Prayer: Seeking God with a Humble Heart

Lent is a sacred season of renewal, repentance, and preparation for the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are invited to deepen our relationship with God, detach from worldly distractions, and practice charity. These pillars of Lent, deeply rooted in Scripture and Tradition, also align with Catholic Social Teaching, guiding us to live out our faith in justice and love.

Prayer is the foundation of the Lenten journey, allowing us to commune with God and align our will with His divine plan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (CCC 2559). Through prayer, we grow in humility, recognizing our dependence on God’s grace.

Jesus Himself taught us how to pray, emphasizing sincerity over showmanship: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). St. Anthony of Padua echoes this sentiment, saying, “We pray best when we pray with our hearts and not merely with our lips.”

During Lent, prayer should not be limited to personal petitions but should also include intercession for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized. Catholic Social Teaching calls us to solidarity, reminding us that our prayers should move us to action for justice and peace.

The Eve of Revelation: Preparing for Lent with Jesus' Final Teachings

Tomorrow, the ashes will fall, marking the beginning of our Lenten journey. But today, on the eve of this sacred season, we stand at a pivotal moment, much like the Apostles did before Jesus' final, earth-shattering revelations. It's a day of quiet anticipation, a day to reflect on how Jesus prepared his closest followers for the trials and triumphs that lay ahead.

The Gospels paint a vivid picture of Jesus' final days before the Passion. He knew his time was short, and he used every precious moment to deepen the Apostles' understanding of his mission. He wasn't just a miracle worker or a captivating preacher; he was the Messiah, the Son of God, destined to suffer and rise again.

Jesus' Preparatory Teachings:

·         The Prediction of His Passion: In Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, and Luke 9:22, we see Jesus explicitly telling his disciples about his impending suffering, death, and resurrection. This wasn't a casual mention; it was a repeated, deliberate effort to prepare them for the unimaginable. He knew they needed to grapple with this truth, even if they couldn't fully comprehend it.

·         The Teaching on Humility and Service: In John 13, we witness Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, a powerful act of humility that served as a profound lesson. He taught them that true greatness lies in service, a crucial understanding for those who would carry on his ministry.

·         The Promise of the Holy Spirit: In John 14-16, Jesus comforts his disciples, promising them the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who would guide them and remind them of his teachings. He knew they would need divine strength and guidance to navigate the challenges ahead.

·         The Parables and Deeper Teachings: Jesus used parables to reveal deeper truths about the Kingdom of God, preparing them for the spiritual realities they would face. These parables, like the parable of the talents or the wise and foolish virgins, were not just stories; they were essential lessons for understanding his mission.

Lent: A Time of Revelation and Transformation

Just as Jesus prepared his Apostles, Lent is our opportunity to prepare ourselves for the ultimate revelation of Easter. Pope Saint John Paul the Great, in his writings on Lent, emphasized the importance of this season as a time of interior conversion. He saw Lent as a period of:

·         Intensified Prayer: "Prayer is the soul of all apostolic activity," he wrote. Lent encourages us to deepen our communion with God through prayer, seeking his guidance and strength.

·         Fasting and Penance: These practices are not merely acts of self-denial; they are tools for purifying our hearts and freeing ourselves from distractions, allowing us to focus on God's presence.

·         Almsgiving: Sharing our resources with those in need is a tangible expression of our love for God and our neighbor, reflecting Jesus' call to service.

·         Spiritual Renewal: Lent is a time for us to examine our lives, identify our weaknesses, and seek God's forgiveness and grace. It's a chance to renew our commitment to following Christ.

As we enter Lent, let us remember the Apostles' initial confusion and fear, and how Jesus patiently prepared them. Let us embrace the Lenten practices as opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. Let us open our hearts to the revelation of God's love, so that we may emerge from this season renewed and ready to celebrate the joy of Easter.

Today, on the eve of Lent, let us pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the journey ahead. Let us walk with Jesus, just as the Apostles did, and allow him to reveal the depths of his love and the fullness of his mission.

 

Wounds Transformed: Finding Flourishing in Christ's Suffering

The affliction of wounds is an inescapable part of the human experience. We often try to hide them, deny their existence, or even parade them as a defining feature of our identity. Yet, these extremes only serve to deepen our suffering. In his insightful book, Cistercian monk Varden, drawing upon the medieval poem of Arnulf of Leuven, guides us towards a profound understanding of wounds, not as isolated afflictions, but as points of connection with the wounds of Christ. He gently encourages us to move beyond a superficial understanding, urging us to consider how our own wounds can be transformed through Christ's sacrifice, leading to a path of healing and flourishing.

