The Life of Virtue

Catholics are living in difficult times.  There are multiple, huge scandals that have come to light in recent weeks.  Now, even segments of the hierarchy seems to be pitted against each other.  It seems to be getting more heated and dire as each day passes.  It surely is not easy for the laity and faithful clergy to stand by and watch as all this unfolds. This post is not intended to add to the enormous (and growing) mountain of commentary about the scandals; about who's in the wrong or in the right.  There has been plenty written and spoken about this, including a wonderful homily from my own pastor .  I do, however, want to provide just a simple and quick commentary on a passage of Scripture that I think can help us. Horace Vernet, Jeremiah on the Ruins of Jerusalem (1844, close-up) In the very first chapter of the book of the prophet Jeremiah, we read God's direction to the ancient prophet, and we should read it as the Lord speaking directly to u...

In today’s Gospel , Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah: “Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes….”  At the first reading of this passage, I immediately begin searching for “those people” who are blind and deaf to God’s revelation.  Yet, in a split second, God reveals something deeper.  Instead of looking for “those people,” I should be examining my own soul to take stock of the ways that I have been blind and deaf to the ways that He wants me to grow. There very well may be other people in my life who cannot and do not hear and see God’s message.  However, God wants me to realize that I have allowed many obstacles to my fulfillment and happiness; and that these are often more difficult to remove.  I must remember that Jesus teaches me to remove the beam in my own eye before trying to remove the splinters in others’ eyes (cf. Matthew 7:5).  I need to recall first that mine are the eyes that c...

We are celebrating the Octave of Easter!  During this octave, the Church gives us wonderful scripture readings, specifically from the Acts of the Apostles, and we proclaim that death no longer has power over us.  Knowing this reality, and hearing these readings, our souls should feel great and grand this week.  We know that Jesus has won the victory, and now we get to participate in it! In today's reading ( Wednesday of the Octave of Easter ), a crippled man made a monetary request of Peter.  "I have neither silver nor gold," he replied, but he did not end the exchange there.  Peter recognized in that moment that money was not the only thing that the crippled man needed, and money was not the only thing that he could give. So, he continued: "but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk" (Acts 3:6).  As it turns out, this was a far more profound act of generosity.  He gave him a miracle, based on his faith in ...

Advent is a great time for a retreat.  Many folks, however, aren’t able to steal away for three whole days at a time.  So these four weekly reflections, made available on each Sunday of Advent, are meant to be a miniature retreat for readers.  This four-part retreat (yes, even on paper or on the screen) is intended to help readers awaken, or reawaken, faith in Jesus Christ.  In the midst of this “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” it is right to stop for a few moments and remember exactly why we have a reason for Wonder. The readings for the first Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year may seem odd to some.  Isn’t Advent supposed to lead to Christmas, the season when we worship the baby in the manger scene?  Why, then, do we hear admonitions against “the works of darkness,” and Jesus speaking to His disciples of the last days?  This is supposed to be a season filled with joy and hope and visions of sugar plums and all that, right? The simpl...

The scriptures tell us that the Lord is "rich in mercy" (Eph. 2:4).  This is quite true, simply because of who God is.  Still, it is possible to thwart God from extending as much mercy as He desires.  That is why Lent makes and excellent opportunity to begin, or to redouble, efforts to turn and transform.  Without a doubt, God will lavish His mercy upon us for forty days and beyond if we try to turn our hearts, minds, and voices toward Him. The Mass readings for the Third Week of Lent make this point abundantly clear.  From the moment of the Collect for Sunday Mass , anyone who listens or reads learns quickly that we must assume a posture of lowliness and humility in order for the Lord to lift us up.  Yet, because of our sinfulness, we continually refuse to assume such attitudes, and thus we cut ourselves off from mercy. There are several readings throughout the week in which we glimpse poor examples of hearts, minds, and voices turned toward the Lord. ...

