Radiating God's light

We pray for all Consecrated women and men.
May the problems of the world not overwhelm us and turn us into angry reformists or complacent conformists.
May Jesus Christ be the Light from whom we draw the small and flickering lights that we carry to the world, offering joy and hope.
May love for God and neighbor be the only reason that motivates us and gives us the courage to sow seeds even when we do not see results, knowing that it is God who makes things grow in His own time.

Advent

There was an ache in my heart as I left Krakow yesterday. I was leaving behind an experience that for almost ten years have engaged me. I was cutting close ties with people whose lives have somehow intertwined with mine.
How wonderful to do it at autumn when nature itself reminds me to surrender, that it is necessary to lose, to say goodbye and to live little deaths; that somehow life goes on.
How wonderful that I do it at Advent time when the Church goes on a journey of simplicity, of inviting us to the things that reallhy matter. The Lord comes and makes his visitation. I may lose everything. Nay, I am called to lose everything for it is the law of life.  But when the Lord is present, life goes on.

Just instruments

I am very much touched with the recent events in the Church. From Pope Benedict's humble resignation that rendered all the more clear his humility and only desire to do God's will, to the Church's (and I mean people of all walks of life and not only the hierarchy) journey of understanding God's plans in all these events, to Pope Francis' installation Mass, we saw and felt that indeed, Jesus is the Pastor of his Church. This was repeatedly said on many occasions by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and these days by Pope Francis as well.
Perhaps here in Rome we are caught up in a more special way. More and more I am grateful for the blessing of being here. I wasn't able to go to any of these important functions for various reasons, but I really journeyed and I feel very much the hand of God in everything. I believe that God asks us to grow in responsibility and love for the Church and at the same time to grow in mercy and goodness, in understanding that the Kingdom of God is greater than the Church. In one homily I heard last Sunday (Gospel of the woman caught in adulterty), the priest said that "Jesus is radical but not rigorous".
In our passion for the truth and to bring the values of the Gospel to our society, Jesus first of all calls us to be inwardly converted, to remember that first of all, the call to conversion is addressed to us personally. He calls us to see the many shades of darkness that are still in our lives, and in doing so we will become more merciful, more open and more willing to see the good that is in others, even in people or parties that do not espouse our belief.
I am always reminded by the words of Henri Nouwen, that often Church people are not listened to when they espouse certain causes because their passion leads them to be very domineering. They become angry in their passion to work for peace, which is actually a contradiction, isn't it? Truth has its own inner attraction. It doesn't have to be forced upon anybody. The problem is, we want the easy way out and we think that by forcing people or by frightening people they will adhere to the truth. But this will never do. In our lives we know that this will never have a long-term effect.
Anyway, Pope Francis' words in his installation are a very good reminder. Our greatest contribution to the world is our tenderness and goodness. I think they are the most radical of all the Gospel values because they are totally incomprehensible in a world that is dominated by the criteria of power and control.
Mother Mary teaches us to be humble and to recognize that at every moment of our life we are saved by the mercy of God. In her Magnificat, she proclaims that everything is God's grace. Hence, there is no reason to boast or to think of ourselves as better than others. When we believe this, it will be easier and indeed more natural that we become more tender and kind towards others. Who knows, perhaps our kindness will in the long run win them over to God and to God's cause; but if not, let us remember that we are just instruments of God in saving the world. He is the savior, not us.

Why I love the Catholic Church

I love the Catholic Church
... because it is a gift that I have received from my family.
... because it is where I find the means to become a better person: the Word of God, the Holy Eucharist, the sacrament of Reconciliation, teachings and guidelines about many life issues.
... because of the great good it does throughout the world through its institutions: education, human promotion, health.
... because of the women and men, both living and dead, who have given meaning to their lives by giving it for others.
... because of the company of my fellow pilgrims, my brothers and sisters whose good examples inspire and encourage me; and whose weakness remind me of human frailty and God's boundless mercy.
The Catholic Church is not perfect. And how can it be since it is a truly human, in as much as it is a divine, institution. The Catholic Church is made up of people, scarred, flawed people, all on a journey of finding meaning in their lives.
I hurt when my Church is hurt by scandals and incoherence. I hurt when I see that, at times, what we use  as criteria of our choices are not the criteria of the Gospel. I hurt when the Church is attacked, often unfairly, by forces outside it. But I hurt more when it is weakened by the pride of its members.
I believe in the Catholic Church because it is where I can truly have a personal encounter with God in varied and ordinary ways. And that is what truly matters. The norms, the rituals, the programmes are not ends in themselves; rather, they help me encounter the true God, not a God whom I have created for myself.
And this is another reason why I love the Catholic Church. It saves me from creating a God according to my own terms. It saves me from the danger of worshipping myself.
And lastly, I love the Catholic Church because Jesus Christ willed it. He founded it. If only for this, it is worth loving.

