Bishop Skylstad "Nuances" Latest Vatican Document on the Priesthood and Homosexuality

Of course, it's not the least bit surprising that the Bishop of Spokane has difficulty reading and understanding this document. Perhaps he was 'educated' by Cardinal McCarrick in reading comprehension?...

Anyway, let's see what he says and compare it with what Rome says...

...This realism also makes it clear that it is certainly not acceptable if a candidate practices homosexuality or, whether active or not, if he identifies himself principally by a homosexual inclination or orientation...

I've searched high and low and can find no reference to the use of the adverb "principally" in the Vatican document. What effect does the use of this qualifier have? Are we to understand that a candidate who identifies himself "principally" as a Catholic then as one with homosexual inclinations is an acceptable candidate for the priesthood? What if his homosexual tendencies are deeply-rooted but he "principally" identifies himself as "Catholic"...?

The Vatican document states, in part:

...this Dicastery, together with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, deems it necessary to clearly affirm that the Church,...cannot admit to Seminary or Holy Orders those who...have deep-seated homosexual tendencies...

I may be wrong but it sounds like equivocation to me.

Then we read this:

...It is also not acceptable for a candidate to support the “gay culture” and to be so concerned with homosexual issues that he cannot sincerely represent the Church’s teaching on sexuality.

Always the spinmeisters, the use of the conjunctive "AND" is nowhere to be found in the Vatican document. One cannot wonder if this is another attempt to water down or negate the impact of the clear instruction approved by the Holy Father. Again I defer to the Instruction:

In the light of such teaching, this Dicastery, together with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, deems it necessary to clearly affirm that the Church, even while deeply respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to Seminary or Holy Orders those who are actively homosexual, have deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture.

The Holy See clearly states that one who supports the "gay culture" cannot be admitted. This must be viewed as one who would support it in word or action. PERIOD! No ANDS, IFS, or BUTS! In Bishop Skystad's statemet, both conditions are necessary to deny a candidate entrance to a seminary. Let's read it again:

It is also not acceptable for a candidate to support the “gay culture” [FIRST CONDITION] and to be so concerned with homosexual issues that he cannot sincerely represent the Church’s teaching on sexuality [SECOND CONDITION].

I would hope that perhaps my views are somewhat jaundiced in this respect but we have all witnessed too many instances of episcopal mangling of Vatican directives and instructions.

Lastly, there is another statement from Bishop Skylstad:

It expresses the valid concern that all candidates must display an “affective maturity” which enables them to relate properly to others as chaste, celibate priests who can faithfully represent the teaching of the Church about sexuality, including the immorality of homosexual genital activity.

Does the good bishop and President of the USCCB wish to say that other homosexual activity (kissing, for example) is OK, provided one's private parts remain untouched or unused?

Can Bishop Skylstad be any less ambiguous? Hopefully, no. It does appear, though, that the special "task force" charged with nuancing the Instruction did not have enough time to properly review it and render it meaningless. Perhaps, the Holy Father will clarify the meaning of the document for the US Bishops who are still confused about it? We can only hope and pray!

And, one final "Lastly"...if Dignity USA is happy with Bishop Skystad's statement...what else is wrong with it?

Debbie Weill, executive director of DignityUSA, which includes gay and lesbian Catholics, said she was encouraged by the bishop's statements.

"Bishop Skylstad is going as far as he can, understanding his position as president, because he clearly cannot come out in opposition to a Vatican document," Weill said.

Lovely!

Admission to the Priesthood and Homosexuality

VATICAN CITY, NOV 29, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was the document: "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders." The document is dated November 4, memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, patron of seminaries, and bears the signatures of Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and of Archbishop Michael J. Miller C.S.B., respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education. On August 31, 2005, Benedict XVI approved the Instruction and ordered its publication.

Bigots, Slavery and Ignorant Citizens

Today's Post Dispatch has a couple of Letters to the Editor regarding the Missouri Embryonic Stem Cell Issue and the Bishops' desire to educate the faithful regarding things intrinsically evil such as cloning and embryonic stell cell experiments.

