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Charlie Brown is best known for his uniquely striped shirt and Linus for his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. Even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it us.
Until this moment. When he simply drops it. In that climactic scene of A Charlie Brown Christmas when Linus shares “what Christmas is all about,” (Luke 2:8-14) he drops his security blanket. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, “fear not”. It’s pretty clear to me what Charles Schultz was saying The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears. The birth of Jesus can free us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves. The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.
At the end of the scene, Linus picks the blanket back up. Just like Linus, we may stand tall in a moment of faith and conviction, a moment when Scripture hidden in our heart comes to life, and all else is flung aside as we experience and proclaim the true freedom and security that only Jesus can give. But at some point, out of habit, we may reach down and pick that thing right back up. Faith, while powerful, can also delicate.
Linus clearly knows the truth, and clearly proclaims the truth. The knowledge is there and the wisdom is there and the passion is there. So why does he pick it back up? We gaze in the mirror one morning to find that tattered old blanket draped over our shoulder yet again. And we realize that we have become so used to it being there that we hardly even noticed it.
The show ends with the Peanuts gang not just singing, but clearly and unquestionably singing in worship. The obvious song choice here could have been O Christmas Tree, the notes of which have already been playing gently in the background. But the focus is no longer the tree. The focus has become bigger than the tree. The focus is Jesus. The kids instead slide effortlessly into Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King. But before any of this happens, Linus parts with that blanket yet again, and lays it down for good at the base of that beautiful Christmas tree, just as we should strive to not just lay our blanket down just anywhere, but leave it forever behind us at the foot of that cross.
Adapted from article by Jason Soroski on Crosswalk.com
Mary Pat is a voracious reader. An info junkie. She has an amazing reading speed and comprehension. She reads many more books on theology and Catholic spirituality than I do. I just can’t keep up. The online articles that she passes to me are sometimes long and dense. She forwards them to me, and comments: “Interesting…” I take a quick look at the length, and I see the complex sentence structures, and I think: “Is she kidding?”
Or she will say from her desk to my desk in the other room: “Are you there?” I say, “Yeah.” She says: “Listen to this…” Usually, she reads a short quote that states a universal truth in a catchy way. I usually say “Profound” or “Well said…” But when the quote hits me to the core or if it’s something (she knows) I am “working on,” I am silent. Maybe even a bit annoyed for a few seconds. Here’s a recent one from St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), founder of Opus Dei:
Don’t say: ‘That person gets on my nerves.
Think: ‘That person sanctifies me.’
This reminded me of the person that says: “I love God…its people I can’t stand.” St. Josemaria is saying a lot more. He’s saying that people that bother me are…my pathway to heaven. I have discovered that I cannot, due to my human failings, force myself to be kind. I need supernatural power. I need the supernatural power that only comes from God, the Father. Learned from my closeness to his Son Jesus. Infused by their Holy Spirit. Transforming me. Changing my stony heart, giving me a natural heart. Loving a person you don’t necessarily like is agape love, sacrificial love.
We get to heaven through the failings and faults of others. Isn’t that what you told me, Marcella? What saint was that again? Same message. Remember what Jesus said about loving your friends? He said, “What challenge is that?” In other words: Big deal. (Mt 5:46; Lk 6:33) The real deal, He said, is in loving our enemy. That’s the ticket. This “enemy” does not have to be some archrival; it can be the aggressive person that rubs you the wrong way in your ministry or another ministry. Or the neighbor that constantly complains, plays the victim card, and tells you the same stories over and over again. THEY, St. Josemaria says, not your buds will make you holy and prepare you for the unimaginable joys of Heaven.
I’m working on it…
“I Am Here!”
An Evening of Discovery and Meditation for the Season
Come Join Deacon Brian Campbell
- Learn St. Ignatius of Loyola’s path from Spanish scallywag to spiritual Saint
- Discover the enduring principles of Ignatian spirituality
- Be guided through the rich 500 year-old practice of imaginative prayer to reveal the Incarnation and Birth of Jesus Christ
WHEN: Wednesday, December 11th, 2019 at 6pm
WHERE: St. Michael Catholic Church Parish Hall
Corner 4th Street & Calhoun Street, Fernandina Beach
Deacon Brian Campbell currently serves as a deacon at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission in Yulee, FL. He spent his career in financial services with international banks, investment companies, global real estate firms, and commodity managers. He was ordained in the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 2015. He and his wife Mary Pat live on Amelia Island FL and enjoy visits with their two grown children, spouses, and four grandchildren.
Catholic men and women who are highly engaged in their faith have developed four life-changing habits:
1) Prayer: A daily routine
2) Study: They have a plan to grow in their faith
3) Generosity: They make a gift of their time, talent, and treasure,
4) Evangelization: They share their faith with others.
Advent is the start of our church year and a wonderful time to commit to a process of personal prayer. Here are some suggested steps in the life-changing power of this practice.
- Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today.
- Awareness: Revisit the times in the past 24 hours when you felt close to God, that you were at your best, and when you moved away from God by not being your best. Talk to God about these situations and what you learned from them.
- Significant Moments: Identify something today and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event or person.
- Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed (against yourself, another person, or Him) and to fill you with a deep and abiding peace.
- Freedom: Speak with God about how He is inviting you to change your life so that you can experience the freedom to be the person He made you to be.
- Others: Lift up to God anyone you felt called to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide them.
- Finish by praying the Our Father.
Here are Three Tips for Starting the Prayer Process:
- Start with one minute of conversation with God your first day, adding a minute each week until you get to ten.
- Try not to rush through all seven steps. Simply begin with gratitude. Spend your one minute speaking to God about everything and everyone you are grateful for.
- Add a step with each new minute every week.