Varden challenges us to shift our perspective, asking how we can experience Christ’s wounds not merely as a juridical act of redemption, but as a living source of healing. He emphasizes the contextual nature of wounds, reminding us that they feed on what was once whole. This understanding allows us to see our own wounds in a new light, not as isolated sources of pain, but as shared experiences that connect us to the suffering of Christ. By meditating on Arnulf’s poem, wound by wound, we are invited to "make an act of dispossession," abandoning our fixation on personal misery and focusing instead on the transformative power of love. This shift allows us to embrace a Catholic vocabulary that associates wounds with concepts like love, flourishing, comfort, and gratitude.

The journey towards flourishing begins with understanding the relationship between our wounds and those of Christ. Varden illustrates this by exploring how our healing can prepare us to offer comfort and benefit to others. He highlights Arnulf's perspective, emphasizing the importance of approaching Christ’s wounds with humility and reverence, as exemplified in the meditation on Christ's feet, “Ad pedes.” This perspective, prostrate before the crucified feet, shapes the way we experience those wounds, offering a deeper theological understanding. Similarly, the reflection on Christ's knees, “Ad genua,” leads to a profound exploration of kneeling in worship and receiving Holy Communion, revealing the "soul-space" within us where we acknowledge our unworthiness and seek divine grace.

The acceptance of sin and the need for redemption are crucial steps towards flourishing. Varden reminds us that denying the reality of sin blocks our view of the horizon beyond our wounds. He critiques the "unbiblical fiction" that the world should be experienced as perfect, emphasizing that acknowledging the world as a "vale of tears" is not pessimism, but a recognition of our need for salvation. It is in this paradox, the acceptance of our brokenness and the recognition of Christ's redemptive sacrifice, that we find the path to true flourishing. Easter is not a past event, but a present reality, offering us life, joy, and hope.

Ultimately, Varden’s work offers a profound meditation on the transformative power of Christ’s wounds. By embracing our own wounds and understanding their connection to Christ’s suffering, we can move beyond mere healing towards a state of flourishing. This journey, guided by Arnulf’s poignant poem and Varden’s insightful reflections, invites us to see wounds not as a source of despair, but as a path to deeper understanding, compassion, and ultimately, a richer experience of God’s love.

Preparing Our Hearts: A Lenten Journey Towards Eternity

The season of Lent, a time of reflection and renewal, draws near. It is a sacred opportunity to turn our hearts towards God, to examine our lives, and to prepare for the glorious celebration of Easter. This preparation is not merely a ritual, but a profound journey of spiritual transformation, a pilgrimage towards eternal life with our Lord. Now is the time to begin, to ask God to illuminate the areas in our lives that need change, not just for temporal comfort, but for the sake of our eternal souls.

Lent calls us to contemplate the immense sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. His suffering and death were the ultimate act of love, a victory over sin and death, opening the gates of Heaven for us. As we journey through these forty days, we must fix our gaze on the cross, meditating on the depth of His love and the magnitude of His sacrifice. This contemplation should stir within us a desire to align our lives with His, to abandon the fleeting pleasures of the world and embrace the eternal joy of His presence.

We cannot undertake this journey alone. We must humbly ask the Holy Spirit to be our guide and strength. The Spirit, the Advocate, will illuminate our hearts, revealing our weaknesses and guiding us towards true conversion. We must pray for the grace to discern the changes God desires for us, to relinquish those things that hinder our relationship with Him, and to embrace those virtues that lead us closer to His heart. This discernment is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process, a constant striving to conform our lives to the image of Christ.

Furthermore, we are called to support one another in this spiritual journey. Jesus established the Catholic Church as a community of love, forgiveness, and support. Lent is a time to strengthen these bonds, to offer encouragement, and to pray for one another. We are not solitary pilgrims, but members of the Body of Christ, united in our longing for eternal life. Let us walk together, sharing our struggles and celebrating our victories, knowing that Christ is present in our midst.

To guide us on this path, let us reflect on the wisdom of our spiritual ancestors:

Pope John Paul II: “Lent is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage towards Him who is the source of mercy. It is a time when we can rediscover the gift of God and realize our own weakness.” This reminds us that Lent is a time of grace, a chance to rediscover God's mercy and acknowledge our need for His saving love.

