found it extremely interesting that almost every culture recognizes that there is a God (or several gods) and finds it necessary to offer sacrifices to this God.  This too seems to be built in to our human DNA.  We have a need to worship God and to offer sacrifice to God.  Jesus came to the Jewish people who were accustomed to sacrifices and offerings to their God.  Jesus became for us the fullest sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus died a horrific death so that our sins could be expiated and we could obtain eternal life.  His was the perfect sacrificial offering.  However, that is not the only reason he came.  If it was, he could have been slaughtered by Herod as an infant, or one of the many times in the Gospels where the people tried to kill him.  Each time He escaped because His time had not yet come.  He had more to do.

I believe that one of the primary things that He wanted to do was to start His Church.  He wanted to find and train the right men to do the job.  When He chose the twelve apostles He was making new the Jewish Kingdom of the twelve tribes and starting the new Kingdom, the Church.  He chose Peter as the “Rock” upon which He would build this Church.  All twelve disciples were important, even the one who betrayed Him, but Peter was to be the Head of them all and the Head of the Church.  The scriptures are very clear about that.  Jesus spent three years in ministry with them to train them and show them what would be called the seven sacraments.  When the time of their training was completed, Jesus turned towards the means of His death.  He wanted His death to be a renewal of the Jewish Passover so He went to Jerusalem at the time of Passover.  He walked right in to the hands of those who wanted to kill him.  He would become the new Passover.

The death of Jesus on the cross is so much a part of the Jewish Passover Feast that we cannot separate the two.  Dr. Scott Hahn’s book, The Fourth Cup is one of the best references for us to study this.  In this book he shows us how our redemption followed a plan established by God from the very beginning of time.  When Jesus celebrated the final Passover (which we call the last supper) with His disciples it really wasn’t completed until His death on the cross.  During that Last Supper Jesus gave us an extraordinary gift, the gift of His own Body and Blood and Jesus instructed the disciples to continue to give this gift.  The Church that Jesus formed was to continue to celebrate His sacrifice and continue to give out His body and His blood to His people.  It has been doing that for 2,000 years.

After Jesus died and ascended back to heaven, He gave another gift to us all.  He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.   This gift of the Holy Spirit was given to strengthen us and to continue to help us in all that God calls us to do.  The gift of the Spirit has been lavished upon us.  Though the Sacrament of Baptism, the gift of the Spirit is placed within us.  In the Sacrament of Confirmation the fullness of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are made manifest.  Through the gift of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist we are given the very body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus.  We are empowered by Him and called to be formed in His image.  In the gift of the Sacrament of Marriage and the Sacrament of Holy Orders we are again empowered in to the Vocation that God calls us to.  When we are sick, the gift of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick brings us healing.  And when we turn away from God and turn to sin, the Sacrament of Reconciliation forgives us and brings us back to Him

All of the gifts that God gives us continue through the precious gift of the Church.  The Church gave us the gift of the Bible and helps us to understand it.  The Church gives us the gift of Tradition which was (and still is) so venerated in Jewish life.  Tradition helps fill in what the Bible hasn’t given us.  It helps us to understand where we have come from and helps us to see that we are still the same Church founded by the Apostles with Peter as the head.  The Church gives us the gift of its hierarchy, which continues (literally) what Jesus has taught us.  The present day Pope is the 266th man who has sat on the chair of St. Peter.  All of our bishops are spiritual descendents of the twelve disciples.  We can trace the lineage of ordination right back to the early Church.  As.000

  great as the Church is, we are all still human with human weaknesses.  We have had some “bad” Popes and Bishops, yet the Church continues on.  No other institution on earth has remained for 2000 years.  Jesus was right when He said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

In summary, God is the great giver of gifts that keep on giving.  Our salvation is a precious gift that we celebrate every time we celebrate mass.  Jesus, body, blood, soul and divinity is always present to us in the Eucharist.  The Church is always present to us as Jesus’ own body here on earth.  The Church is always giving us the gifts of the Sacraments and of God’s grace.  The Church is always proclaiming the scriptures and teaching us how to live them out.  There is no doubt that God has given us every good gift, and they keep on giving.

I’M CATHOLIC. NOW WHAT? By Shaun McAfee – a book review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Abortion, Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Book Review, Church, Community, Converts, Creation, Death and Dying, Demons, Diaconate, Divine Mercy, Early Church Fathers, Easter, Ethics, Eucharist, Evangelism, Family, Fatherhood, Forgiveness, Gnosticism, Healing, Heresy, Holiness, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, How to be Catholic, Lent, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Marriage, Miracles, Morality, Mystagogy, New Age, Penance and Reconciliation, Pope Francis, Prayer, Priesthood, Pro-Life, Purgatory, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Social Media, Spirituality, Teaching, Trust, Vocation, Women, , ,

I’M CATHOLIC.  NOW WHAT?   By Shaun McAfee – a book review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Shaun McAfee, founder of EpicPew.com, blogger at National Catholic Register, contributor to Catholic Answers Magazine and many other Catholic resources has written a new book published by Our Sunday Visitor.  Personally I think that this is the best book he has written; and I really enjoyed his other books.  When I first saw the pre-publication announcement for this book, I immediately put in an order for it.  The title and description led me to believe that this book would be a great resource for my parish RCIA program.  I have been involved in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for many years and know that those who have gone through it need a really good resource book to continue their journey after the time in the program has finished.  After reading this book I not only realized that the book is perfect for that, but that the book is perfect for all Catholics on their journey of living out the beauty of the Catholic faith.

The author of this book is a convert and has gone through the RCIA process to become a Catholic.  How I wish that all of the people who go through RCIA become as good a Catholic as Shaun and his wife have become.  Shaun’s overall knowledge of the Catholic faith and Catholic Theology (he has a graduate degree from Holy Apostles College) is amazing.  The way he lives out that faith with his wife and family is even more amazing.  Faith is made to be put in to action and Shaun certainly does that.  I have followed Shaun and his family on Facebook for almost six years and although I have never met him in person, I see the faith filled life that he leads.  That faith filled life pours over in to this book.  Shaun tells us all the things we need to know to be a good Catholic and he gives us personal examples of how to be a good Catholic.

This 335 page book consists of 100 chapters that give us a lot of information on the Catholic Church and why we do the things that we do.  I find it very refreshing that he takes the times to not only tell us the things that we should be doing to be a good Catholic, but also tells us why we do those things.  He often refers to the Holy Scriptures as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  He also uses stories from the early church Fathers and the Saints to explain.   Besides that, he gives us plenty of personal examples from his own life.  He covers just about everything that you can think of that speaks of Catholicism.  He not only covers different topics but also gives us things to do.  For example, not only do we learn about Baptism, but he also gives us ideas on how to celebrate our Baptism day.  He talks to us about the priesthood and then encourages us to invite a priest over for dinner.

Shaun’s section on BEING A MODERN CATHOLIC has so much richness to it when discussing evil, relativism (a must read), marriage, sexuality, abortion, euthanasia, immigration, gossiping, giving, and consumerism.  His discussion of the current sex abuse scandal and cover up is enlightening.  He deals with all of the current issues in the Church today.  His way of facing these issues clearly shows the HOPE that we as Catholics are called to have.  Shaun ends his book with a section on EVANGELIZATION: IT’S FOR EVERYONE.  The chapters in this section remind us of our calling as Catholics to share the Good News that we have received.  He explains the “New Evangelization” and encourages us to reach out to those around us, especially to our children.

I highly recommend that ALL Catholics read this book.  The book covers serious subjects but is very easy to read.  It is informative as well as interesting.  It is a wealth of information on the Catholic faith.  This book is not only for those who have just recently come in to the Church, although it is great for them, but it is for all of us on our journey towards Jesus in His Church.  We can all benefit from the explanations and the suggestions that Shaun makes in this book.  As I write this, we are approaching the LENTEN season.  I highly suggest that every Catholic get this book and read it and study it and live it out for Lent.  It might be the best thing that you ever did for Lent.

MYSTAGOGY – AN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Charity, Church, Community, Converts, Easter, Eucharist, Evangelism, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Week, Internet Resources, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Miracles, Mystagogy, Mystics, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Spirituality, Uncategorized

MYSTAGOGY – EXPERIENCING THE MYSTERIES

In the RCIA program, the period following the reception in to the Church is known as a period of Mystagogy.  Mystagogy is a time where the mysteries of the Church are revealed to the new Catholics.  It is revealed through their experience of the Sacraments and through all that the Church offers them.  Although teaching is involved, experience and sharing about that experience is the way the mysteries are revealed.  The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Chicago, 1988) manual states: “. The purpose of the mystagogy is to enable the newly baptized to draw from their sacramental experience a new sense of the faith, the Church, and the world”.  As a leader in the RCIA program in my parish, I try to encourage our Neophytes to experience as much as they can, the resources that the Church offers them.  Truly, I believe that this is good for all the people of the Church as well.

Those who have gone through the RCIA program have experienced at Easter NEW LIFE.  They are, in a spiritual sense, born anew.  I have truly seen, throughout the years, a big change in them.  They are more alive in the faith.   We established Catholics have also been enlivened by experiencing all that Lent and Easter has given us.  Our faith should truly be renewed.  I believe that a period of mystagogy is appropriate for us too.  We need to experience all that the Church offers us, and there is so much.  We are constantly called to grow in our faith by using the sacraments and other tools that the Church gives us.  When we grow in our faith we become more of who God wants us to be.  When we do that, we become happier, more fulfilled and more at peace.   We can grow in our experience of all that the Holy Spirit gives us by receiving the Spirit’s gifts and fruits.  Literally, we can set the world on fire.

