Challenges by our Holy Father
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
This column is a continuation of my last column on Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States. I will continue to highlight some of the topics that our Holy Father addressed.
It is important to keep in mind that the Holy Father’s visit was a pastoral one in which he came not only to affirm, teach and guide Catholics but also non-Catholics, through his address to the United Nations, through his meeting with representatives of other religions, and through his message to Jewish Leaders at the beginning of Passover.
One of the issues that our Holy Father often addresses is relativism. The Holy Father reminded us in a number of his talks that relativism is a great danger in our society.
Relativism is the denial of absolute moral truths, such as those contained in the Ten Commandments. To a relativist, everything is relative – if one thinks something is right for oneself, then do it.
We often hear the expression, “If my action does not hurt anyone or if there is mutual consent, then it is OK to do it.” In other words, it is the individual or the group that decides what is right and what is wrong. For instance, Hitler thought it was OK to exterminate Jews, so he felt justified with his actions.
The Holy Father has said repeatedly that there are absolute truths planted in the hearts of the human race by God, such as “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal,” including the dignity of the human person. These are universal truths accepted by believers and non-believers alike. These absolute truths orient us towards God and the common good.
Another issue the Holy Father spoke about is freedom, upon which our country was founded. In his address to young people, he cautioned them that freedom is not doing what you want, but doing what you ought to do. In other words, freedom has boundaries; with every right there is a corresponding responsibility or duty.
In his address at National Park, the Holy Father said, “Young people need to be helped to discern the path that leads to true freedom: the path of a sincere and generous imitation of Christ, the path of commitment to justice and peace.”
Secular society promotes individual freedom, not the true freedom that recognizes a person’s dependence on God and one another. Freedom understood from a secular perspective by young people leads to dreams that are shattered or destroyed.
“I am thinking of those affected by drugs and substance abuse, homelessness and poverty, racism, violence and degradation – especially of girls and women,” said the Holy Father. Moral freedom leads to holiness and the desire to do good.
Speaking to the bishops of the United States, the Holy Father said that we must help our people to live lives of authentic faith. The teaching of the Church and the liturgies must influence everyday life.
In terms of consistency in the practice of the faith, the Holy Father asked some permeating questions: “Is it consistent to profess our beliefs in Church on Sunday, and then during the week to promote business practices on medical procedures contrary to those beliefs? Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching, or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death?” He went on to say that Catholics should resist treating religion as a private matter.
In order to bear witness to Christ, which we promised at baptism and by which we were strengthened at Confirmation, the Holy Father said that our faith offers treasures.
- A. Of prayer, the Holy Father said: “Far from turning in on ourselves or withdrawing from the ups and downs of life, by praying we turn toward God ...”
- B. The Holy Father said that we listen to God. “Do you leave space to hear God’s whisper calling you forth into goodness?”
- C. Liturgy is the participation of God’s people in the work of Christ among us. Pope Benedict said that this work we participate in is Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, and his ascension. He said, “Through the liturgy the work of Jesus is continually brought into contact with history, with our lives, in order to shape them.”
The Holy Father’s theme for his visit was, “Christ our Hope.” Jesus Christ is the hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition. Through the Holy Father’s presence, talks, homilies, and liturgies, he has informed us, inspired us, and called on us to make the hope of Christ alive and active in our lives and that of others.
Let us respond to his call.
Reflections on the Pope's apostolic visit
to the United States
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
In the aftermath of Pope Bene-dict XVI’s visit to the United States, the most frequent questions asked of me are: “Did you go to Washington and New York to be with the Pope? What kind of an impression do you think he made on the American people? Why did he come to the United States at this time?”
I did go to Washington but not New York. Washington, D.C., was pretty much a requirement for bishops because the Pope specifically met with and addressed the bishops of the U.S. If your boss is in town, you better have a good reason not to show up!
I think the Pope impressed upon the people of our country that he is caring and compassionate, and that he has affection for our people, especially for our belief in God and the practice of our faith. He is a very learned man and teaches with clarity. What he teachers and preaches animates from his person.