In order to demonstrate the complete absurdity of one letter and the apparent lack of functioning brain cells of the author, I have modified the letter ever so slightly:
======================

Open discussion

The Catholic Bishops of Missouri are putting the cart before the horse by ordering priests to deliver a homily condemning parishioners who may sign a petition that would allow a ballot initiative on embryonic stem cell research[...SLAVERY].

Telling Catholic politicians how they should vote on issues that affect the entire population, not just Catholics, is a disservice to this great state. If a politician can't vote for legislation beneficial to the majority of the population without fear of retribution from the church, then Catholics shouldn't run for public office. If bishops want to inform parishioners about stem cell research[...SLAVERY], they should invite professionals who know of the tremendous benefits that may be derived from this research [endeavor] to join in open discussions, not force feed parishioners the bishops' version, which seems to have little basis in fact.

I am with former U.S. Sen. John Danforth on this.
James Hood
Hillsboro

===============================

Now I ask: Mr Hood, will you sign your name to this letter?

By the way, check out the first letter written by L.J. Welch ofgh Ridge. It is a wonderfully coherent and reasoned letter. He calls to task Mr. Danforth for his accusatory remarks and lack of reason. A great letter!

No probe is planned of 'weeping' statue

Surely many have seen the stories about a weeping Virgin Mary statue in the Diocese of Sacramento...?

Well,

The source of Mary's tears will remain a mystery - at least for now.

The Catholic Diocese of Sacramento has no plans to investigate why red streaks appeared earlier this month on a Virgin Mary statue at a Jackson Road church, said the Rev. James Murphy of downtown's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

Source.

Walgreens Tells Illinois Pharmacists: Find Jobs Elsewhere

On a local Fox news broadcast last night, several Illinois pharmacists were either terminated or given leave (I'm not certain which) because they refused to dispense the "morning after" drug mixture since, for them, it is a violation of conscience.

But in the Peoples Republik of Illinois, headed by dictator "Iron" Rod Blagojevich, pharmacists are not afforded the freedom to think and act on a rightly formed conscience. They MUST close their eyes and follow the lead of the blind. If the state demands that one be complicit in murder of the unborn, one must obey or be deprived of his livelihood. How sweet!

Walgreens, as I understand it from bits of the report I saw, wishes to abide by the law which forces all Illinois pharmacies to dispense the child-killing (and sometimes mother-killing) drug concoction to whomever has the required paperwork. I wonder if Blagojevich ever thanks his mother that he was not the unfortunate victim of such a fate? I wonder if she has any regrets?

Hopefully, the pharmacists will be able to obtain work elsewhere, in the hope that they can be instrumental in helping to SAVE lives rather than destroy them. This might mean fighting the tyrannical laws of Illinois or moving to a free state.

Sorry, no link yet...

Bishop OKs Sunday Celebrations in emergency cases in Belleville Diocese

Acknowledging a growing priest shortage in the Belleville Diocese, Bishop Edward K. Braxton has released a letter that says parishes may begin having "Sunday Celebrations" led by a deacon or layperson instead of a Mass celebrated by a priest.

The 'Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest' rite can be used in emergency situations.
. . .
Ann Harter, a member of St. Luke's parish in Belleville and a member of the Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity, believes the restrictions on who can be a priest has created the priest shortage and the need to implement Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest.

"The fact is, there aren't enough priests and the ones we have are stretched to the limit, but the church won't open its eyes to the wealth of highly qualified men and women eligible for ordination," Harter said. "The problem is, they will not consider the possibility of priests other than celibate males."

"In my view, the people who are gathered there, ordained or not, are the ones who give the Eucharist its meaning," Harter said. "In my opinion, what makes the Eucharist the Eucharist is that the people gather and share."

Heretical comments from a professed Catholic. How is it that reporters always find and quote these clowns? Being a member of the group 'FOSIL' has probably had something to do with her warped understanding of Catholicism and of her 'faith'. Not only is she wrong on the subject of the priesthood, she is wrong on the Holy Eucharist as well. The Holy Eucharist does not 'get its meaning' from those who have chosen to 'gather'. The reality of the Holy Eucharist exists whether anyone 'gathers' or not. The essence, the substance of the Holy Eucharist is not changed when others assemble for Mass or for prayer.

I've heard statements concerning the Holy Eucharist by local priests which were very similar to Harter's. Unfortunately, these opinions are still being spread by those who should know better.

