Why would I consider leaving the Roman Catholic Church and become Eastern Orthodox?
Answer: Theological Truth and the freedom to struggle in the search for that Truth.
One of my favorite professors often stated that Catholics "must crane our necks towards Rome" on teachings we didn't understand or with which we disagreed. He said this with the utmost charity and humility meaning that the Catholic faithful are to rely on the leadership of the Magisterium and hierarchy. And so, I craned my neck. When I was young there were teachings I didn't agree with, like birth control and Natural Family Planning, but with prayer and an open heart I came to see that the teachings were correct. However, there were other teachings that I struggled to explain in my ministry because I could not wrap my mind around them.
Let's clear up a couple things right off the bat:
1) I don't think that I need to rationally understand every single aspect of the Christian faith. We deal a lot with Mystery, like the Trinity, but I do feel that a theology geek, like myself, should be able to at least articulate the basics of a teaching.
2) I take very seriously trying to live out what my faith teaches.
One of the teachings of the Catholic Church is on how the faithful are to receive dogma (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 88):
The Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.
I am bound to hold any teaching dogmatic teaching of the Catholic Church, period.
Flip forward 2000 paragraphs to No. 2088 where the Catechism distinguishes between voluntary and involuntary doubt:
Voluntary doubt about the faith disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief. Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity. If deliberately cultivated doubt can lead to spiritual blindness.
What happens when you doubt a dogma? Is that voluntary or involuntary doubt? There are a couple Catholic dogmas that have I not only doubted, but have had a very hard time accepting, the first of which is the Immaculate Conception. Most people think this has to do with the conception of Jesus. Nope. It's regarding the conception of Mary. The Catechesis of the Catholic Church states (no. 491) quoting Pope Pius IX from Ineffabilis Deus:
The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.
Mary received a special grace that protected her from original sin; no other human in the course of history has received this gift. She received this gift at her own conception by the merits of the child she had yet to conceive; so the merits of Jesus worked retroactively and before these merits existed in time. Okay, I can kind of get this because God can do whatever God wants. No problem! It's starts to get dicey for me when pondering Mary's earthly life.
Mary is supposed to be our example of a preeminent disciple, but if she did not have to struggle with original sin like the rest of us slobs, then how authentic and freely given was her 'yes' to the angel's Annunciation? If Mary was without sin, then why did she need a Savior? It was impossible for her to sin. Sheesh! I wish I was incapable of sinning, it would make going to Confession a heck of a lot easier, "Yeah, Father, I've got nothing this month." The teaching of the Immaculate Conception seems like theological gymnastics to me and I have struggled to understand it. If Mary didn't have to deal with the struggle of sin, then was she truly and fully human? The struggle against sin is, sadly, part of the human condition.
Based on Catholic Church teaching, I doubt the Immaculate Conception and I'm probably on the voluntary doubt side of the Catholic doubt equation. What am I supposed to do? My husband asked a Catholic priest what he should do if he doubts a dogma. The response was to go to Confession to confess the doubt and then, hopefully, the priest will help you understand the dogma. You must crane your neck, period.
Some struggle or doubt is allowed in the Catholic faith, but not when it comes to dogma. I was curious how the Orthodox Church presented the teaching of Mary's sinlessness. I also wondered if there were dogmatic mandates in the Eastern Church. Imagine my surprise and delight when I read about doubt in The Orthodox Way by Bishop Kallistos Ware:
Because faith is not a logical certainty but a personal relationship, and because this personal relationship is as yet very incomplete in each of us and needs continually to develop further, it is by no means impossible for faith to coexist with doubt. The two are not mutually exclusive...We have to make our own cry, "Lord, I believe: help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). For very many of us this will remain our constant prayer right up to the very gates of death. Yet doubt does not in itself signify lack of faith. It may mean the opposite - that our faith is alive and growing. For faith implies not complacency but taking risks, not shutting ourselves off from the unknown but advancing boldly to meet it (16).
As long as you are continually engaging the faith, according to Eastern Orthodox thought, doubt is okay because the search for Truth is a struggle worth devoting your life.
I fully accept that Mary was without sin, just not the way the Catholic Church teaches. Orthodox teaching states that Mary was without sin, but that she was born with "ancestral sin" (that's a blog for another day). Mary was just like the rest of us, she struggled with sin, but she was so attuned to God that she didn't sin. Mary's sinlessness was due to her goodness and choosing not to sin, not because she was incapable in sinning. Now, that is a preeminent disciple - of which I am not, but I do not doubt it and it is an example I can try to live up to.
Showing posts with label Catholic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catholic. Show all posts
Monday, October 19, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
On taking a new path
Hey, how ya' doin'? It's been a long while...working, family life and blogging, one of them had to give. So, I'm back to blogging, which means I'm not working outside the home. My blog is about to take a big turn; I'll still write about theology and life, but it's going to have a different flavor. My family and I are about to take an official step onto a new, but well trodden and ancient, path. We are going to be officially enrolled as catechumens in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church at St. John's Orthodox Cathedral in Eagle River, Alaska.
How the heck did this happen?
Yeah, I have wondered this myself for many, many months. At first I wanted to make sure this isn't the theology nerd equivalent of a mid-life crisis. Some people might buy a sports car, others might have an affair, others might have plastic surgery, but do theology nerds fall in love with another faith and jump ship?
Looking back I can see the fingerprints of God throughout my life priming me for this decision, however, the turning point happened just over a year ago. I attended a training for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. John's in June 2014 and I had the opportunity to attend the Divine Liturgy. My first physical impressions in no particular order: dang this is long, it is crazy hot in here, can I sit down?, they sure like incense, I can't see what the priests are doing, the icons are pretty. On the surface, these are fairly vapid and superficial observations, but I was a good little theology nerd and paid attention to the content too.
The beauty and the history of the Liturgy bowled me over. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom has been used in the Orthodox Christian East since the 5th century. I could see the historical roots of the Mass within the Divine Liturgy and I kept thinking, this is how we all used to do it - way, way back in the day. I felt a connection to my ancestors in the faith - the saints and martyrs of the early Church - that I have never experienced in the Mass. It also warmed the heart of this Trinitarian geek to hear the Trinity mentioned so many times and that Mary, the Theotokos, the God bearer, was not only mentioned but reverenced, as is fitting to her role as the first disciple.
I have been to a few other Divine Liturgies in my life, but it was clear that I was an outsider and occasionally called a heretic (gee, thanks). That wasn't the case at St. John's and it was fantastic to be able to sit down with a few Orthodox theology nerds after the Liturgy and ask questions. The point that stayed with me from the discussions is that while we have the same early history, Orthodoxy is not just the Eastern branch of the Church. I had always heard that the Eastern Orthodox Church was the sister Church of Catholicism and that it was historical events and translation issues that kept us apart. However, there are significant theological and structural differences between East and West (which I'll blog about in the future). I wondered about these differences for months and would occasionally ask questions of my new found Orthodox friends.
After the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, I returned home to Juneau and didn't think much about the Divine Liturgy until I went to Mass the next time. I thought about the Divine Liturgy every single time I went to Mass and felt that "something" was missing. I recalled the overabundant beauty of the Sanctuary, the smell of the incense, the sound of the a capella music which is so different from modern Mass music, and an inexpressible feeling that I was in communion with history. The word that repeatedly came to mind when thinking about the Divine Liturgy was and is "gratuitous" and in comparison the Mass seems "naked".
Finally, I broke down and told my fellow theology nerd of Orthodox extraction, who used to be Catholic, that I couldn't stop thinking about the Divine Liturgy. She bought me a book, Light From the Christian East, and we talked and talked. I read more books, listened to podcasts, wondered, asked questions, read more books, and so on.
In June I returned to St. John's to complete the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, but I arrived a few days early so I could attend the Divine Liturgy before class started. Would the Liturgy be as striking as I remembered or was I simply under the romantic spell of a different theological tradition? I figured my response the Liturgy would be the answer and this time I was armed with a little more knowledge about what was happening. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. In my heart I knew I wanted to become Orthodox, however, my head was screaming "uh, what about your husband and did you forget you work for the Catholic Church?"