The purpose of his visit was twofold.
First, he wanted to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the elevation of the Archdiocese of Baltimore to a Metropolitan See and the formation of the Dioceses of Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville.
Second, he came to address the United Nations. Pope Benedict chose as the theme for his visit, “Christ Our Hope.” He said, “Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture, and social condition.”
The Pope envisions a world family united by fraternal love according to the eternal plan of God the Father. What does the human heart hope for? The human heart hopes for peace, justice, and freedom. The Pope said that our hope can be accomplished by living the Golden Rule, which is planted by God in every heart – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Pope incorporated this theme of hope in his talks.
I would like to summarize some of the main issues that the Pope spoke about during his pastoral visit, keeping his general theme of hope as the focus.
Many people wondered if the Pope really understood the depth of pain caused by the sexual abuse scandal and whether he would address the issue. He wasted no time, not only in addressing the issue, but also in showing that he understood the magnitude of the problem.
While on the plane en route to Washington, he responded to a reporter’s question: “If I read the histories of these victims, it’s difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betrayed in this way their mission to give healing, to give the love of God to these children.”
He also said that he and the Church are shamed by this scandal and that the Church must reach out to the victims in justice and reconciliation. Mechanisms must be put in place so that this cannot happen again.
(If you want to know what the Diocese of Beaumont has been doing, go to the diocesan website (www.dioceseofbmt.org) and select the “Safe Environment” tab.)
The Holy Father also spoke about the fact that our country is made up of immigrants and that we should be compassionate towards those who come to our country.
In his address to the U.S. bishops he said, “I want to encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials, and to help them flourish in their new home.” He went on to say that one of the distinguishing gifts of the American people is its willingness to welcome the stranger.
In the same talk the Pope also praised Americans for being generous people. He mentioned the outpouring of generosity at home demonstrated after Hurricane Katrina and abroad after the Tsunami. He said that this generosity, vitality, and creativity are rooted in religious values.
He pointed out the great contributions the Catholic Church has made to humanity through Catholic Charities, Catholic parishes, hospitals, schools, and universities. Even so, the Holy Father cautioned Americans about factors that distract, and in some cases, attract us away from our religious roots.
“While it is true that this country is marked by a genuinely religious spirit, the subtle influence of secularism can, nevertheless, color the way people allow their faith to influence their behavior.” He said that what we hear and celebrate on Sunday at Church we must take to the public square. Religion is not a private matter but serves as a moral compass in our daily lives. Faith must permeate every aspect of our lives. At the end of every Mass we are sent and reminded to put our faith into action: “The Mass is ended; go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”
In the same talk to the bishops, the Pope addressed the importance of the family. He reiterated that marriage is a life-long commitment between a man and a woman in which a Christ-like mutual self-giving takes place. Sadly, many young Catholics opt to live together or do not distinguish between the sacramental bond and the civil bond – in effect, denying the sacredness of the sacrament of marriage.
He said, “In the family home we experience some fundamental elements of peace, justice, and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for the members who are weaker because of youth, sickness, or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to accept others, and, if necessary, to forgive them.”
In other words, the family is where members first learn to share the love of Christ. Furthermore, it is in the family that religious and moral values are passed on to the children, and this is most effective when the children witness their parents living out those religious values. Actions speak louder than words! Families rooted in religious and moral values create a strong community, a strong nation, a strong world.
The Pope presented his message with a sense of hope that whatever conversion is necessary can take place so we can become more and more “a People of God.”
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Heaven: A ‘Last Thing’
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
I still vividly remember a few years ago the question a 10-year-old boy asked his grandmother after the burial of his mother.
He asked, “Will I see Mom again?” His grandmother responded with a face full of love that he would indeed someday see his mother again. She explained that his mother was in heaven with God. She added that if he said his prayers, loved Jesus, kept the commandments, and went to Church he would see his mother again. They boy walked away seemingly satisfied.
In our busy society we do not give enough thought to the “Last Things” – heaven, purgatory, and hell. Sickness, tragedies, or funerals force us in a way to think about the last things because we realize our mortality and end.