Adapted from Dynamic Catholic An Invitation to Rediscover the Power of Personal Prayer
I took an “Art of Effective Negotiation” course once. The premise of the course was that “everything you desire or want is either owned or controlled by someone else.” Therefore, if you were not effectively negotiating all the time, you were losing out. We learned different techniques and gambits, but the key to remember that there are 3 basic components to every negotiation: Time, Information, and Power. Whether it’s asking for a raise, buying a used car, buying a home, or trying to send your 2-year-old grandson back to bed, you’re always negotiating.
With Time, we tend to believe that time is against us in a negotiation. Hurry up or what you want will be gone. But many times, if you analyze a situation, you realize that the other side is under just as much (or more) time pressure than you. That’s where Information is so important. Find out as much about the other side as possible…why are they selling? Do they own another home already adding to their pressure? Is there a rate or loan commitment about to expire? Do they have kids? Is she trying to hit a month-end quota? Power can be manifest in many forms: Title, Charisma, Actual authority, Implied authority. Who really is the decision-maker…them or their spouse? Does that 2-year-old really have that much power as it seems, or am I giving it to them!? It really is effective to use a quick T.I.P. analysis to pull back from the emotion of a situation and objectively look at it to make the right (win-win) decisions.
Does T.I.P. analysis apply in our faith life…in our journey to salvation? Not sure. Let me take a crack at it and tell me what you think. I don’t think our faith, our desire for holiness, or our longing for heaven is a negotiation. But sometimes I erroneously make it one. Time: God’s time is Kiaros time…eternal time…no beginning, middle or end. It’s our each individual soul time too. Forever. Time on earth is Chronos time. Limited. We made up this system, not God. That’s why we always reminded: We know neither the day nor the hour of death. Tempis fugit, mento morti: Time flies, so remember death. The message here is to get your act together. Now. There may not be a later. So, not much negotiation wiggle room on Time. Information: We’re in good shape here actually. We got all the info for everlasting life. It’s contained in Holy Scripture (Bible), our faith Traditions (practices handed down by the first true Christian believers), and Church Teaching (Catechism). So we’re empowered.
God has all Power, we know that…but he has chosen to share some of this power with us…its called freedom. The key to effectively “negotiating” our freedom is to discern (a good spiritual director is a big help here) his will for our life and each major situation we encounter. Then do it…use our gift of freedom to cooperate with Him. Align our will with His will. We assist “Thy will be done on earth” process. One last thing on Power. This may say God has all power, but we may often act like we do, because of our pride and ego. We like control, and we like trying to take it. We like being the big shot, or we think we’re bulletproof, or we like to push people around, sometimes even in God’s name.
After negotiating for all the things of earth, I have found it a real relief to discover that God’s love and mercy is not negotiable!
When we pray for our beloved dead during November, we may think about our own judgment before God. Most of us agree on one thing: We want to avoid ending up in Hell. We want to end up in Heaven and realize that any sacrifice necessary to get there is worth it. However, there is another possibility: Purgatory. Who goes to Purgatory? People who haven’t reached the fullness of love necessary to reach Heaven. They love God, but not enough. They love other things too much to let go, so they go to Purgatory until they can let go of the things that are keeping them from fully embracing God.
What is Purgatory like? Pope Benedict XVI described it as a state of someone who, although they can clearly see the joy of having Christ’s friendship for all eternity (a/k/a the Beatific Vision), cannot yet fully experience that friendship. It’s like a starving man, who can see, smell and maybe even taste his favorite meal, but cannot eat it…as if it were behind a pane of glass. Imagine the agony of someone who is starving, but cannot eat food that is right in front of him. It is might also be compared to seeing the person you love most in the world in front of you. You want to talk to him, but he can’t see or hear you.
The emptiness of this unfulfilled desire for God is so powerful that it is described as burning like fire. Purgatory is not so much a punishment imposed by God as the condition of someone who cannot reach what they most desire. That person must let go of everything that holds them back from being with God.
Since it is necessary to be free of sin and even attachments to sin to enter Heaven, many Catholics believe they will go to Purgatory, as if that “consolation prize” is good enough. Instead of aiming to go to Heaven, they aim to go to Purgatory. Unfortunately, for those suffering the agony of unfulfilled desire for God in Purgatory, it will not feel like it is “good enough.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux teaches us to aim for Heaven. She says that if we do three things, God will help us avoid Purgatory:
- Keep trying (“Try to please God in everything”).
- Keep trusting God (“Have an unshakeable trust”).
- Be humble. Recognize your weaknesses.
This last one is especially difficult. However, if we ask God frequently and humbly for help, he will help us. His loving attention is attracted to humble souls. Be convinced that Heaven isn’t something we earn, but something that we reach in spite of our uselessness. In the end, it is something we can only reach with God’s help. As we pray for our beloved dead during November, we may wish to look for new ways to practice humility in the hope of avoiding Purgatory altogether.
This reflection is a reprint of an earlier one and is an adaptation of an article by Fr. James Swa
From the Desk of James Jyz
The above seven words were the headline on the 28 May 2019 edition of “The Republican”, a daily newspaper in western Massachusetts. Speaking those words for Memorial Day observances at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery was Westfield, Massachusetts State Representative, John Velis. A member of the Army Reserves, Major Velis saw those words on a mural in Afghanistan, while leaving that country from an air base after his second deployment in 2018.
Those words struck a nerve as I prepared an article for Veterans Day. I had never given any consideration to such a broad and reflective view prompted by those seven words. Many times individuals have said to me, “We don’t do enough for our veterans”. Since returning from my own deployment in 2012, I’ve suggested actions and behavior to address that statement. But, my suggestions always seemed inadequate, until reading those seven headline words in The Republican.
Understanding and appreciating the unique and enduring freedoms and rights of the continuing successful American experiment of self- government comes by reflecting on those seven words. Freedom of religion, speech and assembly are not only rare in today’s world, but also throughout human history. So many military members have sacrificed their time, health and their lives to insure the continued success of the American experiment. By reflecting with gratitude and appreciation for veterans’ sacrifices, those seven words grow in meaning. Continue to reflect on the meaning of those words by standing up and doing the right thing, by speaking out against injustices and resisting short-lived, misguided passions.
