James 1:21 says, "Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls." Do you have the word of God planted in you? Of course you do but the better question is, are you allowing that word to grow within you? Are you sharing that word of God with others? Are you living that word of God everyday? What is the filth in your life? Filth is a nasty word, it figuratively depicts what it describes. When you hear the word filth, what do you think of? If is very descriptive and can conjure up some very horrible images. But that is the point St. James is trying to make. He urges us to put aside the disgusting things in our lives. He is coaxing us to rid ourselves of the garbage that can drag us into bad habits and sin. Filth in our current world can take on many forms. It might be the television shows we watch. It could be an obsession we have like gambling, porn, or gossip. It could be stealing or lying. The devil has many tricks in his arsenal. You need to discern what he is using against you right night and call on the Lord to help you overcome the addiction. Rid yourself of the filth. St. James tells us that the word of God can save our souls. Our Catholic tradition teaches us that the word of God is not only the Bible but much deeper and richer because of the traditions and teachings of the Doctors of the Church. Sacred tradition aids our understanding of the word of God and helps us to receive it properly. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the word of God. Coming to understand Jesus Christ and His teachings allows the word of God to grow within each of us. The Apostles of Jesus realized this and began to teach after Jesus' death and resurrection. The word of God only lives on as long as we are willing to share it with others. It remains active when we use it to pierce the hearts of non-believers. It comes alive when we use it to inspire our fellow believers. St. James urges us to remain unstained by the world He is reinforcing what the word of God told us. We should be in this world but not of it. We should not allow ourselves to be surrounded by filth and we should not help wickedness to grow. We must become the sharp sword that cuts through the rank and filth so that everyone can hear the word of God. Allow the implanted word to save your soul today.

The Catholic News Service says that several commonly held assumptions about clergy sexual abuse of minors are actually misperceptions, according to the report released May 18 on a major study of the causes and context of the problem in the United States. The study, released at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, was conducted by a team of researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. "No single psychological, developmental or behavioral characteristic differentiated priests who abused minors from those who did not," the report said. Furthermore, it was found that "the majority of priests who abused were not driven by particular pathologies, and most did not 'specialize' in abuse of particular types of victims." The report said 70 percent of priests referred for abusing a minor "had also had sexual behavior with adults." It often is thought that the sexual abuse crisis in the church continues unabated today, the report observed. But it said "the peak of the crisis has passed." It said the church "responded," abuse cases decreased substantially and clergy sexual abuse of minors "continues to remain low." Data show that abuse incidents were "highest between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s," the report noted. "Ninety-four percent of the abuse incidents reported to the Catholic Church from 1950 through 2009 took place before 1990," it said. Currently, "fewer new reports are brought forward" each year. The researchers pointed to "archival data" they analyzed indicating that during the 1990s, despite reports of sexual abuse received by church leaders, "the extent of the incidence of sexual abuse was not known" by them, "and the historical dimension of it also was not known." Certain misperceptions regarding the abusers' sexuality were spelled out by the report. It said: media reports about Catholic priests who sexually abused minors often mistakenly have referred to priests as pedophiles; and, the report called attention to clinical descriptions of pedophilia that speak of "fantasies, urges or behaviors about sexual activity with a prepubescent child that occurs for a significant period of time." However, it said, nearly four out of five minors abused were 11 or older at the time of the abuse. Eleven generally is regarded in professional literature "as an age of pubescence or postpubescence," the report noted. It said less than 5 percent of priests with abuse allegations exhibited behavior consistent with actual pedophilia. Clinical data do not support the hypothesis that priests with a homosexual identity ... are significantly more likely to sexually abuse" minors than priests "with a heterosexual orientation or behavior. However, "because of the large number of sexual abuse victims who were male minors," homosexuality's role in the abuse "has been a notable question," the report explained. It considered it "important to note that sexual behavior does not necessarily correspond to a particular sexual identity." A possible reason that so many male minors were abused is that priests had greater access to them, the report speculated. The study showed that "the only significant risk factor related to sexual identity and behavior was a 'confused' sexual identity, and this condition was most commonly found in abusers who were ordained prior to the 1960s." Neither celibacy nor the church's male priesthood undergirded the sexual abuse problem, the report said. "Features and characteristics of the Catholic Church, such as an exclusively male priesthood and the commitment to celibate chastity, were invariant during the increase, peak and decrease in abuse incidents, and thus are not causes of the 'crisis,'" it said. Priestly celibacy, consistently practiced in the church over many centuries, cannot explain the spike of abuse cases from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s and the steep decline after 1985, the report added. The sexual abuse of minors "is not a phenomenon unique to the Catholic Church," the report said. It referred to abuse of this kind as a "pervasive and persistent" problem often found in organizations where "mentoring and nurturing relationships develop between adults and young people."