I would like to share some of my thoughts on how to do this.  I thought that I would do this in a list format.  Sometimes it is good to have a list of some of the things that the Church can offer to us so that we can grow in our faith.  Here is a list (certainly not a full one) of things that will help us to grow in our faith:

TWELVE STEPS TO HELP US GROW IN OUR FAITH

1 – Go to mass at least every Sunday.  The mass is the Summit and Source of our faith.  In the mass we hear God’s Word proclaimed and explained and we receive the most precious gift of His Body and Blood.   We pray together and experience community and are sent forth.  I attend daily mass because I believe it can do more for me than anything else.

2 – Pray.  When you are in Love with someone, communication is a natural expression of that Love and a way that Love can grow.  Prayer is communication with God.  There are so many ways to pray.  I love praying the Liturgy of the Hours.  It is now so easy to do and so available by placing an app on your smart phone.   I use the ibreviary app.  It is a no cost app.   Try it out, you will be glad that you do.  I would suggest at least praying Morning prayer and Evening prayer.

I also like to use what I call “gut” prayer.  This is totally spontaneous and can be done at any time.  It comes from deep within us, our “gut”.   Sometimes my gut prayer is filled with praise and thanksgiving.  Often it is filled with “why me God?”  And “why are you allowing this to happen?”   It is a prayer of honesty and truth and feelings.

3 – Eucharistic Adoration.  This is also a form of prayer, but it goes beyond regular prayer.  It is a time to adore the Lord as he is present to us in His Risen Body in the Eucharist.  It is certainly a time for prayers of thanksgiving and praise but can also be a time for prayers of supplication.  I go to Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week.

4 – The Sacrament of Reconciliation.   St. Paul tells us that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  All means all.  Christians too sin.  Even the Pope goes to confession.  There is no doubt that when I do something that I know is wrong, or more often, fail to do something I know that I should have done, I immediately ask for God’s forgiveness.  However, it is very freeing to regularly confess our sins to a priest and to hear him give us God’s forgiveness.

5 – The Rosary.  I love praying the rosary.  I try to do it every day.  In the rosary you can meditate on the mysteries of God’s touch to mankind.  The rosary is meant to be a meditative prayer where we literally focus on many of the stories from the scriptures about our salvation.  I look at it as a mini-course on God’s love and action.

6 – The Bible.  The Bible is a special gift that the Church has given to the world.  In it we hear God’s Word and receive direction and support for our lives.  Every liturgy that the Church does has at least one reading from the Bible.  We should listen closely to it at every liturgy but it also should have a special place in our homes.  The Catholic Church has given us the Bible and it is up to the Catholic Church to help us understand it.  I highly recommend using a Catholic study guide; My favorite is The Word Among us.   Going to a good Catholic Bible study is great (stay away from Protestant ones as they can misinterpret the Bible).  There are many online resources to help us (see last page).

7 – Charity and Service.  Every Christian is called to be a person of action.  We are called to feed the poor, heal the sick, visit the lonely and those in prisons etc.  Every parish has some sort of ministry to help us do that.  Check it out and become involved.  Put your faith in to action.

8 – The Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Lord literally gave His mother to us to help us in our journey towards Him.  Since the very beginnings of the Church Mary has been held in high esteem and has helped the Church and all Christians in many ways.  It is good to learn about Mary and to ask her intercession in your life.  She loves you as her own son or daughter.

9 – The Saints.  The Saints were all ordinary people just like you and me.  They struggled with the same things we struggled with and they were able to grow so close to Jesus and follow Him that the Church assures us that they are in heaven.  They intercede for us in prayer and they love it when we ask them to do so.  Try to learn as much as you can about the Saints and learn from them how to follow the Lord.

10 – Go on a Retreat.  A retreat is simply a time set aside for you to get away from the normal distractions in life and to draw closer to the Love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have for you.   Some retreats have themes, and some are simply quiet time with the Lord.  Try one, you will love it.

11 – Visit Holy Sites.  Throughout the world there are places that one would consider a Holy Site.  It might be one because of its history and what happened there, or it could be just an ordinary place that has been set aside for people to visit and grow closer to God.  I have been fortunate to visit many Holy Sites throughout the world, including the Holy Land, Rome and several places where Mary has appeared.  I have one Holy Site nearby, The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island that I love to visit and spend time with the Lord.

12 – Be Proud to be Catholic.  The more you learn about the Church, the prouder you will be.  Yes, the Church is not perfect (the priest sex scandal shows us that), but it is something that Jesus Himself started and maintains.  No other organization on this planet has lasted as long as the Church has.  It is an instrument of God’s grace.  Let your pride in the Church show.  Tell others about it.

There are so many other resources that the Church offers us that we should take advantage of.  I have compiled a partial list of some important Internet Resources and include that here.  There are also so many great books out there that you could (should) read.  Perhaps another time I will look in to that.  May our good Lord bless you in your walk with Him.

CATHOLIC    INTERNET    RESOURCES

CATHOLIC WEB SITES

SITES EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD USE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR FAITH:

The Vatican:                                       www.vatican.va    (choose English in the menu at top right)

EWTN:                                                 www.ewtn.com

New Advent:                                       www.newadvent.org

Catechism of the Catholic Church:   www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

US Conference of Bishops:                www.usccb.org

Catholic Answers:                              www.catholic.com

News Vatican:                                     www.news.va

Catholic News Service:                       www.catholicnews.com

Rome Reports:  (video news)                        www.romereports.com    Choose English at top right

Jimmy Akin:                                        www.jimmyakin.com

Life Teen:  (for Youth, but….)                        www.lifeteen.com

Amazing Catechists:                           www.amazingcatechists.com

Cardinal Newman Society:                www.cardinalnewmansociety.org

Strange Notions:                                www.strangenotions.com

uCatholic                                            www.ucatholic.com

Catholic Lane:                                     www.catholiclane.com

Institute of Catholic Culture:            www.instituteofcatholicculture.org  FREE Catholic Courses

Word on Fire:                                     www.wordonfire.org

Dynamic Catholic:                              www.dynamiccatholic.org

CATHOLIC APPS FOR YOUR SMART PHONE:

Search your play store for these apps

Liturgy of the Hours:                          ibreviary

Catholic prayers and readings etc.   laudate

Novena prayers etc                            pray

Catholic radio                                     Relevant Radio

The Bible                                            Bible

Eternal Word Network                      EWTN

Mass times                                         Catholic Mass times

Catholic Dating                                   Ckiss

Great Start to a New Year by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Eucharist, Family, Healing, Jewish roots, Liturgy, Miracles, Prayer, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality

First of all I must apologize to my readers. I haven’t written or added to my blog in quite a while. This is because I had a bad cold, closed on a new house and moved in to the new house in the midst of celebrating Christmas.
We start off our New Year with a Holy Day celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus (God). It is such a great way to start. The readings of this mass are filled with blessings. The first reading gives the Blessing of Aaron found in Numbers 6: 22-27. In this we hear, “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” What a beautiful blessing for the New Year. In the responsorial psalm we hear, “May the Lord bless you in His mercy”. Again, such a wonderful blessing. In the second reading St. Paul tells us that Jesus came to us, born of a woman, to ransom us so that we might receive adoption as sons of the Father. We can now call our God, Abba, Father. What a blessing it is to know that we are God’s children. In the Gospel we hear of the shepherds rejoicing at the site of the new born King. We also hear a phrase that is almost identical to one we heard last Sunday (finding of the 12 year old Jesus in the temple) about Mary where it tells us that Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. We also hear of the naming of Jesus.
Personally, I cannot think of a better way to start the New Year than to hear these readings and receive the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. God richly blesses us, over and over again. He has blessed us so much in sharing His mother with us. The love that Mary has for us is amazing. She cares so much for us and wants us to grow closer to her son. She wants to bring us His healing love and forgiveness. Starting the New Year knowing that God calls us His children and blesses us and gives us His own mother is the most important way to start anything. This year I pray that we all grow in our knowledge of God. I pray that we all grow in our knowledge of how God continues to work through the Blessed Virgin Mary, His mother. I pray that we all grow in the knowledge of our call to be children of God, for so indeed we are. I pray that we can be like Mary and ponder all of the wonderful gifts, and even the difficulties, that God has chosen to give us. May this be a New Year that we all grow closer to God.
So many of our Saints have had a close devotion to Mary. One of the most loving is Saint Louis de Montfort. I would like to end with a prayer that he gave us:
My powerful Queen,
you are all mine through your mercy,
and I am all yours.
Take away from me all that may displease God
and cultivate in me all that is pleasing to him.
May the light of your faith
dispel the darkness of my mind,
your deep humility
take the place of my pride,
your continual sight of God
fill my memory with his presence.
May the first of the love of your heart
inflame the lukewarmness of my own heart.
May your virtues take the place of my sins.
May your merits be my enrichment
and make up for all
that is wanting in me before God.
My beloved Mother,
grant that I may have no other spirit but your spirit, to know Jesus Christ and His divine will and to praise and glorify the Lord, that I may love God with burning love like yours.
Amen. St. Louis de Montfort

A Time to YEARN – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Church, Death and Dying, Eucharist, Family, Holy Spirit, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Sacraments, Scripture, Spirituality

 

