When Jesus went up the mountain, He sat down, and His disciples sat at His feet, and He began to teach, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". In the Old Testament, the poor are those without material possessions and whose confidence is in God. In Matthew, "in spirit" was added either to only include the devout poor or to extend the beatitude to all social ranks. Be that as it may, I'd like to personally share some experiences that exemplify what I think the Lord is saying to me.
While walking on the dirt streets in Pignon, Haiti at 4:00 am one morning, I encountered a group of shaggily dressed people heading toward church for mass. Inquiring, I learned that the 4:00 am mass was for the poor who had no acceptable clothing to wear in the daylight. People, poor and embarrassed, but not too proud to enter His House of Worship.
I noted an elderly lady, with no legs, begging in front of the San Francisco Cathedral in Quito, Ecuador. After a period of time, I followed her as she scooted along the floor into the vestibule of the church and observed her depositing the coins she had just received into the collection box for the poor.
As I placed a gift into the deformed hands of a fourteen-year-old beggar in Kathmandu, Nepal, I inquired about the grotesque, totally burned face she wore. The family was so poor; they turned her into a beggar by pouring hot oil over her.
One Christmas, while working as a Santa Claus helper at Murphy’s Department Store, a small child sat on my lap with eyes as wide as half dollars and when asked what he wanted for Christmas, he shared that his mother informed him that he could only have one gift this year. The gift he wanted was a coat for his mother. Later that afternoon, another poverty stricken child told me his mother forgot to unlock the door last year so he received nothing. This year she promised him the door would be unlocked.
When Juan's name was called, his father, who had carried him twenty miles and who had slept on the ground with him in front of the hospital in Mexicali, Mexico, rushed forward. The two-year-old child never made it off the operating room table (underlying congenital heart problem), however, had his cleft lip repaired. As we carried the small, homemade, white casket up the hill toward the mud hut, the whole family wept. After the burial, his mother thanked us and was happy that now Juan would "look like the other children in heaven".
While working in the Emergency Room at Mission Hospital in San Francisco, California, I noticed a broken-down, decrepit 78-year-old man wearing broken glasses. He was sitting on the floor clinging to a bag which contained all his earthly possessions. He had just been evicted from his one room flophouse apartment. He looked up at me and, as tears rolled down his cheeks, said, "I'm trying Doc. I pray God will take care of me."
AND WE COMPLAIN THE MICROWAVE DOESN'T WORK!!! The Old Boy on the mount was right on: "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven" who follow His Path, no matter their plight in life.
Dave Fogarty is a parishioner at St. John’s.
Question of the Week:
When have I seen Jesus in the poor? What is one thing I can do to live more in solidarity with the materially poor?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Doubting Thomas
My training as an historian has always made me appreciate the account of Thomas and his unwillingness to accept the risen Christ until he had personally inspected the wounds of the crucifixion. We have been endowed by our creator with intelligence and the capacity to learn. We learn by doubting, asking questions, evaluating evidence, analyzing problems, and trying to make sense out of the dilemmas that we face as human beings. Thus the title “Doubting Thomas” is very appropriate for our discussion.
Matthew helps to securely ground the foundations of Christianity in the Jewish tradition and to give it historical legitimacy. He specifically refers to the prophecy of Isaiah, and the territory of Zabulon and Nephthalim where those who sat in the shadow of death will find light. Isaiah said that a child will be born who will become the prince of peace and transform the world. According to Matthew, Christ, the foretold Messiah, began his public ministry in the exact location mentioned by Isaiah. His cry was to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As the reading makes clear, it was not just a metaphorical kingdom, where darkness would become light, but one where there was the “healing of every disease and every sickness among the people.”
I wonder at the power and magnificence of this first stage of the public ministry of Christ. I think about the good fortune of those who were touched by him, but more often I think about those were not. What circumstances brought some within his reach, and not others. To be directly healed by Christ, then as now, makes it easy to believe. To stand on the sidelines and only hear about the healing of others makes it harder to believe, but the strength of the unseeing belief has its own merits. Remember the slight rebuke that Christ directed toward Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believed.”