My husband already knew that I was researching Orthodox theology and we had some conversations about various topics: Original Sin, the Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity of Mary to name a few. These were sticking points in the Catholic faith for one or both of us. In the course of the conversations I found out that my husband believed many Orthodox teachings. When I told him that his beliefs were not in line with the Catholic Church he said that he had heard a podcast about whatever we were chatting about on Ancient Faith Radio...which is Eastern Orthodox, but he didn't know that.
I loved the Divine Liturgy, but would my husband? My family came to visit me halfway through the course and we all attended the Liturgy. My Orthodox friends had prepared my husband for the Liturgy and basically told him, "don't be surprised if you are confused and hate it the first time." Well, he didn't hate it, in fact, he really liked it and said that it made perfect sense.
In the background, life continued to surprise us and in the midst of contemplating Orthodox stuff I found out that I was pregnant - SURPRISE! For those of you who have read previous blog entries, you know that our first baby died at term 7 years ago and that pregnancy is a pretty scary thing for me. But, this time we were in Alaska and the OB care in Juneau for a high risk pregnancy is non-existent; traveling to Anchorage for care would need to be part of the plan. This is where God kicked me out of the driver seat and said, "Hang on to your hat, kid! I'm about to take you on one crazy ride." At the end of June we found out I was expecting, the beginning of July my husband heard about a great job opening in Anchorage, the beginning of August he was hired for the job, we quit our jobs in Juneau, my husband left early for Anchorage, my parents arrived to help me finish packing and make the move. With all our stuff loaded into a U-haul truck, my parents, my son, and I drove on to the ferry in Juneau closing an exciting time in our life. After 4 days of travel, we arrived in the Anchorage area at the end of August. Now we're close to great medical care for me and our unborn baby boy and the door opened wide for us to join the Orthodox Church.
Here we are, again, at the trailhead of a new path. You'd think I'd feel scared or worried, but I don't. God has led us to this point and things have turned out pretty good in past when we've followed his lead...I just never thought it would lead me here.
How the heck did this happen?
Yeah, I have wondered this myself for many, many months. At first I wanted to make sure this isn't the theology nerd equivalent of a mid-life crisis. Some people might buy a sports car, others might have an affair, others might have plastic surgery, but do theology nerds fall in love with another faith and jump ship?
Looking back I can see the fingerprints of God throughout my life priming me for this decision, however, the turning point happened just over a year ago. I attended a training for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. John's in June 2014 and I had the opportunity to attend the Divine Liturgy. My first physical impressions in no particular order: dang this is long, it is crazy hot in here, can I sit down?, they sure like incense, I can't see what the priests are doing, the icons are pretty. On the surface, these are fairly vapid and superficial observations, but I was a good little theology nerd and paid attention to the content too.
The beauty and the history of the Liturgy bowled me over. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom has been used in the Orthodox Christian East since the 5th century. I could see the historical roots of the Mass within the Divine Liturgy and I kept thinking, this is how we all used to do it - way, way back in the day. I felt a connection to my ancestors in the faith - the saints and martyrs of the early Church - that I have never experienced in the Mass. It also warmed the heart of this Trinitarian geek to hear the Trinity mentioned so many times and that Mary, the Theotokos, the God bearer, was not only mentioned but reverenced, as is fitting to her role as the first disciple.
I have been to a few other Divine Liturgies in my life, but it was clear that I was an outsider and occasionally called a heretic (gee, thanks). That wasn't the case at St. John's and it was fantastic to be able to sit down with a few Orthodox theology nerds after the Liturgy and ask questions. The point that stayed with me from the discussions is that while we have the same early history, Orthodoxy is not just the Eastern branch of the Church. I had always heard that the Eastern Orthodox Church was the sister Church of Catholicism and that it was historical events and translation issues that kept us apart. However, there are significant theological and structural differences between East and West (which I'll blog about in the future). I wondered about these differences for months and would occasionally ask questions of my new found Orthodox friends.
After the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, I returned home to Juneau and didn't think much about the Divine Liturgy until I went to Mass the next time. I thought about the Divine Liturgy every single time I went to Mass and felt that "something" was missing. I recalled the overabundant beauty of the Sanctuary, the smell of the incense, the sound of the a capella music which is so different from modern Mass music, and an inexpressible feeling that I was in communion with history. The word that repeatedly came to mind when thinking about the Divine Liturgy was and is "gratuitous" and in comparison the Mass seems "naked".
Finally, I broke down and told my fellow theology nerd of Orthodox extraction, who used to be Catholic, that I couldn't stop thinking about the Divine Liturgy. She bought me a book, Light From the Christian East, and we talked and talked. I read more books, listened to podcasts, wondered, asked questions, read more books, and so on.
In June I returned to St. John's to complete the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, but I arrived a few days early so I could attend the Divine Liturgy before class started. Would the Liturgy be as striking as I remembered or was I simply under the romantic spell of a different theological tradition? I figured my response the Liturgy would be the answer and this time I was armed with a little more knowledge about what was happening. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. In my heart I knew I wanted to become Orthodox, however, my head was screaming "uh, what about your husband and did you forget you work for the Catholic Church?"
My husband already knew that I was researching Orthodox theology and we had some conversations about various topics: Original Sin, the Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity of Mary to name a few. These were sticking points in the Catholic faith for one or both of us. In the course of the conversations I found out that my husband believed many Orthodox teachings. When I told him that his beliefs were not in line with the Catholic Church he said that he had heard a podcast about whatever we were chatting about on Ancient Faith Radio...which is Eastern Orthodox, but he didn't know that.
I loved the Divine Liturgy, but would my husband? My family came to visit me halfway through the course and we all attended the Liturgy. My Orthodox friends had prepared my husband for the Liturgy and basically told him, "don't be surprised if you are confused and hate it the first time." Well, he didn't hate it, in fact, he really liked it and said that it made perfect sense.
In the background, life continued to surprise us and in the midst of contemplating Orthodox stuff I found out that I was pregnant - SURPRISE! For those of you who have read previous blog entries, you know that our first baby died at term 7 years ago and that pregnancy is a pretty scary thing for me. But, this time we were in Alaska and the OB care in Juneau for a high risk pregnancy is non-existent; traveling to Anchorage for care would need to be part of the plan. This is where God kicked me out of the driver seat and said, "Hang on to your hat, kid! I'm about to take you on one crazy ride." At the end of June we found out I was expecting, the beginning of July my husband heard about a great job opening in Anchorage, the beginning of August he was hired for the job, we quit our jobs in Juneau, my husband left early for Anchorage, my parents arrived to help me finish packing and make the move. With all our stuff loaded into a U-haul truck, my parents, my son, and I drove on to the ferry in Juneau closing an exciting time in our life. After 4 days of travel, we arrived in the Anchorage area at the end of August. Now we're close to great medical care for me and our unborn baby boy and the door opened wide for us to join the Orthodox Church.
Here we are, again, at the trailhead of a new path. You'd think I'd feel scared or worried, but I don't. God has led us to this point and things have turned out pretty good in past when we've followed his lead...I just never thought it would lead me here.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Are you a disciple?
Thanks to a new co-worker I have a very long reading list now (and it's AWESOME!). Most of the list has grown through conversations usually going something like this:
"Oh, have you read this book/heard of this author?"
And, the response of the mom of a 3 year old has been, "Uhhhh....no."
The first book on the list was Forming Intentional Disciples. If you are in ministry or volunteering at your parish or thinking "where are the excited Catholics?" then you must read this book.
The book is incredible and answered a lot of questions, however, it's a little depressing as well. I'm a freak about the Catholic faith - I love it! I love Jesus, I love the Church, I love the liturgy, I love theology. This pretty much has made me a freak for a long time now and I've gotten used to it. Yet, it's also pretty sad because there's a very small contingent of Catholics who are Jesus freaks - and I mean that in the best possible way.
Every year the Church loses people to evangelical Protestant churches because they have more fire in their hearts than Catholics do when it comes to Jesus. They're not afraid to talk about Jesus, but if you mention Jesus to an everyday Catholic they get a little scared. If you're one of those Catholics, then please ask yourself why does talking about Jesus make you nervous and share in the comments section.
Every Christian should be a disciple, but the sad thing is, not too many of us are in the Catholic Church. Why? Jesus is THE rock star of the universe...and dang it, he is worth talking about! Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace, the Son of God (that's just a sampling of his titles), we should't be nervous or shy or worried or scared to talk about Him. We need to proclaim Him with our lives, but we also need to proclaim Him with our mouths.