In the second reading for the Second Sunday of Lent , the faithful are presented with a passage from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians.  Not long after the beginning of that passage, we hear that many people in the world "conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18).  Throughout the lectionary readings for the remainder of the week, the characteristics of such enemies are laid out quite clearly.  It is no coincidence, though, that the sure and steadfast mercy of God is presented right alongside the traits of enemies.  The Lord and His Church are intent on revealing the fact that mercy is available to all.  Otherwise, our end would be destruction (cf. Phil. 3:19). Throughout the week, the Gospel passages present Jesus' undeniable statements about whom He considers enemies of the Cross, enemies of mercy.  In Matthew 23 , we read and hear that the enemies are those who take a Pharisaical approach to religion, the ones who "tie up hea...

The Collect for today's Mass, Monday during the First Week of Lent, asks God: "instruct our minds by heavenly teaching, that we may benefit from the works of Lent."  What, we may ask, are the works of Lent that can benefit us so greatly?  It is no coincidence that the Church provides the answer specifically through the lectionary readings for this week.  From Sunday through Saturday, there are six identifiable works by which we can be converted and grow in holiness during this noble season. The first is found in the second reading from yesterday's Mass (the First Sunday of Lent).  St. Paul writes to the ancient Roman Church, and to us, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  The very first work of Lent is an act of faith, which includes inward belief and outward expression.  During some particularly difficult years, this is the only work that I have been able to c...

Chapter 17 of Acts of the Apostles refers to the men "who have turned the world upside down..." (v. 6).  Upon reviewing the details of this chapter, a reader is able to understand some of the most important and enduring characteristics of men who turn the world on its head.  Examining the details of the chapter and the characteristics of such a man brings the reader to one simple conclusion.  The man who turns the world upside down is none other than the man of virtue. In order to create shift of focus and momentum, it is first necessary to know the current direction of focus and momentum.  Acts 17 reveals this point when it notes that St. Paul met with Jews, Epicureans, and Stoics in first-century Athens.  The Apostle was familiar with the variant ideas of his day, and he was able to speak to each of them in some detail.  Because of his extraordinary erudition, Paul managed to win converts from among the Jews and Gentiles in that community.  Yet, h...

When we look around at the world, the culture, and human beings, there is little room for doubt that something needs to be fixed.  Our daily experience proves to us that relationships and the rhythm of life are fractured and broken.  Yet, we fool ourselves if we think that we can create the solution to the problem.  More efficient and effective legal justice, along with more technichal and governmental oversight, will probably only serve to illuminate more and deeper troubles. Something else is needed to save individuals, social groups, and the collective culture from its clear and present woes.  And, that something must come from outside of the same individuals, groups, and culture.  That something must come from the Divine Source of all created life.  That something is mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides a simple definition of mercy: "the loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends" (Glossary of the 2nd Editi...

It is not unlikely that a large majority of people who inhabit the modern world, and who make even a slight presence in the digital realm, have heard that Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy.  The great jubilee year begins in six days, on December 8.  Based on the letter he wrote to announce this jubilee, Misericordiae Vultus (MV) , the Holy Father wants the Church and its members to ponder and exhibit the reality of God's mercy in a number of specific ways. While reading through the letter, I have begun to feel that Francis, as much as he has written to the universal Church, has written directly to me.  It seems that the subtitle, or the secondary motto, of the jubilee ought to be: "...because Derek needs it."  I have come to know and realize that this Year of Mercy is an opportune moment to experience the radical transformation of life that God offers.  So, I intend to immerse myself in learning, pondering, and displaying the Father's mer...

God is revealing something special through the Scripture readings for Mass during this twentieth week in Ordinary Time.  The Lord makes abundantly clear that He intends to bring all people, even those perceived as the lowest and least faithful, into covenant relationship with Himself.  Yet, such a relationship is not possible without a radical transformation of heart, which will prepare God's faithful and chosen ones to present a witness to the world.  It is this witness of transformation, and nothing else, that will allow God to reach out and gather in all those He desires for His own. Let's examine the lectionary readings for this week to see how this process works.  For three consecutive days, the Church hears the message of the prophet Ezekiel about the sour state of Israel and their leaders, and about the travesties that befall a people who are unfaithful to the Lord.  They are prideful, haughty, and have become gods of their own making (cf. Ez. 28:1-10 )...

