PathToHoliness

Besides Our Lady, I think St. Therese, whose feast day was today, has had the biggest impact on my spiritual life. Early on in my spiritual journey I was encouraged to read her biography, Story of a Soul, and I fell in love. Never before had the spiritual life been shown, or explained, in such a real way. If you have not read it yet, I HIGHLY recommend it! I have read it twice now, and I’m sure will pick it up again.

This little saint is best known for articulating what she called her “Little Way” of spiritual childhood, which is what made her a Doctor of the Church. Here is an excerpt from her autobiography that I think gives a beautiful vision of this little way.

I look upon myself as a weak little bird, with only a light down as covering. I am not an eagle, but I have only an eagle’s EYES AND HEART. In spite of my extreme littleness I still dare to gaze upon the Diving Sun, the Sun of Love, and my heart feels within it all the aspirations of an Eagle.

The little bird wills to fly toward the bright Sun that attracts its eye, imitating its brothers, the eagles, whom it sees climbing up toward the Divine Furnace of the Holy Trinity. But alas! the only thing it can do is raise its little wings; to fly is not within its little power!

What then will become of it? Will it die of sorrow at seeing itself so weak? Oh no! the little bird will not even be troubled. With bold surrender, it wishes to remain gazing upon its Diving Sun. Nothing will frighten it, neither wind nor rain, and if dark clouds come and hide the Star of Love, the little bird will not change its place because it knows that beyond the clouds its bright Sun still shines on and that its brightness is not eclipsed for a single instant…

Jesus, I am too little to perform great actions, and my own folly is this: to trust that Your Love will accept me as a victim. My folly consists in begging the eagles, my brothers, to obtain for me the favor of flying toward the Sun of Love with the Divine Eagle’s own wings!

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As our Father, God wants to do everything for us and we must rely on Him for absolutely everything. Even our good works are not our own. The best thing we can do is offer our Lord our empty hands so that He may fill them with good works. My favorite quote from Therese: “Sanctity consists in suffering.” I also wrote about Therese on my post about darkness and the spiritual life.

Books you should read:
Story of a Soul
St. Therese of Lisieux, Her Last Conversations

‘When we suffer, God is preparing our hearts for something greater’ (h/t Driving out the Snakes):

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt. 16:24-25)

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 1:6-7)

This kind of goes with yesterday’s post on the importance of voting pro-life because abortion is, above all, a human rights issue.
In a speech addressed to the members of the Democratic International of the Centre and the Christian Democrats Pope Benedict said (my emphasis added):

“A Nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope” – JP II

Read my latest blog entry on the importance of voting pro-life: Preserving America’s Freedom

“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first mement of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), No. 2270)
Also, my parents will be on their way back home from Japan early tomorrow morning. They were able to go to Mass a few times, including this Sunday morning (it’s Sunday over there right now), so hopefully Dad got some good pics of the church in Japan to post on here soon. Say a prayer for them, please! It will be a looong flight.

Yes, today is my birthday – number 25. It’s always pretty sobering when I think that when I was conceived, my mother had the legal choice to have me killed before I was born. Thanks, Mom, for choosing life!

I share this birthday with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Mary shared in the sufferings of Christ (Lk. 2:35) and stood by Him on the cross (Jn. 19:25). Besides our Lord, Mary is the greatest example of perseverance in suffering and is a constant source of strength and inspiration for me in my own sufferings.

On this feast day it is appropriate to reflect on the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin:

* at the prophecy of Simeon;
* at the flight into Egypt;
* having lost the Holy Child at Jerusalem;
* meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary;
* standing at the foot of the Cross;
* Jesus being taken from the Cross;
* at the burial of Christ.

Please say a prayer for my parents who will be on their way to Japan tomorrow morning.

“May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Galatians 6:14). Today we celebrate the glory and the triumph of the cross of our Savior. In today’s Office, the reading from St. Andrew of Crete says:

Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be canceled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled. Therefore the cross is something wonderfully great and honorable.

Even our own crosses are occasions to rejoice because we can unite our sufferings to Christ, fulfilling His calling to us to take up our cross and follow Him. From the Imitation of Christ:

Why are you afraid, then, to take up the cross when through it you can win an eternal kingdom? In the cross is salvation; in it is life; in it is protection from your enemies; in it is heavenly sweetness; in it is strength of mind; in it is joy of spirit; in it is the highest virtue; in the cross is perfect holiness. Take up your cross and follow Jesus, and you will merit eternal life.