"Oh, have you read this book/heard of this author?"
And, the response of the mom of a 3 year old has been, "Uhhhh....no."
The first book on the list was Forming Intentional Disciples. If you are in ministry or volunteering at your parish or thinking "where are the excited Catholics?" then you must read this book.
The book is incredible and answered a lot of questions, however, it's a little depressing as well. I'm a freak about the Catholic faith - I love it! I love Jesus, I love the Church, I love the liturgy, I love theology. This pretty much has made me a freak for a long time now and I've gotten used to it. Yet, it's also pretty sad because there's a very small contingent of Catholics who are Jesus freaks - and I mean that in the best possible way.
Every year the Church loses people to evangelical Protestant churches because they have more fire in their hearts than Catholics do when it comes to Jesus. They're not afraid to talk about Jesus, but if you mention Jesus to an everyday Catholic they get a little scared. If you're one of those Catholics, then please ask yourself why does talking about Jesus make you nervous and share in the comments section.
Every Christian should be a disciple, but the sad thing is, not too many of us are in the Catholic Church. Why? Jesus is THE rock star of the universe...and dang it, he is worth talking about! Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace, the Son of God (that's just a sampling of his titles), we should't be nervous or shy or worried or scared to talk about Him. We need to proclaim Him with our lives, but we also need to proclaim Him with our mouths.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The internal 3 year old
I try to have quiet prayer time early in the morning - after my husband goes to work and before anyone else wakes. Most days my little guy wakes up around 6:24 am; the kid has one accurate internal clock. Somedays I'm really lucky and he sleeps until 7:00 am.
Usually when he wakes up he comes and says good morning to me and I walk him back to his room, "It's too early to be up and running around. Nanny and Papa are still sleeping." I also have to add "and don't come out of your room until I come get you." Some mornings he's great and plays in his room, other mornings he's a nut running in and out of his room, calling for me, and my prayer time consists of short bursts of "God help me."
For whatever reason, the other day I told him he could stay with me during my quiet prayer. "You can either lay on the couch quietly or you can sit in my lap." He chose to lay on the couch. After 5 minutes of endless shifting and talking to me, I picked him up and sat him in my lap.
He relaxed as soon as I set him in my lap and snuggled into me. "It's time to be very quiet and still. Mommy's going to pray and you can say your prayers to Jesus." I closed my eyes and listened to him as he whispered his prayers. It was very sweet and I thought, I'm not doing too bad at this Mommy thing.
Then...a small whisper..."Excuse me, Mommy." I decided to keep my eyes closed and try to focus. A small hand reached up and stroked my face accompanied by an emphatic whisper, "Excuse me, Mommy."
I opened my eyes, "Yes, what is it?"
This apparently was an invitation to a waterfall of questions and observations and squirminess. And then it dawned on me...I joke around about having a hamster wheel for a brain, but really, when I pray I'm more like a 3 year old sitting in the lap of the Lord. Constantly chattering, pointing out bright shiny things, asking questions, squirming, daydreaming, all the while trying to be still and present. I couldn't get upset with him because I was too busy laughing at myself.
Finally, the 3 year old in my lap settled down and the 3 year old in my head quieted down. We got 2 solid minutes of stillness and it was a lovely way to start the day.
Usually when he wakes up he comes and says good morning to me and I walk him back to his room, "It's too early to be up and running around. Nanny and Papa are still sleeping." I also have to add "and don't come out of your room until I come get you." Some mornings he's great and plays in his room, other mornings he's a nut running in and out of his room, calling for me, and my prayer time consists of short bursts of "God help me."
For whatever reason, the other day I told him he could stay with me during my quiet prayer. "You can either lay on the couch quietly or you can sit in my lap." He chose to lay on the couch. After 5 minutes of endless shifting and talking to me, I picked him up and sat him in my lap.
He relaxed as soon as I set him in my lap and snuggled into me. "It's time to be very quiet and still. Mommy's going to pray and you can say your prayers to Jesus." I closed my eyes and listened to him as he whispered his prayers. It was very sweet and I thought, I'm not doing too bad at this Mommy thing.
Then...a small whisper..."Excuse me, Mommy." I decided to keep my eyes closed and try to focus. A small hand reached up and stroked my face accompanied by an emphatic whisper, "Excuse me, Mommy."
I opened my eyes, "Yes, what is it?"
This apparently was an invitation to a waterfall of questions and observations and squirminess. And then it dawned on me...I joke around about having a hamster wheel for a brain, but really, when I pray I'm more like a 3 year old sitting in the lap of the Lord. Constantly chattering, pointing out bright shiny things, asking questions, squirming, daydreaming, all the while trying to be still and present. I couldn't get upset with him because I was too busy laughing at myself.
Finally, the 3 year old in my lap settled down and the 3 year old in my head quieted down. We got 2 solid minutes of stillness and it was a lovely way to start the day.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Not your average catechist
Why is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) so awesome? Two reasons: it respects the intelligence of the child and the catechists are awesome (I'm not tooting my own horn. Really.)
I'll start by highlight a "problem" with regular religious education programs in parishes. Most programs rely on volunteers who in the goodness of their hearts offer their time to the children of the parish - this is NOT the problem. The problem comes down to training and the books. A lot of the people I know who teach religious education have had the moment where they think, "What the heck am I doing?" This is the problem.
When I was younger - long before a theology degree - I volunteered to be a catechist at my parish. I was excited about my faith, but I didn't always know how to convey it to the 8th graders in my care. Worse yet, I didn't even have a text to work from. I was told to discuss topics which I was not informed of until the moment I arrived. On top of this scary scenario, the Director offered no help. I don't doubt the power of the Holy Spirit to swoop in a fill in all the many gaps, but this was a recipe for disaster. I managed to flounder through the first part of the year and then I "resigned". I felt the kids deserved better. Looking back with the benefit of experience and education, it was a huge mistake that I was even placed with that class. A significant background check was run on my non-existant criminal history, but there wasn't a background check on my theological and religious knowledge or my ability to teach.
Don't even get me started on the "textbooks" that are out there. My biggest beef with the textbooks is that the writers don't respect the intelligence of the child and the faith is watered down. And, this is why CGS will trump textbook religious education classes everyday of the week. CGS respects the fact that kids, especially little kids, are sponges. They delight in learning the proper names for the articles of the Mass or learning a song in Latin. Furthermore, CGS actually fosters religious experience - communing with God - that a classroom setting can rarely create.
CGS catechists are often volunteers, but they have to make the commitment to complete training. Each catechist goes through intensive training that is approved by The National of the Association Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA. The training is either a 2 week intensive format or a weekend format meeting several times in a year. Level I training (3-6 year olds) focuses on the most essential elements of the faith: the Mass, the Infancy Narratives, Baptism, several parables of Christ, the Good Shepherd, some of the Old Testament prophecies about Christ, and laying the foundation for the moral life. Each catechist then creates an album page (lesson plan) for each presentation (lesson) and creates an album (lesson book). Essentially, each catechist writes her own book that is used to teach the children. The process of writing each album page helps the catechist to internalize the teaching.
It is a huge undertaking for a parish to being CGS, but it is definitely worth the effort. I have written before that Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) would start a revolution in the Church. I am part of what I like to call the "Rainbow and Sunshine Jesus" generation. American Catholics, of a certain age, were not taught the foundational theology and dogmas of Christ and His Church, rather we got a watered down, feel good, hippy-dippy catechism that had no substance to make us crave Christ and no backbone to support us when life got hard. An entire Catholic generation was lost under the banner of "experimentation".
The Church doesn't need any more experiments; it needs children who know the Good Shepherd.
I'll start by highlight a "problem" with regular religious education programs in parishes. Most programs rely on volunteers who in the goodness of their hearts offer their time to the children of the parish - this is NOT the problem. The problem comes down to training and the books. A lot of the people I know who teach religious education have had the moment where they think, "What the heck am I doing?" This is the problem.
