Summary
This is my personal blog (weB-LOG) about my life at seminary.
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Random Thoughts
Sunday Nuts and Bolts
Sunday, February 29, 2004, 11:59 PM
Sundays I avoid working. God likes it and I like it too. It's a win-win. For their part, Mom and Dad like it when I write about ordinary things, the "nuts and bolts" of seminary life. Since I did not call them this evening (due to a phone card deficiency) I'll recap my good day.
I got up around 9:30, put on the suit and tie, and went 10:00 Mass. (Homily insight: a temptation is the desire to pursue a good thing in the wrong way.) Afterwards I joined another seminarian and our music director to prepare for vespers cantoring. Brunch was followed by praying a rosary, replying to an email, taking a nap, and notifying the seminary concerning an email virus.
At 4:30, my cantoring partner and I regrouped to practice. At 5:00 vespers we sang well. 5:30 dinner followed. I then took a short walk to enjoy the beautiful evening. At 6:20 I went downstairs to watch the first episode of Band of Brothers. At 7:15 I attended the charismatic prayer group. At 8:30 the holy hour (of Eucharistic adoration) began. For the last part of that I volunteered to help lead singing night prayer. The rest of the night was spent in the pub watching the academy awards, eating a pizza, and playing f�ssball. I closed out the night by writing this blog post and posting it while it was still leap day.
An Exclusive (Provided You Haven't Heard About It.)
Thursday, February 26, 2004, 8:56 PM
There is good news from Pierre. The South Dakota House and Senate have passed a bill that would disallow abortions in most cases. It now awaits the expected signature of the governor. However, one would think it doubtful this law would survive the appeals process. The deck appears strongly stacked against it. Yet "for God all things are possible" and His "power is made perfect in weakness". What came in a day can leave in a day. Let's pray for that day to be soon.
The Passion
Wednesday, February 25, 2004, 11:31 PM
We had all greatly anticipated seeing this movie. The seminarians who saw it with me this evening were not disappointed. We found the film engrossing. When it was over it felt like nothing near two hours had passed. I suspect many of us will be going back again this Lent.
As I watched, nothing seemed out of place. I had feared that the violence or some regrettable plot decision would detach me, but this did not occur. All of the film's artistic additions were faithful contributions. This film depicted things that I had never seen before. Yet, I was struck by how familiar everything was. Exiting the hushed the theatre felt familiar too. It reminded me of leaving Mass.
The film opens with a quote dated 700 BC. "He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed." This is among the oracles made by prophet Isaiah concerning the future messiah. This summer I created a (rarely visited) page about these 'Servant of the Lord' passages with my added commentary. I also did the same for Psalm 22. ("My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?") If you liked the movie, I highly recommend the book.
A Good Place To Be Planted
Monday, February 23, 2004, 12:11 AM
This weekend my parents visited me and saw this seminary for the first time. It was great to have them. In touring these grand buildings and grounds, by introducing my many dear friends and acquaintances, I gained a deeper appreciation for this place. They left here impressed. I am left grateful.
The Man Without a Face
Sunday, February 22, 2004, 1:23 AM
A DB sent me a story about Mel Gibson being severely disfigured in his youth. I was quite impressed by it, so I ran a search to find its primary source. However, to my disappointment, I soon discovered that this account is an urban myth.
I was mistaken to take this fable at face-value. (da-da-ching) Yet, not all such wonderful stories are fictitious tales. Consider this famous story, the fountain of so many other true and miraculous stories.
Would I Be Catholic?
Friday, February 20, 2004, 4:57 PM
Today my little sister emailed me an intriguing question. 'Do you think you would be Catholic if you hadn't been born into the Catholic Church?'
It is a statistical reality that the strong majority of people born into another faith do not become Catholics. So, supposing no other premises than that, my conversion would seem unlikely.
But then who can say how God's Providence would work in another world? Since this is a question concerning a reality that does not exist, it may not even have a true answer. "Does the King of the United States have a beard?"
Coming back to reality, being raised Catholic did help me to identify with the Catholic Church in my youth. But long ago I appreciated that I could not believe in the Church simply because it was mine. A person should believe in something because it is the truth.
"Gradual" has been the keyword of my spiritual life story. Over the years, my heart and mind plodded closer to Jesus and (what I profess to be) His Church. So do I stand today convinced? It is unlikely I will ever have to die for the faith, but I am here to give my life for it.
There's Something About Mary
Friday, February 20, 2004, 12:04 AM
The other day, my seminary brother and fellow blogger Mark recounted a fond experience with the Miraculous Medal. I strongly encouraged him to write it down and he has done just that. (Miraculous Medal February, 2004) I knew he would share the story better than I. Besides, it's far easier to link to someone else's good post than to write one of your own.
"Everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray."