As pro-life people we must love and respect all human life, including those who do not love us in return, and even those who wish us harm. The Gospel reading at today’s Mass for peace was from Matthew in which Jesus tells us,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mt. 5:43-44)

Today’s anniversary gives us the opportunity to put this teaching into practice. May we learn how to love and forgive our enemies, especially those who wound us so deeply. Let hatred not enter our hearts no matter how grieved we may be. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Today is the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As our priest said this morning, today is a feast of hope. It is a reminder of God’s love for us and for what awaits us in heaven. Today we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin, whom God sent to be the Mother of our Lord, who died to offer us eternal life. This is the greatest prayer that I can think of on this blessed day:

Hail Mary, full of grace
the Lord is with thee,
Blessed are thou among women
and Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb
Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of death,
Amen.

Today was the 10th anniversary of the death of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Though we have known of her darkness for some time now, a new book that has come out, Come Be My Light, detailing her spiritual agony through the many letters she wrote to spiritual directors through the decades. Many report it as some sort of double life she was leading. They cannot fathom the idea of this kind of spiritual struggle from one who acted as if always in union with the Divine. But darkness and faith very often go hand in hand.

Probably the most famous author on spiritual darkness is the 16th century Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross, with his Dark Night of the Soul. But modern saints have written of their experience as well. My favorite, St. Terese of Lisieux (1873-1897), a doctor of the Church for her Little Way of spiritual childhood, suffered what she called “worst temptations of atheism” for the last 18 months of her life. During this time she says God

“permitted my soul to be invaded by the thickest darkness, and that the thought of heaven, up until then so sweet to me, be no longer anything but the cause of struggle and torment.”

For her the veil of faith turned into a wall reaching “right up to the heavens” covering the starry firmament.

When I sing of the happiness of heaven and of the eternal possession of God, I feel no joy in this, for I sing simply what I WANT TO BELIEVE.

I have not yet read the book on Mother Teresa, only the Time magazine article, but from what I have read, the words she speaks in her darkness are very similar, though hers seems considerably more painful:

When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven – there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. – I am told God loves me – and yet the reality of the darnkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.

The saints recognize this trial as being permitted by God and taken away only at an “hour set by God Himself” (St. Therese). St. Maria Faustina (1905-1938), who I have just begun to read, offers further insight into these trials and God’s relationship with the chosen souls. Though the soul feels abandoned by God, He is still there, perhaps closer than ever, especially in time of temptation:

“God supports the soul in secret, so to speak. The soul is not aware of this, but otherwise it would be impossible to stand firm; and God knows very well how much he can allow to befall the soul.”

It is quite difficult to put such spiritual suffering into words, and one must “travel through this dark tunnel to understand its darkness” (St. Therese). What we can tell, however, from the example of the saints is that God brings such darkness to a soul because it has been “admitted to a deeper intimacy with Him” and “He wants to try it as pure gold is tried” (St. Faustina) We may not all be called to experience the Trial of Trials, that of complete abandonment and despair, but we will inevitably face some challenges to our faith. For those challenges we can now look to another great example of love and perseverance. Though we don’t always have the joy of faith, we should “carry out its works at least” (St. Therese).

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 1:6-7)

Suggested reading:
Come Be My Light
Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Therese of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska

Today we celebrated the feast of the mother of one of the Church’s most celebrated saints. St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine (whose feast day is tomorrow), prayed unceasingly for the conversion of her famous son, and, as we all know, was happily obliged by Our Lord. Not only that, but her husband, Patricius, a pagan with a terrible temper, converted to Christianity and was baptized a year before his death thanks to her prayers as well. She is a wonderful example for married couples and parents who are called to care above all for the spiritual well being of their spouse and children. I believe that it was not only her prayers, but also her example as a pious Christian woman that also won over her husband and son. This passage from 1 Peter makes me think of St. Monica and the example that all married women should give:

Likewise, you wives should be subordinate to your husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct when they observe your reverent and chaste behavior. Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes, but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.
1 Peter 3:1-5

She is also an example to all of us of our call to persevere in prayer. The conversion of St. Augustine did not happen overnight. It was a long, turbulent journey (20 years or more) during which the reluctant saint fell in and out of serious sin and his mother deeper and deeper into a conversation with Christ on behalf of her son, storming the gates of heaven with her constant tears and prayer. In the end this great mother witnessed the baptism of one of our greatest saints and spent the last days of her life reflecting with him and longing for the joys of heaven:

“Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?”
from St. Augustine’s Confessions

Her final request was that her son, who became a priest and bishop, remember her “at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.”

Opus Dei is often seen as a way of sanctifying one’s work – which it is. But it’s not just about professional work. It’s about raising up every aspect of daily life to the level of prayer and union with God. As children of God, we must act like His children, even in the most ordinary aspects of our daily life:

Heaven and earth seem to merge, my daughters and sons, on the horizon. But where they really meet is in your heart, when you strive for holiness in your everyday lives.
~St.

http://www.gaelnet.de/wp-content/themes/twentyten/best-essay.html

Josemaria Escriva, from Passionately Loving the World, Oct. 8, 1967

On his blog, Human Life Matters, Mark Pickup has a beautiful post about how those of us with disabilities, though we may not “work”, can still contribute to society and benefit from Opus Dei:

I have been unable to work in years because of multiple sclerosis. Still, I believe that even my circumstances of everyday life — relegated to a wheelchair — can be fertile ground for growing closer to God…

We, the incurably ill and disabled, are not life unworthy of life. We have contributions to bring to the table of the Human Community, even if it is only by our presence.