Article here.

And - you can answer a Poll Question, "Would you feel comfortable attending a Sunday Celebration instead of Mass?", here.

Gospel for Tuesday, 1st Week of Advent

From: Luke 10:21-24

Jesus Gives Thanks

[21] In that same hour He (Jesus) rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Thy gracious will. [22] All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him."

[23] Then turning to the disciples He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! [24] For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

***************
Commentary:

21. This passage of the Gospel is usually called our Lord's "hymn of joy" and is also found in St. Matthew (11:25-27). It is one of those moments when Jesus rejoices to see humble people understanding and accepting the word of God.

Our Lord also reveals one of the effects of humility--spiritual childhood. For example, in another passage He says: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3). But spiritual childhood does not involve weakness, softness or ignorance: "I have often meditated on this life of spiritual childhood, which is not incompatible with fortitude, because it demands a strong will, proven maturity, an open and firm character [...]. To become children we must renounce our pride and self-sufficiency, recognizing that we can do nothing by ourselves. We must realize that we need grace, and the help of God our Father to find our way and keep it. To be little, you have to abandon yourself as children do, believe as children, beg as children beg" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 10 and 143).

22. "This statement is a wonderful help to our faith," St. Ambrose comments, "because when you read 'all' you realize that Christ is all-powerful, that He is not inferior to the Father, or less perfect than He; when you read 'have been delivered to me', you confess that Christ is the Son, to whom everything belongs by right of being one in substance [with the Father] and not by grace of gift" ("Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").

Here we see Christ as almighty Lord and God, consubstantial with the Father, and the only one capable of revealing who the Father is. At the same time, we can recognize the divine nature of Jesus only if the Father gives us the grace of faith--as He did to St. Peter (cf. Matthew 16:17).

23-24. Obviously, seeing Jesus with one's own eyes was a wonderful thing for people who believed in him. However, our Lord will say to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29). St. Peter, for his part, tells us: "Without having seen Him you love Him; though you do not see Him you believe in Him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).

******************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Survey Proves Retailers Banning Christmas

From an email...This confirms what I have noticed as well.

I thought you would be interested in a survey we did. We gathered advertising inserts from 11 different companies placed in two papers on Nov. 27 (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal and Memphis Commercial Appeal.) Combined, the inserts totaled 280 pages.

Of the 11 companies, only one—McRae's/Belks—had a reference to "Christmas." They mentioned "Christmas" only two times. The other 10 companies did not mention "Christmas" a single time! While refusing to use "Christmas," they used the term "holiday" a total of 59 times in their 10 inserts.

The companies which refused to mention Christmas a single time in their 260 pages of insert promotions were Target, Kroger, Office Max, Walgreens, Sears, Staples, Lowe's, J.C. Penney, Dell and Best Buy.

Ask these companies why they banned "Christmas" in their in-store promotions and retail advertising and they will tell you they didn't want to offend anyone. They mean, of course, anyone except Christians.

These retailers are willing to use Christmas to secure about 20% of their yearly sales, but they absolutely refuse to mention the Reason for the season.

To see what we can achieve by working together, read the statement from Federated Stores. We boycotted them last year. Click here to see how they have changed.

Please sign our petition below. We are writing every national retailer which bans "Christmas" asking them to change their policy and letting them know how many have signed the petition. Thus far we have nearly 350,000. Our goal is 1,000,000. It is urgent that you sign the petition and forward it to your friends and family. We need numbers so that the national retailers will take notice!

If we will stick together and take action, next year we will see scores of retailers recognizing "Christmas" as a Christian holy day instead of a secular "holiday".

Please click here to sign our petition now!

Sincerely,

Don
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

The Elusive "Gay" Saints Identified

The "Catholic" Action Network has posted a video which purports to answer the burning question "Who are the 'gay' saints?" The video requires Quicktime for those who are interested in viewing it...

I can only guess that the people shown and named in the video have been canonized by CAN as their 'saints' though many are still alive...The first group of 'saints' include a number of people overjoyed at the fact that they have received what appear to be "marriage" licenses.

