Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life
“Freedom’s goal is to lead us to flourish not to fail. Freedom’s goal is Truth, Beauty and Goodness.” These words from the September Joy of the Family Blog, are still ringing the bells of conscience and still ringing the bells in the pursuit of excellence. God has given us the gift of Free Will! Essentially, God is Pro-Choice! That’s right God is Pro-Choice! The difference is that God desires us to choose what is good and true so we can truly flourish as human beings. God gives us the ability to choose, however, He also gives us the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes for us to form and live in good conscience. It is the good choices we make that set us apart and give us strength to love one another and serve one another. When we make worldly choices, we are only thinking about ourselves and most often we fall into sinful choices. G. K. Chesterton said, “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” Dare to be different and make Good Choices! Dare to swim against the stream of our culture.
So how do we choose what is Good? How do we pursue excellence, that is, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness? In today’s world how do we make choices and act in ways that are faithful and honor God? Again, remembering the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments, the Catechism gives us the wisdom we need for good choices. First, we must be sure that the action of our choice is Good. Even if the intention is for the best…the action itself must be Good. Second, our actions must be with good intention. We should always have in our thoughts helping and serving others, not our own selfish intentions, or the intention to hurt or wrong someone. An example would be to befriend someone only to get ahead or to benefit in some way. The third way to make sure our choice is good is to be sure that no matter what the circumstances of your action, if it is a sinful action, it is not good, period. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Truth is not determined by a majority vote.” How can you dare to be different? How can you show that Christian freedom is different than how our culture views “freedom” today?
Here’s what the Scriptures and our Catholic faith have to say…
Galatians 5: 1 – For Freedom Christ set us free; so, stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
1 John 3:19-20 – We will know by this that we are of the truth and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
Galatians 5: 13– For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love.
CCC 1742 – Freedom and Grace. The grace of Christ is not in the slightest way a rival of our freedom when this freedom accords with the sense of the true and the good that God has put in the human heart. On the contrary, as Christian experience attests especially in prayer, the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in inner freedom and confidence during trials, such as those we face in the pressures and constraints of the outer world. By the working of grace, the Holy Spirit educates us in spiritual freedom to make us free collaborators in his work in the Church and in the world.
Proverbs 16:9 – The mind of the man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
Author: Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito, Bishop of Palm Beach
There are matters of faith in the beginning of Genesis which are essential to our faith and always important to reflect upon. As we face so many opportunities and challenges within our lives, it is always good to put them in perspective especially about to how God envisioned life and the world from the beginning. This may be especially important for us today as we recently commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the horrific event of 9/11 and as we face so many tragic situations in our world today.
In the beginning we see that God created the world. It did not come into existence by an accident but from the very being of God Himself. The account of creation in the book of Genesis makes very clear that God created the world out of nothing but with a purpose and order. We read of the creation of light, water and all those elements which give and sustain life from God. All of these follow a natural rhythm as we experience from the movement of the day into night and from one season into another. Genesis then tells us that God created both plant and animal life which are sustained by these elements and natural rhythm.
The Book of Genesis helps us to appreciate better that the world is indeed God’s. His purpose and laws are at the basis of all others. There is a natural law which comes from God Himself. All other laws must be in conformity to His. Genesis also helps us to appreciate better the beauty of creation which so many times we can take for granted. Each day, God reveals Himself to us in nature as the earth moves around the sun reflecting the very grandeur of God. Too many daily preoccupations and concerns can interfere with the joy that comes from appreciating this basic beauty.
When the creation of the world is complete, the Book of Genesis makes clear that God then created the pinnacle of His creation which is the human person. Everything else which God has created is given to and meant to sustain the human person. It is here that Genesis reveals to us one of the most basic truths, which is that the human person is created in the very image and likeness of God. Unlike the rest of creation, to be human means to share in the very depth of the life of God Himself and to reflect that life in the fullest way. This means that every person is given a dignity which comes from God and can never be taken away.
When God created the human person in His image and likeness, another basic truth of life is revealed to us. The Book of Genesis tells us that God created the person as male and female, “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them,” (Gen 1:27). It is here that the nature of marriage and family life is understood as a participation in the life of God Himself. For as Genesis also tells us, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them shall become one body,” (Gen 2:24). God lives for all eternity as a communion of love in the Persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Marriage is a reflection of that communion through which life comes into existence. Every single life, from the moment of conception, has an inherent dignity which comes from God. In the family, that dignity and purpose are brought to fruition as a participation in God’s life. Marriage and family life are not a creation of society but a reflection of God’s very life. How much this basic truth needs to be better understood and appreciated in our society today.