The willingness and ability to understand the need to acknowledge our historical shortcomings, failures to address wrongs quickly, while still appreciating our Constitution, reinforces the impact of those seven words. The words in the Constitution provide a moral compass, foundation and framework to ultimately address and correct wrongs. And it has been accomplished in an unusually peaceful process – something so rare in human history. And yes, much needed change remains.
So pause for a moment the time to reflect on those seven words seen by the Major Velis a world away. Yes, continue to thank a veteran for his/her service and sacrifice, attend ceremonies that honor those who have served and welcome back those returning from their service…from whatever part of our country or continent of the world.
When next I am honored to stand on the ground that covers the final resting place of a veteran or view the safe return of deployed military members, I will contemplate my life in America: My actions, my beliefs and my gratitude to a country that has allowed me a free and safe life. The seven words, “Live a Life Worthy of Their Sacrifice” are now firmly planted in my mind.
“…because not everybody is coming home” were the words that Major Velis added after repeating the words, “Live a Life Worthy of Their Sacrifice”, for the newspaper, The Republican. I ask you to join me in reflecting not just how your life matches those words on the mural in Afghanistan, but also reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice made
McCarren Park is an epicenter of the vibrant Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. We regularly spend time in the park, climbing, running, and swinging with our grandkids when we visit. It was a beautiful fall weekend recently. The trendy shops were open for business. The incredible restaurant aromas mixed with the urban grit. Italian and Polish food stores from the “old neighborhood” still being cherished. After a brisk game of tag (many people wondering who the 62-year old man running around the park was…), we loaded up the crew in the stroller to head for home and came across a “pocket park” named “Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Square” featuring a stone bust of a future saint that inspired me…
Jerzy Popiełuszko was a Polish Roman Catholic priest who supported the opposition Solidarity trade union in communist Poland. He was murdered in 1984 at the age of 37 by three agents of the Polish Communist Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who were shortly thereafter tried and convicted of the murder. Fr. Jerzy is recognized as a martyr and was beatified in June 2010. A miracle attributed to his intercession and required for his canonization is now under investigation and is expected to be verified soon. He was a staunch anti-communist. In his sermons and spiritual exhortations, he interwove political messages, criticizing the Communist system and motivating people to protest. During this period of martial law, the Catholic Church was the only force that could voice protest comparatively openly (due to Pope John Paul II’s courageous powerful legacy), with the regular celebration of Mass presenting opportunities for public gatherings in churches. Fr. Jerzy’s sermons were routinely broadcast by Radio Free Europe, and thus became famous throughout Poland for their uncompromising stance against the regime. The government tried to silence and intimidate him. When those techniques did not work, they fabricated evidence against him; he was arrested in 1983, but soon released on intervention of the clergy and pardoned.
A car accident was set up to kill Fr. Jerzy in October 1984, but he evaded it. The alternative plan to kidnap him was carried out days later. The priest was beaten to death by three Security Police officers. They pretended to have problems with their car and flagged down Fr. Jerzy’s car for help. Fr. Jerzy was severely beaten, tied up and put in the trunk of the car. The officers bound a stone to his feet and dropped him into the Vistula Water Reservoir near Włocławek from where his body was later recovered. More than 250,000 people attended his funeral in November 1984. Despite the murder and its repercussions, the Communist regime remained in power until 1989.
Fr. Jerzy and JPII…Fr. Rafal, you come from good stock.
Good honest laughter is medicine for the soul. We can write about loving your enemy. We can urge defenders of life to use the language of life and love, not hate, to communicate their message. We can urge the defenders of choice to not spew venom and degradation in stating their case. But what really sent me a message is when I saw a conservative former US president sitting next to and sharing a laugh with a Hollywood liberal media host. When the TV cameras showed this shot, it set off a tweet-storm of shock.
President George Bush and Ellen Degeneris’ biggest disagreement the other Sunday was that he is a Cowboy’s fan and she is a Packers fan. Despite their widespread difference on many topics, they are…friends. Why? Because they both share a keen sense of humor. They know how to laugh at…themselves. They exchange good, clean, witty one-liners. They make each other laugh. They are able to recognize and respect each other’s differences and to know when to engage and when not to engage. They respect each other. They find more than just neutrality or “mutual détente” in humor, they find a common love language. That’s why Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg referred to the late Justice Antonin Scalia as “her buddy.” They cared for each other…a very Judeo-Christian concept.
When I think about it, I don’t really befriend that many people that don’t think like me or hold similar values. After all, being with like-minded and like-hearted people is what community is about, isn’t it? Or is it? This picture spoke volumes to me. It made me think much more about our calling to live the Christian life out in the world than any news story I’ve read or heard in years…
I offer to you one of the most beautiful psalms for your meditation. I invite you to find a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes, and relax. After your body has settled down and your breathing has slowed, open your eyes and begin to slowly read the psalm. Don’t rush. Savor each line. Each word. You are speaking to God. God is speaking to you. Talk. Listen…
Lord, you have probed me, you know me:
you know me when I sit and stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My travel and rest you mark;
with all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
Lord, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is beyond me,
far too lofty for me to reach.
You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, so wonderfully you made me;
wonderful are your works!
My very self you knew;
my bones were not hidden from you.
When I was being made in secret,
fashioned as in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes foresaw my actions;
in your book all are written down;
my days were shaped before one came to be.
Probe me, God, know my heart;
try me, know my concerns;
see if my way is crooked;
then lead me in the ancient paths.
Psalm 139: 2-6, 13-16, 23-24
Our Lord Teach Me to Pray groups here at St. Francis are now being guided through St. Ignatius’ path to holiness, known as the Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius was a right-brain and left-brain guy. He was a soldier, a society man, a calculator…but he could also lose himself in imaginative prayer by intimately drawing close to Jesus in a biblical scene to receive divine mission instructions. This is known as discernment. He had a big ego, and he knew it needed to be harnessed, retrained, and redeployed to serve God. Here is the very start of his Spiritual Exercises, known as the First Principle and Foundation. It reads like a military manual and is incredibly profound in its power:
Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.