Others on the list include Harvey Milk and those who support "gay" marriage. Also named are former nun Mary Moylan of the Catonsville Nine,

Catholic priest Henri Nouwen,

radical feminist theologian Mary Daly,

American Catholic humanitarian Tom Dooley,

Catholic radical lesbian feminist theologian Mary Hunt,

openly gay HIV-positive AIDS activist Pedro Zamora (deceased 1994),

the organization Soulforce (St. Soulforce?),

the Rev. Troy Perry (openly gay founder of the Metropolitan Community Church),

PFLAG pioneer & founder Jeanne Manford,

and of course, two actual Catholic martyrs (although not mentioned in the film by name) Sts. Sergius and Bacchus.

It must be remembered that the Church alone through the Pope, guided by the Holy Spirit, has been given the authority to identify and name saints. It would seem that if those at "Catholic" Action Network see these people as saints, they would be striving to have the Church recognize them as such.

By the way, the music was moving and was provided by Windam Hill Records.

Pope Encourages Teaching of Latin

Videoconference to Touch on Liturgy

From Zenit:

ROME, NOV. 28, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A worldwide videoconference of theologians this Wednesday will focus on the theme "Architecture, Art and Music at the Service of the Liturgy."

The videoconference, a monthly event organized by the Vatican Congregation for Clergy, uses Internet to link top theologians from around the world.

The upcoming conference can be followed live beginning at noon, Rome time, at www.clerus.org.

The original texts of the addresses will be posted on the same page later.

To follow the event, Real Player must be installed in a computer. The Web page gives the link to download it.

Among the specialists who will participate in the conference are Cardinal Georges Cottier, theologian of the Pontifical Household, who will speak from Rome on "The Anointing of Bethany and the Theological Foundation in the Necessary Decorum of the Eucharistic Celebration."

Other speakers and their topics will include:

-- Father Michael Hull, New York, on "Buildings of Worship: Not Every Artistic _Expression is in Keeping with the Truth of the Christian Faith and the Authentic Beauty of Sacred Art."

-- Father Gary Devery, Sydney, Australia, on "The Postconciliar Liturgical Reform and the Misunderstood Meaning of Creativity and Adaptation."
ZE05112802

Boston Archbishop to Homosexuals: "Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior."

BOSTON, November 28, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley wrote a pastoral letter last week calling on Catholics to show true love to persons with homosexual tendencies. This is done he said by telling them that homosexual acts are sinful, he said. Otherwise, the bishop continued, we are dangerously "deceiving people."

Letter from Archbishop O'Malley on Homosexuality

Lawsuit seeks to stop Missouri ballot initiative

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Opponents of embryonic stem cell research are suing Missouri's secretary of state to try to block an initiative protecting stem cell research from appearing on the 2006 ballot.

The lawsuit alleges the title of the proposed constitutional amendment is "unfair and deceptive" by claiming to "ban human cloning or attempted human cloning" when actually allowing a contentious cloning procedure.
. . .
"Established science holds that the initial product of the cloning procedure known as somatic cell nuclear transfer is a living human being at the embryonic stage of life, a cloned human embryo," the lawsuit alleges, while seeking an injunction against placing the measure on the ballot.

More here.

Good news, indeed...Please , pray for a successful outcome of this lawsuit.

Pope Begins Liturgical Year With Call to Holiness

Gives Spontaneous Homily on First Sunday of Advent

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 27, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Presiding over vespers of the First Sunday of Advent, Benedict XVI began the new liturgical year with an appeal to holiness.

In a spontaneous homily in St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday, the Pope commented on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

More

Gospel for Monday, 1st Week of Advent

From: Matthew 8:5-11

The Centurion's Faith

[5] As He (Jesus) entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, beseeching Him [6] and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." [7] And He said to him, "I will come and heal him." [8] But the centurion answered Him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. [9] For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." [10] When Jesus heard him, He marvelled, and said to those who followed Him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. [11] I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven."

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Commentary:

5-11. "Centurion": an officer of the Roman army in control of one hundred men. This man's faith is still an example to us. At the solemn moment when a Christian is about to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the Church's liturgy places on his lips and in his heart these words of the centurion, to enliven his faith: Lord, I am not worthy...".