Among you this is not to happen

A young Filipino archbishop was very recently nominated cardinal. He is really a well-known and very charismatic person, that soon comments started to come out that he could be a future pope.
Of course this event comes as we Filipinos are still caught up in the euphoria of our second saint. These are both definitely high moments in the current bleak horizon of miserable poverty, violence, corruption and a laissez-faire lifestyle adopted by many. So I don't really blame people who harp on events like this since they sort of put us on the map in a positive way.
What actually puzzles me is when I hear it from "Church" people: priests, nuns, active lay persons.
It seems like this desire to put ourselves at the center, or far above than the other or with privileged positions, is too deeply rooted in the human person. It manifests itself in our comments, in our catchphrases.
What would Jesus say about this? I remember Jesus' words to his apostles in last Sunday's Gospel (Mark 10:35-45): "among you this is not to happen". Yes, Jesus calls us to be converted to His criteria. Saint Paul expresses it as "having the mind and the heart of Jesus".
When we serve, we don't look for titles. Roles are not important for us. What matters is to use the occasions of our everyday life to show the love of God, which we personally experience, through concrete acts of service.  When we serve, with the mind and the heart of Jesus, the good deed itself is already our reward.

Reconciled

I went to Confession yesterday. Oh, what a wonderful encounter with God. How good Jesus is that He has instituted this sacrament. I am so sorry for those who do not have this privilege. I know that it is God who forgives sins, but through the priest's voice, God gives me the words of His forgiveness and other messages.
For me, the sacrament of Reconciliation is one of Jesus' greatest gifts to His Church. He knows that, human as we are, we understand and experience salvation through the mediation of visible and tangible signs.
The thing that makes Confession sometimes difficult for me is human respect, especially when I know the minister, or when I confess the same sin over and over again, or I confess something shameful (but what sin is not shameful!). But Jesus helps me to overcome this, as I remember that before God I stand stark naked, but He loves me just the same. I have nothing to boast of before God. Whatever good I do, I am able to because of Him. Whenever I sin, He is willing to forgive me "seventy times seven". I just have to trust more and more in the love of this marvellous God who defies human logic.
And what graces Jesus gives me through Confession! First of all, I have the certainty that I have been forgiven. I cannot doubt that, after all, I have heard the words of absolution. At the same time, through the priest's words, God gives me an opportune message as I continue my journey of conversion.
Indeed, what a great gift the sacrament of Reconciliation is.

Veni Creator Spiritus

I call you friends

In today's Gospel text from St. John (15:15), we hear the powerful words: "No longer do I call you servants ... but I ahve called you friends." We are not useless servants but friends! The Lord calls us friends; he makes us his friends; he gives us his friendship.

Jesus defines friendship in two ways. There are no secrets between friends: Christ tells us everything he hears from the Father; he gives us his full confidence and, with confidence, also knowledge. He reveals his face to us, his heart. He shows his tenderness for us, his passionate love that goes to the folly of the cross.

I remember how moved I was as I listened to the Holy Father's homily at the beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome on April 24, 2005. Three times during that memorable homily, Benedict XVI spoke of the importance of "friendship" with Jesus: "The Church as a whole and all her pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the palce of life, toward friendship with the Son of God, toward the One who gives us life, and life in abundance...

"There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him."

"Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potention of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation."

Eight months later, in his Angelus address of Jan. 15, 2006, Benedict XVI said: "Friendship with the Teacher guarantees profound peace and serenity to the soul, even in the dark moments and in the msot arduous trials. When faith meets with dark nights, in which the presence of God is no longer 'felt' or 'seen', friendship with Jesus guarantees that in reality nothing can ever separate us from his love" (cf. Rm 8:39).

Again on Aug. 26, 2007, the theme of friendship was front and center: "True friendship with Jesus is expressed in the way of life: It is expressed with goodness of heart, with humility, meekness and mercy, love for justice and truth, and a sincere and honest commitment to peace and reconciliation."

(By Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB)