PathToHoliness

The Podcast and New Media Expo is taking place in Ontario, CA. This group, including two priests, are podcasters who are exhibiting in the trade show.

They’re promoting sqpn.com, “The Best in Catholic Podcasting.”

SQPN (Star Quest Production Network) is a multimedia organization specializing in the production of audio and video programs faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Its mission is to respond to the Church’s call to use the media for religious information, for evangelization and catechesis and for formation and education¹.

I was able to make it to Mass this morning at St. Secondo D’Asti, a very small church near my hotel.

I can’t remember when I’ve seen a Mass with the priest facing the altar and then communion given out at the rail which is still in place.

It was very nice.

They also have confession before Mass even though it’s at 6:30am.

‘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

As our business has grown I’ve found it more difficult to take time for daily devotions such as morning and evening prayer and spiritual reading. However, I believe that they’re even more important in my life than ever before. It’s nice to be making a good living but you have to question why you’re doing it. Why do I work so hard? Hopefully it’s to fulfill God’s will.

Since I became a Cooperator of Opus Dei I have learned how we can turn the most ordinary things we do into part of our daily prayer. For example, one of the first things I try to do each morning is offer all my “prayers, works, joys and sorrows” of the day to God. Then I’ve got kind of a head start on my goal of praying constantly.

St. Josemaria Escriva has helped so many people change their lives by finding meaning in everything we do.

There’s a great video produced by the St. Josemaria Institute which you can order that helps show how you can achieve this kind of fulfillment in your daily prayer life by using examples of how other ordinary people have done so.

That video is now available to watch online too. (Quicktime Movie)

This is the side altar at the St. Peter in Chains Cathedral in Cincinnati, OH. It was a short walk from my hotel while I was in town.

I got to attend daily Mass there for a couple days recently. You can go on a virtual tour of the Cathedral here.

I get to be home for a whole week this week and attending my own parish church which will be nice. This Labor Day weekend is providing an opportunity to get caught up on some things and spend some time with family.

Traveling a lot is certainly not as glamorous as some people would like to believe. For one thing, it makes it more difficult to go to daily Mass although I do fairly well. When you’re attending an event, especially a convention and trade show I find that most people are focused on business and daily devotions aren’t given much thought. That’s why I think it’s especially important to make sure to attend to them. Missing part of a breakfast or seminar is a small price to pay to spend some time with our Lord in church.

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 sure seem to be getting to go to Mass at a lot of Cathedrals lately. Today it was at home at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City, MO.

Last week it was here at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, MN. I wound up at a hotel right across the highway from it. This picture was on my way to 7:30am Mass one day last week. It’s a beautiful church and reminds me of many I’ve visited in Rome.

I’ll be on the road again this week and featuring a church or two I’m sure. The challenge is finding the time to post but I’ll get more done I promise.