The Jews of this time regarded any Jew who entered a Gentile's house as contracting legal impurity (cf. John 19:28; Acts 11:2-3). This centurion has the deference not to place Jesus in an embarrassing position in the eyes of His fellow Israelites. He shows that he is convinced that Jesus has the power over disease and illness; he suggests that if Jesus just says the word, He will do what is needed without having actually to visit the house; he is reasoning, in a simple, logical way, on the basis of his own professional experience. Jesus avails of this meeting with a Gentile believer to make a solemn prophecy to the effect that His Gospel is addressed to the world at large; all men, of every nation and race, of every age and condition, are called to follow Christ.
********************

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Catholic clergy will oppose embryonic cell research from pulpit

From the Post Dispatch we read this:

Every Roman Catholic in Missouri who goes to Mass this Sunday will hear a variation on the same homily. Reduced to its most basic message, it will go something like this:

Embryonic stem cell research is evil. Don't sign the petition.

[The Catholic Church] is using the first Sunday of Advent to kick off a campaign to keep Catholics from signing the petition and to teach them the Catholic view of the issue.

I wonder what other parishes besides Immaculate Conception-Dardenne decided to either ignore this subject or take it up at some other time? Apparently, the Post Dispatch didn't consider that some some parishes in the Archdiocese follow their own agendas despite the will of the lawful bishop.

One parish which did follow the request of Archbishop Burke was St Joesph's of Josephville where the message was loud and clear. Hopefully, most parishes demostrated their fidelity and obedience to their respective bishops in carrying out this campaign.

Anyway, to understand the infantile and irrational thinking of those who wish to "experiment" and kill innocent human life, we only need to read further:

Former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, who is the honorary co-chair of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and an ordained Episcopal priest, said people who oppose the initiative should ask themselves two questions. "First, do you believe the cells in the Petri dish are the equivalent to a 10-year-old child with a disease that may be preventable with this research?" he said. "And second, if you do believe that, do you believe the government should pass legislation to enact that religious proposition?"

This man is deluded! Anyone with any knowledge of the facts knows what he and others propose. He plays the devil's fool, attempting to play on peoples' emotions and on his record and status as an "ordained priest" to confuse and trick the people. His technique for propaganda would have been welcomed in Nazi Germany.

As difficult as it can be at times, we must pray for Danforth's immortal soul and the souls of others who wish to continue the cycle of killing our most innocent brothers and sisters...whether they be in the form of human embryos in a petri dish or the elderly and sick confined to hospitals or hospices and for all those in between. May these innocent souls be spared the experimentation and certain death by those who wish to reap untold profits by their evil endeavors.

Article here.

Gospel for the 1st Sunday of Advent

From: Mark 13:33-37

The Time of the Destruction of Jerusalem (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [33] "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come. [34] It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. [35] Watch therefore--for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning--[36] lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. [37] And what I say to you I say to all: Watch."

***********
Commentary:

33-37. "Watch": since we do not know when the Lord will come, we must be prepared. Vigilance is, above all, love. A person who loves keeps the commandments and looks forward to Christ's return; for life is a period of hope and waiting. It is the way towards our encounter with Christ the Lord. the first Christians often tenderly repeated the aspiration: "Come, Lord Jesus" (1 Cor 16:22; Rev 22:20). By expressing their faith and charity in this way, those Christians found the interior strength and optimism necessary for fulfilling their family and social duties, and interiorly detached themselves from earthly goods, with the self-mastery that came from hope of eternal life.

*************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Second Reading - 1st Sunday of Advent

From: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Greeting (Continuation)

[3] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

[4] I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, [5] that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge [6] even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--[7] so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; [8] who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

******************
Commentary:

1-9. With slight variations almost all St Paul's letters begin in the same kind of way: there is a greeting (vv. 1-3), which carries the name of the writer, information on the addressee(s), and the conventional phrase; and an act of thanksgiving to God (vv. 4-9), in which the Apostle refers to the main qualities and endowments of the Christians to whom he is writing. By comparing his letters with other letters that have come down to us from the same period, it is quite apparent that St Paul usually begins his letters in the style of the time. yet he does not entirely follow this rigid pattern: he changes the usual opening--"Greeting!" (cf. Acts 15:23; 23:26)--to this more personal one, which has a pronounced Christian stamp: "Grace to you and peace." Also, the way in which he introduces himself and describes those he is addressing tells much more than a simple "Paul to the Corinthians: greeting!" Even his words of thanksgiving convey tenderness and warmth--and their tone is not merely human, for he attributes to God the virtues he praises in the faithful.