St. Francis of Assisi: “Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up to now we have done little or nothing.” This statement calls for action, a commitment to actively serving God and making tangible changes in our lives.

St. Ignatius of Loyola: "To give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will." St. Ignatius speaks to the spirit of self-sacrifice, asking us to dedicate ourselves fully to God's will, without seeking earthly rewards.

As we prepare for Lent, let us open our hearts to God's transforming grace. Let us seek His guidance, embrace His love, and support one another in our journey towards eternal life. May this Lenten season be a time of profound spiritual renewal, leading us closer to Christ and preparing us for the joy of Easter and the eternal glory of Heaven.

Why Washington's "National Cathedral" Isn't: A Matter of Dioceses and Definitions

The majestic Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, perched atop Mount St. Alban in Washington D.C., is often referred to as the "Washington National Cathedral." While its grandeur certainly lends itself to such a title, the reality is far more nuanced, and frankly, more diocesan.

Let's cut to the core: there is no such thing as a "national cathedral" in the way many people assume. To understand why, we need to understand what a cathedral is. A cathedral is the seat of a bishop within a diocese. Notre-Dame in Paris is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, St. Paul's in London is the cathedral of the Diocese of London. These are diocesan, not national, landmarks.

The Washington Cathedral, despite its grand name, is the seat of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. However, the Presiding Bishop is not a "national bishop," and the Episcopal Church is not the "national church." The United States, like most countries, does not have a national diocese.

Therefore, calling it the "national cathedral" is a misnomer, a piece of "Washingtonian hyperbole," as some might say. It’s a bit like calling a particularly large and important public library the "national library" simply because it's in the capital.

This mislabeling is only one piece of a larger issue. The Washington Cathedral, like some Anglican cathedrals in the UK, has increasingly become an "event space." Corporate holiday parties, complete with light shows, dance floors, and bars, have transformed the sacred nave into a secular venue. This commercialization raises serious questions about the respect for sacred space and the purpose of a cathedral.

This secularization of what is called a "national cathedral" highlights a deeper absence: the lack of a strong synthesis between culture, society, and the Church, a synthesis once embodied by the great cathedrals of the past.

As Pope Benedict XVI eloquently stated in a homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the beauty of a cathedral, and of the Church itself, is best understood "from the inside." He used the analogy of stained-glass windows: from the outside, they appear dark and dreary, but from the inside, they are vibrant and luminous.

The unity of a cathedral, like the unity of the Church, is a dynamic tension, a harmonious interplay of diverse elements pointing toward Heaven. We, as members of the Church, are called to invite others "inside," to experience the radiant beauty of God's presence.

A true cathedral, functioning as intended, serves as a powerful call to evangelization. It's a reminder of our spiritual heritage and an invitation to participate in the life of grace. The Washington Cathedral, by blurring the lines between sacred and secular, risks losing this essential function.

Ultimately, the issue isn't simply about semantics. It's about understanding the true purpose of a cathedral and preserving its sacred character in a world increasingly dominated by secular values. 

The Tri-Form Body of Christ: A De Lubacian Perspective

Henri de Lubac, a prominent 20th-century theologian, offered profound insights into the mystery of Christ, particularly through his retrieval of the patristic concept of the "tri-form body of Christ." This notion illuminates the multifaceted presence of Christ in the world, encompassing three inseparable dimensions: the incarnate Christ, the Eucharistic Christ, and the ecclesial Christ.

First, there is the historical Jesus, the Word of God incarnate, whose life, death, resurrection, and ascension form the foundation of our faith. This is the primary and originating meaning of the "body of Christ." This singular event of God becoming human is the wellspring from which all else flows.

Secondly, Christ's presence continues through the Eucharist, his Eucharistic body. This is not merely a symbolic representation, but a real and substantial presence, nourishing the Church and building it up as Christ's own mystical body. De Lubac’s famous phrase, "the Church makes the Eucharist, and the Eucharist makes the Church," highlights this dynamic reciprocity. As Pope Benedict XVI, drawing from de Lubac, explained in Sacramentum Caritatis, this interplay reveals the primacy of Christ's self-gift. The Church's ability to celebrate the Eucharist is rooted in Christ's prior gift of himself on the Cross. "He first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19) – this truth resonates powerfully in every Eucharistic celebration, reminding us of the eternal priority of Christ's love. The Eucharist is Christ giving himself, continually building us into his body.

