Third Sunday of Easter

Our readings this weekend remind us that the Scriptures (Moses, the prophets, and the psalms - the Old Testament) speak of Jesus Christ, His life, death, and resurrection. Christ reveals to the Apostles, and to the Church, the understanding of Scripture. With this understanding, we cannot help but see that the Scriptures drip with Christ! Cleopas and his companion (as this Gospel passage follows their story) 'model' the proper response to having the scriptures opened to us: Telling others the Good News.

Let us allow our hearts to burn with love for Christ, and to seek to understand Him in Scriptures, and see Him in the breaking of the Bread. Let us tell all of Christ!

Second Sunday of Easter

"Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Blessed are the ones who respond to Christ's call, not with hearing His voice, but rather those who walk with faith. The Apostles are incredulous with the Resurrection, but Christ truly was raised and He truly appeared to them. Poor St. Thomas, though, was not so fortunate that first Easter Sunday to be able to see. He responds the way most of us would - unable to believe without the evidence. But when Christ stands in front of them again, he responds with a profound faith. Jesus challenged him, and in doing so, us, too.

We have seen Him, we have received Him. In the Eucharist, He comes to us, too. Like Thomas, we can cry "My Lord and my God."

Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday is today. I encourage you to pray the chaplet and to ask for the gift of understanding of the devotion to the Divine Mercy of Christ.

O Happy Fault

One of the lines of the Exultet, which I posted for Easter, is a little jarring at first read. A good friend asked for clarification and it seems fitting to offer it here, too. The line in question, is officially translated (what I had posted):

"O happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam
which gained for us so great a redeemer."

Had it not been for the sin of Adam, we would not have 'needed' or 'necessitated' Jesus Christ. Adam's sin made the need for a savior. Words have developed in meaning - necessary is one such word that in Latin has a variety of meanings as an adjective (in my Latin dictionary, it means "necessary/needed/essential/indispensable; inevitable, fateful; urgent/critical; unavoidable/compulsory")
The Latin of the verse in question is

"O certe necessarium Adae peccatum,
quod Christi morte deletum est!
O felix culpa,
quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!"

Here's my quick translation:

O, certainly inevitable sin of Adam,
which because of Christ's death is abolished!
O happy fault,
which gained [humanity] to have so excellent and so great a Redeemer."

I also found Fr. John Zuhlsdorf's more 'slavishly accurate' translation

O truly needful sin of Adam,
that was blotted out by the death of Christ!
O happy fault,
that merited to have such and so great a Redeemer!

One quick little fact that the word translated as 'gain' is meruit - merit ("earn; deserve/merit/have right; win/gain/incur; earn soldier/whore pay, serve"). It can be used for the payment made to a prostitute - perhaps it is ill-gotten gains, Adam's sin 'meriting" us the Redeemer! But thank God for the Redeemer!

God is omniscient. Before the creation of Adam and Eve, before He spoke the world into existence, He knew what was going to happen. He knew that the one rule ("Do not eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge...") would be violated. He knew that the human experience of His continual call to conversion through the covenants (Noah, Abraham, and Moses) and the prophets would be futile. He knew that humanity could not be allowed into eternity without Christ to open the gates of heaven and His saving action in the World. Yet He had a plan from all eternity for the redemption of humanity to bring them into His presence. When all was ready for the Second Person of the Trinity to enter into time and space, Jesus Christ did so. With His death and resurrection as the Incarnate God, Jesus restores and reconciles man to God, and Heaven is wedded to earth. He gives us more than what was lost - He gives us eternity!

The Resurrection of Christ, and the redemption that He wins for us is so much greater than that for which we could have hoped. The understanding of the Church is that Adam and Eve enjoyed a state of "original justice" before "original sin" - that is, that he enjoyed a natural harmony with God and the rest of creation. With his sin, that harmony was damaged beyond human repair (but not God's, of course) though man still could chose to follow God in this life (still separated from Him in eternity, though not is Hell as a state of torment). All the same, humanity lost earthly paradise. What Christ gives in His incarnation, death, and resurrection, is not the restoration of natural harmony, or Original Justice, or even earthly paradise. He gives supernatural justice, that we can be made perfect and live with God in eternity in heaven. We are given the right to be in the presence of God in Heaven, while Adam only walked with God in paradise!