When I was younger - long before a theology degree - I volunteered to be a catechist at my parish. I was excited about my faith, but I didn't always know how to convey it to the 8th graders in my care. Worse yet, I didn't even have a text to work from. I was told to discuss topics which I was not informed of until the moment I arrived. On top of this scary scenario, the Director offered no help. I don't doubt the power of the Holy Spirit to swoop in a fill in all the many gaps, but this was a recipe for disaster. I managed to flounder through the first part of the year and then I "resigned". I felt the kids deserved better. Looking back with the benefit of experience and education, it was a huge mistake that I was even placed with that class. A significant background check was run on my non-existant criminal history, but there wasn't a background check on my theological and religious knowledge or my ability to teach.
Don't even get me started on the "textbooks" that are out there. My biggest beef with the textbooks is that the writers don't respect the intelligence of the child and the faith is watered down. And, this is why CGS will trump textbook religious education classes everyday of the week. CGS respects the fact that kids, especially little kids, are sponges. They delight in learning the proper names for the articles of the Mass or learning a song in Latin. Furthermore, CGS actually fosters religious experience - communing with God - that a classroom setting can rarely create.
CGS catechists are often volunteers, but they have to make the commitment to complete training. Each catechist goes through intensive training that is approved by The National of the Association Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA. The training is either a 2 week intensive format or a weekend format meeting several times in a year. Level I training (3-6 year olds) focuses on the most essential elements of the faith: the Mass, the Infancy Narratives, Baptism, several parables of Christ, the Good Shepherd, some of the Old Testament prophecies about Christ, and laying the foundation for the moral life. Each catechist then creates an album page (lesson plan) for each presentation (lesson) and creates an album (lesson book). Essentially, each catechist writes her own book that is used to teach the children. The process of writing each album page helps the catechist to internalize the teaching.
It is a huge undertaking for a parish to being CGS, but it is definitely worth the effort. I have written before that Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) would start a revolution in the Church. I am part of what I like to call the "Rainbow and Sunshine Jesus" generation. American Catholics, of a certain age, were not taught the foundational theology and dogmas of Christ and His Church, rather we got a watered down, feel good, hippy-dippy catechism that had no substance to make us crave Christ and no backbone to support us when life got hard. An entire Catholic generation was lost under the banner of "experimentation".
The Church doesn't need any more experiments; it needs children who know the Good Shepherd.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Opening an Atrium
This Sunday will be the first session of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) at St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Memphis, TN. I have had nothing to do with the planning, assembling, and setup of the Atrium (the room where the Catechesis is taught), I just happening to show up along the way and said, "Hey, can I get in on this?"
Late last summer my family decided to go to Mass at a different parish, sometimes a change is good. We had been floundering a bit at our parish, me especially. Mass at this new parish was lovely and reverent and then, at the end of the Mass, the pastor announced that CGS would be starting up in a few months. I had to contain my scream of excitement! My son would be three by the time the Atrium opened. I was elated and quickly asked my husband if he would mind if I volunteered with the program. Being that he's awesome, he said I should do it. And, before we had even talked about it, my husband grabbed a parish census form so we could join. "I figured," he said, "it was a done deal."
It has taken a little bit longer to get the Atrium together than hoped, but it's finally starting. It has been over 10 years since I have had the chance to work in an Atrium. Yesterday I met with the other two catechists who are newbies and I got a chance to walk around the Atrium. We will have about 28 children in the Atrium at one time - that's a lot! There are plenty of questions to be worked out, but I can't wait for Sunday morning.
The role of the catechist is serious and important. We don't watch movies or color cheesy pictures of Jesus. You can't just volunteer to be a catechist; you have to complete the CGS training. The children learn about the chasubles (the robes worn by the priest), the chalice and paten (used by the priest during consecration), the liturgical colors and calendar, the Good Shepherd, and the altar just to name a few things. The catechist helps to form the child to participate at the Mass - even at three years old.
It's hard to explain what an Atrium is like, you just have to see it (I'm hoping to get pictures up in a few weeks). Everything is at the level of a small child. Everything is smaller than child-size. The Atrium is not a nursery or a play area; it is the workspace of the child and the work is to encounter God. As the catechist, my job is to journey along with the children to meet God. I'm a fellow Catholic Christian seeking the Good Shepherd who knows me by name.
It is a very beautiful place. It's a mini Kingdom of God.
Late last summer my family decided to go to Mass at a different parish, sometimes a change is good. We had been floundering a bit at our parish, me especially. Mass at this new parish was lovely and reverent and then, at the end of the Mass, the pastor announced that CGS would be starting up in a few months. I had to contain my scream of excitement! My son would be three by the time the Atrium opened. I was elated and quickly asked my husband if he would mind if I volunteered with the program. Being that he's awesome, he said I should do it. And, before we had even talked about it, my husband grabbed a parish census form so we could join. "I figured," he said, "it was a done deal."
It has taken a little bit longer to get the Atrium together than hoped, but it's finally starting. It has been over 10 years since I have had the chance to work in an Atrium. Yesterday I met with the other two catechists who are newbies and I got a chance to walk around the Atrium. We will have about 28 children in the Atrium at one time - that's a lot! There are plenty of questions to be worked out, but I can't wait for Sunday morning.
The role of the catechist is serious and important. We don't watch movies or color cheesy pictures of Jesus. You can't just volunteer to be a catechist; you have to complete the CGS training. The children learn about the chasubles (the robes worn by the priest), the chalice and paten (used by the priest during consecration), the liturgical colors and calendar, the Good Shepherd, and the altar just to name a few things. The catechist helps to form the child to participate at the Mass - even at three years old.
It's hard to explain what an Atrium is like, you just have to see it (I'm hoping to get pictures up in a few weeks). Everything is at the level of a small child. Everything is smaller than child-size. The Atrium is not a nursery or a play area; it is the workspace of the child and the work is to encounter God. As the catechist, my job is to journey along with the children to meet God. I'm a fellow Catholic Christian seeking the Good Shepherd who knows me by name.
It is a very beautiful place. It's a mini Kingdom of God.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Forgive and Forget?
I'm still making my way through Set Free: The Authentic Catholic Woman's Guide to Forgiveness. It's a profound, thoughtful book that has led me to some serious introspection and I take it in small doses. Also, active three year olds aren't exactly understanding of the need for introspection. If you haven't gotten this book yet, then please do.
Genevieve Kineke addresses one of the most often quoted thoughts about forgiveness: forgive and forget. But, is that really possible? Kineke makes an excellent distinction on forgetting. In small, trifling matters I should forget the hurt, but for bigger, habitual, or traumatic injuries forgetting is not wise.
In the case of habitual hurts, say at the hands of an abusive parent, it would be stupid to "forget" the injury after forgiveness. Why? Because you set yourself up to be hurt over and over and over again. Protecting my heart from someone who has been known to trample on it is not selfish or un-Christian, it is wise. Sometimes I have to end a relationship because it is damaging to the soul and other times I have to be a little smarter in how much I trust or what I share.
In the case of traumatic hurts, forgetting is practically impossible and certainly not normal. Kineke shares a powerful story of a rape victim and her search for forgiveness, but you'll just have to buy the book to get the story. I'll share a quote though,
"We should not ask for the ability to forget the sins against us but rather to remember them in a way that we can manage, that will give glory to God for his great mercy..." (page 84)
Genevieve Kineke addresses one of the most often quoted thoughts about forgiveness: forgive and forget. But, is that really possible? Kineke makes an excellent distinction on forgetting. In small, trifling matters I should forget the hurt, but for bigger, habitual, or traumatic injuries forgetting is not wise.
In the case of habitual hurts, say at the hands of an abusive parent, it would be stupid to "forget" the injury after forgiveness. Why? Because you set yourself up to be hurt over and over and over again. Protecting my heart from someone who has been known to trample on it is not selfish or un-Christian, it is wise. Sometimes I have to end a relationship because it is damaging to the soul and other times I have to be a little smarter in how much I trust or what I share.
In the case of traumatic hurts, forgetting is practically impossible and certainly not normal. Kineke shares a powerful story of a rape victim and her search for forgiveness, but you'll just have to buy the book to get the story. I'll share a quote though,
"We should not ask for the ability to forget the sins against us but rather to remember them in a way that we can manage, that will give glory to God for his great mercy..." (page 84)
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was part of my grad school studies, but it had more to do with the history of the sacrament, Biblical theology, and the nuts and bolts of the sacrament. Unfortunately, we didn't spend much time talking about the "how-to's": how to help people see the need for forgiveness and the Sacrament; how forgiveness is a process; how to pray to be able to forgive; how to know my forgiveness is earnest.