The beginning of the Book of Genesis also makes clear another basic truth. God created us to be happy. He placed the human person in the Garden of Eden in a natural state of happiness. God wants us to be happy and to know the joy that is His. It is only by living as He created us that we find this happiness. Living life in a manner that is forgetful of God and the natural order and beauty of His creation is what leads to unhappiness and frustration.
In this context the Book of Genesis places before us another fundamental truth. The first man and woman decided not to live in the manner for which God had created them but attempted to find happiness in another way and disobeyed God’s natural law. Once they did this, they put themselves in an unhappy state and caused a disruption in the order and plan of God’s creation. Original sin entered the world and with original sin came an accompanying disorder.
The Book of Genesis also makes clear another reality of our faith and that is the existence of the evil one – Satan. Man and woman were tempted to go against God’s plan by Satan who fooled them by making evil look good. They chose evil, and its accompanying unhappiness, because they thought it would make them happy. The devil works in subtle ways, and we must always be cautious in this regard. God has given us, as He gave the original man and woman, freedom. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want but the ability to choose the good. It is Satan who works against this and is most effective when his existence is denied. That is why the first baptismal promise, as well as the one made by a young person to be confirmed, is “Do you reject Satan, and all his works and all his empty promises?”
As we reflect upon these basic truths given to us in the very beginning in the Book of Genesis, it is also essential for us to reflect upon the basic truths given to us in the Person of Jesus Christ who took our human nature to Himself in order that He might free us from ourselves. The Gospel of St. John begins with the words reflecting the opening Book of Genesis, “in the beginning.” The Son of God became one of us to bring us back to the beginning which God had planned for us in creation. Not even sin can hinder God’s plan and prevent us from experiencing His love in the original way for which He had created us. God had a plan for us from the very beginning and it is Christ who restores us to that plan.
The Book of Genesis reminds us of fundamental truths. It is Christ who sheds light upon those truths and brings us back to them in order that we might have the joy for which God created us.
It is always good to go back to the beginning.
Here’s what Scripture and Tradition have to say…
Genesis 1:27 – God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 2:24 – That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.
Colossians 1:15-20 – He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 289 – Among all the Scriptural texts about creation, the first three chapters of Genesis occupy a unique place. From a literary standpoint these texts may have had diverse sources. The inspired authors have placed them at the beginning of Scripture to express in their solemn language the truths of creation – its origin and its end in God, its order and goodness, the vocation of man, and finally the drama of sin and the hope of salvation. Read in the light of Christ, within the unity of Sacred Scripture and in the living Tradition of the Church, these texts remain the principal source for catechesis on the mysteries of the “beginning”: creation, fall, and promise of salvation.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life
In the Baltimore Catechism, we learn in the very first lesson that “God made us to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven”. Our Heavenly Father desires the very best for us, that is to be with Him forever. Ultimately, that is our hearts desire as well, we desire good, we desire God. We are meant to return to Him! Freedom is the catalyst that prepares us for heaven.
God is the giver of the gift of freedom. In the Catechism, it says, “Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. By free will one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains it’s perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude.” (CCC 1731 emphasis added) But why does He give us this gift? What is it that God wants for us? Our Father in Heaven gives us this freedom to allow us to pursue or NOT pursue His will for our lives. He gives us the choice and responsibility to pursue excellence. He gives us the Freedom for Excellence.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…and blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God”. (Matthew 5: 3, 8). Jesus is giving us the keys to “happiness” in the Beatitudes. He is showing us how to achieve Freedom for Excellence. He is teaching us how to be saints. When we reflect on what is good and true, we change! We become something more. Freedom is the choices we make that lead us to what is good and true.
Freedom’s goal is to lead us to flourish not to fail. Freedom’s goal is Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Freedom, like love is not a feeling, it is a choice or better, a decision. With freedom comes great responsibility. The choices we make should be virtuous to lead us to heaven, not sinful choices that lead us to anger and shame. The Catechism teaches, “A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.” (CCC 1803 emphasis added)
We are blessed by the saints in heaven who show us freedom’s goal. The saints were able to overcome the evils of the world and choose excellence. They used God’s gift of freedom so they could “be happy with Him forever in heaven”. Take time to learn about saints who overcame the evils of the world and discerned God’s will for their lives. How can you use the freedom for excellence to pursue the good and choose it in your concrete actions?