In this light, we clearly understand that this verse is not a permission slip to 'sin greater' or as Luther said to "sin boldly" mentalities, but a recognition of St. Paul's observation (Romans 5:20), that where sin increased, grace increased all the more. God's loving response is always greater than our sin, because He is perfect. God's perfect love for us means that He would continually call us to holiness even when we sin. God could have been justified on simply allowing us to live and to die, and to spend eternity separated from Him, but He loves us perfectly, and makes us justified through Christ (but we have to respond to it). It is our ability to choose freely to follow God (free will) that makes us human. In Christ, God makes it possible for us to freely choose Him! God so deeply desires us, that He gives the grace to love Him, to follow Him into eternity. Because of Christ, because of His death and resurrection, we receive the call to become saints! All because of Adam's sin!

Easter's Praise

Happy Easter! Jesus Christ is truly raised, and we are given the hope of eternal life!

Enjoy this piece, the Exultet!

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,
standing with me in this holy light,
join me in asking God for mercy,

that he may give his unworthy minister
grace to sing his Easter praises.

Deacon: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Deacon: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Deacon: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is truly right
that with full hearts and minds and voices
we should praise the unseen God, the all-powerful Father,
and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.


For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam's sin to our eternal Father!

This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night
when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night
when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!

This is the night
when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night
when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

Most blessed of all nights,
chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!

Of this night scripture says:
"The night will be as clear as day:
it will become my light, my joy."

The power of this holy night dispels all evil,
washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace,
and humbles earthly pride.

Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and man is reconciled with God!

Therefore, heavenly Father,
in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn offering.

Accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.

Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of this night!

May the Morning Star which never sets
find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star,
who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

Holy Saturday's Silence

From the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday:

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ Christ answered him: ‘And with your spirit.’ He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

Palm Sunday

"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe." The chief priests with the scribes mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross. While they may have thought that the fact of a dying man coming off of the instrument of torture and death might have been something to cause a change in one's belief system. But Jesus remained on the cross, going through it, because it was the will of the Father that He die. But something even more miraculous was to occur, only because Jesus humbled and emptied Himself complete to even death on the Cross!

May we, too, humble ourselves to the saving will of the Father!

Pontiff's Message for Vocation Prayer Day

As part of World Day of Prayer for Vocations, His Holiness has released a letter for the day. He has given the letter the name of Faith in the Divine Initiative – the Human Response. In this letter, he urges us to pray for vocations, and that those responding take part in the plan of love and salvation God has for everyone. He encourages prayers and efforts to strengthen families. In contemplating the Eucharist, he reiterates that we can see how our faith in what God has done can lead us to respond. Priests perpetuate this salvific mystery, and every Mass nourishes the faithful and priest to make a response in faith.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

"We want to see Jesus", some Greeks ask the disciples. Why, we have no idea, but the desire is one that we can all share. Jesus recognizes that His hour is coming, when He is going to be like the grain of wheat that dies to produce much fruit of righteousness and eternal life. Those who desire to serve Jesus must follow Him (and whoever follows Him must serve Him, too). The glory that Jesus is about to reveal is for us, for those who serve and follow Him. He is to be glorified on the cross and will draw all to Himself. As we are drawn to Christ, may our desire to see Jesus be fulfilled!

Fourth Sunday of Lent

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Perhaps the best known passage in Scripture (flashed at sports games by some rainbow haired men), this passage from today's Gospel tells us how much God loves us. The account of Nicodemus' encounter of Christ is the beginning of Jesus's proclamation of His purpose and ultimate message - salvation and God's love. Nicodemus came hidden in the darkness, but Jesus Christ, the light of the world, reveals the truth to him. God loves the world so much that He sent His Son, the second Person of the Trinity, to save it. But this salvation is not automatic - some may prefer the darkness of sins. Those who believe are not condemned, but their works have to show their belief, living the truth in the light, and our works done in God. There is a tender balance here - between the love of God and our human wills, and between presumption of salvation and forgiveness of sins. Just because God loves us does not mean we can sin with no consequences assuming God will simply save us.

God's love saves us, but we must respond to that love by living our vocations - that call of love in our lives.

St. John Vianney to be declared Patron of all Priests

ST. JEAN MARIE VIANNEY: PATRON SAINT OF ALL PRIESTS. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has plans to declare St. John Vianney the patron of all priests.


VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - "Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests" is the theme of the Year for Priests announced today by the Holy Father, according to a communique issued by the Holy See Press Office.

The Pope will inaugurate the Year on 19 June, presiding at Vespers in St. Peter's Basilica where the relics of the saintly 'Cure of Ars' will be brought for the occasion by Bishop Guy Bagnard of Belley-Ars, France. He will close the year on 19 June 2010, presiding at a "World Meeting of Priests" in St. Peter's Square.

