Does something keep you from going to church? Do you realize that Christ is always present there in spite of distractions? - Daily Reflections August 31,2015

“AS WAS HIS HABIT…”

 

Nazareth was an extremely small place during the time of Jesus. Not more than 250 to 300 people lived there. Everybody knew everyone, so gossip must have been a common pastime. Everybody knew Mary and Joseph. The rumor that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus had not died down even after more than 20 years. We know how rumors can destroy the reputation of a person. The people in Nazareth probably would have accepted Jesus if He had worked some spectacular miracles there as He had done in other places. But He did not. Jesus did not do things to please the people and to be praised. He always stood up for the truth. This makes us think about ourselves and the way we act and speak in our communities.

         A second point is interesting. St. Luke tells us that Jesus went to the synagogue “as was his habit.” We know that Jesus did not agree with all that went on and was taught in the synagogues. He often violated the rules observed there, such as when He healed on a Sabbath inside a synagogue. And yet, He went “as was His habit.”

         I have met several Catholics who told me that they don’t go to churchanymore. Some do not like what the Church is teaching; others find the church too noisy and would rather watch the Sunday Mass on TV (note that by watching the TV Mass, they have not fulfilled their Sunday obligation). They give many reasons for not going to church, but are they valid?

         The very fact that Jesus went to the synagogue, “as was His habit,” shows that Jesus looked beyond what He could not agree with. He saw that the synagogue service is, first of all, a meeting of the people of God. Then the Word of God is proclaimed and explained there. It is a time of prayer and of uniting as a community with God.      

         That is what happens when we celebrate the Eucharist — no, even more, because Christ Himself is always present. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Does something keep you from going to church? Do you realize that Christ is always present there in spite of distractions?

 

Lord, I often feel distracted when going to church and I am tempted to pray alone at home in peace. Let not other things keep me away from You.

In your faith life, do you do things out of conviction? Or do you simply follow the rules? - Daily Reflections August 30,2015

AGAINST A LEGALISTIC RELIGION

 

In November 2012, I had the chance to attend a canonization for the first time. It was a great moment to see the huge picture of Pedro Calungsod on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Everything went according to a fixed ritual. The Swiss Guards in their picturesque uniforms marched in and stood guard at certain spots, but like lifeless statues. After the Mass, Pope Benedict toured St. Peter’s Square in an open car, dressed in precious vestments, wearing a huge miter, full of gold and precious stones. An impressive ritual and exposition of ancient rites, vestments and uniforms! But I felt that a personal, human touch was lacking. I missed the interior spirit of dedication. I missed the soul in all these ceremonies.

       Every religion is in danger of becoming an empty shell. Before Pope Francis was elected, many Catholics turned away from a “lifeless” Church, so they say. Pope Francis did away with pomp and circumstances. He kisses babies and embraces the sick and disfigured pilgrims. More important to him than century-old rules and rituals are the simple reaching out of Jesus to all who came to him.

       In Jesus’ time, many Jewish religious leaders lived a lifeless, empty formalism. That’s what Jesus tried to correct. For sure, He didn’t have anything against cleanliness but He wanted to stress that interior and moral cleanliness of the heart is more important than exterior cleanliness.

       We are all in danger of doing something externally without interior conviction. A rosary in the car is good, but if the driver does not observe traffic rules and drives carelessly, the rosary will not help. It is great to go to Mass on Sundays, but why is there so much corruption and crime in the country? Attending the Mass is useless if it has no effect on our daily lives. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: In your faith life, do you do things out of conviction? Or do you simply follow the rules?

 

Lord, I realize that I am often like the Pharisees who do things to obey certain rules but do not live out their meaning. Enlighten me, Lord, and let my faith become more authentic.