Heaven is indeed our final destination, our hope. For God has placed in us a desire for Him that does not end at death but rather is fulfilled in heaven.
St. Augustine in seeking truth, meaning, and purpose for his life here on earth and beyond put it this way, “You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts remain ever restless until they find rest in you.”
The desire for God leads us to baptism, for at baptism Jesus cleanses us of original sin and opens the door to heaven, which was closed by the sin of Adam and Eve.
It was good advice the grandmother gave when she said that he must pray, keep the commandments, and go to Church. It was good advice because it is our choice to cooperate or not with God’s grace to help us reach our final destination.
Heaven, of course, is a mystery in the sense that we know something about it, but not everything. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them where they could be with him. Scripture says that in this place we will see God face to face.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: “Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.” (#1026) We will join the angels and saints in continuously praising God.
However, as the spiritual says, “Not everybody talking about heaven will get there.” We have to work out our salvation with God’s grace and the help of the Church here on earth. The rich spiritual gifts of the Church are at our disposal to help us reach our final destination – heaven. She offers us the sacraments, the Scriptures, community prayers, good works. The more we practice our faith, the surer we are of attaining heaven.
Not only does God want us in heaven with Him, but the saints as well. In the Preface for All Saints we pray: “The saints, our brothers and sisters, sing your praise forever. Their glory fills us with joy, and their communion with us in your Church gives us inspiration and strength as we hasten on our pilgrimage of faith eager to meet them.”
When thinking about the Last Things, and we should think about them often, what a consolation to know the saints are pulling for us. Who would not want to go to heaven to experience what St. Augustine describes in the City of God: “There we shall rest and we shall see; we shall see and we shall love; we shall love and we shall praise. Behold what shall be in the end shall not end.” (XXII, 30).
These words authenticated by sincerity are what the grandmother was trying to convey to her grieving grandson.
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God's Will
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
There is the story about a father who came before the family court judge because he was not paying child support for his children.
The judge asked him why he was not supporting his children. The man responded to the judge that God had told him to use the child support monies for a project he was working on. The judge sat back in his chair and looked up to the ceiling.
Those in attendance said that it felt like 10 minutes, but it had been only about a minute when the judge leaned over to the man and said, “I have just spoken to God, and He told me that you either support your children or face jail time.”
Perhaps both had spoken to God, but they each received different answers. However, the judge had the law on his side to affirm and guide what he had heard from God.
I use this story to help illustrate how we discern the will of God. Every person of faith struggles to know the will of God, which, in a sense, is a mystery. There is always the feeling of uncertainty, yet when we think we know the will of God, there is a sense of peace. It is in doing the will of God that we find peace and happiness.
In the book of Exodus (Ch. 19: 4-5), God tells the Israelites: “You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession…”
By keeping the laws of God, Israel found security and peace. God also tells the Israelites that His will is not something that is up in the sky but rather it is in their hearts.
God’s will is fully revealed in His Son. St. John states it this way, “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, ever at the Father’s side, who has revealed Him.” (John 1:18)
Jesus’ desire was always to do the will of his Father – “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to finish His work.” (Jn. 4:34)
Jesus was often at prayer, either alone or with his disciples discerning the will of God, especially before making difficult decisions, such as selecting his Apostles.
His greatest struggle in doing the will of the Father was in the Garden of Gethsemani – “Not what I will but what you will.” (Mk. 14:36) He had to pray intensely and struggle with his human emotions before he was able to surrender and respond to the inevitable with love.
God has placed in our hearts the desire to do His will. In the Christian tradition, we come to know the will of God through discernment. Discernment is quiet prayer, reflection, reviewing the Commandments and the teachings of the Church, meditating on the Scriptures, observing and listening, talking with a spiritual director or another trusted individual, and weighing whether the decision will promote the common good.
All of these avenues are at our disposal to help us discern God’s will for us, especially for important decisions we have to make. Though somewhat humorous, the judge in the story had legitimate legislation to guide him in making his decision.