During the course of the Year, Benedict XVI will proclaim St. Jean Marie Vianney as patron saint of all the priests of the world. A "Directory for Confessors and Spiritual Directors" will also be published, as will a collection of texts by the Supreme Pontiff on essential aspects of the life and mission of priests in our time.

The Congregation for the Clergy, together with diocesan ordinaries and superiors of religious institutes, will undertake to promote and co-ordinate the various spiritual and pastoral initiatives which are being organised to highlight the role and mission of the clergy in the Church and in modern society, and the need to intensify the permanent formation of priests, associating it with that of seminarians.
OP/YEAR FOR PRIESTS/...VIS 090316 (230)

A Year for Priests

Today, the Holy Father announced a year for priests. The statement is as follows:

HOLY FATHER ANNOUNCES A SPECIAL YEAR FOR PRIESTS

VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy Father received members of the Congregation for the Clergy, who are currently celebrating their plenary assembly on the theme: "The missionary identity of priests in the Church as an intrinsic dimension of the exercise of the 'tre munera'".

"The missionary dimension of a priest arises from his sacramental configuration to Christ the Head", said the Pope. This involves "total adherence to what ecclesial tradition has identified as 'apostolica vivendi forma', which consists in participation ... in that 'new way of life' which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and which the Apostles made their own".

Benedict XVI highlighted the "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every truly priestly heart. In order to favour this tendency of priests towards spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends, I have", he said, "decided to call a special 'Year for Priests' which will run from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010". This year marks "the 150th anniversary of the death of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', Jean Marie Vianney, a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock".

"The ecclesial, communional, hierarchical and doctrinal dimension is absolutely indispensable for any authentic mission, and this alone guarantees its spiritual effectiveness", he said.

"The mission is 'ecclesial'", said the Pope, "because no-one announces or brings themselves, ... but brings Another, God Himself, to the world. God is the only wealth that, definitively, mankind wishes to find in a priest.

"The mission is 'communional' because it takes place in a unity and communion which only at a secondary level possess important aspects of social visibility. ... The 'hierarchical' and 'doctrinal' dimensions emphasise the importance of ecclesiastical discipline (a term related to that of 'disciple') and of doctrinal (not just theological, initial and permanent) formation".

Benedict XVI stressed the need to "have care for the formation of candidates to the priesthood", a formation that must maintain "communion with unbroken ecclesial Tradition, without pausing or being tempted by discontinuity. In this context, it is important to encourage priests, especially the young generations, to a correct reading of the texts of Vatican Council II, interpreted in the light of all the Church's doctrinal inheritance".

Priests must be "present, identifiable and recognisable - for their judgement of faith, personal virtues and attire - in the fields of culture and of charity which have always been at the heart of the Church's mission".

"The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church. It is necessary then, to ensure that 'new structures' or pastoral organisations are not planned for a time in which it will be possible to 'do without' ordained ministry, on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of the promotion of the laity, because this would lay the foundations for a further dilution in priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would, in fact, dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently affecting the ministry".

Third Sunday of Lent

In the Cycle of readings for this Third Sunday of Lent (year B), we have the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus Christ is zealous and in a controlled anger about those that would make the temple area a marketplace. When asked for the sign of His authority, He tells them to destroy 'this temple' and He will raise it up in three days. Naturally, they assumed that He was speaking of the temple, but He was speaking of another dwelling place of God - Himself.

In the First Reading, we hear the 10 Commandments. By the Church Fathers to put this readings together, we could reasonable assume that we are to make the connection that Christ is emphatic about us living the commandments out. The people in the Temple area, while providing a necessary service, lacked the love and respect of God. Their selling and trading of animals needed for sacrifice and offering was more focussed on profit than God, and the location in the Temple area must have been especially concerning. Christ is challenging them to a respect of the Temple as a respect of God. We know that the standards of the Commandments are raised by Christ into responding not just to the 'letter' of the Commandments, but to the intention - Love of God and neighbor in works of mercy. We can only live these out with God's grace. Therefore, we must ask for His grace!

Second Sunday in Lent

"Rabbi, It is good that we are here!" Exclaims Peter as he beholds a glimpse of Christ in His glory in the Transfiguration. Peter wishes to stay, to build three booths for them to stay in. This glimpse gives a sense of purpose and meaning, and who does not like things clear and beautiful. But the glimpse is only that, and it is gone. The Voice speaks to listen to the Son, but the clarity of the moment is gone (though Peter years later recalls that he had seen Christ's glory on the mountain). They must return to the darkness of not knowing with that clarity. They must find the way to follow Christ through His arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion, and death. The ugliness of His death must have been a stark contrast to this glory, and it is precisely because of this that the Lord allows them the opportunity, that the scandal of the cross would not prevent them from listening faithfully to the Beloved Son of God. They must descend the mountain and faithfully walk with Christ through the darkness of Good Friday.