The reading by Paul makes this both harder and easier to understand. Paul criticizes the bickering taking place among the faithful, begging them to stop arguing about who baptized whom, and whether one is more important than another. The war of words among the faithful (think of the careers of so many theologians throughout the ages) was foolish and criticized by Paul and by Christ. It was the cross of Christ, not wisdom, prudence, evidence, or skill at argument that fulfilled the word of God. Does this mean that we should not doubt and argue about what is true and not true, what is right and wrong? After all, I began by saying that we only learn through doubting and asking questions. I believe that the meaning here is deeper and goes to who we are as spiritual beings. We can argue about politics, love, religion, art and all sorts of things, but we still know that beneath (or better said above) it all we share the commonality of soul, and as Christians it is the sanctification of our souls that is truly important.
What we have in these readings (and in many others in the Bible) is a type of megahistory, an unfolding of a great story that has many connections through the centuries. These connections offer further evidence of the legitimacy of the story, and might help to ease some of the doubts of a doubting Thomas.
Joe Super is a member of St. John’s
Question of the Week:
Am I a doubting Thomas; do I need to see to believe? In what ways have I seen God at work?
Matthew helps to securely ground the foundations of Christianity in the Jewish tradition and to give it historical legitimacy. He specifically refers to the prophecy of Isaiah, and the territory of Zabulon and Nephthalim where those who sat in the shadow of death will find light. Isaiah said that a child will be born who will become the prince of peace and transform the world. According to Matthew, Christ, the foretold Messiah, began his public ministry in the exact location mentioned by Isaiah. His cry was to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As the reading makes clear, it was not just a metaphorical kingdom, where darkness would become light, but one where there was the “healing of every disease and every sickness among the people.”
I wonder at the power and magnificence of this first stage of the public ministry of Christ. I think about the good fortune of those who were touched by him, but more often I think about those were not. What circumstances brought some within his reach, and not others. To be directly healed by Christ, then as now, makes it easy to believe. To stand on the sidelines and only hear about the healing of others makes it harder to believe, but the strength of the unseeing belief has its own merits. Remember the slight rebuke that Christ directed toward Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believed.”
The reading by Paul makes this both harder and easier to understand. Paul criticizes the bickering taking place among the faithful, begging them to stop arguing about who baptized whom, and whether one is more important than another. The war of words among the faithful (think of the careers of so many theologians throughout the ages) was foolish and criticized by Paul and by Christ. It was the cross of Christ, not wisdom, prudence, evidence, or skill at argument that fulfilled the word of God. Does this mean that we should not doubt and argue about what is true and not true, what is right and wrong? After all, I began by saying that we only learn through doubting and asking questions. I believe that the meaning here is deeper and goes to who we are as spiritual beings. We can argue about politics, love, religion, art and all sorts of things, but we still know that beneath (or better said above) it all we share the commonality of soul, and as Christians it is the sanctification of our souls that is truly important.
What we have in these readings (and in many others in the Bible) is a type of megahistory, an unfolding of a great story that has many connections through the centuries. These connections offer further evidence of the legitimacy of the story, and might help to ease some of the doubts of a doubting Thomas.
Joe Super is a member of St. John’s
Question of the Week:
Am I a doubting Thomas; do I need to see to believe? In what ways have I seen God at work?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Unify us!
I’d like to share a few of my thoughts on the short second reading we heard today. As St. Paul writes, “. . . to the church of God that is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place of theirs and ours”, I am struck with the way in which St. Paul addressed the community in the context of the larger Christian church. He is in effect saying that the church in Corinth is merely a small part of a much larger sum; the same can be said of us at St. John University Parish in Morgantown. Indeed St. John Chrysostom, in his homily on 1st Corinthians, says,
“. . . unity is one of its [the Churches] essential and necessary characteristics. The Church of God is one in its members and forms nothing but a single Church with all the communities spread throughout the world, for the word ‘church’ does not mean schism: it means unity, harmony, concord.”