Any questions? Simple, but maybe not so easy. How often do you read something so short that tells you how to have your soul saved? Ignatius goes on to provide some help:
The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he was created. Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of this end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him.
Pretty black and white, don’t you think? If it (whatever it is) helps me love and serve God, it’s good. If it draws me away from doing this, it’s bad. Get rid of it. Ignatius continues:
Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we were created.
There it is: Indifference. Not the “I really don’t care” indifference. He’s talking about holy indifference. Not having any disordered attachments. Any addiction, any preference, any bad habit, any attitude that leads us away from Him. People, places, and things either help lead us to Him or away from Him. Nothing is really neutral.
So, is there such a thing as an ordered attachment? Yes, Jesus. A life with, in, and through Jesus Christ. Suffering, death, and resurrection constantly lived continually in your life. Think branch and vine: The branch attached to the vine is the picture of ordered attachment to keep in your heart and mind throughout the day, listen now to Jesus: I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (John 16:5) Much fruit or nada. Nothing is really neutral. Simple, not always easy. Thank God for his superabundant love and mercy, his graces granted to us. Thank God for St. Ignatius, giving us men and women desiring to grow in holiness, simple instructions to use today, 500 years later, more than ever.
Hi, I’m Beckie Bliss. Those of you that know me know I joined this community in 2016 and converted to Catholicism in 2017. In 2018, my Father died unexpectedly. The support I have received from God, and this community has been incalculably soothing to my soul. After his death, I believe I understand why I was called to God and St Francis when I was since God knew what I would need.
I have spent a lot of time in the last year praying and meditating on pain and my faith. Pain causes so many people to turn away from God, they feel that the pain they experience from things like an unexpected death means that there is no God or that He does not love us. Although that is not true, it is hard to see from the darkness that pain can shadow across your life. So what meaning can you find for the pain and suffering in your life? How can you come through to the other side with your love of Christ and life still intact?
Since my conversion, I have felt a deep love for Jesus in my heart. But now, I truly feel his love for me. It was always there, but I finally allowed myself to be open to feel it returned. It is easy to love; it is harder to allow yourself to be loved in all your faults and craziness. And this love seems on the surface to be a strange reaction to the grief and pain I have experienced. After all, I lost the love of the most important man in my life; shouldn’t I be angry and disillusioned with God? Those are very normal, human reactions to pain. It has taken me the last year to begin to understand the meaning and purpose that may be in store for me and to others through me.
My prayers and meditation have brought me to this thought: my pain is not a punishment but a blessing. This can be misinterpreted as pain being something to strive for or as something to enjoy or look forward to. That is not my implication. However, if I use my pain to grow and to help others, it can be a blessing. Not only to me but to the world through me. I hate my pain, but I refuse to allow it to lessen or beat me. I will use it to be the face of Jesus to those around me. I will not revel in my pain, but I will not obsess about rushing through it.
Since my Father’s death, I have a deeper understanding of the pain of others. I always thought I knew, but I understand so much more now. I have been trying to use that understanding to help others that struggle, not just with death of loved ones. If I had a choice, I would never ask for this pain. But now that it is mine, I will work hard to allow Jesus to use me to show His love to our brothers and sisters. Do you have pain that can be transformed from bitterness to love of God? It takes time and prayer, but I feel like it is a journey worth undertaking.
I first saw the above matrix in Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. The primary purpose of the study was for business time management, but I quickly realized its application was for whole life management. The biggest revelation was that The tyranny of the urgent is the enemy of the important. Face it, most urgent demands on our time are not that important. That’s because someone else is defining what’s urgent for you. Just take a look at the matrix, fill in your own activities…you get the idea.
The next big revelation was Focus on Quadrant II Important / Not Urgent As Christian pilgrims in this life, this focus is the key. What is more important than our salvation and the salvation of those that we love? Yet, the world tells you it is not that urgent. Spend some alone time prayerfully considering how you use your time, discuss it with your spouse, your kids…clear the path to what is truly important and eternal.
Jesus is present in the Eucharist. But a recent Pew Research survey states “most self-described Catholics don’t believe this core teaching. In fact, nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) say they personally believe that during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine used in Communion ‘are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.’” “Just one-third of U.S. Catholics (31%) say they believe that ‘during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.’” The media had a field day with these findings, taking aim at the Church as usual.
There are problems with the Pew survey and the way it has been reported. For example, 43% of the respondents in this survey both believed that the Eucharist is a symbol and thought that is what the church teaches. In other words, while only 1 out of 3 Catholics gets the theology right, another 4 out of 10 understand themselves to believe what (they think) the church teaches. Far from “rejecting” belief in the Real Presence, many of these Catholics would likely affirm it, if their understanding of church teaching were clarified to them or if the question were more exact. One reason to expect that many of the “disbelievers” Pew found might really be believers is that other recent surveys with differently worded questions got very different results. A 2011 Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) study found that 46% of Catholics understood the church’s teaching and believed in the Real Presence, and another 17% believed in it without understanding the teaching. (This agrees with CARA surveys in 2001 and 2008, which found that around 6 in 10 Catholics believed Jesus was really present in the Eucharist.)
What might explain the difference? The CARA surveys that found higher agreement used the terms “really becomes” or “really present,” whereas Pew used “actually becomes.” And when describing the “symbol” option, they were a bit clearer about what that meant too—the 2011 CARA survey described that option as the bread and wine being “only symbols,” and in the 2001 and 2008 CARA surveys, the option was the “bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, but Jesus is not really present.” When language more familiar to Catholics is used, and the surveys are clearer about what is being denied by the “symbol” answer, belief in the Eucharist is nearly double what Pew found. Listen to the following conversation…
How can you believe Jesus is in that little wafer? Do you believe in God? Yes… If God is God, he can do anything, right? Well…yes. Then, he could make Himself be that wafer if He wanted to? Uh…yes… He has made Himself to be that wafer at Mass. How do you know that!?