Are you careful with your thoughts — be they good or bad — aware that they can result to good or bad actions? - Daily Reflections August 29,2015

THE LAW OF DEVELOPMENT   Of all the saints, only John’s birth and death are celebrated. After all, he was the only prophet who could point at the Messiah and proclaim: “Look, there is the Lamb of God.” Like most of the prophets, he experienced a violent death for standing up for his conviction and the truth.        Herod Antipas, one of the sons of King Herod the Great, caused his death. He took delight in the dance of Salome, the daughter of the wife of his half-brother, whom Antipas had married. That Salome’s dance pleased her male audience indicates that it was quite sensuous. So, his first sin was that he enjoyed a lascivious spectacle.      This, in turn, prompted him to make an imprudent oath to grant Salome anything she wanted. This led to the more serious sin of pride: He did not want to lose face in front of his guests by breaking his foolish promise. Finally, the sin of pride led him to commit murder.      John, too, underwent a gradual development but in the opposite direction. He moved from good to better while Herod moved from bad to worse.     John began as an ascetic living in the desert. Then he started preaching and baptizing. This made him remind Herod of his immorality, which landed him in jail. But even in jail, John continued to influence Herod positively, knowing well that he was risking his life by provoking the anger of Herodias. In all this, we see John growing steadily in spiritual stature — until he died a martyr’s death.       Our lives, too, are ruled by this law of development. As a poster says, “Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”      Small things can lead to bigger things, good or bad. Good thoughts tend to inspire us to do great things for God. As Jesus tells us in the Parable of the Talents, faithfulness in small things leads to big rewards.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you careful with your thoughts — be they good or bad — aware that they can result to good or bad actions?   Lord, please remind me always to check on my thoughts so that I do not end up doing something bad.

Realizing that you are a sinner, are you easily discouraged? Or, like St. Augustine, do you move on, trusting in God’s mercy and forgiveness? - Daily Reflections August 28,2015

SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH

 

Augustine was born in 354 in what is now Algeria in northern Africa. At the age of 17, he took a mistress and kept her for 15 years. After her, he took another one. He accepted for nine years the heresy of Manichaeism. Then he studied Plato and finally the Bible. In September 386, at the age of 32, he converted to Catholicism and was baptized on Easter the following year by St. Ambrose.

       Back in Africa, he led a life of intensive study, fasting and prayer. Three years later, he was ordained a priest and moved to Hippo. After six years, he became bishop of Hippo, a diocese he guided for the next 34 years as a totally dedicated pastor.

      He was a busy man. He traveled on more than 50 journeys throughout his diocese, preached countless sermons, and wrote many letters. Augustine did not only fight numerous heresies; he also explained the true faith positively and laid the foundation of much of Catholic social teachings and theology. Pope Emeritus Benedict’s theology is deeply rooted in St. Augustine. And since the Catechism of the Catholic Church was mainly written by Cardinal Ratzinger, no wonder that Augustine is quoted there far more often than any other writer.

       St. Augustine wrote 113 books. The Confessions and Of the City of God are the most famous ones. He became the most brilliant and influential theologian of the Church. Only Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century would surpass him.

       St. Augustine is still relevant to us by the magnificent example he set in his search for truth. In this connection, St. John Paul II wrote, “Augustine teaches the person who searches for truth not to despair of finding it; he himself rediscovered it after many years of laborious seeking.”

       We all are searching for truth. Like Augustine, we might at times be led astray, even lose our faith for a while. But what St. Augustine tells us through his life is to never give up in our search. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Realizing that you are a sinner, are you easily discouraged? Or, like St. Augustine, do you move on, trusting in God’s mercy and forgiveness?

 

Lord, I don’t often see any improvement in my spiritual life. Please help me to never give up but continue to search for the truth and trust in Your love.

How do you react to people who annoy you or with whom you cannot agree? - Daily Reflections August 27,2015

ST. MONICA: A MODEL WIFE AND MOTHER

 

Monica was born to a Christian family in the Roman province of North Africa. She was given a strict education. She was taught great self-discipline, which would explain her strong character later in life. A person will only get a strong character when he or she has learned discipline in younger years. As a young girl she was married to a much older man, Patricius, a pagan womanizer.

       When other women showed her the marks of blows from their husbands, she simply told them that they often brought this treatment upon themselves — by their tongues. She never nagged at her husband, as so many wives do.

       The heaviest cross Monica had to carry was her son Augustine. At the age of 19, he had already embraced the Manichean heresy and led an immoral life. Like many young people, Augustine found her guidance suffocating. And so he escaped to Rome.