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say…
Isaiah 61: 1-3 – The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn; to place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, to give them oil of gladness in place of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit. They will be called oaks of justice, planted by the Lord to show his glory.
John 8: 31-36 – Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So, if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.
Galatians 5:13 – For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely “You shall love you neighbor as yourself.”
Author: Cathy Loh, Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
As the long, hot summer days speed by, we are once again quickly approaching the start of another school year. Ah, new beginnings, new hopes, new challenges, a time to start anew. Yes, God has provided us with many occasions for a fresh start…. a new calendar year, a new liturgical year, a new school year, indeed, each new day when God’s mercies are made new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Our Christian faith encourages us to not let these opportunities go to waste. We must be intentional about making the most of them. Some of us may just overlook these opportunities for a fresh start, while others may set lofty goals. However, experts tell us that the greatest chance for success in starting over and creating lasting change is to focus and decide what is the one thing we can do to affect meaningful and positive change in our lives.
Where to start? Jesus teaches us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). What is the one thing that we can do today to better love God? We could spend some time with Him in prayer, even if just for a few minutes; it’s a place to start. Perhaps stop by Church for a daily Mass or just to sit with Him. Or we can stop in an Adoration Chapel. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, the consecrated bread, and He waits patiently for us to visit with Him, ready to bestow those mercies that are made new each morning. We could spend a few minutes reading His love letter to us, the Bible, where He tells us about His plans for us. We could seek Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation where He forgives our sins and restores our relationship with Him. After all, Jesus tells us that the way to love God is to keep His commandments, and they are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Well, that may require some divine assistance, so we can just ask for help and be assured that when we ask according to His will, He hears and answers us (1 John 5:14-15). So now we are back to prayer again. Have you ever tried to pray the Rosary? What about one decade? What’s the one thing you could do today to grow closer to Jesus, to love Him more?
What about loving our neighbor, who might just be a family member rather than the person next door? Or it could be someone we know or are related to who lives miles away. What’s the one thing we can do to love that person more? Maybe it’s as simple as a smile or forgiving the person who offended or annoyed us. Perhaps it’s offering up a prayer or making a phone call to say, “I’m thinking of you.” Maybe it’s something slightly more involved like making a meal or a visit or running an errand for them.
We all lead very busy lives, so we need to be intentional about making changes in those lives. How can we grow in love of God and neighbor? Take advantage of the opportunities to start fresh. Tomorrow is a new day, and God’s mercies will be there for you. Take some time, be intentional, and decide what is the one thing you can do, no matter how small, to better love God and neighbor.
Here’s what Scripture has to say…
Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
Matthew 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Here’s what the Saints have to say…
St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
St. Therese of Lisieux Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life
Practice what you preach, or practice what you teach. In our world today, we are full of so much information. If we acted on it, some of that information could really make us different people, perhaps even better people. In Scripture, Jesus teaches us, actually, He commands us: “This I command you: love one another” John 15:17. This seems like a simple, practical, do-able command, and in our heads, we know it! We know it is what we must do! So how do we take it to our hearts and live this command? It is not an easy task to love one another, we really must set our own selfishness aside and appreciate each person for who God created them to be, without judgement, without trying to change them, without trying to control them. We are commanded to merely, “love one another”.
Taking knowledge to our hearts requires help! We really cannot do it alone; we need the Lord’s assistance. We need to ask Him in prayer! “Lord, please accompany us through our trials. We desire to love one another as you have commanded.” Our prayers can be simple, “Lord, help me to appreciate each person I meet today, help me to see them as You do.” “Help me to treat each person I meet with Christ-like love”.
“Love one another” sounds easy, and with God’s help, we might get a little closer to moving what we know is an important command, from our head to our heart and our actions. Pray today for the Lord to show you ways you can “love one another”, pray for the courage not to judge, change, or control. Pray to have more influence on people by showing them your love!
Here is what the scriptures have to say…
1 Peter 4:8-10 – Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 – Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.
John 13:34-35 – I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.
By Cathy Loh Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
“It is not good for the man to be alone…” declared God in the Garden of Eden after he created Adam, the first man (Genesis 2:18). Why is this important? Because we are made for relationship, for friendship. We are made in the image and likeness of God who is a community, a trinity, three persons in one God. So, being made in God’s image means that we are made for relationship, with God and with each other.