He told me so. How?? John 6:35-71; Matthew 26:26; 1Corinthians 10:16; the first believers: St. Ignatius, St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, St. Cyril; Faith and Reason: St. Thomas Aquinas.
For some, it’s a process to come to believe. Once I believed with all my heart, it was unexplainable. A mystery. An awesome, powerful, healing, transformative, loving, supernatural, outside-time-and-space, a very REAL mystery. You may wish to use your head to explain Him to others, but make sure you use your heart! Not all of us are scholars, but each of us is a perfect witness!
A Note from our Music Director
First, I would like to thank all of you who have welcomed me to St. Francis of Assisi! It has been a pleasure to meet you all and I am proud to be a part of such a vibrant and loving church family!
Our S.F.A. Music Ministry includes adult and children’s choirs, cantors, instrumentalists (percussion & guitar), accompanist, and director, who join the song of the whole assembly, supporting the congregation and adding beauty and variety to the singing in our liturgies by adding harmonies and descants. Whether singing with the rest of the assembly, in alternation, or alone, the choir’s role is always understood in relation to the full, conscious, and active participation of the faithful. To perform their liturgical task, choirs
need plenty of rehearsal, for it is only when the music is well prepared that the choir can really support the singing of the whole assembly. Thorough preparation is also needed if choral singing is to express the mystery of God through beauty and if it is to foster the dignity of the celebration. The participation of the assembly receives an enormous boost if a parish has a good liturgical choir, but the role of the choir is always ministerial, serving the action of the liturgy and fostering the participation of those who have gathered.
We welcome new musicians to join our choirs, song leaders “cantors” or add beautiful instrumentation to our liturgies (trumpet, clarinet, flute, violin, guitar, etc. I have even previously worked with a “harpist” who played the harmonicas!) Our rehearsals are on Thursday evenings in SFA Church. Instrument rehearsal begins at 5:30 p.m. and the adult choirs meet at 6:00 p.m. We have an additional rehearsal before our Saturday evening masses that begins at 3:00 p.m. for those choir members who are unable to attend our Thursday evening rehearsals. Our Children’s Choir sings at our Sunday morning 9:30 a.m. mass and rehearses after mass on a seasonal schedule. We welcome new members in all our groups and ask that you contact our Director of Music, Beth at music@stfrancisyu ee.org for additional information.
Becoming a Lector
“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states “In the Liturgy of the Word, the Church feeds the people of God from the table of his Word.” The lector is not just reading words
from a page in the bible, they are proclaiming the Word of God to the congregation. The Lectors make the Word of God come alive and help bring us to a deeper faith.
On most Weekends and solemnities, the Lector will read the first and second reading during the Liturgy of the Word. A few of the solemnities have a few more readings and at Easter Vigil there are eight readings. The Lectors at the Daily Mass will handle a bigger portion of the Liturgy of the Word but most of the time there is only one reading and the congregation is smaller.
Have you ever noticed that the wonderful people that volunteer their time have different styles? We have some lectors with booming voices while other have softer voices. We do not ask for everyone to have the same style because that would not be genuine.
The need for more people is great, we are having a difficult time finding enough people to cover our lector requirements for both weekend and daily masses. If you are comfortable talking in front of our congregation and are willing to give up some of your time for the Lord, then we will welcome you to this important ministry. We do provide workbooks to help with the pronunciation of the words, as well as meaning and pointers on how to read a passage. Also, as a volunteer Lector you can pick the Mass time that works best for your schedule. Please contact Ellen Harper at liturgy@stfrancisyulee.org if you feel a calling to support this vital ministry; you will enjoy the opportunity to proclaim the Word of God.
VOLUNTEERS
The volunteer ministry is not very complex, but does have several elements to it which help to contribute to the organization, safety and security of our mission church. This ministry is really a single person activity but involves interaction with most other ministry chairs within the parish.
The first activity of the volunteer chair starts with the registration of new parishioners. Once entered into the parish data system, the registration forms are forwarded to the volunteer chair. The registration form gives new parishioners the opportunity to express their interests in other ministries within the parish – spirituality, liturgy, charities, men’s or women’s activities, etc. The volunteer ministry lead reviews the registration and sends the
contact information to the various ministry chairs for their follow-up to get the new enrollees involved in the areas in which they have expressed interest. This method hopefully allows our various parish activities to grow and enrich our parish.
In addition, the volunteer chair has responsibility for controlling building access. As you may have noticed, we have an alarm system in the building.
When the building is unoccupied, all doors are locked and the alarm system is activated to ensure there is no intrusion. Since we have many activities, both during the day and the evenings, the individual ministry chairs need to be able to access the building. The volunteer chair controls the distribution of the keys for building access and documents the individuals who hold keys. Additionally, each individual key holder has a code which is used to arm and disarm the alarm system as appropriate. The volunteer chair loads the codes into the alarm system and trains the key holders in working with the system.
Finally, the volunteer chair is responsible for ensuring the diocesan requirements for a Safe Environment are met. The diocese of St. Augustine (as well as all U.S. dioceses) requires that all individuals who contact or minister to any vulnerable population be properly trained and have their backgrounds checked. This includes all parish staff and employees, those who work with children (religious education teachers. e.g.) and those who minister to the homebound population. In our diocese, all these individuals must attend a 3-hour course entitled “Protecting God’s Children” and have a background check done by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement which includes fingerprinting. The role of the chair is to help our volunteers through the processes involved in completing these requirements and coordinating with the diocese to ensure their clearance for the individual ministries. Additionally, background checks are only good for 5 years and must be redone then. The volunteer chair has responsibility for monitoring and driving the updates as required and submits the parish Safe Environment Report to the diocese twice a year.