I'm glad I've got Set Free now, not only for myself, but to help me in ministry.
I'm glad I've got Set Free now, not only for myself, but to help me in ministry.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Spiraling...
I am delivering an Advent retreat a week from Saturday at Queen of Peace Parish in Olive Branch, MS. I had hoped that I would have had the retreat written over a week ago...but life got in the way. I've spent the last few days trying to frantically get it done before Thanksgiving. Today, I finished it! I need to polish it up a little bit and prepare a retreat booklet, but the big things are done. I call the retreat Spiraling into Advent - and I'll share more thoughts after I give the retreat.
The only spoiler to the retreat I will post right now is one of the books I used to help me prepare: A Coming Christ in Advent by Raymond E. Brown. Brown is a renowned biblical scholar and I used some of his academic sources in grad school. While A Coming Christ is based on his 750 page study of the Infancy Narrative of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, it is written as a reflection on the Gospels to prepare for Advent.
If you are looking for a way to enter more meaningfully into Advent this year, I highly recommend Brown's book.
And, in case I don't get another post up before Thanksgiving...I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and can count many, many blessings.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Second Coming?
It seems like every few years there's talk about the "End Times" and that this is it. Within my lifetime there have been several sects that have claimed to know the exact date of the end of the world, perhaps most famous and tragic was the Heaven's Gate cult. They were all wrong. The Christian tradition is not immune to this either. It could be argued that since the day Jesus ascended into Heaven we have been living in the end times.
The concern about the End Times has been part of the Christian community from the very beginning. The early Christians were convinced that Jesus' return was imminent, so it was shocking when members of the flock started dying from old age. St. Paul told the church at Thessalonica that salvation was promised to believers whether they were awake or asleep (dead) (1 Thess 5:9-10).
Here are the truths to keep in mind:
1.) We live in a fallen world.
2.) God's plan is not our plan. The moment of Creation, the Big Bang, occurred about 16,000,000,000 years ago. It wasn't until 2000 years ago that God took on flesh in the person of Jesus. There was a lot of preparation time from Creation to Christ. True, the Second Coming might be next week, but it might be millennia.
3.) This is what Christ himself told the disciples regarding the return of The Son of Man, "There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. (Luke 17:20-25)"
There is a temptation in believing that the Second Coming will occur in my lifetime: complacency. If I am convinced that Jesus is coming back soon, then I may not care for the weakest in society or stay silent in the face of evil because I think, "Jesus will show them." I am called to live each day as if Jesus' return is tomorrow, but I am to be like one of the wise virgins who kept the wick of her lamp trimmed and ready for the return of the Master (Matthew 25:1-13).
Confidence in the return of the Lord is a tenet of the Creed, but I can never forget that I am the hands, feet, mouthpiece, and love of the Lord while waiting His return.
The concern about the End Times has been part of the Christian community from the very beginning. The early Christians were convinced that Jesus' return was imminent, so it was shocking when members of the flock started dying from old age. St. Paul told the church at Thessalonica that salvation was promised to believers whether they were awake or asleep (dead) (1 Thess 5:9-10).
Here are the truths to keep in mind:
1.) We live in a fallen world.
2.) God's plan is not our plan. The moment of Creation, the Big Bang, occurred about 16,000,000,000 years ago. It wasn't until 2000 years ago that God took on flesh in the person of Jesus. There was a lot of preparation time from Creation to Christ. True, the Second Coming might be next week, but it might be millennia.
3.) This is what Christ himself told the disciples regarding the return of The Son of Man, "There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. (Luke 17:20-25)"
There is a temptation in believing that the Second Coming will occur in my lifetime: complacency. If I am convinced that Jesus is coming back soon, then I may not care for the weakest in society or stay silent in the face of evil because I think, "Jesus will show them." I am called to live each day as if Jesus' return is tomorrow, but I am to be like one of the wise virgins who kept the wick of her lamp trimmed and ready for the return of the Master (Matthew 25:1-13).
Confidence in the return of the Lord is a tenet of the Creed, but I can never forget that I am the hands, feet, mouthpiece, and love of the Lord while waiting His return.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Perpetua and Felicity
This is not my happiest blog, but it's a topic that must be addressed.
Being a Christian during the first centuries of the early Church was illegal; oftentimes the authorities turned a blind eye, but occasionally there were persecution such as the Servan Persecution of 202-3. You never knew when a persecution might break out.
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity were executed in 203 A.D. during the Servan Persecution. Perpetua, a noblewoman and young mother, decided to become a Christian in 203; Felicity was her pregnant slave. The legend of their martyrdom states that the prisoners (three additional Christians were martyred) were commanded to put on different clothes that would honor the Roman gods. Perpetua responded by saying, "We came to die out of our own free will so we wouldn't lose our freedom to worship our God. We gave you our lives so that we wouldn't have to worship your gods."
Why am I going on about martyrdom? Since the election I've read several disturbing things about the healthcare mandate and exemptions. It sounds like the administration is going full-steam ahead with the mandate. It's as if the administration is saying, "Too bad if you're a Christian who lives by a moral standard different from ours. Do what we say or else." At this point, the "or else" is you're going to pay one way or the other: pay for abortions, birth control, etc. or pay a fine.
What do we do as Christians? Do we pay up or do we take a stand? At what point are we pushed too far and have to say like Perpetua, we will worship our God, not your gods?
It seems like the time for taking a stand is coming. Twelve years ago I wrote a paper on the early persecutions for a grad school class, I never thought I would actually have to entertain the questions I posed in the United States of America.
[The early Christians] were willing to be baptized in water while running the risk of being baptized in their own blood. The road to becoming a Christian in Tertullian’s time was a long and potentially dangerous endeavor. Christianity was an illegal religion, and as the story of Perpetua and Felicity illustrates, the Empire did not take kindly to those who refused to comply with the law. And so I wonder, would I, do I have the courage and depth of faith to chance public torture and execution for Christ Jesus? If Congress were to pass a law tomorrow outlawing the practice of Christianity upon penalty of death, what would I do? I would like to think that I am that strong enough to look death in the eye. However, under scrutiny I might discover that I am far too attached to this life and would not be willing to give it up, even for God.
Being a Christian during the first centuries of the early Church was illegal; oftentimes the authorities turned a blind eye, but occasionally there were persecution such as the Servan Persecution of 202-3. You never knew when a persecution might break out.
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity were executed in 203 A.D. during the Servan Persecution. Perpetua, a noblewoman and young mother, decided to become a Christian in 203; Felicity was her pregnant slave. The legend of their martyrdom states that the prisoners (three additional Christians were martyred) were commanded to put on different clothes that would honor the Roman gods. Perpetua responded by saying, "We came to die out of our own free will so we wouldn't lose our freedom to worship our God. We gave you our lives so that we wouldn't have to worship your gods."
Why am I going on about martyrdom? Since the election I've read several disturbing things about the healthcare mandate and exemptions. It sounds like the administration is going full-steam ahead with the mandate. It's as if the administration is saying, "Too bad if you're a Christian who lives by a moral standard different from ours. Do what we say or else." At this point, the "or else" is you're going to pay one way or the other: pay for abortions, birth control, etc. or pay a fine.
What do we do as Christians? Do we pay up or do we take a stand? At what point are we pushed too far and have to say like Perpetua, we will worship our God, not your gods?
It seems like the time for taking a stand is coming. Twelve years ago I wrote a paper on the early persecutions for a grad school class, I never thought I would actually have to entertain the questions I posed in the United States of America.
[The early Christians] were willing to be baptized in water while running the risk of being baptized in their own blood. The road to becoming a Christian in Tertullian’s time was a long and potentially dangerous endeavor. Christianity was an illegal religion, and as the story of Perpetua and Felicity illustrates, the Empire did not take kindly to those who refused to comply with the law. And so I wonder, would I, do I have the courage and depth of faith to chance public torture and execution for Christ Jesus? If Congress were to pass a law tomorrow outlawing the practice of Christianity upon penalty of death, what would I do? I would like to think that I am that strong enough to look death in the eye. However, under scrutiny I might discover that I am far too attached to this life and would not be willing to give it up, even for God.