The Fathers of the Church have drawn attention to this characteristic of Paul's letters--the way he manages to convey a deep doctrinal message in a familiar style, nicely suited to whomever he happens to be addressing: "A doctor", St John Chrysostom explains, "does not treat the patient in the same way at the start of his illness as when he is recovering; nor does a teacher use the same method with children as with those who need more advanced tuition. That is how the Apostle acts: he writes as suits the needs and the times" ("Hom. On Rom", Prologue).

3. Peace of soul, that "serenity of mind, tranquillity of soul, simplicity of heart, bond of love, union of charity" of which St Augustine spoke ("De Verb. Dom. Serm.", 58), originates in the friendship with God which grace brings with it; it is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23). This is the only true kind of peace: "There is no true peace, just as there is no true grace, other than the grace and peace which come from God," St John Chrysostom teaches, "Possess this divine peace and you will have nothing to fear, even if you be threatened by the direct danger, whether from men or even from the demons themselves; whereas see how everything is a cause of fear for the man who is at war with God through sin" ("Hom. on 1 Cor", 1, "ad loc".).

4-9. After the greeting, words of thanksgiving conclude the introduction to the letter, before St Paul begins the doctrinal part. He reminds the Corinthians that they owe their privileged position to God. They, like all Christians, received God's grace in Christ, and that grace has enriched them in every way, for it causes man to share in God's very nature (cf. 2 Pet 1:4), raising him to an entirely new level of existence. This transfiguration enables a person, even here, to know the perfections of God's inner life and to partake of that life--albeit in a limited, imperfect way--through the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, which grace brings and which elevate the mind and will to know and love God, One and Three.

St Paul teaches the need to give thanks to God and he sets us an example in this regard. Obdurate sinners fail to acknowledge the benefits God gives them (cf. Rom 1:21), but Christians should always base their prayer on gratitude to God (cf. Phil 4:6). "Nothing charms God more than a heart that is grateful either on its own account or on account of others" (Chrysostom, "Hom. on 1 Cor", 2, "ad loc".).

5-6. The grace of God, mentioned in the previous verse, embraces gifts, including those to do with eloquence and knowledge. So richly does God endow the Christian that St Alphonsus exclaims: "Our wretchedness should not make us uneasy, for in Jesus crucified we shall find all richness and all grace (cf. 1 Cor 1:5, 7). The merits of Jesus Christ have enriched us with all the wealth of God and there is no grace we might desire that we cannot obtain by asking for it" ("The Love of God Reduced to Practice", chap. 3). The Fathers interpret these gifts as meaning that the Corinthians had such a good grasp of Christian teaching that they were able to express it clearly: "There are those who have the gift of knowledge but not that of speech; and there are others who have the gift of speech but not knowledge. The faithful in general, who are uneducated, know these truths, but they cannot clearly explain what they have in their soul. You on the other hand, St Paul says, are different; you know these truths and you can speak about them; you are rich in the gift of speech and in that of knowledge" (Chrysostom, "Hom. on 1 Cor", 2, "ad loc".).

8-9. "The day of our Lord': in St Paul's writings and in the New Testament generally, this refers to the day of the General Judgment when Christ will appear as Judge, clothed in glory (cf. 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 5:2).

Christians actively hope that that Day will find them "blameless" (cf. Phil 1:10; 1 Thess 3:13; 5:23); the basis for this hope is God's faithfulness--an attitude frequently applied to him in the Old Testament (cf. Deut 7:9; Is 49:7) and in St Paul's letters (cf. 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 1:18; 1 Thess 5:24; 2 Thess 3:3; Heb 10:23): the Covenant which God made with the chosen people was primarily a gift and a grace, but it also was a legal commitment. The Covenant was grounded on God's fidelity, which was not merely a matter of legal obligation: it involved faithful, constant love. The God's fidelity will finds its fullest __expression in the Redemption brought about by Jesus Christ: "If, in fact, the reality of the Redemption," Pope John Paul II says, "in its human dimension, reveals the unheard-of greatness of man, "qui talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem", at the same time "the divine dimension of the Redemption" enables us [...] to uncover the depth of that love which does not recoil before the extraordinary sacrifice of the Son, in order to satisfy the fidelity of the Creator and Father towards human beings, created in his image" ("Dives In Misericordia", 7).

