The Martyrs of Our Lady of Salvation

The Martyrs of Our Lady of Salvation

Pastor’s column

Solemnity of Christ the King

November 21, 2010

         Last year we looked at the martyrdom of Blessed Miguel Pro of Mexico and how his death and that of others in the Christero movement there in the 1920s led to the establishment of the Solemnity of Christ the King.  Miguel Pro was executed as he extended his arms in the form of a cross while praying “Long live Christ the King!”

          At the beginning of this month, the church witnessed the latest martyrdoms for the faith, this time in Iraq.  For some reason, this story has not received much press coverage but the bishop of Iraq has pleaded for prayers from Catholics around the world and to make this story known.

Iraqi Catholics (Syrian Catholic rite) were attending Sunday Mass in the cathedral of Baghdad, called Our Lady of Salvation, when terrorists entered the church.  First they barred all the doors so that no one could leave.  Then they took aim at the priests, who immediately offered their lives so that others could be spared.  One priest was celebrating the Mass when he was killed; one was shot while in the confessional; one priest died while trying to protect children with his own body.  In all, 53 worshippers died in this, the worst single act of violence against Christians since the war began.  The attackers were quoted as saying they were cleaning out a “nest of polytheism” because of our belief in the Trinity.  Survivors have continued to be attacked in their homes.

May God spare our country from this kind of violence, but when we do have to suffer deeply, we have a choice to make.  In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus’ throne on earth is the cross.  As Jesus is dying, he has company: two thieves who are suffering the same cruel death.  One thief reviles Jesus as he dies; the other admits his own guilt, notes the innocence of Jesus, and simply asks that Jesus remember him when he comes into his kingdom.  For that simple act of contrition and faith, this thief becomes the first person to be saved by the cross.

Christ’s kingdom, Our Lord says very clearly, is not in this world.  If he truly reigned here, horrible tragedies like the suffering at Our Lady of Salvation Cathedral would not happen.  These martyrdoms are the result of the sins of human beings, not the will of God.  Yet there is a place where Christ does wish to reign in this world, and only you have the key: in your own heart, for Jesus says very clearly that the Kingdom of God is within you.

Depending on my response to trials and situations in life, I will take the role of either one thief or the other.  Life consists in its essence as a series of choices: will I allow Christ to reign as king of my heart at this moment, in this choice?  In our daily lives, then, with struggles both small and large, we are preparing ourselves for the final choice we will make, for or against Jesus as Christ the King, on the last day of our lives.

                                                                                Father Gary

A Way to Pray Always

A Way to Pray Always

Pastor’s Column

33^rd Sunday Ordinary Time

November 14, 2010

          Many of us are unfamiliar with a traditional Catholic way of prayer that can work very powerfully in our lives.  A few weeks ago we heard the parable of the tax collector whose only prayer was, ”Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”  The Lord was very pleased with this humble and effective prayer, and quite a few parishioners have shared with me that they have begun praying with this prayer that we call an invocation. These can be prayed almost anywhere.  You can create your own as well.

                                                                                          Father Gary

·       My Lord and my God (this is often said at the consecration at Mass).

·       O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

·       Jesus, Lord and Savior, I love you.

·       Come Holy Spirit!

·       Praise the Lord!

·       Lord, grant me grace that I might do your will.

·       Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

·       Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me now and at the hour of my death.

·       Jesus, I trust in you (the prayer of Divine Mercy).

·       Jesus, teach me to give without counting the cost (from Saint Ignatius).

·       Heart of Jesus, I love you.

·       Blood of Jesus, wash me clean.

·       Jesus, you are my hope.

·       Jesus, I believe in you.

·       Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I adore you.

·       Jesus, teach me to love you.

·       Jesus, grant me patience, grant me love.

·       Holy Spirit, open my eyes, my mind, my heart.

·       Praise you God the Father; praise you God the Son; praise you God the Spirit!

Life After Death

Life After Death

Pastor’s Column

32^nd Sunday Ordinary Time

November 7, 2010

“…but for those deemed worthy to attain a place to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage; They can no longer die, for they are like the angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones that will rise.”

                                from Luke 20:27-38

          This Sunday’s teaching by Jesus on the resurrection of the dead springs from something we all recognize: evil people often prosper, while the good frequently suffer for other people’s mistakes.  The current economic crisis is a good example of this.  Many of the financial “wizards” who created so much of our problems seem to go unpunished (indeed, many have been “rewarded” with bonuses), while ordinary people, the middle class and the poor, are paying the price.  If we believe in God, then it immediately follows that there must be a world to come where justice is done, since it is often not evidenced here very much.

          We don’t need to look toward banks or Wall Street to see this: one of my favorite expressions, which I often say in jest, is that “No good deed ever goes unpunished;” there is more than an element of truth to this!  The good that we do does not always have an immediate reward; while those around us, who apparently have no room for God in their lives,  often seem to be doing great without him.  Of course, this same principle is evidenced in Jesus’ own life!  All his miracles, teachings and sacrifices only led him to be crucified by the people he tried to love and serve.  But God raised him from the dead.