For many of us as we face our daily challenges, the struggle is not so much discerning the will of God but rather carrying out the will of God. St. Paul understood the struggle all too well.
He said that he clearly knew the will of God, but he could not do it. Sometimes, we lack the courage to do God’s will, especially if worldly influences get in the way, e.g. prestige, power, desire to succeed, need to please others. The Holy Spirit was given to us to be our helper and guide in carrying out God’s will.
After Jesus had commissioned the disciples and then ascended into heaven, the disciples were still lost and fearful. While gathered together in the upper room, they were gifted with the Holy Spirit, which gave them the courage to overcome their fears and continue the mission of Jesus.
So then, in doing God’s will, it is important to discern what that will is and then courageously to carry it out. In both matters, we can be confident that God is with us, enabling us to struggle through these two important areas of the Christian life.
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Resurrection – God’s Response to His Son on the Cross
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, these are the last words of Jesus on the cross. From the depth of His soul, He called out to His Father for help. What makes the cry so painful is the fact that Jesus had an intimate relationship with His Father. He constantly told His followers that He and the Father are one.
To know the Father, we have to go through the Son. We often see Jesus in prayer to His Father, nurturing this intimate relationship.
As Jesus hung on the cross and cried those words of desolation, it appears that the Father was absent when Jesus was most in need.
We, too, have our moments when God seems absent from our lives. Faced at times with life’s challenges and tragedies, we are overwhelmed, and we feel down, immobilized, weak, and powerless. During those moments, we do not even feel like praying because we feel God will not hear us – that He has left us to fight for ourselves. In that darkness, some people turn to drugs, alcohol, violence, and even despair.
Yet, we, as Christians, know that through those dark moments God is mysteriously at work in us. Something unseen is taking place as we are being purified and renewed. The important thing is to cling to hope.
The Father DID hear Jesus’ cry on the cross, but the Father did not respond immediately because His plan of salvation had to take its course. Jesus Himself said that He would be raised on the third day.
God responds to His people’s cries in unexpected ways. It was to Mary Magdalen and the other Mary that the angel of God broke the good news that “He is risen, rejoice!” At that time, women were not highly regarded, but God chose to reveal Himself through these lowly women.
In our dark moments, we are often surprised about where our help comes from.
During the tsunami tragedy, many people asked, “How could God let such a thing happen? Where was God when these poor people needed Him?” If we will open our eyes of faith, we will see that God was at work through the doctors and nurses who left their lucrative practice to go provide medical assistance. God was working through the relief personnel who tirelessly labored to help the victims. God was touching the hearts of people around the globe and moving them to give of their resources to provide help. It may seem that God was absent in the devastation and tragic loss of life, but if we look carefully, we can see the signs of His presence.
These days of Holy Week and the Triduum immerse us in the mystery of human suffering – Jesus’ and our own.
This mystery leads us to ask, “What is the final goal of history? What is the spiritual end that we are all heading toward?”
For believers, if we know the final end, we can make some possible sense of the means and the path. Darkness and tragedy bring us into the human struggle in very concrete ways, but we can be consoled by remembering that Jesus already walked that human journey. He has promised to be with us as we stumble in His footsteps through our own darkness. Good Friday was not the end for Jesus.
The Father heard Jesus’ cry and responded by raising Jesus from the dead. Our Father will hear our cries also and respond in ways unimaginable.
“Evil” spelled backwards is “LIVE.” Jesus overcame the evil of sin and darkness so that we, too, may LIVE. The deeper our love relationship is with Jesus, the more clearly we will see Him transforming our lives from darkness to light, from despair to hope, and from death to life.
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That Persistent Nudge -- GUILT
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
A few weeks ago, there was a story in the Houston Chronicle about a 29-year-old youth minister who voluntarily confessed that he had committed a murder when he was 16 years old. Fourteen years later, he turned himself in to the police and confessed to his crime.
Calvin Wayne Inman, with an accomplice, was robbing a convenience store, and Inman stabbed the store clerk for cash and cigarettes. He later became a youth minister.