This listening to Christ is what we are about this Lent. We know of the resurrection, but we too must allow Christ to lead us through the darkness of our sins. Our joy on Easter is because of our journey in our Good Fridays - our recognition of our sin but more importantly the recognition of Christ's selfless love for us that He would die for our sins. Like Peter, may we learn not to simply stay at the place of comfort, but to follow Christ into the unknown darkness and the terrifying events that reveal God's love.

With regard to the transfiguration, it can provide us ample thought as we discern. We would like to stay in the familiar, the known. But if God is calling us to serve Him, we must listen to Him. May the glimpse of the Glory of God inspire us all to follow Him.

Parents' Duty Website

The Catholic Culture site often provides great reviews of various Catholic (or so-called Catholic) websites. They recently reviewed a site called Parents' Duty. I perused the site briefly, and it looks like an excellent resource for parents to help them raise their children aware of a Vocation. Check it out at www.parentsduty.com

First Sunday of Lent

The Church gives us the temptation of Christ in the Wilderness every first Sunday of Lent. This year, we hear in two verses of the temptation from Mark's account. He was baptized, and then went to the wilderness, where we hear His was tempted by Satan. We do not know what Satan was tempting Him with from Mark's gospel (though Luke and Matthew tell us it had to do with claiming food, fame, and authority), but He successfully avoids it. Mark tells us that the wild beasts were present, and that the angels ministered to Him, showing that already the rift in creation was already being healed. Jesus begins His ministry with a call to repentance and belief in the Gospel - the good news - of God. That good news is that God loves us, and is going to save us.

We can grow so accustomed to the good news of salvation that it losses meaning - Lent is a time to stop remember just what lengths Christ took to save us. This Lent is a time for us to remember that Gospel. Like Jesus who enters this following baptism, we too should enter this 40 days of Lent preparing to live out this good news in whatever vocation God is calling us.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

On this Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear of the faith of the friends of a paralytic. They will stop at nothing to get their friend to the Lord for healing. Jesus forgives the man his sins (which causes controversy among the scribes), but the proof of Christ's authority over sin is the healing of the paralytic. It is as if Jesus purposely used this occasion to teach about the nature of forgiveness. Jesus is God made man, but that is not what he starts with - He starts with the fact that it is a wrong thought. Later in His ministry, Jesus will give that authority to forgive sins to the Apostles. It is, of course, God who gives the authority, but it is an authority that those 'ordained' by God through the Sacrament of Holy Orders are given a share. It is not a power in the priest's humanity, but God's work through the priest. How much of a privilege it is, to be an instrument of forgiveness!

I am now on Facebook

I just started a Facebook account through my email toddpetersen @ mac.com! Feel free to add me as a friend!

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the healing of the Leper in today's Gospel, we hear the story of a man of faith. First, instead of crying out 'unclean' as we heard demanded in the first reading, he approaches and begs for healing. He recognizes that Jesus can do this healing, and in worshipping Him, recognizes Him as Lord and God. Jesus does heal the leper, and asks him not to speak of it. Instead, the former leper spreads the message, and Jesus is suddenly the one who cannot go into the city!

There are times we all are like lepers, each of us trying to hide our wounds. At times, we do not dare approach Christ and beg for healing. This leper provides a model - go with boldness, know that Christ is God and can heal us, and receive the healing. Unlike this former leper, however, we are to tell others. Jesus Christ can heal us, and even more, He desires to do so! If He heals us, how much more will he lead us to Heaven and into our true vocations!

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our Gospel reading refers to the mother-in-law of St. Peter, and some may get this a little confused. While it is possible (and even likely) that St. Peter was married, the mere mention of a mother-in-law is not proof that he was still married as he followed Jesus Christ. Note that there is no mention of his wife - most likely because she had died. This passage does not provide proof, therefore, against celibacy. Further, note that the Church has allowed married men to be be ordained (as often the case for permanent deacons, and even for those who were married and are free to be ordained priests either because of death or because there was no sacramental marriage due to invalidity or lack of form). Once ordained, though, the man can not marry, at least without the Vatican's approval.

The rest of this passage reminds me of the people's desire to know Jesus. The faith, as seminal as it was, attracted them to Him. Yet He knew He had others to lead into faith. In our vocations, we too are invited to lead others to Christ. Do our actions and words lead others to Him?