We are at the end of the Church liturgical year. This Sunday, December 2nd, is the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is a very important, but very short, liturgical season. It is there to prepare us for the even shorter season of the twelve days of Christmas. Unfortunately and at the same time, our society also places demands upon us for celebrating Christmas, or as society says, “The Holidays”. These demands of society often keep us from the real preparation for Christmas that Advent calls us to. I really do believe that some of the demands of society such as Christmas decorating, parties and gift giving are important and do help us rejoice in the birth of our Savior, Jesus. But I also believe that we too often are more concentrated on these then on the spiritual preparation of the Advent season. This is something that we must work on.
I believe that at the heart of the Advent season we must recognize a yearning. This is a yearning that we have to be close to God and a yearning that He has to be close to us. The Advent readings reflect that two fold yearning. Advent is a time of yearning and a time of preparation to meet and be with the God who yearns to be with us even more than we yearn to be with him. It is a time when we celebrate the way that God comes to us. Christmas is the time we celebrate that the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity, the WORD, became flesh so that we could be with God and He could be with us. Advent helps us to celebrate better that special gift of the Incarnation. We can experience the yearning that the Jewish people had for the Messiah to come to them. The Old Testament (or Hebrew) readings help us experience that. They waited so long for His coming.
Advent is also a time for us to recognize the yearning for Jesus to come to us here and now. Life often has so many difficulties such as disappointments, illnesses and death of loved ones. We need help to live through these difficulties and we yearn for Jesus to be there with us. When we open our hearts, we can see that He is. Life also has so many great experiences and joys and it seems that we yearn to have God experience them with us, especially when we are filled with gratitude and praise. In our everyday life, in all that we do, God yearns to be present to us. If we really look within ourselves we also yearn for him to be there.
Advent also reminds us that just as Jesus came to His people on that very first Christmas, and just as Jesus joins us in our everyday lives, especially in the Eucharist, we still await another coming of Jesus. This second coming of Jesus will bring with it the fullness of His Kingdom. This too all creation yearns for (Romans 8: 19). Whether we will be alive when He comes again or not, we do know that we all will meet him when our body finally fails. Most people in ordinary life do not yearn for death, and thus this coming, but I have been with so many older and sickly people who do. They literally are yearning for their death so they can meet their Savior.
We really do not know when the Lord will come again and we do not know when our own time to meet him will come, so we must learn to be prepared.
Advent, when celebrated well, can help us do this. So how do we celebrate Advent well? First and foremost, we should try to attend mass as often as possible. If possible, every day is best. When we attend we should listen closely to the scriptures and the homily. God’s Word helps form us and readies us. Receiving Him in the Eucharist is so very important. He literally comes to us there. At home we should try to use a daily Advent devotional. There are many available at religious goods stores and online. Many Catholic organizations offer free emails every day to you. They are sent out daily at no cost. I especially like Dynamic Catholic which includes a link each day to a short video to watch. It is called “A Best Advent Ever” and can be found at BEST ADVENT .
An advent wreath is a great devotional to have in a home. It consists of an evergreen wreath and four upright candles. Four of the candles are purple (the liturgical color of advent) and one is pink or rose (the liturgical color of Gaudate Sunday the 3rd Sunday of Advent). One candle is lit for each of the four Sundays of Advent. There are prayer books to accompany the wreath (check online). This gives a great experience of waiting.
A Jesse Tree is also a great devotional for advent. We used to make one every year. All you need to do is to find a fallen branch with several branches on it and no leaves. You put it in a pot of dirt to hold it upright. You can Google “Jesse tree cutouts” and get free cutouts that you can print and cut out and color and hang on the tree. The idea is that you learn about the ancestors in the line of Jesus. This is a great way for children to learn about some of the famous Old Testament characters.
Last but not least, you need to try to find time within the busyness of the Season for some quiet. This is an especially great time of year for Penance and Reconciliation.   Go to Confession.  Take some extra time alone to pray.   God comes to us when we find a place of stillness.  He comes to us when we seek Him and YEARN for Him.  Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.

The Seasonal Church – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Converts, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Spirituality

I am fortunate to live in the North East United States where we experience four seasons every year. Each season brings with it new sights and sounds and something special to bring us a better experience of life. It seems that there is always a change in the air going on. We usually take these changes of seasons for granted, but I remember one year when I lived in central Texas when I didn’t experience theses changes and it really bothered me. Somehow, grilling outside for Christmas while wearing shorts didn’t do much for giving me the Christmas spirit. I know that many people live in areas where there is little or no change in seasons and probably deal with it well, but I did not. I am used to seasons and I really enjoy them.
We are now in our fall season. The air is clean and crisp and refreshing. The trees are changing their leaves from green to various shades of yellow and red and brown and gold. Fall flowers such as mums are bringing new colors in to the neighborhood. The smell of fall candles and cinnamon and spices fill the house. The sky seems to be a brighter shade of blue. We spend more time inside with our families and friends. Life is good.
When winter comes we feel the sharp cold air, but it seems to refresh and awaken us. Most of the trees and flowers are bare now, but there are still some evergreen trees and bushes that remind us that life goes on. When snow falls it is one of the most beautiful sights to see. Children can be seen snow sledding and ice skating. There is nothing like coming in from the cold to sit around a nice fireplace with a roaring fire. After a while, we tire of the cold and ice but then we see signs of spring coming.
With spring comes a feeling of new life. The trees that seemed to be dead are now coming alive again. Flowers are pushing up from the ground with seamless effort. You hear the sounds of birds chirping in the trees. The air has a fragrance of flowers. The earth seems to be awakening from its sleep.
In summer we have the warm breezes touching our skin. The flowers that bloom are filled with so many different and bright colors. Many of our activities of enjoyment are found outside. We have our times for walks and our times for going to the beach or to the pool. The children are thrilled because they are on their summer break and can really enjoy the summer life.
Just as the seasons of the earth bring us new experiences and help us to live out a fuller life, the Church, in its great wisdom, offers us seasons to do the same thing. The earth gives us four seasons but the Church gives us six. The whole Church year revolves around the Church seasons. Let’s take a brief look at these six seasons and how they help us to experience God’s love better. These seasons are also filled with their own colors and sights and sounds.
The first season of the Church year is Advent. It starts in the late fall, timed to give us four weeks to prepare for the great feast of Christmas. The color for this season is violet (with one Sunday of Rose). Advent is a quiet season of joy where we anticipate and prepare for the coming of Jesus. We look towards the coming of Jesus both at Christmas two thousand years ago and His Second Coming at the end of time. It is a time of anticipation and readiness. Advent ends on December 24th.
The second season of the Church year is Christmas. It starts on December 25th and lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. This is a season of joy and celebration and merriment. It is a time where we all give out gifts to remember the great gift given to us at Christmas, Jesus. It is a time of the smells of evergreens and baking and a time when families spend more time with each other. The color for this season is white.
When Christmas ends, we begin the third season, the season of Ordinary time. The color of this season is green. Ordinary time is a split season. The first split is right after Christmas for about four to eight weeks. It is a time when we listen to all of the stories about Jesus. It is a time for us to learn and grow in our knowledge of Jesus. It ends with Ash Wednesday.
The fourth season is the season of Lent. This season starts with Ash Wednesday and ends with Holy Thursday morning. The color of this season is Violet. It is a time for prayer and repentance in preparation for the celebration of the Easter mysteries. It is a special time for our RCIA groups to be ready for coming in to the Church at the Easter Vigil. It is a time of serious prayer and reflection and growth in our love of Jesus.
The fifth season is the Paschal Triduum. Its colors are white and red depending on the day. This season is only three days long but reflects the very act of what our Church was founded upon, the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The first day is Holy Thursday (White) when we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. The second day is Good Friday (Red) when we remember the death of Jesus on the cross. The Church does not celebrate any Sacraments that day. The third day is Holy Saturday with its Easter Vigil. The vigil mass is the highest mass of the Church year. It is one that is filled with so many sights and sounds, readings, candles, water, incense etc. The RCIA candidates come in to the Church that evening. It is a time of GREAT JOY. The liturgies of all three days of the Paschal Triduum are celebrated as ONE continuous liturgy that commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The sixth season of the Church year is the Easter Season. It is a fifty day celebration that begins at the Easter Vigil and concludes on the Feast of Pentecost. The color of the season is white. We spend fifty days looking at the readings about the resurrected Jesus. The Easter Paschal Candle, lit at the Easter Vigil, burns for all liturgies during this season. Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the Resurrection and the Life. We spend fifty days celebrating this. This is what the Church is all about. We are a resurrection people.
The second part of Ordinary season starts on the Monday after Pentecost and goes until the Feast of Christ the King when the calendar of seasons starts all over again. We hear all of the stories of Jesus during this season.
It is interesting that the seasons of the earth seem to join in with the liturgical seasons. The late fall and early winter of Advent gives us a little glimpse of the stillness and waiting of Advent. The beauty of the winter white proclaims the birth of the savior. The beginning harshness of winter at Lent calls us to penance and the Spring season reflects the life and light of Easter. Just as we can enjoy the seasons of the year, the seasons of the Church can help us better experience all that Jesus has done for us and how we should respond to His love.