Bothered by the crime, he decided to tell the pastor, and the pastor encouraged him to turn himself in to the authorities. It is obvious that Inman was plagued by guilt for these past 14 years.
Guilt is like a pebble in one’s shoe. It lets one know that something is not normal and nudges one to give it some attention. It is a constant irritant, and can cause a sore if it is not removed.
Guilt is universal. It is an inner voice that wants to be heard. It is a gift from God to let us know when we have offended Him or someone else. It lets us know when we have broken the normal order, when we have given in to the forces of darkness.
In religious terms, guilt is an indicator of a rebellion against God, a transgression of the divine law. To remove the guilt a person must be reconciled with God, make amends, and receive forgiveness.
When the guilt is genuine, the person acknowledges it and accepts responsibility for the wrongdoing and sin. The feelings of guilt are inner alienation, lack of connection with God, others, and alienation from oneself.
A healthy response to guilt is not to punish oneself unreasonably or torment oneself with irrational fears but to repent, repair the damage done, make restitution where necessary, be forgiven, regain peace of mind, and continue on the journey of conversion.
In the Gospel of Matthew (5: 20-26) Jesus tells us that if we are bringing our gifts to the altar to be offered to God and recall that our brother or sister has anything against us, then we must leave our gift at the foot of the altar and go and be reconciled. Only then, can we offer our gift.
Perhaps like a pebble in the shoe, we experience an inner guilt that needs to be dealt with because we have offended God or a brother or sister. Until we are reconciled, the guilt will not go away; it will simply and persistently make our lives miserable.
We sometimes hear people refer to “Catholic guilt.” “Catholic guilt” may be related to family disapproval, but the root of most “Catholic guilt” is the knowledge that every sin committed – past, present, future – adds to Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. Many things that we do or don’t do may be a sin, and that is a heavy burden to bear.
Frequently, we connect what we do with who we are, so if we do something bad, then we must be bad. This, however, is not in keeping with the teaching of Jesus or the Church.
With our sacramental system and the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are formed to examine our consciences (and consciousness) and reflect on our actions to see if they are in keeping with the life Jesus has called us to.
If, in the process of our examinations, we experience guilt for our shortcomings and sins, then that is a healthy Catholic guilt.
During this season of Lent in which we are called to pray more intensely, to fast and to give alms, it is a good time to pay attention to our guilt. Take the opportunity to go to confession.
Our churches have special times for confession, and many of them have Lenten missions or penance services. Or go and talk with someone, like Calvin Inman did, to seek assistance and direction.
There is a beautiful spiritual that speaks to guilt. “Are you burdened, worn and weary … is your life each day more weary – just tell Jesus, tell him all.” (Lead me, Guide me) Lent is a grace-filled time to do just that – tell him all.
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Consecrated Religious – Gift to the Church
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
Often I notice someone will bring up how he or she was inspired, directed and formed by a Religious in his or her life, especially by a Religious woman. They then conclude how great it would be to have more Religious in our diocese.
Both Religious men and women through their respective charisms and ministries have made a tremendous contribution to our diocese. In fact, in the early days it was the Religious who helped to promote the faith by planting the seeds of faith.
On Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, we had a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the Houston Dominican Sisters in Texas. Over 60 Dominican Sisters were present. By the great attendance at that celebration, all of us realized how effectively the Dominican Sisters have ministered, and continue to minister, throughout our diocese and how appreciated they are for their loving service.
In addition, the Vietnamese Dominican Sisters, whose Motherhouse is also in Houston, are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. They have mainly served in the Port Arthur area, mostly at Queen of Vietnam Parish, but in the past few years also at St. Mary Hospital.
Through our baptism, all of us are called to be holy, to become more like Jesus in loving service of him and one another.
There are different paths to holiness. Some choose the married state, some the single life, some priesthood, and some the religious life (also called the Consecrated life). In some Religious Institutes of men, members progress to ordination to priesthood, and are, thus, Religious Order Priests.
To view the names of the Religious Institutes and individual members that are present in our diocese, go to the diocesan website (www.dioceseofbmt.org) and click on “Organizations”/”Religious Orders.”