We can challenge society to include those who may difficult to include, or those who bring discomfort to sophisticated or polite company. We call those around us to a higher standard of love and friendship. We can knock at the door of mainstream society and demand admission and reasonable accommodation so that we can find our rightful places in the world. If the disabled and incurably ill despair of life, we need people to lift us up as indispensable members of society and worthy of life. We do not need the abandonment of a utilitarian society eagerly agreeing to assist with our suicides, or euthanasia of those who can’t communicate to defend themselves.

Contrary to what bioethics may promote, our rightful places in the world are not graves or crematoriums.

A man like me is increasingly viewed as a liability to society. I need an organization like Opus Dei to encourage and mentor me to use my circumstances of everyday life for “growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. My father has been a cooperator of Opus Dei for a number of years and my mother and I enjoy the women’s retreats every year. I adore the message and spirituality of Opus Dei – holiness in ordinary life. It has been a great blessing and help for me in living out the daily struggles of my own disability, not to mention every other part of my everyday life:

It doesn’t matter what age you are; it doesn’t matter what your position is or what your circumstances are or who you are: you have to convince yourself, commit yourself, and desire holiness. You well know that holiness does not consist in extraordinary graces received in prayer, or unbearable mortification and penance; nor is it the inheritance only of those who live in lonely oasis, far from the world. Holiness consists in faithful and loving fulfillment of one’s desires, in joyful and humble acceptance of God’s will, in union with him in your everyday work, in knowing how to fuse religion and life into a fruitful and harmonious unity, and in all sorts of other ordinary little things you know so well.
~ Fr. Salvatore Canals from Jesus as Friend

Find out more about Opus Dei

What a wonderful feast day! This is always a very special one for me because it is the day I renew my Total Consecration to Mary. It is a private devotion based on St. Louis DeMontfort’s True Devotion that I like to encourage others to practice because, as DeMontfort and many of the Saints have testified to over the years, devotion to the Blessed Virgin is the most perfect and easy way to grow closer to Christ. As a priest in our Diocese puts it (I have mentioned this before) “2,000 years ago Mary brought Jesus into the world, now she desires to bring him into our hearts.” For anyone interested in Total Consecration, this website offers a very thorough explanation of how to proceed. It includes links to all readings and prayers so that ordering books is not necessary. The next “consecration day” is the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, with preparation beginning on Nov. 5.

Read more on the Assumption
See what the Father’s had to say about the end of Mary’s life

Preparation for Total Consecration book

I have been saying the morning offering every morning for quite some time and it never really hit me until just recently that through that prayer we offer to Jesus not only our daily work and sufferings – something that seems pretty common for us to offer – but we also offer our JOYS:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.

It seems to me that this is something that is often overlooked. It is easy to think of the Lord in times of trouble or sorrow, and we should, in those times unite our sufferings to Jesus on the cross. But Christ wants to share in every part of our lives, that includes our joys! The next time things are going well, or you are enjoying a particularly peaceful or happy moment with friends, family, or even alone in nature, think of Our Lord, thank Him and ask Him to enjoy that moment with you. For without Him, that moment would not be possible!

After expressing my favorable view of the Harry Potter novels recently on my blog I was asked by one reader why my view on the subject is so “contradictory to others who are so Catholic and so pro-life.” She specifically pointed out the view of Pope Benedict who, while still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, wrote a letter to Gabriele Kuby regarding her book, Harry Potter – good or evil, explaining the damage HP does to our young children, saying:

“It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.”

This came right around the same time a Vatican document was published on New Age phenomenon and one of its contributers, Father Don Peter Fleetwood, when questioned about HP said:

“I don’t see any problem in the Harry Potter series. They aren’t bad. If I have understood well the intentions of Harry Potter’s author, they help children to see the difference between good and evil.”

Both of these statements were made in 2003 and, as far as I know no further statements from anywhere in the Vatican have been made and there is no official Catholic position on whether the HP books are good, bad or indifferent. Quite the contrary. There doesn’t even appear to be a general consensus on the matter. With regard to Harry Potter the Catholic world seems pretty split. For example, based on the links offered on Life Site News’ website, they have a very unfavorable opinion of the books. Whereas Our Sunday Visitor has published a book by Nancy Brown, The Mystery of Harry Potter, designed to “help guide your family through a fully enjoyable, and even educational, experience of Harry Potter.”