Now that the Space Shuttle Endeavor has lifted off and is scheduled to dock tomorrow with the International Space Station, plans are back on for Pope Benedict XVI to chat with the astronauts. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said that the pope’s audiovisual satellite linkup with the space station is scheduled for 1:56 p.m. Rome time Saturday. The conversation originally was scheduled for May 4, but the Endeavor's liftoff was delayed. The papal linkup was organized by the European Space Agency, which has one Italian on the Endeavor and one Italian already on the space station. Both crews will be in the space station when the pope calls. Even though it is in the nature of every human being to seek God, creating the kind of inner state necessary for prayer is difficult, Pope Benedict XVI said. "Prayer is first and foremost a matter of the heart where we experience God's call and our dependence on his help to transcend our limitations and sinfulness," the pope said at his weekly general audience. Pope Benedict's catechesis was the latest in a new series of audience talks about prayer. Prayer is an inner activity, "a way of being before God," and not a series of formulas, words and gestures, he said. Because prayer is rooted so deeply in the individual's inner being, it is "not easily decipherable" and is "difficult," he said. Prayer is a privileged moment for self-giving and putting oneself before "the invisible, the unexpected, the ineffable," and for that reason "the experience of prayer is a challenge for everybody, a grace to be invoked and a gift" from God, he said. Despite the current climate of secularism in which God is overlooked or eliminated from one's life, there are also "many signs that tell us there is a reawakening of the religious sense, a rediscovery of the importance of God" in people's lives, the pope said. The prediction that humanity would gain freedom, dignity and autonomy by replacing religion with pure reason "has failed" and the two World Wars from the past century have severely tested the belief that reason bereft of God would bring progress, he said.

Romans 12 1-3 tells us "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned." The issue of modesty in dress for people attending Mass came up recently. It is funny that most of the time it focuses on how women dress rather the lack of respect some men show in their attire. I am of the mind that God really doesn't care what you wear to Mass as long as you are there. I would hate to think that someone isn't attending Mass because they think they don't have something nice to wear. Actually, this mindset is not the one that was being discussed. It is the lack of clothing that created the discussion. It seems that as the seasons change and the temperature rises, many folks seem to wear less clothing. Now this makes sense on a beach or at the pool but what about Mass. Going to church is about joining a community of worshipers coming together to praise our Lord. It is about being inspired by His word. It is about receiving His body and blood to be nourished spiritually. But is also involves what St. Paul talks about in Romans. It requires a sense of modesty. We are a temple for the Holy Spirit. We are earthen vessels for the Lord. Our bodies should be put to work for the Lord. When we are doing the Lord's bidding, the focus should be on the works and not on ourselves. Dressing immodestly brings undue focus to us. It forces others to be distracted and that is not helpful for our spiritual growth. St. Paul's words force me to grow in my thinking on this topic. How am I to dress to be most pleasing to God? How should I dress to worship spiritually? Am I conforming myself to the world and the dictates of created things? Discerning the will of God is best done in humility and modesty. This includes the way we dress. So we should go to Mass often and we should not be overly concerned about how we dress except that we should be modest and represent the temple of the Holy Spirit. It allows our fellow participants to focus on enhancing their relationship with God rather than noticing what our clothing is saying about us.