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First Reading - 1st Sunday of Advent

From: Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7

Victory at the End (Continuation)

[16b] Thou, 0 Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name. [17] 0 Lord, why dost thou make us err from thy ways and harden our heart, so that we fear thee not? Return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy heritage.

[1] 0 that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence [2b] to make thy name known to thy adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at thy presence! [3] When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down the mountains quaked at thy presence. [4] From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him. [5] Thou meetest him that joyfully works righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Behold, thou wast angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? [6] We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities,like the wind, take us away. [7] There is no one that calls upon thy name, that bestirs himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast delivered us into the hand of our iniquities.

([8] Yet, 0 Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand.)

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Commentary:

63:1-64:12. The previous oracle sang of the glory of the new Jerusalem and the prospect of its savior’s imminent arrival (cf. 62:11). Now at last the Lord comes as a conqueror and a Judge to dispense rewards and punishments. There are a number of oracles here to do with this theme, and they combine to create a long and beautiful apocalyptic poem. There are three stanzas in it: the first (63:1-6) describes the Lord’s victory over the Edomites, the epitome of a nation hostile to Israel; the second (63:7-14) celebrates the mercy of God and all he has done for his people; the third (63:15-64:12) is an entreaty full of confidence in the Lord, our Father.

God is twice invoked in urgent tones as the Father of Israel (63:16; 64:8). This is one of the most eloquent Old Testament passages about God’s tender fatherly feelings towards his people. The author of the poem is fully confident that the Lord’s fatherly heart will be sensitive towards everything his people suffer, even though they brought it on themselves (64:3-6). He beseeches God for help (63:17-19), even asking for a spectacular miracle (64:1).

The listing of the calamities that beset Israel continues in 64:1-12 in the same tone as 63:15-19: the prophet spells out why God should help his people.

63:1-6. The poem uses surprisingly strong, apocalyptic, language. It refers to a victory that appears to have two very different effects. On the one hand, victory is obtained after a very real and bloody struggle, symbolized by the treading of the wine-press, and it ends with the blood-stained clothes (v. 3). The conqueror works on his own, unaided (v. 5). On the other hand, his victory over the enemy means redemption for his people: the conqueror is first and foremost, the redeemer ("goel": v. 4; cf. 41: 14).

Christian tradition has interpreted this passage as a prophecy about the Messiah. The Revelation to John combines it with Psalm 2 to describe Christ’s battle with the beast and his eventual victory (Rev 19:11-21). The "Divine Office", which offers the poem as an optional reading in Eastertide, suggests that these words of Isaiah apply to Jesus Christ, Judge of the living and the dead, who shed his blood during his passion. And just as the vine harvester does his heavy work on his own, with none to help him (v. 5), so too Jesus Christ was abandoned by his disciples and left alone on Calvary when he was redeeming the world.

64:1. The prophet’s cry sums up very well the long years when Israel waited patiently for God to bring salvation; set in a messianic context, it expresses the hope in a Savior that the chosen people maintained over the centuries. And in some way it is a cry that everyone utters to God when be or she begs to see their noble aspirations bear fruit. This centuries-long Advent, which in some way is being relived in our own days, finds its answer once again in the purpose of God the Father, who sent his Son, made Man, to bring about our Redemption, and who sent the Holy Spirit to enable human beings to share in his Love.

64:4. St Paul quotes from this verse when writing about the wisdom of God, and his love for those who love him, and the gifts he has in store for man: “As it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'” (1 Cor 2:9). Because these gifts will not be fully bestowed until the next life, the verse is often quoted in Christian spirituality to describe the happiness enjoyed in heaven. For example, St Robert Bellarmine says: “You promise to those who obey your commandments a reward more precious than gold and sweeter than honey from the comb. It is a great reward, as St James says: 'The crown of life which the Lord has prepared for those who love him.' And what is the crown of life? It is a gift greater than any we can imagine or desire. St Paul says, quoting the prophet Isaiah: 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'" ("De Ascensione Mentis In Deum", first step).