Consuming God’s Word – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Ethics, Eucharist, Family, Holy Spirit, Liturgy, Pope Francis, Prayer, Saints, Scripture, Teaching

Consuming God’s Word – by Deacon Marty McIndoe
When I was growing up my father was very concerned about healthy eating. He had read several books about nutrition from Adele Davis and used the mantra “You are what you eat”. Adele Davis, and many nutritionists of the 1950’s and 60’s, used this phrase taken from Victor Lindlahr’s 1942 book of the same name. I heard that phrase over and over again. Dad grew almost all of our own food in his garden and went to local farmers to get eggs and chickens. Mom bought very little from the grocery store. The whole idea was that processed food and non-organic food was bad for you. Only wholesome, organic food should be ingested. It was a lot of work, caring for the garden and canning and freezing foods for the winters. I do think it was worth it. I am a pretty healthy person. We all know that the more we eat healthy food, the healthier we will be.
The Scriptures have some interesting things to say about eating God’s Word. Jeremiah 15:16 says, “When I found your words, I devoured them; your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart, because I bear your name, LORD, God of hosts”. In Ezekiel 3: 1-3 it says, “He said to me: Son of man, eat what you find here: eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he said to me, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey* in my mouth. Then he said to me, Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them”. And again in Revelation 10: 10 it says, “I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour”. Psalm 119: 103 tells us, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Now I really don’t think that we should start tearing pages out of our bibles and eating them, but I do think that we should look in to these words of scripture telling us to consume His Word.
God’s Word that is given to us in the scriptures is a very precious gift. It is not given to us to put on to a shelf and look at only occasionally. It is a gift for us to use and consume every single day. Pope Benedict says to us, “We must rediscover a taste for feeding ourselves on the word of God, faithfully handed down by the Church, and on the bread of life, offered as sustenance for his disciples (cf. Jn 6:51). Indeed, the teaching of Jesus still resounds in our day with the same power: “Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life” (Jn 6:27)…Belief in Jesus Christ, then, is the way to arrive definitively at salvation.” How true this is! The mass reflects this perfectly, first we feed on the Liturgy of the Word, and then we feed on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The two go hand in hand; both the Word and the Eucharist our needed for our spiritual growth. We need both of them. For the Eucharist, we need to go to our church and receive it from our priests but we cannot take it home with us. God’s Word is different. We do receive it in church, but we also can receive it in our home with our own hands. With smart phones we can literally take it with us wherever we go.
Having God’s Word on a book shelf or even on a smart phone isn’t enough. We quite literally have to consume it and consume it often. Pope Francis tells us, “Be constantly nourished by the Word of God.”. He also says, “I would like so much for all Christians to be able to comprehend ‘the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ’ through the diligent reading of the Word of God, for the sacred text is the nourishment of the soul and the pure and perennial source of the spiritual life of all of us.” We all need to be nourished, and to use my dad’s mantra, “You are what you eat” think about what you put in to yourself. Think about what you read and what you watch on TV and what you see in movies. Is this wholesome food, or junk food?
I challenge you to also think about your families. Family life seems to be hit hard by today’s society. In some ways it seems to be disintegrating in to nothingness. Bringing God’s Word in to your family for nourishment is so important. The family consumes so much junk from society; it is time to give it the good wholesome nourishment of God’s Word. Again Pope Francis tells us, “A Bible for every family! …Not to place it on a shelf, but to keep it at hand, to read it often, every day, both individually and together, husband and wife, parents and children, maybe in the evening, especially on Sundays. This way the family grows, walks, with the light and power of the Word of God!”
My friends, we are truly called to consume God’s Word and yet we often ignore it and often consume “junk food”. I believe that we can change the Family, the Church and the World if we consume God’s Word every day. If you are not already doing this, start it as soon as possible. There are many resources out there to help you. As Catholic’s we should make sure that we use Catholic resources to help us. I personally like THE WORD AMONG US and MAGNIFICAT for looking at the scriptures of the day. Don’t be afraid to do some prayerful reading of the Bible on your own. Use a good Catholic bible with footnotes to help you in this. Make sure that you ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you. It is the same Holy Spirit that inspired the Bible. Consuming God’s Word involves both prayer and study. St. Pope John Paul II tells us, “Pray and learn to pray! Deepen your knowledge of the Word of the Living God by reading and meditating on the Scriptures”. It is certainly time for us to grow with good nourishment remembering that “You are what you eat”.

Are You Really Ready to Win the Battle? – By Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Demons, Divine Mercy, Eucharist, Evangelism, Family, Holy Spirit, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Spirituality, Teaching


I was fortunate to have parents who saw that Scouting could be very beneficial to the formation of a child in to an adult. I was in Scouting from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Explorer Scouts (in High School). I learned a lot from them to help build my character. One of the primary things that they taught me was to BE PREPARED. This helped me in school, family and social life, in business, in being an Army soldier and especially in being a good Christian. I would like to look at BEING PREPARED as a Christian.
The question is, what are we supposed to be prepared for? There are several things but I find three that stand out the most. First of all we must be prepared for the LAST DAY. That last day may be when Jesus comes again, or more likely it will be when we die and go to meet him. We have a judgment to experience when we see Him face to face. All that we do as a Christian should lead us to be ready for this judgment. I am so happy that our God is a merciful God, but he is also a JUST God. Everything that we have said and done (and thought) or failed to do, will come before us; and we must answer for that. If we live out the words of Jesus and His Church, we should be prepared. The Church gives us the tools to prepare for this judgment. Those tools are the Sacraments and the Scriptures and prayers and examples of the Saints. We should use them to the fullest.
The second thing that we need to be prepared for is our battle against evil. For those of you who fail to believe in evil and the battle that we fight, you are sadly not prepared. The Church has always, from the very beginning, recognized the power of evil in the world. Our first Pope tells us: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” 1 Pet. 5:8-9. Unfortunately today, too many people dismiss the devil and demons and evil as old fashioned and untrue. The devil and his demons are real, and we need to fight them. The war is already won in Jesus, but Satan still continues to battle and tries to confound us. He attacks us in our weaknesses. We must use the tools that Jesus and the Church gives us to fight him. St. Paul tells us, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6:11-17. These words of St. Paul are so much more than words of wisdom; they are words to lead us in our battle with evil. Do you hear the battle cry?
The third thing that we need to be prepared for is sharing the Good News. This is what we are supposed to be doing as Christians. It should be so much a part of us that it just comes naturally. I will spend more time on this topic on another post, but it is so important that it needs to be placed in context with this post. Probably the best way we share the Good News is by being a good Christian.
Being a good Christian is hard enough on its own, but when you have the legions of evil and darkness trying to keep you from being a good Christian, it becomes even more difficult. However, God knows the battle we fight and if we use the tools He gives us, we overcome easily. I would like to share with you some of the ways that I have found to use these tools. First of all, You MUST make them part of a daily routine. Just as you start out the day by washing and grooming, the tools need to be sharpened and put to use. I find that my morning routine is most important.
Daily I wake up at 6:30 (even though I am retired and could sleep) and I first say a rosary carefully meditating on each mystery. I then go to the local YMCA for my morning workout (the physical body and spiritual self are very connected). I then go to daily mass early enough to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament for 15 to 20 minutes. I then carefully pay attention and serve at mass asking the Lord to strengthen me to be the person He wants me to be. I see the Eucharist as such a precious gift to strengthen me for the journey and the battle. I then go home to eat breakfast with my wife (she also attends daily mass with me) and then I do my morning prayer (Liturgy of the Hours). The rest of the day I intersperse other prayers. These prayers vary from spontaneous forms of praise to the various hours of the Liturgy of the Hours. Every Tuesday I do Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Each evening my wife and I pray together. All of this is a life giving experience for me. I never see it as a burden. I find my strength in this routine.
Throughout the day I love to give thanks and praise to God for the many beautiful things that happen. I love to see Him in the beauty of creation and the gift of other people. I also try to do a lot of spiritual reading such as the Bible as well as books from great Christian authors. In the evenings I “surf” many Christian/Catholic websites. I also try to continue my learning through the New Saint Thomas Aquinas Institute and ClaritasU. As I read this over it sounds like all I do is “religious” things, but that isn’t true. I enjoy many aspects of life and do many activities from going out with the guys to the local pub for beer, to visiting with friends with my wife. However, the “religious things” are what help to make me who I believe God calls me to be.
I know that Jesus wants us to live an abundant life (John 10:10) even though the thief (Satan) would love to snatch it away from us. When I immerse myself in prayer, the sacraments and good study, my life is abundant and Satan doesn’t have a chance to snatch it away from me. I am prepared; are you?

A VIGIL OF LIGHT AND NEW LIFE by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Converts, Diaconate, Eucharist, Evangelism, Liturgy, Sacraments, Scripture

The well used 2017 Easter Candle

The Brand New 2018 Easter Candle

I absolutely love the Easter Vigil. It is the night where we celebrate the LIGHT that has come in to the world in the Resurrection of Jesus. It is the night where new LIFE comes to all of us because of the Resurrection of Jesus. It is a time of joy and celebration and has a history that dates back to the early days of the Church. It is a time of WELCOME. We welcome the Resurrected Jesus again and we welcome new adult members in to the Church. We emerge from the darkness in to the LIGHT. God is so good!
For those of you who have never attended an Easter Vigil service, I highly encourage you to do so. We start out with the church in darkness and build a fire in the front of the church. This fire reminds me of how great it is to gather around a fire and tell stories. And boy do we tell stories this night. The fire is blessed and then a brand new Easter Candle (Paschal Candle) is lit from the fire. The Deacon carries the lit Easter Candle in to the church and sings THE LIGHT OF CHRIST and the people respond THANKS BE TO GOD. The deacon then uses the Easter Candle to begin lighting the candles of all of the people in the church. The lighting starts from the back and goes out sideways as one person passes the light to another person. The Deacon stops in the middle of the church and again sings THE LIGHT OF CHRIST and the people respond THANKS BE TO GOD. He then continues towards the front as candles are being lit. He stops at the front and for the last time sings, THE LIGHT OF CHRIST and again the people respond THANKS BE TO GOD. The candle is put in its stand and the ancient and beautiful hymn the EXSULTET is then sung. It is beautiful to see how the dark church is lit up by all the people sharing their light. It reminds us that together we are called to share our light, the light of Christ, and then we can conquer the darkness.
The Liturgy of the Word now begins. There can be seven Old Testament readings each with its own responsorial psalm and prayer before we come to the Epistle, another responsorial psalm and then the Gospel and homily. Music plays an important part of the Liturgy of the Word and often at least one of the readings is sung.
After the Liturgy of the Word the Baptismal Liturgy begins. If there are candidates to be baptized the Litany of the Saints is sung. The baptismal waters are blessed and the candidates are questioned. Baptism and Confirmation are given and then all of the people renew their own baptismal promises. The prayer of the faithful is read and then the mass continues as does every other mass with the Eucharistic Prayers. The candidates that have been received in to the Church this evening receive first and then all of the congregation are invited to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. After our final prayers and blessing we leave the church refreshed by the Risen Jesus. We leave in rejoicing the Risen Lord.
The Easter Vigil begins the Easter Season of Joy and Alleluia and New Life. It continues until the Feast of Pentecost when the Church celebrates its beginning with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Some candidates for Confirmation may be received at Pentecost.
In the pictures above you see the old 2017 Easter Candle and the new 2018 Easter Candle. The old one is quite short and almost used up. That is because the Easter Candle is the symbol of LIFE and is lit during the Easter Season and lit at every Baptism throughout the year and at every Funeral throughout the year. Baptisms are all about new life. So are funerals. It is only right that the symbol of New Life is lit for each of these.
Easter is a time not only for us to rejoice and give thanks to the Lord, but also to be refreshed and to find New Life in our own lives. Jesus has so much to give to us, all we need to do is to go to Him and ask. May this Easter season be one of New Life and Rejoicing for you and your families. Happy Easter.