All who choose religious life strive to imitate Christ more closely by living the evangelical virtues of poverty, celibate chastity, and obedience. Religious solemnly vow to surrender themselves and everything to God, freeing themselves to serve God, the Church, and the needs of others in accord with their particular charism and mission.
In this way Religious witness in a powerful way that all is from God and all ought to be rendered to God. In our secular, materialistic culture, Religious witness in a radical way through the vow of poverty that material goods do not satisfy the deeper hunger for God. Furthermore, material goods are at our disposal to be used for the good of all, especially the poor and marginalized.
Through the vow of celibate chastity, Religious not only give of themselves totally to God for the sake of the Kingdom but they also witness, in a secular world obsessed with sex, an attitude of reverence for the human person and the mystery of human sexuality.
Through the vow of obedience Religious witness that one must submit to the will of God, which includes obedience to a Superior. Together, the Religious and the Superior discern the will of God for the common good of the Church.
Thank God we still have Consecrated Religious present in our diocese witnessing Christ through their particular charisms, through the evangelical counsels, and through the different ministries – schools, parishes, hospitals, etc.
Every year around the time of World Day for Consecrated Life (the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on Feb. 2) I have the Religious Sisters and Brothers over to my home for dinner. It is my way of thanking them for their presence and ministry in our diocese and showing them my support.
In response to the desire for more Religious to serve in our diocese, each of us must pray and promote vocations. God is calling young men and women to this consecrated life of holiness, and perhaps we can assist them to “tune in,” listen and answer God’s call.
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
With the onset of the flu season we are advised to take the flu shot or other medications that will strengthen our resistance. On the spiritual level, we must take proper precautions to strengthen ourselves against the temptations of Satan. Every time we pray the “Our Father” we pray “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Jesus also prayed for his disciples that they would not give into the evil one. Because of the residue of the sin of disobedience of Adam and Eve, there is the inclination in us to give in to temptation. The Israelites constantly gave in to the evil one by worshipping idols instead of the one God. In fact, God tested them in the desert to see if they were committed to Him or to the evil one. During this season of Lent, we have an opportunity through more intense prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to join Jesus in the desert with his temptations by Satan. Jesus was sent into the world to reverse the disobedience of Adam and Eve and that of the Israelites. He was tempted so that he could show us how to resist temptation. What can we learn from the temptation of Jesus?
Satan tries to tempt us when we are at our weakest. Jesus was in the desert praying and fasting for 40 days, and, thus, he was hungry. Satan asked Jesus to turn the stones into bread. Jesus’ response was, “Human beings do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Certainly Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread, but that is not what his Father was asking of him. That was not the way to use his power. Furthermore, there is a greater hunger than only physical hunger – there is the hunger for God. Only God can satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger. Too often in our lives, we use food and other things to try to satisfy this hunger. Those who sin and commit terrible crimes are not physically hungry but spiritually hungry. Satan also tempts us when we are spiritually strong. Jesus’ temptations took place immediately after his baptism when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. How many times are people given a position of power to do good but they use it to enrich themselves? In other words, they compromise principles and values. They think that the power or position is of their own doing, when in fact it is ultimately from God for the service of others. To whom do you attribute your well being and success? Satan makes the temptation appeal to us, as though it is exactly what we think we need. It is like a box that is nicely wrapped and decorated, but once opened, it is empty. Satan makes the temptation appear long-lasting, but it is not. After Jesus’ temptations, the Scripture says that Satan left Jesus and waited for another opportunity. We must constantly be vigilant and spiritually ready. How do we prepare to resist temptation? When Jesus was asked by the disciples why they could not cast out certain demons, Jesus said that certain demons could only be cast out through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. St. Therese of Lisieux said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look towards heaven; it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” When we pray, we realize our total dependence upon God. He is our help and our salvation. When we compromise our relationship with God or feel that God is not relevant, then
we tend to give in to temptations. Prayer nurtures and strengthens our relationship with God as we live in God’s presence. We fast not only from food and drink but also from consumption, stimulation, and satisfaction of the senses. To fast means to renounce something we think we need. If we can say no to those things, then we will be better able to say no to temptation. Fasting takes us beyond the physical to the spiritual, which unites the whole person to Christ. Almsgiving also makes us realize that God has gifted us not for our own enrichment and aggrandizement but for the well-being of others, especially the poor. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent strengthen us particularly during times of temptation, and remind us, as St. Paul did, that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Cor. 12: 9) It will strengthen us so that we will not compromise our relationship with God and one another.