In fact, what we perceive to be “inaction” on God’s part toward people whose actions seem to be quite evil is actually an expression of God’s mercy: he is giving them time to repent.  This is now the era of God’s mercy, for as long as we live, God gives us time to turn our lives around.  For Catholics, healing is as near as the confessional!  It is true that some people do not realize this and go from bad to worse while others are made to suffer but this situation will not last for long.  At death, the period of mercy comes to an end and we all must come face to face with the consequences of our actions: how they affected our own lives, how they affected others, and how they looked from God’s point of view.  This is why we are called to be people of mercy now: receiving mercy from God by acts of repentance and forgiveness and extending it to others through acts of love, patience and kindness.

There is an expression about Oregon weather that also applies here: if you don’t like the weather, just wait an hour.  In the same way, if you wonder when God is going to restore righteousness to his creation, just wait a bit longer, but do take advantage of his mercy while you still can because his justice is right around the corner.

                                                                                          Father Gary

Christ is Passing By

Christ is Passing By

Pastor’s Column

31^st Sunday Ordinary Time

October 31, 2010

           You and I live in Jericho and Christ is passing by.  Last week we heard about a lowly tax collector who prostrated himself on the ground.  His only prayer was, Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner.  And can you believe it, we have another tax-collector again this Sunday (Luke 19:1-10).

          Our friend Zacchaeus has a lot of strikes against him.  He is not a well-liked man in town—it goes with the job.  He wants to get a glimpse of Jesus but the crowd is too thick.  And the worst part of all – Zacchaeus is really SHORT.  But for Zacchaeus being short is actually his greatest asset – he has to do something or he’s not going to see or hear anything … so he climbs a tree, which must have looked ridiculous!  He must have also attracted a lot of attention.  Most importantly, he attracted Jesus’ attention.

Most people in this world tend to see life from a Jericho, or earthly perspective.  We can’t help it!  We’re short, after all. What we need to do is to find a tree to climb so we can really see what is going on.  If we live and see and act only in Jericho, only from an earthly perspective, we are going to miss all the action.  Christ is liable to walk right through our life and we won’t recognize him or the opportunity. 

When we listen to the Church, when we listen to the scriptures, we are like Zacchaeus climbing a tree, and we receive the grace to see what the vast majority of people who live only on an earthly plane cannot possibly see – we see what life is all about.  Listening to the Lord allows us to gain the divine perspective in our lives.  From that tree, we see where Christ is going.  We see who he is.  We see where we are going.  We find purpose in life.  We discover that we are loved.  We discover that, yes, Christ really does want to come to my house today.

 What tree is God calling you to climb?  He wants you to gain the divine perspective on what’s happening in our world right now.  I believe we are very, very off track in this world – economically, spiritually, morally because too many people don’t bother to listen to God anymore.

This world in general may or may not be on the wrong track but my life does not have to be.  For we all live in Jericho.  I can choose to stay on the flat plane and do and see what everyone else does and sees; and nothing will change and Christ will pass by.  Or I can be like Zacchaeus; I can take the risk.  I can climb that tree God is calling me to climb.  I may just gain the divine perspective in the process. 

                                                                                Father Gary

How Not to Impress God

How Not To Impress God

Pastor’s Column

30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 24, 2010

          When going in for a job interview, we naturally hope to impress the person doing the hiring!  We try to learn what it is the company is looking for and how to approach them in a way that will be (hopefully!) to their liking.  Yet when we approach God in prayer, do we stop to consider what pleases God when we speak to him?  Of course, the Lord is always glad to hear from us, but certain ways of praying are more attractive to him than others! Fortunately, the scriptures teach us what is pleasing to God when we pray.  Let’s look at this Sunday’s gospel (Luke 18:9-14) for clues.

          A Pharisee and a tax collector go up to pray.  The Pharisee appears to be a righteous man; the tax collector, a notorious sinner.  The Pharisee seems to be doing everything right, the other guy, everything wrong.  Yet the Pharisee’s prayer was rejected, while the tax collector’s was accepted.  Why?

          In a word, the answer is humility.   Nothing seems to displease God so much as an excess of pride that we express to him by what we say, how we show off or take credit for things he has done in our lives! This is because God showed himself in the bible to be the very essence of humility, being born in a stable, being raised by poor parents, and not making a show of his powers except when necessary. 

          The Pharisee has not come to ask for anything at all.  Instead, he spends his prayer time telling God how good he is and how much he is doing for God!  Actually, no one likes a proud bragger – and who is impressed with someone who can’t stop talking about himself? God cannot give this man anything, because he is so full of himself.  He doesn’t ask for forgiveness; he doesn’t feel he needs any!  He even goes so far as to point out to God the sins of the tax collector, praying, as the scripture says, “off at a distance.”