Mary’s House, Stations of the Cross and Visions – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Jewish roots, Liturgy, Miracles, Mystics, Prayer, Saints, Spirituality, The Holy Land

Mary’s House in Ephesus

We find the Stations of the Cross in just about every Catholic Church. Walking and praying the Stations of the Cross has been a popular Catholic devotion from the earliest of times. It is especially popular during the season of Lent. Did you know that the first Stations of the Cross were made by the Blessed Virgin Mary and that what we have today followed the pattern that she set up 2000 years ago? Our earliest traditions tell us that St. John took the Blessed Virgin Mary out of Jerusalem to Ephesus to protect her from the dangers in Jerusalem. Tradition tells us that Mary, after Jesus’ ascension used to walk the path that He had walked on His way to the Cross. When she moved out of Jerusalem she could no longer walk on that very path.
St. John built for her a House on a hill just outside of Ephesus (modern day Turkey). I was fortunate to be able to visit that home and it was an earthshaking spiritual experience for me. When Mary lived there she decided to walk out a path remembering the way of the cross that Jesus and she walked in Jerusalem. She set up stones and markings on trees to commemorate Jesus’ walk. Mary would walk along that path with its Stations of the Cross just like she had walked it on the actual streets that Jesus had walked. It was a special devotion for her.
One of the Church’s modern mystics and visionaries was Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich who was born in 1774 and died in 1824. She had numerous visions of Jesus and Mary and in her writings she recalled her visions, “Behind the house, at a little distance up the hill, the Blessed Virgin had made a kind of Way of the Cross. When she was living in Jerusalem, she had never failed, ever since Our Lord’s death, to follow His path to Calvary with tears of compassion. She had paced out and measured all the distances between the Stations of that Via Crucis, and her love for her Son made her unable to live without this constant contemplation of His sufferings. Soon after her arrival at her new home [in Ephesus] I saw her every day climbing part of the way up the hill behind her house to carry out this devotion. At first she went by herself, measuring the number of steps, so often counted by her, which separated the places of Our Lord’s different sufferings. At each of these places she put up a stone, or, if there was already a tree there, she made a mark upon it. The way led into a wood, and upon a hill in this wood she had marked the place of Calvary, and the grave of Christ in a little cave in another hill. After she had marked this Way of the Cross with twelve Stations, she went there with her maidservant in quiet meditation: at each Station they sat down and renewed the mystery of its significance in their hearts, praising the Lord for His love with tears of compassion. Afterwards she arranged the Stations better, and I saw her inscribing on the stones the meaning of each Station, the number of paces and so forth. I saw, too, that she cleaned out the cave of the Holy Sepulcher and made it a place for prayer. At that time I saw no picture and no fixed cross to designate the Stations, nothing but plain memorial stones with inscriptions, but afterwards, as the result of constant visits and attention, I saw the place becoming increasingly beautiful and easy of approach. After the Blessed Virgin’s death I saw this Way of the Cross being visited by Christians, who threw themselves down and kissed the ground.”
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich’s writings were published about 50 years after her death. At that time Mary’s House in Ephesus was unknown to the western world. Two priests, Fr. Julien Gouyet and Fr. Eugène Poulin were so intrigued by the descriptions of Mary’s house in Emmerich’s writings that they went in search of it. The house was found using the descriptions from the visions. It was located in the center of old ruins of a monastery. The foundation of the house dated to the first century and Hebrew inscriptions were found on its stones. Even the hearth was located at the exact location of Emmerich’s visions. Although unknown to the western world, the locals celebrated the place for as long back as they could remember. They called the place “Panaghia-Capouli” which meant “The Door of the Holiest.” Perhaps more remarkable to us today is the fact that the locals had an annual pilgrimage that took place each year on August 15th, which was not declared the Feast of the Assumption of the Immaculate Virgin Mary until 1950. Today, some use the name “Panaya Kapulu” to describe the house on the hillside. Even though the majority of the locals are Muslims, they continue to celebrate and honor Mary there.
Our local guide told us that about ten years ago there was a terrible brush fire on the mountain where Mary’s house is. They said that the town people (Muslims) gathered to protect Mary’s house from the fire, even leaving their own houses in harms way. Fortunately they were successful.
I hope that each Friday of Lent you are able to pray the Stations of the Cross. When you do, say a special thank you prayer to Our Lady.

NOTE: There are several traditions about Mary’s house and about the location of her Assumption.  The Church has not ruled on this.

THE FOURTEEN STATIONS OF THE CROSS

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus takes up his Cross
3. Jesus falls for the first time
4. The Virgin Mary meets Jesus
5. Simon of Cyrene is made to help Jesus bear the Cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of his garments
11. Jesus is crucified
12. Jesus dies on the Cross
13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross and laid in the arms of Mary
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb

The Real First Thanksgiving – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Charity, Church, Converts, Eucharist, Evangelism, Liturgy, Sacraments, Spirituality

The Great Cross marks the spot where the Spanish first landed in St. Augustine, Florida on September 8, 1565.  The statue of  Father Francisco Lopez marks the spot where the first THANKSGIVING mass was celebrated.

We always think that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 with the Pilgrims who settled in Massachusetts. In this Thanksgiving the local Indians came to the Pilgrims and brought them native food. There is no doubt that this really happened, but was it really the first Thanksgiving in the Americas? History says no. The first Thanksgiving occurred about 56 years before that in 1565. This one, like the Pilgrim Thanksgiving also involved European settlers and American Indians.
On September 8th, 1565 (the day the Church celebrates the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Spanish settlers landed at what is now St. Augustine, Florida. The first person to come on land was Father Francisco Lopez, the chaplain of the expedition. He came on land holding a cross. The leader of the exposition, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, then came on land while Father Francisco was holding the cross. The leader then kneeled down in front of the cross and kissed it. The rest of the exposition came on land and did some preliminary set up and then gathered to celebrate mass in thanksgiving for the safe passage they had been given. Catholic’s know the mass as the celebration of the Eucharist. Eucharist in Greek means Thanksgiving.
Immediately following the mass, Father Francisco, now the first pastor of the first settlement in the Americas, declared that they would celebrate a fraternal meal by inviting the Timucua Indians to dine with the settlers. The landing site of the Spanish was right next to a large Timucua village. The two peoples celebrated a Thanksgiving feast together. This was certainly the first Thanksgiving meal celebrated in the Americas.
Our traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually consists of roasted turkey, potatoes and vegetables that were probably used at the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving in Massachusetts. The Indians provided these foods to be shared with the settlers. The Spanish Thanksgiving in St. Augustine, Florida was quite different. Historical records show that it consisted of food brought by the Spanish settlers. This food was salted pork, garbanzo beans, ship’s bread and red wine. It also, most likely, consisted of some foods gathered by the Spanish settlers when they stopped in the Caribbean Islands. The Timucua Indians probably provided corn, fresh fish, berries, or beans.
The two Thanksgiving dinners had much in common. They both included the European Settlers and the Native Americans. They both were done in Thanksgiving to God for all that He had done. They both included food that was shared by all. They both had a sense of Thanksgiving to God as well as a sense of fraternal gathering. The main difference is that the Catholic Thanksgiving began with a Thanksgiving meal that goes all the way back to the Apostles and the early Church and has been celebrated every day since then by the Church.
The Pilgrims came to the America to escape from governmental persecution of their Puritan religion. The Spanish came to America with direction from their government and with a twofold mission; first to bring the message of Jesus’ salvation, and second to gain new lands for Spain. It is interesting that the first thing done is to have the Chaplain of the exposition bring a cross on to the new land and then, almost immediately after, to celebrate the Eucharist. The fraternal dinner with the Native Americans was to follow the mass. This is very much like the early Church which first had the celebration of the Eucharist followed by the Agape fraternal meal. Even today, in many families, we go first to mass on Sunday and then have a family Sunday dinner. The real first Thanksgiving gets the order right: first give thanks to God and then celebrate our fraternal love with each other. This is something we should do every day, not just once per year.