SPIRITUALITY
We offer Advent and Lenten devotions, daily rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, info on events around the Diocese, and Catholic resources, as well as several group activities including: The Book Club, Movie Night, Bible Studies, and Faith Studies. If you have suggestions, or want to help, email spirituality@stfrancisyulee.org.
Thank you for being good financial stewards.
When we hear ”be good stewards of God’s gifts” several things come to mind, including wanting to flinch. Simply, “financial stewardship” means giving back to God a little of “his treasure”. It’s a logical request since all we are, have and do is from God’s providence. Fortunately, our St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission congregation hasn’t flinched because each week (or month, or year) many heartily contribute using collection envelopes, online giving or with cash.
Thankfully, through the sacrificial generosity of many, we have eliminated our construction debts, but the ministries and services must depend upon continued “stewardship giving”. Also, fortunately without being asked, some members of our community continue to contribute toward our need to purchase a Rectory and eventually to build a permanent Sanctuary. Please review your “stewardship” giving plan for the next calendar year and continue to help St. Francis remain solvent as we grow our community and ministries.
By the way, a few of us are getting old enough to be considering our “legacies”, so providing for our family is certainly paramount in our estate planning. It is also relevant and appropriate to perhaps consider providing our spiritual community or a personal charity where our impact can be finite and purposeful.
Please consult with your families and your financial planner and, if it seems appropriate, make a place for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission in your estate planning.
If you would like to discuss specifically directing your future gift, please contact Fr. Rafal at 904- 849-1256 or at: frrafal@stfrancisyulee.org, or
Wayne Munson at: fundraising@stfrancisyulee.org.
Thank you for all you do for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission, for, “It is giving, that we receive God’s blessings.”
Religious Education: From grade school to grad school, home school to pre-school, our children are heading back to class! Oh, and those supply lists! We all raced to the stores to ensure our students will have everything they need to succeed in this new chapter.
Our Religious Education is kind of like a supply list. Working with parents (who provide the most important foundation!), our ministry seeks to provide the tools our children need to survive and thrive in this busy, big world. By preparing them for the sacraments and grounding them in the lessons of our faith, we help provide the tools to help celebrate success, manage conflict, deal with challenge and rely on faith. In this world that celebrates the material we encourage service. Our ministry helps provide the tools to lead a faith-filled life.
This year, our ministry is in dire need of volunteers – won’t you join us? We’ll provide the supplies and resources, and you share your time (about an hour a week!) and talents. In the midst of a very hectic career, I found volunteering for this ministry brought me immense peace and joy. It can for you, too!
If God is whispering to you about joining us, please listen. We need you!
Please call the Church Office today or contact religiouseducation@stfrancisyulee.org
The other day I was reading a pious book up near the altar when I saw a mother come into church with a baby. She knelt down to pray for a moment, but the baby had another idea and let out a deafening wail. She tried to settle him down, prayed and then he cried louder than before. She got up, genuflected and left church. I thought: There is so much more holiness in the pew than the altar. I submit there is special grace and blessing in hearing a baby howl in church for the following reasons:
- As Americans we believe the Creator has endowed us with inalienable rights – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. LIFE is first because it is the greatest good and cannot be substituted for choice (liberty) or convenience (happiness). The baby’s wail is a sign of life!
- The baby’s cry should remind us to pray for our parents. GK Chesterton said, “A baby is a problem at both ends.” Our parents took care of us at both ends!
- The sound of a baby is the sound of the future church. Thank God there are young families who still worship and raise their children Catholic. I urge you to introduce yourself to our young St Francis families in our main space and especially in our overflowing Cry Room after Mass. Pass on your welcome and encouragement!
- The sound of a baby screaming is the victory call that another family has made it through the chaos of getting ready for Mass, and gotten to Church without injury.
- Most importantly, the baby’s cries remind us that in the Mass Jesus humbles Himself to become bread, as He humbled Himself to become a baby in the Incarnation!
During the debate in Congress about partial birth abortion (a/k/a infanticide), a baby’s cry in the gallery stunned those assembled. A baby’s cry at Mass should remind us not to be deaf to the babies being killed in abortion and infanticide and to have deep compassion for mothers and fathers who suffer remorse for now-regretted past decisions.
Jesus loved the children. He was the only figure in the ancient world who held them in such high regard, perhaps because they reminded Him of the innocence of heaven. As He came to us as a child, so the baby’s cry might remind us that we cannot go back to Him without being a child in faith and love. A nun once stopped a mother racing out of church with a screaming baby. She commanded the mother: “Go back, if your baby cannot cry in his Father’s house, where can he cry?” Final note: If your church ain’t cryin’, it’s dyin’!
Monsignor Richard Lopez is a senior priest in Atlanta that taught high school religion to our daughter Maggie back in 2004. He is the son of an Irish mom and a Cuban dad and was raised in New York City. He is gentle, direct, and funny. In other words, he’s holy. One of those priests on your lifetime “short list”. He transforms every time I used to get distracted by a baby crying or screaming during Mass into a holy moment, he told me: Any time you hear a crying baby in church, think of Jesus coming into the world as a crying baby and you will no longer be distracted, but joyful. The above is an adaptation of his recent post…
Think of all the good things you do around here. Maybe you’re a volunteer in one of the ministries; maybe you set up or clean up for one of the special events; maybe you contribute your time, talent and treasure in many other ways, and yet, you are not Roman Catholic.
Well, good news – we are beginning the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process this September.
RCIA is the process for adults who have never been baptized, or were baptized in another Christian tradition, or were baptized Roman Catholic, but did not receive the other Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and Eucharist) who wish to become a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
RCIA is the process that begins in September, initiates new members at the Easter Vigil and concludes at Pentecost. We meet weekly to discuss the Word of God and the fundamentals of the Catholic tradition: Jesus, Mary, the Sacraments, Prayer, the Scriptures and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
It is an exceptional experience which allows you to find yourself in relationship to your God within the Catholic community of St. Francis of Assisi.