Our innate need for relationship is why the isolation experienced during this past year of COVID-19 lockdowns, social distancing and masks has been harmful to so many. It is well documented that babies need regular physical touch for normal cognitive development and to learn to relate socially. It is not only newborns who need touch to thrive, adults also need contact for their physical and emotional wellbeing. Imagine the toll on the elderly and the sick, who have had to face so many days separated from loved ones, deprived of a hug or kiss or reassuring pat on the arm. Not to mention the impact on the spouses, children, or other relatives of those isolated from them. While technology can be a blessing and enable us to “see” our loved ones, it is a poor substitute for physical presence. Sometimes this virtual connection is not even possible.
Another experience of isolation or deprivation comes in the form of faces hidden behind masks. My heart aches for the little ones, toddlers, children who may not be deprived of physical touch, but are deprived of a smile or other facial expressions blocked by masks. What impact will these masks have on children’s social interactions and their ability to interpret facial expressions in the future? Time will tell.
While we navigate this uncharted territory of a worldwide pandemic, we need to consider the unintended but natural and not surprising consequences of our actions. We must prudently balance protection in the present with protection for a future. We must remember that God created us for relationship, for community. To deprive the healthy, let alone the young, frail, sick or elderly, of contact with their loved ones, is to deny our innate need for community and risk our spiritual and emotional wellbeing.
As we enter into this penitential season of Lent, let us remember how much we have already given up this past year. Let us consider our loved ones and how we might reach out to offer them consolation and fellowship. Let us consider how to prudently balance the spiritual and emotional needs of those we love with their physical safety needs. Let us not overlook our own need for connection and community. To continue to emphasize one need at the expense of the other may mean we are resting in a false sense of security rather than prayerfully trusting in the God who made us in His image for community.
Here is what the scriptures have to say…
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 Where a lone man can be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life
Recently someone reminded me of the process that occurs when we use the internet. I am neither a tech savvy person nor a tech ignorant person, I am probably somewhere in between. In my words: Internet makes the Web possible; it is a huge network of computers which communicate together, many call it an “information superhighway”. So, when we want to watch a funny cat video, or answer important questions like “what sound does a cardinal make” or “who was the lead singer of the Foundations”, you type your question, and that question enters the information superhighway. This superhighway includes a trip to space where it bounces off a satellite comes all the way back to earth and communicates with a network of computers, probably bounces off another satellite in a different part of outer space and then the information finds its way back to your computer. It is quite amazing when you think about it. Yet, as I was reminded, how many times do you get upset that your internet is too slow? Have you ever sat back and thought about the amazing process that happens each time you hit enter? I was also reminded of a time when we had to research or ask other people about our questions. Sometimes when we ask someone a question, a conversation begins and if you are fortunate this conversation will lead to a lasting friendship or a great discovery. There was a time when we looked in books or went outside to observe and listen, we talked to other people and continued to ask the questions until we found an answer. Sometimes it took a long time, but it allowed us to wonder, what is the answer? We learned how to search for knowledge and information, and we discovered amazing things.
We are living in a fast-paced world. We expect things to happen immediately, and we get upset when they do not. Many of us cannot even wait in a line anymore. We have forgotten what Wonder is! Take a moment to look around you, pause from the information superhighway and physically survey all the amazing things you come across in a day. Use your senses! God created the world, and it is filled with so much more than we take the time to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Have you ever been driving, when the sun is rising, and it gets in your eyes? Do you take time to stop and see the beauty of the sunrise, or do you complain about its brightness? God created that amazing light and it gives us warmth, colors, and life. The person next to you could be making you happy, sad, angry, or just sitting there. God created that person to be unique, unrepeatable! God created each of us in His divine image, male and female He created us. Embrace the thought that God loves you so much that even before you were born, he was in love with you! Embrace the beauty in your masculinity or femininity and that God created you perfect! We have been inside too long; we have been fixated on our phones and computers too often. Praise God by going outside and looking at the beauty of all creation! Thank God for each day and for all the goodness that surrounds us!
Here is what the scriptures have to say…
Luke 5:26 Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”
Psalm 96:11-12 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice before the Lord who comes…!