          No one doubts that this tax-collector guy was a terrible sinner.  He beats his breast and stays in the shadows, not even daring to look up.  But perhaps because he had blown it so badly in life, he offers to God a prayer that is deeply pleasing to God:

“Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

          Jesus is always pleased when we approach him in humility.  He deeply wants us to talk to him about our lives.  He does desire to be thanked for the blessings (and even the crosses) we have received.  The Pharisee did all these things, but then he blows it by taking credit for them himself.  He does not listen because he never gives God a chance to speak; God cannot act in his life because the Pharisee is not aware of his neediness.  He is, in fact, very self-centered and does not even know it!  Yet it is so easy to please God in prayer: we thank him, listen to him (through the Scriptures), ask him for what we need; and we now know a prayer that God simply cannot resist: “Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” 

                                                                              Father Gary

Moses Keeps His Hands Up!

Moses Keeps His Hands Up!
Pastor’s Column

29^th Sunday Ordinary Time

October 17, 2010

          Israel is battling a grave enemy, Amalek, in the first reading from Exodus (17:8-13).  God instructs Moses to stretch out his hands in prayer over the battle.  As long as he did so, Israel wins the battle.  The only problem was that Moses’ arms began to get pooped out, and as he lowered them, Amalek began to win.  Israel had a big problem. What was the solution?  Moses needed help!  The Lord wanted Moses to learn something – namely, that he couldn’t do it alone. He could not even hold his arms out for long without the help of others.  Moses needed his community of believers.

          This reading is full of rich insights for our own walk with Christ.  Sometimes we are like Moses, involved in so many things, but badly overwhelmed and unable to go on: we need the help of others.  At other times, we are the ones who are called to lift up and support the arms of our brothers and sisters in need.  For example, when I pray for others, help at the parish in any way, make a donation, or have an hour of adoration, I am like those who supported Moses’ hands when he grew tired!

          It is not really possible to be an active Catholic Christian without belonging to a local community (a parish).  When we come to Mass, for example, we support others by our presence and receive their support as well.  At times, parishioners or even the pastor (!) will cause us some consternation and difficulties.  Without these people in my life, how would I grow?  How would I live the gospel?  At other times we will receive badly needed support in our walk with Christ.  This is because in a parish we are a community of believers, a family, living our faith together.  We find both support and challenges in being committed to a parish family, and this is what Christ desires for us.  Without this, we can easily fool ourselves into thinking we are living the gospel, when in fact, we are doing so only on our own terms.  I need the Church to guide and support me; I need others to assist me and whom I am called to assist; and I even need the occasional person in my parish with whom I disagree and who causes friction.

          Amalek, the enemy of Israel, stands for any enemy that we are currently doing battle with in our lives.  If you find your personal battles are going against you, get the help of others right away!  Start by placing your need before Jesus in personal prayer, at communion, on the prayer chain, and in the basket in the adoration chapel.  Call on the Virgin Mary and the saints to intercede for you.  Ask others to pray for you and support you!  Consult a professional for your problem, if possible.  You are not alone, and you don’t have to fight your personal battles alone.  God will lead us to others who will support us if we allow him to do so, and then, like Moses and the Israelites, we won’t be so easily defeated!

                                                                               

Father Gary

Learning to Give Thanks

Learning to Give Thanks

Pastor’s Column

28^th Sunday Ordinary Time

October 10, 2010

Ten lepers were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine?

Has no one returned to give thanks except this foreigner?

                                        Luke 17:19

          Learning to be a thankful person, a person who praises God in all circumstances takes practice; it is a habit, just as complaining is also a habit.  This is something I personally have to keep working on, so I keep quite a few reminders about praise and thanksgiving that I have heard or read over the years.  Here are a few of them.

          Praise God every morning.  How you start the day is a critical component of a successful life!  What do you say when the alarm goes off?  “Oh no, not again?”  A famous speaker once said he begins each day with “Praise you God the Father!  Praise you God the Son! Praise you God the Holy Spirit!  Amen!”

          We are called to develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving.  Saint Francis of Assisi (whose feast day was last Sunday) is quoted as having said, “My best defense against all the plots of the enemy is still the spirit of joy.  The devil is never so happy as when he has succeeded in robbing one of God’s servants of the joy of his or her soul…. Therefore, at the first sign of trouble, the servant of God must get up, begin to pray, and remain before the Father until the latter has caused him or her to retrieve the joy of a person who is saved!”

          What comes out of you when you are squeezed is what is really inside of you!  The Holy Spirit wants to transform the negative things we find inside of us into areas of our lives that give glory to God, and one of the best ways to do this is through praise and thanksgiving in difficult circumstances.

          Sometimes giving praise and thanksgiving to God is a real sacrifice.  This is because we don’t always feel like doing it!  The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving”…. So the Sacrifice of the Mass is really a “Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.”  When I am able to thank God in my most difficult moments, in darkness, and in trials, I have truly made a sacrifice to God that is similar to the Eucharist itself, and this is very pleasing to God!

         

                                                                                        Father Gary