Tuesday, February 17, 2004, 8:44 AM
Last night I did a dramatic reading of a 1970 classic for speech class. It's fine to ham it up for a piece like this, but doing that in a serious presentation feels shamefully insincere. I suppose I'm developing these capabilities for use when the proper time comes.
As requested, here's a picture of me in the chapel.
Next To My Heart
Monday, February 16, 2004, 2:44 PM
For some time a number of small medals had been laying on my computer tower. Since receiving them I had remained unwilling to put them in a drawer, away and out of sight, yet reluctant to carry one myself. The evening before recounting my St. Blase story (see Feb. 3rd post) I was reflecting upon the lesson that experience had taught me. Don't be too proud to accept a blessing, especially from a saint. When the medals caught my eye it occurred to me that this was a fine occasion to follow my own advise. I dropped one of these Miraculous Medals, as they are famously known, into my shirt pocket.
Since then, my daily seminary experience has been on a new, higher level. I'll just say I highly recommend carrying one yourself to receive such blessings.
If you would like a medal of your own, just ask me and I'll hook you up. Or, fill out this form and the Association of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville, Missouri will send you one for free.
It's not about magic or superstition, it's not a good luck charm. It is a small and humble token God uses as an agent for his grace. It's not that He requires such things, it's that we require them. We fail to make the connection between the gift and the Giver (and the role that Mary plays). Don't refuse a blessing, try it for yourself.
We Are One Body
Saturday, February 14, 2004, 11:46 PM
This weekend there is a youth retreat at the seminary. There has been talks, prayers, and eucharistic adoration all day long. Personally, I've been pumped and blessed. Tonight I'm going back for more.
Omnipotence, Benevolence, and Evil
Friday, February 13, 2004, 11:29 PM
Father, speaking as the scoffer would, looked at the crucifix in class today and assumed a devilish look. 'That's your omnipotent God, crucified?' Then he said, 'If your all-powerful God loves us, then why does he allow devastating earthquakes, like the one that killed thousands of people in Iran?' The answer was, "Our belief in God crucified makes possible our belief in a loving God who permits bad things to happen for our good." What else could have ever persuaded us than God crucified?
Getting Rolling
Friday, February 13, 2004, 12:24 AM
This morning I did not want to go out for my field work. The choice was mine, but I eventually concluded I would be free from regret if I went. As I was driving out of the parking-lot I noticed the van wasn't handling quite right. (The rumbling sound and the vibrating motion were tip-offs.) One front tire was low and the other was flat. I hummed a tune as I walked back inside.
Later, while I was sweeping the stairs (always downwards, never upwards), the second person I mentioned my problem to happened to own a portable air-compressor. He kindly helped me pump-up tonight.
The rest of the day was spent valuably. I slept, enjoyed evening prayer with angelic-sounding sisters, laughed at dinner with my DB's, and finished a proposed Ethics paper's outline. I intend to write on how St. Thomas Aquinas' ethics would respond to a 9-11 scenario. If a passenger jet is hijacked by terrorists and headed towards a metropolitan area, can you morally shoot down the plane along with its innocent passengers? I'm actually looking forward to writing this one.
I Could Hear It Just Fine
Tuesday, February 10, 2004, 8:34 AM
At last evening's speech class I gave essentially my first homily at seminary. I was very pleased with the message, on the importance of prayer in ministry. The delivery? Pretty good from where I was standing, but for a more objective analysis consider my teacher's comment, "Great Speech Potential". I'll be working on it.
On The Need For Purgatory
Monday, February 9, 2004, 2:24 AM
Every day, I fail to love as I should. My thoughts and my words, what I do and what I fail to do, reveal my lingering attachment to, and injury from sin. I can see how God is leading me to perfection through my relationship with Him. Yet it seems quite possible that my sanctification, my being made holy, will not be complete by the time of my death. In that case, I will need to be purged of my remaining imperfections before experiencing heaven, which allows entry to no unclean thing. (Rev. 21:27)
The Catholic Church teaches that, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. ... The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned." (CCC #1030, #1031)
We know that sin injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. (The sin leaves the sinner less able to love God, but God's great love for the sinner never diminishes.) God is eager to forgive, but forgiveness does not automatically remedy all disorders that the sin has caused. I suggest that this matches with the clear lived experience of all Christians.
Then how does the sinner become fully healed? The Church teaches, "Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must 'make satisfaction for' or 'expiate' his sins. This satisfaction is also called 'penance.' ... It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear." (CCC #1459, #1460)
Is this to say that Christ's self-sacrifice was insufficient? No, rather, "penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, 'provided we suffer with him.'" (Romans 8:17, CCC #1460)
As the Church taught at the Council of Trent in 1551: "The satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of 'him who strengthens' us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our boasting is in Christ ... in whom we make satisfaction by bringing forth 'fruits that befit repentance.' These fruits have their efficacy from him, by him they are offered to the Father, and through him they are accepted by the Father." (CCC #1460)
So what happens to those Christians who die without satisfying, or fully recovering from the ravages of their forgiven sins? Or what if they carry unrepented non-deadly (venial) sins on their souls? (1 John 5:17) These persons must be perfected before entering heaven. For them, purgatory is a necessity, mercifully provided by God.