As I've been reading, teaching, and praying over the past few days, a basic theme of God's revelation has come into my consciousness again and again.  This significant part of God's plan for humanity has always been true, it has never been negated, and I can recite it as a truth in the same way that I might recite multiplication tables.  I am quite sure, however, that God has brought this reality into my line of sight more frequently recently because He knows that I have yet to perfect it as He intends for me.  The simple truth is that love of God is inseparable from love of neighbor.  Neither of these is attained fully without the other. It is always true that love of God leads directly to love of neighbor; it leads in no other direction.  Two passages of Sacred Scripture have reiterated this to me in recent days.  The first of these is from the book of Deuteronomy.  As the Israelites wander in the desert, nearing the end of their forty-year communa...

The second sorrowful mystery of the Rosary calls us to meditate on Christ being scourged at the pillar.  As I've prayed the various mysteries of the Rosary over the years, it has taken quite some time for me to grasp the supposed fruit of reflecting on this event in the Lord's life: a spirit mortification.  I am hardly known for espousing a giddy approach to fasting, and I'm still warming up to the idea of sacrificing my body for something other than an athletic feat.  So, I continually ask the Lord to reveal to me the way(s) in which I can grow in such a disposition, and it seems that He has done so today. Flagellation of Christ by Peter Paul Rubens As I reflected again on this mystery earlier today, I was led to a poignant understanding.  Rather than focusing on acts of fasting and prayers of penance, the spirit of mortification that God wants to develop in me ought to be centered on a death to self that really transforms this prideful and stubborn soul....

This post is a follow-up to last week's post, "Cramming for the 'Final Exam.'"   As I finished that post, I realized that it does little good to exhort Catholic Christians to prepare well for the forthcoming judgment if they are not provided some direction for effective preparation.  The best teachers help their students prepare well for the exams that cover the content of the courses they teach.  While it would be pretentious to count myself among the best teachers of religious and spiritual things, the method works, so I'll employ it. Our world is inundated with media outlets of all types, from television to print to billboards to new digital media such as podcasts and internet video clips, and everything in between.  When it comes to the Catholic Church, and to Catholic beliefs and lifestyle, much of the media paints an errant picture, or at least a very incomplete picture.  Rare is a newspaper article, a popular book, or a segment on any round-the-...

In recent weeks, I have been conversing with young adults who are wrapping up their semester studies.  Despite the various institutions they attend and the various majors they have chosen, one common theme has shone itself through these conversations.  In the weeks leading up to final projects and exams, these students are quite tense and full of stress as they realize that they may not have learned all the necessary material in order to pass the test(s) and course(s).  They begin to wonder if they have procrastinated a bit longer than they should have, which elicits extra anxiety.  One young man even said to me, "I've learned how to re-learn an entire semester's material in a single afternoon so that I can pass the exam."  As I listen to these young people talk, I recall my own studies.  I freely admit that I did plenty of procrastinating and last-minute cramming during my college career.  Therefore, I know that procrastination and last-minute crammin...

The Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Easter presents Jesus as a shepherd whose voice is recognized by His sheep.  During the ensuing days, Monday and Tuesday , the Church has read and heard subsequent passages from that tenth chapter of John's gospel.  By these Scriptures, and by the readings from Acts of the Apostles and the Psalms, Christians gain a deeper understanding of the purpose and the dynamics of the Shepherd-sheep relationship.  These three days of liturgical proclamation help one to realize that she must listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, which echoes in the voice of the Church, for guidance toward her appointed end. Early in John 10, Jesus portrays Himself as the one true voice among the voices of strangers that sheep do not recognize.  Just a few verses later, the Lord announces that He is the source of salvation and abundant life in peaceful pastures.   His role as the supreme and divine pastor stands in stark contras...