Today, we do not face the death penalty for being Christian, but don't be fooled. Christianity is being coerced into paying for immorality and evil. If we comply, then it will be a death knell for Christianity in America.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Busy-ness and Prayer
The last few days have been crazy busy and it's at my own choosing, so I have no one to blame but myself. I've been cleaning, baking bread, sewing, knitting, working on an Advent retreat, being a mom and wife, doing laundry (it never ends...why does it never end?), exercising, and trying to pray.
Most days I prefer to be busy; I kind of lose it when I'm bored or unproductive. I have my daily list of things to do and I try to get most of it done. One of the things that I have on my list - with an alarm set - is to pray. As you can see from the list above, I can get a little nutty with the projects and things to do. The reminders throughout the day is my Angelus bell - stop what I'm doing and pray.
I lived in Ireland for a while and would often visit my great uncle. I'm not sure if it's still on T.V. there, but everyday at 6 pm an icon of the Blessed Mother would appear on the screen accompanied by Angelus bells (the morning and Noon Angelus were broadcast on the radio). I had heard of the Angelus, but had no idea what the prayer was. When the bells started ringing, without fail, my 85 year old uncle would stand up and pray silently.
I want to say that it's a shame that the Angelus has been forgotten in America as a prayer...but then I will go off on a rant about the poor quality of Catholic religious education in this country. Here's the truth: my current prayer reminder, frankly, is pretty lame compared the the Angelus. When I stop I simply offer up some intentions, say thanks for the day, etc; this isn't a bad way to pray, but there's no meat to it. Starting today, I'm going to begin praying the Angelus and try to do it as a family.
Being busy isn't a bad thing so long as I stop - everything - and pray.
p.s. I found a free Angelus app for iPhone. I don't know about other smart phones, if you find something, please post the info for others. Thanks!
Most days I prefer to be busy; I kind of lose it when I'm bored or unproductive. I have my daily list of things to do and I try to get most of it done. One of the things that I have on my list - with an alarm set - is to pray. As you can see from the list above, I can get a little nutty with the projects and things to do. The reminders throughout the day is my Angelus bell - stop what I'm doing and pray.
I lived in Ireland for a while and would often visit my great uncle. I'm not sure if it's still on T.V. there, but everyday at 6 pm an icon of the Blessed Mother would appear on the screen accompanied by Angelus bells (the morning and Noon Angelus were broadcast on the radio). I had heard of the Angelus, but had no idea what the prayer was. When the bells started ringing, without fail, my 85 year old uncle would stand up and pray silently.
I want to say that it's a shame that the Angelus has been forgotten in America as a prayer...but then I will go off on a rant about the poor quality of Catholic religious education in this country. Here's the truth: my current prayer reminder, frankly, is pretty lame compared the the Angelus. When I stop I simply offer up some intentions, say thanks for the day, etc; this isn't a bad way to pray, but there's no meat to it. Starting today, I'm going to begin praying the Angelus and try to do it as a family.
Being busy isn't a bad thing so long as I stop - everything - and pray.
p.s. I found a free Angelus app for iPhone. I don't know about other smart phones, if you find something, please post the info for others. Thanks!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Lessons from Super Why
Super Why (my son) and I were out of town for a week. Here's the photographic evidence of the costume I sewed. When I finished sewing, glueing, appliqué-ing, and cleaning up, I tried it on my little guy and he didn't want to take it off! That's an enormous compliment from a 3 year old.
When my son donned his costume, he became Super Why; he even refers to himself as Super Why when he sees pictures from Halloween. It got me thinking, would the world be a better place if Christians (Catholic or Protestant) could channel an alter-ego when they needed to be Christians? It might make things better for everyone since sometimes Christians aren't so Christian, myself included. "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." This quote from Brennan Manning opens DC Talk's What if I Stumble. The quote hurts because it's true.
The lesson from Super Why is that I already have an alter ego. As St. Paul explains, "I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me..." (Gal 2:19b-20a). If I call Christ my Lord and Savior, then my old self is (supposed to be) dead and I'm a superhero. Yet, like all superheroes, I have my weaknesses and it's those weaknesses that can set a bad example or cast a bad light on all Christians.
Life is not a Hollywood superhero movie. There are no retakes in life. There is no need for a cape or disguise when Jesus Christ is my backup, all I need is a prayer to help me be more like Him.
Oh my Divine Savior, transform me into yourself.
May my hands be your hands.
May my tongue by your tongue.
Grant that every faculty of my body may serve only to glorify you.
Above all, transform my soul and all its powers
that my memory, my will, and my affections
may be the memory, the will, and the affections of you.
I pray you to destroy in me all that is not of you.
Grant that I may live but in you and by you and for you
that I may truly say with St. Paul, “I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me.”
Vincentian Missioner Prayer - St. John Gabriel Perboyre, C.M.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Kristin Lavransdatter
Last night I stayed up late to finish Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. The story follows Kristin from birth to death in 14th century Norway and it's actually three books: The Crown, The Wife, and The Cross. This book was recommended to me about six years ago by a teacher at a Catholic high school in Chicago. I checked out a copy of The Crown from the library and I found it very hard to read. A few months ago I thought I'd give it another shot and that's when I discovered a brand new translation by Tina Nullally. The original English translation, for some completely bizarre reason, added thees and thous which are not in the original Norwegian and then cut out scenes making the book very choppy and hard to read. The new translation is true to Undset's writing and is beautiful.
I'm amazed I never heard of Undset, especially since I was originally a Literature major. Kristin Lavransdatter is the best book I have ever read! It's also the most Catholic book I've ever read. Being the mom of a toddler, it took me a couple of months to read it since it's nearly 1000 pages. My reading time is when I lay down in bed at night and most nights I read about half a page and pass out! It's one of those books that you want to get to the end to find out the whole story, but you don't want it to end since it's so good. I think it's the kind of book that I will need to read every few years because each read will reveal something different.
Since the book is about Kristin's whole life, I'm not giving anything away by telling you the end is about her death. Kristin is a complex, human person - just like everyone else on this planet - and she is hardly perfect. She is headstrong and makes very poor choices that haunt her and as she ages she comes to a deeper understanding of how her sins have impacted those around her. Kristin is not some perfectly crafted "character", she's perfectly, imperfect and that is what I love about her. As I read the last pages last night I was weeping and finally had to get out of bed so I wouldn't wake up my husband! Even with all of her imperfections, Kristin finally sees how the perfect love of God had surrounded her all her days and in her last breaths she is embraced by Love.
I'm amazed I never heard of Undset, especially since I was originally a Literature major. Kristin Lavransdatter is the best book I have ever read! It's also the most Catholic book I've ever read. Being the mom of a toddler, it took me a couple of months to read it since it's nearly 1000 pages. My reading time is when I lay down in bed at night and most nights I read about half a page and pass out! It's one of those books that you want to get to the end to find out the whole story, but you don't want it to end since it's so good. I think it's the kind of book that I will need to read every few years because each read will reveal something different.
Since the book is about Kristin's whole life, I'm not giving anything away by telling you the end is about her death. Kristin is a complex, human person - just like everyone else on this planet - and she is hardly perfect. She is headstrong and makes very poor choices that haunt her and as she ages she comes to a deeper understanding of how her sins have impacted those around her. Kristin is not some perfectly crafted "character", she's perfectly, imperfect and that is what I love about her. As I read the last pages last night I was weeping and finally had to get out of bed so I wouldn't wake up my husband! Even with all of her imperfections, Kristin finally sees how the perfect love of God had surrounded her all her days and in her last breaths she is embraced by Love.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
More on my guilty pleasure
A few weeks ago I blogged about the new show on ABC, 666 Park Avenue.
I still find the show fascinating from a theological perspective. Many of the tenants of 999 Park Avenue make a deal with the devil character, Gavin Doran, only thinking of the immediate rewards and not thinking about the price. For instance, this past week a woman wanted to be an extremely successful writer. The deal she struck with Gavin guaranteed her success, however the downside to her deal was whatever she wrote came true. She worked for a prominent New York newspaper and wrote news stories that were based on lies and fiction. She winds up dead because of the webs of deceit she created only to be successful.