Finally, the Church itself constitutes Christ's ecclesial body. We, the baptized, are incorporated into Christ, becoming part of a new supernatural reality inaugurated by the Paschal Mystery. This incorporation isn't just an individual matter; it's a communal one, drawing us into a network of relationships that define our new being in Christ.

Two key consequences emerge from this understanding of the tri-form body. Firstly, salvation is understood as incorporation into this body of Christ. It's not merely an individual transaction, but a participation in the new life offered through Christ's paschal sacrifice. Secondly, the ecclesial body is perpetually dependent on its head, Christ. The Church, both historically and eternally, is not a separate entity, but receives its life and sustenance from the ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist, as the primary means of participating in this divine life, becomes essential for the Church's existence and growth.

De Lubac’s vision of the tri-form body of Christ offers a powerful image of the interconnectedness of Christ's presence in the world. The incarnate Christ, the Eucharistic Christ, and the ecclesial Christ are not separate entities, but three dimensions of the same mystery. They reveal the ongoing work of the Trinity in creation, culminating in the "recapitulation of all things in Christ" (Eph 1:10), a concept central to both Irenaeus and de Lubac. This vision emphasizes the communal nature of salvation, the centrality of the Eucharist, and the unwavering dependence of the Church on its head, Christ. It calls us to a deeper understanding of our identity as members of Christ's body, living in and through his love.

The Bible: A Vital Treasure for Catholics

The Bible. It's the most popular book in the history of the world, a cornerstone of Western civilization, and a vital treasure for Jesus's Catholic Church. Yet, many Catholics find themselves surprisingly unfamiliar with its depths. This needs to change.

Too often, our experience of the Bible is limited to the Sunday Mass readings. While these are essential, they offer only glimpses into the vast tapestry of God's plan. Homilies, while well-intentioned, often lack the in-depth biblical explanations we crave, leaving us without a clear understanding of the context, authorship, and application of the scriptures to our daily lives. We need to understand:

·        Who wrote the text?

·        What was their intention?

·        How does this passage connect to the bigger picture of salvation history?

·        What does it mean for my life today?

Why Bible Knowledge Matters

This lack of familiarity leaves Catholics vulnerable. Other Christian denominations often emphasize personal Scripture study, and their members may have a greater knowledge of the Bible, even if their interpretations differ. This can be a challenge for Catholics who encounter well-meaning but misinformed individuals who cherry-pick verses to support their own agendas. Without a solid foundation in Scripture, Catholics may struggle to respond effectively.

Addressing the Misconceptions

Sadly, anti-Catholic rhetoric often includes false claims about the Church's relationship with the Bible. Accusations like "The Catholic Church hates the Bible," "It chained it up," or "It added false books" are simply untrue. The truth is quite the opposite.

The Catholic Church: The Guardian of Scripture

The Catholic Church played a crucial role in the formation and preservation of the Bible as we know it. For centuries, the Church carefully discerned the authentic books of Scripture from numerous other texts circulating at the time. It was the Church that preserved and copied these sacred texts, ensuring their survival through history. The very existence of the Bible today is deeply intertwined with the Catholic Church's dedication to God's Word.

Rediscovering the Bible: A Call to Action

To combat misinformation and deepen our faith, it's vital for Catholics to engage more deeply with the Bible. A great starting point is Jimmy Akin's book, The Bible Is a Catholic Book. It sheds light on the fascinating history of the Bible and the Church's role in it, debunking common misconceptions and providing valuable insights.

A Daily Practice: 15 Minutes with God's Word

Beyond reading resources like Akin's book, a simple yet powerful practice for every Catholic is to dedicate at least 15 minutes each day to reading and praying with the Bible. This isn't just about intellectual understanding; it's about encountering God's living Word and allowing it to transform our hearts.

Here are some tips for your 15-minute Bible time:

·         Find a quiet place: Minimize distractions and create a space where you can focus.

·         Pray for guidance: Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate your understanding.

·         Choose a book or passage: Start with the Gospels or a book that speaks to you.

·         Read slowly and reflect: Don't rush. Consider the meaning of the words and how they apply to your life.

·         Talk to God about what you've read: Prayer is a conversation with God. Share your thoughts and feelings.

By making Bible reading and prayer a daily habit, we can deepen our relationship with God, strengthen our faith, and equip ourselves to understand and defend the truth of the Catholic Church. The Bible is not just a book; it's a lifeline to God's love and a vital treasure for every Catholic.