RCIA – A Journey of New Life – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Church, Communication, Converts, Eucharist, Evangelism, Liturgy, Prayer, Sacraments, Scripture, Teaching

Many Catholics have heard the initials RCIA used within their church but often do not fully understand what this program is. It is important for all Catholics to know about this program since all Catholics have a place within the program. I would like to take some time to briefly talk about what the program is and then give some reflections on it. I came in to the Church through the RCIA program about 44 years ago and today, as a Deacon, I run our parish RCIA program. I see it as a source of real life to me and to so many others. RCIA simply stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The program is the way that adult members learn about Jesus and His Church and then come in to it.
One of the principal ways that all Catholics are involved in RCIA is through their witness. Hopefully the life we lead and the faith we share make others interested in our Lord Jesus and in His Church. When we touch others through our own lived out faith it makes them want to learn more about the faith. RCIA is a way that they can do that. We often have people that were never baptized and never lived out the Christian faith. We also have people who have been baptized and have lived out the faith in a Protestant Church. Some of our RCIA people were baptized Catholic but never received Confirmation and Holy Communion. Some have received all the sacraments and have left the Church but have now returned. RCIA is for all of them.
It is impossible to put a time limit on the RCIA process. How much time we need is based upon the needs of each member in the group. For some, several years may be involved. For others it may be less than one year. We divide the RCIA program in to four distinct groups. Let us take a look at these four groups:
1 – INQUIRER: This is often known as the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate. Here we preach the basic Christian message and explain the role of the Church in living out the Christian life. We use this time to try to teach and inspire. We also use this time to discern whether the person is ready to make the formal step of becoming a full Catechumen.
2 – CATECHUMEN: When the RCIA team discerns that the inquirer is ready to make a faith commitment, we have a ceremony in front of the Church community at a Sunday mass where the inquirers make a decision to become a full Catechumen. The inquirer declares their intentions to the community and the community welcomes them. The process of further teaching continues by the RCIA team and the Church community continues to pray for them.
3 – ELECT: On the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumens attend a special diocesan celebration where the Catechumens publically express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in the Book of the Elect. Instructions continue during the days of Lent. There is usually additional prayer and spiritual direction given to the Elect leading them up to the Easter Vigil service. At the Easter Vigil the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist are given to the Elect in front of the Church community. The Elect are now fully initiated in to the Catholic Church. However, their training continues.
4 – NEOPHYTES: The newly initiated Catholics continue their training with RCIA during the Easter season. This is known as a time of MYSTAGOGY. It continues to the Feast of Pentecost. The neophytes share their experiences of the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about the Catholic faith.
As I mentioned earlier, some people come in to the program already baptized and with different levels of faith experience. Some need Confirmation and Holy Eucharist; some need just confession and a profession of faith. Depending upon the circumstances, these people can also receive these at the Easter Vigil or at a later date. Pentecost is often used.
The RCIA program tries to deal with each individual’s needs. Some people may need more time than others and some may need to straighten out difficulties like previous marriages. The good RCIA leader and team learn to deal with the various needs of the person apart from the training within the program. It is a program that calls people to follow Jesus within His Church community. The Church community has to realize that they too are part of this process. They help the Inquirer, the Catechumen, the Elect and the Neophyte through prayer and example. I have seen that the community itself grows in a positive direction due to their contact with the RCIA people. It is truly a program that brings life, not only to the individual, but also to the community.
When I did my RCIA process, it was quite different from ours today. I (my wife came also), and another candidate, met weekly with our parish pastor and he taught us. It was good for me, and I became very close to the pastor through it. Today we have a team of several individuals and during our sessions we take turn doing the instructions and we emphasize group discussions. We also spend time reflecting on the Sunday reading. One thing that we added is to discuss where we have seen the Lord working in our lives during this last week. This has proved quite fruitful. RCIA must help its people come in to a relationship with Jesus, as well as His Church.
As a person who has taught in the RCIA program for many years, I can tell you that the program continues to help me grow in my own faith. It is very heartwarming to see people grow in their faith and in their love for Jesus and His Church. Please make sure that you pray for all those who are part of the RCIA program. It is a real blessing to the Church.

 

What Every Protestant Can’t Not Know – by Matt Nelson (Reasonable Catholic blog)

Apologetics, Church, Converts, Early Church Fathers, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Liturgy, Saints, Scripture


I have never met an insincere Protestant.
And if I have, either I don’t recall it or I was fooled. But as far as I can tell, every Protestant I’ve ever mingled with has truly believed with all sincerity that the Catholic Church is not the Church founded by Christ; not one has believed that the Catholic Church is indeed what she claims to be – the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Christian Church.
I believe every Protestant has chosen to “protest” because he believes that his non-Catholic tradition is true, and that the Catholic tradition isn’t. Out of reverence for the truth (as he believes it to be) he cannot go where he does not believe true religion is being taught. If he does not believe that the Catholic Church is what she claims to be, he’s not going to be Catholic; and that’s fair and commonsensical.
But what if we could show our Protestant brothers and sisters that there are good reasons to believe that Catholicism is true? What if we could demonstrate that Catholicism is the truest and most complete form of biblical Christianity? If we could do that, who knows what good would come of it. Then, perhaps, the world would be less scandalized by Christian disunity and bickering; perhaps Christians could be more united on the moral and ethical fronts of society; perhaps more lives and souls would be saved; perhaps God’s will would be done.
I am certain that if Protestants saw the Catholic Church as she really is, most would enter the Catholic Church at any cost; not as a “change of denomination” but as a perfection – a completion – of the faith they’ve held previously as a non-Catholic Christian.
If the Catholic Church really is “the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” and the “pillar and bulwark of the truth” then what Christian would not want to be in it (see Eph 2:20; 1 Tim 3:15). Indeed, if Christ really did establish a Church on earth as the Scriptures clearly reveal – one that “the powers of death shall not prevail against” – then where is it? This is the question that every Christian must ask; and if he seriously desires to be in it, he must not stop asking “where is it?” until he is certain he has found it.
G.K. Chesterton, a convert to Catholicism, remarked that a convert’s first step towards conversion is when he decides to be fair to the Catholic Church. Once the convert-in-the-making (who often doesn’t know he’s going to be a convert) decides to be fair to the Church, he soon becomes fond of her:
“It is impossible to be just to the Catholic Church. The moment a man ceases to pull against it he feels a tug towards it. The moment he ceases to shout it down he begins to listen to it with pleasure. The moment he tries to be fair to it he begins to be fond of it.” (from Catholic Church and Conversion)
Catholicism makes sense; she is beautiful and wise. And everybody loves beauty and wisdom. Thus everybody loves the Church once she is seen for what she truly is.
How, then, can we draw our dear Protestant friends into relationship with “the whole Christ” (see CCC 795)? How can we show them that Catholicism is true? There are many ways (some of which are not intellectual in nature). But here is a way that I believe has proven itself to have great power and potential for conviction:
What exactly is it that every Protestant can’t not know? That the earliest Christian Church was Catholic, through and through.
The fact of the matter is that most Protestants just don’t know these things. I dare assume most barely think about (if at all) the historical details of the 16th century Reformation, not to mention the historical details of the, say, second century Church. The early Church is off most Protestants’ radar. But it shouldn’t be.
Discovering the writings of the early Church Fathers has been, for many converts from Protestantism, the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. Adding fuel to the wavering Protestant’s fire – in addition to the discovery of those “elusive” biblical texts that support Catholic doctrine – are often the early Church writings as they emerge from obscurity. And there are a lot of them.
Marcus Grodi is a former Evangelical pastor, and now the founder and president of The Coming Home Network International, an organization that helps new converts make the transition (especially former non-Catholic clergy). He writes:
“Certainly an amazing majority of converts mention how reading the Early Church Fathers, either for the first time or for the first time with awareness, convinced them that the early Church was amazingly Catholic and certainly not Protestant!” (from “The Early Church Fathers I Never Saw”)
Now where’s the evidence? Are there really good sources that show the early Church was Catholic; and Catholic in the sense that we mean today? Let’s take a look.
‘Catholic’ can be said to mean “according to the whole” or “universal”. That’s what it has always meant in a Christian context. There is one Church founded by Christ, and everyone is invited to be part of it. It is the one, universal Church.
The earliest recorded use of this term is found the early second century from St. Ignatius of Antioch:
“Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude of the people also be; even as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” [Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8]
St. Ignatius does not explain what “Catholic” means here. He just uses it without qualification, suggesting that it was already a familiar term in the wider Church community.
And what about the ranks in the Church conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders: bishop, priest and deacon. It’s clear that these designations existed from St. Paul’s epistles (see especially 1 Tim, 2 Tim, Titus and Acts). But what about the early Church writings?
Consider this passage from St. Ignatius’ Letter to the Magnesians in A.D. 110:
“Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and with the presbyters [priests] in the place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ…” [6.1]
There was a succession of the apostles; and this succession – called apostolic succession – has continued to present day. Every bishop in the Catholic Church today has been ordained in a direct line from the original twelve apostles of Christ (see Acts 1:20) .
St. Clement of Rome, one of the Church’s first popes and a disciple of Peter the apostle, writes around A.D. 80:
“Our apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those who have already been mentioned and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry” (Letter to the Corinthians 42:4–5, 44:1–3 [A.D. 80]).
An early record of the line of successive popes (and bishops of Rome), beginning with St. Peter, is provided by St. Irenaeus at the tail end of the second century (see Against Heresies 3.3.3). From the beginning, it was understood that the bishop of Rome was the “chief” bishop – the one who held “the keys to the kingdom of heaven” (see Matt 16:18-20).
Here is a later excerpt from the early Church (there are earlier examples that confirm the bishop of Rome’s primacy within the college of bishops). St. Cyprian of Carthage writes in A.D. 251:
“Indeed, the others were also what Peter was [apostles], but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair….If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4).
Now when you read the New Testament, here’s what you’ll find regarding St. Peter:
1. Every time the apostles are listed, Peter is the first to be mentioned (Matt 10:2; Luke Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:3).
2. Peter is called the chief apostle (see Matt 10:2)
3. Peter is always listed before James and John, when Jesus’ inner three is listed (Mt 17:1; Mk 5:37; 9:2; 14:33; Lk 8:51; 9:28).
4. On several occasions Peter is the only name mentioned when referring to the group of disciples. St. Paul does this (1 Cor 9:5; 1 Cor 15:5). St. Luke does this (Acts 2:37), as does St. Mark (Mk 16:7).
5. Peter’s name (in the forms of Peter, Kepha and Cephas) is mentioned in the New Testament more than all of the other apostles’ names put together.
This is why the Church has remained so rock-solid through the ages. That the people of God would heed His prayer that “they may be one”, Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, built His house upon the rock (see Matt 7:25; 16:18). Peter (from “Petros” meaning rock) was given the strength to uphold the integrity of the Church (see Luke 22:32). The apostles and their successors are established guardians of the deposit of faith – fallible men with a special gift from God to help them do the job (1 Tm 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6) – lead by a chief guardian who represents God as His prime minister until He returns once and for all (see Isaiah 22).
God’s Word, which the bishops protect, has been handed down both in written and oral forms to the Church (see 1 Thess 2:15; 1 Pet 1:25). The Bible was never considered the sole authority in the early Church. The Bible (1 Tim 3:16), along with Tradition (1 Thess 2:13; 2 Thess 2:15; 1 Cor 11:2) and the teaching authority of the Church (Matt 16:18; 18:18) served as a tripod – as they do today – holding the Church steady in faith and morals.
Now what about the Mass, Sacraments, and in particular, the Eucharist? Can these key components of the Catholic faith also be found in the writings of the early Christians?
Catholics believe we are saved by grace (Eph 2:8) through faith (Rom 3:26) working in love (Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 13) and believe, along with the unanimous testimony of the early Church Fathers, that the Sacrament of Baptism is the way that initial regeneration by “saving grace” comes to the Christian. This is why babies aren’t excluded. Salvation is free; though bought at a price.
From baptism onwards, “salvation is worked out in fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12) and “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22).
Our first pope writes in 1 Peter 3:21, “Baptism…now saves you.” This was the belief from the beginning: that baptism cleanses the baptized of all sin – a free gift of sanctifying grace by means of water – and as a result the baptized were born again into new life (see John 3:5).
Tertullian writes:
“Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. . . .” (Baptism 1 [A.D. 203])
But Christians are likely to commit wrongdoings again due to the wounds of previous sin. Jesus said to the apostles, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (John 20:21-23) so that we might experience forgiveness “in the presence of Christ” through the priests and bishops (2 Cor 2:10). This is why we have confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
St. Basil the Great writes:
“It is necessary to confess our sins to those to whom the dispensation of God’s mysteries is entrusted. Those doing penance of old are found to have done it before the saints. It is written in the Gospel that they confessed their sins to John the Baptist [Matt. 3:6], but in Acts [19:18] they confessed to the apostles” (Rules Briefly Treated 288 [A.D. 374])
The Eucharist – which comes to us in the Holy Mass when bread and wine is mysteriously changes in substance but not in physical appearance to Christ’s body and blood at the blessing of the priest – was at the center of Christian worship even in the earliest stages of Christianity.
Why? Because the Eucharist is Christ (see 1 Cor. 10:16–17, 11:23–29; John 6:32–71 and all the Last Supper accounts).
St Ignatius of Antioch, who was a disciple of John the apostle, writes at the turn of the second century:
“Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ… They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1 [A.D. 110]).
St. Justin Martyr wrote:
“We call this food Eucharist…..For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nurtured, is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus” (First Apology 66 [A.D. 151]).
Finally, what about Mary and the saints in the early Church?
St. Ambrose, the mentor of St. Augustine, in the 4th century writes this regarding Mary who is “blessed among women”:
“The first thing which kindles ardor in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself chose?” (The Virgins 2:2[7] [A.D. 377]).
And Ephraim the Syrian writes in the fourth century:
“You victorious martyrs who endured torments gladly for the sake of the God and Savior, you who have boldness of speech toward the Lord himself, you saints, intercede for us who are timid and sinful men, full of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us, and enlighten the hearts of all of us so that we may love him” (Commentary on Mark [A.D. 370]).
Final Thoughts
This post doesn’t even begin to touch all of the writings of the early Church available to us today. I’ve only provided a small sample of excerpts; but I recommend that you go and read the writings for yourself. Many of them aren’t long (although another many of them are!). If you and I hope to help our Protestant brothers and sisters see the Catholic Church as she really is, the testimony of the early Church will be indispensable in helping them arrive at that affirmation.
The goal is to lead our separated brethren to “the whole Christ”, which resides ultimately in the Eucharistic Church (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 795).
Indeed one of the greatest affirmations I’ve experienced personally in my decision to be Catholic (in addition to discovering the rich biblical basis for Catholic beliefs) has been my discovery of the writings of the early Church. “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant”, wrote the great convert from Anglicanism, Blessed John Henry Newman. Indeed.
I believe what the Catholic Church teaches because I have every reason to believe the Catholic Church of today is the same Church founded by Christ in the first century. Along with St. Augustine and the rest of the early church Fathers:
“We believe also in the holy Church, that is, the Catholic Church” (Faith and the Creed 10:21 [A.D. 393]).