       For more than 10 years, Monica cried and prayed for the conversion of her son, who not only had become a heretic but also had a mistress for many years, with whom he had at least one son out of wedlock. Finally, her prayers were answered when Augustine was baptized. A few months later, she fell seriously ill and died at the age of 56.

       What does Monica’s life tell us? Today, with our instant coffee, instant noodles and instant cures, we have little patience for things that take time. Likewise, we want instant answers to our prayers. Monica is a model of patience. Her patience with her husband, her long years of prayer, coupled with a strong, well-disciplined character, finally led to the conversion of her hot-tempered husband and her wayward son.

       We all need Monica’s long patience to cope with the difficult persons around us. May St. Monica help us in this important area of our lives — patience and unwavering trust when we pray! Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you react to people who annoy you or with whom you cannot agree? Do you easily give up on your prayer when it is not immediately answered?

 

Lord, patience is a gift only You can give. It is also a fruit of trust in You and efforts to imitate You. Lord, today I beg for this gift through the intercession of St. Monica.

How do you deal with people? Are they attracted to Christ because of your dedication and kindness? - Daily Reflections August 26,2015

A DEDICATED MISSIONARY AND PASTOR

 

Thessaloniki is a beautiful modern harbor city. During my high school days, I took a train every day in going home from the main station in Cologne. And every day I saw a train going to Thessaloniki. The name had always intrigued me and I dreamed of one day taking that train and traveling to that faraway Greek city. I was never able to take that train, but in one of our pilgrimages in the footsteps of St. Paul, our bus reached Thessaloniki. We stayed there overnight before celebrating the Mass and visiting the rich museum. For that particular Mass, I chose a passage from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. Before the Mass, I strolled along the shore near the harbor. I reflected on how St. Paul, more than 2,000 years ago, came to this city to bring the Good News of Christ to the people living here. How did he do this?

       In today’s First Reading, we get a glimpse of St. Paul’s missionary efforts and his love for the community. He worked hard, did not rest, and even earned a living by working as tentmaker so as not to burden his community financially. We know that he returned to the city whenever he traveled to Greece.

       However, he also had a problem with this community. He obviously taught first that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. As a result, many Christians did not work anymore and so he had to write them this famous line: “Anyone who would not work should not eat.”

       These words reflect his love and concern for his community. He was not only a zealous, dedicated missionary but also a pastor who loves his flock, as Pope Francis does. He inspires us to be dedicated and loving, and so touch the hearts of those entrusted to us, be it in our families, in our neighborhood, or at our workplace. Wherever we are, our task is to make Christ visible through our dedication and loving kindness. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you deal with people? Are they attracted to Christ because of your dedication and kindness?

 

Lord, I thank You for giving us the example of St. Paul, who was firm but kind. May I, with Your help, learn from him and imitate him.

Are you influenced by the media, which threatens your Catholic faith? - Daily Reflections August 25,2015

AN ANGRY JESUS?

 

As a teenager, I had some problems with Chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel. Today and tomorrow, our readings will come from this chapter. I called it the “most un-Christian chapter in the New Testament.” Why?

       Because I could not imagine how Jesus could use such harsh words. Didn’t Jesus teach that we have to love even our enemies? And now He uses harsh words and lambasts the Pharisees?

       When I studied Scriptures, I received new insights into this chapter. First, I learned that the very strong word “hypocrite” originally meant “stage actor,” and so doesn’t have the sting as it has when we use it today. Secondly, did Jesus really say everything we read in this chapter, or was it Matthew who put these condemnations on Jesus’ lips?

       Matthew wrote this Gospel for a Jewish-Christian community which was threatened by rabbis from the sect of the Pharisees to abandon their belief in Christ and return to the fold of the Law of Moses. Could it be, as in other cases, that the evangelist thought: “If Jesus were here, what would He say? Would He not use the strongest words possible to paint the threatening Pharisees in the darkest colors possible and encourage the Jewish-Christians not to listen to them and remain faithful to Him?”

       Nevertheless, whatever the reason behind Jesus’ strong words, we accept it as part of the Word of God that has an impact on our lives.