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Hope does not Disappoint
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
“I hope you get well,” someone tells a sick friend. “I hope your project works out,” someone tells another. All of us hope that God will spare us from another hurricane like “Rita.” We use the word HOPE many times in our conversations.
Our use of the word already indicates that its roots are not in our hands but they lie elsewhere. Jeremiah 17:5-7 puts it this way: “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in the flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord … Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.”
When a person says to a sick friend, “I hope you get well,” the person is implying that if he had the power, he would make the sick friend well, but since he doesn’t, he trusts the sick friend to a higher power, namely God. Of course, the earthly things that are available to make the sick person well must be used, e.g. doctors, medications, etc. But ultimately, the healing is in God’s hands. God is the one who can make our hope a reality.
On Nov. 30, 2007, Pope Benedict published an encyclical on HOPE called “Saved by Hope,” taken from Romans 8:24. One of the reasons for publishing the encyclical is that we live in a world without hope, or with a misplaced hope; that is, hope in oneself, in science, in political structures or ideologies.
Genuine hope is rooted in Christ, and if we have a relationship with Christ, then we have genuine hope. Pope Bene-dict writes: “A world without God is a world without hope.”
The pope refers to St. Josephine Bakhita, an African slave, as an example of hope rooted in Christ. St. Josephine was born in Darfur, Sudan, around 1869 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
At the age of 9, she was kidnapped by slave traders, beaten until she bled, and sold five times. She was flogged every day, and she had 144 visible scars on her body throughout her life. As she was being flogged, she had hope, we can presume, of finding a kind master.
She was finally bought by an Italian Christian family, and she came to know a different kind of master. Through this master who treated her like a human being she came to know Jesus Christ. She came to know that during her ordeals and sufferings Christ knew her and loved her.
She said, “I am definitely loved, and whatever happens to me, I am awaited by love, and so my life is good.” Her hope helped her not to become like her cruel masters or to despair. She clung to a hope that there was a power greater than herself and her masters that was at work, giving her the strength and the courage to live in the midst of so much cruelty.
Hope is confidence that God will not renege on His promises. Hope fills the void of our finitude, incompleteness and fragility, and helps us to go through life and to face the challenges that come our way. The person of hope knows that life will be fulfilled, that God is with us, and that there is no reason to be discouraged or to despair. Hope does not disappoint!
The pope also said that many in the modern world have placed their hope in themselves, in political structures, or science, or ideologies. For instance, Karl Marx placed hope in materialism. As a result, it brought disappointment and despair to millions of people.
Any structure that is not built on hope in God brings about fear and destruction. The pope said that we need hope that goes beyond the finite, beyond fulfillment of personal goals and shared achievements, and which advances the quality of life in common with others.
The great hope of human beings can only be in God, whose unconditional love enables us to endure all of life’s many disappointments.
The pope also said that many people have lost hope in God because they do not think God can fulfill His promises. They look around and see so much injustice in the world and people getting away with murder. Others do not see God’s justice taking root, so they take justice into their own hands, promoting even more violence and cruelty.
The pope says, “The claim that humanity must do what no God actually does or is able to do is both presumptuous and intrinsically false.” Rather, he says that, for the person of hope, God will bring about justice in God’s own time and God’s own way. In the kingdom of heaven, which is where hope leads us, evildoers do not sit at the table of the eternal banquet beside victims, as though nothing has happened.
In our sufferings, hope keeps us going if we unite our sufferings to those of Christ. Mother Teresa had hope rooted in God, because during the times she felt the absence of God, she kept doing what she was called to do — minister to those most in need.