***All the early church quotations in this article were obtained from Catholic.com

Check out Matt Nelson’s blog at Reasonable Catholic
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Recommended Reading:
The Fathers Know Best by Jimmy Akin
The Mass Of The Early Christians by Mike Aquilina (anything by Dr. Aquilina, really)
The Apostasy That Wasn’t by Rod Bennett

 

7 Things to Know That Will Change Your Next Mass Experience by Matt Nelson

Church, Early Church Fathers, Eucharist, Evangelism, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, Liturgy, Prayer, Relics, Scripture, Spirituality

“Take, eat; this IS my body.” Mt 26:26

I believe that we live in an age where fallen-away Catholics don’t really know what they’ve left, non-Catholics don’t really know what they’re missing, and many Catholics don’t really know what they’ve got. They don’t really know the Mass.
The Mass is the climactic form of Christian worship and within it is contained the greatest miracle on earth. It is a mystery in the fullest sense, and yet, it is comprehensible. As Christians we possess faith, but do we possess understanding? Do we even seek it? I know personally that my understanding of the Mass and what happens during it is inexcusably deficient, mostly from neglect. But I (and you) can change this — and it begins here.
I want to help change your next Mass experience, by the grace of God. So I’ve compiled a list of 7 interesting facts about the Mass, each with a brief explanation. I hope you learn something new!

1. The Mark of the Christian
The Sign of the Cross that marks the beginning and end of the Holy Mass, and which signifies the sealing of the Word of God “in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts” at the reading of the Gospel, has its origin in the first centuries of Christianity.
Tertullian wrote in the mid-3rd century:
“In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (De corona, 30).
The sign of the cross, done by faith, has immense power. St. Benedict once did the sign of the cross over a poisoned drink meant to kill him, and as his hand moved reverently through the four directions of the cross, the glass shattered. What would have happened if he had been insincere, or worse, not blessed his food and drink at all with the sacred sign? God only knows.
Each sign of the cross is also a sign —a renewal even — of one’s personal decision to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. How many times have we gone through the “motion of the cross” instead of the “sign of the cross”?

2. “And With Your Spirit”
When the Christian people respond “and with your spirit” to the priest’s greeting (“The Lord be with you”) in the Holy Mass, it is not just a polite (and somewhat odd) response. It is a profession of faith in the power of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. It recognizes the unique action of the Holy Spirit in the ordained priest, particularly in the Sacraments. Remember, for example, it is not the priest who changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ — it is Jesus Christ. Thus, the priest receives the power to serve as a special instrument of the Holy Spirit at his ordination; that is, when he receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders through the “laying on of hands” (see 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6).
Here’s what the 4th century bishop, St. John Crysostom,wrote about these words and their meaning:
“If the Holy Spirit were not in this your common father and teacher, you would not, just now, when he ascended this holy chair and wished you all peace, have cried out with one accord, ‘And with your spirit.’
Thus you cry out to him, not only when he ascends his throne and when he speaks to you and prays for you, but also when he stands at this holy altar to offer the sacrifice. He does not touch that which lies on the altar before wishing you the grace of our Lord, and before you have replied to him, ‘And with your spirit.’
By this cry, you are reminded that he who stands at the altar does nothing, and that the gifts that repose there are not the merits of a man; but that the grace of the Holy Spirit is present and, descending on all, accomplishes this mysterious sacrifice. We indeed see a man, but it is God who acts through him. Nothing human takes place at this holy altar.”

3. Kiss of the Priest
The priest kisses the altar in veneration, recognizing it as the sacred place where Christ’s once and for all sacrifice will be made present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Jesus’s death is re-presented in the Holy Mass as a celebration of the New Covenant Passover, just as the Old Covenant Passover was made present each year it was celebrated (see Ex 12:27). St. Paul contrasts the Eucharistic sacrifice to the pagan sacrifice in 1 Cor 11. Jesus is therefore not re-sacrificed at each Mass but rather, His one sacrifice becomes present to us as He is eternally presenting Himself to God as the sacrificial Lamb of God (Heb 7:25; 1 Cor 5:7; 1 Cor 11:26; Rev 5:6).
Around 70 A.D. Church leaders wrote this about the Eucharistic sacrifice (the Mass):
“Assemble on the Lord’s day, and break bread and offer the Eucharist; but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one. Anyone who has a difference with his fellow is not to take part with you until he has been reconciled, so as to avoid any profanation of your sacrifice [Matt. 5:23–24]. For this is the offering of which the Lord has said, ‘Everywhere and always bring me a sacrifice that is undefiled, for I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is the wonder of nations’ [Mal. 1:11, 14]” (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).

4. What’s Inside the Altar?
Did you know that many Catholic altars have a relic placed inside?
Father Carlos Martins, CC, of Treasures of the Church describes relics in this way:
Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Our Lord. They are usually broken down into three classes. First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh. Second class relics are something that a saint personally owned, such as a shirt or book (or fragments of those items). Third class relics are those items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first, second, or another third class relic of a saint.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 302, contains the following statement:
“The practice of placing relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained. Care should be taken, however, to ensure the authenticity of such relics.”

The bones of St. Polycarp of Smyrna (a disciple of John the beloved apostle) were venerated in the early Church, for example:
“We took up his bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place, where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy and to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom” (The Martyrdom of Polycarp [A.D 156])
For more, I also discuss relics in this recent article.