       Through the media, we are exposed to anti-Christian propaganda. On TV, we are told how wrong our Catholic faith and practice is. We are told that we don’t do what the Bible says. We are told that with our statues we are idolaters. Since they confuse God’s beloved flock, maybe He would use words similar to those in Chapter 23. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you influenced by the media, which threatens your Catholic faith?

 

Lord, as in the time of Matthew, there are many forces that threaten my faith today. Help me to remain faithful and to separate always the “weeds” from the “wheat.”

Do you easily believe what the media says about the Church or do you, like Nathanael, inquire? - Daily Reflections August 24,2015

“COME AND SEE!”   Why does the Church offer a Gospel that tells about the meeting of Jesus with young Nathanael on the feast of the Apostle Bartholomew?        That can easily be explained when we know what Bartholomew means. In the original language, it is Bar Tolmai, which means “son of Tolmai.” In other words, it is a family name. So, who is this son of Tolmai?        In the lists of the Apostles, Bartholomew is always mentioned immediately after Philip, who brought his friend Nathanael to Jesus. No wonder, old traditions claim that the full name of this Apostle was Nathanael Bar Tolmai.        Philip told Nathanael that he had discovered the long-promised Messiah in Jesus from Nazareth. But Nathanael doubted and did not believe. Philip was wise. He did not argue. He simply said, “Come and see!”        The only way to convince somebody of the primacy of Christ is to confront him with Christ: Come and see! Of course, we have to know Christ ourselves before we can invite others to come to Him.        Nathanael came and Jesus said, “Here is a genuine Israelite, a man in whose heart there is no guile.” Nathanael was surprised and asked how Jesus could possibly know him. Jesus told him that he had seen him under the fig tree.        What does this mean? To the Jews the fig tree always stood for prayer and meditation. No doubt Nathanael had meditated under the fig tree and had prayed for the coming of the Messiah. And now, he felt that Jesus had seen into the very depths of his heart. Nathanael Bartholomew was an honest young man. He didn’t believe blindly what others said. He inquired.        The critical open-mindedness and honesty of young Nathanael is still the best attitude for anyone interested in finding the truth. With his willingness to “go and see,” with a thirst for the truth and basic honesty, we will always find the truth — and find God. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you easily believe what the media says about the Church or do you, like Nathanael, inquire?   Lord, please give me the gift of discernment and the eagerness to find out the truth before believing what I hear.

Do you thank Mother Mary for her intercession and help or do you turn to her only when you need something? - Daily Reflections August 22,2015

MARY – QUEEN AND MOTHER

 

A week ago we celebrated the fourth glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary. Today we commemorate the fifth mystery, which is the coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

       When I visited Nazareth, I went to an excavation of ancient Nazareth where a house from the first century was reconstructed. I came to know that in Jesus’ time, Nazareth had no more than 300 to 350 inhabitants who lived in caves with a roof in front under which the family ate their meals. What a primitive, simple way the Holy Family lived! In such a cave, Mary cooked their meals and cleaned the floor — nothing royal at all!

       Some ancient hymns address Mary as Queen, and the Second Vatican Council declares, “The Immaculate Virgin… was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death” (Lumen Gentium no. 59).

       The idea of royalty might not touch us the way it touched Christians centuries ago when kings and queens lived in splendor and luxury. The few kings and queens still existing in some countries are just figureheads without power. And so we prefer the title “Mother” for Mary than “Queen.” Even when we speak of her queenship, it should be understood not in the sense of royal authority and dominion but in the sense of maternal care and service.

       After all, one of the first words of Mary recorded in the Bible is, “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” Throughout her life, she never took the center stage but served her Son and her husband Joseph with love and humility.

       And that she continues to do until now. We have experienced her maternal love, intercession and help in our lives. Let us take this feast day as another occasion to thank our heavenly Mother and entrust ourselves once more to her. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you thank Mother Mary for her intercession and help or do you turn to her only when you need something?

 

Lord, once more I thank You for giving us Mary as our loving Mother. As she cared for You, she cares for the Church and for us. May I be able to imitate her humility and service in my life.

