January 7 2022 - St. Raymond of Peñafort - Impelled by the love of Christ

 I have a fond affection for today’s saint, Raymond of Penyafort. He was always invoked by our seminary teachers of canon law, as he is the patron saint of canon lawyers. 

St. Raymond was a truly gifted Dominican priest, who lived about 800 years ago. He was born into the Spanish nobility and had an excellent education.  By age 20 he was teaching philosophy; by the age of 30 he had doctorates in both civil and church law. In his early 40s he joined the Dominicans about a year after the death of their founder, St. Dominic.  About a decade later, he was summoned to Rome by Pope Gregory IX to serve as the Pope’s personal confessor.  While in Rome, the Pope gave him the task of bringing together for the first time, in one volume, all of the laws and decrees of the popes and church councils.  For this, St. Raymond is known as the Father and Patron saint of Canon Law.

At age 60, Raymond was appointed an Archbishop, though he became sick and resigned in hopes of getting some peace.  But, peace in retirement Raymond would not receive.  At age 62, he was elected as head of the Dominicans.  Raymond worked hard, visited on foot all the Dominican Communities, and reorganized their constitutions.

In his last 35 years, (by the way, did I mention St. Raymond lived to be 100?), he promoted the study of Hebrew and Arabic, so that the Dominicans in Spain could preach the Gospel to Jews and Muslims.  He encouraged St. Thomas Aquinas, one of his contemporaries, to write an explanation of the faith to help missionaries in their work.

St. Raymond is a wonderful saint to honor and reflect upon in the Christmas season. “The love of Christ impels us” as St. Paul says in the epistle today, speaking of how charity transforms the lives of the saints, directs and animates them. Why would a man devote all those decades of his life to tireless service, if not for the love of Christ—the love he had for Christ, and more importantly the love Christ has for him.

When we recognize how deeply we are loved by Christ, that changes everything. One gets the impression, that many Catholics these days have not allowed the love of Christ to penetrate their inmost being. 

The Christmas season ends this Sunday, with the baptism of the Lord, but with the time left, let us ponder deeply the love of Christ present at Bethlehem, present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the love of Christ which is to fill our minds and spirits for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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For faithfulness to the laws of God and the precepts of Holy Church, and that through the intercession of St. Raymond, all civil lawyers and canon lawyers may practice law with integrity and for the good of souls.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, that many young people may respond generously to the Lord’s call to ordained and consecrated service.

For conviction and courage in our own role in the Church’s evangelization mission.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

December 21 2018 - The light of God's love

Throughout the church year, we do not read very often from the Song of Songs, yet this book has been the favorite of many great Saints.  The Song of Songs has been called “the Great Love Story between God and the Soul”, yet, it is the only book of the Bible that never once mentions the name of God.  But when you read it, with the eyes of faith, you find God everywhere, in the symbolism of this book’s poetry, and song-like dialogues.

Song of Songs is a series of love poems about a Bride and her Groom.  The traditional Jewish interpretation identifies the Groom as the God and the Bride as the people of Israel.  Early Christian interpreters understood the Groom as Jesus and the Bride as the Church.  Especially in light of Saint Paul who refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ several times.  In just a few short verses, we realize that the Bride and Groom in the Song of Songs are passionately in love.  If you wish to more deeply encounter the love God has for you, meditate with the eyes of faith, on the Song of Songs!

The Song of Songs is very appropriate for Advent.  For as two lovers joyfully anticipate being in each other’s presence, they call out to each other, they speak their desire for each other, so the Church joyfully and passionately awaits Christ.

Hark! my lover–here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.

He rises over the mountains, much like the rays of the morning sun. Which is why, in the O Antiphon for today, the Church calls out to Christ, “O Oriens” O Rising Sun, O Radiant Dawn, come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. On the eve of the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, the Church announces Christ as light.

I hope your advent preparations have helped you encounter this God who loves you.  I hope you have encountered Him as light that pierces through the darkness of your life.  Each of us have struggles, anxieties, darkness.  The relationship with Christ may not eliminate the darkness from your life, but in Christ we encounter the light shining in the darkness, a love which accompanies us amidst all of our worldly trials. This light is so powerful, that even in the midst of darkness, we are able to cry out with St. Paul, “death, where is thy sting?” Darkness may be present, but it has no power over the Christian who walks in the light.

Rejoice, the Lord, our Lover is coming to meet us. Let us open our arms and hearts to Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.
That those in the darkness of error and faithlessness may be enlightened by the light of Christ through the witness of the Church
For the protection of the unborn, and the overturning of all laws lacking respect for the dignity of human life.
That those struggling with winter depression or addiction may find peace and joy in Christ.
That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

5th Week of Easter 2018 - Friday - "Love one another"

Love is a deeply misunderstood word these days. Sometimes it’s reduced to denote a great delight one takes in a particular object or activity: “I just love ice cream and baseball”, “I just love your new shoes”.

When Jesus says today, “love one another”, he’s not saying, have the same attitude towards each other as you have towards your favorite food, shoes, or sport. This love is conditional, fleeting, and fickle.

When he teaches us to “love one another as I love you” he’s really outlining the beginning and end the Christian life.  We are created by God out of Love and we are created by God For love.  Love is the reason we exist, and it is our purpose.  I am supposed to love everyone and everything God loves.

Because we are called to love those whom God loves, this means that I am to love even the person whom I do not like or even know.  My love needs to extend to every corner of the earth, because that’s how far God’s love extends.  It needs to extend into every jail cell, into every hospital ward, across the political aisle, and even into the life of the hardened sinner, because God’s love is there, too.

When I begin my day and structure my day in terms of loving those whom God loves, something changes. I begin to look on others not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ.  Going beyond exterior appearances, we begin to see in others that same desire to be loved as we have in ourselves.

Love is definitely a word that our enemy, the devil, wishes to distort and water-down.  He says, only love what you like, only love what you are familiar with, only love when it is convenient for you, love only those who will love you back.

But, in Jesus Christ, we see love’s true face. His love embraces self-sacrifice for the good of the other. His is not just for me, it’s for everyone. And it extends to even those who reject Him, patiently inviting them out of their hardness. Authentic love is larger than my limitations and experiences. In Christ, we encounter a love that is infinite.

Jesus gives us the command to love.  We pray, that today we will be faithful to that limitless love, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For ever deeper faithfulness in following the commandments of Christ and for the grace to love those who are difficult to love. We pray to the Lord.

For lasting peace throughout the world: that Christ, the Prince of Peace will put an end to all enmity and division, and unify the peoples of the world.

That those chosen to represent us in government will use their authority to protect the dignity of human life and the welfare of the most vulnerable.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation or illness: that the Lord may grant his gift of peace to those most in need of it.

For all souls who await the resurrection, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.