The storyline got me thinking about lies and then yesterday I heard a story on the radio that seemed like it came out of a Hollywood script. A local woman told her co-workers that her infant daughter died. Her co-workers donated money to her to cover the costs of the funeral and then discovered the lie when they arrived at the church for the funeral. The woman said she wanted attention and used the money to buy clothes and toys for her child. Well, she's definitely getting attention now because she's going to jail. This case is extreme and while the law might assign more weight to a particular kind of lie, does God?
A lie is a lie is a lie and I know I lie.
Why do I lie? Uh...well...it's usually to avoid something unpleasant. For instance, I might tell a friend that she looks great in an outfit so that I don't have to tell her that her butt looks big (to my friends: if you've gone shopping with me, you know I don't do this). While I might not be signing my soul away to the devil with a little white lie, I am definitely getting an immediate reward of not having a fight with my friend. Rarely do we think of the cost of a little white lie. What might happen when my friend goes to a wedding in her new dress and some tipsy family member makes a crack about her caboose? That "little" white lie could end a friendship or at the very least create a lot of tension while the question of trust hangs between us.
I still find the show fascinating from a theological perspective. Many of the tenants of 999 Park Avenue make a deal with the devil character, Gavin Doran, only thinking of the immediate rewards and not thinking about the price. For instance, this past week a woman wanted to be an extremely successful writer. The deal she struck with Gavin guaranteed her success, however the downside to her deal was whatever she wrote came true. She worked for a prominent New York newspaper and wrote news stories that were based on lies and fiction. She winds up dead because of the webs of deceit she created only to be successful.
The storyline got me thinking about lies and then yesterday I heard a story on the radio that seemed like it came out of a Hollywood script. A local woman told her co-workers that her infant daughter died. Her co-workers donated money to her to cover the costs of the funeral and then discovered the lie when they arrived at the church for the funeral. The woman said she wanted attention and used the money to buy clothes and toys for her child. Well, she's definitely getting attention now because she's going to jail. This case is extreme and while the law might assign more weight to a particular kind of lie, does God?
A lie is a lie is a lie and I know I lie.
Why do I lie? Uh...well...it's usually to avoid something unpleasant. For instance, I might tell a friend that she looks great in an outfit so that I don't have to tell her that her butt looks big (to my friends: if you've gone shopping with me, you know I don't do this). While I might not be signing my soul away to the devil with a little white lie, I am definitely getting an immediate reward of not having a fight with my friend. Rarely do we think of the cost of a little white lie. What might happen when my friend goes to a wedding in her new dress and some tipsy family member makes a crack about her caboose? That "little" white lie could end a friendship or at the very least create a lot of tension while the question of trust hangs between us.
It's a heavy cost for something so "little", but hey, that's the way the devil works.
***I have to make one correction from my last post about the show: the protagonists of the show are not married, they're living together. ***
***I have to make one correction from my last post about the show: the protagonists of the show are not married, they're living together. ***
Friday, October 19, 2012
Being a Princess
I'm up to my elbows in making Halloween costumes.
When I asked my son a few months ago what he wanted to be for Halloween he immediately said, "Super Why!" He's a PBS superhero who teaches kids to read and find answers to problems in books. I was expecting something like a dinosaur, dragon, SpiderMan, or any of the other typical answers from a little boy. I continued to ask him over several weeks who he wanted to be and every time it was Super Why.
"Sweet!" I thought. It's a very easy costume to make (cape, mask, green t-shirt).
Then he started asking who I would be for Halloween. "Uhhhh...I...uh...well." Since I hesitated my son decided for me. "You're Princess Pea!" (See upper right corner of picture)
This morning we ran to the store to pick up a few things for his costume and I parked the cart next to the remnant bin while I looked over a few items. He reached in the bin and pulled out pink toile with rhinestones. "Here Mommy, you're a princess."
I realize that it's very sweet for my son to think I'm a princess, but I'm hardly the princess type. I didn't even like princess stuff when I was little. However, I ran into a friend who works at the craft store and I mentioned, "I'm going to be a princess for Halloween."
"That's perfect!" she replied. "You're a daughter of the King!"
Huh! And so I am.
God, who "dwells in unapproachable light", wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons (and daughters) in his only-begotten Son. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 52.
I guess I better get over my problems with being a princess.
Who knew making Halloween costumes would lead to such an interesting theological point to ponder? Or that I would be able to link costumes to the Catechism?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Blocks of faith
My son is discovering the awesome world of imagination, every item in the house can be turned into something else with an accompanying story. For instance he has a stacking ring set, which is normally a baby toy, the rings are doughnuts and I'm allowed to have one if I've been good. The base and stem can be separated and both of these items are magically transformed into water guns only to be used with the appropriate "shhhhhh" sound to mimic water shooting out.
This morning my son walked over to me with building blocks rigged up to look like a flashlight. "I can't see, Mommy, there's no light." And that reminded me of today's Psalm response: Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life (Psalm 1). My son was playing, but his simple comment clicked gears into motion.
Sure, we need actual flashlights on standby in case the lights go out, but relying on anything other than God in life will not lead to eternal life. As St. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, we live by faith and not by sight.
This morning my son walked over to me with building blocks rigged up to look like a flashlight. "I can't see, Mommy, there's no light." And that reminded me of today's Psalm response: Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life (Psalm 1). My son was playing, but his simple comment clicked gears into motion.
Sure, we need actual flashlights on standby in case the lights go out, but relying on anything other than God in life will not lead to eternal life. As St. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, we live by faith and not by sight.
Monday, October 15, 2012
She had moxie!
“Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.” St. Teresa of Avila
Today is the memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, virgin and Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa is my favorite female saint and I wish I knew more about her. The thing I like best about her is that she had moxie and would give God a piece of her mind. Once, when she was traveling, she was thrown from her donkey and landed in mud. She is reported to have said, "Lord, if this is how You treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few of them!" I love that! I have often heard people say that you're not supposed to talk to God that way, but I assume God already knows what I'm thinking, so I might as well be open about it.
While the friend quote might make you wonder if she was a heretic, the opening quote reveals the place God held in Teresa's life. She was a mystic who was blessed with a very deep and intoxicating relationship with the Lord. She was not afraid to be real with God and I find that example of honesty and depth so encouraging. God wants all of me, not just the good things or the pretty things. Jesus is waiting to be with me in the good, bad, ugly, and down right nasty.
Life is full of uncertainty and worries, but God does not change. Sometimes it feels like the world is going to crumble to pieces, but God will still remain. If I remain certain in that, then nothing can frighten me.
St. Teresa, pray that I may have moxie like you. Amen.
Today is the memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, virgin and Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa is my favorite female saint and I wish I knew more about her. The thing I like best about her is that she had moxie and would give God a piece of her mind. Once, when she was traveling, she was thrown from her donkey and landed in mud. She is reported to have said, "Lord, if this is how You treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few of them!" I love that! I have often heard people say that you're not supposed to talk to God that way, but I assume God already knows what I'm thinking, so I might as well be open about it.
While the friend quote might make you wonder if she was a heretic, the opening quote reveals the place God held in Teresa's life. She was a mystic who was blessed with a very deep and intoxicating relationship with the Lord. She was not afraid to be real with God and I find that example of honesty and depth so encouraging. God wants all of me, not just the good things or the pretty things. Jesus is waiting to be with me in the good, bad, ugly, and down right nasty.
Life is full of uncertainty and worries, but God does not change. Sometimes it feels like the world is going to crumble to pieces, but God will still remain. If I remain certain in that, then nothing can frighten me.
St. Teresa, pray that I may have moxie like you. Amen.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Dear Guardian Angel
Have you talked to your Guardian Angel today? I have to admit, I don't talk to my Guardian Angel. I need to work on that.
There is only one mention of guardian angels in the Catechism (336). St. Basil said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." The Catholic Church teaches that each person has an angel whose job it is to watch over us. As the quote from St. Basil suggests, their job isn't necessarily protest us physically, but to protect our souls and get us to heaven. There are plenty of stories about angels saving people from accidents and that would support Psalm 91:11-12.
"For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.
With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone."
The Devil tried to tempt Jesus with power over life and death by using these verses. The Devil told Jesus to throw himself down from the height of the wall surrounding Jerusalem. Jesus said, "Don't put God to the test." Message: don't test God by taking stupid chances with your life; that is not the job of your guardian angel.