When you see “sinners” repent after a life of sin, do you feel irritated and think of God as unfair? - Daily Reflections August 19,2015

IS GOD UNFAIR?

 

Some of Jesus’ parables are shocking, like the one in today’s Gospel. If an employer would do today what the owner of the vineyard did, it would cause an uproar from labor unions and a violent strike would ensue.

       Many good Christians even find this story scandalous because it offers a picture of God who was seemingly unfair. The great French Catholic novelist, Francois Mauriac, wrote several novels in which his characters undergo a last-minute conversion, sometimes only on their deathbed, and so reach heaven after a life of sin and crimes. “Unfair,” many cry. But don’t forget the criminal who was crucified alongside Jesus and who asked for His forgiveness. Jesus promised him minutes before his death, “Today, you will be with Me in paradise.” Unfair, many cry, joining the last group of hired workers in our parable.

       Sinners who convert at the end of their lives receive the same salary — heaven — as the good Christians who struggle their whole lives to keep God’s commandments and live a life that’s pleasing to God. Is that fair?

       Jesus’ answer to that question is obvious. He admits that God is not fair according to our standards of justice. But God does not remain on the level of mere justice. God is pure love, and pure love goes beyond justice. Love is extravagant, unreasonable. That’s why human justice cannot understand the reasons of love.

       The parable is also about God’s generosity. The workers did not do the same work but they received the same pay. There are two great lessons here. It is not the amount of service given, but the love with which it is given that matters. God does not look at the amount of our service. As long as we give what we have, all service ranks the same with God.

       Another lesson is even greater: We cannot earn what God gives us. What God gives out of the goodness of His heart, what He gives is not pay, but a gift — not a reward, but a grace. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: When you see “sinners” repent after a life of sin, do you feel irritated and think of God as unfair?

 

Lord, thank You for reminding me that Your love is ocean-deep and Your mercy limitless, and that this applies not only to me but also to worse sinners than I am.

Do you cling to material possessions or are you able to detach yourself easily to help others? - Daily Reflections August 18,2015

THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE

 

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

       A camel passing through the eye of a needle? Impossible! Does it mean that a rich person cannot enter heaven? Surely not. Jesus also had rich friends.

       I came to understand this passage one day in Jerusalem. At the entrance to the Temple Mount, there is an old huge green gate that leads to the ancient Temple area. In this huge gate is a small door, just tall enough for a man to pass through. This small door was called “eye of the needle.”

       When, for example, a merchant arrived with his loaded camel late in the evening, the city gate would already have been closed. To open the gate was dangerous because an enemy may be lurking nearby, waiting for the gate to be opened. The merchant would then unload the luggage from his camel, let it kneel, and push it through the narrow door. So, the camel was able to pass through the “eye of the needle” because the owner took away the luggage first.

       The problem with a rich person is that there is no one to “unburden” him from his wealth. He often cannot detach himself from what hinders him from entering the Kingdom of God. We remember the rich young man we met in yesterday’s Gospel!

       Jesus had rich friends. Think of Nicodemus who could afford to have a new tomb carved inside a rock. But when he saw Jesus dying on the cross, he did not hesitate to offer this tomb to bury Jesus — not knowing, of course, that Jesus would rise on the third day. Or we hear about Mary Magdalene and some rich women who left home to travel with Jesus and support Him and His disciples out of their means.

       Both Nicodemus and the women were able to detach themselves and so “passed through the eye of the needle.” Why not follow their example? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you cling to material possessions or are you able to detach yourself easily to help others?

 

Lord, You are the best example of detachment. You left the glory of heaven and became one of us to save us. Thank You for Your example and grant me the grace to imitate You.

What are your idols? What has become more important than God in your life? - Daily Reflections August 17,2015

AM I AN IDOLATER?

 

What has the story of the rich young man to do with idolatry? Here is the connection: The second part of the first commandment deals with this problem: “You shall not place other gods (idols) before me.” In other words, whatever replaces God from the center of our lives becomes an idol. Idols are substitutes for God, imposters of God; they place Him from the first to the second place.