The Catechism in 2590 tells us that "prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." How often have you prayed to God only to remain waiting? Do you think God is not listening? How did you learn how to pray? It was most likely as a child at the side of your parents or grandparents. It may even have been by a priest or nun in school. The point is, most of us are still praying in that child-like way. We still are asking God for created things. Raising one's mind and heart to God means that we are asking for God's will in all things. When you pray, do you ask that God do his will? If you are like most of us, your prayer is more often about your needs and wants. It is about your desires and not the will of God. Now I realize that many of us pray for other people. I spent the last few days in deep prayer asking God to spare a friend's life. I considered it a good thing from God. However, the answer to my and many others prayers on this occasion was no. Our dear friend left this earth for greater glory. She was called home by our Father to serve Him in another capacity. Very frequently, God's answer to our prayers is no because He knows that the created thing we are praying for is not going to bring us the happiness we think. He knows everything and He knows when to tell us no. The understanding of God's love and compassion, His plan for our lives, is very comforting. We often are angry when we are told no but have you ever stopped to think about the why of God telling us no? The next time you find yourself praying for something that you think will bring you ultimate happiness, think about the real reason you want it. Is it replacing something more substantial in your life? Is it replacing God? If the answer to your prayer is no, take the time to pause and reflect on why that is the right answer. God is our protector. He is always ready to embrace us and keep us from harm. So let's begin to practice to pray in the more enlightened way described in the Catechism. Raise your heart and mind to God as you pray. Ask that His will be done in all things and remember to pray for wisdom. He is ready to answer our prayers when He knows it will help us towards the ultimate goal of life everlasting with Him.

Sudden loss, the kind that comes like a thief in the night and steals what is most precious to you, is life altering. I don't think that we as humans are ever fully ready to let go of someone but losing them in a brief second without any warning seems to hurt the most. It doesn't allow us to say goodbye. It doesn't allow us to have the conversations that provide comfort for both people. It does not allow us proper closure. We know there is a purpose to everything. We know that God has a plan in all of this tragic loss. It allows us to process but doesn't make it easy. We should grieve and that includes crying and maybe even wailing. But we must also celebrate that person's life because they were a child of God. Every life is important because our Creator gives it. I am reminded by the beautiful prayer that gives us perspective on living a full life but remembering that the ultimate goal is to live eternally with God in Heaven. Lord, teach me not to hold on to life too tightly. Teach me to take it as a gift. To enjoy it, to cherish it while I have it, but to let go gracefully and thankfully when the time comes. The gift is great but the Giver is greater still. You are the Giver and in You is a life that never ends. Amen. God bless the souls of Tim and Madonna Gautreau who tragically lost there lives yesterday.

More than ever, I find myself in the hands of God. This is what I have wanted all my life from my youth. But now there is a difference: the initiative is entirely with God. It is indeed a profound spiritual experience to know and feel my self so totally in God's hands. This beautiful and personal prayer was written by Pedro Arrupe, SJ after he suffered a debilitating stroke. Every time I read it, I find it speaking to me in a different way. Don't we all long for what Fr. Pedro wanted? How comforting to be held in the hands of God. The fact is that God's hands are so large that they can hold all of us at the same time. There is no limit to God despite the attempts by some to define who and what God is and can do. Allowing God to comfort us seems like it would be easy but very often our own actions prohibit it from happening. We usually want to solve the problem ourselves rather than simply turning it over to God to handle. Depend on Him in all things. Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added. We must work everyday to "find" ourselves in the hands of God. Fr. Pedro's journey was difficult but in his pain and suffering, he realized that God is right there. If you are suffering, take the pain and use it for good. Join yourself with Christ on the cross and offer your suffering for everyone else. In your suffering, you can tabernacle with Christ. You can see the world through the eyes of Jesus. Allow God to take you in His hands now.