5. Cross or Crucifix?
A cross with a figure of Christ crucified must be present on or near the altar. This is mandated by the Church. A bare cross or a cross with Jesus depicted in a non-crucified way (like the modern “resurrected” Christ portrayal which has become more common) does not meet this requirement. Like St. Paul in his first letter to the Church in Corinth, we preach Christ crucified as an ultimate sign of God’s love for us and the salvation won for us through His crucifixion:
“we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1:23; see also 2:2)
The crucifix, properly understood, is not an image of a mere gory execution; rather, it is a sign of the once for all sacrifice of the Lamb of God (1 Cor 5:7).
The General Instruction for the Roman Missal states:
There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations (GIRM 308).

6. Sit, Stand, Kneel and Bow
A genuflection before the Jesus in the tabernacle is not meant to be a purely physical action. It requires a simultaneous “bow of the heart.”
The venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed, as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained. This act requires that it be performed in a recollected way. In order that the heart may bow before God in profound reverence, the genuflection must be neither hurried nor careless (Inaestimabile Donum 26).
Some people may wonder what’s up with Catholics and all the bowing, standing, sitting, kneeling that they do in the Mass. It’s a good and honest question. Catholics assume these gestures because of who and what they are encountering in the Mass — the King of Kings and His Word. In the case of veneration with the body, the body leads the heart.
Consider these words from C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters:
“At the very least, they can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls” (Letter IV).
Our postures matter, especially in the Mass — the climax of Christian Worship. As King David writes in this beautiful Psalm:
“O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God…” (Psalm 95)

7. The Fraction Rite
After the consecration (when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus) but before Communion, the priest breaks off a piece of his “big” host and adds it to the precious blood (which still maintains the physical properties of wine). This breaking and commingling of the broken piece of the Body with the Blood is rich in significance:
First, it is not a separating of Christ, as though a “part” of Christ is here and a “part” of Christ is there. In each molecule of the consecrated host, the resurrected Christ is totally and perfectly present in His infinite divine substance.
Second, this “breaking”, called the “Fraction Rite”, follows Christ’s breaking of bread at the Last Supper and is rich in biblical significance (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42, 46; 1 Cor 10:16).
Third, the commingling of the broken fraction with the blood in the chalice symbolizes the reunification of Christ’s body and blood in his glorious resurrection.
Now here’s an interesting tidbit to end off this post:
Originally, this Fraction rite and commingling had another important significance. At each Mass, the priest would break off a piece of the host (as he does now) but then, that consecrated fraction would be sent to another celebration of the Eucharist at another location. There, the fraction sent from the parish “down the road” would be commingled with the blood of Christ. The fraction of the host from that Mass would then be sent off to another Mass, and so on. This ritual created a great sense of unity among the faithful in the Mass, and signified the continuity of the eucharistic sacrifice in the Church (Mal 1:11; 1 Cor 10:17). This practice was known as fermentum, but has fallen out of practice in modern times.
If you would like to read more about the specifics of the Mass I highly recommend Mass Revision by Jimmy Akin to get you started.
See you in the Eucharist!

Visit Matt Nelson at Reasonable Catholic

The Birth of Mary and the Protoevangelium of James by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Angels, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Early Church Fathers, Family, Fatherhood, Holy Spirit, Jewish roots, Liturgy, Marriage, Miracles, Prayer, Relationships, Saints, Scripture

If we asked most Catholics who Mary’s parents were they would probably answer Anna and Joachim. But if we look in the Holy Bible there is no mention of Mary’s birth or the name of her parents. So how do we know their names? The simple answer is through tradition. As Catholics, we believe that God reveals His truths to us through the Holy Bible AND through tradition. Tradition was sacred to the Jews (we all know that great song from Fiddler on the Roof) and is also sacred to us. St. Paul tells us to “stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thess. 2:15).
On September 8th we celebrate the birthday of Mary. This is exactly nine months after we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. This feast was celebrated no later than the 6th century. An eastern Saint, St. Romanos, a deacon who composed numerous liturgical songs, wrote a hymn celebrating the birthday of Mary. The hymn was quite popular and used in liturgies to celebrate the birthday of Mary which helped lead us to the feast day. The Eastern Churches first celebrated it and then within a century the Roman Church celebrated it. St. Romanos relied heavily upon the apocryphal writing, The Protoevangelium of St. James, in composing the lyrics to his hymn on the Nativity of Mary.
As an apocryphal writing, we must realize that the Church decided that this book was not inspired as scripture and it was not placed in the canon of the bible. However, this writing has been seen as a good source of tradition from the earliest times of the Church. Most scholars believe that it was composed around 145 AD. Because of this, and the language structure, we know that St. James did not write it. However it came from an area where St. James had followers and there may be some things passed on from him in the writing. In view of all of this, and with a certain amount of caution, I would like to share some of the points covered in the Protoevangelium concerning Mary and her birth and upbringing.
The Protoevangelium does repeat many items found in the scriptures concerning Mary and the birth of Jesus. But it adds details prior to that not mentioned in the sacred scriptures. It tells us that her parents were named Joachim and Anna and that Joachim and Anna were unable to conceive for many years and that both of them became depressed at not being able to have children. It tells us that Joachim became so depressed that he went out to the desert to live in solitude in a tent where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights pleading with God. At the same time, Anna grieved not having Joachim with her and not being able to become pregnant. She prayed that God would bless her as He had blessed Sarah with Isaac. The Protoevangelium tells us that an angel appeared to Anna and told her that God had heard her prayer and that “you shall conceive and bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world”.
About the same time, an angel appeared to Joachim and told him that God had heard his prayers. He was told to go to Anna and that Anna would conceive a child. Nine months later Anna gave birth to a little girl and they name her Mary. The Protoevangelium tells us that at the birth Anna said, “My soul has been magnified this day.” The writings go on to say that Mary walked at six months old. When she was one year old, Joachim held a great birthday feast for Mary and invited the priests, scribes and elders and all the people of Israel. The priests blessed Mary saying, “O God of our fathers, bless this child and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations”.
The Protoevangelium tells us that at the age of three Joachim and Anna took Mary to the temple to be raised there hoping that her heart would be captivated by the Temple. When they gave her to the priest he kissed her and blessed her saying, “The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel.” The priest put her down on the third step and the grace of God came upon her and Mary danced with joy and the people loved her.
The Protoevangelium goes on to tell us that Mary stayed in the temple until she was 12 years old. At that time the chief priest received a visit from an angel while in the Holy of Holies telling him to assemble the widowers of the people and that God would give a sign as to which widower He chose for Mary. When all of the widowers assembled the High Priest again prayed to God for a sign to show which widower would receive Mary as his wife. When a dove appeared and landed on Joseph’s head, the high priest declared him to be the one who was chosen. At first Joseph declined saying that he had children and was an old man and it wasn’t good for him to take such a young girl. The chief priest reminded Joseph that it was God’s will and Joseph said to Mary, “Behold I have received you from the temple of the Lord; and now I leave you in my house and go away to build my buildings, and I shall come to you. The Lord will protect you”.
As interesting as all this is, we must remember that the Church refused to recognize the Protoevangelium as sacred scripture. We cannot be sure of any truth found here, but as I said earlier, this is a very early writing that passes on at least some of the tradition handed down about our beloved mother, Mary. It might help us imagine a little better the life of the most significant woman who ever walked the earth (and rule in Heaven). Hail Mary full of grace…….
As Saint Augustine said, “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER MARY….WE LOVE YOU

 

Spurned at Church by A. J. Avila

Anxiety and Worry, Church, Liturgy, Relationships, Sacraments, Scripture, Spirituality

Spurned at Church

When we go to Mass, we don’t necessarily expect the folks there to be warm and welcoming. After all, it’s human nature to occasionally be aloof. We’re weak, sinful people, and we don’t leave our foibles at the church door before coming inside.
But we do expect—have a right to expect—that the people we encounter there will at the very least be polite, especially during that one time in the service when we greet one another: the Sign of Peace.
So imagine my surprise when at one weekday Mass I put out my hand to shake that of the young lady in front of me and got snubbed.
Well, a lot more than snubbed. One look at my hand offered in friendship and she crossed her forearms in front of her head, turned her face aside, and shuddered with what I can only describe as utter disgust.
As though touching me would make her vomit.
Before you even ask, yes, I bathe, and yes, I use deodorant.
Now I realize some people are germaphobes, but a simple “No, thank you” or “I don’t shake hands” would have sufficed.
Needless to say, I was shocked. More than shocked, I was deeply hurt.
Of course I immediately forgave her and offered up the pain to God for her sake.
In case you’re wondering if she ever shakes anybody else’s hand, I wouldn’t know. Since this was a weekday Mass, the church wasn’t very full and we two were the only ones within arm’s reach of each other.
When something like this happens, it bumps up against what I find to be one of the most difficult verses of the Bible: “And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints” (Romans 8:28).
“All things work together unto good.” All things, including this.
So I had to stop and ask myself how this worked unto good.
It reminded me of an incident from the life of St. Teresa of Avila. She’d been poorly treated, and she complained to Jesus about it. He answered her, “But Teresa! That’s how I treat My friends!”
She immediately snapped back “No wonder You have so few!”
Yet . . . how on earth could what happened to me be something positive? How could I see it as God treating me like one of His friends?
Then I remembered another difficult Bible verse: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).
St. Paul is telling us he actually rejoiced in his sufferings.
Okay. I can tolerate what happened. I can even get to the stage where, intellectually, I can thank God for it. But in all honesty, I don’t think I’m far enough along in my spiritual journey to where I can rejoice at being treated like last week’s garbage.
Definitely something I need to work on because, you know, suffering makes us more like Christ, and that is cause for rejoicing.
As for that young lady, I sincerely hope that if both of us make it to heaven, she’ll be glad to shake my hand then.
She might even allow me to give her a hug.

You can visit A. J. Avila’s blog at Reflections On My Catholic Journey