Here I have presented a bit of what purgatory is and why it exists. It is a belief harmonious with our lived experience and the theology of the cross. What I have not presented is the evidence from history: that Christians have believed in purgatory since the beginning. Neither have I presented the more subtle Scriptural evidence. Nor have I discussed what the experience of the souls in purgatory may be like. I leave these for perhaps a future essay, but for now it is time for bed.
Approaching God
Friday, February 6, 2004, 6:55 PM
Tonight at 7:00 I will be praying for the souls experiencing purgatory. It's my usual habit for Friday nights. I join with other seminarians and we pray the rosary and petitions together. We pray to aid these souls in their perfection so they may be fully with God in heaven, comfortably at home forever amid the intense fire of his love.
I've been putting it off, but this Sunday I intend to write about purgatory. What it is, and why it's not so horrible or unthinkable to accept as some people suppose.
A Preview
Thursday, February 5, 2004, 11:08 PM
Schwalbs has posted a link to the new Passion trailer. There is much excitement here about the film. The majority of us here have purchased advanced tickets for an opening day showing on February 25, Ash Wednesday. I continue to hope and believe that this will be a very important film.
[PS: Note how the preview cuts from the raising of the bread at the Last Supper to the raising of Jesus on the cross. Wonderful.]
Top Floor Memories
Wednesday, February 4, 2004, 9:14 PM
Last weekend we hosted a basketball tournament. Seminary teams from across the midwest came to compete. The good guys from St. Louis took first place, continuing their habit of taking the best for themselves.
Anyway, I mention this because one visiting priest, an alumnus of this seminary, shared some interesting history from the time he lived on my floor. MY DB captured it all for posterity on his digital camcorder.
[Note: This 4MB file will be deleted as soon as I need the space. Also, despite appearances, Michael Moore was in no way affliated with this production.]
Stiff-Necked
Tuesday, February 3, 2004, 2:40 PM
One year ago today I went to the college Newman Center for noon Mass. At the end the priest offered the blessing of St. Blase, whose special day it was in the Church year.
The traditional ritual involves two candle sticks in an X around the throat of the recipient. The priest holds the candles and says a short prayer asking for St. Blase's intercession in protection from throat ailments and other diseases. (The story goes that a mother once brought Saint Blase her baby who was choking on a fish bone. He cured the child with a prayer and the sign of the cross.)
Most people were lining up for the blessing, but I remained in my pew contemplating whether to go myself. I didn't really want to. It just seemed weird. It certainly looked odd. Besides, I was healthy and throat ailments did not seem high enough on my list of concerns to risk personal embarrassment. I left, forgot about the matter, and went to lunch.
That would have been the end of the story, but something happened at the cafeteria. I was holding my tray, alone next to the salad bar, when my throat went funky. I quickly gathered that I was not choking, but my throat felt dusty and was not working as it should. Then I remembered, calmly understood the lesson, and apologized. A short while later I was back to normal.
This is the lesson I learned: Don't refuse a blessing, especially from a saint. Don't let pride get in the way. Today, I made sure that I got in line.
Can God work through a sinful priest?
Monday, February 2, 2004, 2:28 PM
A Catholic friend asked me this question:
"...I find conflict in the idea that a man who molests and corrupts young children can create such a miracle. [That is, turning the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.] I do believe in forgiveness, but in the same part, we are asked not to participate in this holy sacrament if we feel we are living in some sin, yet these very men who have done great sin are suppose to have God work through them."
Such an offense against a child is a grave sin before God. No priest should say mass with an unrepented serious sin such as this on his soul. If a priest were to knowingly do so, he would be adding sin upon his sin. However, despite his sinfulness, the miracle of the Mass would still occur.
And this is why: It is not the man's personal holiness but Christ's power that effects this miracle. And how do we know Christ will still be acting even when the priest is so unworthy? Because our God always keeps His promises.
"If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself."
(2 Timothy 2:13)
"...The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
At the Last Supper, Jesus told his Apostles to perpetuate this meal which today is known as the Mass. In the Mass we participate in the one passion, death, and resurrection of Christ - not just symbolically, like pretend, but in mystical actually. Jesus' commandment, "Do this in remembrance of me," made the Apostles the first priests of the New Covenant. Today the Mass is celebrated by priests who can trace their ordination back to those same Apostles.
When Jesus said "This is my body" and "This is my blood" it was a promise to us. A sinful priest is a scandal, but it will not prevent God from fulfilling the promise of His Real Presence in the Mass for our sake.
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