       For the rich young man, his wealth was his idol. He is not alone in this. Many of us also have different idols. It must not only be money that Jesus asks us to let go of in the Gospel today. It can be a person or a hobby that we are so attached to that it has become the center of our life, replacing God and His commandments.

     A good explanation and clarification comes from the famous sociologist, journalist and popular novelist, Fr. Andrew Greeley, who wrote: “The relative becomes absolute when anything religious — a symbol, a cult, an image, a philosophical system, an ideology, an organization, a legal structure — becomes more important in the practical order than the God these things are supposed to manifest. When the most important reality in my concrete, everyday religious life becomes a statue, a saint, a parish or church organization, my own position… or even a crusade of peace and racial justice, then I have become an idolater. I have taken something that is relative and made it absolute.”

       The rich man was asking for the only thing that really counts: to gain eternal life. And yet, he was clinging to something that was far from being eternal: wealth. And so does everything that replaces the eternal God. Wealth, fame, positions, persons are temporal and may even hinder us from reaching out to what is eternal. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What are your idols? What has become more important than God in your life?

 

Lord, what an eye-opener! Thank You very much. Grant me Your grace and insight to always realize immediately when I put something or somebody as more important than You.

Are you aware of what Jesus intends for you when you receive Holy Communion? - Daily Reflections August 16,2015

YOU BECOME WHAT YOU EAT   “Every person who partakes of any blood shall be cut off from his people,” the Law of God says in the Book of Leviticus (7:27). In other words, a Jew who drank blood was automatically excommunicated for the rest of his life. It is good to know this so that we realize how shocking Jesus’ words for Jewish ears were. Why was it a mortal sin to drink or eat something that contained blood? The Old Testament teaches that blood was thought to be the seat of life. And life was considered a quasi-divine matter. Drinking or eating blood therefore would mean eating God.        But that’s exactly what Jesus had in mind. We say, “You become what you eat.” To become God was what Jesus intends: We should become more and more like Him. “Be holy as I am holy,” God tells the Israelites, and Jesus goes one step further: Become divine as I am divine.        This leads us to a very serious reflection. How often have we received the Body of Christ in Holy Communion? How often have we “eaten His flesh and drank His blood”? None of us would be able to give the number of times, but how much have we become Christ-like and holy?        Could it be that the Eucharist has become so much a routine that we do not realize anymore what we are receiving there in the white Host? Has “going to Mass and receiving Communion” become a ritual we take for granted so that it hasn’t any effect on our lives?        St. John Paul II wrote, “Every commitment to holiness, every activity aimed at carrying out the Church’s mission, must draw the strength it needs from the Eucharistic mystery and, in turn, be directed to that mystery as its culmination. In the Eucharist we have Jesus, we have His redemptive sacrifice, we have His resurrection, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have adoration, obedience and love of the Father. Were we to disregard the Eucharist, how could we overcome our own deficiency? (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 60). Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you aware of what Jesus intends for you when you receive Holy Communion?   Lord, thank You for the greatest gift possible — Yourself. Make me worthy of it and let receiving You have the effect You intend — me becoming more like You.

Does your devotion to the Virgin Mary consist of prayers only or does it involve imitation of her life and faith? - Daily Reflections August 15,2015

THE ASSUMPTION OF MOTHER MARY

 

I once asked a theology class to explain the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary. A naughty seminarian replied, “That’s the teaching whereby the Catholic Church ‘assumes’ that Mary is in heaven.”

       There is, of course, more to the dogma of the Assumption than that. The Church does not just “assume” that Mary is in heaven. Rather, She declares with authority that the Mother of Jesus is in heaven and should therefore be honored in liturgy and imitated in life.

       Some have a problem with this dogma because we do not have any biblical basis for Mary’s assumption. Even the time and place of the assumption is not clear. Mary is mentioned in the Bible for the last time in the Acts of the Apostles, when she prayed after Jesus’ ascension together with the Apostles in preparation for the Pentecost. The rest of her life is shrouded in mystery, legend and traditions.

       Whenever I visit Ephesus in Turkey during pilgrimages, we would go to the House of Mary where, according to another tradition, Mary spent the last years of her life. There is no eyewitness account of this actual event, but then again, no one witnessed the actual resurrection of Jesus either.