Our prayer should always be: “In you, O Lord, I have placed my hope and I shall never be put to shame.”
The Power of One
Working Together
For Good in His Name
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
I was coming out of a shopping center after doing a little Christmas shopping, and a young lady came up to me and asked that I pray so she could have peace of mind and be at peace with her family. Her request made me think about all of the violence we have read about in the news, especially among young people. In early December when signs of Christmas are everywhere, there were shocking eruptions of violence in Colorado and Omaha perpetrated by young people.
On Dec. 6, 2007, Robert Hawkins, age 19, shot and killed eight people and wounded five in Omaha’s Westroads Mall before he killed himself. His parents divorced when he was 3 years old, after which he was in foster care, residential treatment, and juvenile services programs. As a troubled teen he made threats of homicide and finally carried out those threats.
Three days later 24-year old Andrew Murray who had been home-schooled in a religious setting, killed four people and wounded four in two separate incidents, 12 hours and 70 miles apart on a Sunday morning. The targets were both Christian institutions: one a religious missionary facility and the other a place of worship. Five years earlier, he was dismissed from a missionary school because of health issues, and as a result, he sent hate mail to the school and ultimately acted out his hate by killing innocent people.
In contrast to the destruction that can be inflicted by one very troubled person, there is an example of how one person can transform a violent situation into one of peace and brotherhood.
On Christmas Eve 1914 during the First World War, three regiments – one French, one German and one Scottish – were locked in a bloody battle on a French hillside. Then all of a sudden, the fighting began to die down. A German soldier who was a renowned opera singer before the war, began to sing “Silent Night, Holy Night.” When all sides heard him, they stopped firing their weapons and peeked over the trenches to make sure their enemy’s weapons were not aimed at them. Then, they began to approach one another, singing along with the opera singer. The soldiers began to exchange pictures of family members sharing food. A priest from the Scottish regiment celebrated Mass for them. On Christmas Day, they played a soccer game. The next day, they could not go back to fighting each other. They had come face to face with their common brotherhood and saw their interconnectedness. Unfortunately, their superiors punished them for refusing to fight.
Peace is the harmony a person or nation experiences when relationships with God, with community, and with self are properly ordered. It is justice that keeps relationships well ordered. Peace is also a gift of the Holy Spirit. “I will appoint peace your governor, and justice your ruler.” (Is. 60:18) “In peace I shall both lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me secure.” (Ps. 4:9)
As Christians, we must not only pray for peace, but we must also work for peace. In the Pastoral Letter on Peace, we, the Catholic Bishops, called on the faithful “to see ways in which to make the forgiveness, justice, mercy, and love of God visible in a world where violence and enmity are too often the norm.” Could it be perhaps that genuine peace has been overshadowed by selfishness, materialism, and greed? The opera singer in the incident above was able to awaken in the rest of the soldiers the seed of peace that is planted in our hearts by God. This seed has to be nurtured by prayer, concern for the other, and guided by a sense of justice. Once the soldiers realized their connectedness, they became brothers instead of enemies.
Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in his New Year message of peace, said that peace begins in the family. “The natural family, as an intimate communion of life and love, based on marriage between a man and a woman, constitutes the primary place of humanization for the person and society.” He goes on to say, “Indeed, in a healthy family life we experience some of the fundamental elements of peace: justice and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for members who are weaker because of youth, sickness, or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them.” (The Human Family, A Community of Peace)
If Robert Hawkins and Andrew Murray had been nurtured in a healthy family where peace, justice and love were hallmarks of their life together, the rampages on Dec. 6 and 9 would never have taken place. As we begin this New Year, we all have an obligation to pray and work for peace. Parents have a special obligation by word and example to teach their children the art of peace, guided by justice. If one opera singer can awaken peace within the hearts of hardened, battled soldiers, then certainly we can find creative ways to plant and nurture the seeds of peace in our families and communities, and especially in our own hearts.
The Eucharist is a sacrament of unity. It is the "source and summit of the Christian life" (Catechism of the Catholic Church
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