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The Christ-like Catholic (1st Sunday of Advent)

"Look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand." St. Luke, 21:28

A famous artist once met a friend walking dejectedly with his head hanging down, a perfect picture of disappointment, discouragement and depression. He had the air and carriage of one who had made a great mis­take, a mistake he felt it impossible to correct.

The artist took an interest in this friend. He wanted to help him. He studied the discouraged man, got to know him more intimately, and then set to work painting a portrait. When the painting was completed the artist invited his friend to his studio, and announced with pride: "This painting is my masterpiece. I shall never do anything better."

The artist drew aside the curtain, and there the discouraged man saw himself on the canvas. Yes, it was himself; yet, it was not himself. It had his figure and features, but the head was erect, the shoulders thrown back, the eyes were bright and hopeful, and the mouth was determined and turned up at the corners. There was ambition and desire in every line.

"You think I am like that?" asked the friend. "Do you see all that in me?"

"Yes," came the quiet, confident answer of the artist.

"Then," declared the despondent one, with a ring of determination in his voice, "in God's name, I'll be that which you see in me."

Today Christ tells us to "look up, and lift up your heads," and He tells us the reason, "because your redemption is at hand." That redemption means especially the coming of Christ the Redeemer at Christmas. But Christ can come and go a thousand times with no benefit to some of you, unless you decide to live according to the plan and program laid down by Christ. No doubt many of you are discouraged and disappointed with your own failure to live up to the high calling of a Christian and a Catholic. Some of you express it like this:

"Father, I seem to make no progress."

During the Church year which we begin today, we intend to consider some of the means to a better Catholic life. We intend to consider Prayer, Precepts, and Virtues. Like that artist, who painted a picture of his friend as that friend wanted to be, we will paint a picture of the practical, Christ­-like Catholic, the kind you ought to be, the kind you want to be. Don't be disheartened if it seems too difficult. Make a start. "Look up and lift up your heads." We intend to consider this year:

1. The six principal precepts or commandments of the Church.
2. We will consider the meaning of prayer, its kinds, its need, its blessing.
3. We intend to explain each part of the Our Father, and also to say a few words about the Hail Mary.
4. We will spend a lot of time and thought on the virtues, those powers of the soul which make us like Christ, His Mother and His saints.
5. Again we will listen to the Eight Beatitudes or ways to happiness as Christ tells them to us in the Sermon on the Mount.
6. What is conscience? What is sin? What is mortal sin? What is venial sin? What do we mean by cooperation in sin? These are some of the vital questions we will attempt to answer.
7. Then the capital sins will be considered.
8. Lastly we will outline a program for a Christ-like life.

We hope there are very few, if any, among you who belong to that class of Catholics who are content with attending Sunday Mass and receiv­ing Holy Communion two or three times a year. Outside of that they make no effort to be Christ-like. To such Church laws are not necessary or obliging. Prayer? Never think of it. No time for it. We hope you are not one of these anaemic, tubercular, jelly-spined, rubber-legged Catholics, who do the very least possible for their souls and still call themselves Catholics.
Christ wants whole-hearted followers. He wants men and women who will serve Him out of love and sincerity, who will generously and lovingly follow His program and His plan as we explain it this year.

Our Catholic religion is so definite, clear-cut and so complete. It lays out the program as Christ laid it out. It gives us helps to follow that plan, the helps given by the God-man Himself.

Men are looking for a way of life. They want to know what to do and how to do it. They want to know what is right and what is wrong. Too many flounder around with this way of thinking and that way of living. They grab at one system or another only to find that it fails them.

Thank God, we of the Church which Christ founded have His plan and His way, which we will try to explain during the coming year.

The artist of our story painted a picture of his despondent friend, a picture that showed him how he wanted to be, how he ought to be. The picture for you and me is the picture of Christ. Behold His statue there, the Christ we want to be like. Keep Him before you all through this year. What we explain is what Christ was and what Christ wants us to be. Ask Him to make you like Him more and more every day. Look up to Him, lift up your eyes to Him. He is your redemption in this world and your salvation in the glory of the next. Amen.
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Adapted from Prayer, Precepts and Virtues by Fr. Arthur Tonne (1949)