    There are no relics of Mary, as with other saints. But credible apparitions of Mary, though not recorded in the New Testament, have been recorded from the third century until today.

       What has Mary’s assumption and her feast today to do with us who live in very difficult times? A Marian scholar once wrote that anything that happen to Mary concerns the Church, of which she is a member. He called her a “mirror of the Church.” In other words, what the Lord did for Mary, He does for the Church, for all of us. Today’s feast makes us aware that death is not the end, that after death glory awaits us. The road Mary traveled is the same road that the Church travels — the road that we also travel. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Does your devotion to the Virgin Mary consist of prayers only or does it involve imitation of her life and faith?

 

Lord, once more I thank You for giving us Your Mother as a model to imitate and follow. Help me to be inspired by her and be brought closer to You.

Do you love only those who are lovable, or, as Jesus proposes, also those who are your enemies? - Daily Reflections August 14,2015

ST. MAXIMILIAN: MARTYR OF CHARITY

 

Since the First Reading is a summary of Moses’ life, and the Gospel speaks about divorce, I suggest we reflect on the saint whom we honor today. Even though the Polish saint, Maximilian Kolbe, died three years before I was born, I came two times in contact with him.

       The first time was during one of my visits to Nagasaki in Japan when I visited the convent which he founded and sat down on his chair at his former working table, which is kept the way he left it after working for six years in Japan.

       The second encounter came during a pilgrimage when I went down the basement of the brick building called Block 11 in the former concentration camp in Auschwitz, the cell where St. Maximilian died. On August 14, 1941, after two weeks of starvation, he was injected with carbolic acid, which finally ended his life. Though beaten, tortured and subjected to extra punishment because he was a priest, Kolbe constantly encouraged his fellow prisoners to still love their enemies. A survivor shared that he often said, “Hatred destroys; love alone creates.”

       Jesus once said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

       What is remarkable in Maximilian Kolbe is that he laid down his life not for a friend but for a total stranger. From this point of view, a fellow human being is never really a total stranger, since in Christ we are brothers and sisters. How often do we forget this!

       His feast day reminds us that love of enemies is truly the criterion or the standard of our closeness to God. The kind of love that is not limited to emotions, but also manifests itself through actions. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you love only those who are lovable, or, as Jesus proposes, also those who are your enemies?

 

Lord, I admit that I still would not be able to die for a stranger. Let me learn from You, Lord, and be ready to sacrifice even for an enemy.

 

Do you have difficulties in forgiving others? Do you find strength by looking at the cross? - Daily Reflections August 13,2015

CHRISTIAN FORGIVENESS

 

Fr. Nil Guillemette begins a reflection on today’s Gospel with the following story about what happened in India at the Ganges River: “A traveler was passing by a road near the river. He saw an old man wading in waist-deep water, trying to retrieve a floating piece of bark. The old man was having trouble doing so. The traveler moved closer and saw that a scorpion was caught on the bark and that the old man was trying to save the scorpion from drowning. The traveler was horrified. ‘Why do you keep trying to save that scorpion?’ he asked. ‘It stings you every time you touch it!’ The old man replied, ‘It is only its nature to sting. My nature is to save. Why should I change my nature because of the scorpion’s nature?’”

       Fr. Nil applies this story to Jesus’ lesson on forgiveness, saying, “In the mind of Jesus, it must be part of a Christian nature to forgive, however difficult it might be. Forgiveness is an essential condition to be a Christian” (Nil Guillemette, Kindlings, p. 251).

       Jesus is not demanding something that’s impossible for us to do. He forgave a woman caught committing adultery. As a sign of forgiveness, He invited Himself into the house of a sinner, the tax collector Zacchaeus. Finally, He died a horrible death on the cross for the forgiveness our sins. In every confession we make, we experience the limitless forgiveness of a merciful God.

       St. John Paul II gave a beautiful example of Christian forgiveness. After he was shot and critically wounded on May 13, 1981 by Mehmet Ali Agca, he later went to the prison cell of his assassin and forgave him. In 2000, he even asked the Italian president to pardon Ali Agca who had been sentenced to lifetime imprisonment.