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1299 At the Sacrament of Confirmation – In the Roman Rite the bishop extends his hands over the whole group of the confirmands. Since the time of the apostles this gesture has signified the gift of the Spirit. The bishop invokes the outpouring of the Spirit in these words: All powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their help and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Matthew 6:25-29 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wildflowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ Or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Family Life Coordinator
Happy New Year! November 29 marks the beginning of a new Liturgical Year. We begin Advent with Liturgical Cycle B and similar to the beginning of a new calendar year, it is a great time to reflect on this past year’s spiritual journey. When I look back, I realize this year was different and I need a different perspective. It has been a year of spiritual turmoil…but also, a year of great spiritual growth. There have been many moments of desolation but there are so many moments and blessings for which to be thankful. In 2020 we have had to find new ways to relate to others and new ways to minister to others. What is God trying to show us in all these changes?
I was reflecting on the many great homilies I heard over the past year. It is crazy to think that many of them were online or on TV in my living room with my family gathered around our makeshift altar. It was not the best way to worship, it was certainly different, but by the grace of God and technology, we could still praise Him in our community, our domestic church. While we did receive spiritual communion, “at home Mass” brought a longing for the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and what a great lesson we learned from this…perspective. In several homilies I heard about the times of religious persecution, times when people had to hide in caves, forests, or even basements to give praise to God. Today, some people must still hide to praise God and many communities wait for a priest to visit before they can attend Mass…perspective. One of my favorite homilies stressed the privilege of voting for a candidate who will lead our nation. Whether our preferred candidate is elected or not, life goes on. Christ is still and will always be King of Heaven and Earth. We praise Him morning, noon, and night. We thank Him for the graces we receive and the blessings of creation. We pray for our daily bread, for mercy and forgiveness. We are loved by Him who made us in His image and likeness…perspective.
Let this Advent be a time to adjust your perspective. We have so much to be thankful for, it is right in front of us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Perspective!
Here is what the Church and Scripture have to say…
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Romans 8: 37-39 – In all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 5: 1-16 – When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Guest Author: Javier, a 15-year-old from the Diocese of Palm Beach
This was sent to the Office of Family Life. There is such maturity and beauty in Javier’s words. As you read, remember the Mass is a participation in the Last Supper, the One, never-ending sacrifice….
The Last Supper, the Sacrifice of the Cross, and the Sacrifice of the Mass are all connected and inseparable. Each share the essential elements of a sacrifice, but their timelines meet outside of space and time. They come together as the perfect sacrifice, wholly pleasing to God.
The nature of a sacrifice requires several elements. The first element of a sacrifice is a visible gift. The gift must be offered as a victim for God alone. Only a proper, authorized person is permitted to make this oblation. The purpose of the sacrifice is to give homage, adoration, and thanksgiving to God and to atone for man’s sins. Lastly, the offering must be pleasing and acceptable to God.
Each of these elements of a sacrifice are present on the Cross. The visible gift is Jesus. He offered himself to God as a complete victim. He is slain and immolated for the sins of man. By His death, He merited salvation for humanity. Jesus, as the High Priest, was authorized to perform this sacrifice. Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross was acceptable to the Eternal Father.
In the Mass, Jesus is the perpetual victim as the visible gift in the bread and wine. Through transubstantiation, the bread and wine changes into Jesus’s Body and Blood. Antagonists may argue that the sacrifice is not valid since Jesus has been offered as a victim once before. However, when Christ is present on the altar at the consecration of the Mass, He is truly present anew as the victim of our salvation. Man’s sins have offended God greatly. Jesus’s suffering and death alone can satisfy God’s justice. Through the Sacrifice of the Mass, God is adored reverently and perfectly. This special oblation can only be offered by the authority of a Catholic priest. The Sacrifice of the Mass is identical to the Sacrifice on the Cross, only in an unbloody manner.
At the last supper, Christ commanded the Apostles, “Do this for commemoration of Me.” (56) Priests today, continue to offer Christ’s death in response to this command. At the Last Supper, Christ instituted Holy Orders. At that table, He gave His Apostles and their successors the power and authority to offer His forthcoming Sacrifice on the Cross anew in all future Masses.
The Last Supper, the Sacrifice of the Cross, and the Sacrifice of the Mass are the same sacrifice. They are all connected and cannot be separated. At the Last Supper, Jesus points to His future Sacrifice on the Cross. The Sacrifice of the Cross is commemorated at the Mass. The Sacrifice of the Mass remembers and commemorates the Sacrifice of the Cross. The sacrifices of the old, meet in the present moment and await the future.
Bibliography: Laux, John. MASS AND THE SACRAMENTS. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1934. Print
Here is what the Church and Scripture have to say…
CCC #1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner…this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”
1 John 2: 2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
1 Peter 2:5…and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a hold priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:10 By this “will”, we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