Human beings love to flirt. Before our first date, we flirted with the other person to get their attention. Before our marriage, we flirted with our spouses to show them how good we are. You may be “flirting with God” right now. I hope so. I say, “Have a love affair with God in the Catholic Church.” It takes two to tango – God is one, and you’re two. God will wait forever. Why should you?
I invite anyone who might be interested or may know someone interested in learning more about the Catholic Church to join us on Saturday, May 18th at 5:00 pm, or Sunday, May 19th at 10:30 am in the chapel.
Also, all members of St. Francis of Assisi community who are interested in participating on the RCIA team are encouraged to attend one of the Information Sessions. I hope to see you there.
Deacon Tom
Father Briggs Hurley, parochial vicar at Saint Michael, has been showing Bishop Barron’s Pivotal Players series for the past few Wednesday evenings. They are well done videos on major Catholic figures throughout the ages. Father delightfully answers questions at the end that always leaves us with good food for thought. Saint Benedict was a recent Pivotal Player. After competing my whole life, I have a lot of work to do on the 12-runged ladder of Humility…
Step 1: Be afraid. FEAR OF GOD. Always have the fear of God before your eyes (Ps 36:2) and avoid all thoughtlessness so that you are constantly mindful of all that God has commanded.
Step 2: Don’t be true to yourself. SELF-DENIAL. Do not be in love with your own will, but put into practice that word of the Lord which says: “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me” (Jn 6:38)
Step 3: Don’t follow your dreams. OBEDIENCE. For the love of God, be obedient to those in authority over you, imitating the Lord, of whom the apostle says: He became “obedient unto death” (Phil 2:8)
Step 4: Suffer fools gladly. PERSEVERENCE. Be patient in suffering, even when you encounter difficulties and injustice, for Scripture says: “He who endure to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22)
Step 5: Put your worst foot forward. REPENTANCE. Never hide any evil thoughts that arise in your heart or evils you commit in secret. Instead, reveal them to one you trust. For scripture says “Commit yourself to the Lord; trust in him” (Ps 37:5)
Step 6: Be someone’s doormat. SERENITY. When ill treatment comes your way, try to accept it. Learn to be content with the lowliest and worst of everything, and in all that is demanded of you.
Step 7: Have a poor self-image. SELF-ABASEMENT. Believe in your heart that you are an unworthy servant of God, humbling yourself and saying with the Prophet: “I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by people” (Ps 22:6)
Step 8: Think inside the box. PRUDENCE. Only do what is lawful, and follow the example of your elders.
Step 9: Don’t speak up. SILENCE. Only speak when you are spoken to, for Scripture says, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Prov 10:10)
Step 10: Laughter is not the best medicine. DIGNITY. Do not be too quick to laugh, for it is written: “A fool raises his voice when he laughs” (Sir 21:20)
Step 11: Be unassertive. DISCRETION. If you must speak, do so gently, humbly, earnestly, and quietly, with few and sensible words; for it is written: “The wise man is known by the fewness of his words”
Step 12: Keep your chin down. REVERENCE. Wherever you go, bow your head in prayer, remembering the words of the publican: “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Lk 18:13)
From Humility Rules, St. Benedict’s 12-Step Guide To Genuine Self-Esteem. 2017. J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
I have always heard that consecrating oneself to Mary is a profoundly spiritual and impactful path to holiness. Quite frankly, I was turned off years ago to Marian devotions by a zealous Mary devotee in my former parish. Since then, I have viewed Marian devotions with skepticism. Seeing these prayers as a closed group. Basking in the love of our Mother…and stopping there. Missing the aim: Jesus. Reciting a rosary in Adoration…Why?… Jesus is already right in front of you! They seemed to draw on Marian devotion in community, but never really going forth from the community. Yet, I know I am missing something and yearn to behold my Mother more deeply. So, if you’re anything like me, read on!
Here’s some of what I recently learned: Marian consecration is the act of entrusting one’s body, soul, possessions, works, and entire life to the protection, guidance, and intercession of Our Lady. Sounds intense…and I can’t wait! The act of entrusting oneself to Mary’s care and intercession is nothing new. Jesus entrusted His beloved disciple, John, to Mary while He was on the Cross (John 19:26-27). A formal method of consecration to Mary was developed by St. Louis de Montfort in the 1600s. His month+ period of prayer culminates in an awesome prayer of consecration that one makes in together with the healing sacrament of Reconciliation and the nourishment of Holy Communion, ideally on a Marian feast day.
Here at SFA, we are offering the highly regarded consecration guide adapted by Fr. Hugh Gillespie. We start on Thursday, August 15th (Feast of The Assumption) and end with consecration on Sunday, September 15th (Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows). Your options: 1) Weekly Group path – share experiences along the way, OR 2) On Your Own. Books will be available at our parish office for $4.00. Fr. Hugh is also offering kick-start workshops nearby.
More of what I learned: What if I already feel connected to Mary, pray the Rosary, and ask for her intercession? Consecration will simply be a furthering and deepening of your relationship with Jesus through Mary. Consecration is a natural next step. But even if you don’t really know Mary yet or maybe not convinced of the hype, Marian consecration can be just what you need: The bridge that gets you there. This is what I am hoping for!
Last bit: Why give Mary so much? Because she’s a great mom. She only wants what’s best for us kids. Mary deepest desire is for us to know, love, and serve Jesus more deeply. She wants us to get to Heaven even more than we do. She’s invested in our happiness…both temporal and eternal. Mary takes all that we are and do, adds her grace, and presents us to her Son. The best part? When she presents us to Jesus, with all our brokenness, He does not refuse her, because she never refuses Him. By consecrating ourselves to Mary, I am told that we leap with faith and joy into the arms of our mom, knowing that she advocates for us, loves us, and wants to see us become saints. I’m in with that!