If my Guardian Angel's job is to get me to heaven, then I imagine that would be easier if I actually talked to my Angelino. If you're like me, this little prayer is a good place to start:
Angel of God, My Guardian Dear
to whom God's love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side
to light and guard and rule and guide.
Amen.
There is only one mention of guardian angels in the Catechism (336). St. Basil said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." The Catholic Church teaches that each person has an angel whose job it is to watch over us. As the quote from St. Basil suggests, their job isn't necessarily protest us physically, but to protect our souls and get us to heaven. There are plenty of stories about angels saving people from accidents and that would support Psalm 91:11-12.
"For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.
With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone."
The Devil tried to tempt Jesus with power over life and death by using these verses. The Devil told Jesus to throw himself down from the height of the wall surrounding Jerusalem. Jesus said, "Don't put God to the test." Message: don't test God by taking stupid chances with your life; that is not the job of your guardian angel.
If my Guardian Angel's job is to get me to heaven, then I imagine that would be easier if I actually talked to my Angelino. If you're like me, this little prayer is a good place to start:
Angel of God, My Guardian Dear
to whom God's love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side
to light and guard and rule and guide.
Amen.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Devil on Park Avenue
Last night was the premier of the second season of Revenge. It is hands down my guilty pleasure. I usually don't like soap opera style shows, but Revenge is more than just rich people sleeping around (although that's in there, too). During the commercial breaks ABC was pushing a new series called 666 Park Avenue. I thought I would give it a couple of minutes and see what it was like. I was only able to withstand 10 minutes of Revolution on NBC a few weeks ago; my suspension of disbelief was not so willing with that one!
666 Park Avenue turned out to be awesome, that is if you're watching it with a theological eye. If you want to read the full synopsis of the episode, you can do so here. Here's the really brief synopsis: it's a modern take on Mephistopheles (a devil). In the first episode the viewer learns the price for making a deal with the Devil. Gavin Doran is the successful, real estate tycoon version of Mephistopheles. Don't ask me why my disbelief will suspend for this show while it won't for others, perhaps it's because there is theological gold in this show. The pilot episode jumped into several deadly sins: pride, sloth (discouragement), lust, and wrath.
What is yet to be seen is the balancing force against the Devil. I have a few ideas of how it will play out in the show, but I can bet none of them will involve a character saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, get back, Satan!" or someone reciting the Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel. And, that is sad, because nothing human can fight the devil, only the name of Jesus Christ and the Heavenly Hosts.
Here is the problem with the messages in this show (including many movies and other shows - including my guilty pleasure): it's fine to satisfy any desire, any need and who cares about the side effects. In reality, ideas have consequences. If I lust after some guy that is not my husband, even if it's only in my thoughts, that is a doorway into serious sin. And, to be clear, I shouldn't even lust after my husband, because that reduces him to an object instead of the person God created.
There is an interesting scene where the two protagonists, a married couple, are talking after they willing agree to work and live with the Devil. The wife asks her husband, "Henry, are we going to be okay here?"
No one is okay with Mephistopheles in their company.
666 Park Avenue turned out to be awesome, that is if you're watching it with a theological eye. If you want to read the full synopsis of the episode, you can do so here. Here's the really brief synopsis: it's a modern take on Mephistopheles (a devil). In the first episode the viewer learns the price for making a deal with the Devil. Gavin Doran is the successful, real estate tycoon version of Mephistopheles. Don't ask me why my disbelief will suspend for this show while it won't for others, perhaps it's because there is theological gold in this show. The pilot episode jumped into several deadly sins: pride, sloth (discouragement), lust, and wrath.
What is yet to be seen is the balancing force against the Devil. I have a few ideas of how it will play out in the show, but I can bet none of them will involve a character saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, get back, Satan!" or someone reciting the Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel. And, that is sad, because nothing human can fight the devil, only the name of Jesus Christ and the Heavenly Hosts.
Here is the problem with the messages in this show (including many movies and other shows - including my guilty pleasure): it's fine to satisfy any desire, any need and who cares about the side effects. In reality, ideas have consequences. If I lust after some guy that is not my husband, even if it's only in my thoughts, that is a doorway into serious sin. And, to be clear, I shouldn't even lust after my husband, because that reduces him to an object instead of the person God created.
There is an interesting scene where the two protagonists, a married couple, are talking after they willing agree to work and live with the Devil. The wife asks her husband, "Henry, are we going to be okay here?"
No one is okay with Mephistopheles in their company.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Happy Day!
Today is the feast day of my most favorite saint, Vincent de Paul!
I didn't know much about St. Vincent until I attended DePaul University. He's known as the Evangelizer of the Poor and he did tremendous work in France for the priesthood, establishing the Daughters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac, founding the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians), and then inspiring others like Blessed Frederic Ozanam to start the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
The thing that really attracted me to St. Vincent was that he didn't get the whole "holiness thing" down until he was about 40. When I was in my 20s that was really inspiring, but now that I'm close to banging on the door of 40, it's a little daunting; I have only 2 years to get my act together! Getting to know Vincent helped me to understand how to be a follower of Christ in the "real world". His charism (way of living) is my charism.
St. Vincent wasn't born a saint. That might seem obvious, but so often when I think about a saint, well, he or she is saintly. I figure they had the whole Christian life figured out from an early age. Vincent was born into a poor family and became a priest in order to escape poverty. It's not that he was a bad priest before it all clicked for him, but his motivations might have been more financial than saintly.
The pivotal moment in Vincent's life came when he heard the confession of a dying peasant. He saw his own parents in this man and realized that he had neglected the poor. One moment changed his life and he worked with gusto to make significant changes in France. I could go on and on about St. Vincent, but I'll only share one very cool story.
In a way, St. Vincent saved the Church in France during the Revolution. When establishing the Daughters of Charity, he stipulated that a Vincentian had to be connected to the community. During the French Revolution all the priests and religious were thrown out of the country. As the government was getting ready to chuck the Daughters out of France, someone wised up and said, "Uh, you know they run all the hospitals, care for orphans, and care for the prisoners, right? Maybe we should let them stay." And then, a very crafty Daughter said, "Oh, sure, we can stay, but you have to allow the Vincentians to stay, too. It's part of our founding documents." Absolutely brilliant!
A very blessed and happy feast day to all Vincentians, Daughters, and everyone else in the Vincentian family!
I didn't know much about St. Vincent until I attended DePaul University. He's known as the Evangelizer of the Poor and he did tremendous work in France for the priesthood, establishing the Daughters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac, founding the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians), and then inspiring others like Blessed Frederic Ozanam to start the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
The thing that really attracted me to St. Vincent was that he didn't get the whole "holiness thing" down until he was about 40. When I was in my 20s that was really inspiring, but now that I'm close to banging on the door of 40, it's a little daunting; I have only 2 years to get my act together! Getting to know Vincent helped me to understand how to be a follower of Christ in the "real world". His charism (way of living) is my charism.
St. Vincent wasn't born a saint. That might seem obvious, but so often when I think about a saint, well, he or she is saintly. I figure they had the whole Christian life figured out from an early age. Vincent was born into a poor family and became a priest in order to escape poverty. It's not that he was a bad priest before it all clicked for him, but his motivations might have been more financial than saintly.
The pivotal moment in Vincent's life came when he heard the confession of a dying peasant. He saw his own parents in this man and realized that he had neglected the poor. One moment changed his life and he worked with gusto to make significant changes in France. I could go on and on about St. Vincent, but I'll only share one very cool story.
In a way, St. Vincent saved the Church in France during the Revolution. When establishing the Daughters of Charity, he stipulated that a Vincentian had to be connected to the community. During the French Revolution all the priests and religious were thrown out of the country. As the government was getting ready to chuck the Daughters out of France, someone wised up and said, "Uh, you know they run all the hospitals, care for orphans, and care for the prisoners, right? Maybe we should let them stay." And then, a very crafty Daughter said, "Oh, sure, we can stay, but you have to allow the Vincentians to stay, too. It's part of our founding documents." Absolutely brilliant!
A very blessed and happy feast day to all Vincentians, Daughters, and everyone else in the Vincentian family!
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