Obviously unity was of importance to St. Paul, and also St. John Chrysostom; all this talk of unity causes me to wonder about the state of the Christian church in today’s world. With the multiplicity of denominations and beliefs which exists in our world today what does unity mean to us? And what should unity mean? And how close of a union should exist amongst us Christians? All these questions have been answered for us in the 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John when Jesus himself prayed for unity, “that they [Jesus’ disciples] all may be one, as you, Father, in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus speaks of a unity of Christians which is as intimate as the very union between the 1st and 2nd persons of the Trinity, and indeed a unity which includes Him and the Father.
The last and most poignant question which must be posed now that the above questions have been answered is how are we Christians in Morgantown supposed to bring about such a unity? I submit to you my answer (or rather a part of it) while encouraging you to formulate your own: we should bring about such unity very simply by living as the best possible Christians (that is imitating Christ as perfectly as possible), and also by praying for that very same unity which Christ Himself prayed for.
Samuel Clemens is a student member of St. John’s.
Question of the Week:
How do I personally strive for unity with other Christians?
Join the Google group! doubtingthomaswvu@googlegroups.com.
Recommended Reading:
www.vatican.va
Search “The Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity”
“. . . unity is one of its [the Churches] essential and necessary characteristics. The Church of God is one in its members and forms nothing but a single Church with all the communities spread throughout the world, for the word ‘church’ does not mean schism: it means unity, harmony, concord.”
Obviously unity was of importance to St. Paul, and also St. John Chrysostom; all this talk of unity causes me to wonder about the state of the Christian church in today’s world. With the multiplicity of denominations and beliefs which exists in our world today what does unity mean to us? And what should unity mean? And how close of a union should exist amongst us Christians? All these questions have been answered for us in the 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John when Jesus himself prayed for unity, “that they [Jesus’ disciples] all may be one, as you, Father, in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus speaks of a unity of Christians which is as intimate as the very union between the 1st and 2nd persons of the Trinity, and indeed a unity which includes Him and the Father.
The last and most poignant question which must be posed now that the above questions have been answered is how are we Christians in Morgantown supposed to bring about such a unity? I submit to you my answer (or rather a part of it) while encouraging you to formulate your own: we should bring about such unity very simply by living as the best possible Christians (that is imitating Christ as perfectly as possible), and also by praying for that very same unity which Christ Himself prayed for.
Samuel Clemens is a student member of St. John’s.
Question of the Week:
How do I personally strive for unity with other Christians?
Join the Google group! doubtingthomaswvu@googlegroups.com.
Recommended Reading:
www.vatican.va
Search “The Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity”
Monday, January 10, 2011
Baptized by Water...and Fire
I have been baptized by water twice. My first baptism took place over twenty years ago in the Baptist church. Baptist children, some as young as five or six years old “join the church” with parental prodding and receive full immersion baptism. When I was baptized as an older adolescent, it had not been my desire.
Matthew 3 tells us of John the Baptist’s ministry in Judea. Jesus went to his cousin John and asked to be baptized. John said, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” (Mt 3:14) Jesus desired baptism, understanding that his baptism would “fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt 3:15)
I received my second baptism in October of 2010 in the Catholic Church. In the years following my first baptism, I actively practiced the Baptist faith, but my personal faith rode the roller coaster of uncertainty. I didn’t feel I’d been fully accepted into Christ’s body. When I began attending Mass, I began to understand the truth of what Peter told Cornelius in Acts 42: 34-35, “I see that God shows no partiality…whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” I was delighted when I learned I could be re-baptized. I desired this baptism wholeheartedly. I believe my new baptism fulfills God’s call to me to re-invigorate my faith and live righteously in Christ.