Other note-worthy Catholic figures differ in opinion. In 2002, Father Gabriele Amorth, the Pope’s chief exorcist warned that, “Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil” (Catholic League’s Bill Donohue recently responded). I have already mentioned Gabriele Kuby and her book – she also has an article on LSN: Ten Arguments Against Harry Potter. Author Michael O’Brien has written extensively warning of the cultural impact of the novels, here are a few interviews from Zenit.

Meanwhile, master Catholic blogger, Mark Shea is a constant defender of the series. In his review of The Mystery of Harry Potter he calls HP the greatest Christian fantasy epic of our generation. Even Amy Welborn, another well known Catholic author and blogger, who doesn’t appear to be a big fan of the books, insists that there is nothing wrong with them:

[c]oncerned parent, just relax. The Harry Potter books are far better than ninety percent of contemporary children’s literature, and I think all of us should be deeply grateful to J.K. Rowling for the gift she’s given our children, which goes beyond the books themselves, to the rediscovery of the pleasure of reading.

I was surprised to learn that Cardinal George Pell of Australia has read and enjoys Harry Potter saying: “The Harry Potter series are brilliantly written children’s books, which many adults enjoy.”

Obviously opponents have serious concerns about the magic being used in the novels – that it can lead children into an interest in the occult and away from faith in God. So what do supporters have to say about the witchcraft and wizardry? Many of us see it as a backdrop to the greater story of the lives of the characters. It’s even portrayed as more of a talent that some children are born with and some aren’t, and those who are must study to learn how to control their power and use it wisely. Amy Welborn also suggests that magic is often a metaphor in novels:

It’s a metaphor for personal power. Stories in which children must deal with magic are really about the discovery of one’s own gifts, talents and capability to use one’s life for either good or evil.

Still concerned about the magic? It’s a legitimate concern, especially with regards to young readers. Both Welborn and Brown suggest explaining to children that Rowling doesn’t believe in magic, dragons and spells herself, but has simply used her imagination to come up with a creative story. Also explain, as I just pointed out, that in the story magic is a natural born talent. One cannot just start casting spells and “become” magical. It is also worth noting that the “spells” in Harry Potter are really just Latin words and many of the “potions” consist of non-existent, mythical ingredients like Acromantula venom, Erumpent parts and unicorn blood. In other words, we’re not talking about real sorcery that would or could be condemned Biblically.

As you can see Catholics have far from resolved the HP debate. That is why, as with all things, it is up to parents to discern and pay attention to what their children are reading. It is good for parents to read these books (and others) before giving them to children – even reading with them – and offering guidance along the way (yes, there are good things in HP that can be pointed out to children, you can find some of them here and in the books below). Brown has many suggestions for parents in her book, here is an excerpt).

Despite popular belief most of the books are not appropriate for very young readers, so Brown offers this age guide:

“Sorcerer’s Stone”: 7-11 to adult
“Chamber of Secrets”: 8-11 to adult
“Prisoner of Azkaban”: 9-11 to adult
“Goblet of Fire”: 10-12 to adult
“Order of the Phoenix”: 10-13 to adult
“Half-Blood Prince”: 11-14 to adult
“Deathly Hallows”: 12-14 to adult

Bottom line: the books are not bad or evil in and of themselves, parents can, in good conscience, allow their children read HP, as they see fit, but are by no means obligated to do so – bear in mind other children’s books can have their own problems and should be approached with the same concern and consideration. Parents just need to keep an eye on their children – what they’re reading, watching, playing or doing, take an active role in their entertainment and look for signs that they may be being lead astray, whether by HP or something else.

Other links (many of these contain spoilers):
This is a great in depth look at the end of the series
Nancy Brown’s Blog
Brown’s thoughts on Deathly Hallows
A discussion on marriage at Nancy Brown’s blog
Catholic perspective can be seen in Potter series, says priest-devotee

Books:
The Mystery of Harry Potter
Looking for God in Harry Potter
The Gospel According to Harry Potter
God, the Devil and Harry Potter

Today is the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne (my patron saint), believed to be the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Magnificat book today suggests that this memorial “gives reason to rejoice in the gift of family life and to reflect on the mutual responsibility parents and children have to love one another and lead one another to holiness.” This is the meaning of true marriage and family vocations. In his forward to Christopher West’s book, Good News About Sex and Marriage Archbishop Chaput says that the “most fundamental vocations crisis of all” is marriage and family life. With the divorce rate among Catholics equal to the national average, it is obvious we have a problem on our hands.

Today as we celebrate this very holy couple, blessed to be the parents of the Mother of God, let us pray for greater, and stronger, marriage and family vocations, from which, no doubt, will come more priestly and religious vocations! Let us also thank God for those holy couples and families that exist today, helping to strengthen the Church and society.