       Forgiveness does not come easy. It takes prayer to have the grace to forgive. We need to be more mindful when we say, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” In other words, God forgives us depending on how we have forgiven others. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you have difficulties in forgiving others? Do you find strength by looking at the cross?

 

Lord, I have often struggled to forgive someone who has hurt me. Today’s reflection encourages me to follow Your example and to become more forgiving.

Do you have the courage and charity to make another person aware of his wrongdoing? - Daily Reflections August 12,2015

THE CROSS OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION

 

When we discussed today’s Gospel in one of my classes, I asked the students, “What do you do when you see somebody doing something wrong?”

       Their answers were quite honest: “I just keep quiet.” “I leave the place.” “I tell my friends about it.” “I put a general comment on Facebook.”

       Most of us would answer similarly because we often hesitate to do what Jesus wants us to do. We are afraid of confrontation. We are afraid of being hated by the person we intend to rebuke. So instead of confronting the person or issue, we make generalizations on Facebook or give “blind” comments to friends. It becomes a game for others to try to figure out what the wrongdoing was or why we are upset. At times, the one who did something wrong is not even aware of it and might go on doing it. Sometimes, other people write a letter to the person who did wrong because they want to avoid a direct confrontation.

       Jesus knew exactly that avoidance, silence, gossip or letter-writing will not do anything good. As we said, this does not change the situation at all. When we brood about it, it poisons our mind and life and we lose our inner peace.

       In our novitiate, we had a monthly “fraternal correction.” It was not easy sitting together, with each novice voicing out what he thought a co-novice had done wrong. It was done after a prayer to the Holy Spirit and some remarks by the novice master. It was painful, but afterwards the atmosphere would become lighter and more joyful. It was as if the sun had appeared after a thunderstorm.

       Prayer for guidance — and especially charity — helps to open up the matter and the heart of the other person. If done with love, in most cases a deeper relationship will develop. After all, Jesus knows what is good. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you have the courage and charity to make another person aware of his wrongdoing?

 

Lord, today’s message is a difficult one. Make me always aware that I am “my brother’s keeper” and that I can help a person to realize his wrongdoings.

How do you live your life? Are you always concerned with your problems and difficulties? Or do you entrust yourself totally to God? - Daily Reflections August 11,2015

MOSES AND ST. CLARE

 

In January 2013, a shocking news reached me. The monastery of the Poor Clare Sisters in Cologne was closed shortly before its 90th anniversary. The few remaining sisters, one of whom is a Filipina, had to move to other convents.

       Why was it shocking? Because I considered this monastery as my second home. My mother told me that when I was still a baby, she brought me frequently to the Poor Clare Sisters who promised her that they would always pray for me. When I was seven years old, I became an altar server there for the next 10 years, until I entered the seminary. When I was ordained in Japan and returned to Germany later, my first Mass was with them. I am convinced it was through their prayers that I was able to persist in my vocation. My affinity to these sisters inspires me to visit the tomb of St. Clare whenever I visit Assisi.

       In the First Reading, Moses spoke to Joshua and the Israelites shortly before his death. He told them about future battles and how God will defeat their enemies. St. Clare died without such audience. She spoke to her own soul: “Go in peace; you have followed the good way; go in confidence, because your Creator has sanctified you, has cared for you constantly, and has loved you with all the tenderness of a mother for her child. O God, blessed be you for having created me.”

       No doubt, Moses was also dedicated to God, but one can only marvel at the dedication that St. Clare showed in the last moments of her life. How true is the saying, “One dies as one lives.” While Moses led his people from crisis to crisis, through battles and many obstacles, St. Clare had given up everything worldly and entrusted herself totally to her beloved Master, Jesus. She had become like the child that Jesus speaks about in today’s Gospel — becoming small and trusting totally in the love and care of God. What a beautiful way to reach the end of one’s life! Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you live your life? Are you always concerned with your problems and difficulties? Or do you entrust yourself totally to God?

 

Lord, only You know when I will close my eyes forever. I ask for the grace to live my life so that I will be able to cross from this world into eternity peacefully and without regrets.