My faith journey is different from lifelong Catholics who may not receive re-baptism by water. However, as Catholics, we can be re-baptized in the Holy Spirit. Isaiah tells of the coming of a savior upon whom God put his spirit. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we can receive peace, victory, and justice in a deep and meaningful relationship with Christ. God says, “I grasped you by the hand; I formed you…” (Isaiah 42: 6). We belong to Christ. Nothing can separate us from his love.
Fortunately, there is no limit on the number of times we can be re-baptized in the Holy Spirit. We can receive baptism by asking the Holy Spirit to come and fill us with fire from above. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended as a dove. God said, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) When we are re-baptized in the Holy Spirit, the heavens open for us and we can delight in knowing we are God’s children with whom he is well pleased.
Tori Arthurs is a professor of journalism here at WVU and new member of our faith community at St. John’s!
Canon 865 states that those who have reached the age of reason must have the manifest intent to receive Baptism, which Tori did not desire as an adolescent in the Baptist community. Canon 845 states that Baptism cannot be repeated. However, if there is “prudent doubt” regarding the validity of the conferral of baptism (in this case, because Tori did not desire Baptism as an adolescent), baptism may be conferred conditionally in the private form, which Tori received in October.
“Baptism in the Holy Spirit” is also known as a “stirring up” of the Holy Spirit within an individual in a personal, powerful way, as the apostles experienced in Acts chapter 2. –Doubting Thomas
Recommended Reading:
Acts Chapter 2
1 Corinthians Chapter 12
Question of the Week:
What difference does your Baptism make? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s movement in your life?
Matthew 3 tells us of John the Baptist’s ministry in Judea. Jesus went to his cousin John and asked to be baptized. John said, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” (Mt 3:14) Jesus desired baptism, understanding that his baptism would “fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt 3:15)
I received my second baptism in October of 2010 in the Catholic Church. In the years following my first baptism, I actively practiced the Baptist faith, but my personal faith rode the roller coaster of uncertainty. I didn’t feel I’d been fully accepted into Christ’s body. When I began attending Mass, I began to understand the truth of what Peter told Cornelius in Acts 42: 34-35, “I see that God shows no partiality…whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” I was delighted when I learned I could be re-baptized. I desired this baptism wholeheartedly. I believe my new baptism fulfills God’s call to me to re-invigorate my faith and live righteously in Christ.
My faith journey is different from lifelong Catholics who may not receive re-baptism by water. However, as Catholics, we can be re-baptized in the Holy Spirit. Isaiah tells of the coming of a savior upon whom God put his spirit. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we can receive peace, victory, and justice in a deep and meaningful relationship with Christ. God says, “I grasped you by the hand; I formed you…” (Isaiah 42: 6). We belong to Christ. Nothing can separate us from his love.
Fortunately, there is no limit on the number of times we can be re-baptized in the Holy Spirit. We can receive baptism by asking the Holy Spirit to come and fill us with fire from above. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended as a dove. God said, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) When we are re-baptized in the Holy Spirit, the heavens open for us and we can delight in knowing we are God’s children with whom he is well pleased.
Tori Arthurs is a professor of journalism here at WVU and new member of our faith community at St. John’s!
Canon 865 states that those who have reached the age of reason must have the manifest intent to receive Baptism, which Tori did not desire as an adolescent in the Baptist community. Canon 845 states that Baptism cannot be repeated. However, if there is “prudent doubt” regarding the validity of the conferral of baptism (in this case, because Tori did not desire Baptism as an adolescent), baptism may be conferred conditionally in the private form, which Tori received in October.
“Baptism in the Holy Spirit” is also known as a “stirring up” of the Holy Spirit within an individual in a personal, powerful way, as the apostles experienced in Acts chapter 2. –Doubting Thomas
Recommended Reading:
Acts Chapter 2
1 Corinthians Chapter 12
Question of the Week:
What difference does your Baptism make? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s movement in your life?
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