A little less skeptically yours,
Deacon Brian
Part of developing the spiritual life is keeping silence, talking less, and listening more. Not interrupting. Not feeling wounded when interrupted. Not talking over the other person. Not immediately reacting. Allowing yourself time, with the power of The Holy Spirit, to process what is said to you before speaking. Here is a Scripture-based guide when not to open your mouth:
- In the heat of anger – Proverbs 14:17
- When you don’t have all the facts – Proverbs 18:13
- When you haven’t verified the story – Deuteronomy 17:6
- If your words will offend a weaker person – 1 Corinthians 8:11
- If your words will be a poor reflection of the Lord / friends / family – Peter 2:22-23
- When you are tempted to joke about sin – Proverbs 14:9
- When you would be ashamed of your words later – Proverbs 8:8
- When you are tempted to make light of holy things – Ecclesiastes 5:2
- When your words would convey the wrong impression – Proverbs 17:27
- If the issue is none of your business – Proverbs 17:27
- When you are tempted to tell an outright lie – Proverbs 4:24
- If your words will damage someone’s reputation – Proverbs 16:27
- If your words will destroy a friendship – Proverbs 25:28
- When you are feeling critical – James 3:9
- If you can’t speak without yelling – Proverbs 18:21
- When it is time to listen – Proverbs 13:1
- If you may have to eat your words later – Proverbs 18:21
- Once you’ve made your point – Proverbs 19-13
- When you are tempted to flatter a wicked person – Proverbs 24:24
- When you are supposed to be working instead – Proverbs 14:23
I remember as a young father sitting in church hearing the priest start his pitch for the annual offertory pledge. I squirmed, felt trapped, even offended. After all, I was there bringing my family to worship God…isn’t that enough to keep the place going!? In a word: No. Then I started to hear the word stewardship starting to be used. A Protestant concept, I thought, that had these Christians focused on money because they didn’t have the Eucharist to keep them fed. The intro of the concept of stewardship into Catholic-speak was a ploy, I thought, to get more money…code for the money grab. In two words: It’s not. (Ok, maybe three words…) I started to search Holy Scripture for the right direction. If you remember one eternal financial principle, it’s this: IT’S ALL GOD’S MONEY. He just blesses us with time and talent to earn and use it while we are here on this side of eternity. How we use it can impact how we spend our time on the other side of eternity.
I found myself hanging out with guys that embraced this practice of stewardship in their lives…and I didn’t. They seemed happier and freer…and I didn’t. I worked hard for my money, and no one was going to dupe me into parting with it. Tithe? 10%? You nuts! For some reason, I did two things these guys suggested: 1) I started to prepay my debt with a goal to be debt-free over time, and 2) I slowly but systematically increased my giving. I was kinda shocked when I discovered that we were only giving 1% to the church and 1% to other charities when I actually made the calculation. So, we doubled to 2% to the church and 2% to other charities. Definitely doable, but it took some doing. We budgeted for it instead of reacting to it and being resentful about it during the year. We became proactive in our stewardship. Instead of ducking people when they came to ask me to donate to a charity, I began to look forward to their asking and listened carefully to their requests because now I had $1,200 (of God’s money) a year earmarked to steward to them. Incredible. I also for the first time felt that our giving to our parish was approaching the “right” level given all the blessings He has showered us with. I experienced a freedom and a sense of doing the right thing for the first time in my life.
This was the key for us: PAY GOD FIRST, YOURSELF SECOND, and EVERYONE ELSE THIRD. In other words, reprioritize: Move your parish/charities to #1 on the list, then your retirement (in addition to 401k) to #2, then all other bills. To make this work initially, we had to cut back on Fun, Vacations expenditures some (but we actually had more fun and better vacations!) and we had to get a handle on money leakage…a/k/a “Miscellaneous Expenses.” The next year, we decided not to get a new car and keep the old one longer…another $500 a month conserved. The year after that, I got a decent raise and bonus, but we didn’t increase our spending like we used to, only our payment to God and our retirement. If you embark on the tithing journey (toward 10% to God, 10% to you), amazing things will happen. It’s not easy. The world wants money to be your master, not your servant, so you will always be tempted to spend money to “feel better” or “look better” to others. It starts with prayer. Together with your spouse if you are married. Ask God to show you the way to return more of what He has given to you as a concrete expression of gratitude for all His blessings. Then get ready for good things to happen along the way you never expected.
O OUR most holy FATHER, Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior WHO ART IN HEAVEN: In the angels and the saints, enlightening them to love, because You, Lord, are light. Inflaming them to love, because you Lord, are love. Dwelling in them and filling them with happiness because You, Lord, are the Supreme Good, the Eternal Good from whom comes all good, without Whom there is no good.
HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME: May our knowledge of you become ever clearer that we may know the breadth of your blessings, the length of your promises, the height of your majesty, and the depth of your judgments.
YOUR KINGDOM COME: So that You may rule within us through your grace
and enable us to come to Your kingdom where there is an unclouded vision of You, a perfect love of You, a blessed companionship with you, and an eternal enjoyment of you.
YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN: That we may love you with our whole heart by always thinking of You, with our whole soul by always desiring You, with our whole mind by directing all our intentions to You and by seeking Your glory in everything and with our whole strength by spending all our energies and affections of soul and body in the service our Your love and nothing else. And may we love our neighbors as ourselves by drawing them all with our whole strength to Your love by rejoicing in the good fortunes of others as well as our own and by sympathizing with the misfortunes of others and by giving offense to no one.
GIVE US THIS DAY: In memory and understanding and reverence of the love which our Lord Jesus Christ had for us and of those which He said and did and suffered for us.
OUR DAILY BREAD: Your own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES: Through Your ineffable mercy, through the power of the Passion of Your Beloved Son, together with the merits and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all Your chosen ones.
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US: And whatever we do not forgive perfectly, enable us to forgive to the full so that we may truly love our enemies and fervently intercede for them before You returning no one evil for evil and striving to help everyone in you.
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION: Hidden or obvious, sudden or persistent.
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL: Past, present, and to come. Amen.
